novelAbuy Chapter 14 Who is he, that he knows so much about Xuzhou?
Chapter 14 Who is he, that he knows so much about Xuzhou?
Early the next morning.
When Gu Cheng finally woke up, the sun was already high in the sky.
He yawned widely, stretched, and reached for the bed beside him.
The brocade quilt still held a faint warmth, but his newlywed wife had long since vanished.
Gu Cheng immediately sat up and glanced around, only to see that Cao Jie had already gotten up and gotten out of bed.
At this moment, she was kneeling in front of the bronze mirror, carefully doing her makeup.
Gu Cheng quietly got out of bed, walked slowly behind her, and gently pulled her into his arms.
"My husband has finally woken up."
A faint blush rose on Cao Jie's cheeks, and with a gentle smile, she leaned back and rested her head firmly on his chest.
"You stayed up so late last night before finally getting some rest, and you still got up so early, Madam. Aren't you tired?"
Gu Cheng spoke with a slightly amused smile.
Cao Jie naturally understood the hidden meaning in his words, and her cheeks instantly flushed red. She gave a sweet, reproachful sound: "Husband~~".
Her charming and shy appearance made Gu Cheng like her even more.
Seeing that she had only drawn half of her eyebrows, Gu Cheng reached out and took the eyebrow pencil, bent down, and began to draw her eyebrows himself.
"I never expected that such a peerless genius would be so gentle and considerate."
Cao Jie sighed inwardly, his heart overflowing with unconcealed joy.
"Squeak!"
The door was gently pushed open, and Diao Chan came in carrying a copper basin filled with warm water, intending to serve Gu Cheng as usual when he was washing up.
As soon as she entered the door, she saw the newlywed couple, looking so intimately close together.
Diao Chan's cheeks flushed instantly, and she quickly lowered her head, trying to back out.
Cao Jie said, "Chan'er, just leave the water here, I will help my husband wash up."
Diao Chan immediately stopped and turned around, saying, "This... how can we trouble Madam to do such a thing herself?"
Cao Jie said calmly, "Serving my husband is my duty, and I will take care of these things from now on."
Her aura suddenly changed, her tone filled with unwavering certainty, and she instantly shed her previous shyness, exuding an invisible air of authority.
"Yes, Chan'er will follow Madam's arrangements."
Diao Chan was intimidated by her imposing manner and dared not disobey in the slightest. She quickly put down the copper basin, bowed, and retreated.
Cao Jie soaked the towel in warm water, wrung it out, and turned to face Gu Cheng, but instantly regained her gentle and charming appearance.
"My husband, let me help you with your washing."
Gu Cheng then came to his senses, smiled, and let her serve him attentively.
Cao Jie gently wiped his face, her movements careful and considerate, displaying the demeanor of a virtuous and gentle wife.
"Despite her gentle and compliant nature, she actually harbors a surprisingly domineering streak; I didn't notice any of it last night..."
Gu Cheng thought to himself.
After washing up.
The couple then held hands and went out of the inner courtyard to the main hall to prepare breakfast.
At this moment, Diao Chan, along with a group of maids and servants, was already waiting in the main hall to pay their respects to the new lady.
Cao Jie responded calmly and composedly, her words conveying both authority and gentleness, displaying the poise and demeanor of a noblewoman.
Just as breakfast was being served and Gu Cheng was about to pick up his chopsticks, Zhou Tai hurriedly walked in.
"Liheng, a group of people passed by outside the mansion gate. They look like a merchant caravan."
"The leaders were a man and a woman who said they came from Xuzhou and were on their way to Xudu to do business. They were passing through our village and wanted to stop in to replenish their dry food and water."
Zhou Tai stepped forward and bowed to report.
"Are they merchants from Xuzhou?"
Gu Cheng's eyes lit up slightly.
Xuzhou was originally Liu Bei's territory. Not long ago, Liu Bei went south to fight Yuan Shu, and Lü Bu took the opportunity to launch a surprise attack and seize Xuzhou, turning the tables and occupying the city.
With nowhere else to turn, Liu Bei had no choice but to surrender to Lü Bu. Instead, Lü Bu settled him in Xiaopei, where he was put in charge of guarding the northern gate of Xuzhou.
Thinking that Cao Cao would likely launch an eastern expedition against Xuzhou soon, and that there might be another opportunity to make a lot of money, Gu Cheng originally wanted to find out about the current situation in Xuzhou.
Since merchants from Xuzhou happened to be passing by, Gu Cheng immediately asked Zhou Tai to invite them into his residence for a chat.
Zhou Tai immediately accepted the order and turned to leave.
Outside the gates of the Gu residence, the caravan was resting.
The man and woman at the head of the group were standing to the side, talking in hushed tones.
The man had a long sword hanging at his waist, and his figure was heroic and extraordinary, with a stern and fierce aura between his brows.
The girl was beautiful with delicate features and a pair of bright eyes that revealed a deep depth.
"Brother Zilong, has my elder brother arrived in Xuchang yet?"
The girl lowered her voice and asked.
Zhao Yun nodded slightly: "Prefect Mi entered Xuchang yesterday, and we should be able to meet Minister Cao in the next few days."
"Well, I hope so."
Mi Huan nodded slightly and sighed softly, saying, "Lu Bu's suspicion of our lord is growing stronger, and sooner or later he will send troops to attack Xiaopei. I hope you can persuade Cao Cao to lend a hand, otherwise, I'm afraid our lord will have a hard time resisting Lu Bu's army."
A few days earlier, Mi Zhu had secretly infiltrated Xuchang to request reinforcements from Cao Cao on behalf of Liu Bei.
Under Zhao Yun's close protection, Mi Huan led the Mi family's merchant caravan to Xuchang, hoping to do some business along the way and raise urgently needed military funds for Liu Bei.
"It seems our lord also instructed us to secretly inquire about someone. Is that true?"
Mi Huan asked softly again.
"That is indeed true."
"Within two months, Cao Sikong destroyed Zhang Xiu, captured Wancheng, and utterly defeated the Jingzhou army, shaking the world with his might."
"There have been rumors that Cao Sikong has acquired a genius who is good at devising ingenious strategies. It is this person who has repeatedly offered Cao Sikong brilliant plans, which has enabled him to win two great victories in a row."
"Our lord is very curious about this strategist, so he instructed us to make sure we thoroughly investigate whether such a person truly exists during our trip to Xuchang."
Zhao Yun lowered his voice and spoke slowly.
"Is there really such a person whose wisdom surpasses that of Xi Zhicai and Xun Yu?"
A hint of doubt flashed across Mi Zhen's eyes.
Just then, the gate behind them suddenly burst open.
Zhou Tai strode out, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "My young master invites you two to enter the mansion for a chat. Please come in."
Zhao Yun and Mi Huan then walked side by side into the Gu residence.
"It is a great pleasure to have you grace my humble abode with your presence."
Gu Cheng stood quietly in front of the hall with his hands behind his back, greeting them with a smile.
Mi Huan curtsied and smiled slightly, saying, "We are just passing by your residence and we apologize for disturbing you, young master."
Gu Cheng scrutinized the beautiful and refined young woman before him. Judging from her hairstyle and attire, she was still unmarried. Yet, she was able to personally lead a caravan on a long journey of thousands of miles. Her demeanor was calm and composed, clearly indicating that she was no ordinary woman.
"Excuse me, sir."
Zhao Yun simply raised his hand, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and gave a brief greeting.
Gu Cheng glanced at him and thought to himself, "This man is imposing and exudes a chivalrous spirit."
Then.
Gu Cheng returned the greeting with a cupped hand and said, "When traveling, everyone needs a helping hand sometimes. I have already instructed my servants to send the dry rations and wine to the caravan. A hot breakfast has just been prepared in the hall. If you two are not in a hurry to continue your journey, you can eat before you set off."
"This handsome young man is quite hospitable."
Mi Huan nodded in silent approval, exchanged a glance with Zhao Yun, and then the two happily stepped into the main hall.
The guests and hosts took their seats.
Cao Jie, acting as the mistress of the house, then instructed the servants to add bowls and chopsticks for Mi Huan and Zhao Yun.
"Did you two come from Xiapi, or from Xiaopei?"
Gu Cheng took a small sip of wine and asked.
Mi Huan smiled and said, "To be honest, young master, we came from Xiaopei."
"Xiaopei, that is Liu Bei's territory."
Gu Cheng nodded slightly and casually said, "These past few days, Xiao Pei must have been on high alert, as if facing a formidable enemy."
Both Mi Huan and Zhao Yun exchanged a slight glance.
With a hint of curiosity, Mi Huan asked, "What makes you say that, young master?"
After Liu Bei was sent to Xiaopei by Lü Bu, he naturally secretly recruited soldiers and horses, hoping to seize the opportunity to take back Xuzhou.
"Lu Bu is not a fool. Once he senses any disturbance, he will definitely plan a surprise attack on Xiaopei to prevent any trouble from happening."
Gu Cheng picked up some food and began to speak as if chatting casually.
Mi Huan had just brought a sip of wine to her lips when she heard Gu Cheng's words. She was startled and couldn't help but choke.
"Is this young lady alright?"
Gu Cheng looked up at her.
"No, it's nothing, I just choked a little."
Mi Huan quickly pretended to cover it up, secretly glancing at Zhao Yun beside her.
At that moment, a look of surprise also flashed in Zhao Yun's eyes.
"This man looks like just an ordinary rich young master, yet he was able to accurately predict Lü Bu's intention to attack Xiaopei. He's truly remarkable!"
The same thought arose in both of their minds at the same time.
After calming down, Mi Huan sighed softly and said, "What you said is absolutely right. Recently, Prefect Liu has indeed strengthened the defenses of Xiaopei and drilled his troops day and night. I heard that he is afraid that Marquis Wen will lead his army to invade."
She didn't hide anything and told the truth frankly.
Gu Cheng was not surprised by this, he simply nodded slightly and continued eating.
Sitting beside her, Cao Jie glanced at her husband secretly.
"He usually lives in seclusion in this countryside, yet he knows everything about the movements of Liu Bei and Lü Bu, who are thousands of miles away. Father was absolutely right; he truly possesses extraordinary wisdom!"
Cao Jie sighed inwardly, a hint of admiration creeping into his eyes.
"Your Lord Liu must have already sent someone to Xuchang to secretly pledge allegiance to Cao Mengde in order to gain external support."
Gu Cheng then said something in a flat tone.
As soon as those words were spoken...
Mi Huan and Zhao Yun were both shocked, and their eyes instantly filled with deep horror.
To avoid arousing Lü Bu's suspicion, Mi Zhu went to Xuchang in secret. Even within Xiaopei City, only a few of Liu Bei's trusted confidants, such as Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, knew about this.
Moreover, Mi Zhu had only just arrived in Xudu, and there was absolutely no way anyone in the city would know about this.
The seemingly ordinary young master in front of me had actually guessed this matter in advance!
How could Mi Huan and Zhao Yun not be terrified?
"We are just ordinary people, how could we possibly know about such confidential matters?"
Mi Huan forcibly suppressed the shock in her heart and forced a smile to deny it.
"That's true."
Gu Cheng nodded in response, "How could Liu Bei possibly publicize such a confidential matter so openly? It's perfectly normal that you don't know about it."
Just now.
Mi Huan sighed softly and said, "However, the young master's guess is indeed reasonable. Lu Bu's martial arts are so formidable. If he really wants to attack Xiaopei, Liu Shijun will definitely have no way to resist. Apart from asking Cao Sikong for help, there is really no other way."
"That's not necessarily true."
"Lu Bu does indeed have the intention to attack Xiaopei, but he probably won't have time to deal with Liu Bei for the next six months."
Gu Cheng took a small sip of his wine and said.
Mi Huan's eyes flickered, and she couldn't help but quickly ask, "How do you know, young master?"
"If I'm not mistaken, Yuan Shu, that纨绔子弟 (spoiled brat), will soon ascend the throne in Shouchun and declare himself emperor. Huainan borders Xuzhou, and after Yuan Shu becomes emperor, he will surely force Lü Bu to submit to him."
"By then, Lü Bu would be too busy dealing with Yuan Shu to care about Liu Bei's life or death."
Gu Cheng spoke slowly and deliberately.
"Yuan Shu wants to declare himself emperor!"
Mi Huan and Zhao Yun repeated in unison.
Even Cao Jie, who was sitting to the side, couldn't help but unconsciously gasp softly.
Gu Cheng's words truly shocked them all.
Although the world is in chaos and various warlords are ruling their own territories, they still outwardly acknowledge the Han emperor as the ruler of the world.
Even a powerful figure like Yuan Shao had to openly express his respect for the young emperor in Xuchang.
Under such circumstances, how dare Yuan Shu defy public opinion and dare to declare himself emperor?
Mi Huan refused to believe it, and neither did Zhao Yun.
Even his wife Cao Jie, sitting beside him, couldn't believe that Yuan Shu had such audacity.
"Haha, I was just chatting on a whim, please don't laugh at me."
Gu Cheng laughed loudly and casually brushed off the topic.
Just now.
Zhou Tai came in to report that he had prepared enough dry food and drinking water for the caravan.
Mi Huan and Zhao Yun immediately got up to take their leave.
As they were about to part, Mi Huan curtsied and said with a smile, "We are deeply grateful for your hospitality, young master. May I ask your honorable name?"
Gu Cheng had nothing to hide and answered frankly, "My name is Gu Cheng."
"Gu Cheng?"
Mi Huan's thoughts raced as she desperately searched her memory for that name.
The Mi family was one of the three wealthiest merchant families in the country, with businesses and shops all over the country, especially concentrated in the four provinces of Yan, Yu, Qing and Xu.
These shops scattered throughout the land were not only the foundation of the Mi family's wealth, but also their eyes and ears across the world. Almost no one and nothing in the world could escape the Mi family's notice.
Mi Huan racked her brains for a long time, but she couldn't remember that there was such a person as Gu Cheng in Xudu.
"So it's Young Master Gu. If I have the opportunity in the future, I will definitely pay a visit to express my gratitude. Farewell."
Suppressing her suspicions, Mi Huan curtsied and gracefully turned to leave.
After leaving the Gu residence, the two of them leaped onto their horses and led the caravan on a journey along the official road straight to Xuchang.
"This young master Gu actually guessed that our lord sent my brother to Xudu to seek help; he is indeed quite resourceful."
Mi Huan spoke with a hint of approval.
Zhao Yun chuckled and said, "This man does have some knowledge, but his later statement that Yuan Shu would declare himself emperor is rather unfounded."
I think so too.
Mi Huan nodded slightly and said with a smile, "Perhaps his talent is nothing more than this. As for the matter concerning our lord, it was just a fluke."
The voice just fell.
A fast horse galloped towards them from ahead; the rider was none other than Mi Zhu's personal attendant.
The attendant hurriedly stepped forward to greet him, cupping his hands in a respectful gesture, and reported, "Reporting to Miss Zhao and General Zhao, our master has just learned that Yuan Shu has already ascended the throne and declared himself emperor in Shouchun!"
"What?"
Mi Huan and Zhao Yun were instantly horrified.