From eunuch to emperor

Xingqing City, the royal palace.

Shi Le sat in the back garden, worrying with an empty battle report in his hand.

Shi Haoran, the eldest son, walked in and said: "I pay my respects to my father."

Shi Le motioned him to sit down.

Shi Haoran sat down, Shi Le handed him the battle report, and said: "Yesterday, the national teacher sent a letter back, saying that Long Cheng'en had arrived at the Jade Buddha Pass, and our army suffered its first disastrous defeat."

"According to the wishes of the National Teacher, the Heaven and Earth will still support us in Xixia. This battle should be a sure win. He asked to send another 20 troops to fight the Jade Buddha Pass with a superior force."

"What do you think of the national teacher's suggestion?"

Shi Haoran read the battle report carefully, and said: "If the national teacher is right, the world will support us, and this battle must be fought."

"Tianxiahui has always demanded to maintain the balance of power in the world. Although the three countries conquered each other, the national boundaries remained basically unchanged."

"This time, there is no chance to expand the territory. It would be a pity if we missed it."

Shi Le nodded and said: "This king also thinks so. Three years ago, Long Chengen seized the opportunity of Tianxiahui and Nanliang's bad relationship, regained Linjiang City, and captured Caishi City, greatly increasing the national strength."

"If we can seize the opportunity this time and capture Jade Buddha Pass and Xifeng City, then we Xixia will have a bridgehead to attack the Eastern Zhou Dynasty."

"So, what this king means is to recruit troops from all over the country, send another 30 troops to fight with a superior force of 50, and seize the Jade Buddha Pass in one go."

Shi Haoran agreed: "My son is willing to lead the troops to the Jade Buddha Pass for a decisive battle."

Shi Le stroked Shi Haoran's shoulder and said: "Okay, this king appoints you as a general, and raise another 30 troops, a total of [-] troops, must take the Jade Buddha Pass."

Shi Haoran paid homage: "My son takes orders."

Shi Le took the seal and delivered it to Shi Haoran.

At this time, Ma Fang rushed into the back garden, holding a battle report in his hand, and said tremblingly: "Your Majesty, something serious has happened!"

Shi Le thought that Jade Buddha Pass had been defeated, so he hurriedly accepted the battle report, and said angrily, "How unreasonable! You actually destroyed Zhenguo Temple!"

Shi Haoran was surprised and said: "Zhenguo Temple is in the rear, how could it be destroyed?"

Shi Le handed the battle report to Shi Haoran, and said: "Long Cheng'en sent a cavalry to the rear to carry out a sneak attack, and the Zhenguo Temple was burned."

Zhenguo Temple is not only a temple, but also an important stronghold of Xixia in the east, where it can station troops and confuse the people.

Now that it was burned, Xixia suffered heavy losses.

"The national teacher said that he has sent three thousand iron kites to hunt them down, and it seems that they have been extinguished by now."

Shi Haoran believed that it would not be a problem for three thousand iron kites to destroy five hundred cavalry.

Shi Le was dissatisfied: "It's a pity that Zhenguo Temple was destroyed!"

Shi Haoran said: "After capturing the Jade Buddha Pass, let Dong Zhou pay for it, and then we will rebuild it."

Shi Le nodded and said, "Yes, double the compensation!"

"Hurry up to recruit troops. When the time comes, this king will personally conscript, and he will meet Long Cheng'en!"

Shi Haoran went to conscription immediately.

...

"My lord, kill them all!"

Captain Leng Yu put away his waist knife, grabbed a handful of sand and washed the blood off his hands.

"Have the people around you come?"

Long Chen looked at the grain and livestock piled up beside him, as well as several women.

"It should be soon."

As soon as Leng Yu finished speaking, Bai Tingting brought more than 100 people over.

Rather than bringing them here, it's better to say they brought them here under escort, and behind them were soldiers from the Xiaoqi Battalion chasing them with knives.

"Things in this world are really absurd. If we give benefits, we have to put a knife on our neck."

Captain Leng Yu was a little helpless.

Long Chen smiled and said: "There's no way, they regard us as invaders, it's normal to be afraid of us."

Bai Tingting came over, dismounted and said, "My lord, there are more than 130 people here, all of whom are from the surrounding people."

Long Chen nodded, stepped forward to look, there were old and young, mostly men.

"Folks, we are the army of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty. Please come here for no other reason than to distribute food and livestock to you."

"You may feel strange, why did the army of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty send you things?"

"Remember, we Eastern Zhou Dynasty had enmity with Zhaoti Temple and King Shile. We targeted the soldiers and the demon monks in the temple."

"We Dong Zhou have no enmity with you, and we will not kill you."

"The food was collected by the demon monks in the temple, and I will distribute it to you. Whose are these women? You can take them away!"

Bai Tingting came out with a few girls and asked, "Whose family's daughter? Whose family's daughter-in-law?"

A thin man of medium build came out and said fearfully, "Master Jun, that's my wife."

When the woman saw the man, she ran over crying, "Donkey eggs..."

The other women didn't see their relatives, and Bai Tingting found out after asking that their homes were far away.

"Okay, come here, take it yourself, take it away and it will be yours."

Long Chen gave the order to disperse the Xiaoqi Battalion.

The common people didn't believe it, and they didn't dare to do such a good thing.

Long Chen didn't urge him, he took out some pieces of silver from his body, and gave each woman a little.

"Go back by yourself. I dare not give you too much money. If you give too much, you will be targeted by thieves."

"Take some food and clothes from there, and go home."

Several women collected the money, kowtowed on their knees, and said: "Thank you, my lord."

Bai Tingting helped her up and said, "Let's go."

Several women picked up their clothes and put them on, carried another bag of rice, and hurried home.

Long Chen got on his horse and continued marching north with the people from Xiaoqi Battalion.

Seeing that Long Chen had left, the people were pleasantly surprised: "There are still such good things, save some for me!"

The people started looting.

They usually farm land for the temple and pay for incense burners. They are squeezed out very badly. If they have free food and livestock, who is not tempted.

The food was quickly sold out, and the people were very happy. They privately said that the army of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty was better than the monks in the temple.

"My lord, is this useful?"

Captain Leng Yu was somewhat skeptical.

After leaving Zhenguo Temple, Long Chen led the Xiaoqi camp all the way to the west, according to the map, to kill demon monks and burn temples.

The temples in Xixia basically have temple fields, and there are also food reserves in the temples, as well as livestock such as donkeys, horses and sheep.

Every time Long Chen went to a temple, after killing the monks in a surprise attack, he distributed food and livestock to the surrounding people.

Of course, it also includes the government. After the government is breached, the prisoners are released, the warehouses are opened to release food, and the people can take it by themselves.

"It's a foreshadowing. As for how many people can be bought, it depends on luck."

Long Chen didn't expect every Xixia commoner to have a good opinion of the Eastern Zhou army, he only hoped that some people would be willing to support the Eastern Zhou army.

Even if it is not for the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, it is okay to make them hate the Western Xia royal court and Zhaoti Temple.

Anyway, it is to sow discord.

"My lord, we have breached two cities and burned seven temples, why haven't we seen Xi Xia's actions?"

Bai Tingting found it strange that they had been rushing westward for two days, but they did not see Xi Xia's pursuers.

It stands to reason that Xixia should hunt down and kill him.

Just like when Shi Ming sneaked into the back of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, Bai Tingting immediately led troops to surround and kill him.

"They are chasing, we are running, our route is uncertain, it is not easy for them to chase."

"However, I guess it's almost there."

Long Chen intentionally changed his route frequently, so that Xi Xia's pursuers would run away more often.

The purpose is very simple, to make Xixia's chasing soldiers exhausted and exhausted.

Just as he was talking, Hou Qi caught up and reported, "Dazhu Kingdom, five miles behind us, Xixia's iron kite is chasing after us."