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Chapter 576 Drinking the Best Wine (Part [-])
Chang'an City, Shili Baqiao.

It is March in Yangchun, and the willow trees on both sides of the Baqiao are lush.

When the scholars send each other off, they all bid farewell at Baqiao, and when they part, they fold willows as gifts, so the Baqiao folded willows are very famous in Chang'an.

Now on the Baqiao, Li Jiancheng, the prince of Li Tang, and all the officials of Li Tang are sitting beside the bridge.

The bright yellow umbrella covered the sun, and Li Jiancheng sat peacefully in the shade of willows. Li Tang's Eastern Expeditionary Army was slowly advancing in the willows for a long time.

Li Jiancheng saw that Li Shimin was wearing a golden armor, riding alone in front, while Qi Wang Li Yuanji, Qu Tutong and other 25 generals followed.Behind them came the heavy armored cavalry of the Tang Dynasty, marching in a file, with a strict military appearance.The yellow dust is long, revealing the taste of a warrior who has fought a hundred battles.

Although Li Shimin did not capture Luoyang, Li Jiancheng was still a little unhappy. Li Shimin went out this time and captured more than [-] states in Wang Shichong's land. Except for Luoyang, all the land west of Hulao Pass in Henan fell into Li Tang's hands.

How could such a meritorious service not make Li Jiancheng jealous, and when Li Yuan heard that Li Shimin had returned, he asked him to be greeted by the dignified prince, and together with him he offered prisoners to the Taimiao and so on.If Li Shimin captures Luoyang again, destroys the state of Zheng, and captures Wang Shichong to be sacrificed under the Taimiao, then where will he put the face of the majestic prince? I am afraid that Li Yuanji's words should have been honored by Li Yuanji. It's no longer guaranteed.

In any case, Li Shimin must not be allowed to take military power again. This time the Battle of Luoyang sounded the alarm for Li Jiancheng.

"Meet Your Royal Highness!"

When Li Jiancheng saw Li Shimin, Li Yuanji got off his horse and saluted him. He smiled and said, "King Qin, King Qi has made a great achievement this time. As an elder brother, I am really happy for you."

But Li Shimin said: "Don't dare, I was about to plead guilty to my father, the prince, but I failed to capture Luoyang. Instead, I was taken advantage of by Li Chongjiu and allowed his power to extend to the Central Plains. In the future, it will definitely be my Tang Dynasty's confidant's trouble!"

Li Yuanji said from the side: "Li Chongjiu is nothing more than a skin problem. The second brother said that the heart disease is too much."

Li Jiancheng listened to Li Shimin's tone, and the fourth brother Xindao didn't understand anything. What Li Er meant was that he still wanted to seize power and continue to attack Luoyang.Li Jiancheng supported Li Shimin's shoulders and said, "Second brother, you have worked hard to attack Zheng this time to open up the territory for our Tang Dynasty. The boat and the car are exhausting. The emperor's intention to attack Luoyang is to take it easy and leave it to you." Let the other generals do it!"

Hearing what Li Jiancheng said, Li Shimin smiled and said, "Thank you, His Royal Highness, for your compassion."

Li Jiancheng smiled and said: "Let me tell you another good news. My sister-in-law and nephew have returned safely. I said that I was hijacked by Zhao Jun, and then came back safe and sound. It is a great fortune. King Qin returned It’s a joy to be able to reunite with my family in Fuchu.”

Li Shimin couldn't help being surprised when he heard that his grandson Wugou and Li Chengqian had returned safely. He thought that Li Chongjiu would let his wife and children go so easily, but after thinking about it, he immediately understood what Li Chongjiu meant. This made Li Yuan and Li Jiancheng suspect that this was purely a good show written and performed by Li Shimin himself.Li Chongjiu is really good at playing tricks, one ring after another.

Seeing Li Jiancheng's expression, Li Shimin didn't speak, but said: "This matter must be planned by Li Chongjiu, Your Royal Highness, this person is very cunning, and he is the best at alienating people."

Seeing Li Jiancheng's expression, Li Shimin obviously didn't believe him, and said with a smile: "His Royal Highness, Shimin is loyal to you and to Datang."

Li Yuanji didn't speak, but his face showed disdain. Li Jiancheng immediately laughed and said, "Erlang, how could Gu not trust you? Come to the city!"

After finishing speaking, Li Jiancheng took Li Shimin's and Li Yuanji's hands, and the three of them walked in front of the officials together.Li Tang Baiguan, headed by Pei Ji, kowtowed to the three of them to celebrate Li Shimin's triumphant return this time.

After that, the three armed forces entered the city, and the people on the streets of Chang'an rushed to witness this grand occasion.After the three brothers of the Li family sacrificed their captives to the Taimiao, Li Yuan immediately gathered all the meritorious soldiers in the Wuji Hall, and performed the ceremony of drinking to reward the three armies.

Arriving in the Wuji Hall, Li Shimin saw Li Yuan standing in front of the hall, and immediately stepped forward, knelt down, and said to Li Yuan with tears: "Father, the minister is incompetent and cannot protect the third sister. I implore the father to severely punish her." Son."

Li Yuan's eyes turned red when he heard Li Shimin's words, his body shook slightly, and he was speechless for a while.

Li Jiancheng glanced at Li Shimin and said: "Father, you can't blame Shimin for this matter, it's all Wang Shichong's fault, alas! Who would have expected that the thief Wang Shichong would send troops to intercept and kill the third sister just when the third sister was leaving the Qin King's barracks. Halfway up."

Li Shimin was sobbing, kneeling in front of Li Yuan.

Li Yuanchang sighed and said: "It's good to be back, it's good to be back. I'm relieved to hear that Wugou and Chengqian are safe and well. I, Li Tang, have already lost too much since Jinyang raised troops and entered Chang'an. Too much blood, nothing can go wrong."

Listening to Li Yuan's tone, Li Shimin knew that Li Yuan was thinking of Li Xuanba who had just died of illness, and Li Zhiyun who died in Chang'an when Jinyang raised troops.Li Shimin looked at Li Yuan's temples and Xingshuang, no longer had the high-spirited attitude he had when he entered Chang'an, as if he had aged a lot overnight.

Li Shimin couldn't help but feel sad, thinking of Li Zhiwan who rode the horse and swung the whip by his side back then, tears welled up in his eyes, if he was still acting a bit earlier, this time he really couldn't help himself.

Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji couldn't help but accompany Li Yuan when they thought of Li Zhiwan, Li Shimin and Li Shimin shed tears for a while.

"On the day of triumph, why do you have to imitate your sons and daughters!"

Li Yuan looked at Li Shimin, helped him up and said, "I know what happened to San Niang was an accident. I didn't blame you, but I blamed me for not treating her well. What really angered me was this time when our army attacked Luoyang. For half a year, how much money was spent on food, how many soldiers were killed or injured, but in the end Li Chongjiu picked up the trick, I can't swallow this breath, I can't sleep well, and the food is tasteless!"

Li Shimin knelt down again and said: "Father, Luoyang must not be given to Li Chongjiu, otherwise the world will repeat the Zhou Qi struggle for hegemony. We must take advantage of Li Chongjiu's unstable foothold to counterattack Luoyang and consolidate the newly captured Henan Province by our army." The land. I beg your orders to fight Luoyang again!"

After hearing this, Li Jiancheng immediately said: "Father, King Qin is right, Luoyang must not be handed over to Li Chongjiu, and I am willing to fight for King Qin and take down Luoyang!"

Li Yuanji said: "The minister should also share the worries of the father."

Li Yuan looked at the three sons and smiled happily: "I am very pleased that you can consider Datang in this way and share my worries for me, but the matter of counterattacking Luoyang. I have a plan!"

"I would like to hear about the plot of the emperor!" The three said together.

"The troops in Guanzhong Prefecture have been fighting for half a year, and their troops are exhausted. They need to take a rest. And Xiao Xian has just captured Xiangyang, so we don't know whether he has the ambition of Beitu." Li Yuan said calmly.

Li Jiancheng, Li Shimin, and Li Yuanji all nodded.

Li Yuandao: "Wang Shichong is gone now, and my greatest opponent in the Tang Dynasty is Li Chongjiu. Although Li Chongjiu is based in Luoyang, the Turks and Goguryeo are both confidantes. The rebel kings in Shandong are hot potatoes. In terms of general situation, Zhao Jun is inferior to us, you all must understand this point, we Li family four fathers and sons must first work together, so Zhao Guo will never have a chance to win."

When Li Yuan said so, the three of them nodded happily.
"Then what is the next step for the father to stand still?" Li Jiancheng asked.

Li Yuan shook his head and said: "No, Li Chongjiu broke into Luoyang, we can't let him gain a firm foothold. Xiaogong and Li Jing's warships are about to be launched, and it is time to go down the river to wipe out Xiao Xian in one fell swoop. Xiao Xian, we can attack Luoyang from Tongguan, Xiangyang, and Hanoi. If Li Chongjiu deploys troops to defend Luoyang, the Turks and Goguryeo will put pressure on Youyan. If Li Chongjiu retreats, our army will take the opportunity to attack Luoyang!"

When Li Jiancheng, Li Shimin, and Li Yuanji heard what Li Yuan said, they all showed expressions as if they were clearing the clouds.

From the rise of troops in Jinyang to the capture of Chang'an, they first pacified Longyou and Hexi, then went south to get Sichuan and Shu, and went north to Hedong. The commander-in-chief of the army outside the battle.

Li Yuan's grasp of strategy has never been missed. Li Shimin thought that if he persisted in a decisive battle with Zhao Jun at Hulao Pass, the outcome would be unpredictable under the attack from inside and outside.Although Li Yuan did not win Luoyang right now, he also expanded Li Tang's power. No matter if he regained Luoyang in the future, or went south to wipe out Xiao Mian, the strategic initiative to launch an attack was always in Li Yuan's hands.

From the perspective of grand strategy, Li Tang has been right from the beginning to the end, and he has accumulated advantages step by step, advancing steadily.But it is undeniable that Li Chongjiu's capture of Luoyang was beyond Li Tang's expectations.

Li Shimin said: "Father, after Li Chongjiu captured the three cities of Heyang, Zhao Jun's navy could go along the Yellow River and Luoshui to reach the city of Luoyang, but there is no navy in the Tang Dynasty that can intercept on the Yellow River. So we want to emulate the old Like breaking Wang Shichong, cutting off the reinforcements outside Luoyang, the chances of capturing Luoyang again become very slim.”

Li Yuanji said: "Not only Heyang, Hulao, and Xuanyuanguan are all in the hands of Zhao Jun. We are eager to attack Luoyang, and it is very difficult to capture."

Li Jiancheng said: "So our army must continue to clear the periphery of Luoyang, and then fight the Zhao army under the city of Luoyang. Although the Zhao army has a navy, I don't believe that if they break Heyang City, their navy can turn against the sky. .”

"In any case, Li Chongjiu must not be allowed to gain a firm foothold in Luoyang!" Li Yuan finally said.

Speaking of this, Zhou Peiji walked in and said to Li Yuan: "Your Majesty, the time has come, I implore you to have three more Highnesses to attend the banquet."

Li Yuan nodded and said: "The banquet of drinking to the end is to celebrate the victory for you, everyone should be happy, if you don't get drunk today, you won't return!"

"promise!"

After speaking, Li Yuan took the three princes to the main hall, and all the officials congratulated and toasted the father and son one after another. The hall was very lively.

At the same time, the victory celebration banquet of Zhao Jun in Luoyang was also very lively.

In the fourth year of Wude, the confrontation between Zhao and Tang under the city of Luoyang was just the beginning.

PS: Thank you everyone for the rewards and monthly tickets yesterday. I was very moved. I knew that Tiantian had exploded. I would like to ask for some recommended tickets today!There will be two updates today, and two updates tomorrow.

(End of this chapter)