lotus in troubled times

When the Anshi Rebellion broke out, the Zeng family was the first big family to be affected.The passing army ransacked Zeng's family from top to bottom.Madam Zeng's family hired chariots and horses at night, stuffed Zeng Lian into the straw, and brought her out of Chang'an City.Madam Zeng's normally dignified hair bun was messily scattered on her chest. She hugged Zeng Lian, tears kept streaming down her face, scorching hot. She said, "Go! Go to a safe place. Go! You must survive in peace!"

Zeng Lian is a little son. It was the first time he was stuffed into the straw like this and bumped all the way out of the city. It was also the first time he was starved and cold like this, but he could only bear it; hit the road.Moreover, after getting off the car this time, no mother would greet him with a smile again.

Zeng Lian didn't know where the carriage stopped, nor did he know where it was going.He just kept walking, sleeping on the side of the road for a while when he was sleepy, eating wild food when he was hungry, or...begging.Every time Zeng Lian wanted to give up, he would think of the words his mother said: "Go to a safe place! You must survive in peace." But in troubled times, where can there be peace? survive.

The weather was getting hotter and hotter, and Zeng Lian felt that she was going to the end, all around her were broken swords and guns, and there were few people around.Towards evening, Zeng Lian finally fell to the ground.In a daze, he saw something emitting green light around him.

is a wolf.

Zeng Lian braced herself to stand up, dragged a broken sword beside her, and raised her sword to make a move.He doesn't want to die here.

After taking a step, Zeng Lian's legs and feet felt weak and she almost fell to her knees.Someone behind him picked up the sword with his hand, supported him to resume the sword posture, and pointed the sword point directly at the wolves.Everyone has their own aura, and the person with him behind him is obviously full of aura. Just raising his sword, the wolves gradually receded.Zeng Lian heard him praise from behind: "Good tenacity, he is a person who achieves great things."

Zeng Lian remembered what her mother said. Her mother once said that he was too delicate and always cried, worrying that he would be bullied in the future.Now, he has finally become the kind of tough person his mother expected.

The person who came to rescue Zeng Lian was Guo Yan.

At night, Guo Yan lit a bonfire, roasted food, and handed it to Zeng Lian.

He asked Zeng Lian, "Where are you from?"

Zeng Lian wolfed down the dry food and answered him intermittently.

After hearing his answer, Guo Yan sighed inwardly.He just came from Chang'an, which has already been turned into ruins.Where the Zeng family was located, the plague spread.In order to get rid of the plague, the place had already been burned down by a fire, leaving only bones and no one to rest.

Zeng Lian was still swallowing dry food, looking pitiful, Guo Yan's original truth turned into comfort: "When you have a chance in the future, it's okay for you to go back and find relatives."

There were mottled bloodstains and wounds on Zeng Lian's hands and feet, and her eyes were probably slightly injured, and they were bandaged carelessly. In such a hot weather, if she didn't wash her eyes, she would get inflamed.Guo Yan washed the gauze, removed the bandage, and helped Zeng Lian clean up bit by bit.

While cleaning up, he asked, "Zeng Lian, do you want to be my apprentice?"

Zeng Lian sat quietly without speaking.

Guo Yan continued: "If you ask me to be your teacher, I can take you to Junshan Mountain. Junshan is very beautiful, full of peach blossoms, and there are many disciples of the Beggar Gang like me. You have a good foundation. If you practice martial arts well , there will be great success in the future."

Zeng Lian only asked him two questions: "Is it safe there?"

"Of course the leader of the beggar gang is safe."

"Going to Junshan, can I survive?"

Thinking of the situation of the Zeng family, Guo Yan patted Zeng Lian's head and said, "I will keep you safe forever."

Zeng Lian knelt down and kowtowed three times in an upright manner. The Zeng family was taught strictly, and Zeng Lian learned all the etiquette that should be learned.

In this way, Zeng Lian is his closed disciple.Guo Yan asked him to change his name to Liansheng, which means toughness and rebirth.

After paying homage to his master, Guo Yan didn't take him back to Junshan right away. The place Liansheng went to was Mawei.The troops of Anlu Mountain were stationed here, and countless soldiers of Tiance Mansion died here.Guo Yan came here this time because he saw the chaos in the world and came to investigate.

Guo Yan took Liansheng to search for two days, and happened to meet a group of people from An Lushan.

Guo Yan is nearly [-] years old, and his martial arts skills of the beggar gang have reached the pinnacle.He took Liansheng's hand to resist the soldiers from all walks of life, and he still had time to give some pointers.Liansheng used to be squeamish but not stupid, and he had a solid foundation in martial arts. With a little guidance from Guo Yan, he mastered a lot.Suddenly, a lychee hit Liansheng.The person who threw the lychee had profound martial arts skills, and a small lychee was somewhat more powerful than the pistols held by those soldiers.Guo Yan hugged Liansheng to avoid the lychee, and caught it behind his back.

A person stepped out of the tent and was walking towards them.The visitor was dressed in ordinary clothes and walked out of the tent, obviously his status was not low.

"Your Excellency is the leader of Guo Yan Guo."

"I'm Guo Yan, who are you?"

"Next, Anlu Mountain."

When Liansheng heard this, he grabbed Guo Yan's hand a little harder.Guo Yan took a sip of his wine, raised his head and laughed loudly: "It turns out that you are a traitorous slave, come on, let's have a good fight with me today. If I kill you, I will be counted as killing the country."

An Lushan smiled and didn't make any excuses. He just put his arms around a white-haired dancer and said, "Guo Yan, you have a child with you. It's a little difficult to get out of here. If you are willing to accept me I'll let you take this child away if you have a relationship, how about it."

Guo Yan looked around.The charming white-haired dancer on the edge of Anlu Mountain should be Su Mansha.Su Mansha looks like a delicate and soft girl, but her martial arts are not low.An Lushan is not as fat-headed as in the legend, he is lean and fleshy, with strong explosive power.Just a lychee can tell, this person has profound kung fu.Guo Yan's martial arts are excellent, but no matter what, it is impossible to fight two against one.After weighing it, he took Liansheng and left.

Before leaving, Liansheng looked back at An Lushan with a fierce expression on his face.He knew that it was the person who ruined the world, the person who forced him to leave home, but now he had to leave.