Dingjiangshan

This was the first time that Ning Huaijin had truly "saw" these elusive shadow guards around Ning Yan.

Before half a stick of incense, Ning Huaijin was led out of the tent by Ning Yan, followed him in a daze along the path at the foot of the mountain to the middle of the mountain, and found an open space surrounded by forests to settle down.

Before Ning Huaijin asked Ning Yan's intentions, she heard Ning Yan clapping her hands on the spot.

Immediately afterwards, Ning Huaijin heard a very small rustling sound from the nearby forest.Ning Huaijin's first reaction was whether there were any wild beasts in the forest. Subconsciously, she reached out her hand to block Ning Yan's body, and then felt a blur in front of her eyes, and several black shadows sprang out for no reason, each of them was covered in black, Kneeling in front of Ning Yan.

Ning Huaijin: "..."

He swept his eyes and counted the number of people, no more, no less, exactly five.

"This is—" Ning Huaijin said, "The person His Majesty brought out this time?"

Ning Yan nodded, and pointed along the way: "Three, four, five, eight... You've seen it in ten miles—it's not easy to train shadow guards. Over the years, I have only twelve people in my hands."

Ning Huaijin subconsciously wanted to ask where the remaining seven people were, but held back.

The shadow guard is the most secret trump card around the emperor. These people pick out one at random, and they are all good players who can take the enemy's head among thousands of armies. Ning Yan can show him these, enough trust, Ning Huaijin There is nothing to be content with.

But Ning Yan still didn't think it was enough, he looked at Ning Huaijin's expression sideways, and said slowly: "Qin Liu is in Tongbai County, and the rest, except for one or two who never see anyone, are all in their own right. I have a place to go, and I will slowly separate with Huai Jin later."

"There are quite a few of these." Ning Huaijin said.

"It's not enough." Ning Yan said: "But today is not just to tell you the truth - I heard from Zhaoming earlier that your previous plan was to let soldiers sneak into Tongbai County, and then take the opportunity to send news to the outside to find out about Tongbai. The number of guards in the county and the guarding situation, right?"

"Yes." Ning Huaijin said: "But now it seems that the possibility of passing the news is a bit difficult. Tongbai County's city gates are now locked, and it should be difficult for Qin Liu to get out with the crowd in a short time. And the city wall guards It is so strict that it is difficult for the hawks and doves to pass the sentry post."

"That's easy to say." Ning Yan said: "Their shadow guards have their own way to spread the message—but then again, if this news can be spread, what are you going to do?"

Ning Huaijin pondered for a moment, then shook her head hesitantly.

"Actually, I planned to find out the situation in Tongbai County, and then cooperate with them inside and out to ask someone to set fire to the military camp in Tongbai County, and then open a city gate when the guards are weak, so as not to attack the city. "Ning Huaijin said: "I originally picked a lot of soldiers to go with Qin Liu, and I thought so too, but it's a pity that General Feng responded so promptly, Qin Liu was only one person, and now he was detained in the camp in the city again. It’s not good to do that.”

"That's not the case." Ning Yan said with a smile: "Huaijin has underestimated Qin Liu too much—if I guessed correctly, he might have mingled with the enemy general by now. If it weren't for my help I am afraid that the body of the so-called 'General Feng' is already in a different place."

"That's just one person." Ning Huaijin sighed, and said, "No matter how capable Qin Liu is, he still can't fight a city by himself. Killing people is easy, but taking a city is difficult. It is impossible for Ning Zheng to have only one person." General, kill this one, there is another one in the city, how to take down Tongbai without anyone noticing, to avoid the casualties of the people in the city, is a headache."

——This is indeed true. When Tongbai County was occupied by Ning Zheng, it had already been attacked once. To this day, there are still mottled stains left by rolling stones and kerosene on the city walls, which is frightening to watch.

Ning Yan, as the emperor, originally had the reason of "suppressing traitors" by himself, so no matter what, he could not let people take away this reason, and he couldn't finish the battle in one battle. Fame like that.

If not, a place like Tongbai County would have been taken within half a month with all the strength of the army.

"Actually, I'm thinking, or we can only wait until General Zheng makes an advance, and then we attack at the same time." Ning Huaijin said: "Once Xinyang is attacked in the back, Tongbai County will either return to help, or we can only attack." If they choose to defend, it would be better. If General Zheng drags Xinyang down, we just need to besiege the city. That’s good—it’s just that I don’t know how much grain is stored in Tongbai County and how long it can last.”

Ning Yan listened quietly while he was talking, without interjecting.He tilted his head slightly, with a faint smile on his lips, and looked at Ning Huaijin attentively and appreciatively.

Obviously, these words were not on Ning Huaijin's whim, he must have thought about this a long time ago - if this surprise attack fails and his goal is not achieved, how he should take down Tongbai County.

He had several schemes in his mind, and he had considered all aspects very thoroughly, not at all like someone who had just entered the battlefield.

Those days and nights in the cabinet before seemed a bit condescending, Ning Yan thought, Ning Huaijin seemed more suitable to be in the vast world outside, holding a horsewhip, pointing the country to a map.

Ning Yan couldn't help feeling rejoicing, glad that the road he had paved all along was correct, and that he didn't let Ning Huaijin's shining side fade away silently.

"If Tongbai County has too much grain, it doesn't matter." Ning Yan said lightly, "You pick a good time and ask Qin Liu to burn their grain."

Ning Huaijin: "..."

It is indeed a way, Prince Gong thought a little viciously.

"Fan Wu, Ba Feng—" Ning Yan pointed casually, picked two out of the crowd, and said to Ning Huaijin, "I will follow you from now on."

"What——" Ning Huaijin was stunned, and then refused: "No, there must be people around His Majesty, not to mention that the Shadow Guard is a big matter, such a messy thing, I can't do it."

"You've become His Majesty again." Ning Yan sighed while reaching out to grab Ning Huaijin's hand, while waving the other hand behind his back.

Seeing this, several shadow guards kneeling on the ground understood, kowtowed and dispersed, and then disappeared into the nearby grass, trees, mountains and forests.

"If there is no shadow guard by my side, how will Huai Jin plan to contact Qin Liu?" Ning Yan asked.

"There is also a Huaiyu pawn shop in Tongbai County." Ning Huaijin said, "I can—"

Regarding the fact that Ning Huaijin set up pawnshops everywhere to communicate, it is actually not a secret to Ning Yan.Ning Huaijin never deliberately concealed anything from Ning Yan, but she never made it clear to the public.

Because this matter is not very pleasant to hear after all, it is fine for the royal relatives to engage in side business and business, Ning Huaijin, a co-prince of the government, does this kind of small trick in private, saying it is to share the worries of the king, and it seems to be reasonable to say that it is selfish .

Ning Yan didn't want Ning Huaijin to show him all the cards, so even if they knew each other well, he had the right to pretend that they didn't know.

"Huaijin." Ning Yan interrupted him, "I'll just pretend I didn't hear about it."

"No." Ning Huaijin was firm: "There are only a few people left around you, and it's too late to keep someone to protect you. I've already used Qin Liu, so I can't use your people anymore."

"I usually stay in the government office at the rear, and I don't go to the battlefield, so who do I need to protect me?" Ning Yan said, "Besides, I have the Imperial Army by my side, so I have to use the shadow guards for something—it's hard to be Ning Yan. Zheng still has the audacity to take a detour and come to Nanyang Mansion to catch me?"

Ning Huaijin always couldn't say no to Ning Yan, so she could only step back and say, "Then only one can be left."

"Things on the battlefield are changing rapidly, and you can't have no one around you." Ning Yan refused to retreat half a step: "You must always make sure that there is at least someone around you to protect you, and you can't let people go out to contact news, and there is no one around you." personal."

"But..." Ning Huaijin wanted to refuse again, but Ning Yan had already stepped forward and held his hand.

"I showed you all the cards of being the emperor." Ning Yan whispered, "Uncle Huang still wants to argue with me about these trivial matters."

Ning Huaijin: "..."

At this time, you know Uncle Huang!

Ning Huaijin finally found out that "Uncle Huang" is still "Huaijin". Depending on Ning Yan's own mood, if he finds that "Huaijin" is no longer effective, he will use the trump card of "Uncle Huang". It is to achieve the goal with both soft and hard methods.

They are just two titles, but they are both used by Ning Yan with great proficiency, and their timing has almost caught up with the art of war.

Ning Huaijin couldn't laugh or cry, but there was nothing she could do about him.

Ning Yan simply decided that Ning Huaijin had never had anything to do with him, so he had the courage to be so unscrupulous.

"Only recently." Ning Huaijin said: "When the Tongbai County incident is over, His Majesty will take it back."

"Xiao Yan." Ning Yan corrected dissatisfied.

Ning Huaijin: "..."

Then who was the one who yelled first?It is true that only state officials are allowed to set fires, but the common people are not allowed to light lamps.

Ning Huaijin's slander belongs to her, but she didn't argue, and said in a good-tempered manner, "Xiao Yan."

Ning Yan won a complete victory, rubbed Ning Huaijin's hands contentedly, and let out a sigh of relief.

"The moon is so bright tonight." Ning Yan said suddenly.

Ning Huaijin subconsciously raised her head to look at the moon in the sky. The jade plate on the night was almost full moon, exuding a warm and soft light, making the stars in the sky overshadowed.

"—I've been forgetting the day before, today seems to be fifteen." Ning Huaijin said, "No wonder the moon is so round."

"Really." Ning Yan was silent for a while, then suddenly smiled, and whispered, "It's almost October."

"There is still half a month." Ning Huaijin said.

They set off in late summer and early autumn this time, and they were delayed on the road for a while. After arriving in Nanyang, they regained the small town and sorted out the surrounding Central Plains defenders. Before they knew it, even half of autumn had passed.

Ning Huaijin subconsciously wondered why Ning Yan suddenly brought up the time. He thought of several reasons over and over again, and even thought of the army's food supply in winter, but suddenly heard Ning Yan say: "If it's in the capital, it should be time now." Preparations for the Longevity Day have begun."

Ning Huaijin was taken aback.

Then he suddenly realized that Ning Yan's birthday was in the winter moon, and there was only more than a month left if he calculated the time. If he was still in the capital, it would be time to start preparations.

Ning Yan mentioned that the birthday was not important, but Ning Huaijin immediately remembered the one-time coronation ceremony that he had missed in Ning Yan's life.

"This year's birthday probably passed in the military tent." Sure enough, Ning Yan complained in a low voice: "Fortunately, Huai Jin won't avoid me this year."