"It turns out to be Mr. Jia. Although I am an official for the first time, I have heard of Mr. Jia's name for a long time. Only with Mr. Jia in Wancheng can we defeat the Cao thieves this time and Jingzhou can be stabilized." Ma Liang looked admiring.
road.
"Haha, that's not bad. The Hou Mansion has arrived." Hu Che'er pointed to the mansion in front of him with excitement.
"Then hurry up and see Marquis Xuanwei." Ma Liang said with a smile.
"Please come in."
Hu Che'er led Ma Liang to the main hall and ordered people to invite Zhang Xiu, while he chatted with Ma Liang in the main hall.
"The general has arrived."
A loud shout sounded, and both Ma Liang and Hu Che'er suddenly stood up and waited for Zhang Xiu. Not long after, they saw Zhang Xiu dressed in brocade clothes and Jia Xu walking in. After Zhang Xiu returned to the house, he felt that it was inconvenient to see Ma Liang wearing armor, so he changed into it.
Brocade clothing.
After Zhang Xiu sat down, he looked at Ma Liang and said, "Who are you?"
"My lower official, Ma Liang, has met Marquis Xuanwei. He came to Wancheng this time on Liu Jingzhou's order to pay homage to Marquis Xuanwei." Ma Liang bowed and said.
"Oh, Liu Jingzhou is interested. I wonder if Liu Jingzhou is in good health recently?" Zhang Xiu asked with twinkling eyes. Although he had Wancheng in hand, Cao Cao was in the north and Liu Biao was in the south. Did he have food, grass and baggage that was controlled by others?
I have long wanted to capture one side of the Xiangyang separatist regime. Although I had thought about it before, Liu Biao was not easy to mess with, so I didn't take any action. These days, I heard that Liu Biao was ill and I started thinking about it again.
"Thank you Marquis Xuanwei for your concern. Liu Jingzhou is in good health." Ma Liang naturally knew what Zhang Xiu was thinking, and would not say anything about Liu Biao's deteriorating health.
"Then I'll be relieved. I wonder why the envoy came to Wancheng this time?" Zhang Xiu seemed to be relieved and said. He also had someone in Xiangyang and knew something about the situation with Liu Biao, so naturally he wouldn't believe it.
Ma Liang's words.
"Liu Jingzhou would like to invite Marquis Xuanwei to Xiangyang to discuss important matters, and the end of this month will be the wedding of my eldest son. By the way, he would like to invite Marquis Xuanwei to attend the eldest son's wedding. This is Liu Jingzhou's handwriting." Ma Liang said.
He took out the bamboo slips from his arms and handed them to Hu Che'er to pass to Zhang Xiu.
Zhang Xiu nodded and asked without looking at the bamboo slip: "Your eldest son is getting married? When is this?"
As soon as Liu Qi came out of the Prefectural Shepherd's Mansion, he sent Ma Liang, and there was no delay along the way, so Zhang Xiu didn't know about Liu Qi's wedding.
"On the day when Xiaguan comes to Wancheng." Ma Liang bowed.
"Oh, do you know who is going to marry the eldest son of your family, but the Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao he kidnapped from Jiangdong not long ago?" Zhang Xiu asked with some jealousy. He also heard about the beauty of the Qiao sisters.
As I said, I didn't expect that Liu Qi got the advantage.
"The one who is marrying my eldest son this time is not the Qiao sisters, but someone else." Ma Liang shook his head. Although he was respectful on his face, he looked down upon Zhang Xiu in his heart.
"Oh, who is that?" Zhang Xiu was a little surprised. Could it be that Liu Qi had found a more beautiful woman, or the Qiao sisters were not as beautiful as the rumors said.
"The person who is getting married to our eldest son is the daughter of Xin Zuozhi, who serves under Yuan Benchu in the north. She and our eldest son have been engaged since they were children," Ma Liang said proudly.
"Xin Zuozhi?" Zhang Xiu asked doubtfully. He had never heard of Xin Zuozhi's name and couldn't help but look at Jia Xu who was standing aside.
"But Xin Ping's younger brother, Xin Pi?" Jia Xu asked before Zhang Xiu could speak.
"Exactly." Ma Liang smiled at Jia Xu.
"Your eldest son is very lucky. I heard that the daughter of Xin Pi is a famous and talented woman. I didn't expect that she and your eldest son are actually engaged." After Jia Xu finished speaking, he looked at Zhang Xiu and said: "This Xin family
It is one of the most powerful clans under Yuan Shao's command. The clan leader of the Xin clan is now Xin Ping, and Xin Pi is his younger brother. The two of them hold high positions and powerful positions under Yuan Shao."
"Oh." Zhang Xiu frowned. He also wanted to take advantage of Liu Biao's serious illness to take over the Xiangyang separatist regime. Now that Liu Qi has friendship with Yuan Shao's important ministers, if he turns against Jingzhou, he may offend Yuan Shao. Compared with Yuan Shao, he
It's just a little ant.
"You are able to represent Liu Jingzhou as an envoy at such a young age. You must be highly trusted by Liu Jingzhou. Why haven't I heard of you before?" Zhang Xiu looked at Ma Liang in confusion. Ma Liang was only in his early twenties. Such young people are usually still at home.
While studying, he was rarely able to go out to do things. To be able to serve as Liu Biao's envoy at such a young age, there must be people behind him to support him.
"Haha, Marquis Xuanwei is joking. I followed the eldest son on the expedition a few days ago and made some achievements. This time, the others in Wancheng were unable to spare, so I was asked to come to Wancheng." Ma Liang said with shame.
"You went out with the eldest son." Zhang Xiu immediately understood that the person in front of him was Liu Qi's. Liu Qi did this to place his own men in Xiangyang, and it seemed to be extremely successful. It seemed that the situation in Xiangyang City was
It has changed.
Zhang Xiu took a deep breath and looked at Jia Xu. Jia Xu shook his head and signaled Zhang Xiu to calm down. Then he stepped forward and said to Ma Liang, "My lord, it will take some time to think about going to Xiangyang. The envoy has worked hard along the way.
How about taking a rest in the side hall?"
"I was a little abrupt." Ma Liang bowed and left with the maid.
When Ma Liang left the hall, Zhang Xiu handed the bamboo slips in his hand to Jia Xu and said, "Commander, what are your intentions when looking at Liu Biao?"
Jia Xu took the bamboo slip and read it again before saying: "This is because Liu Biao is afraid that Cao Cao will take the opportunity to attack Jingzhou and wants to discuss it with the lord. But on the other hand, he is a little worried about the lord, so the lord must not go to Xiangyang."
"This..." Zhang Xiu looked at Jia Xu in surprise.
"My lord is away, and Liu Biao is afraid that my lord will betray Jingzhou and put Jingzhou under Cao Cao's army. He doesn't dare to make any changes to the lord, so he can only win over the lord. But once the lord arrives in Xiangyang, Liu Biao will attack the lord without hesitation.
As long as the master is eliminated, Liu Biao can take Wancheng by surprise." Jia Xu explained when Zhang Xiu didn't believe him.
"Then why not drive this Ma Liang out of Wancheng?" Zhang Xiu said with a gloomy look.
"No, if the lord does this, Liu Biao will think that the lord has completely betrayed him. Then Wancheng's food and supplies will not be replenished. At that time, he only needs to attack from both sides with Cao Cao to make the lord die without a burial place.
." Jia Xu shook his head and stopped. Now is not the time to fall out with Liu Biao. Even if the Jingzhou soldiers and horses are restrained by Sun Ce, they are more than enough to deal with Zhang Xiu's thousands of soldiers and horses.
"Then what should we do?" Zhang Xiu said anxiously.
"My lord, don't worry. As long as your lord does not leave Xiangyang, Liu Biao will not fall out with your lord. As for Xiangyang, you only need to send one person to go back with Ma Liang to negotiate with Liu Biao on your lord's behalf." Jia Xu thought about this method.
I have tried it before, and it has always worked. Every time Zhang Xiu defected to Liu Biao, he sent people to Xiangyang to negotiate.
"Then I don't know who the military advisor plans to send to Xiangyang. There are not many people who can be used in Wancheng, and there are even fewer people I can trust." Zhang Xiu looked at Jia Xu expectantly. Every time something happened, Jia Xu could think of a solution.
, the person he hopes most in his heart is Jia Xu, he can only rest assured if Jia Xu goes there.
"Don't worry, my lord, this matter is of great importance and I will naturally go there in person." Jia Xu sighed. Now that the situation is getting more and more chaotic, he needs to know Liu Biao's attitude, and Liu Biao's eldest son Liu Qi has been in the limelight in Xiangyang recently.
, he also needs to go see him.
Now it seems that Liu Biao has formed an alliance with Yuan Shao. Yuan Shao is already powerful. Cao Cao has little chance of winning a battle with Yuan Shao, but it is not without a chance. Jia Xu knows Yuan Shao very well. As long as he seizes his weaknesses and defeats him
It's not difficult. But now it's hard to say with Liu Biao. If Cao Cao and Yuan Shao are fighting, Liu Biao uses the power of Jingzhou to attack behind the scenes, Cao Cao has no chance. He needs to see if Liu Biao is really fighting with Yuan Shao when he goes to Xiangyang this time.
To form an alliance, how far have both sides reached?
"I'll feel relieved if Wenhe goes." Zhang Xiu breathed a sigh of relief when Jia Xu proposed to go.
"Lord, I am going to Xiangyang this time. If Cao Cao sends an envoy, don't drive him away. Just drag him until I come back." Jia Xu advised. He knew that Zhang Xiu and Cao Cao had a grudge and it was a big grudge.
Don't let Zhang Xiu be impulsive.
"Why? There is a deep hatred between Cao Cao and me. If an envoy is sent here, I will definitely kill that envoy." Zhang Xiu's face turned cold and he said.
"No, my lord, I am going to Xiangyang this time to see Liu Biao's attitude. If it doesn't work, we will have no choice but to defect to Cao Cao. My lord, you must not cut off your own escape route," Jia Xu advised.
If Zhang Xiu really kills Cao Cao's envoy, it will really be a life and death fight. Now that Cao Cao is weak, he will put aside his hatred for the time being and may accept Zhang Xiu. Once Cao Cao becomes powerful, it will be impossible to accept Zhang Xiu.
Already.
"Impossible, it is impossible to resolve the hatred between Cao Cao and I. You don't need to persuade me any more." Zhang Xiu said with a gloomy face.
The last time Zhang Xiu defected to Cao Cao, Cao Cao occupied his aunt. His parents died when he was young, and his aunt raised him. How could he allow Cao Cao to bully him like this? In addition, Cao Cao didn't trust him and secretly planned to get rid of him.
He simply rebelled. Not only did he almost kill Cao Cao, but he also killed Cao Cao's eldest son Cao Ang. Even Cao Cao's fierce general Dian Wei died in the battle. It can be said that the two sides were already fighting to the death. How could he defect to Cao Cao?
"My lord, don't be impatient. I will discuss this matter with you after I come back from Xiangyang. However, my lord must promise me not to kill Cao Cao's envoys." Jia Xu said with a wry smile. If Zhang Xiu was not allowed to understand the situation clearly, he would not
He promised to surrender to Cao Cao. Only when he knew that Liu Biao would not let him go would he calm down.
"Well, when you go to Xiangyang, you must ask Liu Biao to send more food and supplies." Zhang Xiu felt aggrieved when he thought that the food and grass sent by Liu Biao every time was only enough.
"I will think of a way at this time." Jia Xu sighed. It was childish for Zhang Xiu to continue asking Liu Biao to give him food, grass and luggage. Who among the princes in the world can be trusted?