Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Before they knew it, the sun had already risen high in the sky. Meanwhile, Cao Ang and Guo Jia arrived at Xun Yu's residence. Arriving at the door, they were startled by the bustling scene before them. The crowd in front of the residence was a chaotic mess.

Cao Ang couldn't help but remark, "This Xun Lingjun seems quite important in Chang'an, seeing how busy he seems with government affairs." Guo Jia frowned slightly, then thought for a moment before a faint smile played on his lips. "I'm afraid this is the trick of that old fox Li Ru. When we spoke with Xun Lingjun yesterday, he seemed so eager to return to Xu Du that I'm afraid they've alerted them. They're worried that Xun Lingjun might become too close to us, so they're using these mundane matters to tie his hands."

Cao Ang, having heard Guo Jia's analysis, suddenly understood. He nodded and said, "Mr. Guo is absolutely right. Li Ru is a cunning man, and he must have sensed something. It seems we must act even more cautiously. We must not let small mistakes lead to big consequences." Guo Jia looked gravely at Xun Yu, who was busy in the mansion, and said, "That's right. Let's wait and see how Lord Xun handles this. Let's not rush in, lest we bring him unnecessary trouble."

The two men arrived at the gatehouse and explained their purpose: "Please inform the gatekeeper that an old friend is here to visit Lord Xun." The gatekeeper smiled and said, "The master has already instructed yesterday that if you two come, you should come in directly. Come on, follow me in."

The three of them entered the mansion and saw Xun Yu surrounded by people, writing furiously with a look of intense concentration. Seeing this, Guo Jia hurriedly said, "Your Majesty is busy with affairs, and we are sorry to bother you with our presence." Xun Yu quickly put down his pen and tried to stand up to greet them, but several people tugged at his clothes. Xun Yu looked helpless and said, "Please take a seat while I finish these matters." Cao Ang quickly said, "That's all right, Your Majesty, please go ahead and do your business."

After that, Cao Ang and Guo Jia sat down to the side and watched Xun Yu busy himself. Cao Ang inadvertently raised his eyes and caught a glimpse of a woman standing beside him. She had a graceful figure, like a willow branch swaying in the spring breeze, light and soft. Her fair face was as delicate and smooth as mutton-fat jade, with a faint halo in the sunlight. Her eyes were like deep pools, clear and bright, revealing agility and intelligence in her glance. Her nose was slender and straight, like a jade peak, adding a touch of refinement to her face. Her cherry lips were naturally red, and the slightly upturned corners of her mouth were filled with a perfect smile, as if it could dispel all the haze in the world. Her black hair was as soft and shiny as ink, casually tied up, with a few strands of hair hanging down beside her cheeks, adding a touch of gentleness and charm. Cao Ang looked at her, and a ripple in his heart could not help but surge.

After Guo Jia sat down, he carefully observed Xun Yu's busy appearance. Turning his head, he noticed Cao Ang was somewhat dazed. Following his gaze, Guo Jia saw a graceful woman standing nearby. Guo Jia sensed something was amiss and quietly tugged at Cao Ang.

Cao Ang finally woke up from his dream and said, "Hey, Mr. Fengxiao, what's going on?" Guo Jia leaned close to Cao Ang and whispered in his ear, "Sir, don't be careless. This woman has a strange background and we don't know her true identity. Don't fall for old Li Ru's honey trap."

Cao Ang's heart trembled, and he immediately realized his loss of composure, quickly pushing those chaotic thoughts out of his mind. It wasn't Cao Ang's fault; he was still young, an age prone to falling in love. Ma Yunlu was incredibly beautiful. After all, her brother, Jin Ma Chao, was handsome, so how could his sister, Ma Yunlu, be any less? Her delicate features, lively eyes, and unique aura in every gesture were truly captivating. But Cao Ang knew the current situation was complex, and he couldn't let his momentary infatuation lead him to miss out on important matters.

At this time, Xun Yu had finally finished dealing with a matter. He took the time to look at Cao Ang and Guo Jia, and said apologetically: "I'm really sorry, both of you, for keeping you waiting for so long. Although these matters are trivial, they are related to the livelihood of the people and cannot be delayed." Cao Ang quickly came to his senses and said: "Lord Xun cares about the people, which is admirable. We know the importance and it won't be a problem." Guo Jia also smiled and agreed: "Yes, Lord Xun is dedicated to the people, which is a blessing for the people. I just don't know who this girl is?" Guo Jia seemed to casually lead the topic to Ma Yunlu, but in fact he was secretly paying attention to everyone's reactions.

Ma Yunlu bowed gracefully and said, "Gentlemen, I am Ma Yunlu, the daughter of General Ma Teng. I heard that Mr. Xun was handling the affairs of the people, so I came to help." Cao Ang and Guo Jia were startled, not expecting this woman to be Ma Teng's daughter. Cao Ang quickly stood up and returned the greeting, saying, "It's Miss Ma. My apologies. I just saw you helping with the affairs. Your organization is clear and organized, and you are as capable as a man. It's truly admirable." Ma Yunlu smiled slightly and said, "You are too kind, sir. I can only do my best to help."

On the surface, the atmosphere was harmonious, with pleasantries passing through. However, Guo Jia knew that in Xiliang, every move held hidden agendas. Ma Yunlu's appearance at this moment might indicate a deeper plot by Li Ru and the others. However, his young master's behavior made him more cautious, lest he fall into a trap and ruin his grand plan of forming an alliance with Xiliang and helping Xun Yu escape.

The people didn't give them the chance to chat. As soon as Xun Yu paused, more people gathered around him, pleading with him. With no other choice, Xun Yu continued to attend to his affairs. After each issue, Xun Yu wrote down his opinions on a piece of paper and handed it to Ma Yunlu. Ma Yunlu quickly arranged for a female guard to provide detailed instructions on where to go and who to contact. Everything was perfectly organized.

Ma Yunlu was beautiful, yet her actions were not at all delicate or artificial; instead, she was decisive and swift. As she arranged the female guards, her demeanor, like a general commanding a vast army on the battlefield, exuded a heroic aura. This scene left Cao Ang transfixed, his gaze fixed on Ma Yunlu, as if under a spell.

Guo Jia took in Cao Ang's expression, his mind racing. He knew Cao Ang was young and easily attracted to beauty, but now in Xiliang, the situation was complex and a single misstep could lead to disaster. Guo Jia coughed softly and nudged Cao Ang with his elbow, implying he should be careful. But Cao Ang was only momentarily startled, then quickly returned her gaze to Ma Yunlu, completely absorbed in her every move, seemingly oblivious to the danger and the weight of the responsibility she bore. Guo Jia was secretly anxious, but he couldn't lose his temper in public. He could only pray that Cao Ang would recover quickly and not let his momentary distraction lead to a major event.

Meanwhile, Xun Yu, though busy attending to the affairs of the people, had also sensed something was amiss with Cao Ang. He harbored a deep concern, knowing that if Cao Ang lost his composure here, it would not only jeopardize his own escape plan but also potentially undermine his alliance with Xiliang against Yuan Shao. However, he was unable to do anything else and could only silently hope that Cao Ang would stay sober and not fall into this gentle trap.

In fact, Ma Yunlu had noticed this young man the moment Guo Jia and Cao Ang entered. He was dressed in a brocade robe, perfectly tailored, exuding an air of elegance. At his waist hung a long sword, its scabbard beautifully decorated, hinting at his extraordinary presence. Tall and slender, his posture erect like a pine tree, he exuded a unique aura even just standing there. His face, bright and luminous, seemed to contain the vast sea of ​​stars, deep and captivating. His sword-like eyebrows slanted into his temples, revealing a heroic air. His whole person was full of youthful energy, like the rising sun, radiating the vitality of youth.

The young man had been staring at her since he entered, and while she felt a little embarrassed and annoyed, she wasn't truly angry. Finally, she couldn't help but yell, "Idiot, what are you staring at? If you keep looking at me, I'll gouge your eyes out."

Cao Ang saw that Ma Yunlu was not really angry, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly as he continued, "Young lady, you are the daughter of Uncle Ma and the sister of the King of Liang. You are of noble status. In my opinion, you should be gentle and generous. How can you be so aggressive as to threaten me?"

Ma Yunlu raised her eyebrows when she heard this, and said with her hands on her hips, "Humph, this is how I've always behaved. I don't need an outsider like you to point fingers at me. Besides, who told you to keep staring at me? Don't you think I'm allowed to say a few words?"

Cao Ang smiled and said, "Miss Ma, please don't be angry. I was rude. But you are so beautiful and your actions are so decisive and efficient that I can't help but look at you a few more times."

Ma Yunlu's cheeks turned slightly red, and she turned her head away and said, "He is so smooth-talking and only knows how to say nice things to coax people." Although she said this, she did not really blame Cao Ang in her heart.

At this time, Xun Yu had finally finished dealing with a few things. He turned around and saw this scene. Feeling a little helpless, he said, "You two, there are still many things to deal with. I hope you won't be delayed by trivial matters."

Cao Ang and Ma Yunlu finally came to their senses. Cao Ang gave an awkward smile and said, "Lord Xun is right. I was negligent." Ma Yunlu also coughed lightly and returned to his previous serious demeanor when commanding the female guards. However, this little episode had quietly buried a different feeling in this tense situation, making the whole atmosphere somewhat subtle.

Thanks to Zhang Yan's deliberate arrangements, even before matters were completed, families of the Black Mountain Army arrived in droves. Surrounded by civilians, each one recounting their own trivial matters, Xun Yu was completely consumed. From dawn until noon, there wasn't even time for a meal; only tea and snacks were served to ease the crowd. Cao Ang and Guo Jia sat off to the side, unable to find a chance to engage in conversation with Xun Yu.

Cao Ang would occasionally steal a glance at the graceful Ma Yunlu. Even in her busy state, she maintained an elegant demeanor, her every gesture revealing a dashing and heroic spirit. Her delicate face, illuminated by the sunlight, looked even more radiant and charming. Cao Ang didn't find the long wait boring at all.

In this way, until the sun set and the sky gradually darkened, Xun Yu finally finished handling the affairs of the people. But by then, everyone was exhausted, and after a day of hardship, there was no suitable atmosphere to sit down and have a good discussion.

Seeing this situation, Guo Jia knew that he could not have a deep conversation with Xun Yu today, so he had to get up and take his leave, and took Cao Ang back to the inn.