Jizhou was originally the smelting place of the Jizhen army, Yezier occupied the official office of Li Zhuo who was acting for official affairs as the palace, and it was also the king of the Southern Expeditionary Army.

In addition to Ye Ji Luorong, Zhou Zhizhong and other generals who delayed military affairs and had to make the trip at the last moment, the generals and ministers summoned by Jixi, Yannan and Yanxi had already rushed to Jizhou one step ahead of them.

Yuan Lishan, Zhang Ximiao, Yang Wenchang and others who surrendered or were captured in the battles of Qingqiangling were also invited to attend.

After the change of the Marquis of Jingbei in the Southern Dynasty, Donghu occupied Liaodong, and under the rule of Yezier, he appointed Hanchen on a large scale, and even opened a branch in Liaodong.

Although Hanchen accounted for nearly half of the people in the court, Hanchen's status was obviously lower, and he was not even as good as the generals from Yanxi Zhuhu and Goryeo.

Liaodong Hanchen is even better, and Liaodi is not divided between Hu and Han. The Yue Dynasty snatched Liaodong from Goryeo, and it took only 100 years to lose Liaodong today. The Han people in Liaodong had nothing to belong to the Southern Dynasty, so they naturally had more trust, and the Han ministers in the hall were also mainly Liao people.

Zhou Zhizhong and other subordinates and generals have a lower status, so they naturally have to form a group and take advantage of each other, but at the same time, they are also worried that they will be suspicious and cause death.

Zhou Zhizhong didn't know Yuan Lishan, Zhang Ximiao, Yang Wenchang and others, he had always led his troops to participate in the war in Yanxi, and he only knew their names and did not see these three people.

Among these three people, in addition to Yang Wenchang's complete surrender, and immediately flattered the new master to persuade Chang Li to abandon the city and surrender, Zhang Ximeng and Yuan Lishan were actually under house arrest, this time for Ye Zier to be forcibly invited to the banquet.

Yuan Lishan sat in his seat, a little uneasy. In the first battle of the Northland, the main force of Hao Zongcheng's department was annihilated, and he led his troops to surround the Qingqiang Ridge, the road was cut off from food, and there was no hope of survival, so he surrendered. After the surrender, Yuan Lishan insisted on not accepting the official position, but he was ruthless and martyred, and he disdained to be close to other generals and traitors.

Yezirorong has a special status, although there is no possibility of inheriting the throne, but Yezir treats him very seriously, and every important occasion, he is on his side.

Ye Ji Luorong looked at Yuan Lishan with his eyes, and asked Ye Zier in a low voice: "He still refuses to surrender and take up the post of general?" ”

Ye Zier shook his head slightly, indicating that he could not compete for the time being.

Ye Ji Luorong smacked his lips regretfully.

Although the Jizhen army successively took Li Zhuo, Hao Zongcheng and others as commanders, Yuan Lishan and Cheng Tinggui were actually the leaders of the generals in Jizhen.

Cheng Tinggui has died in battle, don't talk about him, Yuan Lishan and the Yuan family behind him are the traditional military family of the Yanji border army, and among the generals of Jizhen Town, three or four out of ten are involved with the Yuan family. It is also so deep-rooted, which is the fundamental reason why Li Zhuo cannot finally master the Jizhen Army.

Since the southern expedition, the Jizhen army alone has surrendered more than 60,000 prisoners. Dealing with these people in this way is a great headache for the Yezir people. The mainstream opinion is to imprison the main generals, break up the prisoners, and integrate them into the new Han army units that have established merits and can be used with confidence.

Ye Zier has long determined the principle of subjugating the army by surrendering generals, Zhou Zhizhong, Mo Jiben, Sun Jichang and other former new Han army commanders, since the surrender, there is no dissent, leading the troops to fight very hard, there is little possibility of repeating the heart, can also be used with confidence, but there are very few talented generals who have the ability to block one side.

With the extension of the war, the scale of the new Han army will become larger and larger, and in the later stage, it will be more necessary for the new Han army to stand up and go to the front to support one side.

Compared with the fifty or sixty thousand Jizhen troops scattered and incorporated into the various departments, if Yuan Lishan can really be attached, he can directly get a strong army to use in the battle against Jinhai.

Of course, Yuan Lishan's influence in the Jizhen army was extremely great, and if he had a repetition heart, it would bring extremely bad and terrible consequences; If Yuan Lishan was easily lowered, Ye Zier would not dare to reuse him.

Thinking of how to dispose of or appoint Yuan Lishan, Ye Ji Luorong also had a headache, and he thought to himself: The second child always has something to do in employing people and controlling people's hearts, and this matter is still left to him with a headache.

In a blink of an eye, seeing Zhang Ximiao, who was also under house arrest, sitting there with a calm appearance, Ye Ji Luorong whispered to Ye Zier: "This kind of soft egg goods, and he has no real skills, he is biased towards Yuan Lishan, and he is not as good as Hao Zongcheng's backbone in prison to find death and life-why don't you just kill him and leave him to waste food?" ”

"Hao Zongcheng has backbone, but he is not dead; Zhang Ximiao has no backbone, and he has not really surrendered," Ye Zier shook his head and smiled, and said, "If you want to talk about leading troops to fight or grain support, Zhang Ximiao has no real ability, but whether Yanjing can fight it easily, hope is likely to fall on him!" ”

"How?" Ye Ji Luorong was puzzled.

"I'll talk to you later." Ye Zier said that there are too many people and things to deal with at this banquet, and he has no time to talk about these things with Ye Ji Luorong.

Zhang Ximian saw Ye Ji Luorong's eyes sweeping over him, and then bowed his head and whispered to King Donghu Khan, thinking that he should be talking about him, and the occasional fierce light in Ye Ji Luorong's eyes made him very uneasy.

After Zhang Ximiao was captured, he was also ruthless and generous to die, but he was not as carefree as Yang Wenchang, his father and brother, one was the emperor, the other was the governor of King Ning's mansion, and his wife and children were still in Yanjing, so he could not surrender.

If he surrendered, it would be enough for Donghu to capture Yanjing, and he himself would not only be able to survive, but also persuade his father to submit to Donghu and become the leader of Donghu's rule in the Central Plains - at this time, he would not be able to take care of his brother who was far away in Jiangning. But if Donghu fails to capture Yanjing this time, but instead sends the Zhuluqin Wangjun back to Guanwai, if he surrenders, not only will his father and brother not be able to protect him, but he will also be a person inside and outside - the Donghu people may eventually put the responsibility for the defeat on the heads of these traitorous generals.

Zhang Ximiao is not without the intention of surrendering, in his opinion, now is not the time to surrender, so the Donghu people said that he should not surrender, but the Donghu people treated him with courtesy, and he also accepted it.

Yezir knew this mentality of him very well, and he used water milling to deal with him.

On the contrary, Hao Zongcheng knew in his heart that he was of no use to the Donghu people, and he stood firm in seeking death and life in prison, refusing to accept the slightest benefit from the Donghu people, and he also went on a hunger strike intermittently for several days.

After the banquet, many matters are left for tomorrow to discuss, Ye Zier only asked Ye Ji Luorong and a few other important ministers to go to the back garden with him to discuss matters, and after arriving in the back garden, he sent his attendants to bring Zhang Ximiao over.

**************

It has been more than two months since Lin Lian left Jinhai, and the Tianjin Navy abandoned Hejian and Cangzhou Ercheng, and retreated to Jinhai.

In the past two months, the Donghu people have not been forced to come up and encircle Jinhai. However, in the north of the Ninghe River, the Ninghe camp headed by Yeji Luorong and constructed had more than 30,000 foot cavalry, cutting off the passage from Jinhai to the north, and even peeking into the passage from Jinhai to Gyeonggi. In the cities of Hejian in the southwest, Ye Ji Duodi led 20,000 elite cavalry, and at the same time that the Liang family led his troops from Pingyuan Mansion to the north in Yannan to prevent the Liang family, he also cut off the passage of the Tianjin navy to the west.

Gao Zongting accompanied Lin Xuwen to stand on the head of the city and look at the north, scattered around the periphery of the city were all Jinhai's horse scouts, and the beacon fire tower extended north to the south bank of the Chaohe River.

Because Zhou Pu led the Huaidong cavalry battalion to assist in defending Jinhai, before the main force of the Donghu people did not force up on a large scale to encircle it, the defenders could effectively control the area dozens of miles deep in the outer siege of Tianjin, and did not allow the sentinels of the Donghu people to infiltrate.

But Gao Zongting knew in his heart that all this was temporary, as long as the Donghu people pressed their soldiers and horses to encircle Jinhai, the only more than 2,000 cavalry on this side could only retreat to the inner line, and the role they could play was very limited.

"Can't Jinhai really keep it?" Lin Xuwen sent his followers aside, leaving only Gao Zongting and Sun Shangwang by his side, and asked in a suppressed voice.

Lin Xuwen's achievements and foundation are all in Jinhai.

For a long time, Lin Xuwen and Lin Tie and Lin Tingli have been out of the Lin clan together, connecting the same branches, advancing and retreating together, and supporting each other, but the three are equal in status, and there is no question of who is attached to whom.

If he gave up Jinhai this time and retreated to the south, his official title would not be lowered, but he would lose his foundation from then on. Lin Xuwen either chose to be loyal to the new emperor, or he could only rely on Huaidong, and it was impossible to have a relatively independent status and power when he monopolized Jinhai.

Until the last moment, Lin Xuwen was never willing to give up Jinhai easily, so he asked.

Sun Shangwang glanced at Lin Xuwen, but he didn't say anything.

Gao Zongting looked into the distance and said softly: "After the loss of Datong, the situation in the north has collapsed and there is no help, but whether Jinhai can hold it depends on how determined Lord Lin is!" ”

"How?" Lin Xuwen listened to Gao Zongting's tone, as if he had the hope of Shoujin Hai, and there was some expectation in his heart.

"Do things at both ends of the most taboo head rat, either abandon or guard, you can only choose one of them to strengthen your will, but you can't abandon and keep - there are more than 300,000 people who have withdrawn into Jinhai, these more than 300,000 people will not be withdrawn, you can choose 100,000 Ding Zhuang to join the battalion, even if it is a wooden spear, as long as the old and weak women and children are followed, then the unity is sincere, and it is enough to guard Jinhai!" Gao Zongting said, "Once a large-scale evacuation from the sea, the people left behind will have the heart of looking forward to leaving, the heart of defending the city is not strong, and they can hold on to it at the beginning, but after a long time, they will have a sense of abandonment, and their morale will not be used, and they will not be able to defend the city according to it......

"That's it!" Lin Xuwen took a slight breath, according to the policy of the Gao Zongting, it was to use the sea route as a food route instead of a retreat, and use the old and weak women and children as hostages, and coerce a city of Ding Zhuang to stay and defend the city with all his might.

It's just that the cost of doing so is too high, not to mention that such a small city is squeezed into so many dingkou, and it is very easy to induce large-scale epidemics after a long time, and it is unknown how many lives will be filled in the end.

Gao Zongting glanced at Lin Xuwen, said goodbye to go to rest, and just got off the city road, Sun Shangwang chased after him, and said in a reproachful tone: "Mr. Gao shouldn't instigate the ...... of the eldest prince Shoujinhai"

"The longer Jinhai is guarded, isn't it beneficial to Huaidong?" Gao Zongting stood still with his hands in his hands and turned to look at Sun Shangwang.

"Does Mr. Gao really think so?" Sun Shangwang asked rhetorically.

Gao Zongting narrowed his eyes slightly, looked at Sun Shangwang, and did not say a word.

Sun Shangwang was only born in Xiucai, tried and failed, and was so depressed that he could only teach in Jinan, Yannan was invaded, except for the youngest son, the eldest son and his wife were taken away, and there was no news, and then followed Lin Tie to the north to King Qin, and gave Lin Tie to use it as an official in Jinhai, and so far there is no formal official position - such a figure, the reputation is not obvious, but Lin Tie has used him to preside over Huaidong's affairs in Jinhai for a long time, and he is not an incompetent person.

However, Sun Shangwang is usually very low-key, and Gao Zongting didn't expect his eyes to be so sharp, and he thought again: None of the Huaidong people who can be reused by Lin Jian is a fuel-efficient lamp.

"Mr. Gao is afraid that as long as Jinhai can be defended, Yanjing will have hope of defending!" Sun Shangwang didn't say anything about the benefits of keeping Jinhai to Huaidong, but directly revealed Gao Zongting's thoughts and said, "I want to ask Mr. Gao, even if Jinhai pays a heavy price to hold on for two years, can Jiang Ning be ready?" Can the world avoid falling apart? Will the Liang family and the Cao family want to see Yuan's Zhongxing? ”

"......" Gao Zongting was silent, Li Zhuo offered a peaceful strategy and staked everything before and after his death, just hoping to drag it out for three or five years, and give the Dayue Dynasty a chance to breathe, but since Chongguan ten years, Li Zhuo has barely supported it on the northern front, but the situation in the hinterland of the Central Plains is only getting worse and worse, and there is no trend of improvement.

Under the circumstance that the Donghu people almost controlled Yan Ji, the longer Jinhai dragged on, the more they paid a heavy price, it only gave the Liang family and the Cao family more respite, and there was no direct benefit to Huaidong and Jiangning.

Rather than expecting the Cao family to go out of the pass to contain the Donghu cavalry to advance south, Huaidong was more worried that the Cao family would take the opportunity to occupy eastern Sichuan and Bashu.

The Donghu people went south to occupy Youyan, and even if a new emperor was established in Jiangning, the power of the Yue Dynasty would be extremely weak, and it was necessary to block the offensive of the Hao family from the south, and they were already powerless to interfere with the Cao family's entry into Bashu - this was also the Cao family's best chance to divide Qin Shu and claim the throne in the west - it was obviously difficult for the Cao family to refuse this temptation.

The Liang family fought at Chentangyi, and it is likely that they have lost the courage to confront the Donghu people head-on. Besides, the Liang family had already been defeated by the Donghu people in the battle of Chentangyi, even if the Liang family was given another year or two more, they could not pin their hopes on the Liang family to hold Shandong.

On the contrary, once the main force of the Donghu people is dragged in Yanji and cannot immediately go south, the Donghu people will naturally adjust their strategy in a timely manner. If the Donghu people turned to win over the Liang family and supported the Liang family to cut off the claimed king in Shandong, what choice would the Liang family have?

Cao, Liang and Huaidong, to this day, are all feudal lords of one side, and there is no need to hide it anymore. The feudal towns have always been based on not trusting each other, being wary of each other, and maintaining their own interests, and there is no possibility of trusting each other and working together to sacrifice oneself to fulfill others.

Otherwise, how could the Red Jacket Army and Chen Hansan have the possibility of respite between Huaidong and the Liang family?

The Donghu Iron Horse swept the world, and the Liang family naturally had no possibility of survival; Similarly, if the Yuan family gets Zhongxing, it is also impossible for the Yuan family to continue to let the Liang family occupy the western part of Shandong and Hezhong Mansion and other places in the heart of the Central Plains.

For the Liang family, the best result is that the world is divided, and the Liang family is divided.

Donghu is strong, and the Liang family does not dare to act rashly, and even wants to unite the forces of Jiangning and Huaidong to resist Donghu. Once the main force of Donghu is dragged south in Yanji and cannot go south, and even consumes too many troops under Jinhai City, and temporarily loses the possibility of sweeping the world, the Liang family is likely to make a move to march to Qingzhou and seize Shandong first.

Huaidong has come to this point, in addition to resisting Donghu and the luxury family, he will not give up his vigilance against the Liang family and the Cao family, and I think the Liang family and the Cao family will do the same to Huaidong.

"Mr. Gao also knows that once Jiangning decides to set up a new emperor," Sun Shangwang said, "the first one to hinder the relief of the siege of Yanjing is to prevent anyone else except the new emperor - at that time, even if Jinhai is held at a heavy price, it will only give Jiangning the illusion that the crisis has been alleviated." At this time, Liang and Cao were on the periphery, and Huaidong was on the near side, did Mr. Gao believe that Jiang Ning would make a stupid move to unite Liang and Cao to suppress Huaidong? ”

Gao Zongting sighed secretly, since Huaidong is determined to give up Jinhai, it is impossible for Lin Xuwen to defend it alone - Huaidong will take care of the overall situation, but he will not make wedding dresses for other families for the sake of the so-called overall situation, let alone put his own life in the hands of others - Gao Zongting asked Sun Shangwang: "Huaidong has come to this point, is there no way back?" ”

"This matter is not something Shang Wang can plan," Sun Shangwang said, "Your Excellency respects Mr. Gao, Shang Wang just hopes that Mr. Gao will not disappoint your Excellency." ”

"Alas!" Gao Zongting sighed slightly, didn't say anything more, and left with his hands in his hands.