, the way of heaven and earth, one rises and one falls."

Having said this, Zhang Xingshan pointed to the flag in front of him and behind the opponent: "So I won't negotiate terms with them, I will only give them orders... tell them that after the reorganization in Hejian is completed, a large army will be sent to Youzhou.

And I will capture Youzhou City at any time, so take the capture of Youzhou City and the Hejian reinforcements group crossing Xushui as two lines... Anyone who came to the palace to see me in person earlier than the two lines can be regarded as surrender.

, I will let bygones be bygones; those who come between the two lines should be punished and punished according to their official and military positions, and their homes should be confiscated, and those who have led troops against the army as a general or above should be beheaded; if there are those who come after the two lines

If you don’t come yet, I will exterminate the entire family afterwards... kill all the adult males in their family."

Hou Junshu bowed his head to face each other without much surprise: "My subordinates understand that we drink from the golden cup together and use the sword to fight against each other. Since the gang came to Youzhou, they meant to destroy the country and attack the enemy. How can we be relaxed with them? Youzhou is a gang."

Youzhou! Hebei is also helping Hebei!"

After saying that, he bowed, took a few steps back, and immediately turned around.

Yuan Baocun was shocked when he saw it. He put down the bowl and chopsticks he had just picked up and asked: "Chief, Cui Tan..."

"Cui Tuan is a traitor." Zhang Xing immediately replied. "Today, for the sake of Duke Yuan, I will tell him that if he can take Li Shu's head back, he will be pardoned from the death penalty, and he can be punished as a lifu, and he can go to school to build a school...

These are not my words, they are the best results that Manager Cui discussed with me before coming here."

Yuan Baocun became more and more frightened, but he knew that Chief Zhang was continuing to chase Cui Tang away, and wanted Cui Tang to die in a foreign country.

For Cui Tuan, whose main belief in survival was the clan, this was a standard form of exile.

But after waiting for a while, he saw that Chief Zhang had already begun to eat and drink soup in the light of the fire. Yuan Baocun gave up the idea of ​​arguing and begging, and quickly picked up the bowls and chopsticks, preparing to turn around and go to the side hall where he was staying after eating.

Write a letter of surrender.

Facts have proved that Yuanbaocun thought too much.

As Zhang Xing settled in Linsang Palace, chaos broke out in Youzhou City that night.

"granduncle!"

In the chaos, a familiar voice suddenly sounded outside Cui Tang's door. "Uncle, it's us."

Cui Tang was obviously lost in thought. He paused for a while before speaking: "Come in!"

Two people came in from the outside, and they were Cui Silang and Cui Erqilang, the two grandnephews. Among the two, Cui Erqilang was obviously frightened, and Cui Silang also looked solemn.

However, after all, the two of them are descendants of one of the most respected Wenxiu families in the world. They still suppressed their uneasiness and bowed before sitting in rows before Cui Silang spoke up: "Uncle, Luo Shu is crazy."

"Can you not be crazy?" Cui Tang smiled and said. "They came out in full force. I thought they could achieve something big. The worst thing is that the rescue failed and they retreated to worry about it. In the end, half of the main force was lost overnight, and the only grandmaster in Youzhou was also lost.

Gone, his most trusted second lieutenant is gone, his only son is gone, and half of the other generals who came to the house are gone... That's not to mention, he just came back, and he didn't even take a breath before he was choked again.

Neck, spread it out and I will go crazy."

"But uncle, what should we do?" Cui Erqilang started crying as soon as he opened his mouth.

"How did you discuss it?" Cui Suan seemed to be in a good mood.

"We still have to leave. We knew that Luo Shu couldn't succeed, but who knew that he couldn't succeed to this extent?" Cui Silang Xuanchen said seriously. "Go north first, go to Beidi, and then escape. Whatever happens in the future,

Let's go north, east, west, and we'll discuss it again... Anyway, if we stay here, there's no way Zhang Xing will let us go."

Cui Tuan was silent for a moment, then asked again: "I know about going north, but going east, what do you mean going west, going to Dongyi and the witch leaders?"

"Crossing the sea to Dongyi is because I feel that there will be another storm in the world, and Dongyi may not be captured, so I can hide there and live peacefully." Cui Xuanchen said sincerely. "Crossing the sea of ​​suffering to go to the witchland does not mean staying in the witchland.

Instead, we need to take a road to go to the Western Capital or the Eastern Capital."

Cui Tang sneered: "You are really a lost dog."

The two disciples named Cui remained silent.

"So, you are looking for me just to escape?" Cui Suan took a few breaths and continued to ask.

"yes."

"Is there no other way out?"

"What does uncle mean?"

"The gang hates me to the core. Twenty-seventh Lang also defected, but you didn't." Cui Suan came to say quietly. "Silang, you resigned from your post according to the procedure and worked for Li Shu... The gang taught the rules, and you happened to be considered

According to the rules, Zhang Xing only led five battalions to stand at the throat of Youzhou this time, and he will definitely recruit a large number of people to surrender... Why don't you wait for the first-class recruitment conditions? "

"It's too late." Cui Xuanchen smiled bitterly. "Not to mention whether we should betray Mr. Li, but now it's really too late... I came here because Luo Shu had just invited Mr. Li to a banquet, specifically to ask his uncle to save people.

of."

Cui Tuang did not say anything. Instead, he hesitated for a moment and then asked: "Silang, are you really not Chief Zhang's backstabbing?"

"I really am not Chief Zhang's person." Cui Xuanchen pointed to the sky.

Cui Tang sighed: "In this case, we are really at the end of the road."

"We are not at the end of the road yet." Cui Xuanchen tried his best to persuade. "Uncle, hurry to the banquet and bring Mr. Li here. We will leave tonight!"

Cui Tang stopped talking, stood up from his sleeves, and went out.

When I got out of the door, I saw the city full of lights flickering. I don't know how many people were walking around the city overnight. I don't know how many people were following Luo Shu's military orders to control the city defense and suppress the city. How many people were frightened and tried to communicate with each other at night.

, even fled, surrendered, and a few people pretended to obey Luo Shu's military orders, but were actually doing what they wanted to do.

Cui Tuan didn't look much, he just lowered his head and walked to the general manager's house where Luo Shu lived. Although he was a literary cultivator, he had the level of a master. At this time, he lowered his head and moved forward, his true energy dispersed, and he went to inquire, and then he knew.

The movement around him revealed a lot of situations, but it only confirmed his previous observations - the entire Youzhou City was like a dying person being strangled by the throat. It seemed that the struggle was fierce, but in fact it was powerless.

Soon I arrived at the General Manager's Mansion. No one inside or outside the General Manager's Mansion knew that the person coming was the only Grandmaster in the city. Therefore, when they saw the other party arriving without an appointment, they did not dare to stop him, or they did not intend to stop him, or they were worried that blocking him would cause trouble.

Even the most loyal people just reported a message behind them and allowed the other party to enter.

When Cui Tang entered the hall, the atmosphere was already unbearable. Li Shu was sitting with his head turned, looking as usual, while Luo Shu in the middle was smelling of alcohol and had his eyes hanging upside down. When he saw the person coming, he stared at him and asked questions.

: "Why did Cui Gong do this?"

"I heard that the young master is in trouble. I don't know whether it is true or not, but I should always come and inquire. Otherwise, sit quietly and express my condolences." Cui Tuan bowed.

When Luo Shu heard this, his eyebrows visibly faded, and then he lowered his head and responded: "My son does have some bad rumors... I'd trouble Mr. Cui to come here specifically."

Cui Tuan calmly entered the empty seat and served his own wine and food.

Cui Tuanfu poured another glass of wine, and then asked again: "Since the general manager is hosting a banquet, for whatever reason, why is he only inviting Li Gong? Where are the other generals?"

Luo Shu narrowed his eyes slightly to look at the other party, and spoke in dialect for a long time: "Zhang thief has occupied Linsang Palace. The hearts of the people in the city are shaking. All the generals in the army have gone to suppress the riot and control the city defense."

"So that's it." Cui Tuan nodded and asked again. "But General Manager, why are there so few sergeants in the city? Can't even fill the city wall? Do you have to temporarily recruit strong men to make up the number? Is it true, as those defeated soldiers said, that between the Hutuo River and Xushui?

In the first battle, most of the Youzhou army was lost?"

"It's not that bad." Luo Shu tried his best to speak calmly. "A big defeat is a big defeat, but there are still half of the best in the army... the defense is enough."

"If this is the case, I have a piece of advice." Cui Tang earnestly advised him. "The army is huge, and if you want to defend Youzhou, you can only support it by gathering the remaining essence of Youzhou into one city... I don't think the experts in the city can support it.

Many, especially the local generals from many families did not come, which puts the cart before the horse."

"It's difficult." Luo Shu gritted his teeth and said, "It's also difficult... In the end, people have to protect their families first."

"Don't worry, manager." Li Shu, who had been silent all the time, suddenly spoke. "We are different from these Youzhou people. They think they can surrender to the gang, so they are half-hearted. However, we are a thorn in Zhang Xing's side and cannot surrender even if we want to...

This time, if you can't withstand it, just give up your life and go with the manager!"

As soon as these words came out, both Luo Shu and Cui Huan couldn't help but look at them. After watching for a moment, the latter sneered: "Did Mr. Li say this to give me some advice?"

Luo Shu was startled and came to see Cui Tuan again.

"Mr. Cui." Li Shu also spoke sincerely. "Juniors dare not give advice to elders, but the current situation, firstly, the situation is critical. If Youzhou City wants to be preserved, it must be you; secondly, I am not as good as you in practice.

, I am not as good as Mr. Luo when it comes to military formations, but no one in the world understands Zhang Xing better than me... This person has not been able to stretch his ambitions before, and he will compromise and do things to fool people.

He has come up with his own stinky rules, and in his eyes, Cui Gong is now like an insect in his hand that I want to hold for everyone to see, and he will never leave any room for it."

Cui Tang was startled for a moment, his expression obviously ugly: "Is that so?"

When Luo Shu saw this, he finally had a lively expression and raised his glass with all his strength: "Mr. Cui and Mr. Li, although their words are fierce, they are the truth. In the face of a catastrophe, others have their own reasons, but the three of us can only unite as one.

"

Li Shu also raised his glass immediately, but Cui Suan waited for a while before reluctantly raising his glass.

The three drank it all in one gulp and lingered for a while. Someone came to look for Luo Shu and said that the lady called him to question him, so they withdrew the banquet and went home.

Luo Shu didn't mention how he explained to his wife. He only said that Li and Cui came out together. From leaving the palace to walking to the street, they didn't say a word until they entered the residence. Li Shu just bowed his hands to Cui Huan inside the door.

: "I just thanked Mr. Cui for coming to the rescue again alone. He also put down his identity and cooperated with me, and finally got away."

Cui Tang stood with his hands behind his hands and frowned: "It turns out that what you said just now was to deceive Luo Shu. I thought Mr. Li was sincerely giving me advice."

Li Shu bowed his body without any movement or hesitation: "Mr. Cui is joking. Everyone knows the truth. Why do I need to give advice to Gong Cui? It's just that Luo Shu has been beaten to the point of losing his mind and spirit. If he doesn't speak like this, he will

It’s just a matter of suspicion.”

Cui Tang shook his body and changed the topic: "Luo Shu is mentally and physically broken? Because his only son died?"

"Yes." Li Shu straightened up and said seriously. "But it may not be just because of the death of his only son. In my opinion, he took Youzhou in a deceitful way, and it was like picking up lost things, so he didn't think clearly about it on the battlefield, so he

Abandoned as a legacy, he finally returned to the city, knowing that he had suffered heavy losses, knowing that everyone was betrayed and separated from his relatives, and Zhang San followed him and grabbed his throat with one hand... Only then did he suddenly realize that what he had thrown away by the Xushui River was actually everything he had inside and outside, so

If you are depressed and frustrated, your mind and spirit will be ruined.”

Cui Tang was silent for a while, then nodded: "I see...then what should we do?"
To be continued...