Chapter 34 Chapter Thirty-Four

Too noticeable during the day. One night, Dong Cheng secretly hid the secret edict in his arms, covered his face with a turban, and prepared to leave quietly. Before leaving, he didn't tell his family clearly, but he just made an excuse and said: "I have a friend of Fengya who got a famous inkstone from the Qin Dynasty and said that he would hold a poetry meeting, so I will go to meet him alone tonight." .” As Dong Cheng said, he rode a donkey and walked towards the guest house where Liu Xuande lived. In order to prevent being discovered by Cao Cao's spies and followed by him, Dong Cheng first visited an old friend who only communicated with poetry and prose, and talked with him until late at night.In the middle of the night, Dong Cheng pretended to be shocked and apologized to the host: "Oh, I didn't expect that we would sit down for so long tonight. Everyone was only busy talking about poetry and painting, and in the end we used up all our time. forget."

While talking, Dong Cheng hurriedly left the mansion of his friend.My friend's home is in the outer suburbs, so when he arrived at Liu Xuande's guest house, it was almost four o'clock. late at night.A mysterious uninvited guest knocked on the door of Liu Xuande's guest house. "What is the purpose of uncle Guo coming here?" Liu Xuande asked with some doubts, and welcomed Dong Cheng into the door.Perhaps wanting to see the facial expressions of the guests, he ordered his servants to light candles in the courtyard. "Then let's sit in the small pavilion inside." Liu Xuande personally guided Dong Cheng along the courtyard path to a small pavilion in the West Garden.

When Liu Xuande first came to Xudu, thanks to Cao Cao's kindness, he once lived in the official residence next to the prime minister's residence. He was deeply disturbed by this, and said: "This is the central area of ​​the imperial capital. It would be too luxurious for us country people to live in." After repeated insistence, he finally moved to his current residence. "Sorry, I really have nothing here to entertain you." While Liu Xuande was talking, he ordered people to set out the drinking utensils and wine glasses under the oil lamp. These tableware are all rough pottery, and it can be said that they are the only eye-catching decorations in the small pavilion, from which we can also see the owner's preference for indifference and elegance.Dong Cheng thought to himself: Only such a person has the mind to be willing to be mediocre.

The two began to chat endlessly.In the end, Liu Xuande couldn't help but asked: "What is the business of uncle Guo Xingye's visit?" "I have nothing personal. It's just that on the day of Xu Tian's royal hunting, I saw that Guan Yu, the emperor's brother-in-law, had the intention of beheading Cao Cao. It was the emperor's uncle who secretly restrained him with gestures and winks. So this time I came here to interrogate him for details. .” Liu Xuande turned pale with shock after hearing this.Unexpectedly, Dong Cheng would say such a thing. It turned out that he came to ask the crime on behalf of Cao Cao.

Liu Xuande suddenly fell into a predicament that he couldn't hide and didn't dare to hide it. After a while, he had no choice but to argue: "My younger brother Guan Yu is really a stubborn person. That day, he may have seen that the prime minister's actions offended Emperor Wei, and came out. Such an unwise act in a moment of anger... Eh? Uncle Guo, why did you suddenly cry after listening to my words?" "Oh, I'm really sorry. In fact, after I heard Uncle Huang's words just now, I couldn't help but wonder if there are a few people with the temperament of Guan Yu..."

"Now that Prime Minister Cao is in the prime minister's mansion, and there are ministers like you in the court to assist, the world is in great order, singing and dancing are peaceful, why do you worry about it?" "Uncle Emperor——" Dong Cheng said solemnly with tears in his eyes, "You may think that I was entrusted by Cao Cao to come to your mansion to find out the secrets, so you are secretly wary of me... Actually, there is no need to worry too much. You are the Son of Heaven Uncle Emperor, I am also the head of foreign relatives. There is no need to pretend between us. Today I can clearly tell the truth about my intentions. Please take a look at this first."

After Dong Cheng changed seats and rinsed his mouth, he showed Liu Xuande the secret edict of the emperor. Under the oil lamp, Liu Xuande stared at Mi Zhao intently.Not long after watching, he kept wiping away the unstoppable tears with his hands, and the excessive grief and anger made his disheveled temple hair tremble under the shadow of the lamp. "Please keep the secret edict." Liu Xuande wiped away his tears, and returned it to Dong Cheng after paying homage to the secret edict.He added: "I have roughly understood what Uncle Guo is thinking." "After the emperor read the secret edict just now, did he also shed tears for the common people in the world?"

"Of course." "I am really grateful to hear Uncle Huang's words." Dong Cheng was overjoyed after hearing this, thanked him again and again and said, "There are still things for Uncle Huang to look at." As he spoke, he unfolded a letter of justice signed and stamped by all loyal people. At the beginning is Dong Cheng, the chariot and cavalry general. The second is Changshui Xiaowei Zhongji.The third is General Zhaoxin Wu Zilan, the fourth is Prince Fu, the servant, the fifth is Yilang Wu Shuo, and the sixth is Ma Teng, the prefect of Xiliang.Everyone wrote their names in bold strokes.

"Oh, you've told all these people about it?" "Finally, the way of heaven is immortal. These are reliable and loyal people. I think in this troubled world, if we stick to our ideals and pursue the realm of seclusion, then those loyal people will be moved by the wind and consciously gather together." "In this world, I have always upheld this belief. No matter how chaotic and corrupt the society is, I will never give up because of hopelessness. I firmly believe in this, so no matter what kind of demons appear in the world, I will never be pessimistic. I don't think There is no hope in the world, but such a strong desire is often aroused: instead of complaining about the world, it is better to go to a place where others can't see, to find the clear water flowing from the grass, so that the muddy current full of people's crazy desires One day it will turn into a clear spring flowing forever."

"Uncle Emperor, after listening to your words, my old bones are really relieved. I deeply feel that this is the first time I have heard the immortal truth of people and heaven and earth in many years. It's just that I am old and frail, I don't have much strength and talent, so I don't know if the emperor can help me with all my strength?" "If you don't tell me about this matter, I will do it. There are already so many righteous men fighting against evil, how can I, Liu Xuande, not do what a dog can do?" Liu Xuande got up to get his pen and inkstone. At this moment, outside the small pavilion, dawn has already appeared around the corridors and windows.

Nearly at dawn, the sound of "thumping, thumping" mist sounded from the eaves of the verandah.At this time, two figures appeared in the veranda, as if they were crying. Liu Xuande just went out, so he didn't respond to this.But Dong Cheng was taken aback, he couldn't help looking up towards the outer corridor. In the outer corridor stood two servants, guarding Liu Xuande and standing outside all night.They are Liu Xuande's sworn brothers Guan Yu and Zhang Fei.I saw them hugging each other and weeping with joy. "Ah, sorry, we overheard the secret conversation between the two of you." Dong Cheng looked at the two brothers enviously, thinking that if the loyal man who signed the letter of justice had a brother with deep love and loyalty beside him like Liu Xuande, he would surely succeed in everything he did. Liu Xuande gently returned to the small pavilion with a pen and inkstone in his hand, walked up to Dong Cheng, and carefully wrote the seventh line on the letter of justice: Left General Liu Bei. After Liu Xuande put down his pen, he warned again: "I am definitely not cherishing my own life. I hope that my uncle will strictly obey the imperial edict and never act hastily. Don't act rashly when the time is not ripe." At this time, the morning light reflected on Liu Xuande's face, making him look radiant. A cock crowed in the distance. "...Then, see you later." Dong Cheng rode a donkey and set foot on the return journey quietly in the morning mist.