My Three Kingdoms is not right

Finally, Jueying appeared at the end of the long street. The young man in white rode up gracefully, as if he were just visiting a friend.

Cao Cao straightened his clothes, stepped down the steps, and stood in the center of the mansion gate.

Behind her, dozens of her subordinates bowed in unison.

"Your subject Cao Cao respectfully welcomes Your Highness." Cao Cao solemnly bowed and kowtowed.

Her subordinates knelt in unison and shouted in unison:

"Welcome, Your Highness!"

Before today, Liu Xun had visited the Sikong Mansion countless times, but he had never received such courtesy.

"No need for formalities!" Liu Xun dismounted and quickly stepped forward to support Cao Cao's elbow: "Lord Cao, how have you been?"

Cao Cao straightened up and looked at the handsome face of the young man in front of him, confirming that familiar smile. A warm feeling welled up in his heart.

"Your Highness remains as dignified as ever, which greatly pleases me."

The two entered the mansion arm in arm, passed through the front hall, and proceeded to the main hall where they took their seats. The officials followed in single file and lined up on both sides.

Liu Xun sat in the main seat and said, "What I saw along the way today has left me with some mixed feelings."

Cao Cao leaned forward slightly: "Your Highness, please speak."

"Soldiers patrolled and guarded every few dozen steps along the streets and alleys. The people stayed indoors, and the once bustling streets were desolate." Liu Xun's gaze fell on Cao Cao's face.

Cao Cao suddenly realized and said, "Your Highness is right. A few days ago, I heard that there were bandits causing trouble in the city, and in my haste, I sent troops into the city. Now that I think about it, it was indeed an overreaction."

She turned to Cao Ren beside her: "Zixiao, pass down the order: the army must immediately withdraw from Xuchang and return to their respective camps. Do not disturb the people!"

Cao Ren clasped his hands in a fist and replied, "Yes!"

Liu Xun nodded: "I've also heard about the bandits. The palace was closed for the past two days because we were worried that my elder sister might be frightened. Now that everything is alright, the Imperial Guards will resume their regular duties."

The people in the hall looked at each other in bewilderment.

Is this over?

Just moments ago, the situation was tense, and everyone thought that Xu Du was bound to go through a lot of hardship.

But after the two met, they easily dismissed the whole matter with just a few words.

It's as if nothing happened yesterday.

Cao Cao and Liu Xun exchanged a glance and smiled simultaneously. Their tacit understanding was as if they had rehearsed it a thousand times beforehand.

"Your Highness has worked hard."

"You've worked hard, Sikong."

In just eight words, all the turbulent waves were blown away by the wind.

The atmosphere in the hall relaxed. Some people let out a long sigh of relief, while others unconsciously showed joy on their faces.

Even though there are conflicts between the two sides, now is definitely not the time to start a war.

With Yuan Shao's army pressing in and a major battle imminent, if Xuchang were to descend into chaos at this time, regardless of who wins or loses, it would be self-destruction.

Both sides gracefully retreated from the brink of disaster, which was the best outcome everyone could imagine.

Guo Jia did not smile; instead, he sighed slightly.

In the quiet hall, the sigh was utterly abrupt. Cheng Yu, who was about to ask in a low voice, heard Liu Xun, seated at the head of the table, speak:

"Lord Cao, I have brought a gift with me today. However, it is not appropriate to show it to others. Could you please find a quiet place so that I may present it to you alone?"

The atmosphere in the hall became somewhat subtle.

Gift?

He arrived empty-handed, without even any attendants. Where did he get the gifts?

More importantly, this prince is no ordinary man.

He was a fierce general who could draw a bow with a strength of three stones and fight against Lü Bu. The scene of him shooting two eagles with one arrow during the autumn hunt a few days ago was witnessed by half of the people present.

If he harbors resentment and seizes the opportunity to strike when he is alone with Cao Cao, the consequences would be unimaginable.

The group exchanged glances, each reading the same worry in the other's eyes.

However, the situation between the host and guests has just eased and they are having a pleasant conversation, so how could they possibly object?

Fortunately, Cao Cao did not leave them with any troublesome matters, and smiled, "The gift from Your Highness must be of the highest quality."

She stood up and gestured, "Your Highness, this way please. The study is quiet and peaceful, and no one will disturb us."

Liu Xun nodded and followed her as she turned and walked towards the side corridor.

Cheng Yu and the others followed, only to see Liu Xun stop and glance at them with a half-smile.

Cao Cao turned around, frowning slightly: "What are you all doing following along? Didn't you hear His Highness's words? Go outside the courtyard!"

The ministers had no choice but to stop.

Stepping out of the backyard, Cheng Yu immediately grabbed Guo Jia's sleeve: "Fengxiao, why don't you think of a solution?"

"What method?"

"What if His Highness were to harm you while you were in the same room?"

"How could Your Highness do such a thing?" Guo Jia pulled her sleeve back from his hand, then pinched it between her thumb and forefinger and flicked it hard: "Are you suffering from a mental illness? Don't infect me."

Cheng Yu said helplessly, "Didn't you say that no matter how intelligent Your Highness is, you are still a man, and sometimes you can be irrational?"

Guo Jia glanced at her sideways: "Although Your Highness is a man, you are the most intelligent man in the world. Even if you throw a tantrum and act willfully, it will only benefit yourself."

Cheng Yu thought about it and realized that if Liu Xun were to harm his lord in the Sikong Mansion, it would indeed bring him no benefit, which put him at ease.

He then asked, "So, what exactly do you think Your Highness meant by this gift?"

Guo Jia casually leaned against a tall cassia tree: "Zhongde, do you think the conflict between our lord and His Highness has been resolved?"

"It's a perfect solution." Cheng Yu nodded. "Both sides have compromised. Our lord has withdrawn his troops out of the city, and Your Highness has reopened the palace gates."

Guo Jia sighed:

"It appears to be solved on the surface, but it is not fundamentally solved."

"It seems to be solved in the short term, but it is not solved in the long run."

"The gift Your Highness brought is probably the real solution to the conflict."

The evening breeze blew in from the other end of the courtyard, carrying the fragrance of osmanthus and the crispness of autumn.

……

The study door closed behind me with a dull thud.

Unlike the main hall outside, this room was not large and its furnishings were simple. A bookcase against the wall was piled high with silk books and bamboo slips, and a low couch was placed under the window.

Cao Cao walked to the table, reached out and adjusted the lamp wick, the candlelight casting a beautiful silhouette on her fair face.

"Your Highness's hands are empty; could it be that you hid the gift in your sleeve?"

Liu Xun did not rush to answer, but slowly walked to the window and pushed it open halfway.

The cool autumn night breeze slipped in through the cracks, carrying the sweet fragrance of osmanthus blossoms from the courtyard.

He turned to look into Cao Cao's eyes, and instead of answering, asked, "Mengde, do you remember when we discussed the heroines of the world?"

A hint of nostalgia flashed across the girl's face: "Of course, that day when you, Xuande, and I drank plum wine together in the Wannian Villa, chatting about everything under the sun, it was truly a delightful experience."

"It feels like it happened just yesterday."

After saying that, a hint of sadness flashed in his eyes.

Back then, the three of them drank and chatted happily, how close they were! But now Liu Bei has been transferred away from Xuchang, and there has been discord between him and Liu Xun.

The world changes so drastically, it's truly heartbreaking.