One of Ma Wei's favorite things to do was to wander around the huge palace, accompanied by a group of eunuchs, explaining to him the origin of each item, as long as it was related to the Liang Dynasty, he would stop to admire it, and then order someone to protect it carefully.

"The girder is not dead, but it is only in decline for a while, and it will eventually be revived." He often repeated this sentence, and no one was allowed to say anything about it, not even if he followed him, and after the beheading of an uninteresting eunuch, no one dared to answer.

Xijing visited Shan Yuzhi, Ma Wei did not get special courtesy, stood with a group of princes, generals, and leaders of unknown origin, kowtowed outside the tent, and did not get a separate summons afterwards, Shan Yu said to him in public: "King Liang guards the eastern capital for me, if there is a trace of damage, ask you." ”

Ma Wei's face was red at that time, and he didn't dare to defend a word.

After that, he always felt that the people around him were laughing at him, so he asked to leave and take people back to the Eastern Capital at every opportunity.

On the way back, he met Guo Shifeng.

Guo Shifeng came from Jiangdong, the distance was far away, a few days later than others.

Ma Wei reminded Guo Shifeng: "I'd rather not go than go late, just because he is a very strict person, King Ning is not in person, it will make him dissatisfied, Brother Guo is going late, I'm afraid there will be no good results." ”

Guo Shifeng had to go, "I have a heavy responsibility, so I have to go hard." When I return to Jiangdong, I must go to the eastern capital to meet the king of Liang. ”

Ma Wei thought it was just empty words, but he didn't expect that within a few days of returning to Dongdong, Guo Shifeng came from Xijing.

Ma Wei summoned his old friends in the main hall, this is his favorite place, and moved the old things of the Liang Dynasty that he fancied one by one, and when he was fine, he toured in it, and he longed to live in it all the time.

Guo Shifeng passed through the rows of screens, candlesticks, chairs, and many unnamed ornaments, stopped at the signal of the eunuch, knelt down and kowtowed from a distance, and said: "The minister Guo Shifeng knocked to see King Liang." ”

Ma Wei sighed softly, "Brother Guo, you don't have to make this big gift, get up and give you a seat." ”

Although there were all kinds of seats in the main hall, the eunuch moved an ordinary stool, and after Guo Shifeng sat down, he had to look up to see King Liang on the throne.

The two exchanged a few words, Guo Shifeng said with a smile: "When I entered the city, I saw pedestrians on the street, spreading flags and displays, and the eastern capital was at least restored to seventy or eighty percent of its vitality, all of which were the achievements of King Liang." ”

"It's true that the population has increased somewhat, barely recovering three or four percent, how can there be seven or eight percent?"

"King Liang Guoqian, I have come all the way, Luozhou has ten rooms and nine emptiness, and even the entire city has been abandoned, but there are many pedestrians on the road, and every family helps the old and the young, all say that the world is big, and only the east can go to it."

Knowing that this was flattery, Ma Wei still smiled, "The emperor treats the people as children, and if the people come to defect, of course I will not refuse." ”

"Speaking of children, the two princes of King Liang should be very big, right?"

"The oldest is more than ten years old, and two are under the age of one."

"King Liang has added another noble son, congratulations." Guo Shifeng got up and congratulated.

"Shan Yu is not angry with Brother Guo and King Ning?" Mavi didn't want to gossip anymore.

"At first, I was a little angry, and I ordered someone to put a shackle on me, and after I presented the map of Jiangdong County, Shan Yu turned happy, invited me to drink, and asked a lot about Jiangdong."

"Hey, King Ning is always one step ahead: the first to hand over the book and the first to offer the book, why didn't he go to Xijing himself? Shan Yu will be happier. ”

"King Ning has not been able to pacify Jiangdong County for a long time, and he really can't get out."

Ma Wei said coldly: "I have been friends with Brother Guo for many years, in front of me, why should Brother Guo lie." ”

"Don't dare, King Ning really can't get out." Guo Shifeng said with a smile.

Ma Wei got up and walked down the steps, and Guo Shifeng hurriedly got up to greet him.

"Does Brother Guo recognize these treasures of Da Liang?"

"Born in poverty, how can I recognize these?"

"Come, I'll tell you."

Ma Wei took Guo Shifeng to walk around the main hall, explaining the origin of the ornaments one by one, either the things used by the Liang Emperor or the furnishings in the ancestral temple of the Liang Dynasty.

"Emperor Tiancheng has emptied all the things in the Liang Palace." Guo Shifeng said in surprise.

"The Zhang family was originally a minister of the Liang Dynasty, and after usurping the throne, they slaughtered all the countries, but the most plundered were the relics of the Liang Palace."

"Heaven is destined to return to King Liang in the east, which is also considered to be the return of things to their original owners."

Ma Wei laughed, sat on an old chair, and stroked it gently, "This is my grandfather's imperial chair of Emperor Guanglie, he is strong, and the chair should be wider." ”

"Very human, too." Guo Shifeng said, although there were other chairs next to him, he couldn't sit down without permission.

Ma Wei raised his head, "My people are on the other side, I can't hear our conversation, Brother Guo is willing to tell the truth?" ”

"Actually, I've been telling the truth, but there are some things that I haven't mentioned."

"Haha, I forgot, Brother Guo once said to me that the best lie is actually the truth. Well, what are some of the things you're hiding? ”

"King Ning really can't get out, and he is indeed busy pacifying the county, but these are trivial matters, and King Ning is about to invade Jingzhou."

Ma Wei raised his eyebrows, "Not long ago, King Ning was going to attack Huaizhou, so I sent General Pan to discuss, how to ...... Changed your mind so quickly? ”

"It can't be helped, time has changed, and everyone has to change with it. Attacking the Sheng family in Huaizhou was actually Xu Ji's idea......"

"Hey, did you hear that? Shan Yu is looking for him. ”

"It is rumored that he fled to Hanzhou and went to one of his brothers."

"I wouldn't be surprised if he changed his surname back."

Guo Shifeng smiled and nodded, "I won't be surprised." In short, it was Xu Ji's idea to attack Huai, which was used to alleviate the urgency of Jizhou, but it was useless, and Jizhou was not captured by King Liang and the Sheng family, but fell into the hands of He Rongren. The so-called people are not as good as the sky, Xu Ji is self-assured and smart, but after all, he can't resist the general trend. ”

"But I heard General Pan say that he was in Jiangdong, and he did see King Ning with the intention of attacking Huai."

At that time, King Ning did have this intention, which made Xu Ji guess correctly. However, as soon as Jizhou was lost, Huaizhou became a barrier in the east of the Yangtze River, and the Sheng family was already prepared, surrendered to Shan Yu early, and even sent two protons. ”

Ma Wei immediately woke up, "Brother Guo went to Xijing, not only to meet Shan Yu, but also to ask Shan Yu to agree to let King Ning attack Jingzhou?" ”

"Hehe, you can't run in vain."

Ma Wei was both envious and jealous, he went to Xijing, lost face, but gained nothing, "Brother Guo will not run in vain wherever he goes, and it must be the same when he comes to me." ”

"King Ning said that as long as Shan Yu agrees, the agreement between Jiangdong and King Liang will remain unchanged."

"I don't remember having an agreement with King Ning to attack Jing."

"It's the agreement to attack Huai, but it's just a slight change." Guo Shifeng said with a smile, took half a step forward, and whispered: "The people occupied by King Liang, in addition to the Eastern Capital, how many counties are there?" I'm afraid it's less than half of Los Angeles, right? ”

Ma Wei refused to answer this question, and said directly: "I saw that someone from the Xi family went to visit Shan Yu, and he was quite happy, how did Brother Guo sow discord?" ”

"Liang Wanggao looks at me, I don't have the ability to order Shan Yu to change his mind, but from the general situation, after He Rongren pacifies the north, the next target is either Han or Jing. When I left Xijing, it was said that Hanzhou suddenly closed the customs and destroyed the road, and it seemed that he did not intend to surrender, but he was a tough person, and he would never endure such a great humiliation, and it was necessary to set foot on the Han border with a large army. In this way, there are not too many troops to attack the thorns, and a little help is needed. ”

"Then there is no need to rely on King Ning, if I am Shan Yu—if—I would never want to see someone sit in Jiangdong."

Guo Shifeng said with a smile: "In order to dispel Shan Yu's suspicions, King Ning deliberately fought a few defeats. ”

"Huh?" Ma Wei was puzzled.

"King Ning sent troops to attack Huaizhou in the north and plundered Jingzhou in the west, but he was defeated in successive battles, and when the Sheng and Xi families went to visit Shan Yu, they reported King Ning's defeat as their own military merits, so in Shan Yu's eyes, Jiangdong was weak and not enough to capture Jingzhou, but it was able to contain the Xi family and make him dare not go west to aid Hanzhou."

Ma Wei became more and more jealous, "King Ning has only occupied Jiangdong for more than a year, how many troops can he collect?" ”

"I don't believe it if I talk too much, it's enough to defeat the Xi family."

"In that case, why did you come to me?"

"Because King Ning's troops are only enough to defeat the Xi family, he is worried that if the army moves, the Sheng family will take advantage of the weakness."

"You didn't ask for an order from Shan Yu to prohibit the Sheng family from going south?"

"Haha, King Liang laughed, Shan Yu can't wait for the southeastern states to be in chaos, how can he prohibit the Sheng family from using force?"

"What does King Ning want me to do?"

"According to the original plan, send troops to Huaizhou."

"Strike the east and attack the west, let the Sheng family have a plan to hold on, and King Ning will take the opportunity to attack Jingzhou?"

"King Liang's strategy coincides with King Ning!"

"Hey, I know Brother Guo's tricks clearly, you don't have to use them on me, whose strategy is whose strategy, I have no intention of fighting."

"Get used to it." Guo Shifeng said with a smile.

"Let's not say that I agree or not, but first say what benefits can the girder get? I poured all my strength into the army, but it was a lure army, but it was King Ning who attacked the city and plundered the land. ”

"Does King Liang think Shan Yu will let go of the Eastern Capital?"

Ma Wei snorted and did not answer.

"Before the end of next year at the latest, He Rongren must enter Luo to capture the eastern capital, will King Liang surrender or defend to the death?"

"Why, King Ning dares to confront He Rongren?"

"Shan Yu allowed King Ning to attack Jing, the intention was to see the two sides fight, if King Ning won a big victory, no matter how humble he was, he would no longer be able to please Shan Yu. In today's world, anyone who attracts Shan Yu's hostility, King Liang is the biggest beneficiary. ”

Ma Wei was silent.

Guo Shifeng continued: "And King Ning's mind is only in Jiangnan, after capturing Jingzhou, he will go up the river, sweep Yizhou, and deal with He Rong's cavalry with the danger of the river." I don't dare to guarantee what will happen in ten years, but at least in three or five years, King Ning will not be able to go north, and if King Liang has the heart, he can take the opportunity to grow. ”

"Brother Guo doesn't need to go on, make an appointment, I will send troops to approach Huaizhou, as for the future, you are the minister of King Ning, and you can't offer me a plan."

Guo Shifeng pondered, "Liang Wang Zhiyong is both complete, and he really doesn't need my little tricks." ”

"Where the destiny of heaven is, wisdom and courage are all vassals. When will you go back to Koto? ”

"I will send someone back to report to King Ning, if King Liang allows, I will stay in the Eastern Capital during this time and spread the word between the two kings."

Ma Wei didn't object, sat there and pondered for a moment, and said: "Where the Mandate of Heaven is, you and King Ning are from a slightly cold background, and you won't understand what the Mandate of Heaven is, Xu Ji may be able to understand." ”

Guo Shifeng just laughed, he really didn't understand, and he didn't feel the need to understand.