A stroke of genius;
Killing three birds with one stone.
This statement needs to be understood separately.
In Cao Cao's eyes, this move by Fu Wan and the Han court had three benefits: Firstly, it brought Lu Yu into their fold.
With Princess Wannian in the picture, Lu Yu would, to some extent, be less ruthless in dealing with Han court matters. Cao Cao would have to show some consideration for Lu Yu's feelings and make concessions!
Secondly, through this marriage alliance, it eased the growing conflict between the Han court and Cao's camp. Both sides jointly established the common goal of "unifying the world," which Cao Cao welcomed!
Thirdly, this move helped the Fu family evade punishment, almost pulling them back from the brink of certain death.
This was what Cao Cao referred to as Duke Fu's "stroke of genius."
It was undeniably brilliant!
As for "killing three birds with one stone," it was that Cao Cao secured the position of Chancellor, eased his relationship with the Han court, stabilized his rear, and thus had no future worries about northern or southern campaigns – this was the first benefit.
Second, Lu Yu marrying Princess Changnian was crucial for his future succession to the throne.
It even laid the groundwork for further advancement!
It's important to remember that Cao Cao had his limits. The Cao family had received imperial favor for generations, and he would not usurp the throne. However, the current Emperor Liu Xie was already in his twenties but had no heirs, leaving the future succession of the Han dynasty uncertain.
As the Emperor's son-in-law, Lu Yu could legitimately influence the choice of successor.
Furthermore…
Heh heh!
A thought flashed through Cao Cao's mind, and a smile touched his lips. He said nothing further, only "Heh heh…"
As for the third benefit!
Xiahou Juan marrying Lu Yu would instantly help Yu'er establish a strong connection with the Cao family's meritorious officials and the martial men of Qiao and Pei, forging unbreakable bonds!
This was crucial for him to win the support of the meritorious officials in Qiao and Pei!
Moreover… Cao Cao was already planning to reveal Lu Yu's background and would not wait too long!
From this perspective, this move was… extremely important!
Of course…
Fu Wan hadn't thought this far. His "killing three birds with one stone" was more about the strategic alliance between the Han court, Cao's camp, and Lu Yu. However… Cao Cao's vision was far more profound than he imagined.
This was precisely what "A loving parent plans meticulously for their child" meant.
Next…
Cao Cao's plan was to have a good chat with Cao Ang, and a good chat with Madam Ding!
After all, Cao Ang was still his nominal eldest son, and Madam Ding was his legal wife. Their attitudes towards Yu'er becoming the heir were also extremely important!
"Hahaha…"
Thinking of this, Cao Cao's distinctive laughter echoed through the prison.
Fu Wan was also laughing. Cao Cao's arm was slung over his shoulder, and the two walked out of the prison gate like old friends, laughing all the way!
"Thump, thump…"
The sound of their footsteps suddenly became much crisper!
And at this moment, the sky outside the prison had brightened considerably!
…
…
Xuzhou, Xiapi City.
Early in the morning, Lu Yu was seated in his study at the government office. Before him, Zhuge Jun, He Yan, Huang Xu, Cao Zhi, and others were already waiting.
They were reporting on the "Jiangbei Alliance" one by one!
From lotteries, to fishing, to salt extraction, national debt, and newspapers – Lu Yu listened intently to every item.
Of course, in Lu Yu's opinion, these students had done very well and showed great talent!
"As for fishing and salt extraction, Huang Xu and He Yan, you two should pay close attention. The lottery, national debt, and matters of the Jiangbei Alliance will be your responsibility, 'Kongming'! National debt should be issued regularly, and the lottery should also be promoted more vigorously from time to time. You can ask Zijian to specially write an edition of the newspaper about national debt and lotteries to be sent to all parts of the Central Plains, laying the foundation for the development of commerce in various regions!"
"Furthermore, you must remember that stabilizing prices and ensuring the supply of grain and fodder to local areas and the front lines remain the top priorities in the current situation! The Jiangbei Alliance must also be further strengthened. My vision is for it to become a commercial organization capable of influencing the entire Han dynasty's commercial activities, commodity prices, and grain supply!"
Lu Yu reminded them of every detail.
These were all his students. When students achieve success, their teacher naturally feels honored. Lu Yu hoped they would continue to grow strong and powerful!
"We will strictly follow Commander Lu's teachings and will not fail our mission!"
Zhuge Jun, Huang Xu, and He Yan said in unison.
Lu Yu nodded and turned his gaze to Cao Zhi. "Have there been any movements north of the Yellow River recently?"
As the head of the newspaper office, Cao Zhi was particularly sensitive to news.
Many pieces of intelligence from the northern regions often reached Cao Zhi before the scouts could report them.
It wasn't that his intelligence was faster than the scouts…
It was because the newspaper office received a large number of submissions, regardless of region or household registration. All selected manuscripts were rewarded with money, and thus… many submissions naturally included reports on the current situation in the northern regions.
"Commander Lu," Cao Zhi stood up and spoke eloquently, "Since Yuan Shao's death, his sons Yuan Tan, Yuan Xi, and Yuan Shang have each gathered troops and stationed them in Liyang City. The entire area north of the Yellow River is heavily fortified, even more so than when Yuan Shao was alive. Many letters are sent via Taishan, bypassing Liyang!"
Upon hearing this, Lu Yu nodded, but remained non-committal.
It was as if the movements of Yuan Shao's three sons were merely a routine inquiry, and he did not care.
Zhuge Jun was a little puzzled. He was a child who liked to ask questions…
He tapped his forehead and asked, "Commander Lu, I have one thing I don't understand. In the past… Commander Cao fought fiercely with Yuan Shao. Now that Yuan Shao is dead, shouldn't we advance north and resolve the northern issue in one go? Why has it become… peaceful? Besides, didn't the grain arrive long ago?"
Zhuge Jun frowned, appearing full of curiosity…
Of course, it wasn't just Zhuge Jun who looked this way; everyone was curious. Yuan Shao was dead, and yet the two sides had become peaceful?
What did this mean?
This…
Seeing Zhuge Liang's face full of curiosity, Lu Yu sighed in his heart.
He had gone astray. Zhuge Kongming was thoroughly misguided…
How astute, wise, and insightful Zhuge Kongming was in historical context, understanding the times and the changes. It turned out… he had cultivated a Kongming who was skilled in action but weak in thinking!
He had gone astray, completely off the technological path!
Thinking of this, Lu Yu couldn't help but feel a wave of emotion…
Yet, he patiently began to explain.
"Whether to march north or not does not depend on us, but on the situation…"
Lu Yu's lecture began, like a "father" imparting wisdom.
"Do you remember the situation when Lu Bu and Cao Cao jointly defended Xuzhou in the past? At that time, Commander Cao's army was pressing hard, but he gained no advantage!"
This…
Zhuge Jun, Huang Xu, and He Yan exchanged glances. He Yan was the most quick-witted. After all… he was in Shouchun at the time, very close to Xuzhou, and understood the details more thoroughly.
"Commander Lu means? In the past, when Liu Bei occupied Xiapi and Lu Bu occupied Xiaopei, when Commander Cao's army approached, they joined forces to resist the enemy, and the entire front was impregnable and without flaws. Therefore… even a powerful Cao Cao gained no advantage."
"But… after Cao Cao retreated, the crisis was resolved, and Liu Bei and Lu Bu began to fight over territory and resources. Cao Cao sat back and watched the tigers fight. When both sides were weakened, he launched a decisive attack on Xiapi City… The battle of Xiapi and the demise at Baimen Tower were the final outcomes and the fate of the peerless warrior!"
Whoosh…
As He Yan spoke, Zhuge Jun and Huang Xu suddenly understood.
Were Yuan Shao's three sons today like Liu Bei and Lu Bu in Xuzhou back then?
Peace…
No wonder the Yellow River region had entered a long period of peace since the Battle of Guandu and the Battle of Cangting…
This was Cao Cao's cunning tactic of feigning a retreat to Xu Du City to paralyze the enemy and incite internal conflict among the Yuan brothers!
"Exactly…"
Seeing their enlightened expressions, Lu Yu continued, "This is what is meant by 'two tigers competing for food' and 'driving a tiger to devour a wolf'! Moreover…"
Lu Yu paused and said with deep emotion…
"Yuan Shao was a good father… and his three sons were no simple characters! The strategy of 'three tigers competing for food' was perfectly suited for them, seamless!"
This was not Lu Yu speaking without basis.
According to the wheels of history…
Before Yuan Shao's demise, he had already treated Jizhou as his personal domain.
He had long believed that his sons should succeed him after his death, and this thought was not wrong; no one would call him selfish!
However… the mistake was that he had three sons!
According to the principles of prioritizing the elder over the younger, and the legitimate over the illegitimate…
The legitimate sons had priority in succession over the illegitimate ones. If there were no legitimate sons, the eldest son had priority.
The eldest son, Yuan Tan, also had a legitimate mother. Yuan Shao's current wife, Lady Liu, was a remarried wife. According to custom… even if the original wife had passed away, her son's status was higher than that of the remarried wife, let alone Yuan Tan being the eldest son! The legitimate eldest son!
It could be said that…
Yuan Tan's succession to Yuan Shao's cause was a foregone conclusion. However, Yuan Shao inexplicably favored his youngest son, Yuan Shang, who was born to Lady Liu!
Yuan Shang inherited many of Yuan Shao's excellent genes, was handsome, and spoke sweetly…
Yuan Shao genuinely wanted Yuan Shang to inherit his career!
But the ancestors had laws: prioritize the legitimate and the elder. Discarding Yuan Tan to establish Yuan Shang would be a violation of ancestral family law!
Thus, Yuan Shao thought of his father, Yuan Feng, and performed the elaborate maneuver of adopting Yuan Tan out to a cousin, and then adopting him back.
Then, an even more elaborate maneuver occurred. Yuan Shao directly gave Yuan Tan to his deceased elder brother in adoption, meaning Yuan Tan was no longer Yuan Shao's son, allowing him to openly establish Yuan Shang as the heir!
If… the development had stopped there!
But, Yuan Shao was a good father. After giving Yuan Tan away in adoption, he reverted to being a loving father, feeling a bit sorry for his eldest son. Therefore, he also granted Yuan Tan significant military power and gave him Nanpi City, located between Jizhou and Qingzhou…
Yuan Tan had developed well over the years. During the Battles of Guandu and Cangting, he brought a considerable number of troops, but… he had even more troops hidden under his command!
And this was the inevitable reason for the internal strife among the Yuan brothers!
Lu Yu didn't go into too much detail…
But even with just a few sentences, Zhuge Jun, Huang Xu, and He Yan nodded repeatedly.
Upon careful consideration, the strategies of "two tigers competing for food" and "driving a tiger to devour a wolf," while insidious, would undoubtedly be highly effective, extremely effective!
"We students have learned a great deal!"
Zhuge Jun, Huang Xu, and He Yan bowed in unison.
Lu Yu waved his hand. He had originally intended to elaborate on the affairs of Yuan Shao's family.
After all…
The matters involved were very complicated and could take an entire day to explain.
Of course, the most important thing was that the Yuan family, having held the title of "Four Generations of Three Dukes," had passed down an extremely "excellent" tradition – infighting!
As the saying goes, "Those not of the same family do not share the same hearth!"
However…
While "driving a tiger to devour a wolf" was one thing, Lu Yu had to add a ladle of oil to the fire in Jizhou.
With this thought, Lu Yu directly picked up his brush and scribbled something on a blank sheet of paper. After finishing, he called Dian Wei into the room and handed him the folded white paper.
"Commander Dian, please find a way to deliver this letter to Sima Zhongda…"
"Yes!" Dian Wei agreed and went to make arrangements.
Sima Zhongda, mentioned here…
Lu Yu had consistently maintained correspondence with him. This method of transmitting letters on white paper was extremely discreet, far safer than bamboo slips!
Sima Yi had also basically completed all previous tasks. Tian Feng's clansmen and Xu You's clansmen had been rescued and hidden in a safe place!
Given the current internal and external strife of the Yuan clan, they would not have the time to deal with this problem!
However…
There was one person whom Lu Yu had specifically instructed Sima Yi not to rescue.
In Ye City, this person could serve as Lu Yu's eyes, a crucial figure!
The content of this letter was precisely for Lu Yu to activate that person!
On the strategic level of "driving a tiger to devour a wolf," someone was needed to stir up trouble!
After discussing the Jiangbei Alliance and the Yuan brothers, the atmosphere in the room turned somber. Cao Zhi, sensing this keenly, stood up and said,
"Commander Lu, Junior believes that you have handled the matters of the Jiangbei Alliance quite well recently. Is it time to make time to meet the courtesan of the Myriad Flower Pavilion?"
"Half a month has passed, and no one has passed her test yet. The entire city of Xiapi is abuzz with discussion, and everyone is eagerly anticipating it!"
Hey…
Come to think of it, if Cao Zhi hadn't mentioned it, Lu Yu would have almost forgotten.
The fact that a courtesan in a pleasure house could select her clients was already bizarre enough, but to set three challenges and have no one pass was even more bizarre, utterly preposterous!
Of course, Cao Zhi's mention was also related to his understanding of Lu Yu's schedule. It seemed… for eight or nine months, Commander Lu had not touched a woman!
"The entire city of Xiapi being stumped by one woman is indeed strange…"
Lu Yu shook his head lightly, then opened his eyes. "How about this, Zijian, you make the arrangements. The day after tomorrow, in the evening, I will go to meet her. I want to see how exceptionally beautiful this woman is!"
"Alright!" Cao Zhi agreed.
In his opinion, Lu Yu was the most intelligent young lord in the world. If even he could not pass the three challenges set by that woman, then… perhaps no man in the world could glimpse her true appearance!
Just then.
The sound of footsteps approached from outside the study.
Followed by a "snap," Cao Xiu pushed open the door and barged into the room.
He was about to speak, but after scanning the entire study and seeing 'Zhuge Liang' and Cao Zhi present, he quickly walked to Lu Yu's side, bowed, and whispered something in his ear.
Initially, Lu Yu's expression was unchanged.
However, as the conversation progressed, Lu Yu's brows furrowed, and his expression was one of utter astonishment.
"This is? For real?"
"Absolutely true!"
Cao Xiu's reply was very firm.
Lu Yu's eyes narrowed instantly, and he instinctively continued to probe.
"When did this happen?"
"The very day Commander Lu left Donghai…"
Cao Xiu's reply instantly made the atmosphere in the room much colder.
Something had happened!
Xuzhou, something big had happened!
…
…
Gede, gede!
Gede, gede…
On the official road from Yanzhou to Xuzhou, two fast horses were galloping. One was entirely black, flashing past like lightning, its speed so great that even its shadow couldn't keep up!
The other horse was as red as burning charcoal, without a single mixed hair, galloping as if soaring into the sea.
The riders on both horses had only caught a brief glimpse of each other at the post station…
To be precise… they had caught a glimpse of each other's horses!
It was just one glance, and both were filled with astonishment…
Because both the black horse and the red horse had "rabbit heads"!
"Rabbit head" refers to the classification of horse head shapes in Bole's "The Book of Horse Judging," which divided horse head shapes into "straight head," "rabbit head," "concave head," "wedge head," and "half-rabbit head."
The Book of Horse Judging states – "Obtain rabbit and fox, bird and fish; obtaining these four, do not look for others," which interprets the ancient rabbit-shaped head as an important external standard for a good horse, and also indicates that obtaining a good horse with a "rabbit head" is not an easy task.
Who would have thought that at this moment…
On the same official road, there were two such rare "fine horses"!
Of course…
Among these two fine horses, the former, entirely black one, was Jueying. Cao Cao had specially lent it to Xiahou Yuan to deliver the imperial decree of "One Marquisate Family, Two Wives" to Xuzhou and into Lu Yu's hands as quickly as possible! The wedding must not be delayed!
The rider on the horse was naturally Xiahou Yuan…
And the second horse, entirely red like burning charcoal, was Red Hare, ridden by Lu Bu.
Logically speaking…
Xiahou Yuan recognized Lu Bu. However… Lu Bu was wearing a mask and a straw hat, making his face unrecognizable. As for Xiahou Yuan, Lu Bu had no interest in observing him… his mind was filled with the words "Yu is in trouble"!
Had Zang Ba caused trouble again?
And his precious daughter, Lu Lingqi, was she also causing trouble?
The two, one behind the other, separated by hundreds of paces… were now galloping, raising dust two zhang high, which also showed… the urgency in both their hearts!
Finally…
In Taishan Commandery, they parted ways. Lu Bu, riding Red Hare, headed directly onto the mountain path of the Taishan mountains.
While Xiahou Yuan, impatient, rushed towards Xuzhou. He was eager to meet this good son-in-law!
Heh heh…
Lu Yu, Lu Yu, no matter how capable you are, you still have to call me "Father-in-law!"
After all…
In the Han Dynasty, "Daren" (adult/father) could not be called casually…
"Daren" means approximately "Dad"!
Of course…
For Lu Yu, he had no idea…
He had already sworn brotherhood with Xiahou Dun, so… Xiahou Yuan was also his elder brother!
But… he regarded Xiahou Yuan as an elder brother, while Xiahou Yuan wanted to be his father!
What a coincidence! How timely!
Gede, gede…
Gede, gede…
At this moment…
Whether on the mountain path leading to Taishan or the official road to Xuzhou!
The horses galloped, kicking up sand and stones, filling the air with dust…
…
…