Kuangfu Han Dynasty

Chapter 7 I have a bold idea
Liu Ruyu also recovered from the intense conversation between mother and son. Seeing that Xu Shu was still lying on the ground for a long time, she went over to help him: "Mr. Xu, the old lady was just angry for a moment."

"Marquis..." Xu Shu quickly wiped away his tears and saluted Liu Ruyu. She was the daughter of the lord after all.

Liu Ruyu seized the opportunity and asked, "When Sir came north, were my mother and Adou safe?"

Xu Shu said: "Mi Zifang, who was ordered to protect the lord's family, was pursued by soldiers. He was no match for the enemy and escaped alone, but Mrs. Gan and the young master fell behind..."

"Ah!" Liu Ruyu covered her mouth and exclaimed, but fortunately Xu Shu continued: "Fortunately, General Zilong was still looking for him in the north. He broke through the siege of Cao Qi in a short time, hugged the young master, and returned with Mrs. Gan. All of them were spared."

"What a blessing! It's just as Ah Shao said!" Liu Ruyu covered her heart, overjoyed, but wait, Ah Shao was being captured with him, so how did he know that Zhao Yun would rescue Adou?

By the way, what is Zhang Shao doing?Liu Ruyu looked back and saw Zhang Shao squatting at the door of the room, observing the situation inside from time to time - the door panel of the room was probably removed by Cao Jun and used as a bed, and now there was a bamboo curtain hanging on it.

Liu Ruyu then asked Zhang Shao about the safety of his mother Xia Houjuan, sister-in-law and nephew. After learning that they were all fine, her heart dropped.

Xu Shu looked at the happy girl in front of her and sighed. Wasn't she the one she should be worried about the most?He couldn't bear it, and added: "When my lord sent the concubine back to the north, he also mentioned that if he met the Marquis sisters and Asao, he would ask the concubine to take care of them."

Xu Shu only didn't tell her that Xia Houjuan had also been guarding the ferry all night, but he still didn't see Zhang Bao returning with his child.The next day I heard that Zhang Shao had been captured by Xia Houyuan. I was really sad and happy. I was happy that Zhang Shao was safe at least, but sad that mother and son might have to be separated. Xia Houjuan also wanted to return north to look for his son, but only because she was pregnant. , it is simply impossible to make the trip.

Liu Ruyu thanked her and felt a little relieved. She wanted to chat with Xu Shu a few more words, but she saw Xiahou Ba had already walked over, so she hurriedly backed away while holding her sister's hand.

Xiahou Ba finally remembered what he should say. He smiled dryly and said to Xu Shu: "The old lady is confused. Now that your husband has abandoned the captives and surrendered to the imperial court, he is like a beautiful jade falling out of the mud. With the talent of the king, the prime minister misses Xianru. If you are thirsty, why worry about not getting rich? From now on, you can serve the old lady in the morning and evening with full filial piety..."

Before he finished speaking, Zhang Shao, who was squatting at the door of the inner room, suddenly shouted: "It's not good, the old lady is going to hang herself!"

……

After a while, Zhang Shao rubbed his left leg with a look of pain on his face.

He said that the foot should be rested, but he just saw Mrs. Xu crying for a long time after entering the living room. Then he found a hemp rope in the house, hung the foot on the beam, and put her head into the knot. , he is about to hang himself on the beam!

In desperation, Zhang Shao yelled and rushed into the house, trying to support Mrs. Xu's legs. As a result, she lost her balance and fell to the ground with Zhang Shao...

When Liu Ruyu and others came in and took a look, they were immediately frightened and said, "Thanks to Ah Shao!"

Xu Shu was frightened and felt sad. He knelt down in front of Mrs. Xu and said, "Mother, why are you doing this? If you are evil, I really won't be able to live anymore."

Mrs. Xu regained her breath, but she still covered her face and said, "In the final analysis, I still failed to teach you well. Now that you have made a big mistake, how can I see anyone again?"

Xu Shu kowtows: "It's my son who has made things difficult for his mother. In that case, it's better for him to kill himself first!" After saying this, he continued to bow his head to the ground. He couldn't afford to live or die. In front of his mother, he was just a child who made mistakes. He also looks a bit wise and resourceful.

The mother and son were just frozen there. Xiahou Ba stood at the door, stunned by Mrs. Xu's fierceness. Seeing that Xu Shu was also speechless, and was thinking about going up to comfort him, Zhang Shao limped and pulled him away. open.

Zhang Shao whispered: "As the second uncle, I'm afraid things will get worse the more you talk about it, why don't you wait outside and leave this place to your nephew!"

Xiahou Ba agreed in a daze and left the back room obediently.

On the other hand, Liu Ruyu persuaded her to leave first. She helped Mrs. Xu to sit on the couch and said softly: "Old Madam, there is really no need to be like this. Although I don't read much, I have heard someone say a few words... Parents are filial, so loyalty can be transferred to the king. Therefore, if you want a loyal minister, you must be in the door of a filial son. A son's filial piety to his mother is a matter greater than the sky. How can he seek death if he has a filial son at his knees? "

She added: "Furthermore, many people left my father in the past. He often mentioned a Mr. Tian Yu, who was originally from Youzhou. He relied on his father since he was young. His father also valued him very much and worked together to save Beihai. Go to Xuzhou."

"But when his father became the governor of Yuzhou, Tian Yu received a letter saying that his mother had grown old and sick at home in the past few years, and his brother had also passed away, so there was no one to take care of him. Therefore, Tian Yu wept goodbye to his father and returned to Youyou. The state has gone. To this day, my father often laments, ‘I wish I could accomplish great things with Tian Guorang’, but he is still glad that he did not delay Tian Yu’s filial piety.”

Liu Ruyu deserves to be well-educated and talks in one way, but Mrs. Xu is not easy to persuade.

She shook her head and said: "This is different. How can it be the same as Tian Yu's farewell to Liu Yuzhou when his achievements were just beginning, and my family's abandonment of General Zuo when the family was in danger? The old woman has also heard of the "Book of Filial Piety"... "

Mrs. Xu glanced at Xu Shu, recalling the scene of her son reading aloud by the window while she was sewing beside him, and sighed: "A husband's filial piety begins with serving his relatives, ends with serving the king, and finally establishes himself. The former is nothing more than a little filial piety, while the latter This is great filial piety! Now my family cannot serve the king, and the loyalty used to establish one's life has been destroyed. I really have no face in the world."

This logic is correct. Liu Ruyu is not a debater, so she doesn’t know how to respond for a moment. However, Zhang Shao can see clearly from the sidelines. There are two reasons why Mrs. Xu committed suicide: First, she felt that she had been favored by Liu Bei in Xinye in the past few years. The situation is too serious and there is really no way to pay it back.

The second is more important. She regards her son's ideal as a treasure, which is more important than his wealth and life. Now Xu Shu has given up because of herself. Mrs. Xu is disappointed and feels that she has dragged Xu Shu down, so she starts to think about life and death. meaning.Maybe his death would wake Xu Shu up, break away from Cao's army in the name of mourning, and then try to join General Zuo again?This is just wishful thinking of an old woman.

At the moment, he could only attack the former, so Zhang Shao went straight in and advised: "Old madam, the Xu family is not unreasonable in repaying General Zuo!"

Mrs. Xu raised her eyes and saw Zhang Shao signaling to sister Liu Ruyu: "General Zuo's beloved daughter is here. Thanks to the old lady's care, she has been spared a lot of hard work these days. Sister, are you saying yes or no?"

Liu Ruyu understood and nodded quickly. Zhang Shao added: "But prisoners are prisoners after all. Who knows what Cao Cao will do with us? Maybe there will be more humiliations."

Zhang Shao walked up to Xu Shu and tried to help him up, but Xu Shu didn't move at all. Zhang Shao had no choice but to squat down and said: "Now that Mr. Xu has come north, we have another person to rely on. If you can manage to save them, this will be the end of the world." Aren’t you repaying General Zuo’s kindness?”

Xu Shu finally raised his face. Seeing that his mother no longer wanted to die, he hurriedly answered: "Exactly, my lord, this is how we care for each other when we say goodbye!"

Zhang Shao clapped his hands: "On the contrary, if the old lady and Mr. Xu committed suicide after a disagreement, and left three weak children trapped in the enemy camp, what should we do? That is the real injustice, the real injustice What a big mistake! So, I hope you two will stop talking about death!"

……

Xiahou Ba was pacing anxiously outside the house. Although he failed to let Xiahou Juan return to the north as he wished, recruiting Xu Shu to surrender was also a good move by his father, and he would definitely be praised and rewarded by the Prime Minister afterwards.

But if the mother and son committed suicide together in Dangyang, things would be terrible!With the temperament of the scholars, they would definitely be full of pity and even admiration for Xu Shu's mother and son, and they would spread their deeds widely and become famous throughout the country!

And Xia Houyuan, who "forced" them to death, will have a bad reputation - Xia Houyuan can only suffer. Is it possible that you still want Prime Minister Cao to bear this bad reputation?
"If not, should we send someone to keep Xu Shu's mother and son under strict supervision for twelve hours?"

Xiahou Ba hesitated there, but saw the curtain lifted, Zhang Shao walked out with a smile, and the crying in the room had already stopped.

"How?" Xiahou Ba asked.

Zhang Shao took the credit and said, "Thanks to my nephew's persuasion and dry mouth, Mrs. Xu finally stopped talking about seeking death."

Before Xiahou Ba could be happy, Zhang Shao whispered again: "But the second uncle, his mother and son are still emotionally unstable, especially Mrs. Xu. Perhaps she was frightened in Changban, and she still regards General Cao Jun as a bandit." . Every time the second uncle comes in and out, it will make the old lady uneasy. If you stay here any longer, she may be provoked into something unexpected!"

Xiahou Ba subconsciously said: "Then what should we do?" Then he realized that he was asking an eight-year-old child. If he spread the word, he would not be laughed to death!But Zhang Shao's words and deeds sometimes made Xiahou Ba feel that he was indeed different from ordinary children.

Zhang Shao took the opportunity and said, "Second uncle, why don't you leave this courtyard to do other things first, and let Xu Shu, mother and son be alone for a while. When the relationship eases, there will be no serious problems."

Xiahou Ba was still hesitant. After all, Xiahou Yuan ordered him to keep an eye on Xu Shu. This person must be brought before Prime Minister Cao properly.

Zhang Shao patted his chest and assured: "Second uncle, don't worry, I'm watching over here!"

After saying this, Zhang Shao was afraid that Xiahou Ba would be suspicious, so he deliberately scratched the back of his head and said shyly: "Second uncle gave me meat to eat, asked a doctor to help me see a doctor, buried my dead brother for me, and brought his relics... I didn't think anything of it..." I just wanted to do something small for my second uncle. After all, I am a prisoner in Cao Ying, so I have to rely on my second uncle for protection."

I see!This is a little bit of cleverness from this kid.Xiahou Ba then nodded in agreement, thinking that there were two soldiers guarding the courtyard outside, and Xu Shu's sword had been taken away, and he was worried about his mother's safety, so there shouldn't be any accidents, right?

Before Xiahouba walked out of the hospital, he touched Zhang Shao's head. His eyes were a little more pleased. He smiled and said: "A Shao, you are indeed smart and alert, and you know the general situation. Don't worry, your uncle and I are here. , the Prime Minister will not embarrass you!"

……

The door was closed from the outside again, but Zhang Shao still stood for a while and laughed dumbly.

He was happy that Xiahou Ba did not call Zhang Shao by his first name for the first time, but used a term of endearment. It seemed that he really regarded him as his nephew.

Oh, and that big promise that doesn't represent Xia Houyuan's opinion at all. Although it doesn't count, at least with Xia Houba taking care of him, his life in Cao Ying should not be much different from now on.

But a prisoner is a prisoner after all, and Zhang Shao's life is still not up to him, or even to the Xiahou family.

He also laughed at Xiahou Ba's carelessness, not knowing how bold and crazy he was going to do on the spur of the moment... No, he couldn't blame his second uncle, no one would think that way when faced with an eight-year-old boy, right?
For example, Xu Shu was known for his wisdom under Liu Bei.

By this time, Xu Shu had been driven out of the back room. Mrs. Xu was persuaded by Zhang Shaoyi. Although she no longer wanted to die, she still did not want to talk to Xu Shu.

"Hey."

After Xu Shu came to the courtyard, he just looked up to the sky and sighed. He was as high-spirited as a tiger and leopard under General Zuo's tent, but now that he has surrendered to Cao's camp, he is as miserable as a wild dog that has lost its owner.

The ambitions and grand plans of the past collapsed under the overwhelming offensive of Cao Jun, and the ideals placed on the Ming Dynasty were also destroyed by himself.

And after paying so much price, he couldn't even do the most basic filial piety, and actually forced his mother to almost commit suicide. He was a son of a human being in vain!I have been studying for so many years in vain, but in the end I am still a useless waste who can never accomplish anything!

For a moment, Xu Shu looked depressed and his steps were slumped. He walked a few steps forward with his head lowered, but saw a pair of small feet standing in front of him. When he raised his head, Zhang Shaozheng was standing in front of him with a smile on his face.

By the way, I haven’t thanked Zhang Shao for stopping his mother yet...

Xu Shu was about to go over and pat the boy on the head to praise him, but Zhang Shao spoke first.

"Don't worry, Mr. Xu, Xiahou Ba has been sent away by me."

Zhang Shao's eyes were gleaming: "Now, we are the only ones left in this courtyard! Shao has an important matter of life and death, please discuss it in secret with your husband!"

……

Sister Liu Ruyu and Mrs. Xu were both in the back room. Only Xu Shu and Zhang Shao were alone in the whole courtyard. As long as they didn't "conspire loudly", what they said should be that God knows what you know and what I know.

"Sir, please sit down." Zhang Shao found a mat, spread it on the ground, and asked Xu Shu to sit down on his knees. He got down casually, hugged his knees and sat cross-legged next to Xu Shu.

Only then did Xu Shu have the opportunity to take a closer look at Zhang Shao - he often visited Liu Bei and Zhang Fei's houses in Xinye and watched Zhang Shao grow up.

But Zhang Shao was not outstanding at all when he was a child. When the children rode bamboo horses to imitate the adults and went to war, the eldest daughter of Han Shouting Marquis always played the general, while Zhang Shao was a soldier following behind.As for reading, he didn't know a hundred words until he was eight years old, which was far behind Liu Ruyu, who was smart and studious.

Today, Zhang Shao seems to have become a different person. Not only did he save Mrs. Xu with keenness, he also showed no fright in the face of Xu Shu's scrutinizing gaze.

Xu Shu thought to himself: "This son's temperament has changed drastically. Is it because I underestimated him before?"

Now that Zhang Shao deliberately pushed Xiahou Ba away, what did he want to say to himself?
Unexpectedly, Zhang Shao opened his mouth and became concerned about Xu Shulai: "Mr. Xu's wish to save his mother has been fulfilled, but have you ever thought about how you will deal with yourself in Cao Ying in the future?"

What are your future plans?Xu Shu was silent for a moment. When he said goodbye to Liu Bei and returned to the north, he only thought about his mother's safety and did not think about it at all.

However, Liu Bei held Xu Shu's hand and wished him well, saying: "I am too virtuous to be able to work with you on big things. I hope that after my husband goes north, he will not abandon himself in the wilderness and become the new leader of good deeds. In this way, he can not only protect his family, but also achieve success." Fame can only be useful if it is still there. With your benevolence to help the world, the people under your rule will definitely live a better life."

These words made Xu Shu feel even more ashamed!He heard that when people in ancient times entered officialdom, they would first write their names on jade as a pledge of death and hand it over to the monarch to show that they were bound to die.

In these troubled times, fortunately, the Ming Lord did not give up and was given a heavy use. Xu Shu cherished it very much. In the past, he thought that he could start well and end well, but unexpectedly, he turned his back on Liu Bei when he encountered a catastrophe.

Because of his mother, he couldn't stick to his integrity, but how could he shamelessly stand opposite Liu Bei, assist Cao Cao, and kill his former lord, old friends, and colleagues?

Therefore, Xu Shu's choice was because he could manage to escape after saving his mother and return to Yingchuan County in order to return to his hometown and avoid disaster.

This is of course an extravagant hope. With Cao Cao's temper, it may be difficult to achieve his wish.Besides, now that I have the added responsibility of taking care of Liu Bei's two daughters and Zhang Shao, it would be best for me to become an official, so that I can have a say.

But once Xu Shu became an official, it meant that he had no way out, and would even be forced to separate from his mother, because Cao Jun had a special "pledge" system.

The so-called pledge of responsibility means that those who serve as generals and ministers for Cao Cao must leave their families in Yecheng.In the name of protection, in reality they are like hostages. The generals and governors are concerned about the safety of their families, and the possibility of betrayal is greatly reduced.If something changes, Cao Cao can immediately execute the family members of the rebellious generals and punish them as a warning to others.

It is said that this method was strictly implemented after Cao Cao was stabbed severely by Zhang Xiu in Wancheng. The cost of knocking on the widow's door that time was too painful.

Xu Shu expected that his mother would be separated by herself and placed in Dangyang, Xiangyang and other places before the end of the war. She would become a string tightly held in Cao Cao's hands, making Xu Shu afraid of flying high.

Since Zhang Shao saved his mother and was so smart and sensible, Xu Shu shared these thoughts one by one. Zhang Shao nodded repeatedly and understood the situation of Xu Shu's mother and son, and the plan in his mind became more complete.

Xu Shu added: "If I can protect Sister Hou and A Shao, and make my mother feel a little relieved, that will be enough. What's more, even if I become an official, it will not be detrimental to the lord. I will..."

coming!Zhang Shao immediately followed the story in the novel, interrupted Xu Shu, and said tentatively: "Sir, is it possible that even if you become an official in Cao Ying, you will never make any plans for Cao Cao?"

This statement made Xu Shu look surprised!It turned out that Zhang Shao's guess was quite accurate. Although he was not "silent", Xu Shu planned to reject all military plans. Of course, Cao Cao had many talents at his disposal, so there was no need or certainty to use him in the military.

Zhang Shao observed Xu Shu's expression and knew that he was wrong, so he added: "Is this what you want, sir, to relieve your guilt for betraying General Zuo?"

The previous sentence made it clear what Xu Shu was thinking, but this sentence directly broke through Xu Shu's self-comfort. He was a little embarrassed for a moment, and realized that there was something in Zhang Shao's words, so he asked softly: "If this is indeed the case, does A Shao think it is inappropriate?"

"Of course it's inappropriate!" Zhang Shao shook his head: "With your wisdom, sir, it would be too weak and even ridiculous to just engage in this kind of 'silent argument'."

"Then what does Shao think I should do?" Xu Shu was very curious about Zhang Shao's answer.

Zhang Shaodao: "Sir, you should do something that only a wise and brave man can do!"

　Thanks to Bai Yinmeng of "People Under the Wutong", okay.

　　Thanks to the leaders of the alliance, "Shangxian Qitian", "Qi Rong'an", "The world will let me decline", "Yu's umbrella", "Master bream", "No real meaning" and "Quotes follow the rain".

　　Thank you to all readers who tipped and voted. Thank you.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)