The ladder was pushed up the wall, the bow flew like locusts, the shouts shook the heavens and the earth, and there was a faint thunder in the dark clouds in the sky.

More than a month ago, a scene that happened in Bianliang City reappeared in Taiyuan City.

After several months of siege, the Jurchen soldiers, who had recuperated their strength, began to launch a general attack on the city of Taiyuan.

At this time, the grain reserves in Taiyuan City have begun to stretch. At the end of the year, the food supply of the soldiers in the city was halved, and the residents were halved, and in the cold season, the wood and coal for heating were not enough, and the old and infirm were frozen and starved to death.

Zong Wang came back.

The city news channel was blocked, and no one knew the information in the capital, and Zongwang said that the Wu Dynasty surrendered and cut Taiyuan, and everyone naturally did not believe it. On the day of the arrival of Zongwang's army, Li Pin and others, who were in charge of logistics, restored the food supply of the soldiers defending the city, and in the past two days, they had a few full meals, and then the tragic battle to defend the city began again.

After several months of siege, as the cold winter passed, the will to defend the city in Taiyuan City was not exhausted. During this period of time, the propaganda of the members of Zhuji and Cheng Zhouhai and others spared no effort to play a role, and both soldiers and generals knew that if Taiyuan was broken, what awaited them would be a brutal and inhumane slaughter.

On the other hand, since Zongwang has withdrawn his troops from the south, it also means that the war in the south has come to an end, and it will not be long before the reinforcements from the imperial court will finally come.

On the sixth day of the first month of February, within the boundaries of Taiyuan City, spring rain fell, and the chill that penetrated into the bone marrow enveloped this place. The fighting on the head of the city did not stop, but for Qin Shaohe, Li Pin, Cheng Zhouhai and others who participated in the defense of the city at this time, there was also a warmth of hope in their hearts.

That afternoon, as the rain intensified, they sent elite guards to choose a place where the Jurchens' defenses were weak. Break out and call for help.

At the same moment, the news of the Jurchens' re-attack on Taiyuan was spreading to the south at the fastest speed and through different channels.

The first to receive the news, in addition to the remaining forces of the state capitals, was the Wusheng army that rushed all the way north under the command of Chen Yanshu. At this time, the snow in the south was gradually melting, and tens of thousands of patchwork troops rushed north, and under the cold weather and inefficient organization, the speed of the army was not half that of the Jurchens going north. At this point, we were only about a third of the way through.

After receiving the news that the Jurchens had launched an attack on Taiyuan, Chen Yanshu's mood was almost broken.

He led the army for several years, originally from a civil servant, and later got the name of both civil and military, understood machine changes, and was good at weighing. If you want to talk about blood, it is not nothing, but the record of Zongwang's army all the way south. It has made it clear to him the reality.

Originally, the Jurchens were tough, and everyone couldn't beat them. He was just one of these generals, but the tenacity of Bianliang's resistance, coupled with the Wurui Battalion's record in Xia Village, almost all of them were vaguely guilty. With him leading his troops north, there was an idea of letting him make up for his mistakes. Chen Yanshu also has hopes in his heart, if the Jurchens leave without attacking Taiyuan, he may be able to get back a little reputation and face.

That night, he ordered his soldiers to speed up their march, and it is said that Chen Yanshu, who was riding on a horse, drew his sword several times. He seemed to kill himself, but in the end he didn't.

Wu Shengjun's reaction after receiving the news also turned into a letter asking for help and quickly came to the south.

“…… The Jurchens are fierce and powerful, and our department will fight with one heart and sacrifice their lives...... I hope that the imperial court will send reinforcements quickly......"

The messengers belonging to the various forces quickly whipped up, and the news spread. From Taiyuan to Bianliang, the straight-line distance is nearly 1,000 miles, coupled with the spread of the war, the post station failed to work in full, the snow melted only half, on the night of the seventh day of the second month, the first round of news that the Jurchens seemed to have the intention of attacking the city, only to reach Bianliang City.

On the eighth day of the first month of February, all kinds of news came to Bianliang like a sea of mountains.

There is no chance of chance, and the Jurchens stormed Taiyuan, which has become a fact.

On the upper floor of the court, the various dignitaries hurriedly entered the palace, and the atmosphere was so tense that it almost froze, while the atmosphere of the people was still normal. Ning Yi waited for the feedback from the court in the bamboo record, and he naturally knew that as soon as the news of the Jurchen's attack on Taiyuan came, Qin Siyuan would gather the officials who could move again to make another admonition.

Time is running out, and the army must be dispatched.

Including Tang Ke, Wu Min and other lords and factions, in this admonition, they also stood on the side of advocating sending troops. In addition to them, a large number of senior officials in the DPRK and the Central Committee, or the original idle petty officials, were all under the operation of the Right Prime Minister's Mansion and handed them a fold to the top. In the past month or so, Ning Yi didn't know how many silver taels he had sent outside, and he had almost hollowed out the family foundation of the Right Prime Minister's Mansion, including Zhuji, level by level, just to promote this dispatch.

It is expected that the Jurchens arrived in Taiyuan in the past few days, inside and outside Zhuji, there were also crowds of people coming and going, and a lobbyist played by a famous shopkeeper and deacon went outside to exercise, send money, treasures, promises of various benefits, and also cooperated with Yao Zunian and others to give gifts to more noble places.

At the same time, all kinds of propaganda in the city has not stopped, and it has reached the extreme of warmth at this time, once the court decides to send troops, the news about the Jurchens attacking Taiyuan will be dispersed in accordance with the pace of sending troops, inciting war. And if the court still hesitates, Ning Yi and the others are already considering the possibility of using the people's will to force the government - of course, this kind of taboo thing, until the last moment, he doesn't want to mess around.

It was afternoon in the blink of an eye, and Ning Yi stood at the window on the second floor and looked into the courtyard, holding a cup of tea in his hand. He only used this tea to quench his thirst, he used a big cup, and after standing for a long time, the tea was getting colder, Juan'er came over to change it for him, Ning Yi waved his hand.

"Is my uncle worried about Taiyuan?" Juan'er asked in a low voice.

"Sort of." After Ning Yi finished speaking, he shook his head slightly, "But the main thing is not." ”

"Huh?"

"The matter in Taiyuan is clear, it is already fighting, and it is useless to worry." Ning Yi glanced slightly to the north, "The situation in the capital is problematic, it seems to be quite clear, but I always feel that something is wrong in my heart." ”

"I heard from several gentlemen that even if he really failed to send troops to Taiyuan, Xiangye's resignation was rejected by His Majesty several times, indicating that he was a saint. Even if the worst happens. As long as the soldiers of Xia Village can be trained according to the routine, there may not be no hope of a comeback. And...... This time, most of the princes of the court and China are inclined to send troops, and the possibility of His Majesty accepting it is still very high. After Juan'er said this, she pursed her lips again, "Hmm." What they say. ”

Ning Yi glanced at her, laughed, and after a while, he nodded: "There may be something behind it, but it's just some of my blind thoughts, and even I didn't see it clearly." Intellectually speaking, we are on track, we have done what we need to do, and the feedback is not bad...... Wait for news. The outside of the city is also ready, and if it goes well, the troops will be sent in two or three days. Of course, before sending troops, there may be a review. ”

He paused: "The Taiyuan incident is the end of this battle, and after the past, it is a greater cause." When the time comes, the Prime Minister's Mansion and the Bamboo Record. I'm afraid the scale and nature will be different. By the way, Juan'er, you can honestly say that this time in Xia Village, did you find someone you like? ”

Later, he said, the topic changed sharply. Juan'er was stunned, her face turned red for a while, then turned white again, and after a moment of hesitation, Ning Yi laughed: "You come here." Look downstairs. ”

He pointed to the courtyard downstairs, where figures passed by from time to time, and on a spring afternoon, the voices of people seemed noisy and lively.

"The people in Xia Village, or them, if there are no accidents, will become a pivotal role in the future. Because the next few years, more than ten years, may be spent in war, if the country can fight for power, they can ride the wind, if they can't fight for gas in the end, they ...... Maybe you can live a life of singing and crying. ”

"Fighting, fighting?" Juan'er glared.

"Hmm." Ning Yi looked at it for a while, then turned around and walked back to the desk, putting down the teacup, "The Jurchens' southward journey is only the beginning, not the end. If your ears are sharp, you can already hear the impassioned melody. ”

He smiled and looked at Juan'er, who was a little confused: "Of course, just to say, Juan'er, you don't have to listen to this, but at this time, it may not be too easy for people to live a good life, if there is someone you like......"

There was silence in the room, and he didn't continue.

After Juan'er left the room, Ning Yi sat back at the desk, looked at some tables on the wall, the information gathered at hand, and continued to calculate the next thing. Occasionally, someone comes up to spread information, but it is also a little insignificant, and the decision in the court is undecided, and they may still be arguing. It wasn't until around Shen Shi that there was a little chaos below, and someone ran in, knocked down the staff below, and then ran up again. Ning Yi heard these voices clearly in the room, and when the man ran to the door to knock, Ning Yi had already reached out and pulled the door open.

It was a steward in charge of news in the palace.

"What's wrong?"

"Received or received a message ......"

Ning Yi frowned, and the steward took a step closer and whispered a few words in his ear. Ning Yi's face changed slightly.

"Really? Didn't say anything over there? ”

The other party shook his head: "Returned everything......"

"Did the news reach the Prime Minister's Office?"

"It's passed, but the prime minister is still in the palace. On the Prime Minister's side, the news should have also been transmitted to the palace. ”

“…… I knew there was a problem, but I didn't guess it was this level. ”

Ning Yi muttered in a low voice and said a word, but the steward didn't hear it clearly: "...... What the? ”

"It's nothing, continue to find someone to visit, until he picks him up, check what he has to do with him around, and ask them to be lobbyists...... No, don't just ask for someone, lest the matter expand and startle the snake...... Find someone reliable......"

He hurriedly made a few responses, and the steward nodded in response and hurried away.

Ning Yi stood in the room for a moment.

Before Tong Guan met him, he was a little uneasy in his heart, but Qin Siyuan's rejection of his resignation made him suppress the uneasiness in his heart, and at this time, the uneasiness finally emerged.

He predicted what kind of melody would follow, but he didn't expect it to become such a development as it is now.

In any case, it struck him as a little ridiculous.

……

In the palace, the deliberations came to an end for the time being, and the ministers took a short break in the side hall on the side of the vertical arch hall, during which the people were still noisy and debating.

Qin Siyuan stood aside and talked to someone, and then, an official hurriedly came and whispered a few words in his ear.

The old man was slightly stunned, stood there, and blinked.

It's been a long time. Only then did he digest the situation, gather his mind, and return his attention to the matter in front of him.

……

In the evening, Ning Yi's carriage entered the Right Prime Minister's Mansion, crossed the gate of the side courtyard, and went straight inside. When he arrived at the study, he met Yao Zunian and Jueming.

"How did it come to this?"

"Big or small......"

"After hearing about this, the monk came back immediately......

"Someone has been sent in to inform Xiangye."

"At such a critical time...... Ning Yi frowned, "It's not a good sign." ”

Soon after, Qin Siyuan also returned.

The decision to send troops is undecided.

In the past month, the Prime Minister has used all his family resources and strength to try to promote the dispatch of troops. Ning Yi has always been in charge of the property of the Prime Minister's Mansion, and he has intervened in various matters such as gifts. To say that gifts are bribed. The knowledge is very deep, and naturally there are people who accept it and some people who refuse, but what happened today has a different meaning.

In the palace, the great eunuch Du Chengxi refused and returned the gift sent by the Right Prime Minister's Mansion.

For hundreds of years, the Wu Dynasty has always ruled the world with civil servants, and the eunuchs have little power. After Zhou Zhe succeeded to the throne, he took power over the eunuchs. It is a suppression strategy, but in any case, the people who can be by the emperor's side, whether it is to say a few small words or pass on a piece of information, have great value.

This great eunuch Du Chengxi. has always been cautious and self-controlled, although he didn't dare to talk nonsense in front of Zhou Zhe, but on the other hand, he can be regarded as a deep understanding of righteousness and inclined to the side of Li Gang and Qin Siyuan. On weekdays, he receives some benefits. It is also prudent. Therefore, in the current situation, he suddenly returned the gift, and the meaning and warning of it are quite intriguing.

Before this, everyone had thought about the problem of the military, Cai Jing's problem, Tong Guan's problem, and all kinds of resistance, but they didn't think that all of a sudden, the situation would rise from Du Chengxi's side to Cheng Dù, who needed to return things.

When you think about it, it's like a huge, dark metaphor that is gradually emerging from everyone's hearts at this time.

……

In the palace, Zhou Zhe overturned a bunch of folds on the table.

"Wolf ambition!" He shouted, "I knew that the Jurchens couldn't believe it, but I knew it...... They're going to attack Taiyuan! ”

He stood there with a pile of folds pushed down the table, almost all of which were petitions for troops, and he looked at the words on the folds scattered on the ground.

"Wolf ambition, Jurchen ......" After a long time, he repeated a sentence with red eyes.

In the process of Zhou Zhe walking back to the desk, Du Chengxi motioned to the little eunuch and asked him to pick up all the folds. Zhou Zhe didn't care, he sat on the chair and leaned for a while before he spoke in a low voice.

"I have a fluke...... he said, "Du Chengxi, you see, I am lucky, and I have suffered after all......

Du Chengxi hesitated for a moment: "That...... 陛xià...... Why not send troops? ”

Zhou Zhe's eyes looked at him, and after a while: "You eunuch, what do you know." ”

After a slight pause, Zhou Zhe raised his head, and his words were not high: "I don't want to fold Taiyuan, and I don't want to fold all my belongings in Taiyuan." And also...... Pharmacist Guo's lessons from the past. Du Chengxi, a lesson from the past...... The overturn of the car behind ...... Du Chengxi, do you know the lessons from the past? ”

He muttered this, and Du Chengxi lowered his head: "Slaves, slaves and maids shouldn't talk about political affairs with His Majesty......"

"Let's talk, let's talk, I'm talking about it, it's been a day!" Zhou Zhe stood up, his eyes suddenly became fierce, and he stretched out his hand to point at Du Chengxi, "Look at Pharmacist Guo!" I treated him so kindly, raised soldiers for him with the power of the world, and even wanted to crown him king! As for him, he turned his head and took refuge in the Jurchens! Xia Village, not to mention that they only have more than 10,000 people, among these more than 10,000 people, the most powerful is said to be a rebel army from the north! Du Chengxi, I haven't held this army in my hands, I haven't subdued his heart, and I want to release him again, you say, do I want to let him go? ”

He spread his hands: "I have a lot of resources in the land, but I have no soldiers to fight, and finally there are some people who can fight, and I will let them out, there are so many variables." I want to use them as seeds, and I lost Taiyuan, I still have this country, and I lost the seeds, and I am afraid. In a few days, I will go to inspect this army, I will take their hearts and stay in the capital, what they want, what I give. I can't buy bones anymore like buying Pharmacist Guo. ”

"What's more, Taiyuan may not be lost." He closed his eyes and muttered to himself, "The Jurchens are tired, and Taiyuan has been holding on for months, who said that it can't be held on anymore." I have sent Chen Yanshu to the north to rescue, and I have also issued an order, with his rapid march, Chen Yanshu is guilty of meritorious service, he has always known the stakes, this time if he loses again, I will not let him go, I will kill his whole family. He didn't dare to ...... without a fight."

He chattered, Du Chengxi listened respectfully, and walked out of the door with Zhou Zhe, and he hurriedly followed.

……

That night, Ning Yi returned to Zhuji, summoned a few stewards over, and ordered a few things to follow. Most of them were privately connected with gifts and arrangements to open up the joints, and then he also gave an order to let the propaganda side of Zhuji stop making big moves, and there was no need to consider excessive publicity about Taiyuan.

He sat in the courtyard and thought carefully about everything, the ins and outs. In the early hours of the morning, Yue Fei came out of the room, and heard a bang in the courtyard, Ning Yi stood there, waving his hand and breaking the trunk of a tree, it seemed that he was practicing martial arts before.

Yue Fei is a disciple of Zhou Dong, so he can naturally see some of the complex meanings of this. He hesitated and came over: "Young Master Ning...... Something on your mind? ”

Ning Yi glanced at him: "The matter of Taiyuan, there must still be a war right now." ”

"Isn't there a change in the matter of sending troops?" Yue Fei asked tentatively, "Fei heard some rumors tonight......

“…… Hardly. Ning Yi said, "Something did happen, not like a good thing." But it is not clear what Cheng dù is experienced. ”

"Ning Gongzi...... Can't solve it? He asked.

"Hahahaha." Hearing this, Ning Yi was slightly stunned, and then laughed, "You believe me." ”

Yue Fei arched his hand: "Before the Battle of Xia Village, Fei didn't know Gongzi's skills, but after the Great War, Gongzi has become a person that Yue Fei admires in his heart. Just as Gongzi said in Xia Village, there are some things that are unreasonable, there is no way out, and if you can't get over, you can't do it. If Taiyuan falls, the primordial spirit of the Central Plains will be devastated, and the Jurchens will come again, and they will drive straight forward, and when this is dangerous, the son must not be discouraged. If there is something that Yue Fei needs to do, Fei Fei will not give up! ”

He said this impassionedly, Ning Yi looked at him for a moment, and smiled slightly: "You are right, I will try my best to do what you should do......"

With that, he walked over, reached out and patted him on the shoulder, then walked past him and went upstairs.

The next day, although Zhu Ji did not deliberately strengthen the publicity, something still happened. The news of the Jurchens' attack on Taiyuan spread, and Chen Dong, a student of Tai, led a group of people to the imperial city to petition for troops.

At the same time, there was a discussion about whether to send troops or not, but he also did not move Zhou Zhe, he just quietly listened to the civil and military quarrels of the Manchu Dynasty, and then decided on some things that he had intended before: three days later, he would review the meritorious army in this battle outside the city.

Qin Siyuan privately asked to see Zhou Zhe and asked for his resignation again, but was also rejected by Zhou Zhe with a pleasant face.

In the matter of the Jurchens, he also showed his irritable and angry side, but only in the face of Qin Siyuan's resignation, this son of heaven comforted the old man kindly every time.

The war in Taiyuan continued, and due to the delay in the transmission of information, no one knew whether the city in the north had been broken by the Jurchens when they received the news that Taiyuan City was still safe today.

Compared with the quiet and waiting for the development of the situation in the previous month, at present, time also seems to have entered the quagmire, but a hint of malice has appeared, and the further you go, the more difficult it becomes.

Three days later, Zhou Zhe inspected the Wurui camp outside the city...... (To be continued......)