Wei Xiaobao's Three Kingdoms Adventure

Chapter 84 No One Can Eat Enough

Shuang'er, Diao Chan and Mu Jianping were worried that Wei Xiaobao would be bored and sulking, so they taught him to read every day to pass the time.

Wei Xiaobao was able to cater to them at first, but he lost his patience after just three days.

Diao Chan knocked on the table with a ruler in her hand and said, "I've taught you these words several times, why can't you write them?"

Wei Xiaobao simply threw down his pen and started to act like a scoundrel: "Is it possible that I can become a high-ranking official in the Qing Dynasty even though I can't read?"

Diao Chan said, "That's because Xiao Xuanzi loves you and is your friend. If you can read, we will teach you military books after we return. Then you can lead the troops to fight Wu Sangui, and Xiao Xuanzi will definitely be happier."

Wei Xiaobao put his hands over his head and lay back, crossing his legs as he said, "I want to go back too, but unfortunately I can't find out the whereabouts of the jade seal. I want to leave but I can't. How can I learn to read when I'm hungry every day?"

Mu Jianping said, "Brother Wei, how about we play dice with you?"

Wei Xiaobao sat up and said happily, "Okay, okay."

On second thought, Wei Xiaobao lost his temper again: "How can we play without dice?"

There was a noise at the courtyard gate, Shuang'er went out to check, and when she came back, she had a visiting card in her hand.

Shuang'er said, "Xiaobao, Guo Jia's men sent this to you. They said Xun Yu is hosting a banquet for his son and wants you to attend."

Wei Xiaobao cursed, "I'm almost starving to death, and he still has extra food to prepare a banquet for his son?"

Wei Xiaobao took the visiting card and saw the words on it. He shouted excitedly, "I know these two words, 'Gou Tou'. Is this the name of Xun Yu's son? Why not call him Gou Tou? But it's true. In these chaotic times, a humble name is easier to support."

Diao Chan took the visiting card, glanced at it, and chuckled, "My name is Xun Xi. I asked you to recognize the characters, but you refused. You even mispronounced other people's names."

Wei Xiaobao said, "I don't want to learn characters that difficult to recognize in my lifetime. Anyway, I don't want to go. I don't care whether I'm looking for a chair or a table. I just want to find the jade seal now."

Xun Yi was born in the late Eastern Han Dynasty. He had already served as an official in the court during the Three Kingdoms period. Later, he was granted a title of nobility and appointed as prime minister, becoming a founding hero of the Western Jin Dynasty. Could it be that the reason he lived such a long life was because of this saying "a humble name is easy to maintain"?
Shuang'er said, "Xiaobao, Guo Jia's servants are still waiting outside. Guo Jia takes such good care of us, even if you don't want to go, you have to give Guo Jia some face."

Wei Xiaobao thought for a moment and said, "Well, I'll go give him a good meal and then bring you some delicious food."

When Wei Xiaobao arrived at Xun Yu's house, he did not see the bustle he had imagined. In the empty room, there were only Xun Yu and Guo Jia.

Wei Xiaobao was not polite and sat down without waiting for Xun Yu to greet him.

Guo Jia and Xun Yu had long been accustomed to Wei Xiaobao's unrestrained nature.

Wei Xiaobao glanced at the food on the table in front of him and said, "Isn't it a banquet?"

Xun Yu said, "Sir, you know that the city is short of food and fodder, so we can only prepare such a humble banquet. I hope you won't blame me."

Wei Xiaobao thought to himself, "If you had delicious food, I'd be angry. But seeing that you eat the same thing as me every day, I'm not angry anymore."

Wei Xiaobao laughed in his heart and said, "This dog-head's crying is quite powerful."

Wei Xiaobao looked at Xun Yu and asked, "Aren't you going to see your son?"

Xun Yu said, "I have my humble wife and servants to take care of you. I am sorry for disturbing your leisure time. Xun Yu apologizes to you."

Wei Xiaobao waved his hand and rummaged through the plate. They were all steamed buns and oven-baked buns made of various grains. He then looked at Guo Jia and Xun Yu and saw that they were all the same.

Xun Yu and Guo Jia exchanged glances, and Xun Yu clapped his hands to pass on the message. Someone outside brought in a plate and placed it in front of Wei Xiaobao. Wei Xiaobao was overjoyed to find it was a fish.

Just as Wei Xiaobao was about to make his move, he asked, "Anything else?"

Xun Yu said awkwardly, "This is the only fish I had someone catch in the river last night in the rain. There are really no more."

Wei Xiaobao said, "So you two are just going to watch me eat?"

Guo Jia smiled and said, "Sir, you are a guest. Please make yourself at your own convenience."

The Han Dynasty already had cooking methods such as roasting, boiling, and frying, but it still inherited the custom of eating raw food from the Qin Dynasty. The fish in front of Wei Xiaobao was sashimi that had been carefully processed.

Wei Xiaobao swallowed his saliva and thought to himself, "It's over a hundred miles from Chenliu to Heshui, and it's been raining non-stop. And you even asked someone to catch fish for me, but they only caught one. You two old guys went to such great lengths, so you must have something to ask of me. I'm very familiar with this matter. Prince Kang asked me to go to the upper study to steal the Forty-two Chapter Sutra for him, which was like treating me to a meal first."

Xun Yu and Guo Jia kept looking at each other. Wei Xiaobao saw it but pretended not to know. He kept staring at the plate of sashimi, but was reluctant to eat it.

Wei Xiaobao listened to the baby's incessant crying and made small talk, "Sima Xun, your little boy is quite strong. He will be a fierce general when he grows up."

Xun Yu waited for Wei Xiaobao to speak, and quickly took over the conversation, saying, "I'm just worried that he won't grow up."

Wei Xiaobao thought to himself, "I was able to grow up without a father to look after me. How can you, an official of your rank, not even be able to support your own child?"

Wei Xiaobao sat there looking around, deliberately not saying anything.

Guo Jia asked, "Brother Wenruo, why do you say that?"

Xun Yu said, "My wife is weak and has not been eating well lately. She is now unable to feed the child. My son is still young, but he can only survive on rice porridge, which is why he cries out of hunger."

Wei Xiaobao thought to himself, "What have you been saying for so long? Isn't it just because you have no milk to drink? Maybe you have no food to eat, so you are taking your son's milk away, and that's why he is crying out of hunger."

Wei Xiaobao covered his mouth and laughed secretly, but then he felt that the joke was a bit too much and silently recited his sin in his heart.

Xun Yu thought Wei Xiaobao was mocking him for not being able to take care of his family, so he sighed deeply and said, "Xun Yu is incompetent. He made them suffer with me."

If Xun Yu knew that Wei Xiaobao was teasing him in his heart, he would have chopped Wei Xiaobao into pieces and eaten him as his "life". Why would he give him the only sashimi to eat?

Guo Jia said, "My lord, in order to train the troops, has been constantly reducing our supplies. This is not Brother Wenruo's fault, but it is causing trouble for my wife and my son."

Wei Xiaobao thought to himself, "Just play a double act in front of me, the two of you. I won't say a word. Let's see what tricks you two have up your sleeve."

Xun Yu said, "Our army is running low on rations. It's a shame that the Lord will not listen to my advice and wants to use the troops again. If that's the case, I'm afraid we won't be able to return."

Wei Xiaobao thought to himself, "Oh, so you want me to persuade Cao Cao not to fight first. It's a pity that I'm hoping Cao Cao will leave the city, otherwise I won't have the chance to go to Shouchun to inquire about the whereabouts of the jade seal."

Guo Jia said, "After all, our previous efforts were in vain, and we almost lost Yanzhou, only to have Liu Bei take advantage. So, my lord, if you want to attack Xuzhou, I don't know how to persuade you."

Wei Xiaobao was startled and asked, "Who are you going to attack? Aren't you going to attack Lu Bu? Why are you going to attack Liu Bei again?"

Guo Jia said, "It is Liu Bei who is attacking Xuzhou."

Wei Xiaobao cursed in his heart, "Your grandfather, if you had just told me to go beat up Second Brother and the others, I wouldn't be here watching you put on a show!"

(End of this chapter)