Cao Cao sat for a long time, and suddenly heard the sound of sharpening knives behind the village.

Cao Cao said: "Lu Boyao is not my closest relative, this relationship is worthy of my suspicion, I have to eavesdrop." ”

Cao Cao secretly walked into the back of the cottage, only to hear someone say: "Tie him up and kill him, how about it?" “

Cao Cao said: "If you don't strike first, you will definitely be captured." ”

So he drew his sword and went straight forward, killing both men and women, and killing eight people in a row. When I found the kitchen, I saw a pig tied up and wanted to kill it.

Cao Cao said: "Oh no, it's me who was too careful and killed a good person by mistake!" ”

Hurriedly left the village and got on the horse. After walking less than two miles, I saw two bottles of wine hanging in front of the saddle of Bo Lu's donkey, coming with fruits and vegetables in his hand, and shouted, "Why is the virtuous nephew leaving?" “

Cao Cao said: "Those who are convicted do not dare to stay for a long time. “

Lu Boyao said: "I have assigned my family to slaughter a pig for hospitality, you can stay for one night, please transfer to ride." Cao Cao had to turn back and ride a horse.

After walking a few steps, he suddenly drew his sword and shouted, "Who is here this time?" “

When Lu Bohao looked back, Cao Cao commanded the sword to cut Bohao under the donkey.

Cao Cao said: "Uncle, when you get home, many people have been killed, how can you take a break?" If you lead your people to pursue me, I will surely suffer them. Cao Cao sighed and continued: "Rather teach me to bear the world, and stop teaching the world to bear me." ”

Cao Cao arrived overnight and rushed to Chenliu, and soon saw his father, and talked carefully about the past, wanting to scatter all his family wealth and recruit volunteers.

Cao Cao's father said: "With little money, I am worried about unsuccess. There is filial piety and honesty here, squandering wealth and righteousness, and it is a rich man; If help is obtained, things can be worked out. “

Cao Cao set up a banquet and invited Wei Hong to his home, saying: "Now there is no lord in the Han Dynasty, Dong Zhuo is autocratic, deceiving the king and harming the people, and the world hates it." Cao Cao wanted to support Sheji, but hated the lack of strength. You are a loyal man, and you are specially asked for help! ”

Wei Hong said: "I have had such a heart for a long time, and I regret that I haven't met a hero." Since Meng De has great ambitions, I am willing to help you with my family property. ”

Cao Cao received funding from Wei Hong, and set up a recruitment of Magi in Chenliu, issued a heroic post, and recruited soldiers.

One day, there was a Yangping County patriot, surnamed Le, named Jin, and the character Wenqian, who came to Cao Cao.

There is another Shanyang giant deer man, surnamed Li, whose name dictionary and character Mancheng also came to Cao Cao. Cao Cao was retained as an official in front of the account.

Xiahou Dun, a native of Peiguo County, is a descendant of Xiahou Ying; learn guns and sticks from an early age; At the age of fourteen, he learned martial arts from his teacher, and someone insulted his teacher, Xiahoudun killed him and fled to other places.

I heard that Cao Cao sent troops, and his younger brother Xiahou Yuan and his younger brother Xiahou Yuan and his two people, each led a thousand strong men to defect to Cao Cao. These two were Cao Cao's brothers: Cao Cao's father, Cao Song, was originally the son of the Xiahou clan, and later passed on to the Cao family, so they were of the same clan.

Within a few days, the Cao brothers Cao Ren and Cao Hong each led more than 1,000 troops to join Cao Cao. Cao Ren's character is filial piety, Cao Hong's character is cheap: the two are skilled in bows and horses, proficient in martial arts, and Cao Ren is also familiar with the art of war. Cao Cao was very happy and ordered to continue recruiting troops.

But it is very difficult to recruit troops in Chenliu, because the soldiers of Yanzhou have already been recruited by Xue Rengui, and then when they swept the north, the recruited soldiers and horses, although Yanzhou did not participate much, but also went to tens of thousands, and Xue Rengui also reserved reserve troops in all counties and counties of Yanzhou, although the training intensity could not reach the strength of the regular troops under Xue Rengui, but it was far more than other princes, and the combat effectiveness was very amazing, with strict military regulations and good treatment. In normal times, he helps the people to maintain law and order, farms, and is responsible for the tuntian system.

Therefore, in addition to the necessary farming, business, etc., there are basically no young and middle-aged men who can be recruited in Yanzhou. Cao Cao counted the more than 2,000 soldiers and horses brought by Xiahou Dun and the two brothers Xiahou Yuan, as well as more than 1,000 soldiers and horses brought by Cao Ren and Cao Hong's brothers, plus the soldiers and horses recruited by Cao Cao himself, there were more than 4,000 soldiers and horses in total, and many of the soldiers and horses recruited in Chen Liu were defective, and the Xue family army didn't want it, so they arranged jobs for them, and they wanted to go to the battlefield.

Cao Cao said in the barracks: "Zilian, how is the recruitment of soldiers and horses? ”

Cao Hong said: "Lord Qiqi, there is still no one coming. ”

Cao Cao sighed and said: "Alas, it seems that the soldiers and horses in Yanzhou have been almost recruited by the hussar generals, and there are also sweeping the north, and some of the garrison troops in Qingzhou are also recruited in Yanzhou. ”

Cao Hong said: "Lord, the most important thing is the hussar general's reserve, the hussar general has incorporated most of the young and middle-aged men into his reserve army, which is used for tuntian and city defense, but in my opinion, the training intensity of the hussar general's reserve force is no worse than that of other princes, or even better, I really dare not imagine what kind of elite division the hussar general's subordinate soldiers and horses have." ”

Cao Cao said helplessly: "Alas, okay, you go down to help Yuan Rang first, and Zixiao and them go to train soldiers and horses." ”

Cao Hong responded: "No." ”

As soon as Cao Hong went down, the guards outside arrived at Cao Cao's big tent and said: "Lord Qiqi, there are two gentlemen outside who ask to see, one claims to be your old friend Xun Yu and Xun Wenruo, and the other gentleman claims to be called Xi Zhicai, this is their greeting. ”

Cao Cao was very excited and said, "Oh, good! If Wen is here to help me, something big will happen! Go and invite me in! No, I'll go personally! ”

The guard replied, "Yes." ”

"Wen Ruo, I heard that you came to visit me, and I thought you had forgotten about me all these years!" Cao Cao said half-jokingly.

Xun Yu responded: "Brother Meng De said that he was joking, how dare Wen Ruo forget his old friend." ”

Xun Yu continued to introduce Cao Cao and said: "This is my colleague, my good friend Xi Zhicai. ”

"Oh, good, Mr. Drama. Two inside please. Cao Cao heard that Xi Zhi was Xun Yu's colleague, so he knew that Xun Yu should have served under a certain prince now, but he didn't understand that there was a prince in the world who was worthy of Xun Yu to give up his childhood friendship, and Xun Yu also knew Cao Cao's talent, so he gave up Cao Cao and defected to him. However, Cao Cao's face did not change, after all, Cao Cao was also a character, and invited two of them into the camp.

As soon as the three of them sat down, Cao Cao asked, "I don't know who Wen Ruo and Mr. Xi are working under now?" ”

Cao Cao went straight into the door as soon as he met, intending to dig into the wall. After all, the one who can play with Xun Yu and become friends must also be a talent.

"Mende, now we are serving under the command of the hussar generals."

"Oh? But Xue Rengui, General Xue. ”

"Exactly."

Cao Cao's idea of digging the foot of the wall disappeared immediately, Xue Rengui is now a state assassin, and he is also a hussar general, and some people who have a heart have already known Qin Qiong, Luo Cheng, and Xu Maogong in Qingzhou are all Xue Rengui's cronies. That is to say, Xue Rengui already has Yanzhou and Qingzhou, the two rich places of the Central Plains, and Dong Zhuo, as a prince with relatively strong power, only owns Yongzhou, Liangzhou, and part of the territory of Sili, not to mention Yongzhou, Liangzhou also has a Ma Teng, a Han Sui, and it is difficult for Dong Zhuo to control Yongzhou and Liangzhou well.

Therefore, it can be seen from this that Xue Rengui's power is so great, how could Xun Yu agree to leave Xue Rengui, not to mention, the ancients still attached great importance to loyalty.

Cao Cao asked a little nervously: "Then, I don't know if the two of you are here to ask about the crime on behalf of the hussar general?" "After all, Cao Cao recruited soldiers and horses openly under Xue Rengui's rule, and it is estimated that any wise or intelligent monarch will not be allowed to do so.

Xun Yu said, "Oh? What is Mengde's crime? Where do you start? Besides, if you ask about sin, how can it be me, an old friend, who comes? ”

Cao Cao said: "My mistake, my mistake, I hope Wen Ruo forgives me." ”

Xi Zhicai said: "We are here on behalf of the hussar general to tell Meng De that our hussar general still expresses our sincere admiration for Meng De's feat of assassinating Dong Zhuo alone, although Meng De failed. My father-in-law asked me to invite Meng De to my father-in-law's place for a meeting. ”

Cao Cao said: "Since this is the case, I, Cao Cao, will definitely go." ”

Cao Cao continued to ask, "However, I don't know what General Xue means?" ”