After the sting, Lu Bu fell ill.

I lay in bed for seven days before I could get out of bed.

Pushing open the door, the stinging torrential rain has stopped for some time, and the rain has cleared.

Above the sky, the golden sunlight sprinkled down and fell on the earth, adding a little vitality to all things.

Chen Wei, who was guarding outside the house, saw Lu Bu push the door out, and the worries in his heart for these days finally fell. But when he saw Lu Bu's face clearly, his heart was tight, this man who was once invincible in the world, his face was a little tired, and his body was less domineering than before, and a few strands of gray hair appeared in his forehead, mixed with the black hair, which was very conspicuous.

"Lord, you ...... Are you alright? ”

Chen Wei asked worriedly, it seems that the death of Mr. is indeed a big blow to the lord.

Lu Bu was a little sad, the smile on his face, I don't know whether it was self-deprecation or bitter laughter, he shook his head, and his voice was a little hoarse: I'm fine.

Walking out of the door, Lu Bu pushed away Chen Wei, who wanted to come over to help, and found a place by the flower bed in front of the door alone, and sat on the side.

The sun fell on his hair and shoulders, Lu Bu took a long breath, and then slowly exhaled it, and unconsciously, there was a little warmth in his body.

"Father!"

Two voices rang out at the same time, and their tones were full of surprise.

Looking at it, it was her daughter Lingqi and her son Lu Xiao.

Lu Bu smiled and beckoned, and a pair of children immediately rushed to him.

Sitting down next to Lu Bu, Lu Xiao was bold, daring to ask anything, and daring to say anything: "Dad, why do you have white hair?" ”

Lu Bu was stunned for a moment, a little distracted.

When he woke up, he hadn't seen himself in the mirror.

Instead, Lu Lingqi stabbed her younger brother, glared at him, and told him not to talk nonsense. Seeing that the father was only wearing an undershirt, in the end the daughter was sensible, and asked intimately: "Daddy, are you better?" Would you like to add two more clothes? ”

Lu Bu shook his head, his ability was already inviolable.

"How did I get back?"

Lu Bu asked aloud.

Lu Xiao made a gesture of using both hands and feet, and said: "Dad, you suddenly fell in the rain that day, which frightened your mother, if we weren't nearby, your mother would not be able to carry you alone." ”

Recalling that day, when his father was unconscious, Lu Xiao, who had no heart and lungs, was also afraid for a while.

He was afraid that his father would fall like this.

So at that time, he carried his father all the way down the mountain, overcoming thorns and thorns.

Fortunately, God opened his eyes and finally woke up his father.

"What about the young boys? Why didn't I stay with you? ”

Lu Bu was a little curious about this, he knew very well his eldest son's temperament, not only calm and sensible, but also the most filial.

didn't see him at this time, Lu Bu was inevitably suspicious.

Lu Xiao took over and said a little carelessly: "He's very busy every day." Sometimes I don't go out when I sleep, and all kinds of information are piled up, and I don't bother to intervene when I look at it. ”

"I said his, but Qingtong said that these are all the peace that his father and uncle exchanged for their lives, and he wants to keep this peace on the line." Lu Lingqi seemed to be afraid that her father would misunderstand, so she added from the side.

"It's hard work for him."

Lu Bu muttered.

chatted with his children until almost noon, and Lu Bu ordered Chen Wei to call Wang Zheng again.

Upon learning of Lu Bu's summons, the head of the school affairs department immediately put down all his affairs and rushed to Lu Mansion to pay homage as soon as possible.

"Subordinate Wang Zheng, meet the king, long live the king!" This man, who made hundreds of officials famous, 'pounced' and knelt down in front of Lu Bu, threw himself to the ground, and bowed a big salute.

Looking at the groveling man in front of him, Lu Bu's eyes were a little dazed.

The young top swordsman of the year.

By now, the beard has grown quite long.

"You follow me, how many years."

"Back to the king, it's been twenty years."

The chief minister asked and answered.

Twenty years, like a white cloud and a dog, with a flick of his fingers.

After a brief greeting, Lu Bu asked him if he had an eyebrow about what he had confessed.

Wang Zheng naturally knew what this matter meant, and this was also a piece of Lu Bu's heart.

He lowered his voice, but there were some eyebrows, but he ......

"Just what?"

Lu Bu's tone sank.

The momentum of not being angry made Wang Zheng's back chill, and he bowed down and cautiously walked to Lu Bu and whispered.

"Is that him?"

Lu Bu, who learned the answer, frowned, as if he was a little unexpected.

…………

North of Weiyang Palace, near Xuanwu Street, the mansions of this generation are not ordinary court officials can live, only the cronies of the Son of Heaven, or the ministers with prominent status, are qualified to live here, so this place is also called 'Beique Jiadi'.

Ding Mansion is among them.

The old lady Fu Ding Gong passed away a few years ago, and the person who is now in charge of the Ding family is the eldest son of Ding Palace, Ding Hong.

Ding Hong is thoughtful, like his father, he is well versed in the way of dealing with the world, and he gets along well with everyone, except for being despised by others, he has not set up too many enemies. Coupled with the help of the Ding Palace to Lu Bu in the early years, as well as the service over the years, the position of the Ding family has always been very stable.

Not surprisingly, as long as he stays up for a few more years, he will be able to sit in the position of the third prince sooner or later.

But recently, Ding Hong always feels frightened.

I can't talk about what went wrong, but I'm just uneasy.

He also thought about whether it would be that incident exposed, but after thinking about it, several years have passed since the incident, and all the parties involved have died without proof. Even if the school affairs department has the ability to penetrate the heavens and the earth, it is impossible to find out about oneself.

He still clearly remembers that it was the second year that he had just taken over the Ding family, and one late night, he was recuperating in the study, and then someone came in through the window, saying that he was ordered to send a letter, which was the return route map of the second son, and clearly marked where he could intercept and kill.

In order to dispel Ding Hong's doubts, the person who delivered the letter committed suicide by swallowing poison on the spot in the study after completing the task.

Obviously, it is also a dead soldier raised by other families.

In this way, the right to choose is completely in the hands of Ding Hong.

In this regard, Ding Hong also hesitated for a while.

He is a staunch supporter of the eldest son, although when his father was alive, he repeatedly warned him not to get involved in this matter, but Ding Hong thought that he was smart and felt that compared with a fool, the eldest prince had obvious advantages. If he doesn't accept the nomination as soon as possible, and ask others to take the lead at that time, his Ding family's status may not be guaranteed.

Therefore, Ding Hong often got very close to other civil officials under Lu Zhen in private.

And at present, there are absolutely very few people who can know this map, according to Ding Hong's estimate, there may only be three people who know, Lu Bu, Xi Ce and Lu Zhen, even Wang Zheng of the school affairs department, it may not be possible to know.

Lu Bu is Lu Xiao's father, the so-called tiger poison does not eat children, this matter should not be what he meant; Xice has been in retreat, and all affairs are in the hands of the eldest prince Lu Zhen.

Therefore, Ding Hong boldly speculated that this was most likely the meaning of the eldest prince.

Why?

Because the second prince pacified the Xianbei and Xiongnu rebellions, he personally cut off the head of Shan Yu and used it to hang it around his waist.

Therefore, in order not to reveal his identity, the eldest prince sent people to test his loyalty.

The more Ding Hong thought about it, the more he felt that this was the case, so he simply decided to take a gamble.

He arranged for the dead soldiers who had been raised in other places over the years, and ordered Lu Xiao to be assassinated on the way.

It's a pity that he failed to kill Lu Xiao after several attempts.

As a result, naturally, it failed.

Fortunately, the dead man did not reveal any words.

Ding Hong is still like a normal person, he attends work on time every day, and the school affairs department can't find his head.

After a few years, Ding Hong selectively forgot about it.

After noon, a proclamation sounded outside the mansion: "King Wu Zhao, come to Ding Mansion~"

Ding Hong was shocked, at this time, how could Lu Bu come to his house?

A few days ago, I heard that Lu Bu fainted after worshipping and has not woken up yet.

Why did you suddenly come to your own house?

Ding Hong didn't have time to think about it, so he took the family and the servants and maids in the house to greet him outside the house.

"Doctor Ding Hong, the lower official Guanglu, meet the king."

Ding Hong bowed and saluted, and a large family behind him also followed suit.

Lu Bu got out of the chariot and walked up the stone stairs in front of the house.

The five hundred tiger guards who accompanied them did not enter the mansion with them, but straightened up and stood outside the mansion.

Walking in front of Ding Hong, Lu Bu reached out and patted him on the shoulder, smiling: "Doctor Ding, do a big thing at home." ”

Hearing this, Ding Hong's heart suddenly slammed, bowed lower, and hurriedly replied: "Xiaguan has only read a few ancient texts in recent days, and there is no overstepping his authority, please Wang Mingjian!" ”

"Reading isn't a big deal?"

Lu Bu asked meaningfully, and his smile became more and more kind.

He picked up Ding Hong, who was bent over 90 degrees, and walked into the house together.

After that, Ding Hong was supposed to receive him in the lobby, but Lu Bu said that he wanted to go to the study to see if the ancient texts he had studied were worth seeing.

Ding Hong naturally didn't dare to refuse, personally led the way, and took Lu Bu to the study where he wrote on weekdays.

Chen Wei was guarding outside, and there were only Lu Bu and Ding Hong in the house.

"King, this is the ancient text that Xia Guan has been reading in the past few days."

Ding Hong picked up the scroll from the shelf, put it on the desk in front of Lu Bu, and then stood honestly, trembling as if he was walking on thin ice in his heart.

He always felt that Lu Bu meant something.

Lu Bu flipped through a few volumes at random, then put the scroll down and smiled: "Gu Nai was born as a martial artist, and these literati and ink writers can't understand them, and they also have a headache. ”

"The king of Shenwu is world-shattering, powerful all over the world, these things, in fact, are not very good-looking."

Ding Hong lost no time in making a sentence, which not only gave the steps, but also gave Lu Bu a lot of face.

"You've learned a lot of your father's skills."

Lu Bu said with a smile, the Ding Palace back then was also like this.

"There's something I want to ask you."

Lu Bu paused, and looked at Ding Hong solemnly.

"The king, please say, as long as the lower officials know, they will know everything, and they will say everything."

Ding Hong's tone was full of determination.

Not~

Lu Bu lifted his chin and muttered for a while, as if he was thinking about how to phrase it, but when the words came to his mouth, he still asked directly, very lightly: "Send someone to assassinate Xiao'er, is what you mean?" ”

Ding Hong was about to speak, but when he heard the question clearly, the pupils in his eyes suddenly dilated, and then he shuddered violently, frightened to the point that he had no souls and seven spirits, and knelt on the ground with a puff, shouting wronged, kowtowing, and shouting while kowtowing: "King, you just give the lower official a hundred bear hearts and leopard galls, and the lower officials will never dare to make a move on the second son!" ”

Looking at Ding Hong, who was red on his forehead and gradually revealing bloodstains, Lu Bu called him up.

Ding Hong thought that Lu Bu was moved, but the next words he heard made him feel a chill in his heart.

"Lone is thinking about the old lady's affection, so he didn't let Wang Zheng come over to mention people, if you don't tell the truth, Lone can only let someone from the school affairs department entertain you." Lu Bu said indifferently, there was no wave in his eyes, and at the same time reminded Ding Hong: You know, loneliness is never without purpose.

Ding Hong opened his mouth, as if he wanted to justify something, but when he saw Lu Bu's calm eyes, the words in his heart suddenly lost confidence.

At the end, he nodded resignedly.

"This matter is all a moment of confusion for the lower officials, and it almost caused a catastrophe, and the king wants to kill or chop, and I have no complaints. It's just that the family doesn't know about this matter, and I ask the king to be lenient! ”

Ding Hong's face was pale, and in addition to accepting his fate, there were more pleas in his words.

He knelt down slowly, folded his hands, slammed his head on the back of his hands, and his whole body was prostrate and did not lift again.

Lu Bu asked him, how did you know your whereabouts?

Ding Hong told Lu Bu about the events of that night, 1510.

When Lu Bu asked about the map, Ding Hong said that after the assassination failed, it had already been burned.

In this way, it seems that the clue has been broken here.

However, Lu Bu obviously came prepared, he took out a piece of cloth from his sleeve robe, with many words written on it, and he beckoned Ding Hong to come over and asked if it matched the handwriting on it.

Ding Hong examined it carefully, and there was another thought in his mind, and in contrast, he finally nodded with certainty.

"It seems that you are just a pawn in someone else's hand."

Lu Bu put away the cloth, and the anger in his eyes was well hidden by him.

Then, he glanced at Ding Hong and asked, "Say, what are your plans?" ”

Ding Hong was still kneeling, and even if Lu Bu called him, he didn't dare to get up.

Hearing Lu Bu ask about his plans, Ding Hong knew that he could not escape death, and sighed: "After the king leaves, there is a high probability that the lower officials will fall into the water tonight, and they will never cause any trouble to the king, I just ask the king to be merciful and let go of the Ding family." ”

Seeing that Ding Hong did have the will to die, Lu Bu smiled at this, got up and came to Ding Hong, patted Ding Hong's hand gently, and said a lot softer: "When the old lady was alive, she helped Gu a lot openly and secretly, and Gu still remembered the old lady's affection. Don't be in a hurry to die, in this way, when the court meeting tomorrow, you will write a book, and return to your hometown, so that you will return to your hometown and live a safe life. ”

Ding Hong raised his head, a little incredulous, but his expression was more grateful and moved.

After appeasing Ding Hong, Lu Bu stepped out of the threshold of the study, leaving only a tall back.

Ding Hong bowed his head again, kowtowed heavily, and shouted loudly as if he was saying goodbye.

Take care, King!

…………

Out of Ding's Mansion, Lu Bu sat on the king and explained to Chen Wei.

Go and call Yang Xiu.

Not long after, Yang Xiu accompanied Chen Wei to the Lu Mansion.

Lu Bu asked him, Dezu, do you know what is calling you.

After learning that Lu Bu had been to the Ding Mansion, Yang Xiu was already relieved and nodded, indicating that he knew.

Lu Bu asked again, why didn't you run away?

Yang Xiu said: "You can escape, but it's not necessary. If I escape, the king will inevitably suspect that the eldest prince will report the news, and there will be a gap between father and son. ”

That's the benefit of talking to smart people, plain and simple.

One dares to ask, the other dares to ask.

"Who else knows about this but you? Seal...... You know? ”

"This assassination is all driven by my plan, outsiders have no way of knowing, and the map was also obtained by me when I took advantage of your absence, but unfortunately I missed a move and still failed to succeed."

When talking about this, Yang Xiu not only felt ashamed, but felt a little pity.

If the assassination can be done, why die!

Lu Bu knew that Yang Xiu was not afraid of death, so he asked him: "Dezu, among the younger generation, you, Zhongda, and Boji are the smartest, you should know the fate of doing this." ”

"Of course I know, it's just that the eldest prince is a hundred times stronger than a thousand times, but the king has been slow to establish a son! Now, behind the second son, a group of ill-intentioned cows, ghosts, snakes, and gods have gathered, if I don't make a move, the eldest son will be harmed by them sooner or later. I'm just trying to help the eldest prince remove obstacles on the road in advance. ”

Once they are contaminated with power, brothers are not close.

Yang Xiu has seen a lot of this kind of thing.

"Lone knows that you have a heart-to-heart with Zhang'er, but Lone can't forgive this matter."

Lu Bu took a breath in his position, and after calming down, he said again: "But I remember your grandfather's kindness in the old days, and Gu will not kill you today." However, Lone will banish you to the Western Regions, and you will never be allowed to set foot in the territory of the Han family! ”

Yang Xiu didn't say a word about this, and bowed to Lu Bu.

After that, he laughed all the way out of the mansion.

The next day, Ding Hong really resigned, and Yang Xiu also broke with the Yang family because of his disrespectful remarks, and was exiled to the Western Regions.

Soon after, news came to Chang'an, it is said that Ding Hong's family died at the hands of a group of robbers on the way home.

And the killer sent by the school affairs department to pursue Yang Xiu returned in vain.

It's an old man's hand.

To be precise, it is the Sword Saint Wang Yue.