Jiaohua

Shen Lie's trip to Tongdu was ostensibly to reclaim Ying Jinliang's land, but in reality, it was also to save Ying Jinliang.

After Xie Zhong lost Qian Fengrong, Shen Lie predicted that Xie Zhong would definitely not be willing to withdraw from the competition.

As for Xie Zhong's target, both Shen Lie and Xia Zhaoyi initially agreed that the Fang brothers from Tongdu would be his first choice.

As skilled and valiant warriors, it was hard for the Fang brothers not to want to make a name for themselves in this chaotic world.

Unfortunately, Ying Jinliang accomplished nothing except recruiting talent from all over the place.

He lived a secluded life, enjoying the benefits of both sides, and was timid and hesitant, to the point that the Fang brothers' weapons were about to rust.

Xie Zhong was eloquent and good at planning. He somehow adopted a goddaughter and used her to manipulate the two brothers. After several attempts, Xie Zhong became their strategist.

To be precise, he was the elder of the two brothers, Fang Yinai's strategist.

Within a month, under Xie Zhonghe and Fang Yinai's various methods of gradual encroachment and takeover, Ying Jinliang was almost completely sidelined.

Therefore, upon learning that Yan Jun had arrived in Tongdu, Ying Jinliang was overjoyed and immediately surrendered, only asking Shen Lie to arrange for him to become a minor marquis.

Shen Lie stated directly that he could not make the decision on this matter, and then placed Ying Jinliang under house arrest.

Fang Yinai wanted to kill the enemy, but Xie Zhong said that their troop strength and combat power were far inferior to Yan Jun's, and told Fang Yinai to preserve his troops first and not to confront Yan Jun head-on.

Fang Yinai and Xie Zhong then fled with 20,000 men.

Shen Lie did not give chase.

Because Fang Yiping and Fang Yinai had long since become estranged.

Fang Yinai quickly became devoted to Xie Zhong, but Fang Yiping hesitated for a long time.

Liang Jun wrote a letter and asked Xu Li to deliver it to Fang Yiping.

The letter was sincere in every word, analyzing the global landscape, dissecting Xie Zhong's character, and outlining the future destinies of the Fang brothers.

Fang Yiping did not reply, but every word in the letter took root in his heart.

Later, the Fang brothers' rift deepened and their disputes intensified.

However, Fang Yiping has not left Fang Yinai. He is currently following in Fang Yinai's fleeing group and has been writing letters to Liang Jun.

Xie Zhong and Fang Yin are no longer a threat. Shen Lie has another plan for Xie Zhong; otherwise, Xie Zhong wouldn't be alive now.

Shen Lie had Liang Jun tell Ji Xia about these things.

He looked back at Yong'an on the marching table. Time was running out, and he had to lead his troops to eliminate the largest military camp to the east of Yong'an, the Zhongping Army.

The Chungpyeong Army was a branch that Song Zhiyi separated from the main force, the Xingping Army. The Chungpyeong Army's military system was completely copied from Li Qian's Xuanwu Army. However, the number of soldiers in the Chungpyeong Army was twice that of the vicious Xuanwu Army.

·
The sun was actually shining brightly, but the entire palace seemed shrouded in dark clouds.

The main streets leading out of the imperial city were bathed in sunlight, and apart from the occasional patrolling guard, not a single commoner ventured out.

As dusk approached, a carriage slowly approached. Ding Renzhong, his face bruised and swollen, alighted from the carriage, handed over his token, and entered the palace gate with a somber expression.

In less than half an hour, a troop of fast horses galloped out of the imperial city and headed straight for the Tian residence to capture Tian Wu.

At the other end, a palace maid quickly came out from the northeast gate of the imperial city and handed a scroll of paper to a guard.

Soon, the scroll of paper appeared in Xia Zhaoyi's hands.

Lu Ningjin asked, "What happened?"

Xia Zhaoyi said, "Ding Renzhong also went to the funeral palace yesterday. He was lucky to survive and claimed that he personally witnessed Tian Wu colluding with the thugs. He also claimed that Tian Wu killed Liu Renshu."

Lu Ningjin sneered: "How is that possible? Tian Wu is just Yan Qinglin's dog and has no dealings with other forces. So now, is Song Zhiyi going to kill Tian Wu?"

Xia Zhaoyi said, "Mm."

Lu Ningjin thought for a moment: "Ali, should we save him? First, we have no grudge against him, we just have different positions. With his talent, we can recruit him to our cause. Second, he is the man Pei Huirao loves. If he dies like this, Pei Huirao will be very sad."

Secondly, this doesn't make sense to Xia Zhaoyi, because Tian Wu almost cut off Pei Huirao's arm.

Now that things have come to this point, even the deepest feelings should come to an end. As for the first point, there is indeed a shortage of people right now, and she originally planned to keep a few of Song Zhiyi's capable ministers.

“It depends on him,” Xia Zhaoyi said. “If he can live, then let him stay.”

If she were to keep people from the opposing camp, she would only keep those who could be of use.

Tian Wu had already lost sight of being followed by Ding Renzhong. If he couldn't escape this calamity through his own abilities, then he wouldn't be considered a "talented" person.

Darkness fell quickly, and the lantern bearers under the jurisdiction of the Jingzhao Prefecture's Works Department came out later than usual, hanging lanterns one by one slowly and leisurely.

Feng Ping glanced out the window facing the street and went to the study: "General, the lantern monkeys have come out. Will General Shen really come in half an hour?"

Xia Zhaoyi said, "Yes."

“I still find it unbelievable,” Feng Ping said, sitting down. “With so many troops under General Shen’s command, how could he not catch the Song bandits at all?”

Xia Zhaoyi smiled and said, "We've encountered the right timing, the right place, and the right people. The road Shen Lie took is the same one that Yan Qinglin and Song Zhiyi used to lure displaced people into the capital and besiege the city."

Back then, Yan Qinglin also prepared many siege machines for these refugees, which were placed in Fenghe County.

Apart from this road, Shen Lie's scouts and vanguard battalion were all top-notch elites. They cleared the way ahead, took the lead in clearing the area, and controlled the situation to prevent anyone from reporting to the capital.

Everything was seamless and completely silent.

·
Shen Lie personally led his troops and suddenly appeared on the main road of Yong'an and Zhongping army camps, first cutting off the interpreter channel for Zhongping army to report into the city.

Chungpyeong's army was quickly wiped out.

Then, Shen Lie headed to the next location.

In the other locations, other generals of the Yan army led troops to suppress them.

Apart from the Zhongping Army, a large number of survivors were left elsewhere.

Finally, the army assembled outside Yongding Gate.

Yongdingmen faces due south, and it was also the place where refugees gathered and shouted for the city gates to be opened.

This time, we don't need to attack the city gates.

The city gate guards were Xia Zhaoyi's men, while those who harbored disloyalty among the city gate guards were assassinated.

Thus, without losing a single soldier, Shen Lie led the Yan army into Yong'an.

The first patrol of mounted guards they encountered numbered about twenty men.

Twenty people came around the corner and met him unexpectedly, staring blankly at the tall and handsome young general.

His face was bathed in the dim light of the day, and his features were faintly visible in the dim light, revealing a three-dimensional and deep outline, and a handsome appearance.

Behind him stood a dense, dark array of armored soldiers, their figures moving silently in the shadows, their swords and spears gleaming in the eerie atmosphere.

The twenty people were momentarily stunned, as if they had collectively fallen into an absurd nightmare.

Accustomed to swaggering around the streets of Beijing, they were now speechless, their voices stuck in their throats.

Wu Shaoning led a small team forward on horseback, sending them off to their deaths as quickly as possible.

Inside the palace, Song Zhiyi was not completely deaf.

When Shen Lie led his troops to annihilate Zhongping's army, someone had already heard the sounds of fighting from afar and reported it to him.

For the past few days, Song Zhiyi has been sitting in the mourning hall where Yan Qinglin's memorial tablet has not yet been removed. Dressed in a black dragon robe, he stares blankly at Yan Qinglin's memorial tablet, showing no reaction and treating it as nothing.

Not only him, but also the Ding people who remained, Mu Hengxiong, and even the eunuchs standing nearby, did not consider this a big deal.

Song Zhiyi is only concerned with where Tian Wu went.

The men sent to capture him returned and said that Tian Wu was not at home, but his pregnant concubine was still in the mansion. Tian Wu's clothes and cash were all there, and there was no sign of him escaping.

Suddenly, a palace attendant cried out in alarm from outside: "Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Something terrible has happened!" (End of Chapter)