Zhao Tai took tens of thousands of Hebei people with him and returned to Shandong, leaving Zhang Rou with a dilapidated and desolate Daming Mansion.

Li Fen went north to attack Jinzhongdu. After encountering Mongolian reinforcements again, he suffered a defeat and returned to Shandong with a lot of gold and silver.

The three towns of Jinan City, Zhao Tai, Li Fen, and Wuxian gathered together to discuss future countermeasures.

Although the three towns captured Shandong and plundered Hebei relatively smoothly, the three towns all knew that once the Mongolian army captured Kaifeng, the pressure on Shandong would be great.

Li Fen was forced to take action anyway. After taking Jinan, he quickly entered the state and began to worry about the current situation.

Li Fen was originally forced to go to Liangshan by Zhao Tai. Now that he had fallen out with Mongolia, he could only prepare for the Mongolian attack. He knew that he could not fight against Mongolia with his own strength. After returning to Jinan, he hurriedly sent someone to ask Zhao Tai.

, Wuxian came to discuss countermeasures.

"This Zhao Tai has done me a lot of harm!" Li Fen sat in the festival hall, "Isn't he here yet?"

Peng Huizu said: "The messenger came back and said that Zhao Tai promised to come to Jinan for discussion, and he is probably on his way!"

Li Fen said with a dark face, "I have a grudge against the Southern Song Dynasty, and now I have broken with Mongolia. What should I do in the future?"

Li Fen's father, Li Quan, could not stand the control and restraint of the Southern Song Dynasty, and eventually fell out with the Southern Song Dynasty and died on the way to attack the Southern Song Dynasty.

Therefore, there was a big gap between Li Fen and the Southern Song Dynasty. Now that he had broken with Mongolia, he was between the two great powers, which made him feel uneasy.

Peng Huizu said solemnly, "Commander, since we have embarked on this path, we must focus on the present and find countermeasures. At present, the general thinks that together with Zhao Tai and Wuxian, we have more than 100,000 troops, and together we can be equal to one."

The key to the battle lies in our three towns, who will be the master from now on?"

After hearing this, Li Fen's expression became serious. He summoned Zhao Tai and Wuxian to discuss whether he wanted to be the leader of the Shandong Alliance.

If Zhao Tai and Wuxian could respect him, then he would have the land of Shandong Province and more than 100,000 troops. It would not be easy for the Mongols to destroy him.

"That's right! The key now is who is in charge!" Li Fen stood up, "I am sitting on the entire land, with two prefectures and nine states, 80,000 soldiers and horses, and half of the land in Shandong belongs to me. I am the leader of the alliance and I will do my duty.

"

Peng Huizu and others also believed this. Since they were all fooled and tied their heads to their belts, they naturally worked for themselves and could not work as long-term workers for Zhao Tai.

Zhao Tai returned to Shandong with the people who had been brought back from Daming Mansion, as well as money, food and materials, and received Li Fen's invitation.

"Commander, if Li Fen joins this three-town alliance, he may covet the position of leader of the Shandong Alliance!" Wang Bin said to Zhao Tai while riding on his horse.

After Zhao Tai returned to Shandong, he ordered Wang Wentong to resettle the trapped people, and then led his troops to Jinan to prepare for Li Fen's appointment.

At this time, Zhao Tai was riding on the horse and said thoughtfully: "Sir, do you think the position of leader of the alliance should be given to him?"

Wang Bin said: "I thought I couldn't give Li Fen my humble position!"

"Oh?" Zhao Tai said: "Li Fen occupies half of Shandong and has many soldiers and horses. If you let him be the leader of the alliance, he will have no way to retreat, so he will use all his strength to fight against the Mongols. If he is not allowed to be the leader of the alliance, I am afraid that

He’s not trying his best!”

Wang Bin shook his head, "Commander, whether Li Fen is the leader of the alliance or not, there is no way out! Li Fen's father, Li Quan, rebelled against the Southern Song Dynasty and was killed by the Southern Song Dynasty. As a result, Li Fen could not surrender to the Song Dynasty easily. Now he has turned against Mongolia again.

, he is no longer tolerated by the Mongolian and Song Dynasties. Shandong is located at the strategic point between the north and the south, and with the way of transporting grain, it is impossible for Li Fen to preserve his strength if he wants to survive between the Mongolian and Song Dynasties."

Zhao Tai pondered for a while and couldn't help but nod slightly. He initially hoped to elect Li Fen as the leader of the alliance, so that when facing the Mongolian attack, Li Fen would be able to fight with all his strength.

After listening to Wang Bin's words, Zhao Tai realized that Li Fen's situation was actually worse than him.

Li Fen's father was killed by the Southern Song Dynasty, so even if he defected to the Southern Song Dynasty, he would not be trusted. It was impossible for him to defect to the Song Dynasty unless he had no choice but to surrender.

In this case, facing the Mongolian attack, Li Fen could only fight with all his strength.

Zhao Tai was at odds with Mongolia, but his relationship with the Southern Song Dynasty was still good. If that didn't work out, he could at least be Xin Qiji's second best and have a way out by joining the Southern Song Dynasty.

"Commander, if you recommend Li Fen as the leader of the alliance, then the commander will have a lot of trouble if he wants to control Shandong and recruit the Li Department. In addition, if Li Fen becomes the leader of the alliance, it will not be convenient for the commander to command the soldiers and horses of Shandong.

It’s not good for our great cause!” Wang Bin continued: “That’s why I thought that the leader of the alliance must be a commander-in-chief.”

Zhao Tai currently has only 30,000 to 40,000 soldiers, and only controls the prefectures and counties of Lunan and Huaibei. If he can become the leader of the Shandong Alliance, he will immediately become a great prince with an area of ​​more than 2,000 miles and more than 100,000 troops.

The Mongol Empire had a vast territory, but its population was actually small. If Zhao Tai could manage Shandong well, he might not be able to compete with the Mongols.

Thinking of this, Zhao Tai couldn't help but said: "I want to be the leader of this alliance, but I'm afraid Li Fen won't accept it!"

Wang Bin said: "The commander-in-chief has the support of Duke Wu, and he can take advantage of the power of the Southern Song Dynasty. I think that as long as the commander-in-chief wants to fight, he will definitely get the position of leader."

Zhao Tai nodded when he heard this, his expression gradually became firmer, and he suddenly smiled and said: "Okay, then I will fight for this alliance leader!"

Three days later, Zhao Tai arrived at the western suburbs of Jinan with his right military advisor Wang Bin and 10,000 troops.

When the team reached the ten-mile long pavilion, they saw a large number of people waiting outside the pavilion. Li Fen arranged for musicians to play music, spread a carpet outside the pavilion, and welcomed Zhao Tai with the most solemn etiquette.

Zhao Tai rode to Changting on horseback. When he saw this scene, he couldn't help but said: "Li Fen is doing this in such a grand manner. Is he welcoming me?"

Wang Bin shook his feather fan and said, "Commander, if Li Fen is so polite, I think he probably also wants to be the leader of the three towns."

Zhao Tai nodded slightly and took it easy as he came. He reined up his horse outside the pavilion, turned over, adjusted his armor, and walked into the pavilion calmly. He saw a tall man standing at the end of the carpet, wearing gold paint fish scale armor.

A smiling man.

This person was none other than Li Fen. When Zhao Tai saw him dressed up for the occasion, he knew there was something fishy about him, so he calmly smiled and said, "Marshal Li!"

Li Fen stepped forward and said with a smile as if he were a master: "My dear brother has returned victorious. I have prepared a banquet to welcome my dear brother."

At that moment, Li Fen welcomed Zhao Tai into the pavilion. After some greetings, he drank some tea and then rode horses to the city together.

Along the way, Li Fen looked worried and talked with Zhao Taida about the current situation in the world. He said that Mongolia was powerful and that everyone should unite as one.

Zhao Tai naturally agreed with this and repeatedly emphasized that the key to fighting Mongolia is three towns and one heart.

When Li Fen heard this, he was very pleased. He welcomed Zhao Tai into the city and arranged him in a very elegant courtyard.

That night, Li Fen hosted a banquet in honor of Zhao Tai, accompanied by many senior generals of Li Army. The old lady Yang Miaozhen also attended the banquet.

During the banquet, everyone gathered together happily, and while the wine was flowing, Li Fen praised Zhao Tai again, saying that he was young and talented, and that he was a hero in the world.

The old lady Yang Miaozhen was sitting in the upper seat. After listening to Li Fen's words, she looked at Zhao Tai frequently. Seeing that Zhao Tai was extraordinary in appearance, a look of joy appeared on his face.

"How old is Mr. Zhao now?" Yang Miaozhen suddenly asked.

Yang Miaozhen is the sister of Yang An'er, the leader of the Red Coat Army, and the wife of Li Quan, the former leader of the Li Army. She is the main general of the Red Coat Army.

After Li Quan's death, his tribe collapsed. Li Fen was able to succeed Li Quan and secure his position in Yidu Province entirely because Yang Miaozhen endorsed him.

Now that Yang Miaozhen is old and no longer leading the army, all major military and political affairs in Yidu have been handed over to Li Fen, but her prestige in Shandong still exists.

Zhao Tai had heard of this old lady a long time ago and immediately saluted, "Tai is twenty-five this year!"

Yang Miaozhen praised: "You are truly a hero!"
Chapter completed!