39 ¡Xun Yu & Xun You!

Lu Bu, having achieved his desires, looked with satisfaction at Huangmen Shilang Xun You, who stood respectfully beside the young Emperor Liu Bian. He then glanced at Xun Yu, the Commandant of the Palace, who was not far away, grinding ink for Lu Zhi as he wrote decrees. Lu Bu's joy deepened in his heart; he had set his eyes on these two talented advisors, and he was confident that they would not escape his grasp. They would become invaluable assets for his ambitions, making his path to dominance much smoother.

In the Han Dynasty, palace gates were often painted yellow, hence the term "Huangmen" (Yellow Gate). Xun You, as a Huangmen Shilang, served as a court official responsible for attending to the emperor, conveying decrees, and guiding high-ranking officials during their audiences with the emperor. Originally, he served Emperor Ling of Han and continued his service to the young Emperor Liu Bian after Emperor Ling's death.

Unlike minor eunuchs (referred to as "Xiao Huangmen"), who were only suitable for menial tasks according to Han regulations, Huangmen Shilang, like Xun You, served as secretaries to the emperor, a position that required extensive knowledge.

During the Han Dynasty, emperors often favored eunuchs to counterbalance the influence of aristocrats. This preference led to the rise of eunuch power, even to the extent that minor eunuchs dared to falsely accuse Lu Zhi.

Xun Yu, holding the position of Commandant of the Palace, belonged to the Ministry of Finance and managed the imperial supplies of paper, ink, and funds. Only someone well-versed in literature and scholarly pursuits could perform such duties.

The experiences of Xun You and Xun Yu in the palace greatly influenced them. Being close to the political center allowed them access to central information, and over the years, they would evolve into a strategist and tactician, respectively.

Both Xun You and Xun Yu were outstanding talents, comparable to Xiao He and Zhang Liang during the early Han Dynasty.

The saying "With one person of extraordinary talent, the world can be stabilized" was just a slogan created by Sima Hui to advertise his disciples. Although Liu Bei had both talents (Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong), he could only secure a foothold in the western region.

Xun You and Xun Yu, on the other hand, were more in line with the idea of "With one person of extraordinary talent, the world can be stabilized." If Cao Cao had both of them, he could control the entire northern region. Although later the realm was divided into three, Wu's territory had only half the population of Wei, and Shu's population was less than a quarter of Wei's. The dominance of the Sima family over the Three Kingdoms was mostly built on the foundation laid by Cao Cao.

Lu Bu couldn't wait to recruit these two talents immediately. He would address them as "My Xiao He" and "My Zhang Liang."

Lu Bu knew that they were currently serving in the palace and intended to discuss things with them privately before requesting their release from Empress Dowager He. Given her inclination to comply with Lu Bu's requests, they would undoubtedly be released. The key was whether these two talents were interested in joining him. In an age of choosing a fitting bird for a suitable tree, Lu Bu always believed he was the Phoenix capable of attracting them.

Regrettably, Xun You and Xun Yu appeared oblivious to Lu Bu's eager expression, which further deepened his frustration.

After the court session, Lu Bu waited at the palace gate to greet the two gentlemen but saw no sign of them. Just as he was about to visit Xun You's residence, a palace maid signaled to him from afar. Huang Zhong, noticing this, made no attempt to stop Lu Bu, and he entered the palace again to have another confidential discussion with Empress Dowager He.

Empress Dowager He wanted to discuss how to deceive Dong Zhuo, Yuan Shao, and others successfully to escape from Luoyang. Lu Bu, originally planning to discuss this matter with her as soon as possible, had temporarily forgotten about it due to his overwhelming desire to recruit talents.

Lu Zhi had not left the palace yet. Lu Bu decided to discuss this matter with them first.

After half an hour of deliberation, Lu Zhi, well-versed in military strategy, couldn't think of any cunning schemes. Empress Dowager He, who had eliminated all rivals after the assassination of Wang Mei, was at a loss when confronted with strategies beyond her comprehension. Both were unable to come up with any effective plans.

Lu Bu looked at the decorations in the palace and suddenly recalled an incident from the Song Dynasty. He decided to use that historical analogy to propose a strategy of "moving flowers and interchanging branches" to Empress Dowager He.

This strategy of "moving flowers and interchanging branches" could deceive Dong Zhuo and Yuan Shao temporarily. It served as the foundation for the earlier plan to persuade Empress Dowager He and the young emperor to disguise themselves as a maid and a boy and secretly leave Ji Province.

Empress Dowager He and Lu Zhi were delighted to hear this plan and entrusted Lu Bu with the full responsibility of implementing the strategy.

Taking charge of the mission, Lu Bu left the Chongde Hall and thoroughly searched the palace but found no trace of Xun You and Xun Yu.

At the palace gate, Lu Bu asked Huang Zhong, who was on duty, "Hansheng, have you seen Xun You and Xun Yu?"

Huang Zhong calculated for a moment and replied, "About an hour ago, Xun You, Xun Yu, Zhong Yao, and Hua Xin left the palace together in a hurry."

Lu Bu realized that during that time, he was busy discussing with Empress Dowager He and Lu Zhi on how to smoothly leave Luoyang. Unexpectedly, Xun You and Xun Yu had already left.

Wait a moment, Zhong Yao and Hua Xin?! These two officials were from the Cao Wei period; how did they end up here?

After some thought, Lu Bu remembered that there were two officials surnamed Zhong and Hua standing behind Lu Zhi, both having a youthful appearance. Although they both had handsome beards, they looked much younger and lacked the cunning appearance of experienced politicians. Lu Bu had focused his attention entirely on Xun You and Xun Yu and had forgotten about these two experts in domestic affairs.

Especially Zhong Yao, who excelled in both military and political affairs, was crucial in governing Jingzhao and Chang'an, and Ma Teng had always been obedient. In historical records, Zhong Yao's image was much more imposing than depicted in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

When Lu Bu heard that all four of these talents were present, he was ecstatic. If he could recruit these four individuals, he would control a third of the political power in Wei. Cao Cao would lose at least one arm.

With great anticipation and joy, Lu Bu led the Red Guards to Xun You's residence.

Arriving at Xun You's house, the servants reported that Xun You had not returned yet. Lu Bu waited at the gate for an hour, but still, there was no sign of Xun You.

Lu Bu then went to Xun Yu's residence but faced disappointment again. After waiting for another hour, he had not seen any trace of the two promising talents.

While pacing in front of Xun You's residence, the Tiger Guard Colonel, Wang Yue, arrived on horseback.

Wang Yue's face revealed a hint of displeasure. "Xun You and the others have already gone to the residence of Grand Tutor Yuan Wei. There's no need for you to wait."

Lu Bu was taken aback for a moment, and a sudden chill enveloped his heart. He hurriedly asked, "How do you know?!"

Wang Yue pointed to a young man behind him. "My disciple, Shi A, personally witnessed it."