In the early morning, the fog was thick, and Taiyuan was immersed in a leisurely atmosphere, as if it was still asleep and had not yet woken up.

The urbanization rate of the Song Dynasty can be said to be the highest in the entire feudal history, the economic development is quite good, and the people are rich and peaceful. Taiyuan is located in the frontier, and the pace of people's life is not fast. In today's terms, the Great Song Dynasty is a rather "petty bourgeoisie" era.

When Chu Tianya was dragged onto the street again, there were not many people on the street. Occasionally, some merchants and business travelers passed by, and most of the people had just opened their homes, and the fireworks in the stove had not yet risen.

But Xiao Ai was already standing on the side of the street outside the palace of Guangling County, waiting for more than half an hour. Seeing the people coming out, she knelt down and begged to bring breakfast to Chu Tianya.

Early in the morning, Liu Yanqing was still sleeping in a hot quilt with Meijiao's mother, and did not personally lead the team, but just sent a partial future leader. In contrast, the sergeant was much better at talking than Liu Yanqing - Xiao Ai kowtowed, quietly picked up two ingots of white goods, and climbed into the prisoner car very smoothly.

"Chu Guanren, wait for the slave family to wash your face and comb your hair first." Xiao Ai was very careful, and wrapped a few clay urns in a quilt to keep warm, which contained hot food and warm wine.

"I'm sorry for you." Chu Tianya smiled gratefully.

The sergeant next to him laughed, "It's going to be beheaded, it's better to take the head back and wash it then!" ”

Xiao Ai didn't pay attention to them, and wiped Chu Tianya's face with a hot towel dipped in hot water, and said faintly: "Even if you want to cut off your head, Chu Guan's life is upright, and you have to walk decently." A few official brothers, when the slave family is willing to ask tomorrow to go to the execution ground, how about letting the slave family change clean clothes for the Chu officials and freshen up? ”

The sergeants laughed and said nothing, and the situation could not be more obvious - if you want to be accommodating, you have to pay for it!

"Ignore them." Chu Tianya said, "I'm hungry, give me food!" ”

"Hmm!" Xiao Ai actually deliberately talked about him left and right to distract the attention of these sergeants. At that moment, she looked around vigilantly, and when she took out food and wine from the urn to feed Chu Tianya, she easily put a key into the lace of her cloak.

Chu Tianya's eyes suddenly showed surprise, swallowed the food in a big gulp, and nodded happily, "Delicious, delicious!" ”

"The Chu officials must be hungry." Xiao Ai carefully whispered in his ear while playing a side tone, "Mr. Bai has arranged all the qiē." Remember, this is the key to the prison door. When the fire in the county king's mansion broke out, it was an opportunity to escape. ”

"Okay, another chicken leg! Xiao Ai, where did you buy this chicken leg, it's so delicious! Chu Tianya said while nodding.

"Then the Chu officials eat more!"

On the second floor of an inn not far away, there was a window half opened, revealing a pair of eyes, quietly looking at the soldiers and horses walking by and Chu Tianya's prisoner car in the street downstairs.

"Mr. Bai, when are we going to do it? Seeing my brother like this, my heart burned like this, and I couldn't hold back for a moment! Meng De clenched his fists and gritted his teeth in annoyance and whispered.

"Don't worry, Lord Mengzhai, everything is under control." Bai Xu lowered the curtains, slowly opened the folding fan in his hand and fanned it leisurely on his chest, sat on a big chair and said, "I have the key to the prison door in my hands, so it is not difficult to save Brother Chu." But this is a big game of chess, and it is the time when the two sides are evenly matched until now, so there is no room for trance and difference, and it is even more impatient. ”

Meng De's thick eyebrows tightened, and he sat down beside Bai Xu according to his flirtatious temperament, and said: "Meng is a brave and unscrupulous horseman, so naturally he listens to Mr. Bai's orders. It's just that I don't know what Mr. Bai means by 'a big game of chess'? ”

"Huh!" Bai Xu shook his fan and smiled, "This game uses Taiyuan as a chessboard, and Song and Jin are like black and white twins playing on a chessboard." The heroes of the Xishan Mountains and the righteous army of the Taihang Mountains that you and I represent, as well as Tong Guan, Wang Yu, Ma Kuo, Yelu Yujian and other generations, are all chess pieces on this chessboard. What is a little ironic is that the person who was originally in charge of the victory and defeat by Zhizhu has now become a prisoner of the subordinates - this is really a bit unexpected by Bai! ”

"Sir is taunting my brother?" Meng De couldn't help but widen his eyes.

"No, that's not the case." Bai Xu waved his fan with a smile, "Xiaosheng and Brother Chu also hit it off at first sight, and they hate to see each other late." Xiao Sheng not only did not mean to mock Brother Chu, but admired him very much. Just imagine, it is related to the fate of the two countries, involving so many influential figures, but Brother Chu is in the middle of it with a mundane body, with a wide range of things in his sleeves, with great wisdom and courage to control the current situation! The grandeur of the layout, the subtlety of the strategy, interlocking step by step, partial and natural self-justification, in the end is a good change of life! This is enough to amaze Su Qin, Zhang Yi and other generations of the pre-Qin people. As for Brother Chu's arrest, it was just because the villain betrayed him and couldn't prevent it, and this kind of accident was inevitable. ”

"Okay, Mr. Bai is a scholar, Meng is a rough man, and I don't understand most of what you said." Meng De was a little anxious, and said hurriedly, "Sir, please advise, how to save my brother?" If you need people, Meng should go back to Xishan immediately and make preparations in advance! ”

"The last thing you need is people." Bai Xu's face was straight, and he said, "In this big chess game, Xishan, Taihang and Shengjie Army, including the Taiyuan Mansion, are chess pieces of the same color. Our only enemy, and our common enemy, is the Kingdom of Jin. Therefore, we cannot fight among ourselves at home, nor can we tear our faces and form grudges before the great war. ”

"So how do you save my brother? Could it be that he waited for Tong Guan to suddenly change his conscience and let him go!? Meng De was in a hurry.

"So, what if Tong Guan dies?" Bai Xu said suddenly.

Meng De was stunned, "Good and decent, how could he die?" ”

Bai Xu smiled, "The subtlety of Brother Chu's game of chess lies in killing multiple birds with one stone. All the winners and losers will be announced, only in the two days. Therefore, we must calm down - as long as Tong Guan dies, the Shengjie army will be leaderless. Tong Guan has the following two generals, one is Wang Yu and the other is Liu Yanqing. In contrast, Liu Yanqing had more authority, but Wang Yu had a higher prestige among the sergeants, he was Brother Chu's master, and he was a like-minded anti-Jin general with me. Therefore, the main thing Meng Zhai did was to control Liu Yanqing, so that Wang Yushun could take over the military power! ”

"That's easy!" Meng De stood up suddenly, "That guy is greedy for money and lustful, and he stays in Willow Lane on Flower Street all day long." In the past few days, I have sent my brother to keep an eye on him, and I know that he has a new concubine in an outdoor house, and he stays there every day. I brought seven or eight brothers with me on this trip, all of whom were extraordinary masters of flying eaves and walls. It's easy to catch a Liu Yanqing! - Why don't I go and capture him now? ”

"Not busy." Bai Xu smiled mysteriously, shook his fan slowly, and said, "We have to wait until the fire at the foot of Taihang Mountain is pervasive, and the master of Meng Zhai will wait for the opportunity to do it!" ”

"Taihang Mountain is on fire?" Meng De blinked in confusion, "What's the matter with us?" ”

"Huh!" Bai Xu smiled, "At the moment, the secret of heaven must not be revealed." In short, this was a wonderful game of chess that Brother Chu had laid out a long time ago, but he suddenly walked away at the end of the game. However, there are not many people who know the power of this endgame, so Bai has to continue to finish this endgame for him. At present, this endgame is exquisitely interlocking step by step, and one step cannot be wrong. Otherwise, you will lose a thousand miles by mistake, and you will lose all the games if you are not careful! ”

"Dealing with a scholar like Mr. Bai is really hot!" Meng De was angry and funny, "I hate to rip off my husband's head and see what you are thinking about!" ”

"Haha!" Bai Xu laughed, "Master Meng Zhai is a little restless, it's better to sit quietly." Let's see how Bai took over Brother Chu, after playing this game, he had already laid out a perfect wonderful chess! ”

"Hey, I'm just afraid that my brother will suffer!" Meng De said worriedly, "He has just returned from Xishan with a serious injury, and now he is in prison again, and he is about to be beheaded!" The two of us are brothers, not seeking to live together but to see death! - If Ziyuan dies, Meng De will never live alone! ”

"Lord Meng Zhai is really righteous!" Bai Xu Zhengse hugged Meng De's fist, "Bai guarantees with his life, your brother is safe, how about it?" ”

"Good! - Mr. Meng De is trustworthy! ”

At the foot of Taihang Mountain, the flag is unfurled, and the horn is blowing.

Yelu Yu took the bow and rode on the horse, and said to Tong Guan beside him: "If the Taishi has no intention of accompaniing, please stay!" One day, I went to the mountains alone, and I was sure to hunt a tiger back! Otherwise, don't give up! ”

Tong Guan smiled bitterly, he walked around the deep mountains and old forests with him yesterday, and he was tired and bitter. The shadow of the tiger was not unseen. I didn't think that this guy still didn't give up, and he was going to go again today.

But when he heard him say "swear not to give up", Tong Guan was also helpless, and it was not easy to touch his face, so he had to say: "Xiao Wang must accompany him!" ”

"The prince is so bold, then let's go!" Yelu Yu smiled and said, "Although I didn't find any tigers yesterday, I am sure that there must be fierce beasts in this mountain based on my years of experience. I can't say it, but today I will hunt him down, and take his good meat and drink it. If you can fulfill this brown wish, you can sit down with peace of mind and discuss state affairs with the prince! ”

Tong Guan finally heard a nice word, so he forced his spirit to get on the horse, and said with a smile, "Your envoy, please!" ”

"Lord Wang, please!" Yelu Yu was not polite, and with a whip he opened the horse's hooves and ran out first. But he said in his heart: It's only because Chu Tianya is not in me and I am not familiar with the path, so I didn't kill you in a hurry yesterday, but I was just looking for a way out. Chu Tianya has not returned for a long time, most likely because something happened; If you stay here for a moment, you will be more dangerous—then today, you will be spared!