Chapter 257 Assassination

"What's the matter?" Zhao Xu asked when he saw Chang Wei's serious face.

"Jincheng was broken."

"What! Jincheng was broken." Zhao Xu was surprised.

During this period, although Jinzhou was in chaos, it had never lost control.

It relied on Jincheng guarded by 80,000 imperial guards.

With the cooperation of the Ma family army, they fought back and forth with the Xiliang army.

Especially after he provided a batch of armor to the Ma family, the Ma family won a small victory in a field battle and annihilated 5,000 Xiliang troops.

Therefore, during the chaos in Yanzhou, there was no chaos in the west of Yanzhou.

Unexpectedly, the situation has taken a sharp turn for the worse now.

"Jincheng has high walls and thick walls, how could it be suddenly broken by the Xiliang army?" After calming down, Zhao Xu suddenly felt something was wrong.

It's not that Xiliang had never attacked Jincheng before, but it was resisted by the imperial guards several times.

"The soldiers of the Imperial Guards who escaped to Feihu Pass said that there was a traitor in the Imperial Guards. Captain Cui Yan surrendered to Xiliang and led his subordinates to rebel. When he was in Xiliang, I felt that he was not a good guy." Chang Wei gritted his teeth and said, he hated traitors the most in his life.

Zhao Xu's face darkened.

Once Jincheng was lost, Jinzhou would be finished.

The most terrible thing is that Xiliang is no longer the Xiliang of the past, but a vassal of Beidi.

Xiliang taking Jinzhou is no different from Beidi taking Jinzhou.

In the north, he is already facing the threat of Beidi, and now he has to face the threat of Xiliang.

And next, I am afraid that Beidi will definitely instruct Xiliang to offend Feihu Pass.

"How many defenders are there at Feihu Pass?" Zhao Xu asked.

"Five thousand people." Chang Wei looked worried, "To be on the safe side, I think we should expand it to 30,000 people and allocate 100 artillery pieces at the same time."

Zhao Xu nodded. Now no one can predict what action Beidi will take next.

The most prudent action is to strengthen the defense of Feihu Pass.

"Send all the latest artillery made by the Arms Department to Feihu Pass." He said.

The manufacture of artillery by the Arms Department has never stopped.

The artillery training ground outside Yancheng has also been training new artillery.

After a pause, he said to Chang Wei: "The training of new recruits must keep up. I am afraid that another war is inevitable. We can't always rely on these 30,000 veterans to fight."

"Yes, Your Highness, the 30,000 new recruits recruited in Shanggu County have been trained for more than two months, and they can barely be used." Chang Wei thought about it and said, he was also very distressed.

Beidi threatened to start a war if he didn't hand over the King of Yan, but he didn't expect to make a move so soon.

But in this way, he couldn't train his troops calmly.

It's really one wave after another.

Zhao Xu paced back and forth.

As the King of Yan, he must take into account all the current situations.

Beidi ordered Xiliang, a vassal, to attack in the west, fighting an ancient proxy war, but Beidi might not fail to make some moves in the north at the same time.

After thinking for a while, he said: "Transfer these 30,000 soldiers to Feihu Pass, continue training at Feihu Pass, and send the veterans to Yan Pass to prepare for any eventuality."

Chang Wei understood and nodded heavily.

After discussing the matter, Zhao Xu ordered Chang Wei to go back and make preparations, and he returned to the palace and wrote a memorial to be sent to the capital.

Such a big thing happened in Jinzhou, so he still had to submit a memorial.

...

Jincheng.

Murong Wuji walked on the blood-stained streets of Jincheng.

The soles of his feet made a "zeze" sound as the blood was trampled.

The war ended two days ago, but the blood of the Dasong Imperial Army on the ground has not yet dried.

"Leader, the city has been searched thoroughly, and all the Dasong Imperial Army soldiers who can be found have been killed." A general came over and said.

In the Xiliang military system, the general is equivalent to the Beidi Langlu.

The general who is responsible for leading the troops to go to war is called the leader.

Murong Wuji had a blank expression on his face.

After conquering Jincheng, his first order was to order the massacre of the surrendered soldiers of the Dasong Imperial Army.

For every Xiliang person, hatred for Dasong is born.

Especially Jinzhou, they have been told since they were sensible that this place belongs to Xiliang.

The Dasong Imperial Army on Jinzhou’s land is a robber, and the Dasong people living in Xiliang are thieves.

Therefore, in the war between Jinzhou and Dasong, Xiliang never left Dasong soldiers alive.

Even the Dasong people who were captured alive were sold as slaves to Xiliang merchants.

"Well done, after more than 150 years, Jincheng has finally returned to Xiliang. From now on, we will never lose him again." Murong Wuji stretched his arms and looked up at the sky.

The general's face also had an uncontrollable excitement.

Jincheng is a holy place in the hearts of every Xiliang person.

For this place, they are willing to sacrifice their lives.

"Where are the other defeated soldiers?"

Murong Wuji suddenly remembered something.

"They all fled to Feihu Pass." The general narrowed his eyes.

"Feihu Pass?" Murong Wuji frowned, "This time Mulehongzhen ordered us Xiliang to take Jinzhou, and we have to deal with the King of Yan to the east of Feihu Pass."

Although he had been busy with the war in Jinzhou, he also learned about the King of Yan from all aspects.

Including the fact that Beidi was defeated by this King of Yan when he went south.

At the same time, there were also the legendary artillery.

"It is said that this is the case." The general said.

Murong Wuji nodded, "It is said that if you want to take Jin, you must take Yan, otherwise Jinzhou will not be able to be preserved for a long time. This time, Dasong will definitely send troops to take Jinzhou. Khan Mulehongzhen is indeed a man of great talent and strategy."

The general said: "That's right. Beidi is at its peak. It is just right for us Xiliang to submit to Beidi. Otherwise, I am afraid we will face endless wars like Dasong is now."

Murong Wuji did not refute. They had never been afraid of Dasong's army, but they were full of fear of the Beidi cavalry.

No one from Xiliang was willing to fight against the Beidi cavalry.

After taking a few steps forward, he turned back and said: "Chanyu, no, the king ordered us to hold Jinzhou after we capture it and wait for orders. You should immediately lead the troops to repair the city to prevent Da Song from attacking."

"Yes, leader." General Zheng bowed his head in response, then turned and left.

…

Qinzhou, Xiancheng, Ma family's mansion.

Ma Xuan looked in the direction of Jinzhou and frowned.

Jincheng fell, and Xiliang soldiers swept through the east of Jinzhou.

After the Dasong Forbidden Army was defeated by the Xiliang soldiers, the Ma family was left alone.

He could only order the Ma family troops to withdraw from Jinzhou.

"Hey, my Ma family has been working hard in Jinzhou for more than ten years, and now all our efforts have been wasted." Ma Xuan suddenly sighed.

Ma Han stood beside his father and said, "Father, why should you worry? Your Majesty will sit back and watch Jinzhou fall into the hands of Beidi. He will definitely send troops to take it back. Otherwise, once the Xiliang soldiers cross the Jin River, Dasong will be in danger."

"It's just that when the time comes, our Ma family is afraid that we will have to send troops." Ma Xuan frowned.

The Ma family is the closest to Jinzhou, and he believes that the other seven powerful families will not miss this opportunity to encourage Zhao Heng to send troops.

Although he is one of the eight powerful families in Dasong.

But his Ma family is incompatible with the other seven powerful families.

The reason is that the Ma family is half Qiang ancestry.

The Qiang people are some tribes active in the mountains between Qinzhou and Tubo.

The reason why the Ma family can rise to become one of the eight powerful families.

The reason is that during the Battle of Dasong, the great ancestor of the Ma family married the daughter of the Qiang leader and obtained a Qiang army.

Later, the Ma family, under the orders of Emperor Zhao Yi, swept across Qinzhou, Yongzhou, and Sizhou, and took root here from then on.

But because of this, other powerful families accepted the orthodoxy of the Central Plains and regarded the Ma family as barbarians.

However, among the eight powerful clans, the Ma family's soldiers and horses are extremely capable of fighting, and they guard the northwest of Dasong.

They were disdainful and wary at the same time, and they kept trying to weaken the Ma family and make the Ma family obey their words.

When Ma Han heard this, his brows furrowed. When he thought of something, he suddenly raised his brows and said, "Father, why should you worry? The emperor will definitely let King Yan send troops to Jinzhou."

"Yes, King Yan is as close to Jinzhou as our Ma family, and he is a prince. There is no reason why the emperor should not let him send troops." Ma Xuan nodded, "If the emperor does not allow him to send troops, my Ma family will not send troops. reason.”

Ma Han chuckled softly, "The King of Yan must have thought that if he wanted to take back Jinzhou, both the Ma family and he would have to send troops."

After a pause, he continued: "If this is the case, why not take the opportunity to ask King Yan for armor and artillery."

Ma Xuan patted Ma Han on the shoulder, "You and I want to go together. With such righteousness, King Yan can't help but shed some blood."

The news of the cannon test in the capital had already reached his ears.

For such a powerful firearm, it was impossible to say that he didn't want it.

After pondering for a while, he said: "You immediately set off to Yancheng to discuss Jinzhou's affairs with King Yan, and talk about artillery at the same time."

Ma Han said yes, turned and left.

Not long after, a group of people headed east.

Not long after Ma Han left, the housekeeper of the mansion came in a hurry.

Handed a note to Ma Xuan.

Ma Xuan only glanced at it, his face changed drastically, and he said: "Prepare your horses and chase Ma Han back immediately!"

After that, Ma Xuan left the mansion and led a group of people to chase him.

And not long after they left, a carrier pigeon took off from the Ma family's mansion and flew eastward...

Walking along the official road until dusk fell, Ma Han and the thirty guards accompanying him stopped at a village shop.

Asking the waiter to take the horse to feed, he asked for a room in the shop, as well as food and wine.

After getting drunk with the guards, he walked towards the small courtyard inside the village, where the guest rooms were.

Not long after he left, a group of black men suddenly broke into the village store.

The waiter was about to ask when suddenly one of them pulled out a knife and put it on the waiter's neck.

"Is there a group of cavalry here, led by a young man in white?"

The waiter had never seen such a scene before. He immediately wet his pants with fear. He pointed to the small courtyard inside the village shop in horror.

At this time, a man in black came back from checking the stables and nodded to the leader of the men in black.

When the leader of the men in black heard this, he covered the waiter's mouth and used the knife sharply.

At the same time, other men in black flocked to the courtyard.

The shopkeeper of the village store was coming from behind, and before he could react, his mouth and nose were covered and his throat was cut.

After searching several rooms in the courtyard, the man in black stopped in front of the innermost wing.

Under the dim moonlight, a man in white clothes was lying on his side, sleeping soundly inside.

The leader of the men in black nodded, and the two men in black rushed into the door at the same time, slashing with their swords.

"Ah..." A scream sounded, and then there was no sound again.

The leader of the men in black walked in at this time and turned the face of the young man in white to the direction of the moonlight.

When he saw this, he was immediately shocked, "This is not Ma Han, keep searching!"

After saying that, he hurried to the courtyard.

I saw a white figure just climbing over the wall.