Cheng Dalei has a ferocious appearance and his words are not very cultivated, which often makes people overlook how cunning he is.
At best, he is calculating, at worst, he is cunning.
Who knows how many bad ideas this rough man has in his heart. Thinking of this, Li Xingzai suddenly felt shuddering in his heart. We really cannot underestimate this rough man...
Speaking of which, I also have a man named Chu Yunsheng who is good at calculating. I don’t know who will be superior and who is inferior if the two sides collide...
Inside the tent, Qi Jiguang, Xu Wentian, and Ma Chao were all whispering to each other, expressing deep admiration for Cheng Dalei in their words.
Li Xingzai looked at this scene and thought to himself: He can no longer cooperate with Cheng Dalei. If he continues to work with him, he will have to fool all his men.
"Ahem." Li Xingzai coughed lightly: "Okay, okay, I think Cheng Dalei is just mediocre. In my opinion, this battle is mostly about luck."
"You can't say that, Cheng Dalei is very cunning." It was Ma Chao who spoke. He gritted his teeth when he mentioned the people in Toad Village: "The Rong tribe has won consecutive battles, so the arrogant soldiers will be defeated. Several sneak attacks have provoked the Rong tribe's rebellion.
Anger can finally lure the Rong people to take the bait. The control of the fire is not something ordinary people can do."
"We made a sneak attack on the Rong tribe's camp in Lizipo and grabbed a batch of food and grass, which is enough for the past few days." Xu Wentian.
Only Qi Jiguang observed his words and expressions and found that Li Xingzai's face was no longer very good-looking. He changed the subject and said, "Your Majesty, what should we do next?"
"About this matter..." Cheng Dalei paused: "I want to discuss it with Cheng Dalei."
Li Xingzai and Cheng Dalei's troops camped in two places, not too far apart, but not too close either. At present, Cheng Dalei only had more than 700 men, and Li Xingzai had less than 10,000 men. Even if the forces of both sides were added,
At the same time, they are also weak against the powerful Rong tribe.
Now we have to wait for the troops from Toad Village to arrive. Without Qin Man, there is not much we can do.
Based on time calculation, after the battle of Li Zipo ended, Qin Mandang was about to arrive.
…
In Chang'an City, Luo Cheng was summoned to the palace.
Although Li Letian often appeared in the city and met Luo Cheng frequently, such a solemn summons was indeed very rare.
Li Letian summoned Luo Cheng in the imperial study. Luo Cheng was a little nervous and bowed respectfully.
Looking up, he saw that Li Letian had lost some weight, and there were already a few strands of white hair on his forehead. Thinking of his age, Luo Cheng felt a little bitter.
"General Luo, in your opinion, can Chang'an City still be defended?"
Luo Cheng's heart was agitated, and then he lowered his head: "I have no choice but to fight to the death and defend Chang'an City to the death."
Li Letian smiled, a bit like crying and laughing: "I asked more than just you, most of them were like this, but what I want is not only your loyalty, but also a way to truly defend the city."
Luo Cheng lowered his head.
"Let me ask you seriously, do you really think Chang'an City can be defended?"
Luo Cheng raised his head and found Li Letian's eyes staring closely at him. At this moment, his heart was pounding and he could no longer restrain himself.
Can Chang'an City be defended? Ask ten people in Chang'an City, and ten people may give ten answers, but none of them will be what Li Letian wants.
Even the fools in Chang'an City know the answer. Li Letian certainly knows it, and Luo Cheng naturally knows it too.
Luo Cheng finally plucked up the courage and said, "Is your Majesty afraid that you will have to consider what will happen after the city is broken?"
As soon as he said this sentence, Luo Cheng's heart hung in his throat. He saw Li Letian slumped on the back of the chair, and his whole figure suddenly looked several years older.
Although I already knew the correct answer, I still wanted to believe that there would be another way. Now, this layer of window paper has been pierced by Luo Cheng.
Seeing that Li Letian's expression was not good, Luo Cheng immediately said: "Your Majesty, Chang'an City may not be able to be defended, as long as..."
Li Letian waved his hand, interrupted Luo Cheng, and said: "Everyone is lying to me, but you are the only one who told me the truth. You are my loyal minister."
Luo Cheng was stunned for a moment, thinking that he probably was.
"Now I have something I want you to do. Are you willing to agree?"
"I am willing to die for Your Majesty."
Li Letian stood up and said: "I am the emperor of the empire. The whole world is not the king's land, and the shores of the land are not the king's ministers. Millions of people in the empire are my subjects. I can't give them three meals a day.
Meal, seasonal clothing, are my sins."
"Your Majesty is serious."
Li Letian shook his head and said: "You and I both understand that Chang'an City can no longer be defended. If we continue to defend it, we will only let the people of Chang'an City be buried with my Li family. This is the Li family's crime and should not be
It’s up to the people to bear it.”
"What is it that His Majesty has asked me to do?" Luo Cheng raised his head.
"I asked you to go out of the city. Do this quietly and don't let anyone know about it for the time being."
"Your Majesty means..." Luo Cheng was startled: "Peace talks with the Rong people?"
"It's not peace talks." Li Letian shook his head and said seriously: "It's surrender."
In the peace talks, at least both parties sit on the negotiating table as equals, but now there is no equality to talk about between the empire and the Rong people. What's more, the Rong people's trip south this time is different from the past. They are not trying to grab some property or women, but
Want to seize the entire country.
Of course, Li Letian was not without bargaining chips. Surrendering to the Rong tribe might save Chang'an City from war, but it would also give the Rong tribe the legitimacy of the Li family's rule of the empire.
Luo Cheng felt his throat was a little tight and said: "Your Majesty, you should think twice, Chang'an City may not be able to be defended."
Li Letian shook his head seriously and said: "After this incident, I will be a sinner for the ages, and this crime will also be shared by you. Are you willing to share this infamy with me?"
Luo Cheng took a deep breath and said: "I am willing to share your worries for Your Majesty."
Li Letian nodded, unable to sit back on the chair, and said, "Please step back, I'm tired."
After today's events, Luo Cheng just realized how difficult it is for an emperor to be emperor. Chang'an will be reduced to ruins and the people will be buried with him when he comes; when he retreats, he will be infamy through the ages. The literati of all dynasties will point at Li Letian's spine and scold him.
It can be wrong to advance, but it is also wrong to retreat.
This is the dilemma for an emperor.
After Luo Cheng left the palace, he came to the city head alone, looked at the Rong camp outside the field, and then looked back at Chang'an City.
When it got dark, he summoned a few people close to him and asked them to hang him off the top of the city with a rattan basket.
After landing, Luo Cheng rushed to the Rong camp alone. In fact, he was discovered by patrolling soldiers before he even got close to the Rong camp.
Reporting all the way to Nohara Huo, even Nohara Huo was shocked. Because although the massacre order was issued, he really didn't expect that Li Letian would choose this path.