Liu Xun had never seen his father so angry. Perhaps it was because of Liu Bei's siege of the city, or perhaps he was disdainful of 'Liu Huang's' cruel behavior. Liu Zhang showed unprecedented domineering behavior.
"Liu Huang and his family will be executed at noon tomorrow to comfort those innocent soldiers." Liu Zhang's voice was decisive.
"Father...General Liu, he is..."
Liu Xun still wanted to argue on behalf of Liu Quan, because the battle in Luocheng was really fierce at that time, but Liu Zhang obviously couldn't listen to anything. He turned back and glared at his son, and said coldly: "Xun'er, although we can't defeat Liu Bei, we can't defeat Liu Bei.
It won’t be rotten to the core. If we don’t execute Liu Quan’s family, we will be stabbed in the back.”
"But..." Liu Xun wanted to say something else, but Liu Zhang already signaled him to leave.
That night, Liu Zhang had more than 20 members of Liu Huang's family arrested. The next day, he read out his charges of burying wounded soldiers alive in the street, and then killed them all in downtown Chengdu.
Liu Xun hid behind the crowd and cried without tears. The people watching the execution gloated about his misfortune, and most of them cursed Liu Guan's family. It was a pity that the fate of the loyal minister was the same as that of Zhang Song. So what kind of loyalty and traitor can there be in this world?
After executing Liu Zhang and his family, Liu Zhang finally breathed a sigh of relief.
He returned to the Prefectural Mufu to convene the ministers to discuss the war, but the civil servants in the hall had mixed feelings. Liu Suan died in the battle to protect your son, but his whole family lost their lives.
"I have received definite news. Xiliang Ma Chao was defeated at Longyou and seems to have entered the territory of Yizhou. It is rumored that he may defect to Liu Bei. If this is true, what do you think?" Liu Zhang took the lead in provoking the topic. After all, he had control.
Latest news.
Huang Quan, the chief clerk, saw that Liu Zhang seemed to want to give up, so he quickly advised him: "How can you believe the rumors outside the city? Besides, there is Zhang Lu in the north of Yizhou, how can he let the Xiliang tiger into Xichuan? My lord, don't listen to Liu Bei's rumors.
We just need to hold on to the city and exhaust Liu Bei."
"What Gong Heng (Huang Quan) said is true. My lord, please relax. Liu Bei surrounded Chengdu and did not attack. It means he has insufficient troops. We must not fall into the trap." Liu Ba agreed.
Liu Zhang felt a little relieved after listening to the analysis of the two men, but he was convinced of the news from the Yangtze River News, so he asked again: "If Ma Chao doesn't come, we can hold on. If this person really takes refuge with Liu Bei, what should be done?"
Huang Quan and Liu Ba both said nothing. Xu Jing, the governor of Shu County, said: "Ma Chao is cruel by nature. Not only did he betray his father and the emperor, he also tortured and killed state generals. If Liu Bei took this as his vanguard, wouldn't Chengdu be a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood?"
"
After Xu Jing finished speaking, all the officials in the hall were silent. Liu Zhang saw that everyone was afraid of Ma Chao, so he sighed and left.
The days passed day by day. When Liu Bei did not attack the city, the officials in the city did not feel oppressed. Liu Zhang summoned his officials every day to continue handling government affairs, just like a caged bird living on food.
More than ten days later, the city defender hurriedly broke into the main hall and saw a group of cavalry appearing in the north of the city. They were wearing foreign costumes and did not look like Liu Bei's Jingzhou soldiers.
Liu Zhang's heart sank when he heard this, and he had a bad premonition. Everyone in the hall looked gloomy, but no one wanted to believe that the person coming was Ma Chao.
Under the guidance of the city guard, Liu Zhang led the officials in the palace to the city tower to observe. They saw that these cavalry were indeed dressed in strange clothes. The leader of the cavalry was wearing a white robe and silver armor and holding a silver spear. From a distance, he looked majestic.
Some officials in Chengdu have seen Zhao Yun, and others have suffered losses from Zhao Yun when they went out of the city, but the similar person in front of them is not Zhao Yun at all. Is it really Xiliang Jin Ma Chao?
"Xun'er, you have been fighting Liu Bei in Luocheng for several months. Come and identify who this person is." Liu Zhang summoned Liu Xun, who was in a state of despair. From the day Liu Zhang's family was executed, the eldest son had been so listless.
Hearing Liu Zhang's call, Liu Xun slowly came over, glanced outside the city, and then said lightly: "I don't know him, I haven't seen him before."
Although Liu Xun said it very plainly, it sounded like a death knell in everyone's minds. These people outside the city should be the Xiliang cavalry, and the white-robed general is Ma Chao.
Why did Liu Bei send this evil god today? What else did he want to do to show off his power?
When I went downstairs, my feet felt like lead, and my body felt extremely heavy. Chengdu was originally like a calm pond, but now someone threw huge rocks into it, causing sparkling ripples.
Liu Zhang did not go back to his inner house to rest today. He sat in front of the desk in the main hall of the Prefectural Mufu Mansion. In front of him was the official seal symbolizing power. Only Huang Quan, Liu Ba and Liu Xun were left in the hall to accompany him. The rest of the officials took leave on the pretext of family matters.
When a disaster approaches, they all fly away. Those who have "first-hand information" get off the city wall and go home, gathering their wives and children. They each collect their belongings and wait for the opportunity to escape.
Someone set an example during the night. Xu Jing, the prefect of Shu County, escaped over the wall. Unfortunately, he was captured on the spot by the sentries patrolling the city. When Liu Zhang found out, he just ordered him to be imprisoned and made no decision to continue the punishment.
Knowing that "Ma Chao" was approaching Chengdu, Liu Zhang was worried that the enemy would attack the city at any time. After all, there was a precedent of day and night attacks in Luocheng. He was so worried that he could not sleep all night. The next day, he walked out of the house in low spirits, but was told by the gate guard that Liu Bei's envoy Jian Yong was there.
arrive.
Liu Zhang's body trembled after hearing this, and the fatigue caused by insomnia was swept away. He tidied up his clothes and invited Jian Yong to the flower hall for a detailed discussion.
Jian Yong's trip was to persuade him to surrender. Liu Bei said that he would treat the people of Yizhou well and that the officials under his rule would be properly settled, and asked Liu Zhang what he wanted.
Liu Zhang has a weak character and has been unable to establish his prestige. Since taking power, he has been dissatisfied both internally and externally. He sighed and asked: "Excuse me, Xianhe, please tell Xuande. I want to return to Jingzhou to live. I don't know if..."
Jian Yong nodded and said: "The prince is nostalgic for his homeland, so the lord should agree."
"I heard that Lingling County is very prosperous. Can I move to Quanling?" Liu Zhang continued to ask.
"Let me go back and report to my lord, and I will definitely give you a satisfactory answer." Jian Yong did not answer Liu Zhang directly. Although it was true that Lingling was prosperous in Jingzhou, there were too many secrets in Lantian, and he was not sure Liu Bei would agree.
The two talked for three hours, and Liu Zhang personally sent Jian Yong out of the city.
Walking on the streets of Chengdu, Liu Zhang asked curiously in the carriage: "I have never seen that cavalry unit in the north of the city before. May I ask Xianhe if that is Xuande's newly formed unit?"
Jian Yong pretended to be mysterious, "Yes, that is the team that the Lord relies on."
Liu Zhang nodded and asked no more questions. Judging from Jian Yong's information, he concluded that it must be Ma Chao. When he returned to the Prefectural Mufu Mansion, he announced his decision to surrender. The generals in the palace were both happy and worried.
Huang Quan, who was originally opposed to surrender, stopped trying to persuade him. After all, Liu Zhang himself had given up and Huang Quan had fulfilled his duties as a minister. However, the famous scholar Liu Ba strongly opposed it. After Liu Zhang did not accept it, he complained behind closed doors.
When Cao Cao went south, Liu Cong surrendered. Many celebrities from Jingxiang and Xiang crossed the river to seek refuge with the eldest son Liu Qi. At that time, Liu Ba went north to visit Cao Cao. Cao Cao arranged for him to go to Changsha, Lingling, and Guiyang counties to recruit talents. As a result, Lantian and Liu Bei's
The advance arrangements failed, and he was finally transferred to Yizhou and Yizhou.
The reason Liu Ba insisted was because he was worried about Liu Bei's grudge.
At noon the next day, Liu Zhang stood at the city gate as agreed, holding the seal of the state shepherd official in his hand to welcome Liu Bei into the city.
Liu Bei was surrounded by Zhuge Liang and others. Liu Zhang noticed that 'Ma Chao' was following closely behind him, and he couldn't help but secretly praise Liu Bei for his extraordinary courage for being so kind to Ma Chao, whose hands were stained with blood.
Chapter completed!