Chapter 28 second quarter

At the same moment, the Chu Wei Army outside Shangyang Pass was captured. Almost all the commanders of the princes' army were present, but the middle seat was empty, and Bai Yi did not come.Fei An's cold eyes looked out through the gap in the curtain at the door, and a little bit of autumn wind came in.In just a few days, it became cold at Shangyang Pass, and hoarfrost fell for several days in a row, feeling like late autumn.Gang Wuwei and Gu Yueyi looked at each other and shook their heads, while Cheng Kui stared at Xi Yan, who also shook his head and smiled. Tomorrow is the day when Bai Yi agreed to destroy the city, but Bai Yi has been quiet these days, and no one can guess his thoughts.Gang Wuwei then sent a letter to ask all the generals to come to ask Bai Yi together, but only Xie Zihou from Bai Yi's shogunate came out to greet him, saying that General Bai had rested in the afternoon and hadn't woken up yet.The generals discussed for a long time, but they couldn't come to any conclusions. They were anxious and displeased with Bai Yi's arrogance and indifference, but it was inconvenient for him to attack because of his reputation.Cheng Kui gritted his teeth and patted the armrest of the seat, his eyes widened, and he swallowed back the swear words that came to his lips several times.

It was Gu Yueyi who broke the silence: "General Xi, among us only you and General Bai have been friends for many years. General Bai hasn't seen anyone for days, and General Xi didn't say a word just now. Can we really attack the city tomorrow? Our army They were completely unprepared, and the soldiers felt uneasy. Would General Xi be willing to clear up our doubts?" His expression was humble, as if he was asking for it. Xi Yan couldn't stay silent anymore, but he could only smile wryly: "General Gu, I'm a talkative person, and I don't have the habit of keeping secrets. We came here to fight against Li Gong at the risk of danger, and we are comrades who depend on each other for life and death. I can't say it. It's a pity that since the day I met General Bai, I haven't understood what he thinks in his heart. If you want me to clarify your doubts, I am also full of doubts."

"The terrain of Shangyang Pass is dangerous, and Li Jun's red brigade is stronger than infantry combat. Defending the city is their strength." Gang Wuwei shook his head and sighed, "If it is not planned in advance, and the formation of troops is not easy, it is easier said than done." "Tomorrow there will be a battle to destroy the city with 70,000 people. It's too late to deploy troops now. Let's just wait for the miracle of General Bai." Fei An said coldly. Cheng Kui opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say. He sighed heavily and patted the armrest of the seat.

"Without advance preparation, rushing to attack the city is a waste of life." Gu Yueyi thought for a while, then shook his head, "I don't think General Bai would do such a thing. Could it be that the so-called seven-day agreement is just a question of suspicious soldiers?" To make Ying Wuyi panic and uneasy?" Xi Yan shook his head: "No, tomorrow will definitely attack the city. Although I never understand what General Bai is thinking, but I have known him for so many years, he will follow his words and do what he says, even for the enemy. So he has been with the contract for seven days, and before midnight tomorrow, he will definitely climb to the top of Shangyang Pass. Unless..."

"Unless what?" Gu Yueyi asked. "Unless this is the first time he has missed and broke the precedent." Xi Yan spread his hands. "Anyone will miss the first time." Fei'an said. Xi Yan laughed: "General Fei is right. If it wasn't for the two armies in front of the battle, I would like to set up a game, and everyone bets to see if Bai Yi can keep his reputation as the number one general in the Eastern Continent this time." Fei An raised his eyebrows and glanced at Xi Yan. Gu Yueyi was stunned for a moment, and then smiled: "I see what General Xi means, that he will bet on General Bai's side?"

"Looking at my friendship with him for many years, I must help this village." Xi Yan said casually. The curtain was lifted, and a Chu Wei soldier in white armor came in with a bent back, holding a wooden tray covered with white linen. "See you generals." The sergeant glanced around and was about to leave after saluting. "You came to see General Bai?" Xi Yan stopped him.He recognized the sergeant as a doctor commander who accompanied the army and also served as a secretary. "What smell? It smells so bad!" Cheng Kui frowned and slapped his nose fiercely.

Everyone could smell the strong stench coming from Wu Zuo's body. "It's the severed arm left behind by those weird people who broke into the battle a few days ago. I thought that those people behaved strangely and seemed to have no feeling when they were injured, so I picked up this severed arm and wiped it with lime. I wanted to take it back and share it with my colleagues. Discussion. Unexpectedly," Wu Zuo looked distressed, "a strange thing happened." "Strange thing?" Gu Yueyi asked. "Originally pickled with lime, it is not a problem to store it for a few months, but looking at it today, it is already rotten. So I want to report to General Bai to know." Wu Zuo said.

"Huh?" Gu Yueyi resisted the stench and stepped forward, "Give me a look." Wu Zuo hesitated for a moment, but still lifted the white linen on the tray.The strong stench made people almost faint in an instant, and he couldn't help but press the armrest of the seat, wanting to stand up and avoid it.The severed arm on the tray was unusually thick and strong, almost half the length of an ordinary person's arm, but now it was rotten to the bone, the bone was separated from the dark red muscle, and it was dripping with stinky water. Take a look. Also frightening. "How could this happen?" Gu Yueyi was startled and uneasy, he knew that the bones pickled with lime would be dehydrated, and in such a gradually colder weather, they definitely didn't rot so quickly.He thought of the black servant that night, although the generals of the army felt ashamed afterwards and were sent away by only five people, but they couldn't explain why.There have long been rumors of secret Taoist priests hidden in the army of the Li Kingdom. In the battle of Juluyuan, the Li army used the wind barriers and flames of the secret way.

"A piece of rotten meat, is it bringing us a bad dinner?" Xi Yan's voice came suddenly.He had already stood by Gu Yueyi's side, patted his shoulder, and waved his hand to order Wu Zuo to leave. "It's really weird." Gu Yueyi whispered. "There's really no need to think too much about such unreasonable things." Xi Yan said indifferently. Xie Zihou lifted the curtain and walked into the tent. He took off the hood of his cloak and shivered slightly.A gust of wind swept across outside the tent like a howling ghost, the ground was hardened by the freezing cold, and even the velvet jacket couldn't withstand the cold.In the tent, however, a charcoal basin was lit, and the fire was so large that it made people feel hot and dry.Bai Yi was sitting at the table without armor, carefully playing with a clay pot filled with soil.

"General." Xie Zihou leaned closer and looked at the pot. He knew that Bai Yi was also skilled in modeling, and he often made models of terrain sand tables and siege equipment, so he thought this was another new toy, but in Bai Yi's hands, it might not be a sharp weapon for attacking cities.But the pottery pot was inconspicuous, just like a few copper pots on the market.Xie Zihou has been the head of Bai Yi's shogunate for nearly five years. He thinks he has unique insights into ordnance, but he can't figure out the usefulness of this pot. "Zihou, haven't the generals left yet?" Bai Yi concentrated his attention, nodded slightly, and didn't look at Xie Zihou.

"Not yet, they are all talking in the big tent, probably won't see the general, and are unwilling to leave." "That's up to them." Bai Yi said casually. Bai Yi's hands didn't stop at all.Xie Zihou held his breath and watched as he first loosened the soil in the clay pot, removed the stones, then poured clean water on it, sprinkled a bag of things in it, and then covered it with a layer of soil.His fingers were covered with mud, but he didn't mind. "General, this is?" Xie Zihou finally couldn't help being curious. Bai Yi was slightly taken aback: "It's the autumn rose seeds brought by Xiyan. I've planted two pots, and the rest of the seeds are here. I hope to see them bloom before the weather really cools down." Seeing Xie Zihou's bewildered expression, Bai Yi picked up the other two clay pots from under the charcoal fire and put them in front of him: "This was planted a few days ago, and it germinated so soon. The autumn roses in the Tang Dynasty really It’s a different breed.” Only then did Xie Zihou believe that Bai Yi was really playing with flowers and plants, smiled bitterly, and bowed down: "General, you are planting plants and flowers here, but you have suffered for those of us who stand in the way." "Can't see me, are you generals very dissatisfied?" Xie Zihou shook his head and smiled wryly: "I've spent all my time talking and talking, and the generals don't believe that you haven't woken up from your afternoon nap. General Chun Guocheng has a bad temper, saying that our army is afraid of war, and the general is timid. He almost said that we are covering up traitors." party." "Cheng Kui is a straightforward person. It doesn't matter how much he scolds, it's just a quick tongue. I'm worried about Fei An and Gang Wuwei. Fei An has a vicious personality and always waits and sees our army, but General Gang Wuwei is Famous generals for decades, it really made him feel that we are rude, and I am afraid it will end badly." Bai Yi said lightly. "The general has never deliberately been arrogant to others. Since he is also worried about the dissatisfaction of Fei An and Gang Wuwei, why did he avoid it?" Bai Yi was silent for a moment: "I want to show my dignity and make them feel uneasy, so they can't feel too familiar." "How do you say it?" Xie Zihou bowed, which meant to ask for advice. "Breaking the Shangyang Pass is just around the corner. At that time, the armies of the princes must hope to advance Tianqi to meet the emperor. One is to establish their own power in the imperial capital, and the other is to show their merits in front of the royal family. But those of us who want to enter the imperial capital must be the royal family. I will not be happy to see it. Among all the countries, our military strength is the strongest, and we are also the closest to the royal family. The royal family will definitely rely on our army to appease the princes and protect the peace of Tianqi City. At that time, the relationship between us and the various armies will be more delicate " Bai Yi said in a low voice, "So instead of being like brothers, it's better to keep a distance from the army and stand our ground. Make them alert to our army in their hearts, and then they will be more careful and not act rashly." "If the royal family directly ordered the King Qin's army to retreat, the general thought that the army would not agree?" "Absolutely not. In the history of my Dayin Dynasty, Ying Wuyi was the first prince to establish power in the imperial capital, and he was only one person. Now we have driven away Ying Wuyi, but there are six princes who want to enter The imperial capital. It’s like leaving a lion and entering six wolves.” Bai Yi said, “For the discerning people in the royal family, it’s hard to say whether a lion or six wolves are better. If I were Those in the royal family who come forward to appease will inevitably deal with the princes, and the best strategy is to unite with our country and deter the rest of the princes." Xie Zihou was silent for a while, then nodded slightly: "The general's thinking is really far-reaching. It's just that tomorrow is the appointment, and for breaking the city..." He hesitated and said nothing. Based on his experience, storming Shangyang Pass undoubtedly requires rehearsal and cooperation in advance. Given the high risk of Shangyang Pass, it is almost impossible to climb the city, and neither water nor fire will work. The siege equipment forcibly hit the city gate.In this way, the sergeant will inevitably be exposed to the rain of arrows and rolling stones, and dispatching is the key to reducing casualties.But now even if the troops were deployed immediately, it would be too late. Bai Yi waved his muddy hands: "Sit. Haste makes waste. It's a taboo for the leader to not calm down before the battle. If my plan makes a slight mistake, ten or hundreds of people will die before the battle." Do you know Shili Shuanghong in Xiatang?" Xie Zihou sat opposite him and shook his head. Bai Yi looked at the clay pot planted with flower seeds, with a slight smile: "The roses in the world bloom when the flowers are warm in spring. Only in the Xiatang area, there is a kind of autumn rose that blooms in autumn. But Autumn roses are actually a genus of chrysanthemums, but the flower shape is similar to roses, and it is a rare deep red. There is a Ziliang Street in Nanhuai City, and this kind of flowers are planted on the side of the river bank. On a frosty day, frost Red Ten Miles, going down the river by boat, at a glance, it looks like ice and fire blending together, it is one of the grand sights in Nanhuai, but in our Chuwei, we have never heard of anyone planting this kind of autumn rose." "Unexpectedly, the general also has experience in planting flowers." Bai Yi was silent for a moment, then smiled: "Zihou, am I a very boring person? You have been with me for five years, and I am always very tense like an arrow on the string. I don't like anything, I don't hate anything, I just blow it up occasionally. Xiao Guan also looks heavy on his mind." Xie Zihou hesitated slightly, bowed and said, "Yes." "Actually, I was not like this at the beginning," Bai Yi said in a low voice, "Twenty years ago, Xi Yan and I were friends, we were both unknown, and we thought about opening a shop in the streets of the imperial capital to sell flowers and earn some money to spend. Then At that time, Xiyan also said that to open a shop, you must have unique skills, and only those that others don’t have can become prosperous, so he studied for a summer, and planted a blue-edged rose, which is called Haiji blue.” Bai Yi fell silent, staring at the dancing candles on the table in a trance. "At that time, Xi Yan and I never thought that we would become famous generals, but we never thought that there would be a day when tit-for-tat. The current situation in troubled times is too compelling... There is no choice." Bai Yi sighed in a low voice, "Now I am a People who have to calculate even their allies and take the first step in everything can only be so boring and dry." "The general's hard work on state affairs is really exhausting." Xie Zihou sighed, "But I think famous ministers and generals are better at employing people properly and commanding and dispatching. With all due respect, the general is just working hard on himself, and it is not a long-term solution after all. " Bai Yi smiled, a little tired: "Zihou, you don't understand." He was silent for a while: "It's not that I don't trust others, but it's very difficult to find someone who is like me. When I served in Chuwei State, I was determined to keep the land of Dayin." Xie Zihou was stunned for a moment: "The general is loyal and patriotic. He is an army of benevolence and righteousness. All the princes admire him." "Zihou, after all, you don't understand people's hearts, and you don't really understand the world." Bai Yi shook his head, "Is there really anyone loyal to the royal family nowadays? Everyone uses the name of loyalty to seek their own favor." The status of Heshan in troubled times is like those people in the big tent now!" Xie Zihou nodded: "I have also heard of the prince's heart of tiger and wolf. If Ying Wuyi is a lion, it is indeed not an exaggeration to compare them with a wolf." "What they did was right." Bai Yi sighed in a low voice, "Zihou, I invite you to be the head of my shogunate, not so much for your strategy, but for your innocence. In this era, the old The emperor should no longer exist." Xie Zihou's face turned pale with shock. He absolutely did not expect that such words would come from Bai Yi's mouth. "I don't think it's up to me to say such outrageous words?" Bai Yi gently stroked the pots. Xie Zihou sat staring blankly at Bai Yi, not knowing what to say. Bai Yi's expression was indifferent, and he spoke softly, as if he was talking about something completely unrelated to himself: "It's a natural thing to change the dynasty. If you want to always control the power of the entire empire and become the co-lord of the princes, then you must have a strong leader. It is a pity that even though our Bai family is huge, it is still a family. It is not easy to choose a master who can deter Donglu from the members of a family. The master's house is far away. In the end, the rest of the master's house are all pampered and pampered descendants. They have never held a sword, never killed anyone, and they don't even understand the balance of the world and the strangulation of power. They rely on the prestige of their ancestors to sit in the Taiqing Palace They will maintain their rule on the throne, but for ten years, one hundred years, one thousand years, when the prestige of the ancestors can no longer continue, this dynasty will be ruined. Those who are raised in splendor will never be able to defeat Ying Wu Like a lion born in the mountains like Yi!" Bai Yi took a long breath: "This is the fate of the emperor. The might of Emperor Qiangwei continued to Emperor Fengyan. It is the last glory. When that glory is gone, it can no longer be sustained. A country ruled by sheep and a country ruled by lions country, whose people will be happy?" Xie Zihou was at a loss for words. "The one who is ruled by the lion will be happy." Bai Yi replied on his behalf. "Although the lion will eat its people, it will also protect its people. These are his food. The world is a big promise." The flock, the shepherd, must never be sheep." Xie Zihou felt a huge pressure on his chest and he could hardly breathe.For so many years, Bai Yi has never told him what he thinks, and Xie Zihou also knows that he is serving the most famous general who is most loyal to the emperor.But the answer to the mystery was suddenly revealed when he had no time to react. Bai Yi did not only have the word "loyalty" in his heart. "The general has guarded the royal family for so many years...for..." Xie Zihou reluctantly said this, and suddenly stood up and bowed down. The general is together, but please tell the general directly, so that Zihou can feel at ease, even if he dies, he will not regret it." Bai Yi smiled, and gently tugged his arm to make him stand up: "Zihou, you misunderstood me. The reason I suddenly said these words to you today is because I don't know what will happen to me tonight. The decisive battle is about to begin .” Xie Zihou's face changed greatly: "Just tonight?" "Just tonight." Bai Yi nodded, "Back then, Xi Yan and I met Ying Wuyi for the first time in Qiuye Mountain City. He was still a young prince loyal to the royal family, and we were teenagers. But Xi Yan and I firmly believed that One day, this man's red-flagged horse will surely wash over the Eastern Continent like a tide. In the battle of Suoheshan Juluyuan, I was forced by domestic pressure and could not personally send troops to serve the king. In the decisive battle, I did not want to face him at that time. His sharpness. At that time, the coalition forces of the princes were numerous, but they were scattered. I really didn't have the confidence to fight Ying Wuyi. But I knew that the decisive battle between me and this person was inevitable. I had been planning for so many years. I have been waiting for this battle for a long time.” He looked up and sighed: "A man is born in the world, and when a hero meets each other, he hates it sooner or later! I'm not 100% sure about this battle, and we may both lose in the end. I ask you for something." "Zihou is terrified! The general orders, Zihou will obey all orders! Even if he dies without a place to bury him, he wants to feel at ease." Bai Yi nodded slightly: "If I die in battle, it will inevitably cause changes in the domestic situation. Now in my Chuwei Kingdom, the ministers monopolize the power, and the king is unable to command..." Xie Zihou promised proudly: "If the general dies, but Zihou dies, he will definitely defend the lord and kill the rebels!" "No, with your current ability, you can't do it." Bai Yi waved his hand and stared at the candle, "But I also have my preparations. After you return to China, go to my study, and there is a letter between the bookshelf and the wall. The letter I left you contains my arrangements for this matter. You may not understand some of them, but you must implement them step by step, and the rhythm cannot be wrong at all. This whole set of plans is intertwined, and you will have a A great opportunity has been born, to inherit my power and protect the country's lord." Bai Yi turned his head and stared into Xie Zihou's eyes: "Remember! You can't make any mistakes! You only have one chance." Xie Zihou felt as if ice had slipped across his back, his whole body shook, and he knelt down on one knee to salute: "Zihou understands!" "Very good." Bai Yi looked exhausted, leaned back in his chair and looked up at the ceiling, and said in a low voice, "The decisive battle is about to begin, I have already heard the sound." "When? What sound?" Xie Zihou raised his head and looked around, but he didn't hear any strange sound. "Listen, the sound of the wind," Bai Yi whispered, "The wind is blowing!" The curtain of the tent was lifted suddenly, and a gust of cold wind rushed in.Bai Yi got up, put on the unpretentious white cloak, straightened the neckline, and strode to the curtain: "Pro-barracks! Prepare to pass the order!" "Yes!" Someone outside the curtain shouted in unison. The wind lifted the curtain again, and a group of black-clothed saber-carrying cadets had already quietly half-kneeled outside the tent.Bai Yi nodded slightly, and the military academy immediately scattered and left. Xie Zihou chased Bai Yi out of the tent, and stood together with Bai Yi in the howling cold wind. The wind became more violent, and the wind direction also changed. Since evening, the west wind turned to the north direction, blowing on his body as sharp as a cold knife with.Bai Yi looked at the flags on the military tent fluttering in the wind, as if they would be torn apart at any moment, and nodded slightly.It was only then that Xie Zihou realized that when Bai Yi asked him to listen, there was really a special sound. The sound of the flag waving suddenly changed. Bai Yi turned his head, and was about to leave with big strides, but stopped and patted Xie Zihou on the shoulder: "I didn't finish what I said just now. Of course, the old emperor shouldn't exist. The change of dynasty is also the general trend of the world. But every time A whole generation of people will be killed or injured. Every transfer of power is bloodbathed. I don’t want to see it. So even if protecting the royal family is going against the trend, I am determined to go on like this.” "Some things, I'm just the kind of person who can't look away. Xi Yan once said that I'm the stupidest at the key point, maybe I'm right." Bai Yi actually smiled, "Zihou, you stay in the camp to guard. If I can’t come back, so please bring those three pots of flowers back to Chuwei. See if the autumn rose can bloom in Chuwei, I’ve never heard of anyone planting autumn rose in Chuwei.” "General..." Xie Zihou wanted to ask to accompany him. Bai Yi has already interrupted him: "Remember the letter in Banbi, don't worry about me. There are not many people in Donglu who can kill me, even if they are lions from Liguo!" He turned and left, his smile faded away, leaving a expressionless face, and a kind of coldness like a famous sword that had been honed over the years suddenly burst out in his eyes. In the central tent of the Chu Guards, Xi Yan stood with his hands behind his back in the middle of the barracks, looking at the battle flags fluttering at the gate, and the entire Chu Guards battalion suddenly moved around him, and the generals who came out to watch were stunned. Watching this sudden change. Xi Yan smiled: "It's started, Bai Yi, Feng Zhongjiu has not let you down!"