Plan to cut off the nine states

As soon as Tang Weitian said the word "Liangzhou", Tie Zhi guessed whose idea it was. He thought it was ridiculous at first, and then found it interesting. He called Qinzhou soldiers and some prisoners in the army to inquire about the situation in Liangzhou.

Liangzhou is also in chaos. It is said that the Qiang people rebelled, captured many cities, and cut Liangzhou into northern and southern parts.

The main force of the Yang family was in the north. After several battles, they managed to stop the Qiang people, but the south was in danger.

As for the ancient road Xu Chu mentioned, there is indeed one. It is located at the southern end of Liangzhou and has been discontinued for decades. People in Qinzhou cannot say whether it is passable. However, Yizhou soldiers claimed to have seen scattered business travelers entering Yi from the Liangzhou ancient road. .

Tie Zhi convened the generals to discuss the "return to Yi strategy" provided by Tang Weitian. The response was surprisingly good. In fact, the Yizhou generals were not willing to pass through Hanzhou again, let alone stay in Qinzhou, if there was another way home. Just what they were worried about, a general swore that his father had walked that ancient road before, and there was no problem at all.

Even if there is no problem with the ancient road, food and grass are also problems. The Yizhou army does not have much food and can last for more than ten days at most.

Tie Zhi sent people back to Hanzhou to check the situation. If there was still a chance to defeat Huangfu Kai, he was willing to return the same way. If the situation was not good, the Yizhou soldiers who stayed in Hanzhong City would have to bring all the grain and grass to join the main force.

At the same time, Tie Zhi sent someone to contact the Yang family in Liangzhou to borrow food.

Tang Weitian was not idle either. He led thousands of people deep into Qinzhou and returned a few days later. He found neither He Rong people nor food and grass.

Tie Zhi sighed, he could obviously capture Qinzhou, but the way back was cut off and there was no food and grass to support him. He could not hold this place and had to lead his soldiers back to Yizhou.

A few days later, news came back from both Hanzhou and Liangzhou.

All the prefectures and counties in Hanzhou have rebelled against Yi. Although Huangfu Kai is not from Hanzhou, he is highly respected, and his military strength is increasing day by day. The Yizhou army in Hanzhong City has no way to retreat. As soon as he sees the messenger of the iron bird, he immediately transports grain to the plank road, walking on the plank road. If he wants to be destroyed, he would rather enter Qin than fight with the Hanzhou army.

The retreat on the Hanzhou side was completely gone.

The news from Liangzhou was vague. The envoys from Yizhou were divided into the north and the south. Those in the south, which were closer, were the first to return. The Liangzhou officials there warmly entertained the envoys, but did not comment on the request to borrow the road. They only said that they would do it themselves. If you don't want it, you need the Yang family's permission.

The road to Liangbei was extremely difficult, so the envoy took a detour and arrived in Liangzhou without any danger. However, he failed to see the Yang family and was sent back at the border. Although Liangzhou is a scattered state, the Yang family has been in power for generations. , only recognized the imperial court and the same family, did not take the emerging Yizhou Tie family seriously, and asked Tie Yu to send a credible envoy to negotiate.

Tie Zhi was furious, but had nothing to do. He couldn't get any advice from the general, so he had to ask Tang Weitian to invite Xu Chu.

"Your strategy won't work." Tie Zhi said as soon as they met.

"What's my plan?" Xu Chu asked knowingly.

"Liangzhou's plan to borrow a road."

"Is it that General Tie Er doesn't want to leave, or that Liangzhou refuses to borrow the road?"

"Liangzhou refuses to lend it, so let me send another trustworthy envoy."

"The Yang family is a prominent family, and they are at war with the Qiang people. Naturally, we need to be more cautious. General Tie Er can just send more people."

Tie Ji stared at Xu Chu, "For you, this strategy is very useful."

Xu Chu smiled and said, "General Tie Er doubts me again?"

"You want to go to Liangzhou, right? From there you can easily go to the Golden Saint's camp."

Xu Chu cupped his hands and said, "If General Tie Er sends me to Liangzhou, to be honest, I will leave and never return, but I will not let down the trust. I will definitely lend roads and food to the Yizhou Army. If General Tie Er doesn't It doesn't matter if you let me go. Liangzhou has been cut off. The Yizhou army does not have to obtain the consent of the Yang family and can go directly to Liangnan. At the same time, it is a bluff, saying that if they don't use the road, they will ask the Qiang people for help. It is estimated that the Liangnan generals will most likely allow General Tie Er to pass, and may even send food secretly. "

"But in that case, Yizhou will offend the Yang family and sow suspicion."

Xu Chu nodded, "Let's eliminate the immediate troubles first, and then consider the distant worries."

Tie Zhi laughed, motioned for the others in the tent to step back, and said to Tang Weitian: "Don't worry, I will return you an intact Mr. Xu later."

Tang Weitian was the last to leave.

Tie Zhi stood up and walked to Xu Chu, "When the King of Shu wanted to hand you over to Shan Yu, I actually disagreed and even advised him."

"So the King of Shu prohibited General Tie Er from meeting me at that time."

"But I didn't expect Mr. Xu to be so vindictive."

Xu Chu smiled and had no intention of arguing about the matter.

"No matter what, the King of Shu is the king, and the Tie family is the minister. If you can't avenge the king, you will be serving as a minister in vain."

"Um."

Tie Zhi was silent for a while, then sighed, "But the general didn't allow me to take action. He said that you are extremely talented and a few words of advice would be enough to stabilize the party."

"General Iron, please give me the award."

Tie Zhi's face darkened slightly, "It was your idea to attack Hanzhou."

"General Tie Er thinks this is a bad idea?"

Tie Zhi sighed again, "It was my mistake. I really don't know how I can have the face to go back to Yizhou?"

"Bringing the children of Yizhou back safely is the biggest reason. Victory and defeat are common matters for military strategists. If you can only win but not lose, then General Tie Er is no different from a mediocre general."

Tie Zhi raised his eyebrows and then smiled, "I can send Mr. Xu to Liangzhou, but there is one requirement."

"Please tell me."

"Tell me the truth, who is better to be the king of Yizhou?"

Just as Xu Chu was about to speak, Tie Zhi immediately added: "I know this sentence is disloyal, but...but the sons of the King of Shu are all too young to convince the public. If Yizhou is lost because of this, the King of Shu will have knowledge underground. We will not forgive our Tie family.”

"For whom did General Tie Er ask this question?"

"Can't I ask?"

"Is it General Iron?" Xu Chu insisted on asking.

"No." Tie Zhi replied after hesitation.

"Is it Mrs. Tie Er?"

Tie Zhi's face was slightly red, showing a bit of embarrassment and anger, "Mr. Xu, be careful what you say."

"It's Mrs. Tie Er."

Tie Zhi's face turned even redder and he said stiffly: "How?"

Xu Chu said with a smile: "There are three daughters of the Zhang family in Yizhou. There should be no serious trouble. General Tie Er need not worry."

Tie Zhi stretched out his hand and grasped the handle of the knife, "Mr. Xu, please take back your words."

Xu Chu cupped his hands and said, "With this virtuous wife, the Tie family will be like a tiger with added wings, and will surely prosper for a long time."

Iron Bird still felt that these words were like humiliation, but he had no way to defend himself and did not release his hand from the handle of the knife.

Xu Chu was not timid and continued: "Going back to General Tie Er's question just now, I can give you a clear answer: It is better for the son of the King of Shu to succeed to the throne."

"But I don't know yet whether the princess has a boy or a girl, and her two sons are both young..."

"The princess must give birth to a boy, but that's not important. No matter who succeeds, the important ministers will be from the Tie family. If the king of Shu can stay in power for a long time, it will all be due to the Tie family. If Yizhou is in danger, he will have to surrender. It is also to preserve the bloodline for the King of Shu, and it is not the fault of the Tie family."

"Hey, you always think that our Tie family can't protect Yizhou."

"It doesn't matter which one. Since General Tie Er asks for a plan, I naturally have to consider both sides of victory and defeat."

Tie Zhi let go of the knife, lowered his head and thought for a while, "Jing Zhuo and her two sisters thought... that it would be better to let the general claim the king directly."

This was a test by the three daughters of the Zhang family. Xu Chu almost told the truth, but when he came to his lips, he changed his words: "The princess can have this intention because she is humble and courteous, but the two iron generals cannot accept it. If General Tie Er successfully captures Hanzhou , or even occupy Qinzhou, then General Tie's proclaimed king may be recognized by the people of Yizhou and even the people of the world. It is not conducive to start the army now, especially to proclaim the king. "

Tie Ji nodded, "I think so too. Okay, can Mr. Xu leave tomorrow?"

"Okay, but I can't go alone."

"How many followers are needed?"

"Three thousand elite soldiers."

Tie Zhi was stunned, "Mr. Xu wants to be a messenger, not a war."

"The Yang family is at war with the Qiang people, and the Yizhou army borrowed the road to borrow food. The Yang family must borrow troops to take advantage of the situation. Going back and forth wastes time, so why don't I take them directly."

“How much help can three thousand people help?”

"I have a way to make the Yang family think it's 10,000 people and the Qiang people to believe it's 100,000 people."

"Hey." Tie Zhi believed that Xu Chu had this ability, "These three thousand people will probably not return to Yizhou again. In that case - I will dispatch troops and generals from Hanzhou's World Army, so I can't leave them all to you. , only three thousand."

"That's enough."

"But you can't take away General Tang. This is something we have agreed on a long time ago."

"Who stays and who goes is determined by General Tie Er. I make no demands."

"How long will it take for me to get a reply from my side?"

"General Tie Er does not need to wait here. When the Hanzhong officers and soldiers arrive, they can immediately march to Liangnan and wait for my news at the junction."

"Okay." Tie Zhi finally felt regretful, "The Tie family's fortune is not good. If Hanzhou can be stable for a few more days, I can capture Xijing, or the He Rong people don't search so cleanly... It's a pity, it's such a pity, All in all, bad luck.”

"Things are planned by people, and accomplished by God." Xu Chu said perfunctorily. Even at this moment, he still felt that the Yizhou Army still had a chance to seize Qinzhou, but their morale was lost, and it was useless to talk more. Both Tie brothers were Not someone to be persuaded.

Tie Zhi's enthusiasm was waning, and he waved his hand and said: "Mr. Xu, go and have a rest. It's best not to talk nonsense before I assign three thousand people."

Xu Chu said goodbye. He was still living in Tang Weitian's tent, waiting for news.

Shortly after dark, the three thousand soldiers who accompanied Xu Chu on his mission to Liangzhou were selected. In fact, there were only more than 2,500 soldiers, and some of them were prisoners of Qinzhou who were added to make up the number. They went to see the Golden Saint because their escape route was cut off. Once they found a way, they were still willing to return to Yizhou where there was plenty of food and grass.

Among the many leaders, only Du Heimao insisted on going north. He had a broken hand and could not be reused in Yizhou, preferring to find another way out.

After the second watch, Tang Weiqian came back in a hurry, "I want to go with the young master, but General Tie Er disagrees. I said I had an agreement with the King of Shu, but he refused!"

"Do you really want to come with me?" Xu Chu asked.

"Of course, Young Master, you think I'm lying?"

"If I only choose one trustworthy person, it would definitely be you." Xu Chu said with a smile.

"No matter what, I will go with the young master tomorrow no matter what. It doesn't matter whether General Tie Er agrees or not."

"I'll teach you a trick that will make General Tie Er willing to let you go."

"Sir, please tell me." Tang Weitian looked happy.

"When I'm on my way tomorrow, you go tell General Tie Er that it's okay to return to Yizhou, but if you have a grudge against the three Zhang daughters, you will never enter Jindu City and will be stationed elsewhere."

Tang Weitian was stunned, "Do I have any grudge against them?"

"You once offended them with your words, remember?"

"That was a misunderstanding. Will they hold grudges?"

"Yes." Xu Chu said firmly.

Tang Weitian nodded, "Then I have to leave with the young master."

Xu Chu did not want Tang Weitian to stay with the Tie family anymore.

(Sorry, I can only post one chapter today.)