Number of People

  Chapter 1721 Renzi Juan goes south

   Just as the group returned to the capital city from Iron Net Mountain, Prince Yizhong also returned to his mansion in Anfu Hutong.

  Going back to the study alone and thinking for a while, he made a decision.

   "Azusa Nian, prepare to go south immediately, just today."

   "Huh?" Wang Zinian was taken aback when he was recruited. He advocated going south before, but Prince Yizhong disagreed, but why did he suddenly change his mind now?

   "Gu and Ye Xianggao talked about, hoping to supervise the country, but he categorically refused." Prince Yizhong seemed very calm, "And what he said is not in compliance with the regulations, and the implication is that he will only recognize the fourth brother's line,..."

  Wang Zinian was speechless, how could these civil servants turn around so easily?

If it is said that Niu Jizong's army entered the city and controlled the situation, he might be able to force them a little bit, or induce some unsuccessful people to turn around, but for a person like Ye Xianggao, who can go out of the field and come back in the future, it is difficult to directly attack his own side. Lose sincerity, then don't want the face and reputation of these scholars.

   "Don't take another look?" At this time, Wang Zinian felt a little uncertain.

"I can't wait any longer." Prince Yizhong seemed extra decisive at this time, "Wait a little longer, when Fang Congzhe and Qi Yongtai return to Beijing, they will react and make up their minds, and Gu may not be able to leave. Huang Xinsi, Gu is also a fox pretending to be a tiger,..."

   "Then the Supreme Emperor really..." Wang Zinian asked with some regret.

Prince Yizhong shook his head, "Gu has tried all methods, but he still can't see the father, and the concubine also said some useless things. The letter brought by the person who placed Gu only said that the father reads books and practice calligraphy all day long." ,..., but Ye Xianggao and the others must have sent someone to test the meaning of the father, and the father probably didn't give them a good face,..."

   "Master Gu..." Wang Zinian couldn't help but asked again.

"Lu Song is getting more and more guarded against Gu Cheng. Gu Cheng's manpower is almost taken over. At most, he is just a few private officials in Fusi in Nanbei Town. It is difficult to disturb the overall situation. And if there is no father He will not help Gu anymore." Prince Yizhong sighed, "Gu also probably knows what the father wants, but he is confused. This kind of non-help actually harmed the common people of Dazhou. Ah. I don't want to go to this point today. North and South confront each other, and we must go to war. Even if I can become a great treasure in the future, it will be another "Battle of Jingnan". To bridge the gap between the North and the South, I am afraid that I will be alone. Death may not be able to do well."

  Wang Zinian could only sigh.

Indeed, if the Supreme Emperor can come forward and clearly express his support for Prince Yizhong to supervise the country, then the court officials will definitely not be able to stop it, and everything will be logical, but the Supreme Emperor is unwilling to come forward. Thinking of the attitude of the entire Jiangnan gentry and the nobles in Beijing, it will be delayed to the current situation.

Now that the prince has made up his mind, Wang Zinian felt relieved at this time, "Everything has already been prepared, and the prince can leave through the secret passage now, and Chengjun Wang has already made arrangements to escape, but the prince, the other arrangements are Can't they be launched together?"

Prince Yizhong's face flashed a look of ferocity, "That's not necessary, the time is not yet ripe, we have passed the news from the Chahar people and the Jurchens, we can't interfere, and we don't care what they want to do, Of course, the later the delay, the better. On the White Lotus Sect side, they will watch what's going on on our side. This group of people is very ambitious, and even Gu can't control it. It's not bad for them to stir up trouble this time and mess up the situation. Good thing, let Ye Xianggao and the others have a headache, so that they can all be exposed, and they can be eradicated in one fell swoop when Gu takes power in the future!"

   "Over there...?" Wang Zinian asked again.

"Well, it's good for our people to lie dormant in it over there, and they can just raise their arms and shout at the critical moment, and let them do the rest." Prince Yizhong's face became more and more gloomy, "Since the Northland is so unyielding, let's take advantage of this year's severe drought Squeeze out the pustule, let these mud legs make a fuss."

  Wang Zinian nodded, Shanshan and Shanxi also had a long-awaited plan, and this year's severe drought just happened to light a fire at a critical moment to spread the flames of war everywhere.

   "Over there, Mr. Niu..."

"He has his own plan, and he has to coordinate and discuss with Sun Shaozu. Presumably Chu Qi has already made arrangements for going south along the route, so we don't need to worry about it." Prince Yizhong waved his hand and took a last look at the situation in the hall. His expression was complicated, but In the end, it turned into perseverance, "Let's go, I will come back, but then I won't be back here."

  *******

   After receiving the notification that Prince Yizhong was going south, Niu Jizong breathed a sigh of relief.

From the very beginning, he was not very in favor of attacking the capital, because he was not sure whether the assassination of the emperor would succeed. Even if the emperor fell into a coma after being assassinated this time, Niu Jizong was still not at ease, although he had a strong control over the Xuanfu army. , but this was based on the fact that the emperor was unable to come forward, so even when he launched an attack on Gonghua City, he was still a little worried that the emperor would suddenly wake up.

  Once the army approached the capital city, and the emperor suddenly appeared on the top of the city wall, he was afraid that the morale of the army would be shaken immediately, or even a mutiny. Whether he could control it, Niu Jizong was also unsure.

From this point of view, Niu Jizong is unwilling to directly attack the capital city in his heart, but is more willing to go south. Even if he fights against the imperial army in Jianghuai, Huguang, and Henan, he is not afraid at all, but he is unwilling to go to the capital city. Whether the emperor can wake up is too variable, and it will have too much influence on the entire army.

  So in addition to making preparations for going east, he was more concerned with planning to go south.

  From the very beginning, Niu Jizong considered two routes for going south, one is through Shanxi, and the other is through the north Zhili route.

   There is no doubt that Beizhili is better to go, and the focus is on this side.

  From the direction of the capital, through Zhuozhou, Baoding, Shunde, Guangping, Daming, and then obliquely insert into Yanzhou, Shandong, and then rely on the canal for supply.

   This road is basically flat, and the layout has been done for a year or two.

  The road in Shanxi is much more difficult. It mainly goes south from the Inner Great Wall and enters Henan via Luzhou and Zezhou.

   This line also has some layout, but as a backup line.

Niu Jizong also knew that the 70,000 to 80,000 troops of the Xuanfu Army could not be taken away by himself, so all the non-direct lineage and elite part stayed at Yanqing and Wanquandusi, and the part to be taken away besides following him to the east, also Some of them stayed in Baoan Prefecture, and at this time they had already entered Baoding Mansion to clear the way.

  Niu Jizong had thought about it a long time ago. If Prince Yizhong can achieve great things in the capital city, then no matter whether he goes to Beijing or goes south to Baoding, it will not be a problem.

  If the major event fails, it is very necessary to go south one step ahead of time. Although arrangements have been made in the early stage, it is also necessary for the forwards of the army to make safe arrangements in advance.

   Fortunately, in the Great Zhou Dynasty, the outside has always been more important than the inside. All the elites are located on the nine sides. The guards in the inland areas are basically decorations. Niu Jizong doesn't think anyone can resist his army going south.

   But now he can't go south easily, he has to put on a posture that he wants to join forces with the Datong Army and continue to advance eastward, and he must take down the posture of the capital city.

The situation on Sun Shaozu's side is better than expected, but it's a pity that it is difficult to break into the capital city even with a joint army. No matter whether it is time or logistics, food, grass and supplies, they are not fully prepared. When Sun Shaozu's Datong soldiers come, it is estimated that Ji The soldiers from Zhen and even Liaodong will arrive, and it is hard to say whether the Northwest soldiers who have been training in Qingyang will take advantage of the situation and advance eastward. Niu Jizong doesn't think this is a good opportunity.

  A series of battles quickly changed from calm to fierce again, which caught You Shigong by surprise.

Originally thought that this stalemate would continue forever, but unexpectedly it calmed down two days later, the Xuanfu army's offensive became fierce again, and the two armies even launched a fierce confrontation at Yuquan Mountain and Qinghedian again, forcing You Shigong to Urgently ordered the transfer of some guards from Tongzhou Dingbian Guards to supplement.

   "What? Zhuozhou fell?" You Shigong couldn't believe his ears when he received the news, "When did it happen?"

   "It should have happened seven days ago." The messenger was almost slumped to the ground with dust on his face, "The subordinates sent three groups of messengers, but they have not received a reply, so they can only come here in person..."

   "The three guards of Zhuolu..." You Shigong stared at the other party.

The Zhuolu Three Guards are the left, middle and right guards of Zhuolu. The Zhuolu Guards are divided into three guards, but they are all stationed in Zhuozhou. The most important and largest logistics supply base in the Southwest, many equipment, grain and supplies in Datong and Shanxi towns are transferred from here.

"Three guards rebelled, only Beizhi was outside, and found that the situation was not right, but the Xuanfu army came too suddenly, Beizhi didn't have time to make any response, only took more than a hundred people and fled to Liulihe Mobile, and then went to inquire about the news, and sent Someone came to report to the lord, but there was no reply, the humble official couldn't wait to come in person,..."

You Shigong was horrified. Niu Jizong had already made arrangements for this. He saw the important value of Zhuolu's three guards. He was afraid that he would send troops south to control Zhuolu Guards when he marched east. Even the people of Zhuolu Guards were already them Arranged by someone.

   This kind of officer who is under the jurisdiction of Ji Town in name, but actually belongs to the local guard is not eye-catching at all, but it can be of great use at this time.

If you win the three guards of Zhuolu, you will be able to go straight to Baoding and Zhending without worrying about food and logistics. No matter whether you occupy Baoding or not, with the local people in Baoding Prefecture being strong and armed, how dare you go to Hexuan Prefecture? Military touch?

  (end of this chapter)