When it came to governing prefectures and defining grand strategy, Xun Yu was unmatched.
When it came to devising stratagems and arranging troops, Xun You was also competent, but… a chief strategist required a clear-sighted vision and swift reaction to battlefield situations, qualities they lacked.
Just as Lu Yu had said, Xun Yu and Xun You both had a suitable person in mind. A single letter from Xun Yu would be enough to summon him. However, before that, Xun Yu needed to ascertain one other matter.
It could be said that this matter was the key for Xun Yu, Xun You, and indeed all the talented individuals from Yingchuan to decide whether to pledge their loyalty to Cao Cao.
With this thought, Xun Yu was about to speak…
But at that moment, the great door was pushed open, and Cai Zhaoji, led by Lu Yu under Cao Ren’s guidance, gracefully entered the study of the yamen.
Upon seeing Lu Yu, Cao Cao burst into laughter.
“Hahaha, here comes the one who deserves the greatest credit for accepting the surrender of the Yellow Turbans…”
Laughing, Cao Cao directly grabbed Lu Yu’s arm. “What a brilliant debate, what a masterful point that the Yellow Turbans were originally farmers, possessing farming tools, and the brilliant concept of ‘cultivating land to store military provisions.’ Yu (er), ah… Young Master Lu Yu truly brings endless surprises to this Cao Cao!”
Er…
While Cao Cao was quite excited, Lu Yu was a little bewildered.
Feeling the rough, unrefined palm of the elder Cao, so unlike the delicate hands of Sister Zhaoji, and coupled with… a middle-aged man holding his hand, it just felt somehow odd.
“Cao Gong, my… hand hurts!”
Lu Yu groaned softly. Cao Cao finally noticed that in his excitement, he had hurt Yu’er’s hand. How could a father be so careless!
Cao Cao immediately released Lu Yu’s hand and chuckled awkwardly…
“My little brother is inexperienced, please do not mind, Brother…” Cai Zhaoji gracefully bowed to Cao Cao.
“It is nothing.” Cao Cao waved his hand. “Before me, Sister and Young Master Lu Yu need not be polite. Speak your mind freely…”
Speaking of which, Cao Cao’s gaze once again fell upon Lu Yu. The more he looked at this outstanding son, the more he liked him.
Of course, Cao Cao’s gaze made Lu Yu feel somewhat embarrassed. This guy… had forcefully taken a bath with him earlier, and now he was staring at him so intently. Old Cao, you should be looking at married women!
“Ahem…”
To alleviate the strange atmosphere, Lu Yu coughed lightly. “Cao Gong, actually… the ‘cultivating land to store military provisions’ that I proposed was only the first half… there is a second half to it.”
Hmm…
This time, not only Cao Cao was curious, but Xun Yu, Xun You, Cao Ren in the study, and even Cai Zhaoji were all intrigued. Lu Yu had held back something even when debating the renowned scholar Bian Rang…
If Bian Rang knew this, he would probably want to find a hole to crawl into. Of course, these were not important in Cao Cao’s eyes, as Bian Rang was already a dead man to him.
“What is the second line to ‘cultivating land to store military provisions’? Why don’t you speak plainly?” Cao Cao signaled Cao Ren to bring a stool for Lu Yu… Cao Cao sat facing Lu Yu.
Lu Yu’s eyes fixed, his tone becoming a little more serious, and each word pronounced distinctly— “Cultivate land to store military provisions, and support the Son of Heaven to command the vassals!”
Huo… Support the Son of Heaven to command the vassals?
As these words left his lips, Cao Cao narrowed his eyes, while Xun Yu and Xun You’s eyes widened abruptly.
The point about “supporting the Son of Heaven” mentioned by Lu Yu was precisely what this uncle and nephew, and indeed all the talented individuals from Yingchuan, cared about the most.
Cao Cao’s attitude towards the Son of Heaven would determine whether the talented individuals from Yingchuan would lend him their full support…
“As expected of the Hidden Dragon, every sentence is concise and directly hits the crucial point!” Xun Yu murmured in his heart, his gaze also shifting to Cao Cao’s face, eagerly anticipating Cao Cao’s stance on the Son of Heaven.
“Support the Son of Heaven to command the vassals. Tell us more about it.” Cao Cao did not rush to a conclusion but asked Lu Yu to elaborate.
He vaguely felt that the seven words “support the Son of Heaven to command the vassals” held immense power.
Even… Cao Cao had a strong premonition that this was the fourth puzzle piece for him to achieve hegemony.
Of course, Cao Cao’s premonition was not wrong!
Lu Yu’s words continued to pour out. “After the dissolution of the Guandong Allied Army, the world today is essentially divided into three major factions. The faction centered around Yuan Shu, with Sun Jian and Gongsun Zan as its representative figures; the faction centered around Yuan Shao, with you, Cao Gong, and Liu Biao as its representatives; in addition, there is the faction centered around Li Jue and Guo Si, this faction claims legitimacy from the imperial court!”
“Although the world is in chaos, the Han Dynasty court is still the common lord of the world. Only through the emperor’s appointment is it considered rightful. Someone like you, Cao Gong, who was appointed as the Governor of Yan Province through public nomination, would not be taken seriously by others. In this way, the benefits of supporting the Son of Heaven are vividly apparent.”
At this point, Lu Yu paused.
“In the current chaotic times, no one supports the Son of Heaven. If Cao Gong raises such a banner, firstly, he can obtain the court’s commission, making the title of Governor of Yan Province well-deserved…”
“Secondly, he can gain favor with His Majesty and the court. If the situation changes… Cao Gong can easily change ‘supporting the Son of Heaven’ to ‘welcoming the Son of Heaven,’ and his previous loyalty to the court will make the arduous path of welcoming the Son of Heaven possible!”
“In governing the lower classes and managing the civil and military, Cao Gong, how could you not know that to achieve the great cause of kingship and hegemony, you only lack a so-called ‘sacred value’!”
Lu Yu spoke at length… his throat becoming a little hoarse.
But… it was evident that Cao Cao was touched, deeply, ineffably touched.
Cao Cao was an intelligent man, and Lu Yu’s words made him think more, and think further.
How could he have overlooked the Son of Heaven? How could he have overlooked the court?
The Han Emperor, the supreme being who had governed the vast land of China for hundreds of years, though his actual power had waned, his nominal authority remained and was deeply etched into the experiential world of the lower classes, the aristocratic families, and the warlords.
To contend with other warlords was to vie for dominance; victory or defeat was not unusual.
But to contend with the Son of Heaven, to contend with the Han Dynasty court, that was treason, and the losers would perish utterly…
Even with the surrender of three hundred thousand Yellow Turbans, Cao Cao’s strength was still not considered formidable in the chaotic times. But if his personal strength were to be combined with the Han Dynasty’s “sacred value” that had persisted for a hundred years, and the two complemented each other?
Even if the other warlords did not submit to him, Cao Cao, the scions of noble families would find it difficult to defy the public virtue of the “Son of Heaven,” and the common people would more easily follow this prevailing trend…
The Son of Heaven and the court, though tottering, though adrift and without a fixed abode, they were, in fact—a valuable commodity!
And was this not the fourth puzzle piece for him, Cao Cao, to achieve the great cause of kingship and hegemony?
With this thought, Cao Cao gazed at Lu Yu again, and along with it, his peripheral vision swept over Xun Yu and Xun You… No wonder this uncle and nephew had not yet expressed their intention to serve, no wonder the door to the talented individuals of Yingchuan had not yet opened!
So… the crucial point lay here, in his, Cao Cao’s, attitude towards the Son of Heaven?
With the current “support the Son of Heaven to command the vassals,” there would be opportunities in the future to achieve “welcoming the Son of Heaven to command the warlords,” and only then would the talented individuals of Yingchuan wholeheartedly submit!
At this moment, Cao Cao felt a surge of emotion; Yu’er’s vision and perspective were far greater than his as a father!
Hoo…
He exhaled a long breath.
At this very moment, even Cao Cao… felt immense shock within his heart.
It seemed that under Yu’er’s discourse, the warriors of Qiao and Pei, the common Yellow Turbans, the talented individuals of Yingchuan, the Son of Heaven and the court, the entire strategic plan, all four puzzle pieces had been fully revealed and were profoundly insightful, making them convincing.
Hahaha…
Hahahahaha…
Cao Cao’s heart was roaring with laughter. At this moment, he felt that Yu’er, this phoenix son, was tailor-made for him, his old father, to achieve his great ambition. The seed of Cao family… his seed, Cao Cao’s seed, was truly excellent!
Amidst his excitement, Cao Cao suddenly had a rather peculiar thought: since the seed of the Cao family was excellent, tonight… why not sow a few more?
Even if, among these “seeds,” there were one or two… with a tenth of Yu’er’s ability, it would not be in vain for Cao Cao to bend his back and exert effort.
Heh heh, tonight… Lady Ding, Lady Bian, and the other ladies, not one of them can be missed!
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