jdhmnovel Chapter 500: The Three Brothers Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei Reunite
Chapter 500: The Three Brothers Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei Reunite
A person's courage is often a fleeting moment; once that moment of outburst passes, it may be gone.
When Guan Xing arrived at Zhuge Liang's tent, he saw that Zhuge Liang was still staring at his notebook and knew that he was doomed. He instinctively wanted to turn around and run away.
Hearing the commotion, Zhuge Liang slowly raised his head. Seeing Guan Xing hesitating at the door, he knew that Guan Xing had guessed something. Guan Xing, who could command tens of thousands of troops and win every battle, could not be a fool. He would definitely react quickly after realizing his mistake.
Zhuge Liang smiled slightly and raised his hand to beckon. Guan Xing knew he couldn't avoid it when he saw him beckoning. He walked into the tent, bowed, and said, "Strategist, I have something to tell you."
Listen carefully to the unspoken meaning. Smart people never need the other person to spell things out too clearly. They can understand the other person's meaning with just a glance or even a gesture. Those who can't understand this kind of communication simply can't survive in this circle.
Just like political intrigue dramas such as "Da Ming Dynasty 1566," without narration or Chinese translation, you simply can't understand what they're saying.
As soon as Zhuge Liang saw Guan Xing, he guessed that Guan Xing had realized he had been exposed, but refused to communicate because he had not figured out how to deal with it. He handed the notebook to Guan Xing and calmly smiled, "Judging from the time, Cao Cao is probably about to leave Wuguan Pass and approach the Han River. Moreover, your father will be back soon. With the great battle imminent, it is not advisable to cause any trouble. We should wait until the great battle is over before we talk about anything else."
After saying that, she gave him a look that said, "I understand you."
Okay, that confirms it.
Guan Xing was no longer worried and said with a "whatever" attitude, "Alright, also, Mi Fang just said that he wants to leave early. Please tell the King that you are here."
Zhuge Liang nodded in agreement, and Guan Xing bowed and took his leave.
As Guan Xing stepped out of the tent, he fell into deep thought. In fact, it's better to talk things out than to speculate all the time and cause unnecessary misunderstandings.
Like Zhuge Liang, he also had a strong desire for control and disliked anything or anyone that was out of his control. He also did not want to be like the corrupt officials and unscrupulous businessmen of later generations, who were so worried about when things would go wrong that they could not eat or sleep.
So it's still better to say open.
Since I can't outsmart you, you cunning old man, I'll just lay everything out on the table and play my cards right there, okay?
Therefore, after the great battle, not only Zhuge Liang, but also Liu Bei and Guan Yu had to have a good talk.
No one knows a son better than his father, and he didn't believe that Liu Bei and Guan Yu were unaware of their son's unusual behavior.
Guan Yu may have already suspected it, but he pretended not to know because the war in Jiangdong was still unsettled. However, once suspicion arises, it sows the seeds of distrust. If he didn't explain clearly and let the other party keep guessing, it would eventually lead to an irreparable disaster.
Even if Guan Yu didn't suspect anything, it wouldn't work if he suspected Guan Yu. He couldn't keep worrying about when Guan Yu would find out. He didn't want to suffer psychological torment every day.
Furthermore, the time traveler's vision is definitely global. It would be impossible to achieve the goal of global colonization by oneself alone. The entire court must work together to accomplish it quickly. Therefore, it is necessary to let Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang know some things in advance.
The moment he made the decision, Guan Xing felt a sense of clarity and left humming a song with light steps.
A day passed quickly, and at dawn the next day, Mi Fang and Fu Shiren, carrying Liu Bei's orders and dozens of soldiers, left Jiangling for Gong'an, following the same route Guan Xing had taken to Wu County, thus beginning the first long voyage of the Han Dynasty.
Pan Jun also returned to Chengdu, preparing to travel south from Chengdu through Nanzhong to Kushan, then to Parthia, and then back from Liangzhou, to open up another Silk Road for the Han Dynasty.
These three men, who were afraid of Guan Yu, left less than four days later, and Guan Yu returned.
Liu Bei immediately put aside his affairs and led his civil and military officials ten miles outside the city to welcome him.
Guan Yu is now the God of War of China, the second-in-command of the Shu Han dynasty with outstanding military achievements, and his status is even higher than that of Zhuge Liang. It is not excessive to give him the highest honors.
Even without that, Liu Bei would still have come out of the city to greet them. The three brothers hadn't been together for almost ten years, so it was impossible for them not to miss each other.
Thinking of the scene of meeting his second brother, Liu Bei was so excited that he wished he could walk another ten miles to the Yangtze River to greet him.
Zhang Fei chattered excitedly, repeatedly asking questions like, "I wonder if my second brother has gotten fatter or thinner, and if his body is weaker than before," which annoyed Liu Bei.
Guan Xing followed silently behind Zhuge Liang without saying a word; he had learned to keep quiet now.
After waiting outside the city for most of the day, Guan Yu's army finally appeared, with banners fluttering and a formidable formation, giving people a sense of unshakeable solidity.
As soon as Liu Bei saw Guan Yu, Guan Yu also saw them. He decisively raised his hand and ordered the army to stop. Then, he led his trusted men, including Zhou Cang, Xia Tong, Gan Xun, and Meng Jun, quickly toward them.
Liu Bei and his men went to meet them. The two brothers ran towards each other and soon met. They looked at each other from a distance of about a meter apart, their lips moving. They had a thousand words to say, but at this moment they could not utter a single word.
The two stared at each other for a good quarter of an hour before Liu Bei finally broke down in tears and choked out, "Second brother, you're finally back."
Upon hearing the word "Second Brother," Guan Yu trembled all over and choked up, saying, "Eldest Brother, Third Brother, I never thought I would see you again in this life, I...I..."
The sight of his familiar third brother finally brought Zhang Fei's tears to a breaking point. He opened his arms and hugged Liu Bei and Guan Yu, wailing, "Second brother, the Xiangfan incident scared me to death. I thought I would never see you again."
The three brothers embraced and wept bitterly, a scene reminiscent of Guan Yu's journey through five passes and six generals, overcoming countless difficulties to reunite with Liu Bei and Zhang Fei.
Time flies and so much has changed. In the blink of an eye, they have all grown old. The only thing that remains unchanged is the bond between the three brothers; their hearts are still as passionate as they were back then.
After weeping, Liu Bei stepped back, grabbed Guan Yu's shoulder, looked him over carefully, and asked with concern, "I heard you were shot by Pang De's poisoned arrow and had your bone scraped to remove the poison. How are you? Are there any aftereffects?"
Guan Yu instinctively touched his injured arm and laughed, "It's alright, my arm is nothing to worry about. It's just that I sometimes can't swing my sword properly. I might never be able to beat my third brother again."
Good brothers are forged in battle. He and Zhang Fei fought the first time they met, so it's a bit of a pity that they can't fight now.
Zhang Fei said nonchalantly, "It's alright, Second Brother, I'll let you use one hand from now on."
Which pot does not open which pot.
Liu Bei kicked him in anger, then comforted Guan Yu, saying, "It's good that you're alright. Martial arts aren't important. You're already sixty years old, stop fighting all the time."
After exchanging pleasantries, Zhuge Liang led his men forward to pay their respects, and Guan Yu returned the greeting with clasped hands. Finally, they looked at Sun Quan.
Guan Yu looked at Sun Quan with calm eyes, not anger. Although Sun Quan had crossed the river in disguise, he had seized his territory. He had not only not lost but had actually gained a lot. So what was there to be angry about?
Guan Yu clasped his hands and said, "Lord Wu, how have you been? Everything is fine at home, don't worry."
Guan Yu felt no anger towards Sun Quan, but Sun Quan did. He clenched his fists and held back for a long time before suppressing the urge to fight. He bowed and said, "Thank you for your trouble, Second Brother."
After the elders finished exchanging pleasantries, Zhang Bao pushed through the crowd and stepped forward to bow to Guan Yu, saying, "Second Uncle, do you still recognize me? It's me, Xingguo."
Guan Yu patted his head and laughed, "How could I not remember? When we parted ways, you weren't even as tall as my leg, but now you're taller than your father. Time really flies."
Seven or eight years may be a blink of an eye for adults, but it is a world of difference for children, turning them from snotty little kids into adults as tall as their fathers.
Zhang Bao said excitedly, "That's right, my martial arts skills are better than my father's now. He can't beat me anymore."
He had barely finished speaking when he got a kick in the butt. Before he could turn around, Zhang Fei grabbed him by the ear and dragged him aside, cursing, "This kid's not really that bad, he just needs a beating. By the way, Second Brother, who are these people? Aren't you going to introduce them?"
Guan Yu hurriedly summoned the generals behind him to his side and introduced them to Liu Bei, Zhang Fei, Zhuge Liang and others: "This is my personal guard Gan Xun. He followed An Guo and made great contributions in the battle of Wushang. This is Meng Jun, from Zhuojun. He is your fellow villager, brother. An Guo brought him out of the Jianye prison. He made the greatest contribution by defending Shan County when An Guo captured Zhang Cheng twice."
Liu Bei looked at Meng Jun and smiled, "You're from Zhuojun. I never expected to meet a fellow townsman here. What a stroke of luck!"
Meng Jun, however, was stunned as if he had been hit with a brick. He stared at the King of Hanzhong who had come out of Zhuojun and stood there until Guan Yu kicked him. He then quickly bowed and said, "This humble general Meng Jun greets Your Majesty. This humble general is not talented and has relied entirely on the guidance of the old general and General Guan."
These words were quite poignant. He was just a horse smuggler, but now he had transformed into a general who could stand before the King of Hanzhong. The contrast was so great that it felt like a dream.
Liu Bei laughed and said, "That depends on your own ability."
After chatting with Meng Jun about some interesting things from their hometown, Liu Bei turned his gaze to Xia Tong. Looking at Xia Tong, who was clad in iron armor and resembled an iron mountain, Liu Bei's eyes lit up as he asked, "What's this young man's name? This armor must be quite heavy."
The feudal lords all admired fierce generals like Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Dian Wei, and Xu Chu, and Liu Bei was no exception. Looking at Xia Tong, he saw Guan Yu in his youth, his eyes filled with admiration and joy.
Guan Yu laughed and said, "This is my newly accepted disciple, Xia Tong, the deputy commander of the Chongyu Camp. Xia Tong, please greet Your Majesty."
Xia Tong raised his arms, and the iron plates all over his body immediately emitted a pleasant scraping sound, but he ignored it, clasped his hands and bowed, saying, "Xia Tong greets Your Majesty."