Gu Yun's heart skipped a beat. Everything had happened faster than he had imagined, and it was even more chaotic than he had imagined.
The Western Region was full of shallow pits and toads. The small countries were like a bunch of sheep dung, piled up here and there. Every two or three days, there would be friction, and they all wanted to annex each other. However, in the past few years, the Black Iron Battalion had been guarding the entrance of the Ancient Silk Road. It had been a long time since anyone had dared to cause trouble.
The Qiuci Kingdom was a small, broken country. Even if they sold everything they had, they would not be able to gather more than a hundred sand tigers. It was obvious that there were tigers and wolves behind this strange movement. This was not a problem at all.
The problem was — what was the motive of the power behind the Qiuci Kingdom?
Gu Yun did not believe that all of this had been planned by that person in the palace. Li Feng had a strong desire for control and liked to be stable and controllable in everything he did. It was impossible for him to act rashly in such a short period of time, even when he himself had not made any arrangements.
Li Feng was probably caught off guard. On one hand, he did not know what was going on in the Northwest. On the other hand, he was afraid that the Black Iron Battalion would act without orders and disrupt the imperial court's arrangements. That was why he had used the excuse of his commander's seal being confiscated and the drumming order being ineffective to restrain them.
Gu Yun asked, "How many troops are stationed in each country?"
Black Eagle replied, "There are about two or three thousand Western Ambassadors stationed there. India is a little further away, so there are only about a thousand troops stationed there. The rest are from the Western Region."
"Impossible." Gu Yun bit the tip of his tongue slightly and swallowed the words "investigate again." Only then did he remember that he was not in the army at the moment.
He was trapped in this city that was as big as a well cover. He was beyond the reach of his whip.
"Since more than a hundred sand tigers have appeared, the other party must want to fight a tough battle. If there are no tens of thousands of elite troops behind them, it will be a waste of Purple Gold. Even if there are not many troops on the surface, it does not mean that there are no hidden troops." Gu Yun closed his eyes slightly and tapped his fingers on the table. "A group of heavy armor and two or three sand tigers are enough to deal with those good-for-nothings from the Loulan Kingdom. They have gathered a large number of sand tigers and tens of thousands of troops on our border. It is definitely not because of some small matter between the small countries in the Western Region."
Black Eagle was stunned. "Then … then why don't I rush back now …"
Gu Yun interrupted him, "No need, it's too late."
Black Eagle would need at least two days to travel from the Ancient Silk Road encampment to the Capital, which was already considered a godly speed. Since the Capital prohibited flying, he could only settle down in Beidaying. Even if he entered the Capital overnight, it would already be three days before he arrived in front of Gu Yun. If he were to go back and pass on the order, even if he ran to his death, it would still take him five to six days to arrive.
The battlefield was constantly changing. Five to six days was enough for a country to be destroyed.
Gu Yun gritted his teeth. He just had to be detained in the capital at this time!
"Go and rest first," Gu Yun said softly. "Let me think about it."
Black Eagle didn't dare to say anything and left with the order.
Gu Yun turned around and warmed up a pot of wine for himself. He paced around the room for two steps. Within a few inches, he had already completely calmed down and sorted out his thoughts. He thought to himself, "It might not necessarily be the worst case scenario."
He was detained and Shen Yi wasn't around. Currently, the Northwest Black Iron Battalion was led by Black Eagle's Chief Commandant, He Ronghui.
Gu Yun knew He Ronghui's temper. He was a notorious troublemaker. Other than Gu Yun himself, even Shen Yi might not be able to subdue him. He didn't put the Northwest Protectorate in his eyes at all. If Protector General Meng Pengfei dared to act atrociously in the Black Iron Battalion, He Ronghui would probably be the first to make things difficult for him. He might even imprison Protector General Meng.
Then what was the next step?
Suddenly, someone knocked on the door from the outside. When Gu Yun opened the door, he saw Changgeng standing at the door.
Gu Yun was holding half of the door in his hand. When he saw Changgeng, his heart that had just calmed down began to stir again. He could only ask with a stomachache, "Why are you here again?"
Changgeng: "I think Godfather might need me now."
Gu Yun: "…"
Changgeng stood at the door obediently and asked, "Can I go in?"
After he asked for permission, he turned sideways and made a "ready to go" posture. He was prepared that as long as Gu Yun said "get lost", he would immediately turn into ashes.
Gu Yun thought to himself, "I must have owed this bastard a lot of money in my previous life."
Then he had no choice but to step aside and let the bastard through the door.
Gu Yun was too engrossed in his thoughts just now. He didn't pay attention and the wine on the small stove had already overheated and boiled. The room was filled with the smell of wine. Gu Yun picked up the wine pot and asked Changgeng, "Do you want to drink?"
Changgeng ignored him. He took out a pot of cold water and sat upright next to a chessboard. If he shaved his head, he would look like an ethereal monk.
Changgeng asked, "The Black Eagle wouldn't have rushed here overnight from West Beidaying for no reason. Is there any unusual movement at the border?"
Gu Yun didn't want to tell him, so he said vaguely, "It's just a little trouble. It's nothing."
His personal prestige in the army was very high. This had the advantage of being a man of his word. He had excellent control and efficiency. However, it wasn't without its disadvantages. For example, Gu Yun would involuntarily protect this prestige. When he encountered something he couldn't understand, he wouldn't be the first to speak to others.
Over time, it was easy for him to become complacent.
Changgeng raised his eyes and looked at him. However, he quickly withdrew his gaze and resumed his state of looking down, as if he was afraid that he would fall into a trap if he looked too much. He picked up a chess piece from the chess box next to him and played with it with his fingertips. The chess piece was so black that it looked green. It emitted a faint fluorescent light from the gas lamp.
Seeing that Gu Yun didn't want to say more, Changgeng continued, "The generals of the three battalions of the Xuan Tie can take charge of an area on their own. They won't come all the way here to bother you if there's some small friction at the border. I guess there's at least tens of thousands of abnormal troops gathered together. Otherwise, it's a similar trouble that made the Black Eagle rush here."
Gu Yun repeatedly swirled the steaming wine glass. He narrowed his eyes slightly in his drunkenness, "General Chung taught you a lot."
"There's still something General Chung didn't teach me," Changgeng said, "What is Godfather thinking?"
"The Black Iron Battalion's bottom line is to protect the country," Gu Yun whispered, "In a situation where the incident happened suddenly and the situation was unclear, Old He would automatically treat the border as the frontline position. He would close the door of the Ancient Silk Road and cut off all the roads. Those who enter and leave without permission would be punished. If an ally asks for help and the commander-in-chief isn't there, the Black Iron Battalion would at most provide protection. They would never leave their post without permission. With 50,000 Black Iron Battalion, no matter who comes, they won't be able to easily break through the Northwest Barrier unless they're Daluo Immortals. I'm not worried about this for the time being. I'm just thinking about what they'll do next. "
His voice was low and gentle. It seemed to be stronger than the smell of wine in the room. Changgeng's ears couldn't help but tingle. He lowered his head quietly and tried to get rid of the distracting thoughts, "If it were me, I wouldn't take advantage of this time to attack Daliang."
Gu Yun's gaze paused on his black and white fingertips and chess pieces, "Why?"
Changgeng placed a chess piece on the chessboard. There was a clear and melodious sound.
"Because it's not mature enough," he said, "The conflict between Godfather and His Majesty hasn't reached the point where it's like fire and water. Although he temporarily put you under house arrest in the capital, the Black Iron Battalion hasn't disbanded. It's still an iron plate. If there's an invasion at this time, His Majesty can use you at any time. The conflict between the political power and the military power that has intensified in the past few years will be repaired overnight.
Since the day when he lost his composure in the carriage, Changgeng suddenly became sharp in front of Gu Yun. Whether it was family affairs or national affairs, they all came out of his mouth and went straight to the heart without leaving any leeway.
Gu Yun was stabbed by the words "conflict between the political power and the military power". His fingers, which had been scalded by the wine cup, stopped in the air.
Daliang had a very fatal point.
Emperor Wu didn't have a son, so the crown prince could only be adopted from the side. No matter how wise and powerful he was in the legends, Emperor Wu was still a person. When he was dying, this old man had a little selfishness. He left the military power that held the Emperor's seal to his beloved daughter. Since then, the military power and the political power in the imperial court were artificially separated.
This was probably the biggest failure in Emperor Wu's life. If the commander-in-chief knew his place and the Emperor was magnanimous, then the monarch and his ministers could live together for one generation. But what about two generations? What about three generations?
Gu Yun was well aware of this.
One day, the conflict between the Xuan Tie Tiger Tally and the Emperor's Imperial Jade Seal would be irreconcilable. Then, at the end of the road, there would only be two outcomes. Either "national thief usurping the throne" or "the bow is discarded after the birds are killed".
"I think this is a test to kill two birds with one stone," Changgeng placed a few chess pieces on the chessboard, "If those foreigners find out that the Black Iron Battalion becomes a piece of straw that is swayed by the drum order when you are not in the camp, then the army in their hands will be prepared for us. Not only the Western Region, but also the barbarians in the Northern Borderline and the pirates in the Eastern Sea that have been silent for many years. However, this possibility is very small. The most likely result is that the Northwest will still be impregnable. General He will forcibly detain the Northwest Protector General who holds the drum order. "
Gu Yun finally looked at him with a bit of shock.
Changgeng met his gaze and smiled bitterly, "Father, don't be surprised. There is no one else in Daliang who knows more about you than me."
Gu Yun, "…"
This kind of young man who was unmoved by force or persuasion was really not easy to deal with. He could not be beaten, scolded, or coaxed. However, after Gu Yun choked for a moment, he suddenly had an idea. He decisively displayed his "heartless and shameless" skills. He turned his head and said seriously, "Why, are you flirting with your father?"
As expected, Changgeng was caught off guard by him. His white wide sleeves spilled a bowl of water on the table.
Marshal Gu, who was undefeated in a hundred battles, did not have any pride in this small victory. He waved his hand very gracefully and said, "Continue."
Changgeng quickly came back to his senses. Although he was shocked by Gu Yun, he was also a little relieved at the same time. Even if the sky fell down, that person would always be alive and kicking.
"… If it were me, I would continue to put pressure on the border of Ancient Silk Road with heavy troops, especially heavy armors and chariots," Changgeng said, "Go straight to the Black Iron Battalion with murderous intent and show that they are ready to attack at any time. Father, you are not in the army. At most, General He will hang the drawbridge high. He will definitely not take the initiative to send troops. On one hand, he will send a letter to you. On the other hand, he will ask for help nearby. It may be the Beijiang City Defense Army or the Central Plains' heavy troops."
Gu Yun's eyebrows twitched.
"If the Black Iron Battalion sends out a request for help, it must be an emergency at the border. No one will take it lightly. Although the drumming order has been passed from Nanjiang, it is not powerful enough to command the whole territory in just a few months. Therefore, it is very likely that the reinforcements will skip the Ministry of War and come out." Changgeng stared at the mottled chessboard with heavy eyes. "But if I remember correctly, when Bei Man's Crown Prince attacked Yanhui Town, the Beijiang City Defense Army was purged by my father. You can say that you did not deliberately put people in it, but I am afraid that those who measure the heart of a gentleman with the yardstick of a villain will not believe it. Also … the Central Plains' heavy military commander Cai Bin's elder brother is The Old Marquis' direct subordinate."
"In this way, among the five military regions in Daliang, there is no need to talk about the Southwest. General Shen was once your armorist. The Western Region is where the Black Iron Battalion is stationed. They are lawless and dare to openly detain the Protector General of the Northwest. The garrisons in Beijiang and the Central Plains ignored the Ministry of War's drumming order. When the Black Iron Battalion asked for help, they privately mobilized their troops and horses." Changgeng grabbed a handful of chess pieces and threw them on the chessboard with a flick of his sleeve. The chess pieces clattered noisily, and the sound was like pearls and jade.
There was no need to say more after that.
Emperor Li Feng would probably suddenly realize that Gu Yun's concession on the drumming order was completely a 'scam'. He would judge others by himself and think that half of the country was in Gu Yun's hands, and he would be out of breath.
Changgeng's eyes were deep and serene. "Godfather, can you listen to me?"
Gu Yun said, "Speak."
Changgeng said, "First, immediately send the Black Eagle to General Cai to send a letter. Tell him not to act without orders. Even if General Cai decides to send troops, he still has to reorganize his troops and prepare the supplies. It is very likely that he can still make it in time."
Gu Yun immediately asked, "Why not send a letter to the Beijiang City Defense Army?"
Changgeng replied without changing his expression, "Because Godfather only has one Black Eagle. He can only gamble once. Since I can understand that Bei Man's people are likely to take advantage of the situation to fish in troubled waters, General He will not ignore it. Therefore, he is most likely to give up what is close at hand and seek what is far away. After the Black Eagle returns to West Beidaying, he must tell General He to be patient and not to listen to the drumming order. However, he must not offend the Protector General of the Northwest too much."
Gu Yun asked, "Third?"
"Third," Changgeng said slowly, "I want to ask Godfather to submit a memorial to His Majesty before the news from Ancient Silk Road reaches the capital. Find a reason to hand over the Commander-in-Chief's Seal and make it clear that you will no longer be involved in military affairs. At the same time, make it clear to His Majesty that the safety of the Northwest is of great importance. Before you left, you instructed your subordinates that without the Commander-in-Chief's Seal, the Commander-in-Chief of the Three Battalions is not allowed to act rashly under any circumstances. The Northwest cannot be without a leader for a day. Therefore, His Majesty, please find someone to replace him as soon as possible."
By taking a step back, he could avoid the sharp edge and even protect He Ronghui, who had offended his superiors.
In fact, Changgeng wanted to say, "This is a bad plan. It can only slightly alleviate the situation and delay it. It can only treat the symptoms but not the root cause." However, he felt that Gu Yun might not like to hear the latter part of his words, so he swallowed them back.
Gu Yun was silent for a long time after hearing this.
Suddenly, his mind wandered. He couldn't help but think of the year when he picked up the child from the wolf's mouth in the heavy snow outside the Great Pass.
At that time, Shen Yi fooled Changgeng by saying that it was a coincidence. In fact, it wasn't.
At that time, they had their own spies on the front line of the Northern Borderline. After Gu Yun received the Emperor's order, he actually found Xiu Niang first. However, he found out that she had dealings with the barbarians, so he didn't act rashly and alert the enemy.
At that time, Gu Yun himself was still young. He was more or less inexperienced and couldn't handle matters properly. His eyes were fixed on the barbarians and he had long forgotten the previous Emperor's order to find the little prince and quickly return to the capital. In a moment of carelessness, he actually let Changgeng run out of the Great Pass alone. Only then did he panic and quickly chased after him with Shen Yi.
Now, whenever Gu Yun closed his eyes, he could still remember Changgeng's appearance at that time. He was so skinny and covered in injuries. Under the snow and the wolf's kiss, he miraculously held on until they arrived.
Gu Yun wrapped him in a large cloak. His weight was so light that he could carry him with one hand. He felt like he was hugging a dying chick and was afraid that he would strangle him to death if he used too much strength.
And in a moment of carelessness, he had already grown so big.
Changgeng saw that he didn't answer for a long time and couldn't help but ask, "Adoptive Father?"
Gu Yun tilted his head slightly. His expression under the light was almost gentle for a moment. Changgeng's heart jumped fiercely.
Perhaps it was because of the blood that Changgeng vomited when he should be shocked and angry. Perhaps it was because he was badly battered in the next few days. In short, although Gu Yun felt that this matter was ridiculous, helpless and vexed, he wasn't as angry as he imagined.
Gu Yun: "I know. You should rest early."
Changgeng understood that he was asking him to leave and immediately stood up to leave.
Gu Yun: "… Wait."
He lowered his eyes and seemed to hesitate for a moment: "You told me that I want you to do whatever you want, right?"
Changgeng's hand that was about to open the door was stretched out in mid-air. His fingers curled up slightly.
Gu Yun: "I don't want you to go far away. I also don't want you to force yourself to do anything. Adoptive Father just wants you to be well."
Changgeng stood there blankly for a moment and escaped without saying a word.
Gu Yun calmly picked up the remaining half pot of wine and tested the temperature. He leisurely drank a mouthful from the pot and thought, "Little brat, do you think I can't control you?"
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