Chapter 4 Rushing East and West

  "See Ju Shou!?" Yuan Xi almost fell over in surprise.

  Has this kid gone mad? He just expressed an opinion that agrees with what Zhuo Shou said, didn't he see how angry Father got? And now he's going to go see that jinx again. Is he dissatisfied with his life being too comfortable and wants to get a thrill?

  "Go." Yuan Shang didn't let go of his hand, grabbed Yuan Xi and rushed out.

  Dazed and confused, he followed for a few steps before Yuan Xi suddenly turned around with a jolt, slamming on the brakes: "Wait... wait a minute!"

  "What are you waiting for? The more you wait, the more trouble it will be! Do you know what's going on now?" Yuan Shang was very dissatisfied with Yuan Xi's dawdling.

  Trouble also has to wait...

  Yuan Xi wiped the sweat from his forehead, looked around cautiously and said in a low voice: "Third brother, do you know what you're doing? Zhuo Fan has offended Father and is currently imprisoned in the military prison, he will surely die soon! Now if you go to see him, isn't that just asking for trouble?"

  "If I'm not at ease, then so be it. If this matter can't be settled today, I'm afraid I won't be able to be at ease for the next few years. Second brother, you don't have to accompany me, just don't go and tell father about it, that's all I ask of you!"

  Yuan Xi's face suddenly turned red upon hearing the words, and after a while, he stomped his feet fiercely and said helplessly: "Since I followed my father to take charge of the army, I have been smooth sailing all my life, and there has never been a time when I made my father unhappy. Why did I just happen to get stuck with you, such a troublesome brother! It's really because of you that I owe this debt, if you want to go see Zhurou that jinx, then go by yourself! I won't accompany you, don't regret it later!"

  Having said that, Yuan Xi was seen to fling his arm in anger and walk away with a helpless air towards the right side of the commander's tent, disappearing from view in an instant.

  Yuan Shang shook his head and muttered under his breath: "Soft egg..." Then he turned around and slowly walked out of the commander's tent.

  Yuan Xi said that Ju Shou was a disaster star, and before the Battle of Guandu, Ju Shou had advised Yuan Shao that although the Yuan army had many soldiers, they were not as brave as the Cao army. The Cao army was brave but lacked food and grass compared to the Yuan army. He suggested that Yuan Shao delay for some time, wait for an opportunity, and when Cao Cao's grain and fodder are exhausted, and there is a change in the army, then launch a surprise attack.

  Ju Shou's advice was good, but unfortunately his way of speaking really had some problems. Originally it was a good strategy, but he happened to add an emphasis at the end of his presentation, and this emphasis made Yuan Shao suddenly furious, and at that time he put him in prison.

  If our lord abandons his own advantages and engages in a hasty battle with Cao Cao, I fear it will be unfavorable for our army, and the situation will become critical.

  Whether it is ancient or modern, everyone likes to listen to what they want to hear. Yuan Shao is also a human being, especially he is a person who loves vanity. The war is imminent, but Ju Shou poured a basin of cold water on his head, opening his mouth with "not beneficial" and closing his mouth with "dangerous". How can Yuan Shao easily give up? It's strange if he doesn't take revenge.

  So, language is an art, what to say and what not to say depends on the situation.

  Yuan Shang's current identity is different from the usual, and he casually found a few soldiers to ask along the way. He arrived at the place where Zhu She was being held. Since Zhu She was being detained by the army, the place where he was staying was a wooden prison cart, covered with a tattered canopy, which was the resting place of the famous minister of Hebei, Zhu Da.

  It is clear that Yuan Shao kept a very strict watch on Ju Shou, who was nothing more than a prisoner locked in a cart. Nearly thirty guards were stationed beside the camp, divided into three shifts, taking turns to keep watch and strictly forbidding outsiders from approaching, not even allowing a drop of water to leak out or any news to spread.

  As Yuan Shang approached the tent where Guan Yu was being held, he saw two guards standing on either side of him, their spears at the ready, blocking his path. They said in a low voice, "We have been ordered by our lord to guard the prisoner Guan Yu. Without our lord's permission, no one is allowed to enter."

  Yuan Shang was stunned for a moment, in this large camp of Yuan's army, was there still a place that he couldn't enter with his current identity?

  "Don't you... recognize me?" Yuan Shang laughed and asked, pointing at his own face.

  The guards looked at each other, then one of them who seemed to be the leader bowed and said: "How could we not recognize the three young masters? We are wearing armor, so we cannot pay our respects fully. Please forgive us."

  "Alright, alright!" Yuan Shang smiled and patted the guard on the shoulder, saying kindly: "I have some business today and I'd like to see Mr. Ju Xuan. Can you guys do me a favor?"

  Several guards looked at each other with difficulty, but seeing the leader cup his hands and say: "Returning to Third Master's words, it's not that we want to make things difficult for Third Master, but...but Shi Zong is our master's personally appointed heavy criminal. If there's no order from our master, we can't let anyone else see him arbitrarily. Third Master, entering today may be easy, but it will cost us our heads."

  After all, if you want to see a prisoner, relying solely on your identity is still a little bit short...

  "Heaven knows, earth knows, you know, I know. You don't say anything, can I still go out and shout randomly? Sell me a favor, in the future it will be to your advantage!" Yuan Shang's eyes rolled over, and he immediately changed his tone, adopting another approach.

  "Some of the guards began to hesitate, as the third young master, who was usually arrogant and disdainful towards soldiers, had personally come today and spoken so seriously. Not giving him face would not be good, but the lord's strict orders..."

  "Of course." Yuan Shang's face was harmless, and he continued with a smile: "You don't let me in, no big deal. I'll just pat my butt and leave. You're loyal to your duties, obeying orders, and your heads are safe for today? But what about tomorrow? The day after tomorrow? Hehe, this is something nobody can guarantee, right?"

  Threat! Naked threat!

  What is benevolence and prestige, what is called beating a stick and giving a date, this speech by Yuan San Gongzi perfectly interprets these two words, making people understand it thoroughly.

  The leading guard wiped his sweat, this third young master is really troublesome to deal with. He looks at him with a gentle smile on his face, but in reality, he's not an easy person to get rid of.

  Yuan Shang's words were clear: Let me in, and I promise not to say a word, and I'll even remember your kindness and repay you someday... Don't let me in? Alright then, consider this grudge settled today.

  As I am now in power, you will eventually lose your heads, either today or tomorrow. Choose a path for yourself!

  It's gotten to the point where even an idiot would know which road to take.

  The guards looked around cautiously, carefully making way for Yuan Shang, and the lead guard said in a low voice: "Young Master, please hurry up with whatever you need to do, don't delay too much..."

  Yuan Shang smiled and patted his shoulder, saying: "Don't worry, I'll take care of it. Just keep an eye out for me outside and don't let others know."

  As I walked into the tent, before I could see things clearly inside, a strong pungent smell hit me in the face. It was a foul odor of moldy hay and damp manure mixed together, making my head spin and my stomach churn with nausea.

  Yuan Shang's body was carrying a disease and his physique was already weak. Suddenly entering this kind of environment, he almost threw up from the intense nausea.

  "Ugh——"

  The sound of dry vomiting startled the prisoners in the tent and the prison cart.

  He slowly raised his head, originally with a good appearance and majestic spirit. However, due to the torture of imprisonment, he now had a waxen complexion, disheveled beard and mustache, and a pair of wise eyes that were deeply sunken from despair, looking dejected and perplexed.

  His eyes, which were originally dull and lifeless, suddenly shone with an intense, astonished light when he saw Yuan Shang's figure.

  Obviously, he didn't expect that the first person to come and see him would be Yuan Shang, the arrogant and conceited Yuan San Gongzi!

  "Is it you...?!.... Third Master?"

  Under the astonishment, Zhuo Ju couldn't help but blurt out.

  "Hehe, what a pity, it's me, not Father, Mr. Ju won't be disappointed, will he?"

  At this time, Yuan Shang suppressed the feeling of nausea and carefully avoided the filthy things on the ground, slowly walking to the side of the carriage where Ju Shou was trapped.

  "The prisoner Gu Su, pays his respects to the three gentlemen!" At this time, Gu Su finally reacted from his initial shock and hastily knelt down in the prison cell, performing a bowing ceremony.

  Seeing Zhe's behavior, Yuan Shang hurriedly smiled and said: "Mr. Zhe, although you are a prisoner, to me you are like family, no need to be so polite. Get up quickly, the wooden board in the prison cart is hard and kneeling is chilly..."

  "Agreed."

  Ju Xun slowly straightened his body, sat cross-legged in the wooden cage and calmly looked at Yuan Shang outside. The reason he didn't stand up wasn't that he didn't respect Yuan Shang enough, but the space of the wooden cage was really too small. With his current condition, it was simply impossible for him to stand up.

  The two of them fell silent for a while, until Ju Song finally shook his head and gave a bitter smile.

  "My life is at an end... Third Master, I wonder if our lord intends to have me beheaded as a warning to the public, or if he will graciously allow me to take my own life?"

  Yuan Shang raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised: "Mr. Ju thinks I'm here to kill you?"

  "Otherwise, how?" Zhū Shòu gazed up at the sky and let out a long sigh, his wilted face revealing a hint of unspoken resentment.

  "The son of a wealthy family would not sit in a humble hall, and the three dukes' identity is prominent. Zhe Xuan is just a prisoner under the stairs, how could he come here if it weren't for the orders of his lord? And how could his lord personally come to see an old minister unless he wanted to give him a death sentence? These are all etiquette and fate. Zhe Xuan has followed his lord for many years, how could he not know his lord's temperament?"

  At this point, Zhu Xiu's eyes flowed down two turbid streams of tears, and he sighed: "The lord has ordered the third young master to come, which is also a consideration for the old relationship. I am willing to die without resentment... but... but I will never have the opportunity to see the day when the lord sweeps away the dust and eliminates the heroes..."

  Yuan Shang heard this and his brain spun three times. This big strategist's imagination was a bit too rich, and his emotional agitation wasn't very reliable. I hadn't even farted yet, but he went on and on with his sentimental speech, as if life or death depended on it, without even considering the timing.

  "Mr. Ju misunderstood, I didn't receive any instructions from anyone to come here, and Father had no intention of killing Mr. Ju either. Today's visit is purely to chat with you about trivial matters. Please don't be so sad, excessive sorrow is bad for your health, don't think wildly, really, it will shorten your lifespan."

  Ju Shou slowly lifted his head, tears welling up in his eyes as he asked in confusion: "Milord... didn't you order my execution?"

  "Never!" Yuan Shang nodded affirmatively and smiled: "Although Father has put you in prison, he is actually still thinking of you in his heart. He just can't swallow his pride for the time being. You know, Mr., my father is at such an advanced age and is a powerful leader, so he always wants to save face when doing things. After some time passes and his anger dissipates, he will naturally reuse you again. You are a dragon among men, just endure this hardship for now, and better days will come later."

  After a while, Zhuo Shou straightened his waist and made a fist with both hands, bowing to Yuan Shang: "Thank you, young master, for your kindness in comforting me. Today's favor, I will never forget. Indeed, a great man born under heaven, how can he degenerate himself? Master is not a foolish person, but only because Zhuo Shou's words offended him, and he was momentarily angry. I believe that one day, master will reuse me again!"

  Yuan Shang and Shan laughed and said: "Sir can have such enlightenment, it is worthy of being a hero in Hebei. This is the best, very good, very good."

  Ju Xuan burst into tears and laughed, shaking his head: "Third Master, Ju Xuan has something to ask you. You came here, I'm afraid it's not just to comfort me, is it?"

  Yuan Shang's expression turned serious: "Sir, you are indeed clever and wise, I admire you. Today, I have come here to discuss a major matter with you, I hope you will not hesitate to offer your guidance."

  "When did it become so serious that the Third Master would condescend to come and ask a prisoner like me?"

  Yuan Shang let out a long sigh and said: "Sir, Xu You has defected to Cao Cao..."

  "What!" Zhu Shou was suddenly shocked and lost his color, his thin lips trembling uncontrollably:

  "Xu You surrendered to Cao? When did this happen?"

  "It's been two or three days since I last spoke."

  Yuwen Shu stared blankly at Yuan Shang for a long time, then closed his eyes, and with a loud bang of his right fist on the wooden prison door, he exclaimed: "The situation is hopeless!"