At the end of the court meeting, Cao Shuo left Ma Teng and his son behind.

When everyone left, Ma Teng and his son accompanied Cao Shuo out of the front hall.

Coming to the door of the front hall, Cao Shuo asked Ma Teng: "This expedition to Xiliang, General Ma is returning to his homeland, I think there should be many feelings." ”

Ma Teng sighed and said, "If it weren't for Meng Qi causing such a big trouble, how could Gongzi send troops to Xiliang?" The people of Xiliang are going to suffer this time. ”

"I heard that General Ma's mother is a Qiang?" Cao Shuo asked suddenly.

"Childe even knows this?" Ma Teng asked in surprise.

"I've only heard about it." Cao Shuo smiled: "There is no detailed evidence to prove it. ”

"Actually, you don't have to prove it." Ma Teng replied: "Not only my mother, but even my grandmother and Meng Qi's mother are also Qiang. We intermarried with the Qiang people in Xiliang, and we couldn't tell who was the Qiang and who was the Central Plains for many years. ”

"It's a pity that there are more Qiang people in Xiliang." Cao Shuo smiled slightly and asked Ma Teng: "This time I went to Xiliang, I plan to move some Qiang people to the Central Plains, what does the general think?" ”

"It's good for Childe to decide." Ma Teng said: "Since I decided to take refuge in Cao Gong, the Xiliang Ma family has long been under the command of Cao Gong. ”

"General Ma, don't say that." Cao Shuo interrupted him with a smile: "The Xiliang Ma family is now in a-for-tat confrontation with our Cao family. If outsiders knew that General Ma said this, wouldn't they laugh at his father's lack of authority, so that the army under the Cao family actually turned against him? ”

Ma Teng was shocked when he heard this, and hurriedly said: "What Childe said is that I said the wrong thing. ”

"I originally thought that there would be no war in Xiliang at all, as long as General Ma arrived in Shouchun, everything would be solved." Cao Shuo said: "But now it seems that I was too naïve. ”

"Childe is actually thinking well." Ma Teng replied: "It's just that Meng Qi doesn't know the severity. Han Sui and I had a grudge against killing my wife, and Meng Qi also had a grudge against him for killing my mother, but I joined forces with him to crusade against the Cao family. I really don't know what he's up to. ”

"General Ma doesn't have to figure it out." Cao Shuo said: "It is enough for us to know that he did conspire with Han Sui to rebel against the Cao family. ”

"That's what Childe said." Ma Teng hurriedly responded.

Although his daughter married Cao Shuo, Ma Yunlu was not even a wife in Cao Shuo's back house, but was just a concubine.

Born in Jiangmen, of course she will not be an ordinary concubine.

Cao Shuo's wife and wife will not embarrass her much, but her status in Cao Shuo's back house will never be too high.

Nominally, Ma Teng is Cao Shuo's father-in-law, but he knows very well that there are many fathers-in-law like Cao Shuo.

It is not easy for Cao Shuo to do this for him.

If you want to ask Cao Shuo to keep Xiliang again, it is too much extravagance......

"The day of the expedition is approaching." Cao Shuo said to Ma Teng: "General Ma still went back to rest earlier, these days to nourish the spirit, once the army is opened, life is not so good in Shouchun." ”

"Thank you Childe for reminding me." Ma Teng hurriedly thanked Cao Shuo.

Cao Shuo beckoned Deng Zhan and Zhu Ao to leave, and Ma Teng and his son bowed down and clasped their fists until he walked away before standing up straight.

"Father, what is the eldest brother going to do?" Ma Tie said to Ma Teng: "Didn't he know that our father and son were still in the Cao family, wouldn't he rush to raise troops to trap us to death?" ”

"Cao Zirong called us here to participate in the court discussion, and you two haven't figured out why?" Ma Teng asked Ma Tie and Ma Xiu.

The brothers glanced at each other, and Ma Tie said: "Cao Zirong just wants to force his father to go on the expedition together, as long as his father is here, the Xiliang soldiers will throw their backs on the rat trap and even turn their backs on the eldest brother to serve the Cao family." ”

"That's just one of them." Ma Teng said: "He still wants to see our attitude, if I persuade him not to crusade against Xiliang, not only will the Shouchun army still go out on schedule, but our father and son will also be considered to have reached here." ”

"Could it be that Cao Zirong killed his father?" Matthew interjected.

"Cao Zirong has always valued righteousness, and he will never allow the people around him to be harmed." Ma Teng said: "At the beginning, the Yuan family and the Cao family competed for the Central Plains, knowing that Cao Cao hated Yuan Shao, he still took Yuan Shao to Shouchun. Yuan Shao and Cao Cao still have some old feelings, Cao Zirong intervenes, and Cao Cao is not good at doing more. But we are different from Yuan Shao, Cao Cao and we have no old relationship. Once we refuse to help the Cao family crusade against Meng Qi, we will be the first to be questioned. ”

"I heard that Yuan Shao was poisoned by Cao Cao." Ma Tie whispered: "Cao Zirong didn't do anything after he found out. ”

"I've heard that before." Ma Teng nodded: "But it has not been confirmed, and no one dares to say whether it is a rumor or the truth." If that were the case, the situation we faced would be even more critical. ”

"The eldest brother is really good at finding trouble for his father." Ma Tie said with annoyance: "When I return to Xiliang, I have to ask him what he wants to do." ”

"I don't need you to ask, I will ask too." Ma Teng said: "You both go back to rest, wait for the army to go out, and follow Cao Zirong back to Xiliang." ”

Ma Tie and Ma Xiu answered and accompanied Ma Teng to their residence.

Cao Shuo left home with Deng Zhan and Zhu Ao and went straight to the craftsman's workshop.

Before they reached the door of the craftsman's workshop, they heard several loud noises one after another.

"It looks like it's been developed." Cao Shuo grinned and said to Deng Zhan and Zhu Ao.

"Childe is talking about ......" Deng Zhan's reaction was faster after all, and he blurted out: "Explosives?" ”

"It's not explosives, it's bombs." Cao Shuo said: "If it wasn't for the successful development, they wouldn't have put several in succession." ”

"When I wasn't with Childe, I was also around here." Deng Zhan said: "The craftsman's workshop develops explosives, and the loud noise is loud every day, and the people in the vicinity are deeply disturbed. ”

"That can't be helped." Cao Shuo said: "I can't let the craftsman workshop put down the things at hand, and don't develop it from now on?" ”

"Childe said that explosives will be of a lot of use in the future." Deng Zhan replied: "I just think that since the craftsman's workshop is developing, can I let them change places?" ”

Looking at Deng Zhan, Cao Shuo said: "I have already said earlier that it is definitely not a way for the craftsman workshop to stay in Shouchun, and they have to settle down on an overseas island. ”

"Childe is wise." As soon as Cao Shuo said this, Deng Zhan vaguely remembered that he had indeed mentioned it, and hurriedly said: "It's the last general who is too talkative." ”

"I wish the general." Cao Shuo instructed Zhu Ao on the side: "Go and find Mi Heng, I have to settle down in the craftsman's workshop before the army sets out." ”

Zhu Ao should leave.

Cao Shuo took Deng Zhan into the craftsman's workshop.

When they entered the gate of the craftsman's workshop, they heard a loud noise.

(End of chapter)