Chapter 23 fourth quarter

Dong accepted the brocade robe and jade belt rewarded by Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty and returned home in a sedan chair.Qin Qingtong, the official and slave of the sedan chair door, greeted him at the gate as early as possible.Qin Qingtong waited for Dong Cheng to go up the steps and entered the gate, and flattered and flattered: "Is this brocade robe and jade belt really a gift from the emperor?" Dong Cheng didn't want to say to his slaves, "Yes." Dong Cheng's complexion was not good-looking, so he stopped talking, and just stood aside and looked at the brocade robe on Dong Cheng's body.

When Dong Cheng entered the hall, Mrs. Cui and his concubine Yuan Ying greeted him together.Both of them looked at the brocade robe and jade belt worn by Dong Cheng, their eyes sparkled.Mrs. Cui said pleasantly: "Given by Your Majesty?" Dong Cheng turned his head and glanced at it. Qin Qingtong knew what was interesting, and withdrew without a word.Before retreating, he exchanged a glance with Yuanying.Only then did Dong Cheng sit down and said: "Your Majesty led me into the Taimiao, went up to the Pavilion of Meritorious Ministers, and remembered my achievements in escorting the driver. He took off the brocade robe and jade belt he wore and gave it to me." Mrs. Cui said: "Then your lord should You are happy, why are you frowning?" Dong Cheng couldn't speak, so he could only sigh: "It's hard to repay a holy favor!" Mrs. Cui said: "My lord is tired, and I just went to court and entered the palace again, let Yuanying give it to you. Wait for the cooking, I will let the cook prepare the meal."

Mrs. Cui withdrew.Yuan Ying walked behind Dong Cheng and squeezed Dong Cheng's shoulders twice, then slowly put Dong Cheng's head down on his chest and rubbed it.Dong Cheng said impatiently: "Are you committing a crime by yourself again and using my head to relieve fatigue?" Yuan Ying swayed her body with squinted eyes and said angrily: "It's not my turn to use the body of an adult, and I'm not allowed to use my head Ah." Dong Cheng was really impatient, raised his head and waved his hands: "I'm not in the mood today, so excuse me." Yuan Ying backed away awkwardly.

Dong Cheng took off his brocade robe and lifted it up to inspect it, but he couldn't find anything, so he shook his head and put it on again.Picking up the jade belt and looking at it, there seems to be nothing.At this moment Mrs. Cui came in: "My lord, why don't you let Yuanying serve you?" Dong Cheng said: "I have something on my mind." Mrs. Cui said: "Let's eat first." Dong Cheng waved: "I don't want to eat, I really have Big thing among big things!" Dong Cheng has been restless all day.At night, sitting alone in the academy, he looked at the brocade robe repeatedly under the lamp, but still found nothing.He walked with his hands behind his back, and said to himself: "The holy majesty gave me the robe and belt, and ordered me to take a closer look. There must be a meaning. There are no traces now, why?" He took the jade belt and examined it carefully. Xiaolong wears flowers, and the back is lined with purple decorations. The stitching is neat and there is no flaw.Dong Cheng was puzzled.At this time there was movement, the door was gently pushed open, he shouted and asked: "Who?" It was Yuan Ying, the concubine, dressed plain at night, with fragrant clouds on her temples, and said: "I want to ask if you want to serve?" Dong Cheng waved his hand: "I'm here to study alone at night, and I don't need to wait." Yunying glanced at the jade belt in Dong Cheng's hand, stopped talking, and withdrew.Dong Cheng picked up the jade belt and watched it under the lamp, but he still didn't find anything.He coughed softly again outside the window, and he asked: "Which one?" The answer from the window: "It's the villain Qin Qingtong, I want to ask the adults how to serve you late at night?" Qin Qingtong said outside the window: "The villain has stepped back."

Dong Cheng looked at the window suspiciously, stood up and walked to the door, pushed the door and came out, only to see the moonlight and no one was there.He went back to the room again, picked up the jade belt and checked it repeatedly, but still found nothing.He put the jade belt on the table and shook his head helplessly.For a long time, I couldn't figure it out, and I was sleepy. I was about to go to bed at my desk, when suddenly the lantern fell on the jade belt, burning the backing.Dong Cheng hastily wiped it with his hands, and one place was burned, the plain silk was slightly exposed inside, and bloodstains were hidden.Dong Cheng was horrified, he hurriedly took his knife and opened it to see, what unfolded was actually a secret edict written in blood in blood by Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty.After reading it for the first time, he had already exchanged tears, then got up and stood with his back against the table facing the window, picked up the blood edict and read out: "I heard that the relationship between father and son is the first; the difference between superiority and inferiority is the most important. To oppress the ruler and father; to link up with the party and corps to corrupt the government; to reward and punish is not up to my lord. I worry about it day and night, fearing that the world will be in danger. You are the minister of the country, and I am the closest relative. I should think of the difficulties of Emperor Gao's business and unite loyalty. The martyrs of the two worlds, kill the traitors, restore the country, the ancestors are very lucky! Break your fingers and sprinkle blood, and write an edict to Fu Qing, and be careful, don't disappoint me! In the fourth year of Jian'an, the spring and March edict." After Dong Cheng finished reading, he will The imperial edict was placed on the table, and then he turned around and knelt down to the edict with his back facing south and north, saying: "The minister accepts the edict and obeys the edict, and he will go through fire and water, and he will not refuse."

That night, Dong Cheng stayed up all night in the academy.Walking around, unable to do anything, sat down and looked at the blood edict again; after repeated reading of the blood edict, there was nothing to do, so he sighed again and stood up and paced.At dawn, he sat there and read the imperial edict silently over and over again, shaking his head and sighing to himself, saying: "There is nothing we can do to destroy Cao..." After thinking about it, he fell down on his desk again. In the early morning, Wang Zifu, the servant of the Ministry of Industry, suddenly came to visit, with hale eyes and a straight face.Before the gatekeeper opened his mouth, Wang Zifu said straightforwardly: "Quickly report to the Minister of Industry, Wang Zifu, to pay a visit." Before the gatekeeper turned around and walked in, the servant Qin Qingtong appeared at the gate: "It's Mr. My lord stayed up all night in the academy, and now I seem to be sleeping at my desk, my lord..." Wang Zifu quickly said: "You don't need to report, I will go to visit myself." As he walked in, he said to Qin Qingtong who was in trouble: " You step aside, how dare he blame my prince for being abrupt?" Neither the gatekeeper nor Qin Qingtong dared to stop him.

Wang Zifu went straight into the academy and into the study room, and saw that Dong Cheng was really asleep at his desk.Wang Zifu hesitated whether to wake him up, so he walked around Dong Cheng for a while, and suddenly found a piece of plain silk under Dong Cheng's sleeve, and the word "zhen" was slightly exposed.The prince was overwhelmed with doubts.He thought for a while, then gently pulled out the plain silk, unfolded it and looked in shock.Then he nodded resolutely, hid the plain silk in his sleeve, and called Dong Cheng: "Uncle Guo is so comfortable, thanks to you, how can I sleep!" I looked for him, but he was nowhere to be found, and I was frightened out of my wits, my hands and feet flustered.Wang Zifu saw it, and said: "If you want to kill Cao Gong, I will be the first to report." Dong Chengming knew that the secret edict fell into Wang Zifu's hands, and wept bitterly: "Brother Zifu, if this is the case, the Han Dynasty will be over! "Wang Zifu said: "I'm joking. My ancestors lived in the Han Dynasty, so they were not loyal? I would like to help my brother to punish the country's thieves." Dong Cheng said: "Brother has such a heart, it is a great fortune for the country!" Wang Zifu said: "To do this kind of righteous deed, we should sign a letter of alliance in the secret room, each sacrifice his life, and not be afraid of the barbarians, in order to repay the Han monarch." Dong Cheng was overjoyed when he heard that, and immediately took out a piece of white silk and spread it out, then took a knife and stabbed his finger to bleed , dipped a pen in blood, and said: "The king writes a blood edict, and establishes a blood alliance for his ministers." Then he wrote and read: "The alliance book: For the righteousness of the Han society, and for the grace of the emperor, we swear to punish the country's traitor Cao Cao. Death without regret! The signatures and characters of the allies are as follows:...Okay, I have finished writing and drawing." Dong Cheng first wrote the name and calligraphy, and then handed over the pen to Wang Zifu.Wang Zifu also pricked his finger dipped in blood on the back of the book title and painting.At the end of the book, Wang Zifu said: "The two of us will each find a confidant and a close friend to participate in this plan together. Only when there are many people and power can things be accomplished." Ji and Yilang Wu Shuo are my confidantes, and they will definitely work together with me."

While discussing, Qin Qingtong went into the academy and reported: "Changshui Xiaowei Zhongji, Yilang Wu Shuo and two adults are here to visit." Dong Cheng immediately said: "Please." Qin Qingtong turned and went out.Dong Cheng took the table case and said to Wang Zifu: "Tell me about these two people, and they will be here. God help me!" Brother dodge a little, let brother test the two first." Wang Zifu got up to hide behind the screen. Zhongji and Wu Shuo came in. Zhongji was a military general, with a burly figure and a beard; Wu Shuo was a civil servant, thin and short.Dong Cheng welcomed the two and sat down.The book boy serves tea.Dong Cheng said: "Brother Zhong Ji, brother Wu Shuo, why did the two of you meet so early in the morning?" Zhong Ji said bluntly with a rough voice, "Tianzi Tianhun, I have always held a grudge against Cao's bullying and domineering. I was really angry yesterday, and I asked Brother Wu Shuo to talk all night, and I came to visit Uncle Guo early this morning, I wonder if Uncle Guo is in the same mood?" Dong Cheng said: "Brother Zhong Ji has a grudge, how can Dong Cheng not hold a grudge? But I really have no choice." He looked at Wu Shuo again: "I don't know how brother Wu Shuo is?" Wu Shuo Yilang, although a literati, was straightforward: "I swear to kill Cao thief, and I hate that no one will help me!" Zhong Ji slapped his thigh, and his voice was loud: "To eradicate harm for the country, even if you die, you will have no complaints." Dong Cheng put down the teacup heavily, and said, "Is this what the second brother said?"

At this time, the prince came out from behind the screen and said, "A school lieutenant, Zhong Ji, and a servant, Wu Shuo, you two want to kill Prime Minister Cao! I should be the first to report, and Uncle Dong Guo is the witness." Zhong Ji and Wu Shuo were first surprised , Then Zhong Ji was furious, stood up and said: "Loyal ministers are not afraid of death! It is better for me to die as a ghost of the Han Dynasty than for your prince to serve as a traitor of Afu country!" Wu Shuo also stood up angrily: "I, Wu Shuo, will also die as a traitor of the Han Dynasty!" Ghost, it’s not like you, Prince Fu, are going to surrender to the country’s thieves!” Dong Cheng smiled and persuaded him immediately when he saw it, “I was discussing with Prince Fu just now about hunting down thieves, and I was talking about your two lords. Wang Shilang made a joke , also intended to test Er Gong." Zhong Ji and Wu Shuo were still angry, as if they believed it or not.Dong Cheng took out the blood edict from his sleeve and handed it to the two of them: "You will understand after reading this." Wu Shuo took it and looked at it first, and after reading it, he burst into tears: "The Holy Majesty was forced to write the blood edict secretly, what else is there for a minister? The reason is to live on the sidelines?" Zhong Ji took it over and read it again, and wept endlessly after reading it: "There is no other way to repay the king except to kill the thief Cao!" Then Dong Cheng took out the plain silk alliance letter: "To do the important thing of eliminating the thief, A letter of alliance must be made, brother Zifu and I have pricked our fingers dipped in blood to sign and draw, please brother Chong Ji and brother Wu Shuo also sign and draw on the letter of alliance."

Without any hesitation, Zhong Ji and Wu Shuo cut their fingers with a knife and signed the blood alliance. Dong Cheng said: "It's really God's help! Yesterday I received the Holy Blood Order, and today I have assembled an alliance of four people." Wang Zifu said: "General Zhaoxin Wu Zilan is my best friend and comrade. He hates Cao Cao deeply. I'm going to invite Wu Zilan to join the alliance right away. He doesn't live far away, so he'll come right away." Wang Zifu said and left.Dong Cheng continued talking with Zhong Ji and Wu Shuo.After a short while, the prince served Wu Zilan to arrive.Although Wu Zilan is a general, she is elegant and elegant.As soon as Wang Zifu came in, he said: "I have finished talking with General Wu, and he has nothing else to say." Dong Cheng handed over the blood edict of the Han Dynasty: "This is the blood edict of the Holy Lord, please read it first, Brother Wu." Wu Zilan opened it and read it. The blood edict was placed on the table and kowtowed to the ground.After he got up, Dong Cheng handed over the letter of alliance again: "This is the letter of alliance established. If Brother Wu Zilan has no objection, please sign and write on the back." finish painting.Dong Cheng said: "There are five people in the alliance."

Wu Zilan said: "This blood alliance has not fulfilled my intention." He saw a vertical scroll painting of galloping horses hanging in the room, and pointed to it and said, "Uncle Guo, can you give up this scroll painting?" Although Dong Cheng didn't understand what he meant, he immediately Answer: "I'm willing to give up my life, why bother with a scroll painting?" Wu Zilan immediately picked up the stick and turned the scroll painting inside out, and then said: "Get the brush and ink." Dong Cheng handed over the brush and ink.Wu Zilan took a brush and dipped it in ink, swiped a few strokes on the back of the scroll, and drew a full body portrait of Cao Cao: "Look, is this a national traitor?" Everyone looked at it and said, "It really does." Wu Zilan put down the pen, pulled out her pocket Saber said: "Today, we will stab the country's thief with one sword, so as to strengthen our ambition to kill Cao! The uncle of the country please first." He handed the sword to Dong Cheng.Dong Cheng took it, and stabbed Cao Cao's head with a sword: "I will stab his head." Wang Zifu took the sword again, and stabbed Cao Cao's throat: "I will break his throat!" Zhong Ji took the sword and stabbed Cao Cao's chest: "I will wear it." His heart!" Wu Shuo took the sword again and pierced Cao Cao's abdomen with a sword: "I will disembowel him!" Wu Zilan finally took the sword and saw that Cao Cao's head, throat, chest, and abdomen had been pierced with big holes, so he followed two The sword stabbed Cao Cao's left and right legs: "I will break his feet." After all the stabs, Wu Zilan put away the sword. The five people looked at the portrait of Cao Cao who had been pierced by the assassination, and all clapped their hands and said, "It's such a joy!" Dong Cheng said: "The gathering of five people today is to inherit the destiny. Now that the alliance is over, please go to the back hall to have a drink to celebrate." Dong Cheng collected the blood edict and alliance letter, and went to the back hall with everyone.The servants were ordered to serve the banquet immediately.Dong Cheng waved back to the left and right: "I will drink with the adults, and I don't need you to wait on me." The five people were celebrating the formation of the alliance with a drink, and Qin Qingtong ran over cautiously: "My lord..." Dong Cheng immediately raised his eyes: "Didn't you say I don’t need you to wait on me!” Qin Qingtong said awkwardly: “The prefect of Xiliang, Ma Teng, is here to visit you.” The five of them froze for a moment, and Dong Cheng waved his hand and said, “Let’s just say that I’m sick and can’t see guests.” Qin Qingtong was very pleased. After looking carefully at the scene where the five of them were drinking together, Nuonuo retreated. When Qin Qingtong came to the gate, the gatekeepers were still blocking Ma Teng.Ma Teng is an expeditionary general wearing armor and helmet.Behind him is a group of guards and horses, and a personal soldier leads Ma Teng's horse.Qin Qingtong replied as instructed: "Master Dong is sick, so it is difficult to see guests today." Ma Teng was stunned and furious: "I was outside the palace gate yesterday and saw him come out of the palace with my own eyes. Why do you avoid him today! Go report, my Xiliang prefect Ma Teng did not come here for nothing, if you refuse to see him, let him explain to you face to face!" As he spoke, he took the whip in the hands of the soldiers leading the horse behind him and whipped it fiercely in mid-air, the horse raised its front hooves and stood upright. There was a long cry.The soldiers reined in hard.Seeing this, Qin Qingtong had to turn around and run to the back hall to report.Dong Cheng and the others were having another round of drinking together, when they saw a fire.Qin Qingtong gave a detailed account of Ma Teng's fury despite the reprimand.Dong Cheng had no choice but to get up, and said to the other four people: "Gentlemen, wait a minute, let Dong Cheng go out to meet the guests and then return." Then he told Qin Qingtong to go to the gate to meet the guests. When Dong Cheng came to the courtyard, Ma Teng had already entered through the gate. Dong Chengying went up to salute: "Brother Ma is here, Dong Cheng is far away to welcome you." Ma Teng hastily returned the salute, walked straight in with a tiger's face, without saying a word.Dong Cheng could only smile and invite Ma Teng to the hall for a seat.The servants offered tea and retreated.At this point Ma Teng said: "Teng went to the court to see the emperor, and he will return to Xiliang. Before leaving, he came to say goodbye. Why did the uncle refuse to see him?" Really!" Ma Teng glanced at Dong Cheng coldly: "Uncle Guo has a spring face, he doesn't look sick, and the smell of alcohol blows his face, it seems that the family is celebrating." Dong Cheng was speechless for a while.Seeing this, Ma Teng jumped up: "Farewell!" He strode out of the hall, and while going down the steps, he looked up to the sky and sighed: "None of them are people who save the country!" Dong Cheng was moved by this, and went up to hold his hand to hold him back and said: "Brother Ma, if you have something to say, let's finish talking. If we go back to Xiliang, we will be far away, and we will have nothing to say." Ma Teng glanced at Dong Cheng, thought about it, turned back and sat down in the living room.Dong Cheng asked: "Who does the Lord say is not the one who saves the country?" Ma Teng said: "The matter in the middle of the court, the uncle of the country still needs to ask me? Let's not talk about it. Not long ago, the emperor's field hunting, who is showing his power and dominating the world? I am still angry The chest is full. The Duke is the most important relative of the country. He still indulges himself in wine and sex and does not think of beating thieves. How can he be a person who can save and help the court!" Dong Cheng feared that he would be deceitful, and pretended to be surprised: "Brother Ma Teng, what are you doing?" Alluding to Prime Minister Cao. Prime Minister Cao is a minister of the country, and the court relies on him, why did you say this?" Ma Teng was furious: "Do you still think that the thief Cao is a good person?" Dong Cheng said in a low voice: "The ears and eyes are very close, please The gentleman whispered." Ma Teng said: "A person who is greedy for life and afraid of death is not enough to talk about big things!" After saying that, he stood up in a huff: "Forget it, the words are not speculative, and I will leave." When Dong Chengtan came here, he knew what was in his mind, and said, "Don't be angry. Dong, please take a look at something. Please come with me." Ma Teng looked at Dong Cheng suspiciously, and followed Dong Cheng out of the hall.Dong Cheng led Ma Teng into the academy, entered the study, and showed Ma Teng a blood edict.After Ma Teng finished reading, his hair stood on end, he gritted his teeth and chewed his lips, and his mouth was bleeding. He said to Dong Cheng: "The emperor's blood edict, all loyal officials have to fight to the death. If the uncle of the country makes a move, I will lead Xiliang soldiers and horses to respond to the outside world." "Dong Cheng took out the alliance letter and handed it to Ma Teng: "Look at the alliance letter again, five people have been gathered today, if Brother Ma Teng joins the alliance, please sign and draw a total of six people." Ma Teng read the alliance letter "It's just what I want! Uncle Guo is worthy of being a man of loyalty and righteousness!" As he spoke, he drew out his sword, swiped his finger to sprinkle blood, and refused the writing brush Dong Cheng handed over: "Just use your finger to write." Signature on the letter of alliance.At the end, he said: "Our alliance is not only to sign blood and draw blood characters, but also to make an alliance with wine and blood." Dong Cheng said: "Exactly. Everyone is in the back hall. I invite them to come here to meet the Lord. meeting." Speaking of Dong Cheng going out, after a while he brought Wang Zifu, Zhong Ji, Wu Shuo, and Wu Zilan, and brought the wine.Dong Cheng introduced the four of them and Ma Teng exchanged salutes.Ma Teng said: "Let's drink blood to make an alliance." He took a large glass of wine, took the knife handed by Dong Cheng, cut his finger again and dripped blood in the wine, and then handed it to Dong Cheng, Dong Cheng and others also One by one, they pricked their fingers and dripped blood into the wine.Ma Teng poured the wine into everyone's cups again, and then everyone raised the wine together, Ma Teng said: "We will live up to our promise!" The other five also said: "We will live up to our promise! "Then the six drank it all in one gulp. Dong Cheng said to Ma Teng: "Please look at this again—" He pointed to the portrait of Cao Cao hanging on the wall that was pierced by the assassination: "This is the statue of a national thief. We just stabbed the sword alone. Stab his head, Brother Wang Zifu cut off his throat, brother Zhongji pierced his heart, brother Wu Shuo cut his abdomen, brother Wu Zilan cut off his feet, please brother Ma Teng make another sword." Ma Teng drew out his sword: "I cut him in half! "Speaking, he swung his sword and chopped off the half of Cao Cao's portrait, and the lower half of the scroll painting fell to the ground, leaving only the upper body of Cao Cao's portrait.Everyone shouted: "It's especially exciting!" Ma Teng drew his sword and pointed at the five people and said, "There are now six people. If we get together to ten people, great things will be accomplished." Dong Cheng said, "Loyal and righteous people are rare. If you choose one, you must choose one. You can never choose wrong." , otherwise it will be a failure." Ma Teng nodded, after a little thought, he said: "I have a crush on a person who is actually available, important, and indispensable. Why don't you find him to discuss important matters?" Dong Cheng and others Ask: "Who do you want to use?" Ma Teng paced in the room and stopped and said, "The emperor's uncle Liu Xuande is now in Xudu, why don't you contact him?" Dong Cheng said: "Although this person is considered an emperor's uncle, but now Are you attached to Cao Cao, and Anken will participate in this righteous act?" Ma Teng shook his head: "No. I saw that in Dongchunzi Field Hunting Paddock, when Cao Cao rushed to greet the congratulations, his younger brother Guan Yunchang was behind Xuande, slapping his horse with a knife and wanting to kill him. Cao Cao, Xuande stopped by looking at him. I thought Xuande didn't want to kill Cao, but hated Cao Cao's many minions, and feared that he would be harmed by them if he was too powerful. Uncle Guo can try to find him, and he is sure to hit it off." Dong Cheng nodded while thinking. Wu Shuo said: "This matter should not be too fast, we should discuss it calmly." Dong Cheng said: "It should not be too late, I will visit him in a few days to find out the truth." Wu Zilan slapped her head and said, "Oh, I just focused on making a blood alliance, and I forgot to tell you about one important thing. Last night I found out that Li Dian led the army to tightly control the surroundings of Taiwei Yang Biao's mansion, and this morning it was even more blatant. Surrounded Yang Biao's mansion in groups, saying that he had captured Yuan Shu's secret envoy who communicated with Yang Biao. Yang Biao is Cao's mortal enemy, but..." Dong Cheng said: "This kind of enmity with Cao's bandit is too obvious to pull him in. Let them fight the bandits Cao openly, and we will plot against them secretly. Conspiracy must be secret. Brother Ma Teng must be careful when going to Xiliang." Ma Teng cupped his hands and said: "Then I will leave and go back to Xiliang Rectify the army, and wait to cooperate with you both internally and externally. With this gathering of righteousness, the days of the Cao bandits are numbered!"