Chapter 3

"Hmm... My bow is of no use... Sigh..." An elderly man with slightly graying hair, pinching his beard, pondered aloud.

Cui Hou respectfully said, "Yes, Father, I saw this book on that scoundrel's desk, so he must read it often. But when he took me to read, he only showed me other classics and histories, never this one. There must be something suspicious. I was afraid of arousing his suspicion, so I came back. But I can't recall where this sentence comes from?"

The old man, Cui Hou's father, Cui Yi, raised his head, squinted his eyes, and after a long silence, said, "It seems I was right to have you investigate. This boy indeed has something mysterious. It's not your fault that you don't recognize this book, as it's not among the classics. I suspect this sentence comes from..."

Cui Yi suddenly opened his eyes wide, lowering his voice to a whisper, as if afraid of being overheard: "...Hu, Fei, Zi..."

"Oh, ah!" Cui Hou was greatly startled, "Hu, Hu Fei Zi? Could it be the Hu Fei Zi you mean? So, this scoundrel has obtained..."

"Silence!" Cui Yi glared.

Cui Hou realized his mistake and quickly lowered his voice, "So, Father, you suspect it might be true?"

Cui Yi nodded, "It's said that Hu Fei Zi was skilled in crafting objects, leaving behind five heroes, seven craftsmen, and eighteen methods, but most have been lost... This boy's family is modest, yet he suddenly possesses such a fine treasure. The claim of family inheritance is likely a pretext... Glass is fragile and hard to carve, yet the patterns on this boy's glass bead are seamless, with no marks of tools..."

"I suspect this boy has obtained Hu Fei's secret techniques... In a few days, invite this boy to the manor. I will investigate further. If it's true, then... hmm, hmm, and you arrange for a few skilled men to search his home when he's not there. Be careful and don't let him discover it."

"What exactly should I look for, Father?" Cui Hou was still confused.

Cui Yi, somewhat exasperated, thought, "How can he be so dull?" But since he was his son, he patiently guided him, "Crafting objects requires tools! Search in hidden places for anything unusual. Understand?"

"Yes, Father!"

In a grand and luxurious mansion in the city, another elderly man in fine robes was also scolding his child, but he was far less patient.

"Stupid! Stupid!"

The old man, thunderously angry, struck the ground with his cane. All the servants inside and outside the hall immediately knelt, not daring to raise their heads or move.

This "stupid person" also quickly knelt, crawling forward a few steps and bowing, "Uncle, please calm down! Uncle, please calm down!"

All the people inside and outside the hall also bowed in unison, "Grand Tutor, please calm down! Grand Tutor, please calm down!"

For a moment, inside and outside the hall, the courtyard, and beyond, all was silent. Everyone was trembling, not daring to make a sound.

Only the heavy breathing of the current Grand Tutor, Yuan Wei, could be heard.

"...Cao Aman! Cao Aman's words! Are you a Yuan or a Cao? If Cao Aman tells you to eat dirt, will you eat it?!"

This was a scathing rebuke. Yuan Shao, terrified, repeatedly bowed, "I dare not! I have sinned!"

Yuan Wei's breathing slightly calmed, and after dismissing all the servants, he said in a stern voice, "‘Just one prison official is enough’—what arrogance! ...What did the butcher think of this method?"

"General He... The butcher seemed somewhat swayed..."

"Good, good, good!" Yuan Wei sneered, glaring at the kneeling Yuan Shao, "Did you speak up at the time?"

Yuan Shao trembled, though he didn't raise his head, he could feel Yuan Wei's piercing gaze. He answered in a low voice, "...I, I... did not speak up..."

"Stupid! Useless! What good are you!" Yuan Wei flew into a rage again, striking Yuan Shao's back with his cane.

Yuan Shao dared not dodge, gritting his teeth and enduring it, while repeatedly pleading, "I am stupid, I have sinned! Uncle, please calm down..."

Yuan Wei, being elderly, soon grew tired, cursing, "You ruin good plans!" Though he couldn't hit anymore, he still kicked Yuan Shao to the side, "You always boast of your intelligence, yet you can't even see through such a small trick?"

Yuan Shao quickly got up, kneeling again, not daring to make a sound.

"Go and remind the butcher about the old story of Dou Wu! Hesitation leads to disaster!"

"Yes, Uncle!"

Yuan Shao hurriedly got up, head down, bending over like a servant, backing out of the door before turning to leave.

In his haste, he almost collided with a servant at the courtyard gate. Filled with anger, Yuan Shao kicked the unfortunate servant to the ground and hurried away.

This scene was observed by a young man in fine robes who had emerged from behind a screen in the hall. He chuckled lightly, "Just showing off in front of servants..."

The young man in fine robes walked to Yuan Wei and bowed, "Uncle."

Yuan Wei nodded, gesturing for the young man to sit, "Shu, what do you think of this matter?"

The young man in fine robes, Yuan Shu, smoothed his clothes and sat gracefully, saying, "This is just Cao Aman's delaying tactic. Cao Aman is still a Cao!" Cao Cao's father, Cao Song, was the adopted son of the powerful eunuch Cao Teng, who had served four emperors and was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Fei! A eunuch marquis! How could the Yuan family, who prided themselves on their purity, bear this?

Yuan Shu's meaning was clear: Cao Cao, from a eunuch family, could hardly be sincere in the great cause of eliminating eunuchs.

Yuan Wei nodded slightly, looking somewhat pleased, "Shu, your words align with my thoughts. Capturing eunuchs with a prison official is not difficult, but who can issue such an order?"

For the cause of eliminating eunuchs, Cao Cao's suggestion was a bad one. Eunuchs were the closest to the emperor. Who could issue an order to capture eunuchs? Only the emperor. But the current emperor, Liu Bian, is young and has just ascended the throne. Is it possible for him to order the execution of those who served him closely?

Previously, He Jin killed Jian Shuo under the pretext of violating Emperor Ling's will, which was somewhat justifiable, and only one person was killed. But now, openly and without reason, to kill all the powerful eunuchs—how could a prison official accomplish this?

"Uncle, you are right. Cao Aman is merely afraid of losing his base by eliminating all eunuchs. It's a pity that my elder brother couldn't see this..."

"Useless bastard, don't mention him!"

"Yes, Uncle." Yuan Shu agreed, then smiled, "Uncle, a few days ago, I bought a treasure in the market and have come to present it to you."

Yuan Wei waved his hand, looking somewhat pleased, "What treasure? Keep it. Uncle doesn't need it. Your intention is enough."

"Then Uncle, don't disappoint my sincerity!" Yuan Shu said with a smile, turning to the door and calling out, "Bring in what I brought!"

Yuan Shao, sitting in the carriage, grew increasingly angry, striking the carriage with a fist, startling the guard driving the carriage, who stopped to inquire.

Yuan Shao gruffly told the guard to continue, but his mind was boiling.

I know whether Cao Aman's idea is good or bad, but what benefit would I gain by exposing it?

Cao Aman is right; killing a eunuch only requires a prison official, but killing all eunuchs? Who has the authority to issue such an order? Only the emperor. But will the emperor issue such an order? He is young and listens only to Empress He, who owes her position to the efforts of several eunuchs. How could he order the execution of all eunuchs?

Moreover, even if all eunuchs are eliminated, won't new ones rise to power the next day? They speak of the state and the people, but in reality, it's all for personal gain! It's just that the old man was humiliated by Zhang Rang and others and now seeks revenge.

Though the Upper Army Commander Jian Shuo has been executed, eunuchs have been in power for years, with countless followers. Eliminating all eunuchs will undoubtedly cause chaos, so the old man called Guanxi Dong Zhuo to the capital to maintain balance and prevent unforeseen events.

Yuan Shao sighed deeply. Cao Aman, I can't help you this time. It seems the old man is determined to fight the eunuchs to the death.

For Yuan Shao, the desire to eliminate eunuchs is far less strong than the desire to benefit himself. He did not experience the party purges during the eunuch rule, so he doesn't hate eunuchs as deeply as his uncle Yuan Wei.

Yuan Shao, though nominally the eldest son and grandson, is actually a concubine-born son. The favored son is his brother, Yuan Shu.

He is given the dirty and tiring tasks but receives few benefits. The Yuan family, proud of their purity, avoids too much contact with He Jin, a butcher by origin, considering it a disgrace to the Yuan family's reputation. But when they need to cooperate or seek He Jin's help, they send Yuan Shao to assist him, while keeping the favored Yuan Shu by their side.

Yuan Shao rarely feels the warmth of family. Only with Cao Aman does he feel some friendship, which is one reason he didn't expose Cao Aman.

Killing Jian Shuo, supporting Liu Xie's ascension, and summoning Dong Zhuo to the capital—all these actions have the fingerprints of the Yuan family and other purebloods. Yuan Shao is just a puppet they have pushed forward.

But since these ideas were publicly proposed by him, if anything goes wrong, he will bear the blame.

Yuan Shao is clear about this but feels helpless. He doesn't even have the right to say no. If he weren't a puppet, he wouldn't even have the right to enjoy the Yuan family's prestige.

This is the sorrow of a concubine-born son.

But what can be done?

Yuan Shao clenched his fists, his face twisted, his heart wild with a fierce cry:

I, Yuan Shao, Yuan Benchu, must seize every opportunity to rise, to rise!

I, Yuan Shao, Yuan Benchu, must break free from this cage and carve out my own territory!

I, Yuan Shao, Yuan Benchu, will make the world know my name, make those who have wronged me bow at my feet!