sjar Chapter 1064 The eldest daughter is as bright as spring flowers (186)
Chapter 1064 The eldest daughter is as bright as spring flowers (186)
Chapter 1064: The eldest daughter is as bright as spring flowers (One Hundred and Eighty-six)
Ultimately, Da Zhao had very few truly capable generals. If not, Wei Ying, only sixteen years old, would not have been sent to fight on his father's behalf four years ago.
Emperor Zhao seems indecisive now, but he was not like that in the past.
The Zhao Kingdom did not value culture over military power. However, the last change of imperial power and the several purges after Emperor Zhao ascended the throne resulted in the deaths of no less than 50,000 people, and the number of people imprisoned, exiled, or demoted reached 80,000 to 90,000.
Never underestimate the cold-bloodedness of any emperor. Emperor Zhao, once in his prime, was ruthless and merciless. All ministers who posed a threat to his rule or failed to stand on his side were purged without exception.
His brothers first fought for the throne and then plotted rebellion, all relying on military power. Consequently, many military commanders had their property confiscated and their families exterminated. Even if these commanders were exceptionally talented, their existence was meaningless unless they were employed by Emperor Zhao.
Today, Dazhao faces a thorny problem: there are very few people who can gain the trust of Emperor Zhao and have the ability to command the army.
Emperor Zhao looked at Wei Ying in the front row, then slowly shifted his gaze. Whether for moral or overall considerations, he couldn't immediately re-employ Wei Ying. Otherwise, the Dazhao army would be difficult to control.
He scanned the court officials and ultimately assigned three to the border: Dou Jing, the Minister of War; Zhu Tao, the Marquis of Anping; and Lu Linyuan, the General of the Northern Frontier. All three were around forty years old and experienced, and they could provide checks and balances, pooling their wisdom and resources, which naturally reassured the emperor.
Moreover, Guo Xuezhen's eldest son is quite familiar with Fengli County and is currently in charge of county affairs. He should be able to hold out until reinforcements arrive.
The emperor decided to dispatch 300,000 troops north to resolve the crisis in Fengli County. He also breathed a sigh of relief at the treasury's full capacity. Thanks to Wei Ying's previous seizure of a large amount of gold and silver, he had sufficient weapons and rations. Otherwise, he would never have dared to rashly mobilize such a large army. Qingli knew the emperor would not allow Wei Ying to command 300,000 troops. He had just recovered the tiger talisman, so how could he easily hand it back to him?
The two men, reunited after a long separation, had much to discuss. Wei Ying mentioned the fight against the invasion of the Fuchen Kingdom. The two nations were separated by a vast sea, and the Fuchen invaded by ship, with a limited population. Therefore, Wei Ying had only commanded a force of 100,000 men.
The same was true of the civil unrest. Year after year of war, the treasury was strained, and the emperor only gave Guo Xuezhen 100,000 troops and was reluctant to give him more.
After the fight between Zhao Lan and Guo Xuezhen, their military strength was greatly reduced and Fengli County's defense was poor, which gave the Mongolians an opportunity to take advantage.
Now the emperor is urgently mobilizing troops and dares not be vague about the military strength.
Wei Ying no longer needed to fight, and he needed to recuperate in the capital, so his days were quite leisurely. He had time to accompany Qingli on a tour of the capital. After today, the two would no longer see each other, as their wedding would be in seven days, and they would meet again in their wedding attire!
...The situation in Fengli County was critical. Song Qingting was trapped once again, unable to escape. She broke down and cried. She hated Zhao Lan so much that she wished he were dead. Zhao Lan was her undoing!
While under Zhao Lan's control, Song Qingting kept an eye on the people around him. As she approached Zhao Lan, she unexpectedly heard a location—where Zhao Lan planned to send his wife and children. She subconsciously memorized it.
The last time she made a deal with Guo Changheng, she told him the location, and she was not sure whether Zhao Lan's wife and children were still there.
Guo Changheng sent people to search for them and actually found Ding Yangshu's daughter and Zhao Lan's son Zhao Jing. He also found Zhao Lan's whereabouts. So, Guo Changheng kept his promise and wrote a letter to Prime Minister Song to test his intentions.
Song Qingting prepared to be taken back to the capital, but was unable to leave due to the Mongolian invasion of Fengli County. Guo Xuezhen led his troops to encircle and suppress Zhao Lan, but was seriously injured. With the frequent appearance of Mongolians in the city, the security of the palace was uncertain, and it was at risk of infiltration by the Mongolians or Zhao Lan's men. During this period, the Mongolian invasion and the incident of Guo Xuezhen, the commander-in-chief, left Guo Changheng preoccupied with his own affairs and unable to care for Song Qingting. The people in the palace were so busy that they inevitably neglected her care.
Song Qingting lay on the bed sulking, completely unaware of the danger she was in. It wasn't until someone stabbed her in the chest that she realized with horror what had happened!