According to Lu Xun's advice, Wang Xu then ordered someone to send a message to Zhao Yun, but before the credibility arrived, only half a day later, the news from the South China Sea came first.

It turned out that Pang Tong had already seen through Zhou Yu's tricks, and the day before, he marched on a large scale, took the initiative to attack, and fought a fierce battle.

A large number of Zhou Yu's soldiers had already gone around to the Weipu Pass, and some were ambushed on the retreating road of the Qinglong Legion, but there were not enough soldiers and horses in their own camp. Zhao Yun waved his army to attack, Wang Xiong contained the western camp where the Jiaozhou army was located, and Pang Tong and Huang Xu personally sat in the rear camp.

Not long after the war began, the Jiangdong soldiers and horses were a little unable to resist, and Zhou Yu understood that the plan might have been discovered, so he had no choice but to order people to quickly recall those soldiers who were outside to help.

In this way, Zhou Yu wanted to take advantage of the fact that on the eve of the strike, when Pang Tong and others were careless, the plan to seek the final victory was completely frustrated, and all the deployments were exposed.

The soldiers who were lying in ambush quickly returned to reinforce and attacked the rear camp of the Qinglong Legion, and Zhao Yun heard the news and then ordered the troops to retreat.

Since then, the last battle of Jiaozhou has slowly ended in Zhou Yu's long sigh of looking up to the sky.

"Alas! Under the command of the king of Chu, the strategists are like clouds, and the fierce generals are like rain, with the current power of Jiangdong, if you want to do it, it will be difficult, difficult, difficult! ”

Jiangdong's generals also gathered behind him, watching Zhao Yun lead the Blue Dragon Legion to slowly withdraw, quite silent.

This battle was fought from the second half of last year to the first half of this year, during which there were dozens of battles of wits and courage, and although Jiangdong was not defeated, it did not take any advantage at all, but the Jiaozhou army suffered heavy losses and was greatly weakened, and the western part of Jiaozhou also fell into the hands of Wang Xu.

Fortunately, the Shi family was forced to join. Let them also get the eastern region of Jiaozhou. and successfully incorporated the remaining officers and soldiers of the Jiaozhou Army. The harvest is not small.

Three days later, Zhao Yun personally led his troops to suppress the queen, and the Qinglong Legion was orderly and slowly retreated into Weipu Pass.

Zhou Yu then ordered Ling Cao and Zhu Huan to lead 10,000 troops and stationed in Zhongsu County, the closest county town to Weipu Pass, to monitor and defend the Blue Dragon Legion.

Tai Shici and Ding Feng led 20,000 troops in the east of Zhongsu County and west of Qinshui. Yuanning Township, fifty miles south of Weipu Pass, was stationed, and the city wall was built, preparing to echo with the defenders of Zhongsu and jointly guard against Zhao Yun's soldiers and horses at Weipu Pass.

In addition, he asked Lü Dai to lead 5,000 troops to Cangwu County to reinforce Lü Meng, making the garrison of Cangwu County more than 10,000 people.

As for the remaining tens of thousands of soldiers of the original Jiaozhou Army, they were all reorganized and commanded by Lu Su and Zu Mao. Stay in Nanhai County, Panyu!

Early June 205 A.D. Wang Xu decided to return to Xiangyang, leaving Xu Sheng, Dian Wei, and Yan Liang to lead troops to garrison Yulin, and the soldiers of the 5,000 Qinglong Legion led by Yang Huai and He Yi also obeyed his orders.

Before leaving, Wang Xu ordered someone to summon Zhang Ning, saying that he was about to leave for Xiangyang and had some urgent matters to tell.

Zhang Ning did not doubt that he had it, and quickly arrived.

"You're going back to Xiangyang? What's urgent to tell me? ”

"Diao Chan is critically ill, I have to rush back to see!" Wang Xu panicked, his face was really not red and his heart was not beating.

"Sister Diao Chan is sick?" Zhang Ning exclaimed, and then his face panicked: "How can it be critically ill?" It's been less than a year! ”

"No one can say anything about illness, anyway, I have to rush back immediately!" Wang Xu said with a calm face.

Zhang Ning Xiumei wrinkled, her face was full of worry, and she didn't hesitate much, so she hurriedly said: "When I pack my clothes, I will also go back to Xiangyang to see her!" ”

"Yes! Well, I heard that the condition is critical, you move quickly! Wang Xu pretended to say.

"Yes!" Zhang Ning responded and left in a hurry.

But not long after he left, in the corner next to him, an elegant and handsome boy walked out, it was Zhang Ning's eldest brother, Zhang Mian and Zhang Yuxuan!

With a warm smile, he slowly walked in front of Wang Xu and said: "King Chu, my little sister was too stimulated when she was a child, and her temperament was a little stubborn after all, but in fact, she is kind in nature and knows the general situation, and her affection for the King of Chu is also real!" If there is anything wrong with her in the future, the grass people pray that the king will not bother with her! ”

Wang Xu smiled, shook his head and said, "Don't worry, since this king takes the initiative to propose marriage to you, he will not treat her badly!" Moreover, between this king and Ning Er, they were entangled as early as childhood, and their emotions were different, and she once woke up this king when she was a child, so that this king could embark on the right path. She has a very special status in the heart of this king, so in the future, as long as she does not commit heinous crimes such as treason, rebellion, and political chaos, she will not be punished, and perhaps this king loves her even more than your brother! ”

"Thank you, King Chu!" Zhang Mian immediately bowed down and thanked him.

After being silent for a while, Wang Xu spoke again: "Yuxuan! Aren't you really thinking about going out of business? ”

"Alas!" Zhang Mian sighed, shook his head and said: "I hope the King of Chu will understand, after all, the contemptible man is the eldest son of his father, although he has the heart to serve, he has no qualifications to choose!" ”

"Your father is a masterpiece, but he chose the wrong way, caused the wrong result, and brought disaster to himself, if he can see today's situation under Jiuquan, I'm afraid he will also want you to be out!" Wang Xu persuaded again.

"Thank you King Chu for your relief!" Zhang Mian smiled, but said leisurely: "This little ability of contemptible people is not enough to help the country, and it is not of much significance to the king of Chu if he can't come out, it is better to do business well, and rely on the benevolence of the king of Chu to live a peaceful, stable and prosperous life, which is also good!" ”

"Huh! You can talk! Wang Xu laughed and teased.

"I've been in business for many years, I'm used to it!"

Zhang Mian has developed an open-minded mind over the years, and soon regained his free and easy bearing, and arched his hand: "King Chu, if there is nothing to do, the contemptible person will leave first, if the little sister returns later, I am afraid that I will have to make trouble again!" ”

"Okay, then you can go! But when will you return to Xiangyang? I won't settle in Jiaozhou in the future! I'm afraid that Zhang Ning often has to go south to Jiaozhou to visit! Wang Xu said with a smile.

Zhang Mian shook his head: "The contemptible people will return to Xiangyang, but they have to wait for the mountain road leading from Yulin to Lingling to prosper, so that it is convenient for business, and the channels in Jingzhou are now all broken." The workshops were also discontinued. I have to stabilize it first on the Jiaozhou side! ”

"Yes! It won't be long. That mountain road will be repaired soon, and there will be a lot of merchants coming and going in the future! Wang Xu nodded.

Zhang Mian smiled, didn't say anything more, bowed down, and slowly retreated.

He didn't go long before Zhang Ning was out of breath and returned with a small package, and said hurriedly: "Hurry up!" ”

"Isn't this just waiting for you, let's go now!"

"You don't bring soldiers and horses?"

"What do you do with your troops? This time, it's just you and me. There are also more than a dozen accompanying guards! It's a quick journey! ”

"Oh!"

A group of people traveled lightly, the speed was not slow, and they arrived at Qingyun Mountain Road on five days, and now only a village is left here, stationed with five hundred Jiaozhou soldiers, as a guard road, used to maintain law and order, as for the original Jingzhou Army, the cottage has been emptied, only those old buildings remain, standing alone. It tells the story of the past.

However, Wang Xu believes. Soon this same road will prosper, he has established a foothold in Jiaozhou, with the great encouragement of the people to come and go, repair the road, then the trade between Jingzhou and Jiaozhou will inevitably prosper.

Because he returned secretly this time, not many people knew about it, so there was no scene of people greeting each other along the way, and he also had more emotions to recall the mountains and rivers of Jingnan.

On June 12, Wang Xu crossed the river by large boat from Xiakou and quickly returned to Xiangyang.

But when he returned to the palace of the King of Chu, he was suddenly a little overwhelmed, and Zhang Ning was the same.

Looking at the stretching palace group in front of him, as well as the towering city walls surrounding the outside, and more places being built, Wang Xu was dumbfounded and whispered: "Where is this North Palace?" Where did this gate go? ”

The guards behind him shook their heads in unison, still in shock.

Wang Xu had no choice but to take everyone around for a long time, and then he found the so-called east gate.

The palace gate was several zhang wide, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that it was a smaller city gate, and there were almost two dozen soldiers stationed there.

"Stop!"

Seeing that they intended to enter, more than a dozen soldiers rushed out, and the soldiers pointed flat, blocking the way.

"Bold!"

Before Wang Xu could speak, there was a sudden loud shout from inside the door, and then a big man ran out, and said angrily: "Quickly retreat, quickly retreat, that is His Royal Highness the King of Chu!" ”

"Huh!"

The faces of a group of soldiers turned green, and they knelt on the ground in an instant: "King Chu forgives his sins!" ”

The big man rushed to the front at a rapid pace, and knelt down with a "poof": "Sima Jiang He, East Gate, meet the King of Chu!" The soldiers did not know the king's face, and they were offended, and begged the king of Chu to forgive him! ”

"Those who do not know are not guilty, so arise!" Wang Xu waved his hand absently.

"Thank you King Chu for your kindness!"

Seeing that they all got up, Wang Xu looked at Jiang He and said with a slight smile: "This king has been on the expedition for nearly a year, and I don't know the details of the construction of the palace, but now the palace has been repaired to what scale?" ”

The Dongmen Sima didn't dare to hesitate, and immediately said: "Return to the King of Chu!" A quarter of the siege of the palace has been completed, the internal pipelines and general zoning have been completed, and the perimeter has been completed, but the planned twelve gates have been changed to eight, each with a main gate and two auxiliary gates, and the total area of the palace has also been expanded again! ”

"Yes! So what is your position as the East Gate Sima? Has the Praetorian Guard been restructured? Who ordered the change? Wang Xu asked.

"Back to the King of Chu, the establishment of the Praetorian Guard was personally ordered by the queen to rectify and expand, with slight changes on the basis of the original Han system, the commander of the Praetorian Guard is still served by the Wei Wei, under the jurisdiction of the eastern, southern, western, and northern four palace guard orders, in charge of all the Praetorian Guards in the four palace areas, 4,000 people in the North Palace, 2,000 people in the East Palace, 2,000 people in the West Palace, and 2,000 people in the South Palace, a total of 10,000 people."

"Under the command of the four palace guards, it is divided into two parts, one is the city gate guard, and the other is the palace guard!"

"The city gate guards are set up with city gate Sima, and five hundred people take turns to be on duty at each gate."

"There are four gates in the North Palace, the Qinglong Gate, the Xuanwu Gate, the White Tiger Gate, and the North Gate!"

"There are two gates in the South Palace, the Vermilion Bird Gate and the South Gate!"

"There is only the West Gate in the West Palace, and the East Palace is the East Gate!"

"In addition, the establishment of the palace guards is the same as that in the army, and there are military commanders for every thousand people, which are under the jurisdiction of the guard orders of each palace, but they are two levels higher!"

"As for the bus Sima Bureau, which is in charge of the affairs of the palace's carriages, horses, soldiers, etc., it has not been changed! and the Four Palaces Guard Order, under the jurisdiction of the Guard! ”

"Yes!" Wang Xu nodded and kept these in his heart. "This east gate is the East Palace, maybe to the North Palace?"

Jiang He nodded again and again: "Yes, the four palaces have been figured out, but there are palace guards stationed in all the passages, and now a large number of buildings in the palace have not yet been built." ”

After learning about the current situation in the Chu Palace, Wang Xu asked Jiang He and other Praetorian Guards to stop announcing that he had returned for the time being, and then led everyone straight to the North Palace...... (To be continued......)