The matter in the Central Plains was over, Tao Shang and others packed up their troops and immediately returned to Xuzhou.
Cao Cao was very interested in the pottery merchant. He gave way to the border and allowed the pottery merchant and his troops to pass directly through Yanzhou and return to Xuzhou. Therefore, a lot of time was saved along the way.
During this battle against Dong Zhuo, Cao Bao admired the potter's ability and adaptability from the bottom of his heart.
In this battle, Cao Bao himself did not play much role, but he followed the pottery merchant and quietly observed his actions.
If we say that the reason why Cao Bao wanted to give his daughter Cao Yuan to the pottery merchant at the beginning was because the pottery merchant had obtained Xu Zijiang's cross golden comment and the pottery merchant's meritorious service in his father's last military expedition, then now, Cao Bao's right to
The potter's attitude turned into his heartfelt approval.
Hearing is better than seeing. This boy's ability is indeed extraordinary. If Xuzhou is inherited by him in the future, its development may not be inferior to Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu.
Anyone who is able to trick a red rabbit and horse from the hands of the most powerful general in the world will not be a good candidate in any state.
Although Cao Bao was also a member of the noble clan, he was not as shrewd as Mi Zhu in nature, nor was he as cunning as Chen Deng.
He is a soldier, and he also has the cheerfulness of a soldier in his heart. Once he identifies with a certain person, he will recognize him from the bottom of his heart and will not change under normal circumstances.
Such people can really be called stubborn.
The soldiers and horses of the Xuzhou Army returned to Xuzhou and came to Jiuli Mountain. It was a rainy season again, and heavy rain fell suddenly. In desperation, the Xuzhou Army had to postpone their advance.
A group of soldiers and horses were in the woods near Jiuli Mountain, looking for a place that could shelter them from the wind and rain, and set up camp to temporarily avoid the rain.
Taking advantage of the rainy day and setting up camp, the pottery merchant originally wanted to take a good rest, but unexpectedly, Cao Bao came to the pottery merchant to drink with him holding a large jar of wine.
Now that this guy has full approval for the pottery merchant in his heart, the next step is to further develop the relationship.
In fact, the pottery merchant was very tired during this period. If someone else had asked her to drink, the pottery merchant might have been kicked out directly.
But the other party is one of the noble leaders in Xuzhou and a military figure in Pengcheng, so he still has to be given some face.
The sergeant served some food, and Tao Shang and Cao Bao began to drink and enjoy the food.
Before this expedition, Tao Shang had already issued a ban on alcohol in the army because of Guo Jia's affairs, but the wine Cao Bao brought was the labor wine that Tao Qian specially sent before the soldiers entered Xuzhou.
So in a sense this is not a violation.
The dishes were pretty good, most of them were wild vegetables, and there was also a deer that Cao Bao shot in Baijian, so he ordered the sergeant to cook part of it.
The wine was Yanxiong Liquor, a local specialty in Pengcheng. The pottery merchant took a sip and found it a bit bland and not quite right.
Cao Bao had to bite the bullet and drank a few drinks, and the two began to chat endlessly.
There was a lot of nonsense among officials in the past dynasties, especially for people with little background like Cao Bao, who basically had nothing to say.
"The young master led the army this time and won another great victory. Even the old thief Dong died in this battle. The young master is famous all over the world. After Bao returned to Xuzhou this time, he had to give advice to the envoy regardless of anything.
This is a great reward for the young master."
The potter replied absently: "Thanks to Mr. Cao for falling in love with me by mistake, you can do whatever you want."
Cao Bao continued: "This time Cao looked at Master Cao's use of troops, and it was really like a god's help. Cao admired him very much. After all, if Cao was in charge of the troops himself, he would never have achieved such a great achievement. Waiting for this
When I returned to Pengcheng for the first time, Cao wanted to prepare some small gifts and send them to Jinling City for the Lord. It had no other meaning, it was just a matter of gratitude, and I must accept them when the time comes."
The pottery merchant looked at the pouring rain outside the tent and said, "Thank you, Mr. Cao, for falling in love with me by mistake. You can do whatever you want."
Cao Bao was overjoyed when he heard this and asked: "Then the marriage between the young daughter Cao Yuan and the young master should be put on the agenda. After returning to Pengcheng, Cao will send someone to send her directly to the young master's residence. How about that?"
The pottery merchant was still absent-minded: "Thanks to General Cao for falling in love with someone by mistake, you can do whatever you want..."
Having said this, the pottery merchant suddenly woke up.
"What did you say?"
However, Cao Bao didn't give him a chance at all. He laughed, stood up, and bowed his hands in greeting: "Thank you, sir. If so, Cao will be ready as soon as he returns to Xuzhou."
The muscles on the potter's face twitched: "Just wait a moment..."
Cao Bao looked up at him with a smile.
"What did you say?"
Cao Bao chuckled and said, "Cao said that when he returns, he will send the little girl to Fujun's mansion."
The potter was really anxious now.
"This is not possible! Mr. Cao, why did you send your daughter to my house?"
A dirty smile appeared on Cao Bao's face.
He glanced at the pottery merchant and said, "Young master is young and vigorous, and my daughter is still in her bud. What else can I do if I send him to your house?"
The pottery merchant was stunned when he heard this.
This is such an advanced ancient.
"Mr. Cao, this matter needs to be discussed again!"
Cao Bao was a little unhappy: "Is there anything to discuss? Didn't you just agree to it yourself?"
A bunch of black lines on the potter's head.
I didn't listen carefully to what you said just now. I gave a completely mechanical answer. Can that be regarded as an agreement?
You are too irresponsible.
"Mr. Cao, this matter needs further judgment. Tao has an oral engagement with the adopted daughter of the Wang family in Taiyuan. If you rashly send your daughter here, I'm afraid it won't be a good thing for the lady."
Cao Bao was stunned when he heard this. He touched his beard and thought about it carefully, then nodded and said, "Wang family in Taiyuan...well, Wang Situ...yes, this matter is indeed a bit difficult to handle."
Seeing that he had frightened Cao Bao, Tao Shang breathed a sigh of relief and said weakly: "That's right, the marriage of this junior is quite complicated and difficult at the moment. Mr. Cao, please don't cause any more trouble for me..."
Unexpectedly, Cao Bao changed the subject and said carelessly: "It's okay! If you should marry the daughter of the Wang family in Taiyuan, then marry him. Cao doesn't mind if my children are equal wives or concubines!"
The pottery merchant was immediately stunned.
Damn...that's so generous!
"Mr. Tao is really grateful that Mr. Cao is so affectionate to me, but even if you let your daughter be a child...doesn't it have to be done after I marry my first wife? There has to be a first-come, first-served basis, and we have to arrange the status.
After marrying my first wife..."
The pottery merchant now wanted to delay some time with Cao Bao.
Cao Bao's problem is really difficult to deal with.
Hearing this, Cao Bao suddenly clapped his hands and said: "Young master, what you said is very reasonable! Yes, etiquette cannot be abolished, and everything has its own sequence... But it doesn't matter, Cao will give you the little girl first, and you two can make do with it first.
Well, as for your status, it won’t be a big deal if you delay it for three to five years.”
The pottery merchant was now completely convinced.
Such an arrogant father-in-law is nowhere to be found even with a lantern.
First, the girl is sent to your home like a pole to sleep. You will get nothing if you don’t get the marriage certificate. In short, the most important prerequisite is to sleep first!
It's so open.
The gentlemen of ancient times must be generous, but look at the cunning and eccentric father-in-laws of later generations... They are simply different. Cao Bao's behavior should really be made into an educational documentary to popularize it for the old men of later generations.
Solidify your thoughts.
Just when the two were arguing, Pei Qian came to the pottery merchant's tent despite the heavy rain and said to him: "Master Fu, while the soldiers of the Tiger Guard were patrolling outside the camp, they caught a spy.
I don’t dare to make arbitrary decisions, so I ask the Lord to deal with it.”
"Spy?" Tao Shang and Cao Bao both looked at Pei Qian.
Jiuli Mountain is already within the boundaries of Xuzhou, and the battle has already been fought. At this time, what kind of spies will there be?
However, Tao Shang still had great faith in Pei Qian's loyalty. The people he caught usually had no problems. Moreover, Pei Qian was born in a poor family and was well versed in the sufferings of the people. He usually would not go out of his way to wrong anyone.
If he said he was a spy, then he must be a spy.
"Bring the spy here." The pottery merchant ordered Pei Qian.
"promise!"
When I was young, I saw Pei Qian bringing in a middle-aged man wearing a bamboo hat and raincoat.
When the pottery merchant saw this man at first sight, he felt familiar for some reason.
But the man was wearing a bamboo hat and his face was dirty, so the potter didn't recognize him for a while.
Before the pottery merchant could ask questions, Cao Bao gave up.
He exposed his arms and rolled up his sleeves, stepped forward and grabbed the spy, and said angrily: "What I hate most in my life are you scoundrel spies! You are sneaky and the most deceitful and treacherous in your actions!"
The spy was a little panicked. He waved his hands repeatedly: "Misunderstanding! I am not a spy..."
"Go to hell!"
Cao Bao's eyes flashed fiercely, he threw the spy to the ground fiercely, and then he sat directly on the spy's body.
Then I saw him making a fist with his left hand, punching it hard, and hitting the spy's face with an old punch.
The spy felt dizzy and almost fainted.
Cao Bao's men showed no mercy at all. He held down the spy with one hand and beat him mercilessly with the other. He beat the man until he cried for his father and mother, and howled "squeaking and screaming" non-stop.
Cao Bao was enjoying the beating, and while beating him, he said: "I let you be sneaky! I let you be sneaky! I let you spy on military intelligence! I let you not do good things!"
The potter sat at the back, stroking his smooth chin with one hand, frowning and thinking carefully.
The spy's voice was indeed very familiar.
After about a stick of incense, Cao Bao felt comfortable after being beaten. He stood up and stretched hard. Then he turned to the pottery merchant and said with a smile: "Young Master, you can judge me!"
The pottery merchant stood up hesitantly and walked over to the beaten half-dead spy. He looked at him carefully for a while and asked curiously: "Have I seen you somewhere?"
The spy lay on the ground, weakly raised a hand, first pointed at the pottery merchant, and then pointed tremblingly at the top of his head.
The potter didn't quite understand.
Seeing that the pottery merchant didn't respond, the spy reached out tremblingly, dipped his nosebleed from the beating, and drew two words on the sand in the tent...
"Xiaolian."
At this moment, the pottery merchant completely knew who this person was.
"Xu Gong!" Tao Shang was suddenly startled, and hurriedly leaned over to help the spy up from the ground, and said anxiously: "You are Xu Jing, who served under Kong Miao, the former governor of Yuzhou. Xu Gong! Please pay filial piety to Tao Shang.
Integrity Xu Gong?!"
The spy weakly continued to write on the sand with blood: