[Three Kingdoms] Seven steps into wetness

In June of the lunar calendar, Cao Yu turns two years old.

Cao Yu was able to vaguely call his father when he was ten months old, stood and walked when he was twelve months old, and now he can express himself simply, even if his nurse didn't pay attention, he ran around and couldn't find anyone.He fell down when there was no one around, but he didn't cry, but got up quickly, and waited until he found a nurse or someone else, and then began to cry loudly to make people feel distressed.

Cao Zhi couldn't laugh or cry because of this.

After Cao Cao found out, he liked Cao Yu's personality very much. He even pointed at the little fat man and said to the ten-year-old Cao Rui (Cao Pi's eldest son): "Ruier, Ruier, I have always admired your calm personality. I met the little fat man today. , I just realized that it is not a good thing for a child to be too calm!"

Cao Rui, who was taciturn since he was a child, was not annoyed. Instead, he bowed seriously to Cao Yu and said that he would definitely learn from Cao Yu, which made Cao Cao laugh out loud.

At this time, Cao Zhi had been Zuo Duwei for a full five months, and he was very handy in handling things.

Perhaps because Cao Cao was in Ye County, the children of all the gentry stayed at home obediently, studying and writing in school, instead of running horses and cockfights all day long, picking quarrels and provoking trouble.The few who couldn't bear it were soon found at home and ordered to go back.Therefore, these days when Cao Zhi took office, there has been a strange calm.

This is naturally a good thing for Cao Zhi.

When Cao Cao was away, these dudes had power and power without restraint, and it was very troublesome to manage.Now that I save this thought, I can devote myself to the officialdom.

Before that, Cao Cao ordered Cao Pi to manage Xuchang, so Cao Pi's power in Xuchang had already taken shape.But Wei County is different. There are many courtiers left behind by Yuan Shao here, and the relationship between them is delicate, and they maintain a delicate balance.

During Cao Zhi's tenure as county magistrate this year, he has accumulated a lot of low-level contacts.

However, when it came to the courtiers above, he did not take any action.After all, he was just a county magistrate before, so he simply ignored him diligently to avoid getting a reputation for being too ambitious.So now that he is the captain of the left, most of the people who need to be contacted, except for a few who think he is worthy of cultivation, are still watching with cold eyes.

This feeling is very depressing.

In fact, even if Cao Cao recruited talents in an eclectic manner, most of the talents he recruited were those who were passed on by word of mouth and admired by the gentry.Cao Zhi found that once these people were affirmed to have real talents and learning—even if their talents and learning were slightly inferior to those who were not praised, their status in the court was usually higher.

Cao Zhi noticed this and soon had an idea.

Being an official is first of all about reputation.For example, Cui Yan's uprightness, Xun Yu's Wang Zuozhi's talent, and Kong Rong's talent and learning.Fame is like face, a good reputation can be praised by the world, even if he has only done one good deed; similarly, a bad reputation can also be reviled by the world, even if he just stole a chicken from someone else's house.Many people have only heard his name but not seen him, but they have already defined this person as the appearance in the rumors, so it is the same.Fame is by no means unknown, and it can be spread all over the world by building a car behind closed doors. Instead, it depends on people's publicity and praise.

Thinking of this, Cao Zhi occasionally entertained his favorite and well-known gentry in the circle to recite poems and compose Fu together.Within a few months, people in the circle praised his talent and learning.

Secondly, Cao Zhi also occasionally asked Cao Cao, and at the same time visited some highly respected and capable ministers to learn how to manage better.But it's not so much learning, it's better to say that Cao Zhi is flattering.After all, no matter how great Cao Zhi's ability is, he is definitely not as good as the doctors who have been immersed in the officialdom for decades. Only by pleasing their favor can he handle things with ease.

It's just that the flattery of these doctors is never easy to be flattered, courteous, flattering, or rude.Cao Zhi simply approached him in the name of learning, and every time he visited, he would make both the host and the guest happy.And when you visit, you can often choose to have other people present, and there are no rumors of wooing to stand in line.

After going back and forth, he not only left an impression of humility and studiousness in the hearts of these capable ministers, but also made Cao Cao, who happened to find these experiences, highly appreciated them.

In addition, Cao Zhi also promoted all the previously improved waterwheels, which won praise from many people.A large medical clinic was vacated in the city, and Hua Tuo was asked to treat ordinary people in Ye County for free.Of course, if the sons of the gentry want to see a doctor... Sorry, you should pay the money.

It can be described as painstaking, watertight.

Cao Zhi's deeds, Cao Cao naturally saw all of them.

He was noncommittal, without any expression.Satisfaction or dissatisfaction, how can it be easily known to others.

Until June 23, Cao Cao ordered Cao Zhang to lead [-] infantry and [-] cavalry to attack Wuhuan in the north. For a while, the officialdom was full of fog.

As Cao Cao noticed, he is no longer young.Cao Cao can perceive it himself, let alone others?In the past, he ordered Cao Pi to garrison Xuchang. Cao Pi was ordered in danger before the weak crown, it was the time and the fate.

Two years ago, Cao Zhi was ordered to manage Ye County because he wanted to see who else could inherit his great cause besides Cao Pi.I won't show what Cao Zhi did for the time being. Since the sons who took the exam were concerned, Cao Zhi naturally couldn't make Cao Cao make up his mind.

So now that Cao Zhang is sending troops, does it mean that Cao Cao is still optimistic about Cao Zhang?

In this way, the atmosphere in Wei County became more and more subtle.And this subtlety reaches its peak in October.

——Cao Zhang easily defeated Wuhuan and surrendered Liaodong Xianbei Ke Bineng!

Compared with Cao Cao's previous expedition, when the whole army was almost ruined, and even Guo Jia almost lost his life in Liaodong, Cao Zhang's victory seemed simple and rough.He didn't make too many plans, set up traps, or even left a way out. Instead, he led [-] cavalry into the snow field before everyone had time to react, and swept Wuhuan's thousands of troops with a state of destruction!

It was five days after Cao Cao heard the good news.

He was not overjoyed, but sighed.

And this tone changed the atmosphere in the county.

After all, these are all quietly flowing in the dark. On the surface, the past few months are still as calm as water.

Cao Pi is still studying hard, and Cao Zhi is also hardworking.Hearing that Cao Zhang had won a complete victory, they were all very happy, as if they didn't realize Cao Cao's intentions at all.

In November, the first snow fell in Ye County.

The snow was not heavy this time, there were scattered snowflakes in the sky, which were quickly washed away by a heavy rain, leaving nothing behind.

It's getting cold.

Cao Zhi ordered people to make several cloaks and gave them to Cao Cao and the Bian family, and secretly kept one as a gift to Guo Jia.

When Guo Jia received the cloak, he couldn't help sighing.

Guo Yi looked sideways, looked at the expression on Guo Jia's face, and said slowly: "Father, is this from Zijian?"

Guo Jia smiled, nodded and said, "Not bad."

Guo Yi remained silent, his eyes drooping in thought.

He has already noticed the weirdness between his father and senior brother.

But he didn't say it explicitly, he still observed secretly, and then thought about why.He felt that he hadn't figured it out yet, and when he understood it, he would talk to Guo Jia about it.

Guo Jia also let him go. Seeing Guo Yi's thoughtful look, he said, "Are you thinking about Mr. Cao?"

Guo Yi nodded.

Guo Jia smiled.He put away his cloak, and only said, "This is a game."

A game between Cao Pi and Cao Zhi, where Cao Cao decides the rules.