Chapter 11: Bad news from the front line

Outside the Suhong Hall is a small garden. When the father and son passed through the garden gate, they happened to see two figures in the hall.

He Chunhua turned his head slightly, his voice subtle: "The two seen in the street center the day before yesterday are these two?"

He Lingchuan also saw the guests and hurriedly nodded: "Yes, it's them!"

At that time, these two were galloping in the busy city, almost stepping on a child, and then left the city gate and went northeast.

He Chunhua hadn't returned to the mansion for the past two days, and He Lingchuan had no way to report it, but he didn't expect that he knew it too.

Who reported it?

Mostly Uncle Hao.

He Lingchuan once again experienced his father's subtle control, whether it was over his two sons or Heishuicheng.

It seems a bit scary.

Turning into the hall, He Chunhua looked at the two uninvited guests: "Excuse me, where do the guests come from?"

The young man in white robes that He Lingchuan saw the day before yesterday changed into a lake-green brocade suit today, with silk embroidery on the shoulders and lapels. Dressing so formally is to show respect for the local host.

He finally saw the true face of the gray-clothed man.

This person is nearly sixty years old, with a thin and tall figure, and he is already an old man with gray hair and beard, but a pair of eyes are very bright, as if he can look directly into the human heart and dig out the most obscure secrets of others.

The young man smiled: "I am Nian Songyu, the Yangwu Commandant of Yuecheng, Xunzhou, and I came here under the order of my father, Nian Zanli!" Then he introduced his companion, "This is the Great Yuan National Master, National Master Sun Fuping!"

Even though He Chunhua was calm, he was shocked at this moment: "What!"

Nian Songyu was fine, he already knew that Nian Zanli, the Governor of Xunzhou, had sent someone, but he didn't expect it to be Nian Zanli's second son.

As for the appearance of National Master Sun, it was greatly beyond his expectations.

National Master!

There are three National Masters in the Yuan Nation, and each of them has the ability to move gods and ghosts.

They can usually help the King to regulate the national fortune, and they are the most terrifying big killers in wartime. As long as the timing is right, they can even decide the outcome with one blow.

As the ultimate ideal of many sorcerers, this National Master Sun should have been enjoying the offerings in the capital. Why did he suddenly run to the barren land? He Chunhua didn't care about the loss of ceremony, stared at him for a long time, and then exhaled: "It is really National Master Sun, the subordinate was rude!"

"Things have changed." Sun Fuping smiled slightly, "At the sacrificial ceremony twenty years ago, I remember that the Libationer He attended with his third grandson, which is you!"

"Things have changed." He Chunhua sighed a little, and pointed to his eldest son, "My dog son, He Lingchuan."

He lived in the capital for more than ten years and had seen this National Master Sun on many occasions. Twenty years later, the National Master is also old, but the outline is still there, and He Chunhua recognized him after looking at him a few more times.

He Lingchuan had to step forward to see the ceremony.

Nian Songyu smiled at him: "We met so soon."

"Isn't it?" Hearing his meaningful words, He Lingchuan smiled even more brightly, "It seems that Commandant Nian and I have a fate."

He Chunhua looked surprised: "Why, you have met?"

Before Nian Songyu could speak, He Lingchuan explained hurriedly: "Father doesn't know, the son met two distinguished guests by chance while eating on the street the day before yesterday. At that time, the street was bustling, and Commandant Nian even saved a child, making him avoid being trampled!"

Uncle Hao, who had just stepped into the back hall, heard this sentence, and his skin twitched.

He Chunhua said "Oh": "So it is, Commandant Nian is young and promising, and it is rare to be kind-hearted."

The four of them smiled together, pretending to be confused.

He Lingchuan understood very well that Nian Songyu's official rank was higher than his own, and Nian Songyu's father's official position was also higher than his own father's. The small festival of the day before yesterday should be skipped, and the topic should be entered as soon as possible. After all, he had a premonition that the topic would not be very pleasant.

Nian Songyu smiled, and really didn't mention this again: "He, the National Master and I are on a mission, and we arrived here after rushing for three days and three nights."

He Chunhua was also very considerate: "The two have worked hard, so stay at the White Stone Building tonight, that is the best guesthouse in Heishuicheng." After saying that, he turned to call the servants to change tea for the two guests.

Seeing that he didn't ask questions, Nian Songyu had to say it himself: "This task, I am afraid that I still need the help of Prefect He."

He Chunhua "Hmm": "I would like to hear the details."

Nian Songyu said sternly: "Does Prefect He know that the Woling Pass has fallen?"

He Chunhua was shocked and almost jumped up. He didn't care about the loss of ceremony: "What did you say! The Woling Pass was broken?"

Woling Pass? He Lingchuan immediately searched for this place name in his mind, but the original body didn't seem to pay much attention, only knowing that it seemed to be in the middle of the Yuan Nation, with rivers, mountains, and water nearby.

"How is this possible?" He Chunhua condensed, "I heard that the rebel forces in Buxin and Hongchuan merged in May and began to attack Woling Pass. But Woling Pass occupies a natural danger and has been repeatedly reinforced over the past ten years, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. What's more, Zhao Ronglue, who guards the pass, is known as the 'Iron Bucket General', with elite soldiers and sufficient food. How could it be easily broken by thieves!"

In his estimation, Woling Pass could hold out for at least a year or two, and by then the thief's disaster would be solved.

"Prefect He is far away in Jinzhou, and his understanding of the war situation in the middle is far better than many powerful people in the capital." Nian Songyu said gloomily, "Unfortunately, the 'Iron Bucket General' was injured in his right eye in the chaotic battle and died. Once he died, the military heart scattered, the generals fought internally, and the rebel army took the opportunity to attack the city. Half a month ago, there was a traitor who secretly opened the city gate and let the rebel army in—"

He said word by word: "That place, it is only fifteen miles away from the capital!"

Fifteen miles, for cavalry moving at full speed, it would be there in a blink of an eye.

He explained it very clearly, and even He Lingchuan, who didn't know much about the geography of the Yuan Nation, felt the seriousness of the situation. He Chunhua only felt that he was exhaling cold air: "Where is the rebel army now?"

"Still at Woling Pass."

Hmm? The He father and son were both stunned. The rebel army finally seized Woling Pass, but didn't take the opportunity to go down? Soldiers value speed.

However, He Chunhua reacted in a blink of an eye: "Something went wrong with the water route?"

"Xu Dayou, the deputy general of Zhao Ronglue, gathered the remnants at the time of the city's fall and burned all the ships in the dock. Even if the rebel army took Woling Pass, they had no ships to use. There has been a lot of rain recently, and it will take at least fifty days to re-cut wood and build ships."

"It is God's pity that we have won this little time for us. Now armies from all over the country are rushing to Woling Pass, but the situation is not optimistic." National Master Sun Fuping took the conversation, "Whether the Great Yuan can continue, it may depend on these fifty days."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 13 =====

"Zhao Ronglue's deputy commander, Xu Dayou, gathered the remnants when the city fell and burned all the ships in the dock. Even if the rebel army captures Woling Pass, they will have no ships to use. There has been much overcast and rainy weather recently; it will take at least fifty days to fell timber and build new ships."

"It is ultimately Heaven's mercy that has bought us this bit of time. Now, armies from all over are rushing to Woling Pass, but the situation does not allow for optimism." State Preceptor Sun Fuping took up the conversation, "Whether the Great Yuan dynasty can continue may well depend on these fifty days."

(End of chapter)