The Three Kingdoms: The entire Cao Cao camp thought I was weak and frail.

Xun Hao did not explain, but slowly brought the celadon cup in his hand to Guo Jia's lips.

The cool, refreshing water touched his dry lips, and Guo Jia was startled. The nameless anger in his chest subsided considerably. He subconsciously took a sip from Xun Hao's hand.

He swallowed the water before realizing what was happening, his gaze falling on the rim of the cup, where a few glistening water droplets still clung.

"Have you had a drink?"

Xun Hao didn't retract his hand; it remained firmly raised. His cool eyes met Xun Hao's, and he asked, "Do you mind?"

mind?

Guo Jia felt that the extinguished fire had reignited in his heart in a different way, making his mouth dry and his limbs tingle.

He reached out, but instead of taking the cup, he grasped Xun Hao's wrist as he held it up.

Then, under Xun Hao's slightly surprised gaze, he lowered his head, accurately found the spot where Xun Hao's lips had just touched, and drank the remaining water in the cup in one gulp.

After doing all this, he even stuck out the tip of his tongue and gently licked his lips, as if savoring something.

"What do you think?" Guo Jia's voice took on a slightly hoarse, magnetic quality because of this gesture.

Xun Hao looked up and met Guo Jia's bright, captivating eyes, which shone even in the dim light.

Inside, a possessiveness he had never seen before surged.

Xun Hao quickly withdrew his hand, slammed the cup back onto the table, and turned to walk away.

Guo Jia was unwilling to let go. He stretched out his long arm and pulled the person back, holding him tightly in his arms.

"Why are you running? Yanruo, you haven't answered me yet."

"He is handsome and talented. People in Jiangdong call him 'Zhou Lang.' What's wrong with that?" Xun Hao pretended not to understand.

"Inappropriate?" Guo Jia chuckled in exasperation. He leaned closer, his nose almost touching Xun Hao's cheek. "Why have I never heard you call anyone that before? Is Chen Qun not talented enough? Is Xi Zhicai not intelligent enough? Or is your elder brother Xun Wenruo not handsome enough?"

"You praised him, you gave him pointers, and you even made him lean in close to listen to you right in front of me!"

Not to be outdone, Xun Hao reached out and wrapped his arms around Guo Jia's neck, taking the initiative to close the last bit of distance between the two.

She whispered in his ear, "Guo Lang."

Xun Hao looked at his momentarily stunned expression, a triumphant smile flashing in his eyes.

Just as Guo Jia was preparing to turn the tide, there was a gentle knock on the door.

"Mr. Fengxiao, Mr. Yanruo, have you rested peacefully?"

It was Zhou Yu's voice.

Guo Jia and Xun Hao exchanged a glance, and the latter called out, "Brother Gongjin, is there something you need?"

"Bo Fu and I have come to pay our respects."

The door opened, and Sun Ce and Zhou Yu walked in one after the other. Sun Ce still had that sharp and aggressive demeanor, but the murderous intent in his eyes had been greatly reduced.

Zhou Yu, on the other hand, was much more gentle and polite, with just the right amount of apology on his face: "We have offended you greatly during the day, and Bo Fu and I have come here to apologize."

"No need for apologies." Guo Jia's peach blossom eyes narrowed slightly as his gaze swept over the two men before finally settling on Sun Ce. "I'm just a little curious. Yanruo and I have come to Chang'an on the orders of our lord to pay tribute to the court as a sign of our loyalty. I wonder what brings General Sun here?"

Sun Ce frowned and was about to speak, but Zhou Yu stopped him with a look.

Zhou Yu smiled calmly, "The Sun family has been loyal for generations. Although the traitor Dong Zhuo is dead, the emperor is in disgrace and the national treasury is empty. Bo Fu and I have come here to do our part for the court."

He paused, a hint of self-deprecation in his voice: "It's just that we are not up to the task, and the things we have prepared are far less generous than what Cao Cao has given us. It is just a token of our appreciation."

"I see." Guo Jia smiled, no longer dwelling on the matter, and changed the subject, getting straight to the point, "Since we are both here to share the burdens of the country, what are your thoughts on the current situation in Chang'an?"

This is the real topic for tonight.

When the matter was brought up, Zhou Yu pondered for a moment before speaking, "Minister Wang and General Lü joined forces to kill the traitor Dong Zhuo, which is a great achievement in restoring the Han Dynasty. However, Minister Wang is stubborn and self-willed, and has lost his sense of proportion."

"Indeed, after Dong Zhuo's death, Wang Yun held the reins of power and should have immediately taken measures to appease the people, pardon those who had been coerced into following him, divide and weaken them, and return military power to the court. This would have been the best course of action. But instead of appeasing them, he hesitated and allowed rumors of the suppression of the Liangzhou troops to circulate among the people!" Guo Jia sneered. He and Xun Hao had had contact with Wang Yun and knew his character well.

A hint of agreement flashed in Zhou Yu's eyes: "Indeed, this puts the entire Liangzhou army on the opposite side. Li Jue, Guo Si, and others, who hold considerable military power, will not sit idly by and wait for their doom."

Guo Jia said casually, "Do you know why the great Confucian scholar Cai Yong died?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Ce frowned even more deeply: "I have heard that Cai Yong sighed at Wang Yun's banquet because he mentioned Dong Zhuo, and was imprisoned on the spot by Wang Yun, and died in prison not long after."

"A ruler who can't even tolerate a sigh, how can you expect him to tolerate the entire Liangzhou army that holds military power? When he killed Cai Yong, he wasn't just killing one person; he was cutting off the escape route for all the scholars who had ever associated with Dong Zhuo. He was telling the world that those who obey him prosper, and those who oppose him perish. There is no middle ground, and no leniency for the past. Li Jue, a mere military man, was able to command the three armies, lead them westward, gather the defeated troops, and march straight towards Chang'an. I don't believe there wasn't a mastermind behind this."

Hearing Guo Jia's words, Zhou Yu's gaze also became serious: "I had the same suspicion. This man acted decisively and seized the opportunity; it was something Li Jue couldn't have come up with on his own. But..."

He raised his question: "If this person was truly a top strategist under Dong Zhuo, how could he have allowed Wang Yun's divisive tactics to succeed and watched as Lü Bu and Dong Zhuo became enemies?"

This is precisely the problem that Guo Jia couldn't understand.

Just as Guo Jia and Zhou Yu were deep in thought, Xun Hao, who had been quiet all along, picked up his teacup and took a small sip.

The warm tea slid down his throat, suppressing the name that lingered in his mind.

They can predict people's hearts and manipulate the world at will, yet they can also protect themselves wisely and extricate themselves from chaos with precision.

Who else could it be but Jia Xu, the "poisonous strategist" whose single plan could throw the world into chaos?

"If Li Jue has a master advisor behind him, Chang'an is in grave danger," Zhou Yu said in a deep voice.

"Whether Chang'an is in danger or not is none of our business." Guo Jia tapped his fingers lightly on the table, his peach blossom eyes sweeping over the two people opposite him. "Yanruo and I are only here to deliver our tribute. After delivering the money, we will return to Yanzhou. But what are you two doing lingering in Chang'an? What are you planning?"

Sun Ce snorted coldly and was about to speak when Zhou Yu preemptively bowed respectfully to Guo Jia and Xun Hao.

"To be honest, Bo Fu and I have come here with a request."