walk to the water

Chu Xiang suddenly remembered that the current guard of Xiazhou is Wang Yun's nephew, Sun Liang. It is unreasonable to go to rescue his nephew after he relieved his son's siege!But seeing the situation, knowing that it would be useless to talk too much, Chu Xiang knelt down and kowtowed, took the order and imperial edict, turned around and strode out of the prime minister's mansion without saying a word.

Chu Xiang's mansion is on the other side of the capital, and it was given to his father Chu Lang by the former emperor.Chu Xiang is the eldest son of the family. He joined the army at the age of 15. After his father died in the country at the age of 16, he immediately inherited his father's title. He has a younger brother who is away all the year round, and his mother, He, takes care of the housework.Chu Xiang whipped his horse and rushed straight into the mansion, jumped off the horse and walked into the main room. The anger in his heart could no longer be contained, and he kicked over the Eight Immortals table in the middle. Everyone was too scared to make a sound.

"Xiang'er, are you back?" Mrs. He hurriedly came out of the inner hall after hearing the news.Mrs. He is less than 40 years old. When she was young, she was one of the best beauties among the famous ladies in Jiangning. Today, she still has cloudy hair on her temples and a jade complexion.Seeing Chu Xiang's ashen face, he asked, "What happened? Why are you so angry?"

"Mom!" Chu Xiang called out, helped his mother to sit on the grand teacher's chair, and knelt down to pay her respects, "The son was worried about the front line and surprised the mother... How are you, old man? The son misses his mother every day, But my son will go to Xiazhou again tomorrow."

"Xiazhou? Didn't you just fight the Qin army in Xuzhou? Why are you going to Xiazhou again before the Qin army retreats?" Mrs. He asked in surprise, helping Chu Xiang up.

"It's the emperor's will to guard Xiazhou." Chu Xiang didn't want to talk about officialdom struggles to his mother. He pondered for a while, then fell to his knees, "Xiazhou's isolated city is trapped, and the situation is critical. My child will go to the city now." I'm afraid it will be very difficult to get out. As a general, it is my child's honor to die on the battlefield like my father did, but I can't fulfill the filial piety of a son, and I can't serve my mother and raise my younger brother. My child is really uneasy. Mother forgives the sin, and I hope that mother will take care of her health..."

Shocked, He interrupted him and said, "Xiang'er, you are going on a long journey, how can you say such an ominous thing?"

"My child has a hunch that this is not a battlefield, but an execution ground. I hope mother will take care of her and don't think of her child." Chu Xiang held his mother's warm hand, and there were thousands of words in his heart, but it seemed like a big stone was blocked. I can't go on.

"Brother! Brother! I miss you so much!" Before He could speak, a well-dressed young man ran in from outside, shouting happily all the way.The young man was half a head shorter than Chu Xiang, and his appearance was seven or eight points similar. His eyes were shining, but he was Chu Xiang's younger brother Chu Xu. "I'm practicing archery at the East Campus. I heard that my eldest brother is back. Brother, have you brought what I want?"

Chu Xiang forced a smile, and took out a long sword with a sheath from his bag and handed it to Chu Xu, "Brother, remember! Xiao Xu, I captured this from an officer of the Qin Army and brought it back for you to play with. Like it?"

Chu Xu is 16 years old this year. Influenced by his father and brother, he only wants to protect the family and the country, and go to the frontier to kill the enemy as soon as possible. "Thank you, brother!" Chu Xu happily put down the sword, played it over and over again, couldn't put it down, and asked again: "Brother, I have read the art of war you asked me to read last time, and I still have some questions to ask you. Brother, When will you take me to the army? I want to fight with you!"

Chu Xiang smiled wryly and shook his head, "Not this time, brother will set off again tomorrow morning, and later..." Later?Is there a future?Chu Xiang didn't want to lie to him, so he stopped here, but Chu Xu didn't notice anything unusual.

The servants had already cleaned up the hall and prepared dinner. The family sat around the table. Chu Xiang remembered that the last time he was reunited with his family was nearly a year ago. A little wrinkle... The parting is imminent, and I don't know when we can see each other again, and then we can eat the meals at home again? ...Chu Xiang couldn't eat, so he hurriedly took a few mouthfuls of food, then left the table and went to his father's mourning hall, knelt down quietly in front of Chu Lang's spiritual tablet, and prayed in a low voice: "My lord father, the emperor is now fatuous, The treacherous minister is in power, and the state affairs are changing day by day. If you have a spirit in the sky, tell the child what to do?" The father Chu Lang on the portrait behind the spirit seat is leaping on a horse, pointing his sword at the sky, and looking at Chu Lang majestly with his cold eyes. Xiang, let Chu Xiang feel the invisible pressure, it seems to remind him of the heavy responsibility on his shoulders at any time.

Chu Xiang was praying in front of the spirit, and a servant reported: "General An Lan is here!" This An Lan is a close friend of Chu Xiang who grew up with him. He is also brave and good at fighting, and he is loyal to the court. I have been out of work for more than a year.

When Chu Xiang heard that An Lan was coming, he hurriedly got up and went to the door.An Lan was wearing a light blue silk robe with wide breasts and wide sleeves, and she was waving her folding fan leisurely, showing the air of a hermit.Chu Xiang didn't have time to exchange pleasantries, so he got straight to the point: "Brother An, you came just in time. I just returned from the Jiangbei front today, and I will be transferred to Xiazhou tomorrow."

An Lan said: "I also just heard that you are back. The trick that the younger brother used in Xuzhou to escape the shell of the golden cicada, but he played Fu Ling all over the place!"

Chu Xiang smiled modestly: "It was a last resort, 20 people can't sit still. It's a pity that Dai Qing was let go because of Wang Jian, and the cooked duck flew away. The battle in Jiangbei will end in victory or defeat!"

An Lan said: "Your brother is not the commander-in-chief of the army. It is rare to seek victory in defeat. I know you have other appointments, and I am here to see you off. There is one more thing I want to give to you." A jasper-carved Avalokitesvara tied with a red string, the Avalokitesvara is crystal-clear in color, exquisitely carved, and exquisitely carved. "My sister asked for it from Keats Temple. I asked me to hand it over to you. I want you to take it with me. I wish you a safe journey."

Chu Xiang hastily declined and said: "I can't take Xiaoyu's things. Now that the country is in crisis, a man should be fighting bloody battles on the battlefield. I am ready to die at any time. How can I let her wait for me and waste her life?"

An Lan smiled and said: "I've said this to her more than once. If she listened to the persuasion, she would have listened to it long ago. If she was in a hurry, she would say that you will not marry and would rather be a widow. She has feelings for you, and you are not for her." Unintentionally, childhood sweethearts, who doesn't know? You just accept it! Maybe it can really keep you safe."

"but……"

An Lan patted Chu Xiang on the shoulder: "But what? I'm telling the truth. You and her have grown up playing together, but you don't know Xiaoyu's temperament? Besides, I'm not bragging about my sister. Needless to say, Xiaoyu's talent, appearance and character are also arrogance. Don't give up on her eyebrows, she is a rare woman in the world, the two of you are a rare marriage, don't you still feel dissatisfied?"