"Okay!" Sima Hui nodded and smiled, and ordered the boy to bring paper and pen.
Liu Qi wrote with his brush, and the whole thing was completed in one stroke:
The golden scales/are not meant to stay in the pond. When they encounter wind and clouds, they will turn into dragons.
The roar of the dragon in the sky shocked the world, sweeping away the smoke of war and raising the Yan Han.
"Very good, very good calligraphy, very good words!" Sima Hui had originally looked indifferent, but after reading it, he was shocked and said with emotion: "Young Master is indeed a dragon hidden in the mire."
Although Liu Qi performed very poorly in politics, he was the eldest son of the Liu family after all, and he had Liu Biao, the leader of the literati, who had profound literary attainments.
Especially after arriving in Xiangyang, he was taught by many famous scholars, and his calligraphy was learned from Handan Chun. His seal script, cursive script and official script had already become famous.
"Sir, you are too kind!" Liu Qi stood up and clasped his fists, saying, "The war in Jingzhou is about to start. It is not a good idea to protect yourself. How can the eggs in an overturned nest remain intact? I still have to go to Xinye to calm people's hearts. I will take my leave now."
Sima Hui hesitated for a moment and said, "Shan Fu rode away on a donkey this morning. He must not have left Xiangyang yet. If you chase him, you may be able to catch up with him."
Liu Qi was overjoyed and asked, "Which way did he go?"
Sima Hui said: "Go northwest and enter Jingshan. There is a mountain road that leads directly to Zhonglu. Shan Fu will cross the river and head north from here."
"Thank you for your guidance, sir!" Liu Qi asked about Xu Shu's attire, bid farewell to Sima Hui, and left the village to find a way to catch up.
When Sima Hui saw Liu Qi go into the mountain without hesitation, he stroked his beard and nodded with a smile.
"Jingzhou has not been pacified yet, sir, you instructed the eldest son to go into the mountains alone. If something unexpected happens, wouldn't it be a big mistake?"
At this moment, a man walked out from the side door. He was seven feet tall, wearing a hemp cloth robe, with a sword hanging from his waist and a slightly frowned brow.
Sima Hui turned around and said with a smile: "Don't worry, Yuanzhi, this road leads directly to Zhonglu, which is where my friends travel, and the country is stable."
It turned out that this person was Xu Shu, who sighed and said, "Now that the Emperor Liu is dead, it is hard to find a wise ruler. I have no intention of serving Liu Biao again. Sir, you shouldn't have lied to him."
Sima Hui returned to the manor and handed the letter written by Liu Qi to Xu Shu: "Yuanzhi, please read this."
Xu Shu took it and thought about their conversation. He praised it repeatedly: "How can a golden fish stay in a pond? Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful..."
Sima Hui said: "Liu Qi went into the mountains just now despite the danger, which shows his intention to seek talents. Since he came for Yuan Zhi, why not test him again before making a decision?"
Xu Shu then realized that Sima Hui was deliberately testing him, and asked, "Liu Qi has already left, how can we get there before him?"
Sima Hui stroked his beard and smiled, "Leaving the village and heading south, you can reach Tanxi River. Yuanzhi can take a boat across the river and reach Zhonglu in just two hours, but the journey at night is a bit dangerous."
Xu Shu held his sword and laughed, "I am a swordsman in the martial arts world, so why should I be afraid of the night road? I will leave immediately."
Liu Qi chased into the mountains. It was already dusk. Seeing that it was getting late, Huang Zhong advised him to return early.
Liu Qi, however, looked calm and said with a smile: "Don't worry, Han Sheng. Since Mr. Shui Jing has pointed out this road, there will be no danger."
Huang Zhong was puzzled and asked: "Why do you think so?"
Liu Qi smiled and said, "Since he knows about the incident in Xiangyang, he should understand the current situation. According to common sense, he should persuade me to return to Xiangyang. But he told me to go into the mountains just to test me. If something goes wrong, wouldn't he become a sinner in Jingzhou?"
Huang Zhong was startled, then nodded and said, "I have also heard about Mr. Shui Jing, and he certainly would not do such a stupid thing."
Liu Qi said: "Shuijing Villa is indeed full of hidden talents. Since they need talents, what does this little bit of hardship mean? It's not that I'm not sincere enough, I just have to cooperate with his performance and do my best."
Huang Zhong seemed to understand, but not quite. The group chased for half the night. The moon rose in the east, the mountain wind was howling, and there was no one to be seen along the way. Huang Zhong could not help but persuade Liu Qi to turn back.
But Liu Qi was certain that Xu Shu must be somewhere in the corner ahead, chasing him across one valley after another.
Until the moon was at its zenith, suddenly a loud singing voice came from the front, which was very clear in the silent mountains.
"It's just as I expected!" Liu Qi was cheered up and urged his horse forward.
After turning the mountain ridge, I saw a man riding a donkey under the moonlight, carrying a sword on his back, drinking from a gourd in one hand and singing:
“… When a building is about to collapse, even one tree cannot support it.
There is a wise man in the valley, who wants to seek a wise master..."
Liu Qi walked past the man and blocked him on the road. Seeing that he still looked calm, he nodded secretly.
"You are traveling deep in the mountains at night. Aren't you afraid that some robbers will come and rob you of your money and kill you?"
The man grabbed the wine gourd and laughed, "I have been in the martial arts world for decades. I am the only one who kills people. No one can kill me."
"What a big tone!" Huang Zhong was a little angry and sneered: "You sang all the way, isn't it to give yourself courage?"
"Don't be rude!" Liu Qi dismounted and clasped his fists, saying, "May I ask if you are Shan Fu?"
"Oh?" The man was startled and smiled faintly, "I don't know you all, how do you know my name?"
Liu Qi said, "I am Liu Qi. I saw your letter and came to Shuijing Villa. Fortunately, with your guidance, I came here without stopping. I respectfully invite you to return to the city."
"Are you the eldest son of Liu Shijun?" Xu Shu was surprised and quickly got off the donkey. He bowed and said, "It's not that I am leaving without saying goodbye. It's just that I am not talented enough to handle the affairs of the prefecture. Please forgive me."
Liu Qi said, "My father has been seriously ill recently and cannot manage the affairs. I have not recognized your talent. Now that my uncle has been killed by Cai Mao, I have been entrusted by him to revive the family business and support the Han Dynasty. I feel that I am incapable of doing so. I hope you can lend me a helping hand."
Xu Shu shook his head and said, "My lord, you are too kind. I am just a wanderer in the world, without any talent or learning. I am ashamed to be a figurehead in your mansion. How dare I stay here any longer?"
Liu Qi sighed, "Since I came to Jingzhou, I have not been used to the local climate, which has caused me to fall ill and become depressed. Also, my stepmother, Cai, has always been plotting to murder me. However, I should not speak out against my parents' faults, so I had no choice but to keep a low profile to avoid disaster. Now, to avenge my uncle, I have no choice but to take risks."
Xu Shu sighed softly: "I didn't expect that the young master is also a very filial person!"
Liu Qi knew that Xu Shu was extremely filial, and this resonance was exactly what he wanted.
He immediately continued, "However, Cao Cao intends to swallow Jingzhou, and Sun Quan continues to attack Jiangxia. It is just like the song you just sang: A building is about to collapse, and one tree cannot support it. I am not very smart, so I still need your help."
Xu Shu laughed and said, "I am just a wanderer in the world, how dare I discuss world affairs?"
Liu Qi bowed and said, "In the past, Emperor Gaozu did not recognize Han Xin, so Xiao He chased him under the moonlight and established the foundation of the Han Dynasty. Now my father does not recognize you, so I am taking the liberty to chase him. I hope you will put aside the past grudges and help me protect Jingzhou, revive the Han Dynasty, and spread justice to the world."
Seeing Liu Qi's sincerity and foresight, Xu Shu finally made up his mind and bowed:
"I have long heard that Liu Mu is good at judging good and evil at judging evil, and I wanted to surrender to him, but when I met him, he was just writing books and discussing scriptures, and was determined to keep to himself, so I left him a letter to say goodbye. After listening to the elder master's heartfelt words, I am willing to serve him."
Liu Qi was overjoyed and immediately ordered someone to change a horse for Xu Shu. Then the group rushed back to Xiangyang.
During the journey, he did not mention any family matters, but only followed Liu Bei's example to lament the decline of the Han Dynasty, curse the treacherous officials in power, and feel pity for the suffering of the people.
It shows Liu Bei's entrustment and guidance. As a relative of the Han royal family, he cannot watch the country fall into decline. He must accomplish great things, revitalize the government, and support the Han Dynasty.
When they arrived at the city, it was already daybreak. He ordered people to arrange for Xu Shu to rest, and they would rush to Xinye together to deploy troops and prepare for defense tomorrow.
Seeing Liu Qi rushing to the government office again, Xu Shu sighed: "There is a bird in the south. If it doesn't fly, it will soar into the sky. If it doesn't sing, it will be amazing when it does sing!"