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Chapter 549 Hulao Pass

Empress Xiao and Li Chongjiu said: "Li Yuan is a national traitor, treacherous and cunning, the Ai family is incompatible with him."

Speaking of this, Empress Xiao immediately sat down to write a letter, and suddenly said: "The people in the south of the Yangtze River are beautiful, rich and prosperous, but they have lost their love of martial arts. People, I really regret it."

Li Chongjiu was silent for a while when he heard the words, and said: "It's not that the southerners are not as good as the northerners. Before crossing to the south, most of the dozens of households in the world are in the Central Plains. Therefore, if the south wants to seize the world, it will eventually lose its foundation."

Empress Xiao said with a smile: "I lamented my family and the country for a while, but it made Your Majesty laugh."

Soon Empress Xiao finished her letter and said: "However, among the gentry in the south of the Yangtze River, there are many talented children, but I hope Your Majesty can use them."

Li Chongjiu nodded and said, "I know."

After Li Chongjiu returned to the main hall, he immediately wrote a letter, asking Yu Shinan to take the letter from Empress Xiao to the Kingdom of Liang. As for Ouyang Xun, he had already rushed to Qi County in the wind and snow.

The Yongji Canal was impassable, so Yu Shinan took the official road. Since Li Chongjiu established the Zhao Kingdom, he has rebuilt post stations along the counties on the basis of the Sui system.

According to the system of Dazhao State, there is a station for sixty miles, and there are postmen in the post station, and the post horses can be driven.

If it is an urgent military letter, it can travel four hundred miles a day through the post station without changing the horse.

After Yu Shinan received the errand, he didn't dare to neglect for a moment.Yu Shinan refused to take the car, but rode a horse himself, braved the wind and snow, and devoted himself to his errands.

However, Yu Shinan arrived at Liyangdu in a few days, and then crossed the Yellow River here, and arrived outside Licheng, the prefecture of Qijun.

Licheng was originally a prosperous place in Shandong, but after several wars and after Wang Bo captured the city, the prosperity was not as good as before.

Yu Shinan was resting at the inn outside the city, and ordered someone to report to Licheng.When the guards of Licheng heard that it was Zhao Guo's envoy, they didn't dare to be negligent, and immediately reported to Wang Bo.
When Wang Bo heard that the Zhao Guo envoy was coming, he was startled, and discussed with his ministers: "You said that the Zhao Guo envoy came here at this time, what is the purpose?"

One of the counselors said: "Duke Ming, in my opinion, the battle between Tang and Zheng is imminent, and Zhao Guo sent envoys here at this time, maybe it has something to do with it."

"Not necessarily? Master Zhao has just proclaimed himself emperor, and I think it's likely that he came to confer the title of Duke Ming to win me over."

All the counselors liked to report good news rather than bad news, and they all said in a timely manner: "Duke Ming, I think it must be Master Zhao who wants to seal you up. Let's congratulate Duke Ming first."

Wang Bo laughed loudly when he heard this, but he paused and said, "Don't talk too much, I guess most of the time it must be Zhao Guo who wants to help Zheng, so Lord Zhao needs me, Wang Bo, as the vanguard to attack Tang first."

All the counselors were silent, and one of them said: "It's really difficult. Luoyang is already a dead city. Wang Shichong is not reconciled and asks for help from all over the world. allow."

Hearing this person's vulgar words, everyone laughed.

"Duke Ming, the Tang army is strong and powerful, and Li Shimin is one of the most famous generals in the world. Wang Shichong is still unable to defeat him. If we want to enter Luoyang to fight the Tang army, the risk is very high."

"It's good to be wise and protect one's life, but who is Master Zhao, he will allow it?"

A counselor said: "Duke Ming, no matter what, I have to see the envoy of Zhao Guo, and we will talk about it if we agree or not."

At that moment, Wang Bo decided to go out of the city to meet Yu Shinan himself.
This can be regarded as Wang Bo's high-level courtesy. Back then, when Yu Wenhua and his 10,000+ Xiaoguo army crossed the Yellow River from Qi County to Wei County, Wang Bo did not go out of the city to greet him.

As soon as Wang Bo saw Yu Shinan, he said: "On the day your majesty proclaims himself emperor, I lit the city and the sky as a red light, and there was a golden dragon hovering in the east of the city, and it did not leave for a long time. Under my command, I am really lucky for three lives."

After Wang Bo finished speaking, the counselors behind him also nodded together, and they exaggeratedly talked about the strangeness of the day.

Yu Shinan was just like the previous envoys of the Great Sui Dynasty when they were envoys to Fanbang and small countries. He said to Wang Bo with a reserved face: "Your Majesty knows the loyalty of the prince, and this time your Majesty proclaims the emperor, and he also intends to add meritorious officials to the prince. Prince, you have great hopes."

Wang Bo was stunned for a moment, silently chanted the word Wang Jue, his expression couldn't help changing, but then he thought, what the hell is Wang Jue, no matter how important it is, his own soldiers and horses are important.

Wang Bo immediately expressed his gratitude and said: "Endian Zhao Wang, Wang is really grateful for the rest of his life."

"Okay, okay, don't say these words," Yu Shinan said flatly, "There is something right now, I want you to personally repay King Zhao."

Wang Bo secretly thought with a thump in his heart, finally came.

Wang Bo said with a serious face: "If your majesty has anything to do, just send it, Wang is willing to do the work of a dog and a horse."

Yu Shinan said: "Then I'll get straight to the point. Right now, in the battle between Zheng and Tang, the two families are fighting each other. Your Majesty has reached an alliance with Lord Zheng and wants to lead the army to assist Luoyang. Therefore, I ask you, Prince, to lead [-] troops and set up an array at Hulao Pass. If the Tang army attacks Hulao, rescue them immediately."

"Your Majesty said, as long as you can keep the tiger prison, it will be a great achievement!"

Wang Bo laughed out loud, but didn't answer immediately.

Seeing Wang Bo's expression, Yu Shinan said solemnly, "Why is the prince having some difficulties?"

"Alas!" Wang Bo sighed, "To tell you the truth, it has been three months since Wang's subordinates have been out of pay, and more than half of the soldiers have no winter clothes. It is difficult to march in this climate. The most terrible thing is food. It takes ten days. If the Hulao is reinforced, the soldiers will mutiny before they reach the halfway point."

After Wang Bo finished speaking, the counselors behind him also echoed him, saying that it was difficult, such as the typhoid fever in the army, and even the plague in the winter.

While listening, Yu Shinan sneered and said, "Very well, I will tell your majesty what you said, my lord. But your majesty said that if the prince can't send troops, the first thing he will do when he goes south this time is to Lead Zhao Guo's army, and come here to Licheng City to have a good talk with Wang Gong."

Wang Bo's face changed when he heard this, and the faces of all the counselors behind him were also as if they had been beaten by frost.

Wang Bogan said with a smile, "Master Zhao really knows how to joke."

Yu Shinan looked at Wang Bo, laughed and said, "Is it a joke, the prince will know when the time comes."
After putting his hands down, Wang Bo pondered for a while and said: "Well, King Zhao has said so, even if I, Wang, have great difficulties, I will accept it, but my soldiers are all beggars. You are so poor that if you want us to send troops, I want a thousand gold and ten thousand shi for food and grass. King Zhao will not refuse!"

Yu Shinan shook his head and said: "Your Majesty, Yu has come here with empty hands. If you want to use it, I will ask His Majesty, but the official document will be sent back and forth for at least ten days. The prince can wait for these ten days, but Your Majesty can wait." Can't wait!"

Three days later, Wang Bo led an army of [-] to Hulao.

Hulao Pass.

It is still in the hands of Zheng Jun. At the beginning, Wang Shichong arranged key places.

Hulao Pass was used as a way for Zheng Jun to retreat in case Luoyang fell, and as an important way for Zhao Jun to assist Zheng from Hebei. Therefore, King Jing Wang Xingben, Chang Shi Dai Zhou, and Zhengzhou Sibing Shen Yue were stationed at Hulao Pass.

Later, Huaizhou, Heyang, and Longmen were all lost under the fierce offensive of the Tang army.

Wang Shichong immediately ordered Prince Wang Xuanying to lead an army to reinforce Hulao Pass as a double insurance.

However, Wang Xuanying was an incompetent person. After he was stationed in Hulao, he sent troops to Luoyang several times to reinforce them, but they were all defeated by Huang Junhan and Shi Wanbao. A few days ago, he led thousands of reinforcements to Luoyang to transport food. General Li Junxian fell.

Zheng's army was ambushed and wiped out, and Wang Xuanying only escaped with his own life.

Now this Wang Shichong is handed over to Wang Xuanying, and after the last elite Zheng army that can be relied on is destroyed, the strength of the Zheng army in Hulao Pass is empty, leaving only [-] old soldiers.

People in Hulao Pass were panicked, Wang Xuanying sat down with Wang Xingben, Dai Zhou, and Shen Yue to discuss countermeasures.

Wang Xuanying paced back and forth and said: "Right now Dazheng is at this point, what else can you do to save Dazheng, save Luoyang, save Father Huang."

Several people looked at each other, thinking that the current terrible situation in Hulao is all caused by you, Wang Xuanying, and now you still ask us how to save Zheng Guo and Luoyang.

At the beginning, Wang Shichong only asked Wang Xingben and others to guard the tiger prison instead of fighting the Tang army. Wang Xingben knew that he was not capable enough to fight the elite Tang army, so he did so honestly.However, after Wang Xuanying led his troops to Hulao Pass, he led Zheng Jun to attack Tang Jun, but he suffered repeated defeats and exhausted his elite. Who is to blame for this?

If Wang Xuanying hadn't come to Hulao, the situation in Hulao wouldn't be so bad now.

Everyone also spoke from the bottom of their hearts, but on the surface they did not dare to say that because of Wang Xuanying's status as the Crown Prince of the East Palace.
Chief Shi Daizhou said: "At the moment, we can only strengthen the city defense, mobilize strong men, and go up to guard the city."

"Nonsense!" Wang Xuanying couldn't help but reprimand directly, "Is there any better idea, if not, get lost immediately."

Dai Zhou dared not speak out when he heard the words, but Wang Xingben said from the side: "His Royal Highness, our army is in a difficult situation now, and we need to support each other."

"Then what is your opinion, King Jing?"

Wang Xingben was stunned and said: "His Royal Highness, isn't there still a Zhao army stationed outside the city now? I think we can only rely on them?"

"Soldier Zhao?" Wang Xuanying sneered, "Are you confused? Thousands of troops were wiped out by the Tang army, so what can a mere 1000 troops do?"

Sima Shenyue said: "His Royal Highness is right. We don't know what the details of Zhao Jun are. If they are put into the city rashly, there may be serious trouble. I think it is better to let them station outside the city."

Wang Xuanying also nodded: "That's right, let them fight the Tang army, and you will know if they are really helping us guard the tiger prison. Aren't they stationed on the official road in the west of the city? It just so happens that the Tang army is attacking, and they can stand for us for a while."

(End of this chapter)