Chapter Thirty: The Real and Fake Zhu Jianping!

  Since Lü Bu was revered as the Great Locust Sage by the people of Jizhou, he never went out again. Isn't it damaging to his image? As a young boy with two braids, they should be the same size, but now one is bigger than the other, how ridiculous! Lü Bu, I must get rid of you!

  After half a year of rest, Cao recovered his energy, and the Tiger and Leopard Riders formed by Cao Chun were also successfully trained. Relying on Cao's wisdom and the bravery of his generals, they quickly defeated Lü Bu in Yanzhou and re-entered Chenliu, and Yanzhou entered a period of recovery and growth.

  In the Chenliu governor's mansion, Cao played with some farming molds. Not bad, these things are really good! I didn't expect Rui'er to have such a strange person under his command!

  Cao looked at Lü Rui and said, "Rui'er? These farm tools have been tested by Zhongfu, they can indeed improve production efficiency. I wonder if you want to give them to Zhongfu?"

  Lv Rui stuck out his tongue and said, "Uncle Zhong, these farm tools have production costs, I, Rui, can't give them to you for free. Let's follow the old rules, Uncle Zhong buys one hundred and I'll throw in ten!"

  Are you starting a business again? Do I have money now? Isn't it mostly debt? Cao Cao glanced at Xun Yu, Wen Ruo, this matter is handed over to you!

  Xun Yu felt Cao's piercing gaze, and stepped forward, cupping his hands to say to Lü Bu: "Your Excellency, our army has just recovered Chenliu, and we are short of military supplies. Would it be possible for you to give us a discount on the price? We plan to purchase 1,000 sets of farming tools; would Your Excellency be willing to gift us with 300 sets?"

  Nainai's, Xun Wenruo, you're really good at doing business, originally it was 90% off, but you pressed it down to 70%? Lü Rui scratched his head and said: "Uncle Wenruo, this is too much of a discount, no way!"

  Xun Yu smiled and said, "Lord Hou, I heard that the people of Yangzhou worship you as a locust god. As a god, you should naturally think for the people. The people have farm tools now, so they will be busy working hard and won't make those little clay figures of yours anymore."

  Is this a double meaning? Xun Gongda's intention is that if I don't agree, he will send people to participate in the action of pinching mud figures, and my glorious image will be ruined all at once? I really can't understand how ancient people think. You just build a temple for me, why does every household need to pinch small mud figures of me? Riding on a locust? Fortunately, this is only in Yanzhou, if it were known throughout the Han Dynasty, wouldn't my image be completely ruined?

  Lü Rui nodded reluctantly and said: "Okay, let's do it according to Wen Ruojun's idea!"

  Cao heard this and slapped the table, saying: "Alright, Wenruo, bring paper and pen, I'll write a few IOUs for Rui'er!"

  Isn't it? Uncle, you're addicted to signing IOUs? Owing money again? Soon Xun Yu had written out the loan document and presented it to Lü Bu, who didn't even bother to read it carefully, just letting Cao sign it directly. Anyway, pressuring Cao now is useless. Before the Battle of Guandu, Cao was always in a tight spot financially; otherwise, Xiahou wouldn't have gone to gather firewood and been taken by Zhang Fei. Being the Grand Marshal of Han isn't that easy!

  Cao saw that the matter of farm tools had been settled, so he let everyone withdraw. Lü Yi withdrew and went out, haha, isn't it a holiday now? Can go play with Guo Jia again.

  Lü Bu walked out of the door and saw Guo Jia holding a wine jug, leaning against the wall of the governor's mansion, taking a sip. Lü Bu hurried forward and bowed: "Master?"

  Guo Jia covered the gourd with a lid, swung it and said: "Rui'er follow up!" Lü Rui immediately followed up with a thud.

  Soon, Lü Bu and Guo Jia arrived at a wine shop in Chenliu. The waiter saw Guo Jia and immediately served them with familiarity, apparently a regular customer.

  After the wine and dishes were served, Guo Jia started eating. Lü Rui looked at Guo Jia's expression, seemingly very depressed? Lü Rui tried to ask: "Master? What is our study content for today?"

  Kuo Chia took a mouthful of food, sighed and said: "What's the point of studying? Today is just about accompanying Master out for a stroll to relieve boredom. As for studying, we'll talk about it another day!"

  What's wrong, who provoked Guo Jia today? Why is he so irritable? Lü Rui looked around and said: "Master, are you done eating? Are you going to Hong'er's place?"

  Guo Jia covered Lu Rui's mouth and said, "Rui'er, don't mention it again. Your shifu's mother has brought your shidi to Chenliu. I've never gone to find that Hong'er girl!"

  So that's how it is, the madam has come to inspect, Guo Jia must behave himself. If not for Lü Rui coming, I reckon there wouldn't even be a chance to go out. Madam Guo is quite formidable, as soon as she arrives at a new place, she can establish good relations with the local noblewomen, Guo Jia has nowhere to hide.

  Looking at the master's gloomy appearance, Lü Rui also took a bite of food and said: "Master, do you know what it means to marry an unlucky wife?" Women from humble families are generally more straightforward, just like modern-day shrews.

  Guo Jia rolled his eyes and said: "Rui'er, don't be too happy too early. You married the master's daughter, after all, there will be a day like Master!"

  Lü Rui said nonchalantly, "No way, my kid wouldn't do that!" But in his heart, he thought, "Xiao Shou, if you make any mistakes with the Three Kingdoms, I'll castrate you and turn you into a eunuch!"

  Just as Guo Jia was teasing his disciples, a young man suddenly grabbed the fortune teller's clothes and scolded him, "You stinky old man, what did you say? I can only live until 30 years old? Are you looking for a fight?"

  "Zhu Jianping? Nainai's, I saw him again. It's really 'tireless efforts yield no results'. Lu Rui said to Shi Ah: "Master brother, go rescue that fortune teller and bring him over!"

  Shi Ah nodded and left his seat, went to the young man's side, kicked a leg, and rescued Zhu Jianping. The young man covered his chest, pointing at Shi Ah: "Who are you? Dare to provoke me?"

  Shi Ah took out a token, the young man looked at it and hummed, then left with his companions. Shi Ah brought Zhu Jianping to Lü Rui's presence.

  Zhu Jianping saw Lü Rui nodding his head and said: "Thank you, young master, for saving me. To repay the kindness of saving my life, I'll give you a free divination!"

  Lü Rui took a sip of tea and said, "Zhu Jianping, fortune-telling? What are you pretending to be? Don't you recognize me? Three years ago, also in Chenliu, you told my fortune and said I would become a first-rank official and live to be one hundred!"

  Zhu Jianping listened, his head full of fog, then leaned in to take a closer look at Lü Rui, shook his head and said: "This young master, you may have remembered incorrectly, I really didn't read your fortune, a lifespan of 100 years? An official rank of first grade? This is not false, however, the young master's blessings still need guidance, would you like to hear an old man's words?"

  Lü Ruì's eyes widened in incredulity as he stared at Zhu Jianping. Had he suddenly developed intermittent amnesia? If it wasn't Zhu Jianping who had told his fortune back then, who was it? It couldn't be a ghost! That was impossible! Lü Ruì asked again: "Zhu Jianping, are you sure you never told my fortune? Three years ago, there really was someone who looked exactly like you who told my fortune!"

  Zhu Jianping looked at Lü Rui and said, "Young master, I also believe what you say is true, but three years ago I was in Xuzhou and did not come to Chenliu. The one who told your fortune must not have been the real Zhu Jianping!"

  Lü Rui was taken aback and asked: "Zhu Jianping, what do you mean?"

  Zhu Jianping smiled and stroked his beard, saying: "Young master, you don't know that my physiognomy skills were passed down from an old man. My late master had many disciples, but only I became famous. Many of my fellow disciples often use my name to deceive people, young master, you've been deceived!"

  Lü Rui suddenly realized, Nainai's, it turned out that he had encountered a Jianghu master and was deceived. Lü Rui asked: "Zhu Jianping? You said my lifespan is one hundred years old, and I will be appointed as a first-rank official, what else do you need to point out?"

  Zhu Jianping said: "Young master, if you want to be promoted to a high-ranking official, it's not difficult. Just get close to someone with the character 'Cao' in their name and you'll be fine. However, if you want to live to be 100 years old, you need to beware of people with the character 'Ma' in their name. The horse may not harm you, but it can drag away your lifespan."

  People close to Cao? Holding onto Cao's thigh will definitely bring prosperity and wealth, what about Ma? The Sima family? Hehe, interesting, do I have to be arch-rivals with Sima Yi for a lifetime? His age should be similar to mine!

  Lü Rui smiled and bowed his hands, saying: "Thank you, Lü Rui will definitely remember Mr.'s words!"

  Guo Jia was bored and looked at Zhu Jianping, then said: "Old man, can you calculate a divination for me?"

  "Sir, I can give a free fortune-telling for the young friend, but you have to pay. I won't break the rules for your sake." - Zhu Jianping

  Guo Jia glanced at Lü Yi, and Lü Yi took out some silver from his bosom and said: "Zhu Jianping, is this enough?"

  Zhu Jianping saw the silver, his eyes lit up, and he took it. Then he looked at Guo Jia's facial features and palm lines, saying: "Sir is a man of great wealth and nobility, but you are afraid of your wife, and she has caused you much suffering."

  "That's enough, sir. No need to mention my wife. Say something else?" Guo Jia almost jumped up upon hearing this. If his own wife found out, he would be in trouble.

  "Alright, sir. As someone who has had a serious illness in the past, if you have another major illness, you must take good care of yourself and rest for three years. After three years, you can extend your lifespan by thirty years."

  Guo Jia smiled and said: "Alright, alright, if that's really the case, Guo Fengxiao will definitely send a big gift to the master." Can I, Guo Fengxiao, a drunkard and glutton, live up to the age of thirty?

  Lü Rui narrowed his eyes. This Zhu Jianping seemed to be the real deal, so who was that fake Zhu Jianping back then?

  Guo Jia thought for a moment and then asked, "Mr. Zhu, do you know who the person was that disguised himself as Chen Liu in the past?"

  Zhu Jianping shook his head and said, "I really don't know about this, unless you can provide other information, I really can't guess who it is. However, it should be one of my fellow disciples."

  Kuo Chia listened, so interesting. When Chen Liu calculated his fate earlier, Lü Rui had mentioned it to Kuo Chia during his free time. At that time, Kuo Chia felt a bit strange, but now he must get to the bottom of it! Kuo Chia asked: "Rui-er, you said that person left a message for you, what was the content? Can you tell your teacher?"

  Ancient people were taboo about fortune-telling, and the fortune-teller's words to themselves generally could not be told to outsiders, except for their wives and children, otherwise there would be unlucky disasters.

  Lü Rui naturally didn't believe this and said: "The appearance of Taigong, facing Qi's prosperity, if you want peace, go west!"

  Guo Jia listened, what kind of fortune-telling words are these? It's clear that he wants Lü Rui to go west to find him. Guo Jia shook his head and said: "Rui'er, do you know what this means?"

  Lv Rui said: "Isn't it that the appearance of my ancestor can thrive in places close to Qi State, but if we want to keep peace, we should go west. Is it telling me to move to the western part of the Great Han?"

  Guo Jia smiled and said, "Rui'er was wrong. What he meant to tell you is that he already knows you are the adopted son of Lord Cao, Qi Hou Lü Rui. To save your life, go find him in the west. Unfortunately, you didn't understand the implication and missed an opportunity."

  Lü Rui only then realized that he had made a mistake, misunderstanding the meaning. It turned out that the person was intimidating him, his identity had been exposed, and to ensure safety, he should go see him! Alas, he had actually been plotted against, and it took three years to learn the truth. How embarrassing, how embarrassing!

  Guo Jia muttered to himself: "It seems this person is neither an enemy nor a friend!"

  Guo Jia asked: "Zhu sir, can you effectively unite with the Western Liang army's brothers?"

  Zhu Jianping shook his head and said: "No, but my master seemed to have taught a man from Western Liang the art of physiognomy, whose name was Jia Xiang!"

  Guo Jia heard, Jia Yu? Dong Zhuo's strategist? He only had this person's name in his own intelligence network, but judging from the Rui'er incident, he should be careful of this person!

  Guo Jia smiled and said: "Rui'er, it seems that you have been targeted by someone, someone thinks you are a rare treasure!"

  Lü Rui shuddered, Jia Yu, the poisonous Jia Yu? Was he being targeted? Thinking of this, a chill ran down Lü Rui's back. Nai nai, and Jia Wen? This was an even more cunning person than the old fox, how did he take a liking to himself? What rare goods did he have that made him worthy of attention? What did he want to do?

  At this time, Cao sent someone to find Guo Jia, there were important matters to discuss with Guo Jia, the imperial envoy had arrived!