To advance west to Luoyang and welcome the Son of Heaven.
A nourishing soup for warding off the cold and dumplings.
These four seemingly unrelated matters, with Xi Zhicai's reminder, Cao Cao suddenly understood everything; he had figured it out!
His powerful frame trembled, and his spirit was instantly ignited.
"Excellent, excellent! Administrator Lu’s dumplings and nourishing soup are superb, marvelous!"
"Hahahaha!"
Cao Cao's peculiar laughter then echoed throughout the pavilion.
This matter was truly wondrous. Had anyone else told Cao Cao that a bowl of soup and a food shaped like an ear could enable the soldiers of the three armies to resist the biting cold, Cao Cao would have been one hundred and twenty percent disbelieving.
But... now, having personally consumed them and deeply felt the warmth within.
"Hahaha"...
Cao Cao couldn't help but burst into loud laughter. Truly... there was such a "treasure" in the world that even in the frigid winter, even on long marches, even when frostbite threatened, it could make the soldiers' bodies burn with heat, preventing them from freezing their ears and limbs, and more importantly, from contracting the deadly illness of the common cold!
Then... advancing west to Luoyang to welcome and serve the Son of Heaven could be put back on the agenda! Haha...
Cao Cao's eyes suddenly gazed west.
It was strange. The frost and cold problem that had taken him and Cao Hong, Xiahou Yuan, and Cao Ren much discussion to resolve was unexpectedly... unexpectedly solved within the small space before Yu'er’s residence, between a bowl and chopsticks.
Marvelous...
At this moment, Cao Cao's mood could be summed up in four words: indescribably wonderful!
Of course, Cao Cao's peculiar laughter left the common folk somewhat bewildered.
"Nothing is tastier than dumplings," everyone could understand that.
But... it wasn't necessary to laugh while eating, was Cao Cao, the Prefect, so unrestrained?
"Big Brother, these dumplings are delicious, but it doesn't seem like they warrant such great joy, does it?"
Xiahou Yuan asked Cao Cao curiously.
"Indeed..." Cao Ren said loudly. "It's the first time I've seen Big Brother so happy while eating."
Indeed, it was the first time for Cao Ren, but for Xiahou Yuan, this was the second time. After all, when he had tasted the fried grasshoppers before, Big Brother Cao Cao had also laughed uncontrollably.
Speaking of which, Lu Yu was quite remarkable. Not only was he a skilled physician, but he was also a masterful cook!
First, with his "Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases," he had cured more than half of the cold-related illnesses in Yan Province!
Subsequently, he had even invented these "dumplings." If he could also master the previous fried grasshoppers, Xiahou Yuan would be willing to hail Lu Yu as the culinary god of this era.
"Mengcai, Zixiao, Zilian..." Cao Cao tried his best to calm his thumping heart. "Do you know why I am laughing?"
"Why?" Cao Ren, Cao Hong, and Xiahou Yuan chorused...
"Haha..." Cao Cao laughed, gesturing with his hand. "Wenruo, Zhicai, why don't you explain it thoroughly to my few virtuous brothers here!"
"Alright." Xun Yu and Xi Zhicai exchanged glances. With a flick of his beard, he then said loudly, "Have the three generals not felt the warmth in your bodies?"
"Since drinking this soup... do you still feel the biting cold around you?"
Upon hearing this...
Huo... Cao Ren, Cao Hong, and Xiahou Yuan instinctively looked towards their own bellies, and then... they seemed to have understood something.
Yes, after eating the dumplings... they no longer felt the surrounding cold.
Of course, this was stating the obvious.
What was important was...
If they themselves did not feel the cold and their bodies were not stiff with chill, then... wouldn't the tens of thousands of soldiers advancing west to Luoyang to welcome and serve the Son of Heaven also not feel the cold if they consumed this soup and dumplings?
Did this not solve the great problem they were currently facing?
Excellent, excellent...
Instantly, the eyes of Cao Ren, Cao Hong, and Xiahou Yuan began to gleam. At this moment, they wished they could advance to Luoyang immediately and make preparations!
"Haha..." Cao Cao's laughter still showed no signs of stopping. He nodded gently. "Now, do you know what treasure Administrator Lu has, as mentioned by Wenruo and Zhicai?"
Xiahou Yuan, Cao Ren, and Cao Hong subconsciously looked at the empty bowls in their hands...
Feeling the warmth in their bodies, at this moment... four characters appeared on their foreheads: "As if having found a treasure!"
These nourishing soups for warding off the cold and dumplings were indeed treasures!
Just then...
"Creak..."
With a crisp sound, the gate of the Cai mansion opened...
The last time it opened, Lu Yu had walked out, to be greeted naturally by a series of "thump thump" sounds of kowtows.
Of course, no matter how much Lu Yu tried to persuade them, the common people remained kneeling and refused to rise.
It was also quite understandable. Since the common people had decided to express their gratitude, they would certainly not leave after kneeling for a short while. For a life-saving grace, shouldn't they kneel for at least half a day?
Otherwise, wouldn't that be disrespect to their benefactor?
However, this time, it was not Lu Yu who walked out, but Wei Hong and Cai Wengji.
Wei Hong's appearance was unremarkable and did not cause any commotion.
But... as soon as Cai Wengji appeared, "thump thump thump," many common people repeatedly kowtowed to her.
As for the reason...
After the cold illnesses were cured, a rumor spread in the markets—due to certain indescribable reasons, Administrator Lu had sworn an oath that he would no longer practice medicine for the rest of his life!
But the reason he broke his oath to treat the cold illnesses was due to his elder sister, Cai Wengji, persuading him!
Miss Wengji could not bear to see the common people suffer from this fatal cold illness, causing the ruin of families and the separation of wives and children... She empathized with the people's suffering and thus, after six entreaties, finally persuaded him to act...
It could be said that for the recovery of the cold illness patients, half the credit belonged to Lu Yu, and the other half belonged to Miss Wengji.
Now that she had finally come out, naturally... the common people kowtowed repeatedly, their gratitude overflowing.
"You... you all get up!"
Cai Wengji had never seen such a scene before... She tried to help a few common people, but... they refused to stand.
For a moment, she also became somewhat at a loss.
"Ahem..."
With a light cough, Wei Hong, who had seen more of the world, said loudly.
"Everyone, everyone... listen to me, listen to me!"
After all, he was a representative figure of the scholars and merchants of Chenliu Commandery. Although his presence was weaker than Cai Wengji's at this moment, his words still carried significant weight.
Instantly, the entire area outside the gate fell silent.
"Next, Master Lu plans to open a restaurant throughout Chenliu Commandery, no... throughout Yan Province, selling the same nourishing soup for warding off the cold and dumplings that you have just had..."
"Ah, there are ways to express gratitude. Kneeling is of no use, esteemed citizens. If you have this intention, it would be better to patronize Master Lu's business more. Don't you agree?"
Upon hearing this, Cao Cao, who was not far away, nodded.
Old Wei is becoming more cunning with age. Although these words are few, they are very clever.
He, who made the kneeling common people stand up, was unable to do so, and Sister Cai Yan was also unable to do so, but Old Wei was likely to succeed!
Moreover, he not only made the common people stand up, but he could also earn a substantial profit. Truly, it was the nature of a merchant!
As expected...
Just as Cao Cao had anticipated, as soon as Wei Hong spoke, the common people stood up one after another.
"Old Wei is right. By just kneeling, how can we repay our benefactor?"
"Yes, yes. Instead of kneeling, it would be better to help our benefactor promote this restaurant more and patronize it!"
"Well said, well said..."
With a single call, a thousand responded. In an instant, a dense crowd of people stood up, all clamoring to patronize and promote. Some even took out a lot of money, wanting to pre-pay for the dumplings.
The most exaggerated was a patriarch of a noble family who directly took out a bag of gold.
This astonished Cai Wengji. The rumors said that business was so difficult to do, yet with Old Wei's words... he made the common people willingly spend money. Coupled with this, the idea for Brother Yu's dumpling business... also seemed to become much easier.
Old Wei is brilliant!
However...
So much money was taken out, and some even offered grain, or family heirlooms...
And these simple common people, they had no other motives. They simply wanted to pre-pay for the dumpling restaurant, using this method to repay their gratitude.
Phew... phew...
Cai Wengji repeatedly felt a flutter in her heart as she breathed out.
"Everyone... everyone..." Cai Wengji was still kind-hearted. The dumpling restaurant hadn't even opened yet, how could she bear to accept everyone's money? Moreover... grains were already scarce this year, and everyone had their own difficulties, hadn't they?
"Everyone, please be rational... be rational. This money is too much. You... you can't eat dumplings every meal, can you?"
As soon as these words were spoken...
The common people responded one after another...
And in a very humorous way:
—"Miss Wengji, I advise you not to meddle in other people's business."
—"Miss Wengji, please trouble yourself to inform Administrator Lu that the pricing for the dumplings and soup must not be too cheap! I heard Old Wei plans to set it at a thousand coins. That's too little! I want ten thousand coins a bowl! One hundred thousand coins a bowl is also fine!"
—"Miss Wengji, I've paid the money. Of course, I won't cause any trouble for you."
This time...
Cai Wengji became even more bewildered. She could never have imagined that the people's enthusiasm would be so great. Of course... it could also be said that Brother Yu's influence was so great!
"Everyone, everyone, please be more rational. If you all go, Brother Yu's dumpling restaurant won't be able to cope!"
—"Hahaha, stop talking. Just take the money. We won't go when there are many people, and we won't go when there are few people. Of course, it's okay if there are no dumplings when I occasionally go. Just water is fine, I'll take it all!"
—"I'm paying, I won't go. Alas, it's just for fun!"
—"Sister Wengji, don't worry about us. We won't listen. We will pay. Even if the King of Heaven himself came, he couldn't stop us!"
This...
This time, not only Cai Wengji was bewildered, but even Wei Hong was bewildered. Having been in business for most of his life, this was the first time he had encountered such a situation.
Good heavens, it could be said... that the popularity of this dumpling restaurant would be phenomenal, and perhaps... its popularity might even surpass that of the oil mill!
Is this the legendary life-saving grace?
Is life-saving grace this profitable?
Of course... Wei Hong could not understand.
The saying goes, "Kindness that saves a life is never forgotten."
It's like this: if someone saves you in reality, and you happen to know they are opening a restaurant, wouldn't you contribute several thousand or tens of thousands? Is that worthy of their life-saving grace?
The most crucial point is that Lu Yu saved not just one person, but all the patients suffering from cold illnesses in the eight commanderies of Yan Province and the four commanderies of Xu Province. Those kneeling before the Cai mansion now are merely a drop in the ocean!
For them, whether it tastes good or not is not important at all, as they were not originally seeking a meal.
Moreover, the taste of the dumplings and the nourishing soup for warding off the cold is indeed excellent, and after eating them, their bodies feel warm... No matter how they thought about it, they had to pay the money first!
The more Cai Wengji tried to persuade them, the more enthusiastic the common people became.
Some even went so far as to offer their sheep, stating they could procure sheep from the Hu people at a low price...
Doesn't the nourishing soup for warding off the cold require lamb? He wanted to sell lamb to Master Lu at a loss!
The entire scene was chaotic yet heartwarming.
"Hahahaha..."
Seeing this scene, Cao Cao stroked his beard. "Yuanrang, Zilian, Mengcai, do you see?"
See what?
See Lu Yu making money even while lying down?
Xiahou Yuan, Cao Ren, and especially Cao Hong... he felt a bit dazed. His worldview was almost being subverted.
Why... does money come so easily to Lu Yu?
Why... when Lu Yu does business, even an observant person can tell it's a sure profit before it even starts?
Why... does Cao Hong feel that he has lived his decades in vain, completely failing to understand life?
"Haha... indeed, as the saying goes, 'Giving roses leaves a lingering fragrance in the hand.'" Xun Yu sighed. "Master Lu Yu saved all the patients suffering from cold illnesses in the eight commanderies of Yan Province and the four commanderies of Xu Province. The gratitude they are showing now is just a little too intense, making it somewhat overwhelming."
To this, Xi Zhicai was most moved, nodding repeatedly...
Strictly speaking, he was also one of the tens of thousands of patients who had been treated!
"Haha..." Cao Cao first shook his head, then nodded, and couldn't help but sigh. "Good deeds inspire good deeds, good deeds win people's hearts, and the power of good deeds is infinite! Today, before the Cai mansion, I, Cao Cao, have learned a great lesson!"
Yes...
Good deeds, Cao Cao would never have considered such things in ordinary times.
Compared to good deeds, he preferred to treat the people with strictness and coldness, but it seemed... kindness was more effective in rallying people. This was what made Cao Cao feel the most direct impact.
Gradually... as the lively atmosphere subsided, with the persuasion of Wei Hong and Cai Wengji, the common people finally returned home. The grand spectacle of kneeling to express gratitude to their benefactor finally came to an end.
Only when the crowd dispersed did Cai Wengji notice Cao Cao and his entourage in the crowd.
"Brother..." Cai Wengji gracefully walked up to Cao Cao and, still very polite, first bowed. "I didn't know when Brother arrived? Why didn't you greet your little sister?"
Heh heh...
Hearing this, Cao Cao "heh heh"-ed. He wanted to greet her, but the situation didn't allow it.
The area before the mansion had been so crowded it looked like a pot of porridge.
Of course, Cao Cao wouldn't say this, nor would he complain. On the contrary, he was very happy now, extremely happy!
"Virtuous sister, if I had greeted you in advance, how would I have tasted those delicious dumplings and nourishing soup for warding off the cold? And how would I have envisioned the prosperity of your Brother Yu's future dumpling shop!"
Cao Cao was thinking about what Wei Hong had mentioned earlier – Lu Yu's plan to open restaurants in Yan Province, selling these dumplings and nourishing soup for warding off the cold.
This was very good. For the common people, it provided a delicious new food;
Secondly, it could more effectively resist the cold;
Thirdly, Yu'er could also seize the opportunity to earn a sum of money, whether selling for cash or bartering, it was a huge profit.
Thinking of this, Cao Cao felt a little smug. It seemed Yu'er truly had a knack for business.
"Brother, what are you saying." Cai Wengji shook her head slightly... "If Brother enters the mansion, would you be short of a bowl of dumplings?"
Cao Hong loved to hear these words.
Before Cao Cao could reply, Cao Hong quickly interjected. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go inside... shall we chat while eating dumplings?"
"Since General Cao has said so..." Cai Wengji smiled slightly. "Generals, please. The dumplings are cooked. I will have someone serve them to you."
"If Brother Yu knew you were visiting my humble abode, he would be overjoyed."
As they spoke, the group headed towards the yamen.
Of course, Cai Wengji said this...
As for being overjoyed, that was not necessarily the case. It was good enough.
In fact, Lu Yu had anticipated this long ago...
Once the nourishing soup for warding off the cold and dumplings were introduced, Cao Cao and the generals would inevitably come when they smelled them.
After all, with the appearance of these items, the last hurdle preventing Cao Cao from advancing west to Luoyang had been completely resolved.
Next... the topic of discussion would become... how to escort the Son of Heaven back from the clutches of various warlords!
This process would not be easy.
Of course, Lu Yu had already carefully reviewed the warlords involved in this matter.
Putting aside Li Jue, who was constantly pursuing the Son of Heaven's carriage.
The Son of Heaven still had four factions of warlords around him...
Yang Feng, a former general of the White Wave Army and a subordinate of Li Jue, the Xiliang Army commander;
Dong Cheng, the Son of Heaven's father-in-law, who commanded elite troops;
Han Xian, the leader of the Yellow Turban Army, who later joined the procession to welcome the Son of Heaven;
Zhang Yang, the Prefect of Henei, who was most familiar with the route. None of them were easy opponents, and their combined forces even outnumbered Cao Cao's.
Of course, in Lu Yu's opinion, they all had weaknesses, significant weaknesses!
And the strategy to defeat them? It could be summarized in ten characters—
—"....!......!"
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