In the sixteenth year of the Great Qin Dynasty, on the third day of the sixth month, an urgent military department express was sent to Wei Zhi of the garrison Shouchun.

Wei Zhi, one of the eight pillars of the founding of the Qin State, the son of Dingnan Hou Wei Xian, at the age of twenty-three, Wei Xian died of a serious illness, Wei Zhi inherited his father's title of Dingnan Marquis, and since then he has fought in the north and south. In the war of conquering Houyan and the Northern Dynasty successively, he made great achievements, and then was sent to guard Huaibei, Wei Zhi was thirty-one years old that year.

In the fourteenth year of the Great Qin Dynasty, Wei Zhi besieged Shouchun, surrounded the point to send reinforcements, defeated the Southern Qi reinforcements five times, ambushed more than 50,000 people, and then took advantage of the night to cooperate with the city to break through the important town of Shouchun in one fell swoop. After the unsuccessful counterattack of the Southern Qi, the emperor Xiao Heng of the Southern Qi ordered to hoard heavy troops in Hefei and build two camps outside the city of Hefei to protect the horns. Wei Zhi was thirty-three years old that year.

Wei Zhi, who is now thirty-five, received an order from the Ministry of War to attack Hefei, and Wei Zhi was puzzled, and immediately ordered: "The people will gather in the Shuaifu to discuss matters." ”

In the marshal's mansion, Wei Zhi sat on the main seat, and then informed the generals of the order of the military department: "Now that the imperial court has asked us to attack Hefei, what do you think." ”

But seeing the people in the audience, he immediately retorted: "Hou Ye can't, Hefei is high, easy to defend and difficult to attack, the southerners set up camps on both sides of Hefei, the Southern Qi is close to 100,000 soldiers and horses in Hefei, and the grain and grass can be transported to the vicinity of Hefei by waterway, and the logistics supply of our army can be cut off by waterway. ”

Wei Zhi looked at this person and nodded slightly, the person who spoke was Wei Zhi's confidant general, the pioneer general Chen Lu.

"General Chen is reasonable, but in the opinion of the last general, the southerners have always been weak, and our Great Qin soldiers have all taken the lead, and now our troops are twice as strong as the enemy. And the two armies have been facing each other for two years and there is no war, the southerners are negligent in taking precautions, if our cavalry rushes forward, preemptively capture the camp outside Feishui, you can cut off the waterway passage of the Southern Qi, and then send troops to attack another camp, if the Hefei defenders go out of the city to rescue, we can send troops from the camp outside Feishui to storm the east gate of Hefei, attract the defenders of Hefei, if the defenders of Hefei do not go out of the city to support, we can take the camp by taking advantage of the situation, so as to surround Hefei, give full play to the advantage of cavalry, sweep to the south, and force the defenders of Hefei to surrender. Another general retorted.

The generals immediately discussed, Wei Zhi's eyebrows were locked at this time, his fingers kept tapping on the table, and he always felt a faint uneasiness in his heart, but he couldn't figure out where the uneasiness came from. But seeing that the discussion among the generals was becoming more and more intense, Wei Zhi couldn't think about it carefully, and said: "The imperial court has already ordered that although it is very inappropriate to storm Hefei at this time, it may not be without miraculous results to win by surprise. ”

Then Wei Zhi picked up the token and ordered: "Pioneer Chen Lu listens to the order." ”

"The last general!"

"Order you to lead 5,000 cavalry, set off at the end of the day, make a slight adjustment after arriving at Hefei Dongzhai, and then directly raid Hefei Dongzhai to control Feishui."

"The last general commands!"

"Gao Kun listens to orders!" Wei Zhi picked up another token and said, "I order you to lead 20,000 infantry and set off at the end of the day today, cooperate with General Chen, block the road from Hefei to Feishui Water Village, and ensure that General Chen can capture Hefei Water Village." ”

Gao Kun was ordered to go, Wei Zhi then looked at the generals in the audience, pondered for a moment and said: "Yu Wenhai listened to the order and ordered you to lead an army of 20,000 to besiege Hefei Xizhai, besiege but not attack, and attract the main force of the defenders in Hefei City." ”

Yu Wenhai took the order, and then Wei Zhi said: "I personally led an army of 50,000 to enter Hefei, and Shouchun City was guarded by Li Ke. ”

Li Ke is Wei Zhi's eldest brother, Wei Zhi is naturally very relieved of him, and Shouchun Zhenzhen can only be entrusted to him, and then Wei Zhi said: "The husband has made great contributions in this move, and I hope that all the soldiers will work together. From then on, the Southern Qi no longer owned the land of Lianghuai. ”

In Chang'an City, the news of the marriage of Princess Mingyue and Dingnan Hou Shizi has spread all over the streets and alleys, whether it is high-ranking officials and nobles, or ordinary people, they have a lot of discussions about it.

At this time, Wei Ran and Chen Changyuan were strolling on Chang'an Avenue, and Chen Changyuan said with a smile: "Brother Wei can rest assured now, when you marry Princess Mingyue next year, you will be a concubine, and the court will definitely be more important to Hou Ye at that time." ”

"But I just got the news that His Majesty in the court, in addition to giving marriage, also asked the prince to handle state affairs on behalf of him on the grounds of his body."

Chen Yuanyuan didn't care about this, shook the folding fan in his hand, and said: "Your Majesty, the dragon body owes us and we already know, and it is natural for the prince to act as the government, so why should Brother Wei think too much." ”

Wei Ran lightly grasped the sword on his waist: "But I got the news, and then the Ministry of War issued an urgent document, asking my father to attack Hefei immediately. ”

Chen Changchang pondered for a moment: "What did Mrs. Wei say?" After all, Mrs. Wei is the granddaughter of the Marquis of Zhongyong, and she should be more transparent about the affairs of the court and the military than us. ”

Wei Ran said as he walked: "I think the same way, but my mother said that Min Xiang may be disgruntled, and at this time, he may have lost more than he won in Hefei, probably because he wanted my father to take the opportunity to impeach my father after his defeat." But when I think about it, I don't think it's right, Min Xiang shouldn't have made such a low-level mistake. If it were me, let my father send troops to attack Hefei after the autumn harvest, when the weather in Lianghuai was suitable for soldiers to fight, if my father was defeated, then it would be a better opportunity. ”

Chen Changyuan said with a smile: "Don't worry about it, Hou Ye is the Great Qin Military God, even if this attack on Hefei is not smooth, he should be able to take precautions." ”

Wei Ran nodded, and before he knew it, the two of them walked to the drunken fragrance house, and Wei Ran raised his head violently: "In the long run, how did we get here." ”

"Brother Wei, you can't blame me, I followed you today." Chen Changchang laughed: "Could it be that you miss Miss Miaoxiang?" Why don't you go in?"

Wei Ran just wanted to refuse, but seeing that one of Miss Miaoxiang's maids had already seen Wei Ran at the door, she couldn't help but come up and said: "Master Wei, you can come, last time I said goodbye, my young lady missed me very much, my young lady just didn't know what news she heard, and drove me out of the room, I came to the door to relax, who knew such a coincidence." ”

Wei Ran didn't pay attention to Chen Yuanyuan, who was squeezing his eyebrows, but said, "Miss Xiang'er is reasonable." I and Changchang just happened to pass by. ”

Xiang'er said mischievously: "Since you happened to pass by and happened to be bumped into by me, you might as well come in and talk about it, my young lady still owes Wei Gongzi a song." ”

Seeing this, Chen Changyuan attached himself to Wei Ran's ear and said: "You and Princess Mingyue have been married, and you won't be able to come in the future, since you are seen today, it is better to be generous." ”

Wei Ran listened, thought for a long time in his heart, and then strode in.

Because the sky was just dark, there were not many people in the drunken fragrance residence, and Wei Ran also took a good look at this drunken fragrance residence for the first time. After a closer look, I found that the decoration was indeed extremely gorgeous, and there were already girls on the stage on the first floor who had begun to dance, and there was an exotic atmosphere, which was obviously from the Western Regions. Wei Ran followed Xiang'er into the second floor, but when he arrived on the second floor, he didn't see Chen Yuanyuan's figure, Wei Ran couldn't help but wonder: "Xiang'er, have you ever seen Changyuan?" ”

"Chen Gongzi is probably going to find Sister Xiaoyue. I have met Chen Gongzi several times, since the first time he came to Zuixiangju and exchanged poems with Sister Xiaoyue, he has never looked for other sisters. Xiang'er said enviously: "Sister Xiaoyue is really a blessing, that day Chen Gongzi actually turned his face with Min Gongzi for Sister Xiaoyue, which really made us envious." ”

Then Xiang'er blushed and said, "But Wei Gongzi's bearing that day is even more extraordinary, and many Oiran sisters also want to see Wei Gongzi's true face after hearing it,"

Between the words, Xiang'er had already taken Wei Ran to the door of Miss Miaoxiang's room: "Sister, Wei Gongzi has come to see you." ”

"Didn't I say that I won't see anyone today." Miaoxiang's voice came from inside the room, but then said, "Master Wei? But last time Wei Gongzi? ”

"It's Gongzi Wei of Dingnan Houfu." Xiang'er said playfully.

"Then you ask Wei Gongzi to wait for a while, and I'll sort it out."

It didn't take long for Miao Xiang to open the door, and Wei Ran saw the pretty woman in front of her, with a hint of haggard between her eyebrows, and a trace of tears on her face, obviously just cried. Wei Ran didn't ask much, and after entering the house, he heard Miaoxiang say: "Xiang'er, you and Miao'er go and prepare some wine and food, and when you're ready, you two go out for a walk." After speaking, he took out some money from a box and handed it to Xiang'er: "Didn't you and Miao'er always want to eat Fumanlou's roast duck?" By the way, visit the Chang'an Night Market, since we arrived in Chang'an, we haven't been there yet. ”

Only Wei Ran and Miaoxiang were left in the room, and the atmosphere suddenly became ambiguous and awkward. Wei Ran had never been alone with a girl, so he couldn't help but feel a little at a loss.

Miss Miaoxiang's red lips revealed: "The news of the marriage between Gongzi Wei and Princess Mingyue has spread all over the streets and alleys of Chang'an, and even people like me know about it." Here, I want to congratulate Wei Gongzi. ”

Wei Ran smiled bitterly: "As the concubine of the Hou Mansion, the matter of marriage is not something that I can call the shots. Last time, I heard Miss Miaoxiang say that she was a person of Lianghuai, but I don't know where Lianghuai is? ”

Miao Xiang's eyes turned red after hearing this, and Wei Ran secretly scolded herself for being really speechless, and poked at the sadness of the beauty.

"I really don't dare to hide from my son, the slave family is a person in Shouchun, my father is also a local gentry in Shouchun, when the great cause was 14 years, Ling Zun Ding Nanhou led the army to conquer Shouchun, before the city was broken, the Nanqi army burned and killed in Shouchun, and the slave parents also died under the knife, when the slave family was hidden in the kitchen by the parents and escaped by luck. It's a pity that I am a weak woman, lonely and helpless, a mother saw that the slave family was beautiful, so she sold the slave family to the mother of Zuixiangju, and the slave family came to Chang'an. ”

Wei Ran couldn't help but feel pity after hearing this: "I will also lead the troops to fight on the battlefield in the future, and when I meet the Shouchun guard general of Nanqi, I will definitely kill him and give him to you as a gift." ”

Hearing Wei Ran's words, Miao Xiang couldn't help but sneer, and in an instant, everything seemed to be discolored, and in Wei Ran's eyes, there was only a girl's flower-like face and smile.

"In fact, the slave family sometimes envies Sister Xiaoyue, although she was born in the dust, she has a confidant like Chen Gongzi." Miao Xiang obviously didn't want to continue the topic, and instead talked about Chen Yuanyuan: "Sister Xiaoyue has been waiting for Chen Gongzi to redeem him, saying that even if she makes an outer room for Chen Gongzi, she is willing. ”

Wei Ran shook his head: "How can it be so easy, Chen Yuanyuan's mother, Mrs. Chang Linbo, is the daughter of the Guanzhong clan, and her family education is very strict, and even Chang Lin Bo does not dare to marry a concubine." After that, Wei Ran drank a glass of wine: "A couple for a lifetime, I have been studying since I was a child, and I have envied the love between men and women in the book, but after I got older, I found that many things were involuntarily. I haven't even seen Princess Mingyue in person, but I can only accept this marriage. ”

Miao Xiang didn't speak, just silently poured wine for Wei Ran. After a while, Wei Ran was already slightly drunk, and Miao Xiang said: "The slave's real name is Chen Wanwan, if the son has a fate to see you again in the future, just call me Wanwan." ”

Wei Ran said: "Why do you still say goodbye, no matter how big Chang'an is, it is just a world." ”

Miaoxiang said: "The slave family has been in Chang'an for two years, and they have saved enough money to redeem themselves. There is still some surplus wealth, and the fallen leaves return to their roots, and the slave family plans to return to Shouchun's hometown. Although Chang'an is good, it is not his home after all. ”

After Wei Ran heard this, he was stunned: "Wanwan, you can play a song for me, although I don't know the rhythm, but I want to listen to it today." ”

Outside Hefei, the sky has brightened

Wei Zhi's army of 50,000 is advancing towards Hefei City, according to the original plan, it should have captured Hefei Dongzhai at present, and at present, it only needs to meet with the Qin army responsible for intercepting Dongzhai and Hefei Dongmen Army, and then you can besiege Hefei.

At this time, the front line quickly reported: "Report to the marshal, General Chen's 5,000 cavalry was ambushed in Hefei Dongzhai, General Chen's army was wiped out, General Chen died on the spot, and the current Hefei defenders have cooperated with the Qi army in Hefei Dongzhai to surround General Gao's troops." General Gao's subordinates came to inform the general. ”

"What did General Gao say?" Wei Zhi said urgently

"The news leaked, he led his troops to break through the siege, hoping that the general would advance slowly, and he must not divide his troops to support lightly, and the Southern Qi army had already taken precautions. There will be fine work in our army! ”