Chapter 39 Waste Utilization

Although there was a small episode of Deng Xian, with Zhao Feng's persistence, the first imperial examination in Yizhou was carried out smoothly. The selected 30 candidates for literature and martial arts will be uniformly arranged to go to Xuchang to take the year-end examination. According to Zhao Feng's suggestion, such a big exam will be held once every three years. As for the officials selected by the regular system of the ninth grade, they will be reserved for the time being.

"Kong Ming, you are a middle official, what talents have you selected for me this year?" In the government office of Yizhou, Zhao Feng asked Zhuge Liang.

"To tell you the truth, this year's Jiupin Zhongzhenghe imperial examination has selected a lot of Sichuan and Shu talents!" Zhuge Liang smiled and handed a list to Zhao Feng as he spoke.

"Zhang Ni, Yin Mo." These famous talents in the middle and late Shu and Han dynasties have now emerged one after another, but when it is time, it is almost time for them to enter the stage of history. At present, Liu Bei and Guan Yu are nearly 50 years old. Although they are still in their prime, their energy is obviously not as good as that of young men. You can't expect everyone to be like Huang Zhong's old guy. The older he is, the more energetic he is.

" By the way, Kong Ming, what abnormality did you see when you watched the stars at night that night?" Zhao Feng hesitated a little and asked the question he had been worried about. Since that day, Zhuge Liang has obviously been more careful about this. His words and manners are no longer as elegant and calm as before, and there is always a trace of worry in the depths of his eyes.

Zhuge Liang was silent for a long time when he heard the words, and finally sighed: "This matter is really incredible. I can't say it for a while, so I can only act according to the opportunity. After that, if it is an organic relationship, I will definitely go back to Lumen Mountain to ask my teacher for advice in person, or I can solve this puzzle.

"Is it serious?" Zhao Feng saw that Zhuge Liang was rarely so solemn, and he was also a little careful.

"Can't say, can't say!" Zhuge Liang only had a sigh, but his eyes looked out of the window from afar, but he didn't know what he was looking at. Zhao Feng looked at him, and he had never seen Zhuge Liang so confused.

Zhuge Liang is rarely so confused, but there is one person who has become used to nature. In the palace of Yecheng, Hebei Province, when Liu Xie sat there in a daze today, his eyes were as blank as ever, and his mouth was closed, but he didn't know what he was talking about.

He has a lot of shining aura on his head, the Lord of the Ninth Five-Year Plan, the emperor of the dynasty. His ancestors were the Gaozu of the Han Dynasty who killed the white snake and destroyed Xiang Yu and finally won the world; the Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty who marched to the north and swept the Western Regions; and thousands of horses broke through hundreds of thousands of Wang Mang's army in Kunyang and rejuvenated Emperor Guangwu of the Han Dynasty. But now it's his turn. This series of titles seems to be of no use except to mock his current situation. As a puppet, he has nothing else to do every day. Cao Qian is in charge of all state affairs, and there are few things he has to do. Over time, Liu Xie could only be in a daze.

"Your Majesty, it's late at night. Go to bed early!" Just when Liu Xie was in a daze, the maid beside him couldn't stand it anymore and quickly reminded him. Liu Xie came to his senses with an "ah" sound and was about to give orders. At this time, a eunuch came to report that he was the abbot of the country and asked to see him.

"Please come in!" Liu Xie was slightly refreshed when he heard the words and hurriedly let Fu Wan come in. After a while, under the guidance of this eunuch, he walked into the palace gently. After bowing down to your majesty, long live, long live!" After finishing the salute meticulously and getting the emperor's permission, Fuwan got up and stood upright and bowed his hands aside.

"Alas, the abbot, since Wen Ruo passed away and Wen Ju was demoted, you are the only one in this court, and you still regard me as the emperor!" Liu Xie motioned to sit down, and then lowered his voice and sighed. The emperor, even in the middle of the night, did not dare to speak too loudly, because he did not know who among these maids of honor eunuchs would tell Cao what he said. Not to mention the palace, Cao Xiu and Xiahou Feng took turns to lead the three thousand iron armored army on duty.

"Your Majesty's words are heavy!" Fu Wan sighed. Seeing that there were no people around, Fu Wan said carefully, "Your Majesty, in fact, although most of the courtiers were forced by Cao's power, even if they were loyal, they had to bear it secretly in order to protect their lives. Otherwise, I'm afraid I'll repeat the mistakes of Uncle Dong!"

Uncle Dong Guo, who Fu Wan said, naturally plotted against Cao Yan eight years ago. After the matter was exposed, he was clicked by Dong Cheng. With the lesson of the past, everyone dares not engage in underground activities like this. And Liu Xie, in this world, only Fu Wan and Dong Cheng, can share the same heart with him. After all, under the premise of Cao's family's independence, the interests of these people are not guaranteed.

"Alas, that's true." Liu Xie also knew that most of the courtiers were grass on the wall. Due to the situation, he had to stand on the same side as Cao Qian. The problem is that he could not do anything about it even if he knew it. Who told him that he had no real power? At this moment, Liu Xie remembered something and hurriedly asked, "Yes, the father-in-law, how is the unknown uncle recently?"

"Uncle Liu has occupied all the land south of the Yellow River, but he has not entered Hebei at present, and," Fu Wan was also a little hesitant to say this, but still gritted his teeth and said, "And it seems that Cao has just sent Wang Lang to Henan as an envoy. In my opinion, it seems that the two sides have reached a temporary armistice agreement. Because after Wang Lang came back, Cao Wei ordered the army to be stationed temporarily, and at the same time, he opened the field to rest and raise the soldiers. If it hadn't been for the assurance from the emperor's uncle, Cao Shen would not have dared not be so careless.

"What?" When Liu Xie heard this, the last glimmer of illusion in his heart was also shattered. At this moment, Fu Wan's voice sounded again, but he heard him say, "Your Majesty, I'm sorry to say bluntly, in fact, compared with Cao Yan, I'm afraid the emperor's uncle may not be very loyal. After that, even if he went north to break through Cao Wei, does your majesty think that the emperor's uncle will regard your majesty as the emperor of the Ninth Five-Year Plan?

Liu Xie heard the words silently and sighed astringently, "Actually, why don't I know? It's just that the emperor's uncle is a relative of the Han Dynasty after all. Even if he doesn't regard me as the emperor, he will replace him, but after all, the world is still in the hands of the Han Dynasty! It's better than being usurped by Cao!"

"Your Majesty?" Fu Wan didn't expect Liu Xie to be so open-minded, and he couldn't say the comfort words he had prepared. The two sighed and were silent for a long time. Finally, Liu Xie said helplessly, "At this point, it can only be like this. Your father-in-law, you should also be more careful. If you can connect one or two loyal and righteous people, when the emperor's army is in the northern expedition, Cao's army will be all outside, and the inside and outside may occupy Ye City in one fell swoop to help the emperor's uncle!"

"Your Majesty, don't worry, it's my duty!" Fu Wan nodded, but then smiled bitterly: "I'm afraid that I may not be able to contact many loyal and righteous people. Who else in this court dares to rebel against Cao?"

"Who said there is no loyal person?" Suddenly, a voice sounded, and it was the order from the thick curtain behind them. Fu Wan and Liu Xie, who were chatting vigorously, heard the words and suddenly lost their souls.

"Who is it?" After all, Liu Xie is the emperor, and he is the emperor who is used to being a puppet. His psychological quality is really not covered. Soon, his face returned to normal. While drinking, his right hand was already pressed on the hilt of his sword. When the timing was not right, he immediately cut off the chaos.

"Your Majesty, there is no need to panic. Your Majesty, you can see your majesty!" With this sound, a man in the guard uniform lifted the heavy cloth and appeared in front of Liu Xiehe. After the naked salute, Sima Yi stood aside.

"You said your name is Sima Yi. Who are you from Sima Fang?" Liu Xie thought about it carefully and asked quickly. Sima Yi is Cao Jian's main book, but he is only an official of the Prime Minister's mansion. Naturally, Liu Xie has never seen him.

"Your Majesty, please ask, Sima Fang is the father of my family! Yi is the second son of my father. Sima Yi said respectfully. Sima Fang used to be Jing Zhaoyin, but Liu Xie also knew him.

"The palace is heavily guarded. I don't know how Zhongda came in?" After finishing, he finally plugged in a sentence and hurriedly asked the question he was most concerned about. This sentence is quite good. Sima Yi appeared in the palace out of the middle of the night. If he didn't figure it out, I was afraid that it would be difficult for Liu Xiehe to sleep and eat after Fu. You should know that there are Cao Jian's clan generals leading the army to be on guard. In case Liu Xiehe's conspiracy to leak the news, there will be no place to die.

As if to feel the apony in their hearts, Sima Yi smiled and said, "Your Majesty, I have bribed a village chief under Cao Xiu's command, so I pretended to be a pragmatist guard to sneak in." In fact, it is far from as relaxed as Sima Yi said. He really took great pains to sneak into the palace. From the beginning of the bribe, to the end of the surveillance, to the sneaking in, every step is full of crisis.

"I don't know why Zhong Dayu went to the palace at night?" Liu Xie's face has been much better-looking, at least he is more calm to ask questions. Sima Yi sighed when he heard the words, and then said, "Your Majesty is trapped by powerful ministers, and no state affairs can be decided. As a Hanchen, Yi has been heartbroken for a long time. Therefore, I ventured to come here at night just to help your majesty exterminate the national thieves!"

"Is Zhongda's words sincere?" After listening to it, he hummed.

"Why did the abbot say this? As an official of the imperial court, our company's Ma Yi has long been full of glory and wealth. Now I'm willing to risk my family's name. Is it a joke to go to the palace to meet your majesty at night? Sima Yi said in a good way. This posture, coupled with his words, was not unreasonable, and he was immediately unable to believe Liu Xiehe.

"I don't know what good strategy Zhongda has to help me get rid of the thieves of this country?" Liu Xie couldn't help but be curious. In his opinion, Sima Yi, who is the head of the prime minister's mansion, is at most the assassination of Cao Jian.

I don't want Sima Yi to say, "Your Majesty, I have connected many loyal and righteous people outside. If there is a change, I can kill the rebels! It's just that there is still a difficult thing to do at the present.

"What's the matter?" Liu Xie asked quickly.

"How can I connect everyone without your majesty's edict? Today, the minister's adventure to come here is to beg your majesty to give me a secret edict, so that I can edict more loyal and righteous people!" Sima Yi replied.

"It's easy to do this!" Liu Xie suddenly felt that there was a door when he heard it. Anyway, it was not difficult to write a secret purpose. He used to write it in those years, and now he is even more familiar with it. After waving a little, he stamped the seal again. Sima Yi hid this secret order close to him. Then he said goodbye to Liu Xiehe and sneaked out of the palace quietly.

"Husband, this is an urgent letter sent by the master today." As soon as she got home, Sima Yi's wife handed him an urgent letter. Sima Yi opened it and his face changed slightly, but a trace of light flashed in the depths of his eyes.

After retreating the crowd, Sima Yi read the letter of Shicai alone in his room, recorded the names on it and their official ranks on a piece of paper, and then looked at these names and official ranks, thinking about it. Cross out a name from time to time and fill in a name.

After a long time, Sima Yi seemed to feel almost there, so he took out the secret order that Liu Xie gave him, which was hidden in his arms. Looking at this list and this secret order, a smile gradually appeared on Sima Yi's face. It's just that under the moonlight, his smile was a little horrible.

"Zhao Botao, Zhuge Kongming, and Xiahou Miaocai, it's up to you next!" Sima Yi is quite intriguing and authentic. What he didn't know was that at this time, he had been stared at by two pairs of eyes. A pair is from Chengdu, but a pair is close to Yecheng.

Next time, Liu Bao, the king of the Xiongnu, sent messengers to Ye City to pay tribute. Cao Qian ordered a feast in the Wei palace to entertain the envoys. During the banquet, the banquet was intertwined, and the songs and dances were all in the list. Cao Jian and Cao Pi and other sons, as well as Hua Xin and other literary ministers were all on the list.

"Father, this is a tribute sent by Xiongnu Shan Yu Liu Bao just! Among them, this pair of emerald horses are carved from a large piece of natural jade after the Xiongnu craftsman, which is ingenious! I improvised a poem for this, and I would like to ask my father to correct it!" In the palace of the king of Wei, Cao Zhi talked to a pair of emerald horses on the table, and then recited his poems in public. How outstanding Cao Zhi's literary talent is. This recitation is not only Cao's, but all the literary ministers present here are cheering.

"His Royal Highness's poems are really excellent, but His Highness doesn't know that this is not only a pair of horses, but three horses. In the middle of the two big horses, there is also a pony!" At this time, the messenger reminded.

"Oh? Is there such a thing?" Cao Yan was also interested when he heard the words. He stared at the jade sculpture and looked carefully. Sure enough, there was a pony between the two horses. It's just that the craftsman only carved a part of his body, so he really can't see it without staring at it carefully. This craftsman is known as the first skilled craftsman of the Xiongnu, and he really lives up to his reputation.

"So that's it!" After Cao Pi and Cao Zhi came up and saw it, they also praised their ingenuity. Cao Yan is also a good wine person. When he was interested, he drank heavily until late at night. All the civil and martial arts left, and Cao Yan himself drank a little too much. He staggered and half asleep and half awake. Cao Pi hurriedly ordered someone to set him up and help him go to the bedroom to rest.

"It turned out to be three horses?" Cao Shen looked at the jade sculpture on the table and muttered. Suddenly thinking of my dream, my good mood was suddenly a little discounted, and I just sighed, "Three horses, three horses!"

"Father, what's wrong with Sima Yi?" Cao Pi was helping Cao to rest, and he couldn't help asking when he heard the words.

"My son heard something. My father said three horses, three horses, not Sima Yi!" Cao replied. , . At the right time, he muttered to himself and couldn't speak clearly. Cao Pi didn't listen to it for a while.

"The child heard the difference, and the father is talking about Sima Yi!" Cao Pi smiled. " As soon as Cao Qian heard this, his already drowsy head suddenly woke up and suddenly sat up straight.

Sanma, Sima?

(to be continued)