Chapter 6 97 Cai Wenji returned to Han

Since Cao Cao's failure in Chibi, after several years of rectification, he regained his military prestige and proclaimed himself Duke Wei.In 216 AD, he was promoted to King of Wei (the capital is in Yecheng).In the north, his prestige was very high, and even Huchuquan Shanyu of the Southern Huns came to Yecheng to congratulate him.Cao Cao left Huchuquan Shanyu in Yecheng, entertained him like a distinguished guest, and asked the Youxian King of the Huns to go back and supervise the country for Shanyu. The relationship between the Southern Huns and the Han Dynasty was reconciled.Cao Cao remembered that one of his dead friends, Cai Yong (sound yong), had a daughter who was still in the Southern Huns and wanted to bring her back.

Cai Yong was a famous scholar in the late Eastern Han Dynasty. He was exiled to Shuofang (in the north of Hangjin Banner, Inner Mongolia) because he offended the eunuch in his early years.When Dong Zhuo came to power, Cai Yong had returned to Luoyang.At that time, Dong Zhuo was trying to win people's hearts.When he heard that Cai Yong was famous, he invited him here, made him an official, respected him very much, and was promoted three ranks in three days.Cai Yong felt that under Dong Zhuo, he was much better than under Han Lingdi. When Dong Zhuo was killed, Cai Yong remembered that Dong Zhuo had treated him well, and sighed.This annoyed Situ Wangyun, who thought he was a member of Dong Zhuo's party and arrested him.Although many ministers in the court interceded for him, Wang Yun still disagreed and died in prison.

Cai Yong's daughter is named Cai Yan (sound yan), also named Cai Wenji. Like her father, she is a learned and talented person.After her father's death, Li Jue and Guo Si fought again in the Guanzhong area, and the people in Chang'an fled everywhere.Cai Wenji also followed the refugees into exile.At that time, the Xiongnu soldiers took advantage of the fire to loot and plunder the people.One day, Cai Wenji ran into Huns soldiers and was snatched away by them.The Xiongnu soldiers saw her young and beautiful, so they dedicated her to the Zuoxian King of the Huns. After this, she became the wife of King Zuo Xian, and King Zuo Xian loved her very much.She has lived in the Southern Huns for twelve years. Although she is used to the life of the Huns, she still misses her homeland very much.

This time, Cao Cao thought of Cai Wenji, so he sent envoys to the Southern Huns with gifts to bring her back. Of course King Zuoxian was reluctant to let Cai Wenji go, but he didn't dare to disobey Cao Cao's will, so he had to let Cai Wenji go back.Of course Cai Wenji is very willing to return to her homeland, which she misses day and night; but she feels sad when she leaves the children she gave birth to in the Huns.In this contradictory mood, she wrote the famous poem "Eighteen Beats of Hu Jia". When Cai Wenji arrived in Yecheng, Cao Cao saw that she was lonely and lonely, so he married her to Dong Si, the captain of Tuntian (official name).

Who knew that not long after, Dong Si broke the law and was arrested by Cao Cao's subordinates, sentenced to death, and it was about to be executed. Cai Wenji was so anxious that she hurried to Wei Wang's mansion to intercede.It happened that Cao Cao was holding a banquet.Some ministers, ministers, celebrities and scholars in the imperial court gathered in Wei Wangfu.The attendant reported Cai Wenji's request to see Cao Cao.Cao Cao knew that many of the ministers and celebrities here were acquainted with Cai Yong, so he said to everyone: "Cai Yong's daughter has been wandering abroad for many years, and she is back this time. Let her come to meet you today, how about it?"

Of course, everyone expressed their willingness to meet each other.Cao Cao ordered his attendants to bring Cai Wenji in.Cai Wenji, with loose hair and bare feet, knelt in front of Cao Cao as soon as she came in, pleading for her husband.Her voice was crisp, and her words were very sad.Many people in the seat turned out to be Cai Yong's friends. Seeing Cai Wenji's sadness, they couldn't help thinking of Cai Yong, and their noses were so moved. After listening to her appeal, Cao Cao said, "The situation you mentioned is indeed worthy of sympathy, but the document of conviction has been issued, what can we do?"

Cai Wenji begged bitterly: "Your Majesty's stable has tens of thousands of horses, and his warriors are as numerous as a forest. As long as you send a warrior and a fast horse to recover the document, Dong Si will be saved." Cao Cao personally approved the pardon order, sent a cavalry to catch up, and announced that Dong Si would be pardoned from the death penalty. At that time, it was counting nine cold days.Seeing that she was wearing thin clothes, Cao Cao gave her a headscarf and a pair of shoes and socks, and asked her to put them on. Cao Cao asked her: "I heard that Madam's house has many books and manuscripts, are they still kept?"

Cai Wenji said with emotion: "My father gave me more than 4,000 volumes of books during his lifetime, but after the great chaos, they were scattered and none of them survived. But I can still recite more than 400 volumes." Cao Cao heard that she could recite so much, so he said: "I want to send ten people to my wife's house and ask them to write down the articles you recited. What do you think?" Cai Wenji said: "No need. As long as the king rewards me with some pens and paper, I will write it down when I get home." Later, Cai Wenji really wrote down the hundreds of articles she had memorized silently and gave them to Cao Cao.Cao Cao looked at it and was very satisfied.

Cao Cao took Cai Wenji back and did a good job in preserving ancient culture.In history, "Wen Ji returned to Han" was passed down as a good story.