Gradually, it gets darker.
The drunken guests were also sent back to their respective mansions by General Cao Shuang.
Sima Zhao, the second son of the Taifu Mansion, wanted to make friends with Shan Tao and others before leaving, but Ruan Ji pretended to be drunk and vomiting, rolled his eyes at Sima Zhao and ignored him; Ji Kang also had no intention of making friends with Sima Zhao. Zhao means to make friends.
Fortunately, Shan Tao was quite enthusiastic towards Sima Zhao because he was a relative of his, so Sima Zhao didn't lose much face.
When General Cao Shuang saw that all the guests had dispersed, he bowed to Shan Tao, Ruan Ji, and Ji Kang with great humility.
This move frightened Shan Tao, who hurriedly stepped forward to help Cao Shuang up: "General, please get up quickly. Tao is a commoner, how dare he be treated so politely by the general?"
"All three of them are great talents in the world. Shuang has admired them for a long time. I would like to invite them to help the Cao family. I hope you will not refuse."
After hearing this, the three of them fell silent for a while.
After a long while, the young man Ji Kang bowed first and said: "Ji Kang is just an ignorant young man. Fortunately, he was promoted by the late emperor and was able to serve as the chief of Xunyang County. He is already frightened. Moreover, there are already many talented people around the general. Kang dare not accept it. The general has great trust."
Cao Shuang sighed. He knew Ji Kang's temper, and he couldn't force it. Besides, the young man was still young, and he had no intention of entrusting him with a heavy responsibility. Cao Shuang felt that there was nothing wrong with him just stepping aside at this moment. .
Shan Tao originally had an appointment with Xia Houxuan, and he did not dare to offend Cao Shuang at this time. He was already in his forties, and naturally wanted to make contributions and gain fame. However, thinking about his relationship with the Sima family, he did not How about blatantly opposing the Sima family.
After much consideration, he decided to agree to Cao Shuang's official position, but did not intend to stay in the capital.
"Tao is deeply grateful for the great general's love. However, Tao knows that his talents are limited and he has little knowledge. He asked me to go to the local prefectures and counties for a few years to practice before I consider staying with the general to serve him!"
Cao Shuang nodded. His original intention of wooing these celebrities was to gain some fame for himself. As for what officials they served under him, it didn't matter. Cao Shuang said: "Since Mr. Juyuan has this idea, then it's cool." If you don't want to force me, please temporarily accept the post of meritorious officer of Xingyang County."
"Thank you, General."
Cao Shuang turned his attention to Ruan Ji again.
"Si Zong, it is said that Taiwei Jiang Ji had intended to recruit you as a vassal of the Taiwei Mansion, and also sent Wang Mo, a vassal of the Taiwei Mansion, to invite you to serve as an official, is that right?"
After hearing what Cao Shuang said, Ruan Ji felt a chill in his heart. I didn't expect that Cao Shuang's news was so well-informed!
"General, it is indeed true. However, I know that I have little talent, a humble background, and am embarrassed to take on such a heavy responsibility, so I have already planned to politely decline."
"No!" Cao Shuang shook his head at this moment, with a smile on his lips: "Si Zong, I want you to go with the flow, take advantage of the situation, and agree to work in Jiang Ji's mansion!"
"What did the general say?" Ruan Ji looked surprised and incredulous after hearing this.
Cao Shuang smiled and said: "I would like Si Zong to help me and go to Jiang Ji, the old man, to be the eyes and ears of the orphan. I wonder if Si Zong is willing?"
Ruan Ji felt a sense of fear in his heart at this moment, and cold sweat ran down his spine.
Although he is not as keen on fame and fortune as Shan Tao, he is not as concerned about life and death as Ji Kang. At this moment, he is indeed a little difficult to make a choice.
After a long time, Ruan Ji finally nodded and agreed to Cao Shuang's request.
―――
Not long after, Niu Jin, with the support of several servants of Wuyanghou Mansion, finally arrived at Taifu Wuyanghou Sima's Mansion.
Although Niu Jin was very drunk before, he had been walking on the long street for a long time, a gust of cool breeze blew, and he was about to meet his old boss, so he had mostly sobered up at this moment.
Under the service of the servants of Wuyanghou Mansion, Niu Jin put on clean clothes, washed his face, went to the toilet again, and finally woke up completely.
"General Hou, this is clear."
The servant bent down and made a "please" gesture towards the door.
Niu Jin was originally very afraid of Sima Yi, his old boss, but now that he heard his subordinates address him as "General of the Empress", his courage slowly rose again. Although the post-general cannot be compared with the first-grade generals of "Da, Piao, Che, Wei" and the second-grade generals of "Four Expeditions and Four Towns", he can still be regarded as a senior general with "higher rank", so Niu Jin believes that, I shouldn't be so afraid.
With his thoughts settled, Niu Jin followed the leader towards Sima Yi's study with three swaying steps.
"General Niu, how are you? I've been busy with official duties all day and rarely have any free time. I finally meet you today!"
As soon as Sima Yi saw Niu Jin, an old subordinate, he immediately patted his shoulder and started greeting him. He seemed particularly cordial. This also completely relaxed Niu Jin's mind. So Niu Jin, who was originally simple-minded, made a very inappropriate move. joke:
"Teacher, you are joking. You are basically idle at home now, so why are you so busy with official duties?"
After Sima Yi heard this, a trace of murderous intent flashed in his eyes that was not easy to detect, but this murderous intent only flashed past, and Sima Yi immediately returned to normal. He raised his glass with a smile:
"General Niu, I called you here today just because I want to have a heart-to-heart talk with you and reminisce about old times. As it happens, I have a jar of strong wine sent from Liaodong hidden here. I will drink it with General Niu today!"
Niu Jin, who was always fond of drinking, immediately became interested when he heard about the good wine. After a while, Sima Yi arranged for his servants to set up a banquet. Niu Jin, who had just come down from the banquet in the General's Mansion, did not care that he had already had enough wine. In a full state, he and Sima Yi started drinking happily again.
Niu Jin was actually drunk for a long time, but his stomach and tongue were already numb at this time, but he drank more and ate more. It didn't take long for the jar of Liaodong liquor to reach the bottom.
"General Niu is really powerful. I think back then, when Liaodong Gongsun Yuan rebelled, the late emperor ordered you and me to lead the army to go on an expedition. Only then did the counties and counties in Liaodong that had been separated for decades be restored. Unknowingly, time has flown by. Three years have passed. Already..."
At this time, Sima Yi was already drunk, so he added a lot of emotion. Niu Jin was drunk at this moment, and said with a big tongue:
"Isn't it? At that time, I still remember that the Taifu himself rode a horse and led an army to chase Gongsun Yuan and Gongsun Xiu and his son. Seeing that he was cornered, Gongsun Yuan wanted to turn back and fight hard. The Taifu was not good at riding and almost fell off his horse. If you are not an old cow, I will grab the reins of your horse, Taifu, and the consequences will be really unimaginable, hahahaha!"
Originally, Sima Yi hosted a banquet for Niu Jin today just to test whether Niu Jin was rebellious. Just now, Niu Jin looked like a reckless man without any scheming, which actually made Sima Yi give up the idea of getting rid of Niu Jin, but Niu Jin kept going. He always acted stupidly in the end and offended Sima Yi, so Sima Yi regained his murderous intention at this moment.
More importantly, although Niu Jin is a reckless man, he has a high prestige in the army. Moreover, a reckless man can also achieve great things as long as he is assisted by advisers. With the help of Li Ru, he was able to hijack Dong Zhuo, who was the emperor and commanded the world. With the help of Jia Xu, Li Jue, who captured Chang'an and was awarded the title of Grand Sima, and with the help of Chen Gong, Lu Bu and Lu Fengxian, who once defeated Emperor Wu and threw away his armor, were all brave and reckless men, but as long as To win people, is it still not to dominate the world and to be powerful in the world?
Moreover, this Niu Jin showed no fear towards himself or the Sima family in his words today, so Sima Yi made up his mind to kill him.
Sima Yi had already made up his mind and winked at the servant next to him. The servant understood, and after a while he brought out a pot of wine and rearranged the two delicacies.
As a result, the two old comrades, one strong and one thin, one martial and one civilized, continued to talk freely about the joyful grievances and grievances they had experienced while galloping together on the battlefield.
After staying up all night with Sima Yi and drinking all night long, Niu Jin returned to his palace at dawn with the support of Sima Yi's close servants.
Naturally, these servants would not reveal that Niu Jin went to Sima Mansion after leaving the General's Mansion. The servants in Niu Mansion naturally thought that their master had just returned from General Cao's Mansion.
In the early hours of the morning, there was a cry from all over the Hou General's mansion. Niu Jin, who had been on the battlefield for half his life, made great achievements, and finally climbed to the position of Hou General, passed away just like this.
―――
The next day, in Taifu's mansion.
The head of the family, Sima Yi, was still sitting in the study reading books as before.
The second son, Sima Zhao, knocked on the door and entered the study.
"What's the matter?" Sima Yi did not raise his head and still kept his hands on the book.
"Father, I went to the General's Mansion yesterday. Cao Shuang is really arrogant and domineering. Even the banquets in the palace are inferior to those in the palace! Also, Mr. Jiang Ji now has the empty post of Taiwei, but he looks very happy. Then Cao Shuang actually has a good impression of him."
Sima Zhao had been angry for a long time after being ignored by Ji Kang and Ruan Ji. At this moment, he naturally poured out all his dissatisfaction on Cao Shuang.
"Jiang Ji is old, and it is normal for him to be greedy for vanity. He is naturally happy to have this lieutenant's empty post and gain face." Sima Yi picked up the tea cup and took a sip: "What else is there?"
"Father, I recently discovered that the great Sinong Huanfan seems to be very close to Cao Shuang's party, and seems to have already sided with Cao Shuang."
The old man's hand holding the scroll shook slightly, and an imperceptible murderous intent flashed in his eyes.
Huan Fan, since you chose to betray, one day I will make you pay the price you deserve!
Sima Zhao did not notice the change in his father. He looked at his father who was as steady as a mountain and had no expression on his face, feeling puzzled.
His father's painstaking efforts in the past twenty years have not yielded any results, and now Cao Shuang's party is still taking advantage of him. He really doesn't understand why his father has done nothing.
"Father, do you really plan to continue like this?"
The old man slowly put down the book. He stared at his second son's slightly deeper but radiant eyes, and said word by word: "Zhao'er, you have to remember that those who are full are taboo in Tao, and they are still there in all seasons. Move."
"The four seasons...are they still changing?" Sima Zhao was thoughtful. He looked at his father, who looked unmoving in all the winds, and felt a sense of peace in his heart. After Sima Zhao saluted his father, he withdrew. to the study room.
.
