In the early morning, Cao Cao sat by the corridor, gazing at the sky, his mood as clear as the dawn.
Rarely had he personally witnessed his son's grand wedding. This event brought a smile to Cao Cao’s face, a rare sight, as the persistent headaches had finally subsided.
The morning sunlight seemed somewhat lazy, causing Cao Cao to squint his eyes.
Yu'er had finally grown into the Crown Prince of Great Wei.
And it was precisely because he served as the linchpin that the entire Great Wei, including Xiliang, Jiangdong, and Hebei, was interconnected.
He felt a profound sense of gratification.
For a fleeting moment, Cao Cao’s heart was filled with an overwhelming emotion. Because of Yu'er, and because there was a successor, some matters that had troubled him could finally be let go.
It seemed that, due to these changes in his emotional state, his long-standing headaches had also greatly improved in recent days.
"It's just as Hua Tuo said, to abstain from anger, from worry, from everything, and then to use the pure qi of Taiqing to invigorate the mind and spirit, bringing about a state of joyful tranquility, banishing all ailments!"
While he was lost in contemplation...
Suddenly, Xu Chu rushed in, cupped his hands in a bow, as if there was something urgent.
"What is it?" Cao Cao asked first. "How was Yu'er's bridal chamber last night?"
He was somewhat concerned about his son's frail physique. After all, his son was not a military man, and his body could not be compared to that of warriors. Three rounds of the bridal chamber in one night would surely be taxing.
"My King, the Crown Prince did not enter the bridal chamber last night?"
Hmm...
Xu Chu's words startled Cao Cao. Xu Chu then proceeded to recount everything that had transpired the previous night, including Cai Zhaoji's abdominal pain and cries, Sun Shangxiang's urgent request for an audience, and the ensuing chaos in Jiangdong.
"My King, urgent dispatches from Jiangdong arrived last night... a widespread plague of rats had broken out in Wu Commandery, Jiangdong. Tens of thousands of people were infected with the rat plague, and with it, a string of folk rhymes appeared."
"Folk rhymes?" Cao Cao quickly inquired.
"These folk rhymes... they speak of a coming calamity for Wu Commandery, that plague and miasma will spread throughout Jiangdong, claiming the lives of hundreds of thousands, and the cause of this is... is..."
At this point, Xu Chu hesitated to speak further. It seemed the next words were rather unpleasant.
"Speak!" Cao Cao roared.
Xu Chu truthfully replied, "According to the folk rhymes, the cause of this plague and miasma is the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince, as an illegitimate son, has become the Crown Prince of Great Wei, incurring the wrath of heaven and the resentment of men. Heaven has sent down disaster... and the County Princess of Jiangdong marrying the Wei Crown Prince is inviting disaster into Jiangdong! As long as... as long as..."
Indeed, the subsequent words were even more difficult for Xu Chu to utter, bordering on sedition.
"Speak..." Cao Cao suddenly stood up, his pupils wide and round.
Xu Chu's voice echoed again, "In short, these rumors and criticisms all point towards the Crown Prince. The meaning of these rumors is that as long as the Crown Prince lives, Jiangdong will be plunged into endless disaster!"
"Bang!"
Suddenly, Cao Cao slammed his fist onto the table. "False words to mislead the masses!"
Initially, he was enraged, but after his fury, Cao Cao’s mood quickly calmed.
"Hmph..."
He let out a cold snort. "Someone is using this rat plague to deliberately instigate... and direct the blame at Yu'er! This is the work of someone with ulterior motives, aiming to split Jiangdong from our Great Wei!"
Cao Cao's mind was as clear as a mirror.
Lu Yu becoming Cao Yu, Cao Yu becoming the Crown Prince, everything had proceeded too smoothly, so smoothly it felt unreal. Who could have imagined that the central plains, which Cao Cao worried about the most, would remain undisturbed, and not a single Confucian scholar would slander Yu'er with "ethics and morality," yet Jiangdong would produce such slanderous talk.
Hoo...
Cao Cao took a deep breath and asked, "Where is Yu'er?"
Xu Chu replied, "Since the latter half of last night, the Crown Prince has been summoning Sun Quan, Zhou Yu, Lu Xun... along with Sun Shangxiang. They are all in the Eastern Palace discussing this matter."
As Xu Chu finished speaking...
"Report..."
A voice called out. "Reporting to the Great King. The Crown Prince requests an audience."
"Summon him," Cao Cao said without hesitation.
As Lu Yu entered the palace hall, he immediately cupped his hands in a bow and said, "Father King, there is a great epidemic in Jiangdong, and rumors are spreading. My son discussed this with the officials of Jiangdong last night and requests... to personally travel to Jiangdong!"
This...
His son's words caused Cao Cao to falter.
He had not expected that at such a time, with Yu'er at the center of the storm, he would dare to travel to Jiangdong himself?
This boldness was both unfamiliar and surprising to Cao Cao!
"Yu'er has always stayed behind the scenes, strategizing and planning, winning battles a thousand miles away. Why does he wish to go in person this time?"
Lu Yu seemed unsurprised by Cao Cao's question. He cupped his hands and said, "Father King, in the past, I was a Marquis of Great Wei. My ambitions, besides assisting Father King in unifying the world, were for my own peace and security. But now, as the heir to Great Wei, my concerns are no longer for myself, but for Great Wei. Moreover, Jiangdong has only recently submitted. These rumors and slanders are directed at me. If I do not go, then in the future... who will submit with heartfelt sincerity?"
Gulp...
Cao Cao swallowed a mouthful of saliva, feeling an inexplicable surge of emotion.
At least this indicated that Yu'er's mentality had completely transitioned from "Marquis of Nan Shou" to "Crown Prince of Wei," and the future King of Wei...
This also put Cao Cao’s mind at ease, allowing him to confidently pass the throne to him.
His eyes flickered, and suddenly, the Wei King's palace fell silent.
After a moment of contemplation, Cao Cao patted Lu Yu's shoulder. "My son has taken on responsibility!"
"My son, go to Jiangdong, and your father will go to Luoyang City to help you mobilize troops. Once you have settled the affairs in Jiangdong, I await your personal unification of the Eastern and Western regions!"
As he spoke these words...
Cao Cao walked to Lu Yu's side and whispered in a voice only they could hear, "The day the two regions are unified will be the day my son ascends the throne!"
Boom...
Cao Cao's words somewhat stunned Lu Yu.
He could sense that his father, Cao Cao, had been intending to retire and recuperate from his headaches recently. However, even so, he should be ascending to the position of King of Wei. This ascension to the throne felt…
"Gulp..."
As if with a hint of lingering trepidation, Lu Yu did not ask for further details, merely cupped his hands.
"My son will surely not fail Father King's trust!"
Having said this, Lu Yu bowed again and slowly withdrew from the Wei King's palace.
As for Cao Cao... watching his son's retreating back, his thoughts were deep and complex.
"Zhong Kang..." Cao Cao suddenly called out.
Xu Chu quickly cupped his hands. "Great King!"
Cao Cao said softly, "For so many years, you have protected me by my side... Having you by my side has always brought me peace of mind. But now, you are most aware of my headaches, and you are most aware of what I care about most."
It seemed Xu Chu realized what Cao Cao was about to say. He knelt with a "thump." "Since that year, when the Crown Prince campaigned in Runan, he sent Commander Cheng to contact me, mentioning that you and the Great King were from the same hometown and that you were someone the Great King could trust. From then on, I brought my Qiao Pei clansmen to follow the Great King. For over ten years, I have been by the Great King's side. This is the greatest honor for Xu Chu!"
"Zhong Kang," Cao Cao personally helped Xu Chu up, then clasped Xu Chu's clasped fists with his own hands. "I want you to protect Yu'er's safety starting today. I am old, but Yu'er is still young. With you by his side, with the Tiger Guards by his side, I can finally rest assured!"
"King of Wei..." Xu Chu's eyes were already filled with tears.
He was reluctant to part with Cao Cao, yet he could not bear to disobey Cao Cao. Having followed Cao Cao for many years, he could best understand Cao Cao's feelings and intentions!
— A parent's love for their child plans for their long-term future!
Cao Cao entrusting his son to Xu Chu was no different from... Xu Chu entrusting his own son to the Crown Prince!
"Zhong Kang, this journey south will undoubtedly be extremely perilous. Take the Tiger Guards with you. With you all... I believe Yu'er will be safe!"
Patting Xu Chu's fists once more, Cao Cao's words became increasingly earnest.
"But Great King? What about Great King?"
"Hahaha..." Hearing Xu Chu's concerned words, Cao Cao laughed. "I am old. No one lives forever, but one can achieve deeds that benefit all people. This inheritance, this legacy... Zhong Kang, you must protect it for me!"
As he spoke these words...
Cao Cao took a step forward, lifting his head to gaze at the sky again.
"Even a divine tortoise, though ancient, has its limits; a soaring serpent riding the mist will eventually turn to dust... The cycles of waxing and waning are not solely determined by heaven; by nurturing one's well-being, one may attain eternal years. How fortunate and how joyous to sing of one's aspirations... How fortunate and how joyous to sing of one's aspirations!"
For a moment...
"How fortunate and how joyous to sing of one's aspirations," these eight characters echoed in the Wei King's palace.
Cao Cao seemed to have seen through it all, realizing that the future of the world ultimately belonged to the young.
All that the older generation could do was to protect!
...
...
Eastern Sichuan, Hanzhong.
Countless torches lit up the darkness within a sacrificial altar.
Under the candlelight, men in black Daoist robes paid their respects to the high altar with Daoist salutes.
"Greetings, Heavenly Master!"
"Greetings, Heavenly Master!"
"Greetings, Heavenly Master!"
Following the voices, in the center of the altar, a slightly stout, greasy middle-aged man emerged with a smile.
— His pockmarked face was covered in strange flesh, his luminous eyes protruded...
— Yellow spots adorned his cheeks and sparse yellow beard, and his body was dotted with black marks!
Though not a handsome man, he appeared exceptionally spirited, radiating a potent aura of kingship from within.
This person, who else could it be but Zhang Lu, the leader of the Celestial Masters Sect, the Five Pecks of Rice School, and the Orthodox Unity Alliance!
He lightly raised his hand...
The surrounding sacrificial wine offerings presented a curved saber.
Zhang Lu held the curved saber, its sharp edge pointing at a disheveled man.
Step...
Step...
He walked towards the man step by step, and this man had his hands bound by ropes.
He retreated incessantly, trembling all over...
"Brother... Brother... You cannot kill me, you cannot kill me!" This man was Zhang Wei, formerly the chief high priest of the Five Pecks of Rice School, and Zhang Lu's own brother...
But now, Zhang Lu faced him with a blade. "Qi Ying's letter mentioned that you purchased 'rat plague' from the Western Regions and deployed it in Jiangdong? Hundreds of ghost soldiers can testify. Have you been wrongly accused of this matter?"
Zhang Lu continued to advance, and Zhang Wei could no longer retreat. Behind him was a snake pit. Countless snakes of various colors were flicking their tongues, seemingly anticipating the fall of their prey.
"Brother... Brother... I... I did it to throw Jiangdong into chaos, so that... so that Great Wei would have no spare capacity to enter Sichuan, and our Five Pecks of Rice School could... could preserve itself!"
Zhang Wei struggled in his death throes. He wept with heart-wrenching sobs.
Step...
Zhang Lu paused his steps and asked with a frown, "What is the doctrine of our Five Pecks of Rice School?"
Uh...
This sudden question froze Zhang Wei's face.
But Zhang Lu raised his voice and asked loudly, "What is the doctrine of our Five Pecks of Rice School? What is the doctrine of our Five Pecks of Rice School?"
Zhang Wei remained silent.
However, the surrounding ghost soldiers shouted loudly, "The Dao cultivates virtue, naturalness and non-action, gentleness and non-contention, and longevity... The Dao begets one, one begets two, two begets three, three begets all things. The Dao is great, heaven is great, earth is great, and the King is also great. Man follows earth, earth follows heaven, heaven follows the Dao, and the Dao follows nature!"
As the words fell...
Zhang Lu continued to question, "From our ancestor Laozi, our Daoism advocates non-action and non-contention, not seeking to dominate the universe, but to have a clear conscience towards all living beings. But you? I, the Heavenly Master, sent you to Jiangdong not for you to bring ruin upon the people... Even if... even if you are my brother! I... I cannot bear it!"
Upon uttering this sentence, even the greasy Zhang Lu's face tensed, and a line of hot tears flowed from between his brows.
"Every word in Qi Ying's letter pierces my heart. You have violated the doctrines of the Celestial Masters Sect and should die a thousand bites from ants, but you are my brother, and I... I cannot bear it!"
Zhang Lu's saber drew closer to Zhang Wei...
Finally...
With a "swish" of the saber...
This strike severed Zhang Wei's neck. With a "thud," Zhang Wei's eyes widened... and his entire body fell to the ground.
He was dead, but he did not die in extreme pain.
And Zhang Lu, gritting his teeth, shouted, "Heaven is paramount. Anyone who violates the doctrines of our Five Pecks of Rice School, if this Heavenly Master does not punish them, even Heaven will punish them!"
As he spoke these words...
Zhang Lu turned around, flicked his Daoist robe... and strode away.
The ghost soldiers below the altar began to discuss amongst themselves.
"The chief high priest... is dead just like that?"
"He's the younger brother of Heavenly Master Zhang!"
"But didn't Heavenly Master Zhang say? The doctrine is paramount... the doctrine is paramount!"
"Speaking of which, if this method wasn't used... then... could Jiangdong be thrown into chaos? If Jiangdong is not in chaos, then... the Wei army enters Eastern Sichuan, and... and our Five Pecks of Rice School, will it still exist?"
As these words left their mouths...
All the ghost soldiers fell silent.
Meanwhile...
Yan Pu, one of the high priests of the Five Pecks of Rice School, approached Zhang Lu.
"Heavenly Master... now that the rat plague is rampant in Jiangdong, we..."
He did not finish his sentence, yet it seemed he had said a great deal.
Zhang Lu pondered for a moment and turned his head. "I have already sent a letter to Qi Ying. Although it is our sect's fault, at this time... our sect is powerless. However..."
"However what?"
A glint flashed in Zhang Lu's eyes. "Isn't the Wei Crown Prince reputed to be a medical immortal of the present age? If he can save the people of Jiangdong, then this will be a form of atonement for our Celestial Masters Sect... At that time, perhaps this Heavenly Master can sit down with him and have a good chat!"
Hiss...
Zhang Lu's words made Yan Pu realize the deeper implications!
A chat... If Zhang Heavenly Master could chat with the Wei Crown Prince, then... the Five Pecks of Rice School might even turn misfortune into fortune!
...
...
Jingzhou, beyond Xinye lay the waterways.
Lu Yu, Zhou Yu, Sun Quan, and Lu Xun were all aboard a towering ship of the Dragon Valor Camp. Besides them... Sun Shangxiang, Ma Yunlu, and Lü Lingqi also came along, and... Lü Bu!
Sun Shangxiang, Zhou Yu, and the others came because their homes were in Jiangdong, and they were concerned about the safety of Jiangdong.
Lü Lingqi and Lü Bu came because... the ship bound for Yamatai was departing from Wu Commandery, so... Lü Lingqi rushed there to see her father off.
As for... Ma Yunlu!
The Crown Prince married three wives. How could the other two follow their husband to Jiangdong while she remained in Luoyang... or returned to Xiliang?
What kind of standing would that give her?
Therefore... Ma Yunlu also followed.
There was still some distance to Wu Commandery. Sun Shangxiang leaned on the ship's railing, pursing her lips, her gaze distant and longing. She worried about the elders and common folk of Jiangdong, and even more so about her mother!
Lu Yu sat in the ship's cabin.
He squinted his eyes, pursed his lips... and was conversing with Zhou Yu and Lu Xun.
"Gongjin, Boyan, you have spent the longest time in Jiangdong. In your opinion, who would be the one to create this rat plague and spread these rumors?"
Zhou Yu's eyes darted.
After a moment of thought, he uttered a name, a two-character name.
- "Liu Bei!"
If one were to believe the reports, the hypocritical Liu Bei might truly be capable of such an act!
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Niu Nai Tang Tang Tang reminds you: please remember to bookmark after reading.