In the main city meeting hall of Hankou County, the headquarters of the Huo family in Jingzhou, when the head of the Huo family received a letter from Wang Mang saying that he would not send troops to help, his whole person seemed to be much older in an instant.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Wang Mang said that he would stick to Gansu and guard against the surprise attack of the Ji family, and refused to send troops to help, what do you think about this?"

Huo Jianghai, the patriarch of the Huo family, asked the high-level in the hall, his face a little solemn.

Many high-ranking members of the Huo family in the council hall shook their heads in unison when they heard this, sighing incessantly.

Then a high-level said: "It is normal for Wang Mang to refuse to send troops, after all, the person the Ji family is dealing with now is us, and there is no reason for him to intervene." This Ji family is aggressive, and they are not afraid that Wang Mang will take advantage of us after losing both, and I don't know what they think? Aren't they afraid that they will be swept away by Wang Mang after losing their troops? ”

"The Ji family? What are they afraid of? A young man from the Huo family said: "In my opinion, the Ji family must still have the foundation of troops yet, and they are sure that they will destroy Wang Mang after destroying us."

That Wang Mang is also a male figure, he has a lot of troops, and he has the support of foreign countries, so he is not afraid of the Ji family at all, so where is he willing to send troops? If it were me, I wouldn't have sent troops. Our families are stepping stones in the eyes of the Ji family and Wang Mang, and only after eradicating us can they let go of their hands when they compete for hegemony. ”

Huo Jianghai sighed: "We have shrunk all the troops arranged in the outside world to Jingzhou, and completely abandoned the territory outside Jingzhou. In this way, it is still difficult for us to hold on, and we can't stop the edge of the Ji family, and the Ji family is really extraordinary. Ladies and gentlemen, how many states and counties have we lost in Jingzhou at present? What's going on? If the Ji family attacks with all their might, how long can we hold on? ”

"At present, there are more than a dozen prefectures and counties under our firm control, namely Wuxue County, Macheng County, Huanggang County, Huangshi County, Ezhou County, Wuhan County, Xiaogan County, Tianmen County, Xianning County, Xiantao County and other places.

It can be said that at present, the north, south, and west of Jingzhou are occupied, and only the east is owned by us. Among them, Enshi County was not occupied by the Ji family, but was occupied by another force in Zhuzhou, and Shiyan County was in a similar situation. The Ji family sent troops from the Shennong County area and swept all the way, so that we were unable to deploy troops and horses to defend other areas.

At present, there are about 300,000 troops of the Ji family in the entire Jingzhou area, and the total strength of the rest of the forces is 50,000 or 60,000. We have 400,000 left. Although we have a large number of troops, our combat power is not as good as that of the Ji family. If the Ji family attacks with all their might, we will probably continue to lose half of our territory within half a year. There are only three or two states and counties left in a year or so. ”

An elder of the Huo family said: "The Ji family's soldiers and horses are too strong, and we are not defeated at all." I don't know where they came from so many masters, and almost no one in our army is their opponent.

In the battle formation, our army will never be able to control the general situation and strengthen morale in front of the battle. If it weren't for the fact that we had many masters of the Murong family, I am afraid that we would have been beaten by the Ji family and had no power to fight back. Also, the commanders of the Ji family's leaders this time are all extraordinary, with a lot of schemes, and they are good at attacking cities and conquering cities, and they are not inferior to Li Zhong, Pi Tong and others at all.

In my opinion, if we don't get Wang Mang's help, our Huo family will definitely be destroyed. At present, only Wang Mang can help us break through the difficulties and defeat the soldiers and horses of the Ji family. But Wang Mang can't prevaricate, and we can't help it. Please think of more ways to let Wang Mang send reinforcements as much as possible, Patriarch.

We can not want it in the world, but the roots and seedlings of our Huo family must not be broken. I expected that if we were defeated, the people of the Ji family would definitely kill all of our Huo family's ten clans. ”

"Please help Wang Mang? It's not that easy. Huo Jianghai said: "Now Wang Mang didn't stick a knife in our back, he is benevolent enough." Moreover, the soldiers and horses under his command are well-equipped and have sufficient weapons, even if they do not have the ability to be crowned emperor in the future, there is no problem in sticking to Gansu and being the lord of Gansu honestly.

If he sends troops to help us, then he is really a little dangerous, and the Ji family will definitely take advantage of the situation. If you want to come to the Ji family, there is no way to break through the Gansu defense line in one fell swoop, so you have to increase our troops in Jingzhou. Once Wang Mang's army leaves Gansu, the Ji family will definitely drop our soldiers and horses to Gansu, which is too dangerous for Wang Mang. ”

"Yes, that's the way it goes." Mr. Murong on the side said: "If Wang Mang's army does not come out, he will be able to hold the entire territory of Gansu steadily." If his army left Gansu, he would definitely be fiercely attacked by the Ji family.

Therefore, it is indeed too difficult for Wang Mang to help, at least now is not the time. In my opinion, if Wang Mang wants to send troops, he must at least wait until the Ji family sends out more than half of the soldiers and horses, otherwise he will definitely not dare to act rashly. ”

"That being said, we still have to try to get it. The Ji family's offensive is too fierce, if we don't have foreign help, we will definitely suffer heavy losses. Another clan elder said: "Patriarch, isn't your grandson Huo Rongsheng doing things on Wang Mang's side?" Thinking about it, as long as Huo Rongsheng opened his mouth, how could Wang Mang sell some face, right? I have heard that Huo Rongsheng is the number one person under Wang Mang, and his prestige is very high. ”

"Him?" Huo Jianghai shook his head and said, "It's not that I haven't thought about this before, but I can't ask for help from him at the moment." The Ji family is eyeing us, and if we don't handle it well, our Huo family will face a catastrophe.

Huo Rongsheng is our retreat, and we must not contact him until the critical moment. Otherwise, once Wang Mang is angry, Huo Rongsheng will definitely suffer. I think as long as Huo Rongsheng is still on Wang Mang's side, our Huo family will always have a chance, at least not by the Ji family. Everyone, think about it, if Wang Mang suspects that Huo Rongsheng has two hearts, can he still keep Huo Rongsheng?

The king wants his ministers to die, and the ministers have to die. Huo Rongsheng is the last hole card for us to ask for help from Wang Mang, and we must not touch it until the moment of life and death, this is my bottom line. So don't waste any more time on this. ”

"It turns out that the patriarch, you regard Huo Rongsheng as the key to our Huo family's not being wiped out." A senior member of the Huo family said: "Your arrangement is indeed reasonable, Huo Rongsheng is Wang Mang's courtier after all, if he speaks rashly and favors our Huo family, he will indeed be in great trouble." ”

Huo Jianghai said: "Okay, let's not mention Huo Rongsheng's matter for the time being, what is the current situation of the Wei family?" ”

"Them?" Mr. Murong said: "Their situation is even worse than ours, after all, they don't have flying pigeons to pass the book, and they can't send orders to the three armies in time. Thinking about it, they must be trying to find a way to ask for help from Wang Mang.

However, since Wang Mang refused to rush to our aid, he would definitely reject them as well. I don't know how they plan to arrange the future, we have Huo Rongsheng as a way out, but they don't. Once defeated, the Wei family will be completely in the dust. The Ji family is too vicious and too ruthless, and has always respected cutting grass and roots, and never leaving a chance for others. ”

(End of chapter)