The spring rain is still falling, the dripping water vapor fills the long streets and short alleys, the whole city is shrouded in the rain curtain of lead green, in the afternoon, there are not many pedestrians on the streets, the carriage clatters over the slippery hard bricks, and stops at the gate of the government prison, someone comes and holds up a paper umbrella for the figure who got off the car.

Frustrated prison, crackling sounds come from inside from time to time.

The torches planted in the wall, the light shines on the shadow of the whip-wielding jailer on the mottled and blood-stained wall, and every time the whip is waved, the hanging prisoner will scream hysterically, and the bare upper body has been peeled open, and when he is unconscious in pain, he is woken up with cold water, and the water stains mixed with blood flow down his lower body and drip on the ground covered with straw.

"This prison really makes Confucianism feel a little cold." Li Ru, who was dressed in a thick robe and wrapped in fur on the outside, sat on a stool and looked at the prisoner hanging up opposite, "......I don't know if I can survive this level with Jinwu." ”

The prisoner's hair was gray and scattered, and when he raised his head, water droplets fell from the ends of his hair, and his voice was hoarse: "The most surprising ..... is ...... You're still alive....."

"If people want to live, there are naturally many ways." Li Ru patted his cuffs and stood up: "What's more, our strategists from Xiliang are actually good at self-preservation, you Jia Wen and the trouble in Chang'an, go to Wancheng to defeat Cao Cao first, and then surrender to the other party, isn't it a move to protect yourself?" ”

At this time, the corners of Jia Xu's mouth were still bloody, and he looked up at the middle-aged scribe opposite for a moment, and then drooped down again: "That's right...... You are in the Xiliang Army, you are the son-in-law of Dong Gong, and when you arrive in the north, you are the governor of the Zhennan General's Mansion...... Should I say that Gongsun Zhi can look at people, or is Li Changshi better?"

"At this time, don't be sarcastic."

Li Ru walked closer, took out a plain white cloth from his cuffs and helped him wipe the blood stains on his face, "Although I haven't seen it back then, but after all, you and I are from the same Xiliang family, and we can be regarded as having the friendship of robes. ”

Hearing this, Jia Xu looked at Li Ru in a daze, and after a while, the corners of his bloody mouth opened slightly, and he let out a hoarse laugh: "Heh..... that's really a catastrophe......

At this time, he barely had much strength to speak, at this time, there was a rustling of footsteps outside, and the firelight shone on a long figure coming from the end, and the cell head opened the door, arched his hand to Li Ru inside, and shouted softly to the other two jailers: "Come out." ”

The two people who came out and the cell head hurriedly stood at the door, Gongsun Zhi was wearing a robe, his figure looked tall and heroic, and then he walked in, Dian Wei waved his hand at the three people, sent the other party to wait outside, turned around and closed the cell door, and Li Ruchao, who was standing in the middle, bowed to the figure who came in.

"Confucianism has seen the lord."

Gongsun Zhi nodded, and walked to the hanging prisoner with his hands behind his back: "Jia Xu..... Jia Wenhe, why did I throw you here to be tortured when I didn't see you in front of me?" ”

"The governor is nothing more than to be angry for more than 100,000 people in Yuzhou....." On the swaying rope, the figure opened weakly.

"You still understand." Gongsun Zhi walked closer, stretched out his hand and twisted Jia Xu's chin, pulled the other party's head in front of him, and said word by word: "You can ask for self-protection, even if you kill hundreds of thousands of enemies, my Gongsun Zhi only admires, but how many Han people who spread the plague have caused me to be affected by the pond fish and die in vain, they could have done more meaningful things." ”

Jia Xu smiled, revealing blood-stained teeth: "But it was the people of Yuzhou who died, and the governor should be happy." ”

"That's also my Han people, a killer and defenseless person, I am deeply ashamed!"

"What the Governor did a few years ago, pit dozens or hundreds of foreign merchants, what is the difference between me killing tens of thousands of people? It's just a difference in numbers..... meaning is actually the same."

Gongsun Zhi was stunned for a moment, let go of his chin, and in the swaying of the rope, he took the silk and wiped his hands, "This matter is not related to you, by the way, Cao Cao should send someone to ransom you back, take Jinwu guess, will I let you go?" ”

"Naturally not." Jia Xu shook his head, "If I were the governor, I would definitely not do this." ”

"Well, I'm still aware of me. Then you will stay in the north for the rest of your life, I will not be used to you like Cao Cao, and treat the captives with good food and drink. ”

Gongsun Zhi wiped his hands, threw the red-dyed Jinpa to the ground, and turned to leave, "..... continue to torture, but don't let him die." ”

Walking outside the prison, his footsteps stopped, through the wooden pillar, he turned his face slightly, in the light of the torch, his expression was bright and dark: "There is one more thing, Cao Ang is not dead..... he is working under my command, you said that in the future, I will let him go back to the Central Plains and compete for the position of heir, what will happen?" ”

Jia Xu, who was originally expressionless, his eyes fluctuated, and when he raised his gaze, Gongsun Zhi over there had already left with someone, and the leather whip that he waved again was whipped on his body, still looking at the wooden fence where there was no one for a long time.

He was after the New Year's Pass, was held hostage by Zhu Gongdao into Taihang Mountain, with the help of the Black Mountain Army, he hurried for several days, and arrived in Shanggu County at the end of January.

After Zhu Gongdao returned to Shanggu County, he rested for a few days, and once again took some people to cross the Taihang Mountains and lurk towards the Central Plains.

It's just that in terms of receiving, the time is relatively late.

*************

In late February, Jizhou, Yecheng.

"Second brother!! My father was killed by Gongsun Zhi and Cao Cao, you and my brother should revive the family business, you see for yourself what you have become now! If this continues, when will the father's revenge be avenged? Don't drink any more—"

"You don't care about me, I'm your second brother, what are you doing taking my wine...... Bring! Fight on the battlefield and revive the Yuan family, that's your and your eldest brother's business...... Give the wine back!! ”

"I'm going to wake you up!"

"Dare—"

There was a sound on the tabletop, and then, the sound of popping, it was the wine jar falling to the ground, this scene that happened in the entire courtyard, so that the surrounding guards and servants did not dare to come out, avoided it from a distance, lowered his head and lowered his face and pretended not to hear anything, after a while, Yuan Shang walked out of the room in a huff, and someone stepped forward and waved his hand: "Get out." Then, he left the mansion in a car.

During this period of time, the eldest brother Yuan Tan sent people from time to time to ask him to withdraw from Yecheng, which made Yuan Shang feel bored, his father died in a hurry on the battlefield, and did not make a will.

"The external enemy looks around, and he still does such internal strife, the eldest brother is really unwise."

The carriage returned to the mansion, and Yuan Shang had just gotten off the car and walked into the mansion gate when he received unusual news from Youzhou - Gongsun Zhi "may" send troops to conquer Erzhou.