(PS: It's not over yet, so continue to ask for a monthly pass.) ）

"Bang!" A heavy slap was slapped on the desk, which shook several pen, ink, paper, and inkstones jumping together, and almost shattered the metacarpal bones that were gradually losing calcium, but Liu Biao seemed to be unconscious, and jumped up violently, turning around in the back hall with a blue face, walking faster and faster with his hands behind his back, and the anger in his chest became more and more intense.

"Ming Gong, Tao Ying gave the jewelry gift to the uncle of the last general, and the uncle also ordered the end to bring it intact, and the gift box was sealed, please take a look at it." Zhang Xian respectfully opened the package that had been placed in front of him again, revealing a beautiful wooden box with a seal, and then said: "Originally, my uncle was going to let the last general bring Tao Ying's messenger too, but I never thought that the messenger was very stubborn, and when he saw that our army was detaining him, he hanged himself in prison. ”

Liu Biao stopped abruptly in front of Zhang Xian, bent down, lowered his voice and asked calmly: "Tao Yingbiao, your uncle is the Marquis of Suicheng and the general of Yangwu, and he also led Nanyang Taishou and 500 households, just let him act as Xuzhou Neiying and help him Tao Yingcheng seek my Jingzhou, why didn't your uncle agree?" Also, if I'm not mistaken, Jia Xu and Jia Wenhe, the military advisor of Xuzhou, have an extraordinary friendship with your Zhang family, and Jia Xu personally came forward to appease you for Tao Ying, so you won't be tempted? ”

"The public is public, the public is public, the private is private, the public and the private cannot be confused, and the public and the private must be distinct." Zhang Xian replied without even blinking an eyelid: "Mr. Wenhe and the grandfather and uncle of the last general do have a deep friendship, after Mr. Wenhe was kidnapped by Li Dao and Guo Yan and left Chang'an. He was left behind in Chang'an's family, or the grandfather and uncle of the last general, who took him out of Chang'an and sent him back to Mr. Wenhe. ”

"However, this is just a personal relationship, and when my Zhang family was desperate due to the grain shortage in Guanzhong, it was the Ming Duke who took in our Zhang family, gave the city garrison, and gave money and grain to feed the army, which is very kind to my Zhang family! The great favor has not been reciprocated, if my Zhang family is coveted by official positions and gold, silver and jewelry. Join forces with the Xuzhou army to attack Jingzhou. Isn't it like an animal? Therefore, my uncle ordered the last general to immediately send gifts and letters from the Xuzhou Army to show his heart! ”

Liu Biao continued to stare at Zhang Xian, his eyes were full of ferocity, and Zhang Xian followed his uncle's instructions. He stared at the bridge of Liu Biao's nose with a calm expression. Forge the illusion of being calm and selfless with Liu Biao's eyes. As a result, Liu Biao really didn't find the slightest flaw. After nodding slightly, Liu Biao finally withdrew his forced gaze, and then tore off the seal with the embroidered seal. Opening the wooden box, revealing a box full of jewels and jade, Liu Biao stared at this box of jewels for a long time, and then said in a calm tone: "This box of jewels, you take it back, tell your uncle, your loyalty is thousands of times more precious than this box of jewels, and I will not treat him badly in the future." ”

"Xie Minggong." Zhang Xian hurriedly kowtowed and thanked him.

"You go down to rest first, and I will entertain you with a good life." Liu Biao casually ordered, and it was not until Zhang Xian left under the guidance of the guards that Liu Biao turned to Wang Wei, who was silently present, raised his voice violently, and roared with a blue face: "Immediately pass Kuai Liang, Kuai Yue, Cai Mao, Huang Zu, Liu Xian and Han Song to see me!" ”

"No." Wang Wei agreed, and asked cautiously: "Lord, you didn't mention Mr. Zhuge Xuan, did you also send him over?" ”

"What are you sending him for? Did you leak the news to that traitor?! Liu Biao yelled with a hideous expression, Wang Wei was startled, and hurriedly rushed out to give the order, leaving Liu Biao to stomp his feet in the back hall and yell, "Unrighteous people! I swear to kill you! ”

Liu Biao talked to Zhang Xian in the back hall for a long time and didn't come out, Uncle Liu Huang and Zhuge Liang and others were already full of doubts, and then saw Liu Biao pass on the six confidants such as the Kuai Liang brothers in one breath, but they just missed Zhuge Xuan, who had been promoted to the chief of staff in Jingzhou, and as a result, not only Kuai Liang and Liu Xian and others who were summoned were surprised, but Zhuge Xuan and Liu Huang Shu and others were even more shocked. Especially Uncle Liu Huang, who had a premonition that something was wrong, although he was silent on the surface, but as soon as Kuai Liang and the others entered the back hall, Uncle Liu Huang immediately whispered to Zhuge Liang: "Kong Ming, Brother Jingsheng convened everyone to discuss matters, why did you leave your uncle?" Uncle Ling is the chief staff officer, so he should participate in the decision-making of Jingzhou military aircraft? ”

"I don't know." Zhuge Liang rarely couldn't see through the truth behind the scenes, and said in a worried tone: "Liang has an ominous premonition, this matter may be related to us, and my uncle is worried about leaking the news, so he deliberately did not summon his uncle to participate in this discussion." ”

Zhuge Liang's sixth sense is still effective, and the matter is indeed a little related to the imperial uncle's army, in the handwritten letter of Jia Lao Poison brought by Zhang Xian, Jia Lao Poison in addition to persuading Zhang Xiu's team to defect to Xuzhou with the reputation of a friend, and serve as the vanguard of the Xuzhou army to capture Jingzhou, in addition to giving Zhang Xiu's official false title, there are also hints intentionally or unintentionally, saying that another Jingzhou guest army in Nanyang County has already taken refuge in Deputy Director Tao, and it is already the general trend for the Xuzhou army to enter Jingzhou, so as to persuade Zhang Xiu to act in accordance with the sky, and rest assured to do things boldly for Deputy Director Tao.

Of course, Jia Lao Poison was not stupid enough to explain in the letter that the Jingzhou guest army had been bought by the Xuzhou army to Deputy Director Tao as a lackey, but it was a pity that Liu Biao only raised Zhang Xiu and Uncle Liu Huang in Nanyang County, two guard dogs, so after Liu Biao and Jingzhou's decision-makers saw this letter, they guessed with their toes, and they also knew that Jia Lao Poison was referring to which guest army.

"Big-eared thief, dare An be so rude?!" Huang Zu, who was very short-tempered, was the first to burst into flames and shouted: "Lord, the last general thinks that he should take this opportunity to immediately take down the big-eared thief and behead him, and get rid of the troubles forever!" ”

"No!" Don't drive Liu Xian to quickly object, and arched his hand to Liu Biao and said: "Lord, just based on such a letter of dubious origin, it is too reckless to kill the main general of the guest army!" Not only is the evidence insufficient, but it will also greatly disappoint the hopes of the people, if something goes wrong and kills a good person by mistake, the Lord will regret it! ”

"What's suspicious about the origin of the letters?" Huang Zu said angrily: "In Nanyang County, in addition to Zhang Xiu, the Xiliang pawn, and Liu Bei, the big-eared thief, there is a third guest army?" ”

"The letter is from Zhang Xiu, which is the biggest suspicion!" Liu Xian said in a deep voice: "Please think carefully about the lord and General Huang, what kind of friendship does Xuzhou military advisor Jia Xu have with Zhang Xiu's family?" Jia Wenhe's family was lost in Chang'an. It was Zhang Xiu's family who came forward to protect, provide food and clothing, and sent it to Jia Xu's side, with this origin, if the Xuzhou army wants to buy the internal response in the Jingzhou guest army, it should also give priority to buying Zhang Xiu's team as the internal response, how can it be Liu Xuande, who is not in the same sky as the Xuzhou army? ”

"Lord, Liu Bei's words are reasonable." Han Song, who has always been neutral in Jingzhou, also said: "Liu Xuande and Tao Ying have a deep grudge, and it is impossible to be easily bought by Tao Ying. ”

"It is impossible for Liu Xuande to be bought by Tao Ying?" Liu Biaohu suspiciously picked up the letter brought by Zhang Xian and said, "Then how to explain this letter?" ”

"Sister-in-law. Could such a possibility? General Cai Mao said gloomily: "Xuande Gong was not bought by the pottery thief. On the contrary, Zhang Xiu was bought by the pottery thief, so this helped the pottery thief to separate the brotherhood between his sister-in-law and Xuande Gong? General Zhang Xiu and Jia Xu and Yang Hong in Xuzhou have an unusually close relationship, and they have always had dealings with the eldest prince. Is there someone behind this? It's very suspicious. ”

If I changed it to before. General Cai Mao's words may have made Liu Biao turn his suspicion to Zhang Xiu, but now the situation is different, hearing General Cai Mao's words of Xiang Zhuang's sword dance. Mr. Bo Kuailiang, the head of another big family in Jingzhou, the father-in-law and the lord of Liu Qi's eldest son, immediately became angry, and said Cai Mao, you are ruthless, at this time, I haven't given your lackey the big-eared thief to the ground, but you preemptively pull the matter on my son-in-law, and then do you still want to pull it on our brother? Very good, if you are unkind first, don't blame me for being unjust!

Thinking about it, Kuai Liang immediately said gloomily: "The lord, whether General Zhang Xiu, who is a brother and sister with the eldest prince, was bought by the Xuzhou army and separated the brotherhood between the lord and Liu Xuande for Tao Ying, this can be investigated slowly." But before that, Liang wanted to remind the lord of something even more suspicious. ”

"What's more suspicious?" Liu Biao really asked.

"I heard that when Liu Xuande fled back to Xuchang from Guandu, there were only two soldiers left by his side." Kuai Liang's own brother and Liu Qi's uncle Kuai Yue spoke first, and said: "At that time, the three thousand Jizhou troops led by Yuan Xi and Cui Yan withdrew to Xuchang with Liu Xuande, and under the pursuit of hundreds of thousands of Xuzhou troops, the three thousand Jizhou troops were wiped out, Yuan Xigongzi was killed in battle, Cui Yan was captured alive by the Xuzhou soldiers, and Xuande Gong, who had only two soldiers left, was able to escape back to Xuchang with Zhuge Liang, a military advisor with inconvenient legs and feet, is this too lucky and suspicious?" ”

"What's the fluke?" General Cai Mao was anxious when he heard this, and hurriedly said: "Xuande Gong has already said what happened at that time, there were not many soldiers around him at that time, and the target was not pursued by the Xuzhou thief army, so he escaped back to Xuchang by luck." Also, even General Guan Yu was killed in battle, isn't this enough to prove that Xuande Gong fled back to Xuchang after a lot of hardships? ”

"One time may be said to be a fluke, and twice can only be said to be magical." Kuai Liang said expressionlessly: "Liu Xuande himself admitted that when General Liu Pan and Xin Ping's team abandoned Yecheng and retreated to Nanyang, only the Chinese army and the front army of the Jingji coalition army were ambushed by the Xuzhou army, but the rear army led by him Liu Xuande was safe and sound, and none of the Xuzhou ambush soldiers attacked the rear army led by him, what is the reason for this?" ”

"yes." Kuai Yue echoed: "Liu Beijia and Han Cheng also said just now, the Xuzhou army and Xuande Gong have a deep grudge, and it has reached the point where they don't share the sky, in this case, why did the Xuzhou army not only not focus on ambushing the rear army led by Xuande Gong, but also simply didn't even arrange an ambush for Xuande Gong?" ”

"You Kuai and Cai families are fighting for power and profit, don't involve us, okay?"

Liu Xian and Han Song, who were innocently implicated, complained in their hearts, but they didn't dare to squeak, they just quickly closed their mouths, unwilling to get involved in this matter again. And General Cai Mao also regretted that he was in a hurry to win, and hurriedly pulled things on Liu Qi without asking, provoking the two opponents of Kuai Liang and Kuai Yue, but the matter was helpless, so he could only say stubbornly: "Perhaps, maybe it is Tao Ying's traitor who doesn't know that Duke Xuande led the rear army." ”

"Huh." Kuai Liang laughed out loud and said: "Tao Ying's traitors even knew our breakthrough time and breakthrough route at that time, and arranged tens of thousands of ambush soldiers on the most favorable terrain, and they didn't even know the rear army led by Xuande Gong?" ”

When the brothers of the Kuai family said a word, Liu Biao's face was ugly, and in the end his face almost turned blue-black. Why did more than seventy percent of the 6,000 troops brought back to Wancheng by Xuande Gong be Jizhou troops who were not controlled by the lord? The Jizhou army was not controlled by the lord, and when the commander and important generals were all killed and captured, they could only obey the orders of Xuande Gong, who temporarily commanded the army, and Xuande Gong, who once had only two soldiers left, also took the opportunity to make a comeback and re-gather a force that should not be underestimated. ”

"It's such a coincidence." Liu Biao nodded slowly, gritted his teeth and said, "There are too many coincidences!" ”

"My lord. Could this be the case? Huang Zu also suddenly said: "In the middle of the big-eared thief fleeing from Guandu to Xuchang. Maybe it was during the period when the big-eared thief fled back to Yexian from Xuchang, the big-eared thief was captured alive by Tao Ying's traitor, and in order to save his life, he acted as an internal response to the Tao thief? Or the big-eared thief took the initiative to take refuge in the pottery thief for the sake of power, in exchange for the pottery thief acting in tacit agreement with him. Let him get a Jizhou soldier and horse to make a comeback. also let him come to Jingzhou to act as an internal response for the pottery thief? ”

Liu Biao's heart sank. Hurriedly thinking about this possibility, Cai Mao over there was anxious and hurriedly said, "Sister-in-law." General Huang, these are just suspicions, they are all just speculations, we have not really proved that Xuan Degong did this, according to Mao's opinion, it is best to investigate this matter in detail to see if this is Tao Ying's traitor's discordant plan? ”

After that, Cai Mao peeked at Brother Kuailiang, and hurriedly added: "As for the letter sent by General Zhang Xiu, Mao thinks that there may be an explanation, maybe it is that Tao Ying's traitor knows that General Zhang is loyal and righteous and cannot be bribed by him, so he deliberately used General Zhang Xiu to carry out this anti-poison scheme!" ”

Hearing General Cai Mao's words, Kuai Liang and Kuai Yue both smiled slightly, knowing that General Cai Mao had already taken the initiative to admit defeat, and did not dare to use this matter to climb Liu Qi again, so Kuai Liang also quickly nodded and said: "Cai Dudu's words are reasonable, we have no real evidence for this matter, and we can't make a decision lightly." His Majesty believes that it is best to act like this at present, while leaving Liu Xuande in Xiangyang for the time being, just in case, and at the same time re-investigating the specific process of Ye Cheng's defeat, if there is really a trick in it, it will leave some clues. ”

Liu Biao pondered for a long time with a dark face, and then nodded reluctantly, and said: "Zirou is very good, you can't let Liu Bei go back to Wancheng, just find an excuse to leave him temporarily, and wait for me to find out the matter before dealing with it." Also, General Zhang Xiu's delivery of the letter, you must not let Liu Bei's team and Zhuge Xuan know, especially you, Cai Mao! ”

………………

After Liu Biao and his party returned to the hall, although Uncle Liu sat and laughed as usual, he never mentioned half a sentence of letting Uncle Liu Huang move to Wancheng Town, and at the same time, Liu Biao also asked Uncle Liu Huang and Zhuge Liang to stay in Xiangyang for the time being, and then return to the army after resting for a while. Uncle Liu Huang was vigilant in his heart, and said busily: "Brother Jingsheng is kind, Bei shouldn't have shirked, but the army of pottery thieves is still in Yingchuan, if Bei doesn't return to the army as soon as possible to lead the army, if the pottery thieves suddenly go south, ......." ”

"Brother Xian don't worry, the fine work has already been discovered, in addition to leaving thousands of troops to guard the throat of Yexian County, the main force of the Xuzhou Army has withdrawn to Xuchang, and has also divided an army to go south to Runan, trying to open up land links with Huainan, and it should not be able to invade Jingzhou in the south in a short time." Liu Biao smiled comfortingly, and accidentally leaked a piece of news, saying: "In addition, Deng Long also sent someone to send news yesterday that Jiang Gan, the envoy of Xuzhou, under the supervision of our army and soldiers, has carried Tao Ying's letter down the river, trying to conclude a non-aggression peace treaty with our army, and he can arrive in Xiangyang within a few days. ”

"That being the case, I thank Brother Jingsheng for his kindness." Uncle Liu Huang reluctantly agreed, but he was extremely vigilant in his heart, and said secretly: "Brother Jingsheng forced me to stay, why is this?" Zhang Xianna, what did he say to Brother Jingsheng? ”

After a long time of hypocrisy and politeness, Uncle Liu Huang naturally discussed countermeasures with Zhuge Liang, and the brothers Kuai Liang and Kuai Rou were preparing to accompany Liu Biao to interrogate Huang Zhong and Pang Tong, and at the same time seized the opportunity to get together alone to discuss. As soon as he arrived at no one's place, Kuai Yue immediately lowered his voice and asked Kuai Liang: "Brother, Zhang Xiu's move was instructed by Tao Ying?" Or did the eldest prince deliberately instruct Zhang Xiu to act like this in order to get rid of Cai's foreign aid? ”

"I don't know yet." Kuai Liang replied in a low voice: "But it is unlikely that the eldest prince will come forward to instruct, first, the eldest prince is far away in Jiangxia, and it is difficult to act in time and distance. The second is that if the eldest prince acts like this, he has to give us a wind in advance, so that we can help him to respond in the middle, and now you and I have not received any news from the eldest prince, and I don't think it will be the eldest prince who came forward to instigate. ”

"So, it's very likely that Zhang Xiu helped Tao Ying clean up the big-eared thief?" Kuai Yue was taken aback, and hurriedly said: "The eldest prince has always introduced Zhang Xiu as a foreign aid in the north, but Zhang Xiu hooked up with Tao Ying, which is not a good thing." ”

"It's not necessarily a bad thing." Kuai Liang sneered and said: "If Tao Ying is really behind this matter, then Zhang Xiu will help him act." It's nothing more than two purposes. The first is to sell personal favors to Tao Ying and leave a way back, and the second is nothing more than coveting the control of Nanyang County and wanting to kill the big-eared thief, the Jingzhou guest army. forced the lord and the eldest prince to rely more on him on the northern front. If this happens. For us and the eldest son. It's also a good thing, at least to make the allies stronger, and you can also take the opportunity to get rid of the Cai family. Increase the chances of the eldest prince. ”

"So what do we do?" Kuai Yue asked again.

"Since it's good for us to get rid of the big-eared thief, what do you think we should do?"

Kuai Liang smiled and asked, Kuai Yue smiled, and quickly nodded and replied: "Brother is smart, junior brother understands." ”

Maybe there is really no need for the Kuailiang brothers to fan the flames and fall into the ground, because when the Kuai brothers accompanied Liu Biao to interrogate Huang Zhong and Pang Tong, they quickly discovered another huge suspicion from Huang Zhong, a powerful general and close friend under Liu Pan-Huang Zhong truthfully confessed, he learned from the Jingzhou soldiers who retreated with Uncle Liu that when the Xuzhou army was chasing and killing the team of Uncle Liu who retreated to Hengshan, when it was about to catch up with the rear team of Uncle Liu's team, it suddenly retreated inexplicably, which made the main force of Uncle Liu's team flee back to Bowang, Otherwise, even if Uncle Liu Huang does not die, the team with a majority of Jizhou soldiers will have to suffer heavy casualties!

"Big-eared thief! Are you really secretly colluding with the pottery thief?! Under the rage, Liu Biao was almost about to order the immediate capture of Uncle Liu Huang, but fortunately Huang Zhong introduced another important situation, saying that Zhang Fei almost succeeded in raiding and killing Deputy Director Tao, but it was only the Deputy Director Tao who jumped into the river to escape, which fell short, considering that it is difficult to fake, plus there is really no real evidence, as well as the persuasion of Cai Mao, Liu Xianhe and Han Song and others, Liu Biao temporarily suppressed his anger and decided to insist on detaining Uncle Liu Huang in Xiangyang, and then wait until the truth of the matter is found out before making plans.

Not to mention, although General Cai Mao is ruthless in terms of yin people, he is quite righteous in treating friends - for example, during the short honeymoon period with the Xuzhou army, he once saved Yang Changshi once, so although Liu Biao repeatedly confessed to secrecy, the matter of Zhang Xiu's letter was stabbed in front of Uncle Liu Huang and Zhuge Liang through some special channels that night. And when he heard the news, no matter how resourceful and clever Zhuge Liang was, he jumped up in shock, and his face changed dramatically............

"Not good! I can't imagine that Tao Yuanjun is so despicable! If you can't kill us on the battlefield, you want to frame us by divisive means, so that Liu Jingsheng can come forward to take our heads! ”

"How to deal with it?" Uncle Liu Huang was also shocked, and said: "Jingsheng Gong put us under house arrest in Xiangyang City, thinking that we are already suspicious, if we don't try to confess, we will be harmed by the treacherous tricks of the pottery thieves!" ”

"Among the hundreds of tactics on the battlefield, the discord plan is the most difficult to break." Zhuge Liang said with a blue face: "Because once people's hearts are suspicious, they will inevitably suspect their neighbors of stealing axes, and they feel full of flaws when they see everything!" And we didn't tell the truth to Jingsheng Gong this time, if Jingsheng Gong investigates carefully, he will inevitably find more and more flaws and suspicions, and he will have more murderous intent towards the lord! ”

"What then?" Uncle Liu Huang was even more panicked and said, "Why don't you ask your uncle to come forward and explain for us?" ”

"No, Jing Shenggong deliberately didn't summon his uncle today, I think he was also suspicious of his uncle, and asking him to come forward to refute it will only make things worse and worse, and maybe he will also involve his uncle."

Zhuge Liang continued to shake his head, and after thinking about it for a long time with a gloomy face, Zhuge Liang's heart suddenly moved, and he hurriedly asked, "Lord, if Liang is not mistaken?" At the banquet today, Jingsheng Gong seemed to have said that the peace envoy of the Xuzhou army will arrive in Xiangyang in a few days? ”

"There's this." Uncle Liu Huang nodded, and added: "Even the identity of the envoy has been made clear, it is Jiang Gan." ”

"There is salvation!" Zhuge Liang immediately applauded and said with a smile: "Zhang Xiu has a deep relationship with the Xuzhou army, he came forward to separate the lord and Jingsheng Gong, Jingsheng Gong will definitely not be gullible, with Tao Zhijun's vicious character, he will definitely not risk sacrificing Zhang Xiu's team to carry out this uncertain divisive plan!" Moreover, the timing of Jiang Gan's arrival was too coincidental, and the separation from Zhang Xiu's book was one after the other, so Liang dared to conclude that this Jiang Gan must also shoulder a special mission to carry out the next step of Tao Envoy's plan to kill the lord! We only need to start from him, we will definitely be able to expose Tao Yuanjun's divisive poisonous scheme, and even take the opportunity to get rid of Zhang Xiu in turn, and create an opportunity for the lord to dominate Nanyang! (To be continued......)