There is a brazier in the room.

In the brazier lay jet-black coals.

Cao Cao squatted beside the brazier, he picked up a piece and looked at it carefully: "This thing looks a little like charcoal, but it's not wooden." ”

"It's not like a stone." Xiahoudun replied: "But it is indeed very resistant to burning, and I have seen with my own eyes that the iron forged from it is stronger than the one forged from charcoal. ”

"Can this thing really burn?" Cao Cao was obviously not convinced.

"The lord will know when he sees it." Xiahoudun replied.

He instructed the guards: "Fetch some oil!" ”

The guard looked at Cao Cao, and Cao Cao nodded before someone went to fetch oil as instructed.

He poured some oil on the coal, and Xiahoudun took it and lit it.

When the oil meets the fire, it instantly bursts into flames.

Cao Cao smiled and asked, "Is it the oil that is burning or the coal that is burning?" ”

"Please wait, my lord." Xiahoudun replied: "After the oil is burned, it is coal. ”

Getting up and back at the table, Cao Cao stared at the brazier.

After a while, the oil finally burned out, and only the red charcoal fire remained in the brazier.

Cao Cao stood up in surprise and looked at the brazier in disbelief: "Can this thing really burn?" ”

"Not only can it be burned, but it can also be added with some yellow mud." Xiahoudun replied: "The first time I saw it, I couldn't believe it. Lu Fengxian refused to return the Qingzhou army to me, so I asked him to send two hundred carts to the lord every year......"

Cao Cao clearly remembered that Xiahoudun had told him that weapons forged from coal were extremely tough.

When conquering the world, what you care about most is, of course, weapons.

Before Xiahoudun finished his introduction, Cao Cao had already instructed the guards: "Give the coal to the blacksmiths, let them make a few weapons and send them to me." ”

"If the weapons forged from coal are really like what Lu Fengxian said, two hundred carts will be less." Cao Cao said: "Wait for me to send someone to ask for it, I'm afraid he will ......"

"There's no need to ask for it." Xiahoudun replied: "I heard that there are many merchants near Pengcheng who are engaged in coal sales, and it should be easier to buy from them than to find Lu Fengxian. ”

"Buying from them is much more expensive than buying from Lu Fengxian." Cao Cao said: "Money is not easy to earn, we have been particularly embarrassed in recent years, if I hadn't ordered Captain Jin to pick up the tomb of King Liang, we would have been stretched thin and unable to support it." You can use less money, and of course it's better not to use more. ”

Forging weapons is not a simple matter.

Coal was given to the craftsmen, and it was not until the third day that two weapons were delivered to Cao Cao.

In front of Cao Cao, one was a lance and the other was a short sword.

Due to the haste with which they were built, both weapons looked a little rough.

The weapon was delivered, and Cao Cao asked Xiahoudun to be invited to the house.

Picking up the lance, Cao Cao asked, "What does Yuan Rang think of this lance?" ”

Taking the lance, Xiahoudun waved it twice: "Lighter!" ”

"I didn't ask you how important it was." Cao Cao's head was full of black lines: "I'm asking you how is the iron quality of this lance?" ”

Xiahoudun flicked his finger and flicked his head: "Iron is indeed purer than that forged with charcoal." ”

"Yuan Rang said okay, that must be very good." Cao Cao picked up the short sword again: "Look at this again." ”

Putting down the lance and taking the short sword, Xiahou frowned: "The iron quality is really good, but the workmanship is really unsatisfactory......

"So I'm thinking, if the workmanship is so rough and the iron can be forged like this, coal and iron must be much stronger than charcoal." Cao Cao said: "I can't say that I want to send someone to Xuzhou." ”

"Or ...... Shall I go again? Xiahoudun took the initiative to ask.

"You'd better not go!" Cao Cao said: "Lu Fengxian is now as cunning as a ghost, and he has Chen Gongtai and others around him, Yuan Rang is kind, where will he be his opponent?" ”

Cao Cao said that he was generous, but when Xiahou heard it, he felt as if he was saying that he was stupid.

Very embarrassed hehehe, Xiahoudun didn't insist anymore.

"Invite Cheng Zhongde!" Cao Cao instructed the guards.

"If it's okay, I'll quit first." Xiahoudun offered his farewell.

Cao Cao nodded: "What about Lu Fengxian, Yuan Rang has already told me, I will go back and tell Cheng Zhongde, let him be careful!" ”

Cao Cao had no intention of staying, and Xiahoudun knew that going to Pengcheng this time had nothing to do with him.

Saying goodbye again, he left the room.

Soon after Xiahoudun left, Cheng Yu arrived.

After he entered the house, Cao Cao showed the two soldiers: "Yuan Rang left the Qingzhou army to Lu Fengxian, but brought back two hundred carts of coal, what do you think of this matter?" ”

"I think Yuan Rang was calculated by Lu Fengxian again." Cheng Yu replied: "I don't know if the lord has noticed that since Lu Fengxian returned to his youth for some reason, his temperament has also changed. ”

"Tell me." Of course, Cao Cao had already discovered that Lu Bu's temperament had changed, but he still wanted to hear what Cheng Yu meant.

Cheng Yu replied: "In the early years, Lu Fengxian was able to make important decisions just by looking at the small profits, but now he seems to have made a lot of decisions, but every time he hides himself behind people, no matter what trouble he causes, it seems that it has nothing to do with him." ”

"That is, he has become sleek." Cao Cao twisted his eyebrows and said: "Lu Fengxian is indeed very different from the past, and I have already discovered it. That's why I didn't promise Yuan Rang to see him, but asked you to come over. ”

"The lord wants me to go over, is it to ask for the Qingzhou Army or for coal?" Cheng Yu asked.

"Coal." Cao Cao said: "Lu Fengxian held the Qingzhou Army and absolutely refused to return it, forcing him to be in a hurry, maybe he would turn against me." Yuan Benchu stationed troops north of the Yellow River, often sent troops to attack and harass, and until the Hebei crisis was resolved, we must not provoke Lu Bu again. ”

A slight smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and Cao Cao continued: "What he takes now, sooner or later we will take it back from him one day!" ”

"What does the lord mean, let me ask him for coal, and the Qingzhou Army will put it aside for the time being?" Cheng Yu asked.

Cao Cao nodded: "I'm afraid he won't give it if I ask for it directly, so I want to buy it from him." Wait for him to come up with more coal, and then talk to him about the price. ”

"I see!" After all, Cheng Yu is a man of wisdom, Cao Cao only dialed it slightly, and he immediately understood the intention.

"Hard work." Cao Cao said: "I have discussed with Feng Xiao and others, Liu Xun killed Zhang Xun and dedicated Yuan Yao to me, and Lu Feng could not guarantee that there would be no action." You go to Pengcheng, don't rush back, keep an eye on him there first. Once there is a war between me and Yuan Benchu, you have to find a way to get him to send troops to help. ”

"Don't worry, my lord." Cheng Yu said: "I went to Pengcheng, whether he is willing or not, I have to let him send troops to help!" ”

"With Zhongde going to Pengcheng, I will be relieved." Cao Cao nodded: "It's still early, I'll arrange for someone to send you to see Lu Bu immediately!" ”

(End of chapter)