Great merchants have kept a high level of vigilance against western Qi in the last three generations of their monarchs. They built five fortified cities, from west to east, in succession, namely Xianshui Pass, Jiepai Pass, Chuanyun Pass, Tongguan and Lin'tongguan, where troops were stationed.
After that, they constructed Jiameng Pass to the north of the five passes, and Qinglong Pass to the south of the five passes.
The Western Qi must breakthrough these seven passes to officially enter the Henan region, then cross the river to attack Chao Ge in North China.
In the original timeline, after assuming the position of Xiqi's prime minister, Jiang Zitai has been fighting defensive counterattacks for over a decade. The thirty-six troops of Yanshang have eliminated thirty-five troops, and then he led an army of six million soldiers out of Qishan.
At that time, Lao Jiang led the central army to fight against Sishui Pass, Huang Feihuang led the left army to fight against Qinglong Pass, and Hong Jin led the right army to fight against Jiameng Pass.
From north to south, Jiameng Pass, Sishui Pass, and Qinglong Pass are all very important positions. Breaking through these three passes means that Xiqi has truly changed from defense to attack.
Currently, Zhang Guifang is leading troops to fiercely attack Qishan, and a secret envoy from Xiqi has arrived at the Jiameng Pass in the north.
San Yisheng was in the Hu Mansion within Jiameng Pass, speaking eloquently to the Deputy Commander Hu Sheng.
"Comrade Hu, the current Lord Hu is in our Xiqi City, and the Second Prince also issued a edict to all feudal lords, calling for them to gather together and enter the capital to clear the palace, remove evil officials and punish traitors. What are you still hesitant about?"
The main general of Jiameng Pass is the Magha family's four generals, whose combined intelligence is equivalent to a general, and Hu Sheng is the deputy general.
The four generals of the Magha family, despite their secret alliances with the Western cult, are still formally disciples of the Jie sect. Now that they have returned to their mountain, control of Jiameng Pass has reverted to Hu Sheng.
As the biological father of Hu Sheng, he did not know that his daughter has already been secretly exchanged.
Now the Nine-Tailed Fox Demon appears in Xiqi, which is definitely a surrender. As the Deputy General of Jiameng Pass, he is like sitting on a needle mat, afraid that one day the message from Chao Ge will come and demand that he commit suicide or apologize for some reason.
He doesn't want to die, not at all.
Xiqi sees this opportunity and has been trying to break the deadlock at Jiameng Pass during this period.
"Please wait, Your Excellency, let me think for a moment."
San Yisheng did not place all his hopes on Hu Sheng either. After leaving the Hu Mansion, he was escorted by several personal guards to the second floor of a city south wine shop, where he met another influential figure of Jiameng Pass.
Hu Sheng's general Xu Kun!
Xu Kun was handsome and tall, standing out among the coarse warriors.
Different from Hu Sheng who is still hesitating, he has already made up his mind on this side.
After San Yisheng arrived, he only needed to persuade him for a few words and he immediately said that he had already wanted to pledge allegiance to Xibo Hutoryou.
"Long ago, the elder uncle saved my father and me from Jiaogong. Today, although my father has died, I want to repay the elder uncle's great kindness every day and every night. The Prime Minister has any command, and I will jump into the fire, not to mention it!"
San Yisheng was very pleased. Ji Chang is renowned for his benevolence and has connections throughout the world. It was a very normal thing to encounter a general who had received favors in the past: "Brave! With your help, the prince is sure to accomplish great undertakings and restore clear skies and bright suns to the people of the realm."
After half an hour, Xu Kun came to see Hu Sheng.
As soon as he entered the hall, he bowed and said, "Big brother, you have called me in a hurry. What do you want to order?"
Hu Sheng pondered over and over, truly worried about being punished by the King of Shang, and had already made up his mind to surrender to Xiqi. He then put on an expression of distress: "You know as well as I do, my disobedient daughter, ah, I really don't know how many more days I can keep this head of mine!"
Xu Kun immediately said, "Big brother, don't worry. According to my humble opinion, now that the four directions are in chaos and Jiaogong is doing nothing but drinking and enjoying himself, how can we protect such a foolish monarch? It would be better to offer the pass to the Second Prince?"
"Are you speaking in jest, young brother?"
"Every word is true. If there is even one half-word lie, I will die by the sword!"
Once the opinion inside was unified, Hu Sheng no longer hesitated and immediately contacted San Yisheng, expressing his willingness to surrender Jiameng Pass to Xiqi, saying that he could not express himself so bluntly. He said he wanted to help the Second Prince, not assist Xiqi.
San Yisheng didn't care about all that. Both parties agreed on the details and hurried back to Xiqi.
After several days, Ji Fa led three thousand elite troops to secretly reach the city gates. Hu Sheng opened the gates and Ji Fa led the charge, fighting fiercely for half a day and clearing out all loyal generals to King Zhòu. They occupied Jiameng Pass.
Hu Sheng was unwilling to give up his military power, and Ji Fa did not trouble him. Xu Kun, as the messenger, went to see Ji Chang in Xiqi City.
Ji Chang was about to die.
Originally, he could live to be ninety-seven years old. Now without Lei Zhenshu, the hundred-subi Lingshi formation was incomplete. His life expectancy directly reduced by a large margin.
The hundred sons are not just anyone who can be found on the streets to make up the number. The birthdates, blessings, and fates must all match. As long as both parties agree, and complete the nominal father-son relationship, then it doesn't matter if you die or not. As long as there is this person in the "household registration," that's enough. It's no big deal if a few die on the battlefield.
The arrival of Xu Kun made Ji Chang, who was skilled in divination, surprised. This child's destiny ...
Xu Kun also told a story about how Ji Chang had saved his father and him in the past. When he saw Ji Chang's breathing becoming faint, he directly knelt down: "If you don't discard me, I will serve as your stepfather!"
Xiqi City had already prepared for the funeral, but a week later, everyone found out that Ji Chang had actually stood up again! The old man couldn't be said to have a rosy complexion, but the difference from his near-death appearance was immense.
Yin Hong believed that Ji Chang was using a trick on him, secretly delighted that he hadn't tried to seize power, but felt even more delighted when he found out that Ji Chang had stood up again. He then spent two days with the fox spirit and Hong Jin.
Ji Chang also declared that Xu Kun was his 100th son. Xu Kun wanted to change his surname to Ji, but Ji Chang didn't think it was necessary to abandon his own surname. In the end, after friendly negotiation, Xu retained his original surname, but Ji also had to be included. The two combined became Ji Xu Kun!
With the fall of Jiameng Pass, Chao Song was in a state of three alarms a day.
Actually, the terrain at Jiameng Pass is rugged and difficult to travel on. It is hard for the large army to move, and there is no way to provide for their supplies. It is much better than the large road from Sishui Pass to Yanming Pool in the south.
King Zhòu was angry because he was betrayed by his lover.
The last bit of sentimentality he had for the Hu family and the Hu clan completely vanished. He could take deadly actions against his wife from whom he took his vows and his own son, let alone a descendant of the Hu family.
He immediately issued an edict: whoever can kill the Hu family will be rewarded with a thousand gold coins, and those who kill Hu Sheng will be promoted to third-class official.
At the same time, he ordered Zhang Guifang to continue the fierce attack, regardless of the cost, and to definitely kill Yin Hong's illegitimate son and Ji's full family.
Deng Chan Yu was upgraded by Nu Wa with her own sacred Daoist power, without encountering any obstacles, and successfully reached the first level of the "returning to nature" realm, which is the fourth level among the ten stages of cultivation of Taoism, that is to say, "true immortal." The power of her internal Daoist energy and consciousness has increased by more than ten times.
At this level, it can be said to have completely said goodbye to the "refined spirit" stage of "xxx island." From the perspective of ordinary immortals, they are considered high-ranking immortals who have achieved enlightenment.
