I woke up from a rare slumber, and suddenly, it was like a distant dream.

In the early morning of April 23, when Zhou Pei got up, the sky was gradually brightening. In the morning of early summer, out of the dreary humidity of spring, there is a light wind in the yard, and the sky and earth are as clear as washing, just like the Jiangning in childhood.

She sat for a while under the gazebo in the middle of the open courtyard, beside which there were thriving flowers and vines, and the courtyard seemed to sink into a quiet gray as the day dawned, and there were guards stationed in the distance, but none of them spoke. Zhou Pei shook his palms, but at this time, he could feel his own thinness.

As a mortal, he set foot in this complex world, promoting many things, clarifying thousands of relationships, sometimes a word can decide life and death, and sometimes, he can't sleep peacefully for days in a row. After a long time, you will feel that you are no longer yourself, as if you are covered with a huge shell. But these are, of course, all illusions.

She was thirty years old this year, and in the eyes of the world, she was just a withdrawn and vicious old woman who put her husband under house arrest and was feared after she seized power. Most of the officials trembled when they came, and they were actually more afraid than when they faced Jun Wu, the reason is very simple, Jun Wu is the crown prince, even if he is too iron-blooded and brave, he will always have to take over the country in the future, and many things will be able to communicate even if they have opposite ideas.

She is different, she stands behind Jun Wu, supporting her younger brother as a woman, with no one around to accompany her, and her husband has been placed under house arrest. Even though her words are soft on the surface, she has done everything with her back - most of the outside world thinks about her.

Actually, how else can you think about it?

She thought of Zhou Xuan and Kang Xian, who had died.

When she was scheduled to take over the property of Princess Chengguo's Mansion, she was only a teenage girl, and with her marriage, the burden was also on her shoulders. At first, she didn't realize it, but when she reacted, she had been pushed away by things, the teacher had rebelled, the country was ruined, and there were countless things every day - of course, she could also throw it away as if she hadn't seen it, but she didn't do it after all.

When he stood again, the thirty-year-old was pressed in front of him, the husband became a heinous bad person, and the marriage was finished. The happy life defined by the worldly people is too far away from her to be seen.

When I settled down and thought about it, the departure of Zhou Xuan and Kang Xian seemed to be close at hand. Life passes away in an imperceptible moment.

She picked up the branches of the trees by the gazebo and held them in her hands like a sword. After she came back from Bianliang more than ten years ago, Zhou Xuan taught her sword dance, the imperial aunt and grandmother had a gentle temperament in front of the family, but she held the huge power and industry of the princess's mansion of Chengguo, and also had its majesty and killing side, at the beginning of her contact with the princess's mansion, the old man taught her to dance the sword in private.

"The sword has two edges, one end hurts others, the other ends hurt oneself, and most things in the world are like this...... The interesting thing about the sword and everything in the world lies in the balance between the wounded and the unwounded......"

Zhou Pei's athletic ability is not strong, and he has never learned Zhou Xuan's atmospheric sword dance, but he quickly understood the truth taught in the sword dance. It is proportionate to hurt others without injury, and to hurt others and hurt oneself...... It's about decisiveness. understood the truth, for the sword, she has never touched it again, but when she thinks about it, she can't help but feel sad.

She thought back to the original scene, stood up with the stick, and slowly strode the stick out, moving her steps as the old man, who had died eight years ago, swiped his sword and moved his steps in the morning breeze...... The sword has a double edge, hurting others and hurting herself, and the girl more than ten years ago finally couldn't keep up, so she replaced it with the eldest princess today.

Cheng Zhouhai came in from outside, and then silently took two steps back at the courtyard gate, Zhou Pei danced a few swords, stopped to look at the courtyard gate, and Cheng Zhouhai came over: "Your Highness is so interested." ”

"So early, sir."

"Waiting for news, I didn't go back last night." Cheng Zhouhai smiled, "Your Highness is in good spirits. ”

Zhou Pei put the branch aside: "I don't know why, I suddenly had a good sleep last night, and I only had a dream when it was dawn." I forgot what I dreamed about. ”

After the death of Kang Xian and Zhou Xuan, Zhou Pei relied most on Cheng Zhouhai, and the two sides were also teachers and friends, and they were also familiar with each other's situation. Since the pressure around him has increased, Zhou Pei often has insomnia and can't sleep, and many medical officers have seen it, but it is of little use. When the Jurchens called, Zhou Pei was worried, and staying up late was even more routine. She is less than thirty years old, and she can hold on to it on the surface, but the people around her are often anxious, and at this time, Zhou Pei had a good night's sleep, and Cheng Zhouhai was stunned.

"Your Highness is calm and relaxed, and there is the wind of Xie An." He bowed his hand to flattery, and then said, "...... Maybe it's a good sign. ”

He previously said that he was "waiting for news", but in fact, many people in Lin'an City have been waiting for news in the past few days. On April 18, the Xiyin army, which was originally pointing at Changzhou, turned around and attacked Zhenjiang at high speed, and on the same day, the Alubao army also cooperated, assuming a posture of attacking Zhenjiang at all costs, and not many people could determine the truth of this move for the time being.

At this time, Jiangnan, Jiangning in the west, and Zhenjiang in the east, are the two fulcrums blocking the Yangtze River, as long as these two fulcrums still exist, they can drag the Zongfu army to death, so that it can not rest assured that it will go south.

Now, the Jiangning side has become the core theater of operations, and Zhenjiang is led by Junwu, responsible for dealing with the army led by Xi Yin and Yinshuke, and for several months, the two sides have fought to the death, refusing to give in to each other, and Jun Wu hopes to defeat Xi Yin as soon as possible - or even drag Xi Yin down with crowd tactics.

And Xi Yin's side, in the big strategy, there are two directions: first, no longer pay attention to the training of logistics supply, along the rich section of the Taihu Lake region continue to go south, conquer the city, eat the people, in the middle, Zhenjiang to Lin'an, the distance of 400 miles, everywhere is rich city, Lin'an City is the people's hearts floating in the situation is complicated, as long as Xi Yin can kill the most elite troops of the Jurchen for 400 miles, arrive in Lin'an City, and then cooperate with the strength of the Wushu army, the hearts of the Wu Dynasty may collapse at any time.

Second, cooperate with Zongfu to destroy the defense line of the Yangtze River, which naturally includes the option of attacking Zhenjiang. Even between February and April, Xi Yin's troops put on such a posture several times, saying that they would capture Zhenjiang City and kill Zhou Junwu, which made the Wu Dynasty army highly nervous, and then due to the tight defense of the Wu Dynasty, Xi Yin chose to give up.

But war is like this, you come and go, and every time it can become true. By April 18, Xi Yin turned to Zhenjiang again, and in the middle, the Wu Dynasty military had to face several possibilities - if the battle line was immediately closed and Zhenjiang was concentrated, Xi Yin and others might also go south directly and capture Changzhou. And if Xi Yin really chose to storm Zhenjiang, the information revealed in the middle would be really intriguing and frightening.

In the face of Xi Yin's return, the direction of Zhenjiang has been prepared, and Lin'an is also waiting for the arrival of new news - maybe at some point in the future, there will be news that Xi Yin will attack Changzhou and Danyang, or distract everyone from the Jiangning War.

This news was running on the road south, and soon after, it alarmed the entire Lin'an City.

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

In Zhenjiang, the soldiers rushed to the city wall one by one, killing in the morning breeze, and hunting with flags. In the field outside the city walls, the corpses of countless people lay in the craters after the explosion - the Jurchen army drove the captured Han captives and completed the mines outside Zhenjiang in the most efficient way yesterday night when they arrived.

One by one, trebuchets are being erected. Since Ning Yi's rebellion, the assembly line, standardized production, split assembly and other technologies he has promoted have been more in place in some directions, even on the Jurchen side.

The hot air balloon was rising in the morning breeze, and on the city wall of Zhenjiang, one by one, the hot air balloons were also raised, and the soldiers with strong crossbows entered the frame of the hot air balloon.

Jun Wu was meticulously eating breakfast in the tent, and he was accompanied by Shen Ruxin, the fourth lady of the Prince's Mansion.

Shen Ruxin was originally from Zhenjiang, and before the war with the Jurchens last year, her younger brother Shen Ruhua was imprisoned and beheaded, and Shen Ruxin vomited blood and fell ill in Jiangning, but finally survived. At the beginning of this year, Jiangning was in an emergency, and Junwu moved his wife, concubine and children to a safe place, but brought Shen Ruxin to Zhenjiang.

At the beginning, when the mountains and seas were searched, Junwu fled everywhere, and the two sides came together because of their dependence, and now it is similar to the situation of relying on each other.

In the process of eating breakfast, a soldier came in to report that the change of guard of each department had been completed, and Junwu nodded, indicating that he understood. Soon after, when he finished eating, Shen Ruxin came over to tidy up his clothes, and the couple then went out together. The sky is cloudy, floating over the big city by the Yangtze River.

Preparations for war and mobilization were prepared yesterday, and a strange atmosphere was in the barracks. Xi Yin's storming of Zhenjiang was the craziest and most likely to determine the outcome of the entire campaign. After eight years of operation, 100,000 troops guarding Zhenjiang are not weak brigades, and at this time when Jun Wu is determined to consume Xiyin's troops, the other party turns around and storms Zhenjiang, which is a desperate choice strategically.

If Zhenjiang is held, Xi Yin's troops may be surrounded by the Wu Dynasty troops surging from all sides, and Junwu will complete the goal of defeating Tushanwei, and the Jurchens' fourth southern expedition will also collapse.

But considering Xi Yin's strategic ability and prestige, he made such a choice, which probably means that in the previous months of the game, there are some flaws that have been caught by the other party.

"After defeating Yan Xiyin, I may be able to exchange for peace in this world......" On the night before, Jun Wu held his wife's hand and said, "But if I can't win, it's very likely...... You and I will die here. ”

In my heart, I am actually very afraid......

In the morning, when the temperature and sunshine were gentle, Junwu and his wife walked across the road between the barracks, and the soldiers would salute this way. He closed his eyes and fantasized about the opponents outside the city, the other party was dominating the world, fighting in the battle array for decades, and they had killed unyielding from the weakest childhood...... He fantasized about the spirit of the world. Now he is standing in front of such a person.

He also remembered his teacher when he was in Jiangning, and remembered the choices he made when he made one big event, people will meet tigers in this world...... I put my life on the line, and we're all the same...... The people of China do not vote for foreign countries...... Don't want to go back alive......

If the people are there, who is dead...... He joked with Wenren that he really wished the teacher would give me this calligraphy......

I put my life on the line.

He thought.

I won't be returning......

……

Outside Zhenjiang City, huge hot air balloons flew towards the city walls, and soon after, large tracts of leaflets were spilled. At the same time, there were envoys who shouldered the mission of persuasion and declaration of war, and walked to the gate of Zhenjiang.

At two o'clock, the envoy arrived at the Zhenjiang camp and persuaded Junwu and many generals in Zhenjiang to surrender: "...... In the past few months, the emissaries under the command of Lord Ceres have successively planned and persuaded several of your generals to surrender, and we have also mobilized the support of many officials and people of great prestige in Lin'an and throughout the Wu Dynasty. In order to explain the situation to you and avoid unnecessary casualties, Lord Ceres ordered me to bring the list and evidence of some of the members of the state, in addition, I also ordered me to show you that once this war starts, no matter whether you win or lose, all those who will participate in the war in the future will be killed in my Jin country! The Nine Tribes Do Not Forgive ......"

As he spoke, the envoy presented a large stack of lists and evidence of the "gold cutters" to Jun Wu. There were already generals in the camp who were ready to come and kill the messenger who had bewildered people's hearts. Jun Wu looked at the stack of things on the table, waved someone in, twisted the messenger's tongue, and then threw the things into the brazier.

"This is a copy of Ning Yi's plan to exterminate Liangshan back then, picking up people's teeth and wisdom, and the god of grains is nothing more than that...... I wanted to spare your life, but with this plan, you know that you can't go back alive. ”

The bloodied messenger laughed wickedly on the ground......

At noon, the head of the envoy was hung at the city gate, and Wanyan Xiyin was outside the city, watching all this with a blank face.

On the afternoon of April 22, the Battle of Zhenjiang began.

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

The carriage made its way through the streets of the city to the palace. Qin Hui sat in the carriage, holding the message in his hand, trembling slightly, his spirit was highly concentrated, and all kinds of things were circling in his mind, which was the nervousness of every major event, so that it was not until the emperor outside the carriage called him several times that he reacted and had arrived at the place.

Passing through the long road between the palaces, Qin Hui saw Zhou Yong in the living room on the side of the imperial study, the emperor was wearing a wide robe, his hair was messy, and his clothes were not tied, sitting on the edge of the bed, holding a few pieces of paper in his hand, he looked haggard and depressed, Qin Hui came in and asked An to salute for a long time, and Zhou Yong came back to his senses.

"Eliminated, the news is known?" Zhou Yong's eyes widened.

“…… Back to Your Majesty, I know. ”

"Xi Yin went to Zhenjiang, and Xi Yin attacked Zhenjiang...... Why did Xi Yin attack Zhenjiang...... Everyone said that Zhenjiang was a dead place, so why attack Zhenjiang. Zhou Yong waved the paper in his hand, "Qin Qing, you come, you say ......"

"The minister, the minister can't be sure......" Qin Hui hesitated for a moment, and knelt down, "The minister is guilty......"

Zhou Yong was stunned there, and then waved the paper in his hand: "What are your crimes!" You speak to me! Why did Xi Yin attack Zhenjiang, they, they all said that Zhenjiang was a dead end! They said that Xi Yin would be dragged there when he attacked Zhenjiang. Why did Xi Yin attack, Qin Qing, you mentioned it to me before, don't pretend to be stupid, you say ......"

"Ministers, ministers dare not speak ......"

Zhou Yong roared out: "You say-"

"That may be ......" Qin Hui knelt there, and said with difficulty, "Xi Yin has a perfect plan......

The room was quiet, and Zhou Yong was stunned for a long time: "I know, I know, they are going to do it...... Those brutes, those traitors...... They...... The Wu Dynasty has raised them for more than 200 years, and they ...... They're going to sell my son, they're going to sell me...... If I know who it is, I will punish him for the nine clans...... Punish his ten clans and ...... Punish him eleven tribes......"

He muttered like this for a while, and turned to Qin Hui: "Qin Qing, is there any way?" What is the way to save my son? Around Zhenjiang, there are soldiers in Changzhou...... How many people can be sent over, and if it is not possible to send a sailor from Jiangning, those people ...... Believe it or not, Qin Qing, you have to help me, my son can't be fine...... You get up! ”

Qin Hui knelt there and said: "Your Majesty, don't worry, the situation on the battlefield is changing rapidly, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is wise, there will definitely be countermeasures, maybe the soldiers of Changzhou and Jiangning are already on the way, or maybe although Xi Yin has a strategy, he was recognized by His Royal Highness the Prince, in that case, Zhenjiang is the place where Xi Yin is defeated." Let's ...... both sides It's a place away, it's really ...... Don't meddle ......"

"I know what those people are! I know the virtues of those people! I know! Zhou Yong roared out, "I know! Just how many big people in this court are waiting to sell me! Look at the cowardice of those people in Jingping! My son! Ahead of the curve! They're going to drag their feet! And the black flag! I've shown kindness! What a reaction they have! Just know to kill and kill! Hoe rape! Jun Wu is his disciple! Send troops, send troops! Just like Qin Qing said! Black flags are also just for fame! Waiting to kill me—who can help Jun Wu—"

Zhou Yong was hysterical, roaring so much that the whole palace was shaking, and when he arrived, his face was sad, and his mouth was already full of spittle. Qin Hui got up and bowed to the side, Zhou Yong's arm trembled and walked in the hall, muttering to himself from time to time, and then speaking in a low voice: "Qin Qing, you are right, there is always a way, there is always a way, maybe I have seen through Xi Yin's strategy before, there is a way...... It's useless to be anxious, it's useless to be anxious......"

He comforted himself for a long time, and then was quiet for a long time. Qin Hui straightened up: "Now that the matter is now, I can only wait for the battle report from the front line." ”

His voice did not have the previous panic, faintly, containing the power of making people feel down-to-earth, Zhou Yong nodded, and after a while, sat on the edge of the bed.

"I want Jun Wu to be fine...... he looked at Qin Hui, "My son can't be fine, Jun Wu is a good prince, he must be a good emperor in the future, Qin Qing, he can't be fine...... Those brutes ......"

The light of heaven shone obliquely through the windows and doorway, and the cool wind caressed the thin veil of the hall, drenching the emperor's weak and feeble murmur in the afternoon wind.

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

Southwest, a corner of the Chengdu Plain, Niutou County, the outside world also calls this place the old Niutou.

It is located at the junction of the jurisdiction of the Huaxia Army and the jurisdiction of the Wu Dynasty, the terrain is complex, and the population is also quite large, but since last year, due to the active efforts of the veteran cadres and members of the Huaxia Army stationed here, this area has won the positive recognition of several nearby villages and counties - the members of the Huaxia Army have helped many people in the vicinity for free, donated medicine and medicine, and opened a private school for the surrounding children to go to school for free. It can be regarded as a place like "learning from Lei Feng's advanced county".

In the afternoon, Ning Yi gave a lecture to some young officers and cadres gathered in Niutou County.

“…… Sometimes, there are things that are interesting to say...... Our biggest opponent today, the Jurchens, their rise is very rapid, once born in the sorrowful generation, for the outside world's learning ability, the degree of acceptance is very strong, I once told you, in the attack on the Liao State, their siege skills are still very weak, in the process of destroying the Liao State quickly improved, to the later attack on the Wu Dynasty in the process, they gathered a large number of craftsmen, and constantly improved, the Wu Dynasty people are beyond the reach of the dust......"

“…… But at the same time, when the environment is comfortable, their second and third generations will decay very quickly, and everyone in the staff department jokes that if it weren't for our several years of war in Xiaocanghe, which gave the Jurchen high-level a wake-up call, the situation of the current Jiangnan War would be completely different...... The Jurchens stopped after conquering the Liao State and almost leveling the world, and the uprising of Fang La, which was the law and equality, was much faster, but after conquering Hangzhou, the high-level began to enjoy themselves......"

“…… You don't have to laugh, our Huaxia Army is also facing this problem...... What is the driving force that determines their progress in this process? It is the culture and the spirit, the original Jurchens suffered a lot, they had a great sense of urgency, this sense of distress ran through the whole of their spirit, they learned very quickly, but when it was too peaceful, they stopped, until our rise gave them a sense of unsteadyness, but if the world was too peaceful, they would be doomed to a rapidly sliding curve......"

“…… We have to pay attention to this matter, and we will also slide into such a curve, the struggle of Xiaocanghe and the difficulties in the northwest have passed for several years, and we have laid down the Chengdu Plain again, and the Wu Dynasty is in a mess...... We even began to be blindly optimistic......"

He was talking in class, Juan'er appeared outside the door, stood there and motioned to him, Ning Yi walked out and saw the urgent message coming.

“…… Xi Yin attacked Zhenjiang, the situation may be very complicated, the General Staff side has a message, do you want to go back immediately......"

Ning Yi folded the message and looked at the small county town outside: "The whip is out of reach, what can you do if you rush back...... We have more important things here. ”

Juan'er nodded, and was about to leave, when Ning Yi reached out and touched her arm: "Release the news, we will leave tomorrow morning." ”

"Yes."

……

More than 80 miles away from the old cow's head, the watermelon led the people and galloped into Zhang Village.

The horse team was like a whirlwind, stopping in front of the courtyard where the family lived at this time, watermelons got off the horses, and Wenwen, who was playing in front of the courtyard gate, greeted them: "Aunt Gua, are you back?" ”

"Wenwen, Aunt Gua has something to do, I'll bring you delicious ...... next time" The words of the watermelon were left in the air, and the figure had already rushed to the courtyard more than ten zhang away, and quickly rushed into the study, only Su Tan'er was sorting things out in it: "Watermelon? ”

"What about Xianggong? Where did the others go? ”

He ...... I've been out for two days, for that ...... Advanced Individual ......"

"He went to the old bull's head?"

"Hmm." Su Tan'er nodded, and her eyes began to become serious, "What's wrong?" Questions? ”

"When did Xianggong go?"

"At noon the day before yesterday, speaking of which, it should have been there last night. The old bull's head is on the side, at this time, the people of the Wu Dynasty want to do it? There's a garrison over there......"

"It's them ......who are talking about it," the watermelon whispered, and Su Tan'er was slightly stunned: "What did you say?" ”

"I'm not sure either, hopefully...... It's me who thinks too much. Watermelon's gaze hesitated slightly, and after a while, it suddenly disappeared into the room like the wind, "I'll rush over immediately...... Don't worry. ”

……

Old bull head.

After finishing the lecture, going down from the hillside is a river that passes through the county seat, the sunset is about to set, Zhu Qingsha is white, Ning Yi stood by the river, and watched for a moment.

After that, the people who visited came......