Cao Shuo entered the study, and Cao Cao was still reading.

From Cao Cao's posture of holding the book, Cao Shuo could already see that his mind was not on the book.

"Knock on my father." Bowing down and making a big salute, Cao Shuo greeted.

"Why did you remember to go back to Yecheng?" Cao Cao finally put down the book, stared at Cao Shuo and asked.

"Since the capture of Liaodong and Samhan, there is nothing to do recently." Cao Shuo replied: "I heard that Ma Chao and Han Sui were making trouble in Xiliang, so I came to ask my father what he planned to do. ”

"What else can I do besides crusade?" Cao Cao said: "Can't you wait for them to come and beat me? ”

"Did my father think there was something strange in this?" Cao Shuo asked again.

"What's the problem?" Cao Cao said: "Ma Chao's wolf ambition and attempt to subvert the Han Dynasty, I don't see anything strange from it. ”

"Ma Teng is watching in Yecheng, if my father stands in Ma Chao's position, will he be an enemy of the Cao family?" Cao Shuo asked.

Cao Cao thought for a moment and said to Cao Shuo: "If I were him, I would never do such a thing." ”

"Does my father think Ma Chao is a stupid person?" Cao Shuo said: "You must know that the Xiliang Ma family and Han Sui have a deep blood feud. Now that they can form an alliance, there must be someone in them to mediate. ”

"You mean there's a mastermind behind Ma Chao?" Cao Cao frowned.

"It may be a bit too much to say that the mastermind is the master." Cao Shuo replied: "But someone must have instigated it, otherwise Ma Chao would not have done such a thing anyway." ”

"Can someone encourage him to do this?" Cao Cao said: "In this case, I have to kill Ma Teng." It's good for Ma Chao to see that it was the person who instigated him to do these things that killed his father and brother. ”

"Father was right." Cao Shuo immediately agreed.

Cao Cao was surprised and asked, "Do you agree?" ”

"Of course I agree." Cao Shuo said: "But my father seems to have ignored a problem. ”

"What was overlooked?" Cao Cao asked.

"My father killed Ma Teng and went out of Xiliang again, where will Ma Chao go if he has no way out?" Cao Shuo said: "Compared with the people who instigated him and Han Sui, is the grudge between my father and Ma Chao deeper? ”

After staring at Cao Shuo for a long time, Cao Cao asked, "What do you mean by this?" ”

"I think it's better to kill Ma Teng than to let him live." Cao Shuo said: "Ma Teng's life does not pose any threat to his father, but can make Ma Chao throw a mouse. I will send someone to see Ma Chao and find out the situation clearly. As long as you can expose the people who are secretly doing ghosts, why worry about Ma Chao not being a vassal to the Cao family? ”

"You seem to have some truth in what you say." Cao Cao nodded, but then said: "But I don't kill Ma Teng, I always feel that there is a stalk in my heart that has not been dissolved." ”

"Father just thinks about how much good Ma Teng can bring us." Cao Shuo said: "The conquest of the world is for more people to join the Cao family, rather than just trying to kill a few people for a while. ”

Cao Cao had long wanted to kill Ma Teng, but fortunately, Xun Yu had persuaded him before.

When Cao Shuo came back this time, he also thought that it must be for Ma Teng.

had already made a plan, no matter what Cao Shuo said, he would refuse.

But Cao Shuo didn't say much, just said a few words lightly, which made him waver.

Looking at Cao Cao, Cao Shuo didn't continue.

He knew that Cao Cao was pondering what to do at this time, and it didn't do any good to say more.

"Do you really think I should let Ma Teng go?" Looking at Cao Shuo, Cao Cao asked.

"Nope." Cao Shuo said: "I don't think my father should let him go. ”

"I can't let it go, I can't kill it, what should I do?" Cao Cao asked with a frown.

"Neither let go nor kill." Cao Shuo said: "Let him write a letter to Ma Chao in the past, and the father will always have a position when he questions his son." Father can also take advantage of this opportunity to send a few clever people to Xiliang to secretly find out who is doing it. ”

Cao Cao nodded, and then asked Cao Shuo: "I asked Ma Teng to write a letter to Ma Chao, will he agree?" ”

"If it was my father's go, he would definitely agree." Cao Shuo said: "It's just that in that case, my father will be three points shorter than others." first wants to kill and then stay, and has to beg him to write a letter to Ma Chao, isn't it gossiping? ”

"What should I do with you?" Cao Cao asked.

"I'll go see him." Cao Shuo said: "Speaking of which, he is also my father-in-law, and it should not be difficult to ask him to write a letter." ”

"Then you go." Cao Cao said: "If he refuses, I will not allow him." ”

"Father, rest assured." Cao Shuo said: "I'll persuade him, there may be some successes, although I am not as prestigious as my father, after all, I can also play a fake tiger." ”

"I don't see the power of the fox and the fake tiger, but the kung fu of slapping sycophants is getting better." Cao Cao smiled and waved his hand: "Go quickly, no matter what the result is, just give me a reply." ”

Cao Shuo retreated and left Cao Cao's study.

In a hurry to see Ma Teng, he didn't have time to say hello to Ding Yao first, so he left Cao's house and went directly to Yecheng Prison.

Few of the Cao Jun guarding the prison did not know Cao Shuo.

When they saw him coming, they immediately reported it to the commander.

The commander in charge of the prison greeted him and bowed to Cao Shuo: "Dare to ask Gongzi, how do you have the leisure to come here?" ”

"Where is Ma Teng locked up?" Cao Shuo asked.

"On death row." The Commander replied.

"Take me to see it." Cao Shuo waved his hand.

He wanted to ask him for a warrant, but the commander didn't dare, so he had to lead him into prison.

Death row is darker than ordinary cells, and there is no sunlight all year round, and the only light is the sunlight that comes through a few small square openings in the walls.

The cage was mostly empty, and by the faint light, Cao Shuo saw that there seemed to be a person in the cage in the corner.

The man was curled up on a haystack, and he didn't move when someone came in.

"Childe, Ma Teng is over there." Following behind Cao Shuo, the prison commander pointed to the cage in the corner and said to him.

"Stand down." Cao Shuo commanded.

Not daring to disobey him, the commander beckoned a few guards and retreated.

Only Deng Zhan and Zhu Ao were left by Cao Shuo's side.

Coming to the cage, Cao Shuo held on to the wooden fence and called, "General Ma! ”

Ma Teng, who was lying on the grass, heard someone greet him, and the voice was very familiar, and he turned his head slowly.

It's been a few days since he was locked up here, and Ma Teng's eyes have long since adapted to the darkness.

Cao Shuo couldn't see his face clearly, but he could see Cao Shuo clearly.

Seeing that it was Cao Shuo standing outside the cage, Ma Teng turned over and crawled up.

Walking two steps quickly to the edge of the cage, he grabbed the fence and asked Cao Shuo, "Childe, why are you here?" ”

(End of chapter)