The news that Fang Yuan was trapped in Yangzhou City reached the Taihu Military Base ten days later.

In the past ten days, Jing Jie has received three letters from the north.

One was a letter of request for help sent back by the sergeant of Malin Ling, stating that there was a rebellion in Yangzhou City, the Xuanjia Army was attacked by unknown regular troops, and Fang Yuan was also trapped in Yangzhou City, asking Jing Jie to immediately send troops north to Yangzhou.

One is a letter from Ma Minglu, the prefect of Yangzhou, stating that Yongwang Zhu Cizhi colluded with the rebellious migratory refugees with the intention of killing Fang Yuan, and that the Yangzhou government was transferring troops to quell the rebellion, and asked Jingjie to send troops north from the canal and land from Shao Bo Wharf to attack the displaced people who surrounded the 1,000 Xuanjia Army of Yangzhou Wei.

One is a letter from Huang Daozhou, an official of the Donglin Party, stating that as long as Jing Jie does not move in Suzhou Mansion, the imperial court can recognize Jing Jie as the commander of the Xuanjia Army instead of Fang Yuan, and canonize him as the chief soldier of Suzhou and Songjiang Prefecture.

Jing Jie looked at the three letters and fell into a long silence.

Su Hongyu hurriedly came in from outside the door and asked, "Husband, the entire military base has heard the news that the boss is trapped in Yangzhou City, how can you still sit still?" ”

Jing Jie handed over the three letters to Su Hongyu, "Hongyu, take a look!" ”

Su Hongyu read the three letters he handed over, and asked in amazement, "King Yong rebelled and murdered the boss, is this true or false?" And who is this Zodiac Zhou, and why can he promise an official position for the imperial court? ”

Jing Jie ignored her words, stood at the window, stared at the sergeant who was practicing outside the window, and said nothing.

Su Hongyu said anxiously, "Don't worry about King Yong, Huang Daozhou, let's send troops north first and rescue the boss." ”

She was as anxious as an ant on a hot pot, but Jing Jie was still noncommittal.

The hot-tempered Chigutai knocked directly on Jing Jie's door, and seeing that the two were still hesitating, he said angrily, "Boss, I heard that Fang Junmen is trapped in Yangzhou City, when will we send troops to rescue?" ”

Jing Jie said unhurriedly, "Chigutai, immediately convene the generals of the Xuanjia Army and hold a military meeting." ”

Military Meeting

Jing Jie showed the three letters to the public, and after everyone circulated them, he asked, "Everyone, what do you think?" ”

Chigutai was the first to stand up and shouted in public, "What else can you think, immediately lead the troops north to rescue Fang Junmen." ”

Li Zongze also stood up and said, "Our artillery battalion is willing to cooperate with the northbound cavalry battalion to fight." ”

Jing Jie glanced at the two of them and said slowly, "Soldiers, the country's major affairs, how can you send troops in a hurry without asking the reason?" ”

The enthusiasm of the two was poured with cold water on Jing Jie's head, and they were both stunned.

Chigutai immediately turned his face and said, "Boss, do you want to follow Huang Daozhou's advice, stand still, take the opportunity to take the Fang Army and replace it, and swallow the Xuanjia Army!" ”

He pulled out his saber and slashed heavily on the table, and the whole table was split in two, "I, Chigutai, will be the first to disobey you!" ”

Jing Jie turned a blind eye to his unreasonableness, stood up, stared at him coldly and said, "Chigutai, do you know who Huang Daozhou is?" ”

This time it really stumped Chigutai, he scolded loudly, "I don't care what kind of birdman he is, dare to stand in front of me, I will slash him with a knife!" ”

Jing Jie said in a deep voice, "Huang Daozhou once served in the Zhan Mansion of the East Palace, and he is the prince's person. How can he, an official of Zhishi, promise me to succeed as the commander of the Xuanjia Army, and the person behind him is the current prince! ”

Chigutai couldn't imagine that there was such a big stake behind this matter, so he was stunned for a moment, and said unconvinced, "What about the prince?!" The saber in my Chigutai hand only recognizes Fang Junmen, the prince dares to murder Fang Junmen, and I cut it down with the prince! ”

Jing Jie looked at him approvingly, and said, "Since the prince is involved, but the prefect of Yangzhou wrote a letter saying that it was just a rebellion of the exiles, is it too strange?" Ma Governor ordered the Xuanjia Army to land from Shao Bo Wharf, will there be an ambush to lure us into the bait? ”

In the analysis of these overall strategies, Chigutai was obviously a layman, and smiled awkwardly and said, "Boss, how do you say to fight?" ”

Jing Jie pondered for a while, and said loudly, "The boss must be saved, but my strategic plan is to take two steps. First, he immediately sent someone to write a letter to Zheng Zhilong, agreeing on the condition that the forces of both sides would not enter Zhejiang, and stabilize Zheng Zhilong first, so as not to fall into a situation of fighting on two fronts. ”

"Second, if there is no foreign aid in Yangzhou Mansion, how dare you murder the boss, this time since the prince is leading, there will inevitably be foreign aid."

Jing Jie spread out the map of Nanzhili, pointed to Nanjing, Fengyang Mansion, Qingzhou Mansion, and said in a deep voice, "Reinforcements can only come from three directions, Shi Kefa in Nanjing, Ma Shiying in Fengyang Mansion, or Liu Zeqing in Qingzhou Mansion in Shandong." If we hastily go to Yangzhou Wei to relieve the siege, we will be attacked by a sneak attack from the southwest, northwest, and northeast, and we will inevitably suffer heavy losses. ”

"So my plan is to order Shi Lang to command all the water divisions of Jinshanwei, and then cooperate with Zong Ze's artillery battalion to directly enter the Grand Canal along the Yangtze River, sweep away the water divisions along the coast that may ambush our army, directly cut off the canal waterway, and cut off the reinforcements from Nanjing and Fengyang Mansion."

"The Xuanjia Iron Cavalry went north from Jiangyin, first going north to Gaoyou, and destroying the reinforcements that might go south from the north. In this way, the hope of all reinforcements in Yangzhou Mansion was cut off, and attacking Yangzhou Mansion at that time was like catching a turtle in an urn, and a battle fell. ”

His strategic planning is calm and measured, not impatient or impatient, which makes everyone happy and convinced.

Su Hongyu couldn't help but ask, "Boss, will the boss be in danger in Yangzhou City if it is delayed for such a long time?" ”

Jing Jie's eyes flashed with a gleam, and he said with an unmoved face, "The boss only brought three hundred brocade guards, and one thousand Xuanjia troops were also surrounded in Yangzhou Guard. Now that a full ten days have passed, if Yangzhou Mansion really dares to fight to the death, the boss may have already encountered an accident. We can only gamble on luck now, Ma Shiying, Liu Zeqing, and the traitors in Yangzhou Mansion have no determination and courage to break the net, and the boss may still have a chance of life. ”

Su Hongyu was really worried about Fang Yuan's safety, and said in a panic, "If the boss really encounters an accident, what should we do?" ”

Chigutai stared at Jing Jie and said unhappily, "Fang Junmen really encountered an accident, don't you just want to incorporate the Xuanjia Army!" ”

Jing Jie looked around at the generals, took out the saber he carried with him with a resolute expression, cut a cut in his arm with a stroke, and let the blood stain the robe red and drip to the ground, "I, Jing Jie, can swear in public that if the boss and the fourth encounter an accident in Yangzhou City, I will lead the army to wash Yangzhou City in blood." Whether it is Shi Kefa, Ma Shiying, Liu Zeqing, or even the current prince, no one will be spared anyone who is involved in this matter! ”

Chigutai has been proud all his life, and he also learned that he wielded a knife and cut his arm, and shouted in public, "I, Chigutai, also swear that no one will be left behind who participated in the murder of Fang Junmen, and all of them will be killed!" ”

Li Zongze and Liang Min waved their knives in unison and swore with blood, "Those who participated in the murder of Fang Junmen, not one will be left, and all of them will be killed!" ”

Everyone made a blood alliance, the sergeants came to report, and Zhu Cihuan, the king of Wuyue, came to pay a visit outside the barracks.

Jing Jie immediately left the barracks and welcomed Zhu Cihuan into the meeting hall, and everyone bowed to Zhu Cihuan.

Zhu Cihuan said anxiously, "Generals, when will you go north to rescue the teacher?" ”

Jing Jie reported to him the plan of the march, and the time to go out, Zhu Cihuan said loudly, "This king has decided to go north with the Xuanjia army to rescue the teacher!" ”

Zhu Cihuan didn't know how to fight, and led the army to recruit in person, not only did it not help in the military, but he also needed to assign people to protect him, which was simply a burden.

Jing Jie was embarrassed and said, "King Wu Yue, we have our own to march and fight, you should sit in Suzhou Mansion and preside over the overall situation." ”

Zhu Cihuan took out a written document from his arms, handed it to Jing Jie, and shouted, "Before coming to the barracks, this king has already spread the word to all the prefectures and counties of Yangzhou Prefecture, claiming that he will go north to conquer in person, sweep away the chaotic party, rescue the teacher and return to Suzhou Mansion, and ask the commander to complete it!" ”

Jing Jie spread out his inscription and saw that in the name of King Wuyue and the imperial court, it was clearly pointed out that the goal of this rebellion was to murder Fang Yuan, and ordered Yangzhou Prefecture, Zhuzhou County, and Zhuwei to punish those who dared to rebel for the crime of treason.

Anyone who dared to send troops to support the rebellion in Yangzhou would be hit by the thunderous blows of the imperial court and King Wuyue.

If those who participate in the rebellion surrender early, the principal offender will be guilty of only one crime, and his family members will not be seated together. Accomplices are exempt from death, sentenced to exile, and may be atonement for their crimes with money.

The main purpose of this expedition was to rescue Fang Yuan, not to purge the rebels. Jing Jie had no right to issue a promise of pardon for the rebels on behalf of the imperial court, and the rebels would not necessarily believe the documents he issued. If under the strong attack of the Xuanjia Army, the rebels are at the end of their rope, maybe they will really take risks and die with Fang Yuan.

This is also the variable that Jing Xian was most worried about before and was not sure.

However, if King Wu Yue issued a letter of persuasion on behalf of the imperial court, the credibility of a statement is by no means comparable to that of Jing Jie; The second is a justifiable northern expedition in the name of the prince. Coupled with the deterrent power of the Xuanjia Army, firing the bow left and right will definitely be able to completely disintegrate the fighting spirit of the rebels, and more importantly, it can break the determination of the rebels to burn Fang Yuan's jade and ensure Fang Yuan's personal safety.

King Wu Yue knew at a young age that he had a degree of relaxation, and his political methods of writing and martial arts had stood out among the princes.

Jing Jie was even more impressed by him, "Good! Since King Wu Yue is willing to lead the army to the battle, the rebel thieves will definitely fall to the wind, and the commander is willing to follow King Wu Yue to go on the expedition together. ”

Jing Jie respectfully handed over the military order of the Xuanjia Army and handed it into Zhu Cihuan's hands.

Zhu Cihuan raised the military order of the Xuanjia Army, and shouted loudly with a radiant spirit, "The generals of the Xuanjia Army listen to the order, and set out in three days to go on the expedition to Yangzhou Mansion in the north and rescue the Fang Army!" ”

The generals shouted in unison, "Northern Expedition to Yangzhou Mansion, rescue Fang Junmen!" ”