In the golden autumn October, the autumn rain is about to stop.
The air is filled with a fresh fragrance of soil, which is neither thick nor light, just refreshing.
At this time, Tangzhou City was soaked in joyful and laughter. From the old people with gray hair and beards to the young men who were playing and teasing at the age of the horn, they were all enjoying their wonderful time.
There are many street markets, lights are on the first place, no leave of absence is collected on the road, and no doors are closed at night. The city of Tangzhou is full of a prosperous scene.
It is hard to imagine that in Xiping County, a hundred miles away, the rebels were wantonly massacring and robbing the people of the Tang Dynasty, plundering and burning cloth and silver in the treasury of prefectures and counties. However, under the same sky, it is completely different.
Life, of course, is attributed to Li Kuo, the guardian of Tangzhou City.
In a study room near the north in the backyard of the state yamen, Li Kuo was pondering at the sand table of Zhangduji and Henan Road. Judging from the current form, the entire Henan Road was inconspicuous. Although the rebels took Xijing in one go.
Chang'an's momentum has soared, but he has not made good luck on the Henan battlefield.
The rebel army led by Xiao Zhang Tanhua confronted the rebels in Yongqiu for four months, defeating the rebel general Linghu Chao, and seized thousands of hu of salt and rice transported by the rebels in Suiyang Canal, beheading countless bandit soldiers.
(Note 1) However, since July, Linghu Chao colluded with the rebel general Cui Boyu to besiege Yongqiu. Xiao Zhang Tanhua, who guarded the city with thousands of people, had to retreat to Ningling. Even so, the rebel army was still very imposing.
I also considered sending troops to relieve the siege of Yongqiu, but on the one hand, Yongqiu is five hundred miles away from Tangzhou, so I may not be able to keep up with the supply along the way. On the other hand, Kaifeng, Chenliu and other places in the northwest of Yongqiu were rebels.
If he insists on forcing the place where heavy troops are stationed, he may have a fierce battle. It’s not that he is afraid of fighting with the rebels, but that the township tycoon has finally set a scale now, and everything is in an orderly manner towards the direction of his plan.
There is really no need to bet on the lives of tens of thousands of brothers for a temporary battle of will.
This seemingly righteous approach is actually irresponsible for the lives of soldiers under his command. Li Kuo would never do such a thing to fight for the reputation of loyalty and righteousness. As for Xiao Zhang Tanhua, he has sent messengers several times to persuade him.
He retreated to Suiyang. But Xiao Zhang Tanhua was a strong-willed person and refused to leave.
The soldiers led by Brother Nan and Brother Lei went north to fight against the rebels, attacked the rebel general Yang Chaozong, beheaded twenty enemy generals, and killed more than ten thousand enemies. It is said that after this battle, the Suiyang Canal was blocked from flowing.
Of course, many rebel troops have emerged in Chenzhou, Haozhou, Songzhou and other places, and the situation of the rebels is in danger. If you look at the right time and go around the rebels and seize its important town Xuzhou, perhaps Suiyang and Yongqiu
The pressure of a generation will suddenly decrease.
Li Kuo inserted a small red flag in Xuzhou and took a deep breath.
But there are great risks in doing so. Xiangcheng and Linying are controlled by the rebels. If they lead their troops deep into Xuzhou, they will have to pass through the two places. If there are fewer people, it will be difficult to capture Xuzhou. If there are only ones, they will be the only ones.
It is difficult not to be discovered by the rebels from both places. This is really a difficult problem!
Just as I was feeling sad, the door of the house was suddenly pushed open.
"Qilang, are you still deducing the tactics here?" Zhou Wuzui handed over a chicken leg and praised: "You can't say anything, the chicken leg that Uncle Wu cooked is so delicious. I have to ask him for advice another day."
Li Kuo frowned but pushed the chicken legs back: "You can keep this for yourself, but if you want to not press down the horse under your crotch, I advise you to eat less."
Zhou Wunu spread his hands and said, "You don't have to worry about this. We both have our own lives and our duties. No one should say anything."
Li Kuo smiled bitterly and said, "I can't tell you, genius, just say, what are you looking for me late at night?"
Zhou Wujue gave him annoyed look and said, "You are really boring. Can't you come to you if you have nothing to do? We're better off as a brother. You, you've been with Zhang Yanji for too long. It's soaked in a daze."
Although it was unintentional, Zhou Wujue realized that he had said the wrong thing as soon as he spoke, so he quickly gnawed the shiny chicken legs.
"Okay, even if I'm stupid, can you, a genius, speak directly?" Li Kuo shrugged without being influenced by Zhang Yanji's words.
Seeing that he was not angry, Zhou Wuzui said happily: "Well, your official fortune is here! Just now, an eunuch came to the prefecture yard and called him to find you. It seems that he was here to pass the order."
Li Kuo frowned slightly and asked, "Zhongguan? Do you know where they came from?"
Zhou Wujue tore up a chicken leg and said, "Of course I came from Lingwu. Now the person in Shu has become the Supreme Emperor, so why don't you care about the practical matters?" After a moment of pause, Zhou Wujue said, "I'll tell you something." It’s not too long to take a shower, so you should go to the flower hall to receive the order.”
Li Kuo Daqi said: "When did you become so obedient? If you want to leave it, you wouldn't have to tease the official who was sent to the imperial edict?"
Zhou Wujue spit out a piece of chicken skin and said, "At this time and then, aren't people still changing? Go quickly, it's too late, someone in the court will gossip again. Lingwu's mind is smaller than a needle and nose. !”
Without incense or bathing, Li Kuo went to the flower hall to receive the order in plain clothes.
If such a thing was put in Tianbao Dynasty, it would be labeled as disrespectful, but in this chaotic age, no one has time to care about these details.
To be very disrespectful, even the civil and military officials in the Lingwu court could not gather a hundred, and even His Majesty the Emperor did not have a formal palace to settle in. What are the royal majesty and rules for the acceptance of the imperial etiquette?
Of course, the etiquette you should do is still fulfilled.
This little eunuch who sent the order was probably the first time to travel far away, and was very curious about everything. When he saw Li Kuo entering the hall, he did not immediately take out his domineering airs and just greeted Li Kuo happily.
Finally, Li Kuo coughed a few times, indicating whether the central official had the emperor's will. The little eunuch then woke up like a dream and patted his forehead to thank Li Kuo.
Such a majestic eunuch has become like this, so there is no mystery at all. The little eunuch took out a wrinkled yellow silk cloth and started chanting it up and down. When all the rituals are finished The little eunuch immediately smiled and helped Li Kuo up.
"General Li, I have come to your Tangzhou City to pass the order. It's really easy to find!" The little eunuch shook the floating Chen in his hand, which was ridiculous and complained to Li Kuo: "I thought I was from the scene." Neixiang, the road to the new city is easy to walk on, at least you don’t have to worry about encountering rebels, but who knows that God of the donkey grass always likes to tease people, and lets the slave meet a group of bandits. Alas, where will there be such a peaceful year? Bandits, so these untouchables are all fence-bearing people who change their responsibilities whenever there is a sound in the world, they will follow them to fire two cannons."
After listening to him patiently, Li Kuo said, "Thank you for your hard work in the middle official, I have prepared some things. I hope the middle official will not be disgusted."
The little eunuch didn't care and waved his hands repeatedly, "It's okay, only when I come to Tangzhou City alive, it proves that I have a fate with you, even if I eat thick bran and wild vegetables."
After hearing what he said, Li Kuo's nose felt sore for no reason and he swallowed and spitted.
"Can the official know what the emperor summoned the last general to go to Lingwu?" Seeing that the little eunuch didn't look like a difficult master, Li Kuo simply asked straightforwardly.
Unexpectedly, when the little eunuch heard Li Kuo ask about this, he immediately put on a majestic face and said, "Oh, General Li, how can this happen to the slaves find out? The slaves are just running errands for His Majesty,
As for why this is exactly, don’t you know it after you go?"
Seeing that the little eunuch could not ask any substantial content, Li Kuo bowed to him and said, "Since that's the case, Li will not disturb the middle official's rest and say goodbye!"
"It's easy to say, it's easy to say!" Seeing that Li Kuo no longer asked deeply, he breathed a sigh of relief. When Li Kuo walked to the door, he suddenly shouted: "Oh, that, General Li, you can't send the osmanthus cake you sent to me.
Can't I have another plate?"
"No, absolutely not!" Zhou Wuzui read the imperial edict, immediately changed his face, and refused flatly.
"I also said that Li Heng had something good to you, but I never thought it was just to seize your military power. You didn't think about it. If he was open-minded in his heart, why did he ask you to lead the cavalry but station a hundred miles away from Lingwu?
Only five hundred riders are allowed to bring into the city?"
Zhou Wuzui snorted coldly and continued: "I said when you left Zhu Gui perfunctorily, this kid would not give up, and he didn't expect it to come so quickly."
Li Kuo smiled bitterly and said, "Your Majesty had not ascended the throne yet, and Zhu Gui was not sent by him. How could he be angry about it?"
Zhou Wuzui clenched his fists and said, "I am mean and have no kindness, I am so happy to be acclaimed. Their Li Tang family is all the same, so what is the difference? Besides, you and him are not having a holiday, he wants to take the opportunity to seize your military power.
It's normal."
Li Kuo spread his hands and said, "What do you think you should do? Could it be that I really have a disrespectful attitude?"
Note 1: Linghu Chao: During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang Dynasty, he was appointed as the magistrate of Yongqiu County (now Qi County, Henan Province). In the 14th year of Tianbao (755 AD), when the Yan army led by An Lushan occupied Luoyang, Linghu Chao surrendered to An in Yongqiu.
Lushan.
ps: The new volume is also the last volume. I originally thought that I would write it all in Manjianghongli, but I found that the content was a bit too much, so I would write it in two volumes.