In the fifth month of summer in the seventh year of Zhangwu, Liu Bei returned to Xiangyang.
Zhuge Liang and Liu Chan greeted each other. After Liu Bei rested in the palace for a night, he forced his sick body to go to Mi Zhu's mourning hall the next day and took a last look at Mi Zhu.
Jian Yong, Sun Qian, Mi Zhu, and Mi Fang followed Liu Bei when he was in Xuzhou. Mi Fang was not valued by Liu Bei, but Jian Yong, Sun Qian, and Mi Zhu were always his trusted confidants. Historically, when Liu Bei was the king of Hanzhong, Mi Zhu ranked first. , Sun Qian and Jian Yong tied for second.
It's just that Sun Qian and Jian Yong died of illness one after another at the end of the Jian'an year. Even among the generals Liu Bei gathered when he was the pastor of Yuzhou, only Shiren, Liu Yan, Yuan Wei, and Chen Dao were still alive. The earliest Yuan ministers There's not much left.
Now that Mi Zhu is dead, only Mi Fang is left with Yuan Cong following Xuzhou.
Liu Bei then summoned Mi Fang, Shi Ren, Liu Yan, Yuan Wei and others to talk about the current situation and the past in Yuzhou. When he talked about his indulgence, he burst into tears and was heartbroken.
At the end of May, in the back garden of the Xiangyang Palace, after personally choosing a cemetery for Mi Zhu and watching his burial, Liu Bei still wanted to return to Wancheng and always pay attention to frontline military affairs.
After Zhuge Liang, Ma Liang, Zhou Buyi, Yang Yi and others tried their best to persuade him, he finally gave up the idea and continued to recuperate his body in Xiangyang.
However, if he were on the front line, he might feel better because he had been watching the situation on the front line. But if he was not on the front line, he would be worried about it every day, which was a bad thing. Liu Bei was so worried that he finally fell ill in mid-June. I can't get off the bed.
Although he was ill before, he could barely move around, but now his condition has worsened. He also heard that Zhang Fei was accidentally shot by an arrow during the battle with Xia Houyuan. It was said that it was a minor injury, but it still made Liu Bei panic. .
"Second brother and third brother."
On the night of June 14th, Liu Bei woke up from his sleep in the Xiangyang Palace. When he woke up, he was covered in cold sweat, breathing heavily, and felt pain like needles all over his body.
He dreamed that Guan Yu died in battle while continuing to attack Henan, and Zhang Fei was also killed by an arrow in the battle with Cao's army.
But after waking up, I realized it was a dream, and a nightmare.
It turned out to be a dream.
Liu Bei's mood calmed down a little. When he came to his senses, he found that his face was covered with tears and his pillow was wet with tears.
Deep in his heart, this was the most terrifying thing, and he did not dare to recall it.
Unconscious tears continued to fall.
He couldn't imagine it after all.
If his second and third brothers died before him, how sad and desperate he would be.
"His Majesty."
Chen Dao, who was guarding outside, heard the commotion and rushed in quickly.
"Uncle. Cough cough cough cough."
Liu Bei reluctantly wiped his tears, gasped, and then coughed violently.
"I'm here."
Chen Dao first lit the candle, and then came to Liu Bei's side in three steps and two steps at a time.
Liu Bei endured his physical discomfort and said softly: "Send someone to the front line to convey the order and call the second brother and third brother Xiaoqing back."
Chen Dao said hurriedly: "But Your Majesty, the general, the hussar general, and the chariot general are here."
Liu Bei sighed and said: "I feel that my destiny is approaching. Maybe I will die soon. Before I die, I want to see my second and third brothers again. I still have some things to explain to Xiaoqing."
"."
Chen Dao hesitated for a moment, and finally could only say: "Wei."
In fact, everyone knows that this is the key moment.
Shen Chenxi broke through Guanzhong and captured Chang'an. The situation on the western front battlefield was excellent.
Guan Yu also won consecutive battles on the eastern front. He first defeated Cao Xiu, then besieged Hefei for more than a year, and finally captured Xue Ti alive when Cao's army broke through. Zhang Liao also died of illness in the army.
With both the eastern and western fronts facing Cao Wei at a disadvantage, it would only take another year and a half for Guan Yu and Shen Chen to continue sending troops. One would attack Henan and cooperate with the main force of the Han army in Henan to fight against Cao Wei. Attacking Bingzhou or Tongguan threatens Luoyang, Cao Wei's home base.
It can be said that this was the time when Liu Bei's group was strong. Although Guanzhong and Huainan were thousands of miles away from people, the transportation of grain and grass required time to accumulate, and Cao Wei deployed heavy troops to guard the Tongguan and Runan areas, so Shen Chen and Guan Yu could not continue to advance troops for the time being.
But the current situation is very favorable for the Liu Bei Group. If Liu Bei recalls the three generals now, although it will not have much impact on the front line, it is not a good thing.
Fortunately for Henan, Zhang Fei had always been in the name of a general, but it was actually Pang Tong and Fa Zheng who were leading the army.
But Guanzhong and Huainan are different. Shen Chen and Guan Yu are the backbone. Even Zhao Yunpang, Wei Yan and others can temporarily serve as the main generals, but after all they are not as powerful as Shen Chen and Guan Yu.
Therefore, the departure of the head coach at this time may indeed have some impact.
Of course.
The impact will not be great.
At present, Shen Chen and Guan Yu have no plans to continue to advance troops, and they still need to wait for the opportunity, so there is no big problem in letting Zhao Yunpang, Wei Yan and others temporarily take over the military affairs and focus on defense in Guanzhong and Huainan.
In this way, Shen Chen and Guan Yu only need to explain the defensive tasks and order the three of them not to take the initiative to attack, and there will be no surprises.
However, for safety reasons, Chen Dao did not immediately convey Liu Bei's order. Instead, he first sent someone to the Prime Minister's Mansion to inform Zhuge Liang of the matter.
It was already midnight. After Zhuge Liang got the news, he did not go to the palace immediately. Instead, he asked Chen Dao not to pass the order until dawn, before he went to the palace to see Liu Bei.
Liu Bei was recently bedridden and couldn't get out of bed. The room was filled with the aroma of medicine. Zhuge Liang came to the Emperor's West Palace in the backyard of the palace and asked him to enter the room after playing.
Queen Wu, Mrs. Gan, Mrs. Mi, and their children such as Adou, Liu Yong, Liu Li, and Liu Ning were all accompanying the bed. Chen Dao stood guard at the door dutifully, and the other imperial doctors, Ma Liang, Yang Yi, and others were also by the side. .
After Zhuge Liang entered, he saw that Liu Bei's face was thin, as if he had aged several years overnight. He felt a little distressed for a while, and his face became sad involuntarily.
A hero dies in his twilight years and a beauty dies. This is probably the saddest thing in the world.
When Liu Bei learned that Zhuge Liang had arrived, he leaned on the wooden platform with the support of the queen, turned his head to look at Zhuge Liang, and whispered: "Kong Ming."
"I'm here."
Zhuge Liang adjusted his expression, stepped forward and cupped his hands and said: "Your Majesty, I wish you all the best."
"Ah."
Liu Bei smiled miserably and said: "I know my body, and I'm afraid I will die soon. How can we talk about the blessings we share?"
Zhuge Liang said seriously: "Your Majesty is concerned about the security of the country and is committed to the great cause of the Northern Expedition. He should have a long life and a healthy body. Your Majesty also needs to take care of his body. Please believe in yourself and everything will be fine."
Liu Bei shook his head and said: "My body aches, and my death is approaching. I am only worried about what will happen after my death. Thanks to Kong Ming, Xiaoqing can inherit my ambition, be able to unify the world, revive the Han Dynasty, and make all people peaceful and peaceful. Then he died.
No regrets. Kong Ming came at the right time. I was just about to call you, my second brother, my third brother, and Xiaoqing. I have something to say to you."
Zhuge Liang said: "Now is the time of the Northern Expedition. I'm afraid the generals on the front line will leave."
"It doesn't matter."
Liu Bei said softly: "There is no war in Guanzhong and Huainan. It is enough for Zhao Yun, Pang, De and Wei Yan to guard it. There are Shi Yuan and Xiao Zhi in Henan, so it should not be a problem. My great cause has not been completed, and I have no face to see my ancestors, so I can only go to the north."
Only by entrusting my career to you can I feel at ease."
When Zhuge Liang looked at Liu Bei's old face, he was filled with lifelessness and was filled with sadness. He knew that Liu Bei was going to give his last words, so he did not stop him. He raised his hands and said, "Yes, I will go to the Secretariat to send a letter to recall the general and the others."
"Um."
Liu Bei nodded and watched Zhuge Liang walking backwards and left. Then he looked at Liu Chan and said, "Adou."
"Father."
Liu Chan knelt down beside the bed to serve him with a sad look on his face.
Liu Bei said softly: "I just had diarrhea at first. Unexpectedly, after staying in the army for a long time, I contracted some other miscellaneous diseases. The imperial doctor said that I have asthma, lung disease, etc., which probably cannot be cured. I'm afraid it won't be cured soon."
In this world, people say that being fifty years old cannot be called premature death. I am already over sixty years old and nearly seventy years old. I have nothing to regret, so don’t be sad anymore.”
"yes."
Liu Chan wiped his tears and was heartbroken. Although Liu Bei said so, how could he hold back the sadness in his heart and not shed tears when he thought that his kind father was about to leave him?
Liu Bei stroked Liu Chan's head and said softly: "The country has a prime minister and a hussar general. I have nothing to worry about. I only miss you brothers. Mr. Sheyuan taught you to read before and said that you read well. Even the prime minister
Everyone praises your intelligence, which shows that your knowledge has greatly improved and exceeded the Prime Minister’s expectations. If this is true, that would be great.”
Liu Chan forced a tearful smile and said with a forced smile: "If my father's health can get better, my son will definitely work harder to study."
Liu Bei smiled and said: "Okay, okay, you have to work hard. Hard work is a good thing. The great cause of my Northern Expedition will be placed on you, the prime minister and the hussar general. Only by being virtuous can people be convinced. Don't do evil for small things.
In other words, don’t neglect doing good deeds because they are small, you must remember this sentence.”
"yes."
Liu Chan nodded repeatedly and said, "I will remember it."
Liu Bei raised his head and looked at the ceiling, tears kept falling, coughed a few times from time to time, and then sighed: "Your father and I have shallow virtues and cannot revive the Han Dynasty like Emperor Gaozu and Emperor Shizu did. You must not imitate me.
If you have your own ambitions, you should not aim too high. Even if you become emperor in the future, you must discuss it more with the prime minister and the hussar general, do you understand?"
Liu Chan broke down in tears and said with a tearful voice: "The child understands that in the child's heart, his father has always been a great hero who is upright and upright. People all over the world praise his father's moral character and kindness. The child will never be able to be praised at home like his father."
"Ha ha."
Liu Bei laughed and said: "If you want to be a hero, you can't just talk with your words, but you should do it with actual actions. Caring for the people is what you must do in the future. Xiaoqing said that power should not
It should be misused, but should be used in the right place. On weekdays, just like I took you before, you can go to the people to see the sufferings and understand the lives of the people, and you must be kind to the people of the world."
"Yes, my child knows."
Liu Chan felt that his father seemed to be confessing his last words, and tears fell down uncontrollably. He could only keep wiping the tears on his face in response. The sadness in his heart could no longer be described in words.
Liu Bei looked at his sad look and said: "My son, there is no need to mourn. You must remember what your father said. In addition to recuperating, you can also read "Zhu Ziyan", "Shen Shi Jing Ji", and "Human Theory"
, "Book of Han", "Book of Rites", read through the hundreds of schools of thought as well as "Six Tao", "Shang Jun Shu", "Shen Zi", "Han Feizi", "Guan Zi" in your spare time, to enhance people's will and wisdom.
.”
"yes."
Liu Chan continued to respond, keeping Liu Bei's words firmly in mind.
"I heard that General Hussar sent you several scriptures written by him, but they were lost before they were delivered. There is no need to worry about this. General Hussar is a great scholar in the world. His knowledge is unmatched by anyone in the world. You must pay tribute to him.
He asked for advice on the unity of knowledge and action."
Liu Bei asked: "These books can be used as our family training. Whether it is my descendants or your descendants, they must study it from generation to generation. People are not grass and trees, and human life and character are equivalent. Although I
He is a descendant of the Miao Emperor, but he also comes from a rough background and is no different from the common people. Since you came from Qian Shou and want to return to Qian Shou, you must remember that you and the people are always one."
Liu Chan replied seriously: "Yes, General Hussar once said that the king and the people are like fish and water. The people can live without the king, but the king cannot live without the people. Only by treating the people well and caring for the people can the people and the people love the king.
The child will always remember it, and the child will never forget it. In the future, the child’s heirs will also inherit it from generation to generation.”
"Father, we will never forget your father's instructions."
"Yes, Father, the children must remember this."
Liu Yong and Liu Li also kowtowed and said.
"Well, cough, cough, cough."
Liu Bei nodded with satisfaction, then coughed continuously.
Historically, he suffered from dysentery, commonly known as diarrhea, and his gastrointestinal function was very poor.
Later, due to the death of Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, coupled with the disastrous defeat in the Battle of Yiling, his illness worsened, and he eventually died of illness in Baidi City.
Although there is no such thing as Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and the Battle of Yiling, the disease of diarrhea has always existed.
The main reason is that when I was young, I was fighting in the north and south, and I was often hungry and full. I lived a wandering life, which damaged my stomach and body.
When I was young, it was fine and I could hold on. But as I got older, my resistance got worse. Basic diseases in my early years, old injuries and diseases acquired later, caused some other diseases.
For example, heart, lung disease and kidney failure made Liu Bei unable to recover even though he had been recuperating his body.
At this moment, he was in pain everywhere, couldn't eat well, couldn't sleep well, had gastrointestinal disorders, and had many other problems with his lungs and heart, which made him have diarrhea almost as much as he ate, and his body was extremely thin.
At this time, Liu Bei also felt that his destiny had arrived, and began to prepare for his posthumous affairs.