Chapter 1472

Outside the south gate of Pingcheng Pass.

At this time, a team of guards was escorting a carriage, stopping about a hundred paces away from the city gate.

And Shentu Bei on the city was looking at the team under the city from the city wall.

Although there were only a dozen riders and a carriage, Shentu Bei did not take it lightly and did not order the city gate to be opened.

"Use the hanging frame to send two people first to confirm the identity of the other party." Shentu Bei instructed his subordinates to the side.

After Shentu Bei issued the order, two soldiers took the hanging basket and slowly lowered it from the city head, then carefully walked toward the team in the distance a hundred meters away.

After staying for a while, the two soldiers ran back with big strides.

Shentu Bei pressed the hilt of his sword with one hand, staring at the outside of the city without blinking.

After the two soldiers came up, Shentu Bei immediately looked at them and asked: "Have you confirmed the identity of the people outside the city?"

The two soldiers nodded repeatedly, and then sealed the official seal they had obtained.

"Report to the Administrator, the person outside the city claims to be the Assistant of Jizhou, Guo Tu of the Yingchuan Guo clan, saying that the Administrator will understand after seeing this official seal."

Yingchuan Guo clan?

Guo Tu?

Shentu Bei had naturally heard of this name, and then he took the official seal from the hands of the two soldiers.

After taking a look and confirming that it was indeed Guo Tu's official seal, Shentu Bei's heart, which had been hanging, finally let go.

"Someone, open the door."

Saying this, Shentu Bei took a few guards and walked down the city head together.

And the carriage Guo Tu was riding, which was staying a hundred paces outside the city, saw the city gate open, and then slowly drove toward the city gate.

Pingcheng Nanmen.

Shentu Bei took the guards and waited at the city gate in person.

Although Guo Tu's official position was not as high as his.

But the door lintel of the Yingchuan Guo clan still had to be paid attention to.

The carriage Guo Tu was riding stopped about a dozen paces away from Shentu Bei.

The carriage opened, and Guo Tu, wearing an official uniform, walked out of the carriage with a smile, then walked quickly for two steps to Shentu Bei's front and bowed.

"Guo Tu of Yingchuan, meets Administrator Shentu."

"Assistant Guo is too polite. I have long heard of Assistant Guo's great name."

Shentu Bei also hurriedly returned the salute to Guo Tu.

After the two stood in front of the city gate and exchanged pleasantries, Shentu Bei invited Guo Tu to enter the city together.

The two walked into Pingcheng Pass side by side, and the city gate behind them slowly closed.

After walking into the city, Guo Tu's gaze swept around the city, and when he saw the flames and black smoke rising on the north city wall, the corners of his eyes narrowed involuntarily.

"Assistant Guo came on this trip... is..." Shentu Bei asked while walking beside Guo Tu.

Guo Tu smiled slightly and said: "To be honest with Administrator Shentu, Guo did indeed have some things to come on this trip."

"Please speak." Shentu Bei made a gesture of invitation.

"It is like this. I assume Administrator Shentu has already received the imperial court's order. This time to exterminate the rebel Duan Yu, the imperial court has joined forces with the Xianbei cavalry to enter the pass. Administrator Shentu knows about this, right?"

Shentu Bei naturally knew.

And he had been worried about this matter for several days.

"Yes, this official received the imperial court's order a few days ago to let the Xianbei cavalry enter the pass, and it was precisely because of this that this official came to Pingcheng Pass."

"Oh?" Guo Tu raised his eyebrows and said: "Then since that is the case, why don't I see the Xianbei cavalry?"

Guo Tu asked knowingly.

Shentu Bei then looked in the direction north of Pingcheng Pass and said: "To be honest with Assistant Guo, this official did indeed receive the imperial court's order to let the Xianbei cavalry enter the pass."

"But the imperial court did not specify how many Xianbei cavalry were to enter the pass."

"The day before yesterday, the Xianbei cavalry came, numbering sixty or seventy thousand. Assistant Guo, do you know that if these sixty or seventy thousand Xianbei cavalry enter the pass from Pingcheng Pass, in case any changes occur, the consequences will be unimaginable."

"These sixty or seventy thousand Xianbei cavalry are not six or seven thousand. Although the imperial court has an order, it did not say the specific number. This official is worried, so he sent someone to the imperial court to confirm the specific number."

Guo Tu nodded while listening.

This Shentu Bei is vigilant enough.

Sixty or seventy thousand Xianbei cavalry entering the pass is certainly not a small matter.

But if one waits for Shentu Bei to confirm with the imperial court, one doesn't know how long it will take for this round trip.

Bingzhou Inspector Zhang Yang has already been captured, and the Liangzhou troops may perceive their plan at any time.

So everything must be fast.

"Administrator Shentu, there is one thing Administrator Shentu might not know yet." Guo Tu said while walking: "The plan to join forces with the Xianbei cavalry to exterminate Duan Yu is actually the plan of the Jizhou Shepherd, and it was also requested by the Jizhou Shepherd to the imperial court through the Grand Tutor."

"I say this... I don't know if Administrator Shentu understands."

"As the saying goes, the battlefield situation changes rapidly, and the opportunity for war is fleeting."

"Now Bingzhou Inspector Zhang Yang has been captured, and the three commanderies of Taiyuan, Shangdang, and Xihe have all fallen into Duan Yu's hands."

"If Administrator Shentu goes back and forth to request the imperial court like this, not to mention that the Liangzhou army is currently blocking Shang Commandery and the Sili Colonel Department, and the road is difficult to travel, the time to be delayed is too long. At that time, if Duan Yu sends troops to Yanmen Commandery, what should be done?" Guo Tu looked at Shentu Bei and asked.

Shentu Bei, who was walking, suddenly stopped and looked at Guo Tu with a serious expression.

Shentu Bei had not considered what Guo Tu said.

But there is another saying.

It is called weighing two benefits and choosing the greater, weighing two harms and choosing the lesser.

Duan Yu and the Luoyang imperial court are fighting.

No matter what, it is a matter between the Han people themselves.

Even if Duan Yu attacks Yanmen Commandery, it is impossible to burn, kill, and loot, and it is impossible to slaughter the Shentu clan.

This is certain.

This is an internal struggle between the Han people.

Shentu Bei knew this very clearly.

But if he directly opens the pass and lets the Xianbei cavalry in.

If the Xianbei cavalry causes trouble in Bingzhou, that is completely different from Duan Yu attacking Yanmen Commandery.

Once the Xianbei causes trouble, it will be smoke and fire everywhere.

These alien tribes don't care about any Shentu clan or any other famous family.

In the eyes of these people, there is no distinction between high and low, rich and poor among the Han people; they are all objects of their slaughter and plunder.

And famous families like these are even more the objects of their key slaughter and plunder.

Even if the Shentu clan could luckily escape a disaster.

But in the future, history books will inevitably leave a heavy stroke, which is enough to make the Shentu clan never turn over.

Therefore, on this issue, Shentu Bei chose to weigh two harms and choose the lesser.

He would rather miss the opportunity for war in Guo Tu's mouth, be blamed by the imperial court, and be captured by Duan Yu in Yanmen Commandery, than be willing to let the Xianbei into the pass.

"Assistant Guo, this official naturally knows what you said, but the Xianbei cannot be easily trusted. If this Xianbei army really causes trouble after entering the pass, then not to mention this official, even the Empress Dowager would not be able to bear the consequences, so..."

Shentu Bei shook his head and said: "So this official still wants to confirm with the Luoyang imperial court whether it is really like this."