Chapter 57 end

Soon after the Guandu War, Cao Cao led his troops to conquer Yuan Shao and defeated him again.Yuan Shao finally vomited blood and died, and Yuan Shao's remnants of soldiers and horses were wiped out one by one by Cao Cao.Within a few years, Cao Cao basically unified northern China and became a veritable number one powerful figure in the world. At the same time, Bai Shao has been guarding the mausoleum in Xuzhou.Her maternal grandfather Zheng Kangcheng, twin sister Chi Shao, and her long-dead father are buried in the mausoleum.As Bai Shao himself said, one stays for three years.During these three years, Cao Cao passed by Xuzhou several times to visit her.Several governors of Xuzhou also followed Cao Cao's order to take good care of Bai Shao.When the 100th day was over, Cao Cao sent military adviser Xun You to Xuzhou to pick up Bai Shao, but Bai Shao refused.At the end of a year, Cao Cao went to Xuzhou to pick up Bai Shao in person, but Bai Shao was still determined.At the end of the second year, Cao Cao sent Xun You, Kong Rong, Cao Pi, Xu Chu and others to pick up Bai Shao, but Bai Shao still shook his head.When it was three years, Cao Cao had not yet decided how to meet Bai Shao, Xuzhou governor rushed to report five hundred miles away, and Bai Shao and Xiao Cui, who had been with her tomb guard a few days ago, disappeared.Shortly thereafter, Ma Wu, the steward of Zheng's mansion, also handed over the Zheng's mansion to the Zheng family, and died of illness.

When Cao Cao heard the news, it is said that he had not eaten for three days. After that, Cao Cao continued to conquer the world as usual.There are many historical facts in this regard.It is worth mentioning that fourteen years after Cao Cao got rid of Concubine Dong and his uncle Dong Cheng in the fifth year of Jian'an, he also got rid of Empress Fu and her clan accomplices who once again conspired to kill Cao in the 19th year of Jian'an.Prior to this, Cao Cao had married his three daughters to Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty as concubines.In the second year after Empress Fu was removed, one of the daughters, Cao Jie, was made empress.

The following adventure is of special significance to Cao Cao. In the 24th year of Jian'an, 20 years after Cao Cao and Bai Shao met for the first time, Cao Cao decided to go to the Taoist Temple of Yunmeng Mountain to pray for elixir while traveling around. Cao Cao, who is over sixty years old, has reached the time of frailty and sickness. Four strong men carried an open bamboo sedan chair winding up the rugged stone steps of Yunmeng Mountain.The clouds and mists were thick, and the face of the Venerable Sitting on the sedan chair could not be seen clearly. He was casually watching the hazy green mountain scenery moving in the clouds and mists. Dozens of people served him around the bamboo sedan chair.

Gradually, the cloud and mist dissipated a little, and it was the old Cao Cao sitting on the bamboo sedan chair, and one of the people leading the way in front was the young and vigorous Cao Pi.While walking, Cao Pi turned his head and said to Cao Cao: "The Taoist priest of the Yunmeng Mountain Taoist Temple, everyone says that asking for it will work." Cao Cao just nodded slightly. In front of the Taoist temple on the top of the mountain, Cao Cao got off the bamboo sedan chair and walked. Many attendants stopped, and only Cao Pi followed Cao Cao to the gate of the Taoist temple.Several Taoist nuns stood waiting with whisks.One of the aunts said to Cao Cao: "Waiting for Prime Minister Cao's visit." Cao Cao was very surprised.He was promoted to the King of Wei three years ago, and people have already called him king but not prime minister; in addition, he came to Yunmeng Mountain and Cao Pi and his party are all subdued.Cao Cao was startled and asked: "You didn't reveal the news, how did you know?" The Taoist girl smiled slightly: "The Taoist priest does not know the prophet." Cao Cao looked at the Taoist girl who was speaking in front of him, and felt familiar, but couldn't remember who it was.In fact, this is Xiaocui twenty years later.

Xiaocui and other Taoist nuns led Cao Cao and Cao Pi into the Taoist temple, walked through the courtyard, and entered the main hall of the Taoist temple, where they faced the statue of Lao Tzu.Cao Cao looked up, Xiaocui signaled, and Cao Cao bowed three times.A wide bamboo curtain is drawn beside the statue of Lao Tzu, and it is difficult to see clearly behind the bamboo curtain.Xiaocui said to Cao Cao: "The Taoist priest has arrived." Then she bowed behind the curtain and stepped back.Cao Cao stood there ignorantly, and Cao Pi stood behind him, but he couldn't see why.But I heard a quiet female voice from inside the curtain: "The prime minister is here all right?"

This voice is so familiar!Cao Cao froze there as if struck by lightning.He was recalling and judging the distant and close voice, and muttered for a long time: "The Taoist priest is..." Then the voice came out more clearly: "The moon and stars are sparse, and the black magpie flies south. Three turns around the tree, there are branches to rely on." Cao Cao was stunned for a while, and said sadly: "There is really no branch to rely on!" As he said, he burst into tears. The female priest said from behind the curtain: "I know that the prime minister is not in good health recently. Here is a little elixir, which can be used to cure diseases and prolong life." Cao Cao lamented: "Although the tortoise lives long, it still has its time. Soaring on the snake and riding the fog, it will eventually die." to ashes."

The Taoist leader behind the curtain chanted: "The old man is standing still, his ambition is thousands of miles away. The martyr is in his old age, and his ambition is endless." Cao Cao was full of grief and joy, and was deeply moved: "How did the Taoist know the poem Cao chanted later? After a farewell for twenty years, there has been no news!..." The Taoist priest said: "Even if you don't go out, you know the affairs of the world." Cao Cao sighed sadly: "Life is like a song to wine; like morning dew, the past days are bitter. It can be said that the sea is full of vicissitudes, and the river is long!..."

The Taoist priest said: "I also hope that the prime minister will be soft to control the rigid, and follow his orders. The saint said: Man follows the earth, the earth follows the sky, the sky follows the Tao, and the Tao follows nature." Then, a cloud of green smoke filled out from behind the curtain, the Taoist priest The voice curled into the distance: "Prime Minister, let everything take its course..." The blue smoke dissipated.The Taoist priest's voice disappeared.The hall was silent.Xiaocui came in with a few Taoist nuns.Xiaocui said: "The Taoist priest has already left." As he spoke, he handed a small medicine gourd to Cao Pi.Cao Cao asked: "Where did the Taoist priest go?" Xiaocui replied: "There is no trace, there is no trace. Today I am here to welcome the prime minister."

After hearing this, Cao Cao sighed, had to leave, and went back down the mountain.Along the way, Cao Cao's face was pale and his eyes were dim. In the second year after going to Yunmeng Mountain Taoist Temple, in the 25th year of Jian'an, Cao Cao died in the first month of the lunar calendar at the age of 66.In October of the lunar calendar of the same year, Cao Pi forced Han Xiandi to abdicate the throne, and ascended the throne of the emperor himself.Later, Cao Pi named Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty Duke of Shanyang.Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty lived for another fourteen years after his abdication, at the age of fifty-four.

Historians often say that Cao Cao laid the foundation for the unification of China by the Jin Dynasty during the turmoil at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty.In fact, perhaps it should be said that it was Cao Cao and Han Xiandi who jointly laid the foundation for another unification of China.The cooperation between the two for more than 20 years has formed a different kind of balanced system. As for the story of Cao Cao and Bai Shao, it is a newly discovered legend.