In late September, Lihu City in the Central Plains.

This is the only large city in Yanzhou Jiyin County that protrudes to the north of Pu River. It has been the frontline facing the Hebei army since the beginning of the war. Due to the special status of the Jiyin Li family in this area, it has always been recognized as the

Li Jin, a famous general from the Central Plains and the actual controller of the Li family in Jiyin, led the troops to garrison.

In the past six months, Li Tuizhi, together with Le Wenqian further north, has been holding back Gao Shun, who is stationed at Baima Crossing, in a force of strength. Gao Shun has many troops, but his top priority is to preserve the transportation of Baima Crossing.

, and although Le Jin and Li Jin divided their forces into two, one occupied the world-famous city of Puyang, and the other occupied the great city of Lihu and the interests of the clan.

Later, as the war in Guandu became more and more intense, even the small battles here gradually became sparse...Lihu, west of Puyang, east and south of Baima, on weekdays both sides still have scattered forward-attacking troops.

The military camps monitored each other, but behind the defense line, there was little sound of fighting.

Therefore, on this morning, taking advantage of the rare warm weather in late autumn, the weather was clear and the autumn air was crisp. After Li Jin entrusted the city defense to his reliable subordinates, he suddenly took his eighteen-year-old nephew Li Dian to the Pu River in the west of the city.

No one thinks it's inappropriate to hunt on the north shore.

"call out!"

Under the cover of dead branches, an arrow suddenly flew out, but when it reached it, it had obviously lost strength and sank. As a result, it only hit the heel of a wild wolf that was eating a dead deer, which immediately attracted the vigilance and attention of the wolves.

Counterattack.

More than a hundred steps away, young Li Dian put down his bow and arrow on his horse, and looked slightly embarrassed at his uncle Li Jin behind him, who was reining in his horse to watch the battle.

At the same time, as Li Jin, who was in full armor, raised his hand to signal, dozens of armored guards behind him activated instantly and rushed directly towards the wolves. Their spears and knives came out, almost chopping melons.

Just like chopping vegetables, he easily suppressed this pack of wolves that were considered a nuisance to the surrounding villages.

"It doesn't matter." Seeing that the so-called battle quickly turned into a chasing game, Li Jin, who had many wrinkles in the corners of his eyes, looked at his nephew with a relaxed smile. "It's a good thing to like reading. When it comes to martial arts, one should pay attention to one thing."

As long as you are strong and healthy, you don’t have to worry about A Dian..."

Li Dian became even more embarrassed after hearing this.

"I'm telling the truth." Seeing this, Li Jin took off his helmet and put it in his arms. He laughed more and more and shook his head. "In the future world, the leader of the family will be much better off as a scholar than as a martial artist. A person with a kind and gentle personality will be better than a martial artist."

Even though you are a violent and domineering person, you are much stronger...A Dian, I am actually very satisfied with you as you are, and I can trust you with the tens of thousands of members of my family."

Li Dian's expression suddenly changed: "Uncle, I have no intention of coveting power in the clan."

"You have no intention of begging, but I have the idea of ​​returning it." Li Jin still looked relieved and didn't take it seriously at all. As he spoke, he turned over and dismounted, and actually held his helmet and walked towards the Pu River bank in the south.

.

Li Dian did not dare to neglect, so he could only follow him in a hurry.

But Li Jin came to the riverside and stood on a rock. He held his helmet and looked south and sighed, feeling quite touched.

Li Dian, who followed behind him and stood with his bow in his hand, knew very well what his uncle was looking at. The south of Pu River was the real foundation of the giant Li family. From Lihu to Chengshi, and then to the Shanyang County where he was born,

Ye County, relying on Juye Ze, with Pu River and Jishui River as its veins, the Li family has reproduced here for many generations, spreading branches and leaves, but closely united, basically monopolizing all the land nearby, how many governors,

The county guard was helpless.

Based on one river, spanning two rivers, and occupying three counties, it is the most powerful family in the Central Plains, and its reputation is definitely not in vain.

After watching for a long time, Li Tuizhi finally spoke again, but he continued the topic just now:

"Actually, I am not a direct descendant of the clan, I am just a little famous in the clan for being brave and fierce. At that time, your uncle and father just saw that the world was in chaos and there were too many people in our clan, so they promoted me

I'm here to maintain public order. However, firstly, your family and I are indeed related by blood, and secondly, our family is really big and has many things to do, so when outsiders see my majesty, they think I am the housekeeper.

Where’s one of the brothers! But what’s the truth? To put it bluntly, he’s just the head of the nursing home!”

"Uncle, you are joking." Li Dian felt his scalp numb and even became a little scared.

"I'm not joking. What I said today is all true and sincere." Li Jin glanced at his nephew, then continued to look at the river and sighed. "So, if this really continues, I may be able to rely on the strength of our Li family.

Leaving a name in troubled times with my own courage is really not enough to reach this point today. But who can say clearly about human life? Who would have thought that on the day after the Yellow Turban Rebellion, there would be a court official

The general with five senses, who came out to quell the rebellion, suddenly came to our house with a few people?"

"My nephew knows about this. It is Duke Yan, Han, Guan and Dong..."

"It's these four people." Li Jin suddenly had an inexplicable look in his eyes. He didn't know if the sunlight reflected by the river reflected in his eyes. "The weather was dull that day, and it rained heavily later.

Duke Yan came in like this, forcibly conquered me, changed my name, and asked me to lead three thousand tribesmen to fight with him in the name of the village chief. From then on, I, Li Jin, had my own name.

! Moreover, I also met many important figures on the battlefield of Dongjun. In addition to Guan Yunchang, Dong Gongren, and Han Yigong, at that time Cao Gong, Liu Yuzhou, Zhang Yide, Xia Houyuanrang, Le Wenqian, Shen Zhengnan, Cheng Demou, Gao Suqing,

Cheng Juzheng, the dead Wei Zidu, Lou Zibo, and Cheng Zhongde were all on the same battlefield, taking orders from the same person! Now you know why today's battle is like this, and everyone is talking about it privately.

Is it public? Others don’t know, but the people in the names I mentioned, I really can’t disrespect that person.”

Li Dian was also fascinated for a moment.

"Later, I became a county magistrate, a rare official of the Li family in Jiyin, and it was at that time that I began to read like Guan Yunchang, who looked down on me the most...

...I couldn't read it, I couldn't understand it, I just forced myself to read a few books, but I understood some principles, and leading troops is the easiest way to accumulate prestige, so after I come back, I will be the leader of the clan

He is truly one of the leaders." At this point, Li Tuizhi suddenly stopped and said nothing.

However, even if Li Jin didn't say anything, Li Dian knew it well.

Later, his father and second uncle contracted the plague and died, and his cousin Li Zheng was easily killed by Guan Yunchang at the foot of Handan City. From then on, his eldest uncle Li Qian and his clan uncle

There was some discord at first. But a few years ago, Cao Gong forcibly recommended Du Tian, ​​and his eldest uncle, Li Qian, the most undoubted patriarch of the clan, was sent to Huainan by Cao Gong and his clan uncle... And with Cao Song

, Cao Hong finally figured it out, and unlike Cao Cao who restored peace, and Zhang Miao, who simply went to Liu Biao's house to become a Qing guest, Li Qian was so ashamed and angry that he died of illness in Huainan.

Since Li Qian died, only Li Dian, a young man, was left in the three families of the three legitimate brothers. Naturally, all the power in the clan fell into the hands of Li Jin... This is why Li Dian was particularly sensitive to the issue of power in the clan. This is also the reason why he is not effective in martial arts.

To put it bluntly, Li Dian was not trained according to the family heir from the beginning. He was trained according to the assistance of his deceased cousin Li Zheng. After Li Qian died in a foreign country, rumors spread, whether it was for self-protection or because of interest. , anyway, Li Dian never meant to change his interest from literature to martial arts. Instead, Li Jin repeatedly raised the point and even took the initiative to bring this clan nephew into the army. Li Dian just got a little exposure to the art of war and began to formally practice bow and horse.

"The same words." Li Jin came back to his senses, glanced at his nephew again, and ordered easily. "Whether you are willing or not, want it or not, the power in the clan must be returned to you... I Li Jinping sat up straight. Although he had a small ambition, he had something to rely on before and after his life. He would never take advantage of the situation and give up on himself just because the world's people are broken and others have prejudices, thus tainting his own small ambition."

Li Dian had nothing to say and could only reluctantly compliment: "My uncle naturally has some confidence. Even Duke Yan said that he is a famous general in the world."

Li Jin burst into laughter... This was a rare positive comment for him.

It turns out that about the year before last, due to the friction between Xiahou and Guan Yu on Mount Tai, Li Jin and Yu Jin fought in Qinting and Cangting, and the two sides ended up in a draw. At that time, the world was in the background of stability, so it was inevitable that it would lead to a draw. This attracted people's attention, so someone from Ye asked Gongsun how good Li Jin and Yu Jin were at leading troops. As a result, Gongsun did not hesitate and said directly that Li Jin could advance and retreat without losing anything, which was enough to be called a famous general in the world, and he was also able to weigh the world's generals.

In other words, Gongsun believed that Li Jin should be the threshold for famous generals in the world. This was undoubtedly a very high evaluation for Li Tuizhi, who had attracted countless infamy at that time because of the Li Qian incident and for assisting Cao Cao in conquering the fields. It means to provide help in times of need.

You must know that Li Jin's reputation was at its lowest point at that time. Some people even said that his four surnamed slaves were conquered by the Gongsun family, but they became the Yuan family's ministers after fighting against Dong. However, they could not die for the Yuan family's ministers, but turned to defect to him. However, as a member of the Li clan, he helped Cao Cao deal with the clan leader Li Qian, so that Li Qian became depressed in Huainan.

Li, Gongsun, Yuan, and Cao, don't they just make up the four surnames?

When Li Dian thought of this, he couldn't help but feel a little moved in his heart. Then, he was young, and a trace of doubt flashed across his face.

"What did you think of?" Li Jin didn't care.

"No……"

"A Dian, uncle advises you to say whatever you want today so that you won't be able to ask questions clearly in the future."

"Dare I ask my uncle?" Li Dian asked cautiously. "Is this explanation today going to be about something big in the near future?"

Li Jin was slightly startled and couldn't help but turn around and smile: "What big thing do you think will happen?"

This rhetorical question was basically an admission.

"My nephew doesn't know." Li Dian looked confused. "At first, my nephew thought that my uncle was going to surrender to Duke Yan as rumored, but now I think about it, it seems wrong..."

"What's wrong?" Li Jin seemed to be smiling but not smiling. "If I abandon Cao again and follow Gongsun again, wouldn't it just prove the theory of the four surnames of domestic slaves? I remember when Cao Gong abandoned Pushui, he said that I wanted to establish the four surnames of domestic slaves. Arguments like this have gradually emerged in the surrounding areas, right? And Cao Gong subsequently defeated Guandu, abandoned Bianbei three times, and Xuzhou four times. This kind of argument is becoming more and more common day by day."

"It is the theory of the four-surnamed domestic slaves that is particularly ridiculous!" Li Dian responded sternly. "My nephew suddenly woke up today! It should be noted that the so-called dirty uncle's four-surnamed domestic slaves mostly originated from the tyrants of the Central Plains who were angrily engaged in farm affairs, and

It is popular among the scholars and the people... But now, the so-called powerful family has long been half-hearted, hoping to join the uncle's line to conquer Hebei together. How dare they continue to slander the uncle? And the so-called scholars and the people, now the war has reached this point.

Above, there are wolves more than ten miles away from Fox City, so where are the scholars? How can the people have the heart to discuss the integrity of a general? Therefore, my nephew makes a bold guess, the so-called uncle in the city

The theory of surrendering to Hebei may have a suspicious origin, and it may not be a self-protection strategy that my uncle himself used to seek peace in Lihu! But in this way, today's uncle's explanation is here, but I really

I can’t guess what big thing is going to happen…”

"If you can think of this, I am already very relieved. Your qualifications are much better than those of your uncle and cousin!" Li Jin couldn't help but stepped forward and pressed his nephew's shoulders by the river.

"But don't think too much about it. You will understand it naturally after a few days."

"……promise!"

"A Dian, you are already eighteen years old, and you have been in the army for two years... Look at those young civilians, fifteen or sixteen years old. Once they are recruited, their families will take a piece of cloth to wrap their heads, and they will be crowned adults.

! And since you have already wrapped your head, I will give you an extra crown!" Li Jin looked at his nephew, and after thinking for a moment, he actually raised the helmet in his hand with both hands.

Li Dian was so nervous that he quickly knelt down by the river and paid homage: "Please give me a word, uncle!"

"I'm not as good at studying as you are." Li Jin held his helmet in both hands and smiled, but then he started to think seriously. "I don't have any other ideas. I just hope that after you take charge of the family business, you will know how to advance and retreat, and be a gentle and long-term person."

Man...the word "advance and retreat" is closely related to my name, so I won't care about it for the moment, so I'll take the meaning of gentleness and long-term and call it Mancheng! I also hope that you will achieve success in the end."

With that said, before the other party could react, Li Jin placed his helmet directly on Li Dian's turbaned head... Don't tell me, it actually fit quite well.

"Uncle, do you have any explanation?" Li Dian tried his best to ask on the ground.

"If there is an opportunity, I will dedicate all the land in my family to the public and exchange it for a piece of land around Yexia." Li Jin said seriously. "With my wisdom, the most I can think of is this... I still read too little."

Li Dian was in a trance, confused, but he couldn't understand what it meant... Could it be that he had guessed wrong and his uncle still wanted to surrender to Hebei?

However, after Li Jin said this, before Li Dian could react, he turned back to the forest, mounted his horse, galloped straight to Guilihu City.

And when the next day night, that is, September 28th, he led the soldiers of Jiyinzi who had been prepared for a long time. They were all fathers and sons, brothers and brothers, and only sons who were not taken. There were three thousand people in total, and they took advantage of the night.
To be continued...