Ma Wei did not escape from Yecheng, he "locked" himself in a small mansion, too small to hide, too big to guard, what he cares about most now is his own safety, and even defending the city has to take a back seat.

Xu Ji was sent outside the gate, and the three of them came out to check, and after confirming the identity of the comer, he was allowed to enter the door, the veteran Sheng Xuan was not invited, he was slightly embarrassed, looked up at the sky, and said: "I'd better go and prepare, if the He Rong people attack the city, we can't all sit and wait for death." ”

As soon as Xu Ji entered the mansion, he saw several statues of the same height as people set up in the courtyard, which had not yet been completed, and he could vaguely see that they were dressed as emperors.

The person leading the way in front was Qiao Zhisu, who slowed down slightly, squeezed out a reluctant smile, and explained: "Emperor Liang of the past dynasties. ”

Xu Ji nodded, understanding what was going on.

Ma Wei sat in a study, it seemed that he hadn't slept well for a long time, his eyes were red, his cheeks were slightly sunken, and there were no servants around him except for the old eunuch Gao Shengze.

"It's really unexpected, isn't this the famous Xu Gongzi? persuade me to reconcile with the Tiancheng court, claiming that I want to go to Yuyang to save people, and also supervise Xu Gongzi, who is attacking and merging with Tiancheng and He Rong's troops, isn't that you? ”

"It's him, it's him." Gao Shengze whispered in King Liang's ear.

Qiao Zhisu closed the door from the outside.

The room was shabbyly furnished, Ma Wei still sat on the ancestral chair, but other than that, there was no seating, the windows were closed and covered with curtains, and even when the candles were lit, the whole room looked very dark.

"The world is unpredictable." Xu Jidao wanted to come closer to speak, but was stopped by Gao Shengze and could only stand in the middle of the house.

"For Xu Gongzi, who is like a god, what else is there to expect?" Ma Wei said in a strange way.

"A lot, for example, I didn't expect Brother Ma to stay in Yecheng."

"King Liang." Gao Shengze immediately corrected it, then turned his head to his master and said, "King Liang was unexpected, and he deceived the enemy army. ”

Ma Wei nodded slightly.

Xu Ji said: "He Rongbu doesn't care who the people who defend the city are, they will attack today." ”

Gao Shengze opened his mouth again: "Don't be afraid, Yecheng is so strong that it is unparalleled in the world, even if He Rong has a million troops, he can't attack it, and besides, He Rong has many cavalry and is not good at attacking the city......"

"There are Central Plains craftsmen in He Rong's army, with sufficient equipment, and they have been arrayed outside the city, has Brother Ma never been to the city to watch?"

"King Liang." Gao Shengze corrected again, his tone slightly harsh.

Ma Wei chuckled, "Lord Huanyan deceived me, you help her deceive me, leave an old woman as a hostage, and then bring foreigners to attack the city." I wasn't afraid, because I had anticipated this move a long time ago, so I went around to collect food and people, and I didn't let the Huaizhou soldiers go too far away from me. Now there are 200,000 elite soldiers in the city, grain and grass are piled up, the morale of the soldiers is high, and the people do not want to become slaves of foreign races, and they are willing to serve me. ”

After a pause, Ma Wei pointed to the sky with his right hand, as if to announce his oath, "I will let the Herong people attack the city first, and when they can't attack for a long time and their morale is depressed, open the door to fight a decisive battle with them, and lure the enemy deep into the east...... I'm going to use all of these tricks. ”

"Do you want to defend the Eastern Capital again?" Xu Ji asked in surprise.

"King Liang!" Gao Shengze's voice became more and more stern, and there was already a hint of anger.

Xu Ji suddenly made a move, twisted Gao Shengze's right arm behind him, and pushed him out.

Gao Shengze was shocked, but he was controlled by others, and he was old, so he had to take a step, and shouted in his mouth, "Xu Ji, what do you want to do?" King Liang save me...... No, no, King Liang is careful, he wants to assassinate, I will stop King Liang for ......"

Xu Ji opened the door with the other hand, pushed the old eunuch out, closed the door casually, put the latch on the door, and did not let outsiders in.

When Xu Ji just made a move, Ma Wei was also taken aback, lifted his buttocks, and reached out to touch the knife, and then he sat back down, letting Gao Shengze shout, neither getting up to help, nor stopping it.

Gao Shengze outside panicked, pushed the door a few times, found that it couldn't be opened, and said loudly: "King Liang, don't worry, I'll call someone immediately......"

"Get out of here!" Ma Wei said sharply.

Gao Shengze was obviously taken aback, let out a whimper, and didn't dare to squeak again.

Xu Ji nodded, "It's finally quiet." ”

Although Gao Shengze was driven away, the expression on Ma Wei's face did not change, and he was still cold, "What tricks are you going to use to deceive me this time?" ”

"I'm here to save your life."

"Hey, I know this trick: take the lead in the first place, whether it's true or not, first say something that interests the other party the most, attract attention and interest, and then say anything, and the other party can listen to it. So, you think I'm most interested in 'preserving my life'? ”

Xu Ji smiled, "The things we learned are the same, I forgot for a while." Well, no such gimmicks, just talking. Why did you stay in Yecheng? ”

"If you don't stay here, where else can you go?"

"Dongdu, you've been in business there for almost a year."

"Eastern Capital?" Ma Wei shook his head slightly, "It's almost an empty city, there is not enough food and grass, the people are all old, weak, sick and disabled, and those who can run have run away." His voice suddenly became cold, "The people are a rabble, you can't start with it, you can only make it with happiness, and you must wait for me to gain a foothold, and then they will flock to me and run to be loyal." ”

"You haven't ceded the eastern capital to Huaizhou yet, have you?"

"Of course not, I excused myself by saying that my wife and children are still in the Eastern Capital, please ask the Sheng family to give a few days, as long as King Ning invades Huaizhou, the Sheng family naturally can't come to ask for it again - but where is King Ning? This is also a lie of yours to trick me into sending the best general under my command as an emissary. ”

The appointment of Pan Kai as the envoy was all Ma Wei's idea alone, but at this time, he was angry with others.

"He Rongren attacked the city at noon." Xu Jidao.

"Let them come, I'm waiting."

"The Huaizhou army will not really defend the city."

Ma Wei's face changed slightly, and he was silent for a while before he said: "The Sheng family sent someone to send an order, asking the Huaizhou soldiers to defend Yecheng ......."

"This is what you rely on to defend Yecheng?"

Ma Wei suddenly got up, his eyes were even redder, and he roared: "Don't think that you alone can defend the city, I still have at least 100,000 Liang soldiers under my command, they are loyal to me and are willing to fight to the death for Daliang!" ”

In everyone's mouth, the strength of the army is a number that comes when you open your mouth, Xu Ji has long been out of his mind, walked up to Ma Wei, and pressed one hand on the table, "You want to imitate my strategy when I defended the Eastern Capital?" ”

Ma Wei was furious, "In your eyes, I'm always inferior to you, isn't it?" Who proposed the assassination in the first place? It's me, not you, without me, you are still a nobody in the Lou family, unless you mention the princess of Wu Guo, no one cares who you are. When the king of Jin killed his father and wanted to blame you, I saved your life. When you were defending the Eastern Capital and were isolated, I was the first to form an alliance with you to help you. All your success is inseparable from me! And you, still think I'm inferior to you? ”

Xu Ji said: "I keep all the help of Brother Ma in my heart, and I have never felt that Brother Ma is inferior to me, at least you are still the king, and I retreat in the face of difficulties." ”

Ma Wei sat down slowly, and his voice returned to normal, "You have your ability, but you lack the heart of an emperor, I don't blame you, you don't even want to admit your surname, let alone be called king and emperor?" I am different from you, I am the real Emperor of the Great Liang, with the urging and expectations of the ancestors and ancestors behind me, I must embark on this road, I must, there is no choice......"

"How does Brother Ma plan to defend the city?" Xu Ji dragged the topic back.

Ma Wei was stunned for a moment, and then broke free from the brilliance of the "Ancestors and Ancestors", "I have already said that I will hold on for a few days, and after the enemy's morale is frustrated, I will counterattack in one fell swoop. ”

Xu Ji shook his head, "I want to listen to your real plan." ”

"Then you take it back and ask for credit from He Rongren?" Ma Wei sneered.

"Okay, you don't want to say it, I'll say first, there are three major undefendable ...... in Yecheng"

Ma Wei sneered, "It's the same as the strategist again, the 'three undefensible', the 'five unspeakable', and the 'seven unrepentant'......"

Xu Ji said to himself, "When guarding the Eastern Capital, the main force was the Descending Army, and they were chased by officers and soldiers all the way, and they had no way out, so they had the heart to defend to the death. The defenders of Yecheng are from Huaizhou, not far from their hometown, once the war does not go well, they will return to their hometowns, Brother Ma is powerless to stop it, Sheng Xuan is afraid that he can only conform to the will of the people. This is undefensible. ”

"Do you think I didn't think of it? I want to plan the plan, the city is guarded by the Huaizhou soldiers, but the guards are all my Liang soldiers, except for the northern city, the Huaizhou soldiers want to surrender, want to escape, you can, just to lure He Rong people into the city, they are cavalry, not conducive to street fighting, I will personally lead the Liang soldiers......"

Xu Ji interrupted him: "When the Jizhou army besieged the eastern capital, although there were two kings in charge, the real commander was Wang Tiemei, who was different from top to bottom, and Wang Tiemei was not a general. The strong arm Shan Yu outside Yecheng is a heroic figure, not comparable to Wang Tiemei, and he will definitely not be tricked. This is not to be kept. ”

Ma Wei showed a hint of jealousy, "Because of this, you would rather be a strategist for the alien barbarian king?" ”

Xu Ji still didn't explain, and continued: "At the beginning, the Jizhou army wanted to recapture the eastern capital, but He Rongbu only wanted to clear the obstacles, one of his subordinates was merciful, and the other was unscrupulous. These are the three things that cannot be kept. ”

Ma Wei suddenly became angry again, "What are you going to do with me?" Surrender of the city? The Great Liang royal family has already surrendered once, and there will never be a second time, at least not with me! ”

"You don't have to surrender, I'm going to send Brother Ma back to the Eastern Capital, and then you immediately contact King Ning and serve him as the Lord for the time being......"

"What's the difference between that and surrender?"

"Listen, if you want to be the emperor, you have to endure the humiliation first, King Ning is my enemy, but among the heroes of the Central Plains, he is the only one who can compete with the strong arm. King Ning's strength is still a little weak now, and he will be very happy that someone will defect, and he will definitely be able to treat you differently. At that time, you don't have to persuade King Ning to do anything, let him do his own thing, whether he fights or makes peace with the Sheng family in Huaizhou, it is all according to his wishes, you can't advise, and you don't even have hints. After King Ning felt that he was sure, he would go north to expel He Rongbu. ”

"I've been paying homage to King Ning like this?"

"I can't predict anything further away, but this is the best option at the moment, at least to keep your Liang King."

Ma Wei thought for a long time, "The outside of the city is full of He Rong people, and the city is full of Huaizhou soldiers, how can I escape?" ”

Xu Ji smiled slightly, "You have fled back to the Eastern Capital, but many people haven't found out yet." ”

Mavi was inexplicable.

。 m.