first minister

"Where are we?"

After galloping around without sleep for a whole day and night, Dongfang Ping asked all the troops to sit down and take a breather, eat some solid food, and let the horses rest for a while before asking the guards on the side.

The guard smiled and said, "We have just passed Liangxiang County, Guangyang County. More than twenty miles ahead is Pingtian Valley."

"Pingtian Valley" Dongfang Ping muttered and couldn't help but smile lightly.

The bodyguard flattered him and said, "He who is peaceful should be the emperor. Your Highness's trip will definitely relieve the danger of the state and city, capture Jiang Yuhu, increase his prestige, and create a legacy for eternity!"

Although Dongfang Ping knew it was flattery, he couldn't help but he felt so comfortable when he heard it. He smiled reservedly, "There's no need for this. Everything requires us to work hard together. If I succeed, it will be due to all of you!"

After a short rest, he stuffed the last piece of dry food into his mouth and said, "Send the order to pass through Pingtian Valley tonight and eat and rest in Luhua County ahead!"

After receiving the order, everyone got up and mounted their horses one after another. When the team was completed, they lit torches and continued to move forward.

The journey of more than twenty miles only took them an hour or two, and everyone arrived in front of Pingtian Valley.

Pingtian Valley is called this because the cliffs on both sides are so high that when viewed from a distance, they seem to be level with the sky.

The valley below is not too steep and can accommodate three or four carriages passing side by side. It has always been an important transportation route leading to the city.

Ten thousand new Swift Army cavalry filed in, six in a row, and galloped into the Pingtian Valley.

"Shut up!"

Approaching the exit on the other side, the leading war horses suddenly screamed in unison, and then almost stood up.

Dongfang Ping, who was at the front of the team, also immediately reined in his horse and didn't even have time to care about the many soldiers behind who almost collided into a ball.

"what happened?"

He looked ahead and asked loudly.

The person in front turned to look at him and said loudly: "Your Highness, a big tree has fallen down in front and is lying across the road."

Dongfang Ping frowned, feeling a little uneasy instinctively in his heart, "Move away quickly!"

More than a dozen cavalrymen dismounted and stepped forward to move the giant tree away.

But suddenly, a soldier shouted: "Wait, there seems to be writing on it!"

Most of the soldiers were illiterate, so one of the guards beside Dongfang Ping had to dismount and hold a torch, and looked at the bark of the tree, which was carved with several large characters.

"Dongfang Ping died in this valley!!! Be careful!"

Before they finished speaking, a strange noise suddenly sounded above everyone's heads. Before they could react, they were approaching quickly with a screaming sound!

boulder!

Rolling wood!

From the sky!

Under the blessing of gravity, with unparalleled power, it fell into the dense group of cavalry below.

Flesh and blood suddenly exploded in the night.

Riots broke out throughout the valley.

At the entrance, a terrifying sound made the ground tremble and rocks jumped wildly.

Everyone who had narrowly escaped from the disaster just now was very familiar with this momentum. It was the sound of a large cavalry charge!

but!

Isn't the Wudang Army in Zhoucheng?

Where did this fucking cavalry come from!

Did it fall from the sky?

Soon, their questions were answered.

"Jiang Yuhu is here, only to kill the first culprit, and not to kill him without disarming him!"

Along with an overwhelming rain of arrows, a neat and shocking shout came from the night.

In the flickering dim firelight, Jiang Yuhu and Wudangjun, who were ambushing not far from the valley in advance, stabbed into the waists of these more than ten thousand cavalrymen like a sharp sword.

Dongfang Ping didn't know how Jiang Yuhu appeared here, but he knew that Jiang Yuhu's appearance here meant that he had fallen into a trap.

What kind of bullshit city is the opponent’s goal? From beginning to end, it’s all for him!

He immediately shouted, "Strengthen the team! Meet the enemy! They only have a maximum of [-] people! We have [-] people, don't be afraid of him!"

But he was in a dangerous situation, panic had already arisen, and rolling logs and boulders fell from time to time above his head, but a few people were able to listen to him calmly.

More importantly, the seemingly powerful army that was improvised showed its weaknesses at this moment.

After three consecutive defeats by the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, the Snow Dragon Cavalry, and the Controlling Crane Army, the Beiliang Falcon Cavalry was frightened out of their wits.

The cavalry who were stronger than them all suffered heavy losses at the hands of this murderous god. The King of Zhennan was driven around, how could they possibly defeat him!

Moreover, these generals all know that the strength of their troops is the foundation of their lives. If they have soldiers in hand, they are valuable, and they are not willing to turn back and fight the God of Death at this moment.

The escape of the Beiliang people, who accounted for half of the entire team, actually overwhelmed the eastern border troops who were reluctantly trying to organize to meet the enemy.

As a result, a battle turned into a rout without any suspense.

The scene that Dongfang Ping once hoped for the appearance of the Wolf Fang Army can now be easily achieved under his own command.

Countless people crowded into this narrow valley, trampling and pushing for just a chance to survive.

Even though Jiang Yuhu had slowed down his movements, the new Swift troops were still scrambling to escape like a flock of frightened sheep, without any less panic.

It's so crowded, and it happens to be more suitable for "bomb dropping" at the top of the valley. Often a rolling log or a big rock can cause dozens of deaths and injuries.

Death, disability, surrender, defeat, escape, different endings, the same misfortune, befell this unprepared army.

Their dream of capturing Jiang Yuhu alive and achieving unparalleled achievements suddenly shattered at this moment. All they could think about was two words: survive!

When they finally escaped and collected some of the defeated troops, they formed a whole team. The team of only [-] people now only had more than [-] people left.

Dongfang Ping showed the tenacity that a hero should have at this moment. Although he was embarrassed, he still looked at everyone and said solemnly: "As you just saw, Jiang Yuhu only has two or three thousand people. As long as we are not afraid of him, we can still defeat him." Yes! Previously, it was because we were ambushed by him. We were in the valley and it was difficult to use. We were trampled on and defeated. But now, we have escaped, and the state city is not far ahead, and there is me there. There are thousands of soldiers and horses left behind, waiting for us to gather our troops and regroup, what does Jiang Yuhu have to fear?"

"Everyone, are you willing to work with me to turn defeat into victory, and use Jiang Yuhu's illustrious reputation to achieve our unparalleled achievements!"

The guards immediately shouted that they were willing, which somewhat boosted everyone's morale. At least going to Zhoucheng was a reasonable and clear decision, so everyone speeded up and galloped towards Zhoucheng.

Behind them, Jiang Yuhu, who left a thousand people to pack up his troops and organize his military achievements, continued to lead two thousand people in pursuit!

Take advantage of his illness and kill him!

The little military god who comes and goes like the wind and swallows up thousands of miles like a tiger will never be merciful and miss a good opportunity in battle.

The two sides chased each other like this, from the deep night to the bright light of day, and from the rising sun to the cold night.

Because the horses couldn't bear the restless gallop, the two sides fought and fought all the way, occasionally engaging in battle, and had reached dozens of miles outside the city of Yuyanzhou.

Dongfang Ping raised his whip and pointed forward, encouraging the people behind him, "Everyone, more than thirty miles ahead is the prefecture city. If we cross this section, the situation will turn around! Let's work harder together!"

After hearing this, everyone who was already exhausted regained their energy and galloped forward.

The entire team, because they could not bear it physically, or because their horses could not bear it, and because they could not see the future, quietly slipped away and became deserters. So far, there are only more than [-] people left.

Among them, the vast majority are the elite Eastern Army troops who once followed Dongfang Ping in the uprising.

In the chasing team, Jiang Yuhu lay on his horse and looked ahead. The guards on the side rode their horses side by side and said loudly: "Young master, we will arrive at the prefecture city soon. Are we still chasing?"

They are not stupid. There must be Dongfang Ping's direct descendants in Yuyanzhou City. If they really catch up to the city, the situation will be reversed.

Jiang Yuhu faced the wind, squinted his eyes, and there was no trace of fatigue on his angular face, and said: "Chase until we are twenty miles away from the city! Now, speed up!"

He suddenly increased his speed and rushed forward with the soldiers behind him.

The distance of several miles passed in an instant, and Dongfang Ping also guessed the life-and-death line of twenty miles, because within twenty miles, he could easily catch up with the exhausted Wudang Army after receiving reinforcements.

Therefore, his eyes lit up with hope.

Not only did he hope to escape, but he also hoped to capture Jiang Yuhu and achieve a shocking reversal!

Not only him, but the die-hard fans behind him also had the same idea and looked at the peach forest slope in front of them.

Then, they saw a group of cavalry, wearing the uniforms of the Wudang Army, climbing over from the other side of the slope, then swooping down and crashing towards them!

At this moment, not only Dongfang Ping and the soldiers behind him were stunned, but also many of the Wudang soldiers chasing behind them were stunned.

"The Wudang Army is here! The rebels are here to take their lives!"

A knight shouted, and beside him, a man wearing a mask silently waved his spear.

As the cavalry suddenly joined the battlefield and intercepted Dongfang Ping's return route, the Wudang Army at the other end did not miss this good opportunity and immediately shouted, "Only kill the head culprit, disarm but not kill!"

One after another, both sides rushed into the ranks of the Swift Army, whose speed dropped suddenly.

After a fierce battle, Dongfang Ping, under the desperate protection of several personal guards, escaped with his body and fled towards the west.

Jiang Yuhu looked at the masked figure opposite and said, "Go ahead, I'll give you the credit."

Xiao Fengshan smiled, clasped his fists, and chased after him with more than a hundred people. Not for merit, but for recognition.

And after he left, looking at the corpses on the ground and the disarmed Swift Army holding their heads, Jiang Yuhu exhaled a tired breath and said leisurely: "It's so lonely!"
-

Another escape, another chase.

Dongfang Ping could already see the "very close" Yuyanzhou City, but under Xiao Fengshan's tight defense, he had no way of breaking out and could only be forced to continue fleeing toward the northwest.

In the process of escaping, Dongfang Ping had completely understood the entire situation laid out by Jiang Yuhu.

First, he tried to mobilize his main force to the front line of Langya Prefecture, and then secretly sent some people to use his banner to bluff and create the illusion of a surprise attack on the prefecture city.

With the precedents of Lieyang Pass and Phoenix City, no one would doubt that he had this ability, and they would naturally fall into panic and fear.

But when he couldn't sit still and led his troops back, he didn't expect that the opponent's real main force was ambushing them on the road, catching them by surprise.

However, what he couldn't understand was how they did it when he clearly set up sentries and checkpoints at the border with Yanyuan Prefecture.

But don't think about it if you don't understand. The most important thing now is to get rid of the wolf-like pursuers behind him.

He looked at the exhausted guards on the left and right, and the thoughts of surrender or suicide that he had in an instant were wiped out. He had also endured the situation of being ignored and ridiculed back then, and now he is still loyal. With his men, as well as many strengths and arrangements in Swift State, how could he give up so easily!

He looked to the north, headed northwest, ran for more than a hundred miles, and climbed over the mountain, which was the territory of Beiliang.

If he temporarily goes to Beiliangguan Mountain Road and escapes into the mountains, it will be much easier to escape from the pursuit, not to mention crossing the border is not a trivial matter. It is okay for three or five people, but the large army behind him may not dare to enter rashly. of.

Having made up his mind, he looked around and said, "Let's go towards the mountains on the Yanning County side first. After getting rid of the pursuers, we can return as soon as possible. Although the main force of the cavalry has lost, the infantry is still there, and it's not time to admit defeat yet. "

The guards on the left and right actually knew in their hearts that their hope was not great, but they had already sold their lives to Dongfang Ping. If he said they would just follow suit, or at worst, they would use their lives to repay his kindness.

So everyone urged their horses to gallop in that direction.
-

The chase continues, and Dongfang Ping's outcome is still unknown, but a classic victory is completely certain.

Jiang Yuhu was not in a hurry to open the gate of Yuyanzhou City, because he knew that without Dongfang Ping's head, this victory alone would not be enough.

Therefore, while he had people rush to report the news to Xia Yunfei, and let the other party slowly raise troops to recover various places, he rested in place, waiting for most of the Wudang Army to slowly catch up, and then slowly marched towards the city.

When the messenger rode a fast horse and was escorted by elite cavalry, he went to Fanyang County with the news of this great victory. At this moment, in the court, the princes were still arguing about how to deal with the previous five-way invasion of Dongfang Ping. endlessly.

The core of the debate is who should be responsible for the situation being so corrupt.

Many people thought of that name, but no one dared to mention it, so the situation was strangely frozen.

In the workshop of the central courtyard, Yan Songwen looked at Wan Wenbi and said, "Wan Xiang, the situation in Yuyan Prefecture is corrupt, the situation in Langya Prefecture is worrying, and Qin Dingbang's announcement is very urgent. How should we respond!"

Wan Wenbi pondered: "The center has its own rules. Troops should be mobilized and generals should be dispatched. Jide is an important minister of the center, so don't panic!"

Yan Songwen understood the meaning of the other party's words and nodded quickly, "What Wan Xiang said is true, but I heard that many students in the Imperial College accused Jianninghou of being greedy for merit and wasting his time, and Xing'anhou wasted his time and was afraid of the enemy. Shouldn't we Refute it?"

Wan Wenbi waved his hand, "There is a flood of public opinion. How can it be blocked by a blockage? Let them say that black people cannot become white, and white people cannot become black just because of a few words."

Yan Songwen nodded slowly, "It's better to be cautious. I will also send someone to inquire about it. If it is indeed excessive, I still need to warn you. The court still needs to have the dignity."

Wan Wenbi smiled and nodded, "Thank you for your hard work, Jide."

At Wei Yuanzhi's house, three men were walking slowly in the backyard garden.

Li Tianfeng looked worried, "This Dongfang Ping is uncharacteristically taking the initiative. How should I respond?"

Wei Yuanzhi was silent and turned to look at his side, "Ting Yi, what do you have in mind?"

After the last Northern Liang invasion to the south, Shen Shengwen, Minister of the Ministry of War, was already convinced of Xia Jingyun's ability. After the other party showed his appreciation and goodwill, he naturally did not refuse and took the initiative to slowly enter Xia Jingyun's circle. Now he heard this and said: "You two gentlemen, don't worry too much. Dongfang Ping imitates Beiliang's fighting methods, which is indeed difficult to guard against. But as long as Langya Prefecture has strong walls and clear fields, the problem will not be big."

Li Tianfeng was younger and had a more impatient temper. Hearing this, he sighed, "Ting Yi, this is not a simple military matter! Now some people want to take this opportunity to criticize Gao Yang and Xing'an Hou, pushing all problems away. To them, it seems that the situation in Yuyan Prefecture was caused by the two of them. In their mouths, Yuyan Prefecture could have been easily recovered long ago. It was Gao Yang who was greedy for merit and delayed the opportunity to fight, so that he did not reach a peace agreement with Beiliang in time and gave Dongfang Ping It was an opportunity to rise up and launch an uprising to unify Yuyan Prefecture. But now Dongfang Ping is making trouble, invading our territory and massacring my people, and this is because Xing'an Hou, who is in charge of the military forces in Langya Prefecture, is afraid of the enemy and cannot stop it in time. "

Wei Yuanzhi said softly: "The fundamental crux is still the struggle for power in the court, and the reforms implemented this time have touched the interests of many people. With these two parties working together, it is rare to have such a good opportunity, and they would like to directly oust Gao Yang." .”

Although Shen Shengwen had some speculations in his mind, it was the first time he personally confirmed it from the two central ministers. After a moment of silence, he said, "The Marquis of Jianning is very resourceful and the Marquis of Xing'an is also brave and good at fighting. Maybe they are planning something more?" "

Li Tianfeng shook his head, "No matter how many plans there are, it will eventually come to reality. Dongfang Ping is just there in the open, and even launches an invasion. What can they plan to stop the Youyou people who already have evil intentions?" Mouth?"

Shen Shengwen continued: "Then what if we get an unexpected victory like Prince Jing did?"

Li Tianfeng and Wei Yuanzhi were both startled. Wei Yuanzhi sighed softly, "It's difficult!"

Xia Ningzhen hurried into Jianninghou Mansion and found Su Yanyan and Qin Li talking in the backyard.

Seeing the dignified, noble and elegant appearance of the two of them, Xia Ning, who was originally in a hurry, subconsciously slowed down, straightened his back, and walked over slowly.

"Ning Zhen has met the two sisters-in-law."

Qin Li smiled and motioned for her to sit over, while Su Yanyan held her hand, "But what happened?"

Xia Ningzhen shook her head, seemingly not intending to say anything, but after waiting for a moment, she seemed to be unwilling to do so, "I went to the street with Nuanyu earlier and heard those students from the Imperial College talking nonsense, and I felt really unhappy."

Qin Li and Su Yanyan looked at each other. They had just entered the palace two days ago. There was someone like Yanzhi in the palace who was in charge of the Black Ice Platform. In addition, they also had their own news channels, so they had no idea about the recent events in the capital. It is clear.

Qin Li still smiled, "Have you insulted your second brother?"

"And eldest brother!" Xia Ning was furious, and the more he spoke, the more angry he became. "Second brother has made so many contributions to the country and the court. Do you have to slander him like this if you have a slight setback? Who can guarantee that he will not make any mistakes? ? Brother, I only had so many people before, and I dared to send troops to meet the enemy. How can I be afraid of the enemy and not move forward! It's really annoying!"

Qin Li said softly: "Think about it from another perspective. In the past, your second brother had repeatedly made meritorious deeds, and no one could find fault with him. Now that he finally finds an opportunity, monsters and monsters will naturally jump out and will not miss such a good opportunity."

Su Yanyan also nodded, "The power struggle in the capital has never really seen right from wrong. Ning Zhen, you don't need to care too much."

Xia Ningzhen looked at the two calm sisters-in-law, and suddenly felt that she was still a little far from a real lady.

She considered it for a moment, "Then what should we do?"

Su Yanyan smiled slightly, "Do you believe what those people say?"

Xia Ning really shook her head.

"In that case, your second brother and eldest brother must have further plans, and there must be new news coming later. We can just wait with peace of mind. Rumors can't kill people."

Su Yanyan smiled and said: "The more they dance happily now, the harder they will fall when the time comes."

Qin Li chuckled, "At that time, let your sister-in-law Yanyan accompany you to the Imperial College and scold them back."

"That's still not necessary."

Xia Ningzhen waved her hands repeatedly, but after she figured out the connection, her worries disappeared, and a smile bloomed like a spring flower on her face, "In this case, there is no need for me to be angry, and I will go and persuade my mother and aunt. Sister-in-law, I would rather resign!"

Seeing Xia Ning Zhen jumping and leaving happily, the two girls smiled fondly and gratifiedly.

Qin Li said softly: "Speaking of which, it's time for Ning Zhen to talk about marriage, right?"

Su Yanyan smiled and said: "Many people have asked about this matter recently, all of them are marquis or above, but which young master in Beijing do you think is worthy of her?"

Qin Li whispered a name, and Su Yanyan's eyes lit up, and she secretly thought to herself that the Qin family deserves to be descended from generations of descendants, and they are really good at choosing men!

She thought about it for a moment, then laughed and said: "Then he will have to wait for Gao Yang to come back and find a way to talk about it."
-

Compared to the relaxed and cozy atmosphere in the backyard of Jianninghou Mansion, the atmosphere outside the Imperial College today was much more solemn.

The high-spirited Imperial College students were sitting in restaurants and teahouses, talking about military and national affairs. Military and national affairs were filled with resentment towards Marquis Jianning.

"I once thought that Marquis Jianning was astonishingly talented and wise, and he should be a role model for us. But I never thought that now that he is in power, he has become the kind of person who is obsessed with fame and fortune. He lost everything because of small things, which led to the collapse of Yuyan Prefecture. It’s so bad, it’s really frustrating!”

"When a person goes well, he always feels that he can do anything. Before setting off, everyone thought that any person he sent could negotiate a peace, take back Yuyan Province, and even Marquis Jianning would be able to do it. Presumably, he thought that being so successful didn't show how powerful he was, but in the end he didn't want to drag out so many things!"

"Hey, to say the least, I once regarded him as a role model, but now it seems that he is no longer the young man who devoted himself to the country. Thinking of his words to worry about the world first, and then rejoice when the world is happy, I I just find it funny, and I really want to question him face to face, has he done it?"

"The Xia family has two princes, and the Queen Mother and Your Majesty are extremely favored. Now, one of the two brothers lost his opportunity, and the other was afraid of the enemy. How can the people of the seven counties of Langya Prefecture be killed under the iron heel of the enemy! They are still in dire straits in Yuyan Prefecture. How can we blame the people who are suffering among them!"

"Having one family and two marquises is a blessing to the Xia family, not to Great Xia!"

Everyone was talking aggressively, but in fact many people were a little confused and didn't understand how the situation developed to this point.

The current situation in the world is not that bad. Why do you make it sound as if Marquis Jianning has committed a heinous crime?

They wanted to say a few words for Marquis Jianning, but the ones speaking out now were all well-established students in the Imperial College. They had already gathered a group of supporters around them, and the crowd was fierce. They didn't have the character of Li Zhiyi back then, so they wanted to After thinking about it, he fell silent.

Silence, silence, actually gave me a little more approval for these people.

"Everyone, I plan to write to the court and ask Marquis Jianning to ask for his release! You are willing to follow me!"

"Let's go together! Let's go together! If he is obsessed with power and position, we will go to his palace and read his Yueyang Tower every day to see how shameless he can stay!"

"Fuck you! What do you know? You can just open your mouth and shut up and let an important minister of the court invite you to do it! You pig brains can't even compare to a toe of Marquis Jianning. Who gave you the confidence?" Discussing his gains and losses here?"

Amid the roar of approval, a very discordant voice of opposition suddenly broke in.

The opposition was extremely arrogant, revealing the utmost respect and protection for Marquis Jianning.

Everyone followed the sound, and Xu Dapeng walked into the restaurant with a few Hanlin Academy concubines with displeasure on their faces. (End of chapter)