Chapter 80 White Cherry Under Purple Scarf

Chapter 80 White Cherry Under Purple Scarf

Chapter 80 White Cherry Under Purple Scarf

The princess stood in the backyard garden, staring at the cherry trees.

When the autumn wind blows, there is actually nothing much to see.

The only important thing here is people.

"Greetings, Princess." Shao Xun bowed.

Concubine Pei wore a purple silk scarf today, which made her look more noble.

During the Wei and Jin Dynasties, men wore a "lun scarf" on their heads. This "lun" is pronounced the same as "guan" and is relatively large. It is mainly used to tie up the hair.

The lun scarf worn by women is pronounced the same as "lun". There are two types of lun scarves. The ones worn in warm seasons are relatively small and only cover the head. In the cold winter season, the lun scarves are not only thicker, but also reach the shoulders and even extend to half of the arm, mainly for cold protection.

Purple and white are common colors of silk scarves worn by women. For example, Shi Hu's queen liked to wear purple silk scarves.

Next to the small purple silk scarf, there is a tortoise shell five-weapon pendant, which sways when she walks, and is very eye-catching.

This woman likes to dress up more and more, she used to be very simple.

"What are you looking at?" Concubine Pei asked softly.

"White cherries under a purple scarf."

Concubine Pei smiled gently: "Can you write poetry?"

"No. I only know how to fight and kill."

When she heard the words "fight and kill", Concubine Pei sighed and asked, "I heard from Mi Zihui that you wanted the prince and I to live in Jinyong City. Why?"

"Sikong is on Emperor Sikong's northern expedition, and the outcome is unknown. News has come from the west that Chang'an is recruiting troops, and they may have already set out." Shao Xun said, "The palace has only fifty followers and guards, which is not safe enough."

"Didn't you send fifty more people?"

"Not enough." Shao Xun shook his head: "Zhang Fang can at least bring 20,000 to 30,000 soldiers and horses. Luoyang may not be able to be defended."

After the past two years, we can see how many soldiers Sima Yong in Chang'an can mobilize. If there is no serious damage, it will be about 70,000.

In the previous attack on Luoyang, we lost no less than 20,000 men, leaving only 50,000.

At this time, Huangfu Zhong of Qinzhou was still holding on. He heard that Sima Yong had also sent some troops to supervise the battle. So if Zhang Fang was ordered to advance eastward, it would be good if he could bring half of the 50,000 troops.

In this matter, Huangfu Zhong actually tied up a large number of troops in Guanzhong.

The city was isolated and had been defended for more than half a year, but it had never been conquered. However, the imperial court had already taken his brother's house and gave it to Shao Xun. Huangfu Zhong's persistence was doomed to be in vain - even if he sent people to break out and ask the imperial court for help, it would probably be fruitless.

Therefore, the number of troops Zhang Fang brought with him to the east was probably between 20,000 and 30,000. Moreover, the autumn harvest was coming soon, and after the autumn harvest, there was autumn sowing - if wheat was planted - it was not easy to recruit peasant soldiers in large numbers.

Even if Sima Yong no longer cared about saving farming time, he was still afraid that the people below would rise up in opposition.

But even if there are only 20,000 or 30,000 people, it is not that easy to deal with.

Most of the soldiers guarding Luoyang were newly recruited soldiers who could barely muster the courage to go up to the city walls. The risk of a field battle was too great. Shao Xun had already made up his mind to defend the city. He would wait and see what happened, and then decide if he could not defend the city.

"So you are worried that the Western soldiers will break into the city, capture me and the prince, and ruin our northern expedition?" Concubine Pei asked.

She was very smart and figured out the whole thing in an instant.

"Yes." Shao Xun replied.

"You've thought too much." Concubine Pei said in a slightly sarcastic tone, "If Yecheng is about to be captured, even if my mother and I are captured by Zhang Fang, he will not stop. Besides, although Zhang Fang is crazy, he is not a fool. He may not do anything to us. Sikong will not worry-"

"I'm worried." Shao Xun said bluntly.

"What are you worried about?" Concubine Pei asked, but then she felt that this question was not appropriate.

This isn't the first time, what are you expecting?
He was a young man, easily impulsive, what if he said something embarrassing, how would you end up? But this dangerous game was really too exciting, it could fill a large part of her empty life.

She even became a little nervous.

"I'm worried about the princess... and the prince." Shao Xun replied.

Concubine Pei's tense body slowly relaxed, her face slightly hot. Then she looked at Shao Xun with a slightly mocking look, as if she was laughing at his insincerity.

"What are you going to do if you can't defend Luoyang?" Concubine Pei turned around and asked softly.

"Retreat to Jinyong City."

"Can't we defend Jinyong City?"

"I will lead you and the prince to break through."

Concubine Pei was slightly startled.

Shao Xun did not use the neutral title "Princess" but "you", which made her a little uncomfortable.

"How can we easily break out in a battlefield full of chaos and arrows and stones flying everywhere?" Concubine Pei turned around and asked.

"I will block the arrow for you." Shao Xun said.

A layer of goose bumps gradually appeared on Concubine Pei's slender neck like a white swan.

Shao Xun lowered his head slightly, his eyes falling on her chest. Concubine Pei was wearing a light and thin long gown today, and after she finished speaking, the upper part of the gown had obviously changed.

There was a long silence.

Both of them felt that there was something wrong with the atmosphere, but they both enjoyed indulging in it.

"Manor... We need to evacuate the manor as well, right?" After a long time, Concubine Pei, who had gradually calmed down, asked softly.

"Yes." Shao Xun said affirmatively: "Stay here and wait for death. Everyone retreat to Jinyong City."

"Have you ever thought about that..." Concubine Pei frowned slightly and said, "What if the Northern Expedition fails and the situation is out of control?"

Shao Xun was unable to answer for a moment.

He had recently been wondering how much history he had changed, and the worry in his heart had never disappeared. When he heard the princess mention it, he became even more worried.

But he really had little choice.

If he did not defend Luoyang and retreated eastward directly, he would be courting death. Sima Yue would no longer trust him and would have great doubts about his loyalty and ability.

In fact, he could only hold on to Luoyang and deal with Zhang Fang.

Objectively speaking, even if Luoyang was not defended, there was still Jinyong City, so it would not be so easy for him to fail.

As for whether Sima Ying would go south, he was inclined to think not. Because Sima Yue was still contacting Bingzhou, Youzhou, and Qingzhou to ask them to attack Yecheng from both sides. Sima Ying's strength was not as good as before. If he sent his main force south, Yecheng would not be defended, which he could not accept.

The battle has gotten to this point, and it actually seems like the outcome is pretty clear.

If Sima Yue had the courage and brains, even if he was defeated, he should have led the defeated troops back to Luoyang and cleaned up the mess. If he had made good use of it, he might have been able to launch a second northern expedition.

With this deduction, there is still a chance of winning if we stay in Luoyang.

Even if only half of the troops were left, Sima Yue gathered the defeated soldiers on the way, reorganized them roughly, and took them back to Luoyang. Under attack from both inside and outside, Zhang Fang, who was short of troops, could only flee in panic - who let Huangfu Zhong hold up a large number of troops in Guanzhong?

Sima Yue wouldn't be so incompetent as to panic and run around, right?

He is really good at operations and has made a lot of cards in the past six months. Even if Sima Ying won the Battle of Yecheng, as long as he did not completely wipe out the Northern Expedition Army and as long as he did not have the courage to attack Luoyang directly, he could only ask for peace.

The situation is completely different from what it was six months ago.

"I still want to defend Luoyang." Shao Xun said, firming up his mind.

Now, without relying on history and only judging from the current situation, he can clearly see that although the situation in Luoyang is critical, Zhang Fang's chance of breaking into the city is not absolute.

Even if Sima Yue had only the IQ of Emperor Sima Zhong, he would gather the defeated troops and return to Luoyang to rectify the situation.

He has endured and borne heavy responsibilities for so many years, how could he be frightened easily?

"Well, I'll listen to you." Concubine Pei responded softly, "Call He Lun and Wang Bing in a few days and give them a lesson so that they can cooperate with you."

Concubine Pei knew very well that as a woman, she should still listen to men when it came to matters of killing.

Shao Xun nodded and said, "The princess is very organized and clear in her work. She is truly a heroine."

Concubine Pei rolled her eyes at him, looked around, and sighed, "Such a good manor. I have worked hard for half a year, but now I have to abandon it. It's a pity."

Some of the trees and flowers were transplanted by her.

"Nothing can last long in Luoyang," Shao Xun also sighed.

"What are your plans for the future?" Concubine Pei asked, "Are you going to stay in Luoyang?"

"I'm not in a position to be picky." Shao Xun said sincerely, "It's not up to me to decide where to go."

"Then why did you ask me to prepare a retreat route to Xuzhou?" Concubine Pei blinked and asked.

"I thought too simply at the beginning. There are some things that I am not sure about, so I have to do it that way." Shao Xun said helplessly.

"Are you sure now?"

"Now I am confident that at least some of the soldiers are willing to follow me to a distant land. The choice is not so narrow."

"So you just go with the flow?"

"Yes." Shao Xun nodded and said, "I said, I am not qualified to be picky. When a real vacancy comes out, I hesitate and it will be snatched away by others. Now if there is a real vacancy in Sizhou, I dare to take it!"

Concubine Pei looked a little dazed.

An eagle is useful when hungry and flies far away when full.

Some birds cannot be caged.

Some people will eventually leave and it is impossible for them to stay in one place forever.

After going far away, he will meet other people who appreciate and value him, he will get to know different children from noble families, and he will meet other women.

"I'm tired, please take me back home." Concubine Pei ordered listlessly.

"Yes." Shao Xun noticed her expression and agreed without saying anything.

(End of this chapter)