"Father, it is useless to sigh for this plan. Our dynasty is already in the most dangerous situation. If we want to protect our country and the ancestral temple, we need to take effective measures to resist the army!"
The person who spoke was Meng Chang's eldest son, King Meng Xuanzhe of Qin. He inherited his father's genes and was very handsome. He was not more than twenty years old. He was smart, savvy, and elegant in manners. He was always loved by Meng Chang. He was like the country of Later Shu. If Zuo Neng is longer, he must belong to the prince. Due to the crisis of his family and country, his young face also looked very solemn.
Listening to what he said, Meng Chang was still kind to his beloved son, but his face was sad and his tone was full of dejection: "The strong troops in the north and the dangerous pass cannot stop the Han army. With the current situation in Chengdu, what can we do?"
Seeing Meng Chang's performance, Meng Xuanzhe couldn't help but feel a gloomy look in his mind, and said in a deep voice: "I thought that at this time, we might gather troops to go north for reinforcements, or gather soldiers, food and fodder, and hold on to Chengdu. Waiting for Tuo to change. If nothing is done, the army and people of Chengdu will collapse, and the Han army can roll up their armor and enter the city!"
"General Zhao, how many troops and horses are there in Chengdu?" Meng Xuanzhe asked a general standing in front of the emperor.
"Back to Your Highness, there are still more than 30,000 imperial troops in Chengdu, plus the Pingli troops brought back by the general and the troops mobilized from various states..." Zhao Jiwen thought for a while and gave a rough number.
Forced by the strong front of the Han army, the Hou Shu court reached a "consensus" with the rebel Xiu people in Tongling and Rong prefectures and simply granted the two prefectures to them, thereby extinguishing the more than 8,000 soldiers under Zhao Jiwen's command. , all were transferred back to Chengdu to strengthen defense.
As the generals in the north died, were captured, or surrendered, in Chengdu, Zhao Jiwen suddenly became one of the top generals protecting the country, supporting Qiancheng. Of course, whether Zhao Jiwen is willing to be the general who protects the sky in this situation is unknown to others.
Currently, among Chengdu's armies, only Zhao Jiwen's "Pingzhi Army" has some combat strength. After all, it has nine months of combat experience with the Li people from Lingzhou and Rongzhou.
"With this army of 30,000, if we can transfer all the troops, horses, money, and food from the northern states, and recruit young men and women from Chengdu and the surrounding areas to join the army, the total Han army will be only more than 60,000, coming from thousands of miles away, and after a series of battles, the division will be The veterans are tired, we may not be able to hold on to Chengdu and retreat!" Meng Xuanzhe said.
However, Meng Chang seemed a little indifferent to his suggestion. What a beautiful and grand blueprint Wang Zhaoyuan had sketched for him at the beginning, and what a complete plan to conquer the Han Dynasty. As a result, he was defeated and captured, and lost his troops and territory. This guy is just a tall guy with a hairless mouth. How can he take his words seriously?
After pondering for a while, Meng Chang continued to ask Ouyang Jiong: "What about the defense situation in the east?"
After hearing the question, Ouyang Jiong's voice became lower and he said: "Since the fall of Kuizhou and the defeat of Yun'an, there has been no new war situation. But it can be expected that the military strength in eastern Sichuan is weak, and the states will fall one after another, and the Han Dynasty will The army should be on its way up the river..."
After listening to his words, Meng Chang's expression added a layer of despair. He pondered for a long time, raised his head with some difficulty, and looked at the two prime ministers Li Hao and Wu Zhaoyi: "Sheji is in danger. Second Minister. , why don’t you speak?”
After hearing the question, the two looked at each other. Wu Zhaoyi leaned on his old body and said softly: "Your Majesty, since the army was launched in the Northern Han Dynasty, we have been defeated in consecutive battles. We have lost all our elites. We are on the verge of losing all our food, grass and soldiers. The losses are uncalculated. Within Chengdu, people's hearts are floating, and outside Chengdu, chaos occurs frequently. Although the city is solid and there are still tens of thousands of soldiers and horses within the territory, they have failed in their ambitions and cannot be used..."
Wu Zhaoyi talked for a long time, which seemed very nagging. He repeated the situation that everyone present was basically familiar with. It was worthless and highlighted a tact. When it fell into Meng Chang's ears, it was like a fly, buzzing and making him feel bored. Looking at Wu Zhaoyi, Dong Heng is old and decrepit. He is no longer as wise as before, and he suddenly has a clearer understanding of these ministers.
In fact, at this time, Wu Zhaoyi was filled with regrets for not resigning earlier and returning to his hometown to take care of himself and enjoy his old age. So now, the country is in critical condition, but someone has resigned rashly, ruining his "Qing" reputation for a lifetime, and can only accompany the Hou Shu Dynasty, which has been loyal to him for decades, to complete the final journey...
Meng Chang looked at Li Hao again. The man lowered his head slightly and said with a guilty look, "Your Majesty, I don't know about military matters. You should listen to General Zhao's opinion on this matter of guarding the Han Dynasty!"
Well, kick the ball to Zhao Jiwen, the "Qingtian Arm Helper". In his heart, Li Hao felt that he could vote, but he did not want to say it out loud. It was the emperor's decision to protect the "late festival". In addition, based on his understanding of Meng Chang, he would not choose to fight to the end. Only when Meng Chang speaks can he obey the edict...
His eyes fell on Zhao Jiwen. Zhao Jiwen seemed to be somewhat arrogant and said bluntly: "Your Majesty, if the entire Han army comes, I cannot guarantee that they will retreat in the field, but as His Highness the King of Qin said, if we concentrate our strength and defend the city, we may be able to do so. But I can’t guarantee whether we can stop the Han army!”
After hearing what he said, Meng Chang was a little moved and said to Zhao Jiwen: "What Zhao Qing said shows his sincerity. I worship you as the defense envoy of the capital. All armies inside and outside Chengdu will be under your command and control, and you will be fully responsible for defending the Han Dynasty. !”
This is handing over all military power to Zhao Jiwen, which shows trust. Zhao Jiwen was also stunned, but he still prostrated himself. He was moved and solemnly said: "Thank you for your trust, Your Majesty! I will do my best!"
"Whether the country can continue and whether the ancestral temple can be preserved depends on Zhao Qing!" Meng Chang regained some energy, spoke emotionally, and said to Zhao Jiwen.
Meng Chang once said similar words to Wang Zhaoyuan before going north.
Zhao Jiwen felt this and said seriously: "Yes!"
However, after walking out of the palace, he was blown by the cold autumn wind, and his hot blood couldn't help but cool down. He couldn't help but think to himself: "I never thought that I, Zhao Jiwen, would be where I am today, with the support of the sky and the power in my hands... .”
But, in this situation, what is the use of this power?
But if you think about it seriously, it’s really useful! At least it holds the military power in Chengdu, and the Han army is a capital, whether it is fighting or surrendering. As for helping the Meng family resist the Han Dynasty, even if Zhao Jiwen had the intention, he couldn't do it!
In this case, Yi Shen cannot be allowed to return to Chengdu. Otherwise, if the emperor's relatives are allowed to lead troops back, he may not be the one who makes the decision...
While Zhao Jiwen was having complicated thoughts, Meng Chang and his son were still sitting opposite each other in the back hall. The candlelight in the palace looked dim and dim, and when it shone on Meng Chang's face, there was no sign of hope.
"Father, you hand over all the military power to Zhao Jiwen. Can Zhao Jiwen take on this important task? You know, he can't even pacify the barbarians in Ling and Rong prefectures. How can he be the opponent of the Han army?" Meng Xuanzhe said to Meng Chang. .
Seeing his beloved son's worried expression, Meng Chang showed a little relief. He leaned on the throne with an attitude of giving up and said to Meng Xuanzhe: "But besides Zhao Jiwen, who else in Chengdu can do this?" Leading the army? How many soldiers and horses in Chengdu are willing to go into battle for the Meng family, with their bows and arrows fired? In any case, Zhao Jiwen's "Pinghu Army" still has a certain fighting strength and enough power to suppress other soldiers. horse."
"If you were a few years older, my father would have handed over the army to you!" Looking at Meng Xuanzhe, Meng Chang said sadly, and then shook his head violently: "No, it can't be like this! You can't lead Soldiers!"
Meng Chang looked a little excited, his face turned red, and he seemed to be unable to breathe. Meng Xuanzhe hurriedly stepped forward and stroked his back, trying to help him smoothen his breath. He said with concern: "Father, don't be too anxious..."
After regaining his composure, Meng Chang's reddish eyes, with a hint of sad tears, said: "Son! As a father, I know in my heart that the country of Shu cannot be saved, and the foundation created by your grandfather will be destroyed in my hands.
Since ancient times, the land of Shu has never been a country of long-lasting protection. Even if it is separated and independent, the Central Plains will be strong and troops will be drawn from the west. At that time, I was also excited, intending to follow the example of Marquis Wu in the Northern Expedition, expand the territory, prolong the national destiny, and achieve great achievements. But in the end, the trust was entrusted to no one, resulting in a huge defeat and a loss of national strength.
Think of me, Meng Chang, who has ruled Shu for more than twenty years. I dare not call myself a great ruler, but I consider myself to be kind and courteous to my subjects in Shu. However, what makes me sad is that in times of crisis, no one of so many ministers is willing to be loyal to Shu.
Lord Lu Lu, there was silence. Do they think I can't see it? They are already waiting for the fall of Shu, waiting to fall into the arms of the Northern Han Dynasty, and are even ready to welcome the Han army into the city..."
Meng Chang's words became more exciting and sentimental as he spoke. When Meng Xuanzhe heard this, he couldn't help but choke up. He knelt down in front of Meng Chang and opened his mouth, but he didn't know what to say.
After finally regaining his composure, Meng Chang wiped away the tears and snot from his face, and without caring about his image, he said to Meng Xuanzhe: "Shu may be about to perish, but the Meng family still needs to survive. I will tell you the truth as a father." If the Han army comes, if you can't take it, surrender in order to save your life!"
After hearing Zheng Zheng's words, Meng Xuanzhe stood up, rubbed his red eyes, and asked, "Has father decided?"
"Do you think the current situation in the country can save the situation?" Meng Chang asked.
Meng Xuanzhe sighed.
Seeing this, Meng Chang said to him seriously: "I will give you the command of all the imperial guards in the palace to protect the imperial city to avoid accidents! My son, the Meng family, your grandmother, your father, and your My brothers and sisters are all dependent on you to protect them!"
Taking a deep breath to calm down his sad emotions, Meng Xuanzhe said: "Yes!"
Just after the Mid-Autumn Festival night, bad news came again from the north. Yi Shenzheng was defeated by Brazil again and led the remaining troops to retreat to Luojiang. When the Han army reached Deyang, Yi Shenzheng stopped running and simply surrendered. At this point, more than 70,000 Shu troops in the north were all killed and captured by the Han army.
When the Han army reached Deyang, it was only 150 miles away from Chengdu, and it could be reached by Han cavalry in one day. Of course, what shocked the Chengdu court even more was an army coming from the east, an army arriving in the eastern suburbs of Chengdu.
This was the East Route Han Army led by Zhao Kuangyin personally, which made a long-distance attack on Chengdu. Although there were only a few thousand people, it also had the effect of a magical force descending from the sky, and the shock to Chengdu was even stronger.
