After Li Yi ascended the throne, he kept everything simple. In order to save money, he temporarily canceled all ceremonies. Even the imperial study room was used as the old imperial study room left by his father.
In the imperial study, Li Yizheng discussed the next step with the new Right Prime Minister Han Huang and Left Prime Minister Zhang Yanshang.
Han Huang said slowly: "The current situation is obviously that the enemy is strong and we are weak. Zhu Si has the upper hand. We should face the reality and take a defensive position. I have thought about it all night and have three suggestions for your Majesty's consideration."
He then bowed to Zhang Yanshang and said, "Please also ask Zhang Xiangguo to correct me!"
Li Yi said with great joy: "Xiangguo Han, please tell me!"
"The first suggestion is to send a large army to defend Xiazhou and Hanzhong and use natural dangers to prevent Zhu Si's army from entering Sichuan; the second suggestion is to vigorously build a naval force to ensure the smooth flow of waterways in the south of the Yangtze River and Bashu, and to prevent Zhu Si's army from continuing to the Yangtze River.
March to the south; the third suggestion is to contact Guo Song, the governor of Hexi Province, and ask him to contain Zhu Si from behind."
Zhang Yanshang frowned and said: "I fully support the first and second plans, but I am a little confused about the third plan. Why should Guo Song be asked to contain Zhu Si from behind? Is this request necessary? Is he
Not a court minister?"
Han Huang said calmly: "Zhang Xiangguo, we have to face the reality. We have lost contact with Hexi for almost three years. Guo Song led his army to the west and captured Longyou. Which matter did he discuss with the court? Including his appointment of officials.
, reforming the official system, and never told the court, we know nothing. It is undeniable that Guo Song is still a minister of the Tang Dynasty in name, but if we really order him with a condescending attitude, I am afraid it will be us who are embarrassed in the end."
Just when Zhang Yanshang was about to object again, Li Yi waved his hand, "We can't take care of Guo Song's affairs yet. Don't waste our energy on him for the time being. I think the third point can not be considered in a hurry. Instead, we can consider Liu Qiahe.
Ma Sui, recall the two of them together with the army to Chengdu and reuse them, what does Han Xiangguo think?"
Han Huang thought for a while and said: "The two of them should stay in Jiangnan, one to take charge of Jiangnan East Road, the other to take charge of Jiangnan West Road, plus Chen Shaoyou's Huainan Road. We still have the power to rebound, but we need to accumulate strength."
Zhang Yanshang said: "Wei Chen also agreed to keep the two of them on the east and west roads of Jiangnan, and Zhu Si has already turned against Li Xilie. Zhu Si's next target must be Li Xilie. We can use this opportunity to strengthen combat readiness and build warships."
Li Yi nodded repeatedly. He deeply felt that this was a virtuous prime minister, and Lu Qi was really a treacherous prime minister who harmed the country.
"The two prime ministers are right. Let's discuss internal affairs again and see if there are any other ways to increase revenue and reduce expenditures?"
Time has gradually arrived in late February. The business of Xiazhou Bafang Restaurant has become extremely deserted these days. There are not many customers at the end of the day. Next to Bafang Restaurant is a military camp. The restaurant mainly deals with military business. The deserted business also means that the military camp
There are changes.
That night, in the attic at the top of the restaurant, a waiter was staring unblinkingly at the military camp below. The military camp was less than fifty steps away from them. From the attic, one could clearly see what was going on in the military camp. This was also the internal affairs camp.
The important reason for choosing this restaurant.
Shopkeeper Jia came over, slapped the waiter, and scolded with a smile: "I didn't see you being so serious. Are you peeking at Widow Wang again?"
"Shopkeeper, that's your hobby. I don't have it. I feel like there's something unusual in the military camp today."
"What's abnormal?"
Shopkeeper Jia quickly stretched his neck to take a closer look. After looking for a long time, he said, "There's something wrong! Why is there no one there?"
"There is no one left, and the soldiers on the guard tower are also gone."
"wrong!"
Shopkeeper Jia suddenly saw it. He pointed to the left and said, "The martial arts field over there is gathering!"
The clerk also saw that the martial arts field to the west of the military camp was crowded with soldiers. At this time, the soldiers began to move. Groups of soldiers walked toward the outside of the camp. They were all wearing armor and holding weapons. They were all
There are as many as three thousand infantrymen.
"It's really started!" the shopkeeper said to himself.
"Shopkeeper, shall we report to Zhang Ye at dawn?"
"There's no rush. Let's ask Ma Wencai first and get the exact information before we speak!"
At dawn, Shopkeeper Jia received the exact news from Ma Wencai's wife that all 15,000 party troops had been dispatched, and Ma Wencai also set off with the army, but his whereabouts were unknown.
Shopkeeper Jia immediately reported the urgent information to Zhang Ye using the letter eagle.
At the same time, soldiers from the scout battalion from Hexi were also distributed around Xiazhou. They also discovered the Party troops coming out of Xiazhou. They were moving to the southwest. The scout's eagle message was also sent to Zhang Ye at the same time.
After entering mid-February, Guo Song made deployment. He ordered Liang Wu to lead 3,000 cavalry to secretly stationed in Wulan County, Huizhou. Wulan County was only fifty miles away from the border of Lingzhou, and was the closest city to Lingzhou from Jiedu Prefecture in Hexi Province.
city.
The Hexi Army also hoarded a large amount of food supplies in Huizhou, ready to be transported to Lingzhou at any time.
Guo Song received the eagle letter from the internal affairs camp and the scout camp at dusk. He stood alone in the tent, looking at a map of Shuofang hanging on a wooden frame.
After a month of continuous intelligence gathering, Guo Song has gradually understood the strategy of the Dangxiang people. Their strategy is simple and simple. The troops are divided into two groups, one group will annihilate Shuofang's army, and the other group will raid Lingzhou.
But he couldn't see it, but Guo Song knew one thing better than Cui Kuan: Dangxiang's army only had 10,000 troops in name, but in fact they had 20,000 troops.
After pondering for a long time, Guo Song immediately ordered: "Immediately send an eagle letter to Wulan County and order him to rush to Lingzhou immediately."
That night, Guo Song also personally led 30,000 cavalry to leave Zhangye and kill Lingzhou at lightning speed.
Cui Kuan also sent troops. Zhu Si's military operations in Shannan East Road allowed him to see an opportunity. He did not hesitate to implement the plan five days in advance. He would lead 15,000 Shuofang troops and 10,000 Dangxiang troops to join forces and capture Qingzhou.
, Suizhou, Yanzhou and other prefectures and counties.
Cui Kuan's first target was Gyeongju.
The continuous remnants of the Helan Mountains in the northern part of the pass separate Shuofang and the pass. Whether it is to capture Qingzhou or Yanzhou, Xiaoguan must be captured first, and only after entering Xiaoguan can the states within the pass be swept across.
Zhu Si was also on guard against Cui Kuan. He deployed 3,000 troops at Xiao Pass. As long as Xiao Pass was defended, the states within the Pass would not need to deploy more troops.
Fifteen thousand Shuofang troops arrived at the foot of Xiaoguan Mountain in a mighty manner. It was getting late at night. Cui Kuan ordered the troops to rest where they were, waiting for the Dangxiang army led by Ma Wencui to come to join them. Of course Cui Kuan considered letting the Dangxiang troops come.
When attacking Xiao Pass, Dangxiang's army had a Qiang army of about a thousand men, who could cross mountains and ridges and were very suitable for attacking the pass.
Time gradually came to Haishi, and the soldiers of Shuofang Army were resting in a wilderness. Cui Kuan was looking at the map of Xiao Pass in a marching tent. Xiao Pass is a dangerous place, easy to defend and difficult to attack. There are three thousand defenders stationed on it.
It can definitely be captured.
If Xiao Pass cannot be captured, they will have no choice but to take a detour, go north along the Yellow River to Fengzhou, then go south along the Yellow River from the east, enter Yanzhou, and take Yanzhou first.
Cui Kuan secretly regretted that he should not have gone through Xiao Pass, but should have detoured to Fengzhou. As long as he attacked Xiao Pass and had a fierce battle with the defenders, he would inevitably fall out with Zhu Si, and Zhu Si would probably send troops to intervene. On the contrary, if
He occupied Yanzhou silently, and Zhu Si might recognize it.
Wrong decision!
At this time, a soldier said at the door of the tent: "Your Majesty, the scouts are here to report that General Ma's team is here!"
Cui Kuan nodded and immediately went out to greet him.
Dozens of his personal guards came to the north and saw an army coming in force in the darkness. Cui Kuan asked loudly: "Is it General Ma?"
There was no answer from the other side. He suddenly felt a little uneasy in his heart. Just as he was about to turn the horse's head back, he only heard Ma Wencui shout sharply, "Fire the arrow!"
Suddenly, a volley of arrows was fired from the opposite side, and a thousand arrows were shot at Cui Kuan and his soldiers. Cui Kuan could not dodge, and both his men and his horses were shot like hedgehogs. The moment before his death, regret poured into his heart.
"Kill!"
Ma Wencui roared loudly, and 10,000 party cavalry rushed towards Shuofang's resting army like a mountain falling apart.
The soldiers of Shuofang's army were caught off guard and collapsed in an instant. Fifteen thousand soldiers scattered and ran for their lives. Some soldiers fled desperately in the wilderness, followed by party cavalry in pursuit, and some smart soldiers fled to the mountains for their lives.
Ma Wencui shouted: "Leave no one alive, kill them all!"
The horses galloped, hacking and assassinating mercilessly, and one after another Shuofang Army soldiers screamed and fell in a pool of blood. This was a one-sided massacre. Ma Wencui spent several years to win Cui Kuan's trust, and Shuofang Army finally
Lost in Cui Kuan's stupidity and arrogance
At the same time, another party army of ten thousand people was marching rapidly overnight towards Lingzhou. There were cavalry and infantry in the team, and the infantry carried siege weapons. This was the day they had been waiting for for decades. Lingzhou
The state was empty, and they were finally going to occupy this fertile Qiantao plain.
Just when Dang Xiang's army had just entered Lingzhou, three thousand cavalry led by Liang Wu arrived in Lingwu County first.