Ou Zhiqiu didn't know that in the cell next to him, Duan Zuozhang, the deputy commander of the Guangling Army, was imprisoned.

Under Lu Shen's advice, the Warp Weaving Department treated Duan Zuozhang quite favorably, did not put shackles and leg cuffs on him, and there were tables and chairs specially placed in the room, as well as a pot of tea that had been cooled.

Except for not being able to leave this place, Duan Zuozhang's situation is not difficult.

When Lu Shen walked in, the fourth-rank martial artist put his arms on the armrests, and his face was gloomy and contemplative.

When Lu Shen sat down opposite him, Duan Zuozhang raised his eyes slightly, and said coldly: "What Ou Zhiqiu said is slander, and there will be absolutely no treason with the enemy. In addition, the pseudo-Yan Xizuo is obviously trying to seize Guangling, so you'd better inform Governor Xiao and Commander Qi of this matter as soon as possible. ”

Lu Shen flipped up the bowl in front of him, poured himself a cup of cold tea, and said at the same time: "Until now, General Duan still refuses to confide the truth?" ”

Duan Zuozhang fell silent.

He does not have too deep roots and channels in the court, and it is not easy to climb to the position of deputy commander from the fourth rank, so it has been difficult to make up his mind in the face of the Gu family's obscure wooing.

Huaizhou was, is, and will be the focus of contention between Qi, Yan and Jing dynasties, as long as he can gain a firm foothold in the Huaizhou Seven Armies and make some contributions, he has a good chance to continue to move forward. But he also knew that those powerful people in Yongjia City cared more about Jingzhou, and naturally didn't trust the Huaizhou warriors, so this step was his end.

For example, the famous Governor Xiao Dadu, although no one dared to disrespect him on the surface, the important ministers of the court have always been more jealous than respectful of him.

Even the Metropolitan Governor is in such a situation, let alone the generals below.

It's just because Xiao Wangzhi's wrist is tough enough, and his determination to resist Beiyan and Jing Chao is resolute enough, so there has been no unusual sound over the years, and even if there is an undercurrent, it can't make waves.

But if there is an opportunity to choose in front of them, many people will hesitate, Duan Zuozhang is like this, and he firmly believes that he will not be the only one in the army who thinks like this.

Lu Shen didn't say anything to urge, because he was also thinking about some questions at the moment.

As Lin Xi said, Ou Zhiqiu's identity determined that it was not so simple for him, not to mention that before he made his move today, Ou Zhiqiu was not without a chance to escape.

Even if escaping will alarm the secret agents of the Warp Weaving Division outside the Gu Mansion, Ou Zhiqiu may be bitten and his whereabouts will still be difficult to escape in the end, it is better than being trapped in the Gu Mansion like now.

Linked to the perception after meeting Zhan Hui that day, Lu Shen's thinking became clearer and clearer, Ou Zhiqiu was more like a dead room with himself as bait than Zhang Xi.

Thinking along this line of thought, combined with the preconditions for the Yan army to surprise attack Guangling, it was not difficult for Lu Shen to think that Ou Zhiqiu was disturbing the sight of the Warp Weaving Division - he was in the open, and let the people hiding in the shadows continue to carry out the plan to seize the city.

But Lu Shen can't jump to conclusions because of this, because the safety of Guangling City is pinned on the four thousand defenders. Now that the warp weaving division has taken the section of the chapter, if it continues to expand the scope and make people panic, I am afraid that before the Yan army attacks the city, the defenders will have collapsed on their own, and may even cause the soldiers to mutiny.

Lu Shen doesn't know how to drill the horns of the bull, like a nesting doll to think things too complicated, but he is very sure that after Ou Zhiqiu is caught, the real battle will be.

"The Gu family did look for Neiko."

After a long silence, Duan Zuozhang finally spoke.

"Wait a minute."

Lu Shen suddenly interrupted him, and then said to several spies in the room: "Everyone, please go out, this official doesn't want the third person to hear the conversation in this room. ”

"Yes." The people were ordered to retreat.

Lu Shen turned his head to look at Duan Zuozhang, and said, "General, please speak." ”

Duan Zuozhang's gloomy face suddenly softened a little, and he said slowly: "Gu Junye's vague words probably mean that Huaizhou will not be able to hold on sooner or later, and he has a way to serve Pseudo Yan." Naturally, I would not have agreed, or I had not directly refused. ”

Lu Shen said in a low voice: "General Duan should know that it is also a big crime not to report it. ”

Duan Zuozhang laughed at himself and said, "This is the ruthlessness of Gu Junye and Ou Zhiqiu, they didn't look for me directly, but found Neiko some time ago, using the name of distant relatives of the same clan. During that time, I was busy with military affairs, and I rarely went home, but Neiko met Gu Zisi's main room a few times, and also received some gifts from his family. ”

Lu Shen shook his head and said, "If General Duan takes the initiative to find the Warp Weaving Division, these suspicions can actually be cleared." ”

"Wash? Hehe......"

Duan Zuozhang sneered uncontrollably.

Lu Shen looked at him puzzled.

Duan Zuozhang said quietly: "I am a fourth-grade military general, you Guangling Yamen is not qualified to judge, at least you have to be in person with the Su Inspection School, of course, no one expected that you would be stunned." Even if it is reviewed by the Soviet Union, my case will be reviewed by Qin Tiju and submitted to the Son of Heaven, and then the Zhongshu and the military department will agree to deal with it. Do you know how many interesting things can happen in the process? ”

He bites the accent on the word "interesting".

As if knowing that Lu Shen couldn't answer, Duan Zuozhang continued: "I will definitely be condemned as collaborator and treason, and I will be escorted to the execution ground and beheaded together with the Gu family's father and son, and most of my family members will not be spared. This is not the purpose of those people in the court, because I am a military general personally promoted by Governor Xiao Dadu, and this case will inevitably involve him, but it will be temporarily suppressed until the war in Huaizhou ends. ”

Lu Shen asked, "Why is this so?" ”

"It must be." Duan Zuozhang sneered, and then said: "If our army is defeated, or even Huaizhou falls, then everything will be suspended." If our army wins, this case will become a stain on Governor Xiao and prevent him from continuing to be promoted, which is the so-called balance of merit and demerit. To do this, I must collaborate with the enemy and treason, and I must apologize with death. ”

Lu Shen didn't expect Duan Zuozhang to have this in mind.

He didn't know the entanglement of right and wrong within the Southern Qi court, if Duan Zuozhang didn't exaggerate, it could be seen from this passage.

"But the general's vacillation like this is not a good thing for Governor Xiao."

"You think I'm thinking about the Grand Duke? No, at least until today, I'm just thinking about myself. ”

Duan Zuozhang's expression was calm, but there was a little bitterness in his eyes, and he continued: "There is an unwritten rule in the Great Qi Army, if you want to be promoted as soon as possible, the best place to go is the Northern Ya Sixth Army, followed by the Southern Ya Army, then the Jingzhou Governor's Mansion, and finally the Huaizhou Governor's Mansion. As for the other four prefectures, unless you have a relationship with the sky, you will stay in a remote and difficult place for the rest of your life. ”

The six armies of the Northern Ya protected the imperial palace, and the armies of the Southern Ya garrisoned the land of Gyeonggi.

Lu Shen gradually understood the reason for Duan Zuozhang's vacillation, and also corrected his previous impression of him - a military general who was promoted by virtue of military merits without a strong background should not behave so indecisively.

But tonight he didn't want to get involved in too deep a topic, so he said: "Actually, I'm still a little puzzled, why the general would be honest. ”

Duan Zuozhang seemed to be a little more relaxed after talking, and said indifferently: "I know very well what kind of goods the Gu family's father and son are, how can they withstand the interrogation of the warp weaving department?" Anyway, those things will be revealed, and it's better for me to be single, than to hold back and embarrass myself. ”

Lu Shen nodded, and immediately said something that made Duan Zuozhang's face change slightly: "The accusations of the Gu family's father and son about the general are not substantiated, they are just their words, and the general has planned to cooperate with the Warp Weaving Division in advance to dig out these thieves in one go, so he is false to them." As for the conversation between the general and me tonight, no third person will know. ”

Duan Zuozhang looked at him fixedly.

At this moment, a heart-rending howl came.

Lu Shen said calmly: "Richard is punishing Ou Zhiqiu, don't worry, general." ”

Duan Zuozhang thought for a moment and said slowly: "If I hadn't heard of Ling Zun's love for you, and I was sure that he would never let you join the warp weaving department as an early yamen, I would definitely think that you were a veteran of the warp weaving department." ”

Lu Shen said: "The general praises falsely. ”

Duan Zuozhang shook his head, thinking of Fang Cai's conversation again, and couldn't help but ask with a solemn expression, "What do you want from me?" ”

Lu Shen said calmly: "If it is really as the general said, your relationship with the Gu family and Ou Zhiqiu is still in the stage of initial contact, and has not caused substantial damage, I am willing to help the general." ”

Duan Zuozhang asked, "What do you want?" ”

Lu Shen said: "I want to form a good relationship with the general." ”

Duan Zuozhang was silent for a moment, and said slowly: "The reason why I have an ambiguous attitude towards the Gu family's father and son is that I don't want to be manipulated by others and become a pawn in the hands of others. ”

Lu Shen said calmly: "I think this matter will become a secret shared by each other, rather than a means I use to control the general." ”

This time, Duan Zuozhang thought for a long time, looked at Lu Shen's calm eyes, and said solemnly: "Okay, I promise you, Brother Lu's kindness will be kept in my heart." ”

Lu Shen didn't say anything polite, and got up to leave after saying goodbye.

That night, he sat beside the trunk and stared at the starry sky, listening to Ou Zhiqiu's miserable howls from time to time in that cell, from sharp at the beginning to weak at the back, and then silent.

When a touch of fish belly white was revealed in the sky, Li Chengen's figure appeared in Lu Shen's sight, he didn't speak, but nodded imperceptibly at Lu Shen.