Chapter 32

Chapter 666: Fengyun Zao Hua (風雲造化)

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The scale of Zhao Yun's group was modest, barely numbering a few dozen.

The sight of him riding his horse with a shining armor and a long spear hanging down was akin to seeing a victorious army.

More striking was the fact that everyone, except for Zhao Wan, had two long pheasant feathers inserted in their headgear.

As soon as Zhao Yun saw Lü Bu from a distance, he dismounted and ran to him, burying himself in his arms.

"General!"

"Let's keep some distance for now."

"Can't we stay like this for a moment?"

"Absolutely not..."

After a long struggle, Lü Bu finally managed to separate himself from Zhao Yun.

"General, Zhao Wan from Shangshang greets you after a long time."

"Mr. Zhao, it's been a while. How have you been?"

"Thanks to the General, everything has been going well. The Zhao family of Shangshang is enjoying unprecedented prosperity, all due to the General's grace."

After the greetings, Zhao Wan brought up the main topic.

"I heard that Zhao Qinglong is in the General's custody. Can I meet him?"

"I was about to discuss a few matters regarding that. I will have Zhao Qinglong brought here, so please take a rest and settle in."

"I am grateful for the General's consideration."

As Zhao Wan clasped his hands together to Lü Bu, Lü Bu extended his hand into the governor's office, maintaining the formalities.

In one of the halls of the governor's office, Zhang Xi and An Xi were watching this scene.

"Lady, we should write another letter to the governor."

"Are you suggesting that Lü Bu might be fond of young men?"

Zhang Xi nodded.

"Seeing a young man embrace another young man for so long, it's almost certain he is."

Zhang Xi and An Xi couldn't recognize Zhao Yun's face, but they knew he was young and had a handsome appearance that could be called a beauty.

With just these few clues, it was enough to raise suspicion.

An Xi's expression suddenly darkened.

"Sister, it's best not to include this content in the letter."

"Why? It's an important fact."

"If Lü Bu is fond of young men, what does that make us? The letter we sent earlier would be considered a lie."

"Then let's say we both enjoy it. I have to endure the humiliation of sharing a bed with two men."

Zhang Xi wanted to emphasize how hard she was working for Huang Bosong. But somehow, this didn't seem enough.

She stared intently at An Xi and said,

"While we are suffering here, what is Zhong Xi doing?"

An Xi's expression crumpled.

"That woman is probably living comfortably by the governor's side. While we waste our time, she is building a close relationship with the governor."

"Yes, that's right. The longer I stay here, the deeper the governor's favor for Zhong Xi will grow."

Zhang Xi clenched her fists.

"I can't stand to see that."

"Sister, what can we do to stop Zhong Xi from here? We couldn't even do it when we were close, let alone from such a distance..."

An Xi looked resigned, as if there was nothing they could do. If Zhong Xi monopolized Huang Bosong's favor, it wouldn't be good for her either.

But what could she do? Out of sight, out of mind, right? They were now in a place where they couldn't even exchange a word. An Xi thought there was nothing she could do.

However, Zhang Xi had a different idea.

"There must be something we can do from here."

"Sister, can I ask what it is?"

"The governor has no choice but to believe the letters we send about Lü Bu's army, right?"

"How should we write it?"

Zhang Xi's lips curved into a smile.

"Let's call Zhong Xi over."

* * *

As soon as they settled in, Zhao Wan and Zhao Yun headed to the main hall to meet Lü Bu. It seemed that the matter concerning Zhao Qinglong was urgent.

However, there was already a guest in the main hall.

"Chao Ong!"

Zhao Wan's mouth dropped open when he saw Shangshang Chao Ong.

"Hehe! It's been a long time, Master Zhao. No, now I should call you Mr. Zhao."

"It's been over twenty years since we last met. The landscape has changed twice, but you, Chao Ong, look just the same."

"Time is a tricky thing. It seems to flow slowly for others, but it's merciless for oneself."

"I must express my gratitude to Chao Ong again. Everything you foresaw has come true. Thanks to you, the Zhao family has enjoyed unprecedented prosperity under General Lü."

"How could this old man take credit for that? It's all due to Mr. Zhao's good fortune."

At that moment, Lü Bu interjected.

"Have you exchanged greetings well?"

Shangshang Chao Ong and Zhao Wan clasped their hands together to Lü Bu. Lü Bu then said to them,

"I will have Zhao Qinglong brought here, so please continue your conversation."

A short while later, Zhao Qinglong was brought in.

His hands were tied behind his back, but he didn't look like a prisoner. He hadn't been beaten, starved, or deprived of sleep.

His neat appearance indicated that Lü Bu had shown him some consideration. Lü Bu's subordinates untied the ropes binding him.

As soon as Zhao Wan saw him, he approached and embraced him deeply, saying,

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I have nothing else to say."

But Zhao Qinglong remained silent. His emotions seemed to be running in the opposite direction of Zhao Wan's. He tried to push Zhao Wan away. If he really wanted to push him away, he wouldn't have made such a half-hearted attempt.

Seeing this, Shangshang Chao Ong stepped in.

"Child, don't blame Mr. Zhao too much. Everything is part of your destiny as determined by heaven."

Zhao Qinglong finally broke away from Zhao Wan and turned to Shangshang Chao Ong. He burst into tears and bowed deeply.

"Chao Ong!"

Shangshang Chao Ong approached Zhao Qinglong and patted his back. Meeting Zhao Qinglong's gaze, he raised his hand to his chest.

"You've grown so much since I sent you to the Zhao family. You've grown well, you've grown well."

"Chao Ong, what is my destiny? What does Fengyun Zao Hua mean?"

Zhao Qinglong sought answers to the questions he had long harbored. Lü Bu also perked up his ears, as he was very interested in the secrets of Fengyun Zao Hua.

Shangshang Chao Ong surveyed the hall and then began to speak.

"Mr. Zhao has two sons. But heaven has taken two more boys to prepare for the future of the realm."

Zhao Wan's two sons were Zhao Feng and Zhao Yun. His adopted sons were Cao Cao (Zhao Qinglong's real name) and Zhao Hua.

"Chao Ong, I am just an adopted son of Mr. Zhao, and I only joined the Zhao family to learn Shangshang's spear techniques. Is heaven's arrangement so superficial?"

"Your mission has been fulfilled. You have roamed the world as a knight-errant, haven't you?"

"How could you know that...?"

"Our fangshi are spread throughout the realm. We can keep track of your news."

But these explanations didn't quell Zhao Qinglong's doubts.

"Is being a knight-errant in the world my mission?"

"Everything you have done will contribute to ending the chaos. The reputation you have built as a knight-errant, your subordinates, and the friends you have made will serve as a small foundation for General Lü to end the chaos."

Lü Bu interjected with a question.

"Chao Ong, Fengyun Zao Hua consists of four, but I have only seen three. Where is 'Hua (化)'?"

"General, with the four dragons of Fengyun Zao Hua, you can accomplish what even an army of a hundred thousand cannot. But it's too early to obtain 'Hua (化)' yet."

Lü Bu was disappointed by Shangshang Chao Ong's words.

"Didn't Master Bi say that the Hundred Schools would once again vie for prominence in my era, Lü Bu's era?"

"I heard that. But this matter is not about whether General Lü accepts our support or not. 'Hua (化)' still has tasks to complete. Once those tasks are done, the wind will blow, and the clouds will gather."

Lü Bu made a gesture as if throwing something, showing his frustration.

"Leave the riddles to the fangshi. I lead an army. I can only judge everything by visible results."

"General, you seem quite impatient. Today, you should be content with obtaining Zhao Qinglong."

Lü Bu's lips curved into a smile.

"Chao Ong, it seems you have a misunderstanding. Am I anxious because I can't get Zhao Qinglong? There are many more skilled warriors under my command."

"General, heaven's arrangement is not so simple. The roles of 'Feng', 'Yun', and 'Zhao' have become somewhat intertwined, but how can we accurately predict what kind of flower will bloom from the seeds we plant?"

"So, what is the role of 'Hua'?"

* * *

"Continue. I hope Chao Ong's story will pique my interest."

"I believe it will."

Shangshang Chao Ong confidently passed the ball to Dong Guo Lian Nian. Dong Guo Lian Nian clasped his hands together and stepped forward.

"I, Dong Guo Lian Nian, will reveal a minor secret here. But the story that follows is far from trivial."

Lü Bu raised his palm, signaling for him to continue.

"I am not only a fangshi seeking the Dao but also a 'Juzi'."

Dong Guo Lian Nian's confession didn't cause much of a stir among most people in the hall. But Guo Jia was different.

"Juzi? You can't mean the leader of the Mohists, the 'Juzi'?"

"Yes, the Juzi of the Mohists."

"It's astonishing and hard to believe that the roots of the Mohists have continued to this day."

"The Mohists' succession method may not have been properly maintained, but their teachings had to be passed down somehow. I believe this was the destiny bestowed upon the Dong Guo family."

Lü Bu nodded in understanding and asked,

"So, what does this have to do with the story you're telling now?"

"In the Warring States period, the nature of warfare changed. And it is about to change again. General Lü, can a common archer hit a target six hundred paces away? Can they?"

"Six hundred paces? Are you joking with me? Six hundred paces...! That's absurd."

In Central Plains, archers struggle to hit targets at a hundred and fifty paces, and even the Huo Fu cavalry rarely exceed two hundred and fifty paces. Even if we brought archers from the East, hitting a target at six hundred paces would be impossible.

"Would you believe it if I told you there is a bow that can make a common archer shoot an arrow six hundred paces away?"

Lü Bu rubbed his temples.

"Master, my patience is wearing thin. Do you want to see me lose my temper? Or would you rather end this and receive generous treatment as my honored guest?"

Dong Guo Lian Nian shifted his gaze from Lü Bu to Guo Jia, believing that Guo Jia might know something about this.

"Master, are you familiar with the stone crossbow from Ji Zi's land and the Shili (時力) and Julai (距來) made in Xiaofu?"

Dong Guo Lian Nian's words made Guo Jia's eyes waver.