Three Kingdoms: Ancestors of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 237 Madam Xiahou
Jingzhou, Nanxiang County (Note ①), Yin County.

In early summer, all kinds of wild flowers in the mountains are in full bloom, and the mountains and plains are full of colorful colors. Butterflies are flying among the flowers, and swarms of bees are busy among the flowers, creating a scene full of vitality.

Under the shade of the tree, the beautiful woman raised her wrist and picked up a pen to outline the beautiful scenery in front of her on the Shu brocade.

The handsome Xia Houxuan raised his eyes to look at his sister, put down the scroll in his hand, and asked impatiently, "Yuanrong, are you finished painting? If it's any later, it will be dark."

The beauty glanced at her elder brother out of the corner of her eye, and said calmly: "If brother has something urgent, you might as well go back first."

Xia Houxuan smiled sheepishly, held the scroll, and said, "It's all right! I'm just worried for my brother that it's getting late and there are bad people coming and going."

The beautiful lady under the veil lightly opened her lips and said, "General Hussars, uncle (Xia Houru) is in the west, uncle (Cao Zhen) is in the north, how can Western Shu invade Nanxiang County?"

Hearing this, Xia Houxuan smiled slightly, and jokingly said: "Don't forget, your future husband is also in the west."

This beautiful woman is Sima Shi's fiancée Xia Houhui, named Yuanrong.His mother, the township owner of Deyang, is the younger sister of Da Sima Cao Zhen. Because she lost her father in her early years, she is very knowledgeable; she is talented and likes Danqing.

Xia Houhui's face was flushed, a little shy, Xia Houxuan rolled his eyes, and said in a low voice: "Brother, don't make fun of me!"

Xia Houxuan chuckled, looking at his younger sister who was so attractive, he felt a little bit reluctant, after all, in a few months, he would be another woman.

Xia Houxuan, courtesy name Taichu, Cao Zhen's nephew, Cao Shuang's cousin, had little reputation, was noble, talented, learned, and had great ambitions.

Xia Houhui pursed his red lips and said, "Brother always accompanies His Majesty, you should keep your emotions calm, let alone judge people by their appearance and make others displeased."

Xia Houxuan was silent for a while, looking at his younger sister who knew people well, and said with emotion: "The words of Yuanrong, I will remember them in my heart, I dare not forget them!"

When Xia Houxuan sat with Empress Mao’s younger brother Mao Zeng (Note ②), Xia Houxuan showed displeasure on the spot because of Mao Zeng’s ugly appearance.

Xiahou Hui stopped the writing brush in his hand, sighed quietly, and said: "Brother, my father died young. I entrust the prosperity of the Xiahou family to my brother. I hope that my brother will be cautious in his words and deeds. If my brother can correct this shortcoming, with my talent, I will definitely be able to help you." Can revitalize my Xiahou family, be the prime minister of our great Wei, and help our great Wei to rule the world."

Xia Houxuan nodded, and said with a smile: "It's a pity that Yuanrong is a woman. If she were a man, she and I would be able to rejuvenate the Xiahou family and help Wei."

Xia Houhui smiled sweetly, and said softly: "My sister is just a superficial opinion. My brother is resourceful and decisive. Brother Sima and brother Xiuyuan (Chen Ben) can all help him."

When Xia Houxuan was about to answer, someone suddenly came to report, and said in panic: "Patriarch, the Shu riders are plundering at the foot of the mountain, please leave quickly, Patriarch and Miss."

Xiahou Huihua turned pale, and asked: "Isn't the Shu army far away in Weixing County (Ankang County)? How could it go deep into Nanxiang County. Where is the uncle's army? Isn't there still Yunguan?"

Because of the existence of Shangyong County and Yunguan, Nanxiang County has never been in a war. This time, Wu Ban attacked Xiahouru at night and defeated the Wei army. Nanxiang County, which had been peaceful for a long time, fell into war.

Compared to Xiahou Hui's panic, Xia Houxuan was calmer, pulled Xiahou Hui straight away, and told: "Everyone follow quickly, don't bring anything, and hurry back to Yin County."

Xia Houhui held up her skirt and strode forward, trying to keep up with her elder brother.

Xia Houxuan stepped onto the carriage, and then pulled Xiahou Hui into the carriage, and told everyone, "Let's go quickly, and be careful of the Shu riders."

Beside the carriage, the head of the department rode a war horse and replied, "No!"

The leader of the trilogy rode his horse in front, and dozens of tributaries surrounded the carriages, looking for a sparsely populated road, with smoke and dust billowing all the way.

Not far away, the people of Yin County cried to each other, carrying their burdens, and were forced by the Han army to leave their hometowns and drive to the Han River.

The male dared not speak out, and went to a foreign land with big bags and small bags; the woman wept, supported the old man and young child at home, and followed her husband.

The burly Wu Huan stood on both sides of the road and shouted: "Everyone, don't worry, those who go to our big Han will all share the land, exempt from tax for three years, and don't lack food and clothing."

Wu Huan, the son of Wu Yi, also known as Bohua, knew about military affairs, married a daughter of the Zhang family in Shuzhong, and had a son Wu Qiao.

This time, Wu Ban led [-] armored soldiers to take a boat and go straight down the Han River to Nanxiang County. First, they broke through Wudang County, leaving Liu Yin to relocate the people of Wudang County, and then continued down the river to Yin County (near Fujiazhai, Laohekou City) , Fengxian area, plundered the population, and moved to Hanzhong.

As soon as this remark came out, the crying of the people became much quieter, and they were half-believed, and they were chased onto the boat by Han cavalry.

"My lord, there seems to be a large number of cavalry in the north." The guard reported.

Hearing this, Wu Huan tightened the reins, turned the horse's head, and said: "I will lead the army to fight, and you will guard these people on board, and you must not be disturbed by the Wei army."

"No! General, be more careful." The personal guard clasped his fists and said.

Wu Huan held his horse spear, shouted to more than two hundred cavalry soldiers, and galloped away, rolling up waves of yellow sand.

On the trail, the groom frantically raised his whip and drove the carriage, galloping on the rugged mountain road, bumping up and down.

Xia Houxuan lifted the curtain of the car, only to see smoke and dust billowing behind him, and a large number of cavalrymen chasing after him, he scolded, "speed up, speed up."

The groom was sweating profusely as he pumped the horse frantically, but the horse, which had reached its limit, could no longer speed up at all.

Seeing that the Han army was about to catch up, the head of Buqu sent out more than ten cavalry to try to slow the pace of Han cavalry.

Using the stirrups under his feet, Wu Huan stretched his bow and set an arrow, shot one person, and then continued to chase after him.

More than ten cavalry in Xiahou's trilogy were also thrown off by the Han army one after another, and fell off their horses, without stopping the Han cavalry's footsteps at all.

Inside the carriage, Xia Houxuan looked at the Han Qi who was getting closer, grabbed the maid and pushed her down the carriage.

The servant girl was crying, pushing, holding onto the wooden railing tightly, and looking at the young lady again, as if she was begging for something.

Xia Houhui lifted the curtain of the car, looked at the panicked maid in the car, and sighed.

She is smart, how could she not know the current situation, the speed of the carriage is too slow, and it is easy for Han Qi to catch up with her.Even if the maid was pushed out of the carriage, it would be difficult for him and his elder brother to escape, and now the only way for him to escape is by riding the horse.

Xiahou Hui's jade hands hidden in his sleeves squeezed the handkerchief, and said softly, "Brother, stop!"

Xia Houxuan, who was disheveled, stopped his movements and looked at his sister.

Xia Houhui's eyes were red, and he said, "Elder brother flees on horseback, leave younger sister in the carriage!"

Hearing this, Xia Houxuan blushed, pointed at the maid, and said loudly: "Throw her out of the car, you and my brothers and sisters can escape."

Xia Houhui pursed her red lips, shook her head and said, "It won't help if you throw Yi'er down. Cavalry is always faster than a carriage. Unless my brother flees on horseback, my brother and I will be captured."

Xia Houxuan no longer had a gentle and refined appearance, and shouted: "Impossible, I can't leave you alone. You must know how your woman can protect herself in the chaos of the army? I will stay with you."

Wetting the gauze with tears, Xiahou Hui said in a mournful voice, "Brother, you are the hope of Xiahou's recovery and the only male in the family. How can you compare with me?"

Xia Houxuan shook his head again and again, and said in a sobbing voice, "Yuanrong, how could I abandon you."

Xiahou Hui drew out his dagger, stabbed it on the white swan's neck, and said, "Brother, if you don't leave, Hui'er will die in front of you."

Xia Houxuan was at a loss, and quickly said: "No, put down the dagger."

Xiahouhui's eyes were red, and he said in a sobbing voice, "Don't worry, brother, Xiahouhui has his own way to protect himself."

……

In the end, Xia Houxuan was persuaded by Xia Houhui, and he rode away crying bitterly, leaving Xia Houhui and his maid Xia Houyi in the carriage.

Xiahou Huiyu held Xiahouyi's hand and said softly, "Don't worry, I have a way to keep you and me alive."

Xiahouyi Xiaoniaoyiren hid in the corner of the carriage behind Xiahouhui, listening to Xiahouhui's words, and grabbed her sleeve tightly.

As the sound of horseshoes approached, Xiahou Hui couldn't help clenching the dagger hidden in his sleeve.

The sound of horseshoes ended, and a Han rider opened the curtain. Although he couldn't see the appearance of Xiahou Hui behind the veil, he could vaguely see his stately appearance, and he couldn't help but feel a little dull.

Xia Houhui snorted coldly and scolded loudly: "Who are you to be so rude?"

When Han Qi saw Xiahou Hui's noble aura, he couldn't help being timid, lowered his head and lowered the curtain, and called Wu Huan to come.

Wu Huan was curious, and through the curtain of the car, asked in a deep voice: "Who are you, dare to scold our soldiers?"

Xia Houhui held the dagger tightly, without any timidity, and said in a cold voice: "I am a clan member of the Han Dynasty, and the soldiers are rude. Why can't I scold you? What is your name? What is your official?"

Hearing this, Wu Huan was taken aback for a moment, how could there be any clan relatives of the Han Dynasty in the territory of Wei.

Wu Huan was even more curious, and said, "I am a relative of the Han Dynasty, Wu Huan, the son of the General Zuo of the Han Dynasty. I don't know who is in the car?"

Xiahou Hui slightly let go of the dagger that was full of sweat, and said lightly: "I am Mrs. Xiahou (Zhang Fei's wife), the mother of the empress of the Han Dynasty, and I and the empress are both cousins."

Wu Huan knew that he had caught a big fish, and at the same time he knew the love between Liu Chan and the queen, so he didn't dare to offend Xiahou Hui, cupped his hands, and said, "I have offended you so much, please forgive me. Please Miss Xiahou, please come to Shu with Huan, and marry the queen." Let’s talk about family affection.”

"Hmm!" Xiahou Hui replied lightly.

Wu Huan commanded the Han cavalry to escort Xiahou Hui's carriage to the bank of the Han River, and finally sent it to the boat, and entered Hanzhong with the people.

"Han Ji Guangwen Emperor's Concubine Biography": "Mrs. Xiahou, named Xiahouhui, styled Yuanrong, was born in Qiao County, Peiguo, father Xiahoushang, brother Xiahouxuan, and Shaogu. She was a vulgar teacher of Sima, and she admired Zhongzu Yingwei , with outstanding literary talents, he left home and went to Sichuan. The Zhongzu heard that Madam is well-informed, so he accepted her as his wife."
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① When Cao Cao pacified Jingzhou, because Nanyang County had too much jurisdiction over 36 counties, eight counties in the west of Nanyang County were divided into Nanxiang County.

② "Shi Shuo Xin Yu": Emperor Wei Ming sent his younger brother Mao Zeng to sit with Xia Houxuan, and people at that time called Jianjia (reed) leaning on a jade tree.

(End of this chapter)