Xuchang. Late at night. It's silent. Occasionally, a few jackdaws chirped, taking advantage of the cold moonlight, to accompany the endless hustle and bustle of the big man in this day, adding a bit of gloom.

On the cold street, a group of soldiers dressed in thick armor jackets, holding a wooden handle with the thickness of a child's arm, stamped under the high wall of the Xiuwen Workshop listlessly, and glanced at the dim light from the window cracks, as if they could feel the warm heat wave and the faint laughter of the human voice, and then retracted their gaze with difficulty, and kept up with the pace of the comrades in front of them, muttering something in a low voice.

"Boss, I know this family! That day, when we waited with the lord to welcome back the Son of Heaven from Chang'an, the Rausch Zi who nodded behind us served the imperial history, for a blanket to cover the wind, and I couldn't wait to call Grandpa's share when I saw us! But you see, now, tsk, people can live in big houses, but we don't even have a place to shelter from the wind! I don't know what the lord thinks, what are you doing with these boneless rice worms for no reason? ”

"Silence! I said Wang Ergou, if you want to die, don't pull these old brothers, I will wait for the soldiers to eat food, and the lord will reward me for waiting for a full bite to eat, and give me a chance to fight for my life, and I will be very content. Don't you dare to slander the lord's dissatisfaction! ”

"Who slanders...... That's not enough to be a lord! The soldier who spoke before hurriedly clarified: "I just don't understand, these people are not grateful to the lord for saving them from the sea of fire, and they always change flowers to make trouble for the lord, why does the lord treat these people so kindly." Some of the substitutes are just not worth it, don't talk nonsense. ”

"Just you! Is it worth it to replace the lord? Pull it down! The others let out a low laugh when they heard the soldier's words. Just now, the man said: "I think it's just the bottom of your Wang Ergou's intestines, how can the lord seem to be with you?" Have you forgotten the bloodbath in the city last time? Let's look at it, don't look at these people who are very jubilant now, that is, the lord has not yet freed his hand, and these people have little ability except to move their mouths, so they have been left by the lord until now. But if there is anything out of the ordinary, and there will be a day when they will suffer! ”

"That's it! Wang Ergou. You were young at the time and didn't know. In the past, when the emperor was the emperor, he had to execute people in the autumn. You also need good wine and meat to serve a meal, not to mention these people! ”

"Okay, do you think you are the mastermind under the lord's command, so you know the lord's mind? Do you still want to ask our brothers to recommend you to Shangguan? Bah! For now, we should hurry up and finish the inspection of this area. Warm up a glass of hot wine in the patrol room. A little more squinting is the right thing to do. ”

"Yes to ......"

At this moment, the soldiers on the night patrol did not have too many scruples about chatting in private, and this was an extremely ordinary winter night. As in the past, under the night, there were the dissolute wrecks of high-ranking officials and dignitaries in the palace, and in the cold wind, there were the envy and complaints of the soldiers on duty outside the wall, and neither could see the other's way of existence, but it was not mixed with any political choices. Just like the current situation in Xuchang, it seems that there are many contradictions and cannot be reconciled. But at least on the surface, they keep each other safe and quiet, and they keep their own ways, which makes it difficult for people to figure out the mystery in it.

"My lord, this is the change in Hebei sent by Mr. Zhongde from Puyang, do you want to see it today or stay tomorrow?" In the west of Xuchang City, in the mansion of the general of Xiaocai, Cao Cao, who was only dressed in small clothes, stretched his arm that had been lying on the desk for a long time, picked up the bamboo clip and dialed the charcoal basin beside him, and yawned. Seeing that Cao Cao raised his head, the attendant in the palace carefully held the bundle of bamboo slips in his hand, took a few steps forward, and asked respectfully.

"Hebei?" Cao Cao was shaking his head from side to side, with the crunching sound of his neck, as if he was a lot more comfortable, when he heard what the chamberlain said, he was stunned, and immediately twitched the corner of his mouth, snorted lightly, and motioned for the chamberlain to put the file on the desk, but he didn't look at it again, closed his eyes and asked, "Which general is on duty in Xuchang today?" What is the situation in the palace? ”

"Back to my lord, today is General Cao Xiu on duty, and General Xu Huang patrolling the city! There is news from the palace, and there is nothing abnormal, but ......" seems to have long been accustomed to Cao Cao's jumping thinking, the waiter did not show timidity on his face, and answered Cao Cao's questions step by step, only when talking about the affairs in the palace, he hesitated slightly, and said: "I just heard that the relationship between Dong Guiren and the Son of Heaven has been estranged in recent days." Several summons by the Son of Heaven, Dong Guiren resigned on the grounds that he was unwell. made the Son of Heaven so unhappy that even the request of his uncle Dong Cheng to see him a few days ago took a full hour before he was allowed to meet him. ”

"Huh?! Ha ha! And such things? The Son of Heaven seems to have grown up! Cao Cao was also stunned when he heard this, and then showed a bit of a "personality" smile that belonged to his boss Cao, praised it quite playfully, and continued to ask: "That's all?" By the way, has there been any movement in the Mijia firm that blatantly spied on Xuchang's intelligence for a certain ally? And the last time you said that when a certain class teacher returned to the court, there were suspicious characters who tried to contact the Mijia firm, did you have eyebrows at this time? ”

"Back to the lord, there are some eyebrows!" The chamberlain replied with a respectful face: "There are two groups of suspicious people who have been in contact with the Mi family trading house a month ago. After investigation, it has been preliminarily determined that one of his identities is a subordinate official of Qingzhou, and he has not come to Xuchang in the name of presenting a New Year's Day greeting table to the Son of Heaven, and has not hidden to Xuchang. ”

"Oh?! It's Ziyuan! Scold! Speaking of which, this person is still an old friend, hmm! With Ziyuan's wisdom and good argumentation, organic knowledge and flexibility but not broad-minded people as foreign affairs envoys, this person who employs people is quite aware of Ziyuan's ability! Cao Cao and Xu You are old acquaintances, this is not a secret thing, this chamberlain said Xu Yu first, and because of this, Cao Cao nodded after hearing this, the corners of his mouth showed a little smile, glanced at the chamberlain who knew his mind quite well, and said: "You have made a note, post tomorrow, please come to the house to meet." Remember, yes please! Let's just say that I only talk about old friends, so that Ziyuan doesn't have to be suspicious. Okay, let's talk about the other group of people. ”

"No!" The waiter was cold for no reason when he was looked at by Cao Cao's seemingly casual gaze, and he didn't know what he said wrong, and a trace of cold sweat unconsciously appeared on his forehead, but he still responded stubbornly, and continued: "There are also two people whose actions are also very suspicious. The two of them were requisitioned at the city gate, but they did not entangle themselves like ordinary people, and then went straight to the Mi family trading house, but for some reason did not have any contact with the people in it. Originally, we didn't care, but then the two of them turned around and went to the mansion of Uncle Dong Cheng, and then Uncle Dong released the news that distant relatives came to vote and placed the two in the mansion. ”

"To see Dong Cheng? Did these two people go out in Dong Cheng's mansion? Cao Cao originally recounted some seemingly unwanted news in this chamberlain, and his face was already a little impatient, but when he heard this, he didn't know what to think, his eyes narrowed, and he asked in a condensed voice.

"The subordinates are incompetent, and when they found out that the identities of these two people were suspicious, the two of them had already lived in Uncle Dong's mansion, so ......" The chamberlain cautiously looked at Cao Cao, who was squinting and didn't know what he was thinking, and continued softly: "However, when Uncle Dong lived in the mansion, he asked to see the Son of Heaven several times, although it was not unusual, but according to the news of the palace guards, the servants around Uncle Dong and the attendants who led the way seemed to be fresh faces, and they seemed to be ......."

"Humph! What else does it seem? These two people must be the so-called fresh-faced Dong Cheng's entourage and chamberlain, is it hard to guess? Cao Cao said coldly.

"Yes! Be! The villain is incompetent! I hope the Lord will punish him! Greeted by Cao Cao's cold drink, the chamberlain knelt on the ground, touched the ground with his head, and trembled like chaff, as if he had encountered something extremely frightening, and said in a trembling voice.

"Huh! You have been serving for three or four years, and you want to do things with your heart and mind, but this is just a mistake, you don't have to be like this! Seeing this waiter like this, the coldness in Cao Cao's eyes flashed, but the frost just now was removed from his face, and he put on a gentle smile, and said slowly: "So-and-so is just a guess." Before the Son of Heaven suddenly issued an edict to reward the heir of the deceased old friend Ben Chu, it seems that when you said that these two people may meet the Son of Heaven, you have doubts, not to blame you, you don't have to worry, do things with your heart, there will be a good reward. Stand down, come and see you! ”

"No! Promise! Thank you for your kindness! Secretly glancing at Cao Cao, who had a warm face, the chamberlain took a long breath, kowtowed a few times before standing up in fear and bowing away. But he didn't see that at the moment when he turned around, Cao Cao's face suddenly turned cold and his mouth whispered: "I can guess what I think in my heart, and I know how to think about the importance of retribution to protect myself, I am really a talent!" There is also Dong Cheng, Uncle Dong Guo, a certain person is not as knowledgeable as you, so that you can be the head of your hundred officials with peace of mind, but I didn't expect you to be so unappreciative, is it true that Cao Mou has no knife in his hands, or do you think that Cao Mou does not dare to embarrass your uncle! ”

"Lord, the last general Cao Xiu, please see me!" Not long after the attendant left, a clear voice came to the door with a clear voice, covered in armor.

"Well, my family is here!" Seeing that the person who came to the door, but did not come in, but untied the knife and put it on the side of the door, and greeted him outside the door, Cao Cao nodded with satisfaction, got up in his clothes, and greeted with a smile: "There is a Wenlie guard, I only sleep sweetly this night!" ”

"The lord praises falsely, this is just the duty of a certain person, and I dare not take the lord's praise like this!" A flash of excitement flashed in Cao Xiu's eyes, but his face was not moved by Cao Cao's praise, and he still said seriously.

"Hmm! Very good! Wen Lie has always been cautious and humble, abides by his duties, has the style of a general, and knows a certain truth. This time, I intend to order you to temporarily exchange with your son, be on duty for two months, and find out one thing for so-and-so, are you willing!? Cao Cao also did not follow his own family, because of the sentence "There can be no flood in the world, there can be no justice", and he was too polite to Cao Cao's late son of Cao Hong, who had the grace to save his life, and commanded.

"But by the order of the Lord! Hugh will live up to his trust! Cao Xiu replied in a loud voice. (To be continued......)