In late spring, the earth is fragrant, and the northern Xinjiang is no exception.
Since Zhu Li went south, the two Guos and Yang Zaixing once again took on the important task of guarding Shuozhou.
Guo Qizuo’s mansion, in the back garden.
There was a pavilion in the garden, and in the pavilion there was a stone table with wine and food on it. Three people were drinking around the table, their faces were all very solemn, and they had no intention of appreciating the spring scenery at all.
It seemed that they were talking about something serious.
"Chongtao, have all the personnel been deployed?" Guo Qizuo said with bright eyes, looking at Guo Chongtao on the left.
"Brother Qi Zuo, don't worry. In the northeast, General Gao Sixiang has already razed Muye Mountain to the ground. General Zhang Guiba has also razed Zuzhou to the ground." Upon hearing this, Guo Chongtao immediately responded.
"Right now, General Guiba has deployed his troops north of Taihuang Mountain, facing the Black Water; General Sixiang, together with General Zhijun, is facing the Bohai Sea."
"There are three generals guarding the northeastern frontier. In the next two to three years, no one will cause any major disturbances."
Seeing the other party's determined expression, Guo Qizuo's expression eased a little, then he looked at Yang Zaixing on the right and said, "What about the northwest direction?"
"Reporting to you, sir, I have informed General Zhang Jingda to defend Gaoque. In addition, following your instructions, General Song Yao has already retreated to Piantou Pass." Yang Zaixing responded without hesitation when he saw Guo Qizuo looking at him, "As for Generals Gao Su and He Qizhang, I'm afraid they have already arrived in Shuofang."
"Good, good, that's great. This way, no matter who is eliminated first, we can take the initiative." After listening to the reports from Guo Chongtao and Yang Zaixing, Guo Qizuo breathed a sigh of relief and said excitedly.
Looking at Guo Qizuo's excited expression, both Guo Chongtao and Yang Zaixing were very puzzled.
Guo Chongtao and Guo Qizuo had a good relationship after all, so he immediately asked, "Brother Qizuo, first send a message to Generals Lü Fengxian, Zhao Zilong, and Huo Qing, and ask them to reorganize the three armies and prepare for the battle in Hedong."
"Then, you redeployed the defenses on the northern front. Could it be that something big is about to happen?"
"Will there be a big change in this spring search organized by the court?"
After Zhu Li left, not only Yang Zaixing did not understand Guo Qizuo's actions, but even Guo Chongtao did not understand them either. Therefore, Guo Chongtao asked this question.
Guo Qizuo looked around at the two of them, narrowed his eyes, and said solemnly: "Spring search, huh, it's just a big pit dug by the court for the vassal states."
"Big pit?" Upon hearing this, Guo Chongtao narrowed his eyes and immediately fell into deep thought.
"The imperial court is setting traps for the vassal states all over the world, will our general be trapped too?" Yang Zaixing was very direct. In his mind, it didn't matter to him who the imperial court wanted to trap, but they must not trap Zhu Li, otherwise he would be anxious.
Guo Qizuo saw the reactions of the two men and was very satisfied with their performance. Then, he looked at Yang Zaixing and said, "General Yang is loyal and devoted. This is a blessing for you."
"However, the general is General Yang's master, and also Guo's master. If they want to harm Guo's master, they should pat their chests and think about whether they have such a big appetite."
"When the general went south, he not only brought the three thousand cavalry, but also General Gao Yuan and the three thousand tiger guards. With this force, the enemy will definitely not be able to stop the general unless they have tens of thousands of tiger guards coming to surround and kill him?" Guo Qizuo was very sure.
Many people believe that Zhu Li has been able to get to where he is today because of his own strong strength and invincible wisdom; if you think so, you are totally wrong.
To be honest, Zhu Li is by no means a qualified leader; he wanders around all day long and leaves everything in the family to his subordinates. If it were someone else, he would have died in the wilderness in this era.
And the reason why Zhu Li was able to get to where he is today is because of his close friendship. The subordinates of Heshuo, even down to the smallest soldier, all firmly believed that only their general could lead them to the light.
Zhu Li also firmly believed that as long as his brothers were still in Heshuo, his relatives would always be safe; although there had been two mistakes, it was not because his brothers did not try hard, but because the enemy was too cunning and cruel.
This is the power of trust, this is the power of unity, and of course, this is also the power of solidarity.
Seeing Guo Qizuo speak so confidently, Yang Zaixing breathed a sigh of relief. It was obvious that he had great trust in this wise man.
After pacifying Yang Zaixing, Guo Qizuo turned to Guo Chongtao and said, "Someone has set up a plan to attract all the vassal states in the world to gather in Chang'an, and instigate them to kill each other in the name of hunting competition. I have to say that the plan is a good one, but it is too disrespectful to the people of the world."
"What do you mean, sir?" When Guo Qizuo said this, Guo Chongtao seemed to understand something vaguely. However, he was still a little unsure, so he had to ask for confirmation.
Guo Qizuo naturally would not hide anything at this time, and immediately said frankly: "The vassal states will certainly kill each other, but that is nothing more than annexing each other; the powerful vassal states will become stronger and stronger, and those weak vassal states who want to fish in troubled waters and seek fame will inevitably be swallowed up without leaving a trace."
"Pa" When Guo Qizuo said this, Guo Chongtao's eyes suddenly lit up, and then he slapped himself hard.
Yang Zaixing was bewildered by such a sudden change; but at this moment, Guo Chongtao suddenly stood up and said excitedly: "I understand, I understand."
"The spring search is fake. The real intention of the imperial court is to instigate the feudal lords to kill each other. When all the feudal lords have suffered heavy casualties and their vitality is greatly damaged, the person who planned this can sit back and reap the benefits."
"But this person who planned this plan underestimated the people of the world. If a vassal state were to collapse during the spring search, how could his territories be spared?"
"The person who planned the plan focused on the leaders of the various vassal states. He believed that as long as these leaders were eliminated, their power would collapse."
"But is this really the case?"
After Guo Chongtao said this, even Yang Zaixing seemed to understand something; however, he did not interrupt the other party, but pondered thoughtfully.
If the person who planned it was really as Guo Chongtao said, then he really underestimated the people in the world; take Heshuo for example, Zhu Li seldom took charge of things. To put it bluntly, Heshuo can operate smoothly with or without Zhu Li.
What's more, for those two gentlemen who have worked so hard and planned this, it will not be an easy task for them to pose a threat to Zhu Li.
Seeing that Yang Zaixing, a person who didn't like to use his brain, hadn't figured it out yet, Guo Chongtao continued, "What if the person who planned it trapped the general?"
"As long as there are any unusual movements in the vassal states surrounding Heshuo, we will still make the most appropriate response at the first time."
"For example, if Li Keyong died in the spring search, the general would definitely report back quickly, and we could immediately attack Hedong and seize the opportunity to occupy the entire territory of Hedong."
"Lü Fengxian, Zhao Zilong, and Huo Qing have deployed more than 100,000 troops on the southern front. They are not just for show."
"In this way, even if the elite troops and generals who came south were killed in the battle of Chunsou, so what? As long as we swallow up Li Keyong's territory, the strength of the entire Heshuo will surely be even greater."
"Then, as long as the general returns safely, the era of ruling the world will surely come." Guo Chongtao said excitedly, spitting everywhere.
"That's right." When Guo Chongtao said this, Guo Qizuo knew that the other party understood his intention.
"Generals Lu Fengxian, Zhao Zilong, and Huo Qing have deployed more than 100,000 troops on the southern front. They are prepared for Li Keyong. If the enemy is caught off guard, the three of us can march together and immediately drive the Shatuo people out of Hedong completely."
"In the southern part of Hejian, Wang ? will go to Xiazhou, Meng Juehai will go to Youzhou, Cao Shixiong will go to Yanzhou, and Li Chongba will go to Suizhou. Once Zhu Mei and Wang Chongying are defeated, under the command of Wang ?, Meng Juehai, Cao Shixiong, and Li Chongba will surely be able to sweep across the interior of the country."
"Now, while I am stabilizing the northern border, I am also dispatching Gao Su and Qi Zhang to the northern frontier. If Zhang Huaishen does something unpredictable, the entire Ganzhou area, and even the more vast prefectures and counties west of Ganzhou, will also fall under General Gao's iron hoof."
"So that's how it is." Upon hearing this, the brave general Yang Zaixing realized that Guo Qizuo's series of actions were actually aimed at strengthening Heshuo in order to sweep across the world.
As a strategist, what he considers is naturally the greatest interests. Yang Zaixing cannot think of these things, nor does he need to think about them.
He is just a brave general. What a brave general has to do is actually very simple; that is to be loyal and offer complete loyalty to his lord. Once they gain the trust of their lord, they can live their lives smoothly.
"You two gentlemen are both very talented, and I, Yang, cannot praise you enough; but, are you so sure that the general will be able to return safely?" Yang Zaixing was still a little worried about Zhu Li's safety. After all, Zhu Li brought too few people with him.
"It's okay. General Wu Dao and the two commanders Jing Ming and Wang Chong have also secretly gone south to Chang'an. With their support and the general's bravery, it shouldn't be a problem for them to return safely." Guo Qizuo revealed another bombshell.
It turned out that, unknowingly, the wide net of Heshuo had been spread out in response to the imperial court's spring search.
Kunming Lake was first built in the Western Han Dynasty.
During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty, there was Shanglin Garden in the western suburbs of Chang'an. Emperor Wu diverted the Fengshui River to build the Kunming Lake. It was originally a place for training navy, but later became a place for boating and entertainment.
During the Tang Dynasty, this place for boating and recreation was transformed into a hunting ground. Rare birds and animals were raised within an area of 40 miles in radius for hunting by the royal family and nobles.
In a remote place by the lake, Yue Pengju, Yi Jiangnan, and Long Jia, together with seven elite ghost guards, hid there quietly.
As soon as the hunting competition started, Yue Pengju immediately took the other nine people to find this hidden place as quickly as possible, and then hid there, with no intention of hunting at all.
His behavior would naturally arouse the curiosity of others. As a deputy general, Yi Jiangnan naturally had to bite the bullet and ask: "General Yue, aren't we going out hunting?"
"Going hunting?" Facing Yi Jiangnan's question, Yue Pengju looked indifferent and muttered mockingly.
"It's a hunting competition now. If we don't go hunting, what will we have to report when the three-day deadline is up?" Yi Jiangnan became anxious when he saw Yue Pengju was so disdainful of hunting.
Upon hearing this, Yue Pengju glanced at the other party and said leisurely: "Brother Yi has been traveling around the world, but it seems that he still doesn't know much about the battles on the battlefield."
"Uh." Yi Jiangnan immediately shut his mouth when he heard Yue Pengju say that. This was indeed his weak point.
At this moment, Long Jia, who had always been a lady, said, "It seems that General Yue was right to take us into hiding. If Commander Yi could see the situation outside, he would know why I said that."
"What happened outside?" Yi Jiangnan was not stupid, but he was used to roaming the world with a sword and settling scores, and he had no idea how filthy the vassal states were under conspiracy.
Naturally, he was asking this question to Longjia; however, when she saw this ethereal man who looked like a banished immortal looking at her, Longjia's heart began to beat uncontrollably.
Her heart, which had been silent for one or two decades, had already been stirred by the other party's grace and elegance. It was obvious that Long Jia fell in love with Yi Jiangnan at first sight.
As the saying goes, everyone has their own preferences. A man like Yi Jiangnan, who is like a peerless swordsman, is exactly what she likes.
Seeing a plate of delicious food placed in front of her and asking her a "teasing" question, Long Jia blushed immediately and responded very quickly: "It's a mess outside!"
"The hunting team from Jiangyou, led by a middle-aged man in a black robe, swept through everyone. They were so ruthless, they went straight in with white knives and came out with red knives, without any scruples at all."
"They are now chasing after Chief Yuchi's group of people, and they are determined to kill them all."
"Also, the group from Fengxiang, led by the two whores, is chasing after the hunting group from Xingyuan Prefecture; the hunting group from Yangzhou is fighting Liu Hanhong's Jiangzuo hunting group..."
When this lady saw Yi Jiangnan asking her, she immediately became as happy as a happy little magpie, chattering non-stop like a little girl seeking favor.
Her words immediately made Yue Pengju, who was standing aside, look gloomy. He interrupted her and said, "Madam Longjia, the hunting team under General Manager Yuchi is being hunted by Madam Wang's hunting team. Is this true?"
Longjia was speaking excitedly when he was interrupted unexpectedly. Naturally, he felt a little dissatisfied.
In her opinion, isn't this a good thing for the bad aunt
Can't General Yue see that he is seducing a good man
However, although she was dissatisfied, she knew the seriousness of the matter, so she had to pout and say, "I don't know who the lady from the Wang family you are talking about is, but I do know Chief Steward Yuchi. The hunting team under her command was indeed hunted down by a group of people."
"The Youzhou troops also hid quietly at first, just like us. However, the troops chasing them actually drove out all the hidden hunting teams one by one, until they encountered the Youzhou troops, then they stopped their barbaric behavior and launched a bloody suppression against them."
Long Jia naturally knew Yuchi Jin. When Yuchi Jin overthrew Nanzhao, this saint lady and her two other sisters had helped him. How could he not recognize her
However, she did not know Wang Yueyao, and could only use the Yu Gu to judge from the flag which vassal state the troops came from.
But when Yue Pengju heard the news, the generally calm general's face immediately turned gloomy.
As far as Yue Pengju knew, the leader of the Youzhou hunting team was a fierce general named Yu Juluo. He brought with him Xie Tian and Xie Di, so their overall strength was very strong.
When in Youzhou, Yue Pengju had sparred with Yu Juro. Even with his current strength at the peak of the Natural Realm, he was unable to do anything to the opponent, which shows how difficult Yu Juro was.
But such a person was actually hunted down by the hunting team under Wang Yueyao. This shows how terrifying the strength of the Jiangyou team, to which Wang Yueyao belongs, is in hunting animals.
Yue Pengju only knew that the two leaders of the Jiangyou team were, one was a refined and sinister middle-aged man in a black robe; the other was a nine-foot-tall, strong and vigorous man.
Both of them gave him a sense of danger, like scorpions hiding in the dark.
"Oh, it's really troublesome when women become jealous." Just as Yue Pengju was pondering in vain and undecided, Yi Jiangnan couldn't help but sigh.
Although he joined Heshuo relatively late, he also understood the entanglement between his master and the two ladies.
There is no doubt that Yuchi Jin and Wang Yueyao both have feelings for their general and are deeply in love with him; but their general is a piece of stubborn stone, and Yuchi Jin's name has long been engraved inside this stone.
This was originally not bad, at least the general could marry a beautiful woman; however, in order to save her own general, Lady Wang unfortunately fell into the hands of Master Li, and miraculously took the position of the governor of Jiangnan West Road.
At this time, for some reason, Mrs. Yuchi, seeing that her wedding was about to take place, simply canceled the marriage, ran to Youzhou, and became the chief steward.
Now, the two of them, one in the south and one in the north, are completely confronting each other; now even Jinglie and his hunting team have begun to confront each other.
"There are three people in the Jiangyou hunting team who are quite difficult to deal with." After sighing, Yi Jiangnan immediately said, "The general leading the team is named Li Fazhu. He is cunning and very difficult to deal with."
"Their assistant commander is named Li Kuangba, a master at the peak of the Release Realm. The general was in danger in the northern border because of him."
"As for their scout, his name is Shen Guang, and his strength is no less than that of Yi. It will be a headache for anyone who encounters them."
Who is Yi Jiangnan? He is now the commander-in-chief of the entire Heshuo Ghost Guard. To put it bluntly, he knows things that Zhu Li doesn't know. Naturally, Yue Pengju believes in the information he provides.
After hearing what Yi Jiangnan said, Yue Pengju narrowed his eyes and said resolutely: "Personally, Heshuo and Youzhou have a deep relationship; General Manager Yuchi is also the bride of my general, who was chosen by three matchmakers and six betrothals."
"Yu Gong, Heshuo and Youzhou are of the same blood and share the same purpose of attack and defense. No matter what, we cannot sit back and watch the Youzhou team get eliminated. Therefore, we must take action to help them out of trouble."