When Will We Meet Again?

After taking his medicine, Gan Ji slept through the night. By the next day, his body temperature had gradually returned to normal, though he remained extremely weak and unable to stand. Lan Tian had spent the night constantly adjusting the blankets, so he had barely slept at all.

Early the next morning, the two physicians expressed concern for their wives and children, so Lan Tian allowed them to return to the city.

Gao Yuan had brought back many medicinal herbs from the shop the previous night, and the two physicians had already portioned them out, so there would be no need for additional supplies for some time.

In the morning, Li Yang arrived at Lan Tian's home, bringing some cooked food with him. Worried that Gan Ji might lack an appetite, Lan Tian lit a fire, intending to boil some millet porridge.

In his original world, Lan Tian had lost his father in childhood and was raised solely by his mother; thus, upon arriving in this world, he finally experienced that long-lost paternal love, which made him work tirelessly without complaint.

Seeing this, Li Yang said, "Young Master, let me handle it. You look exhausted; go get some rest. You can trust me to get things done."

Because he was indeed drained, Lan Tian did not refuse Li Yang's enthusiasm. As he walked through the main hall, he caught a glimpse of someone approaching his house.

Stepping out into the small courtyard, he saw the main road outside the village filled with marching soldiers.

When did this happen? Lan Tian wondered, completely caught off guard.

As they drew closer, he realized it was Gao Shun, who had brought Lady Gan back.

"Little Brother, how is Father?" Lady Gan asked, jogging the rest of the way.

"Rest easy, Elder Sister. Father is better after taking the medicine, and Little Li is currently boiling porridge for him," Lan Tian said, reaching out to steady her.

"That is good. I will go in and see him first; you go greet General Gao," Lady Gan said.

"I understand."

At this moment, Gao Shun walked over alone, while Gao Yuan's personal guards waited under a large tree outside the courtyard.

Lan Tian pointed at the marching troops and asked, "Didn't the General say you would rest for two days? This is..."

"There are still many military affairs in Xiapi, so it is better for me to return early. I just brought Lady Gan along on the way."

In truth, what military affairs could there be in Xiapi? It was entirely because Lan Tian's words the previous night had been too shocking. This man's prophecies had always been incredibly accurate, and fearing for Lu Bu's safety, he wanted to return as quickly as possible.

"I see. Thank you for looking after my sister," Lan Tian said, cupping his hands in gratitude.

"It was merely a small effort, and besides, this was something the Young Lady requested before we departed," Gao Shun replied.

Lan Tian nodded. He didn't know how effective his persuasion had been the day before, but his only hope now lay with the man before him.

In this moment, he felt utterly powerless. What did a graduate degree matter? What did knowing the history of the past and present matter? An individual was simply too insignificant in the torrent of history, easily swallowed up by the tide.

"If the General is not in a hurry, would you like to come inside for a bowl of hot water?" Lan Tian invited, intending to continue his efforts.

Gao Shun first shook his head, thinking that the army had a long way to go. He suddenly spotted Gao Yuan under the tree and remembered the man excitedly telling him about his observations that morning, so he said, "I have heard that Master Ziyu has a secret cabin. Since I am passing by today, would it be convenient to take a look?"

"How could it not be? Please, follow me." After saying this, Lan Tian led Gao Shun toward the back of the house.

After a brief tour, Gao Shun praised, "Master Ziyu has a nimble mind. Aside from avoiding disaster, this Sanctuary could also be used for warfare. You are truly a rare talent of this age."

"General, please, no more praise. As General Liu said, no matter how well-built this Sanctuary is, it cannot block all the blades in the world," Lan Tian sighed.

Gao Shun nodded in agreement. "That is also true. It is not easy to find peace in these chaotic times. Master, please take care; I must continue on my way."

Seeing that Gao Shun was about to leave, Lan Tian hurriedly took a bamboo slip from his robe and handed it over. "General, who knows when we shall meet again? I have been protected by you several times, and I have no way to repay you. I only have these few words to offer. I hope the General will treasure them."

Gao Shun took the bamboo slip and read the inscription: Lighter than a feather, heavier than Mount Tai.

Is he reminding me again? Could the danger to my lord be near?

Gao Shun tucked the bamboo slip close to his chest, then cupped his hands in a salute before departing in a hurry.

Lan Tian walked back to the courtyard gate and found Lady Gan gazing into the distance.

"What is Elder Sister thinking about?"

"I am wondering when Xuande will return. With Xiaopei falling this time, his entire army was nearly wiped out. If not for General Gao's protection several times, how could the consequences have been anything but dire?" Lady Gan sighed.

Lan Tian smiled to comfort her. "Rest easy, Elder Sister. General Liu will return in a few days, and it will be very soon."

Seeing Lan Tian's absolute certainty, Lady Gan asked, "How can you be so sure?"

"How could Cao Cao sit easy knowing Yuan Shu and Lu Bu have formed an alliance? Once General Liu is defeated, he will surely flee to Xudu. Upon hearing the news, Cao Cao will inevitably march his troops toward Xu Province. We need only wait a short while to see the outcome," Lan Tian said.

Seeing Lan Tian's conviction, Lady Gan could not help but worry again. The name Cao Cao was too terrifying in Xu Province, and she wondered how many more lives would be plunged into misery.

Only ten days after Gao Shun returned to Xiapi, Cao Cao personally led a massive army to invade Xu Province.

Upon hearing the news, Chen Gong took the initiative to offer a strategy: "Cao Cao has traveled from afar and must be exhausted. The General can lead the army to resist them at Pengcheng, then rely on the terrain to fight a steady, defensive war. As the saying goes, the first drum raises the spirit, the second exhausts it, and the third drains it. Once we drag them into the winter, the Cao army will surely retreat."

Chen Gong had not put much effort into the campaign against Yuan Shu, but when it came to dealing with Cao Cao, he was more proactive than anyone else.

Lu Bu looked at Chen Gong with suspicion, then said, "I understand Gongtai's plan. Let me discuss it with Boping and Wenyuan first."

"Very well, General. Remember, delay leads to change," Chen Gong urged.

Lu Bu did not consult Gao Shun or Zhang Liao; instead, he went to the Chen Family in Xiapi to find Chen Gui.

Chen Gui suggested that Lu Bu wait for the enemy in comfort at Xiapi, and once the Cao army arrived, strike with a single, decisive blow to drive them into the Si River.

Chen Gui also offered to go to Guangling to ask his son, Chen Deng, to bring troops, horses, and supplies to their aid.

Lu Bu was overjoyed upon hearing this and chose not to follow Chen Gong's advice to resist the enemy at Pengcheng.

In the tenth month of Jian'an Year 3, Cao Cao's army reached Pengcheng and slaughtered all the men, women, and children within.

Chen Deng, the Administrator of Guangling, had originally intended to lead his troops to rescue Lu Bu, but upon hearing that Pengcheng had been massacred, he was struck with fear. He changed his allegiance and led his commandery troops to serve as the vanguard for Cao Cao.

The Cao army reached the outskirts of Xiapi, and Lu Bu personally led his main force to meet the enemy. After suffering several defeats in succession, he withdrew his troops back to Xiapi to hold the city at all costs.

Cao Cao had his men shoot a letter attached to an arrow onto the city walls, declaring that Lu Bu had indulged the bandits Han Xian and Yang Feng to wreak havoc across Xu and Yang, and had colluded with the national traitor Yuan Shu to incite rebellion; he vowed that once the city fell, not even a chicken or dog would be left alive.

Having already suffered defeat, Lu Bu was now struck with terror upon receiving Cao Cao's threatening letter, and the thought of surrender began to take root in his mind.

Chen Gong was alarmed upon learning of this and stepped forward to remonstrate: "Cao Cao has come from afar and cannot sustain this for long. If the General leads troops to camp outside the city while I and the other officers defend from within, we can form a pincer formation."

"If the Rebel Cao attacks the General, I shall lead troops to strike his rear; if the Rebel Cao dares to attack the city, the General shall strike his rear as well. After a month, the Cao army's provisions will be exhausted, and if we strike them together then, we shall surely crush them."

At this time, Chen Deng had defected and Chen Gui was not in the city; with no one else to consult, Lu Bu had no choice but to follow Chen Gong's strategy.

He intended to have Chen Gong and Gao Shun guard the city while he led troops out to camp and cut off the Cao army's supply lines.

Knowing the danger of this battle, Lu Bu went to the inner hall to retrieve his armor and bid farewell to his wife and children, at which point Lady Yan seemed to have something to say but hesitated.

"If you have something to say, Madam, speak freely."