Wang Yuan and the others left Cuifang Building in the afternoon. Everyone was silent as they left. Even Zhao Qing, who was originally not interested in poetry, singing and dancing, put away his unstinting expression and became as quiet as a girl, let alone Cui Ruoyu.

Out of the Cuifang Building, but see the spring sun all over the ground, the green shade swaying, the warm breeze blowing the face, facing the infinite spring light of the grass and warbler flying in front of them, everyone is happy regardless of body and mind. They all know that this feeling of joy and happiness is not only because of the spring in the face, but also because they have just experienced the baptism of Jiang Qiaoqiao's heavenly songs. The pleasure in my heart does not fade for a long time.

"Hey, I kind of know why so many people are rushing to support Jiang Qiaoqiao's field. This Jiang Qiaoqiao is indeed a master, and at this moment, there are still lingering sounds in my ears, and I can't wait to go back and listen to a song. Cui Ruoyu let out a heartfelt sigh.

"The key is that my handsome poems are done well, if there is no match for my handsome poems, it will be average." Zhao Qing patted his ass against his will.

Wang Yuan held Jiang Qiaoqiao in his hand and smiled and did not answer, and after getting on the stone bridge, he turned around and looked towards the second floor of Cuifang Building, but saw that in the shade of greenery, in the long window of the pavilion on the east side of the second floor, a figure who stood still seemed to be looking at him. The moment Wang Yuan turned his head, the window curtain was closed, and the figure disappeared.

"Have you inquired about the whereabouts of Xu Hezi's predecessors? Her disciples are all so clever, and Xu Hezi's singing voice doesn't know how beautiful it is, I can't imagine it. Cui Ruoyu said softly.

Wang Yuan sighed lightly and said, "Xu Hezi's predecessors have already passed away a few years ago, and there is no more Xu Hezi in the world." There is no more blessing to hear her singing. ”

"It's a pity, it's a pity. It's a pity. Cui Ruoyu groaned.

Wang Yuan smiled: "There is nothing to regret, nothing is eternal, she has come to this world and left behind the beauty of the past, which is enough." ”

Cui Ruoyu looked at Wang Yuan with a confused look in her eyes and nodded: "That's right, it's enough to be here, why force too much." ”

Wang Yuan smiled: "What's more, it's not like she didn't leave anything. Xu Hezi is no more, and Jiang Qiaoqiao is there. I believe that Jiang Qiaoqiao's future cultivation is not under his teacher. There is no Xu Hezi in the world, but there is one more Jiang Qiaoqiao, which cannot be regarded as a pity. ”

Cui Ruolin said: "Are you saying that Jiang Qiaoqiao's singing skills can already be compared with Xu Hezi's predecessors?" ”

Wang Yuan shook his head and said, "It's not as good as now, but I believe that she will be better than the blue in the future." ”

Cui Ruoyu frowned and said, "How do you know that she can be blue?" ”

Wang Yuan smiled but didn't answer, thinking: A person who is willing to give up her appearance for singing, there are only two possibilities for her future, one is to go crazy and destroy herself, and the other is to shine and become the world's number one singer. Judging from the short contact time with Jiang Qiaoqiao, although this woman seems crazy, she is extremely rational. Her path could only be the latter.

"My stomach growled with hunger. The singing voice is beautiful, but it can't fill the stomach. Ruoying, which one in Yangzhou has the best wine and food, how about we go to gluttony? Wang Yuan said with a smile.

Cui Ruoyu smiled and said, "I'm hungry too, do you want to say the best dishes?" It should be Fuchun Building. Let's go, I'm in for a treat, let's have a big meal. ”

……

After the defeat of Yangzhou, the rebels fled westward, where they were short of supplies and plundered along the way. It captured three county towns in a row, and once approached the Jiangpu ferry, trying to cross the Yangtze River around Yangzhou. However, all prefectures and counties along the river have made preparations in advance to clear the wilderness, and most of the people have fled their homes. Ships can burn and sink even more, and they will not leave the rebels with a single ship.

Moreover, on the south bank of the Yangtze River, Jiangning Prefecture gathered a lot of soldiers and horses to defend the ferry on the south bank of Jiangpu, and dispatched civilian forces to build a lot of fortifications and defenses at the ferry port on the south bank, which also discouraged the rebels. They couldn't spend as much manpower and time on temporary construction of ships as they did in Luoyang, because manpower and time didn't allow it. And the 3,000 cavalry led by Tan Ping kept harassing them, forcing them all the way to the west, trying to get rid of the cavalry's tracking and find a place to stay.

Due to the defeat in Yangzhou, only 40,000 of the nearly 80,000 rebel troops remained, and the morale of the army was low, and many people realized that the Great Yan Kingdom was gone. As a result, the rebel soldiers fled countless times along the way. Every night, under the cover of darkness, groups of soldiers took off their armor and threw their weapons to flee the rebels, and in just a few days, more than four or five thousand soldiers and horses escaped.

Although the angry and corrupt Yan Zhuang issued the most severe military orders, any soldier who tried to escape was caught and immediately executed, and even tortured such as cutting out his nose and heart. But all this could not stop the soldiers from fleeing. The human heart is the most irretrievable thing, at that time, the situation has come to this point, it is already the end of the road, and the rest is just a dying struggle, which Yan Zhuang understands better than anyone else. But he can only hold on, even if there is no tomorrow, he has to start and finish. And An Qingxu, the emperor of the Great Yan Kingdom, has been extremely decadent every day these days, muttering to himself and feeling sorry for himself every day, and his howl of pain can often be heard in his big tent at night. Some people even heard him crying and screaming at night, as if he was begging for mercy from the dead Xiongwu Emperor An Lushan. All in all, the rebels are filled with depression and despair that the end is imminent.

Wang Yuan, who spent seven days comfortably in Yangzhou, finally waited for the news that Tan Ping ordered someone to send back. The first news is that along the north bank of the Yangtze River all the way to the west, it has now arrived in Chuzhou and is approaching the city of Chuzhou. Looking at the posture of the rebels, they want to seize the area of Chaozhou and Luzhou in the west of Dangtu. Although these states are in the north of the Yangtze River, they are rich places where fish and rice are abundant, and where they can be harvested in drought and flood. Because it is far away from Yangzhou, the people here have not made corresponding evacuation responses, so if they break through Dangtu all the way to occupy these places, it will be a troublesome matter.

In view of this, Tan Ping led 3,000 cavalry to arrive at the left side of Chuzhou City, and assisted the more than 2,000 soldiers and horses mobilized by Chuzhou and even other state capitals to resist Dangtu.

The second news is the news of the Divine Army. After conveying Wang Yuan's order, Liu Jun led 40,000 cavalry to the south in the starry night. As of two days before Tan Ping delivered the news, the cavalry brigade had arrived in Huaibei. In two or three days, we will rush to the Yangtze River.

After receiving these two news, Wang Yuan knew that his comfortable time in Yangzhou would come to an end. He had to rush to Chuzhou immediately, and a final encirclement and suppression against the rebels was about to begin. There should be no suspense about the outcome of this battle, and after this battle, An Lushan's judgment chaos will be completely quelled.

In the afternoon of February 21, a grand farewell banquet was held in the hall of Cui's house. The main officials of Yangzhou, Cui Daoyuan and Cui Yuanbo, as well as the heads of the other three wealthy families in Jiangnan who came from Jiangnan recently, are all listed. At the banquet, everyone pushed the cup and changed the lamp, and the saliva was foaming, complimenting and shouting in unison, and the atmosphere was extremely warm. It took more than a dozen jars of wine and several rounds of dishes to end this grand banquet.

Wang Yuan didn't dare to drink much because of his initial recovery from injury and the fact that he was about to set off. After the banquet dispersed, Cui Daoyuan took Wang Yuan to the study to talk.

Wang Yuan naturally knew what he was going to say, the bet between the two needed to be reconfirmed, and there were other things that needed to be clarified. So both of them tacitly agreed.

After the fragrant tea was brewed, Cui Daoyuan and Wang Yuan, who were full of red light, sat on the two Taishi chairs that sat opposite each other that night. The scene in the study is the same as yesterday, but the atmosphere has long been very different. On that day, the lights were like beans and two hearts were suspicious, but now it is spring and the atmosphere is harmonious.

"Xiangguo has been coming to my Yangzhou for more than ten days, and the rebels have also been defeated, and Xiangguo is leaving. The old man is really reluctant to give up on Xiangguo. Cui Daoyuan sighed softly.

Wang Yuan said with a smile: "Cui Weng, I have been in Yangzhou for more than ten days, thanks to Cui Weng's care, or these ten days have actually brought a lot of trouble to Cui Weng." If there is anything inappropriate during this time, please also ask Cui Weng Haihan. ”

Cui Daoyuan waved his hand and smiled: "If you say something inappropriate, there are more inappropriateness in the old man, and there are more inappropriateness in my Cui family." Don't say any more about them. ”

Wang Yuan smiled and nodded, and Cui Daoyuan continued: "Xiangguo is leaving this time, and the extermination of the thieves is just around the corner. So what does Sangkook plan to do next? ”

Wang Yuan smiled: "Why did Cui Weng come to ask me, you know what I am going to do." The first thing I had to do was to resign from the post of generalissimo of Xiangguo and Soldiers and Horses, and lead the army to Jiannan. The second thing to do is to send the Emperor back to the capital. ”

Cui Daoyuan groaned: "Xiangguo doesn't have to be in such a hurry to make a decision. After the counterinsurgency, Xiangguo still has a lot of use. His Majesty is also very dependent on Xiangguo. ”

Wang Yuan smiled: "Cui Weng, you and I know what will happen. I've already said that I'm not going to do anything on my own initiative, but no one can predict what will happen when the trees are quiet and the wind doesn't stop. I only hope that Your Majesty will understand that when I resign from the phase and return to Jiannan, that is to convey a kind of goodwill to him. As for what he chooses, that's beyond my control. ”

Cui Daoyuan nodded slightly, and said after a moment of silence: "Then, is the bet between us still valid?" ”

Wang Yuan smiled: "Cui Weng wants to regret it? I'm afraid it's too late. ”

Cui Daoyuan shook his head and said, "The old man is a person who repents." The game still stands. If you really win, the old man will keep his promise. ”

Wang Yuan said: "I will also keep my promise." I hope that Xiangguo will also restrain several other companies and not make inappropriate acts. I only hope that once it reaches that point, you Jiangnan wealthy families will not interfere at will, lest everyone will not look good in the end. ”