The Yan family has been scholarly for generations, which is why they have accumulated a collection of millions of books. Yan Jing became a high-ranking official when he was the first emperor, so he had to find a well-matched scholarly family to marry his son, otherwise he wouldn't be so displeased with Mrs. Yan San.
Mrs. Yan Er was born in a family, and she was trained to be a housewife in the gate since she was a child. Apart from being educated and reasonable, she also learned to manage accounts and financial management, sort out personnel affairs, and analyze contracts clearly. When I arrived in Yancheng, most of the female family members here were the wives of middle and low-level military generals, and few of them could read or write. Da, came forward to establish the "Injury Care and Supplies Center" designed by Ji Wenzhao according to Shen Wen's instructions. She asked people to find large houses in the square gates of the city, built more than a dozen stoves in each place, requisitioned dozens of vacant rooms, mobilized cooks and housewives from various families, boiled water and cooked food, and let the female relatives who had not left come. This takes care of the wounded. Mrs. Yan took the position in one of them, and Ji Yan managed the other center.
Ji Yan used to live alone with Ji Wenzhao's young couple, not caring about too many things. When she met someone, she spoke in a soft voice. She originally only wanted to strike a blow to Mrs. Yan, but because she was the wife of the Ji Junshi, she was respected by everyone, so Mrs. Yan asked her to single out a place. affairs.
With such a management, Mrs. Yan will no longer be bored in the house, and naturally hear all kinds of rumors.
Mrs. Yan had been away for two days, and Mrs. Yan heard that there were more than 100,000 soldiers invading from the Northeast. Shen Jiajun's supervisor Shen led hundreds of soldiers to stop them. These people are death squads and probably won't come back.
Second Madam Yan couldn't cry bitterly in front of people, she endured the tears for a whole day, and only cried aloud when she returned home in the evening.
The second official Yan is in charge of the household registration, so the news is naturally better. He has known this disparity for a long time, and he also feels heavy. When he returned to the yard, he heard his wife's crying, so he gathered his energy and went in to persuade her.
He sat beside the Second Madam Yan and whispered, "Stop crying like this, let me tell you something confidential..."
Second Madam Yan stopped crying and raised her head happily: "She didn't leave the city?! Where did she hide?!"
Yan Erguan sighed: "What is she running here for? How could she do such a thing?"
Second Madam Yan cried again: "This unfilial person! Married a daughter-in-law... once you get married, you will forget your parents! I will be her daughter in the next life! I must piss her off too!"
The second official Yan smiled wryly, and whispered in Mrs. Yan's ear: "She told me before she left, don't believe anything anyone says, and don't be really sad..."
Second Madam Yan raised her head from the handkerchief again: "Did she say that?!"
The second official Yan nodded, and Mrs. Yan frowned: "That child has been weird since she was a child, did she design someone else again?"
The second official Yan nodded quickly, and Mrs. Yan said worriedly: "But they said there are hundreds of thousands of people in Beirong over there! Supervisor Shen only has a few hundred people..."
Yan Erguan didn't dare to go into it, and said stubbornly: "Anyway, our child said that we should wait here for her to come back!"
Second Madam Yan nodded: "Okay! We'll wait here! She said she would come back, so she will!"
Having said that, the husband and wife can't rest assured, they can't sleep at night, and their hair is graying. The second official Yan heard that the main force of Bei Rong had passed through the border, so he stayed overnight at the household registration office. When the sky was getting brighter, he heard the horn blowing on the city, and he knew that Bei Rong was approaching. The second official Yan could no longer be calm, and ran to the northeast gate of the city when he left his household registration. His daughter was still outside! can she come back !
Zhenbeihou and Ji Wenzhao hurried to the gate of the northeast city, and a sergeant pointed to the northeast and shouted: "There! There!"
Far away, a group of people from far away was approaching here, and they were flying the red flag of Shen Yi and the yellow "Shen" flag of the Chinese army.
Zhenbei Hou said: "Blow the trumpet to greet them!"
Someone blew the assembly horn, and the loud and clear sound of the horn pierced the sky again and again.
Shen Yi said loudly: "Hurry up!" But he also knew that they had been riding for four or five hours overnight, and they were exhausted, so they couldn't run much faster.
The soldiers were very optimistic: "It's okay, we can fight when they come over!"
"That's right! Let me tell you, my accuracy has improved a lot now! It's just different from training on the battlefield..."
Shen Yi shouted: "Shut up! Run! Otherwise, I will punish you to run around Yancheng ten times!"
No one dared to speak anymore, because Shen Yi always kept his word, and these people were afraid of being punished by him.
From the head of Yancheng, it can be seen that the cavalry in the north seems to have discovered the cavalry outside the city. A large group of thousands of cavalry separated from the Beirong army and came galloping here with dust.
Ji Wenzhao said to the Marquis of Zhenbei, "Please allow me to transfer gunpowder soldiers."
Zhenbeihou looked into the distance and said: "What gunpowder soldiers? They are so fast that even bows and crossbows can't stop them. Light up 10,000 soldiers and horses, and I will go out of the city to meet them!" He didn't believe in gunpowder, which is usually used for fire. When attacking, tie it to the arrow and shoot it, causing a big fire. Now these cavalry move quickly, can break through the shooting of crossbows, and the arrows of tied fire cannot stop them.
Ji Wenzhao pleaded: "Master Hou please let me try!"
Zhenbeihou frowned. Seeing that the cavalry of the Shen family army in the east were not running as fast as the Beirong, he nodded. Ji Wenzhao said to the messenger: "Let the fifty gunpowder troops go out of the east gate and form a long snake formation to face North. Use throwing racks, only throwing artillery. A hundred crossbowmen are on standby!"
The Marquis of Zhenbei will deny him—the one-word long snake formation is the most useless type of formation, which is neither conducive to attack nor defense. It just puts people in a single line. How can this stop the swift and violent approach from the north? cavalry? Moreover, saving people is the most important thing now, how could it be possible to only use firecrackers, but Ji Wenzhao said to him with great confidence: "Master Hou, please take a look at their effect first, if it doesn't work, we still have a crossbow team." Rong felt that they were very powerful.
The Marquis of Zhenbei was skeptical, he looked up and said, "I'm leaving the city now!"
Ji Wenzhao hurriedly said: "Master Hou! Don't go! You don't have to go! Wait a minute, look..." He tightly pulled Zhenbeihou's sleeve and pointed to the city gate.
Below the city gate, a group of soldiers carried more than 20 half-person-high wooden frames out of the city, and then faced the north, forming a long row. Some soldiers carried large baskets to the side of the shelf, and put something like a small square bag on a wooden arm hanging down from the shelf.
Zhenbeihou was puzzled: "What is this?!"
Ji Wenzhao smiled and said, "It's just a simple trebuchet."
Seeing the cavalry from Beirong approaching, Ji Wenzhao signaled to the messenger: "Let them throw!"
As soon as the command flag was waved, the soldiers lit the small square buns and stepped on the pedals on the shelf. In an instant, a piece of small square buns flew up in the sky and landed on the horse team that was rushing forward. Then, there was a continuous explosion of firecrackers, crackling, and lasting.
Zhenbei Hou was surprised: "These are firecrackers?!"
Ji Wenzhao nodded: "It's the end of the year, and there are many firecrackers available."
If a firecracker explodes near a person's ear, and the person has to avoid it, the hearing of a horse is more sensitive than that of a person, and it is easier to be frightened. Although Beirong's horses have experienced battles, they have not been disturbed by the sound of firecrackers. The long rolls of firecrackers in the square bag, once ignited, exploded continuously, and the horse team was galloping again. If one horse stumbled or changed direction, it would bring down a dozen horses behind. It turned out that the formation of the cavalry that came like a cloud suddenly became chaotic, the horses roared, some knights were thrown to the ground, some horses turned their heads and ran, a mess, the advancing formation slowed down and dispersed.
Taking advantage of this precious short time, Shen Yi's cavalry rushed over, and Ji Wenzhao shouted: "Withdraw the gunpowder soldiers!" With the command flag, some of those gunpowder soldiers sent another firecracker bag, and then ran back carrying their racks. The Northern Rong cavalry, disturbed by the artillery battle, gathered and approached again. The soldiers led by Shen Yi shot arrows at them and ran towards the open city gate. A soldier of the Shen family army entered the gate, and the city gate was closed with a bang. The Beirong cavalry wandered a few dozen feet away from the gate, and shot a burst of arrows at the city before slowly retreating.
Zhenbei Hou hurriedly went down to the city, and when he reached the city gate, he stopped suddenly, and pointed to something next to a group of sergeants standing by the city gate in surprise, "What is this?!"
He could see it, but he didn't dare to say it outright, these are bed crossbows! Because of its great lethality, the method of making the bed crossbow has always been a secret kept by the imperial court. His subordinates did not have this technology, and they did not dare to ask the imperial court for it, lest it arouse the emperor's suspicion.
Ji Wenzhao said casually: "Oh, these are crossbows with a long range."
Zhenbeihou stared at Ji Wenzhao with wide eyes, and Ji Wenzhao smiled and said, "It was supervised by Supervisor Shen, I just took over from Supervisor Shen..."
Zhenbeihou whispered angrily: "Impossible! He doesn't even know how to make it!"
Ji Wenzhao spread his hands and said, "Okay, it's the blueprint I gave you!"
The Marquis of Zhenbei stared at Ji Wenzhao, and Ji Wenzhao looked at the sky: "I once deduced a hexagram, and calculated that this year's Beirong invaded the country. If our army does not have sophisticated weapons, it may not survive. So I read all the ancient books... oh, I told you Are you talking about the fact that I married the granddaughter of my mentor, the old official Yan? My mentor’s family has a collection of books for generations, with millions of volumes, and I finally got this bed crossbow map... "Sorry, Second Miss Shen!
Zhenbeihou gritted his teeth: "Why didn't you tell me earlier?! If the emperor..."
Ji Wenzhao looked down at Zhenbei Hou seriously: "That's why I didn't tell Lord Hou. If I did, would Lord Hou believe me? Or would he be more concerned about the emperor's reaction?"
Zhenbei Hou sulked: "But Governor Shen... did you hear what you said?"
Ji Wenzhao took it for granted: "Because the Yan Junshi next to him is his... brother-in-law! He is also the grand... son of my benefactor! He has known me... for a long time..."
Zhenbeihou was disturbed, he didn't say anything more, he quickened his pace, and went to see if Shen Yi had brought Shen Jian back.
The streets in the city were full of horses and soldiers who dismounted from their horses and kept shouting tired.
Someone lay down on the street on the spot, shouting: "I want to sleep! How many nights!" Someone was already lying down on the side of the road and fell asleep.
A person shouted loudly: "Come here! Doctors! Take these people to the house to sleep! I can't cure typhoid fever..."
Zhenbeihou was patrolling the soldiers and horses, and finally saw Shen Jian who was leading the horse. A middle-aged man next to him pulled someone and cried, "My son! You are really back!"
The man was from the back, and Zhenbei Hou couldn't take a closer look. If it wasn't because the soldiers of the Shen family army were all around, Zhenbeihou would also want to hold Shen Jian to cry like this. He walked over and asked Shen Jian very seriously: "Shen Jian Supervisor, where are you injured?!" He looked Shen Jian up and down.
Shen Jian hurriedly saluted and said, "Master Hou! Beirong on the Northeast Road has retreated..."
Zhenbei Hou interrupted: "Say it quickly! Where is the injury?"
Shen Jian had no choice but to say: "...the heel... touched..."
Zhenbeihou let out a sigh of relief and said, "Follow me to the Chinese army!" He walked straight away with a dark face.
Shen Jian became a little apprehensive, and Yan Shi, who was carrying them on his back, turned around and said in a low voice, "You are so stupid! It should be said that you were seriously injured!"
Seeing the knights rushing in from the city gate, the second official Yan had infinite hope in his heart. When he saw Yan Shi get off his horse, the second official Yan officially cried. He hurried over to grab Yan Shi's hand... Now, hearing what Yan Shi said, the second official Yan raised his hand angrily: "You unfilial!" Go back with your father and take a good rest, I'm busy later!"
Mrs. Yan nodded, and Shen Jian bowed deeply to the second official Yan and said, "Thank you, father-in-law!" For giving me such a good daughter.
Yan Erguan sighed deeply: "Is it too late to regret the marriage now?"
Yan Shi laughed, took Yan Erguan's arm and said, "Let's go, father, go back and see mother."
Seeing the father and daughter walking away, Shen Jian thought of his father's unkind expression, and decided to find Shen Yi first, and then go back to the Chinese army together.
Mrs. Yan Er also stayed up all night. She was used to Yan Er being around and her husband was not around, so she couldn't feel at ease.
In the early hours of the morning, all of a sudden, horns were heard from a distance above the city, followed by the sound of people in the city. Someone along the street was knocking on clappers, asking everyone to go to work if they have something to do, and to go home if there is nothing to do, saying that the Beirong army has arrived outside the city!
Ji Yan got up, washed in a hurry, and went to Mrs. Yan's room. Seeing Mrs. Yan's face full of tears, she stared out the window stupidly.
There was another clap on the street: "The city gate is closed! The city gate is closed! Don't leave the city without a reason!"
Ji Yan's family was also in tears: the city is closed, if Yan's family is locked outside the city, there is almost no hope of surviving...
Mrs. Yan Er choked up and said, "Go and replace me... one day, I can't stand up..."
Ji Yanshi cried: "It's... not yet... the last time... maybe... she fled elsewhere?"
Mrs. Yan seemed to grasp the straw, nodded and said: "Yes! She is the smartest, you know, she just said crazy things like many men are inferior to her..."
Ji Yanshi nodded vigorously: "Many men... are indeed not as good as her..."
Mrs. Yan Er took off the jade hairpin on her head, handed it to Ji Yan and said: "We came out, we didn't bring anything valuable, you take this to Ji Da nephew, let him try to buy this yard, I have to be here Waiting for her, even if I die, she will bury me here, she said she will come back... "
Ji Yan cried: "Aunt!" The two of them wept together, and I don't know how long it took...
The courtyard door slammed loudly, and Yan called outside: "Mom! I'm back!"
Mrs. Yan was stunned, Ji Yan wiped her face, hurried out, opened the door and took Yan's hand and cried loudly: "You scared us to death!"
Second Madam Yan came out, crying and saying, "You are unfilial! You are killing me!"
Yan made a salute indiscriminately and yawned loudly: "Mom! I'm exhausted! Hurry up! Is there anything to eat? I need to take a bath! I'm freezing to death!..."
Second Mrs. Yan was so angry that she pointed at Yan's back: "My enemy!" This daughter is her heart! She has been messing around since she was a child, and she was worried that her reputation would be bad and she would not be able to find her in-law's family, or that she would show her true colors at her in-law's house and be divorced. But no matter how bad she thinks, the reality can always be worse than she imagined!
Yan Erguan followed into the courtyard, and said with the calm air of a parent: "Okay, the child is tired, go and prepare hot water." He turned around and closed the courtyard door, and whispered to Mrs. Yan Er: "They Thousands of people repelled more than 100,000 Bei Rong..."
Both Mrs. Yan and Ji Yan were shocked: "Really?!"
The second official Yan was proud, and twitched his beard: "This is a secret, don't tell it to me when she tells it! These children are all heroes, it's a pity, they are not boys, otherwise my Yan family will definitely..."
Mrs. Yan waved her hand and said: "It's alright, alright! I don't want anything! As long as my child comes back!" She said to Ji Yan, "You really have to take care of things for me today, and I have to take care of that troublemaker at home! God What! I owe her something! Let her make me die!" Mrs. Yan went back to the house while complaining, and found that Yan had fallen asleep on the bed with all her clothes on.
Shen Jian was also very sleepy, but he couldn't sleep, he shuttled back and forth among the crowd, and finally found Shen Yi.
Shen Yi was instructing Qi Conglin to take the soldiers back to the camp to rest and not to sleep on the street.
Qi Conglin agreed, and was about to leave when he suddenly turned around and said, "That bed crossbow is very expensive! You go and talk to Ji Junshi, don't use it casually." When he entered the city, he saw the bed crossbow team on standby.
A soldier next to him said, "That's right, we only used it once! He was so distressed that he cried..."
Qi Conglin defended dissatisfiedly: "Who is crying!"
Shen Yi glanced at the soldier, who shrank his head, saluted and ran away. Shen Yi said to Qi Conglin: "You have to be tough! Chunlu next to my eldest sister is not without temper. I heard that she fought with my eldest sister and the prince's guard."
Qi Conglin scratched his head with an embarrassed smile: "It's not easy to marry a daughter-in-law, not to mention she is so beautiful..."
Shen Yi was angry: "Go to sleep! Don't make me angry!" Qi Conglin hurriedly shouted and left.
Shen Jian smiled and said to Shen Yi: "He's pretty good, you need such a person as your assistant."
Shen Yi snorted, walked side by side with Shen Jian, and whispered: "Father will definitely ask you where the money for making weapons and building Lost City came from. If you push it on me, I will say..."
When Shen Yi and Shen Jian went to the Chinese army, they told Zhenbeihou and Ji Wenzhao about the process of blocking Beirong all the way to the northeast, and about the four princesses killing Huo Luo.
Zhenbeihou frowned and listened, and then remained silent for a long time. Shen Jian was waiting for Zhenbeihou to praise himself. Zhenbeihou asked slowly: "Is there anything you are hiding from me?" Good battle, how much did these people hide from him? !
Shen Jian looked at Shen Yi, and Shen Yi shook his head slightly. Zhenbei Hou immediately turned his face to look at Shen Yi, and Shen Yi said frankly, "This matter...is all Ji Junshi's idea!"
Ji Wenzhao coughed, and said to Zhenbeihou: "Indeed, Lord Hou, just like I told you, I figured out..."
Marquis Zhenbei stopped him: "You said it! But building such a large project, making weapons, and recruiting labor costs a lot of money! You said that Governor Shen mobilized the needs of goods..." He looked at Shen Jian: "You Where did the money come from?!"
Because he had been prepared for a long time, Shen Yi said dumbly: "I snatched it!"
Zhenbeihou looked at Shen Yi suddenly: "You snatched it?!"
Shen Yi nodded: "There are a few merchants who are rich, I robbed them and gave the money to Supervisor Shen."
Marquis of Zhenbei burst into veins: "What's the name of the merchant?!"
Shen Yi said indifferently: "It's the merchant of Mrs. Pingyuanhou, very rich!"
Zhenbeihou pointed to Shen Yi: "You! Pingyuanhou has no grievances or enmity with us, you are making an enemy for us! He was still my friend in the past, how can I have the face to see him in the future..."
Ji Wenzhao smoothed things over: "Master Hou, Beirong is outside the city right now, it's really not the time to talk about this! The most important thing is how to prepare for the long-term defense of the city."
Zhenbei Hou was a little puzzled: "Why does it take so long? We have bed crossbows, so we can order Qi sergeants to fight to the death with Tugu Khan!"
Ji Wenzhao shook his head: "No! Now Beirong has more than 400,000 people. Even if we use bed crossbows, our army cannot guarantee victory. I want them to continue to attack the city and consume troops. Things like bed crossbows must be Use it until the end."
Shen Yi agreed: "Too many arrows are consumed."
Zhenbeihou felt that his combat experience was greatly challenged, and asked, "Why?"
Ji Wenzhao said: "As soon as I use the bed crossbow, I'm afraid I will scare Beirong away. I want Tugu Khan to think that success is hopeful, and he will continue to attack for two or three months!" At that time, Shen Wen took everyone to Beirong. The injured person agreed on two months.
Shen Yi nodded and said: "Yes, before the decisive battle, we must drag them down first!"
Shen Jian also played the side drum: "Then annihilate the enemy to ensure the final victory."
The Marquis of Zhenbei said with some concern: "How could it be possible to besiege the city for three months? What about the food?"
Ji Wenzhao said: "We have enough military rations."
The Marquis of Zhenbei asked, "How are the people in the city?"
Ji Wenzhao said: "Most of the people have already evacuated, and those left behind will help defend the city. I have negotiated with the wealthy households in the city. When the country is in crisis, they should help each other. Each family will contribute surplus food and share it with the people."
Zhenbeihou once again felt doubts in his heart—these preparations were really thoughtful. He looked at Ji Wenzhao, then at Shen Yi and Shen Jian, and felt depressed: These three people obviously emptied him! He asked a little angrily: "What do you want me to do?!"
Both Shen Yi and Shen Jian lowered their eyes and did not speak, but Ji Wenzhao was not stingy at all, and said with a high expression: "There are many things for the Marquis to do! For example! The Marquis wants to command the soldiers to defend the city; to fight a defeat when the opponent is about to retreat ; to let the opponent capture the north gate and enter the Lost City; to pretend to be injured, it is best to spread the news of death... "
Zhenbeihou looked at Ji Wenzhao angrily: "You can be the coach!"
Ji Wenzhao hurriedly said: "How can it be done?! I'm playing the title of Ji's family, what if the soldiers don't follow me?!"
Zhenbei Hou was speechless to Ji Wenzhao's arrogance. Shen Jian said with a smile: "Master Ji, Master Ji knows both astronomy and geography. He is a master of chess. The so-called soldiers never tire of deceit..."
Zhenbeihou said: "You don't need to teach me!"
Shen Yi said: "Master Hou, this battle is no small matter. If we defeat Bei Rong this time and wipe out its main force, we can keep the frontier safe for more than ten years or even decades. Lord Hou, please allow the Jijun Division to arrange it."
After passing through the Lost City and the Bed Crossbow, Zhenbeihou no longer dared to underestimate Ji Wenzhao. He felt that this man really had the ability to predict the future and should be reused. But at the same time, I felt a void in my heart. He suddenly felt that Shen Yi in front of him carried a kind of calm majesty, while Shen Jian next to him looked gentle on the surface and had his usual smile, but this man had just retreated hundreds of thousands of Beirong troops! For the first time, he felt that he might be old, and that this kind of fighting must be left to young people...
Thinking of this, Marquis Zhenbei sighed, "Okay, I'll just listen to you."
Ji Wenzhao and Shen Yi exchanged a look, which was relieved. They need to let Zhenbeihou adopt various suggestions, but they don't want to tell Zhenbeihou about the meaning of these arrangements. Now it seems that the Marquis of Zhenbei did not suspect the purpose of their fabrications: not only to confuse Tugu Khan, but also to confuse the prince in the capital.
The three came out of the Zhongjun hall, and Ji Wenzhao and Shen Yi sent Shen Jian to rest.
Shen Jian asked Ji Wenzhao, "Is Bei Rong going to attack the city soon? Don't send me off, go to the city."
Ji Wenzhao shook his head and said, "There should be a gap of one or two days, you should take a good rest."
Shen Jian asked in a low voice: "Are you sure they will divide their troops?"
Ji Wenzhao nodded slowly: "We haven't shown any traces. Brother Wen's predictions are all right. They should divide their forces."
Shen Yi frowned: "If they divide their troops, can the mainland really stop them?"
Ji Wenzhao remembered Shen Wen's arrangement, and said firmly: "It will definitely be stopped, I'm afraid they will not divide their troops now! If 400,000 people attack Yancheng, we will be under too much pressure. If they divide their troops, there will be twenty-four or five people outside the city. Ten thousand, we have the assurance of victory.”
Shen Yi said: "It's best not to let Lord Hou know about this matter."
Ji Wenzhao nodded: "Yes, we must hide it from him." If Zhenbeihou knew that Beirong had divided his troops inland, Shen Yi might have to lead his troops to chase and stop him.
Zhang Ding came over with a smile, saluted Shen Jian, and Shen Jian also smiled: "You are really not worried at all."
Zhang Dingte said obsequiously: "The superintendent is a hero, nothing will happen at all!"
Several people laughed, Ji Wenzhao and Shen Yi left, Shen Jian and Zhang Ding went back to his courtyard. Seeing that there was no one around, Shen Jian asked Zhang Ding in a low voice, "Have you contacted the prince?"
Zhang Ding nodded: "Yesterday, a letter was sent out, saying that the Northeast Road of Beirong had destroyed the Shen family's army. He also asked the soldier how to deliver the letter if he surrounded the city. He said he would run two hundred miles to join a relative in the countryside. , gave me the address, and said that if I can break through, I will go to him and give him the letter... "
Shen Jian laughed, and Zhang Ding nodded deeply: "In this way, he is not in danger, but also has a share of credit. Everyone is not a fool..."
While they were talking, the army of Bei Rong outside the city surrounded them, and the flags of Bei Rong fluttered around Yancheng.
After a few days, it will be the New Year's Eve, maybe Yancheng's firecrackers have been requisitioned, and Yancheng has passed a quiet New Year's Day.
The army of Beirong was full of noise.
Tugu Khan was full of ambition, he never thought that Shen's army did not dare to fight, and the whole army fled! This is simply a hit! Without losing a single soldier, the entire Shen family's army was surrounded in Yancheng! Even the slight resistance outside the city was only light and loud, but not lethal firecrackers—used to disturb the horses! If the soldiers attack the city, what's the use of throwing cannons at people? He made people try to attack the city, just like Qi Conglin did on the mountain. Ji Wenzhao ordered all the soldiers to use the old crossbows and even threw stones. Although the attack was repelled, the casualties of Bei Rong were not serious. Of course he didn't know that this was the situation after the remnants of the Shen family's army retreated into Yancheng in the previous life. The weapons were short and outdated, unable to destroy the enemy who attacked the city.
Tugu Khan felt that victory was within his grasp. He knew that it would take ten days and a half months to attack the city, and there was no need for 400,000 people to guard here, let alone more than 200,000 cavalry, wouldn't it be a waste to use it to attack the city? At the end of the year, Tugu Khan decided to divide his troops according to the original plan. Just like in the previous life, he asked his eldest son He Duo to lead the West Route Army to detour to the northwest and enter the mainland in parallel with the Middle Route.
It is a common strategy for military strategists to advance in several ways. When an army enters the enemy's territory alone, the risk is the greatest, and it is easy to be surrounded by the enemy. If there are three or four armies attacking at the same time, they can respond to each other and return to defense, or they can divide the enemy's defenders and defeat them individually. Of course, the premise of dividing troops is that one's own troops are far superior to the opponent's, just like the situation of Tugu Khan today.
As a result, the iron cavalry of the West Route Army clattered away, rolling up billows of dust and smoke. At night, late fireworks were released from the mountains not far from Yancheng.
The soldiers who were in charge of watching on the city quickly reported to Ji Wenzhao, and Ji Wenzhao was relieved.
When the Beirong sergeants found someone setting off fireworks on the mountain and caught up with them, they had already run away.
Tugu Khan didn't care about this matter. To him, by enclosing Yancheng on his side, he restrained the main force of the Shen family's army. Naturally, the West Route Army would drive straight in without hindrance, directly attacking the capital from the interior. Yancheng can't go down soon, even if it's the worst, it can't be attacked. Once the capital falls, Yancheng will become a dead city.
The only thing that puzzled him was that no one from Huo Luo came to contact him. He sent people to look for the Eastern Route Army led by Huo Luo in the mountains to the east. The mountains are vertical and horizontal, and it will take some time for those who go to find the remnants of the Beirong army.
---------------------------------
In terms of speed, Marquis Pingyuan first got the news of Beirong's invasion: homing pigeons are faster than horses on the road, and naturally faster than Wang Zhi.
That night, Du Juan told the news to Shen Wen who came to the courtyard every two or three days.
Shen Wen estimated the time, and said to Du Juan: "Around the end of the year, there should be news from the prince, and he may not say it. About a month, the news from the border should also reach the capital. You let Lord Hou wait until the world comes out." If there is news, immediately release the tone of recruiting volunteers."
Du Juan asked in a bad temper: "When will you be able to finish the work? Can I follow Lord Hou to fight Beirong?"
Shen Wen said: "No."
Du Juan gritted his teeth: "Can you find someone else?"
Shen Wen smiled: "No."
Du Juan was sullen and stopped chewing. Shen Wen whispered, "Don't worry, there is also a battle here."
Du Juan snorted, with a dismissive tone.
Shen Wen ran back to the mansion, and said to Su Wanniang in the dark: "Bei Rong has launched. My second brother and second sister-in-law are going to block the way to the east. It should be Huo Luo, with hundreds of thousands of people."
Su Wanniang's hands trembled, knowing that it was the last moment, she took Shen Wen's hand and said, "Second brother, they will be fine, right?"
Shen Wen also felt guilty, and said in a trembling voice: "Should...should be... I'm afraid... afraid..." It's one thing to talk about wars on paper, but it's really done. In reality, the situation is ever-changing and unpredictable. Who knows what will happen
The two held hands tightly, sitting in the dark, imagining the fierce battle in the distance.
The next day, when they went to have breakfast, they all naturally looked a little depressed.
Yang asked in surprise, "What's wrong with you?"
Shen Wen yawned, "Sister Wanniang said she would help with the New Year's shopping, so I told her what I want..."
This year's New Year's Eve is the Liu family's management, and Su Wanniang asked for help, so the Yang family asked Su Wanniang to help.
Su Wanniang forced a smile: "Miss said a lot of food, there are several types of rice cakes, such as sweet-scented osmanthus, red beans, and more than a dozen kinds of fruits..." Everyone laughed, and one can imagine that Shen Wen must be talking about what he wants to eat The second lady is so big, but she is still so greedy.
The old lady said: "Then buy more! After so many years of famine, it is easy to have a good year. Buy more food!"
Yang Shi also smiled and said to Liu Shi and Su Wanniang: "She can buy whatever she wants, as long as there is more."
Shen Wen smiled and said: "Thank you mother, oh, I'm not all for myself, the fourth brother will be back soon? He can eat too!"
The old lady had already received a signal from Shen Wen, and sent a message to ask Shen Qiang to come back for the new year. Shen Qiang was the child she brought with her. She hadn't seen him for such a long time. The old lady missed Shen Qiang very much. The old lady was really happy, and said with a smile: "Oh, if you include him, you can buy more! Let's add twice as much! The money is not enough..."
Mrs. Yang was also in a good mood, and asked the old lady, "You pay the money?"
The old lady went on to say: "... Let your mother out!" Everyone laughed again.
Yang asked again: "Erlang's daughter-in-law hasn't come back for a long time, let her come back to celebrate the New Year too!" Someone hurriedly responded. Shen Xiang said: "I'll pick up my second sister-in-law!"
Yang waved his hand: "The New Year is approaching, many people want to grab money and go home, don't go out of the city!"
As a result, Shen Zhuo was sent to pick up Shen Qiang and Yan Shi. After a few days, Shen Zhuo came back with Shen Qiang and said that he had gone to the temple. I continued to pray for my husband there, and just made a vow to copy 300 copies of the scriptures before I started writing and could not come back.
Yang's face was unhappy when she heard this, but when she saw Shen Qiang, she smiled again. Shen Qiang is already nine and a half years old, tall and strong, almost as tall as a grown man, and weighs at least two hundred catties! Shen Wen knows that people with gigantism in later generations can grow to 1.8 meters at this age, and Shen Qiang looks at only 1.5 meters, which is not so heretical, just a child who develops extremely rapidly. In comparison, Shen Wei and Shen Yu are still absolute children.
After saluting, several boys got into a fight, Shen Wei and Shen Yu wished they could ride on Shen Qiang's head, Shen Qiang carried one on his back, and chased the other all over the house, the old lady looked at them and smiled. Laughing, tears welled up in his eyes.
At the New Year's Eve banquet, Yang asked Shen Zhuo to take these boys to another table to show the difference between men and women. But Shen Qiang still slipped in, smiled and yelled at the old lady, and brought a glass of rice wine to the old lady.
The old lady squinted her eyes with a smile, drank the wine in Shen Qiang's hand, and said with a smile: "Thank you Qiang'er, I like to drink some wine now, and Qiang'er knows it."
Shen Qiang nodded honestly, took a chopstick beside the old lady, inserted a piece of rice cake for the old lady and put it in the bowl.
Yang said helplessly: "How big is this? Why don't you know how to use chopsticks?"
The old lady was dissatisfied with Yang's refusal to let Shen Qiang in, and immediately said: "It's okay, it's okay, Qiang'er is not yet ten years old, he is a child, learn slowly! Qiang'er, grandma will feed you stutter! How long has it been? I haven't fed Qiang'er for a long time..." Saying this, Shen Qiang opened his mouth wide with a piece of fat in his hand, and the old lady put it in his mouth with a smile, and took out a handkerchief to wipe him Wipe your mouth.
Yang frowned and said to Shen Qiang: "Still going out?! Your seat is not here."
Shen Qiang yelled at Yang Shi a few times, turned around and hugged the old lady suddenly, kissed the old lady's face before running out.
The old lady let out a sigh, and looked at the back of Shen Qiang going out, the smile on her face remained undiminished for a long time...
Shen Wen watched from the side, feeling a little dazed. At this time, in Yancheng in the north, Beirong should have already approached the city. Here, people are still living a normal life, unaware that the destruction of the country may only take a few months.
After the New Year's Eve dinner, the meals were removed, and a table full of melon and fruit cakes was served. Yang Shi, Shen Wei and Shen Yu came in to play, but those two children must be with Shen Qiang, so they played with Shen Zhuo in the outer courtyard. Eat some melon seeds to pass the time.
Su Wanniang remembered that Shen Wen said that she would leave the Hou Mansion at the most critical time, so that she could get closer to Mrs. Yang and the old lady, so she sat next to Mrs. Yang and the old lady, telling jokes and so on.
Shen Xiang was the most bored, and asked Shen Wen, "You always try to be a good boy, why are you sitting here so quiet today?"
Only then did Shen Wen realize that he still had a different situation than before, so he hurriedly smiled and said, "I'm so good to be with my sister!"
Shen Xiang gave her a white look: "I don't believe it!"
Shen Wen's mind was full of thoughts now, so he had to whisper, "I just ate too much, and my stomach hurts."
Shen Xiang glared at her: "Look at your future!" Seeing that Su Wanniang was talking to Mrs. Yang, she got up and went to buy a cup of ginger tea for Shen Wen, forcing Shen Wen to drink it, and then asked: "Is it better?"
Shen Wen smiled gratefully at Shen Xiang: "Thank you..."
Shen Xiang twitched the corner of his mouth: "Who wants you to thank me!"
Shen Wen smiled and sat next to Shen Xiang, in order to cover up the uneasiness in his heart, he pretended to be drowsy and passed the New Year's Eve.
The banquet in Pingyuanhou's mansion was very cold, just Pingyuanhou and his wife, Zhang Yunjin and Zhang Yunzhao. At the banquet, Zhang Yunzhao bragged about all kinds of things he had done on the mountain, Mrs. Li listened with a smile, and Marquis Pingyuan was a little absent-minded.
After midnight, when the children went to bed, Mrs. Li asked in the bedroom, "Is your husband on your mind?"
Marquis Pingyuan knew that this matter could not be dragged to the end. If, as the two sons said, he recruited volunteers and Li's family sold things again, how could they raise money during the war? It must have been a waste of a lot of property, so he whispered to Li Shi: "The Northern Rong has invaded, and I will rise up to fight against the enemy."
Mrs. Li exclaimed, and embraced Pingyuanhou with both hands: "Master Hou!"
Marquis Pingyuan also hugged Li Shi, and comforted him: "It's okay, we are prepared this time..."
Li was puzzled: "This time?!"
Marquis Pingyuan sighed deeply, nodded and said: "Yes, this time, if there is no expert advice, my family will be destroyed..."
Li was in tears: "It's... the emperor? The prince?..." Besides these two people, who else could there be
Marquis Pingyuan hugged Mrs. Li tightly: "Ma'am, don't worry, start raising military funds for me tomorrow. After half a month, if there is a letter of war, the world will be in chaos."
Li Shi trembled all over, but he was nervously calculating in his mind: If the flames of war came, what would sell more expensively
On the first day of the first lunar month, the shopkeepers of Li's shop came into the house to pay New Year's greetings to their owners. On the one hand, Mrs. Li returned the money, and on the other hand, he instructed the sale of the goods, and he was busy all day.
The banquet in the palace is more lively than ever.
Finally, after four years of drought and one year of flood, the weather was smooth and the harvest was good. The emperor felt that he should celebrate it. The prince asked the Ministry of Households to give a lot of money, and various banquets and celebrations were held in the palace, including sumo wrestling, singing and dancing, which was full of festive atmosphere.
The prince personally arranged many affairs, and naturally walked around frequently in the palace. Regarding the arrangement of the banquet, he went to visit Concubine Xue Gui openly.
The eunuch was sent out of the house, and the two of them took off their clothes and broadband in the house... In the past, they were all fighting outside, and this was the first time they were in a comfortable sleeping room. Concubine Xue felt that she was less nervous than before and could experience it better, but the prince felt that there was a lot less fun.
After the passion had passed, Concubine Xue realized that the prince was not interested, so she hurriedly smiled and said in a low voice: "I have put most of the things you gave me, and I see that the emperor has taken it and there is no reaction. Are those effective?" Tie up the skirt for the prince.
Only then did the prince smile, and whispered: "Of course there are, Yurui is patient and so on. Just use it up, if you run out, I still have some in my palace..." He hugged her waist with both hands, and put his face against her ear Said: "Yu Ruihua has a beautiful face and a moony appearance, she is really the most beautiful woman in the world."
Concubine Xue Gui blushed, she leaned against the prince and said, "How can my slave's house be so beautiful? I just hope that His Highness will never forget the love at this moment in the future."
The prince nodded and said: "Of course, I will always remember it." Of course I will never forget it, but it doesn't mean that I won't kill you.
Concubine Xue felt at ease.
At the banquet, the emperor had a table for himself, and the prince and the third prince each had a table. This year the emperor didn't call the fourth prince into the palace, which means he forgot about this son: who told you to be shameless and told you to come back but didn't come back
At the banquet, Concubine Xue asked her eunuch to present a bowl of health-preserving porridge to the emperor. It was so sweet that the emperor drank a few sips. Concubine Xue Gui felt sorry for herself - she used a big spoonful of something.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, it was regarded as a group worship. The emperor led the prince and princess, the third prince, to the ancestral temple to worship, and then accepted the New Year greetings from the officials. This day is full of red tape and etiquette, and the monarchs and ministers are actually exhausted. During the ceremony, the concubine caught the eyes of Concubine Xue Gui, who was radiant and charming, secretly looking at the prince several times, and also noticed that Concubine Xue frowned slightly when the ancestor Hun Xing passed in front of Concubine Xue.
Wang Zhi entered the city on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year. He didn't go back to Zhenbeihou Mansion, but went directly outside the palace. He kept an eye out, changed into casual clothes, and only said that he had a secret affair to report to the staff of the Eastern Palace, but he didn't dare to say that he was a soldier of the Shen family army.