Nine dragons fight for the throne, I don't want to sit on this throne

The cold wind was like a knife, blowing through the towering walls of Jicheng, making a shrill whistling sound.

The weather in mid-January was bitterly cold. The soldiers standing guard on the city walls wrapped themselves tightly in heavy cotton armor, and the white breath they exhaled quickly condensed into frost in the air.

Inside the mansion, the charcoal brazier was burning brightly, but it couldn't dispel the chill on Han Xing's face.

He stood in front of the desk, holding a crumpled letter tightly in his hand, his knuckles turning white from the strain.

The candlelight cast flickering shadows on his resolute face, making him look even more gloomy.

"Everyone!"

Han Xing's voice was deep and solemn, breaking the silence in the meeting room: "General Ma Chao sent a letter, saying that the Tang army suddenly launched an attack on Qingcheng!"

Upon hearing this, the dozen or so generals in the hall, who had originally looked a little listless due to the cold, immediately disappeared.

Zhou Meng, who was sitting in the first seat on the right and had a full beard, was the first to stand up and slam the table, his eyes flashing with fighting spirit:

"General Han, let me lead the troops to support us! I will make sure those Tang troops never return!"

"Our army has rested for several months, and the soldiers are eager to fight the Tang army!"

The young Liu Yun also stood up. He was tall and slender, and the sword at his waist made crisp clash sounds as he moved.

The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became heated, and the generals talked to each other with high morale.

"That's right. Since it was the Tang army that took the initiative to attack this time, we can take this opportunity to counterattack!"

"Yes, attack! Let the Tang army know how powerful our Chu army is!"

"I beg to be the vanguard!"

Amidst the excitement among the crowd, only Han Xing remained solemn.

He slowly raised his head and scanned the faces of every general. The heaviness in his eyes gradually quieted everyone down.

"Generals!

"Han Xing's voice was colder than the wind outside: "The Tang army not only attacked Jicheng, but also attacked Qingcheng, Baishui, Linhe, and Handancheng at the same time. Now several generals have sent letters to me asking for help! "

These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over everyone's heads.

The hall suddenly fell silent, with only the occasional crackling of the charcoal fire being heard.

"This...how is this possible?"

Zhou Meng's eyes widened. "The Tang army's troops are not much larger than ours. How dare they divide their forces and attack simultaneously?"

Liu Yun frowned: "Unless... they are sure of victory, or..."

"Or this is just a cover." A cold voice came from the hall door.

Everyone turned around and saw Jia Yu, wearing a black brocade robe, walking in silently like a shadow.

He had a thin face and eyes as sharp as an eagle. The Jinyiwei token hanging around his waist shone coldly in the candlelight.

When Han Xing saw Jia Yu, a complicated look flashed in his eyes: "Master Jia, you have arrived at the perfect time. I was just looking forward to hearing your opinion."

Jia Yu walked slowly to the center of the hall, bowed slightly to Han Xing, and then looked around at the generals: "Generals, the Tang army has divided its forces into several directions to attack our army, clearly intending to delay our main force!"

He paused, then pulled out a secret letter from his sleeve. "The Imperial Guards have just received news that the Han Dynasty's border troops are being mobilized frequently, and that the Protector of the Han Dynasty, Huo Quji, has already rushed to the Han-Zhou border overnight!"

"Huo Quji?" Liu Yun gasped. "That big, powerful war god?"

Jia Yu nodded. "That's right. Considering the fact that the Great Zhou Dynasty was formally incorporated into our Chu State a few days ago, I suspect that the Great Han Dynasty wants to attack the old Zhou territory, but is afraid that our army will intervene, so they ordered the Tang Army to hold back our main force!"

The faces of the generals in the hall changed drastically.

Zhou Meng slammed his fist on the table, knocking over the teacup. "Despicable! The Great Zhou Dynasty has just been incorporated into our dynasty. We absolutely cannot sit idly by!"

"Huo Quji has always been good at fighting,"

An elderly general said worriedly, "The Han Emperor has transferred him to the border. It seems he is determined to annex Zhou territory."

Liu Yun turned to Han Xing and asked, "General, have you informed His Majesty of this?"

Han Xing shook his head: "The incident happened suddenly, and I haven't had time to report it yet."

"Then what should we do now?"

Zhou Meng said anxiously, "We can't just sit there and watch the Han Dynasty annex Zhou territory, right? That's our new territory!"

The generals discussed the matter again. Some advocated sending troops to support Zhou immediately, while others believed that the immediate threat from the Tang army should be resolved first.

The atmosphere in the hall became tense again, with arguments breaking out one after another.

Han Xing frowned, his eyes swept across everyone's faces, finally stopping at Jia Yu: "Master Jia, what do you think our army should do?"

Jia Yu pondered for a moment and said in a deep voice: "This matter is of great importance, but if our army splits up to support Zhoudi now, we won't have enough time."

"From Jicheng to the Zhou border, the fastest journey would take twenty days, and there are many Han Dynasty cities along the way."

"The Tang army is currently fiercely attacking our four border cities. If we don't provide timely support, we will probably suffer heavy losses."

His meaning was very clear - to deal with the Tang army in front of him first.

"What about the Zhou Dynasty?"

Han Xing asked, his eyes full of worry: "Once Zhou is lost, His Majesty will blame me..."

Jia Yu said solemnly, "On the one hand, send an express horse to convey the message to His Majesty immediately, and on the other hand, send a message to General Xue Huaide stationed in Zhoudi, and ask him to make defensive preparations in advance."

"At the same time, we can send a light cavalry unit to rush to the Zhou border day and night to investigate the situation."

Han Xing was silent for a long time. The only sounds in the hall were the tense breathing of the crowd and the whistling wind outside.

Finally, he raised his head, a hint of determination flashing in his eyes.

"Okay, let's do as Master Jia wishes!"

Han Xing stood up suddenly and spoke in a strong voice: "General Zhou, General Liu, General Ma, General Wang, the four of you will each lead your troops and set out immediately to support Qingcheng and the other four cities!"

The four generals who were named stood up in unison, clasped their fists and replied, "As you command!"

Han Xing continued his order: "Master Jia, I'll leave the delivery of this information to your Imperial Guards. Please ensure that the information reaches His Majesty and General Xue as quickly as possible."

Jia Yu nodded slightly: "I will arrange it right away."

"Everyone!"

Han Xing looked around at the generals and said in a low but firm voice: "The situation is complicated. Our army is facing the dilemma of being attacked from two sides."

"But no matter what, we must defend the existing cities and not let the Tang army succeed. As for Zhoudi, we can only hope that General Xue can hold out until reinforcements arrive."

The generals looked solemn and nodded one after another.

They knew that it would be a tough battle.

"Go!"

Han Xing waved his hand and said, "Everyone, prepare yourselves. We will set out in an hour. Remember, be vigilant during the march to prevent any ambush by the Tang army."

The generals left the conference room one after another, leaving only Han Xing and Jia Yu.

Han Xing walked to the window, looked at the snowflakes drifting outside, and frowned: "Master Jia, do you think we can escape unscathed this time?"