Hearing that the Broken Iron City was lost and Shenxiong Pass was in distress, Cui Hong, who was returning to Great Chu from the Western Regions, couldn't help but feel ashamed and annoyed. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

He is the secretary of the Ministry of War, and he advocates sending troops to the Western Regions, the original intention is that the Western Regions are weak, and after being pacified in one fell swoop, he can not only intimidate the enemy army, but also easily make meritorious contributions, but he did not expect the enemy to be so cunning, the Western Regions is just a bait, but he swallowed it in one bite.

Cui Hong divided the army into three parts, the front part followed him in the starry night, rushed back to Chu as soon as possible, the middle marched normally, in case of emergency, and the rear escorted the baggage slowly.

If Shenxiong Pass is lost and the capital is in an emergency, his great victory in the Western Regions will become insignificant, even a sin.

Cui Hong was in a hurry, and left half of the army on the way, only took 5,000 people to rush back to Yumen Pass before winter.

Hearing that Shenxiong Pass is still holding on, and the emperor is personally commanding the battle of Mayi City in Jincheng, Cui Hong breathed a sigh of relief, planning to stay for one night, and wait for the rear army to catch up before making a decision, it is too late to go to Mayi City, maybe he can wait for the opportunity to send troops from Shenxiong Pass to cut off the enemy's retreat.

Cui Hong slept soundly, only had a dream in the early hours of the morning, thinking that he was still leading troops to fight in the Western Regions, and there seemed to be enemy troops in all directions, but after rushing over, he couldn't see a single figure......

Cui Hong woke up suddenly, and he still had palpitations after sitting for a long time, his body was not very good, and he felt even more painful at this time.

He didn't call anyone, he was going to lie down and sleep for a while, he was so tired these days, he marched in a hurry for days, even a young man could not bear it, let alone such a weak old man like him.

As soon as he leaned back, there was a sound of hurried footsteps outside the door, followed by an urgent voice, "Lord Shangshu?" ”

"What's the matter?" Cui Hong got out of bed.

"There is an emergency military situation."

As soon as Cui Hong spoke, the entourage sleeping outside also got up, and immediately lit the oil lamp and opened the door.

Cui Hong walked to the door with his clothes on, stared solemnly at Shao Kejian, the general who came to report the news, took an official letter from the other party's hand, and his face changed suddenly when he only read the first line of words.

Shenxiong Pass is lost......

Yesterday's news also said that Shenxiong Pass is worry-free, and the decisive battle will be held in Mayi City, how can it be lost overnight?

Cui Hong continued to look down, the content of the letter was very simple, did not elaborate on the process and reasons, only said that Shenxiong Pass was lost, and asked Yumen Pass to support immediately.

When the letter was delivered, Shenxiong Guan didn't know that the military department Shangshu had rushed back, so he only asked Shao Kejian, the guard of Yumen Pass, for help.

"What about the messenger?"

"Outside."

Cui Hong immediately got dressed, still didn't believe it in his heart, and couldn't help asking, "Could it be a false alarm?" Aren't the main forces of the enemy army all in Mayi City? Shenxiong Pass is easy to defend and difficult to attack...... Who is the defender? ”

"General Chen." Shao Kejian replied.

"Well, the person personally chosen by His Majesty should be fine."

Cui Hong hurried to the main hall in the front yard, the post soldiers were still waiting there, but he couldn't provide more information, he answered the letter halfway, he didn't know how many hands he had poured before, he didn't even know the content of the letter.

Cui Hong is not the kind of person who makes a quick decision, and the rush to march back to Yumen Pass is his most urgent performance.

He waited another morning, gathered the generals and officials, and worked out several plans to deal with different situations.

After noon, Cui Hong did not hesitate and ordered Shao Kejian to immediately lead the defenders of Yumen Pass to set off as a pioneer to Xiaozhou City.

Xiao Zhou City is an ancient city, but also an extremely important checkpoint, Shenxiong Pass lost, it is the second line of defense, if the city is lost again, then there is no danger in the pass, the west of the Yumen Pass, the east of the Mancang City and the south of the capital, will face the direct attack of the enemy.

In particular, Mancang City is the most important place to store grain in Guanzhong, and the army west of Hangu Pass must rely on this city to supply grain and grass.

Cui Hong's heart was restless, and for the first time, he felt that the enemy was so powerful, and even made him fearful.

He waited for another half a day and a night, and after the other 5,000 soldiers arrived, the 5,000 people who had arrived in advance immediately set off and also went to Xiaozhou City for reinforcements.

News kept coming from the front, Shao Kejian rushed to Xiao Zhoucheng, only a few hours earlier than the enemy army, and then a big battle, the Chu army held on, barely holding on to its position, but the news of Shenxiong Pass was interrupted.

Cui Hong could no longer stay at Yumen Pass, so he set off with 5,000 troops early the next morning, leaving an order for the middle and rear departments not to stay after arriving at Yumen Pass, and immediately went to Xiaozhou City.

When Cui Hong arrived, Xiao Zhoucheng was already in a mess.

Since the completion of the Shenxiong Pass, the status of the city of Xiao Zhou has declined, it has not been renovated for many years, the enemy army came in a hurry, there is no equipment to help, so the city was not conquered immediately, but it still caused great damage, and the old wall bricks were scattered all over the place.

Cui Hong entered the city, climbed the wall to watch, only to see the distance of the black press, all strange enemy troops, they temporarily gave up the hard attack, lined up the formation, and left an open space in the middle, obviously waiting for the arrival of the siege equipment in the rear.

Xiao Zhoucheng couldn't hold it, Cui Hong sighed in his heart, and became more and more panicked in his heart, and for the first time he had a terrible thought: Da Chu was going to die.

The incident happened suddenly, the emperor and the court officials were not there, the military department Shangshu was the backbone of the Chu army, and he had to make decisions and make up his mind in everything, Cui Hong admired his son-in-law a little, and the young emperor seemed to be better at dealing with this situation.

When Cui Hong turned around, he barely maintained his composure, went down the wall to gather the generals, and first asked how Shenxiong Pass was lost.

There are some defeated soldiers in the city who retreated from the Shenxiong Pass, and there are different opinions, some say that the traitors open the door to accept the enemy, some say that the gods from the sky burned the city, and some say that the mountains shook the ground and shook the city walls......

Only one person is slightly more credible, he said that the enemy army hid a group of siege equipment in the valley outside the city, formed it at night, launched an attack in the early morning, and broke through the city gate in the afternoon, and the defender Chen Huan insisted on not retreating, and it was likely that he had been trapped in the city.

The enemy army not only has equipment, but also is very sophisticated, if Shenxiong Pass can't resist, Xiao Zhoucheng can't do it.

Cui Hong did not mention this matter, and ordered Shao Kejian to defend the city, "The city is in the people, the city is dead, and those who abandon the city and flee will be guilty of death." I will return to Beijing immediately and send troops to support. Ten days, you have to hold on for at least ten days. ”

Shao Kejian received the order, Cui Hong left his army, only a few of his own soldiers returned to Beijing south, and when he passed the intersection leading to Mancang City, he sent people to give the order to defend the city to the generals.

Must not show timidity, this is Cui Hong's only thought.

The capital was already in chaos, and the streets were full of people, all clamoring to escape, but they didn't know where to flee.

Cui Hong was treated with the highest courtesy, and many ministers greeted him at the city gate, and Prime Minister Zhuo Ruhe summoned him to the Qinzheng Palace to discuss matters.

There were more than ten ministers gathered in the Qinzheng Palace, and as soon as they saw Cui Hong, they all greeted him, regarded him as a great savior, and asked about the situation ahead.

Cui Hong wanted to know more about the situation in the capital.

Zhuo Ruhe was more calm, drank and told everyone to shut up, and explained in person: "Things are all rushed together, Jincheng news, the Chu army won a big victory in Mayi City, and the enemy army was scattered, but I didn't expect Shenxiong Pass to ...... Alas, I have sent for the delivery of the letter, but His Majesty has not yet replied. ”

"Where did the enemy get so many troops to start a war in two places at the same time?" Cui Hong couldn't believe it.

Zhuo Ruhe and others couldn't explain this problem.

"How many soldiers are there in the capital?" Cui Hong asked.

"A part of the Su Guard, plus the temporarily recruited soldiers, there are more than 50,000 people." Zhuo Ruhe has not been idle, and has done his best to mobilize troops these days.

"50,000 people, that's too little." Cui Hong was thinking about a question all the way: Shenxiong Pass is lost, Xiao Zhou City will be broken, Mancang City will be defeated, what should the capital do?

Now he threw the question to the prime minister, "The enemy army is overwhelming, Xiao Zhoucheng can't hold out for long, at this moment, it may have been lost, the enemy army is about to attack the capital soon, 50,000 people are useless, whether to fight or retreat, please decide the prime minister." ”

The ministers were shocked when they heard this, if they were not even sure of the military department, then the capital was really in danger.

"How's the war? How about refund? Zhuo Ruhe asked.

"If you fight, immediately transfer all the soldiers on the front line back, abandon Xiaozhou City, burn Mancang City, and concentrate on guarding the capital. If you retreat, you will go to Kanto, and you must also set off immediately, hold the Hangu Pass, and have more chances to block the enemy army. ”

Everyone was speechless, and all eyes were on the prime minister.

Zhuo Ruhe was silent for a moment, and suddenly sighed: "Today I know the emperor's difficulty, if Your Majesty is here......"

Everyone sighed in unison, and like the prime minister, they missed the emperor immensely.

"I shouldn't have agreed to the expedition in the first place." The official Shangshu Yuan Jiuding said in a trembling voice.

"Your Majesty stays in the capital, and you can't hold the Shenxiong Pass, but you may lose the victory of Mayi City, in that case, we won't even be able to retreat to the Kanto." Cui Hong wants to say a word for his son-in-law.

The ministers were speechless again, and finally Zhuo Ruhe said: "Don't be modest at this time, everyone has something to say, Mrs. Cui, you say it first, how to do it more securely?" ”

Cui Hong understands that the prime minister and others are afraid of taking responsibility, so they must make up their own minds, "Retreat." ”

"Abandon the capital?" Zhuo Ruhe said in astonishment.

Cui Hong scolded secretly, and said: "At least everyone in the palace must be sent to Luoyang for refuge, the capital must be guarded, and Hangu Pass must be guarded, especially Hangu Pass, which will soon be the most important line of defense, I will personally supervise it, as for the capital ......"

Cui Hong's gaze swept over, and the ministers bowed their heads one after another.

Zhuo Ruhe said: "It is my duty to guard the capital. ”

Cui Hong looked at Zhuo Ruhe and thought to himself that the old fox also had a brave time.

According to the rules, everyone should persuade a few words at this time, but the people were flustered, and the rules were not so important, so no one spoke.

Zhuo Ruhe said: "The matter is urgent, and Your Majesty is not here, so the matter has to be decided by me." Mrs. Cui, let me ask again, can Xiao Zhoucheng really not be able to hold it? ”

"I can't hold it." Cui Hong is very sure.

"Where's the capital? I can't hold it. ”

"It's hard to say."

Zhuo Ruhe pondered for a moment, "In this case, the palace is going to move to Luoyang, there is Lao Cui Taifu to enter the palace to urge, Hangu Pass is very important, and there is also Lao Cui Taifu to guard, the household department has prepared the picture books, the ritual department has installed the ritual utensils, if the situation is more critical, the two departments will also move to Luoyang." ”

Zhuo Ruhe paused, "The others stay in the capital with me, unless Your Majesty has a will, you and I are both Chu Chen, it is time to be loyal." (To be continued.) )