Father Gan Entrusts His Son

Yuan Shao was stirring in Hebei, and Cao Cao dared not linger long after capturing Xiapi.

After two days of rest, he prepared to lead the army back to Xudu, taking the families of the surrendered generals, as well as Chen Gong and the wives and concubines of Lu Bu, along with him.

Cao Cao had a penchant for taking the wives of others; beyond his appreciation for their beauty, it served as a symbolic gesture, demonstrating his benevolence toward the families of his enemies or, in a roundabout way, winning over the hearts of their former subordinates.

Lu Bu's wives, Lady Yan and Lady Cao, possessed no exceptional beauty, so Cao Cao instead took Lady Du, the wife of his subordinate Qin Yilu, into his own quarters.

Before the retreat, Cao Cao asked Zhang Liao, "During these two days of census in the city, I have not seen the general Gao Shun or Lu Bu's daughter. Does Wenyuan know the reason?"

Zhang Liao cupped his hands and replied, "My former lord had demoted General Gao to a military commandant, placing him in charge of the inner city's patrols. He and Miss Lu shared a master-disciple bond; perhaps they took advantage of the chaos to escape?"

"Gao Boping is a man of talent; it is a pity to lose him. What of the girl from the Lu family?" Cao Cao asked again.

"Miss Lu is beautiful, and her martial arts are not inferior to my own," Zhang Liao sighed.

"A woman, yet her martial arts are not inferior to yours?" Cao Cao asked, looking skeptical.

Seeing Zhang Liao nod firmly, Cao Cao's slight disappointment vanished instantly.

While the two were speaking, the personal guard Xu Chu came to report, "My Lord, although we did not find the whereabouts of the young lady of the Lu family, we found a chest of bamboo slips in her room. This is one of the scrolls."

Cao Cao wondered what kind of books a woman could possibly read. He took the scroll nonchalantly, but upon unfolding it, he was quickly drawn into the plot and asked excitedly, "How many scrolls are there in this work?"

"About one hundred," Xu Chu replied.

"Hmph, pass the order to the three armies to return to Xudu immediately. Do not bother searching for the Lu girl anymore. A woman is but a duckweed in these chaotic times; even if she manages to survive, she cannot stir up any great waves," Cao Cao remarked dismissively.

"Understood." Xu Chu cupped his hands and left.

Cao Cao left three thousand troops to garrison Xiapi temporarily, then set off with Liu Bei and the others in a grand procession toward Xudu.

By dusk, the army made camp in the wilderness to rest. Cao Cao summoned Liu Bei to the central tent and asked, "Xuande helped me eliminate Lu Bu; I shall memorialize the Emperor to grant you merit."

"Many thanks for your generosity, My Lord," Liu Bei said, cupping his hands in gratitude.

After the events at Baimen Tower, he remained wary of Cao Cao, thinking to himself that this man would not call him for idle chatter without a reason.

At this moment, Cao Cao said, "The Lady Du I recently took was originally sought by Yunchang, but my subordinate had already sent her into my tent before I knew, so it is inconvenient to pass her on to General Guan. Xuande, please explain this to him; do not let him hold a grudge against me, Cao Mengde."

"Women are like clothing; my second brother will certainly not hold a grudge against you, My Lord," Liu Bei said with a stern expression.

Cao Cao patted Liu Bei on the shoulder and laughed, "I hear Xuande has a wife as beautiful as white jade. Why have you not brought her to Xudu? It would help relieve your loneliness on the road."

"My wife's father is bedridden with illness, so she remains at home to care for him. It is inconvenient for her to travel far with me," Liu Bei explained.

"So that is how it is. I invited Xuande here today for no other reason than to drink wine and appreciate literature," Cao Cao said.

"Appreciate literature?"

Cao Cao pulled Liu Bei to the side, where a beautiful large wooden chest sat on a low table, filled to the brim with many scrolls.

"This is the most interesting trophy I obtained in Xu Province," Cao Cao said, pointing to the chest.

Liu Bei took out the first scroll, which read: Legend of the Condor Heroes, authored by Jin Lao.

Unfolding the scroll, he found a novel and fascinating story. Liu Bei read with great interest, and in the blink of an eye, he had finished the first volume. He said in surprise, "Who is this Jin Lao? The story is so ingeniously conceived that I cannot put it down."

"Hahaha, Xuande has discovered it too? I heard this was transcribed by Lu Bu's daughter. I intend to read by the lamp tonight," Cao Cao laughed.

"Is Miss Lu the one called Jin Lao? How incredible," Liu Bei said, shaking his head in wonder.

"Not so. I once heard Wenyuan mention that Miss Lu was listening to the oral dictation of that Lan Ziyu. I suspect this person must know Jin Lao. The phrase about 'imperial ambitions' should also have been written by him. One day, I shall go to Xiaopei myself to seek him out," Cao Cao said, stroking his beard.

"I, too, wish to meet this Jin Lao," Liu Bei thought, suspecting that Jin Lao was Lan Tian's mentor, and hoping he could reach him before Cao Cao.

"If Xuande is not tired, why not read this book with me?" Cao Cao invited.

"That would be exactly what I desire."

Cao Cao and Liu Bei read until midnight before resting, while the guards outside the tent, Xu Chu and Zhang Fei, stood laboriously in the cold wind until the same hour.

Meanwhile, far away at Gan Family Village in Xiaopei, Gan Ji's condition suddenly took a turn for the worse.

Lan Tian rushed into the city to find a doctor. Of the two who had previously treated Gan Ji, he only found one, who shook his head repeatedly after checking the pulse at Gan Family Village.

"How is he?" Lan Tian asked anxiously.

"Your father was originally invaded by wind-evil, and coupled with a severe shock, he collapsed and cannot rise. Although Doctor Xu and I used potent medicine to suppress it, the freezing weather has now triggered his old ailment. This humble one is truly powerless, unless..."

"Unless what?"

"I have heard of a man named Hua Tuo who excels at treating all kinds of difficult and miscellaneous diseases. The Young Master might seek him out," the doctor suggested.

Hua Tuo? Lan Tian was stunned. He knew of the divine physician Hua Tuo's reputation, but the world was vast—where could he find him?

"Does the doctor know where Master Hua is?" Lan Tian asked expectantly.

The doctor shook his head and said, "I heard he once traveled in the Xu and Yang regions, but with the frequent wars in Xu Province in recent years, he has likely gone elsewhere. To find him, the Young Master may need the assistance of a regional warlord."

Lan Tian was instantly dumbfounded. Was this not the same as saying nothing? He was currently nameless and powerless; which warlord would grant him such a favor? At this moment, he felt an unprecedented sense of helplessness.

With the fall of Xiapi and the death of Lu Bu, he had sent people to inquire in many ways, but there was no news of Lu Lingqi.

Now that Gan Ji's condition had worsened, Lan Tian realized he was truly a failure. In this era, the desire to simply be a peaceful farmer was nothing more than a pipe dream.

The three great sorrows of life: meeting those one resents, being separated from those one loves, and failing to obtain what one seeks. He was already suffering from two of them. The idea of merely surviving in this world was like trying to scoop the moon from the water—ruthlessly shattered by reality.

"I will do my best to find Master Hua. Do you have any other methods here?" Lan Tian asked again.

"I can only try my best, but if your father does not receive expert medical treatment, he does not have much time left," the physician sighed.

"Little Brother, Father is calling for you to come in," Gan Qian called from inside the room.

"Coming right away."

Lan Tian walked to the side of Gan Ji's sickbed; due to being bedridden for a long time and having a poor appetite, Gan Ji was now extremely emaciated.

Lying on the bed, Gan Ji said slowly, "Tian'er. There is something... I have let you down."

"Foster Father, you have already been very good to me. Please speak less and rest more," Lan Tian comforted him.

Gan Ji shook his head and said, "I know my own body. I was the one who made Lady Lu leave; I was afraid she would be a burden to you and Qian'er.

She is actually a good girl, and I do not know if she has married yet. Foster Father made this decision for you; do not hold a grudge against me. Cough, cough."

"I would never." Lan Tian knelt directly before the bed, tears from his eyes dripping onto the quilt.

Thanks to Four Spirits Source Talisman, Book Friend 20180209170149234, Xin 0118, and Yan Shisan for their tips and support. There will be an extra chapter today, expected to be released at 12:00 PM.