Treading footsteps echoed.
Two powerful generals strode with imposing gaits towards the main hall of Sikong Mansion. One, broad-chested and stout, frowned, seemingly brimming with anger.
"Zhang Wenyuan, if it weren't for the fact that you are a general under Young Master Lu, I would have soundly berated you!"
"If you hadn't stopped me, I would have already clashed with them! How could Liu Bei have escaped?"
The one speaking was none other than Xu Chu…
Beside him was Zhang Liao, a general of the Dragon Soaring Camp. He remained silent, not arguing with Xu Chu, but merely pointed towards the direction of the main hall ahead, implying they should discuss matters inside.
Treading…
Heavy footsteps resounded once more.
The two entered the magnificent pavilion. In the main hall of Sikong Mansion, Cao Cao, Xi Zhicai, Xun Yu, Xun You, Jia Xu, and Lu Yu were all present, seemingly deliberating on a strategy to break the impasse.
Upon seeing the two enter, everyone present fell silent in unspoken understanding, their eyes all turning towards them.
"Sikong Cao."
"Sikong Cao, Situ Lu!"
Xu Chu's address differed slightly from Zhang Liao's, but at this juncture… such minor details were of no consequence.
"Have you caught up to Liu Bei?" Cao Cao asked urgently.
"We have, but Liu Bei refuses to return. He says the world is vast, and he wishes to see it. Xuchang City's confines are too small for him to spread his wings."
Zhang Liao reported truthfully.
"As expected!" Cao Cao's eyes narrowed, and his face turned towards Lu Yu.
Lu Yu then asked, "Did Liu Bei say anything else?"
Zhang Liao continued, "Liu Bei also said that he would not let down Sikong Cao, nor would he let down the court! He asked us to await 'good' news!"
Upon hearing this, Xu Chu exclaimed, "That scoundrel Liu Bei even arrayed his troops. Your subordinate intended to fight and capture him, but General Wenyuan forbade it, and the soldiers of the Dragon Soaring Cavalry would not listen to me, which is why that rascal Liu Bei was allowed to escape!"
As these words left his lips… Xu Chu was still somewhat indignant.
Unexpectedly, Cao Cao stepped forward. "Zhang Wenyuan did the right thing. With your few hundred men facing Liu Bei's tens of thousands, plus the bravery of Guan and Zhang, a real fight would have likely cost you your head!"
With that statement, Cao Cao waved his hand.
"You two go and rest first… All camp commanders await orders!"
"Yes!"
Zhang Liao responded, while Xu Chu was somewhat bewildered. However… seeing the situation, he still cupped his hands in a bow and then retreated.
In short, this time… he, Xu Chu, and his Tiger Guards had truly disgraced themselves beyond measure!
Treading…
As the footsteps of Xu Chu and Zhang Liao gradually faded.
Cao Cao turned around and returned to his seat.
Xi Zhicai did not forget to speak, "Liu Bei's actions are treasonous. It appears that besides Yuan Shao, Liu Biao, Sun Ce, Han Sui, and Ma Teng, Liu Bei will also become a major threat to us! Such a threat… if allowed to fester, will only become more troublesome in the future. It would be better to immediately dispatch a large army to eliminate him while he is still unstable, and decisively remove this hidden danger! To rectify the mistake born of our carelessness!"
Xi Zhicai proposed!
Unexpectedly… as his words left his lips, Cao Cao's brows furrowed sharply.
"Mistake? What mistake?"
"On the contrary, I believe the situation is excellent. Firstly, overt enemies are not frightening; it is the hidden enemies that are. Now, perfectly, they have all revealed their fangs, and I, Cao Cao, can capture them all in one net!"
"Secondly, Liu Bei believes Xu Province will listen to him. Hahaha, Xu Province is no longer under the control of the commoners' faction. Even if he manages to capture Xiapi City through a surprise attack? Can he hold it? As long as I wish it, I can defeat him at any time!"
"Thirdly, originally, killing Liu Bei was quite mindful of his reputation for benevolence. Now, it is perfect, as it gives me an opportunity to take his head!"
As he spoke to this point, Cao Cao's eyes narrowed. The following words were even more important and more earnest.
"The invasion by only five routes, I am not worried in the least. Even if these rats gather into millions or tens of millions, they are still mere rats. I have all of you wise talents, and countless elite soldiers and strong generals. How can we not overcome the enemy?"
"Let today's assembly conclude here. In this time of chaos, your strategies are likely not yet meticulous. All of you go back and think carefully today. We will reconvene tomorrow morning, and I will deploy a plan to defeat the enemy!"
"Situ Lu, you stay. The rest of you may withdraw!"
Upon these words…
The assembled strategists exchanged glances with each other, then cupped their hands in farewell.
Cao Cao dismissing everyone except Lu Yu was quite telling.
And it seemed… just like in the past when strategies were formulated.
Cao Cao would work with Lu Yu to first find the enemy's weaknesses, which was Lu Yu's specialty, and then, together with the strategists, they would devise a plan to strike at those weak points!
Hopefully… this time, as in all previous grand strategy formations, Lu Yu… or rather, Hidden Dragon, could once again turn the tide of disaster!
With this thought, the strategists slowly withdrew!
Xun Yu, Xun You, and Xi Zhicai, all talents from Yingchuan, departed together.
After leaving the main hall, Xi Zhicai sighed.
"I proposed that Sikong Cao dispatch troops to conquer Liu Bei while he was unstable, to rectify the mistake born of carelessness. Why did Sikong Cao not agree? Discussing it again tomorrow, the changes that occur in one day can be immense!"
Indeed, as Xi Zhicai said… dispatching troops immediately would catch Liu Bei off guard. But by tomorrow, it would become a situation of facing a rested enemy.
Speaking of which, Xi Zhicai shook his head and gave a wry smile.
"Sikong Cao even lamented, saying 'there is no mistake.' I truly don't understand."
"Heh heh…" Hearing this, Xun Yu stroked his beard and asked with interest, "Zhicai, do you know the difference between you and Lu Yu?"
"What?"
"You see the strategy, but Lu Yu sees the hearts of men! Mistake? How can you say Sikong Cao made a mistake?"
Xun Yu said meaningfully. "Even if letting Liu Bei escape was a mistake, can Sikong Cao admit to this mistake? Since the deed is done, the priority is to find a solution, not to dwell on mistakes or responsibilities?"
"Look at Lu Yu, he was the first to suggest killing Liu Bei, and he even had Sima Yi present the imperial edict in a belt at the door, intending to force Liu Bei to his death! But… to this day, after things have happened, has he ever suggested that Sikong Cao was wrong?"
Speaking to this point, Xun Yu paused, then answered his own question, "No."
"Because he knows that Sikong Cao already knew he was wrong in his heart, and he will correct it in the future, but he will never admit it. What makes a ruler? It is knowing one's mistakes, correcting them, but never admitting them! Never admit fault! When Zhicai can see through this, then his ability to probe into people's hearts will truly be perfected. Haha…"
At the end, Xun Yu smiled slightly and strode away.
Xun You, however, paused.
He, who was usually reserved in his speech, patted Xi Zhicai's shoulder and murmured, "Zhicai, rest assured… tomorrow, the Lord will definitely send troops to attack Liu Bei. A minor ailment is not worth mentioning; it can be settled with one strike! Haha…"
It seemed Xun You was the one who had seen through everything.
Of course, Jia Xu, who was walking slowly behind them, heard their conversation clearly.
He narrowed his eyes and thought to himself, "To catch a snake, grasp its head; given Cao Sikong's nature, leaving Lu Yu behind must be for consultation. Who is the mastermind behind this? If I don't know this, then… how can I attack the enemy's heart?"
…
…
Between Xuchang and Yingchuan, in the land of the Imperial Academy, by the Ying River.
The small village here was called Xujia Village, and it was becoming increasingly prosperous.
Much like villages adjacent to universities a thousand and eight hundred years later, villages could draw infinite wealth from universities, and the villagers here were all exceedingly rich.
What was even more exaggerated was that the Imperial Academy was far more impressive than future universities. It was not an ordinary place of learning, but the foremost academy in the Han Dynasty.
Because of this, countless private tutors moved into this village, and countless merchants rented shops here with hefty sums. Teachers, butchers (cough, cough, literally meant butchers, think no further), booksellers, and even slave merchants… Xujia Village had it all!
Speaking of which…
It was all thanks to Cai Zhaoji's kindness. Originally, the villagers in these settlements knew nothing of such matters!
They didn't even have the concept of "school district housing"!
Some merchants planned to purchase their houses and fields at bargain prices. If it weren't for Cai Zhaoji sending teachers from the Imperial Academy to stop them, these villages would have long since become the cash cows of merchants.
Cai Zhaoji even specifically sent teachers to assist the villagers in renting out their surplus houses, fields, and shops.
Initially…
The villagers had many grievances towards Cai Zhaoji, the teachers of the Imperial Academy, and even Lu Yu.
They felt that renting them out… how much money could they earn?
It would be better to sell their fields and houses all at once and move into Xuchang City to buy houses. However… as time passed, and as substantial payments were delivered to the villagers of Xujia Village, the entire Xujia Village immediately "smelt so good" (a Chinese idiom meaning to find something extremely appealing).
The people of Xujia Village even banded together, entrusting all their houses and shops to the Imperial Academy for management, content with receiving sufficient rent each month!
In a year, the rent distributed alone was enough for them to buy a large mansion in the city. The key was… these houses were like money trees, continuously producing!
Today…
Xu Shu, who had just bid farewell to Liu Bei, finally rode back to his old home.
His mood was rather triumphant. He felt he had accomplished something comparable to the "Vertical and Horizontal strategists" of the pre-Qin era, like Su Qin, who had united the troops of five states to attack Hangu Pass!
Although Su Qin wore the seals of five states around his neck, he, Xu Shu, was clearly… much more low-key.
"After the deed, I shall withdraw, my merits and fame hidden deep!"
Despite this, every time he thought of his schemes, he felt a surge of pride. He believed he had done a great deed for the Han Dynasty, a great deed to rectify the court's affairs!
On this day, the weather was exceptionally fine.
Xu Shu's waist sword, reflecting the sunlight, emitted a brilliant gleam. Besides being a strategist, he also held a hidden identity as a "wandering knight, swordsman." In the past… Dan Fu by the Ying River was renowned in Xujia Village, Yingchuan!
A hawk took flight from the woods, flapping its wings and soaring towards the heavens…
At this moment, the table in Xu Shu's courtyard was filled with all sorts of dishes, prepared by his mother for her son.
Mother Xu also began to complain about Xu Shu.
"Dan Fu ah, I heard you arrived in Xuchang over ten days ago, but why haven't you returned?"
Hearing this, Xu Shu replied with a smile, "Mother, you're blaming me? Didn't Mother also lie and say she was gravely ill, asking me to come home? But looking at you now, so full of spirit, where do you look gravely ill!"
Speaking to this point, Xu Shu tasted his mother's cooking and exclaimed with surprise, "Mother, your five-flavor dried meat is getting more and more flavorful. Thinking back to when I tasted it as a child, my drool would have almost hit the ground…"
In front of his mother, Xu Shu shed his scholarly demeanor and acted like a child who never grew up. Words like "drool" came to him effortlessly.
As these words left his lips…
Mother Xu brought out another dish, a steamed grass carp, her eyes fixed on her son, whom she hadn't seen for years. "Xuchang City has been chaotic recently, with assassinations and rebellions. I was worried that you might be caught in Xuchang City's vortex, so I asked a fellow villager to send you a message, asking you to return quickly. I've been worried sick not seeing my son."
A mother's worry for her son traveling afar…
The date Xu Shu had mentioned in his letter for his return had long passed. Unable to find her son, Mother Xu heard from fellow villagers that Yuan Zhi was in Xuchang City, so she feigned illness to lure him back. In the end, it was all out of concern for his safety. Truly, the hearts of parents are the most loving.
"Haha, Mother, don't worry, I'm fine. Even with Xuchang City in such disarray, only here can Mother cook such delicious food," Xu Shu sighed emotionally…
Actually, seeing his mother safe, he felt a touch of regret. He should have gone to Xu Province with Liu Bei; that was where he could assist a wise lord and establish a great cause.
But then again, was a great cause more important than his mother?
Xu Shu was a filial son. Regardless, he should have come home to visit… Seeing his mother well, he felt at ease.
"If it's delicious, eat more. If my five-flavor dried meat isn't good, then I'd be letting down the pig in the yard."
Pork was rarely eaten in the Han Dynasty. Only in "heavy-flavored" dishes like five-flavor dried meat was pork used.
The reason was that pork was too gamey and had an off-flavor. High officials and nobles would certainly not eat it. However… villagers were not so particular. As long as it filled their stomachs, what did a little off-flavor matter? They were already accustomed to it.
"Everything Mother cooks is delicious," Xu Shu sighed again. In fact, ever since entering Xujia Village, he had felt some doubts. How come… his home was so prosperous now?
It shouldn't be like this.
He had no brothers; only his elderly mother lived here. Even if she managed to do some work to sustain herself, it shouldn't be enough to raise pigs and sheep. Moreover, the house had clearly been renovated, his mother's clothes were new, made of fine silk. Even… in one meal, there was not only pork but also fish?
Speaking of which, Xu Shu, who was usually resourceful, was at this moment utterly bewildered by his family's circumstances. He couldn't figure it out!
Just as he was about to ask…
He saw Mother Xu scoop a large piece of grass carp meat into his bowl and say with a smile, "My son, from now on, when you eat fish, you are not allowed to eat perch…"
As these words left her lips, Xu Shu noticed that his mother had steamed grass carp today, not perch, which she usually preferred?
This…
His eyes darting around, Xu Shu immediately asked, "Mother? Why is that?"
"Because…" Mother Xu's expression suddenly became serious. "Because the homophone for 'perch' (鲈鱼, lúyú) sounds like 'Lu Yu' (陆羽), the current Situ, the head of the Imperial Academy, Lu Yu… He is the benefactor of our Xujia Village. How can the people of Xujia Village eat a fish whose name sounds like his? This is not just ungrateful; it is outright betrayal…"
Hiss… This…
Xu Shu was stunned and quickly said, "Mother? This Lu Yu is Cao Cao's man. I heard… the recent turmoil of the Yue Dan Ping was because of him, which prevented some ambitious individuals from killing the Cao thief and rectifying the Han court's affairs! It was also because of him that Uncle Dong and his party were tragically killed, and indirectly caused the deaths of Consort Dong and the imperial heir. Such… blatant evil, unbearable to heaven and earth, how… how did he… become Mother's benefactor?"
What Xu Shu said was the truth. In his subconscious, the divine right of kings…
The emperor's majesty was inviolable!
Now, Lu Yu was Cao Cao's lackey, bullying the Son of Heaven and monopolizing the court! Hence, the term "blatant evil" seemed so fitting.
According to Xu Shu's thinking, his mother had studied in her youth, and her concept of "loyalty to the ruler" should be the same as his!
But… precisely.
As soon as Xu Shu's words left his lips…
Mother Xu's face changed drastically, turning as pale as paper!
"Beast!" she suddenly shouted.
Xu Shu was startled, taken aback.
What? What's going on?
But hearing his mother curse him, Xu Shu's face also changed, and he murmured, "Mother, what… what is the reason for this?"
"Kneel!" Mother Xu shouted.
At this point… Xu Shu dared not stand anymore. With a "thump," he knelt on the ground.
Mother Xu, puffing with anger, said, "I… I actually gave birth to someone… someone worse than a pig or a dog. You are a beast, a beast!"
Rarely, Mother Xu took out a piece of firewood and struck Xu Shu's leg fiercely. She was about to use family punishment. In the past… even when Xu Shu committed murder, Mother Xu had never used family punishment!
She had always doted on this son!
The firewood struck his thigh, and Xu Shu felt pain. "Mother, I… I was wrong."
"Wrong about what?" Mother Xu raged.
"I don't know… Your son doesn't know!" Xu Shu said, completely bewildered. He truly didn't know!
"That's why… that's why I say you are a heartless beast. Back then… back then, your father and I… how could we have given birth to you?" Mother Xu trembled with anger. "I ask you, you left for seven or eight years, have you ever thought about how Mother has lived through these seven or eight years?"
"Your son is unfilial!" Xu Shu hastily kowtowed.
"Mother is not saying you are unfilial, but that you don't know what it means to repay kindness!" Mother Xu continued. "In this chaotic world, as an old woman living in Xujia Village, how many times have I been on the verge of not surviving? How many times have my tears soaked my clothes?"
"Three years ago, the grain… let alone our family's grain, even the grain of Xujia Village was running out. Bandits were rampant, and strongmen came to plunder daily. Mother persevered and lived on, just to see you, this beast, one more time! But even so, your mother was halfway to the gates of hell."
"It was Cao Cao who saved Mother, who saved our Xujia Village… it was he who, following Lu Yu's plan, brought the Emperor here, and then distributed the ownerless barren lands of Xuchang and Yingchuan to the farmers, thus resolving our urgent needs. At that time, Lu Yu, the then Grand Minister of Agriculture, also established the 'Tribute of Grain for Cattle' agricultural policy, ensuring every peasant household had surplus grain. Although Mother is old, she can still work the land, which allowed her to survive and see you, this beast, again!"
"Later… later, the Imperial Academy flourished. It was Lu Yu and Cai Yan, these two heads of the Imperial Academy, who helped our Xujia Village rent out houses and land. Because of this, Mother had the money to buy cattle and sheep, to buy the pig you just swallowed… to eat fish every meal! Mother's complexion improved, and Mother had money for medical treatment… It is precisely because of this that Mother could wait for you, this beast, to return!"
"If not for them… if not for them, Mother would have probably died a thousand times, ten thousand times over. You unfilial son… you actually… actually called your benefactor 'blatantly evil,' called him 'a heinous sinner,' you are truly ungrateful and a thankless wretch! You are the one who is 'blatantly evil,' you are the one who is 'a heinous sinner'!"
"Get out, get out… Although our Xu family is not a prominent clan, we are people who read and understand reason! On a small scale, our Xu family has received favors from our benefactor. On a large scale, all the villagers of Xujia Village, and the common people of the Central Plains, we can live on, not by relying on the Han court? Not by relying on the Son of Heaven? But by relying on Sikong Cao and our benefactor Lu Yu! Without them, the Central Plains would have long been filled with white bones exposed to the wilderness, and the land would be silent and empty of chickens!"
"You… you… get out, get out… get out!"
…
…