In the thirtieth section, Huaiying finally left in Wu Ming's coaxing and fright, and an accident disappeared invisibly. The people who watched the excitement of the Chinese army gradually dispersed.

Wu Ming said goodbye to Wang Zhili, took Zhang Hao, and Yixing Yanshan walked on the way back, without any joy at all. I can find out in time this time, so what will I do next time?

When the two of them lazily returned to the tent, it was evening again. At this time, it was time to distribute rations in the evening. Wu Ming silently received his remaining five steamed buns today at the man's office. threw the four to Zhang Hao, and then sat on the ground in front of the tent, munching on the steamed buns without saying a word.

In the distance, there were cursing voices from time to time, intermittently, as if a piece of sharp blades were piercing Wu Ming's heart.

Wu Ming is a contented person, so every time he nibbles on this white-flour steamed bun, he also feels that it is a happy thing, but today, eating it in his mouth is like chewing wax, and he can't get back the soft and slightly sweet feeling he used to have. As he ate, he looked into the distance anxiously.

The sunset is like burning, the sky in the south is dark, not like Kyoto, it is dark when it is dark, and a round of sunset hangs in the west, and the whole earth is also reflected in blood. The messy camp of the Southern Expeditionary Army looked even more desolate under the light of the setting sun, and he ate the steamed bun with trepidation. Then stand up. After taking a few steps forward, I continued to look into the distance.

Zhang Hao wanted to call him several times, but he endured it. He had to pay silent attention and stare at Wu Ming. The setting sun shone down obliquely, stretching Wu Ming's shadow very long. He stood there like a giant, alone in the blood-like sky above his head. Unspeakable loneliness, unspeakable helplessness.

※※※ At night, Wu Ming was lying in bed, thinking about his heart sullenly, and a member of the Xuanwu team told him to go to the prince, and the prince had something to do with him.

He hurried to the prince's tent, and as soon as he arrived at the camp, he couldn't wait to shout: "Your Highness, your subordinates are also looking for you and have something to report." ”

The prince's slightly hoarse voice came from the inner tent: "Come in!" ”

The prince's camp tent is very large, the outer room is the largest, about two or three hundred square meters, usually discussing the military situation and the like is here, and there is also an inner room, Wu Ming can distinguish it slightly, and the voice is coming from the inner room on the right. Without hesitation, he opened the curtain and walked in.

In the room, there were only the prince and Tao Yu, the prince was facing Wu Ming sideways, sitting weakly on a sandalwood chair, and Tao Yu's jade hands were flying up and down the prince's thin shoulders. Gently push and hold it for him. It seems that the misunderstanding between the two has been cleared up.

Wu Ming was stunned for a moment: "The subordinates should die, so they will retire." "You will withdraw from the tent.

The prince turned his head and said to him, "Wait. ”

Contrary to the last outburst, impulsive. The current prince is rare and calm, but the whole person is even more decadent. It seems to have aged a lot all of a sudden. He turned his head to stare at Tao Yu and said lovingly: "Xiaoyu, how long have we been married?" ”

Tao Yu stared at the prince, and in these familiar eyes, in addition to pity, they were full of sadness. Her heart ached, thinking of the bits and pieces of the two of them in the past year, and the only bit of mustard in her heart dissipated with the wind: "Your Highness, have you forgotten that we have been married for a year, a month and four days." ”

"Yes, it's been more than a year, my father has inherited the legacy of my ancestors, and when the prince is an adult, he should first lead the soldiers to hone for three years. And for more than a year, the frontier has been in flames, and I have been fighting everywhere, and the time I spend with you is really numbered. If I hadn't worked hard this time, we would have had to fall along. The prince looked at his wife and said softly.

"What did Your Highness say, what is this bitterness, we will have many days in the future." Tao Yu answered softly.

"Yes, more, more." The prince looked at his wife: "You go down and rest first, I have something to tell Wu Ming." ”

Tao Yu was blessed: "Your Highness also remember to rest early." The concubine retired first. Then he slowly stepped back.

Wu Ming watched the crown princess disappear from sight, then turned his head and said to the prince: "Your Highness, your subordinates are also thinking about finding a time to find you......

The prince smiled sadly, stopped Wu Ming's words, and said a little tiredly: "Is it to persuade me to withdraw from the army?" ”

Wu Ming said: "Exactly, no matter what, this time I have to retreat." All kinds of logistical materials have been exhausted. We can only temporarily withdraw our troops and go to Nanyang Province, which belongs to the territory of Lord Zhu, the governor of Jiangnan, even if Li Tie launches a rebellion now. Occupy the north. We wish you the support of adults, and there is no lack of opportunity. ”

The prince raised his head and looked at Wu Ming, a mocking smile on the corner of his mouth: "Zhu Huai?" He's probably too busy to protect himself right now, and there's still the leisure to take care of me. ”

Wu Ming was taken aback, and the prince's deep voice continued: "Sima Shang, the governor of Nanyang Province, has launched a mutiny and announced that he will accept the direct jurisdiction of the military department. No longer under the grip of the governor of Jiangnan. In other words, we can retreat to Nanyang now. Sima Shang also wanted to ask Li Tie for instructions on whether he accepted me. ”

Wu Ming took a deep breath and calmed the shock in his heart: "Even so, we have to retreat first, and when we get to Nanyang, I don't believe that Sima Shang, this old boy, dares to refuse to greet His Highness." If this is the case, how can he explain it to everyone in the world? ”

The prince did not speak, but slowly turned to the map behind him, which was a "military map", which was drawn in great detail, with large mountains and rivers shown, and important cities represented by small square castles. In terms of troop deployment, a small round tent is used to indicate the concentration of troops, on which the number of troops is indicated. The situation in the five provinces south of the Yangtze River in the Eastern Han Dynasty and the Nanban is clear on the map.

Wu Ming asked, "This is the current military situation map in the south, right?" ”

In the entire five provinces south of the Yangtze River, there are 20,000 garrisons in Nanyang Province, and there is a large camp in Kunzhou Province, Zhu Huai's hometown, with 50,000 on it, and a question mark is added to it. In other provinces, there are also troops ranging from 10,000 to 30,000. The tents of the entire five provinces south of the Yangtze River are now all green.

In Nanban, the blue tent representing your own forces is now marked as 100,000, and there is a bright and dazzling red city in front of it, which is Xinhe City. Below Xinhe Castle, there is a larger red castle, which is now the capital of Nanban, Genne.

The prince replied, "Yes, but it's going to be updated now." ”

The prince took down the green tent in Nanyang Province and replaced it with a yellow tent. Indicates that the 20,000 men are no longer allies. Then between the blue tent representing his side and the yellow tent of Sima Shang in Nanyang Province, another red tent was added. The red tent was so glaring. Like a hot soldering iron, it smashed into his chest from Wu Ming's eyes. A heart-wrenching sullen intent was stabbed.

The crown prince sighed and said quietly: "In the evening, the spies came to report that the main force of the Southern Barbarian Empire's naval army had landed about three hundred miles behind me. According to the spout's visual inspection. Excluding the naval army, the number of people who landed is probably more than 100,000, and it is not known whether there is a follow-up force. The banner they played was none other than the generalissimo of the Southern Barbarians, Xilie. ”

Since the end of the troubled times of Han Gaozu and the establishment of the Eastern Han Dynasty. He also attacked Northern Mongolia in the north and Persia in the west. But unfortunately, it was strongly sniped by the two empires. The three-way war is a three-way battle, but each has its own victory and defeat.

Later, the Han Chinese discovered that there were still large tracts of undeveloped land south of Nanjiao Province, and that there were also large islands to the east. So he gave up his ambition to develop to the north and west. Instead, it passed slightly south.

As a pioneer, the famous bard Ding Shou once described in his "Journey to a Foreign Land" as "the south of Nanjiao, full of spices, agate paving, and gold casting houses...... It is indeed a land of abundance. For a time, many residents of Nanyang, Nanning, and the Gulf provinces had a dream of making a fortune under the guidance of the Han government at that time, intentionally or unintentionally. They have moved south to Nanjiao. As a result, Nanjiao Province, which is now the northern part of the Nanban Empire, began to prosper. Renai, the provincial capital of Nanjiao, became the largest port city in the Eastern Han Dynasty for a time.

The prosperity of commerce naturally breeds pirates. In order to resist the harassment of pirates, some of the larger chambers of commerce and the then Zhennan King Paya united to form the first sea guard, which was the prototype of the Nanban Navy.

As soon as this navy was formed, it quickly eliminated dozens of large and small groups of pirates along the coast. It also slowly grew in the process, and the Pa family spent several generations to take advantage of it. Finally, he became the de facto ruler of this navy. It was officially named the Nanban Maritime Merchant United Army. This navy is a business in leisure time and a military in wartime. Although the name is not very loud. However, it played a huge role in the southern barbarians' resistance to the Persian invasion, the opening of new trade routes, and the discovery of new islands. Today, it has a size of nearly 100,000 people and is well-equipped. For a time, the territory of Nanjiao Province was unprecedentedly large, and it has become a trend of tail failure. Pabri dared to be independent, and his naval power was second to none.

Wu Ming's whole body was also filled with a sense of powerlessness, his worries finally became a reality, and the main force of the world-famous naval army of the Southern Barbarians finally showed up at the most critical moment, and hit the seven inches of the Eastern Han Southern Expeditionary Army at once. Reinforcements from the rear have become a luxury. The retreat was tightly blocked. The Southern Expeditionary Army has now become a turtle in an urn, where is the road?

He settled down, and looked at the prince with a tired face: "Your Highness, the only way to do this is to ask Cangsong Pavilion to put pressure on Nanban." I think as long as they come forward, with the deterrent power of the wine master. Even if we are defeated, the Nanban side will give us a way to live, so that we will not be wiped out. At least His Highness's safety will not be a problem. ”

After a pause, he said: "Moreover, in the past few days, my subordinates have found that there are several masters of more than seven ranks in the Southern Barbarian Fang who have participated in the battle, so they have more reasons to come forward." ”

The self-deprecating smile on the prince's face hung up again: "Yesterday, I have received a message from Cangsong Pavilion that they have announced their recognition of the independent status of the Nanban, and at the same time, they will not take any action as Li Tie's rebellion this time as a civil strife. ”

"What?"

Wu Ming screamed in surprise, and his heart 'groaned', and the last life-saving straw had been broken into two.