Chapter 1 Dai Yun Didn't Understand It Either

Dai Yun herself didn't understand how many sworn assassins the Dai family had secretly planted in Danyang. In fact, for the sake of one day possibly taking her out of Danyang, the Dai family's retainers, sworn assassins, and those assassins and martial heroes from various sects that the Dai family could command, numbered a full seventy people. Dai Shizong was furious when he learned that his own young mistress had actually incited Ye Tao to stir up such a huge commotion. In a fit of anger, he took drastic action. He didn't even wait for the Xiling envoys to attend the banquet before directly storming their residence. Seventy people wearing various disguises and masks, led by several experts, divided into several groups and stormed into the envoy's residence. Although they encountered considerable resistance, they still managed to wipe out the entire two-hundred-strong Xiling envoy at the cost of eleven lives. After taking away the bodies, they also set fire to the garden as a matter of course.

Afterward, apart from those temporarily hired experts from various sects and freelance assassins, Dai Shizong gathered all those involved in the incident and went directly to the Capital Garrison Command to turn themselves in, leaving the officers on duty that day at a loss for what to do.

Not long after, those few officers and trainee officers who were unwilling to participate in the dispatch of troops, "transported" by the Federal Express to help the two armies inspect the yamen, were thrown into the city gates. They shouted, "The Meng Xue Army has rebelled! The Huo Qi Army has rebelled!" and rushed towards the nearest city gate garrison, causing widespread panic.

After another short while, verified news gradually arrived... The Meng Xue Army and Huo Qi Army under the command of the two armies' inspection yamen had already broken camp and set off... Ye Tao, Dai Yun, and others were missing... The alert troops of the Iron City construction site encountered the scouting flag team of the Meng Xue Army and were "disarmed" after their inquiries were unsuccessful... The Meng Xue Army and Huo Qi Army adopted a battle marching formation and passed through the Iron City line at full speed...

The series of news shocked the ministers who were meeting in the council hall to discuss the current situation, and they didn't know what to say.

"Nonsense!" Tan Xiaopei slammed the table and roared, "Are military and state affairs something for those kids to play with?!"

Tan Xiaopei glanced at Chi Xianping, who was shrinking to one side and not saying a word, and roared, "Look at the good son you've taught. Chi Lei ran off with Ye Tao. Did your Chi Yun not know about it beforehand? No one will believe that."

Since Grand General Zhuo Mang had already gone to mobilize troops for aid and was not in Danyang, Chi Xianping, who held the position of Grand Commandant, was actually the highest military authority in Danyang. He didn't expect such a huge mess to suddenly erupt. If Tan Xiaopei were to pursue the matter, even he would be implicated in such a big trouble. But since it was already a fait accompli, what he had to consider was how to stabilize the situation. Chi Xianping thought for a moment and said helplessly, "Your Majesty, I have failed to teach my son and deserve to die. However, the most important thing now is to see how this matter can be handled?"

Pang Rong, a Grand Scholar of Yong'an Hall who had always supported the joint agreement between the two countries and the subsequent marriage alliance, said, "Your Majesty, Ye Tao, Dai Yun, and others are guilty of unforgivable crimes. They killed the envoys without authorization, disregarding the joint agreement between the two countries. Once the news leaks out, there will be great changes in the marriage alliance between the two countries. In my opinion, the most important thing now is to send envoys as soon as possible to contact the Xiling army and, at the same time, send a large army to intercept the rebellious troops and offer the heads of Ye Tao and others to gain the trust of Xiling. Only in this way can the marriage alliance between the two countries continue."

At such a military conference, such a surrender faction's statement immediately drew glares from many military figures present. Old General Xu Jingtian rolled his eyes and asked, "That sounds easy. Where are we going to find a large army to intercept them? How are we going to intercept them?"

Yan Siping, the Minister of War, who was on relatively good terms with Pang Rong, sensed Xu Jingtian's dissatisfaction and quickly smoothed things over, "We don't need a large army, as long as a detachment of soldiers can get ahead of the two armies. They can't possibly attack their own people, can they?"

Zha Ziming, the commander of the Capital Garrison, stroked his chin and said, "Impossible. The Huo Qi Army and Meng Xue Army have 13,000 horses for their 10,000 troops, and that's not all. If we're talking about marching, I'm afraid not many in Dongping can catch up with them. Moreover, how could they not know that they might be intercepted? Although they can't attack their own people, sending a small number of troops would only result in them being disarmed and their military supplies replenished. If we send a large number of troops, won't they just avoid them? Is there any army in the world that can compare to the Meng Xue Army's scouting force, where each person has a Qian Li Jing (thousand-mile mirror)?" Zha Ziming pondered for a while and said, "With their training and equipment, wanting to go deep behind enemy lines to cause trouble, although losses are inevitable, it is very possible that they can hold up the enemy's main force for two months?"

Pang Rong said angrily, "Absurd! How can ten thousand people contend with two hundred thousand troops?"

Several people present looked at Pang Rong, a guy who didn't understand military affairs at all, with some disdain. Chi Xianping, who didn't really want to say anything today, couldn't help but say, "Fighting a war isn't just about who has more people. The two armies' inspection yamen has plenty of guys who are constantly thinking about ingenious plans and strategies, with excellent scouts and unparalleled marching capabilities. Who can force them into a head-on confrontation? Purely in terms of combat power, the ten thousand troops of the two armies' inspection yamen are equivalent to fifteen thousand Capital Garrison troops, and there's no problem with them matching three to five ten thousand ordinary troops. Among the two hundred thousand troops of Xiling, those who can compare with them are only the guards of the central army's camp."

Zha Ziming nodded. He said, "Anyway, it's already like this. Originally, we weren't unable to fight, but after calculating, fighting, even if we won, wouldn't be worth it, so we agreed to the truce. But fighting a war really can't be calculated like that. Although Ye Tao and Dai Yun committed a capital crime by mobilizing troops without authorization, they do have courage and handle things cleanly. If you ask me, we might as well just fight."

Gao Zhen stood up at this time and said, "Your Majesty, at this time, there is no other choice but to fight with all our strength. What Academician Pang said about offering Ye Tao's head to Xiling to apologize is actually impossible. What is Zhu Qi's status, and what is Ye Tao's status? When the time comes, if Xiling says they want the conspirators to apologize together, will we kill them or not? Will we cut off Dai Yun's head? Or will we use the lives of so many outstanding sons of Dongping to please the enemy?"

Gao Zhen's words satisfied several generals in the military, and even Tan Xiaopei nodded secretly.

Tan Xiaopei sighed and said, "Yes, most of those under the two armies' inspection yamen are the best of the younger generation in Dongping, with unlimited prospects. I really don't understand why they would go crazy with Ye Tao. Does this kid really have that much ability?"

Xu Jingtian stood up and said, "Your Majesty, since we can only fight now, on the one hand, we must believe in the abilities of Ye Tao and Dai Yun. They will surely create enough momentum in the enemy's rear to contain the enemy, making them unable to advance. On the other hand, we must make various preparations. First of all, strengthening the defenses of Ning Shi City and Bai Shi City is imperative. Once the Xiling army breaks through the Ning Shi City-Bai Shi City line, whether they succeed or not, it will all be in vain. Secondly, we must speed up the progress of the Dongping army's assembly. The sooner we launch a full-scale counterattack, the less pressure the Huo Qi Army and Meng Xue Army will bear. If they still have a certain amount of combat power at that time, they will become a sharp weapon to defeat the enemy behind enemy lines. Third, create a situation that is conducive to the activities of the Huo Qi Army and Meng Xue Army. These two armies will not go deep behind enemy lines to fight the enemy head-on, but under siege and interception, it is inevitable that they will be trapped. While our army is assembling, we must deploy troops on the front line, forcing the enemy to spend a lot of military force on confronting our army. In addition to the Ning Shi City-Bai Shi City line, we may as well withdraw slightly on the northern and southern lines to lure the enemy forward, so that the ten thousand troops under the two armies' inspection yamen will have more room to maneuver."

After thinking for a while, Tan Xiaopei nodded. He saw Xu Jingtian frowning and asked, "Old Xu, what else do you want to say?"

Xu Jingtian said, "Although they were a little rash, there are indeed the best group of officers in Dongping among these ten thousand people, with unlimited prospects, and there are many children from various clans. It would be a pity to just watch them go deep behind enemy lines and then slowly die out. If possible, it would be best to send a elite force to support them."

Tan Xiaopei frowned and said, "But where can we spare an elite force from?"

Chi Xianping said, "...Although he has caused trouble, my son Chi Lei is usually quite liked by the uncles and elders in the family. The Chi family still has some retainers and clan soldiers in their hometown, as well as some friends who grew up watching Chi Lei and have martial arts skills. If Your Majesty allows it, I would like to bring these people out..."

Chi Xianping's words enlightened everyone. Although the power of the Dongping gentry families is not as strong as that of Chunnan and Xiling, and no family has the power of a clan or the potential to become a clan, each clan still has its own system. Many aristocratic families are simply small kingdoms. The children in the Huo Qi Army and Meng Xue Army are willing to die, but those aristocratic families will not watch their children die. It is still very feasible for everyone to pool together some people. In terms of making friends with "martial arts masters," aristocratic families and the royal family each have their own strengths. There are disciples from many sects among the inner court guards, and there are also many masters from various sects around the Dongping royal family members, and the various clans also make friends with quite a few masters. Although the number of this force will certainly not be very large, as long as it is used properly, the role it plays will be very significant.

"Then..." Tan Xiaopei thought for a long while and said, "Let your Chi Yun be responsible for this matter. Regardless of whether they can win two months for Dongping or not, I will not pursue your Chi family's affairs."

Chi Xianping sighed deeply and bowed deeply, saying, "Your subject obeys."

After these emergency measures were taken, Tan Xiaopei issued a series of orders following the advice of the various censors and officials. But only a few were implemented. ...Arrest Ye Lao Geng and other members of the Ye family and put them in prison? Unfortunately, Tan Weixin had already taken the lead in taking all these people to the Princess's Mansion, and Tan Weishi had taken Dai Yuege and his daughter Dai Qiuyan to her embroidery garden. With the two princesses taking action, no one could do anything. Want to imprison Ye Tao's senior brothers? It seems impossible. The Ye Family Workshop is now working hard to produce military equipment for the military, or is contributing to the Iron City project. Only a few people are doing things that are unrelated to the Dongping state apparatus. Minister of War Yan Siping later reminded Tan Xiaopei, and Tan Xiaopei changed the order to arrest and imprison to monitoring and retention. Tan Xiaopei understood very well that Ye Tao's impulsiveness was for his daughter. Even if he violated many laws and regulations, so what? He didn't even want his own life. How to deal with Ye Tao himself was one thing, but from a father's perspective, he felt it was natural to preserve the Ye family.

Compared to these, his other actions were much more brutal. With a wave of Tan Xiaopei's hand, all the Xiling spies who had been discovered and monitored were arrested one after another. Although there must be some who were lurking even deeper, this behavior was originally just to show an attitude. Knowing that there was no other way but to fight with all his strength, and that he would not lose a daughter no matter what, Tan Xiaopei instructed the entire country to operate.

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Where are the monthly tickets? After being scolded by many people for a few days, I silently finished updating the transition. Now that you're feeling a little better, there's no expression of appreciation? That's too unkind.