Chapter 16 Debate on the Art of War

After He Yong left without saying goodbye, there was no news for a long time.Cao Cao never left home secretly again, but hid under the window of Cao Song's study to eavesdrop whenever he was free, but there was no news.It seems that he has escaped from Luoyang City safely.Just two days after I was relieved, there was a shocking case that shocked the government and the public. Under the instigation of Wang Fu, Shangshu ordered Lianzhong to falsely accuse Bohai King Liu Kui of treason.Liu Kui was imprisoned by the governor of Jizhou and forced to commit suicide in prison. Eleven concubines, more than seventy relatives of his children, and twenty-four maids died in prison. The officials were all executed on the charge of "leading the king's disloyalty".What He Yong tried his best to stop happened.

As far as the Cao family is concerned, Cao Ding was of course the one who was hit the hardest.He and Song Feng formed a family of sons and daughters, and just a few days after he was proud, he was poured with cold water.What's more, there are rumors that Emperor Liu Hong intends to abolish the Song family and make He Guiren, who was born in a butcher, his heir.This series of terrible news made him full of complaints. He just couldn't figure out why the relatives of the big man, such as Dou Xian, Deng Zhi, Geng Bao, Yan Xian, and Liang Ji, were all majestic, and Dou Wu was once famous. When it was the turn of the Song family that he relied on, they were so unlucky.Cao Song and Cao Chi also had some worries, but fortunately, they were attached to the eunuch Wang Fu, who was the chief culprit who forced and killed King Bohai.Therefore, the Cao family generally does not lose or make money.However, since July of the first year of Xiping (AD 172), the power of foreign relatives has declined, and the Liu Hongyi Dynasty began the era when eunuchs Wang Fu and Cao Jie ruled everything.

Through the two incidents of catching and killing Tai students and exterminating Liu Kui's clan, Sili Xiaowei Duan Jiong won Wang Fu's trust with his hard-working behavior, and was soon promoted to Taiwei, surpassing the ranks of the three princes.After the announcement, the government and the opposition immediately went into an uproar.One was Duan Jiong, who was born in the Han clan in Liangzhou, so according to the practice at that time, he was not allowed to be a high official.Therefore, all the officials naturally had to argue, and the most violent ones were naturally the Cao family who had just turned against them, arguing with the emperor and Wang Fu.But money can turn ghosts, Duan Jiong stuffed the money accumulated in Liangzhou over the years into the pockets of the Queen Mother and eunuchs, whoever objected was pointless.

As a result, the whole court had been arguing about the appointment and removal of the Taiwei for more than half a month, but Duan Jiong was still promoted.Complaining and complaining, rejoicing and cursing, Liu Hong was all about having fun, and Empress Dowager Dong was all about making money, so everyone put aside the matter of chasing He Yong, and no one cares about it anymore! The disputes in the imperial court have temporarily stopped, but the Cao family's family affairs have become very noisy.For some reason, Cao Song began to test the knowledge of his two sons again.He first called his eldest son Cao Cao to his side and ordered him to recite "Book of Rites" and "The Doctrine of the Mean", but Cao Cao didn't think so.

"Children rarely read these books these days." "why?" "dislike." "You are so arrogant!" Cao Song became angry when he heard it, "You are still studying with Uncle Qi, and you are so frivolous. You think it is great to learn the thirteen chapters of Sun Wuzi, don't you?" "Don't dare." Cao Cao bravely said: "My son is reading really useful books." "Hmph! Conceited and clever, self-willed!" Cao Song sneered, "Then I would like to ask, what is a useful book?" "Sun Wuzi's thirteen chapters, Huan Kuan's "On Salt and Iron", Yang Xiong's "Fa Yan", Huan Tan's "New Lun", Wang Fuzhi's "Tun Fu Lun", Wang Chongzhi's "Lunheng", Ban Meng Jian's "Bai Hu Tong"."

Cao Song couldn't help being taken aback, but said, "Do you know the reason why a gentleman is not a weapon?" "Although a gentleman is not a weapon, he should have a skill." "Hmph! Sophistry!" Cao Song seemed really angry, pointing at Cao Cao and said, "I won't ask you anymore, you get out!" As the saying goes, if there are too many lice, don't bite, and if you get scolded too much, Cao Cao doesn't take it seriously.The only trouble is that I can't go out, so I play Cuju with the boys in the garden as usual.After playing for a while, I saw my fourth uncle Cao Ding running to "Ying Mao" and asked him to play together.

Cao Ding was full of complaints: "Go, go! I was reprimanded by your father, who has the leisure to coax you? I'm still annoying!" "My nephew is really bored, De'er knows how to read and read books every day, and my father doesn't ask my nephew to go out." "Do you want to go out?" "Of course I do." "Then come with me! If you are annoying me, you are annoying me too, so come and relax with me!" Cao Cao didn't understand how Cao Ding asked him to accompany him, so he let him go.Unexpectedly, Cao Ding took him back to the mansion, set up a banquet, and called two singers.Listen to them singing while drinking.It was fine at the beginning, but in the middle of singing, Cao Ding actually pulled a singer into his arms and kissed her.Where has Cao Cao seen this battle?Khan came down.Cao Ding didn't take it seriously, and pushed the other singer into his arms.

Cao Cao didn't dare to move, he just felt that the woman's touch made his heart tremble, his blood boiled, and it was really uncomfortable.In the end, he couldn't take it anymore, pushed the singer away, ignored Cao Ding, ran out to ride a horse, and ran back home.When I got back to the mansion, my heart was still beating wildly, so I asked my younger brother to study to calm my mind. "Ah, you are back..." Cao De was quite happy to see him coming in, "I have something to do, and I need you to specify the maze." "Why are you so jealous? Tell me what you have to say!" Seeing that he was so polite, Cao Cao temporarily put aside his absurdity.

"Although I can't learn the Three Tombs, Five Classics, Eight Suspicions and Jiuqiu, I know the Four Books and Five Classics well." Cao De said in a very proud tone, shaking the bamboo slips in his hand, "I can't understand the art of war! " "Oh? There are books you can't understand? You actually asked me, tell me." Cao Cao sat down with his clothes lifted. Cao De casually held up a volume and said: "Take the "Ji Pian" in the first volume of "Sun Wuzi" as an example! What’s more, the ‘intimacy and separation’ is obviously done by villains! Why did Sun Wu teach people deceitful ways? What are you criticizing on the sidelines that ‘soldiers are impermanent, and deceit is the way’, what kind of intentions are these!”

Seeing his serious face, Cao Cao felt that his younger brother was both irritating and ridiculous, "De'er, have you read too much of "The Doctrine of the Mean"? The two armies are fighting to the death, how can you What about a gentleman and a villain?" "That's not right! A gentleman wins the trust of the world with his benevolence, so he doesn't deceive the ruler, the people, the heart, and the enemy! Where the benevolence lies, the evil is overwhelmed by the wind, so why use deceitful techniques to win? In the past, King Wu of Zhou met the princes In Mengjin, the Yin and Shang soldiers turned against each other in the battle of Muye, isn't that the reason?" Cao De became more serious.

"De'er, why don't you say that Mencius said 'it is better to have no books than to believe in all books'? According to his words, King Wu surrendered without even using the merchants!" Cao Cao said disdainfully, "You can't believe all the words of benevolence and virtue." Mencius said, "There is no such thing as Qi Huan and Jin Wen", but the Zhou Wu King he admired took over the world by killing. Isn't it?" Cao De was speechless for a while, and Mencius did have aphasia, which is indisputable. "Haven't you figured it out yet? War is a last resort. It is necessary to fight quickly to save the country from losses. Winning with tricks and fighting the enemy with wisdom can quickly defeat the enemy and stabilize the people. Do you think Thinking, isn’t this considered benevolence? Moreover, when King Wu of Zhou joined forces with Meng Jin and the armies of the feudal lords, it was also because of more attacks than less, and the use of the strong to defeat the weak, and it was not only because of benevolence.” Cao De shook his head and said: "Although this is true, the ancients have agreed on the time and place when they used soldiers, and there are custom-made attacks and defenses, and they don't deceive each other. Isn't that also a battle of gentlemen?" "De'er, why do you never leave the word 'gentleman' in every sentence?" "Isn't a gentleman bad?" "It's not bad. Didn't I say that when the two armies are fighting, you can't distinguish between gentlemen and villains, and you can't deliberately pursue loyalty. It is because Song Xianggong talked about the loyalty of gentlemen on the battlefield and refused to sneak attack on the Chu army crossing the river. The defeat in Hongshui will bring disaster to the country and the people." Cao Cao became serious before he knew it. "That being said, isn't Duke Xiang of Song one of the Five Hegemons in the Spring and Autumn Period? It is precisely because he emphasizes loyalty and treats people leniently!" Cao Cao was speechless for a while when he asked him. "I would rather learn from Song Xianggong's benevolence than treat others with deceit." Cao De looked serious. "You are really stunned by reading!" "There is also this passage..." Cao De picked up "Nine Changes" again, "Here it is said that there will be five dangers: if you must die, you can be killed; if you must live, you can be captured; if you are angry, you can be insulted; Integrity can be humiliating; loving the people can be annoying.'Listen, 'you must live', 'you must die', and you can be angry quickly. How can it be dangerous to be honest and love the people?" "You only know one thing and don't know the other!" Cao Cao politely said, "It is a virtue for a general to be honest and love the people, but if he pays too much attention to his reputation or pays attention to the people, he will be used by the enemy. What Sun Wu means is that the general should be clear about his interests and relax Only with vision can we adapt to changes on the battlefield." "Can you give an example?" Cao Cao thought for a while, took the bamboo slips and put them on the table, picked up a pen and wrote next to the original text of "Love the people, it's annoying": "If you go out of your way, you must go, and those who love the people must do the same thing. Save it, save it will be troublesome." Cao De nodded, thinking that it seemed to make sense: "You have written so much, it is almost a commentary!" "We were born in the Taiping period, so naturally we don't have to learn these kinds of military books and war strategies. I just do it for entertainment. If you are interested, I still have "Sima Fa" and "Wei Liaozi" in my room, just take them and read them. " "I can't read it, let's forget it!" Cao De waved his hand. "Well. I don't think you will be a general in this lifetime!" Cao De also smiled: "Although I am not successful, but you know so many friends, show them the set of military tactics you have commented on, and discuss the way to use troops together. Why not?" This reminded Cao Cao: Yuan Shao likes to discuss the art of war, why don't you show it to him? "You're right! It's a pity that we can only talk about wars on paper in the city. If we are in our hometown, we can imitate the battlefield." "Imitate the battlefield?" "Yes! When I was in my hometown in Qiao County, I always saw Xiahou Yuanrang (Xiahoudun) and Cao Zilian playing like this. Divide everyone into several teams, and use sticks and stones as weapons. The fight was very lively." Cao Cao thought to himself, It was because of fighting in groups that I had the opportunity to understand my true blood. Cao De seemed fascinated when he heard this: "I almost forgot what Qiao County is like. I was too young when I went back last time. I only remember that my mother was very young and beautiful..." Cao De and Cao Cao were not born of the same mother.Cao Cao's mother was Cao Song's wife, but Cao De was born to a concubine.But both of their mothers have passed away, and Cao Song lost three sons and his wife and concubine, leaving only Cao Cao and Cao De to accompany them, so they are treated the same regardless of whether they are descendants or concubines. Seeing his younger brother recalling the sad things, Cao Cao hurriedly said, "Although our mother is gone, there is still my aunt, who misses you very much! There are also Zilian, Yuanrang, and Miaocai." "In two years' time, I will go back to my hometown to see... just like you!" "Silly boy!" Cao Cao stroked his younger brother's head, "I never wanted to go back to my hometown that time. I was punished by my father because I protected He Yong." Cao De blinked, and asked: "A few days ago, you sneaked out over the wall to save He Yong, right?" Cao Cao was taken aback: "You, you..." "Do you really think I'm a nerd? Ever since Duan Jiong searched the house that day, you've always been hiding under the window of your father's study. Don't you know why?" Cao Cao was dumbfounded when he heard that, he only regarded his younger brother as someone like his seventh uncle Cao Yin, and never thought that this honest boy also has scheming. "Do you think it's right for me to help He Yong?" "Of course you are right! Since you are studying, you should know right from wrong. Can I not know who is right and wrong among party members and eunuchs?" Cao De sneered. "You must not tell daddy, or I will be miserable!" Cao Cao grinned. "That's natural." Cao De smirked for a while, "But..." "But what?" "Brother, you must promise me one thing." "What's the matter? You can't come up with random ideas!" Cao Cao began to be careful with his younger brother. "Accompany me to see Daddy." Cao De said as he picked up the bamboo slips. "Meet daddy? You still want to tell him?" Cao Cao was so anxious that he knelt down for his younger brother. "What are you thinking about? I asked you to accompany me to see my father because I wanted to report back on the art of war. Today he asked me to recite the art of war that you usually read. Don't you know his temper? Now I read it in a mess, and I will definitely suffer Scolding. With you by my side, I can deal with it! Let's go." Cao Cao breathed a sigh of relief, but he was puzzled: Yes!Why did I never expect that what my father asked me to recite today is also what Deer usually reads.Why does he want us to read it differently? The two brothers came to Cao Song's room obediently, and Cao De tremblingly presented the book of war to his father. "How did you read?" "The child is dull and can't comprehend." Cao De lowered his head and said the truth. Unexpectedly, Cao Song didn't lose his temper. He just stared at his youngest son and sighed for a long time before saying, "De'er, I'm disappointed in you as a father. Sigh... If you don't understand it, don't read any more." Then he continued. Pass the bamboo slips. Cao Cao hurriedly smoothed things over: "De'er is still young, so it may be a little early to read this kind of art of war." "No, no... Everyone has their own aspirations, and we can't force them." Cao Song shook his head repeatedly. Hearing what he said, Cao De laughed instead: "That's true, my brother is proficient in this way. The set of military books that Uncle Qi gave him was corrected by him, just like Zheng Kangcheng's commentary on scriptures." "Hmph! You really flattered him." Cao Song glanced at his eldest son, "Zheng Xuan is a great Confucian of the generation, what is he?" Cao Cao swallowed, and couldn't help asking: "Why did Daddy tell us to read each other's books? ?” "Why? My silly children, I would like to see which of you can master civil and military skills, and who can inherit my Cao family's family business. The result? Both are useless!" Cao Song seemed very angry, and waved Sleeve, "Go out, don't bother me here." As it was getting late, Cao Cao returned to his quiet room, flipping through his annotated book of war absent-mindedly, thinking wildly: "Can I become a general? Just like Wei Qing and Huo Qubing, aren't Huangfugui and Zhang Huan also outstanding? What does it feel like to lead thousands of troops and gallop on the battlefield to serve the country? Didn't my father and Duan I know Jiong very well, I can ask him for advice... No! Duan Jiong is not a good guy. The party attached to Wang Fu, bribed eunuchs, and killed thousands of Tai students in order to capture Brother Boqiu. The bloody debt will definitely end badly in the future... ...But didn't my father also make good friends with the eunuch? But he was dedicated to revitalizing the Cao family business, maybe the world misunderstood him, he was definitely not a villain who flattered the eunuch! Just reading military books is not enough, if you want to become a truly qualified general, you still have to As my father said, I have to work hard on classics and history. However, it is not good to be a nerd like Deer. How can I be regarded as a great hero? Is it for the benefit of the common people, or is it for the deterrent? The generals of one side? Wei Qing, Huo Qubing, Yu Xu, Ban Chao, are they heroes?" For the first time, Cao Cao, who never thought about what would happen tomorrow, had a longing for the future.He closed the bamboo slips, walked to the window and looked at the sky: the dark and silent sky was endless, and the moon and stars were faintly exposed among the misty clouds.Cao Cao suddenly thought how weird it felt to be touched by a singer today.For some reason, he remembered the girl from the Ding family that his fourth uncle had photographed for him. Is she good-looking? Cao Cao turned around and lay down on the bed with his clothes on.For a while, I thought about my father, for a while for Duan Jiong, for a while for my fourth uncle, for a while for my seventh uncle, for a while for He Boqiu who disappeared without a trace, for a while for my future bride, and fell asleep unconsciously...