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Xun Yu rubbed his temples, feeling deeply troubled.
The day before, after returning from his visit to Kong Zhou, Xun Yu had been utterly defeated by the Yuzhou Governor's overwhelming confidence in his idealistic rhetoric. Retreating to the Xun family estate, he carefully pondered the matter before summoning several influential members of the Xun family—including his uncle Xun Wang, cousins Xun Yue and Xun Wei, among others—to recount his meeting with Kong Zhou and the latter's arguments about "the will of the people."
To his great disappointment, their reactions were far from what he had hoped for.
By openly discussing his visit to Kong Zhou with these key family members, Xun Yu had intended to convey his extreme skepticism toward Kong Zhou's views and his belief that further communication with him would be futile.
Indeed, how could such an idealist like Kong Zhou reduce the critical matter of military strategy to mere "popular support"? While the will of the people might influence the outcome of a war to some extent, it was far from absolute. Did having the people's backing suddenly make an army invincible, impervious to swords and spears?
Had the Yellow Turbans—who once plunged the empire into chaos—not been utterly crushed despite their fanatical belief in victory? Were the ignorant followers of Zhang Jiao and his brothers any less convinced of their inevitable triumph than Kong Zhou was now?
Yet in the end, they had fallen before cold steel.
But now, the Xun family… Xun Yu was truly disheartened.
With his intellect, how could he not see that some were opposing him merely for the sake of opposition, without any consideration for how this decision would affect the entire Xun family?
Before Xun Shuang left for Luoyang, he had entrusted Xun Yu with temporary authority over family affairs—a tacit indication that Xun Yu was being groomed as the next family head. Naturally, this had stirred discontent among certain members, particularly Xun Wang, the fifth of the famed "Eight Dragons of the Xun Family."
Xun Wang had already been displeased when Xun Yu replaced him as the speaker during the last family lecture. Now, with Xun Shuang hinting at Xun Yu's succession, his resentment had deepened.
Xun Wang acknowledged Xun Shuang's competence—that much he accepted. But was Xun Yu truly the most outstanding among the younger generation of the Xun family? He doubted it. And so, Xun Wang had subtly positioned himself against Xun Yu.
This time was no exception. With a few mocking remarks from Xun Wang, Xun Yu's proposal to relocate the family for safety was effectively shelved.
'Sigh…'
Xun Yu was deeply troubled. He understood the family's attachment to Yingchuan—their roots ran deep, and the bonds of home were hard to sever. But the massacre at Yangcheng was still fresh in his mind, a bloody reminder of the horrors that could befall them. Who could guarantee that Yingchuan would be spared such a fate?
When the nest is overturned, can any egg remain unbroken?
Just then, a servant announced the arrival of Guo Jia, styled Fengxiao.
When Guo Jia entered, it was clear he had been drinking again—the scent of alcohol still lingered around him.
Xun Yu smiled wryly. "I was just about to look for you, but you beat me to it. Still, Fengxiao, must you always reek of wine? People will talk…"
"Let them talk," Guo Jia replied carelessly, plopping down onto a seat. From somewhere in his sleeves or robes, he produced a small gourd of wine, took a few hearty gulps, and then offered it to Xun Yu. "Want some?"
Xun Yu shook his head. After a moment of silence, he said, "The Xun family is losing its unity."
From Guo Jia's earlier words, Xun Yu already knew that Guo Jia was aware his proposal had been rejected by the other Xun family members. That was why Guo Jia had said, 'Do what you must—ignore the rest.'
But could Xun Yu really do that? The weight of responsibility still pressed on him, which was why he lamented the family's disunity—he still cared deeply for the Xun family's future.
Guo Jia recorked his wine gourd and said casually, "They're not afraid because they haven't seen it yet. Once they do, they won't be so divided."
'Once they see it?'
By then, wouldn't it be too late?
Xun Yu stood and walked to a nearby bookshelf, retrieving a letter. "This is from Han Fu, Governor of Ji Province. Perhaps you could give me your thoughts on it."
"Oh?" Guo Jia's interest was piqued. He took the letter and skimmed through it before chuckling. "So Governor Han is feeling the heat now that his neighbor is getting too comfortable, huh?"
The letter was an earnest invitation from Han Fu, Governor of Ji Province, asking Xun Yu to join his staff as an advisor.
Han Fu was a native of Yingchuan and thus well-acquainted with the talented scholars of the region. As a former protégé of the Yuan family, he harbored some resentment toward Yuan Shao but had no choice but to tolerate him.
No ruler enjoyed having a high-ranking nobleman's son in their ranks—someone they couldn't control or discipline. Han Fu was no exception. Moreover, Yuan Shao's rapid rise had caught him off guard. With advisors like Guo Tu and Feng Ji already at his side, and even northern scholars flocking to him, Han Fu now felt an acute sense of danger.
Hence, he had written to Xun Yu—one of Yingchuan's most outstanding talents—hoping to bolster his own position by recruiting him.
Guo Jia grinned. "In my opinion, it wouldn't hurt to take a look."
"Take a look?" Xun Yu asked.
"Exactly. Go and see for yourself," Guo Jia replied, his meaning clear.
By showing him the letter, Xun Yu had been seeking Guo Jia's opinion on whether Han Fu was worth serving. Guo Jia's response mirrored his own doubts—Han Fu was not a promising prospect. Hence, he didn't suggest accepting a position but merely advised scouting the situation.
And in Ji Province, aside from Han Fu, the other figure worth "taking a look at" was none other than Yuan Shao—the rising star known as the "Model of the Empire."
After a moment of thought, Xun Yu looked directly at Guo Jia and asked bluntly, "What about you? Will you stay here and keep drinking?"
Guo Jia frowned. "You know my history with Gongze…"
Xun Yu nodded. He was aware of the strained relationship between Guo Jia and Guo Tu (styled Gongze), one of Yuan Shao's key advisors. Still, he pressed, "If Yuan Shao truly is the 'Model of the Empire,' perhaps there's room for another 'Guo' by his side."
Guo Jia fell silent. He understood Xun Yu's implication—but would things really turn out as Xun Yu suggested? Would he truly be able to carve out his own legacy under Yuan Shao?
As Xun Yu studied Guo Jia, he realized he had already made up his mind when he retrieved the letter. All he wanted now was for a like-minded friend to accompany him—so that one day, they wouldn't find themselves on opposing sides, forced to clash in bloody conflict.
But Guo Jia's rift with Guo Tu was no small matter. In the end, the decision rested with Guo Jia alone…
Guo Jia took another swig from his gourd, only to find it empty. He shook it disappointedly before sighing. "Fine. I'll go with you. Let's see if Ji Province's wine is any good…"
"But let's be clear—I don't have travel money."
Xun Yu shook his head in amused resignation. "Fine, you don't need to worry about expenses. I'll even bring two jars of wine for you. Happy?"
"What? Only two? Ah, well… two will have to do. But I want the good stuff—the 'Jade Green' from the west side of town."