Jade Without Fragrance

   Chapter 271 The Battle Begins

   Guan Changliang, the defender of the northern region, was turned against by the Qi people.

   His reaction, the Qi army easily captured Dayicheng.

   An urgent report of eight hundred miles was rushed to Emperor Tai'an's desk, making his face even colder than the first heavy snow drifting outside the hall.

   With so many things happening recently, the imperial court was actually prepared for the war, but Guan Changliang's sudden surrender to the enemy was unexpected, and the consequences were unacceptable.

   Emperor Tai'an urgently summoned important officials from various ministries and dispatched troops to prepare for the north. In fact, this batch of Northern Expedition troops had already planned, including the cavalry battalion that has been training, and the person in command is also determined, the general Xu Jing, who is known for his military exploits.

   It's just that the Northern Expedition army has not yet set off, and the urgent report of the conflict between Dazhou and Yuliu border came.

   At the same time, Emperor Pingle, who was hiding in the south, suddenly appeared. Before the nearby town could react, he seized this place with lightning speed, and raised the militia under the banner of restoring orthodoxy to improve his strength.

   For a time, the big Thursday was embattled, and the wind and rain were precarious, especially in the north, there were two generals who took their own soldiers to join the Northern Qi, and the blow to the hearts of the people was even greater than the **** riots.

   In front of his courtiers, Tai'an Emperor, who was mostly indifferent to his anger and anger, threw two teacups in a row, venting his anger.

  Although I had anticipated a war and made preparations, but when the day came, I realized that no amount of preparation was enough.

  The human heart is often unexpected.

The situation in the north is severe, and the Minister of Officials put forward a suggestion: "King Jing has guarded the north for many years, and he knows a lot about the generals in the north. In the current situation, the minister thought that King Jing could sit in the north and fight against the enemy with General Xu. …”

  Although the kings have been in Beijing for more than ten years, the senior officials in the court still remember that when King Jing was in the north, the people of Qi were still peaceful, and those frictions and disturbances were not big.

  Tiandi thought about it for a long time and accepted this suggestion.

  The situation in the north is too severe, the Qi army is in a state of disarray, and our own army is unstable, and we need a person who is familiar with and has authority over there. There is no doubt that the most suitable person is King Jing.

  Since the chaos began, Emperor Tai'an's decision became more and more resolute, and he immediately summoned King Jing to the palace.

   "I don't know why the emperor asked his younger brother to come here?" King Jing asked respectfully.

   Emperor Tai'an looked at his younger brother who was a few years younger than him.

   He still remembered that when King Jing first entered Beijing, he was tall and slender, and then he became fatter to the naked eye, and then he became more and more pleasing to the eye.

  I looked at it carefully today, but I was a little thinner than I remembered.

   "The fifth brother has been cleared."

   King Jing had a bitter expression on his face: "When the war is going on, the soldiers will bleed, and the people will suffer. My brother can't eat just thinking about this."

   Emperor Tai'an sighed: "Let the fifth brother worry about it."

  King Jing's heart moved, and there was a faint guess, but he didn't show any consolation on his face: "The more this happens, the more you need to relax your heart, you are our Great Zhou's Dinghai Shenzhen."

   "Da Zhou's Dinghai Divine Needle?" Emperor Tai'an laughed at himself, "With the Divine Needle, Dinghai can still be so messed up? Just say eldest brother, I really didn't expect him to be alive and recruit troops under the banner of restoration and orthodoxy..."

   He said this, and looked at King Jing.

   King Jing frowned when Emperor Tai'an mentioned Emperor Pingle: "He was too embarrassed to mention the restoration of orthodoxy, and Da Zhou almost made him toss and die..."

   King Jing's reaction was mainly for the heart of Emperor Antai'an, but there were also truths in it.

  Two years, the eldest brother's prodigal lost ten cities in just two years after he succeeded to the throne, and even one city was given away during the peace talks after he won that battle.

   Hearing the outcome of the negotiation, he couldn't believe his ears. If he hadn't fought the battle himself, he would have lost the battle, so angry that he almost took a knife and chopped off the head of his negotiator.

  Especially in the far north of Emperor Tiangao, where he had a lot of troops in his hands, he had the urge to rush to the capital to overthrow the great prodigal son.

   But he just thought about it, it would be more comfortable for the family to be happy and free in the Northland.

   In general, on the one hand, King Jing was tired of Emperor Tai'an's suspicion, but on the other hand, he also understood this ambitious brother a little.

   King Jing's reaction undoubtedly pleased Emperor Tai'an.

   "The fifth brother still understands me!" Emperor Tai'an sighed, his voice lowered, "Fifth brother, I have something to ask you."

   King Jing's expression immediately became solemn: "It is the duty of the younger brother to share the worries of the emperor."

   Emperor Tai'an immediately told King Jing to go north.

   King Jing's heart is like a mirror. Emperor Tai'an played the emotional card for a long time to let him go to the north and work hard. If he thought there was room for rejection, he would be ignorant.

   He also had no intention of refusing.

  The North has his old friends, the people he has protected, and even the brutal Qi people whom he has dealt with for many years.

   If he is greedy for the prosperity of the capital and does not go, and waits for the Great Zhou to die in Qi, it will be purgatory on earth, and it will be too late to regret it. Even if this is the worst outcome in the end, at least he tried his best. As for how to explain to the father after losing the country and going underground, it is up to the eldest brother and the fourth brother.

   King Jing immediately took a stand.

  The two brothers ended the conversation in a very friendly and harmonious atmosphere. King Jing returned to the palace to call his family together and announced that he would go north to fight against Qi.

   "My lord wants to go north to fight?" Princess Jing panicked when she heard it. "I've heard all about it. Qi people in the north are in good shape now, and our people have suffered serious casualties. It's too dangerous for your lord to go to war, can you not go?"

   Seeing that Princess Jing's eyes were red, King Jing quickly moved Emperor Tai'an out: "This is the emperor's intention. If I don't go there, won't I resist the decree?"

"But—" Princess Jing was reluctant, but had no choice, she took out a handkerchief and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, "After so many years of Ansheng, why is it messed up. The prince is at the age of a grandfather, how can he bear it? The pain of going to the battlefield..."

   King Jing was not happy to hear these words: "The children are not married yet, and it is still too early to become a grandfather. There are many generals at my age who have fought in the north and south."

   He is only in his early forties, how can he not be on the battlefield!

  Princess Jing stared with red eyes from crying: "Why do I hear that the lord is very willing?"

   "Cough, cough, there is nothing, this is not a holy mandate, there is no way." King Jing gave his three sons and daughters a quick wink, signaling them to persuade them well.

   Qi Huan took a step back silently.

  People are soft-spoken, and the heavy responsibility of persuading people should be left to the elder brother and younger sister.

   Qi Shuo opened his mouth: "We all understand that the concubine is worried about the father's heart. Don't say you are worried, our brothers and sisters are not worried that the father and the king will go north to fight."

   Princess Jing nodded again and again, thinking that Shuoer was sensible.

   "This time on the Northern Expedition, let the son accompany the father and the king. The son must protect the father and the concubine from worry."

   "Hmm... eh?" Princess Jing reacted and raised her voice, "What did you say, Shuo'er?"

   (end of this chapter)