Return of the Swallow

Pang Xiao chuckled: "Of course we have to wait. If I act rashly, some people may be scared to death, and they don't know what they are going to do. Besides, since King Qin comes to the capital, he naturally has to listen to the wishes of the Holy One. How many pairs of eyes If you keep an eye on us, you will naturally act more cautiously than before."

Huzi puffed up his face and said depressedly: "Seeing that the Tatars are right in front of us, but we can't rush up to chop melons and vegetables, it's so frustrating! I haven't had a good fight in a long time!"

Pang Xiao laughed loudly and patted Huzi on the shoulder, "Why are you so anxious? The Tatars are right in front of you. Are you afraid that there will be no battle to fight?"

Not to mention Hu Zi, even him, his hands will itch after living a comfortable life for a long time. The Tatars fought straight from northern Xinjiang to the capital, occupied many large cities in the Zhou Dynasty, and massacred how many people? No bloody Zhou people would tolerate such a blood debt!

It's just that Li Qitian has no will at the moment, and they are under the eyes of everyone in the world. He has brought 280,000 troops and horses to serve the king. He will be watched by interested people. If he makes a mistake, he will definitely be caught. To put it bluntly, things will be pushed to an uncontrollable point by then.

Therefore, even if he wanted to lead his troops directly into the city gate and cross the entire capital to the north to help Ji Zeyu, he could not act rashly.

The Pingnan Army led by Pang Xiao is stationed in the south. The mountains are high and the emperor is far away. In the past, the undisciplined temperament of only paying wages has been completely changed under the leadership of Pang Xiao. Now the Pingnan Army has strict military discipline. They camped outside and waited for the Lord's orders, but everyone didn't say a word.

"Fortunately, it's spring and the flowers are blooming. Even if we live in tents, we won't freeze out." Xie Yue and Xu Weizhi led their counselors to Pang Xiao's office every day to discuss countermeasures. When talking about Li Qitian's arrangement, everyone was excited Both unexpected and helpless.

"The Holy Lord is so afraid of the prince that he has gone so far as to disregard the safety of the capital. It is really chilling."

"You and I have never experienced such a tense situation in the capital. The people of the capital are watching the wounded soldiers being carried out every day and listening to the shouting and killing outside the city. I'm afraid they have already become panicked."

When the counselors looked at Pang Xiao, they all had the same idea in their minds.

Xie Yue pursed his lips and thought for a while before he said pertinently: "Your Majesty, this is actually an excellent time. The emperor and the court's attention are all on the Tatars, and the money and food in their hands are also limited. At this time If we attack with all our strength, we will surely capture the capital."

Even if he didn't finish what he said later, everyone could understand what he meant. Now is the time when Li Qitian is focusing on Tatar. If he wants to win the big position, this is the best time. If Pang Xiao takes action now, he will definitely succeed in one fell swoop.

Pang Xiao just smiled when he heard this.

"I am from the Great Zhou Dynasty. I cannot hand over the people of the Great Zhou Dynasty to foreign rule under any circumstances. That will definitely turn the people into slaves. Even if I can capture the capital now, what will happen in the future? Will anyone hold grudges against me for this? ? Will there be people who are unwilling to follow me and continue to resist the Tatars?

"Now is not the time to think about these things. The most important thing is to work together to drive the Tatars out of the land of Zhou Dynasty. As for the rest, everything will be safe in the future and the people will be safe. I can't build my great cause on On top of the sacrifice of the people.”

Some of the counselors who had just supported Xie Yue's statement nodded their heads when they heard the words. The prince is a benevolent and righteous person who always puts the people first, which is very commendable. If they can follow such a wise master, they will be blessed in the future.

Xie Yue and Xu Weizhi looked at each other and smiled.

Others may not know it, but Xu Weizhi knows Xie Yue very well. The reason why he said this in front of all the counselors was to give the prince a chance to express his feelings, so that they could all understand the prince's painstaking efforts and the reason why he did not choose to attack the capital directly.

The reason why the prince made this choice now may be due to the consideration of the common people. But for onlookers like them, the prince's choice is exactly the one that can bring him the greatest benefits.

As a counselor, it is natural that he should do his best to think of the prince. Make appropriate suggestions when the prince is confused. But in recent days, Xie Yue and Xu Weizhi gradually discovered that all the choices Pang Xiao made seemed risky on the surface, but the final results seemed to be good for him.

Sometimes even Xie Yue and Xu Weizhi felt that the prince was taking risks, but in the end they saved the day.

Could it be that this is destiny, and Tianjizi’s calculations in the early years were correct?

While everyone was discussing, Li Qitian in the palace was also discussing with several confidants, "The Pingnan Army is still stationed outside the city. If such a large number of troops are put directly into the city gate like King Qin's reinforcements, if Prince Zhongshun If you have a rebellious heart, won’t you lose all hope in your body?”

Li Qitian thought exactly this way, so he was particularly troubled.

"I have also thought about it. Prince Zhongshun has fought for the Great Zhou Dynasty for many years and has made great contributions. I don't want to doubt him."

Those who can be called alone to the imperial study room to discuss countermeasures are Li Qitian's confidants, and the reason why these people become Li Qitian's confidants must be because they are good at judging the situation, understand better what Li Qitian is thinking, and can always tell what can be done. Solve the problem and please Li Qitian.

Therefore, everyone had worried faces at this time and said in unison: "Your Majesty, think twice."

Several people looked at each other and then each spoke: "Your Majesty, you are an open-minded person, so you don't think too much about it, but I can't help but consider the eventuality. Your Majesty, you trust Prince Zhongshun, but that doesn't mean that Prince Zhongshun will definitely I will be loyal to you. If anything happens, things will be out of control. I ask you to think carefully about it."

"Yes, Your Majesty, you should think about the great cause first. I also know that Your Majesty would do such a thing to distrust Prince Zhongshun, and it is indeed uncomfortable and tormenting. But for the sake of the entire Great Zhou Dynasty, Your Majesty, please think twice."

Li Qitian's expression remained as usual, he lowered his eyes and thought about the back of his hand.

After a long time, Li Qicai said slowly: "I understand what you mean. Let me think about it first."

Pang Xiao thought that with Li Qitian's temperament, the matter would be resolved within two days, but he did not expect that he would wait in front of the city gate for three days with 280,000 people.

Three days is neither long nor short, but the camp of 280,000 people is so huge that sooner or later the food they bring will not last.

"The Holy Emperor's decree has not yet been fulfilled. It seems that I am going to urge you." Pang Xiao frowned in thought.

"I don't know what your Majesty is thinking. When the war is tense, there are reinforcements but they don't move quickly. They don't give us orders and don't give us military pay. What do you mean by letting so many of us stay here? "Huzi was already feeling unhappy.

Unexpectedly, the emperor did not give the order, so the prince ordered them to stay where they were, not to enter the city, and not to contact Ji Zeyu privately.

Pang Xiao didn't want to give people a reason to doubt Ji Zeyu, so as not to let anyone see it and think that they were secretly liaising and conspiring to set up the Lord.

But no one understands Ji Zeyu's current dilemma better.

The many armies of King Qin each have their own commanders and their own thoughts. Not everyone who comes under the command of King Qin is dedicated to the Holy One. Most of them have their own agenda. If this is the case, it's just complicated people's hearts. What's more important is the lack of food and salary.

When soldiers fight, they don't even have food to eat, and the grievances in the hearts of the soldiers will only accumulate and become deeper. Facing the pressure of the Tatar army on the battlefield, if they retreat, the people in the capital will fall.

Under such oppression, how should Ji Zeyu deal with it?

He needed reinforcements and food, but the Holy Spirit refused to agree to either.

These days, not only the people who came with the Pingnan Army were suspicious, but also the Huben Army guarding the north gate.

The wounded soldiers on the battlefield have to be carried back to the city to recuperate. Their situation will affect the mood of the people in the city to some extent. However, after a long period of suppression, the Holy Spirit is unwilling to do anything. Even the people are now complaining.

Pang Xiao smiled reassuringly: "The decision the Holy One has to make is related to his destiny in his opinion. It is very difficult to make a decision. We don't need to be too anxious. The decree will be made in these two days."

If the delay continues, I'm afraid that before Pang Xiao leads his people into the city, the people in the capital will also start a riot.

Sure enough, as Pang Xiao said, the emperor's decree was delivered to the Pingnan Army camp the next day.

Xiong Jinshui had a grimace on his face, and his iron-gray sunflower shirt was blown up by a sudden gust of cold spring wind. He was already covered in cold sweat, and he suddenly shivered.

Not long after, I saw Pang Xiao leading several generals, riding horses from the almost endless military camp.

When he got close, Pang Xiao jumped up gracefully and said with a smile: "Eunuch Xiong. But what are the instructions from the Holy One?"

"Yes!" Commander Feng asked loudly with a rough voice, "Is the Holy One going to order us to fight against the Tartars?"

Xiong Jinshui swallowed hard and unfolded the imperial edict, "Prince Zhongshun accepts the edict!"

"I'm here." Pang Xiao led everyone to kneel down.

"The Emperor of Fengtian Chengyun issued an edict: Order Prince Zhongshun to lead the Pingnan Army, bypass the capital, take the Jiashao Valley, outflank the Tatars from the rear, and attack with the Huben Army in front and back to completely annihilate the Tatars. I hereby express my gratitude!"

Xiong Jinshui's slightly shrill voice, belonging to the inner prisoner, spread in the wind, and everyone who heard it was stunned.

Before Pang Xiao could say anything, Commander Feng jumped three feet high: "What? The capital city is right in front of you. Open the city gate and brothers can rush over and fight to the death with the Tatars. Why do you have to wait for me to take a detour?" "

"That's right! We marched all the way back in order to relieve the siege of the capital. Now we are here. We have been waiting for so many days. Now the city gates don't allow us to enter. Let us take a detour! Why are we outflanking from the rear? , by the time we get around Jiashao Valley, what if the Tatars have already invaded the capital!" Huzi also yelled angrily.

For a time, the entire military camp was excited. Listening to the roars of these people, Xiong Jinshui almost felt that he might be caught by these people and have his head cut off and used as a football.