Jingzhou and Chengdu are thousands of miles apart.

At normal speed, it takes more than a month to make a round trip.

But at this moment... On the official road, the sound of horses' hooves was coming out rapidly, and in the face of the strong wind, a man and a horse shuttled through the vast fog like ghosts.

The messenger was exhausted, but the six-hundred-mile rush was like that, and he had to hold on until he reached the next station.

Because Yizhou was initially decided, the post station from Jingzhou to Chengdu was not fully established, and it was often a hundred miles to find one.

What's more, there are only horses in the caravansera, and there are no messengers to replace.

The knight on the horse had been galloping for two days and two nights, but he was tirelessly running forward.

The letterhead in the bamboo tube behind him was written by Ma Liang himself.

Zhuge Liang instructed Ma Liang to report the latest situation in Jingzhou in the form of a text message every other month.

In the final analysis, no matter how unparalleled Guan Yu is, Zhuge Liang has that temperament towards him... Don't worry!

Of course, the text message sent by Ma Liang this time is much more important than before.

-- related to the war in Hefei;

-- It is related to the demarcation of Hunan water;

-- It is also related to the ownership of Changsha, Guiyang and Jiangxia counties.

——It is more about the final trend of Uncle Liu Huang's borrowing of Jingzhou!

Fortunately, everything is safe.

The situation is moving in a positive, optimistic direction.

And in this kind of situation, Ma Liang also specially wrote an extra article according to Guan Yu's instructions, that is-Guan Gong issued a letter of guilt in Jingzhou.

Among them, it is the absolute protagonists of these events, the other two people except Guan Yu.

First, the mysterious, most likely friend but not enemy Hong Qigong.

The second is his fourth son Guan Yu, who accurately answered the direction of the Hefei battlefield in advance - Guan Lin Guan Yunqi.

It is said that it is 600 miles to expedite, but there are many mountain roads here, as if the knight can't go so fast, and he still needs at least two days to get to Chengdu.

However, at this time, Chengdu did not rejoice everywhere because of Liu Bei's occupation, but... Undercurrents are surging, waves are surging, and one problem after another is surfacing.

And this made Zhuge Kongming, who was in charge of everything, sad and gloomy.

…

Chengdu, in front of General Zuo's mansion, capable guards stand strictly.

Seeing Zhuge Liang's arrival, they knelt down on one knee one after another, moving neatly, but they didn't say a word.

Zhuge Liang glanced up at the plaque of "General Zuo's Mansion", stopped for a moment, and his mind was much more restrained at the moment, his expression became solemn and solemn, and he walked into the door quickly.

Today's Zhuge Liang was named "General of the Military Division" by Liu Bei.

In addition, he also ordered to "act on the affairs of General Zuo's office", which means that in addition to Liu Bei, the internal responsibilities are all pressed on this thirty-four-year-old young strategist.

Walking through the courtyard and entering the main hall, General Hanzuo's main seat was still empty, and Zhuge Liang was sitting in the position of the military advisor.

The guard at the door shouted: "Something! ”

Outside the door, more than a dozen scribes who were already waiting in line were all in uniform Han official robes, each holding bamboo slips to come in, and they placed them on Zhuge Liang's desk one by one.

Zhao Yun, who was in charge of managing the internal affairs of General Zuo's mansion, personally brought the water cup and only placed it on the desk in front of Zhuge Liang, and the desk in front of General Zuo's throne was still empty.

Zhuge Liang took a sip lightly, and immediately asked Zhao Yun.

"Why didn't the lord come?"

Zhao Yun stepped forward and replied in a low voice, "Mrs. Sun, these days... I'm having trouble with my lord! ”

Zhuge Liang raised his head suddenly, looked at Zhao Yun, and pondered for a moment before he then asked, "Or is it because of Yizhou?" ”

"Alas... It's not just Yizhou..."

Zhao Yun didn't answer in detail, just let out a long sigh.

In later generations, in many "deductions" and "commentaries", the relationship between Liu Bei and Sun Shangxiang is often described as a concubine.

The stories of "Ganlu Temple" and "Zhou Lang's clever plan to settle the world, lose his wife and lose his soldiers" are even more well-known.

These all show Sun Shangxiang's admiration for Liu Bei and his enthusiasm for marrying heroes.

But in fact, it backfired.

There is a saying in "Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms, Shu Zhi, and Fa Zhengbiography" - "The lord is in the public security, the north is afraid of Cao Gong's strength, the east is afraid of Sun Quan's compulsion, and the near is afraid that Mrs. Sun will change under the elbow. ”

It is important to know that the "elbow and armpit" is the closest place to the heart, and it is also the most dangerous place.

Thus... Liu Bei worries about Cao Cao and Sun Quan during the day, but at night, he is especially worried about the people sitting on him, this feeling is unspeakably miserable.

This is sad, Zhao Yun knows best.

In "Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms", Pei Songzhi also specially quoted the record of "Yun Farewell Biography" - "Mrs. Sun is arrogant with her power sister, and she is a general of Wu and soldiers, and she is lawless." ”。

And Liu Bei did establish a "Mrs. Sun City" for Sun Shangxiang in the "West of the Public Security City".

Nominally, placing her and her female soldiers here is actually a husband and wife separation, and her business... I can't care about it!

And what further broke the relationship between Liu Bei and Sun Shangxiang was "Yizhou"...

This can be traced back to that year, when Sun Quan listened to Zhou Yu's plan of "destroying the state by false means", proposed to take Yizhou, and asked Liu Bei's attitude.

Liu Bei said bluntly: "Lone and Liu Zhang, both relatives of the Han family, forbearance and betrayal of righteousness and take Xichuan? If Rudong Wuduan takes Shu, I should put on my hair and go into the mountain, and I will not lose my trust in the world. ”

The implication is that Liu Zhang and I are both relatives of the Han family, half-brothers, you Dongwu want to take my brother's territory, and I, Liu Bei, live in seclusion and will never lose my trust in the world.

At that time, Sun Shangxiang was moved by Liu Bei and persuaded his brother Sun Quan to give up his plan to attack Yizhou.

But who would have thought that Sun Quan didn't have any thoughts about Yizhou.

But when he turned his head, Yizhou was plotted down by Liu Bei, Sun Quan was half angry to death, and Sun Shangxiang's attitude towards Liu Bei also changed from bland to extremely disgusted.

Now, after entering Xichuan, and because "Liu Bei borrowed Jingzhou and did not pay it back" and "Guan Yu could not fulfill the contract for the demarcation of Xiangshui", Sun Shangxiang had a lot of trouble with this husband who was more than 30 years older than him, and Liu Bei's life was not easy.

"Mrs. Sun is Sun Jian's young daughter, pampered since childhood, and proficient in eighteen kinds of martial arts, in Jiangdong people called 'bow waist Ji', now because of Jingzhou, Sun, Liu suspicion, the lord has this wife, it must be quite difficult!"

Zhuge Liang let out a sigh of emotion, and immediately raised his hand, "The lord can't sleep well at night, let him rest well, don't talk about this..."

Zhuge Liang drank all the water in the water cup in front of him and said loudly.

"Let's get started!"

Immediately, a scribe replied: "Cao Cao took Hanzhong, and went south to Bashu at any time, and the people in Shu were panicked. The army's food and salaries are in a hurry, and they can't make up the funds to resist the enemy! ”

"That's not right!" Zhuge Liang raised his eyes, his bright eyes were full of suspicion, "In Liu Zhang's treasury, isn't there a million stones of money and grain?" How could they not make up food to resist the enemy, and why is that? ”

Hearing Zhuge Liang's questioning, the scribe said truthfully: "In the past, the attack on Chengdu was not smooth, and in order to boost morale, the lord promised the soldiers, 'If the matter is decided, the treasury will be full of things, and there will be no foresight'!" ”

Zhuge Liang knew about this.

——If the matter is decided, the treasury will be alone!

This means that if Chengdu is breached, the finances in the official warehouse, he Liu Bei will not take a penny, and the big guys will take it casually, and he will never interfere.

It was this unconsidered promise that made the treasury money and grain be appropriated by the officers and soldiers of the army.

There have even been cases of soldiers fighting for property for a long time.

It can be seen that as the owner of the people, you can eat indiscriminately, but you can't talk nonsense!

Call...

Hearing this, Zhuge Liang exhaled, this matter is not big or small, but it is extremely troublesome to deal with, and it must be discussed with the lord before making a decision.

But the lord...

Zhuge Liang looked at the empty lord seat again, and inevitably felt sad.

"Go on..."

Zhuge Liang waved his hand.

Another scribe reported: "Nowadays, prices in various counties and counties in Yizhou are extremely unstable, many local clans are hoarding, grain prices were once extremely high, and public resentment is boiling... There are already faint voices in the market that Uncle Liu Huang's rule is not as good as Liu Zhang's rule! ”

"Prices?" Zhuge Liang groaned softly.

He knew that prices were regulated by the local princes.

However, it is often not coercive means that regulate prices, but commercial means.

This goes back to the previous problem, the money in the treasury has been robbed by the soldiers, and there is no money? How to regulate prices? This is a good woman's hard work without rice!

"Go on!" After only hearing two questions, Zhuge Liang's expression had already become gloomy.

The third scribe stood up and arched his hand: "Yizhou has been decided, how to distribute a large number of barren acres under the war?" This is also what you have repeatedly mentioned in the civil and military, and the lord seems to have intended to distribute the most fertile acres and residences in Chengdu to the meritorious soldiers, and has drawn up a list! ”

This time, without waiting for Zhuge Liang to speak.

A crisp voice came from outside the house.

- "Hold the bow as strong, and use the arrow as the long." Shoot a man first and shoot a horse first, and capture a thief first and capture the king first! ”

With this voice, a handsome young man in his early twenties walked in slowly, he spoke generously, and bowed to Zhuge Liang first, and said in his mouth: "Meet the military advisor!" ”

The person who came was Ma Liang's younger brother Ma Tan.

"You're always here." Zhuge Liang raised his hand and motioned for Ma Jian to sit down.

Ma Tan knelt on the side seat.

He is nominally a small master, but in fact, he has a master-apprentice friendship with Zhuge Liang, and Zhuge Liang attaches great importance to this disciple.

"Shoot a man first and shoot a horse first, capture a thief and capture the king first, it seems that you often have something to say."

Zhuge Liang looked at Ma Jian gently, as if he deliberately gave a chance to let this young man who valued him show it well.

"Yizhou was initially decided, a hundred wastes to be revived, there are countless problems, but the bow can be used to hold the strong, with the arrow as a long, if you blindly focus on those 'little things', it is inevitable to miss the big festival."

These words made Zhuge Liang's eyes light up.

Ma Yan Kankan continued: "In Yizhou, there are only two important things to do, one is that Cao Cao occupies Hanzhong and goes south at any time, how should our army deal with it? ”

"The second is Jingzhou, I heard that the situation in Jingzhou is changing rapidly, Jiangdong has been tentatively launching a surprise attack on Jingnan, I heard that a notice in Jiangling City jumped out, the ownership of the three counties of Changsha and the war in Hefei are closely linked, if Dongwu Hefei wins, then the three counties of Changsha will return to Wu, in this lord and military division should have made plans early!"

Don't look at Ma Yan's youth, but he can talk eloquently, reasonably...

Zhuge Liang nodded approvingly, and he sighed: "What you say is reasonable. ”

Speaking of this, he looked back at those scribes, "As I often say, things have priorities, if you have a book from Jingzhou and Hanzhong, you should report it first..."

This... Zhuge Liang's words blurted out.

As soon as the scribes look at me, I look at you, and they all fell silent, seemingly... There is no report from Hanzhong and Jingzhou.

Of course, Hanzhong's words are forgivable.

Cao Cao has just captured Hanzhong, and he will definitely take a little rest, but Jingzhou... It's been a long time, and the text message of the white-eyed Ma Liang hasn't come for a long time.

It seems that since Guan Yu refused to implement the agreement on "Xiangshui demarcation", there has been no news from Jingzhou.

The more he thought about it, the more Zhuge Liang's brows couldn't help but condense.

- "Yun Chang!"

Zhuge Liang sighed in his heart...

Since he left Jingzhou, the biggest worry in his heart was Yun Chang.

This worry, Zhuge Liang appears every day.

Yun Chang's arrogant and conceited temperament has always been a big hidden danger in Jingzhou!

Thinking of this, Zhuge Liang slowly got up, and his tone suddenly increased: "Wait for me, if there is an urgent matter from Jingzhou, report it to me as soon as possible." Whenever! ”

- "Wow! ”

The scribes stood up and answered.

It's Ma Yan, he "chirps" his mouth, his eyes are shining, and he is also pondering...

What is the current situation in Jingzhou?

Changsha, Guiyang, Jiangxia three counties, can you bear it?

…

…

Gangneung Fortress...

In the morning light, a thin shadow of the sun penetrated into a land temple on the outskirts of the western city.

In the courtyard, ten cauldrons are erected, and the hot porridge in the cauldron is constantly stirring, bubbling with the fragrant fragrance.

Undoubtedly, these scents can make the stomach of a hungry person churn even more;

It can also make people who have been weathered feel a trace of warmth under the cold autumn wind!

And around this cauldron are beggars and homeless people dressed in tatters.

They are the lowest and most pitiful people of this era.

At this moment, their eyes were staring at the porridge in the cauldron, such a thick porridge, they hadn't drunk it for half a year.

First, each person was given a bowl of porridge...

After the stomach, these beggars and homeless people turned their heads to the door of the land temple.

There, I don't know when a platform was erected.

Although there are some leaks, but by the mountains and rivers, it has a different style.

That's when ...

The familiar beggar leader walked quickly onto the high platform with bold and uninhibited steps under the expectant gaze of everyone.

The beggars in the audience whispered.

"Look at Brother Lu's clothes and complexion now... It's completely different, this is the right person, and there is hope for the future. ”

"yes, I don't know... Brother Lu mentioned to Guan Gongzi that we didn't have it? Who of us wouldn't want to have a hope? ”

"You shouldn't ask, if Brother Lu didn't mention us to that Guan Gongzi, then... So much porridge, falling from the sky? ”

In a whisper, the beggar's head had already walked to the high platform.

He opened his throat and shouted, "Brothers, I am calling you here today, not just to drink porridge!" ”

"Let me tell you a great good thing, we have more than 2,000 beggars, and from now on, we will have a backer!"

I blurted out this...

These beggars opened their mouths one after another, "Then Guan Sigongzi promised to be our backer?" ”

"Hey, that's the son who let Guan Gong give a 'guilty book', if it's him... That's... That's..."

"Finally got out, got out..."

"However, Guan Sigongzi is a thief Cao Peng, an official master, he will... Will it take in a bunch of beggars? ”

The chatter is getting louder and louder... More and more miscellaneous.

It was still the beggar leader surnamed "Lu" who motioned for the big guy to be quiet.

He hurriedly continued to shout: "Don't misunderstand, don't misunderstand, our backer is not Guan Sigongzi..."

"Our backer is more powerful than Guan Sigongzi, he... He is 'Hong Qigong', his old man! ”

"His old man said, from now on, we will do things, he will take care of the food, and if he has a mouthful, he will never be hungry!"

"We are no longer the beggars who are bullied, we have names when we get together!"

"From now on, we will be called the 'Beggar Gang'!"

…

…

(End of chapter)