In the Chengqian Hall.
Li Shimin smiled and said: "Is this all the mixed results you have learned?"
In addition to Li Shimin, Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, and Changsun Wuji, those present today were also Yu Zhining, Han Liang, and Li Shiji who were transferred to Beijing not long ago. Ling Jing glanced sideways and said calmly: "Later Han's horse supports the old plan."
Fang Xuanling nodded and said: "In the attack on Longxi, Ma Yuan gathered rice to form a mountain and pointed out the situation, so that Emperor Guangwu was captured in my eyes."
Everyone was looking at the sand table on the ground, where stones, soil, and grass were piled up to form mountains, dense forests, and plains. Yu Zhining and Han Liang were amazed, but Li Shiji was silent. He vaguely guessed that the person King Qin was talking about had learned a lot. Who is the person.
During the Shandong War, Li Shan sent Zhang Wenguan to Chang'an. Li Shimin and his close aides met Zhang Wenguan in Li Shiji's courtyard.
Li Shiji was different from Li Jing. He was General Wagang in his early years, and later defected to the Tang Dynasty together with Guo Xiaoke. He participated in the two battles of Hulao in Luoyang under Li Shimin, and was favored by Li Shimin during the great victory in Luoshui. He was regarded as a direct descendant of the King of Qin from then on.
"What do you think of Mao Gong?" Li Shimin asked with a smile.
"The King of Handan has a strategy in every battle before and a bravery in the back. The Turks can't stop the edge." Li Shiji followed the trend and praised, feeling a little bitter in his heart. He spent the rest of his life fighting in Wagangzhai, leading one side, and then surrendering to the Tang Dynasty. After being defeated in Hebei, Hulao Pass avenged its humiliation and was unexpectedly defeated again in Hebei. However, the young prince was sure to win every battle, and victory was a great victory.
Li Shimin smiled and said, "Is this the end of the nonsense?"
Li Shiji also smiled. His mentality was quite subtle. He thought for a while and said seriously: "The first time for this battle was to choose the right time. The second time was when the King of Handan rushed into the battle with the banner of the Chinese army, causing the Turks to collapse."
Detailed military reports have been sent and everyone has read them. Since the victory of Luoshui, Li Shimin has never returned to the battlefield. Li Shimin often does battlefield deductions similar to today's in Chengqian Hall and Tiance Mansion.
"Looking at the battle report, Su Dingfang and Zhang Zhongjian made great contributions. If Zhang Zhongjian hadn't disrupted the formation and delayed the Turks' retreat, the King of Handan might not have been able to catch up." Li Shiji continued: "Su Dingfang rushed north after breaking the formation, preventing Dubu Khan from gathering his troops calmly. , but if it hadn’t been for the King of Handan and his Modao team, they might not have been able to defeat the Turks’ rear-end troops.”
Changsun Wuji asked curiously: "How can Mo Dao be so powerful?"
"It is indeed powerful." Li Shiji remembered the few tough bones he encountered in the battle to pacify Jianghuai the year before. "Fu Gonger sent more than ten thousand troops south to Youzhou. The governor Zuo Nandang led his army to attack. They encountered five hundred swordsmen on the mountain road and were immediately defeated. .”
Fang Xuanling suddenly said: "Youzhou and Yuanzhou are quite similar, Mo Dao will be of great use."
Yuanzhou is mountainous and can be regarded as the most complex area in the northwest. The so-called Youzhou is probably near Huangshan City in later generations. The terrain is more complicated and there are indeed similarities.
After chatting for a while, Changsun Wuji said in an indifferent tone: "Handan is lucky..."
"Huairen asked for war that day, promising that the Turks would be defeated, the three states would be recovered, and the Liang brothers would be captured and brought to trial before the imperial court." Li Shimin shook his head slightly, "When the army first arrived, they immediately attacked without stopping, without setting up any camps..."
Li Shiji was stunned for a moment, then hesitantly said: "What does His Highness mean... is it planned by the King of Handan?"
"Dubu Khan wants to hold on for a few days and then withdraw his troops, luring the enemy deep, cutting off their retreat, and annihilating them in one fell swoop." Du Ruhui said loudly, "I think I have a plan, but in fact I have fallen into the trap of Handan."
Yu Zhining's mind turned around before he realized that it was Li Shan who lured the Turks to lure the enemy deeper. It's a bit hard to say, but its execution requires high control of people's hearts and the battlefield situation.
After pondering for a moment, Yu Zhining looked at Ling Jing with a smile, "If you want to know Handan, I should count Ling Gong first."
In the early years, Yu Zhining and Han Liang had met Li Shan near Luoyang, but they had little contact. Both of them were key figures entrusted by the King of Qin to control Daxingtai of Shaanxi Province.
Ling Jing huffed for a long time and said reluctantly: "In Huairen's words, it will be left to the imagination of future generations."
"Imagination?"
"Actually, it's not a design, it's just a coincidence, but in the eyes of future generations, it was done deliberately." Ling Jing didn't know the truth, so he could only say this ambiguously.
Li Shimin and Fang Xuanling both smiled in response, but Du Ruhui sneered. How could it be a coincidence? They talked secretly late that night, and they kept saying that they should first hold on to the defense line, and then try to expel the Turks... As a result, after the army arrived, a fierce attack was enough. , actually not setting up a camp, is nothing more than a hint to the Turks that they want to win quickly.
But Li Shimin also had to admit that there was nothing wrong with Li Shan's plan. Even if the Turks were defeated and the Tang army did not gain much, they could successfully expel the Turks and regain the main road...but the casualties would be slightly heavier.
"Unexpectedly, there is Handan." Li Shimin sighed, "I'm afraid it will be difficult to jump on a horse and hold a tree again in this life."
Yu Zhining, Han Liang, and Li Shiji all share their concerns. Now there is Li Yaoshi, the Duke of the Hedong Road, and Li Huairen, the King of Handan, on the Guan Nei Road. It is indeed difficult for King Qin, who was so angry that he devoured the world like a tiger, to lead his troops into battle again.
But Du Ruhui said seriously: "Although His Highness has general talents, he is not a general."
Everyone nodded, and Li Shimin also responded with a smile. The situation of the succession is still unclear, but in general, King Qin's lineage is not at a disadvantage, and the East Palace seems to be unstable.
Based on the current situation, it is impossible for the King of Qin to lead the troops until the crown prince falls. If Li Shimin takes over the East Palace, it is impossible to lead the troops himself. After Li Shimin ascends the throne, it will be even more impossible... In short, Li Shimin will basically not be able to lead the troops in his life. Maybe go to war again.
For the King of Qin who once made great military exploits by leaping on his horse and whipping his whip, there was always a little regret in his heart.
Li Shimin glanced at Ling Jing and said, "Huairen will be put to great use in the future."
Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui both nodded in agreement. If in the early years in Shandong, he still made plans as a counselor, the several battles in Daizhou were either small in scale or not the actual person in charge. However, in the battle of Jingzhou, Li Shan acted in an upright and upright manner. He commanded tens of thousands of troops to defeat the Turks.
Ling Jing didn't say anything, but he was worried in his heart. If a tree is beautiful in the forest, the wind will destroy it. Huairen becoming famous in the world after a few battles may not be a good thing in the long run... Not to mention other things, one day the King of Qin will ascend the throne. With so many generals under his command, who wouldn’t want to lead the army and make meritorious deeds?
As if he noticed something, Li Shimin smiled and waved his hands: "I'll talk about it another day, I'll talk about it another day."
That kid is very slippery. After he enters the East Palace or ascends the throne, he will most likely retreat on his own initiative... Li Shimin thought in his heart, don't be anxious, don't be anxious, he is younger than himself.
There are plenty of opportunities for the Eastern and Western Turks, Tiele Jiubi, Tubo, Goguryeo, Silla and so many barbarian tribes in the north. What Li Shan said and praised that night made the prince, who was not yet thirty years old, filled with pride.
(End of chapter)
