Chapter 27: Daring to be the First in the World

  The second update is here, there are two more updates today, please give me some flowers and some motivation.

  "Please!" Cheng Yu waved his hand at Wang Can and smiled slightly.

  "Zhong De Gong, please!" Wang Can also waved his hand and sat down with a big smile.

  Xun Yu stroked his mustache with a smile, his eyes calm as water, but in his heart, he was thinking of many things.

  Filial piety first? Virtue first?

  Xun Yu fell silent for a moment, then asked: "I wonder if there is any origin for taking the character first?"

  Wang Can thought for a moment, smiled and said: "Xun Gong, Lao Tzu once said that I have three treasures. The first is Ci (compassion), the second is Jian (frugality), and the third is not daring to be ahead of the world. The meaning of being ahead of the virtuous is to let us be cautious and low-key. However, I think that in doing things, one should dare to be ahead of the world, this is the right way. Therefore, I take the character 'Wei Xian' (to be ahead)."

  As soon as Wang Cai's voice fell, the atmosphere in the field suddenly stagnated.

  Perhaps Wang Can's words only meant that he dared to be the first in the world, but in the eyes of Cheng Yu, Guo Jia, Xun Yu and Xun You, it had a different meaning. In combination with the current chaos in the world, the decline of the Han dynasty, Dong Zhuo's dominance over the imperial court, daring to be the first in the world may also mean being the first to claim kingship or emperorship, or being the first to raise an army to resist Dong Zhuo.

  Different people have different ideas.

  Xun Yu's hands were placed on his legs, with his right middle finger lightly tapping his thigh, and a solemn expression appeared in his eyes.

  Cheng Yu heard this and his eyes sparkled with a hint of light. He stroked the beautiful whiskers under his chin, nodding slightly.

  Xun Yu's face suddenly changed, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

  Guo Jia was drinking wine, heard Wang Can's explanation, and slammed the wine jug on the table with a bang, clapping his hands and laughing: "Good, good, good! A man who dares to be the first in the world. Now that the Han dynasty is declining, the imperial power is weak, the vassals are rising up, this is exactly the time when we need someone who dares to be the first in the world to stand out, sweep away the dust, tidy up the world, and bring peace to the world."

  Kwok Ka's words were stirring and shocking.

  But Guo Jia glanced at Xun Yu with a hint of intention, and heaved a slight sigh in his heart. As Xun Yu's good friend, Guo Jia naturally knew that Xun Yu was loyal to the Han dynasty, so he sighed and didn't finish what he wanted to say. Sweeping away the four directions, is it for the Liu family's descendants to sweep away the four directions? Or is it to wrap up the world's momentum, establish a foundation for ten thousand generations, and set up an eternal achievement? Guo Jia intentionally or unintentionally ignored these words.

  Xun Yu heard this and smiled: "The words of the vanguard are strong and fierce, advancing bravely, they should be our model!"

  Cheng Yu stroked his beard and smiled, not continuing Wang Can's topic, but said to himself: "Now Dong Zhuo is in power, the world is in chaos, and the Han dynasty is already showing signs of decline. Dong Zhuo, a tiger-like man without a king or father, holds the reins of government, and will eventually lead to turmoil in the world. However, in times of chaos, heroes emerge. I observe that among the people of the world, only three have caught my eye: Cao Cao, Cao Mengde! Yuan Shao, Yuan Benchu! Yuan Shu, Yuan Gonglu! These three men grasp the overall situation of the world, and one day they will become a powerful warlord."

  Cheng Yu spoke with a sharp tone, his words carrying an unyielding and unopposable undertone.

  Among the five people present, Cheng Yu was the oldest, nearly fifty years old; next was Xun You, who was almost thirty years old; then there were Xun You, Wang Can and Guo Jia. When Cheng Yu spoke, he changed the subject, and Xun You and others showed a thoughtful expression.

  Wang Can knew history and naturally understood that Cheng Yu was half right and half wrong.

  Cao Cao, Yuan Shu and Yuan Shao are indeed heroes of their time, but the idea that they divided the world among themselves is incorrect.

  After some thought, Wang Can asked: "I dare to ask, Master Zhongde, why Cao Cao, Yuan Shu, and Yuan Shao have gained the momentum of the world. There are so many lords in this world, such as Gongsun Zan of Youzhou, Liu Zhang of Yizhou, Zhang Lu of Hanzhong, and Liu Biao of Jingzhou... These people are all heroes of a region, why can't they divide the world? Moreover, Yuan Shu, fearing Dong Zhuo's power, is now wandering in southern Yangtze River, like a stray dog. Recently, I heard that Yuan Shu's general Ji Ling attacked Ru'nan, but was killed by the Yellow Turbans who occupied Ru'nan. Can such a person gain the momentum of the world?"

  Cheng Yu smiled and asked: "Can you know Cao Cao first?"

  Wang Can smiled and said, "Cao Cao, a hero of the world, I've heard that Xu Shao once evaluated Cao Cao as a capable minister in times of peace and a treacherous hero in times of chaos. Such a person, how could he not know?"

  "You only know one side of it, but you don't know the other."

  "Oh, why is that?" Wang Can hastily asked.

  Cheng Yu looked at Xun You and said, "Gong Da, you come from the Xun family and are more familiar with the powerful families. Tell me about Cao Cao's actual power after his death."

  Xun Yu nodded and smiled, "This Cao Cao is not only outstanding in his own abilities, but also has a considerable amount of power behind him. Cao Cao's grandfather, Cao Teng, was first the Marquis of Feiting and later became the Grand Commandant, serving in the palace for over thirty years without any mistakes, and was able to recommend talented people. Although he was low-key and cautious, his abilities should not be underestimated. Just knowing that Cao Teng served under Emperors Shun, Chong, Zhi, and Huan will tell you that this man is no ordinary person. Furthermore, Cao Cao's father, Cao Song, held the position of Governor of Ji Province, and Emperor Ling promoted him to Minister of Agriculture and then to Imperial Chancellor, later becoming one of the Three Dukes, second only to the General-in-Chief, with an extraordinary status."

  "The management of Cao Cao's ancestors and father for two generations made the Cao family prosperous, and secondly, Cao Cao had the support of the Xiahou family from Qiao Commandery behind him. With such strength, Cao Cao naturally had the possibility of dividing the world."

  Wang Can was shocked in his heart, never expecting that Cao Cao's actual power would be so enormous.

  After Cao Cao failed to assassinate Dong Zhuo and escaped from Luoyang, he was able to raise an army to resist Dong Zhuo, which must have been supported by the actual power behind him. Otherwise, how could Cao Cao, a mere West Garden Commander, command the vassals to rise up in arms?

  At this time, Guo Jia took advantage of Xun You's words and said: "As for Yuan Shu and Yuan Shao, they are even more so. Four generations of three dukes, respected by the people at home. Compared to Cao Cao, I prefer Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu. Although Cao Cao has strong real power behind him, he is a eunuch's descendant, while Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu are orthodox officials of the imperial court. How can they be compared with Cao Cao?"

  "Hum, just a bunch of rascals!"

  Xun Yu let out a cold snort, his face revealing an unpleasant expression. He glared at Wang Can with anger and said: "I think you're not some thrifty lamp either, can't help but be like Yuan Shu or Yuan Shao."

  Wang Can burst out laughing. He knew that Xun Yu was loyal to the Han dynasty and was resented by Cao Cao, ultimately dying of depression.

  Looks like this person is indeed a die-hard fan!

  Wang Can smiled to himself and said, "Wang Can is just a minor figure, how dare he compare with Cao Cao or Yuan Shu? You overestimate Wang Can."

  "If it is said that the world's trend will be obtained by Cao Cao, Yuan Shu, and Yuan Shao, I do not agree. Cao Cao has a strong and ambitious personality, and with the help of the Cao and Xiahou families, he can achieve great things, which I highly approve of. However, as for Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu, these two men are nothing but socializing with some famous people, boasting about their family background, without showing any real ability. As for Yuan Shu, his only achievement was advising He Jin to summon the vassals to the capital, which led to Dong Zhuo's army entering the capital, dominating the government, and causing chaos in the world. Such a person, even if temporarily occupying an advantageous position, is nothing but a temporary trend. Moreover, Yuan Shu was known for his heroic spirit when he was young, but later on, he spent his time with those spoiled rich kids, playing with dogs and fighting chickens. Even though he came from a family of high-ranking officials, he is nothing but a lucky birth."

  "Well said!"

  Kuo Chia's eyes sparkled with delight as he clapped his hands and laughed loudly: "Hearing your words, I must say they are truly profound and to the point!"

  Guo Jia looked at Wang Can with eyes full of admiration, his face revealing excitement.

  Wang Can shook his head and smiled, "As the saying goes, 'what is heard is empty, what is seen is real'. What I said was just based on what others told me. As for the actual situation, one can only know by experiencing it personally."

  Xun Yu nodded and said: "What you just said makes sense and is exactly what I think!"

  Guo Jia coughed lightly twice, his eyes gazing at Xun Yu. The two exchanged a smile and nodded: "As for me, I think you're extraordinary talent, also a kindred spirit. Now that Yuan Shao has fled Luoyang and is recruiting talents in Hebei Province, I plan to go with Wen Ruo to Hebei Province to join Yuan Shu. Would you like to come with us?"

  Wang Can was taken aback, then reacted and sighed in his heart, after all, it's not his person! Wang Can shook his head and said: "I'm going to Luoyang on business this time, I have something important to attend to, I'm afraid I won't be able to go to Jizhou with you two."

  "What a pity! What a shame!"

  Guo Jia sighed and said "what a pity" twice.

  Xun Yu also had a look of regret on his face, with a deep disappointment in his eyes.

  As for Xun Yu and Cheng Yu, both of them were to stay in Yingchuan, so there was no need to feel sorry or not.