Xuzhou, Pengcheng.

After Tao Qian was canonized as the pastor of Xuzhou by the Son of Heaven in Fan County, he was full of ambition and very comfortable, as if he had reached the peak of his life.

But this feeling of peak was temporary for him, and the old man who returned to Pengcheng didn't know why, and he didn't feel well all the time.

At first, Tao Qian didn't take it seriously, but as time went by, his physical condition became weaker and weaker.

The potter is sixty-two years old this year, and in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, when the average life expectancy was not very high, he was basically past the age of ancient times.

In this era, some of the sixty-year-old men even hugged their great-grandchildren.

However, as Tao Qian, who was born in the military, he has always been very confident in his physical condition, and in Uncle Tao's self-examination, it should not be difficult to live for another fifty or seventy years with his current physical condition.

After all, after so many years, Tao Qian has not even had a minor illness.

It is good for people to have self-confidence, but unfortunately they should not fight with fate.

After returning to Pengcheng for a while, Tao Qian felt that his physical condition was getting worse and worse, and it was still developing in a very bad direction, no matter how many medical officers he found, he couldn't solve the problem.

In the year when Liu agreed to the great feudal ministers of Dufan County, the Son of Heaven changed the name of the year from Chuping to Xingping, and in August of the first year of Xingping, Tao Qian suddenly fainted to the ground without warning in his mansion.

The people in the Xuzhou Assassin's Mansion were frightened, and they hurriedly found the best medical officer in Pengcheng to do their best to treat him, and it took several days and nights to save Tao Qiankankan.

But Tao Qian's state after waking up was very bad, he began to become a little delirious, high fever did not go away, bedridden, always talking nonsense when he slept, and sometimes kept beckoning the pottery merchant and Tao Ying to come back quickly.

In this grim situation, Mi Zhu, who was the head of the Wenchen, did not dare to slack off, and on the one hand, he strictly blocked the news to prevent Tao Qian's serious illness from causing panic among the scholars in Pengcheng, and on the other hand, he sent his own brother Mi Fang to personally carry a message and rush to the eastern front to inform the pottery merchants of this bad news.

In the first battle of Jiulishan, Cao Cao, Yuan Shao, and Taoshang were equal to an official quarrel, and the alliance between the three was declared completely bankrupt from that moment.

However, because of the current delicate situation in the north, the three princes did not continue to attack each other, but only gathered their generals and evacuated to their respective territories, and made strategic plans for the future in their hearts.

Sooner or later, the three families will experience a fierce battle for supremacy!

But all three knew in their hearts that this was not the best time to start a full-scale war with the other two.

Yuan Shao now needs to unify Hebei and completely sit on the throne of the strongest princes.

Cao Cao needed to follow Jia Xu's advice and turn his military power and political center to Yuzhou to open a new chapter in his life.

And the potter's heart has also made up his mind - after returning to Xuzhou this time, he must collect the entire southeast.

As soon as the soldiers and horses of Jinling City entered the territory of Xuzhou, Mi Fang came to see the pottery merchant with the news that Tao Qian was seriously ill and asked him to return to Pengcheng to see his father as soon as possible.

As soon as he heard that Tao Qian was seriously ill, Tao Shang suddenly panicked, and after four years of relationship, Tao Qian was his only elder in this world.

And the person who is willing to dig out his heart and lungs, and has no desire and selflessness to be good to the potter, may be the only one who is this old man.

Although he knew that man could not disobey the laws of nature, the potter really did not want to lose this father.

He didn't dare to delay any longer, and then arranged for Xu Chu and Xu Rong to retreat to Pengcheng instead of his own command of Jinling's soldiers and horses, and then called Tao Ying, and the two brothers and Mi Fang rushed straight to Pengcheng with Pegasus.

On the way back to Pengcheng, the two brothers hardly did any rest except for eating and sleeping, but just desperately urged the war horses and rushed to Pengcheng to whip up.

After entering the city, the two went straight to Tao Qian's mansion.

……

Tao Qian was lying on the bed, with a high fever that did not go away, and he was always in a daze.

But I don't know if it is because of the potential strength and perseverance in the body, or because I miss my son, or because of some other reason, Tao Qian miraculously sobered up after knowing that his two sons were back.

Tao Ying's eyes were full of tears, and as soon as he stepped forward and grabbed Tao Qian's withered old hand, his tone was choked, and he didn't seem to know what to say for a while.

"Father, you—you're scared to death for me!"

Tao Qian showed a kind smile, stretched out his hand and nodded Tao Ying's forehead, and shouted: "Silly boy, my father's life is very hard, and I can't die yet." ”

Tao Ying raised his hand to wipe the tears on his cheeks, and said weakly: "These days, the child and the eldest brother gallop day and night, and they don't dare to delay even a moment, for fear that something will happen to their father......"

Tao Qian smiled and said, "Idiot, you will also be a person in a high position in the future, how can you still be so calm in doing things, and you will pass it out, wouldn't it make others laugh." ”

Tao Shangdao, who had not spoken, but was as anxious as Tao Ying: "Father, it is normal for my second brother and I to panic, besides, my eldest man rules the world with filial piety, and my father is in poor health. ”

Tao Qian turned his head to look at him and smiled with satisfaction, his wrinkled face full of age spots was full of kindness and softness.

"Speaking of filial piety, boy, the old man does have one thing to do now...... Shang'er, you have been appointed to the high position of Taifu, Xuzhou is now temporarily peaceful, and the old man has already discussed with the princes when he returned to Pengcheng, and he will choose an auspicious time next month to hold a big wedding for you. ”

The potter was stunned when he heard this, and he got married next month, as if it was not a few days, and it was only five or seven or eight days.

Then, the potter suddenly understood something, and a sense of grief filled his heart.

Tao Qian was so anxious to hold a big wedding for himself...... Didn't he feel that his time was running out?

Looking at this old man lying on the bed, the potter's heart ached very much.

At this time, his father was still thinking about his life's events.

He wanted to be able to see himself start a family while he was alive.

"The father thinks so much about the child, how can the child not obey."

Tao Qian nodded with satisfaction, then turned to Tao Ying and said, "Your brother's marriage this time can be regarded as setting an example for you, you have to learn from your brother well, don't fall behind." ”

Tao Ying whimpered and nodded vigorously.

When the potter heard this, he raised his hand to wipe his sweat.

My father's care for himself is caring, but this mind is still a little unclear.

Why didn't this old man talk at all, and he got married...... How did Tao Ying learn the law?

Could it be that when he entered the cave room at night, let him lie on the wall and learn?

Tao Qian squinted at the two beloved sons for a long time, suddenly sighed, and said weakly: "Children, the old man's days are not much......

Tao Ying was taken aback when he heard this, and said loudly: "Father! ”

Tao Qian slowly raised his hand, interrupted Tao Ying's words, and said: "People are over fifty years old and the destiny of heaven, the old man is over sixty years old, and his life is enough, but before he dies, there are some things that need to be explained clearly to the two of you." ”

Speaking of this, Tao Qian looked at Tao Ying, and his face became serious: "Ying'er, the old man thinks about it, this foundation in Xuzhou will eventually be passed on to your brother, one is because he is a son-in-law, and the other is that the world is constantly strife, the jackal is in charge, your nature is innocent, and you are not reckless, I am afraid that you can't fight those tiger and wolf disciples, if your father passes on the foundation of Xuzhou to you, I am afraid that you will not even be able to save your life...... For the sake of the Father, it is for you, for the sake of our Tao, you may understand the painstaking work of the Father? ”

Tao Ying left two lines of tears and nodded vigorously: "What the father said, the child understands everything!" My father just wants to give me the foundation of Xuzhou, and I can't keep it......"

Tao Qian sighed with emotion, turned his head to look at Tao Shang, and said: "Shang'er, the old man knows that you two brothers have a deep relationship, and you will become the lord of Xuzhou in the future, remember to treat your brother well, and treat our Tao clansmen well, don't rely on the position of the head of the family, ignore family affection, and move your relatives in vain!" Do you understand what the old man said? ”

When the potter heard this, his eyes moistened a little.

This old man, at such a moment, is still so well-intentioned.

He nodded vigorously: "Father rest assured, the child will definitely treat his brother well, protect the Tao family, and protect the foundation of Xuzhou." ”

"Okay, good...... yes, there's one more thing." Tao Qian coughed lightly and continued: "The old man has not hugged his grandson in his life, and I am deeply sorry...... After you get married, you need a lot of branches and leaves, in order to pass on to future generations, so that my Tao family will not have no queen, this matter is the greatest filial piety in the world, you can understand? ”

The potter was stunned when he heard this.

After a while, Fang saw that he nodded helplessly.

This dad of your own...... Alas, what shall I say to him? But this is indeed an important event in this era, the poor old man has lived to the age of sixty-two and has not yet hugged his grandson, this matter, he and Tao Ying, there is no doubt that they have a great responsibility.

Tao Ying wiped his tears and choked up: "Father, for the prosperity of Tao's descendants, the child is also willing to do his part. ”

Tao Qian patted Tao Ying's forehead with relief when he heard this, and said with emotion: "Good boy, learn from your eldest brother well...... In the future, you will need to help your eldest brother share the burden. ”

The sweat on the potter's head suddenly flowed.

Tao Qian was really a little delirious because he was sick.

What should I say?

This picture looks quite touching, but it's just a nag, why is it so unpleasant?

Tao Qian turned his head to look at the pottery merchant again, and said: "The old man's life is not long, you married the daughter of the Taiyuan Wang family, the old man has seen the girl, and she is really a good woman, but your brother's marriage, the old man is afraid that he will not be able to survive...... Alas, I can't worry about it, the so-called eldest brother is like a father, and Ying'er's marriage will have to ask you to help find a check in the future, understand? ”

The potter bowed deeply to Tao Qian, and said, "Father, don't worry, the child will definitely find a virtuous and artistic double for the second brother." ”

Tao Qian nodded with satisfaction, and said to Tao Shang and Tao Ying: "The old man's health is not good, although the news is sealed by Mi Zhu at the moment, but I am afraid that this matter will not be hidden for a long time, now I need to mention a few things about you, you two should be careful to remember it." ”