Chapter 524: The Hero’s Old Age, the Strange Man Zuo Ci

“Oh, this.”

Lu Bu glanced at the wound on his arm and explained, “Those barbarians had no moral principles. When I was fighting with their leader, I was accidentally hit by an arrow.”

“But fortunately the arrow was non-toxic and the wound was treated early. However, I accidentally opened the wound again on the way back.”

“Your Majesty, please forgive me for making a fool of myself.”

After hearing this, Liu Xie couldn’t help but fall into silence.

He felt mixed emotions as he looked at Lu Bu, who still had the same vigor and demeanor but whose temples had turned gray without him noticing.

Heroes will also grow old. Even a brave and invincible man like Lu Bu cannot resist the ravages of time.

With a slight sigh in his heart, Liu Xie said: “Fengxian, you are already not young anymore, you should stay in the academy and guide the students in the future.”

“My Han Dynasty is now full of talented people, not to mention Wenyuan and Zilong. Why do we need you to go to the battlefield in person?”

“Fengxiao has fallen ill, and I don’t want to see anything happen to you again.”

Lu Bu wanted to defend himself when he heard this, but he couldn’t help but asked in surprise after hearing the second half of the sentence: “Situ Guo is ill?”

He was leading his troops on a campaign and was not very clear about what was happening in Chang’an.

Liu Xie nodded and said with a heavy face, “It’s due to overwork. Imperial Doctor Hua and Imperial Doctor Zhang both said that Fengxiao is incurable and has only three months to live.”

After hearing this, Lu Bu didn’t know what to say for a moment.

He and Guo Jia were also familiar with each other. One of them was the head of the civil officials, and the other was the head of the military generals. They both served the emperor in their own ways.

But he didn’t expect that after his trip, Guo Jia would be so tired that he fell ill, and he didn’t have much time left… One can only say that things in the world are unpredictable.

“So Fengxian, you should also pay more attention.”

Liu Xie raised his eyes to look at Lu Bu and said sincerely: “I have already lost one arm, and I don’t want to lose another one.”

“If anything goes wrong with you, Ying’er and the Queen will be sad too.”

He really didn’t want to see anything happen to Lu Bu again.

Lu Bu’s face showed a complicated expression when he heard this, and he sighed: “I am already nearly sixty years old, and I know that it is time for me to retire.”

“But sometimes when I wake up in the morning, I always feel like I’m still in my twenties or thirties, in the prime of my life.”

“I can use a bow weighing 100 kilograms, wield a halberd weighing 100 kilograms, wear heavy armor and fight in the midst of a huge army for three days and three nights, then come back to sleep, and then eat ten cakes, ten kilograms of mutton, and ten jars of fine wine.”

“But I always want to do something for Your Majesty and the Han Dynasty, and I am always unwilling to admit my old age.”

Lu Bu said as he reached out and patted the gauze on his arm, and said with a wry smile: “But now it seems that I really can’t refuse to accept my old age.”

Without saying too much, even if it was seven or eight years ago, how could he be injured in a conquest of the southern barbarians?

So I am getting old, time is unforgiving.

Huang Zhong knew how to enjoy life much better than him. He retired and went home to take care of his grandchildren five years ago. On weekdays, he would go to the Military Academy for training and give lectures when he had nothing to do. He lived a very leisurely life.

Liu Xie heard the desolation in Lu Bu’s tone, so he said: “Fengxian, you have done enough for the Han Dynasty.”

“When you have time, please discipline Ying’er for me. She is too naughty. She even beat someone up in the palace today. She is really lawless.”

When his precious granddaughter was mentioned, Lu Bu instantly perked up and asked with great interest, “Did you win the battle?”

Looking at Lu Bu’s curious expression, Liu Xie suddenly felt that he shouldn’t have said this.

Letting Lu Bu discipline Liu Ying would probably only have the opposite effect.

After this joke, Liu Xie’s complicated mood disappeared instantly. He waved his hand and said, “Okay, go see Doctor Hua first, and then stay and have dinner together.” “Yes, Your Majesty.”

Lu Bu clasped his fists in response, turned around and left, but after taking only two steps he turned back again.

Liu Xie raised his eyebrows and asked, “What’s the matter?”

Lu Bu said, “Your Majesty, I met an alchemist on my way to conquer the southern barbarians. He has special skills and may be able to cure Guo Situ.”

“Alchemist?”

Liu Xie frowned. As a five-good youth who grew up under the red flag, he was a staunch materialist fighter.

He doesn’t believe in such illusory things as ghosts and gods.

But just as he was about to refuse, he suddenly thought of his time travel.

Even time travel has happened, so what else is impossible?
Besides, what if?
Thinking of this, Liu Xie asked, “Who is this Taoist priest, and what special skills does he have?”

Lu Bu said: “This man is called Zuo Ci, also known as Wujiao Zhenren, who travels around the world to heal the sick and save people.”

“That day, I was leading troops through a city in Shu County. One of the horses suddenly went crazy and charged at passers-by. I saw with my own eyes that he froze the horse in place with just one finger. He is truly a god.”

Lu Bu’s tone was full of amazement.

He could also subdue a mad warhorse with brute force, but it was absolutely impossible for him to stop the horse in place with just a finger.

“Zuo Ci?”

Liu Xie was shocked. This man was the most extraordinary person in the Three Kingdoms period and was also a divine figure written into history books.

It is rumored that Zuo Ci has the ability to call the wind and rain, and take objects from a distance, and almost all the heroes in the late Han Dynasty were fooled by him.

Cao Cao wanted to kill him, but Zuo Ci jumped into the wall and disappeared.

Later he lived in seclusion in Huoshan, and eventually lived to be 134 years old, ascending to heaven in broad daylight in full view of everyone.

These are all things recorded in history books.

Although he always felt that the history about Zuo Ci was exaggerated and fictional, but after Lu Bu’s description, could it be that the other party really had some extraordinary abilities?
After all, Lu Bu would not lie to him.

Liu Xie thought for a moment and decided to gamble for Guo Jia’s life, so he continued to ask Lu Bu: “Where is this person now?”

Lu Bu replied: “In my army.”

Liu Xie was surprised and asked, “How did he get into your army? Did you recruit him?”

Lu Bu scratched his head and said, “No… He took the initiative to follow me back to Chang’an. He said there is someone he wants to see here.”

“I just remembered this man. I think he might be able to cure Guo Situ.”

Liu Xie was even more shocked after hearing this. Zuo Ci took the initiative to follow Lu Bu back to Chang’an, and said that there was someone he wanted to see in Chang’an.

That person…could it be him?
But what did Zuo Ci want to see him for?
If it was really him, how could Zuo Ci have expected that he would definitely summon this unknown alchemist?

Liu Xie’s heart was full of doubts, and at the same time he was extremely curious about Zuo Ci.

“Fengxian, quickly send someone to invite Zuo Ci into the palace.”

“I want to see him in person.”

Liu Xie looked at Lu Bu with a stern look and said, no matter whether Zuo Ci was pretending or had real ability, he wanted to meet him.
“promise!”

Lu Bu said nothing and retreated with his fists clasped.

(End of this chapter)