The gods began by supporting Guo Jing to become emperor

Chapter 178 The Seven Freaks of Jiangnan Visit

Although young Guo Jing was a simple and honest man, his status is no longer the same as it was back then. Although he has always respected his teachers, he may not listen to them obediently. Besides, neither Ke Zhen'e nor Han Baoju are patient people. If a big fight breaks out, it will not be good for anyone.

Ke Zhenwu pondered for a moment and shook his head. "Second brother, fourth brother, I'm afraid you two alone can't convince him. It would be more reliable if the five of us go together. I heard that the Jin Kingdom has sent 200,000 troops this time, and the front line is losing ground. Even if we go to help, I'm afraid we can only find the lonely Jin Gou. It's better for us to go north together to ask Jing'er for help."

Han Baoju stroked his chin and said confidently, "Jing'er has always been filial. If we work together, we will definitely be able to convince him to send troops."

Nan Xiren showed a trace of worry on her face and stopped persuading him. Nan Xiren and Quan Jinfa saw that Ke Zhenwu had made the decision and had no objection.

……

Guanzhong, a land surrounded by mountains on all sides, has been an important military location since ancient times.

Guo Jing sent 80,000 troops to attack Guanzhong, and also mobilized 20,000 vassal troops from Western Xia to attack the city.

There are many ways to attack Guanzhong from Shanxi. In addition to the four passes (Wuguan, Sanguan, Tongguan, and Xiaoguan), there is also a ferry, which is also an important passage in and out of Guanzhong. This is Pujin. At the "J"-shaped bend on the north bank of the Yellow River, the flow of the Yellow River slows down, making it easy to cross the river. In ancient times, it was generally difficult to break through the Tongguan defense line head-on when attacking Guanzhong from the Central Plains.

Therefore, Guo Jing chose to divide his troops and fight, attacking Tongguan and Puzhou respectively. There are two major ferry crossings here, one is Puban Ferry and the other is Fengling Ferry, which is the Fengling Ferry where Guo Xiang and Yang Guo met.

Compared to Guanzhong's tight defense of each pass, Guo Jing's choice is much more flexible. In addition, the Western Xia occupied a part of Shaanxi, and Guanzhong's defense was not complete, so his chances were much greater.

From this we can also see the wisdom of his choice of Jinzhong as the base. In Hedong, he could advance to attack Guanzhong and Hebei, or retreat to protect himself, and his strategy was flexible and changeable.

The army attacking Tongguan was led by Guo Jing himself, with Shi Bingzhi and Shi Tianni as deputy generals. The army attacking the ferry was led by Lu Guanying as the general, with Shanxi local tyrants, Shi Tianze and Shi Tianan as deputy generals.

Lu Guanying came from the south and was the disciple of his father-in-law. He had followed him in battles for so many years and had rich experience. Naturally, Guo Jing would use him as the commander-in-chief. The Shi father and son were both outstanding people, and Guo Jing was short of people, so he naturally had to use them. But separating them was also intentional. Lu Guanying always had to use useful people. Although those powerful people could lead troops, they were far from being able to deploy troops.

In early October, Guo Jing led an army of 30,000 and 20,000 vassal troops to attack Tongguan.

In front of the Marquis's mansion, Hua Zheng and Huang Rong were bidding him farewell, "Husband, take care on your journey, and may you return victorious!"

Guo Jing held Guo Chengping and Guo Chengan in his hands and said, "Hua Zheng, after I leave, the affairs of the mansion will be handed over to you. Be careful. When I come back, if there is anything difficult to decide, you can ask the teacher for advice."

Hua Zheng was not too sad. She had experienced this kind of thing countless times and was used to it. "Yes, I understand. Swords have no eyes on the battlefield. You have to be careful."

Then, Guo Jing turned his gaze to Huang Rong, "Rong'er, wait for me to come back."

At this time, Huang Rong had her hair tied up in a bun, and her brows were filled with the charm of a young woman. She was beautiful and attractive. Her belly was slightly protruding, and her slender waist was much fuller than before.

She opened her eyes wide, her eyes moist, and nodded silently.

Then, Guo Jing rode on the little red horse and rode away. Hua Zheng took the two children and watched him go away with Huang Rong.

……

Hou House.

Su Ming and Huang Yaoshi were sitting in the pavilion playing chess, one holding the white pieces and the other holding the black pieces, and they were playing back and forth with murderous intent.

Suddenly, Huang Yaoshi sighed, "You have taught a very good disciple. It really makes me ashamed. I have accepted several disciples in my life, but none of them can compare to Guo Jing."

Su Ming shook his head and said with a smile, "Brother Huang, why do you have to belittle yourself? Even if you have extraordinary talents, what use can you have in the Song Dynasty? Just teach them some martial arts. Knowing too much is not a good thing for them."

"If Guo Jing were placed in the Song Dynasty, he would probably only be a soldier, with not much room for his talents."

Huang Yaoshi frowned slightly, "Yes, Genghis Khan is indeed an extraordinary hero, with a broad mind. I heard that the Jin and Song dynasties are at war in the south, and it is a troubled time. I wonder how long the court can hold out."

"If a separatist regime in a corner does not strive for progress, it will eventually end up in destruction. This was the case with Meng Xu, the ruler of Shu, and it is also the case with the Song Dynasty today." Su Ming's words were very calm, as if he was narrating a fact.

Since the Eastern Jin Dynasty was established in a corner, except for the powerful Liu Yu, the separatist regimes in the south have almost never been able to succeed. Geographical factors accounted for a large part of this.

Because once the South launched a northern expedition, they would be a drag, so the peace faction had always had the upper hand in the Song Dynasty court. Even if there was a northern expedition, it would only be a hasty sacrifice of lives.

Such a Song Dynasty that lacks ambition to make progress is no different from the Shu Kingdom of the past. Any knowledgeable person in the world can see this.

Huang Yaoshi also agreed with this view. "Mr. Su is right. It's a pity for Yue Fei. The Song Dynasty should have been revived, but it happened to encounter Zhao Gou and Qin Hui!" After saying that, he asked, "In your opinion, can Jing'er conquer Guanzhong in one battle this time?"

Su Ming said without thinking, "It's impossible to win in one battle, but we can definitely achieve results."

"Oh? Why do you say that?"

"Guanzhong is quite large, and Xixia also occupies a part of it. If Guo Jing wants to take it, it will take at least a year. Although the Jin Kingdom is fighting the Song Dynasty, it also has a lot of troops in Guanzhong. If Jing'er wants to take it, the Jin army must overestimate their own strength and fight him in a field battle."

After saying this, Huang Yaoshi laughed. Mongolia stepped on the Jin Dynasty's head to rise to power, and used one battle after another to prove which was the strongest country in the world. It was bad enough that they had suffered so many losses in the past, but how could they dare to fight a field battle with the Mongols?

The reason why Guo Jing was able to conquer the Three Jins in just two years was because he annihilated more than 100,000 enemies in two field battles and destroyed the Jin Kingdom's fresh forces, allowing him to take the city in one battle.

As long as the Jin army defends with all their strength, it will not be easy for Guo Jing to take Guanzhong.

……

"Madam, there are five people outside the door, saying they are the Marquis's master and want to see him."

In the hall, Hua Zheng heard the servant's report, and after a moment of hesitation, she said, "Please invite them in." Then, she instructed the maid beside her, "Please ask Mr. Su to come in and say that an old friend is visiting."

As soon as she heard the servant's words, Hua Zheng guessed that the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan had come. However, when she was in the tribe, Hua Zheng was not familiar with these people. Although she was a playmate of Guo Jing at that time, the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan did not have much contact with her.

Then she went out, intending to greet them in person.

"An old friend is visiting?" Su Ming raised his eyebrows, "Lead the way!"

Ke Zhen'e and the other four were led into the mansion by servants. As soon as they entered the house, Hua Zheng came forward and clasped his fists towards them, saying, "Hua Zheng greets all the seniors."

"Get up, no need to be polite."

Hua Zheng stood up straight and led the way for them in front of him. Her attitude was very kind. "Senior, please come this way."

Zhu Cong, Han Baoju and others walked while glancing at the mansion, their eyes full of amazement. The various decorations and architecture were ingenious, exquisite and elegant, and had their own unique characteristics compared to the Jiangnan gardens.

Han Baoju touched the smooth pillars in the corridor and exclaimed, "It's only been a few years, and Jing'er has become a marquis and lives in such a big house. Old Madam Guo can now enjoy a peaceful life and play with her grandchildren."

"Yes, a house like this is much better than the yurt on the grassland. Look, Seventh Sister has only lived in Jiangnan for a few years, but her complexion has become so good. In my opinion, Jiangnan is a place that nourishes people." Quan Jinfa also admired.

However, Zhu Cong and Nan Xiren looked at each other with some worry in their expressions because they did not see Guo Jing.

After a while, they arrived at the hall, where servants served them tea and snacks.

Zhu Cong and Hua Zheng chatted for a while, and Ke Zhenwu couldn't sit still anymore. He took a few sips of tea and said in a very impolite tone, "Hua Zheng, why don't you see Jing'er? Does he not want to see us old men?"

Hua Zheng smiled apologetically, "Senior, it's not that my husband won't come, but he is not at home right now."

Ke Zhenwu was stunned for a moment, then asked, "He's not at home, where is he? Let's go find him!"

Hua Zheng's eyes flashed with displeasure, "Senior, please be patient. Guo Jing is neither in your house nor in Taiyuan. He left Taiyuan a few days ago. You can't catch up with him even if you chase him. Why don't you stay in your house first? I will show my filial piety on his behalf. What do you think?"

At this time, Zhu Cong quickly spoke up and blocked Ke Zhen'e's way, "Hua Zheng, we are here to ask him for help with something important. If it is convenient, you can tell us where he is and we will go find him directly."

Hua Zheng understood and said, "Senior, my husband has already led the army to fight. I don't even know the news. How can you find him?"

Before Zhu Cong could say anything, Han Baoju interrupted, "Going to war? Is Jing'er going to fight the Jin Kingdom again? This is great, we just happened to run into him."

"Your guess is correct, senior. My husband is leading a large army to attack Guanzhong. You can stay in your house first. He will be back in a few months." This is not something that cannot be told. The news of Guo Jing's expedition had already spread throughout Taiyuan. It was just that the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan were in a hurry to travel and did not hear the news.

Upon hearing where Guo Jing was going, Ke Zhenwu frowned, "Attack Guanzhong? What should we do?"

At this time, Su Ming walked in from outside and saw the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan sitting in the hall. He smiled and said, "So it's you."

"Everyone, long time no see."

The four were also very surprised to see Su Ming. They all stood up and saluted, "Mr. Su, long time no see!"

"Mr. Su, you are here too!"

Su Ming glanced at them and then at Hua Zheng. Seeing her expression of concern, he began to guess, "I arrived here two months ago. You are here today, so I guess you are here to look for Guo Jing, right?"

Ke Zhenwu nodded and said in a deep voice, "Mr. Su is very good at predicting things. We are here to ask for something."

"The Jin Kingdom and our Great Song Dynasty have an irreconcilable feud. Not long ago, the Jin army attacked the Great Song Dynasty. Our Great Song Dynasty lost the war and retreated step by step. People in the south and north of the Huai River were massacred and the people died. If this continues, I don't know how many people will die."

"We are here today to ask Jing'er to send troops to attack Jin, end the war, and save the people from the dire straits." His tone was full of righteousness.

Even Su Ming felt a little stunned when he heard this request. How could you say such a thing?

He is just a disciple, not your son!
"Oh? I'm not surprised that the Song Dynasty couldn't defeat the Jin Dynasty, but it's strange that they even lost in defense. I remember that the Jin Dynasty stopped paying tribute for two years. With this money, it shouldn't be difficult to expand the army and strengthen the border defense, right?"

After these words were spoken, a trace of embarrassment appeared on several people's faces. There was nothing they could do. The Song Dynasty kept losing and losing, and it was extremely embarrassing.

Zhu Cong opened his folding fan and explained, "Mr. Su, you don't know that the annual tribute has stopped, but the emperor has been expanding the palace and building Taoist temples in Lin'an for the past two years. Fortunately, he didn't carry out the Flower and Stone Gang. Who knew that the Jin people would attack? The court was caught off guard and lost the war."

At this time, Hua Zheng was unhappy. "Senior, the Jin Kingdom sent troops on the pretext that the Song Dynasty stopped paying tribute, but the Song Dynasty used the money to build a palace for the emperor. We Mongols were fighting the Jin Kingdom in the north, but you enjoyed it. But now that you have been defeated by the Jin people, you are asking us Mongols for help?"

Being ridiculed by Hua Zheng, Ke Zhenwu snorted coldly, "Humph, this matter cannot be delayed. It concerns the people of the world. Are you going to make the decision for Jing'er?"

Being scolded in front of Su Ming, Hua Zheng's face turned cold, but thinking that they were Guo Jing's teachers, she did not get angry. "I dare not, but this matter is of great importance. Please wait for a while. I will send someone to send a letter to my husband, and he will make his own decision by then."

Han Baoju was a man with a bad temper. Seeing Hua Zheng refuse, he immediately said, "No need. Just tell us where he is and we can go there ourselves."

As soon as these words were spoken, Hua Zheng's face changed instantly, Zhu Cong and Nan Xiren's expressions were even more subtle, and the atmosphere in the hall suddenly became cold, but the words had already been spoken and could not be taken back.

Su Ming shook his head secretly and helped Hua Zheng out of the predicament. "Hua Zheng, the person who tied the bell must be the one to untie it. Don't worry about this matter. Send a team of people to send them to Guo Jing. He will make the decision himself."

"Okay, I'll find someone right away."

……

A month later, Guo Jing was reading a report in the military camp when a soldier suddenly entered the camp and said, "My Lord, the Madam has sent a group of people, saying that your master is here."

A hint of doubt flashed in Guo Jing's eyes. Why did the teacher come here?
"Bring them here."

However, when Ke Zhenwu and his men entered the tent, Guo Jing realized that he had misunderstood. He hurried forward and said, "Guo Jing greets the Third Master, the Fourth Master, the Fifth Master, the Sixth Master, and the Eighth Master."

Han Baoju stepped forward and said happily, "Jing'er, we finally found you."

"Master, please come in!"

(End of this chapter)