At the end of the Han Dynasty: a stingy husband from his hometown

Chapter 46
Xiang Hong was a little puzzled by Zhou Qi's rhetorical question.

He asked suspiciously: "Is there any other secret here?"

Zhou Qi sighed: "Even clan forces such as Xujiazhai knew what happened in Xiang County last night, let alone the Cao family in Qiao County."

Xiang Hong was startled and said: "Could it be that Cao Ren has already got the news and knew the identities of the two of us, so he deliberately made things difficult?"

Zhou Qi shook his head and said, "This Cao Ren is not simple. He is not making things difficult for us, but helping us."

Xiang Hong frowned, and said, "Why did you say that, brother?"

Zhou Qi stood up, walked to the window door with his hands behind his back, looked at the tightly guarded outside, and sighed: "I kept things simple before."

After Zhou Qi met Cao Cao, he wanted to use Cao's influence to gain points for Yang Qiu, but his life was unsatisfactory most of the time.

He somewhat overestimated Cao, the current Prime Minister of Pei.

The reason why the Cao family is overestimated is that two generations of the Cao family have held important positions in the court. From this perspective, the Cao family can definitely be regarded as a prominent family.

It's a pity that compared to those aristocratic families that have been passed down for hundreds of years, the Cao family's heritage is too thin after all.

The Cao family's fortune began with Cao Cao's grandfather, Cao Teng. Because he served as a regular servant in the palace, the Cao family began to rise gradually.

Cao Jie, Wang Fu and his like not only have great power, but also allow their clansmen to hold high-ranking officials in various states and counties, so their power expands rapidly.

Cao Teng was a little different. He did not deliberately strengthen his clan. Instead, he recommended Chen Liu, Yu Fang, Bian Shao, Nanyang Yangu, Zhang Wen, Hongnong Zhang Huan, Yingchuan Tangxidian and other current celebrities. These people eventually reached the rank of public minister.

It is precisely because Cao Teng is different that the relationship between the Cao family and the scholars is very harmonious.

However, without Cao Teng's misconduct, the speed of the rise of the Cao family would be greatly hindered. The four Cao Teng brothers, except for Cao Teng himself, were only Cao Baoguan to the prefect of Yingchuan.

Cao Bao, the grandfather of Cao Ren.

In the generation of Cao Cao's father, Cao Song, only Cao Song, Cao Yin, and Cao Ding served in the court, of which Cao Yin was only an official with [-] stone.

Cao Ding was Cao Hong's uncle, and served as the prefect of Wujun.

Only Cao Song, relying on Cao Teng's relationship, entered Luoyang and worshiped Sili Xiaowei.

The entire Cao clan, due to its weak background and too few people, basically has talented elders in the clan who go out to serve as officials.

As a result, in the Cao family in Qiao County, except for the servants with older family qualifications, most of the rest are young people or children.

For example, Cao Ren, Cao Chun, and Cao Hong cousins, Cao Ren, who is only eleven years old, is the oldest.

They rely on the power of the family, even if there are only children and servants in the family, no one in Qiao County dares to despise them, but it is obviously impossible for people like Wei Yangqiu, the Sili school, to give these children face.

When Zhou Qi met Cao Cao before, he didn't consider this at all, which caused a little misjudgment.

This is also the problem that Zhou Qi discovered when he arrived at the Cao Mansion and saw that the manager of the Cao Mansion called Cao Ren to let such a child in his early ten years receive him.

Yang Qiu is such a proud person, even Wang Fu, who has power over the government and the public, doesn't pay attention to him, so how can he care about a few underage children?

What's more, these children may not stand up to help Zhou Qi.

Zhou Qi sighed: "It would be fine for Cao Mengde to go home. If not, we will hide in the woodshed and not be known by outsiders. It might not be the best way to protect ourselves."

"As for Yang Shijun, he can only do his best and obey the destiny."

Two flowers bloom, one branch each.

Not long after Zhou Qi and Xiang Hong entered Cao's Mansion, the arrest documents from Xiangxian County were sent to the county government quickly.

The magistrate of Qiao County quickly ordered people to draw pictures, and then sent people to post arrest documents everywhere, and ordered the officers to strictly check the visitors from other places.

If Zhou Qi and Xiang Hong appeared in the city at this time, their identities would be revealed soon.

Not long after Xiang County's sea arrest document was delivered, Cao Cao and Xiahou Dun got two horses in Xiang County and rushed towards Qiao County.

"Tap Tap!"

Cao Ren summoned dozens of domestic slaves, who were guarding Cao Cao's home in full armor, when he heard the sound of horseshoes, his expression changed slightly.

"Little master, the eldest son is back!"

What the porter said next made Cao Ren let out a long sigh of relief. He hurriedly threw away his weapon and walked to the door to greet Cao Cao.

Cao Cao strode into the courtyard and saw so many domestic slaves holding sharp knives gathered in the courtyard, he couldn't help frowning slightly, and asked, "What happened at home?"

Cao Ren didn't answer directly, but took Cao Cao and Xiahou Dun to the stable, and pointed to the two horses grazing inside.

When Xiahou Dun saw this, he couldn't help but said with surprise: "Brother, why is that good horse back again?"

After Cao Cao experienced the initial shock, he immediately showed joy.

He hurriedly grabbed Cao Ren's hands and asked with some anticipation: "But Zhou Ziyi came to the house?"

Cao Ren nodded and said, "My little brother just got the news that Wang Ji was killed last night. In the morning, two people came to the mansion and said they wanted to return the horse gifted by brother."

"Little brother listened to his name and looked at his appearance. He seemed to be the same as the two assassins recorded in the letter. So he deliberately challenged them with words, and then sent someone to secretly detain them in the firewood room, waiting for my brother to come back and deal with them."

However, Cao Cao knocked on Cao Ren's forehead and cursed with a smile: "You are still so naughty, take me to see Ziyi quickly!"

In the firewood room, Xiang Hong was working out his strength, but Zhou Qi was concentrating on his thoughts. He was thinking about how to go in the future.

It is really very difficult for someone like him from a humble background to climb up.

If Wang Ji, Prime Minister of Peiguo, was his first springboard, then Sili Xiaowei Yangqiu was the second springboard in his life.

According to the historical trend, Yang Qiu will not be able to bounce around for long.

If it was possible, and Zhou Qi was highly valued by Yang Qiu, he would not mind helping Yang Qiu to see if he could change the tragic ending in Yang Qiu's history.

If history cannot be changed, Zhou Qi will never be buried with Yang Qiu.

He had other thoughts from the beginning, and it was impossible for him to have a single-minded thought like many people in the late Han Dynasty.

All he can do is to help those who are kind to him within the scope of his ability, so that he has no regrets.

"Crench!"

Just when Zhou Qi's thoughts were flying wildly, the closed chai gate was suddenly opened.

"Ziyi, Bird, I never thought we would meet again here!"

Just as the door was opened, Cao Cao's surprise voice came in.

Zhou Qi raised his head hastily, and when he saw Cao Cao striding towards him, he also had a look of surprise on his face.

He didn't expect that Cao Cao would come back so promptly.

(End of this chapter)