Chapter 233 Zhang Lu's fetters

"Zhang Lu, Zhang Lu..."

Liu Bei meditated on the name, and there was a gloomy atmosphere in his expression.

After a moment of meditation, Liu Bei said, "Zhang Lu has been strong in the Han Dynasty for more than ten years. I think he must have some means. I don't know if he will agree with me to be attached to him."

Zhuge Liang smiled faintly: "The lord is relieved, just like Lv Bu, Cao Jian and Liu Biao in those years, as long as the lord can bring them enough benefits, there is no reason for the other party to be unmoved."

Liu Bei hesitated.

Seeing this, Zhuge Liang comforted him and said, "Your father-in-law, don't worry, when Liu Feng entered Shu before, Liang had already made arrangements secretly. This time, Zhang Lu will be rewarded."

Xu Shu also said, "At this time, we can only follow Kong Ming's plan. Lord, it should not be too late. We should make a decision as soon as possible."

Liu Bei thought about it again and again. Under the balance of the situation in front of him, he had to sigh softly: "Well, it seems that there is only one. Pass my order and withdraw."

After making a helpless decision, tens of thousands of tired troops in Luocheng began to withdraw to the north of Zitong on the same day.

Zitong County, in fact, there is no danger to defend. Now Liu Fengxin has won Chengdu, and the momentum is like Zhongtian. Liu Bei admits that it is difficult to fight with him.

Therefore, Liu Bei had to give up several plain cities such as Fu County, Mianzhu and Zitong City, and the army retreated north to Jiameng Pass.

At the same time, Zhang Fei, who was stationed in Brazil County, was also ordered to shrink the front line, concentrate his troops to retreat to Langzhong, the Brazilian governor at the Daba Pass, and form a horn with the main force of Liu Bei.

..............................Hanzhong, Nanzheng.

Above the hall, the dark, short and fat middle-aged man was looking at the silk book in his hand.

Although there is not much exquisite calligraphy in every handwriting on the silk book, it shows a kind of roughness and heroism in every stroke.

This silk book is from Liu Xuande, the famous uncle of the Han Dynasty in China.

Moreover, this is also a letter of assistance for attachment.

Zhang Lu is very excited.

That's Liu Xuande, who is called "the hero of the world, only the king and Cao" by Cao Gong.

Nowadays, it is such a world-famous hero who is so depressed that he wants to rely on Zhang Lu in Hanzhong.

Zhang Lu, who has never been out of this poor ravine in his life, although he is known as a prince and has been in the Han Dynasty for more than ten years, in fact, he has never seen any world, and there are few people who can use his reputation.

But now, as if his spring has arrived, first Xiliang Ma Chao returned, and now it is Uncle Liu.

Zhang Lu is really a little proud.

One is to kill Cao Yan and almost died in Weishui, and the other is a hero who is as famous as Cao Yan. If both of them become the deployment of my Zhang Lu, what a glorious thing it will be.

"Lord, Liu Xuande's return, this is a great joy."

The man who spoke at the next step, his face was full of smiles, and his eyes narrowed into a line.

The person who spoke was Yang Song, a counselor under Zhang Lu.

The Yang family is the surname of the Hanzhong Shi clan. Although Zhang Lu governs the country with five buckets of rice, he knows very well that this thing can only fool ordinary people who don't know a big character. The key reason why he can dominate the Han Dynasty for more than ten years is that he knows how to attract the local scholars.

The Yang clan is the first-class surname in Hanzhong. Yang Song is an important advisor under Zhang Lu, and his younger brother Yang Bai is in charge of the military power. The Yang clan can be said to be very powerful in Zhang Lu's regime.

As soon as he heard Yang Song's words, Zhang Lu became more and more excited and hurriedly asked, "What do you say?"

Yang Song brushed his withered yellow beard and said, "There are three reasons. First, Liu Xuande is a hero in the sea. If he can be attached, he will be able to greatly increase the reputation of the lord. Second, Liu Xuande's current land north of Jianmeng Pass and Langzhong is the key to Xichuan. Now it is owned by the Lord without any effort, which is very helpful for the Lord to take Xichuan in the south in the future..."

Zhang Lu nodded repeatedly. You know, over the years, what he has been thinking about is to capture Xichuan.

Although Liu Zhang's servant is useless and incompetent, he is based on the important customs cities in the south of Jianmeng, Baishui and Langzhong in the north of Sichuan. With the danger of land benefits, Liuzhang easily resisted his several attacks.

If you can get these strategic places, the road to Shu will be smoother.

"... As for the third point, Liu Xuande has 30,000 to 40,000 elite soldiers in his hands, and good generals include Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun and other generations. If such tigers and bears can be driven by the Lord, it is not impossible to attack Xichuan in the future, even if he calms the world. With these three points, what doubts does the lord have about Liu Xuande's attachment?

Yang Songyang said three benefits, so that Zhang Lu was happy and said happily, "In the opinion of Yizishou, should I accept Liu Xuande's attachment?"

"Of course I have to accept it."

Yang Song said firmly, "Liu Xuande is a hero in the sea. Since he came to return, the lord should not neglect it, so as not to lose people's hearts. Now Xuande said in the letter that he was coming to Yangping Pass. If he wanted to enter Hanzhong to visit the Lord, the Lord should personally go out of Yangping Pass to meet Xuande, so as to show the style of the Lord's ceremonial sage.

In those years, Liu Bei defected to Yuan Shao. Yuan Shao actually went 300 miles out of Ye City to welcome Liu Bei. With the noble status of the third Duke of Yuan Benchu, he could be treated with such courtesy, and Zhang Lu thought he should do the same.

"Well, then I will lead 3,000 steps to meet Liu Xuande from Yangping Pass in the west." Zhang Lu made a decision on the shooting case.

As soon as the voice fell, the next person suddenly left the class and shouted, "Master, this is not appropriate."

The speaker is tall, muscular, and majestic like a lion. On a angular face, the facial features are just right. The dark and curly hair is scattered on the shoulders, and the whole body exudes the rudeness and boldness of a man from the north.

This person is the former Xiliang lion Ma Mengqi.

At the beginning of the battle of Tongguan, the ten princes of Ma Chao and Han Sui were defeated by Cao Xun. After that, although Ma Chao rose several times with his prestige in Xiliang, he was finally defeated by Xia Houyuan.

Under the defeat, Ma Chao had to take his younger brother Ma Dai, general Pang De and more than a thousand horses, and went south into Hanzhong to Zhang Lu.

At this time, not long after Ma Chao defected to Zhang Lu, Zhang Lu was very appreciative of the Xiliang lion. At present, he was still considering whether to marry his daughter to Ma Chao to collect his heart.

The relationship between his master and minister can be said to be in the "honeymoon" period.

Ma Chao, who had been silent, suddenly said "It's not appropriate", which was very weight, and immediately made Zhang Lu's excited and proud expression immediately nervous.

As for Yang Song, he suddenly looked unhappy, "Why did Meng Qi say this?" Zhang Lu hurriedly asked.

Ma Chao walked to the middle of the hall, his throat knot squirmed and shouted, "Liu Bei died according to Lv Bu, Yuan Shao and Yuan Shao was defeated, and Jingzhou was destroyed according to Liu Biao. Every prince he was attached to was either defeated or taken away by the foundation. The recent Liu Zhang is an excellent example. Son. If the lord accepts such an ominous person, won't he lead the wolf into the house?

Ma Chao's words, like a ladle of cold water, splashed on Liu Zhang's forehead.

Most of the original excitement immediately dissipated.

Zhang Lu fell into hesitation.

Seeing this, Yang Song immediately said, "Meng Qi is all guilty of wanting to add. Yuan Shao's defeat was caused by his sons to kill each other.

Lv Bu's three surnames were domestic slaves. In those years, there was no way out. Liu Xuande kindly took him in, but he took revenge and seized Xuzhou. Such untrustless and righteous people took their own death, and what did he have to do with Xuande.

As for Liu Biao, in his lifetime, Xuande can be said to be loyal to him. Later, Jingzhou also got it from Cao Qian. How can he say that he betrayed Liu Biao?

Yang Song did not tire of his lips and tongues and defended Liu Bei passionately, but what he said was indeed reasonable.

Zhang Lu's hesitant look immediately became firm again.

Ma Chao's face became heavier and heavier, and his words turned around and said, "Even so, Liu Xuande is a hero after all. If the master meets him in person, what should he do if he suddenly harms the master and seize the foundation of the master in Han?"

Zhang Lu had just strengthened his belief. As soon as he heard Ma Chao's words, he immediately returned to hesitation.

Yang Song sneered and said, "Xuande also said in the letter that he only led a hundred soldiers to meet the lord. Is Meng Qi worried that Liu Xuande would be stupid enough to bring only 100 people to harm the lord and seize Hanzhong?"

"Okay, okay, I know you are all imagining for me, so don't argue anymore."

Ma Chao and Yang Song are at a private discord. Zhang Lu also knows that the current quarrel between the two of them is more or less mixed with personal emotions, and Zhang Lu can't listen to it.

The two were scolded and immediately dared not squeak again.

At this time, Zhang Lu turned his eyes to another person and asked, "Zimao, I don't know what you think of this matter?"

Zhang Lu asked the man that it was the accountant Yanpu.

This person is different from the Yang family. He was originally a native of Nanchong, Brazil. In his early years, he was an official in Hanzhong. Later, Zhang Lu got to Hanzhong and became a counselor under his command.

This Yanpu has no complicated network in Hanzhong. He always offers strategies and can talk about it impartially. Whenever Zhang Lu encounters an indecisive matter, he prefers to ask for his opinions.

At this moment, Yanpu listened to the debate for a long time, and actually had a judgment in his heart.

When Zhang Lu asked, Yanpu said, "The return of Xuande is beneficial to the lord, and the lord's justice should accept it. But this person is a hero, and he can't be guarded. The shop thought that the lord could take the opportunity to take the opportunity to welcome Liu Xuande out of Yangping Pass, take Liu Xuande back to Nanzheng, put him under house arrest in Nanzheng with wealth, and then use his name, Xu Xu annexed his old part, and then used it as the main public. In this way, it is the best strategy of both worlds.

Yanpu's words reached Zhang Lu's heart. To be honest, he was really a little worried about becoming Lv Bu or Liu Biao.

Yang Song had no opinion on Yanpu's plan, but Ma Chao said, "If the lord really wants to accept Liu Bei's return, then the lord will go to meet Liu Bei this time. Chao asked him to go together to protect the lord from the side, so that Liu Xuande dare not act rashly even if he has bad intentions."

Zhang Lu was really moved by Ma Chao's heart to protect the Lord. He nodded slightly and said happily, "It's rare for Meng Qi to have such loyalty. Well, you can follow me to ride three thousand steps and go out of the customs together for a while."

(to be continued)