Chapter 36 Two, win the hearts of the people

After another Nanyang County, Sima Yi and Wang Chang will return to Xudu. This Nanyang County has always been a "place of granaries" for supplying food and materials to the imperial court, and Zhu Hu, the prefect of Nanyang, is the book "A Generation of Capable Officials" written by Prime Minister Cao. As a virtuous minister, Prime Minister Cao personally confessed to investigate him before leaving, all of which made Sima Yi dare not take it lightly.He sat in the carriage, but he was preoccupied and kept silent.Wang Chang also noticed the change in Lord Sima's expression, but for some reason, he didn't want to think about it, but he was looking forward to witnessing the demeanor of Lord Zhu Hu, and thought: This is great, and I can personally ask an official again. The role model in politics asked for advice on economics.

Sima Yi went to the prefect's mansion and met the prefect Zhu Hu.Wang Chang saw that Zhu Hu's face was round and chubby, but his brows were erect like knives, with a bit of evil spirit, which made people feel uneasy.I finally met this "generation capable official", but for some reason, he couldn't appreciate it. Sima Yi checked the political affairs of Nanyang County as usual, and then he wanted to leave.Zhu Hu said: "Lord Sima, how about I come to see you off?" Sima Yi smiled and said, "This is exactly what I mean. This Nanyang is a place with beautiful mountains and clear waters and outstanding people. I am in the imperial court, and I have always wanted to visit it. A little bit. Since Master Zhu has the heart to give me a ride, why don't the two of us walk around in the car and visit in modest clothes, and see how the rural scenery is?" Zhu Hu quickly nodded in agreement.Seeing that Sima Yi agreed, he seemed very happy, with a smile on his face, which made people feel amiable.But Wang Chang had doubts in his heart, Master Sima was too close and kind to Zhu Hu, which made him feel a little abnormal.But before he had time to think about it, Sima Yi was already ordering him to assist the guards in the prefect's mansion to arrange visits.

In the evening, after Sima Yi and Wang Chang had dinner in the prefect's mansion, they walked out of the mansion with Zhu Hu, walked out of the city gate, and came to a field.Several carriages followed closely so that they could be called upon at any time. They walked randomly along the ridge without any purpose.The setting sun, which had just been drenched by the drizzle, slid wetly from the two of them towards the top of the mountain.A few wisps of cooking smoke at the foot of the mountain leisurely form a few thin silver threads, and the fragrance of firewood from the farmhouse at dusk wafts around in all directions.Sima Yi looked leisurely, talking and laughing with Zhu Hu along the way, having a good time.

On the way, as if thinking of something, Zhu Hu turned his head and said to Sima Yi, "Master Sima...the public's reputation for Prime Minister Cao is really good recently! People in Bingzhou, Yuzhou and other places are suffering from the epidemic. Most of the people have recovered after receiving the treatment of rhino horn medicine powder given by Prime Minister Cao. They all claim that Prime Minister Cao is a 'reborn parent', and they want to embarrass him!" "Rhino horn powder from Prime Minister Cao?" Sima Yi couldn't help being shocked when he heard it, thinking for a moment that he had heard it wrong.Giving rhino horn powder to the people suffering from epidemic diseases in Bingzhou, Yuzhou and other places for treatment is a kind of benevolent policy implemented by the imperial emissary Han Ji in the name of His Majesty the Han Emperor. — Listen to Zhu Hu today How did this turn out to be a good deed done by Prime Minister Cao?He thought for sure, thought for a moment, and asked slightly surprised: "Prefect Zhu, how did you know about this?"

"Oh...it's like this, our Nanyang County is close to Baoyi County in Yuzhou. On that day, Baoyi County distributed rhino horn powder to treat the common people's disease. At that time, the officials happened to be there on business and witnessed the incident with their own eyes. A scene." Zhu Hu recalled it in his mind for a while before seriously answering, "I remember very clearly that General Cao Hong and his subordinates in the Prime Minister's Mansion personally brought rhino horn powder to Baoyi County to distribute it publicly that day. It is for the people suffering from the disease. General Cao also said that Prime Minister Cao smashed his ancestral rhino horn cup and donated it for everyone’s medical treatment. After receiving the rhino horn powder, he listened to General Cao’s words again , the people in the Baoyi County arena were so moved that they burst into tears, and the applause was thunderous!"

"Huh! How could it be that General Cao Hong came to distribute rhino horn powder?" Wang Chang, who was standing aside and listening silently, couldn't help interrupting Zhu Hu's words, and said in great surprise, "Why do I remember that it seems to be the representative of the imperial envoy Han Ji?" Your Majesty is coming..." As he was speaking, he caught a glimpse of Sima Yi secretly giving him a wink, and hastily and forcefully swallowed the second half of the words back into his stomach, not daring to say any more. And when Sima Yi heard all this, he understood it all at once.Han Ji, the imperial special envoy who came to distribute rhino horn powder on behalf of His Majesty the Han Emperor, needless to say, had already been secretly placed under house arrest by Cao Hong under the order of Cao Cao, and then he appeared on the stage in the name of Cao Cao to distribute medicine to save people, thereby establishing a Cao Cao's image of a virtuous lord who "cares about the world and loves the people like a son".In this "dark war" between the Han Dynasty and the Cao family for the hearts and minds of the people, Cao Cao actually won the victory with such despicable means.

Thinking of this, Sima Yi couldn't help feeling a deep fear of Cao Cao.Cao Cao is a man who does everything he can to achieve his goals.He beat his head and couldn't create such a perfect and brilliant strategy as Xun Lingjun's, but he dared to tear off his own face to "steal openly and secretly", relying on power to plagiarize other people's clever tricks into his own name .His shady trick is really full of ruffian air, how can it get on the stage?But Sima Yi thought about it carefully. Although these tricks of Cao Cao cannot be put on the table, they are the most effective in real life. I remember that it was Prime Minister Cao who smashed the ancestral rhino horn cup and ground it into powdered medicine, and asked Ai Jiang Cao Hong to distribute the medicine on his behalf to save people.Where would they have thought that this matter was originally decided at the court, and was issued by the imperial envoy Han Ji on behalf of His Majesty the Han Emperor?Yes, everyone in the entire Xu capital knows the truth of this matter.However, so what?Except for the 180,000 households in Xudu City, officials and common people in all states and counties in the Central Plains will put this "benevolent government" on Prime Minister Cao's head—if it is fake, it will be fake .Indeed, the powdered rhino horn was distributed to us by General Cao Hong on behalf of Prime Minister Cao himself. This is obvious to everyone—could it be wrong?

At this moment, Sima Yi finally understood that Xun Yu, the "No. 1 holy official in ancient and modern times" who was full of good plans, was still no match for Cao Cao, the "No. 1 hero in ancient and modern times" who held military power.No matter how smart Xun Yu is, he is a holy minister after all, and he will not violate the bottom line of morality to fight side by side; and Cao Cao, no matter how disadvantaged he is, is a hero after all, without any moral burden in his heart, and he will use any tricks. Any bad thing can be done.What's more, he still holds military power.All Xun Yu's efforts to rejuvenate the Han Dynasty will be in vain in the end.

"There is a saying: 'If you will be guarding against the robbers who are picking up the suitcases, looking for the bags, and sending out the pockets, then you must keep the locks and lock them firmly. This is the so-called wisdom in the world. I am afraid that I will not be firm if I am silent.'" Sima Yi smiled lightly, patted his palms lightly, and said slowly to Zhu Hu, "It seems that the Tao of Confucius and Mencius and the learning of Laozhuang and Zhuangzi can be called The essence of the country, you and I must study it deeply!" Seeing that Sima Yi's words and deeds were a little strange at this time, Zhu Hu was stunned when he heard Sima Yi's inexplicable emotion, and even Zhanger King Kong couldn't figure it out, so he had to say with a dry smile, "Yes! Yes! Yes! Master Sima taught the right thing."

But seeing Sima Yi stop, he seemed to ask casually: "I heard that there is a 'Snow Cottage Teahouse' in the suburbs of Nanyang County, which seems to be very famous?" "Oh! Xuelu Tea Shop? Let the officials think about it, it seems to be nearby..." Zhu Hu frowned for a moment, recalling it, and then suddenly remembered, stretched his neck to look forward, and hurriedly stretched out his hand, "Here, it's right there! However, Master Sima laughed at me. I just heard that there is such a tea shop, but I have never been there, and I don't know how the tea art is inside."

Sima Yi followed the direction of Zhu Hu's finger and looked from a distance, only to see a corner of tea shop flags fluttering in the woods at the corner of the post road.He smiled slightly, and said: "Very well, please ask Taishou Zhu to accompany us to sit for a while?" Zhu Hu heard the words, nodded repeatedly in agreement, and led the way ahead.