Jincheng, the capital of Silla.
"The Goguryeo people marched southward in large numbers, and the Baekje bandits moved northward, forming a pincer attack on the cities along the Han River!" The officer in charge of the explanation told the story while using a bamboo stick to draw out the situation between the enemy and ourselves on the map hanging on the wall.
Jin Renwen's eyes followed the bamboo sticks. In his eyes, those simple lines, arrows, and dots of different colors turned into steep mountains, wide rivers, narrow valleys, vast fields, villages, and fortresses. , mountain city, and lines of troops.
When Jin Renwen was still a child, he followed his father to participate in these dangerous journeys, the checkpoints and fortresses that were intertwined with the Goguryeo and Baekje people, the food transport trails that could be attacked at any time, the scent of rosin and the smell of blood Mixed air. He was so familiar with that land that even if he closed his eyes, he could picture everything that was happening in his mind.
"Second brother, second brother?" Jin Famin noticed that Jin Renwen was in a trance and asked in a low voice, "What's wrong with you?"
"Nothing!" Jin Renwen smiled: "I just remembered some things in the past when I followed my father around the cities on the Han River!"
"That's it!" A trace of jealousy flashed in Jin Famin's eyes: "Second brother, if you didn't tell me, I almost forgot. Since you know so much about the situation over there, I will leave it to you to assist the cities on the Han River this time. Bar?"
Jin Renwen raised his head, and his brother turned his head to avoid looking at him. The next second he guessed Jin Famin's intention, but Jin Renwen did not argue, but bowed his head respectfully: "My brother, I obey!"
The meeting was over, everyone had left, and there were only two people left in the room. Jin Famin pressed his hands on the armrests, feeling like he was sitting on pins and needles.
"Did I say something wrong just now? I shouldn't have let Renwen go. It makes me jealous of him!"
"You are already the king of Silla!" Jin Yuxin said slowly: "The king has a golden tongue and will not make mistakes unless he is no longer the king!"
"No longer the king?" Jin Famin shuddered: "Father-in-law, what do you mean-?"
"I don't mean anything!" Jin Yuxin said slowly and calmly: "Famin, you are now on the throne as a king. You have to understand one thing. Unless you do something stupid, no one can take you down from above. Pull it down! Suspicion of one's own brother for no reason is the most common stupid thing a king does!"
Jin Famin lowered his head. He felt ashamed of what he had done. His father left everything to himself, but he was jealous of his younger brother who was a hostage in the Tang Dynasty. Maybe he was a better candidate.
"But you were not wrong this time!"
"What?" Jin Famin raised his head in surprise.
"Renwen is the best person to command the reinforcements!" Jin Yuxin said: "He understands the Tang people's plans better and can better mediate the conflicts between the two armies!"
"Yeah!" Jin Famin felt better after his father-in-law's words. He hesitated and asked in a low voice, "Do you think the Tang people can succeed this time?"
"I don't know!" Jin Yuxin shook his head: "But no matter who wins or loses, Goguryeo will become weaker. After all, the war is fought on their soil!"
Jin Famin nodded. War is the cruelest thing. In order to defeat the enemy, kings and generals will do anything they can, burning towns and villages, digging dikes, letting horses eat and trample crops, snatching or killing livestock, Men and women were allowed to starve to death. Since the battlefield was on the land of the Goguryeo people, the Tang people had no scruples. After this battle, Goguryeo will lose at least one-fifth of its household registrations.
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Silla!" Jin Yuxin's voice was lifeless, just like his withered arms. Jin Yuxin was eight years older than the recently deceased Jin Chunqiu. Time has taken away the loud voice of his youth. His extraordinary physical strength and jet-black hair did not dull his mind. Time is like a whetstone, polishing his wisdom sharper, more direct, and crueler.
"The war is going on in the land of the Baekje and Goguryeo people. The longer it goes on, the weaker they become. Yes, we are bleeding too, but compared to the Baekje and Goguryeo people, the blood we shed is much less. More! Your Majesty, do you understand?"
"Understood!" Jin Famin's heart was filled with gratitude, both to the old man in front of him and to his father who had passed away. It was the hard work of the two of them over the years that led to today's situation, and he must not miss it. The opportunity before them failed them.
"Very good!" There was a hint of excitement in Jin Yuxin's withered voice: "Your Majesty, when I was fourteen years old, that is, the year before I joined the Hwarang disciples, Baekje and Goguryeo invaded our country. In my anger, I walked into the mountains alone, hoping to find a way to save the country. Looking back now, it’s a bit funny. A half-year-old child walked into the mountains to think hard about how to save the country, and what could he come up with?
Hey, that happened fifty years ago. It was really like a dream. My father saw Baekje destroyed, but he didn’t see Goguryeo destroyed, let alone Silla, who could unify the three kingdoms. My virtuous son-in-law, I hope you can let me see it with my own eyes and tell Brother Chunqiu all this when I go underground! "
"My son-in-law understands!" Jin Famin stood up and bowed deeply to Jin Yuxin: "Famin will never forget the hard work of you and my late father. Putting the country first, he annihilated the two thieves of Baekje and Goguryeo and completed the unification of the three kingdoms. great cause!"
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Chang'an, Daxing City, Taiji Palace.
Li Zhi raised his head and closed his eyes to relieve the increasingly serious dizziness. Seeing this, the eunuch on the side quickly tiptoed forward and gently kneaded the emperor's forehead and temples. This made Li Zhi feel better. After a few days of this, After a few minutes, he felt that he could continue working, and he patted the deputy of the dragon chair gently. The eunuch quickly stopped massaging and silently stepped aside, allowing the emperor to continue reviewing the documents.
The candlelight shines on the document, and the words seem to be jumping. Li Zhi closed his eyes and rested for a while, but the situation did not improve. He had to put down the brush in his hand: "Let's stop here tonight!"
"Yes!" The eunuch standing by waved his hand, asking the young eunuch to pack up the documents, and asked in a low voice: "Are the officials going to the queen's place to rest tonight?"
"Queen?" Li Zhi frowned slightly. He hesitated for a moment and then shook his head: "That's all, let's stay in the side hall tonight!"
"Old slave, you obey!" the eunuch responded, and followed Li Zhi out, got on the chariot, and went to the side hall not far away. After Li Zhi finished washing, he went to bed. Before going to bed, he also gave instructions: "Send a message to the Zhengshitang. If there is urgent military information from Dengzhou and Liaodong, report it as soon as you arrive. No delay." !”
"Old slave understands!"
