Chapter 40 40. Disappointed and resigned from office

In the spring of the third year of Zhongping (AD 186), Cao Cao rejected the appointment of the imperial court as the prefect of Dongjun County, and left the official again to return to his hometown in order to protect himself. Compared with the last time he was dismissed from Dunqiu Ling, this time he was disheartened and avoided fierce political struggles.Cao Cao worked hard to govern Jinan for a year with the heart of reforming the government, but his glorious achievements seemed to be short-lived. The Cao family was implicated by the Song family and declined for a while, and after that, they became more aware of urgency.Cao Song asked his youngest son Cao Deguang to ask for farmhouses and save water for milling. Unexpectedly, in such turbulent years, it would be very effective.

After Emperor Liu Hong restored the Nangong Palace, in order to surpass the majesty of Guangwu Yutang, countless carts of copper coins were collected from all over the country, and after melting, they were cast into four bronze figures holding dew trays, each more than two feet high.There are also four yellow bells, Tianlu, Toad, and Water-Swallowing Beast, all of which are huge, majestic and exquisitely crafted.The imperial palace is magnificent, but the folks have scarce coins, and it is difficult for merchants to do business without goods. Liu Hong also ordered that the original five baht coins be recast into thin four baht coins.This kind of money is rough in workmanship and poor in appearance. Although there are many in quantity, the value is low, so money is cheap and goods are expensive for a while.And because of the turmoil, the value of grain has doubled. If people in towns want to buy a hu of grain, they have to go out with baskets of money, so that the common people have to barter.

Under such circumstances, the Cao family's land and real estate business can be very profitable, and the grain has already become money.Fertile fields are constantly being produced, water mills are constantly grinding, tenants plant mulberry trees, and peasant women raise silkworms and weave cloth.On the left is Xiahou's manor herding sheep and horses, and on the right is Ding's Chuanlin picking fruit and logging. The three industries are interlinked, and they seem to be able to be self-sufficient behind closed doors.Cao De, Xiahou Lian, and Ding Fei all managed their families well. Not only did their clansmen live well, but their tenants also had some food reserves, and they even exchanged their surplus for cash.

Cao Cao's ability to be an official and fight is half-baked, but he can't manage the farm with little work.Watching my younger brother come and go with his clansmen holding counting chips and account books all day long, and I can't help at all. I can't help but feel that I am too far away from ordinary people's life.People have to make a living first, but Cao Cao doesn't even have this ability.Although he has been an official for ten years and has never been corrupt or bribed, since he was a child, he has been rich and lavish. The little salary he earned is not enough to show off. In fact, he still lives on his family wealth.Now that he is no longer an official, his salary has also been cut off, and his family resources are all managed by his younger brother, so he has become a useless person who only asks for money.

After such a long time, Cao Cao lost face after all, and discussed with his younger brother that he should learn to share some property so as not to cause him trouble.Cao De chuckled and said, "Ah, there are too many things to hide! Why do my brothers talk about each other? My younger brother is a housekeeper, and my elder brother just cares about his studies. Why bother with such mundane affairs?" This made Cao Cao feel even more embarrassed. . Talking about it once won’t work twice, the second time Cao De was mentioned the same thing, and the third time, Cao De was also a little annoyed: “Brother, don’t you trust me? This family provides the same for you and me. A few years ago, my brother I have set aside property for my elder brother, and there are details of good fields and good trees. You can tell when you take the account books. When elder brother wants to separate the family, just tell the younger brother. If you don’t understand these mundane affairs by yourself, I will send a few capable young men to help. You take care of it. Are you willing to divide the family? We can discuss this matter with my father."

Cao Cao was terrified by these words, and waved his hands again and again: "Misunderstanding, misunderstanding! You and I have been dependent on each other since we were young and talk about how to separate the family." From then on, he dared not mention helping things. Cao Cao felt that such a trivial and helpless life was really boring.Riding around on horseback with nothing to do, I suddenly remembered the thatched huts where the Bian brothers and sisters were hiding.Fifty miles to the east of the county, I saw that the fence and huts were still there, but the wormwood was already as tall as a person.There are no other farm houses around this place, and it is very quiet guarding the foothills.He hurried home and ordered the boy to take care of it again, repaired the hut, and built two more rooms.From then on, Cao Cao moved to live in a hut, studying books and biography in spring and summer, and hunting in autumn and winter. Only Mrs. Bian accompanied her with her maid, so she was far away from all troubles.

In the blink of an eye, a year will pass, and Cao Cao is passing the time in this semi-reclusive life, as if he has found a carefree peace.