Chapter 1049: "Zhao Yun, Who is Fully Prepared"

After Zhao Yun received Liu Bei's orders, Fenggao was set in motion. There were many things that needed to be moved, especially a rare treasure like the Xuanyuan Cauldron. It was well known that several immortals coveted such a unique item.

The safety of the journey was of paramount importance. If an immortal did indeed attempt an ambush, it could cause significant harm to the convoy, which primarily consisted of the families of the officials.

This was also the main reason Liu Bei sent Zhao Yun to escort the families. While it was ideal if no immortals appeared, they had to be prepared for the worst. It wasn’t wise to rely solely on the hope that enemies wouldn’t show up.

As for Ma Yunlu, she had already returned to Yongzhou some time ago. After all, her initial reason for sneaking away had been to search for her father and brother. Although Zhao Yun had sent a letter to Ma Teng explaining everything, Ma Yunlu still had to return home for the New Year since she wasn’t married yet.

Even though they weren’t officially married, and while Ma Yunlu had initially been unaware of Zhao Yun’s feelings, she eventually realized his intentions after he spent a great deal of time and money.

Though Ma Yunlu felt somewhat helpless after realizing that Zhao Yun had not been as innocent as she had thought, she accepted the situation without making a fuss.

Zhao Yun was, after all, an extraordinarily handsome man who, even at the age of thirty, still looked like a strapping young man of eighteen. He was also a renowned martial artist, holding a high-ranking position and standing at the heart of Liu Bei’s inner circle. In the current situation, there were few men in the world whose circumstances were better than Zhao Yun's.

Of course, Ma Yunlu hadn’t exactly shown Zhao Yun much affection. After the matter came to light, she left soon afterward, which did leave Zhao Yun feeling a bit disheartened. Fortunately, Liu Bei’s camp had some seasoned veterans in the matters of romance, with Yang Xiu being among the best—after all, he had once successfully eloped with the highly sheltered Cai Zhenji.

In Yang Xiu's view, Zhao Yun had already succeeded more than halfway. According to Zhao Yun, although Ma Yunlu had not treated him kindly, she still stayed with him for several days before saying she was going back home.

"Do you think this approach will work?" Zhao Yun asked Yang Xiu with some hesitation, beginning to doubt whether this particular strategist was reliable.

"If you’re not planning to marry her, then you shouldn’t be doing this," Yang Xiu said, narrowing his eyes as he looked at Zhao Yun. Since Fenggao currently lacked many senior officials, and given his own abilities, Yang Xiu had been promoted from county magistrate to the chief official of Fenggao.

As the supervisor of an entire county, Yang Xiu wasn’t exactly enthusiastic about the job. He was fully aware of his limitations compared to those naturally gifted geniuses. Instead, he focused most of his energy on ensuring his descendants would thrive, as he believed his son could potentially match those geniuses.

"But if I go through with this, I’m worried that not only will Yunlu reject me, but her family might also kill me," Zhao Yun said with a bitter smile.

Yang Xiu chuckled coldly. "You can always bring her back with you. And are you really afraid of her family attacking you? Besides, if you're worried, couldn’t you be more discreet? And even if they do find out, what can they do to you? At worst, you can elope. With your strength, you could easily flee back to Lord Xuande’s side, and someone will surely mediate for you!"

Yang Xiu shared some of his experience with Zhao Yun, explaining that in families with scholarly or noble roots, such situations were usually downplayed and settled quietly.

Of course, if the family in question was a military clan, it would be a different story. But for someone like Zhao Yun, a supreme martial artist, the stronger the family, the easier they were to deal with.

"I’m just afraid she won’t accept..." Zhao Yun hesitated, remembering Yang Xiu’s wife, the young Lady Cai, who was only a teenager. He couldn’t help but cough awkwardly.

"Do you really want to see her marry someone else? Can you bear the thought of her being in another man’s arms? If you don’t act, how will you ever know the result?" Yang Xiu said slyly, enjoying persuading someone as straightforward as Zhao Yun.

"No way!" Zhao Yun’s eyes flared with determination. "I’ll do it! What’s so scary about the Ma family? On New Year’s Eve, I’ll go and take her!"

"That’s the spirit! A man must do something unforgettable in his life—like me, for instance..." Yang Xiu began to recount the tale of his deceased wife with a melancholic expression, but his face quickly brightened when he started talking about his current wife, Lady Cai. His demeanor became proud and vibrant.

"Click!" As Yang Xiu was in the middle of sharing his experience, the door suddenly swung open, revealing Cai Zhenji standing there in a thick, woolen robe, glaring silently at Yang Xiu.

Cough, cough, cough! "Zilong, you know how it is..." Yang Xiu muttered, slipping out of the room in embarrassment. Meanwhile, a rare gentle smile appeared on Cai Zhenji’s face as her husband left.

"General Zhao, while my husband may have been joking earlier, I do believe that, with your abilities, his advice is suitable for you. Since you came to ask my husband for guidance, I imagine you already have your own plan in mind," Cai Zhenji said, bowing slightly to Zhao Yun after Yang Xiu had left. Though she had come to scold her husband, she would not undermine him in front of others.

"I feel more reassured by your words, Lady Cai," Zhao Yun said with a wry smile. While he found Yang Xiu somewhat unreliable, he trusted Cai Zhenji’s judgment more, especially given the esteemed reputation of her sister, Cai Yan.

"A husband and wife are one. I simply agree with my husband’s words," Cai Zhenji responded, shaking her head modestly.

Zhao Yun nodded in agreement, then asked, "Does Lady Cai plan to go to Ye City or settle in Taishan?"

Originally, people like Yang Xiu, Cai Zhenji, and Cai Yan were supposed to relocate to Ye City, as both Cai Zhenji and Cai Yan were considered part of Li You’s household. Although they were more like distant relatives, with Li You acting as a guardian, there was no denying that they belonged to his extended family.

Despite Li You’s peculiar personality, he was known for keeping his promises. He had once vowed to take care of the Cai family, and he fully intended to fulfill that promise, which meant the Cai family would also need to relocate.

"My husband will decide that," Cai Zhenji replied, shaking her head, unwilling to overstep Yang Xiu's authority.

"We’re moving to Ye City!" Yang Xiu reappeared at the door, this time with the demeanor of a refined scholar, in stark contrast to his earlier sneaky exit.

To Yang Xiu, the roots of the Taishan Yang family were not important. What mattered were the descendants. If each generation of the Yang family surpassed the previous one, the Taishan Yang family would naturally flourish.

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