Zhao Tai and Wang Bin's analysis is correct.

Xiangyang and Wuchang To the Southern Song Dynasty, Wuchang was more important than Xiangyang.

If Lin'an loses Xiangyang, it can continue to separate the southeast; if it loses Wuchang, the country will inevitably perish.

After learning that Qi's West Route Army was advancing into Sichuan and that Zhao Tai was sending his troops to Wuchang, Lin'an became a little panicked.

Coupled with the rumors spread by Zhao Tai, Zhao Yun became panicked.

Although Jia Sidao supported Meng Gong in the court, Emperor Zhao Yun was panicked, and minister Ding Daquan and others suggested protecting Wuchang first.

The two sides argued several times and finally decided to rescue Wuchang.

Therefore, the Lin'an court issued a military order asking Meng Gong to rescue Wuchang. At the same time, it also sent orders to the Song troops in Changsha and Nanchang, asking them to organize troops and horses to go to Wuchang to assist in the defense.

In order to deal with the Qi Army's west route and the middle route army's alliance with Wuchang, the Southern Song Dynasty decided to send the Song troops from Jinghu North Road, Jinghu South Road, and Jiangnan West Road to Wuchang.

In Xiangyang City, Meng Gong received Lin'an's order. Ten days had passed, but Meng Gong did not obey the order and did not lead his troops south immediately.

······

Outside Wuchang City, the Qi Army camp.

Zhao Tai frowned, "There is news from Jin Yiwei that Lin'an has given orders to Meng Gong. Is there any movement in Xiangyang?"

Wang Bin shook his head, "Looking at the time, Meng Gong has already received the military order, but it seems that Meng Gong has no intention of obeying Lin'an's order!"

Zhao Tai narrowed his eyes, stroked his beard, and sneered, "Send an order to Jin Yiwei to continue spreading the news that Meng Gong will defect to the lonely king."

Wang Bin shook his feather fan and said, "Your Majesty, I thought that in addition to spreading the news, I also needed to bribe Lin'an officials, so I directly submitted a letter to force Meng Gong to go to war!"

Zhao Tai nodded, "Well, sir, this matter will be handled by you. For official positions below the chief envoy, you can make promises based on the situation. In addition, there is no upper limit on the money required for this operation!"

The three battlefields where the Qi and Song Dynasties fought, Sichuan and Shu in the west, and the Southern Song Dynasty have collapsed.

Now as long as Zhao Tai defeats Meng Gong, the Southern Song Dynasty will also collapse on the Jingchu battlefield.

At that time, Zhao Tai will send his troops eastward. How can the Southern Song Dynasty defeat the enemy? It will be a situation of surrender.

Therefore, in order to defeat Meng Gong, Zhao Tai can be said to have spent a lot of money this time.

Wang Bin immediately saluted and said, "I accept your order!"

Zhao Tai waved his hand, "Go and do it!"

After Wang Bin left the tent, Zhao Tai turned his attention to the map again, focusing on Xiangyang, and his eyes gradually became sharper, "Meng Gong, what a pity."

······

After Zhao Tai gave the order, the Jin Yiwei immediately began to take greater action.

For a time, the news that the Qi Army's West Route Army and the Center Route Army were about to join forces in Wuchang, and that Meng Gong was in contact with Zhao Tai, spread quickly.

With a large amount of money invested, many officials wrote letters one after another, suspecting that Meng Gong was in contact with Qi and would sit back and watch the Qi army capture Wuchang.

This made the Lin'an court anxious. Emperor Zhao Yun issued several military orders within one day, asking Meng Gong to rescue Wuchang.

······

Xiangyang, inside the festival hall.

After Meng Gong received Zhao Yun's sixth order, his originally resolute face showed a look of exhaustion and sadness.

"Institutionalize the Xianggong! This is His Majesty's decree. I hope the Xianggong can implement it immediately!" The eunuch from Lin'an read out the decree and waited for Meng Gong's response.

Meng Gong sighed and said tiredly: "Please inform your Majesty that I will send troops immediately!"

After hearing this, the eunuch nodded with satisfaction, "In this case, I will go back and report it to the officials to prevent the court from issuing another decree."

The eunuch said goodbye and left, leaving only Meng Gong and a group of generals in the festival hall.

The central government of the Song Dynasty had strong control over the army. Although Meng Gong was outstanding in ability and loved by the soldiers, Lin'an's removal of him was a matter of will.

Therefore, Meng Gong's delay for so long has reached his limit.

"Mr. Zhizhi, do you really want to send troops?" Liu Zheng came out, his face full of anxiety.

Meng Gong raised his head and sighed, "How can a minister violate the official will?"

When Liu Zheng and others heard this, they all fell silent.

Lin'an issued the six decrees, but Meng Gong continued to delay, not only saying that the army would be unstable, but also saying that in the future, with the Song Dynasty's preparedness for generals, even if Meng Gong was proved to be right in the end, Meng Gong would still die.

The Song Dynasty did not kill scholar-bureaucrats, but it killed military generals without mercy.

"Alas!" Liu Zheng sighed as he stamped his feet.

Meng Gong walked up to him, patted his shoulder, and suddenly told him, "I will give you 20,000 troops to stay in Xiangyang. No matter what happens to me, you must defend the city. Do you understand?"

Liu Zheng lowered his head and said nothing.

Meng Gong continued: "With Xiangyang in hand, the Song Dynasty will have a chance to turn around. If Xiangyang is lost, the situation will be unimaginable!"

"I understand, I understand!" Liu Zheng's face was filled with sadness.

······

Wuchang.

On the north bank of the Yangtze River, the Qi army camp.

At night, as soon as it got dark, the Qi army took advantage of the darkness to leave camp and quietly march north.

Zhao Tai had been sending people to keep an eye on Xiangyang. As soon as Meng Gong led his troops out of the city, the Qi army's detective horse spread the news to the Qi army's camp.

The Song army's lack of war horses not only resulted in their weak maneuverability, but also made them weaker than the Qi army in terms of their ability to detect military intelligence and track enemy troops.

Meng Gong led 30,000 elite Song troops. After leaving the city, they could hardly escape the sight of the Qi army. They could only advance slowly towards Wuchang while being completely exposed to the surveillance of the Qi army's scouting horses.

At this time, Meng Gong was in a rather tragic mood and led 30,000 soldiers towards Wuchang.

On the banks of the Hanshui River, there were densely packed soldiers of the Song Dynasty, wearing strong armor and holding spears. Their heads were rising and falling. The team stretched for several miles. The marching scene was extremely spectacular.

Under the banner of Dahu, Meng Gong stood on the side of the road with his horse on horseback. Looking at the elite team with bright armor, he felt mixed emotions in his heart.

The more elite the Song army is now, the heavier Meng Gong's mood becomes.

Because he knew that the Qi army's sentries appearing in the distance meant that Zhao Tai had noticed him.

Everything Zhao Tai did was to force him to fight, and now that he was leading his army out of the city, Zhao Tai would definitely not let him go.

This is the Yue Family Army back then!

Could it be that this army that inherited Yue Wumu's legacy will be buried here.

Heartache!

Meng Gong was riding on the horse, his heart was as sharp as a knife, but his face was calm.

This trip was very dangerous, with a narrow escape from death. However, as a general, Meng Gong could not give up easily, nor show fear, nor shake the morale of the army.

"How far is the army from Wuchang?" Meng Gong asked in a deep voice.

"We still have a hundred miles to go before we can report back to the Prime Minister!" The general next to him looked at the map.

Meng Gong's face darkened, he had a premonition that danger was about to appear.

"Report!" At this moment, a cavalryman came galloping against the marching team.

Although Meng Gong was prepared, he still felt a chill in his heart, "What was supposed to come has come."

At this time, the cavalry galloped in front of him. The cavalry dismounted and took one knee to report: "Mr. Sir, twenty miles ahead, we have found a large group of soldiers blocking our army's path."

Meng Gong tightened his grip on the horse's reins, and Zhao Tai finally took action.

After leaving Xiangyang City, there was no way out.
Chapter completed!