"Don't worry, Your Majesty, I will do my best to satisfy the Han Emperor!" Sun Guangxian's face was full of generosity.
The friendship between the two masters and ministers always smelled of "plastic". On the side, Liang Tingsi opened his mouth, but did not make a sound. Looking at his expression, he seemed to want to go with Sun Guangxian.
"But!" Gao Baorong couldn't help but hesitate and said: "Now that the Han cavalry is approaching and the troops are approaching the city, how can we solve this immediate worry?"
This is a heavy topic, but for this minister, it is the most pressing issue. However, Sun Guangxian seemed to be a scheming person. Since he suggested surrender, he also had comprehensive considerations about surrender.
Although he was also surprised by the rapid movement of the Han army, he was not panicked. Hearing Gao Baorong's question, he said directly: "Your Majesty, please close the gates tightly and defend Jiangling. Although the Han army's cavalry and armor are powerful, it is difficult to break through the fortified city.
At the same time, people were sent out of the city to reward the army with hard work. After going down to the north and going to Tokyo, the king sent another person to the central army to get in touch with Commander Murong and expressed his intention to surrender and offer his land. He only wanted to get the emperor's decree first before he could open the gate of Jiangling! "
After a slight pause, Sun Guangxian continued: "Your Majesty, Murong Dushuai has a strategic plan, knows the general situation, takes care of the general situation, and may be concerned about the situation. However, the Han cavalry who attacked first are eager to make achievements. I closed the city and guarded it for fear of discord and anger. Han generals can ask the Han envoy Cao Bin to act as a central liaison to calm the troops and avoid misunderstandings!"
"Okay! Mr. Sun is such a wise minister!" Gao Baorong felt much more at ease.
"Your Majesty, the sentry post reported that thousands of imperial cavalry are heading south rapidly, probably less than ten miles away from the city!" During the discussion, a city gate military academy got the news and hurriedly came to report.
Gao Baorong couldn't sit still anymore, stood up as if his butt was burning, stretched out his hand and said urgently: "Go to the hotel to invite Cao Bin, the Han envoy!"
He then looked around at the ministers and said, "Master Sun is going to Kaifeng. Who among you is willing to pay a visit to Murong Yanzhao on my behalf?"
"It's better for me to go!" Gao Baoxu sighed and stood up.
"General Mo is willing to go together as a guard!" Liang Tingsi said hurriedly.
Gao Baorong seemed to love his brother, so he couldn't help but worry, and said to Gao Baoxu: "You are not in good health, and the safety of this trip is uncertain..."
"My brother already has the intention to donate his land, and he is sincere. How can the court harm him? Besides, I can represent the Gao family by going to show my sincerity!" Gao Baoxu said calmly after coughing for a lifetime.
After hearing this, Gao Baorong nodded.
Without waiting too long, Cao Bin was more humbly invited from the hotel into the lobby of the palace. After briefly glancing at the depression in the room, Cao Bin's calm eyes suddenly became clearer, and his expression became more and more calm. He cupped his hands and said to Gao Baorong: "I will be at the hotel at the end. I haven't rested for long yet. I wonder why the king called me here. Could it be that we have already discussed it? Okay? I don’t know how to reply?”
Seeing that Cao Bin had some ideas, Gao Baorong immediately said: "The imperial court wants to suppress the rebellion in Hunan. As a vassal of the Han Dynasty, I, the Gao family, should do my best to help. There is no need to discuss the matter of borrowing the road! Gu then gave the order to let Troops will be stationed at water and land checkpoints along the way to allow the army to pass without any obstruction."
Noting that Cao Bin's expression was calm and not much excited, Gao Baorong could not help but feel a little disappointed. Gao Baorong continued: "I have decided to obey the Han Dynasty and sent the Prime Minister Sun Guangxian to Tokyo to meet the emperor and discuss the matter of donating the land... ..
However, now the Han cavalry is approaching Jiangling. The army is majestic. The soldiers and people of Jiangling have not seen weapons for many years. In order to avoid the fear of the common people, the vanguard soldiers are also invited to temporarily station outside the city.
However, there was no acquaintance in the city, so in order to avoid misunderstanding, I prepared some gifts for the army, hoping that the general would come out of the city and comfort him on his behalf. If things can come true, I will be grateful! "
After listening to Gao Baorong's words, Cao Bin basically understood his feelings and why the minister was so urgent and cramped. The expression of his eyebrows did not change much, but the corner of his mouth slightly raised, he thought for a moment, and responded: "Since the king has a heart of submission, how dare the general dare to brush him off. However, if you want to leave the city to appease the army, you still need a gift!"
"General, please speak!" Hearing this, Gao Baorong looked slightly relieved and said hurriedly: "Whether it is gold, silver, treasures, rare treasures, as long as Jiangling City has them, I will not begrudge them!"
"The general doesn't need any rare treasures! For the king, it's even easier to get them!" Cao Bin shook his head slightly.
"General, please speak!" Gao Baorong said.
"I heard that Zhou Ni's envoy is in Jiangling City. Since the king is a loyal member of the court, it is inappropriate to get involved with the traitors. If it spreads, it will not be a good thing for the king..." Cao Bin said in a dark tone.
Cao Bin didn't quite understand what he said, but Gao Baorong seemed to have an idea. Without hesitation, he raised his hand and ordered sternly: "Come here, go get the head of the Chu envoy immediately!"
Hundreds of light cavalry came multiple times, rolling up a cloud of dust and smoke, and arrived a hundred feet north of Jiangling City. Shi Yanchao, the deputy commander of the cavalry army, took the lead in person, reining in his horse and squinting slightly as he looked at the situation above and below the city wall.
Shi Yanchao originally served in the Longjie Army of the Guard Division. After the southern expedition to Huainan, he was promoted to the Palace Front Division due to his merit. In recent years, senior generals of the Forbidden Army have been transferred in this way. During this southern expedition, it took a lot of effort to compete with a group of generals to compete for the opportunity to join the expedition.
Although there were only a few hundred riders who took the lead in knocking down the gate, Jiangling City looked a little helpless under the sunset. The city gate opened, and a team of carriages and horses slowly came out. The carriages and horses were loaded with rice, noodles, wine, meat and other reward materials.
Cao Bin took the lead and came galloping over, carrying a box in his hand. Because of Guo Wei, Shi Yanchao knew Cao Bin, and when he saw him, he relaxed his guard a little.
"General Cao Bin, meet the general!"
"Guohua! What are you doing?" Shi Yanchao looked him up and down, then pointed at the army troop under the city and asked, "What does Jiangling mean?"
"When the general's troops arrived, his prestige was so great that the civil and military forces in Jiangling were frightened. They specially prepared a batch of wine and meat to reward the army. Afraid of the general's power, he specially asked me to contact him on his behalf. I hope the cavalry can be temporarily stationed outside the city!" Cao Bin spoke easily! Di explained to Shi Yanchao.
"Oh?" Shi Yanchao responded disdainfully, noticed the box in Cao Bin's hand, and asked, "What kind of gift did Gao Baorong give you?"
"It's just the head of Zhou Xingfeng's envoy!" Cao Bin said.
Shi Yanchao was slightly surprised, then smiled: "Well, Cao Guohua, you must have contributed to the capture of Jiangling!"
Cao Bin looked unconcerned and turned around and asked: "Why did the general come with only a few hundred horses?"
"I'm impatient, so I'm just going ahead. The team is still behind and will be here shortly!" Shi Yanchao responded.
Turning his eyes to Jiangling City again and paying attention to the open city gate, Shi Yanchao subconsciously lowered his voice and said, "How is the defense of Jiangling City? Can you just break in?"
Shi Yanchao's eyes erupted with a cold light like a hungry wolf. He has a good reputation in the Han army, with strong martial arts skills and fearless death. Although he only has a few hundred horses at this time, he plans to rush to Jiangling City when he sees the opportunity.
Seeing this, Cao Bin quickly shook his head and said: "There are still tens of thousands of defenders in Jiangling City, and there are naval forces to support them. They have been prepared for it. Even if they charge in, they will be defeated by ten times the enemy. Furthermore, the general has to travel twice the distance. Come, the soldiers are tired and unfit for battle!"
"What a pity!" Hearing this, Shi Yanchao frowned and couldn't help but sigh.
"How about borrowing the road? Gao Baorong won't refuse the imperial court, right?" Although it was a pity that he had captured the city, Shi Yanchao was still more concerned about business matters.
Cao Bin said: "There are many civil and military officials in Jingnan who are knowledgeable and rational. Gao Baorong has already expressed his intention to surrender his land!"
"In that case, why don't you open the door and welcome the army in?" Shi Yanchao said with dissatisfaction in his tone.
"Gao Baorong wants to send envoys to Tokyo and Xiangyang to discuss this matter!" Cao Bin said in a guessing tone: "General, after a little speculation, Gao Baorong wants to use Jiangling to ask for some preferential treatment from the imperial court. The imperial court has not yet When the edict comes, he will not sacrifice the city easily!"
"The military situation is urgent. We are worried that our army will not be able to reach Pinghu and Hunan if we march south. This Gao family still has such selfish motives to delay our army!" Shi Yanchao scolded angrily.
Cao Bin shook his head, and there was a cold light in his eyes: "General Yimo, I will station myself outside the city, accept his reward, and continue to intimidate Jiangling. Report the situation here to the Chinese army! Thousands of cavalry, It’s difficult to break through the fortified city, but when the commander-in-chief’s army arrives, Gao Baorong will have no choice but to do so!”
