In the first month of the thirteenth year of Emperor Xian's reign of the Han Dynasty, Cao Cao selected the northwest corner of Ye City and organized a large number of soldiers and civilians to excavate the Xuanwu Pond. As soon as the project started, it aroused a lot of doubts.
Although Cao Cao is powerful in today's Han family, he alone cannot have the final say.
Just a few days after the project started, several important officials from the imperial court went to Xudu to express their gratitude to the emperor, asking Emperor Xian to order an immediate stop to Cao Cao's excavation project.
The weather in the first month was quite cold. Although Cao Cao comforted the soldiers and civilians many times during the construction, there were still cases of freezing to death and injuries. At this time, Cao Cao was pushed to the forefront.
At this time, Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty was no longer the teenage boy who was at the mercy of others.
Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty looked at the memorials of the officials and his eyebrows were twisted into the character "Chuan".
Xiao Huangmen beside him saw that the emperor was silent and comforted him: "Your Majesty, please don't be too tired...Cao Cao is too annoying..."
Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty raised his head and glanced at Huangmen, who was so frightened that he immediately closed his mouth.
Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty said: "Cao Cao may be aiming his gun at the south... As the emperor, I'm afraid I won't be able to stop him."
An old minister took a step forward and said respectfully: "Your Majesty, that traitor Cao has done many evil things. We cannot allow him to act recklessly like this..."
Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty was a little angry and cursed: "You old guy, do you think I don't know this clearly? But who is Cao Cao's opponent in the world today?"
The emperor's words blocked several veterans in front of him.
The little Huangmen next to the emperor was still brave. He gently stepped forward, leaned in Emperor Xian's ear and said, "Your Majesty, didn't you also grant the title of Immortal Marquis?"
"Huh?" Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty's eyes lit up when he heard this, "You mean Uncle Immortal?"
Xiao Huangmen took a step back, knelt on the ground and said nothing.
Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty thought for a moment and said: "Pass on my oral instructions to announce that the Immortal Marquis will come to see me."
"Follow your orders"
...
Yecheng, Ma Family Courtyard.
Ma Xiaoquan jumped up from his seat and asked Xiao Huangmen in front of him who came to deliver the oral message: "What? The emperor said he wants to see me?"
Xiao Huangmen nodded and said respectfully: "Yes, Lord Marquis, the Emperor personally asked to see you by name."
Ma Xiaoquan frowned slightly and agreed, "Okay, I'll leave now."
Xiao Huangmen was overjoyed when he heard this and quickly handed over his hands to thank him.
After temporarily settling the small yellow door, Ma Xiaoquan hurried to Hua Yuexin's bedroom to discuss with his wife.
After listening to Ma Xiaoquan's retelling, Hua Yuexin also frowned.
"My lord, as you said, the emperor invites you to see you this time, maybe it's because of Cao Cao's excavation of the Xuanwu Pond, right?"
Ma Xiaoquan nodded: "Madam is right. Although the little yellow door didn't explain it, I basically guessed it."
Hua Yuexin asked Ma Xiaoquan: "What is Mr. Xian going to do?"
Ma Xiaoquan thought for a moment: "There is a widespread rumor among outsiders that I, Ma Xiaoquan, have a close relationship with Cao Cao and that I am Cao Cao. But I showed a very positive attitude just now just to indirectly tell the little emperor that I am me and Cao Cao is Cao Cao...
..”
"My husband means..."
Ma Xiaoquan chuckled: "Cao Cao cannot stop the Xuanwu Pond, but we can give him a few small stumbling blocks, which is okay... Of course, I have to prepare...
..."
Hua Yuexin glared at Ma Xiaoquan, and then gently tapped Ma Xiaoquan's forehead with her green onion-like jade finger: "You are the only one with more bad ideas..."
...
Two days later, Ma Xiaoquan rushed to Xuchang and met Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty.
In front of outsiders, the courtesy of the emperor and his ministers must still be paid, but due to Ma Xiaoquan's status as an "immortal", Ma Xiaoquan only bowed to the emperor but did not kneel.
If Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty was still a child, he would not have minded too much, but now that Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty has grown into a young man in his twenties, Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty was quite dissatisfied when Ma Xiaoquan bowed to him instead of kneeling.
Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty asked Ma Xiaoquan sternly: "Why are you here, Ai Qing?"
Ma Xiaoquan was stunned for a moment and thought to himself: You stinky boy, why don't you call Mr. Ma over and question me? Okay, you have grown up after all.
Ma Xiaoquan cupped his hands and said: "Back to the emperor, it was the emperor who called me here. Has the emperor forgotten?"
Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty wanted to frighten Ma Xiaoquan. Ma Xiaoquan asked him this, and of course he refused to admit it: "When did I summon you? Why are you talking so blindly?"
Ma Xiaoquan smiled slightly and said slowly: "Since the emperor forgets things a lot, the ministers can retreat to one side. When the emperor remembers it, he can ask the ministers again."
"How outrageous!" Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty stood up, pointing at Ma Xiaoquan and yelling, "You traitor, I treat you badly, but you actually colluded with Cao Cao to plot against our great Han Dynasty. What crime should you deserve?"
As soon as Ma Xiaoquan heard this, he thought to himself: Oh, you young man is still very energetic, okay, since you want to play, then I will play with you.
Ma Xiaoquan laughed loudly and said slowly: "Your Majesty, if you say that Cao Cao has the intention to manipulate Han people, I guess he does, but if the Emperor says that Cao Cao and I have it together, then the Emperor is totally wrong.
,Your Majesty, please take a look..."
Ma Xiaoquan took out a pair of white cloth from his arms and handed it to Xiaohuangmen to present to Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty.
Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty took the white cloth, unfolded it and looked at it, and was happy.
"My dear... is everything you wrote above true?"
Ma Xiaoquan nodded, pretending to be respectful and said: "That's right, every word is true."
"Great!" Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty was extremely happy. He quickly stepped down from the stage and took Ma Xiaoquan's hand, "I said that my immortal uncle would not betray me. What I saw today is true... Hahaha.
.....”
Ma Xiaoquan nodded and laughed together with Emperor Xian of Han Dynasty.
...
In Yecheng, as early as the day Ma Xiaoquan left for Xudu, Hua Yuexin had prepared another letter and asked Liang Long to send it to Cao Cao.
The letter was written by Ma Xiaoquan, and the carrier was a piece of white cloth.
The ink used for writing was prepared by Ma Xiaoquan based on the juice of a kind of grass recorded in the Secret Records of the Baiyi Clan.
The prepared grass juice has a special effect. As long as it is exposed to the air for two days, the font will become blurred. Cao Cao did not know all this.
Ma Xiaoquan used this trick on the white cloth letter to Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty, but Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty remained unclear for a little longer, about three days, and Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty had no idea about it.
The next day, Ma Xiaoquan bid farewell to Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty early in the morning.
Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty was extremely happy last night. He was so happy that he fought with Empress Fu all night. When Ma Xiaoquan came to say goodbye, Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty was still sleeping soundly.
Ma Xiaoquan had no choice but to stuff a gold ingot into each of the Huangmen guards at the door, asking them to inform the emperor when he woke up.
...
After leaving Xudu, Ma Xiaoquan stopped for a while and rushed to Yecheng overnight. When he arrived at the Majia Courtyard in Yecheng, it happened to be the next morning.
Ma Xiaoquan did not take any rest. He called Hua Wuxin to his side and gave some instructions.
Hua Wuxin raised her head and asked, "Master, what do you mean..."
Ma Xiaoquan hummed: "Just do it!"
"yes!"
Ma Xiaoquan called Huang Chang to his side again and gave some instructions. Huang Chang also followed the order and left.
...
After all arrangements were completed, Ma Xiaoquan breathed out a heavy breath.
...
Not long after resting, the emperor's imperial edict came down.
In order not to give Ma Xiaoquan and Cao Cao time to prepare, Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty specially ordered two Huangmen to announce the decree at the same time. One went to the Ma family compound, and the other went to Cao Cao's mansion.
Ma Xiaoquan had long expected that Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty would pull such a trick, and the experienced Cao Cao also judged it... As soon as the two Huangmen decrees were announced, they turned around and left without stopping.
Ma Xiaoquan took the imperial edict without moving and watched Huang Men leave; while Cao Cao, after Huang Men left, immediately took out the letter Ma Xiaoquan wrote to him and prepared to read it again.
Just after opening the first half, a servant reported that another person had frozen to death in Xuanwu Pond. Cao Cao had no choice but to put away the white cloth letter and rush to the scene.
At night, Cao Cao, who had been busy all day, did not rest. He knocked on the door of Ma's courtyard all night and said he was looking for Ma Xiaoquan.
Ma Xiaoquan had already prepared wine and food and was waiting for Cao Cao's arrival.
Cao Cao entered the courtyard and took a look and burst into laughter.
"Sit down, Xiao Cao!"
Cao Cao nodded and handed over the letter Ma Xiaoquan wrote to him a few days ago: "Master Shangxian, what do you mean by writing this letter..."
Ma Xiaoquan smiled slightly and unfolded the white cloth letter in front of Cao Cao for Cao Cao to read.
Cao Cao was shocked when he saw it: "What's going on?"
Ma Xiaoquan: "This is God's will..."
Cao Cao said: "What kind of providence?"
Ma Xiaoquan asked Cao Cao: "What did the emperor say in the imperial edict he gave you today?"
Cao Cao was a little angry and said: "What are you saying about sending Master Shangxian to thoroughly investigate my Xuanwu Pond project... Where is Master Shangxian?"
Ma Xiaoquan shook his head: "The emperor asked me to take this opportunity to kill you!"
When Cao Cao heard this, not only did he not panic, but he laughed loudly: "Master Shangxian, are you willing to kill me, Mr. Cao?"
Ma Xiaoquan shook his head.
Cao Cao asked: "What is the will of heaven that Master Shangxian refers to..."
Ma Xiaoquan picked up a glass of Dukang wine: "You and I join forces!"
"What kind of joint approach?"
Ma Xiaoquan said: "I still say what I said, I will not participate in the affairs of the world. Of course, since you and I have joined forces, I will help you at the appropriate time, but... Xiao Cao, you can see it too
Well, this court is not yours, Cao Cao's, but Liu's. Naturally, there are some courtiers. Therefore, in order to avoid being noticed, you and I need to keep a certain distance in public. We can even make false appearances and deceive.
Lie to those old guys and little emperors..."
Cao Cao nodded and kept humming: "Everything will be subject to the arrangements of Master Shangxian."
Ma Xiaoquan laughed and clinked a glass with Cao Cao: "Come, drink!"