"Lord Cao, you've got it wrong. I'm fond of beautiful women!" Lin Yu said with a solemn expression.
"Beautiful women?" Cao Cao was quite surprised.
"Then in your eyes, what kind of women can be regarded as beautiful?"
"Diao Chan, the adopted daughter of Minister Wang Yun, and Cai Wenji, the daughter of Cai Zhonglang, are both peerless beauties in the world!" Lin Yu originally wanted to mention Zhen Mi and the Qiao sisters as well. But after calculating the time carefully, he found that they were still underage at the moment. He didn't want to be seen as a strange middle-aged man who liked little girls.
"Unexpectedly, sir, your taste in women is quite similar to mine." Cao Cao clapped his hands and laughed heartily.
"These two are indeed peerless beauties!" He had been a student of Cai Yong and had also been to Minister Wang Yun's mansion to discuss the assassination of Dong Zhuo together, so he had seen both Diao Chan and Cai Wenji.
"Both of them are currently in Luoyang City. After taking Luoyang, perhaps sir will really have a chance." Cao Cao blinked his eyes, showing an expression that men could understand.
"Then I'll take Lord Cao's kind words." Lin Yu chuckled and then changed the topic.
"Lord Cao, what do you think of my second brother, Dian Wei?"
"Dian Wei is an extremely brave and valiant warrior, truly a rare and outstanding general!" Cao Cao replied without hesitation.
"Lord Cao is absolutely right. If he stays by my side, his great skills will be wasted. If Lord Cao doesn't mind, let him follow you. What do you think?" Lin Yu suggested with a smile.
Cao Cao had long been coveting Dian Wei but had been too embarrassed to mention it to Lin Yu. Unexpectedly, Lin Yu took the initiative to bring it up tonight. After being stunned for a moment, Cao Cao said excitedly, "I don't mind at all! How could I mind Dian Wei? Since that's the case, I'll appoint him as a colonel and the captain of my personal guards!"
"That's great! Then I'll thank Lord Cao on behalf of my second brother." Lin Yu bowed his hands in salute.
"Sir, you're being too polite!" Cao Cao couldn't conceal the joy on his face and said with a smile.
"Sir has made such great contributions today. I can't be partial either." He pondered for a moment and then continued, "How about this? Sir will serve as the grain transport officer. In addition, I'll assign five hundred elite soldiers to sir, and let your third disciple, Zilong, command them. What do you think, sir?"
Lin Yu's mouth twitched slightly. The grain transport officer, this is a rather dangerous job in Cao Cao's camp! But he couldn't refuse, so he could only force a smile and said, "Thank you, Lord Cao, for your promotion!"
The two chatted casually for a while before Lin Yu got up to take his leave. After returning to his residence, he let out a long sigh of relief, and the big stone in his heart finally fell to the ground.
"Big Brother!"
"Big Brother!"
Seeing Lin Yu's return, Dian Wei and Zhao Yun hurried forward to greet him.
Lin Yu nodded and told them about Cao Cao's appointment of Dian Wei.
"Ah? Let me be the captain of Lord Cao's personal guards?" Dian Wei was stunned and showed a reluctant expression on his face.
"Why, don't you want to go?" Lin Yu teased with a smile.
"True, but didn't Lord Cao give you any rewards, Big Brother?" Dian Wei asked.
Hearing his concern for himself, Lin Yu felt a warm feeling in his heart. Dian Wei was a reliable brother. It was worth it to always treat him to barbecues in the past.
"Don't worry. Lord Cao has also made arrangements for me and Zilong." Lin Yu told them with a smile about his appointment as the grain transport officer and Zhao Yun's command of five hundred soldiers.
"That's good!" Dian Wei let out a sigh of relief but then sighed again.
"Just that from now on, I'm afraid I won't be able to see you two often." As the captain of the personal guards, he had to protect Cao Cao's safety during the day and sleep near Cao Cao at night.
"It doesn't matter. Brotherhood is in our hearts!" Lin Yu patted Dian Wei's shoulder with a smile. Actually, he also felt a little regretful in his heart, but it was a helpless move. After all, in Cao Cao's eyes, he didn't strive for fame or fortune but had two strong and brave sworn brothers, which was really unusual. Lin Yu could only let Dian Wei follow Cao Cao and accept Cao Cao's appointment. Fortunately, it seemed that he had successfully dispelled Cao Cao's suspicions.
"Second Brother, have you forgotten what Big Brother usually says? Brothers for life! No matter where we are, we are always good brothers!" Zhao Yun said with a smile.
The three of them looked at each other and burst into laughter together.
...
After taking Hulao Pass, Luoyang City was within easy reach. Yuan Shao planned to take the capital in one go. So after resting for a few days, the allied forces regrouped their troops and rushed straight towards Luoyang City. Unfortunately, under the advice of Li Ru, Dong Zhuo took the emperor, civil and military officials, and the people in the city and fled in a hurry towards Chang'an. Before leaving, he even set a big fire and burned the ancient Luoyang City with a long history to the ground!
When the allied forces of the feudal lords arrived, the city was on fire everywhere and had almost become a ruin! Yuan Shao quickly ordered the allied forces to put out the fires everywhere!
...
In Luoyang City.
Lin Yu and Zhao Yun were leading several hundred people, hurrying through the ruins.
"Big Brother, shouldn't we put out the fires first?" Zhao Yun asked in confusion.
"The fire is so big. With just our few people, it won't do any good." Lin Yu replied.
"Then what are we going to do?" Zhao Yun asked again.
"Third Brother, I have my own plan. Just follow me." Lin Yu smiled mysteriously.
After passing through the streets that had become ruins and were littered with corpses, the group soon arrived at the imperial palace.
The front should be the Jianzhang Hall. Lin Yu looked at the dilapidated palace in front of him and thought to himself.
After bypassing the pitch-black palace walls, a small courtyard appeared in front of Lin Yu.
There was a well at the corner of the south side of the courtyard.
"Stay outside!" Lin Yu ordered.
The soldiers accompanying them naturally had no objections and left after receiving the order.
When there were only Lin Yu and Zhao Yun left in the courtyard, Lin Yu quickly walked to the well and looked down into it.
Zhao Yun, who was quick-eyed and deft-handed, quickly grabbed him and asked in shock, "Big Brother, what's wrong? Are you so desperate?"
Lin Yu glared at Zhao Yun angrily.
"Who said I was desperate?"
"Then what are you doing?" Zhao Yun asked blankly.
Lin Yu took another look at the deep well and chuckled.
"Zilong, I've been good to you, right? There's a treasure down there. How about you go down and get it for me?"
Since Big Brother had asked, as a younger brother, Zhao Yun naturally wouldn't refuse.
With the tools prepared by Lin Yu in advance, Zhao Yun slowly slid down. Fortunately, Lin Yu had been exercising with Dian Wei recently and had become much stronger.
He gritted his teeth and held the rope, asking into the well, "Zilong, have you found anything?"
"Big Brother, there's a corpse of a palace maid down here." Zhao Yun's voice came from the bottom of the well.
Lin Yu was delighted and immediately said, "Check the corpse quickly to see if there's anything on it."
"There is something! Big Brother, pull me up!"
Lin Yu didn't hesitate and immediately pulled the rope to pull Zhao Yun up.
After Zhao Yun came up, he handed a brocade bag to Lin Yu.