Chapter 628: Imminent Danger

Latest website: "What? The Qi troops have withdrawn from Leling City and Pingyang City?"

In the Prince's Council Hall, Zhao Xu looked toward Chang Wei, a look of confusion appearing on his face.

"Yes, Your Highness." Chang Wei nodded. "After I captured Pingyuan City, I was preparing to attack the two cities of Leling and Pingyang according to Your Highness's wishes. I did not expect that before the main army had even set out, the scouts sent to investigate the two cities would bring back the news that the Qi soldiers had withdrawn from them."

"To guard against a ruse, I ordered Qin Shan and Guan Tong to lead their respective troops to the two cities. I did not expect that the two cities had indeed become empty, and now Qin Shan and Guan Tong have already taken control of them."

"In that case, the three cities on the north side of the Jin River have all been taken." Zhao Xu frowned. After thinking for a moment, he nodded slowly. "Some people in Qi still have clear heads. They must know that stubbornly defending these two cities would only cause Qi to suffer even greater losses."

He paused, then smiled: "But this is also good. Without any effort, these two cities have fallen into our hands, and there is no need for more soldiers to sacrifice their lives."

Chang Wei also laughed. Remembering something, he added: "By the way, Your Highness, in this battle we captured Han Qi, as well as a Dongying general. This Dongying general seems to have a higher status and should know quite a few things."

Zhao Xu felt a surge of joy. The last Dongying general captured had spilled everything he knew after being interrogated by the Four Courts.

It was just that, to his disappointment, there was not much useful information among it; it was basically all information he had already grasped.

If the general captured this time could understand more inside information, it would be more beneficial for his grasp of intelligence on Dongying and the Western Lands.

"Hand them directly to Xu Ke." Zhao Xu could not be bothered to see Han Qi and this Dongying general.

Chang Wei replied in the affirmative, then continued: "Your Highness, the three cities of Pingyuan have been taken. Should we take this opportunity to head south and break Qi?"

Zhao Xu was silent for a while. Originally, his plan was to take the three cities and then take advantage of the momentum to attack and destroy Qi.

But now the situation had clearly changed; Qi had used some unknown means to win over other Rich Clans.

If he were to send troops south at this moment, he would inevitably be met with the joint resistance of the seven Rich Clans.

And this would fall right into the trap of the Dongying and the Northern Di.

After all, he and the Rich Clans were fighting each other to the death,

while the Dongying and Northern Di were providing blood transfusions to them.

If they fought to the end, he and the Rich Clans would both be severely damaged.

The Dongying and Northern Di would then take the opportunity to reap the fruits of victory.

Therefore, just as he had told Ma Han, after taking these three cities, Yanzhou would have a natural barrier.

Relying on this natural barrier, he could prevent the Rich Clans from burning the flames of war into Yanzhou, and for the time being, he would not need to pay attention to the schemes and tricks of the Rich Clans.

At the same time, he would cut off the pipelines through which the Northern Di and Dongying were providing blood transfusions to the Rich Clans.

Afterward, when he turned back to deal with the Rich Clans, the war would be much easier.

Thinking of this, he explained his thoughts to Chang Wei once more.

"Your Highness's considerations are thorough; I admire them. The Northern Di have just suffered a great defeat and surely would not dare to fight us to the death in Qinzhou and Yongzhou. Taking these two provinces should not be a problem."

"And for Dongying, we only need to wait for the warships to be launched to completely destroy their maritime trade routes."

"That is exactly the meaning." Zhao Xu looked toward the south. "However, one cannot let one's guard down against the Rich Clans. During this period, you must still focus your energy on the three cities just taken. Besides arranging the defenses of the cities, you must also build forts at important ferry crossings to prevent the Rich Clans from taking rash actions to cross the river for a Northern Expedition."

"Yes, Your Highness." Chang Wei bowed and said.

After discussing a few more matters, Chang Wei took his leave and departed.

After Chang Wei's figure disappeared, Zhao Xu ordered someone to call Mi Wen over.

Just now, Chang Wei had also spoken to him about the prisoners.

Unlike previous wars, the number of Qi soldiers he had captured this time was quite large, totaling over fifty thousand.

Now, these fifty thousand prisoners were all in Pingyuan City.

Originally, according to the Prince's Personal Army's prisoner policy, these prisoners were basically to be released if they should be, and those who were willing to stay could stay.

But because the number was too huge this time, Chang Wei had decided to report this matter to him before making a decision.

Facing so many prisoners, Zhao Xu naturally was unwilling to just send them back to Qi.

But forcing them to stay would inevitably lead to the failure of the prisoner policy.

So he decided to let Mi Wen brainwash these Qi soldiers, striving to make more Qi soldiers willing to defect to Yanzhou.

After a while, Mi Wen arrived at the Prince's Mansion.

Zhao Xu said: "I am giving you a task. Pick a few people to go to Pingyuan City and perform a play for the captured Qi soldiers."

"Perform a play?" Mi Wen showed a look of confusion.

Zhao Xu nodded slightly.

The Rich Clans relied on the support of the Rich Clans to oppose him, so he relied on the support of the common people to oppose the Rich Clans.

Now that the Rich Clans had won the support of the Rich Clans of the world, he naturally had to find a way to win the support of the common people of the world.

Some time ago, he had already let Mi Wen prepare for propaganda matters directed at the people of Qi.

After taking these three cities, he felt that he could officially begin.

And whether he could win over more Qi soldiers was a way to test whether the propaganda methods were effective.

Thinking of this, he said: "This play is very simple."

As he spoke, he picked up a brush and wrote a story himself.

This story imitated the "White-Haired Girl," but replaced the landlord and the wealthy with Rich Clans, and changed all the names.

But the core of the story was the same, which was that the common people lived a life worse than death under the oppression of the Rich Clans.

After the story was written, Zhao Xu handed it to Mi Wen.

Just after reading it once, Mi Wen's expression was moved, and his eyes were slightly red. "This story is indeed brilliant. If it is read to these Qi soldiers, they will surely deeply hate the Rich Clans and turn their hearts toward Your Highness."

Zhao Xu shook his head. "It is not for you to read it. I said this is a play; you must pick a few people to act it out."

Then, he told him about the trivial matters such as how to select actors and rehearse the play.

Mi Wen's eyes opened wider and wider.

In Great Song, operas were generally sung, and there had never been a case of performing an opera like real life.

Yan Wang had truly opened his eyes.

"Interesting. After I return, I will arrange this matter." Having said that, he returned, unable to wait.

Zhao Xu gave a bitter smile; he knew that this was exactly what the literary youth Mi Wen loved most.

After seeing Mi Wen off, Zhao Xu looked toward the direction of Pingcheng.

The training of the Ma Family's troops was already settled.

Now, the only urgent matter was the issue of the twenty-four Warships.

For him, the matter of controlling maritime hegemony in Dongtu was imminent.

Otherwise, Dongying would continuously fund the powerful clans of the Great Song through maritime routes.

Even if he destroyed Qi, there would still be the Xie Family and Southern Liang to follow.

Moreover, besides Dongying, there were the various nations of the Western Lands; it was hard to guarantee they would not get involved in the internal strife of the Great Song.

Therefore, in order to prevent more and more forces from providing blood transfusions to the powerful clans via the sea.

He must take decisive action.