Chapter 27 third quarter

Jiusi City in July. The golden sun fell on the tower. It's early autumn, and it's still hot here. The clear water is led from the high mountains to the stone canal, and drops drop by drop into a large bowl carved from a whole piece of white jade. An agate comb is placed beside the bowl.The comb had accumulated dust for a long time, and a few black hairs were entangled on the teeth. Occasionally, when the wind came, the hair would flutter and the dust would be scattered in the air like powder.Zhuge Liang had captured Meng Huo alive three times, but Meng Huo never uttered the word "serve", so Zhuge Liang let him go three times.Although the lower-ranking officers were somewhat slanderous about this, but because it was the prime minister's military order, no one would disobey them. After complaining, they murmured, "The prime minister has his own clever plan...that is beyond my imagination."

Ma Zhong reminded Zhuge Liang. He said that the soldiers had been away from home for more than four months, and it was inevitable that they would feel homesick and hoped for a quick battle.Zhuge Liang made a batch of pillows and distributed them, saying that if you sleep on them, you can go home in your dreams.The round pillow exudes a faint fragrance, which reminds men of the warm body of a woman at home.After that, Huo Ji often saw soldiers in groups of three or four, each carrying a pillow, around the bonfire, beating knives and guns, singing songs of their homeland.The singing is mixed with the sound of drums heard from ten miles away, spreading far away in the night.

Even Zhuge Liang slept on this special pillow. People can't guess what kind of dream Zhuge Liang is going to have.There is only one theory: the prime minister often has sweet dreams recently, so he has almost developed the habit of taking a nap. In the middle of the day, Zhuge Liang just fell asleep, listening to the water drops falling into the jade bowl, pattering, like a woman crying.He thought, ten years ago, there might have been a woman sitting here combing her hair. She looked at Bai Sheng on her temples, and couldn't help shedding tears when she thought of her husband who had never returned.For a moment, Zhuge Liang suspected that he was going to dream of Shunying and Guo, but what he dreamed was a man.He dreamed that he had a qin in his hand, and just as he picked up the strings, he saw a man standing three feet away.The man looked into the distance, his eyes were as deep as the ocean, and he seemed to be able to see through the disputes in the world. He was tall and tall, with dark skin, his fingers were hanging down to his knees, and his lips were stretched into a line.Seeing him, Zhuge Liang hurriedly pushed the qin, then stood up, stepped forward and bowed respectfully.At this time, the man turned his face and said with a smile: "Kong Ming. What does 'Kong Ming' mean?"

"Confucius is extreme; enlightenment is bright." "How bright is it? Bright enough to illuminate the wilderness?" The man asked, "The so-called 'shine' is to kill or appease?" "Ah... Duke Zhou!" With a breathless cry, the dream dissipated as if frightened.Zhuge Liang leaned on the Hu bed, still feeling dazed.He can be sure that the man he dreamed just now is the most famous prime minister of the three generations, Duke Zhou.Hundreds of years ago, when Confucius felt that he was getting old, he said: "I haven't dreamed of Duke Zhou for many days." Today, Zhuge Liang's dream of Duke Zhou made him feel strange.On the bright side, this can be used as a proof that he is in his prime; on the other hand, he wonders if he has done something wrong, and Duke Zhou has something to advise him? "I tried my best not to kill..." Zhuge Liang said in his heart, "Wars are always born in blood and fire."

"Do you want me to be more tolerant?" he thought again. At this moment Li Hui came over excitedly, clasped his fists together, and laughed loudly: "I'm caught again!" "Meng Huo?" Zhuge Liang sat up straight and asked with a smile. "right!" "Less than twenty days." Zhuge Liang said. "It's only been eighteen days!" Li Hui said, "We meet again. If I were Meng Huo, I would die of shame." "Call in." Zhuge Liang grabbed the feather fan and said with a smile, "There's no need to tie it up."

When Meng Huo entered the room, he caught a glimpse of Zhuge Liang trying to pick up the agate comb next to the water bowl. "Hold on!" he yelled, about to charge!Zhuge Liang turned around in a hurry, and spread his hands in front of his chest to show that he didn't touch the comb.He saw that Meng Huo's eyes were bloodshot, even in the most ferocious war, Meng Huo would not be like this.Zhuge Liang shook the feather fan, sat back on the bed with a faint smile, and said, "You shouldn't just attack Jiusi City." "Humph!" "I'll stay until October at most, and it's cold in October, so I will definitely return to my teacher." Zhuge Liang persuaded, "If you run around in all directions in Nanzhong, I can't find you, so how can I catch you?" ? Don’t think that evasion is not a hero, winning is enough. If you hide for three more months, you will be the winner.”

This heart-to-heart confession only got Meng Huo a snort of cold air from his nose. "Nine Silk City is easy to defend but hard to attack, you should give it up too." Zhuge Liang laughed. "This is the burial place of my mother," Meng Huo said a second time. "Must it be taken back?" "must." "What if I don't let you go this time?" Meng Huo glanced at Zhuge Liang and said word by word, "Please bury my body here." Zhuge Liang laughed! He raised his lupine and looked at the golden sunlight outside, scattered among the green mountains and green waters like the best silk in Jinguan City, and at the barely visible lush and dense forest farther away.He also saw Yi people in twos and threes looking around, looking grateful and panicked: These are all members of Meng Huo's tribe, who have been released by the Shu army many times. They are looking forward to the same good luck today, On the one hand, he was trembling and worried that he would be beheaded.What he saw made Zhuge Liang sigh, and he suddenly said: "The imperial court never wanted three hundred black dogs, three buckets of grasshopper brains, and three thousand pieces of broken wood three feet long. Impossible to raise money. I would not be so stupid as to want these things, and because I can’t get them, I ordered the extermination of Nanbang. I’m afraid, you and the half a million people in Nanzhong have misunderstood..."

"No misunderstanding." Meng Huo said immediately. "Oh?" "I didn't misunderstand." He blinked cunningly, "I knew it was Yong Kai who was spreading rumors." "Oh..." Zhuge Liang said helplessly, "It really is you." He originally thought that Meng Huo had gathered people to rebel because he was fooled by Yong Kai; after seeing Meng Huo, he changed his mind, and now the man in front of him confessed everything, which made Zhuge Liang confirm his guess: Meng Huo was using Yong Kai in the first place . "I don't want Han people to come to Nanzhong!" Meng Huo said again, "I am the king, so no Han people are allowed to come in!"

Zhuge Liang looked at him faintly, and found that the young man was blushing again due to excitement; he looked at the comb next to the jade bowl, and suddenly thought of a woman who once combed her black oily hair, and her longing and resentment made her look like severe winter's hair. Withered as quickly as a flower.He raised the feather fan to cover his face, thought while saying, "Okay, don't be here anymore. I'll give you Jiusi City back." "What?" Meng Huo was shocked. "You promise me three things." "Say!" "One, you have to clarify the theory of the black dog, grasshopper brain, and broken wood with the southerners."

"it is good." "Second, I don't want to destroy Jiusi City, you and I will go deeper and fight in Lishui." "it is good!" "Three," Zhuge Liang smiled slightly, "Does the mountain where Nine Silk City is located have a name?" Meng Huo was startled, but he didn't expect the other party to ask this question. "No." He shook his head. "That's just right." Zhuge Liang turned around, studied the ink, picked up a pen and wrote a few words and handed it to Meng Huo, "Let me name it to commemorate something." Meng Huo took a look, On the white rice paper, it is neatly written: "Zhou Gongshan." - not only a commemoration, but also a reminder, Zhuge Liang thought happily: Returning Jiusi City is the first step; perfecting a person, perfecting a piece of heaven and earth, making every kind of All life is thriving and prospering. This is what the benevolent and the wise do, and it must be done step by step... He thought again: This is exactly what I am doing.

Five days later, all Shu troops withdrew from Jiusi City. Two months later, the Shu and Nan armies fought their first battle in Lishui. Comparing Lishui to Lushui, it's another scene.If Lu Shui is compared to a fiery and arrogant king who shakes everything when he is angry, then Li Shui is a cold beauty.Li Shu's coldness penetrates the bone marrow. It is said that if a person steps into the water with bare feet and cannot walk ten steps, he will become frozen.Even if it is wrapped in thick cow and sheepskin and put into the water, it will leave hidden dangers in the future.This time, Meng Huo was standing in the water!The water was not deep, only to the waist, but it was wide. Meng Huo and his party of five or six hundred people stood in a few rows arm in arm in the water, waving the black flying tiger flag, yelling "woo hoo", loudly laughing out loud!Suddenly a wild pheasant fell into the water, fluttered for a while, and then sank! "I can't do the boat." Ma Zhong frowned. "It's too far away, the arrow can't shoot it." Mi Wei took off the bow and compared it. "Meng Huo is stupid!" Li Hui sneered, "Can he stand in the water for a lifetime? They won't be able to survive in half an hour. Prime Minister," he cupped his hands and said, "The last general calls for a fight!" Zhuge Liang looked at Meng Huo and asked, "How can De'ang fight?" "Quickly bypass Lishui." "how long?" "Three days!" "Three days... oh, that's fine." Zhuge Liang stretched out his hand towards Huoji, "Bring it here." Huoji held a pair of cowhide buckets with both hands.People watched Zhuge Liang sit on the bank and put a leather tube on his left leg. When he got up and stamped his feet, even Meng Huo stopped whistling.Ma Zhong, Li Hui, Mi Wei and others were even more stunned!After Zhuge Liang put on the second leather tube and tried to take two steps, Mi Wei whispered: "No! Prime Minister...!" "De'ang, I'll give you 800 riders, is that enough?" Zhuge Liang asked. "Prime Minister, the son of a thousand gold, you can't sit still!" Li Hui shouted instead of answering Zhuge Liang. Everyone could see that Zhuge Liang planned to go into the water himself. Meng Huo's heart tensed up. He saw that the man with the feather fan and scarf was talking with other people. He couldn't hear their words clearly because of the sound of the water. So Meng Huo suddenly swung his hand and strode forward!He heard Zhuge Liang say intermittently: "Liang is the prime minister of a country...Yizhou County...you must use wisdom to subdue it, but you must also use...courage. Liang...does not lose to Meng Huo." Since then, Meng Huo has been fascinated. Dazedly thinking: Is Zhuge Liang really saying these words?What a proud person he was, so proud that he shone so much that his subordinates looked at him tremblingly, and when they saw him, they never wanted to leave their eyes! "Your Majesty!" A man behind him caught up and said in a low voice, "Don't be caught by... again." "I don't believe it!" Meng Huo shouted, "The Chinese are only as courageous as a wheat tip!" At this time, he saw Zhuge Liang walking into Lishui, the icy cold Lishui made him frown, but he didn't stop walking, with a smile on his lips as always!This smile gave Meng Huo an electric shock all over his body. He felt that he had encountered the most difficult enemy in his life. He was more cunning than a fox, faster than an eagle, braver than a lion, and more haunting than a shadow.These are not the most important, the most important thing is that this person... makes him want to cry.Chinese!Chinese!Han people don't have a good thing!Meng Huo couldn't tell what was going on in his heart, but his chest felt uncomfortable. He wanted to scream, cry, and hit his head hard on the Xiong'er Mountain, into the Nuno Water, causing the water to flow backwards and the mountain topple over!Ah, ah, ah... damn it! Huo Ji, Mi Wei, Li Hui, Ma Zhong and the soldiers also fell into the water one by one. Meng Huo yelled, turned around and ran away! The splash of water shattered a night of cold dreams. Run wah, run wow!Running out of the dream, and stumbled into the dream again.The poisonous spring Dingdong Dingdong flows from high places to low-lying areas, emeralds sway with the shadow of the water, and peacocks walk back and forth among the flowers of Angelica dahurica.Meng Huo vaguely saw a barefoot child running in front of him.When he had almost caught up with him, the boy flew further ahead again.Chase!This thought couldn't stop, Meng Huo strode after him, heard the sound of water, insects, birds, vine flowers sprouting, and a woman chirping. cry. "Mother, mother!" the child shouted.Meng Huo also shouted together: "Mother... mother!" —Don't cry, mother. — Where is dad? —Stop crying, mother! —Will Daddy come back? ——Mother, don't cry, don't cry... Wake up, mother!Wake up! —— Han people are not allowed to enter Nanzhong again! Meng Huo stepped on a plate of snakes!The colorful cobra just took a bite at his ankle.Meng Huo thought: I'm dreaming, just wake up, wake up quickly!wake up!He slammed his elbow on the stone, the elbow was broken, bleeding, and the pain was excruciating. Looking at the ankle, the two small wounds did not disappear.After living for twenty-eight years, Meng Huo discovered for the first time that Nanzhong was so...beautiful, quiet, and clear. For the first time, he didn't seem to be living in a dream, and knew what he should do.It is time to find a wife, have a bunch of children, bask in the sun when it is sunny, and tell stories when it rains.Meng Huo thought: That's... very good.It's a pity that I was bitten by a snake... Meng Huo thought he was dead. When he opened his eyes, he thought he had arrived in Huangquan. Unexpectedly, Zhuge Liang could also be seen in Huangquan!Meng Huo sighed, and reluctantly turned his face away. At this time, he saw the bright sunlight outside the window, shining on a small piece of snow.The snow was about to melt away, and the water droplets fell down little by little, like singing.Meng Huo suddenly sat up, the pain hit him!As soon as he tried to move his feet, Zhuge Liang held him down and said with a smile, "Young people don't die so easily." Then, Zhuge Liang moved some rolls of silk, and unfolded the silk papers one by one. Meng Huo rubbed his eyes, and saw the sky, the earth, the sun like a gold coin, and the moon like a sickle at the front, followed closely behind. It is a tall and burly man wearing a five-color feather ornament, holding a flying eagle in his hand; beside the man, there are two women kneeling one by one, and the kneeling ones are looking at the man with infinite admiration, To the west of the finger, there are continuous mountains and houses. A giant dragon stretches its teeth and claws, flying in the sky directly above the palace. At the end of the dragon is followed by six small dragons, which are red, black, yellow, blue, white and green. After Xiaolong, another barbarian followed, and the barbarian led the cows, horses, and sheep, as if they were grazing in the sky!A steady stream of livestock rushed on the ground, and it was not until the end of the scroll that a few Han people in official uniforms were drawn.Zhuge Liang pointed to the picture and said: "Can you understand?" Meng Huo nodded, "Is that... the legend?" "Yes, it is said that a long time ago, seven dragons flew to Nanzhong; one of them fell in love with a woman here, had sex with her, and gave birth to seven sons. The youngest son, Qilong, was the first Nanwang; Becoming an auspicious number in Nanzhong." Zhuge Liang looked at the man with a feather crown in the painting and said with a smile, "That is Qilong. It took me three whole days to draw this picture, so let it stay. It is not only a legend, but also a history. Here There are no words at present, so we have to use graphics to record; I hope that next time I come, people in Nannan can write the past for me.” "Next time?" Meng Huo was confused. "You slept for five days. During these five days, the commanders came and surrendered one after another. The remaining 30% are still waiting and watching." Zhuge Liang said with a smile, "Waiting... for you to wake up, and for you to make a decision." A decision to submit or rebel. A peace or war decision. This decision is related to tens of millions of lives. Meng Huo suddenly looked at his wrapped ankle, which was covered with Chinese medicine. "How many months?" he asked in a low voice. "September." "Oh, is it the first snow of the year?" "Yes. The weather is getting colder, Liang can't stay longer." "This is... how many times?" Zhuge Liang was startled, realizing what Meng Huo was asking, he smiled and said, "Fifth?" "How do I remember it was the sixth time?" "Maybe." "Okay!" Meng Huo stood up! Meng Huo limped out of the camp; this time Zhuge Liang didn't even ask him if he was convinced. Facing such a stubborn young man, he had deep love in his heart. "It's September, and we must return to Chengdu at the end of the year." Zhuge Liang thought, and couldn't help but squeeze his feather fan tightly. "At most there will be 13 more days. If Meng Huo still doesn't return within 13 days, what will I do? Kill him?" ?” Thinking of this, he trembled slightly and shook his head heavily. Kill him? ... Doubt it will. Zhuge Liang sighed slowly, and was about to greet Li Hui to enter the tent, but saw the curtain of the camp lifted, and a person walked in.It was Meng Huo!Look at his hands, they are tied together! "The seventh time, seven is an auspicious number." Meng Huo raised his hand and said with a shy smile, "I'm so ashamed, I'm bound to vote." In an instant, Zhuge Liang's heart felt hot: it's comfort and...relaxation. He cut the rope on Meng Huo's wrist in two with a golden knife! "Seven arrests and seven attacks have never been heard of since ancient times. The prime minister was sent by heaven, and the power of heaven is invincible, and the southerners will never rebel! Please, the prime minister, place officials in Jiusi City!" Meng Huo said loudly as he landed on his knees.Giving up Jiusi City as an official office showed his determination.The man in front of me is exactly what Nanzhong needs: Nanzhong needs a high-ranking god-man, a man with love, kindness, wisdom and strength, who can reclaim the wild, grow crops on the coldest land, A person who harvests grain.When Meng Huo bound his hands, he thought it over: Zhuge Liang is the one.So he added one more sentence: "The general will be conscientious, and he will assist the prime minister." "No, Liang doesn't keep soldiers here." Zhuge Liang raised Meng Huo with both hands, and said with a smile, "I don't keep officials either. After spending many days together, Liang believes that the people in the south can manage Nanzhong well. , not for looting, but just to win trust. Nanzhong, I hope it will be the second Hanzhong.” Hanzhong is the gateway of the Shu Kingdom, dangerous and rich. "As for you," he exerted some strength in his hands, "you can go back to Chengdu." "Back to Chengdu?" "Liang will accompany you to see your father's tomb." Meng Huo was startled, and suddenly burst into tears. Nanzhong surrendered at this point, like a rebellious Chollima, finally bowed his head.Fragrant flowers fluttered, fine wine splashed, and Jiusi City was full of joy on October 8!Huo Ji drank a lot of wine and was almost drunk. His cloth shoes were hanging around his waist, and they "slapped" with his dance steps.Flying eagles circled, elks watched, and everyone was happy in all directions, enjoying a grand ceremony that had never been seen in more than ten years.The men, bare-chested and holding big sticks, rumbled the "Zhuge Drum", and even the birds ten miles away flew up with a "hula", flying in the air like colorful clouds; the women wore strings around their waists. Stringing gold leaves and silver stamens, twisting their bodies, stepping on the small drums, they took off the bamboo hairpins on their heads, bent down and beat the drums with the hairpins, shouting, singing, and screaming, towards the seated person Eyes like fire!Huo Ji looked at the seat, Zhuge Liang smiled and drank another cup. Later, Huo Ji was really drunk. When he woke up, Zhuge Liang was gone. Huoji put a piece of paper in his hand, he looked down, and it was written: "Liang handed over Nanzhong to you. Huoji, you can be named King of Luodian." Huo Ji chased out fiercely. After three days and three nights, he still couldn't catch up with the Shu army. The prime minister drove back to Chengdu in December.The civil and military officials came out of the city to greet him. Zhuge Liang looked around and saw Fei Yi. He stopped the car and said, "Come up, Wen Wei." Fei Yi was taken aback. "Come up," he said a second time. Fei Yi said "Hey", and hurriedly boarded the car and drove into the city gate together with the prime minister.Zhuge Liang said in the car: "I only have one daughter: Guo. Would Wen Wei be Liang's son-in-law?" Fei Yi frowned tightly, and after a while, he answered in a low voice: "I'm sorry...Prime Minister."