A family of loyal martyrs, starting with nine wives to continue the family line.

Han Dashan shoved Chen Qiaojun's map to the ground.

"Should we still save Du Heng?"

His thick face was full of sneers, and his finger pressed heavily on the three words "Golden City".

"Save his mother!"

No one in the tent dared to accept it.

Old Zhou sat beside him, twirling a short knife halfway between his fingers, the tip pressing down on a wooden stick. Two characters were written on the stick.

Huainan.

Du Heng.

Old Zhou looked at it for a long time, then suddenly pushed the wooden stick aside.

"Du Heng's navy is holed up in the Huai River. If Wei Zhao wants to attack him, it will take at least half a month."

He looked up, his voice hoarse and cold.

"But Wei Zhao is currently in Guiping."

The expressions of the rebel king's envoys inside the tent all changed.

Qin Lie's men, Ma Chengyi's men, Xu Zhongmou's men, Xue Feng's men, Sun Qing's men, and Feng Wanjun's men were all present.

Just a few days ago, they were shouting about the saying "if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold," saying that if Du Heng lost, they would be the next to be struck.

Nobody mentions that anymore.

Because Wei Zhao's million-strong new army was too terrifying.

So frightening was that they did the calculations overnight and suddenly discovered an even more frightening fact.

Wei Zhao gathered troops in Guiping. The military merit system had just been implemented. The military equipment factory was opened, medical camps were set up with the army, and even the secret Embroidered Uniform Pavilion emerged.

If we were to foolishly send reinforcements to Huainan at this point, it would be tantamount to sending the main forces of each faction to line up and be slaughtered right under Wei Zhao's nose.

stupid.

Too stupid.

The more Han Dashan thought about it, the more chills ran down his spine.

That's how Luo Shao died.

Reinforcements are still on their way, and our home has already been completely looted.

Now it's Wei Zhao's turn.

Didn't Wei Zhao like to gather troops in Guiping? Didn't he want to intimidate the world with a million-strong new army?

Let him gather.

They won't attack Guiping.

They went to the City of Gold.

Then they marched straight from Golden City to the capital.

Han Dashan stared at everyone and said, word by word:

"The Black Mountain Army will send 100,000, and the Red Blade Army will send 50,000. The Liangzhou Iron Ridge Army, the Hedong Righteous Army, the Green Dragon Camp, the White Deer Army, the Haidong Army, and the Baiyue Army—all those who can contribute, should contribute."

Xue Feng's envoy looked somewhat pale.

"King Han, there are millions of refugees in Golden City. If we attack there, our reputation will be..."

Han Dashan smiled.

His laughter sent chills down the spines of the people inside the tent.

"reputation?"

He grabbed the wine bowl and smashed it.

The messenger didn't even dare to dodge, and the wine was splashed all over his face.

"Wei Zhao used those refugees as his new army, exchanging their heads for land, and we're supposed to feel sorry for him?"

Han Dashan stood up, the nail plates on his stomach rustling loudly.

"Burn his soup kitchens, cut off his supply lines, and drive the refugees out of the camp. If Golden City falls into chaos, the capital will panic. If the capital panics, Wei Zhao will have to turn back."

Old Zhou drew his short knife, and the blade flashed under the light.

"If he turns back, he'll abandon Guiping."

"If he doesn't turn back, the capital will be gone."

No one spoke inside the tent.

That's a harsh statement.

It's accurate, too.

Xu Zhongmou's messenger whispered, "What if Wei Zhao doesn't care about the capital?"

Han Dashan glanced at him as if he were a fool.

"His son was just born."

In one sentence, all doubts were immediately dispelled.

Correct.

Wei Zhao could ignore Du Heng, temporarily ignore Huainan, and even treat Weinan like meat that was already in his mouth, slowly chewing it up.

But can he ignore the capital?

Can't they just ignore the princes in the palace?

How can we ignore those women like Su Qingyun, Fang Fuyao, Tuoba Yue, and Xiao Guanyin?

Han Dashan understands men so well.

No matter how much you talk about the world, when a knife is at your doorstep, you have to turn back.

Besides, Wei Zhao was not a heartless person.

This, however, is his weakness.

Old Zhou stuck the short knife into the table.

"Then it's settled."

His voice wasn't loud, but it was so forceful that people dared not breathe.

"The eight princes joined forces, but did not come to the aid of Huainan. Instead, they bypassed Guiping, captured Huangjincheng, and pressed on to the capital."

Han Dashan grinned.

"What about Du Heng?"

Old Zhou sneered.

"Write to him and tell him that reinforcements have been dispatched, and ask him to hold out for another half month."

Someone inside the tent couldn't help but look up.

Half a month?

If Du Heng really believed it, he probably wouldn't even have time to choose a coffin.

Han Dashan slammed his hand on the table and burst into laughter.

"Okay! Let's write it like that!"

After he finished laughing, his face darkened again.

"Order all armies to break camp within three days. If provisions are insufficient, levy them from the prefectures and counties along the way. Anyone who dares to obstruct will be punished according to the Tongxin Military Law."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the envoys all changed.

They understood.

So-called grain requisition is nothing but robbery.

But now no one dares to speak up for the people.

Wei Zhao could win people's hearts by giving them land, but they couldn't give them land, so they could only use their swords to oppress them.

If it can be suppressed, it can still hold on.

If you can't suppress it, then disperse it.

Han Dashan also knew that this was an ugly matter.

But being ugly is better than being dead.

Is Du Heng waiting for reinforcements?

just wait.

……

At the Prince of Huainan's residence, Du Heng finished reading the newly delivered military report, and his expression finally improved.

"Have Han Dashan and Zhou Laodao replied?"

The aide knelt below the hall and quickly said:

"Your Highness, Chen Qiao has sent a letter saying that the Eighth Prince's reinforcements have been mobilized and requesting that Your Highness hold the Huai River and hold off Wei Zhao. The armies will surely arrive within half a month."

Du Heng's lips slowly curled up.

it is good.

finally come.

He hasn't been sleeping well these past few days.

Wei Zhao stopped in Guiping without moving, like a knife hanging on the water, neither falling nor falling, which frightened him so much that he even added three more drums to the night drum of the water village.

The conscripted young men have already entered the camp.

People were drawn from the salt fields, docks, and shipyards.

Du Heng knew that there was a lot of discontent below.

But he had no choice.

With Wei Zhao's million-strong new army, if he doesn't expand his forces, Huainan will disintegrate on its own.

Salt farmers were afraid, boatmen were afraid, and even the leaders of the water fortresses were afraid.

Everyone was calculating whether they would have a chance to exchange heads for land if Wei Zhao really attacked.

This thought is the most dangerous.

They used to be afraid of the Prince's knife.

Now they're starting to think about Shinbu's field.

Du Heng felt a tightness in his chest whenever he thought about this.

Three mu of land.

Wei Zhao is truly ruthless.

They take what the people want most in exchange for their worthless lives.

This tactic worked, so effectively that even Du Heng couldn't bring himself to curse.

Because he can't give it to me.

In Huainan, the fields, salt fields, water fortresses, and fleets of ships are all tied to the interests of various families.

If Tian were to reward his soldiers, the first place he would bomb wouldn't be Xinwu, but rather Du Heng's own territory.

Therefore, he could only give silver.

Two taels of silver doesn't sound like a small amount.

Compared to the fields that can be passed down to one's wife and children, it's nothing but a load of rubbish.

it's good now.

The Eight Princes' reinforcements are coming.

If we can hold out for half a month, and then Han Dashan, Zhou Laodao, Qin Lie and the others come to pressure us, even if Wei Zhao is a great fighter, he'll have to think twice.

Du Heng picked up the teacup, and his fingers finally stopped trembling.

"Send the order to all water fortresses."

His voice lowered.

"Reinforce the palisades and build more fire ships. If Wei Zhao dares to sail down the Huai River, I will let his million-strong new army feed the fish first."

The staff member quickly kowtowed.

"Your Highness is wise."

Du Heng found it pleasant to hear.

……

Guiping Daying.

Liu Jingshuang sat alone in the inner tent, her hand pressed against her lower abdomen, her brows furrowed tightly.

It doesn't hurt.

It's just annoying.

Annoyed, she wanted to draw her sword and go out to yell at the recruits on the training ground, whose gun formations were still not even in order.

But it was already late at night. Wei Zhao went to the military council tent, Huo Qingluan was still calculating the rebel king's supply routes, Xie Daoning led the medical camp to check on the wounded soldiers, and Zhao Qiniang patrolled the camp outside.

She sat alone, and the more she sat, the more chaotic things became.

Tuoba Yue gave birth to Wei Xuan.

She had held that child.

It was tiny, but its fists were clenched tightly, and its crying was quite loud.

When Liu Jingshuang saw this, she felt incredibly sad.

It's not jealousy.

She wouldn't be jealous of Tuoba Yue. That woman almost died in the delivery room; no one had the right to be jealous of her.

It's true that I'm envious.

Liu Jingshuang looked down at her hands.

These hands have been holding knives for so long that they have calluses on the tiger's mouth and the knuckles are harder than those of an ordinary woman.

She could command troops, lead the Wei family army into piles of corpses.

But she also wanted a child.

She wanted a child that belonged to her and Wei Zhao.

The moment the thought crossed her mind, her ears started to burn again.

I'm almost thirty.

If I don't get pregnant soon, I'll really become an older mother.