Chapter 74 Hearing the voice of the people's suffering for the first time

Cao Song looked at the empty courtyard gate and heard the sound of horseshoes on the street. He raised his eyelids, with a helpless expression, and turned to tease Cao De. It was like this every time, before I left, I was pissed off by Cao Cao, and after I left, I missed him desperately, and was so worried that I couldn't sleep.Only when his son is by his side can he feel at ease. Cao Cao rode on horseback, took the official road in Luoyang, and was about to embrace the infinite and vast world, and the freedom that came naturally was like a breeze blowing across the water.He could have made an appointment with like-minded classmates or friends, but they all have their own research direction.

Cao Cao rode alone on a horse and was about to go out of Luoyang West Road. It only took two to three hundred miles. There was Hangu Pass where Lao Tzu once passed.There is also Hongnong County, where there have been many literati in the past.Then head north, pass Shouyang Mountain on the return journey, where Boyi and Shuqi used to live in seclusion and let the virtuous, and finally go east all the way, along the north of the Yellow River and return to Luoyang through the Yellow River Bridge. Cao Cao's horse passed the official road in front of the imperial city, so he had to dismount and walk as usual.

Then all the way to the west, he had to go through Mianchi and Caoyang to Jia, and then went southwest to Hongnong, and finally arrived at Hangu Pass. On the way, he asked passers-by where there were famous private schools, so he could visit them along the way.It takes at least two months for this fast horse back and forth. It is the time when spring comes, and it can be described as a beautiful scenery all the way. After the death of Emperor An, in addition to the frequent victories in the frontier, internal worries continued, "partisans" were banned, and most of the people appointed by the eunuchs after they came to power were connections and factions.

They go to the localities as officials, and they are only responsible for collecting taxes, eating and receiving cards, and the local people are getting poorer and poorer, and the people's lives have reached the limit of poverty. Coupled with natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and insect plagues, the people are in dire straits. When one place is affected by a disaster, the surrounding four or five counties will not be peaceful. Change. In the spring of 173 A.D., a great plague broke out around Luoyang, and most of the victims were poor people who had no money to treat. The family lacks labor, or sells the millet to treat diseases. Many people lose food and land in an instant, and the population trading market is bleak. First, they are afraid of infection. relatives and friends.

Just twenty miles away from the west gate of Luoyang, Cao Cao found people waiting to buy them and begging on both sides of the road.Most of the sick and hungry poor died of starvation and disease while waiting. Seeing the poor people habitually reaching out to beg for Cao Cao, Cao Cao galloped past, and saw an old woman with three children who were too thin to be human. The old woman's face, which had lost all pain, was no longer sad, as if it was just Suffering for one breath of existence. Cao Cao turned his horse's head around, came to the old lady, took out a bag of fried noodles from the horse's back, and handed it to dozens of pairs of bony hands that stretched out.

Other poor people gathered towards Cao Cao like a tide, leaving a distance of one foot, begging on their knees.They were afraid that they would have plague on their bodies and infect Cao Cao. Cao Cao was moved, but the people who were about to die knew how to cherish and respect his life. What are the rulers living in Luoyang doing?Busy with intrigue?Compete with each other, compete for interests, and make people miserable?The people have no food, no clothes, no houses, and they are still living in poverty. Where can I find such good people in the world? Cao Cao's heart was agitated, and he looked up at the gate of the city. The silk banners were flying on the city, and the soldiers looked silently like the bricks of the city gate at the poor people gathered outside the city.

There are two teams of soldiers guarding the gate of the city. These poor people are not allowed to enter the city. The name is to prevent the spread of the epidemic. People facing death threats are only separated from their beloved emperor. Laozi said: "Heaven and earth are not benevolent, they regard all things as straw dogs, saints are not benevolent, and regard all people as straw dogs." Laozi also said that "the people in the world are the most important, and the king who is next to the country is the least." It is a pity that the saint has passed away and the truth does not exist.

For a while, the principles of sages and sages learned in Taixue emerged in my ears, but in fact?Is it difficult to solve the difficulties for these poor people?What about the emperor they usually pay taxes to support?What about the father of the people whom they venerate?what is he doingPlay balance of power?Playing with Gong'e?Hang out with eunuchs? Cao Cao untied the bag from the horse's back, took out all the food, and put it together with the bag on the open ground under his feet.Didn't my father say that it was difficult to find an official post?As long as it is a main road, there will be official posts every thirty or fifty miles along the way. It is impossible for these poor people to get money and food from the official posts, but the son of the dignified Sinonong can.

Cao Cao put the bag on the ground, turned around and mounted his horse, and the poor flocked to loot the food and money in the bag. Cao Cao went on the road alone regardless of the noise and hustle and bustle behind him. There were countless post stations waiting for him on the road ahead, so trivial matters such as eating and sleeping were nothing.When people are too optimistic, is the situation really as easy as Cao Song said?