Zhou Lie showed disapproval and asked: "In the eyes of the King of Taihu, the Liaodong Army is not even as good as the Bohai people?"

Linghu Xuan actually nodded directly and said: "Yes, not only is it inferior, but I can also conclude that if one day Yuan Gaijian's troops from the Bohai Sea attack the Northeast, the Liaodong Army will not be able to defend it at all."

"Linghu Xuan, although I was defeated at your hands, you don't have to mock the Liaodong Army like this." Zhou Lie snorted coldly.

He has been imprinted with the traces of the Liaodong Army since he was born. Although he was dissatisfied with many things in the Liaodong Army, he was still quite angry when outsiders derogated the Liaodong Army so much.

Linghu Xuan sighed: "Today I am here to sit and talk with the general. What does the general think it is for? There are countless generals in the Liaodong Army, and many of them are famous. However, there are only a few who can make me respect you.

There are very few, and the general is one of them, perhaps the only one."

"Oh?" Zhou Lie only took it as a mockery and said with a smile: "I am really flattered."

"That's why I'm going to have a heart-to-heart talk with General Zhou this time." Linghu Xuandao: "The general knows better than me that today's Liaodong Army is no longer the iron heel of the Eastern Expedition. The Liaodong Army was rife with corruption and occupied land.

, it was already quite serious before Wang Xingchao took the position of general, but it is not terminally ill. If someone pays more attention to it, maybe it can change the situation." He shook his head and said: "It's a pity that Wang Xingchao took the position of general in the first place.

The position of general was supported by many generals in Liaodong. At that time, there were only two options before Wang Xingchao, either to go all-in, be ruthless, not care about the chair under his butt, gain the support of the court, and make bold changes, then the Liaodong Army would probably

A new look.”

When Zhou Lie heard this, his expression became sad.

"But after all, he did not dare to risk the disapproval of the Liaodong Army, and he still complied with the thoughts of those people and tried his best to protect their interests. Not only that, in order to win people's hearts, he intensified his efforts and allowed his subordinates to race and enclose the territory. The once invincible Liaodong Army also

Today, the generals only seek glory and wealth, and no longer have the will to fight." Linghu Xuan sighed: "The soldiers and horses in Liaodong have their own factions. They usually live in a position of dignity, but when fighting, not only are they not as brave as they were in the past, but they are fearful.

The reason for being afraid of hands and feet is simple. Everyone has a family and a career, and there are countless places in the world. With women in their arms, they are eating well and drinking hot food. Who is thinking about fighting on the battlefield? "

Zhou Lie picked up the wine bowl and drank it all in one gulp. This time, he did not let Linghu Xuan pour the wine for him. Instead, he picked up another wine jar, patted the lid open, and filled it up himself.

"The general is naturally familiar with the situation in the Bohai Sea." Linghu Xuan reached out and grabbed a handful of beans in his hand, picked two and put them in his mouth, and continued: "After Yuan Gaijian unified the Bohai Sea, he recruited troops and prepared the army for war.

Who is the target? Is it the tribes in the forests in the north and the herdsmen on the grasslands?"

"Bohai has coveted the Tang Dynasty for a long time. It is indeed a serious concern." Zhou Lie couldn't help but nodded.

Linghu Xuan smiled lightly and said: "Before Yuan Gaijian unified the Bohai princes, he had been testing the Tang Dynasty's attitude. Didn't the imperial court know that Yuan Gaijian had the ambition to unify the Bohai Sea at that time? Why did it just watch him flourish?

?General Zhou, if the Liaodong Army still has the strength of the past and is loyal to the imperial court, do you think the imperial court will sit back and watch Yuan Gaijian grow stronger? In the final analysis, it is not because the imperial court knows very well that the Liaodong Army is no longer what it used to be.

Brave, once the Tang Dynasty sets foot on the Bohai Sea with the Liaodong Army, it is likely to provoke a war, and the war may even spread directly to the Northeast."

Zhou Lie pondered for a moment and then said: "The general has always been wary of Yuan Gaijian. He knew that when Yuan Gaijian became full-fledged, he would probably extend his tentacles to the northeast, so he also thought about supporting Yuan Gaijian in the Bohai Sea.

Strength. However, Yuan Gaijian firmly controls the Bohai Sea. If you want to make a fuss in the Bohai Sea, it is really difficult to reach the sky." He sighed and said: "In recent years, Yuan Gaijian's strength has become stronger and stronger. Although the general is determined to prepare for war,

,Unfortunately.......!"

"The generals are extravagant and the soldiers have no fighting spirit, but the people of the aristocratic families have been resented by the Liaodong Army's brutal conquests over the years." Linghu Xuan sighed: "Once the entire Bohai army invades the Northeast, it is not surprising that a hundred thousand soldiers and horses will

, I dare to ask General Zhou, how to deal with the Bohai army at that time?"

Zhou Lie frowned and said: "If the Bohai people really come to attack, the four northeastern counties will naturally block it with all their strength and wait for the imperial court to send reinforcements."

Linghu Xuan chuckled and said, "What if the imperial court cannot send reinforcements?"

Zhou Lie's body trembled, he stared at Linghu Xuan and said coldly: "Is it possible that the imperial court will abandon the four northeastern counties?"

"It's not that the imperial court wants to abandon it, but it's because it is powerless." Linghu Xuan's expression became grim, and he said slowly: "If there is chaos in the pass and there is no time to look eastward, and the Bohai people take advantage of the situation, how will your Liaodong Army respond?"

Zhou Lie's lips moved, but in the end he couldn't speak.

"The general is afraid that he already knows the final result." Linghu Xuandao: "This is what I just said. If the situation in the Northeast does not change, maybe within two years, the four counties in the Northeast will become a place trampled by foreign races."

Zhou Lie held both hands, thought for a moment, and finally looked at Linghu Xuan and asked: "What do you mean by saying so much?"

"The Liaodong Army is rotten to the core and it is difficult to change." Linghu Xuan sighed: "Such an army is so angry that it can no longer bear the burden of protecting the four northeastern counties of the Tang Dynasty. If Long Rui's army comes out of the pass, if it can replace it,

If we take on the responsibility of guarding the Northeast, when the Bohai Navy comes to kill us, we may still be able to keep this piece of Tang Dynasty territory."

Zhou Lie laughed strangely and said: "You mean, the Liaodong Army cannot resist the enemy, but the Long Rui Army can?"

"The general misunderstood." Linghu Xuan shook his head and said: "What I really mean is that neither the Liaodong Army nor the Long Rui Army can stop the Bohai Navy."

Zhou Lie was stunned and looked suspicious.

"There is only one force that can protect the four northeastern counties, and that is the people's hearts and minds in the four northeastern counties." Zhou Lie said calmly: "As long as we win the hearts and minds of the people in the four counties, even if the Bohai people come like wolves and tigers, they will be expelled.

.An ancient sage has said that if you win the hearts of the people, you will win the world. If you lose the hearts of the people, you will lose everything. But if you have the hearts of the people, you will be invincible in the world."

Zhou Lie nodded slightly and said: "Linghu Xuan, if you can say this, you are indeed very knowledgeable and not just a general person."

"The Liaodong Army has completely lost the support of the people in the Northeast." Linghu Xuandao: "Now they can still dominate the Northeast, but they still have knives in their hands, and the people dare not speak out. Once they really fight with the Bohai people

Naturally, during the confrontation, we would not be able to win the support of the people at that time. Without the support of the people of the four counties, the defeat is certain." He picked up the wine bowl, drank it all in one gulp, and then continued: "Does the general know what has happened in western Liaoning recently?"

This time, Zhou Lie picked up the wine jar, poured it for Linghu Xuan, and asked: "What?"

"Long Rui's army took back all the land occupied by the generals of the Liaodong Army and returned it to its original owner." Linghu Xuandao said: "In addition, he began to implement the land equalization policy, open up wasteland and divide the fields, and treated the people with light corvees and low taxes.

They also have to pay grain and perform corvee service.”

Zhou Lie nodded slightly and said, "I heard a little bit."

"Although the gentry began to pay grain, which hurt their interests, Long Ruijun returned their occupied land, which greatly made up for their losses. Now the Liaoxi family is not only grateful to Long Ruijun, but also because Long Ruijun will

To protect their interests, they fully support the decree implemented by Long Ruijun in western Liaoning." Linghu Xuan said sternly: "The people in western Liaoning have farmland to cultivate, and they are doing light corvee and receiving little tax, and they are even more joyful. Oh, by the way, Heishan Trade Center

Trade has begun there. As far as I know, the taxes paid by merchants operating in the Heishan trading center are much lower than those in Fucheng. Moreover, there are troops stationed in Heishan to protect their personal and cargo safety.

Many merchants are flocking to the Heishan Trading Market. At least there are a large number of merchants from the south of the Yangtze River ready to start stocking up in Heishan...!" He smiled slightly and said: "General Zhou, if I say that under Long Rui's army,

The situation is prosperous and the people support it. I wonder if you are opposed to it?"

Zhou Lie knew that what Linghu Xuan said was true, but he couldn't help but said: "That's just Long Ruijun's way of winning people's hearts."

"Yes, it is to win people's hearts." Linghu Xuan said sternly: "But the current four northeastern counties are trying to unite people's hearts. If Long Ruijun can implement the same decree in western Liaoning in the other three counties, then the people will naturally be united.

With the support of the people of the four counties, what should the people of Bohai worry about?"

Zhou Lie changed his expression slightly and said, "Are you really helping Long Ruijun to let them swallow up the four northeastern counties?"

"Liaodong Army is at dusk in the West Mountain, and Long Rui Army is full of vigor." Linghu Xuandao: "To make the four northeastern counties as stable as Mount Tai, Long Rui Army must guard the northeast. And if Long Rui Army wants to guard the northeast, it can only step on the Liaodong Army's

The bones stand as tall as a mountain."

Zhou Lie clenched his fist and said, "Then let's see who wins."

"So the general still wants to protect the Liaodong Army and continue to live a luxurious and luxurious life in the Northeast, regardless of the Tang Dynasty?" Linghu Xuan's eyes were sharp, "I have a long talk with the general this time, not for other reasons, but for

In the Tang Dynasty, no matter whether the Liaodong Army or the Long Rui Army, the only famous naval general who can truly take charge of his own role is the general. When Yuan Gaijian sends out troops, it must be both land and water. In recent years, the Bohai Sea Navy has developed rapidly, and its strength has been greatly improved.

Not under the Liaodong Navy, I am just saying this today to let the general understand that when the day comes, the decisive battle with the Bohai Navy can only be carried out by the general."

The corners of Zhou Lie's eyes twitched and his lips moved, but no sound came out.

"If the general stays this time, no one will know the general's whereabouts." Linghu Xuan said: "I will arrange for someone to secretly send you to see Qin Xiao. General Qin will be happy to see you. He will also take care of you.

General, the Liaodong Army will only think that the general has died in the battle. When the time comes when the sword needs to be unsheathed, the general will naturally show up."

Zhou Lie sneered and said: "Linghu Xuan, you want me to surrender to Qin Xiao? Hundreds of my brothers died in your hands tonight, and you actually want to let me kneel in front of you. These words come from your mouth It's simply unbelievable to say it here." He put the saber on the table with a clang and said: "Now that it's all about death, you don't have to talk nonsense. But if you are really a man, let's fight alone. Chang, if I die by your sword, after I go down, I can tell my brothers that I have tried my best to avenge them, but my skills are just not as good as others."

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