Chapter 41 41. Smashing pots and selling iron to help father buy officials

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! 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.

Cao Chun pursed his lips: "I haven't become an official yet, let me set up such a position first, and have 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 our treasury. If we control the expenditure for these two months, the old man still has a lot of people in Beijing. We can collect them all together." Enough is 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! 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? Besides, gold and silver are rare here, and it's nothing in the land of the capital. You won't be able to exchange so much in Luoyang. If If we do that, we will pay generously. According to me, ask the county general to borrow troops to escort him."

Cao Cao bowed his head and thought for a while, then slapped his hands: "We will 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, "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. Find more knives, guns and sticks, prepare thick clothes in the cold weather, and tell the cooks to prepare fried wheat rations. You choose the escorts, choose the fat ones and the strong ones, and choose three hundred people first. Let's go!"