As Chen Ying guessed, after the banquet between Da Yuan Sangong and Deputy Director Tao, Yuan Tan Gongzi, who hated Deputy Director Tao so much, naturally shook out the conversation at the banquet and shook it in front of Cao Ren, Cheng Yu and Uncle Liu Huang, but unfortunately the result was as Deputy Director Tao guessed, even if it was Mr. Cheng Yu Cheng Zhongde, the number one strategist in this era, he could only sigh helplessly, "There is a chance, but I am not prepared!" Otherwise, this is a godsend opportunity to kill Tao Ying's thieves under Linzi City! Pity! What a pity! ”

General Cao Ren refused to give up, turned to Uncle Liu Huang on the side and asked: "Uncle Huang, you used to be the plain minister under Tian Kai, and you have a deep friendship with Tian Kai, can you be sure to persuade Tian Kai to take the opportunity to kill Tao Ying and destroy the thief?" ”

Although he knew that Cao Ren's words were not malicious, but when he heard this question of General Cao Ren, Uncle Liu Huang couldn't help but feel a fever on his face no matter how thick-skinned he was, Uncle Liu Huang once had some friendship with Tian Kai, but when he joined forces to rescue Xuzhou, Uncle Liu Huang, who secretly colluded with the Mizhu brothers, resolutely kicked Tian Kai into the arms of Lao Tao Qian because he coveted the five counties of Xuzhou.

Later, Uncle Liu Huang used his classmates to instigate Gongsun Zhan to take advantage of the fire to rob Deputy Director Tao who had just succeeded to the throne, Tian Kai strongly objected, but Uncle Liu Huang recklessly fanned the flames, and eventually led to the breakdown of the alliance between the Xuzhou army and the Gongsun Zhan army, and formed a deep enmity with Tian Kai, a pro-Xuzhou faction in the ranks of the Gongsun Zhan army, and the previous friendship with colleagues has long disappeared, so when our Uncle Liu Huang was kicked out of Xuzhou by Deputy Director Tao who took revenge, he would rather defect to Kong Rangli, who was once at the same level as himself. I'm embarrassed to go to my old boss Tian Kai again.

"Uncle Huang, don't you hate Tao Ying the thief the most? Why don't you speak? Seeing that Uncle Liu Huang lowered his head and was silent for a long time, General Cao Ren was a little anxious, and urged: "Uncle Liu Huang, this is a once-in-a-lifetime God-given opportunity, Tao Ying annihilated the thief in front of Yuan Shao and promised to surrender in person to Linzi City tomorrow, he will not dare to break his word, Uncle Huang, if you can persuade Tian Kai to do it, as long as the arrows and crossbows are fired together, there is a great hope to get rid of Tao Ying, the dog thief!" ”

Uncle Liu Huang continued to be silent, and Cheng Yu, who knew well about the things between Uncle Liu Huang and Tian Kai, also stood up to relieve the siege, pulled General Cao Ren's sleeve and sighed: "General Zixiao, don't embarrass Uncle Liu, the general doesn't know, that Tian Kai thief has a deep friendship with Tao Qian's old horseman, and he is most inclined to the Xuzhou thief army in Gongsun Zhan's army. Uncle Liu Huang is a moral gentleman, and he is Tian Kai's former subordinate, so don't embarrass Uncle Huang. ”

Uncle Liu Huang's face was a little feverish as Deputy Director Tao, and Cao Ren stomped his feet and sighed: "In this way, we can only watch this opportunity missed, Tao Ying's thief is also very hopeful that the thief will succeed?" ”

"Unless Tian Kai is a thief who is determined to give Gongsun Chan a funeral, this is likely to be the case." Cheng Yu nodded helplessly, and comforted himself: "But it's okay, Tao Ying annihilated the thief to recruit Tian Kai thieves, and it is also beneficial and harmless to our army, Linzi is the nest of Tian Kai thieves, the city is high and deep, and it is extremely difficult to capture, Yuan Shao's old man is very partial to Tao Ying to destroy the thief, and he will attack Linzi, and the most unlucky will only be our army." ”

General Cao Ren nodded in disappointment, and reluctantly accepted Cheng Yu's self-consolation in the midst of suffering, and it was at this time that Uncle Liu Huang finally spoke, and suddenly said slowly: "General Zixiao, Mr. Zhongmou, I have a reluctant request, and I hope that the two of you will promise." If Tao Ying destroys the thief and succeeds in recruiting Tian Kai, when General Zhao Yun and Zhao Zilong are escorted to Ben Chu Gong, he plans to sacrifice his life and beg Ben Chu Gong to forgive General Zilong from death, and at that time, he will also ask the two to help persuade and beg Ben Chu Gong to spare Zilong not to die. ”

"Huh?" Cao Ren's eyes lit up, and he said in surprise: "It's not that Uncle Liu Huang reminded me and almost forgot, Zhao Yun is very skilled, Yuan Benchu asked for his life by name, Tao Ying annihilated the thief to surrender under Linzi City, will Zhao Yun shoot Tao Ying to death with an arrow?!" ”

"Absolutely not!" Uncle Liu Huang shook his head categorically, and said slowly: "Zilong is not that kind of person, if Tian Kai decides to surrender, Zilong will definitely not resist and oppose, maybe ......." Alas, forget it, in short, if Zilong is really bound in front of the original duke, I hope that the second duke will help Liu Bei to intercede, and beg the original duke to be extrajudicial and unjust, and Rao Zilong will not die. ”

"No problem, if that happens, we will definitely help Uncle Huang intercede." Cheng Yu replied: "A peerless fierce general like Zhao Zilong, if he can really be saved, and then let him be used by my lord, it will naturally be better." ”

"Mr. Xie Zhongde." Uncle Liu Huang nodded, and said secretly in his heart: "Even if Zilong is used by Cao Ying, but it must not be used by the pottery thief, I remember that the only time Zilong and the pottery thief met, the pottery thief seemed to be three feet vertical to him, so this time, for the sake of prudence, I must preempt the pottery thief and beg for mercy for Zilong in front of Yuan Benchu!" ”

…………………… The night passed quickly, the next morning was more than half, the third prince of Yuan first ordered the battalions to send troops to Linzi City to line up the formation, the Linzi four gates were encircled, and then Deputy Director Tao took his mother-in-law and wife to be careful and repeatedly advised, and also led Xu Chu and a team of shield guards, and crossed out of the battle with the banner of the Xuzhou army. - To the surprise of almost everyone, Deputy Director Tao proposed to go out of the city with Tian Kai to answer, and unexpectedly asked Zhao Yun and Zhao Zilong to come out to answer, which made the big Yuan Sangong who was watching the formation in the rear inexplicable, and Uncle Liu Huang had an ominous premonition.

In the end, it is an old friend of Deputy Director Tao's family, after hesitating for a long time, the suspension bridge at the north gate of Linzi was finally slowly lowered, and the city gate that had been closed for a long time was opened from the inside, and Tian Kai, who was over half a hundred years old, led an army out of the city on foot.

I haven't seen Deputy Director Tao for more than three years, Tian Kai is obviously much older, and the last time we met, his hair was almost completely white, and there were many wrinkles on his face. And Brother Yun's appearance is almost the same as more than three years ago, he is still so handsome and heroic, but I don't know what the reason is, Brother Yun, who has always been famous for being pampered and not shocked, is the same as Tian Kai at this moment, his handsome face is full of frustration and sadness, and his eyes looking at Deputy Director Tao are not only complicated, but also hesitant.

Ignoring the obstruction of Xu Chu and other guards, Deputy Director Tao strode to the edge of the moat, so that his voice could be heard clearly by Tian Kai and Zhao Yun, and Tian Kai and Zhao Yun only answered across the moat, so frightened that Xu Chu hurriedly stood in front of Deputy Director Tao with his shield, and used his tall and fat body to block the arrows and crossbows that might be shot from the city for Deputy Director Tao.

"Uncle Tian, General Zilong, it's been a long time." Deputy Director Tao bowed to Tian Kai and Zhao Yun very politely, and said loudly: "After saying goodbye to Xuzhou three and a half years ago, I should have been thinking about my uncle and General Zilong from time to time, but I didn't think that I should be reunited with my uncle and General Zilong at this moment. ”

Tian Kai and Zhao Yun were silent, and when they hadn't figured out how to be polite with Deputy Director Tao, our Deputy Director Tao laughed smartly, and said loudly: "Uncle Tian, General Zilong, if you have a crossbowman in ambush, please do it, anyway, you should be used to it, and it's not the first time you've been hurt like this, you should really be sorry for Uncle Tian and General Zilong, Uncle listened to the instigation of others, and was ready to shoot the little nephew with a secret arrow, and the little nephew was greatly favored by his uncle, and he didn't dare to have any resentment towards his uncle." ”

Hearing Deputy Director Tao's words, Zhao Yun didn't know why his whole body suddenly trembled, but Tian Kai was confused, and couldn't help but ask loudly: "What does the virtuous nephew mean by this?" Why can't I understand? ”

"Uncle, you don't have to hide it from your little nephew, your little nephew is really used to it." Deputy Director Tao said loudly: "More than three years ago, Cao Mengde surrounded Xuzhou City on all sides, and the little nephew ventured out of the city to send books, and infiltrated Cao Ying under a pseudonym. ”

"Later, the little nephew and Xuande Gong inadvertently said a few disrespectful words that offended Lu Bu and Lu Wenhou after drinking, and these words reached Lu Wenhou's ears within a few days, and Lu Wenhou, who was troubled by the food shortage at that time, also found a way to plunder Xuzhou, causing my Xuzhou general Sun Kang to die on the battlefield."

"Not long ago, Yang Hong, Yang Zhongming, the eldest son of the little nephew, came forward to appease Xiliang Zhang Ji for Liu Jingsheng in Jingzhou, but someone used a trick to sow discord in advance, slandering my Xuzhou officials to lure Zhang Ji's uncle and nephew to Yucheng to die, if it weren't for Liu Jingsheng's eldest son Liu Qi's son, who was benevolent and righteous, and resolutely followed Yang Zhongming to Zhang Ji's camp to appease him, the little nephew would have lost an arm!"

Speaking of this loudly, Deputy Director Tao bowed deeply to Tian Kai and said very sincerely: "So uncle, the little nephew is really used to it, and he is used to every time he does something, there must be a young man who will design and frame him, so the little nephew came to Linzi City to meet his uncle this time, and he was also mentally prepared - the uncle was instigated by someone to be instigated, and he shot the little nephew to death with a strong bow and crossbow. ”

After listening to Deputy Director Tao's gushing words, the faces of the big Yuan Sangong and the others who were watching the battle suddenly changed color, and the big Yuan Sangong, who was not too stupid, quickly turned his head to look at his eldest son, but Yuan Tan Gongzi didn't notice it, and quietly pulled General Cao Ren who was standing beside him, and asked in a low voice: "General Zixiao, you didn't do this this time, did you?" ”

"Don't worry, the eldest prince, not this time." General Cao Ren comforted in a low voice, Yuan Tan Gongzi breathed a sigh of relief, but suddenly saw his father glaring at him viciously, Yuan Tan Gongzi suddenly turned pale, and quickly lowered his head deeply.

"People say that the virtuous nephew is cunning and suspicious, it seems that the rumors are really true!" At the same time, outside the north gate of Linzi, General Tian Kai snorted coldly and said loudly: "But the virtuous nephew guessed wrong this time, no one has sowed discord, I look at the face of your father Tao Gongzu, and I have not arranged any strong bows and crossbows and arrows to serve the marquis......." ”

Tian Kai's cold snort was not finished, and a person suddenly stood up behind him, but it was Tian Kai's eldest son Tian Xiang, after whispering a few words in Tian Kai's ear, Tian Kai's face suddenly changed, and he blurted out in disbelief: "What? Last night, someone really shot an archery book to the city?! ”

"Someone really shoots an archery book to the city?!" Although Tian Kai's voice was not loud, it was heard by many people on the quiet battlefield, and after hearing this sentence............ Deputy Director Tao remained silent, and the corners of his mouth showed some confident smiles, as if he was very satisfied with his own affairs.

"Smack!" Da Yuan Sangong whipped Yuan Tan in the face and roared angrily: "You did a good thing! ”

Yuan Tan Gongzi's face was pale, and he glared at Cao Ren and Cheng Yu angrily, Cao Ren and Cheng Yu looked at each other, and after suddenly coming to his senses, he turned his head to look at Uncle Liu Huang together, but saw that although Uncle Liu Huang was full of surprise, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, who were standing next to Uncle Liu, quietly went to see their brother, and seemed to suspect that this was done by their brother.

"Where is the Book of Arrows?" Tian Kai roared again, "Why don't you give me the arrow book?!" Who kept the Arrow Book private?! ”

What surprised everyone happened again, General Zhao Yun and Zhao Zilong, who had sacrificed his life to save Tian Kai's life several times before, suddenly knelt down on Tian Kai's knees on the edge of the moat, and said loudly: "Envoy Jun, the arrow book was detained by the last general without permission, Yun Sin deserves death, please make Jun punish him severely!" ”

"What?!" Tian Kai and Deputy Director Tao exclaimed at the same time, and then Tian Kai exclaimed: "Zilong, you're not joking, are you?" How could it be you? No way, it's absolutely impossible! ”

"Envoy Jun, this matter is indeed Zhao Yun's doing, Yun deserves death!" Zhao Yun kowtowed heavily, and his handsome face was full of perseverance.

Tian Kai and everyone were dumbfounded, and after a long time, Tian Kai hesitated and asked, "Zilong, why are you doing this?" Also, where is the arrow book? And what is written on it? ”

This time Zhao Yun hesitated, and after a long time, Zhao Yun replied loudly: "Please make the king forgive the sin, the arrow book has been privately destroyed by the last general, as for the content of the book, the last general can only play part of the envoy, the arrow book is not shot to the envoy to read, but an old friend of Yun reported to Yun Feng, informing Yun of a confidential matter - Yuan Benchu said that he will send Xuzhou Tao envoy Jun to Linzi City to surrender, and the surrender condition is that Yuan Benchu can pardon the military and civilian surnames of the whole city of Linzi, but Zhao Yun will not be pardoned!" The rest of the book, please make the king forgive the sin, the cloud is broken bones, and you must not confide in a word! ”

Tian Kai was stunned, his face was full of disbelief, but Deputy Director Tao said loudly on the other side of the moat: "General Zilong, if it is not bad as expected, the person who sent the book must have advised you to find an opportunity to shoot me to death with an arrow, or suddenly kill me and stab me to death, right?" ”

"How did Tao Envoy know?" Zhao Yun was taken aback.

"It's too easy." Deputy Director Tao smiled bitterly and said loudly: "Because outside this Linzi City, only two groups of people will do this, they all hate me to the bone, and they all hope that you can take the opportunity of me to surrender under the city, and suddenly shoot me to death with a cold arrow, and highlight the strange soldiers to stab me to death with one shot, avenge their hatred, and also create an opportunity for them to annex Xuzhou." ”

Zhao Yun's face was full of shock, Tian Kai was stunned at first, and suddenly realized that he quickly turned his angry gaze to Cao Junqi and Liu Beijun in the distance, and Yuan Sangong here also turned his angry gaze to Cao Ren and Uncle Liu Huang, Cao Ren and Cheng Yu glared at Uncle Liu Huang, and Uncle Liu Huang was at a loss, and he also began to peek at Cao Ren and Cheng Yu, suspecting that the other party did it - this is also a helpless thing, who told everyone's butts to be clean?

"General Zilong, there is one thing that I should not understand." Deputy Director Tao asked with great curiosity on the edge of the moat: "In addition to instigating you to plot to kill me, how did the book-shooter promise that if you kill me, how can they protect your life in front of my father-in-law?" ”

Zhao Yun was silent and did not answer, but said secretly in his heart: "He said, as long as I kill you, I can find an opportunity to go out of the city at night and escape into Cao Ying to hide, he took me to Xuchang to meet Cao Gong, please be rewarded." ”

"If General Zilong is unwilling to answer, he should not be reluctant." Deputy Director Tao was very considerate and reasonable, and did not force Zhao Yun to do what he was unwilling to do, and then Deputy Director Tao said loudly: "General Zilong, there must be one thing that you must be very strange, since I am coming to Zicheng today to surrender, or am I here to announce on behalf of my father-in-law, if Linzi surrenders, everyone in the city can be pardoned, but I will not be pardoned to you, then why do I want to name you to go out of the city to answer?" ”

"The clouds are indeed very strange, please give me advice." Zhao Yun is a genuine and honest gentleman, so he naturally asks curiously without taboo.

"Don't hide it from General Zilong, in fact, as early as more than three years ago in Xuzhou City, you should have known the general's personality." Deputy Director Tao arched his hand and said: "In Ying's opinion, General Zilong, you are not only outstanding in martial arts, but also innocent, frank and selfless, loyal, brave, and virtuous, and you are really a model soldier!" Moral exemplary! There should be 100,000 soldiers under his command, and those who can be compared with generals in terms of morality, only Gao Shun can be comparable to generals! But Gao Shun's martial arts are far from the general, which is also the key point that Ying's father-in-law hates the general! Why did he hate the general and leave him, and he still threw himself into the account of his sworn enemy, the Marquis of Ji?! ”

"General Zilong, although he is not talented, he is also a person who loves sages, and he is also a person who knows how to respect and value talents! Trick you into laying down your arms, and then sacrifice you to death in front of your father-in-law, such a despicable thing should be disdained! Therefore, this time, I asked the general to come out by name to answer, just to tell the general frankly that if Uncle Tian listened to Ying's words and surrendered the city, the entire army and people in Linzi could be pardoned, but the general must be killed! Please decide for yourself life and death! Self-determination to stay! ”

Zhao Yun nodded silently, and finally understood the reason why Deputy Director Tao asked him to go out of the city to answer, so Zhao Yun arched his hand to Deputy Director Tao, and said in a loud voice: "Thank you, envoy!" Make the gentleman frank and selfless, live up to the name of the gentleman, and Yun admires it so much! However, the envoy's evaluation of the cloud is still over-awarded. ”

"There have been no awards." Deputy Director Tao shook his head, and said loudly to Zhao Yun: "General Zilong, before persuading Uncle Tian to surrender the city, I should still want to tell you one thing, I should prepare three ways for you to go this time, and General Zilong can choose at will." First, General Zilong, you opposed Uncle Tian's surrender, and trapped in the lonely city of Linzi with Uncle Tian, living and dying together. Second, General Zilong, you abandoned Uncle Tian to break through the siege alone, and with General Zilong's skills, it is not difficult to break out of the siege single-handedly. As for the third option....... ”

Speaking of this, Deputy Director Tao paused, and then said loudly: "The third option is to gamble, bet on General Zilong's head, put down your arms and surrender to the city with Uncle Tian, and kneel in front of my father-in-law, Benchugong, to plead guilty!" As for me, I will do my best to plead for you and beg for mercy in front of my father-in-law, and ask my father-in-law to look at your skills, spare you from dying, and leave you under his account to make meritorious contributions and atone for your sins! The reason why I hate you is that I hate you because I hate you because I can't use your talents, so if you are willing to be used by him, maybe my father-in-law will be able to open the net and pardon you from death! ”

"However, I'm not sure." Deputy Director Tao added, "So I must tell you first, General Zilong, if you choose to take the third path, you must gamble your surname and head, if I can't persuade Lord Yuezhang to pardon you from death and give you a chance to atone for your sins, then you will only have one end, hanging your head!" ”

Zhao Yun nodded silently, but did not speak or choose. And Deputy Director Tao didn't talk to Zhao Yun anymore, just turned to Tian Kai and said, "Uncle, the little nephew's intention, presumably the uncle also understands, and the little nephew is not verbose here." What the little nephew just wants to tell his uncle is that the little nephew is also in front of his father-in-law, Benchugong, and has two choices for his uncle, one is that after the uncle surrenders, he stays under the original public account to serve, and the other is that the uncle goes to Xuzhou with the little nephew, and the little nephew swears to Tianming, after the uncle arrives in Xuzhou, the little nephew will treat the uncle with courtesy to the younger generation, and guarantee that the uncle's family will be rich and prosperous for life, and there will be no worries about food and clothing. ”

Tian Kai didn't speak with a gloomy face, and after a long time, Tian Kai said coldly in a hoarse voice: "The virtuous nephew is so sure, I will definitely accept your persuasion?" ”

"Uncle, you don't have a choice." Deputy Director Tao said in a deep voice: "Jihou (Gongsun Zhan) has the grace of knowing and supporting his uncle, but his uncle has been loyal and trapped in Qingzhou for two years, and has already repaid Jihou's great kindness, and now Jihou is only struggling with half of Youzhou, and it will only be destroyed sooner or later, and there is no hope of turning over, and uncle, you are trapped in the lonely city of Linzi, without soldiers and no help, no matter how you struggle, there is only one end - the city is broken and killed!" Uncle is a wise and sensible person, even if you have the heart of death, please think about your uncle's family, think about the people in Linzi City, and think about General Zilong, a soldier who has been loyal to you for many years. ”

Both sides of the moat were silent, the Qingzhou soldiers above and below the city were all looking at Tian Kai, Tian Kai's old face was also full of hesitation, after a long time, Tian Kai said hoarsely: "I can put down my arms and lead the army, and go to Xuzhou with my nephew, but I also have one condition, I must pardon Zilong, he has saved my life twice, I can't be sorry for him." ”

"I must ask my father-in-law about this." Tao replied.

"No need to ask, I promise!"

Suddenly the voice of Da Yuan Sangong came from behind him, and when Deputy Director Tao and others looked back in surprise, they saw that Da Yuan Sangong had led a group of Jizhou generals to ride horses to a hundred steps away, and said with a smile: "The words of the virtuous son-in-law are exactly what I said in my heart, I hate Zilong, but I hate him so that I can't use it, if Zilong is willing to surrender to me and use it for me, I will reuse it!" ”

"Good!" Tian Kai is also a cheerful person, after nodding, he first ordered the city gate to be opened and all the soldiers put down their weapons and surrendered out of the city, and then pulled up Zhao Yun and strode to the front of the Great Yuan Sangong, first knelt down on the knees of the Great Yuan Sangong, and said loudly: "The sin general Tian Kai visited Yuan Gong, and Tian Kai is willing to lead the entire city of Linzi to surrender to Yuan Gong to atone for his previous sins." ”

"Good." Da Yuan Sangong nodded with satisfaction, and asked Zhao Yun, who was still standing, with a smile, "Zilong, what's wrong?" Still unwilling to surrender and return? ”

"Cloud ......." Zhao Yun hesitated for a moment, and finally bowed down to the third prince of Da Yuan and said, "Yun is willing to surrender." ”

"Zilong is back under my tent, and I have another tiger general!"

In fact, Yuan Sangong, who had regretted it for not reusing Zhao Yun for a long time, laughed out loud, and personally got off the horse and picked up Tian Kai and Zhao Yun, and the two thanked him repeatedly, and then Zhao Yun quietly turned around and glanced at Deputy Director Tao behind him, in addition to gratitude, his eyes were full of regret, and there was a little bit of loss. In the end, Zhao Yun glanced at Uncle Liu Huang's banner in the distance again, and his eyes also dimmed, completely dimmed............ "I don't have it!" I really don't! ”

This was Uncle Liu's explanation that he was sweating profusely in front of Cao Ren and Cheng Yu at the same time, and General Cao Ren asked angrily: "Who else can you have?" Could it be Yuan Shao? Or is it Tao Ying who annihilates the thief himself?! ”

(To be continued)