Xu Huang was slightly startled when he heard Cao Zhang's invitation to him.
After taking refuge with Cao Cao, although Cao Cao still appreciated him, he continued to follow Cao Hong and was suppressed and ostracized everywhere, making his life very uncomfortable.
Xu Huang didn't have much contact with Cao Zhang in the past. He just heard that he had a bad temper and often beat and scolded his subordinates, so he didn't have a good impression of him.
But seeing it today completely overturned Xu Huang's cognition.
Cao Zhang is very thoughtful and strategic, and he handles problems with a very measured scale. He does not deliberately favor his clan members and is very considerate of his subordinates. Such a person is exactly the person he wants to follow.
Now that Cao Zhang has taken the initiative to invite him, Xu Huang is exactly what he wants.
Xu Huang immediately saluted Cao Zhang respectfully: "Thanks to the young master for never giving up, Xu Huang is willing to follow the young master!"
Cao Zhang happily stretched out his hand to help Xu Huang up: "General Gongming, please give me more advice in the future!"
"Young Master is brave and good at fighting, and his reputation is far-reaching. How can my subordinates dare to point out Young Master!" Xu Huang responded.
Cao Zhang said with a serious face: "The Xu Gongming I know is a person who doesn't know how to follow people's influence."
"I am still young, and although I am brave, I am inexperienced in facing the enemy. If the general hides secrets from me, or is too awe-minded to speak frankly, then he is not being loyal to me, but is harming me!"
After hearing Cao Zhang's words, Xu Huang felt even more admired and immediately responded: "Young master is right. From now on, Xu Huang will do his best to assist and guide you, and he will tell you everything he knows!"
Cao Zhang nodded approvingly: "That's right!"
"Okay, I still have things to do. When I return to Xudu, I will meet with my father and ask him to transfer Gongming to my command."
Cao Zhang was thinking about Xu Shu's family and did not dare to delay any longer. He immediately bid farewell to Xu Huang, got on his horse with Xiahou Ba, and continued towards Changshe County.
The two were neck and neck.
Xiahou Ba asked in confusion: "Ziwen, why did you help Xu Huang deal with Uncle Zilian and recruit him under your command?"
"Uncle Zilian was originally at fault for this matter. His act of deducting military rations is a taboo."
"If this causes dissatisfaction among the soldiers, agitation, or even mutiny and rebellion, then that's not our loss? I'm just helping people, not relatives."
"Xu Huang is serious about military discipline and considerate of his subordinates. He is a rare general. I naturally want to keep such a person by my side and reuse him." Cao Zhang explained to Xiahou Ba.
"If we want to achieve great things, we cannot do without the support of the disciples led by the clan uncles, so I want to save face for Uncle Zi Lian."
"But at the same time, we cannot do without the power of these foreign tribes. Only by cooperating with each other and using them can we achieve great things!" Cao Zhang patiently explained to Xiahou Ba.
Xiahou Ba nodded as if he understood, and then asked in surprise: "Ziwen, what's wrong with you these days? Why do you suddenly understand so many great principles? You talk in one way, and then you change it. Like a person?"
"People can never grow up. There must always be progress, okay? You will have to read more military books and strategies in the future, so that you can be both civil and military, so that you can truly become a general who can lead thousands of armies!" Cao Zhang responded and encouraged. Xiahou Ba.
"Got it!" Xiahou Ba agreed loudly.
The two of them galloped forward together and continued to gallop forward...
When the sun passed noon, the two of them saw the gate of Changshe County in front of them from a distance.
Two servants of the Xiahou Mansion were already waiting at the roadside. When they saw the two coming, they immediately came forward to greet them and salute them.
"Are Xu's mother and son at home?" Xiahou Ba asked.
"Today, the eighth day of the lunar month, is the day when the market in Changshe County is open. Xu's mother and son went to the market to sell the vegetables they grew." The servants reported.
"Okay, then let's go to the market to find them."
Cao Zhang and Xia Houba, led by two servants, headed towards Changshe County.
Walking on the streets of Changshe, Cao Zhang looked around. Compared with the prosperous Xudu, this place seemed much rundown and barren.
More than ten years ago (184), there was a battle between the Yellow Turban rebels and the Han imperial army led by Zhu Jun.
Zhu Jun burned and killed tens of thousands of Yellow Turban rebels in a fire, and Changshe also suffered a baptism of fire.
Although several years have passed and the Changshe has been rebuilt, traces of the baptism of war can still be seen.
Cao Zhang and others walked forward slowly, and suddenly heard a shout from the front: "Uncle, you took my food, you have to pay me!"
Cao Zhang frowned slightly, raised his head and looked forward.
On the street ahead, several people dressed as servants gathered around a stall, trying to force away the vegetables sold by the stall owner and his son.
The old woman held the bamboo basket tightly with both hands and refused to let go. The son beside her was begging.
"Uncle, it's not easy for us to grow some vegetables in exchange for money. You can't just take it away without giving us money!"
"My master is throwing a banquet for his birthday. You are lucky to be able to choose your food. How dare you ask for money?! Give me up now!"
The servants snatched the bamboo basket containing vegetables, broke the old woman's hands apart, and pushed her to the ground.
The old man's son didn't care about taking care of the vegetables anymore and hurriedly stepped forward to help the old man.
"Sir, those mother and son are the Xu family!" The servants of the Xiahou family reported to Cao Zhang and Xiahou Ba.
Cao Zhang's eyes suddenly widened and he was about to step forward to stop him.
Just as he was about to take action, he heard a girl's yell: "Stop! How can you rob in the street!?"
Cao Zhang and others looked intently, and a girl about fifteen or sixteen years old holding a sword flashed out from the crowd and stood in front of the servants.
"Hey, where did this little girl come from to dare to interfere in my business?" A wealthy young man sitting at a roadside tea stall saw the girl stopping his servant, got up and walked over, looking at the girl up and down.
The girl was dressed in purple and had a heroic look on her face. Her eyebrows were raised and she glared at the evil young man in front of her: "You bully the people and rob and plunder. Do you still have the law?"
The evil young man looked at the girl and laughed wildly: "Wang Fa?! In Changshe, I am Wang Fa!"
The servants behind him also laughed wildly: "Even if you don't ask, who is my master?"
The girl suppressed her anger: "I don't care who you are, but it's not okay to bully the people. You can either return the food to others, or give them money!"
"Give me money? Okay, I think your little lady is pretty. I just want to have some fun during my birthday tonight."
"Why don't you come home with me and stay with me tonight? Not only will I give them food money, but also how about I give you some money?" The evil young man looked at the girl and said with a lewd smile.
"Shameless!" The girl was completely angered and slapped the evil young man hard on the face.
The evil young man didn't have the slightest defense. He was beaten and spun around in a circle. He sat down on the ground and instantly had five fingerprints on his face.
He reached out and touched his face, only to feel burning pain, and he suddenly became furious: "Okay, how dare you hit me?!"
"Why are you still standing there? Why don't you take down this little bitch!" He roared at his servants...
