The captains had been discussing the matter of sending troops to aid the Song Dynasty for a long time, and the military situation was urgent, so there was not much dispute in the Protectorate Mansion, so they agreed that the Bai Yu Army would command Wu Jie to be the general of the army. The lieutenants who sent the troops immediately returned to the camp and prepared. The Prime Minister's Mansion also ordered the state envoy Xiao to quickly agree with the Song Dynasty on borrowing troops. After the discussion, Zhao Xingde was about to rush back to pack his bags, and a guard from the Prime Minister's Mansion came to invite him to come over.

It was getting late, the stars and the moon were dark, and the streets were hung with white paper lanterns every twenty steps, and the road was faintly visible in the near distance, and it was pitch black in the distance. Zhao Xingde followed behind the Tiger Wing Army guards, he was worried, he didn't know why Liu Yi summoned him, but he couldn't wait to do anything as quickly as possible. The Tiger Wing Army guards were unhurried, the iron hooves of the war horses stepped on the hard ground, and the crisp clicking sound was heard far away. Compared with the bustling city of Bianliang in Chang'an, the streets of Dunhuang appear empty and deserted. There are two generally large lanterns hanging at the door of the Prime Minister's Mansion, the door is not very conspicuous, and even a little dark, if it were not for the two stone lions at the door and the words "Great Prime Minister's Mansion" on the lantern, it would almost be missed. As soon as I entered the gate of the Prime Minister's Mansion, the hall suddenly lit up, and the lanterns illuminated the hall as bright as day, and the scribes came and went, no different from the day.

Guarding Tongbing, Zhao Xingde strode in, and said in a deep voice: "Humble Zhao De see the prime minister." ”

Liu Yi looked at Zhao De, was silent for a while, and suddenly said: "Yuan Zhi, this time with the army to the east, I must have met a lot of old people, right?" Like a pebble thrown into a quiet pool, Zhao Xingde's face changed slightly, and he looked at Liu Yi in surprise. Liu Yi nodded and continued: "Although Yuan is in Kanto, Xing is in Kansai. You just have to go straight and don't have to worry about anything else. The loyalty of the captain of the protector should be to me. It's just that when you meet some old people in Kanto, I'm afraid it will be inconvenient, right? Liu Yi opened the lid of a brocade box that had already been placed on the table, and pulled open the brocade wrap, which was a golden mask. The mask looks very hideous, although it lies quietly in the middle of the brocade box, it has an awe-inspiring murderous aura, which is daunting.

"If you meet someone you don't want to see, wear it." Liu Yi sighed, "This is the belongings of the mentor Wu Xianggong, and it has been in Kansai for decades, so it's time for it to go back." You can bring it back to Kanto, this is also my teacher's last wish. It can be used to kill enemies in battle, or to meet people you don't meet. Liu Yi took out the mask from the brocade box, revealing a yellowed book below, which was inscribed with the four regular scripts of "Spring and Autumn Generals", and said in a low voice: "This is the teacher's decades of hard work, some tips and experiences for the commander of the army, the teacher asked me to choose someone to teach it, if I can't help it, I would rather let it turn into decay and disappear." You are extraordinary in your own right, you were born in Kanto, and this time you are going to fight for the people of Kanto, but you can take it with you. He paused, stared at Zhao Xingde, and said in a deep voice: "When the two countries fight, don't have the kindness of a woman, kill Hu Lu more, don't lose the face of your teacher!" ”

Zhao Xingde already fully understood, and arched his hand: "Thank you Prime Minister for your love." ”

Liu Yi sighed and waved his hand to let Zhao Xingde step back. He handed over the bronze mask and the art of war to Zhao Xingde, and he was already teaching art on behalf of the teacher, and if he talked about it, he could be regarded as Zhao Xingde's senior brother. It's just that this relationship is still a bit far-fetched, and the seniority and prestige of the two are very far apart, so it's a little inappropriate to call them so. Although Di Wu Xianggong was proficient in the art of war, he was suppressed by the Kwantung Wenchen and the constraints of the feudal town, and was placed under house arrest after the defeat of the Xia army, and was depressed for the rest of his life.

When Zhao Xingde returned home, the child was already asleep, and Li Ruoxue asked worriedly, "What's wrong?" ”

"Simply pack up, let's leave tomorrow morning and go to Chang'an first." A hint of gloom flashed on Zhao Xingde's face, "The Hebei Xingying army was defeated, Wang Tong's forces died in battle, and Qin Hui was captured. He went straight to the backyard and lit three sticks of incense in front of the enshrined Buddha painting to pay tribute to the heroic souls who died in battle. Zhao Xingde looked at the three pillars of green smoke that rose in the curling, Wang Yan's behavior and speech, just like yesterday, the robes in the Hejian army, I don't know how many people died in battle, how many people are still alive, he is full of grief and indignation, according to the military report, because although the Hebei army was defeated, the Liao army was only a miserable victory, the generals were angry and angry, failed to capture Wang Yan, so he chopped his body into several sections, and then trampled on the cavalry horse.

Zhao Xingde was silent in front of the Buddha statue alone for a long time, and when she returned to the room, Li Ruoxue was cleaning up, she saw Xingde and asked worriedly: "Is there any news?" "The champion of the new section, Hanlin editor Li Ruoxu went to Hebei with Qin Hui, the governor of the political affairs, Zhao Xingde still told Li Ruoxue the day before yesterday, and the clinker came today The news that Hebei was defeated and Qin Hui was captured.

Zhao Xingde shook his head and sighed. Li Ruoxu's official position is low, and Song Guo's official newspaper only wrote in passing that the situation in Henan and Hebei is so chaotic now, and Xia Guo's military newspaper will not mention the life and death of a small civil official. Li Ruoxue was worried and muttered: "Ruoxu has been clever and quick-witted since he was a child, I hope he is auspicious." Zhao Xingde gently hugged his shoulders and comforted him in a low voice for a long time before he gradually relieved.

............

"Is there any news of the third son?" Madame Wang asked anxiously.

"No news yet,......, yet." The servants were in a hurry. Hebei was defeated, Li Ruoxu's life and death were unknown, after the news came, Mrs. Wang was like a mourner, restless, and had to send her servants to the Privy Council several times a day.

At this time, Bianliang was already a scene of war and chaos, not only rich businessmen and tycoons fled to the south one after another, but even officials in the DPRK also abandoned their posts and fled south, and they couldn't help it. In order to save food in the city, the privy envoy Shao Wu simply let the people flee, and only strictly checked the people who entered the city to prevent the Liao people's spies. Li Ruobing, as the Shaoqing of Honglu Temple, once went to the northern country, and was very valued by the privy envoy Shao Wu, and relied on him as his right-hand man. These days, in addition to urging the soldiers and horses of the kings from all walks of life and arranging the defense of the capital, Shao Wu also has to cheer up and argue in front of the emperor.

In front of the palace gate, Shao Wu whispered: "Qingqing, the current situation in the country is difficult, and it is most important to stabilize the hearts of the people in the capital, and to stabilize the hearts of the people in the capital, we must first stabilize the hearts of Your Majesty." When facing the saints, if Your Majesty asks about the reality of the northern kingdom, you must not be alarmist. Otherwise, not only will it not help, but it will confuse people's hearts, and the overall situation will be even more difficult to recover. ”

"Don't worry, Prime Minister," Li Ruobing said in a deep voice, "The lower officials will definitely report according to the truth." ”

Shao Wu sighed secretly, and stopped talking. Li Ruobing's temperament is a direct minister at best, and stubborn at worst, and he doesn't know how to be flexible. This time it was decided to defend the plan, and His Majesty announced that Li Ruobing, the young secretary of Honglu Temple, who had been sent to the north, to participate in the court meeting. Shao Wu has hinted many times, now that the enemy is pressing the border, His Majesty's mind is shaken, he hopes that Li Ruobing will try to belittle the Liao army's ability to attack the city, so as to strengthen His Majesty's determination to defend Bianliang, but Li Ruobing is so stubborn, and he only has the word truth over and over again.

Half an hour later, in the vertical arch hall of the White Jade Palace, it was again caught in a dispute between the prime minister Zhao Zhifu and the privy envoy Shao Wu.

"The Liao army swept Hebei, Wang Yan's reinforcements were wiped out, Your Majesty is a body of ten thousand gold, the hearts of the people in the world are concerned, you can't be in a dangerous place," Prime Minister Zhao Zhifu was full of worry, bowed and said, "The minister asks Your Majesty to hunt Xiangyang in the south, and then return to Bianliang after the Liao army retreats." ”

"Ridiculous," the privy envoy Shao Wu's face sank, and he retorted: "As soon as Your Majesty leaves, the morale of the people in the capital will inevitably collapse." Moreover, I have adhered to the policy of internal and external emptiness, Bianliang City has been operated for several generations, the city is high and deep, there are 200,000 forbidden troops in the city, and millions of people. Dare to ask the prime minister, if Bianliang can't hold it, can the city in the world still hold it? ”

Except for the people of the Zhao Party and the Shao Party, the other ministers all looked at each other and did not dare to participate easily. Since Cai Jing and other traitors were repulsed, the court faintly formed a three-legged situation in the court, such as Prime Minister Zhao Zhifu, Privy Envoy Shao Wu and Governor Qin Hui. However, Hebei defeated Qin Hui and was captured, and the dispute between Zhao Zhifu and Shao Wu in the court suddenly became fierce. Whether it is around the defense of the city or the southern hunt, the outer court and the inner court have been undecided. Emperor Zhao Ke looked at the two important ministers arguing with a pale face, only to feel a burst of upset, he raised his eyes to look at the Taiwei Tong Guan standing in front of the hall, Tong Guan's eyes looked at his nose, his nose looked at his heart, and he looked like a loyal old slave, Zhao Ke couldn't help sighing, and moved his gaze to Li Ruoxu, the young secretary of Honglu Temple, who was specially summoned.

Zhao Ke was patient, and when the prime minister and the privy envoy were almost finished, he asked: "Li Aiqing, I heard that the huge cannons used by the Liao army to attack the city are very powerful, and the cannons that can be fired weigh hundreds of catties, and those who are hit at the head of the city are all destroyed. Is this true? ”

Li Ruobing held the tooth board in his hand, bowed out and said: "Your Majesty, the Liao army does have heavy artillery, which can fire hundreds of catties of cannons," he said this, and the privy envoy Shao Wu's face changed slightly, but he heard Li Ruobing's words and said, "But if you can easily destroy the city, it is alarmist." As far as the minister knows, the Liao State used this kind of heavy artillery to attack a city that was much shorter than Bianliang and defended by only 3,000 Han troops, and it was never captured. ”

Although Li Ruobing reported it according to the truth, when he heard that the Liao army really had artillery that fired hundreds of catties of stone shells, Zhao Ke's face had already changed. In his opinion, the Liao army had this kind of huge cannon, and Bianliang was already in danger, so he waved Li Ruobing back to the court and asked, "Where are the reinforcements from the Xijing camp?" The official's tone was very complicated, with expectation, anxiety, and a bit of resentment. After a while, the privy envoy Shao Wu replied: "The 100,000 reinforcements of the Xijing camp are still stationed in the Tiger Prison Pass, and Yao Zhengping said that he was worried about the ambush and repeated the mistakes of the Hebei camp, so ...... Delayed trips. "Tiger Pass is only more than 200 miles away from Bianliang, and the Xijing reinforcements have not advanced. Yao Zhengping's so-called ambush of the Liao army, the privy envoy Shao Wu himself did not believe it.

Green tendons appeared on Zhao Ke's forehead, he took a few deep breaths, and said in a deep voice: "Spread my will, summon King Jing into the palace to meet you." The first emperor often taught me, brothers, friends and brothers, I was busy with political affairs, and I didn't see King Jing for a long time, so I was really ashamed of the first king. ”