After several days, Cao Cao gradually won Dong Zhuo's trust. Finally, when the time was right, Cao Cao brought the seven-star sword to Dong Zhuo's mansion and asked the guards, "Where is the Grand Master now?"
"I have something important to report to the Grand Master."
When the guard saw that it was Cao Cao, the famous man next to Dong Zhuo, he told Cao Cao without the slightest suspicion: "The Grand Master is resting in the small pavilion in the courtyard at the moment. You can see it when you go into the backyard."
After Cao Cao got the answer, he just followed his usual path. When they arrived at the back of the yard, they saw Dong Zhuo resting on his side.
Lu Bu was also guarding Dong Zhuo. When Dong Zhuo saw that Cao Cao was coming, he asked directly: "Why, Mengde, why are you here so late today?"
"Is there something important that has delayed you? Do you need my help?"
Cao Cao immediately replied to Dong Zhuo: "Thank you so much for your concern, Master Taishi. I haven't encountered anything bad. It's just that the horse I used to ride is now very thin and walks very slowly."
"That's why I'm a little late today. Please don't blame me, Grand Master."
After Cao Cao finished speaking, Dong Zhuo laughed loudly and said: "It turns out that Mengde came late because of this. I didn't expect that Mengde doesn't have a good horse yet."
"Two days ago, my subordinates came from Xiliang. They also brought some bloody horses, so I asked Fengxian to personally help you choose a good horse."
"I hope Meng De will have a good life working for me in the future, and Meng De has now abandoned the dark side and turned to the bright side. How can I be reluctant to part with a bloody horse!"
Cao Cao: "In that case, I would like to thank the Grand Master for his kindness."
Lu Bu: "Master, wait a moment, I will go and meet you."
After Lu Bu went out, Dong Zhuo said to Cao Cao: "Mengde, please wait a moment while I rest for a while."
After saying that, he continued to turn sideways and closed his eyes. This is also because Dong Zhuo himself is very fat, so sleeping on his side is the most comfortable for him.
But at this moment, Cao Cao thought in his heart: I will kill the Dong thief when he is unprepared to restore peace to the great man.
But when Cao Cao wanted to draw his sword and stab him down, he was a little afraid of Dong Zhuo's size. So I didn't dare to take action, but at this time, Dong Zhuo couldn't lie down for a long time due to his obesity.
So he turned over and tried to change his position, but when Dong Zhuo just opened his eyes, he saw that Cao Cao had just taken out the sword, although he had not yet unsheathed it.
But Dong Zhuo immediately stood up and said, "Mengde, why is this?"
Cao Cao immediately saw Dong Zhuo getting up, knelt down and said, "Master Taishi, a few days ago, I got a good sword. I came here today to present it to Master Taishi."
After Cao Cao finished speaking, he hurried forward and handed the sword to Dong Zhuo respectfully. After Dong Zhuo saw the jewels inlaid on the sword, he took it, pulled it out and said, "It is indeed a good sword. Meng De is serious about it this time."
At this time, Lu Bu came in from outside and said, "Master Taishi, Bu has already selected the treasure colt you gave to Cao Cao."
"Put it right outside the gate right now."
Dong Zhuo put the sword on the table and said: "In that case, first take Meng De out for a trial ride!"
"If it doesn't suit Meng De's liking, then change it to another one."
Cao Cao: "I thank you, Grand Master. Thank you very much for your kindness."
Then Cao Cao followed Lu Bu out of the door. As expected, Cao Cao saw a good horse at the door. At this moment, Cao Cao has already paid attention. Since the assassination just now failed, the old thief Dong Zhuo will naturally come to his senses and use this bloody horse to run out of the city and away from Luoyang.
Lu Bu handed the horse to Cao Cao and said, "I really envy you. I didn't expect you, Mengde, to be so loving to me."
"Quickly, come and try this good horse. If it doesn't suit your liking, then just change it to another one. There are many such bloody horses in the stable."
Cao Cao: "In that case, I would like to thank Marquis Wen."
"Then, let me have a trial ride in Luoyang city."
Then, Cao Cao got on his horse. He said to Lu Bu, "Marquis Wen, please wait here for a moment. I'll be back soon after I leave."
Then he mounted his horse and ran straight to the city gate without looking back.
When Lu Bu returned to the courtyard, he saw Dong Zhuo looking at the sword carefully, not knowing what he was thinking.
Lu Bu asked: "Master, did Cao Cao just give you this sword?"
"I saw that the blade was extremely sharp. It seems that Cao Cao also had his heart set on it."
Lu Bu patted Dong Zhuo's horse and said a few good words to Cao Cao. But Dong Zhuo said: "Cao Cao seemed to want to assassinate me just now, but he saw it when he turned over."
"But there is not enough evidence, and Cao Cao just took out the sword. He did not do any other actions."
"So, now I don't know whether Cao Cao really offered me the sword, or whether he wanted to attack me in the name of offering the sword."
Lu Bu: "If this is the case, then Cao Cao's intentions are somewhat unpredictable."
"So, I also have the same suspicion. Moreover, when Cao Cao tried riding a horse just now, he went towards the east gate without looking back."
At this time, Li Ru came to Dong Zhuo for something urgent.
Li Ru saluted and said, "Master Taishi."
But seeing Dong Zhuo holding a sword in his hand, he asked, "I have never seen Master Taishi being so elegant now. Is this sword a gift from Marquis Wen?"
Dong Zhuo: "No, this sword was given by Cao Cao."
So Dong Zhuo told Li Ru the whole story from beginning to end.
After Li Ru heard this, he thought for a moment and said, "Cao Cao now lives alone in Luoyang City."
"There is no one in the house, not even a servant that I know of."
"So Grand Master, you just need to ask a few people to go to Cao Cao's mansion to invite him back. But remember, it can't be a matter of sacrificing a sword."
"If Cao Cao came here without any hesitation, then he is here to present his sword to you, Grand Master."
"If Cao Cao has a ghost in his heart and does not dare to come, then there is no doubt that he will be assassinated. We can also arrest him and ask who is behind the scenes."
It has to be said that Li Ru is indeed the person Dong Zhuo trusts most. So he immediately gave a solution to the problem. Even Lu Bu, who was not good at strategy, was amazed by Li Ru's wisdom.
Dong Zhuo: "Okay, that's the case. Then I'll do as you say. I hope Cao Cao is serious about his contribution."
"If not, I wouldn't mind taking it to drink with."
Afterwards, several soldiers were asked to go to Cao Cao's mansion to invite Cao Cao.
At this time, Cao Cao had already rode to Dongcheng. The guard stopped him and said, "Who are you, retreat quickly."
Cao Cao: "I am the captain of the cavalry school who was awarded the title by the Grand Master himself. The Grand Master sent me this time because of an urgent errand. Why don't you get out of the way quickly?"
"If we delay the Grand Master's affairs, aren't you afraid of losing your head?"
"Get out of the way quickly!"
Cao Cao's words really frightened him. The soldier could not withstand Cao Cao's pressure. He still asked people to remove the obstacles and let Cao Cao out.
And Cao Cao didn't bother to rest, and rode straight to Qiaojun on horseback.
At this time, the soldiers sent by Dong Zhuo rushed to the city gate from Cao Cao's home and said, "Who are you who just let out?"
"Have you ever seen Cao Cao, the captain of the cavalry school? Your Majesty, Grand Master, is looking for him if there is something urgent."
When the soldier who came to look for him heard this, he said doubtfully: "Just now, Cao Cao rode a fast horse and said he was leaving here. He said that the Grand Master sent him on a very important mission."
"The subordinate did not dare to offend him, so he let him go."
The soldiers had no choice but to go back and report to Dong Zhuo: "Master Taishi, Cao Cao has already escaped from the east gate on a fast horse."
"The gatekeeper told him that it was the Grand Master who sent him on a very urgent mission, so he was let go."
Just as the soldier finished speaking, Dong Zhuo became furious. He swept away the teacups and teapots on the table, threw them all to the ground and rotted, and then said, "Cao Cao, I didn't expect that I would use this person so highly."
"But he wanted to murder me instead. He is really unworthy of a human being."
"Also, all the people on duty at the east gate today will be executed for dereliction of duty to vent the hatred in my heart."
After Dong Zhuo finished speaking, he sat down panting. The soldier also quickly went out to carry out the execution. After all, a dead Taoist friend is not a poor Taoist. If such a thing happens, they can only consider themselves unlucky.
At this time, Li Ru stood up appropriately and said: "Cao Cao's act of assassinating you, the Grand Master, could never have been done by himself."
"There must be other accomplices behind him, but we can't know until we capture Cao Cao, so I ask the Grand Master to issue the document now without wasting any time."
Dong Zhuo also felt that what Li Ru said was reasonable, and he also wanted to know who was behind Cao Cao. So he immediately issued a document saying: "Whoever captures Cao Cao will be rewarded with a thousand pieces of gold and be granted the title of Marquis of Ten Thousand Households."
"Anyone who harbors Cao Cao will be punished with the same crime."
Moreover, the painter was asked to draw a portrait of Cao Cao on the document. It was sent from Luoyang to all parts of the world, but at this moment, Cao Cao didn't know such a thing.
He was just glad that he had escaped and was resting in a deserted place.
After Wang Yun learned the news for the first time, he was extremely nervous. Because once Cao Cao is captured by Dong Zhuo's people, he might also be implicated.
Since then, I have been hiding in my home and worrying for several days. Cao Cao's mansion in Luoyang was also burned down by Dong Zhuo, presumably to vent his anger.
