"Do you know who I am?" Li Ru asked in surprise, looking at Cai Yan.
"I do not know. However, those who dare to come to the Cai family at this time are either my father's close friends or righteous men who once received his kindness. Either way, for me now, they are important aids," Cai Yan, her eyes slightly red, shook her head and replied.
"Your father, Cai Bojie, once said he had a daughter of both talent and beauty. It seems he was right. Would you be willing to come with me to Taishan? Chang'an is no longer safe; war is imminent. As for the Wei family in Hedong, after you complete the three-year mourning period, I will prepare a dowry for you as your elder. Would you follow me to Taishan?" Li Ru spoke gently. Though he wasn't very familiar with Cai Bojie, since Cai had mourned for Dong Zhuo, Li felt obligated to look after Cai's family. This was his way of conducting himself.
"I am willing to follow Uncle to Taishan." Cai Yan sighed, realizing that regardless of what she said, the person before her would insist on taking her away from Chang'an. The aura surrounding him already spoke volumes. Given her experiences with the vicissitudes of life and human warmth and coldness, Cai Yan was no longer the naive girl who knew nothing but books.
"Very well, very well. I am Li You from Yongzhou, styled Wenru. You may call me Uncle Li. This person is Hua Xiong, styled Zijian. Once we reach Taishan, if you need anything, you can come to us. Wen He, come out as well." Li Ru called out, and Jia Xu, with no choice, stepped out of the carriage, his attire flowing, presenting a scholarly and elegant appearance.
"I am Jia Wen He." Jia Xu bowed and said no more.
"If Miss Cai does not mind our rough military men, we can help move anything you need." Seeing that Li Ru had finished speaking, Hua Xiong stepped forward and offered his assistance.
"No need. As Uncle Li said, I only need to take those three items." Cai Yan shook her head and then slowly withdrew.
"Miss..." Upon returning inside, Cai Yan's maid looked at her anxiously, not needing to say more.
Cai Yan gently shook her head to signal her maid not to worry. Cai Bojie had mourned Dong Zhuo not only out of gratitude but also to give the Han dynasty a chance to save face. Unfortunately, the common people did not understand, and the court officials like Wang Yun and Yang Biao knew everything but couldn't be bothered with a seventeen-year-old girl who had no value to them. People leaving and cooling the tea was just the way of the world.
Because the common people were ignorant, Cai Yan found herself trapped in Chang'an. If she could leave, her father's reputation would allow her to thrive in any noble family. But the current situation left her confined in Chang'an.
"Let's go and pack our things. We are heading to Taishan. I heard that place belongs to Liu Xuande, and many of our lost books from Luoyang have been collected by him. People say Liu Xuande is benevolent. With this connection, I believe he won't make things difficult for us. On the contrary, we might find some solace." Cai Yan, her eyes still red, spoke to her maid.
Soon, Cai Yan emerged carrying the Jiaoweiqin and the music classics, while her maid brought out Cai Bojie's unfinished history of the Han dynasty. They then boarded the carriage Hua Xiong had prepared and slowly left Chang'an.
After traveling thirty miles, Hua Xiong reached the camp where his soldiers were stationed. After a brief rest, they resumed their march. With four thousand soldiers at his command, Hua Xiong felt a surge of confidence. Their presence was his courage.
Sitting in the carriage, Cai Yan's eyes sparkled with curiosity. Seeing four thousand well-disciplined soldiers, and knowing the commander was that old gentleman's subordinate, she thought, "A warlord, perhaps?" As for Liu Bei, she didn't consider him much, as the information she had from outside indicated that Liu Bei was still a struggling Han clan member with only Taishan to his name.
Meanwhile, on the frontline between Jizhou and Youzhou, Yuan Shao was shocked upon receiving news from the rear. The one hundred thousand Yellow Turbans in Qingzhou had been swept away by Chen Xi. This Chen Zichuan from Yingchuan was too formidable.
"Yuanhao, look at this report." Yuan Shao handed the latest intelligence to his most trusted advisor, Tian Feng.
"A genius of the age. The Yellow Turbans were bound to be defeated by him. However, what worries me more is that Liu Xuande poses a greater threat to us than the Yellow Turbans." Tian Feng, after reading the report, initially stunned, then sighed repeatedly before furrowing his brows.
"I worry about the same. If I had known he was a disciple of the Chen family from Yingchuan, I should have recruited him during the alliance of the warlords, especially since he was always following me around then. It's a pity he was taken in by Liu Xuande. Such talent, what a loss." Yuan Shao reflected, vaguely recalling the name Chen Xi. Then he realized, this was the young man who had been following him during the early days of the alliance, looking for meals.
"What?" Tian Feng was surprised. "Lord, you've met Chen Zichuan from Yingchuan?"
"I was careless. I should have inquired more back then. During the alliance, I noticed he was quite talented, so I let him join me in the main tent for meals. We chatted a bit, but didn't delve deeper. I only knew his name was Chen Zichuan. It's a pity. Later, Liu Xuande took him in. Now thinking back, he must have already joined Liu Xuande then." Yuan Shao was frustrated. If he had known Chen Xi was such a great catch, he wouldn't have let him go, acting as if he was just some small fry.
"This is fate. It's always been like this. In the south, we have Gong Yu, Jun Yi, and Yuan Bo defending. Even if Liu Xuande has any ill intentions, it shouldn't be a major problem. After all, that area is our home ground, where we have significant advantages." Tian Feng sighed. "Fortunately, Chen Zichuan is a capable minister and unlikely to start a war easily. He probably intends to show military might and perhaps seize some resources while we are preoccupied."
"In that case, our main strategy remains unchanged. If Chen Zichuan only seeks some benefits without causing too much trouble, we should accommodate him. Our primary target remains Gongsun Bogui. Only by defeating him can we hope to conquer the realm. Until then, we must tolerate the existence of other warlords." Yuan Shao calmly concluded after a brief contemplation.
"Lord, you are wise." Tian Feng bowed, deeply appreciating Yuan Shao's ability to assess situations and make the most beneficial choices under any circumstances.
"Therefore, I will write to Gong Yu, advising him to avoid conflicts with Chen Zichuan as much as possible. If Chen Zichuan's demands are not excessive, we should comply temporarily. If he deliberately causes trouble, then..." Tian Feng's eyes gleamed with determination. A capable strategist must be decisive when necessary.
"Good! We have two of Hebei's four pillars stationed on the Qingzhou border, with able ministers like Gong Yu. Jizhou is our home turf. Let's see if Chen Zichuan can defy the odds!" Yuan Shao nodded, a hint of pride in his voice when mentioning Hebei's four pillars.