Seeing Kong Rong happily packing his bags, his wife couldn't help but say, "General Guan said that the enemy troops outside have not yet retreated, and we should wait until it is safe before setting off."
"Husband, you're packing a little too early, aren't you?"
Kong Rong glared at her, "What does a woman know!"
"I'm just annoyed seeing that kid strutting around in front of me all day!"
"Now that I think about finally being able to return to Liu Yu Province, without having to watch that kid's face, I don't know how happy I am!"
Hearing this, Kong Rong's wife said, "At least Young Master Yuan Xi saved our family's lives. If we had fallen into the hands of someone as unscrupulous as Sun Ce for too long, who knows what would have happened to us."
Kong Rong's face immediately turned ugly upon hearing this, and he angrily said, "I don't see that Yuan Xi is much better than Sun Ce!"
"Sun Ce is lustful, so Yuan Xi is better?"
"Among the gentry, there are many rumors about him!"
Hearing this, Kong Rong's wife said in a low voice, "Didn't they say that most of these rumors are false?"
"Previously, it was rumored that he took Lady Huan and her daughter as concubines, but in the end, he had his wife, Lady Zhen, recognize Lady Huan as her adoptive mother, and he also wanted to redress Bian Rang's grievances. Didn't you praise him a few times when you heard about it, husband?"
Kong Rong was temporarily unable to refute, and after a while, he said resentfully, "Who knows what he's up to? I think he has a special interest in daughters of the gentry!"
"The daughter of Cai Yong, the leading scholar, was forcibly taken as a concubine. This is simply a great contempt for the reputation of the gentry!"
Kong Rong's daughter said softly from the side, "But I heard from Sister Cai Yan that she was willing."
Kong Rong angrily said, "Adults are talking, children go play aside!"
Hearing this, Kong Rong's daughter pouted and went to the side to sulk.
Kong Rong's wife sighed, "I know you're angry, husband, but why take it out on our daughter?"
Kong Rong was furious, "How can I not be angry!"
"He sent you back to Xu Province, and you even rode in the same carriage. This is deliberately shaming the Kong family!"
Kong Rong's wife sighed, "Didn't I say that the carriage broke down that day, and it was unavoidable?"
"Does my husband suspect that he and us in the same carriage behaved improperly?"
Kong Rong shouted, "Avoid suspicion, understand? Avoid suspicion!"
"Acting like that, do you not care about your reputations anymore?"
Kong Rong's wife sighed quietly, "What my husband said is indeed correct. I admit that Yuan Xi was a bit inconsiderate in doing so."
Hearing this, Kong Rong thought that his wife had softened, and said smugly, "Right?"
"How can I not be angry when he does this?"
Kong Rong's wife said in a calm tone, "Has my husband thought about another matter?"
Kong Rong was stunned, "What matter?"
Kong Rong's wife slowly opened her mouth, "When my daughter and I were trapped in Beihai and captured by Yuan Tan's army, did we still have our reputations?"
"When our family was captured by Sun Ce's army a few days ago, did my daughter and I still have our reputations?"
"Does my husband think that is why the Yang family of Mount Tai has been dragging their feet on the marriage proposal, and hasn't come to propose marriage yet?"
"I'm afraid you still resent me for not dying to preserve my chastity, right?"
"I'm not afraid of death, what I don't understand is, why should we die when the evildoers are the ones who plunder other people's wives and daughters?"
Kong Rong's face turned purple, and after holding it in for a long time, he said angrily, "I know, you're angry that I ran away in the first place!"
Kong Rong's wife sneered, "How can I not be angry!"
"You ran away silently, leaving us mother and daughter behind!"
Kong Rong defended himself, "It was an emergency! If I had died, wouldn't the Kong family have been wiped out?"
"Liu Yu Province, the lord of a province, had his wife captured, let alone a mere idler like me?"
"Don't think that Yuan Xi is riding high now. If he suffers a defeat, wouldn't he abandon his wife and children just the same?"
Kong Rong's daughter said softly, "Young Master is not that kind of person."
Kong Rong waved his hand, "Go, go, go, children don't interrupt!"
"Could it be that you're infatuated with that kid and want to marry him?"
"Although it's true that he saved you twice, don't get any ideas. A daughter of the Kong family can only be a principal wife!"
"Don't even think about learning from Cai Yan. Cai Yong is already dead, so he can't jump out of his coffin. I'm not dead, and I can't afford to lose that face!"
Hearing this, tears welled up in Kong Rong's daughter's eyes, and she lowered her head. Kong Rong's wife hugged her daughter with heartache, glared at Kong Rong, and sighed helplessly.
She and Kong Rong argued, but after all, Kong Rong was the head of the family, and her daughter's marriage had already been decided, and she had no power to change it.
Guan Yu left the mansion, settled his soldiers in the city's barracks, and after explaining everything to his subordinates, he had them start cooking.
After he and the soldiers ate two bowls of mixed grain rice in front of the pot, he got up and left the barracks, riding his horse alone to patrol Guangling City.
Guan Yu found that Yuan Xi had not sent anyone to follow him, and thought to himself that this Yuan family fierce tiger did have some magnanimity. He carefully observed the expressions of the passersby and found that most people looked normal, not at all like there was a war going on outside the city.
When Liu Bei governed Xu Province, Guan Yu had also been to Guangling. The behavior of the residents in the city at that time was no better than it was today.
Guan Yu was curious. Yuan Xi's army was not local to Xu Province, and his ally Cao Cao had slaughtered Xu Province before. Logically speaking, the people in this city should have been more dissatisfied, but how come it was not what he had expected?
Guan Yu was full of curiosity and wanted to dismount and ask a few people, but on second thought, he had come this time to welcome back Liu Bei's wife and daughter who had been rescued by Yuan Xi. If he took this opportunity to inquire about the affairs in Guangling City, it would not be upright and aboveboard. Thinking of this, he had to give up.
Guan Yu circled around the street, but saw Tai Shi Ci riding towards him in the distance. When he got closer, he cupped his fist and said, "Greetings, General Guan."
Guan Yu also cupped his fist in return and said, "Greetings, General Tai Shi."
Now the two were both Separate Commandants under Liu Bei and Yuan Xi, and their status was considered equal.
Guan Yu thought regretfully in his heart. He had already heard about Tai Shi Ci's draw with Sun Ce. If Liu Bei could have recruited Tai Shi Ci that day, he would not have had to travel alone, making him exhausted and almost dying from being ganged up on.
Tai Shi Ci said, "On the orders of the Young Master, I invite General Guan to a banquet."
Guan Yu said, "Thank you for the Young Master's kindness, Yu has already eaten."
Hearing this, Tai Shi Ci was not surprised and said, "If that's the case, how about Ci inviting the General to have a drink?"
Hearing this, Guan Yu said, "The war has not subsided, and Yu dares not drink."
Hearing this, Tai Shi Ci thought to himself that everything was as the Young Master had expected. This Guan Yu was truly a good general, but unfortunately, he could not be used by the Young Master.
He smiled and said, "Since that's the case, then we won't drink. Let's find a place to sit down, and let Ci be the host to apologize for the affairs of Qing Province?"
Guan Yu said, "On the battlefield, we are each loyal to our own lord. What crime is there for the General?"
Tai Shi Ci had no choice but to say, "Actually, the Young Master has some words that need to be conveyed to Liu Yu Province."
Hearing this, Guan Yu nodded in agreement. The two rode side by side, and Guan Yu suddenly said, "If that's the case, why doesn't Envoy Yuan come in person?"
"Could it be that he looks down on Guan?"
Tai Shi Ci said with a wry smile, "The Young Master said that General Guan doesn't like him, so he won't come to spoil the General's mood."
"The Young Master also said that the General doesn't like the gentry. After counting, only Ci is from a poor background, so he won't be hated by the General."
Guan Yu's heart stirred, "Does Envoy Yuan seem to know me very well?"
"Did he specifically inquire about my affairs?"
Tai Shi Ci honestly replied, "Ci really doesn't know."
Guan Yu thought of Yuan Xi's previous actions and couldn't help but sneer, "Envoy Yuan is quite capable, both in literary and military strategy, and he also has a very discerning eye and is good at recruiting talents."
"Zi Long and General Tai Shi, and even Tian Yu, who is highly valued by the Lord, have all been recruited under his command. In this regard, Guan is very impressed."
"Could it be that Envoy thinks that he can use the same method to recruit Guan?"
Hearing this, Tai Shi Ci smiled slightly, "If the Young Master had this idea, he should have come in person at this time."
Seeing that Tai Shi Ci said it so bluntly, Guan Yu's face showed surprise. He looked arrogant and said, "It seems that Envoy thinks that Guan is not qualified compared to the three of them."
Hearing this, Tai Shi Ci shook his head and said, "Where did General Guan think of? Today, Ci watched from the city wall as the General fought alone against the Jiangdong heroes, shaking the three armies. Ci is far from being able to match him."
"The Young Master also praised the General incessantly, saying that the General's martial arts can be ranked in the top three among the contemporary martial generals."
Guan Yu was surprised and said, "I didn't expect Envoy to think so highly of Yu?"
Tai Shi Ci said, "Not only that, but the Young Master also praised the General for his outstanding wisdom, not just a reckless brave general, but a man of both literary and military talent."
Everyone likes to hear nice words, and Guan Yu was a little proud when he first heard this, but he immediately woke up and said coldly, "Is Envoy flattering me to confuse me?"
Tai Shi Ci smiled and said, "The Young Master has no such intention."
Guan Yu sneered. This was clearly giving him a sweet pill, but in the end, he still wanted to make him submit to the Yuan family!
Seeing Guan Yu's disbelieving look, Tai Shi Ci said, "The Young Master once said."
"General is unparalleled in loyalty and righteousness, and it is absolutely impossible to betray Liu Yu Province."
"So from the beginning, he had no intention of recruiting the General."
Guan Yu was suddenly stunned.
The hooves of the horses clip-clopped. Seeing Guan Yu riding on his horse in silence, Tai Shi Ci passed two long streets, and Guan Yu sighed deeply.
"The one who knows me is Envoy Yuan."
At this time, inside Sun Ce's military camp outside Guangling City, Sun Ce saw that all the generals under his command were injured, and their morale was much worse than before. He walked back and forth in anger.
Today, he was rushed by Guan Yu, and Tai Shi Ci and Tian Yu took the opportunity to attack him from the side, resulting in a lot of losses.
What's more, an urgent message came from Xiapi, saying that Cao Cao's army had increased its troops, led by several generals of Cao's army, and joined forces with Cao Ren to attack Tancheng!
If Sun Ce doesn't hurry back, Tancheng will be in danger of falling!
Sun Ce was full of bitterness. He finally understood Liu Bei's feelings now.
Xu Province is simply an ominous place. Anyone who wants to get involved will have to face the siege of several parties at the same time!
It was ridiculous that when he conquered Guangling from Yangzhou, he was still ambitious, but now he was in an extremely embarrassing situation. Not only was he being besieged by three parties, but he might not even be able to keep Xiapi!
But if he retreats to Tancheng like this, not only will he fail to conquer Guangling and suffer losses, but his idea of secretly saving his mother, Madam Wu, will also fall through!