Chapter 418 Concealing the sky and crossing the sea!
Sili, right Fufeng.
On the official road leading to Chang'an.
A team is running rapidly.
After defeating Gao Ji and Wang Jin's troops, Ma Teng and Han Sui joined forces to kill all the ambush troops along the way to ensure the safety of the rear, and then set off on the road to Chang'an.
It is precisely because of this that the march was delayed a little. To this day, the team is still in Youfufeng, not in Jingzhaoyin, and has not arrived in Chang'an.
but......
In Xun You's heart, this rhythm is just right.
After all, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and His Majesty the Emperor's troops are mostly infantry.
However, His Majesty the Emperor came from Wuguan Road, and it was difficult to travel through rugged areas along the way, which would inevitably affect the marching speed.
Only by reducing the speed and stabilizing the rear can we better complete the established strategy of encircling Chang'an.
However, the ideal is beautiful, but the reality is skinny.
On this day, while Ma Teng and Han Sui were marching, they received a report of the assassination from Chang'an, which immediately made Xun You feel that something was not good.
"The secret hole was actually destroyed by Yuan Wei?"
Even Xun You himself couldn't help but be stunned.
Although this secret cave was not created by himself, it was perfected by his hands.
Xun You devoted a lot of effort to the hidden secrets of the Chang'an School Office, and he also had a very good understanding of its internal operating mechanism.
According to common sense, there will always be corresponding signs before the enemy takes action, and based on such signs, the secret cave can plan an evacuation plan in advance to avoid being completely destroyed.
In other words, this incident must have been sudden, otherwise the operating system based on the contents of the secret cave should have been able to perfectly avoid the attack.
"That's right."
The man who escaped from the cave said with absolute certainty: "The Chang'an imperial court suddenly took action against people who raise birds. They will be arrested regardless of whether they are raped or not."
"There are hundreds of homing pigeons in the secret cave. At this speed and intensity, they will definitely be exposed. Therefore, Li Shaoshi ordered us to burn all the information and escape Chang'an through the secret passage."
"But......"
Speaking of this, the man frowned slightly and said with a sad expression: "After Li Shaoshi burned all the documents, he took some Tingfeng with him and died in Chang'an along with the guards in the secret cave."
"If they hadn't fought desperately with the enemy, we might not have been able to escape Chang'an, but even so, many Tingfeng were still caught by the Chang'an dog thieves, and they should be under review at the moment."
Han Sui was stunned for a moment: "Ah? Someone has been arrested? Will that reveal the secret?"
Xun You waved his hand and interrupted directly: "Don't worry, even Tingfeng who works in the secret cave, only a very small number can get in touch with the core. They are all the most loyal people, and they should not leak secrets in a short time."
"oh."
Han Sui secretly breathed a sigh of relief: "That's very good, otherwise if our plan is exposed, the other party will definitely take corresponding measures, and we will most likely fail."
Ma Teng'en nodded: "Yes, as long as the secret is not leaked, we can rush to Chang'an to contain Yuan Wei's troops and buy time for His Majesty and Uncle Liu to arrive."
"Do you really think that Yuan Wei doesn't know our strategic purpose?"
Xun You turned to glance at Ma Teng and Han Sui, frowned slightly, stared at the two of them and said, "It has been several days since we set off from Long County. The four armies have started to attack Chang'an together. The strategic intention is very obvious."
"this......"
Han Sui nodded slowly and said softly: "That's true."
Ma Teng clenched his iron fist: "What the military advisor said makes sense. In that case, let's just carry on as usual, isn't that enough?"
Xun You took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, his mind spinning like lightning: "Yuan Wei used this method to destroy Chang'an's hidden cave. He must have done something important and didn't want us to know about it."
"This person has been away from the court for decades. He can plan such a thorough operation to usurp the Han Dynasty. How can he be an easy person? We must not let down our guard."
"The destruction of Chang'an's hidden cave is equivalent to blinding our eyes. We must resume reconnaissance as soon as possible in order to judge Yuan Wei's true purpose through clues."
Han Sui immediately understood what Xun You meant: "Don't worry, military advisor, our army's scouts have been active. I will immediately increase the number of scouts and expand the scope of exploration to the vicinity of Chang'an."
"good."
Xun You nodded: "Brother Wenyue, if you can do this, it will be the best."
Han Sui immediately ordered: "Come here, quickly mobilize two hundred people to act as scouts and explore the area near Chang'an. Once there is news, report it immediately without any mistakes."
The ordering soldier bowed and raised his hands: "Here."
Xiliang Xiaoqi are all cavalry, scouts, and soldiers who can be switched at will.
If there are not enough soldiers, the scouts can be turned into soldiers; if there are not enough scouts, the soldiers can also be turned into scouts.
They were different from the princes of the Central Plains in that they lacked war horses and had a limited number of scouts.
"Target Chang'an, continue marching."
Han Sui waved his hand and gave a sonorous order.
The team continued to run towards Chang'an.
About an hour or so.
"Report—!"
Came on a horse.
Between the Mercedes-Benz, billowing smoke and dust rolled up.
Han Sui raised his eyes and looked up: "They are our scouts."
When he came forward, without waiting for the other party to salute, Han Sui waved his hand to interrupt and asked: "No need to be polite. If you have any situation, just speak up."
"Here."
The scout reined in his horse, responded, and said directly: "The villain went all the way to Huaili and found that there was a group of soldiers and horses resting, and most of them were cavalry."
"oh?"
Han Sui was stunned and asked urgently: "Cavalry?"
Ma Teng was also a little confused: "Is it possible that this team will take the initiative to challenge us?"
The scout said softly: "They are indeed cavalry, and judging from the flags, they are most likely Dong Zhuo's general, Fan Chou, who is now the guard general of Hanting in Chang'an."
hiss-!
Ma Teng and Han Sui were surprised and gasped: "Dong Zhuo's old department?"
The scout gave a grunt and nodded affirmatively: "Yes, exactly."
Only Xun You seemed relatively quiet, as if he had expected it: "Yuan Wei has no generals available now, so it is reasonable to use Dong Zhuo's old troops."
"After all, Dong Zhuo's old troops are at odds with Nanyang. If Nanyang takes Chang'an, they will also face a dead end. Only by joining forces with Yuan Wei can they have a way to survive."
"That's right."
Han Sui thought deeply and said: "It is true. Yuan Wei is at the end of his rope. If Dong Zhuo's old troops are not used again, he will have to go to the battlefield himself."
"but......"
Ma Teng picked up the conversation and said with a frown: "Fan Chou is leading his troops to fight against us. What is that soldier Sun Rui doing? You know, he is Yuan Kai's confidant, and Fan Chou is just a puppet."
Xun You marveled at Ma Teng's acumen on the battlefield, and said calmly: "Yes, Fan Chou and the Xiliang Xiaoqi are obviously coming towards us, trying to buy time for them to take real action."
"so......"
Xun You glanced at Ma Teng, and Han Sui said: "We must defeat Fan Chou in the shortest possible time, quickly approach the rear of Chang'an, and cooperate with His Majesty in the battle."
Han Sui was already aware of Xun You's military capabilities, so he immediately cupped his hands and said, "Commander, tell me, brother Shoucheng and I will obey you. We will do whatever you ask us to do."
After the battle to capture Gao Ji alive, Ma Teng was completely convinced by Xun You. He also patted his chest and promised, "Yes, Brother Wenyue and I will listen to you. You can just give the order directly."
Xun You didn't have much information for the time being, but he was very clear about the current situation and firmly believed in his judgment of the situation. Therefore, after thinking for a while, Xun You made a decisive decision:
"No matter what, this battle is unavoidable. Let's rush to Jingzhaoyin quickly to fight Fan Chou. Don't be restrained by him. We will make a decision after we have more information."
Han Sui and Ma Teng both raised their hands and said, "Here."
****
"Nanyang's troops are coming? Let's run away quickly."
"War! War again! It was great to catch up with us before, but we had to wait a year and a half until we were settled before we could catch up again."
"Damn it! Do I want to escape in this life? From Luoyang to Chang'an, where are I going from Chang'an this time? Longxi?"
"Many people have gone into the mountains, let's go too, and come out after the battle is over."
"This battle should be over soon. How can Chang'an be Nanyang's opponent?"
"Escape to Nanyang. The welfare of the people in Nanyang is good."
"That's what I think too. Let's go together so we can have someone to take care of us on the way."
"Damn it! Fighting every day is really killing me."
"Take your things and follow me into the mountains!"
"..."
In just a few days, the entire Chang'an has fallen into chaos.
Looking at the Wuyangyang people leaving Chang'an, Shi Sunrui said with some confusion: "Yuan Lingjun, not only did we not stop it, but we encouraged the people to leave Chang'an. Isn't this looking for death?"
"snort."
Yuan Ji snorted lightly and turned to glance at Shi Sunrui: "General Shi, you don't understand this. Only when Chang'an is in chaos can we leave without anyone noticing."
"Ah, this..."
Shi Sunrui was a little confused and couldn't help but wonder: "Yuan Lingjun, what does this mean? Is it possible that we are not planning to fight Nanyang in Chang'an, but are leaving Chang'an?"
Now that the matter has come to this, Yuan Ji no longer needs to hide it: "Chang'an simply can't bear it. Our only way to survive is to break out of the encirclement set by Nanyang, otherwise we will just linger."
"Escape from the encirclement?"
Scholar Sun Rui naturally knew that the encirclement formed by Han Sui, Ma Teng, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and His Majesty the Nanyang Emperor was gradually narrowing the scope of the encirclement, trying to trap Yuan Wei to death in Chang'an.
But......
Shi Sunrui frowned and couldn't help but be curious: "This is easy to say, but difficult to do. We are afraid that there is no other way out and we can only stay in Chang'an."
"No!"
Yuan Ji denied without hesitation: "Now that King Hongnong has led his elite troops and horses, he has left Nanyang. Nanyang is already empty. It is time for our army to take the initiative to attack."
"Although Chang'an has reached a state of prosperity after two years of development, compared with Nanyang, a firefly is as bright as the moon, and a horse is as bright as a unicorn. The two are so different that it is difficult to compare them."
"If we can enter Nanyang, guard Wuguan, move the capital to Nanyang, and then use the imperial power to recruit the Yin family, Deng family, Feng family, Li family and other wealthy families, and at least guard Nanyang, there will definitely be no problem in a short time.
.”
hiss-!
Shi Sunrui was surprised and took a breath.
He couldn't believe it.
Yuan Ji actually has such a bold idea. At this critical moment, he wants to change homes with Nanyang?
Shi Sunrui turned his head and stared at Yuan Ji, with a look of disbelief on his face and said: "Yuan Lingjun, do you agree to this matter?"
Yuan Ji nodded and said with absolute certainty: "Of course, I have agreed. Why, does General Shi have different opinions?"
Shi Sunrui quickly shook his head: "How dare you! Yuan Lingjun's plan is certainly excellent, but the Wuguan Daoqi District is difficult to navigate. We are afraid that once we enter it, King Hongnong's reinforcements will come back immediately!"
"That's right!"
Yuan Ji said with great certainty: "If our soldiers and horses enter Wuguan Road, King Hongnong will definitely kill them back, but if it is the common people of Chang'an, I'm afraid that may not be the case."
"ah?"
Shi Sunrui suddenly realized: "So you are doing this to..."
Yuan Jidan smiled: "There are already some elite soldiers who have infiltrated into the ranks of ordinary people. They are going to test first. If they can pass, we can leave. If not, we will think of other ways."
Shi Sunrui frowned and pondered for a long time: "His Majesty the Emperor of Nanyang is known for his diligence and love for the people. No matter where the people are, they are all people of the Han Dynasty. They will definitely not make things difficult for the people."
"And even if there are soldiers and horses stationed at Wuguan, they will definitely open the door and welcome the people fleeing from Chang'an. They will even provide food and send people to settle down."
hiss-!
With this thought, Shi Sunrui already understood Yuan Ji's strategic intention: "Yuan Lingjun is really powerful, I will admire him to the end."
The corners of Yuan Ji's lips raised slightly, and he broke out into a faint smile: "Okay, now the people in Chang'an have become frightened, and we have to hurry up. You send a few capable people to pretend to be common people and go in first. The clothes are already there."
It's ready and kept in the arsenal."
"good."
Shi Sunrui nodded without hesitation: "I will send the most capable general there, just don't worry Yuan Lingjun."
Yuan Ji expressed his gratitude: "That's the case, please."
Scholar Sun Rui raised his hand and said, "I have my wish, but I dare not invite you."
*****
Chang'an Imperial Palace.
Chongde Hall.
The little emperor Liu Xie took a piece of coarse cloth, looked at it carefully, and sighed: "Master, I am also the Supreme Being, how can I wear such clothes?"
How could Tai Fu Yuan Wei not understand the little emperor's intentions? He bowed his head and said softly: "Your Majesty, now King Hongnong is coming with several armies. We must jump out of the encirclement, otherwise there is only one way to die."
"What does this mean, Master?"
Liu Xie frowned and asked, "You mean, Brother Huang will harm me, don't you?"
Yuan Wei did not answer directly, but said coldly: "One mountain cannot tolerate two tigers, and one country cannot tolerate two monarchs."
Liu Xie sighed: "This emperor was not what I wanted in the first place. If it had not been for Dong Zhuo, I would not have been the emperor. The position of Han Emperor originally belonged to the emperor's brother. Now it is reasonable to return it to the emperor's brother.
middle."
"I advise Taifu not to take it too seriously. If the emperor really invades Chang'an, I will give up the throne to protect the integrity of the Taifu family. I think the emperor will always give me this face, right?"
Yuan Wei's brows flashed with sadness: "Your Majesty, since King Hongnong established the Han Court, he has abandoned everything in the Han Court in Chang'an, including you and all the civil and military officials."
"Now, Hongnong Wang Bingfeng is aiming directly at Chang'an. Do you think he will easily recruit Chang'an's old ministers under his command? We have no retreat, it has been gone from the beginning."
"There must be a battle between you and King Hongnong. This battle is related to the future ownership of the Han Dynasty. There is no peaceful coexistence, only life and death. This is the reality."
"Don't you want to avenge Beauty Wang?"
Yuan Wei took out his trump card and went straight to Liu Xie's heart: "It was Empress He who killed Beauty Wang back then. Your Majesty would have suffered the same murder. If it weren't for Empress Dowager Dong, Your Majesty would have died."
Liu Xie's slender eyebrows furrowed slightly, and a wave of cruelty surged in his heart.
He naturally knows what happened back then.
Dong Zhuo told him this matter. Liu Xie didn't believe it at first, but after the testimony of Tai Fu Yuan Wei and relevant veterans, Liu Xie already believed this fact.
This was the main reason why the Northern and Southern Han Dynasties did not merge after Yuan Wei killed Dong Zhuo. The hatred between parents was irreconcilable, even for the royal family.
but......
Along the way, Liu Xie has clearly realized Nanyang's strength.
This imperial brother of mine is no longer the original imperial brother. His strength far exceeds his imagination.
Even if Yuan Wei gathered Dong Zhuo's old troops, he still could not compete with Nanyang on an equal footing.
Since the beginning of the Battle of Hedong, it has been at a low level, and now it is even more possible to reverse the defeat by relying on deception, but it is only possible, not inevitable.
In a sense, when Liu Xie refused to wear common people's clothes and concealed his identity, he had already determined deep in his heart that Yuan Wei was no match for the emperor's brother.
Since defeat is certain, why bother struggling too much?
If he surrendered voluntarily, at least he would still end up like King Chenliu.
However, Yuan Wei poked his heart and made Liu Xie shaken again: "Your Majesty, King Hongnong is no longer the original King Hongnong. He can be benevolent to anyone, but he will never be benevolent to Your Majesty."
"Because you have become the emperor, and after Dong Zhuo's death, you did not take the initiative to send anyone to ask for a merger. It is equivalent to King Hongnong's heart that you want to compete with him."
"He will never let you go!"
"You can only move forward, not backward!"
"..."
The old fox is indeed an old fox.
His words were like sharp knives, piercing Liu Xie's heart.
Poor Liu Xie was only eleven years old, and he didn't even have the basic three views. How could he resist Yuan Wei's deception?
After a while, Liu Xie completely gave up the idea of surrender. His mind was filled with the death of his mother, Meiren Wang, and the scene where he and his brother were fighting each other with swords.
"Master."
Liu Xie raised his eyes to look at Yuan Wei and asked tentatively: "How confident are you this time?"
Yuan Wei did not give a direct answer, but pondered for a moment, bowed and handed over his hands: "I will try my best, even if I fail, I will live and die with your majesty, and advance and retreat together."
"Not only the old ministers, but also the civil servants and generals of Chang'an will live and die together with Your Majesty, and advance and retreat together. We have always been one."
Liu Xie, who was sitting at the top, frowned and pondered for a long time. He immediately stood up and opened his arms. The small yellow gates on the left and right immediately came forward to take off his imperial robes and put on the coarse cloth clothes of ordinary people.
"Master, when shall we leave?" Liu Xie tried to ask.
"The sooner the better." Yuan Wei replied.
"I will listen to your arrangements."
"Here."
****
Wuguan Road.
Usually on the road to Chongguan.
The team moved slowly and very carefully.
Looking at the steep mountains on both sides, Liu Bian unconsciously felt a little scared.
According to experts from the Military Advisor Alliance, the Wuguan Road here belongs to a relatively primitive period and has not been widened in the later period, so it is very dangerous.
Even the experts in the Military Advisor Alliance felt how terrifying the uncanny craftsmanship of nature was, but the more this happened, the more they admired the team that marched from here to Chang'an.
One word: Danger!
Guo Jia seemed to be aware of His Majesty the Emperor's thoughts, and comforted him in a low voice: "Don't worry, Your Majesty, once we pass Shang County and reach Aoguan Pass, we can enter Lantian Valley, where it will be truly safe."
"kindness."
Liu Bian naturally knew this.
As long as you pass the Yong Pass, in a sense, you have entered the Guanzhong Plain, which is no longer such a dangerous narrow passage.
but......
Liu Bian's mind was not on this, but on Yuan Wei's conspiracy: "Although nature is dangerous, it is not as dangerous as the human heart. I am not afraid of the dangers of nature, but I am afraid of the dangers of the human heart."
Guo Jia looked around and smiled calmly: "Your Majesty, don't worry, someone has already confirmed it. If there is an ambush, we will definitely get the news in advance."
"Report—!"
As soon as he finished speaking, another announcement sounded in front of him.
Guo Jia was stunned for a moment.
This damn thing is really a slap in the face.
Is it possible that there really is an ambush ahead?
Look up.
But seeing a horse riding Juechen approaching, he bowed and raised his hands and said: "Your Majesty, military advisor, please report on the horseback. There are a large number of people fleeing from Chang'an in front of you."
"People who fled?"
Suddenly, Guo Jia was stunned.
Liu Bian was even more stunned!
At this time, is it possible to escape from Chang'an?
Liu Bian glanced at Guo Jia and saw that the other person also looked suspicious, so he immediately said: "Have you sent someone to inquire about the situation?"
"kindness."
The scout nodded and replied: "It is said that there is chaos in Chang'an, and people all around are fleeing. Many people consider that our welfare in Nanyang is good, and His Majesty is a good emperor who is diligent and loves the people, so they want to go straight to Nanyang from Wuguan Road.
Seeking refuge.”
Before Liu Bian could speak, Guo Jia asked: "How many people are there?"
After the scout paused for a moment, he said, "It's a lot. I'm afraid there must be tens of thousands of people."
Guo Jia immediately realized something was wrong: "Your Majesty, this matter came out of the blue, I'm afraid something may go wrong."
Liu Bian frowned and asked softly: "How?"
"It's very simple."
Without thinking, Guo Jia blurted out: "Chang'an is clearly at a disadvantage. According to normal circumstances, it is necessary to appease the people, strengthen the walls and clear the country, and bring the people into Chang'an, even if it means transporting grain, grass, and siege equipment."
"but......"
Guo Jia said coldly: "Yuan Kai did not do this. Instead, he allowed the people to be confused and fled in all directions. This will only make the situation in Chang'an more unstable."