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

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

The news of Xun Yu's death was like a boulder thrown into stagnant water, and the ripples it created were spreading at an alarming speed.

The atmosphere in the imperial court was unusually strange today.

Emperor Liu Xie sat on his throne, his face pale, saying nothing. His gaze occasionally drifted towards the outside of the hall, as if he were waiting for someone, or perhaps hiding from someone.

The officials stood in rows, but no one spoke, and no one even dared to look them in the eye.

Cao Cao stood at the very front, his back to the crowd. His back was ramrod straight, but everyone could sense the emotions weighing on that straight back.

"Your Majesty," Cheng Yu stepped forward, "Lord Xun has passed away. I request Your Majesty to issue an edict to posthumously honor him and recognize his loyalty."

Liu Xie paused for a moment, then looked at Cao Cao's back.

"What official title does Prime Minister Cao think should be bestowed upon him?"

Cao Cao did not turn around.

"The rites of the Three Dukes," he said calmly, "and his posthumous title is 'Wen'."

A suppressed commotion arose among the assembled officials.

The highest honor a subject could receive was the posthumous title "Wen," a title bestowed with the rites of the Three Dukes.

But everyone knew that this honor came too late.

"Granted...granted." Liu Xie's voice trembled slightly. "Order the relevant authorities...to act swiftly."

Cao Cao finally turned around and bowed to the emperor.

"Your Majesty, I thank you."

He stepped back to his original position and glanced at the assembled officials.

Those whose eyes met his lowered their heads.

No one dared to look him in the eye.

But Cao Cao knew what was hidden beneath those drooping eyelids.

Was it fear? Was it resentment? Or...disdain?

he does not know.

But then he suddenly remembered Xun Yu's last words:

"It's not me who's changing, it's you."

At 9:00 AM, in a secluded teahouse in the east of Xuchang.

Several scholars in blue robes sat around in a private room in the corner, with the doors and windows tightly closed, and their voices were kept very low.

"Have you heard? The news of Lord Xun's death..."

"I've heard more than I've heard. My house is right next to Xun Yu's, and I saw what happened that night with my own eyes."

"What is it?"

The man lowered his voice: "They sealed off the mansion, cut off its food and water, and forced it for three days and three nights... In the end, Lord Xun took poison himself."

The private room was deathly silent.

"Prime Minister...why do you do this?"

"Why? Because his younger brother met with Liu Bei's men."

"But what does it matter to him if his brother meets with people?"

"Who can argue with that..." the man sighed, "but the Prime Minister doesn't believe it. He'd rather kill the innocent than let the guilty go free."

Another silence followed.

After a long silence, a younger scholar spoke:

"Should we...stay in Xuchang?"

No one answered.

But everyone is asking themselves the same question.

At noon, in Yingchuan, at the Xun family's old residence, the mourning hall had been set up. Two memorial tablets were placed in the center: those of Xun Yu and Xun Chen.

The two brothers died on the same day, were buried on the same day, and are now in the same mourning hall, receiving their final farewell from their clansmen.

Xun Yun knelt before the coffin, dressed in white mourning clothes, his face deathly pale.

He is Xun Yu's eldest son and the highest-ranking man in the Xun family at present.

Behind him knelt more than twenty members of the Xun clan, young and old, men and women. Each of them was dressed in mourning clothes, and each of their faces was streaked with tears.

"Big brother..." a younger member of the tribe crawled forward on his knees, his voice hoarse, "What do we do?"

Xun Yun didn't turn around. "What? What should we do?" "Will the Prime Minister... let us go?" Xun Yun remained silent. He knew what his cousin was worried about.

Xun Yu is dead, Xun Chen is dead, but the Xun clan still exists. The Xun clan of Yingchuan, a prominent family for centuries, has members scattered throughout the court and the countryside. Will Cao Cao let them go?

will not.

Given Cao Cao's personality, if you don't nip the problem in the bud, it will just grow back.

"Before my second uncle died..." another clansman began, "he sent someone back with a message saying, 'There are no cowards in the Xun clan.'"

The mourning hall was completely silent.

"We are not cowards," Xun Yun finally spoke, his voice soft, "but we cannot simply wait to die."

He stood up, walked to the altar, and lit three incense sticks.

"Father, Second Uncle," he whispered, "we will remember your grudges. We will fulfill your last wishes."

He turned around and looked at his people behind him.

Pack your things. Take what you can, and burn what you can't...

Everyone was stunned.

"Brother Yun, where are we going?"

Xun Yun looked north.

"Go to Xiapi."

At Shenshi (3-5 PM), Xiapi was established.

In the secret room where no one was on duty at night, urgent reports came in like snowflakes.

Sima Yi and Pang Tong sat facing each other at the table, with a thick stack of secret reports spread out in front of them.

"The atmosphere in the Xu Du court is strange today." Sima Yi read the first document, "The Emperor has issued an edict to bury Xun Yu with the rites due to one of the Three Dukes, and to give him the posthumous title of 'Wen'."

Pang Tong took a swig of wine.

"The rites of the Three Dukes? Literature?" he sneered. "What use are these things to a dead man?"

"As for Yingchuan," Sima Yi read from the second document, "the Xun clan has begun packing their belongings, preparing to migrate north."

Pang Tong's eyes lit up.

"Oh? So fast?"

"Leading them is Xun Yun, Xun Yu's eldest son," Sima Yi continued reading. "It is said that they will set off tonight."

"Good!" Pang Tong put down his wine gourd. "This Xun Yun is more decisive than his father."

Sima Yi remained silent.

He recalled Xun Yu's letter and the line, "I hope Your Excellency will treat the Xun family's sons and brothers well."

Now, those young people are on their way.

"Sir," he finally spoke, "how will the Xun clan members be settled after they arrive?"

Pang Tong thought for a moment.

"Let the magistrate decide," he said, "but on one condition—they must not be allowed to gather together."

"Separate arrangements?"

"Yes." Pang Tong nodded. "The Xun family of Yingchuan is too prestigious. Gathering together easily attracts attention and also... may give rise to other thoughts."

Sima Yi seemed to be deep in thought.

"To be distributed to the various states?"

"Yes. Several families will be settled in Qingzhou, Youzhou, and Liaodong. Those with ability will enter academies, military headquarters, or the army. Those without ability will be given land and houses to live a peaceful life."

He paused.

"This is Xun Yu's last wish, and it is also our promise."

At the hour of You (5-7 PM), at the Governor's Office of Xiapi.

I stood before the map, listening to Pang Tong's report.

"The Xun clan will depart tonight and are expected to arrive in Xiapi in three days." His voice was calm. "There are a total of twenty-three families, with about a hundred men, women, and children."

I nodded.

"Have you thought about how to arrange things?"

"I've thought it through." Pang Tong recounted the plan he had just discussed with Sima Yi.

After listening, I remained silent for a moment.

"Distributing them to the states is fine. But there's one condition—"

"Please speak, my lord."

"We need to create a file for every household. Everyone's skills, what they want to do, and what difficulties they face should all be recorded." I looked at the points on the map that were about to be separated. "Xun Yu entrusted them to me, and I can't let them suffer here."

Pang Tong bowed deeply, his bow touching the ground.

"The governor is benevolent and virtuous."

I waved my hand.

"Shiyuan, do you think Cao Cao will let this go so easily?"

Pang Tong stood up, walked to the map, and pointed to the location of Xuchang.

"No," he said. "Given Cao Cao's character, when Xun Yu died, he outwardly showed him mourning honors, but inwardly he was seething with hatred. Now that the Xun clan has fled, he hates them even more."

"So what will he do next?"

Pang Tong remained silent for a moment.

"He'll take his anger out on someone."

I looked at him.

"Who?"

Pang Tong's finger moved across the map, finally stopping at a point.

"Liu Xie".

I was stunned.

"The Emperor?"

"That's right." Pang Tong nodded. "Xun Yu was a close advisor to the emperor, and he had been secretly protecting the emperor all these years. Now that Xun Yu is dead, the emperor is completely isolated in the court. If Cao Cao wants to establish his authority, the best target is the emperor."

I remained silent.

Liu Xie.

That young man who served as a puppet in Xudu for nineteen years.

The person who watched helplessly as his trusted confidants died one by one.

"Shiyuan".

"exist."

"What can we do?"

Pang Tong shook his head.

"There's nothing we can do," he said softly. "At least not right now."

At the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), in the Imperial Palace of Xudu.

Liu Xie sat alone in the imperial study, a letter laid out in front of him.

That was Xun Yu's last letter to him before his death.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me. After Yu's death, Your Majesty has no one to rely on in the court. But please remember: the Han Dynasty is not dead, and the people's hearts are not dead. Although Yu is dead, there will be successors. I hope Your Majesty will take care of yourself and wait for the right time."

He looked at the letter for a very long time.

Her eyes gradually reddened.

He recalled the first time he met Xun Yu. He was only nine years old then, installed as emperor by Dong Zhuo, and knew nothing. It was Xun Yu who taught him to read, write, and handle government affairs.

Twenty years have passed.

For twenty years, Xun Yu was the person he trusted most, and the only warmth he had in this cold palace.

Now, that person is gone.

"Wenruo..." he murmured, "How long have you made me wait? How long have I waited?"

No one answered.

Only the wind howled outside the window. It was 9 PM, outside Xiapi City. A group of over a hundred people was slowly making their way north in the darkness.

There were no torches, no carriages, only people. An old man leaned on a cane, a woman carried a child, and a young man carried a bundle, all walking silently.

Xun Yun walked at the front of the group, his expression calm.

A commotion arose behind me.

He turned around and saw an old woman fall down, and several young men were helping her up.

"Are you alright?" He walked over.

"It's alright, it's alright..." the old woman waved her hand, "I can still walk."

Xun Yun squatted down, took her bundle, and carried it on his shoulder.

"If you can't walk anymore, just say so, and we'll rest for a while."

The old woman looked at him, her eyes reddening.

"Yun-ge'er...you look just like your father."

Xun Yun remained silent. He stood up and continued walking. After a few steps, he suddenly stopped and glanced back to the south. That was the direction of Xuchang. That was the place where he had lived for twenty years. That was where his father was buried.

"Father," he said silently in his heart, "you'll see. The Xun family will not bring shame upon you."

He turned and continued walking north.

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

I stood on the city wall, gazing at the night sky to the south.

Pang Tong stood beside me without saying a word.

"Shiyuan," I finally spoke.

"exist."

"So, what do you think of Xun Yun?"

Pang Tong thought for a moment.

"Composed," he said. "More composed than Xun Yu was in his youth. Decisive and straightforward. A promising talent."

I nodded.

"Let him go to the academy for a while. He can study with Zheng Xuan, learn about the system from Gong Da, and learn from you... well, learn how to judge people."

Pang Tong smiled.

"Is Your Excellency grooming him as your successor?" I didn't answer. I just gazed at the southern night. After a long while, I spoke: "Shiyuan, what do you think Cao Cao is thinking right now?" Pang Tong was silent for a moment.

"I'm thinking..." his voice was very soft, "How did he end up like this?"

I turned to look at him.

"What do you mean?"

"Xun Yu is dead, the Xun family has fled, the scholars of Yingchuan are disheartened, and everyone in the Xuchang court is insecure." Pang Tong's gaze was deep. "Cao Cao thought he had won, but in fact he lost the most miserably." He paused. "He lost the hearts of the people."

I remained silent.

human heart.

The cheapest and the most expensive thing in the world.

So cheap that it can be discarded at will, so expensive that it cannot be bought even with one's life.

"Shiyuan".

"exist."

"Did we win?"

Pang Tong looked at me.

"Does Your Excellency wish to hear the truth or a lie?"

"The truth."

He thought about it.

"We haven't won yet, but we're heading in the right direction."

I laughed.

"Then let's keep going."

At dawn.

The sky was beginning to lighten with the first light of dawn.

The sound of horses' hooves could be heard in the distance.

A scout team galloped up and reined in their horses below the city wall.

"Report—The Xun clan has arrived thirty li outside the city and is expected to arrive around noon!" I nodded. "Open the city gates. Prepare porridge. Prepare shelter. Prepare medical care."