Plan to cut off the nine states

Niu Tiannu was placed under house arrest in the Fourth Prince's Mansion. She had an independent courtyard, took care of her son and two daughters, and was provided with food and drink. She did not feel that she was suffering. She was much more comfortable than before.

But she didn't just cover her ears. She often chatted with the guards about daily life, and asked her children to call them "brother" and "uncle."

She never made any excessive demands, she just chatted. If the guards wanted to talk about things outside, she would listen to them. If they didn't want to talk, she never asked.

The guards were all from Wu, and they had a very good impression of Niu Tiannu. Anyway, the King of Wu did not issue a ban. They were willing to say anything. However, they were of low status and did not know much. They were nothing more than public information and rumors from unclear sources.

Niu Tiannu listened with great interest and often asked about the situation at the guard's home. The next time they met again, she could always accurately name the other person's family members.

Mrs. Ning was said to be cold and taciturn, but the dozen or so guards who took turns guarding the courtyard had a completely different impression of her.

There are usually at least four gatekeepers, but tonight there are only two.

"I heard that there was another chaos among the officers and soldiers outside the city. King Wu is going to lead his troops out of the city for a decisive battle. Everyone is going to the north city, leaving the two of us to stay... Alas, we didn't even have a chance to reach out to the military honors that came to us."

"It seems that King Ning has also come back. Everyone says that this is a strategy set up by King Wu. He pretended to send King Ning to attack Runan, but in fact he wanted to attack the officers and soldiers. To say that King Wu is really smart, no one can guess what he wants to do. , but he always wins, truly protected by the deification of Maitreya.”

Niu Tiannu listened to the two men talking with a smile, but her heart skipped a beat. It was definitely not King Wu's idea for King Ning to leave and come back. Why did he return to the Eastern Capital? Come to save your wife and children? Aren't you afraid of breaking up with King Wu because of this?

After thinking about it again, Niu Tiannv felt a surge of anger in her heart. She valued her husband's ability, but she never had any illusions about her husband's feelings. The only person who could allow King Ning to risk his life and kill him was the Queen Mother in the officer camp.

Niu Tiannu still had a smile on her face, and she personally brought food and wine, as well as a few pieces of jewelry, "A little gift to make up for the 'military merit' of the two of you."

The guard tried his best to refuse, and Niu Tiannv said: "When you go out, you have to eat and drink enough, and you have to think about your family all the time. These things are not for you, but for you to give to your wife and sister when you go home. Keep them well, don't you? You must exchange it for wine, and you will live up to my wishes."

One of the two guards was married, and the other had a young girl at home. They grinned when they heard this, accepted the gifts, and thanked them shyly. They had received many gifts, but each time they were not many, but together they amounted to a large sum. The wealth makes them feel like they are receiving salary without merit.

They knew that Mrs. Ning Wang liked to hear news from outside, so they took turns going out to inquire.

When they heard that the officers and soldiers were defeated, they were both happy and regretful.

When they heard about the death of the general, they worshiped the sky with wine.

When they heard that the captured Wu soldiers were caught in the flames, they were furious and cursed the general for dragging so many people on his back before he died.

After midnight, the guard who went out to inquire about the news hurried back, his expression different from before. After entering the room, he stared at Niu Tiannu with no respect at all.

Niu Tiannu stood up and asked politely: "Is the King of Wu still well? Is there anyone who has survived the captured Wu soldiers?"

The guard was silent, and another person scolded: "Third brother, if you have something to say, just say it. Why are you pretending to be cool or what are you doing? Mrs. Ning Wang is asking you something."

The guard sighed, "Prince Ning is Prince Ning, and Madam is Madam. Although we are a family, they are not the same thing, right?"

Niu Tiannv was stunned for a moment, and then said: "Prince Ning and I have been apart for a long time. He has never cared about our mothers. He treats his subordinates better than us."

"What do you mean?" Another guard was quite surprised by his companion's words.

"The person who set fire to Wu soldiers was not the general, but King Ning."

"How is it possible? Did you hear it wrong? King Ning was acting on the orders of King Wu, so why would he burn his own people?" Another guard didn't believe it at all.

"I have inquired carefully, and everyone has the same story. It seems that King Ning came back on his own and has nothing to do with King Wu. King Ning is not here to beat the officers and soldiers, but to burn and kill the captured Wu soldiers."

"Why?"

"Why? Isn't this simple? Prince Ning's men are all Jiangdong river workers. They have a grudge against the Seven Clans and want to take revenge."

"But those Wu soldiers...are not all descendants of the Seven Clans."

"Prince Ning doesn't care about this. He just wants to please his subordinates." The guard talked with his companions, his eyes still staying on Niu Tiannu's face, "Madam, am I right?"

"I don't know." Niu Tiannv's face was ashen, and she knew very well that this was exactly what her husband could do. She worked hard to please the guards just to know what Prince Ning was doing, but she never expected to learn such a news. News, "Prince Ning doesn't care about our mothers at all."

This sentence moved the two guards, and they looked at each other. The guard who had just returned said: "Prince Ning is ruthless and unjust to Madam, we have all seen it. What Prince Ning did has nothing to do with Madam, but other people may not Thinking about it this way, the Wu soldiers outside the city want to take revenge on King Ning. If they can't catch up, they may come to Madam to vent their anger. The two of us are grateful to Madam. As small soldiers, we really can't protect Madam, and we can't let you go..."

"Can't you?" another guard said, wanting to let Mrs. Ning Wang escape.

"Do you know how many people's brothers, relatives and friends were burned to death? If Madam hadn't been there, they would have eaten us together with our flesh and bones."

"That...ma'am really can't leave."

Niu Tiannu didn't want to leave either. The children were still young, and the oldest was only in her teens. She couldn't run far with them.

"I beg you to do me a favor."

The two guards shook their heads at the same time.

Niu Tiannu smiled slightly, "I'm not asking you to let me escape. I want you to go see Jin Shengnu and tell her... tell her that Niu Tiannu wants to entrust the three children to her, hoping that she will remember the past and save the children's lives. As for what King Ning did, I am willing to take responsibility."

The guards looked at each other again and sighed at the same time. One of them said, "You went out just now, and it's my turn this time. But I can't guarantee that I can find Jin Shengnu, and I can't go out for too long, so..."

"Everything is up to fate. I am grateful for your help. I still have some gold and silver here..."

The two guards shook their heads immediately. This time they really refused and didn't want any more gifts.

One of them went to find Jin Shengnv, and the other stayed behind, shaking his head, "What exactly is King Ning thinking? The situation is good, and King Wu treats him well... And those river workers, the old grudge with the seven clans is more than 20 years ago. Wu was destroyed, and the seven clans lost power. What hatred can't be resolved?"

"King Ning is ruthless and ungrateful to his wife and children. Just based on this point, we know that he is an ungrateful person. Those river workers must have been instigated by King Ning."

"Definitely instigated." The guard nodded.

Niu Tiannv was not sincere. She thought that her husband's move was cruel enough. From now on, those river workers can only follow King Ning and can never return to King Wu.

But then she thought that King Ning might not have expected the consequences at all. He just wanted to use the river workers to snatch the queen mother.

Niu Tiannv hated her husband for a while, and worried about her children for a while. She was in a state of anxiety, and she never calmed down.

The guard saw that the wife of King Ning was uneasy, "I'll go outside to watch, Madam, you should rest first. This kind of thing can only be left to fate, there is no point in being anxious."

"Thank you." Niu Tiannv sent the guard to the gate of the courtyard and quietly returned to the house. The three children were sleeping soundly and had no idea of ​​the danger they were facing.

Niu Tiannv sighed silently.

Not long after, there was a shouting outside. Niu Tiannv hurried to bolt the door, moved the tables and chairs to block it, retreated to the bed, and stood in front of the children.

"Niu Tiannv, come out! Pay for your life for Wu people!"

The two daughters slept in one bed, and the youngest brother slept in another bed. When they heard the shouting, they all sat up and rubbed their eyes. They didn't know what was going on. Seeing their mother was there, they felt much more at ease.

Niu Tiannv didn't say anything. Any words she said at this time would make Wu people even more angry. She could only hope for the protection of Jin Shengnv.

The door was slammed, and the youngest boy started crying out of fear. Niu Tiannu turned around and picked him up, whispering, "What do you want a Ning family man to do?"

A daughter behind him answered for him, "Ning family men don't kneel or cry."

The boy stopped crying and hid in his mother's arms, still afraid.

The people outside kept shouting, and one of them shouted, "Ning Baoguan burned the Wu people to death, let's burn his wife and children to death!"

"Yes, set them on fire!"

Niu Tiannu felt nervous, sat on the bed, opened her left arm, and hugged her two daughters, "You are also my children in the underworld."

The people outside used torches to light the doors and windows, but they thought the fire was too small, so they went to find grease.

Niu Tiannu prayed silently in her heart.

The shouting outside suddenly became louder, as if someone was arguing. After a moment, someone knocked heavily on the door, and a female voice said, "Is Sister Niu in there? Open the door quickly."

Niu Tiannv let go of the child and went to open the door, but her son refused to let go, so she had to continue holding him in her arms.

Outside the door was a sturdy middle-aged woman who was familiar with Niu Tiannv. Without saying much, she said directly, "Follow me."

Niu Tiannv nodded and said to her two daughters, "Follow me."

The outside was crowded with people. The angry Wu people held swords, guns, and torches in their hands, shouting "revenge". Another team of soldiers stood in two tight rows, opening a very narrow passage for Niu Tiannv and her family to escape.

Niu Tiannv held her son in one hand and held her daughter in the other hand, lowering her head and walking quickly.

Torches and swords were thrown in one after another from outside the wall of people. The woman who came to pick them up shouted, "Get out of the way, I belong to Jin Shengnv..."

Her words were drowned out by the shouting.

Just as they reached the gate of the courtyard, there was no way out. More Wu soldiers surrounded them and wanted to tear King Ning's wife and children into pieces.

A team of cavalry rushed in time and squeezed out a path among the Wu soldiers. Xue Jinyao, wearing a silver helmet and silver armor, holding a stick of descending, came to Niu Tiannu and said, "Your husband has caused a big disaster."

"If King Wu catches Ning Baoer, let me bite a piece of his flesh first."

Xue Jinyao sighed. Although she had fought with Niu Tiannu, there was still some friendship left in the past. She couldn't watch them being killed.

Niu Tiannu was taken to the North City military camp, which originally belonged to King Ning and then to King Wu. It was just transferred to Xue Jinyao's control yesterday after dark.

Before the group dismounted, someone came to report, "King Wu asked General Xiangshi to go there immediately."

Xue Jinyao sighed again, not knowing how to face King Wu.