Three Kingdoms: A wise grandson, Cao Wei can last for three generations!

Cao Rui raised his head and looked at Cao Cao. This old man, whom the world called a cunning hero, had something in his eyes that Cao Rui had never seen before—not majesty, not scheming, but a deep, weary tenderness.

"Grandfather, Lord Xun... he really doesn't object anymore?"

Cao Cao shook his head: "He objects. He can't get over that hurdle in his heart. But he knows the world needs me. He also knows I need him. That's enough."

He paused, then suddenly laughed: "Just like your master Jia Wenhe said—being alive is better than anything else."

Cao Rui nodded and walked out carrying the food box. At the door, Cao Cao suddenly called out to him.

"Rui'er".

"Is there anything else, Grandfather?"

"Next time, if you want to scare someone, don't take my things. Find a box yourself, put something inside. Giving away an empty box is bad luck."

Cao Rui was taken aback for a moment, then smiled: "Grandfather, I'll remember."

"And—" Cao Cao's voice came from behind, "Your expression is too fake. Wenhe said you were glancing to the left. Go back and practice in front of a bronze mirror, so that no one can tell at a glance."

Cao Rui stumbled and almost fell on the threshold.

It was already evening when I left the Prime Minister's residence. The setting sun bathed the eaves of Xuchang in gold, and the streets were becoming less crowded as people were heading home for dinner.

As Cao Rui walked along the road, he was still reflecting on the events of the day.

"Cao Rui!"

He looked up and saw Ma Yunlu riding a chestnut horse, turning out from the street corner. She was still wearing that red dress, her long hair tied up high, looking like a ball of fire in the setting sun.

What are you doing here?

"I'll be waiting for you." Ma Yunlu reined in her horse, looked down at him, and said, "My aunt asked me to pick you up. She said we're having hot pot tonight."

Cao Rui was taken aback: "Hot pot?"

"Auntie said you've lost weight recently and need to eat more." Ma Yunlu dismounted and handed him the reins. "Get on the horse, I'll take you back."

Cao Rui glanced at the chestnut horse, then at Ma Yunlu: "I'll ride the horse, and you'll walk?"

"Who said I was walking?" Ma Yunlu picked him up and put him on the horse's back. He then climbed up behind him, wrapped his arms around his body, and grabbed the reins.

Cao Rui was completely encircled in her arms, his back pressed against her chest, and he could feel the vibration of her chest as she spoke.

"Hold on tight."

The chestnut horse trotted, its hooves clattering on the bluestone slabs. A gentle evening breeze carried the faint scent of soapberry emanating from Ma Yunlu.

Cao Rui's ears slowly turned red.

"Why are your ears red?" Ma Yunlu looked down at him.

"It's hot."

"Hot? It's not even summer yet!"

"It's hot."

Ma Yunlu didn't ask any more questions, but Cao Rui felt her arms around him tighten slightly.

......

It was another sunny day. Cao Rui was playing chess at Jia Xu's residence when Xu Hu rushed in.

"Young master, something has happened!"

Cao Rui held the chess piece in his hand, not moving it: "What is it?"

"Ma Chao has fallen out with Zhang Lu in Hanzhong!"

Cao Rui paused for a moment.

Jia Xu slowly placed a piece: "You've fallen out? How exactly have you fallen out?"

Xu Hu caught his breath: "Ma Chao wanted to attack Liu Bei, but Zhang Lu refused to lend him troops. Ma Chao called Zhang Lu a coward, and Zhang Lu called Ma Chao a stray dog. The two argued in the hall, and Ma Chao almost drew his sword and killed Zhang Lu."

Cao Rui put down his chess piece and looked at Jia Xu: "Sir, what do you think of this matter?"

Jia Xu picked up his wine cup, took a sip, and squinted his eyes: "Ma Chao is arrogant and proud, and he doesn't respect anyone. Do you think he'd even look down on Zhang Lu's abilities? It's only a matter of time."

"Where will he go?"

Jia Xu didn't answer, but instead asked, "What do you think?"

Cao Rui thought for a moment: "Liu Bei is in Yizhou and needs manpower. If Ma Chao goes to join him, Liu Bei will definitely accept him."

"That settles it then." Jia Xu placed a piece. "You've lost this game."

Cao Rui looked down and saw that his black pieces were completely surrounded by white pieces, with no way to survive.

"Sir, this is too much..."

"Too much?" Jia Xu put away the chess pieces. "Playing chess is like judging a person; you have to see the very last move. Ma Chao surrendered to Liu Bei, and Liu Bei gained the Xiliang cavalry, greatly increasing his power. The next step is to compete with Sun Quan for Jingzhou. And the next step after that—"

He looked at Cao Rui, his gaze deep: "They're vying with us for the empire."

Cao Rui was stunned.

"What, scared?"

"I'm not afraid." Cao Rui shook his head. "It's just a pity. Ma Chao is a real man. If only he could come to our side—"

"Coming to our side?" Jia Xu looked at him with a half-smile. "You want to recruit Ma Chao?"

"Didn't you say, sir, that Ma Chao is a wolf in sheep's clothing, unyielding and unyielding?"

"That was before," Jia Xu said, setting down his wine jug and speaking seriously. "A wolf in the wild would rather break than bend. But if it's been chased for years, suffered several defeats, fled from Xiliang to Hanzhong, and then been driven out of Hanzhong—do you think it's still that unyielding wolf?"

Cao Rui's heart skipped a beat: "What you mean, sir?"

"What I mean is, now is the best time to recruit Ma Chao." Jia Xu stood up, walked to the window, and turned his back to him. "But someone has to go. This person has to be someone Ma Chao trusts, someone he can talk to, someone who is—"

He turned around and looked at Cao Rui: "It has to be someone his sister has taken a liking to."

Cao Rui's face flushed red: "Sir! I'm only eight years old!"

"So what if he's eight?" Jia Xu glared at him. "Can't you do anything at eight? You could go to Jiangdong to recruit Pang Tong when you were six, but you couldn't go to Hanzhong to recruit Ma Chao when you were eight?"

Cao Rui opened his mouth, but could not utter a word.

Jia Xu walked back and sat down opposite him, his voice lowering: "Go back and think it over carefully. Whether or not you can win over Ma Chao is not just your business, it's your grandfather's business, it's the Cao family's business."

He commands the Xiliang cavalry, the Ma family army, and enjoys considerable prestige in Liangzhou. Taking him in will secure Xiliang's stability.

Cao Rui nodded.

"And—" Jia Xu suddenly laughed, a hint of slyness in his smile, "Your little wife, Ma Chao's sister. Take her with you. A meeting between siblings is more effective than a hundred words from you."

That evening, Cao Rui went to see Ma Yunlu.

She was practicing her sword in the courtyard; under the moonlight, the sword's shadow was like a rainbow, each move incredibly sharp. Seeing Cao Rui enter, she sheathed her sword and wiped the sweat from her brow.

"What's wrong? You look so pale?"

Cao Rui recounted Ma Chao's story. Ma Yunlu listened in silence for a long time.

"My brother... he's had another falling out with someone?"

Cao Rui nodded.

Ma Yunlu stuck the sword into the ground, leaned against the courtyard wall, and looked up at the moon.

"He's been like this since he was a child. When he was in Liangzhou, he couldn't get along with anyone. He argued with my father, with Han Sui, and with his subordinates. He thought he was right and everyone else was wrong."

Aren't you worried about him?

"What's the use of worrying?" Ma Yunlu's voice was a little hoarse. "With his temper, who can persuade him? Back then, my father advised him not to rebel, but he wouldn't listen."

I advised him not to fall out with Zhang Lu, but he wouldn't listen. He's as stubborn as a mule; he won't turn back even after hitting a wall.

Cao Rui walked over and stood beside her.