After a long ti passed and noticing that Xun Yu was completely ignoring him, Fan Qin sheepishly lifted his head to see Xun Yu still absorbed in reviewing official docunts.
"Xiubo, do you think our lord made a mistake this ti?" Xun Yu asked without looking up.
Fan Qin’s face brightened. The thing he feared the most was when Xun Yu didn’t say anything, leaving him completely in the dark. As long as Xun Yu was willing to speak, there were ways to deal with the situation. "From the perspective of filial piety, there’s not much wrong, but in terms of moral principles, it’s sowhat unacceptable. As for the Nine Virtues of a ruler..."
"Hmm," Xun Yu humd lightly, not continuing the conversation.
Fan Qin waited for a long ti, but Xun Yu remained silent. Finally, Fan Qin couldn’t take it anymore. "Xun Wenruo, if you don’t give
an explanation today, I’m done!"
"One chooses their lord, just as a lord chooses their ministers," Xun Yu responded calmly.
"So, are you saying that we should kick Cao ngde to the curb? That’s fine, we can go help Chen Gongtai, make sure Cao ngde disappears for good." Fan Qin beca excited at the idea. He would love to see internal strife within Cao Cao’s camp. If Xun Yu rebelled against Cao Cao, Cao Cao’s regi would collapse in no ti since most of his key ministers were recomnded by Xun Yu.
"To err is human, but to correct one’s mistake is even greater," Xun Yu continued.
"I..." Fan Qin was almost choked by Xun Yu’s response. After taking a few deep breaths, he asked, "So, you an that as long as Cao ngde admits his mistake and doesn’t repeat it, you’ll let this go?"
Xun Yu didn’t respond, too disinterested to engage further. Although Fan Qin was indeed talented in governance, strategy, and assessing situations, his personality was undeniably peculiar.
"But wait," Fan Qin thought aloud, "if all it takes is for Cao ngde to admit his mistake and you’ll forgive him, he still has to survive first. You’ve already let Chen Gongtai, that madman, loose. You’ve basically sealed Cao ngde’s retreat, and with Liu Xuande blocking his way in front, how can he possibly make it back alive?"
Xun Yu continued with his work, but suddenly a shadow lood over him. Startled, he looked up to find Fan Qin staring at him in shock.
"You’ve figured it out?" Xun Yu asked, eting Fan Qin’s gaze.
"I’m shocked. I never expected you to be this ruthless, and so bold. Aren’t you afraid this could backfire?" Fan Qin asked, his face partially hidden behind his ornate fan.
"It doesn’t matter. Success or failure benefits us either way," Xun Yu replied calmly. "Since I’ve chosen him as my lord, it’s my duty to guide him. This is both a test and an opportunity. If he succeeds, he will prove to be a great leader. If he fails, then it only ans my judgnt wasn’t as good as I thought."
"Xun Wenruo!" Fan Qin’s voice squeezed out through clenched teeth. "You’re formidable! You’re the most formidable person I’ve ever t! Calling your sches 'calculated' doesn’t do them justice. Your foresight is terrifying!"
"You’re not bad yourself," Xun Yu responded without looking up. "Hurry up and finish processing these docunts. There’s still much to do in Yanzhou. Make sure that when Gongtai takes control, he has enough resources to manage the aftermath. Our lord needs to suffer a few more setbacks before he can truly mature."
Fan Qin sighed deeply. "Chen Changwen choosing you as his opponent is truly tragic. I can no longer see any chance of him winning. All I can do is pray he lives longer than you; otherwise, Changwen might never recover."
Xun Yu smiled faintly. "Get back to work. Gongtai... well, he’s not so different from us. I hope our lord makes the right choices. Otherwise, I’ll have to serve another."
"Oh, spare
the drama," Fan Qin teased. "Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. Your loyalty isn’t really to Cao ngde. You just believe he can help you restore the Han Dynasty. And if your current plans don’t benefit him, they’ll still benefit the Han. Isn’t that right?"
"Heh, I believe in my lord’s capacity," Xun Yu replied, his face serene, though Fan Qin noticed a flicker of sothing in his eyes. It was enough to convince Fan Qin that if Cao Cao truly disappointed him, Xun Yu had contingency plans in place, along with soone ready to take over.
Fan Qin lowered his head and returned to his paperwork, feeling even more wary of Xun Yu. Xun Yu’s strategies were the kind that would have you counting money for him even after he sold you out. His plans didn’t rely on complex sches but rather on pushing situations to a point where people had no choice but to make the most logical decision.
As Fan Qin silently reflected on this, Cao Cao remained unaware that Xun Yu had prepared a test for him. By now, Cao Cao had grown weary of the slaughter. His rage had dissipated, and he no longer harbored much hatred. He was beginning to regain his senses and had lost interest in further killings, instead focusing on gathering his troops and ending the massacre.
However, the chaos in Xu Province had already spiraled out of control. Although Cao Cao had withdrawn his forces, the killings continued. Even in his mont of clarity, Cao Cao realized he had been used as a pawn.
"Zhongde, investigate this for . Find out who is slaughtering the people of Xu Province in my na! I, Cao ngde, will own up to the lives I’ve taken, but no one else will pin their cris on !" Cao Cao roared in anger.
"Understood!" Cheng Yu responded. He too had noticed that the massacre in Xu Province was now beyond their control. Even if they stopped killing, others were still doing so in their na. Although they had shed the most blood, they didn’t want to bear even more guilt.
"Report! General Le has sent a letter from Fan County for our lord!" A ssenger rushed in, kneeling before Cao Cao with a sealed letter in hand.
Cao Cao recognized the handwriting on the envelope and the large characters on it: "To my son, ngde." Tears stread down his face as the hatred that had almost faded surged once more.
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