Liu Bei grows vegetables in Xuchang
Miscellaneous The Romance of the Three Kingdoms No. 65.
In the fourth year of Jian'an (199 AD), after assisting Cao Cao in eliminating Lü Bu, Liu Bei returned to Xudu (徐都, in modern Xuchang, Henan) with Cao Cao. Cao Cao recommended Liu Bei as the general of zuo, and Guan Yu and Zhang Fei as the generals of Zhonglang.
Cao Cao treated Liu Bei with great courtesy, and when he went out, he was in the same car and sat at the same table. Cao Cao naturally had his intentions for treating Liu Bei in this way, and the fundamental reason was that he believed that Liu Bei was a master among men, had great talent, and would become an opponent in the future to compete with him for the world, so he wanted to control him by his side, consume his sharpness, make him do nothing, and honestly be his own guest of honor for his own use.
Of course, Liu Bei also understood Cao Cao's intentions, but his current strength was basically nothing, the reality was to send people to the fence, can only be forbearance and obscurity, can only be silent, waiting for the opportunity to plot again.
In order to paralyze Cao Cao, Liu Bei opened up a vegetable field in the courtyard where Xu Du himself lived, closed the door to thank guests, and only carried water to water the vegetables every day, so that in the eyes of all the people in Xu Du, this Uncle Liu Huang was also a person with no ambition and a mediocre job.
Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were disappointed in Liu Bei. One day, sharing water with Liu Bei, Guan Yu said to Liu Bei:
"When we rise up with the Lord and rise up in the army, and are we born and die, is it to grow vegetables here?"
Zhang Fei then said:
"Yeah, we're so shitty!"
Liu Bei lowered the flat burden on his shoulders, wiped the sweat from his face, and said to the two of them:
"Are we the growers of vegetables?" Know: We live here like we are in a tiger's den. If Cao Cao knew that I had great ambitions, how could he easily let me go! Growing vegetables is just to hide people's eyes. ”
When the two heard this, they said nothing more. Cao Cao often asked those around him:
"What is Liu Xuande doing every day?"
Left and right replied:
"Liu Xuande closed his door every day to thank guests, just planting vegetables and watering the garden."
Cao Cao listened and just smiled.
One day, Cao Cao organized all the officials of the Han court and Emperor Xian of Han to go hunting near Xudu, and Liu Bei followed Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. Because Cao Cao did not give Emperor Liu Xie any face in the limelight, Guan Yu had the idea of killing Cao Cao in his heart. In the middle of the dense forest, Cao Cao led his soldiers to run in front of the prey, and Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei held bows and arrows to plan their horses in the back. Guan Yu saw that there was no one around and said to Liu Bei:
"It is better to take this opportunity to shoot Cao Cao to death."
Liu Bei said:
"No, you can't. Cao Gong had many confidants, and this matter could not be done in a second place. If things don't work out, we're not immune. ”
Later, more famously, cao Cao invited Liu Bei to drink and eat and talk about the heroes of the world. Liu Bei proposed some people, such as Yuan Shao, Liu Biao, Sun Ce, and so on, and Cao Cao just shook his head and then calmly said to Liu Bei:
"These people are not heroes, and in my opinion, if the heroes of today are only the heroes of today, they are only the heroes of the emperor and me Cao Cao!"
When Liu Bei heard this, he couldn't help but be surprised, and the spoon and chopsticks in his hand were lost. At this time, it was raining outside, and it happened to hit a thunderbolt, and Liu Bei took the opportunity to explain to himself:
"Sage Cloud: 'Thunder and wind will change', it seems that it is not false at all. The power of a shock, so much so! ”
"Swift thunder and fierce wind will change", from the Analects, is the words of Confucius. The original meaning is: when a gentleman encounters thunder and storms, he must panic and change color. Because according to the ancient concept, this means that the heavens are angry, and the gentleman should think about the reasons for the anger of the heavens and change his course politically. Liu Bei took this opportunity to explain that he lost the spoon and chopsticks for no other reason, but was caused by being shocked by thunder. Cao Cao listened to Liu Bei's words, just smiled, and did not say anything.
Mr. Luo Guanzhong, quoting the poem praise:
"Mian temporarily leaned from the tiger's den,
Say broken heroes kill people.
Cleverly borrowed to cover up by smelling thunder,
Improvisational faith is like God. "
After this incident, Liu Bei's heart was very afraid, he thought: Cao Cao can't be deceived, and indeed sees himself as an opponent who competes with him for the world, it seems that Xu Du must not live for a long time, and must make an early plan to escape.
How Liu Bei left, we will talk about it tomorrow.
