Transmigration begins with archery training

"We still have enough supplies, we can hold on."

Prince Cao Huan of Jin analyzed, "Quickly, transfer troops from the capital now and quell the rebellion of the Three Prefectures as soon as possible, at all costs!"

"That's too late."

Minister of War Ming Qingfeng shook his head dejectedly: "To mobilize troops now, not to mention the long distance, we don't even have time to procure enough provisions. At most, we can only make it look like we're sending troops to put pressure on the rebel generals of the three prefectures."

"So, everything's over?!"

Yan Maoxing said with a worried look, "Not only can we not retake Mangshan, but we also can't even withdraw our 150,000 troops. Will we be completely wiped out? 150,000 men! If all 150,000 of them die, we will lose the six western prefectures, which is nearly one-fifth of the territory of our Great Sheng Dynasty!"

"A stroke of luck amidst misfortune."

Ming Qingfeng said, "The grain and fodder are well preserved, and the soldiers within Guandu can still hold out for a while. We can only hope for a turn of events..."

"The so-called turning point is nothing more than Chen Sanshi!"

Minister of Personnel Yin Mingchun bluntly stated, "But if Chen Sanshi could defeat Han Xiang, he would have done so long ago. Why drag it out until now? What follows is nothing more than a slow death!"

"And the Prince of Zhennan."

Ming Qingfeng said, "The Prince of Zhennan can spare some troops. Compared to the capital, it is closer to the three prefectures, and the supplies can be prepared by themselves. Go and inform the Prince of Zhennan immediately!"

"besides!"

Cao Huan tried every possible method: "Help me to the Wanshou Palace and ask Father to invite the immortal masters from the Shengyun Sect. If more immortal masters can come, there might still be hope!"

"correct."

Minister of Revenue Tian Guang said, "Young Grand Secretary, if I remember correctly, the prefects and garrison commanders of Wu County and Guangyuan Prefecture were once Grand Secretary Yan's students. Even if they have been away from the capital for many years, they should still remember the old friendship, right?"

"These two bastards!"

Yan Maoxing was so angry that his official hat was askew: "I'll write a letter right now and ask them what they mean by paying compensation! The eldest and second sons of the Wu County Prefectural Commander are still in the capital!"

He said this and left in a hurry.

……

Yanfu.

Luofeng Courtyard

here.

It is the residence of Grand Secretary Yan.

In the courtyard stands an ancient sycamore tree, its branches and eaves teeming with all sorts of birds.

Grand Secretary Yan has a well-known hobby: raising birds. Any bird caught here is worth hundreds of thousands of taels of silver, and some exotic beasts are even more valuable than gold.

It is said that the annual cost of feeding the exotic birds alone exceeds two million taels of silver.

The elderly Yan Liang sat in a rattan chair, with two young maids beside him, one pouring tea and the other carrying prepared fruit, their expressions respectful.

In the palm of his hand, the Grand Secretary held a handful of colorful seeds, watching the birds that occasionally landed on his arm, his face full of kindness and gentleness.

"My goodness, what time is it? You still have the mood to play with birds here!"

Yan Maoxing strode forward angrily, startling the birds into flying in all directions: "Do you know that Yu Siji and Du Xiaochen have betrayed their country and defected to the enemy!"

"These two people were promoted by us back then."

"Their actions have not only harmed the Great Sheng Dynasty, but they're also harming us!"

"Last time, during the ten-day siege of Yunzhou, two idiots from Anding Prefecture lost their position, and rumors spread that it was related to us. Now that this has happened, we can't clear our names no matter what we do!"

"no.

"I need to write to them and ask them what they mean."

"Stop writing."

"Of course we should write it, even if it's useless!"

"I told you to stop writing, didn't you understand?"

Only when Grand Secretary Yan emphasized his words did Yan Maoxing suddenly stop in his tracks. As if realizing something, his pupils contracted sharply, and he quickly stepped in front of the old man: "Father, you...you knew all along?!"

Such a big thing happened.

His father didn't react at all.

This already explains the problem.

"What are you still doing here? Get down!"

Yan Maoxing dismissed the two maids, then looked at his father and asked in a low voice, "Father, could it be you...?"

Grand Secretary Yan did not answer, but instead fiddled with a bird with beautiful plumage.

"Really? W-Why?!"

Yan Maoxing was shocked and asked cautiously, "Father, you...you've betrayed the country? Our Yan family has sided with the Western Qi's Fallen Leaf Valley?!"

"..."

Hear the words.

Grand Secretary Yan closed his eyes, and after a long while, he sighed: "Yan Maoxing, you've wasted all these years in officialdom. You think you're clever, but in reality, you're just a simpleton."

"That means there was no treason."

Yan Maoxing said thoughtfully, "Since there was no treason, then what did you mean by letting Yu Siji and the other two defect to the enemy, Father? What's the matter...?"

Halfway through the sentence.

He got it.

All the mysteries surrounding the ten days in Yunzhou have been figured out.

"It's...it's that person..."

Yan Maoxing was completely baffled: "Why? If we lose 150,000 troops, won't we suffer a devastating loss? Or is there some benefit that Fallen Leaf Valley can offer that's more important than 150,000 troops?"

"Yan Maoxing, there are many things I have not told you. This world is not as simple as you imagine. His Majesty is an ambitious monarch, but he also has his own unavoidable difficulties."

"In short, all you need to know is that only His Majesty can maintain the stability of this realm."

Yan Liang scattered all the seeds in his hand on the ground, then clapped his hands slowly: "For the sake of the country, the sacrifice of some people is inevitable."

"Can……"

Yan Maoxing felt a lingering fear: "We did all these things. What will we do if someone uses them against us one day?!"

"Yan Maoxing, do you think I was able to transform myself from a top scholar from a poor, remote village into the Grand Secretary in just five years?"

"In the imperial court, if you want to rise in rank, you must be able to do things that other officials cannot."

"As for your concerns..."

Grand Secretary Yan said leisurely, "If you want to bring us down, no one's word matters. The so-called handle is only useful if His Majesty thinks it is a handle."

"I'm getting old."

"The Yan family will have to rely on you sooner or later."

"You are self-righteous and not meticulous enough. After I leave, if you want to survive in the court, you must remember one thing."

"In the Great Sheng Dynasty, there was only one person who could command the wind and rain, and that was the Emperor."

"If the Yan family wants to have any reason to exist, they can only be the ones who shelter people from the wind and rain, even if the storm might kill someone, they must stand up without hesitation."

"Son, I've remembered."

……

Wu'anhou Mansion.

A courtyard pavilion, a chessboard, and a tea tray.

The scholar in the blue robe stared at the chess pieces in front of him, remaining silent for a long time.

"General Fang."

Cao Zhi broke the silence first: "You really don't think there's a problem?"