Zhu Nao

Tao Bei didn't fall asleep all night.After negotiating with Liu Jiangping on the amount of military rations funded by Chen Guo, he immediately conceived an arrangement for how to send troops to Henan.

Due to sleepless nights, and it was still dark in the morning, Tao Bei couldn't lie down anymore.He simply got up and lit a candle, and wrote the military deployment at the table.

What made him think about it all night, and what made him think of insomnia was who should be arranged as the main general for this expedition to Henan.

Although he can accept the final result whether it is a victory or a loss, it does not mean that he can send generals at will.On the contrary, he needs to appoint an absolutely loyal and experienced veteran!Because this battle will be very difficult to fight, on the one hand, he must consume the Shu army as much as possible, even if the Shu army wins in the end, it must be a miserable victory, and must not let the Shu army win too easily; Let the troops sent out find out that his original intention is to let those people die, otherwise it will cause a mutiny on the front line, and the consequences will be disastrous!

To create such a situation where both sides suffer, and to make the soldiers obediently obey orders, it is absolutely impossible for a mediocre general to do so.It must be a veteran who can recruit and fight well.

However, under Tao Bei, there were not so many loyal, capable generals who had enough prestige to dispatch different armies. After Shangguan Xian's accident, only Gao Hong and Tian Chou were left.Now these two men are guarding the two major gates of Jizhou and Xuzhou respectively for him. If they are transferred back rashly, it may cause many hidden dangers... As for the other generals, either they are not loyal or capable enough, and they are always inappropriate. The place.

Tao Bei's head hurt from thinking about it. He wrote seven or eight names on the paper and crossed them out one after another. In the end, he couldn't decide on a candidate that satisfied him.

"Snapped!"

He was so anxious that he slapped the pen on Bijia Mountain, and fell back on the chair in agitation.

"Oh...if only Shangguan Xian was still here..."

Thinking of Shangguanxian, Tao Bei couldn't help feeling a twinge in his heart.Henan was originally the place under the jurisdiction of Shangguanxian. Whether it was loyalty, ability, or prestige, Shangguanxian was clearly the best candidate for this war.But he never came back...

After an unknown amount of time, Tao Bei was still sitting on the chair, and the sky was gradually brightening outside.Suddenly, hurried footsteps sounded in the yard.Then, there was a knock on the door outside.

"Tao Gong," someone outside the house asked in a low voice, "Is Tao Gong awake?"

Tao Bei thought it was the person waiting for him to wash, so he crumpled up the messy paper on the table: "Wake up. What time is it?"

"It's almost time." The people outside the house hesitated, "Tao Gong, Captain Chen asked to see him outside the mansion, and said that he needs to report to Tao Gong immediately..."

"Captain Chen? Chen Yu?"

"Yes."

Tao Bei couldn't help feeling suspicious.Chen Yu is the officer in charge of the defense of the city gate. This early in the morning, why should I go to the mansion to look for him in person?After a while it will be morning, can't wait until morning to say?Could it be... something serious happened? !

Tao Bei's expression froze, and he didn't care that he hadn't washed up yet, so he immediately said, "Bring people in!"

Not long after, Chen Yu was brought into the house.

The waiter in the mansion was combing Tao Bei's hair. Chen Yu came outside the screen and saluted Tao Bei through the screen: "General."

Tao Beidao: "What do you have to report?"

Chen Yu licked his lips, and said fearfully: "The official just received a report from the Dongcheng Gate, saying that at three o'clock in the ugly hour, a person rode a horse to the outside of the Dongcheng Gate. After being identified by the guarding soldiers, the person who came was most likely... maybe It's...it's Shangguan General...Shangguan Xian..."

The more he spoke, the clearer his voice became, and when he said the words Shangguanxian, it was as soft as a mosquito.

Through the screen, he couldn't see Tao Bei's expression, but he could imagine that this matter must not be good news for Tao Bei...

There was a moment of silence in the room, and Tao Bei didn't seem to respond, but the sound of combing his hair stopped.

Chen Yu was uneasy, wondering whether Tao Bei hadn't heard what he said, and was considering whether to say it again.Suddenly there was a loud "bang", and the wooden screen was violently swept to the wall!

Chen Yu was startled, and fell to the ground.Tao Bei, whose hair was still disheveled, rushed forward and grabbed him by the lapel: "What did you say? Who did you find outside the East City Gate??"

Chen Yu was so frightened by Tao Bei's man-eating expression that his tongue got stuck, and he stammered, "It's Shang, Shangguanxian..."

"you sure???"

"Next, next official, sure..."

"Have you recognized it with your own eyes???"

"Yes Yes……"

Since the position of the city guard is too low, he is not qualified to meet Tao Bei directly, so he can only report the matter layer by layer.Two quarters of an hour ago, Chen Yu was informed of the incident, which really shocked Chen Yu too!

Hasn't Shangguan Xian already surrendered to the Shu army?How could it be possible to return to Yedu suddenly! !

Due to the seriousness of this matter, Chen Yusheng was afraid of making a mistake, so he dared not report directly to Tao Bei, so he hurried to the east gate first.He ran outside the city gate to see that the guards really did not lie, Shangguan Xian really came back!He was so frightened that he lost his mind, so he rushed to the General's Mansion to report.

Tao Bei gasped, his body trembling uncontrollably.He still didn't seem to believe Chen Yu's words, he stood up and was about to rush out, to have a look at the gate of the city with his own eyes.Chen Yu hurriedly got up and stumbled out to follow.

However, after only two steps, Tao Bei stopped suddenly, and Chen Yu almost bumped into his back.

Tao Bei's shoulders were still trembling, but he had regained some sanity.He asked, "Where is Shangguan Xian now?"

Chen Yu stuttered and said, "I-still outside the gate of the east city... The officials don't dare to deal with it rashly..."

Although Tao Bei had already dealt with Shangguan Xian's henchmen as rebels against the party, Shangguan Xian was once a high-ranking official and was highly valued by Tao Bei.His prestige was still there, Chen Yu didn't dare to take him forcefully, in a panic, he continued to throw him outside the city gate, and ran to beg Tao Bei by himself.

Tao Bei asked sharply, "How many people know about his return?!"

This question made Chen Yu's heart skip a beat.

He was sleeping in a daze early this morning, when he was suddenly woken up and informed of such shocking news, his mind was full of confusion, and he ran out quickly, and when he ran to the gate of the city to see Shangguan Xian with his own eyes, he was even more frightened, afraid that he would Improper handling, did not dare to make any decisions.Now that Tao Bei asked such a question, he was in a bad mood, his lips moved, but he didn't dare to answer.

Tao Bei became anxious and scolded, "I'm asking you something! How many people know about this matter? Did you say anything about it?!"

Chen Yu knew that hiding was impossible, so he could only bite the bullet and say honestly: "General, when my subordinates rushed to the gate of the city this morning, the news had already spread. The soldiers guarding the city were all discussing... "

Tao Bei took a breath, and continued to ask through gritted teeth: "What about the common people? Do the common people know?!"

Chen Yu swallowed a mouthful of saliva, and tremblingly said: "Yes, there should be..." More than just should?When he went out in the morning, the curfew had already been lifted, and ordinary people had gathered around the gate of the city to watch the fun!

Tao Bei was about to faint, so he slapped him hard on the head and called out, "Idiot!!"

He has fought in the battlefield for many years, and his strength is extraordinary, and he knocked Chen Yu to the ground with one palm.Chen Yu's eyes were blurred and his ears were buzzing, but he covered his face and didn't even dare to breathe.

Tao Bei's face was completely black.

How did Shangguan Xian come back?In the end he had already surrendered to Zhu Nao, and was sent back by Jun Nao as a spy?Or did he not surrender at all and Jun Nao put him back for no reason?Or did he find a chance to escape by himself? ——These are not important anymore!

The important thing is that at the beginning, he thought that even if Shangguan Xian did not surrender after being captured, he would only end up being killed by the Shu army.He never expected that people could come back!He never even thought about this possibility! !Now he has wiped out all of Shangguan Xian's party members, even Shangguan Xian's family members have been killed by him, Shangguan Xian ran back single-handedly, what did he do when he came back? !How will he end up? !

Regardless of whether he surrendered or not, whether he was loyal or not, the matter had already been done, and Tao Bei would never restore Shangguan Xian's reputation.In order to keep his own position, or to maintain the stability of the government, Tao Bei was riding a tiger, and there was no turning back!

If the matter has not yet been made public, whether he secretly arrests the person, or directly kills and buries the person, he still has room for deliberation.But once it spreads, he has to give Youyou's mouth an explanation.

Tao Bei was so angry that he wanted to slash Chen Jue, the idiot, with his hand on the handle of the knife, and stopped abruptly—he still needs someone to deal with the aftermath, and this matter can only be settled later.

"Immediately send troops to arrest him, say that they have captured the secret agent sent by the Shu army, and throw him into prison!" Tao Bei ordered word by word.

"Catch, grab it?" Chen Jue was still tinnitus, and asked uncertainly.

Stared at by Tao Bei's fire-breathing eyes, Chen Jue didn't dare to fart immediately, and said in repeated voices: "Yes, yes! I'll go now!"

He didn't dare to stay in front of Tao Bei to dislike him any longer, so he scrambled and ran away.

After Chen Jue left, Tao Bei felt that all the strength in his body was drained.Suddenly there was a whirlwind.He fell down in a daze, and faintly heard someone exclaiming in his ears, but his eyes went black for a while, and he couldn't see anything.

"General!" "Mr. Tao!"

With a "bang", he fell to the ground and lost consciousness.

……

……

Outside the city gate, Shangguan Xian had been waiting for almost an hour.

The sun was rising gradually, and the earth was getting warmer, but maybe it was because he had stood for a long time, Shangguan Xian only felt that his body was chilling.

The guards guarding the city have changed their guards after the curfew was lifted, and the newcomers are still poking their heads out of the city walls and gates to look at him. People look at him with respect, sympathy, fear, and schadenfreude. ...

He mostly just stares down at the ground, occasionally raising his head to scan people's gazes.

Finally, a group of people rode fast horses and rushed towards the city gate.

"Get out of the way!" The leading officer galloped his horse and shouted loudly at the onlookers blocking the road, "I was ordered to come and arrest the secret agents of the Shu army! Those who stand in the way should be punished with the same crime!"

The common people were startled, they were afraid of being hit by horses, and they were also afraid of being punished, so they scattered like birds and beasts.

The words "Shu Army Elaborate Work" slammed into Shangguan Xian's ears, and his eyes suddenly changed.However, he didn't run away, nor did he refute, he suddenly laughed in a low voice.

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha……"

The team of people rushed in front of him in an instant, and the leader was Chen Jue.The guards surrounding him also dispersed immediately.Chen Jue didn't dare to look him in the eyes, stared at Ma Mane and ordered: "Go and arrest that spy!"

The soldiers behind him jumped off their horses and rushed up, throwing Shangguan Xian to the ground.Afraid that he would yell, someone stuffed his mouth with a cloth.

However, Shangguan Xian didn't struggle, nor did he shout.

The soldiers quickly tied Shangguan Xian into dumplings, and then a large group of people surrounded him, blocking the sight of the outside, and led him to the inner city.

……

Half an hour later, Shangguan Xian was thrown into the prison in the imperial city - this is a prison set up for high-ranking special prisoners, and there is no one else in the gloomy prison except him.

After the cell door was closed and the soldiers escorting him retreated, Shangguan Xian slowly got up, walked to the corner and sat down.

It was as if his voice had been hoarse by someone poisoning him in Pucheng. Since he returned to Yedu, he hadn't said a word other than laughing.

The prison is damp and dark, with no sunlight, let alone noise from outside.He was locked in it, completely unaware of the passage of time.

After an unknown amount of time, a beam of light came in from above, and footsteps came from above.After a while, someone came outside the prison door.

Shangguan Xian raised his head, and looked at the man with the light of the fire in his hand.

The eyes of the two met, and they were silent for a long time.

In the end, it was Shangguan Xian who spoke first.He sat up slowly, knelt down and bowed to the man, and said in a hoarse voice, "General."

Under the light of the torch, Tao Bei's complexion was as sallow as paper.His eyes were complicated, his lips moved, it seemed that he had too many questions to ask, and he didn't know where to start.

He asked slowly, slowly: "Shangguan Xian, do you know what happened in Yedu?"

Shangguan Xian was silent for a moment: "I know."

"Okay...ok..." Tao Bei paused every word, "Then why do you want to come back?"

Shangguan Xian raised his face, hiding all the troubles under his dark eyes.He said calmly: "If the general is still willing to use me, I will come back to serve the general."

He stopped and said nothing further.But Tao Bei felt that he still had half a sentence to say.

If he still dares to use him, he is back to serve; if he dare not use him, what is he back for?

Is it revenge?Do you still want to save your reputation?Or, just to embarrass him?

Shangguan Xianfu lowered his head again and said nothing more.

The air seemed still, and only the crackling of burning torches reminded them that time was still passing.

After an unknown amount of time, Tao Bei turned and walked up the steps.

With a bang, the cell door closed, and everything returned to darkness and silence.