allonlinenovel Chapter 143 Guo Ziyi
Chapter 143 Guo Ziyi
War is so cruel.
Yu Zhanmo's troops finally arrived at Lushui City.
Night fell, but the firewood in the nearby iron basin was still burning brightly.
Yu Zhanmo continued to work diligently on thorny military issues by the light of the fire.
Xiao Si helped organize the various books.
Then another candlestick was brought over and placed in front of Yu Zhanmo.
Yu Zhanmo sighed, "Emperors and nobles are still seeking refuge."
Xiao Si Zhan stood before the table, a worn-out bamboo hairpin clutched in his hand, his eyes somewhat unfocused, and whispered:
"Yes, at this moment, the Tibetan army has completely surrounded Chang'an. Who would have thought that today's battle would leave even those once arrogant and powerful officials in a situation where they are all struggling to survive. It's not that they are only concerned with enjoying themselves now, but that they are powerless. It's not that they haven't considered the future in thirty or fifty years, but they are equally powerless."
Her words carried a hint of helplessness.
Although Yu Zhanmo was no ordinary person, a deep meaning could not be hidden in his eyes.
Just then, the sound of the lieutenant's footsteps came from outside, sounding somewhat hurried.
He pushed open the tent flap, revealing a tall figure with slightly tired shoulders, not yet fully recovered from the fatigue of battle.
Yu Zhanmo rose from the back of his chair, his posture as straight as iron, his expression solemn: "Where is Guo Ziyi's army?"
The deputy general then replied in a deep voice, "They're still in Lantian... Another batch of people who failed in their duties have been killed, and countless others have been demoted."
"I'm really in a hurry." He lowered his head slightly, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness and suppressed emotion.
Upon hearing the name "Lantian," Xiao Si unconsciously recalled her past with Zi An on this land.
Zi'an said at the time, "Xiao Si, do you know that Lantian is not just an ordinary piece of land in your eyes? As early as 212 million years ago, this place was the birthplace of our ancestors."
He paused, seemingly waiting for her reaction, and continued:
"Lantian, dating back to the Paleolithic era, was home to the 'Lantian Man,' who is even older than the 'Yuanmou Man' you know. This land is where the long journey of the Chinese nation began long ago."
Xiao Si nodded gently and smiled, "I know, Lantian Man, that moment when history was rewritten."
"Look, every word we say here today is a continuation of history." Her gaze shifted slightly into the distance, as if silently sensing the weight of this land.
Zi An smiled with a hint of teasing:
"Did you know that the story of Lantian is not just about the imprints of ancient humans? It also hides the former residences of the Three Sovereigns—the Mausoleum of Huaxu, the Mausoleum of Zunlushi, and the site of Nuwa Valley, all of which are the hometowns of the Three Sovereigns. If you really want to trace it back, Lantian is much older and more mysterious than you think, as if it is sleeping in the depths of history, waiting for someone to unlock its secrets."
Little Si blinked and replied, feigning seriousness:
"Lantian is located on the northern foothills of the Qinling Mountains, in the southeastern part of the Guanzhong Plain."
Its southeastern border is defined by the Qinling Mountains, bordering Luonan County, Shangzhou District, and Zhashui County of Shangluo City;
To the west, it is bordered by the Kuyu River, adjacent to Chang'an District and Baqiao District;
To the north, it is bordered by Mount Li, and is adjacent to Lintong District, Linwei District and Huazhou District of Weinan City.
The hometown of the Three Sovereigns, Nuwa's Valley? That certainly piques my curiosity.
Perhaps one day, we will be able to unearth even more secrets on this land, not only historical sites, but also the footprints we ourselves have left behind.
Inside the military tent in Lushui City.
A glint of light flashed in Yu Zhanmo's eyes, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly as if he were smiling, but he quickly concealed it.
As the deputy general retreated, Yu Zhanmo slowly turned around, a hint of coldness surging in his eyes.
Xiao Si suddenly spoke, her tone so calm it barely wavered: "I can understand the royal family's ruthlessness; they cannot hesitate even with their own family, let alone their ministers."
Xiao Si's words were devoid of much emotion, yet they sent a chill down one's spine, because she had personally experienced the cold decisiveness in her words, which solidified into an indescribable oppression in the air.
Xiao Si sighed softly and said, "Pudding Yu, let's not get too carried away."
Yu Zhanmo chuckled and replied, "Okay, get some rest."
Xiao Si continued, "Okay, I'll tell you a bedtime story."
She leaned leisurely against the bedside and began to recall a classic story.
She began to speak, as if chatting casually with a friend:
"Speaking of Guo Ziyi, this outstanding figure of the Tang Dynasty, he was truly—incredibly lucky!"
Do you know which year he was born?
697 AD.
Do you know when he passed away?
Yu Zhanmo was not surprised by the memories brought by time travel; it was just that sometimes history was too vast to remember all the details.
"Oh? You remember?"
"He lived until 781, almost eighty years old. You know, he only had one life, and he was completely defying fate. People say 'fate is hard to defy,' but this guy, even fate couldn't get rid of him."
Yu Zhanmo shook his head and couldn't help but laugh:
"He's a local from Weinan, Shaanxi, which to put it bluntly is Huazhou District. Don't underestimate him. At a young age, he passed the military examination and joined the army. Wow, that's incredible. He didn't have to worry about food or clothing at all and started his incredible journey of hard work."
Xiao Si suddenly sat up and began gesturing wildly:
"His father was no ordinary man either, Guo Jingzhi, the Prefect of Shouzhou. His family background was formidable. But this Guo Ziyi didn't rely on his family's wealth; he earned his position through his own hard work. Look at him, starting from the bottom in his youth, slowly, snap! He rose to the position of Prefect of Jiuyuan. Back then, he was like a ferocious beast; no one dared to mess with him!"
Yu Zhanmo added with a smile, "When the An Lushan Rebellion broke out, he was thrust onto the big stage and became the military governor of Shuofang! Back then, he led troops to rescue the emperor! Just imagine, he recovered Hebei and Hedong during that chaos, he was incredibly powerful. Then, bam, he was promoted again and became the Minister of War. He was so awesome, he even concurrently held the position of Chancellor!"
Xiao Si's eyes lit up, and then he recounted Guo Ziyi's achievements in one breath:
"He was first granted the titles of Minister of Works and Duke of Dai for his great achievements, and then became the Grand Secretary. He was on a meteoric rise! However, fate is cruel. In the second year of the Qianyuan era (759), a military defeat caused him to lose his military power and become a sinecure official. You can imagine how quickly the script changed!"
Yu Zhanmo smiled and shook his head:
"However, his fate was not so easily broken. In the first year of Baoying (762), he quelled the mutiny in Hezhong, and the title of Prince of Fenyang was handed to him. Later, in the first year of Guangde (763), foreign tribes invaded and Chang'an was lost. He was invited out of retirement again and was appointed as the Deputy Marshal of Guannei. He was able to take back Chang'an. It was as if he had 'moved from behind the scenes to the forefront, and the forefront must be glorious!'"
Xiao Si said, "The most amazing thing is that in the first year of Yongtai (765 AD), when the Tibetans and Uyghurs jointly invaded, he went to Jingyang alone and actually managed to persuade the Uyghurs and defeat the Tibetans. I even want to add some special effects to this story; it's truly incredible!"
She paused for a moment, then smiled and concluded, "Look at his life, it was truly a rollercoaster of ups and downs. In the end, when Emperor Dezong of Tang ascended the throne, he was directly honored as 'Shangfu' and appointed Grand Commandant and Chancellor. It's true, even God couldn't bear to let him return to heaven. How should I put it, that would have made the world a little less dramatic."