Plan to cut off the nine states

Xu Chu sat up suddenly and yelled. He was sweating all over. He reached out and found that even the quilt was a little wet.

The yell was so loud that the guards outside the door asked, "Are you in charge?"

Even Tang Weitian, who was sleeping soundly, was awakened. He got up too suddenly and couldn't tell the directions at once. He said to the door, "What's going on?"

The guards knocked on the door. Tang Weitian became more and more dizzy. He picked up the stick beside the couch and swung it around.

It was Xu Chu who woke up first and shouted, "It's okay. Tang Weitian, stop."

Tang Weitian sat down blankly and sweated all over.

Xu Chu got down in the dark, walked to the door and opened it, and said to the guards outside, "Tang Weitian is in a nightmare."

Xu Chu lied. The guards smiled and nodded and returned to their original positions.

Tang Weitian didn't hear this, rubbed his eyes, and finally regained consciousness, "Grand Commander..."

"Go to sleep, it's okay." Xu Chu tiptoed back to the bed.

"No, the Grand Commander must have something wrong with that cry."

Xu Chu was no longer sleepy, sitting on the bed, looking at the endless darkness, and said: "I dreamed of many dead people."

"Ghosts?"

"No, I dreamed of how they looked when they were alive, and then suddenly thought that they were dead."

"Oh, normal, I often dream of my parents, and sometimes I wake up for a long time before I remember that they are dead." Tang Weitian couldn't sleep either.

"Yeah." Xu Chu didn't say why he was terrified. He dreamed of Madam Lan, Meng Senglun and many Wu soldiers. These people died because of his decision and came to question him together.

Xu Chu never believed in ghosts and gods, but he was scared in his dream.

"Then go to sleep, the Grand Commander hasn't had a complete sleep for a long time." Tang Weitian was at peace, yawned again, and fell sideways.

Xu Chu still couldn't sleep, "Tang Weitian, you... have killed people, right?"

"Of course, I've fought in bloody battles, and I can't even count how many people I've killed. If not 500, then 300." Tang Weitian has been in the army for a long time, and when he talks about numbers, he necessarily exaggerates, and he's used to it, and he doesn't even think it's bragging.

"Not on the battlefield, but in normal times? Have you ever killed unarmed women and children? Or has anyone died because of your mistake?"

Tang Weitian thought for a while, "No, the Advent Army really loves to kill people. They snatch young women to be wives and men to be slaves. Those who are too strong or too weak are all killed, and they must be killed in front of their families, so that those who are taken away will not escape and go home. Don't say it, this trick is very useful. The Advent Army is getting bigger and bigger. Many people were originally slaves, and later became soldiers, killing more cruelly. But I haven't killed anyone, not because I don't dare, but because I am not qualified to snatch people, so there is no need to kill. Alas."

"This is good, I won't feel guilty."

"Haha, I won't feel guilty about killing people. Anyway, it's either you die or I live, what's there to be ashamed of?"

"But the other party is unarmed and won't cause Threat."

"That's not necessarily true. The King of the World said that after the death of the founding emperor of Tiancheng, the gates of the eighteen layers of hell were opened, releasing countless ghosts to reincarnate. Therefore, there are too many evil people in the mortal world, and they must be killed first before Maitreya can be attracted to the world."

Xu Chu shook his head, "The founding emperor Zhang Xi has been dead for more than ten years. Even if he released ghosts to reincarnate, he was only a teenager at this time. Why did he have to kill all the people in the world?"

"Uh... I haven't thought about this. Maybe I remembered it wrong. The emperor should have opened the gate before his death... Anyway, there are more evil people than good people in the world, so it's right to kill them."

"If that's the case, why are women, children, the elderly and the weak often killed? What evil can they do?"

"Uh... The Grand Commander confused me. Next time the ancestor king possesses you, ask him. I don't understand." Tang Weitian was asked anxiously, and simply pushed it to the dead.

Neither of them spoke, and Xu Chu still didn't sleep. After a while, he noticed something strange. Tang Weitian, who usually fell asleep when he lay down and snored when he closed his eyes, actually didn't snore all the time.

"Grand Commander." Tang Weitian really didn't sleep, "Many people say that you ordered General Meng and others to commit suicide, is that true?"

"Many people say so?"

"Yes, many people."

"Indeed, I ordered it." Xu Chu replied.

"Why? General Meng is such a good person, he is really loyal to the Grand Commander..." Tang Weitian was very surprised, "But the Grand Commander must have a reason, you don't have to tell me, I can understand."

Xu Chu didn't want to hide it, "Because he always makes his own decisions and ruins my plan." This reason has existed in Xu Chu's mind for a long time, but once he said it, it immediately seemed hypocritical and untrue, "The real reason is that he always treats me like a child, which makes me bored."

Tang Weitian laughed out loud, "Haha, just like me, I hate others treating me like a child the most, as if I don't know anything and need others to decide everything. What I like most about the Grand Commander is that you treat me like an adult and give me the most important tasks."

Tang Weitian's tone was full of pride, but Xu Chu felt a little ashamed. In fact, he also treated Tang Weitian as a child, a gifted and useful child.

"Maybe I'm wrong." Xu Chu muttered.

"The Grand Commander will not make mistakes." Tang Weitian said affirmatively. He couldn't stand the Grand Commander's hesitation.

Xu Chu smiled and said, "Of course he is right. You should also be careful not to act on your own behind my back."

"Definitely not. Well, not big things, but small things... okay?"

"How small is it?"

"For example... this matter is really too small, not worth mentioning."

"Tell me about it."

"There is an old madman who always comes to the gate of the military camp, saying that he recognizes the Governor, and asks people everywhere to report him, but no one pays attention to him. I have also encountered it. In order to drive him away, I even kicked him."

"What kind of 'old madman'?"

"An ordinary old lunatic, dressed in rags, like a beggar, no, just a beggar. He is probably too hungry. He says he recognizes the Governor and has served you for many years, but he doesn't live in the General's Mansion at all. "

Xu Chu suddenly remembered someone, "I didn't live in the general's mansion before, but there was indeed an old servant beside me... Is he still alive? How could he become a beggar?"

"What's his name? I'll know if I ask him next time we meet."

"I...forgot." Xu Chu actually didn't pay attention.

"Haha, how many servants do the Governor have around him that he can't even remember their names?"

"You ask him who the person who came to my house to buy articles is. If he answers 'Zhou Lv', you will bring him to see me. If he answers someone else, don't pay attention to him anymore."

"Okay, I remember, Zhou Lu. There are still people spending money to buy articles? What's wrong with this? If you have money, you should buy land, a house, and food."

"His family doesn't lack these."

"I can't understand the thoughts of rich people." Tang Weitian yawned widely, closed his eyes, and soon snored.

Xu Chu still couldn't sleep, thinking about those who died because of him, and those who would die because of him...

He often despised the hesitation in his heart, but this time he did not think about it honestly, and honestly accepted the "blame" of the dead and the dying.

Ma Wei and Xue Jinyao have led their troops out of the city one after another. They have gone to dangerous places. Ma Wei is better. He is a smart man. If he sees that Meng Jin's situation is not right, he will definitely retreat. However, Xue Jinyao has a courageous character. The stronger the officers and soldiers, the better she will be. To confront the enemy head-on.

Guo Shifeng suggested setting a deadline for her to defeat the enemy. Xu Chu refused, but in his heart he knew that it was not necessary. With Xue Jinyao's temper, a quick victory was necessary.

Knowing this, he still agreed with Xue Jinyao to lead the troops, and even left Cao Shenxi behind, letting her lead the troops alone without any warning.

"Since she has become a general born into the world, she has to withstand such a test." Xu Chu whispered to himself, slightly alleviating the uneasiness in his heart.

The guard outside the door said: "In power, the general who came to the world sent a messenger."

"Quick pass." Xu Chu immediately got up and got out of bed.

The messenger did not bring any special news, but just reported that the trip was going smoothly. This was Xu Chu's request to Xue Jinyao. Every few hours, someone must be sent back to report.

Xu Chu breathed a sigh of relief, no longer feeling sleepy, and simply went to the meeting hall to wait for the messenger from King Liang.

The messenger arrived soon, and there was no special news. King Liang was still on the way and did not arrive at Mengjin.

The meeting hall was airy and cold. Xu Chu wrapped himself in a thick cloak, sketched the terrain on the table, speculated on the movements of all parties, and wondered how much Princess Huanyan had paid and how much force she had used to besiege Dongdu.

Time passed little by little, and Xu Chu was lost in thought. It wasn't until the visitor coughed that he noticed. He looked up and saw Guo Shifeng, and said with a smile, "Mr. Guo can't sleep either?"

"It's already dawn, King Wu."

Xu Chu was startled, and then he realized that there was light outside and the candle on the table had already been extinguished.

"Haha, it turns out I was confused."

"King Wu told me to come and see him early in the morning."

"Yes, I would like to ask Mr. Guo to go to Huaizhou."

"Meet the Sheng family?"

"right."

"Win over the Sheng family? Yes, but I need King Wu to explain to me what conditions we must use in exchange for the Sheng family's surrender."

"Give nothing."

Guo Shifeng was slightly startled and said with a smile: "Is King Wu trying to test my eloquence?"

“Not only won’t you give it, but you’ll also need to lend me a way.”

"Borrowing a way?"

"Yes, on the way to Jiangdong, I will pursue Ning Baoguan and capture the emperor of Jiangdong and the Liang and Lan families."

Guo Shifeng was stunned again, and then he understood, "King Wu wants me to find out the details of the Sheng family? To see if they are truly loyal to Jiangdong?"

"Um."

"It's a trivial matter. I'm not trying to shirk it. It doesn't seem worth my while."

"You also need to find out whether the Sheng family has been won over by Yecheng. If so, then find out what conditions Yecheng has given..."

"King Wu's intention is to let the Sheng family guard Huaizhou and not participate in the battle of the Central Plains?"

"right."

"If I can make the Sheng family switch to King Wu..."

"Unexpected merit, Wu Junjun position, Mr. Guo, please choose as you wish."

"Haha, okay, King Wu's words are enough. I can't go empty-handed, I have to bring some 'gifts'."

"From all the treasuries in the Eastern Capital, follow Mr. Guo and take whatever you can carry."

"Now that I have gained the trust of King Wu, I will never disappoint King Wu." Guo Shifeng said goodbye and prepared to set off.

Xu Chu needed new allies. He sent for the magicians from the Jingshi army who were staying in the city. He selected four of them and asked them to go to Qinzhou and Hanzhou respectively to bring the seal written by the great mage Liu Jiuzhuan and sealed by the young king of Jingshi. His trust attracted the New World Army to come to the Eastern Capital.

While making arrangements, he said to Yecheng in the distance in his heart: "You can guess me, and I can guess you. This time it's a showdown."