Traveling through the early Tang Dynasty starts with hanging

In the Linhu Palace, Li Yuan listened intently to Li Shimin's report on the deployment of generals, while Li Shan on the side looked a little bored, playing with a piece of jade that Li Yuan had just handed over casually, which was a wish for Li Shan to have a son.

"Feng Li was recommended by Huairen?"

"Exactly." Li Shimin nodded, "Last year in the battle of Jingzhou, Feng Li aided Shi Zhixuan twice in the battle, joining hands with Xue Wanche and Zhang Shigui. Huairen recommended him."

Li Yuan nodded with satisfaction. Li Shimin had reported to him in private that Li Shan had begged him to banish the prince and wash his horse, Wei Zheng, and gave him many admonitions.

Li Yuan admires Li Shan's thinking very much. He has been on the same stand as the prince for a long time. There are many factors, but one point is very important. Tiance Mansion is its own system and it is difficult for outsiders to integrate. At the same time, Li Yuan and Dong Gong The power was based on the former Sui officials. Although there was no major war between the two parties, there were irreconcilable conflicts.

Under the premise that Li Yuan has changed his mind now, he will inevitably have to consider this issue, regarding his direct lineage, regarding the old people in the East Palace, whether Li Shimin, who is about to take office and has officials under his command entering the court one after another, can accept it.

Therefore, Li Yuan was very satisfied with the fact that Li Shimin first exiled Wei Zheng, transferred Xue Wanche from afar, and now used Feng Li's magnanimity.

"Huiren?"

Li Shimin looked back and poked his elbow. Only then did Li Shan come to his senses and said, "Your Majesty."

"Kang Guogong Shi Danai, Guzang County Duke Duan Zhixuan, plus Feng Li, Hou Junji, as well as Lingzhou Governor Guo Xiaoke, Yuanzhou Governor Zhang Shigui." Li Yuan said slowly: "Is Zhang Zhongjian worthy of the big responsibility?"

Today, the Lingzhou Army is headed by Zhang Zhongjian, the deputy general manager of the march. Lingzhou, Yuanzhou, Huizhou and a small half of Yanzhou are all under his jurisdiction. He has tens of thousands of troops and more than [-] cavalry under his command. It is now second only to the Daizhou Army in the Tang Dynasty. main force.

Li Shan thought for a moment and then said: "With Zhang Zhongjian's ability, there is nothing to worry about. I'm just afraid that his qualifications are too young and he has no prestige."

Li Yuan and Li Shimin both nodded in agreement. Zhang Zhongjian had proven his military command capabilities in the battle of Cangtou River and the three battles of Jingzhou, Yuanzhou and Lingzhou last year and this year.

But ability does not mean everything. In such a large-scale battle, whether he can command his generals effectively is a big question... Zhang Zhongjian was still young when he returned to the Tang Dynasty, and he once fought against the Turks under Liu Wuzhou and Yuan Junzhang. He has many contacts and is not from a noble family, so it is difficult to say whether he can suppress the generals under his command.

Only Li Huairen, the heir to the throne of Wei, could not rely on him to make the generals obediently obey Zhang Zhongjian's command... Once there was a conflict between the two sides, who would win or lose would be secondary, but ruining state affairs would be fatal.

Li Shimin pointed at Li Shan, "There are many generals and talents among Huairen's personal guards, so they can't be so stingy, right?"

Li Yuan on the side smiled and said: "If we don't go into battle now, Erlang's generals will be full of talents, and there will be no chance in the future."

"Your Highness is joking." Li Shan said indifferently, "Although Wang Junhao is brave, he has no ability to lead troops. Qi Biantao was seriously injured and still can't get up. Fan Jiqing only led scouts, which was of no use. Qu Hong can send them It comes in handy, but her mother is seriously ill now and she really can’t live without her.”

"Where's Liu Heier?"

"Isn't it appropriate?" Li Shan shrugged, "It would be fine to send it to Daizhou, Yanzhou or even Longyou Road, but Lingzhou... is not appropriate."

Indeed, after all, the Jihu tribe is now settled in Lingzhou.

"Hou Hongtao is suitable." Li Shimin suggested: "General Zuo Qianniuwei can lead an army on his own." Li Yuan nodded in agreement and added: "Huairen will transfer some old troops from the Beiya Forbidden Army and Guards."

Under the current circumstances, it is obviously inappropriate to remove Zhang Zhongjian from the position of deputy general manager of the Lingzhou Road March when Li Shan has just made a great contribution to the rescue. It can only strengthen Zhang Zhongjian's control over his subordinates... ...It's just that Li Shimin needs to speak, and it's not easy for Li Yuan to say it.

Li Shimin has been thinking about how to get along with Li Yuan, and in turn, Li Yuan has to think about how to get along with Li Shimin... This is a process of mutual testing and mutual reliance.

"I intend to recall the Duke of Xihe." Li Yuan thought for a while, "From what Erlang has seen, who is worthy of being the commander of the Lingzhou Road March?"

Li Shan was a little surprised. Wen Yanbo was going back to Beijing.

Li Shimin was also a little stunned. He thought for a while and said, "Can Huangmen Minister Tang Jian do it?"

"Tang Jian has a cautious temperament, but he knows how to advance and retreat, and understands gains and losses." Li Yuan nodded, "That's Tang Jian. Wen Yanbo returned to Beijing and was transferred to the Ministry of Civil Affairs to ensure that food and grass are safe."

Li Shimin responded sternly, the war was about to start, and preparing grain and grass for the war was the top priority. Allocating grain and grass to various places was the responsibility of the Ministry of Civil Affairs. At this time, the Ministry of Civil Affairs could not be controlled by the East Palace... The current Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs is Zheng Shanguo, the prince Zuo's concubine.

Although Zheng Shanguo seemed to be alienated from the prince after the battle in Tiantai Mountain last year, and had expressed his goodwill to the King of Qin through his nephew Zheng Rentai, the general of Tiance Mansion, but now in the eyes of outsiders, he is still of the East Palace lineage.

"Yang Gongren resigned as the concurrent Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and Zheng Shanguo took over." Li Yuan had obviously made a plan, "Er Lang, Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, and Ling Jing, who among the three is worthy of being the Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs?"

Li Shimin said without hesitation: "Fang Xuanling has recommended many outstanding people."

"That is Fang Xuanling." Li Yuan continued: "Xue Yuanjing will be appointed as the Vice Minister of Zhongshu."

Li Shan was a little distracted again. Li Yuan's personnel adjustments in the three provinces and six ministries basically benefited the King of Qin. Wen Yanbo could still be regarded as neutral, but Tang Jian, Fang Xuanling, and Xue Yuanjing were all Li Shimin's confidants, and They all also serve as subordinate officials of Tiance Mansion.

Although Zheng Shanguo was appointed as the Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, there was Li Shimin, the Minister above, Fang Xuanling, the minister below, and Ling Jing, who had been promoted to doctor... How could Zheng Shanguo have any real power?

Now among the three provinces, the two ministers of Zhongshu Province, Yang Gongren, are neutral. Xiao Yu is already a lineage of the King of Qin. The following two ministers of Zhongshu, one is Sima Yu, a scribe of Tiance Mansion, and the other is a clerk of Tiance Mansion. Xue Yuanjing, a military officer and one of the eighteen bachelors.

Chen Shuda, the Duke of Jiang State in Menxia Province, has already made a clear decision to support the King of Qin. The two Huangmen ministers below him are Shi Tangjian, the head of Tiance Palace, and the other is a neutral faction.

Not to mention the Shangshu Province, Li Shimin personally served as the Shangshu Ling, which was enough to suppress Dou Gui and Pei Ji below.

Li Yuan and Li Shimin also asked several times, but Li Shan was very obedient and did not express any opinions. He just thought in his heart, does Pei Shiju still have time?
Zhang Zhongjian, who had received a large number of reinforcements, Li Shiji personally took charge of Shuozhou, and Li Jing guarded Yanzhou Road. It was the autumn harvest, and there was no danger of food and grass. It was really difficult for the Turks to get any advantage.

As long as Yanmen Pass is not broken, Yuanzhou is lost, and Luziguan is captured, it is already late August, and the Turks cannot fight for a long time. When they retreat, Li Yuan will start to depose the prince.

Li Shan thought to himself that if Pei Shiju wanted to take action, he must do it before the Turks retreated.