Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1754
Taixing two years, November.

first day.

According to the usual practice, the principals of counties and counties in Jingzhou will rush to Xiangyang to participate in the monthly meeting. Of course, some people may not be able to come because of this matter or that matter, so they will report in advance and send a second official Come and listen to the record.

Some people say that life is like climbing a hill. When you go up when you are young, you go higher and higher, and you see more scenery, but after you are over forty, you start to go downhill. Controlled faster and faster.

Liu Biao has already had people remove all the bronze mirrors in the hall, but even so, Liu Biao can still feel that his body is getting worse day by day, as if something is rotten in his body Same, it is rotting out from inside little by little.

Liu Cong turned around from the corridor on one side, and bowed in front of the hall, his voice was clear and bright, "Father, the time has come..."

Liu Biao closed his eyes slightly, and sighed secretly in his heart, yes, the time has come, and his time has come.

Back then, Liu Biao also had a good time like Liu Cong.

Liu Biao stood up slowly, letting the attendants around him confirm that he had adjusted his clothes again, then raised his head as much as possible and walked forward.

That year, Duan Ying defeated the Eastern Qiang, and Wuhuan Shule rebelled and became king.It was also that year that Liu Biao raised his head like this, followed among a group of imperial students and behind Chen Fan, shouted loudly, and went to the palace to express his grievances.

After that, there was blood flying all over the sky.

Under the Luoyang Capital Pavilion, human heads were piled up like a mountain, and Dou Wu's head was the top one.

Chen Fan died.

Taiwei Liu Ju, dead, Sikong Wang Chang, dead, Yilang Luanba, dead...

Liu Biao survived by luck, but because of the party's imprisonment, from the age of 26 to 42, he achieved nothing except for some poor fame.

Turning around the corridor is the front hall.

Liu Biao raised his legs and walked up the steps built by Baishi step by step, just like the steps he stepped into the General's Mansion back then.

In that year, the Yellow Turban was in chaos and the world was in turmoil. The imperial court finally loosened the gap of the party, and Liu Biao was enlisted as the Marquis of the Northern Army.That was the first time Liu Biao put aside his books, pens and inks, took up his swords and guns, and put on his armor.

Liu Biao straightened his waist as hard as he could, as if he was standing in front of those soldiers for the first time when he was in the Northern Army.

Unfortunately, a straight back does not bring military bonuses.

Huangfusong won, Zhu Jun won, and even Cao Cao, the captain of cavalry, defeated the Yellow Turban Bandits, while Liu Biao was easily defeated by Zhang Mancheng and Zhao Hong. Zhang Mancheng's soul under the knife.

Since which year, Liu Biao has been frantically learning the art of war and researching strategies, and finally under Huangfu Song's tent, Huangfu Song raised his eyes and said, "Good!"

"I have seen the lord!"

Seeing Liu Biao enter the hall, all the county and county chiefs and officials who had been waiting in the meeting hall fell to the ground and saluted Liu Biao.

Liu Biao walked up to the high position step by step, looking around, just like Dong Zhuo standing on the alchemy steps, looking down at the officials under his majesty.

"Free gift..."

Liu Biao waved his sleeves and sat down.

That year, the Kwantung heroes refused to obey Dong Zhuo's order. From Jizhou to Yuzhou, from Yanzhou to Yangzhou, they raised the banner against Dong Zhuo everywhere. Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu and Cao Cao gradually came to the front.And Liu Biao himself visited Dong Zhuo secretly. After some performances, he finally got Dong Zhuo's approval to serve as the governor of Jingzhou...

When Liu Biao looked up from Xiangyang for the first time, he was already in his forties.At that time, the chaos in Jingzhou was no less than that in Luoyang. Local officials were hostile to each other. Apart from the famous officials, they are poor and white, and there is no soldier.

Liu Biao was facing a whole state surrounded by powerful enemies, but Liu Biao was not afraid. He rode into Yicheng alone and met with representatives of the local wealthy families Kuai and Cai.

That year, a lonely middle-aged scholar rode a horse into a city.

Then, the Pingzong thief destroyed Zhang Xian and settled the nine counties of Jingxiang.

The back gangrene was aching, but Liu Biao still tried his best to straighten up.

Zhang Zhongjing has been here, and although he helped Liu Biao back from the endangered line, he could not be eradicated. He could only hang it with a decoction, as if tied with a thread, a thread that would break at some point. .

After Liu Biao took control of Jingxiang, sitting on the high platform and looking around, there were three royal family members who were also in the first rank, nodding and smiling at Liu Biao, Liu Yan, Liu Yu, and Liu Chong.

But in a blink of an eye, Liu Yu was killed by Gongsun Zan, Liu Chong was assassinated by Yuan Shu, and Liu Yan also fell ill and died in Sichuan.Of the power of the royal family of the Han Dynasty, only Liu Biao remained.

Liu Biao knew that he was stingy and caring, and always had the sour air of a literati, good at talking but not good at military affairs.He himself knows all this. After all, he only started to use a knife and gun after holding a pen for nearly 40 years. How can there be a way to change the habits of literati?
So every time there was a turmoil, every time there was a war opportunity, when Liu Biao gradually calmed down while his heart was surging, he was often tossed in shock and suspicion again and again.

Do you want to sneak attack Xu County?
Do you want to send troops to Jiaozhou?
Do I have that ability?
Am I missing something?
If it wasn't for Liu Qi, Liu Biao might not have taken the initiative to attack Sichuan and Shu.But even this only initiative ended in failure, which made Liu Biao more cautious.

Because now, Liu Biao is already fifty-eight.

Time, body, illness, everything is reminding Liu Biao, if he misses the ground, can he get up again?

Winter is coming.

Liu Biao knows that no one can survive alone in the torrent, and sooner or later he will be engulfed by the vortex of the times.

But at least for now...

Liu Biao glanced slightly at the Liu Cong beside him who looked very much like him when he was young, his gray beard moved slightly, no matter when his time came, at least keep Jing Xiang safe.

Then pass it into the hands of the next generation.

At least, don't let your children go through the pain you suffered when you were young.

At least, don't let your children bear the humiliation of begging for help.

"My lord, Cao Sikong sent someone again, and they are at the post station in the city. I don't know..." Kuai Liang reported.

Enduring back pain, Liu Biao flicked his sleeves, "I don't see you. I just said that the old man is ill..."

... (灬) ...

Compared with the still warm Jingxiang, in the northern part of Youzhou, the cold wind whipped up the rain and snow, cutting everything in the world like a knife.

Amidst the rain and snow, a nearly frozen river appeared in front of him.

This place is already deep into the desert, and strictly speaking, it is not Youzhou, but Xianbei's territory.

Behind the sheltered rocks above the river valley, Zhao Yun's men and horses had skillfully set up the shed, then spread tarpaulins and felt blankets, cleaned the snow from the ground, and finally lit the bonfire.

From being in a hurry at the beginning, looking at one thing and neglecting another, to now being well organized, and even chatting a few words, mocking and laughing at each other, Zhao Yun's men have gradually begun to adapt to part of the cold, and are used to marching under the wind and snow.

General Hussars' support in the later stage has always been unambiguous, especially when it comes to food.When the dry food mixed with lard was cooked together with snow water, the aroma of fat and wheat flour came out, and Zhao Yun couldn't help but sniffled and took a deep breath.

The dry rations are sufficient and thick, and the soldiers can only be strong in the cold winter. Of course, the more important thing is the new cotton clothes issued by the Hussar General...

Unlike the usual fur or felt that is often worn in winter, cotton clothes have better air permeability, unlike leather armor felt blankets, it is easy to sweat all over, and then a little bit of carelessness is blown by the cold wind. If you sneeze, if you don't drink some hot soup to drive away the cold, you will lie in bed for ten days and a half months, or you will die if you are serious!
And now, although I also sweat, it is much better than before. The most important thing is that it is lighter than the heavy leather blanket, even if it is stained with some snow. Sweat or something, as long as you put it on the spear and stand aside at night, you can shelter from the cold wind, and you can also bake it in the bonfire, and you can almost wear it the next day.And if it is a felt blanket, if it gets wet, it is extremely difficult to recover. Even if it is baked overnight like cotton clothes, it will still be wet and heavy in the morning...

Therefore, this journey is not as painful as originally imagined, but it is not easy.

Zhao Yun took a few personal guards and stood on a small hill not far away, staring intently into the distance.

Going deep into the desert belonging to Xianbei, the difficulty of wind and snow is still relatively small. After all, when he raided Dragon City back then, Zhao Yun might not have the current equipment, but Wei Qing still braved the wind and snow and succeeded in the raid, so in such an environment Among them, the most important issue is direction.

For the big man, the terrain in this area is completely blank, there is no record, and the walking direction depends entirely on Zhao Yun's speculation and experience, and of course Zhao Yun's caution.

Every day, how much to travel, where to go, where to stop, and where to rest, Zhao Yun needs to make a decision. Although he doesn't have to fight Xianbei directly, it is not easy.

Sima Yi persuaded Zhao Yun not to lead the team himself, and it would not be impossible to select some elite scouts from the army to do the reconnaissance, but Zhao Yun thought again and again, and he still took the risk, because Zhao Yun knew that it would be better for him to report according to the scouts himself. Observation is more intuitive and profound.

Zhang Xiu walked over with a flowered fur hat and reported to Zhao Yun: "General, my subordinates have counted, and there is more than half of the rations for the sons, and it is the horse's...less than one-third... "

In Zhao Yun's line of work, in order to deceive people, he often imitated the appearance of Xianbei people, so he naturally wore a Xianbei leather hat with sharp horns. Although it looks a bit weird, it is also surprisingly easy to use in the wind and snow , in addition to keeping warm, it will not be like the iron helmet of the Han family. When the weather is cold, it will stick to the forehead sweetly...

Zhao Yun frowned, nodded and said, "It's a certain negligence."

It's not Zhao Yun's negligence, but whether people or horses need more calories in the cold, they will naturally eat more, and soldiers can hunt and kill some unlucky creatures on the way. Animals are used to supplement rations, but war horses can only eat the beans and hay they carry in such a season of withered vegetation, so the consumption of war horses is obviously much higher than that of soldiers.

"Walk along the river for another day, then turn around..." Zhao Yun said.

"Wei!" Zhang Xiu responded and stood beside Zhao Yun, seemingly hesitating to speak.

"What else is there?" Zhao Yun glanced at it and asked.

"General Qi, why haven't I seen any Xianbei tribes along the way?" Zhang Xiu seemed to have been puzzled for a while, and when he saw Zhao Yun's question, he blurted out, "Normally, places with water sources like this will more or less Some Xianbei spend the winter..."

Xianbei people are also nomads, but nomads do not mean that they are wandering all the time, but wandering between pastures, so normally, when the cold comes like this, nomads will go south with their cattle and sheep , stationed in a relatively warmer place, wait until the cold winter passes, and then return north.

But when Zhao Yun came here, he didn't see the Xianbei tribe.

For example, the semi-condensed river in front of me, normally there should be Xianbei people here to escape the winter, and there should even be some Xianbei people who are moving further south, to places with less wind and snow, but I don’t see anything now When I arrived, both sides of the river were empty, and there was no trace of people or animals.

Zhao Yun smiled slightly and said, "What? You can't figure it out?"

Zhang Xiu was taken aback, and subconsciously reached out to grab the back of his head, but only grabbed the leather hat on his head, then pushed it away with his fingers, reached into the gap of the hat and scratched twice, suddenly thought of something, pulled He took off his fur hat, glanced at it, and immediately raised his head to look at Zhao Yun, "The general means it's because of...the battle between Xianbei?"

"Haha..." Zhao Yun nodded with a smile, "Exactly! The Xianbei people also have Latins. I'm afraid that the Xianbei people who were originally in this area were either taken away by Bu Dugen or returned to Ke Bineng. Naturally, there are no humans or animals at the moment..."

"So, if we find traces of the Xianbei people, it means..." Zhang Xiu clapped his hands suddenly, a little excited, but quickly lowered his voice, "Not far from...Ke Bineng's royal court But even if it is... I'm afraid there are still some deficiencies..."

What Zhang Xiu was worried about was food and grass.After all, this is a big problem. Even if Ke Bineng’s royal court can be traced, the distance is too long. Even if there is ample food and grass like this time, there is a limit, just like now, at most one day ahead, It's like having to go back.

"Are you worried about food and grass?" Zhao Yun laughed twice, and looked to the southwest, "General Hussars has long been concerned about this matter..."

(End of this chapter)