When he came out of Cao Bao's house, the time was already more than half of the second watch of the night, seeing that it was getting late, Tao Ying, who was tired and a little drunk, gave up the plan to go to the city wall to assist Tao Ji to inspect the city defense, and took a few entourages who could not be called all names, and returned to his home with a yawn.

As soon as he entered the gate, Tao Ying suddenly stopped by himself, when Tao Ying took a closer look, he saw that this person was in his forties and had a clear appearance, it was his cheap father Tao Qian's number one close to the body and mind and the former lieutenant of Danyang Township Tent Cao Hong, Tao Ying was about to bow his hand, Cao Hong stopped him, and said in a low voice: "The son doesn't have to be polite, it is the lord who asked the last general to wait for you here, and after the lord asks you to go back to the house, immediately go to the back hall to see him." ”

"Father hasn't rested yet? He had just recovered from his illness, so why didn't General Zeping persuade his father to rest earlier? Tao Ying asked in surprise.

"I persuaded it, but the lord didn't listen, saying that he must wait for you to come back." Cao Hong replied in a low voice, and urged: "Son, let's go to see the lord earlier, it's almost the third watch." ”

Tao Ying guessed that Tao Qian would still be waiting for him, and there must be something important, so Tao Ying didn't say anything, followed Cao Hong directly into the back hall, and came to Tao Qian's bedroom.

Tao Qian's bedroom was full of medicinal smells, only an oil lamp was lit, Tao Qian sat cross-legged on the bed, there were only two handmaidens by his side, and the pottery merchant who often accompanied Tao Qian was nowhere to be seen, apparently he had gone back to the room to rest. Seeing Tao Ying come in to salute, Tao Qian, who had been waiting for a long time, showed a smile, and did not let Tao Ying, who was kneeling in front of him, get up, and instructed the two maids and Cao Hong: "You go out first, I want to talk to my son alone, Zeping, you stay in front of the door, don't let others approach." ”

Cao Hong and the maid agreed, bowed down and exited the bedroom together, and gently closed the door outside the door, Tao Qian coughed twice, and then instructed Tao Ying: "Mingwu, get up, come here, and beat your father's back." ”

Tao Ying agreed, got up and sat next to Tao Qian, and while carefully beating Tao Qian's back, he said apologetically: "Father forgives the sin, the child really doesn't know that the father is still waiting for the child, otherwise, the child would have come back long ago." Also, it's so late, and my father is frail and sickly, why don't you rest earlier? ”

"Don't get in the way, Cao Bing has retired, and his father's illness will be healed for the most part." Tao Qian coughed and shook his head, then asked with a smile: "Cao Bao invited Wu'er to his home for a banquet, what is the matter?" ”

"It's not a big deal, it's just that we talked about what happened in Xuzhou for a while." Tao Ying replied truthfully: "Also, General Cao Bao planned to marry his daughter to the child, but the child refused. ”

"Cao Bao wants to promise her daughter to you? It's really his person. Tao Qian smiled dumbly, and immediately understood Cao Bao's intentions, and then Tao Qian smiled again and asked: "Since Cao Bao intends to give my beloved daughter to my son, why did my son refuse?" Cao Bao's daughter has seen her father once, and she is not bad, worthy of my son. ”

"Cao Bao's daughter is also called good? Could it be that the aesthetics of the Three Kingdoms period was based on dinosaurs? Tao Ying's whole body was cold, and he hurriedly said: "Don't blame the father, the child thinks that General Cao Bao's identity is special, and if the child marries General Cao Bao at this time, he is afraid that it will cause misunderstanding among those who are interested, so the child has to refuse." ”

Tao Qian squinted at Tao Ying, Tao Ying lowered his head a little weakly, not daring to look directly at Tao Qian's eyes, and even more afraid that Tao Qian's brain would convuls, and he would marry back the Cao family dinosaur for himself. And Tao Qian stared at Tao Ying for a moment, then suddenly smiled slightly, and said: "Wu'er has grown up, and I think about it for a long time, yes, at this time, it is easy for people to misunderstand when you marry Cao Bao." Maybe there will be people muttering, saying that it is for the father's inconsistent words and deeds, saying that he will let Xuzhou go, but in private he will pave the way for his son. ”

Tao Ying smiled shyly, lowered his head, but muttered secretly in his heart, "Everyone says that my cheap father is loyal and honest, gentle and pure, but I don't think so." ”

"Mingwu, you tell your father the truth, if your father really gives Xuzhou to Liu Bei, are you willing?" Tao Qian asked again.

Tao Ying raised his head and replied with a very respectful expression: "If the father really gives Xuzhou to Xuande Gong, the child will naturally not be satisfied in his heart, this is human nature, and the child does not dare to lie to his father." But if the father confirms that the elder brother and the child are not qualified to inherit Xuzhou, for the long-term peace and stability of Xuzhou, life and death, he is determined to give Xuzhou to Xuande Gong, and the child can only obey the order. ”

Tao Qian nodded slightly, very satisfied with Tao Ying's answer, and then Tao Qian asked again: "That being the case, when Liu Bei entered the city, why did my son preemptively propose to give Xuzhou to Liu Bei before becoming his father?" ”

"At that time, the father had taken out the Xuzhou Mu's seal, and the child guessed his father's intentions, so he echoed his father." Tao Ying replied without blinking: "It's just that the child moved faster, and he grabbed in front of his father if he didn't want to." ”

"Seeing the subtlety, Ying'er, you really impressed your father." Tao Qian smiled and asked again: "Then Ying'er, can you guess why my father gave Xuzhou to Liu Bei?" ”

"Father......." Tao Ying wanted to answer truthfully, but after thinking about it, he felt that if his honest child changed too quickly and too much, he was afraid that it would make Tao Qian suspicious, so Tao Ying immediately changed his words and said: "Father forgives sins, the child does not dare to speculate on his father's intentions, so the child does not know." ”

"It's okay, it's okay to say something wrong, let's hear it." Tao Qian encouraged.

"Father forgives, sage cloud: the son does not say anything about the father." Tao Ying replied slyly: "So the child doesn't dare to say it." ”

Tao Qian laughed, patted Tao Ying's shoulder and said with a smile: "Wu'er has really grown too much, okay, you don't want to say it, and you can't force it to be a father." ”

After laughing, Tao Qian stared at Tao Ying again and asked: "Good boy, what are your plans to go to Cao Ying to deliver the letter, the father also understands, but what the father does not understand is that with your shrewdness, Liu Bei's provocation against the Cao thief in Liu Bei's letter should not be hidden from your eyes, why does the child go deep into Cao Ying to deliver the letter?" I'm not afraid that Cao Ying will harm you under the wrath? ”

This time, Tao Ying was also completely impressed by Tao Qian, because Tao Ying had already heard it, Tao Qian not only guessed his and Liu Bei's intention to snatch the hearts of the people of Xuzhou, but also guessed that he would definitely be able to see Liu Bei's sinister intentions. Secretly surprised, Tao Ying said nonsense: "Back to my father, the child thinks so, Liu Bei and Cao Ying are both male among the people, Liu Bei's shallow tricks must not be hidden from the eyes of the Cao thief, and the Cao thief will definitely not be fooled, so the child rushed to Cao Ying alone to deliver the letter, which seems dangerous, but in fact it is as stable as Mount Tai." ”

"Then how did your identity be discovered by the Cao thief?" Tao Qian asked: "Also, why did Cao Thief set up a fake oil pot with Jianghu tricks to help Wu'er win the hearts of the people of Xuzhou?" ”

"How the child's identity was discovered by the Cao thief, please be relieved by the father, the child has his own disposal, but now is not the time to dispose of it." Tao Ying rarely answered a heartfelt word, and then Tao Ying smiled and said: "As for Cao Thief setting up a fake oil pot, it may be that Cao Thief thinks that the child should be easier to deal with than the big-eared thief." ”

"Big-eared thief? Wu'er is really good at scolding. Tao Qian laughed, not only was he not disgusted with his son's honey-bellied sword, but he also admired it very much - it can be seen that Tao Qian was indeed not a good father.

After laughing, Tao Qian put away his smile, changed his serious face, and reprimanded Tao Ying: "Mingwu, although you let your father impress you, but you are still too impulsive and too inconsiderate, and you go deep into Cao Ying as you, how can the young people in Xuzhou City miss this opportunity to hit Danyang Tao hard?" Thou hast left the city without taking this into account, and thou hast been unwise! ”

"The father's lesson is that the child should keep it in mind and will definitely change in the future." Tao Ying also discovered this small flaw in his plan afterwards, which would be reprimanded by Tao Qian again, Tao Ying secretly congratulated himself on his luck, but he had to honestly admit his mistake.

"Just remember, life is more important than anything else, keep your surname, and you will have a chance to start all over again." Tao Qian taught another lesson, and then smiled again: "But my son's luck is good, my father has just received the news, Lu Bu sent troops to attack Yanzhou, Cao Thief was forced to retreat, you are thanks to the blessing of Lu Wenhou, and you are lucky to return to your father." ”

"Lu Bu sent troops to attack Yanzhou? Is it any wonder that Cao thief is in a hurry to retreat? Tao Ying's face was full of surprise at first, and then patted his chest and rejoiced: "The child is really lucky, if it weren't for Cao Thief who happened to receive this news, the child really wouldn't have had the opportunity to fulfill his filial piety under his father's knees." ”

Tao Qian smiled again, closed his eyes and pondered for a long time, Tao Qian asked again: "Ying'er, next, how can you think about how to go?" ”

"The child wants to join the military profession and lead the troops for his father." Tao Ying replied truthfully.

Tao Qian nodded slowly, and asked Tao Ying again: "Since Wu'er intends to lead the army, why did Cao Bao take the initiative to propose to Wu'er, and Wu'er refused?" Without Cao Bao's support, it would be difficult for Wu'er to gain a foothold in the Xuzhou army. ”

"If I say yes, I'll have to suffer every night from now on." Tao Ying muttered in his heart, and replied respectfully: "Back to my father, it's still the same sentence, the child is married to Cao Bao at this time, but he is afraid that he will startle the snake, but it is not beautiful." And the child didn't want to serve under Cao Bao, the child was bold and wanted to ask his father to allocate an army alone and let the child lead the army alone. ”

Tao Qian glanced at Tao Ying, and said with some dissatisfaction: "Ying'er, my father just praised you a few words, why are you stupid again?" In the first battle of Surabaya, the Xuzhou army was greatly damaged, and there were only six or seven thousand people left. Moreover, in addition to the Xuzhou army led by Cao Hong, the rest are Cao Bao's subordinates, you first rejected Cao Bao's marriage, and assigned Cao Bao's soldiers to you for his father, what does Cao Bao think? ”

"It doesn't matter." Tao Ying replied confidently: "The child doesn't want Cao Bao's soldiers, the child only asks his father to allow the child to recruit troops and horses, and form an army on his own, and the child doesn't need too many soldiers, 800 cavalry is enough." ”

"Eight hundred cavalry?" Tao Qian suspected that his stupid son was making a fool again, and asked in surprise: "Eight hundred cavalry, what can you do?" ”

"Soldiers are expensive, not much." Tao Ying replied calmly: "Xuzhou after the Cao thief rebellion, the government and the people are already greatly injured, manpower and material resources are very thin, if the child suddenly forms a large number of new troops, not only the father's financial resources are difficult to support, Xuzhou people can not recruit so many soldiers, so after careful calculation, the child feels that the new recruitment of 800 cavalry is enough." ”

"But eight hundred cavalry, isn't it too little?" Tao Qian also felt sorry for his son, and took the initiative to ask: "If you don't make more moves, how about riding two thousand steps?" ”

"The child doesn't want infantry for the time being, he just wants to build an invincible elite cavalry for his father." Tao Ying smiled and said: "Besides, if the child recruits too many soldiers, some people may be unable to hold their breath." ”

Tao Qian found that he couldn't understand this son at all, and said that this son was stupid, there was a little bit of stupidity in his words and deeds in the past few days? It's almost as cunning as a thousand-year-old fox! But if you want to say that this son is not stupid, why should this son take the initiative to refuse to marry Cao Bao and win the support of the chief general of Xuzhou? It was also proposed to recruit only 800 cavalry as descendants, what use can 800 soldiers do?

"Father, the child still has words first." Tao Ying smiled and added, "Although the child only plans to recruit 800 cavalry, it may cost more money and food to train and arm these 800 cavalry than to equip 3,000 or even 5,000 cavalry. ”

Tao Qian stared at his son for another moment, and finally nodded slowly, and said lightly: "Then let you give it a try, I hope that Wu'er can bring me some surprises this time." ”

"Son, thank you, father." Tao Ying was overjoyed and thanked.

"What kind of official position did you give your father?" Tao Qian pondered for a moment, and quickly said: "Just order the military Sima, one level lower than Cao Bao and Zang Ba, you are my son, you have just joined the army, I can't raise you too high." ”

"Thank you, father." Tao Ying replied nonchalantly: "The child doesn't care about the size of the official position, the child just wants to be able to train the army alone and command this new army alone, and he doesn't want outsiders to interfere." ”

"Then you are directly commanded by your father, and you don't listen to Cao Bao's command." Of course, Tao Qian was not afraid of his son's rebellion, and ordered: "Your official position will be officially appointed in a few days, and the cost of recruiting soldiers and horses and forming a new army, you go to Cao Hong to discuss, and your father will let him fully assist you." ”

Tao Ying was overjoyed to agree, Tao Qian took his son's hand again, opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but he couldn't help himself, and after hesitating for a long time, Tao Qian finally said a meaningful word, "Ying'er, your brother is cowardly and loyal, embarrassed and embarrassed, you can count on you as a father, don't let your father down." ”

Tao Ying put away his smile and nodded solemnly.