Chapter 13 Mission to Ye City (Part Two) Xu Ziyuan…she remembered it in her heart…

The two walked back to the inn, laughing and chatting all the way, only to find a man waiting for them at the door with a dark expression.

"Guo Fengxiao! Where have you been running off to?"

"Oh my, isn't this Brother Gongze? He came all the way here to greet me?"

Six years have passed, and you're still in such a bad mood. You never remember anything good about me, even though I left you a letter before I left.

Deng Jie bowed slightly to Guo Tuyi.

"Hmph, I'm glad you're alive."

As he spoke, he glanced at Deng Jie and asked, "Which blind girl is this that you managed to trick into getting her?" He was clearly unhappy that Guo Jia only introduced her to his wife and ignored him.

Guo Jia happily pulled Deng Jie over and led him to him, saying, "Her brother is Brother Yuanming! You actually know him!"

Guo Tu sneered, "Oh, that businessman."

"He certainly knows how to do business, choosing a brother-in-law like you."

He spoke lightly, but Deng Jie took it to heart.

At that time, Deng Zhao wrote only briefly in his letter home, "Fortunately, Fengxiao helped me and we became sworn brothers," but he never imagined that they would be in such danger in Yecheng.

Xu Ziyuan...

She kept that name in her heart.

Fengxiao had previously stated that he was in charge of trade in Ye City, and that Yuan Shao had tacitly approved his embezzlement of funds...

"Alright, enough chit-chat. Hurry up and change your clothes and come with me. I'll give you a welcome dinner!"

Guo Tu's voice interrupted Deng Jie's thoughts. He grabbed Guo Jia's sleeve and pulled him inside, saying, "As a special envoy, you're running around everywhere, making us search for you for ages. You have no manners at all."

Guo Jia staggered a couple of steps from being pulled, but he wasn't annoyed. He turned around and asked, "What, Lord Yuan, you've finally remembered us?"

"Otherwise, would you let me go? Our lord said that if we don't let you go, he'll wipe the whole of Ye City clean!"

Guo Tu rolled his eyes, his tone full of disdain, "Hurry up, or I'll get annoyed by those Jizhou bastards..."

A moment later, the two changed into solemn robes and reopened the door.

"That's more like it," Guo Tu muttered, then frowned when he noticed Guo Jia rummaging in his sleeve again.

"What are you planning to smuggle into the manor this time? Things are different now; there's no longer Mr. Wenruo to cover for you."

He lowered his voice and continued, "These days, the scholars of Yingchuan all keep a low profile. Don't hide any more arrows or weapons. If they are found, given your current status, you'll be executed on the spot, and no one will plead your innocence!"

Seeing his cautious look, Guo Jia chuckled and handed him the prescription and medicine packet he had just bought. "Do you recognize this?"

Guo Tu took it suspiciously, and after a closer look, his expression changed slightly. "Where did you get this?"

Before he could finish speaking, Deng Jie had already quietly circled behind him, leaned forward slightly, and sniffed. "Mr. Gongze, you wouldn't happen to be taking it for a long time, would you?"

Guo Tu was startled and turned around to look at her as if his hair had stood on end. "What are you doing! What kind of behavior is this!"

Guo Jia pulled his wife back to his side, saying, "Don't worry about him!"

"Explain yourself! This was presented to Lord Yuan by Xu Ziyuan from the Hu merchants!" Guo Tu approached Guo Jia, pointed at him, and said in a low voice.

Guo Jia exchanged a glance with him. "You know it was 'a tribute from Xu Ziyuan,' yet you still dare to follow suit so easily? Help me out later."

Guo Tu raised his beard and said angrily, "I have already told you about my origins, isn't that enough?"

If I were to speak up at the banquet, my lord would accuse me of treason!

"Why need to spell it out... How could I not know the ways you all act?"

Guo Tu gave him a disapproving look and led the way.

The Yuan family mansion stood majestically, its lintel resplendent in gold and jade, even more ostentatious than Cao Cao's mansion.

Guo Jia glanced at the shimmering eaves; the extravagance here was even greater than before.

But he felt nothing.

For him, this place held only the helplessness of being looked down upon everywhere in the past.

When he first arrived, he was protected by Xun Yu, but in the end, even Xun Yu himself was distrusted and driven away by Yuan Shao.

The prestigious title of "four generations of high-ranking officials" was nothing but an illusion in his eyes.

What he cared more about was the grace of being recognized and appreciated by a wise ruler, and the shared ideals and aspirations.

The reason why Guo Fengxiao was willing to die for Cao Cao was because Cao Cao entrusted him with such sincerity.

After being searched by the guards, the two followed Guo Tu swiftly into the main hall where the banquet was being held.

What a magnificent main hall of the Yuan family mansion! Dozens of nine-branched lamps flickered and shone, making the lacquered beams and pillars shine brilliantly.

Mica is inlaid on the wall, Shu brocade hangs in the curtain, and gilded bamboo-shaped incense burner emits wisps of smoke.

The resounding chimes of the chime bells echoed through the air, while attendants stood solemnly on either side of the screen, all exuding a magnificent and awe-inspiring atmosphere.

Yuan Shao sat high in the main seat, dressed in fine clothes, exuding an air of elegance.

Seated to his side and behind was a woman dressed in equally fine clothes and with a dignified appearance, who was likely Lady Liu, wife of Yuan Shao.

Both of them were exceptionally good-looking.

Perhaps due to his position, Deng Jie secretly thought to himself that he couldn't bring himself to use the word "beauty" to describe them, and instead felt a bit disgusted.

Guo Jia walked with composure, his scrutinizing gaze sweeping over the "old acquaintances" lined up on either side of Yuan Shao, before leading Deng Jie to give her a brief, whispered introduction.

From the outside to the inside on the left are Xin Pi, Xin Ping, Feng Ji, and Xu You; from the inside to the outside on the right are Ju Shou, Tian Feng, and Shen Pei; and on the very outside is Xun Chen, whose spirit has faded.

Their gazes, whether inquiring, contemptuous, or indifferent, all fell upon the two of them.

Deng Jie appeared slightly shy, glancing sideways at Guo Jia as he followed, bowing to both sides.

He simply lingered his gaze on Xu You a few more times.

"My lord, Cao Sikong's special envoy, Guo Jijiu, and his wife have arrived."

After consulting with Yuan Shao, Guo Tu took his seat in the empty seat between Feng Ji and Xin Ping.

Guo Jia, accompanied by Deng Jie, stepped forward and bowed in greeting: "Guo Jia of Yingchuan, accompanied by my wife Deng, has come on the orders of Minister Cao to pay respects to Lord Yuan and his wife."

"Military Advisor, Chief Priest?"

"Fengxiao, it's been many years since I last saw you. You've managed to get a good position under Mengde, but what rank is it? I've never heard of it before!" Yuan Shao teased loudly, and the audience burst into laughter.

This scene reminded Guo Jia of his first day at the Yuan residence, when he also had a similar welcoming banquet, just like here, where he was scrutinized and teased by everyone, which also elicited bursts of laughter.

Even when Guo Jia was just starting out, he never backed down, let alone today.

He echoed with a smile, bowed and said, "Lord Yuan, you are wise. This position is indeed without rank, just like when I was here before."

It was only out of pity that Cao Cao took me in as a military advisor after I was discarded by Yuan Shao.

It's better than wasting my energy here on the backstabbing and infighting among colleagues.

Yuan Shao was stung by these words, and facing Guo Jia, who was well aware of the factional struggle, he could not refute them. He could only coldly snort, "Arrogant as ever, take a seat!"

After saying that, his gaze swept over Deng Jie, and he couldn't help but speak sarcastically again, "How much did Wenruo pay for Fengxiao's betrothal gifts to make him give up the Xun family in exchange for such a beautiful woman?"

Upon hearing this question, Guo Jia smiled even more slyly. He looked at Yuan Shao with ill intent and narrowed his eyes, "The marriage between Chen and Xun is known to all. How could I, of humble origins, presume to marry such a high-ranking wife? It is only out of affection that I have this one wife."

How can they compare to the immense fortune of Lord Yuan? He married two Lady Lius in succession, and was surrounded by beautiful concubines and ladies of leisure—his luck was boundless!

Before Yuan Shao could react, Lady Liu, who was standing beside him, turned ashen-faced. Ignoring the whispers of the advisors below, she tapped the table and said, "Let's begin the banquet!"

Yuan Shao was retorted by Guo Jia and humiliated in public by his wife. He glared at Liu Shi and then said to Guo Jia through gritted teeth, "That Guo Fengxiao, his sharp tongue is still as sharp as ever!"

As Liu gave the order to start the banquet, music resumed, and waiters filed in, serving delicacies one after another, temporarily easing the tense atmosphere.

However, beneath the surface of lavish banquets, undercurrents were still surging.

After several rounds of drinks, Yuan Shao put down his gilded wine cup and fixed his gaze on Guo Jia again, probing with an air of intimidation: "Fengxiao, Mengde sent you all the way to Ye City, surely not just for the sake of verbal sparring."

"Speak, what is it? Could it be that Xuchang, burdened by the enormous expenses of supporting the Emperor and now suffering from locust plagues and drought, is finally unable to sustain itself and wishes to borrow grain from me for temporary relief?"

Guo Jia remained expressionless, slowly poured himself a cup of wine, took a small sip, and then smiled and said, "Lord Yuan is joking."

Cao Cao served the emperor to secure the state, and although it cost a fortune, the army and the people were of one mind, and they could still manage to sustain it.

Seeing the strategists below scoffing, he raised his hand in a salute and said solemnly, "I am here for the sake of Lord Yuan's great cause and for the peace of both families."

Yuan Gongzhi aimed to pacify Hebei, while Gongsun Zan, who occupied Youzhou, posed a major threat.

Cao Cao knew well Yuan Shao's ambition and strategy; a major campaign was bound to take place in the spring. However…

He changed the subject, his gaze sweeping over everyone at the table, "Zhang Xiu of Nanyang is a wolf in sheep's clothing, fickle and unpredictable."

If Yuan Shao leads his elite troops from Hebei northwards, and Zhang Xiu seizes the opportunity to raid Xuchang, thus disturbing the emperor's presence, the whole country will be shaken.

If rumors were to spread that Lord Yuan was too preoccupied to look south and was watching the emperor suffer misfortune, it would likely damage Lord Yuan's reputation and cause the soldiers on the northern expedition to worry, making it difficult to achieve a complete victory!

Only then did he reveal the purpose of his trip: "Therefore, the two families should unite against a common enemy."

Cao Cao personally led a large army south to annihilate Zhang Xiu and eliminate future troubles.

Yuan Gong could then devote all his strength to attacking Gongsun in the north and achieve his goal in one battle!

This is a strategy of each keeping to their own territory and not interfering with each other.

Once each side has quelled its immediate threats and jointly supports the emperor, the balance of power in the world will be clear. Wouldn't that be beneficial to both sides?

After saying this, Xu You laughed heartily, "Fengxiao, you really are a good 'thinking of Lord Yuan'!"

Cao Mengde held the emperor hostage, his orders were ignored, and even a clown like Zhang Xiu could not be dealt with. Instead, the lord had to stand by and watch.

Zhang Xiu had already sent envoys to secretly communicate with his lord, expressing his admiration for his lord's power and virtue, and was just waiting for the right opportunity to submit.

I think Mengde is clearly afraid of the strength of my Hebei troops and fears that Your Excellency will lead your army south, so he is using this delaying tactic to postpone the attack!

If he has the guts and the ability, why not quickly eliminate Zhang Xiu? We can talk about it then! Let's not interfere with each other's empty words.

"Hmph, I'm afraid that once he swallows up Nanyang, he'll once again use the emperor's name to extort money!"

"Ziyuan is right!"

Yuan Shao agreed wholeheartedly. He suddenly stood up, pointed at Guo Jia, and said with a flourish, "Fengxiao, if Mengde is sincere, then show us your skills!"

Unexpectedly, he lost his breath and stumbled to the ground, startling everyone present, who quickly got up.

Lady Liu immediately climbed out from the table and helped Yuan Shao up, crying, "Husband!"

But Yuan Shao, holding his head, seemed dazed for a moment, then said, "It's nothing! I was just angry for a moment!"

He abruptly shook off Liu's hand, trying to remain calm, but he couldn't stop his rapid breathing and the cold sweat that kept seeping out.

The previous confrontation came to an abrupt end, and everyone awaited Yuan Shao's order: whether to continue the talks or to disperse.

Yuan Shao returned to his seat, but his body was still swaying. Liu Shi dared not leave easily, and Xu You suggested, "Why don't we summon the physician first?" Yuan Shao frowned and shook his head in disgust.

However, Deng Jie couldn't bear to watch any longer. He sidled up to Guo Jia, exchanged a glance with him, and hesitated before stepping forward to check on him.

Guo Jia's eyes gleamed with the light of "perfect timing." He took an antique wooden plaque from Deng Jie's waist, stepped forward, and held it up to the crowd, saying, "Gentlemen, my wife is the only female disciple personally taught by Hua Tuo of Pei State. Lord Yuan is unwell, and with a physician at hand, how can we stand idly by? Let her make a brief diagnosis, shall we?"

All eyes immediately focused on the wooden sign.

Upon hearing the name Hua Tuo, Liu immediately took the wooden plaque to examine it. The plaque was neither made of gold nor jade, but it felt warm and heavy to the touch. The wood was dark brown, almost black, and seemed to be made of the core of a submerged wood.

The front is deeply engraved with an ancient and vigorous seal script character “佗” using exquisite carving techniques. The last dot is inlaid with a tiny grain of natural chicken-blood stone, as small as a millet grain, yet with an inner red glow.

Turn the wooden plaque over; the back is covered with densely packed yet clearly engraved small characters:

Disciple's real name: Deng Jieshuoyi

The master bestowed upon him the title: Righteous Lord

Lineage: The twelfth disciple of Hua Tuo

Becoming an apprentice: On the first day of the second month of the fourth year of the Chuping era in Qiao County

Xu You continued to argue, "These are the family members of Cao Cao's envoy; how can we trust them so easily? What if..."

Yuan Shao snatched the wooden plaque from Liu's hand, caught a glimpse of the small bloodstone, and nodded heavily, gesturing for Deng Jie to come closer.

When he was young, he met Hua Tuo and his disciples when he returned to his hometown with Cao Cao. At that time, he even teased Hua Tuo, saying, "A mere physician has already developed his own system." The suggestion to embed chicken-blood stone in the wooden plaque was just something he said casually, and it cannot be faked.

Deng Jie was still in a daze when Guo Jia gently nudged her forward.

She quickly knelt beside Yuan Shao and said in a deep voice, "Lord Yuan, please relax and let me massage your acupoints to relieve the pain."

She stretched out her hands, focused her mind, and pressed on Yuan Shao's Baihui acupoint on the top of his head, Fengchi acupoint at the back of his neck, and Neiguan acupoint on his wrist with different pressures. Unexpectedly, this action actually made Yuan Shao's dizziness subside and his breathing return.

As Liu watched Yuan Shao's flushed face gradually fade and the cold sweat stopped, she happily patted Yuan Shao's back, "It's working! It's working!"

The strategists present all looked embarrassed. Seeing that Yuan Shao's spirits had improved, they raised their hands to signal him to return to their seats.

Deng Jie stood up and bowed, "This is only to alleviate the acute symptoms, not to cure the root cause..." She and Guo Jia exchanged a glance and returned to their respective seats.