Zhu Nao

The yard is full of yellow flowers, and a person is practicing stick technique in the yard.I saw the long stick stabbing repeatedly, sometimes coming out of the hole like a fierce snake, and sometimes swimming like a dragon.Suddenly he shouted loudly, raised his spear high, and hit the ground hard again!

The falling flowers flew all over the courtyard in an instant.

Shangguan Xian put away the long stick, wiped the sweat from his forehead, walked to the edge of the stone table and sat down.

Several "positive" characters were engraved on the stone table. Since he was under house arrest, he would add a stroke every day to count the time.He counted silently in his heart, thinking: There are still three days left.

In three days, he will have been under house arrest by the Shu army for four months, and this is also the length of time he was trapped in Puzhou City.He originally thought that he would be tortured during these four months, and Junao would use all kinds of coercion and lure to force him to surrender, but nothing he expected happened.

——Junao just made people look at him with delicious food and drinks, and sent someone to chat with him every now and then, and then casually persuaded him to surrender.As long as he refuses, the other party will not force him, but he will come again in a few days without getting tired of it.

Shangguanxian doesn't know what Zhu Nao's plan is, Zhu Nao must want him to surrender, but it seems that he must surrender.He couldn't help but become more and more curious. When four months came, would Jun Nao really let him go?

He didn't have high expectations for this matter, but he didn't despair either.So day after day, it has survived until today.

Shangguan Xian was sitting on a chair and distracted when he suddenly heard footsteps outside.He thought that the person persuading him to surrender came again, and casually glanced back, but when he saw the person who came in, he was slightly taken aback.

After a while, he got up slowly, arched his hands, and gave a simple salute: "Mr. Zhu."

It was Junao who came.Except for the first day when Shangguan Xian was captured alive, Zhu Nao personally summoned him once, this was the second time he saw Zhu Nao in the past four months.

His attitude was the same as it was four months ago, still respectful and distant.He had no intention of launching an attack on Jun Nao, but it was absolutely impossible to salute Jun Nao according to the ceremony of paying respects to the emperor.

Zhu Nao didn't think he was disobedient, and said politely: "General Shangguan, please sit down."

Shangguan Xian returned to the chair and sat down.

Zhu Nao spoke unhurriedly: "Four months are almost here, what plans does General Shangguan have in the future?"

Shangguanxian said neither humble nor overbearing: "My aspirations have not changed, why should Mr. Zhu ask why?"

Zhu Nao chuckled: "General Shangguan probably doesn't know that many things have happened in the past four months."

Shangguan Xian was slightly taken aback, his brows were furrowed, with an ominous premonition.

Zhu Nao didn't give up, and said straight to the point: "I don't know if General Shangguan is in the river, is there anyone in his heart?"

Naturally, Shangguan Xian would not answer this question.But if he wanted to say that he cared about people, he did have quite a few in his heart.His old ministries are now leaderless, will other factions take the opportunity to suppress and bully them?Are his family and servants all right now?What disturbed him the most was how is Liang Guo's recent situation?Puzhou fell, and after he was captured alive, Tao Bei must be physically and mentally exhausted...

When he was first captured, he tried to kill himself many times, but he failed because Jun Nao ordered people to guard him strictly.But later on the guards became more and more relaxed, but why he committed suicide so easily, it was because he had something in his heart, and he still had hope.

He didn't answer, and Junao didn't need him to answer either.Zhu Nao sighed softly: "General Shangguan may not know that Yuan Xiao, the commander of the Zhengzhou capital, and Qian Shi, the commander of the Mengzhou capital, surrendered to me three months ago. In addition, the second general expressed his loyalty to me. Together we broke through Ruzhou a month ago. Now three-quarters of the territory of Henan Prefecture has come under my rule."

Shangguan Xian's breath was suffocated for an instant, and his face was full of astonishment.

Yuan Xiao and Qian Shi surrendered to Zhu Nao? !They actually worked together to break through Ruzhou for Zhu Nao? ? ?How can this be! ! !

It should be known that both Yuan Xiao and Qian Shi have been Shangguanxian's confidantes for many years, and they can be said to be promoted from the army by Shangguanxian.Over the years, several people fought north and south, and entered and exited the realm of life and death many times.Shangguan Xian once told the two of them that if something happened to him, they must still be loyal to Tao Bei!The past words are still vivid in his memory, but when he was captured for only a month, the two of them had already switched to Zhu Nao's command? !

Shangguanxian stared at Zhu Nao sharply, trying to see the absurdity on Zhu Nao's face.However, he also knew in his heart that even if Zhu Nao wanted to subdue him, he would not come up with such absurd lies to deceive him.I'm afraid these things really happened.

Shangguan Xian was shocked and angry: "What did you do?!... You must have deceived them both!"

That was the only reason he could think of.It must be that after Zhu Nao captured him, he pretended to the outside world that he had surrendered, and tricked his old troops to surrender.Otherwise, how could his subordinates betray so easily?

However, Zhu Nao smiled and shook his head, "General Shangguan really underestimated your subordinates. If they were really deceived by me, how could they serve me?"

Shangguan Xian's expression froze.His subordinates are indeed not stupid people, even if they really turned apostate due to being deceived, they should understand in a few days, how can they turn against their former colleagues?

He vaguely had a guess in his heart, and his body trembled slightly: "...why?"

Zhu Nao saw his subtle expression in his eyes, and couldn't help but raise his eyebrows slightly and turn his eyes: "General Shangguan really can't guess? Then I will tell you - after Puzhou City was destroyed, General Tao immediately sent people from Yedu We rushed to Henan, intending to secretly hold those old subordinates of General Shangguan and forcibly seize the military power in their hands. Those generals got the news in advance, they were shocked and angry, and had no way out, so they had no choice but to abandon the dark and turn to the bright."

His tone was brisk, but Shangguan Xian's face became more and more serious.

However, after a while, although Shangguan Xian's shoulders still trembled uncontrollably, the expression on his face gradually calmed down.

He has followed Tao Bei for more than ten years, how could he not know Tao Bei's character?When Zhu Nao said this, he immediately understood that it was true, and he also understood Tao Bei's reason for doing this.

During the four months of house arrest, he hadn't thought about this possibility, but he couldn't bear to think about it.It's a pity that no matter whether he thinks about it or not, things are still going in the worst direction...

After a while, his Adam's apple rolled, and he said coldly: "Traitors and thieves, you should be killed! Does Mr. Zhu dare to use such an unfaithful and unrighteous person? Are you not afraid that they will repeat their old tricks?"

The guards around Junao couldn't help but frowned.The look in Shangguan Xian's eyes was also a bit more contemptuous.

Anyone can scold Yuan Xiao and Qian Shi, except Shangguanxian.They betrayed Liang Guo and defected to the Shu army, so why didn't they complain about Shangguan's virtuousness?Calling them unfaithful is fine, calling them unrighteous... This Shangguan Xian is really as wolf-hearted as Tao Bei.

However, Zhu Nao smiled again, and Wen Yu continued: "General Shangguan, don't worry, many things have happened in the past four months - after the surrender of Zhengzhou and Mengzhou, the government and people of Liang State were shocked, and General Tao was extremely shocked. He was furious. He resorted to thunderous tactics, deposed more than 150 officials overnight, beheaded more than [-] people, and implicated more than a thousand people...Does General Shangguan want to know who were beheaded and dismissed?"

At the beginning, Shangguan Xian still managed to maintain the expression on his face, but the more he heard about it, the more difficult it was for him to maintain it.

Junao took out a piece of paper he had prepared from his sleeve and pushed it in front of him.What was written on that piece of paper was the list of people who had been suppressed by Tao Bei in the past few months.

Shangguan Xian didn't want to look at it, but he still couldn't help but glanced at it, and after one glance, he couldn't move his gaze away.His fragile calm finally collapsed, and he suddenly raised his eyes to look at Junao!

"Impossible!" He slapped the piece of paper on the stone table viciously, as if he could smash it into pieces.

"Impossible! This is absolutely impossible!!" His eyes instantly turned red!

After the Hezhong Mansion fell into the hands of the Shu army, Henan opened its doors wide open.He understood that Tao Bei was worried about the safety of Henan, so he sent another man to take over Henan. Although this move was ruthless, it was also reasonable.But Yedu is thousands of miles away, and has nothing to do with this defeat!Why did Tao Bei suddenly clear the court? !Could it be that Tao Bei suspects that he has turned his back on him and colluded with cronies? !

Regarding Shangguan Xian's question, Zhu Nao smiled and did not refute, but just sat there quietly.

"You lied to me...you lied to me!!"

Shangguan Xian suddenly rushed towards Zhu Nao, but as soon as his body moved, Cheng Jingzhe, who had been prepared for a long time, took a step forward, and hit him hard in the heart with an unsheathed sword!Shangguan Xian let out a muffled snort, and immediately fell back to his original position, his body curled up into a ball.

Jing Zhe frowned and shook his head, bent down and whispered in Zhu Nao's ear: "My lord, do you want to summon Yuan Xiao and Qian Shi?" It's clear.

Zhu Nao looked at Shangguan Xian with a pale face, shook his head and said, "Forget it, there's no need."

It's not that Shangguan Xian doesn't believe it, it's just that he can't accept it.Now he is agitated, if he summons his old department, the talks will be fine, but if the talks fail, the two sides will turn against each other, which will be self-defeating.

Shangguan Xian curled up for a long time, and finally recovered from the pain of suffocation. He raised his head, his eyes were full of hatred, and his body trembled more and more.

If this list is true, almost all of his party members and relatives and friends in the court have been implicated!He can delegate power, and he doesn't spare his own life, but Tao Bei will be so cruel just because those people are related to him?Why did Tao Bei treat him like this? !

He tried his best to find a reason for Tao Bei, but his mind was in a mess.Was it because Tao Bei didn't believe in his loyalty?Or did Tao Bei blame him for losing Puzhou? !Why on earth! !

Seeing Shangguan Xian like this, Zhu Nao shook his head lightly, and stopped pressing him hard.He stood up slowly and said: "There are still three days, General Shangguan, don't let go and think about it again. If you have any doubts, you can ask the staff in the courtyard at any time, and they will help you. If you want to call The old department, just give an order, and someone will arrange it for you."

After finishing speaking, he turned around and left with Cheng Jingzhe and others.

……

……

After conquering several prefectures and counties in Henan, Zhu Nao and Xie Wuji were extremely busy, working with paperwork every day, burning ointments and sundials, and urgently dispatched a lot of people from Hanzhong, Shuzhong and the north to help.

Zhu Nao clearly remembered the matter of Shangguan Xian, but the three days passed in a flash, he was buried in the government affairs, and the third day had passed more than half, he hadn't thought of it yet.

Until his subordinates came to report: "Your Majesty, General Shangguan asked to see him, saying that the deadline for April has come..."

Zhu Nao was slightly taken aback, and was about to order someone to summon Shangguan Xian, when he suddenly remembered something and asked, "Did he summon anyone and ask anything in the past three days?"

The subordinate shook his head: "Your Majesty, he has never seen anyone, and he hides in the house every day."

Junao raised his eyebrows slightly.Before he saw Shangguan Xian, he sighed first.

After a while, he said, "Bring General Shangguan."

After about a cup of tea, Shangguan Xian was brought to Zhu Nao by several people.

I haven't seen him for three days, his face has become quite haggard, his cheeks are sunken, he seems to have suddenly lost weight and returned to his appearance when Puzhou City was just broken.How could it be possible for Keren to lose weight in three days?It's just because of his bad complexion.There was also a change in his eyes compared to three days ago, but the change was too complicated to describe.

The two looked at each other for a moment, and Shangguanxian asked calmly: "The April deadline has come, Mr. Zhu, can you still keep the promise of that day?"

As soon as this remark came out, the people around were all taken aback: Does Shangguan Xian still want to go back to Liang Guo? !He has long been regarded as a traitor by Tao Bei, and his foundation has been ruined. How can he go back? !

Zhu Nao had expected it and was not surprised, he just asked, "General Shangguan, does General Tao know why and how he treats you?"

"I know." Shangguan Xian said calmly, "That's why I want to go back."

People around looked at Shangguan Xian with more and more surprised eyes, as if they saw the holy light from his head.

In three days, it was enough for Shangguan Xian to understand the reason for Tao Bei's move.It's not that Tao Bei didn't trust his loyalty, but he did it out of necessity.

——Two big defeats have seriously affected Tao Bei's prestige.And the little emperor that Tao Bei raised that day, because of Zhu Nao's first ascension to the throne, failed to win the hearts of the people for him, and instead became a joke.What is at stake now is not only Liang Guo, but also Tao Bei himself.

After the Puzhou city was broken, Tao Bei chose to secretly seize the military power of Shangguan Xian's old troops.If he succeeds, he may be able to keep Henan.But he failed, and turned against several people instead.The news spread back to Yedu, how many of Shangguanxian's relatives, friends and party members were not chilled and disgusted by Tao Bei's actions?Tao Bei was afraid that these people would change secretly and shake his power, so he had to act preemptively, and simply eliminated this gangster completely.

All of this has nothing to do with Shangguan Xian personally.Tao Bei was just falling for the mistakes he made.

Zhu Nao said: "General Shangguan is really magnanimous." His tone was very flat, and he couldn't tell whether it was sarcasm or anything else.

Shangguanxian said: "The situation is forcing people, it is not the fault of people. It is the same if Zhu Gong changes places."

If Zhu Nao had been in the position of Tao Bei, Shangguan Xian believed that Zhu Nao would do the same thing.How many people are not ruthless to be able to become overlords?The difference is just winners and losers.

Hearing what he said, Junao just shook his head slightly again, without explaining anything.He asked: "Has General Shangguan really thought it through?"

Shangguan Xian nodded heavily.

Zhu Nao said: "Okay then... go and get a good horse for General Shangguan, and prepare some dry food and ten taels of entanglement for him to pay for the road."

After Zhu Nao finished speaking, everyone around showed shocked expressions again.Although they knew about the four-month promise, they all thought that Zhu Nao would surely have a way to persuade Shangguan Xian to surrender within four months, but they didn't expect that Shangguan Xian would still leave, and they didn't expect that Zhu Nao would really let him go!

Let Shangguan Xian go back like this? !

No one moved for a long time, until Zhu Nao glanced at the guard at the door, and then he turned around and went out hesitantly.

After a while, a steed and a bag of coils were indeed brought over.

Until now, even Shangguan Xian himself did not think that he could really be released.He took the rein of the horse vigilantly, and stretched out his hand to touch the horse's face.The horse was tall and strong, but its temperament was very gentle, and it did not resist at all.

Zhu Nao said: "I still have business to do, so I won't send General Shangguan out in person. General, be careful on the way." After a pause, he laughed and joked, "If I catch you again next time, I'll be fine. It's not that easy to let the general go."

Shangguan Xian was silent for a moment.He should have said that he would never lose again next time, but in the end he whispered: "My will can't be changed, my heart can't be changed..."

This sentence was also said four months ago when Jun Nao was captured alive.Now it seems that I want to say it to someone, and it seems that I just say it to myself.

Many people who heard this at the beginning were disdainful, but now even Zhu Nao is slightly moved.

After a while, Shangguanxian made a deep bow to Zhu Nao: "Thank you, Mr. Zhu, I will repay your kindness in the next life. Shangguanxian bids farewell."

He led the horse and turned away.

Seeing him walking away, Jing Zhe couldn't help asking: "My lord, do you want to send someone to follow him secretly?" He was still not sure if Zhu Nao really wanted to let Shangguan Xian go.

Zhu Nao nodded and said, "Send a team to follow behind and escort him out of Zhengzhou."

Jing Zhe was stunned.Escort Shangguan Xian out of Zhengzhou, behind is the territory of Liang State...

Jing Zhe took a deep breath, didn't ask anything, just said: "Yes, young master, I will arrange it right away."