At the end of autumn, the city gates were still in a tense, anxious and noisy atmosphere.

The Jurchens did not attack the city, and the army gathered outside the city was also immovable, and the court was rumored to be chaotic, and the people were restless. There was news about the negotiations, but later because of the increasing number of Qinwang's troops, the news was gradually closed. People are looking forward to the rapid passing of this war, and some people are also expecting the Wu Dynasty army to teach the Jurchens a cruel lesson, but things have always been pressed at this stage and cannot be triggered.

In the chaos in the court, some people know the situation. In mid-September, Qin Siyuan's resignation made many people a little caught off guard, in the main battle faction, if Li Gang is a banner in the front, then Qin Siyuan in the rear, in fact, is the standard-bearer who can ensure that the flag does not fall, but when the situation is tense and Li Gang is unmatched, Qin Siyuan was withdrawn, which is really difficult to have a good premonition in people's hearts.

However, this time the right phase change, because it came too suddenly, there has not been a situation where everyone is rushing up and the wall is pushed by everyone. The Golden Palace's decree is also a little **, but it just lets Qin Siyuan temporarily hand over his post, and the words are still somewhat appeased. And after the matter was decided, many officials from the court and the central government went to the Qin Mansion to visit and comfort them. Even some of the big people who had inconsistent political views in the past were actually not happy about his resignation this time.

The Wu Dynasty, which had been singing and dancing for a hundred years, had just removed the great trouble of the Liao State, and in the blink of an eye, it had been approached by soldiers.

The whole situation is really not optimistic.

At this time. Gathered in the inner hall of the Prime Minister's Mansion, there were several ministers who were originally the main and faction, such as Tang Ke, Wu Min and others, they were already quite knowledgeable and had a deep friendship with Qin Siyuan, and for example, they could be regarded as Qin Huizhi in the imperial history of Qin Siyuan's own family, after the will of the prime minister was issued, many people stood up and tried to block Zhou Zhe's will, Qin Hui was one of them, of course. Blocking has no effect. The meaning is always there.

“…… The meaning of His Majesty's words is not really to dismiss Lord Qin, but it is really because the situation in Taiyuan is sensitive. A few days earlier in the palace, the prime minister avoided suspicion. Silent. On the side of the majesty. Knowing that it is difficult to do Xiangye, after all, I can see it clearly in my heart......"

"Your Majesty's mind, Lord Wu said very much. In his heart, he also understands it. Qin Siyuan smiled and answered.

Qin Hui on the side snorted: "In this way, your lords are going to cut Taiyuan?" ”

"You can't cut it, but it's a bit risky to simply pin your hopes on a battle outside the city. This is the capital, to put it mildly, if the city is really broken, there is no need to think about the way back? ”

"If the war is really unfavorable, you should naturally think about the way back, but since ancient times, the military has been about breaking the kettle and sinking the boat, and before the war starts, you must first calculate that you will lose, then you really don't have to fight."

"Qin Zhongcheng is very knowledgeable about military affairs, so this battle might as well be fought by Lord Qin, and he will definitely support it. It's just that Lord Qin also has to understand that the things on the battlefield and the things in the court may not be the same thing! ”

"You can't be single-minded, how can soldiers use their lives!"

Wu Min and Qin Hui were about to quarrel, Tang Ke on the side took a sip of tea and turned his head to look at Qin Siyuan: "Duke Ming, the foolish brother said early, and the battle can't be fought." It's not that you shouldn't fight, but today's events are the reason why you can't fight. In the past few years, the voice of the main battle has been rising, and they all think that it is a good time. The foolish brother said that he shouldn't be beaten, no one is me who sin against me, and said that Tang was cowardly. Now that Ming Gong has seen this, right? ”

Qin Siyuan arched his hand: "Heh, Brother Qin Suo is cowardly...... Foolish brother would never have such thoughts. You and I have said this many times before, and I know what happened today. But what you think in your heart will never change because of this. For a country, when the opportunity is in front, do not look forward and backward, do your best, and then listen to the destiny of heaven. What's more, at this time, the destiny of heaven is unknown, and there are many variables in the battle array, Zongwang's army, after all, the lone army is deep, and Zonghan is not far from Taiyuan, we still have a chance. ”

"What's the chance? Just those old soldiers outside the city? Tang Ke shook his head, "The soldiers don't know the generals and the generals, and what about the hundreds of thousands of people and the more than 200,000 people." Shao Qian Yu Shouzhang blocked Zongwang's army, but he was defeated in one day, the people in this room, could it be that someone really believes in those impeachment books, he is an incompetent general, and he attacks in vain? Fighting a war is by no means a matter of one person, since the Jurchen uprising, every time to win more with less, the 20,000 people will be defeated by the Liao 700,000, at this time outside the city of Bianliang, in addition to the winning army, there is still the main force of 60,000, and my Wu Dynasty 200,000 people will hunt outside this Bianliang City, Ming Gong Zhenxin, my Wu Dynasty will have a chance? ”

Qin Siyuan was silent for a moment: "It's just a war, how can it be estimated like this, if you really want to calculate it like this, more than 100,000 Jurchen people will go south, and the power of the whole country in our dynasty will not be able to stop it, will when people go south, will our dynasty simply surrender?" ”

"It shouldn't have been a war provoke." Tang Ke said, paused again, and arched his hand, "The foolish brother didn't come over today to say such superficial words, the war cannot be so estimated, and I understand it in my heart." It's just that the Jurchens are strong, when Aguta is alive, 20,000 battles and 700,000 can still win, at this time, Aguta died only a year, Wu begged to buy a new successor, Zongwang is the soul of the Jurchen army, the son of Aguta, if there is no satisfactory result in this battle, it will be a tragic result. Tang knew that everyone in the court and the central government was pinning their hopes on the battle outside the city, so that Zongwang would retreat, but unless Zongwang was defeated, it was absolutely impossible. The big war is together, and I want both sides to stop at once, but it's a fool's dream......"

His face was stern, and he paused for a moment: "At this time, his tens of thousands of troops are heading south, although they are devastating all the way, but the expectation of the war is just the compensation of our Wu Dynasty to cut the land." If there is a real fight outside the city, it will not be easy for Zong Wang to attack the city, but he will never want to go lightly, once it is consumed, the strength of my Wu Dynasty will only gradually bottom out, and when the time comes, he can see clearly, my Wu Dynasty will be the doom of the country! ”

Qin Hui said: "Lord Tang is inevitably alarmist. ”

Yao Zunian, who was accompanied by the same Confucian on the side, raised his eyes: "The misfortune of the country, in the past, is the sign of the rejuvenation of the country, if you can't grit your teeth at this time, let the Jin people eat the marrow and know the taste in the future, can you only live by cutting the land and paying compensation?" ”

"The Jurchen suddenly rose. There is no background, everything comes from plunder. One blow, two and decline, three and exhaustion, as time goes by, corruption will be born, and when the time comes, our Wu Dynasty may have a chance to ......"

Qin Hui sneered: "It's not better than anyone, it's just worse than anyone." ”

Tang Ke glanced at him: "There are some things in front of you and me." It is not something that can be solved by admitting or not admitting it. It's not a matter of bookish anger or one or two lives. In this world, hundreds of millions of Li people are in our hands, and the state affairs are so far, we can only look at the actions in front of us. Brother Qin. You are here today. But it's not like I'm waiting to tell the truth in front of the saints! ”

in his words. There are quite a lot of intriguing things, Qin Hui laughed a few times and stopped talking. Qin Siyuan had a complicated gaze. It was a long time before he spoke.

"I have always admired your knowledge and foresight, Chinsuer. But this matter is not a trade-off, but a matter of faith. You believe in the responsibility of the people and don't want them to suffer too much, I believe in the responsibility of one country and one clan, and you don't want the people of this country to live like this. I always believe that things are not desperate, there must be a turnaround, if everything is only weighed by calculation, in this court, you or me, in fact, you don't have to do anything, all with calculations to live. ”

"You and I quarrel over this, it's not once or twice......" Tang Ke sighed and shook his head, "I know I can't convince you, the stubborn stone is quenched and the steel is seen, and your idea is not wrong." It's just that the problem of our dynasty is that it has been a malpractice for 200 years, and to make progress we must first seek innovation, and if reform fails, it will be useless to make progress. Now this situation has suffered the people of the world and the soldiers inside and outside the city...... We and other officials are all guilty people. ”

"If there is no pain in the skin, how can there be a cause for innovation?"

"How's the Blackwater Alliance? Where is the innovation......

In the study, chattering is the voice of several adults sitting and discussing, and in this heavy city, there is also a heavy weight. At this time, outside Bianliang City, in the Jurchen camp of Mu Huogang, the wind of late autumn was blowing in, and the big tent of the military camp, Zong Wang and a group of generals were having a meeting.

“…… Marshal Sticky Han said in his letter that Taiyuan is still in the hands of the Wu Dynasty and is difficult to obtain for a while. The Western Army of the Wu Dynasty has moved, eyeing it, if the Western Route Army is rashly difficult, the Wu Dynasty army suddenly attacked, it is very likely to cut off the north-south passage, although the Wu Dynasty is weak, but there are still a few troops that can fight, if our army is all trapped in the hinterland of the Wu Dynasty, it is really unwise......"

In the middle of the big tent, Wanyan Zongwang, who is the second son of A Guda, sits on the handsome seat, with a momentum of not being angry and mighty, and the seats around him are Wanyan Yanmu, Wanyan Chang, Liu Yanzong, the commander of the Han army, Saira, Shuliesu, Huoli Gai and other generals, and Guo Yaoshi and others who surrendered are also at the bottom.

"I have sent several orders to let the Western Route Army go south, but looking at this situation, Mu Han will not come over for the time being." After letting people convey the meaning of sticky Han, Zong Wang opened his mouth, "Now some people say that our army is lone and deep, and the Wu Dynasty has hundreds of thousands of soldiers, known as millions, blocking the way of the Yellow River, so they want to force it to surrender to our ......."

When he said this, the corners of his mouth twitched, and he smiled slightly, and there was a laugh around him.

"Wu Dynasty people, jumping clowns." Zong Wang waited for a moment, a trace of ferocity flashed in his eyes, and his fist hit the table in front of him, "My Jurchen male master, fighting has never been a tailwind battle!" The Wu Dynasty gathered a mere 200,000 people by the Yellow River, but they did not dare to advance or retreat, thinking that our army would be afraid. I've already given them the terms of negotiation, and of course they won't agree, and now that we're sure that Muhan won't come, we don't have to wait! ”

His words stopped and he raised his hand: "Brothers, let's imagine how to defeat their million-strong master outside this Bianliang City!" ”

When these words sounded in the camp, a piece of information was coming from the north with the fast horse, entering the range of the Jingshi.

****************

When entering the noisy courtyard, Yue Fei saw Ning Yi's back leaving with an expressionless face.

The sound of the quarrel was still heard in the courtyard.

“…… If you can't say that, you're gone! Executioner! Ignorant villain! The great rivers and mountains of my Wu Dynasty were destroyed by you people......"

The voice scolding people inside was the county magistrate named Yu Wenfeng. A few days after coming here, Yue Fei had already figured out what Ning Yi and the others were responsible for, which was to withdraw all the civilians and food near Bianliang at the same time as the army was assembled.

Especially when the Jurchen soldiers were forcing the capital and everyone was busy with their own affairs. It seems that only Ning Yi and others are constantly doing these things on the basis of relying on the army.

However, there are many people who can't understand this kind of thing in the current environment. Yu Wenfeng is an official who knows the background, because he opposes the relocation of the county's residents, and came to stop it. However, Ning Yi only issued orders through the guò court channel, and did not bother to negotiate with him at all, and two days earlier, Yu Wenfeng resigned from the post of county commander. Come and curse all day long. Ning Yi, on his side, directly promoted the other party's deputy to the position. Thunderbolt is pushing forward the realization of the whole plan.

To be honest, staying here these days, Yue Fei admired Ning Yi's toughness and the efficiency of working inside and outside this courtyard. But for the current hard wall clear. He is also like Yu Wenfeng. Somewhat puzzled.

The invective inside continues: "...... But you know how to do this foolish thing, and you have never known the suffering of the people! Forcing them to leave their homes, winter is coming. Where do they live! What to eat! Do you know that there is still a chance to let them stay where they are...... What are you doing, I know you, the gentleman doesn't move-"

That Yu Wenfeng was originally a child of a big family in Beijing, and while he was talking, he was dragged out by Wen Renji by the collar. He wanted to fight Wen Ren, but where was the opponent of the other party: "Stay where you are, you are stupid to read, is the city wall of your small county town a zhang high!" The Jurchens will not be able to take the city in an hour, and then they will be wolves, and you will all be meat! ”

He threw Yu Wenfeng out of the door, and Yu Wenfeng got up dancing with his hands: "The soldiers and people in my city are determined to become a city, and they are all willing to die with the city, and if the Jurchen wants to take it, he has to pay the price." If you can let those who want to go, how can you ignore the will of the people and force people to relocate—"

He said that he was about to rush in, but he was pressed by the person who heard the sound and pushed out again: "Die with your mother!" If you want to die, let you die? If this battle continues, those who remain here will be the granaries of the Jurchens! You are all enemies! ”

"My Wu Dynasty army is a million, all of them are coming, how long can this battle last! And there are millions of people near Bianliang, how can you all move away, and wait for a meaningless thing, how many people are so tired that they are killed by the Jurchens on the road, and you can sleep at night, aren't you afraid of ghosts asking for your life......

"Millions of your mother! Can't move away...... If you don't move, you can't go! You're coming, I'm really beating you up-"

The two were entangled for a while, and the expression on Wen Ren's face became fierce, and he swung his fist on the wall of the courtyard, knocking away some earth and stones, and Yu Wenfeng was really angry when he saw Wen Ren, so he tidied up his clothes and scolded and left. Wen Ren gritted his teeth, and then walked back with his broken fist. In this courtyard, he and Ning Yi are both the people in charge, but Ning Yi usually gives people a calm and indifferent feeling, and he is often strict and serious when he does things, and he has a cynical smile most of the time, and likes to joke, but just now, Yue Fei can also see that this person is really angry in his heart.

The two didn't know each other, and after saying hello, Yue Fei said: "I just saw Ning Gongzi leaving, it seems that he has something on his mind, is something wrong?" ”

Wen Ren was silent for a moment, sighed slightly, and nodded: "Ah, indeed...... Here's the bad news. ”

He didn't continue, in fact, these days are all kinds of bad news, Yue Fei can't think of how much more news can be worse.

Wu Ruiying's big tent, Qin Shaoqian lifted the table out with one hand, and sat there, his hands clenched into fists, his face gloomy. In his right hand, he also holds a letterhead.

When Ning Yi came in, he saw such a scene.

He hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward. Qin Shaoqian's head was bandaged, one eye was red, and he gritted his teeth.

"I'm blind in one eye—to see better!"

"Old Qin's letter?" Ning Yi looked at the letterhead in his hand.

"Father said he volunteered!" Qin Shaoqian handed the letterhead to Ning Yi, and when he spoke, he still gritted his teeth, "In order to avoid suspicion, even if the Holy Lord does not issue a holy decree, he wants to resign, so he ...... I am not allowed to come recklessly! ”

He sneered: "How reckless can I be! It's nothing more than a war, but now there is no need to fight! ”

Ning Yi looked down at the letter, Qin Shaoqian took a long breath and put a fist on his forehead: "I'm blind!" My brother is still in Taiyuan, life and death are unknown! They...... I want to make peace! ”

Ning Yi finished reading the short letterhead, handed it back to Qin Shaoqian, and found a chair to sit down on the side.

"Elder Qin may have the idea of resigning, but this time it was Cai Jing who made a hindrance, and he ...... deliberately mentioned the matter of the eldest brother of the Qin family in Taiyuan on the Holy Ground, and emphasized to the Holy Lord that this matter will not affect the Xiangye, so that the Holy Lord does not have to worry about it. In addition......"

Before he could finish his words, someone hurriedly said outside the tent: "Report! Taiyuan urgent! ”

Qin Shaoqian said: "Come in!" ”

The man opened the tent door and came in, it was Xu Xiaohu, the deputy general beside Qin Shaoqian, who glanced at Ning Yi, nodded slightly, and then said: "Taiyuan battle report, the Western Army has been defeated." ”

Qin Shaoqian was slightly stunned......

At the end of the autumn of the thirteenth year of Jinghan, at Tianmen Pass near Taiyuan, Liu Guangshi led an army of 40,000 to start a day-long fierce battle with Zonghan's troops, and then transferred to the vicinity of Jiaocheng, where people were sleepy and horses were lacking, and the Jin army was defeated by the night attack, with tens of thousands of dead and wounded, and retreated to Fenzhou.

The defeat of Liu Guangshi means that in a short period of time, there will be no army to relieve the siege of Taiyuan.

On the evening of the day when the news came, the Jurchen army had just prepared for the next stage of the battle, and when night fell, Zong Wang walked in the camp with his hands behind his back. Behind him, followed by Guo Yaoshi and several other generals.

"As soon as this news arrives, the court of the Wu Dynasty should be in a hurry." Guo Yaoshi said, "Maybe we are already discussing the matter of seeking peace." ”

"It's just a win or defeat thousands of miles away." Zong Wang smiled, "Is the people of the Wu Dynasty really like this?" ”

"The marshal doesn't know, although the people of the Wu Dynasty seem to be powerful, they are actually very powerful, if the subordinates expect it to be good, they only need to wait for a day or two. Then it was time for someone to come and sue for peace. ”

"The conditions of the previous peace agreement were only to wait for the army of Muhan to converge in the south. The strength of my Jurchens is not built on the cowardice of the enemy. Zong Wang looked at this brightly lit camp and said slowly, "Regardless of whether they are in harmony or not, the previous discussion will not change." ”

He said, "...... We do it. ”

"Yes!"

The generals said in unison.

*****************

The sky was bright.

Xue Changgong ran up the city wall to warn that the wolf smoke had been lit next to it.

In the distance, the Jurchens pushed siege equipment and surrounded them......

On September 14, after more than ten days of calm, the Bianliang city wall was finally attacked again......

The Imperial Palace, Wende Hall. Zhou Zhe stood on the throne and looked at Li Di below with a stern gaze.

"When you go this time, you must negotiate the peace talks, and you must do your best to fight for the maximum interests of our Wu Dynasty......

"Obey the order!"

Li Di, who had a righteous face, took the order, and there was a generosity in his eyes that looked at death as if he were at home. (To be continued......)