Wait, short-lived ghost?
Yuan Shu seemed to have guessed who this boy named Wei Zhen was.
Isn't he that short-lived husband of Cai Wenji, Wei Zhongdao?
No wonder this guy was looking at little Cai Wenji with such a strange gaze—he had already set his sights on his junior sister!
Realizing that the boy was Wei Zhongdao, Yuan Shu's favorability toward both of them immediately dropped to negative.
At this moment, Cai Yong and Zhou Yi walked out from the inner hall one after the other.
Seeing Wei Kai, Cai Yong was very pleased and stepped forward to say:
"Bo Ru, my virtuous nephew, has your father sent you to visit this old man again?"
Wei Kai was evidently quite familiar with Cai Yong. He bowed and replied:
"My father always keeps Uncle Cai in his thoughts, but the journey is long, and he cannot endure the hardship of travel. So, he sent me to pay my respects instead."
Cai Yong seemed to recall some fond memories, his gaze filled with nostalgia:
"When your father and I became friends, we were about your age.
Now, even meeting him once has become difficult."
Wei Kai smiled and said:
"My father once said that Uncle Cai is a broad-minded person, and deep relationships are not measured by days spent together."
Cai Yong was delighted by Wei Kai's words and laughed:
"Your father, Lord Wei, truly understands me. Since you've come from afar, come in and rest."
Wei Kai responded, "Then I shall accept your hospitality.
Uncle Cai, this is my younger brother, Wei Zhen. He has loved Confucian studies since childhood.
When he heard I was visiting Master Cai, he insisted on coming along."
Wei Zhen stepped forward at the right moment and bowed:
"Nephew Wei Zhen greets Uncle Cai."
While saluting Cai Yong, he kept sneaking glances at Cai Wenji.
Cai Yong noticed that Wei Zhen was peeking at his daughter, but instead of being annoyed, he chuckled and said:
"It seems Lord Wei still remembers the marriage agreement we made years ago for our children.
Well, the children are still young—we can discuss this again in a few years."
Yuan Shu was on the verge of breaking down upon hearing this.
From the way Master Cai spoke, did that mean the short-lived ghost already had an engagement with Junior Sister?
No way! No matter what, I can't let Junior Sister marry this guy!
As they followed Cai Yong into the inner hall, Yuan Shu secretly asked Cai Wenji:
"Junior Sister, what do you think of that kid Wei Zhen?"
Cai Wenji didn't even hesitate before replying disdainfully:
"That boy's gaze is frivolous—he doesn't seem like a good person. Yan'er doesn't like him."
Hearing this, Yuan Shu was overjoyed.
If Junior Sister didn't like him, then that meant there was still a chance!
Cai Yong indeed seemed to have a deep friendship with Wei Kai's father and was quite fond of the Wei brothers.
He even held a rare banquet at his residence in their honor and invited them to stay for a few days.
The brothers were eager for such an invitation and moved into the Cai residence immediately, much to Yuan Shu's frustration.
As the year-end approached, Xizhi Cai returned to Luoyang from Wansheng Manor to celebrate the New Year, leaving only a few generals behind to train the troops.
With Yue Fei overseeing everything, taking a few days off wasn't an issue for Xizhi Cai.
Coincidentally, Yuan Shu was feeling annoyed today and also had important matters to discuss with Xizhi Cai, so he headed to his residence.
At Xizhi Cai's residence in the southern part of the city, during the Shen hour.
It was mealtime. In his room, Xizhi Cai had set up a small table, sharing a few drinks with Yuan Shu.
Outside, heavy snow was falling, while inside, the charcoal burned with a crackling sound.
Yuan Shu and Xizhi Cai sat cross-legged, with only three to five small dishes on the table.
The dishes were few, but they were exquisite and delicious.
Yuan Shu took a sip of "Xiao Hong Chen" and said:
"Sir, when spring comes next year, I will be resigning from my post and going to a local position. Where do you think would be the best place for me to go?"
Xi Zhicai answered without hesitation:
"It must be Nanyang."
"Oh? Why Nanyang?" Yuan Shu asked.
Xi Zhicai smiled, tapped the candlestick beside him with his folding fan, and instantly, the fabric covering the wall on the opposite side fell.
Yuan Shu looked at the wall, which had a map depicting all the prefectures of the Han Dynasty.
Xi Zhicai pointed at the map and said:
"My lord, Nanyang is the gateway to Jingxiang, bordering Sili to the north, Yanzhou and Yuzhou to the east, and extending southward to Jingzhou and Yangzhou.
If chaos breaks out, you can use Nanyang as your foundation, connect it with the Yuan family's stronghold in Runan, and gain great strategic initiative.
Moreover, Nanyang is not far from Luoyang, so serving there as an official will also earn you Yuan Gong's support."
After hearing Xi Zhicai's analysis, Yuan Shu agreed and said:
"Sir, your foresight is profound, truly worthy of being my Zhang Liang.
When my father brings up this matter again, I will tell him I want to take office in Nanyang."
After speaking, he took another sip of wine and exhaled a deep breath.
Xi Zhicai was exceptionally skilled at reading people's emotions. Seeing that Yuan Shu was not in high spirits, he asked:
"My lord, something seems off about your mood today.
Is something troubling you? Tell me about it, and perhaps I can help you find a solution."
Yuan Shu suddenly realized—yes, Xi Zhicai was right there, why not consult him?
Feeling somewhat depressed, Yuan Shu said:
"Today, my master's old friend's son came to visit his residence. That kid is no good—he immediately set his sights on my junior sister.
The key issue is that my master seems to have an old agreement with his father, likely an arranged marriage from childhood.
Thinking about my junior sister possibly marrying that brat in the future just frustrates me."
After hearing this, Xi Zhicai chuckled and said:
"My lord, be honest with me—do you also like your junior sister?"
Cai Wenji was still too young, and Yuan Shu wasn't sure if his feelings for her stemmed from a brotherly sense of protection or romantic affection.
But one thing he was sure of—he genuinely wanted to protect Cai Wenji and would not allow her to be harmed.
Moreover, he planned to marry her once she came of age.
That should count as liking her, right?
Yuan Shu answered truthfully:
"To be honest, sir, my junior sister is very important to me.
Given the current situation, I don't know how to handle it. Please advise me."
Xi Zhicai smiled faintly and said:
"My lord, this matter is quite simple—you're merely too caught up in it to see clearly."
Yuan Shu was puzzled and asked, "How do I solve it?"
Since ancient times, marriages had always been arranged by parents and matchmakers.
If Cai Yong was determined to marry Cai Wenji to Wei Zhongdao, what could Yuan Shu do about it?
Xi Zhicai lightly tapped the table with his folding fan and said to Yuan Shu:
"My lord, you are about to become a regional warlord, commanding elite soldiers and valiant generals.
Is it really so difficult for you to take a woman as your own?"
Yuan Shu's eyes widened in shock, and he asked in disbelief:
"Zhicai, are you suggesting that I… abduct her?"
Xi Zhicai smiled and nodded, saying:
"Exactly. In these chaotic times, the strong take what they want—including beautiful women.
If your master does not marry his daughter to that old friend's son, you can approach him respectfully and formally propose.
But if he insists on giving his daughter to someone else, what's stopping you from taking her by force?"
Cai Yong had always treated Yuan Shu with kindness, so Yuan Shu hesitated and said:
"Sir, wouldn't that be… a bit too much?"
Xi Zhicai suddenly withdrew his smile and solemnly said to Yuan Shu:
"My lord, your ambition is to rule the world—you are the chosen one of destiny.
How can you yield to a mere scholar's wishes?
As the saying goes, 'Heaven, Earth, Sovereign, Parent, Teacher'—the sovereign ranks above even one's parents, let alone a mere teacher!"