Chapter 26 Chapter Twenty-Four

Capture Cao Cao!The notice flew to all the states and counties in the area. on the other hand.Cao Cao whipped the yellow horse, and traveled day and night, fleeing at lightning speed, leaving the capital of Luoyang far behind, as if competing with Dong Zhuo's arrest.Soon, he came to the vicinity of Zhongmu County (now Zhongmu, Henan). "stop!" "dismount!" As soon as he arrived at the city gate, he was pulled off his horse by the guards. "The central government just issued an order, and immediately arrested Cao Cao when they saw it. Your appearance and appearance are very similar to the portrait on the notice."

After the little official at the city gate finished speaking, no matter what Cao Cao explained, he didn't listen at all. "Take him to the government office first." The soldiers surrounded Cao Cao like an iron barrel and took him to the interrogation office. When Chen Gong, the magistrate of Zhongmu County, saw the people escorted by his subordinates, he immediately said, "Ah, it's Cao Cao! There's no need for interrogation." He rewarded his soldiers and said: "I was on duty in Luoyang until last year, and I met Cao Cao once. This time, I was lucky. If I escort this man alive to the capital, I will be able to seal ten thousand households. You will also be rewarded. It hurts tonight Drink, congratulations in advance!"

Cao Cao was imprisoned on the spot in an iron sill car that had been prepared, and was ready to be sent to Luoyang tomorrow.The guards and petty officials drank and celebrated. At sunset, the banquet was over, and the officials and guards closed the city gates and dispersed. Cao Cao lost all thoughts, closed his eyes tightly, and leaned in the sill car, silently listening to the sound of the dark valley and the wind in the dark night. The night was drawing to a close. "Cao Cao! Cao Cao!" Someone approached the car and shouted in a low voice. Cao Cao opened his eyes and saw that it was Chen Gong who recognized him at a glance during the day, so he said nonchalantly, "What can I teach you?"

"I heard that you are in the capital, and you are deeply loved and valued by Dong Xiangguo. How did you end up in this situation?" "Nonsense! The sparrow knows the ambition of the swan. Didn't you already capture me alive? Stop talking about me, and hurry up and escort me to the capital to receive the reward." "Cao Cao. You really have no way to judge others....It is the good man who cherishes the good man..." "What did you say?" "Please calm down. Because you always look down on others, I will repay you. I am also a person with great ambitions. I have no like-minded people to discuss the country's worries, but I hate wasting time. When I met you by chance, I came to inquire about your ambitions. "

Cao Cao also changed his initial attitude after hearing the unintentional words, saying: "Since that's the case, it's okay to talk about it." With that said, he sat down in the car again. Cao Cao said, "As you said, Dong Zhuo really doted on me, Cao Cao. But I am a descendant of Cao Shen, the Prime Minister of the past, and I have been rich in the Han family for four hundred years. How can I be subdued by the upstart Dong Zhuo!?" The more you speak, the more serious your tone becomes, and the more you speak, the more passionate you become. "I thought it would be better to assassinate traitors for the country to repay the kindness of our ancestors, so I went to take Dong Zhuo's life. Unfortunately, I was unlucky and was imprisoned. Why do I regret it now?!"

With a white face and narrow eyes, and a calm demeanor, he is worthy of the blood of a famous family, and he has an indisputable calmness. "..." Silence... for a long time, Chen Gong saw this behavior outside the car, and said: "Wait a minute." As he spoke, he quickly unlocked the iron lock of the sill car, pulled open the iron gate, and dragged the surprised Cao Cao out of the car, saying, "Cao Cao, where are you planning to go when you come to this city gate?" "My hometown..." Cao Cao replied with a blank expression, puzzled by the county magistrate's behavior. "I want to go back to my hometown, Qiao County, and call on heroes from all over the world to raise righteous soldiers to attack Luoyang again, and crusade against the thieves in the world with dignity."

"I see." The county magistrate took him by the hand, quietly invited him into his room, served wine and food, and worshiped Cao Cao again. "As expected, you are the loyal person I am looking for. I am so happy to meet you!" "So you also resent Dong Zhuo." "No, no, there is no personal grievance, it's a huge public outrage, righteous indignation. I curse Dong Bandit together with Wan Min, and I hate Dong Bandit with a heart full of anger that worries about the country." "What a surprise." "Just tonight, I will also abandon my official position and leave to work together with you to go where you are going and gather volunteers from all over the world."

"Oh, really?" "Why did you lie? Before you said this, didn't you have been released?!" "what!" The great joy of being brought back to life was revealed on Cao Cao's breath and face. "Then what is your real name?" Cao Cao asked. "It's late to introduce myself. My name is Chen Gong, and my name is Gongtai." "Where do you live?" "I live in Dongjun nearby. Let's go to my house immediately, make some preparations, and leave quickly." Chen Gong pulled out his horse and set off.The two left Dongjun behind and hurried on their way.

three days later.The two traveled day and night, riding fast, and came to the vicinity of Chenggao (near Xingyang, Henan today). "Today, the sun is going down again." "It's already safe here... But, today's sunset is extraordinarily yellow." "It's going to blow Mongolian winds again." "Oh, it must be the sandstorm in the northern western regions." "Where are you staying?" "You can see the village. What's this area called?" "Just now there is a road sign on the mountain road, called Chenggao Road."

"Ah, then you can go to someone's house tonight." Cao Cao frowned, and immediately pointed to the forest where he was about to go to lodge. "Oh, are there any acquaintances in such a remote place?" "It's a friend of my father's, called Lu Boshe, who is like a brother to my father." "That's a good thing." "Go to his house tonight and ask him to let us stay overnight." While chatting, Cao Cao and Chen Gong rode their horses into the woods, fastened the horses, and knocked on the door of Lu Boshe's house. The host, Lu Boshe, was very surprised, and welcomed the uninvited guest into the house, saying: "I think who it is, isn't this Mr. Cao's family!"

"I'm Cao Cao. Long time no see." "Oh, come in quickly. What's the matter?" "how do I say this?" "The imperial court sent your portrait to various places." "Ah, that's what happened. I failed to assassinate the Prime Minister Dong Zhuo and fled here. The court called me a thief and sent a portrait to arrest me. But Dong Zhuo is the big rebel. Sooner or later the world will be in chaos. Cao Cao can't just sit back and watch." "Who is that with you?" "By the way, I forgot to introduce. This is Chen Gong, the county magistrate. He is really a hero. Guarding the gate of Zhongmu County, he recognized me as Cao Cao and arrested me. Talking to each other about their ambitions, they knew that they were the same People who are worried are also worried about the current situation, so they abandon their official positions, open the sill car, walk with me, and flee here." "Ah, so it is!" Lu Boshe knelt down on his knees, went to see Chen Gong, and said, "Righteous man!... Please help Cao Cao. If you don't save him, Cao Cao's family will be wiped out." Worthy of being a close friend of Cao Cao, like an elder, I beg Cao Cao's future earnestly. After that, Lu Boshe said: "Okay, let's rest slowly. I'll go to the neighboring village to buy wine." After finishing speaking, he got on his horse and hurried out. Cao Cao and Chen Gong untied their traveling clothes and rested in the house.The master didn't return for a long time. Soon after nightfall, there was a strange noise outside.Cao Cao pricked up his ears to listen, and a sharp sound of sharpening knives came across the wall. "what?" Suspicion flashed in Cao Cao's eyes, he pushed open the window, and pricked up his ears again. "Yes...it's the sound of sharpening knives. So, when the owner Lu Boshe went out, he said that he was going to a neighboring village to buy wine. Maybe he wanted to secretly report to the county magistrate, tied us up, and received a reward from the court." Cao Cao muttered.In the dark kitchen, four or five men and women talked to each other, one by one tied and killed, and the voices clearly entered Cao Cao's ears. "There is no doubt that this is to lock us in the room and conspire against us. In this case, we have to kill them first." The situation was urgent, Cao Cao told Chen Gong about the matter, jumped out suddenly, and beheaded all eight of the frightened family and servants in a blink of an eye. Cao Cao first urged: "Quick, run away!" At this time, there were strange groans and the thumping of living creatures. Outside the kitchen, there was a live pig hanging from a tree by its feet, barking nonstop. "Ah, that's bad!" Chen Gong regretted it very much.He understood that this family bought a pig and was about to kill it for cooking. Cao Cao intends to quickly disappear into the darkness. "Chen Gong, come quickly!" "Oh." "What are you dawdling about?" "But... I feel so bad. I'm so ashamed!" "why?" "It's meaningless to kill this man! Poor family of eight, in order to appease our exhaustion from the journey, we bought a pig specially to entertain us." "Are you regretting this, put your hands together in the room?" "I think, at least recite the Buddha's name and ask forgiveness for the sin of beheading innocent people before leaving..." "Hahahaha... This is not like a warrior. I have done everything, but I am helpless. Thousands of people are buried on the battlefield every day. Even myself, I don't know when I will be killed." Cao Cao has Cao Cao's outlook on life, and Chen Gong has Chen Gong's moral outlook.The two are different. But now she is the partner of Yilian Tuosheng.Can't argue. The two ran into the darkness.He untied the horse tied in the woods, jumped on the horse, and escaped for more than two miles. At this time, someone came from the opposite side with two wine jars tied on horseback.As we get closer, the aroma of ripe fruit hits our nostrils.Comes with fruit baskets on their elbows. "Hey, isn't this a guest?" The person who came was Lu Boshe who had gone to a neighboring village to buy wine. Cao Cao felt that it was embarrassing to meet him at this time, so he hurriedly said, "Oh, it's the master. We passed by a teahouse on the way here during the day and left something important. I just remembered it, so I'll go get it." "You can send the servants at home." "It's all right, riding a horse is just a matter of whipping, and it doesn't take much effort." "Then go and come back quickly. I have ordered my family to kill pigs and cook. I also found good wine and got it." "Oh, come as you go." Cao Cao responded with a few hasty words, don't pass Lu Boshe, and whipped his horse. After walking for a mile, Cao Cao reined in his horse suddenly, called out "Hi" to stop Chen Gong, and said, "Wait here." After speaking, as if thinking of something, he turned his horse's head again and galloped back. "Where is this going?" Chen Gong was puzzled, felt strange, and waited there.After a while, Cao Cao returned, looking as if his knot had been resolved, and said, "That's it. Come on, let's go. Hey, I also killed that one just now. Stab him to death." "What? You killed Lu Boshe?" "Ok." "Having killed innocent people indiscriminately, why do you want to kill this good man?" "If he goes home and sees his wife, children and servants all killed, no matter how kind a person is, he will hate us." "That's unavoidable." "If he reports to the county magistrate, it will be a serious disaster for Cao Cao. Throw away the pawn and save the car." "However, killing innocent people indiscriminately is against humanity." "No." Cao Cao said loudly like reciting a poem, "This is called 'Ning teach me to bear the people of the world, don't teach the world to bear me'....Okay, let's go." "This person is terrifying." Hearing Cao Cao's words, Chen Gong thought deeply about Cao Cao's character and behavior again, and felt fear in his heart. This person is not a person who saves the suffering of the world, not a person who is really worried about the world, but an ambitious man who wants to take over the world. "I'm wrong……" Now that the matter has come to this point, Chen Gong regrets endlessly. He realized that it was too early for him to gamble his life as a man with Cao Cao. But.Already on this path.Abandoning his official position, abandoning his wife and son, and embarking on this thorny road, he was prepared in his heart. "It's too late to regret..." The night has faded, and the moon has climbed.By the moonlight in the middle of the night, I walked ten miles. In front of the dilapidated gate of an unknown ancient temple, dismount and take a rest. "Chen Gong." "Hey." "You should also sleep for a while. There is still some time before dawn. If you don't sleep, you will be tired from the journey tomorrow." "Go to sleep. But this precious horse can't be stolen. I'll tie it up where no one is around." "Oh, yes... Oh, what a pity." "what?" "I killed Lu Boshe, but completely forgot to snatch the wine and fruit he brought. I'm still a little flustered." "..." Chen Gong no longer had the courage to answer. Hide the horse and return to its place in a moment.Cao Cao was already bathing in the moonlight under the rafters of the ancient temple, sleeping happily and soundly. "What audacity this man is!" Chen Gong stared at Cao Cao's sleeping face in a daze, hating and admiring him at the same time. "I overestimated this person. This person is not really a loyal minister who worries about the country. Personnel and affairs are unpredictable. He is just a big careerist with a heart like a tiger and a wolf." Chen Gong thought to himself.But there is also an admirable side. "However, no matter whether he is an ambitious man or a traitor, his boldness, enthusiasm, and eloquent tongue, which I have to look up to, are extraordinary. He will definitely become a hero..." he thought to himself, alone. Thinking of these two points, Chen Gong asked himself, and thought to himself: "Now, it is also possible to assassinate Cao Cao while he is asleep. Keep him, and such a traitor will surely bring disaster to the world in the future....Yes, let's do justice for the heavens now. For good." Chen Gong drew out his sword. Cao Cao snored loudly, unaware that someone had already targeted his sleeping face.That face is really handsome.Chen Gong hesitated. "No, wait!" Killing a sleeping person is not a martial art.is unrighteous. Moreover, in today's troubled times, it is God's will that such a traitor was born, and it is unknown.It might be against God's will to take away his lifespan while he was sleeping soundly. "Ah... why are you still hesitating now? I'm too self-inflicted. The moonlight is bright, yes, I'll sleep looking at the moon too." Thinking of this, Chen Gong quietly put his sword back into its sheath, curled up in a ball under the same roof, and soon fell asleep.