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Chapter 493 Intricate
Autumn rain beats on the eaves.

Water drops rolled down, Li Shentong stood in front of the steps, watching the continuous autumn rain in front of the door.

Although the autumn rain lasted for a long time, it was not heavy. Li Shentong had been looking forward to a continuous rainstorm that would turn the land of Hebei into a swamp, so as to delay Li Chongjiu's lightning-fast attack on the grassland.

Thinking about it today is indeed a bit ridiculous. At the time, I swore in front of the generals. With an optimistic estimate, Li Chongjiu would be blocked at Gaoyang City for at least half a month. He was blocked in Jiancheng, and he and Liu Heita suffered a loss.

And Li Shentong can come forward to reap the benefits of the fishermen, first attack Yu Wenhua and then cooperate with Li Shimin's Guanzhong main army to capture Luoyang, and then seize Hebei with all his strength.What a perfect plan.

But Li Shentong realized that he was just having a dream. The current situation in Hebei towards Li Tang was that Li Chongjiu would drag the whole of Hebei up like a mat.

No one expected that Li Chongjiu's strategy of advancing both land and water would break through Liu Heita's weak canal.Li Chongjiu's navy fought almost all the way from Youjing to Liyang, opening up the entire Yongji Canal.

Yesterday, when Li Yuan heard about the battle in Hebei, he issued an imperial edict to severely reprimand Li Shentong. The edict stated that my younger brother's talent has always been admired by my elder brother. Back then, I talked at night while holding candles. Decline, the fruit of my brother's foresight.

Li Shentong couldn't help but smile wryly when he saw this, Li Yuan was simply comparing himself to Zhuge Liang, was he trying to flatter and kill him?
Li Shentong continued to read the letter in distress. Li Yuan wrote that my country's affairs are embarrassing, so when I took my younger brother as the comfort ambassador of Shandong, I had great expectations.

Now Zhao's bandits are very powerful, leading the brave cavalry from Yanshan, driving away the strong men from Yishui, and aggressively invade the south.Yesterday it was still herding horses in the fortress, but now it is drinking horses in the Yellow River.The thousand-mile canal is as fragile as paper. Where are the soldiers and horses now? Sit and watch as they cross Yanqi and cage Zhao Wei.

The corruption in Hebei has reached this point, and my brother is really disappointed.I hope my brother encourages it.

Li Shentong knew that Li Yuan was really angry. One could imagine Li Yuan's expression when he faced the Hebei Military Situation Memorial in the Wuji Palace in Chang'an.

In fact, Li Shentong also felt that he couldn't explain it. Li Yuan was about to order that his son Li Shimin lead Li Tang's Guanzhong Army to go east out of Guanzhong to attack Wang Shichong.Before the decisive battle between Li Tang and Wang Shichong, a stable Hebei is needed.

On the Hebei side, just as Li Shentong held down Yu Wenhuaji, Liu Heitai appeared from the other side, and it was like pressing the gourd to float the ladle.But now Li Chongjiu's Zhao Jun is even more out of control, and he can't restrain it no matter what.Li Shentong watched helplessly as the counties in Hebei were trampled by Zhao Jun's iron cavalry, but there was nothing he could do.

In fact, not to mention rescue, not only Xia Jun’s counties, but Li Tang’s Xiangguo County and Zhao County have also been attacked. The governors of the two places have been sending letters to Li Shentong for help, saying that there are at least tens of thousands of Youzhou cavalry plundered the territory.

The soldiers of the prefectures and counties only dared to defend the city and did not dare to fight in the field. They could only let them gallop around in the county with no one in sight.Even Liu Heikai had already retreated to defend Mingzhou and gave up the rescue of the surrounding counties. Li Shentong still had the courage to lead Li Tang's Hebei Army to fight against Li Chongjiu's aggressive grassland cavalry going south.

Li Shentong hesitated, the generals below were also silent, and the two generals Li Shenfu and Li Daoxuan were even more silent. They led elite soldiers to help Li Shentong this time, their purpose was to stabilize the battle in Hebei.But for Li Tang, not only did the battle situation in Hebei not improve at all, but here Li Chongjiu was ready to swallow several counties in Hebei in one gulp.

At this time Xu Jingzong walked into the room, saw the expressions of everyone, and said immediately: "Prince Huai'an, do you want to hear some good news?"

Li Shentong glanced at Xu Jingzong. This person was considered incompetent. He went to Yuhuahua and worked as a lobbyist, but after returning to the camp, he was so scared that he peed his pants.

"What good news?" Li Shentong asked impatiently.

Xu Jingzong said: "Wang Bo of Qi County has sent troops!"

"Where is the direction?"

All the generals came to the map together, Xu Jingzong pointed his hand and said: "At present, troops are stationed in Baimajin, East County."

Li Shentong clapped his palms and said with a big laugh, "As I expected, Yu Huaji was not reconciled to Li Yangcang being taken by Li Chongjiu, so he sent Wang Bo to take back Liyangcang. My chance has come."

All the generals were shocked when they heard Li Shentong's words, and Li Shenfu asked, "Brother, is the planned general coming out?"

Li Shentong smiled slightly and said: "It's nothing, Li Chongjiu took Liyang Cang. There are not many troops. We will also send troops to Li Yang to join forces with Wang Bo. We don't want to break Li Yang, but we want Li Chongjiu to be tied up in Liyang Cang."

Everyone was silent after hearing this.

Li Shentong saw that the generals reacted flatly, and asked, "What's wrong? Is there something inappropriate?"

Li Daoxuan at the side said: "Reporting to the King of Huai'an, it's good to be like this in the past, but Li Chongjiu is cunning and full of tricks. Is it possible that our army sent troops to Li Yang this time as part of his plan? Look at Wang Bo Although we have sent troops, we only sent Qingqi across the river to investigate, but the main force is still stationed at Baimajin on the south bank of the Yellow River, not daring to cross the river."

Li Shenfu said: "Brother, you are right, there is nothing wrong with being cautious."

After listening to Li Shentong, he pondered, Wang Bo is untrustworthy and unjust, and his behavior is capricious, so he cannot be trusted.If he doesn't cross the river to attack Li Chongjiu, wouldn't he be alone with Li Shentong going deep into Liyang City.

Li Shentong himself lost his land and city in Hebei. Although he was always dissatisfied with Li Yuan, he led Li Tang Hebei's troops without any major losses.So not long ago, Li Shentong argued to Li Yuan in the memorials to Mingzhou and other counties that he was saving people but losing ground, and he shrunk the defense line to save Li Tang's troops.

But if Li Shentong fails in the decisive battle with Li Chongjiu in Liyang City, then his days as a pacifying ambassador in Shandong Road will come to an end.Any knighted titles will even be deprived.

So Li Shentong couldn't help but hesitate again.

The generals discussed for a while, and finally the discussion lasted until late at night, and Li Shentong compromised the opinions of the generals.

Li Shentong and Li Daoxuan each led an army to send troops from Linlushan and Hanoi, and they also marched along the Yellow River by water and land. Twenty thousand soldiers of the Tang army arrived at Yanjin and set up camp.

As soon as the order was issued, Li Shentong and Li Daoxuan immediately dispatched troops, and Li Tang's [-] soldiers mobilized to dispatch troops and arrived in Yanjin.

Yanjin is only tens of miles away from Liyang. In order to guard against Li Chongjiu's Youzhou iron cavalry, Li Shentong deliberately chose to set up a camp near Qishui to watch Liyang City.
In Liyang City.

Li Chongjiu had already heard the news that Li Shentong and Wang Bo's two armies were approaching at the same time.

The situation in Liyang City is very delicate now, Li Shentong and Wang Bo are attacking Li Yang from east to west.Wang Bo's [-] troops were stationed in Baimajin across the river from Liyangcang, and Li Shentong's [-] Tang troops were stationed in Yanjin.

When Li Chongjiu saw the scene, he couldn't help thinking of the siege of the white horse during the Three Kingdoms period, when Yuan Shao sent troops from Yecheng to capture Cao Cao.Yuan Shao's army was stationed in Liyang City, and he ordered General Yan Liang to cross the Yellow River south as the vanguard, and after landing at Baimajin, he attacked Baima City.

After Cao Cao heard that the white horse was in a hurry, he sent his army northward from Xuchang. First he feinted at the Yanjin Ferry, pretending to cross the river and attack Yuan Shao's rear, forcing Yuan Shao to divide his troops.Afterwards, Cao Cao led his army to attack the white horse. Yuan Shaojun was caught off guard, and Guan Yu beheaded Yan Liang among the ten thousand troops.

Yanjin and Baimajin are both important crossings of the Yellow River.Li Shentong and Wang Bo led a large army to station troops here, apparently intending to attack Li Yang.

Relatively speaking, Li Chongjiu deployed 1 troops in Liyang City, which is indeed somewhat insufficient.Li Chongjiu's 1 troops to the south, in addition to the [-] troops who attacked Liyang City, also had [-] troops led by Wang Mahan and Zhang Xuansu stationed in Daming, and Liu Heita's main force also faced off across the river.

For a while near Mingzhou, the situation became somewhat complicated. His own Zhao army faced off with Wang Bo, Li Shentong, and Liu Heita at the same time.
Among them, Li Shentong's meaning is very clear. He can't let himself take Hebei in one fell swoop. He came to Liyangcang to hold him back, and Wang Bo was ordered by Yu Wenhuaji to wait and see in Baimajin. bottom of my heart.

Now, how to deal with these groups of people has become a new problem for Li Chongjiu.

(End of this chapter)