With Cao Cao by my side, what do I have to fear from the world?

Chapter 261, Marrying Cao Cao's Daughter

Another reason is that Zhao Yun was, by definition, Liu Xun's elder.

Liu Xun's spear technique came from Zhang Ren's true teachings, and Zhang Ren and Zhao Yun were fellow disciples.

Liu Xun was in high spirits and dared not slack off in the slightest, while Zhao Yun was calm and composed. His reserved and calm personality allowed him to remain calm and collected no matter what situation he faced.

Liu Xun suddenly roared, spurred his horse forward, and took the lead in attacking. Before his warhorse even got close, the spear in his hand was already poised to strike.

A flash of cold light appeared, as if tearing through the air, accompanied by a buzzing sound, and pierced straight towards Zhao Yun's chest.

Zhao Yun remained calm and simply sidestepped, avoiding the attack.

Liu Xun quickly changed his move, sweeping back with his spear. The black shadow of the spear flashed and approached at lightning speed, but Zhao Yun blocked it again.

Liu Xun wielded his spear with wide, sweeping strokes, attacking relentlessly, thrusting left and right in a continuous barrage of attacks, his spear strikes incredibly fierce.

The sparring between the two attracted a large crowd, and Liu Xie watched with great interest from the side.

It's clear that Liu Xun's marksmanship is fierce and sharp, and his attacks are domineering. He is also very determined and is launching a frantic attack with all his might.

But Zhao Yun remained calm and composed, and his spear technique became even more exquisite and unpredictable. The silver spear in his hands seemed to come alive, agile and elegant, with flashing spear shadows and points of cold light, and his moves were ever-changing.

Not only did they neutralize Liu Xun's moves one by one, but their exquisite attacks also kept Liu Xun busy and increasingly passive.

Gradually, the two fought for twenty rounds, which was also because Zhao Yun was holding back to protect his identity.

Otherwise, it wouldn't have taken this long at all.

Suddenly, Zhao Yun's movements quickened, his spear flashing across the sky, displaying the full essence of the Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix Spear Technique.

Liu Xun felt a blur before his eyes and was completely unable to keep up with Zhao Yun's pace. In his haste, he could only try his best to defend, but Zhao Yun still easily broke through his defenses.

Suddenly, a cold wind blew across Liu Xun's neck, and the earth seemed to freeze, everything stopped.

Everything stopped. Zhao Yun's gleaming silver spear came to a steady halt just a finger's width away from Liu Xun's throat.

Zhao Yun nodded slightly to him and said, "Your performance was very good. Your spear technique is somewhat similar to mine. Who taught you?"

Liu Xun found it hard to accept at first, his face was dejected, and he stood there stunned for a long time.

After a long while, he finally spoke, "General Zilong, you are indeed formidable. I humbly admit defeat. My spear technique was taught to me by General Zhang Ren."

"I see."

Zhao Yun was lost in a brief recollection. He was Tong Yuan's last disciple and had never even met his other senior brothers.

Zhao Yun had two senior brothers, the eldest brother Zhang Ren and the second brother Zhang Xiu. Although he had never met Zhang Ren, Zhao Yun had heard his master mention him quite often.

In his master's eyes, Zhang Ren was a steady, loyal, and upright person.

Zhao Yun nodded to Liu Xun with satisfaction again. With this relationship, the two had become much closer without realizing it.

Liu Xie also came over to comfort him, "Zishan, your performance has been very good. Zilong has been learning his skills for many years and has always practiced diligently to achieve what he has today. But don't be discouraged. Keep practicing. You are still young."

Liu Xun nodded vigorously. He had an indomitable spirit that Liu Xie admired.

If he didn't have this kind of personality, he wouldn't have been able to hold out in Luocheng for over a year; he probably would have surrendered long ago.

It's okay if you can't win, but you can't back down or lose your fighting spirit.

There was another place that broadened Liu Xun's horizons: the Tianwu Pavilion, which was managed by Lu Jun.

Unlike the clash of swords and the thunder of war in the barracks, the Tianwu Pavilion is filled with all sorts of strange and wonderful things, as if you have entered another world.

Whether it's plows for farming or weapons, there's a clear division of labor here, and everything is constantly being researched and improved.

Lu Jun smiled and said to Liu Xun, "If His Majesty hadn't personally brought you here, even if you were a member of the imperial family, you wouldn't be able to come in and visit so casually."

Liu Xun picked up a repeating crossbow and examined it carefully. Upon hearing Lu Jun's words, he realized that many things involved needed to be kept strictly confidential.

Lu Jun pointed and explained, "Take this repeating crossbow in your hand, for example. It's the lightest type, small in size, and has a high rate of fire. It can accurately hit the target at a distance of 100 paces. Moreover, it can fire ten shots in quick succession."

Liu Xun couldn't help but gasp; this was just a repeating crossbow that was still being improved.

The Heavenly Treasures Pavilion has more than just this one good thing. A loud knocking sound came from not far away. Liu Xun was attracted by the sound and walked over.

It turned out to be a place for forging swords. The huge furnace was emitting scorching heat. As soon as Liu Xun entered the room, sweat poured down his body. It was just too hot.

Upon seeing Emperor Liu Xie, the blacksmiths inside all turned to look at him. Since the iron-making process could not be easily stopped, Liu Xie gestured for them to continue and not to pay attention to him.

It was so hot here that Liu Xie's forehead was covered in sweat after he came in.

Liu Xun was quickly drawn to a newly forged knife on the table.

The blade is translucent and bright as silver, with many spiral patterns engraved on it, like the most mysterious runes in the world, faintly glowing with a cold blue light.

Liu Xun was eager to pick it up and admire it, but knowing that everything here was top secret, he subconsciously looked at the emperor.

Liu Xie nodded to him. Since he had brought him here, he would not keep it a secret from him.

Liu Xun excitedly picked up the knife. It felt heavy and powerful in his hand. The knife was exquisitely crafted, as if it possessed some kind of magic, making his blood boil. He couldn't help but swing it a couple of times.

The blade whistled through the air with tremendous force. Liu Xie walked over, picked up an ordinary steel knife from the shelf beside him, and said, "Give it a try."

Liu Xun mustered his courage, raised his knife with all his might, and slashed down. Liu Xie blocked with his own knife. With a clang, the ordinary knife in Liu Xie's hand was clearly chipped at the point of impact, leaving a small but noticeable nick.

Liu Xun was shocked and hurriedly asked, "Your Majesty, what kind of knife is this? How can it be so sharp?"

The knife in Liu Xie's hand, though seemingly ordinary, was clearly a steel blade commonly used on the battlefield, far from being of poor quality. Liu Xie smiled, "The one you're holding is a half-finished Hundred-Refined Blade."

To do a good job, one must first have the right tools. Tianwuge is a company that integrates development and improvement, and it has been constantly researching and improving various tools.

Liu Xie spared no expense in recruiting all sorts of skilled craftsmen to Xuchang, where they constantly experimented and improved their techniques.

Those familiar with the Three Kingdoms period know about the Hundred-Refined Blade, which was commissioned by Cao Cao. Although only a few were made, it became famous throughout the world. Its sharpness completely outclassed other battle swords.

Cao Cao was not in the mood to forge swords at the moment, but Liu Xie attached great importance to it. He had already drawn up blueprints for the craftsmen, and with the improvement of the bellows, the furnace temperature for iron smelting was greatly increased, which could better temper and produce fine swords.

After several months of trials, the blacksmiths learned from their failures and finally developed the prototype of the Hundred-Refined Knife.

"Your Majesty, I was just about to tell you. News just came yesterday that the Ma Jun you mentioned has been found in Fufeng County and will arrive in Xudu soon. As for Pu Yuan, there is still no news."

Liu Xie nodded to Lu Jun, and seeing that it was too hot inside, he waved to Liu Xun, "Zishan, let's go outside to talk."

Liu Xun reluctantly put down the Hundred-Refined Blade. After coming out, his expression was still in shock. "Your Majesty, that blade is already so sharp, yet it's only a half-finished product. Does that mean the finished product is even more powerful?"

Liu Xie nodded and said, "Yes, this is because the furnace temperature has increased again, and correspondingly, the steel knives produced can also be improved again."

Liu Xun clicked his tongue in admiration, truly unable to imagine how terrifying it would be if the finished product were uniformly equipped to the soldiers on the battlefield.

Moreover, the emperor did not stop his pace of improvement and research. The Tianwu Pavilion had everything he could possibly need, which truly broadened his horizons.

In addition, many horse farms were built in the suburbs of Xuchang, and the imperial court had begun to breed warhorses locally.

This greatly intrigued Liu Xun, who curiously asked the emperor, "Your Majesty, aren't excellent warhorses only produced in the border regions? Can those bred locally be any good?"

Liu Xie's expression became much more serious. "Zishan, you asked a good question. The Central Plains are indeed not suitable for breeding fine warhorses. Some harsh and cold border regions, such as Liangzhou, Youzhou, and Bingzhou, are good at producing fine horses, especially the Ferghana horses of Liangzhou, which are unparalleled in the world. However, although the warhorses in these places are good, their numbers are really too few."

"Although the Central Plains has a mild environment, it is not very suitable for breeding warhorses. However, nothing is absolute and it is not entirely impossible. It is estimated that the success rate is about five to one. For every five warhorses bred, only one will meet the requirements and be able to go to the battlefield."

This is indeed a very troublesome problem. Liu Xun frowned and asked in confusion, "If that's the case, then why is Your Majesty still willing to expend so much effort? Don't you think it's not worth it?"

Breeding warhorses requires occupying a large amount of open land, and over the course of a year, they also need to consume a considerable amount of fodder. With a success rate of five to one, Liu Xun felt that was too low.

Liu Xie laughed, “Zishan, if you look at it that way, then it is indeed a losing proposition. However, we can look at it from another angle. Currently, there is a general shortage of draft cattle, and livestock for transportation are also in short supply. Those warhorses that cannot go to the battlefield will not be wasted. They can be used for plowing, pulling carts, and as a means of transportation. Moreover, with the accumulation of breeding experience, ranches can be spread to various places in the future. Sometimes, we need to look at the problem comprehensively.”

Liu Xun suddenly realized his mistake and felt somewhat ashamed. He hurriedly said, "Thank you for clearing up my doubts, Your Majesty. I have learned a lot."

That makes sense. Even if the breeding fails and it can't be used for the battlefield immediately, it can still be used for plowing and hauling goods.

During the late Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period, oxen were in extremely short supply. In many places, private households were not allowed to own oxen, and they were all under the control of the government.

Unless the ox dies of disease or old age, anyone caught secretly slaughtering and eating an ox could be beheaded.

The barracks, the Tianwu Pavilion, the horse farm—in just a few days, Liu Xun broadened his horizons and benefited greatly. As expected of the capital of the Han Dynasty, there were many things that Liu Xun had never seen before in all his years.

In addition to the horse farm, Liu Xie also envisioned other livestock farms being built.

For example, raising cattle, pigs, and donkeys... Liu Xie wanted to fundamentally improve the country's strength and gradually improve the lives of the people.

Liu Xie spent a few days taking Liu Xun for leisurely strolls, which greatly moved Liu Xun.

The emperor put aside his own affairs to accompany him, which was an immense honor.

That afternoon, Liu Xie arrived at the Imperial Secretariat. Everyone was used to seeing the emperor and greeted him with smiles.

Liu Xie was always easygoing, and even if he was busy with work and didn't have time to bow, he wouldn't mind.

Liu Xie approached Xun Yu and Jia Xu and shared his thoughts.

"Today I have come to discuss with you two something. I wish to bestow a marriage upon Liu Xun."

Xun Yu said, "Your Majesty, this is a good thing. Your Majesty has personally bestowed this marriage upon Liu Zhang and his son. They will surely be deeply grateful and will not easily betray the court."

Jia Xu glanced at Xun Yu and noticed that Xun Yu was now completely on the emperor's side, and with Cao Cao's tacit approval, which was quite remarkable.

Liu Xie asked, "But I wonder which family's daughter is suitable to marry Liu Xun?"

Ideally, a woman of marriageable age should be chosen from the royal family to marry into the royal family, thus achieving the desired effect of a peace marriage. However, Liu Xie only has one son so far, so marrying a princess out is out of the question.

Liu Xie's sisters had all married young, so he could only start with the daughters of the ministers around him.

Jia Xu squinted and glanced at Xun Yu again, then his eyes suddenly brightened considerably.

Xun Yu felt a chill run down his spine, a vague sense of foreboding creeping into his heart.

Jia Xu said, "Your Majesty, Prime Minister Cao's second daughter is not young anymore, and she is of exceptional character and appearance. I'm afraid there is no more suitable candidate than her."

Logically speaking, Jia Xu was most adept at protecting himself. Even if he had such intentions, he couldn't have shown them openly when he married Cao Cao's daughter.

However, the situation is completely different now. It was Jia Xu who helped the emperor regain control of Xuchang, and he had already been blacklisted by Cao Cao.

It was no longer possible for Jia Xu to conceal his talents and lie low to protect himself, because from the moment he switched allegiance to the emperor, he had no way out and could only stand firmly on the emperor's side.

"Oh? Is this appropriate?" Liu Xie hadn't expected Jia Xu to recommend Cao Cao's daughter.

Jia Xu nodded, "Prime Minister Cao is highly regarded by His Majesty and is the most loyal minister of the Han Dynasty. In terms of status and position, he is the best candidate. When people in the world learn of this, they will praise Prime Minister Cao for his loyalty to the country and his ability to consider the overall situation and share the burden of the court."

Xun Yu felt a bit of a headache. Cao Cao did indeed have many children, and Xun Yu's status was suitable, but Cao Cao had always harbored a grudge, and he would certainly not willingly agree to this marriage.

Marrying Cao Cao's daughter to win people's hearts was a scheme that benefited the emperor, but no matter how you look at it, Cao Cao lost out.

"Wenhe, do you think we should send someone to discuss this with Lord Cao and inform him in advance?"

(End of this chapter)