The Child Emperor

Fang Daye rushed back to Shenxiongguan to bring back first-hand news for Han Ruzi.

Two days ago, under the onslaught of the tribe soldiers, the Xiongnu soldiers were forced to abandon the roadside heights and flee in a hurry.

The ramps in the west of Broken Iron City have been piled up, and the soldiers who defended the city poured a lot of water, but the weather was not cold enough to instantly freeze. Fortunately, the ramps were narrow, and the Huns cavalry could not rush up. The Chu army relied on bows. The crossbow barely supported.

The first batch of reinforcements at Shenxiongguan arrived just in time. Although there were only more than a thousand people, in the eyes of the Huns, the Chu troops pouring out of the mountain pass were continuous, and the Huns retreated. They did not want to be in the narrow area of ​​Henan. A decisive battle with the Chu army.

As night fell, the Iron Shattered City was still in the hands of the Chu army.

Fang Daye and Chai Yue met, and after a little discussion, the two came to the same conclusion that Broken Iron City could not withstand another attack, and the Huns had to be "scared" and stopped in Hebei.

Chai Yue sent a large number of Chu troops to garrison the ruins of Quicksand City, showing their will to defend, and planted flags all over the ridge, making the Huns on the other side mistakenly believe that there were a large number of Chu troops coming to support them, and then dispatched scouts to The river checked the terrain... In short, the Chu army showed a posture of wanting to cross the river for a decisive battle.

The East Sea King thought he could finally leave Iron Broken City, but the two generals did not discuss with him, nor did they seek his consent, and erected a tall king flag in Iron Broken City, with the three characters "East Sea King" on it. Not embroidered, but patchwork with red cloth.

The confusion tactics were successful. The Huns retreated for more than ten miles that night, but they did not escape. They seemed to want a decisive battle. Hebei was open and flat, which was conducive to the strength of the Huns.

When Fang Daye rushed back to Shenxiong Pass, six groups of reinforcements had been dispatched, and more than 3,000 reinforcements had arrived from the pass, but that was all. From a long distance, there is no news that the nearby counties and counties have to keep their troops on their own, and they cannot tell how many troops to support Shenxiongguan, and many officials are confused by the order issued by General Zhenbei.

After all, seizing the seal is not a normal method. The headless Shenxiongguan is willing to accept the command of General Zhenbei. The nearby county governors, county magistrates and generals have doubts about this. Many people neither send soldiers nor give receipts, messengers. Returning empty-handed, two counties even held the courier in custody.

Iron Broken City, the Chu army relied on bluffing to fight against the Huns army, but Han Ruzi was close to having no soldiers to send at Shenxiongguan. What he lacked was not only soldiers, but also names.

Fang Daye guessed that this would be the case, and came up with an idea on the way: "One hundred and sixty-seven noble children were killed while guarding the Iron Broken City..."

"One hundred and sixty-seven?" Han Ruzi was taken aback. There were more than 400 people in the Xungui camp, and nearly 40% of the casualties were actually killed. "It's just Xungui, not including the entourage?"

"The entourage did not directly participate in the war, and there were very few casualties, less than ten people. It was the King of the East Sea, and he sent 151 noble children out of the city - probably to test the strength of the Huns, but the entire army was wiped out."

No one believed this statement. The veteran general knew very well in his heart that the King of the East Sea was a stupefied move while panicking.

"There is also a saying that those noble children were eager to escape and opened the city gate without authorization, but they did not expect to be intercepted by the Huns." Fang Daye added, this kind of statement is even less believed, and can only be used to hide it for a while.

Han Ruzi was silent for a while, then asked, "How is King of the East Sea?"

"The King of the East Sea...was a little frightened, but he later rushed out of the Iron Shattered City with General Zhenbei's battalion and seized a vital highland from the Huns. Everyone said he was very brave."

Han Ruzi didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He knew the King of the East Sea too well.

The idea that Fang Daye came up with was related to this casualty. "I suggest that General Zhenbei spread the news immediately, so that the court and the troops in the Guan can understand that the Huns are really coming."

"Xungui's children are of the same spirit, and the whole court will probably hate me to death."

"The more you hate, the more you will send troops to support. After all, there are still more than 200 honorable children alive, and—" Fang Daye paused, "It is the order of the East Sea King to let the honorable children go out of the city, and it has nothing to do with General Zhenbei."

Han Ruzi smiled, "As long as I am the coach, all the casualties are related to me. But General Fang's strategy is very good, just do as you say, and I will write immediately."

What the Iron Broken City needed was the support of a large army. Han Ruzi only wrote four urgent letters, which were sent to the three armies and the capital respectively.

"How long can Iron Broken City last?"

"Five to ten days, if the Huns are ready for a decisive battle in Hebei, Iron Broken City can last longer."

The North Army Camp was the closest to Shenxiong Pass. Early the next morning, Han Ruzi received the receipt, but after reading it, he did not understand why.

The clerk responded not to the expedited letter that was sent yesterday, but to the letter five days ago, when Han Ruzi had just seized the seal, wrote a letter asking for help, and explained the special situation that he had to take over Shenxiongguan.

The Northern Army's receipt was a bit late. It usually takes five days to come and go. When it comes to urgent military affairs, it can go back and forth in four days at most. The Northern Army is delayed for at least one day.

The content of the receipt is even more inexplicable and extremely brief, only saying "military information is known, stay on standby".

Han Ruzi found the experienced Fang Daye and showed the receipt. The old general glanced at it and immediately frowned, "Most of the soldiers guarding Shattered Iron City are from the Northern Army. I thought they would send troops to support immediately."

"With only this receipt, there will be no more soldiers or soldiers." Han Ruzi was even more puzzled, "Could the champion be resentful of me for taking the official seal of General Tong?"

Fang Daye shook his head, "General Zuo has not been appointed by the imperial court. Strictly speaking, the official seal belongs only to Uncle Wu. General Zhenbei and General Zuo of the Northern Army both took the seal, one morning and one night. Even if the army chief Sima harbors resentment, he won't let him die, let alone the soldiers of the Northern Army who he wants to save."

Fang Daye thought for a while, "Did the messenger see the Northern Army Sima himself?"

The messenger was an ordinary post soldier, and naturally he could not see the Great Sima of the Northern Army. Han Ruzi had already asked.

"The Great Sima of the Northern Army sent General Zuo to take over Shenxiong Pass, specifically to prevent General Zhenbei from entering the pass, but before the Huns appeared at that time, General Zhenbei had no reason to leave Shattered Iron City unless—" Fang Daye did not continue. , he is willing to stay to assist General Zhenbei, but there is always a limit to things, he is bound to fight, but he does not want to participate in the court's seizure of power.

"Champion Hou has also quietly returned to Beijing." Han Ruzi could only come to this conclusion, "No one in the Northern Army is in charge, so this is why such a receipt is given."

"The news that General Zhenbei and King Donghai are in Beijing is not very well-informed." Fang Daye said.

Han Ruzi smiled again, he hadn't received a letter from Beijing for a long time, "It seems that I have to find a way to take over the entire Northern Army."

"General Zhenbei... don't you want to return to Beijing as soon as possible?" Fang Daye was unwilling to participate in the court infighting, and asking this sentence was his limit.

"The Huns, the capital." Han Ruzi couldn't be without hesitation, something big must have happened in the capital, and Wu Xiu and the champion Hou hurried back, "I want to stay." Han Ruzi made a decision after weighing, " Once the Huns enter the customs, the Great Chu country will be ruined, and I will be a sinner through the ages, and if I go back to Beijing now, I am afraid I will also throw myself into the net."

Han Ruzi had little foundation in the DPRK and China. He returned to Beijing alone and could not fight the champion. He at least had to gain a firm foothold in northern Xinjiang.

There is another important reason why Han Ruzi doesn't want to go back to Beijing immediately. Yang Feng was with the champion, but he didn't send a few words to remind him that he was either being held hostage and lost his freedom, or he felt that the champion was in his hands, so he would help the new master sincerely. .

No matter which possibility, it is not good for Han Ruzi to return to the capital.

Fang Daye held the knife and bowed to General Zhenbei, "There are many soldiers in the Northern Army, and General Zhenbei should not go to danger, let me go."

"It's more risky if General Fang goes."

Fang Daye has not been appointed by the court so far, and his real identity is just an ordinary person who was released soon, but he is not afraid at all: "Champion Hou returned to Beijing, Right General Feng Shili was captured, Left General Han Tong should be the person with the highest position, I Take him to the Northern Army and be sure of it."

"Champion Hou's return to Beijing is just our guess, and he may have given orders to the Northern Army..."

"In that case, General Zhenbei can't go. If there is no General Zhenbei to sit in Shenxiongguan, the Chu army inside and outside the pass will soon collapse, and you can't move."

"It's still too risky..."

Fang Daye said sternly: "This old man has been in the army for many years, and he has taken the risk of charging into battle. Are you still afraid of your own people? Please hand over General Zuo Han Tong to me, and ten more guards, let's go!"

"At least make a plan." Han Ruzi managed to keep a general, and didn't want to lose it in vain.

"Let's take the opportunity. What do you need to know? I will ask General Zuo on the way. It is not too late. I will go here once, at least five days, plus the time to rectify the army, it may be later, in short, it will be within seven days. There is a reply, General Zhenbei will just keep the gate and stabilize the heart of the broken iron city."

Without hesitation, Han Ruzi wrote a letter, signed a document, sent someone to bring the left general Han Tong, called in ten soldiers of the tribe, and handed them over to Fang Daye.

Hearing that he was going back to the North Army Camp, Han Tong was very happy and was even more anxious to set off than Fang Daye.

Han Ruzi also ordered someone to send a letter to Broken Iron City, claiming that the Northern Army was being mobilized and would reach Shenxiong Pass within seven days, and would reach Broken Iron City within ten days. With no soldiers in hand, Han Ruzi could only use lies to stabilize the military.

Two days later, thousands of reinforcements arrived at Shenxiongguan, and the generals who led the soldiers came from a wealthy family. As soon as they entered the customs, they asked General Zhenbei to recall his younger brother from Iron Broken City. Han Ruzi refused, and the two were deadlocked for a long time. The order arrived and the dispute was settled.

Han Ruzi was finally officially appointed, and still under the title of Zhenbei General, he was in charge of all the Chu troops in Broken Tiecheng, Shenxiongguan and ten counties in the Guannei to fight against the Huns, and he could act cheaply.

The thousands of Chu troops who were sent to the door suddenly became subordinates of General Zhenbei.

The situation in Broken Iron City was relatively stable.

Three days later, on a snowy day, Han Ruzi received two important letters.

The letter came from Chai Yue, who received an unexpected piece of information in Broken Iron City: the Huns proposed peace talks, but there was a request, only to talk to General Zhenbei himself.

The other was from the capital, written by Cui Xiaojun. The handwriting was scribbled, with only one sentence: My wife is seriously ill and I hope you return soon.