Chapter 157: Retirement

Tai Shi Ci, upon hearing Yuan Xi's words, said, "Actually, we finished eating it all yesterday, but holding out for two more days shouldn't be a problem."

Seeing Tai Shi Ci's dusty and disheveled appearance, Tian Yu had no doubt that what he said was true. He felt a dryness in his mouth, knowing that if he wanted to plot against the other party, he had to consider the possibility of being plotted against as well.

However, Tian Yu never expected that the other party would be so determined to capture him, even sending out a great general just to ambush him?

He sighed and dropped the longbow in his hand, "I lost."

Before his voice faded, he leaped forward, charging towards Yuan Xi, his hand already gripping the ring-pommel sword on his back!

He'd risk it all!

Although the opponent was a fierce tiger, he might still be able to trade his life for the other's, killing him!

However, to Tian Yu's shock, Yuan Xi, who had been standing imposingly a moment ago, turned and ran into the stream as soon as he saw him charging, without the slightest hesitation.

Tian Yu pursued him into the stream, but his steps gradually slowed. He stared blankly as Yuan Xi nimbly crossed the stream like a monkey, while Tai Shi Ci and Sun Li seized the opportunity to block his path.

Tian Yu felt an unbearable suffocation in his chest. He was filled with grief and indignation, and roared, "Why?"

"Why do you look down on me so much?"

"Why don't you dare to fight me?"

"Do you deserve the name 'Fierce Tiger of the Yuan Family'?"

Tai Shi Ci's face twitched slightly. He knew Yuan Xi's capabilities very well. During their sparring sessions, Yuan Xi couldn't even withstand two of his moves.

Let alone a one-on-one fight against Liu Bei, Guan Yu, or Zhang Fei, even if they let him use one hand, Yuan Xi might not survive. He didn't know how this 'Fierce Tiger' reputation had spread.

But speaking of which, quite a few people actually believed it. Look, Tian Yu was fooled, wasn't he?

At this moment, Tian Yu was surrounded and attacked by Tai Shi Ci and Sun Li. After parrying a few blows with his ring-pommel sword, he knew he was finished.

Not to mention that he couldn't even beat Tai Shi Ci in a one-on-one fight, even Sun Li, who looked so young, had surprisingly great strength. When their long sabers clashed, Tian Yu's hand felt slightly numb.

Moreover, Sun Li's attacks were extremely fierce. He stood in the stream, and although his body swayed from the current, he used the momentum of his swaying to close in on Tian Yu, slashing upwards and downwards with perilous strikes, as if fighting for his life.

Yuan Xi watched from the bank, nodding repeatedly. As expected, martial arts depended on talent. Given time, Sun Li would surely become a fierce general!

The sound of weapons clashing filled the air. Seeing that the notches on Tian Yu's ring-pommel sword were increasing, Tai Shi Ci seized the opportunity, used his double halberds to catch the ring-pommel sword, and twisted it forcefully. Tian Yu's long saber immediately broke into two pieces.

Tian Yu sighed deeply, threw the sword into the stream, and lamented to the sky, "I regret not being able to fight the Fierce Tiger!"

Tai Shi Ci and Sun Li's expressions were extremely subtle. They thought to themselves, if Tian Yu knew the truth, they didn't know how he would react.

Whistling sounds rose and fell, and the people ambushing in the cave began to converge towards them.

Only then did Yuan Xi feel relieved enough to step forward and, using the technique Zhao Yun had taught him, skillfully and securely tie up Tian Yu.

Before long, dozens of people appeared, and Tian Yu recognized many familiar faces among them: Zhao Yun, Qu Yi, various generals, and sworn warriors.

Including Zhao Yun, they all looked haggard, evidently not enjoying the taste of hiding for several days. Seeing Tian Yu captured, they all revealed expressions of relief and began to applaud in unison.

Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, everyone clapped their hands vigorously, smiles on their faces.

Tian Yu was a little confused. What did this action mean?

Yuan Xi smiled and said to Tian Yu, "This is our hometown's custom for welcoming distinguished guests."

"It is also an expression of admiration for Brother Guorang."

"Brother Guorang, do you know how hard everyone worked to capture you this time?"

This was a plan that Yuan Xi and Guo Jia had repeatedly deliberated on in order to capture Tian Yu, finally choosing the most simple, unadorned, and also the riskiest strategy.

An ambush.

Some, like Tai Shi Ci, hid in caves, some hid in dense forests, some were in abandoned thatched huts, some were in mountain caves, and some even hid in desolate graveyards.

The routes Yuan Xi took for hunting and wandering these past few days had all been carefully calculated with Guo Jia, ensuring that no matter where Tian Yu launched his attack, there would be experts nearby to provide immediate support.

The location where Tian Yu launched his attack this time happened to be close to Tai Shi Ci's ambush location. Because Tai Shi Ci could take on ten men alone, this location was farther away from the others, so it wasn't until Tian Yu was captured that the others arrived.

Of course, based on the number of soldiers Tian Yu might bring, Yuan Xi and Guo Jia had also made a lot of preparations. If Tian Yu brought out hundreds of White Horse Volunteers, Yuan Xi would have to find a way to escape while leading Tian Yu into the ambush.

There was also some risk involved. If Tian Yu discovered the ambush location and Zhao Yun, Tai Shi Ci, and other great generals were lost here, Yuan Xi would truly regret it for the rest of his life.

However, when Zhao Yun, Tai Shi Ci, and the others heard this plan, they simply smiled and said, "On the battlefield, aren't we always facing life and death?"

"If we were to retreat in this situation, how could we improve our martial arts in the future?"

Hearing this, Yuan Xi thought that, not to mention physical fitness, the difference in mentality between himself and Zhao Yun and the others was decisive.

This was the so-called innate difference, wasn't it?

However, contrary to Yuan Xi's expectations, Tian Yu only brought two personal guards to ambush him. Was this out of rejection of assassination, or did he feel that it was not honorable to win in this way, and he couldn't bring himself to do it?

However, the final result was still satisfactory to everyone. They resolved the matter without anyone dying.

Seeing the expressions on Zhao Yun and the others' faces, Tian Yu suddenly felt that his assassination attempt was so absurd, so childish, like a farce.

His chest felt even more suffocated, and he fainted from anger.

When Tian Yu woke up again, he was already lying in a horse-drawn cart. His two subordinates were also tied up tightly beside him, but the wounds on their arms had been bandaged.

Tian Yu sat up and looked at the distant outline of Beixin City, remaining silent.

He didn't understand. Did the other party really need to mobilize almost all of their generals just to plot against him?

He raised his head and looked at Yuan Xi, who was riding a horse beside him, and said in a deep voice, "Why? I don't understand."

Yuan Xi smiled and said, "Brother Guorang, I can slowly explain the things you don't understand to you, anyway, we have plenty of time in the future."

Tian Yu said hatefully, "Anyway, I will never surrender to the Yuan family!"

"You better kill me now!"

Hearing this, Yuan Xi sighed, "You are indeed very loyal to Gongsun Zan."

"But Gongsun Zan is on the verge of destruction now, why should Brother Guorang be so persistent?"

Tian Yu snorted coldly, "Anything is better than the Yuan family!"

Yuan Xi became interested upon hearing this, "Although my Yuan family is not to say that everything is perfect, but implementing benevolent governance is always better than Gongsun Zan, who allows his soldiers to plunder the people, right?"

Hearing this, Tian Yu turned his head away and simply stopped talking.

Yuan Xi saw that there must be some inside story.

However, seeing Tian Yu so stubborn, Ye Wen couldn't get anything out of him for the time being. Anyway, Yuan Xi wasn't in a hurry; he could just lock him up and question him slowly.

Now that Tian Yu's matter was resolved and the spring planting was over, he could finally free up his hands to develop the salt, iron, and commerce industries in preparation for the upcoming Battle of Yi Jing.

After returning to Beixin City, Yuan Xi instructed Sun Li to imprison Tian Yu first. He returned to his residence to take a bath, and only then did he relax.

Wu Zhao came over with new clothes and helped Yuan Xi change, saying, "In the days you were away, Mr. Fengxiao asked every day when you would return."

Yuan Xi laughed upon hearing this, "Counting the days I've been gone, he owes me more than a dozen questions."

"What does he want to do?"

Wu Zhao's face flushed slightly as she spat, "He said one concubine isn't enough and wants to negotiate terms with you, my lord."

Yuan Xi shook his head upon hearing this, "Two? He's really thinking too highly of himself."

"No wonder he's always..."

"The way he is, it's not good for his health. A small tree that's constantly shaken will break."

Wu Zhao glanced at Yuan Xi's robe and smiled, turning her face away, "Then tonight, Cao Xian and I will sleep together, leaving you unmoved like a mountain."

Yuan Xi said righteously upon hearing this, "How can I be compared to a lecher like Guo Jia?"

"Moreover, you aristocratic women live such extravagant and wasteful lives, even separating when you sleep. Do you know how many common people sleep in one room outside?"

"Call Cao Xian over, and the three of us will sleep in one room to set an example."

"That's right, I'm sleeping in the middle!"

The next morning, as soon as the sky began to brighten, Yuan Xi opened his eyes and saw Cao Xian sleeping soundly beside him, while Wu Zhao had already gotten up early and was kneeling at the desk, writing something on bamboo slips. Her figure, seen from behind, was still beautiful and moving.

Yuan Xi tiptoed over and saw Wu Zhao writing tiny, fly-head characters on bamboo slips less than a finger's width. He whispered, "It's too early. There's no need to rush so much."

Wu Zhao had already heard Yuan Xi get up and said softly, "I figured you'd definitely have a bunch of questions to ask Mr. Fengxiao, so I sorted out the documents that the officials sent these days."

Yuan Xi nodded, "That's true. He still owes me a 'Hundred Thousand Whys' book."

Wu Zhao chuckled, "You, ah, you just use people to death as long as they don't die."

"I think Mr. Fengxiao won't die from the wine and women you mentioned but will be exhausted to death by you first."

Yuan Xi reached out and put his arm around Wu Zhao's waist, smiling, "You work hard day and night. Aren't you tired?"

Wu Zhao's body trembled slightly, her eyes full of smiles, "Don't think I can't hear you taking advantage of me with your words. If you continue to be so improper, what will you do if you accidentally reveal your true nature in front of Miss Zhen when she marries in?"

Yuan Xi coughed dryly, "This topic is too heavy. Let's change it."

He looked at the bamboo slips Wu Zhao was using, finely woven from reeds, each bamboo strip a little more than half a finger wide and a little over a foot long, shaved very thin, capable of holding twenty or so characters.

Actually, in terms of weight, these bamboo slips weren't very heavy, and they had a very good advantage: they were easy to preserve.

In the later generations, a large number of bamboo slips were unearthed from the Haihunhou Tomb. Many bamboo strips had already rolled into a ball in the mud and completely changed color.

But after processing, the bamboo strips regained their shape, and the writing on them was clearly visible, re-exposing history to later generations after two thousand years.

He asked, "How is the recruitment of clerks going?"

Wu Zhao said, "Although Beixin City can be considered on the right track, it still needs a large number of officials to manage affairs. Although we've opened several free schools to teach good families' children to read and write, it won't be effective for a while."

"Some You Province people have come to seek refuge, but the number is small, and even fewer are literate. Moreover, the situation in You Province is very chaotic now."

"Although forces such as Xianyu Fu, Yan Rou, and the Wuhuan have risen up to resist, many aristocratic families still rely on Gongsun Zan, after all, he is the Martial General and Marquis of Ji personally appointed by the Han court."

Yuan Xi said upon hearing this, "Being enfeoffed by the Han court isn't always a good thing. When Lu Bu was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Wen, he inevitably had to work for the Han court, but he ended up making mistakes."

"Do you think the decrees issued by the current Han Emperor are truly issued under duress, against his will, or does he have his own ideas?"

Wu Zhao put down the brush in her hand, leaned into Yuan Xi's arms, and sighed, "If it's really the latter, then he's really not simple, and it's not easy for him either."

"Speaking of which, in the two Han dynasties, being an emperor wasn't an easy task. Few could have a good ending."

"As for ministers, it's even harder to protect themselves wisely. My father also died unclearly. I still don't know why Wang Yun targeted my father."

Yuan Xi sighed, "Now that Wang Yun is dead, I'm afraid no one knows what he was thinking."

He suddenly remembered the matter of going to Xu Province to send Kong Rong's wife and daughter the other day and said, "You also have a younger sister, Cai Zhenji, right? Where is she now?"

Wu Zhao turned her head in surprise, "How would you know my sister's name?"

"Can you really observe the stars?"

Yuan Xi smiled, "What, you only believe it now?"

Wu Zhao glared at him, "I'd be surprised if I believed it. I don't know where you heard it from."

"She should still be at the Yang family in Mount Tai."

"Originally, my father and I lived with the Yang family in Mount Tai, and it happened that the Han court summoned him. At that time, my sister was still young, and my mother had died early, leaving no one to teach her, so my father entrusted her to the Yang family for adoption, while I followed my father to Luoyang."

"Although my sister was separated from my father, she was also fortunate enough to escape the disaster of my father being killed and Luoyang being plundered by the Xiongnu. It seems that good people have their own heavenly protection, and her fate is much better than mine."

Yuan Xi thought to himself that according to later history, the fates of the two sisters were indeed very different.

Cai Zhaoji became a widow after marrying into the Wei family. After returning to Luoyang, she witnessed her father being killed, then was captured by the Xiongnu and wandered in the northern lands for many years. Finally, she was redeemed and remarried. It can be said that her fate was full of twists and turns.

And Cai Zhenji was left in the Yang family of Mount Tai. Thinking of her later becoming Yang Dao's stepwife, it was like being a child bride.

However, the children she bore were promising. Her son, Yang Hu, became a famous general of the Western Jin Dynasty, reaching the position of Grand Tutor, and her daughter, Yang Huiyu, became the Jingxian Empress.

He comforted her, "The theory of fate is illusory. Even a genius like me, who is good at observing the stars, cannot fully see the whole picture."

"However, I see that you also have the appearance of great wealth and honor."

Wu Zhao was amused by Yuan Xi's teasing and laughed, "Your wife who hasn't entered the door yet has the appearance of great wealth and honor. You'd better think carefully about how to give her betrothal gifts after you take down Yi Jing."

Yuan Xi looked out the window. Outside, it was already spring and the flowers were blooming. He remembered the scene when Zhen Mi stood on the small building when they parted, waving to him amidst the snow, and longing surged up like a tide.

Is she also standing on the small building now, looking in the direction of the northern lands, telling him something?