Chapter 19: Abduction of Mi Family, Cao Ang's Wedding

  Lü Rui was in an excited state after calculating Chen Deng and Mi Zhuo, these few days. The two big families of Xuzhou definitely have a lot of business, at that time as long as they seize one batch of goods going back and forth between the north and south, they will be rich, then take advantage of the unsmooth flow of information, they can definitely make a big profit, hehe, Chen Deng and Mi Zhuo, first give you a big sweet date to eat, then give you a stick on the head!

  In the following days, Lü Rui just wandered around and visited Chen Deng and Mi Zhu's mansions. Chen Deng's mansion was okay, about the same scale as Cao's family in Qiao County. However, when he arrived at Mi Zhu's mansion, Lü Rui was stunned, his mouth watering uncontrollably. The wealth of Shi Chong, who was famous for his extravagance during the Western Jin dynasty, seemed insignificant compared to Mi Zhu's. According to historical records, the Mi family had tens of thousands of servants, but this number only referred to those registered in the household census. As for the unregistered servants, how many more were there? Based on Lü Rui's estimate, there were at least 100,000 servants!

  Having seen all this, Lü Rui finally understood why Liu Da'er had repeatedly failed and risen again in history. It was all thanks to the wealth of the Mi family! After Liu Bei's defeat in Xuzhou, Mi Zhu was able to quickly recruit 2,000 soldiers for Liu Bei and rebuild his army, relying on the wealth of the Mi family! As Lü Rui watched Mi Zhu proudly introduce her family's wealth, she was secretly calculating in her heart: "I must get it all into my own pocket!"

  Lü Rui met the historical Consort Mei in Mei's mansion, but at that time, Consort Mei was still a young girl who had not yet reached the age of marriage. However, she already looked lovely and charming. Upon seeing her, Lü Rui suddenly came up with an idea. He thought to himself, "Ah ha! Uncle Zhong, I'll help you find a daughter-in-law!" Unbeknownst to Mei, he brought Lü Rui to visit the Mei family, which was like inviting a wolf into one's home.

  On that day, Lü Rui bid farewell to Mi Zhu and Chen Deng, then left Xuchang, but he didn't go far. Instead, he hid in a nearby village. Soon after, Xin Pi arrived at the village, saw Lü Rui, cupped his hands and said: "Your Excellency, Mi Zhu's sister is planning to leave the city for hunting in two days, with only one maid and several guards by her side."

  Lü Rui asked, "Is the news certain?"

  "Right, Master Hou. The Zou family's lady loves to go hunting and often only brings a few followers. Xuzhou is the territory of the Zou family, so they are less on guard. If we wait for the right moment, we can capture her as soon as we make our move!"

  Lü Ruì nodded and said: "Alright, I'll leave it to you to handle now. Wu Lai, assist Mr. Xin, I'll wait here with the others, you go quickly and come back quickly!"

  "Yes, Master Hou!"

  Two days later, at noon, Xin Pi led a few men in black to Lü Rui's residence. Lü Rui saw Xin Pi and asked: "Xiao Pi Pi? Is it done?"

  Xin Pi heard this and felt a chill run down his spine. He was filled with indignation in his heart, thinking to himself: "I am Xin Pi, not some insignificant nobody!"

  "Master, it's all taken care of. The Zou family's daughter is inside the box."

  Lü Rui looked at the large wooden box and said, "Can you guarantee it's alive?"

  Xin Pi said: "Please rest assured, Your Excellency, I will handle this matter with utmost care and precision."

  Lü Rui nodded and said, "The historical Xin Pi was indeed a man who didn't leak a single drop of water. Let's go, little fart, we'll meet up with Zhong Fu."

  After finishing speaking, he was about to leave the village, but Xin Pi's face showed difficulty and didn't leave. Lü Rui asked: "Xiao Pi Pi? Why aren't you leaving?"

  Xin Pi cupped his hands and said: "Your Excellency, I am Xin Pi, courtesy name Zuo Zhi! Xiao Pi Pi is indeed not a title for me."

  Lv Rui said: "I just like to call you Xiao Pi Pi, so you'll be called Xiao Pi Pi from now on." After saying that, he left, and Xin Bi was helpless. He smiled bitterly in his heart and followed Lv Rui out of the village. Alas, following this young master, I've become Xiao Pi Pi? The young master is still young, maybe it can be changed later. Xin Bi could only comfort himself like this. At least, Dian Wei, Lv Rui was indeed called "Evil" for a reason.

  After a three-day journey, Lü Bu arrived at Gangling, which was also the meeting point for Cao Cao and Lü Bu. Cao Cao and Xiahou Dun were sighing, and Cao Cao said: "Yuan Let's go, how many soldiers do we have left?"

  Xiahou Dun took a bite of his flatbread and said, "Big Brother, there's no need to mention it. We've encountered a locust plague, and the 5,000 troops in Qiao Commandery aren't even enough for food. How can we support these soldiers? Now, more than 3,000 people have left, and only 1,000 are still following us. If we return to Qiao Commandery and there's not enough grain, I'm afraid we'll have to disband them too."

  Cao heard this, pinched his temples, wealth, the lifeblood of the army, without wealth how can we maintain our troops, this is a big problem. Thinking of this, Cao's headache recurred, worrying, it's really worrying to death.

  Just as Cao was worried, Lü Rui rushed in and shouted: "Father Zhong, Father Zhong, I'm back."

  Lü Rui rushed in the door and pounced on Cao, who picked him up with a smile and said: "Rui'er? My Rui'er is back! Was Xuzhou fun?" (Cao) almost died from worry.

  Lü Rui nodded and said: "It's fun, it's really fun, Uncle! You should also go to Xuzhou to have some fun when you're free."

  Cao nodded and said: "Alright, since Rui'er has arrived, we will set off immediately and return to Qiao Commandery."

  Xiahou Dun nodded and went out to inspect the troops, then joined forces with Lü Rui's team and returned to Qiao County together. Lü Rui got on Cao Cao's carriage with Cao Cao and followed the team back to Qiao County. At this time, no one noticed that there was a young girl in Lü Rui's carriage!

  Kuanglong is not far from Qiao County, by dusk, Cao and his entourage returned to the Cao Mansion in Qiao County. At this time, the Cao family was busy preparing for Cao's return. This is the first time Cao has returned to the Cao Mansion since he started his campaign.

  Cao Cao and Lü Bu returned to the mansion, then went to bathe and change their clothes. After dinner with Cao Song and the others in the household, they gathered in the main hall. Cao Song sat in the host's seat, preparing to give a lecture.

  Cao Song looked at the crowd and said: "Meng De, your performance in the battle of Guandu was quite good. The Allied Forces of the East did not dare to confront Dong Zhuo, but you, Meng De, led a large army to confront Dong Zhuo's general Xu Rong, although defeated, still glorious! Now, throughout the Han Dynasty, everyone regards you, Cao Mengde, as a great hero who has restored the Han Dynasty! Good, good, very good, very good indeed!"

  Hearing Cao Song's praise, Cao was also very happy, and a long-lost smile appeared on his ugly face. His father hadn't praised him like this in a long time. Cao bowed slightly and said: "Thank you, Father, it's what I should do, and it's your teaching."

  Cao Song nodded and said, "Very well, Meng De. Now that Dong Zhuo is causing trouble in the capital, Yanzhou is also unstable. I have decided to flee to Langya for safety. Meng De, you stay here in Yanzhou and help Governor Tao Qian put down the Yellow Turban Rebellion."

  Cao heard this and was taken aback for a moment, saying: "Father, why don't you go with the child? Now that the world is unstable, if something happens to you, what will the child do?"

  Cao Song waved his hand and said, "Meng De, there's no need to say more. If I were with you, what about the clan members who didn't join the army? Our Cao family isn't just made up of men who go to battle!"

  Cao listened and immediately understood. Now that he was rising up in arms, the situation was unclear, and if he were to bring the entire Cao family with him, it would be unwise. Cao nodded his head and said: "Father is wise, I understand. Tomorrow, I will have Uncle De lead a hundred guards to escort Father to Langya."

  Cao Song nodded and looked at Lü Rui, smiling: "Rui'er, do you want to go to Langya with Taiye?"

  Lv Rui shook his head and said: "No, no, Grandpa, Rui still needs to go back to Fan County!"

  Cao Song smiled and said: "Good, good, our Rui'er is now a marquis with his own fiefdom, he has to manage his own city."

  Cao Song stroked his beard and asked: "Rui'er, I heard that Rui'er went to Xuzhou, don't know if Rui'er has prepared gifts for us?"

  Lü Rui nodded and said: "Everyone has, Grandfather Taizhen, Uncle Zhongfu, all the mothers, as well as Brother Zixiu and many younger brothers." After finishing speaking, Lü Rui ordered Xin Pi to bring out the gifts for everyone. Everyone was very happy after seeing them, and they praised Lü Rui's filial piety. Cao took the cloak that Lü Rui gave him and was also extremely delighted: "Rui'er is so filial!"

  Lü Rui looked at everyone's happy faces and said: "Little fart, bring out the biggest gift."

  Everyone listened, then stunned for a moment. What's the biggest gift? Is there another big gift? Everyone's eyes gathered outside the door, and soon, Xin Bi brought over a woman, this woman was about 14 or 15 years old, should be at the age of coming out, slender and elegant, very likable, but why was she brought here in custody? It seemed like someone didn't want to come? With Huang Juan still stuffed in her mouth.

  Cao Song looked at him and saw that Zhang Er was puzzled, so he asked: "Rui'er, who is this woman?"

  Lü Rui looked at Cao Song and said: "Uncle, this is a gift I brought from Xuzhou for my father-in-law, to fulfill one of his wishes!"

  Lü Rui's words had just fallen, and everyone's eyes suddenly turned to Cao. Cao was stunned: "Return me a heart's desire?"

  Xiahou Dun looked at Cao, then touched his mouth and said: "Big brother? You let Rui'er go to Xuzhou, is it for this? You don't even hide it a bit, the ladies are watching!"

  Cao only raised his head at this time, and Mrs. Ding was staring at him with anger, while the other ladies were dissatisfied but could only look at Cao with sorrow. At this moment, Cao's heart jumped up, what? This has nothing to do with me! I didn't ask Rui'er to find this woman, it wasn't me, really not me!

  Cao Song hummed and said: "Meng De?"

  Cao looked and felt that something was off, the originally happy atmosphere had changed. Cao hastily said: "Father, this really isn't what you think it is!"

  Then Cao turned his head and said: "Rui'er? What is Zhongfu's wish? When did Zhongfu have this wish?"

  Lü Rui shook his finger and asked Cao, "Uncle Zhong, isn't this the wish you often talk to Rui'er about? Have you forgotten?" After finishing speaking, Lü Rui looked at Cao with a serious face.

  Cao was taken aback for a moment, then scratched his head. What wish? Still a wish related to women? No, it seems I really haven't told Rui'er about it before?

  Cao Hong and Cao Ren, the two brothers, looked at Mi Shi and then walked over, whispering: "Big brother? We're all men, we understand you, but don't mention taking a concubine to Rui'er, she'll take it seriously."

  Cao heard this and scolded in a low voice: "Nonsense, what concubine? I had such thoughts, but I absolutely didn't discuss it with Rui'er. Are you guys the ones who told Rui'er?"

  Cao Hong and Cao Ren hastily shook their heads, whispering: "Big brother, don't wrongly accuse us, we definitely didn't say that, did you get drunk and let it slip?"

  Cao Song saw several brothers whispering to each other, then coughed a few times and asked: "Meng De?" His gaze was stern, almost enough to kill Cao!

  Cao shivered, then helplessly said: "Rui'er? Did Father really discuss his heart's desire with you? And it's related to a woman? No, Father remembers that it's absolutely not!"

  Lv Rui shouted loudly: "Uncle Zhong, Uncle Zhong, why don't your own words count? It is, it is!"

  Lü Rui suddenly shouted, and Cao became depressed. All eyes turned to Cao, filled with anger, resentment, and disdain. Cao looked at the crowd's gaze and thought it was unjust. He really didn't have that intention. Lü Rui must have made a mistake, definitely made a mistake.

  Cao Song looked at Cao Cao and then rebuked him: "Shut up, Mengde. Would Rui'er deceive us?"

  After finishing speaking, he looked at him and smiled: "Rui'er, tell Taiye, what is the wish that your fourth uncle told you?"

  Lü Rui nodded and said, "Yes, Grandfather, Uncle Zhong and I have discussed this. Now that Brother Zixiu has grown up and reached the age of marriage, this is his greatest wish. So, I went to Xuzhou to find this sister and marry her off to Brother Zixiu!"

  Everyone heard that and only then did they realize that the girl was not Old Cao's, but Cao Ang's. Cao heard this and suddenly realized, no wonder, he had indeed said those words before. Cao looked at everyone with a scornful expression, looking around, am I, Cao Mengde, really such a person? This is my wife, my wife!

  Cao Song was taken aback, "What? Rui'er has actually found a daughter-in-law for Zixiu?" Cao Song looked at Cao Ang and saw that he had only just realized that the woman was the one Rui'er had found for him. Cao Ang's face turned red with embarrassment as he lowered his head. Cao Song took one look and thought, "Not bad, Ang'er likes her, that's good enough."

  Cao Song looked at Mei and asked: "Rui'er, why is this woman like this? Did you tie her up?"

  Lü Rui nodded and said, "Yes, she didn't want to come to Qiao County, so I tied her up and brought her over. Let her take a look at Zi Xiuge. She's absolutely suitable for Zi Xiuge!"

  Cao Song smiled and said: "Rui'er, what kind of person would be worthy of being with your brother Zi Xiu?"

  Lv Rui looked at Cao Song and said: "One must be beautiful, two must have a good family background!"

  Lv Rui waved his fist and said: "Ta Ye, you don't know, this sister is the daughter of Xu Zhou's Mi family. The Mi family is very rich, even richer than the Cao family. Their servants have as many as 100,000 people!" After finishing speaking, Lv Rui began to describe the luxury of the Mi family, such as golden bricks and jade walls, leaving everyone in the Cao family staring in amazement.

  In the end, Lü Rui said: "Zhang Fu, this time I won 50,000 taels of gold in Xuzhou!" After finishing speaking, he stretched out five fingers!

  Cao Song and Cao Cao exchanged a glance, five hundred thousand taels of gold was not a lot, but losing five hundred thousand taels in a gamble was no ordinary matter. The Cao family would not dare to lose like this, and there were also one million servants at home? This is the key point, it seems that the Xu state's Zhuo family is indeed extraordinary.

  Cao Song nodded and asked: "Meng De?"

  Cao nodded and said: "Father, since it's Rui'er's heartfelt wish, I agree. Let Zi Xiu marry Miss Mi, and later we'll apologize to the Mi family in Xuzhou!"

  Cao Song listened and said, Meng De is indeed bold and daring. He married Mi Huan's daughter, regardless of whether the Mi family supports the Cao family or not, it is beneficial to the Cao family without any harm. Moreover, if the Mi family supports the Cao family, then the Cao family will gain even more, after all, currently, among the influential families that support Cao Cao, there is only the Wei family from Hedong.

  Thinking of this, Cao Song smiled and said: "Alright, since that's the case, let's take Miss Zou down first. I'll hold a wedding ceremony for Zi Xiu before heading to Langya!"

  The Cao family members saw that Cao Song had already made up his mind, so they nodded and said: "Yes, sir!"

  Lü Rui took a look at Cao Cao and Cao Song, and indeed they were a generation of heroic father and son. He quickly figured out the danger within and decided on a marriage for Cao Ang, revealing his bold and decisive air!

  The next day, the Cao Mansion was bustling with activity as they prepared for Cao Ang's wedding. Although Lady Mi looked young, she had actually reached marriageable age, and even if she hadn't, she would still be married in first!

  At night, Lü Rui was playing a game of touhu with Cao Cao. Cao Ang came to pay his respects to Cao Cao and looked at him with a helpless expression, saying: "Father?"

  Cao Cao looked at Cao Ang and said: "What's wrong with you? Why are you so depressed?"

  Cao Ang nodded and said, "Father, can the marriage between me and Miss Mi be postponed? I just saw Miss Mi, she doesn't seem to have a good impression of Zi Xiu."

  Cao's face turned red with rage, and he shouted: "No way! The wedding must go on as scheduled. Zixiu, if you can't even handle a woman, how will you make achievements in the future?"

  Cao Ang listened and then cupped his hands together in respect, saying: "Father? Child?"

  Cao heard this and let out a sigh, then said: "Zixiu, let your father teach you a lesson!"

  Then Cao began to teach Cao Ang how to pick up girls, Lü Bu was stunned and listened with his mouth agape. Cao turned out to be a master of picking up girls? The numerous methods left Lü Bu speechless. It seems that Cao's many concubines in history weren't all due to power and influence. Cao is absolutely the number one person in the Three Kingdoms! (Of course, except for his adopted son Lü Bu)

  Cao Ang left happily after being instructed by Cao Cao, and seven days later, he held a wedding with Zou Shi. After the wedding, Cao Cao led his troops to He Nei, while Lü Bu took his men back to Fan County, and Cao Song took other members of the Cao family to Langya for refuge. This marriage made Cao Cao bear another black pot, and every time Zou Shi and Cao's army faced off, he would scold Cao Cao for deceiving his younger sister, forcing her into a marriage, and being extremely shameless!

  Cao Cao heard this and was always helpless, this really wasn't my intention, it was Rui'er who stirred up trouble! I just casually mentioned it! Later, Chen Shou's Records of the Three Kingdoms had such a record: In the past, Emperor Wu seized the Mi family and married them to his eldest son, Nanyang King Ang, in order to seek the help of the Mi tribe, which was despised by the world.

  Lü Rui lay in the carriage on his way to Fan County, thinking: Liu Dajie, I dug a corner of your wall, let's see if you will still wholeheartedly assist me after seeing Meng Zong!