name of saving the emperor. Dong Zhuo ordered Luoyang to be burnt down and relocated the capital to Chang'an. In Chang'an, Xun You secretly plotted with Zheng Tai (), He Yong, Chong Ji () and Wu Qiong () to assassinate Dong Zhuo, who was notorious for his cruelty and tyranny. However, they were discovered and Xun You was arrested and imprisoned. While he was incarcerated, Xun You spoke and behaved normally as though nothing had happened. He was only released after Dong Zhuo was killed in 192. However, the Wei Shu mentioned that Xun You was released after he sent someone to persuade and convince Dong Zhuo to free him. Xun You then resigned and returned home, but soon rejoined the civil service and was appointed as the Chancellor () of Rencheng State (任城; southwest of present-day Zoucheng, Shandong). He rejected this appointment and asked to be the Administrator () of Shu Commandery (蜀郡; around present-day Chengdu, Sichuan) because he heard that Shu Commandery was prosperous and situated in a geographically strategic location. However, he was unable to travel to Shu Commandery because the roads leading there had been damaged and cut off. He had no choice but to relocate to Jing Province and station there. Service under Cao Cao In 196, the warlord Cao Cao received and fetched Emperor Xian to Xu (許; present-day Xuchang, Henan) and established the new capital there. He wrote to Xun You: "The Empire is in chaos. It is time for intelligent people to do something. Do you not think you have spent too much time observing the changes in the Shu region?" Xun You was then appointed as the Administrator () of Runan Commandery (汝南郡; around present-day Gushi County, Henan) and later summoned to the capital to serve as a Master of Writing (). Cao Cao had long heard of Xun You and was overjoyed when they finally met. He told Xun Yu and Zhong Yao: "Gongda is no ordinary person. Now that I have him to advise me, why should I worry about not being able to pacify the Empire?" He also appointed Xun You as a Military Adviser (). Battles against Zhang Xiu and Lü Bu In 198, when Cao Cao wanted to launch another attack on a rival warlord, Zhang Xiu, Xun You advised him against it, saying, "Zhang Xiu and Liu Biao share borders. Zhang Xiu and his wandering