The next night, Chungling, Liu Liang's house.

Hearing a knock on the door outside, Liu Liang slowly got off the couch, put on his shoes, and walked towards the door.

The two sons have already started their own families and built their own houses not far away. Last year, my wife also died. In the current family, only Liu Liang is left.

At this point, dinner has been eaten, and it is supposed to be time to rest. But who will knock at this time?

Groping to light an oil lamp, Liu Liang stared at the old flower's eyes, and finally touched the gate with the help of the light. When he opened the door, he was stunned.

Standing at the door turned out to be his two nephews, Liu Xiu and Liu Xuan.

"Ah Xiu?" Liu Liang opened the door, looked at the two nephews in front of him, and widened his eyes: "Why did you come back suddenly?" This...... It's not the end of the year yet. ”

Before Liu Xiu could answer, he had already hugged Liu Xiu in his arms, and his arms were tightly clenched, as if he was afraid that he would suddenly disappear.

"Uncle ......"

was suddenly hugged tightly by Liu Liang, Liu Xiu was stunned at first, and then hugged his uncle tightly with his backhand.

My uncle's body was much thinner than before. The arms that surround his body can clearly feel the ribs one by one.

Liu Xiu remembered that when he first came to Chungling, his uncle was still a middle-aged man who was not tall but sturdy. When he saw Liu Xiu for the first time, he hugged himself tightly in his arms, put it in his ear and said to himself: "This will be your home in the future." ”

And now, my uncle can't hold himself anymore.

Easily opened Liu Liang, Liu Xiu supported him and walked towards the house. Liu Xuan, who walked last, carefully closed the door and followed behind the two.

Liu Liang looked back at Liu Xiu frequently as he walked towards the inner room, with a loving look on his face.

His two sons were mediocre and incompetent, who did not want to study or practice martial arts, but only farmed all day long. Among the two nephews, Liu Jiu went to Wancheng again and spent the days of licking blood on the knife edge. Only Liu Xiu is the greatest pride in Liu Liang's heart.

"Uncle, if I'm not mistaken, you're fifty-eight years old this year." After taking a seat, Liu Xiu looked at the mottled wrinkles on his uncle's face and said softly.

"yes...... It's almost grounded......"

Liu Liang didn't expect his nephew's first sentence to be this, he was stunned for a moment, and his face gradually became a little desolate: "This old bone won't be long to live." ”

"It's been seventeen years since our brother returned to Chungling and was raised by you......" Liu Xiu sighed and looked straight into Liu Liang's eyes: "I only have one last thing now, and I want to ask my uncle." ”

Liu Liang and Liu Xiu looked at each other for a long time, and then glanced at Liu Xiu, who was sitting next to Liu Xiu, and his face suddenly changed: "Ah Xiu...... Don't you ......?"

Liu Xiu nodded, the lower body that knelt and sat did not move, the upper body bowed down, and bowed down in front of his uncle: "Wang Mang has seized the world of the Han family since then, and he has been angry and resentful. Please ask your uncle to take the lead, contact the Hongxiang Liu clan in Chungling, and raise troops together to revive the Han family! ”

"Ah Xiu...... Ah Xiu...... No, Uncle Wen ......" What Liu Liang expected became a reality, his lips trembled, and he stood up suddenly. The title of Liu Xiu has also changed from a nickname to a table word: "You...... How can you talk such bastards! ”

After speaking, Liu Liang glared at Liu Zhuo viciously: "Explain it to me clearly, Bosheng!" Didn't you bring Uncle Wen bad!! ”

"Uncle, why do you say this is a bastard?" Liu Xiu raised his head and said with a wry smile.

"Uncle Wen, Uncle Wen......" Liu Liang shook his head, his face full of pain: "Since you were a child, your ambitions and ethics have always been different from your eldest brother's Bosheng. Now Bosheng is in danger of destroying the family, not only do you not stop it, but you even conspire with him to rebel! Did you know that thirteen years ago, ......"

"I know, uncle. You're talking about An Zhonghou, right? Liu Xiu interrupted Liu Liang's words: "Thirteen years ago, although I was still young, I still remember the incident when he came to Chungling to find you. ”

"If you remember, why do you still have such stupid ideas!" Liu Liang glared at Liu Xiu fiercely: "Liu Chong, the Marquis of Anzhong, raised troops alone, but he couldn't even attack the gate of Wancheng, so he was defeated and died. Then the family was exterminated, and more than 100 people in the Hou Mansion did not even survive the baby waiting to be fed, don't you know these things! ”

"My nephew knows." Liu Xiu took a breath and nodded.

"If that's the case, then why do you still say such things!" Liu Liang's chest rose and fell rapidly.

"Because ......" Liu Xiu was halfway through his words, but suddenly stopped and smiled: "I have one thing, I want to ask my uncle first." ”

"That night thirteen years ago, I was in my room, but I had been listening carefully to the conversation outside. After An Zhonghou left, you and your brother talked for a while. Finally, you asked my brother a question, and I remember it very clearly: 'If one day, the world will really be in chaos.' At that time, are you willing to raise an army against Wang Mang? ’”

"Uncle, I think at least then, your thoughts are different from now."

Liu Liang was stunned for a while.

After a long time, he sighed, shook his head slowly, and nodded again: "Indeed...... It's not the same. ”

"So, why?" Liu Xiu smiled and continued to ask.

"Because, I'm old......" Liu Liang was silent for a long time before he spoke in a hoarse voice, with a desolation in his voice: "No matter how much ambition you have in your prime, in your twilight years, you will gradually turn into cool ashes after all." ”

"You...... Has it cooled down? Liu Xiu looked at Liu Liang.

"Yes, it's cooled." Liu Liang sighed quietly: "In the past, I attached importance to the Liu family who owned the world, and what I wanted to defend was the world that the Liu family owned. When the Marquis of An came to me, although I did not agree to his offer to join the army, it was only because I knew that he would fail. At that time, I was just waiting for an opportunity, waiting for an opportunity that would allow us to defeat Wang Mang. ”

"Now, then, that opportunity has arrived." Liu Xiu said in a deep voice: "There are frequent disasters in the world, and the displaced people are everywhere, no matter how strong Wang Mang was when he just usurped the throne, it is now time when he can no longer suppress the world." As long as we rise up, the world will definitely respond to it, and when the time comes......"

"Inevitably?" Liu Liang interrupted Liu Xiu: "Who told you that this is inevitable?" At the end of the Qin Dynasty in the past, the first to raise troops was the soldiers of Daze Township. However, Chen Sheng and Wu Guang were not killed in the end? ”

Liu Liang paused and continued: "Now, I no longer have those responsibilities to the world in my heart. It has been eleven years since Wang Mang ascended the throne. When Dahan was just usurped by him, I may still have some residual blood. But now...... All I value is the people around me. ”

Liu Liang sighed and looked at Liu Xiu and Liu Jiu deeply: "That is...... You guys. As long as I can protect you, it will be enough to satisfy me. And let you risk your lives...... I don't have the courage I used to have. ”

In his eyes, there is really no longer the courage of his prime, but only helplessness.

Liu Xiu met Liu Liang's gaze, took a deep breath, and then slowly spoke:

"Risky? So...... Uncle, what if I tell you now that the court is going to kill me, and really almost killed me? ”

When Liu Xiu said this, his eyes were blazing and his eyes were fierce at Liu Liang: "Do you understand, uncle?" If you don't have a soldier, I'll ...... will die. ”

"What?" Liu Xiu's words shocked Liu Liang's whole body. He frowned and looked at Liu Xiu carefully.

However, Liu Xiu's expression and eyes were resolute and sincere, and there was no sign of hypocrisy, just looking at himself calmly, without any fluctuations.