When Cai Mao returned to Xiangyang, he did not go to see Liu Biao immediately, but first went to the back house where Liu Biao lived.

In the room of Mrs. Cai in the back house.

The siblings sat facing each other.

After listening to Cai Mao's story, Mrs. Cai's face was very ugly.

"A million hanging copper coins?" Mrs. Cai asked, "If Jingsheng Gong gave Liu Xuande's head to Cao Zirong, does he still want the money?" ”

"The difficulty is that you can't give it." Cai Mao said: "Now let Liu Xuande come to Xiangyang, he will definitely refuse." It is also impossible to storm Xinye, not to mention that Cao's army is still besieging the city, how can Jingsheng Gong transfer his troops and horses out to attack Xinye? ”

"What do you mean...... Money has to be given? Mrs. Cai asked with some pain.

"Now that Cao's army is outside the city, as long as he refuses Cao Zirong's request, he will definitely order a large army to attack the city." Cai Mao said: "The defenders in the city can't hold on for long at all, even if it lasts for three or five months, where will we find foreign aid?" ”

"Is there nothing that can be done?" Cai Mao asked.

"It's not that there is no way, the key depends on Jing Shenggong." Cai Mao said: "One million hanging copper coins is indeed too much, as long as Jingsheng Gong is willing to say a few good words, maybe Cao Zirong will be able to open the net, after all, they came to Jingzhou this time only for Liu Bei." ”

"What a Liu Bei, you have caused us so much trouble in Jingzhou." Mrs. Cai gritted her teeth and said, "Even if Cao Zirong doesn't plan to kill him, I have the intention of killing him." ”

"What's the use of my sister still saying this?" Cai Mao said: "The most important thing is to persuade Jingsheng Gong, but you must not offend Cao Zirong because of Liu Bei. Life is in the hands of others, and it is really stupid to cause more trouble for an outsider. ”

"You're right." Mrs. Cai said: "It's better to go to see Jingsheng Gong first, and I'll go over later." ”

"Sister plans to persuade Jing Shenggong now?" Cai Mao asked.

"Could it be that he will see Cao Zirong again when he offends him?" Mrs. Cai said: "By then, won't it be too late? ”

"It's that I haven't thought it through enough." Cai Mao said: "I'm going to see Jingsheng Gong, and my sister will go later, but I have to look at his face." ”

"I know." Mrs. Cai said, "Why don't you hurry up and talk to me here?" ”

Mrs. Cai urged, and Cai Mao bowed and retreated.

He followed Pang Tong out of the city, and Liu Biao, Kuai Yue, Kuai Liang and others have been waiting in the study.

Coming to the door of the study, Cai Mao said, "Jingsheng Gong, I'm back." ”

"Dejue is back, why don't you come in soon?" Liu Biao's voice came from the study.

Entering the study, Cai Mao first saluted Liu Biao, and then greeted Kuai Yue, Kuai Liang and others.

"What did Cao Zirong say?" Liu Biao was most concerned about how Cao Shuo planned to deal with Jingzhou, so he asked.

Cai Mao looked embarrassed and said to Liu Biao: "I'm afraid Cao Zirong's request is a little difficult to do......

"I'd find it strange if his request was easy to do." Liu Biao asked, "What does he want?" ”

"Cao Zirong still insisted on Liu Xuande's head." Cai Mao said: "I also mentioned to him that if you want Liu Xuande's head, he has to withdraw the soldiers and horses first. ”

"That's right." Liu Biao said: "If you don't withdraw your troops and horses, how can you see his sincerity? ”

"Jingsheng Gong wants to see Cao Zirong's sincerity, and he also wants to see Jingsheng Gong's." Cai Mao said: "I also said that Liu Bei can't be killed at the moment, but he put forward a very difficult condition. ”

"What did he propose?" Cai Mao said that Cao Shuo's request made him very embarrassed, and Liu Biao leaned over and asked with a somewhat unpleasant face.

"Cao Zirong asked Jingsheng Gong to give him a million copper coins." Cai Mao lowered his head and said, "If you don't give it, he will order the siege of the city." ”

When Cai Mao said Cao Shuo's conditions, Liu Biao sat down in despair.

"A million...... Condole...... Copper coin ......" After a while, Liu Biao's lips trembled and said, "Has he ever thought about where he wants me to get this million copper coins?" ”

"It's too late to say that." Cai Mao said: "Since Liu Xuande led his troops to attack Yuzhou, the trouble has been provoked. Now we have to think about how to deal with Cao Zirong, but we are worried that it will be useless......"

"Not worried?" Liu Biao said with annoyance: "Where did I get a million copper coins?" ”

Looking at Cai Mao, Kuai Yue, Kuai Liang and others, Liu Biao's eyes suddenly lit up: "Jingzhou is the richest of your families, and now that Jingzhou is in trouble, don't you have to take out some?" ”

"Thirty or fifty thousand hangers can still be taken out." Kuai Yue said: "No matter how much it is, there is really nothing. ”

"On weekdays, all of them are Jingzhou humerus." Liu Biao gritted his teeth and said, "When it's time to use you, there is no one who can be relied on." ”

"Our Cai family can come up with 100,000 hangings." Liu Biao was furious, and Cai Mao hurriedly said.

"The Cai family can give 100,000, how much can you give?" Looking at Kuai Yue, Kuai Liang and others, Liu Biao asked with an angry face.

Kuai Liang hurriedly said: "The Kuai family has done everything they have, but they can only take out 100,000 ......."

The Cai family and the Kuai family each contributed 100,000, and the other families combined only made up 100,000 hangs.

It was still far from the one million hangs that Cao Shuo requested, Liu Biao stroked his forehead in annoyance and let out a long sigh.

"Jingsheng Gong." Seeing that Liu Biao was silent, Cai Mao said: "Cao Zirong just wants one million hangings, and he didn't say that there is no chance to discuss at all......

"Discuss? How to discuss? Liu Biao raised his head and said with a face full of shame: "The Cao family's army is outside the city, as long as Cao Zirong gives an order, it won't be long before Xiangyang will be surnamed Cao, and then the entire Jingzhou will become the Cao family's territory." How else do you want me to talk to him? ”

"Cao Zirong said that he will wait at the place where Jingsheng Gong decided to meet early tomorrow morning." Cai Mao said: "When the time comes, Jing Shenggong can also ask him for personal favors and ask him to ask for less......"

"Ask him for favors?" Liu Biao slammed his fist on the table in front of him: "People are swordsmen and I am fish and meat, do you think Cao Zirong will let us go so easily?" I think that he wants millions of dollars, which is nothing more than making things difficult, and what he really wants should be Jingzhou......"

"How could the husband say such unconfident words?" Before Liu Biao's words fell, Mrs. Cai's voice came from outside the door.

Hearing that Mrs. Cai was coming, the look on Liu Biao's face became more and more annoyed.

Cai Mao glanced at Kuai Liang, Kuai Yue and others.

Several people got up and said to Liu Biao: "Jingsheng has family affairs, let's retire first." ”

Liu Biao didn't keep them either, and let them retreat.

Everyone left, and Mrs. Cai then entered the study.

"Just now, when I was far away, I heard my husband scolding." Bowing to Liu Biao, Mrs. Cai asked: "Husband said again that someone wants to take Jingzhou, I don't know who has such courage?" ”

PS: Chapter nine, eighteen thousand words, I'm going to say - there's another chapter later.

(End of chapter)