Chapter 3

Is Yanzhou safer than Xuzhou?

Cai Zhaohui was full of question marks... She looked at Lu Yu curiously, eagerly awaiting the answer.

"Does Sister Zhaohui forget that the current situation is one of warlords dividing the land, with the world in great turmoil..." Lu Yu blinked his eyes... "At this time, it's too dangerous to go out looking for relatives. The most urgent thing... is to find a safe place."

"Safe?" Cai Zhaohui frowned. "Clearly, Xuzhou is safer... Under Tao Qian's governance, the people are prosperous, and no one picks up lost items on the road. There has been no rebellion by the Yellow Turbans within its borders... whereas Yanzhou..."

Mentioning Yanzhou, Cai Zhaohui let out a long sigh.

"Didn't we just receive news that the Inspector of Yanzhou, Liu Dai, was killed by the Yellow Turbans, and the various counties are in chaos, with the Yellow Turbans causing the most trouble there... It should be the most dangerous place!"

Cai Zhaohui's big eyes blinked rapidly...

Lu Yu nodded slightly.

In recent years, Sister Zhaohui, who often accompanied him, had made considerable progress in judging the situation.

However...

"Sister Zhaohui only knows one side of the story. Tao Qian, the Inspector of Xuzhou, is just a paper tiger, collapsing at the slightest touch! True heroes will not appear in places of comfort, but in the most complex swamps and mud!"

"Swamps? Mud? Heroes? Are you saying... Yanzhou and Cao Cao?" Cai Zhaohui countered...

She knew...

Previously, when Brother Lu Yu was talking with the Cao family, he mentioned that Cao Cao's strategy to break the deadlock was in Yanzhou.

In other words, Brother Lu Yu was already certain that after Liu Dai, the people of Yanzhou would unanimously choose Cao Cao as their new Inspector.

"You guessed it, Sister."

Lu Yu grinned. "Just trust me this once. In this chaotic world, there is no place safer than Yanzhou, no place safer than Cao Cao's territory!"

To be honest, Lu Yu didn't want to join Cao Cao...

After all, some of Cao Cao's hobbies were quite despicable and deeply detested by Lu Yu...

But, as a fifteen-year-old young man, leading a twenty-year-old unmarried woman, where else could they go?

Joining Liu Bei, Lu Yu feared that his legs couldn't endure the years of wandering and hardship;

Joining Yuan Shao, that would be a deep pit;

Ha, compared to joining other warlords, who would eventually fall, it was better to find a reliable ally from the start.

Besides...

Sister Zhaohui and Cao Cao had some old connections.

With this connection, he and Cai Zhaohui could receive better treatment in Cao Cao's camp...

Thinking of this, Lu Yu continued...

"I remember Sister and Cao Cao are siblings, right?"

"Siblings... I call him brother, but... that was when we were young."

Cai Zhaohui's tone suddenly became choked...

It seemed there were some unspoken secrets...

To be fair, because her father, Cai Yong, was once Cao Cao's teacher at the Imperial Academy, Cai Zhaohui and Cao Cao were old acquaintances.

However, Cao Cao always seemed unreliable to Cai Zhaohui. The things he had done in the court and in the bureaucracy over the years were simply beyond reason and unimaginable.

As the Northern Commandant of Luoyang, he cast five-colored cudgels to beat the nobles, offending all the Ten Attendants;

As the Magistrate of Dunchou, he issued the Ten Crimes Edict, bringing clear skies to the people but offending the powerful families;

When the Ten Attendants were in power, he attempted to assassinate Zhang Rang, the leader of the Ten Attendants;

When Dong Zhuo dominated the court, he pretended to offer a sword to assassinate Dong Zhuo!

Cai Zhaohui's evaluation of Cao Cao was simply three words—reckless youth!

Joining such a reckless brother, would it really be reliable?

For a moment, Cai Zhaohui had a hint of doubt, but soon her eyes became determined.

Brother Lu Yu had never been wrong. If he said to join someone, it must have been carefully considered and was correct!

"Fine, wherever Brother says, we'll go..." Cai Zhaohui patted Lu Yu's shoulder. "Cao Cao's camp it is. We still have some connections, so he won't mistreat us!"

Hearing this, Lu Yu nodded...

He thought of something and quickly reminded her.

"Sister Zhaohui, we can go, but you mustn't reveal that I am 'Yin Lin'..."

"The praise from the Monthly Review is too loud. If other warlords learn that I am in Cao Cao's camp, both Cao Cao and Yanzhou will become targets!"

Oh...

Cai Zhaohui found this reasonable, "Brother is thoughtful. But, since we're going to Cao Cao's camp, don't you plan to offer strategies to your brother?"

"Well..." Lu Yu's eyes twinkled. "We'll see about that later. Let's see how your brother performs first."

Saying this, the corners of Lu Yu's mouth lifted, revealing a sly smile!

In his view...

Besides being safer in Cao Cao's camp,

As Cao Cao's influence grew, he could also continue to investigate the whereabouts of that "scoundrel" stepfather, a man who abandoned his wife and child, who must not be let off easily!

Hmph...

Lu Yu muttered to himself, if he found out who it was, he would give him a taste of his own medicine...

For a scoundrel to wrong his mother, that was intolerable!

He had to avenge his mother in the afterlife.

...

...

In September of the same year, under the guidance of Yin Lin,

Cao Cao, in alliance with Zhang Miao, the Governor of Chenliu, and Bao Xin, the Administrator of Jibei, and with secret deployments, was unanimously chosen as the Inspector of Yanzhou, taking control of the entire region.

The entire process was unexpectedly smooth, yet reasonable.

However...

After becoming the Inspector of Yanzhou, with a larger territory and more troops, Cao Cao also had more worries.

The previous Inspector of Yanzhou, Liu Dai, left behind a poor and weak Yanzhou...

Military supplies and troops were both in short supply.

Within the borders, 300,000 Yellow Turbans were poised to attack the cities and counties...

Outside the borders, there were the threats from Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu, and Dong Zhuo...

Surrounded by powerful enemies, Cao Cao increasingly desired new guidance from "Yin Lin"!

He also became more aware of the importance of the word "strategy" in the phrase "plan before action."

For this reason, Cao Cao convened a meeting with his fellow men from Qiao and Pei, with the core focus on two words—“seeking talent”!

"Brother, I have investigated in many places but found no trace of Yin Lin..." Cao Ren frowned, at a loss. "It seems... after he left Xuzhou with that woman, there has been no news of him!"

Hearing this, Cao Hong scratched his head. "If we had known how wise Yin Lin was, we would have bound him and brought him here. If he serves someone else, then..."

"Zilian!" Before Cao Hong could finish, Cao Cao sternly rebuked him. "If you continue to speak nonsense, you will be punished by military law!"

"Yin Lin is a benefactor to me, Cao Cao, and to all of us from Qiao and Pei. If it weren't for his strategy, we would still be confined to the region of Dongjun, serving as Fanyuan's watchdog... From now on, anyone who defames Yin Lin is my enemy!"

These words left Cao Hong trembling. In his memory, his brother had never scolded a clansman so harshly for the sake of an outsider.

"Brother, I was just talking... I know Yin Lin is our benefactor!"

"Alright..." Cao Ren stood up at the right moment, changing the subject and helping Cao Hong out of the predicament. "Brother... We can't find Yin Lin for now, but... the military and civilian affairs of Yanzhou are urgent! We need talented people everywhere!"

Sigh...

Cao Cao sighed helplessly.

Clearly, he was deeply troubled by the inability to find Yin Lin.

As for talent...

"Fine, let's issue the first 'Edict for Seeking Talent' in the name of the Inspector of Yanzhou, to recruit talented people from all over the world!"

"Also, Zixiao, you personally select a group of intelligent people from the army."

"Strategists and talents... We can't just sit and wait. I plan to personally cultivate some."

After becoming the Inspector of Yanzhou, Cao Cao increasingly felt the importance of talent.

Not to mention someone as extraordinary as Yin Lin.

Even if a few more learned people came, they could help share his burden.

The edict for seeking talent and the cultivation of talent were urgent.

The burden of a state governor is not light.

...

...