Chapter 48 Chapter 48: Beautiful Boy

After winter, when the plum blossoms on the branches bloomed, everyone in the Dong family finally eased their frowns.Recently, the owner Dong Cheng's body has fully recovered, and he can often be seen strolling in the garden at the beginning of spring. "...The geese return to the swallows, spring has come, and soon, Ji Ping will bring good news, right?" Dong Cheng's complexion was ruddy, and his brows were full of hope. (If you give Cao Cao a dose of poison, he will die.) On the night of the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Ji Ping's soft whispers still echoed in his ears.He is full of expectations for the realization of this goal, and even feels that his old bones have become excited and full of youthful vitality.He especially felt that the yang energy between the heaven and the earth was constantly being born.

After dinner tonight, he went to the back garden alone to admire the bright moon hanging above the sparse plums. A slight south wind passed through the plum forest, Dong Cheng suddenly stopped. He saw a man and woman dating in a poetic and beautiful scenery. The two whispered with forgetfulness.Dark fragrance and sparse shadows - the two figures are naturally among the images.But Dong Cheng stood under the flickering moonlight, so they didn't notice Dong Cheng's existence at all. "It's really like a painting..." Dong Cheng whispered to himself, watching the scene in front of him from a distance.The spring moon is melting, as if covering the figure of the man and woman with a layer of thin silk.The man's face was facing back, probably a little shy, he lowered his head and bit his fingernails.The woman and the man stood back to back, looking at the plum blossoms there.At this time, the woman suddenly turned around and said something to the man, but the man finally shrugged and shook his head repeatedly.

"do you hate me?" The woman's heart swayed, she threw herself into the man's arms, and looked at him affectionately. In an instant, Dong Cheng's aging body suddenly surged with young blood, and he roared furiously: "You unrighteous guy!" The man and woman were terrified by the sudden roar, and hurriedly tried to flee the scene. Of course, Dong Cheng could never tolerate the poetic scene just now in his garden.Because the woman is his secret concubine who lives in the back pavilion, while the man is Qingtong, his little servant who waits on him in the ward.

"You rascal! No, you wretch!" Dong Cheng grabbed Qingtong who was about to run away by the back of the neck, and shouted loudly to the people in the house: "Come here, bring the stick! Bring the stick and the rope!" The retainers rushed over upon hearing the sound, and Dong Cheng tremblingly ordered the retainers to beat the couple of dogs and men with wooden sticks. As a result, the concubine was flogged a hundred times, and Qingtong was flogged more than a hundred times. Dong Cheng didn't seem to let go of his hatred, so he ordered Qingtong to be tied to a tree, and the secret concubine was imprisoned in a room in the back pavilion.

Dong Chengdao: "I'm tired tonight, go to bed first." He planned to lock the couple in his room until tomorrow. However, on that night, Qingtong bit off the rope on his body with his teeth and escaped. He climbed over a high stone wall and ran through the darkness of the night as if with a purpose. "Look, you old bastard!" Qingtong looked back at Dong Cheng's mansion with hatred.He is just a slave bought by Dong Cheng with money, and there is no deep friendship between master and servant.However, Qingtong was born handsome, so Dong Cheng liked him very much, and he often served by his side.This is a fact that is obvious to all family members.

Even so, Qingtong was full of resentment at this time, trying to take terrible revenge on his master.After a while, he ran to the prime minister's mansion and informed Cao Cao. In this silent late night, someone knocked on the door of the Prime Minister's Mansion. A handsome boy came running wildly knocked on the door and shouted: "I want to report a major event that can cause chaos in the world. I know there are traitors who want to murder the prime minister." The officials of the prime minister's mansion were awakened by the knock on the door in their sleep, and they couldn't help being shocked when they heard the shocking news.

What made them even more astonished was that after hearing the report from the doorman, Cao Cao came out to interrogate Qingtong himself and listened to his confession of Dong Chengyi's conspiracy. In order to prove the reliability of the matter, Cao Cao deliberately threatened Qing Tong: "How do you know so much about the important affairs of the master? Are you also part of their party?" Hearing this, Qingtong shook his head hurriedly and denied it: "Please don't talk about the disappearance, I don't know anything. It's just that on the night of the 15th day of the first lunar month, Ji Ping, the imperial physician who often came to Dong's house, and my master were talking about sad things strangely." The matter. The two sighed and cried. I overheard some of their conversations through the hanging curtain in the room. It was just as I said just now. The content of their secret conversation was to agree to poison the prime minister, and he would Is the prime minister dead?... I was trembling with fright at the time, I peeked at the master's face, I don't know why he became so scary."

Although Cao Cao remained calm, it was obvious that his heart was not peaceful. He ordered to his retainers: "Before the matter is clarified, hide that boy servant in the mansion first. In addition, about this matter, no word is allowed." Then, he said to Qing Tong: "If you can prove that what you said is true in the future, I will reward you very much." In the next few days, although the prime minister's mansion was as usual, it seemed to be shrouded in an unpredictable and terrifying atmosphere. One morning about four or five days later, an emissary on a horse suddenly rushed to the imperial hospital where Ji Ping was, and said to Ji Ping: "Since last night, the prime minister's old troubles and headaches have recurred, and he is still moaning in pain until this morning. I'm really sorry to call you so early, but please go to the doctor as soon as possible."

Ji Ping was secretly happy when he heard this, "This is great." But he said nonchalantly on the surface: "I'll be there soon." He asked the envoy to go back first, and secretly hid the poison prepared in advance under the medicine box, and then took an entourage and rode a donkey to the prime minister's mansion. Cao Cao was lying on the bed, waiting impatiently for Ji Ping's arrival. While beating his head with his fist, he looked at Ji Ping's face and shouted unbearably: "Prince doctor, doctor, quickly prepare the good medicine that I usually use to stop my pain."

After examining the pulse for a while, Ji Ping said: "Ah, it's still an old problem, and the pulse condition has not changed." Ji Ping came to the room to prepare the prescription, and after a while he took out a can of hot decoction, knelt beside the hospital bed where Cao Cao was lying, and said, "Prime Minister, please take the medicine quickly." "... medicine?" Cao Cao propped up one leg, sat up with only his upper body, looked at the smell of soup coming out of the medicine bowl, and said to himself, "The smell of this medicine is not right, it is different from the usual medicine."

Hearing this, Ji Ping couldn't help being startled. In order not to let Cao Cao see the embarrassment of trembling with the medicine bowl in his hands, he replied calmly: "I just want to cure the root of the prime minister's disease, so I went to collect the herbs from Meishan again. , and added one of the medicines to this soup. What the prime minister smelled was the smell of that magical medicine." "Miraculous medicine... you are talking nonsense, is it poison?!" "Hey?" "You drink it yourself, you drink it first and try...why don't you drink it?" "..." "Tell me why the medicine is this color!" Before Cao Cao could get up, he suddenly kicked Ji Ping's jaw with his medicine bowl. "Catch this quack doctor!" Following Cao Cao's roar, a group of guards rushed into the house and tied up Ji Ping's whole body. Ji Ping was tied up and dragged by warriors and jailers to the prime minister's garden. "Be honest!" "Who were you instructed to poison the prime minister?" They hung Jiping upside down from a tree branch and tortured him repeatedly. "I don't know, don't waste your time trying." Ji Ping just repeated this sentence without making a scream. Seeing this, Cao Cao ordered his courtiers: "This will not make him speak easily, bring him here!" Cao Cao was setting up a seat in the listening pavilion, when he suddenly stared at Ji Ping, who was kneeling at the foot of the steps, with wide eyes, and shouted, "You old bastard! Look up, you, as an imperial doctor, dare to poison me, that's a shame!" It's not an ordinary conspiracy, you have to name the person who instigated you behind the scenes. As long as you are willing to confess, I will spare your life." "Hahaha!" "why are you laughing?" "Your words are too funny, so I have to laugh. I, Ji Ping, am not the only one who wants to kill you? You are a villain who commits trouble, and there are people who want to eat your skin and flesh all over the world. How much do you want me to kill you?" Can anyone tell you their names one by one?" "You garrulous quack, you must tell the truth today, otherwise I will be rude to you." "It's useless to ask more questions." "It seems that the torture just now was not enough, shall I let you taste my power again?" "Since the matter has been exposed, you just want to die, so why don't you just kill me!" "You want to die? It's not that easy. Jailors, you beat the old man until his hair falls out, just keep breathing." After receiving Cao Cao's order, the jailer tried his best to beat Ji Ping mercilessly. Although Ji Ping was beaten to pieces and bruises all over his body, his calm and composed attitude did not change. On the contrary, the bystanders all felt terrible about it.Cao Cao was afraid that such excessive torture would make his subjects feel resentful and disgusted with him, so he spat and said angrily, "Let him go to prison and give him medicine, as long as it is not poison." In the next few days, Cao Cao ordered his ministers to scold Ji Ping in prison, but Ji Ping didn't say a word, but his body gradually shrank like dried fish under all kinds of torture. "Strategy must be changed!" According to the strategy he imagined, Cao Cao announced to the outside world that he had been slightly ill recently, but he had recovered.In order to let everyone see their health status after recovery, they sent out invitations to many confidants. That night, there was a lot of traffic in front of the Prime Minister's Mansion, and guests attending the banquet came in droves.The ministers of the prime minister's mansion also attended the banquet together.On the vermilion railings of the lobby and under the eaves of the promenade, there are rows of red lanterns shining with candlelight. Tonight, Cao Cao's figure was particularly vigorous. He went to the banquet hall to personally entertain the guests. Someone said flatteringly: "The ancient music in the palace is also good, but the prime minister's musicians are better. They added new flavors to the score without mourning. After listening to it, they feel broad-minded. Dried it in a mug." Another added: "The music scores may have been written by the prime minister's musicians, but today's poems are said to have been composed by the prime minister himself." "Oh, can the prime minister also compose poetry?" "Don't say such pedantic words. Prime Minister Cao's poems have been famous for a long time. He is a very good poet." The guests chatted with each other like this, and the lights were feasting and cheering, and the atmosphere of the banquet was strong.At this moment, Cao Cao stood up and greeted him: "The music we played just now was all our martial arts music, so it doesn't mean much. In order to make everyone laugh, how about showing everyone a monster later? Quan Zuo wakes everyone up." .” After finishing speaking, Cao Cao whispered something to the courtiers around him. The guests thought there would be some sideshow next, so they all applauded Cao Cao's words.Everyone is waiting for the moment when Jiu Xing will finally reach its climax. However, the scene that soon appeared was horrifying. It was ten jailers and a criminal tied with thick ropes. "..." In an instant the hall of feasting becomes the cavern of the grave. Cao Cao said in a loud voice: "Dear dears, everyone must know this guy who showed up, right? As a medical officer, he colluded with the wicked and plotted and failed to succeed. It can be said that he deserved it. Now he is arrested by me. Looking at his ugliness, I'm sure it will spoil everyone's enjoyment of drinking... This is really the sky's net, and it's not leaking. What's the air? Isn't it just a funny animal?" "..." No one clapped anymore.No, not even a cough. At this time, Ji Ping was still breathing, and he resolutely raised his head that was worthy of heaven and earth, despised Cao Cao and cursed: "Ignorance of righteousness is not the virtue of a general. Cao thief, why don't you kill me quickly? People here will never Blame you for my death, but they will part with you in wordless silence when they see your ruthless behavior." "Ridiculous guy, what you have done has brought you to this end, who else will listen to your smooth words? If you can't stand the pain of prison and want to die early, then quickly confess to your accomplices. Alright , everyone, please listen carefully to Ji Ping's confession." Cao Cao immediately ordered the jailer to start torturing Ji Ping at the scene. The sound of whips tearing flesh. The sound of a wooden club breaking bones. Ji Ping's body looked as red as a pickled product. "..." No one in the full house was still intoxicated by the wine. Those who wanted to leave their seats but couldn't move, trembling with fright were Wang Zifu, Wu Zilan, Zhong Ji and Wu Shuo. Cao Cao ordered to the jailer again: "What, he passed out? Spray water on his face, and then beat me hard! Beat him hard!" Ji Ping came back to life after being sprayed with a lot of water on his face.He shook his horrible head and continued to curse: "Ah, I just passed out once and begged you for mercy, which is even more stupid than begging for fish. Your crime has surpassed Wang Mang, and your treachery has long surpassed Dong Zhuo. Now you are good Look, everyone in the world wants to kill you, eat your flesh, and peel your skin." "It's not good for you to say that. The more you say that, the more you will suffer. Will you still say it?" Cao Cao raised his shoe and hit him hard on the cheek.Ji Ping passed out again. "Don't kill him, spray water on his face!" Following Cao Cao's loud roar, all the guests at the banquet sneaked away from around the hall.Wang Zifu and the other four also took the opportunity to escape to the door. "Ah, you four wait a minute!" Cao Cao pointed at them and shouted, his eyes seemed to be pointing directly at their heart. At this time, behind Wang Zifu and others was a crowd of warriors, and Cao Cao walked in front of them with a slight sneer. "Everyone, don't go in such a hurry. Go back to the banquet now. We will then hold a banquet with a small number of people. Hey, take these special guests to that pavilion." "Hi... let's go!" A group of soldiers surrounded the four of them—their figures were submerged in the forest of guns and spears, and they walked towards the door of a pavilion like escorting criminals.Wu Zilan's feet and those of the prince's suit were visibly shaking, and the souls of the four of them flew to nowhere. After a while, Cao Cao walked into the pavilion with big strides. Due to their guilty conscience, Wang Zifu and the other four did not dare to look Cao Cao in the eye. "I heard that you are going to kill me, Cao Cao. Don't you often gather at Dong Cheng's house to discuss this matter?" Cao Cao's aggressive questioning revealed his nature as a white-faced scholar back then.Back then when he was in Luoyang, he had served as a police officer at the palace gate, so the way to deal with criminals was to interrogate them harshly, apart from eloquent words to induce confessions. "No, no,...Prime Minister...you seem to have mistaken the person." Prince Fu shook his head in a trance.He slapped himself as if he hated himself. "Stop fooling people, I, Cao Cao, will never be fooled by the answer of a petty official like you." "Prime Minister, please calm down, our gathering at Dong Cheng's house is just a normal interaction." "Normal communication, do you still need to worship the blood book belt?" "Hey? Why did the prime minister say that? Why can't I remember such a thing at all?" "Humph……" Cao Cao let out a sneer from his nasal cavity, he turned his face to the entrance of the pavilion and shouted loudly: "Guard, did you bring that Qingtong?" "It has been brought!" "Well, bring him here!" "yes." A guard raised his hand, and the agitated soldiers at the foot of the steps immediately grabbed the beautiful boy Qingtong and pushed him in front of the four of them. "Do you know this person?" Cao Cao asked. When Wang Zifu and Wu Zilan saw it, they were shocked.Due to excessive shock, Zhong Ji couldn't help but jumped up and asked, "Qingtong! Aren't you just Qingtong? Why did you come to such a place?" Facing Zhongji, Qingtong put on a smart look and said eccentrically: "Why I came here is not because you have given me such great care. Do you still want to die without pleading guilty? It is no longer possible, don't pretend Looks okay." "You bastard, what are you talking about? Talk about things that won't show up." "If you don't remember, you can calm down and think about it again. The four of you, plus Ma Teng and Liu Bei, signed the petition. When did this happen?" "You're talking nonsense!" Chong Ji was about to pounce on Qing Tong when Cao Cao kicked him on the calf from the side and scolded him, "You bold and reckless guy, you still want to do something to my living witness in front of me. If you If you want to make amends, you can truthfully confess all the conspiracies here, otherwise it will be difficult to guarantee that your family and three clans will not be affected!" "..." "Confession! Tell me everything here honestly, in order to ask for my forgiveness." So, the four of them puffed up their chests and answered loudly at the same time. "have no idea!" "I don't know!" "do not remember!" "No such thing at all!" Cao Cao suddenly took a few steps back and stared fiercely at the faces of the four people. "Okay, don't ask any more!" After Cao Cao finished speaking, he turned and left the pavilion briskly, and walked out through the encirclement of the guards. Of course, as soon as Cao Cao left, the entrance of the pavilion was immediately sealed tightly, and the iron wall composed of soldiers, spears and halberds began to surround the pavilion day and night. The next day, Cao Cao led more than a thousand cavalry and surrounded the mansion of Guojiu Dong Cheng in a murderous manner.