"Hahaha!"
"Yuan Kai!!"
When Cao Mao strode out laughing to meet Du Yu, he truly had something of Emperor Wu's bearing in his early days.
His every gesture, even his gaze and expression, that sincerity toward worthy ministers, closely resembled Emperor Taizu.
Du Yu bowed in greeting, but Cao Mao caught him and helped him up.
Cao Mao looked Du Yu up and down, then said to Zhang Hua beside him, "Everyone in Luoyang speaks of the Beauty of Lianbi, but only I know that none is as fine as Du Yuan Kai!"
Du Yu was deeply startled and hurriedly bowed in thanks.
Zhang Hua, however, smiled and said, "That is because the beauty the people of the realm speak of lies in appearance, while the beauty Your Majesty speaks of lies in talent!"
Cao Mao laughed heartily.
Cao Mao received Du Yu in the Western Hall, an immense favor. After all, this was Cao Mao's private domain, where he received only his closest friends and intimates; otherwise, he conducted business in the East Hall.
Cao Mao told Zhang Wen to prepare more good food, making it a banquet for Du Yu.
Du Yu had completed this work-relief undertaking exceptionally well.
He had personally overseen the works in Ji Commandery while also directing major projects elsewhere.
Over the past year and more, the Central Plains, which had suffered tremendous destruction, had recovered considerably. The various regions were no longer strewn with ruins and broken roads as before.
One could hardly claim they had been governed all that well, but at least they looked somewhat like a golden age now: the roads were level, the cities intact, and water conservancy projects were still under construction.
Cao Mao's golden age now had an outer shell, at least, rather than being exposed at