When Xi Yan woke up the next morning, An Ruofei was still asleep.

He leaned sideways on the bed, his slender fingers caressing her cheeks, fingertips rubbing against her thin lips, fingertips sliding up and over her brow bone. An Ruofei seemed to feel this gentle touch, and even in her sleep, her eyelashes began to flutter slightly.

Seeing her react, Xi Yan couldn't help but chuckle softly, maybe this kind of stability is what he really wants.

It's just that at this moment, Xi Yan had to get up to deal with the day's work.

Carefully helped her cover the quilt, Xi Yan got up gently, dressed and washed.

Before going out, Xi Yan reluctantly glanced back at An Ruofei again, and saw that she was sleeping peacefully, so she went out with confidence.

On the table in the study, a cup of hot tea has already been brewed, and it has been dried to eight minutes of hot at this time, which is the most suitable temperature for the entrance.

Xi Yan pushed the window open, and Ren Chenfeng swept away all his sleepiness.

Leaning slightly, a carrier pigeon "cooed" and landed in the courtyard.

Xi Yun carefully took off the letterhead tied to the pigeon's leg and sent it to Xi Yan's desk.

After Xi Yan read the letterhead, his face became more solemn than before, "Call Liu Peiqi over." ”

……

After Liu Peiqi read the letterhead handed by Xi Yan, his expression also revealed a little uncertain, "The last time Qi An asked Da Zhao for seal, for more than a month, Da Zhao has neither replied nor shown any signs of transferring troops. Huai'an is the same, why is it ...... today?"

The content on the letterhead is not long, but it is very important, just a few days ago, the original stalemate of Zhao Chongdu and Huai'an, actually made moves, each of them sent additional troops and horses to the border.

Everyone knows that Huai'an Mansion is only a few hundred miles away from Chongdu City, but everyone knows it...... Huai'an is a flat river in the east, and if Da Zhao wants to get in, it doesn't take much effort.

Regarding this matter, Xi Yan had a plan in his heart: "Please seal it is just Qi An's plan to delay the army, who will you be for killing your father...... How can it be easily forgotten? Not to mention him. ”

Speaking of this, Xi Yan sneered lightly, "But Da Zhao's group of people are not stupid, in the final analysis, neither side wants to start a war rashly." Qi An pretended to ask for the title, and at the same time prepared to establish himself as the king. When the news of his proclamation of the king reached Chongdu, if Da Zhao did not react, he would not be worthy of being a big country. ”

Liu Peiqi nodded thoughtfully, "Yes, if you put the letter in the carriage containing the head of Da Zhao Zhongchen, whether it is a request or a provocation, a clear-eyed person will naturally know at a glance." It's really ridiculous that those Da Zhao officials still discussed the issue of whether to seal or not to seal the half-day in the court. ”

At this point, Xi Yan suddenly remembered something, "By the way, is there any news from Zhang Xianzhi?" ”

Zhang Xianzhi was Xi Luan's old department, an official to the ministry. After the change of Chongdu, Zhang Xianzhi still stayed in the Great Zhao Dynasty and secretly passed a lot of news to Xi Yan.

Liu Peiqi thought about it carefully and said, "The most recent one was half a month ago. It is said that Li Zhizhang proposed to the emperor in the early court that Huai'an should march into Lingjiang, and after the matter was completed, he would crown Qi'an as the king, but it was vetoed on the spot, and Li Zhizhang also made a joke in public, and was ridiculed by Situ He and He Fangping. Since then, Situ He has often entered the palace alone. You know these things, childe. ”

"This Li Zhizhang, why is he getting more and more dim......" Xi Yan quietly looked out the window, "I don't know that I am too utilitarian, and I want to compete with He Fangping and Situ He." It's just the accumulation of hundreds of years and generations of the Situ family, how can he be shaken by a martial artist. ”

Liu Peiqi also agreed with this statement, and continued: "Li Zhizhang is indeed in a hurry, but what countermeasures do we need to take for Da Zhao's plan?" ”

"Countermeasures?" Xi Yan seemed to be a little careless, and looked out the window and said, "Lingjiang is not the first target of Da Zhao, if they really go to war, and Huai'an happens to be at a disadvantage, it will not be too late for us to send troops." At the moment, it is still necessary to stabilize itself, and there is no need to do too much for Qi An. ”

Liu Peiqi was still a little worried, so he hesitated and said: "But Son, Da Zhao obviously knows that his troops are insufficient at the moment, but he is still ready to make a big move, which is ...... Could there be some conspiracy? ”

Hearing Liu Peiqi say this, Xi Yan also hesitated a little, but still only said: "Maybe...... I just want to defend my dignity. ”

Liu Peiqi paused, and Fang carefully spoke: "The confidence you just said is so insufficient, it seems that you don't believe that Da Zhao is just fighting for the dignity of the dynasty." ”

Xi Yan stood up, slowly paced to a huge map, looked at the location of Huai'an on the map, and then moved his eyes to the state capital on the west side of Huai'an.

"Although the Qi clan only occupies Huai'an on the surface, in fact, the two state capitals on the west side of Huai'an, up to Zhenyuan Pass, are actually in the hands of the Qi clan. Although the territory is large, after all, except for Huai'an, the foundation is unstable. If an enemy is attacked, I am afraid that he will not be able to cope with it. ”

Liu Peiqi also looked at Xi Yan's gaze, "That prince thinks that Da Zhao will be fighting this idea - to unite with foreign barbarians to attack Qi Gongzi's territory, so that he can calmly attack left and right?" ”

"I'm afraid not," Xi Yan shook his head slowly, "No courtier would dare to bring up such a thing as luring a wolf into the house." Your Majesty he...... I won't agree, besides, this is Da Zhao's own internal affairs, and he shouldn't ask foreigners to get involved. I think...... Da Zhao is not so bad. ”

"You've worked with them before, and the clan's methods, Childe, you understand." Seeing that Xi Yan also had concerns, Liu Peiqi couldn't help but say, "Besides, people in this world, for their own interests, what can't they do?" Childe, if you think about it, if Da Zhao does this, it will still have a lot of benefits for him. If Huai'an can be recovered in one fell swoop, then Da Zhao can also prepare for the attack on Lingjiang...... Although there are many soldiers and horses in Huai'an, except for Dusong City, which has natural dangers to rely on, there is no danger to defend in other places, and they are all flat rivers. ”

Hearing Liu Peiqi say this, Xi Yan could only relax, "Then you go down and prepare first, if Da Zhao really has this plan, we will send troops." ”

……

In the final analysis, Xi Yan still didn't want to believe that the Great Zhao Imperial Court, which he had sworn to guard, would become such an unbearable appearance. It's just that people are bound to grow up in disappointments and setbacks again and again, and Xi Yan, who has chosen a bumpy road, will not be an exception.

Half a month later, the news that the Northern Qin army had attacked Zhenyuan Pass still came. At the same time, Da Zhao's army has also entered Huai'an, and under the attack from both sides, the originally indestructible Huai'an is in danger, and Dusong City is already in danger.

Liu Peiqi looked at Xi Yan, who was sitting at the head of the council hall, and took the lead in speaking, "Childe, but do you want to send troops from Qujiang to help Huai'an relieve the siege?" ”

Xi Yan frowned and shook his head, "No, at this time, sending troops to Da Zhao will not play the biggest role, and he will send troops...... You can only go northwest. ”

Liu Peiqi seemed a little incredulous, "What does Gongzi mean is to go in the direction of Daqing Pass to stop Fu Mang's Northern Qin army?" ”

Xi Yan nodded, his tone very firm: "It must be so." First, we can't sit idly by, if we watch the fall of Huai'an on the wall, the next time Da Zhao repeats his old tricks, it will be our Lingjiang that suffers. Second, Qi An, the local army of Da Zhao, can be stopped, but for Fu Mang's Northern Qin army, Qi An is not familiar with it and has no time to withdraw, so I can only send troops to stop it. ”

Liu Peiqi knew that Xi Yan had made up his mind, so he would not change his mind, so he said: "How many troops is that son going to send to relieve the siege?" ”

Xi Yan thought for a while, and then said: "When I withdrew from the northwest, I had an army of 70,000. There are 120,000 local troops in Lingjiang, leaving only 20,000 to guard, and a total of 170,000 remaining, who will follow me out of the pass. ”

Liu Peiqi nodded in agreement, "It's appropriate to distribute it this way, but the 20,000 people left behind should be focused on Qujiang on the northeast side of the Lingjiang River, as well as Anding City." ”

"Not bad." Xi Yan also affirmed Liu Peiqi's statement, "Then the 70,000 people who withdrew from the northwest with me will be directly under my command." The remaining 80,000 people...... Yi Qing, you and Peng Ming each rate half. ”

Liu Peiqi bowed his head and listened to the order, and had no opinion. Yi Jin said: "Childe, I only need 10,000 people from my old department." The rest of the troops were all under the command of General Liu Peng. ”

When Xi Yan heard Yi Jin say this, he was slightly unhappy in his heart. But before Xi Yan could speak, Liu Peiqi said first: "General Yi! How can this battlefield event be capricious? ”

Xi Yan looked at Yi Jin quietly, "Yi Qing has made up his mind?" You have to understand that if you command 10,000 people, you can only serve as a deputy general or a staff general at best. ”

Yi Jin nodded yes without hesitation, and Xi Yan glanced at Yi Jin imperceptibly, "That's good, Yi Qing will command his old department of 10,000." The remaining 70,000 were all under the control of Peng Ming. ”

Saying that, Xi Yan looked at Liu Peiqi again, "Liu Qing, you quickly go to collect grain, and transfer the granaries of all the towns on the march, at least to ensure that there is no shortage of grain and grass for the army in March." However, it should be noted that if you need to buy grain, you should not buy too much, so as to prevent merchants from maliciously inflating the price, which will cause public resentment. ”

After instructing the grain requisition, Xi Yan looked at the officials sitting at the bottom again, "The rest of you will be responsible for other related matters." Yang Shiyuan, you are responsible for the allocation and distribution of military salaries; Zhang Chen, you are responsible for the preparation and overhaul of light and heavy weapons, and it must be completed within ten days; Peng Ming, you are responsible for transferring the troops of the various military governments to Daqingguan...... The affairs are heavy, and I hope you will pay more attention. ”

……

One by one, the officials took orders one after another, Xi Yan looked at the empty council hall, and gently called Xi Yun, "Have all the secret guards we transferred back to Chongdu to cultivate have arrived?" ”

"It's ten."

Xi Yan's heart suddenly calmed down, and he let out a long breath, "It's also here, Da Zhao's blockade has made them take a lot of detours, and you have placed them in Yi Jin's old department without a trace." For this Yi Jin, I have always been relieved. ”

Speaking of this, Xi Yan shook his head slightly helplessly, "I don't want to be the master of suspicion, but this time, he is really too obvious and too excessive." ”

Xi Yun has been by Xi Yan's side since he was a child, and naturally understands his hardships, so he said: "Naturally, there is no room for mistakes in marching and fighting, and besides, this is a matter of 10,000 people, so you should think about it more." ”

Having said that, Xi Yan still felt that he was walking on thin ice, for fear that he would make a mistake, so he would fall into the abyss, and then be crushed.

Because he knows that if something goes wrong in the past, there will be others to help him clean up the mess, but in the future, it is not only himself who will be broken, but also the people he cares about.