Chapter XXXVI Negotiations

The mountain breeze was blowing, and a few birds were soaring into the air. Cao Shuang took a few breaths of air greedily, and the air quality in this era was far better than that of later generations. This mountain forest is even more refreshing and refreshing. Cao Shuang and Qi Fei followed behind Zhang Qi, and the bandits followed closely behind Cao Shuang to prevent them from doing things unfavorable to Zhang Qi. I saw that the cottage was heavily guarded, and there were several wooden cages, which were full of Miss Gongzi who had been kidnapped by Zhang Qi.

A thirteen or fourteen-year-old woman in the wooden cage had bright teeth and bright black hair, and looked at Cao Shuang in surprise at this time. The woman is Cao Jie, who was captured by Zhang Qi, but now the thieves have not yet recognized her identity. Cao Shuang smiled slightly, and shook his head at Cao Jie before the thieves noticed, signaling her not to worry.

"Young Master Cao, please take a seat." In the hall of the cottage, Zhang Qi sat on the main seat and asked Cao Shuang to sit on the side.

Cao Shuang sat down without refusing, and Qi Fei stood behind Cao Shuang with the ring head knife on his waist. After a while, the table in front of Cao Shuang was filled with many unnamed fruits, as well as fragrant game. A thief holding a wine jar in his arms poured wine into Cao Shuang's bowl, and the wine in the bowl was not transparent as in later generations, but yellowed.

"These fruits and game are grown on this mountain, and the wine is also our own fruit wine." Zhang Qi picked up the wine and drank it in one go.

Looking at the yellowed wine in the bowl, Cao Shuang secretly smiled bitterly. At the beginning, he came to the Three Kingdoms era because he drank too much alcohol and died suddenly, and it is inevitable that he will drink again today, which is inevitably embarrassing. Cao Shuang dispelled the thoughts in his mind and drank the wine bowl in front of him. Qi Fei wanted to step forward to stop him, but it was too late. Cao Shuang laughed, "Don't worry, Master Zhang Zhai is a hero in the world, how can he do some shady things like those young people." ”

Zhang Qi has been running Qingqi Mountain for many years, and his hair is hollow, how could Zhang Qi not hear the sarcasm of his hostage-taking in Cao Shuang's words. Zhang Qi nodded with a smile and did not refute Cao Shuang's words, "Gongzi Cao is so happy, so can you tell Zhang what happened to this trip?" What is the way to live? ”

"What's the matter? Don't you know that Zhang Zhai master? Is it that Zhang Zhai sees that Cao Shuang is a child, so he pretends to be confused and makes fun of it. Cao Shuang heard that Zhang Qi was sarcastic about himself, and Cao Shuang was not a simple child, so he choked back on the spot. Both sides are very clear about what it is, but they are unwilling to speak first, and whoever loosens their mouth first will lose the upper hand in future negotiations. Cao Shuang saw that Zhang Qi didn't want to say anything, so he just quietly ate the fruit on the plate, and commented a few words from time to time, so that Qi Fei, who was standing behind him, would also come and taste it.

Looking at Cao Shuang, who was eating and drinking in front of him, Zhang Qi's lungs were about to explode. Zhang Qi's pale skin was already red at this time. Cao Shuang understands that he can afford it, but Zhang Qi can't afford it, and the entire Qingqi cottage can't afford it. Although Zhang He's 10,000 soldiers and horses could not attack the mountain, but Zhang He surrounded Qingqi Mountain, at this time there was grain in the cottage, and there were fruits and animals to eat on the mountain, but when the grass and trees withered in winter and the grain in the warehouse was exhausted, what should be done at that time. Zhang Qi originally wanted to negotiate with the government, so he went down the mountain to rob the sons and daughters of these big families. From the very beginning, Zhang Qi was destined to have the upper hand in this negotiation.

Finally, the white villain in Zhang Qi's heart defeated the black villain, and hugged his fist towards Cao Shuang, "Ming people don't say secret words, I don't know what the official family means?" Seeing that Zhang Qi finally spoke, Cao Shuang wiped the wine stains on his mouth, "Surrender and hand over the people you have taken." My son can give you civilian military status, and those who enlist in the army will be awarded the title of official and knighted after making military achievements. ”

Zhang Qi was very moved by Cao Shuang's conditions, but he couldn't accept it, he had his concerns. Cao Cao's treachery, how could Zhang Qi not know that he had only sent his subordinates to help Suo Mingtang assassinate Cao Cao a few days ago, and he was afraid that after he surrendered, he would be liquidated by Cao Cao. Cao Shuang smiled, "When the time comes, my son will definitely protect your life, and my son will say it, and it will be difficult for the horse to chase." Don't you know what Zhang Xiu did that day, and now he is not an official worshipping General Poqiang and being named Xuanwei Hou. Zhang Xiu surrendered to Cao Cao, but Cao Cao accepted Zou Shi, the widow of Zhang Xiu's uncle Zhang Ji, so Zhang Xiu held a grudge. Cao Cao heard that Zhang Xiu was unhappy, so he prepared to kill Zhang Xiu in secret. As a result, the plan was leaked, Zhang Xiu attacked Cao Cao, Cao Cao was defeated, his eldest son Cao Ang and nephew Cao Anmin were killed, and the fierce general Dian Wei was killed. Later, Zhang Xiu followed Jia Xu's advice and surrendered to Cao Cao again. After Zhang Xiu surrendered, he was reused by Cao Cao, and Zhang Xiu participated in the Battle of Guandu and was promoted to the general of Poqiang.

Zhang Xiu died on the way to conquer Wuhuan in the twelfth year of Jian'an, only two years ago, how could Zhang Qi not know. But even so, Zhang Qi is still not at ease. When the negotiations between the two parties reached an impasse, someone came to Zhang Qi's side and whispered something. Cao Shuang glanced at Qi Fei, and Qi Fei, who was sitting next to Cao Shuang and drinking, shook his head in confusion. I saw that after Zhang Qi listened to the man's report, a bright smile appeared on his face, what he heard this day was not good news, and he finally heard the good news, which was really refreshing.

"Let's put aside the negotiation for the time being, and let Cao Gongzi see one person." Zhang Qi's face was extremely relaxed at this time, and he was like two people just now. Cao Shuang secretly felt bad, and saw that the person brought up by the bandit was Cao Jie. Although Cao Shuang was very panicked, he didn't have any expression on his face.

"Does Gongzi Cao recognize this young lady?" Zhang Qi smiled and drank a bowl of wine and pointed to Cao Jie in front of him. At this time, Zhang Qi swept away the haze in his heart, and the chips in his hand were greater, so the chance of success in the negotiation was greater.

Cao Shuang shook his head and flatly denied it, "I don't know, but I'm pretty good." ”

"Since I don't know Gongzi Cao, let me introduce her, she is Miss Cao Jiecao, the daughter of today's prime minister." Zhang Qi looked at Cao Shuang, who tried his best to pretend to be calm, with a lot of playfulness.

Cao Shuang made a look of sudden realization, and bowed his hand to Cao Jie to apologize, "It turned out to be my aunt, it was my little nephew who was rude." Zhang Qi smacked Cao Shuang twice in his heart, which was really shameless. Cao Jie was slightly blessed and didn't say anything, which was a return gift.

"I hope the government can let us out of Jingzhou." Zhang Qi said to Cao Shuang, his face full of confidence, "When the time comes, we will put Miss Cao back." ”

"Hahaha! Master Zhang Zhai, do you think Liu Bei lacks your hundreds of people or Sun Quan lacks your hundreds of people? Do you think that this kind of thing that damages the prestige of the country and the military, will the prime minister agree? Cao Shuang looked at Zhang Qi like an idiot, "Don't say that you arrested Miss Cao, even if you arrested Cao Gongzi of Cao Mansion today, it will be difficult to do this." Zhang Qi listened to Cao Shuang's words and calmed down suddenly. In this era, the status of women is extreme, although Cao Jie is Cao Cao's daughter, but Cao Cao will not do anything that undermines his authority for her, let alone let himself go to Liu Bei or Sun Quan.

"Then what about you if I detain Cao Gongzi?" Zhang Qi's expression suddenly changed, and he said coldly.

"Cao Shuang is not talented, he has already taken poison when he came. If you don't return to the camp at sunset to take the antidote, you will die of poison. At that time, General Zhang He will lead his troops to attack the mountain. Cao Shuang said word by word, clearly. Cao Jie was so frightened that his face was pale, he didn't expect that his nephew would do things so radically, and Qi Fei also had a surprised expression on his face.

The corners of Zhang Qi's eyes twitched, "Cao Gongzi is so desperate for his life? ”

Cao Shuang got up and sneered, "Shuang can't save Sister Cao and the sons and daughters of those big families, and it's hard to blame when you go back." Both horizontally and vertically are dead, so it is better to die here and be buried for them. ”

"You!" Zhang Qi trembled with anger, pointing at Cao Shuang's hand and trembling, "Come on, prepare a guest room, and invite the three distinguished guests to rest." "It's not so much an invitation as a charge. Cao Shuang didn't resist, stood at the door with his back to Zhang Qi and said, "I also hope that the master of Zhang Zhai will think twice, except for the road pointed out by this son, you have no way to choose." ”

Zhang Qi sat in the hall in a daze, looking at Cao Shuang's distant back.