"A breach?"
"Was it too late after all?"
"Could the rice no longer be saved?"
Cao Cao's mind was filled with these three soul-searching questions.
"What is the situation there now? Have the dry-land rice and paddy fields both been washed away?" Cao Cao asked with immense urgency.
All eyes turned sharply to the messenger, their hearts pounding in their chests.
It seemed the best-case scenario now was to save even a few hundred mu of rice fields! But everyone knew that with the dike breached and floodwaters raging, fields could be swept away in an instant. Saving thousands of mu was merely a hopeful wish!
"Uh..."
The messenger was taken aback. With all those eyes staring directly at him, he felt a prickle of unease. What was going on?
He patted his chest lightly before continuing.
"Duke Cao, the rice… the rice is unharmed! The thousands of mu of rice fields… they weren't… they weren't washed away! Who… who told Duke Cao they were washed away?"
"Ah… ah…"
As these words left his mouth, the entire government office fell silent.
Cao Cao's pupils contracted, as if he had seen a ghost. He was dumbfounded and quickly asked, "Didn't the dike breach?"
"It did breach… but… but it was repaired!" the messenger replied hastily.
He found that he couldn't even finish a sentence. Someone kept interrupting him, and it was Duke Cao himself. At that moment, the messenger's heart echoed a single thought: Damn it, can't you let me finish speaking?
It seemed Cao Cao realized his mistake, that he shouldn't have repeatedly interrupted the messenger. He immediately tried to calm himself. "Speak, finish what you have to say!"
Only then did the messenger continue.
"The Taishou River dike breached. Fortunately, General Xiahou had made thorough preparations. Over ten thousand armored soldiers were stationed along the Taishou River, and thousands of sandbags were ready!"
"When the dike broke, the current was swift. Dian Wei, the captain of the Longxiao Camp, plunged into the river first… using his… his flesh and blood to hold back the floodwaters. The soldiers of the Longxiao Camp also leaped into the water, forming a human wall!"
"Inspired by them, General Xiahou and his soldiers also jumped in, as did countless farmers… Thousands of people, shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand, formed a human wall that miraculously blocked the breach. With the addition of sandbags, the floodwaters of the Taishou River did not pour into the surrounding rice fields! The thousands of mu of rice fields remained safe! Now… the breach is being reinforced, and it's completely secure!"
As these words were spoken…
Hiss…
The entire government office collectively gasped in a flood of inhaled air!
Astonished, Cao Cao's eyes were filled with shock!
The surrounding officials, especially Mao Jie, looked momentarily lost, their minds clearly a blank. How was this possible?
What followed was an uproar in the government office!
Everyone gradually awoke from their disbelief. They widened their eyes, their expressions exaggerated. Even the usually refined Xun Yu's mouth was agape!
An atmosphere of breathless shock permeated the entire office.
Torrential rain, a breached dike…
Dian Wei, leading the charge, leaped into the river, followed closely by the soldiers of the Longxiao Camp, and then… Xiahou Dun and his soldiers, and then the farmers…
People said water and fire were merciless, but… they had used their own flesh and blood to block the breach!
Well done, Dian Wei, well done, Longxiao Camp, well done, Xiahou Dun, and well done, all the farmers!
An uproar, a stunned uproar, filled the entire office.
Wait a moment…
Cao Cao thought of something, and not just him, many others had the same thought…
Xiahou Dun was prepared?
He had actually prepared thousands of sandbags and, at the very first moment of the rain, led ten thousand troops to the riverbank! Ready to fill the breach at any moment!
How could Xiahou Dun have foreseen this?
Given his temperament, how could he have taken emergency action at the very first moment of the rainfall?
Also… it seemed that Commander Xun had mentioned earlier that Commander Lu had… had advised Xiahou Dun to pay attention to flood prevention in August… That's right, the Longxiao Camp was also by the dike… So…
In an instant, a bold idea dawned on everyone.
Lu Yu had not just given a warning; he might have even told Xiahou Dun how to prevent floods and the exact date of the torrential downpour, thus… leading to this perfect preparation and saving thousands of mu of fertile land!
Heavens…
As expected of the Great Yin-Yang Master Lu Yu, he had impressed everyone again!
Upon realizing this, everyone took another sharp intake of breath…
Incredible, Commander Lu, no… this school of Yin-Yang, this "Five Energies Eight Cycles," this "Yin-Yang Five Elements" is truly remarkable!
Subtly, some civil officials silently etched the words "Yin-Yang School" into their hearts…
They mused that after this ordeal, they must thoroughly study the doctrines of the Yin-Yang School. This school of thought was no weaker than Confucianism or Taoism! This knowledge was practical, vast, and profound!
*Phew…*
Letting out a long breath, Cao Cao felt the great stone that had been weighing on his heart finally land safely.
His face, previously clouded like a stormy sky, instantly cleared up.
Wait… perhaps the stone weighing on his heart hadn't landed yet?
Cao Cao suddenly remembered something and shouted sternly, "Guards, guards? Have Miaocai and Zilian departed with the teams to harvest the rice fields?"
A nearby soldier hurriedly replied, "Reporting to Duke Cao, by this time… they have likely finished assembling the troops and are already outside the city gates!"
"Immediately… immediately call them back, and be quick!" Cao Cao commanded.
If Xiahou Yuan and Cao Hong had truly set out with his order to harvest the rice fields, it would be disastrous!
The guards, understanding the gravity of the situation, did not hesitate and rushed out the door as if flying…
After all, Xiahou Yuan's troops were known as the Swift Camp, covering five hundred li in three days and a thousand li in six days, running faster than rabbits. Catching up to them would not be easy!
…
…
The rain continued to fall, and the atmosphere was not exactly harmonious.
In Chenliu Commandery, within the Cai Mansion.
Lu Yu remained in the main hall throughout the night. He stood by the window, squinting at the sky, feeling the influx of cold air, waiting for news from the Taishou River.
"Brother Yu isn't sleeping yet?" Cai Zhaoji stood beside Lu Yu, rarely seeing her brother so tense.
Of course, Cai Zhaoji knew that her Brother Yu was thinking of those thousands of mu of rice fields at this moment.
These were the hope of Yanzhou for the coming year.
"Hasn't Sister Zhaoji slept either?" Lu Yu retorted, then pointed to the rain outside the window and said with emotion, "That was quite a rain earlier, with lightning and thunder! It poured down!"
Roughly estimating, Lu Yu felt that in those few hours, if converted to hourly calculations, the rainfall rate would not be less than 200 millimeters per hour!
To put it more vividly… it was equivalent to pouring over a hundred West Lakes into Yanzhou!
With such heavy rainfall flowing into the river, it was no surprise that the current would become extremely swift, wasn't it?
Considering the quality of ancient dikes and the disrepair of the Taishou River embankment over the years, it was only natural for it to breach!
But the problem arose: even with his cheap elder brother Xiahou Dun making thorough preparations, Lu Yu was uncertain if the breach could be plugged.
"Brother Yu, what if the rice fields are indeed swept away by the flood…" Cai Zhaoji's gentle voice sounded again.
Frankly, she was also quite worried…
But her worry wasn't for the rice fields, but for her Brother Yu. These dry-land rice and paddy fields were her Brother Yu's hard work and dedication!
"There are no 'what ifs'!" Lu Yu's answer was incredibly firm. "I believe in my elder brother, and in Dian Wei, and in the hundreds of brothers in the Longxiao Camp…"
For some reason, Lu Yu felt that Xiahou Dun, Dian Wei… and the brothers of the Longxiao Camp could achieve it. Even though the matter was extremely difficult and perilous, he still felt… they could do it!
Most importantly, Xiahou Dun could provide Lu Yu with a certain sense of reassurance!
Speaking of which, although this cheap elder brother was unreliable in battle, he was quite capable in logistics.
If we disregard the fictional elements in dramatic portrayals and refer to ancient texts, after Xiahou Dun lost his eye, Cao Cao rarely sent him to the front lines…
Throughout his life, Xiahou Dun held positions such as subordinate general, commander, colonel, and prefect. This indicated that he spent more time managing logistics and was quite successful!
Moreover, he possessed a certain "fiery" spirit. When someone insulted his master at the age of fourteen, he did not hesitate and immediately killed the person!
With this "fiery" spirit, Lu Yu felt… at least in terms of preserving the rice crops, his inherent stubbornness was trustworthy!
Thinking in this direction, Lu Yu felt somewhat more at ease.
Just then…
"Young Master Lu, Young Master Lu…"
It sounded like Cao Anmin's voice. As Cao Cao's nephew and having joined the Longxiao Camp not long ago, Lu Yu's impression of him was limited to the past introduction by Xun Yu…
At this moment, Cao Anmin hurried over. Upon seeing Lu Yu, he did not dare to delay:
"It's saved, just as Young Master Lu predicted. The Taishou River had a breach, but fortunately… there were ample personnel and a large number of sandbags were prepared in advance, so the breach was finally blocked. Now the rain has lessened, and the river is no longer so turbulent… The thousands of mu of fertile land have been saved!"
Good heavens…
Clenching his fists, Lu Yu inwardly exclaimed, "Good heavens, my brothers actually managed to block it!"
"Good… good!"
Lu Yu turned around, yet he couldn't hide the excitement and joy in his heart!
This was a genuine feeling of pride for his brothers!
As if remembering something, Lu Yu tried his best to calm himself and walked back to Cao Anmin's side.
"Anmin, please trouble yourself once more to report this matter to Duke Cao!"
As soon as the words fell…
"No need to report!"
A crisp sound came from outside the door, followed by the sound of over ten heavy footsteps.
Cao Cao had arrived, along with his personal guards.
They wore conical hats and braved the rain to come to Lu Yu's location…
"Commander Lu, you must not know, but the heavy rain in August, like timely rain after a drought, has brought Cao Cao less surprise than a fraction of the surprise you have provided!"
To translate that, what exactly is surprise?
Saving rice fields that were considered unsavable – that is what surprise means.
At this moment, Cao Cao's tone was elevated, and his mood was as high as his voice – soaring, passionate, and infinitely joyful.
"Hahaha…"
Laughing, Cao Cao took off his conical hat and, hopping and skipping, walked towards Lu Yu – acting much like a child who hadn't grown up.
The guards beside him were startled and quickly held out their hats to follow Cao Cao…
Splashing water…
When Cao Cao reached Lu Yu's side, seemingly too excited, he placed his hand directly on his shoulder. "Commander Lu, you have made a great contribution in saving thousands of mu of rice fields this time… How do you wish to be rewarded?"
This…
Lu Yu paused slightly. What should he say? Houses, money, women… he didn't lack much of anything. It seemed… this kind of life was quite good, with no major ambitions!
"Duke Cao… this…"
Lu Yu had intended to say that this was merely his duty and that there was no need for rewards; talking about money would damage their friendship!
This was strategy… Old Cao was like this; the more you refused rewards, the more he insisted on giving them, and furthermore… he would trust you one hundred and twenty percent.
But then he thought again…
Speaking of which, Lu Yu did have one request. He glanced sideways at Sister Zhaoji beside him. Yes… Lu Yu wanted to ask Cao Cao for something on behalf of Sister Zhaoji!
However… with Zhaoji present now, it wouldn't be a surprise if he spoke of it.
Cao Cao was very astute. With a single glance at Lu Yu's eyes, he immediately understood his intention.
He pointed his index finger at Lu Yu from a distance and then… turned around with a hearty laugh.
"Younger Sister, why are you still not asleep at this late hour?"
Ah… abruptly shifting the topic to her, Cai Zhaoji was slightly taken aback.
However, being knowledgeable and polite, she quickly recovered and replied courteously, "Reporting to Elder Brother, Brother Yu isn't asleep, so I can't sleep either…"
"How can Younger Sister be compared to your brother? He is a man… Younger Sister is a woman. I heard from your sister-in-law that sleeping more is beneficial for a woman's skin… As for your brother, his skin doesn't matter as long as he has a clever mind."
As Cao Cao spoke these words, even a blockhead would have understood…
He was telling Cai Zhaoji to go rest early, as the two of them wanted to talk privately.
Cai Zhaoji smiled faintly. "Elder Brother speaks wisely. Then… this younger sister will go rest."
Having said this, Cai Zhaoji did not forget to remind Lu Yu, "Brother Yu, don't stay up too late either. Since the rice fields are saved, you should also rest early."
Almost every day… Cai Zhaoji would remind Lu Yu to sleep early.
It was like when acquaintances meet, they ask where you're making a fortune, if you've eaten, if you've left… It was commonplace, nothing to be surprised about.
Of course, in Cai Zhaoji's opinion, sixteen years old was the age for growth. Ancient books stated that more sleep could help one grow taller!
She certainly didn't want her brother to grow up to be like her brother Cao Cao…
Despite being endowed with heroic spirit, being short would be a real pity.
*Tap, tap…*
With light steps, Cai Zhaoji slowly departed.
Cao Cao gestured, and the guards withdrew, standing guard outside the door… Only Lu Yu and Cao Cao remained in the main hall.
Cao Cao moved a step closer to Lu Yu and then spoke first.
"Young Master Lu's request seems to be related to my younger sister, doesn't it? Haha… feel free to say it!"
This…
Lu Yu paused slightly.
"Lu Yu indeed has one matter to request… as Duke Cao said, it is related to my sister."
Heh heh, as expected.
Cao Cao narrowed his eyes, muttering inwardly, it truly is a deep bond between siblings.
The sister constantly worries about the brother, and the brother constantly thinks of the sister. This kind of sibling affection, speaking of it… Cao Cao quite envied it.
Unfortunately, finding a wife is easy, but finding a sister is impossible!
"Young Master Lu, please tell me?" Cao Cao sat down, ready to listen attentively.
Lu Yu's tone became a bit more serious. "In fact, my sister has always had a wish, and as a younger brother, I want to help her fulfill it."
"It is to rebuild the Imperial Academy, to re-engrave the Stone Classics of the Imperial Academy… to give the scholars of the world, the literati of the world, a spiritual sustenance! Similarly, it is also to allow my sister to walk in her father's footsteps!"
Ho? The Imperial Academy?
The Stone Classics of the Imperial Academy?
As these words were spoken, a hint of wistfulness flickered in Cao Cao's eyes.
The Imperial Academy… that was a place deeply buried in his memory.
In the past Imperial Academy, he studied alongside Zhang Miao, Xu You, Hu Mo Ban, Yuan Shao, and Yuan Shu. His teachers included "Qiao Da Gongzi" Qiao Xuan, the great Confucian and leader of literati Cai Yong, the general Duan Geng of the Liang Province Three Luminaries, Sima Fang, who taught Cao Cao the art of defending cities, and even the renowned scholar and founder of Zheng Xue, Zheng Xuan, had lectured at the Imperial Academy… Those were glorious years!
Now, with Lu Yu's timely reminder, the past moments immediately surfaced, vividly appearing in Cao Cao's mind.
And the students who graduated from the Imperial Academy in today's world, it seemed… their achievements were all extraordinary!
Yuan Shao, the Governor of Jizhou, Yuan Shu, the Prefect of Nanyang, Liu Biao, the Governor of Jing Province, Cao Cao's strategist Xun You, Yuan Shao's strategist Xu You, not to mention the prefects, whose numbers were simply immeasurable…
The name "Imperial Academy" held profound significance in the eyes of scholars across the land!
And for Yu'er to help his dear sister Cai Yan rebuild the Imperial Academy, this path was not easy!
Furthermore… for this path to be taken, there was a major prerequisite: he, Cao Cao, must first accomplish the great deed of welcoming the Son of Heaven. Only in the imperial capital could the Imperial Academy be established and the Stone Classics of the Imperial Academy be re-engraved!
Could it be… Yu'er was reminding him, Cao Cao, that it was time to take that crucial step of "welcoming the Son of Heaven"?
Or perhaps, it was a double entendre?
With this thought, Cao Cao's eyes suddenly narrowed…
And at this moment, Lu Yu's voice sounded again.
"My sister's rebuilding of the Imperial Academy is a long and arduous task. The first priority is for Duke Cao to welcome the Son of Heaven to command the lords!"
"This matter cannot be rushed; it must be done step by step!"
"However… now that the drought in the Central Plains has ceased and the floods have subsided, Lu Yu would like to offer his congratulations to Duke Cao in advance. Duke Cao has three great joys before him!"
Ho?
Great joys? And three of them.
This time, Cao Cao's eyes widened. He was extremely curious, what were these three great joys in Yu'er's words?
Or perhaps…
What the hell is a great joy?
…
…