First Minister of the Tang Dynasty

...

After paying homage to the general, the four of them took orders to go to the garrison to meet the soldiers from various places.

Li Shimin looked at the six people in the field, namely the four prime ministers, Sun Wuji, Minister of Officials, and Gao Chong of the Ministry of War.

"Li Jing of Lingzhou, Li Shiji of Bingzhou...".

When he said this, Li Shimin paused, shook his head and said with a smile, "By the way, Li Shiji has written to change his name to Li Ji."

"Er Li garrisoned troops on the north front line, with a strength of nearly [-]." Li Shimin tapped the map on the desk with his fingers, "How do you think they should be arranged?"

Seeing that Gao Junya didn't open his mouth, Xiao Yu said directly: "If your Majesty's previously established strategy is followed, the Daibei line should not be fortified, but in this way, the Turks will drive straight in. Isn't the Daibei force just like a fake?"

Li Shimin nodded slightly and looked at the others.

Gao Chong didn't hesitate immediately, and said directly: "I have an idea about Daibei's military strength."

"Speaking", Li Shimin stared directly at Gao Chong. Strategic planning has always been Gao Chong's strong point.

"There are few soldiers in Youzhou. Once there is a change in the eastern part of the grassland, I am afraid that Liu Hongji will not be able to support it alone. It is better to send the troops of Daibei to the east to support Youzhou." Soldiers can go around and harass the Turkic rear, and at that time, Jieli will be attacked by the enemy, how can he be undefeated?"

Everyone's eyes lit up when they heard Gao Chong's words, Gao Junya also nodded in agreement and said, "It's possible, as Your Majesty said, by then, no matter what Xieli does, our army will be invincible."

Li Shimin looked at Fang Xuanling and the others, Fang Xuanling also nodded and said: "It is possible, but in this way, the pressure on Keming will be greater."

Hearing this, Li Shimin frowned and said: "So I didn't ask Keming to come, so I made such a mobilization. Xuanling can deliver the decree. As for the food and grass, the three provinces will negotiate with the Ministry of Civil Affairs later."

Fang Xuanling had no choice but to respond with a wry smile when she heard the words, a good woman can't live without rice, even though the troops were transferred, there was no war, but the pressure on food and grass is still not small, this pressure is now given to Du Ruhui of the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

Dingxiang City, Daying North of the city.

The north wind howled, and the flags fluttered.

Jieli Khan sat on a handsome white horse, suddenly drew out the scimitar from his waist, and raised the horse's front hooves high.

Seeing this, the dark Turkic cavalry on the school field raised their weapons high and shouted in unison. Although the scene was noisy and noisy, the terrifying momentum rushed straight to Xiaohan.

Jieli Khan pointed his blade straight to the side, and after a brief lecture, he announced to send troops to attack Tang.

The chiefs of each tribe led their men under their command, and set off one by one, all the way south.

In their minds, in the south, the climate is warm and the products are abundant. The second snow of the year has already fallen on the grasslands. As Jieli Khan said, if you continue to hide in the tent and shiver, it is tantamount to sitting and waiting for death. It is better to go to the south Give it a go.

After the army set off, the chief of the Zhuoshi Tribe Zhishi tried his best to find Jieli Khan, with a heavy expression on his face.

"Khan, do you know the Tang army's movements?" Zhi Shili asked directly.

Jieli Khan was not a reckless man. He heard the words and just said: "Travel the horse to report, Lingzhou and the state line, about 20 Tang troops, and my [-] troops suppress the border. Within a day, they can break through their so-called Daibei defense line."

These words are not wild words. Turkic cavalry are good at fighting, brave and capable, and charge in field battles. Not to mention invincible, they are also rare opponents, especially when the enemy is outnumbered.

"The Great Khan is going to take Chang'an directly?" Zhi Shili continued to ask.

"It's natural."

Jieli Khan sat on the horseback, glanced at Zhishi Sili, frowned and said, "Sili has something to say."

"Daibei's defense line is not difficult to break, but there are military mansions in every state of Tang State. Once our army breaks into the pass, how to deal with the mansion soldiers in the hinterland of Tang State needs to take countermeasures in advance," Zhi Shi Sili said directly.

Ashina Simo on the side also nodded when he heard the words and said in agreement: "Sili's words are reasonable. Most of Tang's government soldiers are stationed in their capital, and there are more government soldiers in the pass than other counties. Although we are not afraid of the mighty big However, if after entering the pass, their government soldiers from all over the country harass our army, it will be unbearable. In the words of the Han people, there are too many ants and they can kill elephants."

"Many ants kill elephants".

Jieli Khan said in a deep voice: "It's like a pack of wolves attacking a tiger on the grassland. I know what you mean, but you may have forgotten that we have an army of 20. The Khan's goal is nothing but Chang'an. In Chang'an, those Tang troops from all over the world are nothing to worry about."

Seeing that Jieli Khan had made up his mind, he couldn't do any more persuasion, so he had to retreat with a lot of worries.

The Turkic army marched very fast, and soon they crossed the Great Wall and arrived at Baiyu Mountain in the north of Yanzhou. Not far away, there was a majestic pass standing on the mountain pass, which was Luziguan in Yanzhou.

Jieli Khan immediately stood on the mountainside, eyes full of doubts, looked at the sky, and ordered decisively: "The whole army chooses a place to camp, Shaboluo, you take your troops down the mountain, and you must find out the strength of the Luziguan Tang army."

The Turkic general named Shaboluo was strong and strong, the name means vigorous and brave. Hearing this, Shaboluo immediately led his troops down the mountain and went straight to Luziguan.

After Shaboluo left, Jieli Khan asked again: "Has Yi Silue come back?"

"Not yet back to camp", left and right answered.

Jieli Khan frowned even tighter.

Something was wrong, the Tang army was very wrong. Usually when he led his army across the Great Wall, the Tang army would be like a frightened bird, immediately leading troops to stop him, but now that the troops had entered Yanzhou, there was no sign of Tang army.

Zhi lost his mind and rode his horse to the front, and was about to express his doubts, when he saw Jieli Khan frowning and looking at Luziguan in the distance, he knew that Khan must have noticed something was wrong, so he didn't say much.

"Silience".

After a long time, his face felt frozen, and Jieli Khan said slowly: "The Tang army fortified the walls and cleared the fields, and abandoned Luzi Pass."

Zhi Shili nodded, and said with some hesitation: "Maybe it's not just Luziguan."

Jieli Khan was suddenly agitated, he didn't like this unexpected feeling very much.

"Why?" Asked Ashi Dewu, the general next to Jieli Khan, with a blank face: "This is their Han city, they don't want it?"

Jieli Khan glared at him, did not explain, but just rode away.

Zhi lost his mind and sighed: "Wu didn't sip, what time is it now?"

Wu did not take a sip for a moment, looked at the sky, the sun was almost setting, so he said: "It should be past the time of You".

Zhi lost his mind and nodded.

"The Han people rest at sunset, under normal circumstances, at this time, there should be smoke rising in Luzi Pass, but now you look at it, there is a silence in the pass, without a wisp of smoke.

In addition, we went all the way south without meeting any people, not even a woodcutter, which is enough to show that the Tang army was strong and cleared the field, and evacuated from Luziguan. "

Hearing this, Wu Mei Chuan immediately grinned and said, "Isn't that better? It's easy to take such a steep city."

Lost in thought and exhausted, this is the normal performance of a Turkic general, more than brave, but without any brains.

"Our army uses war to support war, and there are not many cattle and sheep accompanying the army. If the Han people fortify their walls and clear their fields, where can they find supplies?"

Wu Meichu continued to ask behind him: "So the Han people are willing to leave? They don't want those fields and property?"

Finally unable to hold back his thoughts, he pointed to his head and said in a somewhat anxious manner: "Wu didn't sip, you should use your brains. It's the time for the Han people to spend the winter. They can't go out to farm. They just need to bring The food and clothing harvested in the last autumn can be evacuated, and the bare fields are abandoned here, what can you do? Can you take the fields back to the grassland?"

Wu Meichu scratched his head, looked at the bare Baiyu Mountain, and a few weed-free mountain fields not far away, and patted his head, "The Han people are really cunning."

Hearing the voice behind him, he lost his mind and sighed, he felt that he had suffered from aversion to stupidity.

On the prairie, there are a lot of this kind of ramming. They are brave and not afraid of death when they charge, but they don't have any brains. At this time, they are envious of the Han people. Why are they full of wisdom, and there are so many idiots on the prairie? .

When they came to Khan's golden tent, they saw Jieli Khan pacing back and forth in the tent with a face full of anger.

"Sili", Jieli Khan turned his head to look, and then shouted loudly: "What is Li Shimin's intention? Is he looking for death?"

He lost his mind and was taken aback.

Jieli Khan returned to his seat, raised a bowl of kumiss and drank it down in one gulp, and said directly: "Yi missed it, tell me."

Only then did he see Yi Shilue behind him. Yi Shilue was a confidant of Jieli Khan, who was in charge of the elite light cavalry.

Yi Shilue twitched the corner of his mouth, and said directly: "The Tang army closed the city and no one came out to meet it."

Zhishen took a deep breath, saw Tang Jun's strategy at a glance, and said directly: "Khan, it seems that Tang Guo has been prepared for this time, and Tang Jun in Lingbin and other places will close the city and let Yanzhou be empty. It is the intention to lure our army into the pass, Li Shimin is so courageous."

Baiyu Mountain, Lingzhou is on the left, and Bingzhou is on the right. Under normal circumstances, the Tang army sticks to Baiyu Mountain, coupled with the support of the two states of Lingbing, it will be able to greatly stop the Turkic soldiers and horses. Obviously, the Tang army abandoned Baiyu Mountain, and the Tang army in the left and right Lingbing states did not go out of the city to meet them.

The intention was very obvious, to lure the Turks into the pass and pass through the Luzi Pass at the foot of Baiyu Mountain. The southwest of Luzi Pass is Gyeongju, and the southeast is Yanzhou. No matter which side you attack from, you can go straight to Gyeonggi.

It's just that Li Shimin made arrangements in advance. Qingzhou used to be Ningzhou and Binzhou, and Hou Junji was stationed here; Yanzhou used to be Danzhou and Tongzhou, and Qin Shubao was stationed here.

Jieli Khan thought for a long time, clenched his fists tightly, and said in a deep voice: "Li Shimin is going to lead Ben Khan into the pass, and then Lingbin will wait for the Tang army to cut off my back and surround our army in the pass."

Yi Shilue said incredulously: "He is too bold. If our twenty troops come to the city of Chang'an, wouldn't he be afraid of the city being destroyed?"

"Li Shimin is gambling."

Jieli Khan's eyes were as sharp as eagle's eyes, and his voice was low, "I dare not take risks. Once there is a fierce battle in the pass, even if our army loses soldiers and generals, his pass will be destroyed."

Zhi Shili's heart trembled, and he asked unconsciously: "Then, Khan, are you going to...".

Without waiting for Zhishisili to finish speaking, Jieli Khan snorted coldly and interrupted.

"Since he has such courage, how can Ben Khan show weakness? The whole army went south to break through Chang'an. I heard that he had a Qin king breaking the formation dance. When the time comes, Ben Khan will ask Li Shimin's children to perform dances under the tent."

Speaking of the latter, Jieli Khan already looked up to the sky and laughed, as if he saw the scene of Li Shimin's humble dance.

Zhi Shili frowned, and said bluntly, "Since Da Khan knows Li Shimin's intentions, isn't he afraid that the Tang army in Lingbing Erzhou will cut my way back?"

Jieli Khan scoffed at this.

Yi Shilue also smiled dismissively: "Sili, you think highly of the Tang army. The Tang army in Lingbin and other places is no more than 20 to [-], and our army has [-]. Horses can trample them into meat." .

Confused, he wanted to tell the rampant monarch and ministers in front of him that sometimes wars are not as simple as simply having a large number of people.

It's just that Jieli Khan couldn't wait any longer, and got up directly, "Don't wait for Shaboluo, just enter Luziguan directly."

"You can't sweat profusely."

Zhi Shili hurriedly said: "Shaboluo has not returned from the investigation, and we don't know the reality of Luziguan, so we can't enter the pass rashly. In addition, the order has just been sent to station, and now the soldiers have already set up camp. It is really inappropriate to pull out the camp and enter the pass ".

Hearing this, Jieli Khan looked dissatisfied at Zhishenli, but did not reprimand him, but said: "Forget it, then you go and inform the ministries that you will have a banquet in the golden tent tonight."

He lost his mind and opened his mouth, it was really hard to persuade, so he had to go down and inform the chiefs of the ministries that he would have a banquet in Khan's golden tent tonight, and he felt a little ridiculous in his heart.

Jieli Khan is no longer the Khan in the impression of losing his mind. In just six years, Jieli Khan is like a different person. Those tribes who opposed him conquered them all.

However, after he conquered those opposing tribes and ruled alone, Jieli Khan became violent and arrogant, and he no longer listened to advice.

That night, Bai Yu on the mountain, in Khan's golden tent, sang and danced, drinking and drinking, without the oppressive feeling of war at all.

Tang Jun's closing the city and even abandoning Luzi Pass fueled the arrogance of the Turks. Ru Yi Shilue, Wu Meichuo and others clamored to attack Chang'an City and captured Li Shimin to dance in front of the tent. Jieli Khan Hearing the words, he was very satisfied and very happy.

The next day, just after dawn, the Turks did not stop after entering Luziguan, but went directly to the southeast and headed for Danzhou.

Although Jieli Khan has a violent personality, he did not lose his head. He knew that the capital must have been prepared long ago, especially in Longyou. State advance, into the hinterland of Gyeonggi, it is inevitable to fight fiercely.

But if you march from Danzhou, you will have Gyeonggi on one side and the rolling Yellow River on the other. With the natural and dangerous river behind you as a barrier, Jieli will not worry about falling into a tight siege.

On the contrary, Tuli Khan, who has always been cowardly, was a little uneasy, and said bluntly: "There is a saying in the Central Plains that it is a last-ditch battle. If the battle is not good, the Tang army in Lingbin and other places will block the north and the east. If there is a big river blocking us, how can we return to the north?"

Hearing Tuli's words, Jieli Khan not only did not agree, but was furious. He publicly reprimanded him for shaking the morale of the army and saying that he was defeated before the battle.

Usually, the Turkic invasions to the south usually came from Yuanzhou and Ningzhou. This time, Xieli changed direction and went to Yanzhou and Danzhou. If Hou Junji and others knew about it, they would definitely be blasphemy.