Picked up a copy of Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 671
Yangzhou, Wu County

The weather is getting colder. Fortunately, the south is not as cold as the north. Even at the end of the year, the ground is not frozen to death. The scorching sun is shining brightly, bringing a little warmth to the people working on the ground. Inside and outside the county, Countless people are busy, and many of them are the people of Yangzhou. Cao Cao didn't use them during the busy farming season, but now, most of the people have nothing to be busy with, so Cao Cao asked them to help.

On the other side, there is a group of captives. These people are wearing clothes that can barely cover their bodies. They are working here. These are captives captured from overseas. Around them, there are soldiers guarding them so that they cannot escape. , Under the high-intensity labor, these people are almost exhausted, moving their feet with difficulty, waving the tools in their hands numbly, but they dare not stop for a moment.

The soldiers patrolling around stared at them coldly, so that they had no chance to relax. As long as they dared to relax, they would be beaten head-on. Since they were caught, they began to dig the canal. During this period, many were beaten to death, and many were exhausted to death. In short, life was very difficult, and the food they got every day was only enough to fill their stomachs.

It can be said that Cao Cao's methods against them now, even if Dong Zhuo in the past saw it, he would tremble. In his eyes, he only had to dig the canal earlier to complete the great cause in his heart. As for how many lives were needed to complete this great cause, he didn't care at all.

The people who are working often go to peek at the captives and express their sympathy to them. Compared with these captives, the treatment of the people is really good. Not only are there free meals, but also some subsidies. Not so resistant to work, compared to the poor fellow on the other side, they should be content.

However, the officials in Yangzhou were very opposed to Cao Cao's use of these labors. Including Ju Shou, they probably felt that Cao Cao's behavior was not in line with benevolence, but they had no way to deal with Cao Cao, who was a situ. To dissuade, or block, Jushou dissuaded him many times, Cao Cao also avoided him, didn't care about his ideas at all, and only wanted to finish it earlier.

Cao Cao was discussing the next target with several confidant officials, when the angry Jushou came over, he frowned, and the anger was directly revealed on his face, and the soldiers around him did not dare to stop him, so he walked straight away After entering the small pavilion, Cao Cao raised his head with a smile, looked at the officials around him, and said, "You have to deliver these documents yourself. Remember to observe their progress carefully. I need to report truthfully!"

The officials nodded and left separately. The excavation of the canal this time was carried out in the whole Yangzhou at the same time. Cao Cao has been running around these days and has hardly stopped. This is the reason why Jushou has not been able to see him. After ordering these officials, Cao Cao turned around, saw Ju Shou in front of him, and said with a smile: "Mr. Ju!! I haven't seen you for a long time, and I miss you so much. Today I finally meet you!!"

Jushou ignored Cao Cao's enthusiasm, frowned, and said: "During these six days, nearly a thousand people died!! Cao Mengde, Cao Mengde, a thousand people died in our county alone! Are you planning to Are they going to fill this canal with their lives??!" Cao Cao was also a little surprised when he heard Jushou's words, and quickly asked, "How many people in Yangzhou died??"

Ju Shou was taken aback, shook his head, and said, "The people of Yangzhou are fine, but"

"Come on, sit down." Cao Cao pulled him, and the two sat down.

"Ju Gong, I have dug nearly half of the Yangzhou Canal in this year. Of course, I don't need to say more about this, but you must know that Xing Gong, who is far away in Liangzhou, also started construction like me. But until now, I haven’t even completed the road in a county. Can you know, how can I do this??” Cao Cao asked with a smile, and Ju Shou said angrily: “That’s because of you Treat people like livestock!!"

"Oh? People??" Cao Cao was taken aback, and asked with a smile, "Duke Ju, I am Situ the Great Han. The survival of the people in the Great Han is under my jurisdiction. Those outside the Great Han are not under my control. .How they are, that's their business, as long as I can treat the people in the territory of the Han Dynasty as human beings, that's fine..."

"Cao Mengde, even if they are prisoners of war, why do you persecute them like this? Even if you don't pay attention, at least you can't force them to death! If they are all dead, who will build the canal?"

"No, You Jun has already set off to arrest people." Cao Cao shook his head with a smile.

Ju Shou looked at him helplessly, and said, "Mr. Cao has also read the books of sages. How can he do such a thing?? What he said was to educate the people, why didn't he do it like this?"

"Jugong!!!" Cao Cao said solemnly: "You can believe that if we change positions and let them catch our people, they will be more ruthless and there will be no chance of survival!!"

Ju Shou nodded, and said equally seriously: "I know, they will definitely do so."

"Perhaps you are scolding me in your heart, not caring for the people, but worrying about some captives outside the Great Wall. You are a rotten Confucian. However, Meng De, I hope you know that my people in China have been kind since they were enlightened. , many of our sages are based on benevolence and righteousness, the people are honest and the emperor is benevolent. This is not only for the country, but also for the style of the clan. If we encounter foreign enemies, I will definitely draw my sword and kill him. A few come to change my old life!!!"

"But it's different now. They are all unarmed and weak. I don't want your behavior to change the benevolence of my big man and make my people tyrannical and cruel, just like them!!"

Hearing Jushou's words, Cao Cao couldn't help laughing, and couldn't help it no matter what.

"Hahaha!!" Cao Cao laughed loudly, and Jushou's face gradually turned livid and black. He asked, "Mr. Cao?? Is there something wrong with what I said?" Cao Cao suddenly stopped laughing, and slowly Approaching Jushou, his eyes were extraordinarily cold, "Ju Gong, the first emperor did not rely on benevolence and righteousness to rule the kingdoms, and my Taizu, Taizong, Shizu Emperor did not rely on benevolence and righteousness to make the Han strong. This world, in Cao's view Come, it's just the jungle of the jungle."

"When the big man is so powerful, if we don't eat more meat, I'm afraid someone will come to eat our meat in the future"

"Ju Gongzhai has a kind heart. As a great sage, Cao Mo admires him. Unfortunately, Cao Mou can't learn it. Does Ju Gong want to eat meat, or do he want to be treated like meat?"

Jushou stood up in horror, looked at the person in front of him, felt horrible, stretched out his hand, and pointed at Cao Cao, but he was speechless, seeing Jushou like this, Cao Cao found it interesting and couldn't help it He laughed again, the coldness just now disappeared instantly, it seemed that Cao Cao was still that humorous little black old man, no different, but Ju Shou's gaze was already different.

The person sitting in front of him just let him see his original heart, just a glance, but brought him endless fear, this person seems to be afraid of nothing, nothing, in his heart, from beginning to end, only His own ambitions, other than that, nothing will come into his eyes. Looking at Jushou, Cao Cao laughed and asked: "I see, at the end of next spring at the latest, most of the canals in Yangzhou will be able to It's done, next step, I'm going to Jingzhou for the rest of the things here, I still need to trouble Your Excellency."

Ju Shou didn't say a word, trembling, turned and left.

Cao Cao shook his head, and continued to look at his map.

Cao Cao didn't know that his actions in Yangzhou had already caused a sensation in Luoyang. During the Jianning period, Dong Zhuo was insulted by the courtiers because he treated the captives harshly. Now, Cao Cao is far superior to Dong Zhuo. Harm, almost never happened in the Han Dynasty. For the talents of the Han Dynasty, such an approach is too much. They are all Confucian scholars who govern Confucianism, with a benevolent heart in their hearts.

Cao Cao is different. He reads Confucian classics, but acts more ruthlessly than Legalists.

The ministers impeached Cao Cao one after another. Liu Xi didn't dare to go out easily due to these reports. Fortunately, Empress Lu was pregnant, so Liu Xi used this excuse to hide in the palace and was not prepared to deal with the matter. The matter, of course, cannot be left like this. In the end, the matter still fell into the hands of Liu Bei, Zhuge Liang, and Sima Yi, and the emperor asked them to be responsible for handling the matter.

Most of the courtiers knew that Liu Sikong was a man of benevolence and righteousness, and they were extremely happy to hear that Liu Sikong was handed over to him for handling, thinking that Situ would definitely make concessions.

In Sikong's mansion, Liu Bei, Zhuge Liang, and Sima Yi sat together.

"The queen is pregnant, and your majesty is a father for the first time, so it is inconvenient to disturb the court affairs. The three of us will handle the affairs of Sikong. I have to trouble the two of you." Liu Bei said with a smile, but Sima Yi shook his head. Shaking his head, he said: "Before we were with Sikong, we were all juniors, so we dare not discuss this matter with Sikong. It is still up to Sikong to decide what to do, and we just need to execute it."

Hearing Sima Yi's words, Liu Bei smiled and said, "No, both of you are rare heroes in my big man. If you don't participate, I don't have the ability to make a decision."

"Since Sikong has ordered, we definitely dare not disobey."

The two were chatting, but Zhuge Liang seemed a little impatient, he didn't like these ways, Liu Bei easily saw Zhuge Liang's mind, and said directly: "Kong Ming, Zhong Da, Cao Gong's matter, I think you have also heard about it. The canal was dug in Yangzhou, and a total of more than 400 people were killed, wounded and captured, which really shocked the temple.” Liu Bei said, but said helplessly: “However, I heard that things are not what they say.”

"After those people were captured and returned, they were not acclimatized to the environment, so they suffered from diseases, and there were many casualties."

Hearing Liu Bei's words, Sima Yi mostly understood what he meant, but Zhuge Liang said seriously: "Mr. Xuande, I think it's still necessary to send some people there to see the situation there for ourselves?"

"Kong Ming's words are justified, Kong Ming, the temples are busy now, I am busy with scientific achievements, and you are also busy with official affairs, who can go and have a look?"

"But, Mr. Xuande, the matter there involves human life after all." Zhuge Liang frowned, and he was about to continue, but Liu Bei stood up and said solemnly: "I understand what Kong Ming said, Hearing that those laborers suffered heavy casualties, I am also very sad. I wish I could go there now and help them, but...it is useless for me to go there, and it is useless to punish Sikong!!"

"Those working people don't need our condolences and visits, nor do we need to punish Sikong. What they need is a change, a doctor. In this way, I will personally find a doctor to help them solve the problem of acclimatization. Question. In addition, at Cao Situ's place, I am also going to report to His Majesty, asking His Majesty to issue an edict, asking him to heal these laborers, control the disease, and prevent the disease from spreading."

"You say, is this okay?" Liu Bei asked after finishing speaking, looking at them.

The corner of Sima Yi's mouth twitched, he nodded, and said, "Thank you."

Zhuge Liang looked at Liu Bei for a long time before he nodded helplessly.

(End of this chapter)