Zhang Fu and Helan Zhen asked to see Cheng Qianye.
Cheng Qianye stood up, casually put on a robe, walked to the outer hall, sat at the table and met them.
"My lord, your noble body is unwell, and we should not disturb you."
Cheng Qianye waved his hand to interrupt them: "I just caught a cold, the fever has gone down now, it's nothing serious. You don't have to look at me like that, just say whatever you want to say."
She then asked: "Xiao Jin didn't come, did something happen in Bianzhou?"
Zhang Fu looked at the young lord in front of him.
Perhaps it was because of the life-and-death escape he experienced in Weiguo, which only took a short period of time, but he became more calm and reserved.
I don't know when he began to have the aura of someone in a superior position, making light of important matters.
Once upon a time, when he was young, Gongzi Yu gave people the impression of being boastful, irritable, and deliberately arrogant because of his lack of confidence.
But after the Zhongmou Rebellion, Zhang Fu suddenly realized that he might have misjudged the person, and perhaps all the previous things were just a way for his lord to protect him.
After taking control of Bianzhou, the lord quickly got rid of his initial confusion and weakness and grew up at an astonishing speed.
I don't know when he became the monarch in front of me, a monarch who makes people feel at ease, trustworthy, and capable of shouldering heavy responsibilities.
He and Helan Zhen exchanged glances, and Helan Zhen bowed and explained the situation.
Ever since the Quanrong defeated the coalition forces of Li Wenguang, Cheng Qianye and Han Quanlin at Weimingshan, the Quanrong army has gained great momentum.
A few days ago, the Quanrong general Mo Zang Pei Zhen led 50,000 elite troops from Luoyi and headed straight for Xuzhou where Li Wenguang was stationed.
Wei Mingshan of Zhengzhou was preparing his troops in the city, and his possible intention was to seize Bianzhou nearby.
So even though rescuing Cheng Qianye was urgent, Xiao Jin and Yu Dunsu still did not dare to leave Bianzhou easily.
Only Zhang Fu and Helan Zhen could lead part of the navy and go down along the Ji River to meet Cheng Qianye.
Helan Zhen spread out the military map on the table and the three of them sat around it.
"This afternoon, we received a letter reporting that Wei Mingshan has led an army of 20,000 troops from Zhengzhou, heading straight for Bianzhou. I estimate that they will arrive outside the city of Bianzhou within three days." Helan Zhen said.
Cheng Qianye looked at the map and asked for advice on what he didn't understand: "Zhengzhou is less than 200 miles away from Bianzhou. It can be reached in one day by riding a horse. If the Quanrong sent cavalry to attack, wouldn't they be at the gates of Bianzhou tomorrow?"
"My Lord, please allow me to report this," Zhang Fu explained to Cheng Qianye carefully, with the intention of guiding him step by step, "Marching to war is different from traveling on a normal day. Deep in the enemy's territory, the army is in front of us, and the strong city has not been taken. If we want to fight, the outcome is still uncertain, and if we want to attack, the benefits and disadvantages are unknown."1
"The army not only has light cavalry, but also a large number of baggage vehicles, logistics personnel, and infantry. The marching speed is not uniform. Moreover, there are so many people and the roads are long and narrow, so the troops often need to be divided into several groups to move separately, and the march will be very long. Therefore, even if the Quanrong are good at horse fighting, they can only use a mixed force of infantry and cavalry in siege battles, and 70 to 80 miles a day is already the limit."
Cheng Qianye nodded: "Oh, so last time our army was too aggressive, in the deep forest and dangerous road, with soldiers in front and swamps behind, and the enemy took advantage of the high ground and descended, which caused us to lose our composure for a while?"
She spread out three teacups and pointed at the one in the middle. "Our infantry is in front, and the baggage is in the back. The light troops and cavalry that were supposed to be flank guards have been dispersed because the road is narrow."
"The enemy found out where my lord was and attacked the center. Although they were outnumbered, they almost dealt a fatal blow to us."
Zhang Fu and Helan Zhen exchanged glances, showing approval.
"My lord, you are very quick-witted and you get the point right away." Zhang Fu continued, "After we captured Kui County, our army attacked from three directions and won successive victories. We underestimated the enemy. The soldiers from Weiming Mountain took a risky move, abandoning Zhengzhou and attacking proactively, which really caught us off guard."
Helan Zhen said, "This time Wei Mingshan is leading an army of 30,000 to take over our Bianzhou, but our Bianzhou city is strong and well-stocked, and Xiao Sikou and General Yu are stationed there with 20,000 elite soldiers. Yongqiu, Gaoyang, and Qixian are supporting us, so we will be able to protect it. We will arrive at Huangchi early tomorrow morning and take the land route back to Bianzhou, so that I can have a chance to meet Wei Mingshan."
"Who is that Mei Zang Pei Zhen?" Cheng Qianye asked.
Zhang Fu raised his head in surprise, clasped his fists and bowed: "My lord and I are of the same mind."
Helan Zhen looked at the two of them in confusion.
Cheng Qianye explained: "I find it very strange. We have been stationed in Bianzhou for such a long time, and Wei Mingshan has not come. Now that we have a strong army and sufficient food, he is confident that he can capture Bianzhou City with 30,000 troops?"
Helan Zhen suddenly realized: "He wants to wait for Mei Zang Pei Zhen to capture Xuzhou, and then besiege our Bianzhou together?"
Zhang Fu said: "At the same time, he surrounded Bianzhou to prevent us from going to support Li Wenguang. I guess the situation in Xuzhou where Li Wenguang is is already tense at the moment."
Helan Zhen was shocked: "If Pei Zhen had not defeated Li Wenguang and marched north to join forces with Wei Mingshan, our Bianzhou would be in danger."
He looked at Zhang Fu and said, "Li Wenguang is a man who likes to show off his achievements. He is not even firmly established in Xuzhou and has recently suffered a defeat. I am afraid he will not be able to hold on. Moreover, I don't think any of those short-sighted princes will send troops to help."
Cheng Qianye asked, "Can't we send more troops from Dajin to reinforce us?"
Zhang Fu and Helan Zhen looked up at her together, wanting to say something but stopping themselves, revealing an embarrassed look.
Cheng Qianye suddenly realized that he did not have enough prestige and his trusted men were basically all here. He could not mobilize troops from the country with just an imperial decree. Even if he sent troops slowly and without any hesitation, it would take him an unknown amount of time to finally receive reinforcements.
"Well," Cheng Qianye made a decision. "We won't stop at Huangchi. We'll go north along the Jishui River, then change to Shaoshui and return to our Great Jin capital, Jiangzhou. I'll go back to get reinforcements myself!"
The three of them finalized the plan in detail. They would not return to Bianzhou, but would directly take the waterway back to Jin.
After discussing military affairs, they went out.
There was a tall figure standing in the dark. When he saw Cheng Qianye coming out, he took a step forward, then stopped with his fist clenched.
Cheng Qianye looked at Mo Qiaosheng's pitiful eyes, glanced at him, ignored him, and walked straight past him.
In the evening, Cheng Qianye went into the side room to rest and saw Yao Tianxiang waiting for her.
"I'm fine now. You don't have to accompany me anymore. Go and have a rest." She pinched Yao Tianxiang's face and said, "Go and meet your lover in private."
Yao Tianxiang pinched her back without hesitation: "Nonsense, how could I, a woman who is so chaste as me, secretly meet with a lover? Of course I want to accompany my husband, so that he won't favor some messy little slave."
Cheng Qianye laughed, blew out the candle, and lay down beside her: "Okay, then we'll sleep together. You worked hard to take care of me yesterday. Let's put it to bed early."
Spend the night on the large ship ahead.
The water roars and the bed sways slightly.
Cheng Qianye had difficulty falling asleep because he slept too much yesterday due to a fever.
In the darkness, Yao Tianxiang turned over beside him, her eyes sparkling in the night.
"Qianyu, I'm really suffocating." She reached out and poked Cheng Qianye, "Since you didn't tell him that you were a girl, how did you deal with him on the night of our wedding?"
Cheng Qianye chuckled twice and said nothing.
"Don't try to fool me. I drugged him that day." Yao Tianxiang was relentless, her tone full of evil, "My maids heard you crying and begging in your room for half the night. Oh... Did you use a prop?"
Cheng Qianye couldn't stand it anymore, so he turned over and tickled her.
Yao Tianxiang resisted and begged for mercy: "Oh, oh, stop it, I saw that you were injured, otherwise I will make you pay."
Cheng Qianye stopped arguing with her and lay back on the bed, thinking about what happened that night and laughing into his pillow.
"Are you really ignoring him?"
"I'll leave him alone for a few days to teach him a lesson." Cheng Qianye stopped smiling. "He must change his character of not caring about his own life so easily. Otherwise, my heart can't take it."
"Oh, it's really pitiful. When he saw you were sick yesterday, he was so anxious that he didn't eat or drink the whole day and stayed by your bed. Who knew that you drove him out as soon as you woke up."
"He hasn't eaten all day?"
"Being a slave is like this. If the master likes you, he will call you over to play with you. If he doesn't like you, he will throw you away. He almost drowned in the river, and when he came out he was hungry for a whole day. Now I see him squatting outside in the breeze, looking pitiful."
Before Yao Tianxiang could finish her words, the space around her was empty, Cheng Qianye lifted the quilt, got up and went out.
Cheng Qianye put on his clothes and came to the room of the ship. The river surface was sparkling under the moonlight.
There was a long corridor outside the wing room. Cheng Qianye found the figure squatting in the shadow cast by the moonlight. He raised his amber eyes from his knees and looked at Cheng Qianye carefully.
Forget it, forget it, why think so much. He is not independent enough, I will slowly help him to be independent. He is injured and frightened, can you bear to treat him like this
Cheng Qianye's mind was in a mess, and he unprincipledly abandoned what he had just said.
He reached out and ruffled Mo Qiaosheng's hair, pulled him up, and led him back to his room.
Yao Tianxiang, that sensible woman, had already disappeared somewhere long ago.
Cheng Qianye pushed Mo Qiaosheng to sit down at the table, touched his cold face, poured him a cup of hot tea, took out a plate of osmanthus cake and placed it in front of him.
"Eat, fill your stomach first, didn't you eat anything?"
Mo Qiaosheng looked at the plate of soft osmanthus cake, moved his lips, lowered his head and said nothing.
"Eat. After that, rest in my room." Cheng Qianye sat in front of him and smiled at him. "Like the past few days, will you sleep on the floor in front of my bed?"
The hot teacup was placed in his cold palm, burning his fingertips all the way into his heart.
Mo Qiaosheng silently picked up the osmanthus cakes, stuffed them into his mouth piece by piece, and poured hot tea into his empty stomach. He felt as if his whole body had been released from a frozen glacier, and finally came back to life.
He saw that the owner had spread a thick layer of bedding on the ground in front of the bed, placed a pillow and a quilt on it.
I lay on the edge of the bed, looking at him and smiling.
Mo Qiaosheng felt like he was walking in a dream. He walked onto the soft bedding, curled up his body and lay down on it.
In the darkness, the hand he had longed for a thousand times reached down from the bed and gently touched his hair.
"Qiaosheng, promise me that from now on, no matter what, you will not give up your life easily."
"Why don't you think about yourself? Think about me. I couldn't bear it when I thought something happened to you."
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