Liu Mengyuan, who was sitting on the chair with his eyes closed and thinking, shook his head and sat up straight. The letter on the table was dry, he folded the letterhead, stuffed it into the prepared envelope, looked up at the door of the study, and opened his mouth to call for someone. He was to call for the letter to be delivered immediately.

At this moment, footsteps were heard outside the study, and at the same time, the voice of a personal servant came from outside the door.

"My lord, Commander Wu has come to ask for a meeting."

"Oh? What's wrong? Are the bandits attacking the city? Invite him in. Liu Mengyuan was startled, and hurriedly commanded in a deep voice.

Soon after, there was a clang at the door of the study, and Wu Yongbo, who was heavily armed, appeared in the light with the handle of a knife in his hand.

"I've seen my lord." Wu Yongbo bowed.

Liu Mengyuan stood up and returned the salute, and said hurriedly: "What? Are the bandits attacking the city? ”

Wu Yongbo said: "The city has not been attacked yet, and the deputy commander Ye is under his command to keep an eye on their movements, and they are still camping at the moment." Maybe there will be no siege tonight, as soon as there is a stir, Deputy Commander Ye will report back. Relax, please be relieved. ”

Liu Mengyuan was relieved, nodded and said, "That's good, that's good." Sit down and talk, I just want to send someone to invite you to discuss the war. Have a seat. ”

Wu Yongbo thanked him, but he didn't sit down, and said in a deep voice: "Lord Prefect, there is a sentence in a humble position that I don't know whether to say or not. ”

Liu Mengyuan smiled: "What can't you say between you and me?" That's it. ”

Wu Yongbo walked to the front of the case and said in a deep voice: "Lord Prefect, you should have seen the posture of the bandits outside the city. Rumors were rife in the city, and all the soldiers and civilians were talking about whether these people had gone mad. Some say that they are all puppets controlled by cults, who don't know pain, but only know how to fight. Others said that they were all controlled zombies, and in the afternoon they could see that all the people were controlled. The people were scared and thought we couldn't keep the city. The lowly position is also very uneasy in his heart now. ”

Liu Mengyuan frowned and said, "Bastard, do you believe these words?" These are rumors, nonsense. They're just bandits, and they may be credible if they control their minds, what kind of zombie puppets, isn't that? Commander Wu, it's not like we haven't fought with them, when the bandits started an incident, didn't we fight with these people when we kept Xingren Mansion? Why do you still say these things? ”

Wu Yongbo said in a deep voice: "Naturally, I don't believe in lowly duties, and the fear of lowly duties is that the panic of the soldiers and civilians will affect the defense of the city." ”

"Who made the rumors? Whoever dares to spread these rumors and spread rumors to confuse the people's minds will be arrested and killed. At such times, will they be allowed to spread rumors? This must be a cult and bandit infiltrating the city to make trouble. You take people to arrest some and show them in public, and the rumors will disappear naturally. Liu Mengyuan shouted.

Wu Yongbo nodded and said, "The lowly will do it." But...... Lord Prefect, when you see the number of bandits outside the city, don't you have any thoughts in your heart? Do you really think we can hold the Heungin Mansion this time? ”

Liu Mengyuan frowned and shouted, "Commander Wu, what's wrong with you today?" You're not a life-savvy person. The great war is coming, why are you running to say this? As a leading general, if you teach your soldiers to know that their generals are cowardly, then how can this battle be fought? What exactly do you want to tell this officer? ”

Wu Yongbo muttered: "Humble duty is not cowardice, humble duty is the truth. The matter of fighting a war needs to be judged by strength, and winning more with less is very rare, after all, there are very few. Judging by the current situation, I'm afraid we really won't be able to defend Xingren Mansion. ”

"Bastard, if you can't keep it, you have to keep it. We have nearly 4,000 soldiers and horses, and 7,000 young men to help defend the city, and we have strong walls and deep moats to rely on, how can we not defend it? Even if all the people are dead, they must defend the city. Don't you forget, you and this official have sworn to live and die with the city, could it be that you can't escape now? If you dare to do that, the officer will be the first to kill you. Liu Mengyuan shouted loudly.

Wu Yongbo sighed and said: "The prefect knows what kind of person I Wu Yongbo is, and he is a general who leads the army, so it is natural that he died defending the city. Because that's where it is the duty of the lowly office. However, the prefect wanted to gamble with the lives of the people of the whole city, but it was unacceptable to be lowly and unacceptable. There was a better solution, the army of the King of Jin was close at hand, and inviting them into the city to defend could ensure that nothing went wrong, but the prefect refused them, and he wanted to let the people defend the city, and he wanted to fight for the lives of the people in the city, which was incomprehensible. Governor Liu, even if you want to do this for a certain purpose, you can't take the overall situation of counterinsurgency and the lives of the people as a child's play. Do you know what the situation will be if the city is not protected, the people will be slaughtered, and the bandits will go all the way west and break through? What Lord Lin said today is already very clear, but Governor Liu insisted on not listening, and it is really incomprehensible to be lowly. Originally, I didn't see the number and momentum of the bandits, but now I understand that Lord Lin is really bitter, why don't you want to listen to it? ”

Liu Mengyuan sneered and said, "Commander Wu, don't be presumptuous. This official is the prefect of Xingren Mansion, how to choose that is the official's business, do you want to disobey the order? What do you mean by running around at this moment? What exactly do you want to do? ”

Wu Yongbo said in a deep voice: "I want to ask the prefect to think twice, and it is still too late to ask for help from the army of Wanting Jin at this moment." The lowly officials can personally apologize and ask them to help defend the city. The prefect should not be rash, otherwise the consequences will be unimaginable. ”

Liu Mengyuan sneered: "Joke, I have rejected them, and I went to beg them again?" You were scared, so you came to me to say these things. That's it, since you are as cowardly as a mouse, and the officer has nothing to rely on you, the officer hereby ordered you to be dismissed from the post of commander and let Deputy Commander Ye take your place to command the battle. Wu Yongbo, you can go, the official doesn't want to say anything more to you. ”

Wu Yongbo frowned and exclaimed, "Lord Liu, can't you be more reasonable?" Do you really want to fight for the lives of the people of the city? But even so, there is no chance of winning. ”

Liu Mengyuan shouted: "Stand down, the matter of Xingren Mansion has nothing to do with you, come and send off guests." ”

Wu Yongbo stood up and sighed, but did not move.

Liu Mengyuan shouted again: "Come on, come on, are all the people dead?" Drop-off! ”

Outside the study, there was a soft footstep, and several figures came in through the door, standing in a line under the candlelight. Liu Mengyuan felt that something was wrong, and when he saw the face of the person in the middle, he was suddenly startled, and asked in horror, "What's the matter?" How did you guys get here? What's going on? ”

Wu Yongbo said softly: "My lord, Lord Lin was brought in by his humble position, Lord Lin didn't leave, he wants to persuade you to change your mind again." After all, the overall situation is important, and Xingren Mansion can't lose ......"

"Bastard, shut up. Come on, come on, blast them out for me. Liu Mengyuan shouted loudly.

Lin Jue stepped forward slowly, clasped his fists and saluted: "Governor Liu, let's meet again." You're going to shout, we've tied up a dozen or so guards outside, and they can't get in. ”

Liu Mengyuan was shocked: "What do you want to do?" Lord Lin, you are an official of the imperial court, you should think twice about acting, what are you? Sneaking in, do you want to be bad for the official? ”

Lin Jue sat on the chair and said with a smile: "Governor Liu, Commander Wu has already said my intention, and I am here to persuade you." You are too stubborn, Xingren Mansion is about to be destroyed, but you refuse to let us defend the city. I understand that you want to show loyalty to King Huai, but you can't joke with the overall situation of counterinsurgency and the lives of the people. Fifty or sixty thousand crazy bandits outside the city, you can't hold it. I'm afraid I can't hold it for a day, can't you see it? ”

"What does that do to you? This official is willing to live and die with the city, what do you do? The official said, you don't need to come to the rescue, you still say this when you come to the official, don't think the official will change his mind. Liu Mengyuan shouted.

Lin Jue sighed and said, "Lord Liu, you are really stubborn. I'm not here to save you, you want to die in harmony with the city, I don't care. But if you have to drag the people to death, I can't just watch with a blank eye. I can't let your personal selfishness drag down the innocent people. Lord Liu, isn't the purpose of your official to protect the country and the people and be loyal to the imperial court? What is the difference between your behavior at the moment and that of a selfish villain? And it's a stupid villain who doesn't know whether to live or die. I'm here to give you one last chance, and you should immediately write a personal letter to the King of Jin asking for help, so that the King of Jin's army can go to the city to defend. This is your last chance, if you do, you are still a good official who is loyal to the court and has not lost your conscience, otherwise, you are a dumb official who is not as good as a pig and a dog. Make your own choice. ”

Liu Mengyuan stiffened his neck and shouted: "Don't think I promise you, aren't you also loyal to the King of Jin, and take the credit for the King of Jin to suppress the rebellion?" Why do you want to say it so high-sounding? I will not write letters, and without my letters you will not be able to enter the city. Hey, how can you? I am the prefect of the house, will I be forced by you? Don't you think that I, Liu Mengyuan, am a bully. Your actions tonight, I will play the court, and you will pay for it. ”

Lin Jue looked at Liu Mengyuan in a daze, and said in a deep voice: "Governor Liu, I really didn't expect you to be so confused, you are a ghost." If you don't do a good official, you have to be a dumb official. A mediocre official, who does not think about the people and the court, is a scourge to live. Governor Liu, I will ask you one last time, whether to write the letter or not. ”

Liu Mengyuan rolled his throat and said sharply: "What? Do you dare to be unfavorable to this official? I don't believe you have the audacity. This official resolutely refuses to write, what can you do with me? ”

Lin Jue sighed, lowered his head and pondered for a moment, and waved his hand lightly. Behind him, Sun Dayong stepped forward and approached Liu Mengyuan's side.

Liu Mengyuan shouted: "What are you doing, what are you going to do?" ”

Sun Dayong grabbed him by the collar and lifted him in front of Lin Jue like an eagle catching a chicken.

"Lord Liu, you forced me to do this. Since you ignore the overall situation of the imperial court to suppress the rebellion, ignore the life and death of the people, only care about your own selfishness, and do not listen to persuasion at all, I have nothing to say. I have done my duty to you. Now I declare you guilty. I suspect that you colluded with the bandits, refused to rescue, and deliberately let the bandits seize the Xingren Mansion and bury the good situation of counterinsurgency. Collusion with bandits is a capital offense, and today I will correct you. Don't say that I don't have this right, everyone who colludes with the traitors of the bandits will be punished, I will kill you on behalf of the King of Jin, and the King of Jin has the right to act cheaply on the major matters of counterinsurgency, so I have no problem killing you at all. Lin Jue said in a deep voice.

"What? Do you dare to commit murder? You're so daring, you're ...... Are you simply lawless? Liu Mengyuan was so frightened that his voice changed, how could he have thought that this Lin Jue was so bold that he actually threatened to kill himself. He was scared in his heart, and at the same time, he didn't believe that Lin Jue dared to do this, so his attitude was still tough.