There was a commotion and whispers in the crowd. The civil servants looked at the leaving figure of His Majesty the Emperor. Some wanted to get up and say something, but in the end they were unable to say anything.
Although no one was willing to accept that this important economic extension had ended, His Majesty the Emperor did not default on his debt after all.
Since I can make up for it in the next few days, everything will be fine.
Taking this opportunity, Qin Hui also began to evacuate the officials present and asked them to go back to the Yamen respectively, so as not to cause any further disturbances if they stayed here.
When the work was almost completed, another eunuch ran out of the Wenhua Palace.
"Prime Minister Qin, Your Majesty invites you to come in."
Qin Hui nodded without surprise: "I know the truth."
The eunuch breathed a sigh of relief, and did not lead Qin Hui in. Instead, he turned around and ran outside. His Majesty the Emperor did not just pass on Qin Xiang...
At the same time, in the Wenhua Hall ahead.
Li Qian sat behind the royal eucalyptus, looking at the military report on the table with a solemn expression.
Although he already knew the content above, he still read it word by word. After a long time, he took a long breath, raised his head and leaned on the chair.
There were only three people in the hall. The old eunuch stood beside Li Qian, while Li Jing always stood below.
Li Qian raised his head just to sort out his chaotic thoughts, but accidentally saw Li Jing's pale face.
At this time, his nervousness was slightly relieved, but doubts could not help but arise in his heart.
Is it possible that Li Jing's psychological quality is worse than mine?
Light filtered in from the floating flower windows on the side of the hall, illuminating the dust floating in the air and allowing Li Qian to clearly see the details on Li Jing's face.
This bad complexion doesn’t look like he was frightened...
"Li Sima, are you feeling ill?"
Li Qian looked at Li Jing in confusion. At such a critical moment, the imperial court's Minister of War turned out to be like this? This is not good news.
Li Jing hesitated for a moment, then cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I just felt cold occasionally, it's nothing serious."
Li Qian listened to his hoarse voice, opened his mouth, and finally said: "Da Sima, go and sit next to me first. After today's discussion, I will ask the imperial doctor to help you with your treatment."
If it were normal times, he might give Li Jing a few days off to let him rest and recuperate.
But at this critical juncture, how could the imperial court do without him, the Minister of War?
Even if Li Qian asks him to go back, I'm afraid Li Jing will not leave.
Sure enough, after hearing His Majesty the Emperor's words, Li Jing breathed a sigh of relief: "Thank you, Your Majesty." Then he came to the side and sat down.
The old eunuch followed Li Qian's instructions and brought him a bowl of hot soup.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." As soon as Li Jing thanked him, Qin Hui walked in from outside: "I see your Majesty."
While saluting, he glanced at Li Jing next to him out of the corner of his eye, with a bit of surprise in his eyes.
Now Li Jing felt a little uncomfortable and wanted to stand up.
"Is Prime Minister Qin here too?"
Li Qian took in everything below him: "Just sit down."
Then the old eunuch served Qin Hui a cup of hot soup.
Qin Hui looked at the tea soup in front of him, then turned to look at the tea soup in front of Li Jing, then he cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
After Qin Hui, ministers came in one after another from the door of the palace, including six ministers, Wei Zheng, Cai Jing, Guan Peng, Wang Danwang, two ministers, Li Yuan, Zhao Kuangyin, Yang Jian and others...
After everyone arrived, eunuchs closed the palace doors one by one at the back.
The light in the palace was a little dim. The officials sat on both sides according to the order of civil and military. For a while, no one spoke, and everyone looked at His Majesty the Emperor quietly.
Li Qian looked around and then handed the military newspaper to the old eunuch beside him.
"Read it to all your lords."
Originally this was the job of Li Jing, the Minister of War, but now that he looked half-dead, Li Qian asked Wei Zhongxian to read it for him.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The old eunuch took the military report respectfully, with a very serious face.
"On the tenth day of April, Dingyongguan received the report..."
The eunuch's voice was sharp and hoarse, which made people subconsciously feel uncomfortable.
But none of the adults present interrupted him, they just silently digested the information in this military report.
After listening to each sentence, the atmosphere in the palace became heavier.
First, the Jin Kingdom mobilized troops to raid a small pass at the forefront. This was not a strange thing. That kind of small pass was originally located in the far north. It was not surprising that it changed hands four or five times a year.
As long as the defense at the back is okay.
But the most important thing is that the Jin Kingdom's offensive did not stop there, and it is not clear where they suddenly mobilized hundreds of thousands of troops and marched all the way!
The important fortress that could usually stop these people was overwhelmingly defeated this time!
In fact, many adults probably know the reason. In fact, the enemy appeared too quickly and suddenly this time!
Those large and small gate defenses didn't even have time to prepare. A huge number of enemy troops rushed to the city, and then they were submerged among hundreds of thousands of golden soldiers.
At this time, other frontier fortresses may not know the news, so how could they send people to support them?
The old eunuch continued to read in as calm a tone as possible: "...One hundred thousand fine cavalry besieged the city, 20,000 infantrymen came behind, and after half a day another 40,000 were added..."
Hearing this, the hearts of many ministers sank.
With so many troops at once, the Jin Kingdom’s plot this time is definitely not small!
and……
What happens next?
The old eunuch raised his eyes and glanced at these people, and then continued: "...On the 13th, Dingyong Pass was broken. General Wu Sangui led the remaining 70,000 troops and retreated to Jiayuan Pass..."
The ministers were in an uproar. Even though they had been mentally prepared, everyone still couldn't help but exclaimed, shocked and angry!
Before hearing these words, even if the war was getting worse, many adults did not believe that Dingyong Pass would be breached!
As the largest fortress in the northeastern border of Daqian and the main body of the huge northeastern border defense system, the imperial court made an investment in the construction of Dingyong Pass regardless of cost.
"The Exotic Land Development of Vegetable-Growing Skeletons"
Rather than saying that Dingyongguan is a fortress, it is better to say that it is a majestic city!
This majestic city has encountered several sieges that lasted for several months with troops far exceeding its own strength, but it was defended by it until reinforcements arrived.
In the hundreds of years since the founding of Daqian, Dingyong Pass has only been recorded to have fallen once.
The Jin soldiers may be able to win those small and medium-sized passes by surprise attacks, but they will never be able to win Dingyong Pass by surprise attacks!
But now that the second fall is happening before everyone's eyes, the adults can't help but begin to doubt the authenticity of the information.
Even if you are breached, you have to persist for a year and a half, but look at the current situation...it was breached in less than two days?
Could this battlefield be like child's play?
The military report came to an abrupt end. After reading it, the old eunuch turned his head and looked at Li Qian.
Li Qian waved his hand: "Circuit this to all your noble families."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
After the old eunuch responded, he first placed the military report on Qin Hui's table.
Qin Hui took it silently, read it from beginning to end, and then returned it to the old eunuch.
Then came Li Yuan, Zhao Kuangyin...
Every time someone passed by, the silence in the palace became more intense, and no one spoke until everyone had finished reading.
"Your Majesty, I believe that the top priority is to order Commander-in-Chief Wu Sangui, Jiayuan Pass, Wuqiu Pass and other pass defense troops to report the general information back to the court as soon as possible, and also order the local counties to send back the news as soon as possible."
The information here is no longer such a rudimentary one. We must ask the complete story clearly!
Moreover, the imperial court must also understand the current situation at the Northeast border in order to make accurate responses.
How many troops have the Jinlu deployed so far? How many defenses have they broken? Does the Jin Kingdom have any plans to increase its troops in the future? What are the developments of the other khanates on the grassland?
If we look at the worst-case scenario, have they completely broken through the northeastern border defense and invaded Jizhou? If so, how many troops have passed through...
Everyone's thoughts are a little confused. If there is no intelligence support at this time, it is equivalent to walking at night, and you will definitely fall down.
After listening to Li Yuan's words, Li Qian nodded slightly: "The emperor's mature view is indeed what it should be."
Li Yuan's words were like turning on a switch, and other ministers couldn't help but speak.
"The traitors mobilized hundreds of thousands of soldiers and horses, but the court did not receive any news. There must be something fishy about this matter!"
"Why can these cavalry attack Changmengguan without anyone noticing? Where have all the imperial horse detectives gone?"
"In previous years, the Jinlu would only go south to raid after autumn, but now they go south in late spring. This move must have been premeditated!"
"It's really the most ridiculous thing in the world! Dingyongxiong Pass was breached in less than two days! Wu Sangui must be investigated strictly!"
"Dingyong Pass was breached, and as the commander-in-chief, he actually evacuated with 70,000 defenders. There is such a timid and cowardly commander in the world..."
For a moment, no matter who it was, they couldn't hold back their emotions. After all, the news was so bizarre and unbelievable!
The border defense that the imperial court had operated for so many years was now as if it were made of sand and would break into pieces if someone touched it. It was hard for anyone to accept it.
Li Qian also took a deep breath. There were so many doubts in this matter that he even wondered if there was a mole.
If it's Wu Sangui...it doesn't seem too strange.
But the top priority right now is not to find out who is responsible, but to contain the enemy's offensive as soon as possible!
Bang bang~
Li Qian lightly knocked on the table a few times, and the other ministers who were still talking fell silent.
"This military report was sent from Jiayuan Pass on April 13th, and it is already April 22nd. Since Dingyong Pass has been broken, the remaining passes may not be able to withstand the Jinlu's offensive."
Li Qian stood up slowly and said in a deep voice: "My lords, you must now consider the situation of the Jinlu breaking through the border and marching straight in."
As soon as these words came out, the exciting atmosphere in the palace became depressed again.
It's not that you adults have not thought of this, but you subconsciously don't want to think about such cruel consequences... Now that Li Qianchi has revealed it clearly, you have to face it even if you don't want to.
"Does the DPRK and China still have other troops that can go to Jizhou to assist Jiayuan Pass?"
When Li Qian asked this question, he kept looking at Li Yuan and the others.
After the three people looked at each other, Li Yuan replied: "Your Majesty, currently only the Longxi Prefecture Army and the Zuoweiwei stationed in the Xuyi area can go north."
Li Qian was silent for a moment. No one can guarantee how much combat effectiveness the current soldiers can have.
Zuoweiwei only has 30,000 soldiers. If the hundreds of thousands of golden soldiers really break through and march straight in, then Zuoweiwei may not be able to match the cavalry at all in the smooth plain...
"How many troops can the Longxi Prefecture soldiers deploy?"
After silence, Li Qian continued to ask, no matter how small a mosquito's legs are, they are still meat. In this critical moment, every ounce of vitality must be valued.
The troops of Longxi Prefecture have always been in Li Yuan's hands, so naturally it was him who answered the question at this time.
"Your Majesty, I'm afraid there won't be more than 30,000 troops."
Li Yuan answered without hesitation, as if he knew the situation in Longxi clearly.
Thirty thousand...
The combat effectiveness is not as good as Zuo Weiwei's 30,000 troops. Even if they are sent there now, it will be a drop in the bucket, not to mention that it will take two months to reach the northeastern border from Longxi...
Li Qian took a deep breath: "Where are the imperial guards? Can they go north to fight against the Jinlu?"
At this time, the state of Wu is no longer important, because now the country's survival is at stake.
If the Wu Kingdom is not destroyed, the most it will do is lose face and prestige in front of the vassal states, but if those Jin soldiers are allowed to go all the way south, it will definitely lead to the destruction of China and the loss of life.
Li Qian would rather withdraw his troops from the state of Wu than stop the Jin soldiers from going south.
However, neither civil officials nor military generals seem to be optimistic about the consequences of doing so.
"Your Majesty, the Forbidden Army just sent a military report the day before yesterday, saying that the epidemic in the army is getting worse. Even if the Forbidden Army goes north, I am afraid there will not be many soldiers to fight."
"Now is the time to transport grain and reopen the canal. If the Imperial Army withdraws from Wu and gives up the natural dangers of the Yangtze River, water transportation will be cut off again!"
"Your Majesty, it's not just the civilians who are opening the river who will be out of food. After the Imperial Army moves north, even they themselves may be out of food..."
Li Qian listened to their reasons and pondered for a moment before saying: "Then only some of them will be transferred, and the sick and wounded in the army will also go north to recuperate."
Compared to Wu, the climate in the north is still more suitable for the imperial troops. I believe that their condition will improve faster after going north.
No one refutes this at all, everyone knows the consequences of allowing the Jin soldiers to wreak havoc.
Li Qian thought for a moment and then continued: "Can we mobilize border troops from the northwest border to rush to the northeast to quell the chaos?"
The frontier troops who have been guarding the border all year round have a strong fighting capacity, much stronger than the imperial guards in the capital. Moreover, they have been dealing with cavalry from the grasslands all year round, so they must have more experience.
Nowadays, only the border defense in the northeast is in trouble, but the northwest has always been peaceful. If some of the border troops in the northwest can be transferred, it may not be able to solve the immediate urgent needs, but it will definitely deter the Jin Kingdom and prevent them from making big moves in the future.
However, in the eyes of civil and military officials, there is still something wrong.
"Your Majesty, at this time, it is even more difficult to mobilize the border troops at the northwest border."
Li Yuan said in a deep voice: "If the northeastern border is broken, the bandits from several khanates will definitely take action. It would be a dangerous move to transfer garrison troops from the northwest at this time!"