Yuan Xiaozheng walked in quickly. After two months of running around, his originally fair skin was slightly darkened, and his beard on his chin was densely covered with hair. It looked like he hadn't groomed it for a long time.
He was very busy... Yuan Xiaozheng spent this period of time taking care of the inside and outside. Today's Mayi is worse than Daixian a few months ago. The Turks robbed everything they could and even took it away.
He made a group of people into slaves.
But even so, Yuan Xiaozheng still looked forward to news about Yanmen Pass day and night.
"Erlang." Yuan Junzhang's eyes were a little complicated, "But there's not enough food and grass?"
Because of the lack of food and grass, there were already many deserters in the army. Sometimes they were fine when they fell asleep, only to find at dawn that all the people in the group had fled.
"The lack of food and grass is a trivial matter." Yuan Xiaozheng said softly: "At this moment, the father's choice is a big matter."
Yuan Junzhang was slightly surprised and picked up a book, "What did Erlang want to say?"
"Just now I have to report that more than a hundred people who moved from Shuozhou to Dai County were oppressed by local tribes." Yuan Xiaozheng said softly: "Master Li made a decisive decision. He first mobilized his elite cavalry to move to Dai County, and then personally came forward to kill the powerful tribes with his bodyguards.
The head of my disciple."
The book in Yuan Junzhang's hand fell on the couch, and he smiled bitterly: "Li Huairen is really a good trick."
Li Shan's move settled the people's hearts, which was in sharp contrast to Yuan Junzhang's moves in Yunzhou and Shuozhou... Once the news spread, people rushing to Yanmen would flock to Yanmen.
Yuan Junzhang sighed deeply and glanced at Yuan Xiaozheng. He knew in his heart that the eldest son who died in the hands of Gao Manzheng was strong and ambitious, while the second son was weak in temperament and intended to surrender to the Tang Dynasty.
"My father is wavering between Li Tang and the Turks. The Turks have forced me several times, and Li Tang has been gentle on several occasions. I hope my father will make a decision as soon as possible."
Yuan Junzhang shook his head slightly. He was caught in the middle. How could he make a choice so easily... Turks hated Li Tang, and Li Tang was not much better!
At that time, his colleague Wei Chigong was able to gain the trust of the King of Qin. He fought in the south and the north and made outstanding achievements repeatedly, but he...now he is a one-sided person. Can Li Tang tolerate him?
Even if it is tolerated, can Li Tang tolerate him continuing to occupy Shuozhou and Yunzhou?
"Yunzhou and Shuozhou are sparsely populated, but after this battle, Master Li is planning something in Yanmen. I'm afraid..." Yuan Xiaozheng advised: "Not to mention anything else, just the food and grass for the winter are not enough.
, are we going to search Yunzhou again?"
Seeing that his father remained unmoved, Yuan Xiaozheng gritted his teeth and continued: "Father feels that he is better than his uncle. How about uncle?"
Yuan Junzhang suddenly turned his head and stared at his trembling son... The so-called uncle was Liu Wuzhou back then, and the so-called uncle was Song Jingang. He married Liu Wuzhou's third sister, and Liu Wuzhou's second sister was Yuan Junzhang's wife.
"My uncle once captured Jinyang, Taiyuan, and my uncle marched across the river east of the river, defeating the Tang army..." Yuan Xiaozheng's face turned a little pale, and he said with force: "But in the end, my uncle and uncle died without a burial place."
"Now that my father has occupied Shuozhou and Yunzhou, there is not enough food and grass, people are disloyal, and they are terrified all day long. However, Li Tang has unified the world, the country is solid, and Tuyuhun has been defeated even more, and he appears to be full of energy."
Of course Yuan Junzhang understood what his son meant... If he wanted to use Shuozhou and Yunzhou as his foundation to compete with Li Tang, it would be a widow's death and her son would be hopeless!
Of course, Yuan Junzhang is self-aware of the current situation. Back then, his brother-in-law Liu Wuzhou occupied almost the entire Hedong, but he was eventually destroyed by the Qin Dynasty.
Although there was no King of Qin in Hedong at the moment, Li Shenfu, Liu Shirang, and Li Daoxuan were all battle-hardened generals, and there was also the vicious Duke of Guantao County, Li Huairen. Yuan Junzhang did not feel that he had any chance of winning.
Not to mention the invasion of Hedong, if the Tang army attacks in the spring next year, it is hard to say whether he can defend Mayi... At the beginning of spring, it is unlikely that the grassland tribes will dispatch tens of thousands of cavalry to help.
But it was too difficult for him, a warlord leader who did not have much autonomy, to choose between Li, Tang and Turks.
One bad move is the beginning of destruction.
Yuan Junzhang cursed secretly, now I can't afford to offend anyone!
Looking at his promising son, Yuan Junzhang changed the topic, "Li Tang's victory in the conquest of Tuyuhun a few months ago, how did you know about it?"
Yuan Xiaozheng was a little disappointed and said casually: "The commander-in-chief of the Western Expedition is Li Tang, Prince Consort Du Wei, Qiao Guo Gong Chai Gong, and Master Li is familiar with his wife..."
Just when he said this, Yuan Junzhang looked stern and blurted out: "Chai Shao and Princess Pingyang?"
Princess Pingyang raised troops in Guanzhong and achieved great success. Chai Shao followed the King of Qin to defeat Liu Wuzhou in Baibi. Later, Princess Pingyang stationed around Jinyang for a long time. Yuan Junzhang went south with Jieli Khan last year and even had a meeting in front of the battle.
Unexpectedly, Li Shan was familiar with Princess Pingyang and Chai Shao... Yuan Junzhang was speechless after asking a few questions carefully. That guy was actually proficient in medical skills!
"Master Li is the sister and brother of Princess Pingyang, and the Emperor of Tang regards him as his nephew." Yuan Xiaozheng emphasized his tone, "Before Chai Gong went on the expedition, Master Li recommended Kan Leng and sent the leader of the bodyguard Su Dingfang to accompany him."
"Both of them made great achievements. Su Dingfang broke through three million, killed King Tianzhu in formation, and captured Khan Fuyun alive..."
Yuan Junzhang swallowed unconsciously. Such a ruthless character turned out to be the leader of Li Shan's bodyguard... Although he had long known that the Tang army had defeated Tuyuhun, he was still far away and did not know the details.
Yuan Junzhang began to re-evaluate the importance of Li Shan in his heart. Before, he only thought that this person was a big trouble, with vicious methods and vicious tactics. He did not expect that he had a close relationship with the Li Tang royal family.
Yuan Xiaozheng whispered: "Before Yugushe went west, I asked about Master Li..."
"Um."
"Nowadays, there is civil strife in the Turks. Jieli Khan and Tuli Khan are at odds with each other. Master Li has written a letter. Jieli Khan sent an envoy a few months ago with a letter of credence in order to negotiate peace with the Tang emperor."
"Negotiation?" Yuan Junzhang, who was completely kept in the dark, was shocked. He waved his right arm angrily and swept everything off the table.
Half a month ago, he was still storming Mayi and tens of thousands of Turkic soldiers were still raging in Shuozhou. Jieli Khan actually wanted to negotiate peace with Li Tang!
He is not even allowed to return to Yunzhou, insisting on guarding Mayi!
You know, if the two countries negotiate a peace and you stay in Shuozhou... wouldn't that mean you have to bear the pressure of the Tang army alone?!
If Liu Shirang, Li Gaoqian or even Li Daoxuan and Li Shan attack Mayi next year, will the Turks still send troops?
Yuan Junzhang's face was ashen, he was breathing heavily and gritting his teeth.
Yuan Xiaozheng said softly: "No matter what else, the Turks control hundreds of thousands. Last year they repeatedly invaded Hedong and even moved closer to Chang'an. However, this year they want to negotiate peace with Li Tang. The day of civil strife is not far away."
"I also ask father to make a decision as soon as possible."
"My father knows that you intend to defect to the Tang Dynasty." Yuan Junzhang scolded him with a cold face: "But you have attacked Hedong several times and killed tens of thousands of souls. Once you surrender to the Tang Dynasty, your family will not be safe in the future... You must know that it is not right for you as a father. Yuchi Jingde!"
Power is like a drug. Once you get hooked on it, it is difficult to let it go until you reach a desperate situation... In fact, it is difficult to let it go even if you reach a desperate situation.
These words did not go as Yuan Xiaozheng expected. He slowly knelt down and kowtowed three times.
"What are you going to do?"
"The child is unfilial, please allow the father to allow the child to serve Master Li."
After a moment of silence, Yuan Junzhang's violent curses sounded in the study.