After Sheng Le made a fuss, he finally made the final decision: to send a second group of envoys to Pingyang to win the support of the Jin people.
The envoy, with one man and five horses, set off from Shengle, braved the severe cold, worked hard, and arrived at Caochengchuan in a few days.
After seeing the Jin people building a city on the plateau, they were greatly surprised.
It seems that someone mentioned it before, but everything was complicated and it was finally forgotten...
Naturally, they were stopped by patrolling cavalry.
Helanugen didn't say much. He only sent someone to negotiate with him, and then he was led outside Zhelu City and put under guard.
Helanugen was not impatient at all. When he went on missions to other tribes or other countries, did he always have a good face? He was used to it.
He is more concerned about the existence of the city itself.
It doesn't seem like it's directly blocking the road, but it's right next to the road, commanding you. Once the large group of people passes by, they can jump out and harass your fragile retreat.
There was actually a tribe here before, but Helanugen forgot which one it was because it was too far away.
He only knew that the tribe here had taken refuge with the Qi family and his son, and seemed to have been transferred away.
This is one of the direct consequences of the civil war.
If they had enough troops, the Jin people would have attacked them in large numbers when they were building the city. Now that the city has been built, it's too late to say anything.
"It can threaten Pingcheng, and it can also threaten Shengle!" In the biting cold wind, Helanugen stamped his feet and breathed in the heat. His heart seemed to be colder than his body.
One of the attendants knocked the city wall with the hilt of a knife, listened to the sound again, and said, "It's quite thick."
Helan Nugen glanced at the loess wall and said nothing.
Jin people like to build cities.
Wherever the city is built, it is pushed forward. If the soldiers in the city have the ability to fight in the field, then the land is really occupied.
After the spring of next year, the possibility of a battle between them and Qi's mother and son is not small. When all the dust settles, the Jin people may have advanced to Pingcheng.
What to do next? There seems to be no good solution.
People in the world only care about the present. They may consider long-term things, but sometimes there is really nothing they can do.
Helanugen once imagined that after the Qi family killed Yu Lu, they would stay in Yixin Mountain, and the Wang family would not choose to escape back to Guangning, but would hide Tuoba Shiyiqian.
If Qi cannot be found, what will happen?
Probably He Li was crowned queen and could not convince the crowd. He was frightened in Shengle and could not wait to flee eastward to Pingcheng or Dongmugen Mountain.
But he would not cause trouble for the Wang family in Guangning for a while, let alone go to the Helan tribe north of Yinshan Mountain to cause trouble. At most, he would ask them to hand over Tuoba Yihuai.
This is fruitless, and it is likely to end with He Li's downfall - there is a high probability that he will not fall alive, but will probably be killed, and then find another reason, such as dying of fear, to make it more dignified.
At that time, could Yi Huai be made the master without using any weapons?
The biggest advantage of doing this is that there will be no civil war and the country will not be divided.
But there are no ifs in the world.
Helanugen kicked the city wall bitterly, and the people who ordered the city to be built were holding back their bad feelings.
In the evening, Nugen and others were allowed to enter the city to rest. After staying like this for several days, they finally received the news that they could continue their journey, and people from Chalukeng City were sent to escort them along the way to Xiurong County.
****
Just when Helanugen and others arrived at Xiurong County and were waiting for the next batch of people to escort them, he received a message: Xialuo City had been breached.
This information is not accurate because it was mentioned by a county official who received him.
This is outrageous! Where did the county official hear this?
Well, outside a house diagonally opposite, a large group of Wuhuan soldiers were squatting feebly under the wall, basking in the sun on a rare sunny day.
In the courtyard, a voice came faintly: "Cry! You must cry! Cry so plainly that your blood will flow. This will have a miraculous effect."
"cry?"
"Madam, have you heard the story of Shen Baoxu crying at Qin Ting?"
"Yes. The Kou family of Changping is good at Zuo's Spring and Autumn Annals. I have read their books."
"Shen Baoxu cried at the Qin court for seven days. Duke Ai felt his sincerity and finally decided to send troops to restore the Chu state. Now Guangning has been lost, but the remaining two and three counties of Daijun are trying to maintain it, and tens of thousands of old, weak, women and children have fled.
The State of Jin is crying for food, but in Youzhou, the governor of Hebei Province does not release food. If Madam can beg for reinforcements at the Zhengdan Festival, the situation will definitely be reversed."
There was silence within the wall. After a long time, a woman sighed quietly and said, "Both counties have been defeated. Even if we beg for reinforcements, what can we do?"
"Madam, you are wrong. There are still many loyal and brave people in the two counties. They surrendered to the thieves for the time being, but they just bowed down and endured it. Once the situation changes drastically, for example, if the Jin army defeats the Qi family, they will change their minds anyway and support Shi Yijian as the main force.
.”
"These wallflowers, even if they gain their allegiance, what's the use..."
This sentence really kills me.
After a moment, there was only a "creak" sound, and the courtyard door was opened. A man who looked like a middle-aged scribe walked out and went straight to the county government office not far away.
In the courtyard, a tall woman stood under a bare tree with a sad look on her face.
After Yu Wenqiu Buqin sent troops, most of the Jin people retreated.
The Wang family was unable to support itself and had lost Xialuo. Currently, only Daixian and Pingshu are left, with the latter still in the hands of the Wei family.
Nowadays, there are too many people who have taken refuge in Fanyang, Changshan, Zhongshan, and Shanggu counties. They include the strong and strong who have suffered defeat, as well as the old and weak, women and children. The cattle, sheep and food brought there can save them for a while, but they cannot save them forever.
The most critical thing now is to protect these tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians from freezing and starving to death.
Otherwise, the Wang family is finished, and so is Shiyiqian.
But, are Jin people easy to talk to?
In the era of Duke Aigong of Qin, it was still possible to speak righteously, perhaps without asking for anything in return, but is it possible now?
But their mother and son, the Wang family of Guangning, had no choice but to go to Pingyang to congratulate him as the monarch of a foreign vassal, hoping that the man would be a little heroic and generous enough to send troops to help Shi Yiqian regain his country.
As for the price she would have to pay, she probably knew that it was nothing more than letting Shi Yiqian become his puppet.
But it's better to be a puppet than to be a lonely ghost.
Furthermore, as long as the rightful name is established, when Shi Yiqian grows up and gains the loyalty of more and more tribal adults, he may not need to continue to be a puppet.
Nothing has come to the worst yet, there is still a chance for everything.
After withdrawing her thoughts, Ms. Wang sighed softly and subconsciously glanced outside the courtyard door. It was nothing at first, but gradually, her eyes became focused.
Where did the gang of fair-haired knights opposite come from?
Mrs. Wang quietly took a few steps forward and looked from behind the door. Isn't that Helan's kind nephew Nugen? He used to often appear in Shengle to help Helan's department with everything.
Nugen even gave himself a gift and asked her to blow some wind in Yulu's ears and help them solve the problem of the ownership of Nuozhen Water Branch (Tengner Lake).
What is he here to do?
Wang didn't dare to think any further. In fact, the answer was obvious, wasn't it?
The Wang family in Guangning lost most of the land in the two counties, but Helan Aitou entered Shengle with great momentum. If the Liang King wanted to choose a gang, would he really prefer Yijian?
Wang slowly covered her face.
Shi Yiqian had no capital, and she had no capital either.
Perhaps, the fate of Shi Yiqian and the Wang family of Guangning has already been decided.
****
The two missions stopped and went, almost arriving in Pingyang at the end of the year.
The north of Pingyang is full of flat farmland, filled with lush wheat seedlings.
Some majestic warriors called their friends, laughed and rode past, returning from the mountains, with many prey hanging under the saddles.
On the Fenshui River, there are bold children playing on the ice, extremely happy.
Outside Daxia Gate, oxcarts loaded with winter vegetables almost filled the city gate.
Everywhere is full of people leisurely waiting for the New Year.
There is a strong festive atmosphere everywhere.
There is an aura of abundance everywhere.
After waiting for a long time, Wang's carriage finally entered the city.
The curtains of the car were closed tightly, and Shi Yijian was crying in her arms. Wang hurriedly comforted her. She didn't know how long she walked before she finally stopped.
What followed was endless negotiations and even quarrels.
Wang listened silently, and it seemed that the guest house of Honglu Temple in Liang Guo was already full of people, and the inns inside and outside the city were also crowded with officials from other places who came to attend the Zhengdan Dynasty greetings.
Negotiations yielded no results.
Not long after, the carriage started again.
An official from Honglu Temple led the way, and after twists and turns, they were brought to a relatively quiet mansion.
The accompanying guards were taken to be resettled outside the city, and only a few maids were allowed to stay.
After the carriage stopped, Wang Chang, the family commander, reported outside: "Madam, for the next ten days, I can only live in this mansion."
"Where is this?" Mrs. Wang got off the carriage with her child in her arms, looked up and asked.
"This is the residence of Cheng Xia, the general of the Jin State and the shogunate's supervisor." Wang Chang replied: "Cheng's supervisor went to Xuzhou for business and will not be able to come back until the next year. There are only Cheng's female relatives in the house, so it is more convenient."
"Yes." Mrs. Wang nodded and said, "Prepare a gift to disturb the Cheng family."
"What is the etiquette?"
"Pick up some rare mink and fox furs."
"As commanded."
After entering the Cheng Mansion, Wang suddenly asked: "Will King Liang summon you in advance?"
Wang Chang pondered for a moment, looked at the Honglu Temple official who was talking to the Cheng family's mistress, and said in a low voice: "I just asked the guest house official to find out. Prince Liang came to Cheng Mansion before, and he might come in person.
here."
"Why did Prince Liang come to Cheng Mansion?" Wang asked curiously.
Wang Chang shook his head and said, "I don't know about that."
After thinking for a while, he added: "I heard that Cheng Xia was demoted by Shi Le. He is flattering, flattering, and very shameless. His reputation in Yecheng, Bianliang, and Pingyang is not good. Cheng Xia's sister is Shi Le's concubine. Over the years,
I have been living alone at home, and I don’t know why.”
Wang's face turned red when she heard this.
Wang Chang's words were very explicit, and he almost pointed at Cheng Xia and said that he sold his sister for glory.
"Let's go see where we live first," Wang said.
"Okay." Wang Chang responded, then walked a few steps quickly and caught up with the order from the guest house of Honglu Temple.
Shi Yijian fluttered in Wang's arms.
Wang understood and let him go.
The child stared with big eyes and stopped crying. He just stared at the trees and houses in the courtyard, as if the scenery of the Central Plains particularly attracted him.
Seeing him like that, Wang didn't know what she was thinking of, and her mood suddenly became very low.
Shiyiqian, Shiyiqian, if you have bad luck, you may have to live here forever.
Chapter completed!