Chapter Five Hundred and Thirty The Imperial Examination Begins
Seeing that the Jiangdong family was finally willing to provide money, food, and slaves, Sima Yi knew that his goal had been achieved. Sun Quan also reciprocated the favor and left him to drink a few drinks. In the meantime, Sun Quan also tried to recruit Sima Yi, but was rejected. It was agreed to send troops.
On that date, Sima Yi left Moling.
"Prime Minister, Mr. Sima wants to see you!" Two days later, Cao Cao was studying the military situation with Cheng Yu and Jiang Ji in the study. Xu Chu knocked on the door. Except for people trusted by Cao Cao, not even the servants were allowed near the study.
"Invite me quickly!" Cao Cao was already waiting impatiently. He really didn't understand why Sima Yi insisted on going to Jiangdong. Of course, he wouldn't think that Sima Yi fell in love with Sun Quan, because in his eyes, only Liu Zhang was his strong rival!
"See my lord, I will live up to my lord's high expectations!" Sima Yi entered the study with a smile on his face.
"Zhongda, sit down!" Cao Cao said with a smile: "I have never doubted your ability. You have even taken the initiative yourself. Of course you will not fail!"
"My lord is unaware of something, and my subordinates almost failed!" Sima Yi smiled bitterly and explained in detail the story of his mission to Jiangdong. Cao Cao was stunned when he heard this.
"It's ridiculous that people from Jiangdong are so naive!" Cheng Yu was also a little bit dumbfounded. He shook his head and said, "If Zhongda hadn't taken action, the consequences would have been disastrous!"
"Zhongda must have expected it a long time ago, otherwise why would he insist on sending an envoy?" Cao Cao asked with a smile: "Zhongda, how many people, horses, money and food did the Jiangdong family support Sun Quan?"
"The four major Jiangdong aristocratic families have provided more than 200,000 horses and more than five million shi of food and grass!" Sima Yi said: "As far as I know, the soldiers, money and food provided by the Jiangdong aristocratic families are no less than those of the aristocratic families under the lord's command!"
"In this way, we can compete with Liu Zhang!" Cao Cao nodded and said, "Zhongda, have you agreed with Sun Quan on a date for sending troops?"
"Just three days before Liu Zhang holds the imperial examination!" Sima Yi sneered: "I believe that on the day when the imperial examination is held in Chang'an, Liu Zhang will definitely receive a battle report of the invasion of the army!"
"Okay!" Cao Cao said happily: "Since Liu Zhang wants to take the imperial examination, I will prevent him from doing so! Zhongda, you have made a great contribution this time. I have decided to let you lead an army to attack Wuguan. I don't know what you are doing.
What do you think?"
"My lord, you are joking!" Sima Yi knew Cao Cao's temperament, so he quickly declined: "I am just running errands, so what's the credit? As for leading an army, I don't have this ability! It's better that my lord appoints a general to lead the army, and I serve as a military advisor.
Can!"
"Since Zhongda said this, the truth is no longer difficult for others!" Cao Cao thought for a while and said: "General Wei Yan is both civil and military, and he has joined forces with you to fight against the enemy. How about letting him be the commander and you the military advisor?"
"My lord has an order, and I will do whatever I want!" Sima Yi knew that Cao Cao was suspicious of Wei Yan. But Cao Cao's arrangement was not inappropriate, so he quickly bowed down and accepted the order to avoid trying to cover up the situation.
"Yes!" Cao Cao nodded and said, "Liu Zhang's military strength is extraordinary. If Wei Yan is just one person, he is no match for him. I don't know what you think about letting Yan Liang, Wen Chou, Gao Lan, Han Meng and other generals help you."
how?"
"That's very good!" Sima Yi said with a smile: "It's just that these generals are more brave than others, but they are a bit lacking in intelligence and strategy. I also ask the prime minister to choose one of the two generals Gao Shun and Yu Jin to help me!"
"Oh?" Cao Cao asked with a smile, "Can't Qu Yi do it?"
"It's not impossible. But Qu Yi is arrogant and may not be willing to submit to me!" Sima Yi shrugged. He didn't want to be suspected by Cao Cao because of Qu Yi, because Qu Yi changed hands twice. experience!
"Let General Gao Shun help you!" Cao Cao smiled and nodded. Yu Jin was his confidant and could not be handed over to Sima Yi, and Gao Shun's loyalty made him feel reassured. What's more, Cao Cao must take Lu Bu with him when he goes to war. I don’t want Lu Bu and Gao Shun to be together!
"Thank you, Lord!" In fact, Sima Yi also meant Gao Shun, because he didn't think highly of Yu Jin. Of course, he couldn't say such things about looking down on Cao Cao's generals!
"Zhongda, you have traveled a long distance. If you have nothing else to do, go down and rest!" After making arrangements, Cao Cao saw Sima Yi looking tired and ordered to see off the guest.
"I'm really tired!" Sima Yi bowed with a smile and said, "My subordinates, please leave!"
After Sima Yi left, Cheng Yu suddenly asked: "My lord, you seem to be guarding against Zhongda?"
"Alas..." Cao Cao sighed and said, "We have to guard against it!"
"Oh?" Cheng Yu asked, "Is it possible that Sima Yi has counter-intentions?"
"That's not true!" Cao Cao said: "Sima Yi has great ambitions, but he can't see through his true colors. In addition, he has the look of a wolf and an eagle. If he has evil intentions, it's hard to guard against his true colors!"
"That's it!" Cheng Yu said: "I hope my lord will be more careful and don't let Zhongda's heart go cold!"
"Zhongde, don't worry, I know what I know!" Cao Cao took a deep breath and said: "Zhongde, time is not waiting for me, so please pay more attention and let everyone under your command train hard so that we can send troops to attack Liu Zhang as soon as possible!"
"Yes!" Cheng Yu bowed and said, "I will definitely do my best!"
Cao Cao waved his hand and Cheng Yu retreated. Looking at Cheng Yu's retreating figure, Cao Cao rubbed his brows and said in his heart: "Liu Jiyu, you're doing well! If you just throw out something, it will cause chaos in the world. Let's make the world a mess." I'm really worried. I want to see who among us is more powerful this time!"
"A sneeze... a sneeze..." Liu Zhang, who was wandering around in the courtyard of Duke Qin's mansion in the inner city of Chang'an, suddenly sneezed twice. He rubbed his nose and said in confusion: "Did you catch a cold?"
"Lord, you have to take care of yourself!" Seeing Liu Zhang sneezing and Zhang Ji sitting beside him, Hua Tuo quickly spoke out to persuade him. After all, Liu Zhang was their hope in studying medicine!
"I have always been in good health, but I don't know who is scolding me behind my back!" Liu Zhang said with a smile; "It's probably Cao Cao, or it's Sun Quan!"
"Lord, how did you know that someone was scolding you?" Zhang Ji looked at Liu Zhang with some confusion.
"As the saying goes: A sneeze means a sneeze, and two sneezes mean a curse! I just sneezed twice out of nowhere, and of course someone scolded me!" Liu Zhang smiled and shrugged. He just saw that the atmosphere was a little tense, so he made a joke.
"What about the three sneezes?" Zhang Ji had no sense of humor, and his words almost made Hua Tuo spit out the tea in his mouth.
"That's a cold!" Liu Zhang burst out laughing after saying this, and even Hua Tuo couldn't help but smile.
"Lord, what time has it been and you are still in the mood to joke!" Zhang Ji also came to his senses and shook his head helplessly.
"In this situation, it's no use even if I'm anxious to death!" Listening to the screams in the back house, Liu Zhang had a headache. Just as he was preparing for the imperial examination, his wives began to give birth to children for him.
Sun Shangxiang was the first to give birth, but she gave birth to a girl. Although in Liu Zhang's view, the birth of boys and girls was the same, the Sun family did not think so. In the Han Dynasty, which favored sons over daughters, a woman without a son would never have a son.
To happiness. Nowadays, Sun Shangxiang is focusing on taking care of her body and preparing to have another child, but the person screaming in the delivery room today is Cai Yan!
Although Cai Yan is no longer the first child, she is Liu Zhang's favorite woman. How can Liu Zhang not be worried? Of course, in front of all the women, Liu Zhang always ignores the big and small, but the emotions cannot be divided equally. When it comes to the person who values the most
, there will always be some differences. However, not everyone can see this difference!
"My lord, Mrs. Ning and the two Mrs. Qiao have also begun to have stomachaches!" What does it mean that the house leaks and it rains all night? It is troublesome to have many wives, and what is even more troublesome is that the wives are all pregnant at the same time!
"Call Po Wen, what's the use of calling me!" Liu Zhang said with a headache: "Two gentlemen, what's the situation like for you?"
"Lord, we are all men. If it is not difficult to give birth, we should not let us in!" Zhang Ji looked embarrassed. He did not want to be unlucky because he saw the body of his lord's woman.
"Alas..." Liu Zhang understood Zhang Ji's thoughts. He sighed and said, "Then just wait a little longer!"
In the back house of Qin Gong's mansion, the moans of women could be heard throughout the sky, and the lights in the mansion stayed on all night. Fortunately, Cai Yan and the other girls, under Liu Zhang's supervision, usually paid good attention to their health, and the birth was not too difficult.
When Cai Yan gave birth to a baby, Zhang Ning and Xiao Qiao also received good news. The birth of their fourth son fundamentally changed the problem of the thin Liu family. However, the most excited one was Cai Yong, because Liu Zhang agreed to let his second son live with him.
surname.
In order to facilitate the care, Liu Zhang moved Cai Yan, Zhang Ning and other wives who had given birth together, and also put the children together. Among them, Sun Shangxiang was the most dissatisfied. He pouted every day and often said to himself: "Why?
They all have sons, but I have a daughter, and I want a son too!"
In the past two months, Cao Cao and Sun Quan have been mobilizing troops. The wealthy families have provided money and people to conquer Liu Zhang, but Liu Zhang is nervously watching his wife give birth to a child at home. Although the three parties are doing different things, the difference in tension is not the same.
Very far. Of course, Liu Zhang was in a much better mood than Sun Quan and Cao Cao!
When the last wife also gave birth to Lin'er, Liu Zhang finally breathed a sigh of relief. At this time, it was almost time for the imperial examination. Students and scribes from all over the country were flocking to Chang'an, and inns and even residential buildings in outer cities were crowded.
It was already full. What was even more exaggerated was that some wealthy people actually set up tents outside the city.
In the Han Dynasty, it was still very dangerous outside the city. Not because of thieves, but because of ferocious beasts. Tigers and wolves were common, and jackals were also dangerous. In order to prevent people rushing to take the exam from getting into trouble, Liu Zhang ordered the Tiger Guards to surround the outside.
City, and drove all the ferocious beasts within ten miles outside the city back to the deep forest. As for the beasts that were unwilling to go back, they were executed on the spot and had their teeth beaten as sacrifices to the soldiers.
On a bright spring morning, the newly built Imperial College in Chang'an City opened its doors. The Imperial College, which is equivalent to the Central University, welcomed its first batch of candidates. A group of students, carrying the Four Treasures of the Study, started the first examination in the history of the Han Dynasty, and this time
The exam is also a turning point in their lives...