Shuzhou.
On the precipitous mountainside near Yuguan, an old medicine collector was following the dense forest on the edge of the cliff, carefully picking out the herbs with a hoe.
Suddenly, he heard the sound of horse hooves.
After walking a few more steps, I looked down and saw an army of thousands of people marching toward Yuguan in a majestic manner.
Recognizing Xu Ziqi, an old doctor over fifty years old, his voice was extremely excited.
"Welcome, welcome the King of Shu on his triumphant return——"
The shadows of the trees all over the mountain began to sway endlessly.
"Welcome the King of Shu home!"
Before Yuguan, a senior general of Xu Jiajun who was guarding the pass excitedly rode out of the pass, and led his people to quickly sweep away the dust and splash water to welcome Xu Mu back to Shu.
"Congratulations to the King of Shu on his triumphant return!"
The people in Yuguan and the walking doctors and horse traders couldn't help but kowtow in unison with trembling voices.
Riding on the horse, Xu Mu's face was moved. Since entering Shu, he has always regarded Shuzhou as his home. The people of Shuzhou also treat them like friends.
So far, it has been fruitful. There is nothing wrong with Min Dao's choice.
"rise!"
Xu Mu exhausted all his strength, raised his hands and shouted. The soldiers and civilians in front of him all stood up and clasped their fists.
"Enter the customs and follow my king back to Chengdu. My parents have already prepared a banquet and are waiting for you and me to drink."
This time, the only people following back to Shu were more than 3,000 Xu Jiajun veterans, who could be considered close personal guards. As for more troops, Xu Mu stayed in Liangdi to guard the western border.
Of course, a garrison of five thousand people was also left at Weiwu Pass between the inner city and Liangdi. It's not that he doesn't trust Uncle Chang, but that Uncle Chang is in Hebei, and it is estimated that many aristocratic families have the final say in matters in the inner city.
"The King of Shu has an order, the army enters the pass!"
The fluttering Xu-character flag was once again flying in the sky of Shuzhou.
"I'm back, I'm back! Xu Lang is coming back!" In Chengdu, Li Xiaowan, with her bulging belly, sounded extremely excited. If you are not feeling unwell, you should prepare ten or eight bowls of wolfberry soup.
Jiang Caiwei hugged Xu Qiao, her face full of joy. During the days of guarding her hometown, she thought more than once about whether her husband Xu Mu had a tanned face and whether his body was injured.
"Han Jiu, hurry up and have someone sweep the dust to greet you."
"Yes." Han Jiu laughed naively and ran out of the palace in a hurry.
"Wanwan, let's change into new clothes and take Xu Lang home."
Li Xiaowan rolled her eyes and said, "Sister Caiwei, I'm not feeling well. Let me tell you, you will end up at the end of the room. Please change to a good bed board."
Jiang Caiwei raised her head calmly, without any shyness.
"Already changed."
…
"General Feng, please slow down." Xu Mu was already very close to Chengdu and was afraid of being heard by the people. Xu Mu pulled the reins and cursed in a low voice.
Every time before returning to Chengdu, General Feng, a pied horse, would be as excited as if he had horse fever. Don't care about anything else, just remember to carry the two princesses and head into the woods together.
"My lord, what a good horse." Jia Zhou poked his head out of the carriage and smiled.
He has no relatives at home, but all the people he sees in the city are his old friends.
He didn't feel lonely.
Moreover, he has a disciple, his only disciple, who treats him like a father.
"Teacher, disciple Han Xing, pay your respects to the teacher."
Nearing the city gate, just as Jia Zhou was thinking, he suddenly heard a familiar voice. When he turned around, he saw that the puppy Fu was wearing a formal robe, standing outside the carriage in an orderly manner, saluting him as a teacher.
"You can teach me." Jia Zhou's eyes showed joy. He stopped the carriage and walked down to take a look at the puppy Fu.
"My disciple has grown taller again. In two years' time, it will be time to go on an expedition with my master."
"It all depends on the teacher's cultivation."
"Haha, good, I am becoming more and more sensible. Before I grow old, I, Jia Wenlong, took on a disciple like you. It will be a blessing for my whole life."
"My lord, you can go about your business first. I will go to the palace to discuss matters early tomorrow morning."
"Wen Long, please go."
"Brother Mu, my wife, my wife is here too."
"Get out of here..."
With great difficulty, General Feng was restrained, and he did not lose face in front of many fellow villagers.
General Feng turned around resentfully, his eyes blinking, as if to say, "It's none of my business. You taught me how to take my wife into the woods."
Xu Mu slapped the horse's head before he got off the horse and walked towards the city gate.
"Xu Lang!"
Li Dawan with a swollen belly, Jiang Caiwei with an eager face, Han Jiu who looked up and smiled... Familiar faces one after another slowly came into Xu Mu's eyes.
"Welcome to the King of Shu." Countless Chengdu people knelt down and worshiped.
"Han Jiu, we are preparing a banquet tonight. I, Xu Mu, will stay with all of you folks until we get drunk."
If there is one place in this troubled world, it is where he belongs in his heart. Then, it is undoubtedly Shuzhou. Until now, he has completely regarded himself as a Shu native.
"Drink with the king."
The crowd burst into cheers, and the soldiers raised their guard halberds, also excited.
Jiang Caiwei stood in the crowd, her expression of joy couldn't be concealed, which made Xu Mu look even more lovesick for a moment.
…
The moon hanging over Chengdu seemed to have seen something, and it suddenly made it shy and hid in the willow treetops.
Standing outside the house, he rinsed two wells with water. Xu Mucai straightened his clothes and walked towards Jiang Caiwei's house. However, they found that they had only reached the backyard of the palace, and Jiang Caiwei was already holding a lantern and waiting for her by the path.
"Xu Lang, Qiao'er has gone to bed first."
There is no shyness, more of an unconcealed lovesickness. The two miserable people are now like an old couple.
"It's windy and cold outside, and you always wait for me to come home with a lantern. If I get drunk today, you'll have to wait in vain."
"It is precisely because I am afraid that Xu Lang will be drunk and unable to find his way out, so he is waiting here."
"If I get drunk at a banquet."
Jiang Caiwei was silent for a while, "I'll ask again when Xu Lang doesn't come back to the house in the middle of the night."
Xu Mu felt moved, walked over, put the lantern aside, took Jiang Caiwei's hand, and the two slowly walked into the house.
"I'm so embarrassed."
The three neglected old men were sitting on a balcony in the backyard, curling their lips and looking at the love between their children just now.
"This time he succeeded. Good guy, he conquered the three states of Liangdi directly." Chen Datie turned his head, knocked a peanut, and muttered something.
"What's the point of striving for success? There are thirty states in the world, and he only has six states in total. How long will it take?" Zhuge cursed lamely.
"Take it slow, my son has great talent." The old scholar glared at the lame man.
"Don't quarrel, don't quarrel. If he doesn't give birth to a grandson when he returns to Shu this time, we won't have enough in the future. At least three?"
"Nine will do."
"Hey, Caiwei is a good girl, don't bury her."
"Bah, I'm scolding my son Xu Mu. He's not good at fighting or giving birth. When we met back then, I should have kicked him into the river——"
Zhuge Lai was still chattering endlessly, but he was afraid of disturbing the house below, so he hurriedly stopped talking. After grabbing the wine cup and taking a sip, he grinned like an old monkey.
