Yangzhou, Jiankang.
The river outside the city flows eastward, and the entire river is covered with broken ship planks and sawdust.
"Failed, is this really a defeat?"
On the riverside outside Jiankang City, several small boats were docked on the shore.
Liu Wei, the chief aide to the prince of the Jin Dynasty, was looking at the roaring river in a daze at this time.
Two months ago, General Wang Dun of the Jin Dynasty led his army eastward in Wuchang and asked Emperor Sima Rui to take into custody Liu Wei, Diao Xie and other "treacherous ministers", otherwise he would send troops to invade Jiankang to eliminate the traitors on his own.
The furious Emperor Sima Rui immediately dispatched troops from Jiankang and Jingkou to attack upstream to intercept Wang Dun.
And appointed Liu Wei as the commander-in-chief to fight.
However, the troops led by Liu Wei were defeated miserably, and Liu Wei, who suffered most of their losses, fled back to Jiankang alone.
Then Diao Xie and others led the soldiers and horses from Jingkou to intercept.
It can be seen from the marks and broken trees on the river that after another fierce battle, Jin Emperor Sima Rui also lost all his last underpants.
"Father, get on the boat quickly. If you don't leave, it will be too late!"
A young man in his twenties said anxiously next to him.
This person is Liu Sui, Liu Wei's eldest son.
"Where's Mr. Diao? Why haven't you come yet?" Liu Wei asked with a frown.
After Wang Dun's army defeated Diao Xie in Jincheng, Diao Xie also fled back to Jiankang.
The two of them knew that they had lost both battles and that there was no way they could save themselves. When they met Emperor Sima Rui, they were ready to die to prove their resolve and would never succumb to Wang Dun's lustful power.
However, although Emperor Sima Rui was weak by nature, he had a big conscience.
He couldn't bear the unbearable death of Diao Xie and Liu Wei, so he tried his best to prevent them from seeking death, and tried his best to persuade them to escape quickly and save their lives.
"Diao Gong is old and weak, and the horses in the city cannot be ridden. I heard that he is looking for a carriage." Liu Sui replied.
"It's broken. If we find the carriage again, it will delay the trip." Liu Wei waved his hands very anxiously.
Now Wang Dun's army is just a stone's throw away from Jiankang.
A delay would make it very easy to fall into Wang Dun's hands.
"Father, look, what is that?"
Just when Liu Kui was worried about Diao Xie's safety, his son Liu Sui suddenly pointed at the river to the west.
Liu Wei and his followers looked in the direction pointed by his arm.
I saw dots of white sails appearing on the river in the distance, just like white flowers scattered on the blue river.
"It's the navy of the king thief!"
Liu Wei's face suddenly turned cold.
Although the distance is far away, for a fleet of this size, there is no other choice except the Jingzhou Navy.
"Father, get on the boat quickly, we can't wait any longer!"
Liu Sui was greatly frightened.
At this time, the current on the river was fast, and the fleet traveling down the river would soon reach them.
If they delay any longer, they will no longer be able to escape when Wang Dun's navy intercepts them.
"Quick, get on the boat!"
Upon seeing this, Liu Wei knew that the situation was urgent and could no longer care about waiting for Diao Xie and others.
He loudly greeted his followers to get on the boat and prepare to cross the river north to Huaiyin.
Liu Wei and his family members were all in Huaiyin in the north of the Yangtze River.
After arriving in Huaiyin, Liu Wei made other plans with everyone.
Either rely on Huaiyin City to resist Wang Dun and wait until the situation in Jiangdong shows a miracle.
Either he packs up his wife and family and goes north to join Liu Yu of the Han Dynasty. He will be famous in Jiangdong, and when he reaches Yecheng, he will be treated with a salary of two thousand dan.
After a while, a line of white sails headed northward at an angle.
Just after Liu Wei's group set sail, that is, after half a stick of incense, a carriage came galloping from the direction of Jiankang City.
"Hurry, hurry up!"
Diao Yi on horseback urged the driver desperately.
At this time, Diao Yi could no longer care about his father Diao Xie, who was almost shaken to pieces.
If they can't board the boat and cross the river quickly, they will die without a burial place when Wang Dun's army from Jingzhou arrives.
"drive!"
After the whip fell hard, the carriage immediately started running even more crazily.
Soon, Diao Yi led a group of people to the dock by the river.
However, looking up, except for a string of white sails passing northward in the river, there is no longer a piece of wood staying on the riverside.
"Shuzi, Liu Wei Shuzi!"
When Diao Yi saw this, he immediately cursed.
He felt that Liu Wei must have been in a hurry to escape and was not willing to wait for them, so he deliberately ran away first.
"Father, what should we do!"
After Diao Yi cursed a few words, he knew that it would not help, so he immediately asked his father Diao Xie.
Diao Xie finally took a breath and soothed his racing heart.
"Look there!"
Diao Xie raised his hand and pointed.
Diao Yi and others looked along and saw a large number of boats approaching on the river in the distance.
"Is it the navy from Jingzhou?" Diao Yi was immediately shocked.
He had just been focused on looking for boats and had not noticed the approaching threat from upstream.
"It's understandable that Liu Wei didn't wait for us. Well, there's no need to complain anymore." Diao Xie sighed with a face ashen as death.
"Then what should we do?" Diao Yi asked with a pale face.
If there were no ships, they would be trapped in Jiangdong.
When Wang Dun led his army into Jiankang City, they could not hide in any way, and there was no hope of survival.
"General, there's a boat here!"
Suddenly, a shout came from not far away.
Diao Yi and others were overjoyed when they heard this.
They immediately ran over to check.
There is actually a boat. Although it is not big, it can carry seven or eight people across the river.
It must be a ferry hidden by a nearby boat owner.
"Great, father, let's get on the boat."
Diao Yi immediately supported his old father and prepared to board the ship to survive.
"No!"
Unexpectedly, Diao Xie pushed Diao Yi's arm away and said firmly.
"This ship is too small. If our father and son board the ship and escape, what will they do?"
Diao Xie raised his hand and pointed at the followers around him.
Diao Yi was stunned for a while, then glanced at everyone.
There were at least sixty or seventy people who fled with their father and son.
These people are all officials and guests of Diao Xie's mansion. They can be said to be Diao Xie's best friends.
If it fell into Wang Dun's hands, it would definitely be unforgivable.
Everyone's faces were full of fear and panic, and they were all looking at each other.
Everyone wanted to fight for the few boarding places other than Diao Xie and his son.
If they are unable to board this ship, those who remain will be destined to be abandoned.
"Father, what do you mean by this?"
Diao Yi immediately dressed in plain clothes and pretended to be confused.
Diao Xie sighed softly and said decisively.
"This boat is too small and can't carry many people. You can take a few people to cross the river first."
"What about you, father!" Diao Yi was immediately shocked.
The situation is critical at this time. If the father and son are separated here, it is very likely that they will never see each other again.
Because everyone already knew that Diao Xie, Liu Wei and others were in danger, and neither the emperor nor the prince would be able to protect them. There would definitely be many people who would come up like vicious dogs to please the powerful general Wang Dun.
"You lead some people to board the boat and cross the river first, and the rest of the people will follow me and continue to look for the ferry." Diao Xie said.
When Diao Yi heard this, he immediately became anxious.
In the current situation, who dares to cross the river easily? It is not that easy to find a boat.
"Father, the king's navy is coming soon. How can there be time to find a boat? Let's board the boat together!" Diao Yi said.
"This boat is too small to accommodate you and me, father and son. If we board the boat together and leave these people behind, how can I, Diao Xie, survive?"
Diao Xie finally made a very decisive decision.
His son Diao Yi led a small number of followers to board a boat and cross the river, while he himself led the remaining followers to continue fleeing eastward along the river.
There should be some boats available in Jiangcheng, twenty miles east of Jiankang City.
Diao Xie prepared to lead his people across the river from there and head north.
The father and son made an appointment. After Diao Yi crossed the river, he first went to Jingkou to wait for Diao Xie.
If they can wait for Diao Xie within two days, the father and son will lead their families and flee.
If Diao Xie still did not cross the river within two days, Diao Yi would not have to wait any longer and immediately led his family members to flee north to join Liu Yu in Qingzhou.
"The Cui family of Qinghe is now a popular family in the Northern Dynasties. I have an old relationship with the Cui family of Qinghe. If you go to the Han Dynasty in the Northern Dynasties, you can ask the Cui family to recommend you and protect you. You will definitely be able to protect your family."
When Diao Yi boarded the ship, Diao Xie gave his final instructions.
"Don't worry, father, my son will definitely be able to wait for his father in Jingkou." Diao Yi said with red eyes.
"Okay, let's go quickly. The pirate army and boats upstream are very fast. If we don't leave, it will be too late!"
Diao Xie shook his gray beard and waved his hands.
In such an emergency situation, Diao Yi didn't care about the love between his children and immediately led everyone to paddle towards the north.
"Let's go too!"
After Diao Xie climbed onto the carriage, he loudly ordered everyone to march eastward along the road.
Everyone ran wildly along the way. When they saw the inns along the way, they didn't dare to go in and rest, and just kept going eastward.
Sitting in the carriage, Diao Xie gradually felt something strange around him.
He stuck his head out of the car window to check.
Sure enough, something abnormal was discovered immediately.
Of the fifty or sixty people who originally followed him, only about twenty or thirty were left at this time.
Most of the rest of the entourage broke away and ran away without knowing when.
"Oh, it makes sense when a tree falls and the hozen scatters."
Diao Xie felt sad in his heart.
He just felt that these staff and guests were ordinary people who could not share the joys and sorrows, so he didn't think too much about it.
Diao Xie didn't know that these escaped guests and staff were far more cunning than he imagined.
Ten miles behind Diao Xie's chariot, several guests and staff who had secretly stayed behind were giving directions to a group of cavalry in military uniforms.
"Diao Xie is just ahead, a dozen miles away at most!"
"Yes, they are going to cross the river to escape!"
"We must not let them escape!"
It turned out that the pursuers sent by Wang Dun had already caught up with Diao Xie.
