Chapter 13: Cao Cao's Scheme, Collective Burial!

  "Master Hou, it's time to get up. Today you still need to pay respects to Sir Sikong, to Madame, and to..." Ling'er called out beside Lu Rui's bed.

  "I'm so tired! I'll get up later!" Lü Rui rolled over on the bed a few times, lying there like a dead pig.

  "What......?" Ling'er blinked her eyes, looking at Lü Rui in a daze.

  "Has Master Hou gotten up?" Ling'er? Diao Chan walked in from outside the room.

  "Eldest Sister Diao? Master Hou said to sleep a bit longer, but... but shouldn't Sir Cai and the Grand Lady be getting up soon? This..."

  "Like this? Then I'll go wake up Master Hou!"

  "Sister Diao Chan? Do you have a way?" Ling Er looked at Diao Chan with doubt, Lü Bu's concubine, Ling Er knew that no matter how much she slept, she wouldn't care about her even if the sky fell, but Diao Chan actually had a way?

  "Hmm, Ling'er has arrived, sister will teach you how to wake up Master Hou!"

  "Hmm!" Ling'er curiously followed Diao Chan to Lü Bu's bedside.

  Diao Chan pulled out a wheat ear from her bosom and then waved it back and forth in front of Lü Bu's nose.

  "A... A Qiu!" Lü Rui let out a loud sneeze and was startled awake!

  "Who...? Nainai's, Ben Houye is having a good dream!"

  "Your Lordship? You're being presumptuous again?"

  Is it Diao Chan again? This woman has a bit of a tigress attitude, taking advantage of her role as a female historian to use wheat ears to wake herself up! If I had known earlier, I wouldn't have agreed to marry Lü Bu!

  "Master Hou is a man of status, it's better not to use such foul language. It may be fine in private, but outside, people will laugh at Master Hou and say that Evil has learned bad habits from him!" Seeing Lü Rui's impatient expression, Diao Chan began to speak.

  "Go, go, go! Ben Hou Ye knows that those three words won't appear again, and he's gone to take a bath and change his clothes!" Ah, the bitter oppression! Nǎinǎi, this is a phrase from later generations, but in the Han Dynasty it became an obscene word! How many years of habit? Two lifetimes, hard to change!

  "Heh heh, Ling'er? Got it? From now on, wake up Master Hou like this!"

  "Ah, Diao Chan sister!"

  Watching Lv Rui's departing figure, Ling'er gritted her teeth and blushed as she muttered to herself: "Why can't this Ling'er...?"

  "Children, pay respects to Uncle Cao and Auntie Ding!" After finishing washing his hands, Lü Rui came to the main hall and paid respects to Cao and Lady Ding.

  "Rui Er doesn't have to be so polite. Rui Er performed well this time, and Man Ning has already spoken to Father about it. Father will reward you according to your merits!"

  "Thank you, Uncle!" Hehe, another reward!

  "Rui'er, come and have breakfast with us this morning."

  "Yes, auntie!"

  Lü Bu followed Cao Cao and his wife to have breakfast, then Cao Cao took Lü Bu to the main hall of the central army camp to meet Zhang Yang's envoy, Jia Xu!

  "Jia Xian and Jia Wen pay their respects to the Duke of Cao!" Jia Xian bowed expressionlessly to Cao.

  Look, Ren Qiang's wife Cao and Hu Li Jia are going to start acting again, they probably discussed it all yesterday!

  "Get up and let's go!"

  "Thank you, Sir!"

  "What important matters do Wen He and Lai Xu have?"

  "Reporting to Lord Cao, Jia Xu has come here on behalf of General Zhang Yang of my household as an envoy, surrendering to Lord Cao and submitting to the imperial court!"

  "Really? Is General Zhang Hua willing to surrender to the imperial court?"

  "It is indeed so, Sir Sima, General Zhang Heng was originally a subject of the great Han, and surrendering to the imperial court is where righteousness lies!" said Jia Xu with an air of dignity.

  "Good, General Zhang Heng has surrendered. I'm delighted. Wen Ruo, Gong Da, please receive him warmly on my behalf!"

  "Yes, Lord Sako!"

  "Many thanks to the Grand Marshal! However, Jia Xu has been in Xudu for a long time and wants to return to Wan City as soon as possible to report back to General Zhang. I have taken note of the Grand Marshal's kind intentions!"

  "Hmm, Wen and courtesy, when General Zhang arrives in Xudu, this official will definitely discuss merits and rewards!"

  "Jia Xun spoke on behalf of General Zhang: 'Many thanks to Your Excellency, Sir!'".

  "When will Wenhe leave Xudu?"

  "Sir, since the matter in Xudu has been settled, Wenhe plans to return to Wan City today and report back to General Zhang!"

  "Alright! Wen and Ruo can leave if there's nothing else."

  "Filial and incorruptible, the Ministry of Rites has some gifts to be sent to General Zhang. You two will escort them to the post house and dispatch troops to protect Wen on his way out of the city. There must be no mistakes!"

  "Yes, Lord Sako!" Then the three of them withdrew.

  What? Old Cao and Fox Jia didn't mention anything about the Zou family, what kind of trick are they playing? Is Jia Yu returning to Wan City today?

  "Gentlemen, recently Xu Du's farmland...". Then Cao began to handle other government affairs, and Lü Rui made a record of the discussion on the side.

  "Rui'er?"

  "Your Excellency!"

  "Has this session's minutes been completed?"

  "It's done, please review it, Lord Cao!" Lü Rui handed over the minutes of the meeting to Cao.

  Cao looked at it and put the record of the hall meeting aside, then patted his head: "Bad!"

  "Alas, Yuan Rong, where is your wonderful talent?"

  "Long live the Emperor!"

  "General Cao still has something to entrust to Jia Xu, you two quickly leave the city and catch up with Jia Xu, hand this thing over to him!" Then Cao took out a brocade box and handed it to the two men.

  Xiahou Yuan and Xiahou Dun rode out of the city with a brocade box.

  "Everyone can go down!" Cao waved his hand, indicating that everyone could retreat.

  "Yes, Lord Siko!" The crowd dispersed in a flurry.

  "Rui'er, hand over the draft to the clerk in charge of drafting documents in the government office. If it needs to be reviewed by Your Majesty, order the clerk to quickly prepare and present it to Your Majesty!"

  "Yes, Lord Sikong!" Then, Lü Rui ordered someone to move the draft of the proposal and some documents to the knife and pen official in the government office. The so-called knife and pen official refers to a person who specializes in writing on bamboo slips. This kind of clerical work must be done by professionals!

  After the clerk finished engraving all the documents, Lü Rui categorized them and sent some of the documents into the palace through someone, only then was the work considered complete.

  Why didn't Cao's wife mention Zou Shi's matter? Could it be that Cao Chong's intelligence was wrong? Thinking of this, Lü Rui came to Cao Chong's courtyard and used all kinds of methods. Cao Chong insisted that he had not misheard. Lü Rui was helpless and could only return to his own courtyard. Maybe Cao's wife is not ready yet!

  Outside Xudu City, Cao Ren and Cao Hong escorted Jia Xu to the outskirts. Cao Ren cupped his hands and said: "Farewell, Mr. Jia!"

  "Many thanks to both of you generals for escorting Mr. Jia here, tomorrow Mr. Jia will definitely come to your door to thank you!"

  "Mr. Jia was being polite, escorting you out of the city is an order from Sir Cao!"

  "Mr. Jia, wait a moment! Sir Sikong has something to entrust you with!" Xiahou Dun rode his swift horse and hurried towards Jia Xu's carriage team.

  "Yuan Rang, Miao Cai? How did you two come?" Cao Ren looked at them in surprise, sending Jia Xu out of the city. Almost all the leaders of the Cao clan had arrived. What's going on?

  "Filial son, big brother told us two to hand over this brocade box to Mr. Jia!" After finishing speaking, he handed the brocade box to Jia You.

  "Thank you, General Xiahou! Jia Yu thought that the Imperial Advisor had forgotten about this matter. With this marriage certificate, Jia Yu can now return to Wan City and report back!"

  "Marriage certificate?" The four of them exclaimed in unison!

  "Mr. Jia... is this a marriage certificate? Whose marriage certificate?"

  "Whose marriage certificate? Of course it's the marriage certificate of Prime Minister Sīkōng and our General's mother, Madame Zōu!"

  "Are you two Cao generals? Don't you know that the gifts you brought are the betrothal gifts for Prime Minister Cao?" After finishing, Jia Xu took out the list of gifts and showed it to Cao Ren and Cao Hong.

  "Thank you, four generals. On the day of my marriage to Lady Zou, mother of our general, I, Jia Yu, will certainly offer each of you a few cups in respect!" After finishing speaking, Jia Yu got into his carriage and left.

  Half a minute passed before the four of them came back to their senses.

  "Isn't it? Eldest brother is going to marry Miss Zou? How come I don't know?" Dog younger brother Cao Hong scratched his head.

  "Yuan Rang, Miao Cai, Zi Xiao? Have you guys heard?"

  "Nothing...!" Xiahou Dun blinked his one eye.

  "Is this filial piety? Eldest brother is doing it this way......?"

  "It's all over, we've all been used by Big Brother and trapped...!" Cao Ren stomped his foot, thinking of Cao Cao's plan to bring in people with influence among the Cao clan relatives. "Big Brother, you're too despicable!"

  "Yuan Rang is talented, Miao Cai is wise, and Zi Lian is great. Eldest brother wants to marry a woman from the Zou family, it's a must-do thing, but eldest sister-in-law will definitely disagree. Eldest brother is pulling us into the water, wanting us to be his mouthpiece!"

  "Ah.........?" Both of them were stunned, Old Cao actually played this trick?

  "Uncle, why are you in the mood to gamble with me today?" The next day, early in the morning, Cao brought Lv Rui to a villa of the Cao family in Xudu for gambling, and specifically instructed Lv Rui to bring more stakes. With money to be made, Lv Rui wouldn't let it slip away!

  "Uncle Cao, it's your turn to make a move!" Lü Rui reminded Cao. What's wrong with you today? You're playing chess so slowly, as if waiting for someone.

  "Eh, Rui'er......?"

  "Uncle......?"

  "Rui Er, I was thinking of borrowing some grain from you, I don't know..." So that's it. No wonder Old Cao is in such a good mood. It turns out they're short on funds and are coming to us for money."

  "Old man...?! This is going to accrue interest! Double it!"

  "Of course, Rui'er, let's follow the old rules then?"

  "Alright, Uncle, how much do you want to borrow?"

  "Two thousand bundles of firewood and fifty thousand bushels of grain!"

  "What...?" The wife of Cao borrowed firewood and grain? For military use? No way, the quantity is too small.

  "Rui'er? The IOU is written by your uncle, take a look?" He then handed the IOU to Lü Rui.

  Lü Rui didn't think much and signed it. Anyway, there weren't many things, borrowed them and that's it. When Old Cao becomes rich and prosperous in the future, he'll return everything with interest!

  "Sir, three Cao Generals and two Xiahou Generals request an audience!"

  "Oh? Hurry up and let them in!" Cao's face lit up with joy upon hearing this, and he hastily ordered his servants to lead them in.

  Have all the relatives and leaders of the Cao family arrived? Is Old Cao waiting for them? Is there something important?

  "Big brother, you've caused us so much suffering!" Cao Hong, Dog Brother, shouted as soon as he came in.

  "Big brother? You're going to marry a woman from the Zou family? Without even telling us?" Xiahou Dun also cried out.

  "Brother......?" Cao Ren, Cao Chun, and Xiahou Yuan all began to complain.

  Lü Rui was initially confused, but later understood that Old Cao had brought in all the clan leaders and relatives. No wonder yesterday's atmosphere was so strange, it turned out to be designed this way?

  The Cao family clan leaders finished speaking, and Cao pretended to be ignorant, saying: "Yuan Rang and Miao Cai sent wedding gifts, Zi Xiao and Zi Lian sent betrothal gifts, and Zi He sent documents to the palace, which were all discussed yesterday in the main hall of the Sima Mansion. Did you forget?"

  "Big brother...?" Cao Ren looked at Cao in surprise, they hadn't discussed this matter at all yesterday!

  "This is the record of yesterday's meeting, take a look!" After finishing speaking, Cao threw a bamboo slip to Cao Ren and others.

  Cao Ren and others took a look, their faces changed, then Cao Ren said: "Rui'er......? Are you allied with Big Brother?"

  "Yesterday was your turn to take minutes at the meeting!"

  What? This has nothing to do with me! I just found out too!

  It's terrible! Even Cao's wife and I were calculated, it's not right, it's not right, even the child was calculated!

  "Rui'er is cheating!"

  "Rui'er, you're too despicable!" Before Lu Rui could even react, he was surrounded.

  "Alright, don't argue anymore. This is my decision and Rui'er is just assisting me. Rui'er told me that to show apology to all of you uncles, according to the salary you receive from the Cao family every month, the Houyuan Mansion will provide double the salary!"

  "Uncle......?"

  "Rui'er, don't hide it anymore, everyone already knows!"

  "Ruier......? Miao Cai Shu Fu's family has many children, thank you Ruier!"

  "Rui'er, Uncle Ziliang doesn't lack money, but Rui'er is filial, so Uncle still accepted it!" Each of you has a calculating look on your faces? Give some compensation with a reasonable smile looking at Lü Rui.

  "Uncles, you're being polite, this is what Rui'er should do!" Lü Rui suddenly realized that Old Cao had set up a big trap and he himself had fallen into the biggest one!

  He himself had borne a lot of black pot for Old Cao, and now Old Cao took this opportunity to counterattack!