Dusk fell.
　　When Zheng Yuheng saw He Tongzhi's men leave Lizhou City, besides Zhang Jianqing, there was another old acquaintance beside him - thanks to this person's good memory.
　　That was Jiang Xiong, the general under Geng Zhe.
　　Jiang Dutong took Zheng Yuheng down the city wall and sat in the big tent in a relaxed manner. He started the grill, tore the mutton into strips, strung them on sharp iron skewers, and grilled them on the stove.
　　"I've always seen you frowning when I came here." Jiang Xiong said, "I didn't expect to meet you in this place, Lord Zheng."
　　Zhang Jianqing poked his head out: "Do you know each other?"
　　"We're old acquaintances who we've only met once. We're both old acquaintances of the general." Jiang Xiong was holding a pot of liquor. "To be honest, it's not a realistic show to just let that commander go out by himself without a grain transport officer by his side."
　　Zhang Jianqing hadn't asked clearly about the "old acquaintance" when he heard the last sentence and hurriedly asked, "What show?"
　　Jiang Xiong just laughed, cut some meat for him, shook his head and turned to ask Zheng Yuheng, "Does Lord Zheng know?"
　　Zheng Yuheng still had a thoughtful look on his face. He said softly, "I'm afraid there are only 10,000 people left under General Jiang in Lizhou City."
　　Jiang Xiong smiled and said, "You're too kind."
　　"It's hard to say whether it's too kind or not," said Zheng Yuheng.
　　"It's hard to say." Jiang Xiong took a sip of wine and cursed at the city gate, "Damn it, this ungrateful wolf raised Li Zongguang! He couldn't get there himself, and Yan Ronghuan was also trapped on the road. If I hadn't stayed behind, I would have cut off his arm with a knife and dragged him back on a dog chain."
　　Zheng Yuheng made a rough calculation in his heart. On the surface, this was a loss of nearly 20,000 people. Although the defeated soldiers could be reorganized, their morale was different after all. In addition to Jiang Xiong in Lizhou City and the imperial camp army that was being ordered to join, I'm afraid that Geng Zhe's personal army and the 60,000 to 70,000 generals led by him were on the supply line at this moment, waiting to catch the turtle in the jar.
　　As for whether the jar is solid, it depends on the terrain and the spring flood, whether it can chase across the Dahan River.
　　As for whether the turtle is stupid, it depends on whether the bait of He Tongzhi is fragrant enough.
　　The so-called war is often fought over an information gap. For example, Li Zongguang rebelled and blocked the road to Youbei with bandits. This was because Beisu knew about Dayin's arrangement, but Dayin didn't know about Beisu's arrangement, so Yan Ronghuan's troops were defeated. This was the information gap.
　　But this time, the trap Gengzhe set within two hours of rescue became Alitai's unawareness of his arrangement. How the Sixth Prince used his troops and how he used them depended on whether he would get carried away and directly implement the method of turning Lizhou City into an isolated city - cutting off the most important supply line.
　　If Alitai was cautious and calm enough, he might not directly cut off the food route and seize control of Dahanjiangnan to Hongtianguan, then Yan Ronghuan's defeat would lose its meaning.
　　In this game, although Zheng Yuheng's status was low, he was the one who had a full view of all the information, so he could have a general idea of ​​the situation. Geng Zhe kept him in the tent to listen, in fact, just to tell Zheng Yuheng: "It's too dangerous, you are not allowed to go."
　　He was thinking the same thing - this play did not have him and Zhang Jianqing, nor the grain transport supervisor. The hook was straight and the bait was salty. The play was not real. Would Alitai bite?
　　Li Zongguang knew that the two of them existed. If he provided information, wouldn't Alitai see through it?
　　The fire crackled and sporadic sparks were blasted.
　　Jiang Xiong heated up the wine and handed it to Zheng Yuheng, and then cut the roasted mutton for him with a knife.
　　Zheng Yuheng took a few bites and suddenly drank the liquor. The warm wine burned from his throat to his stomach with the spiciness. His voice was hoarse, and he said: "General Jiang, he deliberately kept you here. Is there another meaning?"
　　Jiang Xiong asked: "What does it mean?"
　　"Let you watch me." He said. "Because you recognized me."
　　Jiang Dutong just shook his head, but did not answer, instead he praised: "Young Lord Zheng has a good alcohol tolerance."
　　Zheng Yuheng said: "Jiang Dutong, if Deputy Dutong Yan loses without reward, will our commander-in-chief, General Geng, be impeached by all officials and be in danger of changing his generals before the battle?"
　　The smile on Jiang Xiong's face slowly faded, and he looked at him silently.
　　"It's good wine," Zheng Yuheng said again, "Wine makes cowards brave. The Dutong just hinted at me like this, didn't he want me to drink more?"
　　Zhang Jianqing, who had been eating for a long time, put down his hand, looked at Zheng Yuheng for a while, and then looked at Jiang Dutong, thinking, what hint, what did Jiang Dutong say just now? What kind of riddle is this?
　　...
　　On this battlefield, there are too many puzzles that people don't understand.
　　Because of these puzzles, Xu Shangshu, who was sitting in Baiwang Pass, and the capital thousands of miles away, were all worried about the chaotic military situation and food and grass dispatch.
　　When the little emperor was about to bang his head against the wall, the secret reports from various armies were gathered in Beijing again, arriving at the same time as the military intelligence.
　　Zheng Yuheng's letter still reached the empress dowager first.
　　Dong Lingjiu suppressed the heated discussions about the Northern Expedition in the court and the public, and temporarily stabilized the court public opinion for the front line, so that there would be no worries. Under her cold suppression, the officials who shouted "Such a great defeat, they should be killed without a doubt" and so on were taken to the inner prison by Xu Xiang. They
　　were not tortured, but just locked up first and asked to eat free prison food.
　　The letter in Dong Lingjiu's hands happened to be a letter conveying the great defeat of Yan Ronghuan's troops, which was written by Zheng Yuheng before leaving the city.
　　He wrote down the deployment, reasons, and decisions of the troops one by one, which cleared the fog in front of Dong Lingjiu's eyes and gave her a rough understanding of what happened on the front line. At the end of the letter, he suddenly changed his tone and said:
　　"Since you are the supervisor of the transportation of grain and grass for the five routes of Heguan, how can there be no civil officials and grain officers among such baits? Since Alitai fought with the commander-in-chief, all the signs have shown that this man is very cunning. I am willing to assist Commander He in the front of the three armies and lure the snake out of its hole..."
　　Dong Lingjiu had taken a sip of tea and was almost choked by these words. She covered her lips and coughed twice to take a breath.
　　As luck would have it, the little emperor was just coming back from the Ministry of War. As soon as he stepped into the door of the Cining Palace, he looked up and saw Dong Lingjiu looking at him calmly.
　　Meng Cheng's heart trembled.
　　Dong Lingjiu handed the letter to Ruixue and asked her to pass it on. Meng Cheng took it and read it roughly. Then he felt a little cold - it was exactly as his mother said. Zheng Yuheng was a man who never learned a lesson. How dare he do such a thing? !
　　Meng Cheng was about to speak when he heard Dong Lingjiu say: "The soldiers you gave him have helped him to do something."
　　This was a chilling remark, as if it was a compliment, but it didn't seem to be.
　　Meng Cheng was a little unsure and hesitated to speak.
　　If it weren't for his imperial edict, Zheng Yuheng would be like many other grain transport supervisors. He would be forced by military officials to stay in the villages and towns on the edge of Hongtian Pass, and the transportation route would end here from then on. It can be said that the beginning of all the troubles was suppressed.
　　But if so, he would not be able to bring back any useful information.
　　Dong Lingjiu turned the coral beads in his hand, was silent for a moment, and then said: "No matter whether we can win a great victory or not, if we are not careful in the chaos of the army, we may end up dying for our country... Isn't this what the emperor wants?"
　　Meng Cheng was speechless. He had never hoped that Zheng Yuheng would not get into trouble - this man was too brave!
　　The little emperor never thought that a person with little courage would not be able to make him so angry in front of him.
　　"Mother," he hurriedly clarified, "I have no intention of harming him. I am here for..."
　　"You don't have to say it, I know."
　　Dong Lingjiu stopped him from saying the next word and sighed: "If it were someone else, any bureaucrat in your court who was smooth and knew how to advance and retreat, and was good at dancing with long sleeves, would have retired long ago, and there would be no such set of risking his life and leading the three armies."
　　Meng Cheng also felt incredible. According to his idea, after arriving in Lizhou City, he should have settled accounts and done his job quietly. Why did this person's route go further and further off track? Didn't he want to kill two northern barbarian soldiers and bring back their heads as gifts? His mother didn't like it!
　　Zheng Yuheng's brain circuit is peculiar, but who knew that the little emperor's brain circuit is not so normal. Dong Lingjiu coughed, and Meng Cheng hastily retracted his thoughts and lowered his head and said: "It's my fault. Such a loyal and brave man, I will definitely treat him well in the future, and will never blame or doubt him again." "
　　That has to wait for him to come back." Dong Lingjiu suppressed the worries and confusion in his heart, maintaining a calm expression, while looking at other reports, he said, "It's a pity, I originally thought it could be used later, I'm afraid it will have to be used now."
　　Meng Cheng was stunned for a moment: "... Mother is talking about..."
　　Dong Lingjiu said: "Shenjiying, and..."
　　She also paused.
　　During this brief pause, Meng Cheng's mind was full of thoughts. He suddenly remembered the incident in which the commander of the Qilin Guard had taken sick leave for many days. In addition to the recent movements of the two guards in the capital, he was suddenly startled and asked uncertainly: "...Qilin Guard...? Wasn't it sent out to patrol the suburbs
　　of Beijing..." If we talk about elite troops, there is probably no more elite than the Qilin Guard. And because of his father's tacit approval, they are nominally the Beijing guards who protect the "Emperor and Empress", but in fact they are numerous and almost directly under the Empress Dowager.
　　"On the surface, they are still in Beijing." Dong Lingjiu whispered, "and on the surface, they are always in Beijing."
　　"Mother," Meng Cheng said, "In that case, should the Ziwei Guard be transferred over? I really-"
　　Dong Lingjiu shook his head.
　　They have made such decisions many times before. Neither she nor Meng Zhen is a person who follows the rules. This Beijing Guard is nominally always in Beijing, but in fact, they are no longer just Beijing Guards. Their blades have been stained with the blood of bandits, rebels, and even vassal kings. The commander of the Qilin Guard, Jiang Yunhe, has done many cruel things that cannot be described.
　　Sometimes it is to quell the rebellion and to bring peace to the world, but more often, it is for power.
　　This means that on the battlefield, Dong Lingjiu actually has another eye, but they have not revealed it and have split up into small pieces. Maybe they are disguised as refugees fleeing from the chaos, lurking somewhere in the Dahan River, waiting for the opportunity to cooperate internally and externally, just waiting for an order, a sign -
　　Zheng Yuheng brought this opportunity.
　　When the time comes, she can't do it.
　　Dong Lingjiu stopped the string of beads in her hand, she put them down and replied, closed her eyes slightly, and whispered: "Ruixue."
　　Ruixue lowered her head and replied: "Empress Dowager."
　　"Six hundred miles of urgent, send an order to Hongtian Pass, and let the guards light the beacon outside the pass before dawn."
　　"Yes."
　　The author has something to say:
　　Xiao Zheng: I am so brave!
　　Then she was lifted up by the back of her neck.
　　Xiao Zheng: QAQ