People in the early Tang Dynasty: I compete with Wu Zhao for the throne

Chapter 416 Race against time, count every inch

In the early morning, Li Xuan stood alone in the middle hall, with a map of Wuzhou hanging on the wall.

He was the only one in the room, and there was nothing on the bed. He Qing'er had long since disappeared.

Li Xuan frowned, and her eyes fell on the left corner of the map, where Longyou was.

Longyou is located in the westernmost part of Wuzhou, and if you go further west, you will be in Quzhou.

The wide terrain in that area is the best battlefield for cavalry to gallop across.

Even infantry, the fighting power of the imperial court's infantry on the plains far surpassed that of the Tianyin Sect.

Whether it's Li Xuan or the princes, they hope that the Tianyin Sect will send troops to that area, and then wipe them out in one fell swoop.

But it's a pity that the Tianyin Sect didn't do that, and their main energy wasn't there.

Even though Wen Fuzhi noticed Longyou, in his original plan, after taking Wuzhou, he sent troops to Longyou, and then took Quzhou in one fell swoop, as the last retreat of Tianyin Sect.

However, Fang Yunxiu died, and this road was cut off by Li Xuan without even taking it.

Although Tianyin Sect doesn't have many people in Longyou, they still have a branch in secret.

"I didn't expect that they would use this road to transfer the message to Muzhou. It's really surprising." Li Xuan pressed his hands on the table, his face full of thought.

He admitted that he would not be able to calculate everything after all, Zhang Wanyu's move, he was a step slower.

Transiting through Longyou, although there may be some delays in the middle, it is definitely much faster than they go directly across the mountains and rush back.

But now, they haven't arrived in Longyou yet, so there is still a chance to get back everything.

Now let's see who is one step faster.

……

A burst of familiar footsteps sounded from behind, and Li Zhu came in from the door.

He stopped two meters behind Li Xuan, cupped his hands and said, "Report to the lord, the carrier pigeon has been dispatched, and Longyou County should have received the news at noon."

"Yeah!" Li Xuan didn't turn her head, just responded, and continued to look at the long line drawn on the map in front of her.

There is still a distance between Meiling Pass and Longyou.

Even with the abilities of Zhang Wanyu and Ye Wanwan, if the two of them want to run away while avoiding Qiu Zhenmu and Yan Tao's pursuit, it's hard to say when they will reach Longyou.

However, this did not prevent Li Xuan from taking a step ahead. When she got up early in the morning, she sent a message to Longyou County with a carrier pigeon.

Li Xuan asked Wuzhou not to drive, and ordered the governor to order the arrow, demanding that Longyou County, from now on, strengthen the inspection of the city gates, and everyone will strictly investigate.

At the same time, they ordered them to completely wipe out the Tianyin Branch Church in the county.

As long as Ye Wanwan, Zhang Wanyu, and Tianyin Sect's Longyou branch can be delayed, all available means must be used.

Don't think it's just a delay. In this matter, if you get the news earlier and get the news later, the lives of thousands of people will be overthrown.

There is nothing worthy of Li Xuan's calculations in the Longxi Branch of Tianyin Sect, only the thousands of Tianyin Sect members who are about to attack.

This time, Li Xuan wanted to strangle them completely.

Before dawn, Li Xuan had sent He Qing'er to Longyou overnight to join Ye Wanwan, Zhang Wanyu and the others.

Through Longyou's various layouts, He Qing'er got together before Zhang Wanyu and the others entered Longyou.

Don't forget, beside Zhang Wanyu, there is Ye Wanwan.

Let Ye Wanwan and He Qing'er meet up, and the two of them will follow Zhang Wanyu's side, so no matter what Zhang Wanyu wants to do, all her actions will be under Li Xuan's nose.

So those 1000 people...

……

"Let's go, let's go to the north gate to have a look." Li Xuan cleared her gaze, then put her hand on the hilt of her sword, and walked out of the gate guard officer's mansion quickly, wearing a robe with black background and gold silk.

At this time, many people inside and outside have already started to get busy.

Bows and arrows, stones, stakes, water, and many other things were all moved to the north gate in an orderly manner under Feng Hua's arrangement.

Compared with the south gate, the north gate is wider and the height is more conducive to defense.

After explaining to Feng Hualue, Li Xuan led the people out of the North City Gate.

A busy scene inside and outside the north gate.

Between the high mountains and dense forests on both sides, a large number of soldiers and civilians are cutting down the trees in the surrounding area.

Trees, large and small, were cut down one by one, and then transported back to be used as sources of wood and arrows.

There has been no battle at Meiling Pass for many years, and there are many things that need to be cleared at the pass, so as not to be used by the enemy when the enemy arrives.

"Leave a little bit of the woods over there." Li Xuan walked to a dense forest at 450 steps, and Qi Guang immediately led people up.

"Your Majesty!" Qi Guang's face was a bit puzzled, didn't he say that all the dense forest within five hundred paces would be cut down?

Li Xuan nodded, and while thinking, ordered: "From this side to the back, a slanting arc stretched to [-] steps. It seems that there is not enough time, and it looks like a half hastily retreated."

Li Xuan stretched out her left hand, and thrust it obliquely upward towards the slightly slower slope on the right.

"My lord deliberately wants to keep one..." Before Qi Guang finished speaking, Li Xuan stopped him, and he immediately cupped his hands: "Your official will do it immediately."

Qi Guang quickly gave instructions to his subordinates, although the subordinates didn't know why, they all followed them.

At this time, Li Xuan had already led the people towards the mountain, and Qi Guang hurriedly followed.

After a while, they came to the side of the mountain in front of them, and a small stream flowed out slowly.

Obliquely along the edge of the mountain road, flowing down to the distance.

"Li Zhu, you personally lead people to destroy all water sources within a three-mile radius."

Li Xuan's words were full of ruthlessness, but then he added: "Remember, it's only the water source within a three-mile radius, and it doesn't matter outside the three-mile radius."

Sanli, Li Xuan was very concerned about this number.

"Here!" Li Zhu didn't hesitate at all, turned around and immediately went to make arrangements.

Seeing Qi Guang, Li Xuan nodded, and said, "Let's go, look around... These days, brothers, let's get more wild game. All the lively things from the nearby mountains will be used to fill the stomachs of the brothers."

"Follow the order!" Qi Guang clapped his hands in agreement.

Back on the mountain path again, Li Xuan took steps, walking on the mountain path inch by inch.

From time to time, he commanded his subordinates to flatten the place, and then deliberately left a sill there, and every inch was arranged very carefully.

"Go find the iron pick. Here, dig out three steps, exactly half a meter high, and make the steps narrower." Li Xuan stood seventy steps away from the city gate, thought for a while, and then lowered it again. order.

Seventy steps, is more than 40 meters away, what is the use of this place?

Qi Guang looked to the left and right. The slope of this section of gentle slope is very small, and the three steps won't be of much use?

But Qi Guang didn't hesitate at all, and immediately cupped his hands and said, "I will obey the order."

……

Li Xuan stayed outside the entire city gate for a whole day, and made extremely detailed arrangements in many places.

Later, I checked everything again on the city wall, and then handed over the city gate to Feng Hua who came to be on duty.

"There are still two days left. We have to do as much as possible, so that after they arrive, there is nothing to rely on." Li Xuan once again explained seriously.

"Hey! My lord, the manpower from Dongyang has already started to go west. It will take another day to reach Lanxi, and half a day to reach Meiling Pass. By that time, my manpower will reach 1000 people. No matter how many people are sent, they will never take Meiling Pass easily." Qi Guang stared very closely, with a hint of joy in his eyes.

"Don't be careless!" Li Xuan shook her head directly, and said: "The terrain of Meiling Pass is indeed beneficial to us, but the degree of benefit is very limited. After all, this is just a small pass. The city is not high enough, nor thick enough. If the other party can also build a catapult like ours, it won't take long before the entire city wall will be dismembered and collapsed."

"They are just a group of rebels." Feng Hua looked at Li Xuan in surprise.

Li Xuan shook her head and said: "Although the land in Muzhou is mostly barren, people are not dull. People who know the art of war must be shrewd, and craftsmen will not be too short. As long as the other party is fully prepared, then If I use manpower to pile up regardless of the consequences, then the little advantage I have accumulated during this period of time will be completely flattened in a short period of time."

The Tianyin Sect was raising troops in the name of Muzhou Inspector Shixu, and Li Xuan's nerves, which were a little relaxed, immediately tensed up.

If they were in the name of the governor of Muzhou, then some aristocratic families in Muzhou with ulterior motives could use this name to join the Tianyin Sect's rebellion.

Knowing the art of war and not knowing the art of war are completely two realms.

If you don't know the art of war, then the visitor will only be played by Li Xuan to the point of death.

But if the opponent has a deep understanding of the art of war, then Li Xuan's various methods will be seen through and restrained.

"Also, after the reinforcements from Dongyang arrive, let them come to Meiling Pass first." Li Xuan paused for a moment, as if he had other plans in his mind.

Li Xuanxi came to Meiling Pass, while Qin Ming took people to Dongyang.

Those people in the Wuzhou Hall of Tianyin Sect in Dongyang had Zhou Shen blocking the road in front, and Qin Ming and Yu Ze chasing after them. Their demise was a matter of time.

After the matter over there is over, the soldiers there, as well as the three hundred old soldiers recruited by Wang Fanglin, will be sent to Meiling Pass together.

At that time, the hidden danger of Li Xuan's lack of troops will be solved.

But since Zhang Wanyu went to Longyou yesterday and tried to use Longyou's Tianyin branch to send a letter to Muzhou, Li Xuan already had a new plan in her mind.

The Tianyin Sect has too many troops in Muzhou, and if they want to defend Meiling Pass without damaging themselves too much, then all they can do is to bleed the opponent's body a little bit.

……

With a bang, a bloody head was thrown to the ground.

Qiu Zhenmu stood on one side, bowed his hands to Li Xuan solemnly, and said, "Reporting to my lord, the head of Zuo Fei, the deputy head of the Muzhou Hall of the Tianyin Sect, is here, and other people of all colors who escaped from Meiling Pass will be punished." Killed 37 people, and more than ten people fled into the mountains and forests farther away, unable to return to Jiande in a short time."

Seeing Zuo Fei's head, Li Xuan finally showed a smile on his face.

If it is said that in the previous battle, the one who spied on Li Xuan's details the most, besides Zhang Wanyu, was Zuo Fei.

As a veteran of many years, Zuo Fei is brave in battle, but unfortunately he is not good enough. Once he encounters a good player who calculates people's hearts, his flaws will be found out in minutes.

"Let the brothers come back and rest for two days, I'm afraid the next big battle will come soon." Li Xuan's face suddenly became serious.

"The next officer obeys the order!" Qiu Zhenmu cupped his hands, then turned around and left.

Li Xuan nodded slightly, but his gaze went directly through time and space, and landed outside Longyou City.

Ye Wanwan and Zhang Wanyu had arrived in Longyou at this time, but because the gates of Longyou City were closed early today, they were not able to enter the city in time, and at this time, He Qing'er also rushed over from the rear.

Li Xuan raised his head and looked at the sky that had completely dimmed. He knew in his heart that tonight, the carrier pigeons of the Tianyin Sect would not be able to send out no matter what.

Then it can only be posted tomorrow, and everything will immediately fall into his calculations...

(End of this chapter)