Jinghong Tower

Chapter 391 Running away
When He Ran received the battle report, the two sides had already started fighting.

At the same time, Fu Yansheng, who received the order, also launched a fierce attack on Yulin.

Just one day before Fu Yansheng sent out his troops, Wu Dongming had just learned that Wu Ji had proclaimed himself king in Xi'an. The people sent by Wu Ji demanded that the Wu family army change their flags to the flag of the Chang'an Army. Wu Dongming was furious. The two sides were in a stalemate, so Fu Yansheng sent out his troops.

Wu Dongming, lying on the sickbed, was powerless and could only send Wu Ju to lead the troops to fight.

At this time in Yulin, there was a period of transition. Those old subordinates who had experienced many battles and were experienced were all in the same situation as Wu Dongming, either old or injured. The new generation mostly grew up with Wu Ji. When the father and son of the Wu family turned against each other, Wu Ji led his troops to Xi'an, and these young generals either followed Wu Ji at that time or went to Xi'an to join Wu Ji later.

After all, they are biological father and son, how could there be any mortal hatred between them?

Therefore, when the fathers of these young generals learned that their sons were going to Xi'an, they not only did not stop them, but instead believed that it was a matter of time.

Wu Ju also had a group of childhood friends around him, but most of them were youngest sons or illegitimate sons in the family.

This situation is very common in the circle of power and wealth. As the eldest son trained as the heir, he is surrounded by a group of elites with similar situations. Unless he degenerates and his family cannot control him, there will be no place for other brothers.

In the Wu family, Wu Ji was trained as the heir since childhood, but Wu Ju was not. He finally got the opportunity to make military achievements, but he was captured and humiliated when he first went to the battlefield, and he almost lost his life.

It was also for this reason that Wu Dongming did not have high hopes for him even though he had already reached adulthood.

The friends around Wu Ju are in a similar situation to him. In short, they are a group of playboys in the eyes of the world.

Wu Ju is the most promising among them. After all, he has been to the battlefield, while the others have not even touched the edge of the battlefield.

As you can imagine, Wu Dongming asked Wu Ju to lead the troops to fight, but there were only a few people Wu Ju could use. The experienced ones were the old, weak and sick, while the young and strong ones had no combat experience at all.

In this battle, Fu Yansheng fought alone!

He began to reflect and wondered if the Tartars had been too quiet recently, which gave He Da the illusion that he was too idle, so he sent him to Yulin?

But Fu Yansheng also felt a sense of crisis because of this.

He is of the same age as Wu Dongming, and he sees a bit of himself in Wu Dongming.

His two sons did not join the army. Both of them passed the official examination and now they are both county magistrates.

Fu Yansheng made a decision that if one day he was injured like Wu Dongming, he would retire and follow his son to his post, plant flowers, go fishing, and hug his grandchildren.

Based on his military achievements, even if he retired and returned home, he would still be respected by the world, and his later years would surely be colorful.

He could let it go, but Wu Dongming couldn't. Now he is lying on the sickbed and still worried.

Thinking about himself and Wu Dongming, Fu Yansheng suddenly admired his wisdom back then. In fact, his sons had all learned martial arts since childhood. However, when they were in Jinyang, he decided to let them give up martial arts and pursue literature.

His wife died and he couldn't bear to lose his son again.

The battle lasted only three days before Yulin City was blasted open by artillery fire. Wu Ju, under the cover of a group of veteran generals, fled to Xi'an with Wu Dongming. Fu Yansheng did not chase them, but proceeded to gather the counties around Yulin step by step.

When Wu Ju and Wu Dongming arrived at Ganquan, they met a group of people sent by Wu Ji to Yulin.

The commander of the troops was Wu Ji's adoptive father-in-law He Jiang, who was also He Shuting's adoptive father.

He Jiang was originally a favorite of Wu Dongming, otherwise he would not have been stationed in Xi'an that year.

But later on, the two families became estranged because of He Shuting.

Now seeing the haggard Wu Dongming, He Jiang almost thought he had made a mistake. The Wu Dongming in front of him was just a frail old man. There was no trace of the majestic and imposing figure he once was.

In fact, Wu Dongming is only in his forties, but due to years of pain, he looks twenty years older than his actual age.

"General, how did you become like this?"

He Jiang burst into tears.

He has feelings for Wu Dongming. Without Wu Dongming, there would be no him today.

Wu Dongming sighed and said self-deprecatingly, "I am old and useless, and my son is useless. He was beaten by Fu Yansheng without any resistance."

He Jiang said bitterly: "He Ran is too cruel, she doesn't even have a little bit of affection. The ancients were right, only women and villains are difficult to raise."

Wu Dongming shook his head: "You can't blame it all on Mr. He, it's because my son is too disappointing."

The look he gave He Jiang was full of meaning. If it weren't for He Jiang, He Shuting wouldn't have hooked up with Wu Ji so easily.

Under normal circumstances, if Wu Dongming looked at him like this, He Jiang would immediately kneel down to show his loyalty.

But today, He Jiang met Wu Dongming's gaze with confidence. He suddenly found that Wu Dongming was not scary at all, but rather somewhat pitiful.

From then on, Wu Dongming and Wu Ju's Yulin Army was officially merged into the Chang'an Army, and Wu Ji and He Dali won the first battle. The reorganized Chang'an Army was in high spirits, and He Dali's army retreated a hundred miles.

Wu Dongming moved into the Chang'an Palace and met Madam Wu, who could not even speak clearly.

The two looked at each other in silence, and saw helplessness on each other's faces.

Wu Dongming said: "This won't work, this won't work, Wu Ji is courting death, does he think he can sit back and relax after winning the battle? Wrong, all wrong.

If he had not claimed the title of king, He Ran would at most teach him a lesson. But now that he has claimed the title of king, He Ran will destroy him until the root of the problem is eradicated.

The Wu family will be destroyed in his hands!"

Mrs. Wu felt the same way. She trembled her lips and finally managed to utter a few words: "Kill the bitch, kill!"

As a couple for many years, even with just a few words, Wu Dongming knew who she wanted to kill.

It was He Shuting. Although Mrs. Wu was sick, she was still obsessed with killing He Shuting.

Wu Dongming smiled bitterly. In the current situation, killing He Shuting was no longer enough to calm He Ran's anger.

They acted too late. If they had killed He Shuting when Wu Ji insisted on marrying her, there would not be the danger today.

At that time, they underestimated He Shuting, thinking that He Shuting was just a woman without the support of her mother's family. Her biggest helper was He Jiang, but He Jiang was promoted by Wu Dongming.

With the status and position of Wu Dongming and his wife, they disdain to kill a little girl. But now they regret it. They didn't expect that their momentary indecision would cost the entire Wu family.

Wu Dongming thought about it, called Wu Ju, dismissed the servants around him, and said to Wu Ju: "You can go now, don't bring too many people, just bring a hundred guards, don't let your elder brother know, wait until you settle down, then marry a wife and have children, and have children."

How could Wu Ju be willing to leave at this time, but Wu Dongming insisted that he leave: "The Wu family is in danger. Only if you leave, the Wu family can have a glimmer of hope. Be obedient and leave, go far away, marry a wife and have children, and raise your children and grandchildren well. No clan will have smooth sailing, and the Wu family will be no exception."

Wu Ji was very busy these days. Although his father came to Xi'an, he only met him once. Therefore, Wu Ji did not know that Wu Ju not only left, but also took away the gold, silver and jewelry they took when they fled from Yulin.

But He Shuting knew about it.

He Shuting immediately sent people to chase after him. Wu Ju originally wanted to escape to Longnan. Longnan General Xiao Wenyuan was his future father-in-law, and he was already engaged to a girl from the Xiao family.

However, as the eldest sister-in-law, He Shuting certainly knew about his marriage with the daughter of the Xiao family, and naturally thought that he would flee to Longnan to seek protection from the Xiao family.

He Shuting sent people to Longnan, and caught up with Wu Ju halfway. After a bloody battle, Wu Ju escaped by chance with less than fifty people and some property around him.

Wu Ju knew that he could not go to Longnan. Even if he could escape to Longnan alive, would the Xiao family really protect him?

He used to be the second son of the Wu family, but now, he is just a man running thousands of miles away.

After much thought, he decided to head north, cross the Yellow River and enter the desert!
Wu Ji didn't know that his own brother almost died because of He Shuting. When he returned to the palace, He Shuting cried and threw herself into his arms: "It's all my fault. If I could please my father-in-law and mother-in-law, my second uncle wouldn't be angry with you. He can beat me and scold me, but he shouldn't betray you, brother Ji. He is your own brother and your closest relative. Brother Ji, you have suffered too much."

Wu Ji's heart sank. Wu Ju actually chose to betray at this time!
Why didn't his father stop him?
Wu Ji went to see Wu Dongming angrily and asked Wu Dongming whether he knew about Wu Ju's escape.

Wu Dongming looked at his eldest son who was furious and suddenly felt strange.

Is the person in front of him really his gentle eldest son?
It can only be said that the environment is very important to a person. Although Wu Ji used to be surrounded by people, in Yulin, he was just an executor. The power in his hands was given to him by Wu Dongming. No matter what he did, he had to obtain Wu Dongming's consent, otherwise, he could do nothing.

However, when he arrived in Xi'an, he really was the only one in power. The only threat to him, Jinghong Tower, was also eliminated. Whether it was the army or government offices at all levels, he had the final say.

In today's Xi'an and the future Northwest, he is the king here and enjoys supreme power.

Holding a high position and holding great power, Wu Ji is no longer the good son who used to be submissive in front of his father.

He is the king.

"I was the one who asked him to leave. All eggs should not be put in one basket, and the Wu family certainly cannot be left here to die!

If you still care about Wu, don't pursue this matter."

Wu Ji was stunned for a moment. His father was right. No matter which family it was, they would do this at the critical moment.

But he felt very uncomfortable.

His father doesn't trust his abilities!
His father thought that Wu Ju was not capable of protecting the Wu family, so he let Wu Ju leave.

"Dad, do you think the Wu family will be destroyed in my hands? Don't you believe that I can make the Wu family flourish?"

Wu Dongming smiled coldly: "You are my son, I know your worth better than anyone else."

Wu Ji stood up suddenly, his body shaking slightly with excitement. As expected, his father really looked down on him, always had.

"He Ran is a woman, if she can do it, why can't I?"

Seeing Wu Ji suddenly compare himself with He Ran, Wu Dongming narrowed his eyes slightly: "Compared with He Ran? How can you compare?"

Wu Ji blushed. His father actually said that he was not worthy to be compared with He Ran?

This is an insult to him.

"Dad, you probably don't know yet, He Ran grew up in a theatre troupe. She learned those low-brow things since she was a child. Haha, we were all fooled by her. No, everyone in the world was fooled by her. Who can prove whether she is really He Jinghong's disciple? But it is absolutely true that she grew up in a theatre troupe."

Wu Dongming stared at him in disbelief, as if he didn't believe what he heard.

"Where did you hear this? He Shuting, is it He Shuting? Wu Ji, are you blind? Don't you know He Ran? Or have you never seen her? Don't you know what kind of person He Ran is?
Grew up in a theatre troupe? Haha, which theatre actor could sneak into my study room with the head of Cai Jiazi in his hand?
Which actor could capture the King of Jin, force the King of Kaizhou to death, and force the young emperor to move south?

"You tell me yourself, if all this was done by an actor, then are all of us, and the Zhou royal family, idiots? Even worse than an actor?"

Wu Ji was speechless, but in his heart he still firmly believed what He Shuting said.

"Maybe she was adopted by He Jinghong, but if you calculate her age, even if He Jinghong adopted her, it was only a year or two. The time she spent with He Jinghong was far less than the time she spent in the troupe. She..."

Before Wu Ji finished speaking, he was interrupted by Wu Dongming: "Enough! Now I finally understand why you have the courage to be king. I think it's because you think you have a better background than He Ran, and you think you can do what He Ran can do, so you are the king, right?"

Wu Ji remained silent. His father had missed one thing, which was that He Ran was a woman and he was a man.

He didn't think that he was inferior to a woman, He Ran was just luckier than others.

Wu Dongming suddenly felt unprecedentedly powerless. Even when Fu Yansheng's troops were at the gates of the city, he did not feel this powerless.

He waved his hand and said, "Go ahead. You don't need to come to see me and your mother anymore. We won't die anytime soon. Go and do your thing. Don't worry, we won't leave. We will stay here."

Wu Ji was about to say something when a maid came in and said anxiously, "My Lord, the princess is vomiting a lot and can't eat. Please go and see her."

Wu Ji was shocked and complained: "Why are you talking about it now? Where is the doctor? Have you called him?"

When he said the last word, Wu Ji was already outside the door.

Listening to the footsteps gradually fading away, Wu Dongming laughed at himself.

This was his eldest son, whom he had placed high hopes on. For the sake of a woman of unknown origin, he tore up the covenant and put his father and the entire family in danger.

Wu Dongming didn't know what future history books would say about him. He was probably going to be called an ungrateful, treacherous villain.

All his wisdom and intelligence were ruined.

Wu Dongming struggled to stand up, but just as he stood up he fell back down on the bed.

At this moment, he finally saw the reality.

The page belonging to Wu Dongming has been turned over.