Chapter 128: Will Not Return Until the Xiongnu Are Broken

Hearing this, the leader hesitated. Seeing that this person had an extraordinary bearing and opened his mouth to let the Prince of Zhenbei come to see him, maybe he was really some big figure?

Thinking of this, he didn't dare to delay, instructed the soldiers to watch the other party, and went to report it himself.

With his position as a centurion, it was really difficult to meet the Prince of Zhenbei directly, so he could only report to the chiliarch, and it was passed up layer by layer.

The chiliarch didn't hesitate when he got the news and immediately continued to pass it up, and finally the words reached the ears of the Prince of Zhenbei.

The Prince of Zhenbei was thinking about how to break the situation in the military tent. When he heard the vice general say that an old friend was visiting, he was obviously stunned for a moment.

He had been guarding the northern border for these years. Except for occasionally returning to the capital, he only stayed for a very short time. There were really not many people who could be called "old friends."

The vice general saw the Prince of Zhenbei's appearance, obviously he didn't know this person, and tentatively said: "Or, should I drive this person away?"

"No matter, I'll go and see." The Prince of Zhenbei waved his hand, stood up, and walked out of the military camp.

Wei Xikang still stood in the crowd unhurriedly, analyzing the current situation through everything he saw.

What made him feel distressed was that the footsteps of the soldiers he saw at the moment were extremely floating. Although the ruthlessness in their eyes was still there, the fatigue was even more.

This was caused by not being able to eat enough, and the Xiongnu's occasional sneak attacks made everyone's spirit suffer.

Just as Wei Xikang was still thinking, there was a noise outside the crowd, and someone shouted "The Great General is here, let everyone make way."

Wei Xikang looked over and happened to see the scene of the Prince of Zhenbei walking in.

The two looked at each other. The Prince of Zhenbei was first puzzled, only feeling that this person looked familiar, and then looked closely, the sorrow between his brows was exactly the same as when the Emperor was young, so the identity of this person was not difficult to guess.

The Prince of Zhenbei said incredulously: "Crown... Crown Prince!"

Wei Xikang nodded, showing a bitter smile, "Long time no see, the Prince of Zhenbei can still remember me, I am very gratified!"

All the generals knelt down in a row.

"See the Crown Prince!"

The Prince of Zhenbei also performed the kneeling ceremony, arching his hands and shouting: "See the Crown Prince."

Wei Xikang felt mixed feelings in his heart. What kind of Crown Prince was he? Now that Wei Xi Yuan had ascended the throne in the capital and announced it to the world, he was just a defeated person!

It was just that such words were thought in his heart, and must not be revealed in front of the Zhenbei Army, otherwise it would affect the morale.

"Everyone, no need for courtesy!"

The Prince of Zhenbei stood up, looking at Wei Xikang with excitement in his eyes, hurriedly raised his hand to signal: "Your Highness, please this way."

Wei Xikang nodded and walked in front. He knew that the Prince of Zhenbei must have a lot to say now, and he was the same.

After arriving at the Prince of Zhenbei's military camp, the Prince of Zhenbei specifically instructed the vice general: "Without my permission, no one is allowed to approach!"

Turning to look at Wei Xikang, the Prince of Zhenbei took the lead: "Your Highness, about the rumors in the capital..."

"They are all true!" Wei Xikang smiled bitterly, not intending to hide it from the other party, and told the truth about what he experienced in the capital.

During this period, the Prince of Zhenbei didn't speak, just nodded or frowned from time to time.

"If it weren't for the desperate escort of the Eastern Palace guards, I would have been buried in the capital."

After saying the last sentence, Wei Xikang was silent. He was waiting!

Waiting for the Prince of Zhenbei to make a choice!

After all... the person who ascended the throne was not someone else, that was his second brother, possessing the royal bloodline.

This was why Wei Xi Yuan could ascend the throne safely. Although he was not the Crown Prince appointed by the late Emperor, he was considered orthodox.

If the Prince of Zhenbei also recognized the other party's identity, then he would at most be a wasted trip. Believing in the Prince of Zhenbei's character, he would not do anything untoward to him.

The Prince of Zhenbei said angrily: "What kind of orthodoxy is the Second Prince? That group of old turtles in the imperial court are probably confused. The late Emperor has passed away, Crown Prince, you are the monarch of a country!"

Wei Xikang shook his head helplessly at the Prince of Zhenbei: "It's meaningless to mention these now. Let's solve the immediate matter first!"

The Prince of Zhenbei knew that the Crown Prince must have known the war situation in the northern border on his way here, and immediately knelt down to ask for punishment: "I have failed to guard the border, and I ask for punishment from Your Highness."

"The Prince of Zhenbei is loyal and loves the people like his own children, what crime is there?" Wei Xikang continued: "What is the situation of the Zhenbei Army, tell me all about it."

"Yes! Now the Zhenbei Army has 98,000 people in total, stationed in Lin, Shuang, and Yin cities respectively. Lin City is where we are now, with 40,000 troops, and the other two cities have about 29,000 people." The Prince of Zhenbei had to think about these situations every day, so he naturally kept them in mind.

Wei Xikang nodded and asked the most critical question: "What about the grain and grass? How long can it last?"

The Prince of Zhenbei took a deep breath, "About ten days!"

"Thin porridge?" Wei Xikang asked calmly.

Hearing this, the Prince of Zhenbei nodded with difficulty.

The Zhenbei Army had been short of grain for more than a day or two. The Prince of Zhenbei had long implemented strict grain quotas, reducing the daily ration, from three meals a day to two, and from dry rice to thin porridge.

Even so, persisting until now had reached the limit. At most ten days, the entire Zhenbei Army would face the scene of having no rice to cook.

On the way here, Wei Xikang had thought of countless ways to break the situation, but without exception, they were not practical.

Hearing at this moment that the grain and grass could only last for ten days, Wei Xikang was completely helpless. Even if he was still in the capital as the Crown Prince, he couldn't mobilize grain from other places to send here within ten days, not to mention he had lost this right.

Wei Xikang asked the Prince of Zhenbei: "Is there any countermeasure?"

The Prince of Zhenbei nodded fiercely, the ruthlessness and determination in his eyes showing: "If it comes to the last moment, there is only one way, rely on the enemy for grain!"

Wei Xikang really thought the Prince of Zhenbei had some good way. Relying on the enemy for grain wasn't just going to plunder the enemy's grain.

But... if the Xiongnu could eat their fill, why would he come south to attack Da Qian?

The Xiongnu were because they couldn't eat their fill, and winter was coming soon, so they desperately wanted to kill a way out for themselves here in Da Qian.

In other words, it was like a bandit having no money or grain, wanting to rob a person, who knew that the person also had no money or grain, and wanted to rob the bandit in turn...

Temporarily not knowing who won in the end, but Wei Xikang felt that both sides might starve to death in the end.

The Prince of Zhenbei had fought with the Xiongnu for many years, how could he not know such a simple truth?

But this was indeed his last path. In the past, battles with the Xiongnu were basically based on defending the city. It wasn't that he wasn't willing to take the initiative to attack, but the Xiongnu were brave and good at grassland warfare. Abandoning the advantage of defending the city to pursue the Xiongnu would only increase the casualties of the Zhenbei Army.

As long as the Xiongnu couldn't break into Da Qian and couldn't get supplies, once the cold winter arrived, the Xiongnu would die in large numbers, which would invisibly weaken the Xiongnu's troops.

But the current situation could no longer allow the Zhenbei Army to continue dragging on, so the Prince of Zhenbei was ready to fight for it, just for the common people of the entire northern border.

A desperate fight, will not return until the Xiongnu are broken! ===== CHAPTER 129 =====