Tianfu Road is under the jurisdiction of Li, Zi. Yisanzhou, Lizhou is located in the northernmost part of the border with Yongliang Road, the northwest end is the world-famous resting city, the southernmost Zizhou is adjacent to Gongzhou of Kansai Road, and then go east, to Xingzhou you can see the majestic Xiongguan - the first pass.

The reason why the first pass is called the first pass, in addition to itself is as solid as a rock and unbreakable, there is also the Great Wall that stretches for thousands of miles, starting from the 100,000 mountains where Jingchu Road and Nanjiang Road intersect, all the way to the north, passing the first pass in the middle of Guanxi Road and Guandong Road, becoming the dividing line between Yongliang and Lingbei Road. After arriving at Dingzhou, the northernmost part of Lingbei Province, it then crosses the entire Lingbei Province, passes through the territory of Liaodong Province, and reaches the sea directly, which is also part of the national border between Xuanping and the Northern Yuan, and the remaining national border is replaced by the Heishui River.

The Heishui River was cold and deep, and it was naturally difficult for the iron cavalry of the Northern Yuan Dynasty to cross. There is a Great Wall running through the east and west on the first line of Lingbei, the terrain is dangerous, easy to defend and difficult to attack, and the whole country can certainly sweep through it. But the price is not small, and it is not done by the wise. That's why the Northern Barbarians sent troops to Beiding City.

Yongliang, Tianfu, and Guanxi Sandao outside the gate have always been fierce, warlike, and good at fighting, and Emperor Taizu Dingding Central Plains was occupied by the demons for a long time before, and he never bowed his head, and he would rather not give in.

The situation in the north is turbulent, and the west is relatively calm, since the founding of the Xuanping Dynasty. The common people have not been disturbed by the war for nearly a hundred years, and they are very fortunate to be born in Xuanping. Born in this era. In front of the 300,000 troops stationed in the rest of the city, there is the world's first Xiongguan. They have peace of mind.

There is a small city at the intersection of Zizhou and Gongzhou, and the name is quite good, and it is a victory. In Ying'an Town, Guansheng City, a certain house has an unpretentious style, and it can even be said to be a little simple, except for an elderly couple. No more family members.

The house was clean and tidy, the furniture was old but spotless, the old man was frying the medicine in front of the stove, the spoon in his hand was constantly stirring, the charcoal fire was beating, and the heat rising from the jar was everywhere, and after a while, it was bubbling. The old man still repeated the action just now, and the hot water splashed on his hands without realizing it, as if he was an emotionless machine.

The old man is over sixty years old, his figure is still burly and straight, his hand holding the spoon is covered with calluses, his arms are thick, his expression is resolute, and a fine light flashes in his eyes from time to time.

A violent cough interrupted the old man's contemplation, and the old man hurriedly put the boiled soup into a bowl and hurried to the next room. There were people waiting for him.

On the bed in the next room, the old woman covered her mouth with a handkerchief, trying to make her cough quieter, so that the old man would not worry.

The old man stacked the two pillows together, asked the old woman to sit up, and handed the bowl of decoction into the old woman's mouth one by one. is extremely careful, not at all like the general of the horizontal knife battalion who was desperate with a big knife and a demon cub.

The 150,000 soldiers of the Guanzhong Army, in addition to the Shenjian Battalion, which is full of Yang Shen archers who have crossed hundreds of paces, the Hengdao Battalion is also famous among the millions of troops in Xuanping. The long-handled broadsword weighing fifty pounds has cut off the heads of many demon cubs.

The hot decoction entered the body, and the old woman's pale face finally had a trace of blood, and the old man wrapped the quilt tightly around the old woman. He said, "It's almost there." The doctor said that it would be fine to take the medicine for another half a month. ”

The haggard old woman shook her head, stretched out her hand from the quilt to hold the old man's hand and smiled: "You have never deceived me in your life, why are you telling lies when I am dying?" I know my body very well. ”

The old man put the bowl aside, and his face became ugly. said softly in a reproachful tone: "Why are you talking nonsense, Dr. Zhang is a famous miracle doctor in ten miles and eight towns, he said that if it can be good, then it will be good." ”

The old man said this, but he felt very uncomfortable in his heart. Like a pinprick, "There are two months at most, let's prepare for the future!" These are the doctor's exact words today.

The couple had three sons, one died outside the city of rest, one died in Taipingbo, and the other stayed in Mobeiyuan forever two days ago.

"Okay, okay, just listen to you, I'm sure it will get better." The old woman saw that her husband's face was not good, and she couldn't resist his temper, so she had to follow him.

The husband and wife have been with each other for more than 30 years, and she has always been following him, relying on him, he wants to send his two sons to the army, she agreed, died, she didn't blame him, he wanted to send his younger son away, and she didn't say anything.

As long as he's happy, anything goes.

The old woman's heart has been in pain these days, and her already sick and weak body has made it even worse. Dr. Zhang said that there was no big problem, a small problem, she didn't believe it, she knew that most of the family was left with her and her husband. But she still held on to a hint of rejoicing.

"The letter should have been delivered to our son, right? When will I get a reply? The old woman asked.

The old man tried his best to hide his expression, and replied quietly: "It should be soon, if it is peaceful today." There are so many post stations in Xuanping that we will be able to reply in the next two days. ”

After speaking, the old man quietly touched the letter in his arms, which he asked his husband to write in the morning. The handwriting is very similar to that of his son, and he thinks that his wife is old and dizzy. I can't tell the real from the fake.

"That's good, that's good, that's good." The old woman muttered in a low voice. The repetition goes on and on.

The old man has been in the army for most of his life, and he has a hand in fighting, so he can't make people happy, and he doesn't know how to comfort his wife. He didn't dare to tell her about his son's death, he thought that she could finish this last journey happily, and when she left, he would also leave. If you're unlucky, it won't be long before their family can stay together neatly again, a family, isn't it just to be neat, it's fast, it's fast, it's fast.

"When our son comes back, let's find a girl for him to marry, the boss is not small, it's time to start a family, we have a lot of savings, my son is now a big official, and any pretty girl in our ten miles and eight towns is worthy of it." The old woman said with a yearning look, as if she really saw the day her son got married.

"Okay, my son is back for the New Year, so I'll go to the matchmaker to introduce me. You have to take care of your body, otherwise you won't be able to drink the toast of your daughter-in-law when the time comes. The old man stuffed the old woman's hand back into the quilt, stared at his wife affectionately and said.

Seeing her husband so considerate, the old woman realized at this time that he was not all a big boss, too, how could the leader of the 24th Battalion of the Horizontal Knife Battalion, who is famous in the government and the opposition, be a big boss, if it is true, he will not be able to control the Horizontal Knife Battalion, and the Horizontal Knife Battalion will not be able to become the 24th Battalion. He, Ah, put all the meticulousness into the battle, and gave all the thoughtfulness to the soldiers. The few that remained, were given to her when her wife was dying.

The old woman was disobedient and stretched out her hand to hold her husband's rough hands, she was afraid that if she didn't catch it, she would have no chance. The old man hurriedly tightened his grip and felt the temperature from his hands. The old woman said with satisfaction: "When I get better, I have to make a few new clothes for our future eldest grandson, and you can accompany me to Buzhuang to have a look." ”

"Okay, up to you!"

"Then accompany me to the yellow carpenter to make two chairs, my grandson is older, I can't hold it, so I put it on the chair."

"Okay, up to you!"

"Then accompany me to the butcher in the east of the town to buy a few pieces of meat and marinate bacon for you, you won't pick meat,"

"Okay, up to you!"

The old woman babbled a lot to her husband, and the old man agreed one by one. She has been dependent on him all her life, and he should always be attached to her.

The old woman's voice became quieter and quieter, the effects of the medicine began to work, and she was sleepy.

The old man once again stuffed his wife's hand back into the quilt, gently laid her flat on the bed, and wrapped the futon. Close the window, the outside is not as good as the inside, and the late autumn is comparable to the cold winter.

The old man walked out of the room with very light steps and came outside. Sitting on the cold and biting steps, he took out two letters, one for the old woman to read, and the other one came from the north.

His youngest son died, and died under the iron horse of the Northern Barbarians, without disgrace to his father.

After he received the letter from Beidingcheng yesterday, he couldn't help himself for a long time, he regretted it, he really regretted it, he was sorry for her, it was he who killed her son, three. It was he who made her lose her son in old age, and the white-haired man sent the black-haired man.

He didn't dare to tell her, so he could only pretend that nothing had happened, and wait with her for his son to return home.

The old man carefully put away the letter. Thinking that when she left, he would follow the Guanzhong Army all the way north, and he could kill the demon cub, and the Northern Barbarian could also kill him, and he was a little older. The knife is still held steadily. There is no one at home, why are you still alive?

Late at night, the old woman woke up, woke up her husband who had just fallen asleep and said, "Old man, I want to drink chicken soup, you go and cook me a bowl, preferably the old hen of Granny Zhao's house." ”

There was an unmistakable taste in his tone, and he lost his usual meekness.

"Oh, yes!" The old man, who had just been lying down for a long time, got up sleepily and said, not thinking so much.

The old man got dressed and rushed to Mrs. Zhao's house three miles away in the cold wind. He's very happy, and he wants to eat meat. Maybe it'll be nice after eating.

After her husband left, the old woman could no longer hold back and began to cry, she buried her head on the futon, afraid that her husband would not go far and hear the cry.

After a long time, the old woman gathered her emotions, got out of bed and came to the stove where the decoction was made, and boiled herself the side medicine.

After being busy for more than an hour, the old man finally brought the chicken soup to his wife.

On the bed, his wife's eyes were closed, and she looked serene with a satisfied smile on her face.

The old man called a few times, but he didn't see the old woman reacting, so he took the old woman's hand, which was cold and had no temperature. He shook her body slightly, but she still didn't move. He called her name over and over again, but she never answered.

He didn't know that the moment her son died, she knew that her younger son was no longer alive, and that heartache she had tasted twice in her life, once when the eldest son died, and once when the second son was gone.

She knew he had fought all his life. The greatest wish is not to die in old age, but to die on the battlefield.

Then let him go, she will follow him all her life, not bad this time. Just die sooner.

In the evening, there was an old man in the Hengdao Battalion of the Guanzhong Army in the first pass, he lost his son the day before yesterday and was widowed today.