The night was deep.
A scout galloped on a small path. He dismounted below Fu Shui Pass and stumbled toward the gate, pounding on it. A guard peered down from the battlements and asked sternly, "Who is there?"
The scout reported, "Urgent dispatch from Mian Zhu Pass... Urgent dispatch from Mian Zhu Pass! Extremely urgent!"
The two guards on the wall whispered to each other. The main gate slowly opened with a grating sound. The scout mounted his horse and leaped over, the chaotic clatter of hooves waking the entire Mian Zhu Pass!
But the scout had barely entered the pass when... "Dada dada..."
Another fast horse galloped in. This time, the scout shouted, "Chengdu is finished... Chengdu has surrendered to Wei!"
This sentence sent a shiver down the spines of the guards on the wall. They looked at each other, their minds filled with four words—something big has happened!
The city gate opened again, but... the sound was even more grating than before. Before the scout could enter...
"Dada dada..."
Another sound of hooves. This time... the guards had a premonition that something was wrong somewhere.
Indeed...
The scout's shouts shattered the stillness of the night, "The seven southern commanderies have surrendered... The seven southern commanderies have surrendered!"
In just one day...
Three consecutive urgent dispatches.
—Wei troops secretly crossed Yin Ping and breached Mian Zhu Pass. —Liu Chan surrendered, offering Chengdu!
—The seven southern commanderies all surrendered! This...
This string of urgent reports was like the last straw that broke the camel's back... The last shred of faith in the hearts of countless Han soldiers was lost!
Yang Yi and a group of Shu Han civil and military officials gathered outside Zhuge Liang's sleeping quarters.
Yang Yi nervously rubbed his hands.
Other officials and military officers whispered, "It seems... Wei Yan also surrendered with his troops yesterday, and took the last of the grain from Fu Shui Pass."
"Then... doesn't Fu Shui Pass have no grain now? How can this pass be defended?"
"What is there to defend? Chengdu has surrendered, His Majesty has surrendered... Who are we fighting for now?"
"No more fighting... no more fighting... I surrender too!"
One by one, the voices drifted out... Clearly, within Fu Shui Pass... all the Shu soldiers, and even the entire Ji Han regime, were on the verge of collapse.
At this moment, Zhuge Liang hurried out from the inner chamber. He had obviously been awakened from his sleep. His hair was tied but not yet crowned, he was still in his sleeping clothes, barefoot with wooden clogs, and he asked urgently, "What is happening?"
Yang Yi nervously presented the three military reports. "Prime Minister, we just received an urgent dispatch: Wei troops secretly crossed Yin Ping, Mian Zhu Pass has fallen, our rear is cut off, and our grain is gone... The seven southern commanderies have also surrendered to Cao Wei and are marching towards Fu Shui... Even the Heir Apparent... even the Heir Apparent..."
By the end of his speech, even the usually optimistic Yang Yi felt immense sorrow and bewilderment.
"He... Heir Apparent has... has surrendered to Cao Wei with the civil and military officials of Chengdu!" Yang Yi shouted the last sentence with almost his last breath.
He knew that the situation was already beyond repair, a collapsing building, and that the current predicament could no longer be remedied by human effort!
Zhuge Liang hadn't fully grasped Yang Yi's words. He opened the military reports and stared with wide eyes in disbelief. He muttered, "Secretly crossed Yin Ping... Mian Zhu lost? The southern commanderies surrendered, and His Majesty... also surrendered?"
He was almost frozen...
Zhuge Liang, who was always steady, calm, and unperturbed even when Mount Tai collapsed before him, had never been so stunned.
...The blow was too... too great! And too... too sudden!
He tried to support himself to stand, but his hands, gripping the pillar, trembled uncontrollably. Finally... his legs could no longer support his body, and he was about to fall to the side.
*Huuu...*
He took a deep breath.
As if realizing that he might be the last person holding onto the belief of "no compromise between Han and Wei, no partial peace for the kingdom," he struggled to stand up. With Yang Yi's support, he commanded, "My fellow generals and soldiers, you have toiled hard for the Han dynasty and for the Central Plains! Do you remember why you are fighting?"
All the civil and military officials and soldiers paused for a moment. From somewhere, a voice called out, "Reclaim the Central Plains!"
Then, all the soldiers, with bewildered and hesitant expressions, shouted in unison, "Reclaim the Central Plains, reclaim the Central Plains..."
The deafening shouts soared into the sky, breaking through the heavens...
Even the Wei scouts who were closely observing the situation outside Fu Shui Pass were startled by this momentum.
And these shouts, like a warm current, invigorated Zhuge Liang. He waved his feather fan...
"No matter the situation! Do not let the Wei army underestimate you... This is for your own good!"
Saying this, Zhuge Liang shouted, "Eight Trigrams Formation, execute!"
The Shu army formation instantly shifted. Within the confines of Fu Shui Pass, utilizing the city defenses... they began to demonstrate the Eight Trigrams Formation, with wind, clouds, thunder, and lightning! It was as if... no matter how dire the news, it had not shaken them in the slightest!
Lu Yu also heard the commotion and walked out of his tent in shock, asking, "What is that sound from Fu Shui Pass?"
Someone was sent to investigate.
Dian Wei gave a signal to the Dragon Scale Armored Guards, and immediately some Dragon Scale soldiers...
For a moment, the entire Wei army tensed, gripping their weapons, ready for anything...
All the civil and military officials emerged, their eyes fixed on Fu Shui Pass.
A moment later, the Dragon Scale Camp's armored guards reported, "Reporting to Your Majesty, it is Zhuge Liang training troops within Fu Shui Pass. He is demonstrating the Eight Trigrams Formation!"
*Huuu...*
Lu Yu let out a heavy sigh. "Even now, he is still demonstrating the Eight Trigrams Formation, still adhering to his foolish loyalty to Ji Han!"
Lu Yu's eyes widened in disbelief...
He absolutely could not imagine what kind of belief could drive a person to such "unwavering devotion"! And what kind of belief could give a person such courage and spirit when facing devastating news as if the sky itself were falling!
—Scholars have integrity...
But Zhuge Liang's loyalty and righteousness were far beyond the integrity of mere scholars!
Lu Yu seemed shaken. He walked back to his camp with heavy steps, clenching his fist in helplessness...
With a "bang," he slammed his fist onto the desk. Lu Yu sighed, "Why can't such a person be of use to Great Wei?"
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"Loyalty is difficult to find, more precious than the blessings of the heavens. Is it worth it?"
At night, Lu Yu had a dream.
On the banks of the Fu River, the night air was filled with mist. Autumn wind blew, and water vapor was dense. Lu Yu, dressed in imperial robes, walked here... as if in a trance, something was pulling him.
Finally, in the mist, he saw Xun Yu, who was shining brightly in the distance, calling out, "Sima Hui!"
Then he walked to his side. At this moment, Xun Yu was examining a chess game on a stone table.
Xun Yu looked up and saw Lu Yu, smiling and beckoning, "Oh, it is the Grand Preceptor of the Great Wei. Dare I ask the Grand Preceptor to play a game with me?"
Lu Yu looked at the starry sky and smiled, saying, "The heavens are the board, the earth is the field, the stars are the pieces. You and I have both played for half a lifetime. Do you still want to play another game at the end?"
"Heh heh... I've played for half a lifetime but never beaten you. I am truly unwilling!"
"Sima Hui, to be honest, you had the chance to defeat me before, but you always failed for some reason. Now, you cannot afford to lose again. The Shu Han is a barren land, it is impossible to conquer the Central Plains!"
Xun Yu smiled faintly, "How could I not know? Ten years ago, the former Emperor said, 'If the worthy do not appear, how can heaven be at peace?' 'I have followed the former Emperor since then, to restore the Han chamber and save the common people... When there is no alternative, I cannot help myself. My ambitions have become increasingly faint because of your appearance. In the end, I could only find solace in playing chess, but even Shu Han can find no solace. The former Emperor was anxious, but he was not wrong... If not for the northern expedition, sooner or later the Shu Han would have been destroyed by Great Wei, the kingdom would not have had peace, the Han would not have been divided, and the Grand Preceptor was forced to act as a guardian... Forcefully holding onto a shred of hope, but only..."
At this moment, Xun Yu choked.
He realized that without Lu Yu, where would there be any hope?
"Sima Hui, you are...
"Clever, and also a scholar. The Great Dao does not need much explanation, but since Fu Xi and Shen Nong, the world has been in constant warfare, and the common people have suffered. This world has long been depleted. Cao Wei was established for... for his own ambition, but what about you? You, such a clever and wise person, why do you sacrifice your life for an era that can no longer be saved?"
"What I want to restore is not the name of the Han court, but the peaceful and prosperous world in the hearts of the common people."
Lu Yu said regretfully, "For the past five years, Shu Han has governed peacefully, the roads are unimpeded, and there are no closed doors at night. Such achievements, no one in the world can match. I know of your loyalty and helplessness, Sima Hui. Many times, I have thought... If you and I switched places, I might not have done as well as you."
"The Grand Preceptor flatters me. But has Great Wei not always been peaceful? The four seas are subservient? The Grand Preceptor's achievements are unmatched! However, these... achievements, are not yours. I have said enough. It should be left to future generations to judge! In this chaotic world, one can only move forward, knowing it is impossible but doing it anyway? Is that not so?"
Lu Yu nodded. "Yes. The peace established by warfare is more stable and cherished... For the sake of a unified great cause, for the common people to no longer suffer the pain of displacement, one must go through this war and bloodshed!"
Xun Yu sighed, "My ambition and yours are the same, but alas... My destiny can only be as a subordinate. If there is a next life, I am willing to be the son of your Great Wei, and under your leadership, establish a utopian kingdom. It is only a pity... In this life, my chess game can no longer continue. This game is left to you, let it end in your hands. I only hope... that after my death, I can see that peaceful era!"
Lu Yu lowered his head to look at the chess game...
He felt that black and white had changed, like a map. He suddenly looked up... and saw Xun Yu smiling faintly, slowly disappearing into the evening mist, and a "Seven Stars Lamp" appeared in his hand.
Lu Yu exclaimed, "Sima Hui!"
This sound woke him from his dream. The guards outside rushed in, asking, "Grand Preceptor? What's wrong?"
Lu Yu opened his eyes wide. He seemed to have realized something. He was only wearing his inner robe and rushed out of the palace gate.
He ran to Fu Shui Pass, facing the "last barrier" of the Shu Han...
Gongsun and a cavalryman, along with the Dragon Scale soldiers, pursued him.
Seeing Lu Yu stop, Gongsun quickly asked, "Grand Preceptor... The night wind is cold. What are you doing running here?"
Lu Yu, holding back the pain, said, "I dreamed that Xun Yu had an accident." This...
Gongsun and all the cavalrymen were stunned.
Lu Yu felt a pang of regret. "If not for being in this chaotic world, if not for the circumstances of that year, if fate had been favorable, Sima Hui... I wish you were not dead!"
"Among all your opponents, you are the only one I can call..."
"A worthy opponent."
"Also... You uphold your loyalty! But what a tragic loyalty! I hope the throne can pass down this loyalty!"
The sky grew dark.
The remnants of the flame cast long shadows, fluttering in the autumn wind. A Seven Stars Lamp...
Xun Yu was lying on the sickbed. Blood stained his general's robe. A weak breath escaped his nostrils, faint and cold.
Guan Yu and other officials surrounded him, tears on their faces.
Xun Yu asked in an extremely weak voice, "Wei Army secretly crossed Yin Ping, it was Zhang Liao's betrayal. Southern commanderies defected, it was the Kui Army's ploy. I can understand all this... but Grand Preceptor... why did you give up? Is it because Mi Huang is too cruel to you?" He wanted to say more.
"To go back."
"Ah..." Dian Wei opened his mouth, but in the end, he swallowed the words. "Speak. How long can I hold on? What else can I not hear?" Xun Yu murmured—
Finally, Dian Wei revealed the information he had obtained.
Including... Zhang Ren's true identity, including Lu Bu and Zhang Liao being agents of the Shu army, including... Lady Yan turning into a butterfly.
As expected.
"Gurgle..." A slight cough came from Xun Yu's mouth, his voice faint and wispy. "So that's how it is... No wonder... no wonder..."
There was no shock, not even a trace of anger...
Things have come to this point, some things should be let go! *Huuu...*
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