The Three Kingdoms: Home Travel

On the first day of the first month of the second year of the Zhongping era, Cao Cao finally led his army back to Xuchang!

But the scene looked so desolate. Only the emperor rode in a carriage, while the other officials rode horses driven by Cao Cao's cavalry. Some officials who could not ride horses had to follow on foot...

Furthermore, even Cao Cao's own army was facing a food shortage, but fortunately, Xuchang was just around the corner!

Gazing at the magnificent city of Xuchang from afar, one could see that after two expansions at the insistence of Jiang Zhe, Xuchang had finally lived up to the expectations of Cao Cao and Jiang Zhe. Even the emperor, who was used to the prosperity of Luoyang, was astonished, let alone the other officials.

Because of the Xu Chang aristocratic families' financial support, Jiang Zhe generously ordered that the outermost city wall alone be over ten meters high, equivalent to a four- or five-story building in later times. The top of the wall was wide enough for three horse-drawn carriages to walk side by side. Every twenty meters, there was a crenellation, which could hide three or four archers. At a glance, the crenellations were densely packed.

The roads outside the city are flat and endless, all paved with bluestone. Although they are not as luxurious as those in Luoyang, they make Xuchang look more magnificent.

The four city gates were also newly built, with the two gates, each five meters wide and ** meters high, encased in a layer of refined iron. It would take dozens of soldiers working together to open or close them.

A moat was built outside the city wall, and a drawbridge was installed at the city gate to be pulled up in case of emergency.

On this side of the suspension bridge, Jiang Zhe finally applied the knowledge he had acquired in later years. Unfortunately, Gou and Li Ru also knew about this application, but they didn't understand the underlying principle.

Fortunately, their humble willingness to learn lessened Jiang Zhe's regrets somewhat...

Above all four city gates, the two characters "Xuchang" are engraved in large seal script!

"Minister Cao, this... this is Xuchang?" Emperor Xie stared at Xuchang in disbelief. He had no hope for Xuchang; it was just a county town. How could it compare to Luoyang?

But now, he was truly shocked. How could Xuchang before him be described as merely a county town?

"Uh, yes, Your Majesty!" Cao Cao was also taken aback, and replied to Xu Chang with a strange expression.

When Cao Cao returned from his campaign against Xuzhou, he was overjoyed to see the state of Xuchang. However, upon reviewing Jiang Zhe's account books, his heart ached...

According to Jiang Zhe's account, the enormous expenditures made Cao Cao break out in a cold sweat.

"I wonder how much this cost..." Cao Cao stared blankly at Xuchang and murmured.

Emperor Xie, being a child at heart, was naturally overjoyed to see the prosperous city where he would live.

After walking a while longer, Cao Cao saw a dense crowd of people gathered outside the city. He thought for a moment and immediately understood. He was secretly delighted, thinking that Shouyi had indeed understood his intentions...

"Your Majesty!" Cao Cao immediately turned to the carriage and said, "The people of Xuchang under my jurisdiction have come to welcome Your Majesty!"

"Oh?" How could the Emperor Xie receive such treatment from the two traitors, Li and Guo? Hearing this, he leaned out of the carriage and said, "Then... then shall I get down?"

"..." Cao Cao's expression was strange. He thought to himself, "I was just telling you, and you actually came down?" He shook his head, about to speak, when he suddenly heard someone interrupt.

"Your Majesty, you mustn't!" Grand Commandant Yang Biao rode over and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty is the ruler of an empire. How can you do this? Mengde, the Emperor and the officials have been traveling day and night and are already exhausted. It is the right thing to do is to settle Your Majesty and us in the city!"

Cao Cao's expression froze for a moment, and he hesitated. Finally, he replied in a deep voice, "Yes! Cao Cao understands!"

The imperial procession led the way, followed by the emperor, his officials, and Cao Cao, and then Cao Cao's tens of thousands of troops. Following this order, they slowly entered Xuchang.

"Tch!" Jiang Zhe, standing below the city gate, curled his lip, watching the emperor's carriage and the assembled officials slowly enter before him. He noticed the officials' sallow complexions, emaciated faces, and tattered clothes, yet they still maintained an arrogant demeanor. Jiang Zhe turned to Li Ru beside him and said, "Xianzhang, do you see that? These are the court officials..."

Halfway through, Jiang Zhe suddenly had a strange look on his face and said to Li Ru, "Xianzhang. Although it's a bit cold today, your outfit is a bit exaggerated..."

Li Ru was completely wrapped in a coat. His voice was somewhat low, "Yes...yes, oh no, it's just that it's a bit cold today, and my disciples are generally quite frail..." That's what he said. But in his heart, Li Ru thought to himself, "Quite a few of these people recognize me..."

A vague sense of unease crept into Li Ru's heart. Although he was living under Jiang Zhe's roof, Li Ru was quite content there, and now, with nowhere else to go, he had gradually come to regard the Jiang residence as his own home…

"...Oh, I see." Jiang Zhe glanced at Li Ru, somewhat puzzled by the guy. He gave up and continued watching the officials proudly enter Xuchang.

Suddenly, Cao Cao was seen following behind the officials with a sullen expression, and when he saw Jiang Zhe, he seemed to feel ashamed.

"Hmph," Jiang Zhe thought for a moment and immediately understood what was going on, then chuckled lightly and said, "Sometimes, saving face really is important..."

Just then, Grand Commandant Yang Biao rode by. Upon hearing Jiang Zhe's sarcastic remark, his expression changed slightly. After glancing at Jiang Zhe, his expression softened somewhat. He dismounted, walked to Jiang Zhe's side, and said with a smile, "Shouyi is still as straightforward as ever!"

"..." Jiang Zhe looked at the old man who had walked up to him with a puzzled expression, and asked in confusion, "Who are you?"

Yang Biao was a close friend of Wang Yun, so he had naturally met Jiang Zhe and learned about Jiang Zhe's temperament from Wang Yun. However, out of consideration for Wang Yun's reputation, and fearing that Jiang Zhe might say something shocking or outrageous, Jiang Zhe never met the current Grand Commandant.

"My name is Yang Biao, and I was a close friend of your uncle. What? You don't recognize me?"

Jiang Zhe tilted his head and glanced at Yang Biao a few times. He hesitated before saying, "Uncle doesn't seem to have mentioned it..."

Yang Biao looked embarrassed and muttered to himself, "That Prince Shi is going too far!"

"Ahem! I see..." Yang Biao coughed, softening his expression as he looked at Jiang Zhe. "Very well, then let's get to know each other today! But... what is Shouyi doing here?"

Jiang Zhe shrugged, looking at Cao Cao who was dismounting, and said, "When I left Luoyang that day, the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out on the way, so I joined Mengde's forces!"

Cao Cao walked over and overheard this. His face lit up with joy, and he quickly said, "Grand Commandant, it is my great fortune to have Shouyi's assistance!"

"Oh!" Yang Biao said indifferently, looking at Cao Cao and sighing inwardly. What a pity for such a talented person, who is actually the descendant of a eunuch. If the emperor hadn't been in distress, he would never have come here with nowhere else to go! It's hateful that Yuan Shao, a descendant of four families and three dukes, actually sent troops to rescue the emperor when he was in distress! What a scoundrel!

Cao Cao could clearly sense Yang Biao's indifference towards him, and feeling displeased, he stood aside without saying a word.

At this moment, the emperor summoned Yang Biao. Yang Biao smiled slightly at Jiang Zhe and said, "Shouyi, let's reminisce another day!"

Jiang Zhe nodded indifferently, while Yang Biao gave Cao Cao another deep look before mounting his horse and catching up.

"Damn it!" Cao Cao cursed under his breath.

"What?" Jiang Zhe walked curiously to Cao Cao's side.

Cao Cao glanced at Jiang Zhe, seemingly with some envy, and said, "Shouyi comes from a humble background, yet he has been valued by Minister of Works, Cai Yong, and Qiao Gong, and now he has been appointed Grand Commandant. It's laughable that I, Cao Cao, who am concerned about the country and the emperor, and who sent troops to rescue him, am met with nothing but ridicule..."

"Hehe! Jealous?" Jiang Zhe leaned closer to Cao Cao and chuckled softly, "That's character for you!"

"Bullshit!" Cao Cao had spent quite a while with Jiang Zhe, so he understood the meaning behind Jiang Zhe's words. He laughed and cursed, and his mood improved considerably.

Looking at Jiang Zhe, Cao Cao was also secretly surprised. Why did his days of distress disappear with just a joke from Shouyi?

"Give it to me!" Jiang Zhe stretched out his hand to Cao Cao.

"What?" Cao Cao looked bewildered, staring at Jiang Zhe's outstretched hand with a puzzled expression.

"An IOU!"

"Hmm?" Cao Cao looked at Jiang Zhe strangely and said, "Shouyi has the money to pay me back?"

"No!" Jiang Zhe said frankly.

"..." Cao Cao opened his eyes wide, looking at Jiang Zhe with a puzzled expression, and said, "If you don't have the money to pay me back, then why are you asking me for an IOU?"

It would have been better if he hadn't mentioned it, because the mere mention of it infuriated Jiang Zhe. He pulled Cao Cao aside and said sharply, "Mengde, how dare you say that? Because of you, my marriage was delayed for almost two months. How dare you ask me to repay the money?"

"Wait...wait for Cao Cao?" Cao Cao looked deeply at Jiang Zhe, his heart filled with emotion. "This loyalty...this sentiment, I will never forget!"

"Then this... is it a promissory note?"

"Unforgettable as it may be, but this IOU... I won't give it to you!" Cao Cao laughed and said to Jiang Zhe, "How could such a thing happen in the world? Shouyi, don't renege on your debt. I know perfectly well that it's two hundred thousand coins in total!" Not only did he not keep his word, Cao Cao also took out the IOU from his bosom and waved it in front of Jiang Zhe.

"You..." Jiang Zhe rolled his eyes at Cao Cao. He said, "It's just two hundred thousand coins, you wait, I'll definitely pay you back within two or three years! Tsk! You're a governor-level official, and you're still so stingy!"

As they were talking, the emperor and his officials had already entered Xuchang. Jiang Zhe shook his head and went inside.

"Heh!" Cao Cao shook his head and smiled, glanced at the IOU, carefully put it away, and tucked it into his pocket. He sighed inwardly, "Shouyi, what I value isn't just this mere two hundred thousand coins..."

Without any airs of a governor of a province, Cao Cao caught up with Jiang Zhe and said to him, "Shouyi, to be honest, with Xuchang changing so much this time, how much money did you spend?"

Jiang Zhe found it somewhat amusing, turned to look at Cao Cao, and was about to speak when he suddenly heard Cao Cao say, "Wait, let Cao Cao prepare..."

Seeing Cao Cao take a deep breath, Jiang Zhe smiled faintly and said, "Mengde, are you ready?"

"Alright!" Cao Cao said with a look of resignation to his fate.

"Actually..." Jiang Zhe sighed. Looking at Cao Cao, he said, "This time, Xuchang is expanding its city walls, building roads and houses..."

Cao Cao's mouth gaped wider and wider, and his face grew increasingly pale.

"It cost a total of twenty thousand coins!"

"What? Twenty thousand coins?" Cao Cao exclaimed in surprise.

"Yes! Twenty thousand coins, how much is that?"

"Twenty thousand coins? How can that not be enough... What? Only twenty thousand coins?" Cao Cao finally realized that such a massive project only cost twenty thousand coins?

"They've arrived? Let's go! Now that the Emperor has come, I don't know when I'll be able to get married. Let's make it happen today, Mengde, hurry up!"

"Oh, oh!" Cao Cao followed, looking bewildered. Still thinking about Jiang Zhe's words, he looked at the newly paved road and then at the two renovated houses. His expression grew increasingly strange. How could 20,000 coins be possible?

"Shouyi, don't hide it from me. It's better to tell the truth now... Cao Cao won't blame you..."

"...What I said... never mind!"

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