Join forces
Inside Zhenzhou Xingyuan.
Tuoba Hong stroked the letter from Weizhou in his hand. Ning Lingyi's handwriting was clear and powerful. Through the back of the paper, he could almost imagine her calm expression when she wrote.
The conditions in the letter were very generous, even to the point of being suspicious. Ning Lingyi exchanged most of the southern desert, which was already controlled by the Southern Dynasty, and thousands of miles of fertile land with abundant water and grass, for Zhenzhou in his hands.
He also proposed to join forces to attack the Western Qiang, promising to divide their land, with Beishuo getting two and the Southern Dynasty taking one.
At this moment, his captured uncle, Prince Erdun, was sitting below him. Although his face was haggard, his clothes were neat and tidy. It was obvious that he had not been treated harshly. He avoided his gaze with a complicated look.
Not only did she send the prince back, she also used a vast piece of land that she had already obtained as a bargaining chip. Ning Lingyi's sincerity was placed in front of him.
She wants to protect the state and join forces with him.
He showed the letter to the generals under his command, and the situation in the tent suddenly became chaotic, like boiling water with hot oil poured into it.
"Great Khan! This is clearly a trick of the Southern Dynasty!"
One fiery captain couldn't contain himself and shouted, "Ning Lingyi is willing to give up the Mo Nan she had secured with such great difficulty in exchange for a Zhenzhou? What's her plan? She must be after something much bigger! Talk about joining forces to defeat the Western Qiang? Pah! Isn't she just trying to trick our Beishuo warriors into fighting for her so she can hide behind and reap the benefits?"
"You can't say that!" An old minister shook his head and retorted, "Great Khan, we've already seized over five million taels of gold and silver during our southward expedition. We've already reaped tangible benefits. Zhenzhou may be crucial, but if we want to hold it for a long time, how much manpower and resources would it take? It's a hot potato! Using it to exchange for the desert grasslands and allow our tribe to thrive is a good thing!"
"It's precisely because it's ready-made that it makes people feel uneasy!"
The captain immediately retorted, his brows knitted into knots. "Why doesn't she want it herself? Either she's incapable of digesting Mo Nan and is desperate to make a deal with us so she can escape; or she has ulterior motives! She's deliberately throwing this piece of meat out to lure us into a fight with the Western Qiang, so she can free up her hands and sit back and watch the fun!"
"Join hands to destroy the Qiang? Humph, I'm afraid it's like driving out wolves at the front door, only to welcome a tiger at the back door! After destroying the Western Qiang, we, Beishuo, will be next!"
"But if we don't agree, will we really fight to the death with the Southern Dynasty here, giving the Western Qiang a break, or taking advantage of the situation to harass our Mobei? Mobei has just experienced turmoil, and the people are still unstable! Wouldn't it be a pity to give up the land of Mobei that is so easily within our grasp?"
There was a lot of noise in the tent, with everyone arguing with their own opinions, and the sound was almost enough to blow the roof off the tent.
Tuoba Hong listened in silence.
Their arguments are all understandable.
But he saw much further than they did.
Ning Lingyi's move was indeed extremely bold. The temptation in the south of the desert was huge enough to make many risks seem bearable.
To him, both the Western Qiang and the Southern Dynasty were enemies.
The Western Qiang are ferocious and growing stronger day by day, and will sooner or later become a serious threat to the Northern Shuo; the Southern Dynasty has been reorganized by Ning Lingyi and its strength has been revealed, making it a formidable enemy in the future.
The best situation, of course, is that the two tigers fight each other and both are seriously injured.
Ning Lingyi's proposal seemed to give up huge benefits, but in fact it completely tied Beishuo to the chariot against Xiqiang and temporarily relieved the pressure from the north of the Southern Dynasty.
However, isn't this also an opportunity for Beishuo?
If they could join forces and wipe out the main force of the Western Qiang in one fell swoop, Beishu would gain two-thirds of its territory, and its power would expand unprecedentedly, enough to make up for the strategic disadvantage of losing Zhenzhou, or even far exceed it.
By then, with the prestige of a great victory, the cavalry would march south, facing a Southern Dynasty that had just experienced a bloody battle and had not yet recovered its vitality...
Moreover, with Ning Lingyi as a woman serving as regent, implementing new policies and suppressing powerful clan members, how could there be no internal rifts? Once the Northern Expedition was successful, those latent opposition forces would surely emerge to fight for power and profit. That would be Tuoba Hong's opportunity.
There are risks, but the rewards are enough to make him excited and it's worth a try.
"Enough." Tuoba Hong finally spoke.
The tent suddenly fell silent, and all eyes were focused on him.
He slowly stood up and glanced at everyone: "Zhenzhou, you can give it to her."
As soon as these words were spoken, the advocates of war looked anxious, but did not dare to interrupt.
"The land south of the desert is mine. If the Southern Dynasty sincerely wishes to join forces in the war against the Western Qiang, it must provide the appropriate food and military supplies, and agree to send troops simultaneously to attack the Western Qiang royal court!"
He made his decision, his tone leaving no room for doubt: "Send an envoy to inform Ning Lingyi immediately that I agree with this proposal. We will discuss the details later."
*
A few days later, at the foot of Zhenzhou City.
The spring breeze swept across the wilderness, fluttering the flags of the two countries, but it could not blow away the desolation in the air.
The Beishuo cavalry began to break camp and retreat. The team was well-organized and moved slowly northward like the black sea water at receding tide.
The Southern Dynasty's Black Armor Army was on high alert, slowly advancing forward to take over this frontier town that had changed hands several times.
Tuoba Hong stood in front of the army and looked at the slender but tall figure under the command of the central army opposite.
Ning Lingyi also rode out and looked at him from a distance.
Over the years, through numerous clashes, from mutual probing to fighting each other, and finally to this calculated alliance, there seemed to be an invisible thread entangled between the two, so complex it was hard to describe.
He once admired her intelligence and tenacity, and even had a few moments of affection in his heart, but he was more often wary of meeting a worthy opponent. To them, matters of love were nothing but a joke.
He will never lose his sense of proportion for love.
"Ning Lingyi," Tuoba Hong's voice carried through the wind, carrying a hint of inexplicable meaning. "The land south of the desert has been accepted by this king. I hope that if we join forces, we can truly achieve our goal in one fell swoop."
Ning Lingyi's eyes were calm: "Don't worry, Great Khan Tuoba, I have made a promise and I will not break it."
Tuoba Hong looked at her deeply, as if he wanted to carve her figure into his eyes.
This woman surprised him time and time again, and time and time again she turned the tables in desperate situations.
This time, she once again showed amazing courage and exchanged the benefits she had already obtained for strategic initiative and temporary peace in the north.
He had to admit that in terms of assessing the situation and making choices, she was as decisive as any other hero. If they became rivals in the future, he might not be able to defeat her.
Finally, he turned his horse's head and said only: "See you in the desert."
After the voice fell, he did not look back, but led the Beishuo army towards the vast horizon in the north.
Ning Lingyi stopped her horse, looking at the black tide that was moving further and further away, and at Tuoba Hong's back, feeling a lot of emotions in her heart.
This time, Tuoba Hong still gave her a step.
Although it was based on an exchange of interests, he did withdraw his troops as agreed without playing any tricks, preserving the last bit of trust between the opponents outside the battlefield.
He is a formidable enemy, but at times, a formidable adversary.
However, when nations clash, there is never any warmth or compassion.
It is almost inevitable that they will join forces today and become enemies tomorrow.
She collected her thoughts, suppressed all her chaotic thoughts, and turned her gaze to the Zhenzhou City in front of her.
"Enter the city!" She shouted and spurred her horse forward.
Behind him, thousands of Southern Dynasty soldiers cheered thunderously and rushed towards the war-torn city.
But the closer I got to the city, the more I felt a dull pain in my heart.
What came into view was a dilapidated city wall, covered with traces of knives, axes, arrows, and stones. The huge gaps were hastily filled with earth and wood. The city gate had long collapsed, leaving only a dark entrance.
The team entered the city in silence.
The streets are lined with broken walls and ruins, and the once prosperous city is now just a ruin.
A few civilians cautiously leaned out from the broken doorway. They were ragged, pale and thin, with eyes full of fear and numbness. They stared blankly at the royal army with fluttering flags, and knelt down trembling.
In the entire town, almost nine out of ten houses were empty, and only the sobs carried by the wind told of the massacre and suffering that had been experienced here.
Ning Lingyi rode on a horse, passing through the ruins. Everywhere he looked, he saw devastation.
The joy of recovering Heshuo was shattered at this moment.
This is war.
This is what she must win and what she must end.
The black flag finally flew high on the top of Zhenzhou City, merging with the flags of Youzhou and Weizhou. The setting sun was like blood, sprinkling on this scarred land, tragic and desolate.
Ning Lingyi walked into the sunset, climbed up the ruined city wall, and looked into the distance.
The Heshuo land has gone through many hardships, changed hands several times, and been scorched earth with blood. Now, it has finally been completely recovered and returned to the territory of the Southern Dynasty.
All her hard work was not in vain.
"Pass on my decree," her voice echoed across the city walls. "From today on, the three towns of Heshuo will be exempted from taxes for three years. The Military Affairs Office and the People's Protection Palace will coordinate the allocation of funds and grain, recruit refugees, rebuild the city, and restore people's livelihoods! We must ensure that the people can live in peace and the land can be cultivated again."
"Long live His Majesty! Your Majesty is benevolent!"
Inside and outside the city, the scattered civilians who had gathered after hearing the news knelt down, their voices choked with sobs.
Then, she said in a deep voice, "Draft an imperial edict, announce it to the capital, and inform the world!"
The clerk beside him had already prepared pen and ink and wrote:
"Princess Regent Ning Lingyi respectfully informs all the subjects of the world: Since Emperor Guangqi lost his way and ceded territory in the pursuit of peace, Heshuo has been lost, the Hu cavalry has been rampant, countless lives have been lost, and the country has been tarnished. I, following the will of heaven and the will of the people, have raised an army of justice to fight against the rebels. Thanks to the dedication of our officers and men, the sacrifice of our loyal ministers, and the bloody battles of our three armies, through the cold and heat of winter, we have finally recovered Youzhou, Weizhou, and Zhenzhou. The homeland of Heshuo has been completely reclaimed!"
"This is the result of the blood of thousands of soldiers on the battlefield, and the fruit of the unity of our Southern Dynasty! The rebellious barbarians are tyrannical and outrageous, and although they have retreated temporarily, the national humiliation remains. The Western Qiang have not yet been annihilated. How can you and I ever forget it for a single day?"
"We must now prepare our troops, seize victory, and secure our borders! All of our subjects should share this difficult time, each doing their part, supporting the frontier and strengthening the rear. When the world is at peace, we will share peace with the rest of the world!"
The manifesto was carried by fast horses at a speed of 800 miles per hour as it flew towards the south.
Wherever the news reached, countless people in counties and prefectures along the way ran around to tell each other, tears in their eyes. In teahouses, taverns, streets and alleys, everyone's face was filled with joy and pride.
"We won! We won! Zhenzhou has been recaptured! All three towns of Heshuo have been taken back!"
"Long live His Majesty! Long live Princess Mingzhu!"
"Drive out the cruel invaders and secure the border!"
The capital city was plunged into a sea of carnival, with bells and drums ringing and families celebrating, as if to vent all the fear and humiliation of the past few years at once. Ning Lingyi's prestige reached an unprecedented peak.
What’s strange is that people all over the world don’t call her the emperor, but call her the mother of all people.
For a time, there were many clay statues in people's homes. People imagined that they used the Bodhisattvas in the temple to make her image, hoping that she would bring a peaceful and happy life to all the people.
Ning Lingyi didn't know all this.
At this moment, Ning Lingyi, standing on the ruined city wall of Zhenzhou, did not feel much joy in her heart.
Beneath their feet were ruins in desperate need of reconstruction, to the north lay their allies, each with its own agenda, and beyond them lay the fierce and stubborn Western Qiang. The road ahead remained long and arduous.
At this moment, she suddenly thought of Zhaoyang.
Zhaoyang, when we escaped from the palace together, it was you who saved me.
I'm saving more people now.
Zhaoyang, are you in heaven? Did you see it?
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