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

After laughing, Xun Yu put down his chopsticks, looked at Cao Rui, and said gently, "Young master, you'll be twelve next year. At twelve, it's time to think about the future."

"What about the future?"

"Yes. What do you want to do in the future?"

Cao Rui thought for a moment and said, "I want the world to be at peace."

Xun Yu paused for a moment, then smiled: "Alright. Then head in this direction. No matter what difficulties you encounter, don't look back."

Cao Rui nodded: "Rest assured, my lord, I have remembered."

Outside the window, the snow started falling again. Snowflakes fluttered down, turning the entire city of Xudu white. Inside, the hot pot bubbled and steamed, and several people sat around it, eating, drinking, and chatting.

The snow outside Xudu City has been falling for three days and three nights, and shows no sign of stopping.

Cao Cao, wrapped in an old sable fur coat, sat by the charcoal brazier in the Prime Minister's study, holding a bowl of hot wine in his hands, his eyes half-open and half-closed. The bamboo slips on the table were piled up like a small mountain, but he hadn't approved a single one that day.

I don't want to approve it.

He's sixty years old. He's fought wars his whole life, killed people his whole life, and schemed his whole life. What did he gain in the end? Was it the empty title of "Duke of Wei"? Was it the world calling him "Cao the Traitor"?

He closed his eyes, the steam from the wine bowl blurring his face.

"My lord, it's time to rest," Xu Chu said softly, standing at the door.

"Um."

Cao Cao responded but didn't move. Xu Chu stood there for a while longer, and seeing that he didn't move, he quietly slipped out and closed the door behind him.

Cao Cao leaned back in his chair, the wine bowl slipped from his hand, spilling wine all over his lapel, but he was completely unaware.

He fell asleep.

In his dream, he stood by a great river. The water was murky, churning with mud and sand, and he couldn't see the opposite bank. The sky was gray, the ground was yellow, and the wind was cold, making the hem of his robe flutter loudly.

"Where is this?"

No one answered.

He walked along the riverbank for a long time until he saw a man sitting by the river with his back to him. The man was dressed in coarse cloth, with gray hair, but his back was straight as a pine tree.

"Who are you?" Cao Cao asked.

The man didn't turn around, but simply pointed to the river. Cao Cao followed his finger and saw a reflection in the water—not his, but an old man's face.

The old man had a weathered face, deep eyes, and a faint smile on his lips.

"Who are you?"

The man finally spoke, his voice hoarse, like sandpaper rubbing against wood: "King Wen."

Cao Cao suddenly took a step back.

King Wen? King Wen of Zhou? Ji Chang?

The man slowly turned his head, and Cao Cao saw his face clearly—old, thin, and deeply wrinkled, but his eyes were surprisingly bright, like two cold stars.

"Cao Mengde," the man called his name.

Cao Cao wanted to speak, but found himself unable to open his mouth.

The man stood up, walked up to him, and was half a head taller than him, but standing there, he made Cao Cao feel like he was a mountain.

Do you know why King Wen did not rebel?

Cao Cao shook his head.

"Because he knows that there are some things that his son should do."

After the man finished speaking, he turned and left. Cao Cao wanted to give chase, but his feet seemed to be nailed to the ground, and he couldn't take a single step.

He watched helplessly as that figure disappeared into the gray horizon, and a strange feeling welled up inside him.

"My lord! My lord!"

Cao Cao suddenly opened his eyes. Xu Chu stood before him, looking tense.

"What time is it?"

"It's past midnight. My lord, you've been asleep for almost two hours."

Cao Cao rubbed his temples and found himself drenched in cold sweat. The bowl of wine had spilled all over the ground, and a lot of it had soaked into his fur coat; it was now completely cold.

"Zhongkang, go and summon Zhou Xuan."

"Now? It's past 1 AM—"

"go."

Xu Chu didn't dare ask any more questions and turned to run away.

Zhou Xuan was a renowned dream interpreter in Xuchang, said to be able to communicate with spirits and interpret dreams with uncanny accuracy. Cao Cao never believed in such things, but this dream today was too strange. That person, those words, that look—he couldn't forget them.

Zhou Xuan arrived quickly. He was in his fifties, as thin as a bamboo pole, wearing a faded Taoist robe, and his face was expressionless.

"Duke Wei summoned me late at night; what is the matter?"

Cao Cao recounted his dream, from the great river to the figure disappearing into the horizon, word for word.

After listening, Zhou Xuan remained silent for a long time.

"Speak," Cao Cao said, his voice a little tense.

"Lord Wei, this dream is very auspicious."

"Great fortune? How so?"

Zhou Xuan raised his head, looked into Cao Cao's eyes, and said, word by word, "King Wen sat by the river, looking at the world. He asked the Duke of Wei, 'Do you know why King Wen did not rebel?' The answer was, 'There are some things that should be done by my son.'"

King Wen of Zhou possessed two-thirds of the empire to serve the Yin dynasty. Today, the Duke of Wei possesses two-thirds of the empire to serve the Han dynasty—how similar they are!

Cao Cao's hand paused for a moment, and the teacup stopped in mid-air.

Zhou Xuan continued, "King Wen received the mandate, King Wu attacked Zhou. The Duke of Wei received the mandate, and should be..."

"When?"

"It will be next year."

Cao Cao's hand trembled slightly.

"You mean—"

"I said nothing," Zhou Xuan lowered his head. "I merely interpreted the dream. Dreams reflect the will of the people and the destiny of Heaven. The fact that Duke Wei dreamt of King Wen means that Duke Wei already has the answer in his heart."

Cao Cao stared at him for a long time, then suddenly smiled. The smile was faint, like the last ray of sunshine in winter.

"You may leave."

Zhou Xuan bowed and withdrew.

Cao Cao sat alone in his study, facing the nearly extinguished oil lamp, until dawn.

January of the twenty-first year of Jian'an.

Before the snow in Xuchang had completely melted, Cao Cao summoned his civil and military officials to discuss important matters.

"I will become king."

The room fell silent. Everyone stared at him; some were surprised, some were calm, and some seemed lost in thought.

Xun Yu stood at the head of the civil officials, his face calm, and said nothing.

Jia Xu stood in the corner, squinting, holding a hand warmer in his hands, like a dozing old cat.

Cao Pi stood in the row of military officers, his head bowed, his expression unreadable.

Cao Zhi stood beside him, not holding the dog in his arms—Xiao Bai was kept at home by him because he had been punished by being confined for a month for biting Sima Yi's cat last time.

Cao Rui. Hmmmm, this guy is too lazy. He's probably still in bed right now. Cao Cao feels sorry for his grandson, so he doesn't force him to come every day.

"Father," Cao Pi looked up, "is it too hasty to declare yourself king?"

"What's the rush?" Cao Cao glanced at him. "I've fought my whole life, pacified the north, secured Guanzhong, and conquered Hanzhong. What's wrong with me declaring myself king?"

Cao Pi was speechless.

Cao Zhi opened his mouth as if to say something, but then closed it again.

"What are your thoughts, everyone?"

Xun Yu stepped forward.

Cao Cao looked at him, his gaze complex. Two years ago, Xun Yu opposed his ascension to the title of Duke of Wei. Now that he wanted to declare himself king, what would Xun Yu say?

"Prime Minister," Xun Yu said slowly, "it's only a matter of time before he declares himself king. I have no objection."

Cao Cao was taken aback.

"But there is one condition—after becoming king, please make Ye City the capital."

"Ye City?"

"That's right." Xun Yu nodded. "Xuchang is right under the emperor's nose. If the prime minister were to declare himself king in Xuchang, people would say he's 'forcing the emperor to abdicate.' Yecheng is the prime minister's territory. It would be perfectly legitimate for him to declare himself king in Yecheng."

Cao Cao pondered for a moment, then looked at Jia Xu: "Wenhe, what do you think?"

Jia Xu said slowly, "You are right, my lord. Xu is not a suitable place to be a king. The Bronze Sparrow Terrace in Ye City has already been built, so let's not waste it."

Cao Cao laughed.

"Alright. Let's make Ye City the capital then."