Three Kingdoms

"In the blink of an eye, seven or eight years have passed..." Cao Cao raised his head and said, seeming to have some understanding, "I remember that my wise brother made a great wish on the bank of Luoshui River, willing to ask for life for the world's creatures and open up borders for the Han Dynasty... "

Liu Bei repeatedly raised his hands and said: "The young man is reckless and does not know the bounds of heaven and earth. He only laughs at him and laughs at him..."

Cao Cao laughed, his back molars exposed, and said: "Hahahahaha... Who has never been reckless when he was young? Wasn't it the same in those days? He hoped that the world would be peaceful and the country would be safe for the people. If he could be granted the title of a county guard, he would be able to become a general. Lifetime wish!"

Liu Bei was still laughing with him, but he didn't expect that Cao Cao suddenly took his hand and pulled him to the canopy car...

What does this mean?

Liu Bei was shocked.

Just as he was about to struggle, Cao Cao let go of his hand and said with a smile: "What? In the past, Xuande, who fought against the Yellow Turbans, suppressed Zhang Ni, and charged into the military formations without changing his expression, is now afraid of even a small vehicle. ?”

"Uh..." Liu Bei smiled awkwardly, "This is Cao's official car, how could you..."

Cao Cao laughed loudly, patted Liu Bei on the shoulder, then got into the car first, waved and said: "You and I are as close as brothers, and we have old friendships, so there is no harm in riding in the same car... Come, Xuande, I will take you to a place..."

"This..." Liu Bei could only say with his hands raised, "In this case, I would rather be respectful than obey my orders."

Liu Bei turned around and gave Guan Yu a few words, then got on Cao Cao's seat, sat in the corner of the vehicle, and turned slightly sideways to show respect.

Cao Cao turned to look at Guan Yu, who was still standing at the door to see him off, and praised: "What a man! Xuande has so many talents under his command!"

"Reporting to Sikong, without Yun Chang protecting each other, Bei would have died in the formation..." Liu Bei also had some feelings, and said half-truthfully, "Yun Chang and a certain person, although they are superiors and subordinates, are actually brothers..."

"Oh?" Cao Cao glanced at Liu Bei, nodded, and said nothing more.

The motorcade passed through the long street and then passed the palace complex under construction.

The imperial city now only has a ring of inner walls and the main hall. As for the other halls, they are still under construction. Soldiers are standing around them, craftsmen are commanding the civilians, and the sound of labor horns can be heard everywhere.

Naturally, Liu Xie could not live in such a noisy environment on weekdays. Therefore, except for the usual court gatherings on the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month, Liu Xie temporarily lived in Xun's villa...

Therefore, the imperial palace basically has no defensive value now. Cao Cao led the group of people and drove directly into the imperial city and headed north along the main road.

"Here... we want to build a meeting hall. The name of the palace is Pingchang..." Cao Cao said while gesturing, "In addition to this, the main hall still needs to be enlarged and the back hall needs to be raised. ...There are also drum towers, bell towers, corner towers, etc...the harem and sleeping quarters also need to be rebuilt...it is estimated that it will take at least five years..."

"In the past, Duke Yuan and a certain person were thieves in the eunuchs. Although they did it for the sake of the country and the country, they still destroyed the palace..." Cao Cao sighed, "...The situation was critical at that time, and there was no need to worry too much. If we didn't kill the ten regular servants, , a big man is bound to be hard to save with medicine and stone... But because of this, there are many damages in the palace... Alas, now someone can do this and rebuild the palace, which can be regarded as a sacrifice..."

Cao Cao turned his gaze to Liu Bei, then to the other side, and said, "...I wonder if Xuande thinks so?"

Liu Bei's heart skipped a beat and he quickly said: "Sikong has contributed to the country, so how can he be blamed? Your Majesty will be happy if you know that Sikong is so loyal."

Cao Cao did not comment, paused for a moment, and suddenly said slowly: "The palace project is huge, and now there is no one in charge... I wonder if Xuande is willing to take on this important task and share your majesty's worries?"

Liu Bei: ∑(っ°Д°;)っ

"... Everything is difficult to build, but easy to destroy..." Cao Cao Youzi looked at the busy construction site in the distance, seemingly unaware of the change in Liu Bei's expression, and continued, "Well, how about it? Xuande if If you are willing, I will recommend Xuande as a general and minister!"

The original name of Jiangzuo Minister was Jiangzuo Shaofu. In the sixth year of Emperor Jing's reign in the Western Han Dynasty (144 BC), he changed his name to a general and became a minister. The subordinate officials include Shiku, Dongyuan, Zhuzhang and Qilingcheng, left, right, front and back lieutenant colonels. Responsible for the construction of palaces, ancestral temples, mausoleums and other civil engineering works.

It can be said that the Shaofu was a place with great authority and financial power in the Han Dynasty. The Shaofu is a functional agency that manages private property and life affairs for the royal family. It was first established in the Warring States Period and was established along the Qin and Han Dynasties.

The responsibilities of the Shaofu are mainly divided into two aspects: one is responsible for collecting taxes from mountains, seas and ponds and collecting local contributions for the use of the palace; the other is responsible for all supplies and services needed by the palace for food, clothing, daily life, hunting and fun, etc. The Shaofu has a large organization and many subordinate officials. People who are not from the noble family are not allowed to serve, and most of them are clan members of the royal family. Therefore, it is considered suitable for Liu Bei.

Some of the taxes in the world are paid to the Shaofu, including but not limited to the taxes paid by Shaofu on gardens, gardens, mountains and wilderness, business taxes, customs taxes in various places, and taxes paid by children aged 7-14. The 20 cents for the oral gift and so on...

It can be said that as long as Liu Bei nods, it is basically certain that he will have a massive amount of wealth and money in his hands!

Liu Bei is poor!

When I was young, I was so poor that I could only make a living by selling mats and shoes. Although I became an official when I grew up, I didn't save any money over the years. I invested all my money in the bottomless pit monster of the army. I really didn't have any money around me. Not to mention Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, even Mrs. Zhen, who was originally well-dressed and well-fed, now had to learn to raise silkworms, cook silk, and embroider female red to supplement some household expenses...

It is true that the Mi Zhu Mi family was very rich, but at that time Liu Bei fled Xuzhou in a hurry. How much could he take with him? Many real estate properties were reduced to worthless almost instantly.

Now all it takes is a nod...

Liu Bei swallowed.

Cao Cao looked at Liu Bei quietly, waiting for his answer.

Noisy chants came from all directions, making Liu Bei's eardrums seem to buzz.

"Gong Cao...Gong Cao's kindness..." Liu Bei said with difficulty, as if a handful of sand had been poured into his throat, "Bei is convinced...but Binai is a rough man. Although he has read scriptures for a few days, he is not good at arithmetic. , and I don’t know the project well, I’m afraid it won’t be a big deal for Mr. Cao, and he really can’t take on this important task..."

"Oh..." Cao Cao nodded slightly, his face neither sad nor happy.

"Dudu." Cao Cao did not continue to persuade, but turned his head and tapped twice on the handrail of the vehicle. Xia Houen in front understood and moved forward again.

The vehicle rolled forward, the wheels rolling.

Because the entire palace was under construction, there were inevitably some gravels and wood blocks on the road, and the wheels did not have springs or rubber shock absorbers. The vehicle jumped a bit as it ran over something.

Liu Bei turned sideways, but did not dare to hold on to the railings of the carriage like Cao Cao. The carriage shook and he almost fell down. Cao Cao quickly gave Liu Bei a hand and signaled Liu Bei to sit more firmly: "The road is bumpy. If you don't sit more firmly, you will inevitably fall..."

Cao Cao was sitting in the car, holding on to the railing with one hand and smiling. For some reason, Liu Bei felt a little flustered when he saw Cao Cao's smile.

For a moment, while the carriage continued to move forward, Cao Cao spoke.

"Liu Yuzhou... Back then, you and I swam along the Luohe River arm in hand and drank in the boat. Now that I think about it, it's as if I've experienced it all before... Now that the Han Dynasty is in turmoil, it's really a troubled time... I still hope Liu Yuzhou will be loyal. Let’s help each other for the sake of our country…”

Liu Bei respectfully raised his hands and replied: "Bei Ziran, this... Now that your Majesty is smart and sage, and with the help of Duke Cao, it will only take a while, and the big man will naturally be able to..."

"Nowadays, the Han Dynasty is still arguing..." Cao Cao waved his hand and interrupted Liu Bei's words, "Today in the world, there are many ambitious people, and there are also many people who violate the law. If they are not eliminated, it will be difficult for the country to be restored! Does Xuande think so?"

"Yes...yes...what Mr. Cao said is true..." Liu Bei's eyes rolled, and the hair on his temples was sticky with sweat.

"Now that your Majesty is young, you will give young people an opportunity to take advantage of it!" Cao Cao said in a sonorous voice with a face as cold as ice, "Your Majesty is kind-hearted and has a benevolent heart, but our ministers cannot deceive you because of your kindness. If there are people like this, we will be held accountable without mercy! Liu Yuzhou, do you understand?"

"Yes, yes! I understand, I understand..." Liu Bei nodded.

Cao Cao smiled, and the ice on his face disappeared in the blink of an eye, just like the thunderous thunder just now no longer existed. He nodded kindly and said: "It's good to understand... If everyone in the world can be like Xuan If virtue is average, the world will be at peace..."

Liu Bei didn't dare to talk easily, he just felt that his clothes were sticking to his back.

As he spoke, the slightly bumpy vehicle gradually came to a stop.

Cao Cao nodded and said: "We're here." Then he didn't pull Liu Bei as cordially as he did when he got on the bus, but got off the bus first.

Liu Bei followed Cao Cao and got out of the car. When he looked up, he only saw a row of low houses and walls blocking his eyes, extending from his eyes to the corner of the street. There were no pedestrians or shops in the surrounding streets. It seemed that It is a long alley between two walls. A few trees are shivering in the cold wind, and there are only a few spots of green on the branches.

Here is that?

Liu Bei looked around blankly, not knowing why.

Cao Cao walked under the wall and in front of an inconspicuous courtyard gate. He raised his head, as if he was looking at the sky or just above the courtyard gate, "Liu Yuzhou, can you hear something?"

"What?" Liu Bei listened intently.

The wind blew past, perhaps because of the terrain, from the entrance to the end of the street, rolling up some branches and leaves on the stone slabs, blowing the clumps of weeds above the short houses with walls, and Cao Cao's ceremonial guard. The flags were fluttering, but apart from that, there was no other special sound.

As if aware of Liu Bei's doubts, Cao Cao motioned to the guards on the side to open the courtyard door.

"Liu Yuzhou, do you still remember what I said in the car before?"

Liu Bei cupped his hands and said, "Report to Sikong, I still remember."

"Good." Cao Cao took the lead and walked forward.

Liu Bei looked at both sides, wondering if hundreds of swordsmen and axemen would emerge from under the walls on both sides or from the low houses. Then he thought about whether Cao Cao really wanted to kill him. It won't be when the imperial court has just ennobled him, so he feels a little more settled and moves forward with Cao Cao's footsteps.

Facing the courtyard is a screen wall.

Cover your sight tightly.

There are blue bricks at the bottom, and there is a piece of white from about the height of a person's knees upwards. There are no inscriptions and no special patterns. It's just that over time, the chalk on the wall has turned yellow and turned black.

Cao Cao bypassed Zhaobi.

Liu Bei also walked around, looked up, and saw the scenery unfolding in front of his eyes. However, Liu Bei's whole body froze, as if thousands of ants were crawling over him, or as if he was blown away by the wind when he suddenly turned around a mountain col. One head and one face could not move...

This place turned out to be a huge school ground, and the entry point was a side entrance of the school ground.

There are countless flags tied up along the edge of the school grounds. Because they are blocked by the fence, they can't be seen from outside. Standing in the center of the school ground were densely packed soldiers. It was estimated that there were at least two thousand people. Each one was holding a sword and looking forward. They seemed to be in the middle of training. They didn't even look at the arrival of Cao Cao and Liu Bei. Focus your attention on the general stage at the front of the school field.

On the general stage, a general stood motionless holding a flag of command.

The soldiers in the audience were also motionless.

Orders and prohibitions are enforced, and the golden drum is clear!

Liu Bei looked at the generals on the general stage, and then at the soldiers in the school field. He saw many familiar faces, and his heart couldn't help but move...

"Liu Yuzhou, would you like to lead the army?"

Before Liu Bei could think of anything, he heard Cao Cao's long voice coming from one side. The tone seemed to contain a lot of information. Liu Bei turned his eyes away with difficulty, only to see Cao Cao's meaningful smile...

"This..." Liu Bei didn't know how to respond. Should he say yes, he felt bad about it. Say no, he didn't think it was appropriate either. For a moment, he felt beads of sweat rolling down his head.

"I know that the defeat of Xuzhou was not due to Liu Yuzhou's failure, but because the soldiers of Xuzhou were not in battle formations and did not practice their armor..." Cao Cao pointed to the soldiers in front and said, "If Liu Yuzhou wants to fight Xuzhou again, defeat How about Yuan Gongluo's army, and I will send soldiers here to serve as envoys to help Liu Yuzhou?"

Liu Bei's eyes were changing, and he finally bowed before Cao Cao, "I am willing to share the worries for Duke Cao! Defeat Yuan's army in Xuzhou!"

Cao Cao smiled and nodded, helped Liu Bei up, patted Liu Bei's arm, and turned away without saying anything else.

Liu Bei stood blankly on one side, looking up at the generals on the general stage, but saw that the generals on the stage were also looking at him indifferently, and the two people's eyes collided in the air...

After a moment, the general on the stage withdrew his gaze, shouted loudly, and waved and folded his command flag. Suddenly, the giant drums in the school grounds rumbled, and the soldiers shouted loudly and began to gather towards the center.

Suddenly, yellow dust was flying in the school grounds, and the sound of rapid footsteps resounded over the entire school grounds, accompanied by the cold wind of early spring, flying in all directions...