About Cao Cao's reincarnation as the emperor's uncle

Chapter 41 Yuan Shao's Schemes Become Clear

When the baby was brought back to the mansion...

Yuan Feng stood under the corridor, his fingertips deeply embedded in his palms.

The sins of that snowy night still gnawed at him, but the Yuan family plaque hanging high outside the corridor reminded him that a century-old reputation could not tolerate such stains.

Icicles hung from the eaves of the ancestral hall, and Yuan Cheng's wife knelt on the blue bricks, her temples white with frost and snow.

She clutched the swaddled baby tightly to her chest, her hoarse voice echoing in the empty space:

"This is the bloodline of the Yuan family!"

"He is the son of your elder brother!!"

Yuan Feng closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Although I feel guilty, I must not reveal the sordid things that happened back then.

When she opened her eyes again, she was completely at ease.
"Then, claiming that my elder brother has no heir, I will adopt him as my illegitimate son to my sister-in-law."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Wei let out a cold snort and turned away.

From then on, Yuan Cheng's wife treated Yuan Shao as her own son.

Thus, the Yuan family of Runan gained an adopted son whose origins remain a mystery.

……

At this moment, inside the hall.

Yuan Feng tapped his fingertips on the table repeatedly.

"After all, he is the eldest brother's descendant..."

"Brother?"

Yuan Wei let out a cold laugh:
"If it weren't for your sister-in-law threatening to kill herself back then, would you have been willing to spare this bastard's life?"

As Yuan Feng gazed at the ripples in the pond, he vaguely saw Yuan Cheng's eyes before his death...

There was resentment and anger, but no hatred.

Yuan Wei slowly approached:

“Benchu ​​was famous since he was a young man, and now that his mourning period is over, he has received even more praise.”

"In contrast, neither Ji'er nor Shu'er can match the original in terms of reputation alone."

"If the world were to find out that this child was the product of our scheme back then..."

He slammed his hand on the table:
"Why not strike first and solidify his crime of 'illegitimate son disrupting the imperial clan'!"

Yuan Feng turned and pushed open the window; the fine rain splashed on his face.

"Let me think about it some more."

The guilt in his heart, Yuan Shao's background, the pros and cons of the marriage alliance, the rise and fall of his family, and so on...

It lingered in Yuan Feng's mind.

Suddenly, Yuan Wei's murmured voice came from behind:

"No matter what, the Yuan family cannot fall..."

Yuan Feng suddenly turned around:
"younger brother……"

As Yuan Wei turned around, a sinister smile curled at the corner of his mouth:
"Brother, rest assured, I have a plan."

……

At the same time, Liu Fang recounted Yuan Shao's background in detail.

"A sudden change in the Yuan family back then pushed Yuan Tang's eldest son, Yuan Cheng, to the brink of despair..."

As the mystery was unraveled, the hall grew increasingly silent.

Jian Shuo couldn't help but clench his fists, while Feng Xu frowned deeply.

Xu Shao's long beard trembled slightly as he shook his head and sighed from time to time.

Liu Fang paused for a moment, then picked up his teacup and took a small sip.

Of course, he told this story under the guise of speculation.

It's impossible to say that he learned this from Yuan Shao's drunken words or Yuan Shu's slanderous remarks in a previous life.

In particular, Yuan Shu used extremely vulgar language, openly stating that Yuan Shao was not of the Yuan family bloodline.

It is also said that Yuan Shao may have been born to that maid and a scoundrel, and that Yuan Shao was called a household slave.

……

The raindrops slant like a curtain, the story is coming to an end.

Liu Fang put down his teacup and smiled as he looked around at everyone.

Jian Shuo placed his hand on his forehead and couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement:
"Yuan Shao had no chance to be cared for by his birth mother, and now his adoptive mother has passed away."

"Given the Yuan family's methods, it's already remarkable that his birth mother has managed to survive until now." "And Yuan Cheng's wife, who raised him to adulthood on her own, must have endured a great deal of hardship."

"With both uncles harboring their own ulterior motives, it's truly remarkable that Yuan Shao has managed to build such a reputation today..."

Xu Shao casually stroked his long beard:

"Not only that, Yuan Feng and Yuan Wei in their clan even used Yuan Cheng as a negative example to teach others."

"Yuan Cheng's wife, who was renowned for her virtue, taught Yuan Shao from a young age to take her deceased husband as a role model."

He suddenly chuckled softly:
"Therefore, Yuan Feng's two legitimate sons, Yuan Ji and Yuan Shu, have disliked Yuan Shao, the illegitimate son who 'went astray', since childhood."

“Especially since Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu were of similar age, Yuan Shao, being an adopted son, always had an advantage over Yuan Shu, so Yuan Shu often used his status as the legitimate son to insult Yuan Shao.”

"While Yuan Ji wasn't as extreme as Yuan Shu, Yuan Shu was, after all, his own brother, so he would definitely side with Yuan Shu and never gave Yuan Shao a second glance."

Feng Xu, his back hunched, moved closer:

"Therefore, it is only natural that Yuan Shao would prepare to start an internal power struggle within the Yuan clan."

"The likes of Xu You, Zhang Miao, and He Yong have probably already joined the game."

Upon hearing this, Xu Shao nodded in agreement.

"When I went to Yuan Shao yesterday, after some probing, I can basically confirm this matter."

"This Xu You..."

He seemed to have thought of something, and his tone became tinged with a sigh:
"He comes from the Xu family of Nanyang. Although he shares the same lineage as my Runan family, he only has the empty title of a nobleman of the Zhou dynasty..."

"By his generation, they had already fallen into decline and could barely be considered local strongmen, so Xu You was highly regarded by the clan from a young age."

"But after Xu You entered the world, he discovered the hardship of being born into a poor family, and he repeatedly encountered setbacks and obstacles at every turn."

"Therefore, Xu You, despite his abundant talent, had nowhere to display it, if not for my recommendation..."

Then he turned and laughed:
"When that guy first met the original, he stubbornly said, 'I will not associate with the corrupt,' but now he is willing to serve him."

"It must be because of what was planned in the beginning."

"As for Zhang Miao, his reputation as one of the 'Eight Chefs' is well-deserved."

"The word 'cook' implies the ability to save lives with money..."

After all, these people were all Liu Fang's friends from his past life, and he knew them better than Xu Shao, so he smiled and continued the conversation:

"Zhang Miao was known for his chivalry. In his youth, he gave away all his wealth to help the poor, attracting many brave men to join him."

"This person is as upright as a pine tree, and hates the filth of the world. However, although he is honest, he is somewhat pedantic."

"As the saying goes, Zhang Mengzhuo is strict and unyielding throughout the land..."

"In his heart, right and wrong far outweighed everything else. If Yuan Shao truly wanted to bring down this rotten tree of the Yuan family..."

"Then for him, it is an inescapable duty, no matter how difficult or dangerous the obstacles, he would even risk his life."

There was one more thing left unsaid, lingering in Liu Fang's heart...

Just like in his previous life, when he was raising a great cause, Zhang Miao gave him everything he had; after he seized the emperor, Zhang Miao did not hesitate to turn against him.

The other one, He Yong, was the mastermind behind the assassination attempt on Dong Zhuo in his previous life, and he also had a similar temperament to Zhang Miao.

As Liu Fang lowered his head and sighed, Feng Xu suddenly coughed lightly:
"He Yong must be the key figure in this scheme."

"Wasn't it Jian Huangmen who was ordered to arrest him during the second period of the Party Proscription?"

Jian Shuo, who had been listening intently, suddenly choked on his tea, his expression changing drastically.

"No..."

Seeing Jian Shuo's appearance, Xu Shao burst out laughing, and even Feng Xu's lips curled into a smile.

This scene seems so familiar...

Liu Fang smiled and waved, signaling Feng Xu to continue.

Feng Xu smiled and nodded.

"Back then, He Yong changed his name and fled to Runan County, where he received secret assistance from Yuan Shao."

"The two men swore an oath, and from then on, He Yong traveled around for Yuan Shao."

"During the persecution of the party, many people were implicated, and many were able to survive the disaster thanks to the help of others."

"Most of the poor but capable people among them were taken in as disciples."

"Yuan Shao's reputation for chivalry is at least half due to He Yong's scheming..."

　Note:

　　【mingling】

　　【何顒（yu）】

　　
　
(End of this chapter)