"Mr. Zhongde, what are you..." Cheng Yu's cell is different from Guo Jia's sloppiness and Man Chong's neatness. The room is not very tidy, but it is definitely not as sloppy as Guo Jia's cell.
However, Chu Nan was a little surprised when he looked at Cheng Yu, who now had a full head of hair.
The last time I saw Cheng Yu, although he was tired, his hair was still half white. It had only been a few months, why was it like this?
"Zi Yan is here." Cheng Yu raised his eyes and straightened his body, but his stooped back could not be completely straightened no matter what, and his old age was fully apparent at this moment.
"Sir, have you ever considered what I said last time?" Chu Nan put away the shock in his heart. He knew what was going on. He sat down and looked at Cheng Yu's withered expression and sighed.
In the battle of Linying, Cheng Yu did not hesitate to waste his lifespan to give Cao Cao a chance to win, but he was defeated in the end, and he only had five years of life left. Now it seems that the loss of lifespan plus the death of Cao Cao
The sense of loss that came over him made his whole person look like he was exhausted.
"I am not a good person in my life. In fact, you and I are about the same. For ordinary people, it is not an exaggeration to say that I have lost all my conscience. It is not a loss for me to survive to this day." Cheng Yu raised his head and looked at it with cloudy eyes.
Looking at Chu Nan, under the dim light of the oil lamp, it seemed that he could not see clearly. He came closer and looked at Chu Nan with a slightly dull gaze: "My lord has shown me as much kindness as a mountain. Cheng Yusheng cannot rule the world for my lord, let alone
To protect the Lord, if you fail to be loyal in the end, how are you any different from an animal?"
Chu Nan frowned and looked at him: "But I am already dead, and you are still alive, so what you have learned is not afraid of being wasted? Have you never thought about doing anything for the people who died in vain at your hands?"
Cheng Yu took a breath and said: "I am not a good person. My lord has asked me to use what I have learned in this life to my fullest, and it is not wasted. As for those people... maybe I am a born evil person, and I don't think there is anything wrong with it.
This troubled world... is a world of cannibalism."
After saying that, Cheng Yu looked at Chu Nan and said: "Cheng Yu... won't surrender!"
Chu Nan remained silent and did not speak.
Cheng Yu looked at him quietly, as if waiting for his final fate.
"Where is your family? Sir, you haven't thought about it?" Chu Nan frowned.
"If it were Master Ming, I would not be angry with the clansmen because I am dead. On the contrary, if Ziyan really wanted to kill them, how could I stop him?" There was a bit of ruthlessness in Cheng Yu's old voice. As a cruel official, this
The words fit his character very well, but in Chu Nan's opinion, they were not in line with human nature.
Chu Nan nodded silently: "Since you are so determined, I will not let you go, nor will I kill you. Your family can visit you at any time, but you will not be allowed to step out of the prison for the rest of your life. As for the future of your descendants,
, if they are willing, they can participate in the imperial examination. If they are really talented and learned, they can become officials. If they are incompetent or unwilling, it is up to them."
"Isn't Ziyan a kindhearted person like such a good woman? Shouldn't he kill them all at this time?" Cheng Yu looked at Chu Nan and smiled, but his smile looked particularly bright under the dim oil lamp.
people.
"I have never done anything perfect, but many people are unwilling to accept what I give." Chu Nan stood up, looked at Cheng Yu again and said.
"Yes." Cheng Yu smiled and said no more.
Chu Nan stood up, walked out of the cell, and sighed secretly, first Guo Jia, and then Cheng Yu, two great talents were right in front of me, but they couldn't be used by me. It was really frustrating.
After eating turtles twice a day, Chu Nan didn't want to see people like Yu Jin and Li Tong for the time being, so as not to upset him again. His glassy heart couldn't bear the constant blows during the whole day of class.
After leaving the prison, Zhou Cang had returned. He saluted Chu Nan and said, "Master, that Man Chong has been sent to the government office to meet Mr. Gongtai."
"Yeah." Chu Nan nodded.
"Lord, where are we going?" Zhou Cang asked in confusion when he saw that Chu Nan was not walking towards the government office or home, but straight towards the outer city.
"Go and have a look at Cheng Yu's home." Chu Nan thought as he walked. He was a little unwilling to leave Cheng Yu alive.
Although Cheng Yu has a firm belief and is determined to die, people always have weaknesses. He doesn't believe that someone can really not care about his family at all. Since direct recruitment like this doesn't work, then he should be soft.
Just as Guo Jia suggested that Cao Cao use a soft knife to deal with Lu Bu, he can also use a soft knife to recruit Cheng Yu.
Cheng Yu's family is not in the outer city. They are also important officials of Cao Cao. Naturally, their family is in the inner city, but the location is somewhat close to the outer city. Cheng Yu's wife is younger than him. She is a dignified old woman. Although she is old, she can still tell
When he was young, his appearance should not be too bad, but the most important thing is his temperament. At first glance, it seems that he was raised by a big family.
When he saw Chu Nan, he was treated with courtesy, invited in, and served refreshments.
"Madam, I am here to discuss Mr. Zhongde's affairs with you." Chu Nan sat down, looked at the two young masters of the Chen family who were not very friendly to him, and said calmly: "I hope that Zhongde
Sir, I can continue to serve the imperial court."
"Please forgive me." Mrs. Cheng shook her head indifferently and said, "I cannot and will not help outsiders to persuade my husband to decide what he has decided."
"Even if it is detrimental to the Cheng family and the two young masters, is it like this?" Chu Nan raised his head and looked at Mrs. Cheng and asked.
"Of course." Mrs. Cheng nodded calmly: "I have heard about your methods for a long time, and I am already ready to go with my husband."
"That's not the case." Chu Nan waved his hand and said: "Mr. Zhongde does not have much time left, but it was the last decisive battle between the two armies. He used his magical power to waste lives. Of course, if it has anything to do with me, then it doesn't matter.
It’s really relevant. After all, the two armies are at war, and it’s impossible for you to ask me to show mercy.”
Mrs. Cheng hesitated after hearing this: "Your Majesty, can you please allow me to go see your husband again?"
"Of course, I have already given instructions to the jailer. If the Cheng family wants to see Mr. Zhongde, they can let him go at any time." Chu Nan nodded and said, "But there is one thing that Madam needs to keep in mind."
"Your Majesty, please speak." Mrs. Cheng nodded.
"Since Mr. Zhongde refuses to surrender, the preferential treatment given by the imperial court can no longer be counted." Chu Nan said: "Mrs. Xinfa should know that I will not deliberately persecute the Cheng family.
I still admit it, but the taxes need to be paid according to the new tax law. The cultivated land that is not registered will be taken back by the court. In addition, Cao Cao is determined to be a national thief. The cultivated land rewarded by Cao Cao also needs to be taken back. I hope my wife will forgive me."
Mrs. Cheng nodded calmly and said, "Don't worry, we will follow the court's laws."
"In addition, next year, the imperial court will select scholars according to new regulations. They will be selected according to their talents through assessment. If you two young masters are interested, you may wish to give it a try." Chu Nan stood up, saluted Mrs. Cheng and said, "I won't bother you.
Okay, farewell."
"Send off the envoy!" Mrs. Cheng nodded, stretched out her hand, and signaled her eldest son Cheng Wu to send Chu Nan out of the house. The etiquette of the Cheng family cannot be lost.
"Lord, is that it?" After leaving Cheng Mansion, Zhou Cang asked in surprise. This is not considered a threat.
"Otherwise? I'm going to bully the orphans and widows?" Chu Nan asked back.
"That's not true, is it just like this that Cheng Yu can be recruited and surrendered?" Zhou Cang frowned. He had seen his master's eloquence before. Yuan Tan was deceived twice, sent troops and sacrificed his life, and finally thanked him.
?Why doesn’t it work when we get to Cheng Yu?
"It may not be possible, but we have to try." Chu Nan shook his head. He didn't know if he could recruit Cheng Yu, but he had to try.
"Uh... so that his wife will speak kindly to the lord?" Zhou Cang asked puzzled.
"I don't necessarily have to say that this person knows etiquette when he is living in a warehouse, and he knows honor and disgrace when he has enough food and clothing. I don't deny that there are people in this world who can't be promiscuous when they are rich and can't be moved by poverty, but most of them are ordinary people who can't control themselves.
Desire, Cheng Yu can stick to his ideals, but his family may not be able to." Chu Nan said calmly.
"Although I don't know how rich his family is, they are also scholars after all. How can they become poor and humble?" Zhou Cang asked puzzled.
"Poverty is relative. Ten thousand hectares of fertile land suddenly turned into thousands. To ordinary people, it is natural that wealth is overwhelming, but for them, this is not necessarily the case. In addition, under the new tax law, these thousands of fertile fields
The tax is extremely high, and the income difference may not be ten times, but thirty or fifty times. If your current increase is cut by 95%, can you still live like this?"
Chu Nan walked and said: "Also, you used to be the son of Cheng Shangshu. No matter where you went, everyone respected you. But now that Cheng Yu is in prison, the people who respected you in the past are now
There is no contempt, and there is no respect in the past. The sense of gap brought about by this contrast is far stronger than ordinary people imagine."
"If you can hold on for a month or two, can you still hold on after a long time?" Chu Nan looked at Zhou Cang and asked with a smile.
It's really hard for Zhou Cang to understand that feeling.
"As time goes by, even if you don't say it clearly, you will hint at it intentionally or unintentionally when talking to Cheng Yu, so I asked his family to visit him at will."
"My lord, didn't you say that Cheng Yu only has five years to live?" Zhou Cang heard the two talking outside the cell door before, and frowned and asked: "What's the use of these five years of life, even if he is really surrendered?
"
"This kind of person, even if there are only five months left, is worth the effort to recruit." Chu Nan said.
This is a first-rate talent. Even if he is short-lived, the value he can create may be something that ordinary officials cannot achieve in their lifetime.
The bait has been set, and time will tell whether Cheng Yu can finally be released from prison.
Chu Nan actually felt quite complicated. She hoped he could come out, but was also afraid that he would come out.
It's not that he's afraid that Cheng Yu will cause him any harm, but that Chu Nan actually hopes that there really is that kind of loyal person in the world. Although Chu Nan doesn't agree with Cheng Yu's approach, he admires it.
There are always things in this world that I cannot do, but I am full of admiration for those who can do it.
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