The Three Kingdoms: My Wife is a Great and Good Teacher

"Sister Xuande... cured me?" Liu Zhaoqing murmured softly.

This is not a random guess, because when Liu Zhaoqing was in Pingyuan County, he was almost killed by a ferocious beast, and it was Liu Bei who saved him.

But this time, just like last time, Liu Zhaoqing still didn't know what method Liu Bei used.

Turning his head to look at the table, Liu Zhaoqing found a box of pastries on the table.

When I walked forward, I found that the box had been opened. In addition to some cakes, there was an extra layer of space, and it seemed that something the size of a bowl was missing.

No one had eaten them because there were pastries on the table next to the pastry box, which meant that only the bowl containing the pastries was lost from the box.

"Strange...it shouldn't have been stolen, right?" Liu Zhaoqing muttered.

"But this is not important. Sister Xuande's medical skills are so amazing. Could it be that she has acquired some new abilities that I can't detect?"

"Being able to cure the pain in my body is extremely important. I have to find an opportunity to ask Sister Xuande..."

After Liu Zhaoqing made up his mind, he got up and left the room.

----

When Liu Zhaoqing arrived at the guest hall on the second floor of the county residence, he met Zhang Liao.

Only one person was needed to report the matter. Zhao Yun had already gone out again to relocate the soldiers and help bury the bodies of the soldiers who died in the battle.

Zhang Liao explained to Liu Zhaoqing the current situation of Han Fu's troops in Yecheng, as well as the battle losses on his side.

Although only nearly 20,000 of the 130,000-strong army that Han Fu and the Hebei princes had joined forces with was left, the coalition forces dispersed yesterday.

After the remaining soldiers belonging to Han Fu were killed again, only less than three thousand people were left.

Liu Zhaoqing's casualties in the battle against Dong Zhuo were close to 10,000. Although many of them were Hu soldiers, 40% of them were Yellow Turban Army.

This casualty ratio is already quite terrifying, but Liu Zhaoqing also sighed.

Then let Zhang Liao properly arrange for the families of the soldiers who died in the battle, and treat the Hu people equally. You can go to Zhang Jiao for this matter, and she will assist.

War will inevitably bring casualties. What Liu Zhaoqing can do is to make their sacrifice meaningful.

After Zhang Liao left, Liu Zhaoqing met Xun Yu and Guo Jia.

Xun Yu and Guo Jia are indeed top strategists. They only spent half a day and one night yesterday to develop a detailed joint defense plan.

After listening to the detailed explanation, Liu Zhaoqing said "OK" three times in a row.

Regarding the matter of joint defense, Liu Zhaoqing asked Guo Jia to communicate with Liu Yu, as his help was definitely needed in this matter.

After finishing the two most important things, Guo Jia glanced at Xun Yu, then raised his hand and bowed to Liu Zhaoqing.

"Then I will write to Lord Bo'an immediately."

After saying that, Guo Jia stepped out.

There is no need to be so anxious to write the letter. Even if Dong Zhuo really comes to attack Jizhou, he must organize troops and defend against Kong Rong first.

But Guo Jia has always believed in "speed is the essence of war", so it is normal for him to be more efficient.

Liu Zhaoqing didn't know what to say.

Just like that, Liu Zhaoqing and Xun Yu were the only ones left in the room.

They were old acquaintances, and Liu Zhaoqing did not feel embarrassed or awkward.

Instead, he smiled and picked up the kettle to make a cup of tea for Xun Yu.

"Wen Ruo has worked really hard in this battle. Not only did he offer advice, but he also ran back and forth with his troops." Liu Zhaoqing said sincerely.

As a scholar, Xun Yu has been following Liu Zhaoqing and Cao Cao's troops. This kind of intensity is something that not everyone can withstand.

Xun Yu stood up and took the tea handed over by Liu Zhaoqing, then smiled and said: "This is what Yu should do. On the contrary, Zhaoqing is the one who has worked the hardest in this battle."

"He sneaked into Luoyang and burned Dong Zhuo's granary. He led his troops in a surprise attack to help Han Fu break through. He also used the magic sword in his hand to open the Yellow River. In the final battle, it was thanks to Zhao Qing that the ridicule of the great trouble in the world was completely wiped out."

Having said that, of course Liu Zhaoqing couldn't keep praising himself.

He has always been low-key, unless, like before, some princes feel that they are not qualified to be the leader, he will bring up his past deeds and let them judge for themselves.

This time is no exception, because Liu Zhaoqing knows that his victory is inseparable from the support of everyone.

"I didn't expect Dong Zhuo to have such a backup plan. If it weren't for Jiao'er and everyone else, I'm afraid we would really be overturned by Chao Feng." Liu Zhaoqing sighed.

Xun Yu also nodded slightly: "If we can't find a way to eliminate Chao Feng, we will definitely be annihilated."

"Dong Zhuo acted like a villain and let Li Ru kill Prince Hongnong and Queen Mother He. Such behavior is not tolerated by the world. It's a pity that there is no one in the court who can punish him." Xun Yu shook his head.

"Lu Zhi and Huangfu Song have both left Luoyang. Now, except for those who cannot leave, the people who remain in Luoyang are basically some traditional aristocratic families." Liu Zhaoqing held his chin.

"I didn't expect that the Yuan family didn't seek refuge elsewhere like the Xun family did."

"Instead, they split apart, with Yuan Shao becoming the deputy leader. I don't know what Yuan Shu is planning, and Yuan Wei, the head of the family, is still one of the three highest officials in the court."

"There are many disciples of the Yuan family. It may be because Dong Zhuo was also a disciple of the Yuan family, and Yuan Wei was reluctant to give up his position as one of the Three Dukes, so he stayed in Luoyang." Xun Yu said.

"As for Yuan Shu..." Xun Yu pondered for a moment, "Even his elder sister Yuan Shao finds this man hard to figure out."

"In my opinion, Yuan Shu is a man with great ambitions, but he is suppressed by Yuan Wei and has no way to realize his ambitions."

"I think such a person would try his best to flatter Dong Zhuo in order to get a high position, but... Zhao Qing said before that he helped you burn Dong Zhuo's granary." Xun Yu frowned slightly.

"This matter will eventually be exposed, and by then there will be no place for Yuan Shu around Dong Zhuo. This is contrary to his character."

Liu Zhaoqing recalled that night in Luoyang and said, "That day, his subordinate Ji Ling told me that he saved me because he wanted Yuan Shu to accept the mandate of heaven himself."

"Accept the will of heaven..." Xun Yu murmured.

"Does Wen Ruo know what this specifically represents?" Liu Zhaoqing asked.

Although this term has been mentioned many times, Liu Zhaoqing only has a superficial understanding of it. He thinks it means something like a fortune teller saying that you have the aura of an emperor and have the opportunity to unify the world.

The explanation of the "Destiny" column in my own book is similar, but accepting destiny does not mean that you are the only one destined by destiny.

Otherwise, when in Hebei, people like Zhang Chun would not have been able to ascend the throne directly.

This was also the reason why Liu Zhaoqing did not quite believe what the Luoshu spirit said in his dream of Luoshu. If the person who found him was just the one who received the Mandate of Heaven, then the legitimate Han emperor in the palace should theoretically be more suitable than Liu Zhaoqing.

Therefore, there must be other explanations for this “accepting the mandate of heaven”.

As the daughter of an aristocratic family who once served as a palace guard and liked to study classics and history books, Xun Yu should know something.

Xun Yu did not disappoint Liu Zhaoqing. After pondering for a while, Xun Yu said:

"There can only be one Son of Heaven in the world, and that is the current Emperor."

"But in the pre-Qin period, the Zhou royal family declined, and the feudal princes in various places usurped and even trampled on Zhou rituals, vying for supremacy."

"Every time a hegemon fights for supremacy, it can be called a 'mandate of heaven'. At that time, the hegemon already has the prestige of a 'son of heaven', but he dare not take the last step, because the Zhou royal family's sacred artifact, the Nine Cauldrons, will not regard it as orthodox."

"After Qin Shi Huang unified China, the Nine Cauldrons had long since disappeared during the wars of the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, so the First Emperor was the one who 'founded the country.'"

"After founding the Qin Dynasty, Qin Shi Huang hoped that the Qin Dynasty would last for thousands of generations. In order to prevent the pre-Qin princes from fighting for hegemony and disrupting the royal family, the unified Qin Dynasty needed a new artifact that could stabilize the dynasty's fortune."

Xun Yu paused here, and Liu Zhaoqing, who was listening carefully, also thought of what the artifact cast by Qin Shihuang that Xun Yu was talking about was.

"Twelve Golden Men..."

Xun Yu nodded: "Although the Qin Dynasty was not as fierce as it is now, there was still a strange phenomenon in the world when the twelve golden men were cast. From then on, the twelve golden men became the symbol of the Qin Dynasty's orthodoxy."

"After Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty conquered Qin and defeated Chu, he had the ability to establish a new state, but he chose to continue the orthodoxy of Qin."

"Not only is it a waste of money and labor to recast the artifacts, the Han dynasty simply cannot afford it. It is also because before recasting the artifacts, the previous artifacts must be destroyed. This is the only way to pass the 'orthodoxy' to the artifacts."

"And if something unexpected happens during this period, the consequence is likely to be another round of unrest in the world."

"Qin has just fallen, and the fire of restoration of the six kingdoms has not yet been completely extinguished. If an accident occurs during the destruction of the divine weapon, the foundation that has just been established may collapse in an instant."

"This risk is unbearable, so several reasons have led to the Twelve Golden Men from the Qin Dynasty still being our dynasty's sacred artifacts."

"Afterwards, nothing happened to the Twelve Golden Men, and no emperor after Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing thought about this matter again, until... now."

Xun Yu looked at Liu Zhaoqing, who said after a moment's silence: "What this means is that if you want to 'accept the Mandate of Heaven', then the dynasty artifact that represents 'orthodoxy' must be destroyed."

This also fits with the reason why Zhang Chun was able to ascend the throne before. It was because one of the Twelve Golden Men was destroyed by Dong Zhuo and the Mandate of Heaven collapsed in Hebei, which gave Zhang Chun the objective conditions to succeed the orthodox throne.

"Yes." Xun Yu nodded. "People like Han Fu often say that he is destined by heaven and can carry out the destiny, but you, I and everyone else know that he is just talking nonsense in his sleep."

"Yuan Shu is different. He is definitely not a mediocre person like Han Fu."

After Xun Yu finished speaking, Liu Zhaoqing also narrowed his eyes.

"You mean, Yuan Shu is predicting this?"

"Only if the divine weapon is predicted to break again in the future, there will be a new person who can carry on the destiny."

The advantage of spending enough time with Liu Zhaoqing is that Xun Yu doesn't need to explain too much. Just tell her a story from the past, and Liu Zhaoqing will be able to understand what she wants to express.

After taking a breath, Xun Yu nodded: "That's right."

"But Yuan Shu is not a fortune teller. He is just a military commander who is about to break through to the sky."

"That is to say, that kid may have someone guiding him." Liu Zhaoqing said softly.

He stroked his chin, then shook his head and said, "I really can't think of it here, but as long as Yuan Shu doesn't get in our way, it shouldn't matter what he wants to do."

Liu Zhaoqing knew what kind of person Yuan Shu was in his previous life. Even if Yuan Shu of this era still wanted to seize the throne, he had to have the ability to do so.

If you rely on fortune-telling to fulfill your destiny, you may end up becoming a joke like Han Fu.

Xun Yu also agreed with Liu Zhaoqing's opinion: "Yuan Shu is not our most important concern. Now we have to quickly reorganize and then merge with the central route. At least, we should break through Hulao Pass shortly before or after Kong Zhuo of Yuzhou is eliminated by Dong Zhuo."

Liu Zhaoqing nodded, and then said: "I expect to be able to regroup and set off tomorrow."

After finishing speaking, Liu Zhaoqing suddenly remembered what Jia Xu said yesterday. He looked at Xun Yu and said after thinking for a while: "Wen Ruo, after Dong Zhuo is pacified, will you return to Luoyang?"

This question caused Xun Yu to fall into silence for a short time, and then she said: "If the court needs me, I will go back."

Hearing this, Liu Zhaoqing was speechless.

This is not only Xun Yu's character, but also the will of her family.

At this moment, Liu Zhaoqing really wanted to listen to Jiao'er and Cao Cao and force himself on her.

But for Xun Yu, this approach was undoubtedly a pure loss of favor.

At this moment, Liu Zhaoqing kind of hoped that he, a scholar, could come up with a favorability strategy system, writing down the other person's favorability towards him and the strategy methods in front of him.

It’s hard to understand human hearts, and even harder to understand women’s hearts.

"Boom!"

At this moment, the door was pushed open.

Cao Cao and Cao Ren walked closer and saw Liu Zhaoqing and Xun Yu sitting across the table. Cao Cao looked surprised for a moment.

"You two are just sitting here alone, staring at each other?"

"I said why didn't I hear any sound."

Liu Zhaoqing shook his head and said to Cao Cao: "Before you came, we had already finished discussing our affairs."

"Have you finished talking? That's great." Cao Cao asked Cao Ren to close the door.

Then he sat down on the bench and leaned against the red-painted wooden pillar.

"Just now, a messenger sent me a message that Yizhou Governor Liu Yan has joined the anti-Dong alliance and is preparing to march from Hanzhong to take Chang'an."

"Liu Yan?" Liu Zhaoqing raised his eyebrows.

"He is the relative of the Han royal family who proposed to 'abolish the historian and establish the governor.'" Cao Cao said.

Liu Zhaoqing certainly knew who Liu Yan was, but he did not expect that Liu Yan would choose to join the anti-Dong alliance at this time.

"This guy joined just in time." Liu Zhaoqing complained.

The day after he defeated Dong Zhuo, he joined the anti-Dong coalition. Before that, no news about him spread while he was in Yizhou.

"Obviously, he saw that we won and came to help us, or to help himself to bite off some pieces of Dong Zhuo."

"Hebei is thousands of miles away from Yizhou, and the fastest falcon takes nearly two days to arrive. This means that Liu Yan has planted spies in Hebei and other places." Xun Yu said.

"Yes." Cao Cao laughed and said, "It seems that this man is not willing to be the 'Son of Yizhou' and wants to be the real Son of Heaven, the one destined by heaven."

"It will definitely not just be Liu Yan who will express his views next. The others who are waiting and watching will also express their views one after another."

Liu Zhaoqing nodded slightly: "Although this approach is somewhat despicable, it is a good thing for the alliance."

"That's not necessarily true." Cao Cao shook his head.

"It's hard to control when there are too many people, and it's even harder to control when there are too many people with impure intentions."