Chapter 40: Pei County Uprising 13

  Liu Shanhe furrowed his brow, and for a long time he didn't say another word. And at this time, big brother Liu Yuan also knew better than to say anything more to Liu Shanhe, he just let out a sigh, then walked away.

  For nearly half an hour, Liu Shanhe didn't say a word. However, his heart was churning with emotions. Finally, when Liu Shanhe reappeared in front of everyone, he still had a warm smile on his face, chatting and laughing as if nothing was wrong. Moreover, Liu Shanhe even went to the inner hall for a while and personally reminded Lyu Wei of some things, looking like the two people were perfectly coordinated, almost seamless.

  Liu Shanhe is quite proud of himself for being able to achieve this. On the one hand, the things that his elder brother Liu Yuan said are just rumors after all. As for him, Liu Shanhe, a commoner who rose up in arms against the corrupt government and has now become somewhat influential, it's natural that he would incur the jealousy of many people, who would feel resentful and unhappy about his success, and thus spread rumors to harm him. On the other hand, thinking about Lv Wei, she was the one who stood by him when he was at his lowest point, so they are a couple who have been through thick and thin together. How could Liu Shanhe forget those years when he was the head of the Ting in Si Shui? Although life was poor and difficult back then, it was also full of joy and happiness. During the day, he would be busy with his duties at the Ting, but every now and then, he would return home to visit his family. And whenever he returned from Si Shui to Ai Li, his two children would already be waiting for him at the village entrance. As soon as they saw him approaching, they would rush towards him, calling out "Dad!" in unison. The scene was truly a kind of unparalleled enjoyment! As the sun set in the west, it cast long shadows of the three of them, creating the most beautiful scenery in the world and the happiest feeling in his heart.

  After returning home from Si Shui, he would often stay for two or three days. If there were a lot of farm work to do at home, he would stay for several more days. After all, there were his own men, Ting Fu and Qiu Dao, taking care of things at the Si Shui Pavilion. In fact, Liu Shanhe had never been interested in family matters since he was young, which was something that everyone within a radius of ten miles knew. However, it was strange to say that after marrying Lv Wei into his household, he somehow became interested in farm work - or rather, to be precise, he became infatuated with the happiness of working together with his wife in the fields. So every time Lv Wei went to do farm work, despite her reminding him each time not to go and to rest at home instead, he would always insist on going with her. He liked it. He liked watching Lv Wei's movements as she worked, looking at her beautiful waist, looking at her occasionally raising her head to tidy up her hair, liking the scent of sweat that emanated from her body...

  And every time at this moment, the two children would sit under the lush willows on the ground, playing and laughing happily, from time to time bursting into silvery laughter...

  All of this was once so beautiful. It's a memory that Liu Shanhe will never be able to lose. And all of it was given to him by Lü Yu. As for this, Liu Shanhe is naturally very clear in his heart. He can't forget. He absolutely can't forget.

  There is another point, that is the overall situation. Even if we take a step back and assume it's true, Liu Shanhe has already acknowledged it. After all, he is nearly twenty years older than Lü Yu, so from an age perspective, Liu Shanhe should feel somewhat guilty towards Lü Yu. Therefore, even if the matter were true, firstly because of his guilt towards Lü Yu, and secondly due to the overall situation, he should have acknowledged it and endured it.

  Actually, Liu Shanhe had another reason in his heart, that is, he himself was not clean. Before marrying Lv Lian, he was not very self-disciplined in this aspect, and Lv Lian was very clear about it. However, she didn't bother him much. If he could use the excuse "that was before I married Lv Lian" for his past behavior, then after marrying Lv Lian, there were some things that he couldn't give himself a more reasonable explanation or excuse for. Especially during his time as the head of the pavilion in Sui Water, he had an unclear history with a beautiful widow from the local area. Fortunately, it was far away from his hometown of Fengxiang, so it hadn't reached Lv Lian's ears yet. Otherwise, although Lv Lian was gentle and wise, Liu Shanhe knew that if she found out, she would fight him to the death!

  It was precisely because of the above considerations that Liu Shanhe suppressed all his discontent in his heart and still appeared in front of everyone with his usual demeanor, without revealing anything through his words. And so, this rumor about Lü Yu and Shen Shi Qi just passed like that. Of course, it would still leave some marks in Liu Shanhe's inner heart. It was at this time when Lü Yu said "The man at home is indeed diligent with his hands and feet, but after all, he is a man", Liu Shanhe seemed to say unintentionally "Then I will give you a careful and delicate one".

  When Liu Shanhe said this to Lü Yu, Lü Yu seemed taken aback for a moment, then quickly regained her composure and replied in a nonchalant tone: "Hey, what's the point of changing? Even if we change, it's not necessarily better. Besides, he's been with our family for a longer time, so he knows how to handle things at home." As she spoke, Lü Yu continued to wash Liu Shanhe's feet.

  He has to admit that his fondness for washing feet is indeed one of his quirks. What's more, this quirk of his was brought over from his past life in the 21st century. He hadn't expected that after crossing over into the late Qin dynasty, he would still be keeping up with his old habits, and it seems to be getting worse. Sometimes when he thinks about it, he can't help but feel a little ridiculous.

  But, washing feet is really exceptionally comfortable. Especially when someone else washes your feet for you, it's a supreme enjoyment. Liu Shanhe indeed has a liking for this kind of thing. And Lv Wei, isn't she truly his own wife? Her foot-washing skills are top-notch, grasping him firmly and making him cry out in delight. Of course, that crying out is only in his heart, on the surface he still doesn't show it because after all, he also needs to maintain some dignity.

  Just as Liu Bang closed his eyes and was thoroughly enjoying the pleasant sensation brought by Lü Zhi washing his feet, suddenly, a voice outside the camp shouted: "Report to the Duke of Pei..."

  Liu Shanhe was now enjoying the massage from Lü Yu, so he didn't even open his eyes and shouted towards the outside of the tent: "Come in and speak! Come in quickly and speak!" He didn't show any restraint to his subordinates at all. After all, this was his wife washing his feet, it should be that kind of indecent behavior. However, Liu Shanhe was also very open-minded, he liked to be unrestrained and casual, so he wouldn't mind these small things either.

  Only to see that the man under his hand lifted the curtain and entered the account, with both hands deeply saluting Liu Shanhe, saying: "Report to Lord Pei, Chu Jiang's item Yan Hou's item Bo, followed by Korean scholar Zhang Liang Zhang Zifang seeking an audience."

  "Who? Zhang Liang, Zhang Zifang? And also Xiang Yan after Xiang Bo? Zhang Liang, Zhang Zifang? And also Xiang Yan after Xiang Bo? Ah, ah, this is great, this is too good! It seems that I, Liu Shanhe, am not destined to be destroyed by heaven! You scoundrel, you scoundrel, why didn't you tell me earlier? Why didn't you tell me earlier?! Quick, quick, please invite them in!"

  As soon as he heard the names of these two men, especially after hearing that Zhang Liang had arrived, it was as if a rainbow had suddenly appeared in the sky, and everything became bright and clear. He was so overjoyed that he forgot everything else, including the fact that Lü Zhi was washing his feet for him. As soon as he heard the news of Zhang Liang's arrival, he rushed out barefoot, cursing the servant who had brought the message. This made the servant secretly laugh with joy. He knew that if his master could behave in such a way, it meant that he was in a very good mood and extremely excited.

  Liu Shanhe was so excited, naturally still because of his understanding of Zhang Liang, also known as Zhang Zifang. Although this understanding is only based on hearsay, it has a strong mysterious color and can even be said to be a different kind of legend.

  This encounter between Zhang Liang and Liu Shanhe also seemed to be destined by heaven. Originally, he was invited by Xiang Bo, so he came out of the mountain to serve as a strategist in Xiang Liang's righteous army. However, when the two of them were riding their horses on the way, they happened to pass by Liu Shanhe's military camp. Looking at the large and small tents, Zhang Liang stopped his horse and asked Xiang Bo: "General Xiang, I don't know whose camp is in front?"

  Xiang Bo was an honest and loyal person, with a dignified air about him. As soon as Zhang Liang asked him, he naturally replied truthfully: "Oh, that is the camp of Liu Bang, the Duke of Pei." Suppose Xiang Bo had been more cunning and secretive, and had intentionally said he didn't know, saying only "It's probably just some unknown small uprising or minor rebel group", it's possible that Zhang Liang wouldn't have gone to investigate. In that case, Liu Bang would have missed the opportunity to meet Zhang Liang. Without Zhang Liang, whether Liu Bang could still have defeated all his rivals and unified China like he did before, is also uncertain.

  Now, when Zhang Liang heard that it was Liu Bang's camp, he had some thoughts. Because after Liu Shanhe started the uprising in Mangdang, he indeed gained some fame. To be precise, he gained a good reputation for taking down the county city of Pei without shedding a single drop of blood or harming any civilians. It was also because of this discipline that the rumors among the people about Liu Shanhe's uprising against the White Snake turned into "the son of the Red Emperor killing the son of the White Emperor". Therefore, in the folk, Liu Shanhe's righteous army indeed had some fame. It was precisely for this reason that Zhang Liang decided to visit after hearing Xiang Bo mention Liu Bang's camp.

  Zhang Liang, also known as Zifang, was originally from the state of Han and came from a noble family. His grandfather and father had both served as prime ministers of Han, serving under five successive rulers of the state. When Qin conquered Han, Zhang Liang was still young and had not yet held office. However, at that time, his household already had over 300 servants, indicating a very prosperous family background. With the fall of Han, it was natural that large noble families like Zhang Liang's would be affected, and Zhang Liang himself was then in his youth, full of vigor and ambition. Like many young men from fallen noble families, he felt a strong desire for revenge rising up within him. Before long, this desire turned into action.

  In the 29th year of Qin Shi Huang, Zhang Liang heard that Qin Shi Huang was on a tour of inspection and began to formulate a specific plan for revenge. On that day, he brought sacrificial offerings to the tomb where his ancestors were buried in the wilderness and performed his last sacrifice to his ancestors. Because after this sacrifice, Zhang Liang planned to start implementing his plan for revenge. And regardless of whether the plan succeeded or not, Zhang Liang would flee to the ends of the earth. At home, there was no one left, his parents had died, and his only younger brother was also on his last breath, his life hanging by a thread, and he might not be able to hold on for much longer. And since he was still unmarried, without family ties, it was just the right time to carry out his great plan for revenge.

  At this time, Zhang Liang had already dispersed his family's wealth and recruited a strong man named Lei Wenhui. He specially made a large iron hammer weighing over 120 kilograms to assassinate Qin Shi Huang. So far, he and the capable Lei Wenhui have discussed the plan to assassinate Qin Shi Huang countless times, almost every day, constantly improving it. This Lei Wenhui was also determined to die, leaving all the money Zhang Liang gave him for his family, because he knew that going to assassinate Qin would leave him with little hope of survival. It can be said that Zhang Liang wanted to spend all his family's wealth to exchange his life for Qin Shi Huang's.

  "At this moment, Zhang Liang is kneeling in front of the tomb, facing the vast sky, solemnly and respectfully saying: 'The spirits of my ancestors are above, thinking that for five generations, the Zhang family has been loyal to the Han. However, the Qin tyrant's brutal rule, with its wolf-like ferocity, left behind this family feud and national hatred. As a child of the Zhang family, I, Zhang Liang, will not rest until I avenge this injustice. Now, I join forces with the mighty warrior Lü Buwei to undertake the great task of assassinating Qin. May the spirits of my ancestors protect me and grant me success, so that I may avenge our country's destruction and our family's downfall!'"

  The sky is vast and gray, the wind is mournful and rustling, the wild grass covers the ground, and the grave is desolate and sorrowfully crying.

  Not long after, Zhang Liang heard that the inspection team of Qin Shi Huang had arrived in the area of Bolangsha, and felt that it was a good place for an ambush. So, although his own younger brother had just died of illness, he did not even have time to bury him, and followed Lai Wen Hui to lie in wait on the official road outside Bolangsha, waiting for the arrival of Qin Shi Huang's inspection team. However, unfortunately, because Qin Shi Huang was taking precautions against any eventuality, there were several sedan chairs following him as he traveled, so although Lai Wen Hui swung a large iron hammer and succeeded in one blow, he only smashed one of the many fake sedan chairs, without achieving his expected goal. And Lai Wen Hui was also stabbed to death on the spot by Qin Shi Huang's guards. Zhang Liang saw that they had failed, and could only escape the scene with a heavy heart. From then on, he fled to Xiaoye, where he hid his identity and waited for an opportunity to take revenge. But in order to vent his personal anger, he rushed forward recklessly, only to end up defeated and in danger, without changing the overall situation of the world at all. This was a historical inevitability. However, amidst the necessities of heaven and human affairs, there were also many coincidences. Zhang Liang's encounter with Huang Shi Gong in Xiaoye, when he was at the end of his rope, was one such "coincidence" that brought about a turning point in his fate, causing him to make great progress in his studies, and laying the foundation for his future assistance to emperors.

  That day, Zhang Liang had nothing to do and was also distressed that his revenge plan had not been successful, so he felt very suffocated and walked out of Xiaoyi City to take a stroll in the suburbs. It was dusk, the evening mist had already risen over the fields, and the sun only left half its face to this world.

  Zhang Liang arrived at a small wooden bridge, leaning on the railing and gazing into the distance with a solemn expression. Under the bridge, the small river that was originally not very large had already dried up due to the drought, but some autumn grasses were growing luxuriantly.

  Zhang Liang was gazing at the setting sun in a trance when an old man walked up on the road opposite him. As the old man passed by Zhang Liang's side, for some unknown reason, one of his shoes fell off and dropped under the bridge.

  "Oh no, my shoes! My shoes! Alas, I'm getting old and useless, how did I drop them? Hey, young man, just in time, can you help an old fellow out and pick up my shoes for me? Look at my age, how can I possibly go down to the bridge?"

  He was taken aback for a moment, then nodded to the old man and walked down to the bridge to pick up his shoes and handed them over. At this time, in Zhang Liang's heart, helping an elderly person in their seventies was a matter of course, nothing special. But what made Zhang Liang even more incomprehensible was that after taking the shoes, the old man actually said something that made Zhang Liang dare not believe: "Young man, come and put them on for me!"

  If it were said that the old man had just asked Zhang Liang to go under the bridge to pick up his shoes, that would be a very normal thing, and Zhang Liang also thought it was reasonable. But this time, when Zhang Liang picked up the old man's shoes and returned them to him, he had already done what he should have done. However, the old man actually asked him to put on his shoes for him again? This is truly unbelievable! How can there be such a person in this world?