Soldiers come to the world

In Xindu County, Guanghan County, a team of more than a thousand people is slowly heading southeast along the official road. This team is the inspection team of Yizhou Mu Liuzhang.

As the shepherd of a state, every spring and autumn are the seasons for Liu Zhang to make tours, either to Badong in the east, Jiangyang in the south, Zitong in the north, or Hanjia in the west. Each tour lasts about a month.

But this time, because Jianping County returned to Yizhou, Liu Zhang enthusiastically set the destination of his eastward inspection as Zigui County. His team walked slowly, starting from Chengdu, and it took two days for the team to arrive at Xindu County.

It was noon at this time, ten miles away from Xindu County, Liu Zhang felt a little unwell, so he ordered a temporary rest at the Xindu Station, the team slowly stopped in front of the station, and the postman hurried out, saluting: " Xindu Yicheng Wang Wei meets Zhou Mu!"

Two concubines helped the pale-faced Liu Zhang out of the carriage. Liu Zhang only felt a burst of angina and pain. The pain made cold sweat flow from his forehead. He couldn't even speak. He just waved his hands. The guard hurriedly said to Yicheng: "Hurry up and prepare the room, the state shepherd needs to rest!"

The postman was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly turned around and ran towards the post station. At this time, two medical craftsmen with the team hurried over after hearing the news. One of the medical craftsmen touched Liu Zhang's forehead and asked in a low voice: "Zhou Mu, where is it?" Comfortable?"

Liu Zhang pointed to his chest with difficulty, and said in a low voice, "It hurts badly here!"

It was angina pectoris, and the two doctors hurriedly ordered the guards to send Liu Zhang into the room to lie down. At this time, Liu Zhang was in pain like a prawn, his body curled up into a ball, and he was writhing in pain on the bed, his pale face turned purple. , difficulty breathing, sweat profusely on his forehead.

The two medical craftsmen felt that the problem was serious, and anxiously told the guards: "Go and bring a bowl of wine!" [

A guard rushed out, and soon came in with a bowl of rice wine. The doctor crushed two pills of medicine, put them in the wine and dissolved them, helped Liu Zhang up, and tried to force him to drink the medicine, but Liu Zhang foamed at the mouth. The man had already passed out, the two medical craftsmen were stunned for a moment, and quickly felt his pulse, which was so weak that he could hardly feel it.

"not good!"

The doctor panicked and stammered to the surrounding guards: "The state shepherd can't do it!"

The guards were all stunned. They were fine in the morning, but why did it fail at noon? The leader of the guards picked up a young eunuch who was serving Liu Zhang, and asked angrily, "What's going on?"

The little eunuch was so frightened that his face was ashen, his whole body was like chaff, and he couldn't speak a word. A stream of water dripped out from his trousers, and the stench came. He was so frightened that he lost control of his bladder and bowels. Ling said: "Go and invite Wang Canjun!"

Wang Canjun is Wang Lei. He followed Liu Zhang to Zigui for inspection. At this time, he was packing his things in the carriage and had not yet entered the post station. , Wang Lei squeezed to the couch, and anxiously asked the doctor, "How is Zhou Mu?"

A medical craftsman shook his head in despair, "The pulse is at times, but it's already exhausted."

"How could this be?" Wang Lei cried out anxiously.

"I don't know what's going on now? But I have to prepare for the funeral."

Wang Lei's eyes darkened, and he almost fainted. He barely managed to stabilize his mind, and suddenly remembered a more terrible thing. If the state pastor had any problems, who would take over the post of Yizhou pastor?

It should be the eldest son Liu Xun, but these days Liu Zhang scolded the eldest son every day and imprisoned him, but the second son Liu Wei was very favored and commanded a heavy army. Liu Zhang also said that he would pass on the state shepherd to the second son, even It was an angry word, but many people heard it.

Wang Lei was so confused, he immediately turned his head and said to the leader of the guards: "Immediately send someone back to Chengdu to report, and let all the officials come to Xindu to discuss future affairs!"

The leader of the guards quickly sent someone to Chengdu to report. Wang tiredly walked out of the room and sat down on a big rock in the yard. Now is the most critical moment in Yizhou, and something happened to the state herdsman. This is simply that God is going to destroy Yizhou!

"join the army!"

Wang Lei heard someone calling him in a low voice. When he turned his head, he saw a medical craftsman waving to him in the corner of the yard. He walked up quickly, "What's wrong?"

The doctor pulled him to a place and said in a low voice: "I dare not say it in the room, but Zhou Mu has been poisoned!"

"Ah!" Wang Lei was taken aback, grabbed the doctor's wrist, and asked in a trembling voice, "What kind of poison is it? Who did it?"

"I don't know what kind of poison it is, but it must have been done by the people around me. I have questioned the little eunuch, and he swore he didn't do it."

"Is it"

Wang Lei thought of the concubines that Liu Zhang brought with him, and the doctor nodded, "General poisoning occurs at the earliest between early morning and morning. I asked the little eunuch carefully, except for the three concubines, There are five other guards who have also come into contact with the State Shepherd, so it must be someone among them, even Commander Li, who is also suspected."

Wang Lei's thoughts changed sharply. It is very likely that the two sons competed for the position of state shepherd, or it could be caused by foreign enemies. Shouted: "The State Shepherd——"

Wang Lei felt his legs go limp, and he knelt down on the ground

Liu Zhang died unexpectedly on the east tour road. Although the officials strictly blocked the news, all kinds of gossip spread quickly, causing a storm all over the city.

Everyone in Chengdu was talking about Liu Zhang's death. Some people said that he died of excessive indulgence and exhaustion. Some said that he was bitten to death by the famous golden ring snake in Xindu County. Lu sent people to poison him.

There are many absurd and far-fetched rumors, but the most widely spread and most reliable news is that two sons took the heir apparent. This is the most widely circulated story since ancient times. Cruel means need not be extreme.

It was also this rumor that made the government and the public all pay attention to the successor of the state shepherd. Liu Zhang had died violently for three days, but there was still no movement on the new state shepherd.

At this time, many people got the news that the senior officials in Chengdu were arguing endlessly for the position of shepherd in Xinzhou. Some senior officials from the Bashu local clan headed by Bie Jia Huang Quan, Liu Ba, Yang Huai, and Gao Pei supported the second son Liu Wei to take the throne, but Zhang Ren, Wang Lei, Dongzhou scholars leaders Dong He, Fazheng and others all supported the eldest son Liu Xun, while the important Fei family was neutral.

The two sides argued endlessly in the state government office. At one time, swords were on the verge of breaking out, and the situation was extremely tense. On the fourth day, the dispute was still inconclusive, Liu Zhang could not be buried, and the atmosphere in Chengdu gradually became tense. A curfew is imposed.

The surroundings of Huang Quan's mansion were covered with secret sentries. They were soldiers sent by Zhang Ren to monitor Huang Quan. In the night, the east door of Huang Quan's mansion opened suddenly, and a carriage was protected by dozens of equestrian servants. , rushed out from the gate, and rushed to the north gate of Chengdu.

The secret sentries deployed around the mansion noticed the movement, and someone immediately rushed to report to Zhang Ren. Inside the carriage, Huang Quan's face was gloomy. He didn't expect Liu Zhang to die unexpectedly.

Of course it wasn't what they did. He suspected that it was Liu Xun who attacked his father. Obviously, Liu Wei had gained military power, which made Liu Xun feel extremely uneasy. Given the opportunity in Hanzhong, Liu Xun made a move.

The death of Liu Zhang made Huang Quan feel very passive. As early as four days ago, he urgently sent someone to inform Liu Wei to return to Chengdu. How should I explain to Cao Cao.

Cao Cao asked Yizhou to be stable and not to allow Liu Jing to enter Shu. This was Cao Cao's only request. Huang Quan knew very well that Cao Cao would never want to see Liu Zhang's sudden death at this time and cause Yizhou turmoil.

But Huang Quan didn't want to compromise either. Supporting Liu Wei was related to his vital interests, and Cao Cao also promised that Liu Wei would take the throne in the future, but now, once Liu Xun took the seat of Yizhou Mu first, Huang Quan would face annihilation.

Since Zhang Ren has mobilized the army to impose a curfew, this is a signal to do something. Huang Quan knows that if he does not leave, he will die in Chengdu. "Speed ​​up!" Huang Quan ordered again, and the carriage accelerated and drove towards Beicheng go

There are [-] garrisons near Chengdu, of which the [-] troops defending Chengdu are under the control of Wu Yi and Zhang Ren. When Wu Yi marched north to Hanzhong, Zhang Ren temporarily led them, while the other [-] troops were commanded by Gao Pei and stationed in Guanghan.

After arguing for four consecutive days, Zhang Ren finally couldn't bear it anymore and planned to use the army to solve the successor problem of Yizhou Mu.

But Zhang Ren also knows that once the army is used, a civil war is likely to break out. Liu Wei's strength is not weak. Gao Pei who supports him has [-] troops stationed in Guanghan, and there are also Yong Kai, Zhu Bao and others in the south. Ten thousand barbarian troops, Liu Wei has forty thousand troops in his own hands.

What worries Zhang Ren even more is that once a civil war breaks out, Liu Jing will seize the opportunity to go west to Bashu, and Yizhou will be at stake.

In Liu Xun's mansion, Zhang Ren was persuading his eldest son Liu Xun, "My lord, don't hesitate anymore. The rule in Shu is to be buried in the ground within three days. Now it has been four days, but the old lord can't be buried. This is unfilial son. We did it." The disloyalty of the courtiers, if the son does not ascend the throne, there will be civil strife in Yizhou!"

Liu Xun was pacing back and forth in the lobby with his hands behind his back. He was very anxious. It wasn't that he didn't want to take the throne, but that he didn't want his brothers to turn against each other and trigger the civil war in Yizhou. He hoped to have a good talk with his second brother and get an understanding between the brothers. , Let the second brother support him to inherit the father's position, so that Yizhou can avoid the worries of civil war.

It's just that he also knows that it's a little unrealistic to obtain such an understanding, so he is very conflicted in his heart, and it is difficult to make a decision for a while.

Next to him, Wang Lei also persuaded: "Now it can be said that he is the Lord of Yizhou, which gives Liu Jing an excuse to enter Bashu. I think Liu Jing will never let this opportunity go. Don't hesitate, my lord. If you don't take the throne, there will be dangers." There will be civil strife, and there will also be civil war when he ascends the throne, but at least Liu Jing's excuses are blocked, and foreign troubles are reduced."

Liu Xun sighed, "The cause of my father's death is unknown. If I succeed to the throne hastily, everyone will think that I killed my father. How can I explain to the world?"

"Young master is pedantic!"

Zhang Ren asked anxiously: "What does the death of the old state herdsman have to do with the son's succession to the throne? Everyone knows that the world cannot be governed for a day, and Yizhou cannot be a state herd for a day. Huang Quan is not driving Yizhou. He was appointed by Cao Cao." , It shows that the imperial court is supporting the second son, once the delay is too long, the imperial court will appoint the second son as the governor of the state, and it will be too late to make a comeback, so it is better to take the position of Yizhou shepherd and force the court to admit it."

"This" Liu Xun was a little tempted by the talk.

At this moment, one of Zhang Wei's personal guards rushed to the hall to report in a panic, "General Zhang, there is news from the north gate that Huang Quan has rushed out of the north gate and left Chengdu."

Zhang Ren was furious, "Who is on duty at the North Gate, so bold as to let people go?"

The personal guard replied: "It seems to be the tooth general Zheng Qian. He led hundreds of soldiers and followed Huang Quan."

Zhang Ren was stunned for a moment, Zheng Qian was Wu Yi's general, and he actually betrayed him. At this time, Zhang Ren said anxiously: "If the young master doesn't succeed to the throne, I don't care about it!"

Knowing that the situation was critical, Liu Xun had no choice but to grit his teeth and nodded, "Okay! I promise to succeed."