Will Ming

Chapter 650 Take Your Head Sooner or Later

It didn't take long for Liu Hongji to be dismissed from his post as a citizen and to be reinstated. When King Qin led his army to attack Xuanwu Gate, he was going to commit suicide to apologize, but was summoned into the palace by Li Yuan's imperial decree.In the imperial study room, Li Yuan scolded him severely, and even called him an unfaithful and unrighteous person.But because Liu Hongji's contribution was too great, the emperor finally spared his death penalty, but stripped all his official titles and titles, and demoted him to a commoner.

Before Yan Wang Li Xian besieged Chang'an City, Li Yuan sent someone to summon him again, restored his title of Duke of Kui, and named him Grand Marshal of the Military Preparation Mansion, Kaifu Yitong Sansi, and Jiazhu Kingdom.The official rank is still higher than Zhang Gongjin, the Duke of Tan, and most of the military Li Yuan in Chang'an City is handed over to him at this time.

Several big fires last night caused people to panic. Fortunately, Liu Hongji had already built the embankment and the city defense army acted very quickly. Although the fire burned down many houses and buildings, the impact was not very great.The most fortunate thing is that Yan Wang Li Xian's spy who ambushed in the city did not take the opportunity to make trouble again, which made Liu Hongji heave a sigh of relief.

He was the first official of the Li family's army to invade Chang'an City. Since the eighth year of Daye, when Emperor Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty issued an order to personally conquer Goguryeo, he went to Huaiyuan Town in western Liaoning to vote for Li Yuan.His father was Liu Sheng, governor of Hezhou, and he was an old friend with Li Yuannai. The two families had a very good friendship and had frequent contacts.Later, Liu Sheng died of illness, and his family was in decline.

After Liu Hongji became an adult, his family was impoverished, even worse than ordinary people.At the time when Emperor Daye Emperor Yang Guang ordered to conquer Liaodong, he wanted to join the army, but he had no money to buy horses and couldn't keep up with the large army, so he had to report to Liaoxi on foot alone.I ran out of money on the way, so I had no choice but to steal farm cattle with a butcher, slaughter them and sell them for money, and was detained by the county magistrate.

According to the laws and regulations of the Sui Dynasty, killing farm cattle is a felony.Fortunately, he had some friends out of righteousness and spent money to protect him.Liu Hongji walked north all the way, stole a horse on the way, rushed to Huaiyuan Town and put it under Li Yuan's door.Since then, he has repeatedly made military exploits, and Li Yuan attaches great importance to him.After the Taiyuan uprising, Liu Hongji fought all the way without losing a single defeat, and was the first to enter Chang'an City, which was the first achievement of the Tang Dynasty's establishment of the capital.

It turned out that when Li Shimin, the king of Qin, rebelled, Liu Hongji was desperate.Who would have thought that it was because of someone rebelling that he had restored all his official positions and titles, and now he can even be said to be an extremely high-ranking minister.

Before the sun came out in the morning of the second day, Liu Hongji asked Tan Guogong Zhang Gongjin to enter the Taiji Palace together.Because it was too early for the Xuanwu Gate to open, the two waited outside for half an hour.The emperor strictly ordered that no matter what happens, the Xuanwu Gate cannot be opened in advance without his will.Even Gao Liansheng, who was leading the imperial army, did not have this right. The siege of the city was actually controlled by Li Yuan himself.

"The fire last night..."

Zhang Gongjin glanced at Liu Hongji, and stopped talking halfway.

"I guess it's what Li Xian should do."

Liu Hongji said in a low voice.

"But why is there no text?"

Zhang Gongjin was puzzled and said: "The fire has already started, and the city is a little chaotic. The fire is so bright that the rebels outside the city shouldn't be able to see it... and since Li Xian should set fire inside the city, it must be because of Li Xian. Agreement. When the city was on fire, Li Xian led his troops to attack the city... Why did he not move when the fire started?"

"I've been thinking about it half the night too!"

Liu Hongji rubbed his swollen and sore eyes, sighed and said, "After much deliberation, it's nothing more than a possibility. This fire is not a signal agreed upon by Li Xian and Nei Ying."

"Then why should his insides be set on fire?"

Zhang Gongjin sighed and said, "It doesn't work..."

"I didn't figure it out either. It's not just you and me. I'm afraid His Majesty may not be able to guess Li Xian's intentions in the false alarm last night."

"Hope you're safe."

Zhang Gongjin smiled wryly and shook his head: "It's an eventful autumn!"

"I will enter the palace later, and I plan to ask His Majesty to send someone out of the siege to ask for help. County King Li Xiaogong has at least 6 soldiers in his hands, and King Qin also has 4 or [-] horses in his hands. If the messenger's horse travels fast, reinforcements will be sent within two months. You should be able to come back. Li Daozong has [-] people and [-] horses in his hands outside the Eastern Capital, and there are also large ships. If you go by water from the Eastern Capital to Chang'an, it will not take long... If you are lucky, the siege of Chang'an will be completed before September untie."

"It's easier said than done!"

Zhang Gongjin lowered his voice and said, "It's easy to talk to the King of Qin... After all, if Li Xian enters the city, the King of Qin really has no hope, and it will be very difficult for him to fight back to Chang'an City. So if the news is sent to the King of Qin and Li Xiaogong It is certain that they will lead the army back to help, but now the two of them are fighting fiercely with Xiao Mian, if they want to attract the wolf Xiao Mian to drive away the tiger, it may not be a good thing. Xiao Mian has 40 troops, King Qin and Li Xiaogong It's not that easy to get away."

"As for Li Daozong's 10,000+ troops...not to mention being restrained by Yuwenshi and Wang Shichong of the Yanyun Army, let alone being restrained by Wang Shichong, so what if there is a big ship that can drive back? The Sui Donglai navy is in the hands of Li Xian, so it is extremely difficult for Li Daozong to return to Chang'an by water to rescue him!"

Liu Hongji sighed and said, "I've considered it too, but if I don't send someone for help, Chang'an City..."

Right at this point, the Xuanwu Gate opened, and Gao Liansheng rushed to the gate with a team of imperial guards. When he saw Liu Hongji and Zhang Gongjin, he hurriedly saluted: "You two princes, Your Majesty is waiting for you."

……

……

Imperial study room

After listening to Liu Hongji's words, Li Yuan nodded and said: "I want to come to you to talk about this matter. The bandits are besieging the city, and the troops in the east are the weakest. The soldiers can stop them before they see them. If the Eastern Capital soldiers can be summoned to help, the bandits will definitely retreat."

Liu Hongji bowed his head and said: "I have a fierce general named Xu Shengnu under my command, who is as brave as a man."

Zhang Gongjin also said: "There is a tiger general Wei Tianchui under my tent, and there is also a brave man who is undeserved."

Li Yuan grunted and said: "Let Xu Shengnu lead a thousand fine cavalry to fight from the east of the city, and go straight to the eastern capital to call Li Daozong to lead his army back immediately. Wei Tianchui led a thousand fine cavalry to fight from the south of the city, and went straight to Jing Xiang transferred Li Xiaogong's men and horses back. If the trip is not delayed, the reinforcements will be back within two months."

He glanced at Liu Hongji and Zhang Gongjin and said, "The defense of the city for two months is all on the two lovers."

"How dare I refuse to do my best!"

The two said in unison.

"Hongji should pay more attention to the city defense... Hongshen, what do you think about the incident of the thieves setting fire last night?"

When Zhang Gongjin heard His Majesty asking himself, he quickly bowed his head and said: "I think it must be the contact signal between Li Xian and the secret agents left in the city, or they agreed to attack the city, or they want to convey some news."

"Whatever it is..."

Li Yuan stood up and walked to the door, looked at the majestic Tai Chi Palace and said, "It's not a good thing for these people to lurk in the city. Hongji is more concerned about the city's defense. As for the Yanyun thief's meticulous work in the city, you should pay more attention to this matter." ... There is a general named Wan Yulou in the imperial army, he is a master in arresting criminals and finding their tracks, I will transfer him to your army to assist you."

"The minister obeys the order!"

"Beside the prince, I once sent him the four guards. Killing the enemy in front of the battle may not be as good as the troops of the Bingbei Mansion, but they are far better at hunting down criminals than the people of the Bingbei Mansion. Among them, the people of the Suzaku Guards have already The decree has been slaughtered, and Qilin, Xuanwu, and Bai Ze Sanwei, counting more than a thousand people, will be handed over to you. Even if you go door-to-door, you must take down all the secret arrangements arranged by the Yanyun thief in the city. !"

"Here!"

Li Yuan suddenly sighed and said: "I know that the matter of breaking out of the siege was too dangerous and cruel, and you two will bring Xu Shengnu and Wei Tianchui here in a while, and I will personally explain to them."

"in addition……"

Li Yuan glanced at Liu Hongji and said: "You and Ning'er have a pretty good relationship. She has always called you an elder brother. When you were in Huaiyuan Town, Liaoxi, she often pestered you for advice on the art of war. Go and persuade her... Hedong County Most of the soldiers and horses are drawn from Ning'er's women's army, if she goes to the city to command, the army's morale will definitely be boosted."

Liu Hongji was startled, thinking of the despair and sadness in her eyes when he saw Li Huining not long ago, he felt embarrassed for a while, and it was more or less gloomy for Li Huining to go to the city at this time.

……

……

After Li Yuan confessed that Liu Hongji and Zhang Gongjin had sent people to break out of the siege for help, his mind suddenly lit up, and he suddenly remembered something, and he immediately laughed very happily.The two of them didn't know what the emperor suddenly thought of, they just felt that Li Yuan's sudden smile looked a little weird.

"Why am I so confused!"

Li Yuan slapped his forehead fiercely and laughed loudly: "There is a very useful person in the palace. I have only been thinking about other things these days, but I have completely forgotten about it. Now that I think of this person, it is impossible to say that she can do it alone." Nearly 20 rebels have retreated outside the city!"

Liu Hongji and Zhang Gongjin looked at each other, thinking that there are such people in the palace?Why have I never heard that His Majesty has acquired another capable man, is it a famous general from the former dynasty?But the famous generals of the Sui Dynasty were almost all dead, and since Zhang Xutuo died in battle, there were not many generals in the Sui Dynasty that could be used. Wang Shichong was not a famous general at all.

"At the beginning, the prince invited Li Xian's aunt to the East Palace as a guest. Later, after the prince was assassinated, I asked Dugu Xue to bring the girl to the Taiji Palace. I was so busy that I forgot to die like this. Isn't Li Xian He is very affectionate, this woman has shown great kindness to him, I want to see how he faces this woman!"

"Gao Liansheng!"

Li Yuan ordered: "Go and bring that woman to see me!"

Gao Liansheng went there in a hurry, and ran back half an hour later with an extremely ugly face, glanced at Li Yuan cautiously, and then said in a trembling voice: "The servant did not find the place where the criminal was held, the idle house in the palace I searched everything, but I didn't even see anyone."

"Go and teach Dugu, he locked people up!"