Chapter 38

At that moment, Xun seemed to be possessed by the spirit of a bold actor from the Northern Film Studio. He squinted his eyes, and when he opened them again, they were brimming with tears—“I originally lived in the northern region of Lelang, where such heavy snow is common in winter. As a child, my parents would take me out to play in the snow. Now, the scenery is the same, but my parents have both passed away. Thinking of them in this setting, I feel only sorrow. How can I possibly write anything wonderful?”

Upon hearing this, Kuan and Miss Cao both changed their expressions. Miss Cao frowned slightly, looking a bit awkward, but quickly transformed her expression into one of three parts apology and seven parts sympathy. She bent her knees slightly and said, “It is all my fault for bringing up such a sad memory for Mr. Hongfu. Mr. Hongfu is truly a man of great filial piety... It has made me miss my mother who is now in the netherworld...” As she spoke, she raised her sleeve to cover her face and turned to leave.

Only then did Xun feel a great weight lifted from his chest. Kuan said, “It is my fault for not knowing about Mr. Hongfu's grief and insisting on bringing you out to enjoy the snow. Let's go back to the room and talk.”

Xun thought it would be good to return to the room, but he didn't really want to talk. However, he had no idea that when the two of them returned to Xun's dormitory and sat down, Kuan would ask, “What do you think of Miss Cao? Is she to your liking?”

Xun was taken aback, “What do you mean, Third Brother?”

After asking that question, Kuan suddenly changed the subject, “This is your first time in Xuzhou, and you may not be familiar with the situation here. However, yesterday, I discussed the state of affairs in the province with Uncle Cao. What are your thoughts on what you heard?”

Xun thought Kuan was changing the subject too quickly and didn't know what he was trying to say. He could only respond casually, “I don't have much to say. I just heard that Governor Tao seems to be in poor health.”

Kuan nodded lightly, “Governor Tao is already in his sixties and may not have much time left. Now, Dong Zhuo has seized power, and the emperor has fled west. The roads to the east are cut off. Once Governor Tao passes away, it is unlikely that a new governor will be appointed— even if one is, it will probably be a corrupt order from the usurpers, and the province will not accept it. To ensure the peace and safety of Xuzhou, Governor Tao's two sons must inherit his legacy.”

Xun frowned and asked, “But they are not feudal lords; how can they inherit the position?”

Kuan smiled bitterly, “Given the current situation, we can't afford to be too particular.”

Xun asked again, “But from what you and Uncle Cao said, Governor Tao's two sons are not competent?”

Kuan nodded, “Therefore, capable ministers must assist them, and everyone must work together to resist external threats and ensure the safety of the region. Governor Tao has already made plans. This summer, he sent Zang Ba to garrison Kaixiang to control the strategic location, defend against enemies from Yanzhou and Yuzhou to the east, and divide the power of Qingzhou to the north— as for Yangzhou to the south, the Yangtze River provides a natural barrier, so there is little to worry about.”

Xun understood that Tao Qian was trying to turn Xuzhou into a hereditary kingdom for the Tao family. However, for the local scholars in these chaotic times, it didn't matter whether the ruler was surnamed Liu, Tao, or even Lü later on. As long as they could maintain peace and resist external threats, they would support it. But why was Kuan telling him all this?

He looked at Kuan without responding, waiting for him to continue. Kuan leaned forward, moved closer, and whispered, “In this Xuzhou, which has five commanderies, there are three people who are deeply trusted by Tao Gongzu and hold the reins of power. Do you know who they are?”

Xun replied, “From what you said the other day, the host, Uncle Cao, must be one of them, and his brother, Cao Hong and Cao Zhonghui, are also close to Governor Tao. But who is the third person?”

Kuan raised his hand and extended two fingers, “In Donghai County, there is a man named Mi Zhu, also known as Mi Zichong, who is currently the acting governor of Xuzhou. Do you know him?”

Xun thought, "Mi Zhu, how could I not know him?" In the historical novels, Mi Zhu is simplified to Mi, and he is one of Liu Bei's early advisors. He followed Liu Bei everywhere, though he had no great abilities, he was always treated well—just like Sun Qian, my half-teacher. Moreover, Mi Zhu has a younger brother named Mi Fang, who later betrayed Guan Yu and defected to Eastern Wu.

However, he wouldn't say this to Kuan. He just asked, “I would like to hear more.” Kuan replied, “Mi Zichong's family has been in business for generations, with assets worth tens of millions, and he has thousands of servants and retainers. It is said that much of the military funding in the province in recent years has come from his support. He also has a younger brother named Mi Fang, who is a notable figure in the province and serves as a clerk in the commandery. The Cao and Mi families are the left and right arms of Tao Gongzu. If they can work together, even if Gongzu is no longer here, Xuzhou can still be safe...”

Xun nodded and asked, “From what you say, the two families are not on good terms?”

Kuan sighed lightly, “Yes. The Mi family, being natives, resent the Cao family for being outsiders; the Cao family, being a long-standing noble family, look down on the Mi family for being merchants... This is what Tao Gongzu is most concerned about...”

Xun chuckled to himself—do I need to hear this? I already guessed as much. According to historical records, when Tao Qian was on his deathbed, he did not pass his legacy to his two sons but instead wanted to give Xuzhou to the outsider Liu Bei. It is said that Mi Zhu passed the message and personally presented the seal of the governor to Liu Bei in Xiaopei. Later commentators believed this was a conspiracy, either to seize power or to protect Xuzhou, by falsely passing on the last will. Many of Tao Qian's old generals were deeply dissatisfied, which led to Cao Bao inviting Lü Bu into the province and driving Liu Bei away. However, the historical records do not mention that Cao Bao was originally an outsider or the root cause of the conflict between the Mi and Cao families. Now, hearing Kuan's explanation, it makes sense. In this era, local protectionism is strong, and local scholars often look down on outsiders, while the gentry often look down on merchant families. Therefore, the Mi family and the Cao family are at odds, which is both unexpected and reasonable.

But he still didn't understand why Kuan was telling him all this. Suddenly, a thought flashed in his mind—could it be that Kuan plans to ally with Cao Bao to deal with Mi Zhu? If that's the case, they need to do everything to prevent Liu Bei from entering Xuzhou, otherwise, the Mi family's influence will grow, and the Cao and Shi families will suffer... If history continues to develop as it did, he might end up serving under Lü Bu... When did Shi Yi go to Jiangdong? He couldn't remember.

But he didn't expect Kuan to say something even more surprising—“If the Cao and Mi families are not united, Xuzhou will not be safe. To ensure the stability of Xuzhou, it all depends on us brothers.”

Xun was completely confused, “What exactly do you want me to do, Third Brother? Please be clear.”

Kuan smiled enigmatically and suddenly changed the subject again, “What did you think of Miss Cao just now?”

Xun was startled, “D-don't tell me you want me to marry into the Cao family...”

“Exactly, Hongfu is indeed a smart man,” Kuan smiled in relief, “If Hongfu can marry into the Cao family... Mi Zhu has a younger sister who is still unmarried, and Governor Tao is willing to speak on my behalf. Then the Shi family will be related to both the Cao and Mi families, and it will not be difficult to mediate between them and ensure their harmony.”

Oh my god, Xun thought, what a perfect plan! But why do I have to marry Miss Cao, and you marry Mi Zhu's sister? Can't it be the other way around?

Cao Bao is a minor character in the historical records, and his daughter, though pretty, is not a beauty of the age... According to the historical novels, this Miss Cao later became a concubine of Lü Bu. It's not clear if this is true. As for Mi Zhu, he is the richest man in Xuzhou, and it is said that when Liu Bei was driven out of Xuzhou by Lü Bu, he relied on the financial support of the Mi family to regroup. In terms of wealth, the Mi family is far more prestigious than the Cao family.

Moreover, Mi Zhu's sister is the famous Mi Lady, who later married Liu Bei. As the saying goes, "Only great heroes are the most lustful, and true scholars are the most romantic." Cao Cao and Liu Bei were both notorious for their lust. Cao Cao loved married women, and Liu Bei preferred fair-skinned women. In Xuzhou, he took a concubine named Gan, whom he compared to a white jade beauty, and it's not clear whether he held the beauty or the jade at night... In any case, Liu Bei had excellent taste, so Mi Lady must have been a beauty of the age.

If he could snatch Liu Bei's woman in advance, it would be quite an achievement. But Kuan wanted to claim this achievement for himself—what would he do with Mi Lady? He wouldn't even appreciate the pleasure of having a famous beauty... It would be better to give her to me...

So, if Kuan had said he would marry Miss Cao and let Xun marry Mi Zhu's sister, Xun might have been tempted. But in reality, he didn't want to marry Miss Cao. It's not that Miss Cao is not beautiful; she is not a beauty of the age, but she is definitely passable, and with her healthy complexion and unique charm, she might even score a few extra points. But forming an alliance with Cao Bao, a minor character, was something he had never considered... Could he aim a little higher, so that his father-in-law could give him more hope for the future?

But before Xun could refuse, Kuan had already made the decision, “I have already discussed this with my elder brother and younger brother, and I have written to my father. Such a good match, he will surely agree.”

Damn, it was all planned! Why did you make me meet Miss Cao and ask me about my impression? Whether I liked her or not, even if Miss Cao was blind or deaf, or less attractive, you had already decided. Writing to Shi Yi, there was no need to ask. An alliance with the Cao family would help the Shi family establish a foothold in Xuzhou, and Shi Yi had no reason to refuse.

In an instant, Xun realized that the "chance encounter in the snow" this morning was completely arranged by Kuan. He had unknowingly played a part in the drama, and Miss Cao was also an actor. Kuan had even directed the entire scene himself! He had already been on high alert, but he still fell into Kuan's trap!

——————————I am the line of progress——————————

The week-long "main site six-frequency advertisement" has ended. I saw many people online saying that with this recommendation, they gained at least 200 more followers each day. Why did I only gain less than 600 followers this week? Was it because the recommendation came too early? I am both sweating and crying... Starting today, I will be on the "historical channel category image rotation recommendation." I wonder what effect it will have?

In any case, I will continue to update twice a day and work hard on my writing. I hope readers will not hesitate to give me recommendations, follows, and especially comments—readers' comments are a crucial motivation for authors!

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