"… As for the negotiations outside the city, if we continue to hold on, it will only take a few days. The Female Enlightened Master's request to cede the area north of the Yellow River was just an exorbitant demand, but they definitely wanted the substantial benefits. We believe that the compensation and the New Year's coins are not a problem. If we can continue, we will get the money back. To ensure the safety of Taiyuan, there are a few conditions that can be discussed. First, the compensation of money and goods will be escorted by our troops. It would be best if Second Young Master or Liheng leads the Wu Rui Battalion through Yanmen Pass or Taiyuan. However, there is still a problem at present … "
The wind and snow had not stopped. In the study of the Right Minister's residence, the sound of conversation continued. The one who spoke was the new core member, Tong Zhiyuan.
"In order to ensure Nuzhenren's retreat from Bianliang, the details on the negotiation table are that we will compensate for the goods, money, and returning rations. The Enlightened Woman handed over all the siege weapons in the camp. On the day the Female Zhenren retreated, they exchanged hands. Right now, the ministers of the imperial court were only concerned with finalizing the fact that the Lady Zhenren withdrew her troops. Official Li spent every day negotiating with Zong Wang, closing the door and refusing to receive any visitors. Yesterday's report said that the Venerable Lady's intention to move north of the Yellow River has been dispelled, but Zong Wang still insists on the line from Taiyuan to Yanmen Pass. Therefore, there is still some distance between the Venerable Lady's complete retreat and our army's conditions to escort them out of Yanmen Pass … "
Tong Zhiyuan spoke in detail. When he was done, Jueming spoke up.
"The Venerable Woman has been attacking the city for nearly a month. The siege weapons have long been worn out and can no longer be used. They are only using this as a bargaining chip to give Li Gui a way out. As the saying goes, if one asks for a sky-high price, one must return the money on the ground. However, Li Zhi did not have this kind of spirit. Whether it was north of the Yellow River or north of Taiyuan, in reality, it was not within the Female Zhenren's expectations! They had been through hundreds of battles and were already tired after fighting for so long. They couldn't wait to go back and rest. To put it bluntly, no matter what it was, wouldn't it be better to come back and take it next time? But if Li Gui can't bite him to death, they won't be afraid to leave with a piece of meat. "
Qin Siyuan sighed, "Regarding the Taiyuan matter, I wanted to personally persuade Li Zhi. Later on, I asked Old Man Qin to come forward, but Li Zhi was still unwilling to meet me. In private, he also did not relent. This matter is too serious. If he wants to report back, there's not much we can do … "
"Li Gui does have a handle on me, but there's no point in bringing it out now. The news had already been released in private. Li Zhi should be able to meet with Prime Minister Qin. He only hoped that he could be as tough as possible on the basis of the agreement. Giving someone a rose will leave a lingering fragrance in your hand. "Yao Zunian opened his eyes and said," What about Liheng? What are you going to do? "
"The conflict between the Xia Village's army and the other armies … Takeshi's preparations have been made." Ning Yi replied, "Inside and outside the city, we have already started to sort out and publicize the various stories of this battle. We don't intend to let the people of Xia Village take advantage of this. Everything will be collected and made up at the same time in all the armies, including the hundreds of thousands of people outside the city and the imperial guards in the city. As long as there is a story of a bloody battle, we will help them publicize it."
Ning Yi said calmly. Yao Zunian and the others nodded.
"In the past few days, when they came to recruit soldiers, we also let them out. More than a hundred thousand people, there must be something that can be said. We will record the deeds of those who fought bravely against the enemy, with the officers as the leader. The key is to use the deeds of Xia Village and Wu Rui Camp as the core, forming an atmosphere of public opinion that everyone is willing to be compared with the Xia Village's army. Once their reputation increases, we can dissolve the hostility of these middle-level officers towards Wu Rui Camp. Next, we will absorb them into Wu Rui Camp. After all, they are the victorious army. While the establishment is still a little chaotic, we will expand the number of elites. "
"It's better to take drastic measures than to stop the boiling." Qin Siyuan nodded and said.
"It's hard to say whether Wu Rui Camp can be saved for the time being. But these are the results of the game between the upper echelons. What should be done has to be done. It's better to take the initiative now than to be beaten passively. "
The lights were still on at night. In the room, everyone explained most of the things on hand. The wind and snow were moaning. When the door of the study opened and everyone came out, it was already early in the morning. At this time, everyone stayed in the Prime Minister's residence. Tong Zhiyuan and Hou Wenjing left first. The others also said a few words to Qin Siyuan and went back to their rooms to rest. When Ning Yi greeted him, Qin Siyuan said, "Liheng, please wait a moment. I still have some idle words to say to you."
When Yao Zunian left, he exchanged a complicated look with Qin Siyuan. Ji Kun was the last to leave. Afterward, Qin Siyuan put on a coat and asked a servant to bring one for Ning Yi. The old man took his hand and said, "After sitting all night, my head is also stuffy. Let's go out for a walk." Ning Yi supported him slightly and picked up a lantern. The two of them walked outside.
Thinking back to when the two of them met in Jiangning, the old man was hale and hearty and healthy, not inferior to young people. Later, when they came to the capital, even though there was a lot of work, his spirit was still excellent. But after this battle to defend the city, he finally needed some support.
The two of them walked along the corridor. Snowflakes fell in the darkness beside them. The snow wasn't heavy and the wind wasn't strong, but it was still cold. After walking slowly for a while, they arrived at a windless place next to a small garden in the Prime Minister's residence. The old man sighed. "Is Shaoqian's body alright after hurting his eye?"
"He's fine. There shouldn't be any major aftereffects."
"The Qin family has been literate for generations, but he's been fond of martial arts since he was young. To be able to command such a battle and fight to his heart's content, he even won. His heart must be happy. This old man can imagine. " Qin Siyuan smiled and then shook his head. He looked at a large rock garden in front of him. "After Shaoqian joined the army, every time he went home to visit his family, he would talk to me about the restrictions in the army, filled with righteous indignation. However, there are many things that have their own causes. It's not easy to change and change … Li Heng is clearly aware of this, right? "
Ning Yi was silent for a moment and didn't say anything.
"This time, I talked a lot with Duke Nian, Old Man Qin, and Jueming. However, some things can't be heard by others. Otherwise, it'll be hard to avoid embarrassment." Qin Siyuan said in a low voice, "In the past few years, the military affairs were led by Duke Chu. Later, when Wang Ci took over and the Female Zhenren came, they didn't dare to come forward. It could be said that they lost face. Taiyuan has held on for several months under the pressure of Zong Han's troops. Xia Village defeated Medicine Master Guo. Both of them are my sons, and I happen to be a civil official. Therefore, Duke Chu didn't say anything. Wang Ci and the others all retreated. Cai Jing … he's also afraid that I, this old thing, will come up. When both civil and military officials retreat, in the end, it's hard for me to distinguish between public and private affairs in Taiyuan. It's not good for me to speak … "
"Taiyuan can't be lost …" In the wind and snow, the old man looked at the shadow of the rock garden and murmured.
There was another moment of silence between the two.
"Your Majesty is young and strong. After this battle, you have to start paying attention to military equipment." Ning Yi spoke from behind. He said, "If Xia Village's Wu Rui Battalion doesn't want to be defeated, the key lies with Your Majesty. After the peace talk, please ask Your Majesty to inspect the Xia Village's army. The public opinion of the outside world has exaggerated that this battle was due to Your Majesty's wise command and strategic planning. Your Majesty is the master of resurgence, attaching importance to innovation and progress. "
In the wind and snow, his voice wasn't loud. It was simple and calm. "People can control public opinion, and public opinion can also influence people. With Your Majesty's personality, it's very likely that he'll be moved by this kind of public opinion. His style of doing things also has a pragmatic side. Even if there's suspicion in his heart, he'll still think of using your ability, Prime Minister Qin. When Your Majesty ascended to the throne, you're actually His Majesty's teacher. If you can persuade His Majesty to be hot-blooded and forge ahead like you did in the past, perhaps there's still a chance now … because a confident and pragmatic person isn't afraid of powerful officials. "
Qin Siyuan frowned. Then, he shook his head. "How could I not have thought of this? It's just that Your Majesty's mood is hard to predict now. He … sigh …"
The old man sighed. The meaning behind it was complicated. Perhaps it wasn't directed at Zhou Zhe alone. This matter had nothing to do with debate. He had chatted with Ning Yi, and Ning Yi had chatted with him. Yao Zunian and the others might not have thought of this.
After a while, Ning Yi said, "I've never had dealings with the higher-ups, and I don't know how these messy matters come down. I'm not very sure about these matters. But outside the city, I've discussed with Second Young Master and Wenren. The only chance to break out of this situation may lie here. Using culture to rule over martial power. If the position of a martial man comes up, he'll be suppressed, but perhaps he can ride the wind and rise. Either I'll be like Grand Tutor Cai and be a powerful official for five to ten years. In the future, I'll deal with whatever comes my way. Or, I'll pack up my burden and go home. I'll go to the south and find a good place to stay. "
He paused. "However, Cai Jing has been a powerful official for decades, and he hasn't touched the roots of other people's power. To push the position of a martial man up, this is to touch the roots. Even if there's an Emperor at the front … it won't end well, old man. Think about it, and I'll watch more. It's hard to say whether I'll follow or not … "
After a long time, Qin Siyuan raised his hand and patted him on the shoulder.
The two talked a little more, and not long after, they each went to rest. But such a night was destined to be a sleepless one.
Having been in Bianliang for so long, Ning Yi had never really fought with the high-ranking officials, nor had he really come into contact with the true dragon son of heaven at the top. The game of the higher-ups, every stupid decision made, and pushing a country forward was as difficult as mud. It wasn't that he couldn't understand the operation, but every time, it made him feel angry and difficult. Relatively speaking, he was more willing to stay at the bottom and watch those who could be manipulated and pushed. As he moved forward, he always felt that he was walking back to the old path.
What exactly did he desire and look forward to back then? Was it really worth it later on? What about now? In his heart, he still wasn't sure whether he really wanted to do what he was about to do. He was just using logic and common sense to find a solution. Now that things had come to this, he could only curry favor with the Emperor, defeat the others, and finally let Qin Siyuan walk the path of a powerful official. When foreign enemies came one after another, this country needed a powerful official to push forward military equipment. Perhaps, because of the special circumstances of wartime, there would be a chance for everyone to survive in the cracks.
As long as there was still a shred of reason at the top, it wouldn't be a situation of certain death.
In the many years since he came to the Wu dynasty, this was the first time he quietly fell asleep in such an uneasy mood. The matter was too big. Even he had the mentality of taking things one step at a time, waiting for things to become more obvious before thinking about it and seeing what would happen.
In the endless wind and snow, the lights of many homes in the huge city quietly went out. Carriages came and went in the snow alone. Occasionally, there would be the sound of the night watch. In the early morning, people would open the doors and shovel the snow in front of the doors and on the roads. The city was still gray and gloomy. People nervously and uneasily waited for the news of the peace talks outside the city. In the Throne Room, the officials had already taken their positions and began a new day of confrontation.
Ning Yi went to Fan Lou, preparing to persuade Li Yun to participate in the activities of collecting heroic deeds of other armies for Takeshi. This was something he had long planned to do.
On the snowy plains more than ten miles north of the city, the armies were still in a solemn confrontation. Li Zhi once again walked into the tent of the Jin army and faced those terrifying female Zhenrens, beginning a new day of negotiations and torment.
In the negotiations, Sai La flipped the negotiating table with a bang, drew his sword in front of Li Zhi, and cut it in two. Li Zhi's legs trembled. He looked calm on the surface, but his face had turned pale.
On this day, the Right Minister's residence began more activities and operations. Following that, Takeshi's propaganda offensive also began inside and outside the city.
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