Chapter 21 Buying an official storm

In November of the fourth year of Zhongping (AD 187), due to the outbreak of a major rebellion by Zhang Chun and Zhang Ju in Yuyang, the Taiwei Cui Lie, who had just taken office for more than five months, became a scapegoat, and Liu Hong dismissed him on the pretext of dereliction of duty.But what happened next made the Cao Cao brothers speechless-father Cao Song promised to invest 100 million yuan to buy a Taiwei official! As soon as this matter happened, it didn't stop in Luoyang and Peiguo, and everyone in the world knew about it.The streets and alleys of the counties, counties, towns, and alleys are full of discussions: Cao Jugao was originally an eunuch's adopted son who raped and erected a scandal, and he was listed in the Jiuqing to control the court. Bit, the greatness of the world!Let's talk about people with a salary of two thousand stones, where do the hundreds of millions of family assets come from?It is nothing more than corruption and perverting the law to take plunder, oppress the good and ruthlessly squeeze the people's wealth.Cui Lie bought an official out of helplessness, he is Cao Jugao, a treacherous villain who uses unscrupulous means, and has no shame in grandstanding...

Shilin colleagues are all contemptuous, and Limin people are all reviled! Old Cao Song sent a letter asking for money to his hometown in Qiao County. Cao Cao, Cao De, and Cao Chun were so ashamed that they sat at home, and they were ashamed to leave the house. "Hmph! It's really going to rain, and Dad wants to buy an official!" Cao Cao was so angry that he didn't know what to say. "He wants to buy it, but we can't stop him." Cao De drooped his face, "If you want money, open the warehouse and give it to him! "The Book of Filial Piety" has a saying, "Respect your body and use it to serve your parents." That's all."

"What you're talking about is the filial piety of common people, not the filial piety of scholars!" Cao Chun interjected, "If a father contends with his son, he will not fall into injustice. Therefore, when it is unrighteous, the son must not fight against his father." "No, the "Book of Filial Piety" also said..." "All right! All right!" Cao Cao couldn't take it anymore, "What's the point? You two still have the heart to argue..." Cao Chun pursed his mouth high: "I haven't become an official yet, let me share such a worrying thing first. With such an uncle, what will my colleagues and officials think of me in the future?"

"Who gave you Xiaolian?" Cao Cao rolled his eyes at him, "He is your uncle, and he is my own father! What can we do as sons? Don't worry about who is right and who is wrong when things have already happened. , it is true to solve the problem first!" Although Cao De was full of promises, he was also dissatisfied in his heart: not to mention the right or wrong of buying an official, the hundreds of millions of wealth alone, a lot of money came from his hard work in the family business, even though the old man should give it as much as he stretched out his hand. , but how can you not even say hello in advance.People say what they want and don't overstep the rules. It is reasonable for Lao Tzu to use his son, but he must also leave some blessings and virtues for his children and grandchildren!Thinking of this, he said calmly: "I don't think there is any problem. We already have a lot of money, food and silk in the treasury. If we control the expenses for these two months, the old man still has a lot of people in Beijing. We can collect them all together." That's enough. Our family is not going to sell everything!"

"You said it so lightly," Cao Cao saw that he didn't understand what he meant, "it's not difficult to collect the money, but how do you give it to him?" This remark woke up Cao De: Yes!What year and month is it now?Bandits are rampant and banditry is rampant. This billions of dollars of wealth has drawn dozens of cars. Now this is known to the world. How many desperadoes are waiting for this money along the way!Thinking about it this way, Cao Dehan came down, slapped his forehead and said, "It's not easy... what should I do?" Cao Chun was also taken aback: "This number is too conspicuous."

"Father is so confused!" Cao Cao slapped his thigh, "You must not reveal your wealth these days! If this reputation spreads out, who knows that our Cao family is rich? Poor friends want to extend their hands, and villagers in the village have to ask for alms. The thieves just don't You have to miss us whether you want to steal it or not, not to mention that the world is full of desperadoes. From now on, our Cao family will be full of troubles!" Cao De sighed endlessly: "I can't take care of it far away, what should we do with this matter now? How can the eunuch let go of it if we promise not to pay money, and the emperor has to confiscate our house? Can we replace it with gold and silver? "

"That's definitely not possible!" Cao Chunxian vetoed it, "What treasures are there in Xiaoxiaoqiao County? You don't have much after you exchanged Ding Fei's treasury, 100 million yuan! How much will you get? Besides, the gold and silver are here with us It’s rare, it’s nothing in the capital, and you won’t be able to exchange so much in Luoyang, if we do that, we’ll pay generously. According to me, ask the county general to borrow troops to escort him.” "I've never heard of it!" Cao De was almost annoyed, "Where are the country's soldiers escorting things for the rich man?"

Cao Chun didn't care much at this moment: "Let's not care about it so much, I might as well give up my filial piety and go to the county general with a foolish face." "We are shameless, and others have shame!" Cao De's head was dripping with sweat, "Who is Yuan Zhong, you don't know? He values ​​reputation more than life, because honesty and Yuan Feng, Yuan Kai has broken off all friendship, how could he help us with this kind of thing?" Cao Chun frowned into a big knot: "Then let's find more people from Xiahou's family and Ding's family? At worst, let's just pay some money."

"It's not a matter of how much money you have," Cao De waved his hands again and again, "He also has face. Xiahou Dun is a celebrity, and Ding Fei's family uncle Ding Gong is now the Jiuqing. If he is willing to help, you have the nerve to win him Face? This matter is disgraceful, and the closer you are to a good friend, the less you can get involved." Cao Chun had no idea what he said, and the two brothers stared at Cao Cao silently. Cao Cao slapped his hands: "Let's do it ourselves!" "What!?" The brothers were startled. "It's okay. Zihe, go find Lou Yi."

Seeing that Cao Chun went hesitantly, Cao De asked, "Ah Man, are you really sure? How much does it take for all our servants to go? The tenants who cultivate the land are not worth it." "Humph!" Cao Cao sneered, "We have already exposed our wealth, so why don't we learn from Lord Mengchang! A banner is erected at the gate of the village to recruit soldiers, and our family will become a local tyrant! Whether it is a refugee or a fugitive, as long as we have strength, we will accept it. " Cao De is an honest man, his eyes are wide open: "What kind of decent is this?"

"Do you think the world will be peaceful after this trip is over? Our family has to be on guard from now on, and these people will be given to our nursing home in the future! This is a long-term plan. These days, if you are not tough, people will eat you and harm others You must have the heart, and you must have the heart to guard against others!" Cao Cao suddenly became a little excited when he said this, "When someone recruits, I will select hundreds of strong people and take them to escort the property to Beijing. That's it." While speaking, Lou Yi came in a hurry: "Master, what are your orders?" "Lead people to raise the banner, recruit the poor and refugees. Treat them with good wine and meat!" "Promise." Lou Yi just agreed and didn't dare to ask more. "Besides, do you still remember the shaft car and the tu car?" Lou Yi lowered his head and thought for a while: "What is it?" Cao Cao reminded him: "Back then in Huangfu Song camp..." "Oh! Little ones know that the things that guard the city are used for arranging the gates and protruding gates." "That's it! You..." Cao Cao looked back at his younger brother, "De'er, how many cars do you think these goods have?" "If it's not easy to change to four or five baht, I'm afraid I'll have to have some silk, maybe there are more than thirty carts?" "Lou Yi!" Cao Cao turned his face away, "You go to the craftsmen, and mobilize all those who can do carpentry, build fifty shaft carts, eight large tug carts, and prepare twenty feet of thick hemp rope. " Lou Yi trembled in fright: "You are going to fight!" "That's right! Isn't it war to put so much wealth in custody?" Cao Cao patted him on the shoulder, "Get more knives, guns and sticks, prepare thick clothes when it's cold, and tell the cook to buy fried wheat rations. You go to the escort. Choose, choose the fat and the strong, choose three hundred people first. Let's go!" "No." Lou Yi hurried away. Cao De couldn't help sighing: "We can't do it, but you can do it, brother!" Put up the recruiting flag, and have your own food.All the unaccommodated men from ten miles and eight villages came, and the Cao family's manor was more lively than the market, as long as they were chosen, they would be given a bucket of grain and a piece of cloth without saying a word.Lou Yi stood on the cart and greeted the candidates while urging the carpenter to work.After three days, what should be prepared is almost done, and Lou Yi's voice is also hoarse. The night before departure, a running water mat was set up in the courtyard of Caojiazhuang, and three hundred strong men, along with their family servants and boys, all served meat.Xiahou's family slaughtered more than 30 cattle and sheep at one go, and bought dozens of altars of fine wine from Ding Chong's collection on credit. In winter, they lit fires in and out of the courtyard. ah!All of them have been hungry for a long time, and they are closer to seeing wine and meat than to seeing their father. Cao De and Cao Chun sat on the head's table and watched trembling. The two children Cao Ang and Cao Anmin were too frightened to leave the house.Xia Houlian and Ding Fei, who were in charge of the house, were unwilling to come.But Xia Houyuan and Ding Chong came, one is a big boss, and the other comes whenever there is wine, they are very useful. The atmosphere was so chaotic, Cao Cao scratched his neck and shouted to his younger brother: "Ziji, you are in charge, tell everyone!" He dared not say a word, just said: "Brother, come on!" Cao Cao didn't refuse. He stood on the table and shouted, "Is the meat fat?" "Fat!" This sentence focused the attention of the poor. Cao maneuvered in a circle: "Brothers, I, Cao, treat guests, and I want to ask everyone for a favor! My old man is now a captain!" He deliberately raised his voice when he said this, "But the **** dog The eunuch wants to extort my father's money, otherwise he will kill our family and rob it!" Cao De's body is numb: How can you open your mouth to tell a lie?Trembling, he picked up the wine and took a sip, but he heard someone yell "Then let's reverse!" He was so scared that he spit out the whole wine in one sip. "No way! No way!" Cao Cao waved his hands straight away, "My father's life is still in his hands! Now that my father is locked up, he can't even eat a piece of pancake, but the ten permanent servants are big fish and meat. I have to exchange money for my father’s life! I had no mother since I was a child, and it was my father who brought up our brothers with feces and urine. When I had no money to study, my father sold all his pants. So I have to be fair to my conscience. Let's be honest..." Cao Chun poked his head under the table and laughed secretly: Do you have a truth? "Brothers!" Cao Cao picked up a bowl of wine, "Tomorrow, everyone will follow me to Luoyang to give money. For our father, if there are robbers along the way, we will fight them with our lives! I will do it first as a respect." After pouring down the wine, Cao Cao changed his subject, "But I have to say the ugly words first, this money is to save my father's life! After sending it to Luoyang, I will invite everyone to eat meat and drink when I come back, and I will give you back food. If you have Whoever takes advantage of the fire to rob, dare to steal and rob..." Before he could finish his sentence, he saw a tall man standing up from the crowd of poor people, shouting: "Then who the hell is a son of a bitch! Master Cao is not mean to me, anyone who dares to steal money I will be the first to have sex with him! The rich man talks about our conscience, so we have to talk about our conscience, right?" "Yes! Yes!" Everyone echoed. When Cao Chun saw that it was Qin Shao who was shouting, he couldn't help laughing wildly again.This must have been arranged in advance. "Okay!" Cao Cao picked up another bowl of wine, "As long as you help me with this, I will help everyone in their difficulties in the future! I am the one who lacks houses, land, money, and wives! I will sing a song for everyone. Let’s help everyone’s drinking, let’s set off tomorrow morning!” After finishing speaking, he turned around and greeted Cao De, Cao Chun, and Lu Zhao, “Sing together!” "What are you singing? Where do we meet?" The three of them looked at each other, but Cao Cao had already opened his voice: "I will take ten thousand at the age of Zhuobi Futian. I will take the old and eat my farmer..." "It's "Fu Tian"!" Lu Zhao clapped his hands and laughed, "Let's sing along!" The four let go of their voices, and the more they sang, the happier they became: 〖Zhuobi Futian, ten thousand years old.I take what is old and eat my peasants.There have been years since ancient times. Now it is suitable for southern acres, or cultivated or planted.The millet and millet are gone, and you are in the middle, and you are in charge of me. Use me to be as clear as possible, sacrifice sheep with me, and use society as a party.My field is Zang, the celebration of the farmers. Qin and Se beat drums to Yu Tianzu.To pray for sweet rain, to introduce me to millet, and to use grain to serve as my scholar. The great-grandson came and stopped, with his wife.In the south of Mu, Tian Yu is very happy.Rush around and try its purpose. Heyi grows mu, and is always good and has it.The great-grandson is not angry, the farmer Kemin. The great-grandson's harvest is like a tree like a beam.Yu, the great-grandson, is like Di Rujing. It's for Qiansi warehouse, it's for Wansi box.Millet, rice and sorghum, the celebration of farmers.In return for Jiefu, longevity is boundless. 〗 "The fields are boundless, and there are thousands of grains to be harvested. The accumulated grains are taken from the warehouses for my farmers... There are fields, grains, and children and grandchildren." A "Book of Songs Futian" sang the common expectations of the poor.It really sang that those tough men burst into tears, sang that they stomped their feet and beat their chests, sang that they pushed glasses and changed glasses, and unknowingly sang the closeness of these people to the Cao family! Ding Chong was too drunk for a long time, he sat there in a daze with his eyes fixed, and shouted indistinctly: "Drink!" "Drink!" Everyone picked up their bowls—let's pour their lives down! The drinking didn't dissipate until Haishi.Cao Mengde heaved a sigh of relief, turned his head and said to his younger brother, "These people can be used now." Cao De was overwhelmed with admiration, bowed his head and said, "Brother! From now on, you can take charge of this family! My little brother is sincerely convinced." "It's very useful in an emergency, brother, you are still the head of the family." Cao Cao was a little sentimental when he said this, "For our father...whether right or wrong...we..." "Let's be foolish for once." Cao De took over the conversation with a smile.Since childhood, they have depended on each other for life, and it can be said that they have a tacit understanding. "Ah Man, we will be on the road tomorrow, you should rest early." After his elder brother left, Cao De took his servants to pack up his things and stamped out the embers one by one... When Cao Cao returned to Ding's room, he saw that she was still weaving, so he hugged her drunkenly from behind: "Ma'am, don't be busy." Ding was very happy tonight, her smile was extraordinarily bright, and her mediocre appearance became more hazy under the light: "You finally laughed today. Do you know how long it has been since you smiled?" Cao Cao sighed and said nothing. "You are a vulgar person." Ding still pushed the loom, "You don't even think about being a hermit." "That's not necessarily the case." Cao Cao shrugged his nose, "This trip is just a matter that can't be ignored. Ziji is a nerd, Zihe is still young, and other brothers in the clan are useless. If you don't count on me, who else can you count on?" "Look, are you still reluctant to go home?" "But I am willing to go to the country." Ding turned around and said, "Those who can't bear the family naturally can't bear the country!" Cao Cao kissed her on the forehead: "Let's rest!" "Go to my sister's side." "I'm not!" Cao Cao rubbed her chest. Ding gave him a push: "Go and be with her. You don't even smile when you give birth to a son. How many times has she cried with me? Do you still look like a father?" Cao Cao stopped his hands: "Then I..." "go Go!" "I'll come as soon as I go..." He hurried away after saying that. The shuttle in Ding's hand stopped moving, and he said to himself: "That sounds nice, how can you come back when you get there..."