The Grandmaster Strategist

In the seventh year of the reign of Emperor Yonglong in Jiashenqiu, Emperor Yong blamed Southern Chu for not paying tribute for a long time, and ordered the leader of Southern Chu to pay an audience. Long, the leader of Southern Chu, heard this and was frightened for no reason. He refused to pay tribute for several days and resigned with illness. Emperor Yong heard the anger and vowed to march south. The three armies launched their attacks together and raised their weapons again.

——"Zi Zhi Tong Jian·Yong Ji San"

In the eleventh year of Tongtai's reign, Yong's army went south and Yun Wei's trip was over.

——"History of Chu in the Southern Dynasties Biography of Jiang Suiyun"

In the seventh year of Emperor Yong's reign and the eleventh year of Tongtai in Southern Chu, on the second day of October, on the military academy grounds of Jiangxia Camp in Southern Chu, sergeants were practicing riding and shooting, and from time to time they could hear colorful sounds like thunder.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh", three arrows in a row hit the bull's-eye, and cheers resounded again on the school field. The man who shot the arrow was short in stature, wearing silver armor, and the yellow gelding he sat on was one of the best horses in a thousand. , Pegasus galloping, and the arrow hit the target. This kind of archery skill is indeed worthy of cheers from all the sergeants, not to mention that the knight is the eldest son of their respected and beloved general.

The knight didn't stop until he finished shooting a bag of arrows. The twenty-four arrows covered the bullseye without leaving a single gap. He took off his helmet, revealing a childish face, and wiped the sweat from his head. , rode his horse to the edge of the school field, jumped off the horse, and rested his horse for a while, then smiled at the sergeant who came around and said: "Okay, it's much more comfortable to shoot a round of arrows. Hasn't the general been promoted yet?"

Several sergeants laughed and said: "Major General, your archery skills are getting better and better. The general only came back in the early morning. There may not be a promotion today."

The young man frowned when he heard this and said: "There have been a lot of movements there recently. I wonder what the situation will be like when the general goes to Jianye this time?"

A sergeant heard this and said: "Young General, why don't you go and ask Yang Canjun privately? The general won't tell you, or Yang Canjun will reveal something."

The young man scolded: "Nonsense, if Yang Canjun was so easy to tell the truth, how could the general trust him so much?"

Another sergeant suddenly said: "By the way, Mr. Wei came just now, and now he has gone to see the general."

The young man frowned, "Mr. Wei, why is he here? This man always goes to the Three Treasures Hall for nothing. Thinking of this, he didn't care about the sweat and dust all over his body. He hurriedly explained to a few sergeants and then went to his father's tent. Run. Not long after, he ran to his father's camp. The soldiers outside saw him and were about to call out, but he shook his head to stop him. He pulled someone over and asked in a low voice: "Are the General and Mr. Wei talking inside?"

The soldier nodded and said: "Yes, I have been here for a long time, and so is the general. Why are you so polite to this man?"

The young man glared at him and said: "What do you know? Without this person's mediation, the general and the old fox would have fallen out long ago. Besides, he is well-informed in Dayong. Without his help, he would have waited until the Ministry of War sent the information. , hum, I’m afraid Yong’s army has already crossed the river, and the information is yet to come.”

The soldier murmured a few words in a low voice. Although this young man was a major general, he had always been close to them, so he dared to tell the young man what was in his heart. He also knew that although the young man blamed himself, he did not mean any harm, nor did he He knew how to speak out, so he just complained a few times. After all, in his opinion, Mr. Na Wei was an unethical person. Although he was a rough man, he looked down upon him no matter what.

The young man wandered around the door for a long time, but still didn't see his father coming out. Finally, he couldn't bear it any longer, so he came to the door of the tent and listened. The guards looked at each other, smiled, winked, and just pretended not to see each other. The young man ignored them and just tried his best to catch the faint voices coming out of the tent.

The furnishings inside the camp are very simple. Except for a simple camp bed, a square table and two chairs, it is almost empty. Except for a few volumes of books placed on the table, this camp is not the same as the residence of ordinary low-level generals. There is little difference.

A man in his early thirties stood in the tent with his hands behind his hands, looking at a map hanging on the wall of the tent with a heavy expression. This man has a heroic appearance and a gentle temperament. He can be regarded as a handsome man, but his temples are slightly frosted, and his expression has a look of vicissitudes. If he were not wearing a military uniform, people would not believe that he is the number one in the Nanchu military. one person. The other person has a graceful and handsome appearance,

He looked no older than thirty, with a hint of sarcasm in his expression. Seeing his elegant demeanor, one would never have thought that he was already thirty-five years old. However, the man in military uniform was clearly three years younger than him, but he looked older. He is older.

Seeing that the man in uniform was silent, the graceful man sneered: "What are you looking at? Yong Jun will definitely not miss this opportunity this time. Except for your king, no one in the world knows that Dayong is taking advantage of this opportunity." Looking for provocation, preparing to go south to herd horses. It has been seven years since the fall of the Northern Han Dynasty. Dayong has digested the territorial manpower of the Northern Han Dynasty. Li Zhi is not young anymore. Doesn't he want to see the world unified in his lifetime? By the side of his bed, How can we allow others to sleep soundly? Even if Nan Chu has not committed any transgression or fault, Dayong will not give up his intention to go south. Some time ago, the young general came back from the north. Didn't he make it clear that even a young king of Dayong was looking forward to going to battle? Fighting, the intention of the southern invasion is obvious, haven't you realized it? If I hadn't seen that you still have some courage and dared to attack Jiameng Pass seven years ago with the emperor and ministers of Southern Chu behind your back, how could I do my best for you? Now Fengwutangyan The first seat of the Heyihuang Hall, the old fox monk Weijun cooperates very well. Although it is inconvenient to board the court blatantly, he has gradually gained power. If Shang Weijun was not still wary, and I Chen I'm afraid it will be difficult for you, the general, to hold your seat."

The man in military uniform sighed: "Brother Wei is very friendly, and Can understands in his heart that without your help, I'm afraid I won't be able to live in the court with those people. A few days ago, they proposed marriage, but I rejected it, and then the minister deliberately delayed it. Food and salary, if it weren’t for Brother Wei’s help, I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to pass this test.”

Hearing this, the graceful man sighed: "Actually, this has nothing to do with me. You control more than 70% of Nanchu's troops. I don't know how good they are. I just want to find a way for them. In fact, you don't want to let the young general and them It is also right to get married. No one knows what they are doing in Dayong. Even I can't see it. They are a mess to the outside world and are good at internal fighting. You say I will help you. In fact, without your support, my Chentang has been suppressed by them for a long time. After all, they have the economic power, and we only benefit from each other. General Lu, if you are willing to rebel and clear your side, I will help you."

The man in military uniform smiled bitterly and said, "Brother Wei, if you keep talking, I'm afraid I'll have to see you off."

The graceful man laughed and said, "I know you won't agree. If you were as ruthless as Jiang Zhe, you wouldn't be forced by Shang Weijun to leave Jianye."

The man in military uniform smiled slightly and said, "Brother Wei seems to have less hatred for his master in the past few years, and he no longer gnashes his teeth when mentioning him."

The Yongrong man said coldly: "King Qing was overthrown and the Northern Han Dynasty was destroyed. Although Yong had many soldiers and generals, Li Zhi won the hearts of the people, and Li Xian was brave and good at fighting, if it weren't for this man's strategizing, how could it be so easy? I know it would be impossible. To fight against him, I thought there was only one way to take revenge on him. Didn't he betray Chu and surrender to Yong, so I surrendered to Nan Chu? Didn't he want to help Li Zhi dominate the world, so I wanted to let Nan Chu seize half of the country, even if I couldn't take him personally He will not be able to live in peace. If not, why should I cooperate with you? Just because of your relationship with him, I should be in trouble with you. But there is no one in Nanchu who can replace you, so I can only That’s it.”

The man in military uniform did not feel dissatisfied, but just smiled faintly. Only he dared to reuse this person in front of him. Since he has the same goal, then this person is trustworthy. Even if his character has some shortcomings, for the sake of the overall situation of Nanchu, he will not Minded.

The Yongrong man may have vented for a while and felt much more relaxed, and then said: "This time Yong sent an envoy to reprimand him, saying that Nan Chu has not paid tribute in three years. I have checked it. It is ridiculous to say it. Fu Yulun is really bold. In the ninth year of Tongtai, he was ordered to go to Yongdu to pay tribute. On the way, he was hijacked by bandits. The bandits took away the tribute, but gave him a forged reply and half of the stolen goods. This man was afraid of being charged, so he actually concealed the matter. The next two He colluded with the bandits internally and externally, divided tributes, and forged credentials. However, Dayong's documents in the past three years never mentioned this matter, but this year he launched an attack and asked the king to go to Yongdu to apologize. If this happened There is no conspiracy in it, I don’t believe it.”

The man in military uniform said calmly: "Fu Yulun is talented but not moral. He is weak and greedy for money. He also relies on the power of the prime minister to do random things. However, he would not dare to do such a thing if no one instigates him. Once he gets on the pirate ship, There is no way to turn back. I believe that Dayong also tried his best to set up this situation, and it took three years to prepare for the incident to be revealed today.

The graceful man sighed and said: "Who says it's not true? Fu Yulun was under the protection of Shang Xiang. Half of the tributes he collected were given to Shang Xiang, and 10% were given to Ji Shou. If it weren't for Ji's The first one and the first one Yan, how could I just know about this now and not be prepared at all. Women have misled the country. The ancients have not deceived me. For the sake of these petty gains, they actually ignored the overall situation. I am afraid they were still complacent. What about harming Dayong's interests? I don't even think about it, would Dayong turn a blind eye to this kind of thing? Today I know how stupid it is to be blinded by hatred and desire. If I had this insight back then, maybe I wouldn't be where I am today. It’s hard to find a home and a country, and it’s hard to run away from a country. I’m all alone, surrounded by shadows and shadows.”

The man in military uniform frowned and said: "I went to Jianye to see the Prime Minister. The king has not been in court for several days. I asked the Prime Minister to kill Fu Yulun to apologize to Dayong, but the Prime Minister refused to agree and just demoted Fu Yulun from his official position. That’s all, I still have to protect my shortcomings at this time, alas.”

The Yongrong man looked sarcastic and said nothing for a long time. He then said: "It's too late to kill or not to kill. This is a rare opportunity that Yong will not miss. The prime minister has already sent an envoy to send a letter of apology, but I don't think so. It’s of no use, maybe Dayong is swearing to send troops now.”

The man in military uniform was about to speak when a noise suddenly came from outside the tent. He frowned and heard many people coming in a hurry. They even shouted: "General, General, the messenger from Jiameng Pass wants to see you."

The man in military uniform sighed after hearing this, raised the tent door, and walked out. The soldiers outside bowed and saluted: "General!" The man in military uniform glanced at Aiko who was hiding behind the soldiers and shrank back, coldly. Said: "Lu Yun did not respect the military orders and peeked into the camp. He was pulled down and punished five boards."

The young man was Lu Yun. Hearing this, he was so frightened that he knelt down and said, "I know the crime." The other soldiers were as cold as ice and did not dare to plead for Lu Yun. They were also accused of lax precautions. If The general punished them all. Not only was it embarrassing, why should others protect the general?

Lu Can ignored them and greeted Yang Xiu, who had joined the army, and a travel-worn messenger who had arrived in a hurry. The messenger came forward and bowed down and said: "I came here to report the military situation on the order of General Yu. September 23rd, Hanzhong Festival Du sent Qin Yong to supervise the troops to storm Jiameng Pass. The 800-mile emergency has been submitted to the Ministry of War, but the Ministry of War has not replied yet. General Yu ordered me to come and ask for instructions from the general." Lu Can's expression remained unchanged, but there was a flash in his eyes. Li Mang.

At this moment, a scout flew into the camp, stumbled in front of Lu Can, and said: "General, a letter has arrived from General Rong. The forward of Changsun Ji's army has arrived in Nanyang, and the Xuzhou army has also moved south. Please make a decision as soon as possible, General." .”

All the generals in the camp hurried over. When they heard what the scouts said, they all stepped forward and said, "General, the court is still arguing about how to punish crimes and how to negotiate peace. Now that Yong's army has gone south, does the general still want to fight?" Are you waiting for the king’s will?”

Lu Can looked around, his eyes that originally looked tired and vicissitudes of life seemed to burst out with a commanding aura in an instant. The generals and soldiers who came into contact with his gaze couldn't help but bow and salute. Lu Can said loudly: "Great Yongtu Jiangnan" The heart has been there for a long time. In the 22nd year since he showed his virtue, Li Zhi looted Jianye, plundered hundreds of officials of the former king, and took away the people's gold and silk. Rivers of blood flowed, and people were devastated. For eleven years, Yong's army always peeked at the south of the Yangtze River, making me Jiangnan. The soldiers and the people cannot sleep peacefully for a day. Today Lu is determined to fight. All the soldiers are willing to follow me and fight to the death to protect the country and the people!"

When all the generals heard this, they all raised their arms and shouted: "The Yong people are cruel and have ten years of old hatred that will never be forgotten. I am willing to fight to the death with the general!"

Lu Can laughed and said: "Blow the drum and raise the tent like this, Yang Xiu, send orders to all armies on my behalf. From now on, military information from various places will be sent to me first, and I will also write to the Lord of the country on my behalf, General, requesting orders to fight." After that, , Lu Can waved the sleeves of his brocade robe and walked towards the Chinese army's tent. All the generals were full of joy and hurriedly followed behind.

The graceful man walked out of Lu Can's sleeping tent and showed a cold smile. He thought to himself, Lu Can, Lu Can, I don't know if you are smart or stupid. You are always humble and give in, but in wartime you are arbitrary and give random orders to Shang Weijun. Ignore it, but this war is unusual. When Yong's army retreats, I'm afraid it will be impossible for you to live in peace with Shang Weijun. I just don't know how long your loyalty can last?

By the time Lu Yun, who had received the military stick, arrived at the big tent, the military meeting had already begun. He was also Lu Can's personal soldier and the eldest son of the Lu family, so naturally he could listen in. He quietly slipped to a corner of the big tent and listened carefully. At this time, Yang Xiuzheng, who joined the army, spoke generously: "General, this time Yong's army attacked in three directions. Qin Yong in Hanzhong attacked Jiameng Pass. Qin Yong is a close confidant of Emperor Yong. Yong's army and Qin Cheng's line are now He was the main figure who had saved people, was calm and dignified, and was loyal to the Yong royal family. Four years ago, Emperor Yong appointed him as the military governor of Hanzhong and set up a palace in Nanzheng in order to regain Jiameng. Guan, attack Xishu, and then go down the river to take Xiling, Jingmen and other places. However, the Guanshan Mountains are dangerous and dangerous along the way. Even if the Yong army is powerful, it cannot be defeated overnight. General Yu can definitely hold it. We don't need to worry about this road. The second route is Changsun Ji. This man was Emperor Yong's favorite general before he ascended the throne. He was good at conquering and fighting. It was this man who set up an ambush and besieged Long Tingfei in the Northern Han Dynasty. Although Long Tingfei used his body as bait, another generation The state army rushed into the formation as the vanguard and escaped, but most of the most elite Qinzhou army in the Northern Han Dynasty was destroyed in his hands. Since this person has arrived in Nanyang, he will definitely attack Xiangyang this time. General Rong has been since Prince De Just guard Xiangyang, with the right location and people, and we will definitely be able to resist Changsun Ji. The third route is Pei Yun. When Dayong's power was at its peak, this person once confronted the general in Huainan. If not for Xiangyang and Jiangling at that time, I would , I am afraid that this person has already thought about crossing the river. In the fifth year of Tongtai, after the Yong army won the Zezhou battle, they began to counterattack the Northern Han Dynasty. At that time, the Yongdong River was unstable and the northern line was consolidated. This person retreated to Huaibei and took up residence in Xuzhou. After that, For seven years, Dayong recuperated his strength, but this man was fighting in Xuzhou every day. Emperor Yong even personally named him the military envoy of Huainan. Now that Dayong is heading south in a big way, Pei Yun is very familiar with Huainan, and I am afraid that he will be The momentum is overwhelming. If the general wants to disrupt the Yong Army's southern expedition, he must quickly defeat the Xuzhou Army and then rush to Xiangyang. When the Yong Army retreats on both sides, the enemy in Hanzhong will retreat without a fight." After that, Yang Xiu and Lu Can exchanged words. With a wink, Yang Xiu sat down on the right side of Lu Can and waited for the generals to give their opinions.

After listening to Yang Xiu's words, the generals nodded repeatedly. A veteran general in his fifties stood up and said: "General, Jiangxia Camp and Jiujiang Camp are now under the direct command of the General. General Yu and General Rong are also under the direct command of the general." There is no doubt that we will obey the general's orders. If Pei Yun goes to Huainan, we will naturally not be afraid. But what if Pei Yun goes down to Bian and Si to take Huaidong? No, this person is mediocre and incompetent, and is no match for Pei Yun. If Pei Yun attacks Huaidong, invades Huaiyang, and then captures Jianye, Nanchu will eventually suffer the humiliation of the past again."

This veteran was a former general of Lu Can's father. Lu Can always respected him. When he stood up, he motioned for him to sit down and speak slowly. After listening, his brows were furrowed. The other generals were either annoyed or helpless. This Luo Louzhen was a general trusted by Shang Weijun. In the past, the Lu family controlled the military power, and Shang Weijun was already uneasy. Later, Lu Can took advantage of the instability of Dongchuan in Dayong and brazenly captured Jiameng Pass despite Shang Weijun's obstruction. Although Shang Weijun was very happy afterwards, he was even more fearful. After Zhenyuan Duke Lu Xin died of illness, Shang Weijun wanted to seize the military power of Jiangxia. After failing to succeed, he took advantage of Yong's army to shrink its defense line and placed his cronies in Huaidong. , Luo Louzhen was the most trusted general among them, and was now Shang Weijun's niece-in-law, General Zhendong, with the same position as Xiangyang Rongyuan, and above Jiamengguan Yumian. In fact, it's okay for Luo Louzhen to brag and flatter his horses. When it comes to marching and fighting, he is not as good as an ordinary general in Jiangxia Camp. If Pei Yun conquers Huaidong, it will be really troublesome.

Lu Yun thought for a moment and said: "At this moment, it is a foregone conclusion that Yong's army will go south. Shang Xiang will not embarrass me at this time in any case. I will write a letter to General Luo and explain some things to him. If he can follow his instructions, Huaidong can still be stable. If he doesn't follow his advice, I will have no choice but to request an order to go to Huaidong to take over his military power."

The generals looked at each other in confusion. Although this was the only way to deal with the Xuzhou Army's invasion of Huaidong, could Shang Weijun, who was obsessed with the military power in his opponent, allow this to happen?