Chapter 749: Dragged to Death
"Huh?" Zhang Bing was stunned by the question.
Song Jinxiu: "You just mentioned merchant ships."
Zhang Bing realized what was happening and nodded, "Yes, they are requisitioning merchant ships."
Song Jinxiu asked quickly, "Are there many recruits?"
"A lot." Zhang Bing frowned. "It's strange to say. In the past, the Great Wei's water transport from north to south was almost entirely operated by government ships. Even when they were occasionally short of supplies, they would simply requisition ships from the southern regions. But this time, not only were all the watercraft ships requisitioned, but even the major trading companies, and even the larger ships of the north-south water transport, were almost all borrowed."
"The ship I used to trade on wasn't very big, and it wasn't very noticeable in the Lingjiang area. I never expected it to be requisitioned at short notice. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been so unlucky as to lose a whole shipload of goods and nearly lose myself as well."
Zhang Bing sighed after he finished speaking, "Although I escaped early, the person who helped me move the goods was captured by the Wei court. This line of communication is completely ruined."
Upon hearing this, Song Jinxiu didn't care to feel sorry for Zhang Bin's huge loss. He just asked in a deep voice, "Brother Zhang, do you know why the Wei court requisitioned merchant ships?"
Zhang Bing shook his head. "How would I know? The officials are guarding the docks, so no one knows what's being carried on the ships. But I did see people from an official ship near Yanling Wharf come down to make some purchases. They were carrying huge boxes of live meat and buckets of well water. There were dozens of people just carrying the goods up the ship."
Song Jinxiu narrowed his eyes slightly and asked, "Are those ships heading south or north?"
"Go south."
Zhang Bing casually said, "The waterline is extremely high, and those boats look like they're carrying heavy objects. I wonder what they're carrying."
Upon hearing this, Song Jinxiu lowered his eyes and fiddled with the spoon in the bowl.
The water in Lingjiang River is turbid and difficult to drink. The large barrels of well water are probably for the people on the boat to drink. In addition, the living animals and meat mean that there are quite a few people on the boat.
Zhang Bing had traveled extensively as a merchant, so he was sure he wouldn't be wrong. If those boats were carrying heavy cargo and were heading south...
Could it be the military supplies and soldiers being sent to Munan Pass?
Previously, Xiao Yan had been deliberately causing friction with Beiling, and put all the remaining troops into fighting against the rebellion of the vassal kings. He never mentioned Mu Nan Pass to the outside world. However, Song Jinxiu knew Xia Houling's ability. He had been planning for the Wei Dynasty for many years. Although the spies in the capital had been eliminated, there must be more in other places.
If a large army was really mobilized to Munan Pass, it would be impossible for no information to leak out along the way, unless they used the water route.
Song Jinxiu still remembered that before he left Wei, when Xiao Yan's identity had not yet been exposed, he had "helped" Emperor An to clean up the grain transport system. At that time, he almost cleared out all the corruption in the grain transport system and placed countless of his own people in it. Under such circumstances, it was not impossible to conceal the conscription from the court.
Zhang Bin saw the change in Song Jinxiu's expression and asked in confusion, "Jinxiu, what's wrong with you? Is there something wrong with those ships?"
Song Jinxiu pursed his lips and said, "Those boats are probably loaded with food and supplies."
Zhang Bin was stunned. "Food and fodder? Why would the Wei Dynasty send food and fodder to Munan Pass? Isn't the battle going to start at Luoyan Pass?"
The chopsticks in his hand almost fell to the ground, and he quickly put them down and said hurriedly:
"On my way back, I saw patrols and guards everywhere. The inspection at Luoyan Pass was even stricter. If I hadn't had the pass I prepared earlier, and I was leaving the border instead of entering, I would have been detained directly at the border town of Dawei."
"You said earlier that the Khan intends to go to war with the Wei Kingdom. I see that the Wei Kingdom is also determined to fight with all its might. Right now, the Beiling people can't even take a single step into Luoyan Pass. They're clearly ready for war. Why are they sending food and fodder to Munan Pass now?"
Song Jinxiu hesitated as he looked at Zhang Bin's stunned face.
Zhang Bing saw this and quickly said, "Is there anything you can't say? If so, then don't say it. You mustn't violate any taboos, or you might offend the Imperial Master later."
Song Jinxiu was originally hesitant about telling Zhang Bin about Beiling's government and military affairs, but after hearing him mention the national teacher, he changed his mind. Xiahou Ling had never considered him as his own. Besides, since Xiahou Ling already knew about the matter of Mu Nan Pass, he was afraid that the Khan and others would know about it tomorrow.
Not only had Zhang Bin saved his life and protected him all the way to where he is today, he had also used money to smooth the way for him on several occasions and treated him with utmost sincerity.
What is there for him not to say?
Song Jinxiu looked at him and said, "It's not something I can't tell you. I just found out tonight that the Imperial Master is pretending to raise an army at Luoyan Pass, but in reality he's secretly allied with Southern Qi. He's just waiting for Beiling and Wei to fight in the northwest, so that Southern Qi can take advantage of the chaos and launch a surprise attack on Munan Pass."
"He originally planned to join forces with Southern Qi to contain Wei and disperse Wei's forces, so as to erode Wei with minimal cost. However, he suddenly received intelligence from Wei, saying that the Wei Emperor had already made preparations and sent veteran generals to Munan Pass, and secretly dispatched 100,000 troops for reinforcement."
Zhang Bing's mouth dropped open in shock. "How could this happen? Did someone from the Imperial Master's Mansion leak the news?"
Song Jinxiu shook his head. "That shouldn't be the case. Xiahou Ling never told anyone about this. Not even the Khan knew about his alliance with Southern Qi. The Emperor of Wei was just too cunning. He anticipated this even before he ascended the throne and set up a trap for Southern Qi."
"Imagine that after the battle of Beiling, Southern Qi thought the troops at Munan Pass were weak and took advantage of the chaos to launch a surprise attack, but was caught off guard by the Wei Dynasty, which had already prepared for the attack."
"The Emperor of Southern Qi is a fence-sitter. If he were defeated and retreated, it would be fine. But if the Wei Dynasty exploits his weakness and threatens him into lending troops to the Wei Dynasty, then Beiling..."
Zhang Bing shuddered violently, his face turning pale. "No way..."
"Of course not."
Song Jinxiu had also heard about the character of the Southern Qi emperor. Southern Qi and Wei had never been on good terms, and there were occasional frictions, but there had never been a major war in recent years, and the two countries had "joined forces" in the past few decades.
It would be fine if they failed to find their weak spot, but if Xiao Yan really set up a trap and caught those who attacked Mu Nan Pass, then the Emperor of Nan Chu might agree to "borrow troops" to protect those people. Even if he was unwilling to lend troops, Nan Qi would definitely suffer a heavy loss given the ruthlessness with which Xiao Yan had blackmailed those people from the aristocratic families.
By then, with the "nourishment" of Southern Qi, the Wei army would have sufficient food and fodder. On the contrary, if Beiling could not capture Luoyan Pass in one fell swoop and plunder supplies to fill their military supplies, the slaughtered cattle and horses would not be enough to support them in fighting for a long time in the ice and snow.
One side has accumulated sufficient strength, while the other side is bluffing. By then, Beiling will probably be dragged to death by the Wei Dynasty.
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