My Three Kingdoms is not right

Faced with the concerns raised by Wang Zifu, Dong Cheng appeared confident:

"Once we rise up, we will kill Cao Cao immediately, and then eliminate his henchmen and confidants. At that time, Cao Cao's tens of thousands of troops will be ours for the taking, won't they?"

Prince's fingers trembled slightly.

She knew, of course, that she was gambling with her life.

But Dong Cheng was right; the reward for this deal was "countless".

"Who else is involved?" She looked up and stared at Dong Cheng.

Dong Cheng smiled and said, "Zhong Ji needs no further introduction. General Zhaoxin Wu Zilan and Consultant Wu Shuo are also my trusted confidants, and I can entrust them with important matters."

"Is there anything else?" Prince Fu was still uneasy.

"Of course!" Dong Cheng cleared his throat. "General Liu Bei is on good terms with me, and Princess Wannian, who commands the Imperial Guards, will also stand by our side."

Prince Fu's eyes lit up.

In that case, what Dong Cheng said wasn't entirely without a chance.

"These are just the parts that can be said." Dong Cheng saw through her thoughts and glossed over it lightly, "Yuan Shao of Hebei, Liu Biao of Jingzhou, Ma Teng of Xiliang, and others are all dissatisfied with Cao Cao. Once there is a change in Xuchang, the lords from all directions will surely respond."

Prince Fu finally put aside his hesitation and bowed with his hands clasped:

"This humble general is willing to follow in your footsteps and join forces to accomplish great things!"

-----------------

Half an hour later, the prince quietly left through the back door of Zhong Ji's residence.

After a while, Dong Cheng, wearing a straw hat, sent his servants to check the streets and alleys before leaving in a hurry.

At the alley entrance, an old man selling soy milk was packing up his stall.

A vendor selling sesame cakes nearby yawned and asked, "Old Wang, aren't you going to stay a little longer today?"

"Business is bad, come back tomorrow." The old man shook his head and sighed, putting the earthenware jars and wooden bowls into his carrying pole one by one. Then he picked up the pole and slowly walked into the depths of the alley.

The vendor didn't pay any attention and continued to tidy up his stall.

The old man walked for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, then turned into a narrower alley and stopped in front of an abandoned courtyard wall. He put down his load, looked around to make sure no one was watching, then took out a section of bamboo tube from his pocket and stuffed it into a crack in the wall.

Then he picked up his load again and disappeared into the night.

……

The following morning, in the small courtyard on the west side of Wannian Villa.

Sima Yi leaned lazily against his wheelchair and disassembled the bamboo tubes on the table one by one.

Liu Xun went to participate in the autumn hunt, leaving home before dawn.

Without his massage, the girl felt listless and unable to muster any energy for the day.

Pull out the wooden stopper, pour out a thin scroll of silk from the bamboo tube, and unfold it flat.

Her gaze swept over the lines of writing, a mocking smile playing on her lips.

"General Wang Zifu... There are quite a few restless fellows in Xudu."

Sun Yi, who was standing to the side, took the silk scroll she handed him, read it, and asked, "Should we send a message to His Highness?"

"We'll talk about it when His Highness returns," Sima Yi said, picking up the next bamboo tube. "He's not some remarkable character."

"Oh." Sun Yi nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

Isn't a lieutenant general a young man?

My elder sister was just a "cavalry captain" a few months ago.

Although this Sister Zhongda has no official position, she has very high standards.

However, having spent these past few days by Sima Yi's side, watching her effortlessly establish the intelligence network for the Wannian Villa, she had long admired her greatly.

She was lost in thought when she suddenly heard Sima Yi let out a soft cry.

Looking up, she saw that Sima Yi, who had just looked listless, was now sitting up straight, her pretty face solemn: "Bring me a pen!"

As soon as the old servant beside her quickly laid out the brush and ink, she wrote several lines of text swiftly on a new silk scroll, her brush moving like a dragon.

"Shubi," Sima Yi blew on the ink to dry it, rolled the silk scroll into a thin strip, stuffed it into a bamboo tube, and handed it to her: "Choose the fastest horse from the other courtyard and deliver the intelligence to His Highness. Go now!"

"If we're too late, something terrible might happen!"

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Xutian is located more than 30 li north of Xudu City.

This hilly area, spanning more than ten miles, with its lush forests and abundant water and grass, was now surrounded by three thousand soldiers.

This was the first autumn hunt ceremony held since the imperial court moved its capital to Xuchang.

"During the Mid-Autumn Festival, they trained in warfare and then engaged in hunting."

These eight characters come from the "Rites of Zhou" and are an ancient system that has been followed since the founding of the Han Dynasty.

Every autumn, the emperor would personally lead his officials and soldiers out of the city to hunt, both to drill the army and test its military preparedness, and to demonstrate the emperor's majesty and deter disobedient forces from all directions.

However, these rituals had been interrupted for many years after Emperor Ling.

Liu Xun knew that Cao Cao's petition to restore the autumn hunting ceremony was not just about "training troops".

After Yuan Shao unified Hebei, it was only a matter of time before he marched his army south.

Cao Cao wanted to take advantage of the momentum from the great victory at Hanoi and use the autumn hunt to demonstrate the military might of his army.

This will deter those opportunists who are secretly watching from both inside and outside Xuchang.

"What is Your Highness thinking about?" Zhao Yun asked softly when he saw him lost in thought.

Liu Xun snapped out of his reverie and casually chuckled, "I was thinking about how to cook the prey we hunted."

"That's wonderful!" Sun Shangxiang immediately came over: "Would Your Highness like to cook yourself? I can help!"

Liu Xun shook his head helplessly, when suddenly a thunderous bugle call rang out from the front.

"Waaah—"

The deep sound of horns echoed across the wilderness; the encirclement had begun!

Five hundred cavalrymen rode out and then split into dozens of smaller teams, scattering in all directions.

They will form an encirclement around the perimeter to prevent the wild animals from escaping.

The chilling commotion startled countless birds in the forest. High in the sky, two eagles, seemingly attracted from nowhere, circled in the distance, searching for prey.

A moment later, banners were raised in all directions, and the encirclement was complete.

Ten ox horns sounded simultaneously, their mournful cries echoing across the fields. The soldiers began driving the prey towards the center of the hunting grounds where the emperor and his officials were located.

"Your Majesty, please begin the hunt!"

According to the rites, during the autumn hunt, the emperor should be the first to shoot.

Today, Liu Xie changed into a bright yellow riding outfit, with his long hair tied up, looking more energetic than his usual formal attire in the court.

She mounted the imperial horse and, escorted by dozens of Imperial Guards, rode into the hunting grounds.

Cao Cao and Liu Xun, each with their own guards, followed on horseback.

Dong Cheng originally wanted to accompany the emperor, but after being glared at coldly by Liu Xun, he could only laugh awkwardly and take a half step back, staying with the other officials in the temporary watchtower built on the hillside to wait.

Before long, the vegetation in the forest swayed and the bushes rustled, driving out the frightened prey.

Seeing the wild rabbits and pheasants scurrying around, Liu Xie raised his hand and took the bow and arrows from the guard.

"Sister, shoot that one!" Liu Xun pointed to a pheasant nearby.

Liu Xie nodded, drew his bow and nocked an arrow, but stopped before releasing the string.

Liu Xun followed her gaze and looked at a male deer leaping out of the distant forest.

Liu Xie hesitated for a moment, pursed his lips, and changed the direction he was aiming.

Although the emperor shooting first is just a ritual, whether it's shooting a rabbit or a chicken, the meaning is what matters.

However, she was not willing to give up.