Six hundred and ninetieth chapters cater to the agenda
New Year's Day is here in a blink of an eye!
This was New Year's Day in the third year of Xingping, but in Emperor Xian's edict to the world, it was called New Year's Day in the first year of Jian'an. Emperor Xian and his court were now finally stable in Anyi. Emperor Xian announced a general amnesty to the world on this day
, changed the Yuan Dynasty to Jian'an, and temporarily established the capital as Anyi. The word Jian'an entrusted the good wishes of the sixteen-year-old emperor.
But his good wishes were destined to be crushed. On the early morning of New Year's Day in the first year of Jian'an, 30,000 Cao's soldiers were assembled. The flat and wide bluestone road between the east and west city gates had been occupied by government officials, policemen, and civilians.
The strong men blocked it, and no one was seen on the street. However, every few steps on both sides of the road, a prisoner was kneeling, and behind him stood a strong soldier with a sword in his hand.
Among these prisoners were men, women, even gray-haired old men, and even... Kneeling from both sides of the straight west city gate to the east city gate, their hands were tied upside down, and their mouths were tied with cloth strips, and they walked to the intersection of the four streets.
At the crossroads, I suddenly saw a high platform that had been erected in a square shape. Kneeling was Zhang Chao, the highest military and political official of the Zhang family in Chenliu land.
Cao Cao, Cao Zhi and his party, who rode to the high platform, glanced at Zhang Chao on the high platform and couldn't help but slow down. After dismounting, they walked slowly on the street. At this time, they only heard the sound of horse hooves and the sound of wheels behind them.
Suddenly, several officers and soldiers on horseback were seen galloping down the road with command arrows in their hands. They shouted loudly: "Send the message to the General of Chariots and Cavalry. The General of the Eastern Expedition will order the prisoners to take their places and verify their identity!"
Immediately, the officers and soldiers standing behind the prisoners with knives responded in unison: "Reporting to the two generals, the eight hundred and thirty-five prisoners on death row have all been identified and are waiting for the execution order!"
The Yanzhou and Yangzhou generals and officials who came with them didn't look very good at this time. "These 835 death row prisoners are all from the same family! Zhang Miao's family!"
"Cao Cao, Cao Cao... you can't kill me, you can't..." Zhang Chao woke up when the executioners behind him shouted in unison. He raised his eyes and saw Cao Cao, Cao Zhi and others standing in front of him.
He yelled hoarsely.
"Why can't I kill you?" Cao Cao looked at the unkempt Zhang Chao coldly and asked slowly.
"The emperor has announced to the world that today's amnesty, you, you can't kill me..." Zhang Chao's tone was unconfident at first, but when he saw some officials standing behind Cao Cao and Cao Zhi, they were surprised. How could he know about the emperor's announcement?
When the world changed, he became confident and excited again. He thought he had made the right bet and was saved!
"Haha..." Cao Cao sneered, turned sideways, and ignored the expectant Zhang Chao.
But at this moment, Guo Jia, who was behind Cao Cao and Cao Zhi, stepped out and explained to Zhang Chao who was kneeling on the ground: "Master Zhang, to tell you the truth, we have not received the notice from the court yet, even if the emperor
Today is a general amnesty for the whole world, and it will probably be five or six days before the imperial edict reaches us, so..."
"Fart, nonsense..." Zhang Chao howled immediately upon hearing Guo Jia's explanation. He also tried to move his knees and pounce forward, but was held down by the two executioners behind him.
"Cao Zhi, Cao Zhi... you are the chariot and cavalry general of the dynasty. How could you not receive this imperial edict? Cao... General Cao, Lord Cao, Marquis Cao Xiang, you... can you please take pity on me, please?"
Please brother, don’t kill me, I can be a cow or a horse for you, don’t kill me, don’t…”
Zhang Chao is still very clear about the system of the Han Dynasty. Some remote places may not have received the announcement of emperor Xian Yuan and amnesty at this time. But a chariot general like Cao Zhi, who has already opened a government, should be
He received the emperor's imperial edict to change the Yuan Dynasty immediately. Even as a current important minister of the imperial court, the emperor had discussed the matter of changing the Yuan Dynasty with Cao Zhi before this.
Zhang Chao's guess was correct. Cao Zhi had indeed received the imperial edict to change the Yuan Dynasty and grant amnesty to the world. He had also sent a letter to Li Ru to express his approval and congratulations on the matter through Li Ru's spokesperson in the court.
However, Cao Zhi still let go of Zhang Chao and others not far away. Since this hot land has become the soil for cultivating powerful men, Cao Zhi has also come here, and as a man who has also risen to the point of becoming a hegemon in terms of power and strength, he has been
There is a voice calling him, stop suppressing yourself, use your smart mind, modern knowledge, strong body, and your hands to kill more people and save more people at the same time...
In order to pursue the pinnacle of power, people are willing to do anything! Faith, dignity, and human nature sometimes have to be temporarily obliterated. Sometimes the so-called way of heaven is to cultivate living people into being ruthless, without love, without hatred, without sorrow and joy.
A powerful clay puppet, let his desires drive him.
"I'm sorry, you..."
Cao Zhi moved out slowly and said sorry. Zhang Chao rushed forward as if he was crazy. He didn't want to listen to Cao Zhi's next words and just begged desperately: "Brother... you are mine."
My brother...you are my ancestor...Cao Zhi, considering the old friendship between you and my eldest brother, I beg you to spare my life... spare my life..."
Cao Cao couldn't help but scold Zhang Chao, who was lying on the ground and writhing. Cao Zhi suddenly turned around and got on the horse with an expressionless face. He was surprisingly calm, or even indifferent, which made the younger brother who had not seen him for a long time.
Cao Cao was also inexplicably stunned.
Just when Cao Cao was surprised, Cao Zhi, who was on horseback, glanced at everything on the high platform with cold eyes, and finally glanced at Guo Jia and Xun Yu with a fixed look.
His eyes seemed to be hinting something! Guo Jia and Xun Yu, the two smartest people around Cao Cao, were startled when they received the look, and then they clearly accepted the hint.
After the two looked at each other, they walked out together, bowed and said: "The time has come, please give me your instructions, general!"
Guo Jia and Xun Yu understood Cao Zhi's hint and wanted everyone in the audience to understand that he was the person with the highest military rank and official position here. They were also very smart and immediately asked Cao Zhi, who was already on the horse, for instructions on the beheading operation.
It offended Cao Cao a bit, but this conflict was also a matter between their brothers.
But Cao Zhi's next performance indicated that he was well prepared. After he asked Cao Cao to mount his horse, he was still half a horse behind Cao Cao. He asked Cao Cao for instructions in an orderly manner according to family etiquette: "Brother, you
Please announce the execution!"
At that moment, Cao Cao had some thoughts. Even if he is a mother-in-law, there will always be a day when there is a gap in the belly. But after all, Cao Cao still takes the family relationship between him and Cao Zhi more seriously. The relationship between the two
Incomparably profound. With Cao Zhi's actions not taking half a step ahead of him, and the following words that pleased Cao Cao, Cao Cao's dissatisfaction and thoughts disappeared.
In the distance, as three cannons sounded, Cao Cao led a ray of sunlight into the high platform and shouted "Behead!" Then he heard countless shouts passed around: "Fire the cannon and execute! Behead~~~~~~
"
The long word "Zhan" passed by Cao Cao, Cao Zhi and others who were marching leisurely. There was a "swish" sound on both sides of the road, and the sharp steel knives were raised together, shining with a solemn light.
Shockingly, more than a thousand shining arcs were drawn, more than 800 streaks of hot blood splashed into the air, more than 800 human heads rolled down at their feet, and the air was suddenly filled with a rich smell of blood.
The gasps of tens of thousands of soldiers gathered at the scene suddenly converged into a heart-wrenching "buzz", "Those who follow me will live, those who go against me will die!" Cao Cao rode his horse and galloped all the way, his high-pitched and loud heroic spirit filling the sky.
Corpses lay everywhere, and blood flowed into rivers. The 30,000-strong army rolled up their flags and walked out of the east city on the blood all the way. The ferocious aura rushed straight into Jiuxiao.
######### On New Year's Day, drinking to celebrate the festival is inevitable. Cao Cao has been in the best mood since he learned about Yanzhou's rebellion until today. Today finally made him let out a bad breath and at the same time, he also expressed his anger to the world.
People proved Cao Cao's power.
In the hall on the second floor of the main building of the county mansion in the east city of Chenliu City, Cao Cao, Cao Zhi's civil servants and generals gathered together, and amidst the warm sound of firecrackers, their festive mood was heightened.
After all, the smell of blood just now was a bit too strong, and many people still couldn't let it go. But Cao Cao's mood infected them, or some people were forcibly infected. In any case, the atmosphere of the banquet was developing in a good direction.
After drinking several cups of New Year's wine served by his subordinates, Cao Cao glanced around at the table and saw that someone was not at the table. This person was Mao Jie. Mao Jie once advised Cao Cao: "My Lord,
It is advisable to obey the emperor's orders and not to serve as ministers, cultivate crops, and accumulate military resources. In this way, the overlord can be successful!"
These words always lingered in Cao Cao's ears, and he believed them deeply. Although Mao Jie often came up with good ideas, the things he accomplished always disappointed Cao Cao.
Take this time for example, Lu Bu fell into Lu Bu's trick to lure the enemy. It was not because the old boy was not rigorous enough in doing things that Cao Cao was fooled and entered Puyang by mistake, which almost killed him. So this time when Cao Cao came to barbarize the Zhang Miao tribe,
Without bringing him here, Mao Jie should still be supervising the battle on the Puyang front line at this moment.
However, what this old boy did was not very good, but Cao Cao still remembered what he said. However, his current position as Yanzhou Mu is not yet stable. It should be said that the conditions for "serving the emperor" are not sufficient.
As for the "overlord's career", it is nothing more than a tempting rainbow.
But now that Cao Cao has the powerful arm of his younger brother Cao Zhi, he can already predict that his prosperous career will not be too far away in the future. Cao Zhi is not only trying to influence the emperor, but also starting to conquer the entire Yangzhou. Some time ago
, Cao Cao has just heard that Yuzhang County in Yangzhou has surrendered to Cao Zhi. It seems that it is just around the corner for his younger brother to control the entire territory of Yangzhou.
As long as Cao Cao regains control of Yanzhou and the two brothers use the strength of the two states to welcome the emperor to live in their territory, everything should be safe.
However, Cao Cao still had different opinions on the matter of flattery, so Cao Cao just wanted to take the opportunity to mention this matter on this cheerful day.
After having a few glasses of wine, Cao Cao raised the issue of "serving the emperor".