Chapter 7 7. The mysterious night traveler

Cao Cao was chatting and joking with the soldiers during the night patrol, and suddenly found someone walking at night in violation of regulations.Everyone looked around, only to see a person wearing a thick coat looking furtively in this direction. "Who? Come here! What are you doing out in the middle of the night?" Qin Yilu immediately scolded. "The little one... the little one is passing by." The man replied slowly and came over.This man looked to be in his fifties, dressed like a commoner, with a messy beard and two small eyes that wandered around. "Passing by? What road did you pass in the middle of the night? Don't you know that the city gate is closed?"

"The villain went out to collect debts. Unexpectedly, the owner who owed the money refused to pay, so he didn't come back until midnight. I don't live in the city, I just pass by here." The man said with a playful smile. Qin Yilu walked up to the man and looked him up and down: "Is what you said true?" "Everything is true, don't dare to lie! In addition..." The man suddenly lowered his voice, "How much money does the villain have to honor the military masters to buy wine..." "Fart! Who do you think we are?" Qin Yilu sternly reprimanded him. In fact, he would have accepted Cao Cao if he wasn't in front of him. Naturally, his superiors would not dare to accept bribes here. Be careful, I will tell you to eat a stick! Get out of here!"

The man responded, turned around and was about to run away. "Wait!" A strong young soldier next to him stopped the man, and he stepped forward a few steps and tore off the man's shirt.With a whoosh, he pulled out a shining steel knife from his bulging arms, "What is this? Tell me!" Cao Cao and the others were also startled, and hurried forward, and two quick hands, Qin Yilu and the others, pushed the man to the ground.The man shouted loudly: "Not guilty! Not guilty! The knife is what I use to guard against thieves at night!" "Nonsense!" The young soldier knelt down and slapped his face, "Follow the truth!"

"It's the truth!" The man argued, "It's for self-defense!" "Still talking!" The young soldier waved his hands and slapped him twice again, "Yejing has already violated the prohibition to go out with a knife in the depths of the night! What kind of thieves do you carry a steel knife to guard against in peacetime? I think you are a thief!" to fight. "I'll tell you what I'll tell you!" the man said honestly, "I'm really here to collect debts. Xu, a hunter in Beishan, owes me ten tangs and hasn't paid me back for half a year. I went there a few times and he refused to pay. This time I'm afraid he'll come back again To prevaricate, I brought a knife to his house. I lit the steel knife and said that if I pay back the money, I will chop him up. But he was afraid, so he dealt with me five times. If you don’t believe it, just go ahead. Go to the Xu family and ask!"

"Even if what you said is true, it is forbidden to carry a knife at night. Besides, it is very inappropriate for you to force someone with a knife." Qin Yilu shook his head and said, "Follow the law and beat him twenty sticks!" A few soldiers carried him to the door, and each took five colored sticks to beat him. The man shouted: "Slow down! Slow down! Where are you adults? I have something to tell him!" "Shut up! What kind of bastard are you! You still want to see our lord, be careful I'll beat you up..." Qin Yilu shouted. "Wait!" Cao Cao could see and hear clearly, "Call me later... I am Cao Cao, Chengbei County Captain, what do you want from me?"

"So you are Mr. Cao, you really have an extraordinary bearing!" the man said innocently. "What do you want to say?" "This... this..." He stammered and looked at the soldiers on both sides. "Say it quickly! They have nothing to hide...don't they say it? Execution!" "Don't! Don't! Let me tell you... the young one's name is Jiantu, he lives in the west of the city, and is the uncle of Jianshuo, the little yellow family next to Wansui today. I hope the adults will forgive me for the sake of being an official in the same dynasty as my nephew. Let’s suffer this time! Don’t dare to do it next time.”

Everyone didn't believe it at first, but after thinking about it, it seemed true: Huangmen Jianshuo did have an uncle who lived in Luoyang, and he was a well-known scoundrel in the west of the city.This man originally had a few mu of land, but he was idle all day long and loved to play with money, and sold all the good land for fun. Later, his nephew got favored in the palace and asked others to help him with open arms.Jian Shuo was decent, he just gave him a little money and told him to keep his head.Jian Tu was not willing to listen, and within two days he lost all his money, and Jian Shuo would not give it any more.He had no choice but to live by sneaking around, and the neighbors guarded him, so he simply went around with a steel knife to blackmail and ask for money.The government prevented him from being a relative of a favorite minister, so he turned a blind eye and didn't intervene much.Unexpectedly, it would run into Cao Mengde's hands today.