Traveling through ancient times: living a different life

The troops from Jingguo who came to support Heishan City had just passed through a few counties when they received a letter from a spy in the city, saying that Heishan City had changed hands and was in the hands of Han Shaoqing.

The supporting troops were shocked when they heard this. This was too horrible. Black Mountain City was occupied just a few days after receiving the messenger.

The army could only go to Hongsha City under the leadership of Commander-in-Chief Ma Luoduo of Jingguo. This was the city closest to Heishan City, and they sent pigeons to convey the news that Heishan City had been lost to the capital.

After receiving the news, the emperor and the prime minister in the capital felt a little uneasy. At the court meeting the next morning, they summoned all ministers above the fifth rank to the main hall to discuss the matter.

Inside the hall, the ministers were talking at once, just like the uncles and aunts selling and buying vegetables in the market, noisy and without any rules.

Prime Minister Lin Dong came out and spoke first, "Your Majesty, we are putting all our national strength into fighting against Han Shaoqing's 120,000 troops. I don't believe that we can't defeat his small army."

Minister of War Che Xun'an came out and reported, "I think that Han Shaoqing of Changping State was able to capture two cities in such a short time. He must have had the help of capable people, and also the help of otherworldly masters.

Think about it, four days ago, the news said that all the soldiers, horses and food supplies disappeared in Black Mountain City overnight. Who could be so capable as to take them all away without a trace?

As a result, there is no food, weapons, arrows, or horses in the Black Mountain City. It's like a woman fighting a strong man with a big knife. How can you win?"

Minister of Finance Chi Zhongqing stepped out and said to the emperor at the head, "Your Majesty, I think what Lord Che said is right. Since our country joined forces with Wulan Kingdom to annex Changping Kingdom, we should now ask the emperor of Wulan Kingdom for people. Is the cooperation between the two countries just a verbal agreement?"

The emperor complained in his heart: When the two countries joined forces and held a secret meeting, it was me who first proposed it. How can I have the face to ask him for anything now?

Minister of Personnel Leng Chaoyang stepped out and said to the emperor, "If what the three adults said is true, I think there must be a hermit among Han Shaoqing, and this person's means are amazing. He captured two cities without a single soldier. We can't just sit there and wait for death. We can only rely on Wulan Country. They are also fighting fiercely over there and are now unable to take care of themselves.

Zhu Jingtang, the Protector of Changping, is also a veteran warrior. He has already captured one city of Wulan and is currently capturing a second city. He is too busy to help us.

The ministers were whispering to each other, wondering what good ideas they could come up with. Chi Zhongqing spoke to the emperor again, "Your Majesty, now we can only issue a call for talents and recruit talented people from all over the country. Those who have the ability should be recruited into our Great Jing State. If they have a good way to repel the enemy, they can be given high positions and generous salaries."

Now Ma Luoduo, together with his first warrior Niulanshan and second warrior Wu Dahai, led 100,000 elite soldiers and moved into Hongsha City.

The current commander in the city, Shang Chengli, still has 40,000 soldiers and horses under his command, all of which are now under the command of Ma Luoduo. The ministers were also wondering how long these two warriors could hold out against Han Shaoqing's army.

The emperor was also extremely worried. He discussed the matter for a whole morning. After the court session, he took the prime minister and the six ministers to the imperial study. After sitting down at the desk in the study, he took out the first summons issued by the imperial edict, which was to recruit talented people and folk masters from all over the country. He also sent the summons to recruit hermit masters to several neighboring countries.

If there are capable people who help Jingguo withdraw the troops, they will be granted the title of king. The imperial edict will be written and the prime minister will order it to be sent out as soon as possible. The six ministers just shook their heads, indicating that they had nothing to say.

The emperor ordered the prime minister and the six ministers to recruit talented people. Who can help Jingguo repel the enemy? The same promise of the king, the ministers, are active and ready to act.

The emperor and his ministers finally reached a consensus before leaving the imperial study. On the palace road, a eunuch came forward and bowed to Lin Dong, saying, "The imperial concubine in the palace invites you."

Prime Minister Lin knew that this eunuch Xu was from his daughter's palace.

When the ministers nearby saw this, they hurriedly said goodbye to Prime Minister Lin and left the palace.

It turned out that the imperial concubine in the palace was Lin Dong's eldest daughter, Lin Huijuan. She was the emperor's most favored concubine and was very pregnant. Within a few years after entering the palace, she had given birth to two princes, the eldest son and the third son. Now the queen in the palace has only one daughter, and the other two concubines each have a son. The current emperor is 33 years old, named Jing Cheng'an, and now has four princes and two princesses.

Lin Dong followed the eunuch to Xihua Palace, which was decorated very luxuriously, with pavilions, towers, carved beams and painted buildings, and all the flowers and plants were precious species.

Now it is winter, and there are still many flowers blooming in the garden, especially red and white plum blossoms, which are blooming in full bloom, making the whole palace look magnificent, like a fairyland on earth.

The eunuch led Prime Minister Lin into a warm room, where he saw his daughter, Concubine Lin, sitting with another beautiful woman.

Prime Minister Lin recognized this woman as his daughter's cousin Zhuang Peihuan, who was also in the palace. She gave birth to a princess and was promoted to the position of concubine.

In the palace, the two sisters support and help each other. It is difficult to survive in the palace without help. Where there are many women, there are many right and wrongs, intrigues, and everyone is like a black chicken eye. It is either you die or I live.

After Prime Minister Lin sat down, the Imperial Concubine spoke first, "Father, I heard that His Majesty sent 100,000 troops to Black Mountain City, but halfway through the journey, they heard that the city had been occupied, so they had no choice but to move into Red Sand City.

It has been just over half a month and two cities have been lost without any casualties. Everything in the two cities also disappeared without a trace overnight. It’s scary to think about it. We in the palace also found it very weird thinking about this.

I have a hunch that there must be a demon in the army of Han Shaoqing of Changping State. If my guess is correct, this demon is very powerful and our Jing State has no power to fight back. If this goes on in less than half a year, I think Jing State will be destroyed. I don't know what will happen to my sister, my children and me in the future?

Your Majesty, don't worry. His Majesty has now sent Ma Luoduo to lead an army of 100,000 and take the first and second warriors of Jingguo to Hongsha City. They will definitely defeat Han Shaoqing.

Lin Dong comforted his daughter and niece, but in fact he was also comforting himself. He came out of the palace with a heavy heart and returned to his mansion. He was confused and didn't know what to do.