"Zhang Chunhua!"
Lu Yu had not expected to encounter this woman here.
Lu Yu knew she was the daughter of Zhang Wang, the county magistrate of Suyi. Her background wasn't considered high, and marrying into the Sima府 could be seen as a social climb.
However, this woman had been righteous and chivalrous since childhood, favoring a wandering knight's demeanor. Moreover, her resolute character perfectly complemented Sima Yi's own personality.
And her appearance naturally directed all attention to one person—Sima Yi!
Speaking of which, ever since King Wei Cao Cao staged that performance of "Eliminating the Simas of Hanoi," Lu Yu had not seen his disciple again.
The lamp was dim...
A faint moonlight seeped through the cracks in the window, falling onto the ground like a scattering of white frost.
In a tent, Lu Yu arrived in a hurry. Zhang Chunhua was already waiting inside.
She had many things she wanted to tell Lu Yu...
But upon actually seeing the teacher whom her husband so admired, she seemed to have a lump in her throat, unable to utter a single word.
"It's because of Zhongda, isn't it?"
Lu Yu's words were the first to break the silence.
Zhang Chunhua nodded... She hesitated for a moment, then her eyebrows slightly unfurrowed. Her tone, however, carried a hint of weakness. "The assassination of Cavalry Commander Ma and the plan for the Western Liang troops to invade Xudu were both orchestrated by my husband." Da Feng Novel Network.
These words...
Instantly plunged Lu Yu into deep shock.
Of course...
While shocked, he was also somewhat expecting it.
Western Liang, Guanzhong... Since Li Ru and Jia Xu, there hadn't been many strategists worth their salt. Without the calculations of a top "strategist," such a plan would never have reached this extent.
—Assassinating Ma Teng!
—Forming alliances with various Western Liang factions to advance towards Xudu!
Such a scheme could be said to have poked a massive hole in the Han Dynasty's sky, and it was all too coincidental.
"I only heard from Dezhu that Zhongda had left... but I never imagined Zhongda would be in Western Liang! Is he seeking revenge against me? Revenge for me not stopping the King of Wei, causing the name of the Sima clan of Hanoi to vanish forever?"
Lu Yu's tone was very light.
Yet, the pressure emanating from his brows was immense, at least, in Zhang Chunhua's eyes, it was extremely formidable!
"No!" Zhang Chunhua replied, "My husband has never hated his teacher, nor has he misunderstood his teacher..."
"Then..."
Before Lu Yu could ask, Zhang Chunhua's words continued. "What my husband is doing is a great undertaking, a great matter of eliminating the greatest hidden danger for his teacher and for Great Wei! It's just... my husband was abducted, and since then, I lost contact with him. I only know that he planned the assassination of Cavalry Commander Ma for Han Sui and allied with Ma Chao... but... but I don't know where he is now! Or if he is well! Nor do I know... why the situation has developed to this point!"
Hoo...
Hearing this, Lu Yu sighed.
He hadn't expected that Sima Zhongda's grand plan would have the objective of eradicating hidden dangers for Great Wei!
Indeed...
Great Wei had its hidden dangers, which were the Yongliang region to the west and the war-torn land of Guanzhong.
Here, warlords abounded, rife with deception, open attacks, and hidden schemes... there was never any trust.
Today... perhaps because Ma Teng became a Cavalry Commander, and because Ma Teng's daughter, Ma Yunlu, married into the Marquis of Nanping's residence, a temporary stability could be achieved...
But in reality, looking at the long term...
This place remained filled with instability and uncertainty!
—What is conquered is what is truly solid! What is truly one's own!
This was something Lu Yu had taught Sima Yi when lecturing at the Imperial Academy.
And what Sima Yi was doing...
Was to pull out this nail, to eradicate this massive hidden danger for Great Wei!
Rather than letting it fester underground, it was better... to let it erupt completely!
"Madam has come to tell me this so that I may be prepared?"
Lu Yu asked again...
"No!" Zhang Chunhua shook her head. "Compared to the blueprint for Great Wei, or the great undertaking of the Marquis of Nanping, as a woman, as someone's wife, I only care about my husband's life! I implore... I implore the Marquis of Nanping to rescue my husband."
This...
Lu Yu hesitated for a moment, looking at the woman's extremely resolute gaze.
His heart skipped a beat. What kind of love did one need for their husband to utter such words?
Hoo...
Lu Yu sighed again.
"Rest assured, Sima Zhongda is my most outstanding disciple. In my heart, he is a hundred times more exceptional than Yang Dezhu! A teacher for a day, a father for a lifetime. I understand his painstaking efforts, and I will bring him back to you safe and sound."
Hearing Lu Yu's words, Zhang Chunhua's hanging heart finally settled.
"Thank you... thank you."
"Guards." Lu Yu was about to order the armored soldiers of the Dragon Soaring Camp to escort Zhang Chunhua away to rest.
Unexpectedly... Zhang Chunhua gently waved her hand.
"The Marquis of Nanping might not know yet, but near the Dragon Soaring Camp... there are also a pair of women's eyes watching the Marquis of Nanping! It seems they are not friendly!"
Uh...
Lu Yu was stunned.
Another woman?
Yes...
On this essential route from Yuzhou to Yanzhou...
Zhang Chunhua, with her high martial arts skills, had been waiting here for a long time.
And after her... a woman with equally high martial arts skills was also guarding this area.
However, unlike Zhang Chunhua's proactive appearance, that woman... was more like a nightingale in the darkness!
Heh...
As for Lu Yu, he smiled. Women were always thinking of him!
Indeed, were there only one or two women thinking of him at this moment?
...
...
At the foot of Mount Rang.
An ancient carriage stopped here.
The two people who emerged were Princess Wannian Liu Xue and Da Qiao.
Glancing around, they quietly entered the secluded courtyard.
And in the deepest pavilion, who else but Cai Zhaoji was standing by the window, sighing?
Hearing the footsteps, Cai Zhaoji turned around... Seeing Liu Xue and Da Qiao, her mood seemed to stabilize somewhat. However, upon catching sight of her own belly out of the corner of her eye, she couldn't help but feel a bit shy and awkward.
But... all her emotions vanished when she thought of Xiahou Yuan's safety.
"You've arrived!"
"Sister Zhaoji..." Da Qiao looked at Cai Zhaoji's belly in surprise, looking incredulous.
"Now is not the time to talk about this..." Cai Zhaoji raised her hand and quickly asked, "How many people did you bring? The entire Mount Rang must be searched. We must find Sister Juan'er!"
This...
Cai Zhaoji's words stunned Da Qiao. Earlier, she had heard Princess Wannian suggest not bringing too many people, as it would expose Sister Zhaoji's secret.
But now...
Da Qiao turned and looked at Liu Xue beside her.
Liu Xue was also a bit surprised. She hadn't expected that for Yuan'er... Sister Zhaoji would disregard herself completely. She was the one who had seen Sister Zhaoji completely.
Liu Xue quickly said, "It was my oversight, but... mobilizing personnel from Xudu, it only takes a few hours!"
Hoo...
With a soft sigh, Cai Zhaoji bit her lip slightly. "The urgent matter is to save her. Some things can no longer be hidden, so let's not hide them anymore... I have also written to Brother Yu, informing him of these matters... the letter should be arriving soon."
This...
Liu Xue's respect for Cai Zhaoji deepened.
Being pregnant before marriage would incur immense criticism in any era...
Moreover, Sister Zhaoji came from a prestigious family and was the sister with whom her husband had grown up. The gossip and doubt from the common people would likely be even more... and more complex.
But... for Yuan'er, she truly didn't care about anything anymore.
Da Qiao also realized this and exclaimed in astonishment, "Sister Zhaoji, if... if a large number of people are sent to search the mountain, then your belly..."
This time... before Cai Zhaoji could speak, Liu Xue was the first to say, "What are you afraid of? Sister Zhaoji's child is her husband's! Besides, has our Marquis of Nanping residence ever feared public opinion? Sister Zhaoji was our sister before, and she will be in the future... no one can change that."
As a princess... and a princess of the Han court, she was more insightful about many things.
Although there were many ladies in the Marquis of Nanping residence, in the future... due to marriage alliances, there might be even more ladies.
But... if Sister Zhaoji were also to become a lady of the household, then undoubtedly... she would be the only "formal" one. Even if others held the title of "lady," compared to Zhaoji... their status would undoubtedly be a notch lower.
To put it simply, she, Liu Xue, and Xiahou Yuan, no matter how prominent their families, were only ladies. But Sister Zhaoji, besides being a lady, was also a relative of her husband!
"Stop discussing it. It's been many days, and I can't find Juan'er. My heart is restless... No matter what, we must... we must find her!"
"Sister Zhaoji... rest assured..."
Liu Xue nodded heavily.
Without further pleasantries, she left Da Qiao there to help and went to make arrangements herself.
...
...
On the mountains of Mount Rang, a man in black scholarly robes stood at the edge of a cliff.
His eyes were extremely sharp. He noticed the difference in the color of the petals and took two petals to compare them.
After his eyes darted back and forth, he murmured to himself.
"Indeed, there is blood..."
"Was he chased to this place?"
This man in black robes was Yang Xiu. He had returned almost at the same time as King Wei Cao Cao.
While others were catching spies, he alone followed a series of clues to Mount Rang.
"Chased from Xudu, fleeing all the way to Mount Rang?"
"Although the bloodstains along the way were cleaned up, ... I still managed to find them!"
Indeed, the bloodstains on the road could be cleaned, but the colors of the flowers and trees would change drastically after being stained with blood. Following this, Yang Xiu found his way here.
He stretched his neck to look down... The more he looked, the more his body trembled.
This height! If one were to jump from here, there would be no life left!
However...
"Are you sure that no villagers from the vicinity of Mount Rang have reported anything to Lord Man recently?"
Yang Xiu asked the 校事 behind him.
The 校事 replied truthfully, "We have already inquired. Lord Man also pursued here that day... however, it was impossible to investigate below this cliff, hence... the life and death of Cavalry Commander Ma could not be confirmed!"
"Impossible to investigate?" Yang Xiu continued to ask...
"The mountain paths of Mount Rang are intricate and complex. Even the mountain dwellers who live here regularly cannot ascertain where one would fall from here! Therefore..."
Before the 校事 could finish speaking, Yang Xiu smacked his lips and murmured, "In other words, no one can ascertain the life and death of Cavalry Commander Ma?"
"Precisely!"
"Heh heh..." Hearing this, Yang Xiu laughed.
Because he could sense an inexplicable connection between Sima Zhongda and Yongliang!
Yang Xiu believed this matter was not simple...
—Assassinating Ma Teng, Han Sui would do such a thing, but Sima Zhongda might not. If it was a strategy devised by him, there would definitely be some flaws.
For example... the timing and location of the assassination of Ma Teng, close to the city gate... convenient for Ma Teng to escape to Mount Rang. These... seemingly made Ma Teng leave Xudu, a place full of eyes and ears, but in reality... it was giving him a chance and hope for survival!
"Cough cough..." Yang Xiu coughed lightly, then opened his mouth, "I want to go down."
Ah... Ah...
This time, all the 校事 were dumbfounded. This was a cliff, how could one go down? It wasn't as if... he was going to jump down too?
"Officer Yang... this... this is no joke!"
"I'm not joking with you! Prepare the ropes and the rattan basket... and send me down!"
Yang Xiu's tone was extremely certain...
This time, everyone gasped. Was he serious?
However, Yang Xiu's eyes were resolute.
In the eyes of others, the westward advance of the Western Liang army was a great hidden danger, but... if Ma Teng were alive, then Han Sui's good days would be over.
This was the key to breaking the deadlock...
For this, he could take risks, and he, Yang Xiu, loved taking risks!
...
...
In the King of Wei's palace in Xudu, this was the former Cao residence, rebuilt and magnificent... even surpassing the imperial palace in grandeur.
At this moment...
Cao Cao was squatting down, looking at his son with a smile.
This son was Cao Chong...
Xun Yu, Xu Shu, and Guo Jia were slowly walking over...
Cao Chong's voice continued.
"Outside the East City, officials welcomed Father. The procession was arranged for three days. Everyone in Xudu knew that Father was returning, and that he would be returning from the East Gate. Naturally... the Western Liang spies would also know."
"At such a time, the East Gate would surely be ambushed. How could Father, being so wise, knowingly court danger? Therefore, Father would choose another gate to enter. In this way... the Western Liang spies would miss their target, expose themselves, and Father would return safely. This is what is called killing two birds with one stone!"
Cao Chong spoke eloquently, his childish voice making Cao Cao even more gratified.
"Chong'er, well done! Father heard from Lord Xun that asking officials to welcome you outside the East Gate for three days was also your idea? When did you learn so much?"
"It's not that I know a lot, but rather that Master Guo and Master Xu taught me well... and the Imperial Academy run by Master Lu is excellent." Cao Chong's eyes turned towards Xu Shu and Guo Jia...
Cao Cao had a look of gratification.
"Your Master Lu will also be arriving soon, haha... let's go..."
Just then.
The sound of footsteps suddenly came. "King Wei..." Xu Huang hurried over. "We've caught some spies, but the rest are still hiding in the city. Now that all four gates of Xudu are closed, I, your subordinate, dare to ask King Wei, should we search house by house?"
This...
Cao Cao's steps paused. He turned his head back towards Cao Chong.
"What does Chong'er think?"
"I think the city gates should be opened wide!" Cao Chong shouted loudly.
"Why should the city gates be opened wide?" Cao Ren, who was following behind Cao Cao, quickly asked. He felt that after finally trapping the spies, they could now catch them all in one go, like catching a turtle in a jar.
"Chong'er, continue!" Cao Cao, however, squinted and continued to ask.
"Father, think about it. These spies failed in their assassination attempt and have been frightened. What is the use of killing them? It's better to open the city gates and let them go, letting them tell Han Sui and Ma Chao about Father's return. In this way... the enemy army will be even more afraid to advance!"
"The spies are insignificant. What truly plays a decisive role is... the troops of Han Sui and Ma Chao from Western Liang, that is the greatest threat!"
Hahaha...
When Cao Chong finished speaking, Cao Cao burst into laughter.
Cao Ren, Xun Yu, Guo Jia, and Xu Shu also cast approving glances.
"Chong'er speaks well." Cao Cao sighed, "Is this also what your masters taught you?"
"This time it was Master Lu who taught me!" Cao Chong explained. "Back then, when Jiangdong gifted the elephant, and I was trying to determine its weight, Master Lu taught me 'equivalent substitution'... Now, I'm simply using this method to transfer the fear of the Xudu spies to the Western Liang troops under Wu Guan, making them fearful as well!"
"I am still young, and there are many areas where my considerations are not thorough. I still have much to learn from Master Lu, Master Guo, and Master Xu!"
Huo...
As these words left his mouth.
Everyone nodded in unison.
—What a good child!
—What an intelligent child!
—What a lovable child!
Such intelligence, wisdom, and likability... wasn't this just a replica of the young Lu Yu!
...
...