Three Kingdoms, Myth

After a long time passed and noticing that Xun Yu was completely ignoring him, Fan Qin sheepishly lifted his head to see Xun Yu still absorbed in reviewing official documents.

"Xiubo, do you think our lord made a mistake this time?" Xun Yu asked without looking up.

Fan Qin's face brightened. The thing he feared the most was when Xun Yu didn't say anything, leaving him completely in the dark. As long as Xun Yu was willing to speak, there were ways to deal with the situation. "From the perspective of filial piety, there's not much wrong, but in terms of moral principles, it's somewhat unacceptable. As for the Nine Virtues of a ruler..."

"Hmm," Xun Yu hummed lightly, not continuing the conversation.

Fan Qin waited for a long time, but Xun Yu remained silent. Finally, Fan Qin couldn't take it anymore. "Xun Wenruo, if you don't give me an explanation today, I'm done!"

"One chooses their lord, just as a lord chooses their ministers," Xun Yu responded calmly.

"So, are you saying that we should kick Cao Mengde to the curb? That's fine, we can go help Chen Gongtai, make sure Cao Mengde disappears for good." Fan Qin became excited at the idea. He would love to see internal strife within Cao Cao's camp. If Xun Yu rebelled against Cao Cao, Cao Cao's regime would collapse in no time since most of his key ministers were recommended by Xun Yu.

"To err is human, but to correct one's mistake is even greater," Xun Yu continued.

"I..." Fan Qin was almost choked by Xun Yu's response. After taking a few deep breaths, he asked, "So, you mean that as long as Cao Mengde admits his mistake and doesn't repeat it, you'll let this go?"

Xun Yu didn't respond, too disinterested to engage further. Although Fan Qin was indeed talented in governance, strategy, and assessing situations, his personality was undeniably peculiar.

"But wait," Fan Qin thought aloud, "if all it takes is for Cao Mengde to admit his mistake and you'll forgive him, he still has to survive first. You've already let Chen Gongtai, that madman, loose. You've basically sealed Cao Mengde's retreat, and with Liu Xuande blocking his way in front, how can he possibly make it back alive?"

Xun Yu continued with his work, but suddenly a shadow loomed over him. Startled, he looked up to find Fan Qin staring at him in shock.

"You've figured it out?" Xun Yu asked, meeting Fan Qin's gaze.

"I'm shocked. I never expected you to be this ruthless, and so bold. Aren't you afraid this could backfire?" Fan Qin asked, his face partially hidden behind his ornate fan.

"It doesn't matter. Success or failure benefits us either way," Xun Yu replied calmly. "Since I've chosen him as my lord, it's my duty to guide him. This is both a test and an opportunity. If he succeeds, he will prove to be a great leader. If he fails, then it only means my judgment wasn't as good as I thought."

"Xun Wenruo!" Fan Qin's voice squeezed out through clenched teeth. "You're formidable! You're the most formidable person I've ever met! Calling your schemes 'calculated' doesn't do them justice. Your foresight is terrifying!"

"You're not bad yourself," Xun Yu responded without looking up. "Hurry up and finish processing these documents. There's still much to do in Yanzhou. Make sure that when Gongtai takes control, he has enough resources to manage the aftermath. Our lord needs to suffer a few more setbacks before he can truly mature."

Fan Qin sighed deeply. "Chen Changwen choosing you as his opponent is truly tragic. I can no longer see any chance of him winning. All I can do is pray he lives longer than you; otherwise, Changwen might never recover."

Xun Yu smiled faintly. "Get back to work. Gongtai... well, he's not so different from us. I hope our lord makes the right choices. Otherwise, I'll have to serve another."

"Oh, spare me the drama," Fan Qin teased. "Don't think I don't know what you're up to. Your loyalty isn't really to Cao Mengde. You just believe he can help you restore the Han Dynasty. And if your current plans don't benefit him, they'll still benefit the Han. Isn't that right?"

"Heh, I believe in my lord's capacity," Xun Yu replied, his face serene, though Fan Qin noticed a flicker of something in his eyes. It was enough to convince Fan Qin that if Cao Cao truly disappointed him, Xun Yu had contingency plans in place, along with someone ready to take over.

Fan Qin lowered his head and returned to his paperwork, feeling even more wary of Xun Yu. Xun Yu's strategies were the kind that would have you counting money for him even after he sold you out. His plans didn't rely on complex schemes but rather on pushing situations to a point where people had no choice but to make the most logical decision.

As Fan Qin silently reflected on this, Cao Cao remained unaware that Xun Yu had prepared a test for him. By now, Cao Cao had grown weary of the slaughter. His rage had dissipated, and he no longer harbored much hatred. He was beginning to regain his senses and had lost interest in further killings, instead focusing on gathering his troops and ending the massacre.

However, the chaos in Xu Province had already spiraled out of control. Although Cao Cao had withdrawn his forces, the killings continued. Even in his moment of clarity, Cao Cao realized he had been used as a pawn.

"Zhongde, investigate this for me. Find out who is slaughtering the people of Xu Province in my name! I, Cao Mengde, will own up to the lives I've taken, but no one else will pin their crimes on me!" Cao Cao roared in anger.

"Understood!" Cheng Yu responded. He too had noticed that the massacre in Xu Province was now beyond their control. Even if they stopped killing, others were still doing so in their name. Although they had shed the most blood, they didn't want to bear even more guilt.

"Report! General Le has sent a letter from Fan County for our lord!" A messenger rushed in, kneeling before Cao Cao with a sealed letter in hand.

Cao Cao recognized the handwriting on the envelope and the large characters on it: "To my son, Mengde." Tears streamed down his face as the hatred that had almost faded surged once more.