Xia Guoxiang's worries were not superfluous, that afternoon, Xia Guoxiang heard that the people of the Han Army Banner did not attack Shengjing Pass at all, and there were many more people watching outside the garrison of the Guanning Army.

Xia Guoxiang thought that the Han army flag was not prepared, and he was just preparing for the siege in the afternoon. As a result, the next day, the people of the Han Army Banner still did not move at all, and Xia Guoxiang knew that Luo Keduo promised to give Guan Ningjun two days, and he really just let Guan Ningjun rest for two days. Originally, I thought that the Han army would first let the Han army flag attack Shengjing Pass, and after the Guan Ning army rested for two more days, then continued to attack.

As a result, no one mentioned the matter of the Han army's banner attacking Shengjing Pass, which was obviously to let the Guanning army rest for two days, and then let the Guanning army go to the defenders of Shengjing Pass.

After Xia Guoxiang got the news, he was stunned. Xia Guoxiang now felt a deep sense of powerlessness enveloping him. Xia Guoxiang came to Wang Pingfan's residence, Wang Pingfan was lying on the bed, and he didn't say anything when he saw Xia Guoxiang coming in.

Xia Guoxiang knew that Wang Pingfan was a little self-defeating now, a military general had lost his hand, and he was still the most important right hand, which was even more uncomfortable than killing him. Xia Guoxiang let his guards defend everywhere, and he was not allowed to approach Wang Pingfan's residence.

Then Xia Guoxiang walked to Wang Pingfan's bedside alone and said, "Brother Wang, you are better." Wang Pingfan saw that it was Xia Guoxiang who came, and smiled reluctantly and said, "Is it okay?" Now I'm a wreck. ”

Xia Guoxiang said: "Don't say that, you have to take care of your injuries, and the prince will reuse you when the time comes." Wang Pingfan knew that this was Xia Guoxiang's words of comfort, and he didn't care, and said, "I don't think your expression is good, is there anything difficult?" ”

Xia Guoxiang shook his head and said, "I shouldn't have promised the prince to let me lead the troops in the first place." Wang Pingfan said: "They forced us to attack the Shengjing Pass again?" Xia Guoxiang nodded and said: "Yes, originally yesterday it was said that we would have two days to repair and let the people of the Han Army Banner go to attack the Shengjing Pass first, but they didn't go alone." ”

Wang Pingfan said angrily: "Now that the prince is not here, none of us can disobey their orders. Xia Guoxiang said: "Yes, we can only watch Guan Ningjun being exhausted by such grievances." Wang Pingfan tapped the bed with his left hand and said, "If I knew that this was the case, it would be better to die with Wu Guogui and them, so as not to suffer such a wretch." ”

Listening to Wang Pingfan's words, Xia Guoxiang suddenly remembered the young man's words. But he said, "They are not dead." Wang Pingfan didn't hear clearly, so he asked, "What did you say?" Who didn't die? Xia Guoxiang came back to his senses and said, "It's nothing, I said that Wu Guogui and Hu Guozhu are not dead." ”

Wang Pingfan was startled, his movements were a little bigger, he pulled the wound, and grinned in pain. It took a long time to recover and whisper, "What did you say?" Aren't their heads already hanging on the tower of Shengjing Pass? ”

Xia Guoxiang also whispered: "Yes, but I saw them the night before yesterday, and they brought someone to say that they were from the Ming army." Wang Pingfan's eyes widened suddenly: "You mean that they surrendered to the Ming army, it is impossible, and now the Ming army only has some remnants of the defeated generals, and they are struggling at the border." They were not sick again, so they went to surrender to the Ming army at this time. ”

Xia Guoxiang said: "I think so too, but they said that this group of Ming soldiers was very recognized by the local people in Guizhou, and they actually took the initiative to help the Ming army carry supplies." The night before yesterday, they came to persuade me to surrender, but in the end, the Ming army man said that he would only give me three days, and then left. ”

Wang Pingfan said: "Blow the atmosphere, with the current situation of the Ming army, who dares to say that we will surrender in three days?" Xia Guoxiang said: "The situation is a little unclear, but I have seen the reaction of the king of Pingjun in the past two days, and it is obvious that they want to consume all our Guanning army in Shengjing Pass." We have to find a way to keep the brothers alive, you said that these are brothers for more than ten years, and everyone who dies is sad. ”

Wang Pingfan said: "Now that the prince is not here, what can we do?" Xia Guoxiang said suddenly: "I think there is really no way, the young man said that the method is feasible." Wang Pingfan said: "What way?" ”

Xia Guoxiang said: "I really couldn't hide, so I took the army south and hid in the mountains." Wait until the prince comes back, and then let the prince find a way to get us out. After listening to Xia Guoxiang's words, Wang Pingfan was a little curious: "This is what the Ming army said?" Will he give you ideas to save your strength for the prince? ”

Xia Guoxiang said: "Of course he didn't come up with this idea, he said that this is a dead end, because of our prince's character and the prince's loyalty to the Qing Dynasty, it is estimated that he will kill me and ask the court for guilt." But I don't believe that the prince will do this to me, not to mention that I kept the Guan Ning army for the prince. ”

Xia Guoxiang thought it well, but Wang Pingfan was even more convinced that Wu Sangui would kill Xia Guoxiang and plead guilty to the imperial court. After all, Wu Sangui had already betrayed the Ming Dynasty once, and he would not let himself betray the Qing Dynasty again for the sake of a Xia Guoxiang, even if Xia Guoxiang was his son-in-law.

Wang Pingfan looked at Xia Guoxiang, who was a little confident, and said, "Maybe what he said is right." Xia Guoxiang said strangely: "What." Do you think the prince will kill me and ask the court for guilt? ”

Wang Pingfan said: "In the eyes of the world, our prince has betrayed the Ming Dynasty once, and he still surrendered to the foreign race, which is a thorn in the heart of our prince." If he has something to do with the Qing Dynasty because of your affairs, and it reaches the point of no return, how do you say that the world will look at the prince, and how will the prince himself see himself in his heart? Will he take this risk for you? ”

Listening to Wang Pingfan's words, Xia Guoxiang realized that he looked up to himself a little. muttered: "Could it be that I can really only surrender to the Ming army again?" Wang Pingfan said: "Did he really persuade you?" Did he say who he was? ”

Wang Pingfan also thought that if Li Dingguo came to persuade him to surrender, at least his status would be higher. Xia Guoxiang said: "How do I know who he is, he left directly without saying a few words." ”

Wang Pingfan felt a little like vomiting blood, and he didn't know what position he held when he came to persuade him, and he didn't even know his name. Wang Pingfan said: "If this is the case, I can't help, I'm already a waste now, and when the war here is over, I'll find a place to settle down and live the rest of my life." ”

When Xia Guoxiang heard Wang Pingfan's words, he didn't know how to persuade him, after all, a military general without a hand is indeed equivalent to a waste. Xia Guoxiang comforted Wang Pingfan a few more words, and then prepared to return to his residence.

Along the way, Xia Guoxiang felt that someone was watching him, and there were soldiers of the Han Army Banner in the distance, pointing at Xia Guoxiang with a smile. Xia Guoxiang didn't pay attention to it, just quickened his pace and returned to his residence, and then said to Fang Zhiqiu, who was patrolling the camp: "There is nothing to do in the camp today, right?" ”

Fang Zhiqiu said: "There is nothing else, just a lot of people from the Han Army Banner who have mixed in and inquired about the situation of our wounded soldiers." Xia Guoxiang was furious when he heard this, Du Lan and the others were supposed to fight, but they didn't move at all, but now they came to inquire about the wounded soldiers of the Guan Ning army, this is to prepare for the Guan Ning army to be cannon fodder again.

Although Xia Guoxiang was angry, he knew that he couldn't act rashly at this time. Fang Zhiqiu said: "Okay, you first act as if nothing happened, and secretly let people stare at the Han Army Banner." ”

After Fang Zhiqiu went out, Xia Guoxiang kept asking himself in his heart whether to surrender to the Ming army or not. Xia Guoxiang didn't want to surrender to the Ming army, just like Wang Pingfan said, now the Ming Dynasty has that little power, and it is estimated that there will be no days to live in the past when he surrenders, but if he doesn't surrender now, it is estimated that he will be consumed to death in Shengjing Pass in two days.

Xia Guoxiang thought that now that the Han Army Banner had already come to his camp to check the situation of the wounded soldiers, it was estimated that he would not give himself a few more days. After Xia Guoxiang thought of this, he was a little curious about what Wu Guogui and Hu Guozhu said, when the people rushed to carry materials for the Ming army, how did this Ming army do it.

Xia Guoxiang shook his head and said secretly: "What do I want to do now." Do I want to go back to the light anyway? If I am clear, the prince's situation will be even more difficult. ”

Xia Guoxiang remembered that Wang Pingfan said that the prince would kill himself and ask the Qing court for guilt, and immediately said in his heart: "If you can do fifteen, I will be the first year of junior high school." It's a big deal, when you are difficult, you will also persuade you to return to the Ming, and besides, everyone is originally the Ming army. ”

After Xia Guoxiang made up his mind, he sent his henchman Wang Xu to Dafen Mountain that night, and Tan Shuanghua, who had been waiting here for two days, saw someone coming, and immediately said, "Who are you?" ”

Wang Xu got the entrustment of Xia Guoxiang and knew that this was a person from the Ming army, but he was curious why the person sent by the Ming army was a woman. Although Wang Xu was curious, he still said: "My name is Wang Xu, and I came here to find someone on the order of my general." Tan Shuanghua said: "That's right, go back and tell your general, let him take the army directly out of the camp tonight and go to Yizuo County, where someone will answer." ”

When Wang Xu heard this headless sentence, he immediately said uneasily: "This girl, you make it clear, if it really doesn't work, you let your general come out and say something, just such a sentence, how can we believe you." ”

Tan Shuanghua said: "What's not to worry about, we won't lie to you, if you don't want to, go back directly." When Wang Xu heard this, what is this called? I came to find the Ming army to surrender, why did I let myself go back directly. Wang Xu's heart immediately became worried, people were so insincere, if Guan Ningjun surrendered, he would not be bullied to death. Immediately, he also said angrily in his heart: "Okay, since you are not sincere, then we will stop here." ”

At this time, a person beside Tan Shuanghua stood up and said, "Wang Xu, you go back and tell Xia Guoxiang that everything has been arranged here, and he just needs to come out with the army." Wang Xu felt a little familiar when he heard this voice, and when he took a closer look, it was Hu Guozhu, who was killed a few days ago.

Wang Xu suddenly exclaimed: "General Hu, you, weren't you killed by the Ming army?" Why are you still ....... Hu Guozhu said: "I didn't expect me to be alive, right, okay, time is running out, you go back quickly, tell Xia Guoxiang, just said that we have to leave tonight, and we won't pick him up again, and then he really won't have a chance." ”

Wang Xu didn't believe Tan Shuanghua's words, but he couldn't help but believe Hu Guozhu's words, because he had been under Hu Guozhu before, and now he was arranged in the hands of Xia Guoxiang. Hu Guozhu and Xia Guo are both Wu Sangui's sons-in-law, and of course Wang Xu is also loyal to the two.

By the time Wang Xu returned to the Guanning military camp, it was already the third watch in the middle of the night. Wang Xu explained the situation again, and Xia Guoxiang was also a little worried, the Ming army didn't send a weighty person to speak, so he directly let himself set off with the army. But Xia Guoxiang has no way to retreat now, he can only believe that Hu Guozhu will not pit himself, when Fang Zhiqiu, who was about to patrol, called, and said: "Have all those Han army banners in our camp left?" ”

Fang Zhiqiu said: "General, not long after they left, there were still a few people left in the camp to keep an eye on. What's wrong? Xia Guoxiang walked back and forth a few times and said: "You immediately let people control them, and don't make any movements." ”

Fang Zhiqiu saw that Xia Guoxiang was cautious, and immediately said: "Okay, I'll go and let people control them." Xia Guoxiang then said to Wang Xu: "You go and call all the generals in the camp, I have something important to announce, let them be careful." ”

After arranging these, Xia Guoxiang asked his guards to secretly arrange soldiers outside his big tent just in case. After the arrangements were made here, the other generals also came to the big tent of Xia Guoxiang.

Everyone didn't know what Xia Guoxiang was doing when he was so late, but they didn't dare to speak when they saw Xia Guoxiang's gloomy face. After the people arrived, Xia Guoxiang said: "You should also know during the day that the people of the Han Army Banner are constantly probing the wounded soldiers in our battalion. ”

Listening to what Xia Guoxiang said, everyone else also complained. Xia Guoxiang asked everyone to be quiet, and then said: "They came to inquire about the situation in order to urge us to attack the Shengjing Pass. Immediately, someone stopped doing it and said, "General, is this true?" We suffered 10,000 casualties in the last attack on Shengjing Pass, and now the wounded have not been healed, and they are forcing us to go again? ”

Xia Guoxiang said: "Yes, originally let us attack Shengjing Pass yesterday, but I delayed it with too many wounded soldiers, and the plan was to let the people of the Han Army Banner attack first, not only did they not attack Shengjing Pass, but also came to inquire about our wounded soldiers, this is not to force us to go to Shengjing Pass and fight to the death with the Ming army." ”

The general just now said angrily: "This Han military banner and the Manchurians are too bullying." Xia Guoxiang said: "This is true, and the king of Pingjun only gave us two days to repair, if nothing else, after dawn, he will let us go to attack the victory pass." ”

After receiving the news of Xia Guoxiang, the generals present were all filled with righteous indignation. Xia Guo was excited when he saw everyone, and said: "In order for everyone to have a way to live, I have decided not to suffer from this nest anymore, and we will leave here immediately." ”

Although these people were angry, they listened to Xia Guoxiang's words, and they quieted down instantly. Seeing this, Wang Xu said: "Yes, if we stay, we can only be forced to death by the people of the Han Army Banner and the Manchurians, is this what the masters do?" ”

With Wang Xu taking the lead, coupled with the lively words of the people of the Han Army Banner in the camp during the day, many generals agreed, but there was still a humane: "General, where can we go even if we leave?" ”

Xia Guoxiang said: "If we leave directly like this, even the prince will not be able to protect us at that time, so we can only surrender to the Ming army." ”