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

A fox fur cloak, warm to the touch and carrying a faint scent of wine, was gently draped over his shoulders.

"Everyone's already gone, why are you still looking?" Guo Jia's voice came from behind, tinged with a lazy, teasing tone. "Can't bear to leave?"

"His journey is uncertain," Xun Hao said softly, adjusting his cloak.

"That was his own choice." Guo Jia walked to his side and stood beside him, his gaze also fixed on the distance. "Wenruo is ambitious and always thinks he can save this sinking ship on his own. He won't turn back unless he personally runs into a brick wall."

Xun Hao did not refute. Guo Jia was right; Xun Yu needed a complete wake-up call. However, he worried that his elder brother might not be able to pay the price.

"Let's go, it's windy outside." Guo Jia put his arm around his shoulder without saying a word, half pushing and half carrying him back to the courtyard. "With your health, if you keep blowing like this, you'll collapse before Wenruo even reaches Luoyang."

Back in his warm room, Xun Hao immediately spread out paper and pen and wrote several secret letters.

His fingers traced lines of elegant small characters across the cold bamboo slips. These letters would be sent to Luoyang as quickly as possible via the Xun family's "golden trade route," and delivered to the caravan managers and "idlers" already planted there.

The letter contained a simple message: at all costs, keep a close watch on the movements of the General's Mansion and Xun Yu, reporting every detail daily.

After doing all this, Xun Hao finally felt a wave of utter exhaustion wash over him. In order to anticipate the various crises Xun Yu might encounter after entering the capital, he had been frequently using the [Legacy Plan] on a small scale these past few days, and his already weakened body was already overwhelmed.

"What are you thinking about now?" Guo Jia walked in carrying a steaming bowl of ginger soup. He saw Xun Hao leaning against the armchair, his face as white as paper, and couldn't help but frown.

He placed the ginger soup on the table, reached out and touched Xun Hao's forehead; the burning temperature made his heart tighten.

"It's on fire again." Guo Jia's tone was clearly annoyed. "I told you not to stand in the wind for so long!"

Without saying a word, he picked Xun Hao up and carried him to the bed in the inner room.

"Brother Fengxiao..." Xun Hao struggled in his arms for a moment, but he didn't have much strength.

"Shut up and lie down." Guo Jia's tone left no room for argument. He carefully placed Xun Hao on the bed, pulled the blanket over him, and then took off his outer robe and squeezed onto the bed himself.

"You..." Xun Hao was taken aback by his overly practiced movements.

"What do you mean, 'what do you mean, 'what do you mean'?" Guo Jia said matter-of-factly, pulling the man into his arms and encircling him tightly with his body. "You're like an ice cube right now. If I don't hold you, I'll freeze to death once your fever breaks. Go to sleep!"

The warmth of his body flowed steadily, dispelling the chill within him. Xun Hao's tense nerves finally relaxed. He leaned against Guo Jia's firm chest, inhaling the reassuring aroma of the wine, his consciousness gradually fading.

During the days that Xun Hao was in a coma, Guo Jia stayed by his side almost every step of the way.

He discovered that whenever he held Xun Hao, the child's fever would subside exceptionally quickly, and his body temperature would rise much faster than usual. His doubts deepened, but the boy's complete dependence and trust prevented him from asking any questions.

"Forget it, if I can't figure it out, I won't think about it anymore," Guo Jia thought resignedly. "As long as this method works, that's fine."

Half a month later, Xun Yu's first letter home arrived from Luoyang.

In the letter, he described with great enthusiasm the prosperity of the capital and the appreciation he received after meeting General He Jin. He Jin praised his talent and immediately submitted a memorial to the court, appointing him as a Gentleman Attendant at the Palace Gate, to serve the emperor.

Between the lines, there is a deep longing for the future and an expectation to realize one's ambitions.

Xun Kun was greatly pleased after reading the letter and kept praising his son for his success.

Only Xun Hao looked at the letter without showing any joy.

The position of Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, seemingly prestigious, actually placed his elder brother on the front lines of the power struggle between the Ten Attendants and the Empress Dowager's relatives. He Jin's appreciation of him was merely a pawn in his game against the eunuchs.

This is just the calm before the storm.

Just as Xun Hao was worried about Xun Yu, an unexpected message arrived.

The Xun family's caravan, which was purchasing horses in the north, clashed with a local powerful figure named Zhang Chun. Zhang Chun colluded with the governor of Zhongshan, and on charges of "colluding with bandits," detained the Xun family's caravan, injured Xun family members, and seized all their goods.

When the news reached Yingchuan, the entire Xun family was furious.

The atmosphere inside the family council chamber was so heavy it was almost palpable.

Xun Kun sat in the main seat, his face ashen. Below, the elders of the Xun clan were chattering and arguing amongst themselves.

"This is outrageous! How dare a mere prefect of Zhongshan bully the Xun family like this!"

"And who is this Zhang Chun? He just dares to mess with our people because he's a local bully!"

"We have to teach him a lesson! Otherwise, where will the Xun family's reputation be?" A hot-tempered uncle slammed his fist on the table and roared.

"Color? How will you give it?" another voice coldly rang out. "Zhongshan is far away in Jizhou, beyond our reach. Send private troops? That would be without justification, and we might be accused of treason. Go to the imperial court? Does the current imperial court even care about these matters?"

The voices advocating for the use of force gradually weakened. Indeed, even a powerful dragon cannot suppress a local snake. The Xun family was a behemoth in Yingchuan, but when they entered someone else's territory, they could only be slaughtered at their mercy.

"Well... let's just pay up to avoid further trouble," someone suggested in a low voice. "Send someone to smooth things over, give them some money, and get them back. As for the goods... consider it feeding the dogs."

This suggestion was echoed by many. In their view, although it was frustrating, it was the safest solution.

Xun Kun listened to the crowd's discussion, feeling utterly overwhelmed. He looked at Xun Chen, who had remained silent, and asked, "You Ruo, what do you think?"

Xun Chen stood up and said in a deep voice, "Father, paying money to avoid disaster will only embolden them. If they dare to seize our goods today, they might take our lives tomorrow. We cannot back down on this matter."

"Then what do you suggest we do?"

"I think we should send an eloquent and persuasive person to Zhongshan, first with courtesy and then with force. On the one hand, we should deal with the prefect, and on the other hand, we should secretly contact the famous scholars of Jizhou to put pressure on Han Fu, the governor of Jizhou. As long as Han Fu is willing to step forward, a mere prefect of Zhongshan will not dare to disobey." Xun Chen's plan was steady and sound, a typical way of dealing with things among the gentry.

Just when everyone thought the matter was settled, a cold voice came from the corner.

"Too slow."

All eyes turned to the sickly boy sitting at the end of the table.

Xun Hao slowly stood up. His face was still pale, but his eyes were unusually bright.

"By the time we've contacted the prominent figures in Jizhou, it'll be too late. The people in the caravan can't wait that long." He walked to the map in the center of the council hall, picked up a thin stick, and pointed to the location of Zhongshan.