General, please be a loyal minister!

The north wind blows the land, and the white grass withers.

Han Zhao returned to Liangzhou when the land was covered with snow and silver. However, after entering Liangzhou City, he found that it was not only the snow that was pale, but also the whiteness all over the city.

An ominous premonition rose in his heart, and he hurriedly grabbed a passer-by and asked, "What happened? Why are you going to mourn?"

The passer-by looked depressed and said sadly: "Young master... the funeral is over!"

Just five words sounded like a bell in Han Zhao's mind. After realizing it, he let go of passers-by and rode his horse to the Young Master's Mansion.

The Young Master's Mansion also hung up the white silk, thinking that the white snow would hurt people's eyes.

Han Zhao got off his horse and rushed inward. The guards wanted to stop this strange man, but they were stopped by someone who recognized Han Zhao.The man watched Han Zhao's hurried back enter the mansion, and he was sure that Mr. Han, whom the young master had been looking forward to day and night, had really returned.

The courtyard was filled with soul-inducing banners. In the main room, Yu Wenxun took his son Hui to stand in front of the coffin. When he saw Han Zhao, his expression changed slightly, but he didn't make a sound.

Han Zhao walked into the mourning hall slowly, and slowly saw the faces of the people in the coffin. He stopped in front of the coffin and stared at Liu Xuan, without saying anything or showing any expression.

It took Han Zhao a long time to accept this fact. After a long time, he asked Yu Wenxun in a hoarse voice: "Why is this happening?"

Yu Wenxun did not answer but lit a stick of incense and handed it to Han Zhao. Han Zhao and Yu Wenxun looked at each other, took the incense and worshiped Liu Xuan first.

Gong Zihui replied skillfully, his eyes were red but he didn't cry, this six-year-old child showed a kind of distressing maturity at this time.The entire mourning hall was eerily quiet, only the low cries of the female relatives and children.

After offering incense, Han Zhao and Yu Wenxun came outside the mourning hall. The cold new wind blew past, blowing fine snow all over the courtyard, and the soul flags waving gently, but it couldn't blow away the depression in people's hearts.

Yu Wenxun's expression was very calm, and there were not many traces of sadness.

Wei Yao once said that the hearts of men like Yu Wenxun are full of family, country, loyalty, filial piety and righteousness. They don't like to leave too much time for their hearts, and they are used to forbearance and restraint, forcing themselves to be like emotional ascetics.

Now with the addition of Han Zhao who was even worse, neither of them expressed their inner grief, nor did they offer each other comfort. Yu Wenxun's first sentence was: "You are late."

Immediately after the second sentence is: "Where is Zhao Ji?"

Han Zhao was silent for a moment, then replied heavily, "He's not coming back."

Yu Wenxun didn't understand, and asked, "What do you mean?"

When Han Zhao came in just now, he felt something was wrong when he didn't see Zhao Ji, and now hearing such an answer deepened his feeling.In the end what happened?So that Han Zhao came back alone?

"You will get the news in two days." Han Zhao didn't want to talk more about Zhao Ji, but returned to Liu Xuan's death, "Why did the young master pass away suddenly?"

Yu Wenxun replied: "The young master was very sad because of Jing Xiu's death, and he was overworked and could not rest. He was bedridden a month ago, and he went there the night before..." This short sentence seemed to exhaust this man with the blood of the Western Regions. With all the strength of the famous general, his voice trembled uncontrollably at the last sentence.

Jing Xiu's sudden death left a lot of mess, even with Xu Chi's help, it would not be able to be cleaned up in a few moments, and Liu Xuan had to endure the double pain of psychology and body to insist on fulfilling the responsibility of the young master.

In the past few months, Yu Wenxun stayed by Liu Xuan's side, watching him become weaker and weaker but powerless.

Although he was grieving, Han Zhao didn't care about it and was not used to venting. He just asked in a hoarse voice, "Which son will succeed you?"

If there is no accident, it should be Gong Zihui, but it is inappropriate to guess without a definite answer to this kind of thing.

Yu Wenxun replied: "The young master's biography is located in Gong Zihui, and Xu Chi was made prime minister, and he was appointed to assist the young master together with me. He also said that after Zhao Ji came back, he would be the prince Hui's Taibao..."

When Zhao Ji was mentioned again, Han Zhao's expression became even more gloomy, but he still avoided talking about it and asked, "Is the current situation troublesome?"

What he asked was not only the current situation in Liangzhou, but also the impact on Liangzhou if Zhao Ji did not come back.

Yu Wenxun didn't answer directly, but looked at Feixue, who was full of courtyards, and sighed: "No matter how troublesome it is, as long as it doesn't fall down, it will be fine."

Undoubtedly, the current situation is very difficult. Young Master Hui is not strong-minded and easily provoked by others. They cannot expect him to listen and discern like his father Liu Xuan. They can only do their best before acting. Be prepared.

The situation in Liangzhou is already complicated, and it is extremely difficult to sort it out. Now that three pillars have fallen one after another, the situation is even worse. It will be difficult, very difficult to find a clear path in the future.

But just like what Yu Wenxun said: as long as you don’t fall down, it will be fine, just like this winter, no matter how cold it is, you just need to survive until spring.

What if it falls down?

That can only fall down.

From the moment Liu Xuan died, Yu Wenxun felt a sense of desolation and powerlessness in his heart that "the sky is thin in Liangzhou".

Losing the lord who swore allegiance to the death is like losing the flag on the battlefield to the life of a general, unable to discern the direction, and can only look around in a daze.

His motivation now is Liu Xuan asking him to assist Gong Zihui's last life, but how can his last life compare with the living?

People can work hard and create miracles for the living, but their last wish can only make people wait for death.When he was less than 30 years old, General Yuwen extinguished his fighting spirit and became ill.

……

A few days after Han Zhao returned to Liangzhou, another team also came outside the city. It was Zhao Ji and his guards who followed Han Zhao's pace day and night.

Zhao Ji rode his horse in front of the city gate, turned the horse's head, and said sharply to the guards following him: "I told you not to follow!"

The leading guard clasped his fists and confessed: "My lord, this is an order from Gongliang's military division, and my subordinates dare not disobey it."

If Gong Liangyin didn't dare to disobey his orders, would he dare disobey his?

Seeing this situation, Zhao Ji also knew that he could not order the guards, so he could only give them an angry look, turned his horse's head, and rode into the city.

On the way here, Zhao Ji already knew everything about Jing Xiu's death in Liangzhou in the past few months, knowing that Gongliang Yin had lied to him so much, Zhao Ji was very angry, and even felt bad about the guards sent by Gongliang Yin.

After entering the city, Zhao Ji also saw the Xyx that had not been removed in the future, and he also walked the path that Han Zhao had walked, and rushed into the Young Master's Mansion with a face of panic, but he saw that it was empty. When he came down from the mourning hall, he immediately turned around and ran to the mausoleum when he learned where Liu Xuan was buried.

He rode his horse desperately all the way to Beiwang Mountain. The snow was thick and the mountain was high, making it difficult for horses to move, so Zhao Ji abandoned his horse and ran up the mountain on foot.

In the past few days, there have been several heavy snowfalls that buried the entire Liangzhou. Even the people of Liangzhou said that the heavens were mourning for the young master.

When he reached the mountainside, the snow had reached his knees, but Zhao Ji still walked forward without saying a word, and followed the armored guards behind him, complaining endlessly.

Zhao Ji finally arrived in front of Liu Xuan’s tomb when the snow soaked his brocade clothes and his legs were numb from the cold. The newly cultivated mound was towering, and the pine and cypress pavilions planted in the early years—this is a rare treasure of geomantic omen, which was deliberately preserved by Liangzhou dignitaries. As the address of the mausoleum, I didn't expect Liu Xuan to be buried in the end.

Looking at the posthumous name engraved on the tall tombstone, Zhao Ji couldn't believe it.

How can it be?

Liu Xuan is still so young, how could he say nothing?

Why not wait for him?

Zhao Ji supported the tombstone and called helplessly: "Get up, Brother Xuan! Let's enter the Eastern Capital together, and re-enshrine the ranks of Liu's ancestors into the Taimiao..."

Liu Xuan once lamented that it would be great if Zhao Ji was really his brother, but now that he really became Liu Xuan's cousin, Liu Xuan left before he knew it.

It is clearly agreed that he will conquer the world for Liu Xuan, and Liu Xuan will seal the lands for him, and the two will create a prosperous world together.

How can the ruler have no faith?Doesn't the young master do what he says?Rise up and fulfill your promise!

"Master, please take care of your health." The guard stepped forward to comfort Zhao Ji.

The unfamiliar voice pulled Zhao Ji back to reality, and he began to think about reality with the thoughts that slowly came back,

He was unwilling to accept Liu Xuan's sudden death, and would rather attribute it to a conspiracy: "There must be something inside! The young master is in good health, so how could he just say no? Go and investigate!"

The guards were willing to carry out Zhao Ji's and Gong Liangyin's request that the orders do not conflict, and they decisively gave the order: "Yes!"

Regardless of whether they can find anything, as long as they move, they can prevent Zhao Ji from venting his depression on them.

Zhao Ji came back to the small courtyard with a whole body of snow. He is very eager to see Han Zhao now. He wants to fall on Han Zhao's lap, thinking about nothing, asking nothing, falling into a deep sleep, and discovering all this when he wakes up. just a dream.

However, the door of the old residence was locked, and Han Zhao did not come back.

It was only then that Zhao Ji thought dully that Han Zhao might no longer want him as an apprentice.

He knelt down in the snow in front of the door, wanted to cry but couldn't cry, opened his mouth but couldn't breathe.

Mr. Jing is gone, Brother Xuan is gone, Han Zhao doesn't want him anymore... Zhao Ji now seems to be experiencing the pain of pulling away the bones that have grown into the flesh for many years.

——This must not be reality, otherwise how could it be more cruel than a nightmare?

……

Zhao Ji was called up from the snow by the guards. The guards suspected that if they didn't call Zhao Ji, Zhao Ji would stay there until he froze to death.

After regaining his senses, Zhao Ji stopped the guard who was going to find the inn, climbed over the wall and entered the small courtyard alone, and came to Han Zhao's room.

This room has been unoccupied for several months. Han Zhao has never returned since the morning when the "spies case" happened, but Liu Xuan sent someone to tidy it up after Ting Wei's people searched it. , so the house is very tidy.

Objects large and small were placed there quietly, covered by a thin layer of ash.

Zhao Ji fell headfirst on Han Zhao's bed and buried his face in the quilt, imagining that there was still Han Zhao's breath in it, in order to get some comfort.

The guard who stayed behind to take care of Zhao Ji also followed in. Seeing that Zhao Ji's body was already drenched in snow, he stepped forward and asked, "Do you want to take a bath, my lord?"

Zhao Ji didn't want to talk to him now, and ordered in a cold voice: "Go out and leave me alone."

These guards had only been with Zhao Ji for a few days, and they couldn't talk about any friendship. After asking that sentence and fulfilling their duties, they stopped forcing them, quietly put down a set of clean clothes, and retreated.

Unhealed old wounds, days of running around, and extreme grief exhausted Zhao Ji's energy. He didn't want to sleep, but finally fell asleep in the cold quilt without Han Zhao's breath.

The next day, what woke up Zhao Ji was not the Han Zhao he was expecting, but the morning sun. The very bright sun made the world pale.

Zhao Ji didn't get up and lay on the bed in a daze until the guard knocked on his door: "Young Master, Mr. Han has disappeared."

Zhao Ji's empty eyes suddenly brightened, he stood up and opened the door: "Where is it?"

"He is now staying in Yu Wenxun's mansion."

Hearing the address, Zhao Ji grabbed the robe handed over by another guard, and ran towards General Yuwen's mansion.

Zhao Ji still has hope, as long as Han Zhao still recognizes him, as long as he can stay with Han Zhao, his world will not collapse completely, and this series of misfortunes will be able to survive...

The author has something to say: Reasoning questions:

Men's grief is forbearable and restrained.

Zhao Ji can vent and make noise at will.

So Zhao Ji is not a man (√)

Zhao Ji (raises the gun): beep——(expletive) beep——

Haha, be smart.Zhao Ji is indeed not mature at all now, young and frivolous, he doesn't know how to restrain himself, and he hasn't been "weaned" from his master.

Only by shaving off Zhao Ji's "bones" little by little and growing new "bones", Liu Ji, the most "doggy" man in this article, will be born.

This must not be reality, otherwise how could it be more cruel than a nightmare? (×)

This is reality, so it is crueler than nightmares. (√)

Zhao Ji: As an individual?