First Minister of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 236
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Facing the lack of fodder for the war horses in Hulao Pass, Li Shimin had no choice but to take the risk and let the Xuanjia army release their horses on the bank of the Yellow River.

Seeing this, Gao Chong persuaded him: "Your Majesty, don't worry, this may be your chance to win."

As soon as Li Shimin heard it, he hurriedly asked: "What do you think, tell me quickly."

"Hulao Pass is easy to defend and difficult to attack. Dou Jiande has been stationed for more than a month, but he still can't find a way to break through the pass, so he has to stand in a stalemate here. If Dou Jiande deliberately let Dou Jiande find out that our army is letting horses by the Yellow River, Dou Jiande will be overjoyed There will be some action, as long as our army anticipates the enemy's opportunity and deploys in advance, we will surely win," Gao Chong said firmly.

The two armies were at a stalemate at Hulao Pass, and could not find a breakthrough for each other. If the Tang army blew its own weaknesses and lured horses on the bank of the Yellow River at this time, Dou Jiande would definitely fall into the trap.

Li Shimin was startled when he heard the words, he twirled his newly grown stubble in thought and remained silent.

Dou Gui on the side was shocked when he heard this, and said: "Our army is short of fodder, this is a top secret, how can we reveal it to the enemy?"

After Li Shimin pacified Liu Wuzhou and Song Jingang, he paid homage to Yizhou Dao Xingtai Shang Shuling, and took charge of the military administration of Yizhou Dao states.

After Li Yuanji and Qu Tutong led the army to continue to besiege Luoyang, Li Shimin's troops were insufficient. He only led [-] Xuanjia troops to defend against Dou Jiande, so he ordered the left servant of Yizhou Daoxingtai to shoot Dou Gui and lead the Bashu soldiers. Come and help.

"As long as you can win, it doesn't matter if you reveal your weaknesses," said a high-spirited young general behind Li Shimin directly.

This man is General Youqianniuwei, Huaiyang King Li Daoxuan, Li Shimin's cousin, proficient in martial arts, knowledgeable, only 16 years old, he can be called the Qilin son of Li Tang's clan, Li Shimin loves it very much, and travels everywhere Take Li Daoxuan by his side.

Hearing Li Daoxuan's words, Li Shimin also nodded, "Daoxuan is right, as long as we can win, it's okay to let Dou Jiande know that we are short of fodder, not to mention, this kind of thing can't be hidden for long."

Dou Gui couldn't refute what he said.

Li Shimin then summoned Yuchi Chengqin and others to discuss, after repeating Gao Chong's strategy, they all agreed with one voice.

"I'm afraid Dou Jiande is looking for a chance to win with his eyes wide open at this time. At this time, we deliberately released the horse to the bank of the Yellow River, and Dou Jiande will not stop coming," Cheng Zhijie said confidently.

The rest of the people also nodded in agreement.

Li Shimin immediately ordered Shi Danai and Liang Jianfang to lead more than a thousand cavalry and more than a thousand horses to cross the Yellow River to the north. After reconnaissance of the enemy, he left hundreds of cavalry and a thousand horses to graze by the river to lure Dou Jiande to fight.

As long as Dou Jiande's army moves, Li Shimin will personally lead the army out of the pass to meet the enemy.

Shi Danai's original surname is Ashina, but the Turkic royal family, and the official title is special service. Seven years before the Sui Dynasty, Daye followed Luo Khan in the Western Turkic Region and belonged to the Sui Dynasty, and then he has been serving in the Central Plains court. After Li Yuan raised troops, Shi Danai led the army Belonging to Chang'an, he was given the surname Shi.

After Shi Danai led the troops across the river, he obeyed Gao Chong's instructions, and was cautious along the way, avoiding Xia Jun's scouts, and detoured through the river valley. Lieutenant General Liang Jianfang was very puzzled by this.

"Since Dou Jiande deliberately wants to let Dou Jiande know that we are short of fodder and venture to graze horses by the Yellow River, why do we have to be so cautious and swagger across the river so that Dou Jiande's scouts will find out?" Liang Jianfang clenched the spear in his hand and asked suspiciously. .

Upon hearing this, Shi Danai stroked his messy beard and said with a smile, "This is Gao Sima's brilliance."

Seeing that Liang Jianfang was puzzled, Shi Danai ordered the cavalry to put the horses on the spot, then got off the horses, lay on the grass by the river bank, and said: "Dou Jiande is not a stupid person. If we swagger across the river and release the horses, we will show our shortcomings He, Dou Jiande will definitely be suspicious, so he dare not send troops. Now that we are so cautious, if we are discovered by Xia Jun scouts, then Dou Jiande will not be suspicious."

After hearing this, Liang Jianfang suddenly realized that even though he was not very old, Liang Jianfang was already emerging, courageous and resourceful. After hearing Shi Danai's explanation, Liang Jianfang drew inferences from one instance, and immediately said: "Since this is the case, then we need to be reconciled after we are discovered by Xia Jun scouts." Acting in a hurry and fleeing in a panic, it seems that we were accidentally exposed."

Shi Danai grinned, and praised straightly: "That's right, I'll sleep first, and retreat when Xia Jun's scouts come." After that, he lay down on the grass and fell asleep comfortably.

Until night fell, a group of people neighed, Shi Danai woke up, and hurriedly got on the horse, only to see Liang Jianfang rushing towards the horse with arms folded, "The general retreats quickly, and the bandit cavalry surrounded him."

Shi Danai hurriedly shouted: "Gather the horses and retreat quickly", and then more than a thousand cavalrymen wrapped up a thousand horses and could not escape all the way in panic.

In Banzhu Palace, Dou Jiande looked excited, "Tang Jun really lacks fodder?"

"My lord, it's absolutely true. Although I don't know when this Tang army was smuggled to the north bank, but when we found out, the Tang army was herding horses on the bank." The commander of the rangers nodded with certainty.

Dou Jiande was overjoyed when he heard the words, he stood up and paced around, then looked at the officials in the hall, "What do you think?"

After the voice fell, there was a moment of silence, and no one made a sound.

Ever since Dou Jiande became the queen of the country, he has unknowingly directly or indirectly killed Nayan Song Zhengben, general Wang Fubao, Guozi Jijiu Ling Jing and others. This made Xia Guo's ministers already anxious, fearing that they would be the next one. People of insight have already seen that this is a sign of the country's subjugation.

Seeing the silence in the room, Dou Jiande couldn't help feeling a little annoyed, and called out his names directly: "Cui Shizhong, what do you think?"

Xia Guo's servant was called Cui Junsu, who was the former Minister of the Military Department of the Sui Dynasty. Hearing Dou Jiande's question, he hurriedly sorted out his thoughts and said, "Back to your lord, Hulaoguan was originally an important military town. If there is no production, there must be not much food and grass. Most of the pass is defended by infantry, and Li Shimin led thousands of fine cavalry from Luoyang. It is expected that the forage in the pass is indeed not enough to supply thousands of horses. The lack of forage for the Tang army is inevitable."

Hearing Cui Junsu's words, Dou Jiande also nodded. This statement is indeed reasonable. Hulao Pass has always been mostly infantry, and it is certain that there will be no hoarding a large amount of forage. of.

With a bang, Dou Jiande jumped up against the case, "The Tang army lacks fodder, and this is our army's chance to win. Everyone, tomorrow morning, the three armies will march out and line up at Niukouzhu to block the Yellow River. This king will have a decisive battle with the Tang army."

Seeing Dou Jiande's order, all the generals agreed one after another. Seeing the high morale, Dou Jiande was agitated, clenched his fists, and vowed to annihilate the Tang army in one fell swoop, thus coercing the world.

(End of this chapter)