Plan to cut off the nine states

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It is easy to identify the soldiers of the World Army. Most of them speak with a Qinzhou accent, and they have an inexplicable awe of the stick in Tang Weitian's hand, and they don't even dare to stare at it for a long time.

Xu Chu politely sent someone to take them to the camp where King Ganzhao of Shu was.

The generals were not convinced and returned to their tents. Wang Dian was the first to attack, "All heroes stand side by side. The king chooses his ministers, and the ministers choose their king. If the people of Qinzhou are willing to join the Wu army, why not?"

Meng Nilun spoke for the ruling king, "You can't say that. Now the Jishi army is strong and the Wu army is weak. There is no need to offend them for nothing. From now on, everyone should be more careful when recruiting people and don't let people from Qinzhou enter the camp."

Wang Dian was unconvinced and shook his head repeatedly, "The Avatar Army has more people, but now even the people have gone elsewhere. I really can't see how they are stronger."

Xu Chu didn't want to explain more, "The six kings made an agreement, just follow the agreement, at least don't take in the Qinzhou people before conquering the Eastern Capital. Even if the World Army is not that strong, it is not appropriate to provoke civil strife at this time."

Wang Dian reluctantly nodded.

Just when Xu Chu was about to open his mouth and withdraw from the generals, an idea suddenly flashed in his head and he asked: "There are no people from Jiangdong coming to defect, right?"

The generals looked at each other and did not answer immediately.

Sure enough, Xu Chu guessed it correctly.

"How many people?"

Wang Dian was the first to say: "It's okay if we don't take in the people from Qinzhou. The people from Jiangdong are originally our soldiers of the Wu Kingdom. Who can say anything if they join the Wu Army?"

"The people from Jiangdong who came here at this time must be the river workers in the Wuyue Wang Ning Baoguan Army..."

Wang Dian sneered, "How can a reckless man like Ning Baoguan deserve to be called the 'King of Wu and Yue'? When he proclaimed himself king, did he ask the people of Wu what they thought?"

Xu Chu's face changed slightly, and Meng Nilun stepped forward and said: "Not many, just a few dozen people. According to them, Ning Baoguan treats people harshly, and the Qinzhou people in the army always bully outsiders, so they fled. Only I hope that one day I can return to my hometown with Wu Jun. I don’t think Ning Baoguan will care about this person.”

"Those who can't bear the hardships with Prince Ning are useless to me. I'll give them money and let them return to Jiangdong."

Meng Nilun agreed, and Wang Dian was always angry and said loudly: "It's too cautious to be in power. If Wu Jun doesn't even dare to take in his own family, why should he compete with other heroes in the future? It's too much, and it's too cautious. Why go back to Jiangdong to conquer the Kingdom of Wu?"

"General Wang seems to have something to say, please say it." Xu Chu said.

The generals were silent, Meng Nilun winked quietly, and Wang Dian pretended not to notice, "Did the ruler say in front of the kings that he would give up the Kingdom of Wu to Ning Baoguan?"

"Who owns the Kingdom of Wu now?" Xu Chu asked.

"Of course it belongs to the ruler, the seven tribes, and the soldiers of Wu State."

"In that case, why did Wu Jun come all the way to Luozhou? Is it really just to conquer Dongdu?"

Wang Dian's face turned red, and Meng Sylun interjected: "We are all our own people, there is no need to lie. Jiangdong is still occupied by officers and soldiers, either one city and one lord, or even cities as allies. We are all forced to have no way out in Jiangdong." , I heard that the Avatar Army was strong, so I came to Luozhou to look for opportunities.”

Wang Dian said proudly: "Jiangdong belongs to the officers and soldiers, but Wu State belongs to us. Although they are the same place, they have different names and naturally have different meanings."

At this point, Wu Shi was renamed. Xu Chu had no choice but to change his words: "Similarly, I am giving up Jiangdong, not Wu."

Wang Dian was speechless, and after a while he said: "But... without the land and people of Jiangdong, where would the Kingdom of Wu be?"

Xu Chu smiled and said: "The Kingdom of Wu is here, it depends on you and me, and all the soldiers in the camp. As long as we are united, the Kingdom of Wu will be there. If we are disloyal, what is the use of claiming to occupy Jiuzhou? I understand General Wang's You have your heart, but you can’t be in a hurry, you have to give in when it’s time.”

"When is the time to seize it?" Wang Dian asked worriedly.

"Who can buck the general trend?"

Wang Dian cupped his hands and bowed deeply, "It's just me who is stupid. I hope the ruler will be responsible." He then said to the generals: "The ruler said that giving up Jiangdong is just a false promise. Anyway, Jiangdong is not in the hands of the Wu army. When the Wu army becomes strong, he will naturally return to his hometown. , revive the Wu Kingdom!”

The generals cheered, but Xu Chu could only acquiesce.

The matter has come to an end for the time being, and the river workers who came to seek refuge will still be sent back to Jiangdong.

Early the next morning, Xu Chu led dozens of guards to the camp of King Liang.

On the way, we had to pass through the King of Shu's camp, but Gan Zhao was not there. He set out early in the morning to meet Ning Baoguan. He sent someone to wait on the road and left a message to thank the Wu army for returning the soldiers of the World Army.

Both sides knew that those soldiers were actually sent by Xue Liujia, and no one was willing to reveal it.

The Liang Army camp is quite vast, but compared to the World Army camp, there are far fewer people inside. Many of the tents are just appearance. From a distance, they look real, but if you look closer, you will find that they are just broken pieces that have been set up. Bu, there's no way anyone can live in the back.

Ma Wei knew the importance of bluff. There were many flags in the camp and cavalry running around. It looked like there were at least 100,000 troops stationed here.

When he heard that King Wu was visiting, Ma Wei changed his politeness and indifference from yesterday and walked a few miles to greet Xu Chu in person. He met Xu Chu on the road, jumped off his horse and greeted Xu Chu with open arms. He smiled and said, "I knew it with my eyes twitching last night." Something good will happen today, it turns out that King Wu is coming."

Xu Chu stepped forward to greet him, cupped his hands and said, "How dare you call yourself king in front of an old friend? If Brother Ma doesn't abandon you, you and I will treat each other as brothers."

"Brother Chu knows my heart well." Ma Wei immediately changed his mind and personally led the way into the camp on foot. "Brother Chu, what do you think of Liang Jun?"

"It is majestic and as strong as a mountain. The rebel army has elite soldiers, and Liang Jun is divided into half."

"Haha, it's all fake. It's just used to deceive the officers and soldiers."

After entering the camp, Ma Wei ordered a banquet. Xu Chu did not want to waste time, so he declined and said: "I came to visit today because I have important matters."

Ma Wei immediately dismissed his subordinates, leaving Xu Chu to talk alone.

"On the twentieth day of the twelfth lunar month, Brother Ma really wants to be a pioneer?"

"A king who does what he says does what he says has no excuses."

"Brother Ma, what do you think there is a chance of winning?"

Ma Wei put away his smile and said, "To be honest, there is a chance of winning in the front, but not in the back."

In the front were the officers and soldiers, and in the back were the Shishi Army. All the troops had the same concerns. They had seen through Xue Liujia's trick and were worried that the Shishi Army would take advantage of the chaos to attack.

Xu Chu said: "This is the reason why I came to see Brother Ma. If King Jingshi remains motionless, even if the five armies defeat the officers and soldiers, they will not be able to escape from behind."

"Brother Chu is a 'think tank'. Do you have any clever ideas?"

"It's not a clever plan. With the current situation, the only way is for the five armies to unite to protect themselves, lead the officers and soldiers to the World Army, and then join the battle. When the time comes, the World Army will no longer be able to sit back and watch."

"That's exactly what I meant. Brother Chu and I have been close friends for many years. We are more affectionate than brothers. The armies of Liang and Wu should be indistinguishable from each other. From now on, when I go to Huaizhou, we are close neighbors to the Kingdom of Wu. We should have more contact with each other. Brother Chu. If so, Liang Jun’s officers and soldiers will be at your disposal.”

"Liang's soldiers are numerous and powerful, and Brother Ma is his elder brother. Naturally, the Wu army obeys Brother Ma's command. However, it is not enough for our two families to unite. Only the five kings must work together to turn the tide of the war."

"The problem with King Jin is not big. I heard what he said. The Jin army also felt isolated and wanted to unite. I just don't know what King Wu Yue and King Shu thought. These two people were once subordinates of King Jingshi. The King of Shu is still a confidant..."

"I have an old relationship with King Ning. I am confident that I can persuade him to unite. If King Ning joins, it will be easier for the King of Shu." Xu Chu didn't mention Gan Zhao's visit yesterday, just like Ma Wei didn't mention that he and Shen Dan had already planned. If Xu Chu doesn't come today, Ma Wei will probably visit the Wu army camp.

Ma Wei smiled and said: "The King of Wuyue...has unpredictable thoughts. I heard that he wrote a letter to persuade my younger brother to become king quickly. Is it true?"

Xu Chu nodded.

"Haha, I guess King Wu Yue means to keep Brother Chu in Luozhou, lest you go to Jiangdong first to seize the land and leave him with nowhere to go."

"That must be the case."

"Brother Chu, tell me the truth. Since you have seen through King Wu Yue's intentions, why did you come to Luozhou?"

"The cities in the east of the Yangtze River are still occupied by officers and soldiers. The east side here is not broken, and the defenders there are not defeated. The Wu army can only fight for it city by city. It takes a long time, which is not the best strategy. Besides, conquering the east capital is a great opportunity to become famous in the world. If you are wise, No one will miss it.”

Ma Wei laughed, "Yes, even if there is only one soldier left in the Liang Army, I must come to join the battle. If I miss this opportunity, I will have no choice but to be a vassal in the future."

Ma Wei sighed again, "Even if he becomes famous all over the world, the things that follow will still be more difficult step by step: King Jingshi is eyeing him, and Liang Jun is not familiar with the place in Huaizhou. Whether he can gain a foothold in Huaizhou is difficult to predict. Even if everything goes well, there are people in the north. Jizhou's sudden cavalry, and the Wuyue troops in the south..."

Ma Wei reached out and grabbed Xu Chu's wrist and said eagerly: "Brother Chu, there is no need to hide it from me. You and King Wu Yue will have a fight in the future. The winner will get Jiangdong. There is no reason to share it. Wu Jun is slightly weaker now. You have What's the plan?"

"I haven't thought that far yet."

"Haha, Brother Chu, do you want to hide things from me? It's not Brother Chu's style to make plans when things happen."

Xu Chu thought for a while and said, "Ningbaoguan's soldiers are all stronger than Wu's army, so we can't compete with them. My plan is to take a boat to the east after conquering the eastern capital, first take over the coastal areas, and then go west. Ningbaoguan, Shao Shao The ship will most likely take the land route, heading from west to east, and the two armies will not meet for a while. "

"This is a temporary measure, what about the future?"

"Ning Baoguan is a harsh man. He captured the city with violence in the west, while I appease the east with generosity. Moreover, the Wu army is full of people from Jiangdong. The Wu people are attacked on both sides, so they will defect to me. When the strength changes, I Let’s fight Ning Baoguan again.”

"Haha, great idea." Ma Wei praised.

Naturally, Xu Chu would not reveal his true plan and said with a smile: "In the end, the one who wins the hearts of the people will win Jiangdong, but the hearts of the people are unpredictable. The road ahead of me is no easier than Brother Ma."

"Liang and Wu will be close neighbors in the future. You and I will work hard, each occupy a state, and then join hands to conquer the world and rule by dividing the river. Wouldn't it be beautiful?"

The first time Ma Wei said something similar, Xu Chu was just a wandering counselor. Now that he mentioned it again, Ma Wei seemed much more sincere.

"The world is at peace, and good friends are rare. Brother Ma understands what I'm thinking."

Ma Wei held Xu Chu's wrist tighter, "Let's not talk about further matters. I will convince the King of Jin. Brother Chu persuaded the King of Wu, Yue and the King of Shu to unite the five armies, starting with Wu and Liang."

The two discussed some more details, and Xu Chu took his leave. When he returned to Wu Jun's camp, it was already the second watch.

It was a cold winter night and the wind was howling. Xu Chu stopped to watch the guards taking away the horses. He couldn't help but think: A king has no friends. He should not be sentimental and should move forward bravely.

Wang Dian stayed behind at the camp and came over and said, "An old friend is visiting. Would you like to meet the governor?"

"Which one?"

"He refused to give his name. We searched him, but he didn't have weapons on him."

"Take me to see it."

Wang Dian led the way and apologized to Xu Chu in a low voice: "I was too rude last night and I will be charged with political crimes."

"I would rather all the generals speak out like General Wang. What's the crime?"

Wang Dian smiled, came to the tent where the guests were, and gently opened a corner of the curtain to let the ruling king look inside.

Xu Chu only took a quick glance and recognized that it was indeed an old friend, and an old friend from Dongdu that he had never expected.