Hearing that it was not Cao Shuo who came back, Cao Pi was a lot more relieved. He said to Wu Qian: "Cao Chong is just a child, what are you paying attention to him?" ”

"It's nothing if it's just an elephant." Wu Zhen said: "Gong Cao also said in front of everyone that if the Cao family is handed over to him in the future, he will definitely be able to rest assured. Cao Pi was stunned for a moment, his brows furrowed slightly, and he asked Wu, "Are you sure the news is reliable?" ”

"It's the people who stayed in Yecheng who Gongzi reciprocated, and it can't be faked." Wu Zhen said: "If this is the case, the son has to be very careful." ”

"The eldest brother went to Yizhou, I thought I could stop a lot." Cao Pi said: "I didn't expect that there will be another Cao Chong now." ”

"What are Childe's plans?" Wu asked.

"Let the people who stay in Yecheng find out the situation." Cao Pi said: "Let's see if my father will say the same thing in the future, if my father still says it in the future, I really have to pay more attention." While the two were talking, one of Cao Pi's guards came over.

He said to Cao Pi: "Qiyu Gongzi, Cao Gong sent a messenger to order Gongzi to immediately lead an army to attack Hanzhong and Yizhou. After glancing at each other, Cao Pi said to the guard, "Tell the messenger that I already know." The guards stepped aside.

Cao Pi asked Wu: "My father asked me to attack Hanzhong and Yizhou at this time, what do you think is going on?" ”

"Two possibilities." Wu Zhen said: "First, Cao Gong plans to let the son make more military achievements, so as to replace the eldest son in the future. The second is to divide the son like the eldest son. With his brows furrowed, Cao Pi asked, "Father wants to break me apart?" ”

"It's possible." Wu Zhen said: "After all, Cao Gong said that he has the intention to let Gongzi Chong take over the Cao family." ”

"If that's the case, wouldn't it be pointless for me to fight with my eldest brother?" Cao Pi asked.

"Gongzi still relies on Cao Gong and leads the troops to fight Hanzhong first." Wu Zhen thought for a while and said: "If you can win Hanzhong, it will also be a great contribution to the son." ”

"Rely on you." Cao Pi said: "Command the army, Keri will go on the expedition." Two months later, Cao Shuo, who was already in Zhuya Prefecture, received news from Cui Zhouping, who had come to take over, that Cao Cao had the intention of handing over the Cao family to Cao Chong and Cao Pi and had led his army to Hanzhong.

On the coast, Cao Shuo looked into the distance. Cao Chang and Cui Zhouping stood behind him.

"Childe, Gong Cao said that he wanted to hand over the Cao family to Gongzi Chong, aren't you worried at all?" Cui Zhouping asked.

"Cao Chong is just a yellow-mouthed child, I really don't know what my father thinks." Cao Zhang said with annoyance: "Such words are also said casually? ”

"I'm not worried about whether Cao Chong will take over the Cao family." Cao Shuo said: "Actually, what I'm really worried about is his safety. Cui Zhouping and Cao Zhang were stunned.

Cao Zhang asked: "Eldest brother, if my father said such a thing, he must have already thought about it, the entire Cao family, who else is more qualified to succeed his father than the eldest brother?" ”

"Don't talk nonsense." Cao Shuo smiled slightly and said to Cao Zhang: "You can't be stable just by listening to what your father says, but you haven't thought about what Cao Chong will face after your father says this?" He's a kid who hasn't even reached the age of ten. ”

"What else does he get?" Cao Zhang said: "It must be all kinds of pampering, and I don't know how to rejoice." ”

"You forgot Zihuan." Cao Shuo said: "With Zihuan here, can you still make him happy?" Cao Zhang and Cui Zhouping were stunned.

Cui Zhouping said: "The son is the son of the Cao family, and the second son should not hedge against the son before bringing down the son."

"Not necessarily." Cao Shuo said: "For Zihuan, anyone who is likely to inherit the Cao family is a thorn in his eye, and he can remove one of them. I have soldiers under my command and power in my hands, and it is not difficult for him to pull me out. But Cao Chong has nothing, if he doesn't take advantage of the fact that he is still an adult, he will be removed first, how can Zihuan feel at ease? Cui Zhouping and Cao Zhang glanced at each other.

Cao Zhang sighed and said: "I have known that the second brother is a human being for a long time, and when he returns from Hanzhong, I don't know how he will show his merits in front of his father." Taking advantage of this opportunity to get rid of Cao Chong is indeed something he can do. ”

"Do you think he can defeat Hanzhong Zhang Lu?" Cao Shuo smiled slightly, turned back to Cao Zhang, and asked.

"If it's the eldest brother, what are the chances of winning?" Cao Zhang did not answer, but asked rhetorically.

"Ten percent." Cao Shuo said: "I have studied Zhang Lu for a long time, and I have also studied the terrain of Hanzhong, and it is not a particularly difficult thing for me to get rid of Zhang Lu. ”

"If the eldest brother has a 10% chance of winning, the second brother has 50% to say the least." Cao Zhang said: "Although he is better than the eldest brother, he is not incompetent. ”

"Of course I know he's got it." Cao Shuo said: "It's just that he will definitely be defeated in this crusade against Hanzhong." ”

"Why?" Cao Zhang asked puzzled.

"The reason is simple." Cao Shuo said: "Not because of anything else, just because he doesn't know anything about Hanzhong." If you rush to send troops without knowing anything about a place, what do you think he will have a chance of winning? Cao Zhang didn't say anything more, his brows furrowed slightly, as if he was thinking about something.

"You don't have to think about anything." Cao Shuo patted him on the shoulder and asked him, "Since you landed in Yizhou, you have also fought some battles with the natives, how do you feel about the improvement of martial arts recently?" ”

"Martial arts are still successful." Cao Zhang said: "When I followed my eldest brother to Yizhou, I only fought once, and when I came to Zhuyazhou, I only fought two or three battles. The important thing is not whether to fight or not, but that these few fights are one-sided, and those natives have no chance to counterattack at all, so I don't get upset when I fight. ”

"It's only when a one-sided battle is fought." Cao Shuo said with a smile: "If we want to fight a big battle, we have to return to the Central Plains." He then asked Cui Zhouping: "What do you think about transferring you to Zhuyazhou?" ”

"I don't have any ideas." Cui Zhouping said: "It's the same everywhere, but Zhuyazhou is desolate, and it will take a short time to build a city here and develop it like the Central Plains." ”

"Although Yizhou and Zhuya are not big, they are very important to us." Cao Shuo said: "Nowadays, navigation is not very developed, and I can't see the importance of these two places. In the future, when there are more ships at sea, and maritime trade will also develop, this will be our outlet to the sea. Without access to the sea, we will be as if we have been choked by the throat. ”

"Although I still can't see the importance of Zhuyazhou, what Gongzi said must be reasonable." Cui Zhouping replied: "I will follow the instructions of the son and build Zhuyazhou." ”