Cui Yi smiled even brighter: "Yes, the Prime Minister's inferences are correct, and now that you know all the truth, when it's time to make a choice, should you choose the general or your majesty?" ”

Beads of sweat began to ooze from Chen Guoqing's forehead as he paced back and forth in the room. Cui Yi calmly sat on the chair and drank tea, and did not urge.

Half an hour passed, and Chen Guoqing finally spoke: "I will write to Your Majesty, Situ Li Yuanqing transferred military rations without approval, ignored national laws and regulations, and deserved to be guilty... Kill. ”

A simple sentence seemed to exhaust all Chen Guoqing's strength, and he collapsed on the chair after speaking.

Cui Yi stepped forward, took out a fold from his sleeve and handed it over: "My lord, I have already prepared the fold, if you think it is okay, you can sign your name." ”

Chen Guoqing took a hasty look, picked up a pen from the table next to him and signed his name, and now he is helpless, the former five families, the Tian family has declined, the Deng family is far away in Chu, the Cui family has betrayed, and the Li family has just been imprisoned, how else can he choose?

Xiao Daocheng already had evidence that they had privately aided Deng Yuanjue, and if they did not grasp this last opportunity to fall to the royal family, the Chen family would also follow the Li family and withdraw from the political stage of the Song Kingdom.

Seeing Chen Guoqing sign it, Cui Yi smiled again: "Your Majesty still wants to ask adults for help?" ”

"Say, can I still refuse at this time?" Chen Guoqing replied weakly.

Cui Yi pulled out a blank piece of stationery from the table again: "Your Majesty wants to ask you to write a letter to General Deng and invite him to Danyang for a meeting." As for the reason, Your Majesty will kill Li Yuanqing in the next two days, and then remove me from the position of Sikong, and in order to prevent Your Majesty from continuing to attack the family, we will ask the general to meet to discuss countermeasures. Danyang is near Jingzhou, not far from Yuezhou, and the general will definitely go. ”

Chen Guoqing was shocked: "You actually want to assassinate the general? But don't forget, Wu Teng still has an army of 100,000 in Jingzhou, as long as he sends an army to follow, plus the masters of the Heavenly Sword Sect around him, how can you be so easy to get? Once he escapes, the next thing that awaits you is the iron hooves of his army of 600,000. ”

Cui Yi shook his head and asked rhetorically: "If the general will definitely rebel, then what are the chances of winning the war now, or is it better to start the war in a few years?" ”

Chen Guoqing thought about it and understood a little: "After a few years, the economy of Chu will be completely restored, and the general at that time may be stronger than the previous Chu State." And His Majesty does not know when he is not in power a few years later, if the crown prince succeeds to the throne, it will be even less of an opponent for the general. ”

Cui Yi laughed: "Isn't this over, it's better to fight late than early, the longer it drags on, the worse it will be for us, and as long as we can successfully assassinate the general this time, this battle will not be able to start." It is true that Wu Teng has an army of 100,000 in Jingzhou, but as long as he dares to make a move, the 80,000 army of the third prince Xiao Che in Xiakou is not vegetarian, not to mention that there is a naval army of Yue Shouming over there, he is not a general. ”

"As for the master of the Heavenly Sword Gate, my lord, don't forget that Yan Da Sima also has an identity, that is, the castle master of the Condor Castle, the master of the Condor Castle may not lose to the Heavenly Sword Gate, plus the masters of other sects invited by His Majesty to go together, our chances of winning are still very good." Cui Yi continued.

"Hopefully, the outcome will be the same as you deduced." Chen Guoqing picked up the pen and began to write on the paper.

"Father, there is news from Jianye that Lord Situ Li has privately delivered grain and grass to us has been discovered by His Majesty, and now he has been imprisoned, and he will be beheaded on the 15th of this month. Prime Minister Chen Cheng and Cui Sikong also interceded for him, one was punished and thought about it behind closed doors, and the other was dismissed. "In Shouchun City, Deng Wenhao is reporting to Deng Yuanjue about the situation in Jianye.

Deng Yuanjue was noncommittal, picked up another letter from the table, handed it to Deng Wenhao and said: "I already know about this matter, I received a secret report from Prime Minister Chen Cheng this morning, and he asked me to meet in Danyang to discuss how to deal with His Majesty." ”

Deng Wenhao hurriedly finished reading: "Then do you want to go?" This time, their three major families paid a lot of price for our Deng family. ”

Deng Yuanjue pondered for a while and said, "I heard that Your Majesty's health has been getting worse and worse in the past two years, and now he is frequently attacking the family, will it be that time is running out?" ”

Wu Shiqi, who was next to him, had rich experience in political struggle, and when he heard it, he guessed what Deng Yuanjue was worried about, and asked tentatively: "Is the general worried that Prime Minister Chen's letter is fraudulent?" ”

Deng Yuanjue nodded: "Your Majesty has no time to wait, and I am now in his heart, he will definitely attack me, I am worried that Prime Minister Chen and Cui Sikong have fallen to His Majesty's side." ”

Zhou Yunjing was cautious by nature: "Since the enemy situation is unknown, then don't go this time, anyway, Your Majesty may also bring troops to Shouchun to arrest us back." ”

Wu Shiqi shook his head: "General Zhou, this is the thinking of a military general, not the consideration of a politician. It is true that there is no danger if the general does not go, but if the letter of the prime minister is true, then the general's move is tantamount to turning his back on the family, and the Great Song Dynasty is the family in power, which will bury endless hidden dangers in the future. ”

Zhou Yunjing scratched his head after hearing this: "Then let's go, the last general will bring a team of men and horses to accompany you, even if there is really an ambush, it will not be difficult to kill it." Danyang is not far from Jingzhou, and General Wu can also come to meet us there. ”

Deng Yuanjue said with a smile: "If you go, you will definitely go, but before you go, you have to deal with the three princes first, we only think that we have Wu Teng behind us to support, but don't forget that there is still the yellow finch of the three princes behind Wu Teng." ”

In Xiakou City, Xiao Che has breathed a sigh of relief in the past two years, Xiang Chu withdrew to Suizhou City after the fall of the Chu State, and the remaining Tian Wuji is more focused on a war of attrition, and rarely takes the initiative to attack. Although Xiao Daocheng imposed an economic blockade on Chudi, Deng Yuanjue did not deduct any military salaries, and he did not give Xiao Che a penny.

"Your Highness, I heard that Lord Situ was killed by His Majesty, and Cui Sikong was also dismissed, I'm afraid I want to attack the general." The person who spoke was Lei Zhengming, and he was the deputy general who Xiao Che picked up. When Xiao Che first arrived in Xiakou, all the people around him were Deng Yuanjue's people, so he promoted a group of his cronies among the low-level officers.

"I have received a secret report from Cui Situ, we don't have to worry about the situation on Jianye's side, we only have two tasks, the first is to block Tian Wuji, and the second is to stare at Wu Teng." The family force behind supporting Xiao Che is Cui Yi, so there is also a secret correspondence between him and Cui Yi.

Lei Zhengming said in a low voice again: "There is also a secret report from Shouchun, saying that the general is going to Danyang recently, I don't know what he plans to do there?" ”

"No matter what his purpose is, we just need to keep an eye on Wu Teng, if he dares to lead the army to leave Jingzhou, we will divide our troops to take over." Xiao Che actually knew Cui Yi's plan completely, but he didn't want to tell Lei Zhengming at this time, so as not to leak the news.

This operation against Deng Yuanjue was a plan, if Deng Yuanjue escaped in Danyang, he would definitely let Wu Teng lead the army to save him. As long as Wu Teng dared to leave Jingzhou, Xiao Che's task was to occupy Jingzhou and completely cut off their way back.

If this plan can succeed, he can trap Deng Yuanjue in the small Danyang County City, and even if he has Wu Teng's 100,000 army in his hands, how can he resist Yan Chixing's 200,000 army?

Although the plans were all drawn up, Xiao Che still had a worry, he was afraid that after he went to Jingzhou, Tian Wuji would take the opportunity to occupy Xiakou, and even if he solved Deng Yuanjue, a hungry wolf, he would also let the tiger of Qi State in.

"Zhengming, you go and invite Deputy Commander Yue over." Shawcher had a plan in mind.

After a while, Yue Shouming, the deputy commander of the navy, walked in: "Your Highness, but there is a new mission?" ”

Xiao Che smiled and said: "I do have an idea to ask Commander Yue for help, the Qi army has been under the city without attacking or leaving, I want to take the initiative to drive them back." ”

Yue Shouming was taken aback at first, and then asked, "Does Your Highness mean to let me attack first from the water?" But in addition to our Great Song Dynasty's water army, the Nujiao Gang also has a water army, and if the trade attack, they will also sneak attack my rear. ”

"It's okay, I'll let Zhengming take 20,000 people to set it up along the narrow shore, and if the ships of the Nujiao Gang really move, then they will stop them with bows and arrows. All you have to do is harass the Qi army along the coast, and if they come after you, you get on board and retreat. Shocher spoke his mind.

Yue Shouming still didn't understand: "Use the army to defend against the opponent's navy, and use the navy to attack and harass the opponent's army, why don't you directly land against army, and navy against navy?" ”

Xiao Che explained: "You have been bringing a navy all the year round, so I don't know the situation of the army, if it is an army against an army, in addition to the Deng family army under the command of the general, which other troops in the Great Song Dynasty can confront Tian Wuji head-on?" If I go to war with the army, I will fall into his arms, but the navy army is different, you fight and leave, attack and harass, my purpose is only to temporarily withdraw the Qi army from Xiakou City. ”

"The last general commands." Yue Shouming understood now.

Tian Wuji was in the camp of the Qi army, and was attacked by Yue Shouming twice in a company, although he did not suffer much loss, he was also surprised. ordered the warships of the Nujiao Gang to block Yue Shouming, but they were also repelled by Lei Zhengming, who had been prepared.

"How did this Xiao Che become different, he actually took the initiative to attack us, what is his plan." Tian Wuheng was confused, and couldn't guess Xiao Che's intentions.

Tian Wuji lowered his head and thought about it, and suddenly smiled: "Xiao Che is still too young, this time it can be regarded as a snake to add to the snake, if he doesn't attack me with a naval army, I can't guess his intentions, now, the intention is obvious, he wants me to withdraw from Xiakou City." ”

"If he wants us to withdraw, are we going to withdraw? It's naïve. Tian Wuheng looked disdainful.

"No, we will withdraw a hundred miles first, as he wishes, and see if my guess is correct." Tian Wuji still looked in the direction of Xiakou City with a smile on his face.