The war between the Southern and Northern Dynasties had just begun, and it was already at a fever pitch.

The Northern Dynasty dispatched nearly 300,000 soldiers, horses and people, and the Southern Dynasty as a passive defender, because of the previous political changes, the two main soldiers and horses of Zhu Tongjing and Sima Yi, plus the local defenders, were still above 400,000 soldiers and horses. However, with the advance of Su Tingxia and Lin Zhan in Chu and Shu, the local defense forces of the Southern Dynasties were gradually disintegrated.

With the passage of time, October is coming, and seeing that winter is approaching, the battle lines of all sides are gradually tightening. The 30,000 soldiers and horses that Sima had gathered from the Fujian and Zhejiang generation had not yet been put in order, so he had dragged different banners, and even the military uniforms and weapons were improvised patchwork, and gradually advanced in the direction of Jinling City along the way north.

On the sixth day of October, the vanguard of Sima Yi, also the 2,000 cavalry of the entire Qinwang army, arrived 300 miles south of Jinling City, at this time, including the Empress Xiao Zhan, Huiwang Xiao Ling and the commander Sima Yi, the Chinese army soldiers and horses, still 400 miles away from Jinling City. But at this time, Zhu Tongjing had already sent two lines of troops and horses, preparing to outflank Sima Yi's main Chinese army from the flank.

Sima Yi's knowledge of the north was very incomplete, and he did not dare to march on a large scale, lest he be raided.

On the night of the sixth day of the first month of October, Sima Yi still received information that the scattered cavalry sent by Zhu Tongjing had moved closer to the south, and it was possible to complete a sneak attack on the main force of the Chinese army at any time. That night, as the three leaders of this road, Sima Yi, Xiao Zhan and Xiao Ling, discussed things in the big tent of the Chinese army, Xiao Zhan, as the empress, is also the nominal boss of this road, sitting behind the handsome case, Sima Yi and Xiao Ling can only stand and reply.

“…… If you go north like this, the thief army is strong, and I am afraid that King Qin's soldiers and horses will not be able to recover Jinling. Think long-term. Send someone to contact the old ministry of King Qin. ”

Xiao Zhan's words were very cautious, according to Xiao Zhan's meaning, to compete with Zhu Tongjing's "thief army" and the soldiers and horses invading the Northern Dynasty at the same time, there must be enough soldiers and horses, and the soldiers and horses that can be summoned now are mainly the old troops of King Hui and the local garrison. The old and weak soldiers and the lack of weapons and baggage, let alone fighting with the regular army on the frontal battlefield, even if there is a county town in front of them, as long as the city wall is still solid and the city gate is closed, the "30,000 army" will not want to attack the city.

When Xiao Ling heard this, he hurriedly seconded the proposal: "The emperor's niece is reasonable, I think the most important thing at the moment is to withdraw to Xu Ding first, and when the Zhu thief and the Northern Dynasty soldiers and horses are defeated, our army will take the opportunity to go north." When the time comes, the recovery of Jinling City will definitely be expected. ”

Xiao Ling is still too greedy for life and afraid of death, for him, being able to enjoy himself in peace is the most important thing, even if he yearns for power, he also wants to eat, drink and have fun better through power, he is not a ruler at all. Even Sima Yi didn't know why Li Shanye had such a high opinion of this King Hui at the beginning, and he felt that he was an unborn master, but now it seems that he is just a wreck.

"Even if King Hui feels that it is not safe to go north this time. Or stay in the army. Sima said with a hint of unkindness.

Xiao Zhan also understood Sima Yi's insistence, if it weren't for Sima Yi's escape from Yangzhou. I'm afraid that she and Xiao Ling will both be lost dogs, and now they can send troops to fight against Zhu Tongjing in the name of the emperor, and there is still hope for the restoration of the country.

Xiao Ling complained: "I said Brother Sima, this journey north is very dangerous. It's not that I don't want to stay, but I have to go. Otherwise, you can see which city is safer on the way, and you leave me behind, and you and I ...... The little emperor's niece continues to lead the troops north? ”

Xiao Ling never seems to know who to talk to on what occasion, he seems to live in his own world. He used to treat Sima Yi coldly. It's not that he's scheming or anything, it's just that after he swells up, he feels that the fun is no longer to hang out with an old friend, but to find something more fun for him.

Sima Yi didn't have the heart to talk nonsense with Xiao Ling, what he needed at the moment was to keep Xiao Ling by his side as a banner figure for the call, with Xiao Ling and Xiao Yang in the army, it was very useful for calling for the old ministry loyal to the imperial court, or for those who were busy and disorderly and didn't know who to be loyal to.

Sima Yi's detailed marching plan for the future was displayed in front of Xiao Zhan, which was a march map he drew to the north, and he basically did not take any detours on the way, and went directly to Jinling City to fight with Zhu Tongjing.

Xiao Ling glanced forward, and immediately retracted his head with a face full of embarrassment, he had a lot of opinions about this march route map, if he continued to march like this, he would have already fled for his life, as if he had run back to die.

Xiao Zhan also said with a worried face: "I don't know how sure that Mr. is able to recover Jinling if he marches like this?" ”

Sima Yi thought about it slightly, and said with certainty: "Less than one percent." ”

Xiao Zhan sighed lightly: "The country is ruined and the family is ruined, and there is a chance to recover the rivers and mountains, which should also be regarded as ten percent of the efforts. Uncle Huang must not complain, all these bitter fruits are caused by you and me. ”

Xiao Ling had a disapproving look on her face, Xiao Zhan actually took the responsibility on herself, if she really had real power, she would not be so indulgent to the military and political power of the imperial court, and she would not let the power fall, and she didn't even know that she was surrounded by enemy eyeliner and lackeys, speaking of which, the defeat of Yangzhou and Jinling City was Xiao Ling's own responsibility, and it really had nothing to do with her, the empress.

"In Yangzhou City in the north, there is no movement for the time being, and the minister has sent three hundred scouts to investigate the surrounding areas of Jinling, and must control all the information around Jinling City, but in terms of the current number of scouts, it is still difficult, and there are many inconsistencies in the information obtained, which cannot be proven." Sima Yi raised the biggest difficulty on the current march, that is, the problem of unclear intelligence, he wanted to tell Xiao Zhan that the most important thing in the current march is to grasp the ever-changing information, and if he goes north with his head covered like this, it is obviously no different from going to death.

Xiao Zhan looked at Sima Yi eagerly and asked, "Does that gentleman have a good way?" ”

Sima Yi sighed lightly and shook his head gloomily, in the past, he could get a lot of information from the intelligence system of the Northern Dynasty, because at that time he was still in contact with the emperor of the Northern Dynasty and Han Jian, but now, not only did he not contact the Northern Dynasty, but also stood on the opposite side of the Northern Dynasty, and he was already regarded as the main person on guard by the scouts of the Northern Dynasty. How could he share the information with him?

"The Northern Dynasty now has more than 10,000 eyeliners in our territory, and if it is accompanied by the intelligence that was betrayed to the Northern Dynasty internally, the entire land south of the Yangtze River, everything that happens, will be known to the Emperor of the Northern Dynasty within five days." Sima Yu said that the most terrible enemy today is not Zhu Tongjing. But on Han Jian, who is still besieging Yangzhou City and not fighting, "In the long run, even if our army can fight and win the battle with the thief army, I am afraid that the fruits of victory will be stolen by the Northern Dynasty." ”

When Xiao Ling heard this, he rushed to say: "Brother Sima said before, we have less than a chance of winning the battle with the surname Zhu, so what are the chances of winning the battle with the Northern Dynasty?" ”

Sima Yu did not answer. Actually, this question does not need to be answered.

In the past, the entire Southern Dynasty was still united, and Zhu Tongjing was still sending troops at the behest of the imperial court, at that time the war with the Northern Dynasty was less than a chance of victory, and now the two roads of the Northern Dynasty have been killed to the hinterland of the Southern Dynasty, and there are still two ways of men and horses, from the north Yangzhou and Suzhou around Jinling City to contain Jinling City, as well as the internal strife within the Southern Dynasty, and the chances of winning a war with the Northern Dynasty are already very small.

But anyway. This battle still has to continue, which can be regarded as Sima Yi's faith. It is also the responsibility of Xiao Zhan, who is the empress of the Southern Dynasty.

"If Uncle Huang is tired, go back and rest first, I still have something to talk to Mr. Sima."

In the end, Xiao Zhan also found that Xiao Ling's existence did not help things, but was often poured cold water, so it was better to let him go back. Just be a call-to-action banner, and let him ignore specific matters.

If it were someone else, he would definitely have complaints in his heart if he was driven away like this when discussing major matters, but Xiao Ling is different from others, and his psychological structure is different from others. He himself wished he had left a ghost place like the Chinese army's tent as soon as possible.

But Xiao Ling had just walked out of the tent not far away, and soon he came back again, and at this time, Sima Yi and Xiao Zhan, who were about to spread out the military map and discuss the plan of the army in detail, looked at him.

"No...... It's not good, it's not good, don't look at me, it looks like there's a thief army outside! Xiao Ling exclaimed.

Sima Yi and Xiao Zhan's faces were still natural, because they knew in advance that Zhu Tongjing would send scattered cavalry to sneak attack, so the military camp seemed to be lax, but in fact, several formations were designed to lure the enemy, and even the camp was based on the method of virtual and real, so that the enemy who came to attack went in the wrong direction.

Sima said: "King Hui can rest assured. Now the location of this Chinese army tent is the safest place, if it is lost, then this battle will not need to continue. ”

Xiao Ling shook his hand and said, "Brother Sima, don't always say something unfathomable to fool me. Let me ask you, how dare you ensure that we are safe in this place now? Do you know what kind of group of soldiers and horses we are bringing with us, they will withdraw when they say they will withdraw, and there are fewer deserters along the way? We haven't done anything on the road except to catch strong men? But there are still a lot of deserters, saying that there are 30,000 soldiers and horses, but I think even 20,000 soldiers and horses are barely possible now, right? ”

Xiao Zhan frowned and said, "Uncle Huang, you're tired, it's time to go back and rest." ”

Xiao Ling looked unhappy, she was just angry like a child, and she sat directly on the ground, sitting cross-legged, as if she was also facing Sima Yi and Xiao Zhan.

"It is said that it is good to stay in Xuding, I just escaped death, there were sixty or seventy thousand soldiers and horses before, and the most people surnamed Zhu were cowered in Jinling City, but in the end, King Qin's sixty or seventy thousand soldiers and horses were all disintegrated by Zhu Tongjing, and now most of them have become his people, I almost died several times, and finally arrived in Xuding, you can't let me send troops north for two days?"

Once Xiao Ling complains, there are a lot of words, and he has always been in a state of pampering. It can be said that Xiao Ling has the temperament of being a commander, that is, he is a corporal who is polite and virtuous, and he can also distinguish between right and wrong, but the problem is that he is too playful, and he can't withstand the temptation in the face of some colorful things.

"King Hui, you should get up and speak. Sitting on the ground is not your identity. Sima walked over and reminded.

Xiao Ling continued to shout: "What identity is not identity, I am in trouble now, even those who stammered with me have now defected to the surname Zhu, and when I see the surname Zhu again, maybe I will have a head left, is it useful for me to have an identity at this time?" ”

Sima Yu sneered: "Why doesn't King Hui want to think about it, if you see Zhu Tongjing again, isn't it King Hui who personally witnessed his head in front of you?" ”

Xiao Ling looked up at Sima Yu: "Brother Sima, don't be joking, they all said that there is only a 10% chance of winning, that is to say, nine times out of ten, my head was carried to show him." Even if I'm lucky, we win this time, and when I turn around, my head will still be carried to the emperor of the Northern Dynasty. ”

Sima Yu said sharply: "Then dare to ask King Hui, why are the soldiers and horses of the emperor of the Northern Dynasty still stationed in Yangzhou and not going south?" ”

"Because he's waiting for us to fight with the surnamed Zhu." Xiao Ling is a little stupid, but he can still understand this situation.

Sima Yi was about to say something, when suddenly there was a noise outside, it should be a certain riot breaking out in the barracks, and it should be the soldiers and horses who were keeping vigil and fighting with Zhu Tongjing's troops who came to attack.

"It's over, it's over, it's dead, it's dead......" This time Xiao Ling didn't need Sima to help, the person had already stood up and paced back and forth, "Let's hurry back to Xuding, it's a big deal, we don't want this place of Fujian and Zhejiang, we will withdraw to Lingnan, and then we will not retreat to Annan, the surname Zhu will not dare to chase him?" ”

Xiao Zhan was still patiently listening to Xiao Ling's words, but when she heard this, she was a little angry and said, "Uncle Huang, do you know what you're talking about?" This is what you should say as a royal clansman? ”

"Am I wrong? It's all a disaster......"

Sima Yi suddenly pressed Xiao Ling's shoulders with both hands, Xiao Ling struggled twice, but he didn't move, although Sima Yi's martial arts were not high, but Xiao Ling had never practiced any martial arts at all, and it was easy for Sima Yi to subdue him.

"King Hui doesn't have to worry, it's okay tonight, I dare to guarantee that this time I send troops north, and I will be safe." Sima Yi said with a somewhat confident smile on his face.

"Brother Sima, don't be kidding." Although Xiao Ling was a little comforted when he heard this, he could still tell that Sima Yi was lying to him.

Sima Yi said with a smile: "When King Hui was in Jinling, he didn't also die in the same life, but what was the final result? It can be a very human minister, under His Majesty alone, and above ten thousand people. This is just an agreement between our dynasty and the Northern Dynasty, together to clear the Zhu thief, the mighty men and horses of the Northern Dynasty are not here to kill us, but to help us, so King Hui just has to put his heart back in his stomach and wait for the good news of victory. (To be continued.) )