Rebirth of a Star General

"It's no wonder that Xiao Zhongwu and his wife fought for military power before they passed the first seven. No wonder they didn't change their faces when they drowned 60,000 people in the first battle of Guocheng and Changgu. In terms of ruthlessness, who can compare to Xiao Huaijin in the Wei Dynasty?"

In the dungeon, there was silence for a moment.

Shen Han wanted to say something, but finally said nothing. With his back to the prisoner, the young man slowly clenched his hand beside him into a fist.

But after a while, it slowly loosened. He turned his head, looked at Lei Hou, and smiled indifferently: "It seems that you know very well what kind of person I am. Then you have to think more clearly." He walked out, his voice cold, "I never give people the first time. Second chance."

Walking to the door, he happened to bump into He Yan and Lin Shuanghe who were standing at the corner. His eyes stopped, he ignored them, and left.

No one dared to chase after him.

Shen Han asked Lei Hou to be locked in again. I don't know if it was just what he said to Xiao Jue that made Lei Hou feel desperate or what, Lei Hou laughed out loud. The laughter echoed in the dungeon, gloomy and mournful.

Fei Nu came out of it and was startled when he saw He Yan and Lin Shuanghe, and said, "Young Master Lin, why are you here?"

"I want to say," He Yan glanced at the inside: "I have fought with Lei Hou, and when the Governor interrogates Lei Hou, maybe I can be of help, so let's take a look."

"No, it's resolved." Fei Nu replied quickly, "You two can go back."

Lin Shuanghe shrugged, seeing Xiao Jue's big cloak in Fei Nu's hand, he took the initiative to take it and said, "This is Huai Jin's clothes, I'll give it to him, I think he doesn't want to see anyone at this time. ."

Fei Nu: "Don't bother Young Master Lin."

"No trouble, no trouble," Lin Shuanghe said, "I'm going to find him later."

Fei Nu stopped and nodded to Lin Shuanghe: "Then thank you, Young Master Lin."

Lin Shuanghe smiled and said to He Yan, "Let's go."

The two went outside together.

When I came out, it was already snowing in the sky, and now the snow is heavier. He Yan was injured and walked very slowly, with Cheng Lisu's cloak covering him. Although Lin Shuanghe called "sister" in his mouth to be affectionate, he was also measured in getting along with women, as if he was deliberately avoiding suspicion, not even helping He Yan.

However, the two were not in a hurry and walked very slowly.

The snow particles fell rustling and hit the person. He Yan was thinking about hearing Lei Hou's words in the dungeon just now, and was thinking, when Lin Shuanghe opened his mouth, he asked, "Have you heard of the battle of the Guocheng Changgu? ?"

He Yan was startled, and then replied, "I heard it."

The Battle of Guocheng Changgu was the most important battle when Xiao Jue led Nanfu soldiers to quell the Nanman Rebellion after Xiao Zhongwu's death. At that time, the whole country of Great Wei was waiting to see Xiao Jue's joke. A 16-year-old boy with so many soldiers, an alien hero who couldn't even win against his father, no matter how he looked at it, he was bound to lose.

Who knew that the first battle was a complete victory, so that after the Nanman retreated steadily, Xiao Jue really calmed down the turmoil in the Nanman, but it took only half a year.

"Do you know how he won the battle of Changgu?"

"Water attack."

"You know?"

He Yan didn't speak, the bamboo stick slammed into the snow, poking out a small hole.

"Then you also know that during the Battle of Changgu, General Feng Yun Xiao Huaijin flooded the city, killing 60,000 people." Lin Shuanghe hugged Xiao Jue's black cloak tighter, "At that time, the body was floating, and the east of the city was all over the place. Smelly, Guocheng is like a hell on earth, it is unbearable to smell." He asked with a smile, "What, do you think he is cruel and inhuman?"

He Yan calmly said: "War is inherently cruel. To be kind to the enemy is to be cruel to the people of your own country. What's more, if you are not in that position, no one knows what the truth is like. If it weren't for his cruelty and inhumanity, perhaps Those who are now drowned are us."

Lin Shuanghe paused, turned to He Yan, and asked, "How could you think so?"

"I just think that Dudu Xiao is not such a person."

Lin Shuanghe stared at her as if seeing He Yan for the first time.

He Yan asked, "What's wrong with what I said?"

After a long while, he shook his head and smiled, and said, "I'm just surprised that you and Huaijin have not been together for a year, so you believed in him so much. Why was I not as firm as you when I heard about this?"

He Yan thought to himself, that was because Lin Shuanghe had never really been to the battlefield. After seeing the people fighting on the battlefield, I know how difficult it is for a general to make a decision. Xiao Jue is smart and calm. If there is no reason to do so, then there is no need to do so. Instead, he has left himself a notorious murderous reputation.

You must know that after the First Battle of Changgu, Xiao Jue defeated Nanman and attracted the respect of countless young people, but he was also criticized by many literati for being ruthless and ruthless, killing too many crimes. After all, among the people who were drowned in the Battle of Changgu, there were also Nanman civilians.

"Doctor Lin seems to know the reason for what he did." He Yan asked, "Why?"

"I didn't know it at the beginning." Lin Shuanghe sighed, "You said, with three thousand soldiers against 60,000 soldiers, what other way is there other than a water attack?"

"Three thousand soldiers?" He Yan suddenly raised his head: "Isn't it one hundred thousand Nanfu soldiers?"

"100,000?" Lin Shuanghe smiled and said, "If there are 100,000 Nanfu soldiers at hand, he doesn't have to resort to this method."

After Xiao Zhongwu's death that year, Mrs. Xiao followed him away, and for a while, Xiao's house burst into tears and mournful. At that time, Xiao Zhongwu was defeated in the battle of Mingshui because of his stubbornness and wrong command, which made tens of thousands of Wei sergeants die in the battlefield.

His Majesty is kind, remembering the Xiao family's many years of credit, and does not hold Xiao Zhongwu for his faults, but at the same time, the military power is also taken back. Xiao Jue was only sixteen years old at the time, and Xiao Jing was only eighteen. Bai Rongwei had only been married for less than half a year and this disaster happened.

Lin Shuanghe still remembered the first time he saw Xiao Jue after the Xiao family accident.

The young man used to be indifferent and lazy, as if nothing had ever been reflected in his heart. But it also taught people to understand that nothing in the world can beat him.

It's just that anyone who suffers from such a disaster in their family will inevitably be in a state of collapse, and no matter how bad it is, it will be very different from the past. But the Xiao Jue that Lin Shuanghe saw was not like that, except that he looked a little more haggard than before, he was not depressed in any way.

"Do you have any medicine to make you sleepy all day?" Xiao Jue asked immediately.

Lin Shuanghe said, "My pharmacy has it. If you want it, I'll get it for you right away."

Lin's pharmacy is all over Dawei, and several are opened in the bustling city of Shuojing alone. Lin Shuanghe ordered the servant to go to the nearest pharmacy, took two pairs, and handed it to him: "Eat it and you can sleep for ten hours." He suddenly What came to mind: "If you can't sleep at night, I can make a milder one for you."

Perhaps, Xiao Jue had trouble falling asleep all night because of a sudden change at home, and wanted to ask for medicine to calm the nerves and help her sleep.

Xiao Jue put the medicine back in his sleeve, waved his hand at him, and said, "Thank you." He turned to leave.

"Huai Jin!" Lin Shuanghe called him.

Xiao Jue stopped and looked at him.

"This medicine...is it yours?"

The young man's brows were delicate and bright, his eyes crossed him and landed in the distance. At the end of the distance, the majestic palace was looming, and he said lightly: "I want to enter the palace."

Lin Shuanghe was not a stupid person, he understood Xiao Jue's intention in an instant, and he said in horror, "Are you going to enter the palace without your elder brother?"

"Tell him what to do." The young man lowered his head and smiled, "It only adds to the trouble."

"You're crazy!" Lin Shuanghe said anxiously, "Do you know that the court is in chaos right now because of General Xiao's affairs. Now no one dares to speak for General Xiao. Xu Xiang has been accompanying His Majesty every day. Do you know why?"

"I know." Xiao Jue said: "So what? The military power must return to the Xiao family."

"You might die like this!"

Xiao Jue turned his head and looked at him fixedly, "That's dead."

"you!"

"By the way, I want to ask you for help with something." He said.

The young man's face rarely showed such a solemn expression, and an ominous premonition surged in Lin Shuanghe's heart for a moment. He pursed his lips and asked, "What's the matter?"

"If I come back alive, treat it as if it didn't happen. If I die," he paused, "don't need to collect the corpse for me, Imperial Physician Lin can speak in front of the Empress Dowager, please help me. My brother, this has nothing to do with him."

"What do you mean...you're dead?" Lin Shuanghe heard his own trembling voice.

"It's very simple, once tonight is over, either I will die today, or he will die tomorrow." He looked calm, as if he was talking about someone else's business, "but I'm not sure about the outcome, so," he curled his lips , "You can pray."

"Xiao Huaijin!"

The boy faced him, bowed deeply, and when he straightened up, he only said two words.

"Thank you."

Lin Shuanghe's eyes turned red.

Xiao Jue waved at him: "Go back."

Lin Shuanghe didn't move.

He laughed and turned to leave.

It was a long, long time ago, but at that time Xiao Jue's back still seemed to stop in front of him. On the bustling downtown streets, the boy's back is tall and straight, but he is extremely lonely.

No one knew what kind of road he was going to take, but Lin Shuanghe knew one thing very well.

Xiao Jue will not look back.

He was fascinated by his thoughts, but was suddenly interrupted by He Yan's words. He Yan asked, "So later, the Governor entered the palace by himself like this?"

Lin Shuanghe regained his senses and continued to walk forward slowly, saying as he walked, "I didn't follow me into the palace. What happened later was also told by my grandfather."

It rained that night.

The autumn rain is cool and cold, and it seems to penetrate people's hearts. In a few days, it will be Mid-Autumn Festival. If nothing happened to Xiao Zhongwu, the Xiao mansion should be busy at the moment, arranging the banquet for the moon group for the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet. But now it is bleak, and filial piety is everywhere.

The three at the table were silent.

No one wanted to eat the food, Bai Rong said in a warm voice: "Eat a little bit, if it goes on like this, my body won't be able to take it anymore."

They were all simple porridge and side dishes. After a moment of silence, Xiao Jing still picked up the bowl. He took a sip, put it down again, and said, "Huai Jin, tomorrow morning, I will enter the palace with you."

Xiao Jue: "Okay."

Bai Rongwei asked, "Entering the palace...what are you doing?"

"Without the military power of the Xiao family, sooner or later they will become meat on the chopping block, and they will be slaughtered by others." Xiao Jing said: "In any case, the soldiers of the Nanfu must return to the Xiao family, otherwise..."

Otherwise, the Xiao family wouldn't know how long it would last.

"Then, even if His Majesty returned the military power to us, what should we do in the future?" Bai Rongwei said cautiously, "Rubi, you are a doctor who is advising, even if Huai Jin is a martial artist, he is only sixteen years old."

Xiao Jing's movements stopped.

He had to admit the fact that there was no one in the Xiao family. Even though Xiao Jue has different talents, he is only sixteen and he is a half-old child. How can he lead tens of thousands of Nanfu soldiers.

Difficult to convince the crowd.

"There are so many things that you can do at the age of sixteen." Xiao Jue casually said, "Big brother, you are afraid of your head and tail, and you will only achieve nothing."

Xiao Jing sighed and said, "Forget it, let's take one step at a time. Now, there is no other way to go."

"Will your majesty return the military power to us?" Bai Rong said worriedly: "Now that Xu Xiang's power is so powerful, he will not let this opportunity to deal with the Xiao family be missed."

"Yes." The young man poured tea lazily for them, "Don't be afraid, Xu Jingfu is just a mortal."

No one spoke anymore.

Ye Yu continued to drop, and the servants helped Bai Rongwei and Xiao Jing back to the bed.

Xiao Jue stood up, put on his coat, and walked out the door.

Outside, Fei Nu was waiting. The rain fell on the ground, smashing puddles and ripples, soaking the white lanterns hanging at the door.

Xiao Jue stopped at the door.

Fei Nu said: "Master."

He lowered his head and instructed the housekeeper: "Take care of them." He turned around and got into the carriage.

"Let's go."

It disappeared into the night.

The carriage drove to the palace, where the current Prime Minister Xu Jingfu was playing chess with Emperor Wen Xuan.

The palace servants came to report: "Your Majesty, the second son of General Guangwu's residence asks to see you."

Emperor Wenxuan stopped playing chess, "Xiao Huaijin? What is he doing here?"

"Xu is for his father." Xu Jingfu smiled and said, "Your Majesty, be careful." He picked up a sunspot.

"You, don't make fun of me when I'm distracted," Wen Xuandi laughed and scolded, "Cunning."

Xu Jingfu also smiled: "It was His Majesty who let the old minister."

The two of them joked and played chess again, seeming to have forgotten Xiao Jue. The time for a stick of incense passed, and the palace servant came in again to remind: "Your Majesty, Second Young Master Xiao is still waiting outside the palace gate, and it is still raining outside."

"Go back when it rains." Emperor Wen Xuan was worried about the chess game in front of him, "what are you doing here?"

"Your Majesty, don't be annoyed," Xu Jingfu said, "This second son of Xiao's family has undergone great changes, and now he is still a child. He must have a lot of grievances in his heart. It is better to let the old minister go out and persuade him. It is best to persuade him back."

"You go." Emperor Wenxuan waved his hand impatiently: "The last court is also Xiao Zhongwu's business, and the next court can't be taken off. It's the Xiao family and Xiao family all the time. I'm tired of listening to it. You let him go back! Go quickly. Come back quickly, you have to accompany me to finish this game of chess."

Xu Jingfu got up and saluted respectfully: "Yes."

As soon as he left the gate, he saw Xiao Jue kneeling at the door waiting.

Xu Jingfu was in his sixtieth year. When he was young, he worked in the Hanlin Academy, and his students were all over the world. The outstanding young man of the Wei Dynasty has something to do with him. Even though Xiao Jue is not his student, he has heard of Xiao Jue's outstanding performance. I once met Xiao Jue during the royal hunt, and I remember that the white-robed boy was so handsome, like a pearl, he was dizzy, and he compared everyone else.

Xu Jingfu also sighed in his heart, such an outstanding young man, if his Xu family would be so good, it is a pity that Xiao Zhongwu's savage is cheap.

He stood in front of Xiao Jue and said, "Second son Xiao."

The boy raised his head and looked at him, "Master Xu."

"It's raining so hard outside, why is Second Young Master Xiao waiting outside without holding an umbrella." He instructed the palace servants on the left and right, "Come here, bring an umbrella for Second Young Master Xiao."

The palace servant stood behind Xiao Jue with an umbrella, and Xu Jingfu made a gesture to help him up, as if the elders really cared about the younger ones: "What are you doing on your knees, get up quickly."

Xiao Jue didn't move and said, "I want to see Your Majesty."

"Your Majesty is busy right now. If Second Young Master Xiao has anything to do, there is no rush to come back tomorrow. It is very late now, and His Majesty has to rest after his busy work. It is not a good time to face the Holy Spirit."

The young man was unmoved and only repeated: "Master Xu, I must see Your Majesty today."

Xu Jingfu took two steps back, put his hands in his sleeves and looked at him, with a kind smile on his face, "Second son Xiao, Your Majesty is kind, he used to be a meritorious member of the Xiao family and favored you. Now your father is guilty, The battle of Mingshui caused a disastrous defeat for the Wei soldiers, and they should have been held accountable. It was His Majesty who was thinking of the old love and opened up.

Ye Yu slanted and slipped in under the umbrella, soaking the boy's clothes. His eyebrows were beautiful, his expression was calm, and his voice was no longer half lazy and romantic, and said: "Master Xu said yes."

Xu Jingfu's smile remained unchanged.

"So," Xiao Jue raised her head and looked at him, "I urge Sir Xu to be lenient with His Majesty, Xiao Jue wants to see His Majesty."

"Second son Xiao is joking, why does this old man want to accommodate your majesty?" Xu Jingfu asked.

The young man looked at him and bowed his head slightly: "Please, Master Xu."

The arrogance of a young man is the most unbearable. Sometimes the spine bends so gently, and he can't stand up again.

If Xiao Zhongwu knew it, what kind of expression would he have when he saw his proud second son kneeling in front of him and begging for mercy?

For a split second, Xu Jingfu didn't want to drive him to a dead end. It was much more interesting to watch proud people fall into the mundane world, get trampled into mud, and their self-esteem was trampled.

He raised his head slightly and said distressedly: "Second Young Master Xiao, it's not that the old man won't help you. It's just that now His Majesty is angry with the Xiao family. Even the old man can hardly interfere in this matter."

Xiao Jue only said: "Please Master Xu."

Xu Jingfu stared at him, and after a while, he said, "If Second Young Master Xiao insists on seeing His Majesty, it is better to take the punishment yourself. The Xiao family is already guilty. Well, this old man can speak for Second Young Master Xiao."

"Master Xu please advise."

"You are young now, and it is difficult to bear more punishments. Just go get fifty boards first." He said.

These words were very easy, as if they had given Xiao Jue a good deal of relief. The palace servant next to him lowered his head and did not speak, but he couldn't hide his surprise in his heart.

Fifty boards, a little weaker, can die. Even an ordinary person, with fifty boards, can save half his life, and it will be difficult to get better if he doesn't keep it for a year and a half.

Xiao Jue said: "Okay."

Xu Jingfu smiled: "Second Young Master really has the style of being a father," he turned around and instructed the people behind him, "Take Second Young Master Xiao down to get the board."

It was raining sassily at night, and fifty boards fell on people, which was not as easy as imagined, especially the executioner of the palace, who was deliberately "explained" by Xu Jingfu.

The young man said nothing, gritted his teeth and carried it down. After fifty boards, he wiped the blood from the corners of his lips, slowly propped himself up, and stood up.

When he stood up, his footsteps were a bit vain, and he almost lost his footing, and the palace servant beside him looked a little unbearable. The second son of Xiao, who was dressed in brocade and fox fur, was noble and gorgeous, and now he is so embarrassed, who would have expected? No one expected.

Xu Jingfu was not interested in watching Xiao Jue suffer from the board. He entered the hall and went to talk to Emperor Wenxuan first.

Emperor Wenxuan said, "Didn't you say you want to drive him away?"

"Your Majesty," Xu Jingfu shook his head, "Second Young Master Xiao insisted on seeing His Majesty, but the old minister couldn't persuade him. Young man, full of energy, if you really want to make up your mind, the nine-headed ox won't be able to pull it back. Now that General Guangwu is gone, his mother ... The old minister also sees him as pitiful. Your Majesty might as well meet him and listen to what he has to say. If he doesn't speak well, let him go out and don't see him next time."

Emperor Wenxuan sighed, "Aiqing has softened."

"It is Your Majesty's kindness."

"Forget it," Emperor Wenxuan instructed the palace servants, "Anyway, I grew up watching him, so let him come in."

It was extremely cold outside the hall and extremely warm inside. There was no night rain that could not be avoided, but only the dizzy fragrance of flowers. The lights were bright, and someone came.

He knelt down in front of Emperor Wenxuan and said, "My minister, I will meet your majesty."

"No ceremony." Emperor Wenxuan said casually, looked up at Xiao Jue, was stunned as soon as he saw Xiao Jue, and asked, "How did you become like this?"

It had been raining outside, and Xu Jingfu's umbrella only lasted for less than a moment. He was wet and embarrassed all over, and because he had just passed fifty boards, his body was extremely weak, his face was like golden paper, and his lips were pale, as if he was about to faint in the next moment.

Very different from the past.

After watching him grow up, Emperor Wenxuan couldn't help but feel pity, moved a bit of genuine concern, he slowed down his tone, and said, "Tell me, someone bullied you?"

"No." Xu Jingfu stood aside and replied, "Second Young Master Xiao knew that the Xiao family was guilty, so he took fifty big punishments by himself, so that he could teach himself to feel better, and let His Majesty know the repentance of the Xiao family."

Emperor Wenxuan looked at him and sighed, "Fifty slabs... too much."

"Second son Xiao is also grateful for His Majesty's kindness." Xu Jingfu smiled.

"Why did you come to me?" Emperor Wen Xuan said, "I don't want to talk about the Xiao family anymore."

Xiao Jue's eyes swept across the chess game on the table. On the chess game, black and white pieces were intertwined, and under the warm lights, there was a gloomy coldness.

As life is strange, no one can predict what will happen in the future.

But the past is in the past, and since it is impossible to predict, the future is created.

The boy fell down, his voice was calm, with unstoppable stubbornness, he said word by word.

"My minister, I beg your Majesty's permission to lead the Nanfu soldiers into Mingshui again and fight the Nanman."