"PS: I'm a little delayed today, so I'll wait a little longer."

———— the following text————

"Captain, you ......"

On the tower of the East City Gate, Hou Ping and Liu Zhou, the two guards, looked at Cao Suo with a calm face, and stopped talking several times.

They couldn't imagine that the Cao Duwei in front of them would actually believe the strategy of the rebel general Xiang Xuan and switch to the rebels.

Of course, Cao Suo could see that the two guards were not in a calm mood at the moment, so he turned his head and said to Yang Yi, the guard left by Xiang Xuan for contact: "Yang Yi, is that what you call it?" You go outside and keep guard, I have a few words to talk to Hou Ping and Liu Zhou. ”

No matter what Yang Yi thought of Cao Suo in his heart, he knew very well that Cao Suo was a very key figure in his family's general Xiang Xuan's strategy to plot Xuchang, so he naturally had to give Cao Suo enough respect.

"Yes, Captain Cao."

Solemnly hugging his fists, Yang Yi turned around and walked out of the city gate tower.

Watching Yang Yi walk out of the city gate building and close the door, Cao Suo turned his head to look at Hou Ping and Liu Zhou who were standing on the side, and asked, "Hou Ping and Liu Zhou, how many years have you two followed me?" ”

"I'm afraid it's not fourteen or five years." Hou Ping replied.

From the side, Liu Zhou also replied: "The humble position is a little less, but I have been following the lieutenant for eleven or two years. ”

Cao Suo nodded, and then asked, "How did I treat you two in the past?" ”

Hou Ping and Liu Zhou glanced at each other, clasped their fists and said: "Du Wei is generous and open-minded, and he treated me very well in the past. ”

Cao Suo nodded again, and then sighed: "It's a pity that I can't go back to the past...... That Zhou Hu had already bewitched Li Junshou, if I returned to Xuchang, I would definitely lose everything, and I am afraid that I would no longer be able to afford the guards......"

“……”

Hou Ping and Liu Zhou looked at each other.

They certainly understand what that means.

And at this moment, I saw Cao Suo take a slight breath, look at the two of them and say: "For the sake of getting along for many years, I will give you the opportunity to choose for yourself, you can either defect to others and continue to be a guard, or, stay and help me......"

Glancing at Liu Zhou, Hou Ping clasped his fists and said: "The commander treated me well in the past, but now the captain has lost power, how can we abandon the captain?" ”

Cao Suo was overjoyed when he heard this, and turned his head to look at Liu Zhou.

Liu Zhou also clenched his fists and said: "I swear to follow the captain." …… It's just that the promise of that announcement can really be believed? ”

"Hmm."

Cao Suo nodded and said, "In order to expand their momentum, the rebels can even win over and reuse the goods that ruin their reputation like the Green Forest Thieves, how can they lose their trust in me?" …… If he loses his faith in me, he will cut off the hearts of the people of the world to defect to the rebels. ”

Hou Ping and Liu Zhou nodded abruptly.

Immediately, Hou Ping asked in a low voice, "That...... What is the Captain going to do? ”

Hearing this, Cao Suo touched the beard on his chin and fell into deep thought.

At present, he is still the governor of Yingchuan County - although this captain has gradually lost his name, and his authority has gradually been stolen by that Zhou Hu, but when it comes to defecting to the enemy and rebelling, even he, the captain, cannot guarantee that the people under him will work together with him.

Hou Ping and Liu Zhou are his guards, following him for more than ten years, even if it is not an exaggeration to call him a family guard, these guards are both prosperous and lossy with him, and there is no better family at present, and they have decided to accompany him to join the enemy because of their many years of affection, which is not surprising.

But the problem was that these guards could not mobilize the county army, and Cao Suo wanted to take the county army in the city to defect to the rebels, at least to persuade Tian Qin, Liao Guang, and Liu Jian.

The trouble is that Tian Qin, Liao Guang, and Liu Jian are all officials, and even Cao Suo does not dare to guarantee whether these three will turn their backs on the Jin State and defect to the rebels.

Seeing that this issue was mentioned, Hou Ping offered his idea and said: "Tian Qin, Liao Guang, and Liu Jian have no defense against Du Wei, Du Wei might as well invite him to come in the name of eating and drinking, if the three of them refuse to follow, Liu Zhou and I will see the opportunity to subdue him......"

"Hmm."

Cao Suo thought for a while and nodded slightly.

He immediately recruited Yang Yi, and several people summed it up, and immediately, Yang Yi hurriedly left Yingyin in the name of Cao Suo.

After about a stick of incense, Hou Ping and Liu Zhou returned to the East City Gate Tower with a few guards.

Hou Ping whispered to Cao Suo: "Du Wei, all the brothers are willing to follow Du Wei. ”

Cao Suo looked up at the seven or eight guards, and saw that they nodded one by one, with resolute expressions, and couldn't help but feel very relieved in his heart—at least, he still had this group of loyal guards.

In addition to sighing, he instructed Hou Pingdao: "Go and invite Tian Qin, Liao Guang, and Liu Jian to come." …… Do what you planned. ”

"Yes."

Hou Ping nodded emphatically.

Around two o'clock, Tian Qin, Liao Guang, and Liu Jian were invited by Cao Suo to come to the East City Gatehouse.

At this time, Cao Suo had already ordered people to prepare wine and food in the building.

"At this moment, when the soldiers are in the city and the enemy is present, how can the captain still have the heart to invite me and a few others to eat and drink?"

Liao Guang frowned, but didn't say anything after all.

After all, the experience of not being able to break through the siege in the past two days also made him understand that the rebels outside the city were determined to trap them in Yingyin, and unless Xuchang sent reinforcements, their strength alone might not be enough to retreat.

"Probably the lieutenant understands this, so he is happy in the bitterness, right?"

Tian Qin also thought to himself.

Several people silently ate a few glasses of wine.

After three rounds of drinking, Liao Guang took the lead in standing up, clasped his fists and said: "Captain, today it is the turn of the last general to be on duty at night, it is really not appropriate to get drunk, it is better to ask Tian Qin and Liu Jian to accompany them, and the last general will retire first." ”

Cao Suo would let Liao Guang leave, and when he heard this, he pressed his hand and said, "You sit down first, I invite the three of you to come today, not only to drink, but also to discuss a major matter with a few of you......

Hearing this, Hou Ping took advantage of the inattention of Tian Qin, Liao Guang, and Liu Jian to slowly walk out of the city gate tower, recruited two guards, and at the same time ordered the other guards to stay in front of the city gate tower and not allow anyone to enter.

"Big deal?"

Liao Guang and the others looked surprised.

"Hmm."

Cao Suo hesitated for a moment while holding the wine bowl, and said slowly: "Today, Xiang Xuan sent a messenger, and he blended in with the envoy's guards......

"What?"

Tian Qin, Liao Guang, and Liu Jian looked at each other, not noticing that Yi Hou Ping and the other two guards had quietly come behind the three of them.

"What about others? Didn't the Captain take the opportunity to take him down? Liao Guang asked suspiciously.

Cao Suo didn't answer, but said to himself: "He told me that as long as I am willing to surrender to the rebels, he will recommend me to be the commander of Yingchuan Qu...... I decided to say yes to him. ”

"Captain?!"

Among the three, only Liao Guang reacted the most violently, and he was about to stand up.

And at this moment, only to hear a bang, a sharp sword rested on his shoulder.

At the same time, someone behind him said in a deep voice: "Liao Shiyi, we have known each other for many years, please don't be impulsive." ”

Not only did Liao Guang's expression change drastically, but even Tian Qin and Liu Jian also changed their expressions, because they were also restrained by Hou Ping and another Cao Suo's guard.

“……”

Looking at the sword on his shoulder, and then at Cao Suo, who looked calm not far away, Liao Guang couldn't believe his eyes.

From the side, Tian Qin and Liu Jian also showed unbelievable looks.

The three of them never imagined that Cao Suo would treat them like this.

"Ugh."

A soft sigh sounded in the building, it was Cao Suo's sigh.

He said bitterly: "It's not that I want to do this, it's the tiger that forced me that week......"

He drank all the wine in the bowl in one gulp, and said with a bit of inexplicable hatred: "In the past two days, we have desperately broken through the siege, but in fact, I knew from the beginning that even if I led this county army to fight desperately out of the encirclement and withdraw to Xuchang, Xuchang will no longer have a place for me, and the status, reputation, and authority I once had will be taken away by that Zhou Hu...... But the appearance of Xiang Xuan made me see another opportunity. ”

"A chance to surrender to the enemy and turn your back?" A hint of mockery appeared on Liao Guang's face.

In the past few days, he was originally unhappy with Cao Suo's repeated shirking of responsibility to that Zhou Hu, but considering the old feelings, he was at least willing to live and die with Cao Suo, but he never thought that this Cao Suo would make a shameful act of defecting to the enemy.

“…… All three of you are my old subordinates, and I sincerely hope that all three of you will help me. ”

Cao Suo looked at Tian Qin and the three of them and said.

"I ......"

Liu Jian couldn't resist it first, and pleaded repeatedly: "Duwei, our family members are all in Xuchang, if we rebel, our family will inevitably be implicated......

Seeing this, Cao Suo said what Fang Cai Xiang Xuan used to persuade him, and said with relief: "This matter is not difficult, we only need to help the rebels capture Xuchang......

Hearing this, Tian Qin and Liao Guang changed color one after another.

They never thought that Cao Suo himself would not count as defecting to the enemy, but would actually help the rebels capture Xuchang.

"Shameless!"

Liao Guang let out a mocking sneer in his mouth: "Only now, do I know that you Cao Suo is not only incompetent, afraid of death, but also despicable and shameless......"

“……”

Cao Suo was scolded for being a little ugly on the ground, so he simply turned his head to look at Tian Qin.

I saw Tian Qin staring at Cao Suo for a long time, shook his head and said, "Du Wei, while it has not yet been a big mistake, please think twice." ”

The implication is that he will not follow Cao Suo to rebel.

Seeing this, Cao Suo had a little disappointment on his face, looked at Tian Qin and Liao Guang with a complicated expression and said, "You two can rest assured, I won't harm you and others, but for the time being, let the two of you be wronged......

As he spoke, he glanced at Hou Ping.

At this moment, Liao Guang suddenly reflexively grabbed the arm of the guard behind him, and at the same time shouted loudly outside the building: "Cao Suo is going to surrender to the enemy!" Cao asked for ......"

"Smack."

Hou Ping rushed over quickly and smashed Liao Guang's head with the hilt of his sword, instantly knocking the latter unconscious.

"Tied."

After giving an order to the other guard, Hou Ping turned to look at Tian Qin, and said, "Tian Shishi, even if you refuse to help the captain, please don't behave like Liao Shiyi......"

Tian Qin looked at Hou Ping, then at Cao Suo, sighed abruptly, and was arrested.