Chapter 266 Planning ahead
Palace maid Tong Qing'e's trip to the South City triggered a series of major changes, and even after the dust settled, she didn't know that many things that night were her "credits".
The first is Shangguan Sheng in the palace. He was very angry when he heard that a large group of palace servants fled, even more angry than losing the Baoxi. In his opinion, this is an unforgivable betrayal. But he began to seriously think about it - he thought that the eunuchs and palace maids who stayed in the palace were also unreliable.
Then came Cai Xinghai and Meng E, who originally planned to do their best to protect the supporters of Juanhou, but immediately changed their goals after seeing Baoxi, and sent Baoxi out of the city no matter what. They planned to rush out through the relatively weakly guarded Dongcheng Gate, and then Meng E took Baoxi around the city to meet with Marquis Juan.
In the end, it was Mrs. Cui and King Donghai. The two of them hadn't heard about Baoxi, but they were moved by an unexpected news.
Those Jianghu people who intercepted Meng E in Nancheng reported the news that a group of eunuchs and palace maids had escaped from the palace, and soon arrived at the East Sea King. also."
Cui Hong was not so confident, "Anyway, send troops out of the city to attack Huanhou first, and then make plans."
The King of Donghai relied on his uncle's southern army and did not dare to press too hard, but he had to say with some doubts, "Cui Erlian ignored the murderous revenge of his eldest cousin and ran out of the city to go to Han Ruzi, why did my uncle... refuse to block?"
Cui Hong had just arranged the matter of attacking Huanhou Hou, he looked very tired, and said casually: "Cui Teng has this temper, I can't control him, let him find his own way, Cui Sheng left me a grandson, It's enough to have him."
"Uncle is really cruel." King Donghai resigned, but he felt very awkward, thinking that Cui Hong was still stepping on two boats, and he had to find another backup backer.
Hua Bin lost the trust of Mrs. Cui. The three assassins he recommended failed to kill Juan Hou, and even the people disappeared. When some generals of the Southern Army were in chaos, he did not provide any protection. When the war started, he became completely useless.
The dissatisfied King of the East Sea and the disfavored Hua Bin met and chatted quickly.
"Jianghu people are not very reliable." Donghai Wang stared at Hua Bin and said bluntly, "One by one blows very loudly, either in the sky and the earth, or with one enemy against a hundred, against a thousand, when it comes to employing people, all are It's trash, and now there are hundreds of Jianghu people in the palace who have been captured as prisoners, and they can't beat the Su Weijun at all."
"Hehe, each has its own strengths. The martial arts of Jianghu people may not be as high as imagined, but when it comes to loyalty, it is better to do what you promise. Of course, sometimes you may not be able to do it."
Donghai King sneered, considering that a Jianghu man died to protect him outside Iron Broken City, he did not refute Hua Bin's words, "So, this attack on the palace may not be successful."
"Man proposes, God disposes."
"Well...why didn't the King Huahu come to the capital? I still miss him."
"He is too young and has no other skills to withstand the storms in the capital." Hua Bin smiled.
"It doesn't matter if you don't come, no matter what happens or fails here, someone in the Hua family can stay out of it safely."
Hua Bin smiled reluctantly, "Didn't Mrs. Cui also send Cui Teng out of the capital?"
Cui Teng ran out by himself. Even if Mrs. Cui didn't stop him, it was acquiescence. The King of the East Sea smiled and said, "That's right, everyone has to prepare a way back. It's understandable. I heard that Shangguansheng sent his family to Kanto early. But I There is no retreat, and neither does Han Ruzi, we only have one way, no matter what, we must become emperors, and we must die halfway."
King Donghai remembered his wife Tan, and actually missed her a little bit. Now, like Taifei Cui, her life and death are unknown in the palace.
Hua Bin's smile was even stiffer and she didn't answer.
The King of the East Sea sighed, "If a person has a way out, will he become braver or timid?"
Hua Bin can no longer pretend to be confused, "Is Your Majesty worried that I will not give my best? Please rest assured, Your Majesty, since I have returned to the capital, I have no intention of leaving completely."
Hua Bin once escaped, and she was prepared to escape. The King of the East Sea did not mention the past, and said sternly: "Jianghu people talk about loyalty, this is true, but who are these Jianghu people in the city following? It's not me, It's not my uncle, it's Lord Hua Hou and the Tan family."
Hua Bin's face changed slightly, and she finally understood the intention of the East Sea King. After a moment of indulgence, she realized that she really had no choice, and said, "If Your Majesty does not think that I am old and incompetent, I would like to take the lead and rush into the palace first."
Donghai got up and bowed his hands in thanks, "The heroic men from Yunmengze, seeing Lord Huahou charging ahead, must all be desperate."
Hua Bin laughed twice and asked, "Where's the Tan family?"
"The Tan family has fifteen young and old men, and this time they will all take the lead in entering the palace."
Hua Bin was speechless.
"Four shifts start." The East Sea King dropped a sentence and left.
In another room, King Donghai found two Lord Censors, and as soon as they met, they asked, "Do you admit that I am the emperor?"
Xiao Sheng and Shen Mingzhi were equivalent to being placed under house arrest. They couldn't escape, and they didn't dare to escape. When they heard the question from the King of the East China Sea, they hurriedly knelt down and said, "Your Majesty is loyal and loyal, why did your majesty say this?"
"Don't be afraid, I'm just asking. After all, you supported the champion and even willing to lead troops into the Grand Governor's Mansion for him. What have you done for me?"
The two fell to the ground, not daring to make a sound.
"Champion Hou is dead, you all turned to support me, how many times do you want to turn again in the future?"
"Your Majesty has already ascended the throne, and there is absolutely no reason for the ministers to change."
"Call your people, and go to attack the palace together later, yes, you two are prime ministers left and right, if not, go underground with me to see Emperor Huan and Emperor Wu."
The two kowtowed, Xiao Sheng said, "But those scholars and Chai's family didn't obey our orders..."
"Knives and spears can make them obey orders." Donghai King said coldly, he was already standing on the edge of a cliff, everyone should stand in front of him, not behind him, "A little blood is always sprinkled when attacking the palace, the difference is loyalty And shedding blood, or being forced to shed blood, may make no difference to you, but it makes a world of difference to your family.”
The King of the East Sea has a little bit of negotiation with Hua Bin, but it is a direct threat to the two censors.
There was still some time before the fourth watch, and the King of the East Sea didn't want to be idle, so he went to the Chai family again, coaxed and cheated, and promised a lot of official titles in exchange for their allegiance. This loyalty is more unreliable than the two censors, but the East Sea King's requirements are not high, as long as these people can go to the palace tonight to charge.
In the end, he went to see those scholars, and hit an iron wall here.
The Guozijian and the Taixue disciples were the main force of this group of scholars. Even in the face of many soldiers armed with swords and guns, they refused to recognize the throne of the King of the East China Sea.
The King of the East Sea sneered and left, determined to cleanse these useless scholars after everything was done.
Before the fourth watch, a battle broke out in Nancheng. Six or seven hundred people came out from different places and all flocked to the same inn. fight.
The Tan family was outnumbered and quickly retreated.
There were actually only more than 200 soldiers in the army of Marquis Tien, but after they infiltrated the capital, they secretly recruited many relatives and friends from the south of the capital, and the number quadrupled.
This night, they became the first force to act.
Cai Xinghai was a huge urchin, and it was not the east gate but the palace that he led people to attack, hoping to attract the strength of the Su Wei army, and then a few elite forces would escort Meng E out of the city.
Like Tong Qing'e, Cai Xinghai didn't understand the impact of this move at all.
The team of seven or eight hundred people was not small. They headed to the palace in a mighty manner. They did not encounter any obstacles along the way. The people hid at home. The Su Weijun had already received the news. To calm the chaos, all are guarded in the imperial city for battle.
The Jianghu forces gathered by Hua Bin and the Tan family were divided into multiple groups and hidden in Dongcheng. The news was not smooth, and they had no idea what was going on with the sudden shouting outside. They thought that the action was ahead of schedule, so many people ran out of hiding places. Join Cai Xinghai's team.
The East Sea King's plan to attack the palace was so advanced.
Once the battle started, there were only contradictory rumors that spread. The King of the East Sea had no time to find out the facts, and immediately ordered Hua Bin, the man from the Tan family, and the two censors to attack the city in person.
As a result, the plan of the Southern Army and the Su Wei Army to jointly attack the Marquis of Juan was disrupted. The main force of the Su Wei Army had moved to the vicinity of the North City Gate. Shangguan Sheng immediately ordered the entire army to prepare to return to the palace.
When the news from Beicheng came, Cui Hong was furious and called the King of the East Sea. He didn't even consider his nephew to be the emperor.
Donghai King blushed, "It's not my order, it must be... These people in the rivers and lakes are all desperados, and they are not subject to control."
"It's over, it's over, the Southern Army can only fight to the death with the Su Wei Army, Marquis Tien picked up the big advantage, and sits on the mountain to watch the tiger fight, the big Chu Jiangshan belongs to him..."
"Why didn't Uncle go out alone?"
"Outside the city, what should we do in the city? How can the remaining 10,000 Southern Army be the opponent of the Su Wei Army?"
"It's already like this, let's take a risk, first send someone to see Shangguansheng, assure him that the attack outside the palace has nothing to do with us, and then let him see the southern army out of the city, whether to join forces to attack the Houhou, or stay in the city to fight, let him He chooses."
"Let him choose? This is putting his life in his hands!" Cui Hong still felt that it was his nephew's ghost idea to attack in advance, but he didn't understand why.
"Send those scholars to the imperial palace, don't they support Hou Juan, let them shout and shout."
Cui Hong understood, "Let Shangguan Sheng think that the attacker is someone from Hou Juan."
"Those people from the rivers and lakes will not be able to attack the palace for a while. Once Shangguansheng finds out that they are not afraid, and they are all tired, they are more willing to send troops out of the city, right?"
Cui Hong thought about it for a while, but there was really no other way. He called Jin's generals to assign tasks according to the idea of the East Sea King.
As a result, the plan to attack Huanhou was also advanced.
When a large number of southern troops left the city and circled to the southwest corner, the Su Wei army also left the city through the north gate.
The palace blocked the attack, and Shangguan Sheng felt that the threat of Marquis Juan was greater, so he chose to believe Cui Hong's words and sent troops out of the city.
The north gate had just opened, and Han Ruzi dispatched 5,000 cavalry soldiers who had been prepared for a long time.
The battle both inside and outside the city began.
At the same time, Meng E rushed out of the Dongcheng Gate, which was guarding the emptiness, with the help of a group of soldiers, while several experts who had sneaked into the palace ahead of time were looking for an opportunity to open a palace gate.