Chapter 10 Proposal for Raising Funds

With some help, the trip from Yuzhou to Yanzhou was safe. A few days later, Cao Cao arrived in Chenliu County with Ding Fei and other followers.What he didn't expect was that he received a grand welcome at the Mingyan Pavilion, which was ten miles away from Chenliu County. Cao Cao was riding on the horse, and he could see the banners flying from a distance, the soldiers were in order, and all the county and county officials lined up on both sides of the post road.There was a middle-aged official in the middle, wearing a hat on his head, dark clothes, green ribbons on his shoulders, and a jade belt on his waist.

Zhang Miao, whose name is Meng Zhuo, has been a friend of Cao Cao for many years.For a long time, he has always stood on the same front with Cao Cao in the struggle to lift the party ban and crack down on eunuchs. Especially during the days when He Jin was in power, the relationship between the two became even more intimate.After Dong Zhuo entered Beijing, Zhang Miao also tricked Dong Zhuo into trusting him by pretending to be ingratiating, and he was released as the prefect of Chenliu. Cao Cao was flattered to see him greet him with such a grand team, and quickly got off his horse and ran over: "Brother Meng Zhuo, don't come here without any harm!"

Zhang Miao smiled and walked closer: "I'm looking forward to you, old uncle loves his son very much, and asks me for news about you every day!" "Your brother's family is indebted to you to take care of them." "It's over." Zhang Miao gave in. Cao Cao looked around at the officials on both sides: "How can my younger brother He De receive such a grand gift?" "You are here now, Brother Yu will add an arm, and the righteousness will be over!" Zhang Miao greeted the officials, "This is Cao Mengde, who was so powerful in the Yellow Turban!" He shouted, and the officials on both sides bowed one after another. To the ground, quite respectful.

Cao Cao hurriedly made a bow, looked up and saw his younger brother Cao De also coming, and the brothers were very happy to meet each other.Cao Cao introduced Ding Fei to everyone, and they all went to the county town talking and laughing with Zhang Miao without getting on their horses. "If you say Dong Zhuo is generous, he gave me such a position as the prefect." Zhang Miao said this with a smile, which seemed to be mocking and grateful. "I don't believe that Dong Zhuo is bent on destroying the world of great men. He does have the talent to lead troops, the courage to employ people, and he has the intention to revive the court." Cao Cao said solemnly.

"Oh?" This statement surprised Zhang Miao. "But Dong Zhuo doesn't understand the power of the world." Cao Cao shook his head and sighed, "Since Emperor Xiaohuan, the poor and poor people in the world have had no means of living, and the first emperor even indulged in pleasure and neglected state affairs. The people's livelihood was ruined during the Yellow Turban Rebellion. The court should eradicate the villain The way of leniency is to rest and live with the people. At a time when the living beings are waiting to be destroyed, Dong Zhuo is rampant and self-defeating. Isn’t this killing the chicken to get the egg?”

Zhang Miao understood Cao Cao's meaning, nodded and said: "People who are seriously ill can't bear strong medicine, and those who are hungry can't eat hard food. This is the harm of a warrior in a country." "Not only that? The most abominable thing is that he treats human life like nothing, and kills innocent people indiscriminately. The people of Henan and Yingchuan suffered greatly from it." Cao Cao said earnestly, "Brother Meng Zhuo, the way I escaped from Luoyang , There are ruins and ruins everywhere, and the people are fleeing. The vast land of the Central Plains was turned into ruins by Dong Zhuo's soldiers and horses. If things go on like this, the country will be in danger. For the sake of our country, this thief must be eradicated!"

"You don't know yet, Yuan Shao is in Bohai, Qiao Mao is in Dongjun, Yuan Yi is recruiting troops in Shanyang, and my younger brother Zhang Chao is also planning military affairs in Guangling. If everyone works together, we can gain momentum. I have to act as soon as possible. But..." Zhang Miao stopped in his tracks, "I'm not afraid that you will laugh at me, brother Yu, brother Yu is really not good at running the army, and the army will take a lot of work on you." "Little brother should try his best, but when the flag of righteousness is raised high, you have to come out and be the commander."

"Me!? It's okay to comfort the people for the sake of political education, brother Yu, how about leading the army to fight..." Zhang Miao said with a wry smile, "I'm afraid I have the heart, but I don't have the strength." Cao Cao looked at him helplessly, and said with restraint, "Brother Meng Zhuo misunderstood, I didn't ask you to charge into the battle. I am now a guilty person, a key criminal under the strict order of the Luoyang court. I will be the commander of the army and horses of a county. Wouldn't Fen become a bandit leader? If the name is not right, the words will not go well, and if the words don't go well, nothing will happen..."

"Well then, Brother Yu will do what he can." Zhang Miao readily agreed, but the smile on his face gradually faded, "But the matter of recruiting soldiers is not easy. Speaking of fighting Dong Zhuo, we are afraid that if Dong Zhuo comes to attack us, we will not be able to protect ourselves. Although Chenliu is the first county in Yanzhou, it is not a place of wealth, especially during the Yellow Turban Rebellion, where Huangfusong and Zhang Jiaobuqu fought several times. , the livelihood of the people is declining, and the household registration is halved." "You can recruit refugees from Yingchuan to come here."

"I've thought about it too," Zhang Miao said, stopping and turning to look at Cao Cao. "But it's a famine year, and we can't recruit people if we don't have enough money and food. Once a large number of refugees flood in, it will cause troubles and endanger the people." My county." "Isn't it possible to find rich and powerful households here to raise money and food?" Cao Cao didn't think it was difficult. "Don't talk about other people's property, even my father's property is enough to arm two or three thousand people. Brother Meng Zhuo is too modest and a gentleman. In fact, you don’t need to wait for me to come, you can discuss this matter with the old man first, presumably my father will definitely..."

Before he finished speaking, he felt Cao Dela, who was beside him, cough twice on purpose. Cao Cao was quite surprised, so he stopped talking.Cao De took the opportunity to pick up the words and said: "Jun Zhang is busy with affairs, brother, don't delay too much. In my opinion, let's get on the horse and go back to the city quickly. After our father and son get together and talk in detail, we will go to the county mansion Discuss important matters." Cao Cao is so smart. As soon as his younger brother took back his words, he knew there must be something inside, so he quickly smoothed things over and said: "Zi Ji is right, let's not waste time here. I will first go to my father to do my filial piety, and then I will find my brother to talk about serving the country." Allegiance." This sentence was humorous, Zhang Miao smiled for a while, and everyone got on their horses and rushed to the county town together.Cao Cao quietly leaned next to his younger brother's horse, and asked in a low voice, "What's wrong?" Cao De smiled wryly and said, "Zhang Mengzhuo has already mentioned the matter of raising money to our father. The old man is now a money addict, so he refuses to pay for it!" Cao Cao just talked big words to the sky, but his father had already refuted Zhang Miao's face, he couldn't help blushing, and whispered to his younger brother: "Our father loves you so much, why don't you persuade him?" "I can't persuade you! Just try it and you'll know." After Cao Cao entered the city, he went to the temporary shelter of his family, and he was even more surprised when he saw it.It can be said that Zhang Miao treats people with kindness, and he settled his family in the best house in Chenliu County. Although this house is not very elaborate, it is far larger than the Cao family's house in the capital; because Cao Cao was the one who fled. People, just in case, Zhang Miao sent the county guards to protect the safety of his family, and even assigned some of his own family servants to serve them in daily life and food. Seeing Mrs. Ding, Cao Ang, and Cao Anmin surrounding him, and her husband, father, and uncle yelling, Cao Cao was not happy at all.Zhang Miao took such good care of his little one, but his father didn't take any hair off him. This is so embarrassing.Cao Cao chatted with his relatives for a few words, then pulled the little housekeeper Lu Zhao over: "Where does my father live? Take me there!" Cao Song has aged a lot these days, and his hair is almost completely white.Xiliang soldiers plundered and attacked Yingchuan. He was afraid that the beasts would go one step further and kill Peiguo, so he hurriedly packed up the gold, silver and treasures, and left his clansmen to move to Chenliu for refuge.The bumps along the way are fine, but the mental tension is unbearable.One was afraid that soldiers from Liangzhou would appear suddenly and endanger their lives, the other was that the guards' soldiers would seek wealth and kill them bravely, and the third was that Zhang Miao would take advantage of the danger and seize property.Fortunately, everything went well, so he breathed a sigh of relief. "Father, the child is unfilial and has caused you to suffer a lot." Cao Cao hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed to his father when he saw his father. "It's good to escape, it's good to escape!" Cao Song was very excited, "As long as you come, I will be completely at ease." "Do you feel at ease living here all the time?" "The food and drink are good, that's all." Although Cao Song said so, the expression on his face was not at ease. "Dong Zhuo occupied the imperial court and abolished it privately, and Xiliang soldiers abused the people everywhere. This time, the boy escaped from Luoyang, and the land of Yingchuan he passed was devastated. It is really a misfortune for the country." "Don't think so much, it's good that you come. We are better than anything else." Cao Cao felt that his father was deliberately changing the subject, so he realized that this bow is really not easy to draw, so he simply raised the topic: "Daddy, what are your plans for the future?" "Well... Chen Liu is not far from Henan after all. Yuan Shao in Hebei is preparing for war, and Bao Xin in Jibei is also recruiting troops. If there is a fight, this place will not be safe. We should go east to Qingxu Coast, or south to Jingxiang We crossed the river to take refuge. At that time, we found a suitable place, bought fields, houses and high walls, and hired local villagers to cultivate and weave, so that we can wait for the troubled times to be clear.” "If Dong Zhuo wins, he reaches Yanqing in the east, goes to Yangzhou in the south, and wreaks havoc all over the world, where will we hide? Don't forget that your son is a fugitive, and the disaster will affect the nine clans!" "This..." Cao Song frowned, "Let's look at what's in front of us first." Cao Cao shook his head as he listened: "Father, if everyone thinks like this and allows Dong Bandit to run rampant, when will the world be clear?" Cao Song was so choked that he had nothing to say, and it took him a long time before he said, "Then what do you think?" "The Xingyi Army seeks rebellion." "You are so arrogant!" Cao Song glared at his son, "With your own strength, how can you accomplish such a great thing?" "Is it my son's own strength? As you said just now, the Kanto states are now preparing armaments and recruiting soldiers. Everyone is working together. I don't think Dong Zhuo can resist. Our family has received the state's favor, so we should use our wealth to recruit soldiers and put on a firm grip." Rui..." Before he finished speaking, Cao Song said anxiously: "So you and Zhang Miao are of the same mind, after all, you still plan on my little family wealth! Don't speak those big words." Cao Cao saw that Su Qin's tricks were no good, so he simply turned crooked and crooked, changed his smiling face, showed the enthusiasm he used to ask for candy when he was a child, and softly said: "Master, the child is not calculating the family wealth, but wants to make something. Career, success and fame will give you the position of Marquis! Regardless of righteousness, can you fulfill my ambition?" "Not this time." Cao Song flatly refused. Cao Cao said with a foolish face: "You are not counting what you say. Back in Luoyang, you said that I could do whatever I wanted in the future, and you would support me. Why did I go back on my word today?" "I didn't say you could ruin a family property." "How can this be called corruption? This is an act of righteousness." "It's the same anyway, doesn't it cost money? Think about it carefully, your grandfather and I have worked so hard to earn this family business, how can we just let it go? Since there is no shortage of troops everywhere Here you are, why bother to wade into this muddy water, isn't it just thrown into the water for nothing?" Cao Song picked up his cane and stomped on the ground repeatedly. Throw it into the water for nothing?You spent 100 million yuan to buy a Taiwei, and you have only been in it for seven months, so it is really thrown into the water!Cao Cao dared not speak out, if he talked back at this time, there would be no hope of moving him. After calming down, he said, "Father, please ask yourself, where does our family's money come from?" Cao Song replied without thinking, "Even if it's obtained by taking bribes, it's still money. Don't talk to me these days. It's good to live." "Son, this is also the way to survive, and it is to survive for the people of the world, and for my great Han Jiangshan." Cao Cao changed his words again, hoping to touch his father with emotion, "Think about it for me, my son is about to be thirty. Six years old, and now I have become a white man, have I wasted half my life and don't think about making progress? I escaped from Luoyang. If I didn't do justice, wouldn't I be ridiculed by the world? And Cao's official career was interrupted. I am worthy of my grandfather. Grace?" No matter how he argues, Cao Song is always at a moral disadvantage. He got up and helped his son, and said in a pleading tone, "You let me think for you, can you also think for father? I am already old. , how can we suffer from chaos again, and still count on this family property to provide for the elderly and die well! The five blessings of "Shangshu" say that "examination of life" is the most difficult. ?Father was counting on you to keep me, but now you are going to do something big, if I help Zhang Mengzhuo send troops, I have no objection, so the matter of spending money and recruiting troops will be avoided." "It's not all scattered, there must be some left." "A penny is money." "It's a way to invite disaster for you to wander away with such a large family property. In troubled times, you don't feel at ease if you have too much money!" "It's not easy to worry if you don't have money." "Father, Marquis Ding Wen also came with me. He is so stingy that he is willing to follow righteousness now. Can't you?" Cao Cao really wanted to hug Xiao Qinzhen and let him repeat what he said that night. "He is young and ignorant, if I imitate him, I will become an old fool." Aren't you just a fool?Cao Cao saw that his father couldn't touch his feelings, so he thought about it and said, "Zhang Mengzhuo treats our family well now, can't you be more generous to show repayment?" "Silly boy, if you want to take something first, you must give it first. This is Zhang Miao's mind." Cao Song patted him on the shoulder, "Forget it! I don't think you should follow him anymore, just let me find a safe place to go. , and let others fight and kill!" Cao Cao was about to cry, he had gone through all kinds of hardships all the way, but he didn't expect that his father couldn't figure it out, and wanted to try again, but he really couldn't think of other excuses. At this moment, someone shouted outside the door: "Father, you are so cruel." Looking back, my brother-in-law Bian Bing rushed in angrily. When Cao Cao saw Bian Bing coming, he felt ashamed.He escaped from Luoyang, but the Bian family did not bring him out, and his life and death are still unknown. How can he explain this to Bian Bing?He had to force a smile and said, "A Bing, you're here." Bian Bingli ignored him, and yelled at Cao Song, "Have you ignored the hatred of the country and the family?" "What country hates the family! You don't need to take care of our family's affairs." "Bah!" Bian Bing sneered slightly, and then pointed at Cao Song's nose, "You old guy who doesn't know good or bad! Dong Zhuo occupied the court and abused the people. Is this a national enmity? My sister and your grandson were trapped in Luoyang, right? Family hatred? You are so ruthless. You don’t care about the affairs of the country. Anyway, when you were an official, you hugged the eunuch’s thigh, and you were not a good official. The daughter-in-law is an outsider. Xiude married into your family by mistake. But Cao Pi is not the flesh and blood of your Cao family? Don’t you care about your grandson? Where did the love go when you held your grandson in Luoyang? What the hell are you! In the future, you will be separated from your children and grandchildren who will not recognize your six relatives, then you will cry with your ill-gotten wealth!" After saying that, he turned his head and left. Cao Song was ashamed and angry at being scolded by him, but couldn't say a word, and watched Bian Bingyang go away.Cao Cao was in a dilemma at the moment. It is reasonable to say that Bian Bing scolded his father, and he must not ignore it, but his words were reasonable, and he was ashamed of the Bian siblings, so he was embarrassed to say anything. Seeing Bian Bing go out , had no choice but to comfort him and said: "Father calm down, my son will go argue with this brat." But just after he chased him out, he saw Bian Bingqi waiting for him, "Brother-in-law, we two brothers have to settle the score." Cao Cao blushed for a while: "You tell me." "The first one, I like that sister Huan'er, you don't know it, but you deliberately brought her into Luoyang for your own. Is it wrong for you?" Huan'er was an orphan girl adopted by Guo Jingtu in the past. She was entrusted to Cao Cao on her deathbed.Bian Bing can be called a childhood sweetheart, but Cao Cao took his love and brought him to Beijing to take him as a concubine, and now he is in Luoyang together.This is his major shortcoming which cannot be disputed, he just said: "I am wrong about Huan'er." "Okay. The second thing, you took my sister and Huan'er to Luoyang, but left them in the tiger's mouth and escaped by yourself. A man can't protect his wife and concubine. Is this your injustice?" "This is really a helpless move..." Seeing that Bian Bing's fist had been raised, Cao Cao closed his eyes, "You hit me, I should hit you." Bian Bing put down his clenched fist again, and said viciously: "I My siblings have been singing and singing since they were young. They were brought up by you. They ate the food from the Cao family and drank the water from the Cao family. If I beat you today, it would be my injustice. Hmph! The day of raising troops is also counted as me One, it depends on how you manage it, whether you can save my sister!" After saying that, he turned his head and ran forward angrily. Cao Cao swallowed, turned around and went into the house to comfort his father.Cao Song had a look of displeasure: "Forget it, forget it, you just want money, I'll give you some, and you can do whatever you want! To save someone from scolding me again, I still have to suffer at this age , really..." Cao Cao leaned over and listened to his nagging, but he was quite interested in his heart: this kid's cursing is really effective, maybe it will be of great use in the future.