At the beginning, I gave up my military power with a cup of wine, and I ascended the throne

Chapter 244: Zhenbei Hou Seeks Help from the Imperial Court

Princess Ningxi, the mistress of the Marquis's Mansion, personally led people to various places. She started walking at the beginning of the twelfth lunar month, from Xiliang County Road to Xia Pi, and then to Shangdang Shatuo Three Guards.

Miaoyu took another group of people to the five counties of Youzhou to inspect the winter conditions in each county.

The twenty-seventh day of the twelfth lunar month.

The snowstorm that had enveloped the Shuiyun Mountain finally dissipated. On the seventh floor of the Grinding Knife Hall, Xiao Han opened his eyes.

The black ice on his body dissipated, and the frost in the entire knife grinding hall also shattered, turning into wisps of pure cold air, rushing into the seventh floor, and being absorbed and refined by him.

With the original foundation of the Great Perfection of the Sky Frost Fist, plus this month's hard training, absorbing the cold air of the world in the cold winter, he pushed the Sky Frost Force into the small success stage.

After leaving the Grinding Hall and returning to the main courtyard, it was empty with few people around. Even Qingyao was nowhere to be seen, so he called the servants to inquire.

"My Lord, Madam and Sister Yu'er have each gone to inspect Xia Pi, Shang Dang, and the five counties of Youzhou."

The servant explained.

"When did you go?"

The beginning of the twelfth lunar month.

The servant replied, "I received a letter yesterday. Madam should have ordered you to come back the day after tomorrow, but Sister Yu'er may be a little later."

"understood."

He waved his hand and the servant withdrew.

as predicted.

The next evening.

Ning Xi brought Dayueer and hundreds of soldiers back to Shuiyun Mountain, and Miaoyu also returned on the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month.

this winter.

Xiao Han lived a very comfortable life.

But Xie Xuanli suffered from torment and torture every day. The war between Jizhou and Northern Wei had not yet ended. Helian Bobo, with an army of 200,000, firmly controlled Jubei City.

No matter how Chen Qingzhao, the white-clothed military genius, used his troops, he could not gain much advantage over Helian Bobo.

Even on New Year's Day, the Northern Wei in Jizhou deployed an army of 200,000, and the battle lasted from morning to evening, with heavy casualties on both sides.

After the New Year, the wind was still blowing and the snow was still falling, splashing and submerging the entire mansion.

The eight counties of Xiliang are all enjoying the last free time before the beginning of spring. Even the people in the five counties of Youzhou can have full meals and warm clothes.

In sharp contrast, there are the people in the remaining two counties of Youzhou and the other two states.

They were hungry and poorly clothed, and heavy taxes were piled up layer by layer. A large number of young and strong people were drafted to the front lines, and the land had been left uncultivated for more than a year, resulting in a large number of starvation deaths.

If the war between Jizhou and Northern Wei cannot be stopped before the spring plowing this year, Jizhou's situation will be precarious.

By then, there will be no need to wait until the Xiliang cavalry enters Jizhou, the Xie character king's flag will fall first.

"Sir, Jizhou's request for assistance was delivered to the capital yesterday."

In the side hall.

Xiao Han was drinking tea when Miaoyu came in and took out a memorial and said, "Xie Xuanli asked the court for two million dan of grain and fodder, as well as five hundred thousand taels of silver and countless weapons and war horses."

"I guess the imperial court will give some money now and won't watch Jizhou fall."

"Two million shi of grain and grass."

He said: "Xie Xuanli is really asking for too much."

"Let's also send a petition to the court. We don't ask for more. Xie Xuanli wants two million shi, and I want one million shi."

"Even if they don't give it to us, they will disgust the whole court."

"If we fail to retake Jubei City before the spring plowing, Jizhou may not be able to hold on."

Miaoyu said: "After two years of neglect of farming, only two states are left. By then, the morale of the army and the people will collapse."

"The court will not allow this to happen." "In the past, we were the ones who checked Jizhou, but now Jizhou is checking us."

"Two million shi of grain."

Xiao Han raised the corner of his mouth, threw the letter in his hand into the stove, and said with a smile: "Without my permission, don't even think about sending these two million dan of grain to Jizhou."

If you want to enter Jizhou, you must go through Qingzhou or Yanzhou. No matter where you go, you can't hide it from his eyes.

As long as the Western Liang cavalry can get out of Qingyou Pass, they can cross Qing and Yan states in three or two days. The Northern Wei in Jizhou is fighting a fierce battle in Jubei City.

It is simply impossible to mobilize a large number of manpower, and Xiao Han has 200,000 cavalrymen who are eyeing the opportunity covetously.

“You can’t take them all.”

Miaoyu said softly: "Before the five counties of Youzhou are well managed, Jizhou cannot fall, otherwise we in Xiliang will have to face the pressure from the Northern Wei and Central Plains courts."

"" In the end, Jizhou was left half dead.

"Then leave them half."

Xiao Han nodded: "It's just right to use it to help those refugees who escaped from the city."

"When Xie Xuanli finally defeated the Northern Wei, he looked back and saw that the land was barren and there was no one living."

He laughed and said, "It's possible that Xie Xuanli would just glare at me and pass out."

When strong men clash, one mistake can lead to a complete loss. The situation in Xiliang has undergone a drastic reversal in just one year.

It was only because Xie Xuanli got carried away at the time and deployed 200,000 troops at Tianxian Pass and Shuoyin City.

This led to the subsequent events, which resulted in the loss of half of Youzhou.

The army is the most important weapon of a country and should not be used rashly.

The sky and the earth were the same color, with heavy snow and wind. The Xiliang government office, like the other county offices, adopted shift work and the annual holiday would not end until after the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.

Xiao Han was not idle. In addition to paying attention to the intelligence of the war between Jizhou and Northern Wei every day, he stayed in the Knife Sharpening Hall to practice the martial arts of the Six Yuan True Art.

The Wind Controlling Technique, Cloud Flipping Hands, and Sky Frost Power have made the fastest progress and have all been pushed into the Small Success Stage. However, the Molten Gold Finger, Sky Thunder Palm, and White Tiger Killing Sword have not been practiced as fast as the first three martial arts.

But he also cultivated a wisp of original true qi in his dantian and completed the initial six-element transformation.

After the Lantern Festival, all the government offices in the eight counties of Xiliang suddenly became lively and began to prepare for the upcoming spring plowing.

Early February.

The snow in the academy had stopped, but the dark clouds in the sky had not dispersed, and the air was filled with a biting chill.

In the courtyard.

The two green bamboos were swaying in the wind, and the snow on the branches and leaves fell down.

There were some unmelted ice cubes in the pond water.

Inside the room, two servants were packing their luggage. In the pavilion in the distance, two figures were sitting opposite each other.

The young woman was wearing a white jacket on the outside and a black samurai costume on the inside. She had a delicate face and an indifferent expression.

Sitting opposite the woman was Master Xun from the academy, with gray hair on his temples. The two were playing the last game of chess.

After today, the woman will leave the academy.

Mr. Xun played black and the woman played white. After eighty moves, they were evenly matched. But by the one hundred and twentieth move, the white piece was at a disadvantage.

Although the white pieces on the chessboard are still fighting hard, it is in vain.

The black pieces have already won the upper hand, and they are attacking the white pieces head-on, forcing them to retreat step by step, with overwhelming force, leaving the latter without any power to resist.

"I lost."

After a moment, the woman finally placed the white piece in her hand onto the chessboard. Her two pairs of fair hands were hidden in her sleeves, and her beautiful eyes were fixed on the chessboard.

I played seven games from morning to noon today, but I lost all seven. I didn't win a single game.

(End of this chapter)