Time slipped away quietly while waiting. In the blink of an eye, Wei Ba lived in Anyang for two months. As the New Year approached, Wei Ba became bored. When Ma Su came, Zhuge Qiao seemed to be injected with chicken blood, he became energetic, full of fighting spirit, walked with the wind, spoke loudly, and called him from time to time to talk, which made others think that Wei Ba was Zhuge Qiao's confidant.

In fact, Wei Ba himself knew that he was still wandering outside the decision-making circle. He could only know something through the people who came back to ask for food. Zhuge Qiao told him all the public version of news, and told him half a day in advance to show intimacy.

That's all.

Fu Xing and Zhang Wei stayed in Xicheng for two months and fought with Shen Yi for two fierce battles, which hurt Shen Yi. After asking Meng Da for help, Shen Yi hid in Xun's mouth and couldn't come out. Meng Da didn't come at all. He seized time in Fangling to build the city, as if Zhuge Qiao was about to defeat Shen Yi and march into the new city.

On the twelfth lunar month, Meng Da finally raised the anti-flagship and formally sent an envoy to express his desire to surrender to Shu Han.

Zhuge Qiao was overjoyed, and as usual, he sent someone to invite Wei Ba, and said with a smile: "Ziyu, now we can tell you the truth. General Meng is back when he is lost, and the three eastern counties have returned to my great man."

Wei Ba smiled and bowed: "Then congratulate the commander, the world will be returned to the heart of the army."

Zhuge Qiao laughed and punched Wei Ba intimately: "You kid, you just like to joke. I am just a partial general, so I have no military power. By the way, this is General Meng's nephew Deng Xian and Deng Ziyi. He was ordered by Mencius to meet the Prime Minister. He just came back from Mianyang."

Deng Xian is over 30 years old, with a strong figure, a long face and three short whiskers. He looks quite upright, but his face is a bit dark, his palm joints are thick, and his tiger's mouth has thick calluses. Although he is a surrendered general, he looks arrogant. At first glance, he is a veteran who has been hanging in the army for many years. Wei Ba has many such people around him, so he is not unfamiliar with this. Just take a look and you can tell the unruly taste.

Wei Ba bowed politely: "General Meng Gao Yi, General Deng thanked him for his hard work."

Deng Xian looked up and down at Wei Ba, and couldn't help but be surprised. He was already a little surprised to see Zhuge Qiao leading the army at his age of more than 20. However, considering that he was Zhuge Liang's son, he was just a little envious and did not think there was any problem. However, when he saw Wei Ba, who was younger than Zhuge Qiao, actually took a position higher than Zhuge Qiao to join the army, he could no longer suppress his surprise.

"Wei Zongjun is really young and promising." Deng Xian said in a slightly sour tone.

Wei Ba smiled and said, "Actually it's nothing. It's just that the Prime Minister was promoted to the backwards. I'll follow Zhuge Duwei to have a long experience. General Deng has been on the battlefield for a long time, so I will take care of him in the future."

Deng Xian nodded slightly, turned his head and said to Zhuge Qiao: "Since General Meng has already made righteous promises, we are a family. But Shen Yi is still in Xunkou, so it is not very convenient for us to contact us, and some delays are inevitable. In order not to miss the matter, please ask the Duwei to deliver the food, grass and weapons we need to to the new city as soon as possible. When Sima Yi's army arrives, it may not be so convenient."

Zhuge Qiao Heshou said: "Please rest assured General Deng, and please rest assured General Meng. We are ready for everything and will be ready in one or two days. Please prepare for the support. Furthermore, the war is fierce and the war is dangerous, so please be careful."

Deng Xian frowned, as if he had thought of something, and then returned to peace and said with satisfaction: "We are only short of food and weapons now, and we are actually prepared properly. As long as the Zhuge Duwei does not miss the matter, let alone Sima Yi comes, even if Cao Rui's son comes in person, we can ensure that the new city will not be lost."

Zhuge Qiao laughed, but Wei Ba became a little uneasy. He was with Mi Wei these days and learned some skills to observe words and expressions. He found that although Deng Xian was so heroic, there was a hint of worry between his eyebrows and eyes. He couldn't say what it was, but he could feel that Deng Xian seemed to be insincere, or he seemed to be hiding something.

He observed for a while and saw that they had finished their work, Deng Xian wanted to stand up and say goodbye, and quickly stood up and asked, "General Deng, as Zhuge Duwei said, General Meng was originally a general of my Shu Han, and now he is in charge of Guiyi. We are a family. If you have anything to help, please don't be polite. Not only food, grass, weapons, weapons, but other things, as long as we can help, you can just say it."

Deng Xian was stunned for a moment, glanced at Wei Ba, and smiled and said, "Thank you for joining the army. We have nothing to do except food, grass and weapons." He bowed to Zhuge Qiao again, said goodbye and left.

Zhuge Qiao personally sent Deng Xian to the door, and Wei Ba certainly had to accompany him. Seeing Deng Xian disappearing in the distance with a few followers, Zhuge Qiao clapped his hands excitedly, turned to Wei Ba and said, "Ziyu, the leisure time is coming to an end. Next, we are busy."

Wei Ba was not as excited as Zhuge Qiao. He always felt that Deng Xian had some problems, especially the last time he tested. Deng Xian was obviously hesitant, as if he had something to say, but in the end he didn't say it because of some concerns. Wei Ba couldn't think of the specific reason, but when he thought that Zhuge Liang's rebellion against Meng Da in history seemed to have something direct connection with the first Northern Expedition, he became alert.

What a clever move to instigate Meng Da, restrain Sima Yi, attract Cao Wei's attention to Xicheng, and then go out of Longyou? If it succeeds, although it may not be guaranteed that the Northern Expedition will be successful, at least Cao Wei's reinforcements will not go so quickly, right? But there is no saying in history, there is only one possibility. This rebellion was not successful, at least it did not achieve Zhuge Liang's expected effect, and did not have enough impact on the Northern Expedition.

Thinking of Sima Yi again, there is only one possibility left. As recorded in history, Meng Da will be defeated by Sima Yi very soon and will be unable to support Zhuge Liang's Northern Expedition.

He already knew it, but this was not enough, just as he knew that Zhuge Liang would fail in the Northern Expedition and Ma Su would die, but he could not tell Zhuge Liang and Ma Su. He had to know the reason in order to prescribe the right medicine and let Zhuge Qiao accept his advice instead of making a wizard-style prophecy. The wizard's prophecy might come true, but by that time it was a foregone conclusion and there was no chance of saving it.

Deng Xian's strange expression seemed to be a breakthrough.

"Bo Song, I think something is wrong with Deng Xian."

Zhuge Qiao blinked and exchanged a look with Yang Wei: "What's wrong?"

"I don't know very well. I just feel like he's hiding something, or... they're not prepared as well as he said?"

Zhuge Qiao bit his lips and thought, "Yes, Deng Xian is indeed a little concealed. According to the news I received, their city has not been repaired yet."

Wei Ba was shocked. Meng Da had been preparing for so long, why didn’t he do it?

"Wangling Piling rebels against Wei. Once the incident is launched, the rebel against Wei will inevitably launch a large-scale attack. Meng Da wants to build Fangling into a solid fortress. In the future, Fangling will be based on Fangling, and can attack and retreat, so he has put some effort into it." Seeing Wei Ba being surprised, Zhuge Qiao quickly explained: "But it doesn't matter, it will definitely not delay the war. When Sima Yi arrives, Fangling is already indestructible and foolproof."

Wei Ba frowned. He felt an ominous feeling. Meng Da is also a veteran who has been on the battlefield for a long time. Why is it so unreliable to do things? I have been waiting for so many days, so why should I wait for a few more days? I have to act righteously at this time? Could it be that he lost to Sima Yi because the city was not completed and there were flaws in defense?

Wei Ba thought for a long time, but still couldn't help it.

"Meng Da made a move before he was ready, and obviously he had fallen into a passive situation. If Sima Yi comes to attack, how can he deal with it? The reason why the defending party takes advantage is that he can rely on the city to kill the enemy in large quantities, and he has a psychological advantage. Now that the city has not been repaired well, the enemy has come. Not only will he suffer a loss in offense and defense, but his psychological advantage will also be affected. Once people's hearts collapse, what should we do?"

Zhuge Qiao thought for a moment: "Sima Yi is not so fast. Not to mention that he has to obtain the orders of the court before he can send troops to attack. Wanxian is only 1,200 miles away from Fangling, and it will take more than half a month to get here. With this time, Meng Da will definitely be ready."

Wei Ba looked at Zhuge Qiao in surprise: "Bo Song, this is during war. Do you think it is a normal marching and can be done step by step? What if Sima Yi takes action first and then reports and marchs urgently? One thousand two hundred miles, or ten days, you can arrive. Maybe he is on the road now, but we have not received the news yet."

"You mean Sima Yi would act without waiting for the imperial edict of the court?" Before Zhuge Qiao could speak, Yang Wei laughed first. "Wei joined the army, do you know what kind of family Sima Yi came from? In their hearts, etiquette is more than all rules. Without imperial edicts from the imperial edict, he would not dare to go out of Nanyang even if he had a soldier."

Wei Ba was not in the mood to betray this scholar. He said to Zhuge Qiao seriously: "As the saying goes, be prepared for any trouble. If there is nothing wrong with Meng Da, then of course there is nothing to say. Once something happens to him and cannot effectively delay Sima Yi, it will inevitably affect the Prime Minister's plan in the future. Bosong, you cannot have any luck."————
Chapter completed!