Chapter 527 Taoist priest comes out of the mountain
While the Northern Tang army was fighting in full swing in Hebei and Chang'an, the Southern Tang battlefield fell into a brief silence.
Lu Jiong, the general of the Tang army who was originally stationed in Nanyang, retreated to Xiangyang because of the ruins of the city.
Xiangyang is Li Heng's place of Longxing. The emperor has issued an order and must defend it without any loss.
Officials in nearby prefectures and counties also knew the importance of Xiangyang, so soldiers, grain, grass, money and goods were sent to Xiangyang in batches.
After repeated expansion, Xiangyang's military strength actually reached 40,000, which was even more than the number under Yan Army General Tian Chengsi.
Because of this, Tian Chengsi, who was facing Lu Jiong, did not dare to advance any further and only stationed himself fifty miles north of Xiangyang.
In Suiyang in the east of the Southern Tang Dynasty, Zhang Xun, a general who used human breasts as food, was captured and killed by the enemy in history. But now he not only survived, but also was promoted to the governor of Yangzhou for his merits and was granted the title of
For Deng Guogong.
Li Heng ordered his two sons, Li Chu, the king of Guangping, to garrison Fengyang, and Li Tan, the king of Jianning, to lead an army of 20,000 to assist Zhang Xun and confront the Yan army general Yin Ziqi in the Bianshui area.
When Li Tan, King of Jianning, arrived in Xiayi (now Xiayi County), it was almost midsummer.
Li Tan discovered that most of Yan's soldiers were from the north and could not bear the heat. Many of them took off their armor and went into the river to enjoy the cool air.
Li Tan then led his army and secretly hid by the river. When the Yan army descended into the river, he sent his soldiers who were familiar with the water properties to sneak into the river and drag the Yan army soldiers into the bottom of the river and drown them alive.
When the Yan army saw this, they thought there were water ghosts in the river and fled in all directions.
At this time, Li Tan took the opportunity to lead his army out and defeated the Yan army by the river.
In the following months, the soldiers of the Yan Army did not dare to approach lakes, rivers, or even creeks and springs for fear of being dragged into the water and drowned. This greatly boosted the morale of the Tang Army.
The situation in the Southern Tang Dynasty gradually stabilized, and Li Heng, who was far away in Jiankang City, also welcomed an important guest, a counselor who might change the situation of the entire world.
Next to the Xuanwu Gate, Li Heng led the civil and military officials of the Southern Tang Dynasty to the city tower and looked towards the far end of the street.
After waiting for a while, Li Heng asked Li Fuguo (Li Jingzhong), the chamberlain next to him: "Isn't it here yet?"
Li Fuguo bowed and replied: "Your Majesty, he said he has already entered the city, so he must be arriving soon."
Li Heng nodded, put his hands behind his back, and paced back and forth on the tower.
After a while, Li Fuguo whispered: "Your Majesty, he is here."
Li Heng's body trembled and he looked into the distance.
I saw a young man wearing white Taoist robes, holding a Taoist whisk, with delicate appearance and fluttering feathers, riding on the back of a donkey, walking slowly towards the Xuanwu Gate.
Li Heng's eyes lit up and he said happily: "Yes, that's Li Mi!"
After saying that, he quickly walked down the tower. Seeing this, the civil and military officials quickly followed.
Li Heng walked out of the city gate and saw that Li Mi had already got off his mount, so he smiled and greeted him.
Li Mi put the fly whisk in his arms, bowed and saluted Li Heng, and was about to speak.
Li Heng grabbed Li Mi's arm and said with a smile: "Did Chang Yuan receive my letter? I've had a hard time waiting these days."
Li Mi: "My Majesty, I am late, please forgive me."
Li Heng: "It's not too late! Just come as soon as you come!"
After saying that, Li Heng took Li Mi and walked towards the mansion regardless of the eyes of others.
The latter had a wry smile on his face, pointed to the luggage on the donkey's back to the attendant on the side, and motioned to help take care of it.
Entering the side hall of Zhongyuan, Li Heng introduced the civil and military officials of the Southern Tang Dynasty to Li Mi, and then held a banquet.
Li Heng's first words when he opened the banquet were direct to Li Mi without any mince words: "Chang Yuan, the position of right prime minister in the DPRK is still vacant. I'm just waiting for you to fill the vacancy."
As soon as this statement came out, many Southern Tang officials who did not know Li Bi's background were shocked.
A young Taoist priest with a white body and no official record. Your Majesty wants to give him the position of Right Chancellor?
But these officials may not know that in Li Heng's heart, Li Mi was definitely capable of assuming the position of right-hand prime minister.
Li Mi, born in 722 AD, was the sixth grandson of Li Bi, one of the Eight Pillar Kingdoms of the Northern Zhou Dynasty. He was able to write chapters at the age of 7 and was known as a child prodigy.
Two of the Four Wise Ministers of Kaiyuan, Zhang Shuo and Zhang Jiuling, were amazed by Li Bi's talent after meeting him and rushed to become his teacher.
Li Mi followed these two teachers and studied poetry, prose, warfare, strategy, etc., but his favorite knowledge was Taoism.
Before the Anshi Rebellion began, Li Longji placed Li Mi in the Hanlin Academy and asked the latter to assist the prince.
At that time, Li Mi also formed a close friendship with Li Heng.
In those years, Li Heng was able to live safely until now despite Li Linfu's repeated frame-ups, and Li Mi played an important role in it.
Because of this, Li Heng had a great deal of trust in Li Mi. He would stay with Li Mi when he went out and sleep on the same couch. He regarded him as his most important adviser.
Later, Li Mi was demoted to Qichun because he wrote poems that satirized Yang Guozhong and An Lushan. After Li Heng became emperor in Xiangyang, he was the first to think of him.
After a long search, he was finally welcomed into Jiankang City.
After hearing the invitation to become the right prime minister, Li Mi stood up and said to Li Heng: "Your Majesty, I have no intention of becoming an official. I just want to help quell the rebellion and continue to live in seclusion in the mountains and forests."
In desperation, Li Heng had no choice but to retreat and ask Li Mi to serve as military advisor and military commander of the marshal's palace. However, Li Mi still disagreed and only wanted to assist Li Heng as a civilian.
After you came and went several times, Li Heng had no choice but to say in an almost pleading voice: "I don't dare to ask you to be my minister. I just want to ask you to help me in trouble. When the rebellion is suppressed, I will let you go or stay."
After receiving this promise, Li Mi accepted the appointment.
After the banquet, Li Heng took Li Mi to the side hall and asked the latter for advice.
The first question Li Heng wanted to ask, and the most important question in his mind, was the legalization of the throne.
After giving an overview of the Maweipo Rebellion, Li Heng asked Li Mi: "The Supreme Emperor must hate me deeply now. What should I do?"
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Li Heng swept away the Buddha's dust and asked in a leisurely manner: "After His Majesty proclaimed himself emperor in Xiangyang, did the Supreme Emperor send an edict of condemnation?"
When Li Heng heard this, he was stunned on the spot and murmured to himself: "Yes, I proclaimed myself emperor in Xiangyang, why didn't I see the imperial edict from the Supreme Emperor to condemn me?"
Li Mi: "If the Supreme Emperor really hates Your Majesty, after hearing that you proclaimed himself emperor in Xiangyang, he will definitely be furious and issue an imperial edict to declare you a traitor. However, the reason why the Supreme Emperor did not do this is precisely because
Now that the rebels are so powerful, how to save the Tang Dynasty is more important than holding you accountable."
Li Heng was a little surprised: "You mean, the Supreme Emperor will recognize my throne?"
Li Mi: "The Emperor has gone through countless trials and tribulations, and is a wise and sage. He can see more clearly than ordinary people what is light and what is important. After His Majesty left Maweipo, he led two thousand forbidden troops and liberated Nanyang and Yongqiu successively.
After learning about the difficulties, the Supreme Emperor must have been relieved. After all, having a successor in the Tang Dynasty who can save all people from water and fire is a supreme merit."
Li Heng nodded repeatedly and said happily: "If the Supreme Emperor is willing to think this way, then the big stone in my heart can be considered as falling to the ground... However, at the moment, my throne has not yet received the imperial edict, nor the jade seal, so it is not justified.
It’s not going well, it’s really…”
Li Mi handed over to Li Heng and said, "Your Majesty, why don't you write a letter with your own hands to apologize to the Supreme Emperor as the son of man, and speak more sincerely, so as to ease the relationship between us."
Li Heng hesitated: "If I write a letter, will the Emperor read it?"
Li Mi: "Your Majesty, please rest assured. I can guarantee that the Emperor will be delighted when he receives your letter."
