The battle reports from all sides can be summed up in two words, reinforcements! But Xiao Xiang cannot afford reinforcements at all now. In any case, the capital is the top priority, and it is impossible to send out all the soldiers without leaving any troops behind.
Alas! Xiao Xiang stood up, let out a long sigh, and paced back and forth in the study in a disturbed mood. At this moment, a palace maid came in from the outside, and Fu Shen said: "Your Majesty, General Xue is asking for an audience outside the palace.
!”
"Who?" Xiao Xiang didn't react for a while, and frowned at the palace maid who reported the news. The palace maid cautiously replied: "It's General Xue Rong Xue!"
"It's him!" If the palace maid didn't say Xue Rong's name, Xiao Xiang would have almost forgotten the existence of this person. Xue Rong was also a famous general in Sichuan, but he declined in recent years, which caused his decline.
The factor is Feng Guo.
When Feng State used troops against Huan State, Sichuan State sent troops to reinforce Huan State. The commander of the Sichuan Army at that time was Xue Rong. As a result, in the battle with Feng Army, Xue Rong suffered repeated setbacks. In the end, he had no choice but to retreat to Sichuan State in defeat. Huan State also
Successfully annexed by Feng Kingdom.
After returning to China, Xue Rong, who was the defeated general, not only suffered a cold reception from Xiao Xuan, but was also demoted and reduced in rank, from a dignified general to a general of ceremonial duties.
The General of Si Li is almost the same as the General of Zhendian. He just has a false position with an empty title and no real power, let alone military power.
Xiao Xiang was surprised when Xue Rong, who had been silent for so long, suddenly came to ask to see her. Originally, she didn't want to see Xue Rong, but then she thought about it.
.
After thinking about it, she nodded and said to the palace maid: "Invite him to come to the study!"
"Yes! Your Majesty!" the palace maid agreed, bowed and left.
Not long after, Xue Rong walked in from the outside. Seeing Xiao Xiang, he hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed, saying: "Xue Rong, the last general, comes to see the king!"
"General Xue, please get up!" Xiao Xiang waved her hand slowly. After Xue Rong got up, she asked casually: "I wonder why General Xue wants to see this king late at night?"
Xue Rong's face straightened and he said: "The general is worried about the battle situation ahead, so he took the liberty to ask for a meeting late at night. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."
Xiao Xiang nodded and asked straight to the point: "General Xue must have some understanding of the current war situation. Our country is currently short of troops and stretched thin. Does General Xue have any good strategies?"
Xue Rong slowly lowered his head and whispered: "This..."
Xiao Xiang raised her head and said: "There are no outsiders here. If General Xue has anything to say, just say it!"
Xue Rong pondered for a moment and then said: "The king wants troops, but it's not that he doesn't have them. The king originally captured the family troops of the twelve princes as laborers and sent them to build the Tianshang Canal. Although their weapons and equipment were confiscated,
But they are soldiers after all. As long as they do not become old, weak, sick or disabled, their fighting power will remain. As long as they put down their hoes, put on their armor again, and pick up their weapons, they can be sent to the battlefield to fight and kill the enemy immediately."
Hey! Xue Rong's words reminded Xiao Xiang that yes, those family soldiers who were dragged into working as laborers could indeed turn them back into soldiers fighting on the battlefield. When Xue Rong finished speaking, her eyes suddenly froze.
Bright.
Seeing this, Xue Rong sighed secretly and continued: "Your Majesty, there is something I don't know whether to say or not."
There was joy on Xiao Xiang's face, and her nerves became much more relaxed. She smiled and said, "If General Xue has anything to say, just tell him."
Xue Rong said: "Even if our country now puts all the labor of building Tianshang Canal on the battlefield, it will not change our country's current predicament. Both Feng and Zhen armies are the most adept at fighting that the general has ever seen.
If these two armies are enemies of each other, they will both lose. But if they join forces, they can sweep across the world and be invincible. Now, the two armies of Feng and Zhen have obviously joined forces. Even if our country sends more troops, it will be difficult to compete with them.
The Fengzhen Alliance Army can compete with each other, not to mention that Feng Kingdom has only dispatched eight legions now, and behind them, there are more powerful direct armies and hundreds of war armies..."
The joy that had just appeared on Xiao Xiang's face disappeared, and was replaced by worry. Although Xue Rong's words did not sound good, it did not mean that they were unreasonable. Sichuan country was almost at its limit, and Feng Guo still had many trump cards.
It's no use.
Not to mention the Directly Affiliated Army and the Hundred War Army that have not been put into the battlefield for the time being. If the Feng Army is really in danger, the Jade State, which has always been attached to the Feng State, will definitely send troops to reinforce it. In addition, Ren Xiao, who has a close personal relationship with Tang Yin, has now sat down.
After stabilizing the throne of the Holy King of Shenchi, when the war situation goes against the Feng Kingdom, Shenchi will definitely step in to help.
Is it possible for the Sichuan Kingdom to single-handedly counter the Feng Kingdom and the complex forces related to the Feng Kingdom? What's more, there is also the ferocious and barbaric Zhenren standing with the Feng people.
The more Xiao Xiang thought about it, the more headache she got. She raised her hand to rub her forehead and asked, "In General Xue's opinion, what should our country do now?"
Xue Rong looked up at Xiao Xiang and wanted to say something, but when the words came to his lips, he swallowed them back, lowered his head, bit his lips tightly, and remained silent.
Seeing that he was hesitant to speak, Xiao Xiang became anxious and said in a deep voice: "What time is it now? If you have something to say, General Xue, just say it and stop hesitating!"
Xue Rong was worried and said: "There is only one way out for now, which is... Surrender!"
"What?" Xiao Xiang wondered if her ears had heard it wrong. She stood up in a hurry, her almond-shaped eyes widened, and stared straight at Xue Rong. Xue Rong actually dared to say that surrender was his in front of her.
Are you too brave, or do you think you are too easy to bully?
Bang! Xiao Xiang, who stood there, was stunned for a while, then suddenly slapped the table and shouted angrily: "Xue Rong, you are so brave, you actually persuaded me to surrender to the enemy country..."
Before she could finish her words, Xue Rong hurriedly explained: "Your Majesty has misunderstood. The surrender mentioned by the last general is not surrender to Fengren or Zhenren, but surrender to the Emperor."
"Well?" The anger on Xiao Xiang's face slowly turned into confusion, and she didn't understand what Xue Rong meant.
Xue Rong said: "The Feng Kingdom has been fighting in the south and north under the banner of taking back the fiefdom for the emperor. Now our country has surrendered to the emperor and returned our Sichuan land to the emperor. In this way, the Feng Kingdom will not attack."
With my Kawachi excuse, the war will naturally stop."
Xiao Xiang narrowed his eyes and said in a serious voice: "But if we do this, there will be no more Sichuan country in the world!"
"It is much better to take the initiative to surrender to the emperor and hand over the fiefdom than to have Feng Zhen join forces to destroy the country."
While speaking, Xue Rong knelt down on the ground with a plop and said in a trembling voice: "If we continue to fight, it will only increase the casualties of our Sichuan people, and it will not help. I hope the king will think twice, risking the lives of our Sichuan people."
It’s so important!”
Looking at Xue Rong who was kneeling on the ground and bursting into tears, Xiao Xiang slowly sat back on the collapse and handed over the fiefdom to the emperor. That was equivalent to actively subjugating the country. But if he didn't do this, would the Sichuan country be able to survive? I'm afraid it would be even worse.
, and finally became a river of blood for the children of Sichuan people, and could not escape the bad fate of destroying the country.
Xiao Xiang didn't speak for a long time, his eyes were dull and his expression changed uncertainly.
Seeing this, Xue Rong kowtowed to her repeatedly and said urgently: "Your Majesty, our Sichuan people have shed enough blood. If we continue to fight, not only will the Sichuan land turn into rubble, but the blood of our Sichuan people will also be shed..."
…”
Before he could finish speaking, Xiao Xiang waved his hand and said expressionlessly: "Stop talking anymore. I have already understood your advice. Let's go down first!"
"Your Majesty..."
"Go down!" Xiao Xiang slapped the table and yelled angrily, his eyes almost bursting with fire.
Walked out slowly.
After Xue Rong left, Xiao Xiang's tears also fell. She couldn't help but look up to the sky and sigh. Is it true that the Sichuan Kingdom, which has been glorious for thousands of years, will perish by her own hands? Will her name really be remembered from generation to generation?
Are they despised by the descendants of Sichuan people?
Xue Rong's remonstrance was a heavy blow to Xiao Xiang, but soon, an even heavier blow occurred. A few days later, the second son Xiao Yuan and the third son Xiao Yu took advantage of the turmoil in the court to escape.
Out of Zhaoyang.
Xiao Yuan fled to the south, colluded with the remaining princes, and raised the banner of impeaching Xiao Xiang, hoping to establish himself as king and fight against the turbulent Sichuan court.
If Xiao Yuan's actions were still within Xiao Xiang's acceptance range, then Xiao Yu's actions were completely beyond Xiao Xiang's ability to bear.
Xiao Yu did not follow Xiao Yuan to the south, but went north to join the Feng Kingdom. This incident had a huge impact on the morale of the Sichuan Kingdom and even the Sichuan Army. You must know that Xiao Yu is from the royal family and is the elder brother of the current King of Sichuan.
Choosing to defect to Feng State is undoubtedly sending a strong message to all Sichuan people. Sichuan State is no longer viable. The word "precarious" cannot describe Sichuan State's current predicament, but it has reached a point where it will soon fall apart.
Xiao Yuan fled to the south and openly defied the imperial court, and Xiao Yu suddenly defected to Feng Guo. These two incidents made the already desperate Sichuan State even worse. Especially Xiao Yu's defection caused many Sichuan people to drag their families with them.
They fled north, and deserters began to appear on a large scale even in front of the two armies.
This was not over yet. Two months later, bad news came from Shiling County. The Sichuan army trapped in Fengwu was completely annihilated by the Zhen army. Commander Jin Zhuo, as well as deputy commanders Yang Zhao and Lu You, all died for their country.
After this battle report was sent back to Zhaoyang, it was equivalent to a fatal blow to the Sichuan court.
The 400,000-strong army was completely wiped out. Jin Zhuo, Yang Zhao, and Lu You were all famous generals of the Sichuan Kingdom. Even such famous generals were killed during their entire military life. Who could stop the Zhen army? Who could save the Sichuan Kingdom?
Now, let alone the people of Sichuan Kingdom, who were in despair, even Xiao Xiang and the court of Sichuan Kingdom could not see any hope. The panic of the impending destruction of the country spread like a plague in Zhaoyang.
The current situation in Sichuan has reached a point where Xiao Xiang must make a decision quickly, whether to use the strength of the whole country to fight the enemy to the end or to lay down his weapons and surrender.