Brother, stop curling up! You're curling up like the founder of the Han Dynasty!

Chapter 135 Wenji admires Liu Bei, the Imperial Uncle is truly an extraordinary person (Seeking subscriptions and monthly votes)
official way.

Banners fluttered, bearing the inscription "Liu, Imperial Uncle of the Great Han Dynasty and Governor of Yongzhou".

Behind the banner, the carriage moved slowly.

The chanting was elegant and profound.

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"Its form is graceful as a startled swan, elegant as a swimming dragon. It shines like autumn chrysanthemums and flourishes like spring pines."

"It seems like the moon is covered by light clouds, and it flutters like the snow covered by the flowing wind."

"From afar, it shines like the rising sun at dawn; up close, it glows like a lotus emerging from clear water."

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Seeing Cai Wenji repeatedly reciting the book all the way, her father Cai Gu couldn't help but say, "Wenji, although this poem is beautiful in its language, it is not the proper way of literature. It is fine to read it occasionally for self-cultivation. But you have been reciting it every day for seven days now. My ears are about to fall off from hearing it."

Cai Wenji, without taking her eyes off the scroll, said, "Since the Han Dynasty, the foremost masters of fu (a type of classical Chinese prose-poetry) are Sima Xiangru, Yang Xiong, Ban Gu, and Zhang Heng."

"Among them, Sima Xiangru's 'Zixu Fu' and 'Shanglin Fu', Yang Xiong's 'Ganquan Fu' and 'Yulie Fu', Ban Gu's 'Liangdu Fu', and Zhang Heng's 'Erjing Fu' and 'Guitian Fu' are the most famous."

"However, the 'Ode to the Goddess of the Luo River' presented by the Imperial Uncle is even better than the previous four. It is exceptionally lofty and outstanding. It is just a pity that the author of this ode is unknown. The Imperial Uncle can only guess that it was written by the Marquis of Juancheng."

Cai Gu snorted: "I have known Minister Lu for many years. My uncle claims that the copy was a rare gift from Minister Lu, and that's why he gave it to Wenji. But if Minister Lu really had so many rare copies, how could I not know? My uncle is not being honest."

Cai Wenji gently stroked the text with her delicate hand: "The claim that it is a unique copy is definitely a lie. Although it seems to be from a long time ago, the ink fragrance has not faded, and the brushwork used is similar to the 'Slender Gold' style of Jian Yong from Zhuojun, a student of Hongdumen. My father once collected 'Slender Gold' style and praised its vigorous brushwork, which is even better than 'Flying White' style."

Cai Gu's tone was even more displeased: "I have also seen Jian Yong's 'Slender Gold' calligraphy, which is indeed extraordinary. Many people imitated his style in the past. Jian Yong is now the Chief Clerk of Yongzhou. I suppose it was the Imperial Uncle who asked Jian Yong to make a copy, and then aged it to make it look like a unique copy. The Imperial Uncle is not being honest."

Cai Wenji shook her head: "That's not necessarily true. Jian Yong entered the Hongdu Gate Academy in the past with his 'Slender Gold' calligraphy style. The late emperor once asked him whether it was his own creation or something he learned from a teacher. Jian Yong said that he went into the mountains to collect herbs and met a strange person by chance, and learned the basics. However, the 'Slender Gold' calligraphy style used in this poem is far superior in brushwork and spirit to the 'Slender Gold' calligraphy style that my father collected. My uncle is also from Zhuojun."

Cai Gu's eyes widened suddenly, filled with indignation: "Wenji means that this poem was actually copied by the Imperial Uncle himself? Since we are from the same prefecture, it is possible that we both encountered extraordinary people. The Imperial Uncle is not being honest!"

Cai Wenji couldn't help but laugh and said, "Uncle has quite a deep prejudice against the Imperial Uncle."

Cai Gu's expression changed, and he sneered, "He copied a poem from who-knows-where, pretended it was a unique copy to deceive Wenji, and made me listen to it for seven days. Such flattering words and sensational actions are not the right way to govern a country."

Cai Wenji smiled, her gaze returning to the text, silently reading and appreciating it: "It's not for your uncle, so I won't read it."

Outside the carriage, Liu Bei rode his horse.

Despite facing the cold September wind, he appeared cheerful.

Although "Ode to the Goddess of the Luo River" is obscure and difficult to memorize, it was not a problem for Liu Bei. When he first learned poetry in his previous life, the first poem he memorized was "Ode to the Goddess of the Luo River".

At first, it was just youthful excitement and a desire to impress the female classmates. But after that initial excitement wore off, I immersed myself in books and deepened my understanding of the subject.

As the saying goes, "Read a book a hundred times, and its meaning will become clear."

With repeated readings, the impression deepens, and one can readily recall words or meanings.

This time, Liu Bei transcribed the "Ode to the Goddess of the Luo River" in the slender gold style of small regular script, and deliberately aged it to make it a unique copy, which made him feel the long-lost youthful excitement again.

Having spent decades writing this, he has perfected the idea of ​​having no woman in his heart, and it's normal for his repressed youth to occasionally stir again.

Since leaving Luoyang, Liu Bei's mood has improved day by day.

"Brother, do you still have any rare copies?" Zhao Yun suddenly leaned closer, his face looking rather stiff, his eyes darting left and right.

Seeing Zhao Yun's unusual behavior, Liu Bei guessed the reason: he must have been reminded of Ma Yunlu, who was still in Chang'an.

"Yunlu also studies?" Liu Bei asked rhetorically.

Zhao Yun quickly retorted, "Brother, I didn't ask for the rare copy for Yunlu."

Seeing Liu Bei's suspicious gaze, Zhao Yun gave in and lowered his head to admit, "Yes, it's for Yunlu."

Liu Bei laughed: "We men must have both the fierce strength to be invincible on the battlefield and the gentle tenderness to be as warm as the wind in the grove. We must have both strength and gentleness, and neither can be lacking."

“Yunlu doesn’t read books, and she can’t understand anything too complicated. When you get back, copy down these four lines: Blood stains the battle robe and armor red, who dares to challenge him at Dangyang! Throughout history, only Zhao Zilong of Changshan has charged into battle to protect his lord in times of crisis.”

Zhao Yun's eyes widened: "Brother, where is Dangyang? And who is this Lord of Danger? It would be too presumptuous of me to copy these four sentences for Yunlu."

Liu Bei's tone turned serious: "Fourth brother, not all women are the same."

“Cai Gong’s daughter loves reading poetry and prose, so I gave her a rare copy of the ‘Ode to the Goddess of the Luo River’; Yunlu likes to practice swordsmanship, so even if you gave Yunlu the ‘Ode to the Goddess of the Luo River’, she wouldn’t understand it.”

"What Yunlu admires is the battlefield prowess and the unique chivalry and tenderness that belongs to you, Fourth Brother: Blood-stained battle robes highlight Fourth Brother's bravery; Who can compete with you? Highlights Fourth Brother's domineering spirit; Charging into battle to save the lord in danger highlights Fourth Brother's loyalty; Only Zhao Zilong of Changshan highlights Fourth Brother's confidence that he is invincible."

“A man with these four qualities—bravery, domineering presence, loyalty, and confidence—is extremely charming! As for arrogance, we already said we'd be in the grove, just the two of you, you and Yunlu. Even if you are arrogant, Fourth Brother, only Heaven, Earth, Fourth Brother, and Yunlu know.”

"Fourth brother, you should understand this well. This is a secret that your eldest brother has never passed on. Your second and third brothers have never even heard of it."

Although Zhao Yun didn't understand, he felt it was very impressive and quickly wrote down the four sentences.

Upon reaching Caoyang Pavilion, Liu Bei ordered his troops to camp there, as the place was less than thirty li from Hongnong City.

After arranging the camp layout, Liu Bei went to Cai Wenji's carriage.

As soon as he approached, Gu Yue, a fierce-looking female guard, blocked Liu Bei's way.

"Please forgive me, Imperial Uncle, we must not overstep our bounds."

She said she was sorry, but in reality she didn't want Liu Bei to get close to Cai Wenji's carriage.

Liu Bei and Cai Wenji have not yet formally performed the six rites; it would be inappropriate to be too close to the proper etiquette.

“Gu Yue, you also come from the Gu family of Wu County. You are neither married nor have you observed proper etiquette. Why must you stop me? If you do me a favor, I will do you a favor. When we get to Chang'an, I will give you two iron axes, which are much better than the ring-pommel sword you have.”

Liu Bei had a gentle smile.

At first, Liu Bei thought Gu Yue was just an ordinary guard, but after learning more, he found out that Gu Yue was actually from the Gu family of Wu Commandery.

When Cai Yong was seeking refuge in Wu and Kuai, he took Gu Yong, a native of Wu County, as his student, teaching him to play the zither and calligraphy. Because of his quick wit and focused mind, Cai Yong was quite fond of him and gave him a name. Thus, Gu Yong and Cai Yong shared the same name "Yong" and "Yong", and Cai Yong named him Yuan Tan.

When Cai Yong returned to Chenliu, Gu Yong worried that he might be robbed by thieves on the way, so he recommended his clansman Gu Yue as his bodyguard. By seniority, Gu Yue was Gu Yong's cousin.

Because Gu Yue's mother was a concubine of a Yue woman from Danyang Mountain, and because she was extremely ugly, strong, and had a big appetite from a young age, she was often neglected and was even swept out of her home when she was ten years old.

Gu Yong took pity on his plight and often provided him with financial assistance. Seeing his extraordinary appearance and skills, he hired someone to teach Gu Yue martial arts.

Perhaps due to his fierce bloodline from the Yue people of Danyang Mountain, coupled with his natural strength, Gu Yue also developed excellent skills, making it impossible for ordinary bandits to get close to him.

From Wu County to Chenliu, no fewer than ten bandits have died under Gu Yue's twin blades.

Faced with Liu Bei's promise, Gu Yue shook his head: "Young Master has been very good to me and even gave me the courtesy name Wu Rou. I will not accept your favors or benefits."

Seeing that Gu Yue refused to accept the benefits or do him any favors, Liu Bei was not angry but pleased.

With such a heroine as Cai Wenji protecting him, Liu Bei felt more at ease.

Thinking of this, Liu Bei said, "How about this, I will still give you the iron axe. You just need to pass on a message for me, saying that I feel sorry for the soldiers' hard work and would like to ask Wenji to play the zither to express my condolences."

“These five hundred elite cavalrymen from Youzhou are all loyal and brave men who protect Yongzhou. I am the Imperial Uncle and the Governor of Yongzhou, and Wenji will marry me in the future. If we can hear Wenji playing the zither today, our morale will surely be even higher.”

Gu Yue hesitated for a moment, then said, "Uncle, please wait a moment." He then turned and walked towards the carriage.

Upon hearing Liu Bei's request, Cai Gu frowned: "The soldiers are all uncouth men. How can they understand what I'm saying? Your Majesty's request is far too impolite."

Cai Wenji responded with a smile: "Uncle, please don't hold a grudge against the Imperial Uncle. Besides, the Imperial Uncle is right. They are all loyal and brave men who protect Yongzhou, and I will marry the Imperial Uncle in the future. The Imperial Uncle asked me to play the zither because he felt sorry for the soldiers' hard work, so how could I spoil the Imperial Uncle's mood?"

Then, Cai Wenji turned to Gu Yue and said, "Wu Rou, please tell the Imperial Uncle that I will play the military song 'No Robes' later to comfort everyone."

"No Robes" is a military song adapted from the Qin Feng poem "No Robes" in the Book of Songs. Although the tunes were slightly different during the Qin and Han dynasties, the underlying principles remained the same.

The poems express the heroism and patriotism of soldiers who, when faced with a formidable enemy, prioritize the overall situation and, upon hearing "the king is raising an army," immediately sharpen their swords and spears, brandish their weapons, and rush to the front lines. They are also easy to recite.

Furthermore, Yongzhou was the former territory of the Three Qin, and along the way, Liu Bei would occasionally have drums played and music played, which was the "Unclad Army Song," demonstrating Cai Wenji's sensitivity.

Although Cai Gu wanted to dissuade her, seeing Cai Wenji's firm tone, he sighed and remained silent.

Having received the instructions, Gu Yue relayed the message back.

Liu Bei was overjoyed. After spreading the news throughout the army, he ordered the drummers to gather their drums and sing in unison to enhance the army's prestige.

The five hundred cavalrymen all knew that the woman in the carriage was Liu Bei's future wife, and upon hearing this news, they cheered.

Not long after.

Except for those on patrol and guard duty, all five hundred cavalrymen gathered around the carriage.

Cai Wenji also put on a veil to cover her face and stepped down from the carriage, while Gu Yue brought out the zither and set it up.

Although Cai Gu was reluctant, he didn't want to spoil the mood and stood on either side of Cai Wenji with Gu Yue.

As the music began, the soldiers' breathing became lighter, leaving only Cai Wenji's music.

As the harmonious drumbeats began, the increasingly uplifting drumbeats stirred the emotions of the soldiers, who joined in singing:

How can you say we have no clothes? We share the same robes. The king is raising an army; let us prepare our spears and shields.

How can you say we have no clothes? We share our garments with you. The king is raising an army; let us prepare our spears and halberds.

How can you say we have no clothes? We will share our garments with you. The king is raising an army; let us prepare our armor and weapons.

The stirring chorus under the moon, accompanied by the sounds of zither and drums, was so well-coordinated and exhilarating that even Cai Gu, who had initially looked down on the soldiers for their lack of appreciation, couldn't help but change his opinion of them.

Although he couldn't quite put his finger on it, Cai Gu could sense that Liu Bei's five hundred cavalrymen gave off a unique feeling.

If he had to use a word to describe it, Cai Gu would think of the word "disdainful".

At first, Cai Gu felt that the soldiers didn't appreciate him and that he looked down on them; but now, Cai Gu felt that all the soldiers present were looking down on him, and that he was the one being looked down on.
To Cai Gu's even greater surprise, Gu Yue, who hadn't sung a word in harmony before, was also inspired and joined in the singing.

While Gu Yue was singing, Cai Gu felt that Gu Yue's gaze towards him also carried a condescending and disdainful air.

"Is this the power of a strong military?" Cai Gu murmured to himself.

Subconsciously, Cai Gu also sang along in a low voice, but in the end, he even raised his voice as the rhythm of the zither and drums quickened and rose higher.

A long-lost surge of passion seemed to beat in Cai Gu's heart, making him feel as if he had returned to twenty years ago. Back then, Cai Gu, like Cai Yong, was fearless and believed that he could make the world a better place through his knowledge and outspokenness.

However, ever since his uncle Cai Zhi, who served as the Commandant of the Guards, was falsely accused, imprisoned, and died, Cai Gu lost his high spirits and gradually became shrewd and worldly-wise. He began to protect himself and only dared to show his unique aloofness in private.

Now, this feeling has returned with a chorus of "No Clothes," making Cai Gu feel uneasy, nostalgic, reluctant, and afraid of losing it.

Even after returning to the carriage, Cai Gu was still immersed in the feeling of his recent surge of excitement and unwilling to leave, as if he was afraid that once he stepped out, he would never be able to feel it again.

Cai Wenji felt the same way.

Having followed Cai Yong through many years of wandering and displacement, Cai Wenji had met many soldiers.

However, in Cai Wenji's mind, no army she had ever seen could compare to Liu Bei's cavalry. It was a peculiar feeling that was hard to describe yet she naturally felt that Liu Bei's cavalry was very strong.

Especially after the military music ended, the shouts of "We'd rather freeze to death than break down houses, we'd rather starve to death than plunder" surprised Cai Wenji even more.

Throughout history, have there truly been armies that would rather freeze to death than destroy a house, or starve to death than plunder?
Cai Wenji had never seen such an army before and could hardly understand it, but Liu Bei had seen it and had come into close contact with it.

Especially after the disaster struck, the light he saw in the darkness of despair was deeply etched into Liu Bei's very being.

Liu Bei knew that times had changed and it was difficult to replicate the past; in fact, he might even suffer a backlash for it.

Nevertheless, Liu Bei still wanted to give it a try.

There was originally no road in the world, but as more people walk on it, a road naturally appears.

Seeing the soldiers return to normal, Cai Wenji couldn't help but marvel:

"Uncle, you are truly an extraordinary person!"

　Listening to it on Bilibili, without clothing, feels even better, but I don't recommend listening to it late at night.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)