The Three Kingdoms: The entire Cao Cao camp thought I was weak and frail.

The faces of the aristocratic representatives grew increasingly grim, and some instinctively stepped back, trying to hide behind others.

Cold sweat beaded on Chen Gong's forehead. He forced himself to remain calm and cupped his hands, saying, "My lord, please calm your anger. I had no such intention. However, this matter is of great importance. If the Yellow Turban Army had so much grain, why would they need to plunder everywhere, incurring the wrath of both gods and men?"

Guo Jia yawned and slowly walked out from beside Xun Hao.

"Mr. Gongtai, you've asked the wrong question."

Chen Gong frowned: "What do you mean by that, Fengxiao?"

Guo Jia held up a finger and waved it in the air. "It should be. It's because they looted everywhere that they have so much food."

Chen Gong trembled with rage, pointing at Guo Jia: "You...you're just making excuses!"

"No need for further argument," Cao Cao waved his hand impatiently, interrupting Chen Gong. He turned and shouted to the guards outside the government office, "Go and bring in Xu He, He Yi, Liu Pi, Gong Du, and the other Yellow Turban leaders who surrendered a few days ago!"

Chen Gong's heart sank little by little; he had already guessed what Cao Cao wanted to do.

Soon, He Yi and several other former Yellow Turban leaders were brought to the entrance of the government office. Their faces showed fear and unease as they knelt before Cao Cao.

"Rise, all of you." Cao Cao's voice softened considerably. He pointed to the scroll of bamboo slips presented by Xiahou Dun and asked, "He Yi, come and take a look. Do you recognize these locations where grain is stored?"

He Yi hurriedly stepped forward, took the bamboo slips with both hands, glanced at them, and then knelt down again with a thud, his head hitting the ground repeatedly: "I recognize them, I recognize them! My lord, you are wise! These... these are all the secret storage facilities we set up before!"

"Oh?" Cao Cao raised an eyebrow. "Tell me in detail, for example, what's the story behind the karst caves on the southern slope of Mount Meng?"

He Yi dared not raise his head, and replied in a trembling voice, "My lord, we discovered that...that cave by chance. The entrance was hidden, and the inside was large. So we sent men to hide all the looted grain there. To avoid suspicion, we even raised a group of bandits outside the mountains, pretending to be ordinary thieves..."

Before he could finish speaking, Liu Pi chimed in, "And that manor in Rencheng! My lord, we killed the original owner of that manor long ago. We saw that it had many cellars, so we occupied it as a base to store the gold, silver, and valuables we robbed from wealthy families!"

"That's right, I was in charge of the secret warehouse in the bamboo forest outside Shanyang City!"

"That one in Jibei..."

Several Yellow Turban leaders rushed to "identify" locations, firmly linking each location to their own "crimes."

They described it vividly and in great detail, as if it were true.

Chen Gong's lips moved a few times, but he couldn't utter a single word.

This isn't a seizure; it's blatant robbery right in front of them!

Cao Cao watched this scene with satisfaction. He walked up to Chen Gong, reached out, and gently patted his stiff shoulder.

"Gongtai, do you still think there's a misunderstanding?"

Chen Gong's body trembled violently. He slowly raised his head and looked at Cao Cao. That face, which he had once thought of as a man of great talent and strategy, a man he could entrust with, now only showed a strangeness and coldness that chilled him to the bone.

"Gong... has nothing to say." Chen Gong squeezed out these words through gritted teeth.

Cao Cao laughed heartily, then turned to face the crowd, his voice booming like a bell: "Since these are spoils of war captured from bandits, they are ownerless. Issue my order to inventory all the grain and fodder and store them in the granary. From this day forward, all my soldiers, surrendered troops from Qingtian, and civilians of Yanzhou can receive their full rations according to the roster! I, Cao Mengde, hereby swear that as long as I remain in Yanzhou, I will never allow a single person loyal to me to go hungry for even a day!"

"Our lord is wise!"

Xiahou Dun and the others responded with a resounding roar that shook the heavens.

Upon hearing this, the people and soldiers outside the government office erupted in a thunderous cheer.

Chen Gong stood there, looking at the scene before him where the emperor and his ministers were of one mind and the people were in complete support, and he felt it was incredibly jarring. He silently retreated behind the crowd and quietly left.

Chen Gong's figure disappeared at the end of the corridor of the government office, and his lonely figure did not cause any ripples in the council hall.

With the enormous problem of supplies solved, the entire city of Puyang was relieved. Cao Cao was in high spirits and immediately ordered that some of the captured gold, silver, and cloth be distributed among the three armies. In an instant, morale soared and soldiers were in high spirits.

Xun Hao also lived a very comfortable life.

No longer needing to worry about battery life, he can get enough "supplies" from Guo Jia every day, which makes him much more energetic and adds a touch of rosy color to his cheeks.

Two days later, Xun Hao sent his personal guards, who were on horseback to fetch his sister-in-law, with great speed to deliver the message that she had set off from Yingchuan with the army that was to fetch Chen Qun and Zhao Yan. He said that the world was not at peace, and more people meant more protection.

Although Xun Hao acted on his own initiative, Xun Yu was still delighted by the arrival of his wife and children.

On the day his sister-in-law arrived, Xun Yu took him to the city gate early in the morning to wait for her.

He gazed at the end of the official road, and a hint of anticipation flickered across his usually composed face.

Before long, a convoy appeared on the horizon, approaching from afar. Leading the procession were two scholars, one refined and elegant, the other composed and capable; they were none other than Chen Qun and Zhao Yan, whom Guo Jia had previously recommended. Behind them were the carriages and horses of the Xun family.

The carriage came to a stop, and the curtain was lifted.

The first to alight were two distinguished scholars. One, with refined taste and a dignified demeanor, was Chen Qun, Chen Changwen. The other, more composed and reserved, was Zhao Yan, Zhao Boran.

"Brother Wenruo." Chen Qun stepped forward and cupped his hands in greeting to Xun Yu.

"Changwen, Boran, you must be tired from your journey." Xun Yu returned the greeting, then looked past them and towards the carriage behind them.

A gentle woman, supported by her maid, stepped down from the carriage, her eyes slightly red as she looked at Xun Yu. Immediately afterward, three children jumped down from the carriage and rushed towards him like swallows returning to their nest.

"Father!"

"My husband."

A family reunion brings joy and happiness.

After a lively exchange of greetings, Xun Yu's wife, Tang, introduced her child to everyone, but then a hint of unease appeared on her face. She gave a wink to the wet nurse behind her, who then came over carrying an infant still in swaddling clothes.

"Husband, there is one more thing..." Tang's voice was hesitant. "Before we set off, an old servant from Mr. Fengxiao's household came to our door. He was already terminally ill at the time and entrusted this child to me, saying only... only that he is Guo's child, and he hopes that we can take him to Yanzhou and give him to him."

Guo family lineage?

The entire scene fell silent instantly.

Xun Yu was stunned. Chen Qun and Zhao Yan exchanged a glance, their expressions somewhat awkward.