After Long Rui's army annihilated the Liaodong army, Qin Xiao thought of uniting She Yue's forces in Xuzhou and Jiangnan to attack Kyoto from two directions and form a pincer attack on Kyoto.

He never looked down upon any enemy.

Although Kyoto suffered many changes, he also knew that it would not be easy to bring down Xiahou and Tantai Xuanye's party.

In his plan, he must base himself on the Northeast, seek self-protection first, and then enter the border.

If he can maintain a firm foothold in the Northeast and Sheyue can control large areas of Jiangnan and Xuzhou, then the power to revive Li Tang will be enough to compete with Kyoto.

It's just that the Northeast has just gone through a war and needs to implement various rest and recuperation policies after the war. Naturally, there are no plans to send troops into the country in the short term.

But the changes in Xuzhou made Qin Xiao understand that the opportunity to enter Kyoto was right in front of him.

Xiahou of Kyoto must have never imagined that the Shence Army would suffer such a disastrous defeat, nor would he have thought that Taishi Cunxu would secretly join forces with Li Chengqing to take Kyoto by false means of destroying Guo.

In a game of chess between masters, if one move is missed, the whole game will be lost.

However, Xiahou failed in several moves he made, and even resorted to a foolish move such as using the border troops to go south to attack Xuzhou. This was almost a fatal mistake for Xiahou.

Kyoto is definitely in chaos right now.

Qin Xiao knew that he could never give Kyoto a chance to breathe. Once some opportunities were missed, the price would be even greater if he tried to take them again.

"Why don't you say anything?" Seeing She Yue sitting on his lap, lowering his head and muttering silently, Qin Xiao only thought that She Yue was concerned about Xia Hou's life and death.

Although She Yue raised a flag to oppose Xia Hou, in the final analysis, blood is thicker than water. They are mother and daughter after all. At the critical moment of life and death, She Yue’s hesitation is understandable and she said softly, "If we really capture Kyoto, Xia Hou will still be yours."

If you deal with her, I guarantee that no one else will dare to touch her at all."

"I'm not worried about her." She Yue knew that Qin Xiao had misunderstood, and sighed softly, "She has already disown her relatives, so why should I be sentimental? And if she really wants to capture Kyoto, with her temperament, she will not let others decide her.

Life and death." At this point, he paused and seemed unwilling to mention Xiahou more, and said directly, "I'm worried about the south."

"South?" Qin Xiao was startled, but immediately thought of something, frowned and said, "You mean Pei Xiaogong?"

She Yue nodded and said, "Actually, I have always been worried about Pei Xiaogong's actions. In addition to the four northern towns in the Tang Dynasty, the strongest military force in the Tang Dynasty was Pei Xiaogong's Southern Army. The Southern Army was said to have 100,000 troops, although in fact there were not

So many people, but 60,000 to 70,000 people

There are still some.”

"I heard that Pei Xiaogong was promoted by the Xiahou family."

She Yue said, "Yes. The Pei family is also a family of warriors, and Pei Xiaogong's ancestors also had many generals. However, the Pei family has not produced a famous general. The most famous one is his grandfather, who has made some meritorious deeds and was awarded the fourth rank.

General Xuanwei was only a lieutenant general by the time his father arrived."

Qin Xiao knew that compared to the descendants of the great generals who founded the Tang Dynasty, the Pei family was really inconspicuous.

"However, Pei Xiaogong is good at both civil and military affairs." She Yue said, "When he was young, he served as a military commander in Jingzhou. At that time, there was the Three Wolf Rebellion in Jingzhou, which was quite powerful, but it was quickly put down by Pei Xiaogong. After that, he was transferred to southern Xinjiang to annihilate it.

He joined several groups of rebels and became famous. Xiahou Yuanzhen admired him very much. Later, Pei Xiaogong was transferred to Kyoto and served as the commander of the Wuwei Battalion. It was the Xiahou family who supported him."

"He served as the commander of the Military Guard Battalion?"

She Yue nodded and said, "When he became the commander of the Wuwei Camp, he had just turned thirty years old. He was the youngest commander of the Wuwei Camp since the founding of the Tang Dynasty. A few years later, Xiahou usurped the throne, and the Wuwei Camp became the strongest military force in Xiahou's hands.

. During the rebellion in the three states and seven counties, Pei Xiaogong led the troops to put down the rebellion. At that time, the Tusun people were driven out by the Taishi family, but the rebellion in the three states and seven counties was put down, and Pei Xiaogong took the greatest credit."

"So he made great achievements in quelling the rebellion in three states and seven counties, and was then transferred to the south?"

"After putting down the rebellion, Murong's strength in southern Xinjiang did not suffer any loss, and he controlled two states and fourteen counties in southern Xinjiang, becoming the biggest threat to the imperial court." She Yue explained, "So Pei Xiaogong, with the support of the Xiahou family, took the throne.

The position of the general of the Southern Army. He actually led troops to attack Southern Xinjiang several times, but all returned without success. Later he advised the court that Southern Xinjiang was located in a remote area and had a harsh environment. It was not a place to be taken quickly, but to be taken.

We worked step by step. At that time, some people in the court disapproved of this and felt that Pei Xiaogong was incompetent. However, Xiahou Yuanzhen supported Pei Xiaogong and supported the strategy of fighting a protracted war, so no one dared to object."

Qin Xiaodao: "So the southern army's strategy of only defending but not attacking originated from Pei Xiaogong?"

"Yes." She Yue said with a sneer on her lips, "Actually, if the imperial court had used all its strength to attack Southern Xinjiang, it might not have been impossible to win. Pei Xiaogong and Xiahou Yuanzhen insisted on the strategy of only defending but not attacking. They clearly had selfish motives."

Qin Xiao

He rolled his eyes and said, "If we really capture southern Xinjiang quickly and there is peace in the south, there will naturally be no need for the existence of the southern army."

"To hit the nail on the head." She Yue said, "Xiahou Yuanzhen regards the Southern Army as a direct descendant of the Xiahou family. As long as Murong exists in southern Xinjiang, the Southern Army will always exist. Xiahou Yuanzhen is in charge of the Ministry of Household Affairs, and he makes decisions on military supplies. Every year he submits reports to

The Southern Army has countless money, food and equipment. The four northern towns have an army of 100,000, and they have to fight the Tusun people from time to time. The Southern Army has much fewer troops than the four northern towns, and has almost never launched an offensive against southern Xinjiang in many years.

But the money, food and materials received far exceed those of the four northern towns."

Qin Xiao also understood and sneered, "We can not only retain a large army that the Xiahou family can mobilize, but also take this opportunity to make money. It's no wonder that the war in the south has not progressed." Suddenly he thought that after the chaos in Kyoto, Xiahou Yuan

Zhen was sent to Suzhou, but later I heard that Xiahou Yuanzhen suddenly disappeared without a trace. So is it possible that Xiahou Yuanzhen had sneaked into the Southern Army and was secretly protected by Pei Xiaogong?

Xiahou Yuanzhen was leading troops to attack the imperial city, and the palace also issued an explicit decree to depose Xiahou Yuanzhen and place him under house arrest in Suzhou.

Under such circumstances, if Xiahou Yuanzhen reaches Pei Xiaogong's side, it is not impossible for Pei Xiaogong not to dare to blatantly let people know the whereabouts of Xiahou Yuanzhen and to protect him secretly.

"Pei Xiaogong has tens of thousands of soldiers and horses in his hands. What I was most worried about before was that Kyoto would send those soldiers and horses to fight south of the Yangtze River." She Yue frowned and said, "The southern army is deployed along the northern line of southern Xinjiang. They are well-organized. Among them, Tanzhou is deployed

The troops and horses in Jiangnan are only a month's journey away from Jiangnan. Once troops are sent out, they will definitely be able to reach Jiangnan within a month. Jiangnan's troops are weak. Tanzhou has nearly 20,000 troops, which is the rear base camp of the Southern Army. Even if 20,000 troops are sent north,

Attacking Jiangnan will not affect the overall deployment of the Southern Army, but it can pose a fatal threat to Jiangnan." After a pause, he said, "So I have previously ordered that the three states in Jiangnan should step up recruitment and strengthen city defense in preparation for Pei Xiaogong to lead the army.

Kill it."

Qin Xiao said, "But until now, Pei Xiaogong seems to have had no movement."

"That's right." She Yue said, "I asked Xiao Jianzhi to inquire about Pei Xiaogong's movements at all times. Once they show signs of sending troops, they will immediately report via flying pigeons. However, the news from Xiao Jianzhi's side, Pei Xiaogong's soldiers

The horses have been standing still, and not a single soldier has moved to the north."

After Qin Xiao came to Xuzhou, She Yue had already told him in detail what he had experienced in Xuzhou, so he already knew

Xiao Jianzhi and Luo Hu took some of the officials from Ziyi Prison to defect to She Yue and obeyed her orders to be loyal to She Yue.

It was Xiao Jianzhi and his group who participated in the purge of Xiahou and Tantai's forces in the south of the Yangtze River and played an important role.

After regaining control of Jiangnan, She Yue not only asked Xiao Jianzhi to arrange for people to stay in Jiangnan to prevent further changes in Jiangnan, but also ordered Xiao Jianzhi to pay attention to the movements of the southern army.

"Tantai Xuanye left Kyoto and went to the front line to lead the troops in person. This proves that Xiahou has long been freed from Tantai Xuanye's control." Qin Xiao thoughtfully said slowly, "If Xiahou knows the whereabouts of Xiahou Yuanzhen,

I should have contacted you long ago."

She Yue understood what Qin Xiao meant and said, "Since Xiahou sent troops from Kyoto to attack Xuzhou, he should order Pei Xiaogong to mobilize troops to attack Jiangnan. She knew very well that Jiangnan is very important to me. If Pei Xiaogong conquers Jiangnan, it will be like cutting off my power."

Arm. If Xiahou Yuanzhen was on Pei Xiaogong's side, he would definitely cooperate with Xiahou and urge Pei Xiaogong to send troops. So Pei Xiaogong has been silent, which really feels strange to me. I can't be sure whether Xiahou did not give the order or Pei Xiaogong received the order.

But he is good at making decisions but does nothing?"

Qin Xiao thought for a while and then said, "Pei Xiaogong has a lot of troops. No matter what he thinks, he really has to be on guard. She Yue, do you think we should send someone to see Pei Xiaogong secretly to test his mind?"

"you mean?"

"Back then, Pei Xiaogong advised that the war in southern Xinjiang should be carried out step by step and not be quick." Qin Xiao's eyes became sharp and he said softly, "This incident shows that Pei Xiaogong is not an all-or-nothing character, but leaves a way out for himself."

She Yue thought for a moment, nodded and said, "That's true."

"So now that our army is fighting with Kyoto, is it possible that Pei Xiaogong also wants to leave a way out for himself?" Qin Xiao said softly, "We don't know anything about what happened in the southern army. We can send people to meet Pei Xiaogong secretly.

, explore the reality.”

She Yue nodded slightly and asked, "Who do you think should be sent?"

"I came to Xuzhou not long ago, and I am familiar with those generals." Qin Xiaodao, "But this time we send a secret envoy, we need a civil servant with good eloquence. I don't know if there are suitable candidates among the officials in Xuzhou?"

"Luo Xiang is a good candidate to join the army." She Yue said, "It's just that this trip is dangerous!"
Chapter completed!