On the way back, Xu Ning's mood became more complicated.

His friendship with Cao Na is not good, at least not so good that he wants Cao Na to make a special trip to guide him on the way back and discuss the future survival plan. Yes, he didn't think that this meeting with Cao Na was just a simple chance encounter, Cao Na was waiting there on purpose, but he met here unexpectedly. Therefore, he didn't think that Cao Na's words before were just for himself.

The generals in Xuzhou actually have a very shallow relationship with each other. On the one hand, in today's world, if it is not for the family relationship or the old acquaintance of the in-laws, it is an unrealistic luxury to talk about friendship. The leaders of the two armies and the generals and commanders of the people also had sudden ups and downs, seeing that they are still famous today, and they may die tomorrow, and few can stand. Although the number of dozens of generals in Xuzhou has not changed much, most of them are no longer old people.

For example, Xu Ning himself, who originally commanded his family's tribe was his uncle Xu Rin, who died in the internal strife after the death of Liu Yao, the Duke of Quanling, and then his brother Xu Ru, who died in Xianhe for four years. And the position he now holds as the governor of Linhuai County is also left by his brother.

Fathers and sons like his family, who are still able to be preserved, are already considered good. More of them disappeared directly in the frequent external invasion and internal strife, and the inheritance of the family business was cut off. Xu Ning didn't know when he would die, so he rarely looked forward to the future.

It's not that it's a mouse's eye, but it's useless to look forward. One doesn't have that high vision, and the other doesn't have much choice. For example, after Liu Yao's death, many military leaders, including the Xu family, hoped that Liu Yao's children would take over his position, not to say how loyal they were to Liu Yao, but to be able to settle down in the status quo. However, Taichung disregarded public sentiment and directly sent Guo Mo to take over Liu Yao's old department.

But in the eyes of the Xuzhou military leaders, what is Guo Mo? If he dares to come, he will dare to ask for his life!

In that internal strife, the Xu family was not Liu Yao's old department, at that time, his uncle thought that this was an opportunity to strengthen himself, so he also raised troops to attack Liu Yao's old department that was in turmoil, and he was killed directly. Then Duke Xi went out to clean up the mess, and the Xu family did not take any advantage, they were alienated and neglected by Duke Xi, and even when they pacified Su Jun's rebellion later, they were not arranged to fight across the river, which directly caused the death of his brother.

For Cao Naqi's people, the generals of Xuzhou are also mixed, and those who criticize him are more flattering, and they are willing to be the eagle dog of the right gate to damage their foundation. However, there is really no shortage of envy, at least from the immediate point of view, Cao Na can be said to have met the master, not only is he in charge of thousands of elite sailors in Huainan, but the children of the family have also been able to serve in Taiwan, although the blessing and misfortune are tied to one person, but they have got rid of the fate of these homeless marshals in Xuzhou.

Cao Na came to Xu Ning, and the main thing he talked about was that he hoped that Xu Ning could get close to Liang Gong, in other words, he hoped that Xu Ning could support Liang Gong to become the ruler of Xuzhou.

Gong Xi is nearly seventy years old, and all the sons are weak. Although there is no conclusive news at home and abroad, in fact, all the generals in Xuzhou know that there will be great changes in Xuzhou within the next two years, and no matter who succeeds Xi Gong into Xuzhou, it will bring great changes to the current pattern of Xuzhou.

Regarding Cao Na's hints, Xu Ning was shocked in his heart, and he was also sad. Liang Gong Shen Wei is in his early twenties, he is already the respect of Uncle Fang, and now he will plot against the town of Xuzhou, and his scheming pattern is so high that it simply makes Xu Ning and others like Xu Ning who have nothing to do but want to die of shame.

Xu Ning also has no lack of admiration for Shen Weizhou and his people, although he was born in Wuzhongquan, he did not completely rely on the incompetence of his father's shadow. Just a few years ago, the first war in Huai was enough to amaze the world.

However, Xu Ning did not reply to Cao Na's lobbying immediately. One is that he is really afraid to participate in such a high-end competition, and there are not a few people who seek Xuzhou, no matter what the victory or defeat of the high-level fighting method, the most likely to suffer must be their pawns.

Second, Xu Ning is not optimistic that Liang Gong can win, although Shen Weizhou and his people are still only the governors, but in fact, they are actually the actual assassins of Yuzhou. At such an age, no matter how old you are or how great your merits are, such a position can be said to have reached an extreme. If you add a Xuzhou that is not inferior to Yuzhou or even surpasses it, it will be too shocking.

And Shen Weizhou and his people are too strong, what kind of situation Huainan is, everyone in Xuzhou sees it. Once Shen Weizhou and his people enter Xuzhou, it is absolutely impossible for him to endure a situation like Xuzhou, where there are many military leaders and many subordinate households. This is a young man in power with deep roots, a noble reputation, and a prosperous family business, once he takes the position, his style of doing things is absolutely impossible to be as soft as that of the aging Xi Gong.

The current order in Xuzhou is the result of mutual compromise between the top and bottom, and once one side becomes tougher, it will inevitably lead to a collision or a new round of infighting. And Shen Weizhou and his people themselves have a powerful Huainan army, even if Xu Ning takes refuge in the past, he may not be valued. And if you oppose Shen Weizhou with others, your chances of winning are really slim.

Therefore, although he is a homeless marshal who speaks by strength, Xu Ning still hopes that this matter can be resolved through more moderate political means, and hopes that Taichung can stop Shen Weizhou, and is unwilling to go to war.

In such a high-end competition, although Xu Ning didn't dare to say anything, he actually belonged to it in his heart. From the bottom of his heart, he hopes that He Chong, who is also from Lujiang County, can succeed Xuzhou, and He Cidao is the brother-in-law of Su Zu in terms of family background, and the nephew of Taifu Wang Dao, who is qualified to assist the governor of Taiwan Province and govern the county for several years, and is absolutely qualified to replace Duke Xi in charge of Xuzhou.

And more importantly, He had contacted Xu Ning as early as a few years ago, hoping that he would support this matter. Although Xu Ning himself is not enough to affect the final belonging, he also said that if He Chong can win this position, he is willing to help stabilize the situation. After all, there is a local friendship with each other.

There were many thoughts along the way, and Xu Ning was really entangled in his heart, not knowing how to choose, and he also felt his powerlessness in this chaotic world. In the eyes of ordinary Hanshu, he may be a powerful general with thousands of troops and more than 10,000 mouths, but in the eyes of really high-level people, he is just a dispensable chess piece, and they can't even look down on whether they can help, they just need an attitude. Xu Ning didn't even know if Cao Na's lobbying was an instruction from Duke Liang, or if he was an invitation to take credit for his own initiative.

But the problem is that just one attitude problem is enough to affect his future and fate!

Xu Ning's defense area is close to Huaiyin, and you can return by going east along the Huaishui Road, and there is no need to change around. It was only after crossing Sikou that there was a sudden blockade on the river, and a friendly army was patrolling on the river to check the passing ships.

"Go and ask what's going on?"

Seeing such a vigilant scene, Xu Ning's heart suddenly jumped, and he hurriedly ordered his family members around him.

The family went to ask, and soon returned to report: "The Surabaya Rebellion attacked the Prime Minister last night, and because of the fear that the rebel army would invade Huai Road, it was strictly investigated and guarded. ”

"The rebels attacked the prime minister?"

When Xu Ning heard this, he was immediately interested, and then asked, "Then how about this victory?" Is Chun Yu'an dead? ”

Xu Ning doesn't have a good impression of Chun Yu'an, in his opinion, this person is just an anachronistic rotten Confucian, and it is luck that he can survive until now. His real dissatisfaction with Chun Yu'an is that his people occupy the front line of the lower prime minister, who was originally the place he wanted to seek, but it had nothing to do with interests, but he just wanted to personally exterminate those chaotic troops. Because his brother Xu Ru, including several immediate family members in the sect, died at the hands of Liu Zhengqi, and their hatred for each other can be described as unabiding.

What the military leaders around Surabaya are doing with Liu Zheng's chaotic army, Xu Ning also knows it in his heart. Even the rumored Linhuai is too conservative, and it seems that he has some in-law relationship with Liu Zheng. After all, the Mi clan itself is the Huaibei Sect, and a few years ago, Liu Zheng can also be said to be one of the few military leaders in Huaishang, and it is normal for them to collude with each other. Although the tide has reversed now, it does not prevent private collusion.

Xu Ning sought to be the prime minister, but he was obstructed by Mi Tong. And Mi Tong failed to win this place, and was placed here by Duke Xi Chun Yu'an, a cowardly man. Chun Yu'an can be said to be just a substitute for the dead. Because Mi Tong saw the opportunity early and surrendered quickly, it was inconvenient for Duke Xi to suppress him excessively. The vacancy of the prime minister, if other cadres are arranged to come here, it is very likely that they will be killed by his people in collusion with the Nozawa army, which is a pity, so it is Chun Yu'an's turn to pick up a bargain.

Of course, this is just Xu Ning's own thoughts, and he can't think of any other reason. So in his opinion, Chun Yu'an is really not far from death. Now that he has been attacked, it can be seen that his conjecture is correct. Liu Zhengqi, before Yongjia in the Chinese Dynasty, he followed his father Liu Bogen to make trouble, Wang Mi, Cao Wei and others who were in the early years of Xuanhe, were once his family subordinates, and after the defeat, he turned to the begging army, and he fought horses for half his life, which was definitely not able to resist Chun Yu'an and others.

However, the family's answer surprised Xu Ning: "More than 4,000 people from the rebel army attacked, nearly 1,000 were killed, more than 1,000 were captured, and the rest all fled." ”

"How so?"

When Xu Ning heard this, his eyes suddenly widened, his face was full of disbelief, and he asked again after a while: "But the prince of the mansion sent reinforcements?" ”

The family shook their heads and said that they didn't know, which inevitably made Xu Ning more curious, and ordered the cargo ship to return to the treatment first, and he went to the shore to inquire in person. Soon Chun Yu'an's military Sima personally came to receive him, and Xu Ning also learned of the specific battle situation: "The Huainan army came to reinforce? Only 600 people? ”

After learning the inside story, Xu Ning's brows furrowed even deeper, the Huainan army fought across the border, although there were only 600 troops, they were able to break the invading enemy. In addition to its brilliant achievements, Xu Ning felt a strong smell of demonstration. Especially this Huainan Army, which is still holding a warrant from Gong Xi, this can't help but make people think about it even more.

"Chun Yu Mingfu is still in the county right now? Lead me to see you quickly! ”

Although there is no lack of contempt for Chun Yu'an in his heart, there are too many things to touch in this matter, so that Xu Ning does not dare to ignore it. Especially before that, Cao Na talked with him for a long time on the way, which inevitably made him speculate, so he did not return to the town for the time being, and went straight to Xiaxiang County on the north bank of Huaishui.