As the twelfth lunar month begins, there are few sunny days in the north. In the shrill north wind, snowflakes are like markets, one gust of tightness.

Between the palaces in the suburbs of Jinyang, a group of court officials were whispering to each other.

"... The general's surprise attack on Xiangyang failed, and the next situation may be unfavorable to our army..."

"It's not that the general just occasionally failed, but he defeated the Zhou army in Xiangyang and captured the Zhou cavalry general Yu Wenxin alive. This is a fact. Moreover, he successively captured Xun County and Wudang County, and blocked the Zhou reinforcements to advance eastward. Xiangyang is already a dead end..."

"It is hard to say that our army is insufficient and Xiangyang cannot take it down, so our army's pace stops here. Zhou State reinforcements come in endlessly to confront our army. Can the general fight on two fronts and retreat to the enemy one after another?"

"...Food and supplies transportation are indeed a big problem. Have you ever thought that once our army's food and supplies are not sufficiently prepared, Lanling King will fight on both sides of the battle, which is a great danger!"

"Then...what do you mean?"

"Stop the battle for a while, fight again next year!"

"No, Your Majesty will not allow it. Besides, you have to figure it out. If you really wait for the next year, whether the Southern Dynasties devour Jiangling or Jiangling repels the Southern Dynasties, there will be no matter in our dynasty in Jingxiang. You must not miss the opportunity."

“What I said is very…”

"Once we stop at this critical moment, our army will be in vain. Shangshu Tang said just now that our army lacks food and supplies, and we cannot afford to drag our army and the Zhou army. We must completely defeat the Zhou army for three months! Otherwise, no matter whether we temporarily stop the troops or not, there will be only one ending. I don't want to, and I have already fallen into Nanyang and other places in my hand and finally spit it out again!"

"In the current situation, we can no longer be in the mentality of picking up cheap things. This is a big gamble. The three countries have all been on the gambling table, and the winners are all!" Duan Shao turned around and glanced at the important officials, including the Ministry of War and Privy Council. Duan Shao paused a little and said, "Wang Lin was besieging Anzhou and attacking from the southeast side of Xiangyang to the northwest. We still have many opportunities to turn around. The most important thing now is whether Gao Changgong can block the Zhou reinforcements from the eastwards to the Fengzhou line... The others are useless no matter how much they worry about it. Who is most likely to advance eastwards?"

"Wei Xuan." Tang Yong stopped. Duan Shao's feet did not stop. When he stepped out of the corridor, his figure obviously stopped. "It was him..." Duan Shao's expression was not as happy and angry. He nodded for a while, "I remember him. During the Battle of Mangshan, I had seen him. He followed Yuchi Jiong to lead troops to attack Luoyang. Another time, Dugu Yongye led 20,000 troops westward. He defeated Dugu Yongye with 500 cavalry. I remember that Hulu Mingyue also suffered a loss under his hands. Why... Didn't he be in Xiongzhou? Where are he running now?"

Tang Yonggong bowed and said, "Daozai Rong, I was in Yiyang last year. After the great victory in Fenzhou, Shaozhou, Zhongzhou and Xiongzhou all fell into the hands of our dynasty. Yuwen Hu also clearly stated that he was the governor of Xiongzhou and is now transferred to the governor of Yizhou.

"There is not without basis for Bei Zhi to say this. Three days ago, Dugu Yongye and Wei Xiangyuan both reported the news. The atmosphere in Yizhou was strange. Dugu Yongye observed for a long time and found that Wei Xuan had no intention of tempting to Heyin Henan..."

"What do you think?"

"Wei Xuan sent troops after the general defeated Zhejiang Province and was defeated by the general. Now he has put in such a formation again. Haha, isn't this meaning obvious enough?" Tang Yong smiled bitterly, "He expected that the general's attack on Xiangyang would be unfavorable. This is... this is clearly..."

"He's taking the way out," Duan Shao took over his words, his expression remained unchanged. "There are not many soldiers and horses that he can mobilize in Yizhou, but if someone says that he does this, I don't believe it, but I don't believe it.

What you said before was not completely unreasonable... But I still disagree."

Tang Yong gritted his teeth and said, "Why would you rather send reinforcements along the way?"

"..." Duan Shao thought silently and did not give a reply as soon as possible. After walking for a while, he saw the emperor's eunuch, "Where is Your Majesty?"

"Your Majesty is discussing affairs with the envoy of the Sumo tribe of the Marine tribe. The Sumo tribe of the Marine tribe has paid tribute to hundreds of good horses, three carts of sable furs, hundreds of bows, three falcons, and three sharpshooters. The Marine people have never come to pay tribute since July of the fifth year of Tianbao (554). Speaking of which, this is the first time they have paid tribute since His Majesty ascended the throne. Your Majesty is very happy and specially invited his horse to run a horse in the school." Several eunuchs answered respectfully. Duan Shao narrowed his eyes and looked at the schoolyard. The people neighed and shouted, and the crowd was clamoring. The emperor was running horses in the schoolyard. "Well, the Marine tributary emperor, this is a happy event."

The first time to relate to Sushen (the transliteration in the Jurchen language, the two names should be homophones). There were records during the reign of Emperor Shun that Sushen came to the court. After that, Sushen paid tribute three times in the Xia and Shang dynasties, Han, Wei and Jin dynasties, and until the Southern and Northern Dynasties, there were occasionally records of Sushen coming to the court. The most recent was in the fifth year of Tianbao in the Northern Qi Dynasty, Sushen came to the court.

Sushen is remote, and it is extremely difficult for the Central Plains dynasty to contact it. It can be said that "Sushen comes to the dynasty" is almost a prosperous dynasty, and the guest and the four barbarians are worthy of celebration. The "Long-Arrow and Stone Stories" tributed by Sushen people is the representative of good bows. The clan name of Sushen and the Martial Arts means "arch" in their language. They pay so many tributes at one time, which is even more solemn than the tribute in the fifth year of Tianbao. No wonder Your Majesty is happy. Which emperor does not want his reputation to spread all over the world?

It is generally believed that the name Mariner is the special concept that Marinerer uses animal skin as material for clothing in the people of the Central Plains.

The most powerful tribe among the Marine tribes today is the Sumo tribe.

In the schoolyard, in the cold weather, the emperor was wearing a pair of heavy iron armor and riding a black Liaodong horse. He surrounded by a group of brave riders and stood in front of a small hill. The whistling wind was getting worse, as if a heavy whip was whipping on people. The extremely majestic Liaodong horse raised its neck and neighed a few times, and the horse's hooves stepped on the frozen ground, making a sound of hitting the golden jade.

Gao Wei had just rode the horse for a few laps and was overjoyed. The horse had just walked a few steps and someone came forward to support him. His posture was even more attentive than the eunuchs beside the emperor. The man was wearing a thick fur and a sable hat. There was a slender, oily whip hanging down behind his head. This man was the envoy of the Martial Arts. "Be careful..."

"Haha, don't you need to support me, can't I even ride a horse?" The emperor seemed very happy, which made Tu Jiluo's heart fall back into his stomach. It seemed that the emperor of the Great Qi was quite satisfied with the tribute from Su Mo tribe. The emperor was happy and said a lot, "I am very satisfied with the tributes you received from your chief. Tell me, what reward do you want?"

The upper country of Central Plains has always been generous to the vassal states. Tu Jiluo quickly stroked his chest and knelt on one knee, "Report to the emperor, how dare our troops let His Majesty lose money and accept His Majesty's reward? Our troops only hope that His Majesty can give our troops a grace!"

The emperor narrowed his phoenix eyes slightly, and there was no emotion on his face, "Oh? I don't know what kind of grace you want?" Perhaps feeling the emperor's tone was not good, Ji Luo hurriedly paused and said, "I dare not make excessive requests. The leader of our tribe heard that the eight divisions of the Khitan were granted the fourth-rank guerrilla generals, and they were granted the title of marquis and promoted, and became a citizen of the Celestial Empire. He was very envious and hoped that he could get such a gift and trade with the Supreme Kingdom!"

"Your troops are in the Songhua River, far away from our dynasty. Why did you suddenly remember to officially become my vassal?" Gao Wei looked very interested. Tu Jiluo was shocked. This is a fact. In their language, in Gutonggus-Woru Ju's words, "Su" means "water, river, river", and together it means "rice like **".

"Our division is located in a wilderness, does not understand education, and admires the culture of the Celestial Empire..."

Gao Wei refused to comment, "What else?"

"And...and..." Tu Jiluo gritted his teeth and said, "Our troops were repeatedly bullied by Goguryeo, hoping to get the protection of His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Qi!"

These Gaowei had known for a long time that after the Haotai King and Changshou King, the regime of Goguryeo also had the characteristics of military feudality. It made Goguryeo always in the external expansion of foreign conquest and anti-conquest, and was neighboring with the more powerful Goguryeo. Due to the huge difference in strength, Sumo Mie was often forced to rely on Goguryeo, pay taxes, and serve as military service. When fighting, they often acted as the "pawn of the horse" of Goguryeo. Last year, some Mahe tribe coalition forces invaded the Northern Qi border. Although Sumo tribe did not participate, they also heard that the coalition forces were almost wiped out, but they still surprised Sumo tribes a lot. They also heard that the Northern Qi and Khitan and the Xi tribes carried out border trade and gave officials and titles to the leaders of the eight Khitan tribes... Seeing that the Khitans are living a very comfortable life now, at least Goguryeo did not dare to attack them casually, so they became interested...

Gao Wei asked: "Last year, when Mary attacked the border, he robbed the border, but you are there?"

Tu Jiluo was so scared that he was uneasy that he kowtowed repeatedly and said, "Your Majesty, this matter is not done by our tribe, and our tribe has not participated at all. It should be noted that the Marine tribe, besides our tribe, there are also Bodu, Anchegu, Fu Ni, Haoshi, Baishan, Heishui and other tribes. They are doing it by their tribe. Our tribe has never participated. Please give a clear explanation!"

Gao Wei narrowed his eyes longer, okay, the "Black Water Marine" in the Marine tribe has almost come. These guys are not convinced by Wang Hua, and are much more savage than the Sumo tribe, and often do things that make people angry. Goguryeo has become more and more excessive in recent years. He touches the border east and takes a little west, and really treats him as a blind man! You must worry!

"Um..." Gao Wei just thought for a moment and said, "I am sure. I have appointed your chief commander as the fourth-rank general of Anyuan. Like the eight Khitan tribes, he is directly under the jurisdiction of Yingzhou. All government orders are from Yingzhou!" Yingzhou, Youzhou generation was a mixed place of the Khitan, Xi people, and the Mushi people. The two Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, the monarchs of the northern kingdom continued to interrupt their rise through war. Gao Yang even captured more than 100,000 Khitans in one war, which led to the mix of Hu and Han people here. The court paid no less attention to Yingzhou than Fenzhou and Luoyang.

This arrangement, on the one hand, formally included the Sumo tribe in the ruling of the Northern Qi Dynasty. Although it is impossible to directly rule, it can greatly expand its influence and power. A small warning to Goguryeo. Secondly, it is also to add a shackle to the Sumo tribe. Following the Yingzhou government orders, they cannot carry the banner of the Northern Qi Dynasty and annex the conquests everywhere. It should be noted that Wanyan Aguda and Nurhaci in later generations did this. Although the Sumo tribe has always been a part of the Mushi tribe that is close to civilization, they cannot be ignored.

Can Tujiluo think of so many things? Hearing the emperor let go so quickly, he thanked him very much, and Gao Wei smiled without saying a word. Then Gao Wei walked over to see the other tributes they paid. Gao Wei was not interested in the precious Haidongqing and sable fur. Instead, Su Mo's bow and arrow were more suitable for his appetite. The bow was black all over, three feet long, and the style was ancient, but the lines were smooth and explosive. The arrows were two inches long. The arrows were not made of fine iron, but were polished by obsidian, which was smoother and extremely sharper than a mirror.

The Marines were the ancestors of the Jurchens, a fishing and hunting nation, and were famous for their good shooting. There are records in the Book of Later Han that although there were few Sushen people, they were all very brave. They lived in dangerous places in the mountains and were good at shooting arrows, and could hit people's eyes a hundred steps away.

Gao Wei had seen it just now, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that their archers were walking through Yang in a hundred steps.

Gao Wei lifted the longbow and weighed it a few times, pulled out an arrow, pulled the bow full, and pointed it at the target. At this time, Lu Ran came forward and whispered something in his ear.

Gao Wei kept his bow in motion and said:

"I know what they want to say to me. It's rare to have the opportunity. I can trust Brother Wang. I will never issue an edict to withdraw my troops..."

"Instead of worrying about it, it is better to plan how to replenish the food and grass in a short time. If one person does things, there are more than a dozen people pointing fingers there. How can this happen? If they are not tired, I will feel tired for the general!"

"Tell them that I have prepared more than 6 million stones of grain and grass in Luoyang Cang. Now is an extraordinary period. No matter what I do, they must draw up an emergency charter for me within three days. Within one month, grain and grass and supplies must arrive in Nanyang!"

The emperor spread the bowstrings, and the bow and arrow hit the bull's eye. Heavy snow fell in the middle of winter, and it fell in the wind.
Chapter completed!