Plan to cut off the nine states

Pan Kai was going to lead his troops to continue advancing. Before leaving, he left a group of people to protect the envoys from Yecheng. He said a few polite words to Fei Bing and Kou Daogu, and then invited Xu Chu to one side for a private conversation.

"I know the purpose of your trip, but I have military orders and cannot stay." Pan Kai glanced at the two envoys in the distance and whispered, "My order is to march slowly. If there is no resistance, we will reach Yecheng in five days. When to attack the city will be decided after King Liang arrives."

"Thank you for your reminder, General Pan." Xu Chu bowed.

Pan Kai immediately pressed Xu Chu's hand and said in a lower voice, "Master Xu, please don't salute me in front of outsiders."

Pan Kai glanced at his subordinates again, and when he saw that no one was looking at this side, his expression eased a little.

"General Pan...are you worried about being reported?"

"I'm fine. King Liang treats me like a close relative and has never doubted me, but... less trouble is worse than more trouble." Pan Kai smiled awkwardly, and then said: "I need Mr. Xu's help with something."

Xu Chu smiled and said: "It's just right. My temper is 'less trouble is worse than more trouble'. General Pan, please speak."

Pan Kai was even more embarrassed, and said: "Mr. Xu and King Liang are close friends. There are some things we can't say. Mr. Xu can say this... I hope Mr. Xu can calm King Liang down a little. . "

Pan Kai did not explain in detail, Xu Chu said: "I am here to calm King Liang down and not to provoke trouble lightly."

Pan Kai shook his head, indicating that he did not mean that, but he did not know how to explain it. After thinking for a while, he said: "I think King Liang did nothing wrong. We should be more vigilant against some people, but... it should not affect too many people. Master Xu will see it when the time comes. Please do not mention what I said in front of King Liang."

"Of course."

Pan Kai still did not explain clearly, but he was satisfied and bowed to say goodbye.

The Liang army broke camp and set off, leaving only a few tents and dozens of soldiers. On a large open space, hoof prints were dense, wheel tracks were crisscrossed, and stove pits were dotted. Some pits were still emitting green smoke.

Except for Kou Daogu, everyone else stood outside, watching the Liang army go away. Yu Zhan couldn't help but say, "It seems that there are not many Liang soldiers. Can there be 10,000 people? They can't capture Yecheng."

Fei Bing shook his head and said, "These people are just the vanguard, and the ones behind are the main army."

Fei Bing was right. An hour later, another army passed by on the road, holding the flag of the Liang army. The soldiers who stayed to protect the envoys of Yecheng were discussing the "Huaizhou Army". The King of Liang had few soldiers, and his soldiers were very happy to get this strong support.

About every hour or so, an army would pass by. The first few were mostly cavalry, and the latter were mainly infantry, pushing countless vehicles, all of which were full of various equipment parts.

Yu Zhan couldn't recognize the appearance of the equipment, but he could guess that it must be a siege tool. He couldn't help but be more and more frightened the more he looked at it, and murmured, "So many people, so many things..." In the end, he simply ran back to the tent and didn't dare to look anymore.

Fei Bing also sighed and turned to look at Xu Chu, "Do you still think you can persuade King Liang to retreat?"

"Why not?"

"King Liang came prepared, with many soldiers and generals, sufficient equipment, and the support of the Huaizhou army. How can he retreat easily? Even if he wants to retreat, I'm afraid the Huaizhou soldiers will not agree."

"Anyway, we have come, we have to give it a try."

Fei Bing shook his head helplessly and retreated back to the tent, not wanting to watch any more.

The army marched one after another, but King Liang did not show up. Xu Chu returned to the tent. He was tired of standing and wanted to rest.

Yu Zhan sat on the bed. I don't know if he was shaking or had this habit. His right leg kept shaking, and his eyes were fixed on Xu Chu.

Xu Chu sat down, poured himself a bowl of water, and drank slowly, "After drinking the water in Siguo Valley, I am not used to the water outside."

Yu Zhan held down his shaking right knee, "Can Master Xu really persuade King Liang to withdraw his troops?"

It was rare that he said "Master Xu", Xu Chu put down the bowl and smiled, "There is nothing that must be accomplished in the world, only things that must be done, and persuading King Liang to withdraw is the same."

"So you are not very sure."

"No matter how sure you are, it will not be 100%. In the end, success is success, and failure is failure."

"It will definitely not succeed. "Yu Zhan's legs began to tremble again, "You are not even from Yecheng, what does the safety of Yecheng have to do with you?"

"I live in the Valley of Repentance."

When this matter was mentioned, Yu Zhan felt annoyed, "Hey, you occupied the Valley of Repentance. Alas, what's the point? Even Yecheng is about to fall into the hands of others. It is said that King Liang and you have an old relationship. Our family is broken and you can still live in the valley, just changing a protector. "

"Who else is there in Mr. Yu's family?"

"Only me, do you want to say that I don't deserve 'a broken family'?" Yu Zhan said angrily.

"Mr. Yu is willing to sacrifice himself for a city, which makes me admire him." Xu Chu said.

"I was born and raised in Yecheng, so I certainly don't want to see Yecheng destroyed by war... The world is in chaos, and it's rare to find a place that can accommodate scholars. Once Yecheng is lost, all books and ink will be gone, and the Fan School's learning will be cut off."

"I'm still here."

"You are teaching pseudo-learning, it's better not to teach."

"Haha, Mr. Yu still doesn't believe me. Then let me ask you: If you can save the disciples and knowledge of the Fan School, are you willing to surrender to King Liang?"

Yu Zhan frowned, and his legs stopped shaking. "All the people taught by the Fan School are loyal and righteous. If you surrender to protect yourself when you see a strong enemy, you will kill the Fan School's learning with your own hands. People are alive, but the knowledge is gone. No, no, I would rather die as a martyr than live in disgrace and destroy the Tao!"

"I admire you. Mr. Yu's words are quite typical of the Fan family."

"Why do you ask this? Do you want to..."

"Young Master Yu doesn't regard me as a disciple of the Fan family, so you don't have to worry about what I want to do. Let me ask again: If the King of Liang can treat scholars with courtesy, as Yecheng did, will Young Master Yu be willing to surrender?"

"Why do you always want to persuade me to surrender?"

"I'm not persuading, I'm just curious. I know very well the character of King Liang. He is most in need of soldiers right now, and he will never waste energy to please scholars. So we are just chatting and hypothetical questions. Mr. Yu does not need to take it seriously, and there is no need to lie about it."

"Of course I won't lie. If...I mean if, King Liang can really treat the scholars politely..." Yu Zhan thought for a while, "I don't know what I will do, but almost all the scholars in Yecheng will surrender and are willing to do so." There are only a few who died in the city. No, no, I will not surrender, at least there are a few people I know who will not. Without it, Yecheng is the seat of the imperial court, and the King of Liang will be a rebel no matter what."

"The King of Liang is not a descendant of the World Army. His ancestor is the former Emperor of Liang. He is a real and fake emperor."

"There is no way in the front beam, and it is destroyed by Tiancheng, so it cannot be counted."

"But what if Tiancheng was unruly and was destroyed by Jin Liang? Where is Mr. Yu's so-called imperial court?"

"The imperial court... Yecheng is kind to scholars."

"What kind of reward does Yecheng have for you?"

Yu Zhan failed in his appeal and was accused of defamation. If it had not been for Xu Chu's invitation, he would still be under house arrest and not allowed to come out.

Yu Zhan was silent for a long time.

Xu Chu refused to let him go and asked again: "If the King of Liang comes to personally invite me and entrust him with important tasks, will he surrender to the young master or not?"

"Hey, what skills do I have that make me worthy of being hired by King Liang? It would be about the same for you." Yu Zhan raised his eyes and looked at Xu Chu, "Maybe that's why you came out. You didn't want to persuade King Liang to retreat at all, but took the opportunity to take refuge. , find yourself a new backer!”

Xu Chu did not refute and said with a smile: "If King Liang is willing to keep me, Mr. Yu, do you think I should accept it?"

"You must accept it."

"What if it's Mr. Yu instead?"

"Why should you change it to me?" Yu Zhan suddenly sighed, "In terms of intelligence, I am ashamed of myself. I am just an ordinary scholar. If the city is destroyed and people are destroyed, where is the choice? Unlike you, you have already arranged your retreat. , Ye city's survival will not be harmed by you. If it were me... I would accept it."

"I can't." Xu Chu said.

"You don't know how?" Yu Zhan was very doubtful.

"Just because they knew that I would not surrender to the enemy before the battle, Yecheng asked me to serve as an envoy. If I surrendered to the King of Liang, I would be safe for a while, but my reputation would be lost and I would never be trusted again. Even the King of Liang would not If you don't trust me, how long can you stay safe?"

Yu Zhan was speechless, and then said angrily: "You are teasing me on purpose! Don't you just want to say that you are smarter? I have never denied it, so why do you do this?"

Xu Chu stood up and said with a smile: "Master Yu just asked me how confident I am in persuading King Liang. I can't tell you, so I have to show my persuasion skills and let Master Yu make his own judgment."

Yu Zhan was stunned, "Persuading me is different from persuading King Liang."

"Well, what you care about is different, but other than that, there's not much difference."

"What does King Liang care about? The world?"

Xu Chu shook his head, "The world is just an excuse, he has other things he cares about."

Yu Zhan wanted to ask more, but a voice came from outside the tent, "The King of Liang is coming, please come and meet with the King of Wu."

The soldiers still called him "King Wu".

"This is what King Liang cares about." Xu Chu stepped out of the tent.

Yu Zhan was in a daze, he seemed to understand, but he didn't understand at all, but his admiration for Xu Chu still arose spontaneously. He didn't like this feeling, so he suppressed it with all his strength, and secretly complained about Xu Chu's evil deeds. After a long time, he sighed He said in a low voice: "Mr. Fan... really appreciates people like him."

Of the three envoys in Yecheng, King Liang saw only one.

Xu Chu was taken to the roadside and waited for a long time. He watched an army pass by, and then a group of knights in bright armor came. The leader held his hands on the horse and said, "Please mount your horse, King Wu, and follow me to see King Liang." "

Xu Chu mounted his horse and followed Liang Bing, knowing very well that the King of Liang deliberately made him wait to show the difference in status. What Ma Wei wanted most was not the world, but to be admired by everyone.

Not far away, a large group of cavalry appeared on the roadside, all wearing iron armor and holding long spears, shining brightly in the sun. The cavalry surrounded a tall tent, which was obviously the temporary military tent of King Liang.

Xu Chu dismounted and was led by another group of soldiers, walking to the military tent. Although there were no chains or ropes on his body, he felt like a prisoner.

Passing through the cavalry group, Xu Chu saw a strange scene: dozens of people kneeling in front of the military tent. All of them had tattered clothes and scars on their bodies. Their hands were behind their backs and they were connected by chains.

These are the real prisoners.

A prisoner turned his head and saw Xu Chu. He recognized it for a moment and said loudly: "King Wu, save me! King Wu, save me! I did not betray King Liang!"

Other prisoners also rushed to plead and claim their innocence.

Xu Chu walked into the tent quickly and recognized that most of these people were from the Jishi army. He had killed King Jishi and his relatives and subordinates together with King Liang, but he didn't know why it got to this point.