This excessive protection of oneself may be inadvertently depriving them of their opportunity to grow.
When Zhuge Liang was immersed in thinking, he saw soldiers rushing to come.
After the soldier saluted respectfully, he handed a letter and said, "Sir, the Prime Minister is not at home. The eldest lady claims that she is a wife and is inconvenient to do business, so she has the least chance to hand over this letter to you."
Zhuge Liang took the letter, frowned slightly, and listened to the soldiers telling the origin of the letter.
After the soldier finished speaking, he was shocked and a foreboding feeling surged in his heart.
He did not dare to delay any delay, so he hurriedly opened the letter. The letter read: "Xi Yu, come to the cave quickly, otherwise the consequences will be borne by one."
Zhuge Liang knew the seriousness of the matter. If the Prime Minister did not act according to the woman's request, the innocent people who were abducted would inevitably lose their lives.
He paced back and forth in the room, thinking about solutions to what the woman intended? Where is the prime minister? Time is tight, so we must come up with a way to save the people as soon as possible.
Zhuge Liang frowned, held the letter tightly in his hand, and murmured to himself: "This is such a hot potato." He knew that this matter was difficult. If one does not handle it well, the people would have their lives.
After thinking for a while, Zhuge Liang decided to say, "This matter needs to be discussed with Zhou Yu. We can send troops to suppress the thieves, but the woman dares to threaten people, and must be prepared. If she acts rashly, the people will definitely be implicated. But since the eldest lady has entrusted this matter to me, how can I ignore it?"
So Zhuge Liang immediately ordered people to prepare and go to Zhou Yu's mansion.
Along the way, he was thinking about how to discuss with Zhou Yu a way to achieve the best of both worlds, which could not only solve the difficulties of the people, but also capture the mysterious woman in one go, so as to avoid alarming the people and putting them into a more dangerous situation.
Zhou Yu was drinking tea leisurely at home, and the fragrance of tea was swaying. Suddenly, the servant came to report Zhuge Liang to see him. He was slightly stunned and then ordered someone to invite Zhuge Liang in.
After Zhuge Liang entered the door, the two of them first exchanged greetings with each other. Zhou Yu smiled and joked: "Kong Ming is here today, why is that? Is there another strange plan to share with me?"
Zhuge Liang looked solemn and waved his hand and said, "Gongjin, I have an urgent matter today, and this matter concerns the lives of many people."
As he said that, he handed the letter to Zhou Yu, and then told the details of the villagers' captives, the threat of letters, and the absence of the prime minister.
Zhou Yu's originally relaxed expression gradually became serious. While listening, he looked at the content of the letter carefully, his brows getting tighter and tighter.
Zhou Yu stroked his chin, pondered for a moment and said, "Now the Prime Minister is not at home, we must discuss solutions. Since that woman dares to use the lives of the people, she must have some courage and means." His eyes firmly became firm, "I will lead my troops to ambush near the cave in case of emergency. Kong Ming, you are resourceful, so you can negotiate with the woman to see if you can stabilize the situation and explore the situation."
Zhuge Liang nodded slightly, with a serious expression: "It seems that this is the only way to do it. But that woman is unpredictable. I must be careful when I go there, try to delay time and ensure the safety of the people. At the same time, I also hope that Gongjin, you can seize the opportunity and never act rashly, so as not to endanger the people."
"Don't worry, Kong Ming, I will act cautiously. You should be more careful. Since that woman dares to do such a thing, it will be difficult to deal with." The two looked at each other, preparing to act, and the air was filled with a nervous aura.
In this way, Zhou Yu led an elite team and carefully followed Zhuge Liang towards the direction of the cave. The location of the cave was extremely secret, with lush grass and woods around him and rugged rocks. Even if there were soldiers hiding it, it would generally be difficult to detect if they did not look carefully.
Zhuge Liang held a feather fan and walked towards the cave step by step. He seemed to look normal, but he was actually a little nervous. After all, the enemy he faced this time was full of unknowns.
Suddenly, a slight movement came, and Zhuge Liang immediately stopped.
Almost at the same time, a figure flashed in the cave instantly, which was the woman's subordinate.
The man looked alert and stared at Zhuge Liang with sharp eyes, and shouted loudly: "Who are you? What are you here for?"
At this moment, the woman slowly walked out of the cave. She looked proud and looked at Zhuge Liang with cold eyes, and said loudly: "I am Mrs. Mingyue. Is the visitor Prime Minister Xi Yu?"
Zhuge Liang bowed slightly and replied neither humbly nor arrogantly: "Madam Mingyue, the Prime Minister is not at home. I have received your letter and know that the people's captivity is of great importance, so I came to ask me what your move is. I hope you don't be impulsive and hurt innocent people."
When Mrs. Mingyue heard this, her eyebrows were raised and her face was full of anger: "Hmph! I will see no one except Xi Yu. Don't say too much, get out of here! Otherwise, don't blame me for being rude."
A fierce look appeared in her eyes.
Zhuge Liang was not afraid, holding a feather fan, and slowly said, "Madam, since you are looking for the Prime Minister, you must have something important to discuss. Now that the Prime Minister is not here, why don't you talk to me? Maybe I can solve your problems."
Mrs. Mingyue sneered, her eyes full of disdain: "Just you? Who do you think you are? I deserve to take care of my business."
After saying that, she waved her hand and several strong-bodied subordinates rushed out of the cave and rushed towards Zhuge Liang like a vicious wolf.
Although Zhuge Liang wanted to resist, he was outnumbered and was soon caught by them.
Mrs. Mingyue walked up to Zhuge Liang, circled around him, raised her lips and showed a sinister smile.
"Hmph, I originally arrested those people, but I was afraid that I would not be able to threaten Xi Yu. But now, if I catch the people around him, I guess he will come sooner."
Her laughter echoed in the cave, exuding a terrifying malice.
Zhuge Liang struggled hard and shouted loudly: "Madam, I came to negotiate with you with kindness. Why did you treat me like this? What is the law of nature? Let me go quickly!"
He shouted while deliberately increasing the volume, and the sound echoed in the valley.
Zhou Yu heard Zhuge Liang's shouting not far away and secretly shouted "Not good".
He frowned, knowing that the situation was critical, and immediately whispered to everyone under his command: "Prepare for action, listen to my orders at any time, and be sure to ensure Mr. Zhuge's safety and rescue the hostages."
While struggling, Zhuge Liang was forcibly taken into the cave by Mrs. Mingyue's subordinates.
The light in the cave was dim and filled with a damp smell. When the people saw Zhuge Liang being caught in, they all looked horrified and desperate.
At this moment, Zhuge Liang, who was taken into the cave, had no fear on his face. He glared and looked straight at Mrs. Mingyue, and insulted loudly: "You evil woman, who is a hero who harms innocent people? You are capable of fighting with the Prime Minister openly and honestly, and what is your ability to take these unarmed people as hostages? If you have a grudge against the Prime Minister, you should settle the score with the Prime Minister himself. Such behavior is simply despised!"
Mrs. Mingyue's face darkened, and a hint of ruthlessness flashed in her eyes: "Hmph! You guy who doesn't know how to be alive and die, you dare to be stubborn. Let's talk nonsense here, believe it or not, I will break your legs now!"
Her men also surrounded her and stared at Zhuge Liang one by one. The atmosphere in the cave suddenly became extremely tense.
Zhuge Liang secretly complained in his heart. He realized that his impulse just now might make the situation worse.
His original intention was to let Zhou Yu know his situation, but he did not expect that it might anger Mrs. Mingyue and endanger the lives of the people.
Just then, a noise came from outside the cave.
Zhou Yu had led his soldiers to quickly break into the outside of the cave like a gust of wind.
Seeing this, Mrs. Mingyue's face changed, and she and several decent subordinates rushed out without hesitation.
Zhou Yu held a sword in his hand, showing a heroic look. He stared at Mrs. Mingyue with a torch and shouted loudly: "You vicious person, don't do evil again. Let the hostages be released quickly, otherwise I will not forgive you today!"
The soldiers behind him were all ready to fight and were in full force, forming a tense confrontation with Mrs. Mingyue.
A sarcastic smile appeared on the corner of Mrs. Mingyue's mouth and said loudly: "Hmph, Xi Yu is just a turtle with her head. She dare not show up, but she sent so many people to her, so she was simply a coward!"
When Zhou Yu heard this, his eyes widened, as if fire was about to spit out of his eyes. He shouted sternly: "If you dare to talk nonsense again, I will take your life now!" The sword in his hand raised slightly, and the cold light flashed.
Mrs. Mingyue was not afraid at all, but sneered: "Hmph, if you have the ability, just come and deal with me. But aren't you worried about the lives and death of these people? As long as you dare to act rashly, I promise to let all these people be buried with me!"
Zhou Yu and the soldiers were afraid of being afraid of taking action.
Mrs. Mingyue then raised her voice and said, "If these people are not hurt at all, the Prime Minister will blame you in the future, and no one of you can afford it!"
Zhou Yu frowned at this time, his heart was full of entanglement. He knew that the difficulty of this matter was far beyond his imagination, and he was in a dilemma for a moment.
After hesitating for a while, Zhou Yu had to soften his mind and asked, "What do you want?"
Mrs. Mingyue looked stern and said loudly: "I only have one requirement. I must meet the Prime Minister, just tonight. If I can't see these people, my life will be difficult to save. Also, the person who came just now will stay as a hostage. Your actions of sending troops to come have annoyed me. According to common sense, I can start a massacre now, but I am kind and don't want to commit another murder. I hope you will leave quickly."
Zhou Yu's face was solemn. He knew that he had to make careful decisions now, otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable.
Zhou Yu frowned and asked deliberately: "What's the matter with you looking for the Prime Minister? You have to know that the Prime Minister is not at home now, and we don't know where he is. Your unreasonableness will only make things worse."
Mrs. Mingyue raised her eyebrows and said impatiently: "What's wrong with me? I have nothing to tell you. Humph, it's your business that the Prime Minister is not at home and has nothing to do with me. I will only say it once. I must meet the Prime Minister tonight, otherwise you will be responsible for all the consequences."
Her eyes revealed an unquestionable firmness, which was obviously determined.
Zhou Yu was helpless and after weighing the pros and cons, he had to agree to Mrs. Mingyue's request to leave for the time being.
He looked at Mrs. Mingyue with a serious expression and said, "Madam, I hope you can keep your promise and take good care of Zhuge Liang and the people. If they have any harm, we will not give up with you."
Mrs. Mingyue just looked at Zhou Yu coldly and did not respond. Seeing this, Zhou Yu had to turn around and leave with the soldiers.
On the way back, Zhou Yu frowned and was extremely worried.
He thought to himself: "Where has the prime minister gone? Time is so tight, how can I find him tonight? What is the secret behind this that makes this woman spend so much effort to meet the prime minister."
Zhou Yu was anxious, but had no idea for a moment and could only rush back to the city with a quick horse, hoping to find the prime minister's trace as soon as possible.
The Prime Minister has always cared about the people and regards the safety of the people as the top priority. What he hates the most is that someone uses the lives of the people as a bargaining chip to threaten them. This is undoubtedly a blatant challenge to the Prime Minister's bottom line.
But now, facing such crazy behavior of Mrs. Mingyue, everyone was deeply helpless.
She acted so recklessly and completely ignored the lives of the people. She was afraid of the people. If she was not careful, it might lead to irreversible consequences, which was really angering and difficult. Although Gan Mei stated that she was a woman and was inconvenient to manage the affairs, she was actually concerned about the development of the people's captives. She frowned and restless, so she sent her subordinates to inquire about the news.
Soon, the servant came back and reported: "Madam, Lord Zhuge Liang has gone to contact Lord Zhou Yu, and has not returned yet."
Gan Mei became more and more worried. At this moment, the servant came to inform Zhou Yu of asking for a meeting.
Gan Mei hurriedly let Zhou Yu come in. Zhou Yu walked into Gan Mei's room quickly. After saluting, he told the whole story in detail.
From receiving the letter, discussing countermeasures with Zhuge Liang, to confronting Mrs. Mingyue in a cave, and when Mrs. Mingyue asked the Prime Minister to appear, otherwise it would hurt the people and Zhuge Liang, we came one by one.
After hearing this, Gan Mei's face became very serious.
Zhou Yu looked anxious and asked Gan Mei anxiously: "When will the Prime Minister return? The situation is critical now. If you delay it, those people will probably be in danger."
Gan Mei looked helpless and replied with worry in her eyes: "I don't know where my husband has gone, and I don't know when he will come back."
When Zhou Yu heard this, he couldn't help but sigh deeply: "Oh, those people are innocently implicated and are frightened in the cave. It's really pitiful. But that woman is extremely vicious, and we are afraid of us. No one dares to act rashly, otherwise the consequences will be unimaginable."
After pondering for a moment, Gan Mei said to Zhou Yu: "General Zhou, you go back first. I will think about a solution carefully to see if I can find other solutions."
Zhou Yu knew that there was no better way at this moment, so he sighed again, turned around and left after saluting, hoping that Gan Mei could come up with a way to deal with it as soon as possible.
Gan Mei sighed and kept saying in her heart, Husband, when will you be back?
Gan Mei paced back and forth in the house, her face anxious, worried, and completely at a loss.
Just at this moment, Xi Shi came to invite Gan Mei to play cards with a smile.
Gan Mei had no intention of playing cards. She frowned and told all the things that the people were kidnapped and someone threatened the prime minister.
After hearing this, Xi Shi was also full of surprise on her face, and a worried look instantly surged on her face.
"What should we do? Now that my husband is not here, what can we do?" Xi Shi's voice trembled slightly, his eyes full of panic.
Gan Mei bit her lower lip and tried to calm herself down: "We can't sit still and wait for death, we have to think of a way. But in this situation, what can we two weak women do?"
The two fell into silence, and the air seemed to have solidified.
The breeze outside the window blew gently, but it could not dispel the sorrow in their hearts.
They racked their brains to think about countermeasures, but in the face of this crisis, they felt extremely helpless and confused.
Zhou Yu returned home with a gloomy face, his heart full of resentment and reluctance.
He never expected that today's affairs would make him so frustrated. He has always led troops to fight wars on the battlefield and was invincible. He has never suffered such grievances.
The more he thought about it, he became more angry. He slapped the table with a sudden palm, making a loud noise. "Damn it!" He glared wide, his teeth clattering.
Then, another palm was slapped, and the table trembled slightly, as if he could feel his anger.
The afterglow of dusk shines on the ancient city walls of Youzhou City, emitting a layer of warm golden light.
Xi Yu returned to Youzhou City in a hurry. At this time, he didn't know that Gan Mei was anxious like an ant on a hot pan.
Someone sent by Gan Mei had been waiting anxiously for Xi Yu's return.
Seeing Xi Yu's figure, the man hurriedly stepped forward and saluted Xi Yu, and said in a hurry: "Prime Minister, you are finally back. The eldest lady has an emergency and has been waiting for you to come back."
When Xi Yu heard this, he was shocked.
He knew very well that if Gan Mei had not encountered a major problem, she would not have sent someone to find him so eagerly.
Without any hesitation, he immediately turned over and galloped towards the mansion with a quick horse.
The dust raised by the horse's hooves drifted in the dusk, and Xi Yu's heart was tightly pulled. I wonder what had happened, which made Gan Mei so anxious.
Gan Mei was restless in the room, her anxiety was so full of anxiety that she could not calm down. Finally, she came to Ouyang Linlin's small Buddhist temple.
In the Buddhist temple, candlelight sways, emitting a soft light. A faint smell of sandalwood permeates the air, making people's heart seem to find a trace of tranquility at this moment.
However, Gan Mei's heart was still ups and downs.
She knelt in front of the Buddha statue, folded her hands together, her eyes full of expectation.
She kept praying for blessings, muttering words, praying that Xi Yu could come back quickly. Every word was filled with her deep concern and worries.
At this tense moment, she placed all her hope on the Buddha, hoping to get a little comfort.
Chapter completed!