Thief Emperor

Chapter 755: If I live, I am the King of Yan; if I die, I am a traitor to Han
General Xiao Xian's current wife is Zhou Chang's aunt, but this aunt is a second wife and has only been married to the Xiao family for more than ten years. She is also relatively young, only about ten years older than Zhou Chang.

After she got married, she only returned to Qingzhou a few times, and the aunt and niece did not meet very often, but after all, they had the same surname, so they were still close.

Madam Xiao led Zhou Chang all the way to the inner courtyard of the Xiao family, then she looked back at her nephew and sighed softly: "Your uncle is indeed sick."

Zhou Chang frowned and asked, "Is it serious?"

"It's better now, but it was serious before."

Madam Xiao whispered, "The father and son are having a quarrel."

Zhou Chang immediately understood and whispered, "Nephew understands."

Madam Xiao looked at her nephew and asked, "Your father..."

"The injury has healed a lot. I am now in Qingzhou, taking care of family affairs. Before I came here, my father asked me to tell my aunt that if living in Fanyang is not satisfactory, I can take my cousin back to Qingzhou to live for a few days. Qingzhou is safe after all."

Madam Xiao was silent for a long time before she said softly, "Your cousin..."

"If something happens to Fan Yang in the future, he might have to go back to Qingzhou. After all, Fan Yang's family business has nothing to do with him. He will probably have to rely on my brother and you, my nephew, for protection in the future."

"Don't worry, aunt."

Zhou Chang lowered his head and said, "When my cousin arrives in Qingzhou, he will be like my real brother."

"Ah."

Madam Xiao nodded and led Zhou Chang all the way to the door of General Xiao's room. After knocking on the door, she said, "General, Chang'er is here."

"Ah."

A voice came from the room, and his voice was a little weak: "Come in, come in."

Zhou Chang looked back at his aunt, who nodded slightly. Then he slowly pushed the door open and walked in. As soon as he walked in, he immediately smelled a strong smell of medicine. Zhou Chang frowned subconsciously, then walked carefully to the bedside and looked at General Xiao lying on the bed.

When Zhou Chang saw General Xiao's face, he was immediately stunned.

The last time he saw General Xiao was just the year before last. When they met last time, General Xiao was still quite strong and even after a fierce battle with the Khitans, he was not knocked down.

But now, the Fanyang Jiedushi has half of his hair turned white.

In less than two years, time has passed so quickly.

"Uncle, you are..."

Zhou Chang half-knelt in front of the bed and said in a lost voice: "Why did it become like this?"

"sick."

General Xiao closed his eyes and was silent for a while before he said, "Most people are like this. They get old suddenly."

He looked at Zhou Chang and asked, "How is your father?"

Zhou Chang smiled bitterly and said, "He is still the same as before. Last month, he even got a new concubine."

"It doesn't make sense. It doesn't make sense."

Xiao Xian shook his head slightly and sighed: "Your father has been fooling around all his life, but in the end, he is still the happiest person."

At this point, he sighed and said, "Our generation is already old."

"General Li Tong is gone, and many generals of his generation have also passed away. In this chaotic world, it is up to you, the newcomers, to take charge."

Zhou Chang was silent for a while, and whispered: "Uncle, is Brother Xiao Shi..."

"Want to open the pass?"

"He wouldn't dare."

General Xiao shook his head slightly and said, "It's just that young people have a lot of thoughts and ideas."

“The ambition is also greater.”

General Xiao looked at Zhou Chang and said in a low voice: "He is not feeling well."

Zhou Chang nodded silently: "My nephew can understand."

The Fan Yang Army was still nominally the Fan Yang Army of Wu Zhou, guarding the border. Theoretically, it was also guarding the border for Wu Zhou. But now Wu Zhou was actually gone, and there was not even time to give any orders to Fan Yang.

Originally, the strength of Fanyang Army was not inferior to that of Shuofang Army. In such troubled times, Fanyang Army was also qualified to compete for the world and had the foundation to do so.

But because of the Khitans, they were trapped here and unable to move. In the past two years, they had to watch the Jiangdong Army, the Shuofang Army and even the Hedong Army frantically expanding their territory and grabbing profits.

As the major general of the Fanyang Army, Xiao Heng would certainly feel uncomfortable. In fact, anyone in his position would feel uncomfortable and unbalanced.

General Xiao said silently: "When my uncle was young, he never thought that one day the Great Zhou would disappear."

"Now, when such a day comes, I, your father and other people in the old dynasty are mostly confused and at a loss." "For us, the good world has changed in an instant."

Xiao Xian whispered, "For me, since I am the governor of Fanyang, I should be a local emperor in Fanyang and even in Hebei Province."

"Since I have become the local emperor, I have my own duties and responsibilities. No matter what, I must keep the Khitans out of the pass. Otherwise, I will not only be unfair to the Great Zhou court, but also to the people of Hebei Province."

"But, after all, uncle and his people are old."

Xiao Xian said silently: "The views of our generation may not be correct."

"Just like your father, he shouldn't be in charge of things now, right?"

Zhou Chang thought for a moment and asked, "So that's why my uncle is sick?"

"No, I'm really sick."

"It may be a heart disease, I can't explain it clearly."

Xiao Xian shook his head slightly and sighed: "Sometimes I think that as a military commander, it would be really depressing if I died of illness in bed."

After saying this, he looked at Zhou Chang and continued, "Are you here for Qingzhou or for Li Yun?"

Zhou Chang thought about it seriously and replied, "Uncle, I came here for Qingzhou, but right now, the future of Qingzhou, and even the future of Fanyang and the entire Hebei Province, are inevitably related to Li Yun."

He paused and continued, "If my uncle is willing to continue to defend Fanyang, we in Qingzhou will send half of our troops northward in a short time to assist the Fanyang army and resist the Khitans' southward advance."

"If Fan Yang does not intend to resist, we will station troops on the river bank to resist the enemy who invades the border."

General Xiao looked at the bed and said with a wry smile: "Old man, old man..."

He didn't say anything for a long time, and finally just sighed: "It's hard to explain now."

"But Heng'er is not a bad person. His ambition is not so big as to let the Khitans enter the country, let alone to surrender to the Khitans."

Zhou Chang said silently: "My nephew went north from Qingzhou to Youzhou. Along the way, he saw the Fanyang Army's recruitment notices everywhere in Hebei Road."

"and…"

He looked at Xiao Xian and whispered, "The Khitan envoy is in Youzhou now. Does my uncle know about this?"

Xiao Xian was silent.

Zhou Chang understood immediately. Obviously, the Fanyang Jiedushi in front of him knew about this matter.

Zhou Chang sighed and asked again: "Can Uncle still be the master of Fan Yang now?"

General Xiao looked confused. He was silent for a long time before he answered, "A month or two ago, it should have been possible. I have been bedridden for the past month or two. Now..."

"I can't tell for sure."

Zhou Chang looked at Xiao Xian, stood up, clasped his fists and said, "Uncle, before I came here, I have contacted my father and the people of Jiangdong. They are willing to send an envoy to honor you as the King of Yan!"

"As long as my uncle nods, this matter can be done within three months!"

"The envoy from Jiangdong should also come to Youzhou during this period to ask to see my uncle."

"King of Yan, King of Yan..."

Xiao Xian murmured a few words, then he looked up at Zhou Chang, thought for a moment, and said with a smile: "This false reputation is really attractive. Is this what Li Yun meant?"

Zhou Chang nodded.

Xiao Xian asked again: "What do you think of Li Yun?"

"At present, I am still keeping my word, but what about the future..."

"No one can tell."

General Xiao nodded, and he struggled to sit up, and said to Zhou Chang: "You should leave Youzhou. After you go back, you can lead the troops into Hebei Province. The Fanyang Army will not stop you, so you can lead the troops all the way north."

"If you can reach Fanyang, it means that your uncle's words in Fanyang still count."

"If you were blocked by the Fanyang Army on the way, it would mean..."

Xiao Xian said silently: "That means I am already dead. At that time, you should lead your troops and turn around and leave. Don't look back."

"We agreed in advance."

General Xiao looked at Zhou Chang and smiled faintly: "If you are allowed to go to Fanyang, you must give the title of King of Yan to your uncle."

Zhou Chang bowed his head deeply and saluted.

"My nephew understands!"

(End of this chapter)