In Bianliang City, there was a panic mood. Yesterday's battle outside the city, the Northwest Army was defeated by the Jurchen army, which quickly extinguished the flame of hope that was originally ignited in the hearts of the people. The 150,000 cavalry of the Northwest Army disappeared in one day, and when the Northwest Army arrived, the people thought that Bianliang was saved this time, but they didn't expect this to be the result.

The people in the city already knew the news that the Jurchens were preparing to attack the city again, and the city was full of rumors that the Jurchens had increased their troops by more than 100,000 and arrived overnight. And the Liao army that was scattered in Taiyuan Mansion is also rushing to the capital to converge. Their soldiers and horses will reach as many as 400,000, which is more than double the defenders of Bianliang City.

What's even more chilling news is that the Jurchen army erected a black flag, threatening that if the defenders of the capital do not surrender for three days, they will slaughter millions of people in the capital after the city is broken, and no one will be left. The Jurchens had a bad track record all the way south, and several cities were slaughtered by them in extremely cruel ways. The people who fled to the capital before had already spread their actions to the streets and alleys. The people had already heard of the Jurchens' indiscriminate killing of innocent people, and now when they heard such news, they were as frightened as if the end was coming.

A well-informed person received further information that the Jurchens had sent envoys into the city to put forward conditions, and that the court and the Jurchens were discussing. The people are eagerly looking forward to a good outcome.

……

In the Inner Palace, in Guo Xu's dormitory, Guo Xu was haggard, sitting on a chair with a pale face, and looking through the window under the porch with a dull gaze. It's already mid-February, and although the last heavy snow still lingers under the eaves and roots of the flower beds, these shady corners have not melted clean, but the air and sunlight already have the breath of spring. Through the window, you can see the green willow swaying on the branches of the lotus pond in a corner of the courtyard of the dormitory, which is a sign that the willow buds are about to erupt.

Spring is coming, and the cold winter is coming to an end. Soon, the entire capital and the entire Great Zhou will become a world full of flowers and thriving. Everything comes alive, beautiful and vibrant. However, Guo Xu's heart was filled with ice, as cold as the depths of a cold pool, without a trace of warmth. Spring is coming, what does he have to do with Guo Xu?

Guo Xu already knew the news of the defeat of the Northwest Army, and the chamberlain Li Gou'er desperately didn't want his life, walked under the noses of the guards in front of the palace, and took advantage of the opportunity to change his clothes to inform him of the news in his ear. The last glimmer of hope in Guo Xu's heart was extinguished. He was already mentally prepared for the defeat of the Northwest Army, after all, he also knew that the Jurchens possessed the existence of invincible heavy cavalry such as Tiefutu, which fought head-on. He regretted that he didn't tell Yuan Zhenqian this information that night, and the content of the conversation that night really didn't involve anything about combat, so he didn't think to remind Yuan Zhenqian. Who knew that the old thief would actually deceive Yuan Zhenqian to fight the Jurchens head-on, causing such an uncontrollable situation. After being ordered by Lu Zhongtian to take him back to the capital that day, he couldn't get out of the dormitory even a step in the dormitory, and he was actually imprisoned.

The anger in Guo Xu's heart can be imagined, but he has no choice. He threw things, smashed things, and smashed the bedroom of the dormitory to the ground, but to no avail. He thought about seeking death, but he didn't have the courage, or he couldn't make up his mind. If he really wanted to die, it would have been easy to hit his head on the wall in the corner of the table, or hang himself with a curtain, but he really couldn't make up his mind. His dignified Emperor of the Great Zhou is now imprisoned in the dormitory like a human dog, even if he is dead, what can he do? Maybe Lu Zhongtian wanted to do this, so he got his wish. Guo Xu found a reason for himself not to die, that is, 'Even if he dies, the old thief will bear the charge of killing the king, and he can't be cheapened by the old thief.'" ’。 This reason did give him a reason to live.

However, the situation has not changed in the slightest. After the defeat of the Northwest Army, did the Jurchens take the opportunity to attack the city? What does this old thief want to do? Is he going to depose himself and establish a new monarch, or will he usurp the throne as emperor in his place? In the current situation, Bianliang may be difficult to protect, even if he has an idea, can he keep Bianliang alive? Guo Xu's mind was groggy, and his head was about to explode. He felt like he was going crazy, and all kinds of voices were talking to him in his head. There is the voice of the father, the voice of the emperor, the voice of the queen mother, the voice of the queen, and the voice of many people. Without exception, these people were accusing him, scolding him, and cursing him viciously. No matter what he did, he couldn't get rid of their voices in his head.

Heavy footsteps and the familiar sound of coughing came from outside, and the buzzing in Guo Xu's head disappeared immediately. He let out a long breath, glad that he had escaped the torture of those voices, but when he saw Lu Zhongtian in a black robe appear under the courtyard corridor from the window, his heart felt like he had been hit by a boulder, and he couldn't breathe.

Lu Zhongtian walked briskly from the porch to the door of the bedroom, his steps were brisk, and his face was calm with a faint smile. Obviously in a good mood. Several palace guards guarding the door saluted him, and he even nodded back, flattering several palace front guards. Then, his face became serious, and he slowly walked into the house and came to Guo Xu's bedroom.

"Your Majesty, the old minister is polite." Lu Zhongtian arched his hand and said in a deep voice.

Guo Xu gritted his teeth and glared at him, and shouted coldly: "Do you still have the face to call yourself a courtier?" Is that what you do to me? I am the Emperor of the Great Zhou, and you have imprisoned me here. Thief, do you want to usurp the throne? Kill me, I know you have already arranged it, all the soldiers and horses in the city are yours, and the whole court is your people, you have arranged them all. You killed me. ”

Lu Zhongtian said quietly: "The emperor is a little restless, you are still so irritable, what does it matter?" The old man has watched you grow up since he was a child, and your irritable and impulsive personality has not changed. The old man reminded you no less than a hundred times, but you didn't pay attention to it at all. So, Your Majesty, all of this today is your own responsibility. ”

Guo Xu shouted angrily: "It's ridiculous, is this my mistake? Your wolf ambition is trying to usurp the throne, but in the end it is my fault? It will make people laugh out of their big teeth. You are trying to help me take the throne so that you can replace him. It's ridiculous that I put my heart into you, but you ended up like this. I'm stupid, but I've fallen for you, an old thief. ”

Lu Zhongtian said coldly: "Your Majesty, the old man is your grandfather, if you don't want to call the old man your grandfather, you don't need to call the old man an old thief." When the old man helped you seize the throne before, he really hoped to assist you to be a good emperor, but the old man had no intention of usurping the throne. But you are too unsuccessful, not only are you not grateful for everything the old man has done for you, but you are suspicious of the old man in every way. You want Yuan Zhenqian to enter Beijing, and then win him over against the old man, don't you know when the old man does. The old man did such a thing for you, and even did not hesitate to risk the world's condemnation to help you usurp the throne of the emperor, and connived at your repeated acts of killing your brother and forcing your father to kill the queen mother and the queen and concubine. Cover up your sins with all your might. As a result, what did the old man get? All you get is your suspicion? What you get is that you want to deal with the old man secretly? Hum! Even if it is a dog, the old man has done so much for him, he should wag his tail and head at the old man. And you don't have the slightest heart to repay the gratitude. Are you blaming the old man? Why don't you want to think about what you've done? ”

Guo Xu shouted: "Are you for me? You helped me for your ambitions. If you want to help me to the top, you want to take away my Great Zhou Jiangshan. I'm just a canary you raised. After I ascended the throne, you seized all the military, political and financial power in your hands, and for your own ambitions, you disregarded my Great Zhou Jiangshan Sheji, colluded with the Liao people, and used me to kill Yang Shumi and cut off dissidents. I am alone in the court. Do you have the slightest thought in your heart for my Great Zhou Jiangshan Society? It's a shame that you're still coming to talk to me about kindness. If you talk about kindness, how much did my father trust you back then, how much he favored you, and how did you treat him? Yes, I did make a big mistake, I did a heinous crime in order to be the emperor. I'm a sinner, and what about you? It should not be an exaggeration to say that you are unfaithful, unrighteous and ungrateful. Even if I do what I do one day, people and gods are angry, but aren't these things that you instigated before? You have repeatedly hinted that I will take extraordinary measures at a critical time, and use Li Shimin to match me, implying that I can do whatever it takes. I was instigated by you to do those things, and I regret it. ”

Lu Zhongtian sneered and said: "The emperor pushed it clean and blamed everything on the old man, but the old man was wrong to help you." Hehe, it's ridiculous. Do you want to be the emperor, and you come to ask the old man every day, but the old man helps you and is blamed by you? That's it, you can say whatever you want, the old man doesn't care about this anymore. The old man has worked for your Guo family for decades, and he has been a cow and a horse for your Guo family, and he has suffered more than one or two grievances. There are more than one or two wrongs, but those are all over, and the old man is not a person who turns over old accounts. You can think whatever you like, and the old man doesn't care at all. ”

Guo Xu sneered: "Of course you don't care, you are all people who are going to usurp the throne, what do you care?" Kill me, kill me and be the emperor myself, and see if the people of the world obey your Lu family. I'm going to see how you end up dying. ”

Lu Zhongtian said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty! Don't be confused, don't say these resentful words. You are still the emperor of the Great Zhou, and the old man is not here to kill you today, but to inform you of the current situation. Don't say these sentimental words. If you really think about your country, what you should be thinking about at this moment is how to solve the current predicament. ”

Guo Xu scolded angrily: "Phew! Fake what? When will it be my turn to call the shots again? Am I happy? Will you kill me or not? If you don't kill me, I'm going to sleep. ”

Lu Zhongtian shouted: "Guo Xu, do you know that the Jurchens are going to slaughter the city?" They want to slaughter all the millions of people in Bianliang, you know? They increased their troops, and there were nearly 400,000 soldiers and horses trapped in the capital outside the city, and they issued an ultimatum that we should agree to their conditions within three days, otherwise they would attack Bianliang and slaughter all the people. Do you understand? ”

Guo Xu was taken aback, and then laughed and said, "So what? Aren't you very capable? Didn't you watch Yuan Zhenqian's army defeat and die without help? Now that you know you're scared? Coming to me? I don't have the skills to take care of it. I can't protect myself, how can I care about these things? When you hurt people, you didn't expect to have today. Hahaha, I'm so happy, I'm so happy. ”

Lu Zhongtian said coldly: "You will never be a qualified emperor, you will always think about yourself." That's it, the old man doesn't tell you more, the old man just came to tell you that the old man agreed to the conditions of the Jurchens. Early tomorrow morning, the old man will send you to the Jurchen camp. You're ready to prepare. ”

Guo Xu was shocked, goosebumps all over his body, and said sharply: "What Jurchen camp? What did you do when you sent me to the Jurchen camp? I'm not going. ”

Lu Zhongtian sneered: "I can't help you, one of the conditions for the Jurchens to withdraw from the army is to ask the emperor to go to the Jurchens as a hostage." In addition, they also put forward a series of conditions, and the old man agreed. The Jurchens said that we had gone back on our word too many times, and they couldn't trust us, so they needed the emperor to be hostages. Your Majesty, for the sake of millions of people in Bianliang, I can only wronged you. The Jurchens promise to treat you well, and as long as you don't lose your temper, they won't embarrass you. ”

Guo Xu exclaimed: "I'm not going, I'm not going." Bastard, bastard, I am the emperor of the Great Zhou, how can I go and take the Jurchens hostage? Lu Zhongtian, you old thief is also ruthless. ”

Lu Zhongtian shouted: "Don't mess around, you did this to save millions of soldiers and civilians in Bianliang, you are voluntary, and the people of Dazhou will miss your good." Are you going to be a coward for the rest of your life, or are you going to be a hero of the moment? You must do something for your people, otherwise what have you, the emperor of the Great Zhou, done for the people? Be obedient and go well. ”

Guo Xu's legs were weak, he collapsed to the ground, and shouted in shock: "I'm not going, I'm not going." Grandfather, I'm your grandson. What I said before is that pigs and dogs are not as good as dogs, and you adults have a lot to take to heart. Shall I listen to you for everything? Even if it is the country you want me to make, I will give it to you. Please, don't send me to the Jurchens, it's better to kill me with a knife. Grandfather, please, my grandson is wrong. The grandson knew he was wrong. ”

Lu Zhongtian sneered and turned away. Guo Xu got up and pounced on Lu Zhongtian, but was stopped in front of him by two guards and could not get close. Guo Xu gritted his teeth and scolded loudly: "Dog thief, old dog thief, you can't die well, I curse you to be desperate, curse your father and son to be cut by a thousand knives and die, and you will never be able to live after death......."

Lu Zhongtian didn't realize it, and only said to the guards beside him: "Look at the emperor, if he commits suicide, don't want to live." ”