"A major historical turning point?"
Wen Mang shook his head, feeling that his uncle's hustle for a meal had truly reached the point of desperation.
Even for an H5 game, the least you could do was polish it a bit.
After all, in the same push notification list, those games that opened by calling you "Master," "Doctor," or "Traveler" were far more tempting than this.
Wen Mang snorted in disdain.
Calmly, he tapped all the notifications to mark them as read and clear the little red dots, casually browsing through the so called generous yet clearly money baiting events. The only annoyance was that the H5 game insisted on being opened.
Open it, then.
As soon as it loaded, two animations popped up in succession.
The first showed a chibi character standing on a map, plunging a long sword into the words "Chang'an."
After closing that, another chibi emperor appeared. This one was even more outrageous, pulling out a cannon from behind his back and unleashing a wild barrage.
Without realizing it, Wen Mang added a voiceover in his head.
This lord has arrived. Everyone move aside.
He curled his lips. Two words filled his mind.
So stitched together. So tacky.
In quick, efficient motions, he burned through the deviation points and the so called major turning point.
Then he closed the new popups.
"Replay function unlocked."
"User privileges upgraded."
After confirming there were no more red dots, Wen Mang finally exited in peace.
But thinking again of that chibi character, and recalling how a few days earlier Dongfang Ye had specifically called to thank him for the painting "Liu Bei Retakes the Three Qins" and even added an extra payment, a strange thought suddenly surfaced, making Wen Mang laugh silently.
Could it be that the big spender giving gifts was actually a plant hired by this crappy game?
Shaking his head, Wen Mang ultimately refocused on the video before him and stretched lazily.
Seeing the calendar beside him inching closer and closer to the New Year, another thought jumped into his mind.
Maybe he should do a special New Year episode during Spring Festival.
...
Lu Su and Bu Zhi ultimately went their separate ways.
Bu Zhi, now serving as Sun Quan's envoy, urgently needed to obtain a ceasefire promise from Liu Bei. After all, Gan Gui's Jin Fan Navy was still strutting about on the river.
The Yangtze not only divided north and south, it was also the lifeline of Jiangdong.
South of the river, hills were everywhere. Building roads consumed enormous manpower and resources. How could that compare to the convenience of water transport?
At present, Gan Gui could not fully blockade the river from Jiangxia to Jianye with a single fleet. Yet the fact that the ships of Jiangdong's great clans now had to sneak along the river was already infuriating enough.
Thus Bu Zhi bore pressure like a mountain on this journey. Seeing Lu Su appear relaxed and carefree, he could not help but lose his composure.
They hastily parted ways, Bu Zhi quickening his pace straight toward Chang'an.
Lu Su, by contrast, was far more at ease. Liu Huangshu had merely invited him to go to Chang'an, without strictly specifying when he must arrive.
So he decided to take his elderly mother along, traveling at a leisurely pace, stopping and resting along the way. This also conveniently delayed their arrival until the north warmed up a bit. Otherwise, he worried his mother might not adapt to the climate.
The mountain ranges he saw around Fangling and Shangyong reminded Lu Su of his days in Jiangdong and the scenery of his home in Jingnan. He wondered how things were back home now.
When passing through Hanzhong, Lu Su deliberately stayed for a time, visiting the people, touring the landscape, and even going to see Yangping Pass.
Thinking back to how Zhang Lu had once relied on this strategic pass to hold Hanzhong, leaving Liu Zhang utterly helpless.
Now the pass had been taken by Zhang Fei, and the main army had shifted to hold the natural fortress of Tong Pass. This once critical stronghold had fallen into abandonment, with only a small detachment left to handle inspections and registrations. Grass had already begun growing atop the walls, a clear sign that this mighty pass was completely obsolete.
At a roadside tea stall near the junction, Lu Su ordered two pots of tea and found a comfortable seat to stretch out and relax. Closing his eyes, he listened to a smooth tongued scholar nearby animatedly recounting the tale of "Going North to the Desert, Huo Qubing's First Victory, Capturing the King and Earning a Marquisate in One Battle."
The early summer sunlight was just right. Though slightly colder than Jiangdong, it carried a reassuring calm that soothed the spirit. Gazing at the sky, listening to the rhythmic clacking of wooden paddles from a round waterwheel in the Han River nearby, Lu Su gradually drifted off to sleep.
When they set out again from Hanzhong and left the Bao Xie Road behind, the eight hundred li of flat Qin Plain ahead made Lu Su's eyes light up. For the first time, a hint of understanding dawned in his heart.
With no mountains in sight and free rein to ride, it was no wonder that northern heroes throughout history had all sought glory from horseback. Had he, Lu Su, been born not in Jingnan but in Hebei, perhaps he too would have aspired to become a mounted warrior driving out invaders.
Beside the great road, the Wei River surged onward. On the other side, fields lay neatly divided and orderly. In the distance, mountain ranges rose again, cutting apart the flat land and the sky. This land captivated Lu Su, stirring an urge to let his horse run freely eastward, carrying him past Tong Pass to see what the Central Plains, where heroes contended for supremacy, truly looked like.
Once they reached Guanzhong, Lu Su's pace quickened. After two more days of travel, a great city loomed in the distance.
Yet what caught Lu Su's attention was a roadside pavilion.
This was a major junction where several smaller roads merged into the main route, so many travelers chose to rest here. A pavilion had been built for that purpose, but its name left Lu Su momentarily speechless.
Awaiting Lu Su Pavilion.
Blunt to an almost absurd degree, as if someone were deliberately waiting here just for him.
On the pavilion pillar hung another sign, explaining its purpose.
Built to await the great talent of Linhuai, Lu Zijing.
Lu Su wanted nothing more than to cover his face and hurry past, but his sleeve was firmly seized by his mother.
Madam Lu stepped forward enthusiastically and struck up conversation.
"This pavilion has such a name. So where is the one waiting?"
With someone starting a conversation, the common folk resting there eagerly chimed in, talking over one another. Lu Su quickly grasped the situation.
The pavilion had been built by Liu Huangshu two months ago, and he came here every day to wait for a time, continuing until today.
As for why he was not present now, it was likely because it was the busy farming season, and Huangshu had gone to help widows and orphans with their work.
One man muttered, "I wonder who this Lu Zijing is, to make Huangshu wait so long."
Another replied casually, "Why worry about that? Isn't it good enough to have a place to rest?"
Just then, a child jumped up and shouted.
"Huangshu is back."
Liu Bei had always had sharp eyes. At a glance, he spotted Lu Su, whose bearing stood out from the crowd, as well as the guards and the elderly woman beside him.
More importantly, he had met Lu Su before.
From afar, Liu Bei laughed heartily and called out.
"Jingzhou, Hanzhong, Guanzhong. Have these three lands met Zijing's approval?"
Lu Su sighed inwardly, cupped his hands, and responded loudly.
"My journey has been slow and indolent, making Duke Xuande wait so long. I am deeply ashamed."
Their exchange was clear and unmistakable, causing the resting commoners to immediately turn their attention toward Lu Su. Whispers could be heard plainly.
"So this is Lu Su. How great is his talent?"
"I think he's not as good as Mister Zhuge. At least he's not as good looking as Mister Zhuge."
"Quiet. This is Huangshu's guest."
The people hurriedly tried to smooth things over, though limited by their learning, they could only offer remarks like "Mister Lu is a fine gentleman."
Looking at the bustling pavilion, Lu Su considered briefly before speaking.
"Since I have come, I will not depart without farewell. Duke Xuande may return to Chang'an. Tomorrow, I shall visit you personally."
"Why wait until tomorrow?"
Liu Bei strode forward with the vigor of a dragon and tiger, grasping Lu Su's hands tightly as soon as he arrived.
"Zijing has traveled far and endured hardship. A quiet courtyard has long been prepared for you to rest."
He then shifted to holding Lu Su with one hand, clearly intending to lead the way.
"I will guide Zijing there myself. After settling your honored mother, it will be just right to accompany me to meet an old friend."
"And tomorrow happens to bring another light screen."
"We can view it together."