Chapter 21 of the main text: Cao Cao Boiling Wine and Discussing the Hero Guan Gong's Wealth in the City, Slaying Chariots and Armors

 Chapter 21 of the main text: Cao Cao Boiling Wine and Discussing the Hero Guan Gong's Wealth in the City, Slaying Chariots and Armors

------------------------

But Dong Cheng and others asked Ma Teng, "Who does the Duke want to use?" Ma Teng replied, "Seeing that Liu Xuande, the governor of Yuzhou, is here, why not ask for it?" Cheng replied, "Although this person is the imperial uncle, he is currently attached to Cao Cao and willing to do this?" Teng replied, "The other day in the enclosure, when Cao Cao was welcoming the audience's congratulations, Yun Chang was behind Xuande, wielding a knife to kill him. Xuande stopped by looking at him. Xuande was not unwilling to seek Cao, and he hated Cao Cao for having too many teeth and claws, fearing that his strength would be insufficient. If the Duke tried to ask for it, he would definitely agree." Wu Shuo said, "This matter should not be discussed too quickly. We should calmly." The crowd dispersed. The next night, Dong Chenghuai issued an edict and headed straight to the Xuande Mansion. The gatekeeper enters and reports, and Xuande welcomes them out. Please enter the small pavilion and sit down. Guan and Zhang stood on the side. Xuande said, "If my uncle comes here at night, there must be an accident. Cheng said, "In the siege the day before yesterday, Yun Chang wanted to kill Cao Cao, but the general moved his eyes and bowed his head before retreating. What's the point?" Xuande was startled and asked, "How does the Duke know?" Cheng said, "No one can see it, only one can see it. Therefore, by dissecting the liver and draining the gallbladder to inform each other, why did the Duke cheat?" Xuande said, "I was afraid that my uncle might cheat, so I tried to listen to him." So Dong Cheng took the imperial edict and observed it, and Xuande was filled with grief and indignation. He presented the memorial again, and there were six people at the top: first, General Dong Cheng of Chariots and Cavalry; 2、 Prince's uniform for the Minister of Works; 3、 Changshui Colonel Seed Collection; 4、 Yilang Wu Shuo; 5、 General Zhaoxin Wu Zilan; 6、 Ma Teng, the governor of Xiliang. Xuande said, "Since I have been ordered to hunt down bandits, I dare not waste the efforts of dogs and horses." He thanked me and asked for the title of the book. Xuande also wrote 'Left General Liu Bei', stamped his name, and acknowledged receipt. Cheng said, "Let's invite three more people to join forces in ten acts of righteousness, with the intention of betraying our country." Xuande said, "It's best to implement it slowly and not to let it slip lightly." After discussing it for five shifts, we decided not to go.

Xuande also guarded against Cao Cao's assassination, so he planted vegetables in the backyard and personally watered them, thinking it was a hidden plan. Guan and Zhang said, 'Brother, why don't you pay attention to the affairs of the world and learn from the affairs of petty people?' Xuande replied, 'This is not something that my younger brother knows.' However, they remained silent.

One day, Guan and Zhang were not around, and Xuande was watering vegetables in the backyard. Xu Chu and Zhang Liao brought dozens of people into the garden and said, "The Prime Minister has an order, please let me serve you." Xuande asked in surprise, "Is there something urgent?" Xu Chu replied, "I don't know. Just teach me to come and serve you." Xuande had to follow the two into the mansion to see the emperor. Cao smiled and said, 'What a great thing to do at home!'? De Xuande's face was as pale as earth. Cao held Xuande's hand until he reached the backyard and said, "It's not easy for Xuande to study in the garden!" Xuande finally felt relieved and replied, "I have nothing to do to entertain my ears. As we arrived at the small pavilion, we had set up a tray with green plums and a bottle of boiled wine. The two sat facing each other, drinking heartily. Halfway through drinking, suddenly the clouds become indifferent and a gathering of rain is approaching. From afar, point to the dragon hanging outside the sky, and observe it with Xuande by leaning on the railing. Cao said, "Do you know the changes of the dragon?" Xuande said, "I don't know its details. Serving in the court. There are unknown heroes in the world." Cao said, "I don't know their faces, but I have heard of their names." Xuande said, "Huainan Yuan Shu, with sufficient troops and provisions, can be a hero?" Cao smiled and said, "The bones in the zuka are withered, and I will capture them sooner or later Xuande said, "Yuan Shao from Hebei Province, with four generations and three dukes, and many old officials in his sect. Now that the tiger is stationed in Jizhou, there are many capable subordinates who can be heroes." Cao laughed and said, "Yuan Shao is fierce and cowardly, always eager to plan without interruption. He cherishes his own life for great things and forgets his fate for small gains. He is not a hero." Xuande said, "There is a person named Ba Jun who dominates the Nine Provinces. Liu Jingsheng can be a hero?" Cao said, "Liu Biao has no real name and is not a hero." Xuande said, "There is a person with strong blood and courage, and the leader of Jiangdong - Sun Bofu - is a hero?" Cao said, "Sun Ce, in the name of his father, is not a hero. Heroes." Xuande said, "Is Liu Jiyu from Yizhou a hero?" Cao said, "Although Liu Zhang is a member of the royal family and a guardian of the household, how can he be considered a hero?" Xuande said, "How could someone like Zhang Xiu, Zhang Lu, Han Sui, and others be like him Cao clapped and laughed heartily, saying, "Why bother with such a mediocre person!" Xuande said, "Apart from this, I really don't know." Cao said, "If you are a hero, you have great ambitions, good plans, the opportunity to hide the universe, and the will to swallow the will of heaven and earth. At that time, the rain was approaching and there was loud thunder. Xuande calmly lowered his head and picked up the chopsticks, saying, "The power of a shock is even greater than this." Cao smiled and asked, "Does my husband also fear thunder. Cao Sui does not doubt Xuande. There is a poem by later generations that praises it: "Mian took a temporary approach from the tiger's den and revealed that the hero was shocked and killed. Cleverly using the sound of thunder to cover up, he believed in the situation as if he were a god

The rain stopped, and two people rushed into the backyard, holding swords and rushing to the pavilion, unable to stop them from left and right. Look at it, it's Guan and Zhang. Originally, the two of them returned from shooting arrows outside the city. Upon hearing that Xuande had been invited by Xu Chu and Zhang Liao, they hurriedly came to the Prime Minister's Office to inquire; It was said that in the backyard, there was only fear of loss, so a conflict broke in. But I saw Xuande sitting opposite Cao drinking. The two stood with swords pressed together. Ask the two where they came from. Yun Chang said, "I heard that the Prime Minister and his brother are drinking alcohol, so I came here to dance a sword to help them laugh." Cao Xiao said, "This is not a meeting of the Hongmen Sect, why bother with Xiang Zhuang and Xiang Bo?" Xuan De also smiled. Damn it: "Take the wine and suppress the shock with Erfan Kuai." Guan and Zhang thanked each other. In an instant, the banquet dispersed and Xuande returned with his words. Yun Chang said, "I almost killed both of you!" Xuande told Guan and Zhang about the incident of falling chopsticks. What do Guan and Zhang mean. Xuande said, "My study garden was intended to make Cao know that I had no great ambitions; but unexpectedly, Cao referred to me as a hero, which startled me. I was also afraid that Cao might have doubts, so I used the fear of thunder to cover up my ears." Guan and Zhang said, "Brother, how insightful

The next day, please invite Xuande again. In the drinking room, people eagerly went to inquire about Yuan Shao and returned. Summon and ask. Chong said, "Gongsun Zan has been defeated by Yuan Shao." Xuande urgently asked, "I would like to hear more details. Zan also left a letter to Zhang Yan, secretly agreeing to raise a fire as a sign of cooperation between the inside and outside. The lower scribe was captured by Yuan Shao, but set fire to the outside of the city to lure the enemy. Zan went into battle and ambushed his troops, with most of them split. He retreated to the city and was penetrated by Yuan Shao into the building where Zan lived, setting fire to it. Zan had no way to walk. He first killed his wife, then hanged himself, and his entire family was burned down by fire. Today, Yuan Shao has obtained the Zan army and its momentum is very strong. Shao's younger brother Yuan Shu was excessively arrogant and extravagant in Huainan, showing no mercy towards the military and civilians, and causing everyone to rebel. The envoy returned the imperial title to Yuan Shao. Shao wanted to obtain the jade seal and personally sent it to Shu Yue. He saw that he had abandoned Huainan and wanted to return to Hebei. If two people work together, it will be difficult to recover in a hurry. Requesting the Prime Minister to make an urgent plan. ”Upon hearing that Gongsun Zan had passed away, Xuande couldn't help but reminisce about the kindness of recommending himself in the past, feeling deeply saddened; I don't know how Zhao Zilong fell, so I can't rest assured. Because I secretly thought to myself, 'If I don't find a way out now, how long should I wait?' I stood up and said to Cao, 'If Shu joins Shao, he will pass through Xuzhou. If we prepare an army, we will intercept halfway and Shu can be captured.' Cao smiled and said, 'I will report to the emperor tomorrow, even if we raise an army.' The next day, Xuande reported to the emperor in person. Commanding Governor Xuande to send 50000 troops, and also dispatching Zhu Ling and Lu Zhao to accompany him. Xuande resigned from the emperor, and the emperor wept and sent him away.

When Xuande arrived at the apartment, he gathered his weapon Pommeled Horse at night, hung the general's seal, and hurried. Dong Cheng drove out of the Ten Mile Pavilion to deliver. Xuande said, "My uncle is patient. There must be a reward for this trip." Cheng said, "I should be careful not to betray the emperor's heart." The two parted ways. Guan and Zhang immediately asked, "Brother, why are you so hasty on this expedition?" Xuande replied, "I am a bird in a cage and a fish in a net. This line is like a fish entering the sea or a bird rising to the blue sky, not bound by the cage net!" Guan and Zhang urged Zhu Ling and Lu Zhao's army to move quickly.

When Guo Jia and Cheng Yu returned with money and grain, they learned that Cao Cao had sent Xuan De to attack Xuzhou. They panicked and advised, "Why did the Prime Minister order Liu Bei to supervise the army?" Cao replied, "I wanted to intercept Yuan Shu'er." Cheng Yu said, "In the past, when Liu Bei was the governor of Yuzhou, some people requested to be killed, but the Prime Minister did not listen. Today, I am with his troops again, saying, 'Let the dragons go into the sea and the tigers return to the mountains. If you want to treat them later, can you get them?' Guo Jia said," If the Prime Minister does not kill the soldiers, he should not be sent away. As the ancients said, 'If you lead the enemy in one day, it will be a danger for eternity. I hope the Prime Minister can investigate this.' So Xu Chu was ordered to send 500 soldiers to chase after Xuande. Xu Chu went as promised.

But as Xuande was walking, dust suddenly rose behind him, and Guan and Zhang said, "This must be pursued by Cao's army." They then went down from the camp and ordered Guan and Zhang to hold their weapons and stand on both sides. Xu Chuzhi dismounted from his horse and entered the camp to meet Xuande upon seeing Yan's troops in formation. Xuande said, "What's the point of my coming here?" Chu said, "I have been ordered by the Prime Minister to return, and we have no further discussion." Xuande replied, "I am not willing to accept your order. I have met with you and received your words. There is no other discussion now, so I can return quickly and report back to the Prime Minister." Xu Chu thought to himself, "The Prime Minister has always been on good terms with him, and I have not taught him to fight this time. I can only reply to his words and wait for the decision." He then resigned from Xuande and led his troops back. Return to Cao Cao and recite the words of Xuande. Hesitation and indecision. Cheng Yu and Guo Jia said, "If Bei is unwilling to return the troops, it shows that his heart has changed." Cao said, "I have Zhu Ling and Lu Zhao there, and I don't think Xuande would dare to change his heart. Since I have sent them, how can he regret it?" He then stopped pursuing Xuande. There is a poem by later generations that laments Xuande, saying, "We hurriedly set off with our troops and horses, thinking of the words of heaven in our clothes. We broke through the iron cage and escaped from the tiger and leopard, and then opened the golden lock to take away the dragon." However, Ma Teng saw that Xuande had already left, and the border report was urgent, so he also returned to Xiliangzhou. Xuande's troops arrived in Xuzhou, and the governor Che Zhou welcomed them. After the public banquet, Sun Qian, Mi Zhu, and others came to attend. Xuande went home to visit the old and young while sending someone to inquire about Yuan Shu. The scout reported, "Yuan Shu is too extravagant. Lei Bo and Chen Lan have all thrown themselves into Mount Song. His martial arts are in decline, so he wrote a letter to the emperor to give the imperial title to Yuan Shao. Shao ordered people to summon Shu, and Shu was to gather the troops, palace guards, and imperial belongings, and come to Xuzhou first." When Xuande knew that Yuan Shu was approaching, he led 50000 troops from Guan, Zhang, Zhu Ling, and Lu Zhao, who were heading towards the vanguard Ji Ling. Zhang Fei remained silent and directly approached Ji Ling. After a fierce battle, Zhang Fei let out a loud shout and stabbed Ji Ling under his horse, causing the defeated army to flee. Yuan Shu led his own army to fight. Xuande divided his troops into three routes: Zhu Ling and Lu Zhao were on the left, Guan and Zhang were on the right. Xuande led his troops to the center and met with Shu. Under the banner of the gate, he scolded him, saying, "You have rebelled and are not righteous. I have come to attack you by imperial decree! You should bow down and accept surrender to prevent you from committing crimes. Xuande temporarily retreated, allowing the left and right armies to advance. The corpses of the skilled soldiers were scattered everywhere, and blood flowed in streams; Soldiers fleeing are beyond control. He was robbed of money, food, and forage by Lushan Lei Bo and Chen Lan. Wanting to return to Shouchun, he was attacked by a group of thieves and had to live in Jiangting. There are over a thousand people, all elderly and weak. When the heat is high and the food is depleted, only thirty bushels of wheat remain. Assign soldiers. Family members have no food and many have died from hunger. Shu found the food too coarse to swallow, so he ordered the cook to fetch honey water to quench his thirst. The person in charge said, 'Stop the bloody water, be safe with honey water!' Shu sat on the bed, shouted loudly, and fell to the ground, spitting out blood and dying. In June of the fourth year of Jian'an. There is a poem by later generations that says: At the end of the Han Dynasty, swords and soldiers rose up in all directions. Without any reason, Yuan Shu was too arrogant and did not want to be a public minister for generations, so he wanted to be an emperor alone. Rape falsely praises the national seal, and arrogantly and arrogantly claims that it should be blessed by heaven. Unable to help but thirst for honey, he lay alone on an empty bed vomiting blood and dying. ”Yuan Shu has passed away, and his nephew Yuan Yin rushed his coffin and wife to the Lujiang River, where they were killed by Xu Qiu. Qiu won the jade seal and went to Xudu to present it to Cao Cao. Cao was overjoyed and appointed Xu Qiu as the Prefect of Gaoling. At this moment, the jade seal returns to the throne.

But Xuande knew that Yuan Shu had passed away, so he wrote a memorial to the court and submitted it to Cao Cao, ordering Zhu Ling and Lu Zhao to return to Xudu and leave their troops and horses to guard Xuzhou; On one hand, he personally left the city and urged the scattered people to resume their work.

Let's talk about Zhu Ling and Lu Zhao both meeting with Cao Cao and saying that Xuande left his army and horses behind. Damn it, I want to kill two people. Xun Yu said, "The power belongs to Liu Bei, and the two of them have no other choice." Cao forgave him. Yu also said, "You can write a book and plan the interior of the chariot." Cao followed his plan and secretly sent people to see the chariot, passing on Cao Cao Jun's decree. Zhou immediately asked Chen Deng to discuss this matter. Deng said, "This matter is extremely easy. Liu Bei has gone out of the city to recruit people and will return soon. The general can order his soldiers to lie at the edge of the Weng city, only to receive him. When the horse arrives, he will be beheaded with a knife. If someone shoots the rear army on the city, it will be a great relief. Chen Deng met his father Chen Gui and prepared a statement about his matter. Gui ordered Deng to report to Xuande first. Ascending to receive the father's command, the flying horse went to report, facing Guan and Zhang, and the report said so and so. Originally, Guan and Zhang returned first, followed by Xuande. Upon hearing this, Zhang Fei was about to engage in a fight. Yun Chang said, "He is waiting for me by the edge of Wengcheng, and there will be losses if he goes. I have a plan to kill Che Zhou: I will disguise myself as the Cao army at night and bring Che Zhou to Xuzhou to greet me, then attack and kill him. The troops under that command originally had the banner of Cao Cao and the same clothing and armor. At three o'clock that night, go to the outskirts of the city and call for the door. When asked in the city who it was, the crowd should be the troops sent by Prime Minister Cao to Zhang Wenyuan. Notify Che Zhou and urgently ask Chen Deng to discuss, saying, "If you don't welcome me, I'm afraid there will be doubts; if you go to welcome me, I'm afraid there will be deceit." Zhou Nuo replied to the city, "It's difficult to distinguish at night, we'll meet at dawn." The city agreed, "I'm afraid Liu Bei will know, quickly open the door!" Che Zhou hesitated and didn't decide, and outside the city, there were cries for the door to be opened. The chariots and chariots had to be mounted and lead a thousand troops out of the city; Running across the suspension bridge, he shouted, "Where is Wen Yuan?" In the firelight, Yun Chang lifted his knife and rode his horse straight towards Che Zhou, shouting, "Pifu An dare to deceive and want to kill my brother!" Che Zhou was greatly shocked. Before the battle could be completed, he couldn't stop him and pulled his horse back. At the edge of the suspension bridge, Chen Deng's chaotic arrows shot down from the city, and the chariots and armor circled around the city. Yun Chang rushed over, took a knife in his hand, chopped it under the horse, cut off his head and carried it back. He looked up at the city and shouted, "I have killed the rebel chariot armor; everyone is innocent, surrender and avoid death!" All the troops defected and surrendered, and both the military and civilians were safe. Yun Chang sent Zhou Tou to welcome Xuande, stating that Che Zhou intended to harm him. He has now been beheaded. Xuande was greatly shocked and said, "If Cao Cao comes, what can we do?" Yun Chang said, "Brother and Zhang Fei welcome him." Xuande regretted deeply and then entered Xuzhou. The common people, the elders, bow to the road and take over. Xuande went to the mansion to search for Zhang Fei, who had already killed the entire family of Che Zhou. Xuande said, "If you kill someone who is a confidant of Cao Cao, how can you be willing to rest?" Chen Deng said, "Someone has a plan to retreat Cao Cao." It is precisely because he not only left the tiger's den alone, but also cleverly calculated the smoke of war. I don't know what Chen Deng came up with, but let's listen to the following text to break it down.