Plan to cut off the nine states

Fei Zhen returned to Liangying and served as the new envoy. He followed Guo Shifeng to Jiangdong. The King of Liang sent his most trusted general Pan Kai, who could also provide protection on the way. This team did not go to Huaizhou where the road was more convenient, but detoured. Luozhou is a little further away.

In contrast, Xu Chuxing was alone, with only one person, his troops, and a document from Prince Liang. The two sides were about to part ways after leaving the camp, so they left in the military camp.

The King of Liang relied on his status and did not come out. When bidding farewell, Guo Shifeng was polite and Pan Kai was as usual. Now he did not dare to say a word to Xu Chu and even avoided eye contact, so as not to arouse the suspicion of the King of Liang again - he suspected He was appointed as an envoy to Jiangdong as a punishment from King Liang for his previous nonsense.

Only Fei Zhen said a few more words, and when there was no one around, he whispered: "I still think my plan is better, but since the princess has made a decision - this is a major decision, one wrong move will Everything is lost. Maybe I am really not suitable for troubled times. You people always think that the more chaotic the better, and all the strategies you come up with are bizarre, but I just want to restore order to the world as much as possible, even if it is just for a city and a temporary period. "

Fei Zhen's mood was waning, and when he was about to leave, he remembered something again, "Oh, the princess knows that you will not go back, so let me tell Mr. Xu: Take it seriously."

Xu Chu thanked him, watched Guo Shifeng and others set off, and patted himself on the road.

The first section of the route was escorted by Liang soldiers. After more than ten miles, on the road to Yuyang, there were only a few Liang soldiers outposts further north. The escorts resigned and went back to resume their duties.

Xu Chu was riding a horse slowly by himself. After walking for several miles, he saw a man standing and a man sitting on the roadside.

Yecheng was besieged, and all the nearby people hid in the city. The villages and towns were deserted, and no one was seen on the road. Therefore, Xu Chu was surprised to see two large living people suddenly.

The standing man suddenly raised his arms and waved, and the seated man also stood up.

Xu Chu urged his horse to move quickly, and when he got closer, he recognized that the two people were actually Lao Fu and Chang Yan.

Xu Chu became more and more surprised.

"Look, I said there won't be random pedestrians on the road, it must be the young master, right?" the old servant said with a smile.

Chang Yan sat on the grass and patted the dirt on his butt, "There's no need to stand and wait all the time. You don't feel tired either."

Xu Chu jumped off his horse, "Why... why are you two here?"

"Let's go to Yuyang with the young master." The old servant thought everything was normal and didn't understand why the young master had doubts. "There must be someone to take care of the young master's food and daily life."

Chang Yan patted the knife on his waist, "There is also safety protection, the young master doesn't even have a knife."

Xu Chu was very happy to see the two of them and said with a smile: "It's perfect, but... Princess Huanyan sent you here?"

The old servant nodded, "To say that the princess is really a good person, of course, with the help of Mrs. Feng, before Liang Bing came over, he sent someone to take us from Siguo Valley to the city and put us in a safe place. Last night, it should be today In the morning, before dawn, Mrs. Feng woke us up and said that the young master was going to Yuyang to recruit followers, and everyone rushed to come..."

Chang Yan lowered his lips and snorted softly.

The old servant heard this and said, "What, did I say something wrong?"

Chang Yan was woken up early and yawned, "Don't be exaggerated about the young master. We are living well in the city, and we don't know what the young master is going to do in Yuyang. In fact, I don't really want to follow him, but since Mrs. Feng I can’t refuse even if I ask, I’m not particularly enthusiastic anyway.”

"I am eager to follow you wherever you go," the old servant said.

"Well, the old man is the only one who wants to come here. He is said to be too old and may cause trouble. He is not happy."

"I am old, but I am a well-traveled person. I have no problem with my legs and feet. I can stand all the time. Unlike you, I am young. I have to sit down wherever I find a place."

Chang Yan didn't argue, he held his hands to Xu Chu and said with a smile: "Young master needs someone with a sword by his side. They think I am the leader, so I have to do it."

Xu Chu knew in his heart that all this was arranged by Princess Huanyan. He felt a little grateful and a little guilty. He smiled and said, "It would be great to have two companions. Where are your mounts?"

Chang Yan said: "Eat grass over there, I'll fetch it."

Chang Yan went to fetch the horse. The old servant stared at Xu Chu with joy in his eyes, as if he hadn't seen him for many years.

After Xu Chu moved out of the General's Mansion at the age of ten, he was always accompanied by his old servant. At that time, he did not feel that the relationship was close. He only felt that the old servant was a bit nagging and urged him to find a serious future every day. After experiencing many things and meeting again, he discovered that the old servant The benefits of being a servant.

"I'm still alive." Xu Chu smiled.

"It's good to be alive." The old servant nodded, neither blaming nor questioning.

Chang Yan led the horses back with a baggage on each horse, "Mrs. Feng is really loyal and paid a lot of money. If she were a man, I would sworn sworn friends with her."

The three of them mounted their horses. The old servant was slow, so Xu Chu lifted him up.

After they were on the road, the old servant said: "Chang Yan, don't think we can't see it. Why do you want to become brothers? Do you want to become cousins?"

Chang Yan didn't blush and said with a smile: "I'm not the only one who has such thoughts. Who in the valley doesn't think so? I'm just afraid that my life is not strong enough. The old man's legs and feet are not old, and his heart is not old, right?"

"Go ahead and talk nonsense, how old am I?"

"You don't care anymore when you are older? I don't believe it, General..." Chang Yan hurriedly shut up.

Xu Chu nodded and said: "The general does have a lot of wives and concubines. The older he gets, the more he likes this kind of thing. I don't know how many concubines he has married inside and outside the mansion."

"You don't even know, Young Master?" Chang Yan was a little surprised.

The old servant replied: "Not to mention the young master, it is Mrs. Lan's son Lou Zhongjun. Even the general himself may not know the total number."

The three of them chatted for a while and were not in a hurry, so they were quite relaxed.

Xu Chu carried the official documents signed by King Liang and successfully passed several Liang Jun checkpoints. In the evening, he arrived at a small city. The official documents from King Liang were no longer needed. Chang Yan took out the official documents issued by Yecheng and was able to enter the city and stay at the inn. .

It was rare for news to come from Yecheng. The three of them were surrounded as soon as they entered the inn. Soon after, even the city lord sent someone to inquire about the news.

The old servant served Xu Chu to rest, and Chang Yan didn't know much about the people outside, but he dared to say it, half truth and half lie, even guessing. In the end, even he believed it, "There is an emperor in Yecheng." , with Princess Huanyan, we will definitely be able to turn the crisis around, you don’t have to be afraid, Liang Bing can’t attack here.”

In the room, the old servant finally asked: "Why do you want to go to Yuyang? I'm just asking casually. You don't need to say anything, you must have a point."

Xu Chu wiped the water off his feet and did not intend to hide it anymore, "Tian Jiang and Princess Fangde should be in Yuyang."

The old servant stared and took a breath, "The little princess...the little princess married outside the Great Wall, how could it be...how could it be..."

Chang Yan came in just in time and asked, "What's the 'how'?"

"The young master went to Yuyang to rescue the little princess." The old servant said.

"And Tian Jiang." Xu Chu added.

Chang Yan didn't show any surprise, "So that's it."

"Aren't you surprised? The little princess has already made a promise to King He Rong and should have gone outside the wall long ago. But now she is hiding in Yuyang City with the most trouble-making Tianjiang... This is a big trouble. ”

Chang Yan handed over to Xu Chu, "I was originally worried that the young master would become cruel again, but I was overly worried. I apologize to the young master."

Xu Chu smiled. The old servant wanted to say something, but in the end he just sighed and went out to fill the basin with water.

"Young Master, have you come up with a plan?" Chang Yan asked.

"Not yet. We have to go to Yuyang to check the situation."

"But it's quite difficult. Yecheng is besieged, and we are counting on the rescue of He Rong's cavalry. The little princess... Anyway, the young master can always find a way, why should I worry?" Chang Yan patted his waist knife again, "My responsibility It’s just to protect the young master’s safety. Even though I don’t practice swordsmanship much, I still have enough skills to hit him ten or eight times without any problem.”

The old servant came in and no longer cared about the younger princess, "Hit ten or eight people? Are they all my age?"

"Haha, I can't beat anyone like this old man."

The three of them chatted for a while, and the old servant praised the young princess's various advantages and sighed.

After chatting, the three of them went to rest. Before dawn the next day, the old servant urged the other two to get up, pack their luggage, prepare their horses, and arrived at the city gate just in time for the gate to open.

Chang Yan yawned profusely, Xu Chu also felt a little sluggish, and the old servant kept urging, "If you want to save the little princess, hurry up and don't waste time on the road."

Chang Yan said: "I thought saving people was a risk yesterday, so why did I change my mind after just one night's sleep? Did the princess entrust her to you in a dream?"

"The young princess also entrusted her dream to the young master. Why do you want to give it to me? I just thought that no one can change what the young master has decided. Instead of persuading him to stop, it is better to provide some help so that the young master can rescue people smoothly."

"That's exactly the truth." Chang Yan said with a smile.

After walking for a while, the old servant caught up with Chang Yan and warned: "Chang Yan, when you see the little princess, you must not talk nonsense..."

"Don't tell me, I just want to tell you that I urge you to hurry up."

The old servant breathed a sigh of relief, "It doesn't matter whether you say this or not..."

Going further north, there were slightly more people, but it still looked desolate. The cities along the way became more and more vigilant. Even if they showed Ye City's official documents, the three of them were rejected several times, so they had to sleep outside the city and eat some dry food.

Slowly, the rumors on the road were no longer that Ye City was besieged, but that the Bingzhou Army was attacking Yuyang City. At one time, there was even news that Yuyang had been besieged and that the King of Jin was about to lead his troops south.

A few days later, the three of them rushed to more than ten miles outside Yuyang City and saw the Tiancheng flag flying above the city from a distance, indicating that this place was still owned by Ye City.

There are no Bingzhou troops outside the city, and there are more pedestrians on the road than in other cities in the south. Some teahouses and taverns are even doing business as usual.

With Yuyang right in front of him, Xu Chu was not in a hurry. He insisted on sitting in the tea shed for a while and listening to the people's discussions.

Those who drink tea are poor people who are most concerned about their own livelihood and are especially afraid of enemy troops attacking the city, which will cut off the livelihood of the whole family.

An army did come from Bingzhou, which was still far away from Yuyang. Everyone was arguing about the purpose of the Bingzhou army. Some people thought it was malicious, while others believed it was reinforcements. The most important reason was that Yuyang did not close the city.

"If it is really the enemy, will Yuyang Shou be so stupid as to open the city gate every day? So I say that the people coming from Bingzhou must be reinforcements, and the gate of the Shen family must be loyal to the imperial court."

When Xu Chu walked out of the tea shed and was only two or three miles away from the city gate, he said to his old servant: "Please go into the city to find the fieldman and tell him that I have arrived."

"Young master, you are not going into the city? You are already at the door."

Xu Chu shook his head, "General Yuyang is a smart man. It's useless for me to go to the city. It's better to go to other places to help."

"Where are you going, Master?" The old servant became uneasy again.

"Go and meet the Bingzhou Army."