Summary of the previous chapter: In order to save some blood for Ma Xiaoquan, Hua Yuexin took the fertility pills taken from Diao Chan at the risk of shortening her lifespan. One month later, Hua Yuexin got pregnant as expected.
During the month, Ma Xiaoquan was not idle. He spent a month drafting the first draft of the Ma family's family rules...
In the eighth month of the eighth year of Emperor Xian's reign of the Han Dynasty (AD 203), Cao Cao decided to conquer Liu Biao.
In the past, when Cao Cao and Yuan Shao were fighting, Liu Biao sent people to harass Cao Cao's rear many times, causing Cao Cao a certain amount of losses. Not long ago, Liu Biao sent Liu Bei to defeat Cao Cao's general Xiahou Dun. Finally, Cao Cao returned.
Unable to bear it any longer, he decided to attack Liu Biao to undermine Liu Biao's prestige.
In the same month, Yuan Shang personally led his troops to attack his brother Yuan Tan and won a complete victory.
After getting the news, Cao Cao burst out laughing.
"Did you see it, did you see it..." Cao Cao shook the silk letter in his hand and said proudly, "This Yuan Shao has no son, he is just a bunch of ricers..."
Guo Jia stepped forward and said: "Lord, why don't we take this opportunity and attack Yecheng..."
Cao Cao shook his head and handed the silk letter in his hand to Guo Jia: "This is the letter sent by the demon Taoist, please take a look."
Guo Jia carefully took the silk letter, opened it and read it, his eyes brightened, and said: "Wonderful, oh my, the lord atones, the lord atones, I almost missed the lord..."
Cao Cao waved his hand: "Fengxiao, you are too polite. What do you think of this evil suggestion?"
Guo Jia said excitedly: "My lord, Master Shangxian's strategy is absolutely correct, there is no doubt about it."
"So, you agree?"
Guo Jia nodded: "Totally agree."
"Okay" Cao Cao clapped his hands, "Then we'll wait and see the show."
Sure enough, not long after, as Ma Xiaoquan said in his letter to Cao Cao, Yuan Tan could not withstand Yuan Shang's fierce attack and decided to ask Cao Cao for help.
If Yuan Tan was given a chance, Yuan Tan would never think of recognizing a thief as his father, but... Yuan Shang was beating himself to the point of death, so Yuan Tan thought about it and decided to surrender to Cao Cao.
After receiving the letter asking for help from Yuan Tan, Cao Cao laughed and said to Guo Jiaqi: "Fengxiao, this demon is really right. Then Yuan Shang and Yuan Tan really caused a conflict, and it was not a small one...
....Look, should we accept Yuan Tan or not?"
Guo Jia stepped forward and said respectfully: "My lord, my subordinates believe that Yuan Tan must be accepted. We will not only accept him, but also give Yuan Tan a little warmth..."
While the master and servant were talking, Yuan Tan's envoy Xin Pi arrived.
After meeting Cao Cao, Xin Pi briefly explained the purpose of his visit.
Since there was a letter from Yuan Tan asking for help, Xin Biyi didn't say much at first.
Cao Cao saw that Xin Pi talked little, so he proudly asked him: "I heard that Yuan Shang and Yuan Tan are fighting?"
Xin Pi raised his hand and said to Cao Cao, "That's exactly it."
"Yuan Shang won?"
"yes."
"Where is that boy Yuan Tan in Pingyuan now?"
"Yes, Mr. Cao."
"You mean to let me save him?"
Xinpi just nodded this time and said nothing.
"Why should I save him?"
Xin Pi thought for a moment and suddenly said: "Mr. Cao, actually, I came here not to ask Mr. Cao to save Yuan Tan, but to suggest that Mr. Cao cut the grass and get rid of the roots..."
Cao Cao was stunned for a moment and waved his hand: "Go on!"
Xin Pi said: "The Yuan family has been dominant in the northern region for a long time. Although most of the area now belongs to you, Duke Cao, but if you let it grow, it will grow stronger one day... As the saying goes
He said that we should nip the threat in its infancy... Mr. Cao, what do you think?"
Xin Pi kicked the ball to Cao Cao. Cao Cao grunted and started thinking.
At this time, Xun You stepped forward and said: "My lord, what Xin Pi said is very reasonable. I think that my lord should also..."
Xun You also expressed his thoughts, and his meaning was roughly the same as Xin Pi's, suggesting that Cao Cao should eradicate the problem.
Cao Cao took out the silk letter Ma Xiaoquan gave him and read it again. As he looked at it, Cao Cao's eyes suddenly lit up and he laughed.
"Haha... I will take care of everything from this monster... Haha..."
Guo Jia, Xun You and others looked at each other in confusion, wondering what had happened to their lord. Cao Cao threw the silk letter to Xun You: "Look at the first word of every sentence this demon wrote to me."
Xun You nodded, unfolded the silk letter, and read softly as he read: "Cut...the grass...remove...the roots...not...
When Xun You read Yuan Tan's name, he hissed suddenly and stopped reading. He silently finished reading the silk letter and carefully returned it to Cao Cao.
Cao Cao took the silk letter, put it on the candle and burned it, and then said: "Since everyone said so, I have decided. In the recent days, everyone will prepare individually and practice more troops. The time is almost up, and we will set off.
.”
All the soldiers raised their hands in unison: "Yes!"
...
After exiting the meeting hall, Xin Pi asked Xun You: "What did Brother Gongda see before? Why didn't you continue reading? What happened to Yuan Tan?"
Xun You was stunned for a moment and lied: "Well, you have no problem with Yuan Tan, it's just that the person who wrote this letter is very good..."
Xun You changed the topic to Ma Xiaoquan, and sure enough, Xin Piyi heard that the person who wrote the letter was also interested.
"Who wrote the letter?"
"I wonder if the alias of Saji Simpi's brother knows about Master Shangxian?"
Xinpi thought for a moment and said, "Brother Gongda, are you talking about the man with purple hair in Xuchang City?"
Xun You nodded: "Brother George seems to be very well informed, haha..."
Xin Pi blushed and said modestly: "Where, haha, Gongda means, the letter in Cao Gong's hand was written by the Lord Shangxian?"
Xun You nodded: "That's right."
When Xin Pi heard this, he was shocked and thought: It seems that Cao Cao has gods to help him. Well, with such fate, it would be foolish for me to go through this troubled waters with Yuan Tan again...
Xinpi chuckled and asked no more questions.
...
In October of the eighth year of Jian'an reign of Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty, Cao Cao sent his troops northward and stationed in Liyang.
Yuan Shang was enjoying the torture of Yuan Tan, but when he heard that Cao Cao had crossed the Yellow River and came to kill him again, he had to hurriedly withdraw his troops and return to Yecheng to defend.
At this time, Cao Cao's power was already extremely powerful. Two of Yuan Shang's subordinates, Lu Kuang and Lu Xiang, were afraid and defected from Yuan Shang and joined Cao Cao.
Although Yuan Tan also surrendered to Cao Cao, he still dreamed in his heart that one day he would be able to dominate the country, so Yuan Tan took it upon himself to carve the seals and ribbons of two generals to win over the two brothers Lu Kuang and Lu Xiang.
Lu Kuang and Lu Xiang didn't dare to accept it, so they handed the seal and ribbon to Cao Cao.
Cao Cao looked at it and said angrily: Yuan Tan looks dishonest, huh...
Later, Cao Cao wrote a letter to Yuan Tan, telling Yuan Tan that if I use my son to marry your daughter, then we will have a baby.
After writing the letter, without waiting for Yuan Tan's further response, Cao Cao led his troops to retreat to Xuchang for a temporary rest.
Seeing that Cao Cao had retreated, Yuan Shang followed the strategy of first settling down the enemy's territory. In February 204, the ninth year of Emperor Xian's reign of Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty (AD 204), he personally attacked Yuan Tan again, leaving Su You and others to garrison Yecheng...
..
Xuchang, Ma Family Courtyard.
Hua Yuexin has been pregnant for 7 months. In the past few days, Hua Yuexin has been in a lot of trouble. Xiuer Diaochan and others are all women who have given birth to children. When they were pregnant, they did not feel as uncomfortable as Hua Yuexin.
Ma Xiaoquan saw it in his eyes and felt pain in his heart.
"Madam, don't worry, as long as I'm here, I will always be with you..."
"Madam, whatever you want to eat, I will buy it for you myself..."
"lady......"
Hua Yuexin shook her head stubbornly and looked at Ma Xiaoquan: "Ms. sir, I don't want anything, as long as you stay with me..."
Ma Xiaoquan held Hua Yuexin's hand: "Okay, I promise you!"
Just as he was talking, housekeeper Zhao Er came over with a letter.
"Master...this is Cao Cao's letter to master..."
"No, I know what Xiao Cao wants to do?"
Hua Yue said in her heart: "Ms. sir, are you going out?"
Ma Xiaoquan shook his head: "How is it possible? I won't go out this time. I want to stay with my wife and watch our child be born."
Hua Yuexin had tears in her eyes and nodded vigorously.
Ma Xiaoquan replied to Cao Cao, saying that his wife Hua Yuexin was about to give birth and it was inconvenient to leave.
After reading Ma Xiaoquan's letter, Cao Cao felt a little disdainful. However, when he thought of the flame in Ma Xiaoquan's hand, Cao Cao swallowed hard.
At this time, another letter came from my subordinates.
At first glance, Cao Cao found it belonged to Master Shangxian.
"What kind of trick is this demon..." Cao Cao opened the letter and read it once, laughing loudly, "This demon still knows my heart...haha
..."
The content of Ma Xiaoquan's second letter to Cao Cao was very simple, with only 4 words: Take Yecheng.
Although there are only 4 words, it speaks to Cao Cao's thoughts.
In mid-to-late February, Cao Cao launched an army to attack Yecheng.
Cao Cao's momentum was huge. Standing at the highest point of Ye City and looking into the distance, he saw a large area of darkness.
Yecheng guard Su Youyi saw Cao Cao's posture and secretly complained in his heart. He proposed to evacuate the people first, but was sternly rejected by Shen Pei.
Su You sighed and said in his heart: These Yuan brothers know how to engage in internal strife, and their subordinates are all self-willed guys. Hey... that's all, I'd better go to Cao Cao.