From Zuo Nian, it was learned that since the last invasion of the Great Song which nearly led to the complete annihilation of the Eastern Army, Jin Xia has less than two hundred thousand standing troops left.
Among them, one hundred thousand troops belong to the direct forces of the Tuoba Clan, a unit that has never been deployed regardless of the attacks on Gao Liao or the Ping Beidi, as they are the guardians of the Jin Xia Capital.
The remaining less than one hundred thousand troops are composed of "garrison soldiers" from various Jin Xia tribes, with fifty thousand stationed to guard Haiyan Pass and the other fifty thousand deployed at various other borders of Jin Xia and to guard Gao Liao.
The news of Haiyan Pass’s fall reaches the capital.
Tuoba Hui orders Wanyan Xiaji to lead thirty thousand direct troops of the Tuoba Clan and further mobilizes the tribes to gather another twenty thousand, totaling fifty thousand, to rush to Haiyan Pass to resist Chen Mo.
Meanwhile, on the advice of Wanyan Xiaji, Tuoba Hui also decrees a Third-Grade Martial Artist to lead thirty thousand direct troops of the Tuoba Clan to harass Longyou.
In other words, Yu Xi currently has only around forty thousand direct troops of the Tuoba Clan.
Therefore, Chen Mo must seize this opportunity to take Yu Xi.
...
Yu Xi.
On the court hall.
The civil and military officials stood on either side, discussing state affairs.
Tuoba Hui listened intently from the throne, yet his mind was not on court affairs, but looking continuously outside the Jinluan Hall at the Imperial Dao, awaiting reports from the frontline.
And the first gateway to protecting the capital, Jinshuang City, was of special importance.
"Report... urgent from the frontline, Jinshuang City has fallen, Grand General has died in battle."
The court assembly had just begun for less than a quarter-hour when the frontline report, urgent from eight hundred li, was delivered to Tuoba Hui.
As the words fell, the court instantly fell silent, the atmosphere so quiet one could hear a pin drop.
Until the posthouse messenger entered and, in front of the civil and military officials and Tuoba Hui, finished reading the report, only then did the court erupt into a clamor.
"What?"
Tuoba Hui’s face changed dramatically, his hand clenched into a fist under his sleeve, fiercely squeezing, nails piercing into his flesh, yet he did not feel the pain. The news of Wanyan Xiaji’s death directly numbed his body, rendering him insensible.
If it weren’t for the presence of the civil and military officials, he needed to maintain composure; upon hearing this news, he might have been struck by a heart attack and fainted.
The civil and military officials beneath were also pale, their hearts sinking to the bottom.
Prior to this, after the fall of Haiyan Pass and the death of Tuoba Zhu,
They were both angry and shocked, but believed the situation was still under control. Wanyan Xiaji’s strength made them firmly believe Wanyan Xiaji could drive the Wei Army out, even killing the Emperor of Da Wei.
But now, Wanyan Xiaji’s death made them feel the situation was starting to spiral out of control.
Firstly, there were already no available generals left on the court.
Prior losses in the invasion of the Great Song, with the loss of several generals including General Yelv, were not even mentioned.
This time, there was Tuoba Zhu at Haiyan Pass and several generals assisting Tuoba Zhong.
Even in Gansha City, there were Tuoba Hong and his deputy, all capable talents.
Then there was Wanyan Xiaji, the pillar of Jin Xia, and the generals under him were all battle-hardened veterans.
With Wanyan Xiaji’s death, their fate was likely no better.
The successive defeats had cost Jin Xia too many commanders-in-chief.
Moreover, crucially, not much cavalry was left in the capital. If this little cavalry were dispatched again, what would become of the capital?
If they won, that would be fine, but if they were defeated again?
Jin Xia would be no more...
"Great Khan, the Grand General has fallen, Jinshuang City has been captured. If the Wei Army advances directly upon the capital, in less than ten days, they could reach the capital, and the capital cavalry is insufficient; orders should be immediately sent to General Tuoba Ai to return for reinforcements."
Tuoba Ai is not of the Tuoba Clan.
His father was an Inner Guard of the late Emperor. After his father died, Ai became an orphan. Remembering his father’s merits, the late Emperor granted Ai the surname Tuoba.
Currently a confidant of Tuoba Hui.
The commander leading the raid on Longyou this time was Tuoba Ai.
Now that Wanyan Xiaji has fallen, the Wei Army is about to reach the capital. For their own safety, they naturally hope for as many troops in the capital as possible.
"Lord Hu’s words are very correct; not only that, orders should be sent to the Tie Mu Tribe, Gogou Tribe, and Rongyan Tribe to immediately organize cavalry to guard the capital."
At this moment, the vast majority of civil and military officials had an unusually unanimous opinion.
That was to deploy every available troop and gather them at the capital.
Only a few felt that Tuoba Hui should dispatch troops to defend Yiling City and other places.
One must know that Jin Xia has three great passes protecting the capital.
Jinshuang City is only the first great pass.
There are still two passes left to defend.
If these two passes were to be abandoned, it would just hand them over to the Wei Army.
However, the opinions of these few people were quickly overshadowed by the words of the officials.
They believed that even with Wanyan Xiaji guarding it, Jinshuang City fell, and even if troops were sent to the other two great passes, they would not hold; it would be better to wait for reinforcements from the tribes to fortify the capital.
Also, even if troops were sent, who would lead them?
Who would be willing to go? Wouldn’t it be just a pointless sacrifice?
Looking at the reaction of the ministers, Tuoba Hui’s face was as dark as storm clouds, disappointed to the utmost.
With Wanyan Xiaji dead, was there no one in the entire court who could hold the grand scheme?
No one to bear the grand scheme, Tuoba Hui could only follow the suggestions of Lord Hu and another minister.
Order Tuoba Ai to return for reinforcements.
Order the nearest large tribes to the capital to organize troops to guard the capital.
...
Tuoba Hui, utterly exhausted, returned to his bedroom, with deep eyes still filled with a slight bloodiness.