As a senior lover of the history of the Qin and Han dynasties, Sun Ce is no stranger to Wuguan, one of the four stoppers in Guanzhong, but in the field of historiography, the position of Wuguan in the Qin and Han dynasties is controversial. At this time, Wuguan was not in Wuguan Town in later generations, but in a small basin less than five kilometers from east to west on the bank of Danshui. It is said that there was once a phoenix flying here and stayed for a short time on the gate city of Wuguan, so some people called Wuguan the phoenix tower.

Whether it is a deity or a traverser, Sun Ce is not a polite scholar in essence, nor is he angry at books who look down on ordinary people. Even when he walked, he talked and laughed with the servants who led the oxen, inquired about the topography, customs and humanities of Wuguan Road, and laughed happily when he heard interesting places, and asked Pang Tong to write it down and note who said it. Those servants, who didn't even know a single big character, saw that Sun Ce attached so much importance to the gossip they said, and they were all happy to wrinkle, and they were full of praise for this handsome young general.

Soon, a rumor spread among the servants that the fire-breathing bird on General Sun's battle flag was the phoenix that the old people said. How many years have passed, this phoenix has flown to Wuguan again, and peace is coming.

In this regard, Sun Ce let it go. The phoenix nirvana, reborn from the fire, maybe this is the providence in the dark. Although the Yellow Turban Rebellion is often regarded in history as the beginning of the troubled times at the end of the Han Dynasty, in fact, for the Han people themselves, the troubled times began decades ago, and peace in the world is the desire of countless people, not only the scholars who believe in the Wei Wei and believe that the Han Dynasty's destiny has been extinct, but also countless ordinary people, otherwise Zhang Jiao would not use "The sky is dead, and the yellow sky should stand." Years in Jiazi, the world is auspicious" as the slogan. Coincidentally, Zhang Jiao's revolutionary theoretical basis is called "Taiping Jing", and his sect is also called Taiping Dao.

It is better to be a peaceful dog than to be a troubled person. These ordinary people don't understand those big truths, they just want to live a stable life. When this most basic wish cannot be realized, they have no choice but to rise up and resist. Whoever can make them live a good life, they will support whomever they want.

Walking among these servants, Sun Ce felt very relaxed, and he preferred this simple life to the days of intrigue with the powerful of the family.

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Sun Ce didn't encounter any decent trouble, and drove straight in. Two days later, he arrived at the canyon more than ten miles east of Wuguan City, quickly seized the mouth of the Danshui River, and blocked the retreat of the Xiliang soldiers fleeing south along the Danshui River.

The Wang Fang Division, which was ordered to attack Wuguan from the east, had only more than 3,000 people, mainly foot soldiers. Knowing that Sun Ce was killing from behind, they were dumbfounded. They had always thought that Xu Rong's main force was in Xixian County, and no one could copy their back road, but now Sun Ce suddenly appeared, which surprised them. In the chaos, some people began to run away, and Wang Fang's bullet couldn't be suppressed, so he had to run over the mountains and mountains.

People can cross mountains and mountains, but it is difficult to fight horses, Sun Ce easily captured more than 200 war horses and made a small fortune.

The Xiliang soldiers retreated, and Qiao Rui soon got the news and personally went out to greet him. As soon as he saw Sun Ce, he rushed forward to salute first, courtesy. Sun Ce was very satisfied, and hurriedly helped him up, relieved a few words, and shed a few tears for Yuan Shu together, and sighed for a while.

Xu Shu stood quietly on the side to watch Sun Ce and Qiao Rui's performance, very disdainful, and didn't even mean to hide it at all. Sun Ce saw it and sighed secretly. In the end, you're still young, why bother if you really don't want to see it, just hide in Wuguan City and can't see it, you have to show your stalk? What kind of mentality?

In a word, owe a beating!

Sun Ce came to Wuguan City and ordered someone to send Wang Fang's banner to the Xiliang Army camp in the west of Wuguan City. Seeing Sun Ce's battle flag fluttering in the wind at the head of Wuguan City, the phoenix bathing in flames and the flames rising, Zhonglang General Hu Zhen was shocked, quickly pulled out the camp, withdrew to Yaoguan, and sent a fast horse to send an emergency military report to Chang'an. Wuguandao was controlled by Sun Ce, and Xu Rong, who broke into Nanyang, was a lone army, and the situation was very unfavorable.

Wuguan siege was solved, and Sun Ce was rewarded for his meritorious deeds. Qiao Rui is the main general, and he has the most credit. He was originally a general under Yuan Shu, and Sun Ce could no longer let him be a mere lieutenant of Wuguan, so he asked him to accompany the army as a staff officer. After this battle, Qiao Rui also knew that he did not have the ability to lead the troops to fight, so there was no need to provoke Sun Ce's suspicions, so he asked for the right to fight the troops and followed Sun Ce to the left and right staff officers.

Xu Shu had meritorious service in defending the city, especially when he passed through the blockade of the Xiliang soldiers alone and traveled more than 400 miles alone to Wuguan. Although he didn't say anything, everyone knew how dangerous his journey was. After arriving at Wuguan, he assisted Qiao Rui to defend the city, and he was brave and strategic, and everyone was very convinced. Sun Ce promoted him to the rank of lieutenant of Wuguan, and no one raised any objections.

Before Xu Shu arrived, Qiao Rui was able to hold the Wuguan for so long, and the craftsmen led by Mo Xue made the greatest contribution to the city's defense equipment. The craftsman was under the jurisdiction of Huang Chengyan, the captain of the baggage battalion, and Sun Ce did not directly order a reward, and first rewarded a beef feast - Nanyang cattle are not only the best animal power, but also the meat quality is also outstanding.

In addition, the soldiers who participated in the guarding of the customs had different rewards, and everyone rejoiced.

After making proper arrangements, Sun Ce rested for a day and set out on his return journey. Xu Shu, the new lieutenant of Wuguan, sent Sun Ce outside the pass. From a cloth cloth to a commander of 3,000 people of Wuguan Lieutenant, Xu Shu is very satisfied, very grateful to Sun Ce, although he didn't say a good word, his face is still so stinky, and his words are still so impulsive, but Sun Ce knows that he is very happy in his heart, but he refuses to put it on his mouth.

Before leaving, Sun Ce and Xu Shu stood side by side by the Danshui River, looked at the surging Danshui, and said, "Yuan Zhi, bring your family to Nanyang." The land of the four battles in Yingchuan is not peaceful. ”

Xu Shu didn't think twice. "Okay, I'll send a letter to my brother immediately, and ask him to bring his mother to Wancheng."

"Not married yet?" Sun Ce was a little surprised. Han people get married early, and there are many people who get married at the age of sixteen or seventeen, and Xu Shu is in his early twenties, why hasn't he gotten married yet?

Xu Shu was also calm. "Whose woman wants to marry an outlaw? Besides, my family is still so poor, and often I don't even have food for the night. The first two years were a little more stable, but I was so focused on studying that I couldn't make up for the wasted time, and I didn't have the heart to take care of it. Now that I have achieved a small success, I should really consider starting a family, otherwise I can't live with my mother. "Speaking of the old lady, Xu Shu's eyes are a little warmer, and the corners of his mouth are more smiling." I am away from home all the year round, and I lack my mother too much. This time, I will bring her to Nanyang, and when the war is over, I will wait for her old man for a while. ”

Sun Ce looked back at him and smiled. "You don't have to wait for the war to end, I'll send someone to send her to Wuguan, you pack up the house and wait."

Xu Shu was stunned for a moment, raised his head, and pointed to a boulder on the cliff in the distance. "General, that boulder is what people often call the phoenix bird. See the phoenix, peace can be expected. Poetry: Zhan Wu stops, in whose house. Where is the golden crow, I don't know, but the phoenix bird flew to Wuguan, I have already seen it. ”

Sun Ce glanced at the boulder in the distance, it was indeed somewhat similar. He patted Xu Shu on the shoulder. "The phoenix is the king of birds, if I am the phoenix bird, Yuan Zhi, I hope you can become the eagle guarding the martial arts."

Xu Shu bowed and saluted. "Dare to disobey!"