Sima Chuzhi nodded: "Yes, at that time, the people who supported General Yu's uprising with me were Yang Chengzu, the younger brother of General Yang Quanqi, who was also a famous fierce general in Yongzhou. He had been in Yongzhou for a long time and had many subordinates. He was overwhelmed at the moment. , disbanded his subordinates in advance and dispersed them among the people to preserve their strength."
"Later, when we heard about Jianyi in Jingkou and Huan Xuan's defeat, we felt that the time had come. In order to protect himself, Huan Xuan also ordered the states and counties to recruit civilian volunteers into an army. We took advantage of this opportunity to recruit more than 3,000 people. An army of men.”
"Originally we wanted to attack Jiangling and capture Huan Xuan, the great treasonous criminal. Unexpectedly, the army came faster than us and killed Huan Xuan directly. However, now that Qiao Zong has rebelled and Shuzhong has fallen, we Although I am not talented, I am willing to join my father and lead this brave army in an expedition to Western Shu to quell the rebellion for the country!"
Sima Dewen laughed: "Okay, great. It's really a blessing for me in the Jin Dynasty to have such loyal and brave clan members as King Gaomi and his son. Where are your three thousand troops now?"
Sima Chuzhi said seriously: "These three thousand soldiers and horses are stationed in the Meihuizhou area in the west of Jiangling City. General Yang once led some of his subordinates to flee there and hide for a while after his brother's defeat. He was very concerned about the situation there. familiar."
Liu Daogui said with a smile: "General Yang is from Yongzhou. Normally, he should be hiding in Nanyang area, but you did the opposite and fled to Meihuizhou near Jiangling. This can be said to be dark under the lamp."
Sima Chuzhi said with a smile: "To be honest with General Zhenwu, we actually knew at that time that Yongzhou would not be able to go back. Although there were many acquaintances in Yongzhou, when the army was defeated, it was difficult to guarantee that a villain who wanted to betray his master and seek glory would not defect to his relatives and friends. It is not advisable. Therefore, hiding in the Meihuizhou area will not only catch Huan Xuan by surprise, but also, if it is not possible, we can flee west to Yizhou, at least there will be a way out."
Liu Yi laughed: "You are really thoughtful. But are these three thousand soldiers and horses all Yang Chengzu's old troops? King Gaomi doesn't have his own army?"
Sima Rongqi's expression changed slightly and he said: "I have been following Your Majesty as Zongzheng for many years. How can I have my own army? It is impossible to ask Your Majesty to give me the few palace guards around him. Chu Zhi has been running around for several years. In the year, this army was finally created. Although it was commanded by General Yang, it was also under the command of His Majesty. It was the army of the Jin Dynasty, so why should we separate what is yours and what is mine?"
Sima Dewen also said: "Yes, General Champion, according to the ancestral system of the Jin Dynasty, the clan is not allowed to actually lead troops. This is also to avoid the tragedy of the Eight Kings of the Western Dynasty. It is already very difficult for King Gaomi to do this. , General Yang is also a loyal man, do you have any questions?"
Liu Yi sighed: "It is difficult to measure the loyalty of warlords in these troubled times. We currently have no way to restrict Yang Chengzu. We can neither control his family nor the families of his subordinates. If he If you really have a different intention, what can you do?"
Sima Chuzhi said sternly: "Liu Guanjun, are you going too far? General Yang is a loyal man who sacrificed his life for the country. He is the only one left, and he still loves the Jin Dynasty. You say this, Aren't you afraid of chilling the hearts of the soldiers?"
Liu Yi said coldly: "His brother Yang Quanqi has been separatist in Yongzhou for a long time, and he is an ally with Huanxuan. He raised troops to Beijing several times to force the court to submit. Later, he only became angry because of the uneven division of the spoils with Huanxuan. This discussion It’s not about loyalty. If it’s really loyalty, then when Huan Zhen captured Jiangling a while ago, you were in Meihuizhou, why didn’t you come to rescue him?”
Sima Chuzhi was stunned for a moment, then said in a deep voice: "Because Huan Zhen attacked Jiangling secretly and moved too fast, we had no time to rescue him. Afterwards, General Yang said that His Majesty's brother was in their hands. If he moved lightly, he would probably hurt the Holy Emperor." , we still look for opportunities to take action again, and we have waited until now. I have been with them all the time, and I am very clear about this matter."
He Wuji sighed: "Your Majesty, you must not have the intention to harm others, and you must have the intention to guard against others. No one can say whether Yang Chengzu is loyal or traitorous. At this time, you have no means to restrain others. Go His army is putting his life in his hands. If Yizhou is conquered, he will also have the idea of coercion and want to establish himself as the king and separatist power."
Sima Rongqi said coldly: "I think it's the generals of the Beifu who don't want us, the Sima clan, to make contributions on our own. You are a warlord in troubled times and are not restricted, but are you generals restricted? Really? Are you restricting His Majesty now, or can His Majesty restrict you?"
The expressions of Liu Yi and He Wuji suddenly darkened, and the palace fell into an unspeakable embarrassment.
Sima Rongqi gritted his teeth and said to Sima Dewen: "Your Majesty, Yang Chengzu and his men were personally found by my son. I believe in his vision and judgment. Since Liu Guanjun and He Fuguo said that people's hearts are unpredictable, they are sending The sheep enters the tiger's mouth, so I, the old sheep, and my son, the little sheep, are willing to just enter the tiger's mouth. In the face of a national crisis, sitting on the top of the world's most powerful soldiers, but sitting back and watching the country fall for various reasons, I can't stand it anymore. . When General Zu Ti’s three thousand disciples crossed the river and recovered the mountains and rivers of the Central Plains, I, Sima Rongqi, am not very talented, but I am willing to lead three thousand righteous men to the west to Bashu, and I will die without regrets. I also ask your majesty and the king to do it. "
Sima Dewen frowned and was about to speak. Suddenly, Sima Dezong let out a "cuckoo" sound. Sima Dewen quickly turned around, squatted in front of the bed, pricked up his ears, nodded repeatedly, and waited until Sima Dezong Dezong stopped speaking. When he turned around and fell asleep again, Sima Dewen said seriously: "Your Majesty has a purpose. The King of Gaomi is commendable for his loyalty and bravery, and he should support it. As for the concerns of Liu Guanjun and He Fuguo, they are also in the situation. Now, the King of Gaomi is specially ordered to Sima Rongqi was the governor of Yizhou and the governor of Liangzhou, the military governor of Yi, Liang and Ning, the envoy Chijie, the governor of Yang Chengzu's department, the Hanjia prefect Feng Qian's department, the Fuling prefect Wen Chumao's department, and the Badong prefect Shiyan. The ancestral troops gathered five thousand troops and marched westward to Shu. They took advantage of the situation and could do it cheaply. Yang Chengzu was the Sima of Yizhou, and the rest of the generals temporarily followed their own troops according to their duties. Five days later, they met at Baidi City."
Sima Rongqi and his son were overjoyed. They looked at each other and shouted at the same time: "Long live my emperor, long live, long live my emperor."
Sima Dewen looked at Liu Yi and said: "Let's leave it like this for the Western Expedition. We will not use the military power here in Jiangling, nor will we mobilize any soldiers of the Western Expedition Army. Next, we will use Jiangling as bait to lure Huan." Now, General Lao Guanjun has arranged for an army to escort His Majesty back east. We will wait for your good news in Xunyang."
Liu Yi smiled slightly: "I obey the order."
