Shouchun, governor's office.
Xu Yuanxi was wearing a general's robe and armor, sitting alone in the hall. Except for a few guards with swords, the entire hall was almost empty. A dozen civil servants were running around in the courtyard outside, with Hong Lings on their backs. The sergeants who sent orders kept rushing in from outside the gate. After going to the hall, they knelt on one knee and reported the latest battle situation.
"Master Liu sent his warriors to dig a tunnel and launch a surprise attack, killing hundreds of enemy soldiers and scolding them!"
"The enemy's flying stone siege was completely resolved by our army's curtain."
"The enemy archers took cover and the hoplites began to attack the city."
"The enemy has set up a large number of ladders, advancing in all directions, and has already reached the top of the city!"
"The army led by Liu Zhuangzhu is fighting hard, and the top of the North City is in a bitter battle."
"The enemy's heavy infantry is dispatched, hoping to capture Shouchun in one fell swoop!"
"Our army's trebuchets counterattacked on a large scale. The huge rocks severely damaged the enemy's heavily armored troops under the city. The enemy has been completely defeated!"
Xu Yuanxi's expression, with these defeats, sometimes became worried and sometimes ecstatic. It was not until the news of the final victory came that he laughed, stood up from the bed behind the handsome case, rubbed his hands, and Pacing back and forth: "Okay, great, Liu Yu is really good at it. No wonder Xie Zhenjun values him so much."
A scribe in his forties, with a white face and a slight beard, evil eyebrows and rat eyes, but a tight-fitting leather armor. He was the long history of Shouchun City and Xu Yuanxi's staff, named Hu Wenshou. He walked up to Xu Yuanxi and whispered : "General, it's not a good thing that Liu Yu defended the city so well."
Xu Yuanxi's expression changed, he turned his head and said to Hu Wenshouqi: "How do you say this?"
Hu Wenshou didn't speak. He looked at the Hongling messenger who was still kneeling in the hall and the several guards around him. Xu Yuanxi understood and waved his hands: "You all should step aside first. I have something to talk to Hu Changshi." business."
Soon, only these two people were left in the palace. Hu Wenshou sighed: "General, this Liu Yu is just a small building owner. There are no less than twenty officers with the same position as him in Shouchun City, and so are the people. I’m new here, but I’ve given him the responsibility of guarding the city. Isn’t this a bit inappropriate?”
Xu Yuanxi shook his head: "Old Hu, what's wrong with you? Didn't we discuss it at that time? The man named Liu was sent by Xie Xuan. We can't afford to offend the Xie family. Besides, Governor Huan didn't send I originally wanted to withdraw the reinforcements, but this man named Liu asked us to stay, so we can leave the defense of the city to him. If we really can't defend the city, we can also put the responsibility on Liu Yu. .By the way, the escape route at the south gate is still there."
Hu Wenshou nodded: "The secret passage out of the city is in this governor's mansion. This used to be a spare granary. When the former governor of Yuzhou, Yuan Zhen, was here, he left a secret passage for himself. My father used to be Yuan Zhen's subordinate. , so I didn’t even tell Governor Huan about this secret passage.”
Xu Yuanxi laughed and patted Hu Wenshou on the shoulder: "You are still Hu Zhengyi, but if Shouchun City is really lost, relying only on this tunnel, even if we run out, it will be difficult to escape the crime of losing the city. .”
Hu Wenshou smiled "hehe": "So we let Liu Yu guard the city. Now inside and outside the city, both the enemy and ourselves know that the man named Liu is the general who defends the city, so if the city falls, it is his responsibility and has nothing to do with the general. At that time, we will say that after the city is broken, we will break out of the siege and report to Xie Zhenjun and Governor Huan."
Xu Yuanxi nodded: "Since we have discussed it this way, why are you not happy that Liu Yu defended the city this time? After all, I am also a guard general in defending Shouchun, and I have to take the credit. It is better than losing the city. The crime must be serious."
Hu Wenshou sighed: "But now Liu Yu is fighting very well. Not only can he defend the city, but he can also kill a large number of Qin troops. Look at the face of the sergeant who just came to report the news. His eyes are full of disdain for Liu. I am afraid that if this happens, even the people in this city will only know Liu Yu and not the general!"
Xu Yuanxi's expression changed, and he said angrily: "How is that possible! I, General Xu Yuanxi, have been Shouchun's guard for many years. Who knows in the city? Now I am the chief general in the city, and Liu Yu is just a small building owner. He I still entrusted him with the duty of guarding the city. As long as I give the order, he will have to be a soldier now."
Hu Wenshou curled up his lips and said with a cold glint in his eyes: "General, during the peace period, everyone recognized the power of the imperial court and the military talisman in your hand. But now in this isolated city, the king's laws no longer work. Those The sergeants and civilians only recognize heroes in their eyes, and I have to say that we have underestimated this Liu Yu. I am afraid that Xie Xuan sent him here for another purpose, and it is by no means as simple as just guarding the marriage."
Xu Yuanxi opened his eyes wide: "What do you mean?"
Hu Wenshou glanced around and made sure there was no one around, then took a step forward and whispered: "From the moment Liu Yu came to Shouchun, he was jumping up and down. First he left the city alone and faced Yang Qiu, and suddenly he became the whole world. He was a hero in the hearts of the city's soldiers and people, and then he intervened in the accidental injury of Huan and Jiang by the Zhu brothers, and released the Zhu brothers who should have been handed over to the Huan family, directly from prison, and harvested his followers. Finally, there was another It violated your wishes, general, to stay and defend the city. In this way, both general families like the Zhu family and ordinary people in Shouchun regarded him as a savior. At this time, when he was defending the city, he took the initiative to ask for help. Go to Beicheng, the most dangerous place, and your purpose will be obvious."
Xu Yuanxi's brows gradually wrinkled: "When you say this, it is really the case. What do you want to express?"
Hu Wenshou gritted his teeth: "This time to fight against the Qin Dynasty, we not only have to fight against enemies on the battlefield, but we also have to fight for it among various aristocratic families. This land of Yuzhou, an important town in Huainan, is originally sandwiched between the two major vassal towns of Jing and Yang. In the buffer zone, Governor Huan was able to be governor here for many years because he was a person that both sides could accept. In other words, the Huan family and the Xie family were not ready to fall out. After all, the powerful enemy was in the north. If there was internal fighting, it would definitely Foreign enemies will take advantage of the situation and sneak in."
Xu Yuanxi nodded: "Then now that the enemy is approaching, it is even more impossible for them to fight."
Hu Wenshou shook his head: "No, at this time, there is an opportunity to break the balance. Normally there is no reason to grab the territory and take over Shouchun City, but now we can use Shou's name to take over the place openly. You see , the Qin army is coming, Liu Yu is coming, Huan Xuan is coming, what is this if not a land grab?"
Xu Yuanxi opened his eyes wide: "So that's it! Damn, this guy named Liu really has bad intentions. No, I can't let him continue to defend the city. I have to take away his military power!"
