Three Kingdoms: I help Liu Bei grow thousands of miles

"Why is Zijian so sad? Although the former king has passed away, life must go on..." Ding Yi sat down next to Cao Zhi, and Ding Yan tactfully held the lamp between them.

"Is Zhengli (Ding Yi) and Salute (Ding Yan) here? You just want to get drunk with me." Cao Zhi slumped on the ground.

Ding Yi said consolingly: "The former king was tortured by pain, and now he is relieved. Zijian is too sad to guard the mausoleum during the day, and he must cheer up at night. If the former king was alive, he would not want to see you like this..."

"The late king is still alive? If he is alive, he must have slaughtered that beast that disregarded human relations." Cao Zhi said angrily.

"An animal with no regard for human relations?" Ding Yi said to himself, and then asked, "Who is Zi Jian talking about?"

Cao Zhi got drunk and put Madam Bian's words behind him. He said insanely: "Cao Pi messed up the court and blatantly brought the former king and concubines into the harem. How is this behavior different from a beast?"

Ding Zhen's eyes widened. Seeing that Cao Zhi's voice was louder, he quickly covered his mouth and said, "I can't believe the groundless rumors. This slander of the king, Zi Jian can't talk nonsense."

Cao Zhi broke free and laughed staggeringly: "Nonsense? Why nonsense? Cao Pi is dissolute and shameless. He was discovered by the queen mother a few days ago and scolded him, 'Dogs and rats don't eat you, so you should die.'"

Ding Zhen hurriedly helped Cao Zhi back to his seat. He was worried about Cao Zhi's performance. He said to Ding Yi: "Brother, the Marquis of Linzi was drunk because of grief. If he utters such bizarre words, it may not be good in the long run. We have to persuade him He drinks less, after all, this is Yecheng."

Ding Yi shook her head and snorted coldly: "Zijian wine is very good, even if he is drunk, he will not talk nonsense. Cao Pi has the style of being a father. I think this is true in all likelihood."

"Ah, this..." Ding Zhen was startled at first, and then sighed: "When the former king was around, he also liked female sex. Now that Cao Pi is the king of Wei, it is a violation of human relations, and there is nothing you and I can do..."

Ding Yi said with a blank eye: "I don't think so. The former king passed on the throne to him, and he must not know that he behaved like a pig and dog. We can contact the ministers of the court and tell the public about his actions, and then find a way to abolish Cao Pi, and finally help Zijian to take the throne. .”

"This matter is no small matter, if it doesn't happen, there will be a catastrophe." Ding Zhen swallowed his saliva.

"Recently, I heard some people say that when Yan Linghou was mourning in Luoyang, he asked Jia Kui for the Xishou of the former king. If he was persuaded to use him as a foreign aid, trying to win General Wei (Cao Hong), and finally invite the Queen Mother to come forward, Cao Pi would be disgraced. seat." Ding Yi squinted her eyes.

"General Zilian is a lonely minister, it may not be easy to win him over..." Ding Zhen shook his head lightly.

Ding Yi sneered: "General Zilian is greedy for money and stingy. I heard that he had a rift with Cao Pi in the early years. You can talk to someone who can argue with you. Then let Zijian promise to pay you a lot. This person will definitely be used by Zijian."

Ding Zhen listened to his brother's analysis in a clear and logical manner, and he himself felt that he was motivated, so he added: "As long as you can control the internal and external military power, it may be quite big to force Cao Pi to abdicate, but this matter is no small matter. It is difficult for my two brothers to accomplish anything, so we need to find more. External forces are."

"I'll save it, let's drink with Zijian today, and plan well when we wake up tomorrow." Ding Yi nodded.

"Very good." Ding Yan agreed.

Cao Pi became the queen of Wei, completely controlled the city of Ye, and sent people to monitor Cao Zhi's actions. Today, the three people's gossip was passed into Cao Pi's ears verbatim.

Cao Pi was in chaos in the harem caused by the empress dowager Bian, and his mood was already at a low point. He was furious when he heard Cao Zhi, Ding Yi, and Ding Zhen's drunken remarks. Ding Yi and Ding Yan wanted to make a big deal, so Daigu invited them here overnight to see what kind of waves they can make, and they are all in the other courtyard of the Marquis of Linzi."

"Wei." Xu Chu clasped his fists in response, and led a dozen or so Tiger Guards straight to Cao Zhi's courtyard.

Xu Chu and Bu Qu broke into Cao Zhi's courtyard with open fire. Because the soldiers were rude and walked loudly, they woke up Ding Yi and Ding Zhen who were lying in Cao Zhi's room.

"In Linzi Hou's other courtyard, who doesn't have eyes, dares to disturb you late at night?" Ding Yi put on her robe and cursed.

With a bang, the door was kicked open.

Ding Yi was still furious at first, but when he saw Xu Chu, who was fully armed, he froze instantly, and asked politely, "General Xu? Why are you here at night?"

"Your Majesty has invited you, and you should know the reason." Xu Chu replied expressionlessly.

The Ding brothers stared wide-eyed, and before they had time to refute, they were controlled by two tiger fighters.

"Please come back, but you are so rude..." Ding Yi shouted while struggling.

"Take it away." Xu Chu snapped.

At this time Cao Zhi was awakened by Xu Chu's shout, he hurriedly sat up on the couch, rubbed his eyes and asked curiously: "General Xu?"

"Please, Marquis of Linzi, Your Majesty wants to see you." Xu Chu was more polite to Cao Zhi than the Ding brothers.

"Huh? Now?" Cao Zhi was full of doubts.

Xu Chu stretched out his hand to signal, with a look of irresistibility, he urged: "Please, Marquis of Linzi."

Cao Zhi wanted to call his servants to change his clothes for him, but Xu Chu didn't give him a chance at all, so he put the robes on Cao Zhi's body indiscriminately, and escorted them to Wei Palace with the tiger guards.

The main hall of the Wei Palace in Yecheng was still brightly lit at night. Cao Pi ordered a large cauldron to be placed in the hall.

The three were escorted to the hall. Ding Yi and Ding Zhen had ghosts in their hearts. They were scared out of their wits when they saw the tripod. They didn't know what Cao Pi was planning.

Cao Pi knocked on the table, and snorted meaningfully: "I waited for the other court to conspire in the middle of the night, intending to overthrow my Great Wei, is it true?"

"We just saw Marquis Linzi sad and drank with him for a while, what does His Majesty mean by this?" Ding Yi categorically denied.

"Zijian, what's your excuse?" Cao Pi frowned.

Chapter 644 The New Wei King Thunders His Prestige

Thinking of his mother's words, Cao Zhi looked at Cao Pi on the stage with disdain, and replied neither humble nor overbearing: "Your Majesty, I am also the son of the previous king. How could I overthrow my own kingdom? Is it a crime for the King to subdue his younger brother?"

"It doesn't matter if you don't admit it..." Cao Pi sneered, then suddenly looked at Ding Zhen, "Ding Huangmen (Huangmen Servant), what do you say?"

Ding Zhen knew that he was wrong, so he evasively said: "We were drunk with the Marquis of Linzi today, how could we plot to overthrow the Wei State? Did your Majesty hear the slander from a traitor?"

Cao Pi then stood up, pointed to the big cauldron in the hall and said, "I'll give you one more chance. If you admit it, you will throw yourself into the cauldron. You won't harm your family. If you die and don't repent, hum..."

Ding Yi and Cao Pi had old grievances, relying on the in-laws of the Ding family and the Cao family for generations, and seeing no outsiders in the other courtyard, so she replied firmly: "The king wants to commit a crime, why should Ding Yi judge himself? If he is boiled and killed today. , Historian will write... hum..."

"Your Majesty has only just ascended the throne, so you want to use this kind of torture? Wouldn't it make all the officials feel cold?" Ding Yan followed his elder brother's pace.

"Elder brother is already the king of Wei, and he can be convicted just by conjecture, why should I wait for an excuse?" Cao Zhi looked at Cao Pi coldly.

Cao Pi clapped his hands and smiled slightly: "I don't shed tears when I see the coffin. I'll let you see what evidence is. Is Gu You just imagining? Bring him in."

As soon as Cao Pi finished speaking, an old man was brought into the hall. He was a long and dumb porter. Ding Yi and Ding Zhen still knew each other, and the three of them didn't know the meaning of his appearance.

The old man bowed to Cao Pi, and then he actually spoke: "Reporting to Your Majesty, these two came to the other courtyard at three o'clock in Xushi, because they were very loud in Linzihou's room, and the old slave accidentally heard a few words..."

The old man was nearly sixty years old, but he spoke clearly and had a superb memory. He repeated what Ding Yi and Ding Zhen said word for word.

During Cao Zhi’s stay in Yecheng, he was very cautious, and he didn’t dare to trust the guards and maidservants in other courtyards, but he had no grudges against the “deaf and dumb” concierge. After getting along with him for a while, Cao Zhi saw that he was pitifully rewarded Property, but he turned out to be Cao Pi's man, thinking of this Cao Zhi felt a chill down his back.

"You...you spitting blood..." Ding Yi panicked at this moment.

"This person is talking nonsense, Your Majesty must not unilaterally believe in the porter old man..." Ding Zhen reminded.

Cao Pi sneered: "Gu has already produced the evidence you want. Since your brothers don't admit it, and you don't want to go to the cauldron to be punished, then the whole family will accompany you to be buried. General Xu, immediately arrest Ding Yi and Ding Yan. Then they were all escorted to Yecheng and asked to be executed."

"Wei." Xu Chu cupped his fists and accepted the order.

"General Xu, please wait a moment, I am willing to confess, I am willing to step down, please be merciful..." Ding Zhen was so frightened that he knelt down when he heard that the whole family was involved, and directly hit the hall with blood on his forehead. Crossflow.

"Hmph, it's late, let Gucha go out immediately, and the family members will be executed at the same time in a few days." Cao Pi waved his hand, showing the demeanor of a king.

Ding Yi sat paralyzed on the ground after Cao Pi finished speaking, and several warriors immediately entered the hall to erect the two of them. Beast, sooner or later you will die..."

Cao Pi was so angry that his brows trembled, and he said angrily: "This thief is already insane, let Gu cut off his tongue and drag him down..."

As soon as Ding Yi and Ding Yan were taken out of the palace gate, they heard a scream from outside, probably because Ding Yi's tongue had been cut off, Cao Zhi was fully awake at this time, and was sweating profusely from shock.

"Is the elder brother going to kill the younger brother?" Cao Zhi looked straight at Cao Pi.

Cao Pi snorted softly: "Zijian still doesn't give up now? If the previous king wanted to pass on the throne to you, how could he be in the situation he is today? He even wants to make trouble with Ziwen (Cao Zhang)? This trip is really despicable. Brother knows you You are so talented, you have always been loved by your father, this is beyond your reach, now that the Ding brothers have confessed, what else do you have to say?"

"Hahaha, brother, kill him if he wants to. Why do the Latin brothers go into the water? Isn't it just cooking and killing? Brother, I will go to see the former king." After Cao Zhi finished speaking, he walked towards the boiling cauldron with awe-inspiring righteousness.

"Wait a minute." Cao Pi called Cao Zhi to stop.

"Your Majesty, do you have anything else to say?" Cao Zhi showed no fear.

"Although the death of the brothers of the Ding family is not a pity, but Zijian is my younger brother after all, how can I bear to see you die in this palace of the king of Wei? I know that your poems and essays are world-famous. If you can write a good poem within a stick of incense , I will pardon you for the crime of conspiracy, if you can't do it because of your reputation, don't blame your brother for being ruthless..." Cao Pi sneered and made a suggestion.

"Your brother, try your best." The so-called death is worse than life, Cao Zhi's life has not been enjoyed enough, and he is actually unwilling to die in such embarrassment.

The waiter immediately brought a tripod of incense burner, and the sparks from the incense head slowly devoured downward.

Cao Zhi didn't pay attention to the burning incense at all, but patted his clothes and paced back and forth in the hall thinking. When he took the seventh step, he suddenly noticed the bean stalks that were igniting the fire beside the copper tripod.

"Boil the beans and hold them to make soup, and smash the shu to make juice. The scorpions burn under the kettle, and the beans weep in the kettle. They are born from the same root, so why is it too urgent to fry each other?"

Cao Pi also has a good literary talent. When he finished listening to Cao Zhi's seven-step poem, he suddenly shivered and was greatly touched. He waved his hands and said, "Zi Jian's talent is not as good as mine. Let's go back to another courtyard to rest..."

"Then Zhengli (Ding Yi), Jingli (Ding Yan) and their family..."

Before Cao Zhi could finish his intercession, he was interrupted roughly by Cao Pi on stage, "The Ding family has been disobedient for a long time, and it is already merciful not to kill the entire Ding family. Zijian will take care of himself first..."

Cao Zhi was stunned, and returned to the other courtyard under the supervision of the warriors. It would be two hours before dawn, but he was destined not to sleep that night.

In the early morning of the next day, Mrs. Ding was arrested and awaiting execution, and Cao Zhi was forced to compose a poem in seven steps. These two incidents quickly spread throughout Yecheng.

All the ministers were in an uproar when they heard the news. They all knew that Cao Pi was settling accounts after the autumn, so few people came forward to intercede.

Cao Pi may hate the Ding brothers, or he may want to use a massacre to establish his prestige, or he may want to cover up the scandal in the harem and divert the attention of those who know it, so he did not let go because of Xia Houshang's personal relationship.

In mid-April, dozens of men from Ding Yi and Ding Zhen were all taken to the downtown of Yecheng to be beheaded. Cao Pi used thunder to establish his majesty.

Mrs. Bian was worried that Cao Zhi would be persecuted, and asked Cao Pi to let him return to the fief. Cao Pi demoted Cao Zhi to be the Marquis of Anxiang, with [-] households in the township, downgraded from the original Marquis of [-] to the Marquis of Hundred at the township level.

In late April, Xia Houchong went to Yecheng to report his funeral. His father Xiahou Dun died of illness in Xudu.

Cao Pi was grateful for his contributions, put on plain clothes, led all the officials, and went to the east gate of Yecheng to mourn for him. He bestowed Xiahou Dun with the posthumous title of Zhonghou and generously bestowed on Xiahou Dun's family.

One night, Xia Houchong came to Xu Chu's house in disguise.

When Xu Chu welcomed Xia Houchong into the mansion, a light flashed in his eyes. He knew that Cao Cao's final order had come.

Chapter 645 It's All About You

Xu Chu is loyal and low-key. He does not make friends with clans and courtiers inside and outside, so he is deeply loved by Cao Cao.

However, the relationship with the new owner Cao Pi is shallow, and instead of acting as a guard independently, he alternates with the tiger and leopard riding leopard battalion.

Someone shared the work at hand, Xu Chu had more leisure time, and spent more time going home.

Xu Chu's Guchen's reputation was well known, and his family was neglected, with no one visiting him all year round.

The arrival of Xia Houchong broke the tranquility of Xu Zhai.

Xu Chu, who had always acted freely, retreated and closed the door.

Sensing that there was no one outside the house, Xu Chu clasped his fists and saluted: "Two months ago, I met the general in Luoyang, but now we are separated from each other. It is embarrassing to think about it. Mr. Ziman (Xia Houchong) please give me condolences." ..."

Xia Houchong took off his hood and bowed his hands in return: "Everyone is mortal, and my father's old illness broke out, and he followed the king. This destiny is also..."

"Mr. Ziman came to Ye to report the funeral, but I don't know that Kuiye is here. Is there something important?" Xu Chu was not good at exchanging pleasantries, so he got straight to the point and got to the point.

"Zilin (Xiahoumao) and the king are inseparable. Does General Xu know why I came to Yecheng?" Xiahouchong asked.

Xu Chu vaguely felt that it was arranged by Xia Houdun, but he shook his head lightly: "I don't know..."

"It's because of my late father's last words..." Xia Houchong looked around and saw no one outside the window, so he whispered, "My late father wanted the general to kill Sima Yi."

Xu Chu was taken aback when he heard this. Although Sima Yi is not a minister of Tuogu, he has a close relationship with Cao Pi. What exactly does Xiahoudun want to do?Is this really what the former king meant?But why the summons now?

Countless question marks hung on Xu Chu's face, and he quickly asked: "The Sima family is a prominent family in Hanoi, are you sure you want to kill the whole family? Mr. Ziman is not joking with me, is he?"

Xia Houchong shook his head resolutely, "It's not a joke. General Xu should remember the late king's last words. My late father just passed on the message..."

"But...but why not sooner or later... after the general passed away?" Xu Chu continued to ask.

Xia Houchong replied: "Because the timing happened to be together, there was a prerequisite for the former king to kill Sima, that is, the king would force Linzihou to compose poems. If the seven-step poems were not spread to Henan, the one who came to report the funeral would be the disciple Lin (Xiahoumao) gone."

"This...but why?" Xu Chu looked puzzled.

"Before his death, my late father told me that the late king had received a few prophecies. There was a prophecy that the Sima family would replace Wei. The late king had to eliminate these dangers in advance for the sake of the Wei State forever." Xia Houchong explained.

"But...but what does this have to do with the seven-step poem?" Xu Chu asked again.

Xia Houchong continued: "The former king knew that the Sima family had a profound background, and the rash extermination of the family might cause panic among the big clan, so they temporarily doubted those prophecies. When two prophecies can be fulfilled, Sima's family can be executed. One of them is 'Brother Forcing my younger brother Cao Zhi to write a poem."

"Is there another one?" Xu Chu swallowed.

Xia Houchong replied: "The other one was fulfilled first, which is 'the number of traitors will die', and the second one is 'the brother forced the younger brother Cao Zhi to write a poem'..."

"Then the third..."

Xu Chu wanted to ask again, but was stopped by Xia Houchong, "The later father didn't tell me, and maybe the king didn't tell him either. In fact, knowing too many secrets is not a good thing. In addition to increasing troubles, you may also suffer death... "

Murder?Xu Chu suddenly thought of Yang Xiu. He stole Cao Cao's letter and burned it. Could it be that he read some secret?

Wait, Yang Xiu laughed at Sima Yi and Cao Xiu before he died, thinking that Xu Chu's back is cold, and the mysterious prophecy in Xia Houchong's mouth, maybe it came from that letter?

"Will General Xu take orders?" Xia Houchong looked at Xu Chu with doubts on his face.

Killing Sima's family would offend the Henan gentry. Cao Cao asked Xu Chu to do it because he didn't want Xiahou's family to be implicated.

Although Xu Chu is loyal, he is not stupid. He will not inform the Sima family, but he can definitely foresee the consequences.

Whether Xu Chu will carry out the will is out of Xiahoudun's control, so he has left behind.

If Xu Chu shirks his will and refuses to obey his will, Xiahou's family can only support the dead outside and secretly assassinate Sima's family.