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

April 22nd, Jian'an 7th year, Xuchang.

The fourth day of the citywide search.

Zhao Yan stood by the window, looking out through a narrow crack.

The streets were teeming with officials from the school administration. Dressed in new clothes and carrying knives at their waists, they went in groups of three, knocking on doors from house to house. They'd open the door, search inside, and then leave for the next house.

It's been four days. His room hasn't been knocked on yet. It's not good luck; Xun Qu's people have put in a good word.

He knew. But he didn't know how long this greeting could last.

Footsteps sounded outside the door. Light and steady. Three short, two long, three short. Zhao Yan went over and opened the door.

Xun Qu slipped in and closed the door behind him.

He didn't look well; his eyes were sunken, and he looked like he hadn't slept well for the past few days.

"How is it?" Zhao Yan asked.

Xun Qu sat down and took a sip of water first.

"The investigation is still ongoing," he said. "The new manager, Zheng, is more difficult to deal with than Manager Chen."

Zhao Yan looked at him. "Where are your men?"

Xun Qu was silent for a moment. "It's still there," he said, "but I dare not move."

Zhao Yan nodded. It's good that you don't dare to move. Moving now would be suicide.

"How long will the investigation take?" he asked.

Xun Qu shook his head. "I don't know," he said. "Cao Cao is determined this time. He won't stop until he finds out something."

Zhao Yan remained silent. He looked out the window at the soldiers of the Imperial Guard coming and going, and suddenly thought of Wang Pu.

The person who was rescued should be in the north by now, right?

"Any news from Wang Pu?" he asked.

Xun Qu nodded. "We've arrived," he said. "Zhao Yun personally received us, and we're currently settled in Xiapi."

Zhao Yan breathed a sigh of relief. At least they were alive. "What about the thirty-seven people?" he asked again.

Xun Qu looked at him. "They're still here," he said. "Not a single one is missing."

Zhao Yan was stunned. Not a single one was missing? The school administration had investigated for four days and arrested over a hundred people, yet none of their people were unharmed?

"How did you do that?" he asked.

Xun Qu did not answer. He simply took a small cloth bag from his pocket and placed it on the table.

Zhao Yan looked at the cloth bag. One character was embroidered on it:

"Xun".

He looked up at Xun Qu. "What is this?"

Xun Qu opened the cloth bag and took out a piece of paper. The paper was covered with names written on it. Zhao Yan took it, glanced at it, and his hands began to tremble.

One hundred and thirty-seven names. Each name is followed by an address, an identity, and a code.

"This is……"

"Xun Yu had been gathering people for twenty years," Xun Qu said. "Before he died, he entrusted them to me."

Zhao Yan stared at the list, speechless for a long time.

Twenty years. One hundred and thirty-seven people. Hidden in every corner of this city. Vegetable vendors, street vendors, police officers, teachers, blacksmiths, doctors.

Nobody knows who they are. But they are all here. They are all waiting.

"Zhao Yan," Xun Qu said.

Zhao Yan looked up. "Your master left this group of people with me, and now—" He paused, "I'm handing them over to you."

Zhao Yan was stunned. "For me?"

"Yes." Xun Qu nodded. "I'm too old to run anymore. And—"

He smiled, a smile that held an indescribable quality. "I have to go see someone."

The rear hall of the Xiapi Governor's Office.

Liu Bei sat at his desk, a letter laid out before him. It was written by Xun Qu and had just been delivered that morning.

"My lord: The 137 men have been handed over to Zhao Yan. I have a request—I wish to see Xun Yun. After the meeting, I will return to Xuchang, and die without regret."

Liu Bei looked at the letter and remained silent for a long time.

"Shiyuan," he said.

Pang Tong walked over from the side.

"My lord?"

Liu Bei handed him the letter. Pang Tong read it and fell silent. After a long while, he spoke: "Xun Qu is... giving his last instructions."

Liu Bei nodded. "He wants to see Xun Yun."

Pang Tong looked at him. "What does Your Excellency intend to do?"

Liu Bei stood up and walked to the window.

The sun was shining brightly outside, and the pomegranate tree in the yard was in bloom, a vibrant red.

"Let him see him," he said.

Pang Tong was taken aback. "Send him back to Xuchang?"

Liu Bei turned around. "Yes."

"But……"

"He's right," Liu Bei interrupted him. "He should see Xun Yun. After that, where he wants to go is his business."

Pang Tong remained silent. He understood Liu Bei's meaning. Xun Qu wasn't one of them; he was Xun Yu's man. He had done his work for twenty years, and now it was done. He should go see that child.

That child was his brother's son. He was his brother's only bloodline in this world.

"I'll arrange for someone to escort him," Pang Tong said.

Liu Bei shook his head. "No need for an escort," he said. "Let him come and go on his own. He doesn't need anyone to protect him."

Pang Tong nodded. "Understood."

Xiapi Academy.

Xun Yun sat by the window, the scroll in his hand. He still couldn't concentrate on reading. These past few days, he'd been thinking about Xun Qu, that uncle he'd never met. His father's letter said, "Seeing him is like seeing me." But when would he finally see him?

"Young Master Xun."

A voice came from outside the door. It wasn't Fu Shou. Xun Yun turned around.

A young man stood at the door, dressed in ordinary cloth clothes, about eighteen or nineteen years old, with a handsome face and deep eyes.

Sima Yi.

"Sima Jun, Sima?" Xun Yun stood up. "What brings you here?"

Sima Yi walked in and sat down opposite him. "Someone wants to see you."

Xun Yun was taken aback. "Who?"

Sima Yi looked at him. "Xun Qu."

Xun Yun's hand clenched tightly. "Where is he?"

"Outside the city," Sima Yi said, "it's inconvenient for him to enter the city right now."

Xun Yun stood up and walked out. Sima Yi called out to him, "Young Master Xun."

Xun Yun turned around.

Sima Yi looked at him, a complex emotion in his eyes.

"He probably... won't stay long."

Xun Yun stood there, stunned. He wouldn't stay long. What did that mean? He suddenly understood. That person was going back.

Return to Xuchang. Return to that place where death could come at any moment. He stood there, motionless. After a long while, he spoke: "I understand."

Outside Xiapi City.

Xun Yun stood by the official road, watching the person slowly approaching in the distance.

He was in his fifties, dressed in ordinary cloth clothes, with gray hair and deep wrinkles etched on his face.

Xun Qu. He walked up to Xun Yun and stopped. The two looked at each other. Neither spoke. After a long while, Xun Qu spoke: "You look like your father."

Xun Yun's eyes suddenly reddened. He opened his mouth, wanting to call out "Uncle," but something seemed to be stuck in his throat, and he couldn't make a sound.

Xun Qu reached out and patted his shoulder. The hand was rough and covered in calluses.

"Good boy," he said. "If your father were alive, he would be proud of you."

Xun Yun's tears finally fell. He lowered his head and wiped them with the back of his hand.

"Uncle..." His voice trembled, "You're going back?"

Xun Qu nodded. "There are still things to attend to over there."

"But……"

"No buts," Xun Qu interrupted him. "I promised Xun Yu that I would do it."

Xun Yun raised his head and looked at him.

In the afterglow of the setting sun, this middle-aged man in his fifties had deep wrinkles on his face, but his eyes were bright.

"Uncle," he said.

Xun Qu looked at him.

"May I call you uncle?"

Xun Qu was taken aback for a moment. Then he smiled.

That smile was like the warm sunshine at dusk.

"Of course."

Xun Yun took a deep breath. "Uncle."

Xun Qu nodded. "Hmm."

The two men stood by the roadside, neither of them speaking.

The sun slowly set, turning the sky a fiery red. After a long while, Xun Qu turned and walked south. After a few steps, he suddenly stopped and looked back.

"Live well," he said. "Your father is watching you."

Xun Yun stood there, watching his figure grow smaller and smaller as it receded into the distance.

It grew smaller and smaller. Finally, it disappeared into the twilight. He stood there, motionless. Tears streamed down his face, but he didn't wipe them away.

Xiapi Governor's Office.

I stood before the map, looking at the location of Xuchang. Pang Tong stood beside me.

"Have you met Xun Yun?" I asked.

Pang Tong nodded. "I've met you."

"How is he?"

Pang Tong was silent for a moment. "I cried," he said, "but I didn't stay."

I remained silent. I didn't try to stop her. That child knew she couldn't be kept.

"Where is Xun Qu?"

"I'm leaving," Pang Tong said. "I'm returning to Xuchang."

I stared at that tiny dot on the map. Xuchang. How many people were hidden in that place? Xun Yu's men, our men, and those whose identities I didn't even know.

They are all waiting. Waiting for the right opportunity.

"Shiyuan," I said.

"exist."

"When can those 137 people move?"

Pang Tong thought for a moment. "Now is not the time," he said. "Cao Cao is furious and has ordered a city-wide search. To make a move now would be suicide."

I nodded. "Then let's wait a little longer."

Pang Tong looked at me. "My lord, do you trust Xun Qu?"

I was silent for a moment. "I believe," I said. "The person Xun Yu believed in for twenty years, we can believe in too."

Pang Tong didn't ask him any more questions, but just took a sip of wine.

In the east of Xudu City, there is a general store.

Sun Fu stood behind the counter, holding the pair of scissors in his hand.

Soldiers came again today.

It was the same three people. They looked through it once, said nothing, and left.

He stood there, waiting until they were far away, before slowly tidying up his things. The curtain was lifted. A person walked in.

Sun Fu looked up. Xun Qu. He's back.

"Shopkeeper, do you have lamp oil?" Xun Qu asked.

Sun Fu nodded, turned around and took a small jar of lamp oil from the shelf. Xun Qu paid, picked up the jar, and left.

Throughout the entire process, not a single word was superfluous.

But just as he took the oil can, a note slipped into Sun Fu's palm.

Sun Fu didn't look at it. He waited until it got dark, until the door was closed, until all was quiet. Only then did he unfold the note under the oil lamp.

The note contained only three words: "Wait a little longer."

Sun Fu stared at those three words, remaining silent for a long time. Wait a little longer. Wait for what? He didn't know. But he knew that if that person told him to wait, there must be a reason.

He stuffed the note into his mouth, chewed it, and swallowed it.

Then blow out the light and lie down.

South of Xudu City.

Zhao Yan lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Suddenly, a soft sound came from the windowsill. He got up, went over, and opened the window. In the moonlight, a small pebble lay on the windowsill.

It was bluish-green and round. He reached out, picked up the pebble, and gently pinched it in his palm.

The pebble cracked open. Inside was a tiny slip of paper. He unfolded it and read it by the moonlight. There were only two words on the paper:

"Soon."

Zhao Yan stood there, motionless. A cool night breeze blew in.

He put the note in his mouth, chewed it, and swallowed it. Then he lay back down on the couch and closed his eyes. This time, he slept soundly.