Li Po got the urgent news at the end of September that Empress Xiao's carriage had already entered the traffic jam.````
The reason why Empress Xiao hurriedly returned south is simple. After the Turkic tents moved north, the Yunzhong grassland became dangerous.
There were two rebellions in Dali City. It was not a rebellion at all. There were just a few Ashina tribesmen who wanted to occupy Dali City. In the end, they were suppressed by the garrison of Dali City left by the Turkic Khan.
But this kind of chaos, which is not a rebellion, makes Empress Xiao uncomfortable. She is an exile and has been frightened by all kinds of chaos. It is not an exaggeration to say that she is frightened.
Therefore, the trip originally scheduled for next spring was moved forward due to Queen Xiao's stubbornness.
Not having met the Empress of the Sui Dynasty yet, Li Po didn't know what they thought or what kind of person she was. He only knew from the emergency reports sent by Yuen Long and Yuchi Xie that Empress Xiao and her entourage had entered the fortress.
It was a miserable time.
There were only four carriages, and the carriages carried all women, old and young, and those escorting the southbound travelers were all Turkic kinsmen.
In other words, except for a few palace people, there was not even a eunuch around Empress Xiao, let alone any relatives or ministers of the Sui Dynasty. This shows the desolation and misery of the exiled nobles.
Of course, there is no need to be surprised. After the changes in Jiangdu, the wars in Henan and Hebei, and the hostage of Dou Jiande, everyone who can be used has been taken advantage of, and the value has been squeezed out. If Empress Xiao is around
What useful characters are left to be called ghosts?
This is obviously an extremely sad story, but there is no need to be too merciful. Emperor Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty made the people of the world pay a heavy price, and it is exactly right for the relatives he left behind to suffer such displacement.
People all over the world have been displaced, their families have been destroyed, and now it is finally the turn of the Yang family.
For example, after Li Po read the letter, he had no emotion at all. He just suddenly felt that it was a bit strange that Yang Guang's wife was now being protected by a frontier soldier like him.
The fewer people around Empress Xiao, the more at ease she feels. If a large group of old officials of the Sui Dynasty show up, it will be a headache.
Princess Yicheng was very angry this time. Ashina Mudan led her people to send Queen Xiao only to one side of the Great Wall. After some reconciliation with Yuchi Xie and others, she also urged Li Po to send an envoy north to propose marriage as soon as possible, and then led his people back.
In the clouds.
Maybe it was because he felt that there was no one who could help Empress Xiao without causing trouble to Empress Xiao? Anyway, Empress Xiao and her party were completely handed over to Li Po.
It was freezing cold, so there was not much Li Po could do at this time. He could only send an order to everyone in Jinyang, asking them to prepare for the arrival. As for Queen Xiao's diet and daily life, Li Po didn't bother to give any more instructions.
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It is estimated that even if he had not said anything, Chen Xiaoyi and others would not have made Empress Xiao feel wronged. Jinyang Palace is so big that it is really easy to accommodate several women.
Pei Shiqing and Wen Yanbo were both trying to persuade Li Po to go back to Jinyang and personally welcome Queen Xiao back south.
Li Po just shook his head. The general plan for next year has been decided. This year is almost at the end of the year. The army is stationed south of Jinyang. It is much more convenient to issue military orders in Jiangjun than in Jinyang.
Moreover, Li Tang's reaction is also worthy of discussion. If there is a war next year, will he rush back to Jiangjun from Jinyang and toss people back and forth? If the emergency military situation is delayed, the consequences will be unpredictable.
At this point, Li Po saw very clearly that once Empress Xiao went south and entered the Great Wall Frontier Fortress, she was already in his possession. No matter how good or bad the reception was, she would never be able to escape.
It's not that you can't do things like putting on a show, but who will you do it for in Jinyang?
On the contrary, next year may be crucial for him.
Because this was the first year that he had seized the land of Jin, there was internal instability and powerful enemies outside, so he could not afford to neglect anything.
Therefore, Li Po weighed it very carefully and clearly as to which was more important.
Pei Shiqing is not wrong. They are both relatively orthodox literati, and it is understandable that they value the etiquette and status of welcoming and sending off.
What Li Po saw was the need for war, which was consistent with their perspective, but the differences were also obvious.
However, as the winter snows came one after another, Li Po also gradually relaxed his vigilance. The weather became increasingly cold, and news from the north kept coming. In addition, he was blessed with a son, and there was a reward at the end of the year.
One incident after another disturbed Li Po's mind.
The war he expected would come much earlier than he expected...
Whether this is due to a lack of intelligence, pride after a great victory and underestimation of the enemy, or the weather, anyway, once there is a deviation, war will ruthlessly tell you that you will pay a bloody price.
Already.
…………………………
At the end of October, the north wind was howling, and the roaring Yellow River was finally covered with thick ice.
This night, dark clouds covered the moon, as if another winter snow was coming.
On the west bank of the Yellow River opposite Longmen Ferry, figures swayed, and the dull neighing of gagged horses could be heard faintly from the north.
Li Shimin, the commander-in-chief of the march of Shaanxi Province, General Tiance, and King of Qin, was wrapped in a thick leather robe. The thick cloth covering his face breathed white from time to time, and it was covered with frost.
Under the leather hat, only a pair of shining eyes were exposed.
There were no flags flying overhead. In the darkness, three thousand Xuanjia troops lined up on the bank of the Yellow River. Their attire was not much different from their commander. They were just calming the restless horses and trying to resist.
Braving the severe cold, they quietly waited for the order to march.
This is obviously an army that has bared its fangs and is ready to eat blood. They have been rolling in the northwest wind and snow, and their tolerance for cold is incomparable to other armies.
But fighting in this season is still a test for them.
You cannot carry light or heavy armor, even leather armor is discarded, even scabbards are wrapped in thick cloth and kept close to your body, and you cannot carry too many good crossbows.
Of course, for them, the most important thing is the war horse. The war horse cannot wear armor, but it must be wrapped with a layer of protection against the cold. It can be said that fighting in the deep winter is also a battle for these powerful Tang troops who have experienced hundreds of battles.
A very painful thing.
Li Shimin's eyes were fixed on the other side. His beloved horse rubbed his shoulder with its big head from time to time, but it could not divert the owner's attention at all.
For Li Shimin, this would be a very risky raid, but it was also very consistent with his military style. He liked to seize the enemy's weaknesses and deliver a fatal blow.
Putting it this way, some people will inevitably think that he and Li Po are similar.
That would be a big mistake. Li Shimin was very courageous and liked to take risks when fighting. It can be seen that he led troops in battles all the time, but he behaved very calmly.
Just like the battle with Xue Rengao, he waited patiently until the enemy's army ran out of food, then led his troops to a decisive battle with him, and won in one battle.
But looking at Li Po, his fighting style has always been to seek the greatest victory at the least cost. He is cautious and can even be said to be conservative.
However, in previous battles, he led the Daibei cavalry back and forth, mainly focusing on raids. His external military style was almost completely opposite to his military philosophy.
Of course, there are reasons for their duplicity, and lack of military strength is the best explanation for their external performance.
But the current situation has revealed their true colors at once.
After the victory, Li Po chose to defend, while Li Shimin chose to attack without hesitation.
Such a military adventure did not make His Highness the King of Qin a little bit anxious. On the bank of the cold and windy Yellow River, there seemed to be a flame hidden in his chest, burning blazingly.
The excitement brought by taking a risk was even stronger than the pleasure after being victorious, and even made his strong body tremble slightly.
Yes, this was a risky move. He had already ordered Tang Jian, Duan Zhixuan, Liu Shirang, Hou Junji and others to secure the camp. He only personally led Murong Luohu, Zhai Changsun and others to fight across the river with three thousand Xuanjia troops.
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Such a strategy would naturally not be approved by the generals, but Li Shimin used his prestige in the army and his subsequent strategies to convince everyone, and insisted on leading the troops himself.
A few lights finally lit up on the other side and shook from time to time. It was the vanguard of the army signaling that they had cleared the enemy's sight.
Li Shimin regained his energy, moved his numb hands and feet from the cold, and said: "Send orders to all the troops to cross the river."
Groups of soldiers of the Tang Army finally stepped onto the ice with their horses, and the crunching sound seemed to strike everyone's heart.
From time to time, men and horses fell to the ground, causing a series of chaos in the darkness, but it did not affect the army's determination to advance.
The Yellow River here is not very wide. The rapid water of the Yellow River has branched into several forks here, making the water flow much slower than elsewhere. This is also the natural advantage of Longmen Ferry.
In late winter, ice would form here, giving the Tang Army's cavalry an opportunity to cross the river.
Even though the river was not wide, the Tang army walked for more than half an hour.
When Li Shimin set foot on the land on the other side, he couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. The ice in the Yellow River was obviously much stronger than expected, and no one fell into the water.
Dividing the river crossing into three parts also minimized this risk.
Near the east bank, there are several watchtowers with piles of wolf dung on them. They are warning places set up by enemies who monitor the movements of the Yellow River.
People who raised troops from the Daizhou border fortress liked to use this simple and convenient building to observe and report the enemy's situation, which was similar to the beacon tower on the Great Wall.
But now the soldiers stationed there have turned into cold corpses. The cold winter has also made them lose their most basic vigilance as soldiers, and the price is their lives.
Not far away, the lights were dim, it was a camp...