The sky was slightly bright, and at the southern foot of Gucheng Mountain, an army brigade after a fierce battle, through the siege of the Wu army, broke away, panicked like a frightened bird, anxious like a fish that slipped through the net.

The Vietnamese army was worried about the pursuit of the Wu army, so they mostly sneaked through the path. All the way to the south, take off the cage, and the outline of the city of Huiji is already faintly visible.

Goujian, the king of Yue, ordered the troops to stop for a temporary rest, thinking that he led 30,000 troops to meet the enemy, but today only a few thousand remnants of the army returned to China, and he was really speechless to face the Jiangdong fathers; Thinking of the shame and remorse, he couldn't help hiding his face and crying on the horse: "The widow was brave for a while, and he failed to adopt the words of Fan Li and Wengen, and he underestimated the enemy, resulting in today's defeat!" ”

The generals saw that King Yue was sad, and came up to persuade him for a while. But on Gucheng Mountain, Fan Li's main force is still under siege by the Wu army, like a turtle in an urn, this is the thorn on the tip of Gou Jian's heart, as long as it is touched slightly, it will hurt into the bone marrow.

The Yue army entered the city with a banner, Gou Jian thought hard and couldn't calculate, worried all day long that the Wu army went deep into the realm of the Yue country, and the Chu state did not come to the rescue, and among the princes, there was no country that could help, it seems that the Yue country has been isolated and helpless, and this catastrophe is inevitable.

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It is said that Wu Wangfu sent Bo Ya's report, and the King of Zhiyue had broken through the siege and left, summoning soldiers and Bo Yao to come to the Chinese army to discuss.

Fu Cha said: "Our army fell into the plan of the Vietnamese army. According to the information obtained so far, Goujian, the king of Yue, may have broken through and escaped last night. Now the Vietnamese army on Gucheng Mountain has contracted its defense, and the few people want to divide their troops into two ways: all the way to attack Huiji, the capital of the Yue Kingdom, and all the way to continue to besiege this mountain here. I don't know what the secretary thinks? ”

The soldiers pondered for a long time and played: "The king of Yue led the army to break through with only a few thousand men and horses, and the main force is still besieged by our army on this Gucheng Mountain. The minister thought that as long as the Yue army in Gucheng Mountain was eaten, the king of Yue would flee to the ends of the earth, and it would have no effect. So. The minister's intention was to seize this opportunity to annihilate the main force of the Yue army, and not to pay attention to Goujian, the king of Yue who fled to Huiji. ”

Bo Yao knew that he had made a mistake this time and had fallen into the plan of the Vietnamese army, so he was very ashamed, and he also supported the suggestion of the soldiers: "The minister thinks that the plan of the country is very good. For example, the division of troops by the king also adds a lot of difficulties in terms of logistics and supplies. Besides, the army besieging the enemy must have more than three times the number of troops. After the king divided his troops, the Vietnamese army on the mountain had a better chance of breaking through and succeeding. ”

So Fucha dismissed the idea of dividing the army, and ordered the soldiers to attack from the north into the mountains. Bo Ya attacked from the south and went up the mountain, and he led the Chinese army to defend the west side of Gucheng Mountain to cut off the way of the Vietnamese army.

On Gucheng Mountain, Fan Li's Chinese army camp.

Fan Li sat cross-legged on the seat, and was writing hard: "The minister told the king: Wu Jun attacked the mountain day and night. Our army once again withdrew to the area around the main peak of Gucheng Mountain. Wu soldiers gradually followed the mountain, using the method of encroachment step by step. Forced our troops to constantly retreat. The situation is already dire; Moreover, our army's food and grass are basically exhausted, and most of the soldiers are wrapped in war horses and green fruits on the mountains. Whether our army is fighting or peace, please make a decision as soon as possible......"

At this time, a man came in from outside the tent. This man was no more than six feet tall, with a gray beard, wrinkles on his face like a knife, and his teeth were old. But a pair of old eyes are extremely bright. He held a lacquer plate in both hands with a copper kettle and a copper bean on it.

He looked at Fan Li in front of him, and his son was in his thirties. When he was in the Chu State, Gongzi was a very famous young talent in the local area, and later failed to get the opportunity to advance in the Chu State, so he traveled to the Yue State and was reused by the Yue King Yunchang.

But the son standing in front of him is now sallow, his skin is dry, and he has no luster at all. He used to be so handsome and high-spirited. And now, he is struggling to survive the crisis, although the country of Yue is already about to rain and stormy.

The old man's eyes softened a little, and after standing still for a moment, he coughed.

Fan Li glanced at the old man, and seeing that his expression was gloomy, he asked, "What did Jinong say?" ”

"Since Gongzi left the Chu State and served the King of Yue, the old slave Meng Gongzi has not abandoned and has always taken the old slave with him. Today's son is under siege, and the mountain is full of dangers. The old slave heard some rumors that some officers had the intention of going down the mountain to surrender to the Wu army. ”

As he spoke, Ji Nong placed the lacquer plate on Fan Li's desk, which was a pot of jam crushed with green fruits. During this period of time, Fan Li led by example, mainly eating green fruits, and only allowed the cooks to prepare a meal of horse meat every other day. Fan Li knew that feeding on war horses was the greatest sorrow of being a warrior.

The green fruit has been taken for a long time, and it is extremely bitter, in fact, it is difficult to swallow, Fan Li has eaten several times in a row, and there is nausea and vomiting. Later, Jinong came up with a trick to crush the green fruits to make jam, so that it would be better.

Fan Li stopped his pen, stared at Jinong with both eyes, and said after a while: "Our army is unstable, if it drags on for a few more days, the sergeant mutiny, the consequences will be unimaginable!" But since I, Fan Li, have accepted the king's trust, I will try not to let these tens of thousands of people become Wu Jun's meal. ”

Jinong saw that there was no one around, and whispered: "Now that the Wu army is on the offensive, the king has broken through and returned to the capital, and the prince is in danger. The current situation is difficult to reverse. The old slave was willing to accompany his son-in-law to escape and flee to the state of Chu for refuge. The world is so big, there is a place to stay everywhere. ”

Fan Li waved his hand and sighed: "How can you be a human being? Since I, Fan Li, have advanced to the Yue Kingdom and become the king's courtier, I have the obligation to share the responsibility for the king. Now that our country is in danger of survival, how can I, Fan Li, abandon the king and be an unfaithful and unfilial person? ”

Jinong lowered his head and touched his green cloth coat with his hand, although the weather was getting hotter, but on the top of this Gucheng Mountain, the temperature at night was still extremely low.

"But if King Wu avenges his father, he will surely put Yue Guo to death. It's just that the old slave feels that it is difficult to preserve the Yue Kingdom, and there is no need for the son to accompany him here. Jinon stood in the shadow of the light and continued to persuade.

"Jinon can't say anything more! I have a secret letter here, addressed to the doctor. The survival of the Yue country is now only pinned on him. You fall down from the cliff in the east early tomorrow morning, rush back to Huiji, and give this letter to Wenzhong, and then you don't have to go back, and each of you can escape. ”

After hearing this, Jinong hurriedly knelt down, kowtowed, and said: "The old slave has been serving the son for more than 30 years, and he has never left the son's side, and the son still sends others to deliver letters." ”

Fan Li stared at Jinong, his face softened slightly, and said, "Don't be nervous, I don't mean anything else." You send a letter to the doctor's house, and the military will send a sentry horse in the army to do it. ”

After a pause, Fan Li thought for a moment and said, "I have an extremely important thing for you to do. Now that the state is in a difficult situation, we are already on the verge of breaking the country and losing our family. After you send the secret letter to Wenzhong, then help me do two things. ”

Jinong was puzzled and asked, "What are the two things?" ”

"One is to go to Zhuji to secretly visit a chivalrous girl named Nushu. This woman lives in the mountains, is good at stabbing skills, and has a chivalrous reputation in the country, but I have never seen her face, and you go to find this person carefully in private. ”

"The second is to visit the sword-casting master Xue Candle. Xue Zhu is a native of the Qin State and a generation of famous sword casting and sword masters. I heard that I recently traveled to our country and settled down. When you find out the whereabouts of them, you will tell me about them. ”

After hearing this, Jinong took the secret letter written by Fan Li to Wen Chong and fell down from the cliff on the east side of Gucheng Mountain, and went to do things without mentioning it.

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Besides, when the king of Yue returned to Huiji, the monarchs and ministers were all bitter and had no countermeasures, and Gou Jian only sighed for a long time all day.

One day, a guard came to report: "King, there is a messenger from Gucheng Mountain, sent by General Fan Li." ”

Gou Jian ordered the messenger to come to meet him, and the messenger visited the king of Yue, took out a brocade bag from his arms, and presented it to Gou Jian with both hands.

Gou Jian took the bag nervously, took a deep breath, calmed down, and then handed the bag to the attendant beside him, and motioned to pick up the stitches of the bag. When Gou Jian opened it, it was Fan Li's distress document.

"Whether our army is war or peace, please make a decision as soon as possible...... "Yes, no matter what, we have to come up with an idea."

Gou Jian looked at Fan Li's distress letter all over the ministers, and said: "Now that the matter has come to this, how can the widow escape?" According to the current situation, it is good to find the most appropriate way to minimize the loss. ”

Yes, Viet Nak has come to a difficult crossroads. The life and death of the country is just a thought, what kind of future will this stormy boat have? (To be continued......)