Three Caos fighting for a bride? Zhen Ji, I, Cao Zhi, will take her!

Xun You's residence.

When Cao Pi told Xun You the news that Cao Cao agreed to let him lead troops to attack Qingzhou, Xun You was overjoyed.

But after hearing the military deployment that Cao Cao gave to Cao Pi.

Xun You was stunned.

"To deal with a mere Yuan Tan, they actually have to mobilize 20,000 troops? Not to mention the 1,000 Tiger and Leopard Cavalry led by Cao Chun!"

With this in mind, Xun You found an excuse to send Cao Pi away.

He immediately asked someone to prepare a car and go to Xun Yu's house.

After a cup of tea time.

Xun You came to Xun Yu's mansion.

As soon as he met Xun Yu, Xun You told him everything Cao Pi had told him, word for word.

After talking about the military strength and generals Cao Cao gave to Cao Pi.

Xun You directly expressed the doubts in his mind.

"Uncle, you and I both know that the Minister of State likes the Fourth Young Master the most now. But even so, facing the 50,000 cavalrymen of the high officials, the Minister of State only gave the Fourth Young Master 5,000 cavalrymen!"

"But facing Yuan Tan, who only had a motley army of over 10,000, the Minister of Works gave the Second Young Master 20,000 troops and even assigned Generals Xu Huang and Li Dian to him!"

"In addition, the Prime Minister also ordered Cao Chun to bring a thousand Tiger and Leopard Cavalry to follow him all the way!"

"Prince Sikong previously declared that he would allow his two sons to compete fairly and impartially, but his current behavior is too obvious to be biased!"

"Could it be that Sikong already wanted the Second Young Master to succeed him, and the reason he supported the Fourth Young Master was simply to weaken the aristocratic families?"

"Or does Sikong have other purposes for doing this?"

Xun You spoke out all the questions in his mind in one breath.

Because he had worked with Cao Cao for a long time, he knew him very well.

That's why he didn't understand Cao Cao's behavior today.

As for Xun Yu, after hearing Xun You's words, he fell into deep thought, which was rare for him.

After a long while, Xun Yu said:

"I don't understand Sikong's real intention in doing this!"

"But I can guarantee one thing: if Sikong really wanted to deal with the Yingchuan nobles, he would never do it so obviously!"

"After all, he only wants to weaken us, not destroy us!"

"Don't forget, the emperor is still in Xudu, and Cao Cao is not the only prince in this world!"

"Such a poor plan, if it provokes our dissatisfaction, will then lead to a counterattack from the entire Yingchuan gentry, or even the entire Henan gentry, and the loss to Sikong will be even greater!"

"But you and I both know Sikong's character. Since he did this, he must have a purpose for doing so!"

"If he's not targeting us, then who is he setting up a trap for???"

Xun Yu murmured in a low voice.

This sentence seemed to be asking himself, and also seemed to be asking Xun You.

……

"Could it be that Sikong wants to deal with the Sima family???"

Suddenly, Xun You made a bold guess.

But after a moment, Xun You shook his head and smiled bitterly, denying his own guess.

the reason is simple.

Therefore, the Sima family today does not need to make Cao Cao go to such great lengths.

The Sima family’s current prominence is all bestowed by Cao Cao.

In today's Xudu court.

Almost everyone believed that the Sima family was an accomplice of the Cao family.

Even if "Cao Zhi killed Sima Yi" happened, it could not change this fact.

To exaggerate a little, what if Cao Cao falls in the future?

The Sima family will definitely be treated as Cao Cao's followers and be liquidated.

Besides, the Sima family’s current status seems noble.

But in fact, the entire Sima family now only occupies a few idle civil service positions.

Compared with giants like the Xun family and the Chen family, they are just small shrimps.

With such strength, there is no need for Cao Cao to target him so much.

But if it wasn't the Sima family, did Cao Cao have other targets?

Because of information asymmetry.

Xun Yu and Xun You, uncle and nephew, racked their brains for a solution.

No one understands who Cao Cao is targeting when he swings his sword this time?

"Gongda, you will be in charge of the money and food for this expedition. Once you are in the army, you must do your job conscientiously, and be deaf and dumb to anything that is not your job!"

Xun Yu said in a deep voice.

Since we can't guess Cao Cao's intentions.

Xun Yu’s response was to pretend that he knew nothing.

"I understand!" Xun You said seriously.

Xun You also knew it, even though he knew nothing.

Xun Yu's strategy is undoubtedly the best!

……

Sima Mansion.

When Cao Pi told Sima Lang that Cao Cao had promised to lead his troops to attack Qingzhou.

After learning that Cao Cao had given Cao Pi 20,000 troops and 1,000 Tiger and Leopard Cavalry.

Sima Lang was overjoyed.

Looking at Cao Pi in front of him, Sima Lang recognized Cao Pi from the bottom of his heart for the first time.

In his opinion, the fact that Cao Pi was able to obtain 20,000 troops and 1,000 Tiger and Leopard Cavalry from Cao Cao was a reflection of his ability.

The Sima family could not interfere with the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry.

But an army of 20,000 will allow more members of the Sima family to join the army.

Once the Sima family has enough say in the army.

By then, the strength of the Sima family will increase exponentially.

Thinking of this, Sima Lang quickly told Sima Fang the good news.

After hearing the news about Sima Lang, Sima Fang fell into silence.

Just like the uncle and nephew Xun Yu and Xun You.

Sima Fang also realized that something was wrong.

"Does Sikong know that our entire Sima family has taken refuge with the Second Young Master?"

Sima Fang suddenly said.

"This... probably doesn't know!"

Sima Lang said.

Only Cao Pi and his son Sima Lang knew about the private contact between Cao Pi and Sima Fang.

As long as the three of us don't say anything, no one else will know about this.

"No, Sikong knows!"

Sima Lang said firmly.

"I even suspect that the reason Sikong over-equipped the Second Young Master with troops this time was to lure our Sima family into a trap!"

Sima Fang continued.

"What? How is this possible!"

When Sima Fang heard what he said, he was shocked.

"Our Sima family is where we are today thanks to the grace of Sikong. It can be said that everyone in the court now believes that our Sima family is Sikong's direct descendant!"

"Even if the Zhongda incident happened, it was the Fourth Young Master's doing. He alone cannot represent the entire Cao family!"

"Our Sima family has always been law-abiding. We have neither the ambition nor the strength to rebel. Why would Sikong target our Sima family?"

"By attacking his own sponsor, isn't Cao Cao afraid that those loyal ministers will use this as an opportunity to stir up trouble?"

Sima Lang found various arguments to support his inference.

The next moment, Sima Lang was suddenly stunned.

Because he suddenly remembered.

Sima Yi once read a poem when he was drunk during his lifetime.

"The land of the ancestors is harvested by the descendants. Don't be too happy when you harvest it, because there will be others to harvest it later!"

At that time, he only felt that Sima Yi's poem had a unique style and brilliant literary talent.

But now, thinking of what Sima Fang just said.

"Could it be that……"

Thinking of this, Sima Lang couldn't help but look at Sima Fang.

Sima Fang, however, ignored Sima Lang's curious gaze and muttered to himself:

"No matter whether Cao Sikong draws his sword this time or not, he points it at our Sima family!"

"But his action this time is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our Sima family!"

"As long as the descendants of my Sima family enter the army and quickly gain the right to speak in the army, after my Sima family develops into a behemoth..."

"By then, as long as we don't take the initiative to give others a handle, even Cao Cao won't dare to deal with us easily!"

"You must know that the world today is shared by the nobles and the royal family!"

"If Cao Cao dares to rashly massacre the nobles, he will be destroying the foundation of the Cao family!"

Sima Fang said quietly.

In fact.

Sima Fang no longer had any idea of ​​"rebellion" as Sima Lang was worried about.

But he looked down on Cao Cao and the Cao family.

Sima Fang never changed this point.

Like other nobles.

Sima Fang looked down on the eunuchs of the Cao family from the bottom of his heart.

The reason why Cao Cao was recommended to be the Northern Inspector of Luoyang.

It is nothing more than an exchange of interests among the gentry.