After listening to the opinions of his staff and officials, Zhao Junsheng agreed to Sima Chuzhi's condition of listening to the mediation and not listening to the announcement, and thus the two sides formed this special subordinate relationship.

Next, the two sides discussed the dispatch of troops. In fact, in the days when Zhao Junsheng deliberately left Mu Qian in the post house, and in the days when Li Ji was ordered by Mu Qian to discuss the conditions, Zhao Junsheng had already ordered the army to assemble and prepare for the expedition.

In these days, a large amount of military rations have been produced, a large amount of military supplies have been transported to the north bank of the Yellow River, and the 50,000 cadres and horses have been assembled.

On the night of the second day after Li Ji and Mu Qian negotiated the conditions, in the backyard of the General's Mansion.

Charcoal burned in the brazier in the room, and the heat emitted by the red charcoal warmed the room.

Hua Mulan sat on the embroidered stool at the table sewing coarse cloth socks, "How did I hear that Sima Chuzhi's envoy proposed that his daughter marry you as a princess, why didn't you agree?" ”

Zhao Junsheng, who was reading a book, said: "Why did I listen to your words with sour vinegar? Didn't I say yes? I already have a princess, Sima Chuzhi's daughter can only be a small one when she marries, he is afraid that he will not be willing, obviously he has no face! Besides, if I dare to marry the little one, you still don't want to split me alive? I don't dare! ”

"Don't, don't say that, I don't want to fall into the notoriety of being jealous, I won't stop you if you want to marry a concubine, otherwise outsiders will think that I am alone and will not let you marry a concubine, this is not a good reputation!"

Zhao Junsheng hurriedly said: "It's my problem, it's because I don't want to take a concubine, it has nothing to do with you!" By the way, in two days, I will lead troops south to reinforce Sima Chuzhi, will you stay at home or go with me? ”

Mulan was surprised: "I'll go with you?" What about the son? ”

Zhao Junsheng said: "If you want to go, and you can't bear your son, you can take your son with you, and our family will go, although this is not a tour of the mountains and rivers, but there is no danger, and it is not to let you two go into battle to kill the enemy." This time, I brought 50,000 soldiers and horses, plus the garrison troops from Jizhou, Dingzhou, and Yingzhou, totaling more than 80,000 people. In the Chinese army, it's hard for you to die even if you want to! ”

Hua Mulan was quite moved, turned her head to look at her sleeping son, turned back to Zhao Junsheng and said, "This is what you said, it's not that I want to go with you in vain!" Don't say I'm playful and ignorant."

Zhao Junsheng said: "As long as you don't run around with your son, I will definitely not talk too much, and others will not talk too much!" ”

From ancient times to the present, the commander of the army will definitely not bring his wife and children with his troops to fight, and the superior will not allow it, but the emperor or the king will not take his wife and children with him, although he will not necessarily bring his wife and children, but he will definitely bring a woman, because the emperor or the king needs a woman to serve, which is also a privilege.

Hua Mulan said: "It's not that I haven't fought before, how can I not know that the battle is dangerous, how can I run away with my son, and what if I encounter the enemy?" ”

"Well, now that you know, it's settled!"

After the news spread, Dongfang Chen, Cui Hao, Gao Yun and other cadres came to persuade them, thinking that this was too child's play and really dangerous.

However, Zhao Junsheng insisted on going his own way, and no matter how others persuaded him, he couldn't change his decision.

Hua Mulan herself wondered, why did Zhao Junsheng take the initiative to let her take her son to the south with the army this time? This is not in line with common sense, although it is said that there are 80,000 troops with you, it is difficult to get injured, but the soldiers are in danger of fighting, what if something happens?

It wasn't until the 50,000 army set off under the command of Zhao Junsheng that Hua Mulan couldn't help but ask him: "Brother Junsheng, you asked me to take my son to the south with the army this time, this is not normal, you refused to lead troops to fight before, why did you take the initiative this time?" ”

Zhao Junsheng raised his finger to his mouth: "Shhhh ”

"I don't understand!"

"That's right if you don't understand, stop asking questions about this matter!"

Mulan's questioning was fruitless, so she had to stop dwelling on this matter.

This road is their own territory, and for more than a year, some bandits and bandits entrenched in the jurisdiction have been almost wiped out by the soldiers of various states and counties, and the security is far better than that of other princes.

Before the army could be mobilized, a large amount of military supplies had been transported to the south, and a large part of the garrison troops in Dingzhou, Yingzhou, and Jizhou were dispatched to the north bank of the Yellow River to assemble and collect boats to cross the river.

In order to guard against Du Chao in Jeju and Du Gui in Xiangzhou, Zhao Junsheng left 10,000 soldiers in Jizhou, plus the state and county soldiers in Jizhou and Dingzhou.

When Zhao Junsheng led an army of 50,000 and arrived at the north bank of the Yellow River first, the total strength of the troops reached 80,000, which frightened Du Chao and Du Gui father and son, the territory of the father and son was on the edge of the 80,000 army, Zhao Junsheng only had to turn around, whether it was to the west or southwest to cross the river, these two people would be scared.

On November 12, Zhao Junsheng led his army to the north bank of the Yellow River, and on the other side of the river was Linyi in Qizhou.

The weather is very cold, everything is depressed, and there is a solemn atmosphere between heaven and earth.

The sky was overcast, and the cold wind howled, blowing on the face like a knife.

Zhao Junsheng stood outside the tent and looked up, and said to Dongfang Chen and Cui Hao: "You calculate, is it likely to snow in the next few days?" ”

Dongfang Chen and Cui Hao glanced at each other, their faces looked very helpless, Dongfang Chen arched his hand and said: "King, we will only observe the stars, divination and predict good luck, not weather changes!" ”

"Don't you claim to know astronomy and geography, five hundred years before and five hundred years later? How can you predict the weather? ”

Dongfang Chen and Cui Hao told each other again and again: "The ministers are only shallow in their studies, how can they dare to know the reputation of five hundred years after five hundred years?" This is just a rumor spread by the people in the market, if the ministers and others have such skills, won't they become immortals? ”

Zhao Junsheng waved his hand, and the look of ridicule just now gradually disappeared, and ordered: "Pass the order, make a fire to cook tomorrow, and set off to cross the river on ice at the end of the day!" ”

The vanguard came two days earlier than the main force, and has been collecting ships for the past two days, but at the current speed, I am afraid that it will take several days to collect enough ships, but Zhao Junsheng ordered to cross the river on ice tomorrow, could it be that the Yellow River will freeze tonight?

The strategists and officials of the army did not have the ability to predict the weather, they did not know where Zhao Junsheng would be so confident that the river would freeze tonight, but the order was still conveyed, and more than 80,000 officers and men of all armies were preparing to cross the river.

The next day, the barracks was lively, and a large number of torches and fires were lit in the camp, and although the cold wind was howling, it could not stop the fire in the hearts of the soldiers, because it was really snowing that night.

The goose-feathered snow flew all over the sky, and overnight the earth turned white, and the Yellow River froze, and the river surface formed a thick layer of ice.

Inside the tent, the lights are bright. Zhao Junsheng sat on the maza, the basket on the table was piled with a mountain of steaming meat buns, Zhao Junsheng held a pottery bowl, the pottery bowl was a bowl of mutton bone soup, he nibbled on the meat buns, and drank a mouthful of soup.

Mulan wrapped her thick fur in her son, Zhao Dong, who had not yet woken up and yawned, walked over and sat next to Zhao Junsheng, while the guards next to her scooped up two bowls of steaming mutton soup in a soup bucket and placed them in front of her.

Gao Xu, Cao Jiao, Chang Kun, Yuan He and other military generals sat opposite and on both sides.

Zhao Junsheng nibbled on the big meat bun and said, "Cao Jiao, this king will give you 20,000 people, and you can act cheaply under the condition of ensuring that this king's retreat is not cut off!" Especially this ferry, in any case, it must be ensured that it is guarded by at least three thousand men! ”

Cao Jiao was eating steamed buns, and when he heard this, his mouth didn't move, and he raised his head and asked, "What the king said about acting cheaply is what he said······ If the situation permits or the time is ripe, can the last general attack Sangju or Jeju? ”

Zhao Junsheng took a sip of the hot mutton soup, took a map and looked at it, handed it to Cao Jiao and said: "From here to the southwest for a day's march, cross the river to the south is the Jeju Governor's Fortress, and the army can cross the river by crossing the ice to kill the city under the city!" But from here to the northwest is the city of Jeju, in order to guard against our army, Du Chao deployed heavy troops in the county, if you want to attack the city, you have to guard against the Jeju army in the city to attack your back! ”

Cao Jiao took the map and looked at it, looked up and asked, "King, how many cavalry are there among the 20,000 people?" ”

"Five thousand, four thousand light horsemen, one thousand heavy horsemen!"

Cao Jiao drank the sheep soup in the bowl in one gulp, and said while putting away the map: "Enough!" The last general will then gather his troops and prepare to set off."

"What's the hurry, do you think you can lead the army to set off now and go down to the city in a battle? Then you underestimate Du Chao too much, he is very guarded against us. Besides, if you have taken all 20,000 people with you, how can you be responsible if the king's back road is cut off? ”

Cao Jiao touched his head in embarrassment, sneered and sat down again, "The king is right, to attack Jeju or Sangju, you must wait until the time is ripe."

Hua Mulan put her son on the pony next to her, took a bun for her son, and let him nibble on it himself, she picked up a bowl of mutton soup and drank it, gnawed on the bun and said: "We also have to guard against Du Chao and Du Gui colluding with the Southern Korean side, taking the initiative to attack our jurisdiction and cut off the back road of our army!" ”

Zhao Junsheng nodded: "It's not that this is not possible, so I have ordered Zhang Xing to sit in Xindu, as long as Du Gui dares to move, he will immediately send troops south to attack Yecheng!" Cao Jiao, you not only have to keep an eye on Du Chao, but also Du Gui in Xiangzhou, your task is not light! ”

At this time, Dongfang Chen and Cui Hao walked into the handsome tent from the outside, Dongfang Chen said with a smile: "If Du Chao Du Gui and his son dare to make a move, this is the best for the king, now Xiangzhou, Jizhou and the king are still subordinate to the Great Wei Dynasty, if we take the lead in attacking, it will leave people with a mouthful, but if Du Gui starts with us first, the king will use this as an excuse to counterattack, we can let Sima Chuzhi give up Qizhou for the time being, first withdraw to the north bank of the Yellow River with the main force of the army, and resist the army of the Southern Dynasty with a small number of troops according to the natural danger of the Yellow River, Then concentrate the superior forces to solve Du Gui and take Xiangzhou! If it is freezing today, as long as the Yellow River is frozen, the king's iron cavalry can cross the river on the ice at any time, and it is the soldiers and horses of the Southern Dynasty who should be frightened! ”