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

Guo Jia subtly moved closer to Xun Hao, took his teacup, and refilled it with boiling water.

"It's getting cold, have something hot to drink." He seemed to have unintentionally interrupted Cao Cao.

While having a pleasant conversation with Cao Mengde, he still thought of me? Not easy. Xun Hao thought to himself, and his somewhat displeased mood improved a little.

Cao Cao's gaze shifted, moving between the two men before settling back on Xun Hao with a hint of inquiry: "This young master Xun Hao possesses a calm demeanor, and seems to have a different perspective on this chaotic world?" Xun Hao finally looked away from Cao Cao, raising his eyes to meet the other's gaze, his voice still cool: "I wouldn't call it a perspective, but I do feel that while Colonel Cao's actions today were righteous, they were also reckless."

These words caused the atmosphere in the private room to freeze.

Guo Jia raised an eyebrow but remained silent, waiting to see what Xun Hao would say next.

Cao Cao was not angry at all; on the contrary, he became even more interested: "Oh? I would like to hear the details."

"If Commandant Cao can kill one or ten Xiliang soldiers in the street, could he possibly wipe out all the tens of thousands of Xiliang troops entrenched in Luoyang?" Xun Hao asked.

"Of course not."

"Your momentary urgency and anger will not help the overall situation. On the contrary, it will expose you and invite Dong Zhuo's suspicion and death. Only by preserving your life can you plan for greater things. Is it worth risking your life for a few nameless people?"

Xun Hao could calmly analyze Cao Cao, but he himself was on the city wall of Yangdi, in a situation where he disregarded his physical collapse in order to launch his "last plan".

He recalled the situation in front of Huangfu Song, where he pleaded for the surrendered soldiers even though he knew it would anger the powerful minister.

What he did was also a reckless act that was "not worth it." Guo Jia knew all too well that his little Hao was just stubborn on the outside but soft on the inside. He subconsciously reached out and grasped Xun Hao's hand, which was under the table.

It felt icy cold to the touch.

Guo Jia frowned, wrapped the hand in his palm, and rubbed it vigorously.

Xun Hao's body stiffened slightly, but he did not pull away. He felt a familiar warm current slowly seeping into his limbs and bones from where their hands were clasped.

He was somewhat fond of this warmth.

So, he turned his hand over and gently hooked Guo Jia's warm palm with his cool fingertips.

Guo Jia's body stiffened for a moment.

He looked down at their clasped hands, but when he looked up at Xun Hao, the other had already looked away, as if the little gesture just now was just his imagination.

Cao Cao took in the interaction between the two, and the smile in his eyes deepened.

"What you say, sir, is like a wake-up call; I have learned my lesson." He picked up his teacup, offering tea instead of wine, and toasted Xun Hao. "A true man should be able to bend and stretch. Today's forbearance is for the sake of one day uprooting the traitor Dong Zhuo!"

"This chaotic world has arrived, and Dong Zhuo's usurpation of power is just the beginning. I wonder what your plans are for the future?" Cao Cao asked the most crucial question.

Guo Jia leaned back lazily in his chair, reverting to his usual nonchalant demeanor: "Me? What plans could I possibly have? Naturally, I'd find a place with beautiful mountains and clear waters, drink and make merry, and live a carefree life. If the world descends into chaos, I'll just find a safe corner and wait to die."

He spoke lightly, but Cao Cao detected a hint of resentment in his words.

Cao Cao's gaze fell on Xun Hao.

Xun Hao remained silent for a moment, then raised his head, his clear gaze meeting Cao Cao's directly, and said, word by word, "The world is on the verge of collapse; it cannot be saved by the efforts of one person alone. Does Colonel Cao intend to be a capable minister?"

As Xun Hao finished speaking, an unusual silence fell over the private room.

The three people present were well aware of Xu Shao's assessment that he was "a capable minister in times of peace, and a treacherous hero in times of chaos."

"I am but a mere warrior, and I dare not presume to speak of any extraordinary talent. I am simply unwilling to accept the decline of the Han Dynasty and the rise of traitors."

Cao Cao picked up his teacup, looked past the window, and gazed at the majestic outline of the palace in the distance.

"Although the current emperor is young, he is intelligent and quick-witted, far surpassing the late emperor. My only wish is to do my best to clear obstacles for Your Majesty and restore this bright and clear world." He withdrew his gaze and looked at Xun Hao and Guo Jia, his expression more solemn than ever before.

"If the world is at peace, my lifelong wish is that, a hundred years from now, my tombstone will bear the inscription 'Tomb of Cao Hou, the late General Who Conquered the West of the Han Dynasty.' That would be enough for me in this life."

General who conquered the west during the Han dynasty.

"So how does Commander Cao intend to deal with Dong Zhuo?" Guo Jia remained noncommittal, adopting a wait-and-see attitude towards the young emperor.

"As long as the traitor Dong Zhuo lives, the national crisis will not end." Cao Cao's voice was low, yet carried an unwavering resolve. "I intend to assassinate this national traitor!"

He looked at the two of them, his eyes burning with a fierce flame.

"This matter is extremely dangerous, but if it succeeds, the Han Dynasty can be secured and the world can be pacified."

"Cao Cao wishes to invite you two to join him in this endeavor!" This is no joke. Assassinating Dong Zhuo? One wrong move and you'll be torn to pieces.

Guo Jia was about to refuse when he felt his hand being gently scratched.

It is Xun Hao.

He saw Xun Hao raise his head, meet Cao Cao's expectant gaze, and slowly nod.

"This matter can be done."

Cao Cao's eyes flashed with an astonishing light, while Guo Jia's face darkened.

"Are you crazy?" Guo Jia grabbed Xun Hao's wrist with considerable force, his voice low but filled with undisguised disapproval. "Do you know what you're saying?"

He turned to look at Cao Cao, his tone returning to its usual nonchalant tone, but without a trace of a smile in his eyes: "Colonel Cao, my brother here is frail and sometimes not so bright. Don't listen to his nonsense. Assassinate Dong Zhuo? The Prime Minister's residence is heavily guarded, and that scoundrel Lü Bu is never far from you. You can't even get within three feet of Dong Zhuo. How can you kill him? That's just suicide."

Cao Cao's excitement cooled slightly; he knew Guo Jia was telling the truth.

Xun Hao, however, turned and gently patted Guo Jia's palm with his cool fingertips, reassuring him. He withdrew his hand and calmly looked at Cao Cao: "What Fengxiao said is precisely the first oversight in this plan."

Guo Jia was taken aback. Cao Cao also showed a questioning expression.

"Firstly, the success rate is too low." Xun Hao's voice was unhurried, as if he were dissecting a game of chess that had nothing to do with him. "Even if Commandant Cao is highly skilled in martial arts and manages to get close to Dong Zhuo and strike successfully, then what?"

"And then?" Cao Cao didn't understand.

"Then Luoyang will surely descend into chaos." Xun Hao's gaze was clear and unwavering. "Once Dong Zhuo dies, his generals from Liangzhou will immediately turn Luoyang into a bloody battlefield in their struggle for power and profit. At that time, what will become of the emperor's safety? What will become of the officials' lives? Your request for 'the safety of the Han dynasty' will not only fail to materialize, but will instead push the entire court into an even deeper abyss."

His words were like a bucket of cold water poured over my head.