Chapter 118: Husband and wife feud and estrangement win

On the water and on the shore, there were still traces of gunpowder and fire, flickering in the dark night.

On the same land, under the same night sky, one side is filled with laughter and excitement, while the other side is deathly depressed.

Li Yi arrived very quickly. However, Jiangzhou City had a very advantageous geographical environment with high walls, deep moats, and water gates. Once the city gates were closed, Xie Ci's army was welcomed into the city from the other side. He quickly released both the land and water gates, and Jiangzhou was already in Xie Ci's hands.

Even Li Yi had to quickly retreat fifty miles, otherwise Xie Ci, who had controlled the dangerous water gates and land passes of all sizes, would immediately counterattack and encircle him.

The successful capture of Jiangzhou would no longer be limited to naval warfare. His Northern Army, whose valor was exceptional, but some of them were fundamentally unsuitable for swimming and deck combat, could be fully mobilized to Jiangzhou. Both land and sea operations would proceed simultaneously.

In the distance, they could see the flickering lights of torches at Jiangzhou's land gate and water gate, and their own pine torches were also burning and peeling off. Everyone's heart was heavy, especially under the flag of the Southern Army's central commander. There was a deathly silence, and only the sound of the wind and Li Yi's heavy breathing could be heard.

"How ridiculous! Damn Zhou Jin! Damn Zhou Yi! How could this happen? How could this happen?!

Li Yi's expression was stiff. He forced himself to return to the camp. He was furious and kicked the whole table away. With a "bang", he fell heavily to the ground. He was furious and shouted loudly.

The follow-up news came back soon. Li Yi also had spies in Jiangzhou City. Although they were sent in mid-year and were not deep enough to attack merchants, the movement in the Jiangzhou Governor's Mansion was too big. There were many local recruits in the Jiangzhou camp, so they soon found out the general details.

Tian Jian took it first, and when he took a look, his face changed immediately: "How could this be?" He quickly presented it to Li Yi.

Li Yi took it with a few big strides, his face gloomy as if he was about to squeeze out water in an instant: "Linghu Zhen? Tao Zhuo?"

Li Yi was extremely intelligent. It was impossible for Linghu Zhen to have such superb skills. He changed his appearance almost at lightning speed. He thought of Gu Wan.

With gnashing hatred, since Linghu Zhen was fine, then it could only be Tao Zhuo!

Li Yi attached great importance to Jiangzhou. Without alerting Zhou Jin, he sent out as many trusted aides as possible, all of whom were first-rate fighters. Tao Zhuo must have been switched on the way. He was so powerful that he could knock down so many masters who were much more skilled than him and were on high alert at the same time, regardless of the support from inside or outside, or even alone.

Li Yi was filled with shock and anger. Tao Zhuo's loyalty was undoubtedly unquestionable, having been one of the deputies sent to Jiangzhou to assist Linghu Zhen. Tao Zhuo had joined his army many years ago, yet he had managed to repeatedly survive Li Yi's scrutiny, and yet he had remained hidden, never revealing his abilities.

This is very abnormal.

Who is it? Who does Tao Zhuo belong to?

It definitely couldn't be Xie Ci and Gu Guan's people, otherwise they would have used them long ago. Li Yi went over the things that Tao Zhuo had handled and immediately ruled out Xie Ci and Gu Guan.

Feng Kun is also wrong, Shoutaishan and Gongsun Kang do not match.

The old emperor from the past? It was impossible for him to slip through the net. Back then, Li Yi was hiding his abilities. If the old emperor wanted to deal with him, he wouldn't have needed to lay down his pieces all those years in advance.

The old emperor had always used threats and coercion to deal with Xie Ci, not to mention him who was ranked behind him.

If it's none of these, then who is it? Who is it?

In just a few moments, his mind raced, and Li Yi suddenly remembered a person, a person who actually didn't have great abilities, but who had been amazing for a while, and who miraculously had a network of many amazingly talented people under his command.

It was like a flash of lightning in the dark night, illuminating the earth for a moment, with a flash of clarity, followed by a roar of thunder and the earth remaining silent and pale.

Li Yi's furious expression suddenly became stiff, and then became ferocious.

Gu Wan's initial guess, which was a double entendre, turned out to be completely correct. Li Yi was exceptionally perceptive. With only a simple piece of paper containing the action plan, he instantly suspected Yu Manzhen.

Li Yi stood there for half an incense stick with a gloomy face. He turned around suddenly, strode out of the tent, and jumped on his horse.

The fat warhorse felt the oppressive air pressure and paced restlessly. Li Yi's eyes were as cold as ice. He suddenly pulled the reins, and the fat horse neighed loudly and rushed out.

The river wind blew, carrying smoke and blood, and a group of fast horses rushed towards Bi County with a terrifying smell.

…

Yu Manzhen did not go this time because she had just arranged to send her daughter out.

Bi County is a small county with no aristocratic families or officials. The houses are all low in structure, and the eaves here are particularly low.

It is a cloudy day today. The news from Jiangzhou has come out. A gloomy gray haze permeates the dim morning light, and the room is very dark.

Somehow, Yu Manzhen woke up early in the morning. Her right eyelid was twitching, and she had a strong sense of foreboding.

She hurriedly put on her clothes, paced twice in the room, called the maid to bring an ice handkerchief, stood in the room with her right eye covered, and felt that the room was too dark, so she asked another maid to light a lamp.

Just as the maid was picking up the lighter beside the lamp, the master and servant suddenly heard a burst of hurried footsteps at the same time!

The sound of military boots fell on the stone corridor like drumbeats, and they turned into the courtyard gate and stepped onto the wooden veranda without stopping. The people's steps were heavy and quick, with a terrifying momentum.

This is Li Yi’s footsteps!

As soon as the twenty or so guards arrived at the courtyard by the lake, they quickly separated. Half of them were stationed in two rows outside the courtyard wall and outside the gate, and the other half followed Li Yi straight to the main house.

The chaotic sound of footsteps suddenly stopped, and Li Yi's tall, armored, dark figure stood outside the threshold against the light. The guards stopped outside the veranda and the main gate.

Li Yi slowly raised his eyes. The morning light was dim and dark. He was shrouded in the shadow of the veranda. His expression was cold and horrified. He looked at Yu Manzhen expressionlessly.

"go out."

Li Yi said coldly.

The maid quickly glanced at Yu Manzhen, and Li Yi shouted, "Get out!"

The maid had no choice but to crawl out.

At this moment, Yu Manzhen's heart rose to her throat, pounding wildly and the blood rushing to her head. Without a doubt, she thought of Tao Zhuo and Jiangzhou in an instant.

Did it fail?

That's impossible. Tao Zhuo would definitely not betray her.

Why is that?

At that moment, Li Yi rushed forward. He leaned over and stared into Yu Manzhen's eyes with a terrifying look. "You are the one who killed Tao Zhuo. You asked him to help from inside and outside, kill Linghu Zhen, and give Jiangzhou to Xie Ci!!"

The magnetic, mellow and elegant male voice, and the words squeezed out from between the teeth, at this moment were as sharp as a knife, and the hatred and murderous intent were as substantial as substance.

Compared with Li Yi, Yu Manzhen was still far behind. Li Yi was just suspicious, but his sharp temperament and firm expression and tone made Yu Manzhen unable to suppress her pupils shrink suddenly!

"What nonsense are you talking about? I don't know what you're talking about?!"

Yu Manzhen was horrified and immediately retorted, her expression filled with fear and anger. She pushed hard with her backhand, and took several steps backward, gasping for breath.

But Li Yi had already seen it.

The huge room was dead silent, with only the sounds of two heavy breaths, one rough and one soft, being heard.

Li Yi was furious for a moment, his rage rising straight to his head. It really was Yu Manzhen, the real Yu Manzhen! !

"You slut!!"

Li Yi was so angry at this moment, so resentful about being backstabbed and losing Jiangzhou, that he really wanted to kill Yu Manzhen on the spot.

Inside the room, the wooden floor was filled with the sounds of hurried footsteps and heavy footsteps. Several stools fell over with a crackling sound, and broken porcelain flew all over the floor. Almost the moment she saw Li Yi's murderous expression, Yu Manzhen knew that her expression had been exposed. She was horrified and suddenly turned around and ran away. Li Yi caught her in a flash and slapped her in the face. With a "bang", Yu Manzhen was knocked to the ground.

Li Yi had never hit his woman before. This was the first time. He was filled with unprecedented anger and hatred. He pulled Yu Manzhen up, grabbed her neck hard, and pressed her against the wall.

He hated it so much: "You idiot, do you know how important Jiangzhou is to us!!"

Li Yi really wanted to kill Yu Manzhen, and even drew his sword. Yu Manzhen struggled desperately, bit his tiger's mouth, and fell to the couch. He drew his sword with a "clang" sound and pointed it at the disheveled and extremely embarrassed Yu Manzhen.

Yu Manzhen really didn't know. Although she now fully understood military affairs, it was still difficult for her to accurately predict and keenly understand the overall situation in the future.

Jiangzhou was far more important than she had imagined. It was just that Yu Manzhen had been distracted and absent recently, so she hadn't attended the crucial meeting.

But even if she listened, would she not do it?

It's hard to say.

Her interests and Li Yi's interests.

Yu Manzhen coughed violently, her throat choking and uncomfortable as if it were dead. The sharp tip of the sword pointed at her, "You traitor, you traitor who ruined my battle plan! I have treated you well as the princess for so many years, and you dare to betray me!!"

Li Yi was really furious to the extreme. At this moment, murderous intent rose in his heart. He had never suffered such a great betrayal before, and he did not expect that it came from his first wife.

He thought of everyone except Yu Manzhen.

But Yu Manzhen suddenly felt a surge of hatred. She sat up straight and hissed sharply, "You've treated me well, you've treated me well." She pointed towards the main courtyard and gritted her teeth, "Then where did Zhu come from?!"

Li Yi was furious: "How many times have I told you that Zhu is just a temporary solution. You will be my only queen and wife!"

After so many years of relationship, he knew that he had wronged Yu Manzhen during this period, but didn't he feel wronged? Was he willing to suppress his anger and be with Zhu?

"I will kill her sooner or later!" he blurted out through gritted teeth.

Li Yi is not a person who will tolerate losses. His tolerance today will make the other party pay the price sooner or later.

Yu Manzhen couldn't help but laugh, and as she laughed, tears started to flow: "If there is no Big Zhu, there is still Little Zhu."

Zhu Qiuwen also has a legitimate sister and a lot of illegitimate sisters.

Her heart was cold and clearer than ever before. She didn't want to believe what Gu Wan said that day, but she knew in her heart that it was all true.

Yu Manzhen has followed Li Yi for more than ten years in her previous life and this life. Especially in her previous life, she has seen too much of his fickleness and ruthlessness.

What Gu Wan said was true.

There is not only the elder Zhu, but also the younger Zhu. None of the Zhu sisters are easy to get along with.

In his previous life, Li Yi was the regent and he still had concerns, let alone the current situation in this life where he is supported by aristocratic families and warlords?

"With Zhu Zhaopu here, will you really make me the queen?"

Yu Manzhen sneered, tears streaming down her face. A fierce anger welled up in her heart. She knew that if the truth came to light, she would not be in a good situation. She had always been afraid of Li Yi, but at this moment, the frustration of having her husband pried away over the past few years, and the stimulation left by Gu Wan's words that day, all came together, and she hissed, "You are not the same?!"

Yu Manzhen said sternly, "How dare you say that I haven't done my best for you!!"

A surge of anger pressed against her throat. Yu Manzhen threw herself into it and said with a cold smile, "Have I ever done anything to let you down?"

Yes, she kept some people privately, but did she owe Li Yi this?

"No!"

"No!!"

Yes, she did let many people down! She did a lot of things that she knew were bad, but there was one thing she never let down: Li Yi!

On the contrary, it was in the previous life that Li Yi was sorry to her.

Because of all the misunderstandings and grievances in the past, all the condescending treatment, and now her daughter is dead, she is in excruciating pain and has lost all hope.

Later he said he would have another child, but it wouldn’t be her!

"What's the use! What's the use?!"

If her daughter could survive, she would rather not give birth to a son!!

Yu Manzhen screamed, "If there's a Zhu family, there will be a second Zhu family! You treat me like this, why can't I treat you like this?!"

She didn't care and screamed out her feelings, feeling extremely happy.

Li Yi suddenly calmed down. He stared coldly at her crazy look. Yu Manzhen had been carefully avoiding her daughter and trying her best not to mention it, but Li Yi's mind was racing and he had figured it out.

"What did Gu Wan promise you? It was Xunxun, right?"

Li Yi said coldly.

Yu Manzhen was like a chicken whose neck was suddenly strangled. Her hissing stopped abruptly and she stared at Li Yi in horror.

…

No one knows the significance of the battle of Jiangzhou better than Li Yi. The Zhongdu plan failed, and he tried his best to make up for it. Only by intercepting Xie Ci in Jiangbei can he have a chance to win.

Once Xie Ci crosses the river, his potential disadvantages will be fully exposed.

Li Yizi was furious, and one could imagine that he even had a vague feeling that he was powerless to change his fate, just like when he was ready for success in Shoutai Mountain, but suddenly Feng Kun showed up.

The rage boiling in his chest roared and burst through his veins, and he wanted nothing more than to tear everyone to pieces and kill them all! !

Li Yi dragged Yu Manzhen out with big strides. Yu Manzhen screamed and struggled. At this time, a vague "splash" sound came from the back wall. It was Yu Manzhen's maid who risked her life to climb over the wall and go into the water, desperately looking for the last remaining person of Yu Manzhen.

Li Yi shouted sternly: "Follow them, leave no one behind!"

Kill without mercy.

Li Yi dragged Yu Manzhen onto the horse, jumped on it, shouted "Gee!", and headed straight for Ningzhou.

Li Xun is in Ningzhou.

It is impossible for Li Xun to disappear for no reason, otherwise there would be no silver here. The other Jiangnan is Zhu's familiar place. If she wants to avoid her, it is safer to make arrangements with Li Yi.

Yu Manzhen screamed. She finally felt fear. All her previous courage suddenly disappeared and she was terrified!

The howling river breeze blew in my face, chilly and watery, like a fierce beast with bared fangs and claws.

The past half of his life surged before Li Yi's eyes. His weak and gentle mother died by hitting a pillar when the rebel soldiers broke in to rob his family of their title. The rebel soldiers stepped on her body, her big eyes wide open, unable to close in death.

Father Gao Jian became hunched over, aged rapidly, experienced many vicissitudes of life, and eventually died when he was eight years old.

He, alone with a few loyal servants, struggled to escape from exile, and returned to the capital, taking one step at a time, but was repeatedly kicked out.

After much difficulty, he finally found his footing. At the age of eighteen, he married his new wife. When he lifted the veil, he discovered a beautiful woman with features as beautiful as a poem. She was shy and gentle, and she had a tacit understanding with him. She was also intelligent. As a young couple, they lived like ordinary couples for several years.

In the second year of their marriage, they had a lovely daughter.

When he held the little baby in his arms, his eyes became hot and tears welled up in his eyes.

He has experienced many vicissitudes of life in his half life and has made painstaking plans for many years before finally achieving what he has today.

His father, his mother, the dead servants, faces some pale and some hideous, flashed before his eyes. The cold wind could not extinguish his surging resentment. He really wanted to kill Yu Manzhen!

It's all fake!

The murderous intent to destroy the world made him lose his mind.

It was only a little over a hundred miles to Ningzhou in the east, and even with the best war horses galloping at full speed, they would arrive in just over an hour.

Li Yi's confidants were shocked to see him and Yu Manzhen coming like this, but Li Yi had already dismounted, kicked open the door, and dragged Yu Manzhen straight to the west wing in the backyard.

In his other hand, he held a blood-stained sword, and there was a murderous intent between his brows.

Yu Manzhen screamed and struggled desperately, exhausted. But at this moment, a huge force suddenly surged in her! Her hand touched the pillar and she held on tightly. Li Yi dragged her, but she didn't move. He pushed harder, and Yu Manzhen's bright red nails scratched the hard mahogany pillar, causing it to crack and bleed. Her heart sank, and she screamed in horror: "Li Yi! Li Yi! Are you really going to pull me in?"

Yes, I am doing this for my daughter, but do you really want to point this sword at her throat?

The screams were heart-wrenching, Yu Manzhen's head was broken and her face was covered in blood. The marks on her neck were deep and black, looking horrifying.

Li Yi's breathing was heavy, and his killing intent was fierce. But at this moment, the corridor leading to the backyard suddenly rang with the sound of very light and small running steps. Li Xun ran over here, his tender voice full of surprise: "...No, I think I hear the voices of my father and mother!"

The childlike innocence was familiar, though a little slurred. After being slapped, Li Yi immediately grabbed the child and called a doctor. The little girl snuggled in his arms, and seeing his nervousness, she sobbed and said she wasn't in much pain.

Li Yi suddenly woke up and regained his senses. Somehow, his eyes suddenly became hot.

The small footsteps were getting closer and closer, and it was about to turn the corner. In the last few breaths, Li Yi gasped like a wild beast, staring at Yu Manzhen, but in the end, he left her behind, turned around and walked away.

Yu Manzhen felt as nervous as if her heart was being squeezed, and was thrown heavily to the ground, but it was like a drowning person getting oxygen at the last moment.

Reborn after a disaster.

The childish voice was about to turn the corner. She was in such a state that she hurriedly covered the wound on her head and hid behind the flower bed.

Li Xun ran out. Her ears felt better. The bruises on her cheeks hadn't completely faded, but the swelling had subsided. She looked colorful but not scary anymore. A pink bow was tied on the top of her soft hair. She ran out with a clatter. There was no one in the courtyard. She was a little disappointed: "It turns out I heard it wrong..."

"That's right, young lady, let's go back."

Several adults and one child, the little girl was held hand and followed the wet nurse and maid back to the backyard.

Yu Manzhen sat on the ground with her knees hugged. After the shock, she covered her mouth and tears streamed down her face.

Li Yi had already hurried out of the three-story house. He stopped outside the gate, took a deep breath, and said in a hoarse and cold voice, "Protect the eldest princess and keep an eye on Yu Manzhen. Don't let her contact anyone or take a single step out of this house."

"If she does anything else, I'll kill her!"

Li Yi wanted to kill Yu Manzhen, but his daughter appeared and saved her life, so he didn't kill her in the end.

"yes!"

Li Yi gave the order in a cold voice, and his confidant who was guarding the courtyard responded immediately. It was almost noon, but the sky was gloomy, and the mist and haze were lingering, rolling and surging in the wind.

Li Yi jumped onto his horse, his blue cloak fluttering in the wind. He stared at the gray sky with a gloomy face. He said hatefully, "I don't believe I can't defeat Xie Ci!!"

With a ruthless heart, he whipped his whip and the sound of horse hooves suddenly rushed out.

…

Li Yi's determination is beyond doubt.

But Xie Ci did not give the Southern Allied Forces any chance to breathe.

While the officers and soldiers who entered Jiangzhou were taking a break, the warships carrying soldiers from Hezhou to Matouji had already arrived in Jiangzhou overnight.

Xie Ci stationed 300,000 troops in many important towns on the north bank, and the remaining 500,000 troops crossed the river to attack the border.

Many soldiers who were unable to participate in the naval battle were excited and eager to fight. The atmosphere of restless anticipation infected the entire army, pushing morale to its peak.

In the main hall of the Jiangzhou Governor's Mansion, which was temporarily set up as a military meeting place.

A sheepskin map was unrolled in the hall. A magnified view of Jiangnan and Jingnan was circled in red. He thanked her and said, "Next, our target is the line from Songzhou to Minshui."

Songzhou is an important town on the south bank of the river, due east of Jiangzhou; while Minshui is due south of Jiangzhou, a rich tributary of the Yunmeng Lake.

Perhaps no one expected that Xie Ci's next strategic goal would cover such a wide range.

It's not just the length of the area.

Going further east from Songzhou, you will soon reach Tianhuangchuan, which is the ancestral home and main business area of the Yuan family, one of the five great families in Jiangnan. The southern foot of Tianhuangchuan is connected to the beginning of the power of the Cai family, another of the five great families.

They were all connected in companies, and after crossing Tianhuangchuan, the road was flat. Apart from the waterways, the enemy had no large natural barriers on land to defend.

What’s even more interesting is the Min River. Its east bank is the sphere of influence of Zhu Zhaopu in Jingnan, and a small part of the right side has actually been infiltrated. The other majority is the sphere of influence of the Hengyue local camp.

The commander of the Hengyue camp was surnamed Jiang, and was from the direct branch of the Jiang family, one of the five major clans in the south of the Yangtze River. His two deputy commanders were surnamed Zhao and one was surnamed Yang, and both were relatives or retainers of the Jiang family.

This mutiny exposed Zhu Zhaopu's infiltration. Both sides are still arguing with each other, tit-for-tat and incompatible.

Xie Ci smiled faintly: "To deal with Li Yi, is there anything better than the strategy of sowing discord?"

There is no need for even a conspiracy. Just doing it openly will make Li Yi's army surge in an instant.

…

Xie Ci ordered the troops to rest for a day, and launched an attack before dawn the next day!

This battle was much more intense than all the previous river crossing battles. Both sides advanced and retreated, and from point to surface, there was a fierce clash between the water and the land, with sparks flying everywhere!

Li Yi is indeed a capable person, and Tian Jian and others also have extraordinary analytical and summarizing abilities. On the fifth day of the war, when the battle was at its most intense, the Yuan, Cai, Hengyue and Jiang families, who had initially worked together, faced the all-out attack of the ferocious Xie Ci army. The 200,000 troops on the north bank of the Yangtze River also crossed the river and invaded southward. In the end, for their own sake, they began to push the enemy in another direction.

Li Yi immediately sent a message to Zhu Zhaopu, who cursed loudly, but he had to turn around immediately to help the Hengyue Jiang family.

Li Yi's Fanyang Army was the most valiant and adept at fighting. They had dispatched 100,000 soldiers and were about to rush to support Tianhuangchuan. At the critical moment, Li Yi stood in front of the map in the big tent and said, "No! Xie Ci's target should be to pass through the narrow Yin Waterway and Pingyang Valley, and attack our left and rear wings from behind!"

Tian Jian took one look and immediately a cold sweat broke out on his back: "That's right!"

In a flash, he realized that the rear troops on the left and right wings were the weakest of the coalition forces, the Longxi Min family and the Jiangnan Lu family.

Once two teams were completely wiped out by Xie Ci, everyone would probably be terrified and feel insecure.

The military morale, which is still relatively cohesive at this moment, will collapse in an instant.

Xie Ci's primary goal in this battle was to openly disrupt his army's morale. Li Yi's expression ferocious for a moment, and he ordered without hesitation: "Zhang Jie, Chi Guangxing, Yuchi Lin, Zhao Xi, the four of you will each lead 20,000 elite soldiers and 300 warships to intercept the Wei army in the narrow Yin waterway and Pingyang Valley. Do you have the confidence?!"

Zhang Jie and his four companions hurriedly gathered their troops and turned back. They were filled with murderous intent and knelt on one knee with a loud thud, "Yes!"

…

Dusk fell, the wind blew up from the ground, clouds obscured the stars and the moon, and it was pitch black, with no visibility of one's hand in front of one's face.

The army was moving with a thunderous sound. Originally, the Northern Army was wearing horseshoes and boots, but when they heard the rumbling sound in the distance, they no longer concealed it and tore off the straw to rush forward.

The two sides collided fiercely, and the fight was extremely fierce.

The generals under Li Yi were extremely powerful. Even when Qin Xian personally led the troops to attack Pingyang Valley, he almost suffered a great loss.

Finally, it was Gu Guan and Yin Luo and his party who had just turned back from Tianhuangchuan. They stopped halfway up the mountain to catch their breath, and saw from afar that the battle between the two sides where their generals' flags were located was extremely fierce. Qin Xian took a heavy blow from Zhang Jie, and his whole body tensed up. The two fought with all their might, and Gu Guan's heart skipped a beat!

Gu Wan knew Zhang Jie. In his previous life, he was the most powerful general under Li Yi except for Xie Ci. He was Li Yi's true confidant. He came from a humble background and was a natural born warrior. He was very powerful.

Qin Xian is more than ten years older than him, and usually doesn't show it, but in a confrontation of this level, she is worried that Qin Xian will suffer a great loss!

She quickly pushed Yin Luo: "Yin Luo——"

Regardless of the danger, the group rushed directly into the battle formation. Gu Guan raised his right hand and fired a fine iron sleeve arrow!

With a "whoosh" sound, he shot out, and Yin Luo directly grabbed a horse and galloped out.

Qin Yong was injured. Qin Xian pushed him and swung a knife back. Zhang Jie caught it and roared like thunder. Just now, Zhang Jie swept through the enemy and almost cut off Qin Xian's arm.

At the critical moment, Yin Luo rushed over, took Qin Yong's halberd with his backhand, raised his arm, and inserted it in time to block Zhang Jie's knife. With a "swish" sound, sparks flew everywhere, and he barely saved Qin Xian.

Qi Gen lost an arm, and with today's medical conditions, it's the same as dying in battle.

Qin Xian narrowly escaped death.

But Zhang Jie and his four men were exceptionally capable. They didn't even move an inch, effectively blocking Xie Jun in the narrow Yin Waterway and Pingyang Valley. The two sides engaged in a fierce battle, but Xie Jun had a purpose. This blockade allowed Li Yi to adjust his position in time, effectively defeating Xie Ci's strategic plan.

After seven days of fierce fighting, the two armies were finally separated briefly. Qin Xian and Su Zhen from the Narrow Yin Waterway and Pingyang Valley turned back. Both were covered in blood, but fortunately they were only slightly injured.

Qin Xian and Su Zhen had been fighting for so many years, but this was the first time they encountered such a powerful enemy general. He was even stronger than the ten generals under Hu Yande in the past.

The two of them lowered their heads and said nothing.

Xie Ci comforted them: "Talented people emerge in every generation. Whether you succeed once or not is not a big deal."

That was indeed the case, but these extremely brave and formidable naval and amphibious generals under Li Yi really made Xie Ci ready for battle.

"Under Li Yi's command, Zhang Jie, Chi Guangxing, Yuchi Lin, Zhao Xi, Yao Dahai, and Sheng Boyong are all killed. If they are not eliminated, I'm afraid it will be difficult for Li Yi to be defeated."

Speaking of which, Li Yi is indeed a capable man. He really doesn't know where he gathered so many loyal top generals who came from humble backgrounds or were criminals.

There are six of them.

But is it difficult to deal with these generals?

It's not difficult.

…

Xie Ci thought for a moment and quickly called Cao Yong.

It was the young leader of the escort agency in Suzhou when he and Gu Guan disguised themselves as escorts at the beginning. Later, when they were looking for Xun Xiao, they asked for his help.

Cao Yong joined Xie Ci's army very early. When he was the Major General of Black Armor in the Northwest, he figured it out and took the entire Yangwei Escort Agency to join Xie Ci's army.

Xie Ci asked Cao Yong, "Who do you think, the Longxi Min clan, the Changsun clan, or the Gao clan, will secretly surrender to us?"

The power structure under Li Yi was too complicated, and Xie Ci did not give him time to digest it. It was worth using alienation and division again and again.

But Li Yi had no way out.

Half of a year had passed, and Xie Ci did not want to wait any longer. Having successfully crossed the river, he wanted to make a quick decision, and to this end, he could make some small concessions.

In the past, many local tyrants and noble families in Longxi were uprooted by Xie Xinzhong. The three Longxi families, Min, Changsun and Gao, had deep roots and were the last to be eliminated. When Xie Xinzhong suddenly met with an accident, although they were seriously injured, they finally survived.

It can be said that the three families have the deepest hatred and understanding for the Xie family.

However, these are not big problems. The most important thing for a family is survival and prosperity. As for old grudges, no matter how big they are, they can definitely be resolved and given way in front of the former.

Speaking of the three tribes of Longxi, if you want to know more about them, the branches of Yangwei Escort Agency are all over the north, especially the northwest. They escort goods and negotiate with both the black and white worlds all year round. As Cao Yong was once the young leader of Yangwei Escort Agency, it can be said that it is right to ask him.

Sure enough, Cao Yong only thought for a moment and immediately said, "Changsun!"

"The Changsun clan suffered no casualties, and the current head of the Changsun clan, Changsun Yuanqi, is a very shrewd person who knows how to weigh the pros and cons."

Cao Yong said: "As long as the master is willing to confer a title on him in the future, he will definitely surrender!"

"Okay, Cao Yong, can you contact him?"

Cao Yong pondered for a moment; "Okay."

Xie Ci said, "Then go ahead!"

Cao Yong knelt on one knee with a "pop": "Yes!"

He turned around and left in a hurry.

…

Xie Ci and Changsun Yuanqi met on the 17th day of the first lunar month. The war had never stopped during that period. Xie Ci had some plans, but he kept silent. Even among his trusted generals, only a few who were present at the time knew about it.

Taking advantage of a break in the battle, Changsun Yuanqi changed into the cloth armor of an ordinary soldier and left quietly. He then changed into ordinary clothes, put on a black cloak, and repeatedly concealed his identity before coming.

Before coming, he was still hesitant and uneasy, but when he saw Xie Ci, he couldn't help but feel determined.

The light boat broke through the river fog and landed at the edge of Xie Jun's Beida Camp. Xie Ci was neither pretentious nor charlatan. He lifted the curtain and walked in. Inside the simple tent, he saw a handsome young man wearing black armor and a dark blue cloak, with long eyebrows and eyes like cold lightning.

This man was very young, but very imposing. His armor was stained with blood, obviously he had just come from the battlefield, but he did not change his armor. He just wiped his hands and face and came over.

There was a bit of the shadow of Xie Xinzhong in the past between his eyebrows. He had neither the attitude of deliberately trying to win over others nor was he arrogant. He was intimidating without being angry and had a calm expression.

Xie Ci asked him to sit down and said without further ado: "From now on, all our past grievances are swept away. If you are willing to surrender secretly, I will make you a marquis in the future. You may not have a fiefdom, but overall, it will not be any worse than what your Changsun family has now."

Xie Ci and Gu Wan had discussed this many times and had already come up with a general rule. He would not treat his meritorious officials who had risked their lives under his command unfairly, but he was afraid that there would be no more enfeoffment.

The country has been suffering for a long time and there is a lot of work to be done. All that is left is to start drastic measures after the final battle is over.

Changsun Yuanqi believed Xie Ci's words 70%. A marquisate was nothing to the Xin Dynasty, but it was a huge matter to the Changsun family.

The Xie family tradition, Xie Ci's consistent style, Chang Sun Yuanqi pondered for a moment, gritted his teeth and said: "Okay!"

He immediately stood up and bowed to greet him with great respect: "Changsun greets General Xie!"

After being called up by Xie Ci, he felt a little nervous: "The Changsun clan is small and weak. The family soldiers and recruited soldiers are only about 20,000. I'm afraid they can't make a big move."

Xie Ci smiled faintly: "You don't need to use much strength, you just need to take the lead."

Greatly, thank you for making it happen.

…

Finally, on the first day of February, the day before the Dragon Raises its Head.

The battle from Songzhou to Minshui finally decided the outcome.

The Northern Army became more and more courageous as the battle went on, and its combat effectiveness was far beyond the reach of the family soldiers and recruited soldiers. Even Zhu Zhaopu felt the strain under the overwhelming force.

What’s more, there are those big and small aristocratic families and the ordinary guards that have been infiltrated by them.

But he was so frightened after being beaten that he could hardly breathe.

Li Yi tried his best to control the war and sent out six generals under his command to lead their troops to control the positions of all parties. With their leadership, the situation was barely stabilized.

But in this battle that lasted for three days and two nights, in the middle of the night, suddenly there was a "boom" sound from the direction of the Qinshui River in the east of Pingyang Valley, and a huge explosion of a dam breaking!

By this point in the battle, both sides had plenty of military supplies, but they had run out of tung oil and black gunpowder. Everyone was horrified by the huge explosion.

It was the beginning of the flood season and it had started raining upstream. The river water rose rapidly, became yellow, turbid and turbid, and rushed in all at once.

This was the wilderness. Zhang Jie shouted at the top of his lungs, "This is an enemy plot! Xie Ci won't let the flood flow through forever. He'll plug it soon! Stay calm, don't panic!"

But his troops were already panicking. Apart from the Fanyang army he led, the Changsun clan, who had not yet been affected in the east, suddenly gathered their troops and left without hesitation! It was a big deal. When the Longxi Min clan and Gao clan, who were fighting with him, saw Changsun leaving, they quickly gathered their troops and followed suit.

The troops of the Lu family and Jiannan Lu Zhi hesitated for a moment, and their resistance slowed down.

At the same time, the ordinary Xie army generals and soldiers who were unaware of the flood also encountered it, but Huang Zongxi, Chen Yan, Chen Fan, Su Wei, and Qin Guan immediately rode their horses and shouted, "Hold your ground! Hold your ground, soldiers! Attack—"

The flood was waist-deep, and no one knew what would happen next. However, the ordinary soldiers of Xie's army reacted quickly. They listened to the orders and looked at the flags, quickly gathered their positions, and rushed forward to fight towards the gap left by the enemy!

The Jiannan Luo family was not at peace. The internal strife had split them into three. The leader of Lu Zhi's troops was Lu Zhi's younger brother Lu Ping. Seeing that the battle situation took a turn for the worse, he finally withdrew his troops and chose to preserve his strength.

In the end, only Zhang Jie was left with 50,000 Fanyang troops to defend Pingyang Valley.

Huang Zongxi, Chen Yan and others joined forces to launch a fierce attack. They were also famous generals of the time, but at this moment they didn't care about one-on-one combat. Their goal was to kill Zhang Jie, and preferably wipe out the 50,000 Fanyang troops.

The final result of the battle was that the line from Songzhou to Minshui was completely penetrated by Xie Ci.

Generals Zhang Jie, Chi Guangxing and Zhao Xi were killed in the battle.

…

The drizzle of rain finally came, cold and pouring on the earth in the early morning.

The breach was indeed quickly sealed, and the ground was a little wet, but not even that much.

The lush green grass was trampled to pieces by the battle, with armored corpses and broken flagpoles lying all over the place.

Zhang Jie fought to the last moment. Li Yi saved his parents and rescued him from danger. He fought for him with all his might until the last drop of blood was shed.

After Li Yi ordered a retreat, he exerted all his might and finally arrived with his troops. However, Zhang Jie's body was already stone cold. His eyes were wide open, and he clutched his double-ringed broadsword tightly. He fell to the ground, his armor ripped and covered with bloody wounds. His blood had already drained out.

Xie Ci said it was a pity for these three generals at that time, but after he said that, he deployed them without hesitation.

Li Yi squatted down, looking a little embarrassed, with a few strands of hair scattered from under his helmet. With trembling hands, he closed Zhang Jie's eyes.

The scene was dead silent, and Tian Jian and others were choking with sobs. Zhang Jie had followed Li Yi very early and had been with them for many years.

In addition to Zhang Jie, there is also Chi Guangxing.

Finally, a sentry, all charred and wet, came on horseback: "General Yuchi has sent a message. General Zhao Xi... died in battle."

All I hear is the whistling of the wind.

Half an incense stick later, Zhang Jie's body had just been wrapped in oil paper and loaded onto the horse when the sound of rapid horse hooves was heard!

"Report! Songzhou has fallen!!"

Li Yi's eyes were bloodshot. Huo turned around and said, "How could Songzhou be lost?!"

Songzhou City is high and has deep moats, making it easy to defend but difficult to attack. Just like Jiangzhou, as long as the city gates are closed, it will never be lost even if you attack for ten days or half a month.

He Zhengyi, the governor of Songzhou, was one of the first people to surrender to Li Yi after crossing the river. He had troops and horses, and later Li Yi sent another 3,000 soldiers to help garrison.

It is impossible to be breached or lost.

The interrogator lowered his head. "Inspector He has been abducted, along with his trusted associates. The elders of Songzhou, along with their young and strong men, have opened the city gates to welcome Xie's army into the city."

The governor He Zhengyi surrendered to Xiaoshan King Li Yi, but the common people were not willing to do so.

Xie Ci fought against the Northern Rong to recover the lost territory, and they would rather vote for Xie Ci than for Li Yi, the King of Xiaoshan.

Songzhou also had many local recruits and civil and military officials. Among them was Guo Bingyuan, a local elder known as Guo Daxia. He made many efforts and made secret contacts, and finally made this happen.

He Zhengyi was tied up upside down, along with his close associates. After confirming and seeing clearly that it was indeed Xie Jun who was below, the city gate was quickly opened.

Due to concerns about He Zhengyi, the 3,000 Fanyang troops were not stationed on all the city walls, but on the north side. Fortunately, the leading captain reacted quickly, realized something was wrong, and quickly opened the north gate to withdraw, so they were not caught in the trap and wiped out by the Northern Army that was rushing in.

The interrogator lowered his head and finished speaking in a hesitant voice.

The whole place was dead silent.

Li Yi's blood rushed up, and for a moment, his vision went dark, and his tall armored body suddenly shook.

The author has something to say:

Looking back, there are traces of many things!

Haha, am I fat today?! Proudly with my hands on my hips, hahaha, I give you a huge kiss! See you tomorrow, babies~ (づ￣3￣)づ

Finally, I would also like to thank "Bu Er Mao Glass" for throwing the mine, pen refills, pen refills!

^

And all the big babies who watered Wenwen, give me a kiss~