The Grandmaster Strategist

Looking at Su Qing, whose face was weathered but becoming more and more beautiful, Duan Wudi felt a sense of peace in his heart. His past love and hatred disappeared like the wind. He smiled and said, "Has your Highness already agreed to your request?"

Su Qing had inexplicable thoughts in her heart. Just from this sentence, she knew that the person in front of her had already regarded her as a stranger. Didn't she already think of this? In the past, the relationship was cut off outside Qinzhou City. Today is doomed. She raised her head and said calmly: "Your Highness agrees to the general's request. As long as General Xuan is safe and sound, your Highness agrees not to pursue your army within one day."

Duan Wudi's eyes flashed with joy. He originally just took a chance, but he didn't expect it to be effective. He smiled and said: "But your army is strong and our army is weak. I have to guard against your highness making a mistake. I wonder what your envoy has planned?" "

Su Qing said coldly: "His Royal Highness Qi made a huge promise, so there is no reason to go back on it. However, it is reasonable for the general not to believe it. If the general is willing, he can send General Xuan back to Yongying first. Su Qing is willing to be a hostage."

Duan Wudi didn't actually have any doubts, but he just wanted to appease the soldiers, so he said, "In this case, it would be an injustice to the noble envoy."

Su Qing smiled slightly, as beautiful as a plum blossom in bloom. She asked herself to be the hostage. If Duan Wudi was smart, he should have driven her away as soon as possible. But I am afraid that until today, in this man's heart, she is just a runaway. He is just a lost goose who has taken the wrong path. He has not yet learned of his danger, right?

When Xuan Song walked to the camp gate of Yong's army and felt a sense of timidity in his heart, he heard the military horn sounding, the camp gate opened wide, and Li Xian led the generals to greet him with great fanfare. Xuan Song felt his eyes wet and stepped forward. After a few steps, he prostrated and said, "This crime will bring disgrace to the military power. Please punish me, Your Highness."

Li Xian stepped forward hurriedly, extended his hand to help, and stopped Xuan Song from bowing down. He looked apologetic and said, "Why did General Xuan say this? It was Li Xian who didn't notice that day, which led to this. If General Xuan hadn't generously died that day, I have said before that if there is any mistake, I will take care of it. You are lucky enough to survive. If I blame you again, it would be too harsh. Don’t worry, you will be able to repay the humiliation today."

Xuan Song burst into tears with gratitude, and calmed down after a while, and said quickly: "Your Highness, please don't be too rigid. Duan Wudi is the best defensive general. If he returns to Jinyang to defend the city, he will pose a great threat to our army. Please ask His Highness gave chase and captured and killed Duan Wudi."

Li Xian smiled and said: "I knew you would say this, but you don't have to worry. There is no way Duan Wudi can return to Jinyang. Besides, General Su is still in his army as a hostage, so it is not suitable to attack now."

Xuan Song said in shock: "How could General Su be a hostage? Although she is smart and capable, she is still a woman, and she has a deep hatred for the Northern Han Dynasty. I am afraid that even if Duan Wudi abides by his faith, he will inevitably be in danger."

Li Xian whispered: "Don't worry, there will naturally be someone to help General Su. Duan Wudi is a gentleman after all, and with my army here, Su Qing will be fine. I'm afraid he will regret it." Thinking of being proud. Li Xian couldn't help laughing. There is nothing more exciting than winning.

The two of them walked into the Chinese army's tent hand in hand, and asked Xuan Song to sit in the chief position on the left. The generals took their seats one by one. Li Xiandao said: "General Xuan, after you have returned from the disaster, you should have been allowed to cultivate well, but now the military situation is urgent, Duan Wudi You are good at defeating and retreating, and making progress step by step. This is also your strength. I have to let you have a hard time. By this time tomorrow, you will lead the army to pursue us. You can deal with how to advance or retreat at your convenience."

Xuan Song was overjoyed. He had been worried that he would be temporarily shelved. He never expected that Li Xian would trust him so much. He quickly stood up and said, "I will obey your orders."

Li Xian couldn't help but smile when he saw this. In fact, Xuan Song was not necessarily needed to lead the battle now. He was just showing his respect for Xuan Song in this way to prevent anyone from making trouble through Xuan Song's capture, no matter where it was. Villains are inevitable.

After the Northern Han army retreated from Pingyao, they marched almost at full strength and arrived in Yangyi in one day. After arranging defenses, Duan Wudi walked into the residence prepared by his soldiers.

As soon as he walked into the room, he stopped and saw one person sitting outside. Su Qing was sitting on a chair, holding her chin in her hands and looking at herself with a smile. There was a blue-black cloak hanging on the pearwood hanger on the side. The room was almost spotless, and there was fragrant food on the square table in front of Su Qing. There was also a copper basin square towel on the chair next to it, and the clear water in the basin was still bubbling. Rolling heat.

The two guards following Duan Wudi subconsciously held down the hilts of their knives, but then showed confused expressions. Obviously, this warm scene made them suspicious. Even Duan Wudi was confused for a while. If it weren't for Su Qing, who was wearing a fancy dress, with a sword on her waist, and a bright smile with a bit of sarcasm and coldness, he almost mistakenly thought that he was back home, and the beauty in men's clothing in front of him was It's his wife. His eyes regained clarity and he said coldly: "Why are you here? Where is the sergeant who is monitoring you?"

Su Qing looked at the guards behind Duan Wudi and said calmly: "Do you want to question me in front of them?"

Duan Wudi said nothing, waved the guard away, then sat down on the other side of the table and looked at Su Qing quietly. An inexplicable look flashed in Su Qing's eyes, and she said indifferently: "There are some former members of General Shi in the army, and they still recognize me. Some people took the opportunity to come and question what happened that day, so I told them that General Shi didn't know my identity that day. , I just used General Shi to stay in Qinzhou City that day. Although I did some things to add fuel to the flames, I never expected that General Long would believe that General Shi was rebellious. Alas, General Shi was too strong-willed. If he was willing to challenge General Long that day, If you plead guilty, you may not have a chance to clear your wrongdoing.”

Duan Wudi felt bitter in his mouth and said, "Is what you said the truth?"

Su Qing recalled the scene of Shi Ying angrily committing suicide that day. Even though she was hard-hearted, she couldn't help but feel sad. She said lightly: "It's the truth. Sometimes facts can lead people astray, but you don't have to regret it. Although Shi Ying He did not secretly surrender to Dayong, but he did target you intentionally, just because I told him some lies about you. Also, when Quartz committed suicide that day, he had already guessed my identity, but he did not tell you , but willing to die."

Duan Wudi was furious and slammed his right hand on the table, causing the cups and plates to bang. He glared at Su Qing, but his anger soon subsided because he saw Su Qing's calm and cold expression. He relaxed and smiled slightly. Hadn't he already decided to only regard this woman as his enemy? In that case, why should he feel resentment for what she did.

Feeling tired like never before, Duan Wudi said coldly: "What a good method. It forced General Shi to commit suicide in the past, and now it is used to slander me. Miss Su, you are cruel enough, but why did you say it to me so clearly?"

Su Qing said meaningfully: "Today you and I have a secret meeting here, and tomorrow it will be spread all over the place. It won't take long, even Jinyang will know that you found a high-sounding excuse to let General Xuan go, and you also had the same relationship with the old man. What do you think Jinyang would think about having a secret conversation with his fiancée?"

Duan Wudi remained silent, Su Qing stood up, picked up the cloak and tied it up, saying: "The time has come. If you kill me now, you can still save everything. If not, I may have a chance to collect your body." . But if you can figure it out, His Highness King Qi is waiting for you to abandon the darkness and turn to the light."

Duan Wudi remained silent. Although Su Qing had framed him so far, he didn't have any resentment at all. They were each their own masters, and no matter what they did, it was a matter of course. However, Su Qing still left a way for himself to survive. This was enough to make him He was grateful, but unfortunately, that was a road he would rather die than take. When Su Qing was about to walk out of the room, he whispered: "Thank you, I'm sorry."

Su Qing's delicate body trembled. Although the two had broken off their friendship in Qinzhou City, this was not something that could be done easily. Whether it was hatred or love, Duan Wudi still had a shadow in her heart. She came here today not only to make it harder for Duan Wudi to defend herself, but also to hope that Duan Wudi would agree to surrender and avoid being killed. However, even though she had this intention, she did not expect this man to understand. In fact, she He was already prepared. From now on, this man would only regard himself as a person as poisonous as a snake and a scorpion. However, this man saw his intentions clearly, but he also told him clearly that he would not accept it. Su Qing couldn't help but feel sad, and she whispered: "In the past, you and I fell in love, and I have never regretted it. Even if I was injured by you later, I still regarded you as a good man with strong bones. But since You and I have parted ways, and there is no possibility of reunion. But, do you really want to die for the Northern Han Dynasty?"

Duan Wudi said in a deep voice: "I am to blame for what happened in the past. I have nothing to say about your choice. You don't need to worry about me. Seek kindness and be kind. I will die without regrets. But I once heard that You have some connection with the Fengyi Sect. I was originally worried that you would never be accepted by Dayong. Even though the world would be so big, there would be no place for you. But now it seems that the King of Qi is indeed an extraordinary person, and he still uses you in important ways. It is said that Emperor Yong's power is still higher than that of King Qi, and I think you will not be implicated in this. But there is one thing that always worries me. You are still alone as a sister-in-law. Maybe I am arrogant, but after all, I am wronging you for life. If possible , I hope you can get married soon and comfort your parents’ spirits in heaven.”

Two lines of tears rolled down her face. Su Qing walked out of the room. She didn't answer or look back. She framed her former fiancé with her own hands and probably sent him to the guillotine. How could she not feel pain in her heart? What's more, even if he was in a desperate situation, There is still no trace of resentment, so how can she not feel guilty. After walking out of the door, Su Qing quickly wiped away her tears, took her mount and drove away. The horse galloped in the wind. Su Qing only had one thought in her heart, invincible. If you die because of this, I can only spend my whole life alone to atone for your sins. .

Su Qing had been running for an unknown amount of time. Su Qing suddenly heard the sound of horse hooves. She immediately woke up. She looked up and was stunned. She saw two horses approaching from the opposite side. She recognized both of them immediately. A group of black horses were riding in front of them. It was Qiu Yufei, and the one riding the yellow gelding behind was Ling Duan. Both sides slowed down their horses in unison, then stopped their mounts and looked at each other silently.

Su Qing came to his senses first, bowed his head on his horse and said: "It turned out to be the Fourth Young Master of Qiu. He was chased all the way by the Young Master. Now the general still remembers the pain of that day. Hearing that the Young Master is on a mission to the East China Sea, he didn't expect to return today. Could he be going to Yangzhou?" Yi, General Duan Wudi is in Yangyi. In a day or two, I'm afraid the main force of Yong's army will be here. Although the young master has outstanding martial arts, he is only one person after all. For the sake of the young master, I still ask the young master to return quickly. Let’s go to Jinyang.”

Qiu Yufei smiled slightly, a trace of complex emotions of admiration mixed with murderous intent flashed in his eyes. He deeply admired this woman. A weak and orphaned girl, she climbed into a tiger's den alone and achieved extraordinary feats. On that day, he chased her all the way, and only This woman can fight with him. She has great martial arts skills, deep scheming, and high intelligence. She is also proficient in music and has a beautiful appearance. How can she not put men to shame? However, it is a pity that she has a hatred for the Northern Han Dynasty and does not hesitate to abandon her family, country and lover. , fighting for the enemy country. Should she be killed to destroy King Qi’s powerful arm? It's just that the three of them are now in the wilderness, and the woman's war horse is also one of the best horses in a thousand. If she just wants to escape, she may not be able to succeed.

When Qiu Yufei was hesitating whether to take action, smoke was billowing behind him. The first rider was a young man in green clothes with a face as white as snow. He was none other than the evil shadow Li Shun. Qiu Yufei sighed slightly and bowed to Su Qing in return: "We meet on a stranger's road." , but I don’t have time to talk about it. Yu Fei admires the girl’s pipa skills very much. If there is a chance in the future, I should ask for advice.” After saying that, he rode off in a hurry.

Su Qing only felt cold sweat on her vest. It wasn't until Qiu Yu flew away that she felt the heavy pressure that had just enveloped her body disappear. At this time, Xiao Shunzi had already arrived. He said lightly: "The Master's letter has arrived. Tiao and Su The general went to obey the order, and the young master said that he wanted us to prepare to receive a distinguished guest." A puzzled look flashed in Su Qing's eyes, what kind of guest does the Marquis of Chuxiang want to welcome in person? A thought suddenly flashed in her mind like a spark, and her face suddenly turned pale. She could figure out many things, such as why Qiu Yufei appeared here. The more she thought about it, the more Su Qing felt about Jiang Zhe. The scheming is getting more and more chilling. Now that I think about it, I made the decision without permission and changed his plan, which was a bit too reckless.

As the night fell, Duan Wudi looked at the completed defense map of Jinyang in his hand and put down his pen with satisfaction. Rumors had spread everywhere in the past two days, and even most of his old troops were suspicious of him. If he hadn't used strong methods to suppress it, only I am afraid that these soldiers have mutinied long ago. Although there are trusted generals and guards who still believe in me, they can do nothing except vainly trying to defend themselves. And probably all it takes is a decree from Jinyang and I will be isolated and helpless. After all, he had never deliberately won over his subordinates, and betrayal and separation was not a dilemma that only tyrannical leaders would encounter. On the night when Su Qing was sent away, an urgent military order came from Jinyang, ordering him to stick to Yangyi. Duan Wudi knew that this was because Jinyang was also suspicious of him. At this point, he had no intention of clarifying the rumors. Chengdu was the truth, but some fictitious details were added, but that was what made him unable to argue. Thinking that Jinyang must have made a decision, there was a touch of bitterness in his heart.

At this time, someone outside said coldly: "General Duan, why are you still here?"

Duan Wudi raised his head in astonishment and pushed the door open. Duan Wudi turned his surprise into joy and stepped forward to salute: "It turns out to be the Fourth Young Master. The trip to the East China Sea must have been difficult and dangerous. If the Young Master can return safely, the Imperial Master must be overjoyed."

Qiu Yufei looked at Duan Wudi and said sadly: "I already knew the current situation when I entered the city. Your situation is too difficult. Even I, if I hadn't known you in the past, would have doubted your loyalty. And to be honest, even if you were loyal in the past, it will be difficult for you to remain loyal to the Northern Han Dynasty if you are so forced now. Therefore, although I sent a letter to Master, hoping that he would soften your cheeks, I am afraid it will be of no use. As for our current plan, if you don't leave, even if you go and join Dayong, as long as you don't attack Jinyang for them, I won't blame you."

Duan Wudi smiled slightly and said: "Master, why did you say this? Duan has a clear conscience, how can he abscond in fear of crime? Master trusts Duan to be loyal, and Duan is grateful. If I really escape, I am afraid that the lie will become true, and General Long will die for his country." After that, only Princess Jiaping can hold up the sky alone, she treats me well, and I cannot betray her trust."

Suddenly, the screams of his own guards, who were frightened and angry, came from outside. These guards were all close followers who had followed Duan Wudi from birth to death. Naturally, they knew how wronged their general had been. But no one wanted to believe them even if they tried to explain themselves. Now they There was such a sudden chaos. It must be the envoy from Jinyang who came to investigate him. Duan Wudi smiled slightly and said: "It must be the envoy from Jinyang who has arrived. Young Master may be inconvenienced here. If you don't mind, please go to the inner room to take shelter temporarily. There is no need." With Duan in mind." Qiu Yufei let out a long sigh and disappeared into the inner room, and the door leading to the inner room closed silently. Duan Wudi stood up and walked to the desk, waiting for the messenger to come in.

Not long after, the door of the room was pushed open. Duan Wudi saw the haggard-looking Lin Bi at a glance. It was Princess Jiaping who came in person. What was going on? Lin Bi should be in charge of Jinyang's defense now. Duan Wudi couldn't help but look... Number changes. Lin Bi walked behind the desk and sat down. She looked at the defense map dripping with ink on the desk, her expression darkened, and she said, "Is General Duan still worried about Jinyang's defense?"

Duan Wudi stood in front of the case and said: "The last general once guarded Jinyang. Jinyang's defense was originally impregnable, but over time, it was inevitable that there would be some deficiencies. The last general had carefully studied how to remedy it, but it was a pity that it was not accepted by the Ministry of War. This At the end of a few days, I drew a new defense map from memory. Some of the areas were weaknesses in defense. It might be better if we could strengthen the defense according to this map. I also asked the princess to take a look. If the princess thinks it is feasible, she might as well Give it a try.”

Lin Bi looked at Duan Wudi's magnanimous face and said: "Do you know that the king has issued a strict order to punish you immediately? I have tried to persuade you many times, but the king is still stubborn. The Imperial Master also said that even if you have no Erxin, now there is no guarantee that you will not surrender to the enemy, so I support the king’s decision.”

Duan Wudi said calmly: "The general has already expected this. Although the enemy's plan is simple, it is very cruel. Duan also made mistakes. No matter why, the evidence of smuggling and bribery in the past is conclusive, and if General Shi Ying is really unjust And death, the last general is also the culprit. Besides, he indulged the captives for his life and let Su Qing go for personal reasons. This is all true. Duan knew that his crime was not punishable. The king only ordered beheading, which was already an extrajudicial favor. Princess, don’t worry."

Lin Bi had a look of regret on her face and said: "Ting Fei once told me about you that day. You did a lot for the Northern Han Dynasty regardless of reputation or reputation. However, these crimes are all wronged to you. In exchange for Xuan Song I tacitly agree to your life and that of the soldiers. Letting go of Su Qing is also a matter of course. Can I, the Northern Han Dynasty, still kill the envoy? It’s just that people in the court are criticizing you. If I defend you a few more words, I will almost be killed. The king of the country was expelled from the main hall. Alas, in the past, the DPRK emphasized military force and neglected literature. Now those civil servants all speak fiercely, as if if you don't kill you, the country will be destroyed. Although there are many honorable generals in the DPRK, Ting Fei used to like to promote people from poor families. The generals are meritocratic, which makes them quite criticized. Now that Ting Fei has died for his country, they have also taken the opportunity to criticize you. Humph, the enemy is currently facing them. They don't think about how to fight the enemy. They are still excluding dissidents. It seems that if they lead Soldiers can save a critical situation, but I don’t know how to judge myself. General Duan, Lin Bi is incompetent and can’t save you. I can only ask my relatives to come to Yangyi to deal with you, which can also save your dignity."

Duan Wudi bowed down and said: "Thank you, Your Highness Princess, for believing in the loyalty of the general. Now that the matter has come to an end, the princess should not break with the imperial court over the general's life and death. If the princess is not the commander-in-chief, Jinyang will be difficult to defend. The general will not be resentful even if he dies. Your Majesty and Princess, please ask the Princess to order the beheading of the last general in front of the battle. If we can save the country and the common people, the last general will be infamy for thousands of years without any resentment."

Lin Bi hid her face and said: "Loyalty is doubtful, and the court cannot afford you. You, you go."

Duan Wudi kowtowed again, and then walked out the door. As soon as he reached the door, when Lin Bi's personal guard outside the door was about to step forward and tie him up, Lin Bi suddenly said loudly: "Wait a minute."

Everyone was stunned and looked at Lin Bi. They saw Lin Bi's expression was very resolute. She said decisively: "General Duan, as long as I, Lin Bi, are here, I will never let you be killed innocently. You should leave Beihan immediately. Now the country is in chaos. There is chaos. Our troops have retreated in many places, but the Yong army has not yet entered. You have a great chance to escape. Go to Binzhou, which is not officially owned by Dayong, and Dayong does not care about arresting you now. Binzhou transfers to Nanchu, this is your only way to survive. If you can drive away the Yong people in the future, you will have a chance to return to the Northern Han Dynasty."

When Duan Wudi heard this, he was stunned. He never thought that Lin Bi would be so responsible. If a person had a chance of survival, how could he not grasp it firmly? Qiu Yufei had just persuaded him that he did not want Lin Bi to doubt him. , so he refused to leave. Now Lin Bi persuaded him that his knot was resolved. The more he thought about it, the more feasible it became. If he could stay useful, he would still be able to serve the country. If he died, it would be nothing more than a close relative. The hatred is quick, and now there is no one except Lin Bi who can support the crisis. Lin Bi only needs to say that he escaped first, and the king will not blame Lin Bi.

Seeing his condition, Lin Bi couldn't help but feel bitter. However, thinking of this man's heroic deeds of serving the country loyally and regardless of reputation still made her decide to bear the responsibility of letting the "rebellious" go. She stepped forward and said: "General Duan, you can't stay here for a long time. The country The Lord may send another messenger, but then you will not be able to escape. I know that you have always been honest and your family has no money. You can take these gold beads with you for use on the road." After saying this, he stuffed a money bag into Duan Wudi's hand. This money Inside the bag were some light gold beads, which were valuable and easy to carry. Before leaving, Lin Bi took them with her by accident. Maybe she had this idea at the time, but she finally made up her mind just now.

Duan Wudi took the money bag and couldn't help but burst into tears. He also knew that Lin Bi had a big stake in it, and he also knew that this was his only way to survive. Although the future was dim, he might fall into the hands of Yong's army. Or he might be killed by the Northern Han army as a traitor, but he still burst into tears with gratitude and knelt down on his knees. Duan Wudi cried: "Princess's kindness will never be forgotten by the general. If Wudi is lucky enough to escape in the future, he will definitely send the message back. Princess But if there is an order, Wudi will always obey it, Your Highness is relieved, if Wudi unfortunately falls into the hands of the enemy, he will never live in an ignoble way."

Lin Bizhu was about to burst into tears. She had some scruples in her heart. If Duan Wudi fell into the hands of the enemy, he might eventually surrender to Yong's army, so when she came, she would rather kill Duan Wudi. Seeing Duan Wudi's promise, she felt relieved. I couldn't help but feel a little guilty. Lin Bi turned her back and gently waved her hand, signaling Duan Wudi to leave. Duan Wudi bowed his head and bowed again, and finally turned around and left. He might not be able to see each other again, which would make the hero sad.

After Duan Wudi's figure disappeared, Qiu Yufei, who had been listening to the movements outside the inner room, showed a happy smile. Just now, Lin Bi was about to push Duan Wudi down and behead him. He had already made up his mind to go to the tribulation field. Now he saw When Lin Bi let Duan Wudi go, he felt relieved. He wanted to go out and meet Lin Bi, but suddenly, his heart moved. The aura of a familiar person suddenly appeared outside the city. He lurked murderous intent and smiled coldly. His figure turned into an illusion and jumped out from the window of the inner room. Taking advantage of the chaos in the city, he chased in the direction Duan Wudi left.

Outside Yangyi City, Xiao Tong, who was standing on the hill, saw Duan Wudi riding his horse out of the city, and couldn't help but give him a kick. After learning that Lin Bi personally came to Yangyi, the master thought over and over again and ordered him to come here to chase and kill him. Duan Wudi, whom Lin Bi let go, turned out to be true. He was about to ride his horse to catch up, when suddenly a cold voice came to his ears: "Brother, do you really want to kill them all?"

Xiao Tong was stunned and looked up, only to see Qiu Yufei standing with his hands behind his back. He smiled bitterly and said: "Junior brother, this is the master's order. Regardless of whether General Duan is wronged or not, if he falls into the hands of the enemy, he will be a great threat. , you can’t be merciful.”

Qiu Yufei said coldly: "General Duan is loyal to the Northern Han Dynasty. Although there are rumors everywhere now, I believe that one day the truth will come to light. Like Princess Bi, I don't believe that General Duan has second thoughts. That's Master Even if you come here, I will not let Master take action." Xiao Tong could only smile bitterly. He knew that in terms of martial arts, he was no match for this junior brother. It seemed that chasing Duan Wudi was already impossible, so he had to say: " Since you are back, go to Jinyang to meet the master." Qiu Yufei said lightly: "Okay, let's go on the road together." Xiao Tong said hurriedly: "I still have military affairs." Qiu Yufei looked coldly Looking at it, Xiao Tong quickly explained: "Don't worry, I swore to the Demon Lord that if I go after General Duan, I will fall into the Demon Lord's blood prison after death and never be reincarnated. The military situation is really urgent, I still There is something important going on." Qiu Yufei remained silent, since Xiao Tong made the blood oath of the devil, he would definitely not break it. He turned around and left, then disappeared. Xiao Tong raised his head and smiled bitterly. He hadn't seen his junior brother for several months, and his cultivation had improved by leaps and bounds, which really put his senior brother to shame. Forget it, since both Princess Bi and Yu Fei have so much trust in Duan Wudi, it seems that Duan Wudi is really loyal and loyal, so why should he be a villain?