Chapter 604 She conquers you, I conquer her
In the next more than two months, the West Route Army led by Dugu Feng and the East Route Army led by Chai Shen could be said to be invincible and invincible. They swept across Lingnan and soon reached Jiaozhi in the east. The territory from Jian'an County in the west to Zhuya County and Rinan County in the south was recovered. The Li commanders entrenched in Longshui, Panyu, and Shi'an surrendered without a fight. So far, Fujian, Hainan, Jiangxi, southern Zhejiang, Guangdong, Guangxi, Several counties in Vietnam and Yunnan were recovered.
After Yu Wenhuaji, Li Mi, Liang Shidu and other forces occupied Luoyang, officials who fled the eastern capital through various channels learned that the Song clan was defeated and the Empress Dowager unified Lingnan, so they all went south to defect.
Shortly after the Spring Festival of 619, Xiao Meiniang left Chai Shen, Xiang Siren, Dugu Feng, Shangguanlong and others to continue their expedition against Nanning Prefecture and Kunming Prefecture in the west, while she set off to drive north and directly into the south of the Yangtze River.
During this period, as Chu Pingsheng expected, the female farm owner of Pegasus Ranch and Queen Zhu Yuyan each gave birth to a daughter. One was given the single name "Yin" by Lu Miaozi, and the other was named with the double character "婠婠". Named Jingjing.
……
Spring March.
It is said that spring is the most beneficial time of the year, and the entire imperial capital is filled with smoke and willows. However, Xiao Meiniang neither went to Yangzhou nor to Luoyang. Instead, she took a boat westward and came to Jiangling where the Emperor of Liang and his nephew Xiao Xian lived.
Speaking of which, unlike last year when he discussed with the ministers about bringing the Empress Dowager to "retire in her old age" in Jiangling, Xiao Mian did not welcome this powerful aunt and found various reasons not to allow her to visit relatives in Jiangling until Chai Chai The minister asked someone to pull ten bells and put them at the city gate, asking him to choose one he liked. So he "find a miracle doctor overnight and cured the leprosy", led the civil and military officials ten miles out of the city, and welcomed his aunt into the palace.
That night, there was a big banquet. Cen Wenwen, Zhang Xiu, Chen Wu, Lei Youshi, Zhu Zhong, Su Chuo and others were all invited to the banquet, but Xiao Meiniang only brought Chu Pingsheng and the eunuch Fei Xun to the table.
After three rounds of wine, five dishes of food, and one round of the folk dance in the hall, Xiao Mian put down his wine glass, his expression changed for a while, and he said to Xiao Meiniang who was sitting in the upper seat: "My aunt is going to conquer Lingnan this time, kill Song Que, and destroy Yulin. , and finally achieved a complete victory, my nephew was overjoyed when he heard the news. He prepared this matter during the Spring Festival to pay homage to his ancestors. On that day, the purple air came from the east and the auspicious clouds filled the sky, which was indeed a good sign that the ancestors appeared. "
Even though Xiao Xian is the leader of the Baling Gang and a so-called tycoon, his flattering image when he says auspicious words against his will is beyond the reach of ordinary people.
Not to mention that Xiao Meiniang insisted on crossing the border and went to Jiangling to visit her cousin, who was only related by blood and not close to family. As the emperor of Liang, he and the officials felt a sense of crisis in their hearts, so they said that she was a guest when they came to the venue. , sitting in the first seat without any surprise, this kind of offside behavior is not comfortable.
Yes, she is an elder, but the problem is that this is the capital of the Liang Kingdom, and he is the emperor of the Liang Kingdom.
"Really..."
Xiao Meiniang sits upright, with her hands flat in front of her body, her long black sleeves spread out, and the phoenix crown on her head flashes with seven colors of brilliance under the candlelight.
During the Battle of Lingnan, everyone knew that she had superb martial arts and powerful methods. Compared with when she was in charge of politics behind the curtain in Luoyang, she became more majestic and more powerful.
Xiao Mian squeezed out a smile on his usually fierce face: "Both Mr. Cen and Zhang Xiu can testify to this matter."
"Yes, yes, everything your Majesty said is true. The purple air was dazzling that day, and there were auspicious clouds flying with it. We thought that gods were coming to earth."
Cen Wenwen was equally unambiguous when it came to telling lies.
Zhang Xiu was a little off, and said vaguely: "General... I swear that everything your Majesty said... is true."
"So..." Xiao Meiniang said with a smile: "The ancestors are very satisfied with what I have done?"
Xiao Mian shamelessly complimented: "My aunt's martial arts skills are comparable to those of the emperor."
Chu Pingsheng was laughing from below, thinking that Xiao Mian was really a flexible guy. Look at this, it was almost a trick. As long as I wasn't embarrassed, others would be embarrassed.
"King Xiao, I heard that you were infected with leprosy a few days ago. Fortunately, with the help of a miracle doctor, you were cured of your stubborn disease overnight?"
"Yes." Xiao Mian seemed to have forgotten that he was going to send a bell to the officials in Jiangling, and he laughed and said: "Thanks to the great blessing of my aunt's crossing the border, my nephew was saved by a miracle doctor and relieved of his illness, otherwise... alas... ”
He sighed heavily and shook his head with a sigh on his face.
This acting performance left Chen Wu and others below dumbfounded.
Chu Pingsheng thought to himself that this was not acting, all his actions were just a desire to survive.
"Oh? I want to see such a miraculous doctor. I have a friend named Bian who has been troubled by hidden physical diseases for many years. If he can be treated by a miraculous doctor, I think he can regain his glory."
"Hehe, hehe..."
Xiao Mian had a thousand hearts that wanted to kill him, but he couldn't beat him...
"To be honest, after the miracle doctor cured my illness, he drifted away without a trace. I can't help Mr. Chu's friend's illness."
"Ha, haha, hahaha..." Chu Pingsheng laughed, a little wildly, and slapped the black food table and said, "Ms. Xiao, your performance is too heavy and not natural at all."
One sentence made Liang Guan, who was sitting next to him, at a loss what to do and extremely embarrassed.
In the past, someone with a "bold" attitude would have thrown him away. A person with a violent temper like Chen Wu might have drawn his sword to kill people and get rid of the rude people for His Majesty Liang Huang.
But now, facing Chai Shao's ridicule, they dared not speak out in anger. "Hehe, hehe, hehe..."
Xiao Mian looked at his aunt with pleading eyes: "Master Chai is joking."
Xiao Meiniang coughed lightly and said, "My beloved, please stop teasing me."
"Okay, let me stop joking and talk about business." Chu Pingsheng sat upright, his face turning colder little by little: "King Xiao, last year our army went south, and the traitor Song Que led five thousand cavalry and detoured to Shou. Liang Jun controlled Guiyang County and crossed eastward to attack Wang Lin Shihong's team escorting grain and grass in the south of the Yangtze River, cutting off our Sui army's grain route, which had dangerous consequences. Do you have anything to explain about this matter? "
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"My aunt doesn't know. This matter is due to the fact that the general manager of Nanying, Dong Jingzhen, colluded with the Song Dynasty clan and turned a blind eye to the borrowing of the road. My nephew is far away in Jiangling and does not know about it. If he knew about it, how could he do it? Rong Songque stabbed him in the back?”
Xiao Mian was filled with indignation and said: "My aunt clearly knows that if Dong Jingzhen did such an evil thing, I have ordered General Zhang to arrest him and bring him back to the capital. He will behead him outside the city gate in public display. The Yi tribe will serve as a warning and hope to appease my aunt's anger."
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Chu Pingsheng stroked his palm and chuckled: "The gecko cuts off its tail, the strong man cuts off his arm. I admire King Xiao's desire to survive. I admire him."
This strange voice and extremely sarcastic words made even the maid who was waiting nearby a little unable to listen, but Xiao Mian could only endure it.
Chu Pingsheng said again: "So, King Xiao is devoted to the Empress Dowager?"
"It's natural. The Queen Mother is my aunt and a living elder. How can I help outsiders regardless of family ties?"
"That's a good feeling."
Chu Pingsheng picked up the green jade cup and took a sip of wine: "The Empress Dowager went north this time to regain the eastern capital of Luoyang. Although Zhu Can in the north was aware of current affairs, he was not as close as King Xiao, and Xiangyang was far away from Yu Wenhua and Yu Wenhua. Nanyang, where Zhu Can was constantly arguing, was too close. I thought about it again and again, only Jiangling, with the Jingchu Gate in the north as a barrier, Pegasus Ranch in the west, Jingling in the east, and Lin Shihong's territory along the river. Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager are as close as one family. I think it is better to allow our Chinese army to be stationed here so that the Empress Dowager can take command. We will capture Luoyang in the future, expel Yu Wenhua and other bandits, and then evacuate Jiangling. I don’t know what King Xiao wants. How? ”
Xiao Mian's expression was as usual, but there was a chill in his eyes that could not be concealed. Zhang Xiu, Chen Wu and others clenched their fists and breathed heavily. Only Cen Wenwen's expression was as usual, calm and composed.
The female farm owner of Pegasus Ranch gave birth to a daughter to Chai Shao. Jingling Dubal Villa and Pegasus Ranch have always been on good terms. Sources pointed out that the Qian Duguan who secretly controls Xiangyang is a member of the Yingui faction, and the Yingui faction and Chai Shao The relationship... is known to everyone.
Once Xiangyang, Jingling, Pegasus Ranch, and Jiangling are all in the hands of Chai Shao and Xiao Meiniang, they will be connected to Luoyang in the north, Bashu in the west, Jingchu in the south, and Jiangxi in the east. With Zhu Can's cooperation, Li Mi's territory in Huainan will be Is it still far away from Du Fuwei's territory falling into the hands of Sui Ting?
This borrowing is probably because Liu Bei borrowed money from Jingzhou and will never repay it.
"Ahem." Xiao Mian suppressed his anger and said: "With Chai Shilang's fighting power against ten thousand people, and with my aunt's prestige, there is no need to worry about it. As long as the army moves out and entrenches itself in Luoyang, the quarreling Li Jiancheng, Li Mi and others will inevitably be defeated and flee. .”
Chu Pingsheng said: "King Xiao doesn't know yet?"
"Don't know what?"
"In order to fight against me, the devil, the Buddhists not only dispatched Master Yixin and the four holy monks to guard the eastern capital, but also invited Sanren Ning Daoqi, one of the three great masters of martial arts, to help. Therefore, it is much more difficult to regain Luoyang than the Lingnan battle. , maybe it will turn into a protracted war.”
"Master Yixin? The four great holy monks? Sanren Ning Daoqi?" Xiao Mian's eyes were dull, his face was blank, and his mouth full of oil and water opened again and again.
"Hahahaha..."
Chu Pingsheng laughed unrestrainedly again, pointed at Xiao Mian with a gloomy expression and said: "With your acting skills, Liu Bei will have to applaud him again. In future generations, you will definitely win an Oscar."
Zhu Zhong was a dumb-looking man. He couldn't bear it and said: "Chai Shao, you are so arrogant. This is the capital of Daliang. The person sitting next to the Empress Dowager is a nephew of the same clan. Your Majesty, the Emperor of Liang, you have said evil words repeatedly." He said, laughing loudly is extremely rude. If you are disrespectful to His Majesty, you are disrespectful to the Xiao family and the Empress Dowager."
Chu Pingsheng suppressed his smile, reached into his arms, and threw an envelope sealed with fire paint in front of Xiao Mian: "Do you recognize this letter?"
Xiao Mian was shocked, but he soon returned to normal. He pointed at the envelope on the ground and said curiously: "Master Chai, what is going on?"
Chu Pingsheng smiled half-heartedly: "What do you think?"
"Master Chai is joking. This letter is sealed with fire paint and the recipient's name is not written on it. How can I know the content of the letter?"
Xiao Mian said she didn't know, but actually she was panicking.
After Xiao Meiniang captured Yulin, the Sui army was unstoppable. They marched eastward and westward, swallowing up the entire Lingnan in just over two months. The Liang Kingdom was located in Pegasus Ranch, Jingling Domination Villa, Xiangyang Qianduguan, and Huai'an Runan. Zhu Can from the three counties of Yiyang, as well as Lin Shihong and the encirclement of Lingnan. If Xiao Meiniang wants to regain her lost territory, who is the next best target? Of course it's him.
When he learned that Song Que's death in battle had inspired all the top masters of the righteous path to prepare for a showdown with the evil forces headed by Chai Shao, he decided to get in touch with the Jiangbei separatist forces and the righteous masters to form an alliance, so he wrote a letter , ordered King Zheng Wenxiu of Chu to take him to Chang'an to Li Yuan.
If you want to ask why not go to Luoyang, the reason is very simple. The situation north of Jiangling is chaotic. In the front is Qian Duguan of Xiangyang, and in the back is Zhu Can of Nanyang. Both parties are either members of the Demon Sect or cooperate with the Chai family and his son. From the territory of these two people It’s not safe to go east. You have to go through Jingling Dupo Villa and Lin Shihong’s territory. It’s also possible to be exposed. It’s much better to go up to the Sichuan and Chongqing areas, and then to Chang’an. What’s more, Li Yuan has the support of Buddhism, has the closest relationship with the righteous way, and has more influence than Li Mi , Liang Shidu, Yu Wenhuaji and others are much stronger.
But he never expected that Zheng Wenxiu had messed up the mission, and the letter seeking an alliance to deal with Xiao Meiniang would actually fall into Chai Shao's hands.
(End of chapter)