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

Thank you so much to the amazing verification from the generous user "残伤花"! You've gone to so much trouble, so I'm adding an extra chapter in your honor!

Dear godparents, just send some free small gifts, no need to spend so much money!

. . . . . .

Cao Rui squatted by the training ground, looking at the greenhorn in front of him, and was overjoyed.

This kid's surname is Deng, his name is Deng Ai, he's nineteen years old, seven years older than him. But he stutters, he speaks haltingly, and can't even finish a sentence.

"You, you, what's your name?" Deng Ai stared at Cao Rui, his face flushed red.

"My name is Cao Rui," Cao Rui said with a grin. "And yours?"

"Deng, Deng, Deng Ai!"

"Deng Deng Deng Ai? Three Dengs?"

Deng Ai panicked, his stammering becoming even more pronounced: "No, no, not three, three Dengs! It's, it's, one Deng! Deng, Deng Ai!"

Cao Rui laughed so hard he slapped his thigh: "Alright, alright, I know your name is Deng Ai. Don't rush, speak slowly."

Deng Ai took a deep breath and said, word by word, "My name is Deng Ai."

"That's right." Cao Rui stood up, dusted himself off, and asked, "Deng Ai, why did you join the army?"

Deng Ai paused for a moment, then suddenly stopped stuttering and said, word by word, "Because I want to make a name for myself."

Cao Rui was taken aback. This kid, he doesn't stutter when it comes to serious matters? Interesting.

"How do you plan to get ahead?"

"Dong, dong, dong General!" Deng Ai began to stutter again.

Cao Rui laughed heartily: "Good! You have ambition! Then train hard, and maybe one day you'll really become a general."

Deng Ai watched his retreating figure, wondering to himself: Who is this kid? Why does he talk like an adult?

Cao Rui walked back to the foot of the Bronze Sparrow Terrace, looked up at the magnificent golden throne on the platform, and suddenly sighed.

"Young master, why are you sighing?" Bixie stood behind him, his back straight.

"It's nothing," Cao Rui shook his head. "I just feel that this throne is not easy to sit on."

"Why is it uncomfortable to sit?"

"It's easy to sit down, but difficult to sit still."

Bixie nodded thoughtfully, took out the booklet, and wrote a few lines in crooked handwriting with a charcoal pencil.

---

That afternoon, Cao Rui went to Jia Xu's residence in Ye City.

Jia Xu's new residence was in the west of the city. It wasn't large, but it was quiet. An old locust tree stood in the courtyard, and beneath it was a stone table with a chessboard and a wine pot on it. Jia Xu sat on the stone bench, basking in the sun with his eyes half-closed, like an old cat.

"Sir, you live a more comfortable life than your grandfather."

Jia Xu opened his eyes, glanced at him, and said, "Your grandfather worries every day, while I bask in the sun every day. Who do you think is more comfortable?"

"Of course, it's more comfortable for the gentleman."

"That settles it then." Jia Xu picked up his wine cup and took a sip. "Those who worry die young, while those who bask in the sun live long. I want to live a few more years, so I won't worry."

Cao Rui sat down opposite him and rubbed his hands together: "Sir, what will we be teaching today?"

"I won't teach today." Jia Xu placed a piece on the board. "I have something to tell you today."

"What is it?"

"Your grandfather is going to appoint an heir."

Cao Rui's heart skipped a beat: "When?"

"It'll be over soon." Jia Xu placed another piece. "Your father and your fourth uncle are both arguing about it, but your grandfather won't budge. Do you know why?"

Cao Rui thought for a moment and said, "Because Grandfather is still hesitating."

"What are you hesitating about?"

"Hesitating about who is more suitable."

Jia Xu shook his head: "No. Your grandfather wasn't hesitating about who was more suitable, he was hesitating about whether or not to let your father win."

Cao Rui was stunned.

"Your father is steady and capable, but your grandfather doesn't like him. Your fourth uncle is talented and charming, but your grandfather knows he's not up to the task. Your grandfather knows who is more suitable, but he doesn't want your father to win too easily."

Why?

"Because your father won, your fourth uncle had to lose. If your fourth uncle loses, your grandfather will be heartbroken." Jia Xu put down the chess piece, looked into Cao Rui's eyes, and said, "In your grandfather's life, the thing he could never let go of was family. He could kill enemies and political rivals, but he could never kill his own heart."

Cao Rui remained silent.

Jia Xu continued, "So your grandfather is stalling. He's taking it one day at a time, until he can't stall any longer, and then he'll make a decision."

"When do you think Grandfather will make a decision?"

"It will be soon." Jia Xu picked up his wine cup. "Your fourth uncle has been in Xuchang recently and has been getting very close to Yang Xiu. Yang Xiu is indeed clever, but he's too ostentatious. If he gives your fourth uncle any bad advice, your grandfather might just decide to kill him in a fit of anger."

"What terrible idea?"

"I don't know," Jia Xu shook his head, "but Yang Xiu is a man full of bad ideas."

......

Cao Cao sat in his study with a map spread out in front of him.

Liu Bei established a firm foothold in Yizhou, Sun Quan was eyeing Jiangdong covetously, Ma Chao was diligently training his troops in Xuchang, and Zhang Lu was quietly spreading his teachings in Yecheng—everything was under control, yet everything was also out of control.

"Your Majesty, a letter has arrived from Marquis Pingyuan in Xudu." Xu Chu walked in, holding a letter in both hands.

"Take a look at what you wrote!"

"The Marquis of Pingyuan said that everything is fine in Xudu, and that Your Majesty should not worry. He also said that Xiao Bai has caused trouble again recently, biting the neighbor's chicken."

Cao Cao's lips twitched: "That dog, hasn't it been stewed yet?"

"The Marquis of Pingyuan was reluctant to part with him."

Cao Cao put down the map and rubbed his temples. "Zijian is a good man in every way, except he's too good to that dog. Is a dog really worth all that attention?"

"Your Majesty, Marquis Pingyuan is a man of great loyalty and righteousness."

"Loyal and righteous?" Cao Cao scoffed. "Being loyal and righteous is a good thing, but too much of it is a problem. If he becomes the heir apparent and spends his days playing with dogs, what will become of the empire?"

Xu Chu dared not reply.

Cao Cao was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Zhongkang, what do you think of Zihuan?"

Xu Chu thought for a moment, then said in a simple and honest manner, "General of the Five Offices... steady and reliable."

"Composure. Just composure?"

"There's...there's more—"

"What else?"

"And..." Xu Chu scratched his head, "I have a good son."

Cao Cao was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter, his mustache standing on end.

"Good! What a wonderful 'having a good son'!" He pointed at Xu Chu. "Your words are more effective than a hundred words from any of those strategists!"

Xu Chu looked bewildered, not knowing what he had said correctly.

At Cao Pi's residence.

Cao Rui was squatting in the courtyard, playing chess with Bixie. He had learned chess from Jia Xu, and although he wasn't very good at it, he was more than capable of beating Bixie. Bixie was utterly defeated, his face turning almost green with rage.

"Young master, could you please let me pass?"

"What are you talking about? Would the enemy let you win on the battlefield?" Cao Rui placed a piece, capturing another set of Bixie's pieces. "Playing chess is like fighting a war; you can't be soft-hearted. If you are, you'll lose."

Pi Xie sighed and pushed the chess piece away: "I'm not playing anymore. I can't win."

"That's to be expected," Cao Rui said, putting away his chess pieces. "It would be strange if you could beat me."

Ma Yunlu came out of the house with a bowl of soup in her hand and handed it to Cao Rui: "Drink some soup, don't just play chess."

Cao Rui took the soup, took a sip, and winced as it was scalding hot: "Yunlu, this soup is hotter than my mother's."

"If it's hot, drink it slowly." Ma Yunlu sat down next to him. "Your grandfather became a king, so why hasn't your father been named heir yet?"

Cao Rui glanced at her: "Why are you concerned about this too?"

"It's not concern. It's curiosity." Ma Yunlu rested her chin on her hands. "If your father becomes the heir apparent, he'll be the King of Wei. You'll be—the son of the heir apparent. What's that called?"

Cao Rui thought for a moment: "Call me Crown Prince? Then wouldn't you be my Crown Prince's Consort?"

Upon hearing this, Ma Yunlu blushed and turned her back.

Looking at the shy Ma Yunlu, Cao Rui couldn't help but tease her, "Look at you, your face is as red as an apple."

Ma Yunlu spat lightly and said stubbornly, "Who's blushing? I just got burned by the soup."