Zhang Xiu shook his head and smiled bitterly.
These two guys were already stimulated by Wei Yan's military exploits, and they wanted to behead Li Jue to equalize the other's achievements.
So he said: "If you don't kill Li Jue, I will be of great use. You can just obey the orders. If you take Chiyang City and let Li Jue escape to the west, you will be the heroes. If you kill Li Jue directly, you will have no merit."
Gan Ning and Ji Ling were stunned.
Jia Xu thought for a while and looked at Zhang Xiu as if he was awake, while a layer of cold sweat broke out on his forehead. He had already guessed what Zhang Xiu was going to do.
Nanyang's tyranny has taught them a profound lesson, and Jia Xu also knows that the Guanlong gentry are extremely disgusted with the Xiliang people. Zhang Xiu is from Xiliang, so their arrival will not be welcomed by the Guanlong gentry. If they are not welcomed, then they will be destroyed.
Fortunately, after Dong Zhuo's baptism, coupled with the burning, killing and looting of Chang'an by Li Jue and Guo Si, the people of Chang'an were in dire straits. There were not many powerful people left in Guanzhong, so there was no need to shed blood. .
Gan Ning and Ji Ling didn't know Zhang Xiu's intention, but they didn't dare to disobey Zhang Xiu's order. They bowed their waists and clasped their fists in agreement, then led the troops and rushed towards Chiyang.
Then, Jia Xu introduced Duan Xuan.
Duan Xuan fell to his knees on the ground and said in shame: "My lord, Zhongming was defeated by Li Jue and he escaped. Please punish him!"
If calculated based on seniority, Duan Xuan is the same generation as Zhang Xiu's uncle Zhang Ji, but today's Zhang Xiu is no longer the Zhang Xiu of the past. He is now Zhang Xiu's minister, and he was defeated by Li Jue under favorable conditions. He was allowed to escape, much to his shame.
Zhang Xiu knew Duan Xuan's character and hurriedly helped him up before he could kneel down: "Uncle, there is no need to be so polite. I will be of great use if Li Jue is not dead. You don't have to feel guilty. Li Jue is not dead. You have worked hard now." Ah! Haha!" When he said this, he burst into laughter.
The words "uncle" instantly made Duan Xuan feel friendly.
After all, the seniority is there, and I feel a little awkward. After being helped up by Zhang Xiu and calling him uncle affectionately, Duan Xuan's Adam's apple rolled, he swallowed a mouthful of saliva, and his eyes became red.
He was originally prepared to muddle along under Zhang Xiu, but he didn't expect to be so respected by this young man. He couldn't help but feel a surge of guilt in his heart, and the feeling of guilt amplified again.
Zhang Xiu supported Duan Xuan and walked towards Chang'an City.
After experiencing Dong Zhuo's disaster, Lu Bu's rebellion, and the battles between Li Jue and Guo Si, the city of Chang'an became depressed and deserted, with the streets in a mess and many houses in ruins.
Zhang Xiu looked at Chang'an City like this and said sadly: "Alas! The prosperity of the past has finally come to an end. It's pitiful that thousands of families have nowhere to go!"
Duan Xuan nodded empathetically: "Li Jue and Guo Si only knew how to fight for power and profit, and they regarded the life and death of the people as inferior to dogs. They finally suffered retribution."
Jia Xu said: "It still hurts the people."
Zhang Xiu sighed poetically and said: "It's sad that wherever the Qin and Han Dynasties traveled, thousands of palaces and palaces were turned into dirt. The people suffered when they prospered, and when they died, the people suffered!"
Jia Xu and Duan Xuan looked at Zhang Xiu in surprise at the same time.
The members of the Senate Group behind him were equally surprised: "When did the Lord have such a high artistic conception?"
They never imagined that Zhang Xiu was borrowing flowers to offer to Buddha.
Liu Ye came forward and said: "My lord, now Chang'an is in my hands, and Li Jue has run out of oil. Now we have to guard against Cao Cao in the east. Hangu Pass is in the hands of Zhang Heng..."
Duan Xuan is here, so it is inconvenient to say the next words, but everyone present understands that Zhang Heng is Li Jue's subordinate general, and they are worried.
Zhang Xiu nodded and said, "Instruct Li Tong to lead the Suzaku Cavalry Camp and garrison Hangu Pass. I also ordered Zhang Heng to come to Chang'an City. I want to see him."
Li Tong took the order and led five thousand cavalry to go.
…
One day ago, Hangu Pass.
When Zhang Xiu arrived at Lantian County, Cheng Yu came to Hangu Pass alone.
After learning that it was Cao Cao's counselor Cheng Yu, Zhang Heng immediately politely invited him into the city to talk. Although he didn't like Cao Cao, he couldn't afford to offend him because he was so powerful. Similarly, he couldn't afford to offend Zhang Xiu because he was so powerful. However, One thing he couldn't compare to Zhang Xiu was that Cao Cao could give him high officials.
This is almost a common problem among Xiliang people. They only care about the immediate small profits without a long-term strategic vision. Of course, it is not because the Xiliang people are stupid, but because there are not many scholars in the barren Xiliang, and most of them are rough and wild. Man, how can you have so many twists and turns in your heart?
So Cheng Yu went straight to the point and appointed Zhang Heng as General Yang Wei and Grand Administrator of Jingzhao. Zhang Heng was overjoyed to be such a high official. He happily accepted the official position conferred by Cao Cao and immediately turned his back and submitted to Cao Cao.
Cheng Yu sneered secretly.
Then he put his plan into action.
"General Zhang, Zhang Xiu is now disobeying the imperial court even though he is a thief. Your Majesty has sent an order to the prime minister to send troops to conquer. However, he did not dare to move lightly due to lack of food and grass. Now he ordered me to come here to unite with other people in Guanzhong to attack and kill Zhang Xiu. , I wonder if the general has anyone to recommend?"
Zhang Heng said without thinking: "Liang Xing has a close relationship with me, and he is devoted to the Han Dynasty. He has five thousand elite soldiers to occupy Wugong City. We can contact him secretly."
Cheng Yu was overjoyed: "In this way, a big thing can be accomplished! If Zhang Xiu is attacked and killed, you will be the most important contributors to this battle. When the time comes, you will inevitably be promoted to a higher rank and have a hereditary official position."
Zhang Heng was extremely happy, as if he had now seen endless glory and wealth, and couldn't wait to ask: "What should we do?"
Cheng Yu said: "Since the general agreed to submit to Zhang Xiu, he asked to stay with Zhang Xiu as an internal support and secretly contacted General Liang as an external one. Now Li Jue is besieging Chiyang. When Zhang Xiu sends troops to conquer, we will attack him with one fell swoop." Of."
"What a brilliant idea, Zhang Xiu will definitely die! Hahaha!" Zhang Heng laughed greedily.
Then Zhang Heng immediately sent a secret message to Liang Xing in Wugong City.
Just as Zhang Heng said, after receiving the secret letter and the decree to be promoted to an official position, Liang Xing chose Cao Cao's camp without hesitation and prepared to attack and kill Zhang Xiu.
By the time Li Tong led his army to Hangu Pass, Cheng Yu had already gone to Wugong City to meet Liang Xing.
Li Tong entered Hangu Pass.
After Zhang Heng learned of Zhang Xiu's military order, he happily handed over the city defense of Hangu Pass to Li Tong. He was really sleepy, so someone sent him a pillow, so that he could legitimately become an internal agent. Anyway, Zhang Xiu will become his stepping stone in just a few days.
He originally thought that Zhang Heng would scorn him, or at least feel frustrated that he was not trusted. Li Tong did not expect that the other party would be so forthcoming, which surprised him a little, but the city defense of Hangu Pass was already in his hands. I didn’t think much about it.
Zhang Heng led three thousand cavalry to Chang'an City.
At this time, Cheng Yu and Liang Xing were already meeting in Wugong City to discuss the next attack plan.
Liang Xing said: "Now that Zhang Xiu cannot come out of Chang'an City, even if General Zhang enters Chang'an City, we will not be able to attack it?"
Cheng Yu nodded: "So we have to force Zhang Xiu to come out."
force?
Liang Xing looked at Guo Jia: "How can we force Zhang Xiu to leave the city?"
Cheng Yu smiled and said: "It all depends on Li Jue's performance. I heard that Wei Yan entered Guanzhong first and beheaded Guo Si, but Gan Ning and Ji Ling have not made any achievements so far."
Liang Xing suddenly understood and said: "You mean, if Li Jue finds a way to exploit the situation, the two of them will definitely take advantage of the situation?"
Cheng Yu smiled and nodded.
