The city of Xishoujiang was built against the mountain. The city walls were tall and strong, steep and dangerous. At this moment, most of the Uighur troops outside the city had retreated, and the cheers of the Tang army like waves had gradually subsided. The pale-faced Tang emperor Li Shi stood at the top of the city, and the wind rolled up his belt, which looked particularly thin in the mountain wind.

He silently watched the last team of Uighur troops leading to the camp and headed north. Yesterday, a messenger came to report that Zhang Huan attacked and destroyed the capital of Uighurs, and exchanged more than thousands of Uighur nobles and more than 100,000 Uighur women and children for the retreat.

Zhang Huan showed that people were in Dai County. When the Uighur army retreated five hundred miles away, he would release the Uighur women and children first. When the Uighur army retreated two thousand miles away, he would release the Uighur nobles.

"Your Majesty, the wind is strong above the city, go back!" Zhu Xicai, who was standing beside him, said softly.

Waiting for an opportunity to seize control of the 80,000 troops is the real purpose of Cui Yuan sending him.

Now, his plan is only halfway through, but things suddenly turn around. The siege of the West Suspension City is lifted, which means that if he wants to complete the task assigned to him by Cui Yuan, there will be only a few days left.

"I want to go and see General Duan, so don't follow me."

Zhu Xicai was Cui Yuan's confidant, and Li Shi naturally knew it, but after Duan Xiushi was injured, Zhu Xicai led his troops to repel the attacks of the Uighurs several times, which was more important than anything at that time.

Now that the danger of life has been lifted, the vigilance is getting stronger and stronger in Li Shi's heart. Eighty thousand troops are his only support. How could he allow Cui Yuanran to point his finger?

Li Shi said coldly and strode down the city.

Duan Xiushi was a Jinshi of the Ming Dynasty. He joined the army in his early years and has been in the Anxi Army. He also participated in the quelling of the Anshi Rebellion. Later, he accumulated merits and was transferred to the court to be the Minister of the Secretariat.

He was a hard-core royalist. He was demoted to the governor of Fengxiang County for impeaching Cui Yuan's autocracy, but he became the most trusted person of the Li clan. During this Northern Expedition, he was appointed as the Great Protector of Anbei. However, shortly after being besieged, he was hit by a siege and a poisonous arrow with medicine. After the military doctor's efforts to rescue him, his life was saved. However, due to the extremely toxicity, the remaining poison in his body had not been eliminated and it recurred several times.

Duan Xiushi is about fifty years old. He was originally elegant and outstanding, but the pain of a month had already tortured him to the point of being thin. At this moment, he was lying on the couch and thinking quietly about his injuries.

There was a sound of footsteps outside the door, and then Li Shi's brisk laughter came from the door, "Duan Aiqing is in good spirits today."

"Ah! It's Your Majesty."

Duan Xiushi hurriedly sat upright with the help of his personal soldiers. He bowed and smiled, "Your Majesty seems to be in a good mood!"

"Of course! The Uighurs have withdrawn. I was so excited last night that I didn't close my eyes all night."

Li Shi sat down next to him with a smile. Duan Xiushi then gave a wink at the personal soldiers in the room, and everyone retreated.

"Your Majesty, the old minister has been thinking about his arrow injury these two days. The arrows were raining at that time, but the one in me was poisonous. Isn't this a coincidence?"

"You mean, wasn't this arrow shot by the Uighurs?" Li Shi said with a faint smile. He had always been suspicious of this matter, but the war was tight and it was time to use people. He didn't think much about this matter.

Duan Xiushi sneered, "I have been drowsy and have no time to consider this matter. Today, I specially asked a few personal soldiers. When I was shot, I was two feet away from the battlement. Moreover, the part of the shot was on the outside of my right arm, so it was impossible to shoot from below."

Li Shi raised his head and pondered for a moment, then slowly said: "You are right, this is indeed a bit coincidental. If this is the case, I'm afraid that these two days will be his last chance."

Li Shi's eyes showed a hint of anxiety, time was tight, and Duan Xiushi's illness was difficult to recover. He had no one to believe. Although there were many generals and commanders in the 80,000 troops, he did not know whether Cui Yuan had specially arranged it. Once he had a entrusted someone, the opportunities he had finally got were lost.

Duan Xiushi knew what he was thinking, so he reminded him: "Why don't Your Majesty use external forces?"

"External force?" Li Shi was stunned for a moment, and he suddenly realized, "You mean..."

Duan Xiushi nodded slowly, "Yes, what the old minister is talking about is Zhang Huan!"

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The next morning, the thick fog from Yinshan filled the entire Xishoujiang City. The Uighurs had retreated. The soldiers on the city relaxed and were no longer as nervous and afraid as before. They gathered together in groups of three or three, describing the scenery of their hometown.

At this time, several soldiers heard something under the city at the same time. They pricked up their ears, as if they were horse hooves, 'Is it the Uighurs who are back again?'

The soldiers lay on the battlements and looked down. Through the thick fog, they seemed to see a cavalry of hundreds of people reaching the city.

"On the city! Please receive a letter." As soon as the words finished, a feather arrow without an arrow shot up to the city, wearing a letter. The soldiers hurriedly handed it over to the lieutenant on duty, and the letter said, "Hedong Army General Zhang Huancheng Emperor."

The captain was frightened and ran down the city like a wind. Soon, Li Shi was surrounded by nearly a hundred guards and came to the city wall. "Where is he? Let me see!"

Li Shi squeezed to the city wall and looked along the sergeant's hands, and saw hundreds of cavalrymen faintly in the thick fog.

"Is General Zhang Huan below?"

"Your Majesty asked, is General Zhang Huan below?" A loud guard amplified his voice.

"Your Majesty, I am the guerrilla general Zhang Huan." A response came from the wind below.

Li Shi smiled, he waved his hand and ordered: "Open the city gate!"

The commander next to him was startled and hurriedly stepped forward and advised: "Your Majesty, it is difficult to tell the authenticity of the truth. We must prevent the Uighurs from cheating on the city."

Li Shi snorted and said in a lengthened voice: "I know very well whether he is Zhang Huan or not, I will open the door!"

The commander had no choice but to order the sergeant to move the huge rock that blocked the door, opened the city gate, and hundreds of cavalry teams rushed in, leading a young general with iron helmets and armor, which was Zhang Huan.

He came from Dai County and had completed negotiations with Denli Khan. The conditions were not harsh. The two sides quickly reached an withdrawal agreement. Denli Khan also agreed to return the three surrendered cities that were actually controlled by the Tang army.

Zhang Huan then handed over the aftermath to deputy general Liu Yuanqing, and led 300 personal guards to Xishoujiang City overnight.

"I am Zhang Huan, please see Your Majesty!" Zhang Huan saw the thin Li Shi walking towards him from a distance. He hurriedly stepped forward, knelt down on one knee, and gave a great military gift.

"Zhang Huan, after we parted with Daming Palace, we didn't expect that we would meet here." Li Shi helped Zhang Huan up and looked at the young officer with emotion. At the beginning of the year, he was dismissed from the position of Guoyi, the Queen Mother of the Yulin Army, and later returned to Hedong. It was precisely this way that he could lead his army to rescue him, which shows that he had already had the will of heaven.

He patted Zhang Huan on the shoulder gently, "Let's go! Go to the room and tell me a good story about your heroic deeds."

The Li family's residence is the most sturdy house in the city. It is all made of white stone in Yinshan Mountain. Although it is solid, it has a rough appearance and a simple interior, which is more than tens of millions of times different from the magnificent Daming Palace.

Zhang Huan followed Li Shi into his temporary study room. There were only a couch and a few books in the room. There were several books on the table table. A sword and a Li Shi's hand-book were hung on the rugged stone walls. There were five powerful and powerful words written on the banner: "Know your shame and you will be brave."

Li Shi waved his hand and ordered Ma Yingjun, who was serving the marquis, to go out first. He sat down on the couch, pointed to a small hu stool next to him and smiled, "Sit down, there is no need to be too polite to me here."

Zhang Huan thanked him, sat down, Li Shi glanced at him, and suddenly laughed, "I heard that you broke Han's ear Bali and you have gained a lot!"

Zhang Huan smiled embarrassedly, "I have rescued more than 80,000 people of the Tang Dynasty who were captured and looted Han'er Duo Bali."

He took out a booklet from his arms and handed it to Li Shi and said, "This is a list. Except for the rewards given to the soldiers, everything else is here. I dare not take it privately, so I will give it to Your Majesty!"

The Li family took it and looked it over. Although it felt like it was far more than that, the Li family didn't say much. He was worried about how to support these 80,000 troops. How could he push this generous gift again? He smiled and said, "It seems that you have taken out the Uighurs' old background, it's good! I have never had money to use it. Since you are willing to give it to me, I will accept it without hesitation."

He happily accepted Zhang Huan's heavy gift, glanced at Zhang Huan again, and smiled, "Since my dear gift was given to me, what should I reward you?"

Zhang Huan hurriedly stood up and replied, "It is my duty to serve Your Majesty, I don't want any rewards."

Li Shi nodded, he read the book again, and smiled faintly: "You are right. No matter what I reward you, can I still compare with it?"

He stood up, walked slowly to the window with his hands behind his back, staring at the thick fog outside. After a while, he suddenly asked, "How many troops do you have on your hands? Maybe they are all controlled by you?"

"Report to Your Majesty, I originally had the three thousand elite cavalry in Hedong. This time I attacked more than 800 casualties. Later, I picked some elites from the rescued Tang people. Now there are still three thousand people. They are absolutely loyal to me!"

"Okay! From now on, you will be my General of the Tianqi Camp and directly obey my command."

The Tianqi Camp was established during the reign of Emperor Suzong of Tang Dynasty. It is also called the Shenwu Army. It is a combination of the left and right Yulin Army and the left and right dragon army. It is also known as the Sixth Army of the Northern Yai and is also the direct guard of the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty. Zhang Huan stepped forward and knelt down and said in a deep voice: "My memory, Zhang Huan, is willing to die for Your Majesty!"

"Please get up quickly!"

Li Shi urgently helped him up. He thought for a while, took out a gold medal from his waist and handed it to him and said, "I don't have any reward for you, so I will give you this gold medal! This was given to the late emperor by Emperor Xuanzong, and the late emperor left it to me. With it, you can enter the palace at will."

"Thank you for your kindness!" Zhang Huan took the gold medal with both hands, and saw four seal characters engraved on it: "If you meet me," this was written by Emperor Xuanzong of Tang Dynasty Li Longji.

At this moment, a burst of rapid footsteps suddenly came from outside the door, and only one person heard outside said, "Please inform Your Majesty, I have news!"
Chapter completed!