Chen Guo, Jiankang.
Chen Xu sat in the main hall, looking at the battle report placed in front of him, and was speechless for a long time.
Several ministers were sitting in front of him, with smiles on their faces.
Almost all ministers in Chen State opposed sending troops.
Liu Shizhi was one of the leaders.
The pressure faced by Chen Xu was actually quite high, and he was anxious to see results.
After the three armies went out, the results were indeed good. Wu Mingche captured Jiangpu and then besieged Qinzhou. Huang Fashu defeated the enemy many times and captured Liyang. The next step was to capture Hefei.
Veteran general Xu Du also reported frequent successes here, taking two cities in succession and repelling Lou Rui twice.
With this series of victories, these opponents in the DPRK gradually shut up and pretended to be ignorant.
Who would have thought that just when the situation was great and the Northern Expedition was about to be successful, Wu Mingche suddenly wrote a letter saying that General Liu Taozi of Qi State had probably rushed to the south and had burned his food and grass, hoping that the temple could distribute it again.
Chen Xu clearly ordered the news to be blocked, but for some reason, not even a day had passed before the entire Jiankang community was discussing this matter.
Zhongshutai is no longer reliable now.
Chen Xu had just taken office and could not fully control all ministries.
Sure enough, before dawn today, these ministers took the memorial and forcibly broke through the soldiers and came to Chen Xu.
There are many similarities between the north and the south, but they are also very different.
Because the south has a system that has been inherited from one continuous line, it has always regarded itself as the orthodoxy of the world. Unfortunately, the unification inherited by these people is a little off. What they inherited is "our great Jin".
Sima Yan, Emperor Wu of the Jin Dynasty, was famous for his generosity. Among the founding emperors of the past dynasties, it would be difficult to find anyone more lenient than him.
Therefore, the social atmosphere in the Southern Dynasties was more relaxed than that in the north, and the treatment of scholar-bureaucrats was better. In the north, the barbarians were in power, but no matter what clan you were, they would be slaughtered at will, just like Dugu Qi harmed Zhen.
But there are rules in the south, and the emperor cannot act arbitrarily against these scholar-officials without justifiable reasons.
Therefore, among the scholar-bureaucrats here, there are obviously more people who dare to make criticisms than those in the north. They even regard this as a way to become famous.
Just like Yuan Shu sitting aside.
This man was commented on by celebrities when he was very young and became famous. Later, after his father died, he always kept filial piety for his father and was called a filial son.
Then he became an official and became the current minister Zuopushe.
It sounded very familiar, and when I thought about it carefully, it turned out to be damn orthodox!!
Even the first and last names are so orthodox!
There was also Kong Huan who glared at Chen Xu angrily. This man of perfect morality had an excellent reputation and was indeed a good person. But when Hou Jing came over, Hou Jing’s men had captured Kong Huan and then
Let him do things for himself, Kong Huan said to others: How can one be charming, cruel and ugly in order to achieve perfection?
But did he do anything for "Xie Chou"?
Of course we did.
Many famous people in the Southern Kingdom value reputation above all else. Regardless of how many talents they have, they must have enough pomp and momentum anyway.
Liu Shizhi saluted Chen Xu and said: "Your Majesty, we have reported this very early, hoping that your Majesty can temporarily stop attacking Beihu."
"The country has just been pacified. Although there is plenty of food and grass, it cannot support such a huge force for long-term fighting. Wu Mingche took away so much food, but it was destroyed by the enemy in vain."
"Let us send food again."
"With an army of more than 100,000 people, how much food will they consume? If this continues, famine will break out in the country. Nowadays, almost all the country's money and food are spent on the front line. This is wrong."
"There are many more important things at home"
Chen Xu lowered his face and said, "For example, use it to revise classics??"
Several ministers were stunned, and Kong Huan said slowly: "Classics cannot be underestimated."
"But classics cannot be used to defeat the enemy."
Chen Xu said loudly: "The current situation is already very clear. Xu Du defeated Lou Rui twice, and Huang Fazhu defeated the Yangzhou Xingtai army. Wu Mingche surrounded the enemy in the city. It is enough to see that our army is very powerful."
We are strong, but the enemy is at its weakest and cannot fight with us at all. What's more, the army has already set off. If we call back at this moment, how will our previous expenditure be calculated?"
Liu Shizhi said: "Your Majesty, if the situation is as smooth as you said, how could Wu Mingche have his food and grass destroyed?"
"I heard that Dugu Qi, the Hu general who harmed Zhen, was cruel, fond of cannibals, fierce in battle, and unrivaled. In Hebei, he defeated many with less for many years. He once killed the Turkic Khan and also killed Yang Zhong, the famous general of the Zhou Dynasty.
, drove straight in with thousands of people, and almost captured Chang'an!"
"Now that this person is on the other side, how can we feel at ease?!"
Hearing what Liu Shizhi said, Chen Xu was very angry. He would have dismissed these people as well.
After he took office, he dismissed many old ministers, but only the top ones could not be moved because he could not find anyone among his own people who could reasonably replace them.
This group of people don’t understand war at all, and they all have different ideas. Many people are afraid of delaying their own business, and many people think that war is bad and not good for the country. Some people think that temples use money for war.
It will prevent them from making money from it.
There are all kinds of reasons, but no one considers the overall situation in the future.
Chen Xu's teeth were itching with anger, but he couldn't show it.
He said calmly: "Mr. Liu, don't be afraid. Dugu Qi is really a troublemaker. He can't get over it. Our navy is all over the river. No one can get over it."
"Besides, the number of cavalry under his command will not exceed 3,000."
"You are all a little too worried!"
Several people were about to start playing, but Chen Xu suddenly stood up and said, "I'm too tired, too tired. Let's just come here today and talk about it tomorrow!"
He waved his hand and turned around and left regardless of these people's reactions.
Several ministers looked at each other, Liu Shizhi's eyes were a little unhappy, and he whispered: "Emperor Wen should not violate etiquette."
Several people around him were a little shocked and did not dare to answer the question.
Liu Shizhi narrowed his eyes, not knowing what he was thinking.
After returning to the palace, Chen Xu could finally relax. He put on his obscene clothes, sat directly on the bed, and breathed a long sigh of relief.
If these thieves listen to them in state affairs, the country will be doomed sooner or later!
He rubbed his forehead and began to think again.
In fact, he was a little panicked about Liu Taozi. He still remembered how confident and arrogant the envoy was when he mentioned Liu Taozi's name when Qi State sent an envoy.
Even his brother once spoke highly of this man and thought Liu Taozi was a famous general in the world.
He was a little worried. The generals under his command had been fighting against the Qi people in the south. They had never encountered the cavalry from the north. Nothing would happen this time, right?
I hope Wu Mingche can defeat Liu Taozi and not be defeated again.
If he fails again, these people in the country will not be able to suppress him.
Just when Chen Xu was worried, the important ministers in the country left the palace. Outside the palace, there were many ministers waiting for the news.
When they learned that the emperor had not listened to his advice, these people were particularly angry.
The roads in Jiankang are clean and tidy, and you can see scholars sitting on carriages everywhere. Their clothes are different from those in the north.
Traveling south in clothes.
They kept their clothes and hats, but they only kept their clothes and hats.
There are many Buddhist temples in the city.
Golden Buddha statues stood all over the city. Scholars came in and out, chatting and laughing with the great monks.
Splendid mansions are located around the city center.
But in the outermost circle against the city wall, there lived a group of people that no one could see. They could not enter the center of the city, and they could not go to the inner city to worship Buddha. The four walls were closed to the wind on three sides.
Qi'an City.
On the city wall, soldiers patrolled back and forth.
Although the city has not been attacked by the enemy, it is already in dilapidated condition. The moment the army enters the city, whether it is the enemy's or your own, the nightmare of the people in the city begins.
Within the official office.
Lou Rui gasped and looked angrily at the officers on the left and right.
Lou Rui was wearing armor and his face turned red.
He actually lost to the opponent twice.
Although the opponent failed to cause him too many casualties, they were able to repel him.
Lou Rui thought over and over again and decided to use the weaker Xu Du to operate. The result was this situation. He was repelled twice and lost his face.
If he met Wu Mingche, would his head have been sent to Jiankang?
Lou Rui didn't dare to think about this issue in detail.
He had a straight face and looked gloomily at the soldiers on his left and right.
"Everyone, many of you are the elites of Yecheng. How can you face an old man but fail to break through their formation many times?!"
"How long has it been since then? Why did it become like this?"
He looked at the officers, these fierce generals from Yecheng, all of them had big bellies and shiny faces at the moment.
Some people couldn't even put on their armor.
This elite group that Lou Rui is proud of has changed in just over a year.
This is not only true for officers, but also for knights. They are no longer so brave, no longer so strong, and no longer so agile.
The officers couldn't help but lower their heads when they heard Lou Rui's question.
Lou Rui became even more angry.
"Look at you people!"
"After one year, it has become like this. I don't know how to restrain the troops under my command. They eat, drink and have fun all day long. Some even have more than a hundred concubines. Just like this, can you still maintain combat effectiveness?"
"Look at the troops under your command, they are all imitating you! Damn it! You can barely ride a horse, and you still have the nerve to call yourself the elite of Ye City?!"
"What on earth do you want to do?!"
The officers looked at each other, and one of them stood up and said in a low voice: "Your Majesty, weren't we fighting for years just to enjoy wealth?"
"Fart! Who said this?"
Lou Rui was stunned for a moment, and his anger gradually disappeared.
He was silent for a long time, unable to say a word.
It was he who did not watch these people train, it was he who allowed the officers to have fun, and it was he who sent the soldiers to run errands and do business for him.
Is I the culprit who caused all this now?
Lou Rui was suddenly a little surprised.
He looked at the officers in front of him, and for a moment, he actually saw his own shadow on their faces.
This made Lou Rui panic instantly.
"No, no."
He stood up, and the officers looked at him suspiciously.
"Get out! Get out, everyone!"
Lou Rui waved his hand, and the officers lowered their heads and had no choice but to walk out one by one. Lou Rui slumped down in his seat, his thoughts extremely confused.
Soon, Lou Ziyan quickly walked into the official office, holding a document.
"Father!!"
"Great news!"
“This is really great news!!”
Lou Rui looked at his son, "What?"
Lou Ziyan said excitedly: "The general is here. He came with his cavalry and killed the two Chen generals. He defeated the generals of Wu Mingche and Huang Fashi one after another, and even destroyed Wu Mingche's food and grass!"
Lou Rui's eyes lit up, "Taozi? Taozi is here?"
"Yes, Father! We are saved!"
Hearing this sentence, Lou Rui's face changed drastically and he pushed his son away in front of him. Lou Ziyan lost his balance and fell to the ground.
"What does it mean to be saved?! If it weren't for him, would I have died here?!"
"Can't I defeat Xu Du? Can't I defeat Huang Fazhu?"
Lou Rui suddenly became excited, "I have been with my uncle since I was ten years old. I was able to ride a horse and fight at the age of fourteen. I became a general before I was twenty. I participated in so many battles and defeated many.
"Famous General Me"
Lou Ziyan sat on the ground, watching Lou Rui vent, looking at him in horror.
Lou Rui said this excitedly, then suddenly stopped and slumped down in his position again.
"How did I become like this? Even Xu Du couldn't defeat so many elites. Under my command, they were turned into useless people. I"
"How did I become so incompetent?"
Lou Ziyan stood up slowly, "Father, the enemy has many armies, and most of the local generals have surrendered to the enemy. They are familiar with us. This is not your fault."
Lou Rui fell into silence again, and Lou Ziyan did not dare to persuade him any more.
After a long time, Lou Rui seemed to have recovered. He looked at Lou Ziyan, "Just now, are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
"That's good."
"You're right. Taozi is here, so I can rest easy. Taozi is the number one general in Daqi. Can someone like Wu Mingche still be his opponent?"
"The southerners are weak and have never been a match for the northerners. Hou Jing, who was in the north, was beaten by us and ran around. He led hundreds of people to the south, but he killed the emperor and almost bulldozed the entire southern kingdom.
.”
"This is the difference between north and south!"
"These people in the south like to dress up. Generals are not like generals. They want to put flowers in their hair and put powder on their hair. I hate such people the most."
"Just watch, these people will die in Taozi's hands sooner or later!"
Lou Rui pondered for a moment and then said: "However, Tao Zi has few soldiers. I'm afraid he will be attacked from both sides. Let's do this. We won't fight Xu Du. We will feign an attack to threaten Huang Fashi so that he does not dare to lead his troops easily.
Go attack Taozi."
"I can still withstand it. As long as I buy Taozi enough time, he can defeat them separately!"
Lou Rui looked at the wine bottle on the side, suddenly grabbed it, and smashed it into pieces.
"From today on, alcohol and sex are prohibited in the army. All officers and men are not allowed to have fun. The entire army is practicing to hone their formations. Anyone who dares to disobey will be beheaded!!!"
Jiangpu.
Wu Mingche's tens of thousands of troops were stationed here. The camps were connected to each other and surrounded the city. The scale was actually much larger than the city.
With an army of more than 50,000 people, plus auxiliary troops and temporarily recruited civilians, it can be described as a mighty force.
Jiankang sent a letter, which was personally written by the emperor.
Chen Xu expressed his understanding to Wu Mingche. After all, no one expected that Liu Taozi would suddenly appear here. He hoped that Wu Mingche would not blame himself for a failure. He would find a way to deliver the food and supplies as soon as possible, and also advised him not to feel any pressure.
, I hope I can go all out.
After reading the letter, Wu Mingche was speechless for a long time.
He picked up the map again and began to read it.
Following the latest news, Liu Taozi is about to meet Lou Rui.
Lou Rui's troops have already begun to relocate, and Huang Fashu is sending people to various places to block the rendezvous between the two.
Wu Mingche felt that if Liu Taozi and Lou Rui were to join together, it would be best if everyone could join together and defeat them with superior strength.
Just when Wu Mingche was looking at the map.
"Boom~~~"
There was a loud noise outside.
The whole ground began to tremble, as if hundreds of thousands of troops were charging in. The candle on the table fell suddenly, almost burning Wu Mingche.
Wu Mingche quickly stood up and walked to the door.
"What happened?!"
"General!!"
Chapter completed!