Three Kingdoms: Li Shimin, dressed as Liu Shan, forcibly abducts Sun Shangxiang.

Chapter Six: Is Lu Xun really dead?

"Come, someone come!"

Liu Bei raised his hand tremblingly: "Scouts, send more scouts, send more soldiers..."

"Unfilial son, never mind. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, bring them back."

"See the person alive, or the dead, or the corpse, quickly..."

"yes!"

Outside the palace, officers and soldiers will receive their orders and depart.

Liu Bei lay on his sickbed, utterly dejected.

A Dou, I'm afraid he won't be coming back!

Given Liu Shan's status as the Crown Prince of the Han Dynasty, the tens of thousands of Wu soldiers in Zigui City would certainly spare no effort to keep him here.

Now we can only hope that...

While Lu Xun was focused on A Dou, the men he sent were able to rescue Guan Xing and Zhang Bao.

As for Liu Shan

Whether he is killed or captured, it will be the last straw that breaks the camel's back in Yizhou.

"well……"

A deep sigh lingered on the sickbed of the old emperor, who seemed to recall that night in the small town of Xinye in the spring of the twelfth year of Jian'an.

I recalled the white crane that cried out more than forty times on the roof of the county government office and flew westward.

I recalled that Lady Gan dreamt of swallowing the Big Dipper, and soon after, she became pregnant...

"Amei..."

Liu Bei seemed to see again the gentle woman who had accompanied him through half his life of hardship.

In the end, I failed to protect A Dou...

"His Majesty!"

suddenly,

A palace attendant rushed in: "General Zhang Bao's personal guards have returned wounded."

Has someone come back?

Liu Bei strained his eyes wide, and Zhuge Liang suddenly stood up: "Quickly summon him here."

In a short while,

Then a soldier entered Yong'an Palace.

"Tell me quickly, how is the Crown Prince?"

"Reporting to the Prime Minister, when I returned, I saw His Highness the Crown Prince and Generals Guan Xing and Zhang Bao arrive outside Zigui City!"

"The Crown Prince killed Lu Xun, the commander-in-chief of the Wu army, with a single arrow!"

"We've escaped unscathed!"

Call ~

Ding-dong~

The curtains swayed gently, and the jade discs tinkled.

A crisp river breeze rises from the north bank of the river.

Passing through the Kui Gate and the Baidi City, we finally meandered through the Yong'an Palace, a place that instantly invigorated our spirits.

"Shoot, shoot Lu Xun?"

"A Dou?!"

pat~

Zhuge Liang's feather fan fell to the ground, and he was in a daze.

Liu Bei suddenly looked up, dumbfounded.

Lu Xun,

That Lu Xun, Lu Boyan, who burned away the vitality of the Han Dynasty with a great fire, leaving his own civil and military officials depleted, and making Yizhou as fragile as a pile of eggs, on the verge of collapse...

Now someone told him,

How could such a remarkable person be shot and killed by his own son, who only knew how to fool around and have fun?

"Heh, heh heh..." Liu Bei, who was already terminally ill, actually laughed out of anger.

I am not dead yet!

First, it was reported that A Dou was suppressing bandits at Shimen Mountain, then it was reported that A Dou went straight to Zigui City, and now it is being told to me...

Even Lu Xun was shot and killed by the Crown Prince?

Do these bastards really think that I am mentally unstable because I am about to die?

"Your Majesty's health is of utmost importance; please calm your anger."

Zhuge Liang pressed down on Liu Bei's hand and turned to ask the soldier, "How did the Crown Prince kill Lu Xun?"

"Your Highness, the Lady Consort led us men, carrying Wu army flags and wearing Wu soldiers' armor..."

The soldier, having narrowly escaped death, was stammering: "At the beginning of the morning, we arrived directly at the foot of Zigui City, where we encountered Lu Xun on the city wall, inspecting the various camps."

"The Crown Prince drew his bow and shot an arrow, striking Lu Xun squarely in the chest!"

"Then they shouted that Lu Xun had been shot by an arrow, and the Wu soldiers scattered in all directions, causing chaos in all the camps!"

"His Highness then led us to escape amidst the chaos..."

Disguised.

Deep into the tiger's den.

Make a decisive move and strike directly at the enemy chieftain!

Then he stirred up the situation again and calmly extricated himself!

Zhuge Liang could no longer hear what the soldier was saying.

Courageous and resourceful

A single, decisive blow!

His decisiveness and courage could only come from a valiant ruler! Is this still the Liu Shan I remember?

"Did Liu Shan really shoot and kill Lu Xun?!"

Liu Bei's mind was in complete turmoil. How could this be? How could this be...?

This brat could only recite the beginning of the Annals of Emperor Gaozu, and he would fall asleep during court sessions!

As for archery on horseback, that goes without saying.

But how long has it been since then? He dared to penetrate deep into the enemy's lair and shoot Lu Xun.

Is this incredibly brave and wise prodigy really that foolish brat?

Zhuge Liang: "Is Lu Xun really dead?"

The soldier hesitated for a moment, but still spoke honestly: "At the foot of Zigui City, we saw with our own eyes that Lu Xun was hit by an arrow and fell to the ground."

Rumors circulated among the Wu army that Lu Xun was dead, yet no mourning or funeral rites were observed in the Wu camp…

"His fate is currently uncertain."

"Good, good." Since the Battle of Yiling, Liu Bei's weak voice was so cheerful for the first time.

That brat Lu Xun was hit by an arrow from A Dou; he would be seriously injured, if not killed. A Dou did the right thing...

"Ah, A Dou? Has he... has he returned...?"

"The Crown Prince has not returned to Baidi City; he has changed course and headed south!"

Should we head south?

The incompetent Liu Shan suddenly became a great man.

The enemy you hate with a vengeance was shot down by your own son!

But before he could even feel a moment of joy, this brat instantly plunged his good mood into despair.

"Nonsense, nonsense."

Liu Bei's forehead instantly broke out in sweat, and his breathing became increasingly heavy.

This scoundrel has committed such a great crime, how could the people of Wu let him go?

If he doesn't return to Baidi City now, when will he? As the crown prince, bearing the weight of the nation, how can he be so frivolous?!

"Take the road south..."

Before the map surrounding Baidi City, Zhuge Liang was standing there again, seemingly out of nowhere.

Those calm eyes followed the contours of the mountains and rivers on the map, their gaze passing over Zigui.

After Zigui, head south...

That is the area that Jiangdong actually controls now, the heart of Jiangdong!

Now that Lu Xun has been shot by an arrow and the Wu army is in chaos, the crisis in Yizhou has been largely resolved. Yet the Crown Prince is still heading towards the heart of Jiangdong. What is his intention?

Wow~

Kongming whirled around, his sleeves billowing, and stared intently at the soldier: "Did the Crown Prince say where he was going?"

"His Highness did indeed say that he was going to..."

"Where to?"

"Yiling!"

……

Rumble~

The mighty river roars and surges eastward from the right side of the mountain path, while the ancient, rugged cliffs on the left side are covered with moss, making them slippery and cold.

now,

More than a hundred people are walking carefully on this rugged mountain road.

"Be careful!"

"Your Highness, be careful!"

Guan Xing and Zhang Bao looked at His Highness the Crown Prince walking at the front. Their bodies were soaked with sweat, which dried and then got soaked again.

A violent river wind swept in.

It makes one shiver, as if afraid of being swept into the roaring river by the river wind!

Guan Yu and Zhang Fei wanted to stay by Liu Shan's side and protect him.

Unfortunately, the mountain path was so narrow that only one person could pass sideways in some places, and even in the widest places, it was only enough for two people to walk side by side. It was already a luxury for two people to walk side by side, let alone three.

"If the Crown Prince wishes to go to Yiling, why take such a treacherous path?" Zhang Bao couldn't help but speak up. "Wouldn't it be more convenient and safer to travel by water?"

"Xingguo, stop talking nonsense."

Guan Xing rebuked in a low voice: "The Wu army has not yet retreated, and there are often Jiangdong naval forces on the Yangtze River. If we were to encounter them, wouldn't the Crown Prince be in grave danger?"

"But Your Highness, with your precious health, traversing such mountain paths is far too dangerous!"

The two looked at the figure ahead, their expressions complex...

Since His Highness set off for Baidi City, he has been completely transformed.

As the crown prince, the heir apparent of the nation, he actually led his soldiers into such a dangerous place.

Pass through the stone gate!

Let's go to Zigui!

Shoot Lu Xun!

We will strike straight at the heart of Jiangdong!

Now, he is personally leading the army through such a treacherous place... I wonder what Your Highness is so eager to do in Yiling.

But who wouldn't be moved by this spirit of leading by example?

"Phew~"

After passing the most treacherous section of the mountain road, Liu Shan couldn't help but let out a long breath.

"Anguo".

"Your subordinate is here!"

"Where are we now?"

"Just past that cliff ahead is Ma'anshan. Beyond Ma'anshan lies Yiling!"

"Ma'anshan..." Liu Chan gazed at the misty mountain peak in the distance, his thoughts already drifting far away.

After Liu Bei's defeat at Yiling, he retreated to Ma'anshan.

Lu Xun besieged him here, and the emperor of the Han Dynasty, who had only been on the throne for a few days, had no choice but to break out under the cover of night!

They fled all the way to Zigui.

Having abandoned all his provisions and supplies and having no horses, Liu Bei, the emperor, managed to escape on foot!

However, Lu Xun followed closely behind, relentlessly pursuing him until they reached the city of Zigui.

Liu Bei had no choice but to abandon Zigui City and continue his westward retreat, traveling along the ancient Three Gorges plank road that stretched for hundreds of miles towards Baidi City, where he was ambushed again by Sun Huan at Shimen Mountain!

Only after Lai's remaining troops fought desperately did he manage to cross the treacherous peaks and escape to Baidi City.

at the moment,

How did that Han emperor escape back?

That's how Liu Shan fought his way back!

"Your Highness."

Zhang Bao's voice interrupted Liu Shan's thoughts: "Lu Xun has been shot by an arrow, the Wu army in Zigui City is in chaos, and their fighting spirit has been shattered."

"Now that the crisis in our Great Han Dynasty has been resolved, Your Highness should return to Baidi City to pay homage to the Emperor."

"Why insist on going to Yiling, putting yourself in such a dangerous place?"

Guan Xing didn't speak, but the look in his eyes as he looked at Liu Shan was clearly as puzzled as Zhang Bao's.

"Back to Baidi City?"

Liu Shan's words were completely calm: "You cannot return."

At least for now, he absolutely cannot return to Baidi City.

After the crushing defeat at Yiling, Liu Bei was already disheartened and seriously ill.

As the crown prince, he was outside Baidi City, and the Han dynasty had not yet been handed over to a successor. The emperor still had concerns in his heart, and he could still hold on by a thread.

If Liu Bei had already entered Yong'an Palace at this moment, with no worries on his mind, he would probably have passed away on the spot.

This was not the ending Liu Shan desired.

Liu Bei was indeed nearing his death, but he should not have died in this way!

Dusk is approaching.

The rosy clouds burned like fire across half the sky.

"Prosper the nation."

"Your subordinate is here!"

"Where are we now?"

"Your Highness, once we cross the great river, Yiling City lies on the other side!" Following Guan Xing's directions, Liu Shan's gaze swept across the vast river, looking towards the opposite bank...

Separated by the formidable Yangtze River, the two banks are vast and seemingly insurmountable, making it impossible to see the other side!

As far as the eye can see, there are only blood-red waves reflected in the sunset.

"The city of Yiling is on the other side."

Liu Shan's eyes blazed, and he let out a long breath.

That great city is located at the eastern exit of the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River, tightly controlling the main channel of the Yangtze River, making it a veritable throat of the Yangtze!

For Jiangdong, holding Yiling meant holding the natural barrier of the Yangtze River.

For Shu Han, breaking through Yiling meant opening up a passage for eastward expansion.

This riverside city determined the course of three major events in the history of the world!

Battle of Red Cliffs

The allied forces of Sun Quan and Liu Bei captured Yiling, forcing Cao Ren to retreat and laying the foundation for Sun Quan's dominance in the southeast!

Battle of Yiling

Lu Xun decisively defeated Liu Bei here, and a great fire shattered the Liu family's destiny of three rises! The tripartite balance of power in the Three Kingdoms was finally established.

The landscape is like a painting.

Countless heroes and fine men have been buried here.

This vast river flows not with water, but with the inexhaustible blood of heroes over decades! The sky above Yiling City is already filled with the spirit of heroes!

"Your Highness, Yiling is in sight. What should we do?"

Call ~

The river wind is strong and the gale is fierce!

Without hesitation, Liu Shan headed straight for the bank of the Yangtze River.

wow~

The river roared in fury, its waves crashing against the shore! A vast expanse of white spray could be seen, howling and raging, gathering and then dispersing.

"Come with me!"