Rebel

"Big brother! Big brother, it's not good!" Just as Gu Ao looked at the road ahead in a daze, suddenly Chen Jiang rushed over on his horse and called out from behind.

In the afterglow of the setting sun, where the horseshoes are at the end, everything is peaceful, and the setting sun in the distance illuminates the land perfectly, and everything is silent.Gu Ao seemed deaf to Chen Jiang's voice breaking the silence...

"Brother!" Chen Jiang called out again in front of Gu Ao.

Gu Ao raised his eyes and asked, "What's wrong?"

Chen Jiang stretched out his sleeve and wiped the sweat dripping from his face, panted and said, "Brother, Mr. Lu is back, and he said that he wants to punish him for his crime of discussing military affairs...... Let him go to the county seat."

Gu Jiang stopped crying originally, blinked his eyes and smacked his lips in Gu Ao's arms, but at this moment he seemed to be frightened by Chen Jiang's galloping horse, so he started to cry again.Gu Ao patted his son lightly, and said to Chen Jiang: "I understand, I'll go back right away. Since Mr. Lu is back, what's the specific situation?"

Chen Jiang sighed and said: "He returned in a big defeat. He brought out 79 elite cavalry, but it is said that only 3 cavalry came back. The Chou family's trilogy was indeed vulnerable. The camp was robbed by Mr. Lu, and he panicked for a while. It is said that he even transported food. All the troops were disbanded. Mr. Lu won the victory that night and stayed at Julu Bianbi. Brother, you also know that there are Huben troops stationed there in Julu County, confronting the Rong people. Those Fenwu troops got a report from Mr. Qiu , Returning to the horse, I went to suppress Mr. Lu, and all [-] people were wiped out. If Ye Juncheng hadn’t led his troops out of Jiange Pass to respond, Mr. Lu might not be safe... Now that there are many difficulties and dangers, I just fled back to Hanzhong."

Gu Ao's heart sank, he nodded, and handed Gu Jiang to Chen Jiang: "...the child's mother is gone, these days you can help find a capable nanny to take care of him. I'm going to the county right now I see Mr. Lu."

Chen Jiang's eyes widened when he heard the words: "Sister-in-law, she..." Chen Jiang seemed to understand immediately where the lonely back of Gu Ao standing there silently just now came from, and he carefully took Gu Jiang from Gu Ao's arms. Jiang burst into tears again. Chen Jiang patted Gu Jiang and said, "Brother...how about I take someone to chase after my sister-in-law?"

Gu Ao shook his head: "Forget it, don't chase. If you can chase someone back, if you can't chase your heart, let her go..."

Saying that, Gu Ao got on his horse again and said to Chen Jiang: "I'm going to the county town, help me take care of Jiang'er."

Chen Jiang nodded, "Brother...are you going just like this? Do you want to bring some people?"

"No need." Gu Ao said, "When the impoverished family lives and dies, it is necessary to be loyal and direct, why should this be so?" After speaking, Gu Ao whipped his horse and left in the dust.

----

In the county mansion of Hanzhong County, Lu Dequan was sitting on the high seat in the middle of the top, bristling with anger, while a doctor was kneeling beside him, treating the wound on his arm.Finally bandaged the affected area, Lu Dequan suddenly raised his sleeves, raised his hand and waved the inkstone on the table at hand, shouting: "Isn't Gu Ao here yet? How many times has the person who called you urged him? That's how he is." No brother?"

When the voice fell to the ground, the inkstone in the hall shattered, and there was silence everywhere.

More than a dozen military commanders, all of whom are the pillars of the Hanzhong defenders, are now summoned to stand at the bottom of the steps. No one speaks a word.

At this moment, Shi Li Chongde was standing behind Lu Dequan, nodding repeatedly after hearing Lu Dequan's words.

Ye Xiongguan dodged the ink splashed by the inkstone, and finally broke the silence, saying: "My lord, calm down."

Lu Dequan patted the table and said: "Calm down? He took advantage of my absence in the county, dispatched troops and generals, and talked about military affairs indiscriminately. My son is bleeding in the front, and he is gossiping behind?"

Just as Gu Ao followed the person who notified him to the hall door, he heard Lu Dequan yelling these few words.Gu Ao's face was covered with sweat, and his face was full of wind and frost, and his face was slightly gloomy.When he came outside the city, he saw Luye's bones and wounded soldiers walking along the road... That scene of devastation seemed to prick the most uncomfortable place in Gu Ao's heart.The mood that was originally difficult to calm down is now like a flood held up by rational dams, almost collapsing at the touch of a touch.

Gu Ao didn't wait for the notification, he opened the door and stepped into the inner hall with his robes lifted. The door creaked, and the footsteps were calm. For a moment, everyone turned their heads and focused their eyes on Gu Ao.

Gu Ao raised his eyes and said in a clear voice: "Brother, Ao is here, what orders do you have, just tell my brother, why bother to vent your anger on others?"

Lu Dequan raised his eyes to look at Gu Ao, stood up immediately, raised his hand and pointed at Gu Ao, and said, "You...you you! Father was captured, and you refused to save him! Fear and escape! Now that my son is fighting outside, you What are you doing? Who asked you to transfer troops?"

Gu Ao glanced at Lu Dequan, then at Ye Xiongguan who stood silently by the side.In fact, the matter of dispatching troops that day did not come from Gu Ao, but Ye Xiongguan made his own claim, it was just to invite Gu Ao to discuss.And at that time, there were more than ten people who negotiated with each other, all of them were military commanders, and all of them were present today, and they all looked at themselves with burning eyes.

Gu Ao knew that his proposal on the defense of Hanzhong was adopted more during the discussion that day, but Ye Xiongguan personally handled the deployment of troops.

On that day, Gu Ao also felt that Ye Xiongguan did the right thing.

... If Ye Xiongguan didn't take advantage of Lu Dequan to go out rashly, he would follow up and quickly deploy defenses. He was afraid that if he returned a hundred times this time, Lu Dequan wanted to go back, and there would be no one to answer him.

But now for some unknown reason, the spearhead of "deploying troops" turned to him overnight.

Gu Ao traveled all the way, the impermanence and devastation of life brought him inner depression, like igniting a fire, but on the surface, at this time, he seemed more cold and calm.

Although he was accused of 'arbitrarily deploying troops', Gu Ao still didn't think there was anything wrong with this move, so he immediately replied: "Brother doesn't listen to advice, and you will lose in battle. If you vent your grievances on Ao, you will be able to make people feel better." The sacrificed soldiers came back to life, and Ao is willing to accept it. Now Hanzhong is in crisis, and everyone can give advice. The foster father also said before that Hanzhong is not a family. Brother, have you forgotten?"

As soon as Gu Ao's words fell, Ye Xiongguan raised his eyes and glanced at Gu Ao, but Lu Dequan was furious: "Reverse! Reverse! Someone, take him down!"

Ye Xiongguan calmly gave a wink to a soldier commander, who took a step forward and said, "Young master Lu, the prefect has a new funeral, and the brothers are at odds, I'm afraid it's bad luck!"

Lu Dequan sneered: "It's bad luck? When he was plotting against me, did he think that his brothers were at odds and that he was ashamed of his father? Someone, take him down!"

Gu Ao said angrily: "Now that the enemy is in front of us, life and death, my brother doesn't want to how to defend against the enemy, how to resist the family, but here to distinguish who should send troops and who should not send troops, we will contribute to fight against the family, but you are suspicious How can it be done?! Let me say something today, this soldier was not dispatched by me, but if no one dispatched it, I would dispatch it in the name of the eunuch’s righteous son that day! Killing me is a small one, but there are thousands of others in Hanzhong Thousands of soldiers, I cannot allow you to be so nonsense!"

"You are really rebellious!" Lu Dequan raised his eyebrows, "Why don't you push it down?!"

Hearing Lu Dequan's shout, the soldiers on both sides took a look at Ye Xiongguan, Ye Xiongguan moved his eyes away, they hesitated to step forward, bound Gu Ao's hands, Gu Ao said without any fear: "I come to Hanzhong, I came here for the sake of the poor family. Lu Taishou recognized me as a adopted son back then, and it was also for the sake of the poor family's growth and vitality, so it is not limited to one surname or one family. The kindness of the righteous father will last forever in this life! But brother, now the family is looking down on you. Find out who is the enemy!"

"Put it in prison! Wait for me!" Lu Dequan said angrily, "Take him out!"

As soon as Gu Ao was led out of the gate by the soldiers, Ye Xiongguan took a step forward and said, "Mr. Lu... According to this old man..."

Before he finished speaking, Lu Dequan glared at Ye Xiongguan: "You don't have to say a few words, rely on the old and sell the old!"

The faces of all the generals were not angry, but Ye Xiongguan closed his mouth, took a step back, and stopped talking.

----

Gu Ao was thrown into the prison of the county mansion, the prison was paved with thatch, and at night, there was no light in the prison.Behind the wooden fence, it was late and quiet, and the night was cool, so Gu Ao couldn't fall asleep.The departure of his wife, the loss of his son's mother, the departure of the vice president, and what will happen to Hanzhong in the future... Gu Ao walked back and forth on the thatched grass with his hands behind his back...

Going deeper, a ray of moonlight shone through the gap in the prison cell, illuminating Gu Ao's eyes. He quietly bathed in the moonlight, looking at his whole body, the military uniform, plain and simple, with only the ancient strands on his waist. Under the moonlight, the brocade belt glowed with crystal colors, its brilliance was so dazzling that it seemed to cover the rags of Gu Ao's dilapidated cloth shoes...

These cloth shoes have traveled thousands of mountains and rivers with Gu Ao, they have been sewn and sewn, mended and mended.

yes……

Why did I travel all over the world, and finally stopped in Hanzhong...

Gu Ao gently caressed the brocade on his waist... Why did he abandon his seriously ill teacher and set foot in this chaotic world?

Isn't it just for the ambition in my heart that I never dare to forget?

Now this ambition has hit a wall. Yu Jun lost to Hu Ben, and Yu Zheng met a mediocre master.

How to do……

How to do……

My best friend Yun Ang embroidered a belt for himself with the ancient brocade treasured by the Shanyun Academy. At this time, it emitted a strange fragrance bit by bit in the dark night, stimulating Gu Ao's nose.Yes, why did I give up those who should be protected and come here?

——It’s not for defeating the aristocratic family, let alone serving the mediocre master.

An idea quietly took shape in Gu Ao's heart.

He leaned against the prison wall, seriously considering its possibility.

At noon on the second day, someone came to deliver food in a basket.With the sound of footsteps approaching, Gu Ao covered his cold clothes and turned over on the thatch pile.Thinking too long last night, it wasn't until morning that Gu Ao lay down and squinted for a while.

Hearing the sound at this moment, he turned around slowly.

The servant who delivered the food took a look at Gu Ao, covered his sleeves and coughed, Gu Ao got up all at once, walked to the gate, took the food, and at the same time, Gu Ao received a clip On the secret note at the fingertips of the meal delivery servant, there were only a few words written on it:

"Brother, what should we do outside? Second brother."

Gu Ao sat cross-legged on the ground and ate his meal. The servant waited to collect the bowl. Gu Ao raised his head and took a sip of water, wet his fingertips and wrote the word "Huai" in the open space. The food delivery man nodded slightly. After Gu Ao finished his meal, the servant collected the bowls and chopsticks and left.

After two days, Gu Ao saw that the guards at the gate had changed, and on the third day, the food delivery man whispered, "Brother Ao, it's me."

Gu Ao came to the gate, looked left and right, lowered his voice and said: "Brother Huai, you are here."

Huai Xin's face was hidden under the cloak, only a thin and pale jaw was exposed. He opened his lips and said softly: "These days, Ye Juncheng and Mr. Lu have been arguing about how to send you off. Mr. Lu means that It was a capital offense for you to run away from the prefect back then, and Ye Juncheng is fighting for you according to reason... Now that the enemy is in front of you, if you want to kill the general, the army's morale will be lost. Ye Juncheng has led troops for so many years, it's not that he doesn't understand this truth... I Discuss with that Chen family son, and asked Tian Rong to lobby the generals in the county for you. In my opinion, Mr. Lu hides his illness and avoids medical treatment. Back then you stopped him from going out in front of so many people, and he was defeated. You won't come down."

Gu Ao nodded: "...What did Tian Rongyou tell the generals?"

"Protect you." Huai Xin sighed softly, "Oh, why are you still like this? What would you do if you were so reckless that Young Master Lu would have killed you that day?"

Gu Ao said firmly: "No, what I'm talking about is what the army wants, he can't kill me. If he wants to kill me, the generals will stand up."

Huai Xin said: "A few important things have happened these days, let me tell you."

Gu Ao nodded.

Huai Xin said: "Your parents came from Jiangqu, and they brought a group of hundreds of people. Now Chen Jiang has settled down at the foot of Chulong Mountain. There is a man named Ergou inside who is clamoring to rescue you. Your lord suppresses it."

Gu Ao opened his eyes wide: "My parents are here?"

Huai Xin nodded: "It's all here, everything is settled, don't worry, the first big thing at this time. The second big thing, Yong Chi was ordered to be in charge of state affairs a few days ago in order to deter the court officials, saying that Taiwei, the commander-in-chief of Chinese and foreign military forces. He wears the uniform of the crown, wears the sword on the palace, enters the court but does not go, praises the name, and gives Jiuxi, and has been named the regent."

"...Yong Chi became the regent?"

"Yes." Huai Xin nodded and said, "He also named the Jian family of Jibei as the King of Jibei, the Yan family of Ruyin as the King of Ruyin, the Jin family of Guangping as the King of Guangping, and the family of Julu Xiong as the King of Julu..."

Gu Ao said: "Yongchi did this to divide the power of Jiangqu King Liao Yong?"

Huai Xin said: "That's right. Yong Chi has also set court rituals. The princes and kings come to the capital every year to take the prince as a hostage. They can be summoned wherever they go hunting."

"I didn't expect that Yongchi's steps are really big...can he walk over?"

Huai Xin said in a low voice: "The serious trouble has been eliminated. Now the imperial court has ceded Shangjun and Yuyang to the Rong people, and Lu Mouzhong has been punished. Liao Quji and other princes are in the capital again as hostages...Yongchi is at a time when the spring breeze is in full swing."

Gu Ao nodded, Huai Xin continued: "Mr. Lu also heard about this matter, and now there is a lot of rumors in the county, saying that Mr. Lu wants to establish himself as King of Han. Now the county government is arguing, some people agree, some people don't agree."

Gu Ao thought for a while, and said: "It may not be a good thing for someone from a poor family to be king, but Mr. Lu's temperament is not suitable for being a king."

Huai Xin said: "Exactly, many staff members disapproved of Mr. Lu's claiming the title of king, but when Mr. Yu was mourning for his dead wife, he asked someone to take out the ancient brocade bestowed by Emperor Wu of the previous dynasty from the treasury of the Yu family's mansion, and gave it to Mr. Lu. , just enough to cut a king's clothes."

"...Young Master Yu is in mourning?"

"Yes, his wife passed away due to illness. There are many rumors outside that he was ordered to bring Tiangang to punish his parents and wife. Now it may be difficult for him to continue. These days, he has been mourning his dead wife in Qianzhong, and has never set foot in Hanzhong. .”

Gu Ao nodded, and Huai Xin said softly: "There is a third important thing. The regent Yongchi gathered the five kings, Jiangqu King, Jibei King, Ruyin King, and Guangping King, to form a coalition army and prepare to attack Hanzhong."

Gu Ao thoughtfully said: "Yongchi didn't just intend to be in Hanzhong, this move was done skillfully, he wanted to integrate the armor of the five kings through this conquest, and become the real leader of the family. This battle can not only In the name of Gonghanmen, we can unite the hearts of the aristocratic family, and we can also eliminate dissidents in the conquest."

Huai Xin nodded and said, "Exactly, the drunkard's intention is not to drink."

Gu Ao lowered his voice and said: "Since this is the case, the matter is even more urgent. I asked you just now what you were lobbying the generals for, and you said it was to 'protect me'. This battle will determine life and death, but now this side is dead, but It’s not that I can solve it.”

"Brother Gu, what do you plan to do?"

Gu Ao said: "I am going to lead the army by myself, I am also the adopted son of the eunuch, so I should accept the order in the face of danger, I should do my part."

A gleam flashed in Huai Xin's eyes: "I understand, it should have been like this a long time ago, I'm going to plan now."

"...In addition to the defense of Hanzhong, Young Master Yu can also try."

Huai Xin thought for a while, then said: "I look at Mr. Yu as a person, looking forward and looking backward, if he is not aggressive enough, I will try my best."

"Tell Tian Rong to find out what the generals think first, and tell me when I come next time."

"it is good."