The Han Kingdom has eight states and thirty-six counties, eight of which have their own territory, and each county has thirty-six cities. Gucheng is a prosperous city-state under the rule of Jiangnan County in the Han Kingdom. Although the city is located in a remote place, it is close to the passes and important roads.
It can be considered prosperous, and the power here is intricately distributed. There are three major families in Gucheng, divided into three surnames: Zhang, Wang, and Gu. Among them, the Gu family is the most powerful simply because the lord of Gucheng is named Gu! Since the city was founded more than 300 years ago, all the lords of the city belong to the Gu family.
Contemporary householder.
In the Mengchun season, when all things are recovering, a sudden news makes this small town completely excited, "The Han Dynasty is preparing to use force against the Chu Kingdom!"
"Brother Xiaoliu? I heard that you want to join the army?"
The Gu family is located in the south of the city of Gucheng. It is relatively remote from the city lord's palace, but the Gu family still chooses to place the main family here. As the first family in Gucheng, it is naturally a giant. The Gu family occupies almost one-third of the position in the south of the city, except for
The main house, as well as the other branch houses and villas, occupy countless areas. In the south of the city, closest to the suburbs, a small Gu family villa is isolated here.
"Brother Xiaoliu!! I have a question for you!!"
In the small courtyard, a handsome young man stood holding a sword. He was about fourteen or fifteen years old, with a hint of tiredness on his youthful face.
The breeze blows slowly, the young man moves with the wind, the iron sword in his hand dances, and the lotus flowers bloom everywhere in the small courtyard.
"Don't make any noise! You're disturbing my sword practice." The sword movement in the young man's hand suddenly stopped and he took back the iron sword. He frowned and looked in the direction of the sound.
A child dressed as a servant was clawing at the low earthen wall at the edge of the courtyard. Seeing that the boy finally paid attention to him, he grinned. Unexpectedly, his body became unstable and half of his exposed head disappeared from the low wall in an instant.
After a while, the child's twisted little face emerged from the door of the courtyard. He stumbled towards the young man, while one hand kept squeezing the painful half of his buttocks.
When he saw the young man staring at him, he quickly ran over and asked the young man with a flattering face.
"Brother Xiaoliu, I heard that you want to join the army? Is this true?"
"Who are you listening to?" The young man's face was stern, and the iron sword in his hand could not help but tremble.
The boy couldn't help but swallowed when he looked at the cold light in the young man's hand, and then said: "I listened to what my dad said! What did he say about you, oh oh! By the way, he said you said that a real man should be on the battlefield, and you can't.
May I live in peace."
"I don't know what it means, but the battlefield should be the battlefield, right? Brother Xiaoliu, have you heard about it? We, the Han State, are going to launch troops against the Chu State!"
"What does it matter to me whether he goes to war or not? Xiao An, if you talk nonsense again, be careful with your tongue!"
As he said that, the young man shook his sword with his hand, which frightened the boy named Xiao An.
"Then I won't talk nonsense! Brother Xiaoliu, if you really go to join the army, no one will play with me! We have agreed! I will be ten years old in three months, and then you will teach me swordsmanship!"
Xiao An made a face at the young man and ran away quickly without lingering.
"snort."
The young man watched Xiao An gradually run away, and then his cold face softened. He sighed and sat down on the spot.
The boy's name is Liu Zheji, and he is a descendant of the Gu family. As for why his surname is Liu and not Gu, it is because he is from the Pang family. His mother's surname is Gu, but his father's surname is Liu. Speaking of his mother, she is also a poor person.
His mother was the only daughter of the third elder of the Gu family. According to the rules, the Gu family would only marry and have children with the Gu family. As for the women of the main family, they would choose outstanding collateral men in the family to marry into the main family as vassals, that is,
Becoming a son-in-law. Liu Zheji's mother's name is Gu Mengqing, but outsiders call her Gu Sanniang. As the name suggests, she is the last woman in the line of the third elder of the Gu family.
Gu Sanniang joined the Huangquan Sword Sect in her eighteenth year. This was originally a great thing for the Gu family. Being able to be related to the first sect in Jiangnan County was the dream of every major family in Jiangnan County. Gu San
My mother was also very talented, and she was accepted as a close disciple by the chief of the sect less than half a year after joining. Eight years later, when the power of the Gu family was rising, and the head of the Gu family was preparing to take advantage of the situation to compete for a high position in Jiangnan County, Gu Sanniang suddenly returned home, and she also
They brought back a son, and this boy was Liu Zheji. No matter how much the third elder and the head of the family tried to interrogate Gu Sanniang, they would not reveal the origin of the boy's father's name.
At this time, news also came out from the Huangquan Sword Sect that Gu Mengqing was expelled from the mountain gate for violating the sect rules and would never be allowed to return to the mountain gate. This news shocked the Gu family like a thunderbolt from the blue. The family head's many years of planning came to nothing, and the three elders also
The child was expelled from the family, and Gu Sanniang was also imprisoned in the Gu family's forbidden area to live in contemplation for ten years.
In the past ten years, Liu Zheji has never seen his own mother, nor his grandfather. He joined the family when he was ignorant. Only after he became wise did he hear some rumors from the outside world.
.
"Are we going to launch troops against Chu..."
Liu Zheji murmured.
"What does it matter to me whether we move the army or not?" He stood up and held the iron sword in his hand. The yard was full of lotus flowers again.
The Gu family's branches have always lived in the south of the city. The rule of the Gu family is survival of the fittest. The difference between the main branches is not the difference of blood but the level of strength. If your strength is high enough, collateral blood can also become a high-ranking member of the Gu family. Liu
Zheji is different from them. Generally, direct descendants will survive well in the master's family, unless they are qualified.
It was too low, otherwise Liu Zheji would not be easily expelled from the master's house. It can be said that Liu Zheji was implicated by Gu Sanniang, but Gu Sanniang has also accumulated a certain amount of power over the years. Although he lived in a separate family, he did not
No matter how hard he suffered, Gu Sanniang's forces were secretly taking care of him.
"Uncle Fu, you're here."
In the small courtyard, Liu Zheji had just finished practicing his sword skills when a rickety old man walked in from the courtyard door. He had a kind face and looked at Liu Zheji with a smile.
"Young Master, I have good news for you. Master, she is coming out of the forbidden area soon."
"Come out?" Liu Zheji murmured.
In fact, Liu Zheji was also waiting for this day in his heart. He had not met Gu Sanniang for ten years, and his impression of her only remained as a vague memory from childhood. He had never hated her, but he had many doubts in his heart.
For example, what is his father's name and where is he now?
"Uncle Fu, I understand." Liu Zheji nodded, solemnly put away the iron sword and entered the room with Uncle Fu.
It was night, in Liu Zheji's bedroom, there was a portrait in front of him. In the painting, a graceful woman in white stood. She seemed to have her back to the person who painted the painting, her head turned to the side, and her profile was also exposed.
Covered by a piece of green gauze.
Liu Zheji leaned his chin, and touched the rice paper on the table with the brush in his hand. The black ink continued to spread on the paper. Seeing that a piece of white paper was wasted, Liu Zheji suddenly realized this and was shocked.
raised his hand.
"Young Master, aren't you asleep yet?"
Outside the door, Uncle Fu asked softly, holding a bright lamp.
"It's time to sleep."
Liu Zheji responded, stood up and blew out the candles in the room.
Liu Zheji also didn't know the origin of Uncle Fu. He only knew that Uncle Fu had been by his side to take care of his daily life since he was a child. Even though he had been expelled from his master's house over the years, he still called him Young Master.
.
Liu Zheji had almost no setbacks in his childhood. Like other people, he went to private school and played with his peers. However, as he grew older, more and more strangers appeared around him, which made him realize
It seemed that he was not very simple. These strangers all called him Young Master, but Liu Zheji never really knew them because everyone was different every day. In the end, Liu Zheji gave up.
Later he found out that these people were the guards arranged by Uncle Fu for him. As for the guards, Liu Zheji didn't know. He felt that he was quite safe.
In this way, Liu Zheji almost grew up in a time where he was protected and had almost no freedom. It was only now that he had some free time to do what he wanted to do.