Mountains and rivers are waiting for you to return

Chapter 38 The war begins

The history books only mention it in a few words, but it actually caused the separation of tens of millions of families and the rise and fall of half of the country.

The fifteenth year of Zhengkang.

Pei Hao, the great general who defended the country in Tianyao, was the one who chased the Northern Spear from the Three Mountains and defeated the Wu tribe's cavalry outside the Six Cities in the Western Border.

The Tianyao Dynasty enjoyed a period of peace.

In the battle eighteen years ago, although Pei Hao won a great victory, he was accidentally hit by a poisonous arrow secretly shot by the enemy bandits and died.

February of the twenty-third year of Zhengkang.

The Wu tribe, which has been the greatest threat throughout the ages, raised an army of 130,000, led by their general Tuoba Huo, and invaded Tianyao's northwestern border.

Eight years later, Tianyao once again experienced severe foreign invasion.

Guo Min, the former military advisor of the deceased General Zhenguo, was temporarily appointed General Pingxi. He shouldered the heavy responsibility, inherited Pei Hao's will, took over the Zhubei Spear, and led 100,000 Pei's troops to fight the enemy.

The General of Pingxi was an excellent general in the art of warfare and was skilled in warfare. He defeated the Wu tribe step by step. However, in the last battle, someone on his own side discovered his strategy and he was ambushed by the enemy.

Most of the Pei army who participated in the battle died. General Guo Min was shot by an arrow, but he still gritted his teeth and waited for reinforcements to arrive. Unfortunately, due to his injuries and exhaustion, he could not withstand the full force of the enemy general Tuoba Huo, and his right arm was cut off, and he died tragically under the enemy's long sword.

The King of Liaodong was ordered to lead his troops to provide support. He accelerated his march day and night, but he was still a step too late and could only see General Guo's body.

The soldiers of the Pei family army never gave up and fought bloody battles for several hours. When the King of Liaodong arrived with his garrison, only more than 10,000 people were left in the Pei family army.

Tuoba Huo immediately led his troops to retreat.

This was a war without a winner. Half of Pei's army was killed or wounded, and only 50,000 of the Wu tribe escaped.

It rained heavily that day, and the Chishan Mountain northwest of Zibo City was a sea of blood, which was extremely terrifying.

The Battle of Chishan took place in the fifth year of Pei Nai and Gu Jinheng's marriage.

That year, Pei Nai turned twenty years old.

When the result of the Battle of Chishan came, she was taking Xiao Mingyi out for a walk.

Ancient trees gathered on the roadside, providing shade for the roadside.

They walked through the mottled shadows of the trees.

At that time, Xiao Mingyi was about nine years old. He was wearing a silver-white robe with gold patterns and a bun tied with a plain flowing silk ribbon.

There was no expression on his face, and he still looked so mature beyond his years.

In Pei Nai's view, Xiao Mingyi at that time was just a child who had lost his mother and could not get the care of his father.

In order to make him happy, Pei Nai always likes to tease him.

"Ayi, this clay figurine is so fun, do you want to have one?"

But Xiao Mingyi looked up at her and said indifferently: "If you are interested, you can ask them to make one yourself. Don't use me as an excuse."

Pei Nai said "Hey", raised his eyebrows and said: "You are just a little older, but you are not interested in anything. What are you going to do in the future?"

Xiao Mingyi ignored her.

Pei Nai was delighted and pulled Xiao Mingyi's sleeve with cloud patterns on it, "Let's go, pinch a little Mingyi and play with him."

The vermilion columns and brackets are staggered, supporting the green tiles. The pavilions are three stories high, with hanging fish between the beams on both sides, and the flying eaves and animals are finely carved, and the eaves are level.

The clay figurine stall is located in the open space between the two pavilions.

After Pei Nai made his request and was about to pay, the messenger arrived first.

Above my head, the branches trembled in the wind and the leaves rustled.

The messenger knelt before her.

"Madam, the battle report from the front says that the Pei family army was ambushed in Zibo City, and General Guo was killed in the battle!"

She almost forgot how she got home. The only thing she remembered clearly was that she was waiting for Gu Jinheng to come back home with a heart full of sorrow and lend him a shoulder to lean on. But she waited until the food was cold and he still hadn't come home.

Gu Jinheng was always busy during those days.

After Uncle Guo passed away, she was the only one left in the huge Pei family.

She had been strong since she was young and had never cried in front of others. However, at that time, she really wanted someone to hug her and ease her grief.

But she remembered that at that time, she was only accompanied by Xiao Mingyi.

Gu Jinheng came back very late, and just said to her with gestures: "I know about Uncle Guo's matter, don't be too sad."

People all felt that Pei Nai was strong enough, so strong that he didn't need anyone's comfort.

Gu Jinheng is no exception.

Later, when Pei Nai was on the eve of his death, she finally understood.

Isn’t it what Gu Jinheng wanted that Uncle Guo Min passed away?
She vaguely remembered that she lived in great chaos in the months following the Battle of Chishan.

Until the day of the incident.

It was the first day of the new moon, and everything that happened on that day was deeply impressed on her.

When she, Gu Jinheng and Xiao Mingyi were having dinner, news came from the palace that the emperor had passed away.

Gu Jinheng was ready to leave for the palace before he even finished his meal, and Pei Nai prepared to pack up and go with him.

But at this moment, another urgent report came: the crown prince was assassinated in the East Palace, and the second prince's army had been transferred to the outskirts of Chaoyang.

The second prince thought his plan was flawless, but who would have thought that Gu Jinheng had already been prepared for what he did.

Pei Nai didn't know how Gu Jinheng did it.

Several officers of the Imperial Guards had sworn allegiance to the Second Prince Xiao Bin, but they suddenly changed sides when the incident happened, catching Xiao Bin off guard.

Gu Jinheng suddenly turned the tables. The army that had been stationed fifty miles away from Chaoyang set out upon hearing the news, surrounded Xiao Bin's army from the opposite direction, took the opportunity to intervene and strangle the main force.

Xiao Bin knew that he had lost his power, and with the help of countless of his subordinates who risked their lives to protect him, he successfully escaped.

Gu Jinheng's pursuit troops failed to stop him, so Xiao Bin returned to Yuncheng overnight to reunite with his own troops.

Pei Nai also knew something about the origin of the fight for the throne.

Over the years, only two princes and one princess were born in the palace. Even if Xiao Mingyi, who was raised outside the palace, was included, there were only three heirs in total.

The concubines in the palace had frequent miscarriages. The imperial physician diagnosed that His Majesty was ill with a disease of yin deficiency, and therefore the dragon seed in the concubines' bellies would be affected.

But Gu Jinheng told Pei Nai that His Majesty had long suspected that his health was deteriorating due to a chronic toxin accumulated over the years, and someone had tampered with it.

Your Majesty has roughly found out who is behind this, but even he cannot touch this person.

The Queen's family is extremely powerful. As long as their power is not eliminated, Your Majesty will not dare to act rashly. This is his long-planned plan to decentralize power.

Due to health reasons, the emperor has only three sons and one daughter.

The Crown Prince and the Second Prince were both born to the Queen, while the little princess was born to a concubine, but she was only one year old.

The second prince is also the queen's son and is more ambitious than the weak crown prince.

He was unwilling to be suppressed by his own brother, so this move must have been planned for many years.

When the emperor passed away, he searched the palace but could not find the will. In desperation, he simply asked a skilled craftsman to forge a false edict of succession.

He turned the chaos in Chaoyang that night into a story of Gu Jinheng's treason and intention to usurp the throne, and rumors spread everywhere.

After Xiao Bin wanted to point all the criticism at Gu Jinheng, he took the imperial edict to succeed the throne in Yuncheng, and then led the troops to attack Gu Jinheng in the name of punishing the evildoers and eliminating the rebellion.

(End of this chapter)