Chapter 649 Destiny
A grand sacrifice to welcome the Five Gods of Fortune ended hastily because Yizhou Wenwu left the scene in a hurry.
Because of Zhou Biejia Jia Long's decisive handling, this rally did not cause much commotion. But the cracks on the statue cast a shadow over the hearts of the Guizhou leaders present.
Will the Five Gods of Fortune no longer bless Yizhou?
I don’t know how many people left with such emotions. The optimism and glitz of the entire Chengdu was suddenly overwhelmed by dark clouds, weighing them down.
……
"What to do, what to do."
At this time, the newly appointed Liu Yizhou was pacing back and forth in panic, completely ignoring the gloomy faces of Zhao Wei and other Dongzhou scholars.
In the power structure of Yizhou, Dongzhou scholars are actually a relatively broad group. This group is generally different from the local Bashu nobles. They come from all states and counties, but they have one thing in common. His identity is that he is related to the former Yizhou Shepherd Liu Yan.
For example, Zhao Wei, the current face of the Yizhou Scholars, is from Ba himself, and logically belongs to the camp of the Bashu nobles. However, because he had an old relationship with Liu Yan in his early years, he is also considered to be a member of the Dongzhou Scholars.
And like now, there are more than ten people sitting around Zhao Wei, some of them are well-dressed or wearing red hats, all of them are celebrities.
They are the most prominent group in Yizhou now, Dongzhou scholars.
Among this group of people, the one with the highest status was Meng Guang from Luoyang. He belongs to the public clan of this dynasty, and his clan father Meng Yu was the Taiwei of the Ling Emperor.
It is common for the sons of ministers like this to serve as officials in the two capitals, but Meng's political pedigree belongs to the eunuch family. During the previous operation to eradicate the eunuchs in Chang'an, Meng Guang fled in a hurry, and finally joined the shogunate of his former colleague Liu Yan. Just survive.
There was a man on Meng Guang's side, Jiujiu Wufu, Pang Xi from Henan.
Pang Xi and Liu Yan's family were family friends. After Liu Yan entered Shu, he took hundreds of family members to support Liu Yan's carriage and entered Shu. He is now the second-largest figure after Zhao Wei.
Under Pang Xi is a black and strong man with particularly long arms. He is Lu Chang from Nanyang. He was Liu Yan's personal general at that time. He controlled thousands of armored soldiers in the shogunate and was also an important general in Dongzhou.
Under Lu Chang were two young military attachés, one with a gentle face and the other with a frown and a sad look, which contrasted with each other. They are all descendants of Liu Yan's maternal family.
The one with the soft complexion is called Fei Guan, who is Liu Yan's nephew and comes from the Fei family in Jiangxia. The man with the sad face was called Wu Yi. His father and Liu Yan were close friends, so Liu Yan also regarded him as his nephew.
These two people are both juniors of Dongzhou scholars, but because of their special relationship with Liu Yan and his son, they can attend the ceremony.
At this moment, Liu Zhang was pacing there alone, not caring that the faces of these Dongzhou soldiers were getting more and more ugly.
But these people, including Zhao Wei, were also frightened by the military report that had just been sent, so no one came to accuse Liu Zhang at this moment.
Liu Zhang, who was pacing back and forth, secretly glanced at these Dongzhou scholars and saw that their faces were sad and bitter, and he felt somewhat happy.
However, under this pleasure, Liu Zhang was also a little panicked.
It turned out that the news sent by the military newspaper said that Zhang Lu of the Five Pecks of Rice Sect had somehow gained the support of the Mi and Di people in the mountains, and actually captured Nanzheng with thousands of Mi and Di soldiers. Open the official road to welcome the army of the court.
It was precisely this kind of thunderous news that made the Dongzhou warriors present feel confused.
Originally, this was not bad news for Liu Zhang. After all, the imperial army captured Hanzhong, and the time for him to escape might be closer.
That's why he wanted to tease those Dongzhou scholars to vent his frustration from making clay sculptures these days.
But while Liu Zhang was acting, he was suddenly shocked, especially when he saw Zhao Wei frowning, and something suddenly occurred to him:
"The imperial army's counter-rebellion army is marching south, so they won't put me down too!"
Thinking of this, his heart skipped a beat, and then, regardless of the surprised looks of the Bashu and Dongzhou warriors present, he led Fazheng and Shooting Aid behind the screen.
Fazheng and Sheyuan were both envoys who came to Yizhou with Liu Zhang to deliver festival gifts. The three of them were also friends of the young emperor when he was living in his residence. At this moment, Liu Zhang trusted the two of them the most here.
At this moment, Liu Zhang directly dragged Fazheng and Sheyuan to the side room at the back and said:
"Takanao, Fumio, we are all in the same boat now, and we should work together as one heart, isn't that true?"
Fazheng and Sheyuan looked at each other and said seriously:
"Yes."
Liu Zhang breathed a sigh of relief, and then asked quickly:
"Then tell me, if the imperial army goes south to Chengdu, what will happen to me?"
At this time, Sheyuan's eyes flickered and he smiled:
"Ji Yu, you are being coerced. Xiaozhi and I can prove this for you. In addition, you have a sworn relationship with His Majesty. When you return to the capital, the most you can get is a reprimand. How big a deal can that be? But the other way around It’s hard to say.”
Liu Zhang didn’t understand:
"Fumio, what do you mean by this?"
Sheyuan first pointed to the Yizhou civil and military forces outside, and then whispered:
"I have just been paying attention to the Yizhou civil and military personnel present, and found that both Dongzhou and Honzhou scholars are so fierce. I am afraid that they will continue to resist stubbornly. And at this time, Ji Yu, are you going to Be careful, you must not really follow these thieves, from coercion to mastermind, that is different.”
Liu Zhang took a deep breath and suddenly cried:
"How come I am so miserable in this damn world. First my elder brother died, and then I gave my father a gift, and then my father died again. I just happened to have the right time, and those thieves pushed me to the top. Then I wanted to be taken into custody. A witch turned into a massacrer of the Five Dou Rice Cult, and now Zhang Lu is shouting in Hanzhong that he must kill me.”
Liu Zhang's tears fell drop by drop, and the more he spoke, the more aggrieved he became:
"I just arrived in Chengdu. What bad thoughts can I have? What can I do? Then what? Everything is being pushed against me. The Five Pecks of Rice Sect wants to kill me, and the court will not tolerate me. What should I do? Xiaozhi, you Say something too.”
Fazheng, who had been silent all this time, sighed when Liu Zhang asked himself, and said:
"Ji Yu, this is fate. If you are not called upon, you will not be able to go away."
After hearing this, Liu Zhang cried and sobbed even more.
Is his life really that miserable?
Unable to see his friend in such misery, Fazheng couldn't help but say:
"Ji Yu, there is one thing you have to prepare yourself for. Your life or death is not determined by you, but depends on who is the leader of this campaign. If it is the Liangzhou generals from Kansai, not only will you be pregnant, The danger of death means that not only Wenxiong and I, but also the people in this city will be in danger.”
Not only did Liu Zhang open his mouth wide when he said this, but even the shooting aid also trembled and said with difficulty:
"Takanao, isn't this too shocking? We are all close ministers of the emperor. Those old men from Guanxi dare to kill us? Don't be afraid, don't be afraid..."
At the end of the day, Shooting Aid didn't say anything because he knew those Guan Xi Qiu Ba really dared.
Fazheng said to Liu Zhang very seriously:
"Now at this time, it will not help to lament. If the general who comes down is Liangzhou, we must defend Chengdu even if we don't want to be thieves, otherwise it will be a disaster for everyone. And if the general who leads the army has the style of an elder , I think this battle can’t be fought.” Liu Zhang was confused now:
"Why?"
Fazheng curled his lips and said disdainfully:
"When the army comes to the city, do you still think that those Yizhou nobles will always defend it? It will be these people who will sacrifice the city to accept the defeat. And the court will definitely not do anything to these people in order to collect money and food later. On the contrary, those Dong The state generals, all their power comes from the shogunate, and they will defend it until the end. But unfortunately, their hearts are not unified."
Liu Zhang nodded slowly and murmured:
"The court should send elders who are sincere."
Fazheng was silent and did not speak. In fact, there is one thing he did not say, that is, if an elder Zhenzhen really comes down, Liu Zhang's ending may not be good.
Because since the imperial court could not attack the wealthy people of Yizhou, it must recruit scholars from Dongzhou to serve as a warning to others. But looking at these people, none of them are Liu Yan's former subordinates. Their qualifications are obviously unable to withstand this power. By then, Liu Zhang is afraid that he will be punished by Mingzheng.
But Fazheng can't say this. After all, it's just a guess. If Liu Zhang is really fine, wouldn't Fazheng become a sinner?
The three of them were silent for a while. Liu Zhang, who had already recovered a little, wiped his tears and bowed to the two of them:
"No matter how Zhang ends up, Zhang is grateful to both of you for your help."
After saying that, Liu Zhang left the room alone, and after turning out of the screen, he already had a serious look on his face.
When he sat on the couch again, he asked the first question this time to all the civil and military personnel present:
"Does any of you know why Zhang Lu was helped by the Ji Di barbarians?"
When Liu Zhang asked this question, Fazheng and Sheyuan had already walked back to their seats and sat upright under the probing eyes of everyone.
Not everyone looked down upon Liu Zhang like Zhao Wei. Many of the staff and officials left by Liu Yan maintained the courtesy of being a minister.
At this moment, listening to Liu Yan's question, the state official Wang Leiqi stood up from his seat and respectfully replied:
"Back to Ming Gong, the relationship between Zhang Lu and Xi Diba Man originated from his ancestor Zhang Ling. It is said that Zhang Ling was originally from Pei State. He later practiced the art of immortality in Beimang Mountain in Kyoto, and then entered Shu. Tianshi Tao was founded in Heming Mountain, and since one had to offer five buckets of rice to join the religion, it was also called the Five Bucks of Rice Sect. ”
While Liu Zhang was listening carefully, a sneer came from the Dongzhou group sitting opposite:
"What kind of immortality technique, I haven't seen that person live forever."
But Wang Lei ignored it and continued to state:
"Zhang's Celestial Master's Tao developed very quickly, because if you offer five buckets of rice, your life and death will be taken care of by the Celestial Master's Tao. With this policy, the Celestial Master's Tao has absorbed many low-level Guizhou leaders. But this is not the last step. The scary thing, the most terrifying thing is that starting from Zhang Ling's generation, three generations of the Zhang family have been preaching in the Qinling Mountains and Bashan, and have repeatedly defeated the barbarian witchcraft. It can be said that no one knows the power of Tianshi Tao in the mountains. How big. So it’s not surprising that they have Zidi Baman to help them this time.”
Liu Zhang nodded and asked again:
"Then what does the military newspaper say about the Di people Zhu Yang? The military newspaper said that it was these people who captured Xinzheng for Zhang Lu!"
This time, before Wang Lei could speak, Zhao Wei, who had always had a gloomy face, took the initiative to explain:
"The Yangs are actually the largest Di tribe in Han Dynasty, the Qingshui Yang family. Not only does their family have a lot of soldiers, but this generation also has many heroes. There is a saying of the 'Five Yangs', namely Yang Teng, Yang Ren, Yang Ang, Yang Bai, and Yang Bo. Although these five people are exaggerated, they are indeed the first choice. But I didn't expect that this Qingshui Yang family would be a believer in Tianshi Dao." br>
Zhao Wei himself is the Baman chieftain, so he naturally knows the situation of the Di people very well. At this moment, he can't help but secretly hate:
"The Celestial Master Sect is really well hidden. If I had known that these people had such deep roots in Hanzhong, I would not have done anything to them. It is really a mistake that will lead to eternal hatred."
But now it is useless to think so much. Zhao Wei shook his head in annoyance and said to Liu Zhang:
"My lord, no matter how many questions you ask, it is useless. Now that the gateway to Hanzhong has been lost, not only Zhang Lu wants to fight, but also the army of the imperial court behind is probably on the way. My lord, can you teach me?"
Liu Zhang didn't have any strategy. He was a scribe, so he didn't have any strategy. He just smiled awkwardly.
Zhao Wei also knew that asking Liu Zhang would not get anything out of him. Fortunately, he had already thought about the matter just now. At this time, he took the initiative to walk to Liu Zhang's side, and then faced civil and military officials:
"Don't panic, everyone. A certain family has already thought of a strategy. Whether it is Zhang Lu's attack or the imperial court's southward march, he will never come back."
After saying that, he asked the waiter to invite the map. He first encouraged everyone:
"I, Yizhou, have dangerous fortresses, thousands of miles of fertile fields, and a land of abundance. I can advance like my great ancestor and become an emperor, and I can defend like Gongsun Shu, separatist rule. What is the reason for fighting against the world with one place? It's all because of the dangerous obstacles on our roads in Yizhou. Easy to defend but difficult to attack.”
Then he pointed at the map and said:
"Since ancient times, there are two ways to enter Shu. One is the Golden Bull Road from north to south. The other is the Fish Road from west to east. On the west side of our army, Liu Biaozheng is fighting with Yuan Shao and has too much time to take care of himself, so he will never attack us from the east. . The only thing our army has to consider is the defense of the Golden Bull Road."
Zhao Wei first pointed to the location of Chengdu on the map, and then worked his way up:
"From Chengdu to Mianzhu Pass, it is one hundred and eighty-three miles, and there is a flat river in between. Therefore, Mianzhu Pass is also our last gate to Chengdu. Who among the generals is willing to guard it?"
Before he finished speaking, Pang Xi, the second-in-command of Dongzhoushi, came out to ask for a fight:
"The last general is willing to guard Mianzhu Pass."
Zhao Wei did not wait for Liu Zhang to speak and nodded:
"Okay, let Mr. Pang guard this pass."
With that said, Zhao Wei continued to row north, all the way up from Mianzhu Pass:
"From Mianzhu Pass to the north of Jiange, it is 387 miles and gradually enters the mountainous area. Therefore, this Jiange is the throat of our Shu land. Which of the generals is willing to guard it?"
The sword pavilion is majestic and Cui Wei, and those who guard it must be mature and prudent. Therefore, when four or five people came out to ask for battle, Zhao Wei clicked the one that made him most reassured:
"Xi Jun, I will help you guard the sword pavilion for me in Yizhou."
Those who attack the king are those who attack Suye, a veteran general in Yizhou.
Then, Zhao Wei took Jiange as a point, circled three places, and said:
"The five hundred miles from outside Jiange to Hanzhong is extremely steep and has many passes. But the most important ones are these three. One is Jiameng Pass outside Jiange, the second is Baishui Pass to the north and northwest of Jiameng Pass, and the third is Jiameng Pass. Directly north of Meng Pass is Yang Ping Pass. These three passes are arranged like a pin character. They are the gates of good fortune and misfortune in Yizhou. "
At this time, three generals stood out, namely Gao Pei, Leng Bao, and Deng Xian.
But Zhao Wei was unhappy when he saw these three people, because these three people were all local generals in Yizhou, and he was not at ease if these three passes were handed over to them.
After thinking about it, Zhao Wei ordered:
"Where are Xiang Cun, Pang Le and Li Yi?"
These three people were all Zhao Wei's generals. They stood up quickly after hearing the general's personal call.
Just listen to Zhao Wei:
"Xiang Cun will guard Baishui, Pang Le will guard Jiameng, and Li Yi will guard Yangping. I order the three of you to set off immediately without making any mistakes."
The three generals took the order, received the military symbols, and immediately left the house to mount their horses and set off towards the three passes.
In this way, after some planning by Zhao Wei, the morale of Chengdu soldiers was slightly lifted.