Cao Shuo came to Yuan's house, and Guo Tu had already told Yuan Shao what had happened.

Zhang Nan has not yet arrived.

Yuan Shao's face was very bad, and he said to Cao Shuo: "Zirong, don't worry if something like this happens, when Zhang Nan comes, I'll ask him to accompany you." ”

"Yuan Gong doesn't have to take it to heart." Cao Shuo said: "I was originally a guest in Yecheng, and I didn't dare to do anything if others provoked me. Yuan Gong really pursued General Zhang, and I was worried that he would embarrass me in the future. In order to avoid trouble, this matter is still settled. ”

Cao Shuo's words were wronged, but Yuan Shao couldn't hold his old face.

He asked Feng Ji and Ju Pei, who were sitting in the room, "Why hasn't Zhang Nan come yet?" Is it possible that you don't take me seriously? ”

"Yuan Gong is angry." Feng Ji said: "I have already sent someone to urge." ”

"Zhang Nan is such a big score!" Yuan Shao said angrily: "I called him over, and I still need to urge him three or five times?" ”

Feng Ji and Juan didn't dare to speak.

Guo Tu said on the side: "Yuan Gong, Zhang Nanmu is disrespectful, in my opinion, it is absolutely impossible not to punish him." ”

"What do you think is appropriate?" Yuan Shao asked.

"Thirty canes, demoted to captain." Guo Tu said: "Let's see how he performs in the future." ”

Yuan Shao nodded.

Feng Ji hurriedly said: "Yuan Gong, absolutely not!" ”

"Why not?" Yuan Shao asked with a very bad face.

"Zhang Nan is a general with troops." Feng Ji said: "When Yuan Chengcheng was employed, he couldn't afford to eat thirty spines, and then he was demoted to a school captain, and he also lost a help when he crusaded against Gongsun Zhan." ”

made up his mind to punish Zhang Nan, and when Feng Ji said this, Yuan Shao was a little undecided.

After all, Zhang Nan is a general who leads troops.

No matter how bad his martial arts are, he won't be able to defeat a few guards.

Successfully capturing Zhang Nan could not have been better if he could have been injured a little.

Cao Shuo's eyes rolled and he had an idea.

He said with a bitter face: "Gong Yuan doesn't have to be embarrassed, I am an outsider, and no one dares to offend in Yecheng." After all, General Zhang led the troops, and I offended him today, and I can't afford to come back to find some bad luck in the future! ”

Just a little hesitant, as soon as Cao Shuo said this, Yuan Shao's anger surged up again.

He said to Feng Ji: "Zhang Nan is bold, if I don't punish him, how can I explain to Meng De?" You don't have to say it anymore, it's a matter of public order. ”

Yuan Shao was really angry, and Feng Ji didn't dare to say more.

Cao Shuo said: "Yuan Gong can't! ”

"What else is going to happen to Zirong?" Yuan Shao asked: "If you don't deal with it like this, are you still dissatisfied?" ”

"It's not!" Cao Shuo said: "I just think that Yuan Gong's punishment is too heavy. ”

Cao Shuo seemed to be about to intercede for Zhang Nan, and Yuan Shao's face improved a lot: "What does Zirong mean?" ”

I didn't expect Cao Shuo to say that the punishment was too heavy, and when Feng Ji looked at him, he was also surprised.

"Feng Gong is right." Cao Shuo said: "The Yuan family and Gongsun Zan are at war, and it is the time to employ people. Although General Zhang has made mistakes, it is okay to be punished with a cane, but as for being demoted to a captain, there is really no need! The general commanded the troops and the captain killed the enemy, because of my business, Yuan Gong lost a general who led the troops into battle, wouldn't it be too much of a sin for me. ”

"Do you see that? What is manliness and husband's demeanor? Yuan Shao said to Feng Ji and others: "Although Zirong is young, he is much more broad-minded than many people. He was able to consider the need to employ people for my Yuan family to go into battle to kill the enemy, not only did he not intend to blame Zhang Nan, but also interceded for him. This kind of mind alone is not available to everyone. ”

"Zirong Gongzi has extraordinary energy, and he is really a model for us." Guo Tu echoed and patted Yuan Shao on the back.

Cao Shuo showed a touch of embarrassment: "Yuan Gong, in fact, it's not that I don't want to be held accountable, but I just don't want to chase so hard." ”

"What does Zirong think is appropriate?" Yuan Shao asked.

"Twenty canes, just rest for a few days." Cao Shuo said: "It's too light, I can't explain to the subordinates who were tortured by Zhang Nan. It was too heavy, and it made Yuan Gong's subordinates have one less available person. ”

"What do you think?" Yuan Shao asked Feng Ji and the others.

Zhang Nan's official position remained unchanged, and the thirty spine rods were changed to twenty.

No matter how reluctant Feng Ji is, he can't say more.

After all, it's not a vegetable market to buy vegetables, but also a bargain!

After a while, a report from the guards came from outside: "Qi Yuan Gong, General Zhang Nan asks to see." ”

"Let him in." Yuan Shao said.

Zhang Nan entered the house.

He had long known that Cao Shuo would definitely be here.

greeted Yuan Shao, Feng Ji and others, and Zhang Nanli ignored Cao Shuo.

"Wen Jin, why haven't you seen Zirong?" Yuan Shao asked.

"I've seen it in the barracks." Zhang Nan replied.

"Why did you intercept Zirong's entourage?" Yuan Shao asked again with a cold face.

"The last general just felt that they had just arrived in Yecheng and sent people back, and there must be something greasy among them." Zhang Nan said: "So they were intercepted and questioned. ”

"Why didn't General Zhang tell me what the torture was all about?" Said the judge.

"Even if it is an interrogation, it is inevitable that there will be torture." Zhang Nan said.

"Then what did you find?" Yuan Shao asked.

"Nope!" Speaking of the interrogation results, Zhang Nan lowered his head.

"Although I was suspicious, I didn't get a verdict." Yuan Shao said: "The person who injured Zirong, how do you want me to explain to Meng De?" ”

Zhang Nan didn't dare to say anything.

"I'm going to scold you with a cane for thirty and demote you to a lieutenant, do you think it's reasonable?" Yuan Shao asked.

Zhang Nan lowered his head and did not speak.

"Why don't you speak?" Yuan Shao asked.

"Yuan Gong wants to be punished, and the last general has nothing to say!" Zhang Nan said.

"Yuan Gong ......," Cao Shuo spoke.

"Zirong doesn't need to say much, I know everything." Yuan Shao interrupted him and said to Zhang Nan: "Just now, Zirong pleaded for you, saying that when I am employing people, I can't easily degrade the general. You still keep your official position, but you can't spare it! ”

"General Zhang, don't you thank Zirong Gongzi?" Feng Ji said on the side.

"Thank you, Zirong Gongzi!" In front of Yuan Shao, Zhang Nan didn't dare to be as arrogant as in the barracks, and bowed to Cao Shuo with his fists in his fists.

"General Zhang doesn't need to be polite." Cao Shuo answered Zhang Nan first, and then said to Yuan Shao: "Yuan Gong, I am not a difficult person to get along with, asking Yuan Gong to call the shots is just to give an explanation to the subordinate who was tortured." Thirty canes ......"

"I understand what Zirong means." Yuan Shao said: "Wen Jin, punish you with twenty spines, do you accept it or not?" ”

"Serve!" Zhang Nan responded.

"Since you take it, go and get the spine staff." Yuan Shao waved his hand.

Zhang Nan retreated.

Cao Shuo said to Yuan Shao: "I have long heard that Yuan Gongwei shook Hebei, but I have never figured out why. I saw it today, and I found out the reason. ”

"Zirong said, why can I rule Hebei?" No one doesn't like to be patted on the back, especially a person like Yuan Shao, who likes others to follow him, and he is in a good mood, he asked with a smile.

"Duke Yuan has a good way, and he is both graceful and powerful, who dares to disagree?" Cao Shuo said: "The Han Dynasty has a minister like Yuan Gong, why worry about the lack of imperial power? ”