With Cao Cao by my side, what do I have to fear from the world?

Chapter 136, Quyuanli
Zhao Yun realized the urgency of the situation, but he couldn't help feeling a little excited.

Although he had always followed Liu Xie as his bodyguard, Zhao Yun had no complaints. After all, he was Zhao Zilong of Changshan, and he dreamed of riding a horse and wielding a spear to fight on the battlefield!

The battlefield is where he should be!
Liu Xie pointed his finger and said self-deprecatingly, "It has been more than three years since I came to Xuchang. Although everyone says that I am the ruler of the world, the funny thing is that I am not even the ruler of Xuchang!"

"His Majesty!"

Zhao Yun sighed, feeling a pang of pain in his heart, and also feeling aggrieved for Liu Xie.

He knew that the emperor's seemingly leisurely life was merely an act, and that he actually harbored a deep sense of urgency.

Suddenly, a familiar figure appeared ahead. Liu Xie pointed and said, "Isn't that Zhang Xiu?"

Zhao Yun nodded. "It was him. After surrendering to Cao Cao, he was promoted to General Yangwu. Cao Cao also arranged for his son Cao Jun to marry Zhang Xiu's daughter."

Liu Xie said, "Zhang Xiu is skilled in archery and horsemanship, and he and Zilong are from the same school. He is quite capable, but it seems that Cao Cao does not value him too much."

Zhang Xiu stepped into a tavern and sat down quietly. He had been in Xudu for some time, but the naturally forthright Zhang Xiu seemed somewhat out of place in Xudu.

He has practically no friends. He spends his days either wandering around or drinking to pass the time. He seems to have a leisurely life, but in reality, he is quite neglected.

Xudu was divided into factions, with most of the military men belonging to the Qiao Commandery faction, led by Cao Ren and Xiahou Dun. These men were Cao Cao's direct subordinates, and in the early days of Cao Cao's rise to power, their status clearly surpassed that of the Yingchuan faction.

Most of the literati belonged to the Yingchuan School, with Xun Yu and Guo Jia as its leaders.

Throughout history, wherever there are people, there are conflicts, factions, and struggles.

Scholars and warriors, people from Kanto and Kansai—many factions are mostly divided by region.

Zhang Xiu came from Xiliang, so scholars like Xun Yu were naturally unwilling to associate with him, and Cao Cao's military generals also couldn't get close to him.

Furthermore, Cao Hong's death at the hands of Zhang Xiu created a situation where Zhang Xiu was very isolated in Xuchang.

Wherever Zhang Xiu went, he was always alone, appearing exceptionally lonely.

As for Cao Cao, he originally valued Jia Xu highly. Whenever he saw Zhang Xiu, he couldn't help but think of Jia Xu. With Jia Xu's fate unknown, Cao Cao was truly heartbroken and gradually became somewhat distant from Zhang Xiu.

Cao Hong's desperate act of protecting Cao Cao before his death also had some effect on Cao Cao's heart.

Whenever Cao Cao saw Zhang Xiu, he would be reminded of Cao Hong and Jia Xu, so he preferred to avoid him if possible, and thus Cao Cao gradually distanced himself from Zhang Xiu.

"Your Majesty, shall we go over there?" Zhao Yun asked as they arrived at the tavern.

Liu Xie stood at the door and glanced around. Seeing Zhang Xiu sitting alone in the corner drinking, he shook his head. "Forget it. It would be too conspicuous for me to go there. If I were to sit and drink with him, people would notice us very quickly."

Drinking alone is hard to enjoy, and the feeling of drinking alone in silence is indeed unpleasant. Trying to drown your sorrows in alcohol will only make you more and more sorrowful!

When Liu Xie returned and met Jia Xu, he recounted the incident and then squinted at Jia Xu.

Feeling somewhat uncomfortable under Liu Xie's gaze, Jia Xu asked, "Does Your Majesty perhaps believe that Zhang Xiu's fate today is my fault?"

Liu Xie joked, "Anyway, you didn't have good intentions!"

Jia Xu was startled and stood up, his face turning pale. "Your Majesty, what makes you say such a thing?"

Liu Xie waved his hand and laughed, "Wenhe, please sit down. You are now serving me, would I hold a grudge against you? We are just chatting. If I say anything wrong, you can correct me."

Jia Xu patted his chest, looking somewhat embarrassed, thinking to himself: Does His Majesty joke like that? He almost scared someone to death.

Jia Xu sat down again, and Liu Xie laughed and said, "Wenhe, I have known you for quite some time now, almost ten years. At first, you were just a subordinate of Niu Fu, Dong Zhuo's son-in-law. I remember that your initial official position was Pingjin Commandant. After Dong Zhuo died, you helped Li Jue and Guo Si to retake Chang'an. You have committed a great sin against the Han Dynasty."

Jia Xu didn't want anyone to bring up this topic in front of him, but when Liu Xie brought it up, Jia Xu had no choice but to listen quietly.

"Your Majesty, it was my momentary lapse of judgment that led to this grave mistake."

Liu Xie shook his head. "You're not confused. It's just that everything you've done is for your own protection. You don't care about the lives of others, which is why you were able to offer up the treacherous plan to counterattack Chang'an!"

Liu Xie's words struck Jia Xu like a dagger, causing Jia Xu to break out in a cold sweat.

"The past is the past. I have said I will not pursue your mistakes, but in the future, try not to offer me any schemes that are against the natural order. Even if you do offer them, I will not adopt them. How could I possibly risk the lives of all the people to save myself?"

Although Liu Xie was just chatting and wouldn't actually punish Jia Xu, his comments made Jia Xu tremble with fear and break out in a cold sweat.

Although Liu Xie did not hold grudges, Jia Xu's actions were like a handle in Liu Xie's hands. This frightened Jia Xu and made him determined to serve Liu Xie obediently from now on.

"Wenhe is good at self-preservation. I took advantage of this to make you submit to me. In fact, I am the same as you. Everything I am doing now is also for self-preservation."

"So, to be honest, when you assisted Zhang Xiu, were you truly loyal to him? Were all your schemes for Zhang Xiu's benefit?"

Although Liu Xie's tone was gentle, his eyes were fixed on Jia Xu, as if he wanted to see right through him.

“What Zhang Xiu could give you, Li Jue and Guo Si could also give you, and even more, but you still chose to leave Li Jue and Guo Si. Later, you went to seek refuge with Duan Wei. Duan Wei was somewhat wary of your abilities and was only superficially polite to you. It was at this time that you made contact with Zhang Xiu.”

"In my opinion, assisting Zhang Xiu is merely a temporary expedient for you. I believe that from the very beginning, you never thought highly of Zhang Xiu, nor did you intend to follow him in the long run!"

Jia Xu considered himself exceptionally talented, adept at controlling situations and deducing human nature, yet in front of Liu Xie, he felt as if all his secrets had been revealed.

"Wenhe, what I've said is correct, isn't it? I consider you one of my own, which is why I'm so frank and open with you."

Jia Xu's lips twitched a few times, and he said with a wry smile, "Your Majesty, how should I reply?"

This was far too frank. Jia Xu wanted to disappear into a crack in the ground, but he knew that Liu Xie meant no harm and was simply stating the facts.

Finally, Jia Xu nodded, "As Your Majesty says, my assistance to Zhang Xiu is indeed only a temporary measure."

"Then why didn't you come to Xuchang and join Cao Cao in the first place?" Jia Xu shook his head and said, "Everyone in the world knows that I helped Li Jue and Guo Si, and that I aided and abetted the evildoers in the counterattack on Chang'an. My crimes are heinous. I have done no service to Cao Cao. If I rashly come to join him, even if Cao Cao doesn't kill me, he will certainly not give me an important position."

Liu Xie nodded. "I understand. You want to attract Cao Cao's attention and find a way to advance your career. Offering up Nanyang is your way to advance your career."

"Since arriving in Nanyang, I have been observing the various warlords. Liu Biao is all show and no substance; he has neither the talent to contend for supremacy nor the ambition to expand his territory. Zhang Xiu possesses great skill, but he can only maintain a small corner of the land and has little to show for it. As for Yuan Shao..."

Jia Xu finished speaking and then laughed self-deprecatingly.

Liu Xie said, "I know that Yuan Shao has always valued empty reputation the most. He will never tolerate your previous actions and may even kill you."

“Indeed, although Yanzhou and Yuzhou are both battlegrounds, Cao Cao has His Majesty by his side and is in a position of righteousness. He himself is both a scholar and a warrior, and has a broad mind and lofty ambitions. From the beginning, I never intended to fight Cao Cao to the end. However, we must find a suitable opportunity.”

Liu Xie laughed for a while, then pointed at Jia Xu, "You are really cunning. In this world, you can leave Chang'an as you please, you can quit your position as Minister as you please, and you can surrender Nanyang as you please. You are always scheming, trying to figure out what is most advantageous for you."

Liu Xie laughed and said, "If you can sincerely assist Zhang Xiu, it won't be so easy for Cao Cao to take Nanyang."

Jia Xu did not refute this; he did indeed have that ability.

"You can see Zhang Xiu's current situation. Who would have thought that Zhang Xiu, who once dominated a region, would be ignored and forgotten in Xudu?"

To everyone's surprise, Jia Xu not only felt no shame, but instead laughed and said, "Given Zhang Xiu's current predicament, isn't this the perfect opportunity for Your Majesty to subdue him?"

Everything has two sides, and Jia Xu's words were truly irrefutable for Liu Xie.

Cao Cao's failure to value him and his poor living conditions in Xuchang were indeed a good opportunity for Liu Xie.

"Well done, Jia Wenhe. Since Zhang Xiu's current predicament is partly due to your efforts, then you shall be responsible for helping me subdue this man."

Jia Xu shook his head. "Your Majesty doesn't need to pay attention to it. The warriors of Xiliang are always straightforward and can't stand being ignored. In a year or two, Your Majesty only needs to step forward and persuade them, and you will surely be able to win Zhang Xiu's sincere heart and make him serve Your Majesty."

In Xudu, spring brings forth a revival of all things, with the spring breeze caressing the earth. The fields are lush and green, with verdant wheat seedlings sprouting from the soil, dancing merrily like little elves. Plants and trees also eagerly unfurl their tender green leaves, filling every corner with the beauty of spring.

On this stage of nature, many farmers are busy cultivating the land, sweating profusely. They gently turn the soil with shovels, creating a scene of bustling activity everywhere.

With nothing to do, Liu Xie went out of the city with Xun Yu and Cao Ang for a spring outing, just to relax.

As they walked, Xun Yu praised without reservation: "Your Majesty, as you know, when the capital was first moved, the area outside the city was desolate, with no sign of human habitation for miles around. But now, all the abandoned fields have been cultivated, resulting in higher harvests and more people voluntarily migrating to Xuchang."

The grass and trees are crisp and the air is fresh. Adults work in the fields, while children run and chase each other happily. Beautiful butterflies flutter and dance among the grass from time to time.

This is a vibrant and energetic spring, with beauty and allure in every corner, making one want to immerse oneself in the embrace of nature.

“Lord Xun, you are always so busy. If I hadn’t invited you several times, you would never have left the city.”

Xun Yu said, “Unlike Your Majesty, I am not always so leisurely. However, seeing such a thriving scene outside the city, I am quite gratified. If we really have to go to war with Yuan Shao, the pressure of raising grain will be greatly relieved after the autumn harvest.”

Xun Yu was either busy or on his way to be busy, so it was really not easy to get him to go out of the city for a stroll.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!" Lu Jun led a few people, running towards them.

Seeing his father so excited, Lu Xun was also very curious. He noticed that there was a carriage following behind his father, and wondered what was on it.

Lu Jun called out from afar, "Your Majesty, the curved plow you drew last time, yes, the curved plow, has been made."

The curved-shaft plow, also known as the Jiangdong plow, first appeared in the Tang Dynasty. Before the curved-shaft plow, the straight-shaft plow was used, which was long and clumsy, and not only was it laborious to use, but it was also troublesome to turn and change direction.

Before long, the carriage arrived, and Lu Jun directed several servants to unload the completed curved plow.

"Your Majesty, this is the actual object. Would you like to demonstrate it now?"

Liu Xie looked around and said, “It’s the perfect time for spring planting. There are so many farmers working in the fields. Let’s have that one try out this newly made curved plow.”

Liu Xie pointed to an old farmer not far away, smiled and walked over, and Lu Jun and the others hurriedly followed.

Liu Xie greeted the old farmer. The old farmer had never seen an emperor before, but seeing Liu Xie's attire and the many people following behind him, he realized that Liu Xie was of noble status and readily agreed.

At first, everyone was not very hopeful about the newly made curved plow, after all, the old-fashioned straight plow had been used for thousands of years and everyone was used to it.

When something unexpected suddenly appears, it always feels a bit unreliable.

The villagers from the nearby fields also curiously put down what they were doing and gathered around.

The curved-shaft plow was almost half the size of the straight-shaft plow. Lu Jun had it adjusted and then had an old farmer test it on the spot. With a shout from the old farmer, the whip in his hand struck the ox.

The ox immediately began to stride forward with all its might. Because it was moving so fast, it almost made the old farmer stumble. He hadn't expected that the ox would be pulled forward so quickly.

The old farmer hurriedly steadied the oxen and regained their balance, but then the two oxen started moving faster and faster, until the old farmer no longer needed to crack the whip.

Liu Xie laughed and said, "See that, everyone? The curved plow is much less strenuous. These two oxen, used to the clumsy straight plow, are now much more agile and can almost run."

Liu Xie then bent down to examine the newly turned soil and nodded, "Not bad, this depth of cultivation should be sufficient."

The onlookers also gathered around in surprise.

"That's amazing, it's truly incredible."

"Look, Old Wang is almost running, much faster than the straight-plow we use."

After a while, Old Wang turned around and came back, grinning from ear to ear.

(End of this chapter)