Leisurely Dwelling in Xiaopei, Liu Bei Visits

Liu Bei was overjoyed to have gained Xu Shu, especially upon hearing that Qin Tian was currently in Xiaopei.

He initially intended to set off immediately with Xu Shu to pay a visit to Qin Tian.

However, Jian Yong stopped him, saying:

"It is already late in the day; it would be inconvenient to go now."

"It would be better to wait until tomorrow to prepare proper gifts before visiting, so as to show our respect and sincerity."

Seeing this, Xu Shu also hurriedly added:

"Xianhe is quite right. My friend has a leisurely disposition and is currently enjoying his quiet life; he does not care for sudden visits."

"How about waiting a few days? I shall send word ahead and have him come to pay his respects to you, my lord?"

Liu Bei listened to their words and, finding them reasonable, nodded in agreement.

But regarding Xu Shu's suggestion to have Qin Tian come to him, he shook his head firmly:

"Zixuan is a scholar of national caliber; I must treat him with the courtesy befitting such a man!"

"Furthermore, my visit to Zixuan is for public affairs, not private ones."

"Though you and Zixuan are friends, Yuanzhi, it would not be right to sacrifice public duty for private convenience. Once I have prepared the gifts and visited him in person, my sincerity will be made clear!"

Seeing Liu Bei respond in this manner, Xu Shu could not help but nod inwardly, praising Liu Bei's magnanimity.

Had it been any other warlord who knew of his relationship with Qin Tian, they might have forced him to act as a lobbyist, using their friendship to drag Qin Tian into a meeting.

Yet, Liu Bei had no intention of making him step forward in such a way.

This was done both to express his sincerity and out of fear that Qin Tian might harbor resentment.

It was a sign that while he thirsted for talent, he was also considerate of the man himself.

At that moment, Xu Shu felt a secret joy, praising in his heart: "Truly my lord!"

Outwardly, he agreed with Liu Bei's plan.

Thus, that very night, Liu Bei gathered everyone once more, hosting a banquet within the county office to entertain Xu Shu and introduce him to the others.

Guan and Zhang were naturally curious, while Mi Zhu and the others were overjoyed to see that Liu Bei had finally gained the assistance of a brilliant strategist.

That night, Liu Bei and Xu Shu shared a bed, sleeping with their feet touching as they talked.

They conversed in this manner for two days, growing ever closer.

Ultimately, Liu Bei appointed Xu Shu as the Military Aide of Yu Province, in charge of military affairs and responsible for drilling the troops.

Three days later, as the weather cleared and the cold winds began to fade, Liu Bei could wait no longer. He called for Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, and under Xu Shu's guidance, they set off toward the private residence where Qin Tian lived.

Meanwhile, in a small courtyard in Pei County, Qin Tian was holding a set of playing cards.

He held his young daughter in his arms, while the sisters Cai Yan and Cai Yao sat opposite him.

The cards in his hand were marked with Arabic numerals; there were ten in total, consisting of a straight from three to seven, four eights, and a nine.

Across from him, Cai Yan had only two cards left, while Cai Yao still held a handful.

Indeed, they were playing Fight the Landlord.

Ever since leaving Xuchang, they had been staying in Xiaopei for quite some time.

Every day, Qin Tian simply accompanied his wife and child in various games.

He did not feel bored in the slightest, even with the repetition.

After all, if one were to speak of boredom, how could this home compare to the life of the army?

In the army, there was no virtuous wife like Cai Yan, no little joy like his daughter, and no youthful sister-in-law.

Passing his days listening to his wife play the zither and teasing his daughter and sister-in-law, he had almost reached the point of being too happy to think of home.

Seeing the fine weather today, he had simply set up a small table in the courtyard to bask in the sun and play a few hands of cards.

At this moment, Cai Yao looked at the numbers on her cards, then at the cards on the table, cold sweat beading on her small face as she looked nervous.

Seeing this, Qin Tian smiled leisurely:

"Hurry up and play, why are you frozen there?"

"Oh, brother-in-law, don't rush me, let me think for a moment!"

Cai Yao looked dissatisfied. Her beautiful eyes scanned the table for a long time before she finally made a decision, slamming two cards down:

"A pair of fives!"

As soon as she played them, a look of joy appeared in Cai Yan's eyes.

But seeing this, Qin Tian laughed:

"Trying to play a pair? That won't pass!"

"A pair of eights!"

He broke up his bomb and tossed them onto the table with a flourish.

Seeing this, Cai Yan's expression dimmed once more; her hand was a pair of sevens.

Cai Yao's eyes widened as she stared at Qin Tian and demanded:

"Brother-in-law, aren't you going to bomb?"

She looked at her own hand and was instantly stumped. She had calculated that Qin Tian held a bomb and a straight; if he bombed, she would be able to control the entire board.

But seeing this, Qin Tian merely smiled slightly and said:

"Who says you have to bomb just because you have one? Can't I break it up?"

"A pair of eights, anyone?"

Hearing this, Cai Yan shook her head, and Cai Yao shook hers with a pout.

Seeing their reaction, Qin Tian pulled out a single eight and said leisurely:

"A three-to-nine straight, and a little eight. That's all!"

As he laid his cards down, Xiao Sui'er in his arms raised her little hands and cheered:

"Ooh, ooh, ooh! Daddy won again!"

Seeing this, Cai Yan also revealed a soft, beautiful smile.

Only Cai Yao, looking at the long straight and a three in her hand, muttered:

"Stinky brother-in-law, you had a bomb and didn't use it!"

"There's no one in this world as wicked as you!"

Qin Tian saw this and reached out his hand directly:

"Muttering doesn't exempt you from paying. Pay up first!"

Qin Wei mimicked her father, turning to Cai Yan and saying in a milky, childish voice:

"Mother, Auntie, pay up quickly!"

"Alright, alright, Mother will give it to you right now!"

Cai Yan smiled radiantly as she took a few copper coins from the sachet at her waist and placed them into her daughter's small hands, looking even happier losing money than she would have winning.

But Cai Yao looked at the father and daughter, her anger rising:

"Brother-in-law is like this all day long; Sui'er is being led astray!"

As she spoke, she looked at the few remaining copper coins in her pocket and had to grit her teeth as she pulled them out.

"You say that as if it were my idea to play cards in the first place!"

Qin Tian laughed as he took the money, saying smugly:

"It was clearly someone who insisted on winning my money. Now look, half the month is still left, and there's no money left to spend. What are you going to do now?"

As he spoke, he handed the money to his daughter and said:

"Sui'er, you and I made a fortune today. This afternoon, Daddy will take you to buy some candy!"

"Mm-hmm!"

Xiao Sui'er nodded her little head vigorously, fully in agreement.

Seeing the father and daughter like this, Cai Yan's smile grew even sweeter.

Cai Yao was so frustrated her delicate body trembled, and she gritted her teeth:

"Again, let's go again! I refuse to believe I can't beat you today!"

Seeing Cai Yao like this, Qin Tian also laughed:

"Fine by me, but let's be clear: payment is due immediately, no credit!"

Cai Yan saw her sister locking horns with her husband and had to pull on Cai Yao:

"Zhenji, if it's not working, let's stop. We can't beat your brother-in-law!"

"Hmph, hmph, hmph, Sister, you're always taking his side!"

Cai Yao held her head high in dissatisfaction:

"I refuse to believe I can't win a single round against this villain!"

With that, she shot a glare at Qin Tian and reached out to shuffle the cards.

Watching Cai Yao's defiant expression, Qin Tian couldn't help but shake his head inwardly.

He thought to himself that this sister-in-law of his had truly grown up.

Ever since she hit puberty, she had become increasingly rebellious.

She went against him all day long. He didn't know who she had learned it from, but she was exactly like those young girls from later generations, completely lacking the image of a virtuous and demure woman of antiquity.

If his father-in-law, Cai Yong, were to come back to life and see this, he might just be angered to death on the spot.

No, this couldn't go on!

He had to assert some brother-in-law authority!

With this in mind, Qin Tian cleared his throat and was just about to speak when he saw the household steward, Zhong Bo, walking over quickly.

"Master, Xu Yuanzhi requests an audience!"

Zhong Bo was a servant of Cai Yong and was even more loyal than the likes of Li Shun, which was why even after arriving here, Qin Tian still entrusted the management of the household to such an old hand.

Upon hearing Zhong Bo's words, Qin Tian put on a serious expression and asked:

"Did Xu Yuanzhi come alone, or is there someone else with him?"

"There are a few others accompanying Xu Yuanzhi!"

"Then I shall not see him!"

Seeing this, Cai Yan said to Qin Tian:

"Husband, since guests have arrived, I shall take Zhenji and Suier to the back hall; how could it be right to refuse them?"

But before she could finish her sentence, Qin Tian interrupted:

"There is no need for that!"

Having said this, he turned his head to look at Zhong Bo and smiled:

"Go tell Yuanzhi that I am feeling unwell today and am not fit to receive guests; tell him to come back another day."