Chapter 126: Way to Survive 38
While pondering Xiang Yu's thoughts, Liu Bang instructed Zhang Liang to urge King Huai of Chu to expedite the delivery of the promised grain.
He planned to go back to his room and study his portable map again, making sure to find a shortcut.
Xiang Yu claimed he wanted to avenge his uncle, but who knows if he was actually aiming to become king?
Liu Bang judged others by his own standards and didn't think that family ties had such a strong motivating effect. Wasn't the throne more appealing than his uncle's?
The more he thought about it, the more agitated he became, and he stepped into the house.
Whether it's the end of the year or the beginning of the year, the weather is freezing. Liu Bang sneezed, moved, and for some reason, he suddenly felt that the room was even colder.
The heat generated by the burning charcoal in the room should have dispelled the coldness. Even if it couldn't be warm, it shouldn't be this cold.
This chill was actually caused by the air conditioning that Zhu Qingai had turned on. Since she herself didn't have a physical body, she couldn't feel the cold air. The system's built-in air conditioning, which should have been a benefit for the host to keep the host warm in winter and cool in summer, was used on Liu Bang instead.
The only difference is that it made Liu Bang's winters colder and summers warmer.
Liu Bang rubbed his arms, feeling cold, and hurried to find the charcoal brazier in the room, wondering if it had all burned out, which was why it was so cold.
To my surprise, as soon as I entered the inner room, I saw 'Qin' standing there, still looking at the charcoal brazier.
If you listen carefully, you can hear Qin's doubtful words: "This thing, it actually made such a big commotion..."
Before Liu Bang could figure out what 'Qin' meant, he saw her turn her head to look at him. He watched as her lips curved into a gentle smile as she uttered the icy words: "You have a way out."
Liu Bang: ? ! !
Was he already facing certain death?
"This journey westward is to Xianyang, isn't it?" The question was answered with a statement of certainty by 'Qin'.
"Ancestor, what kind of way out are you talking about? All the paths I've taken before have led to death!" Liu Bang's pupils dilated in shock. He truly believed what 'Qin' said. Ever since Xiang Liang died, he had a feeling that fate was predetermined.
The only spirit that could see the general direction was right in front of him, but even though he knew the other party didn't know the details of the future, he only had a premonition.
Even though he knew that 'Qin' might be playing a trick on him again, he didn't dare to gamble on that possibility; he was afraid of the worst-case scenario.
What if 'Qin' wasn't just teasing him?
"Hmm..." Qin tilted his head, his expression unreadable. "Then shall I congratulate you on your ascension to the throne in advance?"
In the past, even if Liu Bang wasn't overjoyed, he would at least feel a sense of relief, as if it were true. But at this moment, he wasn't very happy because he was really concerned about the path to survival that 'Qin' had just mentioned.
When do you need a way out? Of course, when you've reached a dead end!
“Ancestor, please tell me. If you don’t say anything, I will be uneasy when I go out to fight.”
Qin said solemnly, "Many years ago, I sent the path to survival to the vicinity of Pei."
"By the way, did you successfully obtain the grain supplies from King Huai of Chu?"
Liu Bang, quick-witted, immediately recalled Qin's earlier statement about planning to change the future. If that person had been by his side before...
The recent changes that deviated from the original course of fate could only be caused by a person, a person who should not have existed in time.
The person who was supposed to die in the war, but was influenced by 'Qin' many years ago and came to Pei County, is still alive and well.
Without hesitation, he took out paper and pen and began to write a letter to Lü Zhi. The letter was concise, asking her to quickly send Wei Sheng Jiujiu over!
He needed to see people before his army set off!
"King Huai of Chu is being a bit slow, but don't worry, Ancestor. With this matter, he has to be quick about it. After all, he is even more unwilling than I am to see Xiang Yu become king."
"He's quite insightful."
"Sigh, no one who becomes the King of Chu is a fool." Liu Bang wrote furiously, not forgetting to add a few words of concern for Lü Zhi at the end, so that she could continue to stabilize the rear for him.
'Qin' stood next to Liu Bang watching him write a letter and nodded in satisfaction. It seemed that Liu Bang had accepted the scenario she had created.
However, this so-called path to survival was certainly not for Liu Bang. Whether Liu Bang had this path to survival or not would not affect his future ascension to the throne. In fact, this path to survival was also Xiang Yu's path to death.
Killing is wrong, but if killing is for the purpose of saving lives...
She chuckled, the laughter barely audible. Liu Bang sensed something was amiss, but he was confident he could use Qin and then make a clean getaway. Whatever problems Wei Sheng Jiujiu might have, he couldn't let him cause any trouble under his watchful eye.
Even though she was furious, she didn't kill Xiang Yu to vent her anger. She was much safer than Xiang Yu, so what was wrong with humbling herself for a little longer for the sake of the map?
A man can bend and stretch!
Liu Bang sealed the letter, went out to find Zhang Liang in person, and after discussing it with him, he sent his trusted confidant to deliver the letter.
Zhang Liang has already agreed that Wei Sheng Jiujiu will be his distant relative.
Looking around at everyone, Liu Bang thought that only Zhang Liang seemed to be related to Wei Sheng Jiu Shi Jiu, or at least have a family connection. The rest of the people, including himself, seemed to be from a completely different world from Wei Sheng Jiu Shi Jiu.
Liu Bang hadn't considered it. He and Zhang Liang had already agreed on their statements and announced to the outside world that their relatives had come to seek refuge.
As for why he did this, Liu Bang thought that this way of survival might need to be hidden well, or it might need to appear in his presence in a reasonable way. Didn't you see that 'Qin' changed the subject right after giving him a hint?
He didn't know their ages; he simply judged them by their appearance.
Zhang Liang had already started growing a beard, while Wei Sheng Jiujiu... before he left, he seemed to still have a smooth chin.
He must be quite young.
Zhu Qing'ai smiled but remained silent in response to Liu Bang's imagined scenario; she was quite satisfied with this arrangement.
Although it's not true, so many people are saying it that even if it's not true, there's a connection between the two.
In order to avoid being implicated later, Zhang Liang should do his part, right?
Zhang Liang was unaware that he had been outmaneuvered by the two men. He was quite curious about what kind of person Wei Shengshi, the inventor of paper, was.
Whether they are full of youthful vigor or mature and weathered.
He preferred the former, because Liu Bang had told him to impersonate the other party's elder brother without even thinking.
----
Although the plan was to send the person before the army set off, by the time Wei Sheng Jiu Shi Jiu packed the items Zhu Qing Ai had requested and arrived, Liu Bang had already led his army westward to engage the Qin army.
Before Wei Sheng arrived, he had already gathered the scattered soldiers under Chen Sheng and Xiang Liang and reorganized them into a new force.
This time, it wasn't just Wei Sheng Jiu Shi Jiu who came, but also Meng Tian. Meng Yi was recuperating in Pei County, and he came with Wei Sheng Jiu Shi Jiu and a team of guards.
Liu Bang was quick-witted; he could use Meng Tian's abilities to seize the opportunity to enter Guanzhong first, and of course he couldn't just leave him to rot in Fengyi.
Moreover, he will have to fight Xiang Yu sooner or later, so it's a waste not to use such a useful general.
However, he was also very careful not to have any physical contact with Meng Tian, for fear that if people could temporarily see 'Qin', they might secretly talk about some little secrets that he couldn't hear.
If others want to see 'Qin', they can only briefly see her figure and hear her voice by shaking hands with him, which is also one of the sources of his sense of security.
At the beginning of the year, when it was freezing cold, Liu Bang, bundled up tightly, looked at his exposed hands as he led his soldiers westward.
After a period of contemplation, his ingenuity led him to invent leather gloves that concealed his fingers.
Liu Bang looked at his hands and nodded in satisfaction. They were absolutely perfect!
Unless someone accidentally touched his face, it was impossible for him to see the 'Qin' accompanying the army.
Sitting sideways on the white deer with a book in her hand, Zhu Qing'ai felt bewildered. She glanced at Liu Bang, then her attention returned to the book in her hand.
If it weren't for her host being here, and the fact that she had to put on a convincing performance according to the script, she wouldn't be here at all.
Watching the war really made her feel terrible...
Choosing to selectively ignore the situation, Zhu Qing'ai pretended not to have seen Liu Bang's little tricks and turned to send the white deer to Wei Sheng Jiu Shi Jiu's side.
Putting everything else aside, at least her host is good-looking.
Liu Bang, abandoned: ?
----
When he found an opportunity, Liu Bang secretly asked Qin why he wasn't walking next to him anymore.
It's not that I doubt things like destiny or imperial fate; it's simply that I can't stand seeing my ancestors have other grandsons.
Liu Bang: Stubborn (image)
Zhu Qing'ai spoke tactfully: "What Zhang Zifang and Wei Shengjiujiu said was more interesting than what you said."
Liu Bang: Impossible, absolutely impossible.
Betting on his reputation for being able to have a pleasant conversation with anyone he wants, no one can speak better than him!
But were the things Zifang and Jiujiu said really interesting?
Liu Bang recalled that since Wei Sheng Jiu Shi Jiu joined the team, they seemed to have gotten along very well.
However, he didn't have time to be curious about what the two of them were talking about recently. After all, breaking through the Eastern Commandery Commandant was nothing. He was about to engage in close combat with Wang Li's army.
Don't ask him how he knows; just ask who the commander is next to that army on the map.
We'll talk about Wei Sheng Shi later. Right now, he needs to find out from Meng Tian what kind of person Wang Li is.
The main purpose was to find out about the other side's fighting style.
----
Meng Tian briefly recalled: "When I fought the Xiongnu, he was still my subordinate general..."
Liu Bang sat upright and listened attentively, his eyes conveying, "Then you must know him very well."
“Oh, I suppose I know him fairly well,” Meng Tian said calmly. “After Hu Hai killed me, my troops were handed over to him for command.”
It's quite strange for someone to calmly say that someone killed them.
Liu Bang knew the inside story and that this might also be part of the 'Qin' plan, so he didn't react much. He even stroked his beard and asked Meng Tian, "Do you still have any trusted confidants by his side?"
It's obvious what Liu Bang was planning.
Do you think it's possible?
"Ahem, that's true. Even if your confidant is still alive, he may not be his confidant, and even if he's by his side, he may not be loyal to you."
The difference between being a lowly soldier under a high-ranking general in the imperial court and being a lowly soldier under an unknown rebel army is quite significant. Liu Bang abandoned this unrealistic idea and listened attentively to Meng Tian's explanation of Wang Li's fighting style.
Actually, he knew Wang Jian and his son a little better. Wang Li, as Wang Jian's grandson, also left some impression on him, but who would observe their subordinate generals during a battle?
He could only give a general impression and said regretfully, "If it were Wang Jian who was playing against you, I would have told you everything in detail."
Liu Bang's lips twitched. If it were Wang Jian on the other side, he would have run away long ago.
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Author's Note: Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2024-07-31 20:34:04 and 2024-08-07 19:35:42!
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