Chapter 33: Cai Yong's Thoughts

  Li Ru asked Wang Can when he would visit Dong Zhuo, just as Wang Can was about to speak, Cai Yong said: "Lang Zhongling, since you have just come to me as a teacher, I still have many things to discuss with you. As for visiting Dong Taishi, let's put it off for now. You go back and tell Dong Taishi that Cai Yong will personally bring you to the Taishi Mansion to visit Dong Taishi."

  Li Ru's eyes sparkled as he thought for a long time before nodding in agreement.

  Li Ru said: "Mr. Boji, I came to visit you today, wanting to chat with you and discuss the Tao, but unexpectedly met your talented disciple, and there is no time for conversation. Since that's the case, I won't disturb Mr. Boji, and will take my leave first."

  Cai Yong nodded and said: "Lord Lang Zhongling, slow down, I won't see you off far."

  Li Ru swung his sleeves and bowed to Cai Yong before turning around and leaving the Cai residence.

  Cai Yong said after Li Ru's back disappeared: "First, you follow me to the study, I still have many things to tell you clearly, so that you won't have any doubts."

  Wang Can nodded and turned around to instruct Bae Won-seo to wait in the living room.

  After finishing speaking, Wang Can followed Cai Yong behind his back, walked around the corridor, passed through the alley, and walked a long way before arriving at Cai Yong's study.

  Entering the study, Cai Yong ordered someone to guard the door well before sitting down on the couch.

  "I, the old man, have only met you once before and we don't know each other well. If I'm being honest, this is our first real conversation. I suppose you're wondering why I'm so eager to take you on as my disciple."

  Cai Yong's face was tinged with a playful smile, seemingly laughing yet not quite, as he gazed at Wang Can.

  Wang Canshen's heart skipped a beat, but he didn't deny it, nodding in acknowledgement of his inner thoughts.

  In fact, Wang Can was indeed very suspicious. Cai Yong is a great Confucian scholar of the time, famous throughout the nine provinces, and becoming his disciple is not something that ordinary people can do by simply visiting him. For example, when Cai Yong took refuge in Wu County, he accepted Gu Yong as his disciple, who was quick-witted and deeply loved by Cai Yong. However, Gu Yong's cleverness and intelligence were not the main reasons, but rather because his family was a famous and influential clan in Jiangnan, one of the four great families of Jiangdong.

  Gu Yong's background was the main reason why Cai Yong accepted Gu Yong as his disciple.

  Talents are numerous in the world, but when it comes to accepting disciples and teaching them a trade, one still has to be particular about the threshold, especially in an era like that of the Three Kingdoms where the poor and aristocratic classes were polarized.

  As for talent and learning, Gu Yong was clever and quick-witted, with a sharp mind.

  In terms of origin, Gu Yong was born into one of the four major families in Jiangdong, and the Gu family was also a prominent family in Jiangnan.

  It was the combination of these two circumstances that led to Gu Yong becoming a disciple of Cai Yong.

  Wang Can was only a Yellow Turban bandit, and the only thing he had was his outstanding ability. To say that he met Cai Yong's conditions for accepting disciples, Wang Can didn't quite qualify, but he couldn't understand why Cai Yong was so eager to accept him as a disciple. Naturally, Wang Can went along with it and became one of Cai Yong's students. For Wang Can, having the support of Cai Yong, a renowned scholar of the time, would make his identity as a Yellow Turban bandit more acceptable to others.

  Cai Yong was eager to take Wang Can as his disciple, and Wang Can also urgently needed Cai Yong's help.

  Both parties willing, things will naturally come together.

  But in the end, Cai Yong was still at a disadvantage.

  Cai Yong's hands were placed on his legs, his expression was despondent, and he sighed: "At first, when I heard you say that your identity is a Yellow Turban bandit, I also had doubts in my heart. Because you are not the best candidate for me? However, I am in Luoyang, trapped in prison, and it is difficult to predict future events. Fortunately, you have outstanding abilities and are appreciated by Li Ru. If I assist from the side, I think there is still a great chance of getting an official position with real power."

  Wang Can was bewildered and looked at Cai Yong, unsure what he had just said.

  The best candidate? Which candidate?

  Besides, Wang Can was seeking an official position and had a slight connection with Cai Yong, so Cai Yong didn't have to care about Wang Can's affairs.

  "Teacher, I don't understand what you're saying?" Wang Canshuo said softly.

  Cai Yong smiled and said, "Listen to me slowly, I was summoned by Dong Zhuo, ordered to serve as an official, but I refused. Dong Zhuo was furious and used my family as a threat, so I had no choice but to serve. However, I also knew that Dong Zhuo's tyranny would not last long, he is a wolf in sheep's clothing. But now I am already tied to his ship, it's not easy to get rid of him."

  "For this reason, I have been thinking of finding a disciple to entrust Zhao Ji to."

  "That day, I returned to Luoyang and met you at the city gate. I saw that you were kind-hearted and had skills, so I had thoughts about you, but at that time, we had just met, and I hadn't made up my mind yet. Because I didn't know what your abilities were? After all, it's not an easy task to protect Zhaoyi and also keep yourself safe in a chaotic world. So I gave you the invitation letter, asking you to visit me at Cai's mansion. I also had thoughts about testing you, but things often turn out unexpectedly, who would have thought that with your exceptional talent, you would actually gain Li Ru's favor? Ah, it's fate!"

  Cai Yong sighed repeatedly, his face full of desolation.

  Wang Can couldn't help but laugh to himself, the thing about Li Ru was just something he knew about Li Ru. However, Wang Can thought of another question, Zhao Ji, who is Zhao Ji?

  "Wang Can asked: 'Teacher, who is Zhao Ji?'"

  Cai Yong's face was shocked, and he laughed: "Unexpectedly, you don't know Zhao Ji. Ha ha, it's also a strange thing. Zhao Ji is my daughter, surname Cai, name Yan, courtesy name Zhao Ji."

  Cai Yan, isn't she Cai Wenji?

  Wang Cai was stunned and didn't know how Cai Wenji suddenly became Cai Zhaoji.

  In fact, Cai Wenji's original name was Cai Zhaoji. It was only later that the name of Emperor Sima Zhao of the Western Jin dynasty had the same character as Cai Zhaoji, so to avoid tabooing Sima Zhao, her name was changed to Wenji.

  Wang Can thought for a moment and said, "Master, I've heard that there's another disciple under your tutelage named Wei Zhongdao. He comes from a large family in Hedong and has deep feelings for Miss Zhaoji. Why not let him take Miss Zhaoji to Hedong to escape the danger? That way, you can also avoid worrying about her afterwards. Why do you need to choose someone else?"

  Cai Yong's eyes flashed with a stern expression, and he coldly laughed: "Don't you know that Zhong Dao's body is weak since birth, extremely frail?"

  Wang Cai said: "Of course I know, my disciples have also heard that Wei Zhongdao's body is not good."

  Cai Yong smiled and said, "Although Zhong Dao is a disciple under me, he is clever and obedient. However, being clever and obedient is one thing, while the important matter of Zhao Ji's life is another. If I were to entrust Zhao Ji to Zhong Dao, he would undoubtedly marry her as his wife. But Zhong Dao's body is weak, making him unsuitable as a husband for Zhao Ji. I have intentions to entrust Zhao Ji to you, but with two conditions: first, you must ensure Zhao Ji's safety and not let her come to harm; second, Zhao Ji herself will choose her husband, and you are not allowed to interfere. As long as you can fulfill these two points, I will lend you my support. What do you think?"

  Wang Can's mouth was full of curses, but he was secretly amused.

  It really is a stroke of luck, Cai Yong actually entrusted Cai Yan to himself.

  As the saying goes, "time breeds affection", and after a long time of interacting with Cai Yan, will she still choose her own husband? However, if it's true as Cai Yong said, in history, Cai Yan marrying Wei Zhongdao was probably an act of desperation, having no choice but to let Cai Yan marry Wei Zhongdao. What they didn't expect was that Cai Yan died a year after marrying Wei Zhongdao, and when she returned to Luoyang, due to the chaos caused by Li Jue and Guo Si, Cai Yan ended up in exile, living a life of sorrow and melancholy.

  But Wang Can believes this kind of thing won't happen again.

  Wang Canshen smiled secretly in his heart, but on his face, he showed a serious expression and said: "Teacher, rest assured, I will definitely protect Zhaoji's safety, and at the same time, I won't force Zhaoji either."

  Cai Yong said sternly: "You are swearing to Heaven."

  Wang Can smiled in his heart, isn't this a vow? He raised his right hand and said loudly: "Wang Can vows that in this life, he will protect Zhao Ji from any harm, and at the same time, he must not force Zhao Ji to choose a husband. If he violates this vow, heaven will strike him with lightning and ten thousand arrows will pierce his heart!"

  Wang Can said with a smile, "Teacher, is this okay now?"

  Cai Yong smiled and said, "Well, I had you take an oath out of desperation, hoping that you would understand first."

  Wang Can nodded and smiled brightly.

  He indeed appreciates Cai Yong's approach, Cai Yong not only gave Wang Can a great future, but also sent a beautiful woman, what a good teacher and father-in-law! However, Wang Can is also very admiring of Cai Yong's doting on Cai Yan. In ancient times, men were valued over women, daughters were considered water that had been splashed out, once married off, they were useless, no one would consider their lifelong happiness like Cai Yong did for Cai Yan.

  Wang Can calmed down and suddenly thought of Li Ru's words, asking: "Teacher, when will the disciple visit Dong Zhuo?"

  PS: The second of four updates