The prince is very fierce

Dong Dong Dong

The 108 evening drums still sounded.

The second day of the first lunar month should have been the busiest time in Chang'an City, but the news just received from the border clearly made it impossible for this huge city with a population of one million to calm down and celebrate the New Year.

On Kuishou Street, the red lanterns on the three large archways of "Xiao Lu Xu" were dimly lit, and there were few people on the long street. All the princes and nobles were discussing the current situation in their mansions.

In the streets and alleys, scholars gathered in teahouses and bookshops, speaking indignantly and talking loudly; the people in the taverns and teahouses denounced the group of stray dogs of the Northern Qi for forgetting the pain after the scar healed.

Although a rebellion had just occurred in Jiangnan half a month ago, and the Northern Qi attacked the border at the end of the year, the people of Chang'an were still optimistic.

After all, Dayue was established by military force, and so many troops were not for show. The scholars and the common people were discussing how to retaliate and deter the Northern Qi to enhance the prestige of our Dayue.

But the scholars and the common people saw what the court wanted them to see. The people who really understood the current situation were currently standing in the Taiji Hall, and their current emotions were not so excited.

The dragon flags fluttered on the white stone jade road, and the Taiji Hall in the center of the imperial city was as majestic and solemn as before.

In the Taiji Hall, the civil and military officials stood on both sides, listening to the battle report that Taiyuan had just sent back from 800 miles in an emergency. Apart from this, there was no other sound, and you could hear a pin drop.

Most of the court officials had already known the news of Ningwu Pass in the early morning, and now they still find it a bit incredible.

How could Ningwu Pass, which had been guarded for 60 years, be broken in one day?

The explanation given was that there was a spy from the Northern Qi Dynasty in the army, who cooperated internally and externally to destroy the city wall and open the gate.

There can be spies in the important towns of the border army, and spies who can open and close the gate. Who will do the political review? How is intelligence work done?

The Northern Qi assembled more than 300,000 elite soldiers, plus many barbarian troops. Such a big movement, the news received beforehand was just the rotation of the Northern Qi Right Prince on various lines and normal transfers.

The Detective Department invested so much money and raised countless spies and spies, but they couldn't even see this. Are they all lazy people who only take money and do nothing?

All the civil and military officials were thinking about all kinds of messy possibilities, but it was obviously meaningless to discuss these now.

The Northern Qi had entered the pass and was attacking Taiyuan. Jinzhong had been attacked by surprise. This was almost the first time that Dayue was beaten so badly since the founding of the country sixty years ago.

The eastern front was directly governed by the Liaoxi Protectorate, and the emperor led it remotely. From personnel dispatch to border army deployment, it was all formulated by the emperor Song Ji and his group of civil and military officials.

The King of Chu and the King of Yu jointly defended the north, and the soldiers were placed in unimportant places. Ningwu Pass was the most important military fortress north of Taiyuan. From the main general to the military supervisor, they were all appointed by the emperor.

If the places guarded by the five kings of Su, Chu, Yu, Wei, and Yue were fine, but the place guarded by the emperor himself lost half of the country, how can he explain to the kings? How can he explain to the people and the nobles?

The King of Wu did not provide relief for the disaster, and borrowed money from everywhere to raise military pay for you, and you just guarded the border like this?

If the situation cannot be controlled, the prestige of the court will be completely gone. If the central government cannot control the local areas, what will happen, the civil and military officials dare not think about it.

The most important thing at this time is to take back the lost land as quickly as possible and drive out the Northern Qi.

But a few days ago, the current emperor suddenly inexplicably mobilized the Guanzhong Army to the west; Jiangnan rebelled, and a large number of reserve troops were pulled from the Liaoxi Protectorate to Jiangnan.

The troops were mobilized from the east and the west, and the middle was naturally empty. As far as the current situation is concerned, the court cannot mobilize enough reinforcements before the Northern Qi reaches Huozhou.

Faced with the sudden dilemma, all civil and military officials were at a loss and focused their attention on the emperor Song Ji.

Sitting on the dragon throne in the main hall, Song Ji's expression was as calm as ever, but his fingers kept stroking gently, his eyes looking at the jade seal beside him, and his anger like thunder could be seen faintly.

Song Ji was a very smart monarch. When a rebellion suddenly broke out in Jiangnan, he had already sensed that something was wrong. He did not provoke the King of Wu, who had been squeezed to the limit, but asked the Kings of Yu and Wei and the Liaoxi Protectorate to lead troops to quell the rebellion.

But Song Ji did not expect that Ningwu Pass would be broken under such circumstances, putting him in such a predicament.

Now, after a careful review, Song Ji has noticed something wrong.

At the beginning, the news of the jade seal suddenly appeared in Youzhou, and Xu Buling also appeared in Youzhou at that time, inexplicably.

When Song Ji heard the news, he must have suspected that Xu Buling was trying to steal the jade seal, and he would be on guard whether it was true or false.

In order to prevent the Northwest Su Wang from tearing his face, Song Ji would mobilize the Guanzhong army to the west.

Then a rebellion suddenly broke out in Jiangnan. Song Ji knew that there were other vassal kings who intervened in the jade seal, so he mobilized his own soldiers to go south to suppress the rebellion.

It was at this critical time that the Northern Qi suddenly entered the pass from the middle. The timing was just right. Song Ji didn't believe that no one was fanning the flames.

But the key now is not whether someone has made a plan. Now that things have come to this, the most important thing is to give the civil and military officials an explanation why the troops were mobilized from the east and the west to leave the middle empty?

It is understandable that the troops were mobilized to the east to suppress the rebellion.

But how to explain to the civil and military officials and the people of the world about the mobilization of troops to the west?

Song Ji couldn't say that the jade seal in his hand was fake, and the real jade seal appeared in Youzhou, and Xu Buling was also in Youzhou, so he mobilized troops to prevent Su Wang from attacking Guanzhong.

If this news gets out, something will happen.

It's not okay to not say the reason for the mobilization, but just tacitly beware of Su Wang.

Now, King Su, please be honest. Something happened in Taiyuan. In order to be wary of the vassal king, you even ignored the border. Aren't you, the emperor, too suspicious and ill, and care about your head instead of your body?

This was almost a dead end. Song Ji could not explain why he suddenly transferred heavy troops to the western front. The blame for the fall of Ningwuguan and the failure to return reinforcements was determined.

Song Ji rubbed his fingers, and after listening to the officials' reports on the war situation, he remained silent for a long time and then said:

"From Ningwuguan to Jinzhong, there are 70,000 soldiers and horses. Even without reinforcements, they can't hold it for even a day?"

There was silence in the hall, obviously unable to answer this question.

Prime Minister Xiao Chuyang thought for a moment and took a step forward:

"The vanguard of the Northern Qi Dynasty is all cavalry, and it is the New Year. It is reasonable for the frontier troops to be negligent. The remaining troops should have begun to gather for a counterattack."

The newly promoted Taiwei Guan Hongzhuo, as the head of the military attache, was single-handedly promoted by Song Ji. He encountered such a big mess not long after he took office. It can be said that he suffered an unreasonable disaster and will definitely have to take the blame for the emperor.

However, Guan Hongzhuo was still very confident in the combat power of the border army. He thought about it and said:

"What Mr. Xiao said is absolutely true. I'm afraid there will be good news soon..."

This kind of unnutritious words are just comforting words, and it is obviously inappropriate to say them at this time.

Song Ji was already full of anger and it was hard to scold Xiao Chuyang, who was in charge of hundreds of officials. He was not too polite to Guan Hongzhuo, who was promoted by himself, and his voice was filled with anger:

"Good news? Jinzhong has been lost, the road back to Taiyuan City has been cut off, and 300,000 troops have entered the pass. How can the 20,000 soldiers and horses of Taiyuan City be defended? Luliang cannot send out many reinforcements. With the 50,000 soldiers and horses scattered in various passes, , can we push it back? What good news can we get at this time..."

"Good news"

Song Jian was speaking angrily when suddenly a messenger came on horseback outside the hall, holding a letterbox in his hand.

Even the court meeting was not dissolved during the war, and the rule of not riding horses in the palace was naturally gone.

All the civil and military officials were waiting for Song Ji to vent their grievances, and they were all stunned when they suddenly heard the word "good news".

The emperor just said that there was no victory, so you reported victory on the spot. Are you trying to slap the emperor in the face?

Guan Hongzhuo, who had bowed his head and accepted the scolding honestly, staggered when he heard "Good news!" and was completely confused. He was just following Xiao Chuyang's words to persuade the emperor. How come the good news really came?

Song Ji, whose eyes were full of anger, still stretched out his fingers. When he heard the sound, he almost choked to death. His expression changed several times in an instant. It was also because of his strong mind that he didn't stand up and curse.

However, the military situation is urgent now, and since the good news is coming back, there is nothing to be ashamed of.

If he was slapped on the spot, he would be able to hear the victory at the border. Song Ji wished that Guan Hongzhuo could slap him a few more times and settle this mess as soon as possible.

After the civil and military officials came to their senses, they quickly turned to look at the messenger who rushed in with eager eyes.

After all, from last night to now, all I have heard are tragic reports. Northern Qi is in a state of decline. If you listen to it again, you will feel depressed. Although it is unlikely that there will be any big success at this time, it is exciting to be able to counterattack and return to a town.

Song Ji regained his calm expression and raised his hand: "Speak!"

The post envoy held up the cylinder, ran quickly to the center of the officials, and said loudly:

"Lu Liang came to report that yesterday afternoon, Prince Xu Buling, the crown prince of Su, led the army of Qing Xu County, Chen Da, and two hundred light cavalry, and rushed to Taiyuan to assist in the defense..."

As soon as the words came out, there was a burst of noise in the hall.

All civil and military officials are inexplicable:

"Why is Prince Su in Taiyuan?"

"What kind of defense assistance? I must have taken two hundred people to Taiyuan City to take refuge..."

"Is it possible that Prince Su was captured alive by Northern Qi? What should we do..."

Song Ji was also stunned for a moment, but Xu Buling was captured alive by Beiqi, which was bad news and could not be a victory.

The civil and military officials babbled a few words, then remembered that this was a good news, and thought to themselves: Could it be that Xu Buling led two hundred people to successfully break through? That is indeed a good news, at least he was caught and raped...

"Continue, Xu Bu Ling has made it to Taiyuan City?"

The messenger waited for the officials to calm down and continued:

"Prince Su's Crown Prince Xu Bu Ling rushed to Taiyuan with two hundred light cavalry to assist in the defense. Near Langgou Village, he ran into 10,000 vanguard elite cavalry led by Prince You of the Northern Qi Dynasty..."

"hiss"

Hearing this, all the civil and military officials took a deep breath and looked horrified.

Two hundred people collided with 10,000 elite vanguard troops?

What a fart this breakout is!

Is it possible that Xu Buling died in battle?

This is good news. King Su has lost his son, so he will definitely explode to harm the left wing of the Northern Qi Dynasty, and the pressure on the eastern front will be greatly reduced.

But this definitely can’t be called a good news, it should be a sad news...

Song Ji was also confused. He flicked his sleeves and suppressed the whispers of the ministers:

"How's it going? Xu Bulingke escaped back?"

The messenger nodded seriously: "Prince Su's son ran into the vanguard of the Northern Qi Dynasty, changed his route and turned back. He was noticed by the Qi army, and the Qi army sent four hundred elite cavalry to pursue him..."

"Isn't this a gift..."