Chapter 2, Nightfall of Murder.

Upon hearing Xianyu Yin's low shout, Tian Chao, who had been sleeping lightly, immediately woke up and quickly said: "I will go to the young master's room to wake him up; you go outside immediately to investigate the situation"

Tian Chou smiled wryly and shook his head, saying: "I cannot be certain whether the young master's mind has been affected by illness, but I vaguely feel that the changes in him recently are a good thing! As you know, the lord's situation in Youzhou is becoming increasingly perilous. He has only this one son; if anything were to happen to the lord in the future, we would have to support the young master in defending Youzhou."

As soon as he finished speaking, Tian Chou turned over and got out of bed, quietly taking a short dagger from his bosom and stealthily making his way towards the door.

Xian Yu Yin poked his temple with his index finger, implying that Liu He might have a problem with his brain

Although the time traveler Liu He had never met Liu Yu, he knew that his father was a kind-hearted elder and a good official who truly cared for the common people of this era. He did not want to see Liu Yu ultimately lose his life because of a secret edict that was already absurd and unreasonable.

Zitai, wake up quickly, someone has come to the village

After a short while, Tianchou quietly entered Liu He’s room, gently leaned down to Liu He’s ear, and then said: "Young Master, wake up quickly! Someone has surrounded our courtyard!"

What is remarkable is that even in such a critical moment, Liu did not forget to bring this old man along to escape.

This is an era where both emperors and ministers can be made a fool of; if one does not possess territory and an army, one can only be at the mercy of others and be manipulated

The old man Feng, who was leading the way, suddenly turned around and saw that the place on fire was his own courtyard. He immediately stopped in his tracks, sat down on the ground, and began to cry out loud: "Heaven above, that is my ancestral home!"

After a short while, Liu He quietly slipped out from a small door at the back of the courtyard, following closely behind the old man. Then, under the old man's guidance, they hurriedly made their way towards a forest several miles away.

Although Yuan Shu and Yuan Shao were brothers, their animosity towards each other was greater than that towards outsiders

Upon hearing Liu He’s words, the old man shuddered and quickly said: "There is a small door left at the back of my yard. If you leave from here, you can directly head to the back mountain to seek refuge"

Liu He understood that he was merely a frail scholar. If he were to act pretentiously and try to appear cool here, he would only become a burden to Xian Yu Yin and Tian Chou. Therefore, without any affectation, he urged the two to stay behind and buy him time for his escape

By the time the honest child Liu returned to Youzhou after several years of fleeing from Yuan Shu and Yuan Shao, his father Liu Yu had long been killed by Gongsun Zan, and the territory of Youzhou had been completely divided between Gongsun Zan and Yuan Shao.

Now, Liu He has burned the secret edict that led to Liu Yu's downfall. This not only allows him to avoid danger when passing through Wuguan, but even if he is discovered and detained by Yuan Shu's men after entering Nanyang, he need not worry about Yuan Shu using this deadly document to harm his "cheap old father" whom he has never met.

After the two people whispered to each other for a while in the room, they lay down fully clothed and fell into a light sleep

In the darkness, Liu took a deep breath and then said: "You immediately go to support Xianyu Yin. I will wake up this old man and then take him out through the back door. If these people are indeed coming for us, you should set the house on fire and then look for an opportunity to escape. Let’s first split up and hide in the mountains, and we will meet again in front of Wuguan after dawn tomorrow"

Tian Chou and Xian Yu Yin traveled over 5,000 miles from the territories of the fierce Xiongnu and Xianbei to Chang'an, demonstrating their exceptional vigilance and skills

What about Xianyu Yin?

After burning the secret edict, Liu He felt a great weight lift from his heart. Suddenly, a wave of fatigue and drowsiness overcame him, and he fell into a deep sleep.

Great! Without further ado, let's hurry and go

It is only because he is not the honest child Liu He from history, but rather the time traveler Liu He

Afterwards, Tian Chou and Xianyu Yin risked their lives to traverse the territories controlled by the Northern Xiongnu and the Xianbei, descending from Shuofang to reach Chang'an, ultimately accomplishing the arduous mission of representing Liu Yu in Chang'an

Indeed, when I first arrived in Chang'an, I found the young master to be somewhat timid and rather pedantic. However, after he fell seriously ill on the road after leaving Chang'an, he seems to have become resolute and courageous. When mentioning Dong Zhuo, he invariably refers to him as 'the fat man' or 'the old thief,' showing none of the fear he exhibited before.

Gongsun Zan was originally under the control of Liu Yu. In order to annex Liu Yu's cavalry forces, he secretly conspired with Yuan Shu, signaling Yuan Shu to keep Liu and his forces occupied. This way, Gongsun Zan could extort some benefits from Liu Yu from time to time. In exchange, Gongsun Zan promised Yuan Shu to assist him in dealing with Yuan Shao, who had already grown powerful in Hebei.

Liu He, fearing that the old man's cries would attract strong men, quickly covered his mouth and then whispered, "Old man, do not cry. This matter arose because of me. Once I escape from this peril, I will certainly rebuild your house in the future! This is not the time for sorrow and tears; I urge you to hurry into the mountains!"

Damn! They really won't let me have a moment's peace! Liu He couldn't help but curse.

Liu He, who bore the imperial mandate, remembered that when he arrived in Nanyang, he was detained by Yuan Shu, who harbored ulterior motives. Subsequently, Yuan Shu dispatched another envoy to Youzhou to seek Liu Yu, deceiving Liu Yu into believing that they should jointly send troops westward to Chang'an to welcome the emperor's return to Luoyang.

In the adjacent room, Tian Chou and Xian Yu Yin were not as fatigued as Liu He. After hearing the snoring coming from Liu He's room, they began to converse quietly.

Good! Young master, please be extremely careful

Before long, the sound of snoring, "Hoo... Hoo...", came from within Liu He’s room

At the hour of the third watch, the keen-eared Xianyu Yin suddenly heard the sound of barking dogs at the village entrance, followed closely by the rustling footsteps approaching their courtyard. He hurriedly nudged Tian Chou, who was beside him.

Although Liu Yu was far away in Youzhou, he was wholeheartedly devoted to the Han dynasty and actually believed the nonsense of Yuan Shu. He then dispatched several thousand elite cavalry southward, preparing to gather at Yuan Shu's location, only to be ultimately consumed by his ambitious subordinate, Gongsun Zan.

Later, Liu Yu learned that Gongsun Zan and Yuan Shu had conspired to deceive him and his son, which naturally filled him with deep hatred for Gongsun Zan. Consequently, he mobilized an army of 100,000 to wage war against Gongsun Zan, only to be defeated by the now strengthened Gongsun Zan.

As for whether Liu He will be punished for burning the emperor's secret edict when he meets Liu Yu in the future, that is not something he should be concerned about at the moment. The issue Liu He currently faces is how to smoothly pass through the territories occupied by warlords such as Yuan Shu, Cao Cao, Yuan Shao, Han Fu, and Gongsun Zan, and ultimately return to the stronghold in Youzhou held by his father

Liu He, in a state of drowsy confusion, vaguely felt an itch by his ear, accompanied by a warm breath brushing against him, which startled him awake.

Tian Chou said with some confusion: "Ever since the young master recovered from his illness the day before yesterday, he seems to have become a different person. His behavior has become somewhat unconventional, and the things he says are also rather perplexing."

Tian Chou, being a person of strategy, listened to Liu He’s arrangements during the critical moment, found them feasible, and thus refrained from further discussion, immediately making his way towards the courtyard entrance in the dark

Last year, Liu Yu, stationed in Youzhou, heard that Dong Zhuo was coercing the new emperor to move to Chang'an. He then recruited talented individuals in Youzhou to send to Chang'an. Tian Chou and the General Xianyu Yin did not hesitate to step forward and accepted this highly risky mission

At that time, Yuan Shu was able to deceive Liu Yu successfully because he presented the secret edict issued by the emperor to Liu Yu

In this regard, both Tian Chou and Xian Yu Yin not only possess a profound understanding of righteousness but also demonstrate courage and strategy, making them absolutely loyal and reliable subordinates

went outside the courtyard to gather information

This old man is quite clear-headed, understanding that this is a critical moment and that preserving one's life is more important than anything else. Therefore, he quickly revealed the routes they usually take to evade bandits and robbers.

A group of strong individuals has arrived in the village, likely coming for us

In chaotic times, human life is as cheap as that of a dog. Liu He no longer wishes to live in the same miserable and helpless manner as in his previous life. Even if it is for the sake of achieving a life of luxury and comfort in the future, he must carefully plan for Liu Yu to avoid the tragic outcome that awaits not long from now

Furthermore, Liu He inexplicably returned to the chaotic era of the late Han Dynasty. His only support now is Liu Yu. If anything were to happen to Liu Yu, his future days would not be easy.

Tian Chou's movements were quick, but Xian Yu Yin's actions were even faster than his. Before Tian Chou could step onto the ground, Xian Yu Yin had already drawn the short knife he carried from beneath his pillow, and then, with a swift motion, he leaped out through the window that had been deliberately opened for the night, landing in the courtyard outside

Rest assured, Master Zitai. The Grand Tutor treats us with great kindness, as heavy as a mountain. I, Xianyu Yin, am certainly not one to fear for my life. As long as I draw breath, I will never allow anyone to harm the young master

When the young master mentioned the powerful warlords such as Yuan Shu, Cao Cao, and Yuan Shao, he seemed rather indifferent. I hope he is not blindly arrogant. Brother Minghui, this time, as we protect the young master on his return to Youzhou, even if it costs us our lives, we must ensure that he can safely meet with the Grand Tutor!

Xianyu Yin nodded and said: "I also feel that the young master has changed somewhat since we first arrived in Chang'an. At times, he seems like a country bumpkin who has seen nothing, while at other times, his eyes shine brightly with conviction, appearing very decisive. Could it be that the cold wind has caused some trouble here?"

"Zitai, what happened?"

After leaving the village, Liu walked briskly while looking back, only to see the flickering flames in the village, as if the courtyard of Old Man Feng's house was on fire

Elder, a group of strong individuals has entered the village late at night, and I fear they may be coming for me. I kindly ask you to leave the village with me and seek refuge in the mountains

Liu's decision to burn this secret edict was not a momentary impulse, but rather a well-considered action

The old man, comforted by Liu He, felt somewhat calmer. He then got up and continued to lead the way, eventually guiding Liu He into a thicket overgrown with weeds and dense thorny bushes.