Chapter 4 Bai Xian was assassinated

Cao Cao and Liu Bei waded into the city of Xiapi, where several troops of their own had already entered. Lu Bu's surrendered troops came down from various city defenses in line, and the surrendered soldiers piled up into hills.The flood subsided slightly, and many people supported each other and went down to the city, wading through the water to see their flooded houses, and there were a lot of people coming and going. Cao Cao felt very disturbed, so he hurriedly asked his subordinates to find out where Chen's father and son were.The tiger and leopard cavalry went to ask the receiving generals, the receiving generals asked the surrendered soldiers, and the surrendered soldiers asked the people. After inquiring around several times, they found out that the Chen family and his son lived in the East Pavilion of the innermost city wall.Cao Cao didn't dare to be negligent, and Xin Malai went to the inner city, only bringing Liu Bei, Xu Chu and thirty tiger and leopard guards to the east wall.The stone steps were so steep that the people up and down were all frightened and at a loss when they saw a very important official.Cao Cao didn't blame him, and told everyone to step out of the stone steps first, then tied up the horses, and Xu Chu helped him up the tower.

The relocated people knelt on the ground in a mess, Cao Cao signaled them to go their own way, and went straight to the pavilion.The door of the pavilion was open, and he caught a glimpse of many servants standing there intervening. He quickly stepped back a few steps and bowed to the ground, saying solemnly: "Cao Cao of Pei Kingdom pays homage to Mr. Chen Yuanfang." The native place is incompetent for the official position to show equality.Liu Bei hurriedly followed suit and said, "Liu Bei from Zhuo County also came to see me." I thought there would be a commotion inside when I heard that the important person was coming, but I didn't know that Chen Ji's family was very prestigious, and there was no chaos at all. It is an honor to come here, please come in quickly."

Cao Cao and Liu Bei entered first, and the servants were quite polite, and they all left consciously with a deep salute.The light in the pavilion is very dim, but there are four people sitting in Xishou, regardless of age.Cao Cao was quite surprised by this way of sitting, but he was relieved after thinking about it for a while-I heard Xun Yu said before that Chen Ji in Yingchuan was as famous as Huaxin in Pingyuan, but his family management was quite different.Hua Ziyu is very strict in controlling his children, although in the leisure room it is as strict as the imperial court; Chen Yuanfang's brothers are gentle and loving, father and son brothers are casual.Although the two sects are very different, they both follow the track of Yongxi (meaning harmony and happiness).

Seeing that Cao Cao and Liu Bei were about to salute again, the three young men hurriedly helped the white-haired old man in the middle to stand up, and bowed to the two of them first. The middle-aged scribe stood upright, just cupping his fists and bowing.According to the national etiquette system, when the emperor meets the three princes, he still has to bow and greet him.This person met the Sikong of the current court and bowed his head and refused to bow, how crazy!Cao Cao was secretly surprised, but it was inconvenient to ask questions, he looked at the elderly man in the middle alone, guessing that this person must be Chen Ji, so he quickly reached out to help him.

Sure enough, the old man smiled and said: "As the third prince of the court, you condescend to wade here. I am quite disturbed. Please sit down and talk." Liu Bei was the first to pull the middle-aged man on the right and said, "This is Chen Changwen." Chen Qun bowed respectfully again, and Cao Cao bowed his hands politely: "I've been admiring you for a long time." Seeing that Chen Qun was in his thirties, with a fair face and regular features, his demeanor was gentle and very amiable, and there was always a smile in his brows: "Mr. Come, my father and son are flattered."

"How dare, how dare." Cao Cao looked to the right while speaking. Chen Qun comprehended and hurriedly recommended: "This is the Yuan family of Chen Guo, Kun Zhong." Although the Yuan family of Chen Guo was not as famous as the Yuan family of Runan, it was not an ordinary generation.The elder brother is in his 30s and 40s, and the younger brother is in his early 20s. They must be Yuan Pang's first-class nephews. The middle-aged man who refused to pay homage slightly cupped his hands and said, "My servant Yuan Huan, this is my younger brother Yuan Min." Cao Cao knew it well - he had heard for a long time that Yuan Pang had four sons, Huan, Ba, Hui, and Min, all of whom were well-known. It turned out that they were the eldest and fourth sons. If they could be recruited into the capital together, it would be icing on the cake.He hurriedly put aside the grudge that Yuan Min didn't bow down to him just now, and said with a smile: "I've heard about you for a long time, so I dare to ask Mr. Yuan where the other two siblings are here."

Yuan Huan was very upset, and stroked his beard and said: "The second brother is in Hebei now, and the third brother is avoiding chaos in Jiaozhou." It seems that the four brothers of the Yuan family are also doing their own things. The second brother voted for Yuan Shao, but the third did it. The hermit in exile.Although Jiaozhou is a barren land in the south, there is a family of local tyrants, Shi Xie (Xie) and Shi Yi Brothers, who are proficient in the study of "Zuo Zhuan" and advocate etiquette and etiquette.Shi's family occupies important positions in the prefecture and county, and they are like the emperors of Jiaozhou, who treat those who have taken refuge very kindly.Therefore, although Jiaozhou was barren, it became another refuge for Liu Zhang in the middle of Shu, Liu Biao in Jingzhou, and Gongsundu in Liaodong.

"Stop standing, let's sit!" Liu Bei took the lead to break the polite atmosphere. Although the pavilion is poor, everyone sits in a group regardless of host and guest. Cao Cao's words are very active: "Since the funeral, the famous people in the Central Plains have gone out to seek refuge. Mr. Chen and Mr. Ling moved to Xuzhou. They must miss their homeland very much, right?" The Chen family is Yingchuan. People from Xu County, this is convenient, since returning home means going to Xudu. Chen Ji has experienced a lot of wind and rain in the past ten years. First, he was coerced by Dong Zhuo to become an official, and Meng Kongrong fled to Xiapi, but unexpectedly fell into the hands of Lu Bu.I have seen this kind of thing a lot, so I naturally knew that Cao Cao would also use him as a window dressing.The old man stroked his gray beard and said slowly: "Thank you, Mr. Cao, for taking care of me. I was supposed to go to the capital to support the imperial court. But I am not afraid of your jokes. Now I am weak, sick and lazy, and I can't do anything in my dying years. I have lived in Xiapi for two years. , I am used to the climate here, and I don’t want to move anymore.”

"Where did you say this? Now that Han Rong, Yang Biao, Kong Rong, and Huan Dian are all in the court, the old man will go back to meet with everyone and recount the friendship of the past." Chen Ji was silent, but Chen Qun's eyes were shining.Regardless of others, the Chen family and Kong Rong are old friends. Back then, Kong Rong was the Prime Minister of Beihai and helped the Chen family and his son to escape to Xuzhou.Kong Rong was between the Chen family's father and son. He used to be friends with Chen Jiping, but after getting acquainted with Chen Qun, he became very interested, and he was willing to descend from the next generation to respect Chen Ji as an uncle.The reason why Chen Qun was hired by Liu Bei was because of Kong Rong.

Cao Cao's eyes were sharp, and seeing Chen Qun's expression moved, he hurriedly said, "Although the old man is old, brother Changwen is still in his prime, so he should serve the court!" How could Chen Ji say "no"?He also saw his son looking at him earnestly, with an embarrassed face, not knowing whether to laugh or cry: "Although that's the case, but I am..." He knew that most of the bureaucrats in Xudu were just putting on a show, and that he was getting old, and he had long since lost his ambitions. When I go back, if the imperial court has something to do, I will kneel down and worship eight times, so I might as well just settle down and take care of my old age in Xiapi.

Liu Bei smiled and helped Cao Cao to persuade him: "Old Mr. Chen, don't you hear that the tree wants to be quiet but the wind keeps blowing? Although Lu Bu has been cut off, you are very famous. If you don't leave now, Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu in the south will also send someone to pick you up. Mr. Cao has good intentions. You went to Xudu to return home and serve the court. Wouldn’t it be better than going to the separatists after a long journey at an old age? They are not like Mr. Cao. The name is just and reasonable, but if you fail to send soldiers to hijack you, then you will be in a dilemma, where can you find the medicine for regret?" Too good at talking!Cao Cao wished he could hold Liu Bei in his arms for a kiss, and hurriedly got off the donkey: "Xuande's words are true, you don't want to be an official, go back and live, the village is safer than Xiapi, right?" That's what Cao Cao said. I thought to myself—take you back to Xudu first, and then send people to beg you to be an official every three days, to see if you are soft-hearted! "Oh... Mr. Cao is so kind, but he is ashamed of being disrespectful. This..." Chen Ji was very embarrassed.However, the old man is very knowledgeable about current affairs. Just now Liu Bei said that Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu might hold hostages, but Cao Cao might not be able to make such a bad move if he is annoyed. Besides, his son is also willing to go... He gritted his teeth and slapped his old leg: "Forget it! Old man Just go back with Minggong!" "Thank you for your appreciation." Cao Cao was delighted, "If you are always physically exhausted, you don't have to go with the army, and ask Changwen to follow me first. I will send another person to take care of you. When the spring is warm and the flowers are blooming, your old man will go around in a car Take a rest, what's the harm in traveling all the way?" "You are too thoughtful." Chen Ji cupped his hands again and again, although he said that he did not agree with each other, but he sincerely admired Cao Cao's mind. Seeing that Chen's father and son were done, Cao Cao turned around and asked Yuan Huan: "Mr. Yuan, you Kunzhong will follow me back to Xudu. If there are family members here, I will arrange for people to send them back to Chen State. Do you think it would be good?" Yuan Huan smiled, but did not answer, and said to Liu Bei, "Mr. Xuande, your family members are in the pavilion opposite. Although Lu Bu did not harm them, he was also quite frightened. Take them away quickly." Cao Cao was puzzled—Yuan Huan called Liu Bei Biao directly, which seemed to be not the first time he had seen him.A trace of embarrassment also turned on Liu Bei's face, and then he stood up and bowed to him, "It's such a misfortune, I made everyone laugh. Minggong, I'm sorry to accompany you in a humble position..." "Go." After Liu Bei left, Chen Qun explained: "Ming Gong didn't know, but Yuan Yaoqing ① was a great talent ② recommended by Liu Shijun in the past." Cao Cao was secretly amazed: this big-eared Liu Bei also has some skills. Chen Qun and Yuan Huan are not ordinary people, but they have all followed this straw sandal seller. In the midst of Nahan, Yuan Huan spoke again: "Duke Ming, I was so rude just now, I hope the Master will forgive me." "Don't dare." Cao Cao knew that Yuan Huan said there was no kneeling, so he pretended to be magnanimous, "If I have offended you, I hope you can point it out." "Duke Ming came to visit with the dignity of the three princes and the esteemed relatives of the Jieyue. We are flattered, so why should we offend? But..." Yuan Huan stood up and walked to the back window, pointing to the city and said solemnly, "You dug Si and Yi Liang The river flooded Xiapi, how many lives have been harmed!" Cao Cao was terrified, stood up and followed him to the window to look - the city of Xiapi was in a mess, houses collapsed, and the broken stones and trees were frozen in the icy water; many people came back from the water and fell on the broken columns and beams of their homes Weeping bitterly, sobbing, wailing, and cursing can be heard endlessly. Seeing that his face was pale, Yuan Huan asked sharply, "Did you see that? How many innocent people were harmed by this flood in order to break Lv Bu? The reason why Duke Ming conquered the world to clear up the separatist rule was to report to the emperor to make peace with the people. Although Lv Bu died, The common people are suffering even more, isn’t it putting the cart before the horse by acting like this?” "I originally only wanted to eliminate rape, but I didn't expect this kind of result." Cao Cao bowed his head and admitted his mistake.In fact, he had many high-sounding reasons, to eliminate Lu Bu before Yuan Shao pacified Hebei, to take the initiative to fight Yuan Shao, and even to maintain the stability of Xudu and the great Han Guozuo... But in front of the people who were dying of pain, Cao Cao felt that those The reasons are no longer tenable. Seeing that he seemed moved, Yuan Huan stroked his beard and said, "I have something to say, I hope Duke Ming will think about it." "I would like to hear from you." Cao Cao couldn't bring up the courage of the dignified Sangong anymore. "I don't dare to take the word 'education' from you." Yuan Huan's attitude was quite amiable, and he said eloquently, "Soldiers are murder weapons, and they must be used as a last resort. They are encouraged with morality, benevolent and righteous, and caress them at the same time." Let the people get rid of their harm. Of course, we can die with them and live with them. It has been more than ten years since the great chaos, and the people's desire for peace is more than hanging upside down. However, if the riots have not stopped, why? Its way..." Cao Cao bowed his head and thought about it——Yuan Huan's words were full of regret. Didn't he criticize Xu Du's court for not getting on the right track?Why don't I want peace with the people, but if I don't offend others, others will also offend me. How can we support the army and resist the enemy by restoring the laws and regulations of the peace festival?Only by defeating Yuan Shao, the old enemy of the imperial court, can the hearts of the people in the Central Plains be truly stable, and the imperial court's decrees can be truly promulgated and implemented. Yuan Huan didn't know what Cao Cao was thinking at the moment, so he expounded his own proposition, his face gradually showing fascination: "Huan Wen Mingjun is good at saving the world, if the world is chaotic, it will be righteous, and when the false is suppressed, it will be simple; when the world changes, the governance of the country is different. , must be checked. Husband system profit and loss, the ancient and modern need not be the same. If a husband loves the world and opposes righteousness, even if he uses martial arts to calm chaos and help them with virtue, it is not easy for a hundred kings. Gong Mingzhe transcends the world, In ancient times, those who won their people were dutiful. The reason why they lost their people today is because they were guarded. At home, the people rely on the public, and they are saved from peril. However, the people do not know righteousness, and only the public teaches them , then the world will be blessed." "Love the world at the same time and oppose righteousness, use martial arts to calm chaos and help them with virtue... This is a true and wise saying!" Cao Cao couldn't help nodding, "Listening to the king's words is better than reading ten years of books. I will play it tomorrow when I return to Xudu. My son, let the people of Xuzhou be exempted from taxation this year, so as to bring peace to the chaos and benefit them with virtue!" Yuan Huan didn't expect Cao Cao to be so friendly and easy to deal with, and he felt very happy: "I have heard that Duke Ming is open and sincere in accepting advice. I saw him today. If this is the case..." He knelt down on the ground and made up a salute, "I make a wish Follow Duke Ming to serve the imperial court." People like Yuan Huan are typical people who can't be subdued by force, and who can't resist toughness.You don't care about life and death, so why do you care what kind of Sangong Jiuqing you are?If you can't respect his integrity and ambition, even if you put a sword on your neck, you won't be able to make him bow down; if you are willing to follow his advice, he will repay Li Daguan's kindness. "Thank you, sir, for not giving up." Cao Cao clasped his hands together, "The flooding of the lower pi will be a disaster for everyone! I'm afraid that a year or two of taxes will not be able to offset the losses of the people here. The accumulated water in Zhouza alone is a problem. Even if it recedes, The surrounding area has become a mud pit that cannot be cultivated." Unexpectedly, after saying this, Yuan Min took over the quarrel: "Isn't it just to withdraw the water from the Pi! What is such a trivial matter? If you can trust me, Ming Gong, let me handle it." "Oh?" Cao Cao has been chatting with Chen's father and son and Yuan Huan since he entered the door, ignoring the youngest Yuan Min.Hearing this big talk, she hurriedly looked back and saw that Yuan Min was still childish in his early twenties, with dark complexion and plain clothes, lazy and casual manners, not at all like a queen of a famous family. Seeing his younger brother's arrogance, Yuan Huan quickly reprimanded him: "Shut up! What's the proper way to speak loudly in front of Duke Ming?" Cao Cao knew the truth that people should not be judged by their appearance. Since Yuan Min dared to say such a big thing, he must have a well-thought-out plan, so he waved his hands and said, "It's okay... Brother Yuan, it's not difficult to entrust you with this errand, but you have to talk about it." Is there any way to control the water?" It is a great face for Cao Cao to say the word "brother" in person, and others will bow to him humbly.But this Yuan Min seemed to be more arrogant than his elder brother, he didn't even bother to lift his buttocks, and said with a smile: "Xiapi is a strong city in ancient times, and Han Xin was the king who once established his capital here. However, since the previous dynasty, the river channel has changed, and the location of the city tends to be Low-lying. Three months ago, the soldiers of the Ming Dynasty besieged the city. At that time, I had a private discussion with my brother..." He raised his eyebrows at Yuan Huan as he spoke, "Brother, do you still remember, I said, 'If old Cao Di If the river fills the city, Lu Bu will surely perish'—isn’t it true? Hehehe..." When Yuan Huan heard his younger brother bragging about himself and calling him "Old Cao", he couldn't help frowning: "It's too unruly!" Yuan Min stood up and went to the window, pointed outside and told Cao Cao: "There is two or three feet of water in the city, let alone the outside. But it is still the middle of winter. It can submerge the houses! Although Duke Ming has blocked the breach, if the river floods, that place will be a hidden danger for the people here. Besides, the world is raging and the war is not peaceful. If someone uses this method of breaking the city in the future, the city will remain the same Can't keep it!" The more Cao Cao listened, the more interested he became, and he cupped his hands and said, "What can you do?" His tone became more respectful. Yuan Min accepted it calmly, and said to himself: "Look, the water hasn't receded much after half a day! The low-lying terrain cannot be changed, and it is impossible to move such a large city. The only way is to drain the water." grooming." "Drainage?" Cao Cao was puzzled. "Hey! You don't understand this, do you?" Yuan Min stroked his mustache that hadn't grown yet, pointing at the sky and triumphantly, "Gun, the father of Yu Dayu in the past, was ordered to control the water. Wherever there was a breach, he would block it. The water level is getting higher and higher. The higher the river, the higher the embankment, and the more people will be injured when the river is blocked! Emperor Yao killed Gun and used Yu, and after Dayu was ordered to dredge the passage, wouldn’t everything be peaceful? The sea is an unchanging truth! Now that Duke Ming has dug the canal to fill the city, he can simply continue digging from this puddle to the southeast, so that the water will return to the old course of the Yi River in the east. The west is high and the east is low. Then we will use these two canals to dig a deep moat around Xiapi Waiguo, and then re-excavate the upper river mouth. This will reduce the hidden danger of the breach of Sishui into Yi; the two are more important for Xiapi City A defensive barrier; in addition, with this new canal, it is much more convenient for the people to cultivate and irrigate.” He gestured while talking, already intoxicated by his own imagination. "Three wins with one stone, it's wonderful!" Cao Cao was convinced, "It seems that the important task of water control here must belong to my brother!" "Hey... that's natural." Yuan Min did his part.Seeing his younger brother's arrogance, Yuan Huan said displeasedly: "My brother doesn't know the rules, Mr. Cao must forgive me. When my father died, he was not as good as the chief character, and I brought him up. I have avoided him all these years. Soldiers spend their days tossing and turning, and have no time to teach them deeply, resulting in neglected studies and lack of etiquette... Alas! This is all my fault!" But Cao Cao said: "Studying the art of water control can benefit the people. I think your brother has a bright future!" "Having said that, but the sages said that 'a gentleman is not a weapon', after all, this is not the right way for an official..." Although Yuan Huan's thinking is conservative, it is also well-founded.Since the founding of the Han Dynasty, the official in charge of water conservancy has been Dushui Changcheng, but a small position under Taichang Temple, whose status is equivalent to Lingshi, and it is not respected at all. Cao Cao knew what Yuan Huan was thinking, and since he wanted to use them, he simply sold another favor, and said with a smile: "After I return to the court, I will set up a post for my younger brother as a river embankment visitor, and manage errands such as water control and water transportation. When this official was filial to Emperor Wu In the past, without being restricted by the minister, if you have any project declaration expenditure, you can directly discuss it with Shangshu Zhidu, how about this?" "Thanks for your love!" The Yuan brothers bowed to the ground.Yuan Huan felt that Cao Cao cared for him, and he would serve him wholeheartedly in the future; Yuan Min was glad that he was not restrained and could do whatever he liked. It was the right time for Cao Cao to wade into the city. Not only did he welcome back the Chen family and his son, he hired Yuan Huan, but he also got Yuan Min, a young water conservancy genius.Sitting in a group with four people, old and young, talking about the past, Xudu News, but also enjoying it freely. After chatting for more than half an hour, he stood up: "Talking with you is like drinking fine wine, and you are drunk before you know it. Among them. But today it is getting late, and there are still many matters in the camp, I will take a step ahead, and I will pick you up in the camp in the future." When the four saw him leave, they wanted to send him out of the city; Cao Cao, considering that Chen Ji was old, only let them go to the gate of the pavilion, but declined: "The stone steps are steep and slippery, and the water under the city has not receded, everyone, please stay. After finishing the disposal here, I will teach you on the way back to Beijing... In addition, there are still a lot of goods in the treasury of Xiapi, which were snatched by Lu Bu, and you can take whatever you need." Yuan Huan said: "Wealth and goods are fine, but if there are books and other things, it will be ashamed." Cao Cao nodded again and again: "There is a saying in "Lu Lan" that 'the sages are shown by the jade of the family and the most moral words, and the sages must take the best words'. Yuan Yaoqing is really a high-ranking scholar today." While they were being courteous, Xu Chu and the tiger and leopard guards were waiting at the door of the pavilion, and several of Chen Ji's servants were standing beside them with their heads bowed.With so many people guarding it, there must be no accidents.At this time, an ordinary soldier came towards the gate of the pavilion with his head down and a roll of bamboo slips in his hand, as if he wanted to report something to Cao Cao. "Stop!" Xu Chu crossed his arms to stop him.The soldier bowed his head and knelt down, held up the bamboo slips: "This is an urgent military report, which needs to be submitted to the Lord for review." Cao Cao was saying goodbye to the four of them, when he heard that there was an urgent military report, he hurried back and asked Xu Chu to bring it over.Unexpectedly, I held it in my hand and opened it, but there was not even a word on the bamboo slip.Before he could react, he saw a blade light flashing in front of his eyes, and the soldier already had a long sword in his hand!The assassin disguised as a soldier shot very quickly, swung his left hand to push Xu Chu's arm away, and then jumped forward, the long sword in his right hand pierced Cao Cao's throat.This blow was caught off guard, so that the guards present could not intercept it in time. Seeing that Cao Mengde was on the verge of dying, he only heard a clang, and stretched out a sword from his diagonal stab to parry the assassin's sword——Yuan Min made the move!In addition to water control, he also loves swordsmanship, and he has some skills, so he hastily blocked the fatal blow with his sword.Seeing this situation, all the guards drew their swords and rushed forward, but the assassin did not run away, and raised his sword to fight with everyone. This person's swordsmanship was beyond expectation, he screamed several times, and several tiger and leopard guards were stabbed and fell to the ground.Xu Chu became very angry and swung his iron spear at him.In fact, the inner city wall is only a few feet away, and unlike the outer wall protected by parapets, the piles are only half a person's height, and if they are not careful, they will fall down, and Xu Chu's iron spear can't avoid it.But the assassin's kung fu was not the same as on the battlefield, jumping up and down, left and right, he was able to dodge all of Xu Chu's attacks in this narrow place! Xu Chu missed several hits and forced the helpers away.The assassin rolled somersaults to the door of the pavilion, and stabbed Cao Cao with his sword again.At this moment, all the guards were in a hurry, more than a dozen swords parried together, and finally forced the assassin back.Xu Chu and the guards surrounded him with a fan, forcing him to the crenel.The assassin kept his head down since he went to the city to present the book, and he jumped quickly during the fight. It was only now that everyone realized that his face was covered with a black cloth, and only his ferocious eyes were exposed.Everyone didn't dare to neglect, they raised their swords and pressed harder and harder, trying to push him to the edge of the wall and capture him. The assassin retreated step by step, and when he reached the edge of the crenel, he suddenly jumped out of the crenel.Xu Chu and the others thought he was going to commit suicide by falling into the city, so they hurried over to watch.Who would have thought that this man was very talented, but deliberately lured him into falling into the city, and when he jumped out, he grabbed the crenel with his left hand, kicked his foot on the wall--he jumped up again!Leaping over the heads of all the people, he retracted his legs and kicked back, right on Xu Chu's shoulder, almost kicking Xu Chu off.Instead, with a kick, the assassin raised his sword in the air and stabbed at the door of the pavilion again. This time, it was Chen Qun who stabbed nearby. The guards were all in vain, so they had to rely on Yuan Min to parry.The moment the two swords collided, Yuan Min's sword was immediately knocked away—although he knew swordsmanship, he was far behind this assassin.The assassin succeeded with one move, and rushed to stab Chen Ji again.Chen Ji's legs and feet are disabled at an early age, and the protectors are all behind the assassin, so this vicious sword is inevitable! At the moment of danger, another figure leaped over, and a lightning-fast sword deflected the assassin's sword move.Everyone looked sideways, it was a middle-aged servant of the Chen family who made the attack, but the speed of the sword was no less than that of the assassin.In an instant, the sword light shone and the figure swayed, and the two fought back and forth.Cao Cao was covered in cold sweat and his chest was thumping. Only then did he realize that he was so frightened and confused. The pavilion was originally a place to hide!Hurry up and help Chen Ji, Yuan Huan, Yuan Min, and Chen Qun back into the pavilion, close the door and watch from the window. Seeing the flash of sword light catches people's eyes, but the servant and the assassin are fighting for life, but there is only the sound of the wind, the two swords do not touch each other, and they rely on tricks to control the enemy and win. Evenly divided.As for Xu Chu and the guards, they couldn't even get close to each other, so they stood aside with their weapons raised, waiting for the opportunity.Cao Cao watched the battle, but secretly wondered in his heart—why did this assassin assassinate?Why didn't he stab me alone, as if he wanted to kill all the people in this pavilion?What is the origin of the servant who came to the rescue? In the blink of an eye, another change occurred, the servant saw the assassin's sword fluttering, and opened the door with too much force, exposing his entire chest to the enemy.All the guards yelled that it was not good, but the assassin had changed his tactics and stabbed the servant's throat!Everyone thought that the servant was sure to die, but they didn't know that he deliberately betrayed a flaw. He shrank his neck and hid his head where the sword touched, and handed the sword from his right hand to his left hand. —Pick it up and it will be ripped open!The assassin was not simple, he jumped back hastily on tiptoe, and stuck to the battlement, the tip of the sword brushed past his chest, although he was not injured, the cloth covering his face was lifted off by the sword, shocking He was able to stabilize his body by holding on to the crenel with his hands, so he didn't go down.When Yuan Huan saw this man's thin face, he couldn't help shouting: "It's him!" Cao Cao didn't know him, and wanted to ask him, but he heard a cry, and Liu Bei rushed up from the city with a sword in his hand, and fought with the servant. Attacking the assassin together, Xu Chu also raised his iron spear to help. Knowing that there was no hope of winning, the assassin leaped onto the crenel and jumped off the city wall.Everyone thought that he was bound to die, but he fell on the top of a small pavilion, turned over and jumped to a lower house, and then plunged into the water again.Liu Bei shouted loudly: "People below! Catch the assassin!" At this time, there was chaos in the city, Cao soldiers, surrendered soldiers, and the common people were in chaos.The assassin was originally dressed as a soldier, and he had long since disappeared among the crowd... The door of the pavilion opened, and five people including Cao Cao walked out.Chen Ji hugged the servant who saved his life: "Don't dare to ask benefactor's real name, why did you hide your skills and join my family as a servant... and be worshiped by the old man!" The middle-aged man grabbed his arm, and knelt down to Chen Ji: "Master, how can you give up your identity? My real name is Deng Zhan. When I was young, I received a lot of favors from your family. Now the world is raging. I just wanted to repay the favor, so I sneaked in." The mansion is acting as a servant, traveling around with you to secretly protect your safety." Chen's father and son looked at each other, but they couldn't remember when they helped this man named Deng Zhan.Seeing this situation, Deng Zhan sighed: "Have you forgotten me, the gentleman on the beam?" "The gentleman on the beam?!" Chen Ji was silent for a while with his hands on the silver beard, and suddenly remembered the origin of this person.It was more than ten years ago. At that time, Chen Ji's old father, Chen Shi, was still alive, but he was already old and should not be recruited by the government and government. He lived in the countryside for the elderly.One day a thief sneaked into the house. The thief was not able to hide on the beams of the house, but was accidentally discovered by Chen Shi.Chen Shi neither chased him away, scolded him, nor reported it to the government. Instead, he called all his nephews into the room, and sternly reprimanded him: "Madam, you must encourage yourself. Unkind people are not necessarily evil at first, and they are accustomed to their nature, so this is what happened. Gentleman Liang Shang It’s true!” Since he was a thief on the beam but was called a gentleman, the little thief was so ashamed that he jumped down and kowtowed to admit his mistake.When Chen Shi learned that he was lonely and poor and had no means of livelihood, instead of blaming him, he gave him two good silks and taught him to abandon evil and do good. During the years, a famous teacher visited Gao You to practice good swordsmanship. Deng Zhan explained the reason, and Chen Ji helped him up to thank him again and again.When Cao Cao saw that this man knew how to repay his kindness and was good at swordsmanship, his heart was itching for a long time: "Deng Yishi has such a unique skill, would you like to serve the court?" Deng Zhan kowtowed again and again: "Learn literary and martial arts, and the goods are with the emperor's family. But I have received the grace of Chen's reconstruction, and I will try to make contributions after repaying this favor." Deng Zhan's words are very euphemistic, Chen Ji is not young, he He must serve the old man, and when Chen Ji dies one day, he will go out to serve. Cao Cao secretly praised himself: It is said that "a family of good deeds must have Yuqing" is true. The three generations of Chen Shi, Chen Ji, and Chen Qun have a well-deserved reputation for good deeds. If I put my heart into it and use it for my own use, I will be able to show my kindness and win the hearts of scholars all over the world. ... A few of them were talking lively, but Liu Bei and Xu Chu knelt down on the ground in panic: "The guards are not good enough, please be punished by the lord." "I'm willing to take the risk, I don't blame you." Cao Cao raised his hand and turned to Yuan Huan and asked, "Does Qing Yao know the assassin?" Yuan Huan nodded: "This person is Tao Qian's former subordinate, as is Xue Yong from Hedong." Xue Yong!Cao Cao frowned—Xue Yongnai was the grandson of Xue Yan, Minister of the East China Sea, and the son of Xue Lan, who was in charge of Yanzhou.At the beginning of the Yanzhou rebellion, Xue Lan helped Lv Bu do harm, and was named Yanzhou Meritorious Cao by Lv Bu, and was finally beheaded by Cao Cao when he captured Juye County.Xue Yong is not only Xue Lan's son, but also Tao Qian's old subordinate, and Cao Cao can be said to be a national enemy and family hatred!But one thing Cao Cao couldn't figure out, why didn't he just assassinate himself, but also killed the Chen family and his son? Cao Cao was puzzled, and said to Chen Ji and the others: "I originally wanted to let you live in the city, but now it seems very inappropriate. I will call up soldiers and escort you to move into the camp. It is still safe there. The four of them did not refuse any more, Liu Bei suggested: "Even though Xue Yong escaped, he would not be able to go far, and the humble leader led his troops to investigate everywhere, so it may not be impossible to capture him." "Tens of thousands of troops can be defended, but an assassin is hard to find." Cao Cao patted Liu Bei on the shoulder, "Xuande's loyalty is commendable, but this is a needle in a haystack! If he misses, he will get out of Xiapi and flee to other places, and you will be in vain if you check. Check." Liu Bei resentfully said: "Even if it's futile in the end, I still have to try my lowly job. How can I take advantage of this madman? Duke Cao's killing of Lv Bu has given me a lot of kindness, and I will do my best!" Seeing Liu Bei's sincerity, Cao Cao no longer obstructed him. Looking at his figure of summoning guards to go down the city anxiously, a sense of relief emerged spontaneously - one or two enemies are nothing, as long as I treat those who come with my heart and soul, treacherous What can the disciples do to me?Didn't even Liu Bei bow his head and bow his head to me in gratitude...