Qu Tutong did not answer Li Yuanji's question, but asked: "Does Your Highness have any plans to build a military palace for the Third Left Army?"
Li Yuanji was stunned for a moment and looked at Qu Tutong with a strange expression, "Why do you ask this?"
As a member of Li Shimin, is it appropriate for Qu Tutong to ask this?
Qu Tutong thought that his strength was not strong enough and could not threaten Li Shimin, so he eagerly hoped that he would become stronger?
Qu Tutong smiled sheepishly and said: "If Your Highness has plans to build the Zuo Santong Military Palace, I am willing to help His Highness."
Li Yuanji was completely stunned.
Qu Tutong saw Li Yuanji slightly glaring and not speaking, so he hurriedly said: "Your Highness, do you have any questions?"
Li Yuanji came back to his senses and said with an even weirder expression: "Are you going to serve under me as the Commander-in-Chief of the Left Third Army?"
Without waiting for Qu Tutong's reply, Li Yuanji muttered hesitantly, "Isn't it a bit unfair?"
Qu Tutong was under Li Shimin, and he was a perfect deputy, suppressing Luo Shixin, Qin Qiong, Yu Chigong, Changsun Wuji and other fierce men.
To serve as a small commander under him is obviously a bit of an indignity.
When Qu Tutong heard Li Yuanji's words, he couldn't laugh or cry and said: "I am the Zuopushe of Daxingtai in East Shaanxi Province. How can I serve under His Highness? What I mean is that if His Highness intends to build Zuo Santong Military Palace, I will
I am willing to help His Highness recruit troops."
Li Yuanji looked disappointed. He thought Qu Tutong was going to serve under him.
It turned out that I wanted to help him recruit troops.
He needs Qu Tutong to help him recruit troops?
He has 300,000 shi of grain in his hands, so he doesn't have to worry about anyone serving him in this land of Hebei.
As long as he raises his voice, people who are willing to serve him can line up from Mingzhou to Youzhou.
The Zuo Ertong Army Mansion suffered heavy losses, and he had not yet recovered from the situation and had no intention of recruiting troops.
"Why did you think of recruiting soldiers for me?"
Li Yuanji looked at Qu Tutong in confusion.
From that perspective, Qu Tutong didn't look like someone who could recruit troops for him.
The stronger the strength in his hands, the greater the threat to Li Shimin.
As Li Shimin's man, Qu Tutong should find ways to restrain his strength instead of helping him grow.
Qu Tutong said a little embarrassedly, so he winked at Luo Shixin.
Luo Shixin glanced at Qu Tutong helplessly, and said to Li Yuanji straight to the point: "General Qu Tu wants you to take those surrendered soldiers and generals into your sect, especially Li Quhuo's tribe in Mingshui City."
Li Shimin went to raid Liu Heitai's grain and grass camp. Although he achieved a major victory, he did not capture much grain.
Liu Heita didn't know whether he had heard about Li Yuanji's burning of the granary in Luoyang City, or whether he was unwilling to give Li Shimin the grain he had worked so hard to rob.
In short, when Li Shimin's army was about to break through Liu Heitao's grain and grass camp, Liu Heitao set fire to all the grain and grass inside.
It is said that there are more than 50,000 stones of grain and more than 80,000 dans of fodder inside.
The fire is still burning. If you climb the wall of Mingshui City and look at the location of Liu Heitai's grain and grass camp, you can still see the billowing smoke.
Liu Heita burned more than 50,000 stones of grain and grass, but it had no effect on the Tang Dynasty's troops.
Because the soldiers and horses of the Tang Dynasty had their own food and fodder, they would not be short of food and clothing just because Liu Heitai burned down his food and fodder camp.
However, the soldiers and horses of the Tang Dynasty also had plenty of food and fodder. After some were allocated to Li Yi and Du Fuwei, there was no more leftover.
In the battle of Mingshui City in the Tang Dynasty, more than 40,000 enemy soldiers and generals were surrendered, and more than 80,000 civilian men and women were surrendered, totaling more than 120,000 people.
The daily food and drink for 120,000 people is a huge number.
The commander could not afford to feed them, and it was impossible to save the food rations for the soldiers and horses of the Tang Dynasty to feed them.
This is a time of war, so saving food rations must not be done.
Li Shimin is now busy encircling and suppressing Liu Heita, and the important task of arranging surrendered troops, generals, husbands, and women naturally falls on Qu Tutong, Han Liang, and Yu Zhining, who are in charge of the rear.
Qu Tutong and the other three were clever and could not cook without rice. Qu Tutong knew that Li Yuanji had not really burned the grain in Luoyang's granary, so he took the idea on Li Yuanji's head.
After all, Li Yuanji has 300,000 shi of grain in his hands, not to mention feeding 120,000 people, he can also afford to feed another 120,000.
"How many people did Datang surrender in this battle at Mingshui City?"
As soon as Luo Shixin's words came out, Li Yuanji immediately understood the secret behind it.
If he hadn't been forced to do so, how could Qu Tutong have kindly helped him recruit troops?
Ninety-nine percent of the time, it was because too many people were being recruited to surrender, so they were concerned about the food in his hands.
Qu Tutong smiled bitterly and said: "Including husbands and women, there are a total of 120,000 people..."
"Ah……"
Li Yuanji smiled sarcastically.
120,000 people means 120,000 mouths.
The amount of food consumed every day was astonishing. Although he had 300,000 shi of food in hand, it was still consumed when transporting it from Luoyang City to Mingzhou.
After taking into account the losses on the road and the food and drink for 120,000 people, how much food does he still have to feed the people in Hebei?
If he hadn't been thinking about the people of Hebei, he would have exchanged those grains for greater benefits with Li Yuan, Li Jiancheng, and Li Shimin.
If you don't say anything else, if you ask Li Yuan for 300,000 shi of grain for three or five marquises, Li Yuan will definitely nod his head without hesitation.
Li Jiancheng would not frown if he asked Li Jiancheng for several governors.
Ask Li Shimin for some general managers in Hebei. Li Shimin will probably be able to bring all the general managers from Hebei states to him and let him choose.
"The soldiers and horses you recruited are too expensive, and my family can't afford them."
Li Yuanji refused without hesitation.
Seeing that Li Yuanji had understood his intention, Qu Tutong hurriedly said: "Your Highness does not need to support all of them, only thirty to fifty thousand people."
Li Yuanji rolled his eyes at Qu Tutong.
What's the difference between asking him to raise 30,000 to 50,000 people and raising everyone?
When he was helping the people, he set a standard of two thin meals a day and one dry meal.
He distributed the grain according to this standard, and Qu Tutong and others made do with it, and they were able to feed everyone.
"Not even 30,000 to 50,000 people."
Li Yuanji refused again.
Qu Tutong looked at Su Dingfang hurriedly.
Su Dingfang hesitated for a moment and said: "If your Highness can help, please help."
Li Yuanji stared at Su Dingfang.
Who do you belong to?
Do you know who you should turn to?
Seeing Li Yuanji's eyes widen, Su Dingfang guessed Li Yuanji's thoughts and said with a wry smile: "There are a few among the generals who can barely use it, and there are some warriors among the soldiers who can also use it."
Li Yuanji glared at Su Dingfang again.
No wonder Su Dingfang would speak for Qu Tutong. It turned out that he was interested in some talents among the surrendered soldiers and generals, and wanted to take the opportunity to recruit them.
I know it is a good thing to recruit talents for him, but there is no need to hang out with Qu Tutong.
With his status, no one dared to stop him when he went to surrender troops and generals and recruit a few people.
"We'll discuss this later. I don't have the spare capacity to support tens of thousands of people."
Li Yuanji said neither salty nor bland.
Qu Tutong was anxious, "Your Highness..."
Li Yuanji suddenly glared at Qu Tutong, "Your Highness, what? I have burned down the Luoyang granary, and I don't have much food left. How can I feed so many people?"
Qu Tutong obviously wanted to tell the truth about how he burned down the granary in Luoyang. How could he let Qu Tutong tell him?
Qu Tutong opened his mouth anxiously and wanted to speak.
Li Yuanji did not give Qu Tutong a chance to speak, "Qu Tutong, don't forget what you promised me."
Qu Tutong had promised him that he would not tell the truth about how he burned down the granary in Luoyang.
If Qu Tutong goes back on his word, don't blame him for giving Qu Tutong a look.
Seeing Li Yuanji's decisive attitude, Qu Tutong could only close his mouth with a grimace.
"I still want to sleep for a while, so you can go down first. Su Dingfang stays behind to hold the halberd for me."
Li Yuanji issued an order to expel guests.
Qu Tutong could only bow his hands to Li Yuanji with a look of helplessness.
Luo Shixin actually had something to say to Li Yuanji, but seeing that Li Yuanji was no longer interested in talking to anyone, he could only bow and salute, and left the room with Qu Tutong.
As soon as Qu Tutong and Luo Shixin left, Li Yuanji glared at Su Dingfang and said with a bit of hatred: "What do you think? For a few surrendered soldiers and generals, you asked me to raise tens of thousands of people."
Su Dingfang said with a bitter face: "Your Highness, those are not just a few surrendered soldiers and generals, but sixteen captains and 3,600 warriors."
Su Dingfang is not a novice in the officialdom. He still knows a little bit about the officialdom.
If he hadn't wanted too many people, he wouldn't have spoken for Qu Tutong.
There are nearly 3,700 people. Even if Li Yuanji comes in person, it is difficult to take them away easily, let alone him.
So when Qu Tutong asked him to help lobby for Li Yuanji to support those surrendered soldiers and generals, he thought of interest exchange.
Is it possible to help the commander share part of the pressure by raising those surrendered soldiers and generals in exchange for those captains and warriors he likes?
"More than three thousand people?"
Li Yuanji looked at Su Dingfang in astonishment and asked.
Su Dingfang nodded heavily.
Li Yuanji said suspiciously: "Liu Heitai has so many capable people under his command?"
Su Dingfang nodded heavily again.
Li Yuanji said with some disbelief: "Since they are capable people and warriors, why were they defeated?"
Su Dingfang opened his mouth, not knowing what to say.
What Li Yuanji said is a bit unreasonable.
Liu Heitai fought all the way from Beizhou to more than ten states in Hebei Province, recruiting many capable people and warriors to surrender.
It's just that Liu Heitai's rise was too short, and he was a bit nepotistic, so many capable people and warriors didn't have the chance to climb up, and Liu Heitai didn't give them a chance to show off.
They have no way to show themselves, naturally they are not very eye-catching, and they cannot sit in high positions. They can only work under a group of people whose brains are not as good as their own.
Youdao means that one general is incompetent and the three armies are exhausted.
No matter how good a capable person or warrior is, if he is followed by a stupid general, he will suffer defeat.
Moreover, in this battle at Mingshui City, Li Shimin was simply using a hammer against a wooden hammer.
Just on the battlefield in the corridor of Mingshui City, Qin Qiong, Yuchi Gong, Niu Jinda, and Wu Heita were deployed, four generals who could take charge of their own affairs. In Mingshui City, there were also Qu Tutong, Luo Shixin, and him.
Among the people Liu Heitai left in the corridor of Mingshui City, the only ones who could be named were Zhou Wenju and Cui Yuanxun.
The situation is similar in several other battlefields.
Therefore, it is not that Liu Heitao has no capable men and warriors under his command, but that the capable men and warriors sent by the Tang Dynasty are too powerful and fierce.
