Colorful years

After listening to the heroic legend of "The Oath of the Peach Garden," Congcong felt as if he could travel through time and witness Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei, the three heroes, raising their cups and making a heroic vow to share joys and sorrows and create a great cause together in a garden full of blooming peach blossoms.

Grandpa's voice was deep and magnetic: "People in that era valued loyalty and kept their promises. For the sake of brotherhood, they would even go through fire and water without hesitation."

Congcong listened with rapt attention, his little hands tightly gripping his grandfather's warm hands, as if he could feel the passion and enthusiasm flowing in his veins.

As Grandpa recounted the famous story of "Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage" with great emotion, a sincere and profound respect involuntarily appeared on his weathered face.

Grandpa squinted slightly, as if he could see that legendary scene from years past through the long river of time.

He murmured to himself with deep emotion, "Zhuge Liang, what an extraordinary and astonishing figure! Before even stepping out of that humble thatched hut, he had already, with his exceptional wisdom and keen insight, seen through the political situation of the world and accurately predicted that the world would eventually be divided into three kingdoms. Such foresight is simply breathtaking!"

Then, Grandpa's tone became even more impassioned: "And what about Liu Bei? This hero, who was ambitious and eager to achieve great things, did not hesitate to humble himself and go to great lengths to personally visit Zhuge Liang time and time again in order to invite him to come out of seclusion and assist him."

The long journey and the harsh weather could not deter his eagerness to seek out talented individuals. This sincere intention and unwavering spirit finally deeply touched Zhuge Liang's proud heart, successfully winning his wholehearted loyalty and tireless assistance.

Sitting to the side, Congcong was listening intently to his grandfather's story, his bright eyes wide and unblinking, completely immersed in that magnificent period of history.

He seemed to have traveled through time and space, personally arriving in that turbulent era of heroes, and witnessing firsthand the moving scene of Liu Bei's three visits to Zhuge Liang's thatched cottage.

As the story unfolds, Congcong secretly ponders and makes a grand ambition: he must study hard, constantly enrich himself, and in the future become a great figure like Zhuge Liang, who is both wise and persevering, shining brightly on his own stage of life.

After Grandpa finished telling the wonderful story of "Borrowing Arrows with Straw Boats," which showcased Zhuge Liang's brilliant strategies, Congcong's admiration for Zhuge Liang's intelligence reached an extreme level. He wished he could immediately possess the same talent and strategies.

Grandpa vividly described the river that night: "The fog was so thick that you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. Zhuge Liang cleverly took advantage of the enemy's suspicion and sent straw boats to feign an attack, actually 'borrowing' 100,000 arrows from Cao Cao. This plan was truly a stroke of genius, and it's breathtaking!"

Congcong gently closed his eyes, and an image began to appear in his mind—boats woven from thatch, like ghosts, appearing and disappearing in the thick fog. He couldn't help but be immersed in this wonderful imagination, and a deep sense of reverence welled up in his heart for the ancient sage who had created such a brilliant plan.

When his thoughts drifted back to the tragic story of "The Burning of the Camps," Congcong was deeply moved.

He deeply felt the cruelty and ruthlessness brought about by war; the bloodshed and destruction were chilling.

At this moment, Grandpa's voice slowly came over, becoming increasingly heavy and sorrowful. Grandpa said, "In that thrilling battle, Liu Bei became arrogant and complacent because of his previous victories, and his mind went blank."

He readily believed Lu Xun's feigned weakness, completely unaware that it was actually a trap. Thus, Liu Bei's army walked step by step into the enemy's meticulously laid encirclement.

At this point, Grandpa paused, seemingly reluctant to continue, but finally gritted his teeth and said, "Immediately afterwards, Lu Xun ordered a raging fire to be set on fire. In an instant, the fire spread rapidly, as fierce as a wild beast. Liu Bei's seven-hundred-mile-long camp was instantly engulfed in flames and turned into ruins."

Countless soldiers struggled for survival in the inferno, their cries and pleas for help echoing through the sky. Many families were torn apart, spouses separated, fathers and sons forever parted, and homes destroyed. This terrible fire not only destroyed Liu Bei's army but also utterly extinguished his grand dream of unifying the world, reducing it to nothing.

Congcong listened quietly to his grandfather's narration, his heart growing heavier with each passing moment. He felt as if he were witnessing firsthand the night sky illuminated by the firelight, seeing the despair on people's faces and their endless suffering.

Those horrific scenes were etched deeply into his heart like a brand, leaving him unable to let go for a long time.

The story of "The Marriage Proposal of Dongwu" allowed Congcong to experience the complexity and helplessness of political marriage in ancient times.

Grandpa slowly recounted, "In order to consolidate his alliance with Liu Bei, Sun Quan married his younger sister, Sun Shangxiang, to Liu Bei. This was both a political necessity and a helpless twist of fate!"

Upon hearing this, Congcong recalled the image of Sun Shangxiang, the princess of Eastern Wu. She may have been beautiful and charming, but she had to leave her familiar hometown and marry into a foreign country.

Congcong couldn't help but feel pity, as if he could sense the pain and helplessness deep in her heart.

The heroic deeds of "Saving the Lord at Changban Slope" made Congcong deeply respect Zhao Yun's loyalty and bravery.