Outside the imperial farmstead, on the outskirts of Xudu City, it was the middle of the night.
The gates of the imperial farmstead creaked open…
Three men slowly walked out.
“No need to escort us, young master. Fengxiao and I shall return tomorrow…”
The speaker was Ju Shou. Guo Jia stood beside him. They had arrived in the afternoon and had a long discussion with Lu Yu inside the farmstead, covering matters of the School of Investigation and the current state of affairs.
Lu Yu had confided in Ju Shou and Guo Jia, revealing his entire plan to them.
Ju Shou and Guo Jia had also helped Lu Yu refine the plan to open the "Northern Frontier Gateway."
Night had fallen, and if they didn't leave soon, they would miss the curfew. Thus, the two took their leave of Lu Yu, promising to return the next day.
“Have the Dragon Hawk Camp knights escort the two gentlemen back to their residences!”
“Many thanks, young master.”
After a few more exchanges, Ju Shou and Guo Jia boarded a carriage. The carriage moved, slowly disappearing onto the dark official road.
A soft sigh escaped Lu Yu’s lips, his expression not relaxed.
Just then.
“Thump thump…”
The sound of gentle footsteps approached from behind Lu Yu. Lu Yu turned his head. It was none other than Princess Wannan, Liu Xue. “It’s so late? Still not asleep?”
Lu Yu asked first.
“Isn’t the Marquis also not asleep?” Liu Xue shook her head, then sighed with admiration, “The Marquis plans three steps ahead for every step he takes. This time, by utilizing the imperial farmstead and Wannan, you’ve successfully created a diversion, secretly deploying forces for the northern campaign, lulling the enemy into a false sense of security, and concealing your actions from all your allies. I am profoundly impressed.”
As Liu Xue said, after Lu Yu’s triumphant return, he had entered this imperial farmstead and hadn’t left for three days.
Rumors swirled in the city. Some said heroes found it hard to resist beautiful women. Others claimed the Han princess was insatiable and was determined to exhaust the White Horse Marquis. Even more suggested the White Horse Marquis had retired and was living a life of blissful happiness with the princess.
In short, there were all sorts of speculations.
However, no one would have guessed that this imperial farmstead was now connected to the School of Investigation in Xudu City and was intrinsically linked to the situation on the northern frontier. Lu Yu, within the farmstead, met more than a dozen people daily and handled a large stack of documents. Let alone indulging in pleasures, even getting a natural awakening was a luxury.
Fortunately, Princess Liu Xue was understanding and cooperative, giving Lu Yu a sense of having found a true companion.
“I don’t mind, but it’s your reputation that’s at stake.”
Lu Yu looked at Liu Xue with a hint of apology in his eyes…
The price of deceiving the enemies in the north and everyone else was the reputation of Princess Wannan herself?
Even though she was about to become a Marchioness, words like “insatiable” and “demanding” attached to a princess hardly sounded pleasant.
“The Marquis’s ambition is for the entire realm. In this regard, I should assist the Marquis! What is a mere reputation to be concerned about?”
Liu Xue smiled slightly. She lowered one hand from behind her back, holding a soft, snow-white fox fur muff. She said softly, “This is a muff made from a fox the Emperor caught during a hunt. It gets cold at night, warm your hands, won’t you?”
“It’s not that cold,” Lu Yu smiled.
Liu Xue, however, took his hand. “You say it’s not cold, yet this imperial farmstead, for some reason, is remarkably chilly in the mornings and evenings. You talk with your subordinates until midnight, how could it not be cold? Besides, you don’t need to deceive me, do you?”
Hearing this, Lu Yu chuckled.
He put on the fox fur muff, not forgetting to place his hand inside Liu Xue’s.
“I never expected the princess to be so virtuous. This is somewhat surprising.”
Liu Xue smiled charmingly. “Being good to my future husband is being good to myself and good to the Han dynasty, isn’t it? What do you think, my husband?”
With that said, she winked at Lu Yu and then turned, retreating back into the imperial farmstead.
As she walked, her mood was exceptionally bright.
She looked up at the sky. The dark expanse of the heavens felt like shackles cast upon her and the Han court. Yet, she seemed to see a hole in this expanse, with faint starlight gradually becoming clearer.
No matter how dark the sky, there would come a day when it brightened, wouldn’t there?
At this moment…
A carriage stopped outside the imperial farmstead. It was the Marquis’s carriage. Cai Zhaoji looked out the window at her younger brother Yu and Princess Wannan, who had just emerged. She held a fox fur cloak in her arms.
Beside it were a pair of white fox fur gloves…
This cloak was made by Da Qiao for her younger brother Yu, stitch by stitch!
As for the gloves, one was sewn by herself. Although there was much intricate work at the Imperial Academy, Cai Zhaoji still managed to find time to sew one. The other was sewn by Xiao Qiao, with each stitch meticulously placed, clearly made with great care.
However…
Shaking her head gently, Cai Zhaoji sorrowfully instructed, “Let’s go back.”
The coachman was the butler of the White Horse Marquis’s residence. He looked somewhat surprised. “Didn’t Miss Cai come to deliver clothes for Young Master Lu?”
A soft exhale.
Cai Zhaoji paused. “Just tell Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao that the clothes and gloves have already been delivered. As for… whether they ask when brother will return home, just tell them that when Yu finishes his business, he will naturally return home.”
Having said this, Cai Zhaoji waved her hand.
“To the Imperial Academy. I’ll be staying there tonight!”
As her voice faded, a multitude of subtle, thought-provoking depths appeared in Cai Zhaoji’s clear eyes.
…
…
In Xudu City, at the Marquis’s residence.
A bright moon shone down. Under the clear sky with sparse stars, in the boudoir of the "One Side of the Water" courtyard, candlelight was lit.
“Sister? Tell me, our residence… is about to have two Madams? Then what does that make us sisters?”
The speaker was Xiao Qiao, pouting slightly, clearly feeling a sense of injustice.
“We sisters are concubines!” Da Qiao gently stroked Xiao Qiao’s scattered long hair, consoling her. “Husband has been immensely kind to our family. Didn’t you say, younger sister, that you’d spare no effort, even if it meant being an ox or a horse? Why? Our Marquis’s residence has only gained two more wives, and you can’t sit still?”
With that, Da Qiao paused and continued.
“Besides, our husband is the Hidden Dragon, the White Horse Marquis, someone highly valued by Prime Minister Cao and the Son of Heaven. His brilliance is bound to shine brightly, and the women around him will only increase. If you start feeling jealous now, then later… you’ll have plenty to lament!”
As sisters…
Da Qiao could clearly see that her younger sister Xiao Qiao was feeling jealous, very jealous… sourer than vinegar.
“Sister, it’s not what you think…” Xiao Qiao pouted. “It’s not jealousy… it’s… it’s…”
The words reached her lips but she stumbled over them.
“It’s what?” Da Qiao asked curiously.
Xiao Qiao straightened her chest, her face etched with worry, which made her look less beautiful.
“Sister, look at Princess Wannan…”
“Husband returned victorious, and before he even returned to the residence, before he paid respects to Sister Zhaoji, that Princess Wannan lured him to the imperial farmstead outside the city. It’s been days! What is she trying to do… the rumors in the city are unpleasant, saying Princess Wannan wants to drain our husband dry?”
“Don’t talk nonsense…” Da Qiao gestured.
Xiao Qiao, however, seemed to have opened a floodgate and couldn’t stop herself. “Sister, it’s not that I’m jealous, it’s that Princess Wannan is going too far. Our Marquis’s residence isn’t just hers alone. The Juan’er sister from the Xiahou clan is also a wife!”
“Sister Juan’er has visited us sisters three times. Each time she brought delicious food and gifts, completely treating us sisters not as concubines. In my opinion, Sister Juan’er is more like a Madame.”
With that, Xiao Qiao paused, needing to organize her thoughts.
After all, she had too many grievances in her heart and didn’t know where to begin.
“Sister? Don’t tell me… Princess Wannan is monopolizing husband, and we sisters will do nothing? Won’t ask anything? Does that Princess Wannan even have Sister Zhaoji in her eyes?”
“If this continues, three days and three nights, followed by another three days and three nights, in my opinion, we won’t even need the grand wedding, and Little Perch will be born!”
*Poof…*
Xiao Qiao’s words made Da Qiao burst into laughter.
Little Perch being born…
“You really…”
Da Qiao extended her index finger and tapped Xiao Qiao’s forehead. Just then.
“Two Misses Qiao…”
A maid’s voice came from outside the boudoir.
“Miss Cai Yan asked the butler to send a message to the two Misses Qiao, saying that the young master has received the gloves and cloak.”
“Then when will he return?” Xiao Qiao asked instinctively.
“This…” The maid hesitated for a moment, then said, “Miss Cai Yan mentioned that when he finishes his business, he will naturally return home.”
With that…
The maid slowly retreated.
“See…” Xiao Qiao spread her hands, her face looking quite displeased. “Sister, look… by the time our husband returns, Little Perch might be back too!”
“Heh…” Da Qiao smiled charmingly. She didn’t reply. She knew her younger sister’s temperament best. After tonight, a good sleep… and her emotions would calm down!
Da Qiao looked up, gazing at the sky through the window.
Under the bright moon with sparse stars, which wife wouldn’t miss her beloved?
Xiao Qiao misses him?
How could she, Da Qiao, not miss him?
Alas… where is my beloved? When will my beloved return to his hometown?
…
…
The next day, elegant incense burned indoors, and a light rain drifted outside the window.
Several bamboo slips were piled on the table before Lu Yu. Guo Jia and Ju Shou sat opposite him. Outside the door, Cao Xiu and Dian Wei guarded the area meticulously.
Within a hundred paces, no one unsummoned by Commander Lu was allowed entry.
Princess Wannan, Liu Xue, walked in, followed by three maids holding dishes.
Liu Xue signaled the maids, and the three separately placed the dishes on the tables before Lu Yu, Guo Jia, and Ju Shou.
Liu Xue said with a smile, “Military affairs can wait, but if the two esteemed gentlemen go hungry, then I would be failing my husband. My husband specifically instructed me not to neglect the two gentlemen.”
Knowledgeable and virtuous, gentle and refined…
Liu Xue had learned court etiquette since childhood. She knew what to say and do when facing different people, and every word was appropriate.
“Many thanks, Princess…”
Ju Shou bowed to Liu Xue. As he spoke, he glanced back at Lu Yu, pondering that only a woman of Princess Wannan’s status and gentle demeanor could be worthy of this Grand Censor.
Guo Jia, on the other hand, asked with a smile, “Princess? Although the food is excellent, it lacks a proper drink. Could it be that the Imperial Academy’s winery hasn’t delivered the wine?”
Guo Jia suddenly looked up at Liu Xue.
Under his inquiry, Liu Xue remained composed and graceful. “My husband instructed that Mr. Guo suffers from lung illness and cannot drink, at least not in your presence.”
Upon hearing this…
Hahaha…
Guo Jia suddenly burst into laughter. He looked back at Lu Yu. “Ziyu, you are the Grand Censor, overseeing all officials. Why not grant your princess consort the title of Grand Censor’s Consort as well.”
If anyone else said this, it would be sarcasm.
But coming from Guo Jia, it was different. Between two close friends, where was the sarcasm? It was just a joke.
“Nonsense, Mr. Guo serves in the School of Investigation. It is Mr. Guo who should be overseeing me!” Liu Xue smiled enchantingly, still generous and proper.
“A good match, a good match!” Guo Jia laughed heartily, looking at Lu Yu.
With that said, Liu Xue knelt beside Lu Yu’s desk, personally grinding ink for him as she watched him annotate some texts.
Enjoying the rare leisure, Guo Jia and Ju Shou began to eat. For a moment, fragrant smoke curled in the room, creating a sense of infinite tranquility.
Of course…
Lu Yu did not reject Liu Xue. Since she was willing to grind ink, he let her do so. In this way, it could be considered an expression of… indirectly accepting the Han dynasty’s goodwill.
After a while, when everyone had finished their meal, Lu Yu finally asked, “Have Mr. Ju’s letters likely reached Sima Zhongda already?”
“Counting the days, it should be about time.” Ju Shou nodded. “My brother, Ju Zong, will surely understand his elder brother’s good intentions upon seeing the letter and will act according to the plan.”
Ju Zong was Ju Shou’s younger brother. The Ju family was also a renowned noble clan in Jizhou.
If Sima Yi was Lu Yu’s visible pawn in the northern frontier, then Ju Zong was the hidden pawn.
Of course, at this time, Ju Zong believed that Ju Shou had already been executed by Cao Cao, and Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang would naturally believe the same.
At such a time, a personal letter from Ju Shou was enough to make his nephew play a crucial role.
This was one of Lu Yu’s plans.
From the moment he had publicly ordered Ju Shou’s death while secretly sparing his life, this plan had been in motion.
Hearing Ju Shou’s words…
Lu Yu nodded. “Sima Cheng has secretly dispatched him to Youzhou. Once Liyang City falls, our army can march north and surround Ye City. If Ye City is lost, Commander Cheng’s mission in Youzhou will be much easier, and the source of all this lies with Mr. Ju’s younger brother.”
“Young Master Lu, rest assured.” Ju Shou said with great confidence. “The detailed plan has already been laid out by Young Master Lu, and Fengxiao and I have discussed it for a long time, ensuring it’s foolproof. This battle is as solid as a rock and will undoubtedly strike fear into the hearts of Yuan’s army!”
“Very good.” Lu Yu lightly nodded his forehead, marking this stage as complete. He then asked Guo Jia, “Fengxiao, I specifically asked you to collect intelligence regarding Jiangdong. What is the current situation with the intelligence from Jiangdong?”
“I was just about to mention that!” Guo Jia raised his eyes. “Sun Ce, the eldest son of the Sun family, was bedridden for three years and eventually died from his illness. Jiangdong sent an elephant, and it is said… Sun Yi, the third son of the Sun family, first proposed it, followed by Sun Quan, the second son, who also agreed. There are rumors that the second and third sons of the Sun family seem to be vying for power in Jiangdong!”
With that, Guo Jia paused.
“If my prediction is correct, this elephant is the Sun family of Jiangdong testing Prime Minister Cao of the Central Plains’ attitude. As for how they are testing, I don’t know, but it seems there is an invisible hand subtly pushing this matter forward. Perhaps once the elephant arrives, all questions will be answered.”
A gentle exhale.
Upon hearing this, Lu Yu breathed out softly.
Guo Jia would never speak without reason. Since he said so, it was highly likely… that this elephant was related to the struggle between the second and third sons of the Sun family.
As for…
The so-called invisible hand pushing things forward, as mentioned by Fengxiao.
Currently… in all of Jiangdong, there were only two families capable of pushing this matter. One was the Zhou family, led by Zhou Yu, and the other was the Lu family, led by brothers Lu Xun and Lu Ji.
Lu Yu pondered that it was likely these two "cousins" who were secretly orchestrating this. However, this elephant had a hint of Chen Gong’s cunning stratagem!
Let’s put aside the matter of the Jiangdong elephant for now.
The next matter, as Lu Yu saw the content on the bamboo slips, he subconsciously glanced at Liu Xue…
Liu Xue sensed something and proactively asked, “Do you need me to withdraw?”
“No need.”
Lu Yu waved his hand and immediately asked, “Fengxiao, regarding the Fu family, is the intelligence obtained by the School of Investigation accurate? Have those private soldiers kept by the Fu family been completely disbanded?”
This…
This concerned the Fu family, which meant it concerned Empress Fu, and it concerned the Han court!
Lu Yu did not conceal this from Liu Xue, indicating his great trust in the Eldest Princess.
This was unusual, given Liu Xue’s special status and the fact that she had only been interacting with Lu Yu for a few days.
Guo Jia’s eyes darted around.
He first thought of Liu Xue, but he quickly regained his focus and concentrated again.
“They have indeed all been disbanded, including the private soldiers hidden in Yangshan, who have also been sent back.”
“I understand!” Lu Yu nodded and continued along the same topic, asking, “Then, what about His Majesty? What has he been doing these past few days?”
Upon hearing the words “His Majesty,” Liu Xue opened her eyes.
Originally, she had only thought that the School of Investigation, or the Grand Censor, was overseeing all officials. She never imagined… that even His Majesty’s every move escaped their eyes. It seemed that many of His Majesty’s and the Empress’s schemes, along with those of the Fu family… and many Han officials, were exposed under the watchful gaze of the School of Investigation.
No wonder the Han court’s actions always ended in disappointment.
The School of Investigation’s inaction made it seem as if Cao Cao hadn’t gone too far.
“His Majesty has been in Jianzhang Palace for the two days he has been back in the palace, reading the late Emperor’s daily records and writings, and even carefully perusing poems and songs created by the Hongdu Academy. Besides that…”
Guo Jia paused. The following words seemed somewhat puzzled.
“His Majesty has even asked many Han officials about their views on the monopoly of fields and land by aristocratic families, and the Han’s exemption of taxes and levies for the powerful gentry!”
Heh…
What Guo Jia said earlier was not particularly noteworthy, but the latter part caused Lu Yu’s eyes to gradually widen.
He muttered to himself that His Majesty had taken all his words to heart.
This was for the best…
In the fight against powerful clans, and in the land and tax reforms throughout the Great Han, Lu Yu had gained a powerful ally!
Of course, this was a significant matter that required careful planning.
As Lu Yu was carefully pondering this matter, Ju Shou suddenly seemed to recall something.
He spoke, “Right, just this morning, we received intelligence from Bingzhou?”
Mm… Bingzhou?
Lu Yu raised his head.
Ju Shou’s words followed in succession. “The volunteer army in Yanmen has moved. They are raising the banner of the Dragon Hawk Camp and have begun capturing cities and prefectures in Bingzhou. The leader, Young Master Yang, and General Ying are leading the troops straight for Hukou Pass.”
With that said…
Ju Shou paused.
“Attacking Hukou Pass… opening a second battlefield. Is this also part of Young Master Lu’s plan?”
Heh…
Lu Yu’s eyes fixed.
In his plan, there was absolutely no mention of Hukou Pass. The urgent priority for Lu Yu was to figure out how to open a breach on the north bank of the Yellow River and march north from Liyang City.
As for breaking through Hukou Pass from the east in Bingzhou and opening a second battlefield, he hadn’t even considered it yet.
Was this considered the free play of Lu Bu and Yang Xiu?
This move, it was a bit of a leap!
Instantly, Lu Yu’s right eyelid twitched. After a moment of thought, he finally uttered a sentence.
— “Not good, this is bad!”
…
…