“Ziyuan, concerning Yuan Shao, you and I thought we understood him well, but in reality… compared to Yin Lin, our understanding of Yuan Shao was too superficial!”
Liu Bei’s words became increasingly earnest. His gaze remained fixed on the canopy umbrella.
“Just you wait… in a few days, Yuan Shao will pay a heavy price for his naivety, his foolishness, his simplicity. Only after such a painful lesson will he realize how terrifying an opponent Yin Lin is! And by then… it will all be too late!”
The fact that Liu Bei would speak to this extent clearly indicated that he considered Xu You a trusted friend. As Liu Bei’s words deepened, Xu You’s expression grew more solemn.
– A heavy price.
– Yuan Shao’s heavy price!
Liu Bei and Xu You thought along the same lines, but… but…
“Alas…” Xu You sighed, no longer discussing the topic. The more they talked, the heavier his heart became. “Xuan De, since you confide in me, then… today, I, Xu You, will also confide in you!”
“Xuan De, I can see that you have lofty ambitions and aspire to rule the world. However… given Xuan De’s plans, would you prefer to contend for the world with Cao Cao, who possesses Yin Lin, or with Yuan Shao, who is surrounded by incompetent fools? In my opinion, if it were Yuan Shao… perhaps Xuan De would have a greater chance?”
At this point, Xu You paused before continuing, “For this very reason… if you adopt my suggestion, perhaps… there might be a turn of events in this decisive battle between Cao and Yuan… and Xuan De brother’s grand undertaking might still have a chance!”
Liu Bei cupped his hands. “Brother Ziyuan! Please speak!”
“Xuan De…” Xu You’s words became more heartfelt. “Although the world is not yet unified, the number of people who can truly match Cao Cao is few. Forgive my bluntness… Liu Pi’s thirty thousand troops alone pose no threat to Xudu! They threaten neither Cao Cao nor Lu Yu. But… the Son of Heaven! Cao Cao’s current widespread influence and righteousness are all based on the Son of Heaven! The Han Son of Heaven is the only one who can truly threaten them! He is the foundation and core of all of Yin Lin’s schemes!”
“It is a pity that I have repeatedly advised Duke Yuan to divide his forces and attack Xudu from the south, to capture the Han Son of Heaven. This would shake Cao Cao’s foundation and disrupt Yin Lin’s overall strategy. However… alas… Yuan Shao is short-sighted and cannot see this opportunity for victory. Therefore, I implore Xuan De… to go to Runan, subdue Liu Pi’s thirty thousand troops, seize the opportune moment to capture the Han Son of Heaven, and send him to Jingzhou! Liu Biao, who dominates the nine commanderies of Jing and Xiang, is a member of the imperial clan. With the Han Son of Heaven present, he will surely rekindle his fighting spirit and raise an army to attack Cao! In this way… the decisive battle in the north will have a turning point!”
Xu You said a great deal… In the end, he still leaned towards Yuan Shao. After all… Xu You had directly received favors from Yuan Shao. As the saying goes, a drop of kindness should be repaid with a gushing spring. Moreover, in his youth, Xu You had indulged in a daring act, plotting with Jizhou Inspector Wang Fen, Pei Nation’s Zhou Jing, and other heroes to depose Emperor Ling of Han and enthrone the Marquis of Hefei! The plot was eventually leaked… the leader Wang Fen committed suicide, and Xu You was also wanted. If not for Yuan Shao’s use of the Yuan clan’s influence to smooth things over, Xu You would not be alive today! For this reason… Xu You had followed Yuan Shao all these years and never betrayed him!
“Good, good, good!” Liu Bei exclaimed thrice, cupping his hands. “Brother Ziyuan, to be frank, I had this idea long ago, but… I was afraid Yuan Shao would stop me, so I didn’t dare to tell him! Liu Jingsheng and I are both descendants of the imperial family. If I rescue the Son of Heaven, he will surely take him in… If the Son of Heaven reaches Jingzhou, Liu Jingsheng’s ambition and fighting spirit will surely be rekindled! In this way… that Cao villain will be destroyed!”
“If that truly happens… then…” Xu You cupped his hands, removed his bamboo hat, and bowed to Liu Bei in the rain. “I, Xu Ziyuan, bid you farewell today! Xuan De, travel safely!”
“Please…” Xu You personally held Liu Bei’s horse. Liu Bei cupped his hands and bowed his farewell once more. Amidst the babbling rain, Liu Bei mounted his horse. He looked back again… at Lu Yu and Yuan Shao under the canopy umbrella, sighed, and then galloped away alone with his white horse.
…
…
South of Yanjin City, countless Cao troops were covering the evacuation of civilians to Guandu. Even though the rain grew heavier and the roads more muddy, the official road from Yanjin to Guandu was filled with bamboo hats, soldiers, and civilians with their families. Stretching for miles… Astonishingly, not a single Yuan army cavalryman was in pursuit.
North of Yanjin City, a thousand paces from the city gate. Under three large canopy umbrellas, Lu Yu poured a bowl of tea and offered it to Yuan Shao… Their conversation, which would be passed down through the ages and was considered upright and honorable, had begun.
“Duke Yuan, try this tea. This is tea I stir-fried. It’s not quite like what you usually drink!” Lu Yu spoke… Yuan Shao’s eyes were full of suspicion. It wasn’t for any other reason, but mainly because Lu Yu was too young, in his early twenties… This inevitably reminded him of his own youthful and inexperienced days when he was also in his early twenties. Right… At that time, he and Cao Cao seemed to be at the Imperial Academy, skipping classes together, and even stealing brides… utterly absurd. But… this Lu Yu before him! No… it was Yin Lin. At just over twenty years old, he could sit here with Yuan Shao, in this rainy weather, before the two armies, enjoying the rain, sipping tea, and discussing the current situation! It was ironic, perhaps a bit ironic!
“Director Situ Lu invited me here? Not just for a sip of this tea, is it?” Yuan Shao, with his deep suspicion, how could he possibly drink Lu Yu’s tea? “Director Situ Lu, let’s just speak frankly. I, this general, am busy with the Emperor’s ‘Silk Belt Edict’ to eliminate rebels. I don’t have time to waste here with you!”
“Duke Yuan…” Lu Yu smiled slightly. “My understanding of Duke Yuan is actually limited. Most of it comes from Situ Cao. When I was about the same age, Duke Yuan led Situ Cao to explore the entire Luoyang City, hunting with falcons during the day and seeking pleasure at night… they almost stole someone’s bride. Hearing this made me yearn to have such a like-minded companion!”
“Later, after Situ Cao’s family experienced the upheaval of the Empress Song case, it was with Duke Yuan’s help that Situ Cao was able to re-enter the ranks as one of the Eight Colonels of the Western Garden. After graduating from the Imperial Academy, Situ Cao was still Duke Yuan’s subordinate! Situ Cao always said, ‘If only people could remain young forever… there would be no conflicts of interest, no turning from close friends into enemies!’”
According to Lu Yu’s words… It seemed… Cao Cao had told him these things! In reality, how could Cao Cao have told him these “ugly affairs”? More than half of it was something Lu Yu had gleaned from books. He just wanted to portray Yuan Shao as a “big brother” figure, a young achiever who was not self-conscious, spirited and unyielding. As the saying goes, if you want to destroy someone, you must first make them arrogant!
“Heh heh, I didn’t expect Cao Cao would tell you these ‘ugly affairs’!” Yuan Shao’s lips curled, revealing a faint smile. “Director Situ Lu, I didn’t expect that the renowned Yin Lin… would be so young and appear so harmless!”
“However, I, this general, did not come here to reminisce! You invited me here, so speak quickly! My soldiers are already impatient! I, Yuan’s camp, have been coveting this Yanjin City!” At this point… Yuan Shao looked up at Yanjin City. His words held a hidden meaning. He wanted to test Lu Yu… to see Lu Yu’s reaction upon hearing about attacking Yanjin City! However… Lu Yu’s reaction exceeded his expectations. Shaking his head… Lu Yu did not reply. Instead, he shook his head.
“Duke Yuan, guess? Why didn’t I order my men to attack when your army was crossing the river?” Throughout history, there have been too many battles where a smaller force defeated a larger one by attacking during the crossing! Lu Yu proactively brought up the topic of “attacking during the crossing.”
“Why?” Yuan Shao moved his head a few inches closer to Lu Yu… his heart filled with curiosity. In fact, according to his plan, how could Lu Yu, who was so astute, give up such an opportunity? In reality, Yuan Shao had already ordered the Yuan army at Baima City Fortress to ambush along the bank, waiting for Lu Yu to attack… and then capture them all. He never expected to ultimately come up empty. Yuan Shao was still wondering, could it be that this Yin Lin had predicted it?
At this moment… Lu Yu’s voice sounded again. “Duke Yuan’s soldiers are too numerous. Over forty thousand crossed the Yellow River, while I have only one hundred thousand. If my army attacked Duke Yuan while they were crossing, then… if Duke Yuan’s troops attacked from Baima City Fortress? How would I fight? This is simply unplayable…” Lu Yu’s tone was quite helpless. He spread his hands.
“Therefore, Duke Yuan bringing so many troops south is indeed wise. With such a numerical advantage? Can I win? Since I cannot win, naturally, I will not send men to attack during the crossing. In the face of absolute military strength, all schemes and calculations cannot affect the overall situation!” At this point… Lu Yu appeared somewhat dejected. He shook his head and continued, “Alas… many times, I think… if Duke Yuan’s southward advance were five years later, then… Duke Yuan would surely be defeated, and Situ Cao would surely win. But now… regardless of the previous battles? In fact, Situ Cao is no match for Duke Yuan. Even with me, Lu Yu, I am no match for Duke Yuan! Duke Yuan’s troops are still too numerous.”
These words… were practically lifting Yuan Shao to the heavens. Knowing Yuan Shao’s personality well, Lu Yu’s handling of the conversation with Yuan Shao was undeniably precise!
“Hahaha!” Yuan Shao laughed heartily. “I already expected it. You, Yin Lin, have talent, but Cao Cao is ultimately too weak. How can I wait five years for you?”
“Heh heh, Yin Lin, since you already know the outcome is decided, why are you still resisting? Why not surrender to me? I, Yuan Shao, am willing to appoint you as my strategist to help me unify this world! This way, you won’t have to lead your Dragon Hawk Battalion soldiers to their deaths!”
Uh… As expected, the conversation reached this point. Lu Yu paused for a moment, then shook his head. “Duke Yuan doesn’t understand me. Actually… status and fame are like fleeting clouds to me, Lu Yu. I never took them to heart. The only thing that concerns me is my elder sister, Cai Yan, Cai Zhaoji! She is Situ Cao’s sworn sister, and she would never allow me to surrender to Duke Yuan!”
At this point in the conversation… Yuan Shao stood up abruptly.
“Then why did you summon me to talk?”
“Duke Yuan, please calm your anger!” Lu Yu smiled slightly and waved his hand gently. “Although I cannot surrender, I can represent Situ Cao and seek peace with Duke Yuan!”
“Seek peace?” Yuan Shao was startled.
Lu Yu nodded repeatedly. “Or rather, I can plead for peace, beg for peace on behalf of Situ Cao! As long as General Yuan is happy, anything is fine!”
Hey… Hearing this, Yuan Shao’s eyes rolled… and he slowly sat back down.
“Yin Lin, the world says you reveal heavenly secrets and glimpse into people’s hearts, and that gaining you can bring peace to the world… What? You can’t win, so you want to use your glib tongue to trick me into withdrawing my troops? And then attack me again in five years? Your calculations are quite sharp!”
“No, no, no…” Lu Yu waved his hands repeatedly. “I truly am asking for peace, begging for peace!” His tone was extremely earnest. “If Duke Yuan retreats now, then… I will persuade Situ Cao to cede the six prefectures of Xuzhou. Xuzhou is a major granary. Without Xuzhou, our army’s food supply will not be enough! How can we dare to march north and contend for the world with Duke Yuan? That’s absurd! As long as… Duke Yuan allows Cao Cao to retain Sili and Yanzhou, we can discuss everything else!”
Hoo…
Truth be told, these words did make Yuan Shao consider it! His eyes narrowed, and he carefully calculated. If Xuzhou belonged to him, then Yuan Shao would hold Jizhou, Youzhou, Bingzhou, Qingzhou, and Xuzhou… In essence, the most prosperous and populous prefectures among the thirteen prefectures of the Han Dynasty would all be under his control. At that time… wouldn’t crushing Cao Cao be as simple as crushing an ant?
However… The Son of Heaven? Lu Yu did not mention yielding the Son of Heaven, which inevitably made Yuan Shao hesitate.
“Director Situ…” Yuan Shao beckoned Lu Yu, signaling him to lean closer… Yuan Shao wanted to confirm if he was telling the truth. “Can you truly persuade that Cao Aman to cede the six prefectures of Xuzhou?”
Well… Lu Yu hesitated for a moment, then smiled slightly, picking up his teacup with one hand. He was thirsty… to moisten his throat and continue chatting!
At this moment, on a nearby hillside, Xu You, wearing a bamboo hat, was frowning and looking towards the canopy umbrella, muttering to himself, “It’s been half an hour already, and they still haven’t finished talking? What exactly is Lu Yu planning?”
An armored soldier couldn’t help but ask: “Mr. Xu, in this heavy rain, the canopy umbrella can barely shield them. The rain will surely fall on our lord and Lu Yu. Under these circumstances, do they have so much to talk about?”
Hearing this… Xu You shook his head. “What do Duke Yuan and Lu Yu have to talk about? But… Duke Yuan and Cao Aman have many topics to discuss. They were childhood companions and have endless grievances between them! I suppose Lu Yu must be using this as a topic to chat with Duke Yuan…”
“However, Lu Yu has always been good at strategizing and discerning people’s hearts. Why is he procrastinating like this? What is his purpose? Could it be… that he is truly covering for Cao Cao’s army to migrate civilians and retreat to Guandu?” At this thought… Xu You shook his head, unable to understand.
“Mr. Xu, in my opinion… Lu Yu is just putting on a show! When he speaks with our lord, our lord is always condescending, while Lu Yu adopts a subordinate posture, as if begging for something!” the soldier continued…
Hey… Xu You thought, it really is like that. But the more Lu Yu acts like this, the more uneasy he feels!
…
…
The Bian River, upstream of Guandu and Yanjin!
Perhaps due to the approaching torrential rain, there were faint signs of a rising tide. The rain beat against the ground, as if washing away the solemn atmosphere of this place. At this moment… a mile away from the Bian River, a channel connecting Yanjin and flowing upwards had been dug to this point… Another mile to the west, and this ditch would be completely dug through! At that time, taking advantage of the rising water level in the torrential rain, they could break open the Bian River… and follow this channel to flood the entire Yanjin City Fortress in an instant! And this… was Lu Yu’s ultimate plan!
“Clang, clang…” The few thousand armored soldiers led by Xiahou Yuan were still digging the canal. The continuous sound echoed in this area. Fortunately, the torrential rain completely covered the sound!
“How much longer?” Xiahou Yuan, wearing a black bamboo hat, was almost one with the torrential rain. He shouted, and an armored soldier replied: “One more day!”
“One day is not enough!” Xiahou Yuan blurted out instinctively. “The work to dig through the Bian River channel was already delayed by three days. Now, these three days? Are we going to delay again?”
At this point… Xiahou Yuan hardened his heart. “Pass down the order: if this canal is not dug through within half a day, from me to every armored soldier, we will all be punished by military law!”
“Perhaps Situ Cao will punish me then, but before that, I will certainly punish you all in the same way! If Situ Cao executes me, then… please, all of you, accompany me to the underworld!”
As his words fell, Xiahou Yuan personally jumped into the ditch… He wanted to lead by example, to ensure this canal was dug through within half a day! It must be known… No one understood the current situation better than he did. Yanjin City was almost an empty city, with only the Dragon Hawk Battalion cavalry stationed within! And… Lu Yu outside the Yanjin City gate was clearly risking his life to buy time for him, Xiahou Yuan.
“Quick…” “Put in more effort, faster!” Under the bamboo hats, the foreheads of every armored soldier were indistinguishable between rain and sweat! Every armored soldier had the same goal… To dig through this canal and turn the tide of the entire battlefield!
…
…
Outside Yanjin City, under the canopy umbrella. Lu Yu, having drunk half a bowl of tea, smacked his lips. It seemed… the torrential rain paired with clear tea had a unique flavor! After placing the teacup back on the table, Lu Yu looked up… and saw Yuan Shao looking like a “curious baby”… Lu Yu scratched his head.
“– Duke Yuan, what did you just ask me?”
Hey… Yuan Shao’s right eyelid twitched. “Lu Yu, don’t pretend to be foolish when you know perfectly well! You just said you would persuade that Cao Cao to seek peace, to beg for peace with me! You want to exchange the six prefectures of Xuzhou for your eternal peace!”
“However, the six prefectures of Xuzhou alone are not enough. You must also have Cao Aman deliver the Son of Heaven to me!”
“Ah…” Hearing this, Lu Yu was startled. “Duke Yuan wants the Son of Heaven? The Son of Heaven is Situ Cao’s lifeline! Even if we ceded Xudu City, we cannot give up the Son of Heaven!”
“Then that is a matter between you and Cao Cao.” Yuan Shao’s lips curled, revealing a strange smile… “This depends on whether you and Cao Cao want your lives or the Son of Heaven!”
“Ah…” Lu Yu exclaimed again. Yuan Shao’s eyes narrowed, his smile continuing. “Yin Lin, if you do not hand over the Son of Heaven, how can I, Yuan Shao, believe in the sincerity of this peace negotiation?”
“Uh…” This time it wasn’t “Ah”… Lu Yu used an “Uh.”
“What?” Yuan Shao asked curiously. “Is something wrong?”
“Of course, something is wrong!” Lu Yu’s eyes widened, looking incredulous. “Did Duke Yuan drink alcohol today?”
– “No!”
“Then Duke Yuan is too tired today!”
– “This general is full of energy!”
Oh… Hearing this, Lu Yu nodded. “Since Duke Yuan has neither drunk nor is tired? Then how can you not distinguish… that what I, Lu Yu, said just now was a joke!” At this point, Lu Yu stood up abruptly. “Yuan Shao, I, this young master, was just playing with you! Ah!”
“Haha… Hahahaha!”
Uh… As these words fell, Yuan Shao was completely stunned! What? What’s going on? So… this general was discussing peace with you, and you, you damn thing, were playing a joke on me? Playing a joke on your sister!
…
…