Outside the gates of the Situ Mansion in Xudu!
"Where is Situ Lu?"
A voice boomed, hearty and unrestrained. It was Guo Jia, who had arrived in haste with Cao Ang, seemingly seeking Lu Yu for something important.
"Reporting to Instructor Guo, Situ Lu is meeting with guests in the main hall!"
Upon hearing this reply...
At almost the same moment, Guo Jia noticed Sima Zhongda waiting outside the Situ Mansion's gates.
As an instructor at the Imperial Academy, Sima Yi was, in principle, his disciple. Though... Guo Jia could sense that this disciple did not seem to be favored by Lu Yu!
As for the reason, Guo Jia had no idea...
However, since a brother with whom he had shared past indiscretions did not seem to care for him, his interactions with Sima Yi were few. He only saw him as a humble and cautious student of the academy, with the sole exception that he always seemed to have something weighing on his mind, making his thoughts unreadable.
"Why is Zhongda here?" Guo Jia asked.
"This student has come to pay respects to Chief Administrator Lu, but..." Sima Yi bowed respectfully, but his words trailed off, as if hesitant to say more.
Understood...
Guo Jia instantly understood. He recalled the incident of the Yue Dan Ping review, where Sima Fang, the Administrator of Jingzhao, was also apprehended by Situ Cao. He couldn't help but shake his head in resignation.
"Zhongda, you must think carefully about your father's situation!"
"Master Guo... this..." Sima Yi's brows furrowed. From Guo Jia's words, he seemed to perceive a different meaning.
Although he had not interacted much with Guo Jia, Sima Yi could sense that Master Guo often thought along the same lines as Chief Administrator Lu...
Before Sima Yi could speak, Guo Jia patted his shoulder.
"Take care of yourself!"
With that, Guo Jia led Cao Ang into the Situ Mansion, inquiring as they walked, "Which guests is your Situ Lu meeting with?"
"I heard it is the five daughters of the Zhen family from Hebei..." the armored guard reported truthfully.
Upon hearing this...
Step...
Guo Jia's footsteps faltered. He instinctively tidied his somewhat disheveled clothing and hairstyle, even turning back to ask Cao Ang,
"Zi Xiu? How do I look in these clothes?"
This... Cao Ang paused slightly before nodding, "Master Guo, as long as you are not drunk, you generally look quite spirited."
"Haha... you rascal."
Guo Jia laughed heartily and patted Cao Ang's back. "You look quite spirited as well... Before the Yue Dan Ping, that young lady from the Zhen family in the carriage? I'm sure you were impressed. Come, let us accompany your Chief Administrator to meet them, lest these five Zhen daughters dazzle his eyes with their beauty!"
With that said...
Guo Jia did not forget to lift his wine gourd and take a small sip, instantly adding a touch of boldness and unrestrained freedom to his demeanor!
Hiss?
Miss Zhen? Dazzled by beauty?
The honest boy Cao Ang tapped his forehead and naively asked,
"Didn't Master Guo just get a new wife and concubines?"
"Hahahahaha..." Guo Jia waved his hand. "Yes, but I don't mind having a few more! No, I mean a few more! We must emulate Chief Clerk Lu, hahaha..."
With that, Guo Jia's unrestrained laughter, full of longing for freedom, echoed throughout the Situ Mansion!
...
Inside the main hall of the Situ Mansion.
Lu Yu's voice flowed out articulately.
"So? The five daughters of the Zhen family have come to my Situ Mansion to offer grain and money to Situ Cao?"
Lu Yu had been conversing with the five Zhen daughters for a while...
Because their faces were all veiled with thin gauze.
Therefore, Lu Yu had not been able to clearly discern their features...
Especially Zhen Mi, the youngest daughter of the Zhen family. He was still quite regretful that he couldn't see her face.
But...
Their figures, described as "ethereal like clouds obscuring the moon, flowing like the wind returning snow," were still very eye-catching. Their ink-black hair, three thousand strands of it, cascaded down like a waterfall, reaching their slender waists... truly a sight to behold!
Of course, if it was just about comparing figures.
It seemed...
The other four daughters of the Zhen family were no less impressive than Zhen Mi!
Especially Zhen Jiang, the eldest daughter of the Zhen family. Lu Yu felt her figure was even taller and more statuesque than Zhen Mi's, giving the impression of a fully developed physique, capable of rivaling Cao Mu in certain aspects!
At this moment, Zhen Jiang's voice flowed out gracefully.
"We have long heard that Situ Lu possesses a piercing gaze. How would my daughters dare to deceive Situ Lu?"
"Our Zhen family is a merchant family, and we rely on our women to uphold our honor. Regarding the dispute between Situ Cao and General Yuan, our Zhen family initially had no intention of getting involved. However... we had a marriage engagement with the Yuan family in the past, to marry our fifth sister, Zhen Mi, to Yuan Xi, the second son of the Yuan family."
"To maintain neutrality and avoid involvement in this conflict, our mother sent us five daughters to the Central Plains, which was a veiled rejection of this marriage proposal to the Yuan family. Furthermore, she sold off the Zhen family's farmlands, shops, and residences, raising a sum of money and grain to aid General Yuan..."
"However, our mother instructed us to find a way to contact Situ Lu and deliver an equal amount of money and grain to Situ Cao. In this way, regardless of the outcome of the conflict in Hebei, our Zhen family can be preserved! We implore Situ Lu to grant our request!"
Huo...
Her gentle and measured words were like the song of a lark.
Zhen Jiang was only in the prime of her youth, yet her speech was reasoned and well-organized, clear in its priorities, and balanced in detail. This Zhen family... indeed, it was a family that relied on its women to uphold its honor, evoking the image of the Yang family's female generals.
Most importantly, even Lu Yu had not expected the eldest daughter of the Zhen family to explain the Zhen family's plans so clearly... so concisely, without any concealment.
This, in turn, left Lu Yu at a loss for words.
Of course, what Lu Yu did not know was.
Zhen Jiang was acting on the instructions of her mother, Madam Zhang. Madam Zhang had long suspected that Situ Lu was the legendary "Hidden Dragon," and rather than beating around the bush with him, it was better to be frank. Trying to be clever would only be counterproductive!
In fact, in Madam Zhang's opinion... the balance of the Cao-Yuan conflict had already tipped due to the Hidden Dragon!
Lu Yu's eyes darted about, about to speak.
Just then...
A voice came from outside the door.
"So, the Zhen family is offering Situ Cao twenty thousand shi of grain? And thirteen million in cash? To my knowledge, the Zhen family's grain stores amount to as much as a million shi, and it has already been secretly transported to the Central Plains. This quantity is likely less than one-tenth of the Zhen family's stored grain. Such sincerity is rather shallow."
As he spoke, Guo Jia and Cao Ang strode into the main hall.
Their words immediately attracted the attention of the five Zhen daughters present.
"It's him?"
"It's him?"
Zhen Dao, the third daughter of the Zhen family, and Zhen Tuo, the fourth daughter, were momentarily stunned and whispered their exclamations!
Of course, the "him" they referred to was different people. Zhen Dao meant Cao Ang, while Zhen Tuo meant Guo Jia...
At this moment...
Zhen Jiang felt a pang of embarrassment.
The amount of money and grain their Zhen family offered was indeed just a drop in the bucket. To have these words spoken by this young man in black robes, how would Situ Lu view them? The sincerity that was supposed to be present was immediately discounted.
Instantly, Zhen Jiang's brow furrowed considerably.
"Feng Xiao..."
Lu Yu was about to speak to ease the awkwardness of the situation.
He muttered to himself, "Is Feng Xiao really going this far?"
... "Are these young ladies deserving of such harsh words?"
To his surprise, before Lu Yu could speak, Guo Jia's voice rang out again.
"So, while your Zhen family appears to be offering a considerable amount of money and grain, there is ultimately little sincerity. Situ Cao and Situ Lu do not lack tens of thousands of shi of grain! Why don't I teach you a trick? If you want your Zhen family to stand firm, it's not difficult. I'll take charge. Two of you Zhen daughters will marry our Situ Lu, and two will marry me, Guo Feng Xiao. As for the remaining one, whoever sees it first gets it, so it will go to our Situ Cao's eldest son, Cao Ang!"
As he said this, Guo Jia did not forget to glance at Cao Ang and Zhen Dao, the third daughter of the Zhen family, respectively...
Indeed, with that said and that glance...
Instantly, the five Zhen daughters, with the exception of the eldest sister Zhen Jiang, all blushed, their faces like red apples on a sunny day!
Girls are always shy...
The thin gauze could conceal the upper part of their faces, but the lower part was still clearly visible, flushed red... very alluring!
This...
Suddenly, the atmosphere in the Situ Mansion's main hall became even more peculiar.
"Hahahahahaha..." Guo Jia, however, continued to laugh unrestrainedly. "Why are you all wearing these veils? Situ Lu may not have seen, but both Cao Ang and I have met several young ladies, haven't we? Moreover, if you do not show your true faces, how can you... bear witness to that profound sincerity?"
Hey...
The atmosphere was completely derailed by Guo Jia, and Lu Yu was truly exasperated.
As expected, this Guo Jia, Guo Feng Xiao, was still that top strategist whose plans were reliable but whose personal conduct was outrageous...
However...
Lu Yu was truly tired of this behavior that seemed to revolve around women.
"Feng Xiao, that's enough..."
Before Lu Yu could even utter the words, with a swish, almost simultaneously, the five Zhen daughters tacitly removed the gauze from their faces.
This...
Suddenly, the overwhelming impact of their sudden unveiling struck Lu Yu, leaving him speechless. He couldn't find any words in his mind to describe it, only feeling... it was incredibly "wow"!
—Unfortunately, I am uncultured, so one "wow" conquers all!
It wasn't that the five women before him were devastatingly beautiful, but rather... they looked so alike, as if they had been carved from the same mold.
All possessed the same ethereal grace, the same transcendence, the same untainted purity, and the same dignified composure!
The books only spoke of Luo Shen's peerless beauty, but the current situation was that Lu Yu was seeing five "peerless beauties"!
Good heavens...
Lu Yu mused, if any of these five sisters were in trouble, and another sister were to replace her on a date with her boyfriend, Lu Yu would bet... the boyfriend would never notice... and even if he did, he would pretend not to, which would be very exciting!
"Gulp!"
Lu Yu subconsciously swallowed, they really did look alike, giving a distinct impression of quintuplets!
"It is our fault for not knowing proper etiquette. We hope Situ Lu will forgive us. However... we wore veils because the five of us sisters look too much alike, and we feared... it might confuse Situ Lu."
Uh...
Lu Yu was already confused.
Guo Jia, however, maintained his usual lack of seriousness. "There is an order of seniority and respect. Situ Lu, you choose first?"
He waved his hand, appearing quite generous!
Uh...
As these words left his mouth, Lu Yu was taken aback. It felt like choosing princesses at a KTV. Perhaps... if one wasn't satisfactory, another batch could be exchanged? Quintuplets, wouldn't that require extra payment!
Of course...
Is Lu Yu such a vulgar person? Not at all!
Only children make choices; adults... they want them all!
Ahem... went off track!
With a light cough, Lu Yu shook his head slightly, his tone still very serious.
"Feng Xiao, don't frighten these young ladies!"
"They are guests and are offering grain to aid our Situ Cao. We should treat them with courtesy!"
Speaking of which, Lu Yu turned his gaze to the five Zhen daughters.
In fact... their ages were easily distinguishable. Although their heights were similar, the... size of their endowments was clearly different, and Zhen Mi, the fifth daughter, was the most petite!
She gave a fresher impression, like a flower fairy in a garden, indifferent to worldly affairs!
"Ladies, please don't mind. My brother Guo is like this... he loves to joke, so please don't take it to heart! Since you are in the Central Plains, if you encounter any difficulties, feel free to come to me. Whether it's business matters or personal issues, I, Lu Yu, have nothing else but a love for making friends, and I especially like making friends like the Zhen family."
Lu Yu's words served as a summary for their first meeting.
"The Zhen family's businesses span across the Han Dynasty. Without Situ Lu's assistance, it would be difficult. We five sisters thank Situ Lu on behalf of the Zhen family!"
The five sisters bowed in unison. After bowing.
"Then... we shall not disturb Situ Lu further and will take our leave for now."
Zhen Jiang murmured softly, then bowed again before leading her sisters out gracefully.
Their mother had instructed them to befriend Lu Yu, but... meeting him for the first time, appearing too fawning would make the Zhen family seem cheap. Therefore, their conduct was measured and their demeanor polite. Zhen Jiang was quite satisfied with this visit.
Of course...
She was also truly impressed by this Situ Lu. He showed no arrogance of someone in a high position, nor the haughty attitude of a superior towards a subordinate. It was like a conversation between friends, giving a sense of boundless intimacy.
However... the young man named Guo who appeared later was a bit frivolous and too unrestrained, which she disliked.
"Zi Xiu, escort the five young ladies back to the mansion. From now on, you will handle matters concerning the Zhen family."
Lu Yu instructed Cao Ang without hesitation...
Cao Ang had wanted to request this task, but he never expected happiness to arrive so suddenly.
"Yes!"
"Your disciple will not fail this mission!"
With that, Cao Ang quickly chased after them.
A moment later, after the five Zhen daughters and Cao Ang had gone their separate ways, Guo Jia plopped down on a bamboo chair, resting his hands and reclining as if the Situ Mansion were his own home.
He said to Lu Yu with a smile,
"I assume Situ Lu has understood the Zhen family's intentions?"
"Didn't the eldest daughter of the Zhen family explain it clearly? Aren't they simply seeking to protect themselves?" Lu Yu replied. "Why do you speak of it as if it were a conspiracy theory?"
"It's not a conspiracy theory..." Guo Jia's tone changed from his usual jovial manner to much more solemn. "... The Zhen family is very shrewd. Currently, the five daughters of the Zhen family and the old Madam Zhen are separated by the Yellow River. This is not self-preservation; it is observing the times and waiting for change. The Zhen family holds a million shi of grain!"
"If Cao's army wins, they will unreservedly give their stored grain to Situ Cao. But if Yuan Shao wins, the old Madam Zhen will also invest in Yuan Shao. This old Madam Zhen is very shrewd! Her daughters repeatedly mention not wanting to be involved in the Cao-Yuan conflict, but their actions have already placed the Zhen family in this vortex, and simultaneously, they are in an invincible position!"
Hey...
Indeed, after Guo Jia's analysis, Lu Yu saw things more clearly and thoroughly.
Of course, these were not that important...
Fighting Yuan Shao, they would fight regardless of having this million shi of stored grain or not...
Precisely...
Just then, Guo Jia brought up a more crucial piece of information.
"Actually, the Zhen family's role for Lu Situ and Situ Cao is not just about grain; their more important role is their decades of commercial influence across the Han Dynasty!"
At this point, Guo Jia's tone became even more meticulous.
"The Zhen family is renowned as major merchants, comparable to the Mi family of Xuzhou, the Lu family, the Zhuge family, the Wei family of Chenliu, and the Shi family of Jiaozhi. What distinguishes the Zhen family from other merchants is that their business has extended beyond the frontiers!"
"Beyond the frontiers?" Lu Yu immediately retorted...
This intelligence would not be found in ancient texts, but Guo Jia's ancestors had served as Tingwei for six generations, and their connections were intricate, so it was not surprising that he could obtain such information.
"That's right," Guo Jia said with a smile. "Don't forget, I served under Yuan Shao in the past. Where do you think Yuan Shao's warhorses came from?"
"Could it be the Zhen family?" Lu Yu blurted out, then felt it was redundant...
With Guo Feng Xiao explaining it to this extent, wasn't it obvious it was the Zhen family!
So, the Zhen family had such influence as to obtain horses from beyond the frontiers?
You must know...
After the Xiongnu were driven out of the border by the Han cavalry, they split into three factions: Xianbei, Wuhuan, and Southern Xiongnu, collectively known as the Sanhu. Since the establishment of the Sanhu tribes, there had been a strict trade system: each tribe was forbidden from selling a single Hu horse to the Han Dynasty, thereby restricting the Han's cavalry forces!
This system remains in place to this day. Everyone knows that horses from beyond the frontiers are good, but... obtaining them is as difficult as ascending to heaven.
Indeed... it's no wonder Yuan Shao's cavalry could sweep across the northern territories. It turns out they obtained border warhorses through the Zhen family, which is truly enviable!
Lu Yu shook his head slightly...
He considered why he had invented iron stirrups, saddles, and horseshoes but dared not use them on warhorses. It was not for lack of horses in Cao's camp. Once Yuan Shao imitated them, although Cao's army's cavalry combat power could be greatly enhanced, for Yuan Shao, who had an abundance of horses, the increase in combat power would skyrocket!
In plain terms, it was still a lack of horses!
Horses were too precious in this era, let alone border Hu horses...
These horses were exceptionally hardy and strong, making them extremely suitable for long-distance marches!
Lu Yu grew more and more covetous the more he thought about it.
His eyes darted around. Thinking this way, the Zhen family... could not simply be treated as mere ornaments or granaries!
They had a great purpose!
Hoo...
With a soft sigh, Lu Yu raised his eyes to look at Guo Jia.
"Feng Xiao, I finally understand... what you said just now was not a joke!"
"Just now?" Guo Jia lightly tapped his forehead, feigning hesitation, then said with a smile, "When it comes to friends, I, Guo Jia, never joke!"
"So then..." Guo Jia leaned his head towards Lu Yu with a smile. "You choose first, the five Zhen daughters? Which one do you want to conquer?"
Uh...
So direct?
Lu Yu felt this was no longer like choosing princesses at a KTV; this was a full-fledged political marriage.
"Feng Xiao? Isn't this a bit improper for us?"
Lu Yu also leaned his head closer to Guo Jia.
"Choosing directly is a bit improper!" Guo Jia nodded, then pondered for a moment before speaking loudly, "Then let's just assign them. The eldest daughter of the Zhen family, Zhen Jiang, is eloquent and sharp-tongued; she's yours! And the youngest daughter, Zhen Mi, you seem to have paid particular attention to her. One elder and one younger, you'll find... ah no, you'll find it more pleasurable to conquer them."
Uh...
Lu Yu felt like he was being assigned a wife by the government.
Of course, while they were being assigned, Lu Yu was still a bit confused. This was unavoidable for the sake of Hu horses!
"Feng Xiao? Then what about you?"
"Second and fourth, then!" Guo Jia said without hesitation...
Lu Yu felt this guy had planned this long ago...
"Then what about the third?"
"As for that..." Guo Jia smiled slightly. "Didn't you see Zi Xiu's eyes light up when he looked at the third daughter of the Zhen family? And Zi Xiu's status as the eldest son of Situ Cao is just right!"
Heh heh...
Hearing this, Lu Yu let out a "heh heh." He used to think Jia Xu was venomous, but today he felt Guo Jia, Guo Feng Xiao's tongue was also quite poisonous!
It turns out, this guy had already calculated everything!
Alright, it was all for the sake of border warhorses!
Damn border warhorses!
Haha...
Hahahahaha...
Unrestrained laughter echoed throughout the Situ Mansion.
Gradually, the topic ceased, and Guo Jia asked with interest, "What do you plan to do with Sima Zhongda waiting outside the door?"
Lu Yu retorted, "What do you think, Brother Feng Xiao?"
Guo Jia waved his hand, "I don't want what you think; I want what you feel... This Sima Zhongda, haha, Situ Lu's intentions are not just for the wine, are they?"
Isn't that the case...
This is simply—being preoccupied with the beauty of the landscape!
...
...