Three Kingdoms

Taishi Ci leads the vanguard. He will serve as the vanguard and rush to the West Sea to face the Western Region Allied Forces.

Fei Qian's next step was to take a large force as the central army and backup, as well as the baggage to the West Sea.

Jia Xu will stay at Yumen Pass and be responsible for mobilizing and transporting Longyou's supplies to the front line.

While Fei Qian and Tai Shici looked forward to the future of the Western Regions together at Yumen Pass, Jia Xu also sat in front of Lu Bu inside the Pass.

Ahead is the future, behind is history.

Lu Bu immediately took off his military uniform and was only wearing a cloth robe. His hair was slightly disheveled and his body was almost motionless. He looked like a statue. Maybe with more yellow sand on his head and body, it would look more like it. Lu Bu didn't know where his eyes were focused. He had been sitting here for quite some time. There were occasional noisy sounds from the soldiers inside and outside Yumen Pass, but it couldn't change the expression on his face at all.

"I have met Marquis Wen. 』

Jia Xu cupped his hands.

Seeing Jia Xu, Lu Bu just raised his eyelids lazily, "Wen He wants to make fun of Yu?" 』

Jia Xu shook his head, not even dissatisfied with Lu Bu's attitude, because Jia Xu knew that Lu Bu had been having this habit of saving face for many years. Is it possible that he could change it just by changing it?

A tiger will never lose its power even if it dies.

What's more, Lu Bu is not dead yet.

"Wei Xu is dead. Jia Xu called him by his name, directly showing his disdain and contempt, "Fleeing in the Gobi, he encountered wild wolves, and no bones were left." It can be regarded as a good fortune for this Zhuzi. 』

Lu Bu couldn't help but laugh back, "I was killed by a wolf and my body is gone. Is this still a good life?" ! 』

Jia Xu nodded seriously, "That's true." 』

Lu Bu snorted.

"If it is in accordance with the Lord's wishes, this son should be tried according to the law... Fengxian may not know something. The so-called law means a public trial. All the people in the audience are suffering people, taking turns to come to the stage to accuse his crimes..." Jia Xu glanced at Lu Bu and said, "I was lucky enough to watch it a few times... It was really... unforgettable in my life..."

Jia Xu clicked his tongue a few times, and then seemed to fall into some memories.

Jia Xu said he was a spectator, but in fact he personally conducted several of the trials, so he had a very deep impression of the public trials.

In the Han Dynasty, ordinary people had very little access to information. The public trial system proposed by Fei Qian not only provided some enlightenment effects, letting the people know what a crime is and what kind of crime will be punished, but also This deters some potential criminals and makes them more intuitively aware of the strictness of the law.

In particular, public trials are often held in the criminal's local hometown, where the criminal also has relatives, friends and even family members. The public trial will undoubtedly cause great visual impact and psychological shock to the relatives of these criminals. Some criminals have not even come on stage, and their legs and feet are already weak, as soft as a puddle of mud, and in the lobby and in the cell They are exactly the same as two people...

Some filial scholars in later generations who have half-studied Western law vigorously criticized the public trial system and talked about civil rights, innocence defense, return of criminals to society, etc. But in fact, even other crimes are not suitable Public trials, but when it comes to corruption crimes committed by officials, public trials cannot be overstated.

I believe that some people who heard that the public trial system was abolished must have taken a long breath in the dark and touched their chests. Just like those guys in later generations who worked hard to mosaic suspects, but couldn't wait to show the pores of the victims.

"If this son is captured, he will definitely blame Fengxian for what he did..." Jia Xu's eyes wandered around Lu Bu and said slowly, "If during the public trial, he bites and clings to me..." …So…isn’t this a good life? 』

Lu Bu fell silent.

Does this mean that Wei will continue his life?

This is clearly saying that Lu Bu has a good life!

But how should Lu Bu answer this?

Can't answer.

Jia Xu didn't have to wait for Lu Bu to answer anything, so he sat down directly, then took out two wine gourds from his sleeves, placed them in front of Lu Bu, and stretched out his hand to signal.

Lu Bu rolled his eyelids, stared at Jia Xu, and then reached out and took one.

Jia Xu smiled, took another one, opened the cork, and took a sip in front of Lu Bu.

Lu Bu looked at it, his eyebrows twitching, as if he wanted to take the one in Jia Xu's hand, but in the end he held back, opened the stopper of the wine gourd in his hand, took a sip, and then smacked, "It means ? This wine tastes good! 』

"This is a new wine from Chang'an. It's called zhejiang wine. It's said to have frosted sugar added. It's better than gold wine, but the quantity is not large. Jia Xu glanced at Lu Bu and said, "This is all I have left now. It will be gone after I drink it..."

Lu Bu nodded and took another sip. For some reason, his originally chaotic and even uneasy mood calmed down unconsciously...

In the Han Dynasty, or most people in ancient times, they basically drank rice wine.

Later generations of advertising, film and television, etc., I see that the ancients poured liquor with liquor. In fact, one is for financial reasons. Tap water serves as liquor, which is cheap no matter how you drink it. The other is for the subtle influence...

Liquor, in ancient times, was considered inferior wine.

Ancient people had no concept of liquor at all, not even the word "baijiu". There was only "shaojiu" similar to the word "baijiu", and even the word "shaojiu" only appeared during the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

In ancient times, most Chinese people drank yellow rice wine with more complex processes, while so-called white wine was not popular due to its pungent taste, crude process, and strong stamina.

As for why white wine defeated rice wine in later generations, it was because during special periods, there was a shortage of food, and grain-based wine could not be used. Even sorghum was not enough to eat. In order to make up for the people's demand for alcohol, a small amount of sorghum was used to brew high-quality wine. Several base wines are diluted with water to reduce the concentration, and even flavors and edible alcohol are added to the diluted wine to meet the needs of a large number of wines.

As for why the special period ended and grain production increased but there was still not much rice wine, then we have to ask why bad money drives out good money. The cost is low, the profit is high, and the cycle is short. Manufacturers can spend a lot of money to bribe the braggadocio. Naturally, there are more and more black technologies and ruthless products, which are more fragrant and exciting. Anyway, you only need to drink them on the spot to avoid death.

And those rice wineries that maintained their traditions and carefully brewed good wines closed down one after another. It takes at least one or two years to make rice wine. As for white wine, especially blended white wine, you only need to bother to put a label on it. Then there must be all kinds of sweet potatoes, all kinds of goods, all kinds of traffic, all kinds of bricks and mortar, all kinds of A certificate to prove its excellent quality...

Can it not be excellent?

It is guaranteed to be added in proportion, and there will be no shortage of black technology!

This is the rule of the drinking game in later generations, and it can be regarded as a different kind of "evolution". Rice wine is not suitable for the fast-paced life of later generations. The most expensive cost that cannot be reduced is "time", so when you need to narcotize yourself quickly, capital caters to the choice.

What about people?

How much time does it take for a person to practice martial arts and reach a level similar to that of Lu Bu, or even lower, at least an elite warrior who can fight on the battlefield and has a higher survival rate?

Sometimes you can succeed in a short time?

Fei Qian brought a lot of "black technology" and was also crowding out the living space of generals like Lu Bu. So does this mean that with the gunpowder developed by Fei Qian's craftsmen, there is no need for personal martial arts generals like Lu Bu? Anyway, no matter how high one is in martial arts, one cannot withstand the roar of artillery.

Obviously it doesn't work...

Even in the age of hot weapons, those who know martial arts on the battlefield will have a higher chance of survival.

Jia Xu gently shook the wine gourd. He also liked drinking, but what he liked more was drinking with people he knew well. Lu Bu couldn't be said to be someone he knew well, he could only be regarded as someone who knew the basics.

"This wine..." Jia Xu said slowly, "It was created by my lord. I remember that when my lord was in the Northland and doing these things of eating and drinking, the people in Shandong mocked him as the reincarnation of Taotie..."

Lu Bu raised his eyebrows, as if he wanted to say something, but after smacking his lips twice, he raised the wine gourd and took a sip without saying anything.

Zhejiang wine is actually based on the original rice wine with the addition of zhejiang.

Of course, the process is not a simple addition.

The process of multiple filtrations made the Zhejiang wine contain a few fewer residue particles than ordinary rice wine, and it was a little more sweet and rich, which also made Lu Bu's mood gradually become happier.

This is human instinct, like a blind bear licking honey.

Sugar is the most profound trace engraved in human genes.

Eating too much sugar is not good, eating too much sugar is not good, eating too much sugar is not good...

Say important things three times.

This sentence is a warning that accompanies everyone in the future as they grow up. But when you say no with your mouth, your body is very honest. Because the addictiveness of sugar is even higher than that of so-and-so. The reason why every sip of happy water makes you happy is that there is sugar in it that exceeds the normal standard.

But now, as soon as Zhejiang wine appeared, it became almost popular in Chang'an, replacing the original status of spiced wine from the Western Regions and becoming the latest happy water for fat houses in the Han Dynasty.

In today's big man world, no one can refuse a sip of fat house happy water... er, Zhejiang wine.

Lu Bu was originally just preparing to take a sip with Jia Xu, otherwise he would appear timid, but he couldn't hold it back after taking a sip. After a while, he took another sip, and then another sip, unknowingly drinking the Zhejiang wine from Xiaojiu Gourd. Drink it all.

"If this wine is sold in the Western Regions," Jia Xu looked at Lu Bu swinging the wine gourd. He had no intention of giving his wine gourd to Lu Bu. Instead, he swung it for a few times, took a sip, and tasted it slowly before saying. , "I wonder how much it's worth?" Who wants to buy it? 』

Lu Bu finished drinking the "Happy Water" and his mood was obviously much better. He laughed and said, "No matter what others think, if it were me, I would buy some anyway!" 』

Jia Xu nodded and said: "This is the purpose of the Lord's Fair to determine the Western Region... If the Western Region is restored, this wine will be sold to Guishuang, rest in peace, and stay with merchants, buy residences, carry out the method of cannibalization, and promote the method of enlightenment." ...』

Lu Bu was stunned.

He looked at the wine gourd.

He held it up as if he was holding not a wine gourd but a knife. And he just swallowed the knife in his stomach, and he was quite happy.

"Wen He... you... alas..." Lu Bu didn't know what to say, "Are you... just born to be so calculating?" 』

Lu Bu may have originally wanted to say Fei Qian, but when the words came to his lips, he took a wrong turn.

Jia Xu laughed loudly, "This method is not new!" Wasn't it the same when my lord entered Sichuan and Sichuan earlier? Just changed some utensils! Why do you say sooner or later? 』

"..." Lu Bu held his breath for a long time before spitting it out, remaining silent.

Jia Xu is not wrong, this is not a new method. When Fei Qian entered Sichuan, he just swung these gold and silver properties to clear the way, and this method was also not invented by Fei Qian. How did the Golden Bull Road in Sichuan and Shu come about? Hasn't this been already explained? ?

"Dawan has horses, we have wine..." Jia Xu laughed, then looked at Lu Bu and shook his head, "What a pity..."

Lu Bu suddenly felt that the happiness brought by the happy water seemed to have passed, and the dissatisfaction in his heart began to boil again, and he couldn't help but darken his face.

Jia Xu swayed the gourd of wine and took another sip. "After the chaos in the Western Regions was suppressed, education, agriculture, engineering examinations, and chambers of commerce were established in accordance with Longyou's method to meet the needs of the four peoples. At the same time, in Xihai City, the Han people In the gathering place, official offices such as Hucao, Cangcao, and Facao are established according to the law to coordinate and handle various political affairs. There are also patrol inspectors and Zhiyin to govern the people... and General Taishi is in charge of military affairs... 』

"The purpose of soldiers and generals is to kill bandits, stabilize the area, and resist foreign enemies..." Jia Xu raised his eyes and glanced at Lu Bu, "This is the way to continue government affairs in the Western Regions... Well, the same kind of government affairs This method is not new, haha, it has been implemented in Longyou for a long time, and it is quite flexible and effective..."

Lu Bu pursed his lips, "...Wen He came here specifically to mock Yu?" ! 』

Jia Xu shook his head and sighed, "No." It's just a slight sigh...the policy is not a new policy, the law is not a new law, the law is not a new law, this is the way...it is not a new way, what can I do, what can I do! 』

Lu Bu squinted his eyes, feeling that Jia Xu said no, but in his heart he meant it.

"My lord is thinking, but the wonderful method is ordinary." Jia Xu shook the wine gourd in his hand and said, "If we didn't get this wine, who would know the beauty of wine?" If you hadn't personally been involved in the affairs of the Western Regions, who would have known how complicated it was? Lu Fengxian, have you ever thought about it, do you want to live or do you want to die? 』

"life and death? Lu Bu stared at Jia Xu, "What do you say?" 』

"If you want to live, it's simple..." Jia Xu said slowly, "If you want to live, there are two ways. One is to go to Jiuyuan and return home to become a countryman, the other is to live in Chang'an and serve as a military academy instructor..."

Lu Bu was silent.

Jia Xu was not in a hurry, sitting on one side and sipping his drink slowly.

After a while, Lu Bu said, "What if you want to die?" 』

"It's easy to die..." Jia Xu pointed out, "This time the Western Region Allied Forces will be defeated. After defeating each country, they should collect their troops... By then, they can lead their troops to fight in Guishang, and they can die." 』

Lu Bu took a deep breath.

Raw, simple. Let go of the military power in your hands, let go of the pride in your appearance, and let go of everything you have been burdened with. When all authority is put down, life will naturally become simpler.

Death is just as simple. On the battlefield, several people returned with their bodies wrapped in horse leather. Not to mention being weak on the battlefield, even if they win the battle, if they conquer Dawan, they may still have some hope of coming back in their lifetime, but if they want to conquer Guishuang, they will basically have a narrow escape.

After all, Lu Bu is no longer young.

The journey to Dawan is measured in years, so the expedition to Kushan is almost measured in ten years. How many decades does Lu Bu have left? He now feels that he is getting older and his strength is declining. If he really goes to Guishuang, even if he can win, he will probably not have time to come back.

And is Kuishang easy to fight? Although Jia Xu did not go into details, Lu Bu also knew that he would not be able to bring a large number of Han soldiers and have almost constant back-up support like the last time he attacked the Western Regions. He could only rely on his own private soldiers. , and the incomplete soldiers of various countries gathered after defeating the Western Region Alliance, that's all.

"My lord is not afraid..."

Lu Bu just said half of the sentence slowly, suddenly woke up, and then swallowed the rest of the sentence.

Jia Xu smiled.

Lu Bu originally wanted to say that Fei Qian was not afraid of him commanding the troops again and leading the remnants of the Western Regions to stage a second rebellion, but after saying a few words, Lu Bu himself understood that Fei Qian was really not afraid of this matter...

Because the situation is different from before.

Although Fei Qian is not as brave as Lu Bu, in fact it is no longer the time to conquer the world alone.

Just like the Western Regions, if Lu Bu's reputation for bravery and bravery was really that important, would there still be a Western Region coalition?

Lu Bu was silent for a long time, and then said slowly, "Thank you Wen He for the tip... I need to think about it..."

"It doesn't matter. You should think carefully about matters of life and death. 』

Jia Xu nodded and stood up. Just as he was about to leave, he was stopped by Lu Bu.

"Wenhe... this wine is very beautiful. If it is convenient, what can I do with the remaining wine?" 』

Jia Xu said oh, looked at the small gourd in his hand, and felt a little reluctant to part with it, but still put it on Lu Bu's table before turning and leaving.

Lu Bu picked up the small wine gourd and shook it. There was not much wine left in the wine gourd, probably only about half. He sighed and took a sip.

The sweet and mellow wine slipped from the mouth.

When the taste buds receive the taste of sugar, they send a signal to the brain, and the brain releases dopamine and releases it to the nucleus accumbens, making people feel happy...

This is the instinct of human survival, this is the joy of eating. This thing engraved in genes drove human ancestors to actively consume high-calorie foods in the primitive era when food was scarce, thereby increasing more chances of survival. .

That’s right, every sip of happy water is actually the singing of instinct.

So now, what is Lu Bu's instinct saying?

Lu Bu took a long breath and looked up at the sky.

To live or to die, that is the question.