The colder the day, the bluer the sea.

The "Lin Zhengjun" slowly sailed into the berth of the wharf on the west coast of Jinwei Island, and Sun Shangwang stood on the wharf, he had already received a notice that the "Lin Zhengjun" was going to try sail to the Jinhai Sea, and waited for a long time before he saw the majestic posture of this super giant ship for the first time. Hearing about such a huge ship, Chongzhou started to build two new ships before the New Year's Festival, and Sun Shangwang couldn't wait to get on the ship to take a look.

Finally, when the "Lin Zhengjun" was anchored and the dock was set up, Sun Shangwang was the first to board the ship, arched his hand towards Hu Qiaozhong, and asked with a smile: "How does it feel to command such a ship to sail to sea?" Why is it ten days late from the agreed time, and tell me to wait here and look at the autumn? ”

According to the trial plan, the "Lin Zhengjun" wanted to take the Heishui Ocean to Jinhai before the New Year's Festival, but there was a reason to be late, Hu Qiaozhong said: "When crossing the Heishui Ocean, the wind and waves were strong, and the hull was deviated severely, so it was forced to stop in Jeju for ten days......

Sun Shangwang wondered in his heart: The current of the Heishui Ocean is very fast, if the "Lin Zhengjun" is not suitable for the Heishui Ocean, it must be back to Chongzhou, and it should not take a big risk to force it over. Seeing Hu Qiaozhong's eyes squeezing to the side, Sun Shangwang looked over, and there was a man wearing a cyan jacket and a leather melon hat standing on the side of the boat. When the man in the green jacket turned around, Sun Shangwang was startled and asked, "Why is Mr. Gao on the boat?" I always thought that Mr. Gao was in Liaoxi! ”

"Your Excellency has instructed that Mr. Gao's whereabouts must not be leaked, and I want Lord Sun to secretly arrange someone to escort Mr. Gao to Changli!" Hu Qiaozhong said.

Lin Lian didn't want Gao Zongting to go back to Liaoxi at this time, but he couldn't make it too obvious. Hu Qiaozhong took advantage of the problem of the sea current to anchor in Jeju for ten more days, but before the New Year, a fleet came from Jeju to Jinhai, and Hu Qiaozhong could not delay it any longer, so he came with a fleet of ships carrying ships. Hu Qiaozhong hoped that Sun Shangwang could find an excuse to delay it, but in front of Gao Zongting, he couldn't explain it. According to Lin Bin's meaning, it is best to delay it until after the war in Liaoxi has a result.

"Mr. Sun," Gao Zongting arched his hand at Sun Shangwang and asked, "Is there any latest news from Liaoxi?" ”

"There is no new news coming from Liaoxi," Sun Shangwang couldn't guess what Gao Zongting was doing in Huaidong at this critical moment, since it was top secret, he also pressed his curiosity and didn't ask, answering Gao Zongting's question, but he didn't know what to choose, and said with a little hesitation, "The imperial court appointed Zhou Zongxian as the secretary of the military department. Some time ago, Wu Ye, the chief of the Military Intelligence Department, personally came to Jinhai, and went to Beijing in person two days ago......"

"Smack!" Gao Zongting punched the side of the boat with hatred, and said to Sun Shangwang, "I'm going to Changli today, and I'm going to trouble Mr. Sun to ......arrange it for you."

"Leaving today, isn't it in a hurry?" Sun Shangwang asked.

"Please!" President Gaozong couldn't afford it.

Sun Shangwang looked at Hu Qiaozhong hesitantly, Sun Shangwang was Huaidong's liaison in Jinhai and knew the secrets, so he could know that the imperial court's appointment of Zhou Zongxian was a sign that Li Zhuo would be removed from his post. At this time, I don't know what excuse the imperial court will use to remove Li Zhuo's general, and it is always a little inappropriate for Gao Zongting to go to Liaoxi at this time.

Hu Qiaozhong smiled bitterly, Gao Zongting insisted on leaving, and they couldn't forcibly detain him.

At this time, a ship came from the direction of Jinhai Port, Sun Shangwang looked over, and saw a person wearing a sheepskin jacket standing at the bow of the ship from a distance, and said, "Xu is Wu Ye is back......

The person who came back was none other than the crow Wu Qi. Wu Qi had just come back from Beijing, and stopped Lin Xuwen in Jinhai to say something, and at this time he saw the "Lin Zhengjun" anchored at Jinwei Island from a distance in the port, and knew that Gao Zongting was also coming, so he hurriedly found an excuse to resign with Lin Xuwen and took a boat to Jinwei Island.

Wu Qi hurriedly went ashore, saw Gao Zongting, Sun Shangwang, Hu Qiao and others, and knew that Gao Zongting insisted on going to Changli today, he thought for a moment: "Okay, I'll accompany Mr. Gao on a trip......"

"Don't dare to be, don't dare to be tired, General Wu is in danger." Gao Zongting resigned, Wu Qi was a senior general at the level of Huaidong's commander, and if he made any mistakes in Liaoxi in the north, it would be a heavy loss for Huaidong. He can't drag Huaidong's generals into it for personal insistence.

"It's not that I made a special trip to send Mr. Gao over; If I don't send Mr. Gao, I'll also have to go to the north. Wu Qi said.

When Wu Qi said this, Gao Zongting no longer insisted, and asked: "General Wu told me the truth, where has the situation in Liaoxi gone?" ”

"There is some bad news circulating in Beijing, such as that Li Bingbu has bought the Donghu people and is occupying Songshan and negotiating terms with the Donghu people - such rumors are nonsense, but Li Bingbu has always refused to enter Songshan City, so it is difficult to ensure that the palace has any thoughts with the guilds of the DPRK and China. The spread of rumors should be operated in the shadows. On the other hand, there was also news that Donghu had lowered the conditions for withdrawing from Datong from 500,000 taels of silver to 200,000 taels...... In fact, at this time, the captive cavalry in the direction of Datong, whether they withdraw their troops or not, this kind of news is confusing, or virtual or real, which will make Beijing suspicious. Of course, it is not easy for the news of the market to reach the palace, and there may have been court officials or palace figures who have been bribed by the Donghu people. In addition, when Mr. Gao was in Huaidong, the Metropolitan Procuratorate successively impeached Li Bing's department. Although he did not directly impeach Li Bingbu for collaborating with the enemy, it was by no means good! Some criticized Li Bing's troops for delaying their marches, some criticized Li Bing's troops for conniving at their children to run rampant in the villages, and also impeached Li Bing's troops for secretly deducting grain and salaries and transporting them to Beijing for private purchase,—— especially the impeachment folds for deducting food and salaries, which were entered by Zhang Xie's protégé Huang Cheng in the Metropolitan Procuratorate, which was very unfavorable to Li Bing's department......

"......" Gao Zongting looked depressed and didn't say anything.

Deducting food and salary is naturally nonsense, he did secretly take grain from Huaidong to Beijing for Li Zhuo to sell privately, but everything was used to subsidize the military, and not a single tael of silver fell into his private pocket, but who believes it?

Naturally, the grain merchants in Beijing and the household officials supported Zhang Xie and the officials of the household department controlled the grain merchants, and it was impossible for them to completely conceal Zhang Xie's private sale of rice and grain in Beijing.

In normal times, this is nothing; How many people with hands and eyes to the sky, such as Liang, Hao Zongcheng, Zhang Xie, and household officials, are not doing this?

It's just that Zhang Xie pulled out this incident at this time, and directly accused Li Zhuoke of deducting food and salary, which was extremely lethal. They can't justify it, how many people in the world will believe that Duke Li Zhuo is selfless to such an extent? If Li Zhuo obeyed the words of the person in the palace, this matter would be nothing, but when combined with the rumors of fornication and Li Zhuo's insistence on refusing to send troops, it would only increase the suspicion of the person in the palace.

It is not difficult to understand that Zhang Xie wants to pull Li Zhuo off the horse at this time.

At the beginning, the situation in Yanbei was critical, and if Li Zhuo was not able to turn the tide, Zhang Xie could only count on Li Zhuo to come out to help at that time.

At this time, Zhang Xie and the princes of the DPRK and China were hot-headed, thinking that there was hope for peace, so they did not want this "great achievement" to fall on Li Zhuo's head.

Li Zhuo commanded the border town with the title of secretary of the military department, and won the victory of Songshan, which was one step closer to the phase. Zhang Xie may not believe that Li Zhuo had an affair with the Donghu people, but he will not prevent Li Zhuo from competing for his position.

Zhang Xie knew Emperor Chongguan's thoughts, he would not oppose the march to Liaoyang on the surface, but he refused to march again after driving Li Zhuo to occupy Songshan, how could he not pour dirty water on Li Zhuo?

For Zhang Xie, it is far better to give Hao Zongcheng the merit of breaking Liaoyang than to Li Zhuode.

Hao Zongcheng is a minister, no matter how great his merits are, there are precedents for knighthood and marquis and king, but it is impossible to compete with him.

Taking 10,000 steps back, even if Li Zhuo can't be pulled off the horse, Zhang Xie hopes that Li Zhuo will lose the battle in Liaoyang and offset the merits of Songshan's great victory.

"What is the attitude of the Liang family, Liang Xi's father and son have been guarding the border for a long time, they should have a clearer understanding of the Dongyu, and they should not want the Yanbei defense line to collapse......" Sun Shangwang asked. The figure behind the Liang family is the Empress Dowager Liang, and Liang Xi is also the Duke of Lu, who occupies Hezhong and most of Shandong, and has a deep foundation in the imperial court and has great influence.

"The Liang family really doesn't want the Yanbei defense line to collapse completely," Wu Qi said, "but the Liang family doesn't think that Dongyu has the ability to break through the Beijing division in one fell swoop, and at this time, the Liang family hopes that the Li army will rush to Liaoyang and lose the battle!" ”

Sun Shangwang glanced at Gao Zongting, saw that his expression was gloomy, and thought that he should have an accurate understanding of the Liang family's thoughts.

Even in Huaidong, especially when Huaidong saw the possibility of competing in the world, not many people hoped that the Yuan family would restore the rule of Zhongxing - it is not surprising that the Liang family had such a mentality.

As for Hao Zongcheng - Hao Zongcheng was able to sit and watch the destruction of the Jinzhong army, and it was better to count on a pig than to expect Hao Zongcheng to take care of the overall situation - but the one in the palace had surprising trust in Hao Zongcheng.

"When I left the capital division, the palace sent another edict urging Li Bing's troops to march to Liaoyang to go to Liaoxi," Wu Qi continued in a heavy voice, "According to the news from the palace, there is also a secret decree to go to Liaoxi with this edict. As for what is written in the secret decree and who the secret decree is handed over, I can't find any news......"

"It's come to this!" President Gaozong sighed, turned around, looked at the vast sea, and two lines of tears fell from his cheeks.

Change of coach? Sun Shangwang and Hu Qiaozhong glanced at each other.

Everyone knows that changing the battle will be a taboo for soldiers, but the suspicion of the monarch and the ministers, and the change of generals in the battle has always been a matter of history - Li Zhuo personally led the Jizhen soldiers to attack Liaoyang, which is a very dangerous thing; At this time, if someone else leads the Jizhen soldiers to fight Liaoyang, it is natural to imagine what kind of outcome it can have.

Gao Zongting's despair, Wu Qi and the others saw it in their eyes and didn't say anything.

In any case, no matter what the Donghu people will do next and what kind of layout they have, Jinhai must prepare for the imminent complete collapse of the Yanbei defense line.

Wu Qi instructed Sun Shangwang and Hu Qiaozhong: "I will go to Changli with Mr. Gao, and wait for Huaidong's latest instructions to come, maybe it will be delayed for a while, but this side cannot be delayed any longer - from today on, all grain ships and rice grains that come to Jinhai will not enter the official warehouse, and they will all be unloaded to Jinwei Island." The ship withdrew as far south as possible, in case the weather was still cold. I have just discussed with the eldest prince that at this time I will have to evacuate people to the south, and on a large scale, I can only evacuate to Yangxin by land first; All reservists are to be put on active duty, and all iron work is to be converted into military ......"