Chapter 24 Section five

Cao Cao blocked Dong Cheng at the palace gate and checked the brocade robe and jade belt he was wearing, but found nothing.Seeing Dong Cheng leaving in the sedan chair, he was full of doubts, so he had no choice but to get on the sedan chair and go home.He was still suspicious as he walked through the street in a majestic manner under the protection of front and back.He got impatient, the sedan chair stopped, and some soldiers on horseback approached the sedan chair to listen to the order.Cao Cao ordered: "Immediately send an order to the two military divisions to call the important civil and military officials to the prime minister's mansion for a meeting." The soldiers said "I got the order" and galloped forward.

Cao Cao returned to the prime minister's mansion under the guard of his own soldiers, and went straight into the gate with his head held high.Someone had already greeted and reported: "The two military advisers and all the generals have arrived and waited." Cao Cao entered the hall without nodding his head. Xun You, Guo Jia, Cao Pi, Li Dian, Xu Chu, Zhang Liao and other civil and military classes have been divided into left and right.Everyone saluted together: "Congratulations to the Prime Minister." Cao Cao nodded slightly and sat down in the hall.Bai Shao had already sat down on one side, spread out the paper, pen and ink to prepare for the secretary.Cao Cao swept the left and right, and said, "You all know that in the future, I will take care of everything in the world, and I will take it lightly. Even if the soldiers are overwhelming the situation, I will not take it seriously. But today, two things are a little bit light, and I can't let go of them. One, get it Knowing that Yuan Shu's secret envoy entered Yang Biao Taiwei's mansion to communicate last night, although I have ordered all sides to secretly control him, I just waited for the secret envoy to come out and arrest him, including Yang Biao's reply letter. However, this matter must be closely related. One more thing In the early court, the emperor announced that Dong Cheng hurriedly entered the palace and entered the Gongchen Pavilion in the Taimiao for a secret talk. This matter seemed normal, but it was really strange. He was an uncle of the country, and no one could act rashly to interrogate him. Gu had no choice but to block him in person At the gate of the palace, he happened to come out wearing the sacred brocade robe and jade belt. I joked and pressured him, and finally let him get rid of the robe belt. I checked repeatedly, but I didn’t find any entrainment, so I had to let him go. But the doubts in my heart , still incomprehensible. Today I have an urgent meeting with all of you, you must not be perfunctory, and each person must be straightforward, and after the discussion is completed, the solitary will be dealt with. Guo Jia, you speak first." He pointed at Guo Jia.

Guo Jia said calmly: "Prime Ministers have always acted in a simple manner. Today's so-called two things are very important. The Taiwei Yang Biao colluded with Yuan Shu and Yuan Shao. If this scheme is successful, the internal should be combined with the external, which is enough to shake the capital. Chariots and generals Uncle Dong Chengben is the emperor's closest relative and an important minister of the court. If there is any secret order for him in the palace, it must be related to a coup d'état. If one of these two matters is ignored, the difference may be a slight difference. It is necessary for the prime minister to be cautious. "Cao Cao pointed at Xun You again: "Xun You's army teacher said." Xun You said: "For Yang Biao, the prime minister has always been able to win over and win over, and he has always softened up when he can soften. After the shooting incident, his son Yang Diao was revealed and killed, and he and the prime minister have become difficult to reconcile. There should be no illusions about this. As long as there is a chance, he should be removed decisively. Yuan Shumi sent a messenger to Give the prime minister a chance. Dong Cheng seems to be under long-term surveillance." Cao Cao nodded and pointed at Li Dian: "Li Dian said." Li Dian said loudly: "The residence of Dong Cheng should also be secretly controlled." Cao Cao nodded and pointed at Xu Chu "Xu Chu said." Xu Chu said more harshly: "Taiwei Yang Biao used to have many cronies in Xudu and the imperial city garrison. Do you want to take measures?" Cao Cao nodded and pointed to Zhang Liao: "Zhang Liao said." Zhang Liao went out and cupped his hands and said, "I want to report to the prime minister, since it is related to the coup in Kyoto, should the prime minister also make some adjustments to the army stationed around Xudu?" Cao Cao nodded and pointed at Cao Pi: "Cao Pi said." Cao Pi said: "In the case of shooting people with arrows, Yang Diao has been punished, and Yang Biao slipped through the net. If Yuan Shu's secret envoy is caught this time, and Yang Biao's reply letter can be seized, Yang Biao's side will be Can break through."

Cao Cao asked the crowd again: "Is there anyone else to say?" Everyone replied in unison: "Not anymore." Cao Cao turned his head to look at Bai Shao: "Does the master have anything to say?" Everyone looks at Bai Shao.Bai Shao stopped writing and said: "The prime minister convened a meeting in the face of changes in the current situation. Although he did have the intention of brainstorming, but it is so simple to make one sentence. Thinking and dispelling doubts, it is the final decision. At this point, the prime minister no longer needs to ask others, just order and deploy one by one." Cao Cao laughed when he heard it, and said to everyone: "What the master said is very true. I came back all the way from the palace gate alone. It is true that I have pondered over and over again. It was just now that the opinions of the people are very solitary. The solitude has been decided, and now the order is as follows." Cao Cao paused for a while and then issued one by one: "1. In the past few days, Yang Biao's mansion must be monitored day and night, and absolutely must not be used. Yuan Shu's secret envoy escaped. Second, the remaining cronies of Yang Biao in the garrison in the capital should not be alarmed for the time being, but one by one must be secretly monitored. If the secret envoy is arrested and Yang Biao's secret letter is seized, measures will be taken against them immediately. Three 1. Order to transfer the 20,000 troops stationed outside the city of Xudu to approach Xudu to prevent accidents. The transfer must be meticulous, and the camp can be changed in the name of not disturbing the place. Check the records. Fifth, the rest is as usual, and must be as Gu Yiguan said, tight internally and loose externally, and must not disturb the government or disturb the people in the slightest."

Everyone obeyed. In the evening, Cao Cao and Mrs. Bian had dinner in the back hall.Cao Pi hurried in and said, "Report to father," and bowed to Mrs. Bian, "Mother, I have something important to report to father." Cao Cao said while eating calmly, "Let's talk." Duo has been arrested and brought to justice." Mrs. Bian was surprised when she heard that: "The case of Fei Zhuang's murder of more than a dozen people is a big case? Ding Duo, isn't Mrs. Ding's younger brother?" Cao Cao nodded and calmly used his chopsticks One finger: "Madam still eats your food, so it's better not to worry about it." Cao Pi said: "Although I tried my best to block it, the news has leaked out. Madam Ding may have..." Hearing this, Cao Cao thought for a while and said: "This is a bit troublesome."

While talking, Mrs. Ding rushed in aggressively: "Are you going to let me live? Are you going to force me to death?" She pointed at Cao Pi and said, "Son Cao Pi, you really killed my relatives and caught me!" Then she pointed at Cao Cao : "You father and son want to be famous in history, use my Ding family as a stepping stone!" Cao Cao put down his chopsticks with a cold face: "Do you still understand the national law?" Mrs. Ding pulled off her headdress, disheveled her hair and said, "What is the national law? What does it mean to kill a few people every year, and you don’t have thousands of deaths in wars? How many murders are there in the world, can you manage it?” Cao Cao shouted: “Presumptuous?”

Zhu Si, the housekeeper who ran over, ordered: "Take her back." Mrs. Ding even raised her voice: "You think I am afraid of you! You have a little fairy, and you have long since stopped treating us as human beings. Don't talk about the law of the country!" This obviously violated a taboo, Cao Cao had been suppressing it all the time, but now his face turned livid, and his eyes were gloomy and terrifying.He sneered, stared at Mrs. Ding, stood up, and said word by word through the gap between his teeth: "If you don't talk about the law of the country, you will talk about the law of the family. Come—" At this time, several old nuns have appeared on the housekeeper Zhu Sishen. Beside, Cao Cao said: "Send her to the mill to do hard labor alone for three months to reflect on herself, and she will not see anyone." As soon as she said the words, Mrs. Ding knew that she had committed a taboo, but she couldn't stop it: "Why don't you stop me for three months?" Years, isn’t three months a lot?” Cao Cao sneered, “That’s three years.” Then he turned his back and put his hands behind his back and told the housekeeper, “Execute, three years.”

Zhu Si led several nuns to pull Mrs. Ding. Mrs. Ding was a little more sober at this time, she was stunned for a while, and then went down with others crying. After a while, Cao Cao turned around and sat down again.Cao Pi is still standing aside.Mrs. Bian looked at Cao Cao and said carefully: "The case must be handled fairly, but can there be some flexibility?" Cao Cao said: "No." He pointed to Cao Pi: "He announced the appointment of Xudu prefect. He was in Yushitai. The censor, Dr. Guanglu, Dr. Jianyi, Yilang and other officials are in power under the supervision of all officials, can they be flexible?" Mrs. Bian was stunned for a while, then sighed: "National laws cannot be flexible, but family laws must be flexible, right? Three years is really three years, and three months is not short. Besides, let her live in the mill alone, how can she take care of herself?" Cao Cao said: "Isn't there no one for poor families?" Mrs. Bian said: "It is still worthy Let a servant girl go over there." Cao Cao picked up the chopsticks and picked up the bowl again, glanced at Mrs. Bian, and made no objection.

At night, Cao Cao paced up and down in the study.Bai Shao sat beside the piano case.Cao Cao stopped and said: "I won't be with Gu tonight, go back and rest. Gu will wait for news from Yang Biao's mansion tonight." Bai Shao glanced at Cao Cao and said, "Will the Prime Minister be able to wait? If Yuan Shu's secret envoy never comes out What about Yang Biao’s mansion? What if he didn’t bring Yang Biao’s letter back when he came out?” Cao Cao said, “I forgive him for coming out tonight, before dawn at the latest. Yang Biao will definitely reply this time. Although this person has always been scheming and scheming, he has always kept secret, but the field hunting case was solved by shooting people with arrows. Although people often hesitate to act, he is the one who takes the risk in the end. Just replying to Yuan Shu with a message won't do much, and an alliance must be made with a handwritten letter. Well, you go to rest first, if you want to know the outcome, before dawn Come again."

Bai Shao withdrew. Cao Cao stayed up all night. The second watch was louder, and Cao Pi came in to report: "My lord, it's already the second watch, and there is no movement from the Yang residence." Cao Cao nodded while pacing, and Cao Pi withdrew. There was a sound of the third watch in the quiet night, and Cao Pi came in again: "It is already the third watch at night, and the express report is here again, but there is still no movement from the Yang Mansion." Cao Cao sat there and nodded, and Cao Pi withdrew. The fourth watch sound came from Ye Jing, the door rang, it was Bai Shao who came in.Seeing Cao Cao reading a book under the lamp, Bai Shao said: "It's already four o'clock, and the prime minister is still waiting?" Cao Pi followed and said, "I tell my father, there is no movement from the Yang residence." Cao Cao nodded, and Cao Pi withdrew again up.Bai Shao asked: "Does the Prime Minister think that he will be able to wait?" Cao Cao said: "Of course." Bai Shao sat down beside the piano case, plucked the strings lightly, and let the sound of the piano disappear in the silence of the night.She saw Cao Cao reading and annotating on the book, and asked: "What book is the Prime Minister reading?" Cao Cao said: "Sun Tzu's Art of War, I am afraid you have never read this book." Bai Shao said: "How does the Prime Minister know?" I haven't read it, do you want me to recite a passage to you?" Cao Cao put down his pen and smiled: "Then you must have read it, and you are not lying." Bai Shao was silent for a while, and said: "However, I don't like it. In the book of war, soldiers never tire of deceit.” Cao Cao said with a smile: “The way of civil and martial arts is one piece of one. , It’s martial arts and not literature.” Bai Shao smiled slightly: “The prime minister has both civil and military skills?” Cao Cao said: “It’s not an exaggeration, it’s a little bit.”

Bai Shaodi listened to the quiet night outside, and said: "It's almost five o'clock, is the prime minister still not changing his words?" Cao Cao said: "We must wait until it is true." In order to help Cao Cao stay up late, Bai Shao deliberately teased: "You are so sure, if it fails, I will be ashamed of you." Cao Cao smiled: "I have you talking with me , time is passing quickly." At this time, the sound of the fifth watch came in the silence.Bai Shao looked at Cao Cao, Cao Cao didn't take it seriously, and shook his shoulders to enjoy himself.There were thumping footsteps outside.Cao Cao said: "It's time to come." Bai Shao still said in disbelief: "I hope so." Cao Pi and Li Dian came in together.Li Dian cupped his hands and said, "I have reported to the prime minister. As the prime minister expected, Yuan Shu's secret envoy has been captured. But he said that he did not bring back the letter. However, Yuan Shu's letter has been handed over to Yang Biao. After Yang Biao read it, he burned it on the spot. The secret envoy said I don't know what the content is." Bai Shao glanced at Cao Cao: "I'm caught, but there is no reply. The prime minister is half right, it's not easy." Cao Cao snorted: "Didn't take Yang Biao to reply, have you searched?" Li Dian said, "I have searched my whole body repeatedly." Cao Cao said: "Take me to the hall, and the orphan will interrogate." Cao Cao entered the hall and sat down. Dozens of burly men led by Cao Pi and Li Dian stood on both sides armed with knives and axes, full of murderous aura.Bai Shao is still sitting next to Cao Cao and a few secretaries.Cao Cao ordered: "Bring it up." Yuan Shu's secret envoy was brought up. He was short, thin and shrewd. The envoys are fighting against each other." Cao Cao squinted at the secret envoy, and said for a while, "Nonsense! Who and whom are two countries? There is only one country in the world, the Han Dynasty. Your master Yuan Shu's claim to be emperor is ridiculous. Do you really regard it as a country? Yuan Shu conspired to communicate with the court ministers to commit treason, and you are his secret envoy. If you say kill you, you will be killed." Cao Cao paused, and said in a normal tone: "Hand over the letter you brought." The secret envoy raised his head and said: "If you want to kill, you can cut him up. I really don't want to reply." Cao Cao said: "Pull him down." The left and right said: "Of order." Cao Cao continued: "Kill! There is no time to waste words with him." Loud voices from left and right: "Kill!" As they said, they came up to threaten people.Cao Cao stood up while speaking.The secret envoy was dragged out, turned his head and shouted: "The prime minister is not going to interrogate?" Cao Cao said: "Don't talk about it, kill!" The secret envoy struggled and shouted: "If you don't believe me, kill me?" Cao Cao shouted: "There must be a letter." .If you have a letter, you can't hand it in, you can only kill it!" With that, he withdrew from the hall.The secret envoy struggled to break free and knelt down, and said loudly: "There is a letter of faithfulness, but let the villain have something to say first." Cao Cao stopped for a while and said, "There is nothing to say. If you don't deliver the letter, you will not be pardoned immediately. If you deliver the letter, how to deal with you? I can't help you." The secret envoy continued to argue, but Cao Cao waved: "Pull it down." The secret envoy repeatedly kowtowed and said, "Wait a minute, Prime Minister, bring the scissors." Take the scissors from the left and right.The secret envoy took off his coat, carefully picked apart the stitches on the collar with scissors, and pulled out a narrow strip of plain silk from the inside, with densely packed small characters written on it.He handed it over to Cao Pi who was standing aside.Cao Pi submitted to Cao Cao.Cao Cao unfolded it and took a look: "This Taiwei Yang is as expected." Then he shook the plain silk lightly: "It's thin and soft, and it's sewn into the collar so that it can't be found. It's a good job." .” He said to Cao Pi and Li Dian: “From now on, we must be more careful about this kind of entrainment.” The two said: “Observe.” Cao Cao waved his hand: “Okay, pull him down.” The secret envoy said in surprise: "Send the letter and kill him?" Cao Cao said: "Don't kill him, lock him up, and you will be required to testify in court when Yang Biao's case is dealt with in the future." The secret envoy said: "Can you prevent the villain from testifying in court? A letter written by Yang Biao is not enough. Does this still need a certificate?" Cao Cao pondered: "Then let you go?" The secret envoy said: "You can't let go either." Cao Cao was surprised: "If you don't close it, you won't let it go?" The secret envoy knelt there and said, "lock it up. Let me run away again." He kowtowed a few times: "It is true that the lives of the villain's family are in Yuan Shu's hands, he is a narrow-minded and self-willed master, and the villain can see that he will not last long, it is true I am already under his command, so I will eat this bowl of rice. If Yuan Shuzhi is arrested and confessed to Yang Biao's reply, he will kill the whole family of the villain. Please lock me up and let me run away in secret. I believe you will catch me The ones found after staying with me were not confessed by me. In this way, the villain may not be able to keep his head when he goes back, but he will not offend the whole family. It is only for the survival of a few members of the family. If it is not the case, please ask the prime minister to kill me Let's go." Cao Cao looked at the secret envoy for a while: "It seems to be telling the truth. Alright, take him down and lock him up." He told Li Dian, "Arrange a few trusted officers and men to let him escape in secret, and do it carefully. Do not reveal the truth." Li Dian said: "I have an order." Cao Cao asked the secret envoy again: "Do you have any silver with you?" The secret envoy looked around and said with a little embarrassment: "It has been searched away." Cao Cao said: "The Return the silver to him, but you can add some more. Give him another good horse, and let him take it and escape." The secret envoy knelt down and thanked: "Thank you, Prime Minister." Cao Cao then ordered: "You should chase him behind and escort him to escape from me. The army is stationed at the boundary." Li Dian and others said in unison: "Follow the prime minister's order." The secret envoy lay on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly: "Thank you, Prime Minister, for the life of the whole family! The villain's surname is Yang Minggang. If the day after tomorrow gives him a chance, he will abandon his secrets and turn to the bright to serve the Prime Minister." Cao Cao waved his hand: "Let's go, Yang (Yang) just isn't feminine, there will be a period later." Li Dian led all the knives and axes to escort the secret envoy down, leaving Cao Pi and Bai Shao to accompany Cao Cao.Cao Cao paced and stopped, and asked Bai Shao seriously: "What do you think of this matter?" Bai Shao smiled cleverly: "Prime Minister wants to invite flattery?" "The Prime Minister's work is really firm and soft, better than those stories in "Historical Records." Cao Cao hummed and was still listening.Bai Shao also said: "Forcing him to surrender his letter first, the power is unstoppable; later, his family's life is saved, and he is merciful. Letting go of a personal witness, it will be disadvantageous to handle the case right now; and the chance of this secret envoy's so-called serving the prime minister in the future is really slim. But the world People's hearts are accumulated little by little like this. If the prime minister ends up in the world, he can only accept the fate of heaven." Cao Cao sighed: "It's up to people to plan things, but it's up to heaven to make things happen. I, Cao, have worked hard. Okay, with your two sentences Comment, staying up all night alone is not a waste of hard work. Cao Pi, send an order immediately—" Cao Cao was about to give an order, when someone came in to report urgently: "Report to the Prime Minister, there are abnormal activities in Dong Cheng's mansion. Earlier this morning, a prince from the Ministry of Industry entered Dong's mansion, and then there was a report from Changshui Xiaowei. Lang Wushuo enters and does not come out." Cao Cao nodded, and when the reporter went down, he said, "It's not as expected. The brocade robe and jade belt worn by Dong Cheng must contain a secret edict. Like the one just now, the plain silk is tightly stitched." Who knows?" He ordered Cao Pi: "Order Li Dian to immediately surround Yang Biao Taiwei's mansion, and not let anyone go. And Guo Jia, Xun You, Xu Chu, Zhang Liao and other civil and military officials are here to listen to the order." Cao Pi got the order and hurried down. Cao Cao paced in the hall.Bai Shao looked at him. After a while, Xu Chu, Zhang Liao, Guo Jia, Xun You and other civil and military dignitaries rushed over, divided into two shifts.Cao Cao sat down in the hall.Li Dian finally arrived and said, "The prime minister has been deployed one by one. The mansion of Taiwei Yang Biao has been surrounded. Even a cat or dog can't escape." Cao Cao nodded and said to the crowd, "Taiwei Yang Biao is here. The criminal evidence of Yuan Shu's treason through Wailian has been seized, and according to yesterday's decision, he will immediately change from secret surveillance to public measures against the remaining members of his party, and arrest everyone on the list one by one. This matter will be completed by Li Dian and Xu Chu. The original plan to mobilize the garrison on the outskirts of Xudu should be kept secret, now there is no need to be taboo, 20,000 elite soldiers will approach Xudu today to complete the scheduled transfer, in case of accidents. Among them, 5,000 elite soldiers were led by Zhang Liao into the city of Xudu. Command arrow." He took out a golden command arrow and handed it to Zhang Liao, who stepped forward to salute and accept the arrow.Cao Cao then ordered: "All the city gates and palace gates controlled by Yang Biao's cronies will be completely replaced. Anyone who refuses to obey will be disarmed and detained. You must understand that it is related to the political situation of the court. This matter must be taken seriously. If it is done with sufficient strength, the soldiers will overwhelm the situation, and the whole town will be suppressed, then it can be settled peacefully; if it is done lightly, if the strength is insufficient, and understatement, it may turn into a bloody incident. Is it clear?" Everyone answered in unison: "It is clear." Someone asked "Do you want to strengthen the defenses at the junction of the southeast and Yuan Shu, and the junction of the north and Yuan Shao?" Guo Jia said: "That's nothing to worry about, they won't be able to react for a while." Cao Cao nodded: "What the military master said is very true. Yang Biao got rid of it, and they didn't dare to act rashly." There was another "urgent report" outside the door.Cao Pi went out to listen, and after a while, came in to deliver a report: "Report to the prime minister, there is an urgent report from Dong Cheng's house surveillance. Just now, Prince Fu went out of Dong’s mansion and brought Zhaoxin General Wu Zilan in together.” Cao Cao nodded and counted: “Dong Cheng, Prince Fu, Zhong Ji, Wu Shuo, Wu Zilan, five people have gathered together, and this brocade robe and jade belt will be obtained once. Just gather people like this?" He said to everyone: "Okay, that's all for the military deployment. Let's deal with Yang Biao in public first, and continue to monitor Dong Cheng secretly. The monitoring of Dong Cheng will be extended to Wang Zifu, Zhongji, Wu Shuo, Wu Zilan and others, this matter is under the full control of Cao Pi. The two military advisers please immediately plan a series of necessary measures to get rid of Yang Biao, including various notices and documents. You can execute them separately." Everyone said in unison: "Follow orders .” Filed out. Cao Cao stood up and paced back and forth, Bai Shao was the only one left.Cao Cao asked, "Is this play good?" Bai Shao sighed: "The struggle for power in the world looks very tiring." Cao Cao looked at Bai Shao: "It's really not a woman's business." Bai Shao said: "The prime minister may never get tired of it." Cao Cao said: "I Sometimes I'm tired." Bai Shao said: "I think the prime minister can't stop." Cao Cao stretched his waist and said: "I'm a little tired too, I'll go to the study to listen to you play the piano, and have a rest for a while." Cao Cao and Bai Shao were walking towards the academy, when Cao Pi came over quickly again: "I have reported to my father that there is a new report from the surveillance of Dong's mansion. The original five people have not left, but Ma Teng, the prefect of Xiliang, has entered again, and they have not left for a while." Going away." Cao Cao paid attention to it: "Ma Teng has also joined the gang? He has an army of 100,000, which is no small matter. In just one day, they have already gathered six people. There are important ministers inside and strong soldiers outside. , can’t be taken lightly.” Cao Pi left in a hurry.Cao Cao walked into the academy with Bai Shao, and said: "They just want to take a head of my Cao."