Actually, Zhang Xi really wanted to say to Cao Cao, I just don't want to follow in the footsteps of people like Wang Yu and Xun Yu, so I don't want to join your camp.
However, Zhang Xi really didn't dare to say that. After all, the Zhang family in Yingchuan was now within Cao Cao's rule.
If this hero is offended, God knows what kind of disaster it will bring to the Zhang family of Yingchuan.
Although, it is very common to bet on long positions these days when aristocratic families are separated.
There are also unspoken rules these days. Everyone agrees that one person does not represent the whole family. It is okay to kill one person, but it is absolutely not allowed to kill an entire family because of one person.
For example, Cao Cao could kill Yang Xiu by confusing the morale of the army, but he could never kill the Hongnong Yang family just because Yang Xiu made a mistake. If he did that, it is estimated that the Hongnong Yang family would be the first to rebel.
But these days, there are always people who break some rules without any bottom line.
For example, when the eighteen princes challenged Dong, Dong Zhuo did not abide by this rule.
Yuan Shao never expected that Dong Zhuo, a big man from the northwest, would be so unruly. Because Yuan Shao gathered troops to attack Dong, Dong Zhuo immediately killed Yuan Wei and his family.
Of course, Dong Zhuo's end was not good either. He died trapped in Xiwu, but his reputation was ruined after his death.
It stands to reason that Cao Cao witnessed with his own eyes how Dong Zhuo went from being in power to being exterminated, so he shouldn't have made such a mistake. But this is Cao Cao after all, the one who can write "The bones are exposed in the wild, and there is no cockcrow for a thousand miles." On the other side, Cao Cao could order the massacre of the city without hesitation.
Zhang Xi really didn't dare to bet on Cao Cao's character, and Zhang Xi was already in his thirties, so he would no longer offend others just for talking openly.
Therefore, Zhang Xi just smiled and gave a golden answer, "My lord Xuande Gong has benevolence spread all over the world, and the rivers are attracted by his name. I am very lucky. I am very lucky."
After hearing this answer, Cao Cao smiled and continued to ask, "Xuande is certainly benevolent, but does it mean that I don't have the reputation of benevolence to be passed down to the world?!"
No, if you ask that, then you really can’t have a good chat, right?
Do you have a reputation for benevolence passed down to the world? Do you think you have no idea? !
Not to mention that Zhang Xi didn't know how to answer, even Cao Ren looked at his brother Cong with a speechless expression. Really, why don't you just say something else, such as your achievements in pacifying troubled times? !
Our family has an advantage in this aspect, but if you insist on going to Birende with Liu Bei, then you are looking for trouble.
But Cao Cao really didn't think so.
On the one hand, Cao Cao was very confident in his achievements.
On the other hand, Cao Cao has heard about Zhang Xi for a long time. Today is the first time we meet him, and he wants to test him out.
Therefore, Cao Cao thought about it and began to talk about his achievements.
"I respect the emperor and conquer his subordinates. Within a few years, Hebei was pacified, and the war in the Central Plains was settled. The people rested and recuperated. I restored the five-baht coin, built water conservancy projects, dredged rivers, and made the people live and work in peace and contentment. Can't this be called benevolence?!"
"I left Wuhuan in the north, attacked Bailang Mountain, eliminated the invasion of aliens, and maintained the stability of the border. Can't this be called benevolence?!"
"I care for the refugees and make them work in the fields, so that they can have food and clothing without worries, work with peace of mind, and stabilize the place. Can't this be called benevolence?!"
Cao Cao asked Zhang Xi three times in a row, which made Zhang Xi feel a little uncomfortable.
Yes, you cannot deny Cao Cao's achievements in this era. After all, he is indeed one of the most outstanding military strategists and politicians of this era.
Regardless of whether he was "serving the emperor's orders and disobeying his ministers" or "holding the emperor's orders to order the princes", Cao Cao did indeed quell the war in the Central Plains and Hebei in just a few years. At the same time, the barbarians in the north did not dare to go south, and the people were stabilized. He also used civilian and military villages to absorb refugees. These are all his achievements.
But the problem is that you can massacre the city at every turn, and your army can massacre the city at every turn.
Moreover, as a member of the warlords of the Three Kingdoms, you yourself are a part of the cause of war and refugees. The methods you use to quell the war are also violent means. It should be your responsibility to appease the people.
As for farming, let alone the sharing ratio of "six citizens and four citizens", how do you want the refugees to thank you for your "benevolence"? !
Isn't this holding back Zhang Xi's complaints?
Zhang Xi really couldn't help it anymore. He looked at Guan Yu and found that Guan Yu had his eyes closed to relax with a look of disdain.
Well, Zhang Xi immediately understood the spirit of his superiors' leadership and started to rant.
"Master Cao bullied the emperor, deposed the queen, killed the prince, and harmed his colleagues. How can he be called benevolent?!"
"Cao Gong slaughtered the city at every turn, harmed the people, and tacitly agreed to use human flesh as food for the army. How can he be called benevolent?!"
"Dong Cao is working in the fields, and there are four people and six public servants. The refugees are still unable to get enough to eat. How can we call it benevolence?!"
"Cao Gong robbed the tombs of his ancestors, Cao Gong made a five-baht donation but then established and destroyed it, Cao Gong"
As soon as Zhang Xi said this, he couldn't hold back his words. Except for leaving Bailang Mountain in the north and destroying Wuhuan, he sprayed everything else.
If the second master hadn't coughed carefully and interrupted Zhang Xi's singing, Zhang Xi wouldn't have noticed that Cao Cao's expression on the other side was so ugly that he was about to eat someone.
"According to what you said, Gu's life has been mediocre and cruel, with no merit at all?!" Cao Cao asked in a cold voice with a gloomy face.
Cao Cao must have said this, Guan Yu frowned.
It's not that Guan Yu thinks Zhang Xi went too far, it's just that Guan Yu noticed that Cao Cao changed his name here.
Previously, Cao Cao claimed that it was a gathering of old friends, so Cao Cao always called himself "I", "Old Man" and the like. Even Cao Ren subconsciously called him "King of Wei", but Cao Cao stopped him.
But now, Cao Cao calls himself "lone" here.
It can be seen that Cao Cao is really angry.
Zhang Xi, on the other hand, also felt a little thump in his heart. Before he could tell, he was still thinking about not stimulating Cao Cao too much, so as not to bring disaster to the Zhang family in Yingchuan. Now that he was fine, it seemed that he had gone too far.
He had to quickly find a way to make amends, find someone who could calm Cao Cao's anger, but at the same time would not violate his position, and make Cao Cao happy.
"Of course, Duke Cao attacked Wuhuan from the north, killed Tadun in formation, and moved the Xiongnu southward to protect our Han border. His achievements were not inferior to those of Wei Huo, which showed Duke Cao's ambition. He was very heroic."
Zhang Xi's words really praised Cao Cao, saying that he attacked Wuhuan from the north and eliminated the threat from the north. He had the same contribution as Wei Qing and Huo Qubing. It also demonstrated what Cao Cao said in "The Order of Rangxian Ziming" that he only wanted to be a leader. The ambition of a general who conquered the West.
But it seemed that Cao Cao still wasn't too happy, and his face was still gloomy.
Well, Zhang Xi felt that he still had to think about what else he could boast about.
The problem is, Cao Cao's achievements are indeed not small, but his black spots are too bright. If you want to praise him, those black spots will remind you of his existence all the time. How can you continue to praise him? !
After much deliberation, Zhang Xi finally remembered "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms".
Of course, it is not the original version of "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms", but Mao Zonggang's version of the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms". In it, Mao Zonggang quoted two sentences from Zhong Xing's "Song of Ye Zhong", and these two sentences are indeed used to evaluate Cao Cao. Quite accurate.
"Gong Cao's merits and demerits, Xi Piao thinks, can be summed up in one word!" Zhang Xi said again, "It is not two people who are the chief culprits, but only one person. Xi would like to dedicate these words to Duke Cao."
After hearing this, Cao Cao was stunned.
The first credit? ! The culprit? ! Not two people? !
Stink? ! Liufang? ! This person? !
The more he thought about these two sentences, the more Cao Cao felt that they were strange. But the more he thought about them, the more he thought about them, and he felt that they were too right.
In extraordinary times, it was Cao Cao's choice to do extraordinary things.
In the troubled times of the Three Kingdoms, many of his actions were actually helpless actions.
In order to quickly calm down this troubled world, some of the decisions Cao Cao made were indeed very cruel.
In fact, Cao Cao also knew, but Cao Cao could convince himself to do this because Cao Cao believed that these costs were acceptable compared to quickly quelling the troubled times.
But knowing and knowing does not mean that Cao Cao will choose to admit it in his heart. Otherwise, how did his head wind come from? !
In fact, Cao Cao has always been under great pressure. He knew that some of the things he did were wrong, but he still had to do them, and he had to make up a suitable reason for himself afterwards to convince himself that it was right to do so. Yes.
It was okay for a short time, but as time went by, the pressure in Cao Cao's heart would only increase, eventually crushing him.
But as soon as Zhang Xi made these two comments, although Cao Cao still felt a little ridiculed, he also got a sense of recognition.
Although I am the chief contributor, I am also the chief culprit.
Although I am the chief culprit, I am also the chief contributor.
Two sentences, different interpretations, all depends on your own needs.
It doesn't really matter to Cao Cao whether he will be famous forever or be infamous forever. As long as someone thinks he can be famous forever, then Cao Cao feels that the things he has done are worthwhile.
He repeated these two sentences back and forth. The more Cao Cao repeated them, the more energetic he became. In the end, his face turned red and he burst out laughing.
"Have fun, have fun!" Cao Cao laughed and said, "As I said, Zhang Yuan of Yingchuan is good at judging people. When I saw him recently, he really didn't bully me."
When Cao Cao said this, Guan Yu and Zhang Xi breathed a sigh of relief.
Seeing that Cao Cao was so happy and said such words, he would go back to Yingchuan and kill the Zhang family. How could it be justified? !
Guan Yu felt relieved for the time being, and Zhang Xi also kept thanking Mao Zonggang and Teacher Zhong Xing in his heart. You are really good people who save lives.
Cao Ren was not happy.
If Zhang Yuanchang is good at criticizing people, then I, Cao Ren, can be called "Liu Bian Taishou".
(End of chapter)
