“Just as I thought.”
Xun You’s expression changed upon hearing this.
He lowered his head and continued drinking his porridge without saying anything further.
“The taste is indeed different.”
Although Xun Yu did not know exactly what the two men were discussing, he had noticed something as well, though he lacked the information to understand it fully.
Ever since he had been imprisoned here, no one had interacted with him apart from delivering food and water.
He had no way of obtaining news from the outside world.
“Mister Zhongde, I am willing to enter your service.”
After finishing his porridge, Xun You bowed deeply to Cheng Yu and said, “I ask only that my uncle be allowed to leave this place. I hope you can grant this request.”
“Gongda…” Xun Yu’s eyes reddened at once.
At that moment, both guilt and gratitude arose within him.
His gratitude was not because of Xun You’s request itself, but because Xun You would be able to live.
As for the guilt, it was self-evident.
“Allowing Mister Wenruo to leave this place is not impossible.”
Cheng Yu rose to his feet and said calmly, “However, Gongda must agree to one condition.”
“Please state it, sir.”
Xun You’s heart, which had only just settled, tightened once more.
“The condition is this.” Cheng Yu said indifferently, “You and Mister Wenruo will each write a letter home. I shall arrange for all members of your households to be brought to Wuyan.”
“From this point onward, Mister Wenruo is not to step outside his residence even a single time.”
“If he does, both of your families will share the punishment.”
“…”
The moment this condition was spoken, not only Xun You but also Xun Yu fell silent.
Had it concerned only his own family, Xun You could have accepted it for Xun Yu’s sake and for his own survival.
But this also involved Xun Yu’s entire household.
Xun Yu felt the same.
Had Xun You never come, he would rather have died than bring his family here.
But now he could no longer refuse.
If he refused, he would be condemning Xun You as well.
“I am willing to write the letter.”
After exchanging a glance with Xun You, Xun Yu stepped forward first.
His face was filled with bitterness as he bowed to Cheng Yu.
“Thank you for granting this request.”
Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, Xun You reopened them and bowed as well.
“Thank you, sir.”
At this moment, even Xun You did not know whether his request could truly be called a request.
It felt more as though he had suffered a tremendous loss.
On the surface, Xun Yu was being released.
In reality, both of their entire families were being brought into confinement.
“Very well.”
The expression on Cheng Yu’s face softened somewhat.
“I will arrange residences for you.”
“Over the next few days, Gongda should report to the government offices and familiarize himself with official affairs.”
“Once your families arrive, I shall personally recommend the two of you to my lord.”
With that, Cheng Yu turned and left.
“Thank you, Mister Zhongde.”
Xun You bowed once more toward Cheng Yu’s departing figure.
Beside him, Xun Yu’s heart was filled with complicated emotions.
“Gongda…”
“Please say no more, Uncle.”
Xun You shook his head and interrupted him.
“Everything was done of my own free will.”
“You should focus on regaining your spirit. With your talent, even if you never serve the Yellow Turbans, you can still nurture many learned men for the Xun clan.”
This journey to Yanzhou had been surreal for Xun You.
Though it felt more like a nightmare than a dream.
But things had already come to this.
The only thing left was to wait and see what happened.
There was no point in lamenting fate.
If one could not even survive the day, all other words were meaningless.
“Rest assured, Gongda.”
Xun Yu forced himself to cheer up, pulling a faint smile onto his face.
“I am not one to surrender to despair.”
“By the way, how is the situation in Yanzhou now?”
“Is… is my lord still safe?”
When speaking of his lord, Cao Cao, Xun Yu’s expression became complicated once more.
Even now, he could not understand why, under such hopeless circumstances, the Yellow Turbans had chosen to resist to the bitter end.
Nor could he understand how he had managed to dig a pit for himself and then fall into it.
“Yanzhou is a battleground surrounded by enemies.”
Xun You replied with a grave expression.
“As far as I know, General of the Left Yuan Shu has already led two hundred thousand troops into Chenliu.”
“After his defeat last year, Governor Cao sought refuge in Neihuang of Jizhou and is now drilling his troops and preparing for war.”
“Yuan Shu has entered Chenliu?” Xun Yu’s eyes lit up.
“Has Yuan Shu defeated the Yellow Turbans and advanced into the heartland of Yanzhou?”
After all, Cheng Yu had told him that the Yellow Turbans had already swept across the entirety of Yanzhou.
His assumption seemed perfectly reasonable.
“That is a long story.” A trace of sympathy flashed through Xun You’s eyes as he replied, “After the Qihuo Army plundered all of Yanzhou, they did not…”
As Xun You carefully filled in all the events that Xun Yu had missed during his imprisonment, a soldier arrived and unlocked the cells for both men.
Xun Yu and Xun You followed a squad of soldiers through the city.
After digesting everything Xun You had told him, Xun Yu looked around at this city that felt both familiar and unfamiliar.
With a complicated expression, he said:
“My lord will not send troops into Yanzhou either.”
“Why are you so certain of that, Uncle?” Xun You asked in confusion.
“You do not understand my lord and Yuan Shao as well as I do.”
Xun Yu replied gravely, “Yuan Shao is skilled at making plans but lacks decisiveness. He sees small gains and forgets greater principles. At this moment, he has no spare strength to assist my lord in launching a campaign.”
“After the disastrous defeat he suffered previously, if Yuan Shu has also been defeated, then with fewer than twenty thousand men under his command, how could my lord possibly accomplish anything?”
“The key issue lies elsewhere.”
“The Qihuo Army relocated all the common people from the four southwestern commanderies of Yanzhou.”
“Had they not done so, my lord would certainly have moved first to retake Dong Commandery and then seized places such as Jiyin and Chenliu, using them as a base to stand in opposition to the Qihuo Army.”
As he spoke, Xun Yu looked at the soldiers ahead of them.
His expression gradually became even more serious.
He noticed that these soldiers were all wearing armor.
The yellow headscarves that once identified the Yellow Turbans had disappeared.
In their place were helmets.
Moreover, every one of them appeared strong and disciplined, their marching pace almost perfectly synchronized.
They were completely different from the men he had seen before.
That could only mean that the Yellow Turbans had gained more than grain, wealth, and population.
They had also acquired military equipment from armories throughout the region.
With such equipment, the Yellow Turbans had not only re-equipped their forces but had also streamlined their army.
Xun Yu had no idea how many soldiers like these existed within the Yellow Turban ranks.
But if there were enough of them, then the four commanderies of Yanzhou would be virtually impregnable.
“Uncle truly deserves the reputation of a kingmaker. I am impressed.” Xun You said, “When I was in Jizhou, I too was astonished by the scale of the Yellow Turbans’ undertaking. Mister Zhongde is indeed one of the rare great minds of the age.”
“Gentlemen, we have arrived.”
At that moment, the leading soldier stopped in front of a government residence that bore no signboard and instructed them:
“This entire street houses the families of our lord’s civil officials.”
“Every residence is assigned guards. Do not wander about freely.”
“Food will be delivered daily by designated personnel.”
“If any important matter arises, you may ask the guards to report it to the government office.”
After speaking, the officer left behind a squad of soldiers and then quickly departed with the rest of his men.
“As expected of the Qihuo Army.”
Xun You was momentarily stunned.
Looking at the guards stationed outside every residence along the street, he could not help but twitch the corner of his mouth.
“Let’s go inside.” With a bitter smile, Xun Yu said, “At least we can move around within the residence. It’s much better than being locked in prison.”
“Oh, by the way, Gongda, do you happen to have a scented sachet on you?”
“??”
“If you didn’t bring one, that’s fine.” Xun Yu sighed.
“I’m used to it by now anyway.”
“???”
— The end of the Chapter–
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