Among the old ministers of the Sui Dynasty of Wei, three ministers were the leaders, one was Pei Yun, who served as the left servant of Shangshu, one was Yu Shiji, who served as the internal history order, and the other was Xiao Ju, who served as the Nayan, and they formed the three major ministers of Wei, but these three prime ministers were only decorations, used to serve as a façade, and Li Mi would never hand over the power of military affairs to them.

Yu Shiji was the first powerful minister in Yang Guang's era, and Jīng slightly grasped Yang Guang's heart, so although he did a lot of things to make Yang Guang dissatisfied, Yang Guang still reused him until Yang Guang died.

As the so-called son of heaven and courtier, the end of the Yang Guang era also means the end of Yu Shiji's career, he was forced to do Yu Wenhua and Li Mi's false appearance successively, which made him depressed, and finally fell ill at the end of last year.

In fact, Yu Shiji's illness can also be said to be a kind of heart disease, seeing Yang Yuan's new Sui becoming stronger and stronger, the Tang Dynasty is losing and retreating, and Li Mi is shrinking into the south of the Yangtze River, lingering for a long time, Yang Yuanqing's domination of the world is the general trend, so what should he Yu Shiji do? What about his children and grandchildren?

Yu Shiji knew that he had offended Yang Yuanqing in the past, and he was afraid that Yang Yuanqing would retaliate against him and cut off the career of his descendants.

Yu Shiji's mansion is located in the west of the city, just a mansion covering an area of ten acres, he lives with several sons, his eldest son Yu Su died early, the second son Yu Xi served as the young eunuch of Taifu Temple, the third son Yu Rou served as the squire of the Ministry of Works, and the fourth son Yu Hui followed Li Mi as a guard, which was also considered a hostage.

At this time, Yu Shiji was lying on the sickbed, and his son Yu Rou was slowly feeding him medicine, and they still didn't know anything about what was happening outside. Yu Shiji shook his head and didn't want to drink it.

Yu Rou knew that her father's heart was sick, so she persuaded him: "Actually, my father doesn't have to worry too much, the second uncle has also served as a high-ranking official in the new Sui, and His Royal Highness the King of Chu will not retaliate too much against his father in the face of the second uncle, and he will ascend the throne as the emperor." If he can't even tolerate the old grudges in the officialdom, how can he have the world in his heart, and the child feels that his father is really worried. ”

Yu Shiji sighed. "I'm over fifty years old, and I've been a great minister, so it doesn't matter if I can be a great man again. The point is that you brothers, I'm worried about your future! ”

"Father doesn't have to worry about us, even if we don't enter the ranks, teach and educate people, cultivate ourselves, and cultivate ourselves, it is also a kind of life, with the Yu family's family property and our talents, we will not be unable to live."

Although his son was so comforted, Yu Shiji was always in a knot. He was silent, Suo Xìng closed his eyes, and at this moment, there was a housekeeper at the door to report: "Master, Pei Xiangguo and Xiao Xiangguo are coming to visit." And something important. ”

"Let them in!"

Yu Shiji struggled to get up, Yu Rou hurriedly helped his father to sit up, and soon, the housekeeper led Pei Yun and Xiao Ju in, Xiao Ju is the head of the Xiao family, and his second brother Xiao Yu is the Tang Dynasty Xiangguo. The younger sister is the Empress Dowager Xiao, Xiao Ju is nearly sixty years old, and he is the oldest among the three.

"The two Xiangguo, please sit down, Shiji is sick, forgive me for being rude."

Yu Shiji beckoned his son to arrange a seat, Pei Yun and Xiao Ju sat down in front of his sickbed, the two looked at each other, Pei Yun said: "What happened outside, does Duke Yu know?" ”

Yu Shiji was stunned, glanced at his son, Yu Rou also shook his head blankly, he didn't go out, I don't know what happened, Yu Shiji hurriedly asked, "What's wrong?" ”

Pei Yun saw that he really didn't know anything, so he said slowly: "The Sui army is here, doesn't Duke Yu know?" ”

Yu Shiji was stunned, he slowly lowered his head and said to himself, "The Sui army is here? How so, where did they kill from? ”

"I exchanged views with Xiao Xiangguo just now, and we both think that the Sui army should have come from the sea, and now it has occupied Jiangyangcang."

Speaking of this, Pei Yun took out the letter and said to Yu Shiji: "This is a handwritten letter written to me by His Royal Highness the King of Chu, it should be a letter to us, he hopes that we can help him stabilize the situation in Jiangnan." ”

Yu Shiji took the letter and read it carefully, his eyes gradually lit up, he suddenly found an opportunity, he almost forgot that Yang Yuanqing needed to stabilize Jiangnan, so he had to reuse the officials of the southern department.

He Yu Shiji was born in a famous family, Xiao Ju was a nobleman in the Southern Dynasty, and Pei Yun had also been an official in the Chen Dynasty for a long time, it can be said that the three of them are enough to stabilize Jiangnan for Yang Yuanqing, he is still valuable, how could Yang Yuanqing abandon him?

Yu Shiji suddenly became excited, and said to the two: "The fundamental reason why Li Mi got the support of the Jiangnan Shi clan is that he abandoned us, but Yang Yuanqing will not make this mistake, he knows very well that the south still needs to be governed by the southerners, and the reason why he wrote a personal letter asking us to stabilize the situation in Jiangnan for him means that the future Jiangnan government affairs will be handed over to us." ”

Yu Rou next to him saw that his father was suddenly refreshed, and the sick appearance just now disappeared cleanly, he couldn't help but sigh secretly in his heart, his father is really sick!

Pei Yun also smiled: "While we have time now, let's take a good look at it and come up with a plan to stabilize Jiangnan." ”……

At the head of Nancheng, Zhang Tongren looked into the distance with anxiety, he didn't know what had happened? Last night's three-pillar beacon fire ignited, which meant that Jiangyangcang was attacked by a large group of people, and now, there was no news in the direction of Jiangyangcang, and Zhang Tongren vaguely guessed that something had happened in Jiangyangcang.

The question is, who seized Jiangyang Cang? Zhang Tongren never figured this out, he thought about it, it could only be the Xiao Du coalition army, they divided their troops to bypass the Wei army's defenses, and attacked Jiangyang Cang successfully.

At this moment, a soldier suddenly pointed to the Cao Canal in the distance and shouted: "General, a fleet is coming!" ”

Zhang Tongren also saw that on the canal leading to the Yangtze River, a huge fleet appeared, Zhang Tongren was stunned, this ...... Where did this fleet come from?

As the fleet got closer and closer, the soldiers at the head of the Jiangdu city became frightened, and the big ships they saw were not the usual boats, but like small hills, as high as five or six zhang, and more than twenty zhang long.

"It's the Sui Army!"

Suddenly, someone shouted, and almost everyone saw it, on the second big boat, a huge red eagle flag fluttered high in the wind, but Zhang Tongren's eyes were black for a while, and he could see more clearly, the red eagle flag was Phnom Penh, which was the flag of the Great Sui King, which meant that Yang Yuanqing was on the boat.

Hundreds of large sea ships slowly stopped on the canal about three miles away from Jiangdu City, the planks of the boats were put on the shore, and groups of soldiers in full armor walked down from the big boats, and there were cavalry leading war horses.

The city of Jiangdu was quiet, and the soldiers at the head of the city silently watched the Sui army gather outside the city, and countless troops gathered from all directions like a trickle, and gradually converged into three huge squares of 10,000 people, which were laid out under the city of Jiangdu.

At the front of the team, stood a three-zhang high Phnom Penh Red Eagle Battle Flag, the battle flag was as red as blood, reflecting the pupils of every soldier in the city, but their hearts became extremely dark, as if sinking into an endless dark abyss.

"Bow and arrow ready! Hurry up and carry the rolling rocks! There was only Zhang Tongren's hysterical shouts on the head of the city......

In the barracks, Bing Yuanzhen sorted out the military documents and account books as unhurriedly as usual, this is his old job, and he is also very handy to do it, he also heard the news of the arrival of the Sui army outside, he knows, and now is the time for him Bing Yuanzhen to perform.

If he didn't show his irreplaceable role, Yang Yuanqing might not give him amnesty anymore, thinking of the amnesty, Bing Yuanzhen trembled in his heart.

Even if Yang Yuanqing doesn't kill him, what if Luo Shixin kills him, Qin Qiong, Jia Runfu, Niu Jinda, these generals of Zhang Xutuo's faction, where are they not well-known figures in the Sui army, killing him Bing Yuanzhen is like pinching an ant to death.

If he wants to escape this fate, he must make enough merit to offset his sin of killing Zhang Xutuo back then.

Bing Yuanzhen thought about it all night, and probably had a rough plan in his heart, at this time, a figure flashed past the door, and Bing Yuanzhen hurriedly shouted: "General Fan!" ”

The people outside stopped, took two steps back, and there were more than thirty or so generals, with burly figures, eyes like electricity, and a long beard under the chin, majestic and majestic.

This person's name is Fan Wenchao, he is the son of Fan Zigai of Xiangguo, he was originally the general of Jiangdu Palace, Yu Wenhua and forced Yang Guang to death, he has been protecting Empress Xiao and his eldest grandson Yang Qi, Li Mi has an old friendship with him, so he appointed him as the general of Jiangdu Jiumen.

Although the official position is high, the real power is not large, this time Li Mi led the army to the west, so he ordered him to lead a thousand troops to guard the official office.

He had just heard the news of the arrival of the Sui army, and rushed to discuss defense with Zhang Tongren, but Zhang Tongren was not there, but he met Bing Yuanzhen.

Fan Wenchao and Bing Yuanzhen had a good relationship, and he hurriedly stepped forward and saluted, "See Bing Shangshu!" ”

Bing Yuanzhen stepped forward and closed the door, and whispered to him: "Jiangyang Cang is lost, Yang Yuanqing led the army to suppress the city, doesn't General Fan have any ideas?" ”

Fan Wenchao took a step back in fright, staring at Bing Yuanzhen sharply, "What does Bing Shangshu mean by this?" ”

Bing Yuanzhen sighed, "Actually, General Fan's plot to kill Li Mi and return to Tang at the beginning, do you think I can't see it?" ”

Fan Wenchao's face was white and red, his hand was pressed on the hilt of the knife, and he looked at Bing Yuanzhen coldly, with murderous intent flashing in his eyes.

Bing Yuanzhen also met his gaze and smiled, "General Fan doesn't need to be so nervous, I don't want to be loyal to Li Mi anymore, I only want to ask one sentence now, I want to surrender to the Sui Dynasty, is General Fan willing to do righteous deeds with me?" ”

The murderous intent in Fan Wenchao's eyes slowly dissipated, he secretly contacted more than a dozen old subordinates at the beginning, and indeed wanted to kill Li Mi and return to Tang, but because Feng Deyi's defection made Li Mi on strict guard, and finally the plan to kill Li Mi was not successful.

The reason why Fan Wenchao wanted to return to Tang was because his brother Fan Mingyu was the Taishou of the Northern County of the Tang Dynasty, but with the change of the situation, he also found that it was not a wise move to return to the Tang Dynasty, so he weakened his heart to return to the Tang Dynasty.

Fan Wenchao pondered for a moment and said: "Now that the military power is in the hands of Zhang Tongren, there are less than a thousand people under me, I am afraid it will be difficult to raise things." ”

Bing Yuan really saw that he was moved, and he was overjoyed, and hurriedly said: "Hundreds of people are enough, with me cooperating with the general, why worry about big things!" ”