If one general is incompetent, the three armies will be exhausted.
After the three top cultivators were defeated, the coalition forces retreated.
Retreating at this time is to stop losses in time and avoid greater damage.
Because they know very well that if they continue to fight, they will only suffer greater losses.
The coalition forces came together because of their interests. Now that the war has failed, the coalition forces naturally have no possibility of continuing to exist.
The northern barbarians, the southern barbarians, and the Dongyue Jiange instantly dispersed and each returned along the original path.
The worst offender was Wei Wuji.
This time he came to Chang'an City with the intention of fishing in troubled waters, taking advantage of the chaos to sneak into the palace and kill Emperor Xianlong.
But he didn't expect that the mountain chief would keep everything in mind.
The mountain chief deliberately gave him a chance to confront Zheng Jie, and Wei Wuji used the expansion technique without hesitation.
Wei Wuji had the upper hand against Zheng Jie.
But so what?
After using the expansion technique, Wei Wuji became a real target, and his flexibility was greatly reduced.
The mountain chief only had to step hard on this target, and Wei Wuji could only cry and howl.
Of course, Wei Wuji suffered the loss of the wheel battle, but even if he had not fought Zheng Jie first, but had gathered enough strength to fight the mountain leader, he still didn't have much chance of winning.
After this battle, Wei Wuji would never have any thoughts of fighting with Shan Zhang again.
He understood that the gap between himself and the mountain leader was huge.
The situation of the Southern Barbarian witch and Gu masters is relatively better.
Apart from being slapped in the face by the mountain leader, he did not suffer any real harm.
Actually, as long as you don't feel embarrassed about being slapped in the face, the only person who will be embarrassed is others.
Among super practitioners, witch and Gu masters are also ranked low.
There is no shame in being unable to defeat the mountain leader.
And for the Nanman, even if Chang'an is not captured, it is acceptable.
Because they will evacuate further to Jiannan Road.
Although Jiannan Road is not as good as Gyeonggi Province, and although Jinguan City is not as good as Chang'an City, it is already extremely wealthy.
You must know that the southern barbarians were driven into the vast mountains a thousand years ago.
They have been able to survive in extremely harsh conditions for thousands of years. Now that they finally managed to escape and occupied Jiannan Road, they are very satisfied.
Of course, the premise is that they can defend Jiannan Road and Jinguan City, otherwise they will have to go back to their mountains and live in caves.
With the Zhou people's vengeful character, they would definitely be dissatisfied after being so humiliated by the Nanman people, and they would definitely try their best to fight back.
Therefore, the most important thing for the Nanman people now is to return to Jiannan Road as soon as possible, build a fence as much as possible and wait for the Zhou army to attack.
The transition between offense and defense is sometimes so subtle.
As for the northern barbarians
Life was not easy either.
Although the main force of their army did not suffer any serious losses during this expedition, they also plundered a lot of things.
But returning to the grassland in despair at this time is obviously not a wise choice.
Because the reason why they chose to go south at this time instead of the autumn that grassland tribes usually choose was because of the severe drought in the grassland.
The drought is really too serious.
There was no water for people and animals to drink.
The river has dried up and not even the dead grass can survive.
If you don't go south, you will die.
That's why Ashina Zhuo insisted on going south despite the opposition of the great master of the Demon Sect.
Now they have looted gold and silver treasures, but if they return to the grassland, it is impossible for the gold and silver treasures to be transformed into food and water.
So everything is back to square one.
But if they don't go back, the Zhou army that has come back to their senses will probably come forward and beat them up.
After all, for the Zhou people, they had suffered enough humiliation and invasion from barbarians.
Therefore, the northern barbarians must evacuate in time.
If they fell into the encirclement of the Zhou army, they would have no possibility of escaping.
Daming Palace, Zichen Palace.
Emperor Xianlong, who was sitting high on the dragon chair, looked cold.
He stared coldly at Wang Zhongyi who was kneeling in the hall, as if he were looking at a corpse.
For Emperor Xianlong, the most unacceptable thing was to be betrayed.
Especially the subject.
As the governor of Shuozhou, Wang Zhongyi could watch the northern barbarian army slip away under his nose, which made Emperor Xianlong find it incredible.
Moreover, although Wang Zhongyi immediately led his troops to the south to serve the king, there was no direct conflict with the northern barbarians from beginning to end.
Doesn’t this explain something?
"Wang Zhongyi, do you know your guilt?"
After a long time, Emperor Xianlong finally opened Chrysostom.
As for Emperor Xianlong, he had already firmly believed that Wang Zhongyi was a traitor.
So no matter what Wang Zhongyi says, it will not change his judgment.
Even so, Emperor Xianlong still wanted to see what Wang Zhongyi would say.
Wang Zhongyi's back was soaked with cold sweat at this moment.
He knew very well what Emperor Xianlong was like.
This Majesty's heart is smaller than the nose of a needle. Although he is the emperor, he is just as vengeful as the woman with bound feet in the village.
But anyone he thinks deserves to die will definitely not be able to escape.
Wang Zhongyi had already been sent to prison once before. If the bad guy Zhao Xun hadn't peeled off the cocoon, picked up gold from the sand, and finally helped Wang Zhongyi get out of trouble, Wang Zhongyi probably wouldn't be alive today.
At that time, Wang Zhongyi was accused of collaborating with the enemy and treason.
Now Wang Zhongyi is facing the same accusation, but the bad guy who helped him avert danger is no longer around.
This made Wang Zhongyi feel very uneasy.
If the king wants his ministers to die, they must die.
If Emperor Xianlong really wanted him to die, Wang Zhongyi would have no chance of surviving.
But Wang Zhongyi was unwilling to give in.
He really didn't do anything, so why should he be saddled with this unfounded crime?
This was obviously a deliberate arrangement by the northern barbarians, who wanted to kill him with a borrowed knife.
While Wang Zhongyi was stationed in Shuozhou, he reorganized his army and activated the bloody spirit of Shuozhou people to the greatest extent.
He made all Shuozhou men understand the responsibilities they shouldered through repeated calls.
None of the Shuozhou men were cowards. They dared to engage in one-on-one combat with the northern barbarians, and they also dared to be the first to charge into battle when the two armies faced each other.
If Wang Zhongyi dies and the imperial court sends another Jiedu envoy to Shuozhou, if this new Jiedu envoy doesn't buy Wang Zhongyi's plan and starts working on his own things again, then Wang Zhongyi's efforts for so many years will be in vain.
Therefore, Wang Zhongyi could never accept his unjust death.
He wanted to express his feelings to Emperor Xianlong.
"Your Majesty, I am guilty. I failed to capture the movement of the northern barbarians at the first time, and failed to stop them before they went south. As a result, the northern barbarians came to Chang'an City and disturbed the Holy Master. I deserve death for my crime."
"Humph, Wang Zhongyi, you are very good at avoiding the important and taking the easy."
Emperor Xianlong snorted coldly, his eyes so sharp that they could kill someone.
Emperor Xianlong was naturally not an easy person to deal with, so he pointed out directly: "I see that you are clearly in cahoots with the Northern Barbarians to support the bandits in order to respect themselves."
Boom.
Hearing this, Wang Zhongyi felt like his brain was exploding.
Why did His Majesty the Emperor say this? In His Majesty’s mind, is Wang Zhongyi such a person?
"Your Majesty, please calm down. I have no intention of doing so."
Wang Zhongyi shouted: "I have been in Shuozhou for three years, and I have concentrated on training my troops, just to be able to have a hearty battle with the northern barbarians one day. Our cavalry in the Zhou Dynasty is not as good as the northern barbarians, so I ordered to raise horses and war horses.
Raise war horses capable of fighting. My Zhou soldiers are not good at long-distance raids, so I will strengthen their daily training. All this I do is to fight against the grassland barbarians to the greatest extent possible."
What Wang Zhongyi said was heartbreaking, but to Emperor Xianlong's ears it sounded like sophistry.
He had already determined in his heart that Wang Zhongyi was guilty.
Even though he didn't have any secret liaison with the prairie barbarians and didn't respect himself as a bandit.
Just because he allowed the prairie barbarians to bypass his defense zone and go directly south was a capital crime.
The grassland barbarians were very mobile. After bypassing Shuozhou, they headed south and soon reached the vicinity of Chang'an City.
After this, the prairie barbarians did not immediately attack the city, but began to plunder near Chang'an City in Gyeonggi Province.
Where is Wang Zhongyi at this time?
If Wang Zhongyi and his troops rushed to Chang'an to rescue King Qin in time, Emperor Xianlong would be more tolerant of him.
But there is no problem.
Even though Wang Zhongyi led the Shuozhou Army to arrive and stationed face to face with the prairie barbarians, he did not launch a charge.
This was unacceptable to Emperor Xianlong no matter what.
Emperor Xianlong was a person who valued loyalty very much, and he was also a very suspicious person. He would never use anyone he considered disloyal.
What's more, he has already given Wang Zhongyi a chance.
Wang Zhongyi really disappointed him.
"Come here, push him down."
Emperor Xianlong waved his hand, and two internal guards came forward and dragged Wang Zhongyi away.
"Your Majesty, I am wronged, I am wronged. I have no intention of collaborating with the enemy and treason, let alone the actual intention of collaborating with the enemy and treason. Please tell me clearly!"
Emperor Xianlong was too lazy to listen and allowed Wang Zhongyi's voice to get smaller and smaller until it disappeared completely.
Imperial City, Yamen for Bad People.
The Yamen was shrouded in a depressing atmosphere.
The enemy's retreat was a matter worthy of celebration, but none of them were happy.
This includes Zhao Xun.
The reason is simple: Wang Zhongyi was imprisoned.
As soon as the enemy troops withdrew, Emperor Xianlong summoned King Qin's general, Shuozhou Jiedushi Wang Zhongyi, into the palace.
As a result, it didn't matter that he entered the palace. Wang Zhongyi was directly imprisoned by Emperor Xianlong on the charge of collaborating with the enemy and treason.
Zhao Xun knew Wang Zhongyi quite well, and this person could be regarded as an old acquaintance of Zhao Xun.
Wang Zhongyi was framed by the Left Prime Minister and almost died.
It was Zhao Xun who peeled off the cocoon step by step and finally pulled Wang Zhongyi back from the gate of hell.
It is no exaggeration to say that Zhao Xun was Wang Zhongyi's savior.
I thought this matter was over.
But who knew that Emperor Xianlong would start to settle old scores again.
Can't this dog emperor, who doesn't want to be the son of a man, do some human things?
Zhao Xun was all numb.
Of course, he knew that being a human being was indeed a great challenge for Emperor Xianlong.
Wang Zhongyi's charges this time were exactly the same as the last time, which can only mean that Emperor Xianlong had not completely cleared up the last incident in his mind.
Perhaps in Emperor Xianlong's heart, Wang Zhongyi was an unpleasant guy.
Yes, people like this who only know how to lead troops and fight but don't know how to flatter people will not please the emperor.
But there was no need for Emperor Xianlong to deliberately suppress or even slander Wang Zhongyi, right?
Although the contact between Zhao Xun and Wang Zhongyi was not long, their understanding was still very deep.
He knew that Wang Zhongyi was a very straightforward person, and he was by no means the kind of shady old man who pretended to be a pig and eat the tiger.
Everyone believes whoever conspired against Zhao Xun, but I don't believe that Wang Zhongyi would rebel against him.
Did Emperor Xianlong's head get caught in the door, or was there water?
At this moment, Zhao Xun had already greeted Emperor Xianlong and his female relatives in his heart, and he wished he could go up and slap him twice in person.
Of course, Zhao Xun knew that this was impossible, at least not yet.
Zhao Xun is not strong enough now. If he really does this, that old eunuch Zheng Jie will definitely not sit idly by and ignore him.
This guy is the most vicious, but he is also very loyal to Emperor Xianlong. If Zheng Jie sees someone attacking Emperor Xianlong, he will definitely fight back immediately.
Even if Zhao Xun really wanted to slap Emperor Xianlong in the face, he would have to wait until he became strong enough.
Now he relies on the academy and the protection of the mountain chief.
But the academy and the mountain chief cannot protect him forever.
In the end, people still have to rely on themselves and cannot place their hopes on others.
"Tsk tsk tsk"
Wangcai took a sip of tea and said with emotion: "This is really unpredictable. Who would have thought that General Wang Zhongyi would be imprisoned again. These big men do look good on the surface, but if they are unlucky, they will drink
Cold water will clog your teeth."
"Wangcai, please stop saying a few words. Haven't you seen Ming Yun feel so uncomfortable?"
Jia Xingwen said from the side.
"Well, I get it."
Wangcai stuck out his tongue and said to himself.
"It doesn't matter."
Zhao Xun smiled bitterly and said, "Wangcai is not to blame for this matter."
For Zhao Xun, the most important thing now is how to rescue Wang Zhongyi, rather than greeting Emperor Xianlong's family.
"Where is General Wang being imprisoned now?"
As the saying goes, know yourself and the enemy and you will be victorious in any battle.
Only by fully understanding the current situation and situation can we make targeted arrangements.
"The Prison of the Ministry of Punishment."
Jia Xingwen gave the answer immediately.
Zhao Xun nodded.
You can always choose to believe Jia Xingwen.
"What the Xingbu said is indeed a bit troublesome. I'm not very familiar with the Xingbu. It seems like it's impossible to solve this matter by myself."
Zhao Xun shook his head, then turned to Wangcai and said, "Wangcai, do you think that if I ask Mr. Feng to take action, he will agree?"
"Master Feng?"
Upon hearing this, Wangcai's head shook like a rattle.
"Master Feng probably won't be willing to take action."
There is absolutely no need for a close official like Feng Hao to offend the emperor for Wang Zhongyi.
What's more, Feng Hao has been in a lot of trouble recently.
Emperor Xianlong must have been very angry about the incident in the Western Regions. Tens of thousands of Anxi troops actually retreated to the sandbank and handed over the Anxi Protectorate to the thirty-six countries of the Western Regions.
If the situation in Chang'an had not been critical at that time, Emperor Xianlong might have directly issued an imperial edict to hold him accountable.
"How will you know if it doesn't work if you don't try?"
Zhao Xun obviously had no intention of giving up easily.
To him, Feng Hao is still a very upright and decent person.
Being decent doesn't mean being rigid, and being decent doesn't mean being aloof.
In Zhao Xun's view, Feng Hao is a person who is round on the outside and square on the inside.
Feng Hao was very artistic and smooth in handling many things.
But in fact, Feng Hao also has his own principles in his heart.
This principle is that it must be good and it must be fair and just.
If anyone touches his bottom line, Feng Hao will not hesitate to retaliate against them.
Of course this matter is somewhat complicated.
Because the emperor is involved.
Emperor Xianlong's attitude was very subtle. He threw Wang Zhongyi into the prison of the Ministry of Punishment without hesitation, but did not order a joint trial by the Ministry of Punishment or even the three divisions.
It can only be said that this dog emperor is indeed very powerful, and he understands that cold treatment is the best option at this time.
After all, Wang Zhongyi can be regarded as a famous minister. There should be many colleagues in the court, and even old friends.
These old friends will definitely try their best to help Wang Zhongyi, so they will not hesitate to offend Yan Zhijian.
If Emperor Xianlong chooses a joint trial of the three divisions at this time, then these close friends of Wang Zhongyi will definitely jump out to speak out for Wang Zhongyi one by one.
But Emperor Xianlong chose to treat it coldly.
This makes these people unable to exert their strength and have nowhere to exert their strength.
It was like gathering all the strength and punching the cotton.
Emperor Xianlong could even choose not to go to court.
This should be considered a routine operation for this dog emperor who does not want to be the son of a man.
As long as Emperor Xianlong chose to avoid his sharp edge, his ministers would have no good way to deal with it.
The only option was to write a memorial to defend Wang Zhongyi.
But there is also a problem, that is, Emperor Xianlong also had a back-up plan.
He can choose not to watch it.
Once Emperor Xianlong chose to leave the memorials unpublished, then these memorials would be like a mud cow drowning in the sea, and it would be difficult to hear anything from him again.
Emperor Xianlong had the initiative. As long as he didn't want to see it, no one could force him to see it.
If he doesn't go to court, doesn't accept requests from ministers, and doesn't read memorials, the ministers have no other option.
The only option was to go to the Daming Palace to cry and remonstrate.
At this time, Emperor Xianlong still had a trump card, which was the imperial staff.
The imperial staff is a surefire way to deal with disobedient ministers.
The so-called court cane is simply a spanking.
This is very consistent with the feudal etiquette of monarch, minister, father, father and son.
The emperor can spank his ministers, the father can spank his son, and the husband can spank his wife.
To put it bluntly, it is a way to declare authority and strong status.
In this way, Emperor Xianlong could frustrate the enthusiasm of some ministers and make other ministers who wanted to speak up for Wang Zhongyi think twice before doing so.
After all, to these people, some are really Wang Zhongyi's close friends.
These people have no other intentions in speaking out for Wang Zhongyi.
As for others, it is actually just to gain a good reputation.
Good reputation is something officials love most. They cherish reputation like feathers.
If you can win the reputation of a direct minister, they will be willing to do anything you ask them to do.
Of course, Emperor Xianlong would not give them this opportunity.
After all, not everyone can afford the imperial staff.
Once the board is knocked down, those with weaker health will be unable to bear it.
Therefore, there are countless people who suffer from hidden diseases, and not all of them die.
If you don't even have your life, why do you need fame?
Therefore, Emperor Xianlong could suppress 95% of his ministers just by relying on this set of three companies.
There are only a handful of those left.
But in Zhao Xun's view, Feng Hao is considered one.
After getting along with him for such a long time, Zhao Xun admired Feng Hao very much as a person.
So he decided to give it a try.
Bad people's second-floor government office.
Bad handsome man Feng Hao looked very serious after sitting at the table.
"Do you want me to intercede for Wang Zhongyi?"
Feng Hao was not surprised at all that Zhao Xun made this request.
Zhao Xun is still as warm-hearted as ever and is very keen on helping others.
It doesn't matter even if this person has no interest relationship with him.
This is precisely the most rare thing in the court, and it is also what Feng Hao values most about Zhao Xun.
In a place like the imperial court, where good and bad people are mixed, the driving force is nothing more than profit.
When there are interests, there will be party struggles, and when there are parties that work together to defeat differences.
These guys are spitting foam and flying stars in the court, fighting for bloodshed, and all they want is profit.
And Zhao Xun is exactly the kind of person who can escape from the outside world and not look at the interests at all.
This is really valuable in the imperial court.
"Yes, I hope you can speak for General Wang."
Zhao Xun did not hesitate and said impassionedly: "General Wang is a hero of the Great Zhou Dynasty. His subordinates once retrieved all the files about General Wang from the archives. They found that General Wang had led the Shuozhou army to defeat the northern barbarians several times. , achieved a great victory. Such a brave and loyal man said that he would choose to collaborate with the enemy and treason, but his subordinates did not believe him."
Feng Hao was silent, and after a long time he sighed and said: "Not only do you not believe it, I don't believe it either. But is it useful? Does anyone care? It doesn't matter whether you or I believe it or not. It doesn't matter whether the civil and military officials of the dynasty believe it or not. The key is whether your Majesty believes it or not. .”
Feng Hao shook his head: "Our Majesty is the most suspicious, especially for a general like Wang Zhongyi. General Wang commands a hundred thousand Shuozhou Army, and the Shuozhou Army's combat strength is even in the entire Zhou Dynasty. The platoon is numbered. In this case, Your Majesty will have trouble sleeping and eating unless something goes wrong. What’s more, now the grassland barbarians are marching south and launching a massive attack?"
Feng Hao analyzed: "Ming Yun, do you still remember that I once told you that your Majesty is the most detestable kind of person."
"What kind of person?"
"A wise man."
Feng Hao paused and said, "Those who are trying to be clever and think they are smarter than Your Majesty will probably not end well."
Feng Hao has been in the officialdom for so long that he has met countless people.
Most people die of old age, but there is one exception.
This kind of person is the so-called smart-aleck person.
Because Emperor Xianlong was also a monkey spirit, he would never allow anyone to be smarter than him.
As an emperor, he can use the power in his hands to deliberately suppress them. Most of those people have disappeared, and even if they are still in the court, their presence is extremely low.
"Then, Lord Feng, are you willing to speak out for justice?"
Zhao Xun actually understood what Feng Hao said.
But the question is, is Feng Hao willing to take action?
After such a long argument, it wouldn't be in vain if we back down in the end.
"Of course I am willing. Because of morality."
Zhao Xun couldn't help but feel warm in his heart when he heard this.
The word morality...
It’s a good one because of the word morality.
Not because of friendship, not because of interests, but just because of morality, lending a helping hand is extremely rare in the whole court.
Zhao Xun couldn't even think of anyone other than Feng Hao who could do this.
What kind of realization is this.
"Thank you, Mr. Feng."
"You don't have to thank me, at least not now."
Feng Hao smiled lightly and said: "If I rescued General Wang, it would not be too late for you to thank me."
…
…
Daming Palace, Zichen Palace.
Emperor Xianlong rubbed his forehead while listening to the impassioned speech of the bad handsome man Feng Hao.
He thought that many people would offend Yan Zhijian for Wang Zhongyi's matter, but he never thought that it would be Feng Hao.
The reason is also very simple. Feng Hao is a bad commander and a minion of the emperor.
How could a servant of the emperor offend the emperor for the sake of a guilty minister?
Unless he doesn't want to mess around anymore.
But Feng Hao did come today.
This made Emperor Xianlong feel puzzled.
"You said Wang Zhongyi was wrongly accused?"
Emperor Xianlong's eyes were so cold that they could almost eat people.
"I feel that there are many doubts about this case and we should consider it in the long term."
But Feng Hao was watertight.
“It’s a good idea to take a long-term approach.”
Emperor Xianlong snorted and then said: "Then tell me how to make a long-term plan?"
For Emperor Xianlong, bad people were very important eyes and ears. Bad people and internal guards were his right-hand men, his eyes and ears.
With bad guys and internal guards around, Emperor Xianlong would not have become deaf or blind.
This point is very important.
Because what an emperor fears most is being ignored by his ministers.
Those ministers kept saying they were loyal to the emperor and patriotic, and dedicated themselves to the country, the country, and the country.
But all they really think about is how to benefit themselves and their family.
In their eyes, the emperor is just a tool and a puppet.
Emperor Xianlong was certainly not stupid, so he would never let officials fool him.
"It is appropriate for the three departments to conduct a joint trial."
"Trial by three departments..."
Emperor Xianlong pondered for a moment and slowly exhaled: "That's not a bad idea."
"What about bad people? What role should bad people play in this?"
"This depends on His Majesty's wishes."
Feng Hao said very cautiously: "Generally speaking, only major cases designated by the emperor need to be tried by unscrupulous people. Generally speaking, cases are tried by three divisions."
Emperor Xianlong nodded after hearing this.
"Then let the three departments review it."
Although Emperor Xianlong wanted to behead Wang Zhongyi directly at this moment, he still had to go through the necessary procedures.
Emperor Xianlong did not want to be poked in the back.
Although the emperor has many privileges, he cannot be above the law.
At least it can't be too obvious or blatant.
After all, face is still important.
"Your Majesty is wise."
Feng Hao finally breathed a sigh of relief.
For him, this is the best result and completely acceptable.
Emperor Xianlong would definitely not agree to having a bad person try the case. A joint trial among the three divisions would be the most ideal result.
"Your Majesty, if there are no other ministers, I will retire."
"Back off."
Emperor Xianlong waved his hands a little tiredly.
…
…
After Feng Hao left the palace, he returned directly to the Bad People's Yamen.
The first thing he did when he returned to the Yamen was to summon Zhao Xun.
"Master Feng, what's the result?"
Zhao Xun is still very concerned about the Wang Zhongyi case.
"I just came back from the palace, and the result is quite satisfactory."
Wang Zhongyi told Zhao Xun what Emperor Xianlong said exactly.
"It's probably going to be bad if the three departments are to hold a joint trial."
Zhao Xun is not very optimistic about the so-called joint trial of the three agencies, and the reason is very simple.
No matter it is the Ministry of Punishment, Dali Temple or Yushitai, they are all a bunch of licking dogs.
The censorship platform is slightly better, but these censors do not speak from a fair and impartial perspective, they are just trying to gain a good reputation.
Through the joint trial of these three divisions, Zhao Xun can basically imagine the outcome.
This result would definitely satisfy Emperor Xianlong, but it might not satisfy Zhao Xun.
"Master Feng, can't you try to have a bad person take charge of this case?"
"I'm afraid not."
Feng Hao shook his head and said: "Your Majesty is also testing me to see if I am Wang Zhongyi's crony. It's not good for me to be too obvious at this time."
Zhao Xun could understand what Feng Hao meant.
At this time, Wang Zhongyi was like a bait set by Emperor Xianlong.
Whoever will rescue Wang Zhongyi will most likely be Wang Zhongyi's crony.
Feng Hao has tried his best to help Wang Zhongyi, but he can't help himself.
"Your Majesty's thoughts are like a bottomless abyss, which is impossible to fathom."
He shook his head and said, "I'll leave it as it is, don't use too much force."
Feng Hao's words made Zhao Xun feel a little desperate.
Even a powerful official like Feng Hao had no good solution when facing the powerful Emperor Xianlong.
Because the power in his hands was given to him by Emperor Xianlong.
Emperor Xianlong could give him power, but he could also take it back.
This is the fundamental reason why Feng Hao can be extremely powerful in front of the ministers, but cannot argue with Emperor Xianlong.
That's all it can do now.
I just hope that the three-party trial can have a good outcome.
…
…
Wang Zhongyi was thrown into the cold prison of the Ministry of Punishment.
Although it is a single room, it still makes people feel extremely depressed.
This is the second time Wang Zhongyi has been thrown into prison.
The first time Wang Zhongyi thought he was going to die, but he was finally saved by Zhao Xun.
This time is the second time, as they say once it’s strange, twice it’s familiar.
Even Wang Zhongyi knows which position is more comfortable to sleep in.
This is really a great irony.
Wang Zhongyi knew that with his status, the trial would not be simple. At the very least, it would be a joint trial among three divisions.
There will basically be no results if it doesn't take more than half a month or even a month.
So there is no need to be anxious now, there is nothing you can do if you are anxious.
Wang Zhongyi had a clear conscience, so he was not worried about his life.
If the clouds clear and the moon shines brightly, there will definitely be good results.
…
…
"Shan Chief, what do you mean when you say this war is not over?"
Zhongnan Mountain, Haoran Academy.
In the two-story bamboo building, Long Qingquan was waiting respectfully and asked in a deep voice.
"The barbarians in the north have retreated, the barbarians in the south have retreated, the East Yue Jiange has retreated, but what about the west?"
The mountain chief put his hands behind his back and looked westward with meaning.
"Chief Shan, do you mean the thirty-six countries of the Western Regions?"
"good."
The mountain commander paused and said: "The thirty-six countries in the Western Regions have now reached Shazhou. With Shazhou's current military strength, it may be difficult to stop them."
"But now that Chang'an has its hands free, won't the imperial court send troops for reinforcements?"
"That's too late."
The mountain chief shook his head and said: "Something big will happen within ten days."
…
…
"Jian Zheng, you are such a noble person who forgets things so much."
Zheng Jie, the chamberlain's eunuch, visited the Qintian Prison in person and said meaningfully to the eunuch Yuan Tiangang: "Your Majesty has invited you to enter the palace to exorcise ghosts."
The Ming Dynasty Palace has not been peaceful recently and is often haunted by ghosts.
Emperor Xianlong didn't take it seriously at first, but it wasn't until he saw the ghost in person that he was convinced that something evil had indeed entered the palace.
Emperor Xianlong's first reaction was to find Zheng Jie. After all, Zheng Jie was the person he trusted most and was also a super master.
But the problem is that catching ghosts is not something Zheng Jie is good at.
There are specialties in martial arts. Zheng Jie is good at fighting and proficient in martial arts.
Zheng Jie is a good person when it comes to killing people, but he is really not that good at catching ghosts.
So Zheng Jie recommended a person to Emperor Xianlong - Yuan Tiangang.
As the Supervisor of the Qintian Supervisor and the Imperial Master of the Great Zhou Dynasty, Yuan Tiangang's status and seniority in the Taoist sect are quite high.
Catching ghosts is something the Taoist sect is good at. Although Yuan Tiangang's status as a ghost hunter is a bit of a talent, but fortunately he can solve the problem neatly.
The palace being haunted is no joke, and Emperor Xianlong has been in a very fragile mood recently. Zheng Jie didn't want any accidents to happen, so he notified Yuan Tiangang immediately.
Yuan Tiangang readily agreed and said he would go to catch ghosts as soon as possible.
But the fact is that Yuan Tiangang did not arrive as promised.
I am afraid that only Yuan Tiangang would dare to do this to His Majesty the Emperor.
"Mr. Zheng is joking."
Yuan Tiangang smiled slightly and said: "Pindao is waiting for someone."
"Waiting for someone?"
Zheng Jie frowned and said, "Who are you waiting for?"
"My little nephew, Qinglian."
Yuan Tiangang said calmly.
"Taoist Priest Qinglian?"
This name somewhat surprised Zheng Jie.
In terms of cultivation level, Qinglian Dao is far inferior to Yuan Tiangang.
One of them is super grade and the other is second grade.
It's a world of difference.
As for seniority, Yuan Tiangang is also above Qinglian.
What is Yuan Tiangang waiting for Qinglian to do?
As if he saw what Zheng Jie was thinking, Yuan Tiangang smiled lightly and said: "Actually, Qinglian's ability to catch ghosts is better than mine."
"What!"
Zheng Jie exclaimed: "Is it true?"
"Of course it's true. Why did I lie to you?"
"In that case, what about Taoist Priest Qinglian?"
"My young nephew was recently accompanying his apprentice to study the Taoist scriptures. He said he was unavailable and asked me to wait."
“…”
Zheng Jie was completely speechless at this time.
His face turned red and he didn't know what to say for a moment.
The mighty Emperor Zhou actually had to wait for a Taoist priest?
This is really the most outrageous thing in the world and is unheard of.
"Who is his apprentice?"
Zheng Jie still refused to give up and asked directly.
"The bad guy Zhao Xun is also an old acquaintance of Mr. Zheng."
Yuan Tiangang smiled slightly.
"Of course he is also Pindao's adopted son."
Yuan Tiangang emphasized the word "adopted son" very strongly, as if he was deliberately emphasizing it.
"Zhao Xun and Zhao Mingyun?"
Zheng Jie couldn't laugh or cry for a while.
"If it's really him, it would be simple."
Zheng Jie was silent for a moment and said: "You can ask him to enter the palace together. He is a bad person and has the right to enter the palace."
"Is this okay?"
Yuan Tiangang obviously didn't expect Zheng Jie to say that. He stroked his beard and said leisurely: "Then I'll go talk to him."
…
…
Green Lotus View.
Wu Quanyi sat cross-legged, and sitting next to him was the bad guy Zhao Xun.
During these days, Zhao Xun has been meditating with Wu Quanyi to learn the true meaning of Taoism, and has gained quite a lot of experience.
I have to say that my mentor is indeed an expert in this field.
After some guidance from his mentor, Zhao Xun has gradually been able to understand the core of the true meaning of Taoism.
This is completely different from just scratching the surface.
Then suddenly I saw a black dot appear in the sky.
The black spot was getting bigger and bigger, and Zhao Xun could clearly see that it was a flying sword.
There is a person stepping on the flying sword.
This person is none other than Yuan Tiangang.
"Why is my foster father here..."
Zhao Xun murmured.
This was somewhat beyond his expectation.
Not long after, Yuan Tiangang jumped down from the flying sword and walked lightly to Wu Quanyi and Zhao Xun.
"Father."
"Uncle Master."
Zhao Xun and Wu Quanyi stood up one after another and saluted Yuan Tiangang respectively.
"No need to be polite, I came here this time to ask when Qinglian will enter the palace."
"Enter the palace?"
"Yes, have you forgotten that you can go into the palace to catch ghosts?"
Wu Quanyi suddenly realized.
"I would have forgotten it if you didn't tell me."
He paused and then continued: "Catching ghosts is quite important. But I am halfway through the lecture to my disciple. Look at this."
"Haha, I've thought of this a long time ago."
Yuan Tiangang said with a smile: "It doesn't matter, you can take Zhao Xun into the palace with you."
"I have already asked Mr. Zheng what he wants, and he has agreed."
Damn it!
Countless alpacas passed through Zhao Xun's heart.
He thought to himself, you big guys have settled the matter with just a few words. Have you ever asked me for my opinion?
This is simply...
Of course Zhao Xun himself did not want to enter the palace.
He felt like vomiting as soon as he saw Emperor Xianlong's face.
If it weren't for rescuing Wang Zhongyi, he wouldn't even want the bad handsome man Feng Hao to plead with Emperor Xianlong.
And now he actually wants to follow his mentor into the palace to catch ghosts.
Good guy, it is inevitable that we will meet Emperor Xianlong.
If Zhao Xun had the chance to choose, he would definitely refuse without hesitation.
But he knew he didn't.
So he could only reluctantly agree.
Just think of it as a visit to see your mentor’s magical powers.
After all, this is Taoism's specialty.
If Zhao Xun didn't know how to catch ghosts and send generals out, he would inevitably be laughed at.
Having too many skills is not a burden. Learning a few more skills will never hurt you.
…
…
After entering the palace, Zhao Xun immediately felt the strange atmosphere.
"Why does my mentor feel so gloomy?"
"It is said that the palace is haunted, how can it not be spooky?" Gu Hao
Qinglian Taoist Priest Wu Quanyi said something that made Zhao Xun wish he was in trouble.
“Where exactly is the haunted place?”
"There are all harems, first the East Sixth Palace, then the West Sixth Palace, and finally the Zichen Palace."
The person who answered was the dead eunuch Zheng Jie.
Zhao Xun didn't have much favorable impression of Zheng Jie at the beginning, and now he hates him extremely.
In his opinion, Zheng Jie was just a licking dog of Emperor Xianlong, and he was the kind of existence with no bottom line.
Zhao Xun never wanted to see such a person for a moment.
Because of the pressure, he still had to chat and laugh with Zheng Jie, which was really disgusting.
"So, this ghost should have existed for a long time."
Wu Quanyi said calmly: "It's just that I have been suppressed by Yang Qi, so I didn't break free."
"Taoist Priest Qinglian, Master Yuan, let's go to the East Sixth Palace first."
Zheng Jie didn't seem to want to make any more comments, but walked directly to the east.
Seeing that he had no choice, Zhao Xun stepped forward and followed him.
Now that I'm here, I naturally have to find out what happened.
Ghost hunting? It sounds really interesting.
…
…
The East Sixth Palace is more lively than the West Sixth Palace.
Generally speaking, the palaces in the west are mostly occupied by concubines who have fallen out of favor, or are in the cold palace. The palaces in the east are occupied by favored concubines.
This can be seen not only from the size of the palace but also from the number of palace attendants.
Under the guidance of Zheng Jie, Yuan Tiangang, Wu Quanyi, Zhao Xun and others arrived in front of Huining Palace one after another.
Huining Palace is the head of the six eastern palaces, and the earliest news of hauntings came from Huining Palace.
The owner of Huining Palace is Concubine Pan, to be precise, Concubine Pan.
Concubine Pan was very favored, and her status in the palace was second only to the queen.
Now that the position of the middle palace is hanging, Concubine Pan is the actual queen.
Having said that, it is still one level behind.
Women are very concerned about status, so Concubine Pan has always been worried about her.
She often persuaded Emperor Xianlong to make her his queen. Emperor Xianlong was obedient to her in other matters, but in this matter Emperor Xianlong did not agree. He would rather the position of queen remained vacant.
Of course, these palace affairs were told by Li Taiping, the head of Yonghe County, to Zhao Xun. Zhao Xun didn't know how much of them were true or false.
Fortunately, his adoptive father Yuan Tiangang and his mentor Wu Quanyi did not use mind-observation skills. Otherwise, if they knew that Zhao Xun was still gossiping at this moment, they would definitely vomit blood in anger.
"arrive."
Zheng Jie was very familiar with Huining Palace, so he came to the gate and said quietly: "Guys, please come in. This is the residence of the harem beauties, and men are not allowed to enter. But you guys are here to catch ghosts.
I have received special approval from His Majesty, but you should still be in awe."
Zhao Xun was disgusted by Zheng Jie's expression.
Oh my god, can’t this dead eunuch be a human being?
Awe, awe of the hammer.
Ordinary people in Shengdou who have never seen the world might still be frightened by the aloof Emperor Xianlong, thinking that this is the real Dragon Emperor.
But in fact, there is no real nobility or disgrace in this world.
They are all artificially created to distinguish them.
Human beings are not animals and do not need species and blood for breeding.
Just like Zhao Xun, who came from the most noble lineage of Cheng Guogong and was born with a golden key, but he never felt secretly ecstatic because he was a member of the Zhao family.
Because he knows very well that there is no fundamental difference between himself and other people.
The same goes for the emperor. The emperor is just the head of the aristocracy.
It was okay for Emperor Xianlong to fool ordinary people, but if he wanted to fool Zhao Xun, he was thinking nonsense.
Of course, Zhao Xun will still show basic respect on his face.
The other two didn't seem to have much cold either.
After all, they are all members of the Taoist sect.
The core of Taoism is tranquility and inaction.
What is important is to follow the mood of the environment and manage it by doing nothing.
Emperor Xianlong asked them to condescend to catch ghosts. They were already very proud.
"Pan Guifei has been disturbed recently, please keep your voices down."
Before entering the main hall, Zheng Jie reminded again.
Good guy, no need to be so deliberate.
Zhao Xun called him an expert in his heart.
They won't do anything to Concubine Pan, she's obviously just a second-hand commodity...
The three of them followed Zheng Jie into the main hall and immediately smelled a strong fragrance.
It's ambergris.
Zhao Xun smelled it immediately.
After arriving in this world, apart from going to the toilet, the two things that Zhao Xun couldn't stand the most were the lack of wifi and the incense.
No matter what the fragrance is, no one can resist being smelled like this for a day.
The aroma is so strong, this Pan Fei is still a strong taste.
Walking around the screen and walking into the Nuan Pavilion, Zhao Xun saw Concubine Pan lying on the beauty couch at a glance.
This Pan Feisheng has a plump figure, and her skin is as fair as white Hetian jade without any wrinkles. Judging from her age, she should be around twenty-six or seven.
"Slave, please see Concubine Pan."
Zheng Jie knelt down and kowtowed in front of Concubine Pan respectfully. This move made Zhao Xun curse in his heart.
Good guy, you are a super master after all. Although you are physically disabled, you should be mentally strong. How can you be so contemptuous of yourself?
Those who debase themselves will be despised by others.
If you even look down on yourself from the bottom of your heart, others will treat you as a slave.
Zhao Xun thought at first that Zheng Jie was just kneeling and licking Emperor Xianlong, but he didn't expect that he would also kneel and lick the imperial concubine.
Zhao Xun couldn't help but look down upon Zheng Jie a little more.
"You poor Taoist, please see Pan Guifei."
"I'm going to see you, your Majesty."
Yuan Tiangang and Wu Quanyi both nodded slightly as a salute.
As for Zhao Xun, he made a cross-hand salute.
This is a normal etiquette in the Zhou Dynasty, and it is much better than Zheng Jie's kneeling down at every turn.
"No gift."
Concubine Pan opened her red lips lightly and said softly.
It can be seen that Concubine Pan has been looking very haggard recently, probably because she was haunted.
From this point of view, there is really not much difference between the so-called nobles and ordinary people.
Is it that the emperor's concubine is not worried about not being able to sleep?
"You guys must have heard about it. I don't know why the palace has suddenly become haunted recently, and I have been disturbed so much that I can't sleep or eat well. I also asked Duke Zheng to come over and said that there are indeed many evil things. But Zheng
I'm not good at catching ghosts, so I bothered the two Taoist priests... and Mr. Zhao."
Damn it, Concubine Pan knows me?
Zhao Xun was completely shocked.
What Mr. Zhao calls is very confusing.
But if you think about it carefully, it should be that Emperor Xianlong often talked about Concubine Pan.
After all, Concubine Pan was a beloved concubine, and it was common for her to accompany the king. It was normal to hear something about Emperor Xianlong's evaluation of his courtiers.
Well, it seems that Emperor Xianlong was very fond of Zhao Xun. He should have described Zhao Xun as a handsome young man with a graceful face, elegant and unrestrained.
That's why Pan Guifei could immediately recognize Zhao Xun the first moment she saw him.
After all, there are not many handsome people like Zhao Xun in this world.
"Concubine Pan, there is no need to worry. Let Pindao come and take a look."
The first person to speak out was Qinglian Taoist Priest Wu Quanyi.
Zhao Xun thought about it carefully and realized that the two big bosses really had no place for him to speak.
"Taoist Master, please."
Wu Quanyi walked towards Nuan Pavilion after obtaining Concubine Pan's permission.
This is very important. You must know that this is the palace of the concubines, or the palace of Emperor Xianlong's beloved concubine.
If there is a little carelessness and rumors spread, it is no joke that there is a green grassland above Emperor Xianlong's head.
Even though Taoist Qinglian is very casual on weekdays, he is still very clear about these important matters.
"Taoist Priest, the Nuang Pavilion is the first to be haunted."
"Pan Guifei, please tell me carefully when you appeared."
"The third day of this month."
"What does that ghost look like?"
"I can't see my face, I'm wearing white clothes, I walk as if I have no feet, I'm always floating..."
Concubine Pan started to tremble as she spoke.
Zhao Xun thought to himself, good guy, why does this sound like someone is pretending to be a ghost?
Who are you fooling by a ghost whose face you can't even see?
…
…
There are various signs that Concubine Pan was fooled by someone pretending to be a ghost.
The one who was also fooled should be Emperor Xianlong.
Zi does not talk about strange powers and chaos, that is in the real world.
Dazhou is a world where practitioners and monsters coexist.
Nothing is unusual here.
Emperor Xianlong and Concubine Pan must also know this.
That's why they feel extremely frightened when someone pretends to be a ghost.
Then again, if you don’t do bad things on weekdays, you won’t be afraid of ghosts knocking on your door in the middle of the night.
It seems that Emperor Xianlong and Concubine Pan must have done a lot of bad things.
This is in line with their character.
Of course, these are all based on Zhao Xun's observation and speculation of details.
Everything has to be decided by the master of ghost hunting, Master Qinglian.
I saw Wu Quanyi observing carefully in the Nuan Pavilion, and then said firmly: "There are no ghosts here."
As expected, my mentor is indeed an expert.
Seeing that Taoist Qinglian's judgment was consistent with his own, Zhao Xun felt very stable.
There should be no problem.
"No ghosts? How could there be no ghosts?"
I saw that Concubine Pan, who was originally quite dignified, suddenly became pale and distorted.
Seeing this, Zhao Xun said harmoniously: "Mother, if there are ghosts or not, we have to listen to the professionals. As the saying goes, there are people who learn the Tao in order, and there are specialties in the art. My master is a first-class Taoist ghost-hunting master. He said
If there are no ghosts, then of course there are no ghosts.”
Zhao Xun helped Wu Quanyi stand up, and Wu Quanyi was naturally very satisfied.
Well, he is worthy of being the disciple he taught with his own hands. He is a dear and knows that he feels sorry for his master.
Of course, Wu Quanyi also had to show his strength at this moment and stop Concubine Pan's mouth.
Otherwise, if this continues, this case will be unsolvable.
"There are really no ghosts here, there are just dead souls."
Pfft, Zhao Xun almost burst out when he heard this.
He thought, "Master, can you please stop gasping? It's very difficult for him to do this."
He had just praised his mentor, but his mentor said this.
He would like to know the difference between ghosts and revenants.
"The so-called ghosts generally refer to evil ghosts and fierce ghosts. These are all transformed from dead souls. The dead souls cannot be saved, so they keep accumulating grudges and eventually become fierce ghosts. But not all dead souls will become fierce ghosts, because dead souls usually
They will be reincarnated. This is why people chant sutras and pray for people after they die."
My mentor Qinglian Taoist Master Wu Quanyi continued: "Generally speaking, the seven days after a person's death is a critical period. Whether the soul of the deceased can be reincarnated depends on this period. If it remains in the human world without anyone to guide it, it is very likely to become an orphan.
The soul eventually transforms into a ghost."
Concubine Pan was so frightened that her face turned pale.
She swallowed and said, "In your opinion, will this dead soul really turn into a ghost?"
"There is this trend."
Wu Quanyi nodded and spoke word by word.
"Ah this."
Concubine Pan leaned back instinctively, her face turned pale with fear.
"Then what should we do?"
"Don't panic, poor people can be saved."
Wu Quanyi said very confidently.
"Okay, that's really great. Thank you, Taoist Priest Qinglian."
Zhao Xun looked at his mentor with eyes full of admiration at this moment.
His mentor is indeed his idol. From now on, he will be given the nickname "Little Ghost Hunter".
With my mentor's ability to catch ghosts, there would be no problem in making a living from it.
"Uncle Master, come and help me prepare a feast."
This was what Qinglian Taoist Master Wu Quanyi said to Yuan Tiangang.
At this moment, the Great Zhou Imperial Master had no airs at all, but nodded slightly.
Taoist priest Qinglian was chanting and swaying it with a whisk.
"Thousands of filth, evil will not exist; thousands of demon kings, protect your life and body. Overcome the difficulties of the three realms, and relieve the five sufferings of hell. All return to the Taishang Sutra, and quietly recite the Jishou ceremony. Jishou Qingxuan Lord, Taiyi saves the suffering Lord, Nine
Sitting on the head of a lion, I try to save the lonely soul."
Then Yuan Tiangang continued: "The gods of the ten directions are as numerous as sand and dust. They have transformed into the realms of the ten directions. They help the heavens and the people. They use their energy to gather merits and save the sinners with one voice. The sinners are really pitiful. I will now preach the wonderful sutra.
, reciting without rest, returning without pausing, enjoying great blessings in heaven, and no bitter sounds in hell, the fire will become the Qing Dynasty, the sword tree will turn into a sword, ascend to the Zhuling Mansion, descend to the Consecrated Gate, overcome the difficulties of the three realms, and go to the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty
sky!"
The uncle and nephew chanted sutras respectively, and after some salvation, they saw a golden light appear in the palace.
Qinglian Taoist Priest Wu Quanyi finally showed a smile: "Okay, the innocent soul is on its way."
Concubine Pan, who looked pale, breathed a sigh of relief when she heard this.
If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she would never have believed that Taoist priests really had the magical power of salvation through chanting sutras.
But now she admires Taoist Priest Qinglian and Jian Zheng with all her heart.
"Thank you both, thank you two Taoist priests."
"Concubine Pan, there is no need to be polite. If there is nothing else to do, we will leave."
After coming out of Huining Palace, Zhao Xun asked curiously: "Who is that wronged soul? Master, don't you dare to be interested in it?"
Qinglian Taoist Priest rolled his eyes at Zhao Xun and said: "I am here to save you, why do you care about these things? Besides, there are countless innocent souls who died tragically in this palace, so it doesn't make any sense for you to care about this."
Zhao Xun thought about it carefully and what his teacher said made sense. Catching ghosts was just a small episode.
Now that the mission is completed, Zhao Xun should still focus more on rescuing Wang Zhongyi.
This unlucky Shuozhou Jiedu envoy has already entered the palace for the second time.
It seems that this guy really had a conflict with Emperor Xianlong. If he is released, it would be best not to come to Chang'an.
With Emperor Xianlong's big heart, he might be able to kill Wang Zhongyi in a fit of rage.
Zhao Xun looked down on Emperor Xianlong from the bottom of his heart.
This guy only dared to fight against each other. When the allied forces of northern barbarians and southern barbarians besieged the city, Emperor Xianlong only dared to hide in the palace and did not even dare to go to the top of the city to boost morale.
Such an emperor is truly despising.
If given the chance, Zhao Xun must eliminate harm for the people.
The Ministry of Criminal Justice is proceeding very quickly with the case.
As long as it is a case that Emperor Xianlong cares about, they can always try it as quickly as possible.
In terms of ability to kneel and lick Emperor Xianlong, the Punishment Department can definitely be ranked at the forefront among the Three Divisions.
Since Emperor Xianlong had an obvious tendency, the Ministry of Punishment also had a strong inducement when hearing the case, deliberately inducing Wang Zhongyi to plead guilty.
But Wang Zhongyi also understood very well and refused to plead guilty no matter what.
He knew very well that as long as he confessed his crime, he would definitely die.
Not only will he die, but also his close associates and family members will also die.
So he won't let go no matter what.
Officials from the Ministry of Punishment were furious when they saw this and immediately ordered the execution.
Wang Zhongyi is not afraid.
After all, he is also a third-grade practitioner and has a very good foundation.
As long as the opponent's punishment does not penetrate his sea of consciousness, his body will not be irreversibly damaged.
The allied forces of the thirty-six countries in the Western Regions have been approaching Shazhou City for a long time, but they have not yet attacked the city.
On the one hand, they were worried about the hundreds of thousands of troops entering the city; on the other hand, they had received reliable information and could defeat the enemy without fighting.
This is the highest level in the Central Plains people's art of war. If it can be achieved, why use force?
After all, attacking a city is not just a matter of talking about it, people will bleed to death.
When fighting in the wild, the coalition forces were relatively better off. At worst, everyone would swarm them.
At that time, no one would blame anyone.
But that's not the case with siege.
There is always a certain order of siege. The one who sieges the city first and the one who sieges the city last are not of the same strength at all.
Then no one is willing to rush to the front and be cannon fodder.
This is also human nature.
Moreover, although the Thirty-Six Kingdoms of the Western Regions are known as the Thirty-Six Kingdoms, one country is actually the size of a city in the Central Plains.
Rather than calling it a country, it is better to call it a city-state.
A larger city-state like this could have more than 10,000 armored warriors.
The smaller ones can probably only gather a few thousand people.
That really means human life is worth gold.
One death and one loss must be cherished and used.
So when they learned that there was a chance to capture Shazhou City without bloodshed, they would rather wait.
In the city, Liu Lin, the governor of Anxi Jiedu, looked solemn.
He was willing to shoulder the responsibility and take the Anxi Army out of the Western Regions because he didn't want to watch this elite army being wasted to death.
But now that they have arrived at the sandbank, these rebels from the thirty-six countries in the Western Region are still chasing them mercilessly like a pack of vicious dogs.
This made Liu Lin find it difficult to accept.
He can no longer retreat.
When Anxi couldn't defend it, he retreated to the sandbank. Now if the sandbank couldn't be defended, should he continue to run? To Liangzhou?
If that were the case, even if the emperor didn't kill him, he would have no shame in living in this world anymore.
"Brothers, these rebels have gone too far. We can't wait any longer, we will fight them to the end!"
"Yes, fight them to the death!"
"Fight with them, fight with them!"
"Yes, kill one and earn one, kill two and earn a pair."
The Anxi Army is the pride of Zhou Dynasty and the pride of the people of the world. Now that they have recovered their strength, it is time to show their true skills.
They are going to make these rebels feel sorry for themselves.
"I am He Chun, the envoy sent by His Highness the King of Wei."
A man with a Chinese face walked into the Chinese military tent of the thirty-six-nation coalition in the Western Regions.
This man is very handsome and even has powder on his face.
As soon as he entered the tent, he attracted everyone's attention.
"You are finally here, we have been waiting for you for a long time."
He Yanwoer looked at He Chun coldly.
"So, in the words of you Central Plains people, you are rude."
"Haha, yes, I was rude. So I will give you a big gift to apologize."
"So where is the gift?"
Seeing He Chun's hands empty, He Yanwoer asked somewhat displeasedly.
"The gift is far away, but it is so close."
He Chun pointed outside the hood, in the direction of Shazhou City.
"I am willing to give Shazhou City to the general on behalf of His Majesty the King of Wei."
"Hmph, how do I know whether what you say is true or false? Your King Wei is the King of Wei of Great Zhou. Why does he help us fight against our own people, and why does he give us the sandbank?"
He Yanwoer was not stupid. He immediately understood the logical problem in He Chun's words and asked relentlessly.
He Chun was not in a hurry. He was well prepared before coming and had already typed up all the drafts.
Now it's just a matter of saying what you've prepared.
"The current emperor of the Zhou Dynasty is ignorant and the prince has no virtue. The King of Wei wants to replace him. However, His Highness the King of Wei is not strong enough to conquer the Central Plains. So he hopes to get allies. You are the best choice."
He Chun said without hesitation.
The fiefdom of Wei King Li Lian was in Liangzhou.
Liangzhou and Shazhou are the two ends of the Hexi Corridor respectively.
It can be said that if they obtain the support of the coalition forces of the thirty-six countries in the Western Regions and capture Shazhou in one fell swoop, and then march along the Hexi Corridor in Guazhou, they can meet up in Liangzhou.
From this point of view, King Wei's wishful thinking was indeed a good one.
"You mean King Wei wants to rebel?"
He Yanwo raised his eyebrows and said.
He understood what the other party meant.
The King of Zhou Wei was not willing to be a vassal king stationed on one side, but wanted to climb on the dragon chair and enjoy himself.
But his own military strength is only tens of thousands. Even if he recruits troops within Liangzhou to last him to death, he will only be able to gather an army of 100,000.
This ragtag group of people was certainly no match for the elite troops of Gyeonggi Province who defended Chang'an.
Therefore, King Wei must have allies, and borrowing troops is the best option.
Who can the King of Wei borrow troops from?
Apart from the Western Region Alliance, there is almost no other choice.
Because the northern barbarians are already attacking Chang'an.
"It's not a rebellion, it's a conspiracy against the Qing emperor."
He Chun cleared his throat and emphasized.
"In our opinion, it means the same thing."
He Yanwall said coldly: "Tell me, what can King Wei provide us?"
"The King of Wei brought tens of thousands of troops from Liangzhou, and they are now stationed in the city."
He Chun swallowed a mouthful of spit, and then continued: "These Liangzhou troops swear allegiance to His Highness the King of Wei, and they only obey the orders of His Highness the King of Wei. I am the temporary commander-in-chief of this army."
"just you?"
Heyanwo stared at He Chun for a long time, then laughed loudly and said, "Is there anyone in the Central Plains?"
He really couldn't connect the commander-in-chief of an army with the sissy Central Plains man in front of him.
Although the other party came to discuss cooperation with them, He Yanwoer still couldn't hold back his wanton ridicule.
"You Central Plains people are all scumbags, hahaha."
His laughter prompted ridicule from the other barbarian generals.
"Yes, you Central Plains people are all a bunch of scumbags, a bunch of idiots who only know how to play with women."
"Haha, yes, I am good at beating my own people, but I am a complete mess to others."
He Chun's complexion turned livid for a moment.
He really didn't expect these barbarians from the Western Regions to be so rude.
In any case, he was also an envoy sent by King Wei.
He didn't come all the way to Shazhou just to listen to the ridicule of these barbarians from the Western Regions.
"Ahem, please be respectful. We, King Wei, are here to discuss cooperation with you. Cooperation is based on mutual respect."
Heyanwall raised his hand to signal the generals to stop.
"Okay, let's talk about your idea in detail on how to capture Shazhou City."
"It's simple. The army in the city is mainly composed of the local garrison in Shazhou, the Anxi Army, and the Liangzhou reinforcements. The remaining two armies are completely defenseless against our Liangzhou reinforcements. As long as we suddenly open the city gate, cooperate with you inside and outside, and capture Shazhou
It’s an easy thing to do.”
…
…
He Chun spoke so wildly that spittle flew everywhere.
But to the commander-in-chief of the Thirty-six-Nation Alliance Army in the Western Regions, He Yanwall heard that it was just He Chun's self-pleasure.
"Finished?"
"Well, that's it."
"That's it?"
"."
He Chun was simply embarrassed.
"Ahem, do you think this plan is unreliable?"
He Yanwall sighed and said: "Do you think you are stupid or I am stupid, or the Shazhou garrison and the Anxi army are stupid? Even if they are not prepared for you, they still have a basic defense system, right? They
How can I just watch you do whatever you want in the city?"
It turned out that this was what he was worried about.
He Chun thought it was something. Since that was what they were worried about, there was nothing to worry about.
"General, please rest assured, we have our own way to ensure that we will cooperate internally and externally to welcome the army into the city."
He Chun knew that he didn't need to say too much to He Yanwo, he just needed to explain to him that he could fulfill his promise.
Judging from the current situation, what He Yanwall's army lacks is an opening. As long as he can help the Western Region Allied Forces open the city gate, the army will definitely be able to capture Shazhou City when they attack the city.
"How can I trust you?"
Heyanwal narrowed his eyes slightly and asked very deeply.
This issue is also what Heyanwall is most concerned about right now.
The reason is also very simple. What if the other party is just acting out a show?
What if this was all agreed upon by the Zhou army?
What if they believed it was true and the original "allies" suddenly stabbed them during the siege?
These possibilities are not impossible.
As the commander-in-chief of the coalition forces of the thirty-six countries in the Western Region, Heyanwall must be responsible for the safety of this coalition force.
"You are worrying too much."
Seeing that He Yanwo was worried about this, He Chun smiled and said: "I'm afraid you don't understand us Central Plains people. Do you know that I have already handed over all my money to you just now. If I make other promises, I will not keep them."
It doesn't matter. But what I just said is a huge handle. As long as you have this handle in your hands, you don't have to worry at all."
He Yanwall frowned when he heard this: "What's the reason?"
These Central Plains people talk in circles, just like women.
He Yanwo was really annoyed.
"His Royal Highness the King of Wei is interested in the position of great treasure and wants to raise an army to clear the king's side."
He Chun smiled and said: "With this handle in your hands, do you think we still have a way out?"
Heyanwall was silent.
It turns out this is what he was talking about.
The Central Plains Dynasty seems to really attach great importance to this. The imperial court is also very wary of vassal kings.
Normally, any vassal king who wants to enter the capital must obtain special approval from the court, otherwise he may be charged with treason.
This is no joke, you could lose your head in a minute.
I have to say that the power struggle is common everywhere.
He Yanwall knew that the same was true in the Western Regions.
Many kings and princes fought for power and even went to war with each other.
In the end it ended up being a very miserable outcome.
King Wei chose to take this step and there was indeed no way out.
There is no turning back when the bow is drawn, so the king of Wei can only go one way to the end.
"Okay, I will believe you just once. When will you do it?"
Heyanwall said very seriously.
Time is very important to him.
Only when the time is determined can the next plan be implemented easily.
"Three days later."
He Chun was already prepared, paused and said.
"Okay, then let's agree to do it in three days."
"It's a deal."
Shazhou City.
Now there are nearly 200,000 troops in the city, plus the original 100,000 civilians, a total of 300,000 people, squeezing the already small Shazhou City to the limit.
Unlike the people from the Central Plains, the men in the Hexi Corridor seem to be born with an optimistic attitude.
Even though hundreds of thousands of enemy troops were surrounding the city, they did not feel any change in their lives.
You should eat and drink when you should.
In the darkness of the sandbank, Liu Lin, the governor of Anxi, ordered hundreds of sheep to be slaughtered and roasted to reward the three armies.
Although hundreds of sheep were slaughtered in one go, there was not much left in each soldier's mouth. What was more was a fresh taste and a tooth sacrifice.
If you want to be full, you still need grilled naan.
When talking about grilled naan, we have to talk about grilled naan from the Western Regions.
The grilled naan was really shiny and browned inside and out.
Just looking at it from a distance makes people salivate.
"Tsk tsk, Protector General, we toast you this glass of wine!"
"Yes, Protector General, we toast you this glass of wine!"
"Without you, we wouldn't have been able to get out of the Western Regions alive."
"Yes, Protector, without your leadership, we would have been killed by the barbarian rebels in the desert and Gobi Desert."
What the generals said was true.
At that time, the Anxi Army was in a very low mood, and almost no one thought that they could successfully escape the rebels' pursuit and interception.
If Liu Lin hadn't kept saying this, his morale would have collapsed long ago.
Sometimes there is only one breath left. If you can bite it, everything is possible. If you cannot bite it, everything will stop.
"What are you talking about? This is what I should do. Come on, I'm a man and drink this glass of wine!"
"The Great Protector said well, come on, let's drink from this cup!"
"Yes, let's drink this cup to the fullest!"
"Drinking wine and eating meat, this is life."
"Yes, we will one day be able to fight back to the Western Regions under the leadership of the Great Protector."
"But, I want to go back to Chang'an. My mother-in-law and children are all in Chang'an. When I just left Chang'an, my children couldn't speak, and they should be half as tall as me now."
"What the hell are you talking about? A man should be lofty and ambitious, how can he act like a little girl?"
"Yeah, I'm happy today, don't say such bad words."
The Anxi Army is very united, and another meaning of being united is that it is not allowed to leave easily.
Without the approval of the Protector Liu Lin, it is impossible for anyone to leave the Anxi Army.
According to the rules of the Anxi Army, unless you are seriously injured and can no longer fight the enemy, you must continue to serve as a soldier.
The scene was a little awkward for a while.
Liu Lin cleared his throat and said, "Let's not talk about this anymore. Let's eat and drink."
At the same time, on the other side of Shazhou City, the Liangzhou Army was stationed.
In the camp, He Chun was carefully planning his actions in the near future.
According to his plan, he would first order people to set fire to Shazhou City, and then use the cover of the fire to launch a surprise attack.
The Anxi Army and Shazhou Army, which were originally sleeping soundly, should have hurriedly rallied at this time.
This left enough time for He Chun and the Liangzhou Army.
During this time, He Chun could order the entire army to rush open the city gate.
As long as the city gate is opened, the Western Region Allied Forces can enter the city smoothly.
He Chun doesn't need to worry about what happens next.
With the combat power of the Western Region Allied Forces and the fact that their Liangzhou Army could easily deal with the Shazhou Army and the Anxi Army, he felt that their chances of winning were at least 70%.
Taking the sandbar was of great significance to them.
Because this is the gateway to the outside world.
By controlling this place, armies from the Western Regions can continuously pour in.
With this steady stream of new troops joining us, His Highness the King of Wei's plan will be successful.
He Chun could also make great achievements in this way, so it was not difficult to become a marquis and worship the prime minister.
"The luminous cup of grape wine, if you want to drink, play the pipa immediately. Don't laugh when you are lying drunk on the battlefield. How many people have fought in ancient times."
In the palace of King Wei of Liangzhou, King Li Lian of Wei recited a poem written by Zhao Xun and then laughed loudly.
His destiny was changed by this person, so he naturally hated Zhao Xun from the bottom of his heart.
But I have to say that Zhao Xun is quite talented in poetry and can write such amazing poems.
King Shang Wu of Wei often showed his strength through polo matches when he was in Chang'an City.
Very different from Chongwen's crown prince and the King of Qi, the King of Wei firmly believed that only by having a large army in hand could he control his own destiny.
And what’s the use of raising so many literati?
After being driven to Liangzhou by his father, Emperor Xianlong, to become a vassal, King Wei had lost the right to compete for the throne in the eyes of the world.
But King Wei himself did not give up.
Because the King of Wei knew very well that the people in Liangzhou were fierce and fierce, and it was also the place where Zhou Dynasty raised war horses.
As long as he is determined to cultivate his power, it is not difficult to raise a powerful army in a short period of time.
The purpose of cultivating an army is not to guard the border against the barbarians, but to give him a chance to compete for the supreme position.
The King of Wei was very ambitious and would never surrender willingly.
Until the very last moment, he firmly believed that he had a chance.
Now he has waited for this opportunity.
The Western Region fell, Jiannan was lost, and Chang'an was besieged.
This is the rhythm of chaos in the world.
What a mess!
If there is no chaos in the world, King Wei will have no chance to take advantage of him.
But as long as the world is in chaos, King Wei's opportunity will come.
Liangzhou is located at the eastern end of the Hexi Corridor. It is the only way to Chang'an via the Western Regions and an important node on the Silk Road.
Therefore, if King Wei wants to attack Chang'an and seize the throne, the best choice is to form an alliance with the thirty-six countries of the Western Regions.
The Thirty-six Kingdoms of the Western Regions have not been economical since ancient times. The reason why they have surrendered to the Great Zhou in the past hundred years is because the Great Zhou is very powerful.
But they did not respect Zhou from the bottom of their hearts.
So as long as Da Zhou showed the slightest flaw, they would bare their fangs and pounce on him to bite him.
What King Wei has to do is to provide them with this opportunity as much as possible.
The thirty-six countries in the Western Regions have hundreds of thousands of troops, but the army under the command of King Wei only has tens of thousands.
These armies combined together form an extremely powerful force.
They are fully capable of attacking Chang'an in one fell swoop.
Therefore, King Wei must draw this force to his side.
He sent his confidant He Chun to lead troops to reinforce Shazhou.
On the one hand, it is to make a gesture and respond to the imperial court's will.
On the other hand, they are secretly planning to seize the sandbank.
He Chunming's identity on the surface is that of a general commanding troops and reinforcements. But secretly, his identity is that of an envoy who has formed an alliance with the armies of the thirty-six countries in the Western Regions.
What He Chun brought with him was the will of King Wei.
King Wei also believed that they would be willing to form an alliance with him.
The most important thing for the Hu people in the Western Regions is profit.
They will willingly work for anyone who can provide them with benefits.
To a certain extent, both sides can say that they each get what they need.
What the King of Wei borrowed was soldiers, and the promise he could provide was wealth.
By then, after they capture Chang'an, King Wei can ascend the throne as emperor, and the Thirty-six Kingdoms of the Western Regions can loot all the gold and silver treasures in Chang'an City.
In the eyes of King Wei, gold and silver were insignificant.
As long as he can ascend to the supreme position, the whole world will belong to him from now on, no matter what gold and silver he cares about.
When he thought of the magnificent Daming Palace in Chang'an City, King Wei felt that he could not control his emotions.
He was already imagining the scene when he was sitting on the dragon chair in the Zichen Palace, overlooking the ministers of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
He was sitting on the Dragon Throne, receiving the worship of hundreds of officials. It felt really good.
Jiannan Road.
The southern barbarians who had retreated to Shu returned to Jinguan City under the leadership of the leader of the witch and Gu masters.
Originally, he was worried that there would be pursuers along the way.
It turned out that he was overthinking.
After more than a month of siege in Chang'an City, the soldiers and civilians in the city were already extremely exhausted.
They suddenly escaped from trouble and had no intention of pursuing them.
This gave the southern barbarian army a chance to breathe.
This point is crucial.
Because they need time to arrange.
Only by guarding the Jianmen Gate can they guard the gate of Shuzhong.
Only by guarding Jinguan City can they ensure the prosperity of the tribe to the greatest extent.
Living deep in the vast mountains for a long time has made the southern barbarians adapt to a life of poverty.
When you suddenly become rich, you will naturally be ecstatic.
But it is easy to go from frugality to luxury, but it is difficult to go from luxury to frugality.
The barbarians in the south can no longer go back.
They will never give up the wealth they have obtained easily now.
As long as they guard Jiannan Road, they can live a life of debauchery, meat, and wine.
So why fight in Chang'an?
Even if Chang'an is captured, the profits will most likely have to be divided with the northern barbarians and the Dongyue Jiange.
How much will be distributed is yet to be determined.
It is better to guard this one-third of an acre of land.
At least these interests are their own.
"Go down with the order. Guard all the checkpoints for entering Shu."
The leader of the Southern Barbarian witchcraft masters knew very well that the road to Shu was difficult and dangerous.
As long as these key passes can be defended, there is no need to worry about the intrusion of the Gyeonggi army.
Back then, Bashu swordsman Yang Zhishui held back a hundred thousand troops at Jianmen Pass alone.
As long as they can follow the same method, they will be able to defend Jiannan.
It is said to be prepared for danger in times of peace, and it is said not to be arrogant and extravagant.
Life is short, only a few decades.
Even if practitioners can extend their lifespan, they cannot truly achieve eternal life.
So carpe diem is the most important thing.
If you don’t seize the time to enjoy it, you will be sorry for yourself.
Especially after this battle in Chang'an, the leader of the Southern Barbarian witch and Gu masters completely realized his own strength.
There are no tigers in the mountains, but monkeys are kings.
In the absence of strong enemies, the leader of the Southern Barbarian witch and Gu masters could still claim the title of king, but he had almost no chance of winning against someone with a higher level of cultivation than him.
…
…
…
This chapter has been completed!