Jiaohua

Chapter 1606 No More Whereabouts
The news of the Battle of Qingji Pass reached the Central Plains in early February, and by mid-March, it had completely spread throughout the entire Central Plains.

Through word of mouth and the legendary nature of the word "Ali", this battle became increasingly mythical.

It was only after the news spread that Zhuang Mengyao, who had retreated to a corner of the southeast, learned that at the end of the year, Shen Lie had fled to the northwest and was not in charge of the Yan army.

Before long, a rumor spread among the soldiers, saying that Shen Lie didn't need to do it himself, and the capable generals around him were enough to beat the Jiangnan soldiers into this state.

The officers used a lot of means to suppress the spread of this rumor, but the result was that the rumor became more and more serious and the morale of the army collapsed very quickly.

After struggling for several months, coupled with the successive casualties of his son and nephew, the news that spread in the barracks caused Zhuang Mengyao to suddenly feel a pain in his chest in early April, and he vomited a lot of blood.

Lying on the hospital bed, Zhuang Mengyao still couldn't figure out why he fell so quickly from power when he owned the rich Jiangnan area and had the best cards in the world. In just half a year, he had lost the three richest provinces.

The unwilling hatred grew like a vine, from the bleak late autumn of last year to the withered winter, and then took away the emaciated Zhuang Mengyao in the warm April day.

Zhuang Mengyao had seven sons. The two bravest ones died in battle. The remaining five were sick or injured. The one with the weakest character did not dare to take power.

Soon, several of Zhuang Mengyao's key generals were caught up in a power struggle.

The people that Yan Jun's strategist Hui Jin had placed in place over the past few months played an important role at this time.

History has become a cycle, as if returning to the time when the Daqian military system had not been changed and the seven major barracks in Jiangnan coexisted.

However, there are no longer seven major barracks today. After fighting for power, annexation and conspiracy with each other, the remaining Jiangnan barracks are divided into three forces.

Zhuang Mengyao's younger brother took 10,000 people to Nanzhou, which was more remote than Lingzhou.

The three Jiang Chu brothers, Zhuang Mengyao's most trusted subordinates, brought 40,000 troops and wanted to join Yun Bozhong.

Lian Qi, a former subordinate of Shen Shuangcheng and a former member of the original camp, led 20,000 troops to the southwest.

The remaining soldiers were taken in by Yan's army, packed up and sent to the northwest.

At the end of April, the Jiangnan Barracks belonging to Zhuang Mengyao completely withdrew from the stage of history.

In early May, the Jiang brothers who went to seek refuge with Yun Bozhong were robbed by Nie Huimo and then by Jin Hongkang on the way. Finally, the Jiang family was captured by bandits on their escape and died tragically in an unknown mountain village.

Nie Huimo and Jin Hongkang were also fighting fiercely.

Last year, Jin Hongkang was very dissatisfied with Cao Yijun's decision to bypass him and send Mubuyifan to the capital without authorization, and he transferred him away from the attack camp.

Nie Huimo took the opportunity to rush in, and at the last critical moment, Cao Yijun rushed back urgently, thus avoiding the loss of the Daping South Line.

But in February, Cao Yijun and Jin Hongkang resigned and begged to be relieved of their posts as the commanders of the attack camp.
Jin Hongkang refused, so Cao Yijun went on a hunger strike to express his determination.

When he was starving to the point of being emaciated, Jin Hongkang finally agreed. However, Cao Yijun's personal freedom was restricted from then on and he was not allowed to leave his home for five years.

Cao Yijun left the attacking camp, and Jin Hongkang sent another brave general to serve as the commander of the attacking camp.

This may be the most difficult opponent Nie Huimo has ever encountered in his life.

This brave general's surname was Chen, his given name was Xing, and his courtesy name was Li Ke.

In order to achieve his goal, he would do anything, and was ruthless in his use of troops. He did not hesitate to use the soldiers of the attacking camp as bait. He did not care how many were sacrificed, as long as he could win, including sacrificing himself. This fearless opponent made most of the military tactics that Nie Huimo had learned in his life ineffective, and the battle lasted for more than two months.

But Nie Huimo was also very brave. Since he was not at an advantage in a head-on confrontation, he simply broke the stalemate that had lasted for many years in Mouye. He lured Chen Like to Mouye and dragged Yun Bozhong into the water as well.

From mid-April onwards, Mouye was in chaos and several major provinces under Mouye suffered terribly.

The one who was most afraid among them was Tongdu Ying Jinliang.

Ying Jinliang continued to use his ability to pray to gods and Buddhas everywhere, and even wrote a letter to Hejing, asking for help from Yang Guanxian.

When Yang Guanxian received his letter, he was entertaining guests.

The visitor was a mysterious guest. It was the end of April in Hejing, and the weather was getting hotter than cool, but she was wrapped tightly. The light grey cloak covered her body, and the hood covered her head. Her face was wrapped with a scarf under the hood, so not a single bit of skin was exposed.

The tea from Mingtai County has a subtle and quiet fragrance. The woman sniffed it lightly, put down the teacup, and never touched it again.

At this time, Yang Guanxian's men delivered Ying Jinliang's letter.

The envelope was marked as urgent. Yang Guanxian just glanced at it and handed it back to his subordinate, asking him to deliver it to the study.

After the subordinate left with the letter, the woman spoke in a hoarse voice, "Lord Yang is so lucky. Every time you fell into poverty, you were able to turn things around. Back then, you couldn't even afford to eat and were displaced, but now you are in a high position and power. Even high officials like Yu Shiling dare not disrespect you. And when you were in Jinzhou, you were covered in festering pus and your whole body smelled bad, but there were still people willing to help you."

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Yang Guanxian looked very uncomfortable: "I have never forgotten the kindness you showed me in Jinzhou."

"Yes, but you turned around and joined my greatest enemy. Isn't your current wealth and glory given to you by her?"

Yang Guanxian smiled faintly: "Mrs. Yao, Ah Li's last name is indeed not Qiao, she is not your enemy..."

The woman's voice suddenly became harsh: "Her last name is not Qiao, then your last name is Qiao?! She is Qiao Yanchi! Yang Guanxian, I thought you were a big shot, but I didn't expect that for the sake of money and power, you helped her to deceive the world and steal fame! We really saved you in vain! You are such an ungrateful and ungrateful thing!"

Yang Guanxian's face turned ugly: "Madam Yao, I have never forgotten your kindness in saving me. But it is yes and it is no. No matter how grateful I am to you, I will never confuse right and wrong."

The woman gnashed her teeth in hatred, and her eyes under the hood seemed to want to dig a hole in Yang Guanxian's face.

Yang Guanxian has been offending people over the past year or so, but he is always cheerful and thinks he has thick skin and a thick face that is as strong as a wall of iron.

But facing this behavior of his former savior, Yang Guanxian felt extremely uncomfortable and his face was burning.

The atmosphere in the room became eerily quiet.

Suddenly, the woman asked, "Where are Qiao Kaishi and the others now?"

Yang Guanxian paused: "Who?"

"Qiao Kaishi," the woman said in a suppressed anger, "Last year, Shen Lie went to Yunliang, and Qiao Kaishi and his group have not been found since. I know you don't want to have anything to do with me anymore, but as long as you help me find Qiao Kaishi and his group, the favor you owed me will be cleared!"

After saying that, the woman stood up and said, "I will not be returning to Jinzhou during this period. If you know the whereabouts of Qiao Kaishi, send someone to the Anqing Inn in the south of the city to find a woman named Lin Yan."

Yang Guanxian sighed and stood up: "Madam Yao, I don't want to break up with you."

"Don't talk to me about this, you ungrateful person!"