When Xu Jian came down from the city wall, it was already broad daylight.
The torches in the camp were blown out, and the soldiers changed defenses and drilled, full of vitality.
After passing through the camp, Xu Jian walked all the way to the middle tent, opened the curtain and went in. He saw several generals actively discussing something around the big case.
Marquis Dingbei has not yet arrived, and the other generals are in full swing.
The two met each other, greeted each other, and focused on the discussion again.
Xu Jian listened for a while and realized that they were all worried about the affairs of Dingbei Hou Mansion.
"Why are you working for Li Du? I think some people in the court are working for Xiliang Guyue! We are here to resist foreign enemies, and they are stabbing us in the back!"
"Life in the capital is easy. Anyone can fart with their mouths. They can all be thrown outside Yumen. It doesn't take a quarter of an hour to know what farts can and cannot be done!"
"I know you are all angry, but it won't help if we scold you here for three days and three nights."
"That's right. We won't pay attention to those who are throwing dirty water. Your Majesty has no strict measures for the time being, but it is not a good idea to continue like this. What if your Majesty changes generals?"
"We also have to consider the commander's family in the capital."
"Then what should we do? If you want to clear your reputation, you have to rely on military exploits. How about we raise our troops and fight out now?"
"We can't just fight. Xiliang Guyue is still in high spirits. The original plan was to postpone it through the summer and wait until the autumn for them..."
"We can wait. Can the Marshal's family wait? If not three days, then at least three months!"
"Let's think about how to kill Xiliang Weifeng! Let them suffer a defeat, and it can also cause them to have internal strife!"
"It all adds up."
Maps were hung on the shelves, and a sand table was placed on the table.
Everyone said something, I said something, they held their fingers, they put up their flags, and everyone had their own ideas.
Seeing Xu Jian's silence, Shi Lei asked him in a low voice: "You don't agree to take the initiative to fight out?"
Shi Lei was the original Yumen gatekeeper general. He used to be a fierce general in front of Xu Mang's formation and made many achievements.
After Yongjia regained Yumen at the end of the eighth year, Xu Mang returned to the court with his troops to treat his injuries and recommended Shi Lei to stay in Yumen to garrison.
This has lasted almost five years.
Shi Lei witnessed Xu Jian's first appearance on the battlefield, and also watched him injure his leg while trying to save Li Shao. He originally thought that Xu Jian could no longer march and fight, but he was very happy to see Xu Jian come with him this time, and he recovered well.
"It's not that I disapprove," Xu Jian considered, "it's just..."
Just as the conversation began, Marquis Dingbei came in.
Marquis Dingbei seemed to be in good spirits. Seeing the generals protecting him like this, the old man was very excited: "I, Ji Pei, swear on the lives of my whole family that I have nothing to do with the traitor Li Du! I have a clear conscience and will definitely treat you well."
support!"
Dingbeihou also joined the discussion.
Xu Jian did not continue talking to Shi Lei about the previous topic, but immersed himself in the meeting first.
This military intelligence meeting lasted for half an hour, and the generals came up with several ideas and plans. They would then make choices based on the information collected by the scouts and the weather, etc.
Everyone took their orders and exited the tent.
Xu Jian fell at the end and was left behind by Marquis Dingbei.
Not only him, but Dingbeihou also stopped Shi Lei.
"I can understand everyone's mood," said Dingbei Hou. "I am eager to win a big victory. I will exchange my military exploits for my reputation, and I will also use my military exploits to suppress the public opinion in the capital. Even if I don't say that I am innocent, at least I can make people happy."
The family members left behind will be more relaxed.
However, the biggest fear in fighting is being too hasty.
They say there is no preparation for a battle, but from my perspective, the people of Xiliang are quite well prepared."
Privately speaking, it is okay to inflate other people's ambitions and destroy one's own prestige. When arranging troops, the most important thing is to seek truth from facts.
Shi Lei stroked his beard and thought for a while, then asked Xu Jian: "I said half of it before, what are your specific thoughts?"
Dingbeihou's eyes also fell on Xu Jian.
Xu Jian organized his thoughts and said to the two of them: "Dingbeihou has been accused of colluding with Li Du. If he wants to prove his innocence at this moment, it is best to win a big victory. On the surface, this idea has no meaning.
The question is, if the person who made the layout was really Li Du, what would he do?"
Shi Lei said "Huh".
"If he wants to smear me, he won't let me prove myself," Dingbei Hou reacted quickly, "I remember Jingli mentioned it when he was checking him, and he has long been in contact with Gu Yue."
"Good guy!" Shi Lei slapped his thigh, "So he wants to wait and see!
I don’t believe a word of Gu Yue’s talk about fighting among others!
They are just like grass on the wall. They used to follow us in Dashun to enjoy the good things, but now they are jumping up and down behind Xiliang, trying to bite us.
They must have seen us strictly guarding Yumen and knew that we were hungry, so they wanted to fish us out!
Li Du has a close relationship with Gu Yue. He set fire to the commander in the capital. Don't we have no choice but to go out into battle?
They have been prepared for a long time, and when the two armies confront each other, they don't know what dirty tricks are waiting for us!"
If it is just an ordinary war, a tragic victory is still a victory. In addition to the discomfort and grief of the soldiers, at least they have an explanation to the court.
But these times are unusual.
There are people in the capital waiting to seize Bei Hou's braid. Unless it is a big victory, the rest cannot be dealt with.
Shi Lei could think of it all with his toes.
"He formed an alliance with Li Du and deliberately wasted our Dashun soldiers."
"A tragic victory? He asked the soldiers to die. The fewer our troops, the happier Li Du will be. He still wants to claim victory. How shameless!"
Those who clamor are not necessarily stupid, but many are bad.
"So," Shi Lei asked, "we fell into a trap when we went out to fight?"
"Based on what I know about Li Du," Xu Jian raised his eyes and spoke solemnly, "Whether he proves himself or not, it is his trap. Once he falls into the entanglement of 'can he escape or not', it will be as he wants. He
There is no need to answer the questions, just tear up the paper."
Shi Lei's eyes lit up.
Marquis Dingbei also became interested.
They are generals who have been fighting for many years. Although few of them are carefree when leading troops and have a set of tactics, when it comes to their personalities, everyone likes to be more direct.
"What should I say?" Dingbei Hou urged.
Xu Jian said: "The commander-in-chief is just suspicious now, and the Holy One has no choice but to surround the mansion and has not taken any serious measures, which shows that he does not believe it either.
Li Du will not bet all his money on the Xiliang and Gu Yue coalition forces. If we really go out to fight and win a big victory, wouldn't Li Du's work be in vain?
It is more important to Li Du that the commander-in-chief establish an alliance with him than who will win between us and the enemy.
He will want proof."
"What kind of evidence counts?" Dingbei Hou took a breath, "He and I sit together and have a drink and talk. I dare to drink, but does he dare to come?"
"He doesn't need to come, as long as his people come," Shi Lei waved his hand, "Isn't that what dead soldiers are used for?"
"Grain and grass," Xu Jian turned to look at the map and said, "all the grain and grass we gathered passed through Jingzhou Prefecture. Except for the grain that was transported to Yumen, there was also a lot stored in several nearby granaries.
Only the military knew the specific grain harvesting and defense status. The Jingzhou government only cooperated but did not know the details.
If something goes wrong with being fed..."
Dingbei Hou understood: "That's what I told Li Du. Li Du burned all the fire for me."
"How cruel!" Shi Lei repeatedly exclaimed, "He is really not afraid that Yumen will be penetrated by the Xiliang people when using food and grass?"
Food and grass are the top priority, but if you want to be foolproof, the only way to gain more is to avoid losing it.
Transporting grain requires porters, all of whom are recruited for military service. There are so many people that it is not surprising that someone sneaks in.
Knowing the specific location of the grain garrison, if a fire breaks out, regardless of whether there are any losses, Dingbeihou will not be able to explain to the capital.
Marquis Dingbei thought about it and said: "Master Ren is in charge of east-west transportation in Jing'an City. He may be plotted against someone in the granary. We need to inform him as soon as possible. We also need to strengthen our vigilance. At the same time, we need to adjust the grain transportation route and divide it into several sections."
…”
The three of them got together and discussed the map for a long time.
At the end, Marquis Dingbei let out a long sigh, his eyes still resolute, but his expression could not hide his fatigue.
"The enemy is in the dark, and we are in the light," he said to Xu Jian, "Li Du's actions are biased and ruthless. We try our best to guard against him, but we may not be able to completely guard against him.
People in the capital don’t know how it will develop in the future. Your Majesty believed in me yesterday, but maybe you won’t believe me tomorrow.
I've given you the Tiger Talisman. If the Holy Emperor transfers me back to Beijing for questioning, I will definitely have to go back immediately. At that time, Yumen will be handed over to you and General Shi."
Shi Lei's face turned red with anger: "We haven't reached that stage yet, Commander, don't say depressing words!"
Dingbei Hou made fists with his hands and bowed to the two of them: "I still say what I said, I and the Ji family have a clear conscience."
Xu Jian nodded.
He can certainly trust Dingbei Hou.
"Let's seize the time and deliver the news to Jing'an City first."
That morning, a fast horse left Yumen and passed through Chengyuan County to Jing'an City.
Ji Xin, the second son of Dingbeihou, took the order and led his soldiers all the way east to increase the defense of the grain transportation route.
Ji Xin's eldest son Ji Guang was also in the queue, along with Yu Cheng'an.
After arriving at Yumen, Yu Chengan had been practicing and had a battle with the Xiliang people who wanted to attack Yumen at night, and was stabbed in the arm.
The injury was not serious, and he recovered quickly under the care of Dr. Yue, but he was still removed from the city wall by Marquis Dingbei.
Yu Chengan went to fight for it, but was blocked by Dingbeihou with a few words.
"Preferential treatment? Your surname is Yu. If I don't give you preferential treatment, your sacrifice will be in vain. I'm afraid that your grandfather will settle accounts with me."
"It would be wrong of me to stop you when you go out to face the enemy. We are stationed now. Before you have fully recovered from your injuries, if you get more sick, it will be more than worth the loss."
"You don't want to be like Duke Fu, who is unable to display your abilities when you really want to fight against the Xiliang people, right?"
"If the city wall is guarded more than you are, it won't be too much. If you are missing, it won't be too much. If you are not convinced, keep your arms strong and practice harder. When I want to fight out, I will choose you to be the vanguard!"
Yu Chengan was convinced.
Hiding for a while, keeping a low profile, waiting for the time to rise again.
Today, Xu Jian asked Yu Chengan to follow the soldiers who chose the route to protect food and grass.
At the same time, Yu Chengan, a descendant of Xungui, gets along well with Ji Guang, and he also knows what Ji Guang is worried about these days.
They arrived at Chengyuan along the way. A large group of people were stationed outside the town. Ji Xin asked Ji Guang to send the letter from Marquis Dingyuan to the county government.
Yu Chengan went with him.
Chengyuan County is not big, and because it is an important transportation thoroughfare, it is also the only way for grain and grass transportation in recent days. Even after dark, there are still many shops open in the town.
In the county government office, the court hall is brightly lit, and many officials are here to work together.
The county magistrate Yu Fuzheng kept talking to the people around him.
Ji Guang had been here before and recognized the person. After saying hello, he asked where the county magistrate was.
Yu Fu said hurriedly: "Master Tian has been busy for two days and one night. He really can't bear it any longer. He is taking a rest in the back office. I will send someone to find him right now."
After hearing the news, Magistrate Tian hurried over, took the letter and read it with a very solemn expression.
"Young general," he said, "the porters are all summoned and have their own identities, but they transport them along the way. If someone fishes in troubled waters in the wilderness... Well, it is easy to guard against external enemies, but it is better to guard against someone inside making trouble..."
Ji Guang said: "I know there are difficulties, but we have to be cautious. This is true not only in Chengyuan County, but also along the way."
Magistrate Tian County responded accordingly.
Yu Cheng'an was asking Yu Fu about the situation in the county, how the caravan was delayed by the battle in Yumen, and whether any people had fled eastward.
Yu Fu answered them one by one and knew all the situations clearly.
As Yu Chengan asked, he thought: This county magistrate is a down-to-earth person.
When Ji Guang greeted him, Yu Chengan belatedly remembered that the county magistrate named Yu was Zhu Xiang's uncle?
He wanted to ask, but when he saw Yu Fu was busy with something else, he didn't bother him anymore, he just looked at him a few more times and turned to leave.
It was with these two glances that Yu Chengan saw a person next to Yu Fu, who had always had his back to them.
The man looked young, dressed in commoner clothes, holding a book in his hand and was communicating something with others. It seemed that something was wrong. He took a few steps back and was stopped again.
Ji Guang urged again: "Go back quickly."
Yu Chengan walked towards Magistrate Tian and asked him in a low voice: "What is the origin of that young man?"
Magistrate Tian said: "My name is Zeng Cong, a native of Jing'an. Half a month ago, the prefect knew that our county was short of manpower, so he ordered a group of people to come over, and he was among them."
Yu Chengan frowned.
Ji Guang also noticed that something was wrong with Yu Chengan's reaction at this moment, and asked, "What's the problem with that person?"
"Is there any problem?" Yu Chengan walked directly towards Zeng Cong, "Just ask and you will know. Go to a brighter place and I will take a closer look."
Zeng Cong looked puzzled: "This sir?"
Magistrate Tian said, "Just let the young generals take a closer look."
Zeng Cong responded and took a few steps to the oil lamp beside the table.
Yu Cheng'an followed him forward, but did not get closer to take a look. Instead, he directly took action, pressed Zeng Cong's shoulder with his palm, and grabbed him on the table.
A thud.
The movement was so loud that everyone looked over in shock.
Zeng Cong repeatedly cried out in pain: "What are you doing, little general?"
Magistrate Tian was also shocked: "This..."
Yu Chengan smiled: "This father-in-law, long time no see."
Zeng Cong froze.
"You must recognize me," Yu Cheng'an said word by word, "but you think I may not recognize you. It's been two years since we last met in the Marshal's Mansion, and you have carefully groomed your appearance and thought you were perfect.
You really look good. There is a wanted portrait of you in Jingzhou, but even the government and county offices didn’t notice it.
But you may not know that you people who have purified themselves walk differently from us men."
