"Are you sure Yang Tao said that?"
Upon receiving the messenger's reply, Xu Bei's face turned ashen. Firstly, he was furious that Zhao Shao had made a mistake and he had to take the blame. Secondly, he was furious that no one had alerted him.
Xu Bei had roped in the power of the landowning households and managed an enormous network of connections. There were at least forty to fifty surplus generals like Zhao Shao, who he kept up appearances. Every time a landowning household defected to his side, it meant the expansion of his own power and connections. How could Xu Bei possibly reject them?
Zhao Shao was also a famous scholar in Zhangzhou's East Gate Prefecture. Xu Bei had always been very tolerant towards scholars.
He came to seek refuge with her, which meant that her reputation was attractive to famous people.
He had never expected that Zhao Shao would have such a debt on him. If he had known about it back then, he might not have been willing to accept him.
Xu Bei's expression did not change much, but his heart was filled with regret.
Everyone knew how to say things after the fact.
Those who understood Xu Bei would know that even if he had known about the grudge between Zhao Shao and Yang Tao in advance, he would still have accepted Zhao Shao.
Why did he say that?
This was because other than the incident with Yang Jian, Zhao Shao didn't have much of a blemish on his record.
If Xu Bei rejected Zhao Shao's offer of allegiance because of the enmity between Zhao Shao and Yang Tao, wouldn't that be telling the world that he was afraid of Yang Tao?
Xu Bei was someone who would rather die than lose face. Reputation and face were more important than any other worldly possessions.
Moreover, when Zhao Shao had pledged his allegiance to him, Xu Bei's influence had been on the rise. He might not have been afraid of Yang Tao.
Faced with Xu Bei's interrogation, the envoy trembled as he replied, "That is indeed the case."
This time, Xu Bei gave up.
Under the tent, Zhao Shao trembled inwardly. Even though his heart had shrunk into a quail, he still put on a righteous expression on his face.
Rather than waiting for Xu Bei to find trouble with him, he might as well be honest and take a step back in order to advance.
Based on Xu Bei's temperament and style, he would not be able to bring himself to punish him.
"My Lord, this matter is nothing more than a personal grudge between Shao and Yang Tao. Every injustice has its enemy, every debt has its creditor. This matter should be settled by Shao and him. " Zhao Shao's voice was solemn and tragic. "Back then, I went to Nansheng to escape pursuit. Fortunately, my lord did not abandon me and gave me the title of general. I have been working for you for more than a year, but I have not made any contributions. I only hope that I can use my lowly body to do my best for my lord. "
Xu Bei's complexion did not improve. Instead, it worsened.
"What is the meaning of this?"
Zhao Shao straightened his chest and said, "Shao is willing to take your head and settle this old grudge."
I, Xu Xinzhao, will not do such a thing even if I die. " Xu Bei sternly replied, "If the world were to find out that I forced an official to die in order to protect myself, would you be accusing me of being unjust? Even if I can survive, I won't be able to face anyone. "
Xu Bei decisively interrupted Zhao Shao's words, not allowing him to refute.
Zhao Shao could only sigh and retreat.
Xu Bei dismissed the meeting, leaving Han Yu and Cheng Xun alone.
When Zhao Shao sought refuge with Xu Bei, Han Yu was still on a business trip. He was so busy that his feet hit the back of his head.
By the time he found out that Zhao Shao was also in Xu Pei's camp, it was already too late for him to stop him. Cheng Xun, on the other hand, had no room to speak.
"This Zhao Shao …"
Xu Pei's eyes flashed fiercely.
Don't be fooled by Zhao Shao's righteous words. In reality, he was tearing down Xu Bei's pride and forcing him to express his stance.
To Xu Bei, this was a humiliation. He hated it when others forced him to do something.
Han Yu sighed. "Yang Jian was an outstanding man, but in the end, he died at the hands of a vile person like Zhao Shao."
Xu Bei's eyes flickered. He silently suppressed the resentment in his heart.
Now he was saying that Zhao Shao was a vile person. Why didn't he remind him in time in the past?
The more vicious Jiang Pengji's attacks were, the harder it was for Xu Bei to defend himself. Under such circumstances, Xu Bei's expectations of Han Yu grew higher.
If Han Yu couldn't turn the tide, not only would Xu Bei not sympathize with him, but he would also have a bad opinion of him.
Cheng Xun spoke up in time to interrupt Xu Bei's thoughts.
"Looking at the current situation, we can't take the path of persuading Yang Tao."
Upon hearing this, Xu Bei's mind went blank.
One Jiang Pengji was hard enough to deal with. If it wasn't for Huang Song's assistance and the combined forces of the two families, Xu Bei would have long been defeated.
When Yang Tao brought his troops and met up with Jiang Pengji, the scales of victory would undoubtedly lean towards Jiang Pengji's side.
Compared to the disadvantageous situation on the battlefield, Xu Bei was more worried about Zhe County.
Zhe County was his base. If his base was also destroyed, Xu Bei wouldn't have the face to meet his ancestors even if he died.
Perhaps it was because the more one feared something, the more likely it would happen. Just as Xu Bei and the other two were having a secret discussion, a piece of bad news arrived.
"Reporting …"
Xu Bei frowned. "Come in …"
The messenger opened the tent flap and entered. With a heavy expression, he reported, "Reporting to my lord, Zhe County's Mingsha Pass has fallen. The garrison troops, including the garrison general, were ambushed. The enemy's army followed the Taiqing River and entered Zhe County. They successively captured three strategic towns, Zhe County, Zhe County … "
The messenger felt the terrifying pressure emanating from Xu Bei. His voice became softer and softer. He lowered his head, not daring to look at Xu Bei's face.
Xu Bei was so shocked by the news that he almost lost his balance. The scene before his eyes dimmed. Cheng Xun saw that the situation wasn't looking good and hurriedly stepped forward to support him.
Zhe County was a rich and populous place. The rivers within the territory connected the north and south, and the trade routes were developed.
However, it also had a fatal weakness. It lacked natural defenses. Apart from Mingsha Pass, there weren't any decent passes.
Once Mingsha Pass was breached, the enemy would be able to take advantage of the Taiqing River within Zhe County.
Xu Bei had spent a lot of manpower to build those military towns in recent years.
"The garrison troops of Mingsha Pass were ambushed? What's going on? "
Han Yu immediately grasped the crux of the problem.
Mingsha Pass had sufficient military strength. How could it be easily captured by the enemy?
Unless the garrison general was greedy and rash!
When Han Yu thought of this possibility, his already serious facial features became even colder.
He had warned the garrison general of Mingsha Pass to avoid greedy!
The messenger stammered out the cause and effect of the ambush. Han Yu was so angry that the veins on his forehead bulged.
Zhe County was hopeless.
Calculating the distance and the enemy's combat strength, it would take at most three to five days to conquer the entire territory of Zhe County.
News from the battlefield was often delayed by a few days. Zhe County might have already fallen by now.
Losing the territory could still be fought back, but family …
Han Yu's heart sank.
Winner takes all. Xu Fei was dead. The fate of his entire family was still vivid in his mind.
Xu Bei seemed to have thought of this possibility as well. He said with a serious face, "Can we send out the troops today?"
Cheng Xun opened his mouth to speak. He turned his gaze to Han Yu, hoping that he could dissuade the emotional Xu Bei.
Han Yu said calmly, "The war just ended yesterday. The soldiers have lost too much of their combat strength and have yet to recover. It is not advisable to send out the troops today. My lord, please keep the matter of Zhe County a secret for a while. If everyone knows that Zhe County has fallen, they will be worried about their families and will not be interested in the war … "
Although it was heartless, Han Yu's approach was correct.
If this bad news were to spread, the already weak morale of the army would most likely collapse.
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