Chapter 5: Free Minds, Healthy Bodies

Watching Dian Wei's voracious eating, Lin Yu's face lit up with a smug smile. The powder he had just used was a mix of chili and cumin, spices for outdoor barbecuing. In this era, cooking methods were rudimentary, and the only seasoning available was salt, which some poor people couldn't even afford.

Faced with the meat that Lin Yu had meticulously grilled with modern seasonings, Dian Wei looked utterly content, as if he were dreaming. Soon, Dian Wei devoured the venison in front of him, licked his fingers, and gazed longingly at the other half on Lin Yu's side.

"Um… Sir, could you give me a bit more?"

"I could, but you lost a bet to me and are even unwilling to call me 'big brother.'" Lin Yu sighed, his expression filled with a touch of desolation.

Without a moment's hesitation, Dian Wei knelt down, clasped his hands, and said, "I was wrong. From now on, I am willing to recognize you as my big brother, through thick and thin, I will follow!"

"Big brother!"

Hearing this, Lin Yu immediately brightened up and quickly helped Dian Wei to his feet: "Brother, you're too polite!"

Dian Wei swallowed his saliva, his gaze still fixed on the remaining venison: "Big brother, this venison…"

"Help yourself!" Lin Yu waved his hand generously.

Given the go-ahead, Dian Wei didn't hesitate and pounced on the venison like a starving tiger. Watching Dian Wei's ravenous appearance, Lin Yu couldn't help but laugh.

As they say in the Northeast, nothing can't be solved by a barbecue, and if it can't, then two barbecues will do. Lin Yu thought to himself, if he had known that good food could win Dian Wei's heart, why had he exerted so much effort before?

Lin Yu chuckled and suddenly remembered something, asking, "Brother, do you like to drink?"

"Of course… I like it!" Dian Wei struggled to swallow the venison in his mouth, regretfully saying, "It would be perfect with some good wine, but unfortunately, there's no place to buy wine nearby."

"Who says there's no wine?" Lin Yu grinned, turned, and went into the tent, bringing out two cans of beer.

"What's this?" Dian Wei looked at the blue-packaged beer, puzzled.

"This is called Snow Beer, and it's so good it can take you to the ends of the earth!" Lin Yu laughed as he opened the beer and handed it to Dian Wei.

Dian Wei took it, hesitated for a moment, then sipped it like Lin Yu. The beer was refreshing and stimulating, smooth and silky, making Dian Wei shiver.

"Good beer!"

Brewing technology in this era was not advanced, mostly using millet and fruits to brew low-alcohol drinks, similar to modern beer, but due to backward technology, the brew was mostly turbid and couldn't compare with Snow Beer. Lin Yu, having traveled through time, only had a few cans of Snow Beer in his bag, and he wouldn't have taken them out if not for the bond he was forming with Dian Wei today.

"Big brother is so kind to his younger brother!" Dian Wei, drinking the Snow Beer, felt his eyes moisten. Lin Yu had treated him with good food and wine, and he had not been appreciative before, which was wrong.

"You're too formal, brother. We are brothers, we should share weal and woe!" Lin Yu said with a smile.

"Big brother, let's not say more, it's all in the drink!" Dian Wei raised his beer and drained it in one go.

The two enjoyed the barbecue and beer, and soon it was getting dark. Lin Yu sipped his beer, looking up at the night sky, which was free from light pollution and filled with stars. Today, he had settled in Cao's camp and gained Dian Wei as a brother, sweeping away the gloom of the past.

Big-eared thief, you wait!

…

A few days later.

Cao Cao was dealing with military affairs when he suddenly heard a commotion of footsteps. Looking up, he saw the Xiahou brothers, dust-covered and excited, rushing into the tent.

"Cao Gong!" They greeted with a bow.

Cao Cao dismissed the servants and hurriedly asked in a low voice, "How did it go?"

"Tell Brother Mengde, it went exceptionally well!" Xiahou Yuan grinned, "We dug up three marquis graves, and the gold and jewels filled hundreds of carts!"

"Really?" Cao Cao was surprised.

"How dare we deceive Brother Mengde?" Xiahou Dun laughed.

"That's great! With this wealth, we can recruit another army!" Cao Cao felt a surge of excitement. With only five thousand troops at hand, this fortune could at least double his forces, giving him more confidence when dealing with Dong Zhuo!

"Go, call Zilin over." Cao Cao ordered.

In a short while, Cao Hong arrived. Upon learning that Cao Cao had acquired a large sum of money, he was also very excited.

"I entrust these funds to you, to be exchanged for grain and armor. Remember to act discreetly and not to make a fuss." Cao Cao warned. If the grave-robbing became known, no one would come to join them.

"Understood!" Cao Hong nodded and accepted the mission.

Then Cao Cao suddenly thought of something and asked, "How has Lin Yu been these days?"

"I assigned him to guard the grain and supplies, and he hasn't complained. There's been no movement from him these days." Cao Hong replied.

"Now it seems that Lin Yu, though bold, has presented a feasible plan. Our previous attitude towards him was a bit harsh." Xiahou Dun sighed.

"That's right, Brother Mengde, I think we should generously reward him." Xiahou Yuan also agreed.

Cao Cao pondered for a moment and smiled, "No rush, let's observe him for a while longer."

…

The sky was just beginning to lighten when Lin Yu woke up early and called Dian Wei. The two went to the training ground together.

"Big brother, why did you call me up so early?" Dian Wei yawned and complained.

"Of course, to have you teach me martial arts." Lin Yu glared at him.

As the saying goes, the mind can be unclean, but the body must be healthy. Only with a healthy body can one support a perhaps unclean mind. Especially in the chaotic era of the Three Kingdoms, not meeting physical standards could lead to death, even from a simple cold, without dying on the battlefield.

That's why Lin Yu called Dian Wei up early to train with him. Lin Yu first ran laps, then practiced martial arts with Dian Wei. After the sun rose, the two went back to have a meal.

Not long after finishing his meal, a soldier came to say that Cao Hong wanted to see him. Since being assigned by Cao Hong to guard the grain and supplies, Lin Yu hadn't seen him again, and he didn't expect to be summoned today.

Lin Yu didn't think much of it and followed the soldier, soon arriving at Cao Hong's tent. Cao Hong was sitting behind a desk, frowning deeply, seemingly facing a difficult problem.

"Greetings, General." Lin Yu bowed in respect.

Cao Hong looked up, stared at him for a while, and suddenly asked, "Who are you?"