Late Tang

Cao Xiang was perhaps the most unlucky Jiedushi in the late Tang Dynasty. At the end of August, he succeeded Dou Huan as the Hedong Jiedushi with the post of Zhaoyi Jiedushi.After arriving in office, facing the arrogant soldiers in Taiyuan, he publicly beheaded one of the ten generals who took the lead in making troubles directly when reviewing the troops, so the Taiyuan soldiers and horses were overwhelmed.Later, Cao Xiang led his troops into Lanzhou, defeated Shatuo's army for a while, and led his army to pursue to Honggu, where Li Keyong led his cavalry to come. The two armies fought, and Cao Xiang was defeated and retreated to Taiyuan.At the end of September, as soon as he returned to Taiyuan, Cao Xiang died suddenly just like Lu Jianfang.Regarding his death, there are many rumors that he was assassinated by Shatuo people.

Cao Xiang had been serving as the Jiedu envoy of Hedong for less than two months, and he died as unclearly as Lu Jianfang.

Facing the sharp soldiers of Li Keyong and his son from Shatuo, Chang'an was also a little shocked.The bravery of the Shatuo people exceeded their imagination. In a blink of an eye, they had conquered several states and occupied nearly ten states.

At this time, the court thought about it, and finally thought of Zheng Congxun, the prime minister who had served in Hedong for three years eight years ago.

Zheng Congxuan was born in the Zheng family in Xingyang, Henan Province, a member of the Zheng family with five surnames and seven noble families.Grandfather Zheng Yuqing was a famous Prime Minister of the Emperor Xianzong. He served as Shangshu Zuopushe, Tongping Zhangshi, Shangshu of the Military Department and left behind in Dongdu.His father, Zheng Han, was the envoy of Xingyuan Festival.

Zheng Congyu's four brothers also held high positions.Brother Zheng Yunmo, once served as governor of Songzhou.His younger brother, Zheng Chuhui, once served as the Minister of the Ministry of Officials.His younger brother, Zheng Maoxiu, once served as Dr. Taichang, Wai Lang, member of the Ministry of War, doctor of the Ministry of Officials, governor of Jiangzhou, secretary and supervisor.

Coming from such a noble family, Zheng Congxuan is naturally extraordinary.When he was young, he was both civil and military, and his reputation spread far and wide. He was a Jinshi in his early years.Later, he successively served as the secretary of the provincial school, Shuyi, Buque, Shangshulang, Zhizhigao, and Zhongshusheren. Twelve years ago, he was transferred to the Minister of Rites, then transferred to the Ministry of Punishments, and then appointed as Minister of the Ministry of Officials. Later, due to recommendation, he was changed to Minister of the Ministry of Punishment, Taiyuan Yin, Beidu Liushou, Hedong Observer, etc. envoys.Since then, he has been continuously transferred in various feudal towns, and has been appointed as Minister of the Military Department, Bianzhou Governor, and Xuanwu Army Observer. During his tenure, he was quite famous, and then changed to Guangzhou Governor and Lingnan Festival.When the Pang Xun Rebellion happened, Zheng Congxuan repaired the city walls and recruited soldiers, and the thieves did not dare to invade. After Tang Xizong succeeded to the throne, Zheng Congxuan returned to the court as Minister of the Ministry of Punishment and moved to Tongping Zhangshi.

Zheng Congyun's long resume alone is enough to shock people.In particular, Zheng Congyu not only served as Yin of Taiyuan eight years ago, but also stayed behind in the northern capital and was an observer of Hedong.And later he also served in various feudal towns, especially during the Pang Xun Rebellion, Zheng Congxuan showed up even more.

He has a high family background and outstanding ability. He has also worked in Hedong and is familiar with the customs of Taiyuan.Now that Sha Tuo's troops have arrived in Taiyuan, the court immediately thought of the prime minister.

So the imperial court appointed Zheng Congyu as the inspector Sikong, Pingzhangshi, Taiyuan Yin, Beidu left behind, Hedong Jiedu envoy and envoy for camp recruiting.He didn't take over the position of Jiedu envoy from Cao Xiangkong, and also replaced Li Jun, the military envoy of the Yicheng Army, as the commander of the camp recruitment envoy.

Because Li Jun moved too slowly, he was changed to recruit the southern commander of the camp, which was at the same level as Li Jing, the commander of the eastern camp.

"Now that Zheng Congxuan has been recruited, Li Jun and others are afraid of Zheng Xianggong, so now Zhaoyi, Yicheng, Zhongwu, and the envoys of the four towns of Hezhong have all arrived in Taiyuan." Zhou Dewei introduced the situation in front of him, basically the same as Li Jing The information we have is almost the same.

"It doesn't seem to have anything to do with me, does it?" Li Jing asked with some doubts. Zhou Dewei said that the new round of transfer of the imperial court had something to do with him, but he really couldn't remember it.

"Of course it's related." Zhou Dewei said very seriously. Although he has been living in Yuzhou since he came out of Yunzhou, he actually didn't intend to become a hunter.Hunting is just waiting for an opportunity temporarily, he has been watching and inquiring about changes in the situation in Datong.Many things, even know more than Li Jing.

"Li Keyong's father and son are quite powerful, and they have the potential to rebel in Anlu Mountain back then. The Nashatuo soldiers are indeed powerful. They have been fighting for the imperial court in the north and south, and they have integrated many other Hu tribes in Daibei. They are very powerful. The soldiers and horses from the four towns dispatched by the imperial court have not arrived for a long time because they are afraid of the strength of the Shatuo soldiers." Zhou Dewei looked at Li Jing and continued: "I heard that Zheng Xianggong took over as the recruitment envoy. At that time, I once made a request to the emperor, that is, to transfer the county prince and Zhendong army to Datong to suppress the rebellion."

At this time in the late Tang Dynasty, the only one that the court could really take action in the past was the general Gao Pian.It's a pity that now that Nanzhao is attacking Xichuan, the imperial court has just transferred the Gancheng from the Zhongwu Army to Xichuan, which even caused Huangchao Wang Xianzhi and other thieves and salt dealers to make trouble in the territory of Yicheng and Tianjun.

Apart from Gao Pian, the Shatuo people were the most powerful thugs in the imperial court in the past.But now that the Shatuo people have rebelled, the imperial court suddenly has no soldiers to fight and no generals to use.After much deliberation, it turns out that the newly-emerged Li Jing and Zhendong Army performed extraordinary.It was precisely because Tian Lingzi heard someone mentioning Li Jing that he asked the emperor to let Li Jing send troops from the north and the south.Originally, Tian Lingzi thought that Li Jing might not send troops, or that he would only send a thousand or eight hundred soldiers in symbolic form.

Then he would have a way to deal with Li Jing. If Li Jing didn't send troops, it would be a rebellion. How could the emperor still miss this guy at that time.And if Li Jing only sends out a few troops, he can also use this to deal with Li Jing.And if Li Jing really sent troops on both sides, then Li Jing and Sha Tuo's soldiers could be seen fighting each other.Using the Shatuo people to deal with Li Jing, if the Zhendong Army is gone, Li Jing will be nothing.

What he didn't expect was that Li Jing not only sent troops, but also sent troops with all his strength.But the result of the matter did not develop as he imagined.Before Li Jing arrived at Hedong, he had already stirred up wind and rain in Youzhou and started working with Lu Longjun.Originally, this was a great thing, but after fighting for a long time, he cheered for Lu Longjun in vain. Lu Longjun did not show the strength of an old feudal town at all, but was played around by Li Jing, making him dizzy.A strong tribe of 10 people was actually divided into two sides, fighting each other chaotically. The new queen of Lu Longjun became Li Jing's vassal instead.

Li Jing, the capital of the camp in the east, has not entered the east of the river for a long time, but there are rumors about what happened in Youzhou, which makes Tian Lingzi very uncomfortable.

As soon as Zheng Congxuan took over as the envoy, he immediately went up and asked the emperor to issue an order to urge Li Jing to enter Hedong.Li Jing, a partial division transferred from Dengzhou, was able to defeat Lu Longjun in Youzhou, which surprised Zheng Congxuan.Therefore, it became more and more determined that Li Jing must be transferred to Hedong to help him put down the rebellion.

However, Zheng Congxuan also understood that the court's will was not so effective for Li Jing.Therefore, Zheng Congxuan added another request later, that is, to make Yu Jian, the capital defense envoy of the Tiande Army, be added as the deputy envoy of the recruiting battalion, and also the capital of the west.Yu Jian is Li Jing's teacher, and Zheng Congxuan has no personal relationship with Li Jing, so let Yu Jian coordinate with Li Jing.

This time Tian Lingzi didn't say much, anyway, he was wholeheartedly looking forward to Li Jing's entry into Hedong, so that the Shatuo people and Zhendong army could fight each other.Therefore, at the moment, the imperial court has mobilized soldiers and horses from the seven towns of Hedong, Zhaoyi, Heyang, Yicheng, Zhongwu, Zhendong, and Tiande to deal with Li Keyong and his son.Zheng Congxun was the recruiting envoy, Yu Jian was the deputy recruiting envoy and the commander of the west camp, Li Jun was the commander of the south, and Li Jing was the commander of the east camp.

Tiande Army, one of the weakest feudal towns in the late Tang Dynasty, was originally Fengzhou and other places under the jurisdiction of the Shuofang Jiedushi. Later, the Shuofang Jiedushi was divided into four towns: Tiande, Zhenwu, Lingyan, and Xiazhou.It was originally named Da'an Army and Tian'an Army.In the early days, it was an important town to guard against the north.But after the Anshi Rebellion, the Uighurs never posed a threat to Datang.Therefore, the Tiande army had very few garrisons. In the late Tang Dynasty, the Tiande army became the weakest town in the Tang Dynasty.

The land under its jurisdiction is only Fengzhou, Xishoujiang City, Tiande Army City, and Beicheng City.

Moreover, among the four towns divided in the original Shuofang, the remaining three towns are Jiedushi specifications. Only the Tiande Army, although privately called the chief general Jieshuai, but in fact, the Tiande Army has never been promoted to Jiedushi. , is higher than the defensive envoy, and is all defensive envoys.The soldiers and horses of the German Army are only a few thousand.

However, Li Jing was very happy to hear that the teacher Yu Yu was recruiting for the post of deputy envoy.

"While Yu Gong was appointed as the deputy envoy to recruit, the imperial court also promoted the Tiande Army by one level, and has been officially promoted to the Jiedu Envoy of the Tiande Army. Now Yu Gong is also promoted to the Jiedu Envoy of the Haotian German Army." Zhou Dewei said himself He told all the news he heard.

Li Jing was also happy for his teacher's promotion. Yu Jian was originally the Jiedushi of Ziqing, but was later demoted to Dengzhou Sima, and then promoted to the defense envoy of the Tiande Army Capital. Now he has finally become the Jiedushi again, although he is only the weakest of the vassals. , but it's still a good thing.

"Where are Li Keyong and his son now?"

Liu Xun stretched out his hand and pointed on the map, "Li Keyong led the soldiers and horses of the three tribes of Shatuo to station at Tianmen Pass in the north of Taiyuan, and confronted the five towns of Taiyuan, Zhaoyi, Yicheng, Zhongwu, and Hedong. Li Guochang He has returned to Zhenwu, and is currently preparing to attack Tuoba Sigong in Youzhou." Liu Xun is not only Li Jing's bodyguard general, but also a staff officer, and with Li Jing's support, he began to participate in the planning.Regarding the enemy's situation, he was very clear about it.

"What about the strength of the two sides, is it clear?"

Liu Xun nodded, "According to the information sent by Mrs. Gongsun, we preliminarily estimate that the current rebel army is roughly divided into three groups. One is led by Li Keyong and is currently stationed at Tianmen Pass in the north of Taiyuan. There are about 1 soldiers and horses. The other is the Zhenwu Army led by Li Guochang and some Hu soldiers. There are about [-] soldiers, but this army is not as elite as Li Ke’s. The remaining one, soldiers There are also more than ten thousand horses, but most of these soldiers are newly recruited, and their strength is the weakest. They are mainly led by Li Keyong's younger brother, Li Youjin, the governor of Shatuo, and they stay at Yun, Shuo, Wei, Dai, Xin, and Lan respectively. Zhuzhou."

(To be continued)