Chapter 251: All Roads Lead the Dead to Wuji

Guan Yunchang's sudden fury startled not only Cai Bojie — even Gongsun Xun was stunned.

There was no helping it, because this behavior was simply too un-Guan-Yunchang-like, or rather too bootlicking. If Wei Yue had jumped out, no one would have cared. But precisely because everyone knew Wei Yue was a scoundrel, and he had been drinking, he hadn't been allowed into the hall in the first place, had he?

However, after pondering for a moment, Gongsun Xun began to see the light... because he realized that Guan Yunchang's action was less about bootlicking and more about using the pretext to vent his own feelings!

One must understand that Guan Yu was a man who scorned the high and pitied the low, despised empty talk and valued substance. Toward "pure Confucians" and "famous scholars" like Cai Yong and Liu Heng, he felt extreme contempt in his heart. Earlier at the banquet, with Liu Heng, Cai Yong, Yue Yin, and the others seated loftily above him, he had likely been thoroughly disgusted for a while. Now that Cai Yong was clearly using family status as a barrier again, he was naturally fed up to the extreme. Add to that his somewhat chauvinistic streak, and he probably didn't think much of matters concerning women anyway.

Hence, this outburst.

And yet, Gongsun Xun was clearly truly drunk. He was so focused on understanding Guan Yu's thoughts that he completely forgot how much misunderstanding his own silence, with narrowed eyes, would cause at that moment... For a time, not only did no one stop Guan Yu's roaring, but even Zhang Fei, who had originally risen to mediate, became flustered and helpless after glancing at Gongsun Xun, let alone anyone else.

Of course, it was also entirely possible that Gongsun Xun was simply acting willfully, for he had indeed been provoked to anger by Cai Bojie. And Gongsun Xun was hardly the only one provoked — even Gongsun Yue, the one person present who could have spoken up to end the matter, sat motionless, like a wooden statue. For a man with such bold features to be reduced to this showed just how insensible Cai Yong truly was!

"It is not a matter of family status," Cai Yong said. With his daughter's reputation at stake, he could only grit his teeth and hold firm despite his panic. "It is truly because an agreement has already been made with Lord Liu..."

"Lord Liu, Lord Liu! The Han realm under Heaven has been thrown into chaos precisely by the likes of you pure Confucians!" Guan Yu, after all, was merely arrogant and rude, not truly vicious, so with a flick of his sleeve, he strode away.

Lu Fan seized the moment to signal with his eyes, and quite a few people immediately rushed out after him.

At this point, Gongsun Xun let out a long sigh. Ignoring Cai Yong beside him entirely, he also walked straight out — and went directly out of his former residence, heading toward the public academy. Since so many students had left that place, there should be room to stay. And since the gathering here had already ended so unpleasantly, why force anyone to remain?

Cai Bojie watched the hall empty. For a moment, he seemed about to rise and say something, but in the end, he only clenched his fists tightly and sat back down, suppressing his anxiety.

Stepping outside, they saw the Milky Way stretching across the sky above them. The group, still carrying the scent of wine, were all silent. They merely followed Gongsun Xun forward in silence, then hastily settled for the night in the empty rooms within the public academy.

Only then did Gongsun Xun send Han Dang personally to summon Gongsun Yue, and in the room, he did his best to console him: "A-Yue, rest assured, your elder brother will certainly find you another fine marriage match. Cai Bojie is so self-important about his family status, so dismissive of us sons of the border commanderies — he will surely suffer for it one day. Let him be!"

Hearing this, Gongsun Yue, who had been silent and taciturn all evening, finally raised his head, his face full of astonishment: "Elder Brother was proposing a marriage for me? Not seeking a concubine?"

Gongsun Xun was also stunned. His Adam's apple bobbed, and for a moment, he was speechless.

The two brothers stared at each other, realizing all too clearly that careless words spoken under the influence of wine had caused a misunderstanding. Even Han Dang at the side seemed to want to speak but stopped himself.

Just then, a report suddenly came from outside the door that Wang Xiu requested an audience. Gongsun Xun's head throbbed, but he could only allow him in.

And sure enough, as soon as Wang Shuzhi entered, he first cast a helpless glance at Gongsun Yue and Han Dang, then solemnly performed a salute: "My lord, Cai Bojie is a renowned scholar of the realm. Even though he is a commoner wandering in exile, how could his daughter lightly become someone's concubine?"

Gongsun Xun remained silent.

It was Gongsun Yue who, at this point, had no choice but to steel himself and step forward to offer a brief explanation: "Brother Shuzhi misunderstands. My elder brother's original intention was to propose a marriage for me."

Wang Xiu suddenly understood, but could not help stamping his foot: "Careless words under the influence of wine — I fear people will misunderstand!"

"I actually did not misunderstand," Han Dang finally could not help but interject from the side. "You see, before my lord inquired about the Cai family daughter, he glanced at the Protector Army Major."

Everyone's headache grew worse.

"Misunderstood or not, so be it," Gongsun Xun could only wave his hand helplessly after a long pause. "Am I supposed to go and explain to every single person who was in that hall just now? Besides, Cai Bojie has a great reputation but is actually a useless man. My desire to form a marriage alliance with him was partly to support and look after him. Without me... In any case, he has chosen his own path — must I go groveling back to him? Don't take him too seriously! And I will find A-Yue a good family too... one with immense wealth, so that upon marriage, A-Yue can save decades of hard struggle."

Gongsun Yue, who had missed the optimal marriage age due to mourning observances, was naturally deeply embarrassed, and Han Dang was also speechless.

Wang Xiu, after pondering the matter from every angle, also felt that the situation had reached a dead end.

After all, a forced explanation would seem like a deliberate cover-up, which would only deepen the misunderstanding. As for the matter of his lord seeking a woman, a subject ought to avoid such topics in the first place. He had only come to remonstrate because he felt Gongsun Xun had shown a lapse in virtue due to drink today... And besides, judging from Guan Yu's behavior and the words of that simpleton Han Dang, not everyone in the hall had necessarily misunderstood the situation as thoroughly as he, Wang Xiu, had.

In fact, thinking back now, Cai Yong's own intentions were also somewhat unfathomable.

This renowned scholar of the realm might indeed have mistakenly thought Gongsun Xun wanted his daughter as a concubine and, to prevent the Cai family name from being dishonored, had used a pretext to refuse. But it was also possible that he had not misunderstood at all, and truly looked down on the Gongsun family's border commandery origins. More likely, both thoughts had occurred to him — he dared not risk accepting, yet also harbored some disdain for the Gongsun family in his heart, and thus simply used a pretext to decline... From this perspective, there was indeed a hint of insult toward the Gongsun family's status.

One must realize that Gongsun Yue held a thousand-dan official post, was a scion of a gentry clan, and was so heavily relied upon by Gongsun Xun — was marrying Cai Bojie's daughter not perfectly suitable?

For a moment, Wang Xiu's thoughts churned, and he too fell silent. He finally understood why, the moment he had entered the room, he had seen his lord, Gongsun Yue, and Han Dang all sitting in silence.

To put it plainly, the matter had become such a tangled mess that it was now impossible to explain clearly or to discern anyone's true intentions... They could only each judge according to their own conscience while simultaneously abandoning any further thought of this affair.

Just as the three of them were lost in their own speechless thoughts, the guards outside suddenly reported again that Lu Fan and Lou Gui had come together to request an audience.

Gongsun Xun, as if he had swallowed something disgusting, waved his hands repeatedly: "All of you, out! A-Yue and Shuzhi, out as well! It is late today, I wish to retire early. I will see no one! When Shen Zhengnan and Dong Gongren arrive later, I will not see them either!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, sure enough, someone outside the room reported again that Shen Pei and Dong Zhao had also arrived!

Too weary to speak further, Gongsun Xun could only turn over with a belly full of anger, enter the inner room, and climb onto the couch... Heaven only knew how many people today would think him a debauched and shameless scoundrel! And yet he could not defend himself!

But was he, Gongsun Xun, truly a man who indulged in women? That little Cai girl — apart from her sharp tongue, did she have a single good point?!

Gongsun Yue, Wang Xiu, and Han Dang looked at each other, and could only withdraw outside the room to explain.

The night passed without further words.

The next day, for some unknown reason, not a single person brought up the matter again. If not for the fact that Cai Bojie also did not show his face, Gongsun Xun might almost have thought last night was merely a drunken dream of his own.

And so, both sides pretended ignorance. The Zhao State authorities, from top to bottom, exerted their utmost to provide military supplies, and the ten thousand cavalry also set out in full. Once Gongsun Xun crossed the Geluhe Levee he had personally built, he put the matter completely out of mind and turned his full attention to military affairs.

Passing Xiangcheng, traveling through Bairen, entering Changshan, crossing Zhending — no matter how slowly the great army dragged its feet, Xiaquyang was clearly right before their eyes.

In all fairness, Zhang Bao, or rather the Zhang brothers, had reasons for choosing Xiaquyang as the core stronghold for the Yellow Turban Army's northern front:

First, this city was extremely sturdy and vast, because Xiaquyang was not merely an ordinary county seat. Several centuries ago, it had once been a commandery seat, though ultimately it was not reactivated as such by the Later Han. In fact, by the Northern and Southern Dynasties period, the commandery seat of Julu Commandery was eventually moved to this very city.

Second, its geographical position was excellent. Thirty to forty li north of this strong city lay Wuji County in Zhongshan Commandery, and sixty li to its west lay Zhending in Changshan Principality. With this city in Zhang Bao's hands, the commanderies to the north simply could not bypass it to send troops south and threaten Zhang Jiao's rear. And what was even more interesting was that the famous Hutuo River happened to flow just over ten li north of Xiaquyang city, and together with an unnamed tributary flowing from south to north into the Hutuo River, it almost perfectly formed a natural defensive line for Xiaquyang.

It was evident that Zhang Bao and the Taiping Dao had indeed put careful thought into this before their rebellion.

However, looking at it the other way, seeing the vast military presence in the great camp north of the Hutuo River, it was honestly understandable that Guo Xun had been dismissed and sent back to Youzhou. Because he had led tens of thousands of troops from several surrounding commanderies, yet had never managed to cross the Hutuo River! Although the court had not expected Guo Xun to achieve a breakthrough here relying solely on commandery troops, compared to the other fronts — including Lu Zhi, who had already successfully pressed forward to the walls of Guangzong — this Inspector Guo had indeed progressed rather slowly.

Breaking through this defensive line within a month should be enough to give the court an explanation, right? Gazing from afar at the somewhat panicked Yellow Turban troops on the opposite bank of the Hutuo River as he traveled along it, Gongsun Xun also took the opportunity to solidify his resolve to delay, then urged his horse forward toward the Han army's main camp behind him.

"Wenqi!" Outside the Han army's main camp north of the Hutuo River, Guo Xun, whom they had parted from months ago, had even more streaks of white in his hair. Yet upon seeing Gongsun Xun's White Horse Banner, far from showing any resentment, he actually breathed a sigh of relief. "Now that you can come here to take charge of the overall situation, I can set my mind at ease!"

"Lord Guo, how did it come to this?" Gongsun Xun naturally would not speak blunt truths at such a moment. He dismounted, hurried forward a few steps to grasp the other man's hands, and said with utmost sincerity: "Of the five routes, every other one consists of the court's elite troops. Only yours was entirely composed of commandery troops... To have fought your way to the walls of Xiaquyang is already to have a clear conscience."

Upon hearing this, Guo Xun sighed even more deeply: "Wenqi, I know my own limitations. I am truly not skilled at commanding armies. Never mind the quality of the commandery troops... No matter how poor they are, could they possibly be weaker than those Yellow Turban rebels south of the Hutuo River? Did you not, back then, lead hastily assembled commandery troops to defeat tens of thousands of Yellow Turban rebels?"

Gongsun Xun laughed at this and quickly moved to console him again.

Unexpectedly, Guo Xun suddenly leaned half a step forward and proactively lowered his voice: "Wenqi, to be honest, the difficulty is not the commandery troops, but the commandery administrators... This place is where three commanderies meet, with no fewer than four officials of the full two-thousand-dan rank! The staff of authority can execute a thousand-dan official, but not a two-thousand-dan one! And aside from Zong Yuan being somewhat obedient, the other three are truly troublesome, especially Guo Dian of Julu and Zhang Chun of Zhongshan!"

Only then did Gongsun Xun realize that, logically, the Protector of the Wuhuan Colonel Zong Yuan, the Julu Grand Administrator Guo Dian, the Changshan Chancellor Feng Xin, and the Zhongshan Grand Administrator Zhang Chun should all have been in the main camp or its vicinity. Even if they feigned urgent military matters or the unsuitability of a Grand Administrator leaving his jurisdiction, they should at least have sent a messenger to welcome him... Yet at this moment, not a single one had come.

This was certainly not a case of the four colluding — they lacked the nerve for that. It must be that Guo Xun, having received word of his arrival in camp, was nursing a grievance and had deliberately refrained from summoning them. This reminded him of the reasons given by the minor eunuch when delivering the edict for Guo Xun's dismissal... not only unfavorable battle progress, but also rumors of being "unable to control" these Grand Administrators and Chancellors.

With this thought, Gongsun Xun understood the situation clearly.

It seemed that no matter how good-tempered this Lord Guo was, he still harbored resentment in his heart. Otherwise, why would he, on the verge of returning to Youzhou, still make a point of reporting these two-thousand-dan officials to him?

Of course, Guo Xun was ultimately a seasoned and loyal man devoted to serving the state. Speaking to this point, he could not help but sigh again: "In truth, I do understand. Grand Administrator Guo of Julu bears the responsibility of defending his territory, hence his actions are hasty and he only wishes to swiftly recapture Xiaquyang. Meanwhile, Grand Administrator Zhang of Zhongshan and Chancellor Feng of Changshan feel the matter does not concern them and only wish to preserve their own strength, unwilling to engage in major battle. And I, merely a Inspector of Youzhou bearing a staff of authority, had no real means to restrain them... However, Wenqi, you are a General of the Household of All Purposes and a renowned general of the realm who has campaigned in many places. Perhaps they will show some restraint for you."

Gongsun Xun, still unclear on the specifics, nonetheless nodded continuously and immediately launched into a righteous, public denunciation of these Grand Administrators for their disregard of the larger picture.

In truth, anyone with sense should know which side to stand on! There was no fear of wronging those few men!

After all, from Gongsun Xun's perspective, if those Grand Administrators and State Chancellors dared to oppose Guo Xun, they would dare to oppose him in the future just the same. And once Guo Xun returned to Youzhou, he would still be responsible for the main camp's logistics from the rear... Was he mad? Not siding with Guo Xun but siding with those few?

And so, these old acquaintances had quite an exchange before the camp gate, truly heartfelt and sincere, until the Protector of the Wuhuan Colonel Zong Yuan and the Julu Grand Administrator Guo Dian, hearing the news, hurried over from their respective camps on either side. Only then did they enter the camp hand in hand, a sight that made Zong Yuan's heart pound with alarm and filled Guo Dian with bitter resentment.

Shortly after, the main army formally entered the camp and handed over military affairs. The officers of all ranks, who had been played by Guo Xun, hastily assembled in the central army tent. For a moment, official seals filled the eye and armor gleamed dazzlingly... Yet, just as Guo Xun had grumbled earlier, including Cheng Pu and Guo Xun himself, whose real authority was no less than that of a full two-thousand-bushel official, there were five high officials in the camp with one staff of authority. Where was there room for these officers below the thousand-bushel rank to speak?

In fact, even the two-thousand-bushel officials and the Inspector had nothing to say, because all the words were taken by one man alone—the Julu Grand Administrator Guo Dian, his beard and hair bristling with fury!

"The state has suffered this great calamity, yet men like Changshan Chancellor Feng Xin and Zhongshan Grand Administrator Zhang Chun harbor ambiguous intentions and disregard the state! They hold heavy troops but refuse to follow orders! Feng Xin masses his army at Zhending, spending his days reciting poetry, carving steles, and offering sacrifices to the gods of heaven; Zhang Chun masses his army at Wuji, spending his days seeking pleasure, asking for women and inquiring after farmland... In any case, they simply refuse to march!" Guo Dian was nearing forty, his beard and hair already somewhat gray. His words were fierce, and he actually broke out in public, showing no regard for his colleagues' dignity. "Since the General has come here, please immediately requisition their troops to come... If we can combine the forces of three commanderies with the men recruited by Lord Guo and General Zong along the way from Zhuo Commandery, Hejian, and Anping, plus the ten thousand cavalry brought by the General of the Household of All Purposes, our army will number fifty to sixty thousand! Crossing the river south and advancing directly to the walls of Lower Quyang, even taking the city might not be impossible! Why waste time here?!"

Having been tipped off by Guo Xun, Gongsun Xun naturally would not be directly swayed by him. He merely nodded slightly: "In that case, after I rest and reorganize briefly, I will send envoys to Lord Feng and Lord Zhang to transfer troops..."

"Merely sending envoys will be absolutely useless!" Guo Dian was a man of Fengyi in Guanxi—that is, from the land west of Chang'an and north of the Wei River. As the saying goes, Guanxi produces generals, Guandong produces ministers. Clad in armor, his tone was more that of a general than a Grand Administrator. "The General must take the staff of authority and go personally to conscript the troops. Otherwise, those two will certainly make excuses! Do not think I am joking. Those two really are—one carving steles thinking of fame, the other matchmaking thinking of fortune!"

Though he did not understand what matchmaking had to do with making a fortune, Gongsun Xun this time unexpectedly did not refute him. Because if those two were truly as excessive as Guo Dian claimed, he indeed intended to personally make a trip to these two places and seize military authority... To drag things out, one must distinguish between actively dragging things out and passively dragging things out. Passive delay would draw the central government's scrutiny and punishment. And whether active or passive, one must not lose the initiative—that is, military authority!

Guo Dian vented his fury in the central army tent, then, probably realizing that Gongsun Xun thought little of him because of Guo Xun, withdrew to his own small camp. Two days later, as Guo Xun formally packed his baggage and took his leave, Gongsun Xun also received the envoy and greetings of Changshan Chancellor Feng Xin, who was fifty li away... But correspondingly, he did not receive the envoy of Zhongshan Grand Administrator Zhang Chun, who was only twenty or thirty li away.

Matters having reached this point, Gongsun Xun could no longer hesitate, whether for public duty or private reasons. He immediately gave orders for Lu Fan and Cheng Pu to guard the main camp, while he himself, personally bearing the staff of authority, had Han Dang, Lou Gui, and Xi Zhong lead the White Horse Volunteers to escort him to Wuji in Zhongshan, behind them.

And the moment he set foot in Zhongshan territory, Gongsun Xun completely understood what was going on here.

"In reply to my lord," a somewhat familiar local magnate clan head bowed and ushered Gongsun Xun into his own estate to rest, then proceeded to tell the whole truth in detail to this General of the Household of All Purposes, who had served as the local Grand Administrator for three of the previous four years. "Word in the countryside is that Prefect Zhang remains here not to preserve his strength. I've even heard from local sons serving in the army that he was quite eager to go to Lower Quyang to earn merit... The reason he is unwilling to leave, it is said, is because of the local Zhen clan!"

"What does that mean?" Gongsun Xun, who had just sat down and taken a sip of water, was baffled.

"My lord's classmate, the Prefect of Shangcai, Zhen Yi, styled Dayin, fled back in haste after the Yellow Turbans rose in revolt..."

"Oh, Brother Dayin!" Gongsun Xun's face showed sudden understanding, and he set down the pottery bowl. "What of it?"

"I've heard that Zhen Dayin encountered several crises on the road—bandits and then mutinous soldiers. He was quite terrified and fell deathly ill midway. He was carried back alone on the back of his trusted man, Zhen Bao..." The local clan head, speaking to this point, could not help but give a dry laugh. "Then that Zhen Dayin recuperated at home for half a year, ate several dozen jin of ginseng, yet still gradually weakened beyond saving, his life merely hanging by a thread. Prefect Zhang assembled the commandery troops and came here, originally intending to march out, but happened upon this situation. And then, having listened to who knows whose slander, his heart was actually moved!"

"Moved by what?" Lou Zibo, who had just taken a bite of a pear, asked from the side, baffled. "The Zhen clan still has members serving as officials in Luoyang. Could he seize the Zhen clan's vast fortune of a hundred million?"

This local clan head also recognized Lou Gui and immediately cupped his hands with a wry smile: "Master Zibo, there are methods that, once employed, would make even the main branch of the Zhen clan find it hard to protest... And besides, he wouldn't necessarily have to take the entire family fortune, right?"

Gongsun Xun and Lou Gui were still puzzled and were about to press further when they suddenly heard Xi Zhong beside them clap loudly and laugh: "I understand now! Earlier, Grand Administrator Guo said in camp something about matchmaking and making a fortune... Could it be that this Zhen Dayin's wife is as beautiful as flower and jade, graceful and dignified, and that Grand Administrator Zhang has also happened to lose his wife? Is that the case?"

The local clan head, standing in attendance, immediately cupped his hands and smiled: "This gentleman sees clearly. Our newly arrived Prefect Zhang has not lost his wife, but his clansman's younger brother, the former Chancellor of Taishan, Zhang Ju, has lost his wife and has not yet remarried. It is said he is hurrying over from his hometown in Yuyang."

Gongsun Xun and Lou Gui looked at each other, speechless.

But after a moment's thought, Lou Gui shook his head repeatedly: "This Grand Administrator Zhang is being naive. Not to mention that Zhen Dayin's uncle serves as a minister in Luoyang, even his wife's clan, I vaguely recall, is a great clan of Changshan. How could they be so easily bullied? Unless Zhen Yi voluntarily entrusts his wife and offers his children, he is destined to get a face full of dust in this matter."

"Who says otherwise?" The local clan head still smiled like a flower. "Word came earlier that Inspector Guo in the main camp ahead and Chancellor Feng over in Changshan were both somewhat displeased by this. And now that my lord has returned, how could there be any room for the Zhang clan?"

Gongsun Xun was slightly startled, then suddenly saw the light... Yes, this was precisely the matter in which he should take the lead! And he ought to take the lead!

With this thought, Gongsun Xun did not ponder further. He actually rose directly, intending to continue his journey. The local host also understood this reasoning and hurriedly had people distribute washed fruit to these Volunteers... It turned out he had been prepared all along.

However, Gongsun Xun mounted his horse and headed for Wuji. He had traveled no more than a few li when the image of Zhen Yi and his gentle, beautiful wife suddenly flashed before his eyes. His heart could not help but stir, and he abruptly reined in his horse, hesitating for a moment.

"If my lord has such a thought, it would not hurt to try," Lou Gui said, reining in his horse beside him and thoughtfully stroking his beard. "It would also be fulfilling the duty of a classmate. And, from reason and sentiment, I imagine Zhen Dayin would also understand that this would be best for everyone... Perhaps this matter can be accomplished by going with the flow! Then my lord need no longer feel ashamed over the Handan affair."

Xi Zhong, whose horsemanship was poor, had only just managed to catch his breath and was momentarily bewildered.

Gongsun Xun was silent for a moment, then finally beckoned a rider over:

"Return to camp at once and summon the Army Protector and Major, Gongsun Yue. Tell him that a former classmate and old friend is nearing his end, and ask him to come see him off on his journey!"

Xi Zhong suddenly understood.

That evening, three hundred White Horse Volunteers escorted Gongsun Xun's regalia and the White Horse Banner straight to the county seat of Wuji. They bypassed the military camp outside the city and the county office within the city where a two-thousand-bushel official was stationed, and went directly to the Zhen residence, which he had once visited in passing.

The Zhen household, high and low, naturally recognized the visitor. Thus, Gongsun Xun passed through almost unimpeded and came directly to Zhen Yi's bedside.

"Wenqi... so be it!" Zhen Yi leaned askew on the couch, already emaciated to skin and bones, no longer resembling a man. But seeing Gongsun Xun arrive, a trace of spirit suddenly flickered in his eyes, and he spoke slowly. "Now that you have come, I can die!"

Though Gongsun Xun was accustomed to life and death, and one might even say he harbored some improper intentions, seeing his old friend in such a state and hearing such words, his nose could not help but suddenly sting with sorrow.

—————————I am the dividing line of sudden stinging sorrow—————————

"The Grand Ancestor led his troops to the Hutuo River, overlooking Lower Quyang. At that time, his old friend Zhen Yi lay ill at his home in Wuji, wasted and gaunt beyond recognition, bedridden and unable to rise. Hearing that the Grand Ancestor had arrived, he sighed in a daze: 'The world is tangled as hemp in chaos; I dared not die in bewilderment. Now that Wenqi has come, I can die!' Thereupon he exerted all his strength to invite him in. The Grand Ancestor understood his meaning, and thus raced through a full day and night to arrive. Seeing him, he wept: 'Brother, go in peace; your wife and children, I will care for them.'" — A New Account of the Tales of the World, Chapter on Grading Excellence

A tangential remark: A dead man marrying off his wife or concubines was the custom of the time... When Xun You died, Zhong Yao, while arranging the funeral, simultaneously married off all the women in Xun You's household... People of the time all lamented their friendship... This was encouraged by the social mores of the era.

As for the children... consider He Yan. His mother became a woman in Cao Cao's household, and then he married Cao Cao's daughter.

(End of Chapter)