Yuan Shu led Sun Ce and Zhou Yu to his inner courtyard. In the past, Sun Ce often played here, but ever since Yuan Yao was gravely injured, Yuan Shu couldnât help but feel a surge of anger whenever he saw Sun Ce. Although he knew he shouldnât blame Sun Ce, the sight of him only stirred up his rage, so he confined Sun Ce to his residence.
As for Zhou Yuâs house arrest, it was due to the task Chen Xi had entrusted to Zhuge Liang. A series of rumors had made Yuan Shu extremely wary of Zhou Yu, leading him to also sideline Sun Ceâs close confidants such as Zhou Tai, Jiang Qin, Ling Cao, Gu Yong, and Liao Li.
âFather...â Yuan Yao, in a daze, noticed Yuan Shuâs arrival and barely opened his eyes to see Sun Ce and Zhou Yu standing behind him.
âBrother Bofu, donât be sad. Life and death are fated, and wealth is in the hands of the heavens. I, Yuan Yao, have had my father and elder brother in this life, so it has been a good one. My frail body could experience the thrill of riding a horse in battleâthis was already my fortune,â Yuan Yao said with a faint smile as he comforted Sun Ce.
âYao, donât say that,â Sun Ce said, his eyes stinging. He had a feeling that Yuan Yaoâs life was slipping away, and that it would soon be over.
âBrother Bofu, itâs alright. I know my own condition,â Yuan Yao said calmly. He had been in and out of consciousness for a year, and when he suddenly regained clarity, he knew his end was nearâperhaps today was his final day.
Yuan Shu suddenly felt his heart tighten, and tears began to flow uncontrollably. He reached out, gently stroking Yuan Yao, his hands trembling.
âFather, donât cry. Iâve been unfilial,â Yuan Yao, who had been calm, could no longer hold back his tears when he saw Yuan Shuâs tearful eyes. He tried to lift his hand to wipe away Yuan Shuâs tears, but it fell back down.
âYaoâer, youâll get better. There must be someone in this world who can cure you. Iâll go plead with Liu BeiâHua Yuanhua can surely save you,â Yuan Shu said hoarsely. He had thought this countless times before, but he had never lowered himself to ask for help, thinking that the doctors in Yuzhou could handle it. But now, Yuan Shu suddenly realized that time was running outâhis pride meant nothing compared to his sonâs life!
âFather, itâs not necessary. I know my own situation,â Yuan Yao said, closing his eyes. âYouâve never bowed to anyone in your life. Thereâs no need to do so for me. You can fail, you can die, but donât bow to anyone.â
Yuan Shuâs face was filled with sorrow. He had failed countless times but had never bowed to anyone. Call it arrogance, call it foolhardinessâhe had never bowed to anyone. He could lose, he could fail, but whether you called him a fool or praised his loyalty, he would stubbornly follow his chosen path to the end!
âBrother Bofu, I know your loyalty. Can you promise me one thing?â Yuan Yao said, his eyes closed. He was so tired, his eyes could no longer stay open.
âYao, donât speak,â Sun Ce said, holding Yuan Yaoâs hand and channeling his hard-earned internal energy into him.
âItâs no use, Brother Bofu. Iâm done for. Let me say one last unfilial thing: My father is very stubborn, very loyal. Once he decides on a path, heâll follow it to the end. I used to think my father was lucky to control three provinces, but now that I think about it, he deserves it,â Yuan Yao said calmly.
Sun Ce didnât understand what Yuan Yao meant, but Zhou Yu had a sudden realization.
âThe power of the great families is immense, Brother Bofu. You and my father are very alike. My father likes you very much. After I die, promise me youâll listen to him,â Yuan Yao suddenly opened his eyes and looked at Sun Ce.
Sun Ce was stunned, and so was Yuan Shu. Yuan Shu then turned and hoarsely said, âBofu, become my adopted son.â
Yuan Shuâs words were a clear acknowledgment of Yuan Yaoâs suggestion. Yuan Shu knew his health was failing, which is why he only had Yuan Yao as a son. Now, with this request, he was not only feeling disheartened but also considering the continuation of the Yuan family line. He was too weak, his son was dying, and choosing an outstanding successor was the right path.
In truth, the proper course after Yuan Yaoâs death would have been to adopt a successor from Yuan Shaoâs branch of the family. But Yuan Shuâs peculiar personality meant he would never bow to Yuan Shao, not unless he had absolutely no other choiceâeven if it meant his own death.
Indeed, except for the sake of Yuan Yao, Yuan Shu would never bow to anyone. He was a stubborn warlord, with his own set of principles, and would never be swayed.
For this reason, when Yuan Yao asked Yuan Shu to adopt Sun Ce as his son after his death, Yuan Shu agreed without hesitation. After all, Yuan Shu had been working towards this, though without much progress.
For Yuan Shu, since he would need to adopt a son to inherit the Yuan familyâs legacy, it made sense to choose someone he liked. And Sun Ce was someone he liked very much.
As for informing Yuan Shaoâs branch, Yuan Shu would at most give them a heads-up. But if they wanted one of Yuan Tan, Yuan Xi, or Yuan Shang to inherit, Yuan Shu would rather squander the wealth of his family, which was the second or third most powerful in the land!
Sun Ce was suddenly at a loss. Why was he being adopted as Yuan Shuâs son? Although he didnât dislike Yuan Shu, he couldnât shake the feeling that he would be taking advantage of Yuan Shu by accepting.
Meanwhile, Zhou Yuâs eyes nearly popped out of his head. He suddenly realized that all his previous plans were nothing compared to what was happening now. Sun Ce, without even trying, had acquired everything he had planned for. Was this the luck of a fool?
Zhou Yu screamed inwardly. He suddenly realized that this was the best possible opportunity. Once Yuan Yao died, Sun Ce, as Yuan Shuâs adopted son, would be the legitimate heir. He would inherit three provinces, hold power over five million people in Yuzhou, three million in Jingxiang, and two million in Yangzhou.
With ten million people under his command, along with civil and military officials like Zhou Yu, Pang Tong, Liao Li, Gu Yong, Jiang Qin, Ling Cao, Cheng Pu, Han Dang, and Huang Gai, Zhou Yu realized that with a little consolidation, they would be strong enough to contend with any warlord in the land!
âIâŠâ Sun Ce hesitated for a long time, unable to speak. He felt guilty because he believed Yuan Yaoâs current condition was his fault. And as he held Yuan Yaoâs hand, he could feel that Yuan Yao wouldnât survive the day. âIâm sorryâŠâ
âBrother Bofu, it seems we are not destined to be brothers in name. FatherâŠâ Yuan Yao suddenly opened his eyes and looked at Yuan Shu with deep longing. Yuan Shu understood a great deal from that one look.
âBofu, become my adopted son. You can keep your surname, but just inherit the Yuan family. Our family has produced three generations of high-ranking officialsâhow could we let that be stolen by a son of a concubine? Youâre the only one I trust,â Yuan Shu said, his voice filled with sorrow.
Yuan Yaoâs glance did not escape Zhou Yuâs notice, but he said nothing. He couldnât help but feel a pang of admirationâthis was the spirit of a noble family member. Even though Yuan Yao had accepted Sun Ce, he still conducted one last test before his death.
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