Just as Cao Ren tried his best to resist Liao Hua and Li Dian's attack, undercurrents surged in Jingxiang.
In Caizhou, the blue brick floor of the Cai Clan Ancestral Hall is filled with the chill of spring night, making the white thatch mats laid on the wooden boards slightly cold.
Elder Cai's fingers knocked on the short table with a fine rhythm, just like his messy heart.
The candlelight swayed on the bronze crane lamp, casting the engraved pattern of the story of loyalty and filial piety on the Huanghuali screen on the wall.
The faces of those sages are distorted and deformed in light and shadow.
Cai Mao cannot stay for a long time. After all, neither Cao Ren nor Cao Zhen allowed Cai Mao to come back, so once he was discovered, there would be a big problem. On the one hand, Cai Mao's substitute in Fangling could only cover up for a few days at most, which would inevitably cause suspicion over time. On the other hand, Cai Zhou was under the surveillance of Cao's army. Although Cai Zhou was not under the surveillance of the Cao army, if he did not make any large-scale moves, it would inevitably trigger an alarm, so Cai Mao could only come quietly and leave silently.
Here in Caizhou, the elder of the Cai clan had to decide whether to follow Cai Mao’s suggestion in the end...
"Cao's eyeliner is at the entrance of the village..." Cai Wen, the third wife of Cai, lowered his voice, and the jade he had tied his hair was buckled in the darkness, and the voice was also a little cold, "Do you want to send someone to kill them first..."
『Not proper, not right!』 Before Cai Wen finished speaking, Cai An from the big house said urgently, "If the matter is not good, wouldn't it be a disaster for the entire clan to live?! There are still women and children in Caizhou!"
No matter when, those with families will always have more concerns than those without families.
"How can our people go out without removing the eyeliner? How should we act?" Cai Wen said in a deep voice, "If you want to accomplish great things, how can you not take risks?"
"No, no..." Cai An waved his hands repeatedly, "What are the mistakes... There are so many elderly, weak, women and children in the whole clan, where can they escape even if they escape? I'm afraid... there will be heavy casualties by then!"
Elder Cai's eyes swept over the representatives of the two houses of Cai.
These two faces who are usually pampered and live in luxury are now covered with a layer of blue and gray, chaotic and unpredictable.
The humid night wind blew outside the ancestral hall, so sticky that it was like blood flowing out.
"Elder, can't hesitate anymore!" Cai Wen suddenly stood up, and the Hetian jade pendant on his waist hit the table and made a crisp sound. "Yesterday I heard that the General of the Cavalry would leave Hangu and besiege Shandong! Even if the battle situation in Heluo, just look at the side army of Wuguan, you have already arrived in Danjiangkou! Maybe you will come to Jingzhou whenever you want!"
When he spoke the words "General of the Cavalry", his voice suddenly became as light as a feather, as if speaking these words loudly would destroy some special taboos.
Elder Cai was a little dazed.
Speaking of which, Cai almost married General Huoqiu...
How great would it be if the Cai girl married the General of the Cavalry back then!
Elder Cai couldn't help but feel a little moved. If he had known that he would have to ask Cai Feng to raise more girls no matter what he said, wouldn't he just have more mouths to eat? He wouldn't he teach one or a group of people? It's such a pity...
Elder Cai reached into his sleeve and touched the secret letter sealed with fire paint.
Inside the secret letter is the city defense map of Xiangyang and the surrounding military arrangements.
Although the Cai family was excluded from the control of the army by Cao Ren, they still had some tentacles in Xiangyang City.
But it is just that who to send it and how to send it is a difficult problem.
Maybe if you do it, you will directly send the "proof of guilt" to Cao Jun!
At that time, there will be a charcoal in Caizhou!
From afar, the sound of the first update came.
The candle wicks were burning very long, and no servant dared to come in and trim them, so the candlelight shook very violently.
Elder Cai looked at the loyal and filial sages and saints of Confucius and Mencius on the screen, and seemed to be shaking in the light and shadow of the candlelight. The cinnabar and gold powder filled in the carvings seemed to be as bright as bloody under the light and shadow.
He couldn't help but remember the old man who was buried alive by him two days ago...
That was the old man from Cai. He had been working in Cai for more than ten years. It should be the most loyal, but he discovered that the old man and Cao had a secret relationship.
So, will the two people in front of you...
Elder Cai's eyes moved slightly.
"The third room makes sense!"
After pondering for a long time, the elder of the Cai family said, "But we cannot move for the time being now. Wait a few days and see. Cao Jun's eyeliner at the entrance of the village will not move for the time being, but if you want to do it, you must be clean!"
Elder Cai deliberately strengthened the pronunciation of the words "clean hands and feet".
Cai Wen bowed and replied, "Please rest assured, elder."
Elder Cai looked at Cai Wen, cracked the wrinkles on his face, and smiled, "The third room has always been safe to do business, so of course I feel at ease. Okay, it's late at night, I'd better make a long-term plan for this matter, and don't rush to go back for a while... Let's go back first...
Although the big room, the third room, Cai An and Cai Wen felt a little surprised, it seemed reasonable. After all, this was related to the life and death of hundreds of people in Cai Zhou, so it is nothing wrong to be cautious.
Therefore, Cai An and Cai Wen said goodbye, and after leaving the ancestral hall, they separated at the entrance of the ancestral hall.
Cai An originally wanted to say a few words to Cai Wen, but Cai Wen obviously had no idea of speaking, so he said perfunctorily that it was getting late, and he had something to talk about tomorrow and left straight.
Cai An watched Cai Wen walk away, frowned, and after a long time, he shook his head and sighed.
When we were young, we were all brothers, studying and playing together, but when we grew up, we were divided into different levels.
Cai Mao belongs to the second house, and now he has become the head of the family. Of course, the second house is the best for the benefits and benefits, and then the person from the big house. Next, he will get the third house. After all, is the order of the eldest child...
Cai An had just walked a few steps forward, and suddenly someone whispered behind him, "Dalang, the elder is welcome..."
『Ah?』 Cai An was stunned for a moment, looked back, but found that it was an old slave who was following the elder Cai, who was greeting him, 『So what's wrong?』
Didn’t this just come out of the ancestral hall?
However, since it was the elder's confidant who came out to greet him, Cai An turned around and returned to the ancestral hall with the old slave.
As soon as they met, Cai An saw the sealed letter on the table of the elder Cai’s desk...
『Elder, this is...』
Cai An was a little surprised.
"An'er, answer the letter."
Elder Cai's voice seemed to come from a deep well, dull and deep.
Cai An suddenly noticed that there seemed to be some light and fire in the eyes of Elder Cai, as if the surrounding cinnabar color was stained with Elder Cai's eyes.
"You go and send a secret letter."
Elder Cai said in a deep voice.
"Ah? Me?" was not loud, but it scared Cai An.
Cai An looked up suddenly and looked at the elder Cai in disbelief.
The light and shadow of the candlelight cut the cracks of light and darkness on the face of the elder Cai. "With the defense map, we take the detour to Zhangjiawan from the river fork."
Elder Cai's little thin fingers pushed the secret letter on the table forward, "Changfu will prepare a loach boat, remember to pass the Liulin Gate before the third hour of the Yin hour tomorrow."
『But...』 Cai An swallowed his saliva, 『Cao army was crowded with soldiers at Danjiangkou...』
Elder Cai grinned, "Don't go to Danjiangkou... Go to Jiangling! Don't go home, you can follow Changfu now!"
...
...
On the other hand, Cai Wen returned to his courtyard. As soon as he took off his coat and threw it to the servant, Mei Ji flashed out from behind the screen, waved her hand to drive away the servant, and personally helped Cai Wen change his clothes.
"Langjun..." Meiji's voice was soft, "What's the matter? I have to work so hard for you..."
Her Danke nails are as red as blood, and her charming figure sways.
Cai Wen changed out of his outer robe, revealing the thick numb and short brown inside.
He sat down obliquely and sneered, "Old man, he really has a rebellious heart!"
Meiji's hands shook, but soon became a voice of concern, "Your husband... aren't you dangerous?"
Cai Wen waved his hand, "The old man hasn't made up his mind yet... But I think he will do this sooner or later..."
The cry of the night owl came from a distance, like the whine of a wild ghost.
Cai Wenwai took a look. The night was dark and he could not see anything, but his voice couldn't help but lowered, "Just find evidence of the old man's rebellion..."
Meiji leaned behind Cai Wen and helped Cai Wen rub his shoulders with her hands, "If you can't find any evidence, wouldn't you have to wait like this?"
Cai Wen was silent for a little while, and suddenly smiled grimly, "It must be found!"
...
...
When the drums of the middle of the night floated from a distance, Cai An was already squatting in the black tent of the loach boat.
He couldn't understand why Elder Cai had to send a letter, but since it was the elder's order, he could obey it freely.
He changed into thick linen clothes, wearing straw sandals, and did not tie a brocade belt around his waist, but a straw rope tied.
Cai An hadn't worn such rough and dirty clothes for a long time. The river water seeping into the bottom of the boat was soaked in his leggings. The fishy dampness seemed to be climbing up against his skin, making his hair stand up.
The old slave was rowing on the bow of the boat, and the rustling sound of calluses rubbing against the wooden handle mixed in the croaking of frogs. The sound of water rippled gently, making Cai An's heart beat faster.
Although the old slave is already very lucky, the method of this boat does not seem dull at all.
The loach boat flexibly travels through the reeds, like a fish that is out of the net.
When they were about to bypass the reed marsh, a fire suddenly lit up on the shore, and Cao's flags roared in the night wind.
"Let's go down and don't show your head!"
The old slave Changfu lowered his voice and lay on the deck at the same time.
Through the gaps between the reeds, Cai An saw a team of Cao army soldiers patrolling along the river bank with torches.
The fire swayed through the leaves of the reeds, reflecting on Cai An's tense arm because of his tension. He touched the hard secret letter in his arms, remembering the orders of the elder Cai when he was leaving, and he couldn't help but grit his teeth...
The safety of the Cai family is in your arms!
If you live, you can guarantee the Cai family to continue to be glorified. If you die, you cannot let this secret letter fall into the hands of Cao's army!
Fortunately, Cao's army seemed to be just patrolling routinely and did not mean to search carefully.
The fire gradually faded away, and Changfu climbed up and continued rowing.
"Dalang, don't worry..." Changfu seemed to notice Cai An's nervousness, and put the short blade in his hand back into his sleeve, "From here to Jiangling... I'm familiar with all the waterways..."
Changfu squinted his eyes at Cai An, as if he was very kind, but he still kept his eyes on him. If Cai An had something strange just now, then...
Cai An didn't notice anything unusual about Changfu. But after hearing Changfu's words, he suddenly remembered that Changfu has been in Caizhou for the past few years, so Cai An almost forgot what Changfu was originally doing...
There were a large number of sects in Jingzhou and Yunmengze back then!
...
...
early morning.
Cai Wen, who had used the premature sucking, habitually sat behind the desk, touching the white jade on the table and playing with it.
The white jade is warm and delicate, and when played with it, it is like a piece of solidified oil.
Perhaps it is because humans have engraved their desire for oil in the ancient genes, so they are particularly fond of white jade similar to oil.
Cai Wen likes jade, but these jades are relatively expensive.
Is a gentleman like a jade...
Any gentleman doesn't like jade?
Just like in later generations, many people like to learn, especially foreign languages...
But at the beginning, Cai Wen had no jade, and even a piece of inferior jade was thrown to him by others.
If Cai Wen was born in later generations, he would definitely scold his original family, thinking that his parents were useless and could not give him an environment where he could have whatever he wanted. He should not even be born in the third room. Even if he was not in the second room, it would be much better in the larger room!
Under the cold jade, warm blood surged.
Under his gentle appearance, there are endless ambitions.
He felt that the original family did not bring him any sense of satisfaction, security, or a series of feelings he needed. Everything he now was accumulated bit by bit...
He was like a wild boar rushing around in the wild, trying to arch out his own world. As for whether he would hurt anyone or trampled on someone's crops during the arch, he didn't care at all.
Even quick to do it.
Cai Wen suddenly remembered the tenant farmer who ran into him and Cao's meeting a few days ago. When he cut off the tenant farmer's neck, the crisp sound made by the tenant farmer's neck fractured, which seemed surprisingly similar to the sound of his brother breaking his pottery toy when he was young.
He sneered and pressed the jade in his hand on the table, as if he was on a chessboard.
In this world, all family affection and bloodline are fake!
Only money, only authority, is real!
"Mr.!" The servant outside the door lowered his head and reported humbly, "The master of the big room said he was sick... he did not see a guest...
"I'm sick?" Cai Wen was stunned.
We met last night and didn’t see anything like Cai An’s illness. Why did he get sick after one night? No, he got sick in half an night?
Cai Wen glared and suddenly slapped the table, "Go check it out for me! Who came out of Caizhou last night?"
...
...
Elder Cai slowly walked into the dungeon.
Even though he was very old and the stone steps were very slippery, his pace was still very steady. He walked step by step, and only after stepping on it would he step out the legs behind him, just like the wind and rainy road he had walked over the years.
The man hanging in the dungeon was scorching the iron on the spot where the man was hung up.
"Wake him up."
Elder Cai ordered.
The cold water splashed on it with a rustling sound.
"Tell me... who asked you to look around?" Elder Cai's voice was calm, "But if you don't say it... I also know who it is... There are indeed many people in Caizhou, but there are not many people, but not many..."
The person who was suspended raised his head slightly, looked at Elder Cai, and then quickly hanged down weakly, still silent.
『It's rare…』 Elder Cai shook his head and sighed, 『It's a pity that there is such a loyal servant...
Elder Cai turned around and walked out, leaving a few words, "It's also considered a loyal servant... I'll reward him with a whole body..."
After leaving the dim dungeon, Elder Cai walked under the Yang Pass and shook his footsteps, showing his age.
『As I expected...』 Elder Cai looked up at the sky, thought for a long time before waved his hand, "Go and send the three bedrooms to the ancestral hall."
In the sky, the sun was dazzling, but Elder Cai couldn't help but red his eyes.
...
...
"What did the old man ask me to do?" Cai Wen frowned and said, "An Zai hasn't come back yet for information?"
The servant shook his head, "The elder's man is waiting outside..."
Cai Wen thought that although the servant who was inquiring had not returned yet, he felt that there should be no problem. After all, the elder Cai summoned him and Cai An last night to discuss matters. Perhaps something happened, or the elder Cai changed his mind and wanted him to send him a secret letter and who should contact him?
In this way, wouldn't it be equivalent to...
Cai Wen stood up and sneered, "Change clothes!"
Maybe it's his chance!
When Cai Wen arrived at the ancestral hall, he saw the elder Cai who was sitting in the dark shadow, and his heart was full of sarcasm. Only these old guys who were about to die like this kind of dark place. If he became the head of the Cai family, his first order was to demolish the dark ancestral hall and then build his own, bright and spacious ancestral hall!
Cai Wen thought proudly, but he forgot that the ancestral hall was used to worship the souls of his ancestors, not for living people to live for a long time...
"Sit down."
Elder Cai waved his hand and signaled Cai Wen to sit down.
"The elder calls me, what are the instructions?"
Cai Wen still asked gently.
Elder Cai closed his eyes slightly, raised his chin, shaking his long beard, "When people get old... I always think of many things... I remember when you were young... Once you got malt sugar, I was afraid that others would snatch it away, so I hid it in my sleeve... As a result, malt sugar was met with water and stuck in the sleeve. You couldn't bear to leave malt sugar, so you stuffed the sleeve into your mouth and sucked and bitten... I don't know how much malt sugar was eaten, but your sleeve was torn and bitten...
Cai Wen twitched the corners of his mouth and laughed dryly, "That was ignorant when he was a child..."
『Well,』 Elder Cai nodded,『When I was young, I was ignorant, it doesn't matter...』
Elder Cai raised his head and swept his eyes, "I am old now and still ignorant, so what if I think?!"
Cai Wen almost jumped up on the spot, really trying to pretend to be calm, but unexpectedly, his shoulder was suddenly pressed down by the person who rushed out of the screen, "Elder! What are you doing?!"
Elder Cai sighed, "I thought... you want to do business with Cao, and have relationships. As long as your heart is still with Cai and still think of Caizhou, it doesn't matter... But I didn't expect... I didn't expect... You actually betrayed Cai!"
Cai Wen twisted and struggled, and at first tried to deny it, but as the evidence of the elder Cai clan general was released one by one, and even told him that the tenant farmer was killed, he stopped denying it. He just stared at Elder Cai viciously, "What you owe me! You forced me! You could sell Liu, and today you were going to sell Cao clan again. What are the faces of you and what kind of loyalty and righteousness do you have? What qualifications do you have to talk about benevolence in front of me? Just allow you to sell others, and I don't need me to sell you?! The law of nature, what is the law of nature?! The joke is a joke!"
Elder Cai was not talking nonsense, waved his hand and signaled to take Cai Wen down.
Cai Wen was blocked and dragged away. He continued to whine along the way, not knowing what he was saying or scolding...
Elder Cai stood up, and on the ancestral altar table, he took out the genealogy of the third bedroom with his own hands, and then spread it out loud, "Oh..."
Elder Cai looked up at the spiritual sign of the ancestor Cai in the ancestral hall and sighed, "It's indeed a joke... It made the ancestor laugh... It's a misfortune... The three houses... The ancestors are here, from today on, the three houses will be gone..."