The meeting dispersed and everyone went about their duties.
Yuan Jingtu and Changsun Chong looked at each other and stayed. Yuan Gaisuwen glanced at the two of them and returned to the study on the side together.
"But something happened?"
Yeon Gaesumun took a sip of tea and asked.
Yuan Jingtu then talked about the "joint drill". At the end, he implored: "At present, Pingrang City has gathered 200,000 elite troops in the country, and there are also 100,000 troops reinforced by King Buyeo. It seems that there are many soldiers and a wide range of troops." , or they can fight hard, but in fact they are not under each other's control. Once the war gets intense, the weaknesses of the lack of tacit understanding and cooperation experience will be exposed. How can such a scattered army fight against the Tang army that is rampant in the world? Brother, please think twice. "
Yuan Gaisuwen had a sullen face, considered for a long time, glanced at Changsun Chong and asked, "Does your nephew think so too?"
Changsun said hurriedly: "Exactly."
"Um."
Yeon Gaesumun thought about it again, then nodded and said: "It would be good to practice some exercises to enhance the tacit understanding between the troops. In this case, you go back and prepare. Your Majesty, I will go over and inform you." Just one sound is enough. However, your first priority right now is to maintain law and order in Pingrang City. Anyone who disrupts order must be severely punished! If you offend any big shot, I will support you. But if the unrest in Pingrang City continues, I will hold you accountable!"
Changsun Chong's heart tightened and he quickly responded: "Here!"
At present, the Tang army is about to come south with a fierce momentum, and everyone in Pingrang City is panicking. It is too difficult to suppress it and bring order. But fortunately, with Yeon Gaesumun's endorsement, and he didn't plan to stay in Goguryeo forever, he didn't have to worry about people's hearts and people's anger, so he could just do whatever he wanted, which wasn't too difficult.
The worst thing is to kill people. If you kill a few high-ranking officials and dignitaries, the common people and merchants will become honest...
The two of them came out of Damolizhi Mansion and went out of the city together.
When they arrived outside Qixing Gate, Changsun Chong suddenly remembered something and asked curiously: "I have heard that the most elite army in Goguryeo is called the 'Wang Zhuang Army'. It is the elite among the elite. Compared with the 'Xuan Army' under the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty The Armored Cavalry is no less generous. But why have I never seen him?"
Under the throne of Goguryeo, a standing army "Wang Zhuangbing" was maintained.
The number of Wang Zhuang soldiers generally does not exceed 10,000. The early soldiers came from the Guilou tribe where the King of Goguryeo was born. Later, they gradually attracted some noble children of various ethnic groups. This army is well-trained, brave and good at fighting. It is responsible for guarding the palace and the capital in peacetime and accompanying the king in wartime.
After the decline of the Goguryeo royal family and the rise of Yeon Gaesumun, this army was gradually infiltrated by him and became an important armed force loyal to Daemoliji, but its combat effectiveness did not decline.
Such an elite among the elites has always seen its head but not its tail. Changsun Chong came to Pingrang City for a long time, but he never saw it.
If the movement of this army is unclear, it may add variables to the Tang army's attack on Pingrang City in the future...
Yuan Jingtu rode on the horse and glanced at Changsun Chong. Seeing that there was nothing unusual about him, maybe he was just curious, so he reminded: "The existence of 'Wang Zhuangjun' is the most important guard force of Da Molizhi. It’s better not to care about this army, otherwise if you are thought to have ulterior motives by Da Molizhi... Haha, the wise nephew is a smart man, so you should understand what Uncle Yu means. Da Molizhi is strategizing, calculating the world wisely, and is prepared for everything. , Our order is attached to Jiwei, just do your job faithfully, don’t be too smart to avoid complications.”
After saying that, he rode forward, passed Anhe Palace, and returned directly to the mountain city of Dachengshan.
Changsun Chong rode his horse and stood outside Anhe Palace. Looking at Yuan Jingtu's leaving figure, he felt a little frightened.
Could it be that Yuan Pure Land saw something about me?
He opened his eyes again and looked at the walls of Pingrang City, wondering in his heart: Where is this "Wang Zhuangjun"?
*****
Anshi City.
The remaining enemy troops in the city had been cleared away, and those who dared to resist were massacred. Some even took advantage of the chaos to escape from Anshi City, but were intercepted and killed by Xue Wanche and Ashina Simo in Daque Valley.
But even so, there were still probably no less than 20,000 soldiers gathered together.
If it were left in the past, how to arrange the so many surrendered soldiers would have been a big deal, but since Fang Jun suggested that Xue Yantuo's descended soldiers should be reorganized into a "Construction Corps", they should be assigned to various parts of the Tang Dynasty to build water conservancy, open mountains and pave roads, and ford water structures. After the construction of bridges, ore mining and other projects, both the government and the public have tasted the benefits.
There is no need to provide subsidies and subsidies, only a small amount of food is provided, there is no need to worry about the dangerous conditions of the construction site, no matter how many people die, it will not feel bad, and there is no need to worry about the impeachment of the censor, and it can also greatly reduce the corvee that the people of the Tang Dynasty need to bear. It is simply Kill multiple birds with one stone.
It is said that this method was adopted in the pre-Qin Dynasty. The prisoners who died were gathered together in one place, built the Great Wall and built mausoleums, thus getting twice the result with half the effort...
These surrendered soldiers of Goguryeo need to be dispatched first to escort them back to the country, and then the Ministry of War will disrupt their organization, and then negotiate with the Ministry of Works to send them to the places where construction projects need to be started, and then send troops to guard them.
His Majesty Li Er finished his official duties in the newly refurbished Commander's Mansion, put down his brush, shook his arm, took a sip of tea, and saw Changsun Wuji, dressed in plain white, walking in.
Within a few months, Changsun Wuji, who was originally rosy-faced and energetic, had turned white at the temples and looked slumped. He had aged by more than ten years.
He no longer retains his original demeanor as "the most noble person in Zhenguan"...
Although he was extremely dissatisfied with Changsun Wuji's various actions, his love for him still existed. His Majesty Li Er felt sad in his heart. He smiled and said: "I haven't seen the auxiliary aircraft for a few days. Do you still need your health? Some things are going well in the army, so you can rest more." It’s better to rest and take good care of yourself.”
General Zhang Sun Wuji called to come and take a seat, and poured a cup of tea with his own hands.
Changsun Wuji bowed and thanked him, took the tea cup with both hands, and placed it gently on the table in front of him. His voice was hoarse and he said: "The scoundrel from my family wrote a letter saying that he has gained the trust of Yuan Gaesumun and was appointed as the guard of Anhak Palace. , is responsible for leading an army to garrison the Seven Star Gate. In addition, he is trying to understand the reality and strategy of the garrison in various places in Pingrang City. Once something is discovered, he will immediately send the news back. "
His Majesty Li Er was silent for a while and sighed.
It's not that he lamented that Changsun Chong had a family and couldn't return and had to live in exile. He asked for it. He had treated each other like a parent and son, staying by his side to cultivate and promote him, but in the end he repaid himself with rebellion. He was just lamenting that his eldest son, Wuji, lived a heroic life, but when he was old, he ended up with no descendants and a shaky family background.
He had been fighting with Fang Xuanling for half his life. Now that Fang Xuanling has retired from office, he spends his free time writing books and essays, entertaining his grandchildren, and enjoying family happiness. His political legacy is also inherited by his son, keeping his family intact and his honor and favor everlasting. However, Changsun Wuji's sons died tragically, the eldest son went into exile, the entire family withered, and the family's glory could not be sustained...
For family members like Changsun Wuji, they never care about personal life and death, honor or disgrace, but they care deeply about the inheritance of the family.
When the eldest grandson Wuji dies, who can take on the family business and shoulder the glory of his eldest grandson's family?
Having no successor is the saddest thing.
Therefore, Changsun Wuji spared no effort in hoping to pardon Changsun Chongzhi's sins so that he could one day return to Chang'an and inherit the family business.
As a father, he has to worry so much about his son, which is really pitiful and helpless...
His Majesty Li Er sighed softly, recalling the love and respect Empress Wende had for Changsun Chong, her maternal nephew, and she couldn't help but feel a little soft-hearted.
Perhaps Changsun Chong just had a misunderstanding at that time. Because of his resentment towards the prince, he went astray and wanted to depose the prince and replace him as the heir apparent.
After all, for a man, that kind of disability is simply worse than death. It is understandable that there is some resentment in his heart.
Furthermore, with Changsun Chong's current identity and status, even if he is pardoned for the crime of rebellion and allowed to return to Chang'an, not only will he not be able to inherit the position of the head of the Changsun family, he will not even be allowed to serve as a minor official in the court, and he will be able to turn over the throne. What kind of waves?
Then he said in a deep voice: "The auxiliary machine can tell Da Lang, as long as he performs special honors, I will naturally not break his promise. I will definitely pardon his sins and allow him to return to Chang'an. However, Yuan Gaisu Wen is extremely cunning, so he must be careful. Be careful and don’t fall into Yeon Gaesumun’s conspiracy.”
After all, Yeon Gae So-moon is also a hero. Is it possible for ordinary people to completely eclipse the King of Goguryeo? No matter how cruel and violent it is rumored to be, its abilities are definitely second to none. Such a character will definitely not be easily deceived, let alone have his arrangements easily detected by the enemy.
If Yuan Gaisuwen discovers that the eldest son Chongyang has violated the law, he secretly informs the Tang army of the defense situation of Pingrang City, and he can take advantage of the situation and set up an ambush. When the Tang army attacks Pingrang City according to the defense information provided by Changsun Chong, they might step into the trap set up by Yuan Gaisuwen in advance...
Detailed work is not easy to do. The authenticity of the news and whether it is delivered in a timely manner are all important.
A piece of false news is often more dangerous than no news, and the harm caused is much greater...
