With Cao Cao by my side, what do I have to fear from the world?

Xun You remained vigilant, and Cao Cao didn't mind. He poured Xun You a cup of wine first, and then poured one for Guo Jia. Guo Jia hurriedly stood up and said, "My lord, how dare I trouble you to pour me wine?"

Cao Cao waved his hand and said, “No need to be so polite. We have worked together for many years. Although I was in a high position before, I never treated you as outsiders. From now on, we are colleagues, and I will not stand on ceremony with you.”

Cao Cao's meaning was clear: he used to consider himself a regional warlord, but from now on, he was no different from anyone else; everyone was a subject of the Han Dynasty and had to obey the emperor.

Xun You remained suspicious, watching Cao Cao with wary eyes.

Cao Cao didn't mind. He smiled and said, "Anyway, I have already made my stance clear. Later, I will personally write a letter to His Majesty."

After thinking for a moment, Cao Cao seemed to feel that his sincerity was not enough, so he lowered his voice and said, "How about this, when I am less busy in a few days, I will personally return to Xuchang to see His Majesty. If Gongda is free, he can come back to Xuchang with me."

Guo Jia suddenly thought of something and said to Cao Cao, "My lord, if you return to Xuchang, this matter must be kept secret."

Since he had already made up his mind, Cao Cao quipped self-deprecatingly, "What? Are you afraid of being ridiculed?"

Guo Jia shook his head. "No, but I think this matter can be used to mislead Sun Quan. I haven't thought of a specific plan yet."

Cao Cao had always trusted Guo Jia's abilities, so he said, "Alright, then let's not announce it to the outside world for now."

Xun You knew Cao Cao too well. Cao Cao was always cunning and scheming, so he didn't trust him at first. But after observing for a while, Xun You found that Cao Cao was very calm and even invited him to return to Xuchang together. So his doubts were dispelled.

The banquet wasn't lavish, but Cao Cao opened his heart to the two men, saying, "You are not outsiders. I don't need to explain what's really going on between His Majesty and me. You all know very well. Cao Hong, Cao Chun, Cheng Yu, Man Chong... Over the years, one after another, they have left me. His Majesty and I have always been outwardly harmonious but inwardly estranged. Sometimes, I am also unhappy."

The thought of so many people leaving him filled Cao Cao with grief, and his eyes gradually welled up with tears.

Xun You and Guo Jia remained silent, listening attentively.

"Fortunately, over the years, I have maintained a harmonious relationship with Your Majesty. To be honest, I am very grateful to Your Majesty. Your Majesty has been tolerant and accommodating towards me time and time again, and I remember all of this in my heart."

Cao Cao became more and more emotional as he spoke, picked up a cup of wine, tilted his head back, and gulped it all down in one go.

He was lost in his memories, while Xun You and Guo Jia listened quietly beside him. Xun You became increasingly certain that Cao Cao was not joking; he was truly repenting.

This discovery surprised and excited Xun You.

After the banquet ended, Xun You returned home, too excited to sleep. He quickly wrote a letter to the emperor and sent a trusted confidant to deliver it to Xuchang that very night.

The next day, near dusk, Liu Xie received the letter.

After reading the letter, he went straight to the Ministry of Personnel, looked at Xun Yu and Jia Xu, gave them a look, and the two of them followed him out.

Once outside, Liu Xie handed the letter to Xun Yu. Xun Yu's expression immediately became extremely excited, and his hand holding the letter trembled. "Your Majesty, is this true? Has the Prime Minister changed his mind?"

Xun Yu was so excited that he forgot to send the letter to Jia Xu to see. It was Jia Xu who came over and glanced at it before he knew what was going on.

Unlike Xun Yu, Jia Xu was not optimistic. His expression was the same as Xun You's back then: very wary and skeptical.

Instinctively, Jia Xu reminded Liu Xie, "Your Majesty, be careful, there might be a trap."

"What? Is Wenhe worried that he will come to Xuchang to assassinate me, just like he did with Dong Zhuo back then?"

Xun You had already made it very clear in his letter that Cao Cao would be coming to Xuchang in person in a few days.

Jia Xu shook his head. "That won't happen. Cao Cao wouldn't dare to harm His Majesty in Xuchang. However, I still think it's best to be cautious."

Xun Yu shook his head. “I think this time it’s the Prime Minister’s true feeling. After fighting for so long, the Prime Minister must have thought it through completely. In the past, every time he returned to Xuchang, he was always surrounded by a large entourage and brought a lot of troops. But didn’t this letter say that in a few days, he will only bring Xun You and a few close attendants to return to Xuchang to see His Majesty?”

"This is enough to show that he has let go of his obsession. If he were to return with a large army, it would certainly be unbelievable. But if he were to return to Xuchang with a small entourage, it would be enough to demonstrate the Prime Minister's sincerity."

Xun Yu had followed Cao Cao for so many years, so he knew Cao Cao very well.

Liu Xie nodded, and smiled from the bottom of his heart, "This is today, no, this is the happiest day and the happiest event of my entire life!"

Xun Yu was also filled with emotion, nodding vigorously with excitement, "This old minister is also happy that the Prime Minister was able to pull back from the brink and turn back to the right path. It is truly a blessing for the Han Dynasty."

Liu Xie walked over and patted Xun Yu on the shoulder, "Wenruo, your relationship can be like it was before again."

Xun Yu paused for a moment, then nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes!"

Life is so unpredictable; you never know what will happen next.

When Xun Yu changed his stance and sided with Liu Xie, he was conflicted for a long time. He and Cao Cao gradually developed a rift, and it seemed that they could never return to their previous harmonious relationship. But then, a turning point came.
Not only Xun Yu, but also Xun You. In one's life, there are always many things that you can't even dream of.

Xun Yu was indeed very happy, as he could once again work alongside Cao Cao, and the two of them could finally serve the emperor in the same capacity.

Liu Xie thought for a moment and said, "Since the Prime Minister is so sincere, I cannot lose to him. I will reply to him now."

Xun Yu and Jia Xu both noticed that the emperor's way of addressing Cao Cao had changed again.

At first, he was addressed as "Lord Cao," and this was used for many years. However, after Liu Xie came to power, he changed his address and started calling him by his name, always calling him "Cao Cao" or "Cao Cao."

But now, addressing someone as "Prime Minister" feels much more affectionate.

Liu Xie originally intended to write a letter at the Imperial Secretariat, but felt he should be more cautious and not publicize it for the time being, so he hurriedly returned to the inner palace.

Xun Yu stood still, not moving an inch until the emperor's figure completely disappeared from his sight.

Jia Xu glanced at him, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Lord Xun, congratulations! Your long-cherished wish has finally come true."

Xun Yu's eyes were a little moist. With his back to Jia Xu, he hurriedly wiped away his tears with his sleeve. "Yes, harmony between ruler and subject is what I have always dreamed of."

He was not only happy that his relationship with Cao Cao had returned to normal, but also genuinely happy for the Han Dynasty.

Previously, the harmony between the emperor and his ministers was merely a facade; the struggle between Cao Cao and the emperor never ceased in secret. But things were destined to be different in the future.

After a long while, Xun Yu turned around and said with deep emotion, "To be able to see His Majesty and the Prime Minister truly living in harmony in my lifetime, I have no regrets even in death."

Jia Xu was also pleased, after all, Cao Cao had valued him highly before, and it was good to be able to get along with Cao Cao on an equal footing.

"Hopefully, Cao Cao is acting in his true heart this time."

Jia Xu said to Xun Yu, "It is my duty to remain vigilant. After all, you and I both know that His Majesty's present achievements were hard-won. As the magistrate of Xudu, I am in charge of intelligence from various regions, so I cannot let my guard down."

Xun Yu nodded, indicating his understanding.

In his position, he was responsible for his duties; who could say that Jia Xu was wrong?
Liu Xie practically ran into Wenxiu Palace, where Cao Ying was staying. Cao Ying had recently been learning needlework and was holding a fan, embroidering some patterns on it. Liu Xie ran in with a smile, leaving all the serving maids stunned.

The palace maids all looked at the emperor with puzzlement. The emperor had always been steady and easy-going, so why had he suddenly become a different person?
"Your Majesty, what is this...?"

Before Cao Ying could even see clearly, Liu Xie pulled her into his arms. Cao Ying blushed instantly, her fair face turning bright red. The palace maids quickly turned their heads away, wisely avoiding looking in their direction.

Liu Xie waved his hand and said to the palace maids, "You may all leave."

The palace maids agreed and filed out. After they left, Liu Xie kissed Cao Ying on the cheek and excitedly said to her, "I have good news to tell you, some very exciting news."

Upon hearing this, Cao Ying's eyes widened. "Your Majesty, is this true?"

Over the years, although Liu Xie had tried his best to maintain harmony between the emperor and his ministers, once a woman with whom he had a close relationship was involved, many things could not be kept secret for long. Women are naturally more meticulous and sensitive than men.

There are some things that Cao Ying can guess even if Liu Xie doesn't say them aloud.

Liu Xie nodded. "It's true, but this matter should be kept secret for now. Xun You wrote that Guo Jia seems to have some plans, and he doesn't want Sun Quan to know about them yet."

Cao Ying nodded through her tears, "Yes, Your Majesty, this day has finally come!"

Liu Xie affectionately wiped away her tears and comforted her, "Alright, I will write a reply to your father to put his mind at ease."

"Your Majesty, I will grind the ink for you."

Cao Ying hurriedly put down everything she was doing and quickly got up to go to the desk. For many men, having a beautiful woman by their side is a rare pleasure.

Liu Xie's reply was sincere and concise.

Without the Prime Minister, I would not be where I am today!
Without me, there would be no Prime Minister today!
Liu Xie wrote just these two sentences, and as Cao Ying read them, tears welled up in her eyes again.

Two days later, the letter was in Cao Cao's hands. Cao Cao hurriedly opened the letter, and after reading it, he was extremely excited and his eyes welled up with tears.

After a long silence, Cao Cao said sincerely, "Your Majesty understands me best!" (End of Chapter)