The morale of the army comes from victory. In the past few years after the reorganization of Youtunwei, they marched north and west. Even though they faced the world's powerful armies many times, they still had outstanding achievements such as overthrowing Xue Yantuo and defeating the Great Cannibal. Others, such as Tuyuhun and Turk, even more Kill at will.
The Zuo Tun Guards, who are as famous as the Right Tun Guards, launched a surprise attack with full strength, but were still beaten to pieces by half of the Right Tun Guards, running like wolves...
Victories one after another made the whole army full of confidence. At this moment, Zuo Wuwei made a brazen attack. How could he endure it?
All the generals clamored for an immediate counterattack and gave Zuo Wuwei a severe lesson.
Gao Kan was not infected by this warm atmosphere. He scolded him calmly and said in a deep voice: "We are not afraid of Zuo Wuwei, but the situation is not clear yet. Zuo Wuwei only came with a mere two thousand Qingqi, which is obviously a test. It means even more, and there is also the Right Houwei who is crossing the river on the other side. If we attack the Zuowuwei with all our strength, wouldn't it expose a weakness to Yuchi Gong? We are not afraid of any army in the world, but we cannot be reckless and reckless, resulting in failure. Keep all the necessary casualties to me!"
Whether it is the left Wuwei or the right Houwei, the actions of these two armies are really unreasonable and too strange. Before he can understand the true intentions of Cheng Yaojin and Yu Chigong, he naturally refuses to fight with all his strength and must stay. There is room to cope with changes.
Among the Youtun Guards, Gao Kan had a high prestige. Under the scolding, the generals did not dare to say anything. They had to rush to their respective units obediently and follow the military orders to gather near the Central Army. They turned a blind eye to Zuo Wuwei's provocation. But at the same time, we are also prepared for a massive counterattack at any time.
*****
In the Wude Hall, even at midnight, the lights were still brightly lit, with servants, clerks, civil servants, and generals coming in and out, and the atmosphere was tense.
The confrontation between the three armies at the foot of Zhongnan Mountain may trigger a melee at any time, causing the situation in Chang'an that has just stabilized to change again. This makes Chang'an and outsiders pay attention to the situation there all the time. Military orders are issued from the Taiji Palace, and the Sixth Army of the East Palace sends additional troops. Horses inspected various places in the city, strengthening the defense of the city wall, and the swords were at war.
…
Li Chengqian put the handkerchief he used to wipe his face into the copper basin and waved it to the waiter to take it away. Then he picked up the tea cup and took a sip of hot tea. He exhaled and looked at Li Jing, Ma Zhou, Xiao Yu, Liu Jie, Li Daozong, and others in front of him. Cui Dunli, who had been assisting Ma Zhou in stabilizing the situation in Chang'an, said warmly to the latter: "Can the funeral at home go smoothly?"
Cui Dunli was dressed in linen clothes with a haggard expression. He nodded and said, "Your Highness, I would like to thank you for your condolences... Everything is going smoothly, and the funeral will be held in a few days."
Li Chengqian said: "My brother died tragically, and I am heartbroken. However, the situation is tense at the moment. I rely on you a lot. I hope you will accept the situation and put the overall situation first."
The meaning behind the words is straightforward and simple.
Cui Dunli understood clearly and said respectfully: "Your Highness, don't worry. I am a minister of the Tang Dynasty, and even more so of Your Highness. I take state affairs as my top priority and will never abandon the official position for personal reasons."
Cui Yuqing, the Minister of Punishment, was attacked and killed by "rogue bandits" and died tragically in Fengqiyuan Manor. The Cui family of Qinghe and the Cui family of Boling were furious, which directly contributed to Cheng Yaojin leading his army to Zhongnan Mountain in order to completely wipe out the Guanlong clan. The situation in Chang'an changed suddenly.
Everyone knows that the Guanlong clan has retreated to the front line of life and death in Zhongnan Mountain. How can they make an extra effort and send someone to attack and kill Cui Yuqing when they are struggling to the death? There must be some reason for it. But for the Shandong aristocratic family and the two major Cui clans, it doesn't matter what the truth is or who the murderer is. This situation is in line with their own interests. No matter what the real purpose of the mastermind behind it is, taking the opportunity to eliminate the remnants of Guanlong is the most important thing. The most important thing.
But the prince naturally did not want to see this scene happen, so he reminded Cui Dunli at this moment to persuade the Shandong family not to insist on going his own way. Even if the Shandong family could not be persuaded, Cui Dunli would still stand on the side of the East Palace. The prince attached great importance to him and did not want to destroy himself. future……
Cui Dunli also expressed his loyalty and put the interests of the East Palace first.
Li Chengqian nodded happily and said with a smile: "In the past few years, Cui Shilang has assisted the Duke of Yue in managing the military department. You have been very dedicated and made great contributions. The Duke of Yue has praised you in front of me more than once. I also think that you are the one who is employed by the imperial court at the moment." At this time, it is time to put some pressure on Cui Shilang and help the lonely general manage the court more stably."
The other people looked at Cui Dunli, not to mention envious. After all, Cui Dunli's official position and status were much lower than these people, and even if he went further, it would not affect their interests. But it is conceivable that with the favor of the prince, Fang Jun as his backer, and being a native of Shandong, he has outstanding talents... His rise to prominence is just a matter of idleness.
Given time, he will definitely be able to sit on an equal footing with them.
Li Chengqian then looked at Li Jing and asked, "What's the situation at Dayun Temple?"
Li Jing said in a deep voice: "Gao Kan led the right guard to station at the foot of the mountain, blocking the way up the mountain. The left guard is menacing, and the right guard is waiting for an opportunity. The situation is not clear."
No one expected that Cheng Yaojin suddenly led his army to attack Dayun Temple, intending to wipe out all the remnants of Guanlong. Even outside Chunming Gate, less than a thousand people were left to guard the camp in a desperate attempt. Yu Chigong's reaction was also a bit unexpected. After all, as the last military force of the Guanlong Clan, he should try every means to preserve it, instead of still heading to Dayun Temple while the Right Tun Guard resisted the Zuo Wuwei to fight with the Right Tun Guard and the Zuowu Guard. The three armies of Zuo Wu and Wei faced each other.
In the past few years, Youtunwei has been campaigning north and west, defeating all the powerful enemies of the foreign countries. It is vaguely known as "the most powerful army of the Tang Dynasty". During the eastward expedition of Zuowuwei, under the command of Cheng Yaojin, he attacked cities and plundered the territory. He marched across Liaodong as long as possible. Entering an uninhabited country, with strong fighting power, and fighting in a melee with these two armies, I am afraid that the Youhou Guards will be wiped out thousands of miles away, leaving no bones left. Yuchi Gong's move is extremely unwise.
But he still went without hesitation. No one knew how much truth or conspiracy there was...
At this moment, a servant came in quickly from outside the door, holding a battle report in his hand. He came to Li Chengqian and said, "Your Highness, the Duke of Yue has sent someone to deliver the battle report. Please take a look at it."
Li Chengqian's heart tightened, and he quickly took the battle report and read it carefully.
Fang Jun's battle report arrived in the middle of the night, it must be no small matter...
Sure enough, after reading the battle report, Li Chengqian's face turned pale. He handed the battle report to Xiao Yu next to him and waved it to everyone to circulate.
There was silence in the hall.
After everyone time-traveled the battle report, Xiao Yu stroked his beard and looked confused: "The situation seems not quite right. Li Ji and Cheng Yaojin both represent Shandong aristocratic families. They supposedly have the same interests. Why did they rush to Dayun Temple to exterminate the remnants of Guanlong?" Cheng Yaojin, not Li Ji who held the army? Yuchi Gong brazenly arrived at Dayun Temple to rescue Guan Long regardless of the survival of the Youhou Guards. He was obviously hostile to Cheng Yaojin. Why did Li Ji not strictly order him to recall him, but instead deliberately condoned it? In addition, , although the Youtun Guards were ordered by His Highness to protect Guanlong, they themselves fought bloody battles with Guanlong, and their hatred and resentment were as high as mountains and seas. Why did they still refuse to retreat in the face of the aggressive posture of the Zuowuwei and Youhouwei armies? Standing in the front with your life, risking your life for the Guanlong clan?"
The butt determines the head, and the interests determine the behavior. However, the forces currently facing each other at the foot of Zhongnan Mountain have completely deviated from their respective interests. The situation is chaotic and confusing... But no matter which party it is, since it has done this There must be a reason for the unreasonable move, but what is the reason?
Li Chengqian's face twitched. He couldn't understand the first few questions, but he knew why the Youtun guards risked their lives for Guan Long. However, Gao Kan still didn't want to talk about marrying his own commander-in-chief Zhang Luo in front of the two armies. It is best to publicize it at this time, otherwise Fang Jun will become the target of public criticism, and the various forces within the East Palace will deepen their fear of Fang Jun...
He coughed dryly and said: "The Youtun Guards are here under the orders of Gu, and their loyalty can shine through the sun and the moon. There is no need to doubt it."
Xiao Yu glanced at the prince suspiciously, nodded and said: "Youtunwei is indeed loyal, even if he behaves strangely, we cannot doubt it... But does the relationship between Cheng Yaojin and Li Ji mean that there is a huge disagreement within the Shandong family? Will this lead to separate parties?"
This is what he is concerned about. As the powerful families in Jiangnan and Shandong are destined to be in charge of the court, they must help each other and work side by side, but they will also naturally become rivals, conflicting with each other and paying attention to everything.
If civil strife broke out in the Shandong family at this moment, it would be great news for the Jiangnan gentry...
Ma Zhou and Liu Ji were civil servants, and they rarely participated in such military topics. As a member of the clan, Li Daozong generally did not express specific opinions.
Only Li Jing, after pondering for a long time, suddenly sighed: "There is something wrong with Li Ji."
The emotion of his life made both Li Chengqian and Xiao Yu subconsciously roll their eyes. Did you know that something was wrong with Li Ji? Ever since the Eastern Expeditionary Army withdrew from Liaodong, everything about Li Jing's every move has gone wrong...
Unexpectedly, Li Jing went on to say: "I have worked with Li Ji for many years, and have led troops across Mobei together. I am very familiar with his behavior and military qualities. What Li Ji is doing now makes me feel like...a puppet, a lot." It’s simply not what his character can do.”
Xiao Yu blinked, feeling an unreasonable panic in his heart, but he was still uncertain. He thought about it and tried to overturn his guess: "Maybe it's because of the existence of the imperial edict?"
If the speculated edict really existed, Li Ji might have just followed the order, which was naturally not in line with his own style.
Li Jing shook his head and said: "What kind of person is Li Ji? It's not an exaggeration to say that he is amazingly talented. Even if the imperial edict really existed, Li Ji would make decisions and take action in his own way instead of blindly following them. Follow the orders... What's more, even if His Majesty leaves an edict, it will only give instructions on what purpose to achieve, how can he plan it step by step?"
Everyone nodded in unison.
Everyone has their own temperament and style. The same thing will have different effects when done by different people, even if the final result is the same.
Li Chengqian remained silent, his eyebrows furrowed tightly. He thought of the dead soldiers who were supposed to be hidden in the Tai Chi Palace and not be known to outsiders, as well as the leader of the dead soldiers, Wang Shoushi...
Why did Wang Shoushi appear in the Eastern Expedition army?
Did he follow his father when he went to war, or did he sneak out from Chang'an and join the army later?
If the father has passed away, as the father's most loyal soldier, will he follow his father's last edict, or will he act on his own?
…
After a long time, Li Chengqian said in a deep voice: "Send a letter to Li Ji. I am leaving the city and rushing to Baqiao to welcome my father back to the palace!"
Xiao Yu and others were taken aback and hurriedly advised: "Your Highness, think twice. The situation in Chang'an is currently uncertain and there are changes everywhere. We should deal with all parties with one heart and one mind."
Once Li Ji escorts His Majesty Li Er's body and coffin back to Chang'an, the whole of Chang'an must immediately start to organize the state funeral. Everything must make way for this. The opportunity to stabilize the government and monopolize power will be missed, and the consequences will be endless.
(End of chapter)
