After the military and civilians in Jinling and the surrounding areas regarded Sun Tu as a selfish and self-interested person, making him the villain referred to by Qianfu, this situation was finally spread to Danyang City. This immediately aroused the anger of a group of subordinate soldiers, and everyone was upset about their own jurisdiction, and some people were even clamoring to bring troops back to Shandong.

In the afternoon of this day, Lu Da and a few others rushed to see Sun Tu angrily, and they didn't beat around the bush, and said directly: "Governor, the rumors outside are too much, it's just nonsense, and they put all the faults on the heads of our Shandong army, and even the brothers below can't listen to it." ”

"Oh? But how did it spread to the outside world? Sun Tu was quite calm at this time, and even had an unpredictable smile on his face, and he was holding a cup of tea in his hand, and he was drinking it slowly and methodically.

"They say that we intend to steal the military rations, and that we have already secretly colluded with the anti-thieves, and we will rebel when the time is right, which is really unreasonable!" Even a good-tempered person like Lin Chong was a little anxious at this time, and as he spoke, he was worried: "If the imperial court really believes such rumors, our situation will be really dangerous. ”

"And now the people of Jiangnan regard us as enemies because of Xie Mo, and it is rumored that many local people in Danyang dare not come back because they are afraid that we will harm them." Yang Zhi also said with a worried face.

It wasn't until he mentioned this that the smile on Sun Tu's face retracted slightly, and he felt that something was indeed wrong.

As early as after they took Danyang, they had already begun to spread the news that the people who had fled before should return quickly, after all, there are only thirty percent of the people in this Danyang City left, which is too deserted. But even so, after half a month, less than half of the people who fled have returned, which is not what they want to see.

Seeing that Sun Tu was moved, Yang Zhi continued: "And the brothers over there in Changzhou were also retained by Peng Yongzhen's Huainan Army, unless they turned their faces and did something, they couldn't come at all. ”

"Governor, you can't let them come here, this is not Shandong after all, once there is a real conflict, we will jump into the Yellow River and we won't be able to wash it away." When Lin Chong heard this, he nervously admonished, he was really afraid that Sun Tu would give Dong Ping an order to forcibly return to the army in anger.

"Don't worry, I'm not so confused that way, doesn't that confirm that I have antipathy?" Sun Tu immediately spoke, but his brows furrowed even deeper: "What do they want to do?" Now this rumor is constantly spreading in Jinling, obviously someone is making trouble behind it, and this is likely to be Zhu Mian and others. ”

"Yes, it must be that we took the Danyang granary to make Zhu Mian and them worried, so they want to use this public opinion to force us to bring our troops back." Zhu Wu also expressed his opinion. As an important strategist by Sun Tu's side now, he has always followed him.

In fact, in the final analysis, this is all a manifestation of his weak heart. He knew very well how much military rations he had stolen and sold, and he was afraid that I would expose him, so he took the first step to tarnish my reputation. Sun Tu snorted: "I also saved him some face before, and when I reported it, I only mentioned that half of the military rations were destroyed, but I didn't mention that some granaries and grain were missing...... It seems that if you don't give him some power, he won't be restrained! "Ruler, I'm afraid not many people will believe this matter now." Lin Chong said worriedly: "Now both the military and the people are being bewitched, thinking that we are not greedy enough and there is a shortage of food, which will only make them more suspicious of us." ”

"Hey, it's a bloody thing to get rid of without eating chicken." Sun Tu also regretted a little in his heart, he knew that Zhu Mian would be so despicable, he should have made the first move, and spread the news that a large amount of grain in the granary here was being resold as soon as possible, and first occupied the winning point of morality. However, at that time, he was finally worried about the situation in Jiangnan, and he was really selfish, so he wanted to secretly withhold some of the grain, and as a result, he put himself in a disadvantageous situation.

"Ruler, the only way to do this now is to leave Jiangnan, and you can also send a message to Dong Ping and them to act on the opportunity and join us as soon as possible." Yang Zhi still insisted on his opinion.

"Brother Yang, what you do is really endless, even if we can really return to Shandong with all our tails, we still have to bear those charges? What's more, this will make people feel that we are at a loss, and how should we deal with it when the court is held accountable? What's more, the chaos in Jiangnan is not settled, what face do we have to go back? Lin Chong hurriedly objected, but he also made some sense.

Suddenly, Sun Tu really didn't know what choice to make, this was a complicated situation he had never encountered before, and it was not something that could be easily resolved with brute force alone.

In fact, he also knew very well that the people of Jiangnan were suspicious of him at this time, and the key to his very bad impression was that he killed Xie Mo. As long as he asked Xie Mo to show up and explain the matter, the situation would naturally improve a lot.

But Xie Mo was not by his side at this time, but was left in Jinling by him. At this time, if this truth is really announced, I am afraid that with Zhu Mian's ruthlessness, he will really kill people and kill him, and solve Xie Mo first, and then he will not even have this hole card.

"It seems that we have to think of picking Xie Mo up from Jinling first, and then use his mouth to clear my name. As for the lawsuit between Dong Ping and the Huainan Army, they can only wait until the turmoil is calmed down. He already knew the inside story of the First World War in Changzhou, and the comparison between the two was very different from the situation of Peng Yongzhen and Zhu Mian, but even if he said it at this time, I am afraid that few people would believe it.

Just when Sun Tu was having a headache about the situation in front of him, two days later, in the evening, a man with a clear face appeared in Danyang City and asked to see him: "In Xia Qin Chi, I am here to save General Sun!" ”

Because of his extraordinary popularity and amazing words, Sun Tu let people lead him to him. And after seeing Sun Tu and saluting with his fists, Qin Chi said something surprising: "General Sun, do you know that you and the tens of thousands of Shandong soldiers under your command are facing a desperate situation, as long as you take one more wrong step, it will be a catastrophe." ”

Looking at the confident eyes of the person who came up, Sun Tu was stunned for a moment, and then laughed again: "Didn't Your Excellency make such amazing words to learn from the Zongheng family in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, and regard yourself as Su Zhang and the like?" ”

"General Sun praised it falsely, but he didn't dare to compare with the sages in the future, but today he just came to speak because he didn't want to see General Sun, who was famous all over the world, and Shandong soldiers who had brilliant achievements, died unjustly." Qin Chi didn't care about Sun Tu's slightly sarcastic remarks, and still said freely.

"Oh? Then I would like to hear what your Excellency thinks. Sun Tu glanced at the other party, and there were already some guesses in his heart.

Qin Chi didn't talk nonsense, and quickly got to the point: "Now the people in Jiangnan have a lot of words that General Sun is a cool official and a corrupt official, and some people even say that you have different intentions, which is a great danger to the general and the officers and soldiers of the Shandong army." Once such rumors spread, even if you don't have such thoughts, I'm afraid that Song Ting will not spare you. ”

"Oh, really?" Sun Tu replied noncommittally.

Qin Chi glared: "General Sun, don't think that this is alarmism, with my understanding of the Song Dynasty's monarchs and ministers over the years, they will never let go of a threat like a general easily." Even if it may be wronged, they will definitely prefer to indulge in it!

"Since the general has been in the Song army for many years, he should know how wary the Song court has been against the generals for a hundred years, and Mo has said such rumors, even if it is only an occasional mistake, those officials in the DPRK and China will hold on tightly, and they will never give up if they do not kill the generals. General Sun, aren't you afraid that you will be victimized by such traitors?

"And at that time, you are not the only one who will die because of this, and most of your soldiers will also be implicated. That's the Pao Ze brother you worked so hard to bring out, and you can't bear to let them be framed by traitors too, and finally die in a foreign country? ”

After saying this, Sun Tu didn't react yet, and some of the guards standing inside and outside the hall had changed their faces, and their eyes showed some worry and indignation. They were already worried about this matter, but now that they were exposed to the harm, their hearts naturally became more nervous and angry.

Sun Tu looked at Qin Chi calmly, and laughed after a moment: "Since Your Excellency has worked tirelessly and ventured to come to see me, it must not only be just to scare me with these words, I don't know if you have any way to crack it?" ”

When Qin Chi saw him asking, he was overjoyed, and hurriedly said: "General Sun is really a smart person, although you are in a predicament now, it is not that you have no countermeasures at all. I have three strategies available here, depending on what you choose. ”

"Oh, let's hear it."

"The next strategy is to pretend that you don't know anything, just drag it out, and see if Song Ting will suspect you because of these rumors. However, in my opinion, with the Song court's consistent suspicion of military generals, it is inevitable that they will become suspicious and eventually attack the generals. At that time, not only will the general's reputation be ruined, but his soldiers will also be widely implicated. ”

Speaking of this, he paused deliberately and glanced at Sun Tu, but saw that the other party did not react at all, which made him feel a little uncomfortable, so he could only say again: "As for Zhongce, it is more active, general, you can go to Bianjing to shout grievances and justify everything to the Song court, if the emperor really believes in you, maybe this matter can be passed." However, with my understanding of the Emperor of the Song Dynasty, I am afraid that he has not yet been wise to this point, and coupled with the traitors in the court, if you really go, I am afraid that you will send sheep into the mouth of the tiger. So this strategy is also a dead life for you. ”

"So it seems that the two strategies are dangerous, I don't know what to do with this best strategy?" Sun Tu was 100% sure of the identity of the person who came at this time, and he knew what he wanted to say, but he still asked such a sentence casually.

And Qin Chi was waiting for him to ask, and immediately said: "This best strategy is the best way to really solve General Sun's danger - abandon the dark and turn to the light!" ”