The Jin and Wu clashed. From the north to Jiangnan, the world was already divided. As one of the forces that ruled the world in name, the news of Liu Yu's death brought an unimaginably huge impact to the seemingly peaceful situation in the world. In the overall situation of the world's game, it was hard to say who was good or bad for this news, but the sudden tightness of the zither string was clearly displayed in front of everyone.
Similar to the reaction of the Eldest Princess of the Southern Kingdom when she heard the news, in Wei Sheng City, north of the Yellow River, after figuring out the changes in the few days since Liu Yu was kidnapped, Lou Shuwan's face was also pale for a period of time. Of course, due to long-term hard work, her face was already pale to begin with. But this time, the fear and wavering in her eyes were still clearly visible.
Less than a year had passed since she killed the Tiger King and seized power. The new crops were planted, but it was still not the harvest season yet. The future of no harvest was already imminent.
"Summon the guards and invite Zhan Wu over." After making some arrangements, Lou Shuwan ordered her subordinates to invite the representative of the Huaxia army into the mansion. "If he doesn't come … kill him."
Since the overthrow of Tian Hu's regime, the new Tian Shi regime started a series of cooperation with the Huaxia army. Crossbows, iron cannons, gunpowder, swords, guns, and even books and knowledge — as long as it could be obtained, Lou Shuwan started trading with the Southwest. During this trade, Lou Shuwan also actively searched for craftsmen to prepare to imitate many Huaxia army equipment. If the situation was calm, this would be on the right track in the second half of the year.
The scale of these transactions under the table was not small. Zhan Wu, who was originally in charge of the Huaxia army in Tian Hu's territory, became the secret coordinator between the two sides. This middle-aged man who was originally Fang Chengye's partner looked honest and honest. Perhaps he had already known about the whole situation, he obediently followed Lou Shuwan after being summoned.
Lou Shuwan sat in the guest room. Her figure was thin but looked terrifying. She stared straight at the people who came in as if she wanted to kill them with her eyes first. All these years, it was not that her hands had never been stained with blood. She was a woman of high status who had lost her father and brother, and it could be said that she had lost everything. Compared to Lou Jinlin who had shaken Hangzhou, she was even more terrifying. However, Zhan Wu only bowed respectfully, looked at each other, and didn't say anything.
After remaining silent for a long time, Lou Shuwan realized that the man in front of her would not be swayed. She stood up and said, "In the spring, I planted a piece of low-lying land in the courtyard outside. Everything was planted haphazardly. I've been spoiled since I was a child. I've suffered a lot, but I've never developed the habit of farming. I reckon that when autumn comes, I won't be able to harvest anything. But now, it seems that we won't have the chance to wait till autumn. "
The words from her mouth were simple and cold. She then looked towards Zhan Wu. "I just killed Tian Hu last year. Those people outside have planted many things, yet they haven't been harvested even once. Because of your Black Flag Army's operation, they couldn't be harvested. Fifth Master Zhan, you've also farmed before, what do you think? "
Zhan Wu was silent for a moment. "No one wants such a situation. But I think Miss Lou has misunderstood. "
"Oh? Is this what Ning Liheng taught you to save your life? "
"It's my own idea. Even if Mister Ning is meticulous in his calculations, he wouldn't spend so much effort on these things." Zhan Wu cupped his hands and smiled sincerely. "Miss Lou, it's really unfair for you to put all the blame on my Hua Xia Army."
"You want to tell me that it was the trash of the Wu dynasty who kidnapped Liu Yu? This time, it has nothing to do with you? "Lou Shuwan laughed coldly, her cold eyes already carrying killing intent.
Zhan Wu, who was opposite her, shook his head. "No, this time, it was the handiwork of my Hua Xia Army. The Wu dynasty doesn't have such methods. Moreover, when Little Canghe retreated, our comrades infiltrated Liu Yu's palace and injured him. This was a series of plans: Exposing the news of our large-scale infiltration, causing all the forces in the Central Plains to be alarmed and suspicious of each other. It was also to maintain the prestige of our Hua Xia Army in secret. After disrupting Liu Yu's palace, we tried our best to infiltrate it, hoping to kill or kidnap Liu Yu when necessary. This should have been the foreshadowing. Now, it seems that it was indeed a success. "
Zhan Wu's words were frank, and Lou Shuwan's expression became even colder. "Hmph, in that case, you can't be sure if your Hua Xia Army is responsible, but you still think that only the Hua Xia Army can do it. Impressive."
"But Miss Lou shouldn't blame my Hua Xia Army for this. There are two reasons," Zhan Wu said. "First, when the two armies are facing off against each other, could it be that Miss Lou is hoping that your opponent will be merciful?"
Lou Shuwan shook her head and said sternly, "I never hoped that you would be merciful to me! So if you do the same thing, I can do the same thing! "
"Then please listen to my second reason, Miss Lou. If my Hua Xia Army took action this time only for our own benefit and embarrassed the world, Miss Lou doesn't mind killing me. But in Zhan Wu's opinion, this matter is actually a win-win situation." Zhan Wu paused under Lou Shuwan's gaze. "Miss Lou, please think about the actions of the Jin dogs in the past year. If my Hua Xia Army didn't take action this time, would the Jin Nation give up on attacking the Central Plains?"
"At least it wouldn't be so urgent."
"I don't think so." Zhan Wu shook his head. "Last year, the Jin people didn't openly denounce us for the coup d 'état. There were already hints of settling scores. At the beginning of this year, Wu Qimai suffered a stroke and was bedridden. In order to keep Zong Han in check, there was already news that Zong Fu and Zong Bi were heading south. Currently, Zong Han occupies the majority of the Central Plains while Zong Fu and Zong Bi control a small piece of territory in the east. Once Zong Fu and Zong Bi go south to take Jiangnan, have you thought about the simplest way to deal with Zong Han? "
He didn't wait for Lou Shuwan's reply. "Zong Han's first step is to consolidate his territory in the Central Plains. To do so, he only needs to take back the power in Liu Yu's hands. At the beginning of this year, the fake Qi emissary Chen Jumei went north to persuade the Jurchen parties to go south to attack the Wu dynasty. This was an event that happened every year after Liu Yu became emperor. This matter was delayed because of Wu Qimai's stroke. For the people in the south, the most important thing after a country's emperor suffered a stroke and was bedridden was the internal strife surrounding the appointment of the heir. Who knew that the Jurchen people were different? Zong Fu and Zong Bi wanted to seize Jiangnan and use their achievements to intimidate Zong Han. But when Chen Jumei came south from the Great Tong, the Venerable Lady arranged a team of Imperial Bodyguards for Chen Jumei. On the surface, these Imperial Bodyguards were Wanyan Xiyin's household guards. "
Zhan Wu paused. Lou Shuwan said, "Just because of this little bit of abnormality?"
"Intelligence work is accumulated bit by bit. A little bit of abnormality will often lead to a lot of problems. To tell you the truth, there was news from the north. They asked me to observe as much abnormality as possible while Chen Jumei was on her way south. I originally thought it was an ordinary surveillance, but I didn't give a definite answer later on. But after that, it seems that our comrades in the north arrived at Bianliang before Chen Jumei. Then, the person in charge of Bianliang made a judgment and launched the entire operation. "
Lou Shuwan narrowed her eyes. "It wasn't Ning Yi who made the decision?"
"The south and the north are separated by thousands of miles, and the situation is ever-changing. Although Mister Ning made many arrangements when the Jurchen people were acting strangely, the implementation of the affairs in each place has always been decided by the person in charge of each place." Zhan Wu said frankly, "Miss Lou, I don't dare to say that the time to kidnap Liu Yu is appropriate. But if Liu Yu really falls into the hands of Wanyan Xiyin or Zong Han, I'm afraid it will be a different situation for the entire Central Plains."
He spread out his hands. "Ever since the Jurchen people went south and drove the Wu dynasty out of the Central Plains, there have been endless revolts in all these years. Even in Liu Yu's court, there are countless people who are loyal to the Wu dynasty. Outside, there are people like Miss Lou who are unwilling to submit to foreign invaders, and people like Wang Juyun who are openly resisting. You are all waiting for the best opportunity. But forgive me for speaking bluntly, Miss Lou, where will you get such an opportunity to train your troops for another ten years? When your troops are strong and strong, will you raise your arms and call for help? The world will follow? By that time, I'm afraid the entire world will have already belonged to the Jin Kingdom. "
"A person's ambition will be worn away bit by bit. Anyway, Liu Yu is the best opportunity to let the people of the Central Plains who are unwilling to submit stand together again. We also hope to drag things out for a longer time, but there won't be a better opportunity. The Jurchen people also hope for a better opportunity. At least according to what we know, the time the Jurchen people set for the southern expedition — the time when the Wu dynasty is completely destroyed — was originally supposed to be two to three years later. We won't let them wait until then. Wu Qi's illness that he bought made them have no choice but to go south in a hurry. That's why I said that this is the best opportunity and also the last opportunity. There won't be a better opportunity. "
Zhan Wu paused. "Of course, Miss Lou still has a choice. You can choose to feign civility and submit to the Jurchen Nation. You can watch as Wang Juyun and the others are wiped out by the Jurchen Nation before settling the score. You will lose the chance to resist completely. After all, the power of the Hua Xia Army is thousands of miles away from you. If you make this choice, we won't judge you, and our relationship will stop at the business in front of us. But if you choose to follow the little determination in your heart and prepare to fight against the Jurchen people, then the Huaxia army will naturally choose to support you with all our strength. "
"You want me to take the bullet? Well said." Lou Shuwan tilted her head and sneered. She seemed to have thought of something as her face blushed.
Zhan Wu nodded. "Just as Miss Lou said, you are in the north while the Huaxia army is in the south. If you can protect yourselves from the Jin people, it will be a win-win situation for us."
"This is what Ning Liheng left behind, right? If we choose to resist the Jin, what benefits will you get? "
"Indeed, Mr. Ning mentioned it before he left." Zhan Wu nodded. "If Miss Lou chooses to resist the Jin Kingdom this time … the Huaxia army will support you to the best of our ability."
"… Anything?" Miss Lou looked at Zhan Wu for a moment and suddenly smiled.
"As long as it's within our means, we can negotiate."
"I'll sell you out after I get what I want." Lou Shuwan's smile was slightly charming. Zhan Wu moved his eyes away slightly.
"Miss Lou won't."
"Oh? Are you so sure that I don't want to surrender to the Jin people? "
"… That's what Mr. Ning said when he left."
The smile on Lou Shuwan's face disappeared when she heard Zhan Wu's words. The blood drained from her face as she looked at Zhan Wu. The woman's eyes were cold. She seemed to be angry, but she calmed down immediately. Her chest heaved heavily twice. She walked back to the table and turned her back to Zhan Wu. "I'll think about it." Then, she swept the teacup on the table away.
"Get lost," she said.
A thoughtful look flashed in Zhan Wu's eyes. Then, he cupped his hands and left.
*****
It was like boiling lava fermenting and boiling under the surface of the Central Plains.
It was already nighttime in Shouzhou. Due to the turmoil of the times, the government had already closed the city gates. Soldiers patrolled the city amidst the light of the fires.
In the study of the inner court of the governor's manor, a special conversation was taking place. The governor, Jin Wenkang, looked at the tall and strong man in the constable uniform in front of him. His gaze was cautious and enlightened. This tall and strong man was called Bian Xingmao. He was a rather famous constable in the Shouzhou area. He was forthright, generous, and meticulous when handling cases. Although his official position was not high, he had a reputation among the people of the prefecture. The outside world called him "Bian Hutou." Today, he had come to do something that was rather overstepping his authority: persuade the governor to follow Liu Yu and surrender to the Wu dynasty.
"Bian Hutou, oh Bian Hutou, we've worked together for so long, but I can't tell that you're actually a member of the Black Flag."
"This lowly official is definitely not a member of the Black Flag." Bian Xingmao cupped his hands. "It's just that the Jurchens came aggressively and didn't have the chance to fight to the death with the Jin dogs several years ago. In these past few years, this lowly official has always known that Daren cares about the people and is noble and unsullied. It's just that the Jurchens are too powerful, so I had no choice but to feign civility. This is the last chance. This lowly official has come to tell Daren that this lowly official is willing to advance and retreat with Daren and fight to the death with the Jurchens in the future. "
"Are you so sure that I want to drag this city full of people to fight to the death with the Jurchens?"
"There are millions of people in the Central Plains. How can there be only one person who cares about the Wu dynasty? This time, Liu Yu has summoned us with a blood letter. As long as the Wu dynasty responds, there will certainly be countless people who will respond … If we miss this opportunity, there won't be another. "
Jin Wenkang was silent for a moment. "… I'm just afraid that the Wu dynasty won't respond."
"Even if the Wu dynasty is weak, they definitely won't miss this opportunity. If they miss it, the Central Plains will truly fall into the hands of the Jurchens in the future. They won't be able to take it back even if they wanted to … Daren, we can't miss this opportunity."
Jin Wenkang looked at him. "You're a constable, and you're suddenly telling me this and saying you're not a member of the Black Flag Army …"
"Daren …"
Similar situations, or similar sayings, appeared in various places in the past few days where officials and squires who were inclined towards the Wu Dynasty and had a good reputation lived. In Xuzhou, a storyteller who claimed to be a member of the Hua Xia Army brazenly went to the government office, requesting an audience with and lobbying the local officials. In Yingzhou, there were also people suspected of being members of the Black Flag Army who were chased and killed while lobbying. In Chenzhou, a large number of leaflets appeared, spreading the news that the Jin Kingdom was about to occupy the Central Plains and that the time had come …
In the city of Lin 'an, Zhou Junwu lingered in the Eldest Princess's residence, talking to his plain and indifferent sister. In their previous conversation, the sister and brother had already quarreled. With regards to the Huaxia army's actions this time, Zhou Pei felt as if she had been stabbed with a knife. At first, Jun Wu thought the same. But not long after, after hearing the analysis from various places, he changed his opinion.
"… In the end, there are two possibilities for this matter. If the Jin Dogs didn't want to make a move against Liu Yu, then the Southwest did this to let the sandpiper and the clam fight, and the fisherman reaps the benefits. But if the Jin Dogs have already decided to invade the south, then the Southwest has seized the opportunity. How can you take things slowly when it comes to war? If we wait until Liu Yu is called back to the Jin Kingdom, we won't even have this opportunity now. Now, at least we can raise our arms and call on the people of the Central Plains to fight! Sister, after fighting for so many years, the Central Plains is different from before, and we are also different from before. If we throw caution to the wind and fight with the Jurchen again, we might win ten times, a hundred times … "
"You always want to speak up for him." Zhou Pei looked at him coldly. "I know they want to fight. Now that things have come to this, what else can we do but fight? I will support the fight, but Jun Wu, Ning Liheng is vicious and merciless. Don't let your guard down. Not to mention the knife he stabbed the Wu dynasty this time, just in Bianliang, how many officials loyal to the Wu dynasty did he incite to rise up in order to capture Liu Yu? These people were used as bait. They captured Liu Yu and left the entire city there. Do you know what's going to happen over there? This debt will be put on his head! "
Although Ning Yi had used the fake Qi Kingdom's massive conscription method to have a portion of the Huaxia army infiltrate the upper echelons of the other side, it still wasn't easy to capture Liu Yu. On the day of the operation, the Huaxia army had used up almost all of their resources. Many of the upright officials who had been incited didn't even know that the people who had been inciting them for the past few years weren't from the Wu dynasty. This entire operation had used up almost all of the resources the Huaxia army had left in Bianliang. Although they had defeated the Jurchen right in front of the Jurchen, many of the people who had participated in the operation hadn't been able to escape in time. It would be difficult for them to end up well.
"Uh … how can we be soft-hearted when it comes to war …"
"That's right, we can't be soft-hearted. I've already given orders to publicize this matter. The people who died in Bianliang this time were loyal to the Wu dynasty and risked their lives to rise up in rebellion, but they were fooled in the end. This debt of blood will be recorded under the name of the Black Flag Army and under the name of Ning Yi — "Zhou Pei's eyes were slightly red." Brother, I'm not telling you how evil this matter is, but I know how you see him. I just want to remind you that one day, when your shifu moves against the Wu dynasty, he won't show any mercy to us. Don't … die in his hands. "
"Uh …" Hearing Zhou Pei's words, Jun Wu was stunned for a moment before he finally sighed. "After all, it's war. What can we do when it's war … Ai, I know, Royal Sister … I know …"
His expression was bitter.
Not many people knew that at the same time, in the southwest, the three districts of Hedeng, Bly and Jishan were also in a relatively austere atmosphere. During this period of time, the assassination of Ning Yi and even the higher-ups of the Black Flag Army, the nearby Ni tribe, Wu dynasty soldiers and even some of the experts of the Green Forest had been restless for a month or two. The Black Flag Army made their move against Liu Yu at the end of April. Wanyan Xiyin persuaded Zong Han to decide to take back the Central Plains was at the beginning of April. And the confrontation that took place thousands of li away was probably even earlier. Even when the news of Wu Qimai's stroke had spread, Xiyin had already issued the order for the arrangements in the southwest to be launched.
In an assassination attempt at the end of April, Jin 'er tripped while running, and the child she had just been pregnant miscarried. As for the matter of her pregnancy, no one knew before …
However, compared to the people who had died in these conflicts, it was somewhat difficult to put this matter in the bottom of their hearts.
The city of Bianliang was shrouded in terror and deathly stillness.
After days of searching and interrogating for Liu Yu's abduction, a massacre ordered by Ali Shao was about to begin.
The flag of the Huaxia army appeared outside the city gates of Bianliang.
Only one person came, a middle-aged man draped in a black flag. The person in charge of the Huaxia army's fake Qi system, the former commander of the fake Qi imperial army, Xue Guangcheng, had returned to Bianliang. He didn't bring his sword with him, and faced the sea of knives and swords surging out of the city, he strode forward.
"I demand to see General Ali Shao."
The Jurchen general who had led the troops, Tong Ao, was acquainted with Xue Guangcheng. At this moment, he drew his sword and rode over. "Give me a reason not to skin you alive here!"
"Tell General Ali Shao a name. On behalf of the Huaxia army, I want to exchange him for the lives of some insignificant people. "Xue Guangcheng looked up at Tong Ao and paused.
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