Daming Super Dimension Company, President Zhu Yuanzhang!

Even though he knew that Li Cunxu was not a descendant of the Li family, Li Shimin never cared. However, he immediately became angry when Li Cunxu, an elder, was raised to the same status as him.

Li Shimin's face was gloomy. "If you want to be a descendant of the Li family, there are other ways."

"Hehe, Old Li, this is a descendant I got for free, he is both civil and military, why are you still looking down on him?" Zhu Yuanzhang, who was almost choked by the tea, could not hide the smile between his eyebrows.

This trip was not in vain, as I would have the fun of making fun of Li Shimin in the future.

Li Shimin gnashed his teeth and said, "Zhu Chongba! If you say anything more, I will kick you down!"

"Then you, Li Erfeng, give it a try." Zhu Yuanzhang was not afraid at all and was eager to try.

Xiao Ran was worried that they would really get up, so he quickly persuaded them: "We are sitting in a carriage now, and if we really fight, it will be easy to get into trouble."

"If you hadn't come here, this wouldn't have happened at this time."

Li Shimin's eyes were filled with murderous intent. "When I see this audacious Li Cunxu, I will make him pay the price."

"Okay, okay, do you want to hear what happens next?" Xiao Ran asked perfunctorily with a funny tone.

"Go on."

Xiao Ran relaxed and continued what he had just said, "Although the Later Tang Dynasty has been established, the situation in the world is grim. While the Khitans continue to invade Youzhou, Li Jitao, the defender of Luzhou, rebels and joins the Later Liang Dynasty. The Liang general Dong Zhang intends to annex Zhaoyi Town, which can directly threaten the Later Tang Dynasty's western capital Taiyuan. At this time, if Li Cunxu takes a wrong step, the Later Tang Dynasty will disappear directly in history."

"In order to turn the tide of the war, Li Cunxu prepared to launch a surprise attack on Yunzhou and then wait for an opportunity to advance to Bianzhou. In the intercalary fourth month of the first year of Tongguang, Li Cunxu ordered Li Siyuan to lead 5,000 infantry and cavalry to attack Yunzhou in the rain overnight. Upon hearing that Yunzhou had fallen, Zhu Youzhen ordered Wang Yanzhang to lead his troops to stop the Tang army from advancing westward. Li Cunxu ordered Zhu Shouyin to strictly guard Desheng and personally led his troops to station in Chanzhou."

As he spoke, Xiao Ran's hand fell on the map and pointed out Li Cunxu's attack route.

"In May, Wang Yanzhang captured the southern city of Desheng and went east to attack Yangliu City, hoping to recapture Yunzhou. Li Cunxu ordered Zhu Shouyin to abandon the northern city of Desheng and help Li Zhou defend Yangliu City. The two armies advanced along one side of the river, fighting as they went, with each side winning and losing. When Wang Yanzhang arrived at Yangliu City, he attacked the city and blocked the Tang army's reinforcements. However, he failed to capture the city, so he had to retreat to the south of the city and set up fortifications to block the Tang army from crossing the river."

"In June, Li Cunxu ordered the Tang army to challenge and contain the Liang army, and ordered his adviser Guo Chongtao to lead troops to build a new city on the east bank of the Yellow River to provide support. Wang Yanzhang led his army to attack, Guo Chongtao held the city firmly, and Li Cunxu also led his army to reinforce. Wang Yanzhang retreated to Zoujiakou, and Li Cunxu re-established contact with Li Siyuan in Yunzhou. Later, Wang Yanzhang attacked again but was defeated by the Tang army again and withdrew. Not long after, he was recalled to Bianzhou and replaced by Duan Ning."

"In August, Zhu Youzhen deployed four counterattacks and planned to launch a general attack in October. However, due to the scattered forces, the defense of Bianzhou was empty. He also ordered the Liang army to dig up the Yellow River embankment to prevent the Tang army from attacking Bianzhou, but it also blocked the main force of the Liang army. So in September, Liang general Kang Yanxiao surrendered to the Later Tang and revealed the military situation of the Later Liang. Li Siyuan defeated Wang Yanzhang near Yunzhou and forced the Liang army to retreat several miles."

"After learning about the situation of the Later Liang army, Li Cunxu immediately arrived at Yunzhou, and with Li Siyuan as the vanguard, he broke through Zhongdu and captured and killed Wang Yanzhang. Li Siyuan adopted the strategy of taking advantage of the opportunity to attack Bianzhou, and ordered Li Siyuan to lead the vanguard army to Bianzhou. Li Siyuan arrived in Bianzhou and attacked the city. Zhu Youzhen committed suicide, and Liang general Wang Zan opened the city and surrendered, and the Later Liang officially perished."

Zhu Yuanzhang was more and more impressed by Li Cunxu's attack for several months and his conquest of the Later Liang Dynasty. "If this was a general under my command, I wonder how much military merit he would have accumulated."

Li Shimin snorted coldly, "Not bad, there are countless generals in my court who are better than him."

"Old Li, at this time, you have been dead for so many years, why do you still care about such trivial matters?" Zhu Yuanzhang advised.

Li Shimin said, "Then let him go to your Zhu family's ancestral temple."

"His last name is not Zhu." Zhu Yuanzhang replied immediately. Seeing that they were about to quarrel again, Xiao Ran said, "Tang Taizong's achievements are not comparable to those of Li Cunxu's elders. His behavior is really annoying. When we meet, we can teach him a lesson."

"That makes sense." Li Shimin's anger subsided instantly and he nodded with a smile.

Zhu Yuanzhang was speechless.

"Forget it, let's talk about what happened after the end of the Later Liang Dynasty."

Xiao Ran said: "During the struggle between Liang and Jin, there were still many separatist regimes in the south. Former Shu occupied Sanchuan and established its capital in Chengdu, competing with Later Liang. After Later Tang destroyed Liang, separatist regimes such as Qi, Chu, Wuyue, Min, and Nanping all paid tribute and declared themselves vassals, but Former Shu refused to submit."

"In the second year of Tongguang, Li Yan was sent as an envoy to spy on Shu. After returning home, he strongly advocated attacking Shu, saying that Shu was on the verge of collapse, and that Former Shu had stationed heavy troops on the border to defend against Later Tang. In August of the same year, Li Cunxu sent another envoy to express his desire to make peace with Shu. Wang Yan believed it and sent an envoy to Later Tang, and also withdrew the border garrison."

"The next month, Wei Wang Li Jiji was appointed as the commander-in-chief and led the army to attack Former Shu. Soon, the Later Tang army conquered many places and seized a large amount of food and grass. At the same time, Wang Yan was still touring the country and enjoying himself. When he arrived in Lizhou, he learned that the Tang army was invading. He hurriedly organized a battle, but was defeated by the Tang army. The various vassal states of Former Shu surrendered one after another, but Wang Yan fled back to Chengdu in a panic."

"Soon after, Wang Zongbi, the Secretary of the Former Shu, launched a coup, imprisoned Wang Yan and others, and claimed to be the military governor of Xichuan. He invited Li Yan to Chengdu in the name of Wang Yan to discuss surrender. Later, Li Jiji led a large army to Chengdu, and Wang Yan led all the officials out of the city to surrender, and the Former Shu was destroyed."

"But Li Cunxu's glory lasted only two years."

Li Shimin raised his eyebrows, "Is it a mutiny in various countries?"

"That's not the case. It was something that happened within the Later Tang Dynasty. In the fourth year of the Tongguang reign, soldiers stationed in Weizhou mutinied in Beizhou, and elected Zhao Zaili as their leader. They invaded Weizhou, and mutinies also occurred in Xingzhou and Cangzhou. Hebei was in complete chaos. The Later Tang army suffered repeated defeats in their campaign against the rebels. Li Cunxu wanted to lead the army himself, but was dissuaded. He had no choice but to appoint Li Siyuan to go north to quell the rebellion. However, his own army mutinied under the city of Weizhou, and Li Siyuan was abducted into the city and joined the rebels."

"Li Cunxu had no choice but to lead his army eastward. Li Siyuan had already occupied Bianzhou and was supported by a large number of Later Tang army generals. Li Cunxu knew that the situation was irreversible and hurriedly returned to Luoyang."

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned slightly, a little surprised, "Is Li Siyuan really kidnapped?"

"Li Siyuan is Li Keyong's adopted son and has followed Li Cunxu in battles for many years." Xiao Ran also didn't know the answer.

It is not necessarily true to say that Li Siyuan had no ambition at all.

Li Shimin and Zhu Yuanzhang showed understanding expressions.

Li Yu said in a deep voice, "Between the adopted son and the eldest son, Li Keyong naturally chose the eldest son, but Li Siyuan followed him in battles for many years and was able to gain the support of most generals in a short period of time. This is unlikely to be a coincidence."

The records of history are written by the victors.

There is no trace of Li Siyuan's ambition in the records.

Xiao Ran smiled and said, "Perhaps after meeting Li Siyuan, we can know whether he has any ambitions or not." (End of this chapter)