In the evening, the setting sun is like blood, reflecting the north gate of the imperial capital.
The gate was not open as before, facing guests from all directions, but it was tightly closed at this time, and there were long antlers on both sides of the gate. If the enemy attacked the city, placing the antlers at the gate could prevent the enemy's iron cavalry from attacking.
And two or three miles outside the gate, the imperial forest army was stationed. They slept with armor and swords, ready to fight at all times. The scouts rode tall horses and watched thirty miles away from the north gate. Whenever there was any rebel activity, they would immediately inform the generals defending the city.
Rong Chang'an's victory report has not yet arrived, and everyone does not know how the battle ahead is going. If they win, the capital can still survive; if they lose, the result can be imagined.
The scouts refused to let down their vigilance at all. As the sun got closer and closer to the horizon, the air-conditioning was overwhelming and their hands and feet were stiff. But he didn't shake his feet, or rub his hands and wrap himself around his body to keep warm; he put a shade over his eyes with his hands, and looked north.
Suddenly, under the bloody sunset, a group of people appeared on the horizon. The way they marched was not neat, like galloping cavalry without any rules, but if they were cavalry, their marching speed was too slow.
They don't have any flags, and they can't tell whether they are enemies or friends.
The scout was trembling all over, he didn't know whether it was from the cold or fear, but panic appeared on his cold and stiff face.
"Yes... it was a sneak attack by the rebels!"
This sentence slipped out of the scout's mouth involuntarily. He immediately turned the horse's head, raised the whip high, and whipped the horse's buttocks fiercely. The horse galloped towards the Imperial Forest Army's camp like an arrow leaving the string. Come.
"Report!"
Before the scouts arrived, the voice came from afar.
Judging from the tension in the voice, it should be that the scouts have detected the enemy's situation. So panic quickly spread among the barracks.
The coach Rong Chang'an and Lin Hai were not there, and the military commander was only a lieutenant general. Although he had experienced many battles, he had no chance of winning against the rampant Pan Meichen's rebel army.
The deputy general walked out of the barracks gate and greeted the scouts. The horse kicked up the snowflakes, and suddenly came to the gate. He turned over and jumped off neatly, as if he was performing a juggling. Plop, he knelt down in front of the lieutenant general, and in such a cold climate, two lines of sweat could still be seen streaming down his cheeks.
"Tell me about the military situation!" The lieutenant general's eager and worried expression filled his entire face,
The scout swallowed his saliva: "I just found suspicious people 30 miles away. There are about 10,000 people. They are not uniformly dressed and marching irregularly. I am afraid that the rebels are here to attack!"
The lieutenant was surprised by Fei Xiao: without Rong Changan and Lin Hai, what would he do
"You can see clearly, it is indeed a rebel?"
The scout looked puzzled: "I... I'm not sure it's the rebels. But besides the rebels, who else came in groups?"
Be careful with the ten-thousand-year ship, and it is always right to prepare for battle first.
The lieutenant-general ordered: "Arrange the antlers of caltrops ten miles away from the camp. Behind the antlers, the archers will lead the formation, followed by the infantry, and the cavalry will be on both sides of the formation!"
After setting up the army formation, the deputy general sent another pawn back to the capital. The soldiers guarding the city opened the north gate to a gap that could only accommodate one person, and let the pawn come in.
The pawns reported the situation to the commander in charge of the city, and the commander was also taken aback: "Pan Meichen has come so soon? Could it be that Queen Rong and Commander Lin have lost the battle?"
The coach didn't dare to hesitate, so he uploaded the news to the palace.
Yan Li was having a meal in Shangshu's room. He ate only one meat, one vegetable, one soup, no wine, no delicacies from mountains and seas, it was extremely simple and casual. While eating, he was still looking at the miniature version of the marching map, thinking about how to repel Pan Meichen's rebels.
"Your Majesty, there are military concerns coming from outside!" The eunuch walked in, holding a palace lantern in his hand, and gently placed it on Yan Li's case.
The candlelight shone on Yan Li's delicate and fair face, his firm chin and determined eyes. He raised his head slightly, his bright eyes slid across the eunuch's face, and landed outside the door of Shangshu's room.
"Is it Queen Rong's messenger?"
The eunuch picked up a candle lamp, and the light became brighter.
"It's not Queen Rong, it's from the guard at the north gate."
In comparison, Yan Li was more concerned about Rong Changan's situation.
"What is the military situation of the guard at the north gate?"
The eunuch pointed to the door: "The man is outside, and the servant sent him in."
The eunuch cleared his throat and called to the door with a clear voice: "The emperor announces you to come in!"
The soldier walked in and knelt down in front of Yan Li. Yan Li's sharp eyes passed over the case and cast on the soldiers.
"Say, what military situation do you want to tell me?"
The soldiers looked a little flustered. From this, it can be seen that the military news from the North Gate is not good news.
"The scouts just made an investigation and found that there are rebel movements thirty miles away. About 10,000 people are coming towards the north gate."
Yan Li's squirming lips stopped, and a stern light flashed in the depths of his eyes. Afterwards, he put down the chopsticks in his hand, stood up with his hands scissored behind his back, walked to the door of Shang's study, and looked to the north.
In fact, more than 10,000 rebels are not a big deal, but the symbolic meaning of more than 10,000 rebels is worrying. The enemy situation appeared thirty miles away from the north gate of the capital, which indicated that Pan Meichen's army might be behind the 10,000 rebels.
"What about Empress Rong, how did she react?"
The soldier said: "I heard from the deputy general of the Yulin Army that Empress Rong and Lin Hai left the camp with 30,000 horses yesterday and have not returned yet."
Yan Li trembled slightly: "She didn't even send back any information?"
The soldier lowered his head: "This... I don't know!"
Yan Li believes that Rong Changan will be fine, but she and Lin Hai lead troops out, regardless of the outcome, they have to give Daying a message!
The rebel army has arrived within 30 miles, and there is no news from Rong Chang'an. Does this mean that Rong Chang'an and Lin Hai have already...
No, Rong Changan won't be so weak, and won't be so indiscriminate!
"Your Majesty, the city guard commander and the deputy general of the Royal Forest Army stationed outside the north gate all want to know, what should we do next? Should we attack the 10,000 rebels immediately, or withdraw the Imperial Forest Army to the city and stick to Yingcheng?"
Yan Li snorted: "Pan Meichen thought I was Li Hai, so he didn't dare to fight with him? I won't hide in the capital, I want the royal driver to conquer in person, and have a life-and-death duel with Pan Meichen!"
When the eunuch heard this, he was terrified. When the emperor went out to fight, he had to accompany him too. A sword has no eyes, and the most deadly thing is those stray arrows.
"Your Majesty, you have to think twice! Who will take care of the government affairs of the imperial court? If the entrustment is not human, it will be terrible!"
There have always been ministers who conspired to rebel while taking advantage of the emperor's personal conquest.
It's not that Yan Li doesn't know about this, but now that Rong Chang'an has no news, Pan Meichen's vanguard army is about to hit the north gate, how can he still sit still
Instead of shrouding his body in horse leather, he would not learn from Shang Zhou and burn himself on the terrace.