Both moons are already semicircles.

In Pengcheng City, on a high building, the tall Sima Zheng, dressed in white, stood under the eaves with his hands behind his hands, looking quietly at the sky. In the attic behind him, a pair of ancient armor could be faintly seen.

Downstairs, because it had just fallen into the night and the city was full of soldiers and horses, it was still brightly lit and noisy.

During the day today, the leader of Xuzhou Fangzhen, the youngest grandmaster of the Wei Dynasty, the unquestionable leader of the next generation of the famous Sima family in the empire, and the actually second-ranked figure in the imperial army system, met his seventh uncle Sima Jinda.

The latter brought a handwritten letter from Sima Zheng's biological father, Sima Huada.

In the letter, everything was explained very clearly.

Sima Huada wanted Sima Zheng to cease the war with Zhang Xing and return Linyi, the capital of Langya County, and then agree not to fight in exchange for the withdrawal of the captured Sima Shida and the troops that had already reached Jiangdu County.

In addition, Sima Huada also described in the letter the embarrassing situation of the Sima family in Jiangdu, the difficulties he had to support the situation, and the moodiness of the saint.

In and out of words, Sima Zheng was asked to consider the survival of the entire Sima clan and help him solve this problem.

At this time, despite having expected it before, Sima Zheng still fell into some extreme depression after verifying all of Zhang Xing's strategies.

After all, there are some things that he can refute or ignore. For example, his third uncle really had murderous intentions when he returned to Pengcheng that day... This guy is so deceptive.

Yes, if it weren't for this third uncle, Zhang Xing's long arm would circle back and stop the matter from the outside. Here in Xuzhou, he might be able to stand up and say a word without missing a word.

So he really didn't care about this person's life and death.

But there were some things that he could not and was unable to refute.

For example, the issue of family survival - if his father deceived his superiors and concealed his military intelligence, and the loss of generals was really exposed, depending on the temper of that saint, he might really have to execute his father, and if this happened, it would be terrible

Something will happen, either his family will be destroyed, or the saint will be overthrown by the already unstable Forbidden Army group led by his family.

No matter which outcome it is, it means that the Sima family is doomed.

It also means that due to some of Sima Zheng's persistence and his grandfather's life experience, his achievements have become ridiculous.

For example, after Li Wenbai and the other two local Langya tycoons who surrendered were definitely executed, his actions in Linyi and the frictional battle with the gang became meaningless.

How can you make those people in Linyi believe in you again? Who dares to surrender?!

Of course, there is also a real military threat before us - it turns out that Zhang Xingzhen was not exaggerating. The person who captured Zhao Guang in one day, regardless of whether it was a strange formation composed of people from the North, was equivalent to the standard master's cultivation level.

With the addition of Xiong Bonan, Bai Yousi, Wu Jingfeng, Wu Changzai, and Zhang Xing in front of them, the gang's combat power has indeed expanded to a certain extent.

Under such circumstances, insisting on a military confrontation is likely to be a self-inflicted insult, inflicting at most 800 losses on the enemy and 1,000 losses on oneself.

"General, are you looking for me?" Under the dusk, Wang Tong came in a hurry.

"I have something to do for you." Sima Zheng, who had already come downstairs, looked at the other party and said calmly. "I want you to go to Langya, take over the garrison in Linyi, and then go find those Langya nobles who have surrendered.

Tell them that we are about to withdraw our troops and ask them if they are willing to go south with us and settle in Xuzhou?"

Wang Tong was stunned for a moment, thinking of Sima Jinda who came during the day, and immediately realized: "General, are you planning to negotiate a peace?"

"Yes." Sima Zheng did not cover up or complain, or blame the matter on anyone. "Zhang Sanlang did not lie to us. He is a two-pronged division, and there is a grandmaster on the southern route. I just want to be there with Langya, who was transferred away from the mountain.

It’s really shameful to win.”

"What does the general have to be ashamed of? Only half of the soldiers and horses at Sishui Port belong directly to Jiangdu, let alone Jiangdu. Our side has not suffered at all." At this point, Wang Tong sighed. "But it is still a pity. If we had known this earlier,

"In the past, it was good to make more profits here, but now that we are negotiating for peace like this, the morale of the military and the people are uneasy."

Sima Zheng nodded: "You are right, I will try my best to give everyone an explanation."

Wang Tong originally wanted to explain that he did not mean this, but as a trusted general of the other party, he knew the other party's temper to some extent, but he hesitated to speak, and then just handed over his hand: "In this case, I will go to Langya to clean up the situation and wait for the general's order."

After saying that, he also left and set out overnight.

After Wang Tong left, Sima Zheng, who had made up his mind, also went to bed. Early the next morning, he sent a messenger inviting Zhang Xingcheng to go to the small island in the north river for a while.

Zhang Xing received the invitation and immediately responded and agreed.

At noon, we set off from the outpost camp, which was only ten miles away, and arrived at Hezhongzhou with Bai Yousi.

Let us say that the Bian River and the He River meet in the north of Pengcheng, and then continue southward from the east side of Pengcheng, and then they are called Surabaya River. Therefore, no one knows which river the small stone islet in the river at this confluence point belongs to.

The locals just call it Shitouzhou.

Leaping onto the stone island, Zhang Xing and Bai Yousi saw each other standing there from a distance. They didn't treat each other with a banquet. Instead, their armors were clearly visible, shining only in the noon sun. They looked at each other in silence, and then left.

Be careful and walk over.

They still trust each other's character.

"Is it this armor?" Zhang Xing, who was dressed in white, walked up to him and pointed at the opponent's body with his finger.

Of course Sima Zheng knew what the other party meant, but he shook his head directly: "No, that armor is an old armor passed down from home. How could it be so new?"

"Just wear it and maintain it." Bai Yousi said. "Sanlang's flag has been used for two or three years and has gradually become damaged, but this time after King Xiongtian used it, it became inexplicably bright.

They got organized, which made Saburo particularly surprised..."

"I have been studying this for the past few days." Zhang Xing also laughed. "To be honest, it was only then that I realized that I still underestimated the vitality of heaven and earth... Without this thing, this world is more or less materialistic... There are

Of course it can be considered materialistic, but its laws obviously override other laws."

Sima Zheng was confused when he heard this. Of course he didn't understand what mighty materialism meant, but he guessed the meaning of the second half of the sentence and nodded immediately: "So it is called the vitality of heaven and earth. It is the fundamental essence of heaven and earth. It breaks rivers and splits mountains, rises deserts and divides seas.

It was definitely not caused by brute force.”

"But where did this stuff come from?" Zhang Xing looked around. "From the river? From the ground? From the sky? From the sun, or from the red moon?"

Is the stock fixed or uncertain? Is it generated by human activities, or is it a special gift from a powerful person? "

Sima Zheng shook his head slightly: "There is no end to talking about this kind of thing, and it is a difficult question to ask... Zhang Sanlang, you should know what I am looking for you, right?"

"Of course, I also received a letter from Shanyang." Zhang Xing answered frankly, without any of the arrogance he had when he was in Liu County.

In other words, this also exposed some truths - when there was no definite news about the southern route that day, Zhang Laosan's attitude was as arrogant and arrogant as it could be, but in essence it was a guilty conscience after the defeat of the northern route; now

After the success of the southern route, he was happy and generous.

"I generally agree with the deal between you and my father." Sima Zheng said simply. "I lost this game and you won."

Zhang Xing was about to speak but stopped.

"What is the victory or defeat between the two of you?" Bai Yousi smiled slightly when he saw this. "If you have to say you lost, it's because you thought this battle was between you and him.

"

"That's right." Sima Zheng sighed. "There is some truth to this. This battle is essentially a decisive battle between my father and Zhang Sanlang... But as a part of it, I still lost."

"Actually..." Zhang Xing finally had no choice but to correct him. "I think you are still mistaken... This battle is essentially a battle between your father and I and the emperor of Jiangdu. You insist on claiming defeat.

, it’s not a matter of fighting, you didn’t lose at all in Xuzhou, it’s just that you didn’t understand which side you were on and who you were fighting for.”

Sima Zheng was slightly stunned, but he did not refute this ridiculous statement.

"Anyway, that's what happened." Zhang Xing continued. "You just said that you generally agree, but that means there are still some points where you disagree, right?"

"Yes." Sima Zheng responded calmly. "I have only one request. I want you to hand over my third uncle Sima Shida directly to me."

Zhang Xing was stunned for a moment, then smiled: "It can be done! I will inform your seventh uncle that Sima Shida will hand it back at the end, and hand it back when we finally evacuate Xiao County... That's it?"

Sima Zheng nodded: "That's enough."

Zhang Xing turned around and left. Bai Yousi nodded and turned around too. This battle was too difficult for the people on the Xuzhou battlefield.

When he walked to the side of Hezhou and was about to leap into the sky, Chief Zhang Da turned back again: "Sima Erlang, your armor is indeed good!"

Sima Zheng just stood on the island in the water, watching the two men leaping up without saying a word.

In late June, the war in Xuzhou suddenly relaxed.

In Xiao County, everyone was a little confused about the smelly deformed corpse at first, because his mother was so beaten that she couldn't even recognize him, let alone help everyone?

But the murder weapon was brought, and Xie Minghe seemed quite embarrassed about the incident. How could he say no, and use this to question Chief Zhang and Xie's sharing of responsibility? He could only watch as his head, which was full of worms in the brain, was hung up and handed down.

Showed to the public.

Of course, soon, as the news came that Xuzhou soldiers and horses were evacuating Linyi, and Zhao Guang and Sima Shida were personally escorted by Wu Jingfeng and Bai Yousi, everyone had to believe it.

After all, under Chief Zhang's overall plan, this person is not missing.

At this time, except for the Wu brothers and Zhou Xingfan, who were a little frustrated, most of them couldn't help stamping their feet. They all felt that Xie Fenguan was too harsh and it would be better to give him a formal punishment.

But this stomping soon stopped, and was replaced by new shock and joy - a batch of silk, coral, jade, and several whale ribs were delivered.

This most obvious statement from the enemy is more reliable than anything else.

Zhang Xing also began to order the return of Peixian, marched to Linyi, and steadily withdrew his troops. But at the same time, his face turned bad.

Without him, Chief Zhang Da was not prepared to speak loudly at the beginning, especially since the military affairs were difficult, so he wanted to speed things up. However, Xie Minghe asked for a lot of extra food, ordnance, and goods.

It was a kind of unexpected surprise. However, the food and weapons were accepted directly by Du Po Zhen in Shanyang, and only silk and whale bones were sent... It's hard for you to say anything!

Not to mention, in the next few days, high-end furniture, sculptures, goldware, ritual vessels, and whale bones were sent here for free, especially whale bones, which piled up directly in Xiaoxian County.

The hill made him feel even more heartbroken, because these useless things that took up space reminded him all the time that the batch of food and ordnance had been fished out by Du Po Zhen.

Moreover, he cannot curse like others, but must appease others and let them talk about the overall situation.

As the saying goes: "Both of us are fighting against Wei. We are all one family, so how can we distinguish each other?"

He said it so much that he even believed it himself.
To be continued...