"I vaguely remember that Yu Zhubu is not the only son?"
Chu Yao's question confused Yu Zhubu, but he was not sure what the other party was up to, so he could only respond to the other party's question and answered, "Yes, I have another brother at home."
Yu Zhubu had a twin brother.
With the medical level of the time, it was rare for twins to survive. Either the mother died of dystocia or the twins died prematurely for various reasons. Twins were always considered an ominous sign. The brothers Yu Zhubu were lucky and both survived, but their mother was injured in dystocia and could not get pregnant again. Their father then devoted all his energy to the brothers.
Yu Zhubu's elder brother was gentle and dull in character.
I don't have any big ambitions in my life.
I just want to run the family business and serve my parents in peace.
Yu Zhubu was different.
Unwilling to be confined to a small world and not be successful, if he does not go out to fight, he will at most be a local official in the future. Yu Zhubu, who is still a teenager, packed his bags and followed his fellow townsmen and friends to go out to make a living. At first, he was able to keep in touch with his family, but then the world became chaotic and family letters were precious. Yu Zhubu encountered trouble, and his father and brother moved to avoid the war, and the two sides completely lost contact.
Trying to contact them again is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
After Yu Zhubu was settled, he searched for someone for several years but made no progress. Not long after, the State of Chu was destroyed and there was no hope at all.
Why did Chu Yao deliberately mention this
Could it be—
Where had he seen his brother
Yu Zhubu's heart moved and he felt expectant.
Chu Yao's next question seemed to confirm his guess: "Is Yu Zhubu very similar to your brother?"
"My brother and I are from the same mother and look exactly the same. If you are not a very familiar relative, you will hardly recognize me. How come—Wu Hui has seen such a person before?"
His tone was filled with undisguised anticipation.
Chu Yao said calmly: "That's not the case."
Yu Zhubu's expectations were instantly dashed.
He suppressed his inner disappointment, thinking that the other party was a wicked person, using this matter to bully an old man like him.
“But—” Chu Yao changed the subject.
Yu Zhubu asked hurriedly: "But what?"
Compared to him, Chu Yao was very calm and even had time to observe Yu Zi out of the corner of his eye - the kid didn't realize that he might be the center of the topic and was focusing all his attention on his master, not leaving his side even a step.
Chu Yao said: "However, I did meet a child who looked somewhat similar to Yu Zhubu..."
When Yu Zhubu heard this, he lost interest.
There are so many people in the world who look alike.
It's not like they are related by blood just because they look alike.
Chu Yao said slowly: "This person's surname is also 'Yu'."
Yu Zhubu sensed that something was wrong.
He didn't understand Chu Yao now, how could he not understand Chu Yao in the past? Over the past ten years, this guy had been through so much, and his mind would only become more profound and introverted. If there was nothing wrong, he wouldn't suddenly talk to him about such a "child".
Yu Zhubu simply went straight to the point.
He smiled and said as if chatting and reminiscing about the past: "This is a great fate. Could it be that he is a direct disciple of your branch?"
Chu Yao didn't answer, but his expression became serious.
Yu Zhubu looked at him and understood something.
"Is it really from your brother's branch?"
Judging from their age, they should be grandchildren now.
So he hurriedly asked, "Where and when have you met before?"
No wonder he was so emotional.
He is a lone goose who has been away from home for many years and cannot find the way back. The world is vast but he has no relatives to accompany him. Many years ago, he had a wife and children to accompany him, but one of them died in childbirth and the other died in infancy. He is still alone.
After following the commander for so many years, in addition to the fact that they share the same suffering, another reason is transference of feelings.
The commander is both his student and his half-son to him. They are relatives to each other in troubled times and their relationship is like that of father and son.
I thought this was how my life would be.
Who knew I could hear news about my brother's lineage!
How could Yu Zhubu not be excited
However, no matter how excited he was, he did not show it, and only a few words revealed his true mood.
"This..." Chu Yao looked embarrassed at this moment.
Yu Zhubu will not fall into a trap easily.
He said calmly, "Is he no longer alive?"
If that's the case, it's normal.
Separation between life and death is the norm in this world.
"Not really, it's just that the experience is quite tortuous. Yu Zhubu is old, and I'm afraid that you will get angry and hurt, and it will be difficult to explain to General Chu." In Yu Zhubu's suspicious eyes, he waved to Yu Zi and said, "Weiheng, come here."
Hearing her own voice, Yu Zi subconsciously turned her head, revealing a slightly dark face.
In order to make herself look less fair, Yu Zi deliberately darkened her skin every day. In addition, she did not deliberately trim her eyebrows. At first glance, she really looked like a slightly delicate boy: "Is it Mr. Gongcao calling me?"
"Well, come here."
Yu Zi was a little flattered.
I am truly flattered.
She grew up in the market, and was good at observing people's words and expressions. Chu Yao didn't treat her badly, but he wasn't friendly either, and there was an indescribable alienation. It didn't seem like he hated her. She followed Lin Feng to take classes, and he taught her wholeheartedly, but she had a weak foundation and had a hard time learning, so Chu Yao didn't deliberately ask her if she needed special treatment.
She doesn't care whether she understands or not.
Yu Zi didn't dare to offend anyone, so she had to ask Kang Jishou, who was quite familiar to her, for advice. Fortunately, the latter did not refuse.
Gongcao never called her unless it was important business.
Yu Zi stepped forward with a feeling of trepidation and confusion, and skillfully saluted Chu Yao and Yu Zhubu, then stood obediently to one side, bowing her head and waiting for Chu Yao's instructions. Seeing this, Yu Zhubu knew what was going on and looked at Yu Zi's appearance carefully.
Yu Zi was naturally extremely unhappy being stared at so rudely by a stranger, but she could only hold it in and not get angry.
After a while, she heard the man ask her.
"What's your name?"
Yu Zi said: "Yu Zi."
"Are there any words?"
Yu Zi questioned Chu Yao with her eyes, and the latter just nodded slightly. Only then did she feel relieved and said, "The name is 'Wei Heng'."
Even though Mr. Gongcao didn't like her very much, he still chose one for her when the time came.
She quite likes it.
"Wei Heng... Yu Zi... Do you know the names of your elders? Where do they live? Who are your grandparents?"
Yu Zhubu wanted to confirm further, but Yu Zi remained silent and looked a little grim until Chu Yao spoke to ease the situation.
"Wei Heng, this person might be your great uncle."
Yu Zi was shocked by these words.
granduncle…
Isn’t he my mother’s uncle
only…
She didn't know how to answer questions about the names of her elders, where they lived, and her grandparents. She couldn't help but look at Chu Yao for help. Chu Yao explained to Yu Zhubu: "Wei Heng's life experience is rather complicated. Yu Zhubu should find a secluded place and listen to her talk about her experiences over the years. Then you can make a judgment..." I just hope he won't get angry and do something bad...
If the qi and blood attack the heart, hemiplegia will occur directly...
That’s hard to explain.
Chu Yao seemed to be expecting Yu Zhubu to be so angry that he would be in a state of panic, and even the aura of alienation around him faded a lot. Yu Zhubu knew there was a problem, so he could only nod, whisper a few words to the commander, and take the two away.
It took less than a quarter of an hour.
A tent was crushed by the angry literary energy.
Soldiers who noticed the commotion rushed over, and even the commander and his entourage were alarmed. All they saw was Yu Zhubu, who was furious and looked like he wanted to fight someone to the death. The strange boy stood to one side, wiping his tears, while Chu Yao watched with his hands in his sleeves.
The commander was surprised and puzzled: "What happened?"
It was rare to see Master Yu get so angry. He glanced at Yu Zi and Chu Yao. Neither of them looked like the "culprit". He could only reach out his hand to help Master Yu calm down, saying, "Calm down, Teacher, and calm down."
Yu Zhubu's face turned ashen, his eyes were wide open, his eye sockets were filled with horrible bloodshot, his whole body was stiff, and finally, under the worried gaze of everyone, he "wow" and vomited a mouthful of fishy and dirty blood.
Yu Zi stepped forward to support him out of concern: "Uncle..."
The commander was surprised to hear this title.
"Are you a descendant of the teacher's clan?"
If you look closely, there are indeed some similarities.
Yu Zhubu recovered his breath, his face no longer as dark and ugly as before, and patted the back of Yu Zi's hand.
He said hoarsely, "It's okay."
After all, he had been mentally prepared for decades, and did not hold out much hope for the survival of his brother's family. When he suddenly knew the outcome, he felt heartbroken but not angry. However, he could not tolerate the fate of Yu Zi's mother, Yu Meiren!
Yu Zi saw her mother suffer with her own eyes, and her story was so natural, true, detailed, and full of emotion that one could imagine the corresponding scene just by closing their eyes. This made Yu Zhubu's blood pressure rise to the maximum.
My brother's descendants suffered this humiliation...
If the culprits had not been crushed to dust, Yu Zhubu would have dug their corpses out of the grave and whipped them to vent his anger. His teeth were chattering with anger. As his emotions passed their peak, his rationality gradually returned to his body.
He tilted his head and looked at Yu Zi with a critical look.
Although Yu Zi's biological father had committed many evil deeds that disgusted him, Yu Zi was after all the only blood of his brother. In addition, the child was able to distinguish right from wrong, was filial and humble, and was not tainted by the stench of his father's lineage. This made him look at him differently and admire him. His eyes gradually softened, with more love and tolerance from an elder to a younger generation. He said, "Wei Heng, you did a great job."
Yu Zi doesn't know nothing.
My master and this new uncle are on different sides of the same coin, so I should do something...
She sobbed and said, "I don't dare to take credit for it... If it weren't for you saving me from the water, how could I be alive now?"
Yu Zhubu frowned and sighed.
I can't say a bad word about Shen Tang.
He is not an ungrateful person.
But, private is private and public is public.
Even with Yu Zi's relationship, Yu Zhubu couldn't lean towards Shen Tang. He calmed down his agitated emotions, calmed his disordered breathing, and appeared in the main account as if nothing had happened.
If it weren't for his slightly pale face, there would be no sign of anything wrong.
The commander was attracted by Yu Zhubu's literary aura, but Shen Tang and the others were not. They continued to wait quietly there.
Until both parties are seated.
"We know the purpose of Mr. Shen's visit. We also admire Mr. Shen's courage and will not let the ten squids act recklessly. However, Yonggu Pass is not an ordinary pass. It involves great importance and cannot be entrusted lightly. I hope Mr. Shen will understand."
Shen Tang still reeked of alcohol.
There was still a strong smell of alcohol on his breath.
His expression was slightly cold: "How can we understand? There is no room for two tigers in one mountain. Don't you understand this simple truth? Longwu County can only be as solid as a rock if everyone is united. But you are suspicious and on guard everywhere. How can we trust you? Moreover, you detained Longwu Gongcao without knowing right or wrong. Shouldn't you give an explanation for this matter?"
She was still thinking about the group of people who detained and tortured Chu Yao.
I'll feel unhappy if I don't let it out.
Gu Chi heard Chu Yao's inner voice and looked at him strangely, examining him from head to toe - how did this guy look like he was being abused
Yu Zhubu said: "We did not detain Chu Gongcao, we just met as old friends and stayed to reminisce about the past, there is no evidence. As for what you said about 'having doubts in our hearts and taking precautions everywhere', it is even more of a misunderstanding. It is because Mr. Shen came here on the orders of the king, and we have suffered in the royal court for a long time, so we misunderstood that Mr. Shen's behavior was instructed by the king. In order to protect the Yonggu Pass, we dare not take it lightly."
This is just a misunderstanding. Even if it is true, it was Shen Tang’s behavior that made them "stressed".
Chu Yao did not say anything to sabotage him.
Just take it as a tacit agreement to “reminisce about the past”.
However, both parties knew the various reasons.
Yu Zhubu asked again: "As the governor of Longwu County, Mr. Shen naturally has the right to mobilize the troops of Yonggu Pass, but with less than 6,000 troops, can Yonggu Pass be guaranteed to be safe?"
There are more than 20,000 soldiers and horses at Yonggu Pass.
But more than 70% of them were the main general's private soldiers.
The rest are the ones that Shen Tang has the right to transfer.
She said calmly, "Six thousand? Difficult!"
Shen Tang did not follow Yu Zhubu's pace.
Straight to the point: "But you will not let Yonggu Pass fall into the hands of the Ten Crows. I am short of men, and you are short of food and supplies. Together we will both benefit, but apart we will both suffer. Tell me, what conditions will allow me to command more than 20,000 soldiers and horses to defend Yonggu Pass?"
Yu Zhubu frowned.
He originally wanted both sides to cooperate.
But Shen Tang was not satisfied with this.
Their purpose was only to "guard Yonggu Pass" and they had no other ambitions, so it was not appropriate for Yu Zhubu to take advantage of this to get angry.
Although the generals were unhappy with Shen Tang's arrogant and rebellious attitude, he had fought with their commander not long ago and they were evenly matched. Considering his age, it was reasonable for him to be a little arrogant.
If they can fight this well at their age...
Definitely more arrogant than Shen Jun.
Yu Zhubu stated what everyone had discussed before.
"Thirty thousand! We want thirty thousand squid heads! No matter their age or gender, as long as they are ten squid heads, they will be fine! We will use their heads to build an altar to offer sacrifices to the heavens, to commemorate the brothers who died tragically in these years!" These words were spoken in a resounding voice and with a firm expression.
The other soldiers in the tent also showed indignation.
Let them be completely convinced -
I am willing to be driven by Shen Tang, and this is the condition.
If you can, do it.
No, everyone should take a step back.
You provide the food and we guard the pass.
Keep your distance from each other.
but-
Is Shen Tang the kind of person who would retreat when faced with difficulties
Without even blinking her eyelids, she sneered and said, "Three thousand and ten young and strong heads? Sure, no problem!"
Yu Zhubu and others were stunned.
They also knew that the conditions were harsh, so they took the initiative to add additional conditions to reduce the difficulty - as long as it was a head of ten crows, regardless of gender, age or status - generally speaking, a few tribes would be enough. But if it was a "young and strong head", how difficult would it be
The commander who had been silent all this time spoke.
"Are you serious, Mr. Shen?"
Shen Tang said: "Of course it is true. Do you remember why Zheng Qiao transferred me here?"
Transferred to Longwu County, the princess who was to be used for marriage alliance would be safely escorted to Shiwu, which would leave a lot of room for maneuver.
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