The Grandmaster Strategist

At the beginning of the Duke's reign, he served as a general and guarded the center of Shu on his father's behalf. Although he was not well-known, the soldiers and elders all obeyed his virtue. Later, he took charge of military aircraft, stationed troops in Jiangxia, and supervised the troops in Jianghuai. The northern cavalry was not allowed to go south.

At that time, the prime minister was still in charge of the government and did not want to make progress. Canwei responded silently. In the fifth year of Tongtai, Can did not ask for his orders. Taking advantage of the Yongdongchuan incident, Qingqi attacked Jiameng Pass and blocked the way for Yong's army to enter Shu. When Shang Xiang heard about it, he angrily accused him of falsely sending out troops. He said: "Can inherits his father's influence and has great responsibility to take care of his life. All government affairs are handed over to the prime minister. However, major military and aircraft matters are Can's affairs. If he waits for the imperial court to order, the matter will be done." The opportunity is leaked!" Upon hearing this, Shang Xiang changed his face and faced him, but he was really afraid of it.

In the eleventh year of Tongtai, Emperor Yong raised troops based on subtle reasons. Three armies were divided into Jingxiang, Huaixi, and Huaidong. Huaidong fell into the enemy's hands. Yong's army occupied Yangzhou and peeked into the south of the Yangtze River. His father-in-law led the water camp to guard Jingkou and sent troops to the south of the Yangtze River. The eldest son Yun went to Shouchun, Huaixi to help the Shiguan tribe guard Huaixi. As expected, Yong's army took advantage of the opportunity to attack Huaixi. There was a fierce battle in Shouchun for more than ten days. When the soldiers and civilians heard that the cloud was coming, they all said: "General, we will not abandon us and we will not retreat." Yong's army was exhausted after a long battle and was defeated by the flying cavalry camp. Huaixi was then safe. After a great victory in Huaixi, the Duke took advantage of the situation to reinforce Yangzhou. On a snowy night, he defeated the Yong army at Guazhou Ferry. After a series of victories, he restored Huaidong. The Duke used his own efforts to turn the tide from a desperate situation. In the next few years, Yong and Chu fought a war, and the war stretched for thousands of miles. Although the Yong army was strong, it could not cross the river. The Duke fought for thousands of miles and won every battle. The world rated him as a famous general in the world, and ranked the Duke as the first. one.

The Flying Cavalry Camp was built in the fifth year of Tongtai. At the beginning, the Duke wanted to make progress, but he was worried that the few elite cavalry in the south of the Yangtze River would not be able to defeat the Yong Army. He wanted to build a Cavalry Camp in the Jianghuai River, but was blocked by the court officials. As a last resort, the duke wanted to use Xiangyang to secretly train elite soldiers. The duke Yuan Yi wanted to seize the military power in Xiangyang and blocked the duke's actions, so a rift developed between the two. Later, the Duke attacked Jiameng Pass and took control of all areas of Sichuan. He secretly trained elite cavalry there and called it Feiqi Camp. After the battle in Huaixi, he became famous all over the world. The Duke was very important to the flying cavalry camp, and the commanders of the cavalry camp were personally selected. Every time there was a truce, the officers and soldiers were heavily armored and trained in riding and shooting. The rewards and punishments were heavy, even for parents and children. The elite flying cavalry troops are not inferior to Dayong's iron cavalry. There is a fierce battle in Huaixi, and there are many Lai Fei cavalry camps.

——"The History of Chu in the Southern Dynasties \u0026amp; # 8226;The Biography of Duke Zhongwu"

Huo Cong's heart brightened, and the doubts he had in his mind when he left Dinghai were suddenly solved, and he asked: "Sir, could it be that Yunzishan, who helped the Southern Chu rebels in Wu Yue build stronghold tunnels in Wuyue, was sent by him?"

I smiled and said nothing, raising my eyebrows to signal him to continue. Huo Cong became more and more sure of his judgment and said: "This disciple learned from Duke Jinghai that there are strange people in Wu and Yue who are helping him, and he felt something strange in his heart. Sir, he is quite powerful in the south of the Yangtze River. If this were not the case, we would not be able to easily travel between Wuyue and Jianghuai. If there were indeed people in Wuyue who were proficient in civil engineering and construction, I would not have known to you that the war in Wuyue was started by you. If you knew that someone was hindering your important affairs, you would definitely not sit back and watch such a thing happen. The master's potential power in Nanchu will never allow Yunzishan to reach such a level. Therefore, the disciple guessed that the man and the master were related.

The Master has always been very secretive about his disciples. Others only know the names of Wang Ji, Haili, Liu Hua, and Lu Er, all of whom are named disciples of the Master, but few know that the real names of these four people are Chi Ji, Pirate Li, Hualiu, and Lu Er. Most scholars have read the allusion of King Mu's Eight Horses, so the disciple guessed that there were eight people like Chi Ji in the master's sect, and he thought Lai Yunzishan was the fifth among them. Although the master has not told the disciple the details, the disciple knows that the master has great attainments in the study of civil engineering. I guess that person has inherited the master's mantle in this area, right? "

I smiled slightly and said, "If your words were heard by others, wouldn't they think that I had betrayed Dayong and secretly helped my motherland? This crime is not light."

Huo Cong smiled and said: "If you want to take it first, you must fight it first. Sir, you asked the senior brother to help the rebel army secretly. Although it made it difficult for the East China Sea Navy to gain anything from Wu and Yue, it also reduced the fighting spirit of the rebel army. If everyone hides in the tunnel Wouldn't it be better to avoid war in the middle and allow our army to move freely? And since the people who built the tunnel are our own, we only need a map to make our army follow the map. But I don't think Mr. Wu may have such thoughts. The war should not be in your eyes, sir. Since you have used Xiangyang as a bait, you must have given the Wu Yue rebels the upper hand just to reassure General Lu to go north, right?"

I sighed softly after hearing this: "It took me three years.

Forcing Lu Can into my game, the only place where he can break the deadlock now is in Xiangyang. Lu Can never thought that Wu Yue's deadlock was designed by me. Without any worries, he must forge ahead with determination. With the King of Qi in charge of Jianghuai, even if he has a shocking It is impossible to achieve great results through means. Only the land of Jingxiang, although guarded by Changsun Ji, is slightly weak. Moreover, since Rong Yuan lost Xiangyang, he has never forgotten such humiliation. If Lu Can takes Xiangyang, Rong Yuan will definitely fight bravely to take the lead. , and in the dispute between the north and the south, Xiangyang is an important military town. Even if Lu Can sees through my methods, he has to take Xiangyang. If he doesn't take advantage of this to go north, he may never have such a good opportunity again. "

Huo Cong said doubtfully: "But the disciple doesn't understand, how can Xiangyang become the master's east wind?"

I glanced at him and said calmly: "Follow me, and you will naturally know what blessings and misfortunes depend on each other."

Huo Cong heard this and said sadly: "My disciple would rather never see Master and General Lu fighting each other. Even if Master wins, I'm afraid I won't be happy at all."

I was about to reach out to take the tea cup on the table, but my hand trembled when I heard this, and the tea splashed. After a long time, I said calmly: "You still don't understand Lu Can's character. If he could take my life, he would not hesitate at all." , but his respect and love for me will not diminish even a little bit. Since I have decided to come south, I will not show mercy to him, but he will always be my beloved disciple. Cong'er, if you betray me, I will I will kill him with my own hands, but if you have any difficulties, as long as you tell them, I will take care of them for you."

Huo Cong was shocked when he heard this, and his face turned pale, but he remained silent, with a stubborn look on his face.

Xiao Shunzi had already stood up and moved aside while Huo Cong and I were talking. Although within a few feet, he could hear our voices clearly no matter how subtle they were, but in order to save face, he still had to give both master and apprentice In the space where people were talking in private, Huo Cong was stubborn and ignored the young master's wishes. A trace of murderous intent flashed across his face, and the air in the shop seemed to be cold and condensed. Huo Cong was a very thoughtful person, and he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up, knowing that it was Xiao Shunzi who had murderous intentions. However, he was also a persevering person. Although the pressure was coming, he managed to support himself. Refuse to show any sign of weakness.

I sighed when I saw this. This kid still refused to tell me what was on his mind. He knew clearly that I could exile him to a remote place again with just one word, or even take his life, but he was still so stubborn. Although there were some It's a pity that this young man didn't have any confidence in me, but seeing him like this, I couldn't bear to embarrass him after all, so I had to smile and said: "Well, let's talk about these things later. You should follow me to Xiangyang."

Huo Cong felt his body relax, and the tide of murderous aura suddenly disappeared. He couldn't help but wipe the cold sweat from his head, looked at Jiang Zhe, and thought to himself, maybe it won't be long before he never has the chance to serve his mentor again, but I don’t know if my mentor will have the same feelings of master and disciple as he did for Lu Can when he deals with me, but he will treat him with no mercy.

Almost at the same time that Jiang Zhe and Huo Cong's master and apprentice reunited, outside Jiangling City, on the Han River, on a ship, two generals of the Southern Chu army were having a secret conversation. One of them was Lu Can, and the other was... It was Jiangling guard general Rong Yuan. It had only been three years since the fall of Xiangyang, but Rong Yuan was much older and haggard. Although facing the leader of the Southern Chu army, his expression was indifferent and distant. Lu Can's expression was calm and calm, but his eyes were twinkling. Passionate light.

Rong Yuan was silent for a long time, and finally raised his head and said coldly: "Recapturing Xiangyang is what Rong has dreamed of. Since the general has such determination, Rong dares not to obey the order. But the general has to hide such a big thing from the court. Is it right? Aren’t you worried that the king will blame you?”

Lu Can sighed: "Don't I know that this will definitely arouse criticism, but brother Zhongzhuang should also know that if I really ask for orders, I'm afraid that the Yong army will already know the goals of our army, and the foreign emperor's orders will be violated." , since Lu is in charge of the military plan, he can only do his best. Xiangyang is easy to defend and difficult to attack. I will try my best to lure Changsun Ji out of the strong city. Brother Rong will take the opportunity to attack Xiangyang. If something happens during this period, Brother Rong can act accordingly. "

A cold light flashed in Rong Yuan's eyes, and he said: "General, you know that if Xiangyang cannot be taken down this time, the prime minister will definitely question the general. Now that the king of the country is in charge, the general's power to take orders has been taken back by the court. If the general acts arbitrarily, he will definitely be punished." Will give people a handle."

Lu Can said calmly: "If Xiangyang can be recaptured, it will be okay for Lu to bear some charges. The enemy and our armies have been in a stalemate for more than a year. This is when Yong's army is slacking off, but our army is working hard to seek revenge and avenge its shame." Fighters, the Jianghuai and Wuyue wars have concluded, and we can take the opportunity to march into Jingxiang. Xiangyang is a military center where the north and the south are fighting. If Xiangyang is not available, Jiangling and Jiangxia will be threatened, and our army has no ability to threaten the enemy."

Rong Yuan heard this and said solemnly: "The general will go all out and will never withdraw his troops until Xiangyang is recaptured."

Lu Can felt a little more forgiving. Although Rong Yuan had a different temperament with him and was now attached to Shang Weijun, he believed that if there was a chance to recapture Xiangyang, Rong Yuan would do whatever he wanted. If he wanted to recapture Xiangyang, he would have to Rong Yuan supports it, but the hope is much smaller. Thinking of this, he turned to look at Rong Yuan, who happened to be looking at him as well. The two looked at each other, and they both felt the eagerness and fighting spirit in each other's eyes. They were of the same mind to capture Xiangyang, so Therefore, the previous resentment seemed to have disappeared at this moment.

On August 12, Lu Can led his army from Jiangxia up the Fan River and out of Yiyang. There were three passes to the south of Yiyang, namely Wusheng Pass, Pingjing Pass, and Jiuliguan. Wusheng Pass and Jiuliguan were at the Chu army's It is under control, while Pingjing Pass is in the hands of the Yong army. The three passes are horns to each other, and they are all easy to defend and difficult to attack. Therefore, the two armies have been fighting fiercely for many years. It is rare to be here, but Lu Can has started to do this several years ago. , many years of planning, the army pressed the border, and Yiyang was captured a few days ago, and the defender of Yiyang died in the battle.

On August 15th, Lu Can came out of Yiyang and attacked Wan and Deng in the west. The move was sudden. In Lu Can's mind, Changsun Ji would definitely lead his army to fight in person. Dayong generals, in terms of military strategy, Nanyang area , only Changsun Ji can compare with Lu Can. Xiangyang City is high and deep, easy to defend and difficult to attack, but Nanyang is slightly empty. Unless Changsun Ji ignores his foundation, he will definitely return to Nanyang. Unexpectedly, Sun Ji only sent his general Mo Ye to meet the enemy. The two armies fought in Hanoi. Mo Ye was defeated and retreated to Nanyang. Lu Can then went south and attacked Xiangyang's belly and back. Mo Ye led his army to attack from behind, and Can set up an ambush in Xinye. Mo Ye noticed it and did not dare to advance. Lu Can left his general to guard Xinye and led the main force to attack Xiangyang southward.

Compared with Lu Can's smooth sailing, Rong Yuan's steps were difficult. On August 14, he left Jingling and headed north to capture Xiangyang. Unexpectedly, Changsun Ji ignored Lu Can's threat and personally led an army to defend Yicheng. The two armies After fighting between Yicheng and Jingling for more than ten days, Rong Yuan learned that Lu Can had made a roundabout attack on the back of Xiangyang. He was furious and led his army to attack Yicheng. Changsun Ji secretly sent his soldiers to hide in the countryside at night. When Rong Yuan stormed Yicheng on the second day, ambushes appeared everywhere and defeated the Chu army. Rong Yuan was defeated and retreated to Jingling. Changsun Ji counterattacked Jingling, and Rong Yuan defended it strictly for six days.

On August 27, when Jingling was in danger, Changsun Ji suddenly withdrew his troops and fled away. Rong Yuan found out the military situation and found that Xiangyang had been captured by Lu Can. After Rong Yuan learned the news, he was furious and was already defending the city. Rong Yuan, who was seriously injured at that time, was vomiting blood and was bedridden.

On August 29, Rong Yuan returned to Jiangling angrily and wrote a letter to the Southern Chu court, impeaching General Lu Can for not obeying the king's orders, sending troops easily, putting his soldiers and friendly troops in danger, being rebellious, arrogant, and arbitrary.

Lu Can's capture of Xiangyang was also quite unexpected. Xiangyang was actually very sparsely defended. However, it was captured by the Chu army on the 9th. Lu Can asked the prisoners and found out that on August 7, Jiang Zhe, the counselor of Jiangnan Province came to Xiangyang in person and met with his eldest grandson. After the secret talks with Ji, they secretly divided up 30,000 troops and disappeared without a trace. Because of this, Xiangyang City's defenses were empty and Lu Can took advantage of him. Lu Can knew that Jiang Zhe had many schemes and was worried, so he sent scouts to all directions to inquire about Yong's military situation. In his mind, Jiang Zhe alone was worth one hundred thousand elite soldiers of Yong's army. Being distracted, he did not send troops in time to attack Changsun Ji from behind. Rushing to help Rong Yuan, he wanted to come and Rong Yuan defended Jingling City. Even if he lost, there would be no hindrance. However, he forgot about Rong Yuan's heart and delayed it for several days, which finally led to irreversible regrets.

On August 26, Lu Can received the report, and Jiang Zhe stationed troops in Gucheng. After careful consideration, he left his generals to guard Xiangyang, personally sent troops to Gucheng, and led his troops to attack the city. Although Gucheng is not a large city, it is an important military location guarding the upper reaches of the Han River. It is heavily guarded and cannot be captured in one fell swoop.

I stood at the top of the city, gently waving the folding fan, looking at the brightly armored Chu army below the city. I smiled and said to Huo Cong, who was standing behind him with a calm expression: "You have seen Lu Can use his troops in Wuyue. Can you guess whether Gucheng can defend it?" Until when?”

Huo Cong smiled bitterly and glanced at the general Chang Liang who was standing on the tower commanding the defense of the city. He thought to himself, fortunately, the man could not hear what he said, but he could only answer: "In the naval battle between Wu and Yue, General Lu and Duke Jinghai There were several battles, and his disciples also watched. General Lu used his troops like a god, and Duke Jinghai sighed every time. If the Donghai Navy had not been good at sea battles, he would have suffered defeat. But this time he found a different route, sent troops to Yiyang, and attacked Xiangyang in a roundabout way. Fighting like this is really like flying horses in the sky. Although I, Dayong, have many famous generals, they may not be able to defeat them. If there is no external force, I am afraid that Gucheng will not be able to defend it for ten days."

I couldn't help but murmured in a low voice: "Although this is the truth, you are too disrespectful to save face for me. After all, I am Lu Can's master. Am I bound to lose?"

Huo Cong didn't dare to say anything when he heard this, but Xiao Shunzi sneered and said: "Young Master has never commanded a battle. It is the credit of General Chang that we can defend for ten days. If you had intervened, I'm afraid it would have been a few days shorter." Although the voice was not loud, Hu Yanshou and several guards who were guarding not far behind me could hear it clearly. They all suppressed their laughter and did not dare to speak out.

I shook my head helplessly. I didn't dare to reject Xiao Shunzi's words. I looked down at the city and sighed: "It's a pity that he doesn't have ten days left. Lu Can is an upright person and comes from a noble family. After all, he knows too much about the sinister nature of people's hearts." I guess he will send troops to Xiangyang in the near future. His original intention is to seize Xiangyang while Zhao Long has not been in power for a long time and he can still do his own thing. To be more sure, he will definitely join forces with Rong Yuan. Attack, so I ordered Changsun Ji to favor one over the other to stop Rong Yuan. Rong Yuan was obsessed with losing Xiangyang. Lu Can used him as a partial commander because he would fight to the death with all his strength. Lu Can was well-known, and logically Changsun Ji should fight in person. , so that Rong Yuan could take advantage of the situation and capture Xiangyang. In this way, not only did he achieve his goal, but he could also make up for his dissatisfaction with Rong Yuan. It could be said that he killed two birds with one stone. But I chose to let Changsun Ji stop Rong Yuan. Letting Lu Can take away the credit for recovering Xiangyang was a last resort for Lu Can. He couldn't just let Xiangyang wait for Rong Yuan to take it. However, Rong Yuan had a narrow scope and there was a gap between him and Lu Can. This time, it was supposed to be a joint effort to send troops. In order to overcome the old hatred for Xiangyang, once Xiangyang is captured by Lu Can, the anger in Rong Yuan's heart will be enough to make him do irrational things, and the chaos in Southern Chu will break out, how can Lu Can still fight with peace of mind?"

Although Huo Cong already knew it, he still felt chilled. He hesitated and asked, "Since you, sir, have long used the internal troubles caused by the generals' disagreement to deal with General Lu, why did you withhold it for three years?"

I complained in a low voice: "Don't I want to pacify Nanchu earlier?" Then I replied: "The time has not come yet, even if the hidden danger breaks out, we can't break our muscles and bones. After three years of fierce fighting, we can do it with our own strength." Resisting Yong's army several times larger, Lu Can is now the military god of Nan Chu and has won the hearts and minds of the army and the people. Only at this time can an attack be made to reduce the fighting spirit of the soldiers and people of Nan Chu to the maximum extent. If the attack is made too early, even if Lu Can dies, Nan Chu's army and people will lose their fighting spirit. The Chu army is just in a state of fragmentation, but it will not give up resisting our army. The war will continue for more than ten years. Moreover, when Shang Weijun and Lu Can are concerned about their lives, if Shang Weijun uses this strategy, even if Shang Weijun Lu Can would not be willing to surrender if he wanted to deal with Lu Can, but it is different now, Zhao Long has taken charge, and his will is the true king's order. Unless Lu Can intends to rebel, he will never dare to defy it openly."

Huo Cong sighed softly: "Although General Lu has made contributions in defending the country, in the minds of Shang Weijun and the leader of the Southern Chu Kingdom, he is probably just a powerful minister with a heavy army. They are afraid that he will shake the Zhao family's royal power. If the two countries are at peace, When there is nothing to do and the generals are useless, even the generals will not be able to escape the disaster of losing all their bows. But now that the war between the two countries is raging, the Nanchu court should not destroy itself, right?"

My eyes flashed and I said: "Of course there are ways to reassure the monarchs and ministers of Nanchu, but there is no need to say anything at the moment. Just be careful not to let him take Gucheng."

Hearing this, Xiao Shunzi said coldly: "Since you know the danger of defending the city, why do you have to stay in Gucheng to face the army? When it comes to marching and fighting, Lu Can is one of the best generals. Do you think he will be merciful?"

I sighed: "If Lu Can could be merciful, he wouldn't be Lu Can, but he has to take this risk. If not, how can Lu Can have trouble defending?"

Xiao Shunzi's expression softened slightly and he said: "The enemy has begun to attack the city. Young master, it's better to take shelter in the city. We can't stay in dangerous places for long."

I heard the shouts of killing coming from the city, and saw the soldiers on the city standing ready. I smiled slightly and said: "Although I am not a general, I am a marquis. How can I avoid entering the city? Xiao Shunzi, get my Guqin, let me play a piece on the tower to entertain the soldiers of the three armies."

After saying that, he waved his sleeves and walked up to the city tower. Xiao Shunzi sighed and finally held up the guqin. I looked down from a high position and looked at the Chu army calmly attacking the city and the tall figures in brocade robes and golden armor among the thousands of troops. For several years, In the meantime, his appearance has become much older, which shows the pain in his heart. Speaking of which, we haven't seen each other for thirteen years. I stroked the strings lightly, and the sound of the piano floated down the tower. The sound of the piano was like flowing water, and the water flowed endlessly, as if I was not worried. I threw away the war in front of me and the conspiracy in my heart, and just played the piano with all my heart, without thinking about how to use it. The sound of the harp arouses the morale of our own soldiers and dissipates the enemy's fighting spirit. It is like playing the harp against the flowers in a cold garden, or playing the harp in the wind above the river.

Lu Can, who was commanding the siege from the city, had his eyebrows furrowed. The sound of the piano filled the sky and the earth, and every silk thread reached his ears. He was surprised. It was obvious that there was no one else playing the piano leisurely at this time, except Mr. , It’s just that although the gentleman is familiar with music, he has no inner strength. How can he make the sound of the piano condense and not disperse, filling the sky.

However, he was not in the mood to take this matter into consideration, so he ordered his sergeants to beat the war drums. The drums rumbled and resounded throughout the world, trying to cover up the sound of the piano, but the sound of the piano was just like the breeze passing by, and the running water soaking the sand, although it was faintly visible. , but it never stopped. When the sound reached his ears, Lu Can felt depressed in his heart. He felt as if the sky in front of him was trapped by the person playing the piano.

At this time, two figures stood there silently on the bank of the Han River, watching the raging battle from a distance. One of them was a man in white clothes like snow, with sword-shaped eyebrows and starry eyes. The young man in clothes had a heroic appearance and a cold expression. He held the piano bag in his hand and looked at the blood-spattered battlefield with piercing eyes. His whole body was filled with strong fighting intent and murderous intent.

The young man in snow clothes listened to the sound of the piano, pondered for a long time, and then said: "In terms of playing skills, Sui Yun is far inferior to me, but his understanding is so outstanding. He can penetrate deep into the soul without relying on external forces. Even a thunderous iron wall can't block it. I only reached this level two years ago. I never thought he could play such a piano sound. Ling Duan, bring me the piano. I want to sing with Suiyun."

Ling Duan curled his lips. Although the Demon Sect was now a subject of Dayong, for Ling Duan, Jiang Zhe was still the most hateful enemy. It was not because of the plan set by that person that he let his most respected General Tan It was Tan Ji's long-cherished wish to die in battle and be shrouded in horse leather, and it was not because that man used himself to kill General Shi. Although he knew that Shi Ying's death was a conspiracy by Dayong, his bad impression of Shi Ying had not faded. For him, , what he has always remembered is Li Hu, that reckless fool, but he was killed by Jiang Zhe for such a hateful reason. The lives of small people like himself are probably not as good as ants in Jiang Zhe's heart, right? Over the years, he had met Jiang Zhe several times with the Fourth Young Master, but he was unwilling to say a word to him. He even deliberately avoided that person for fear that he could not help but question him about Li Hu.

Although he was angry in his heart, he did not dare to disobey Qiu Yufei's order, and respectfully handed over the "washing dust" guqin. Qiu Yufei sat down cross-legged, put the guqin on his knees, gently stroked the strings, and a lonely sound came from the guqin. Finger overflow. The sound of the piano is like the lofty peaks of strange peaks, clear and exciting, but it is also consistent with the sound of the piano coming from above the valley city. The two strands of the piano sound are like flowing clouds and flowing water, just like rugged solitary peaks. The flowing water surrounds the strange peaks. Among them is Qing Shang, although he clearly hears it. I can feel the difference between the two piano sounds, but I also feel that the flowing water, the lonely peaks and the mountains and rivers reflect each other and blend together.

At this moment, both the Yong army on the city and the Chu army below the city seemed to be in a state of despair, intoxicated by the sound of the piano. The sound of killing on the battlefield gradually dissipated, and the violent atmosphere turned into peace. Lu Can was there. The Chu army in the formation couldn't help but shake their heads and sigh. Today, the Chu army has no fighting spirit. A tune of the guqin dispersed the fighting spirit of the 70,000 Chu army. Such things really made him miserable. He sadly ordered the gold to retreat, lest he be attacked by Yong's army in the city. take.

The Chu army was full of reluctance when they heard Jin Ming, but they did not dare to disobey the military order and gradually retreated. The generals in the middle of the army were about to surround Lu Can and leave. Lu Can gritted his steel teeth and waved to order his bodyguard to hand over his god Bow, riding a horse out of battle, he would pull the carved bow like a full moon, and shoot an arrow towards the Gucheng tower. He was standing five hundred steps away from the tower, but the arrow could not see the light, and it could travel across a long distance in an instant. , shooting towards the throat of Jiang Zhe, who was playing the piano on the tower. Yong Jun on the city saw Lu Can shooting an arrow with his bow, and he opened his mouth to shout, but the arrow had already reached a few feet in front of Jiang Zhe, but there was no chance for the arrow to go further. Putting his hand in front of the arrow, he flicked his fingers, and the eagle feather arrow, which was as powerful as thunder and lightning, had been flicked to the ground. Xiao Shunzi's face was as frosty, and his eyes showed endless murderous intent.

Lu Can originally had the magical power of both arms. When he went into battle to kill the enemy, he often used bows and arrows to kill enemy generals. Although he was not as good as the masters of Dayong Chang Sun Ji and others, his arrows were perfect within five hundred steps. However, later he became a great general. A general rarely has the opportunity to go into battle in person, and because he is well versed in classics and history and has the reputation of a Confucian general, his reputation for bravery is gradually forgotten. However, Lu Can's arrow was not intended to vent his anger or take Jiang Zhe's life. He naturally knew that there was someone around Jiang Zhe who could stop the arrow. When the arrow was shot, he didn't even look at the result. He galloped into the army and was surrounded by his guards. Whether it was the Chu army below the city or the Yong army above the city, everyone who saw the arrow was Sadly, it is a pity in life that master and disciple turn against each other and old friends die.

On top of the city tower, Jiang Zhe closed his eyes slightly and only focused on playing the piano, seemingly not noticing that he was almost killed by an arrow just now. As soon as the sound of the piano changed, it was like the ebbing tide of the waves. The waves overlapped one after another, catering to the Chu army's retreat. The sound of the piano from the bank of the Han River also changed accordingly, just like the waves that had stood for thousands of years in the waves. The giant reef, even if it is worn away by the strong winds and waves, still stands proudly in the wild waves and remains unchanged forever. The green mountains and green waters turn into the blue sea and cliffs, but they are as delicate and intimate as ever.

When Chu Jun's back disappeared from sight, the two harp sounds suddenly stopped as if there was a tacit understanding. I pushed up the harp and said lightly: "If Yu Fei comes, Cong'er invites him to meet at the county government office." I."

Upon hearing this, Huo Cong couldn't help but said: "Sir, General Lu's arrow was not really meant to kill Sir."

A trace of sadness flashed in my eyes, and I said, "Even if he really wants to shoot me, there's nothing wrong with him." After that, I turned around and walked into the city.

Huo Cong looked at Jiang Zhe's back with a hint of bitterness in his eyes.

After a while, Qiu Yufei and Ling Duan had arrived under Gucheng. However, the enemy did not know when they would attack, but the city gate could not be opened lightly. A rope and bamboo basket were put down on the city to take the two of them into the city. Qiu Yufei Both Ling Duan and Ling Duan were familiar with the war, so they would not take it as an insult. Qiu Yufei let Ling Duan sit in the bamboo basket. After a while, he went to the top of the city. The soldiers were about to put down the bamboo basket again, but they saw in front of them. The white shadow flashed, and a young man in snow clothes was already standing in front of them. The soldiers were stunned. Although the ancient city wall was not very high, it was still about ten feet high. The bamboo basket could only carry one person. However, this young man in snow clothes did not need any help and climbed up the tower gently and deftly. He couldn't help but feel lucky for this man. Not the enemy.

Huo Cong was not panicked at all. Although he had only learned some ordinary martial arts, he had seen Xiao Shunzi's ability before. He knew Qiu Yufei's identity very well. It was not surprising that a direct disciple of the Demon Sect had such martial arts. , stepped forward and bowed his head and said: "Huo Cong pays homage to the Fourth Young Master. Sir, he is waiting for the Fourth Young Master at the county government office."

Hearing this, Ling Duan sneered and said, "Mr. Jiang is so polite. He still remembers to send people to greet him. He really thinks highly of his old friend."

Huo Cong could detect the hostility in Ling Duan's words. He also knew a little about Ling Duan's affairs. He smiled and said, "Brother Ling is serious. My husband and the Fourth Young Master are in harmony with each other. They know each other in their hearts. The Fourth Young Master is an outsider." , has a reputation of being like a man in the forest, and I have never welcomed him in person, firstly because I still have official business to attend to, and secondly because I don’t want to humiliate the Fourth Young Master with these worldly etiquette.”

Ling Duan wanted to argue, but even after opening his mouth several times, he couldn't think of what to say, so he was speechless and stood aside angrily.

Qiu Yufei originally smiled as he watched Ling Duan and Huo Cong talking. The music sounded harmonious and they understood each other. Naturally, he would not misunderstand that Jiang Zhe despised him. Ling Duan used the topic to make use of the topic, but he did not stop him. He just wanted to see how Huo Cong responded. Although he didn't recognize this young man, the Demon Sect was well-informed. How could he not know who Jiang Zhe's most beloved disciple was? He already knew his identity just by looking at Huo Cong's appearance and demeanor.

Although he knew that Jiang Zhe's disciple must be a talented person, Huo Cong's few understatement words made Ling Duan feel embarrassed, but also moved him. Looking carefully, although this young man looked ordinary, his demeanor and demeanor were very similar to Jiang's. Zhe, just a little less lazy and wild, more dignified and serious, just looked at it a few more times, Qiu Yufei frowned again, there was actually a look of depression on the face of this young man named Huo Cong, obviously There were so many things on his mind, Jiang Zhe was proficient in medical skills, how could he not see it, and how could he make his disciples hate him like this? But he just kept it in his mind and said with a smile: "Okay, Ling Duan, stop talking nonsense. Huo Cong will lead the way. Sui Yun must still be waiting for me."

Huo Cong led the two of them to the county government office. The county government office was now the official residence of the Marquis of Chu Kingdom Jiang Zhe. It was heavily guarded. The surrounding guards were all tiger guards in black clothes and black armor. The three of them had just walked into the gate of the county government office. Ling Duan's eyes flickered, looking at the surrounding terrain, which was his habit. Unexpectedly, his eyes flickered, and he saw a big man in black standing at the foot of the stairs. Ling Duan was stunned for a moment, and ran to the big man in a few steps. He stammered: "Li Hu, how come you are still alive? How did you become a Tiger Guard?"

The big man touched his head in confusion and said, "Boy Ling, it's you, why don't you know I'm still alive?"

Ling Duan was so angry that he cursed: "How do I know you are still alive? When you were taken away by Mr. Zhuang, you were silenced. How come you are still alive and well now? Since you are alive, why didn't you know how to give birth to someone else after all these years? Let me send you a message, don't you care about the distress at all?" After scolding, Ling Duan was already filled with anger, and the ecstasy of seeing his old friend just now also faded a bit.

Confusion flashed in Li Hu's eyes and he said: "What are you talking about? My brothers and I were taken to another place and were released after doing hard labor for more than a year. Most of the brothers received money and returned to their hometowns. I also I had no place to go, and I didn’t know how to make a living. Who knew that Commander Huyan came to ask me if I wanted to go to Chang’an. I thought that General Shi was gone, so I followed the commander to Beijing. First, I stayed in the Tiger Wing Camp for a few days. Years ago, Lord Huyan often came to teach me martial arts. In the fourth year, the emperor personally came to the camp to select the Tiger Guards. I was a little short of losing, but when the emperor heard that I was the Li Hu who defeated Jianghou, he sent me He was selected into the Huben Guards. He was sent to protect Marquis Jiang three years ago. However, I heard that you followed Mr. Qiu Si to Jinghai Villa in the East China Sea, and someone sent you a letter. Didn’t you receive it? "

Ling Duan looked at Li Hu's confused expression and knew that this stupid man was confused and confused about what happened that day. Over the years, he was the only one who had been enduring the torment of hatred. Looking around, he saw that Qiu Yufei and Huo Cong had long disappeared. , even the tiger guard next to him avoided it, and the hatred he had felt for many years suddenly fell into the void. He was filled with joy and confusion at the same time, and murmured, "Who did you ask to send the letter?"

Li Hu scratched his head and said: "I don't know where Jinghai Villa is, so I asked Commander Hu Yan for help and asked the Marquis to send you a message. I was thinking that when you come to Chang'an, you can come and have a drink with me."

Ling Duan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Now he knew what the problem was, but when he thought that his old friend was still alive, the joy in his heart mixed with indescribable emotions made him burst into tears. Seeing the appearance of his former friend in need, Li Hu was so anxious that he didn't know what to do and circled around Ling Duan.

Qiu Yufei walked into the inner hall under the guidance of Xiao Shunzi, and saw Jiang Zhe standing in front of the hall with his hands behind his back, his back a little bleak. Qiu Yufei sighed: "Could it be that Suiyun is remembering the arrow?"

I didn't look back and said: "There is no kindness at all when the two countries are at war. What's more, I am just a treasonous and ungrateful person. He has done his best to treat me like this. When I was a teacher in the Lu Mansion, I was pregnant with the loss of my father." Although the pain was because he didn't like reading, so we made an agreement to do our own thing, but actually it was also because I was not in the mood to teach him how to read at that time. If he hadn't treated me with sincerity, I wouldn't have cheered up so quickly. And I Although he is quite talented and knowledgeable, after all, he is young and has little knowledge, and there were many omissions when teaching him to read. If he and I had not been tit-for-tat, debating and discussing, I would not have achieved what I have today. For five years in the Lu family, I had no relatives. Although he is the eldest son of the Marquis Mansion, the Marquis of Lu is practicing military training and is not in the manor all the year round. He also lost his mother when he was young, and the Lu Mansion is a big one. We are just dependent on each other. We are more like friends and siblings than teachers and students. Although he He had a young temperament and often joked with me, but he truly regarded me as a relative. I loved reading rare and unique books, so he searched for them for me. I was greedy for seeing the snowy scene on the river and got cold, but he personally served me the decoction. I had intended to leave at the beginning. Before Nan Chu, I was most worried about this disciple who was as close as my brothers. But now I have to personally design him to fall into a trap. Not to mention that he shot me an arrow to show his kindness. Even if he really wanted to kill me, I would not do it. I can’t blame him, if His Majesty hadn’t been so kind to me, I would not have intervened in this war even if I saw the war going on for another thirty years.”

Qiu Yufei sensed Jiang Zhe's desolate tone, so he deliberately teased: "Suiyun may not hate Lu Can for being ruthless, but I don't believe him if he says that he is not to blame. Ling Duan only saved my senior brother once when he took hostages, so you can I deliberately hid it from him for ten years, making him hold a grudge all day long and miss his deceased friend. If you hadn't asked me for help this time, and you were afraid that he would interfere with it, I might not have let him know the truth."

I couldn't help but smile when I heard this, and turned around and said, "It's not until today that you found out about Jiang's vengeful nature, so why are you making fun of me?"

Qiu Yufei felt relieved when he saw Jiang Zhe's happy face. He looked up and saw that Jiang Zhe had not seen him for several years. He only felt that Jiang Zhe's temples were a little brighter and his gray hair was a little lighter. He couldn't help but sigh: "I heard that Sui Sui Yun has been wandering around the mountains and rivers for the past few years and has not paid much attention to military affairs. I thought Suiyun must be in high spirits, but why does he look so haggard now?"

I sighed softly and said: "The years are passing by and the appearance is getting older. This is also a helpless thing. However, Yu Fei's style is as good as before, which makes Zhe both envious and jealous. This time Zhe sent a letter to invite me from thousands of miles away. It is really a big event. Trust me, after much deliberation, only Yu Fei can help me, but this matter is quite difficult. If the Demon Sect doesn't allow it, or Yu Fei is inconvenient, Zhe doesn't dare to force it."

Qiu Yufei's heart moved, and he had already guessed what Jiang Zhe had asked him to do, and said calmly: "Since Suiyun has asked me, Yufei dares not to obey. Our Demon Sect is now a minister of Dayong, and here we go to see our master first. Sir, Master has allowed me to do things easily. If the matter is urgent, I can go south immediately. But all your efforts will be of no use."

I happily said: "No matter success or failure, I will always do my best. Thank you Yu Fei for your generous help. But there is still some time now. Why don't you and I get together for a few days and wait until the Nanchu army retreats?"

Qiu Yufei sighed: "That's true." Then he smiled and said: "Suiyun's piano art has made great progress. I was just about to ask for advice."

I smiled and said, "It's just what I want, Xiao Shunzi. I won't be in the city in the next few days, so let Cong'er follow General Chang to fight." After hearing this, Xiao Shunzi turned around and went out to deliver the order.

Qiu Yufei's eyes flashed and he said: "Suiyun still cares about Lu Can who cut off the friendship between master and disciple with one arrow. This Huo Cong is also your disciple. Why don't you care about him? Otherwise, how could he be depressed? Where's your heart? If you don't like such a talent, why not give him to me?"

I said meaningfully: "Heaven is about to entrust a great responsibility to this person, and he must first strain his mind and will, strain his muscles and bones, starve his body and skin, deplete his body, and mess up his actions. Therefore, if he is tempted and endures, he will be benefited. cannot."

Qiu Yufei sighed softly when he heard this. Without saying another word, the two of them looked at each other and smiled and walked into the back hall side by side.

For the next ten days, the two of them just played the piano and discussed music in the background, ignoring the war outside. Let Huo Cong follow General Chang to resist Lu Can's strong attack.

On August 27, Changsun Ji returned to Xiangyang and attacked the city urgently. Some generals may have advised Lu Can to return to Xiangyang first to annihilate Changsun Ji. Lu Can thought over and over again and ordered his generals to defend Xiangyang and not allow Changsun Ji to rescue Gucheng. Then he ordered a fierce attack on Gucheng because when attacking Xiangyang, catapults and crossbows were used. They had all been used up. On the 26th, Jiang Zhe and Qiu Yufei played their harps together to disperse the Chu army's fighting spirit. After Lu Can retreated, he ordered his sergeants to build catapults. Starting on the 27th, they continued to attack the city day and night. Although he had never led an army in Xiangyang, he had asked people to find out clearly the strength and weakness of the towns around Xiangyang. Gucheng was less than 150 miles away from Xiangyang and could be reached in one day by a quick horse, so He knew all about the weaknesses of the Valley City wall. The huge stones from the catapults were all aimed at those weak points. In less than a day and night, the Valley City wall was in dilapidated condition. Huo Cong asked Jiang Zhe for advice, but was turned away. In desperation, he took matters into his own hands and ordered his sergeants to build several small catapults and move them to the top of the city, and bundled dry grass into balls. Fire starters were put inside, lit and thrown onto the enemy's formation. After burning more than ten catapults, the Chu army's offensive became unsustainable.

On August 30, Lu Can learned about Rong Yuan's withdrawal. After several days of siege, he found that there were definitely less than 30,000 people in Gucheng, only 5,000 at most. He judged that the rest of Yong Yuan's army must be secretly transferred elsewhere. Maybe he has returned to Xiangyang. If Xiangyang falls, his escape route will be cut off. But Lu Can also knows that now he is alone in Yongjing. Even if he retreats to Xiangyang, he will be besieged internally and externally, so he continues to attack Gucheng, intending to use Gucheng lured the Yong army to come for reinforcements, and sent many people to sneak back to Nanchu. He used the general's order to mobilize the remaining water camps in Jiangxia for reinforcements.

At this time, after arriving at Gucheng, Jiang Zhe ordered the Yong army to return to Dengzhou via Laohekou and gallop back to Xiangyang. They joined Changsun Ji to cut off the road to Xiangyang. According to Jiang Zhe's prior order, they only focused on attacking Xiangyang City but not going there. Save Gucheng.

On September 2, Changsun Ji learned that Lu Can was digging water to irrigate the city, and the defenders were digging trenches in the city, causing the river water to flow into the ground. Worried that Gucheng could not be defended, he sent 10,000 soldiers to rescue Gucheng, which was thirty miles away from the ancient city. At that time, the scouts reported that Gucheng was billowing with smoke. The reinforcement generals mistakenly believed that Gucheng had been lost. They rushed to the rescue regardless of their own safety, but were ambushed by General Lu Can on the way. More than 10,000 soldiers were killed and injured. Changsun Ji heard the news and ordered a fierce attack on Xiangyang. Only more than ten thousand soldiers of the Chu army stayed in Xiangyang. Yong's army had taken away most of the grain and grass supplies in the city before abandoning the city. It was extremely difficult to defend the city. However, although Yong's army treated Xiangyang's elders well in the past three years, Xiangyang people Still not forgetting his homeland, he heard that General Lu Can was taking Xiangyang. Regardless of life and death, he sacrificed his family to help the Chu army defend the city. The Yong army was so anxious that it was difficult to capture it.

On September 4th, Lu Can ordered his sergeants to dig ditches to divert the accumulated water under Gucheng City. At this time, the city wall was soaked in the water and its foundations had floated. Lu Can ordered his sergeants to dig tunnels into the city, but Huo Cong used the accumulated water in the city to pour them into the tunnels. , broke the Chu army's offensive.

On September 5th, Lu Can ordered his sergeants to set up firewood outside the tunnel to burn the city, day and night, and all night long. This time they did not build fires and smoke to lure reinforcements like they did on September 2nd, but wanted to destroy the city wall. Huo Cong ordered The soldiers repaired the city wall and suffered terribly. However, on the morning of September 6th, with the sound of war drums ringing all day and night outside the city, the south wall of Gucheng collapsed. Just when Huo Cong was at his wits end, he discovered that the Chu army outside the city had He did not take advantage of the situation to attack and ordered the scouts to go out of the city to investigate. In the Chu army's camp, there were only more than 20 goats that were blindfolded and hung upside down. They were beating drums with their front hooves. The Chu army had already left during the night.

In the early morning of September 6th, Lu Can and his army suddenly appeared outside Xiangyang City. The scouts reported last night that Lu Can was still attacking Gucheng. Changsun Ji did not expect Lu Can to return to the army. Because the Xiangyang defenders were unable to leave the city to fight, they did not take precautions. , What's more, it was already dawn, when the Chu army was sleeping and yet to wake up. Lu Can led his troops to the Yong camp. Changsun Ji suffered a hasty defeat and was unable to complete the whole army. Fortunately, most of the Yong army's elite escaped with their lives. Lu Can reentered Xiangyang and broke through the Yong army's siege. He once again sent envoys to Jiangling and Jiangxia to dispatch reinforcements.

While Lu Can was fighting hard in Gucheng and Xiangyang, Jianye was already in chaos. On September 1, Rong Yuan's impeachment form arrived in Jianye. Only then did Shang Weijun learn about Lu Can's troops and was furious. Convening a meeting with close friends, the king is now in charge. Although the government is still under the control of Shang Weijun, there is an extra king in name after all. Moreover, although Shang Weijun is greedy for power, he has no intention of rebellion and has no intention of treason. He is more interested in his own grandson. It is only to maintain the heart of flattery. As for Lu Can, the military power in his hands was getting stronger and stronger. In the eighth year of the prosperity, he even took away the power to depose officials below the fourth rank in Jianghuai, Jingxiang and Jianghuai in the name of fending off enemies. Shang Weijun was already wary of him. As far as Shang Weijun is concerned, there are hundreds of thousands of troops guarding the Jianghuai River and the natural dangers of the Yangtze River. The Jiangnan defense line that has been re-established for more than ten years is impregnable. Even without Lu Can, as long as some useless cities with frequent wars are abandoned and important towns are firmly defended, Even if the Yong army launched a large-scale southern expedition, it would be impossible to cross the Yangtze River again. On the contrary, Lu Can respected his troops and won the hearts of the soldiers and people in the country. Once he rebelled, it would be a disaster. Originally, after Zhao Long took office, Shang Weijun intended to slowly take back Lu Can's military power in the name of the country's leader. Unexpectedly, Lu Can was still the same as before, and fought without warning as before. Shang Weijun made up his mind, if Lu Can Can took Xiangyang and defeated Yong's army, so he wanted to recruit him back to Jianye and keep him in the name of a reward. After discussing all night and setting up a strategy to lure Lu Can back to Jianye, Shang Weijun appointed Situ Cai Kai as the imperial envoy to Jiangxia to greet Lu Can. Once Lu Can won, he would recruit Lu Can to return to Beijing to receive a reward. Cai Kai is the father of the new queen, the dignified head of the state, and an important minister in the court. He is well-known and is known as a famous scholar. Empress Cai is able to do so, and Lu Can also has merit. Cai Kai goes to summon her, and she will not let him go. Lu Can became suspicious.

Unexpectedly, within a few days, news came that the Chu army was trapped in Xiangyang, but Lu Can stormed Gucheng and that Jiang Zhe was in the city. There was also an order from Lu Can to summon reinforcements. Although Shang Weijun was worried that Lu Can would be defeated and the vitality of Southern Chu would be damaged. , but he was also pleased that Lu Can could exterminate his relatives righteously, and even personally sent a letter to Rongyuan to rescue Xiangyang. Rong Yuan declined because he was seriously ill and could not lead the army. He wrote again, saying that Lu Can respected the soldiers and ignored the court. He did not hesitate to sacrifice the lives of his soldiers for his own merits.

Since September 6th, rumors have spread in the south of the Yangtze River. They all say that Lu Can is guarding Xiangyang alone and will not retreat or advance. This is because Lu Can intends to separate Jianghuai and become king. It is also said that Lu Can does not break Gucheng because he does not want to offend the Dayong royal family. , because once Lu Can stood on his own feet, Jiang and Huaihe would be attacked on both sides, so he secretly bowed his knees to Chu State Marquis Jiang Zhe and expressed his intention of reconciliation. He defeated Changsun Ji and took Xiangyang. This was just a cover-up. Otherwise, why did the Yong army stop attacking Xiangyang?

On September 12th, Ji Xia, the head of the Yihuang Hall, presented a short song from the folk to Shang Weijun, "The golden servant girl with the eagle feathers, the swallowtail embroidered with the arc of the cantharides. The king of Lu issued a new order, and thousands of camps shouted together." ( Note 1)

Shang Weijun felt his heart was as cold as ice as soon as he saw it. Who else could the King of Lu mentioned in the poem be but Lu Can? Anyone could carefully examine the meaning of the poem and find that Lu Can actually meant to be king. He was still worried that Ji Xia was deliberately setting up a trap, and ordered his close associates to investigate secretly. However, he found that within a few days, whether it was Jianghuai, Jingxiang, or Wuyue, the north and south of the Yangtze River were filled with singing. Even a three-year-old child was learning to speak and singing. "The king of Lu issued a new order, and thousands of camps shouted together." Shang Weijun is also a person who is well versed in classics and history, so he naturally knows what a prophecy is. If Lu Can hadn't intended to rebel, how could such an anti-poetry have been spread? If it weren't for Lu Can's status and power, how could a prophecy last for several days? spread across the river.

As doubts arose, Shang Weijun felt extremely worried. At this time, Shang Chengye, the son of Shang Weijun, said: "Lu Can has armored soldiers and strongholds in important towns. He often sends troops without asking for orders. Although he has great achievements, he is not a pure minister. Regardless of the news that he has rebellious intentions. True or not, the people in the government and the public know that there is Lu Can, but they don’t know that there is a country leader, let alone a father. If Lu Can raises his arms and shouts, I am afraid that Jiangnan will change its flag immediately. By then, not only will the king be dead and the country will be destroyed, but our Shang family will also be destroyed. The smoke disappeared. If Lu Can returned from the Battle of Xiangyang with a great victory, the imperial court would definitely give him a heavy reward. It is said that there were complaints among the army, and they must not be ignored like the previous times. However, this man is already a very popular minister, and as a Southern Chu General, governor of the Jiangnan military, and a first-class Duke. If you want to add another title, you can only be crowned a king. Being a king with a different surname is a precursor to rebellion. Even if Lu Can has no intention of rebelling now, it is inevitable that he will not be betrayed in the long run. His generals are threatening to claim the throne. For his father's plan, instead of waiting for death, it is better to strike first and get rid of Lu Can and his confidants, and then appease his soldiers. The relatives of these soldiers are all on the right side of the Yangtze River, and they are leaderless. How can they rebel? When the time comes, just select one or two senior generals from the army who have a quarrel with Lu Can, and let them defend Yong's army peacefully. My father must not have any hope for the Central Plains, so why must he rely on Lu Can?"

Although Shang Weijun agreed, he was still hesitant. At this moment, the military report from the front came again. Lu Can gave up the Gucheng within easy reach, returned to Xiangyang, defeated Changsun Ji, and wrote back to ask for help. Shang Weijun perked up after hearing the news. If Lu Can won a great victory in Xiangyang, he might not be able to hold Lu Can hostage. Now that Lu Can was in urgent need of reinforcements, he could take the opportunity to force Lu Can to return to the army. Without Xiangyang , at most, he lost the possibility of seizing the Central Plains. However, if Lu Can rebelled, it would be a serious matter that would destroy his family and the country, so he immediately entered the palace and asked Zhao Long to issue an order to make Cai Kai the military supervisor and stop the Jiangxia camp with the king's order. He dispatched troops and mobilized Rong Yuan to Jiangxia, claiming to be waiting for the king's order to join forces and march north to Xiangyang. However, he secretly asked Rong Yuan to seal the river and prevent Jiangxia's army from going north.

Although Zhao Long was pro-government, he was addicted to wine and sex, indifferent to state affairs, and had no objection to his grandfather's ideas, so he issued a decree to Xiangyang and ordered Lu Can to withdraw his troops. In his opinion, he would go north alone to seize the Central Plains. , it is really an unnecessary thing, occupying half of the country, looking around, the palace is shining, the room is full of rare treasures, everywhere you touch is full of ice, muscle and jade bones, under the crystal curtain, there is a greasy fragrance. , with such a blessing, it is enough to live in the south of the Yangtze River forever, why bother to use eggs to hit rocks and cause more troubles.

On September 18, the imperial edict arrived in Xiangyang. Lu Can refused to accept the edict and refused to retreat with the excuse that "the general will not accept the order of the emperor."

When news of Lu Can's rebellion reached Jianye, Zhao Long was furious. He succeeded to the throne at a young age. Although he had never taken power, no one had ever disobeyed his orders. Lu Can was just an ordinary minister to him, and he actually disobeyed him. In anger, the king ordered Lu Can to be summoned back again. The imperial concubine Ji Lingxiang deliberately sarcastically said that Lu Can would not obey the order. Zhao Long was worried about losing face in front of his beloved concubine, so he issued seven withdrawal edicts in two days.

On September 25, the second edict arrived in Xiangyang, and Lu Can refused to accept it angrily. However, seven imperial envoys from Jianye came one after another, all of whom issued decrees ordering Lu Can to retreat. Even so, Lu Can was unwilling to give up Xiangyang. However, although Lu Can was determined to advance, the reinforcements from Jiangxia were blocked by Rong Yuan. The Jianghuai army and horses could not be mobilized. The food supplies were running out and they were isolated and helpless. However, Yong's army reorganized and was about to be defeated. To attack Xiangyang, the surrounding areas of Xiangyang should be fortified and clear, so as not to allow the Chu army to lose food to the enemy. Lu Can stood at the head of Xiangyang City, weeping in the wind and said: "The great cause has not been accomplished, but the Middle Road has crossed south, and there will be no hope of the Central Plains from now on."

As a last resort, Lu Can ordered the troops to retreat. When the people of Xiangyang learned that the Chu army was about to retreat, they were all panicked. They gathered in front of Commander Lu Can's mansion and said, "We will help the general defend the city. Once the Yong army recaptures Xiangyang, Don't you want to blame everyone? Dayong's laws are strict, and we can only die. Please save our lives, General."

Lu Can heard this and sighed: "Lu can't look north to the Central Plains, but he can't harm the elders of Xiangyang." Then he ordered the people of Xiangyang to move south first, pass Suizhou, and settle in Jiangxia.

After Lu Can personally led the army to cut off the troops, he defended Xiangyang without retreating. Changsun Ji learned about the news that the people of Xiangyang were migrating south. He was frightened and furious, and sent his troops to attack the city. Lu Can guarded the city for seven days. The top of Xiangyang city was stained with blood, making it difficult for Yong's army to invade. , on October 3rd, Lu Can set fire to Xiangyang, and then took advantage of the chaos to break out of the west gate of Xiangyang City and headed for Suizhou.

More than ten miles after Lu Can left Xiangyang City, he heard a continuous sound like the roar of thunder in his ears, as if the God of Thunder was angry. Lu Can's heart moved, but his face became as pale as paper. Just hearing the sound location, he knew it was coming from the position of the city wall. It must be a tunnel dug under the city wall with gunpowder hidden in it. It was ignited by the fire and made such a noise. Lu Can was very thoughtful and immediately guessed that this must be Yongpowder. The army secretly arranged to break the city. Such a method was definitely not something that the generals who defended the city could have thought of. However, when Yong's army was attacking the city, they did not use this method to break the city secretly. Lu Can knew that he must have fallen into a trap. Even if he gave birth to Xiangyang, he would not be immune to the suspicion of the king. He thought that the gunpowder was just someone's way to prevent Yu. It's just a back-up plan. With a bitter smile, Lu Can rode his horse towards Suizhou. After more than a month of hard fighting, the war was burning in Xiangyang, leaving behind only the blood of the soldiers and the hatred of the general.

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Note 1: Lu Lun's "One of the Four Songs under the Sai" was modified