In 194 AD, the first year of the reign of Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty, Yanzhou suffered from a severe drought and a locust plague in August. Food prices in various places increased for a period of time, and one dendrobium of millet was sold for 500,000 copper coins.
As the saying goes, soldiers and horses must move forward before food and grass are used. If food is already a problem, then there is no need to worry about how to fight the war.
During this period, Cao Cao and Lu Bu fought several times in small groups, but due to lack of food and grass, both sides retreated.
Seeing Cao Cao's embarrassment, Yuan Shao, who was far away in Yecheng, Jizhou, became evil-minded and sent someone to "recruit" Cao Cao to join his account...
"Hey" Cao Cao threw the letter sent by Yuan Shao to the ground and shook his head helplessly.
In front of Cao Cao, Cheng Yu half-hunched his body, picked up the bamboo slips on the ground without saying a word, and looked at them again.
After reading the contents on the bamboo slips, Cheng Yu asked Cao Cao: "My lord, do you read this letter from Yuan Shao?"
Cao Cao sighed and shook his head: "That's all, let's see, let's go to Yuan Shao's place. At least, Benchu and I are old friends from childhood...and..."
Before Cao Cao finished speaking, Cheng Yu immediately straightened up and said righteously: "My lord, no!"
Cheng Yu took a step forward and said, "How can my lord be so frustrated? Although Yuan Benchu has the ambition to annex the world, with his intelligence, can he do it?"
Cao Cao breathed out and said nothing.
Cheng Yu took another step forward: "My lord, if you become Yuan Shao's subordinate, have you ever thought that one day you will become Peng Yue and Han Xin?"
Upon hearing this, Cao Cao clenched his fists and seemed to be moved.
Cheng Yu went further: "My lord, although Yanzhou is lost today, we still have three counties in our hands. With these three counties, and with Wen Ruo and I, we will definitely be able to assist my lord and help you achieve hegemony."
! Therefore, Yu hopes that the Lord will think twice before taking action!"
When Cheng Yu said this, Cao Cao was completely moved. In fact, Cao Cao didn't really want to seek refuge with Yuan Shao. After all, he was like a dog in water now. Even if he went to Yuan Shao, he would inevitably be ridiculed and beaten.
scold.
Cao Cao wondered if he was thick-skinned enough and could bear it, but what about the group of advisers and soldiers who followed him loyally? If he was humbled, would these soldiers and advisers still think highly of him?
"Well" Cao Cao took a long breath, raised his head, and nodded again: "Zhongde, you are right, I accept your opinion!"
Upon hearing this, Cheng Yu knelt on the ground respectfully, kowtowed three times, and said loudly: "My lord, Ming Jian!"
Cao Cao stepped forward, helped Cheng Yu up, and said, "Then please ask Zhongde and Wenruo to help me!"
Cheng Yu clasped his hands and said respectfully: "We will definitely fulfill our mission!"
...
Under Cheng Yu's persuasion, Cao Cao regained his confidence and decided to have a good fight with Lu Bu. But after all, the problem of military rations was still a top priority. Cao Cao shamelessly sent an envoy to ask Tao Qian of Xuzhou for the reason.
It was you who killed my father and robbed my father of his belongings. No matter what, you have to give me something to compensate. I don’t want anything else. I’ll give you some food and grass to eat first.
The envoy came to Xuzhou with full confidence. Unexpectedly, Tao Qian, an old guy, died of illness. As a result, Liu Bei, who had always been treated as a guest, turned out to be the shepherd of Xuzhou. Although Liu Bei had nothing to do with Cao Cao for the time being, who was Liu Bei?
Also, how could he not understand that military rations are the first productive force? In addition, several advisers around Liu Bei at the time, including Sun Qian and Mi Zhu, said that Cao Cao only has three counties left, and the lord can do it.
Sitting on the mountain and watching the tiger fight, waiting for Lu Bu to destroy him, we will take the opportunity to attack the exhausted Lu Bu and seize his Yanzhou...
Liu Bei was so dizzy after being told by these weak counselors that he agreed. As for the envoy sent by Cao Cao to borrow food and fodder, Liu Bei said shamelessly, "Oh, General Anton didn't tell me about this. General Anton is Tao Qian."
The military position in front of me...
This sentence made the messenger choke to death. In desperation, the messenger had no choice but to return depressed.
After hearing the envoy's report, Cao Cao, instead of being angry, burst into laughter.
Indeed, at this time, my power is not as good as others, and it may be really difficult to ask for help. Therefore, while Cao Cao sent the envoy, he discussed with Cheng Yuxunyu how to make the next plan...
After listening to the plans of the two advisers, Cao Cao raised his head, sighed longly, and said to himself: "If the demon was here, maybe I, Cao Mengde, wouldn't be so embarrassed, right?"
...
Dongjun, Ma Xiaoquan's wing.
"A sneeze" was already the eighth sneeze Ma Xiaoquan had sneezed today.
When it came to sneezing, Ma Xiaoquan felt that someone was talking about him, but if he sneezed too much, Ma Xiaoquan would inevitably wonder if he had a cold.
However, as soon as this idea came up, it was immediately rejected by Ma Xiaoquan.
Due to the Heart of Time in his body, Ma Xiaoquan will not and absolutely cannot suffer from any disease. This means that since Ma Xiaoquan has the Heart of Time, all diseases have been isolated from him forever.
Although Ma Xiaoquan was like this, the servant women around him would not be so lucky.
The first year of Xingping was destined to be an extraordinary year. In addition to the drought and locust plague this year, there was also influenza in winter.
Of course, the word influenza was not known in the late Han Dynasty, but after Ma Xiaoquan saw this situation, he was sure that the outbreak in winter was influenza.
Ma Xiaoquan is currently living in the late Han Dynasty, so there are no specific anti-influenza drugs such as penicillin and cephalosporin.
However, why China has a long history of five thousand years and why it can endure for so long? In addition to the charming Chinese culture, there is also Chinese herbal medicine.
There must be some truth to what the ancestors left behind. Therefore, Ma Xiaoquan personally separated those who were sick and those who were not sick among his female relatives and servants, and made soup for those who were sick with his own hands.
In the huge Ma family compound, in addition to Ma Xiaoquan who was busy, Hua Yuexin and Miaoyu were also helping. The other people were sick, so after a few days, Miaoyu was also tired.
I couldn't bear it anymore and fell ill.
After Ma Xiaoquan settled Miaoyu in distress, he forcibly ordered Hua Yuexin to stop helping, and he had to do everything by himself.
Of course Hua Yuexin refused to give in, so Ma Xiaoquan had no choice but to knock Hua Yuexin unconscious and lock her in the side room, preventing her from coming out.
As time passed day by day, thanks to the personal preparation and care of the master Ma Xiaoquan, the conditions of the servants and the female family members gradually improved. By the seventh day, Zhang Gong and his four brothers were almost recovered.
And although Ma Xiaoquan has the support of the Heart of Time in his body, the intense internal overdraft for several consecutive days has squeezed everything out of his body. Ma Xiaoquan is in urgent need of rest now. As long as he is given a bed, he will be dead in less than 10 seconds.
Ma Xiaoquan will definitely sleep to death.
Seeing their master working hard to take care of his servants and women, the four Zhang Gong brothers cried bitterly and each swore from the bottom of their hearts that they would never betray their master or his descendants for the rest of their lives, nor for the lives of their descendants.
Zhang Gong took the bowl of soup and medicine handed over by Liang Long, looked at Ma Xiaoquan who was still busy, and cried: "Master, please, please take a rest?"
Ma Xiaoquan raised his head, opened his eyes full of red bloodshot eyes, and then wiped his face with his hand. In an instant, a line of black ash was left on his face.
"It's okay. I feel much more relaxed now that I have you. That girl Yu'er fell ill again. There's nothing I can do. She won't take the medicine anyone gives her. She needs the medicine I gave her, and Yue'er. She has been locked up for so long.
, I don’t know if she is still angry with me.”
...
Ma Xiaoquan actually didn't know that Hua Yuexin had already escaped from the wing. Of course, how Miss Hua escaped was no longer important.
Behind a room not far from Ma Xiaoquan, Hua Yuexin covered her mouth, trying not to cry out.
These days, Hua Yuexin has actually seen everything, so she took advantage of Ma Xiaoquan's absence to sneak into the wards of several sisters to take care of them. The reason why Miaoyu asked Brother Yi to give medicine was also
Hua Yuexin begged Miaoyu to do this because at that time, Hua Yuexin had time to secretly take a few more glances at the purple-haired man.
In Miaoyu's wing, Ma Xiaoquan carefully blew the soup in the spoon, and then slowly brought it to Miaoyu's mouth.
"Yu'er, come and open your mouth. The medicine is bitter, but it cures the disease."
Miaoyu was not infected with cold and flu, but just because of overwork. Therefore, Ma Xiaoquan made some nourishing decoction for Miaoyu.
Miaoyu opened her mouth, stuck out her tongue and gently tapped the spoon.
"Wow, it's so bitter. Brother, why is today's soup more bitter than yesterday's?"
Ma Xiaoquan groaned, brought the spoon to his mouth, and took a bite first.
"Hiss" Ma Xiaoquan frowned for a moment, and then quickly unfolded it, "Well, the ingredients of the medicine today are good. Yu'er, come here, take the medicine, and my brother will make you something delicious."
Miaoyu turned her little head, with a look of reluctance on her face: "Brother lied, my brother knows how to bake potatoes and sweet potatoes, I have been eating them for almost three days."
Ma Xiaoquan put down the soup bowl and spoon helplessly, scratched his scalp, and laughed.
In another compartment of Miaoyu's wing, Hua Yuexin bit her lower lip and smiled softly.
...At night, Ma Xiaoquan was finally forcibly pushed back to the wing by several of his men.
With a "bang", the door to Ma Xiaoquan's wing was slammed shut, followed immediately by the sound of chains being locked.
"These guys" Ma Xiaoquan shook his head helplessly.
Ma Xiaoquan was really tired these days, so tired that he couldn't believe he could still stand up and work.
Ma Xiaoquan sighed, patted his belly, and said to himself: "It seems that it is because of the heart of time."
As soon as Ma Xiaoquan finished speaking, another soft female voice came from in front of him.
"Are you back?"
Ma Xiaoquan was stunned for a moment, then quickly raised his head and looked ahead.
"Yue... Yue'er?" Ma Xiaoquan looked at the beautiful woman in front of him and suddenly became excited, "You... when did you come out of the wing?"
Hua Yuexin turned around slightly, stuck out her tongue cutely, and said, "I can come out when I want to."
Ma Xiaoquan walked gently to Hua Yuexin and slowly hugged Hua Yuexin's small body.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry for locking you in the wing these days..."
Hua Yuexin hugged Ma Xiaoquan's waist cooperatively, and then buried her head in Ma Xiaoquan's arms.
"It doesn't matter, I know you are doing it for my own good, I know that."
Ma Xiaoquan smiled, slowly took Hua Yuexin out of his arms, and then gently scratched the tip of Hua Yuexin's nose.
"Okay, I'm very tired and need to rest. Well, the door is locked. If you want to go out, knock on the door and shout, Zhang Gong and the others will come and open the door."
Ma Xiaoquan said, before Hua Yuexin could say anything, she jumped on the bed like a hungry tiger or a sheep.
When Hua Yuexin came to her senses, she found that Ma Xiaoquan had fallen asleep and was snoring slightly.
Hua Yuexin bit her teeth gently, stamped her foot fiercely, and cursed: "You are a disciple."
Indeed, Ma Xiaoquan just said a few words and went to sleep on his own, but as for Hua Yuexin, the eldest daughter of the Renhua family and the apple of her eye, I am locked in a room with you at this moment. If you don't take the opportunity to push me, forget it.
, then you have to send the person out, now it’s okay, I fell asleep, what should I do with Miss Hua?
In the house, there is a man and a woman alone. One is the owner of the Ma family's compound, and the other is definitely the Ma family's wife, but she hasn't met her yet, right?
The more Hua Yuexin thought about it, the angrier she became. The angrier she became, the more anxious she became. She couldn't help but stepped forward and kicked Ma Xiaoquan hard: "Deng disciple, get up here. Look at you. What should I do if you fall asleep?"
Hua Yue was distraught and kicked Ma Xiaoquan several times in succession, but one of them hit Ma Xiaoquan's life without any bias.
Hearing an "ah oh" sound, Ma Xiaoquan sat up, clutching his lifeblood.
Hua Yuexin was frightened by Ma Xiaoquan's cry, and at this moment, Ma Xiaoquan was the one who should be stunned the most.
Ma Xiaoquan looked in disbelief as he covered his lifeblood that was kicked by Hua Yuexin.
"How is that possible?" Ma Xiaoquan kept shaking his head.
I still remember that when Lu Xian's men were massacred, Ma Xiaoquan used his sword against everyone. Ma Xiaoquan clearly remembered that time, his vital parts were attacked more than once, and he was cut with a knife several times. But at that time, he
Not only does the vital part not hurt, but it doesn't hurt at all. Why do you feel such an uncomfortable feeling now after being kicked by Hua Yuexin?
After a while of relief, the pain at the root of his life was suppressed by Ma Xiaoquan.
"Is there something wrong with the Heart of Time?" Ma Xiaoquan touched his belly.
At this time, Hua Yuexin came to her senses and saw Ma Xiaoquan covering her vital parts, Hua Yuexin's face suddenly turned red.
Ma Xiaoquan raised his head and stood up suddenly when he saw Hua Yuexin.
Before Hua Yuexin could react, Ma Xiaoquan grabbed Hua Yuexin's shoulders.
"Who are you? Why can you hurt me?"
Ma Xiaoquan's words immediately stunned Hua Yuexin. For a moment, Hua Yuexin didn't know how to answer.
"tell me"
Hua Yuexin raised her head and looked at Ma Xiaoquan in horror. Without taking a few breaths, she burst into tears.
"Wow"
Hua Yuexin cried so much that Ma Xiaoquan panicked.
"Don't cry...don't cry...Okay, okay, I was wrong, I shouldn't have asked this, I was wrong, okay, don't cry..."
After coaxing for a long time, Hua Yuexin was coaxed to stop crying.
Ma Xiaoquan wiped the sweat from his head and gasped: "My aunt, you have tortured me to death. Please let me sleep for a while. Please."
Hua Yuexin flattened her mouth. Although she stopped crying, her tears were still flowing.
Hua Yuexin meant that you have to ask someone to open the door and let me out, but after seeing her expression, Ma Xiaoquan understood it to mean something else.
Ma Xiaoquan thought for a while and slapped himself hard on the head.
"Oh, look at my brain, I'm really stupid!"
Upon hearing this, Hua Yuexin's eyes lit up, thinking that Ma Xiaoquan finally realized what was happening and wanted to let her out. Unexpectedly, Ma Xiaoquan hugged Hua Yuexin upright and said proudly: "Come, let's sleep together!"