Three days later...

Xiangcheng.

In the imperial study in the palace, Dou Wei pointed to the map hanging on the wall and discussed with Dou Mu about sending reinforcements to Wuguan.

Five days ago, he received a request for help from Dou Kuang.

Immediately, he asked Dou Xiao to summon the troops of Nanliang near Xiangcheng.

After five days of preparation, 30,000 troops were urgently transferred to Xiangcheng. He gave Dou Xiao another 50,000 imperial guards, and ordered him to march towards Wuguan tomorrow.

"Ma Han was able to conquer Qinzhou and Yongzhou within ten days because he was the firearm given to him by the King of Yan. Unexpectedly, Zhao Xu was so generous that he actually gave his best firearm to the Ma family." Dou Wei pressed his fingers on the Wuguan position and frowned.

He always thought that King Yan would never believe Ma Han in his heart.

After all, the Ma family was once one of the eight major clans. Even if they surrendered to the King of Yan, they were still a separatist force in the northwest of Dasong.

Dou Mu said: "Isn't the King of Yan afraid that Ma Han will rebel?"

His thoughts were the same as his father. If the Ma family surrendered to Nanliang, he would definitely stare at him carefully, and it would be impossible to expose him.

After saying that, the two looked at each other.

Naturally, they would not have thought that Zhao Xu's trust in Ma Han was due to his absolute confidence in his own strength.

Even if Mahan rebelled, he could easily deal with it.

Therefore, he was naturally able to arm his Ma family soldiers to the teeth to achieve his strategic goals.

As the two were talking, a eunuch suddenly came in a hurry and said to Dou Wei.

Dou Wei's expression changed drastically when he heard this, and he murmured: "This... how is this possible?"

"What's wrong?" Dou Mu saw Dou Wei's face turned pale, and suddenly felt a strong sense of uneasiness in his heart.

Dou Wei had never been so panicked as at this moment and said to Dou Mu: "Wu Pass...Wu Pass has fallen."

"Ah?" Dou Mu was stunned.

It will take two days to get from Wuguan to Xiangcheng fast horses.

In other words, Ma Han only took one day to take Wu Pass.

Now, what they worry most is still happening.

Rangcheng had not lasted for a day, Xiancheng had not lasted for a day, and even Xiaoguan and Mahan had only been used for a day.

It was precisely because he learned about these terrible information that he asked Dou Xiao to send him to Wuguan to provide assistance as soon as possible.

It was only at least four days for the infantry to go from Xiangcheng to Wuguan, and they were still one step late.

Thinking of something, Dou Wei grabbed the eunuch's collar and urged: "Send a quick horse immediately and call the imperial guards back to guard Xiangcheng."

Dou Mu held the table with his right hand and sat down slowly. A hint of panic flashed in his eyes. He said, "Even if Dou Xiao comes back, there are only 100,000 imperial guards in Xiangcheng. How many days can he block Ma Han?"

Dou Wei saw Dou Mu's expression depressed and felt a little reluctant.

Although he was very panicked at the moment, he comforted him, "Xiangcheng has arranged more than 400 cannons, surrounded by mountains and rivers, like iron walls. As long as Dou Xiao can come back, with these 100,000 imperial guards, it is enough to resist the Ma family's troops for more than a month. After all, they are the elite troops of my Nanliang."

Upon hearing this, Dou Mu felt a little relieved.

He said, "I'm afraid this is not very appropriate. General Xiao Cheng should lead his troops back and regain Wu Pass, otherwise there will be no peace in Nanliang in the future. Moreover, the border markets of Nanliang and Beidi will be abandoned and the losses will be huge."

Dou Wei nodded, then his eyes turned and suddenly said, "Your Majesty, you can't be fooled by the King of Yan. I'm afraid that the King of Yan will order Ma Han to seize Wu Pass. The purpose is to let us recall the 200,000 troops and defeat them one by one. The more he does this, the more guilty he feels and believes that he can't deal with the coalition forces in attacking Yan."

Dou Mu thought for a while and nodded slowly.

But the next day, as a message came, they became nervous again.

About 60,000 soldiers from the Ma family set out from Wuguan and headed towards Xiangcheng.

Although the Nanliang tribe blocked the road, they collapsed at once and were no match for it.

At this time, the news they received was that the Ma family soldiers were in Neixiang County, one hundred miles away from Wuguan.

The next day, another information was delivered.

The wealthy families near Nanyang discovered the traces of the Ma family soldiers.

On the third day, the Xinye family encountered the Ma family's soldiers.

The local tyrants gathered 30,000 troops to fight with them on the necessary path, but they were defeated and fled in just half an hour.

At this time, panic began to spread in Nanliang, and the wealthy families fled to Xiangcheng described the Ma family soldiers as extremely terrifying.

It is said that their muskets can hit ten miles away, cut down the branches at will, turn them into sticks and throw them out, and they can explode.

These rumors made the people of Xiangcheng panic for a while.

"Your Majesty, Xinye is only one day away from Xiangcheng. Even if the Ma family soldiers can arrive in Xiangcheng tomorrow, they will not ask for help from my brother at this time, and when will they have to wait?"

In the court, a general stepped out of the line and bowed to Dou Mu.

He turned out to be Xiao Cheng's younger brother Xiao Yuanshan.

After plotting to murder Modi, he fled back to Yizhou.

Before Dasong was in turmoil, Xiao Cheng had been protecting him.

When the Southern Liang Dynasty was established, he no longer had any scruples and took a job in the Southern Liang court.

Today, because the Ma family's troops were about to arrive in Xiangcheng, Dou Mu summoned the ministers to discuss countermeasures, and he couldn't help but speak.

"At this time, the recall of General Xiao and the attack on King Yan will fail. Can't you tell which is more important? " Dou Xiao said coldly.

In his opinion, Xiao Yuanshan is just a bag of wine, and he has always been very disdainful of him.

Halfway through the road he led his troops, he received an order to return to Xiangcheng.

Now all 50,000 imperial guards have returned to Xiangcheng.

Xiao Yuanshan sneered, "The Ma family's soldiers are so fierce. Who can guarantee that the coalition forces in the attacking Yan can defeat the King of Yan? If it fails, Xiangcheng cannot resist the Ma family's soldiers, what should I do? Besides, I am for your own good. Do you like to listen? Anyway, Jingzhou is the foundation of your Dou family."

silence.

The silence of death in the court.

Although Dou Xiao blushed and refuted Xiao Yuanshan, he knew very well that Xiao Yuanshan’s worries were not unreasonable.

If the coalition forces against Yan failed miserably and they could not defend Xiangcheng, Nanliang would lose Jingzhou, and the situation would be even worse.

After all, this is the place where their Dou family has been operating for more than 200 years.

"Your Majesty, I will order to recall General Xiao and Beidi Iron Cavalry." Dou Wei's voice broke the silence in the hall.

Three days ago, he was still full of confidence.

But as the collapsed wealthy families poured into Xiangcheng, he began to doubt.

Apart from the exaggerated part of the rumors of the rich.

After inquiry, he determined the more real information.

There are indeed about 60,000 soldiers and horses heading to Xiangcheng.

Moreover, these soldiers had muskets with a range of more than 300 meters and strange wooden sticks that could kill more than a dozen people by throwing them into the pile of people.

It is this kind of thing that scared the rich people and spread them to such a magical way.

And such a Ma family army could not be stopped by the 100,000 troops in Xiangcheng.

He could not make the same mistakes as Ma Jin in Rangcheng and Xiancheng and Beidi generals in Xiaoguan.

Xiangcheng.
Chapter completed!