"Your Majesty's words make me feel helpless. I am a stupid and ignorant person. If I have committed any crime, please show me your Majesty's mercy."
"You are young, but you are very brave."
The man said calmly.
Pei Xiaoyuan did not respond, but bowed his head and waited.
"Are you dissatisfied with the post-war evaluation three years ago?" he heard the voice ask.
The founding of this dynasty has been over a hundred years. A few decades ago, the neighboring country Xifan rose up and became a strong enemy of this dynasty, with wars and peace. In the great turmoil of that year, the rebels colluded with Xifan inside and outside, and the court was completely unprepared, so even the capital fell in a short period of time.
After the rebellion was quelled, the saint behind the screen ascended the throne and devoted himself to recuperating and restoring the country. For a long time, the harassment of the border by Xifan was not only continuous, but even more rampant than before, and the court had been forbearing until three years ago, when Xifan once again tore up the peace treaty and invaded the western border, and the saint issued an edict to fight back.
That war was a ten-year battle, with all the forces working together. In addition to the imperial army and grassland nobles loyal to the imperial court, such as Chengping Zhifu, there was also Xiping Jiedushi Xiping Junwang Yuwen Shouren, who had played a great role in protecting the emperor during the turmoil, and his son Yuwen Qing, who also sent troops to help.
Yuwen Qing was so proud of his achievements in the palace that he ignored Linghu Gong, the deputy commander of the army. After a few smooth battles, he became even more arrogant. In a large-scale battle, he thought he could win by himself. In order to win the first victory, he ignored the pre-arranged encirclement strategy and launched an attack without waiting for the Taiping army to reach the battle position. As a result, he not only failed, but also exposed the position of Taiping's army, which attracted the siege of enemy forces several times larger than his own. The situation was extremely critical.
At this time, Yuwen Qing, who should have been closest to him, rushed to rescue him, but he was worried that he would lose his troops again if he lost the battle, so he intended to retreat. At that time, He Jin was sent to coordinate with him temporarily. He Jin tried to stop the retreat, but Yuwen Qing thought it was a humiliation to him and stabbed He Jin with his sword. He Jin was a strong-willed person and would rather die than let him go. Yuwen Qing was furious and was about to kill him, but Pei Xiaoyuan arrived and stopped him, cutting off Yuwen Qing's sword, causing Yuwen Qing to fall off his horse. When he landed, he was stabbed by the broken sword in his hand, which pierced his chest.
The situation was chaotic at the time, and Yuwen Qing was carried away for treatment. Pei Xiaoyuan killed another trusted general of Yuwen Qing who resisted most fiercely on the spot, and then subdued several other generals and temporarily took over the Xiping Army. After all, there were also passionate men in the Xiping Army. They were dissatisfied with Yuwen Qing's command, and were shocked by Pei Xiaoyuan. They obeyed his orders and fought together. Under his command, they finally repelled the enemy and avoided a tragic defeat that could have turned the tide of the war. Pei Xiaoyuan, who was only 20 years old at the time, also gained a great prestige in the army because of this battle, and his reputation spread far and wide.
Yuwen Qing's wound that day was not fatal, and it had healed after a few days of rest. However, he was still angry and did not follow the doctor's advice and drank excessively, causing the wound to fester. On the way back to the city for medical treatment, the pus attacked his heart and he died on the way.
The death of Yuwen Qing caused quite a stir at the time. Pei Xiaoyuan, as the person directly involved, was identified as the culprit by the people in the Prince's Mansion, and they clamored to avenge the prince. This naturally aroused the dissatisfaction of other soldiers, and the two sides were on the verge of a war.