The city is full of spring scenery, suddenly warm and then cold.
As soon as the Lantern Festival of the first lunar month is over, the chill in the entire city of Chengdu slowly fades away. The mountain scenery is starting to be covered with a thin layer of light green.
In times like this, the sadness of separation often brews and overflows until it surges into disaster in the chest.
"I am leaving."
Xu Mu raised his head and said to Jiang Caiwei in front of him, to Li Xiaowan, to Dongfang Jing, and even to the entire city of Chengdu.
Jia Zhou's eyes were cloudy. He slowly closed his eyes and sat in the carriage without trying to persuade him. He understood that even if he opened his mouth, he would eventually be unable to persuade him.
My own lord is reluctant to let him die.
"Lend me ten years to help the dragon and the deer." Jia Zhou's voice was choked with sobs.
Outside the carriage, more and more people were gathering to leave.
Xu Mu raised his head and glanced at the light green mountains.
"Bo Lie, if you encounter a battle, you can think about it yourself. In two days, General Yu Wen of Western Shu will come to Chengdu and sit in control of Shu with you."
"Time is too tight. I need you to work hard on how to escape the golden cicada."
The lame man bowed to Dongfang and raised his hands to say goodbye in the wind.
"Congratulations, my lord!"
"Congratulations, my lord——"
Countless soldiers shouted in the wind.
The Xu banner at the top of the city suddenly sounded, adding to the sadness of the separated people.
"Drive."
Glancing in the direction of the young maid's wife, Xu Mu smiled in the sunshine, then turned around and entered the carriage.
The accompanying three hundred warriors and dead soldiers, led by Wei Feng, began to rein in and followed the official road straight forward.
"Puppy Fu, Calf Tou, Erba Lunzi, and Four Monkeys, wait for me, Sihu, to come back!"
…
Chang Wei had been away from Shu for two or three days. Although he was considered an old friend, there were some things that Xu Mu didn't want him to know yet.
They did not choose the direction of Yuguan. This time, the Changwu escorting Jia Zhou took the waterway of Bailu County and then to the inner city.
Sitting in the carriage, Jia Zhou sighed, suddenly stretched out his hand, and shook Xu Mu's hand tremblingly.
Xu Mu laughed and held the military advisor in front of him. He raised his hand and covered it with a mattress.
"Wen Long, don't be anxious. As long as I, Xu Mu, are here, God will not dare to accept you."
"If God shows mercy, he will allow me, Jia Wenlong, to assist the lord for another ten years and establish thirty states in the world."
"Ten years is not enough, let's say a hundred years."
Jia Zhou's voice was mute, and he laughed so hard that his eyes filled with tears. His life was worth living, not because he was famous all over the world, but because the lord in front of him believed in him and protected him, like an old friend for decades.
"Now that we have entered the inner city, my lord needs to be careful. I am seriously ill, and I will probably be inseparable when it comes to treatment. The counselors and generals of those aristocratic families will definitely be in trouble."
"The King of Yuzhou certainly has a sense of friendship, but sometimes, relying on the principle that the law does not punish the public, he can be executed first and then punished."
"In other words, compared with the world's hegemons, in the heart of the King of Yuzhou, my lord is still far behind."
"I can't persuade my lord, so I can only give you a warning."
"Wenlong, I understand." Xu Mu nodded and stretched out his hand to smooth the mattress.
"Wenlong, please sleep peacefully. I, Xu Mu, will protect you all the way."
Jia Zhou nodded and closed his cloudy and moist eyes.
…
In Chengdu, Dongfang Jing sat calmly in the stone pavilion in front of the palace, looking at the seven or eight Shuzhou generals in front of him.
"General Han, please immediately issue an order to blockade the entire Shuzhou. The post house, the postman, and many pigeon households are all invited to the vicinity of the post house, saying that they have something to discuss. In addition, go to the army to find someone to talk to the lord. People with similar body and appearance”
"General Zhou, could you please write a notice to inform people outside the state, saying that my lord will go to Yuguan in person to train the soldiers. After the beginning of spring, troops will be sent to Liangzhou."
"General Li, please personally guard the access roads around Banan City. Don't let the thieves go around Shunan and use the roads to cross the river."
"The remaining people must do their duty during the time when the lord is gone and beware of the young ones."
"As soon as General Shuxi arrived, he immediately informed me. We are all generals of the lord, and we should guard the country of Shuzhou for the lord at this time!"
In front of the palace, several Shuzhou generals were holding their fists firmly.
Dongfang took a deep breath and his expression became calmer.
…
Three days later, the carriage stopped three miles outside Bailu County.
Dou Tong, who was already patrolling the area, heard the news of Xu Mu's arrival. He hurried over with red eyes. All he saw was the haggard Jia Zhou, a tough guy who had been in the army for a long time, with tears oozing from his eyes.
It is no exaggeration to say that at least half of the credit for this battle in Shuzhou belongs to the Poisonous Eagle strategist.
"Greetings to my lord...Greetings to the military advisor." Dou Tong's voice trembled and he knelt down.
"Dou Tong, get up."
"I heard that the military advisor was seriously ill and when the river was closed, I looked for this." Dou Tong held up a long gift box in front of him.
Xu Mu opened it and found that inside was a fine old ginseng.
"Dou Tong, you are interested."
"Wenlong will keep the righteousness of General Shunan in mind." Jia Zhou also smiled.
"I only hope that the military advisor will be able to recover and return to Shu!"
Beside, many Shunan soldiers looked expectant.
Regardless of whether they are soldiers or generals, they all sincerely admire the Poisonous Eagle military advisor in front of them.
"Lord, military advisor, I have cleared the waterway to the inner city two days ago." Dou Tong stood up and his tone became serious, "In addition, I also sent fast horses to explore the three hundred miles ahead. Here we are. At that time, I will ask Fan Lu, with eight thousand troops, to respond outside the inner city."
Southern Shu has insufficient troops, and its eight thousand troops are almost at their limit.
After Bailu County crossed the river, it was still at least 700 miles away from the inner city. If no one came to help them, and something happened, they might really have no way out.
"By the way, where's Fan Lu?"
"I was patrolling the river earlier——"
"Lord, military advisor!" Before Dou Tong could finish his words, a man with a beard and red eyes came on horseback.
To be honest, Fan Lu was the one who followed Jia Zhou the longest. Before conquering Shuzhou, Fan Lu had always been Jia Zhou's personal general.
However, there were few generals, so he was left in southern Sichuan.
As soon as he got off his horse, the bearded man choked with sobs.
"Fan Lu, with his eight thousand men, must have at least three thousand Qingqi." After thinking about it, Xu Mu spoke.
At this time, he had to be cautious. Once we go to the inner city, no one knows what will happen. Three thousand more cavalry troops would at least provide some peace of mind.
Dou Tong and Fan Lu both clasped their fists seriously.
"Don't delay, Dou Tong, go get the boat."
"Jia Wenlong, I would also like to thank you all for your kindness." Jia Zhou, who was seriously ill, raised his hands and bowed with difficulty in the river wind.
"Best farewell to my lord, and best wishes to the military advisor."
Dou Tongfan Lu and many other soldiers knelt on the ground and raised their hands to say goodbye.
"The general will be loyal and the soldier will die. My lord, there is no need to worry about the uncertainties." Jia Zhou sat back in the carriage and his voice was hoarse.
Xu Mu looked through the carriage window at the rows of kneeling soldiers outside the carriage. For a moment, his chest began to burn.
The roads he took and the battles he fought were all based on the people and putting soldiers first. It's not that he is hypocritical, but that he wants to hold this country in his hands one day. Then, whether it is the people or the soldiers, they will be his greatest reliance.
He is not a hero, but he is still a hero.
