Chapter 142: The Jade Gentleman Rejects Yuan Benchu a Second Time

The ingredients in more than a dozen copper stoves were fully cooked.

The irresistible aroma drilled straight into everyone's senses, making their mouths water uncontrollably.

Zhang Yu did not bother with any culinary taboos. Pork, beef, mutton, chicken, and various game meats were paired with meticulously selected vegetable dishes. The meats were rich, tender, and succulent, while the vegetables were lush and fresh; the combination of meats and vegetables was practically perfection.

This unprecedented culinary delight of hot pot became immensely alluring amidst the boiling sounds of the small copper stoves. Had it not been for the accompanying searing heat, someone surely would have reached out with their bare hands to grab the food and devour it out of sheer hunger.

"New fermented wine in green ant jars, a small red clay stove. Evening is coming and snow is about to fall, can you drink a cup or not?" Zhang Yu recited leisurely with a swallow.

"I can drink, I can drink! Where's the wine? Is there any more of that 'Jade Emperor's Drunkenness'?" Yan Liang was already impatient with thirst and hunger.

"Hahaha, of course there is, though not much. Yan'er, serve the wine!" Zhang Yu called out. Han Yan complied and entered, gracefully setting down the wine pitcher from her tray.

"With such fine food before us, to hear a new masterpiece from Young Master Yu as well is truly one of life's great pleasures!" Yuan Shao leaned back against his chair, completely devoid of the arrogance of a provincial governor, and raised his wine cup with a hint of eagerness.

Among those seated, Yuan Shao occupied the seat of honor, with Yan Liang and Wen Chou on his left, and Zhang Yu and Zhang Shiping on his right.

Han Long, Xiahou Lan, Han Meng, Cao Xing, and the other formidable members of the eighteen riders were arranged on either side, quickly becoming too engrossed in eating to speak.

Autumn had arrived, and a faint chill was just beginning to awaken.

A small stove, a circle of tender and cooked delicacies, plus the finest wine in the world—though the setting could hardly be called grand, and no rules could even be spoken of—Yuan Shao simply felt an indescribable sense of relaxation and ease. Both body and mind were about to be intoxicated by this indescribable feast.

This banquet lasted for a full few hours until everyone was well-fed, deeply satisfied, and thoroughly enjoying themselves.

"Young Master Yu, come with me."

Yuan Shao called out, rising first to depart, and Zhang Yu accordingly excused himself from the banquet.

The Zhang family residence was almost extravagantly luxurious. The courtyards contained a realm of fragrant blossoms of their own, with pale greens and deep reds competing in beauty—a scenery Zhang Yu had long been too busy to notice.

Perhaps Yuan Shao felt the same way.

The afternoon sunlight, though still bright, no longer scorched people's backs. It had become generous and clear, as if it had finally grown weary and could no longer bake the earth, achieving a final reconciliation with the land.

This was autumn, where everything was full of vitality and yet brimming with hope.

"Such wonderful scenery, coupled with today's midday hospitality, I must thank Young Master Yu for this gift."

"For Lord Benchu to stoop so low as to visit my humble dwelling is the honor of the Zhang family. How could I possibly dare to accept your thanks?"

After saying this, Zhang Yu mentally stuck out his tongue. How could his home possibly be considered a humble dwelling? It was almost grand enough to shelter all the impoverished scholars of the world under one roof and make them smile with joy.

"I have one more matter to ask Young Master Yu."

"Please speak freely."

"Would Young Master Yu be willing to pledge your allegiance to me?"

For the second time... Zhang Yu was startled. "Lord Benchu has already asked me this before. Unfortunately, I have no intention of entering official service—"

"Is it because of your uncle?"

"Ah?"

"I know that the Imperial Uncle Liu Bei is your maternal uncle, but with me, Yuan Shao, here, he is destined to make no waves in Hebei. If you are unwilling to join me because of Liu Xuande, then I will simply wipe him out and leave you, Zhang Yu, with no choice but to serve me alone!" Yuan Shao was filled with bold spirit, possessing the imposing manner of a ruler supreme.

"Lord Benchu misunderstands... If I had wanted to join my uncle, I should have accompanied him and his three sworn brothers to Pingyuan when I wrote that poem 'Grass', so why would I continue to stay here?" Zhang Yu replied unhurriedly, naturally radiating a carefree and unrestrained aura to counter him.

Yuan Shao was growing stronger by the day, but Zhang Yu was no longer that young master who had stayed behind in Zhongshan Kingdom. Along this journey, he had met the emperor, stood up to Dong Dong, and even withstood a strike from Lü Bu's iron halberd. Truly, he was no longer what he used to be; meeting the rain, he was gradually transforming into a dragon.

"The reasons for this, I have already explained to Lord Benchu last time. I am still young and my abilities are limited—"

"I also said last time that the world today is in turmoil and the country is fractured—it is precisely the time for heroes to emerge. How can one still judge heroes by their age? Let us not speak of Gan Luo and the Champion Marquis; even when your uncle Liu Xuande joined the army, that third brother Zhang Fei was probably no older than your age now!

As for your abilities being limited, the current situation in Hebei matches precisely what Young Master Yu described earlier. The conflicts between Gongsun Zan and Liu You grow deeper by the day, and the signs of defeat are already showing. Ever since his defeat at Jieqiao, he has gradually lost his former ambitions and repeatedly committed acts of self-destruction. Among my subordinates, there are many skilled strategists, yet none possess your divine foresight.

In my eyes, Yuan Shao, you alone are worth an army of one hundred thousand!"

Zhang Yu gently fanned his goose-feather fan and slightly narrowed his eyes. Yuan Shao did not disturb him, quietly waiting for Zhang Yu's answer.

If he had just arrived at the end of the Eastern Han dynasty, Zhang Yu would have undoubtedly refused without hesitation given that his life was not in danger. But now, after these several interactions, he and Yuan Shao could be considered quite familiar. Hearing such a sincere recruitment from a provincial governor of a prestigious lineage, it would be a lie to say Zhang Yu was not moved.

The so-called scholar dies for one who truly knows him. Although as a modern person he did not place immense value on righteousness or the way of ruler and subject, he could still perceive how much Yuan Shao valued him.

However, did he truly want to pledge his allegiance? This meant formally acknowledging a master. From then on, he would serve Yuan Shao as his lord, willingly shedding blood and sacrificing his head for him, binding himself and his lord to the same ship. Moreover, unlike an unburdened time traveler, he still had the ties and concerns of the Zhang family weighing behind him.

Zhang Yu was full of misgivings.

Putting aside his uncle who was still waiting in Pingyuan for his assistance, if he truly threw in his lot with Yuan Shao and fought desperately against the currents of history, perhaps the outcome of the Battle of Guandu between Yuan and Cao might turn out slightly better. But what then? Who knew what other desperate life-saving maneuvers Cao Cao and his think tank possessed? Zhang Yu believed that a figure like Cao Cao definitely had plenty of methods to snatch victory from the jaws of death. Compared to Cao Cao, Yuan Shao was practically an all-around downgraded version in every aspect—except for looks.

"In a turbulent era, one cannot rely on a pretty face." Zhang Yu wore a melancholic expression, gently patted his own cheek, and continued to calculate.

Even in the best-case scenario, if he followed the strategies of Tian Feng and Ju Shou to launch a surprise attack on Xuchang and sweep forward to annihilate Boss Cao in one fell swoop, what he would face at that time would be a completely different Three Kingdoms.

Zhang Yu would not forget that in this chaotic and murky era resembling the universe, there were also Guo Jia, Jia Xu, Zhou Yu, Pang Tong, Lu Xun, Xu Shu, Fa Zheng, Jiang Wei, Deng Ai, and other brilliant strategists shining like a dazzling river of stars. Above them all stood the Crouching Dragon Zhucheng Liang and the Young Tiger Sima Yi, soaring like dragons and glaring like tigers.

If the heavens were to change their hue and face a situation entirely different from history, could Zhang Yu withstand it? Could he even keep his head on his shoulders amidst clashes with them? At least for now, he did not possess sufficient confidence.

Zhang Yu knew his own standard very well. Aside from relying on his knowledge of major world trends to speak freely and point out the direction of the realm, he could hardly be considered a true "strategist." Moreover, Yuan Shao's subordinates were not as united as Cao Cao's Yingchuan clique. Xu You, Pang Ji, Guo Tu, Xin Ping, Xun Chen, Ju Shou, Shen Pei, and other prominent strategists and famous scholars refused to submit to one another. The Nanyang faction, the Yingchuan faction, and the Hebei faction attacked one another, undermined each other's efforts, and plotted behind the scenes—they were notoriously faction-ridden.

To make matters worse, Yuan Shao actually fancied this as his way of managing subordinates, feeling he had mastered the art of statecraft while letting his subordinates perform to the utmost while he turned a blind eye. This even left the question of his heir unresolved, causing civil and military officials to harbor restless thoughts, which directly led to the Yuan family—who still possessed the strength to maintain their domain even after his defeat—shattering instantly and disintegrating completely.

Furthermore, after his military defeat, Yuan Shao sacrificed the overall situation out of personal pride and executed Tian Feng—even though the Yuan Shao of his past life had been respectful and treated Tian Feng with utmost courtesy when inviting his assistance.

Was such a lord truly worth entrusting with his life? And such an environment and predicament were definitely not what Zhang Yu wanted to embroil himself in.

An answer gradually formed in Zhang Yu's heart. After pondering his phrasing for a long while, he finally opened his mouth and said:

"Among the flowers of the water, land, and woods, there are very many that are lovable. I alone love the lotus..."