In Chang'an City, Hussar General Yu Wenshi and several of his entourage galloped all the way and rushed into the Mingde Gate. After Yuwen Shiji returned to the Tang Dynasty, Li Yuan missed him and named him the Hussar General of the Prince of Qin's Palace.
.
The hussar general is just an official position, which is equivalent to the left and right followers of the King of Qin. People like Yuchi Gong, Qiu Xinggong, Duan Zhixuan and others are also hussar generals. They can lead troops to fight and be in charge of documents.
Yuwen Shiji was a civilian officer, but most ministers in the Sui and Tang Dynasties were both civil and military. Although Yuwen Shiji was in charge of civil affairs, he could also lead troops in war. His father Yuwenshu also taught him martial arts.
Yu Wenshiji was ordered by the King of Qin Li Shimin to rush back to the court to meet the emperor. However, in the past two days, he was in a restless mood. He got the news that his wife and children had followed Empress Xiao back to the Sui Dynasty.
Of course he knew that because of Yang Guang's death, the relationship between him and his wife could no longer be bridged, and the country and family hated each other. He did not expect his wife to return to him, but he was worried about his son Zen Master. Will the relationship between father and son be severed because of this?
Yu Wenshiji sighed deeply in his heart, but the situation in Luoyang made him unable to take care of his wife and children. He whipped his horse fiercely and accelerated towards the imperial city.
Yu Wenshiji entered the imperial city and ran to the gate of the palace. He got off his horse and walked quickly to the palace gate and said to the guards: "Please inform the emperor for me that Yu Wenshiji has rushed back from Luoyang on the order of King Qin.
, we must urgently report the military situation to the Holy One."
The guards did not dare to neglect and rushed towards the palace.
In the Imperial Study Room, Li Yuan was standing in front of a Central Plains sand table, discussing military matters with Prime Minister Xiao Dan. Since the Battle of Luoyang broke out, Li Yuan's entire mind was focused on this battle, and he had no intention of interfering with the affairs of the imperial court.
, all were put in charge of Prince Li Jiancheng.
He spent most of his time in front of the sand table every day, caring about the development of the war and considering military affairs. In fact, this battle in the Central Plains was of vital importance to the Tang Dynasty.
If he captures the Central Plains, he will have a five-point advantage in the overall situation of the world, Yang Yuanqing will have three points, and Li Mi and other forces will have two points.
If the Central Plains fails, then his advantage will only be four points. Yang Yuanqing will also have four points, while Li Mi and other forces will still have two points. There will be a three-point pattern in the world, which Li Yuan never wants to see.
result.
"Xiao Xiangguo, it is a foregone conclusion that Yang Yuanqing will send troops to Luoyang. According to our intelligence, Yang Yuanqing has deployed an army of 140,000 to 50,000 troops on the north bank of the Yellow River. I suspect that he not only wants to attack Luoyang, but also wants to fight for the Central Plains. This war is no small matter!
"
Xiao Yu frowned, "Did Yang Yuanqing also see that Li Mi wanted to transfer to Jianghuai?"
Li Yuan nodded, "That should be the case. We can see that Li Mi transferred his grain and military forces to the south. Couldn't Yang Yuanqing see that? With Li Mi's center of gravity moving south, the Central Plains must be empty. How could he not seize this opportunity?"
Xiao Yu pondered for a moment. He was a nobleman of the Western Liang Dynasty. Relatively speaking, he was more concerned about the situation in the south. This time, Li Xiaogong led the Jingxiang Tang army to the Central Plains, and the Jingxiang area would become empty, which made him very worried.
He pointed at the Yuzhang County area with a wooden stick, "Your Majesty, the King of Xi'an County led the Jingxiang Tang Army to the north, leaving the Jingxiang area empty. I am worried that Xiao Mian will take the opportunity to counterattack. Should we send Yizhou Zhang Changxun to lead the army eastward?
, to supplement Jingxiang’s military strength?”
Li Yuan smiled and said, "Xiao Xian is too jealous and cannot tolerate him to protect his son. At this time, he is busy fighting among himself and has no intention of thinking about Jing Xiang. In fact, there is no need to worry about him."
Xiao Yu was slightly startled. He was extremely experienced and immediately guessed that Li Yuan must have been playing tricks between Xiao Mian and Lai Huer.
He hesitated and then said: "Dou Kang's remaining troops in Jingxiang are only about 20,000. I am still a little worried about what might happen. After all, Jingxiang is extremely important to us. Your Majesty must not be careless."
Li Yuan nodded, "Xiao Xiangguo is right. I am indeed a little careless. Then let Zhang Changxun of Yizhou recruit the troops of the chiefs of Badong. Tens of thousands of people can be obtained. Zhang Changxun leads them to support Jingxiang. This can ensure that Jingxiang
All right."
At this moment, a guard reported at the door, "Your Majesty, Hussar General Yu Wenshiji has rushed back from Luoyang to report urgent military information."
Li Yuan was startled and immediately said: "Invite him to see you!"
After a moment, the guards led Yu Wenshiji into the imperial study room in a hurry. Yu Wenshiji bowed deeply and said, "I, Yu Wenshiji, see your Majesty, may your Majesty live long live!"
“Yuwen doesn’t need to be polite!”
Li Yuan had a good relationship with Yu Wenshi and other ministers. He treated him slightly differently from other ministers, and his words were more affectionate. For example, he called Xiao Dan Xiao Xiangguo, took his position, and called other ministers Aiqing, but he treated Yu Wenshi and him
Then call him by his first name.
However, with Xiao Yu beside him, his title immediately changed, "Yuwen Aiqing came from Luoyang, is there anything urgent?"
"Your Majesty, the Sui army has fully crossed the river and moved south. The situation is quite urgent!"
Li Yuan's expression suddenly became tense. He walked to the sand table and asked, "Tell me, how did the Sui army send troops?"
Xiao Yu handed the wooden pole to Yuwen Shiji, who pointed to the east county road: "Now General Qin Qiong is leading an army of 30,000 troops to cross the river from Liyang. This is the East Route Army and has occupied Dongjun."
His wooden pole pointed westward to Rongyang, "The second route is Rongyang, also about 30,000 people, led by Sui Army Commander Shi Lijing, marched into Rongyang, and has counterattacked Hulao Pass. We Gangdan captured Hulao
Pass was taken away by him again, and the whereabouts of Old General Qutu and His Royal Highness King Zhao are unknown."
Li Yuan was startled and asked hurriedly: "My whereabouts are unknown, what's going on?"
"Reporting to Your Highness, it was His Highness King Zhao who fell into the Sui army's trick of provoking generals and went out of the city to fight. The Sui army took the opportunity to attack the city. Old General Qu Tu rushed out of the city to rescue King Zhao. His whereabouts with King Zhao are unknown. He should have been rescued.
King Zhao, but his whereabouts are unknown."
Li Yuan sighed slightly, "What a loyal minister! I lost King Zhao and had other sons, but I lost Qu Tu, but there is no other such a loyal general. May God bless him."
Yu Wenshi said: "Your Majesty, there is a third Sui army!"
Li Yuan was reminded at once, and Li Yuan quickly said: "Please tell me, Yuwen Ai Qing!"
Yu Wenshiji pointed the wooden pole at Shaanxian County, "Your Majesty, the Sui Army's Third Route Army crossed the river from Shaanxian County. General Xu Shiji led 20,000 people and has already occupied Hangu Pass."
"What!"
Li Yuan was surprised. He was not surprised at how many troops crossed the river, but that the location where the third army crossed the river was actually in Shaanxi County.
He turned back and asked Xiao Yu, "I remember the reconciliation agreement we signed with the Sui and Tang Dynasties. There was a clause in it that the Tang army could not leave Tongguan, and the Sui army was not allowed to cross the river west of Luoyang. Is that true?"
"Your Majesty, that's why we sent troops from Shangluo. I didn't expect the Sui army to be defeated so easily."
Xiao Yu also frowned. He didn't understand why Sui Jun broke his promise and broke the agreement first?
Li Yuan was a little annoyed. He walked a few steps in the room with his hands behind his back and said angrily: "Yang Yuanqing is so treacherous. In order to attack the Central Plains, I went all the way to Nanyang, spent money and rice, and took a long detour. But he was good and killed him directly."
After passing through Shaanxi County, what’s the point of this contract? Isn’t it just a fart?”
Li Yuan relied on his status and would never say bad words easily, but today he couldn't help it. Xiao Yu knew that he needed to calm down now, not to get angry. Yu Wenshiji came from Luoyang, and he would not just report this matter, he would definitely return the favor.
There are other important matters.
"Your Majesty, can you let General Yuwen continue to finish?"
Xiao Yu's role was to persuade Li Yuan at the critical moment. Li Yuan suppressed the anger in his heart and said to Yuwen Shiji: "Please continue speaking, Yuwen Aiqing."
Yu Wenshiji indeed came with an important mission. He pointed at Hangu Pass with a wooden pole and said: "Your Majesty, the Sui army is crossing the river from Shaanxi County. Although there are only more than 20,000 people, Yang Yuanqing's tens of thousands of elites
But they had not yet crossed the river. The King of Qin concluded that Yang Yuanqing's army must have crossed the river from Mengjin and headed towards Luoyang. There were tens of thousands of Wang Shichong's troops in Luoyang City. This created a situation where the Tang army was surrounded on three sides and the situation was very unfavorable."
Li Yuan frowned and the worry in his eyes became thicker. He had already seen Yang Yuanqing's strategic plan. Li Jing first sent troops to Rongyang County to recapture Hulao Pass and cut off the connection between Li Xiaogong and the King of Qin.
Secondly, Xu Shiji went south from the west road, threatening the Tang army's main grain road on the one hand, and on the other hand, covering up the main force of the Tang army from the west, cutting off the retreat route of the main Tang army. Then Yang Yuanqing crossed south from Mengjin, cooperating with Wang Shichong's counterattack, and attacked on three fronts, completely annihilating the Qin army.
Under Luoyang City.
This made Li Yuan take a breath of air, and he quickly asked: "What about King Qin's response plan?"
"Your Majesty, His Highness the King of Qin has two response plans. The first plan is to withdraw the troops, temporarily give up the attack on Luoyang, occupy Hongnong County, and wait for an opportunity to seize Luoyang again. The second plan is to hope that the imperial court will increase its troops by 80,000, and simply attack Luoyang and
The Sui army fights in a decisive battle, and the winner is king."
Li Shimin's second plan made Li Yuan and Xiao Yu look at each other. At present, the Tang army only has 100,000 troops in Guanzhong, and the King of Qin actually asked for 80,000 troops. This is tantamount to sending out all the troops. If he wins, he will conquer the world, but what if he loses?
Failure would mean the fall of the Tang Dynasty. This huge bet made Li Yuan hesitate. He did not have the courage.
Xiao Yu next to him said: "Your Majesty, the consequences of overwhelming the troops are very clear. If we win, Yang Yuanqing will retreat to Fengzhou. If Yang Yuanqing wins, we will retreat south to Bashu. There is no third option, but I think it is not a decisive battle yet.
At that time, we occupied Jingxiang and our national strength was gradually increasing. If we wait another two or three years, the situation will be more favorable to us. A decisive battle now will only fulfill Yang Yuanqing's wishes."
Li Yuan walked to the sand table again and looked at the terrain in Luoyang. If Luoyang was abandoned and the army retreated to the south of Yique County, then the gains from this battle would be Xiangcheng County and Xiaoyang County, but Hongnong County would be lost.
Relatively speaking, he valued Hongnong County more. Occupying Hongnong County would mean that the eastern border of the Tang Dynasty was pushed to the Hangu Pass line.
If Li Xiaogong wins on the eastern front, then the Central Plains counties including Guchuan County, Rongyang County, Xiangcheng County, Xiaoyang County, etc. will become the territory of the Tang Dynasty. Luoyang will actually be surrounded.
Capturing Luoyang is easy.
Thinking of this, Li Yuan resolutely said: "I agree to the first plan, to withdraw the troops back to Hongyou County."