The enemy troops were pressing in, and the people were in panic. Even though Duke Cheng and the five armies were stationed and assembled, the entire north was still shrouded in a dark cloud.
Looking around, the bustling market has disappeared, and the soldiers running back and forth non-stop, each of them dressed in neat uniforms, are frightening to look at.
People were crowded on the road, pushing carts and riding horses, dragging their families, leaving their villages and gathering in the heavily fortified city and nearby garrisons as arranged by the government.
People can leave, but a lot of livestock and food will have to be left behind, and losses are inevitable. However, as long as the people are still there and Duke Cheng is guarding the border and repelling the gold bandits, these losses are nothing.
Moreover, the North had been stable for ten years, and everyone believed that Duke Cheng could still keep the North stable. So despite the dark clouds, the people who were moving around were busy but not panicked.
But when the news reached the capital, the entire city was in a panic. After ten years of peace, the memory of the golden thief's iron hooves trampling the capital and driving straight into the city, even abducting the emperor more than twenty years ago, still lingered in the hearts of many people.
The atmosphere in the court was even more tense.
The court meeting lasted from dawn to dusk, and only then were the important officials allowed to leave the palace and go home, and the meeting continued the next day.
"All of Hebei West and Hebei East are under strict martial law. All gates are closed and roads are cleared." Ning Yan read out, and then looked at everyone, "Now the bandits are pressing on. We must unite as one and repel the bandits."
He was interrupted by the emperor, who seemed somewhat anxious while sitting on the dragon throne.
"I don't want to hear what Duke Cheng did anymore." He said, looking exhausted, and it was obvious that he hadn't slept well for several days. "Have you determined how many thieves and slaves are coming this time? Who is the commander?"
Before Ning Yan could say anything, Huang Cheng, who was sitting next to him, spoke first.
"There are 30,000 bandit slaves, led by the Great Peng King Tuoba Wu," he said.
Upon hearing this number and the commander-in-chief, there was a gasp in the court.
Thirty thousand!
"When the country was in crisis, there were no more than 20,000 bandits." A white-haired official murmured.
"And this time it's Tuoba Wu who is in command." Another official also said to himself.
At that time, his brother Tuoba Su was shot dead by the rebellion led by Duke Cheng, and the royal family of the Jin Bandits fell into chaos. Tuoba Wu fled for five years and returned to kill his brother. He supported Tuoba Su's eldest son to ascend the throne and was named King Dapeng.
Tuoba Wu has a good relationship with his brother, and now he is coming with great force, he must be seeking revenge.
Ning Yan clearly saw the emperor's face turn pale, and looking at the atmosphere in the court, he quickly raised his hand to signal.
"They want revenge? We are the ones who have a blood feud." He shouted in a deep voice, "They have 30,000 bandits. What do we, the mighty Zhou, have to fear with our 40,000 or 50,000 soldiers?"
As he spoke, he bowed to the emperor.
"In the north, we have the five armies led by Duke Cheng, in the west, we have Taiyuan, in the east, and in the southeast, we have several generals from Henan. Our Great Zhou is like a copper wall and an iron fortress. No matter how powerful the gold thieves are, they will return empty-handed and be wiped out."
Yes, that’s right. The army is strong and the horses are strong after ten years of stability.
"Your Majesty, we, the soldiers of the Great Zhou, are not afraid of the gold thieves. In the past, the gold thieves seized our prefectures and our people. Today is the time for us to take revenge and regain our lost territory."
Several other ministers stood up and kowtowed.
"Your Majesty, Emperor Renxiao is still imprisoned in the Land of Gold. For the safety of the people, we have kept our promise. This time, the Gold Thieves broke the promise. I ask Your Majesty to order the army to bring back the spirit of Emperor Renxiao."
Their voices were choked with sobs, and two old officials even started crying, pounding their heads on the ground, their gray hair and beards becoming more and more disorderly.
This wiped out the previous atmosphere of fear and terror in the hall, and replaced it with sadness and anger.
And grief is also a source of strength.
"Your Majesty, please fight!"
"Your Majesty, please mobilize the troops to the north."
At once, many ministers stood up and spoke.
The emperor was also comforted by this grief and anger, his expression calmed down and he sat up straight.
"My dears..." he said.
As soon as he said this, he heard a sharp report from outside.
"Urgent news! Urgent news! Yaozi Pass has been lost! The gold thieves have crossed the Juma River, Rongcheng has been lost, Xiongzhou is in danger!"
Along with the shout, a guard rushed in, followed by the eunuch who was holding a document high in his hand.
The court suddenly fell silent.
Ning Yunzhao, who was standing at the end of the line, raised his head.
"This is not good," he said to himself.
The hall became as lively as a market.
The eunuchs carried the map of imperial decrees over. The emperor had already stepped down from the dragon throne. The court officials crowded in front of the map of imperial decrees, watching several military generals point out the specific locations.
"This route was used to invade Hejian Prefecture earlier."
"Last time you said negligence was excusable, what about this time?"
"After preparing for such a long time, they were easily defeated. Are the Ansu troops dead over there?"
There was a constant stream of noisy shouting and questioning.
The emperor had beads of sweat on his forehead and held on to the eunuch's arm.
"Where is Duke Cheng?" he asked.
Ning Yan pointed to a place.
"Duke Cheng is now in Suicheng," he said, "leading the Guangxin Army to deploy defenses."
"How can we defend against Bush? How can we defend against Bush? The gold thieves are coming..." a minister said anxiously.
"So what if they come over?" Ning Yan also shouted, interrupting the minister's words, and pointed at the Juma River line on the map, "The 30,000-strong Jin army issued a declaration of war, and they broke through the Juma River and the city in one go. What's so strange about that?"
Everyone around was stunned and the noise stopped.
"The war has just started, and the outcome is uncertain. A temporary victory is not a victory, and a temporary defeat is not a defeat." Ning Yan continued, and pointed at the map again, "I believe that when the army of Duke Cheng arrives soon, that will be the real battle. I also believe that Duke Cheng will win!"
There was a moment of silence in the hall, which calmed the previous irritation and panic a little.
"Yes, Lord Ning is right."
"Yes, although the challenge has been issued, this is still a surprise attack."
"There are only three garrisons on the other side of the Juma River. How can they possibly be a match for an army of 30,000?"
Discussions were heard again in the hall, and several generals stepped forward, pointed at the map, introduced the deployment and assembly routes of the Baoding, Shun'an, Yongxing Army, etc., and repeatedly assured that the troops were sufficient.
The emperor supported the eunuch and his complexion improved.
"Since the gold bandits dare to invade, we must let them know that we were able to beat them back ten years ago, and we are still able to do so ten years later." Ning Yan said calmly, "This battle will make the gold bandits afraid when they hear about our Great Zhou, and they will never dare to set foot in our Great Zhou again."
Ning Yan turned and saluted the emperor.
"Your Majesty, victory!" he said, bowing.
A group of ministers bowed one after another.
"Very victorious, very victorious."
The emperor looked at his ministers and forced a smile.
"Good, good, Wansheng." He said with a smile.
The atmosphere in the hall became heated again, and almost everyone bowed and cheered, except for Lu Yunqi, who was like a stone sculpture on a wooden stake, and Huang Cheng, who was granted the privilege of sitting opposite the emperor.
For Lu Yunqi, he could hear nothing except the emperor's words, no matter whether it was national affairs or the lives and deaths of the people.
Huang Cheng sat with his body slightly bent, without raising his hands, and with his eyes lowered, as if he was asleep.