Jiuxi

Chapter 897: Playing Hard to Get

March in spring, Yaoshan Pass.

The traces of the great battle two years ago have long disappeared. Now, with the hard work of the Da Qi craftsmen in repairing this majestic pass, it has become a bridgehead controlling the area east of Heluo.

On the tall and sturdy city wall, Huai'an Prince Lu Chen and his princess Lin Xi were strolling forward. Pei Sui, the commander-in-chief of the Zhenbei Army stationed here, was explaining the various defense systems. In addition, there was Duan Zuozhang, the commander-in-chief of the Lai'an Army stationed at Qingliu Pass in the rear.

"Your Majesty, the original defense focus of Yaoshan Pass was towards the east, and the defense facilities on the west were not complete. After two years of reinforcement and renovation, especially with the full support of the Governor's Office and the Governor's Office, the defenses on all sides of the entire pass are now very solid."

Pei Sui's words were flawless, and even in front of Lu Chen, he did not deliberately ignore the contributions of the Dingzhou Provincial Government.

Lu Chen nodded slightly and asked, "How many defenders are there in the pass now?"

"Six thousand infantrymen, two thousand archers, and more than five hundred cavalry scouts."

Pei Sui raised his hand and pointed to the southeast, and said, "The camp built by the Jing army there has been transformed into a military camp by us. It is as strong as an ordinary city. There are 4,000 soldiers guarding the camp, all of whom are veterans of the Zhenbei Army."

The purpose of this military camp is to protect the flanks of Yaoshan Pass to prevent the pass from being attacked from both sides. Of course, when the time comes that it becomes difficult to hold on, the defenders will decisively abandon the camp and enter Yaoshan Pass, relying on this strong pass to hold their ground.

Lu Chen asked again: "How long will the food and grass stored in the pass last?"

Pei Sui replied, "According to the prince's instructions, the food and fodder in the pass is enough for the soldiers to use for half a year, and it is counted and replenished once a month. The grain officer at the governor's office has been conscientious in his duties and has never delayed in the past two years. The food and fodder sent are not mixed with old rice."

"Prime Minister Xu is not only a loyal minister, but also a capable minister."

Lu Chen was quite emotional.

Although the current governor of Dingzhou, Ding Hui, is unmatched in his ability to flatter, and he almost regards Lu Chen's words as an imperial decree, he is ultimately no match for Xu Zuo's ability to govern and his integrity by setting an example. It is no wonder that Lu Chen misses the two years when Xu Zuo was in power.

Pei Sui was not in a position to continue the conversation, so he asked sincerely, "Your Majesty, can I ask you for a favor?"

Lu Chen smiled and said, "You can say whatever you want."

Pei Sui said, "I know that when the war breaks out, Yaoshan Pass will most likely become one of the key targets of the Jing army, so we dare not slack off. The Zhenbei Army understands this from top to bottom, and preparations in all aspects have been proceeding in an orderly manner. The Governor's Office and the Governor's Office have also given us sufficient support, and almost all requests for silver, weapons, armor, and food have been met. There is only one thing. I have consulted Liu Zhubu of the Governor's Office, but he said that the quantity of that kind of strange fire is extremely limited and he really can't provide too much."

Duan Zuozhang, who was standing next to him, said, "Your Highness, I have also gone to see Liu Zhubu. Although Qingliu Pass is behind Yaoshan Pass, its strategic position is not inferior. It is always a good thing to be prepared."

The Liu Zhubu they were talking about was Liu Yuan. Now the commanders of all the armies in Dingzhou knew that the selfless middle-aged man was highly trusted by Lu Chen and was even higher than Sima Huang Xianfeng of the Governor's Office.

Lu Chen couldn't help but laugh and said, "He is telling the truth. It's useless even if you go to him every now and then. In fact, the strange fire can only play a deterrent role. After all, its use conditions are quite harsh. I can't create so many raw materials for you to use without limit."

Pei Sui and Duan Zuozhang looked at each other and had to give up.

The so-called strange fire refers to the simple incendiary bottle that Lu Chen modified based on the prototype of Greek fire. When he first started, he burned hundreds of elite soldiers of the Jing army in Guangling City, and later he shined in the Battle of Yongqiu.

This weapon is simple and easy to use, and there is basically no way to defend against it. Even though Jing Jun already knew that he might be burned to death, he had no choice but to attack the city.

The problem is that the raw materials needed are somewhat scarce. In addition, some equipment is being manufactured intensively in the depths of Baotai Mountain. Lu Chen cannot waste all the resources on Molotov cocktails.

"I know that you are under great pressure. Once the war breaks out, Yaoshan Pass and Qingliu Pass, as the western gates of Dingzhou, will inevitably be attacked by the Jing army in turn."

Lu Chen looked at the two men with a slightly solemn tone and said, "This is why I deployed the Zhenbei Army and the Lai'an Army here. In fact, Xu Gui came to me and wanted to lead the Fengfu Army to garrison Yaoshan Pass and face the first and most fierce attack of the Jing Army, but I rejected his proposal. The reason is very simple. Although he is brave in battle, he is a little careless. I don't want any mistakes to happen on the western front."

Pei Sui and Duan Zuozhang's expressions both turned serious.

Lu Chen said seriously: "I hope you will remember that no matter how the situation changes in other battlefields, your mission is to take root here and never let the Jing army pass. No matter how big the difficulties you encounter, you must find ways to stop the Jing army."

The two said in unison: "We obey your orders!"

Lu Chen slowed down his tone and said, "Defending the west gate of Dingzhou is a great achievement. This king will not treat you and all the soldiers unfairly."

The two generals naturally had no doubt about this. It had long been a consensus that the soldiers under Lu Chen were well paid, and he would definitely not embezzle the credit for his subordinates' achievements.

Take Pei Sui for example, although he is still only the commander-in-chief, his title is already the Earl of Kaiyang. He only needs to fight another big battle, and it will be no problem to be promoted to the title of Marquis.

"Please rest assured, Your Majesty. I swear to live and die with the pass."

Pei Sui expressed his opinion immediately, and Duan Zuozhang also solemnly agreed.

Lu Chen smiled slightly and said with relief: "I believe you will not let people down."

He observed carefully along the way, from Qingliu Pass to Yaoshan Pass, that the two generals were meticulous and steady in leading the troops, and all defenses were arranged in an orderly manner.

Maybe they are not very good at charging into battle, but they are very competent in defending the city. It is difficult for Lu Chen to find more suitable candidates than them.

Next, the group went to the military camp on the flank of Yaoshan Pass for an on-site inspection. Then Duan Zuozhang led his personal soldiers back to Qingliu Pass, while Lu Chen and Lin Xi came to a heavily guarded house in the northeast corner of Yaoshan Pass. Lin Xi stopped and said softly, "You go and do your work. I'll wait for you outside."

"it is good."

Lu Chen didn't say anything more and walked straight in.

The light in the room was a little dim, and the furnishings were very simple, with only a bed, a table and two chairs.

A middle-aged man with a tired look stood up immediately when he saw Lu Chen coming in, but he stood there at a loss.

"General Pucha, long time no see."

Lu Chen sat at the table, pointed to the opposite side and said calmly: "Please sit down."

Pucha looked hesitant.

After being defeated and captured two years ago, he originally wanted to intervene in the game and lure Lu Chen to continue attacking Heluo, so as to buy time for Wu Yanshu on the Jingzhou battlefield. Unexpectedly, his thoughts were seen through by Lu Chen, which indirectly caused Wu Yanshu's failure.

After that, he thought he would be killed, but Lu Chen did not give any order. He just set up a tightly guarded cell in Yaoshan Pass and locked him up.

Seeing Lu Chen again today, the torment of being imprisoned for the past two years came to his mind, and Pucha's complex mood was difficult to describe in words.

He walked over slowly and sat down, took a look at the robe on Lu Chen, and said in a deep voice: "I didn't expect that you are now the prince of Qi."

"A lot of unexpected things have happened in the past two years, and even I was a little surprised."

Lu Chen spoke calmly, and then said: "I don't have much time to tell you those details, you can understand them yourself after you go back."

It was like a bolt of thunder from the blue sky exploding in Pucha's ears. He asked in disbelief, "You want to let me go back?"

Lu Chen smiled and said, "Don't want to? If you really want to stay here, it's not impossible, but you have to ask Jingguo to send some money to cover your food and accommodation expenses here."

Pucha automatically ignored his teasing and asked, "Why do you want to let me go back?"

"Because if you don't go back, you may never see your Majesty again."

Lu Chen smiled and briefly told the story of the fourth prince of Jing Kingdom's rebellion and the serious injury to Emperor Jing.

As one of the commanders of the loyal cavalry of the emperor's personal army, Pucha's loyalty and respect for Emperor Jingdi need not be elaborated. Even though he had been a prisoner for the past two years, he had never thought that the emperor would be plotted against, so he murmured, "This... This is impossible..."

"Whether you believe it or not, this is what happened."

Lu Chen changed the subject and said calmly, "Your emperor is seriously injured and there are frequent chaos in the country. He knows that he will not live long, so he wants to end his life in one battle. Last year, the Jing army marched northward in large numbers and swept across half of Dai under the command of Wu Yanshu, forcing the Dai emperor to give up his title and surrender. After solving the hidden dangers of Dai, the Jing army prepared to attack Da Qi. Since the beginning of spring, nearly 100,000 troops have marched south, and more and more troops will be sent later. It is obvious that your emperor wants to lead the army in person."

Even though he knew his situation, Pucha couldn't help but feel a little proud, and then he said in even more confusion: "You don't have to let me go back. After the defeat and capture, I will be a criminal of Dajing. Even if Your Majesty is willing to forgive my crime, I can't lead the army again. You can't use me to stir up conflicts among the generals in Dajing's army."

"This is indeed difficult for you."

Lu Chen smiled and said calmly: "I asked you to go back just to ask you to help convey a message, and you must remember to say it in private, otherwise I am afraid it will cause a commotion among the Jinglian nobles."

Pucha suddenly became a little nervous and asked in a low voice: "What do you want me to say?"

"Go back and ask your Majesty whether he is ready to have his reputation ruined."

Lu Chen raised his eyebrows slightly, stood up and said: "This time he is marching south with the whole country's strength. I have made up my mind to avoid his attack. Even if the border of Da Qi retreats to the bank of Hengjiang River, I will adopt a strategy of defending to the death. When Emperor Jing can no longer hold on and dies on the front line, I will start to lead the army to counterattack, take back the territory occupied by Jing's army, and recover Heluo by the way."

After all, Pucha had extensive experience in leading troops, and he quickly understood the brilliance of Lu Chen's strategy.

Lu Chen looked into his eyes and smiled, "Emperor Jing's desperate attempt before his death ended up in vain, and even led to the destruction of the Kingdom of Jing. I wonder how this story will be recorded in history books thousands of years from now?"

Pucha said subconsciously: "Your Majesty will never lose to you."

Lu Chen had no mood to refute and walked out leisurely.

Less than half an hour later, Pucha, leading a slow horse, carrying a water bag and some dry food, was driven out of Yaoshan Pass by the indifferent soldiers of the Zhenbei Army.

He looked back at the majestic pass, then gritted his teeth, jumped on his horse, and galloped desperately towards the west.

On the city wall, Lu Chen looked at his gradually receding figure, a faint smile appearing on the corner of his mouth.

(End of this chapter)