Plan to cut off the nine states

Qiao Zhisu and Sun Yalu have known each other for many years. Although they rarely work for the same master, they have always maintained friendship. When Qiao Zhisu heard that He Rongren prepared a large army outside Yuyang City, he smiled and said, "This is not Mr. Sun's style."

"What style do I have?"

"Use reason, move emotions, and persuade tactfully to make the other party willing, instead of bluffing like now. We all know that the Chanyu left only a few cavalry in Jizhou, and transferred all the soldiers and civilians in various cities to Qinzhou. The war over there is not over yet, so how can a large army suddenly appear here? Besides, the Liang army has its own scouts and sentinels, and has already figured out the details of Yuyang. The guards in the city do not exceed 3,000 people, right?"

Sun Yalu snorted , turned to Xu Chuan and said, "There are indeed not many soldiers guarding Yuyang, but has the Chanyu ever really believed in the court? He took away the soldiers and civilians of Jizhou, and after arriving in Qinzhou, he quickly sent Huangfu Jie back to Liaodong, leaving his father Huangfu Kai as a hostage. Mr. Xu should know about this, right?"

Xu Chuan shook his head, "Although I stayed with the Chanyu for a while, I was not allowed to participate in military affairs."

Qiao Zhisu next to him laughed, but Sun Yalu still didn't look at him, and said to Xu Chuan, "In short, Huangfu Jie had already returned to Liaodong and gathered a large number of people from outside the Great Wall. He was originally going to Qinzhou to join the Chanyu, but just in time for the Liang army to enter Ji. They had entered the Great Wall under the order of the Chanyu, not far from Yuyang."

"I have heard about this matter." Xu Chuan said.

Qiao Zhisu's face changed slightly, "When did Mr. Xu hear about the Liaodong soldiers entering the Great Wall?"

"I heard from the Chanyu that he had sent invitations to various tribes near and far before entering the Great Wall. The people Huangfu Jie gathered in Liaodong may be this group of people."

Sun Yalu nodded.

Qiao Zhisu was still half-believing and half-doubting, and soon smiled and said, "Even if there is such an army, it doesn't matter. What the Liang army fears is nothing more than a large number of He Rong's cavalry and miscellaneous barbarians. There is nothing to be afraid of."

Sun Yalu looked at Qiao Zhisu again, "Although the barbarians are not familiar with military tactics, they are brave and fearless, which can make up for their shortcomings. How long will the Liang army plan to defeat them?"

"Just sweep them along the way, it won't take long."

"Hey, Master Xu is more sober, I told him. Huangfu Jie hastily gathered a group of barbarians. Although there are many of them, they have different origins and are not under the same command. They are brave in battle, but they have never been used to military formations. If it were Master Xu, how would he use his troops?"

"I would avoid the sharp edge of the Liang army, let the troops plunder everywhere, harass the counties, and surprise attack the grain route to make the Liang army uneasy, and then wait for the arrival of He Rong's reinforcements."

Sun Yalu looked at Qiao Zhisu again, without saying a word.

Qiao Zhisu smiled and said, "Huangfu Jie is not Master Xu, nor is he his father Huangfu Kai. Judging from his usual behavior, he is servile and cowardly. He will never dare to divide his troops. If the first battle is not favorable, he will definitely retreat to Liaodong and dare not enter the Great Wall again."

"It is precisely because Huangfu Jie is servile and cowardly that he cannot suppress the barbarians of various tribes, and it will become natural for him to divide his troops and plunder everywhere."

"In the end, this army must really exist."

"Mr. Qiao is a counselor. He is negligent in his duty to see the good and not the bad, and to report good news but not bad news. Report my words to King Liang and ask King Liang to make the decision."

Qiao Zhisu hesitated for a moment and said to Xu Chu: "Please welcome the guests here, Mr. Xu. I will be back soon."

After everyone left, Sun Yalu said, "Qiao Zhisu has only been with King Liang for a short time. He only dares to say some irrelevant words and dares not insist on advising. This matter must be handled by Mr. Xu."

"What is this matter? Ask King Liang to withdraw his troops? I can't do it, and no one can do it."

"It's not about withdrawing troops, but asking King Liang to lead his troops to Bingzhou. Bingzhou is the former Liang territory. King Liang doesn't want to take it back?"

"King Liang has sent troops into Bingzhou."

"To seize Bingzhou, or to defend Jizhou?"

"To defend Jizhou." Xu Chu told the truth.

"That means they only seize the checkpoints but not the big cities. They won't last long. King Liang thought that he could gain a foothold in Jizhou in one winter?"

"Yes."

"The people of Hanzhou thought so too. So what now?"

"What else does Mr. Sun know in Yuyang?"

Sun Yalu was slightly stunned. "Ziwu Road was lost and He Rong's army had entered Hanzhou. Mr. Xu, haven't you heard about it?"

"I have heard about it. That's all. I don't know the detailed situation in Hanzhou."

"Yuyang doesn't know the details either, but you and I both know that Qiangbi Chanyu is quite strategic and is definitely not an ordinary barbarian king outside the Great Wall. He will not lose Jizhou, nor will he give King Liang a winter..."

"I will fight for it myself. No one needs to give it to me." Ma Wei came and said at the door.

Sun Yalu turned around quickly and bowed, saying, "I didn't know the King of Liang was coming. I spoke nonsense at the time. Please forgive me."

Ma Wei strode forward and said, "Go back and tell the emperor and Princess Huanyan in Yuyang to either come and kneel down to the real emperor here to fulfill the loyalty of father and son, monarch and minister, or wait in the city until I clean up the Qian Gang for the Tiancheng court. There is no other way. No matter whether there are reinforcements outside the Great Wall, the Liang army will not retreat a single step."

Sun Yalu looked at Xu Chu, and before Xu Chu could speak, Ma Wei said, "If you want to fight, then fight. Why waste your words? Who dares to persuade me to withdraw? , beheaded. "

There were many people following Ma Wei, and no one would speak for Yuyang. Xu Chu said, "I have an idea."

Ma Wei's eyes were like lightning, and he glared at him fiercely. Xu Chu immediately added, "I'm not trying to persuade you to retreat. On the contrary, I'm trying to persuade King Liang to move forward quickly."

Ma Wei's face eased, "Do you think the Liang army is still moving too slowly?"

"If there really is an army of barbarians, and if Huangfu Jie really wants to let his troops plunder everywhere, then the Liang army is indeed a bit slow."

"I have sent a large number of scouts to look for this so-called reinforcement."

"It may still be too late. As soon as the deserters see the scouts, they will know that the army is not far away and will disperse immediately."

Ma Wei pondered for a moment, "You said you have an idea?"

"Perhaps we can find a way to keep the wasteland people where they are."

"Sending an army to deliberately defeat them?"

"This is a clever plan. If it wants to be effective, it's best to have Yuyang cooperate."

Ma Wei laughed, "You are still so good at running circles. I don't need Yuyang's cooperation, and Yuyang will not cooperate sincerely. You can feign defeat, so just..."

Sun Yalu interjected: "Yuyang is willing to cooperate, and he is sincere."

"Huh?" Ma Wei and the generals behind him didn't believe it.

Sun Yalu cupped his hands and said: "I brought such important news not to scare off King Liang, nor just to let King Liang come up with a plan to feign defeat."

Ma Wei looked at Xu Chu, thinking that he was secretly giving Yuyang some advice. Xu Chu smiled and said, "It's better to just listen to what Mr. Sun has to say."

Sun Yalu handed over his hand again, "Not long after I met Mr. Xu, there were always others present in the tent. What the two of us said, the King of Liang will know as soon as he asks."

There were two guards standing at the door. Ma Wei did not ask any questions and said to Sun Yalu, "You insist on seeing me. You must have something to say."

"Before leaving, Your Majesty has three instructions for me..."

"Your Majesty or the princess?" Ma Wei asked coldly. He knew very well who in Yuyang City kept his word.

"It's all the same. In short, there are three explanations. It doesn't matter which one the King of Liang agrees with."

"Um."

"The first one is, of course, to ask the King of Liang to withdraw his troops..."

"It goes without saying that I don't agree with this, and even Liang Jun's officers and men won't agree with it."

Sun Yalu sighed lightly, not having much hope for this plain, "Before King Liang arrived, I was telling Mr. Xu that I hoped King Liang could lead his troops to capture Bingzhou..."

Ma Wei immediately shook his head, "Bingzhou is sandwiched between Ji and Qin, with enemies on both sides. I can't defend it. Needless to say, even Xu Chu doesn't think this is a good idea, right?"

"It's definitely not the best strategy." Xu Chu said.

Sun Yalu handed over again, "The last option is for King Liang to lead his troops to attack Qinzhou."

Ma Wei was stunned for a moment, then laughed, "Did you send the wrong message, or was the princess too panicked and came up with such a plan?"

General Liang who followed also laughed, and Qiao Zhisu shook his head slightly.

Sun Yalu did not laugh, "The King of Liang has to cancel the imperial title of King of Jibei."

Ma Wei's face darkened, "I've heard enough..."

"Prince Liang might as well listen to the benefits offered by Yuyang."

"Unless you are willing to give up the entire Jizhou." Ma Wei smiled.

"Does Prince Liang's ambition only lie in one Jizhou?"

"Hey." Ma Wei refused to admit that he was becoming interested, so he walked directly to the chair and sat down.

Sun Yalu turned around and continued: "Yuyang was forced to lead He Rong's cavalry into the fortress, which was unexpected. I wanted to wait for the situation to stabilize before finding a way to drive them out of the fortress, but King Liang was so anxious..."

"I still haven't heard the 'benefits'." Ma Wei didn't want to hear these useless words.

"The King of Liang can get the entire Jizhou, but the imperial court will still stay in Yuyang."

"That's interesting, but not enough to make me change my mind."

"The King of Liang has been ennobled by the imperial court, and can be appointed as a general again, with orders to attack the He Rong people."

"I don't care about the general's empty name. This is your benefit, not mine."

"The imperial court gave up the two states of Bing and Qin, and King Xu Liang established a national temple, which has been passed down from generation to generation."

"Did you ask me just now that my ambition is only in one Jizhou? Now you are using only two states to deal with me."

"Above the Liang Kingdom, if the imperial court cannot allow it, the King of Liang will take it for himself."

Ma Wei smiled and said: "For a small Yuyang City, the princess can do everything she can."

"What the princess cares about is not Yuyang City, but the name: there is only one emperor. Now in Yuyang City, King Liang must first admit this, and then expel the aliens in the name of the imperial court."

"Princess Princess...do you think I'm stupid?"

"The princess admires Prince Liang very much..."

"If that's the case, why is she trying to fool me?"

Xu Chu interjected: "Prince Liang, can I say something?"

"explain."

"The biggest enemy of Liang Jun's attack on Hebei is He Rong's tribe. After this winter, a battle will still be inevitable next spring. In this case, why not get rid of this serious problem in advance? The enemy is strong and we are weak. The defense seems safe, but in fact we are just sitting back and waiting for death. It's just a little slower. The offensive seems risky, but if you are unexpected, there may be a chance of survival. Even if there is only a 10% chance of winning, it is better than certain death. "

"Others should also talk about it," Ma Wei said.

Qiao Zhisu, who had been listening for a long time, said: "It's too risky, not to mention there is an army of deserters that has not been eliminated."

Sun Yalu immediately said: "As long as King Liang nods, Yuyang will find a way to keep the people outside the wall and prevent them from dividing their troops and plundering."

Gao Shengze whispered: "Yuyang is already in King Liang's pocket, but Qin and Bing are in the hands of powerful enemies. The court is trying to exchange difficulty for ease. King Liang should not be fooled."

A few more people spoke, and Ma Wei waved his hand to indicate that he had made a decision: "Send troops tomorrow morning. I will go to Yuyang to talk to the princess in person. If the princess wants to express her sincerity, she must first stabilize the army of deserters. "