Emperor Li Er laughed heartily as he concluded the one-on-one lesson. Although the little simpleton's plan to persuade Lu Bu to return to his hometown of Bingzhou was riddled with holes, he was now in a hurry to get back and share the joy with Zhao Da. He would come back next time to properly analyze the difference between "finding a boss to be your underling" and "being Lu Bu's underling."
Joining the military was easy these days. Their little simpleton was blessed with natural divine strength just like him—with that physique, no one would turn him away no matter whose banner he sought.
But "easy" came with a precondition: the brat needed his biological father's permission before joining the army.
"First, go test your father's attitude and see what he thinks of the various factions before making any decisions," Li Shimin gave his final instructions. "Boy, remember—no matter what anyone else says, the one who makes the final decision is only yourself."
He should listen carefully to the words of elders like Xun Yue and Xun Yu, and also to the words of him and the other three emperors—but their words should be heeded selectively.
Every Small World was different. Even if the broad trends were similar, the differences in details could not be ignored.
There were countless works set in the late Han and San Guo periods in later generations, and all of them ended with the three houses returning to Jin. Could one say that so many works were all identical?
None of them had personally experienced this era, yet when analyzing the situation, they would subconsciously hold biases. What was written in historical records could not be fully trusted, so their analyses could not be fully trusted either. What if they analyzed according to the Sanguozhi, but reality turned out to be the Sanguo Yanyi, or the Sanfen Shilue, or the Chronicle of the Wei Overlord?
A clever head was a good thing—if you had one, you should use it, not just stand there as decoration.
After finishing his speech, Emperor Li Er vanished before the little simpleton could react, leaving the "clever head standing as decoration" simpleton to rage impotently at the empty air.
He had finally come up with a way to lower the game's difficulty, and now this guy had just dragged him right back?
Let him emphasize again—not everyone was Emperor Taizong of Tang!
Was this how the world of big shots worked? Why was communication so difficult?
The bitter winter wind slapped against his face, and the poor little wretch felt that both his body and soul were as riddled with holes as the Dahan empire itself.
Fine, it wasn't that the big shots were hard to communicate with—it was that he had naively held unrealistic fantasies about reality.
No matter. If his godfather couldn't be relied upon, he still had his biological father. No matter whether his adoptive fathers' understanding of the Three Kingdoms was a low-martial-arts era, a high-martial-arts era, or a mythological era, his worldview and his biological father's were absolutely the same.
Brave bull! Fear no difficulty! Come on, you can do it!
Just as he was clenching his fist to pump himself up, a familiar voice drifted over from afar. "Nephew A'jue, your father is calling you home for dinner."
Guo Jia was leaning lazily against the old tree by the village entrance, his drawn-out tone carrying a natural languor.
He looked utterly unreliable no matter how you looked at him.
"Coming, coming!" Xun Ye responded, rubbing his face vigorously to calm himself before striding back. When he reached Guo Jia, he even made a show of cupping his hands in thanks. "Much obliged, Brother Fengxiao."
Guo Jia was deeply regretful at this form of address, but he still refused to give up and probed, "I am friends with your father as a peer—you should call me uncle."
Xun Ye had already been coaxed into calling him "uncle" several times at the village entrance. Now he gave him no face at all, directly throwing Guo's own words back at him. "That's between you two—it has nothing to do with me. All I know is that we're only a few years apart."
The two bickered all the way back. By the time they washed their hands and took their seats, the meal was already prepared.
This was a time of refuge, not suitable for hosting a banquet, and there wasn't enough space in the mountains for such fuss. Besides, Guo Jia wasn't an outsider, so tonight's dinner was merely a bit more lavish than usual.
Xun Ye greeted his father and the several uncles one by one, then looked at the food with sparkling, expectant eyes.
Back when they had lived in seclusion in the countryside, the meals had been cooked by him and his father themselves, and both of their cooking skills could only be described as "edible." Now that the whole family was living together, cooking was naturally returned to the professionals.
His beautiful father simply didn't like living in crowded places—he wasn't the type to suffer hardship for no reason.
And as it turned out, professional matters really did require professionals.
Noodle soup, steamed buns, wheat rice, pan-fried meat, crucian carp and tofu soup—oh, and today there was even cypress leaf wine and two tangerines!
Thank you, guest! Long live fruit!
Guo Jia, whose appetite had been poor after days of travel, barely managed a bowl of noodle soup before setting down his chopsticks.
And then—he saw the table piled high with empty bowls and plates beside him.
The young man had lived in seclusion with his father in the countryside, with everything big and small taught personally by his father. The small details of his mannerisms were almost identical to his father's.
His eating movements could be called refined—it was just that the speed at which he demolished food could not be associated with "refined" in any way.
Guo Jia: stunned.jpg
He knew that boys of this age had big appetites, but was this a bit too big? Had Brother Zhongyu really not let the child go hungry during their seclusion?
Xun Yue noticed the gaze falling on him, then looked at his silly son who showed tremendous enthusiasm for every single meal, and said with some guilt, "A'jue has indeed endured quite a bit of hardship living in seclusion with me all these years."
Xun Ye looked up at his father's words and, seeing the shock that Guo Jia hadn't yet managed to hide in his eyes, could guess without thinking why his father had suddenly come out with such a remark.
They say a growing boy eats his father out of house and home—he was at that age where his appetite was naturally large.
"I'm not suffering. I eat this much at home too."
Though the food at home wasn't as good as the food here, he wasn't some pampered young master. As long as the food was edible, that was enough.
These days, propriety dictated that one should not speak while eating or sleeping. Guo Fengxiao, if you're not going to eat, don't cause trouble—others haven't finished their meals yet.
Guo Jia gave an awkward smile, cupped his hands in apology toward the puffing little fool, and couldn't help but want to see just how much this kid could eat.
Xun Yu wiped the corner of his mouth, rose, and led the restless Guo to the thatched cottage that had just been prepared for him.
Xun Ye waved at them cheerfully, and only after both men had left through the door did he turn back to emphasize, "Father, don't overthink it. I truly don't feel like I was suffering before."
He was someone who had lived two lifetimes, after all. Though the two lifetimes combined didn't amount to many years, the knowledge from his previous life was enough to make him hold no expectations whatsoever for the standard of living in this ancient feudal society.
Not to mention anything else—his appetite was fortunate to be born into their family. In an ordinary farming household, he'd be going hungry every day, and might starve to death before he even grew up.
Riding out to right wrongs and taking on five at once was a pipe dream. One bandit soldier could take on five of him, skinny and sallow-faced as he'd be.
Really, not every father could raise a son as dashing and unmatched in the world as him. His father was formidable indeed.
In the thatched cottage not far away, Guo Jia spoke weakly, "I don't think A-Piao eats too much. I was just a bit startled seeing it for the first time."
"No matter. We were also quite surprised when we first saw it." Xun Yu told him not to overthink it. "That boy doesn't think his big appetite is a bad thing, but if you keep staring at him with that shocked expression, he'll drag you into eating more with him."
Others urged people to drink; he urged people to eat. Those who were urged would unconsciously keep eating watching him eat so heartily, and by the time they felt stuffed, it was already too late.
In the first few days after settling in the mountains, every brother in the family except the eldest had fallen victim to indigestion—including himself.
The people in their family were healthy, so a walk would cure indigestion. But Guo Fengxiao didn't have a constitution sturdy enough to withstand such abuse. If he didn't want to spend the next half month lying in bed, he'd better restrain himself.
"Lesson received." Guo Jia rubbed his arms at the words. Little A-Piao was terrifying indeed. It seemed he'd need to be even more careful when teasing him in the future.
The thatched cottage was small but complete in all its parts. The carriage driver and guards stayed next door, and nearby there was a stove built from tiles and mud.
The serving woman had already cleaned the place thoroughly. Guo Jia gave it a brief once-over before inviting Xun Yu to sit. "I know I've been paying a lot of attention to A-Piao today, but there are still a few things I'd like to ask."
Xun Yu raised an eyebrow. "What things?"
Guo Jia lowered his voice cautiously. "I've heard that young children whose Heavenly Eye hasn't yet closed can see ghosts and spirits. A-Piao's soul wandered beyond his body in his early years—could it be that he still sees ghosts and spirits to this day?"
He wasn't joking; he genuinely thought it was possible.
When they'd met at the village entrance during the day, he'd felt that the little fool would occasionally lose focus. After entering the mountains, since the thatched cottage assigned to him wasn't ready, he'd wandered around the area a bit—and unexpectedly spotted the little fool talking to himself with a rich array of expressions in a secluded spot.
The incident at the village entrance might have been him being overly suspicious, but surely what he'd just seen couldn't also be his imagination?
Xun Yu: …
What exactly had this fellow experienced in Jizhou? He'd been perfectly normal when he left—how had he come back so superstitious?
"Pull yourself together. There are no ghosts or spirits in this world." Xun Yu's mouth twitched slightly, his tone utterly certain. "A-Piao has never crossed paths with bandits before. Encountering bandit soldiers raiding the village today would naturally frighten him. If he showed it too obviously at home, it would worry his elder brother. If not finding a secluded spot to calm himself down, was he supposed to cry in front of everyone? Fengxiao, the boy is growing up. He knows he has a reputation to maintain."
"That does make some sense." Guo Jia paused, realizing belatedly that his earlier thinking had been the unreasonable one. "It seems I really do need a good sleep. When I don't rest well, my mind gets muddled."
Xun Yu shook his head helplessly and left him to rest properly in the room. "You get some rest. We'll talk about anything else after you wake up tomorrow."
Guo Jia waved a hand weakly, telling him not to forget to close the door on his way out.
His body must have moved too fast and accidentally left his brain somewhere along the road. Let him sleep and wait for his brain to catch up—when he woke tomorrow, he'd still be the resourceful and decisive Guo Fengxiao.
On the other side, Xun Ye had no idea that his guardian A-Piao had nearly been exposed.
The silly boy didn't hold onto worries. There was nothing a good meal couldn't solve—and if there was, then he'd have another one.
The sun was about to set, and the Buqu who had gone to handle the aftermath finally returned to report. The moment they arrived, they delivered the Changji that the young master had repeatedly urged them to bring.
General Zhang Liao at the riverside military camp was a righteous commander who hated evil as much as his enemies. After interrogating those bandit soldiers and discovering this wasn't their first time raiding villages, he had them dragged to the camp gate and executed on the spot—a fitting tribute to the innocent souls they had wronged.
Xun Ye gritted his teeth. "Having to catch bandit soldiers yourself just to see justice done—there's no justice in this world."
But despite his frustration, if given another chance, he still wouldn't dare kill.
The mountain evening was bone-chillingly cold, and darkness soon fell completely.
Xun Ye set his Changji in the courtyard and went inside to sit beside his father. "Father, what do you think about me joining the army?"
Xun Yue's hand holding the bamboo scroll trembled slightly. After a long moment, he said softly, "The battlefield is perilous. One careless mistake and you'll die far from home."
"A true man should sacrifice himself for his country, unafraid to return wrapped in horsehide." Xun Ye clenched his fists with righteous fervor, but after that one declaration, he immediately reverted to his usual self. "The world outside is so chaotic, and the mountains won't stay safe forever either. We can't just keep moving and hiding, can we?"
The Xun clan had their Buqu—they weren't a village reduced to the old, weak, and sick. They could fight back against small groups of ill-intentioned bandits. But what if they encountered bandits numbering in the thousands?
The imperial court was already unreliable, and the warlords rising in its wake weren't much better. Rather than living in constant fear of war, it was better to take the field himself and carve out a territory where they could live in peace.
Of course, carving out territory was still far off for him. Bringing it up now would only worry his beautiful father, so he'd wait until he'd made a name for himself on the battlefield.
"Your father doesn't ask you to become a general or earn a marquisate—I only wish for you to be safe." Xun Yue sighed silently. He knew children grew up and flew away, but what father could be without selfish wishes? "If you've truly made up your mind, your father won't stand in your way."
Xun Ye hesitated for a moment, then thought of the coming "bones bleaching in the fields, no roosters crowing for a thousand li," and said with solemn gravity, "Father, I want to enlist."
Xun Yue gazed steadily at his son, who seemed to have grown to this size in an instant. No matter how much reluctance he felt inside, he could only suppress it. "The capital is seething with undercurrents, and righteous armies against Dong Zhuo are rising across the provinces. Where does my son wish to go?"
"I want to go check out the riverside military camp tomorrow," Xun Ye said quietly. "Zhang Wenyuan hates evil like an enemy and is still young—he should be easy to get along with."
Never mind how formidable Zhang Liao was in history—just from how decisively he'd dealt with soldiers who violated military orders today, you could tell he was a man of responsibility.
If those bandit soldiers had a superior who also enjoyed plundering civilians, Zhang Wenyuan would have to answer for it.
Also, although his ultimate goal was Lu Bu, Lu Bu's reputation was already tarnished. Pulling Zhang Liao—who currently served under Lu Bu but wasn't particularly close to him—out would greatly reduce the resistance to defecting.
Xun Yue rubbed his foolish son's head and steadied his voice, speaking gently, "That's fine. The capital is close by, and your grand-uncle and cousin are both there. If it doesn't seem suitable, you can always come back."
The power struggles at court wouldn't reach lower-ranking officers for now. His foolish boy was strong, handsome, and had elders who could watch over him. As long as he didn't act recklessly, even losing his life would be difficult.
As for the righteous armies against Dong Zhui across the provinces…
They'd take it one step at a time.
Xun Ye sat obediently listening to his father analyze the state of the world. Though he felt the turbulence at Chaotang had little to do with him as a future common soldier, he still had to listen.
Actually, before speaking up, he'd thought his beautiful father would worry about him leaving. The two of them hadn't been apart for even a single day in all these years. Enlisting wasn't like going out hunting—once he left, he might not return for years.
Stop that train of thought, stop it. If he kept thinking, he really wouldn't be able to bear leaving.
A soldier who doesn't want to be a general isn't a good farmer. For his beautiful father to live in peaceful seclusion later, and for all the people under heaven to farm their fields without fear—he'd just charge ahead with his eyes closed.
Xun Yue broke down every piece of information he had and explained it thoroughly to his son, until there was nothing left to say. Only then did he let out a long sigh and release him.
"Father, rest early as well."
Xun Ye yawned quietly, stumbled back to his room in a daze, and fell straight asleep.
The night was dark and windy, stars and moon completely hidden behind clouds. The faint crackling of burning firewood made the silence seem even deeper.
The candlelight in the thatched cottage flickered continuously until dawn.
Xun Ye woke up feeling refreshed, but when he heard movement in his father's room, his heart skipped a beat. He hurriedly knocked and went in. "Father, why are you—Father, you didn't sleep last night?"
"My son is going to enlist, so I can no longer call you by your childhood name." Xun Yue handed over the silk cloth that had been drying on the table for some time. "The wind and rain are dark, but the long night is about to break. How about the name Ming Guang?"