Liu Zhang, the pastor of Yizhou, heard the news of Cao Cao's occupation of Jingzhou and sent Zhang Song to see Cao Cao and pay tribute to him.
Zhang Song(?) –212), courtesy name Qiao, was a native of Chengdu, Shu County (present-day Chengdu, Sichuan).
Zhang Song is short in stature and debauched, but he is sensible and shrewd and decisive.
Cao Cao pacified Jingzhou and beat Liu Bei to escape, thinking that as long as he led the army south, Jiangdong was within reach, at this time his military generals and civilian officials were as many as cattle feathers, and Zhang Song, whose appearance and reputation were not obvious, could not enter his eyes, and naturally he was no longer as kind as he had been to the sages when he was thirsty for talents, so his attitude towards Zhang Song was somewhat cold.
Yang Xiu, the chief bookkeeper, suggested recruiting Zhang Song as a subordinate, but he did not accept it.
Zhang Song held a grudge against him, and after returning to Yizhou, he instigated Liu Zhang to break off relations with Cao Cao and instead befriend Liu Bei.
Liu Zhang obeyed.
Cao Cao remembered Tian Yu's merits and regretted that he had previously allowed him to resign from the knighthood, saying: "Meritorious service will be rewarded, and he was promised to resign from the knighthood earlier, which fulfilled a person's will, but undermined the country's legal system." ”
Therefore, the title that was previously to be knighted was still used to seal the field domain.
Tian Yu wrote a letter to express his sincerity and vowed to die and refuse to accept it.
Cao Cao disagreed, repeatedly exerting pressure, and even preparing to come to a bully to take a hard bow and forcibly pull him to worship.
Tian Yu always refused.
When the relevant departments saw that Tian Yu was so ignorant of current affairs, they wrote to impeach him, saying: "Tian Domain pretends to be clean and high, violates the Avenue of the Saints, and only cares about establishing his own reputation, and should be dismissed from his official post and punished." ”
Cao Cao ordered his son Cao Pi to handle the matter.
Cao Pi consulted with his ministers and said, "Tian Yu's actions are the same as those of the former Chu state's Ling Yin Ziwen who resigned from Feng Lu and Shen Baoxu to evade rewards, and should not be forced to praise his discipline." ”
Shang Shu Xun Yu and Lieutenant Zhong Xuan also thought that Tian Yu could be allowed to resign.
Cao Cao listened to the reward, but still did not die, and wanted to seal Tian Domain as the Marquis of Ting.
Knowing that Tian Yu had always had a close relationship with Xiahou Huan, he summoned Xiahou Huan and said, "You go to Tian Yu, don't say what I mean, just say it's your own meaning, and convince him with the friendship between the two of you." ”
Following Cao Cao's instructions, Xiahou Huan went to Tian Yu's house to persuade him.
Tian Yu knew his intentions, and gu to the left and right, avoiding this topic, never mentioning the matter of knighthood.
Xiahou Huan had nothing to do, and when he was leaving, he still wanted to hold on, touched Tian Yu's back, and said, "Tian Jun, the lord's attitude is so earnest, don't you want to weigh it?" ”
Tian Yu said, "You're talking too much. I am nothing but a man who has failed to live up to the grace of his lord and escape danger. Having received great grace and surviving, it is already a great fortune, how can it be exchanged for a knighthood by betraying Luronce? Even if the imperial court treats me with special preferential treatment, am I not ashamed in my heart? The general has always known me, and he has forced me to accept it, and if I have to, I would rather die and kill myself in front of you. ”
Before he could finish speaking, he was in tears.
Xiahou was helpless and had to go back to Cao Cao to regain his life.
Cao Cao sighed and knew that Tian Yu would not submit to the title, so he appointed Tian Yu as a YiLang.
In this year, Cao Cao's younger son Cao Chong died.
Cao Chong (196–208), son of Cao Cao and his concubine Lady Huan.
Cao Chong was sensitive to observation and very intelligent when he was a teenager, and at the age of five or six, his intelligence and mind had reached the level of an adult.
Regarding Cao Chong, the most famous is the story of Cao Chong calling an elephant.
Sun Quan once sent a very large elephant, and Cao Cao wanted to know the weight of the elephant and asked his subordinates, but there was no way.
Cao Chong said: "Put the elephant on top of the big boat, mark the place where the water floods into the hull, and then load it on the boat with other items to reach the same level, and then weigh the weight of the item, you can know the weight of the elephant." ”
Cao Cao was very happy, and according to this method, he really knew the weight of the elephant.
At that time, the world was in turmoil, the imperial court and the army were full of affairs, Cao Cao demanded strictly, and the punishment was severe and heavy.
Cao Chong was kind-hearted and reasonable, and helped many people who should have been killed for negligence, and there were dozens of people before and after.
Once, Cao Cao's saddle was chewed by rats in the warehouse, and the official who managed the warehouse was afraid of being executed, so he thought about tying his hands behind his back to turn himself in, but still worried that he would not be spared.
Cao Chong said to him, "Wait three days before you turn yourself in." ”
Then he took a knife and pierced his single clothes, like a rat biting, pretending to be very unhappy and sad.
Cao Cao saw the situation and asked him with concern what was wrong.
Cao Chong replied: "Folk custom is that if a rat bites the clothes, the owner will be unlucky. Now the single coat has been bitten, so sad. ”
Cao Cao said, "That's nonsense, there's no need to be upset." ”
After three days, according to Cao Chong's plan, the ku official reported the rat biting the saddle.
Cao Cao smiled and said, "My son's clothes are right next to me, and they are still bitten, let alone the saddle hanging on the pillar?" "I didn't blame the treasurer at all.
Cao Cao was very fond of Cao Chong, and praised Cao Chong several times in front of the ministers, hoping that Cao Chong would inherit his great cause.
In the thirteenth year of Jian'an (208), Cao Chong became seriously ill when he was thirteen years old.
Cao Cao was very anxious and personally prayed to heaven for him, asking for his life to be saved.
However, Cao Chong became increasingly ill and unfortunately died.
After Cao Chong's death, Cao Cao was extremely saddened.
Cao Pi comforted Cao Cao.
Cao Cao said, "This is my misfortune, but it is your luck." As he spoke, he couldn't help but shed tears.
Cao Cao's meaning of saying this is obvious, he loves this son very much, he has long planned to let him inherit his title, and now that he has died, it is his misfortune to lose his beloved son, but Cao Pi and others have the opportunity to succeed to the throne, so it is their luck.
Sikong's daughter also died young and early, and Cao Cao lamented Cao Chong and wanted to ask For Yuan's consent to let his daughter be buried with Cao Chong.
Bing Yuan refused, saying: "Marrying a dying child is not in accordance with ancient etiquette." I am able to serve you, and you have appointed me to a position, all because I can strictly abide by the scriptures of the ancient sages and not violate them. If I obey your command and I become a mediocre person, what does that mean? ”
Cao Cao was only then dispelled.
Cao Chong has a good friend Zhou Buxi, who is also a prodigy, and the two are similar in age and have a very close relationship.
Zhou Buxian, a native of Zhiyuan Zhi (or Composition Zhi), a native of Lingling Chong'an (present-day Hengyang County, Hunan), had few talents, was intelligent and sensitive, and wrote four treatises on literature at the age of seventeen.
Zhou Buxian's uncle Liu Xian was also a personal figure, the character Shizong, a native of Lingling Commandery (陳陵郡, in modern Yongzhou, Hunan).
This person is well-known and strong, and the allusion is clear.
Liu Xian had earlier bid farewell to Liu Biao and had advised Liu Biao to attach himself to Cao Cao, but Liu Biao was hesitant.
Later, Liu Xian sent an envoy to Xu Du to refute Cao Cao's rebuke of Liu Biao in public, leaving Cao Cao speechless.
After the pacification of Jingzhou, Liu Xian returned to Cao Cao, granted Wuling Taishou, and later promoted to Shangshu, and after the establishment of the State of Wei, promoted Shangshu Ling.
Zhou Buxian showed great talent at a very young age.
In order to cultivate him, Liu Xian sent him to worship the famous scholar Liu Ba as a teacher.
Liu Ba was a figure that Zhuge Liangdu was humble and inferior, and he was also a talent that Liu Bei later sought after.
When he saw Zhou Buxian, he claimed that he had learned with his own talents and was unable to teach Zhou Buxuan, but politely refused.
When Liu Xian sent an envoy to Xu Capital, he also took his nephew Zhou Buxi with him and was able to get to know Cao Chong.
The two prodigies play together, see each other at first sight, and have a good relationship.
Cao Cao also loved Zhou Buxian and planned to marry his daughter to him, but Zhou Buxi refused.
Zhou Bu's unmistakable talent was well reflected in the Battle of Liucheng.
In the twelfth year of Jian'an (207), Cao Cao made an expedition to Wuhuan and besieged Liucheng, but he could not attack it for a long time, and his advisers were helpless.
Cao Cao stood in front of the situation map, thinking hard about good strategies, not getting the point, and couldn't help but look sad and sigh long and short.
Zhou bu saw it and offered Cao Cao ten strategies.
Cao Cao followed the plan and quickly captured Liucheng.
After Cao Chong's death, Cao Cao remembered Cao Chong whenever he saw Zhou Buxi, and he couldn't help but feel hurt.
Cao Cao valued Zhou Buxian's talents and asked him to accompany Cao Chong, originally thinking that the two would establish a friendship, and when Cao Chong would inherit his great position in the future, Zhou Bu would undoubtedly be able to assist him.
Since Cao Chong was no longer in the world, Cao Cao was afraid that Zhou Bu would not be able to use it for himself, and that he would become a great trouble in the future, so he ordered someone to assassinate him.
Cao Pi interceded for him.
Cao Cao said, "This person is not something you can control. ”
Or sent someone to assassinate Zhou Buxian.