In the Liangyi Hall of Tai Chi Palace in Chang'an, an emergency court meeting on the rescue of Hongnong County is being held here. Liangyi Hall is an inner court and a place for small court meetings. Only some important ministers are qualified to attend the court meeting here.

Li Yuan sat on the high jade stairs dragon couch. Because he had not been asleep for a night last night, his eyes were covered with bloodshot and his spirit seemed a little haggard.

"Dear friends, let's discuss the first thing first! Is it feasible for the exchange of military families to be important officials?"

Two days ago, Yang Yuanqing ordered Taichang Shaoqing Xue Suo to send a mission to Chang'an, and proposed to use the bodies of Dou Dan, Yuwen Xin, Liu Zhenghui, and Li Shuliang and Xiahou Duan to exchange for the families of more than 10,000 Guanzhong soldiers who were captured in Li Shuliang's battle.

This matter was very fierce when the court discussed it, almost half agreed and half opposed. Li Yuan himself agreed. Dou Dan was his son-in-law, Yuwen Xin and Liu Zhenghui were his confidants when he rose up, and he wanted to take back the bodies of Li Shuliang and Xiahou Duan for a grand funeral, but if he made a decision, he seemed a little too selfish, so he hoped that the important officials would support him.

Pei Ji knew Li Yuan very well. Dou Dan, Yuwen Xin and Liu Zhenghui were all Li Yuan's confidants. Dou Dan was also his son-in-law. Most of the families of more than 10,000 soldiers were elderly, weak, women and children. They only consumed food and did not do anything for production. In addition to making Yang Yuanqing a little uncomfortable, it was useless to keep it. It would be better to exchange it with Yang Yuanqing.

Pei Ji stood up and said, "Your Majesty, I heard that Dou Dan, Yuwen Xin and Liu Zhenghui were trapped in the enemy camp, but they were loyal and unyielding. If we cannot treat this loyal minister well, ignore and treat him coldly, we don't know how many ministers Huihan's hearts will prevent many talents and heroes from coming to surrender. More than 10,000 soldiers surrendered to the Northern Sui Dynasty and were willing to work hard for Yang Yuanqing. Our families are kind to the Northern Sui Dynasty. The loyal ones are cold and the betrayers are generous. Isn't this a pain to the relatives and the enemy happy? Your Majesty. The opponents simply do not want Yang Yuanqing to be happy, but they did not expect that our steadfast ministers are still tortured in the prison of Northern Sui Dynasty. The ancients said that they bought bones for a thousand gold, but we were narrow-minded. One leaf was obstructing, and a rebellious soldier was favored and the loyal ministers were despised. Who is more important? Your Majesty should decide for himself."

Liu Wenjing was about to get up to object. However, Li Jiancheng signaled him not to say too much. Liu Wenjing swallowed the words he was about to object to Pei Ji.

Li Yuan nodded, Pei Ji's statement was in line with his wishes, and he asked the inner historian Dou Wei again. "What do Dou Aiqing thinks?"

Dou Wei was weak and said tremblingly: "Your Majesty, Dou Dan is the old minister's nephew. The old minister dare not say much, but Yuwen Xin and Liu Zhenghui are talents and should not give up easily."

Dou Wei turned a corner and agreed. Li Yuan understood his thoughts and asked Zuo Pushe Dugu Zhen, "Do you agree with Dugu's beloved?"

Dugu Zhen smiled slightly and said, "The old minister highly agrees with the words of Prime Minister Pei."

Li Yuan glanced at everyone again, and saw that no one objected, he resolutely made a decision, "Since you all don't object, then I decided that this matter will be fully responsible for the Ministry of Revenue Shangshu Dou."

Dou Feng, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, stepped forward and bowed, "I obey the order!"

After finishing a thought, Li Yuan breathed a sigh of relief, and his thoughts turned to the important thing today. He gave up or stayed at Hongnong County.

"Dear friends, let's discuss today's major events. Regarding Hongnong County, Li Xiaogong asked the court for help urgently. Everyone knows the situation. I have some conflicts. Should I give up Hongnong County or stick to Hongnong County, and I want to hear everyone's opinions and speak freely!"

This time, Liu Wenjing stood up first and said, "Your Majesty, I advocated giving up Hongnong County for the time being. Yang Yuanqing had just defeated Dou Jiande, and Li Mi returned in vain. The morale of the Northern Sui army was strong. From Yang Yuanqing's deployment of troops, he obviously wanted to cut off our retreat. Once the retreat was cut off, and the east road was attacked by Wang Shichong and Yang Yuanqing, the morale of Li Xiaogong's army was depressed. This battle would inevitably be defeated in disastrously. Instead of losing a crushing defeat, it would be better to give up Hongnong for the time being temporarily withdrawn."

There is a famous saying in the court, "With Liu Wenjing's approval, there will inevitably be Pei Ji's opposition, and vice versa." Everyone glanced at Pei Ji from the corner of their eyes.

Sure enough, Pei Ji stood up and said loudly: "Why did Liu Xiangguo lose before the battle?"

He walked out of his position and bowed to Li Yuan, "Your Majesty, there are only two strategies to deal with. One is to respond actively and the other is to retreat passively. Hongnong County is our first step in fighting for Guanzhong. If Yang Yuanqing stationed troops on the north bank of the River, we retreated back to Tongguan. In the long run, the soldiers will be afraid of Yang. When they heard that Yang Yuanqing's army arrived, they were so scared that they fled. What else can we talk about fighting for dominance in the world? So I think that Yang Yuanqing's troops were suppressing Hedong County, and our response should be to increase troops, increase the strength of Yanxiang County, block the river surface, and defend Yang Yuanqing from crossing the river from Fengling. This is only the worst result. In fact, I think that Yang Yuanqing stationed troops on Hedong County, just put pressure on us. He may not really cross the river. Even if he wants to cross the river, Wang Shichong will not agree. Please give your Majesty a clear answer!"

After saying that, Pei Ji glanced at Liu Wenjing arrogantly and stepped back. There were whispers in the court. Dou Wei also stood up and said, "Your Majesty, I agree with Pei's suggestion. Hongnong County is our first step towards the Central Plains. We cannot give up easily."

Dou Wei was repaid. Pei Ji just now insisted on changing back to Dou Dan and others, which made him grateful. At this time, he also wanted to support Pei Ji's opinions.

At this time, the important officials in the court spoke one after another, and many people agreed to increase the troops, and few people advocated withdrawal. Li Yuan finally made up his mind, "I decided to send reinforcements to Hongnong County. I wonder who is the general, my dear friends?"

Dugu Huaien, Minister of Works, stepped forward and bowed: "Your Majesty, I recommend King Yuanji of Qi as the head coach of the aid."

This is also a routine for Li Yuan to govern the army. The head commander of the army must be the Li clan, and few people from other surnames are sent as the head commander. This can ensure that the military power is firmly controlled by him. Therefore, there are also many factions in the Tang army, such as the Li Shimin faction, the Li Jiancheng faction, the Li Yuanji faction, the Li Shentong faction, the Li Xiaogong faction, the Li Xiaoji faction, etc. There are people from other surnames who are also his son-in-law or absolute confidant, such as Chai Shao and Pei Ji.

Now among the Li clan, Li Shimin deals with Xue Ju in Longxi, Li Shentong appeases the counties in Hexi, Li Xiaoji fights against the Southern Barbarians in Shuzhou, and Chai Shao and his wife defend against the invasion of Nanyang Zhu Jie in Fangling County. The prince Li Jiancheng will not go, and only Li Yuanji is responsible for training troops in Chang'an, so he can only lead the troops to aid Li Xiaogong.

At this time, Qu Tutong, the Minister of War, who had not spoken, stepped forward and advised: "Your Majesty, there will be no two commanders in one battle. Since the King of Hejian is the commander of Hongnong, the reinforcements should be led by him to facilitate dispatch. Furthermore, I do not agree with what Pei Xiangguo said just now. I think that Yang Yuanqing's use of troops can only judge the situation and whether to cross the river to fight. He has the initiative. There is no reason why he is afraid of Wang Shichong and dare not cross the river. I am at least eight points sure that Yang Yuanqing's army will definitely cross the river. As for whether to cross the Fengling Crossing or the Hebei County Ferry, I am not sure."

Qu Tutong's advice angered Pei Ji. He snorted heavily and said, "Shangshu Qu Tu. Now the Hejian County Prince is threatened by two armies and three places, but you let him deal with it alone. If the Northern Sui Dynasty crossed the river from Fengling to attack the Yanxiang County, would the garrison of the Yanxiang County still send people hundreds of miles away to ask the Hejian County Prince? Not only will he miss the opportunity to fight, he will also truly fall into the Hejian County Prince in a dilemma of being attacked from both sides."

Pei Ji reported to Li Yuan again: "Your Majesty, these are originally two different battlefields. One is Baotongguan and also defends Yanxiang County, and the other is Baoshan County. Against Wang Shichong, I highly agree with the suggestion of Dugu Shangshu, and take King Yuanji of Qi as the head commander. Lead the army to the east to aid."

Pei Ji was very strong in the court, and he was also an extremely cunning politician. What he really considered was not the battle situation of Li Xiaogong. He was considering how to bring Dou and Dugu to the Qin King Li Shimin, so he insisted on changing back to Dou Dan to please Dou Wei, and opposing Qu Tutong was also to support Dugu Huaien's suggestion. Although it was not possible to succeed in one go. However, long-term subtle influence would definitely make him get what he wanted.

Li Yuan pondered for a moment, and Pei Ji mentioned the safety of Tongguan and reminded him that he should not only consider the battle situation in Hongnong County, but also consider the safety of Tongguan. Qu Tutong's advice also makes some sense. He could send important officials to assist Yuan Ji.

"I'm sure, and I'll confer the title of King of Qi as the Grand Marshal of Tongguan, and Zhao Cijing, the Minister of War, as the Chief of the Army, and led an army of 30,000 to Hongnong County in the east."

The imperial edict was issued, and King Li Yuanji of Qi led 20,000 troops to Tongguan that night. Together with the 10,000 troops of Tongguan itself, a total of 30,000 troops supported Hongnong County.

...........

King Li Yuanji of Qi led a large army to Tongguan on the third day. At this time, the official roads from Tongguan to Huayin County were crowded with Luoyang people who had retreated westward. These were the Guanzhong people who were forced to move to Luoyang in the first year of Daye. The soaring rice prices in Luoyang made them homesick and moved their families back to their hometowns.

At this time, the people's retreat to the west of Luoyang was interrupted by the upcoming war. This group of people moved from Hongnong County and was also the last group of people who moved westward.

Li Yuanji led 20,000 Tang troops to march eastward on the official road, passing by countless fugitives. Not far ahead was Li Yuanji looked at these fugitives indifferently. After retreating from Taiyuan, he was scolded by his father and refused to lead the troops again. He only asked him to be responsible for training troops. This made him unhappy and filled with a tyrannical impulse. He wanted to kill people, but he did not dare to do so in Chang'an. Now that he left Chang'an, the tyrannical ** in his heart became stronger and stronger.

At this time, an old man was staggering and the pedestrian was too crowded. He did not stand firm. He tilted his body and was lying beside Li Yuanji's war horse. Li Yuanji's war horse rushed to the side, causing Li Yuanji's body to shake violently.

Li Yuanji was furious. He pulled out the battle knife, grabbed the old man's hair sideways, and slashed it with a sudden knife...

Passers-by around exclaimed and stumbled into the ground to run away. Li Yuanji laughed and threw the head into the crowd, which caused a scream of fear.

Li Yuanji wiped the blood from the sword with a cloth, put the knife into the sheath, and continued to move forward as if nothing had happened.

The team finally arrived in front of Tongguan. There were many shops on both sides of the place. Every family opened to sell dry food and some daily necessities. The business was very good. In the end, they left the family and children of wealthy families. They bought a lot of things, and each shop was filled with customers.

At this time, a golden carriage drove past the army, followed by four followers, and a very charming face appeared in the car window. The woman was about twenty years old, with a pair of charming eyes and a head full of pearls and jade, but she was curiously looking at the vast army.

Li Yuanji saw this woman at first sight, and his eyes suddenly lit up and he stared at her. Li Yuanji was moved.

...........

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