In the autumn of the thirty-fifth year of Yongping in the Northern Qi Dynasty, Emperor Yongping died in the Xiude Hall. Prime Ministers Tong Jian and Ma Cheng summoned all civil and military officials to read out the late emperor's edict.
The third son of the emperor, Zhao Li, was the emperor in front of the emperor.
At the same time, Zhao Kai, the king of Wei, was outside the city, issuing a proclamation against the traitors, announcing that King Qi had committed regicide and would send troops to attack him soon, so that the traitors in the country would be punished.
The battle for the crown prince in the thirty-fifth year of Yongping has now completely kicked off, and has directly entered a fever pitch.
Zhao Li issued an imperial edict in the name of the new king, mobilized the imperial army outside the city, and prepared to round up King Wei. At the same time, he posted notices and sent a message to Zhao Kai.
As long as Zhao Kai enters the city, he, the new emperor, will forget about his temporary confusion and allow him to see the late emperor for the last time.
However, after the imperial army received the order, they did not immediately go to round up King Wei. Instead, they were somewhat hesitant.
At this time, as long as you hesitate for a moment, you have already taken sides.
And King Wei outside the city naturally dismissed the new king's edict.
After the two sides were in a stalemate for several days, Tu Yuan and Zhou Shizhong, who were conquering the Southern Army, led their troops back to Yandu.
After the two people saw Zhao Kai in a large tent outside the city, they both knelt on the ground.
"I am from far away and want to pay my respects to His Highness!"
"Your Majesty, Zhou Shizhong, pays homage to His Highness!"
Both of them were very particular about their speech. They no longer addressed themselves as King Wei, but directly addressed them as "Your Highness." At this time, the flavor of calling them "Your Highness" was worth pondering.
After Zhao Kai saw the two people, he was overjoyed. He stretched out his hands to help the two people up, and said with emotion: "The two generals are finally here. If they don't arrive, Daqi may fall into the hands of traitors!"
When the two powerful generals heard this, they were filled with emotion. Zhou Shizhong lowered his head and choked with sobs: "While on the way, I was shocked to hear the bad news. I just felt like a bolt from the blue. For many years, the Holy Emperor has treated me with kindness like heaven."
At the peak of the Spring and Autumn Period, it was like this..."
Zhao Kai patted Zhou Shizhong on the shoulder and was very sad: "The sudden changes in the world are hard for me to accept. I only hate the traitor who deceived my father first, and killed my father later. The ambition of a wolf is worse than that of a beast!"
Tu Yuan gritted his teeth and said: "Your Highness gives the order, and we will immediately rush into Yandu to help the country and avenge the Holy One!"
King Wei did not speak, but glanced at Zhou Yuanlang behind him.
Zhou Yuanlang stood up, looked at his father and General Tu Yuan, and said: "Dad, General Tu, what this junior wants to say is whether we can surround Yandu City."
"Firstly, it's because the walls of Yandu are so tall that it's very difficult to break in. Secondly..."
"At this time, even if we break into Yandu City and kill the thieves, the aftermath will be left in the writings of future generations. Someone will inevitably frame and slander His Highness..."
After a pause, he said: "Yandu has a population of more than one million. The food and various supplies in the city are only enough for three months on weekdays. Now that the autumn grain has not come down, the food in the city is only enough for one month at most."
about."
"After surrounding Yandu, it won't take long for the people in the city to be in chaos."
Zhou Yuanlang said slowly: "When the time comes, there is no need for us to clear His Highness's name. Those people in Yandu City will naturally clear His Highness's name, and will respectfully open the city gate and invite His Highness in."
Tu Yuan glanced at the young man standing behind King Wei, frowned, and said: "Surrounding Yandu is certainly a way, but the nights are long and there are many dreams. Over time, something may happen."
Zhou Yuanlang said unhurriedly: "The general is just worried that someone will support Yandu, but Mr. Lang San has already controlled the situation among the Forbidden Army. If the Forbidden Army doesn't move now, it will never move again."
"The only ones left who can save Yandu are the local armies from various places and the border army in the north."
"General Tu, you are the commander-in-chief of the northern frontier army. I believe that the frontier army will not deny you face, even if the frontier army really wants to come to Qin Wang..."
"If they dare to get to Yandu, it will take nearly a month at least."
"As for other local armies, they cannot threaten Yandu."
Zhou Yuanlang looked at Yan Du and said slowly: "If the Forbidden Army did not respect the false pilgrimage decree a few days ago and was still wavering, then today General Tu and his father have returned with the Forbidden Army. The three major camps outside the city should be ready soon.
Will understand the situation clearly."
"The situation in Yandu has been settled."
"The rest is just a matter of whether the situation is good or not."
Zhou Yuanlang said unhurriedly: "After surrounding Yandu, His Highness only needs to issue a message asking the people in Yandu to hand over the regicide King Qi. Then it won't be long before someone will take the initiative to deliver King Qi to him."
come out."
"And, find out the truth behind his regicide."
"At that time, His Highness entered Yandu again to turn the tide, and his name was right... his words were correct."
Zhou Shizhong glanced at his son and said nothing.
Tu Yuan on the side raised his eyebrows, then lowered his head and said: "Your Highness, the general still believes that this kind of thing should be done sooner rather than later. Since the victory is already certain, Your Highness should enter the city as soon as possible to avoid long nights and dreams."
"As for what is justifiable..."
Tu Yuan lowered his head slightly and said in a hoarse voice: "Those are things that only Han people need. We, Master Zhu Li, don't need these vain things."
"As soon as the army enters the city, the truth about King Qi's regicide will naturally be revealed to the world."
Zhao Kai had already accepted Zhou Yuanlang's suggestion and was preparing to besiege Yandu and wait for the imperial court in Yandu to compromise. After hearing Tu Yuan's words, he thought slightly and asked: "General Tu, if I give you command, how long will it take?"
Can we invade Yandu?"
Tu Yuan grinned and said: "There are only five or six thousand Yandu city defense troops, and they may not be willing to fight for the puppet government. Your Highness will send a message first. In less than five days, the general will be able to invade Yandu."
!”
Having said this, he glanced at Zhou Yuanlang and said, "That's when the dust will really settle."
King Wei looked back at Zhou Yuanlang.
Facing the huge temptation of the throne, at this moment, his heart was indeed moved.
After being silent for a while, he silently glanced at Yan Du.
"solitary…"
"Think about it carefully."
………………
Outside Suqian City, inside Xue Wei Camp.
A messenger hurried to Xue Wei, half-knelt down, lowered his head and said: "General Xue, the Qi people are leaving the city!"
It was already night now, and Xue Wei was dozing off. After hearing these words, he almost immediately opened his eyes, eyes widening.
"Qi people left the city? Which city did they leave?"
"Back to General Xue, the Qi people from Suqian have left Suqian and are retreating north one after another!"
Xue Wei suddenly stood up, casually took out a long knife from the weapon rack on the side, held it in his hand, and strode outside.
"Pass my general's order! All brothers will mobilize their troops immediately and head straight to Suqian!"
"At all costs, stop the Qi people from escaping north!"
Xue Wei is already beside Suqian and has been waiting for a long time.
After withdrawing from Suqian, he has been leading his troops to lurk near Suqian City.
During this period of time, according to Shen Yi's instructions, he did not take the initiative to attack Suqian, but kept a close eye on Suqian, always preventing the Qi people from retreating north.
Shen Yi gave him a death order in his letter. Once Suqian's enemies fled, he would do his best to delay them and bite their thighs to prevent them from escaping the encirclement of the Huai'an army.
Xue Wei, who had been idle for more than half a month, finally had an opportunity.
After giving the general order, he took his own guard battalion and eagerly took the lead and attacked the Suqian battlefield.
Cai Kun, the general from the Huaihe Navy, was still mobilizing his troops. He saw Xue Wei from a distance, heading north, and quickly left.
Seeing Xue Wei disappearing, General Cai ordered his men to gather quickly, and said with emotion to a Huai'an soldier standing beside him: "General Xue is really hot-tempered."
"In our Huaihe Navy, there are few generals of his level who are still at the forefront."
The Huai'an Army Qianhu grinned and said, "That's because you, the Huaihe Navy, can't do anything even if you kill thieves."
"Our Huai'an Army is very different."
"Do you know how long it took General Xue to become a third-grade military attaché?"
General Cai was stunned for a moment, then shook his head slightly: "I'm not sure."
The Huai'an Army Thousand Households stretched out a palm and said with a smile: "Five years!"
After saying this, he mounted his horse and headed straight to the north, leaving only a lingering voice: "It only took five years for General Xue to reach the third rank!"
"This is what our Huai'an Army is like, credit must be earned with blood!"
After that, he slapped the horse's butt and rode straight to the north.
General Cai looked at the thousands of households that were gradually disappearing. He was silent for a while, and then sighed slightly: "The credit earned with blood..."
"There is no such merit in the Huaihe Navy."
After muttering something, he looked north, turned around, drank a few words, and urged the Huaihe Navy under his command to go north.