At the end of the Sui Dynasty

Chapter 591
As the saying goes, spring rain is as expensive as oil. Spring turns from cold to warm and everything recovers. It is a good time for farming. If there is enough rain at this time, it will undoubtedly be very beneficial to planting crops. However, the weather this year is a bit abnormal. After a heavy snowfall on the fifth day of the first lunar month, until the end of March in late spring, there was no more rain. The sky was sunny for nearly three months. The land was so dry that it was cracked, and most of the crops in the fields were dying. The area north of the Yellow River has a poor harvest this year, which is clearly a foregone conclusion.

The water level of the Fen River dropped very sharply, and in some places it almost stopped flowing, leaving only the gurgling streams, exposing large areas of gravel beaches at the bottom of the river, a desert scene.

Li Shimin led a cavalry to drink horses by the Fen River. Looking at the dry and cracked land in front of him, he couldn't help but said worriedly: "I have been in Taiyuan for several years, and this is the first time I have seen the bottom of the Fen River. The severe drought is unique, and it is estimated that many places will have no harvest, and I don’t know how many people will starve to death.”

"God doesn't reward food, so what can we do? Only manpower can save us!" Hou Junji said helplessly, and he didn't care too much about it. Anyway, Taiyuan has enough grain reserves, and even if there is a famine, the heads of superiors like himself won't be able to starve. Changing the subject, he said: "I heard that Gao Changqing claimed to be the Duke of Qi. Hey, I thought he would directly become the king. After all, this kid doesn't have the guts."

Li Shimin said calmly: "It's fine to be called a public or a king. What does it have to do with me, Li Shimin? But Gao Changqing doesn't directly become a king. It can be seen that although his territory has increased greatly, he is still very clear-headed and has not become complacent."

Hou Junji sighed when he heard the words: "If the marriage between Erlang and Cui Shi of Boling had been successful, why would Boling and Shanggu counties be cheaper than Gao Changqing... Cough, Erlang, I'm not blaming you!"

Li Shimin said indifferently: "It's okay to blame me. When I think about it, I was indeed impulsive at the beginning, but I don't regret it. My wife Li Shimin should not only be worth the land of the second county."

Hou Junji lifted his spirits, and blurted out: "Erlang is very ambitious, and Changsun Wugou has no eyes. Sooner or later, she will regret choosing Gao Changqing."

Li Shimin frowned, and said a little annoyedly: "Why mention her!"

Hou Junji said embarrassedly: "Okay, I will never mention this woman again, Erlang, don't be upset, there are many good women in the world, and there will always be better ones."

Li Shimin shook his head helplessly, rode his horse away from Fenhe, and galloped towards Jinyang City. Hou Junji quickly led his cavalry to follow.

It is said that ever since Li Yuan fell asleep with the maid of Jinyang Palace after drinking, he decided to raise the flag against the Sui Dynasty. However, Li Yuan was scheming and prudent. Yang Lang suddenly killed Liu Wuzhou, the prefect Wang Rengong, and rebelled. This is all right, and Li Yuan sent Li Shimin, Changsun Shunde, Liu Hongji and others to openly recruit troops in the name of crusade against Liu Wuzhou. So far, [-] soldiers have been recruited. Moreover, Li Shimin also started to build his Xuanjia iron cavalry, which was completely against the extraordinary Youzhou iron cavalry.

Let's say that Li Shimin went back to Jinyang City to visit his father Li Yuan and reported to him the current situation of recruiting troops. The father and son were chatting closely, and the servants reported: "Master Gao and Lord Wang are here to visit."

Li Yuan frowned, nodded and said: "Please wait in the front hall, I will be there soon."

The servant left as ordered, Li Shimin said vigilantly: "Why are Gao Junya and Wang Wei looking for their father?"

Gao Junya and Wang Wei are both left behind in Jinyang, that is, Li Yuan's deputy. Yang Guang deliberately arranged to contain Li Yuan in Jinyang. It can be seen that Yang Guang actually does not fully trust Li Yuan. The prophecy that Li should be the emperor is always true. A thorn in his heart.

And during this time, Li Yuan recruited troops everywhere under the pretense of crusade against Liu Wuzhou, but did not take any actual actions to crusade, which naturally aroused the suspicion of Gao Junya and Wang Wei, and they watched Li Yuan's every move even more closely. It's a bit unusual to come to visit together suddenly, that's why Li Shimin is so vigilant, worried that the two of them have bad intentions.

Li Yuan stroked his beard and said, "My father doesn't know why they came, so let's go and meet them."

"My son, go with father." Li Shimin said hastily.

Li Yuan nodded in agreement. Over the past few years, Shimin has become more mature and stable, and he is not as impulsive as before, so he is very relieved.

Henceforth, the father and son went to the living room in front together, and Gao Junya and Wang Wei, the left-behind deputy guards of Jinyang who were waiting in the living room, quickly stood up and saluted: "I have seen Mr. Li."

Li Yuan clasped his fists in return, and said politely, "Master Gao and Lord Wang have been waiting for a long time."

Gao Junya glanced at the dusty Li Shimin, and said with a smile, "Erlang just came back from the outside, how many soldiers and horses have you recruited?"

Li Shimin said calmly: "About 10,000 people."

Obviously, half of Li Shimin's report is less than [-], and now Liu Hongji and Changsun Shunde are leading the drill.

Gao Junya nodded in praise and said: "Erlang is really capable, by the way, when will Mr. Li plan to send troops to attack the traitor Liu Wuzhou?"

Li Yuan said solemnly: "Actually, Liu Wuzhou is only suffering from scabies. It's not a problem. It's just that this thief has colluded with the Turkic people. Now with the support of the Turkic people, it's not easy to deal with. I have to make all-out preparations before sending troops."

Wang Wei and Gao Junya looked at each other, sneered in their hearts, and cursed the old fox secretly, I think you are using an excuse to recruit soldiers and buy horses to plot wrongdoing, it has been several months, and you still stand still, you are lying to ghosts!
Years ago we used the excuse of the cold weather, and after the next year we used the excuse of lack of preparation. Seeing that summer is coming, we also said that Liu Wuzhou was backed by Turkic people, but his preparations were still insufficient. Do we really think we are fools?

Wang Weipi smiled and said: "Lord Li is indeed cautious and prudent, but that's right. Be careful sailing for ten thousand years. Liu Wuzhou has the support of Turkic people. It's true that you can't be in a hurry, but right now there is an urgent matter that needs to be resolved urgently. .”

"Oh, what's the matter?" Li Yuan asked calmly.

Wang Wei sighed and said: "There has been no rain for several months, the land has been cracked, and the fields have been roasted to smoke. If there is no more rain, all the crops will be lost today. I don't know how many people in the entire River East will starve to death. My lord, what should I do?" Jinyang stays behind, the highest officer in the Hedong area should be sympathetic to the people and worry about the people's urgent needs, so the officials and Mr. Gao implored Mr. Li to come to the Jin Temple to pray for rain and blessings. It would be a great merit if he could ask for the rain to relieve the urgent needs of the people all over the world. .”

Gao Junya nodded her head and said in agreement: "Please also ask Mr. Li to go to Jinci Temple with us to pray for rain."

Li Yuan's heart moved, he cupped his hands and said: "This is the official's responsibility, so I will do my best!"

Gao Junya and Wang Wei were overjoyed, so they agreed with Li Yuan on a day to pray for rain, chatted for a while and left.Li Shimin sneered and said, "Father, these two people probably don't feel at ease, don't be fooled by them."

Li Yuan said contemptuously: "How can such tricks deceive me? Gao Junya and Wang Wei are trying to put Li Yuan to death for me. If this is the case, then I will follow the trend and act first to be strong. Shimin , how is your Xuanjia cavalry training?"

Li Shimin said confidently: "It's worthy of a battle!"

"Okay, then the safety of being a father depends on you!"

"Father, don't worry, just leave it to the child!"

On the first day of April in the 13th year of Daye, Li Yuan, who stayed behind in Jinyang, and Gao Junya and Wang Wei, who stayed behind in Jinyang, went to Jinci Temple to pray for rain and blessings.

When Gao Junya and Wang Wei saw that Li Yuan had been duped, they couldn't help being secretly happy, because they had ambushed the knives and axemen in the Jin Temple, and as soon as Li Yuan entered, he would be chopped into minced meat immediately.

Let's say that everyone arrived outside the Jinci Temple and was about to enter the gate when Li Yuan stopped suddenly, Gao Junya and Wang Wei couldn't help but fight, the former asked: "Master Li, why did you stop?"

Li Yuan looked at the two without answering with a half-smile, while Gao Wang and Gao Wang were both nervous, with beads of sweat on their foreheads, and their smiles seemed a little forced.

Li Yuan said indifferently: "Master Gao, Lord Wang, you have ambushed people inside, what are you doing? Could it be that you want to rebel?"

Gao Junya and Wang Wei were shocked, and said in a dazed manner, "Why did Mr. Li say such a thing?"

Li Yuan snorted coldly, Hou Junji and Liu Hongji beside him suddenly made a move, hacked Gao Junya and several guards around Wang Wei with a few knives, and at the same time, Li Shimin also led a hundred Xuanjia The iron cavalry came and surrounded Jinci Temple. First, they fired a rocket into it, ignited a raging fire, and forced out hundreds of knives and axemen who were ambushing inside.

Those poor knives and axemen were so smoked that they coughed and were shot over as soon as they rushed out of the gate. Those who were lucky enough not to be shot to death were killed by Xuanjia cavalry like chopping melons and vegetables, and they were slaughtered without a stick of incense. Not one left.

Wang Wei and Gao Junya were so frightened that their faces turned pale, and they squatted on the ground like quails covering their heads, not daring to move.

Li Shimin killed all the knives and axes, and then he glanced coldly at Gao Wang and the two, and shouted: "Jinyang vice left guard Gao Junya and Wang Weiyi assassinated the left behind adults, intending to rebel, tie them up!"

Wang Wei and Gao Junya were tied up and taken back to the prison of Liushou Mansion. Li Yuan immediately posted Anmin notices at various city gates in Jinyang, saying that Wang Wei and Gao Junya colluded with the Turkic people in an attempt to rebel, so they were arrested. They were all arrested and reported to the court for conviction.

Coincidentally, on the second day, a group of Turkic cavalry appeared outside Jinyang City, which "settled" the fact that Gao Junya and Wang Wei colluded with the Turkic people for rebellion.

So Li Yuan didn't do anything, and immediately beheaded Gao Junya and Wang Wei to show the public, and even saved the procedure of reporting to Yang Guang.

After Li Yuan killed Wang Wei and Gao Junya, he no longer had any fear, and began to recruit troops blatantly. A month later, the eldest son Li Jiancheng and the fourth son Li Yuanji also came from Chang'an.

Li Yuan no longer had any worries about the future, and formally set up a flag to fight against the Sui Dynasty. However, Li Yuan did not fight against the banner of the Sui Dynasty, but wanted to "support the Sui Dynasty, and aim to respect the Sui Dynasty", which is the so-called wanting to be a XX and erecting a memorial archway. up.

(End of this chapter)