The ladder was pushed up the wall, the bows and arrows were flying like locusts, the shouts were shaking the sky and the earth, and there was faint thunder in the dark clouds in the sky.←,
More than a month ago, a scene that happened in Bianliang City reappeared at the top of Taiyuan City.
After several months of siege, the Jurchen soldiers, who had gathered their strength, began to launch a general attack on Taiyuan City.
At this time, the food reserves in Taiyuan City were already stretched thin. At the end of the year, the food supply for the soldiers in the city was halved, and the food supply for the residents was halved. In the cold season, there was not enough wood and coal for heating, and the elderly and infirm
Many of the weak died of cold and starvation. It was already the early spring of Jinghan's fourteenth year. Although some food had been saved, no one expected that at this time, reinforcements had still not arrived.
Zong Wang came back to fight.
The city's news channel was blocked, and no one knew about the news in the capital. Zong Wang said that the Wu Dynasty surrendered and cut Taiyuan, so naturally everyone didn't believe it. On the day Zong Wang's army arrived, Li Pin and others who were in charge of logistics sent the soldiers guarding the city to
The food supply was restored to some extent, and they had several full meals in the past two days. Then, the fierce battle to defend the city began again.
After several months of siege, as the long cold winter passed, the will of Taiyuan City to defend the city has not dried up. During this period, the members of Zhuji, Cheng Zhouhai and others spared no effort in publicity and it worked. Both soldiers and generals
They knew that if Taiyuan was destroyed, what awaited them would be an inhumane massacre.
On the other hand, since Zong Wang has withdrawn his troops from the south, it also means that the war in the south has come to an end, and reinforcements from the imperial court will finally arrive soon.
On the sixth day of February, the spring rain fell within the confines of Taiyuan City, and the bone-deep chill enveloped the area. The fighting on the city top had not stopped, but for Qin Shaohe, Li Pin, Cheng Zhouhai and others who participated in the defense of the city at this time,
For people, there is also a warmth of hope in their hearts.
That afternoon, as the rain intensified, they sent out their elite personal guards to break out and seek help in areas where the Jurchens' defenses had been neglected and weak.
At the same moment, the news that the Jurchens were attacking Taiyuan again was spreading to the south through different channels at the fastest speed.
The first person to receive the news, in addition to the remaining forces in various state capitals, was Wu Sheng's army heading north under the command of Chen Yanshu. At this time, the snow in the south was gradually melting, and tens of thousands of cobbled-together troops hurried north.
, due to the cold weather and inefficient organization, the army's speed was less than half that of the Jurchens heading north. At this time, they had only reached one-third of the way.
After receiving the news that the Jurchens had launched an attack on Taiyuan, Chen Yanshu was almost in a state of collapse.
He has been leading the army for several years. He was originally a civil servant, but later gained the reputation of being both civil and military. He understands changes and is good at balancing. Speaking of bloodiness, he is not without it. However, the record of Zongwang's army going south has made him clearly realize it.
Reality.
Originally, the Jurchens were so powerful that no one could beat them. He was just one of these generals. However, Bianliang's tenacious resistance, coupled with Wurui Battalion's record in Xia Village, made them all seem to have become victims of crime.
As he led his troops north, the superiors wanted him to make up for his past mistakes. Chen Yanshu also had hope in his heart that if the Jurchens left without attacking Taiyuan, he might be able to regain some reputation and face.
That night, he ordered his soldiers to speed up the march. It is said that Chen Yanshu, who was riding a horse, pulled out his sword several times. He seemed to want to kill himself, but in the end he did not do so.
Wu Shengjun's reaction after receiving the news was turned into a letter asking for help, and he quickly came south.
"...The Jurchens are ferocious and powerful. Our troops will work together and fight with all our lives...I hope the imperial court will send reinforcements quickly..."
The messengers belonging to various forces worked hard, and the news spread. From Taiyuan to Bianliang, the straight-line distance was nearly a thousand miles. Coupled with the spread of the war, the post station was not fully operational, and the snow was only half melted. On the night of the seventh day of February, the Jurchens
The first round of news that there seemed to be an intention to attack the city reached Bianliang City.
On the eighth day of February, all kinds of news came flooding in to Bianliang.
There is no longer any chance of luck, and it has become a fact that the Jurchens stormed Taiyuan.
On the upper floor of the court, various dignitaries hurriedly entered the palace. The atmosphere was so tense that it was almost frozen, but the atmosphere among the people was still normal. Ning Yi was waiting for feedback from the court in the Bamboo Notes. He naturally knew that as soon as there was news about the Jurchen attack on Taiyuan
When the news came, Qin Siyuan would gather the officials who could persuade him again to make another remonstrance.
Time does not wait, the army must be dispatched.
Including Tang Ke, Wu Min and other peace advocates, they also stood on the side that advocated sending troops during this remonstration. In addition to them, a large number of high-ranking officials in the court, or originally idle officials, were on the right.
Under the operation of the Prime Minister's Mansion, he handed over the coupons. In more than a month, Ning Yi sent out an unknown amount of silver, and almost emptied the wealth of the Right Prime Minister's Mansion, including Zhu Ji, level by level.
It is to promote this troop dispatch.
It is estimated that in the few days since the Jurchens arrived in Taiyuan, people have been coming and going inside and outside Zhuji. A famous shopkeeper and lobbyist played by the deacon went out to send money, treasures, and promised all kinds of things.
The advantage is that it also cooperates with Yao Zunian and others to send gifts to more noble places.
At the same time, all kinds of propaganda in the city have not stopped. At this time, the temperature has reached the extreme. Once the court decides to send troops, the news about the Jurchens attacking Taiyuan will be spread out in accordance with the pace of sending troops, inciting the will to fight.
If the court still hesitates, Ning Yi and others are already considering the possibility of using the people's support to counteract the political will. Of course, he does not want to mess with such a taboo matter until the last moment.
It was already afternoon in the blink of an eye. Ning Yi stood at the window on the second floor and looked into the courtyard, holding a cup of tea in his hand. He only wanted to quench his thirst, so he used a big cup. After standing for a long time, the tea became colder, Juaner
Coming over to give him a drink, Ning Yi waved his hand.
"Are you worried about Taiyuan?" Juaner asked in a low voice from the side.
"A little bit." After Ning Yi finished speaking, he shook his head slightly, "But mainly not."
"Um?"
"The situation in Taiyuan is clear. The fight is already underway. There is no point in worrying." Ning Yi glanced slightly to the north, "The situation in Beijing is the problem. It seems quite clear, but I always feel in my heart
Something happened."
"I heard from several gentlemen that even if we really fail to send troops to Taiyuan, the prime minister's resignation has been rejected by His Majesty several times, which shows that his holy family is prosperous. Even if the worst happens, as long as we can train the soldiers of Xiacun according to the routine
, there may not be no hope of another comeback. Moreover...most of the princes in the court are inclined to send troops this time, and the possibility of His Majesty accepting it is still very high." After Juan'er said this, she pursed her lips again, "Well. They said
of."
Ning Yi glanced at her and laughed. After a moment, he nodded: "It's just some of my wild thoughts that there may be something going on behind the scenes. Even I didn't see it clearly. Rationally speaking, we should do what we should do step by step.
Everything has been done, and the feedback is pretty good... Just wait for the news. The outside of the city is also ready. If everything goes well, the troops will be dispatched in just two or three days. Of course, before the troops are dispatched, His Majesty may have a review."
He paused: "The incident in Taiyuan is the end of this battle. After it passes, it will be a bigger undertaking. By then, the Prime Minister's Mansion and Zhu Ji will probably be different in scale and nature. By the way, Juan
Son, tell me frankly, did you find anyone you liked in Xia Cun this time?"
After he spoke, the topic suddenly changed. Juan'er was stunned, her face turned red for a while, then turned pale again. After hesitating like this for a while, Ning Yi laughed: "Come here. Look downstairs."
He pointed to the courtyard downstairs, where figures were passing by from time to time. In the spring afternoon, the sound of people seemed noisy and lively.
"The people in Xia Village, or they, if nothing unexpected happens, will probably become important players in the future. Because the next few years, more than ten years, may be spent in war. If this country can live up to its expectations, they will
They can ride on the wind and rise, but if they fail to live up to their expectations in the end, they...maybe able to live a life of praise and tears."
"W-fight?" Juan'er stared.
"Well." Ning Yi watched for a while, then turned around and walked back to the desk, putting down the tea cup, "The Jurchens' journey south is just the beginning, not the end. If your ears are sharp enough, you can already hear the impassioned melody.
"
He smiled and looked at Juan'er, who was a little confused: "Of course, it's just a talk. Juan'er, you don't have to listen to this. However, at this time, it may not be easy for people to live a good life. If there is
The person you like..."
The room fell silent, and he finally stopped talking.
After Juan'er left the room, Ning Yi sat back at his desk, looked at some forms on the wall and the information collected on hand, and continued to figure out what was going to happen next. Occasionally, someone came up to pass on information, but they were all insignificant.
The internal decision was undecided, and they might still be arguing. Until around Shenshi, there was a little chaos below. Someone ran in quickly, knocked down the staff below, and then ran up again. Ning Yi listened to these sounds in the room
It should be understood that by the time the man ran to the door to knock on the door, Ning Yi had already reached out and opened the door.
That was a steward in charge of palace news.
"What's wrong?"
"Receive, received a message..."
Ning Yi frowned, and the steward took a step closer and whispered a few words in his ear. Ning Yi's face changed slightly.
"Really? Didn't you say anything over there?"
The other party shook his head: "I returned everything..."
"Has the news reached the prime minister's house?"
"It has been passed, but the Prime Minister is still discussing matters in the palace. The Prime Minister's Mansion should also pass the news to the palace."
"...I knew there was a problem, but I didn't expect it to be of this level."
Ning Yi murmured something in a low voice, but the steward didn't hear clearly: "...what?"
"It's nothing. Keep looking for people to visit until he picks you up. Check the people around you who have any relationship with him and ask them to be lobbyists... No, don't just invite people, lest the matter expands and alerts the snake... You need to find someone reliable.
people……"
He hurriedly made a few responses, and the steward nodded in agreement and left in a hurry.
Ning Yi stood in the room for a moment.
Before Tong Guan met him, he felt a little uneasy in his heart. However, Qin Siyuan's rejection of his resignation made him suppress his uneasiness. Only then did the uneasiness finally emerge.
He predicted what kind of melody it would be like in the future, but he never expected that it would develop like this.
No matter what, it made him feel a little ridiculous.
…
In the palace, the proceedings came to an end, and the ministers took a short rest in the side hall on the side of Chuigong Hall. During this period, everyone was still noisy and debating endlessly.
Qin Siyuan stood aside and talked to someone. Then, an official came in a hurry and whispered a few words in his ear.
The old man was stunned for a moment, stood there and blinked.
After a long time, he digested the situation, gathered his mind, and returned his attention to the discussion in front of him.
…
In the evening, Ning Yi's carriage entered the Youxiang Mansion, crossed the gate of the side courtyard, and went straight in. When he arrived at the study, he saw Yao Zunian and Jueming.
"How did things end up like this?"
"It can be big or small..."
"After hearing about this, the monk came back immediately..."
"Someone has been sent in to inform the Prime Minister."
"At such a critical time..." Ning Yi frowned, "It's not a good sign."
Not long after, Qin Siyuan also came back.
The decision to send troops has not yet been decided.
In this month, the Prime Minister's Mansion has used all its family resources and strength to try to promote the dispatch of troops. Ning Yi has always been in charge of the property of the Prime Minister's Mansion, and he has intervened in various matters such as giving gifts. When it comes to giving gifts and bribes, he is very knowledgeable.
Yes, naturally some people accepted it and some rejected it, but what happened today has a different meaning.
In the palace, the eunuch Du Chengxi refused and returned the gift sent by the Right Prime Minister's Palace.
For hundreds of years, the Wu Dynasty had always been ruled by civil servants, and eunuchs had little power. After Zhou Zhe succeeded to the throne, he adopted a suppression strategy against eunuchs who exercised power. However, no matter what, those who could be around the emperor, no matter what
A few words or a piece of information are of great value.
The great eunuch Du Chengxi has always been cautious and self-possessed. Although he did not dare to speak nonsense in front of Zhou Zhe, he was relatively clear about justice and tended to side with Li Gang and Qin Siyuan. He was also cautious in accepting some benefits on weekdays.
Therefore, in the current situation, he suddenly returned the gift, and the meaning and warning contained in it are quite intriguing.
Before this, everyone had thought about the military's problem, Cai Jing's problem, Tong Guan's problem, and all kinds of resistance. However, they never thought that suddenly, the situation would escalate from Du Chengxi's side to the need to return things.
extent.
If you think about it carefully, it's like a huge, dark metaphor that is gradually emerging from everyone's minds.
…
In the palace, Zhou Zhe overturned a bunch of folds on the table.
"Ambition!" he shouted, "I had known that the Jurchens could not be trusted, I had known... that they were going to attack Taiyuan!"
A pile of memorials pushed down on the table were almost all petitions for sending troops. He stood there and looked at the words on the memorials scattered on the ground.
"Wolf ambitions, Jurchens..." After a long time, he repeated with red eyes.
When Zhou Zhe walked back to the desk, Du Chengxi gestured to the young eunuch and asked him to pick up all the memorials. Zhou Zhe didn't care. He sat on the chair and leaned for a while before speaking in a low voice.
"I was lucky..." he said, "Du Chengxi, you see, I was lucky, but I ended up suffering..."
Du Chengxi hesitated for a moment: "Then... Your Majesty... why don't you send troops?"
Zhou Zhe looked at him for a while and said, "You eunuch, what do you know?"
After a brief pause, Zhou Zhe raised his head and spoke in a low voice: "I don't want to lose Taiyuan, let alone lose all my belongings in Taiyuan. And... Guo Yaoshi learned from the past. Du Chengxi, Du Chengxi, learn from the past... and the consequences of the future.
...Du Chengxi, you know the lessons learned from past mistakes, right?"
He murmured these words, and Du Chengxi lowered his head: "Slave, I shouldn't discuss political affairs with His Majesty..."
"Go on, go on, we've been talking for a whole day!" Zhou Zhe stood up, his eyes suddenly turned fierce, and pointed at Du Chengxi, "Look at Pharmacist Guo! I treat him so well.
He used his strength to raise troops for him, and even wanted to make him a king! As for him, he turned around and defected to the Jurchens! Not to mention that there were only more than 10,000 people in Xia Village. Among these more than 10,000 people, the most powerful ones were said to be from the north.
The rebel army is coming! Du Chengxi, I have not yet held this army in my hands, I have not yet conquered its heart, and yet I want to release it. Do you think I should release it?"
He spread his hands and said: "I have a vast territory and abundant resources, but no soldiers to fight with. I finally found some people who can fight. I let them out. There are so many variables. I want to use them as seeds. I lost Taiyuan, but I still have some."
This country has lost its seeds, and I'm afraid. In a few days, I'm going to review this army. I want to win their hearts and stay in the capital. I'll give them whatever they want. I can't buy bones with a thousand gold coins, and I can no longer buy Guo Guo's bones.
Just like a pharmacist."
"What's more, Taiyuan may not be lost." He closed his eyes and murmured to himself, "The Jurchens are exhausted, and Taiyuan has been holding on for several months. Who says it can't hold on any longer. I have sent Chen Yanshu north to rescue, and
An order has been issued for Chen Yanshu to march quickly. Chen Yanshu is guilty of meritorious service. He has always known the pros and cons. If he loses again this time, I will not let him go. I will kill his whole family. He dare not not fight..."
He was chattering, and Du Chengxi listened respectfully. He led Zhou Zhe out of the door, and he quickly followed.
…
That night, Ning Yi returned to Zhuji, summoned several stewards, and gave some instructions. Most of them were to send gifts in private to open up joint arrangements. Later, he also issued an order to stop the promotion of Zhuji.
For big moves, there is no need to consider overly publicizing events in Taiyuan.
He sat in the yard and thought about everything carefully, the whole story, the whole story. In the early morning, Yue Fei came out of the room and heard a bang in the yard. Ning Yi stood there, waving his hand and breaking a tree.
The tree trunk looks like it was used for martial arts training.
Yue Fei was Zhou Tong's direct disciple, so he could naturally see some of the complicated meanings of this. He came over hesitantly: "Master Ning...is there something on your mind?"
Ning Yi glanced at him: "The matter in Taiyuan must be still at war."
"Is there something unexpected about sending troops?" Yue Fei asked tentatively, "Fei heard some rumors tonight..."
"...It's hard to say." Ning Yi said, "Something did happen, and it doesn't seem like a good thing. But to what extent it will be, I don't know yet."
"Master Ning...can't we solve it?" he asked.
"Hahahaha." After hearing this, Ning Yi was slightly stunned, and then laughed, "You believe me."
Yue Fei cupped his hands: "Before the battle in Xia Cun, Fei didn't know the master's skills, but after the war, the master has become a person that Yue Fei admires in his heart. Just like what the master said in Xia Cun, some things are unreasonable and there is no way out.
If you can't get through it, you can't do it. If Taiyuan falls, the Central Plains will be devastated, and the Jurchens will come again and march forward. When this danger comes, the master must not be discouraged. If there is something that Yue Fei needs to do, Fei Bai will fight to the death!"
His words were impassioned and resounding. Ning Yi looked at him for a moment and smiled slightly: "You are right, I will try my best to do what I need to do..."
After saying this, he walked over, reached out and patted his shoulder, then walked past him and went upstairs.
The next day, although Zhu Ji did not deliberately increase publicity, something still happened. News of the Jurchens' attack on Taiyuan spread. Chen Dong, a Taiyuan student, led a group of people to the imperial city to petition for troops.
At the same time, the discussion about whether to send troops also did not move Zhou Zhe. He just listened quietly to the quarrels between the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty, and then decided on something he had previously intended: to review outside the city three days later.
The army contributed greatly in this war.
Qin Siyuan asked to see Zhou Zhe in private and asked to resign again, but Zhou Zhe also dismissed it with a pleasant look.
He also showed a irritable and angry side when it came to matters against the Jurchens, but only when facing Qin Siyuan's resignation, the emperor kindly comforted the old man every time.
The battle in Taiyuan continues. Due to the delay in the transmission of information, no one knows whether the city to the north has been broken by the Jurchens when they received the news that Taiyuan City is still safe today.
Compared to the previous month of silence, where we were waiting for the development of the situation, now, time seems to have entered the quagmire, but a trace of malicious intent has appeared. The further we go, the more difficult it becomes.
Three days later, Zhou Zhe reviewed Wurui Camp outside the city... (To be continued...)