"Brother, it's getting late, why don't you go and rest? We might have a fierce battle with Sima Yi tomorrow. If you are not in good spirits, how can the three armies fight bravely to kill the enemy?"
At some point, Cao Xi came behind his eldest brother.
He had never seen his eldest brother, who had been so prosperous since childhood, looking so lonely and lonely. He had mixed feelings in his heart and didn't know how to comfort his eldest brother.
When Cao Shuang heard that his third brother Cao Xi was behind him, he hurriedly wiped his face with his sleeves and wiped away the tears. He turned around and forced a smile and said:
"Third brother, why are you here too?"
"My little brother is feeling quite upset right now and can't sleep, so he came to the river for a stroll. I didn't expect that my eldest brother is here too."
Cao Xi smiled lightly, but his brows were still tightly knitted.
At this moment, his expression was very similar to the slightly frowning expression of his master Yu Gui who left him more than thirty years ago.
The two brothers looked at the gurgling Luoshui passing by, as if they wanted to use this short-term tranquility to eliminate the hesitation in their hearts. After the two brothers were silent for a while, Cao Shuang broke the silence:
"Third brother, today Huan Fan, Lu Zhi, Chen Tai, Xu Yun, Yin Damu and others are trying to persuade me. They all have different opinions. Brother is in a state of confusion at the moment and cannot make a decision. Among our brothers, you have always been the calmest. You Come and tell me, brother, how should I decide on this matter?"
Facing his elder brother Cao Shuang's question, Cao Xi didn't know how to answer for a while, so he fell silent for a while.
This decision, if not careful, may push hundreds of members of the Cao family to hell. Cao Xi, who has always been somewhat gentle, naturally did not dare to make a decision.
In fact, deep down in his heart, he very much agreed with the strategy of going south to Xuchang mentioned by Da Sinong Huanfan.
In Xuchang, not only are most of the Cao clan's fiefdoms within the territory, but it is also very close to the military garrison of Yangzhou Governor Wang Ling, Yangzhou Governor Zhuge Dan, and Yuzhou Governor Guanqiu Jian. If the eldest brother leads the Emperor's carriage south, , we will definitely get the full support of many loyal ministers and generals of the Cao family.
After the eldest brother has established a foothold in Xuchang, he will send people to Chang'an to contact Taichu. At that time, the armies from Yangzhou, Yuzhou, and Yongzhou will gather in the capital, and they can unite the world's troops to conquer Sima Yi. Everything will turn around!
but......
What if the whole family was trapped in the city and the soldiers accompanying him mutinied and kidnapped several of his brothers into the city?
What if Wang Ling, Gong Xiu, Zhong Gong and others are worried about the Luoyang hostage and the Northern invasion of Soochow, and have many worries and are unwilling to send troops to help?
What if Guo Huai gets into trouble with Taichu in Yongzhou and Jiang Wei takes the opportunity to invade the north and occupy Wei's territory?
Even if soldiers and horses from all sides really follow the big brother to the city of Luoyang, if Wu and Shu bandits take advantage of the chaos to invade and massacre and plunder the people, how should the Wei Dynasty respond?
Cao Xi couldn't help but shudder when he thought of this and closed his eyes.
His wife Yuan'er and Shu'er, who is less than eight years old, are still in the city at the moment. How can he abandon them and live alone?
Thinking of this, Cao Xi seemed to have the answer in his heart. He looked at his elder brother firmly and said:
"Brother, Xi has something to say, I hope you can adopt it!"
Cao Shuang grabbed his brother's hand with both hands, squeezed it tightly, nodded and said:
"Third brother, go ahead and tell me, eldest brother is listening!"
"Brother, my wife and daughter are still in the house. With Yuan'er's nature, if she can't see me, she will definitely not run away privately. I really don't want to and can't bear to abandon her and Liangchen mother and daughter. Tomorrow morning, I will be alone After entering the city, the eldest brother can lead his troops and drive south with the Emperor's chariots, summoning soldiers and horses from all states to suppress Sima as soon as possible. If my younger brother and his family are harmed by Sima, if my eldest brother sends troops northward in the future, he must not forget to avenge his family..."
When Cao Shuang heard this, the hand holding Cao Xi started to tremble uncontrollably. Cao Shuang restrained the tears that came to his eyes from falling. He looked at the brother with firm eyes in front of him and solemnly made his decision:
"Third brother, don't say any more. I have made up my mind. Tomorrow we brothers will enter the city together. Even if life or death is uncertain, our family must live and die together!"
Cao Shuang's originally shaken heart became extremely firm at this moment.
"Brother..."
Cao Xi looked at his eldest brother, his heart suddenly filled with unbearable sadness, and burst into tears. The two brothers hugged each other and cried together on the south bank of the flowing Luoshui River.
————————————
In the Changling Marquis Mansion, Xiao Mingyue, who is already more than ten years old and shows the heroic spirit of a general between his brows, is currently wearing the soft chain armor made for him by his father Xia Houxuan, and holding in his hand the gift from his cousin Cao Xi as a gift for his fifth birthday. He stood on the stone pier in the back garden of the Changling Marquis Mansion and spoke impassionedly to the twenty-eight Xuanjia guards and forty-seven family soldiers he secretly summoned from the audience. What are you wearing:
"Everyone, now the Sima clan has raised its troops to cause chaos, isolating the inside and outside, and occupying the palace. We absolutely cannot sit idly by and ignore it. You will follow me later. Let's first quietly go to the General's Mansion to pick up my uncle and his family, and then we will Then rush south out of the city gate and go see the general, my uncle!"
These Xuanjia guards and soldiers were all hot-blooded men. Although Mingyue was very young, they did not hesitate. After listening to Mingyue's words, they became even more enthusiastic. After everyone responded, Mingyue With a wave of the 'Ming Yue Guang' in his hand, more than seventy Xiahou Mansion soldiers armed with swords and clubs followed Xiao Mingyue and walked towards the door of the mansion with sonorous force.
Just as a group of people walked out of the backyard and walked through the corridors of the towers, a rickety but majestic figure appeared at the corridor door.
Of course this old man is Gu Ting.
After Mingyue saw the prestigious Grandpa Gu, she was instantly discouraged and walked forward with her head drooped and no longer striding forward.
"Young Master, where are you going?"
Although Gu Ting has always respected Mingyue as his young master and did not dare to overstep the mark in the slightest, in Mingyue's eyes, this man who once watched his father Xia Houxuan grow up with him and was as kind and majestic as a grandfather will always have something that makes him think again. Respect and fear the majesty that is difficult to disobey.
To a certain extent, Gu Ting is indeed like Mingyue's grandfather.
The seventy soldiers were also in awe of Gu Ting, who had commanded the Xuanjia Guards and the Imperial Guards for many years. At this moment, Gu Ting was blocking the way, and none of them dared to take another step forward.
After the group was in a stalemate for a while, Gu Ting said to Mingyue in a tone that was half critical and half loving:
"Your father is still guarding the Western Frontier for the country. Is this what you, as a proton, should do?!"
After Mingyue calmed down at this moment, he naturally knew that his actions would indeed bring disaster to the Xiahou family, but he still curled his lips stubbornly, because in his mind, he had to protect his cousin and his family. Save people.
At this moment, Gu Ting glanced at the Xuanjia Guard behind Mingyue with his old but sharp eyes, and then said sternly:
"Young master is too young to worry about it. Don't you think you are too young to worry about it? Quickly take off the young master's saber and ask the young master to go to Linzhixuan to rest!"
After listening to Gu Ting's order, the ten Xuanjia guards immediately took off the 'Ming Yue Guang' worn by Mingyue and handed it into Gu Ting's hands. Then they took Mingyue reluctantly towards Lin Zixuan's The direction went.
Gu Ting pulled away the dagger, which was about one foot and four inches long. The three characters "Ming Yue Guang" engraved on the sword were as bright as silver and scattered with a cold light like frost under the reflection of the moonlight in the sky.
Of course, Gu Ting would not dare to let the imprisoned Mingyue hold such a sword.
After Gu Ting put away his sword, he waved his hand towards the remaining 60 Xuanjia guards, and then gave the order crisply:
"The twenty Xuanjia guards left the rest and all dispersed!"
After listening to Gu Ting's order, more than forty soldiers immediately left the team obediently.
Immediately afterwards, Gu Ting issued a new order to the remaining twenty Xuanjia guards:
"Everyone, take off the standard armors and weapons of the Hou Mansion's Xuanjia Guards, leave everything related to the Hou Mansion in the house, cover your faces with black cloth, carry sticks, and follow me quietly to the General's Mansion!"
"only!"
After the twenty Xuanjia guards heard Gu Ting's words, their hearts suddenly surged with passion. They took off their Xuanscale armor as quickly as possible, then ran to the warehouse to get some whistle sticks of different lengths, and then tore them apart. A piece of black clothing fell off, covering their faces.
It turned out that Su Mu had just sent a message to Gu Ting at an extremely fast speed, hoping that Gu Ting would send some men to attract the Imperial Guards surrounding the General's Mansion so that he could take advantage of the chaos to rescue the Cao family in the backyard or Xiyuan of the General's Mansion. family.
This is exactly a plan to divert the tiger away from the mountain.
Just as the group was about to leave the back door of Changlinghou Mansion, a voice stopped Gu Ting:
"Uncle Gu, who in Luoyang City doesn't know you, a third-generation old man from the Xiahou Mansion, and you are already old, can you really ensure that the Xiahou Mansion will not be harmed?!"
When Gu Ting heard this, he shuddered and then stopped.
The person who came was none other than Lu Zhongxiong, Lu Zhi's younger brother, Su Mu's second uncle, and the governor of Changlinghou Mansion, who had returned from Yongzhou.
Lu Zhongxiong continued:
"I have been very low-key in Luoyang in the past few years. Not many people know me. Besides, I have not been seen in the past few days since I came back from Chang'an. No one knows that I have returned to Luoyang. Therefore, tonight's plan, It’s most appropriate for me to go!”
After Gu Ting heard this, he couldn't help but loosen his right hand holding the handle of the knife. He walked up to Lu Zhongxiong and handed his knife into his hand:
"Zhongxiong, remember, it is enough for you to attract and harass the soldiers of the guard camp for three quarters of an hour. Don't worry about the rest. Once the time is up, you will try your best to disperse and hide. As long as tonight is over, everyone can be free and easy. We have returned to the Marquis Mansion!"
Lu Zhongxiong was moved at this moment. He held Gu Ting's calloused and wrinkled hands tightly, shook them vigorously, and then led the Xuanjia guards one after another over the wall and out of the house.
At the main entrance, side entrance, and back entrance of General Shaolinghou's Mansion, more than 300 soldiers guarding the military camp were casually patrolling and standing guard.
Because the soldiers of Cao Shuang's personal camp, Cao Xi's leading camp, Cao Xun's military guard camp, and Wei Lie's Xiaoqi camp need to be restrained by Sima Division, the five camps of the Zhen family and Guo family's relatives in the palace, and various palace fortresses Dao also needs Sima Zhao's care, so the guard camp and the three thousand dead soldiers under Sima Yi are a bit stretched at the moment. This is why the guards at the General's Mansion are weak.
Lu Zhongxiong and twelve masked Xuanjia guards first rushed to the main entrance of the general's mansion with sticks. After attracting one or two hundred soldiers from the guard camp, the remaining eight Xuanjia guards immediately attacked the general. At the back door of the mansion, this sudden attack in the east and west caused all the soldiers in the guard camp who were eager to make a difference to come out.
The front door and back door were now in a mess, and naturally there were no soldiers patrolling the wall anymore. Su Mu, who had been hiding in the dark for a long time, saw the right opportunity and jumped in from the wall of the Xiyuan of the General's Mansion with a relatively short wall!
Lu Zhongxiong was running around for days without taking a good rest. At the same time, he underestimated the methods of the soldiers guarding the army camp. He did not expect that there were actually more than a dozen archers guarding the camp!
He was accidentally hit by an arrow in his thigh. At the same time, two of the unprepared Xuanjia guards were also hit by arrows. At this moment, the situation was critical. Seeing the people from the guard camp rushing up, Lu Lu Zhongxiong and the two Xuanjia guards had no time to escape!
Lu Zhongxiong knew in his heart that if he was caught by the people guarding the military camp, his identity as a soldier of the Xiahou Mansion would be exposed after inspection. In order not to implicate the Xiahou Mansion, he made a prompt decision and waved the sharp dagger in his hand towards his face. The door is smashed up!
The two Xuanjia guards also reacted immediately, imitating Zhong Xiong's example, and slashed their own facial features with their swords until they were unrecognizable!
Lu Zhongxiong was in severe pain at this moment. He used all his strength and shouted loudly at the two Xuanjia guards not far away who were unwilling to abandon their comrades: 'Run! ’, and then he sealed his throat with a knife!
When the soldiers guarding the military camp arrived, they only found three unrecognizable corpses lying on the ground!
————————————
Su Mu, who was inside the wall of the Xiyuan Courtyard of the General's Mansion, was not aware of the tragic scene outside the mansion at this moment. At this moment, he hurried to the residence of Cao Xi, the Marquis of Anxiang in Xiyuan, and knocked on the door.
Cao Shuang's wife Liu and all her family members were originally hiding in the cave built by Cao Shuang, but Wei Yuan was not afraid at all and still stayed safely in Cao Xi's residence in Xiyuan. At this moment, she was coaxing Liangchen to sleep, when suddenly there was a sharp knock on the door.
[Note 1: "Shui Jing Annotation" records: According to the "Explanation of the Explanation of Fa Xian Xing Zhuan", there is a jueli pagoda in the Western Kingdom. Its height is similar to this. It is Zhuang Miao in both the eastern capital and the western region. The site is the former residence of Cao Shuang. On the day of the founding of the Qing Dynasty, we found the Shuang Cave Room in the southwest corner of the temple. It was dug into the earth for about ten feet. The ground walls were built with square stones. Since Cao Shuang did not use it, it would be difficult for mediocre craftsmen to copy it. Huan Shi said that Cao Zidan gave birth to this dolphin calf, so he believed it. To the left of the canal is the site of the old temples of the Wei and Jin Dynasties. Nowadays, there are residential buildings and no remains. ——Shui Jing Annotation Volume 16】
Several of Wei Yuan's personal maids in the house were like frightened birds at this moment. After hearing the knock on the door, they all trembled with fright and became extremely nervous.
When Wei Yuan saw this, she tried her best to collect her mind. After she slowly reached the door, she had the courage to ask:
"Who knocked on the door?"
"Mrs. Qi Zhen, it's me, Su Mu!"
Wei Yuan's anxious heart suddenly sank, and she immediately ordered someone to open the door.
"It turns out to be General Sumu. I wonder if the general knows the situation outside the city. Does he have any news about my prince?"
Wei Yuan, who was thinking about Cao Xi wholeheartedly, felt uneasy at the moment.
"Informing Madam Anxianghou, the situation is critical now. The general guesses that the general and Anxianghou will not return to the city. The general has already obtained several gate passes. Madam can quickly bring the family members of the mansion and disguise themselves. Dress up and we will leave the city in batches later!"
When Wei Yuan heard this, he immediately sent for his seven-year-old daughter Cao Shu and Cao Liangchen.
"General Sumu."
Wei Yuan took the child out of the house and said to Su Mu sincerely:
"Please take your little daughter Liangchen and leave first. I want to stay here and wait for my lord to come back!"
"Mrs. Cao..."
Su Mu didn't expect Wei Yuan to be unwilling to leave. At this moment, his face was stunned and at a loss.
"If my husband comes back, he definitely doesn't want this home to be empty..."
Wei Yuan felt sad and couldn't help but burst into tears. For some reason, she had a premonition that Cao Xi would definitely return to the city. She handed the child's hand to Sumudo:
"Liangchen, remember to listen to Uncle Su Mu... General Su Mu, I will entrust my daughter to you..."
"Mother..."
The child cried and stretched out his little hand towards Wei Yuan:
"Mom, Shu'er don't leave, Shu'er wants to be with her parents..."
Wei Yuan hurriedly covered the child's mouth, then cried and said:
"Child, don't cry, you must live well!"
Liangchen was smart and well-behaved, and understood the dangerous situation at this moment, so she immediately stopped crying. Looking at her mother who turned around and covered her face in tears, her heart was filled with despair and reluctance.
Su Mu was worried that the child's cry would attract the soldiers from the guard camp, so he did not dare to stay in the house any longer, and immediately jumped onto the wall with Xiao Liangchen in his arms.
When Wei Yuan saw that the child had been carried out of the courtyard wall by Su Mu, she immediately ordered someone to close the door.
She understood that once this door was closed, she and her child might be separated forever.
"child."
Su Mu picked up Cao Shu and quickly sneaked into the darkness:
"Remember, you are the continuation of your parents' lives. You must live well to be worthy of them..."
A few dozen miles east of Luoyang City, in a quiet small village, there was a family who had received great favor from Su Mu.
It was here that Su Mu wanted to temporarily foster the child.
As for why he didn't send good times farther, it was because Su Mu knew that the most dangerous place was the safest place.
Su Mu knelt down and said to the little girl:
"Kid, you will be very safe here. Remember, protect yourself."
Liangchen, who had temporarily recovered from his sadness, nodded gently towards Su Mu.
"Brother Lu."
Sumu told an honest farmer next to him:
"I hope you can help me take good care of this child for the time being."
"Don't worry, Brother Su!"
The farmer solemnly promised:
"The baby is safe here. You must remember to come back early to pick up the baby!"
"Yeah, I'll come!"
Su Mu did not dare to leave the Imperial City for too long. He waved his hand and immediately ran towards the Luoyang Imperial City.
——————————————
It was already midnight after brothers Cao Shuang and Cao Xi returned to their camp from the Luoshui River.
Huan Fan saw that the lights were still on in the general's tent and knew that Cao Shuang had not yet fallen asleep, so he went to the tent to persuade him without giving up.
After Huan Fan entered the account, he saluted Cao Shuang who was wiping his sword, and then said:
"General, you have been thinking about it all day and night. Is there anything else that you cannot decide?"
Cao Shuang sighed and threw his sword into the tunnel:
"Gong Huan, I have already thought clearly. I will not be able to send troops tomorrow. I am willing to abandon my official position and go to the city. It is enough for me to become a rich man!"
Huan Fan panicked after hearing what Cao Shuang said. He saw that Cao Xi was also in the tent. He knew that Cao Xi had always been quiet, gentle, and clear-minded, and might follow his advice, so he immediately advised Cao Xi:
"Marquis Anxiang, the situation is so critical now, why are you so fearless and unaware? Your other camp is near Quenan. If your call goes as expected, you should quickly dispatch your troops. Even if you don't go south to Xuchang, we will be able to do it ourselves." We are confronting the Grand Tutor in Luoshui, how can we abandon the army and enter the city to die?"
Cao Xi, who was thinking about Wei Yuan and Liangchen's mother and daughter, faced the furious Huan Fan and just smiled bitterly without responding. After a while, he shook his head and said:
"Xi has made up his mind. He will follow his brother into the city tomorrow. Don't say any more, Duke Huan."
When Huan Fan heard this, he was filled with fear. He regretted going out to the city to help Cao Shuang. He had already collapsed mentally. At this moment, he burst into tears. Regardless of his image, he burst into tears after walking out of the tent:
"Cao Zidan is a good man, but he prides himself on his intelligence! In this life, you two brothers are really like pigs!"
————————————————————
The next day, it was cold and snowy, and the cold wind was like a knife, cutting the pedestrians' skin with pain.
After Cao Shuang was dressed neatly, he came to the emperor's camp. At this moment, he was not as panicked as before, but became much calmer. He knelt down and apologized to Emperor Cao Fang:
"Now that I have lost the people's support, Sima Taifu has sent troops to attack the enemy. Please ask your Majesty to issue an edict to deprive me of my position as a general, and then I will follow your Majesty into the city!"
Cao Fang was shocked when he heard this in the tent. He hurriedly ran out of the tent. While supporting Cao Shuang, who was kneeling in the snow with tears streaming down his face, he comforted him and said:
"Uncle, why are you like this? Please get up quickly!"
"Your Majesty, please issue an edict. Only in this way can Your Majesty be spared from trouble. This is... the last thing I can do for Your Majesty!"
Cao Shuang was so sad at this moment that he cried bitterly and kowtowed repeatedly, causing his black hair to be stained with white snow.
When Cao Fang saw this, he knew that Cao Shuang had no fighting spirit and could not force him. He couldn't help but sigh as he felt equally sad and uncontrollable.
There was a hint of uncontrollable disappointment in the young emperor's heart at this moment.
It seems that I will never be able to escape the shadow of the Sima family for the rest of my life...
After the monarch and his ministers hugged each other and cried in the snow, Cao Fang finally issued an edict to remove Cao Shuang from his position as general. Cao Shuang came to the front camp, met with Xu Yun and Chen Tai, and prepared to seal the general with his ribbon. Deliver with them.
At this time, Yang Zong, the chief clerk next to Cao Shuang, grabbed the purple ribbon on the general's seal and cried sadly:
"General, are you really going to surrender your military power and enter the city today? If so, we will inevitably be slaughtered in Dongshi!"
When Cao Shuang saw Yang Zong's appearance, he closed his eyes and said with tears:
"In the past, Emperor Guangwu also swore to Luoshui, and he even forgave the enemy who killed my father. I have no personal grudges with the Taifu. I hope that the Taifu will not break his trust in me. Uncle Yang Zong, please let go!"
After a fight, Cao Shuang finally gave Xu and Chen the general's seal and ribbon. After receiving the general's seal and ribbon, the two men immediately bid farewell to Cao Shuang and rode into the city to return their orders to Sima Yi.
Cao Shuang wiped away his tears, took the bridle and mounted his horse, and ordered to his brothers and staff:
"Escort His Majesty into the city!"
"General!"
At this moment, Huan Fan, who had a psychological breakdown, turned over and dismounted again, knelt in front of Cao Shuang's horse and burst into tears. While crying, he persuaded:
"General, if we enter Luoyang, we will definitely die. Even if the general wants to be a farmer, he will not be able to do so!"
"Huan Gong, get out of the way..."
Cao Shuang saw that Huan Fan refused to give way, so he bypassed him and headed straight towards Xuanyang Gate with Jingfan Li.
When Cao Shuang and his entourage arrived at the pontoon on the north bank of Luoshui River, Sima Yi also happened to receive an order from the general, asking several Cao Shuang brothers to return to the private residence of Marquis Cao of Wu'an; the rest of the staff were temporarily handed over to the Tingwei to await the decree.
When Huan Fan arrived at the pontoon, Sima Yi happened to be standing on his horse looking down at Huan Fan. At this moment, Sima Yi looked at Huan Fan with ashen face as coldly as if he were examining a prisoner. Huan Fan was so frightened that he got off his horse and knelt in front of Sima Yi. When Sima Yi saw this, he felt very proud. He raised his hand and pointed his riding whip directly at Huan Fan, and shouted loudly:
"Doctor Huan, why is this so?"
Huan Fan knew that he could not escape death, so he just lowered his head and said nothing. After he stood up, he slowly walked into the city like a walking corpse.
————————————
By the side of Bronze Camel Road, the Marquis Mansion of Wu'an.
When Wei Yuan saw her husband's figure appear in her eyes again, she felt both joy and sadness in her heart.
What makes her happy is that her husband is loyal to her, and he is actually willing to sacrifice his army and enter the city for her and get into danger.
What's sad is that the couple has gone through ups and downs and managed to stay together, but now they may encounter a catastrophe.
After Cao Xi saw his wife, he felt equally sad and happy. The tears in his eyes suddenly flowed down like a bursting river, and the two immediately hugged each other tightly.
"Yuan'er, I'm sorry, it's your husband who has caused trouble for you..."
"I am lucky to be with my husband in this life. Yuan dare not say any regrets..."
————————————————————
It was already early in the morning, when the long night was deep.
Changlinghou Mansion.
"Grandpa Gu, let me out quickly, let me out quickly, I want to find Sister Liangchen and the others, Grandpa Gu!"
"Boom!"
Xiahou Mingyue, the eldest son of Changling Marquis, who was locked up in Linzhixuan House in the East Hall, was frantically beating the doors and windows that were nailed shut with wooden boards by Xuanjia Guards.
The old man Gu Ting, who had been waiting on the corridor of the inner room of Linzhixuan courtyard for most of the night, still had no news about Lu Zhongxiong. At this moment, he felt uneasy. On the one hand, he was afraid that Lu Zhongxiong and his party would be accidentally caught by the guards of the Sima family and be implicated. The entire Xiahou Mansion, on the other hand, was also very worried about Lu Zhongxiong's safety.
In this way, the mentally exhausted old man finally fell asleep amidst the shouts of the bright moon and the sound of the wind and snow outside the corridor.
He had a long dream. In a trance, he dreamed of the days when his old master Xia Houshang drank wine and talked with him. At that time, his master Xia Houxuan was only a teenager, just like Mingyue is now. .
In those years, he was still a young man in his thirties.
————————————————————
After the Cao Shuang brothers returned to the Shaolinghou Mansion, the soldiers guarding the military camp immediately locked the door of the mansion with big lead-filled locks.
This dangerous signal made Brother Cao Shuang and his party feel very panic.
Not only that, Sima Yi also arranged for eight hundred forbidden troops to surround Cao's house and closely monitor every move of Cao Shuang's brothers.
This is equivalent to directly cutting off the connection between the Shaolinghou Mansion and the outside world, and at the same time cutting off the rice, oil, food and firewood in the manor.
Within a few days, the mansion was running out of food as expected, but Sima Yi didn't seem to show any signs of sending food to them.
Gu Ting secretly sent people to throw corn into the courtyard wall several times, but all of them were detained by the people guarding the military camp.
In the back garden of the mansion, brothers Cao Shuang and Cao Xi were lying on each other's backs under the wagtail pavilion in the back garden.
"Third brother, tell me, are our brothers really going to die in the palace..."
Cao Xi looked at his elder brother's face that had become thin due to excessive worry, and couldn't help but comfort Cao Shuang and said:
"Now that we are short of food at home, we can write a letter to Taifu Sima and expressly ask for a loan. If Taifu Sima is willing to lend us food, I think he will have no intention of harming each other."
"What the third brother said is true... what he said is true..."
Cao Shuang, who was hungry, looked at the wagtail bird pattern on the carved beams and painted pillars in the wagtail pavilion, swallowed his saliva, and nodded.
Cao Xi knew in his heart that looking at the current situation, his brother was actually doomed no matter what, but he did not point this out in order to prevent his eldest brother from worrying about useless things.
"In that case, I will write a letter and send it to the Taifu Mansion..."
"Third brother, my eldest brother has asked you to ghostwrite the memorial for ten years. You have worked hard. Now this letter is a letter begging for mercy. My eldest brother should bear the humiliation alone..."
"Brother..."
When Cao Xi heard this, he couldn't help feeling sad, and tears began to well up in his eyes.
Cao Shuang has been in tears almost every day since the changes in the city. At this moment, he remembered his father's heroic posture and couldn't help but feel ashamed and sad.
"What a hero my father was when he restored the connection with the Western Regions, marched across the battlefield, served as a guardian of the dragon, assisted in government and protected the country. Unexpectedly, you and I, brothers, would be so miserable and humiliated today..."
After Cao Shuang let out a long sigh, he was asked to get paper and pen. He spread the paper and ground it in the Wagtail Pavilion, and wrote a letter asking for food with tears in his eyes. While crying, he wrote:
"The bastard Shuang was so sad and frightened that he brought trouble without any reason and was slaughtered. He sent his family to receive food. He has not yet rebelled. The food in the house has been scarce for several days and his family needs to be fed. He should ask the master to pay him to continue our government. The day and night between up and down..."
After Cao Shuang finished writing this extremely humiliating letter, he, who had always been aloof and arrogant, felt so miserable and unbearable that he spat out a mouthful of blood!
"Brother!"
Cao Xi was shocked when he saw this, and immediately slapped his elder brother on the back. He took the half bowl of water handed over by the servant and fed it to Cao Shuang. Cao Shuang rested for a long time, and then he could breathe smoothly. He was exhausted both mentally and physically and was sleepy and hungry. , and unconsciously gradually fell asleep.
——————————————
In Taifu's mansion, the imperial guards surrounding the mansion handed an autographed letter written by Cao Shuang into the hands of the head of the family, Sima Yi.
After Sima Yi finished reading the text message, he thought of Cao Shuang's arrogant past, and he couldn't help but sneered with pride in his heart.
"Forget it, in the end, let your brother be a dead man!"
Sima Yi took out a pen and paper and wrote a letter back to Cao Shuang:
"I didn't know at first that there was a shortage of food in your mansion. Now I am ordering you to send one hundred dendrobiums of rice, as well as dried meat, salted black beans, soybeans, etc., to alleviate the shortage of rice in your mansion."
After Sima Yi wrote the reply, he sent people to deliver meat, grain, rice and firewood to Cao Shuang's mansion as listed in the letter.
A satisfied smile appeared on Sima Yi's lips again. He seemed to enjoy the process of torturing his prey.
At this moment, he felt more and more that this feeling of being in control of life and death and having power was simply wonderful.
In the Marquis of Wu'an Mansion, Cao Shuang, who originally had no hope, was overjoyed after receiving Sima Yi's reply and a hundred hu of grain, rice, dried meat, black beans and other food sent by the soldiers guarding the army camp. He was very happy to greet his wife Liu and Cao Xi. Brothers Cao Xun, Cao Ze and Cao Yan said:
"It seems that Mr. Sima has no intention of harming me. We can be saved!"
Cao Xi, who had already expected the result, nodded with a forced smile, but still did not tell his elder brother what he was thinking.
Since the kitchen staff in the mansion had almost been separated, Liu and Wei Yuan cooked themselves the most homely meal of preserved meat and rice. At this moment, the family was like an ordinary family in the Luoyang city. , eating the most ordinary meal happily.
Cao Xi recalled for no reason that that rainy night many years ago, when he, his cousin Xia Houxuan, his master Yu Gui, and his cousin Yuan Rong had dinner together at the Yishouting Hou Mansion. The scene back then was as warm as it is today. , but unfortunately, everything has changed.
Cao Xi burst into tears when he thought of this, but for fear of spoiling everyone's happiness, he immediately held back his tears, lowered his head and took big mouthfuls of rice.
After eating, everyone who thought Sima Yi would not kill him was beaming with joy.
Cao Xi was afraid that his sad face would ruin everyone's happiness, so he came to the back garden alone.
He took off a carved bow from the rack, put an arrow on it, stood up straight, shoulder level, slowly aimed the center of the bow at the bull's-eye dozens of steps away, buckled the bow string with his right hand, and drew it steadily Bow, years of training in the imperial army have made his shooting skills even more impeccable.
"Wha-", the arrow was like a white-tailed raptor, pouncing towards the bullseye.
Not far away, in the corridor, Cao Yan looked at this scene and couldn't help but feel a little lost. He saw that the arrow penetrated the target and turned white. It was the "white arrow" of the Junzi's Six Arts.
"Third brother, you are so awesome!"
Cao Yan, the sixth child, walked to the target and easily pulled out the arrow. Then he walked slowly to Cao Xi and handed over the arrow, looking at his third brother with admiring eyes.
"Third brother, sixth brother, you are all here!"
At this time, Cao Xun, the fourth child who had eaten his fill, walked over with striding steps.
"Third brother, I'm always not good at the 'Bronze Bird Drunken Sword' in the family swordsmanship. Can you teach me."
Cao Xi smiled and nodded. He touched the "Dragon Scale Sword" hanging on his waist. He had never forgotten that when he was ten years old, Ah Xuan personally begged for this sword for himself from Emperor Wen.
With a "swish" sound, a red light suddenly appeared.
I saw Cao Xi making a sword with a dragon-scaled sword while reciting a poem about the heart of the Cao family's Bronze Bird Drunken Sword. The red light was flashing in the garden, and only the shadow of the sword could be seen in confusion.
Brothers Cao Xun and Cao Yan also took out their swords and started dancing with their third brother.
"Since the Ming Dynasty, I have been wandering around, climbing to the terrace for entertainment. Seeing the vastness of the Taifu, I can see the camp of saints and virtues. The tall gates are built high, and the two floating towers are almost too clear.
Standing in the middle of the sky, you can see the beauty of the sky, and the flying pavilions are as close as the west city.
The water in Linzhang flows long, and the fruits in the garden are flourishing. Look up to the gentle spring breeze and listen to the mournful chirping of hundreds of birds. Now that Tianyun Yuan has been established, the family wishes to obtain it and succeed.
The benevolence is expressed in Yu Neixi, and the utmost respect is expressed in Shangjing.
However, Huan Wen is so prosperous, how can he be compared to the Ming Dynasty? It’s so beautiful! Benefit far and wide. I am a royal winger, and I would rather be in all directions.
The rules of the sky and the earth are the same, and the brilliance of the sun and the moon are the same.
Eternally noble and infinite, I will live as long as the Eastern King. "
Under the Wagtail Pavilion, the three brothers practiced martial arts together as if they were children. They danced the family sword skills heartily. Everything seemed to be back to the carefree days when they were young children many years ago.
They have not forgotten that in the Wei Dynasty at that time, the emperor was wise, the country was strong, and everything was so vibrant.
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When they heard that the Marquis of Wu'an's Mansion was surrounded by the Forbidden Army, and that He Yan, Deng Yang, Ding Mi, Huan Fan, Li Sheng, Bi Gui, and the imperial official Zhang Dang were all detained in Tingwei's Mansion, Wei Zhen and Jiang Ji The two old men finally felt a hint of panic in their hearts.
The two people sitting across from each other did not feel the slightest joy in helping Sima Yi succeed in seizing power.
"Is it true that the Tutor will violate his oath by the Luoshui River?!"
Wei Zhen looked extremely bad at the moment. He was already old and in poor health. While his son Wei Lie was involved in this fight, he also heard that his daughter Wei Yuan and son-in-law Cao Xi were trapped in the Marquis of Wu'an. After hearing the news from the government, his heart naturally felt even more uncomfortable.
Jiang Ji was also worried at this moment, and he was so distracted that he did not reply to Wei Zhen's words. He was thinking at the moment, if he passed away from old illness in two years, how would he face Emperor Wu, Emperor Wen, and Emperor Ming?
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In the dark prison, an aura of corruption rushed towards his face.
Every short while, there would be heartbreaking cries and aggressive curses, faintly coming from the prison.
Zhang Dang, the high-ranking official Huangmen, is currently in prison and is being tortured by Gao Xun, the imperial eunuch.
As soon as the punishment was imposed, Zhang Dang, who was cowardly and could not bear the punishment, began to plead guilty and bite at will. He shouted loudly in a high-pitched voice:
"I recruit, I recruit, I am not the only one, but He Yan, Deng Yang, Li Sheng, Bi Gui, Ding Mi and other five people are plotting with Cao Shuang to usurp him!"
After the jailer obtained Zhang Dang's confession, he immediately handed it over to Gao Xun, the prisoner of Tingwei, and Lu Yu, the new Tingwei, and Lu Zijia.
After Gao Xun and Lu Yu read the confession, they smiled at each other in tacit understanding. Their smiling faces reflected the flickering charcoal fire in the prison, which looked extremely strange.
