Chapter 174 Nanjing City's trump card, Tuoba's sudden retreat

"Are you Gao Changsheng's backup?"

The indifferent voice swept through the air like a strong wind.

Under the city of Nanjing.

The solemn and murderous atmosphere dispersed the clouds in the sky like a tornado.

Neat arrays of soldiers gathered outside Nanjing City, with no end in sight.

"Do you think you can stop me by yourself?"

The sound rang again.

The person who spoke was standing calmly in front of the army, and it was obvious that he was the commander of this army.

A large banner was swaying in the strong wind.

The two words "Tuoba" are clearly visible on the flag.

He is able to command such a large army and has such power, and is also known as Tuoba.

There is no one else like you in the whole world.

The military god of Northern Mang, Tuoba Bodhisattva.

Looking up, Tuoba Bodhisattva was standing in front of the formation with his hands behind his back.

There were no weapons, no mounts, not even any armor.

Wearing a coarse linen shirt.

He doesn't look like a general at all, but more like an old farmer in the country.

But anyone who has eyes and ears, sees his appearance and hears his voice, will not underestimate him.

Although his clothes and even his appearance are extremely ordinary.

But this person just stood there, attracting everyone's attention.

That terrifying momentum even made people instinctively ignore the wolf-like and ferocious army behind the other side.

On the top of the city walls, the defending army was also facing a formidable enemy.

But Tuoba Bodhisattva did not order an attack immediately like he did in the other two places.

The two armies continued to confront each other with their divisions clearly separated by the city wall.

"Gao Changsheng does have some tricks up his sleeve. He was able to secretly transfer you here without telling anyone."

"I guess he's ready for the other two routes, too?"

"However, Gao Changsheng really didn't expect me, the commander of Beimang, to do this. If he knew and still did this, then he would be underestimating me."

Tuoba Bodhisattva spoke in a flat tone, and even referred to himself as an extremely ordinary word "I".

But no one, whether around him or on the opposite side, dared to look down on him.

"If Yang Lin and Yu Juluo come together, it would be interesting, but if it's just you, Ding Yanping, I'm afraid you can't stop me, Tuoba Bodhisattva."

Having said this, Tuoba Bodhisattva turned his eyes away.

In the center of the city, stood an old man as tall as a gun.

It was none other than Ding Yanping, one of the Nine Lords of Sui Dynasty.

Ding Yanping's appearance here is definitely a shocking thing.

As one of the few Nine Lords, Ding Yanping's status in the Sui Dynasty is definitely not weak.

Under normal circumstances, he would either be in charge of a place or stay in Daxing and hold a high position.

However, Ding Yanping had resigned from his position several years ago and entered a semi-retired state.

He no longer cared about many matters in the court and rarely participated in wars.

Even Yang Linyu Juluo's many invitations were politely rejected by the other party.

In this situation, Ding Yanping actually appeared in Nanjing City outside the country. If the people in the Sui Dynasty knew about it, they would definitely be surprised for a while.

Of course, this incident did not cause much trouble under Gao Changsheng's command.

After all, on their side, the relationship between Luo Cheng and Ding Yanping has long been no secret.

That's the relationship between adopted son and adopted father.

It was because of this relationship that Ding Yanping lived in seclusion in Beiping after his retirement.

And this time, the biggest reason why Ding Yanping suddenly came here was Luo Cheng's message.

Of course, neither Luo Cheng nor Ding Yanping knew that at this moment in Beiping city there was a man sitting alone in front of a chessboard, holding a gun and questioning his life.

Each of the nine leaders of the Sui Dynasty had fought his way up through the battlefield.

Perhaps the strengths and abilities vary.

But everyone has a fearless spirit, which has been cultivated throughout the Sui Dynasty from its founding to its prosperity.

No matter who they face, they will not show any turbulence.

The last time in Peking, when facing the Turkic army led by Bi Xuan himself, Ding Yanping's strength was fully demonstrated.

But at this moment, listening to Tuoba Bodhisattva's provocative and even contemptuous remarks.

Ding Yanping did not respond, but just touched his spear.

But it was clear that this was not a sign of fear.

Because at this moment, the murderous intent in him had almost solidified into substance.

Two shadowy spears appeared suspended in the air, pointing straight ahead with fierce momentum.

However, if someone took a closer look, they might be able to see that in the depths of Ding Yanping's extremely sharp eyes, he was unconsciously emitting a hint of sadness.

"boom!"

It seemed that he also felt Ding Yanping's emotional fluctuations.

The gun shadow condensed in the air and shot out across the sky, like a missile, falling towards Tuoba Bodhisattva in the distance.

"Humph."

Tuoba Bodhisattva snorted lightly, without moving his hands, only a flash of aura appeared on his body.

The spear light that was like a mountain falling down instantly dissipated into nothingness.

However, such an unreserved attack also alarmed the Northern Mang army behind him.

Boundless murderous aura rose up.

The originally calm army suddenly fell into a state of turmoil and boiling.

In a large army, directly attacking the commander is undoubtedly a direct provocation to the army.

What's more, the person standing in front at this time was Tuoba Bodhisattva, the military god of their Beimang.

"The other party is really rampant, attack."

A fat man in armor rode up to Tuoba Bodhisattva and spoke fiercely.

It was none other than Dong Zhuo, the King of the Southern Courtyard.

In fact, although Tuoba Bodhisattva and Dong Zhuo were the top two figures in the military in Beimang, they were not actually the same kind of people.

In terms of status, one of them is the King of the North Courtyard and the other is the King of the South Courtyard, and they are on par with each other.

To some extent, Dong Zhuo is even superior to Tuoba Bodhisattva.

After all, Dong Zhuo not only had his own tribe, but also his own Dong Family Army.

Moreover, the Queen of Northern Mang also trusted Dong Zhuo more.

Many times, Dong Zhuo was not convinced by the maverick Tuoba Bodhisattva.

But no matter what, there is only one Tuoba Bodhisattva who is recognized as the God of War by everyone in Beimang.

Whether in terms of personal strength or prestige in the army, Tuoba Bodhisattva is superior to Dong Zhuo.

So at this time, the commander of the army was still Tuoba Bodhisattva.

However, the simultaneous appearance of the number one and two figures in the army is enough to prove that Bei Mang is really using all his strength this time.

At this time, Dong Zhuo's voice undoubtedly represented the voice of all the Beimang soldiers.

They came with all their might, and their most important purpose was to recapture the lost territory, especially the city of Nanjing which had fallen into the hands of the enemy. This was already a humiliation weighing on all the Beimang soldiers.

Especially this time, Gao Changsheng on the opposite side was not there, but they had Tuoba Bodhisattva. With the strength of one side increasing while the other decreases, it was needless to say which side had the advantage.

Unfortunately, after the army arrived, Tuoba Bodhisattva was slow to issue the order to attack.

Especially Ding Yanping on the opposite side, who has made provocative moves.

Facing Dong Zhuo's sinister suggestion.

Tuoba Bodhisattva did not look back, but just frowned and waved his hand.

"The King of the North Courtyard?" Dong Zhuo couldn't help but snorted.

"No rush, just wait and see."

Tuoba Bodhisattva hummed softly.

"Although Ding Yanping is one of the Nine Masters, he is the only one and seems a little thin."

"Ding Yanping has always been famous for his spearmanship and martial arts, and his military skills are not prominent among the Nine Masters."

This inconspicuousness does not mean that Yanping does not understand the art of war, but that he is not as dazzling as Gao Jiong and Yang Su.

"You mean, Gao Changsheng has something hidden?" Dong Zhuo frowned.

Tuoba Bodhisattva spoke with great confidence: "Of course, just as I said, Ding Yanping alone can never stop me."

"I understand, Ding Yanping understands, so how could Gao Changsheng not understand?"

Dong Zhuo was not satisfied after hearing this: "Under the attack of the army, Gao Changsheng's tricks will surely be revealed. Why waste time like this?"

"Besides, if the other party doesn't reveal himself, will we just keep waiting?"

Tuoba Bodhisattva shook his head, took a deep look at the city wall, and then said slowly:

"You don't understand. Nanjing can be attacked at any time. But I have a hunch that if we attack now, even if we can capture Nanjing, we will definitely regret it."

"how is this possible?"

Dong Zhuo shouted instinctively.

It is a joke to say that we will regret taking Nanjing.

You have to know that this is the southern capital that belongs to their Beimang. Taking it back will only make the whole country satisfied.

Tuoba Bodhisattva shook his head again and did not explain to Dong Zhuo.

Just reopening:
"Since this is Gao Changsheng's backup plan, why bother hiding?"

"If you don't show up, I will lead my army to attack the city."

"Hahaha, Tuoba Bodhisattva, your reputation is indeed well-deserved." A peaceful voice flowed out.

Dong Zhuo, who was beside Tuoba Bodhisattva, immediately became furious.

"It's you!"

"It's you!"

Dong Zhuo's face turned pale and he roared in anger.

You must know that Dong Zhuo is the king of the Southern Court of Beimang and the second-in-command of the military.

Even when facing Tuoba Bodhisattva, communication was mostly on an equal footing.

There are very few people who can make him fluctuate like this.

"General Dong, we meet again?"

A laugh was heard.

"Xin Jiaxuan, do you really want to be my enemy in Beimang?"

Dong Zhuo's voice had turned completely cold.

"I have not yet settled accounts with you for interfering in the battlefield before, but now you dare to help Gao Changsheng so openly."

"Xin Jiaxuan, you are so brave."

The last time, Dong Zhuo led light cavalry south to Baichuan, he was stopped by Xin Qiji.

The reason why Beimang did not settle the score later was that the Battle of Baichuan hurt their vitality and they were unwilling to mobilize troops at will.

Secondly, it was Dong Zhuo who swaggered past the city of Qinzhou at that time, giving the other side an excuse to take action.

Of course, for alien races like the Beimang, most of the time they don’t care about having a legitimate reason.

But it was a special period after all, Gao Changsheng was the biggest threat, and Xin Qiji was no ordinary person.

Therefore, this matter was suppressed by the Queen of Beimang.

But not taking it to heart doesn't mean Beimang has forgotten about it.

Dong Zhuo, in particular, has always remembered this grudge.

He was the King of the Southern Court and the nominal commander in the last war, but he was blocked by the enemy alone. Even until the end of the war, he didn't even get a chance to touch the shadow of Shirakawa Castle. This could be said to be a huge shame.

Now, Xin Qiji has appeared again and is standing openly in the city of Nanjing.

How could Dong Zhuo not be angry?

"General Dong, although there was a misunderstanding last time, to some extent, I am still your benefactor?" Xin Qiji laughed.

After these words were spoken, Dong Zhuo's face became even gloomier.

Of course he understood what the other party meant, even though Xin Qiji was telling the truth.

If the other party had not stopped him, he would have been seeking his death if he had rushed to the Baichuan battlefield.

But Xin Qiji's straightforward statement was no different from a slap in the face to Dong Zhuo.

"Xin Jiaxuan, the Confucian Sage of the Song Dynasty? I really want to see the methods of the Confucian Sage."

Tuoba Bodhisattva spoke without any sadness or joy.

"But before that, I just want to know, is your presence here your intention, Xin Jiaxuan, or the intention of the Song Dynasty court?"

Xin Qiji shook his head when he heard this: "I am just a demoted and unemployed person now, and I cannot represent anyone. I just went out for an outing and passed by Nanjing. Nanjing City in Beimang is also a famous and majestic city. Since I am passing by, I must take a good look at it."

"Asshole, you're talking like that again. Xin Qiji, do you really think we're fools?" Dong Zhuo shouted.

Tuoba Bodhisattva was not like Dong Zhuo.

"Xin Jiaxuan, I don't care about any of your reasons."

"Whether it's reasonable or absurd, you can convince yourself, and even convince Tuoba Bodhisattva."

"But I'm afraid I can't convince the hundreds of thousands of men behind me, nor can I convince His Majesty in Beidi City, or the Emperor of your Great Song."

Tuoba Bodhisattva's tone was not as intense as Dong Zhuo's; it just sounded like a casual chat.

But Xin Qiji, who was on the top of the city wall, put away his smile immediately.

And Tuoba Bodhisattva spoke again:
"If there is nothing else, I will take action.

"I have heard of your great name, Xin Jiaxuan, for a long time. Whether it is the way of the military or the way of Confucianism, this is a good opportunity for me to see both of them together."

"The name of Northern Mang Tuoba Bodhisattva is also well known to me."

Xin Qiji smiled casually.

"Is that your last word?"

Tuoba Bodhisattva snorted softly and slowly raised his right hand.

A shadow flashed in the air.

The army behind him was suddenly shocked, and terrifying murderous aura gushed out like a tide.

"Then let's start the war. Not only the Nanjing battlefield right now, but also the war between the Song Dynasty behind you and my Beimang will start from here."

Tuoba Bodhisattva's tone remained calm.

But the pressure brought by the words is as heavy as a mountain.

This simple sentence represents a huge war between the two countries.

Hearing this, a ferocious smile appeared on Dong Zhuo's face.

Xin Qiji is indeed difficult to deal with.

But everyone knows the situation in the Song Dynasty.

Now, it is not just one or two countries that are eyeing this piece of fat.

If the Northern Mang were to be added to the mix, I'm afraid the Emperor of the Song Dynasty in Lin'an City wouldn't even be able to dream in peace.

Tuoba Bodhisattva's words directly hit upon Xin Qiji's biggest flaw.

Thinking of this, Dong Zhuo immediately looked up and looked at the old man on the top of the city wall.

But surprisingly, he didn't see any panic on Xin Qiji's face.

"General Tuoba, I'm sure you are aware of the current situation."

"With me and General Ding here in Nanjing, it is basically impossible for you to break through in a short time."

"If we force a war, the end result will be that both sides will suffer losses."

Xin Qiji laughed softly.

"The purpose of your three-nation coalition this time is nothing more than to swallow up the six states of the Duke of Qi."

"But it's clear that this strategy has failed utterly."

"Whether it's the northern front or the southwestern front, if we really fight, it will just be a stalemate."

"And this kind of result is probably not what any of us would like to see, especially you, Beimang."

Xin Qiji looked at Tuoba Bodhisattva and smiled.

The armies on three fronts were fighting vigorously, but everyone could see clearly that the main force was still Tuoba Bodhisattva's army on the northern line.

Unless Nanjing wins or loses, the other two routes will definitely not go all out. At most, they will only tie up part of Gao Changsheng's forces.

Both Xin Qiji and Tuoba Bodhisattva understood this.

But with Xin Ding and two others in Nanjing City, no matter how strong Tuoba Bodhisattva was, it would be impossible for him to take it in one attack.

"Hmph, it's just a battle, what's there to be afraid of?" Tuoba Bodhisattva said calmly.

Dong Zhuo beside him also shouted coldly:
"Xin Qiji, Ding Yanping, you defend Nanjing to the death. It is indeed difficult for our army to conquer it quickly."

"But you don't have to be complacent. We may not be able to capture Nanjing, but we are confident that we can turn eastward and capture Qinzhou."

Facing the naked threat from Dong Zhuo.

Xin Qiji still did not show any strangeness, but instead sighed softly at Tuoba Bodhisattva.

Dong Zhuo, who was also standing under the banner, frowned instantly.

Although he is just a general, his strength is also not weak.

From Xin Qiji's movements and the movement of his lips.

It was obvious that at this time, the other party was communicating with Tuoba Bodhisattva.

During the great war, the commanders of the two opposing armies were actually whispering to each other openly through voice transmission.

This is definitely a very weird scene.

However, Dong Zhuo was not too anxious.

Although he often couldn't stand Tuoba Bodhisattva's arrogance, he still knew this man quite well.

If Dong Zhuo wanted to convince this person through words, he could only say that Xin Qiji was overthinking.

But soon, a scene that Dong Zhuo couldn't believe appeared.

As soon as Xin Qiji's lips moved, Tuoba Bodhisattva's face changed instantly.

Half a minute later, Tuoba Bodhisattva suddenly raised his head and took a deep look at the city wall in the distance.

"Withdraw our troops and return to the capital."

The cold voice resounded between heaven and earth.

"Tuoba Bodhisattva, are you crazy?"

"Hundreds of thousands of my troops have come here with all their might, but you are withdrawing without firing a single arrow or fighting a single battle. Do you want to make Northern Mang a laughing stock?"

"What on earth did he say to you?"

Dong Zhuo roared madly.

He simply couldn't believe that such a fantastic order actually came from the mouth of Tuoba Bodhisattva.

"Tuoba Bodhisattva, do you want to become a sinner of Beimang?"

"Whether I am guilty or not is up to your majesty to decide. It is not your turn to talk nonsense, Dong Zhuo."

"I am the commander-in-chief now. The military order has been issued. You just have to obey it."

"Military orders are as heavy as a mountain. Those who disobey will be executed."

"Okay, okay, okay, Tuoba Bodhisattva, I want to see how you are going to explain this to the Northern Mang people and to His Majesty. The Dong family army, listen to my orders, retreat!"

"boom!"

The sound of hooves was like thunder, and the Northern Mang army began to retreat to the rear like a tide.

Almost at the same time.

In the two battlefields in the southwest, Kublai Khan and Wang Sui seemed to have sensed something as well. They suddenly raised their heads and looked towards the north with frowns.

(End of this chapter)