Zhang Wei agreed verbally, but he thought that if Xiahou Mao dared to say this in front of Guan Yu, he would probably be hacked to death.
Xiahou Mao frowned and asked, "Liu Qi has formed an alliance with Sun Quan and is sending troops to Jiangxia. What is his purpose?"
Zhang Wei clasped his fists and said, "I don't know the reason for this matter either. You'd better report it to General Zhang Liao."
"Hmph, Zhang Liao, don't even think about getting any benefits from me again!" Xiahou Mao snorted coldly.
Zhang Wei hurriedly said, "It's a matter of state, young master, you must not act on impulse."
Xiahou Mao smiled and said, "Don't worry, I will send someone to Xuchang to report this matter."
Zhang Wei then breathed a sigh of relief, asked for some more money and went to Jiangxia to inquire about the news.
Xiahou Mao sent someone to deliver the message. Cao Pi received the secret report in Xuchang and immediately discussed it with the defending general Man Chong.
Man Chong was also confused. The Jiangxia troops could only march towards Jiangdong. Could the alliance between the two families be a deliberate bluffing and a diversion
As everyone was unaware of the Jingzhou army's movements, they became more cautious and sent someone to inform Zhang Liao to strengthen defenses. At the same time, they sent troops to closely monitor the Dabie Mountains to prevent a surprise attack on the heart of Yuzhou from here.
Within a few days, the alert was strengthened in Runan, and more cavalry patrols were dispatched. Scouts were seen running back and forth on all the main roads and important thoroughfares to guard against the troops from Nanyang.
At this time, Xun Yu had already resigned from his post in Yecheng and quietly crossed the river to the south. All the civil and military officials in Cao's camp were busy deploying defenses and preparing for war. Chen Qun and others who had planned to welcome the visitor to express their condolences had to give up temporarily.
One day, they arrived at Chenliu and stayed in an inn. Xun Yu recalled the time when he helped Cao Cao to raise an army, fight against Dong Zhuo, destroy Lu Bu, and defeat Yuan Shao. The flashes of swords and shadows seemed like a dream.
As the sun was about to set, Xun Yu stood in front of the window, looking at the distant mountains, and the sound of iron horses seemed to ring in his ears.
Just as he was lost in thought, an attendant came with a man, who was Cao Chun's personal guard. He handed over a package and said it was a reward from the Prime Minister, and asked Xun Yu to open it personally.
Xun Yu thanked him and returned to his room to open the package. He saw a food box inside and Cao Cao's note on the seal. He was secretly puzzled. When he opened the food box, he was shocked to find it was empty.
Bang!
After closing the food box, Xun Yu took two steps back, holding onto the table to steady himself. After a long while, he sighed, shook his head and murmured, "If I don't eat the food provided by the Han Dynasty, it will all be in vain..."
As the sun set, the light in the room dimmed, casting a gray and unclear image on half of Xun Yu's face. The light in his eyes became weaker and weaker, and he closed his eyes, leaving two lines of tears.
"Rat poison and cockroach poison. Rats can't escape after eating them, and cockroaches will die on the spot after eating them—"
In the dead silence, a peddler passed by on the street, banging his gong and shouting loudly.
Xun Yu came back to his senses and told his attendant, "There was a rat in the room just now. Go buy two packets of rat poison."
The attendant hurriedly said: "Master, why don't you change rooms!"
"No need!" Xun Yu sighed and waved his hand, saying, "We'll leave early tomorrow morning. No need to bother."
The attendant went downstairs and bought two packets of medicine, placing one under the table and the other under the bed. Xun Yu asked everyone to leave and not to disturb them unless summoned.
The lights were on and the night was getting colder. Listening to the noise on the street outside, Xun Yu sighed again, touched the food box, stood up, changed his clothes, and tidied his appearance.
Half an hour later, he took the rat poison from under the table and poured it into the teacup. He drank the tea in one gulp, then lay calmly on the bed, closed his eyes and waited for death.
At four o'clock in the morning, the restaurant suddenly caught fire. People nearby rushed to rescue, but it was too late. The fire illuminated the whole city and most of the second floor of the restaurant was burned.
At dawn the next day, Xun Yu's followers knelt on the ground and cried. They only carried out a charred corpse from the ruined room. It was already unrecognizable and looked like half of a dead tree.
Across the restaurant, the person delivering the food box sighed and immediately reported the news to Cao Chun. Cao Cao instructed them to see what Xun Yu did after receiving the empty food box, but he accidentally died in a fire.
Xun Yu was burned to death, and the people of Chenliu were shocked. The prefect Wu Zhi was horrified when he heard the news. He went to the scene to check it out in person and fainted on the spot out of fright.
When Chenliu was in a panic, a carriage from Maolintang had already left the city and headed west, heading straight for Hulao Pass.
The commander of Hulao Pass checked and saw Xiahou Mao's vehicle, which was loaded with supplies to be sent to the Luoyang Imperial Palace. He gave it a quick inspection and then let it pass.
After entering the customs, the car rested in Songshan. The people on the car were replaced that night and sent into Songshan overnight, heading south from Yishui to Yique Pass.
Xun Yu woke up slowly, and heard only the chirping of birds and the sound of pine waves. He saw lush green pines and cypresses, towering ancient trees, and a clear blue sky. A beam of sunlight shone through the branches and leaves, emitting colorful light.
Just as I was wondering, I heard someone say in my ear: "The master finally woke up."
Xun Yu sat up and saw a young man standing behind him. He had a handsome face and extraordinary bearing, and was saluting with his fists clasped.
Xun Yu frowned and asked, "Who are you?"
"I am Liu Qi from Jingzhou, and I have come to greet you, sir."
"What?" Xun Yu's whole body trembled. Even though he had experienced many changes in his life and had never been surprised by anything, he could not hide the shock in his heart at this moment.
He helped Gu Song stand up, shook his dizzy head, and looked around: "Where is this place?"
Liu Qi smiled and said, "This is deep in Xiong'er Mountain. Sir, don't worry. No one will know your whereabouts."
Xun Yu lowered his head and thought for a moment, then he made a rough guess: "The man selling rat poison is the one sent by the general?"
"That's right!" Liu Qi said, "This is not the place to talk. Sir, can you come back to Xiangyang with me so we can have a long talk?"
Xun Yu shook his head and sighed, "Although I have made some minor mistakes in my life, I have a clear conscience. Although I cannot serve the Han Dynasty, I will never serve two masters again. I hope the general will help me."
Liu Qi frowned and said, "The traitor Cao has been promoted, and his intentions are obvious. Sir, you have been working for the Han Dynasty and are only loyal to Your Majesty, not to Cao Cao. How can you say you betrayed your master?"
Xun Yu smiled bitterly: "Cao Mengde raised an army in Chenliu, and he was loyal to the Han Dynasty. However, he was in a high position and had great power, and his desires grew, so he could not extricate himself. As an advisor, I failed to prevent the evil from happening and give advice in advance. I have failed in my duty. How can I live in this world with dignity?"
"Sir, you are wrong!" Liu Qi said, "You can know a person's face but not his heart. People's hearts are fickle and who can predict them? Sir, you have the talent to assist the king. If you die here, it will be a pity. Why don't you lend me a helping hand and witness the revival of the Han Dynasty, and maintain your reputation as a loyal man?"
Xun Yu shook his head and said, "I have already lost all hope and can no longer contribute to the country. Only by dying can I show my loyalty and integrity. I hope the general will grant me this."
Seeing that he could not be persuaded, Liu Qi asked anxiously, "Where is Kong Ming?"
A man came out from behind the ancient pine tree. He was wearing a Taoist robe and looked like an immortal. He clasped his fists and said with a smile, "I have heard of Lord Xun's great name a long time ago. After meeting him today, I find that he is indeed extraordinary. However, his demeanor... is a little lacking."
Xun Yu frowned slightly and smiled faintly, "I wonder what Wolong thinks?"
Zhuge Liang said, "Since ancient times, it is not the ruler who chooses his ministers, but the ministers who also choose their rulers. In the past, King Zhou was tyrannical, so Wei Zi left him, and Bi Gan died after giving advice. Confucius said that they were all benevolent. Your Excellency mediates the court and maintains social order. You are the pillar of the Han Dynasty, and now that the Han Dynasty is about to rise, how can you replace the pillars? If you return to your loyalty, the righteous people of the world will respond to your call, and it will be just a matter of time before you come to the rescue of the king and return Luoyang. I hope you will put the Han Dynasty and the world first."