Soldiers come to the world

Sima Yi asked Li Fu to sit down, ordered his attendants to serve tea, and then said with a smile: "Before leaving, His Highness specially told me to greet you on his behalf. I have been staying in Yedu for so many years, and I have wronged you. .”

Li Fu smiled wryly and said: "I am originally from Yedu, and I am crazy by nature, and I don't like to be restrained. In fact, I like this kind of life very much. I am unrestrained and free. I was promoted step by step to become a captain and join the army. I feel ashamed myself, compared to those soldiers who fought bloody battles, I should not be treated so favorably."

"This is self-effacing when joining the army. The contribution made by joining the army may not be realized by ordinary people, but His Royal Highness and He Zhangtai are very clear. The trickle turns into a river. We set up Chang'an as our capital and used Weiyang Palace, but no one came out to impeach us. Accusing, isn’t this the contribution of joining the army? Explaining one by one, winning the understanding of the court and hundreds of officials, and making us stand firm in legal principles, this is a contribution.”

Although Li Fu thought that he had made no contribution, it was more of a humble statement. Seeing Sima Yi's affirmation of his achievements, he was really happy in his heart, and said with a smile: "A major event happened in Yedu today. Announcing the establishment of a son, should Shang Shu know?"

Sima Yi was a little strange, and asked puzzledly, "Why did you say 'announced suddenly?'"

"Because Cao Cao publicly said a few days ago that the issue of heirs would be established after the day of the day, but now there are 20 days before the day of the day, he announced it, which really surprised many people. Frankly speaking, it seems very In a hurry, I didn't even have time to prepare for the ceremony." "What's the reason?" Sima Yi asked with great interest.

"It should be related to Cao Zhi. It is said that nearly a hundred important officials are going to jointly write a letter to Cao Cao before the day, requesting Cao Zhi to be his heir. In order to prevent this from happening, Cao Cao announced his son in advance and cut off the idea of ​​these high-ranking officials."

"Hundreds of senior officials!" Sima Yi was taken aback. "Does this include local senior officials?"

"It should also include the local governors, especially in the Xuzhou area. Cao Zhi visited there for two years and was quite popular. This time Cao Cao announced the establishment of his son, but he still took a lot of risks. It can be said that this is the biggest political event in Wei. Risk, although the crown prince has been established, it is still a big question whether he can pass this test smoothly, and this is the bitter wine that Cao Cao has brewed in the past ten years of indecision."

Sima Yi understood what Li Fu was referring to. In the past ten years, Cao Cao has been hesitant on the important issue of establishing a son. He once decided to make Cao Zhi his son. Even before the Yang Cui case, Cao Zhi still had the upper hand, but Cao Pi had the cooperation of the Han Dynasty. , carefully planned the Yang Cui case, exposed Cao Zhi's political thinking, and finally made Cao Cao disappointed in him and changed Cao Pi to be his son.

Although the son has been established today, the political consequences left by the ten-year struggle cannot be eliminated in a short period of time. In particular, in order to establish Cao Zhi as his heir a few years ago, Cao Cao specially supported his party members, which gave Cao Zhi a large number of loyal supporters. , Formed a powerful political group, Cao Cao can still suppress it now, once Cao Cao dies, the struggle between the two brothers will be fierce.

Sima Yi was pacing around the room with his hands behind his back. He was making a decision, which Liu Jing mentioned half a year ago, that was to make full use of the political struggle between Cao Pi and Cao Zhi to muddy the waters of Wei State, and even make Cao Zhang It is also implicated, weakening Wei State to the greatest extent.

Now that Cao Pi is established as the crown prince, the struggle is not over. On the contrary, the struggle will become more intense. People in Cao Zhi's forces know very well that if Cao Pi ascends the throne, what awaits them will be a bloody purge.

Thinking of this, Sima Yi turned to Li Fu and said, "The king of Han has been paying attention to the dispute between Pizhi and hoped that the civil strife in Wei would create opportunities for us to conquer Wei at the least cost. Made a difference.”

Li Fu nodded, and asked again: "I wonder who His Highness the King of Han will support?"

Sima Yi laughed, "Our interest does not lie in Cao Pi or Cao Zhi. When Cao Pi was weak, we supported Cao Pi. Now that Cao Zhi is weak, we naturally want to support Cao Zhi. But this matter cannot be rushed, let alone leave traces, Cao Pi This person is very shady, and his wrists are strong, he will use the enemy country to convict Cao Zhi's forces, this matter is of great importance, Li Canjun must proceed with caution."

"I understand. Please rest assured, Sima Shangshu. I have contacts in Ye, so I won't be caught by Cao Pi."

At night, a carriage drove slowly on Guangyangmen Street. There were only a dozen guards on both sides of the carriage. Inside the carriage, Cao Zhi stared blankly at the deserted street outside the window. Piles of snow were messy and dirty. The ground was piled up beside the road, and it was extremely cold on the street, and there was no one to be seen.

At this time, Cao Zhi's mood was the same as these snowdrifts that were once white and crystal clear. After bringing joy and laughter, he was ruthlessly abandoned by people, yes, abandoned!Cao Zhi felt that he was abandoned by his father.

In the end, the father still made his elder brother the eldest son. If so, why did he give himself so much hope at the beginning? Cao Zhi's father's voice of encouraging him seemed to be still echoing in Cao Zhi's ears.

"Zhi'er, just like my father, you are a man of great talent and great ambition. My father hopes that you can inherit my career and eventually unify the world. At that time, my father will be able to rest in peace under the nine springs."

This was just what my father said a year ago when he took him to Runan to conquer the Han army. At that time, he was full of high spirits and full of expectations for his future, but after the Yang Cui case happened half a year ago, everything changed , his father was alienated from him, his power was deprived, he seemed to fall from the sky to the ground, and today, his father finally announced the news that made him feel chilling.

Cao Zhi sighed lowly, what should he do now, where should he go?

At this moment, several cavalry rushed forward, rushed to the front of Cao Zhi's convoy and reined in the horses, "Is this Mr. Zhi's carriage?"

"Exactly!"

"Wei Gong has an order to let Mr. Zhi go to see him immediately, no further delay!"

The cavalry stepped forward again and whispered in front of the carriage window: "Master Zhi, hurry up! Duke Wei is already waiting."

Cao Zhi nodded and told the coachman, "Speed ​​up!"

The carriage suddenly accelerated and rushed towards the Tongque Palace outside the northern city.

Not long after, the carriage drove into the gate of Tongque Palace and stopped slowly in front of the steps. An eunuch had been waiting here for a long time. Seeing Cao Zhi's arrival, he hurried forward and said, "Young Master, come with me! The Eldest Young Master has already arrived." It's over, Duke Wei is waiting for you."

Cao Zhi stopped in his footsteps and asked hesitantly, "My brother is here?"

"He was also announced to come in for an interview, here! Isn't that here?"

Cao Zhi looked into the palace, and saw his elder brother Cao Pi walking quickly, with a proud face, Cao Zhi didn't want to see him at this time, but he had nowhere to retreat, so he had to bite his lip and go forward.

"Hey! The third brother is here too."

Cao Pi had seen Cao Zhi's carriage a long time ago. At this time, he pretended to be surprised and just found out. "Did your father ask you to come?" He asked again.

Cao Zhi stepped forward and reluctantly saluted, "Congratulations, brother!"

Cao Pi laughed, his eyes were full of complacency. Once upon a time he was pushed almost to the point of desperation, but now he turned over and looked at his brother with a bitter face, and he felt an indescribable joy in his heart.

"Actually, you don't have to be sad."

Cao Pi gave a dry laugh, patted his brother on the shoulder, and said earnestly: "I hope that the two of us brothers will put aside the past, stop taking the past matters to heart, and work together to make father's career stronger in the future."

"This sentence should be said to my brother, don't take the past to heart, can my brother do it?" Cao Zhi said coldly.

Cao Pi's face changed, and he became gloomy immediately, and said extremely unhappy: "Third brother, what do you mean by that?"

"Brother should understand what I mean!"

Cao Pi looked coldly at his brother who was taller than him, and after a while, he snorted and asked, "Will the third brother not give up?

"It's not whether I give up, but whether my brother is willing to give up."

"If the third brother refuses to give up, then of course I won't swallow my anger."

At this time, a tall and beautiful young woman came out from the palace. It was Cao Xian. Cao Cao was a little impatient and asked his daughter to come out and urge Cao Zhi.

"Third brother!" Cao Xian saw Cao Zhi and hurried forward and said, "Why don't you go in, father is already waiting."

Cao Zhi nodded, clasped his fists to Cao Pi, and said in a firm tone: "Brother, please! I'll go in first."

Cao Pi smiled, and in front of his younger sister, he regained his image of a gentle and amiable elder brother, and his voice softened, "Third brother, go quickly! Don't make father wait in a hurry. We brothers will talk slowly when we have time." .”

Cao Zhi turned around and walked away quickly. Cao Pi looked at his brother's back with his hands behind his back, a cold smile gradually appeared on the corner of his mouth

"Third brother, I thought you two would quarrel, and I was especially worried that the eldest brother would ridicule you. It seems to be okay, the eldest brother is still as gentle as before."

Cao Xian has the best relationship with her third brother Cao Zhi. She is full of sympathy for Cao Zhi's frustration this time, and she is afraid that her third brother will sink from now on. Especially since she is about to get married, she will no longer be able to care about her third brother, which fills her with worry.

But the elder brother's gentle attitude just now reassured her a little, and Cao Zhi really wanted to sarcastically scold, 'Hypocrite! ’ But he couldn’t bear to hurt his sister’s heart, so he changed the topic, “Little sister, why is father looking for me in such a hurry?”

"I don't know, but I think my father wants to appease the third brother! After all, the announcement of the son today is a big blow to the third brother, and my father will feel a little guilty. He used to like you so much."

Cao Zhi was right when he thought about it, his father should be able to appease him.

Soon, they came to his father's study, Cao Xian first went in to report, and soon came out and said: "Third Brother, Father let you in!"

Cao Zhi walked into the study with anxiety in his heart, knelt down in front of Cao Cao, and kowtowed heavily: "My son pays homage to father!"