Three Kingdoms: I, Yuan Shu, Loyal Officials of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 125 Realizing the past cannot be changed, but knowing the future can be pursued.
At this moment, Yuan Shu stood high on the six-horse carriage, quietly watching Cai Yan walk slowly towards him under Sun Ce's guidance. His cold eyes looked down at her blood-stained palace dress, which was covered in mud, and her delicate face was covered in bruises.

She walked slowly, carrying the snow and wind of the frontier, heading towards the warmth of spring in her homeland.

Upon hearing Lu Xun's detailed explanation of why the Xiongnu had deployed their troops with their backs to the river, Yuan Shu remained expressionless.

He bowed respectfully until Cai Yan approached.

She looked up at Yuan Shu, her gaze remaining consistently cold and aloof.

"May I ask you, Lord Yuan, is what you are doing now what a great general should do?"

A smile spread across Yuan Shu's indifferent face. His smile was dignified and righteous; meeting her gaze, he smiled and sang:
"The heaven and earth have righteousness, and are mixed and endowed with manifolds.

The lower part is Heyue, and the upper part is the sun star.

To others, it is said that it is vast and overwhelming.

The imperial road should be Qingyi, Hanhe Tumingting.

"True character is revealed in times of adversity, and its deeds are recorded in history."

After speaking, amidst her complex expressions of confusion, bewilderment, reminiscence, and appreciation, Yuan Shu chuckled and asked a question in return.

"Now the Han Dynasty is in decline, the world is in chaos, and we are at a critical juncture."

At that time, the emperor was young and lacked virtue, and was often manipulated by treacherous people. First, he was led by Dong Zhuo, then by Li and Guo, and he was spoken by Cao Cao and Xun Yu.

Is the court of today truly the court of the Son of Heaven? Is the Son of Heaven of today truly the Son of Heaven of the Han Dynasty?
No! He was merely a puppet controlled by Cao Cao!
I am not talented, but my family has been officials for four generations, enjoying the Han dynasty's bounty and the emperor's favor. How can I allow evil spirits to disrupt the government and harm the people?
Zhao Ji had been away from her homeland for a long time. She did not see the endless piles of heads in Xuzhou, where nine out of ten houses were empty, nor did she see the great fire in Yingchuan, where the stench of corpses filled the air.

If Cao Mengde kills the people under my rule, I will save them; if Cao Mengde plunders them, I will comfort them; if Cao Mengde can bear to see them live, I cannot bear to see them die.

This is why I always win, while Cao Mengde always loses!

To harm the common people of the nine provinces for the sake of one's own royal court—this is the crime of the emperor!
If the emperor is guilty, I shall punish him to appease the people!

Now, Shu is the Grand General, ruling as the Emperor, governing the court and the country, upholding the state, and serving as a loyal subject of the Han Dynasty.

Zhao Ji thought, "Why not?"

Cai Yan remained silent for a long time, then smiled, her eyebrows curving like the moon.

"The Great General is different from what people say, different from what Father says, and completely different from what Yan'er thinks."

"Oh~ Really?"

Yuan Shu looked up at her with interest. "In Lady Cai's eyes, what kind of person am I?"

"As Yan'er walked along, she heard minor officials explaining to the rescued people how to return to their hometowns, how to settle their houses, and how to distribute their land."

Its orderly and well-defined rules clearly indicate that it was not done hastily, but rather a customary practice wherever the general went.

Therefore, the people cheered and rejoiced, praising the general as a virtuous man.

This shows that the general was a wise man.

As I walked along, I saw soldiers in neat and orderly formations, meticulous in every detail. How magnificent was the army of Huainan!
I have heard that since leaving Shouchun, he has traveled south and north, traversing the nine provinces, conquering all and winning every battle.

Therefore, all the soldiers respected the general as if he were a deity.

This shows that the general was a valiant man.

But I heard that the Emperor issued an edict criticizing the General for not handing over the Imperial Seal. Liu Bei, on behalf of the Emperor, was defeated by the General and his entire army was wiped out. Prime Minister Cao even angrily denounced the General as a traitor to the country.

This shows that the General is a man of unusual tastes. However, what Yan'er witnessed today only makes her think that the General is an interesting person.

She smiled charmingly, her crescent-shaped eyes narrowing as she sized up Yuan Shu, as if she had never seen such an interesting person before.

"Which general is loyal and which is treacherous is clear to the court; why should a mere woman like me worry about it?"

Yan'er thought that someone who could utter the phrase "Heaven and Earth possess righteous energy" couldn't possibly be a wicked person.

After speaking, she stopped laughing and, being a scholar, bowed with her hands clasped in greeting.

"Heaven and earth possess righteous energy, which manifests itself in various forms!"

"I hope the General will not forget our words today, and will restore righteousness to the world, and restore a clear and bright universe."

"If the Han Dynasty were without an emperor, how many would claim to be emperor, and how many would claim to be king?"

He stood alone on a six-horse carriage, his bearing as majestic as a dragon and as graceful as a phoenix, his appearance as radiant as the sun and the heavens, his eyes clear and bright as if they were divine.

"Who else would it be than me?"

Zhao Ji remained stern and then advised, "Yan'er has come here with another matter to report to the General."

The Left Wise King Hun Tu Xie is absolutely untrustworthy; General, you must not…

"Hun Tu Xie? He's already dead."

Zhaoji looked in the direction he pointed and saw a mound of Xiongnu heads rising from the ground on the banks of the Sui River in the distance.

At its highest point is the head of Hun Tu Xie, who died with his eyes wide open, gazing silently at the moon.

Hun Tu Xie?
That cruel, fierce, cunning, and patient man died just like that?
But wasn't he supposed to represent the Xiongnu royal court in paying tribute and submitting to them?
Leaving aside his status as the Left Wise King of the Xiongnu, which offers valuable insights, he and his thousands of Xiongnu cavalry were a formidable fighting force.

So, someone who still had immense value died so easily?

Only at this moment did she realize in her heart that the great general in front of her, who could speak of the righteousness of heaven and earth, seemed to be different from all the rulers she had ever met before.

After all, putting aside others, Cao Cao, her old friend who personally issued the imperial edict inviting Huntuye to come south, would absolutely not want Huntuye to die.

"What is Ms. Cai thinking about?"

Seeing the same bewildered and innocent expression on her face as when they first met and she heard about the righteous energy in the world, Yuan Shu smiled and said to her:
"The spring flowers in Huainan are still in full bloom, and I would like to invite you, Master Cai, to visit and enjoy them together."

Cai Yan: "???"

"What I mean is that I am building an academy in Shouchun and am in need of a female scholar. I wonder if Lady Cai would be willing to take on the role?"

Cai Yan: "."

Cai Yan remained silent for a long time before bowing and agreeing.

"I am willing to share the general's burdens."

After all, what choice did she, a woman who had been abducted by the Xiongnu, have in this world?

"We realize that the past cannot be changed, but we know that the future can be pursued."

Cai Yilang was a renowned scholar of our dynasty, whom I also respected. Now that he is gone, I will take care of his wife and children, so please do not worry, Lady Cai.”

That night, carriages and horses departed on their long journeys, while only the full moon shone in the sky.

(End of this chapter)