Right now.
Outside the city of Xijing, the central camp of the imperial army was stationed to suppress the rebellion.
Yang Dingguo, the Minister of War and the Commander-in-Chief of the four provinces of Hedong, Guannei, Jiannan and Longxi, frowned and stared at the huge map on the wall.
General Li Chenghua, the governor of Xijing, Zhang Zhongfang, the commanders of the five camps in the capital, Pei Lun, Tian Zun, and the military governors of Jiannan and Longxi all had serious expressions and said nothing.
In the direction of Qishan, the flag marking the main force of Li Jingang's rebel army was stirring again, and Ma Zongliang's troops stationed in Ma Ting also had the intention of moving towards Yunyang, an important town in the north of Xijing.
In the last battle of Xijing, Yang Dingguo led 50,000 elite troops from the five battalions of the capital, as well as the four Jiedushi of Pei Lun, Tian Zun, Jiannan and Longyou, totaling 130,000 troops, to fight against Li Jingang's 250,000 troops in Xijing.
Li Jingang's military advisor Yang Yan led 3,000 elite troops to attack Xijing, but the attempt was successfully foiled by Zhang Zhongfang who stayed behind and rescued the King of Han, resulting in the defeat of Li Jingang's army.
It seemed that they were about to quell the rebellion in one battle and capture Li Jingang and other rebel leaders alive.
But Ma Zongliang from Linzhou showed up unexpectedly and burned Yang Dingguo's food supplies, causing Yang Dingguo's plan to quell the rebellion to fail.
Half of the elite troops of the five battalions of the capital were killed and the entire army was injured.
The 250,000 rebels plus the 30,000 troops Ma Zongliang brought from Linzhou suffered even greater losses after this battle.
Li Jingang only had 70,000 to 80,000 troops left in Qishan, while Ma Zongliang still had 20,000.
Imperial edicts urged Yang Dingguo to quell the rebellion one after another. After the food and supplies sent from Jiangnan Road arrived, Yang Dingguo began to plan the encirclement and suppression of Li Jingang.
However, before Yang Dingguo could issue the order, scouts came one after another with urgent reports:
"Report! Li Ni's rebel army is fiercely attacking Liquan and Wugong, looting the counties of Qizhou, and endangering Xianjing!"
"Report! Ma Zongliang's rebel cavalry attacked the Weishui grain route, and some of the grain and fodder being transported to Xijing was burned!"
"Report! Scouts have discovered that the rebels in Qishan are mass-producing siege engines!"
Yang Dingguo slammed his fist on the table: "This bunch of scoundrels! They must have learned that the Tartars were attacking Shuozhou and thought the court was unable to take care of the west!"
He took a deep breath and ordered the commanders of Liquan and Wugong to defend the city with all their might. They must not lose the city!
Then he looked at Li Chenghua and said, "General Li, how are the five battalions in the capital resting? Can they be deployed to fight? We must completely eliminate Li Jingang before autumn."
Li Chenghua, the General of the Central Army, who was in charge of suppressing the rebellion, had a blank expression on his face. "Your Excellency, the five battalions have been severely damaged, especially the Flying Bear and Eagle Battalions. They have suffered heavy casualties and are still recovering."
"Hurry up, we must rest and recover within five days!"
Yang Dingguo was firm and unquestionable.
He also received news from the capital that the emperor was addicted to beauty and reveling every night, and he was afraid that he didn't have much time left.
However, the imperial court was short of military forces and the treasury was empty.
The prince is still busy forming factions and suppressing dissidents, and purging the court... This country... is in turmoil!
......
A side hall of Fengyi Palace.
Princess Qinghe Yin Yao sat in front of the window, watching the palace servants quietly remove the red silk and colorful satin prepared for the wedding and replace them with plain gauze curtains.
She held a silk handkerchief tightly in her hand, her knuckles turning white from the force.
Zhao Muyun... just died like that?
The man who defied the imperial order for her, shielded her from poison, and whose figure was as tall and steady as a mountain in the Golden Palace... just died like that?
The news was like a bolt from the blue, instantly shattering the future she had just been forced to accept.
Instead of the relief she had imagined, she was overwhelmed by a huge sense of emptiness, pain and confusion.
Tears silently slid down, not because of love, but perhaps because the only ray of light that once shone into this golden cage with the breath of freedom and resistance suddenly went out.
A thought, like a weed, grew wildly in her dead heart: Leave here!
Get out of this man-eating palace!
Go to Shuozhou!
Even if...even if it's just to see the place he guarded, to see the river where he was buried...
It's better than staying here and being a pawn whose sadness is used as well!
However, this idea had just sprouted when it was shattered by another piece of news.
The order sent by the King of Jin through secret channels was cold and clear: "Yao'er, although Zhao Muyun is dead, his former subordinates are still there, and Shuozhou is still there."
"You are the legitimate widow of the Zhao family, granted marriage by His Majesty! With this identity, you request to go to Shuozhou to comfort the troops and take over your husband's legacy!"
"This is a golden opportunity for our Jin Palace to intervene in Shuozhou! We must strive for it!"
Yin Yao looked at the secret letter and felt cold all over.
After all, she was just a pawn, and even her status as a widow was being used as a tool in the struggle for power.
She was overwhelmed by immense sorrow and powerlessness.
......
Shuozhou, the headquarters of the Pinglu Cavalry Commandant.
Bai Ruolan was dressed in mourning, her face as pale as snow, but she stood straight.
She tightly grasped a personal jade pendant left by Zhao Muyun in her hand, her knuckles turning blue from pinching it.
Next to him, Huan Naxue was sitting in a chair, her belly slightly bulging, tears still lingering on her face, her eyes empty and numb, as if her soul had been sucked out.
Although Han Zhong and others tried their best to conceal it, the envoy sent by the prince to posthumously confer the title eventually let Bai Ruolan and Huan Naxue know that Zhao Muyun died for his country.
Han Zhong was supported by Zhong Dahu and Tian Qing and sat in the main seat. His chest was wrapped in thick bandages. His breath was weak, but his eyes were still sharp.
Zhao Wen, Lin Feng, Wang Tiezhu, Guo Luo, Xi Sheng and others gathered together, all with grief and anger on their faces, their armor still on, and murderous intent in their eyes.
"Sister-in-law! My condolences!"
Zhong Dahu's eyes were filled with tears, and his voice was hoarse, "But Shuozhou cannot be in chaos! With Zhao Tou gone, we have to protect this legacy for him!"
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