My Three Kingdoms is not right

"In this world today, only Cao Cao is capable of restoring order and reviving the Han Dynasty!"

"Supporting Cao Cao is the true way to be loyal to the Han Dynasty!"

"Although Yu believes that Cao Cao's current actions are inappropriate, he will not forcibly stop him, much less threaten him."

After saying this, Xun Yu ignored Yang Xiu's unpleasant expression and looked gently at Liu Xun: "I understand Your Highness's intentions. However, this matter is already settled. I urge Your Highness to prioritize the overall situation and protect yourself."

Liu Xun remained silent for a long time before finally nodding slowly.

He couldn't very well tell Xun Yu that more than twenty years later, Cao Cao's son would stage a scene where the Cao family would usurp the Han throne, could he?

Not only did Xun Yu not believe it, but even Cao Cao himself couldn't believe it.

Xun Yu saw them to the door, sighed softly, and said, "I will send a letter to Man Chong later, instructing her not to use torture and to ensure that Grand Commandant Yang is not mistreated in prison."

Yang Xiu bowed deeply.

When the two walked out of the Ministry of Personnel, dusk had already fallen.

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

The night was as dark as ink, pressing heavily over the Grand Commandant's mansion.

Inside the main hall, the dim candlelight flickered on Yang Xiu's pale face.

"...If this fails, there will be no survival. Anyone who is afraid may leave on their own. I will not force you."

Surrounding them were a dozen or so trusted servants from the Grand Commandant's mansion, each holding a steel knife, all of them silent and not uttering a word.

The Yang family of Hongnong was known for its upright character and its magnanimity towards its servants. Most of the people present had been members of the Yang family for generations, and at this critical moment, no one backed down.

"Miss," an older woman couldn't help but speak up, "We would die without regret to save the master. But breaking into prison is no small matter. Miss is young and carefree; why must you take such a risk?"

"Aunt Quan, there's no need to say anything more." Yang Xiu's eyes seemed to burn in the candlelight. "I'd rather die than watch my mother die unjustly in prison!"

The old servant nodded: "Since Miss has made up her mind, I will not try to persuade her any further."

"But our fighting strength is limited. If we really clash with Cao Cao's army, I'm afraid we won't be able to hold our own. Miss has a lot of prestige in the Imperial Guards. Could you mobilize some of them to help us? Even just thirty or fifty Tiger Warriors would be far stronger than us."

"No!" Yang Xiu refused decisively. "Not to mention that I have no authority to transfer personnel, even if I did, this matter must not involve Her Highness the Princess."

She loved Liu Xun, and Liu Xun also trusted her greatly, showing her loyalty and affection.

The prison break was a near-death experience; I died a worthy death to save my mother. I absolutely cannot drag him into this.

"If all goes well, we won't need a direct assault." Yang Xiu took a deep breath and rolled up the map on the table. "As long as we rescue Mother, we'll immediately leave the city through the south gate. I've already arranged the horses, and then..."

Before he could finish speaking, the door was suddenly pushed open.

The tense crowd gripped their steel knives tightly and turned to look.

The bright moonlight outlined the slender silhouette of a young man.

"Your Highness! Why are you here?" Yang Xiu froze instantly.

Liu Xun didn't reply. His gaze swept over the servants in the room, who looked flustered, and he sighed as he looked at the weapons they hid behind their backs.

Just as I expected.

He frowned. "You may all step back. I have something to say to Dezu."

The voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable air of authority.

The servants glanced at Yang Xiu, then at Liu Xun, and finally filed out at the old servant's signal.

Close the door.

Only two people remained in the hall.

Eyes facing each other.

"Dezu," Liu Xun smoothed his slightly disheveled hair from riding a horse, "Are you going to break him out of prison?"

Yang Xiu bit his lip and turned his face away: "Your Highness, you don't need to worry about me."

"Are you just going to throw your life away?" Liu Xun looked at her stubborn expression, a nameless anger rising within him. "With Man Chong in charge of the Northern Prison, how could you possibly rescue Grand Commandant Yang with just a dozen or so men?"

"I've bribed a jailer and figured out the location of the cells. If I can avoid the guards, I might have a chance to..."

"Enough!" Liu Xun interrupted her rudely. "How likely is this to succeed? Can you fool me, or even yourself?"

Yang Xiu gently closed his eyes: "Then what should we do?"

"Should I just sit at home and wait for news of my mother's death?"

When he opened his eyes again, tears were already streaming down his face: "Cao Cao is determined to kill my mother. Your Highness, Kong Rong, Xun Yu... no one can help me. She is my mother!"

Her trembling body resembled a pear blossom in a downpour.

Seeing the girl he had spent every day with in this state, Liu Xun's heart softened, and he could no longer utter words of blame. He said gently, "There is still a way. I will definitely be able to think of a way to save Grand Commandant Yang."

"Don't do anything foolish, give me some more time."

Yang Xiu smiled bitterly: "I appreciate Your Highness's kindness. We are not destined to be together in this life, but I can only repay you in the next."

After saying that, he turned to leave.

Next life my ass!

Liu Xun felt both pity and anger, and grabbed her hand: "Stop! Don't be so impulsive!"

"Let go!" Yang Xiu struggled, his voice already trembling with tears. "Your Highness, please go back. Don't get involved in this!"

Liu Xun knew that if he let her go to save her mother, it would be a farewell, so he was unwilling to let her go. Instead, he pulled her into his arms.

Yang Xiu had always mistakenly believed that his mother had arranged his marriage with Liu Xun, and during these days by his side, feelings for him had already begun to blossom.

He pulled her into his arms, and she felt the boy's warmth and heartbeat; she felt a little dizzy.

But then she thought of the Yang family's situation and tried to break free.

Liu Xun felt the girl's body writhing in his arms, watching her struggle and gasp for breath with a flushed face, tears welling up from her tightly closed eyes, and he felt a surge of heat in his lower abdomen.

Facing such a beautiful young woman every day, how could he not be moved?

He secretly enjoyed being spied on by the girl.

We must stop her!

"Listen to me," he lowered his voice, "If you go now, you won't be able to save the Grand Commandant, and you'll only get yourself killed. Calm down..."

"I can't calm down! How can I calm down? I..."

What do you mean, "me"?

Liu Xun knew that she had lost her mind in her despair, so he simply stopped talking and leaned down to kiss her pale lips.

The girl's lips were cool and soft, as if they held honey, like a budding flower.

Yang Xiu froze.

As if electrocuted, her eyes widened, her slender waist tensed instantly, and she stopped struggling altogether.

Suddenly, a system notification sounded in Liu Xun's mind:

[Congratulations to the player for achieving the bond requirement!]

[New Bond Attribute: The Useless Argument]

[A seemingly trivial but ultimately meaningless situation: It offers no real benefit, yet is somewhat unappetizing; its effectiveness allows for clear judgment of whether to advance or retreat. It allows one to see through people's hearts and discern the true intentions of their opponents. (Requires the item "Five-Zhu Coin," with a one-month cooldown.)]

Huh?

Is this "bond" triggered by kissing?

No wonder I haven't seen any affinity effects for Xu Huang and Zhao Yun even though I've already recruited them.

He was puzzled, thinking the system had malfunctioned.

It now appears that the system was not broken.

It's just that I'm being irreverent!