Plan to cut off the nine states

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Zhou Lu took a sip of hot water and was moved to tears. He said with a trembling voice, "I want to join the rebel army. The imperial court is really rotten and there is no hope of salvation."

There were two people standing opposite him, one was Xu Chu and the other was Ning Baoguan. Zhou Lu's eyes swept back and forth, not daring to stay longer for fear of offending one of them.

"What do you want me to hear?" Ning Baoguan asked in surprise. The man in front of him looked like a dandy from Dongdu. He was cowardly and worthless. "I thought you brought me to see Cao Shenxi. "

"Cao Shenxi doesn't speak easily, but Mr. Zhou can tell the truth."

"To be honest, what I said is all the truth... Uh, what should I say?" Zhou Lu was willing to say anything, but he didn't know what the other party wanted to hear. "Actually, I wanted to abandon the dark side and turn to the bright side in Runan, but..."

"I didn't ask you to talk about this, talk about the situation in Dongdu." Xu Chu interrupted.

"Oh, Dongdu... the city has been in chaos for a long time. It is said that the emperor has run away, leaving only the Queen Mother and the Queen Mother in the palace. They have not been seen by ministers for a long time. Everything is decided by Liang Taifu and Lan Xun. The two of them were at odds with each other, and their orders were often contradictory..."

"How many defenders are there in Dongdu?" Ning Baoguan was only concerned about this matter.

"Guards... maybe 10,000 to 20,000."

"Have you seen it with your own eyes?" Xu Chu asked.

Zhou Lu held the bowl of hot water with both hands and said with a mournful face: "To be honest, I really don't know. This recruitment is very hasty. The decree was sent out one day and everyone had to report to the military camp the next day, regardless of high or low. , My father has done a lot of credit for establishing the Tiancheng Dynasty, but it turned out to be useless. "

"'Everyone'?" Ning Baoguan had to ask clearly.

"All men over the age of fifteen and under sixty, and boys under the age of fifteen must stand at the door of their homes for inspection. Anyone who can hold a weapon must also apply."

Ning Baoguan glanced at Xu Chu and asked, "Is your father a duke?"

"Marquis Dongyang, it stands to reason that I don't have to join the army, but no, I have to report. Fortunately, I was asked by General Cao to come to my side, so that I could have a chance to defect to the rebel army." Zhou Lu observed carefully, his eyes lingering on Ningbaoguan for a while longer. meeting.

"Who ordered the conscription?" Xu Chu asked.

"That... this is the imperial edict jointly issued by Lan Xun and Liang Taifu. It is said that... it is said to be the idea of ​​the general, and he personally sent people to execute it, so no one dares to hide the children. Prisoners in prison, servants of various families They were all requisitioned, and even the eunuchs in the palace seemed to have sent out thousands of people. When the soldiers and armor were distributed, many people cried. "

"Where are these people? The officers and soldiers I saw are all normal, you are the only one who is useless." Ning Baoguan will not be polite to prisoners.

Zhou Lu was not ashamed of being a waste, "Stay and guard the army wall and the city of Dongdu. Don't think I am a waste. They are worse than me. They don't even dare to hold a sword. They must keep it in a scabbard. They tremble when they see the blade." ”

Ning Baoguan raised his right index finger and lightly swiped it, signaling Zhou Lu to shut up. He wanted to think about it carefully. After a while, he asked, "Is Lou Wen going after King Jin?"

"Yes, it's not just the King of Jin, but also the King of the World. General... Lou Wen never wanted to attack our side from the beginning. He said to capture the thief first, capture the king. Once Xue Liujia dies, the Army of the World will inevitably collapse, and then It was said that the King of Jin rebelled as a son of a noble family, and if he was not killed immediately, it would inevitably lead to imitation from various places. Lou Wen told General Cao that there was no need to attack the camp here, and he could just block the rebels in the camp and wait for him to come back. tidy."

"But you have been attacking today." Ning Baoguan said.

Zhou Lu was already crying and his face was drooping more seriously. He looked like a fat man who had suddenly lost dozens of kilograms. His skin was still there, but it was falling everywhere. "General Cao didn't want to attack. It was Lan Yong who insisted on attacking," he said. The rebel army was defeated in one attack. After fighting here, there was still time to encircle and suppress King Jingshi. But we all understand Lan Yong’s intentions. He is afraid that the general will never return, so he has to personally supervise..."

"Who is Lan Yong?" Ning Baoguan asked.

"Lan Xun's son is extremely stupid. Everyone doesn't like him. The general deliberately kept him with General Cao because he didn't want to be disturbed by him. Alas." Zhou Lu couldn't help but let out a long sigh. If Lan Yong hadn't insisted on it, If the war started, he would not be captured for the second time. He quickly added: "There is God's will in the dark. If Lan Yong had not been stupid, I would not have had the chance to join the rebels."

Zhou Lu put down the bowl and bowed flatteringly to the two kings.

"Lan Yong is not stupid." Ning Baoguan murmured: "If he had been more courageous and attacked the military camp while shooting arrows, the rebel army would have dispersed long ago."

That layer of fence is the last support of the rebel army. If the officers and soldiers advance a short distance, the rebel soldiers will fall apart. They are either busy running for their lives or taking care of their own families first. Even Ning Baoguan cannot suppress it.

"Lan Yong is as timid as a mouse. General Cao personally supervised the battle, but Lan Yong was hiding behind. We were captured... and fell into the hands of the rebels, but he ran fast..."

Ning Baoguan made a move, walked to the corner with Xu Chu, and said: "Based on a few words from this man, you want to give up the original plan and lead troops to attack Dongdu? And you also heard that Changwei and Dongdu Someone is guarding it.”

"They are all temporarily recruited civilians. The rebels have experienced hundreds of battles and are like wolves among sheep. They can capture the Eastern Capital in one fell swoop."

"Even if the people are not good, Dongdu still has a city wall after all."

"The people of Dongdu have lost all their hearts. If the rebels can promise not to invade Qiu, the people of Dongdu will most likely surrender the city."

"Are you sure?"

"It's worth a try. Even if we encounter obstacles, we can attract the general to relieve the siege of King Jin and King Jiangshi. The two kings are chasing us and are still attacking us from both sides."

"Hey, we didn't go to the war as promised, but you expect them to save us?"

"King Jiangshi may not, but King Jin will definitely come. Once he hears that Dongdu is going to surrender, King Jiangshi will naturally come."

Ning Baoguan shook his head lightly, "Too risky. Dongdu doesn't need elite soldiers. Just one good general can defend the city and keep us from advancing or retreating."

"If Dongdu had a good general, how could King Ning come here from Qinzhou?"

Ning Baoguan still shook his head.

Zhou Lu heard everything clearly. He only had one thought in his mind: how to save his life. So he plucked up his courage and said, "I have an idea..."

Ning Baoguan ignored him. Xu Chu turned his head and smiled, "Brother Zhou has an idea? It's rare."

"I can't bear the name 'Brother Zhou'. King Wu can just call me by my name, or..."

"Tell me your idea."

"It's actually simple to recruit the people of Dongdu to surrender. Bring me and General Cao to the city. Let the people in the city see that we are fine. They think surrendering is not a bad thing, so they will naturally... surrender."

This is not an "idea". If Xu Chu can bring the righteous army to the city of Dongdu, he will use this trick without thinking.

Ning Baoguan still didn't give an answer. He lifted the curtain and left.

Xu Chu was puzzled, and Zhou Lu was even more puzzled, "King Wu, I'm telling the truth. What does this King Ning... think?"

"Stay here and don't move."

"Yes, yes, I won't move." Zhou Lu really stood still.

Xu Chu chased out of the tent and saw Ning Baoguan striding towards the fence where the prisoners were held, holding a knife in his hand.

The officers and soldiers in the fence were all shocked, but there was nowhere to hide, so they could only try to hide behind others.

"Kneel down, I won't kill the surrendered generals." Ning Baoguan said.

The prisoners knelt one after another, only Cao Shenxi insisted on standing. He had been untied, but he did not hide behind. He stood in the front, with his beard and hair fluttering, and refused to show any fear.

The guards wanted to go forward and hold Cao Shenxi down, but Ning Baoguan waved his hand to stop him, and with his other hand, he swung his knife and chopped down, and the head of the surrendered general closest to him fell to the ground.

The prisoners were shocked and kowtowed and begged for mercy. Ning Baoguan remained calm, raised his knife and chopped again. After killing three people in a row, he threw away the knife with a rolled blade, and the guards immediately brought a new knife.

Cao Shenxi finally knelt down and gritted his teeth and said, "I am the commander. If you want to kill someone, kill me first."

Ning Baoguan turned to face the old general and said coldly, "Nothing. I just want to see how hard it is to make you surrender." After that, he turned around and walked out of the siege, facing Xu Chu, looked at him, and said nothing.

Xu Chu was secretly shocked. He had been fighting against the officers and soldiers together these days, and he had forgotten how cruel Ning Baoguan's methods were.

In any case, Ning Baoguan had an advantage. As long as he thought what the other party said made sense, he would always accept suggestions.

It was getting dark, and most of the rebels had already eaten and were waiting for the order to set off. They knew that they had to attack the officers and soldiers, so they were prepared.

Ning Baoguan summoned the kings and generals, and without explanation, he said directly: "King Liang, hand over the army to King Shu, and you stay with me."

"Ah?" Ma Wei was shocked.

Ning Baoguan stared at him, and Ma Wei immediately said, "Yes."

Ning Baoguan said to Gan Zhao, "You leave 3,000 people behind, and take the rest with you. Join the Liang army and go to rescue the King of the World. Set off immediately."

Gan Zhao took the order and immediately designated several of Ning Baoguan's trusted generals to stay. They only brought more than 3,000 soldiers. Then Gan Zhao and other generals left and ordered to set off.

Ning Baoguan personally supervised the rebels to leave the camp without saying a word.

After two fierce battles, the rebels were no longer in the mood to joke and marched silently.

It was late at night, and the torches formed a long snake and meandered away.

Gan Zhao left 3,000 men, plus the thousands of Wu Jun, a total of less than 10,000. Ning Baoguan ordered again to collect all the horses in the camp, barely gathering 500 cavalry, and then told the generals the truth: "We are not going to the Jiangshi Army, but to Dongdu to send the captives home."

The generals were shocked, and Ning Baoguan shouted: "I will take you there, am I a fool to go to die?"

No one dared to question, and ran to pass the order.

Ning Baoguan was the first to leave the camp and headed towards Dongdu, followed by Xu Chu and Ma Wei.

After walking a distance, Ning Baoguan stopped by the roadside, supervising the soldiers and occasionally encouraging them, "Tomorrow we will enter Dongdu, save your stomach, there is plenty of wine and meat over there."

The soldiers laughed, although they were uneasy, but they believed that Ning Baoguan and Xu Chu would not lead them to death.

While Ning Baoguan was distracted, Ma Wei approached Xu Chu and whispered, "What is going on? Why would the King of Wuyue change his mind? It must be you..."

"King Ning has his own decision." Xu Chu said.

Ma Wei shook his head gently, "But why did he call me? He didn't let me lead the troops."

"King Ning didn't tell me his plan."

"Hey." Ma Wei didn't ask any more.

After marching for more than 20 miles along the main road, getting closer and closer to the first barrier of the officers and soldiers, Ning Baoguan reined in his horse again and said to Ma Wei, "You can go."

"Ah? Where to?" Ma Wei was completely confused.

"Go after the King of Shu, don't go too fast, just catch up and tell him that the King of Wu and I have captured the Eastern Capital."

"Ah?"

"What, do you doubt what I said?"

"No, no, I don't doubt it, it's just... I'll set off immediately and let the King of Shu bring the troops back..."

"Tell him 'I and the King of Wu have taken over the Eastern Capital', just this sentence, don't add a single word, understand? Let the King of Shu make the decision himself."

"Yes, yes." Ma Wei looked rather embarrassed, turned his horse's head, called his guards, and galloped away.

"Will they believe it?" Xu Chu couldn't help asking.

"Believe it or not, the decision is made by yourself." Ning Baoguan glanced into the distance, "I will lead the cavalry to attack, you will stay behind with the infantry, if..."

"I will make the decision."

Ning Baoguan smiled slightly, spurred his horse to catch up with the front, and was going to attack the barrier of the officers and soldiers with only more than 500 people.