Come on, Your Highness

The generals sat on both sides of Xiao Hong.

Xiao Hong said: "The scouts have found the footprints of the Huns nearby."

Hearing this, Xuanling's eyes sharpened.

Gu Xingwu said: "Before the walls were cleared, there was nothing outside the city for the Huns to plunder. They eagerly hoped to have a match with Daqi."

"They can't afford it, but we can't. If they don't want to fight, they can only attack the city. The city wall is the biggest barrier for us. We are not afraid of their attack. As long as they come, they will return with heavy losses with their current strength. .” Said Cai Xiangming.

"Won't this look too useless?" a general of the Zhenbei Army asked.

"Don't forget that General Shen and the others haven't got their heads back yet, and the soldiers are all upset. Shrinking like this is not conducive to momentum."

"There is also Shicheng, do you have to wait until the Huns can't eat the tortoise shell and give up and leave before getting it back?"

As soon as this remark came out, everyone suddenly felt aggrieved.

"We fight when we need to, and we are not afraid of them. Our Zhenbei Army has been fighting against the Xiongnu for many years. It's either that we have never won a battle, or that this group of wolves escapes too fast. If they win, they will not be able to catch up or wipe them out."

As soon as this remark came out, everyone immediately laughed.

Xiao Hong then asked Xuan Ling: "What does General Xuan think?"

"If you want to go to war, Xuan Ling asks you to lead the charge!"

Xiao Hong patted the table: "OK."

However, when the battle returns, it is necessary to find a good time. During this period, the scouts of the two sides are inquiring about each other's movements.

But the Huns were more impatient than expected, and a group of horses rushed straight into the sight of the north gate tower of Guancheng from a distance.

After receiving the urgent report, Xiao Hong and the generals quickly went up to the city wall.

I saw the Huns cavalry lined up, barely stopping their horses beyond the range of Guancheng.

"Such a small number of people?" Xiao Hong was a little surprised.

"Less than a hundred." Xuan Ling said.

However, even so, the archers on the city wall had drawn their bowstrings to the full and looked into the distance vigilantly.

"What is this for?"

I saw a man who looked like a leader suddenly straddled his horse from the opposite side, and made a gesture towards Guan Cheng.

Xuan Ling said, "He's here to deliver a message."

After the man finished, he raised a letter in Yang's hand, tied it to an arrow, set the arrow on the string, and shot it to the ground.

Following the shooting of the arrows, the Huns cavalry suddenly unloaded the load on their horses, and then turned the horses' heads, returning as they came.

The soldiers on the tower were waving flags, showing that the group of Huns had really left, and there were no traces of the enemy nearby.

"Go and see what it is?"

Looking at the things thrown by the Huns on the ground in the distance, Xiao Hong ordered.

The gates of the city opened to both sides, and Fang Qian rushed out with a group of people.

The generals on the city wall watched the team arrive there. Fang Qian bent down and pulled out the arrow, while the other soldiers opened the pockets.

Not knowing what it was, Fang Qian put all of them on the horse's back without much hesitation, and then returned quickly.

The returning cavalry had heavy faces on their faces, and carefully put down the bag on the horse's back.

Under the eyes of everyone, Fang Qian said: "It's the head, the head of General Shen and the others."

As soon as these words came out, the Zhenbei Army opened the bags and took out all the heads inside.

Seeing all the faces covered in blood, no one detested the mess, but tears welled up in their eyes anyway.

Especially Xuan Ling, who picked them up almost one by one, and carefully identified them with wide eyes.

"Marshal." Fang Qian presented the arrow with the letter to Xiao Hong.

This situation makes people feel sad and tragic. Xiao Hong took it, untied the letter, took a quick look, then exhaled heavily, looked at Xuan Ling with bloody hands and said: "General Xuan, Shen The general's head is not here."

Xuan Ling froze for a moment, then turned to look at him.

Xiao Hong lifted up the letter in his hand and said, "The Xiongnu told us to take it if we can, and hang it on the wall of Shicheng."

Suddenly everyone was silent.

Shen Changze is loyal and chivalrous, there is no reason for him to end up dead and humiliated.

At this time, even if it is difficult to regain Shicheng, you have to try, otherwise, won't it make the soldiers of the world feel cold?

After two days of combat meetings, the army finally set off.

And Xuan Ling took the vanguard position.

She wiped the epee calmly, the gap had already been repaired by the artisans in the city.

The epee, which drank the blood of the enemy army, was like its master, with a white light and a cold air.

"Brother Nagasawa..."

"Miss, Mr. He is asking to see you." Ah Yue came in and reported.

Xuan Ling was stunned: "He Xichao?"

"Yes."

Xuan Ling looked at the sky, it was already very late.

"Please come in."

There are not so many red tapes for border children, so Ah Yue directly took He Xichao outside.

"Master He is so late, why are you still here?"

Xuan Ling asked He Xichao to sit down, and Ah Yue served tea.

He Xichao: "I still want to talk to General Xuan about some things, can you screen back?"

Xuan Ling frowned, she was not afraid of any lonely men and widows affecting her reputation, and she was not afraid of what a frail scholar could do to her, but whether the prince who regarded him as a sharp-hearted man would have any objections.

He Xichao seemed to understand Xuan Ling's concerns. He took a sip of tea lightly, warmed up his body, and said, "General Xuan, do business with business, don't mess with private matters. You don't think I'm attached to him, do you?"

As he spoke, he raised his head to look at her, and there was no accusation of being offended in his words, but his cold eyes made Xuan Ling feel guilty for no reason.

"I'm sorry." She raised her hand slightly.

Ah Yue and Ah Qing withdrew.

After the venue was cleared, Xuan Ling asked, "What does Master He want to say?"

As she spoke, her eyes fell on He Xichao's hand, where there was a slender box.

It was brought by He Xichao.

"General Xuan thinks there is a chance of winning this siege?"

This question made Xuan Ling's eyes darken immediately, and then she seemed to have made up her mind: "The final general is willing to take the lead and fight a bloody path for Daqi!"

He Xichao curled his lips together: "Then the chances of winning are not great."

"Not necessarily. The Huns are not good at defending the city, and the cavalry is useless. When it comes to attacking the city, you should look at me. Moreover, based on my understanding of the Huns, they can't stick to the city gate. It is very likely that they will use the cavalry to charge. , as long as the protection of the city wall is lost, it is not difficult to conquer the cavalry." Xuan Ling said.

"Will the casualties be severe?"

"Is Master He objecting?" Xuan Ling looked at him, "You should suggest to His Royal Highness, he should listen to you."

There was a touch of sarcasm in the words, and Xuan Ling regretted it as soon as he uttered it, which was actually a bit insulting.

He Xi frowned, but she was not angry.

"Although I don't understand warfare, I also know that loyalty and integrity cannot be broken, and the hearts of soldiers cannot be chilled. Battles must be fought. It's just that I hold the post of military adviser, and all information will pass through my hands. As of now According to my analysis from the intelligence, even if this battle is won, it will be a tragic victory, right?"

Xuan Ling pursed her lips and said nothing.

He Xichao continued: "General Xuan, aside from General Shen, from the perspective of an outstanding general, should Shicheng really deserve to be seized like this?"

The geographical location of Shicheng is not as important as Guancheng. It has been occupied for more than two months. Even if it is captured now, it will only be an empty city inside.

The reason why the Huns were in such a hurry was because all the supplies, food and grass in Shicheng were exhausted.

It would be too expensive to seize it in this way, and this is what the Huns hoped to see.

"I can't just watch Brother Changze hang there like this." Xuan Ling's eyes were red, and he looked at him firmly, "I can't, neither can the crown prince, nor can all the soldiers!"

She held her hands tightly on her knees, God knows how she got through these days, it was Shen Changze and hatred that supported her.

"He really can't hang there." He Xichao said.

Under Xuan Ling's gaze, he slowly moved the long box by his hand.

Xuan Ling's eyes followed it to her eyes, but she didn't open it immediately.

"Words are pale, and I can't express my admiration and guilt. Whether it is you or General Shen, this righteousness is enough to make the world remember.

"You have done too much. To be honest, you should not bear this pain anymore, but there is no better candidate now."

"This battle is not so much about recovering Shicheng, but rather about fighting for loyalty, so no one can stop it, except you."

Hearing that Xuanling suddenly opened the box, there was an arrow lying inside, a strange arrow.

"I heard that General Xuan is not only excellent in martial arts, but also in archery, so he should be able to hit it, right?"

Xuan Ling took out the arrow with stiff hands, and a faint smell of kerosene came out.

"What if I miss the shot?" Xuan Ling asked him while holding the arrow tightly.

He Xichao's face was calm: "It's God's will, I tried my best."

"Let's go." Xuan Ling said.

He Xichao stood up, bowed respectfully, and stepped back.

"and many more."

He Xichao stopped in his tracks.

"Is it worth it for you to work so hard for him? Even if I help you, it is unlikely to have a good ending. After this compromise, what about the next time? As long as he doesn't give up the throne, you will only face more troubles!"

Xuan Ling vented her grief, even tearing apart He Xichao's pain, perhaps this could alleviate her pain.

He Xichao lowered his head, then turned to look at her, and slightly raised a smile: "It's God's will, I tried my best."

He Xichao did not go to this war, he stayed in Guancheng with many civil servants.

All the people prayed for the victory of this war. Even those who don't pray to gods and worship Buddha very much on weekdays couldn't help but worship all the famous gods in the sky.

But He Xichao, what to do or what to do.

Yang Su and You Ziqing admired this calmness.

He even felt that His Highness the Crown Prince was well prepared and would surely return with victory.

He Xichao didn't explain, and let them misunderstand.

After a day and a night, the army finally returned.

Back and forth at this time, it can be seen that the siege did not take long.

Casualties were not heavy, but the entire army fell into a kind of tragedy.

Sad but heroic.

When Xiao Hong took off his armor, he said to He Xichao: "Xuan Ling's arrow set Shen Changze's head on fire and burned it."

"I'm sorry." He Xichao said silently.

The heavy armor fell to the ground, Xiao Hong hugged him, and passed the temperature of his body: "It is I who should say sorry, the prince of Daqi did not protect his people well."

The bruised Xuan Ling watched the soldiers put Shen Changze's body on the pyre.

The flames trembling in the wind reflected on her face, flickering and flickering.

She had no expression on her face, neither joy nor sadness in her eyes, until Ah Yue called out: "Miss."

She raised her head, only to see Ah Qing holding the torch in front of her, and the sadness in the maid's eyes could no longer control the tears, which fell down.

Xuan Ling took it, and walked towards Shen Changze step by step.

The soldiers on the side all lowered their heads silently, and she sent the torch into the pyre without saying a word.

The blazing fire, blown by the wind, swallowed the whole pyre in an instant, and the headless man on it was burned to ashes in the flames.

Xuan Ling looked at Shen Changze, and with the light of the fire, buried love into his heart bit by bit.

Only that hatred floats in the heart.

After that, there were several battles between Daqi and the Xiongnu, all of which were won or lost.

However, with the passage of time, the situation of victory gradually tilted towards Daqi.

Except for Shicheng, the Xiongnu hadn't captured a single city, and the grassland could no longer provide logistics and food. If the war continued, even the Xiongnu Shanyu would not be able to bear the dissatisfaction of the tribes below.

The Xiongnu no longer had the momentum to go south and break the city.

Spring went to autumn, and at the end of summer, Shicheng was recaptured by Daqi, while the Xiongnu returned to the grassland in despair after leaving tens of thousands of dead bodies.

Although the Northern Expeditionary Army and Zhenbei Army also suffered a lot of casualties, they won the victory after all.

The news of the victory came back to the capital, and the court was filled with joy inside and outside the court.

Emperor Tiangan issued an edict ordering the troops of the Northern Expedition to return to the court and reward them for meritorious service.

In addition, he also ordered Zhenbei King and Zhenguo Princess to go to Beijing to have an audience.

Xiao Hong received the imperial edict, and looked at He Xichao amidst the congratulations.

"Xi Chao, it's time to return to Beijing."