〖In the eleventh year of Tongtai Jiashen, the Yong army violated the border, and the general, the governor of Jiangnan, was in charge of military affairs, and the Yong army returned after a disastrous defeat.
Emperor Yong personally visited Hanyuan to ask about policies, appreciated the sincerity of the emperor, offered peace to Chu, the ruler and his ministers chatted with each other, and stayed up all night. Zhe in Yonggong is unparalleled in the world, and in Chu he is guilty of great sin.
— "The History of Chu in the Southern Dynasties: The Biography of Jiang Suiyun"〗
After sending off Xiahou Yuanfeng, I sat in the pavilion and continued to enjoy the snow. Now that I have been persuaded by him and decided to offer peace to the emperor, I should also think about how to express my thoughts. I didn't say anything, but somehow, when I thought about it, I felt distracted. Although he already had a plan in his heart, these tactics were originally on paper, and when he thought about the bloodshed and wars that would be brought about if they were to be put into practice, he felt unbearable grief in his heart.
Thinking about it carefully, I was really as those rumors said, still nostalgic for my motherland, and I didn’t feel wronged when I came to Li Zhi. If I didn’t still have my motherland in my heart, I should argue with the emperor to explain the unfavorable situation of Dayong, and put forward a proposal. The solution is not to say that Dayong will lose out of thin air. After Dayong was defeated, I refused to reconcile with Li Zhi and offer advice to him because Li Zhi once suspected me. It was not because of my stubborn temper, but because I was unwilling to let my advice destroy the motherland.
What am I, the two ends of the rat's tail, I have already left my country, why should I pretend to be nostalgic for my motherland now? Dayong treated me with the utmost benevolence and righteousness, but I wanted to see Dayong lose his life and honor in Southern Chu. The more I thought about it, the more sad I became.
Although the "Ningchun" wine is mellow, it has a lot of stamina. I have drank more than a dozen glasses one after another, and I can't help but feel dizzy and dizzy. The emotions that I had deliberately ignored flooded into my heart, and I felt more and more pain in my heart, and I couldn't help but go. Outside the threshold, snowflakes came to my face, scattered into the light fur and brocade clothes, and the cold air was suffocating. I, who had always been afraid of the cold, stood in the snow, thinking that I had been away from Nanchu for so many years, and now I finally have the opportunity to return to my homeland, but it is to be with me. When I was an enemy, I couldn't help but tear down, and was immediately turned into thin ice by the cold wind and stuck to my cheeks, but I didn't feel the cold at all.
Xiao Shunzi was watching Jiang Zhe drinking, but he saw that something was wrong, so he quickly stepped forward and helped Jiang Zhe back to Linboting. Faintly, he couldn't help but sighed in a low voice: "Young Master, why are you suffering? If you decide to offer advice, you must make up your mind that you will no longer be attached to your motherland. If you decide to stop offering advice, why bother for those ruthless and unjust people? What a painstaking effort!"
I was already in a state of drunkenness, leaning on the comfortable reclining chair in the pavilion, turning a deaf ear to Xiao Shunzi's words, but the tears could not stop flowing. No longer nostalgic for the motherland, but at this time, I still can't control myself, that's all, let's indulge again tonight, and I will use all my strength to deal with Nan Chu tomorrow. I don’t know if I would have been better today if I hadn’t taken refuge with King Yong.
Xiao Shunzi was a little panicked. For so many years, he had never seen Jiang Zhe so rude. He didn't understand, what else is worth lingering about in Nan Chu. Isn't the son worried that Dayong is better than Nan Chu these days? Why did he agree? After offering advice to Ping Chu, it was so sad.
When Xiao Shunzi was at a loss, suddenly there were footsteps in the distance, Xiao Shunzi was startled, he was very familiar with the footsteps coming, and when he looked up, it turned out that Li Zhi was walking towards this side with the guard. The appearance cannot be seen, Xiao Shunzi was about to help Jiang Zhe to avoid temporarily, his eyes flashed, but he saw that Li Zhi was following Leng Chuan and Duan Lingxiao. However, the two were deaf. After hesitating for a while, Li Zhi walked into Linboting with a smile and said, "Is Suiyun here, but I can't wait any longer?" As soon as he said this, his voice stopped because he saw Jiang Zhe seemed to be drunk while lying on the reclining chair, and muttered in a low voice.
Xiao Shunzi suppressed the worries in his heart and said, "Young Master drank a few more glasses, and he's already drunk. I didn't know Your Majesty was here. Please forgive me."
Li Zhi smiled and said, "I'm too impatient, it's not about Suiyun, that's all, I'm staying overnight in Hanyuan tonight." After that, he sat next to Jiang Zhe, just to see how drunk Jiang Zhe was. , but his eyes flashed, but he saw the tears in Jiang Zhe's eyes, and then Jiang Zhe's drunken words came from his ears. After hearing only two sentences, his expression changed slightly. Under the shock in his heart, he inadvertently looked up at Xiao Shunzi, and found that Xiao Shunzi clenched his fists tightly, and his eyes flashed with a nervous light. Thoughts were going back and forth, but he smiled slightly and said, "Xiao Shunzi, I want to sleep with Suiyun tonight, you can arrange it."
Xiao Shunzi suddenly raised her head with a surprised look on her face.
In the cold garden, the security was heavily guarded tonight. Looking at the dim lights in the bedroom, Xiao Shunzi couldn't help pacing the room. If Li Zhi was not very determined, Jiang Zhe couldn't be intoxicated. He also wanted to avoid this from happening. He was very worried that Jiang Zhe would say something that he shouldn't have said and annoyed Li Zhi. At this time, someone knocked on the door outside, but Xiao Shunzi didn't open the door, but said coldly, "Master Duan, please come in."
The door opened, and it turned out that Duan Lingxiao walked in. He smiled and said, "It's rare to see Li Shun, the evil shadow, when he is so restless."
Xiao Shunzi said coldly, "Just as I didn't expect Eldest Young Master Duan to come with me."
Duan Lingxiao didn't take it seriously: "Duan is staying in Yongdu as a hostage, this is a fact, and Duan does not need to hide it, but today Duan came to see how the Lord of Chu would offer advice to calm Chu and destroy the motherland, which is unexpected. But seeing him use alcohol to relieve his worries, he feels that his trip is worthwhile, but I don't know how Your Majesty will deal with it, presumably this is why you are so uneasy?"
Xiao Shunzi said coldly, "It's none of your business."
Duan Lingxiao said with a smile: "Naturally, it's none of my business, but the fourth brother sent a letter to inquire, I just wanted to take a look for him."
A look of trouble flashed in Xiao Shunzi's eyes, and then he looked at the dim lights in the bedroom, thinking about how to deal with the storm that might come.
In the bedroom, I groaned, although "Ningchun" won't give people a headache after a hangover, but I still feel a little uncomfortable, I really drank too much, I couldn't help but shout: "Little Shunzi, pour me a drink. A cup of tea." I heard the sound of someone walking, and then someone brought a teacup over, I closed my eyes and took a sip, feeling a lot more comfortable, and turned over to go back to sleep. But in the haze, I suddenly felt a little strange. The person who brought the tea moved erratically, and his footsteps were strong and powerful. This was clearly not Xiao Shunzi. I broke out in a cold sweat and got up and said, "Who is there?" In the dim light, only When I saw a man standing with his hands behind his back, when I saw the face of that man, I was so frightened that I immediately lost my sense of drinking. I got up, and even though I was only wearing middle clothes, I got out of bed and bowed down and said, "Chen Jiang Zhe is knocking on His Majesty, please forgive me the rudeness. sin."
Li Zhi stepped forward to pick me up, and sighed, "It's my fault, if you don't want to participate in the Southern Expedition, I don't need to embarrass you."
I was startled, and when I looked up, I found that Li Zhi didn't have an angry expression on his face, and he was wearing a bright yellow shirt, which seemed to be very casual. I didn't know what to say for a while, but Li Zhi had already pulled me to sit on the soft couch, sitting opposite me, and said with emotion, "I remember when I forcibly brought you back to Yongdu in the past, and it was in this mansion that I tried my best. To take you for my own use, the past is vividly remembered, as if it happened yesterday."
At this time, I have calmed down, I must have seen my gaffe Li Zhi, no matter what will happen next, I have already prepared, so I just said lightly: "I also remember, Linboting enjoys the snow and writes poetry. The incident is still fresh in my memory, in the palace of King Yong, the minister has repeatedly failed His Highness's love, forcing His Highness to be in a dilemma."
Li Zhi sighed: "Not only is it in a dilemma, but I have murderous intentions and plan to kill you when you leave."
I was shocked. Although we both monarchs and ministers were well aware of this matter, no one pierced the lantern paper. Unexpectedly, Li Zhi said it today, and felt a bit of a cool breeze in the back of his head. Could it be that Li Zhi was going to count with me? The general ledger, thinking about how many of these things he has done over the years can be counted as the crime of deceiving the king, one can't help but feel ashamed.
Seemingly aware of my uneasiness, Li Zhi smiled and said, "But I finally pulled back from the precipice, so I didn't make a big mistake and left you as a soldier. Over the years, without your advice, I wouldn't be where I am today. In fact, I also think I can't embarrass you because of Pingchu, but in the end, it still embarrassed you. Suiyun, if you really feel reluctant, I promise you to let you go back to the mountain from now on. If you don't want to stay in Yongdu, I will not stop you. Back to the East China Sea."
I was shocked when I heard this, thinking of the old monarch-subject meeting and the events of the dragon and tiger, I couldn't help but feel a surge of emotions. Looking at Li Zhi's tired and sincere face, I finally bowed my head and said: "Your Majesty, why did you say this, Your Majesty will be waiting for you? The thickness of the minister has never been seen in ancient times. Now that the Dayong South Expedition has been blocked, Your Majesty is troubled. How can the minister be able to live in the days of idle clouds and wild cranes. "
Li Zhi was overjoyed when he heard this, and said, "Suiyun really has a good plan, tell me quickly." Then he picked me up again.
The two rulers and ministers looked at each other and smiled, feeling that the grudges they had born a few days ago had vanished.
I sorted out my thoughts and said: "Our army's defeat this time is actually because of the underestimation of the enemy. If we sent a general to attack Huaixi at that time, maybe we would not suffer a disastrous defeat, but the situation is different now, and the military power of Nanchu is in the hands of Lu Can. The Jianghuai line of defense is already impossible.
Dayong and Nanchu faced off in the north and south. The Yangtze River is a natural defense line. It connects Bashu, Jingxiang in the middle, and Wuyue in the east. The upper and lower reaches echo each other. If the Yangtze River is lost, the fall of Southern Chu will only happen in the morning and evening, but now the Yangtze River defense line All under the control of Southern Chu, Southern Chu uses Huainan as the shelter of the Yangtze River, and our army is based on the important town of Huaibei, and the dangers of Jianghuai are shared by both sides. With Lu Can's ability, it is inevitable to arrange heavy troops in Huainan, always watching Huaibei, Your Majesty needs to guard with heavy troops. Huaibei, in this way, the two sides formed a confrontation in Jianghuai.
The predecessors once said, 'Those who want to consolidate the southeast must fight for Jianghan; those who want to see the Central Plains must win Huaisi. If there is Jianghan without Huaisi, the country will be weak; if there is Huaisi without the upper reaches of Jianghan, the country will be in danger. 'In the situation of the world, Jingxiang and Qingzhou are the two wings of Jianghuai, Jingxiang is enough to protect the upper reaches of Jianghan, and Qingzhou is enough to protect the upper reaches of Huaisi. Now that Southern Chu has Jingxiang, it can stick to Jianghuai, but Qingzhou is in my hands, and Southern Chu will not even think about going north to capture the Central Plains. Although our army cannot win, it can guarantee undefeated.
It can be seen from this that if Dayong wants to go south, Jingxiang is the key, and Jingxiang is not lost. Even if our army gets Huainan, it is not safe. It is just an important town in Jingxiang. Nanchu has been operating for many years, it is easy to defend and difficult to attack, and there is Jiangling. , Jiangxia is the foundation, and it is difficult to take Jingxiang. This is also the reason for the repeated Great Yongnan expeditions, often bypassing Jingxiang and entering from Jianghuai, but this way, even if you win for a while, it will not last. And if Jingxiang is in the hands of Nanchu, once Dayong is exhausted, Nanchu can order a great general to go out of Xiangyang to capture Nanyang. Once Nanyang falls into the hands of Nanchu, Huaibei will be in danger. Therefore, if you want to calm down, Xiangyang must be taken. "
Speaking of this, Li Zhi was already nodding his head again and again, but frowned again: "What Suiyun said made my heart suddenly clear, but the danger of Jingxiang is rare in the world. Rong Yuan, who is currently guarding Xiangyang, is the old department of Prince De, and he is familiar with the geography of military aircraft. With him, Xiangyang cannot be taken lightly."
I smiled and said: "Jianghuai and Jingxiang are not desirable, so why not find another way. In the past, His Majesty and Prince De joined forces to attack Shu, not because the old Shu was based on Hanzhong in the north and Sanba in the east, the north could threaten Guanlong, and the east could go smoothly. Go straight down to Jiangling, go straight to the southeast, now I have Hanzhong in Dayong, and Yangping Pass is also in my hands. Why not take Jiameng Pass and leave from the east of Bashu, then the Jianghuai line of defense will be useless. Now Your Majesty always pretends to attack Bashu. A great fighter."
Li Zhi frowned and said: "I also know the importance of Bashu, but I just want to enter Shu from Hanzhong, take a detour to get Jingxiang, Jiamengguan, Fucheng, Chengdu, Bajun, Wanzhou, Kuizhou, all the way down, and there are dangers everywhere. The road is not easy."
I said lightly: "Although Bashu is dangerous everywhere, it is not very difficult if it goes from west to east, and we can also contain the main force of the enemy in the southeast, making Bashu empty, Your Majesty, why not let the Donghai Navy go south, in Dinghai, at the mouth of the Yangtze River. , Daishan, Putuo and other places set up water camps, constantly watching Hangzhou Bay, and if they are a little slack, they will invade the inland along the Yangtze River. In order to protect the safety of the southeastern prefectures and counties, Southern Chu will inevitably place heavy water camps in the land of Wuyue. Come, the forces of Southern Chu are concentrated in Wuyue and Jianghuai, and Bashu in the west is naturally empty, and our army can take advantage of it to enter."
Hearing this, Li Zhi stood up unconsciously, turned his hands behind his back a few times in the room, and said excitedly: "Okay, good strategy, how come I never thought that I could use the water army like this, originally I planned to use Jingxiang, After the land of Huainan, I mobilized all the navies of Dayong to cross the river to fight, but I never thought that I could mobilize the navy of the East China Sea to contain the forces of Southern Chu. In this way, I was dedicated to the enemy, regardless of whether Southern Chu was in Shuzhong, Jingxiang, Wherever Huainan and Wuyue show their flaws, our army can take advantage of it and enter."
I also stood up and said, "Nevertheless, the Jiangnan line of defense is solid after all, if Lu Can chooses a few critical places to defend, our army will be difficult to attack, so we still need to use a plan, no matter how strong the line of defense, if the defenders are flawed , is an opportunity to take advantage of, there is more than Myanmar in Bashu, there is more than success in defense, but not enough progress, only to inherit the remaining prestige of the Lu family, not enough to be afraid of, once there is a change in the Southern Chu Dynasty, there will definitely be a gap in Bashu, Gurong Tuzhi, Xiangfan Rongyuan, Although he has talent and knowledge, it is a pity that he is narrow-minded. This time, Lu Can has made extraordinary achievements, but he is hard at Xiangfan, and he will inevitably feel dissatisfaction in his heart. Taking advantage of this, even if Xiangfan cannot be captured in one fell swoop, it can destroy the main force of Xiangfan and make Rong Yuan no longer able to support Jianghuai. Huaixi Shiguan, who has made great contributions this time, must be regarded as a party of the Lu clan, if the Lu clan loses , this person will definitely be implicated. Although Lu Can is in control of the military now, the government is still in the hands of Shang Weijun, and the lord of Southern Chu is about to take the lead. It is known that Zhao Long can be mediocre, and he will definitely be used by the Shang clan to deal with Lu Can. Although Lu Can is a loyal person, he is not pedantic. In order to preserve the fighting strength of Southern Chu, he will inevitably do something that dissatisfies Zhao Long and the Shang clan. , but the changes are unpredictable, and it needs to be managed carefully.”
Li Zhi nodded again and again: "Suiyun has always made plans and then moves, and the details do not need to be detailed. I have decided to set up Jiangnan Xingyuan, make King Qi as the commander, supervise the army's southern march, and follow the army's counselor, I don't know what Qing will do. ?"
I said calmly: "I dare not obey, but it's just that Your Majesty might as well make His Royal Highness the Prince's Deputy Commander. The Governor-General will pay for all the affairs. One is to share the worries of King Qi, and the other is to train the Prince."
A light flashed in Li Zhi's eyes, and Jiang Zhe's hidden worries were relieved, and he couldn't help laughing: "Alright, back then, my sixth brother and I both joined the army, and Jun'er is now sixteen years old, so it's time to experience it, it's Lin'er. , you might as well go out with the army. After a few years, there will be another general in the DPRK. I heard that Nanchu Lu Yun and Shi Yujin are both thirteen or fourteen-year-old boys, but they can kill me. , I think Jun'er and Lin'er will not be inferior to them."
My face changed slightly, and I bowed to the tunnel and said, "This minister is guilty of capital punishment, let Lu Yun be freed, and ask Your Majesty to punish him."
Li Zhi shook his head and said, "It's not a big deal, I heard Jun'er say it, I am a savage general like a cloud, do I still fear a child, even if Nan Chu is pacified in the future, if you want to save someone, just make peace with you. I say so."
I said sadly: "Your Majesty's friendship, the minister's heart is the one, but the Lu family's loyalty and righteousness, the minister has long been aware of it, and it may be difficult to preserve it."
Li Zhi also sighed, it was still dark outside the window, Li Zhi and I were under the light, discussing Ping Chu's various strategies in detail, unaware of the passage of time. gas.
I don't know when, the conversation between Li Zhi and I has not faded away, and the east is turning white outside the window. Song Wan came in and urged Li Zhi to return to the palace. Li Zhi smiled while dressing: "Suiyun, I remember when I used to enjoy snow and write poems, Suiyun was surprised. Four, now the snow is blowing outside the window, why don't you write a poem to express your feelings."
At this moment, my mood is suddenly bright, and I just feel that it is like weaving flying snow with a hint of spring. Washing, I suddenly recalled the clear river water and saw the sand. At night, I heard the sparseness and denseness, and I saw the whole slanting and slanting. ” (Note 1)
Li Zhi slapped his palms and said, "It's a good one, 'The night listens to the sparseness and the denseness, and the morning looks at the whole complex and slanting', I also have a poem to sing the snow." After speaking, he pushed open the door, walked into the garden, and said aloud: "Wu Ding Fight against Yunni with a sword, and take the Emperor Jiji under the Tianhe River. After the battle, three million jade dragons will fly all over the sky.” (Note 2)
After listening to it, I couldn't help but say loudly: "Your Majesty's poem is heroic and heroic, a hundred times better than that of a minister."
Li Zhi laughed loudly and walked away on the snow. The guards and servants who were already serving outside hurriedly chased after him. Only Duan Lingxiao was still standing in front of the window, looking at Li Zhi's back, and said, "If it weren't for such outstanding people, how could he control such a genius as Jiang Suiyun? Duan will only know today that our defeat is a matter of course." Behind him, Xiao Shunzi Slightly snorted, turned around and left the room, and went to serve Jiang Zhe.
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Note 1: Huang Tingjian's "Song of Snow"
Note 2: Zhang Yuan's "Snow"