Chapter 121 Zhao'er Goes to War

After his defeat at Guandu, Yuan Shao fled to the north bank of Liyang, where he rallied his old troops and returned to Ji Province to rebuild his military might. He had three sons: the eldest, Yuan Tan, was sent to govern Qing Province; the second, Yuan Xi, was sent to govern You Province; and the third, Yuan Shang, remained by his side.

At that time, Yuan Xi and Yuan Tan both led their troops to assist in the battle, and the Yuan army was in high spirits.

Cao Cao ordered his troops to go into battle immediately.

Ever since that time when Guo Jia and I were frozen in the snow, I've had a recurring cold that keeps getting better and worse, and I've been dragging it out without getting rid of the root of the problem.

On a chilly winter morning, I huddled in bed with a steamed bun in my arms, half-asleep.

A pair of cold hands reached into the blankets. I shivered, knowing who it was, and closed my eyes, not wanting to open them.

Those hands then became increasingly audacious and unruly.

A slight smile played on my lips as I quietly tucked Baozi into my arms and held it against my chest. Baozi didn't move, obediently becoming my human shield.

The hand under the covers paused slightly when it touched the steamed bun.

Baozi suddenly started laughing.

Cao Cao also smiled with his eyes narrowed.

Sunlight streamed in through the window, brushing against Cao Cao's face. He threw off the covers and crawled in as well.

Cao Cao pulled me and Baozi into his arms without saying a word.

Quietly, even the air seemed to carry a cool, sweet scent.

Looking at Cao Cao, I was slightly lost in thought. It was truly unbelievable that I was actually lying in the arms of this hero who lived 1,800 years ago.

My thoughts immediately drifted back to that starry night when I asked him, "Do you love me?"

He chuckled in surprise. "Is that important?"

Is this important?

It's really important to me.

He didn't answer me.

He has so many wives, so much love, but has it all been divided into so many equal parts? And what small portion belongs to me?

"I'm about to go to war," Cao Cao suddenly announced.

"Um."

"That's it?" Cao Cao raised an eyebrow.

"What should I do?" I rolled my eyes inelegantly.

"At least... they should have expressed their reluctance to part..." Cao Cao pouted, looking displeased.

I grinned and made a really ugly face at him.

The little dumpling in my arms, who was staring at me, started to twitch. Her little mouth pursed, as if she was scared by me and was about to cry.

Just as I was about to comfort her, Baozi grinned and started laughing.

Cao Cao also laughed.

"I will take Zhao'er with me on this expedition," Cao Cao added.

"Hmm," I replied casually, then my eyes widened. "What did you say?!"

"I want to take Zhao'er with me on this expedition," Cao Cao said, looking at me with a smile.

"No way!" I jumped up and yelled.

"Why?"

"On the battlefield, swords and spears have no eyes; it's too dangerous!"

"Ah?" Cao Cao frowned slightly and sighed, "It really chills my heart... I've never seen my wife care about me like this before."

"Zhao'er is still a child! The battlefield is not suitable for him!"

"Zi Huan will accompany the army on this campaign," Cao Cao said calmly.

Cao Pi? I remembered that boy in blue robes, about the same age as Zhao'er.

By the time I came to my senses, Cao Cao had already gotten up and left.

I could only get up dejectedly, wash up, and then take the steamed buns to find Zhao'er. Because of Madam Ding's deliberate arrangement, I had not seen Zhao'er for a long time and did not know how he was doing.

After leaving Tongmeng Pavilion and passing through a corridor, I suddenly heard a commotion. Curious, I grabbed Baozi and went to see what was going on.

"You're not allowed to speak ill of my sister!" a voice shouted.

Is it Zhao'er?

I became increasingly puzzled and quickly stepped forward.

I saw Zhao'er beaten black and blue by a group of finely dressed youths. Knowing that he had a very strong sense of pride, I quickly hid behind a pillar in the corridor.

"Hmph, that Lady Huan is so plain-looking, I don't know what Father sees in her!"

"Haha, of course it has its merits..."

"Look at that foxy face, everyone knows what's going on. Unlike my mother, a lady from a respectable family, she naturally suffers some losses!"

Several teenagers laughed loudly and talked on purpose.

What are you glaring at?

Zhao'er's beautiful face was covered in scars. He was glaring angrily when he threw a punch, which landed hard on the nose of the most arrogant boy in the middle.

Upon closer inspection, I realized that it was the same boy who had questioned me about "what I am" at that family dinner.

"You're not allowed to slander my sister!" Zhao'er shouted, veins bulging on her forehead, her face fierce.

With that punch, one of the boys immediately had a bruise on his face, and bright red blood started flowing from his nose.

"You dare hit me?!" The boy covered his nose and roared in anger.

Zhao'er, like a furious little beast, pounced forward and began to bite.

"Help...help...help! Someone's been murdered!" the boys cried out.

"What's all the noise about?" a cold voice said.

The newcomer was Cao Pi, who stood with his hands behind his back, his blue robe making him appear even more aloof and refined.

The boys immediately fell silent, leaving only Zhao'er to straddle the boy who had spoken rudely, punching him repeatedly in the face until he was about to die.

"Zihuan, save me... Zihuan..." the boy cried out as he struggled, but none of the other boys watching dared to step forward.

Cao Pi stepped forward and grabbed Zhao'er's fist as it came down.

Zhao'er turned to look at Cao Pi, her eyes bloodshot.

"Is this all you've got?" Cao Pi's eyes were indifferent, tinged with a hint of mockery.

"It's none of your business," Zhao'er said calmly.

Cao Pi straightened up, his tightly pursed lips curving into a smile. "If you want to fight or kill, come with me to the battlefield."

Zhao'er shook off the boy who was riding on her, stood up, still with a bruised and swollen face, tugged at her slightly wrinkled clothes, and said indifferently with a sneer, "It's none of your business."

"Is this the only way you can fight, this kind of thuggish and shameless tactic?" Cao Pi raised an eyebrow.

"Anyone who dares to slander my sister, I'll beat them up, it's that simple," Zhao'er actually grinned and laughed, "Whether they're thugs or heroes, I don't care."