Plan to cut off the nine states

(The moon is full on the 15th, it is not too late to send blessings today, I wish you all a happy holiday. Please collect and recommend)

There were a few screams outside the bushes, and then it was quiet. Then more than a dozen people with knives and guns came in. Like the previous people, the armor on their bodies was like a torn bag hung on the body by beggars. Only a few people wore boots, and the others were still wearing straw sandals or even barefoot.

A few people went over to move the iron pot, took out the firewood and beat it on the ground, and stepped on the remaining fire directly. The surroundings soon fell into darkness, and the stars and the moon in the sky could only show their glimmer after a while.

The robbers were obviously killed, and the wine and meat that the boatman "Lao Si" had worked hard to buy fell into the hands of outsiders.

A total of twenty people, sitting on the ground, took turns drinking and eating meat, and took a big sip of the soup in the pot with a wooden spoon. There was no scrambling or humility. Everyone ate in silence, in an orderly manner, as if they had discussed it long ago.

Lou Chu and Ma Wei struggled to sit up, and were very surprised. These people were not dressed like officers and soldiers, but their behavior was more disciplined than that of officers and soldiers, and their origins were even more difficult to guess.

There was not much food, and more than 20 people ate it up quickly, and no one was hungry.

Someone found the scattered bundles, and the person sitting in the middle divided the copper coins and jewelry into several parts. It was not clear in the dark, so he had to grab them all. Everyone took turns to get up and pick them up, and they also picked them up casually. They couldn't regret it later.

There was only one winter robe, and no one wanted it. It was thrown back to Lou Chu and Ma Wei.

Among these people, fairness was above all else, and the person in charge of distribution was obviously the leader.

Lou Chu and Ma Wei were more surprised as they looked at the leader a few more times. With the help of the light of the stars and the moon, they could vaguely see that he was a man in his thirties or forties, very thin, wearing straw sandals on his feet, with no more armor plates on his body than others, but the open space around him was larger. When everyone came to him to receive the spoils, they were all respectful.

These people didn't know the etiquette, but they walked lightly, kept their lips tightly shut, and didn't question anything. It was obvious that they were both respectful and fearful of the leader.

Someone found a few books that had been thrown away. The leader seemed quite interested. He took them in his hand and flipped through them. Finally, he said the first sentence, "I am a scholar."

Ignoring Ma Wei's warning eyes, Lou Chu said loudly: "May I ask where you are as a hero?"

The leader turned slightly to face the two captives, "I dare not call myself a hero. I am Ning Baoer, the violent one."

There was no trace of irritability in this person.

"You were also river workers, right?" Lou Chu asked again.

Someone interrupted and said, "Brother Bao'er, why are you nagging him? Just kill him with one knife."

"Be polite to scholars." Ning Bao'er said, and no one spoke again. "We are not river workers, but the vanguard of the World-Descending Army."

Hearing this, the two people on the opposite side were shocked. The World-Descending Army was the self-proclaimed name of the rioters in Guanzhong. According to the information received by the court before, they had already been defeated. The people who besieged the general were another group of people. I didn't expect them to appear here.

Ma Wei blurted out, "Aren't you in Qinzhou?"

Everyone sneered, and Ning Bao'er said, "The heavenly soldiers opened the way. The World-Descending Army had already broken through the pass. They are behind us and will arrive soon."

Ma Wei was stunned, but Lou Chu didn't believe it. He asked, "Do you know where this is?"

Ning Bao'er didn't say anything, and no one else answered

Ma Wei understood that Ning Bao'er was talking nonsense, but he didn't dare to laugh at him. He coughed lightly.

"Come and tell me where this is." Ning Bao'er's tone was still calm, but there was a threat. The people around him held their weapons tightly.

"More than ten miles ahead is a small town on the north bank of Mengjinkou, and one day's journey south is the eastern capital Luoyang."

The people on the opposite side were surprised and happy, "We are so close to Luoyang!" "Where is Mengjinkou?" "Not far from Jiangdong, right?"

Ning Baoer raised his hand, and everyone fell silent, "Who are you?"

Lou Chu was thinking about how to introduce himself, and Ma Wei beside him said: "My surname is Ma and my name is Wei. I am a descendant of the emperor of the Liang Dynasty. This Lou..."

"My name is Xu Chu." Lou Chu decided to use this name, not on a whim, but after thinking about it for a long time.

Ma Wei continued, "This brother Xu once stabbed the emperor three times with his own hands."

The people on the opposite side were in a commotion again, and Ning Baoer asked: "Which emperor?"

"The Emperor of All Things."

"The Emperor of All Things is dead?"

"You don't know?"

Ning Baoer turned his head and said to everyone: "Did you hear it? The dog emperor is dead, this is really..." He couldn't think of how to say it.

Hearing the voice of "Dog Emperor", Ma Wei felt relieved, "It happened a few days ago. You can ask casually. This matter is known to the world. There are wanted notices of Brother Xu everywhere."

Ning Baoer stood up, strode to the two men, bent down to check Lou Chu, and then stood up and said, "It doesn't look like it. If you want to write a poem, I believe it, but killing the emperor, I don't believe it."

"The emperor is not a three-headed six-armed man. It doesn't take much effort to kill him, and I am the finishing blow."

Ning Baoer laughed and was about to speak when a shout suddenly came from outside the bushes, "The imperial prisoner Lou Chu, come out and surrender quickly!"

"The officers and soldiers are looking for me."

Xu Chu, Lou Chu, Ning Baoer didn't have time to ask, he drew his sword and took the lead to get out of the bushes, followed by three people, but the others hid.

Ma Wei whispered, "These people actually know a little bit of military tactics."

Xu Chu was also puzzled, and felt that this Ning Baoer was extraordinary.

Ning Baoer shouted and cursed the dog officer. Perhaps he was attacked, he quickly retreated with three people and shouted: "Thirty little spearmen want to catch your master, wishful thinking! The master will first punch you with the left hand, then kick you with the right hand, and drive you all into the river to feed the bastards!"

With just a few words, the enemy's strength and our countermeasures were clearly described.

The officers and soldiers did not know what he meant. Seeing that there were few of them, they all rushed in. Before they could stand firm, seven or eight people rushed out of the bushes on Ning Baoer's left hand, roaring like tigers and wolves, and someone deliberately shook the branches, which suddenly looked like hundreds of people were hiding.

The officers and soldiers were shocked and panicked. Ning Baoer shot an arrow from the bushes on his right hand. It was not very accurate at night and missed the target, but it was enough to scare the officers and soldiers away. They thought they were ambushed by the army and turned around and ran away. Many people even threw away their spears.

Ning Baoer shouted loudly, and everyone came out of the bushes and followed him to chase the enemy.

"The opportunity cannot be missed." Ma Wei said. Although these people seemed to sympathize with the assassin, he did not want to take the risk of staying.

Xu Chu had the same idea. He stood back to back with Ma Wei, groped for the knot, and tried to untie it. The screams of killing and screams were deafening outside. He was anxious and untied it slower. He hurriedly focused his mind and concentrated on his work.

The rope was finally untied. Ma Wei first untied the rope on his feet, and then turned around to untie Xu Chu.

The battle outside was not over yet. The two had been tied up for a long time, and their hands and feet were numb. They supported each other to get up and got out of the bushes from the other end. There was a vast expanse in front of them. There was no path or mark. They trudged on the grass with one foot deep and one foot shallow, just wanting to escape farther.

I don’t know how long it took, the sky gradually brightened, and the two couldn’t walk anymore. They sat on the ground and gasped at the same time.

After a short rest, Xu Chu stood up and looked around, "There seems to be a road ahead... Oops."

Xu Chu shrank back, Ma Wei was shocked and whispered: "Are they catching up?"

Xu Chu nodded, he saw several figures holding knives and guns in their hands, they should be Ning Baoer's group.

The two of them lay in the grass, not daring to look up, just hoping not to be discovered.

Not long after, they felt something poking their backs, and they turned around in a hurry, and were surprised to see four people looking at them with a smile, with their long guns turned upside down.

One of them shouted: "Found it! Here!"

The others came quickly, with a few more pieces of armor on their bodies, knives on their waists, and guns in their hands. It was obvious that they had won a great victory in the battle with the officers and soldiers.

Ning Baoer looked down at the two, "Why are you running?"

"We...are in a hurry to get on the road." Ma Wei said, and stood up with Xu Chu, not wanting to appear too timid.

"Where to go?"

"To Jinyang." Ma Wei suddenly had an idea and said with his hands folded: "Officials are forcing people to rebel. Why don't you heroes follow us to Jinyang? Shen Mushou is recruiting talents. With our recommendation, you will definitely be given important positions."

Ning Baoer shook his head, "We are not subject to heaven and earth, and we will not tolerate people's idleness."

"Are you from Jiangdong?" Xu Chu remembered that he had heard someone say that he wanted to go to Jiangdong.

Ning Baoer said: "My ancestral home is in Jiangdong. I moved to Guanzhong for many years. The King of the World named me the King of Wuyue, so I took people to see the fiefdom."

Ning Baoer looked tattered in his armor, his skin was dark and his face was pale. He was actually a prince.

"With these people, you can't get to Jiangdong."

Ma Wei secretly winked, but Xu Chu refused to change his words.

Ning Baoer glanced at his subordinates, "Don't be afraid, there will be more people as we walk. Let's go, take us to the small town of Mengjinkou."

"What are we going there for?" Ma Wei became more nervous.

"I asked, your name is Lou Chu, the son of the general, and you really participated in the assassination." Ning Baoer's eyes fell on Xu Chu.

"I have left the Lou family and changed my name to my mother's surname, Xu Chu."

"Hey, I don't care whose surname I take..."

"His mother was the former princess of the Wu Kingdom. Doesn't it mean anything to you?" Ma Wei grabbed every straw.

The four words "Princess of the Wu Kingdom" did have some influence. Everyone whispered and stared at Xu Chu. Ning Baoer said: "The living King of Wu is useless, let alone the dead princess? Let's go, let's go to the small city of Mengjinkou. After we take it, maybe we can let you go."

"Capture the city? Just these people?" Ma Wei couldn't believe his ears.

"What's wrong? These people killed all the officers and soldiers last night."

Lou Chu took a half step back and bowed, saying: "Since the king is determined to go to Jiangdong, would you listen to me?"

The title of "king" took effect, and Ning Baoer actually laughed, "What do you want to say?"

"I don't know why the king was conferred, nor do I know what brilliant strategy the king has to reach Jiangdong directly. I have a foolish strategy, I hope the king will choose it..."

"Don't talk nonsense, king, I don't understand."

Everyone around laughed, but Ma Wei was confused.

Xu Chu remained unmoved and continued to speak seriously: "Up the river, 100,000 river workers near Tongguan rebelled. They were very powerful but had no leader. They echoed the King of the World in Guanzhong in name, but were blocked by the government army. If the king has great ambitions, he should go straight to Tongguan and win over the heroes of the rebel army in the name of the King of the World. Most of the river workers are from Jiangdong and are homesick. They will be willing to follow the king to the east. With these 100,000 people, they will attack cities and plunder land. Who dares not to follow? Why rely on the courage of 20 people to seize a small city?"

The number of 100,000 was made up by Xu Chu, but the whole strategy was the truth in his heart.

Ma Wei understood and said: "The river workers rebelled for the first time, and there was no leader. With the king's reputation, he must be respected. Wait a few days, and the rebel army will elect a leader. Even if the King of the World comes in person, he may not be able to seize his position."

Not only Ning Baoer, but also the people around him were a little moved.

"Are there really river workers rebelling?"

"One hundred thousand troops... sounds pretty good."

Ning Baoer looked at the two of them, "The King of the World has a military advisor, so I can have one too. You two, be my military advisors."

Ning Baoer took out a few books from his arms and threw them to Xu Chu.