Chapter 683: Cracks

On the Dragon Throne.

Dou Mu closed his eyes.

After a long time, he slowly opened his eyes and said to the eunuch beside him: "According to my decree, immediately recall General Xiao Cheng to protect Xiangcheng."

After saying that, he seemed to have lost all his strength. He collapsed on the dragon chair and murmured: "Prince Yan, you are a lowly descendant, how can you beat me?"

Before the meeting, he and Dou Wei agreed to recall Xiao Cheng.

King Yan's clever move forced them to make this choice.

He could not risk the destruction of Nanliang by continuing to participate in this uncertain war against Yan.

Of course, he also gave the Han family and Xie family a choice.

If Han Zheng, Xie Duan and others agree to lead the coalition to Xiangcheng and relieve the danger in Xiangcheng, they will continue to fight against King Yan with them.

Having settled the matter, he waved the courtiers to disperse.

The next day, Ma family soldiers appeared at the foot of Xiangcheng, and the whole Xiangcheng suddenly became tense.

Originally, Dou Wei and Dou Mu were still hesitant about yesterday's decision.

But when the Ma family soldiers shot and killed the Nanliang soldiers on the city wall two hundred steps away, they no longer doubted their decision.

Xiangcheng is located in the center of Jingzhou, dividing Jingzhou into two parts.

Compared with northern Jingzhou, southern Jingzhou is more prosperous.

Therefore, they must protect Xiangcheng.

Otherwise, with the strength of the Ma family soldiers, if they cross Xiangcheng, they will take down the entire Jingzhou like the autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves.

Their Dou family's foundation was completely destroyed.

Of course, they can also retreat to Yizhou, relying on one man in Yizhou to control the pass, and live in a corner of the dangerous road that no one can use.

But Yizhou is the foundation of the Xiao family after all.

When they go, they feel like they are living under someone else's roof.

This was also the second reason why he recalled Xiao Cheng.

Prevent the Dou family's troops from being damaged in the war against Yan.

In this way, with the strength of the Dou family, Dou Mu's throne would still be stable even if he retreated to Yizhou.

Furthermore, Beidi formed an alliance with his Dou family, and with the support of Beidi's cavalry, it would be even more secure.

…

At this moment, outside Xiangcheng.

Dianzhang held a telescope and observed Xiangyang City.

He stationed his soldiers 800 meters outside Xiangcheng.

Avoid being bombarded.

Immediately, he sent three thousand skirmishers to the foot of Xiangcheng and shot the Nanliang soldiers on the wall.

According to the plan, their plan for Xiangcheng was to surround Xiangcheng without attacking.

The sword is most dangerous only when it is hanging over your head. Once it falls, it will be all over.

Therefore, if they take Xiangcheng quickly, Xiao Cheng, who is far away in Qizhou, will be upset once he gets the news.

In Qizhou, he fought to the death with the royal army.

Rather than doing this, it is better to make the Nanliang monarchs and ministers in Xiangcheng nervous and continue to issue edicts to urge Xiao Cheng to return.

However, just surrounding Xiangcheng is not enough.

They can't do nothing, they always have to frighten the Nanliang monarchs and ministers within their ranks.

Therefore, he decided to continue pretending to attack the city, making the Nanliang monarchs and ministers in the city feel that Nanliang would fall at any time.

While Zai Dianzhang besieged Xiangcheng, a group of cavalry escorted the eunuchs who read out the imperial edict and headed toward Qizhou day and night.

Three days later, the team arrived in Lucheng.

On this day, Xiao Chengzheng discussed with the generals of the Yanying coalition about marching north.

Soldiers and horses from Wu State and Nanping State arrived successively.

The time has come for a decisive battle with King Yan.

When the imperial edict arrived, he immediately returned to his other courtyard in Lucheng.

The eunuch read out the imperial edict, and Xiao Cheng's expression changed drastically.

"Please general, please lead your troops back immediately to relieve the danger in Xiangcheng, otherwise Nanliang will be in danger." The eunuch urged with an eager look.

Gurtu is here now.

However, he was not a minister of Nanliang, so he just listened to the news.

"Qinzhou, Yongzhou and Xiaoguan have all fallen!" He was horrified.

This meant that all roads to Beidi were cut off, and one hundred thousand Beidi cavalry were trapped in Dasong.

If this news spread among his troops, the soldiers would probably go crazy.

Unable to return to the grassland, they became abandoned children without a home.

Xiao Cheng glanced at the generals of the Dou family in the courtyard, and saw that the generals of the Dou family were all looking at him, waiting for his orders.

That look was clearly telling him that he should return to Nanliang immediately.

Xiangcheng frowned. Most of the 200,000 troops heading to Qizhou were Dou family soldiers.

If he disobeys the order, these Dou family generals will not let him off lightly.

Unexpectedly, King Yan's real killing move was here, so he admired Xiangcheng and smiled bitterly three times.

Then his eyes narrowed, "But if you think that you can destroy the powerful people in the world, you are thinking too simply."

Then he said to Gurtu: "King Gurtu, do you want to go to Beidi or not?"

"As soon as your Nanliang soldiers and horses left, the soldiers of the Defeating Yan Alliance were so disheartened that they even gave up. Of course they left." Gurtu snorted angrily, "Why is this King Yan so difficult to deal with!"

After saying that, the two of them looked at each other and were speechless.

That night.

I can't see my fingers.

The soldiers and horses of Nanliang and Beidi stationed outside Lu City quietly broke out and left.

At the same time, Xiao Cheng sent a letter to Han Zheng.

He secretly left the stronghold because he was worried that Han Zheng would be angry and prevent them from returning to Nanliang.

Sending a letter to Han Zheng was to carry out the emperor's order and invite the soldiers of the Han family and the Xie family to go to Xiangcheng to help in the battle.

The palace bedroom.

Han Zheng was sleeping soundly.

He had never slept so peacefully since the arrival of all the Fayan coalition forces.

At this moment, the sound of panicked footsteps woke him up.

The imperial eunuch entered his chamber holding a letter.

"Your Majesty, it's terrible! Nanliang soldiers and horses have left the stronghold, saying they want to rush to Xiangcheng."

When Han Zheng heard this, his mind went numb as if he had received an electric shock.

His hands were trembling as he tore open the letter. Reading from beginning to end, he was almost angry to death.

Breathing rapidly, he suddenly cursed, "Dou Wei, you old man, when you replaced your son with the third prince, I knew you were an unreliable bastard. Now, you have betrayed us again for your own selfish interests. From now on, I I have nothing to do with you."

Then, he cursed again: "Let us go to defend Xiangcheng. Who will defend Lu City for me? Go ahead and daydream!"

After scolding, he tore the letter into pieces and cried loudly.

Taro Aida, who fled to Lucheng, brought news that the Japanese warships were afraid of being completely annihilated by King Yan's fleet.

The Allied Forces of Defeating Yan have lost one arm, and now that the Nanliang soldiers and horses and the Beidi cavalry have withdrawn, how can we still fight this battle?

After a while, he scolded King Yan for being despicable and shameless.

Not daring to engage in a head-on battle with the Fa Yan coalition, they set up a trap to disintegrate the Fa Yan coalition.

After venting for a while, he lay on the bed.

Early tomorrow morning, everyone in the Xie family, Liang family and Fan family will know that Nanliang troops have withdrawn.

How will they react then?

Without the help of the Nanliang and Beidi cavalry, can they defeat the King of Yan?

Thinking of these, his thoughts couldn't help but become confused.

Next, he really didn't know how to go.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up and he said to the eunuch: "Invite Lord Sato here immediately. I have important matters to discuss with him."