mtl008 Chapter 603 Red Hare Dies of Illness
Chapter 603 Red Hare Dies of Illness
From the moment Liu Zhao learned that Liu Shan and Guan Xing had robbed the tomb, he knew that his family's ancestral graves were doomed. After all, those were the tombs of the current crown prince and the Marquis of Shence, whose merits were unparalleled. If they were determined to rob the tombs, he could not stop them even if he risked the lives of his entire clan.
Therefore, Liu Zhao's subsequent actions were not for the purpose of protecting his ancestors' tombs, but rather to save face for himself and to ask Liu Bei for benefits.
Your son robbed my ancestors' graves. As their father, you should at least offer some compensation. We are, after all, from the same clan.
Liu Zhao didn't want too much; he just wanted Liu Bei to restore his family's title of Marquis of Haihun. Unexpectedly, Liu Bei was so generous that he even made him the Vice Minister of Works, the second-in-command of the Ministry of Works, a high-ranking official.
More importantly, by entering the central government and gaining influence, one can gradually increase the strength of their family and even develop into a top-tier clan like the Liu family of Zhuojun. This would be a great blessing for their descendants.
Influence is very important. Without influence, one will gradually fade from the sight of the gentry. Haven't you seen how the lineage of the Marquis of Haihun has been almost forgotten in recent years?
If it weren't for Liu Shan and Guan Xing's tomb raiding, who would remember who the Marquis of Haihun was, or that his lineage had produced an emperor, albeit a deposed one? But a deposed emperor is still an emperor.
Liu Zhao was unaware that Liu Bei appointed him as the Vice Minister of Works in order to enhance the strength of the imperial clan and maintain the balance of power. He simply felt that Liu Bei was righteous and secretly rejoiced that his ancestors had left behind a wealth that made the Crown Prince and the Marquis of Shence envious. Otherwise, how could the Marquis of Haihun, who was almost forgotten, have such an opportunity?
May our ancestors bless us! When I go back this time, I must offer them many incense sticks.
Compared to Liu Zhao's secret relief, the other officials had a different feeling, and their gazes toward Liu Zhao were particularly complicated.
In a sense, Liu Zhao's title and official position were bought with money, which can be considered a different kind of selling of official positions.
But they couldn't object, since they didn't have an ancestor like the Marquis of Haihun who sold the throne for money and was so poor he only had money left.
Wait a minute, everyone has ancestors. Our ancestors were not as rich as the Marquis of Haihun, but they were not poor either. Did Liu Shan and Guan Xing, who tasted the sweetness of robbing the Marquis of Haihun's tomb, really develop tomb robbing into a profession?
At this moment, Guan Xing was being tortured outside the tent, and his screams were so terrible that they could be heard for miles around.
Hearing Guan Xing's incredibly fake screams, the officials felt an unprecedented sense of vigilance and secretly vowed to take good care of their ancestral graves, determined not to let this grandson rob them.
Liu Bei listened patiently until Guan Xing and Zhang Bao's screams ended before waving his hand and saying, "Dismiss the court."
The officials bowed and took their leave. Guan Yu, the highest-ranking official, was the first to leave. As he stepped out, he glanced at Guan Xing, who was lying on the long bench, and strode away. Guan Xing, who had raised his hand halfway to greet him, froze in place and said aggrievedly, "What's going on? Why are you ignoring me?"
You can accept me scolding or beating me, but what do you mean by ignoring me? Are you planning to expel me from the family tree?
Zhang Fei, who was following behind Guan Yu, noticed Guan Xing's dejected expression and rubbed his head to comfort him, saying, "Don't provoke your father these days; he's in a bad mood."
Guan Xing asked in surprise, "What's wrong? What could be more infuriating to him than my tomb raiding?"
The Wei army hasn't attacked recently, and nothing seems to have happened at home. So why is Guan Yu in this state? Could it be that Xiao Qiao miscarried?
That shouldn't be the case. Xiao Qiao is not even forty yet, which is the prime age for childbearing. She's also experienced with several pregnancies. How could this happen...?
Zhang Fei could tell from his expression that the kid was up to no good, so he slapped the back of his head and scolded, "Stop guessing. Red Hare is done for. It'll probably be over in the next day or two. Your dad's not in the mood lately, so don't make trouble for him and upset him again."
Guan Xing: "..."
I was wondering why Guan Yu hadn't even pursued the matter of tomb raiding; it turns out...
However, to be fair, Red Hare was quite old for a horse, and it was indeed the age to die peacefully.
But thinking of Guan Yu's bond with Red Hare, Guan Xing made up his mind to stay away from Guan Yu for the time being, otherwise he would get beaten up without even knowing why.
The officials left the tent one after another, and all of them paid their respects to Guan Xing and Zhang Bao, who were lying on the long bench. When they saw what the two looked like, they all looked at them with disdain. Twenty strokes of the cane hadn't even made their buttocks turn red. Damn big-eared thief, are you trying to fool us idiots?
That's twenty strokes of the cane, which could kill someone if it's too harsh. Yet Guan Xing and Zhang Bao didn't even get a scratch, and there wasn't a single bloodstain on their pants. Are their defenses that high?
Not so!
After all the officials left, Chen Dao sent someone to escort Guan Xing and Zhang Bao back to their residence. In fact, the two of them could have walked back on their own, but they had to go all out with the act. How would the other officials and Liu Zhao, the victim, think if they were still alive and kicking after being flogged?
Doesn't the Marquis of Haihun have any pride?
Chen Dao handed Guan Xing over to Sun Luyu and took his leave. Sun Luyu helped him to sit on the bed and complained, "Why did you have to rob a tomb? It will ruin your reputation if word gets out. If you don't have money, just tell me, and I'll go borrow from my parents."
Guan Xing felt incredibly pleased to hear this. He lay in her arms and chuckled, scolding her, "Why are you always thinking about your parents-in-law's money for their funerals? Be careful they don't disown you as their daughter. Besides, this time it's His Highness who needs money. Even though we have a good relationship with His Highness, we can't use our family's money to subsidize him. I don't even have enough for myself."
Sun Luyu angrily punched him lightly, then stood up and said, "Wait, I'll go make you some chicken soup to help you recover. Your Majesty, look how badly you've been beaten."
Guan Xing settled down at home, intending not to go out for the next few days. However, Guan Yu suddenly sent someone to call him that night, saying that Red Hare was failing and that he needed to come over.
Xing dared not neglect this matter. He got up and rushed into Guan Yu's courtyard at top speed. When he entered, he found Guan Yu in the stable smiling at Red Hare, while Red Hare was lying on the ground, barely breathing.
Guan Xing squatted down beside Guan Yu, reached out and stroked the horse's head to comfort him, "Father, don't be sad. Birth, aging, sickness and death are the natural order of things. Red Hare has lived a long and peaceful life."
Guan Yu's shoulders twitched violently, and he said with a face full of sorrow, "But he is my brother! He has been with me longer than your uncles and aunts. Now he is going to abandon me and leave alone. From now on, who will fight alongside me?"
Horses are a warrior's second life. Over the years, Red Hare accompanied Guan Yu in slaying Yan Liang and Wen Chou, passing five passes and defeating six generals, fighting Pang De and capturing Yu Jin. Red Hare was the most dazzling achievement in every battle Guan Yu had won. To Guan Yu, Red Hare was no longer just a mount, but a close brother like a limb. Now that Red Hare was ill, he felt as if a piece of his heart had been ripped out.
As if hearing his words, Red Hare shed two lines of clear tears from its cloudy old eyes. Struggling with its last strength, it raised its head and rubbed against Guan Yu's palm, its eyes filled with longing and reluctance.
A moment later, Red Hare closed its eyes weakly, and this time it could not open them again.
Guan Yu sat motionless, as if his soul had been taken away. Guan Xing did not speak, but sat silently beside Guan Yu. The father and son sat in front of Red Hare's corpse for a whole night. It wasn't until dawn that Guan Yu came to his senses and called his personal guards to bury Red Hare.
Red Hare's grave had already been dug, right in the center of the stable. After placing the body in the grave and burying it, Guan Yu, supported by Guan Xing, shakily returned to his tent.
Guan Xing helped him sit down, and seeing his dejected look, he couldn't help but sigh, "Red Hare is dead, and Guan Yu's spirit is almost gone too. It seems we need to find Guan Yu another Ferghana horse like Red Hare, but where are we going to get one?"
For the next few days, Guan Xing stayed at home with Guan Yu until Jiang Wei and Xia Tong returned with the valuables from the Haihunhou Tomb.
Jiang Wei and Xia Tong have entered the city, and Jiangling is in an uproar!