In the Forbidden City, the winter sun shines on the blue tiles and red walls, on the carved beams and painted buildings, and on the white snow, reflecting golden light.
But this Yang Guan did not make people feel warm, on the contrary, it was slightly blue and weak, as if with it, the people in the palace felt even colder.
Yan Li had no time to bask in the sun in the imperial garden, these days, he almost spent the night in the Shang study.
He was afraid that any information about the front line would be missed, and in terms of military affairs, if this information was not analyzed and judged, it would cause huge losses.
The morning court was also closed, and he ordered the ministers to come to the Minister's Study Room to discuss military matters after five o'clock every day.
For example, how to deliver food and grass to the front line, and how to prepare winter clothes and bedding for soldiers. Without sufficient food and grass, and without warm clothes to survive this colder winter than in previous years, it is difficult for the soldiers to fight with their hearts.
Fortunately, since Yan Li became emperor, he has dealt with a lot of corrupt officials with diligence and thrift. The country has enough finances to buy food, grass and clothes from the people.
Regarding the battle situation ahead, Yan Li still doesn't know. Until this morning.
"Your Majesty, Commander Lin Hai is seeking an audience outside the Meridian Gate!"
The eunuch's words made Yan Li tremble slightly. It is not a good omen for Lin Hai to come back suddenly without an imperial decree or oral order. Moreover, why didn't he wait directly outside the Shang Study Room, but outside the Meridian Gate
Yan Li's long eyes flashed, "Show him in!"
Yan Li was even more astonished by the eunuch's answer: "Commander Lin Hai can't come in, the emperor still... it's better to go out to meet him at the Meridian Gate."
Yan Liban lowered his eyes, as if he had already thought of something. He didn't ask the eunuch what happened to Lin Hai when he came back.
"Okay then, I'm going out to meet Lin Hai now."
The ministers also had different opinions. At this time, Pan Meichen's army was suppressing the border, and Lin Hai came back in a hurry. Why? Did Song Qiang and Wang Qi win the battle? Or, Song Qiang and Wang Qi were defeated by Pan Meichen
"The situation is not good, I reckon we have lost the battle!" Some ministers were very worried, and he dared to say this unlucky sentence only after Yan Li left the Shang Study Room.
"Shouldn't the battle be defeated so quickly, right? Song Qiang has 100,000 men under his command, and Wang Qi of the Southern Army has 50,000 men. With Lin Hai's Imperial Forest Army supporting him, what will happen to Pan Meichen's 50,000 men?" Some officials were also optimistic. .
Some officials looked desperate, stroking their beards and shaking their heads: "A large number of troops may not necessarily win a battle! Looking at the history books, there are examples of winning more with fewer? In the Battle of Guandu, Cao Cao defeated with tens of thousands of troops and hundreds of thousands of troops. Yuan Shao; in the Battle of Feishui, the Eastern Jin Dynasty defeated Fu Jian, who had a million troops. It can be seen that the number of troops is not the decisive factor in defeating Yu Yu."
The official's words plunged Shangshufang into a deathly silence.
Some people can't help but look to the north, eager to know what happened to the north that still seems to be hazy? If Song Qiang and others are really defeated, where will Dajing Kingdom go
When Yan Li came outside the Meridian Gate, Lin Hai and his party were sitting under the red wall with a fire to keep warm. From their cloudy faces, it could be seen that what Lin Hai brought Yan Li was not good news.
Suddenly seeing Yan Li approaching, Lin Hai was startled, and hurriedly left the brazier, wanting to kneel down, but Yan Li grabbed his arm.
"Commander Lin is fighting hard outside, so there is no need to kneel down."
Yan Li glanced at the people who followed Lin Hai, and he suddenly found a sergeant with a black silk hanging around his neck, and a lacquered wooden box tied to the silk.
Perhaps all questions can be answered in the lacquered wooden box. But Yan Li had a kind of fear in his heart, which prevented him from directly asking Lin Hai what was in the box.
"Why doesn't Commander Lin Hai enter the Meridian Gate? Instead, he waits here? It's too cold here, why don't you go to Yong'an Palace with me, drink some soup and hot wine, and warm your body."
Lin Hai's voice was choked with sobs: "I'm neither cold nor hungry."
A few short words contain too much emotion and deep meaning. Yan Li's heart suddenly felt extremely heavy.
"No, as the emperor, I order you to enter the Meridian Gate with me."
After finishing speaking, Yan Li flicked the sleeves of the yellow robe, turned around and left.
Lin Hai clearly saw the moist light in his bloodshot eyes.
"Your Majesty!" Lin Hai finally couldn't hold it anymore, and fell to his knees in the snow that hadn't completely melted.
Lin Hai's distressed voice made Yan Li's body tremble violently again. He stood on his feet, folded his hands behind his back, raised his head slightly, and looked blankly at the blue sky.
"Lin Hai, do you have any news to tell me?"
Tears rolled down Lin Hai's purplish-red and tough face: "General Song... he has died in battle!"
Bang, like a thunderbolt on a sunny day. Even though Yan Li had already made mental preparations, he was still stunned by Lin Hai's explosive news.
Song Qiang is the pillar of the Great Jing Kingdom, and after Rong Chang'an, the general who is most capable of leading troops in battle! He and Song Qiang are like brothers, they have shared weal and woe, and he has deep feelings for Song Qiang both in public and in private. Now, once he dies, Yan Xinli will almost stop beating.
Yan Li was dizzy and his body wobbled.
"My majesty, please mourn!" The eunuch supported Yan Li's arm, even though Yan Li was wearing a thick dragon robe, the eunuch could still feel the coldness of his body.
The eunuch helped Yan Li to a chair and sat down.
"Lin Hai, tell me what happened? How could General Song..."
Lin Hai raised his arms and wiped his face: "General Song was ambushed by Pan Meichen, an old thief, and the entire army of 50,000 horses was wiped out; even the army left behind in the northwest camp was also attacked by Pan Meichen and suffered heavy losses. The Northern Army... the Northern Army no longer exists. Already!"
Yan Li's eyes shone with grief and indignation, as sharp as the sun shining on the snow. The Northern Army is Yan Li's capital to deal with any rebel invasion, now that he has no capital, what will he use to fight Pan Meichen
"Where's Wang Qi? Why didn't Wang Qi go to rescue Song Qiang when he saw Song Qiang was besieged?"
Wang Qi was attacked by Pan Meichen because of her negligence, so she dared not come to the palace to meet Yan Li.
When Wang Qi was mentioned, Lin Hai felt even more sad: "I hope the emperor will take care of the dragon body, I have even worse news to tell the emperor."
Yan Li frowned. Is there any news worse than Song Qiang's death in battle? Given the choice, he really didn't want to listen to it anymore.
"Wang Qi was also attacked by Pan Meichen. Except for more than a thousand people who escaped with Wang Qi, the rest of them became Pan Meichen's ghosts!"
Yan Li pouted his mouth, and Lin Hai faintly heard the sound of teeth clenching. Yan Li's two sword eyebrows twisted into a rope.
A total of 150,000 soldiers from the Northern Army and the Southern Army were easily defeated by Pan Meichen, so what capital did he have to compete with Pan Meichen? Could it be that he wants to hand over the people of Dajing Kingdom to Pan Meichen to manage