Han Shizu

Chapter 834 The Prince and the General

Runzhou, one hundred and forty miles away from Jinling, has always been an important town in the Southern Tang Dynasty, the east gate of Jinling. The Southern Tang court always attached great importance to it. It set up Zhenhai Jiedu envoys here and stationed heavy troops to defend Wuyue.During the decades-long struggle between the Jinling and Hangzhou regimes, Runzhou was also the battleground for the two sides to confront each other. The most recent time was in the fifth year of Qianyou's Han Dynasty when the Han army marched south. Tang Yan Wang Li Hongji led the army to defeat.

Due to the troubles of Wu and Yue, Jinling, the capital of the Southern Tang Dynasty, actually had the meaning of "the emperor guards the gate of the country". After losing all the land in the north of the Yangtze River, this meaning became more profound.

Only across a river, you can still see the flags of the Han Dynasty flying, boats and boats coming and going, and the two sides share the river. Jinling can be said to be facing the front of the Northern Han Dynasty, although its edge has been restrained for the time being.

In the case of losing Jiangbei counties and fortresses, even if a barely visible line of defense is built, Jiangnan is like a beauty whose outer skirt has been stripped in the eyes of the Northern Han monarchs and ministers. The body has the effect of covering up, but it is more attractive, and Jinling is the most alluring key point of the girl's body.

Over the years, Tang lord Li Jing has moved the idea of ​​moving the capital more than once, and brought it up for court discussion several times, and Tang officials pushed it forward.Even with Li Jing's narrow military vision, he could perceive the weakness of Jiangfang and the danger of Jinling. He was afraid, so he wanted to move the capital to avoid disaster.

However, the proposal to move the capital has repeatedly aroused controversy. Although Li Jing received the support of most people, a group of civil and military officials, including Prince Li Hongji, Prime Minister Han Xizai, and people of insight in the army, strongly and fiercely opposed it.

Li Jing was really scared, especially after the Han army captured Jinghu two years ago.He even moved, let Li Hongji supervise the country in Jinling, and went south to Hongzhou by himself.In the end, the trip did not take place. First, the courtiers opposed it. Second, they were worried about Li Hongji. Third, the relationship between the Han and Tang Dynasties was relatively peaceful after a few years. Can serve Ni.

Even so, Li Jing still promoted Hongzhou to Nanchang Prefecture, and was ready to "hunt south" at any time.

The envoy of Zhen Haijun guarding Runzhou is Lin Renzhao, a surrendered minister of Fujian, but now he has become the Jiang Fang general of the Southern Tang Dynasty.Because of his outstanding performance in the Huainan War, and the recommendations of Li Hongji, Han Xizai and others, after inspecting Ezhou two years ago, Lin Renzhao was promoted to be the governor of the real navy.In the past two years, Lin Renzhao of Runzhou and Liu Renshan of Ezhou, one east and one west, divided into the Southern Tang Zhu Kingdom.

In December in the south of the Yangtze River, the rain is cold and frosty, the river wind is biting, and the north wind is rolling the waves, constantly eroding the river bank.In Runzhou, Tang Ting stationed 12 battalions with a total of 30 soldiers, including 15000 sailors.

Among the water villages near the river, they went up to the high-rise buildings. Accompanied by Lin Renzhao, Tang Prince Li Hongji inspected the army in person.On the big river, the war drums were beating, the flags were waving sharply, and more than [-] warships were conducting water battle drills, and there were bursts of killing sounds from time to time.

The news of the Han army's pacification of Shu came quickly, and it shocked the Jinling court at the beginning.However, in less than three months, the news that the Han army had taken all of Sichuan and Shu was shocking.It is said that when the news of Shu Lord Meng Chang's surrender came down the river to Jinling, Tang Lord Li Jing's hands trembled and he directly wrote a good calligraphy.

Afterwards, the Tang court and ministers were all immersed in panic, and everyone felt a sense of urgency.Sichuan and Sichuan are established, so is Jiangnan still far away?Everyone has this question in their mind.Immediately afterwards, the Southern Tang Dynasty strengthened its military construction. Prince Li Hongji came here with an attitude. Lin Renzhao's ability to train and control troops has been tested. The navy he led is probably the most equipped in the Southern Tang Army The best, best trained and best fighting army.

"General Lin is worthy of being the number one general in the Tang Dynasty. He has trained well and his officers and men are really elite. Watching the ships marching alone, commanding orders, and cooperating in combat, they are all organized and organized." Condescending, observing the water in Runzhou on the river Li Hongji couldn't help but praise the teacher's rehearsal.

Li Hongji has flaws in character, but he is indeed rich in military talents. Because of his bravery and perseverance, and his record of defeating the Wuyue army, he has a lot of prestige in the army.And people like Lin Ren also had a good impression of Li Hongji.

At this time, hearing his praise, Lin Renzhao was not very happy. His resolute face was flushed by the winter wind, and he had no other expression. He looked at the north of the river and said in a deep voice: "No matter how good the training is, it also needs the experience of the battlefield." test!"

Noticing Lin Renzhao's gaze, Li Hongji also looked up slightly to the north, and said with a smile: "It seems that General Lin can't wait, and wants to fight the Han army! There will be a chance!"

Lin Renzhao nodded, and said: "In the past six years, the Northern Han Dynasty took Qinfeng, Jinghu, and Chuanshu successively. The next move is either Southern Guangdong or our Tang Dynasty! The battle is about to start, and the time left is for us to Not much more!"

Hearing this, the smile on Li Hongji's face also subsided, nodded and said: "Yes!"

The atmosphere became colder than the howling winter wind. Lin Renzhao said sadly: "At that time, the Han army marched southward in a big way, and it was shorter than the navy. Our army was sitting on the navy, but couldn't exert its strength. The division lost ground. In recent years, the Han army has also vigorously developed the navy, and now facing them, I am afraid that it will be difficult to suppress them.”

"It seems that General Lin is still brooding over his defeat that year!" Li Hongji said.

Lin Renzhao asked back, "Isn't Your Highness the same?"

Li Hongji clenched his fists, and said in a deep voice: "It's a pity that my father entrusted me with no one. If I had been alone as a commander, if I could have used a good general like the general early, how could the Han army be rampant and lose the opportunity!"

Lin Renzhao sighed: "Two years ago, the Han army took Jinghu and fought in Yuezhou. The last general came to watch the battle in person. The Han army is as elite as before!"

"Could it be that the general is afraid?" Li Hongji raised his thick eyebrows.

"Hmph!" Lin Renzhao immediately snorted softly, "Knowing ourselves and the enemy, the last general just dare not underestimate the Han army! However, if the Han army comes from the south, they will just fight to the death and serve the country!"

"The general's pride!" Hearing this, Li Hongji couldn't help stroking his palms vigorously, and praised: "It is far better than those mediocre literati in Jinling who fear the Han like a tiger!"

Looking at Li Hongji who was a little excited, Lin Renzhao sighed silently in his heart. Although the leader was away, he had also heard about certain ethos in the Jinling court.

The person next to him, although Li Jing made him the crown prince, seems to be having a hard time. He has a bad relationship with many civil servants. The Tang Lord Li Jing is also dissatisfied with this shy son.During this year, some people in the court remembered the gentle and courteous former emperor's younger brother Li Jingsui again, and sang praises for him, which seemed to be building momentum, obviously targeting the crown prince Li Hongji.

Thinking about it, Lin Renzhao felt rather melancholy, the state of the country was in dire straits and dangers were everywhere, but the rulers couldn't work together as one, they were still fighting each other, and they were suspicious of each other.

"General Lin, the Han army in the north of the Yangtze River does not have many troops. It can be described as empty. If you use all the troops from Runzhou, you may attack Yangzhou!" Suddenly, Li Hongji pointed to the northwest, which is the direction of Yangzhou, and asked Lin Renzhao.

Lin Renzhao was slightly startled, but when he saw Li Hongji with burning eyes, he thought for a while, and replied seriously: "The Han army is in Yangzhou, and there are only [-] land and water troops stationed there. If the imperial court has an edict, I am [-]% sure that I will take it in one fell swoop." !"

"It's a pity that the imperial court reined in the horses and prevented them from galloping. What can they do?" Lin Renzhao sighed again.

In fact, after the news of the Han army's attack on Shu came, Lin Renzhao once went to Jinling, willing to take advantage of the Han army's westward look, and lead the army northward to recover Huainan.He didn't leave room for himself, and said bluntly that if he was defeated, he would ask the court to take his head and plead guilty to the Han court.A lot of loyalty, but was directly suppressed by Li Jing, who ruthlessly refused. For the Northern Han Dynasty, it was too late to hide, so how dare he stroke the tiger's beard lightly.Because of Lin Renzhao's letter, Li Jing issued an edict to reprimand him, and sent additional supervisors to the capital.

Hearing his sigh, Li Hongji said seriously: "At the beginning, you suggested to take the initiative to attack, and Gu also agreed! With the current situation in the world, passive defense can only lead you to death in the end, and only by taking the initiative to attack can you have a chance.

To tell you the truth, General, I have already planned to send people to go northward, contact Daliao, and make an appointment to attack Han!As long as the success is successful, the general can lead his troops to cross the north, defeat Han and rejuvenate the country! "

(End of this chapter)