Reborn Liu Bei: I'll lead this Three Kingdoms to victory!

On the third day of the third month of the seventh year of Jian'an, in Yingchuan.

Xun Chen held the letter he had just copied, his hand trembling slightly.

Every word in the letter was written by his own hand. But the meaning behind those words sent a chill down his spine.

"I am well, elder brother. Someone from the north has arrived, and I have already met him. He said that Governor Liu is willing to treat you as a national hero. If you are willing, I will go ahead to meet him."

His hand was steady as he wrote this letter.

Now that the letter is finished, my hands are starting to tremble.

This is not an ordinary letter.

This is a knife.

A knife was handed to Cao Cao.

"Master," the old servant's voice came from outside the door, "the messenger is still waiting. Should we send the letter or not?"

Xun Chen remained silent for a long time.

He gazed out the window at the old locust tree, at the newly sprouted buds.

spring is coming.

Will that spring in Xuchang ever come again?

"Send it," he finally said. "Send it to Xuchang and personally hand it to my elder brother."

The old servant accepted the order and left.

Xun Chen stood motionless by the window.

After a long silence, he murmured:

"Big brother...don't blame me."

---

Noon, Xuchang.

The sun was shining brightly in the backyard of Xun Yu's residence.

Xun Yu, unusually, left the seat under the eaves where he had sat for three months and strolled slowly in the courtyard. The plum tree had begun to sprout new buds, and the tender green leaves shimmered in the sunlight.

"Father."

Xun Yun hurried over, his face grave.

"My second uncle has sent someone with a message."

Xun Yu paused in his steps.

"Where's the letter?"

Xun Yun took the letter out of his sleeve and presented it with both hands.

Xun Yu took it and unfolded it.

His gaze fell on the first line of text and stopped.

"Lord Liu is willing to treat you as a national hero."

He stared at it for a long time.

Then fold the letter and put it in your sleeve.

Where is the messenger?

"Still waiting outside the door."

Xun Yu remained silent for a moment.

"Tell him to go back and tell his master: I understand."

Xun Yun was taken aback.

"Father, just those four words?"

Xun Yu looked at him.

"Just these four words."

Xun Yun opened his mouth, as if to say something, but said nothing. He turned and left.

Xun Yu stood alone in the courtyard, gazing at the plum tree that was sprouting new buds.

The sun is shining brightly.

But his heart felt heavy, as if something was pressing down on it.

"A national hero..." he murmured, "What does it mean to be a national hero?"

No one answered.

Only the spring breeze brushed by, stirring his clothes.

---

At Shenshi (3-5 PM), at the Prime Minister's residence.

Cao Cao was reviewing memorials when Cheng Yu rushed in, his face grave.

"Prime Minister, there is something... that I need your review."

He took a slip of paper from his sleeve and presented it with both hands.

Cao Cao accepted it.

The note contained only a few lines of text; it had just been delivered by the person monitoring outside Xun Yu's residence:

"At noon today, a guest arrived from Yingchuan at Xun Yu's residence, carrying a letter. After reading it, Xun Yu's expression changed. He then ordered the messenger to reply, 'I understand.'"

Cao Cao stared at these lines of text for a long time.

"From Yingchuan..." he murmured, "Xun Chen's man?"

Cheng Yu said softly, "It should be."

"What was the contents of the letter?"

"I don't know. The man left after delivering the message; our men couldn't intercept him."

Cao Cao crumpled the note into a ball and slammed it onto the table.

"Xun Chen! Xun Yu!" His voice seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, "What exactly are they trying to do?"

Cheng Yu dared not respond.

Cao Cao stood up and paced back and forth in the hall.

"Issue the order." He stopped abruptly, "Double the number of people outside Xun Yu's residence. From today onwards, strictly check the four gates of Xudu City; everyone entering or leaving must be registered."

Cheng Yu was taken aback.

"Prime Minister, this..."

"Do as instructed!" Cao Cao ordered sternly.

Cheng Yu lowered his head.

"promise."

After he left, Cao Cao stood alone in the hall.

He looked at the map on the table, at the location of Xudu, at the location of Yingchuan, and at the two red circles—Hefei and Shouchun.

Then he remembered someone.

A man he once called "my Zhang Liang".

"Wenruo..." he murmured, "What are you thinking?"

---

At the hour of You (5-7 PM), in Xiapi.

In the secret room where no one was on duty at night, an urgent secret report had just been delivered.

Sima Yi took it and unfolded it.

"The letter has been delivered. Xun Yu read it and his expression changed. He replied, 'I understand.'"

He handed the secret report to Pang Tong.

Pang Tong glanced at it and grinned.

"'I understand'—those four words again." He took a swig of his drink. "These two brothers, even their replies are exactly the same."

Sima Yi did not laugh.

"Sir, what does Xun Yu mean by this?"

Pang Tong put down his wine gourd and his playful expression vanished.

"He's waiting."

"What are you waiting for?"

"Let's wait for an opportunity that will make him make up his mind." Pang Tong walked to the map and pointed to the location of Xuchang. "Just watch, Cao Cao will make his move soon."

Sima Yi seemed to be deep in thought.

"Are you saying, sir, that Cao Cao will send someone to test the waters?"

"Testing?" Pang Tong shook his head. "More than that. He will force him. Force Xun Yu to take a stand, force Xun Yu to choose sides, force Xun Yu..." He paused, "to make a choice."

Sima Yi remained silent.

He remembered the letter.

The letter he personally delivered was now changing a man's destiny.

"Sir," he finally spoke, "if Xun Yu is forced to his death..."

"No," Pang Tong interrupted him. "Xun Yu won't die that easily. He just needs an excuse, an excuse that allows him to tell himself 'I had no other choice.'"

He looked at Sima Yi.

"Zhongda, do you know what the hardest thing in the world is?"

Sima Yi shook his head.

"It's not about making a choice. It's about being able to sleep soundly after making a choice." Pang Tong's voice was soft. "Xun Yu has been a mentor to Cao Cao for twenty years; that relationship can't be severed so easily. He needs a reason, a reason that allows him to forgive himself."

He turned around and looked in the direction of Xuchang on the map.

"Cao Cao will give him that reason."

---

At the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), in the western part of Xudu City, at Xun Yu's residence.

As night fell, the courtyard gradually darkened.

Xun Yu remained standing beside the plum tree, motionless.

Xun Yun walked in from outside the courtyard, his expression even more solemn than during the day.

"Father, there are more people outside the manor now." His voice was very low. "Moreover, strict checks have begun at the city gates. Everyone entering or leaving must register."

Xun Yu remained silent.

"Father, this..." Xun Yun's voice trembled slightly, "Is the Prime Minister going to... place us under house arrest?"

Xun Yu finally turned his head and looked at him.

"Scared?"

Xun Yun gritted his teeth.

"I'm not afraid. I just... don't understand."

"What don't you understand?"

"I don't understand why the Prime Minister would treat you like this." Xun Yun's eyes were a little red. "You've followed him for twenty years, offering him advice and exhausting your energy for him. Now, just because your second uncle met someone, he..."

"So what?" Xun Yu interrupted him.

Xun Yun was speechless.

Xun Yu looked at his young son, a complex light flashing in his eyes.

"Yun'er," he said softly, "remember one thing."

Xun Yun raised his head.

"The most unpredictable thing in this world is the human heart. The hardest thing to repay is a debt of gratitude." Xun Yu's voice was soft, as if he were speaking to himself. "What I owed Cao Cao, I have repaid in the past twenty years. But what he owes me..."

He didn't continue.

Xun Yun stared at him blankly.

"Father... what are you planning to do..."

Xun Yu raised his hand to stop him from speaking.

"Wait a little longer."

---

At 9:00 PM, at the Prime Minister's residence.

Cao Cao sat alone in his study, a map spread out in front of him.

He wasn't looking at the picture.

He just stared at the flickering candlelight, motionless.

Footsteps came from outside the door.

"Prime Minister," Cheng Yu's voice rang out, "There's something... I just received news."

"Come in."

Cheng Yu pushed open the door and entered, his face terribly grave.

"Prime Minister, our men in Yingchuan... intercepted a letter."

Cao Cao suddenly looked up.

"What letter?"

Cheng Yu presented a note with both hands.

Cao Cao took it and unfolded it.

The letter was very short, only a few lines:

"Brother, I am well. A messenger has come from the north, and I have already met him. He said that Governor Liu wishes to treat you as a national hero. If you are willing, I will go ahead to meet him. Chen bows respectfully."

Cao Cao stared at those few lines of text for a very long time.

His face changed from ashen to pale, and then from pale to ashen again.

Cheng Yu stood to the side, not daring to breathe.

a long time.

Cao Cao finally spoke, his voice hoarse as if sandpaper had been rubbing against a stone:

"A letter from Xun Chen to Xun Yu?"

"Yes."

"When was it delivered?"

"At noon today, our men intercepted him after he sent it out."

Cao Cao's hand was trembling slightly.

"Xun Yu...did you receive it?"

Cheng Yu remained silent for a moment.

"It should be... received. This letter is a copy made by Xun Chen; the original should have already been delivered to Xun Yu's residence."

Cao Cao closed his eyes.

He just stood there with his eyes closed, motionless, like a stone statue.

Cheng Yu stood there, not daring to move, not daring to speak, and even his breathing became soft.

I don't know how much time passed.

Cao Cao finally opened his eyes.

Those eyes held anger, sorrow, and an indescribable complexity.

"Issue the order." His voice was eerily calm. "From this day forward, no one is permitted to enter or leave Xun Yu's residence."

Cheng Yu was taken aback.

"Prime Minister, this..."

"I said, no one is allowed to enter or leave," Cao Cao said, emphasizing each word. "Including those who deliver vegetables, water, and medicine—no one is permitted."

Cheng Yu's expression changed drastically.

"Prime Minister! Lord Xun, he..."

"He betrayed me." Cao Cao interrupted him, his voice finally trembling slightly. "Twenty years...twenty years...he betrayed me."

He stood up, walked to the window, and turned his back to Cheng Yu.

"Go."

Cheng Yu opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but couldn't say anything.

He turned and stepped back.

Cao Cao was left alone in the study.

He stood by the window, gazing at the pitch-black night outside.

No one saw his face.

But his slightly trembling shoulders betrayed his current mood.

---

At midnight, in Xiapi.

In the secret room where no one was on duty at night, an urgent secret report had just been delivered.

Sima Yi took it and unfolded it.

His hand stopped when he saw the first line of text.

Cao Cao ordered Xun Yu's residence to be sealed off, and no one was allowed to enter or leave.

He handed the secret report to Pang Tong.

Pang Tong glanced at it and fell silent.

The two remained silent.

a long time.

Pang Tong spoke, his voice very soft:

"Zhongda, do you know what this means?"

Sima Yi nodded.

"He drove Xun Yu to a dead end."

Pang Tong took a swig of wine.

The wine tasted somewhat bitter at that moment.

---

At dawn, at the Governor's Office of Xiapi.

I stood before the map, unable to sleep all night.

The secret report lay open on the table.

Cao Cao ordered the sealing off of Xun Yu's residence.

Pang Tong stood beside me, while Sima Yi stood a little further away.

None of the three spoke.

Outside the window, the sky was beginning to lighten with the first hint of dawn.

"Shiyuan," I finally spoke.

"exist."

"What do you think Xun Yu will choose?"

Pang Tong remained silent for a long time.

Then he spoke, his voice very soft:

"He will choose the path that allows him to sleep peacefully."

I looked at him.

Are you sure?

He shook his head.

"I'm not sure. But I do know one thing—"

He paused.

"No matter what he chooses, we've already won."

I didn't speak.

I just gazed at the sky gradually brightening outside the window.

Xun Yu.

The man who secluded himself in Xuchang, the man whom Cao Cao called "my Zhang Liang".

What is he thinking right now?

I do not know.