Yuan Shao, the father of Fanghua in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 192
Cao Song was sitting on the side of the street drunkenly, carrying a flagon.

He was depressed, he was once a dignified captain, but he has come to such a desolate situation!

Compared with the other hostages of the Cao family, as Cao Cao's father, he was not placed under the fence, but was arranged alone in a small courtyard with a few concubines, and two meals a day were guaranteed.

But that's about it.

Compared with the previous life, there was a sky and an underground, and the small courtyard was always guarded by soldiers, making Cao Song feel like an old dog locked in a cage.

But as time passed, Cao Song got to know the guard soldiers well, and he entrusted him to pawn the ornaments on his body, and exchanged some money to bribe the soldiers, so that he often sneaked out to drink at the wine shop opposite the house.

The guarding soldiers were also happy to turn their eyes and close their eyes. Yecheng is very well protected. Cao Song walked dozens of steps to drink across the street. What danger could there be?
Cao Song also wanted to get up to buy wine, touched his arms, and found that there were only a few five baht left, which was not enough to buy anything.

He stood on the side of the road in a daze for a while, poured the last few drops of wine from the flagon in his hand into his mouth, and stared blankly at the street with cars and people passing by.

The guarding soldier across the street came over and advised, "Grandpa, it's time to go back."

"You've been out for a long time, and it's hard for us to explain."

Cao Song followed the soldiers back angrily, muttering.

The soldiers took Cao Song into the small courtyard, locked the door, and stood guard outside. Not long after, a carriage stopped at the entrance of the small courtyard.

Seeing this, the soldier hurried up and shouted: "No parking here, leave quickly!"

The young man driving the car shouted: "Young master, come to Cao Taigong!"

The car door opened, and a young man jumped out. He smiled at the soldier and said, "I'll leave after a few words."

A soldier heard this and said, "Who are you?"

"This is an important person who needs to be guarded. How can you talk casually?"

The young man jumped off his horse, took out a token, and said: "This is Yuan Shijun's son."

When the two soldiers saw the badge, they were startled, and saluted, "I've seen you, Young Master."

The two were Yuan Xi and Sun Li, and Yuan Xi asked, "How is Mr. Cao doing these days?"

The two soldiers looked at each other, and Yuan Xi said, "Tell me the truth."

A soldier whispered: "Grandfather is fond of wine, and often complains about poor food. I think he should be very dissatisfied with this."

They didn't dare to say that they let Cao Song drink, otherwise, wouldn't this be causing trouble?
Yuan Xi asked Cao Song what he usually eats, and he laughed and said, "For him, it's really not good."

He turned his head to look at the wine shop and restaurant opposite, and said to Sun Li: "Go to the carriage and get two rolls of silk out, as a greeting gift for the two of you."

According to Sun Li's words, he took out two horses from the car and handed them to the doorman. The two dared not say anything, and Yuan Xi said, "I need your help with something."

"Today's lunch, don't send it in."

The two looked at each other suspiciously, but they didn't dare to disobey Yuan Xi's words, so they had to agree.

Yuan Xi took Sun Li to the restaurant opposite to have dinner, and waited for another two or three hours. Seeing that it was almost time for dinner, he said to Sun Li, "Take a piece of silk in exchange for some wine and vegetables, and come in with me."

At this time, after years of wars at the end of the Han Dynasty, the currency system had completely collapsed.

After Dong Zhuo made small coins, the value of a grain of dendrobium was as high as hundreds of thousands of Dong Zhuo's small coins.

Youzhou under the rule of Gongsun Zan once suffered from the cannibalism of the people. At that time, a stone of grain cost [-] yuan.

In the first year of Emperor Xian's Xingping period, a dendrobium valley was worth 50 yuan, and a dendrobium bean and wheat was worth 20 yuan.

Also in the first year of Xingping, a piece of Dendrobium in Dong'e area cost more than 50 yuan, so Cheng Yu, a Dong'e native, made meat from the Dong'e people who were eating food, which fundamentally solved the problem of food shortage.

Although Jizhou was relatively rich in money and food, many people in Yecheng were unwilling to accept coins, so food and silk became hard currency.

After hearing this, Sun Li went to the carriage to take out the silk cloth, and went to talk to the shopkeeper. After a quarter of an hour, several waiters came out of the kitchen with wine and vegetables.

Then Yuan Xi took Sun Li and a few of his fellows to Cao Song's gate, and the two gatekeepers hurriedly opened the gate. Yuan Xi asked, "Didn't you deliver the lunch?"

The two laughed together and said, "How dare you disobey the son's order, of course not."

Yuan Xi thought to himself that he hadn't eaten all day, so it should be about the same, so he nodded immediately and walked in.

At this time, Cao Song was so hungry that his eyes were black. He was lying on the couch, and several concubines were hammering his legs. Cao Song was so hungry that he groaned and said irritably, "Why hasn't anyone brought the food yet?"

He thought of eating rough tea and light meals for more than a year, either rice porridge or noodle cakes, served with some wild vegetables, rarely meaty, and felt angry.
But now that he is under the fence, who would care about him being a hostage?
Not delivering food at noon must be to blackmail him, but where does he have extra money now?

He felt that he was about to starve to death, staring at the roof and sighing, but suddenly he smelled a faint scent floating into his nostrils.

Cao Song suddenly opened his eyes wide, rolled over and sat up.

He rolled out of bed with a bang, and ran out the door dragging his clogs. His fat and bloated body was extremely light at the moment. As soon as he opened the door, he saw someone standing in the middle of the yard, with a few restaurant staff behind him supporting him on a wooden tray. Various dishes in pots.

There are steamed white fish overflowing with juice, braised elbows that are soft and rotten, big goose that is roasted crispy and translucent, and a few pieces of mutton floating on top of a large bowl of soup, covered with glistening oil.

When Cao Song saw it, his eyes were straightened. This is the smell of meat wafting from the restaurant when he passed by the restaurant countless times!

He has never eaten these things!

All his money was exchanged for wine, and he couldn't afford these expensive meat meals. Such meals were extremely expensive, and even in Ye City, not all the gentry could afford them.

Every time he passed the restaurant, Cao Song would sniff his nose greedily, trying to keep the fragrance in his nasal cavity for a longer time.

At this moment, he felt tears rolling in his eyes. Damn, is he dreaming?
He tremblingly took a few steps forward, and was about to pounce on him, but Yuan Xi stopped in front, cupped his hands and said with a smile: "I have seen Mr. Cao, but I haven't seen him for a long time, I miss him very much."

Cao Song swallowed his saliva and said, "It's easy to say, easy to say."

He stared at the food and wine, and still couldn't bear to look away from the fish when he spoke, "You are?"

Yuan Xi wondered if Cao Song was starving and stupid, and said, "Yuan Xi, my boy, has had a relationship with the grandfather several times."

It took Cao Song a while to realize that this is the wicked son of the Yuan family who robbed him of all his wealth!

He just wanted to open his mouth to yell, but he swallowed it back. With his current situation, what qualifications do he have to be tough with others?

He smiled all over his face, cupped his hands and said: "So it's Mr. Xian Yi, thanks for your protection, I am very grateful."

The two of them knew that these were all lies and could not be more false, but they had their own ghosts in their hearts, and neither of them would reveal it.

The two entered the room and sat down. Seeing Cao Song staring at the dishes on the table, Yuan Xi swallowed and said with a smile, "My boy's admiration for the grandpa is like a torrent of rivers, endless. This time, I have something to ask for." .”

Cao Song was getting more and more hungry, but Yuan Xi started talking to him slowly, and he got angry, so he wanted to jump up and throw himself on the table to chew.

Of course Yuan Xi is not in a hurry, if Cao Song is full and enters the state of a sage, it will be difficult for him to negotiate terms.

Cao Song said with difficulty: "The old man can't protect himself now, what else can I do to help you?"

Yuan Xi smiled slightly, knowing that he was hooked, and said: "My grandfather knows, I have nothing wrong with this person, except that I am a little bit feminine."

When Cao Song heard this, he forced a smile and said, "My lord is too modest. This is the elegance of the gentry, so it's not a fault."

He thought to himself that Yuan Xi has taken a fancy to my concubine?

No problem, as long as Yuan Xi asks, three concubines can be exchanged for a goose!

He said without hesitation: "Young master, if you are interested in this old man's concubine, just take it away."

When his concubines heard this, their eyes lit up. No matter how you look at it, following Yuan Xi is much better than following Cao Song!
Yuan Xi knew that Cao Song had misunderstood, but seeing that the time was ripe, he immediately said: "That day in Dongwuyang, the grandpa came to Yecheng with the grandpa, and some of Meng Degong's family members."

"There's a woman inside, I'm very interested, and I've already brought her back to the mansion. Since she came to Yecheng, fame and festivals are meaningless. If she goes back again, I'm afraid Meng Degong will have a grudge."

"It's better for me to reluctance, do some good deeds, and relieve Meng Degong's worries. As long as the Taigong writes a letter of divorce for Meng Degong, everything will be fine."

Originally Huan was Cao Cao's concubine, so there was no need for a divorce letter, but Huan's status was sensitive. She was once the wife of a contemporary celebrity, and her status was different from that of ordinary concubines. If she was easily kicked out, she would be criticized by the nobles, so Cao Song was required to endorse.

Cao Song came to his senses, this kid said it nicely, didn't he just want to snatch his son, concubine Ji!
He suppressed his hunger, pretended not to understand, and did not speak.

When Yuan Xi saw this, he admired him in his heart, as expected of someone who had been a high official, he could bear it.

After a while, Cao Song said, "I don't know who the young master wants?"

Yuan Xi stopped talking around the corner, "Let the widow go, Mrs. Huan."

When Cao Song heard this, he looked embarrassed, shook his head and said, "It's difficult, my son's family affairs don't have a legitimate reason, so I don't want to meddle casually."

Yuan Xi scolded the old fox secretly, and said, "Normally speaking, this is indeed the case."

"However, if the concubine Ji is unworthy, the grandfather can of course drive her out of the house for his son."

In the Han Dynasty, filial piety was the first priority. If there were legitimate reasons, fathers could divorce their wives and concubines for their sons.

Cao Song thought to himself that this son of the Yuan family had such an idea!

Want to bribe me with a meal of wine and food?

Under the lure of the aroma, his jaw twitched from hunger, and he began to bite his tongue, but he still insisted, "I heard that my son loves the Huan family very much. Without evidence, I can't wrong a good person."

Yuan Xili said bluntly: "She is already living in my residence, what evidence do I need?"

"As long as you open your mouth too much, it means you've made the matter real. I'm not afraid. What is Grandpa afraid of?"

Cao Song still wanted to talk, Yuan Xi would not give him a chance, sighed: "I didn't expect the grandpa to be so upright, I am really ashamed, so I will go back and contemplate behind closed doors."

"Originally, I wanted to send some wine and food to the grandfather every now and then, but it seems that it is unnecessary."

"In that case, I'll take all these things away."

Cao Song was anxious, thinking that Yuan Xi was really difficult to deal with, he really was his nemesis, and he wanted to bargain, but the other party didn't give him a chance at all!
He understood that Yuan Xi just wanted to gain fame, and he might have done all sorts of scandals in private.

To me, the Huan family was nothing at all, it was already a surprise to be able to exchange some food and drinks, so what else could I hope for?
He said decisively: "Young master is right, the Huan family is indeed not good, after I am full, I will find a pen and ink to write a letter of divorce for my son."

Yuan Xi smiled and said, "I have prepared for this in advance."

As soon as he beckoned, Sun Li took out silk, brushes, pine ink and other things from the backpack on his back, and began to grind the ink with his hands.

Yuan Xi smiled at Cao Song, "Please."

Cao Song had no choice but to pick up the brush. While staring at the big elbowed goose on the table, he picked up the brush with his hand that was trembling with hunger. Difficult to write each word.

Seeing that Cao Song insisted on finishing the writing anyway, Yuan Xi took the silk and read it several times, and found that Cao Song was quite sensible, and the reason he used was a serious illness, which was the least excuse that would affect his reputation.

Only then did Yuan Xi feel relieved, rolled up the silk and put it in his bosom, and said to Cao Song, "Your Majesty has worked hard, please have dinner."

Before he finished speaking, Cao Song waved his hands away from the two concubines who wanted to come to help him, and rushed to the front of the table swiftly.

He grabbed the wooden chopsticks on the table, put a large piece of delicious steamed fish in his mouth, and before chewing a few times, he picked up a large piece of skinned elbow.

The elbow was hanging on the wooden chopsticks, trembling like jelly, and when it was thrown into the mouth, it was so soft and tender that Cao Song almost couldn't help crying out, it's what people eat!
He went to pinch the roasted goose leg again, but failed to get it off a few times. He dropped the wooden chopsticks in a hurry, pressed the goose body with one hand, twisted the goose leg with the other hand, and tore it hard, pulling the goose leg off.

Cao Song pinched the goose's leg tightly with five chubby fingers, greasy oil seeped out from between his fingers, flowed down his wrist, and soaked his sleeves, but he didn't care, and bit the goose's leg hard.

Yuan Xi saw that Cao Song didn't have the slightest demeanor of a nobleman at this time, and his heart was in the face of hunger, so all living beings are equal.

(End of this chapter)