"But now he is the Shangguan, and we have no power to resist..."
Although he had guessed Tong Guan's intention, facing Tong Guan's unreasonable demand, they still had no solution.
"Actually, Father, I think we can keep a card up our sleeve..."
After a moment of silence, Zhang Ji suddenly spoke.
"What do you mean?"
"If you were to send out an elite force tonight to escort supplies out..."
After hearing Zhang Ji's words, Zhang Xiaochun also reacted.
"Alright, you go and pass down my order immediately. Tell Wang Bing to lead his own Shengjie Army to transport grain and fodder to Qi County!"
After pacing back and forth more than a dozen times, Zhang Xiaochun made up his mind.
Wang Bing's Shengjie Army was originally the elite of the Western Army. Moreover, after years of campaigning and fighting, and after the battle of Mingzhou, they had obtained a complete set of elite equipment from Han Mo.
At this moment, this army could be considered the pinnacle of Zhang Xiaochun's combat power. As long as they were there, Zhang Xiaochun would be able to handle any situation with more composure.
"Yes!"
After responding, Zhang Ji turned his head and took Zhang Xiaochun's token, walking directly out of the door.
--------------------------------------------------
After three days of anxious waiting, Zhang Xiaochun finally received another summons from Tong Guan.
"Bureau of Military Affairs!"
"Yongxi, you're here. Sit down!"
Seeing Zhang Xiaochun walk in from outside, Tong Guan smiled and gestured for him to sit.
"Sir, is there something you wanted to see me about today?"
Seeing the smile on Tong Guan's face, Zhang Xiaochun's heart tensed.
"We are old acquaintances, so I won't beat around the bush. You should know the current situation in Hebei and Hedong, right?"
As Tong Guan spoke, he chuckled and poured Zhang Xiaochun a cup of tea.
"Sir, if you have anything to say, just say it directly!"
Hearing him bring up this topic, Zhang Xiaochun inwardly sneered.
It was as he had expected. Whether he stepped forward or held back, there would be trouble. He might as well speak up himself.
"Then I won't be polite. This Grand Marshal wants to draw a batch of Western Army elites, just in case. As the Commissioner of Hedong, you tell me yourself, how many troops can you give me?"
After speaking, Tong Guan waited quietly for Zhang Xiaochun's reply.
"Sir, you know the situation in Hedong! Lin Fu Feng San Prefecture is the territory of the Zhe family. My orders as Commissioner can only reach Zhe Ke Cuan. Without such a large area, you have already taken away a batch of men from the Bureau of Military Affairs before. Prince Xin has also taken away another batch. Now, I have..."
Although Zhang Xiaochun knew that playing poor was useless, he couldn't say the following words without doing so.
"I know you have your difficulties, but with the nation in crisis, just tell me directly how many men you can spare!"
Before he could finish his act of playing poor, Tong Guan interrupted him.
"This..."
Tong Guan's words immediately silenced Zhang Xiaochun.
"Five thousand men, that's the limit!"
After a moment of silence, Zhang Xiaochun finally spoke again with some heartache.
"How about this, I won't make things difficult for you. I will supplement you with ten thousand Imperial Guards, and then you will draw ten thousand men from various places! I will leave immediately!"
"But Sir, the elite soldiers in the various armies of Hedong only number less than thirty-five thousand. If you take away ten thousand men, what will happen to the various strongholds in Hedong if the Jin people invade?"
Tong Guan's proposal immediately made Zhang Xiaochun feel aggrieved.
He knew better than anyone how bad the Imperial Guards in Hebei were. The good-for-nothings he had exchanged last time had only recently become barely manageable. How could he be willing to exchange with him again at this time?
"Sir! Something bad has happened!"
Just as they were haggling, Wang Anzhong suddenly rushed in from outside.
"Why are you panicking? Can't you see I'm busy?"
Seeing his flustered appearance, Tong Guan frowned.
"Sir, we just received news that the Jin people have dispatched twenty thousand troops, divided into two routes. One route is heading directly for Zhending, and the other is heading directly for Taiyuan!"
"What did you say!"
As soon as Wang Anzhong finished speaking, Tong Guan suddenly stood up.
"The Jin people have attacked!"
Wang Anzhong spoke as he quickly took out a carrier pigeon message from his sleeve.
After accepting the message with trembling hands and reading its contents, Tong Guan froze as if petrified, sitting blankly on the chair. The Jin people had indeed attacked!
What made him even more fearful was that this news was from seven days ago!
"Bureau of Military Affairs!"
Seeing his state, Zhang Xiaochun called out to him again.
"I, you, you go back and muster the troops for me. Ten thousand men, not one less!"
After looking at Zhang Xiaochun again, Tong Guan seemed to have made up his mind.
"Sir, this..."
"Are you disobeying orders?"
Just as Zhang Xiaochun was about to say something, Tong Guan retorted aggressively.
"Your subordinate obeys!"
After taking several deep breaths, Zhang Xiaochun finally closed his mouth.
"You go with him now, and you must bring the men back before tonight! We will break camp tonight!"
After pacing around the table, Tong Guan looked at Wang Anzhong again.
"Break camp? Sir, we're going back to Hebei at this time?"
Upon hearing Tong Guan's words, Wang Anzhong's whole body trembled.
"Bureau of Military Affairs!"
Before Wang Anzhong could speak, another young officer rushed in from outside.
"Sir, the Jin people are invading the border, and the city of Daizhou has fallen!"
"Daizhou... Daizhou city has fallen..."
After hearing this news, Tong Guan's body trembled, and he plopped down onto the ground.
"Sir! Sir, are you alright?"
Seeing Tong Guan like this, Wang Anzhong quickly stepped forward to support him.
"Don't worry about me. Go and mobilize the troops now. Once the troops are assembled, we will break camp and return to Bianliang!"
After taking a few deep breaths, Tong Guan, as if grasping a life-saving straw, grabbed Wang Anzhong.
"Return to Bianliang? Sir, you are the Commissioner of the four routes of Hedong, Shaanxi, East Hebei, and West Hebei!"
Even though Wang Anzhong was already quite shameless, he was still shocked by Tong Guan's words upon hearing this news.
Tong Guan was the commander-in-chief. Fleeing from the battlefield without a fight was no joke!
This was a capital offense!