Chapter 6 Old Pirates

Sima Yi waited for two days and didn't receive a reply from Sun Shao. After another inquire, he knew that Sun Shao was busy doing business with Zang Ba. While he bought a large amount of iron from Xuzhou, he asked the accompanying merchant ships to sell a large number of goods to Zang Ba, including a large number of barter - Xuzhou really has no money.

When Sima Yi heard the news, he was stunned for a long time. Did the king of Yue come to war or do business? He wanted to ask Sun Shao what was going on, but he was empty. The general of the left-behind battalion crossed the sea and told him that my king had gone to patrol the island.

"Tour the island? What island are you going to patrol? Sima Yi was confused.

"Of course it's this island." Yuehai said with a smile, "It's the island where I am now. My king likes it very much. It's called Lianyungang. In the future, my merchant ships and warships in Yue will be moored here, which needs a lot of water and food, so the king took people to check it."

Sima Yi was shocked. He knew that it was needless to say that Sun Shao and Zang Ba had reached some kind of deal, and it was impossible for Cao Pi's purpose to come to Xuzhou. He didn't dare to neglect it. He quickly inquired kindly, "When will His Royal Highness Yue come back?"

"This is not clear." He scratched his head across the sea and looked at the vast sea: "It's estimated that it will take ten days and half a month in such a big place. Maybe it's possible for a month or two?"

Sima Yi's eyes were dark, and he almost lost his breath. A month or two? It's hard to say whether Cao can live another month or two. He didn't have time to say much. On the one hand, he sent someone to report to Cao Pi. On the one hand, he asked for a boat across the sea and immediately went to chase Sun Shao.

Cao Pi was so angry that he turned pale when he received the reward. He never expected Sun Shao to give him benefits, but he never thought that Sun Shao would be so ruthless that he turned around and sold him. He went to Zang Ba angrily, trying to scare him first, and then negotiate with Sun Shao. Unexpectedly, as soon as they met, Zang Ba told him happily that he had done a few big businesses with the king of Yue and made a lot of money. In particular, the king of Yue sold him 300 knives, which was really sharp - but it was too expensive. He was about to sell more iron and exchange more knives.

Cao Pi tried the new sword, and then swallowed the words that surged to his mouth. Although there are not many swords, he knows what Sun Shao means. He has joined hands with Zang Ba. If you want to move Zang Ba, consider Sun Shao's opinion first.

Cao Pi had no choice but to ask Zhang Liao to take 800 songs to accompany him to the island to meet Sun Shao. Zhang Liao was so scared that he dared not agree anyway. However, Cao Pi was praised by Wang Ba - he was determined and had to take this risk. He almost knelt in front of Zhang Liao. Zhang Liao had no choice but to lead the team in person and escort Cao Pi to the island. He hoped that Sun Shao could look at their friendship in those years and not blackmail Cao Pi. If you say that people are forced out, in the past, Cao Pi would not take this risk if he was killed, but this time he was forced to the dead end, and finally made a brave move that he didn't want to dare before. Even when Sun Shao saw Cao Pi who vomited all the way, he was a little surprised: "Brother Zihuan, are you in such a hurry to find me?"

Cao Pi was very depressed. He asked Sun Shaoping to go around, and then he smiled bitterly and said, "Your Highness, I didn't treat you badly. How can I deal with myself by playing this?"

"Your mother hasn't treated me badly yet?" Sun Shao changed his face and grabbed Cao Pi's collar: "Why didn't you tell me in advance that Xia Houhui was still a child?"

Cao Pi was inexplicable. He would not have thought that Sun Shao would say such a reason anyway. He looked at Sun Shao blankly: "Child... What's wrong? She is only one day old this year. Although she is a little smaller, it is also normal for her to get married. He didn't say a word. There are many people who especially like little girls who are not adults.

Sun Shao was very speechless. He pushed Cao Pi away and couldn't laugh or cry. On this issue, it seems that he can't go with Cao Pi, or he can't go with many people. For the matter of Xia Houhui, except for him, no one seems to think that there is anything wrong with it, including Xia Houhui himself.

"Okay, tell me, what can I do for you?"

"What can I do for you? Your Highness, don't you know?" Cao Pi was also anxious, "Your Highness, why do you need to ask knowingly?"

Sun Shao sighed to himself. As the saying goes, brothers are at peace, and they always take advantage of outsiders. The reason why he didn't quarrel with Sun Quan was that he didn't want to be taken advantage of by others, but Sun Quan didn't seem to appreciate it. It is more related to the tradition of friendly countries than domestic slaves.

"I know, you want to win a battle." Sun Shao put away his emotion and returned to his businessman's perspective. Come on, how can I help you? What benefits can you give me?

Cao Pi was choked. Just as he was about to speak, Sima Yi quietly pulled his clothes behind him. Cao Pi was shocked, and then he came to his senses. The more angry he was, the calmer Sun Shao became, and the initiative was all gone. He swallowed the words that surged back to his mouth and changed his calm look: "I want to win a battle. The pirates in the East China Sea are rampant, the emperor is uneasy, and the king of Wei is uneasy. The hard-won achievement of the military conference is to be destroyed by these pirates again. Your Highness, as one of the four kings and the master of the Han Dynasty, is not in a hurry at all?

Sun Shao was very surprised. The man changed his face too quickly. The topic changed and he put the blame on himself. However, he also came prepared and sighed, "Speaking of which, I'm really ashamed of being alone."

Cao Pi rolled his eyes and said that you were fat and you gasped. Unexpectedly, he was lonely.

"As the king of the sea sealed by the emperor, he is also sleepy at night. It's just that you also know that although the king of Yue is one of the four kings, the country is small and the people are widowed. All the sailors add up to 20,000 people. The sea is vast, and there are as many pirates. Gu is also invincible. Speaking of which, these are all your sins, but you are the only ones who bear the responsibility. To be honest, Brother Huan said that he was going to write to the emperor and ask the king of Wei for justice.

"What does this have to do with my father?" Cao Pi was really a little puzzled.

"If you don't have to pay taxes, scrape the people's fat and the people's tyrants without restraint, and the officials will force the people to rebel, how can there be so many pirates?" Sun Shaoyi said solemnly, "Far away, the pirates in the East China Sea are not only available today. Many people are the people of Xuzhou and were driven to the sea by the slaughter of the King of Wei in Xuzhou. Brother Zihuan, are you right?

Cao Piran glanced at Sima Yi awkwardly. Sima Yi's face was expressionless, as if he didn't hear it. Although Sun Shao's words are suspected of being framed, they are generally true. Xuzhou is so desolate now, which is really inseparable from Cao's slaughter city in those years. Many of the pirates can't survive before they enter the sea as thieves.

"Brother Zihuan, have you heard of the big pirate management?" Sun Shao saw that Cao Pi's arrogance was suppressed, and he added a handful of firewood quietly. Cao Pi was stunned and nodded: "I know that this management was the remnants of the yellow scarf in those years. It has been 30 years for the East China Sea. My father personally conquered the East China Sea in those years, so the battle between General Le Jin and the former captive General Li Dian was just broken. Why is he still alive?

"Live, live well." Sun Shao heard for the first time that Guan Cheng was originally a yellow scarf army. He just heard Su's thick legs say that Guan Cheng is now the boss of Qingxu, but most of his activities are in Bohai Bay, north of Qingzhou. So far, he has not had any contact with him, but since he wants to be the biggest pirate, of course, he can't let Guan Cheng do it again. Free and free. He sent people to contact Guan Cheng, but Guan Cheng did not give any reply.

"So that's it." Guan Cheng has not been on a large scale for many years. In addition, Qingzhou is taken care of by Sun Guan. Cao has not received news about him for a long time. He has always thought that Guan Cheng was dead, but he did not expect that he was still alive. Counting it, this is an old-fashioned pirate. Cao Pi always thought that the pirates in the East China Sea were the group of Su's thick legs, and now he knew that there was still Guan Cheng, an old pirate. He sneered. If this matter is true, Sun Guan, the assassin of Qingzhou, will be in trouble again.

"With the invincible sailor of His Royal Highness the King of Yue, Guan Cheng is nothing." Cao Pi smiled easily and said, "Your Highness King Yue is not uncertain, is he?"

"I'm not sure." Sun Shao smiled and admitted it calmly. I'm not familiar with Bohai Bay, and I've never been there. Now it's the north wind again, and the time and the earth are not dominant. However, if there is Brother Zihuan's help, he will still be alone.

"Me?" Cao Pi looked at Sun Shao in surprise and said that this vertical had dug a hole for me again. If I could eliminate Guan Cheng, why would I ask you? With Zhang Liao, it is absolutely certain to fight on land, but going to sea is no different from looking for death. This boy doesn't want to take me to the sea to clean it up, does he?

"Exactly." Sun Shao smiled sincerely: "His Royal Highness the King of Wei is a famous soldier in the world. He has been invincible in the world for 30 years. Liu Bei fled, but Guan Cheng is different. The King of Wei is helpless to him. Brother Huan must be clear about the difference, right?"

Cao Pi smiled bitterly: "I want to make this contribution, but I don't have the ability."

"So I want to cooperate with you." Sun Shao patted his chest and smiled more enthusiastically.

Although Cao Pi was moved and had not lost his mind, he said cautiously, "I would like to hear more about it."

Sun Shao smiled and said, "I have a policy of banning the sea with His Royal Highness the King of Wei. Have you seen it?"

"I've seen it." Cao Pi touched his beard and thought for a moment: "Your Highness said that the sea was forbidden, and then lured him to land. Your Highness intercepted the back road with a sailor, and the water and land went hand in hand?"

"Mexcident." Sun Shao patted his thigh and praised loudly, "I just said that Brother Zihuan has military talent. I, the king and minister of Yue, have thought about it for a long time, but when I came to Brother Zihuan, I said something."

Cao Pi knew that Sun Shao was fooling him, but he was still a little proud in his heart. Everyone likes to flattery, and even the saint is no exception. What's more, Cao Pi is still too far from the realm of the saint. Since he didn't need to enter the sea, he was relieved and dispelled his suspicion of Sun Shao. He thought for a while that if he could really cooperate with Sun Shao to eliminate this group of pirates, it would be a credit, and it would be much better than going back empty-handed. If Sun Shao gives him the main credit, he will be on a level with Cao Zhi's military achievements.

"It's just... In this way, I'm afraid the war will last for a long time. His Royal Highness the King of Wei is not in good health, so he may not be able to work for this matter, right?" There was a reminder in Sima Yi's words. Cao Pi was also a little worried. He looked at Sun Shao uneasily, but Sun Shao smiled and said, "His Royal Highness the King of Wei has been in the war all his life. How can he get sick so easily? The reason why you are sick is that there are too many annoying things. Brother Zihuan can share his worries. What else does he have to worry about? If you don't bother, your body will naturally get better. If Brother Zihuan is afraid that His Royal Highness the King of Wei will not allow it, it's okay. I'll ask my brother Sun Tai to go to Ye City.

"Sun Tai?" Cao Pi hesitated for a long time before he wanted to come. Sun Tai's mother was the daughter of his uncle Cao De, and then he became happy. Yes, Cao De died in Taishan County. Cao Wei has always taken good care of his orphans. His eldest son married Xiahou Heng, the eldest son of Xia Houyuan, and his second daughter married Sun Kuang. He never saw him again. Recently, he is nostalgic and often talks about this follower. If Sun Tai is asked to go to Yecheng, he may be in a better mood and live a longer time.

"Your Highness is thoughtful, and the foreign minister admires it." Cao Pi smiled with satisfaction and arched his hand.

"Nothing else, businessman, it's inevitable that the things to consider will be more trivial." Sun Shao looked at Cao Pi with a smile and twisted his fingers, which means, what are my benefits? Cao Pi secretly despised him and said with a smile, "If this success is successful, I would like to ask His Royal Highness the King of Wei to lend you Chengshan as a transshipment terminal."

"Hahaha..." Sun Shao laughed. Chengshan is a small place in the easternmost part of Donglai County, Qingzhou. If it is sailing along the coast, Chengshan is a transit station that can't be bypassed anyway. It can be said to be an important place known to all sailing people. Cao Pi lent him this place. Although he was a little generous, he had to say that it was indeed a very attractive condition. Nevertheless, he pointed to Cao Pi's nose and said, "Be stingy!"

Cao Pi smiled and said, "I heard that Your Highness sold 300 ring knives to Zang Xijun?"

"There is such a thing." Sun Shao didn't mean to hide it at all.

"This...isn't it appropriate?" Cao Pi deliberately made an unhappy look. Sun Shao didn't care: "This is business. One is willing to buy and the other is willing to sell. What's wrong?"

"Then I want to buy it. Do you also sell it?"

"sell!" Sun Shao did not think about it, and then smiled and said, "However, this price is... expensive." He paused and said, "Moreover, I don't want you to fight in the territory of the Han Dynasty with my knife and kill me. If you go to the Western Regions, I can make it cheaper, half-sale and half-free. If it's a civil war, hey hey, don't blame me for being black-handed."

Cao Pi blushed. He really wanted to fight the civil war. As soon as he saw those knives, he was very moved and was ready to buy more from Sun Shao. If he really couldn't solve Zang Ba's words, he simply forced the overlord to bow. Unexpectedly, Sun Shao blocked his idea with one sentence. In his opinion, this is actually Sun Shao's warning to him: Zang Ba is my partner, don't think about it.

"Of course it can't be a civil war." Cao Pi said solemnly, "I'm just talking about the expedition to the Western Regions."

"Well, you can send me the order then, and I promise to supply it." Sun Shaoyi waved his hand and stopped discussing the topic: "Let's discuss how to unite Qingxu Erzhou to eliminate the big pirate."

Guan Cheng was sixty years old. His face, which was blown black by the sea breeze, was full of wrinkles, big hands and feet, and a medium figure. He looked very powerful. He curled his wide mouth and threw Sun Shao's imperial edict on the ground, disdainful: "I came from a yellow scarf and was not subject to the imperial edict of the Han Dynasty. What is this Yuewang, I don't recognize it. It's done."

Xia Houying slowly picked up the edict, carefully blew away the dust on it, slowed down his tone as much as possible, and said in the unstandard Luoyang official words, "General, do you think that with your three or four thousand yellow scarf army and hundreds of small fishing boats, you can resist the military front of the King of Yue? Yellow scarf army? The strongest time of the Yellow Turban Army has long passed. Now the big man is in Xing, and the sky is not dead, but where is your Huang Tian?

Guan Cheng was furious, stood up with a shout, and shouted, "Do you dare to bully me with your knife?"

"I don't know if the general's knife is unfavorable. However, I know that no matter how sharp your knife is, it is not as good as His Royal Highness. Xia Houying did not change her face and said lightly, "Although I, Xia Houying, am just a man, since I dare to come all the way to see the general, of course, I have made a perfect policy. You can kill me, but you should be prepared for the anger of His Royal Highness Yue. General, the two countries compete with each other. Since you said that you were not subject to the imperial edict of the emperor of the Han Dynasty and wanted to be on an equal footing with His Royal Highness the King of Yue, don't you even understand this?

Gun Cheng is tongue-tied. He is a big old man and has a way of war. In terms of eloquence, he is not Xia Houying's opponent. But he couldn't lose face, so he sneered calmly: "Just a messenger, kill it. There's nothing to worry about."

"That's because you don't know my king." When Xia Houying saw that Guan Cheng had softened down, he was even more confident. He straightened his chest and said loudly, "My king loves the people like a son. If anyone bullies his people, he has never dared to give up. As messengers, we run around the four places, and naturally we know the danger. Before leaving, the king has asked us to arrange our family. In case of any accident, not only will the parents, wife and children in the family have no danger of life, but he will also avenge us, and the first evil one will be killed.

Xiahou Ying's real and false bragging, Guan Cheng was full of words in his heart. He had the intention to kill Xiahou Ying, but he was afraid that Sun Shaozhen was an extremely short-protecting person as Xia Houying said. Besides, Sun Shao's army has arrived in Xuzhou, and it is hard to guarantee that he has no intention of going north. Since the emperor has made him the king of the sea, he has to give some face if he wants to make a living in Sun Shao's territory.

Of course, give face to face, and there is no need to talk about surrender. Thirty years of grass-headed king, Guan Cheng is not interested in being subordinate to anyone.

Guan Cheng did not dare to kill Xia Houying in the end. He drove Xia Houying away, and then cleared his clothes and went into the sea to avoid the limelight for the time being. Everyone, including him, feels that although Sun Shao is the king of the sea sealed by the emperor, his record in the South China Sea and the East China Sea is indeed good, but this is the Bohai Bay, and they are the local snakes. Only they are familiar with the large and small islands in the sea like their own palms. No matter how strong Sun Shao is, he is also an outsider here. After a mess, they naturally left in dismay. Bohai Bay was still their fishing ground.

Things seem to be nothing to do with Guan Cheng's expectations. The sea has been very calm, but the pirates who went out to inquire about the news came back and said that Qingzhou was banned from the sea, so the merchant ships had received a notice prohibiting them from going to the sea alone. At present, most of them are parked in several ports, waiting for the government. Further notice.

What surprised Guan Cheng was that on the notice torn back from the scout, Guan Cheng saw two official seals, one from the Wei Palace and the other from the Yue Palace. Guan Cheng couldn't help but think of Xia Houying, who spoke wildly. Is Sun Shao, the king of Yue really the king of the sea sealed by the emperor?

Yecheng, Xuanwu Pool, Cao Qian took Sun Tai's hand and walked slowly, with a gratified smile on his old face. Sun Tai's arrival cheered him up a lot. When he walked around the Xuanwu Pool with fresh air and green branches, he felt that his heavy body had become much more relaxed.

"Zi'an (Sun Tai), don't your mother worry when you come out to fight with the king of Yue?" Cao Yan hesitated as he walked, squinting his already dizzy eyes and looking at the figure in the distance, muttering.

Sun Tai squeezed his lips and smiled: "Grandpa, my brother is not here to fight, he is here to do business. Several of us have increased our knowledge, and our mother agreed.

"Doing business?" The corners of Cao's mouth trembled, and his white beard flew gently with the spring breeze. He raised his wrinkled hand and gently stroked it: "He brought 20,000 sailors to do business?"

"He took 20,000 sailors just to deter the ugly and patrol his territory." Sun Tai said unhurriedly, "As soon as the eldest brother arrived at Lianyungang, the pirates looked at the wind and fled, and even the pirates in the Bohai Sea hid. The eldest brother and the five officials are jointly planning a trapping plan, preparing to catch all the pirates in the Bohai Sea to ensure the smooth flow of the business road.

"Is it his plan to escort and ban the sea again?" Cao Yan smiled and said, "He likes this hand. He never gets tired of using it again and again. However, it is indeed a way to use this method to deal with those pirates who come and go without a trace. When I was conquering the East China Sea, I also thought of such a way, but I had no time, so I could only drive it away. I didn't expect that Guan Cheng's life was really long, and he didn't die yet.

Cao Shen's face sank. He was very dissatisfied with Sun Guan's self-respect, but there was nothing he could do.

"Now that the eldest brother and the five facial features will cooperate, it will be difficult for him not to die." Sun Tai said confidently.

"It doesn't matter whether you have facial features or not. The old pirate is just qualified. It's really not an opponent to meet your eldest brother, a scheming little pirate." Cao Wei walked to a gazebo, held the stone railing against the wind, and was silent for a moment and said, "If nothing unexpected happens, half a year should be enough."

Sun Tai didn't say anything. He said everything Sun Shao asked him to say. Judging from Cao Yan's face, this grandfather's mood for Sun Shao, who had never met, was very complicated. There was appreciation, prevention, and anger. Cao Wei agreed with Sun Shao's plan to round up Guan Cheng, but Sun Tai didn't understand why he could annihilate Guan Cheng, but Cao Wei was not very happy. On the contrary, he was very worried.

The blankness on his face did not hide Cao Qian's eyes. Cao Qian sighed secretly. Although Sun Tai was very similar in age to Sun Shao, his scheming was obviously the same as Sun Shao. Sometimes he also feels strange. If only from the perspective of the depth of scheming and the means of dealing with people, Sun Shao and his age and the name of Wufu are far away, Cao Wei often has the illusion that the young man who once sat opposite him is actually an old man who has a deep understanding of the world, but he has good health care and looks young.

(to be continued)