After being exiled, I led my whole family to rebel.

Chapter 326 Be bold for a while

Xu Zhenying also kept reflecting on himself on his way to the Northern Expedition.

She thought that there might be companions and betrayals on the road of rebellion. She was not from this world and did not belong to this world. Naturally, she could use the perspective of an observer to push the progress of the world line coldly and ruthlessly.

However, Jiang Yongkang's betrayal still made her feel heartbroken.

She didn't know how Jiang Yongkang let Li Zhaodi go that night, but now she thinks that it might be her indecision at the time that made Jiang Yongkang need a strong reason to push him to rebel.

But it is undeniable that Jiang Yongkang took advantage of his feelings for Li Zhaodi and used the fact that she rebelled with him.

For so many years, Jiang Yongkang never mentioned a word about it. How did he manage to keep these secrets?

She was so distressed by Li Zhaodi's death, but Jiang Yongkang comforted her while watching coldly.

This gave Xu Zhenying a strong sense of crisis.

Even though she seems to be in power and enjoying unlimited glory now, there are still people who take advantage of her and smuggle their own agenda.

Just like Hu Wei back then, and like Jiang Yongkang today.

Xu Zhenying did not leave just like that. Before she left, she told Zhang Qiuchan that if Jiang Yongkang made any unusual moves, she could kill him first and report to him later.

Then, she discovered her more hypocritical and heartless side.

She felt that Jiang Yongkang was ruthless, but she was equally ruthless.

It turns out that in my heart, anything can be discarded.

Have I really become a slave to power?
Have I really become a lonely person who has no relatives and friends?

Xu Zhenying felt unprecedentedly troubled and kept reflecting on these issues along the way, but there was no result no matter what.

Xu Zhenying went around from the east of Fengxiang Prefecture to the northern border, and naturally he could not avoid Xinzhou.

Xu Zhenying was still on the way, but the news of the peace talks in the northern border had already spread throughout Xinzhou.

Ever since the Xinzhou prefect secretly read in the newspaper that Xu Zhenying was going to negotiate with Zhao Yi, he felt something was not right.

Judging from the map, it is impossible for Xu Zhenying to pass through the city of Bianjing, so there is only one way, which is to go through Xinzhou.

In other words, his Xinzhou is the only way.

In order to curb the local military forces, the late emperor limited the number of guards in each state to no more than 10,000.

Xinzhou is close to the north, with Bianjing city in front and the northern border behind, so the defense is naturally lax.

In the past two years, the Great Zhou Dynasty has been plagued by frequent wars, so Xinzhou's original establishment of 5,000 people has shrunk to 2,000.

"If Xu Zhenying comes, we will really have nowhere to hide!" The prefect Huo Zheng had already deduced the outcome of Xinzhou from the newspaper. At this moment, he sighed with a worried look on his face.

The staff came forward and said, "Prefect, Xu Zhenying will definitely pass through Xinzhou. If we don't kill her, His Majesty will accuse us of treason and letting the enemy escape. But if we kill her, we will also be courting our own destruction."

Magistrate Huo suddenly realized, "That's right. If we let Xu Zhenying walk out of Xinzhou alive, the imperial court will not forgive me! Master Zhou, are we really going to surrender?"

The aide smiled bitterly: "Master, do you think we have any other way out? Xu Zhenying went north to negotiate. If the negotiations are successful, General Zhao Yi will definitely surrender. The North Border and Xinzhou are closely related. The North Border has become Xu Zhenying's possession. Can Xinzhou still remain unscathed?"

Prefect Huo held on to the last glimmer of hope and said, "But what if their peace talks fail?"

"If the peace talks fail, there will definitely be a war! By then, the soldiers of Jinzhou Prefecture will still have to borrow the road from Xinzhou, and Xinzhou will be reduced to a war zone. Instead of surrendering then, it is better to surrender now, which will be more sincere!"

Magistrate Huo lamented in despair: "Heaven wants to destroy me!"

The staff had no choice but to comfort him, "Sir, the Great Zhou Dynasty has run out of luck, and it is definitely not something you and I can turn the tide. Moreover, although the one in Jinzhou Prefecture is a woman, she is a man of great talent. Your Excellency hates the officialdom of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and always says that he wants to do something practical but is constrained. Now is a great opportunity! If the Lord of the Prefecture takes the initiative to offer the city, plus your many years of official reputation, there is a great hope that you can stay here!"

The aide continued to tell what he had heard like a bamboo tube pouring beans: "It is said that the mathematics level in Jinzhou Prefecture is far ahead of the Zhou Dynasty, and it advocates the spirit of seeking truth and being pragmatic. Isn't the Lord of the Prefecture fond of mathematics? There is also a Mr. Fang Zhi there. Isn't he a close friend of the Lord of the Prefecture? Even if the Lord of the Prefecture cannot be an official, he can still be a master of mathematics. Isn't that wonderful?"

Prefect Huo had vaguely heard about the situation in Jinzhou Prefecture, and he also knew that officials who surrendered would basically have a good future after passing the assessment. After much thought, he decided to give up his reluctance to leave the Great Zhou Dynasty.

"Master, you are right. The fall of the Great Zhou Dynasty is not a one-day effort. The building is about to collapse, and you and I cannot turn the tide. Moreover, in order to prevent Xinzhou from becoming a place of war, and for the sake of hundreds of thousands of people in Xinzhou..." Magistrate Huo seemed a little ashamed, but finally made a decision, "Just surrender!"

The master's face was obviously delighted. "Since the Lord has decided to surrender, why don't we do it better? We will raise the flag of Jinzhou Prefecture in advance, and then send some people to pick up His Highness halfway into the city. In this way, His Highness will remember us."

Prefect Huo was a little unsure, "Will this... seem a little too flattering? I heard that Xu Zhenying doesn't like officials wasting money and labor, I'm afraid it will backfire."

The staff laughed and said, "That's easy. When the time comes, we will spread the news of our surrender and hint to some wealthy families to help. Then we will get some red silk in the city and set up some waist drums, gongs and drums at the entrance of the city. This will make it look festive and solemn, and it can also show that the people welcome Your Highness to the city."

"Okay." Magistrate Huo was indeed very happy, "Go and do it quickly!"

Xu Zhenying never expected that just by asking Old Lin to hype up the news of the peace talks in the north in the newspapers, he would cause panic not only in Bianjing City, but also in several prefectures further north than Bianjing City.

Although newspapers were strictly prohibited from circulating in the north, officials of the Great Zhou Dynasty had to rely on newspapers if they wanted to learn about the outside world, the news of Jinzhou Prefecture, the weather and geography, etc.

This thing spreads quickly and is never concealed. People dare to write anything on it.

The newspapers exaggerated the news of the defeat that the Great Zhou Dynasty tried so hard to cover up. As a result, everyone in the upper echelons of Bianjing City was in danger. They also knew more clearly that Bianjing City was now in a precarious situation and could collapse in an instant.

The news of the North's peace talks inadvertently exacerbated the spread of panic.

Among the high-ranking officials of the Great Zhou Dynasty, every one wanted to use a magnifying glass made by Jinzhou Prefecture to read the information in the newspaper word by word.

Newspapers were quietly circulated throughout the Zhou Dynasty, so the news could not be concealed.

When Xinzhou took the initiative to hang up the flag of Jinzhou Prefecture, many people thought: This day has finally come.

Even the chief editor Lin Han did not expect that just publishing a piece of false news in the newspaper would lead to the Xinzhou prefect surrendering voluntarily.

When he saw the flags of Jinzhou Prefecture all over the Xinzhou city wall, Mr. Lin was filled with emotion: "Here we can defeat the enemy without fighting - I, Lin Han, have never had such a happy life in my life using paper and pen as swords -"

Xu Zhenying said, "Mr. Lin, this is the power of public opinion. It can make people live or die, and it can also turn black into white. It is a double-edged sword. If used improperly, it will hurt others and yourself. If used well, it will be invincible, comparable to an army of 100,000."

Mr. Lin felt that his editorial department had a heavy responsibility. He also understood why Xu Zhenying sometimes did not even read the military newspaper but had to repeatedly confirm the content in the newspaper.

There are also the news elements that Xu Zhenying always emphasizes.

True, objective, comprehensive and accurate.

There cannot be any personal emotions.

This time, Elder Lin spoke sincerely and bowed his head to accept the advice: "Yes. I will be careful in my words and deeds in the future and make good use of the newspaper as a precious sword."

Xu Zhenying had already walked quickly forward and entered the city wall amid the cheers of the people of Xinzhou.

----------------------

"How ridiculous! How ridiculous! Xu Zhenying is going too far!"

In the camp in the northern border, several of Zhao Yi's men had just finished reading the latest monthly report and were so angry that they threw the report to the ground.

One of the generals, Wudi, frowned and said, "General Zhao, Xu Zhenying won't leave us any chance to retreat! If this newspaper is announced to the world, doesn't it mean that the people of Bianjing have already determined that we want to rebel with her?"

Bai Ci'en also frowned slightly.

He really didn't expect Xu Zhenying to be so relentless, not giving them any room for negotiation, and forcing them to board her pirate ship.

Although they were considering surrendering, there was a huge difference between voluntary surrender and forced surrender.

On the contrary, Zhang Chao, who had killed Zhou Ping before, looked very calm. "We were planning to surrender. Her Royal Highness Prince Zhao just wanted to make this matter a reality. Since she has already announced it to the world, why don't you go with the flow, General?" Zhao Yi seemed to have no expression on his face, and everyone didn't know what he was thinking.

Ever since he killed Zhou Ping last time and then dealt with Zhou Mian's cronies with lightning speed, everyone thought that Zhao Yi was ready to break with the court completely and even looked forward to establishing himself as king.

But after doing all this, Zhao Yi acted as if nothing had happened. He didn't care about the changing situation in Bianjing City, nor did he pay attention to the imminent negotiation crisis. He didn't even give anyone a definite answer, which left everyone completely confused.

As a result, everyone in the Northern Border military camp felt insecure, and many people began to have ulterior motives.

To be honest, more people still want to surrender.

After all, a fully-paid army is invincible.

Jinzhou Prefecture is wealthy and treats its soldiers very well. If they surrender, the lower-level soldiers can at least receive their wages on time and in full every month. This alone is enough to tempt most Northern soldiers.

The truth is, no one wants to fight on an empty stomach.

Defending one's country is precious, but one cannot throw away one's life and death.

Bai Ci'en said, "Waging a war of public opinion is a common tactic used by Jinzhou Prefecture. Once this newspaper is published, it will be impossible for us to continue to be loyal to Bian Jing. Now, whether we surrender to Jinzhou Prefecture or establish ourselves as king, we still need time to decide."

Zhang Chao seemed to have guessed Zhao Yi's thoughts to some extent, so he carefully asked, "General, do you want to discuss and see if His Royal Highness Prince Zhao is a trustworthy person?"

Zhao Yi raised his eyes at this moment. He looked around at his confidants who had followed him for several years or even more than ten years. He also told the truth, "That's right. I have always heard of Xu Zhenying's reputation, but I have never really seen her style. Doesn't she want to take our northern border? It depends on whether she has the courage to come!"

Bai Ci'en asked, "General Zhao wants to test Xu Zhenying's abilities?"

Zhao Yi sneered: "If she wants to be my master, you have to see if she is worthy enough!"

After hearing what Zhao Yi said, everyone's anxious hearts finally settled down.

General Gu also said, "That's right! No matter how much people praise Xu Zhenying, I have never seen her with my own eyes! A little girl has really made a big fuss. I want to see if this girl has three heads and six arms!"

The atmosphere in the room became slightly more lively.

"Report!" A personal guard of Zhao Yi came forward with a letter in his hand. "A secret letter from Jinzhou Prefecture!"

The corners of Zhao Yi's lips twitched, and it was unclear whether it was a mockery or something else, "This Prince Zhao is really impatient, and he won't give me a moment to breathe."

Everyone looked over curiously.

Since this matter concerned the negotiations in the North, the atmosphere in the room suddenly became tense.

Bai Ci'en, who was standing at the side, only saw the last line of the letter, which was signed "Xu Zhenying". He couldn't help but ask in surprise, "A handwritten letter from His Royal Highness Prince Zhao?"

The style of Jinzhou Prefecture has always been like this. They never write any position, character, or title in their signature, but only their surname and given name. It is simple and direct, as if a name can command the heroes.

Everyone in the room gasped.

Zhao Yi first opened the letter and read ten lines at a glance, then frowned: "Your Highness Prince Zhao's handwriting... is so ugly."

Xu Zhenying sneezed several times from a hundred miles away.

Zhao Yi's comment instantly aroused the curiosity of everyone in the room. Everyone wanted to take a peek at the treasure of His Royal Highness Prince Zhao, so they rushed to pass the letter around. Then General Gu clapped his hands and laughed, "Great! I didn't expect His Royal Highness Prince Zhao's handwriting to be as good as a dog's. My handwriting is better than hers. Interesting!"

Bai Ci'en had no choice but to explain: "Everything in Jinzhou Prefecture is about seeking truth and being pragmatic, and they don't care about literary style. They just need to be able to recognize the handwriting, and it doesn't affect their daily work."

Zhao Yi forced a smile and said, "They are nothing more than a bunch of grass-roots gangs with no foundation."

Bai Ci'en said, "No. Jinzhou Prefecture does not completely believe in Confucianism. They believe that writing is more of a way of communication, just like a dialect, and it is good enough to be able to recognize each other. Jinzhou Prefecture advocates learning arithmetic, physics, chemistry, etc., which is why they can create clocks, cement roads, firearms and other shocking objects."

When it comes to firearms, no one dares to make fun of Xu Zhenying's dog-paddle handwriting anymore.

Yes, if someone who can invent firearms, would he care about whether his handwriting is beautiful?
Xu Zhenying is a genius, but no one is perfect, so she must have shortcomings.

Zhao Yi also restrained his expression and no longer dared to look down on Xu Zhenying because of his dog paddling handwriting.

Suddenly, the atmosphere in the room returned to its tense state.

Bai Ci'en said, "Xu Zhenying doesn't agree to enter the camp alone, so let's meet on the isolated island on Jing'an Lake. What do you think?"

The person in the room remained silent for a long time, as if he was thinking.

"That place has a wide field of vision, and the island is not big, so it is not easy to hide. If anyone from either side makes a move, they will be seen at a glance. It seems that these people did a lot of homework to choose such a location."

"That's right. The negotiation is imminent. She is on guard against us, and we have to be on guard against her as well. I think this place is great."

"But the letter also said that we should take two people each. If something happens, we won't be able to take action. How can two people be enough?"

"What will happen?" General Gu had a bad temper, but he was also a supporter of surrendering to Jinzhou Prefecture. "We are going there to discuss cooperation, not to fight and kill."

"That being said, we still have to be on guard." Bai Ci'en thought more, "We are afraid that Xu Zhenying will trip us up, and Xu Zhenying is also afraid of us. This mutual restraint is a competition to see who has the thicker elbow. When the time comes, we will call on a few thousand people to hide in the mountains and forests behind, and then wave the flags to make the dust fly, making it look like there are tens of thousands of troops. The general will be able to better fight for favorable conditions for us during the negotiations in the front."

General Gu was puzzled. "What favorable conditions?"

"Jinzhou Prefecture cannot accommodate our 200,000 troops. We will have to disband a group of soldiers. How to resettle these soldiers? How much will the resettlement fee be? Should we disband them as soldiers or civilians? How much will the disbandment fee be? How many firearms will we be given if we surrender? These are all things that need to be discussed."

Now everyone was anxious. "What's the difference between demobilizing soldiers or civilians?"

"Jinzhou Prefecture has been growing and developing over the years. There are not enough soldiers, but no early dismissal. But as far as I know, their monthly salary for a soldier is twice as high as ours. Whether it is funerals, injuries, or disabilities, the subsidies are also much higher than the standards of the Great Zhou Dynasty. We now have more than 200,000 soldiers in the northern border. According to the standards of Jinzhou Prefecture for training military talents, I estimate that at least half of them will have to be dismissed."

"How can that be possible? How can an army of 100,000 people resist the Tartars? We cannot surrender!"

"General Gu, don't worry. These things can be negotiated. If you surrender, then the northern border will also be her territory, and she will not let the Tartars break through. But we have to consider the placement of the soldiers in advance. These soldiers have followed us through life and death, and now we have to send them back to their hometowns. We must strive for preferential treatment for them."

"But will Xu Zhenying agree? After all, they are soldiers. They have served the Great Zhou Dynasty before—"

“So this requires negotiation.”

It seemed that it was not until this moment that everyone realized the necessity of collective discussion.

They originally thought that the talks were just to discuss the ownership of power and whether they could retain their current positions, but they never thought that Xu Zhenying might lay off troops.

Yes.

According to the standards of Jinzhou Prefecture, each soldier was proficient in both literature and martial arts, needed teachers, several times more food, and the same preferential treatment and pensions. These 200,000 soldiers directly increased Xu Zhenying's financial burden by at least doubled.

In addition, there are firearms that are worth ten thousand of their own, so disarmament seems to be an inevitable path.

Thinking of this, everyone felt a little uncomfortable.

Zhang Chao said, "It's a shame. These soldiers have been with us for so long, but we only care about our own future and don't think about them. No wonder General Zhao couldn't sleep these days. He must be thinking about the disarmament issue."

General Gu sighed and said, "In the past, we were always worried about having too few soldiers. We always thought the more soldiers the better. We never thought that one day we would have to cut the army."

Bai Ci'en said: "If we surrender, we will have to reduce our military strength. We don't need to support so many soldiers. Moreover, many veterans have fought for more than ten years. It is time for them to go back and reunite with their families. If His Royal Highness Prince Zhao is willing to allocate firearms to us, it will not be difficult to resist the Tartars, and we will not need so many soldiers."

General Gu sighed, "The world has really changed. We fight with our blood. The people of Jinzhou fight with their brains and weapons. The world is changing too fast, and I can hardly keep up."

Jinzhou Prefecture is like a huge ship swaying in the wind and rain.

And these people seem to be the abandoned children of the times.

If they don't catch Jinzhou Prefecture's tail sooner, they might really be left far behind.

"Since Xu Zhenying wants to talk, I will talk to her." Zhao Yi's eyes were firm, "It is said that Xu Zhenying is a young talent. I would like to meet her."