Three Kingdoms: I switched to Liu Bei, why are you crying, Cao Cao?

Chapter 6 Loyal ministers or treacherous ministers? Cao Cao's test

Qin Zhen is a very special person to Cao Cao.

On the one hand, Lao Cao admired Qin Zhen's talent and every time he discussed with Qin Zhen, he would gain new insights.

On the other hand, after Chen Gong, Cao was very afraid of Qin Zhen.

He was afraid that Qin Zhen would give him a big surprise like Chen Gong did.

Chen Gong was only the governor of Dongjun, but his rebellion almost wiped out his Cao family. If Qin Zhen rebelled, his Cao family would probably be wiped out.

It can be said that he loved and hated Qin Zhen. He loved him so much that he wanted to adopt Qin Zhen as his adopted son, but he also hated why Qin Zhen was not his relative.

It doesn't have to be too close, even a distant relative will do, as long as he feels at ease.

But the reality is that Qin Zhen and Cao Cao have no family relationship.

Cao Cao even considered marrying his daughter to Qin Zhen and taking Qin Zhen as his son-in-law.

But Qin Zhen already has a wife, he can't marry his daughter to her as a concubine, right?

Besides, no matter how close a son-in-law is, he is still an outsider!

Qin Zhen's rebellion was terrifying in itself. If I became his son-in-law, it would be a question whether his power would be named Cao or Qin a hundred years later.

Ultimately, it’s a question of ability. If you don’t have strong ability, you can’t be trusted.

His abilities are too strong, so it will be dangerous no matter how he is placed.

So the more Lao Cao thought about it, the more frightened he became, and the more fearful he became.

But now that Qin Zhen is really gone, Lao Cao feels more and more empty in his heart.

That feeling is just like an old couple who still have love for each other and are getting a divorce. One person always feels that he or she has had enough of the other person, but is also reluctant to see the other person leave!
But Cao Cao is Cao Cao after all. Even if he feels upset, he won't show it at all.

He suppressed his panic and asked in a deep voice:
"When did Qin Zixuan leave?"

"It shouldn't take more than half an hour!"

Xun Yu saw that Cao Cao finally responded, and hurriedly said earnestly:
"My lord, you must know that Qin Zixuan is a national talent. If you want to achieve great things, you must have him."

"It's not too late to send a troop to chase them now!"

Xun Yu's words were meant for the public good, but they undoubtedly hurt Cao Cao's self-esteem. He gritted his teeth and said:

"There are so many geniuses in the world, why can't we lose Qin Zixuan alone?"

"Now that he has turned his back on me, I know that his heart has changed!"

"What's the point of chasing after a traitor like this?"

"I have done my utmost to not allow anyone to kill his family. If he wants to go, then let him go!"

Having said this, he lifted the curtain in angrily and entered the tent again.

When Xun Yu saw this, his heart sank. Although he knew that Cao Cao was just saying this in anger, these words were really hurtful!

It can be seen what kind of mentality Qin Zhen had when he left!
He had a lot of thoughts in his mind. After thinking it over, he turned around and said to his followers:
"Are the horses ready? Follow me!"

Even if Cao Cao doesn't care, he must do it. No matter what, he must get Qin Zhen back today.

Xun Yu came and left in a hurry, and there was finally a moment of peace in front of Cao Cao's military tent.

Inside Cao Cao's main tent, a beautiful woman was seen kneeling in the middle, plucking the guqin with her delicate hands, producing clanging sounds from time to time.

Cao Cao sat on the couch with his eyes closed, seemingly admiring the scene.

But his brows kept changing, sometimes furrowed and sometimes relaxed.

Zou looked at Cao Cao's appearance and knew what was happening outside. She was filled with fear and worry, and she lost her mind for a moment, breaking the strings of her zither.

This untimely voice made Cao Cao open his eyes. He looked at Zou and said:

"You also think I did something wrong this time?"

Zou hurriedly fell to the ground and said in panic:
"I have absolutely no such intention!"

"Or do you think Zhang Xiu will really rebel?"

Cao Cao narrowed his eyes, which looked like an abyss.

When Zou heard this, her heart was in turmoil and she said hurriedly:
"I don't know. I don't know anything!"

As a weak woman, she could only submit to the power of the strong and dared not say a word.

Seeing this, Cao Cao suddenly came to his senses, hurried forward to help Zou up and said:
"Madam, there is no need to do this. I was distracted just now and accidentally scared you!"

Zou was pulled by Cao Cao and said hurriedly:
"Although I don't know anything about state affairs, I know that Mr. Qin is truly thinking about Lord Cao."

"Now that Lord Cao is worried, why don't you go and comfort him?"

Sometimes, what women say is more useful than what men say.

Listening to Zou's gentle voice, Cao Cao narrowed his eyes again and said:
"Do you really think this person is loyal to me?"

Zou heard this and whispered:

"I am just a woman, how can I understand loyalty and righteousness?"

"But Mr. Qin comes here every day and is scolded, yet he still comes here every day."

"If not a loyal and righteous person, who would be willing to do this?"

But as soon as she finished speaking, Cao Cao stood up suddenly and stared at Zou with his eyes.

Seeing this, Zou hurriedly knelt down again and said:
"I am ignorant and my words were inappropriate. Please forgive me, Lord Cao!"

Cao Cao frowned again after hearing her words. After pondering for a long time, he said in a deep voice:

"This matter has nothing to do with Madam, please go down and take care of yourself first!"

When Zou heard this, she felt as if she had been pardoned and quickly turned around and put on her clothes.

Cao Cao walked out of the tent and asked Dian Wei:
"Where is Xun Yu now?"

Dian Wei heard this and turned around and replied:
"You just prepared the horses, so you must be going after the military advisor!"

Cao Cao listened but did not reply. He was silent for a while and then said:
"Go find Zhang Xiu now and tell him that I have something important to discuss with him!"

"The last general takes command!"

Dian Wei listened and hurried out of the tent. After a quarter of an hour, Dian Wei led a middle-aged man in brocade clothes to the front of the tent.

This middle-aged man was nearly eight feet tall, with a handsome appearance and long flowing beard. He did not have the roughness of a Xiliang man at all.

This person is Zhang Xiu, the protagonist of this incident!

Dian Wei brought Zhang Xiu to the front of the tent and said:

"My lord, Zhang Xiu has been brought here."

Zhang Xiu also hurriedly said loudly:
"Lord Cao, the surrendered general Zhang Xiu comes to pay his respects to you."

"Youwei, no need to be polite, please come in and have a chat!"

Youwei was Zhang Xiu's courtesy name. When he heard this, he went into the tent and bowed to Cao Cao respectfully, saying:

"My name is Zhang Xiu, nice to meet you, Lord Cao!"

Cao Cao looked at Zhang Xiu's submissive appearance, stroked his beard and smiled, saying:

"I haven't seen you for a long time. Youwei is still as charming as ever. I am very happy!"

"I wonder if there is any dissatisfaction among our troops these days?"

Zhang Xiu heard this and grinned:

"To be honest with you, Lord Cao, you have been very close to me since I surrendered. How could I be dissatisfied with you?"

But when Cao Cao heard this, he raised the corner of his mouth:
"But I heard rumors in the army that you were quite unhappy about my marrying your aunt Zou!"

Zhang Xiu was shocked for a moment, but he said angrily:

"How can this be absurd? I don't know who spread such evil words!"

"Although Zou is my aunt, she is now a widow. Cao Gong loves her. Xiu is so happy that she can't wait to take Cao Gong as her father. How could she be resentful?"

"If Lord Cao doesn't believe it, just call the person who spread the rumor here. I am willing to confront him!"

Cao Cao stared at Zhang Xiu and said with a smile:
"You Wei also knows this person. He is my military advisor Qin Zixuan!"

"He repeatedly told me that you, Zhang Xiu, would rebel tonight. Does Youwei know about this?"

When Zhang Xiu heard this, his heart was shaking wildly, as if it had been hit by a heavy hammer.

He is really planning to rebel tonight!
Could it be that Cao Cao already knew about it in advance?

But he was instructed by Jia Xu after all, and could not show any sign of it, so he said hurriedly, under the pretext of fear in his heart:
"Xiu and the military advisor have no grudges against each other, why does the military advisor hate me so much?"

"Xiu has surrendered to Lord Cao. This man said such evil words. Does he want Lord Cao to kill me?"

In fear, he drew out his sword and said:

"Xiu An dares to rebel, please judge for yourself, Lord Cao. If you don't believe me, you can kill Xiu with this sword!"

"If Xiu dares to have even the slightest doubt, I will die here without any complaints!"

As he spoke, he handed the sword forward, mentally prepared that if Cao Cao took the sword, he and Cao Cao would die together today.

Cao Cao looked at the sword Zhang Xiu handed over, and there was a hint of hesitation in his eyes. The next second, he laughed and said:

"General, why are you saying this? I summoned you here because I don't believe what you said!"

"How can the general be so stubborn?"

"Put away your sword quickly and stop acting like that!"

He hurriedly stood up and held Zhang Xiu's hands, saying softly:
"To be honest, General, Qin Zhen has repeatedly disliked me, and now he has made such slanderous remarks, so I have expelled him from the camp!"

"After hearing what the general said, I know that this person's words are not true. He slandered the general like this and really disrupted the morale of our army!"

"Has Qin Zixuan been expelled from the camp by Cao Gong?"

Zhang Xiu was shocked when he heard this, but after a moment's thought, he lowered his head and said:
"Xiu is only a surrendered general, yet Lord Cao treats me so well?"

"But Qin Zixuan is a talented person, Cao Gong must not lose him. Why don't you wait for Xiu to lead some troops to chase him back, clear up the misunderstanding, and save Cao Gong's virtue!"

Seeing Zhang Xiu still talking to Qin Zhen like this, Cao Cao believed him a little more and sneered:

"Youwei, please don't do this. I see that Youwei is so strong, I wish I could treat him like my own son!"

"Qin Zixuan is just a scholar. How can he be as close to the general as he is to us? If he wants to leave, then let him go. There is no need to stop him!"

Zhang Xiu lowered his head to think about how to deal with it. When he heard it, he raised his head and said:

"I am deeply grateful to Cao Gong for treating me so well. If Cao Gong does not abandon me, I am willing to become his foster father."

"Oh? Youwei really wants to worship me as his father?"

A look of joy appeared in Cao Cao's eyes.

Zhang Xiu, however, looked determined, and bowed to the ground and said:

"That's what I wish for, but I'm afraid Cao Gong will dislike it!"

Cao Cao immediately grinned and said:

"How can I despise you? I have been eyeing Youwei's talent for a long time!"

"But this matter needs to be reported to the entire camp tonight. I will call Zixiu over at night, and you two will be brothers!"

"From tomorrow on, Youwei will be like my own son, how about that?"

Zhang Xiu heard this and stood up and bowed again:
"It's all up to my father!"

"Okay! Then Youwei will step down first. Let me prepare. We will perform the ceremony tonight!"

Cao Cao burst into laughter and waved his hand to let Zhang Xiu leave.

After Zhang Xiu left, a smug look appeared on Cao Cao's face!
Since Xun Yu went to chase him, Qin Zhen will most likely come back.

Now that he has adopted Zhang Xiu as his adopted son, how could Zhang Xiu rebel?
When Qin Zhen comes back, he wants to see how Qin Zhen reacts!
It can't be that he is wrong every time, Qin Zhen, right?

There has to be one time when he is right!
As for what to do after Qin Zhen returns, he has already thought about it.

Since Qin Zhen is really so loyal, he will marry his daughter to Qin Zhen after he comes back.

No matter what, becoming a son-in-law is better than becoming an enemy!
At worst, I, Cao Cao, will bow my head and admit my fault, and you will change your mind, right?
Thinking this way, Cao Cao had already made a wishful plan in his mind.

(End of this chapter)