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

In the winter of the twenty-first year of Jian'an (216 AD), on the first day of the eleventh month, in Ye City.

The main hall of the Wei King's palace was finally completed. Cao Cao stood at the entrance of the hall, looking up at the brand-new plaque with the three large characters "Wenchang Hall" written on it. He had written them himself, with vigorous and powerful strokes.

"Your Majesty, shall we summon all the ministers today?" Xu Chu asked innocently from behind.

"What are you summoning?" Cao Cao stroked his beard. "I just came to take a look. This palace is quite well built; it's much more impressive than the Prime Minister's residence in Xuchang."

Xu Chu scratched his head, not daring to reply. He thought to himself, "You spent so much money, how could it not be grand?"

Cao Cao paced around the palace, then suddenly asked, "Is that brat Rui'er still in the northern camp?"

"Your Majesty, the young master is still in the Northern Camp. I heard that he won three first places in the martial arts competition last month, and General Ma rewarded him with the steed 'Treading Snow Black Steed'."

Cao Cao's lips curled up slightly: "I've been eyeing that black horse for a long time, and that brat Ma Chao is quite willing to part with it."

"I heard it was Miss Ma who pleaded on behalf of the young master," Xu Chu added in a simple and honest manner.

Cao Cao was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter: "Good! What a fine example of 'a daughter grows up and leaves home'! Ma Chao hasn't even married off his sister yet, and he's already siding with outsiders!"

Laughter echoed in the empty hall, startling a few sparrows under the eaves.

That afternoon, Cao Cao sent someone to the northern camp to deliver a message—to summon Cao Rui back.

Cao Rui rode his black steed, Ta Xue Wu Zhui, galloping all the way from the northern camp back to Ye City. The twelve-year-old boy, riding a jet-black horse, dressed in coarse military uniform, his face tanned dark, looked exactly like a young veteran who had crawled out of the battlefield.

"Grandfather, you wanted to see me?" Cao Rui ran into the Wenchang Hall, panting.

Cao Cao was sitting on the newly made throne, trying it out, twisting and turning as if there were thorns growing under his buttocks.

Seeing Cao Rui enter, he beckoned, "Come here, come here, sit here and see if you're comfortable."

Cao Rui walked over, plopped down on it, and wiggled a couple of times: "Hard. It's uncomfortable."

"Really? I find it hard too." Cao Cao frowned. "Those craftsmen only care about aesthetics; they don't even know whether it's comfortable to sit on. Have someone add a cushion later."

The grandfather and grandson sat side by side on the throne, one sixty-one and the other twelve, the scene was indescribably comical.

Xu Chu stood at the door, watching this scene, his lips twitching slightly—if the court officials saw this, he wondered what they would think.

"Rui'er, how old are you today?" Cao Cao suddenly asked.

"Twelve, has Grandfather forgotten?"

"I haven't forgotten." Cao Cao patted the armrest of his throne. "You're twelve now, not a child anymore. When I was your age, I was already in Luoyang—"

"He got into a fight," Cao Rui interjected. "Grandfather, could you please change your opening line? I can recite that line by heart."

Cao Cao glared at him, but wasn't angry. He paused for a moment, then suddenly said, "I'd like to give you a courtesy name."

Cao Rui was taken aback. A courtesy name? In ancient times, men received their courtesy name at the coming-of-age ceremony at twenty; he was only twelve. Wasn't that too early?

"Grandfather, your grandson is only twelve—"

"What's wrong with twelve?" Cao Cao glared at him again. "You're my grandson. You can choose your courtesy name whenever you want. Others are twenty, you're twelve, is that not allowed?"

Cao Rui thought to himself, "You're rushing to meet the deadline, sir," but obediently replied, "Alright, alright, Grandfather's word is final."

Cao Cao stroked his beard, thought for a long time, and suddenly said, "Yuan Zhong. Yuan means beginning; Zhong means middle. Yuan Zhong means consistent from beginning to end, upright and peaceful. What do you think?"

Cao Rui's eyes darted around, and he said with a grin, "Grandfather, can I fetch it myself?"

Cao Cao raised an eyebrow: "Oh? What do you want to take?"

"Yu Yan!"

Cao Cao was taken aback: "Yu Yan? What do you mean?"

"It means - very stylish."

Cao Cao frowned.

"And what about Yanzu?" Cao Rui added with a grin.

Cao Cao's brows furrowed even more.

"What does 'Yanzu' mean?"

"It means—very handsome."

Cao Cao was silent for a moment, then reached out and tapped Cao Rui on the head.

With a crisp, clear "thump," the sound was loud and clear.

"Ouch!" Cao Rui clutched his head, wincing in pain.

"Yu Yan? Yanzu?" Cao Cao puffed out his beard and glared. "You think these are nicknames? Stylish ones? Handsome ones? What's wrong with the names your grandfather gave you?"

"Alright, alright, good, good, good, Yuanzhong is good, Yuanzhong is wonderful, Yuanzhong is awesome." Cao Rui covered his head and repeatedly admitted defeat, "Grandson's name is Yuanzhong, I won't change it, I won't change it."

Cao Cao snorted and lowered his hand, but a slight smile appeared on his lips: "That's more like it. Yuan Zhong, remember this. Use this character in all your writings, official duties, and battles."

"Yes, grandson remembers," Cao Rui replied obediently.

Emerging from the Wenchang Hall, Cao Rui rubbed his head, looking aggrieved. Bixie followed behind, expressionless, but his lips twitched slightly.

"Bixie, don't you think Grandpa was too violent?"

"His Majesty has been very gentle with the young master," said Bixie in a serious tone. "Last time, someone misspoke in front of His Majesty, and His Majesty had him dragged out and given twenty lashes."

Cao Rui thought about it and realized it made sense, so he stopped complaining.

He mounted his horse and was about to return to the northern camp when he suddenly heard someone calling him from behind.

"Cao Rui!"

Looking back, it was Ma Yunlu. She was riding a chestnut horse, dressed in red, with her long hair tied up high, looking like a ball of fire in the winter sun.

"Yunlu? What are you doing here?"

Ma Yunlu spurred her horse over and rode alongside him, looking him up and down: "I heard the King gave you a courtesy name?"

"Yes, Yuan Zhong."

"Yuan Zhong..." Ma Yunlu read it aloud, nodded, "Not bad, better than the ones you chose yourself."

Cao Rui was taken aback: "How did you know what I chose?"

"His Majesty laughed so loudly in the hall just now, the whole palace could hear it." Ma Yunlu's lips curled up slightly. "Yu Yan? Yanzu? What kind of strange name is that?"

Cao Rui blushed, but stubbornly retorted, "That's a good name! You don't understand!"

Ma Yunlu snorted, then suddenly said seriously, "Yuan Zhong."

Cao Rui was taken aback. This was the first time Ma Yunlu had called him by his courtesy name. Her voice was clear and bright, with a hint of Xiliang accent, and the two words "Yuan Zhong" sounded particularly pleasant coming from her mouth.

"W-What are you doing?"

"From now on, I'll call you Yuanzhong." Ma Yunlu looked at him, her eyes shining like stars. "You can call me Sister Yun."

Cao Rui's mind went blank for a moment, then he reacted: "Sister Yun? You're eight years older than me, so it's only right that you call me 'sister.' But are you sure you don't want to call me something else? Like—Yun'er? Lu'er?"

Ma Yunlu reached out and tapped him on the head—much lighter than Cao Cao's, but Cao Rui still bared his teeth.

"Just call me Sister Yun. If you keep being cheeky, I'll knock two bags out of you next time."

Cao Rui rubbed his head and chuckled, "Sister Yun."

Ma Yunlu's lips curled up, her smile warmer than the winter sun.

"Alright, go back to your northern camp. Be a good soldier and don't embarrass your grandfather."

"Yes, Sister Yun!"

Cao Rui spurred his horse, and the Snow-Treading Black Steed neighed loudly, its four hooves flying, and it disappeared around the street corner in the blink of an eye.

Ma Yunlu stood there, watching his retreating figure, a smile lingering on her lips.