Chapter 16: Cao Cao's Grand Wedding, a Bloody Edict Arises!

  What's the point of astrology in Baixiangqilue? For Lv Rui, it's basically useless now!

  For the ancients, astrology could roughly determine the heroes of the time, making people hold their thighs, but Lü Rui was a well-known historical figure, so it's not very useful.

  He flipped through the handwritten bamboo slips given by Hu Zhao, and Lv Rui couldn't figure out who Qianlong Xing was. "Sigh, never mind, anyway Cao's family has three stars, more than enough! Moreover, Cao Cao is rising, while I'm still sleeping, let's focus on the current tasks!"

  Lü Rui put away the bamboo slips and went back inside to sleep.

  "Master Hou, wake up! Someone sent by Prime Minister Si Kong has arrived with urgent news. He's summoning you to the main hall of the central army camp!"

  Lü Rui turned over in bed, opened one eye, and saw that it was still dark outside. What's Old Cao doing now? Is there another emergency?...

  "Master Hou......!" Ling'er took out a wheat ear.

  "Alright...alright...I know, I'm getting up!" Ling'er has also learned this trick. It's a critical matter, can't be lazy, so get up!

  Lü Bu dragged his heavy eyes and entered the main hall of the central army, where only Cao was present, while others had not arrived yet.

  "Little one, pay your respects to Uncle!"

  "Oh...? Rui'er actually arrived the earliest today? Rui'er hasn't woken up yet......?"

  "Second Uncle, it's only a few watches into the night...?" Lü Rui looked at the night sky and complained, "Old Cao, you're diligent, but this is too early!"

  "Hehe, Rui'er, it's already the third watch of the night......!"

  "What...? Uncle Zhong...?" Old Cao actually made the third watch sound so casual? Normally, Rui Ge was still chatting with Lord Zhou!

  "Rui Er doesn't have to be like this, Zhong Fu gathering everyone must be an urgent matter...... Guess what it is?"

  "Something urgent? Could it be that Gongsun Zan has been killed...?" Lü Bu rolled his eyes and glanced at Cao Cao.

  "Haha, Rui'er is indeed clever! As the days go by, his strategies and vision are increasing. It's true, Yuan Shao has pacified Gongsun Zan, and Gongsun Zan died in Yi City!"

  "Hmm..." Lü Rui murmured, thinking of the star in the north that had shone brightly a few years ago but gradually dimmed and finally fell. Combining this with history, Gongsun Zan was doomed!

  "Uncle is so happy......? Gong Sun Zan has been destroyed......? Ben Chu elder brother?" Yuan Shao has eliminated Gong Sun Zan, next it will be you!

  "Yuan Shu has eliminated Gongsun Zan and may turn his head to launch an attack on our army!"

  "Why is it like this?"

  "Haha, at first I wanted to unify Hebei, with a mighty momentum. If I, Cao Cao, were defeated, who in the world would be my match?"

  "Uncle's great talent and bold vision, I admire!" Is this what they call the aura of a hero? The stronger the enemy, the more excited...

  "Everyone, let us pay our respects to Lord Cao!" Before long, all the officials from the Prime Minister's estate had arrived, and Cao Cao's grand council was about to begin.

  "Everyone, please rise."

  "Today, our headquarters is open to all of you. Mainly because we received news from Hebei that Yuan Shao has defeated Gongsun Zan, and Gongsun Zan died in the capital. Except for Zhang Yan, the rest of the forces in Hebei have basically surrendered to Yuan Shao. What do you gentlemen think?"

  "My lord, Yuan Shao of Hebei has defeated Gongsun Zan and taken his elite troops. I fear he will soon march south to engage our army in battle. Please make preparations, my lord!" Xun Yu was the first to speak up.

  "Yes, Gongda's words are reasonable, but Hebei still has Zhang Yan's Yellow Turbans causing trouble. Can Yuan Shao quickly quell Zhang Yan?"

  "It's easy!" Lü Rui said casually, and that was how it was in history.

  "Oh? What's your opinion, Rui'er?"

  "Uh....?" Slipped out, can't help it, had to come out.

  "Sir, Zhang Yan, Huangjin ear, in the past, Sir collected 1 million Huangjin from Qingzhou, how many days did it take? Is it that Yuan Benchu doesn't even have this ability...?" Lv Rui borrowed Cao Cao's words to pacify Qingzhou and said that Yuan Shao pacified Zhang Yan, but the Huangjin army was actually just poor common people of the Great Han, how much combat power could they have?

  "Hmm, Rui'er makes sense. Ben Chu is also a dominant force. If even Zhang Yan can't be subdued, how can he be an opponent for Ben Siku?"

  "What a wise and brilliant adult!"

  "Since Yuan Shao has already had the intention of raising troops, Wen Ruo, are our army's food and grass sufficient?"

  "I report to Your Excellency, with consecutive years of natural disasters, although Yanzhou has had a bumper harvest in recent years, grain and fodder are still in short supply. The grain and fodder from Xuzhou have been transported to Xu Du, but it is still not enough for long-term supply of our army. I think that if our army launches an attack, the grain and fodder will only be enough for four months!"

  "April......? This time is a bit short......? Wen Ruo?"

  "My lord, under our military rule, not only have we suffered from locust plagues, but also many years of war have led to outbreaks of the plague in many areas. Fortunately, the great physician Hua Tuo from the Hou Mansion has led his disciples to treat the plague, but many common people have just recovered from their illnesses and are too weak to work in the fields. I beg you to take this into consideration!"

  "What...? Wen Ruo, try your best to gather grain!" Cao Cao said helplessly.

  "Yes, sir!"

  "Yuan Rang, Miao Cai, Zi Xiao, and Zi Lian, you four must intensify the training of our soldiers. By tomorrow, when our army clashes with Yuan Shao's forces, every single one of them must be a crack warrior!"

  "Yes, sir!"

  "Alright, everyone. Yuan Shao's attack will still take some time, but our own Imperial Chancellor has just taken in a new wife from the Zou family, and on the day of our wedding ceremony, I invite all of you to come and share a cup of joyful wine!" Cao Cao saw that the crowd was worried about Yuan Shao's military strength and their own army's provisions, so he used his own marriage to boost everyone's morale.

  "Congratulations to Lord Cao on his new acquisition of a beautiful woman!" Everyone was clever and immediately understood Cao Cao's intention, so they all chimed in to congratulate him.

  "Brother Hui, there are firecrackers to play with!" Cao Hui led the young children of the Cao family, playing and frolicking at the gate of the Sima estate. Today was a good day for Cao Cao's wedding to Zou Shi, and from early morning on, people had been coming and going continuously at the Sima estate.

  Yuan Shao's power is great, but Cao Cao's wedding will still be held!

  Cao Cao of the Imperial Chancellor's office took in a new concubine, and all the civil and military officials of the imperial court came to congratulate him. Emperor Xian also issued an edict, conferring the title of Lady Anhan on Zou, to show his favor.

  Cao Cao furrowed his brow upon hearing Liu Xie's edict, revealing a hint of anger. However, today was the grand wedding day and he couldn't afford to show rage. After the crowd shouted their thanks to His Majesty, he ordered his attendants to escort the imperial envoy back to the palace.

  Ding heard Liu Xie's intention and immediately showed displeasure on his face, but for the sake of Cao's family reputation, he endured it.

  "Something's happened, something's happened......!" Cao Chong shook his head on the side.

  After sending away the eunuchs who delivered the imperial edict, Cao Cao's grand wedding with Zou Shi began. The wedding went smoothly except for Ding Shi's unpleasant expression. After seeing off the bride into the bridal chamber, Cao Cao started feasting and drinking with everyone.

  The clansmen of Cao and the civil and military officials also started to offer each other wine and build relationships.

  Among the crowd, Zhang Yu was the busiest. Once a vassal lord, now Cao Cao's nominal son, his so-called mother had been enfeoffed as Lady Han by the Emperor himself, and he still commanded some troops, making him the object of everyone's attention.

  Lü Rui also picked up the wine pot and cup, walking towards Zhang Xiu. Alas! The thousand-year-old official wine culture is the truth!

  Lü Rui had just arrived at Zhang Xiu's side when he was preempted by someone else!

  "General Zhang...? Do you still remember Dong Cheng?" Old man Dong Cheng has arrived.

  "Oh....? So it's General Dong, Dong Guozhang......?" Zhang Hua smiled and returned the courtesy.

  "Dong Cheng has met General Zhang before, and after many years, General Zhang's demeanor remains the same. Now that he has returned to serve the imperial court again, it is truly a blessing for the great Han!"

  "The national uncle smiled."

  "Where, where, thank General Zhang for his care in Luoyang that day. Please accept my respects, General Zhang!" After finishing speaking, Dong Cheng made a big courtesy to Zhang Chao.

  "What...? National...?" Zhang Xiu was somewhat at a loss.

  Dong Cheng, you want to win people's hearts? Deal with Zhong Fu? Destroy you!

  "It turned out that Guo Zhang and General Zhang were old acquaintances....?" Lü Rui walked over with a wine jug.

  "So it's Young Master Hou? I thought it was someone else. You don't know, but in the past in Chang'an, I and General Zhang were good friends, and we regret not meeting sooner!"

  Come on, can such a lowly trick of sowing discord actually work? Are you and Zhang Xiang very close?

  "So it is! I didn't know that..."

  "Right, I forgot one thing." After saying that, Lü Rui patted his forehead.

  "Has Master Hou forgotten something...?" Dong Cheng asked Lü Rui with a smile.

  "This Lord has just remembered, doesn't Lord Dong seem to be a relative of the rebel leader Dong Zhuo? General Zhang used to serve under Dong Zhuo in the past, so is Lord Dong General Zhang's superior...?"

  "What...?!" Dong Cheng's face suddenly turned dark.

  "His Excellency is joking, although I also bear the surname Dong, but I am not related to the traitor Dong. In the past, I submitted to Dong's son-in-law Niu Fu, it was also for the sake of rescuing Your Majesty and restoring the Great Han!" said Dong Cheng with righteous words.

  "Oh? So Lord Dong is just a small soldier in Dong Zhuo's army? I thought Lord Dong was one of Dong Zhuo's trusted advisors, looks like I was wrong?" Zhang Ji is one of the four great heavenly kings under Dong Zhuo, Dong Cheng? A minor role.

  "Hehe, Lord Hou is still young and doesn't know better, it's not his fault. I'm afraid I've had too much wine, so I'll take my leave!" With that, he bowed to Zhang Xiang and Lü Rui, then left.

  Watching Dong Cheng leave with a smile, Lü Rui was stunned for a moment. The history books all say that Dong Cheng is an incompetent person, but from Dong Cheng's performance today, Lü Rui had new thoughts - someone who can create a bloody edict under the eyes of Old Cao is not simple!

  "General Zhang, Lord Hou offers you a cup. In the Sima Mansion, General and I can be considered as of the same generation?" Lü Rui is Cao Cao's adopted son, now Zhang Xiu is Cao Cao's fake son, theoretically speaking, they are both fake sons!

  "Lord Hou is being polite, Zhang Xiu can be considered Lord Hou's elder brother! Come on, younger brother, let me toast you a cup!"

  "Thanks, brother!" Lü Bu offered wine to Zhang Fei!

  "Is the master...?" The housekeeper at Dong Cheng's residence asked in the middle of the night when he saw that the study was still lit.

  "Hum, you call the four slaves in the mansion!"

  "Yes, sir!" The four slaves were raised by Dong Cheng's family from a young age and were loyal but illiterate.

  Dong Cheng looked at the blood edict in the brocade box and muttered to himself: "It's time, it should come, it will come!" (Tomorrow, Rabbit Guilin is on a business trip, may be updated later, thank you for your support)