I, Zhou Cang, am the number one tank in the Three Kingdoms.

"Yuanfu! This matter can only be handled by you!"

Xu Shu studied the map in the tent for a long time before getting up and speaking to Zhou Cang.

"Strategist, please make the arrangements quickly!" Liu Bei felt relieved as Xu Shu's emotions gradually stabilized.

"Yuanfu, come and see." Xu Shu beckoned Zhou Cang to come closer.

"This is Changshe County. You can reach it in a day by fast horse by taking a small road from here. This city is close to Xuchang, and the checkpoints are very strict." Xu Shu pointed to the location of Changshe on the map.

"Both the South Gate and the North Gate are main roads, and neither should be entered. The area outside the West Gate is where Cao Cao's bandits are farming. You will lead five men and take the side road directly to the west gate of Changshe."

Zhou Cang nodded, waiting for Xu Shu to continue, but Xu Shu stopped and continued to ponder with his head down.

"You shall disguise yourselves as farmers and, after sunset, blend into the tenant farmers who are bringing grain into the city, and enter through the west gate."

After thinking for a moment, Xu Shu continued to explain.

"Go east for a little over a mile into the county town, and you will see a washing inkstone pond. That is the Changshe County Government Office. Go north past the county government office and you will see a tall manor. That is the Zhong family."

Xu Shu described his impressions of Changshe to Zhou Cang in as much detail as possible.

"The Zhong family? Could it be Zhong Yao, the current Commandant of the Capital Region and Military Governor of Guanzhong?" Liu Bei suddenly interjected upon hearing the name Zhong family.

Xu Shu turned his head, still frowning, and nodded, saying, "That's right."

"There is a small gate to the east of Zhongjiazhuang, and directly outside the gate is a small alley. The third house in the alley is my former residence."

Xu Shu stopped after speaking and looked at Zhou Cang, seemingly waiting for him to memorize the route.

Zhou Cang muttered to himself, repeating the entire route before nodding to Xu Shu.

"I never imagined that the strategist's former residence was so close to Zhong Yao's home." Liu Bei seemed to still be thinking about Zhong Yao.

"Once you arrive, give my letter to my mother and rest in the city for the night," Xu Shu continued, explaining the plan to Zhou Cang.

"The next morning, Yuanfu needs to change his clothes. I will tell my mother about this and find a carriage and buy a few horses."

"Before sunset, I will exit through the west gate. If there are any obstacles on the road, I will use the excuse that the Zhong family relatives are out hunting. After leaving the city, I will wait for them on a small road about five miles outside the city."

After Xu Shu finished speaking, he went over the plan in his mind again to make sure there were no mistakes, and then looked at Zhou Cang.

"Zhou Cang obeys!" Zhou Cang clasped his hands in a fist salute to Xu Shu and turned to prepare for departure.

"Yuanfu!" Xu Shu called out to Zhou Cang and knelt down on one knee. "I entrust my mother's safety to you, Yuanfu!" He then burst into tears again.

"Strategist, there's no need for that. I'll go select people first. Please write a letter quickly, strategist, as there's no time to lose!" Zhou Cang helped Xu Shu up and urged him.

Xu Shu nodded, watched Zhou Cang's departing figure, sighed tremulously, and then took out pen and ink to prepare a letter.

After Zhou Cang and his men retrieved Xu Shu's letter and took some travel money, Xu Shu could no longer contain himself and sighed to the heavens, "My mother is over fifty years old, and because of her unfilial son, she has to suffer the pain of traveling all this way. Heaven!"

Liu Bei comforted him, saying, "The bond between mother and child is natural, and Yuanfu is a prudent person. The day when you and your mother reunite is not far off, so please do not worry too much!"

Xu Shu stopped speaking and just stared blankly at the sky.

Zhou Cang, with his five men, followed the route given by Xu Shu and sped along, finally arriving at the west gate of Changshe County before nightfall.

Looking out, the wheat fields rippled like waves, and countless farmers were busy preparing their grain and tools, getting ready to rush into the city before the gates closed.

As instructed before his departure, Zhou Cang left one person to look after the horses, and together with the remaining four, wearing straw hats and hemp clothes, they mingled into the group of farmers.

"Hurry up, hurry up!" The gatekeeper, seeing the vast number of farmers, couldn't help but get impatient. He lashed the ground with his whip again and again, urging the farmers to quicken their pace.

Just as Zhou Cang was about to slip through the gate, the oxcart in front of him stopped because it was overloaded.

Zhou Cang gave a wink to one of his subordinates, and the two quickly stepped forward to help push the oxcart forward.

"Snap!" Suddenly, a guard's whip struck Zhou Cang on the back.

"You're so big, why don't you use your strength!" the gatekeeper cursed.

The monotonous work during the busy farming season had long since made the gatekeeper lose patience. Zhou Cangbai, after being whipped, did not dare to raise his head and pretended to be timid as he continued to push the oxcart.

"Crack!" Another whip lashed across Zhou Cang's subordinate.

"Don't look at him!" Zhou Cang quickly whispered to his companion.

You can endure being whipped and not retaliate, even if your stamina increases slightly because of the injury. But if your companion can't stand the humiliation and starts fighting with the other party, all your efforts will be wasted.

Fortunately, his companion gritted his teeth and endured it. With a burst of strength, the two of them finally managed to push the oxcart through the city gate.

After entering the city, there were noticeably fewer patrolling soldiers, so Zhou Cang led the four men quickly toward the county government office.

After searching for a while, they finally found Xu Shu's house under a large locust tree.

After reading Xu Shu's letter, Xu's mother was deeply moved. Looking at Zhou Cang, she said, "My old life is worthless. How could it be worth the lord and general going to such great lengths?"

Zhou Cang quickly bowed and said, "Madam, what are you saying? The strategist is a very filial man. He was afraid that Cao Cao would plot against you, so he sent us here. Please don't blame yourself."

Xu's mother was still somewhat angry and said, "Yuanzhi has the honor of serving a wise ruler, yet he doesn't think about being loyal to the emperor and serving the country. Instead, he wastes his energy on me. It's truly laughable."

"Alas, I have truly failed in raising my son; I am ashamed to have made you laugh at me, General."

Seeing that the old lady was getting more and more agitated, Zhou Cang was afraid that she would end up like in the book, so he quickly racked his brains to think of something to say.

"Madam, you flatter us! For four hundred years, the Han Dynasty ruled the world with filial piety as its guiding principle. Our strategist is a person of filial piety, and we all believe that there is nothing wrong with this matter."

"Furthermore, our lord is a descendant of the Han imperial family and should set an example. He treats the military advisor like a brother. If you, my lady, are unwilling to go with us, it would be tantamount to putting our lord in a position of filial impiety and inhumanity. We earnestly hope that you will reconsider!"

Zhou Cang hardened his heart and directly brought up his lord, Liu Bei.

Upon hearing this, Xu's mother calmed down a little.

Indeed, one could say that the son is unfilial and doesn't know what's important, but how can he refuse the kindness of his lord? This is not something a good minister's family member should do.

"I understand what you mean, General..." Madam Xu accepted Zhou Cang's explanation and looked at the travel-worn group.

"You have all had a long journey. Please have some tea and food and rest for a while."

Seeing that Xu's mother had calmed down and started to carefully check the items to be prepared, Zhou Cang breathed a sigh of relief.

The next day, Xu Shu's servants purchased supplies in various cities throughout the county as requested by Xu Shu. Zhou Cang also found some medicine to apply to the companion who had been whipped for no reason the day before. As dusk approached, the group set off from Xu Shu's house.

Zhou Cang and a companion each rode a horse to lead the way, while another companion drove the carriage. Xu's mother sat in the carriage, and the only two maids and one servant of the Xu family accompanied the carriage on both sides. The other companion rode a horse to bring up the rear.

According to Xu Shu's account in his letter, Zhou Cang and the others were all dressed in hunting clothes, carrying short knives and longbows, which was indeed a hunting outfit.

As I passed by the county government office, I saw a man wearing a scholar's cap, dressed in a black court robe, and carrying a sword. He was talking with a group of officials at the main gate of the county government office.

As they passed each other, Zhou Cang and the man exchanged a glance, nodded to each other, and then continued forward.

"Who were those people who just passed by?" After Zhou Cang and the others left, the man in the hat asked a minor official in the county government.

The minor official walked out of the county office, glanced at the backs of Zhou Cang and the others, then turned back to confirm the direction the group had come from, before returning to the county office.

"Reporting to Mr. Cheng Yu, judging from their appearance and attire, they should be from the household of Commandant Zhong."

"Oh?"