Chapter 86: The Siege of Guangwu (VI)

The loss of several thousand soldiers was just a drop in the bucket for the Turkic army of hundreds of thousands.

It doesn't seem to have much impact on the overall battlefield situation.

But the morale of both sides showed a trend of one rising while the other falling.

Although the cities of Gangxian and Guangwu were still unaware of the specific battle situation outside the city, they could clearly feel that the Turks were already showing signs of fatigue and their offensive was gradually fading.

Just a few days after the first battle of Ziyuyuan ended, reinforcements from Luoyang, led by the right general Pu Gusu, arrived at the Xinkou battlefield. On the same day, Gao Huang, the governor of Qingzhou, also arrived.

A day later, King Wei arrived with reinforcements from Guanzhong.

His originally plump figure had become much thinner. Although he still walked briskly, his complexion looked a little sallow.

The arrival of Prince Wei Murong Ding not only brought nearly 70,000 troops, but most importantly, it gave the entire army a backbone.

Before leaving Chang'an, Murong Ying specially appointed Prince Wei as the commander-in-chief of all military forces at home and abroad so that he could control the troops in the world.

In addition, his prestige and reputation are unmatched by the emperor.

The situation of the coalition with a backbone was naturally different, but the plans of the two brothers Zhao Da and Zhao Er failed. Although King Wei was almost a dying candle in the wind, he did not appoint others to command the army, but personally commanded the central army.

He commanded a force of nearly 200,000 and pressed toward Gang County with the force of Mount Tai.

When the Turks in Gang County saw the formation of the Yan army, they did not dare to attack. While defending the camp, they also sent an emergency message to Guangwu.

At the same time, Shibi Khan Ashina Tujishi also received a secret letter from the royal court, saying that the Khan of the western Turks, Datou, had learned of the developments here and was preparing to attack the Yinshan royal court.

Tu Jishi, whose hometown was about to be raided, immediately ordered the entire army to march out.

Meanwhile in Gang County, the coalition forces had already begun attacking the camp.

It took half a day for Zhao Da and Yuwen She to take turns carrying soil and fill the trench outside the Turkic camp with two passages a hundred feet wide under the rain of arrows from the Turks.

Just as they were preparing to attack the camp with heavy infantry, the Turks began to retreat across the board.

The siege of Gang County was lifted without a fight. The second prince Murong Zan went out of the city in person to meet his great-uncle, Prince Wei Murong Ding.

Zhao Da, Yuwen She, Gao Huang and other generals all requested to pursue and break the siege of Guangwu, but they were suppressed by Murong Ding.

Strict orders were issued to all units not to pursue the enemy without authorization.

Three days later, the Turks withdrew their troops across the board, and all the soldiers and civilians of Dayan in Guangwu City cheered warmly.

Li Yuanhui also breathed a sigh of relief, safe and sound. This result was very good.

A day later, the army arrived at Guangwu. The sage regained his former majesty and spirit. He wore a twelve-chapter robe and a crown and went out of the city to welcome the army in person.

But at this welcoming ceremony, something unexpected happened that no one had expected.

At the south gate of Guangwu City, the emperor stood under a cloud umbrella, with the Jinwu Guards carrying ceremonial guards on both sides. Without the threat of the Turks, this most glamorous army in the world regained its former arrogant state, with each soldier standing straight, with his chest puffed out and his belly bowed, and his head held high.

The army that came to support the king set up camp outside the city, and King Wei brought his generals to meet the emperor.

Prince Wei Murong Ding, who was walking in the front, walked very slowly after getting off his horse. His usually upright back was slightly hunched, as if he didn't care at all that the Emperor of Dayan was waiting for him in front.

Murong Ying did not say anything and just stood there waiting, without any impatience on his face as he watched his uncle moving slowly.

Finally, as if Murong Ding was walking slowly on purpose, he finally walked to a distance of only ten steps away from him.

He looked at the emperor who was already over forty years old, but suddenly a heroic young man appeared in front of him.

More than thirty years ago, he took this young man to practice riding and archery and taught him the art of war.

The boy is called
"Aying."

Murong Ying hadn't heard this name for a long time. It was his nickname.

Since the death of the previous emperor, or even earlier, no one has called him by that name.

For a moment he even forgot to answer, and then he saw the old man not far away fall down.

Murong Ying was stunned by the scene in front of him. He opened his mouth and his whole body was shaking, but he couldn't say anything. It was as if he saw a mountain collapsing before his eyes.

Prince of Qi Murong Ju, who was originally standing behind him, was the first to rush forward, completely disregarding etiquette.

He picked up the old man and exclaimed, "Uncle, uncle!"

The original welcoming ceremony immediately became a mess, and Murong Ying finally came to his senses, "Imperial Physician, Imperial Physician!"

Murong Ding was carried directly into the house in the city, and the imperial physician came to treat him immediately. This old man had been a soldier for half his life, and had been fighting with his father and brothers since he was a teenager. He had fought for most of his life, crawling on ice and sleeping in the snow, working day and night, and now he was already in his twilight years.

If you rest and recuperate, you may be able to live a few more months or half a year.

However, when he learned that Murong Ying was besieged in Guangwu, he immediately gathered all the troops that Chang'an could mobilize, and led his troops to defend the king despite his illness.

I have spent almost all my energy along the way. I am already struggling to make it to Guangwu.

Murong Ding was unconscious for a whole night. The imperial physician used medicine and acupuncture to finally bring him back to consciousness.

The old man, who was already on his deathbed, only allowed the two brothers Murong Ying and Murong Ju to stay by his side.

"Saint, I should go to see Taizu and the late emperor."

Lying on the hospital bed, Murong Ding's face looked much rosier. It must be the time of his last breath.

Murong Ying was extremely uneasy and frightened at the moment. He sat on the couch and held his uncle's hand tightly. "Uncle, you will be fine. I have asked the imperial physician to check it out. It's fine."

The significance of Murong Ding's existence is that he is the mainstay of the Great Yan Dynasty.

With him around, even if there are some minor disturbances, they can be quickly calmed down.

With him around, those royal family members who had ambitious ambitions did not dare to express them.

With him around, Murong Ying had the confidence to face the rebel forces that were swarming across the country.

But today, he seemed to be leaving. Adding to the lingering fear of the city being besieged by the Turks a few days ago, Murong Ying was very flustered.

Murong Ding, who noticed Murong Ying's mentality, had no time to comfort him. He just left his final instructions.

"Grandfather Taizu led my Murong clan all the way from Liaodong to the Central Plains. Several of my brothers died in battle at that time. I am still alive today, so what am I dissatisfied with? The only thing I am worried about is the country of Dayan. Saint, you are smart and decisive, but too conceited. Emperor Xuan of Wei said that water can carry a boat, but it can also overturn it. You must remember the lessons of Han and Wei, and you must not lose the world of my Murong family."

If someone else had said this, Murong Ying would have been furious and would have had the guards drag him out and hacked him to death.

But as his elder, his uncle, the person who had supported him all the way, he now felt endless panic, as if his greatest support was about to collapse.

He did not feel any anger, but was really listening attentively to his uncle's last words.

"Uncle, I understand. You have to get better too."

"Well, why do you have to be like this? Men of the Murong family shed blood but not tears."

"Uncle."

"Aju."

"Uncle, I'm here."

Prince of Qi Murong Ju, who was standing nearby, also had tears streaming down his face and responded with sobs.

"Aju, you must assist the Saint wholeheartedly. He is your brother, and you must not have any other intentions. Aying, you must also trust Aju."

"Okay, I understand, uncle."

"Aying, where is the little boy Kexie?"

"He's outside. I'll call him over now. Feng Jin, ask Vajra to come over."

The eunuch standing at the door ordered Feng Jin to hurriedly lead the Sixth Prince Murong Kexie into the house. Murong Kexie, who was only six years old, burst into tears and ran to Murong Ding's bed, saying innocently, "Twelfth Grandfather, I heard that you are going to die. Please don't die, okay?"

Murong Ding laughed and said, "Hahaha, what I said doesn't count. Ke Xie, sing a song for me, the Chi Le Song, okay?"

Murong Kexie wiped his tears and sang in a crying voice.

"Hmm, woo woo woo, Chi Le Chuan, under the Yin Mountains. The sky is like a dome, covering the four fields. The sky is vast, the fields are vast, the wind blows the grass low and you can see cattle and sheep."

Amid the singing of a six-year-old child, Murong Ding, the King of Wei and the pillar of Dayan, left with a smile on his face.

The royal family ministers and civil and military officials waiting outside the courtyard all prostrated themselves and kowtowed.

Among the crowd, Li Yuanhui looked up and seemed to see an old man in his twilight years not far away nodding and smiling at him, and then disappearing into the wind.

The end of one person has become the beginning of an era.

In March of the twelfth year of Tiansheng, Prince Murong Ding of Wei died in Guangwu, and the world began to fall into chaos.

(End of this chapter)