In history, Xun You was one of the five strategists under Cao Cao and was respected by Cao Cao as the mastermind.
Xun You had a long-term strategic vision, and he had the ability to control the overall situation. He had made great contributions to the great cause of Cao Wei.
It could be said that Xun You was an all-rounder. His strategy, tactics, and internal affairs were all top-notch. Other than not being able to lead troops into battle, he had no other shortcomings.
Liu Bei had never understood one thing. Why was such a powerful Xun You not famous in the eyes of the later generations? It was as if they were completely overshadowed by the other four who were also part of the Five Schemers.
People were familiar with the talents of the king's assistant, Xun Yu and Xun Wenruo, the ghost talent Guo Jia and Guo Fengxiao, the scheming Jia Xu and Jia Wenhe, and the powerful Cheng Yu and Cheng Zhongde of Confucius and Wu. Xun You and Xun Gongda were often omitted.
Ever since Liu Bei came into contact with Xun You, he gradually understood.
What could Xun You say?
It was normal to keep a low profile. He was obviously a very powerful person, but people often ignored his existence.
In fact, this was Xun You's true advantage. Not only did he have the talent to stabilize the country, but he also knew how to protect himself.
If Xun You was a teammate, he would be an excellent teammate who could increase the overall strength of the team. If it was an enemy, it would be an enemy that would give people a headache.
"Are we friends or foes in this life?" Liu Bei looked at Xun You, who was about to go on stage, and muttered in his heart.
"Hurry up, hurry up. The flowers have withered.”Cai Yong was in a murderous mood, completely forgetting his reservedness as a great scholar, even rolling up his long sleeves.
Xun You went on stage, and no one could tell that he was a newbie at all. In the first round, he was evenly matched with Cai Yong. Although he lost, it was still eye-catching.
After all, Xun You was still a newbie. No matter how intelligent he was, he still lost three rounds in a row. After that, he let Boss Cao go up.
Cao Cao entered the stage in high spirits, but his chess skills were too weak and his performance was far inferior to Xun You's. He was defeated by Cai Yong, unable to fight back at all.
However, Cao Cao was not frustrated at all. Instead, he fought again and again, becoming more and more courageous as he fought.
After losing five rounds in a row, Cao Cao had finally tied the next round. It was truly worth celebrating.
"Master, Madam has invited you." A 15 or 16-year-old pretty little girl, under Madam Cai's instructions, forcefully dragged Cai Yong off the stage to rest.
In fact, Liu Bei had wanted to persuade Cai Yong to take a break, but seeing that Cai Yong was in high spirits and in a good state of mind, he did not have the heart to speak. Fortunately, there was the virtuous Madam Cai.
"You guys go down first. I'll be right there.”Cai Yong stood up and said reluctantly,"Starting from this round, the outcome of losing.”
"Hehe." The pretty little girl covered her mouth and chuckled.
"Sir, please."
"Please, Mister Bo Tong."
Cao Cao and Xun You said at the same time, their eyes never leaving the chessboard. The two guys were already impatient to start the fight.
……
"May I know what Furen has to say?" Cai Yong came to the back hall and asked his wife in confusion.
Lady Cai rolled her eyes and said,""There is a limit to everything. How could Old Master not know?”
"There is a balance between work and rest.”Cai Yong readily agreed,"How about we get the Jiaowei Guqin and play the song 'The Phoenix Seeking the Phoenix'?"”
"Everything is up to the old master!" Lady Cai's beautiful eyes were filled with the scent of spring.
For a moment, the room was filled with a kind of boudoir joy that could only be understood but could not be explained in words.
……
Cao Cao and Xun You could be said to have met their match. As Liu Bei was a fair and just person, he was determined not to speak up and side with anyone. The two of them often killed until only a few soldiers were left on the chessboard. All the chariots, horses, and cannons were exchanged.
"Make peace?" Xun You was as calm as water.
"And!" Cao Cao struggled, but there was nothing he could do.
"Friendship first, competition second." Liu Bei smiled and said," This is the first thing to do when playing chess. After that, you should watch the chess without saying a word. You should raise your hand without regrets.”
"What's the point of playing chess when you're talking about friendship?”Cao Cao disagreed." The battlefield is merciless. It's either you die or I die. The chess game is the same. Again."”
"Ugh!" Liu Bei was rendered speechless by Cao Cao's rebuttal. He had almost forgotten that this was not a peaceful era. There was no need to pay attention to chess. It was all about the real game.
When Xun You heard this, he remained silent, as if he didn't exist. However, his hands weren't slow. They lined up the carriages and horses in a row, holding the red flag to go first.
"Advance."
"Let's go."
"Plain cannon."
"Flying Elephant."
Cao Cao and Xun You began another evenly matched battle.
In this age where entertainment was scarce, chess fascinated people with its unique charm. For example, Cai Yong, Cao Cao, and Xun You were all human elites, and they were also addicted to the wonderful chess game.
As they played chess and Liu Bei's imagination ran wild, the sky gradually darkened.
In the end, Cao Cao did not eat dinner at the Cai Mansion. He left happily with a set of Chinese chess in his hands before dark. He did not even say goodbye to Cai Yong. He was really not an outsider.
"Brother Xuande, tomorrow I will be able to play the host and tour Luoyang with you.”After Cao Cao left, Xun You bid farewell and extended a sincere invitation.
"Alright, I'll have to trouble Brother Gongda." Liu Bei naturally agreed, his joy unconcealed.
……
The next day.
At dawn in the east, Xun You arrived at Cai's residence and informed Cai Yong. Under Cai Yong's gratified exhortations, Liu Bei went on his first trip since entering Luoyang.
Luoyang was indeed the capital of the Han Dynasty. The streets were crisscrossed and people came and went. It was a prosperous scene.
"Brother Xuande, do you know that Luoyang is known as the Ninety Six Cities?”Xun You was dressed in white today, looking like a handsome young master.
"Ninety Six City? I'd like to hear the details." Liu Bei was stunned. Wasn't the Imperial City known as the Nine-Five City?
Originally, Luoyang City was a rectangular city, about nine miles from north to south and six miles from east to west, so it was called Nine-Six City.
"I see." After listening to Xun You's explanation, Liu Bei was enlightened.
"Luoyang has four walls and a total of twelve gates. Three for the east and three for the west, four for the south and two for the north." Xun You continued,"The main streets of Luoyang are all connected to the city gates. The main streets intersected with each other and were divided into 24 sections. This was the famous 24th Street of Luoyang.”
Liu Bei only knew about the Twenty Four Moonlit Bridges and where the jade man would learn how to play the flute. He really did not know that Luoyang City had the Twenty Four Streets. He had learned a lot.
"Brother Gongda, in Luoyang, you should be most familiar with the Imperial Palace, right?”Liu Bei was most interested in the Imperial Palace.
Liu Bei had been fortunate enough to visit the Forbidden City several times in his later life. The majestic and magnificent Forbidden City was soul-stirring, and the creativity and artistry of the ancient people were amazing.
Xun You looked at Liu Bei with an inexplicable look and smiled,""Of course. There are Nangong and Beigong in Luoyang. Nangong had the largest front hall…”
Xun You rattled on and on for a long time as if he was counting his family's treasures. What palace? What door? Countless. Liu Bei felt a headache coming on.
"The palace is more complicated. You have to walk in to truly understand.”After Xun You introduced the Northern and Southern Palaces, he said pointedly,""The palace is more complicated, and there are many rules. It was said that the doors of nobility were like the sea, and the palace gates were like the abyss.”
Liu Bei knew that Xun You had misunderstood him and thought that he really wanted to climb up the social ladder.
However, it could not be denied that Liu Bei did have the intention to make Emperor Liu Hong acknowledge his identity as a Han royal relative.
However, being interested in the palace and wanting to enter the palace or trying to climb up the social ladder were two completely different things!
Just like admiring a beauty and wanting to possess a beauty, they were two completely different concepts.
What made Liu Bei helpless was that this seemed to be unexplainable.
(Note: Luoyang City, built here in the early Western Zhou Dynasty, called Chengzhou.) Because it is north of Luoshui River, it was called Luoyang during the Warring States Period. The Han Dynasty continued to use Luoyang. After Cao Wei, it was changed to Luoyang. For the sake of convenience and the need for creation, Luoyang City was mentioned in the book from the very beginning.)
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