In the dim night, the cold moon hangs quietly in the sky.
The east side of the city at this time.
After meeting Wang Zheng at Beimen Pier, Zhou Yu went to the military camp and discussed with several generals about defending the city. Being so busy, he did not even attend the dinner party hosted by He Hongte to welcome Wang Zheng. It was not until late at night that everyone
He strode out of the military camp.
Just when He Hong was trying his best to vouch for Zhou Yu's character, coincidentally, Zhou Yu was also looking up at the sky.
The crescent moon is like a hook, spreading its light on the road, and the snoring of soldiers can be heard from time to time from the military camp behind you, adding to the tranquility.
But behind the silence, there seems to be an undercurrent surging.
On the pier today, when Wang Zheng focused most of his attention on Zhou Yu, Zhou Yu was actually also secretly assessing the troops Wang Zheng had brought.
The number of people was not large, only about two thousand, but the stature and physique of these soldiers, and even the fierceness on their faces, made a knowledgeable person like Zhou Yu secretly shudder.
They are all tigers!
You must know that Zhou Yu was secretly surprised by the 3,000 troops brought by Huang Zhong a few days ago. He originally thought that Wang Zheng had arranged many elites to serve as vanguards, but he never expected that the Xuzhou Army's own troops seemed to be superior.
...
The key is that Zhou Yu also knows that the Xuzhou army is actually divided into two groups this time, and there is another group of nearly 10,000 troops who came overland from Yuzhou!
Even if this force is not as good as Wang Zheng and Huang Zhong's men, the difference is probably not too far away. This makes Zhou Yu feel confused and deeply touched!
With a front like the Xuzhou Army and Yuan Shu joining hands, what are Sun Ce's chances of winning?
Zhou Yu couldn't figure it out, but an unknown premonition came to his mind.
Bo Fu, you shouldn't stand on your own at this time!
We should not risk the disapproval of the world to commit crimes below!
After all, no matter what, Yuan Shu and you still have the status of monarchs and ministers.
Thinking of this, Zhou Yu, who was riding his horse on the bluestone, let out a long sigh and became unusually depressed because he still hadn't figured out why Sun Ce suddenly made such a stupid move. Not only did he provoke Wang Zheng, the leader of Xuzhou,
The fierce tiger put Zhou Yu into a dilemma of balancing loyalty and justice.
The Sun Ce in his impression was overconfident and even arrogant, but in terms of intelligence and ability, and a clear understanding of the overall situation, there was absolutely no problem.
Why are you so eager for quick success now?
In the midst of his thoughts, Zhou Yu had passed an unknown number of streets and alleys, and passed through a row of old trees. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. Zhou Yu subconsciously looked up and saw the pillars in front of him.
Under the eaves, lighting lanterns are hung.
In the light, the roof has double eaves, the door is exquisitely carved, and the window curtains hang deeply, revealing a soft and hazy light.
But the Zhou Mansion had already appeared in front of them.
Glancing at the servants and housekeepers who came out after hearing the sound of horse hooves, Zhou Yu's eyes flashed brightly, and he immediately lowered his head slightly and jumped off the horse, all the depression and confusion he had felt earlier were gone.
When he looked up again, his face was filled with confidence, calmness and high spirits.
...
"Why did the young master come back so late today?"
When walking through the verandah, a maid saw Zhou Yu and hurriedly walked towards him. She complained in a friendly tone: "Have you eaten yet? There is still some food in the kitchen. Do you want the maid to warm it up?"
"
"OK."
Zhou Yu smiled gently and was not surprised.
Speaking of which, the Zhou family in Lujiang, where he was born, can be regarded as one of the top families in Jiangdong. The great ancestor Zhou Rong became a minister during the reign of Emperor Guangwu's grandson Emperor Zhang. His ancestor Zhou Jing and his uncle Zhou Chong were both official and Taiwei.
Sangong, as for Zhou Yu's father Zhou Yi, he also served as an official in Luoyang.
However, growing up in such a wealthy family, Zhou Yu did not have the arrogance or domineering attitude of ordinary officials' children. He was also very easy-going and approachable towards the servants and maids around him.
It is also because of this that other servants are better off. Some young maids sometimes appear to be unruly when facing Zhou Yu because of their admiration for him.
Therefore, the sage said that only women and villains are difficult to raise. Those who are close will not be inferior, and those who are far away will be resentful. This is actually a reasonable saying.
"Just heat up two dishes at will." As he said that, Zhou Yu handed over a food box in his hand: "This is an anchovy sent by a colleague in Tongxiang. Just pick it up and it will be ready."
After a pause, he asked again: "Uncle, have you gone to bed?"
"No." The maid replied: "My maid just saw the light on in the study room. I must be still reading, right?"
"That's just right." Zhou Yu nodded when he heard this and said, "My uncle loves fish the most. I will send the food to the study later and curl the wine."
"yes."
...
Zhou Yu walked through the verandah and came to a wide patio. Next to the main hall in front was the study.
When I arrived at the study, I pushed the door open and saw that the hall was elegantly decorated with matching colors and soft lighting, giving people a sense of tranquility and comfort. A middle-aged man stood by the window with his hands clasped, silently looking at the moonlight outside the window.
Hearing the sound of footsteps, the middle-aged man turned his head and saw that it was Zhou Yu. A smile suddenly appeared on his face that was originally solemn.
"My unicorn has returned to its nest."
"Uncle, you're in for a treat today." Zhou Yu walked up with the bowl in hand. He didn't sit down first, but carefully picked apart the small thorns in the fish with chopsticks, then moved the plate to the middle-aged man, raised his head and smiled brightly.
He said: "The anchovies in our Lujiang River are delicious. An uncle from the same town just fished them out of the pond today. They are big and fat. Let's try them."
"If you like to eat, my nephew will have one delivered to you every day."
"It happens to be a war, how can it be used for private purposes?"
Although he knew that what Zhou Yu said was a joke, the middle-aged man immediately shook his head. This man was Zhou Yu's uncle Zhou Shang, who was one of the famous Confucian scholars in the world.
According to the original history, Zhou Shang and Zhou Yu returned to Shouchun in the first year of Jian'an. Then Yuan Shu proclaimed himself emperor the following year. Because he was not optimistic about Yuan Shu, he asked him to be the prefect of Danyang. Zhou Yu went with him and became the magistrate of Chao County in the county. Later on
When Sun Ce raised his army, Zhou Yu led his troops to join him.
As the status of the time traveler Wang Zheng becomes higher and higher, and his power becomes stronger, his impact on the trajectory of history will naturally become more profound.
Not only was Yuan Shu more eager to proclaim himself emperor than in the original history, but Sun Zhoushang's departure for Shouchun was half a year ahead of schedule.
And this time, although he was still dissatisfied with Yuan Shu, his view of Sun Ce changed drastically, so he did not choose to serve Yuan Shu again, nor did he take Zhou Yu to Danyang, which was now within Sun Ce's sphere of influence.
Even Zhou Yu, the Prime Minister of Hefei County, wouldn't have wanted to do it if he hadn't been afraid of refusing too thoroughly, causing Yuan Shu's dissatisfaction and implicating the clan.
Of course, this is actually a kind of statement. At least the Lujiang Zhou family, represented by Zhou Shang, is temporarily leaning towards Yuan Shu.
After all, even if he also has the intention to rebel, Yuan Shu is just showing off a little bit, but Sun Ce is already doing it with his hands.
Although he said it with a scolding tone, when he saw the plate of anchovies, Zhou Shang's eyes lit up and he was obviously moved. But the next moment, when he turned his eyes to Zhou Yu, his expression suddenly changed.
Suddenly, he narrowed his eyes, looked at Zhou Yu carefully for a while, and suddenly ordered:
"Yu'er, go and close the door."
Zhou Yu immediately looked confused, but still did as he was told. After he turned around and sat down, Zhou Shang asked, "Is there anything wrong nearby?"
Knowing that his uncle had something to say, Zhou Yu quickly replied: "There is no one around within twenty steps at the moment." He was a handsome man with both civil and military skills, and his ears and eyes were also very good.
Only then did Zhou Shang feel relieved, his eyes showed a stern light, he looked at Zhou Yu and said in a deep voice: "Did you see any stranger today?"
stranger?
Zhou Yu was startled when he heard this. Although he didn't know what Zhou Shang meant by this question, he still replied: "Speaking of strangers, today Wang Zheng of Xuzhou led his army to Hefei. I don't know whether it counts?"
When it comes to unfamiliar faces, the two thousand Heavenly Army and many common people in Hefei City naturally count, but Zhou Yu naturally knew that it was impossible for Zhou Shang to ask about these people.
"Wang Zheng?" Zhou Shang frowned and muttered to himself: "How is it possible?"
"How could he be a Yellow Turban bandit? Could it be..."
"Yu'er, have you really never met any other special people?"
Zhou Yu's eyes showed a look of reminiscence. After a while, he shook his head again: "If we talk about a special person, I'm afraid there is only this Wang Zheng." After a pause, he added: "Speaking of which, although this boy is younger than Yu Shang
He is two years old, but he is indeed of extraordinary bearing and has the air of a general."
"The style of a general..." After hearing this, Zhou Shang chewed silently for a while, and suddenly a smile full of inexplicable meaning escaped from the corner of his mouth: "Hey, it's not just that."
As he spoke, he looked at Zhou Yu and suddenly asked: "Yu'er, do you know why your father and uncle have all been officials, but only your uncle and I have been white for half my life?"
Zhou Yu thought for a while, carefully weighed his words and said: "Famous for fame and fortune, I work hard in vain. My uncle is fond of Huang Lao's skills and has a noble temperament. He does not want to suffer this trouble."
"Haha, just because you have good sex doesn't mean you are indifferent to fame and wealth."
Zhou Shang smiled casually when he heard this: "I don't want to be an official. It's not because I don't want to, but I really can't."
Facing Zhou Yu's stunned look, Zhou Shang slowly explained: "Do you still remember the sixth year of Zhongping?"
Zhou Yu was startled when he heard this, and immediately said: "How could you not remember that that year was when Sun Jian, the Polu general, fought against Dong Zhuo, so he moved his family to Shu County, and that's how Yu met Bo Fu."
Zhou Shang nodded and said with emotion: "Sun Ce, like you, is a young man with great ambitions. You two have similar interests, and your relationship has become like brothers after only knowing each other for a few days. Now many outsiders even think that you have been together since you were young.
A close acquaintance."
"Not only did you let Sun Ce's family live in the outer house of our hometown, but you also often helped him with financial resources behind my back. Hey, you are a poor man and a rich man, if you weren't a little mouse carrying rice out of the house all day long.
How could he, Sun Ce, be known as the little bully at such a young age?"
Zhou Yu blushed when he heard this. Just when he didn't know how to answer, he heard Zhou Shang wave his hand and said: "I don't mean to blame you. Disregarding wealth and loving justice is the behavior of a man. What does this mean?"
"It's just that that year you made friends with Sun Ce, but you didn't know that your uncle and I also met an expert at the same time."
Zhou Yu was shocked when he heard this. He knew that this person must be the key to Zhou Shang's abnormal behavior today. He immediately suppressed his turbulent emotions and concentrated his attention.
But I heard Zhou Shang let out a deep sigh of relief, and his eyes shone with unprecedented brightness: "Although this man is not from a noble family, he is a very famous figure in Lujiang. I have been a close friend of him for a long time. He happened to pass by Shu County that year.
It was also fate that I met him on the road, and we hit it off immediately. Later, he gave me three volumes of Taoist books and then drifted away."
Zhou Yu had already heard it at this time. The person his uncle was talking about seemed to be an alchemist. He couldn't help but feel something in his heart. The alchemist in Lujiang? Is he very famous?
"Uncle..." Zhou Yu said with some uncertainty: "Could this person be Mr. Wu Jiao..."
Zhou Shang nodded and said word by word: "This person is Zuo Ci!"
Zuo Ci, whose courtesy name was Yuanfang, was from Lujiang. He was a famous alchemist in the late Eastern Han Dynasty. He lived in Tianzhu Mountain for a long time and studied the art of alchemy. The Five Classics of the Ming Dynasty, as well as the Xingwei and Liujia of the Ming Dynasty, were said to be able to command ghosts and gods and sit in the kitchen. "Book of the Later Han Dynasty"
"It is said that he rarely has the divine way.
Zhou Shangdao: "Although there are many magic spells recorded in the three volumes of Taoism, Zuo Ci said before leaving that cultivating Taoism will ruin his family. Even though my Zhou family has been a prominent family for many generations. I have served as ministers for several generations and have made contributions to the country, so I have some luck.
Even so, you can only practice one discipline in a generation, and you can’t be greedy, otherwise you will suffer both blessings and misfortunes, and you will suffer disasters!”
Having said this, Zhou Shang smiled mockingly to himself: "Actually, Zuo Ci is overly worried. My uncle is slow and dull. Even if he wants to be greedy, he is also powerless. In the past seven or eight years, he has only been doing nothing more than looking at one's talents.
It’s just a small amount of success in the book.”
Zhou Yu understood immediately: "That's why, uncle, you have never treated me..."
"That's right." Zhou Shang stared at Zhou Yu's radiant eyes and said with emotion: "I'm not hiding anything, Yu'er, you are more than a hundred times smarter and more intelligent than me. Especially now that you are young and vigorous, if this book can be passed down
Let me show you, uncle is worried that you will indulge in it and be unable to extricate yourself."
"Uncle is worried too much."
But Zhou Yu laughed loudly and said: "Yu has no interest in Huang Lao's art. I don't know whether cultivating Taoism will ruin his family. It seems inevitable to be pure and devoid of desires. Hey, you should enjoy yourself while you are alive. If you are like your uncle, you will spend all day long.
I haven’t touched meat or fish a few times, and I’m not close to women. Even if I have some magical powers, my life is not very interesting.”
"Uncle just said that what you practiced was the "Qi-Wang Technique"?"
Thinking of this, Zhou Yu's eyes sparkled, and he asked with great interest: "Then his expression changed drastically when he saw Yu today. Could it be that he saw something?"
Zhou Shang nodded: "I finally achieved a small success in my technique last year, so I took a closer look at it for you. I have great wealth and honor in my body, and I am soaring to the top. There is only one thing, but it is Shibei."
Hearing this, Zhou Yu was startled for a moment, then he smiled casually and said: "The advantage lies in Shibei? Uncle, your Qi-gazing technique seems unreliable?"
"The heroes in the north are nothing more than Yuan Shao, Gongsun Zan, Cao Cao and others. Gongsun Zan is impatient and lacks resourcefulness, so it is difficult for him to become a great weapon. Yuan Shao has many talents under his command, Cao Cao uses his relatives in military affairs, and Yingchuan is very important in literature. Especially people like Xun Wenruo are here. Let me go
It's hard for them to get ahead, so how can they get such great wealth?"
"exactly!"
Zhou Shang said seriously: "I also know that you are soft on the outside and strong on the inside. You are actually very proud of your temper. Even if you are a minister, I am afraid that you will only be subordinate to one person. So in the end, after much hesitation, I chose to take you to Shouchun. Since the north
If you are ignorant, then let’s take a look in the south.”
"You are a talented scholar in the country, and Sun Ce actually impressed me a lot back then. If we join forces, we will become Shi Nan. I think we will have great potential. Who knows..."
Having said this, Zhou Shang looked solemn and said to Zhou Yu:
"That day in Shouchun, you and brother Sun Ce reunited after a long absence. You were chatting very happily, but you didn't know that your uncle was watching... Hey,"