Shuhan

Luoyang City.

South of Xuanyang Gate, in a vast area, three magnificent buildings, Lingtai, Biyong and Mingtang, stand tall. They were built by Wang Mang at great expense during the Xinmang period. They cover a vast area and are magnificent.

However, with the passage of time, this place is no longer the academic holy land it once was, but has been requisitioned by the Wei army as a military base.

The rows of neat student dormitories in Biyong have now been occupied by the soldiers of the Wei army and have become their temporary barracks.

The bookish atmosphere in the dormitory has long been replaced by the smell of gunpowder. Those students who once studied hard here, those who were capable have already fled this war-torn city, while those who were not were captured and made into strong men to serve the Wei army.

At this moment, there was a busy and tense scene in Biyong.

The soldiers shuttled back and forth, carrying weapons and food, preparing for the upcoming battle.

Amidst the hustle and bustle, Xun Yi, who was in charge of building the defenses of Biyong, seemed exceptionally calm.

He was dressed in gorgeous official uniform, and his brows revealed a sense of elegance, which was the unique style of the Yingchuan gentry.

Xun Xi, the sixth son of Xun Yu, now holds the position of Shizhong, which can be said to be extremely noble.

However, in these troubled times, the worries in his heart surged like the tide.

The current situation of the Wei State is like the setting sun, falling and precarious.

As the capital of Wei State, Luoyang became the focus of competition among various forces.

Xun Yi knew very well how heavy the burden on his shoulders was. He stood in the center of Biyong, looking at the busy soldiers around him, and sighed inwardly.

He had no idea whether he could defend Luoyang. This was not just a matter of victory or defeat in a war, but also related to the honor, disgrace, rise and fall of the Xun family of Yingchuan.

Just as Xun Yi was deep in thought, there was suddenly a commotion outside Biyong.

He frowned, turned around and saw a group of people slowly walking into Biyong.

The leader was dressed in gorgeous clothes, had a handsome face, red lips and white teeth, and looked to be no more than ten years old.

He was surrounded by several followers, like stars surrounding the moon, making him particularly eye-catching.

Xun Yi recognized the young man's identity at a glance. He was none other than Zhong Hui, a famous talent from the Zhong family of Yingchuan.

Zhong Hui was extremely intelligent and talented since childhood, and enjoyed a very high reputation among the Zhong family in Yingchuan.

His father, Zhong Yao, revived the family tradition and is now an important official of the Wei State, highly regarded by Your Majesty.

Zhong Hui walked into Biyong with a calm demeanor, as if he did not take the war situation to heart.

His eyes swept around and finally fell on Xun Yi.

The two looked at each other, and Xun Yi couldn't help feeling a little confused.

What is the purpose of Zhong Hui coming here at this moment?
Xun Yi stepped forward, bowed and said, "My lord, I am sorry for not coming to greet you from afar. I hope you will forgive me."

Zhong Hui smiled slightly and returned the greeting, "You are too polite, Minister Xun. I came here to discuss something important with you."

Xun Yi's heart moved, and he secretly guessed the purpose of Zhong Hui's visit.

He led Zhong Hui to a relatively quiet corner, motioned for his followers to leave, and then asked, "What's the matter, sir? Feel free to speak."

Zhong Hui looked around and saw that there were no outsiders. He then slowly said, "Minister Xun, you know that the situation in Wei is critical now, and Luoyang is even more precarious. I came here to discuss with you how to defend the city."

When Xun Xi heard this, he couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart.

He knew very well that what Zhong Hui said was true and the current situation in Wei was indeed extremely critical.

However, he still had some doubts about Zhong Hui's purpose.

Zhong Hui was only a little over ten years old. Although he was talented, he was young and frivolous after all. What strategy could he have to defend the city?
Xun Yi pondered for a moment and then said, "Mr. Zhong is wrong. Defending the city is a matter of great importance and we must act with caution. Although you are talented, you are still young and I am afraid you cannot take on this heavy responsibility." Zhong Hui was not angry when he heard this.

He smiled slightly and said, "Minister Xun is wrong. Although I am young, I have studied the art of war since I was young and have gained some experience."

Xun Yi pondered for a moment, then slowly said: "Mr. Zhong, what you said makes sense. However, the matter of defending the city requires long-term planning. Do you have any specific plan?"

When Zhong Hui heard this, a gleam of light flashed in his eyes.

He slowly stood up, walked to the window of Biyong, looked at the chaotic battle outside the window, and said in a deep voice: "Minister Xun, you know that our morale is low and the army is scattered. The Han army is strong and has high morale. This is our army's disadvantage."

Xun Yi nodded upon hearing this.

What Zhong Hui said was true.

The morale of the Wei army is indeed low and the army is scattered. However, the Han army outside Luoyang City is composed of carefully selected elite soldiers with high morale and strong combat effectiveness.

Zhong Hui continued, "Although our army is weak, it is possible to defeat the Han army. I think our army should focus on defense and supplement it with offense. We should use the strength of Luoyang City to resist the attack of the Han army. At the same time, we should send elite soldiers to attack the weaknesses of the Han army to disrupt its deployment."

Xun Yi listened to Zhong Hui's plan and nodded slightly, thinking that this was a good idea.

He looked at Zhong Hui's young face and wondered in his heart: What kind of courage does this young man have to come up with such a brilliant plan?
Zhong Hui seemed to see the doubt in Xun Yi's heart. He smiled and said, "Minister Xun, don't worry. Although I am young, I have been fighting on the battlefield with my father since I was young, and I know a little about the art of war."

"but"

Zhong Hui suddenly took a turn.

"But even so, even if we win against the Han army, it is unlikely to be a big victory. Even if we win, it will only last for a year or two. The overall situation in the world has already tilted towards the Han Kingdom."

When Xun Xi heard this, his heart sank and his face turned slightly dark.

The State of Wei is now far inferior to the State of Han, and the Emperor of Han is even more talented and strategic, and cannot be easily resisted by Wei.

"What do you mean, sir?" Xun Yi frowned and looked at Zhong Hui with a hint of doubt in his eyes.

Zhong Hui laughed out loud, and the laughter echoed in the Biyong, seeming a little abrupt.

"The method I mentioned earlier is too difficult. I have a method that will make it easier, which is... surrender to the Han people!"

When these words were spoken, Xun Yi was stunned. He never expected that Zhong Hui would make such a suggestion.

"My lord, this is wrong. We are ministers of Wei, how can we easily surrender to the enemy?" Xun Yi said in a deep voice, with a hint of displeasure in his tone.

Zhong Hui didn't care about Xun Yi's reaction. He smiled and continued, "Minister Xun, do you know the current situation of Wei? The people are suffering from internal and external troubles. The Han Kingdom is too powerful for Wei to defeat. Instead of struggling here, it is better to surrender to Han as soon as possible. Perhaps you can preserve the glory of the Xun family of Yingchuan."

Upon hearing this, Xun Yi frowned even more tightly.

What Zhong Hui said was not entirely unreasonable, but as a minister of Wei, how could he easily betray his country?
"My lord, don't mention this again. As a minister of Wei, I, Xun Xi, will do my best to protect Luoyang and the State of Wei." Xun Xi said in a deep voice, with a hint of firmness in his tone.

Seeing this, Zhong Hui said no more.

Actually, enough has been said today.

He knew Xun Yi's character very well and knew that it would be useless to say more.

So, he smiled slightly, bowed and said, "Minister Xun's words make sense. The meeting is just proposing a plan. The specific decision still needs to be made by the Minister."

"Also, if the Minister changes his mind, he can come to the palace to discuss important matters. Yingchuan has long been in the hands of the Han State. Loyalty to the emperor and patriotism are naturally the right thing to do, but who is the emperor and who is the thief? The Minister should think carefully about it."

After saying this, Zhong Hui turned and left, leaving Xun Yi standing there alone with mixed feelings.

What Zhong Hui said was not entirely unreasonable, but as a minister of Wei, how could he betray so easily?

However, the situation in Wei State was becoming increasingly critical. What could he do?
Looking at Zhong Hui's departing back, Xun Yi felt an inexplicable melancholy in his heart. (End of this chapter)