Zhang Xiu quieted down.
Although his eyes were still filled with a faint wariness when he looked at Zhuge Mu, the atmosphere in the arena was visibly less tense than before.
Seeing this, Zhuge Mu secretly heaved a sigh of relief.
He wasn't afraid that Zhang Xiu would attack him, but he was afraid that Zhang Xiu would be stubborn and not give him a chance to speak.
"Sir, you said that what I did was the path to death, but now you took the initiative to come to me. Isn't this self-contradictory and laughable?”
Zhang Xiu stopped acting and looked at Zhuge Mu calmly.
From the violent and angry dejection to the current peaceful confrontation, Zhang Xiu's address of Zhuge Mu had inadvertently changed from " kid " to " mister ".
Even Zhuge Mu couldn't help but nod in admiration at Zhang Xiu's transformation.
Therefore, Zhuge Mu smiled and said nothing in the face of Zhang Xiuyan's self-contradictory question. Instead, he said rather emotionally,"General has changed so much. If I didn't see it with my own eyes today, I would have believed the rumors in the city.”
"A busy city? What did they say about me?"
"He is short-sighted and in a fit of anger, he even implicated the entire army.”Zhuge Mu spoke, and the words that came out of his mouth were more unpleasant than the last.
"Is that so? Didn't those commoners make up stories about me, my aunt, and Cao Cao? Sir, do you need me to tell you?”
Zhang Xiu asked in return. His expression was calm as if he was talking about something that had nothing to do with him.
"Looks like…the general has really changed.”
"From a boorish general who was easily swayed by his emotions, he gradually transformed into a commander of the three armies who did not show any emotions.”
"Congratulations, General. This cup of wine can be considered my apology for my previous rudeness.”
Picking up the wine pot, Zhuge Mu poured himself a bottle of wine and downed it in one gulp.
After drinking, Zhuge Mu turned the bottle upside down, not a single drop of wine falling.
Zhuge Mu's carefree and genuine behavior made Zhang Xiu, who was wary of him, slightly stunned.
Silently, Zhang Xiu's impression of Zhuge Mu changed a lot.
His expression relaxed and he said bitterly,"Everyone will change in their current situation.”
"If you don't learn to lower your head, in a place like Xudu where you can't see the light of swords…"
"You will die."
As Zhang Xiu finished speaking, an undisguised sneer sounded.
He looked up and saw Zhuge Mu looking at him with a mocking expression.
"So, you listened to Jia Xu and chose to stay in seclusion after surrendering. While cutting off all contact with your comrades, you gave your head to Cao Cao, who held a sharp sword in his hand, in order to appease Cao Cao?”
"Not bad, not bad at all."
"Jia Wenhe's scheme, even I have to admit defeat. He was indeed worthy of being an official under Dong Zhuo, Li Jue, and Guo Si. He was well versed in the art of survival, and Mu was ashamed of his inferiority.”
Zhuge Mu clapped his hands and praised Jia Xu.
However, the crisp clapping resounded in Zhang Xiu's ears, causing his expression to turn even uglier.
Zhang Xiu was not deaf, so how could he not tell that Zhuge Mu's words were the opposite of the truth?
If this was nothing, Zhuge Mu's words of " knowing how to save his life " made Zhang Xiu feel as if he had fallen into hell.
At this moment, Zhang Xiu suddenly realized that in the past ten years, everyone in the Xi Liang army who had interacted with Jia Xu had died. Only Jia Xu had survived.
Zhang Xiu could not help but think of himself.
He also suddenly understood why Zhuge Mu had said those words the moment they met,"General, do you really think Jia Xu is doing this for your own good?"”
Shaking his head, Zhang Xiu, who was unwilling to admit this in his heart, tried to argue,"Mister is so scheming. With just a few words, you want to drive a wedge between me and Wenhe.”
"Wenhe is wise and resourceful. If he wanted to harm me, he only needed to mention it to Cao Cao and I wouldn't have been able to live until now!”
Hearing Zhang Xiu's retort, Zhuge Mu did not wait for him to continue. He raised his hand and interrupted Zhang Xiu's words.
"General, even if you believe it or not, even if Jia Xu advised Cao Cao to kill you…no, even if all the officials in the court and the entire Cao Clan begged Cao Cao to kill you, Cao Cao would never do anything to you.”
"I wonder if General has heard of this saying?”
"What do you mean?" Zhang Xiu said with a frown.
"As a female prostitute, you still need to build a memorial archway.”Zhuge Mu said something extremely vulgar.
Noticing the confusion in Zhang Xiu's eyes, he slowly said,""Before the world is unified, even if Cao Cao wants to tear you into pieces, he will still protect your life.”
"Because!"
"He still needs you as a memorial archway to make all the vassals believe that they will not be persecuted if they surrender to him. Let me ask, since ancient times, what else can show the magnanimity of today's Lord Sikong more than forgiving those who killed their sons?”
Zhuge Mu's explanation caused Zhang Xiu's eyes to darken.
However, that was not all…
As if he was afraid that the blow to Zhang Xiu was not strong enough, Zhuge Mu continued to speak faintly,"Similarly, if I were Jia Xu, I would also protect General from death.”
"Because only when the general is alive and well can those who are resentful of the defeat of Wan City find an outlet to vent their anger. They will not think that Jia Xu was once behind the battle of Wan City, adding fuel to the fire.”
"Haha!"
"General, do you dare to make a bet…"
"Swoosh!"
Heavenly Sword was unsheathed, and the cold light caused the surrounding temperature to drop by a few degrees.
Zhuge Mu placed it between the two of them and pointed at the sword."If General were to draw his sword and commit suicide here today, the news of Jia Wenhe escaping overnight would definitely spread throughout Xudu City tomorrow.”
"Because the general is dead, the next person to be condemned by everyone will definitely be him.”
"Right, Mu, let me remind you again!”
"Cao Cao won't kill you, but this doesn't mean that Cao Cao's successor won't kill you. General, you might as well try and see if Jia Xu will still protect you.”
"In Mu's opinion, it probably won't happen.
In history, there were many different opinions regarding Zhang Xiu's death. One said that Zhang Xiu died of illness during the expedition against the Wuhuan and his soul was lost in the desert.
One said that when Cao Pi, the Emperor of Wei, took over the throne, he forced Cao Ang to his death to intimidate the arrogant soldiers left behind by Cao Cao and to avenge his brother Cao Ang.
Looking at Zhang Xiu, Zhuge Mu chose to believe the latter.
It was also because of this that Zhuge Mu felt that Zhang Xiu was unworthy of him, and he felt a chill in his heart for Jia Xu's cold and unfeeling attitude when he blindly sought to protect himself.
Because of Jia Xu's weight in Cao Pi's heart at that time, as long as he spoke, he could save Zhang Xiu.
However!
He did not!
Not only did they not, but they also went one step further and completely disintegrated the Western Liang forces that were attached to Zhang Xiu after Zhang Xiu's death. This caused the Western Liang army, which had always been independent of the large families in the east of the country and could not tolerate them, to become the lackeys of the aristocratic families.
Later on, during the fierce confrontation with Zhuge Liang, the Sima family took the opportunity to control Guan Liang and seized the Xi Liang Army, which was abandoned by the world at that time.
All of a sudden, Zhuge Mu recalled the words he had said in front of Zhang Xiu's residence not long ago.
"Where is the glorious Western Liang Army now?”
At this moment, he knew better than anyone else that the Western Liang Army was within his and Zhang Xiu's reach.
Compared to Ma Chao, who was leading a group of Qiang soldiers in Liangzhou, Zhang Xiu, who was a direct descendant of the Western Liang Army, was the true soul of the Western Liang Army.
If he did not die, the Western Liang Army would not die.
Thinking of this, Zhuge Mu stood up and looked in the direction of the Sikong Residence near the Imperial Palace.
Since it was inevitable that he would be involved with the Western Liang Army, Zhuge Mu would not mind replacing the Sima family in history and taking control of Western Liang on his own. He would lead the glorious Western Liang Army to rise again.
At that time, after the defeat of Dong Zhuo, Li Jue, and Guo Si, these Western Liang martial artists, who had been despised by the aristocratic families, would turn into an indestructible blade in his hands and ruthlessly slash at the aristocratic families.
And then!
Reforge Huaxia!
Stepping on the Western Regions, Whip the Barbarians!
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。