"Report, report, report... it's not good to report to the prince." Yue Fei hurriedly ran to Master Zhong's tent and said.

"If there is something wrong with Yue Fei, it will be difficult for the sky to fall." Mr. Zhong said to Yue Fei.

"Prince, the sky really collapsed this time." Yue Fei said to Master Zhong; "The last general just received an investigation report that the Jiangnan Navy had been completely finished. Miaojiang led the Jiangnan Navy to surrender to the Xia army, and the Xia army navy had occupied Jiangyin."

"Jiangyin is not too far from Runzhou." Zhong Shidao paced back and forth with his hands behind his back: "We have not all crossed the river yet. How many people have come back now?"

"Report to the prince, only 100,000 elite troops have returned, and the rest may not be able to come back." Another Song army general said.

"One hundred thousand elites." Zhong Shidao said after thinking for a while: "I'm not waiting anymore. I'll take this 100,000 army and all our food and supplies to evacuate immediately."

"Prince, there are Xia troops everywhere, where should we retreat?" A general asked Zhong Shidao.

Zhong Shidao looked at the map and said, "We will go south first, then head west, bypass the Xia army's heavy troops, enter the territory of Jiangnan West Road, and we will be temporarily safe when we know where we are."

"Yes, let's go and pass the order here." A Song general took over the order.

The news of the evacuation quickly spread throughout the Huainan Army, and at the same time, the news of the Xia army crossing the Yangtze River also spread here. Facing the Song Dynasty, which was already declining, not everyone was willing to continue to work hard for him with Zhong Shidao. Therefore, after the evacuation order was issued, some soldiers began to sneak out of the camp and ran away. On the way of the evacuation of Zhong Shidao, people kept running away. When Zhong Shidao led the Huainan Army into Jiangnan West Road, their troops were less than one-tenth of them. Of course, this is a later story.

On the other hand, the news of the surrender of the Jiangnan Navy reached the Palace of the Song Dynasty. Emperor Zhao Mao of Song was naturally furious, but there was no way except for being furious. Now even the Jiangning Mansion is in chaos. Many gentry families have begun to flee from Jiangning Mansion. Even ordinary people can leave, leaving behind some old, weak, sick and disabled people. Now there are 300,000 Song troops guarding Jiangning Mansion, all of which have been evacuated from Huainan. These withdrawn troops have completely fallen into the hands of Emperor Zhao Mao of Song, which is also the main force of the defense of Jiangning Mansion.

Li Gang, who was standing aside, said to Emperor Zhao Mao of Song: "Your Majesty calm down. Now that the situation is in a bad state, please evacuate Jiangning Mansion immediately. It will be too late."

"If I leave, what should I do if these 300,000 troops?" Emperor Song Zhao Mao asked Li Gang.

Li Gang said to Zhao Mao: "Don't worry, Your Majesty, I will personally lead these 300,000 troops to defend Jiangning Prefecture and delay the attack of the Xia army. After Your Majesty arrives in Hongzhou safely, I will lead the army to evacuate."

Emperor Zhao Mao of Song frowned and paced back and forth in the already messy imperial study room. As the battle situation became worse, Emperor Zhao Mao of Song was no longer the original Emperor Zhao Mao of Song. Now Emperor Zhao Mao of Song no longer trusts everyone. General Qi includes Li Gang, the prime minister of the Song Dynasty. Besides, Li Gang was a civil official, so he asked him to command troops to guard Jiangning Mansion, which also made Zhao Mao very worried.

Emperor Zhao Mao of Song said to Li Gang: "Your dear! You are my right-hand man, I really can't live without you!"

What a smart person Li Gang is? Of course, he saw the concerns of Emperor Zhao Mao of Song, but Li Gang could not say it yet, because once he said it, it would be like a showdown with Emperor Zhao Mao of Song, and he could not showdown now! Li Gang was still very loyal to the royal family of the Song Dynasty and Emperor Zhao Mao of Song. Even if Emperor Zhao Mao of Song now doubted him, it was natural in Li Gang's opinion, but Li Gang was determined to stay because only in this way could he hold up the Xia army and allow Emperor Zhao Mao of Song to arrive in Hongzhou safely.

"Your Majesty, I have made up my mind." Li Gang said to Emperor Zhao Mao of Song: "It's just that I have a wish, hoping that Your Majesty can take my family to Hongzhou with me, and ensure that my family will have no worries about food and clothing in this life."

Emperor Zhao Mao of Song looked at Li Gang. Li Gang's words awakened Emperor Zhao Mao of Song, letting Emperor Zhao Mao of Song know that Li Gang is reliable and trustworthy. So Emperor Zhao Mao of Song said to Li Gang: "Your dear! I really can't live without you! How can I control the entire Song Dynasty without you..."

"Your Majesty, I am the only choice." Li Gang said to Emperor Zhao Mao of Song, and then took out a map from his arms and continued: "Your Majesty is all the treasures that I hid on Jiangnan West Road, including food, weapons, gold, silver and jewelry, etc. With these Your Majesty, you can recruit more than 200,000 troops again and these large troops will take five years."

"Since my dear has made a decision, I will not persuade you anymore." Emperor Zhao Mao of Song said to Li Gang, and he succeeded in the treasure map: "Don't worry, my dear, I will take good care of your family, and from now on they are my family."

"Thank you, Your Majesty..." Li Gang thanked; "Your Majesty is now tight, so Your Majesty should leave the city quickly!"

"Okay, I will leave tonight; beloved, please take care of me." Emperor Zhao Mao of Song said to Li Gang.

"I have to arrange for the city defense, so I will leave first." Li Gang bowed to Emperor Zhao Mao of Song and said.

After Li Gang left, Emperor Zhao Mao of Song immediately summoned his personal guard general. Since the war became increasingly unfavorable, Emperor Zhao Mao of Song began to prepare for the escape. Fighting with the powerful Xia army was a fool. Emperor Zhao Mao of Song was not stupid, at worst, just run away! Therefore, Emperor Zhao Mao of Song had already prepared for the escape. Emperor Zhao Mao of Song specially bought thousands of Arab war horses from the Seljuk Empire at a high price, and trained and formed three thousand personal guards. These three thousand personal guards were very powerful, even better than the cavalry of the Xia army, and they were even more loyal to Emperor Zhao Mao of Song.

The equipment of these three thousand personal guards was also the best chain mail in the world at that time. The excellent war horses and unparalleled armor made this elite cavalry. If they were placed on the battlefield, it would be very likely that the Xia army would be caught off guard, but they were not placed on the battlefield.

"Your Majesty, you are looking for the last general." After the personal guard general came in, he said to Emperor Zhao Mao of Song: "I wonder what your majesty has to give?"

"Call my three thousand personal guards immediately." Emperor Zhao Mao of Song said to the personal guards: "Take all the gold, silver and jewelry that can be brought in the palace. In addition, if anyone brings enough jerky and dry food, we are ready to leave."

"Your Majesty, where are you going? So anxious?" said the general of the personal guard to Emperor Song Zhao Mao.

"I am going south to hunt, you go with me." Emperor Zhao Mao of Song patted the shoulder of the personal guard and said.

"Yes, the general of the Imperial General understands, so let's prepare now." The personal guard general said to Emperor Zhao Mao of Song.

(End of this chapter)
Chapter completed!