Although the sun is shining brightly, there are a few hazes floating in the sky, giving people the impression that their appearance may change at any time.
Due to the constant thoughts all night, and the noise of Dian Man and Xu Yi's snoring, Cao Peng didn't fall asleep until after three o'clock, which is when he entered the Yin hour. This sleep was not stable either, and he was in his dream.
, Cao Peng encountered all kinds of weird things, which disturbed him and made him even more tired than if he had not slept. It was not until dawn that he slept peacefully, but not long after, he was woken up by someone.
"what happened?"
Cao Peng sat up in a daze, feeling very tired.
I had a lot of weird dreams last night...but when I woke up, I couldn't remember anything. My head was empty and I felt confused all the time.
Outside, it's quite lively.
Cao Peng got up and walked out of the room.
It’s past chen hour!
The sun is shining high and warm.
Cao Peng yawned and stretched.
"What are you doing?"
He saw Dianman and Xu Yi staring at him under the porch, and couldn't help but ask doubtfully.
"Afu, hurry up!"
"Hurry up what?"
"Lü Bu just sent someone over, saying that a celebration banquet will be held at the government office. All officials will attend, including you."
Cao Peng was stunned for a moment and asked quickly: "What time is it?"
"It's past Chen hour!"
"Why didn't you call me earlier?"
When Cao Peng heard this, he became anxious and quickly went into the house to prepare.
A servant had prepared green salt and warm water. After Cao Peng hurriedly washed up, he took out clean clothes from his luggage and put them on. He stood in front of the bronze mirror and asked his servant to help him comb his hair.
Wearing a blue silk scarf, he stepped on his shoes and hurriedly walked out of the room.
"Aren't you going?"
Dianman and Xu Yi shook their heads, "We are not his subordinates, so why are we joining in the fun?"
Thinking about it, Dianman and Xu Yi are not official officials of the imperial court, so they naturally do not need to participate in such activities. To put it bluntly, the so-called banquet is actually a means for Lu Bu to show his power. No matter what, he has an unfair reputation in Xuzhou after all.
If his words don't go his way, he must seize the opportunity to show that he is the real lord of Xuzhou and Xiapi, so as to win more support.
Cao Peng was dressed neatly, thought for a while, changed into a five-foot-long silk reel, and walked out of the courtyard.
That nine-foot broadsword is really eye-catching. It's not like we're going to fight, so having a bamboo slip is enough for self-defense.
The slaves had prepared their horses outside, and Cao Peng got on Zhao Yebai and headed out to the inn. On the way out, Cao Peng met Sun Qian again. He was also wearing brand-new clothes, but he did not ride a horse.
Getting ready to take the car. Seeing Cao Peng, Sun Qian was slightly startled, then smiled at Cao Peng and got into the car.
On the surface, Sun Qian seems gentle and amiable.
But Cao Peng could read a cold murderous intention in his eyes.
This old guy is trying to kill me!
It is not difficult for Sun Qian to know Cao Peng's identity. He only needs to ask the postman. Moreover, this kind of thing is common, and the postman cannot hide anything for Cao Peng. After all, he settled in a post station.
, it’s very normal to ask around.
After Cao Peng took Sun Qian into the car, he turned his horse and left.
His face suddenly darkened the moment he turned around.
I hope Sun Qian understands the importance, otherwise I won’t mind taking his life!
Walk along the long street towards the inner city.
After passing through Xiapi Middle Gate, you can see the small town.
To be precise, the small town in Xiapi is similar in nature to the imperial city in Xudu. During the reign of King Xiapi, this was actually the royal city.
"Who is coming!"
When entering the small town, Cao Peng was stopped.
A young general, wearing a helmet and armor, was sitting astride a black horse.
He stared at Cao Peng and asked coldly.
Cao Peng raised his hand on his horse and said, "I am a Haixi soldier. Cao Cao Peng came to have a banquet at the invitation of the king."
When the young man heard this, he raised the corner of his mouth and said in a cold voice: "How dare you come to the door even if you are a small soldier? Don't you know that today, all the people invited by the monarch are of the highest class. If they are not gentry, they are brave men. No matter how bad they are, they are still in the same county."
Ling. You, a soldier, dare to come here, so shameless."
The young man jumped off the horse and must have been eight feet tall.
His body shape is not that burly, he is a little thin, but he is more beautiful.
His appearance is also very handsome, and he can be regarded as a talented person. Judging from his appearance, he is not a pure Han Chinese, but a mixed race of Hu and Han, so he has an alien temperament. His accent does not sound like local Xuzhou, but more like the dialect of the North. It’s just that
His words seemed very rude, as if he was deliberately looking for trouble. You must know that Cao Peng did not want to come over, but Lu Bu sent someone to deliver the message. He should know. But now, he is blocking the door, clearly looking for Cao Peng
Troublesome, because Cao Peng saw earlier that this young man did not stop others.
Cao Peng raised his eyebrows slightly, and his face suddenly turned cold.
His tenet has always been: people respect me one foot, and I respect others one foot. If you want to cause trouble, I won't be polite.
"It seems it's not your turn to ask whether I'm qualified to visit."
"Be bold!"
The soldier behind the young man shouted sharply.
"This is my young prince. You are a soldier, and you still don't get off your horse to see me."
Young Master?
Cao Peng was startled.
But I haven’t heard anyone say that Lu Bu has a son!
He looked towards the young man and saw that the young man was even more arrogant.
This guy looks nothing like Lu Bu.
Lu Bu is so handsome!
In later generations, he will definitely be a handsome uncle.
This "handsomeness" is not just about appearance, but also includes various factors such as temperament.
The young man is very handsome in appearance, but it has nothing to do with Lu Bu's handsomeness. To put it bluntly, in later generations, this young man will belong to a niche class. Cao Peng feels that in the new version of the Three Kingdoms in later generations, He XX, the actor who plays Lu Bu, is
He is somewhat similar to this young man.
Is he really Lu Bu's son?
When Cao Peng was confused, he saw two people walking out of the small town.
One of them was Zhang Liao and Zhang Wenyuan, and beside him was a very strong man.
He is about thirty years old, and his every move exudes an aura of uprightness and sternness. His demeanor is more like that of a soldier than Zhang Liao.
Although he is not as tall as Zhang Liao, he is only around 175.
He has an ordinary appearance, and he is the kind of person who can be thrown into a crowd and not be found immediately.
However, there is a murderous spirit in his steps, and the distance is almost exactly the same with every step he takes.
After Zhang Liao came out, he saw Cao Peng and greeted him.
"Why don't you go in? The banquet is about to start. The Lord just asked you if you were there."
"Ah, General Zhang, I wouldn't go in if it wasn't me. It's really... this young prince stopped me and refused to let me in, saying that I was not qualified."
Zhang Liao frowned and looked at the young man.
The young man seemed a little afraid of Zhang Liao, so he quickly dismounted and held his hands in greeting.
"Lu Ji, what are you talking about?"
"I……"
"Young Master Cao is a guest specially invited by the Lord. Don't stir up trouble, otherwise even your mother will not be able to protect you."
The young man's name is Lu Ji.
Is he really the son of Lu Bu?
Otherwise, how could Zhang Liao give up if he pretended to be Lu Bu's son? Zhang Liao did not deny his title of 'Shao Junhou', indicating that he was indeed Lu Bu's son. However, Zhang Liao's words did not sound like he was addressing a 'Shao Junhou'
Hou' should have the attitude.
Cao Peng couldn't help but feel a little confused...
"Deyi, I'll leave it to you to take care of the outer city."
After Zhang Liao reprimanded Lu Ji, he did not pursue the matter further. Instead, he warned the man next to him.
It sounds like this 'Deyi' should be Zhang Liao's subordinate. However, Zhang Liao's attitude towards him is obviously more respectful than towards Lu Ji.
Cao Peng also got off his horse at this time and walked to Zhang Liao's side.
"Oh, Deyi...forgot to introduce."
"I know who he is. Isn't he Cao Peng, the Haixi soldier?"
The voice of 'Deyi' is hoarse and has a kind of metal and stone aura.
He glanced at Cao Peng and said solemnly: "I was not on duty yesterday, otherwise I would not have made things easier for you. How would it be appropriate to fight in the street?"
"Hey, it's not like you don't know the cause of the matter, Deyi."
"Clearness is clear, but the law is still the law. Fighting in the street should not be done.
Even if the blame lies with Hou Cheng and the others, he shouldn't be like this...Forget it, I'm too lazy to worry about it, I have something else to do, Wen Yuan is leaving!"
Zhang Liao was so choked by the word "Deyi" that he could only shake his head and smile bitterly.
"This virtuous person..."
He turned to Cao Peng and said: "Don't blame me, Mr. Cao. This is Deyi's temper. When he gets serious, he won't recognize his relatives. But he is a very nice person. When we were drinking yesterday, I praised you as a young hero. It's not easy... Haha, come with me in.
, the banquet will begin soon."
At this time, Lu Ji had no idea where he had slipped away.
"General Wenyuan, which general is Gao Deyi?"
"Well, don't you know him? He is Gao Shun, the commander-in-chief of the army. He is trapped in the camp, but he is the most elite man beside the king."
Gao Shun?
Cao Peng's heart moved.
There was a saying in later generations that at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, there were several elite soldiers.
Liu Bei's white-eared elite soldiers, but who is their leader? Not well known; Yuan Shao's Xiandeng camp once defeated another elite cavalry force, Gongsun Zan's white-horse righteous followers, and their leader was named Qu Yi. Later, he was arrogant because of his arrogance.
, because Yuan Shao was dissatisfied, he was executed, and he was immediately replaced by Euphorbia warriors. The leader of Cao Cao's Tiger and Leopard Cavalry was Cao Chun, Cao Ren's brother. In addition, Lu Bu had two elite troops in his hands.
There was an army called the Flying Bear Army, which was originally Dong Zhuo's elite force but was later led by Lu Bu. It was composed entirely of cavalry and was said to have overwhelming power. There was also an infantry army with 800 men at all times, called the Formation Formation, and its leader was Gao Shun.
It's strange to say that since Gao Shun is the head coach, he is not among the eight talented generals.
It turns out that Gao Deyi is Gao Shun?
Cao Peng scratched his head, ordered people to put Zhao Yebai in place, and walked into the small town with Zhang Liao.
"General Wenyuan, that young prince just now..."
"Did you say it was Lu Ji?" Zhang Liao looked disapproving and said with a smile, "Don't worry, he won't do anything to you."
"No, no, no, it's not that I'm afraid of him...it's just that I've never heard of a prince having a son."
"Well……"
Zhang Liao hesitated for a moment. Seeing that there was no one around, he lowered his voice and said, "Actually, this Lu Ji is not the prince's son."
"oh?"
"Lü Ji's biological mother was originally from Wuyuan, and she had known the king since they were young.
Later, the Xianbei invaders kidnapped his mother and gave birth to a son, Lu Ji. His original name was Tartar Hui Ji, and his father was a Xianbei marshal. Later, the king became the commander of another department and led his troops to destroy the Xianbei army.
tribe, killed the Xianbei hero and kept his mother and son by his side. After that, he changed his surname from Junhou to Lu Ji. His mother is now Junhou's concubine, and she usually loves him very much.
It's just that the princes thought he was too arrogant, so they didn't particularly like him.
This kid...how should I put it? He's quite motivated, but he's just a little narrow-minded, and..."
Zhang Liao didn't say any more, obviously he had something to hide.
Naturally, Cao Peng didn't feel comfortable asking further questions, so he changed the topic.
But there is still something strange in my heart: It's so good, why does Lu Ji want to cause trouble for me?
The small town of Xiapi is four miles in circumference and built in a fan shape.
After entering the small town, there was a large hall. At this time, a banquet had been set up in the hall, and many people were sitting there.
Cao Peng sat down in the corner near the entrance of the hall and looked at the people around him quietly.
There were quite a few people coming, as many as forty or fifty. All of them were wearing gorgeous clothes, and they were in small groups, whispering to each other.
Cao Peng didn't know anyone.
Just listen to what they call each other, it's either county magistrate or some other 'gong'.
Cao Peng sat alone in the corner, as if separated from the world. No one came to pay attention to him, and no one talked to him.
"Marquis Wen is here!"
As a shout came from the inner hall, the people in the main hall immediately stopped talking.
Everyone stood up, and Cao Peng also stood up. Following the shouting sound, he saw Lu Bu walking into the hall wearing a brocade robe.
He and everyone else bowed their hands, and then sat down on the main seat.
"I am very fortunate to have you come here today."
"Marquis Wen has defied rebellion and returned in triumph. We are here to celebrate."
Lu Bu couldn't help laughing when he heard this, and stretched out his hand to signal everyone to sit down.
Later, a slave brought food, wine, and water. Cao Peng lowered his head and looked at it, but it was nothing more than some fresh river wine and meat, and he was not very interested.
The wine is Yishui Niang, a specialty of Xiapi.
If paired with river fresh food, it will complement each other.
But Cao Peng has never been fond of drinking. He is unwilling to drink unless he has to.
As for river delicacies... he always feels that people in this era are very poor at cooking river delicacies, especially since the fishy smell of river delicacies cannot be removed, so he has no appetite. However, his lack of interest does not mean that he is not interested in it.
People were not interested... On the contrary, these local gentry all ate with gusto. Cao Peng sat in the corner, feeling very uncomfortable.
"Master, why don't you use wine?"
Just when Cao Peng felt bored, he suddenly heard someone talking next to him.
Turning around, he saw a young man. He was twenty-eight years old, with a slim appearance, handsome features, and a somewhat aristocratic air.
He looked at Cao Peng, seemingly very interested.
Cao Peng rubbed his nose, pointed at the river clams on the plate in front of him, and said softly: "It's a bit smelly, I can't get used to it."
"Haha, it seems like you are not a local, little brother."
"Oh...I am from Zhongyang Mountain."
"Zhongyang Mountain? Wuyin's Zhongyang Mountain?"
This young man actually knew the location of Zhongyang Mountain, which made Cao Peng a little surprised.
"Sir, do you also know about Zhongyang Mountain?"
The young man smiled, "How could I not know..."
He glanced left and right, and when he saw no one was paying attention, he lowered his voice and said: "Actually, I can't get used to this. It's just that most of the locals like river fish and clams, so I can only endure it. But this wine is not bad. Let's drink it."
Pi's Yishui wine was originally a tribute to the imperial court."
The young man is very talkative and kind.
Cao Peng's earlier feeling of loneliness subsequently faded a lot.
"Actually, this thing is cooked well and tastes not bad."
"Well?"
"For example, this river clam must be fresh. Then it is supplemented with garlic and light wine to remove its fishy smell, and then steamed in a pot to give it a rich flavor."
"Can the little brothers cook river delicacies?"
"I don't know how. I just know how to do it."
Cao Peng would not be stupid enough to admit that he could cook. In these days, the concept that a gentleman cooks far away is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, and that is what the lower class does. Although Cao Peng said he didn't care, he couldn't be careful about other people's opinions, even if he was at home.
Do it secretly and never admit it to the outside world.
The young man seemed to be interested after hearing this, and asked Cao Peng for advice on how to make this river delicacy.
In fact, steaming garlic river clams was common in later generations, and the method is not particularly difficult. The main thing is to control the heat.
But the young man listened with great interest.
It can be seen that he is a gourmet and has great interest in eating.
Anyway, I am idle, and if there is someone to talk to, I can sort things out.
Cao Peng became interested and said with a smile: "It seems that you, sir, are also of the same kind... Actually, I think eating requires some thought. Just like the cattle and sheep, they go back and forth over and over again.
Roasting is just cooking, there’s really nothing new about it.”
“If you don’t roast or cook, what else can you do?”
Ha, this buddy is definitely better than you.
Cao Peng said: "If I eat beef and sheep, I must choose lamb meat, which must be fresh. Then slice it into thin slices, so that there are two ways to eat it."
"Appreciate further details."
“It can be eaten raw and supplemented with seasonings to make it delicious.
It can also be cooked...but there are many ways to cook cooked food. Well...I prefer boiling it."
"rinse?"
Cao Peng said: "First make an iron pot, which is hollow and has a soup pot on the outside. Pour water into it and put green onions and ginger in it. Then put charcoal into the hollow. After the water boils, put the sliced meat in the boiling water.
Rinse it, take it out of the pot and serve with dipping sauce, and it’s ready to eat.”
The young man's throat rolled, and he made a very obvious swallowing movement.
"Where is the best place to take the lamb?"
As the saying goes, the same rice feeds all kinds of people.
It seems that this young man also understands the truth.
Cao Peng thought for a moment and said, "If I had to choose, I would definitely choose the Sheep of the Hetao."
"How should the pot be made?"
"Hehe, this...I'll go back and make one for you, and then give it to sir."
The young man was overjoyed and nodded repeatedly.
"My dear brother, you are indeed a wonderful person!"
At this moment, someone suddenly shouted: "Changwen, why are you sitting here?"
A middle-aged man came over and grabbed the young man's arm, "I've been looking for you for a long time, but I didn't expect you to choose a good place."
As he said this, he turned around and saw Cao Peng, and couldn't help but be startled.
"Are you Cao Peng?"
The young man said in astonishment: "Yuanlong, do you know him?"
At this moment, Cao Peng also recognized the identity of the middle-aged man. He quickly stood up and cupped his hands and said: "Your Majesty, Cao Peng, I have met Governor Chen!"
