Chapter 36: The Abduction of Xun Yu

  Tiger Trap Pass, Temporary Residence of the Prime Minister.

  At dawn, when Dong Zhuo was having breakfast, Li Ru rushed in with a delighted expression.

  "My lord, the rebel army in Guandong has retreated."

  Li Ruru swung his arm vigorously, with a joyful expression on his face.

  Dong Zhuo was taken aback at first, then a smile spread across his face as he repeatedly asked: "Is this really true?"

  Li Ru nodded repeatedly and said: "Absolutely no falsehood, just now the scout came to report that today our army's scout approached the rebel camp and saw that the rebels from Guandong were completely still. So they boldly went forward to observe and found that although the rebel camp was densely packed with flags, all the soldiers were actually straw men dressed in military uniforms. The rebels from Guandong have already retreated for several nights, so we don't need to worry about Tiger Trap Pass anymore."

  "Great, too good."

  Dong Zhuo struck his thigh and exclaimed repeatedly: "Hu Zhi is really great!"

  Li Ru also said: "General Hu Zhi commands his troops in an orderly manner, congratulations to the lord, felicitations to the lord."

  Dong Zhuo laughed with joy and said: "When Hu Zhi returns to Luoyang, I will surely reward him heavily."

  Li Ru said: "My lord, now that the rebels in Guandong have retreated, our army is taking advantage of the situation to pursue them and complete the victory."

  Dong Zhuo shook his head and said: "Wen Chou's words are wrong. Our soldiers have been fighting for a long time and are already exhausted. It is absolutely not permissible to go out of the pass and pursue."

  Li Ru hastily said: "Your Excellency..."

  Dong Zhuo waved his hand and interrupted: "Enough of your good words, my mind is made up."

  Li Ru sighed and knew it was useless to persuade him, so he just shut his mouth.

  Headed towards Yanzhou on the official road, horseshoes clattered and kicked up clouds of dust.

  Thousands of Western Xia iron cavalry are advancing in a swift and majestic manner, gradually forming a long snake-like array.

  A horse-drawn carriage suddenly appeared on the official road ahead, the horses pulling the carriage were galloping wildly, and the coachman who was driving the carriage kept looking back at the official road from time to time, his face was unable to conceal a look of horror, and his hands were shaking.

  The Western Liang army, who were marching swiftly, saw the horse carriage and immediately surrounded it like a pack of wolves spotting their prey.

  If it were an ordinary citizen, the Western Liang army would definitely not give a second glance.

  But those who can afford a carriage ride are either rich or noble, and they cannot be let off easily.

  "Stop, otherwise you will be killed."

  When he rushed to the first place, a small school in Xiliang shouted loudly and swung his horse knife fiercely.

  The coachman, afraid of being punished, immediately pulled hard on the reins and brought the carriage to a gradual stop on the official road.

  Dozens of Western Liang cavalrymen rushed forward, shouting loudly: "What kind of person is sitting in the carriage? Come out!"

  The coachman sighed secretly and had no choice but to turn his head and call out, "Master?"

  As the carriage curtain was lifted, a young scholar of twenty-seven or eight years old with an extraordinary air and demeanor emerged from the carriage. He glanced at the Western Cool cavalry surrounding the carriage with a calm gaze and cupped his hands in greeting: "I wonder if you gentlemen have any instructions?"

  The leader of the Xiliang Xiao school saw this and was not afraid at all, couldn't help but praise, "Who are you?"

  Young scholar said: "In Xun Yu of Yingchuan, I want to go to Chengwu to visit friends, and I hope you can lend me a way."

  The little school in the Western Xiaolong said: "You bird's guts are not small, seeing grandpas and still not getting off the horse carriage, and even wanting to borrow a road. Just one look at the grandma's place is the evil landlord of the fish and meat village, kill them all for me, don't hinder my hands and feet."

  Plop!

  The carter was so frightened that he fell off the shaft and fainted on the spot.

  Xun Yu's face changed color, he didn't expect these Western Liang soldiers to be so barbaric, always wanting to kill people at every turn.

  Several Western Liang soldiers were about to urge their horses forward when one of them scratched his head and said: "Boss, I remember the general mentioning the name Xun Yu before, muttering to himself wondering where this person was. Could it be this Xun Yu?"

  Xizheng was about to urge his horse forward when he chopped down Xun Yu's Western Liang soldiers and they stopped in their tracks, turning around to look at the small Western Liang commander who led them.

  Xī Liáng little school fox doubted: "You young fellow didn't mishear, did the general really mutter to himself?"

  That cavalryman said uncertainly: "Shouldn't have misheard, right? Little guy can't remember clearly either, heh heh!"

  Xī Liáng xiǎo jiào sì shì kǎo lǜ le yī xià, cái huī huī shǒu, hè dào: "Nà jiù xiān ráng zhè guì yī mìng, kě bù néng shā le jiàng jūn yào zhǎo de rén, bǎ zhè guì yā qù gěi jiàng jūn chǔ xí, ruò bú shì jiàng jūn yào zhǎo de rén, zài shā bù chí."

  "Roger that."

  Several Western Liang cavalrymen immediately responded loudly, urging their horses forward and driving the carts back and forth.

  The coachman had fainted and fallen to the ground, Xun Yu was helpless, so he could only take the reins himself, cursing his bad luck in his heart.

  Recently, the Xiliang army has been burning, killing and looting in various parts of Yuzhou, causing panic among the local gentry, with some even fleeing with their families.

  Xun Yu heard that the Western Liang army was specifically targeting and abducting members of noble families, so he feared for the safety of his own family members and dispersed them to other places to hide temporarily until the danger passed, and he himself also prepared to flee to Mount Yang to avoid the situation.

  Didn't even reach the borders of Yanzhou yet, and already got caught up by the Western Liang army, truly unlucky to the extreme.

  A number of Western Liang soldiers were shouting and yelling, extremely barbaric.

  Xun Yu did not want to lose his life in vain, so he had no choice but to drive the horse carriage back and forth honestly.

  On the official road, Luo Zheng led a large team of cavalry to gallop forward, suddenly seeing several Western Liang soldiers rushing back on horseback with a horse-drawn carriage on the official road ahead, he couldn't help but feel suspicious, and pulled the reins to stop his warhorse.

  The Western Liang cavalry, who were advancing in a mighty torrent behind them, also hastily reined in their horses and slowed down, slowly spreading out to both wings.

  "What's going on, why did you hurry back with a horse carriage?"

  Luo Zheng waved his horse's head and loudly asked.

  Several Western Liang cavalrymen rushed forward on horseback, and one of the cavalrymen hastily said: "General, brothers have just intercepted them ahead."

  A carriage, in the carriage there is a guy named Xun Yu, it seems that he has heard General say something and hurriedly came to see if it's true or not.

  Xun Yu

  Luo Zheng was taken aback for a moment, and then his expression changed as he looked at the young scholar sitting in the driver's position with a calm face.

  Only to see this scholar, although surrounded by a pack of wolves, was without fear, extremely calm and composed, couldn't help but secretly admire him.

  "Are you Xun Yu?"

  Lu Xun's gaze was as sharp as a knife, and he stared at Xun Yu and asked.

  Xun Yu replied: "Indeed I am beneath you, but what instructions does this general have for me?"

  Luo Zheng said in a deep voice: "But isn't your courtesy name Wenruo, Xun Yu from Yingchuan?"

  Xun Yu's face showed surprise, and he replied: "Indeed, it is so."

  Hahaha!

  Luo Zheng looked up at the sky and burst out laughing, laughing so hard that tears streamed down his face.

  All the generals did not know why the general was laughing, and they were puzzled, so they had no choice but to rein in their horses and wait quietly.

  Xun Yu calmly said: "I don't know why the general is laughing?"

  Luo Zhen smiled slyly and said: "You don't need to worry about this anymore, as long as you are the Xun Yu that General wants to find. Now General only asks you one question, there is still a lack of a strategist in his camp, are you willing to serve under General?

  Xun Yu said: "I am inferior in talent and learning, a mediocre person, I only fear that I will not live up to the General's high expectations."

  "Is your knowledge of vegetables shallow?"

  Luo Zhen laughed and said: "I've heard that Xun Yu of Yingchuan has the talent to assist a king. If even you, Xun Yu, are mediocre, then all scholars under heaven should hang themselves. I sincerely invite you, don't hesitate to consider it."

  Xun Yu said calmly: "General, you are overpraising me. I am shallow and lacking in virtue, not worthy of great use. I hope the general will forgive my crime."

  " Toasts are not to be taken lightly, if you don't drink when toasted, you'll be penalized with a penalty drink."

  Luo Zheng said coldly: "Since it's like this, then you can't help but accept it."

  Xun Yu's face changed slightly, and he forced a bow, saying: "Please, General, do not force others to do what is difficult."

  Luo Zheng burst out laughing and said: "This general is about to force someone into a difficult position, how will you handle it?"

  Xun Yu's face looked unpleasant and he remained silent.

  Luo Zhen asked again, "Does General ask you if you know Guo Jia?"

  Xun Yu said: "Guo Fuxiao is a good friend of mine, how could I not recognize him?"

  Ruo Zheng was overjoyed and asked: "Where is Guo Jia?"

  Xun Yu said calmly: "Guo Pu went to Xiangyang to visit friends a month ago and has not returned yet."

  Lu Xun stared at Xun Yu for a long time and said in a low voice: "Xun Yu, you'd better be smart. Although General loves you as a talented person, if you don't know what's good for you, General won't hesitate to kill even the most talented people like Wang Zuo."

  Xun Yu did not understand and asked: "General, what do you mean by this?"

  Ruo Zheng said calmly: "Did Guo Jia really go to Xiangyang?"

  Xun Yu's expression didn't change, and he said calmly: "Every word I've spoken is true, General. Why do you still have doubts?"

  Luo Zheng stared at him for a while, but didn't see Xun Yu show any signs of panic, so he couldn't help but believe it a bit. His gaze swept across the horse-drawn carriage covered with curtains and asked: "Are you really not going to reconsider serving the imperial court?"

  Xun Yu said calmly: "I have been idle at home for a long time and am really not capable of handling important tasks. I hope the general will excuse me."

  Luo Zheng nodded and was about to give the order to kill him directly, so as not to let Cao Cao use him in the future.

  Just then, a child's cry suddenly came from inside the carriage.

  Xun Yu's face changed greatly at this moment, and his hands holding the reins of the horse trembled several times.

  Luo Zheng was taken aback for a moment, then burst out laughing and urged his horse forward, using his whip to lift the curtain of the carriage.

  In the dimly lit carriage, a beautiful young woman hugged a child under three years old and shivered with fear. The child seemed to have just woken up and cried out in fright, only to be tightly covered by the woman's hand over its mouth.

  "Who is this?"

  Lu Zhen turned his head and stared at Xun Yu's eyes, revealing a wolf-like smile.

  Xun Yu's face was in great disarray, but he still forced himself to reply: "This is the wife and child."

  "Alright, very good."

  Luo Zhenlang said loudly: "At present, the Central Plains are full of bandits, and the roads are not peaceful. Mr. Xun Yu is rushing along with his wife and young son, I'm afraid it's not very safe. Why don't I, General, escort Mr. and his family for a while?"

  Xun Yu said: "How dare I trouble General Cao!"

  "You can't help it then."

  "Where is Xu Chu?" Luo Zhen shouted.

  Xu Chu hastily mounted his horse and loudly asked: "What orders does milord have?"

  Luo Zhen said: "Mr. Xun Yu and his wife and children are all handed over to you now, not a single hair can be missing."

  "Roger that."

  Xu Chu loudly acknowledged the order and immediately led a few of his personal soldiers forward to drive away the horse carriage.

  Xun Yu's face was full of helplessness, and he was almost dragged into the carriage by several Western Liang soldiers.

  A soldier from Xiliang jumped onto the carriage shaft and sat in the driver's seat, driving the horse cart into the army.

  Let's go!

  Luo Zheng waved his hand and the tens of thousands of troops set out once again, rushing towards Yangzhou.

  Xun Yu is such a talented person, now that I've met him, how can I just let him go like this?

  Even if he can't be made to serve me for the time being, I'll have him tied up and taken back, and then think of a way to deal with him slowly later on; otherwise, if he were to defect to Cao Cao's camp in the future, he would become my greatest threat.