Xiaopei as the Destination, Xun Yu's Vigilance

Cao Ang grieved for a while before finally forcing himself to stop.

Compared to sorrow, what mattered more now was salvaging the defeat at Wan City!

After Qin Tian and Xu Shu had left, Cao Ang emerged from the command tent and instructed the guards:

"Guard this camp tightly. Do not let anyone enter this tent!"

The two guards immediately acknowledged the order.

In truth, they had heard everything just now.

But matters concerning great men were beyond their control. All they could do was obey orders.

After finishing all this, Cao Ang bowed from afar in the direction Qin Tian had gone, then headed toward Yu Jin's camp.

Meanwhile, Qin Tian and Xu Shu slung their bundles over their backs and walked straight out of the camp.

When they reached the camp gate, a guard stepped forward and asked:

"Military Adviser, are you leaving the camp? May I ask what urgent matter calls you away?"

Qin Tian raised his head and said:

"By my lord's command, I must proceed to Xudu!"

"Go select four swift horses for me. I have need of them!"

"Yes!"

Upon hearing this, the soldier hurried back into the camp.

The guards atop the stockade also hastily opened the gate, allowing Qin Tian and Xu Shu to leave.

When they reached the gate, Qin Tian could not help looking back, his expression somewhat complicated.

Seeing this, Xu Shu smiled.

"Are you reluctant to leave, sir?"

"If you truly cannot bear it, we can stay another two days!"

Hearing Xu Shu tease him, Qin Tian shot him a glare.

"You rascal, Xu Yuanzhi. I merely took one look, and that means I'm reluctant?"

"Besides, we have already left the army, and my seal of office is gone. Do not call me 'sir' anymore. We are neither master nor servant, superior nor subordinate. Must you embarrass me like this?"

Xu Shu grinned.

"I know Zixuan is free-spirited. My mistake, then!"

As he spoke, he looked toward the camp gate and wore a wistful expression as well.

"But I was not merely teasing you!"

"I simply find it such a pity for you, Zixuan!"

"Though Lord Cao has grown wary of you, with your schemes and wisdom, you would surely have enjoyed inexhaustible glory and wealth in the future!"

"And yet you cast it aside just like that. Can you truly bear to?"

Qin Tian shook his head after he finished.

"Money and possessions are things outside the body. You bring none of them into life, and take none with you in death. What use is having so much?"

"The realm is in chaos now, and the people cannot survive. The common folk are still trapped in misery and suffering."

"What use is my enjoying myself alone?"

"A hundred years from now, all that will remain is the reputation of: 'Behind vermilion gates, wine and meat rot, while frozen corpses lie by the roadside.'"

"Even if I enjoyed a hundred years of pleasure, it would only add to my eternal infamy!"

"'Behind vermilion gates, wine and meat rot, while frozen corpses lie by the roadside.' What a line!"

Xu Shu's eyes lit up.

"Zixuan's talent is rare under heaven. Every word you speak forms a verse. Who could compare?"

"Such benevolence is equally rare in this world. In my view, beneath all heaven, only one man is worthy of your learning and talent, Qin Zixuan."

"Enough, enough! Stop right there!"

Qin Tian hurriedly cut Xu Shu off, rolling his eyes.

"Xu Yuanzhi, are you about to recommend that Liu Bei, Liu Xuande, to me again?"

"We are separated by a thousand miles. Why are you so fixated on that man?"

"Could it be that after leaving Cao Cao, Liu Bei is the only person I can serve?"

"Actually, that is exactly the case!"

The smile on Xu Shu's face broadened.

"In my view, among the lords of the realm today, aside from Cao Mengde, only Liu Bei possesses the qualities of a great ruler!"

"Now that you, Qin Zixuan, have offended Cao Cao, other than Lord Liu, who else would take you in?"

"Could you possibly go serve Yuan Benchu?"

Hearing Xu Shu's words, Qin Tian's expression froze.

It was indeed a very practical problem.

Now that Cao Cao could no longer tolerate him, there really seemed to be few people under heaven he could turn to.

Yuan Shao certainly wanted him to head north, but he truly could not stand Yuan Shao's indecisiveness.

As for Lu Bu, Yuan Shu, Sun Ce, and the rest, they were either already beyond saving, about to get themselves killed, or crippled by flaws in their character.

Looking at it all, Liu Bei seemed to be the only viable choice!

But Liu Bei had one fatal weakness: he drifted from place to place and came into his own too late!

There were still eleven years until the Battle of Red Cliffs!

He could not possibly wait for Liu Bei for that many years!

Yet seeing Xu Shu's utter certainty, Qin Tian said unhappily:

"What if I simply lay down my armor, return to farming, and never emerge from seclusion again?"

Xu Shu laughed as though he had heard the greatest joke in the world.

"If someone else said that, I might believe it!"

"But if you, Qin Zixuan, say it, I do not!"

"Who in the realm does not know that you possess the talent of a qilin? Even if you wish to live in seclusion, I fear you will not get your wish!"

"Just wait. Once you and I leave today, within a month, the lords across the realm will surely search everywhere for your whereabouts. They will never allow you any peace!"

Amid his laughter, Qin Tian had no answer.

Because what Xu Shu said truly might become reality.

Given his current reputation, it was far greater than Zhuge Liang's had been before he entered public life!

Zhuge Liang's reputation before leaving seclusion had been exaggerated, whereas his was entirely genuine!

With the title of possessing the talent of a qilin hanging over his head, wherever he went, he was destined to know no peace.

At that thought, he fell silent.

Before long, the guards led over the horses. Xu Shu swung into the saddle and smiled.

"Tell me, then. Where does Zixuan wish to go?"

"Wherever you go, Shu will follow!"

Facing Xu Shu's smile, Qin Tian was silent for a while before saying:

"Let us go to Xiaopei!"

"Oh? Zixuan, you mean to...?"

Xu Shu's eyes brightened.

Qin Tian let out a long sigh.

"Whether it will work or not, let us go and see first!"

Though he did not think highly of Liu Bei's prospects, in the spirit of seeking truth from facts, he had still decided to go see this Emperor Zhaolie of Han!

After all, Romance could deceive people, but posthumous titles could not.

For Liu Bei to receive the posthumous title Zhaolie showed that he had qualities worth recognizing.

Could the judgment of countless great figures throughout history truly be inferior to the opinions of a few haters from later generations?

Xu Shu grinned upon hearing this.

"We should indeed go and see!"

"By the way, have you made arrangements for your wife and child?"

Unlike Xu Shu, who was alone save for his elderly mother, Qin Tian had a wife and child.

His family had to be settled first!

Seeing Xu Shu's concern, Qin Tian said:

"Do not worry. I have already sent word to Zhaoji, telling her to use visiting her father's grave as an excuse. She is to pack up our valuables and leave Xudu with our families!"

"Since we are going to Xiaopei, we can send word to meet her along the way!"

That was right. His wife was Cai Yan, Cai Zhaoji, and also his former junior sister.

Before Cai Yong died, he had already promised Cai Yan to Qin Tian, though various matters had prevented them from marrying.

When Dong Zhuo threw the government into chaos, Qin Tian knew Cai Yong was about to meet disaster, so he wrote to Cai Yong and urged him to leave Chang'an.

But Cai Yong did not leave. He merely sent Cai Yan and his younger daughter, Cai Yao, to him.

Under Cao Cao's auspices, the two were married.

Six years had passed, and they had one daughter together.

This was Qin Tian's only attachment.

What he feared most was Old Cao finding some pretext to place him under house arrest. It would be one thing if he himself lost his freedom.

But if his wife and child were trapped as well, then it would be his fault.

Seeing that Qin Tian had arranged everything, Xu Shu said no more. He followed Qin Tian as they spurred their horses onto the main road.

At the same time, within Cao Camp, a refined-looking scholar was taking inventory of the supplies.

This man was Xun Yu, courtesy name Wenruo. He was a great worthy under Cao Cao and was hailed as a talent fit to assist a king.

Ordinarily, Xun Yu rarely accompanied the army on campaign. But Xi Zhicai had only recently died, so Cao Cao had unusually brought Xun Yu along to serve concurrently as the army clerk in charge of logistics and supplies.

After examining the inventory, Xun Yu looked to the assistant clerk beside him.

"Why have we not seen the military adviser today? Do you know where he has gone?"

The assistant clerk hurriedly replied:

"In answer to Lord Secretary, the military adviser has spent every day these past few days waiting outside my lord's main tent, but my lord has refused to see him."

"He went there again today. He should be outside my lord's tent now!"

Xun Yu frowned.

"Qin Zixuan has always been strict in managing the army. It is already time to inspect the camps, yet he is nowhere to be seen. I fear he has developed a grievance with my lord. I should go take a look!"

The assistant clerk smiled.

"Why should Lord Secretary worry? My lord and the military adviser have always been like this. There is no need for you to go personally. This humble one can go take a look!"

"No. What I fear is that the military adviser has developed resentment!"

Xun Yu shook his head, his expression solemn.

"That man possesses great talent and is Master Cai's outstanding disciple. Though born of humble origins, he is proud by nature and has rendered great service through much hardship."

"My lord has repeatedly treated him coldly. How could Qin Zixuan endure that?"

"Merely looking into it will not do. We must ease the resentment in his heart!"

At that point, he stopped speaking. There was one more thing he did not say aloud.

He knew Cao Cao was now wary of Qin Tian. If no one soothed matters, Qin Tian might leave!

Just as he turned around, he saw a soldier hurrying over.

"Clerk Xun, the military adviser just took his luggage, requested four swift horses, and left the camp with Xu Shu. His destination is unknown!"

"What did you say? The military adviser left the camp?"

Xun Yu's eyes widened at once, and his heart sank.

He had felt that Qin Tian had been acting very strangely these past few days!

Had he truly left?