In Yunzhou City, after receiving Li Jing's letter, the governor Li Ji looked very ugly. As expected by the champion, he had fallen into the trap. But there was one thing that puzzled Li Ji. Why didn't the old commander Li Jing, or even all the generals of the Tang Dynasty including himself, see through Jie Li's evil plan, but Xiao Rui, a young man, could see through it? Is he really that much taller than everyone else?
Not really.
Concern leads to chaos. Everyone involved in this war wants to save the prince. In other words, the prince's safety needs to be put first. The only exception is Xiao Rui. It doesn't matter whether he likes Li Chengqian or not, but he won't involve a child in a war involving hundreds of thousands of people.
It is very honorable for others to be a prince, but not for him. If Li Chengqian dies, the Tang Dynasty will not be destroyed.
Li Jing and others were eager to save the person and would not let go of a glimmer of hope, so they were willing to accept the appointment, and then they fell into the trap. What if it's Xiao Rui? Haha, we are not in a hurry. After destroying all your troops, the prince will naturally get it. Now it is in your hands for the time being, and you will not dare to harm it.
"Jie Li said that the whole army would be dispatched. He clearly wanted to send us to Dingxiang. Should we go?" Li Ji asked Xiao Rui for his opinion.
Xiao Rui thought for a moment, nodded and said: "Go, if you don't go, won't he underestimate us? I originally wanted to catch him off guard with a diagonal stab when he and the commander were in the middle of a fierce battle. Since he thought there were more soldiers and horses, You can win, okay, let’s compare with him.”
Li Ji worriedly asked: "What about Tu Li? Once Yunzhou's troops move, Tu Li will be a hidden danger. How can we prevent him from participating?"
Does not participate? Why not participate? There is no lucky person in this war, why should he not participate? Xiao Rui raised his eyebrows.
Li Ji explained that he was afraid that he would attack the poorly defended Yunzhou City.
Xiao Rui waved his hand and said: "No, I will give him a letter and invite him to go with us to fight for Jieli. Isn't he our ally? If he is not willing, haha, then he is an enemy. Let's destroy him now. If If you are willing to stand with us, I wonder if Jieli will be afraid?"
ah?
Li Ji worriedly said: "If he pretends to surrender and stands with us when the time comes, it may not be a good thing."
"Don't be afraid, Yunzhou's 30,000 soldiers and horses will keep an eye on them. There is no need to participate in the decisive battle." Xiao Rui decided on a countermeasure.
"How can that be done? In this way, only the Marquis and the three thousand Xuanjia troops are left to support. The gap in our military strength is still huge... Now that we don't have 20,000 elite cavalry, we can only defeat the cavalry with foot. The gap in numbers is too big. How can we win?" Li Ji disagreed.
Xiao Rui smiled calmly and said: "Before this battle, I told Your Majesty that I had prepared two surprises for Jie Li this time. The Governor will know about it then."
Without revealing it, Xiao Rui went to write a letter to Tu Li.
After Tuli received the letter, he did not hesitate at all and immediately agreed, willing to follow the Marquis to destroy Jieli and regain the throne that belonged to him.
So on the east road in the direction of Yunzhou, a combined force of 60,000 troops marched toward Yanzhou in a mighty manner. Among them, the champion Hou Xiaorui was escorted alone by the Xuanjia Army and formed another army.
Tu Li publicly defected to the Tang Dynasty. When the news reached Dingxiang City, Jie Li became furious and vented his hysteria. He threatened that after the war, he would kill Tu Li's family with his own hands.
In the Yanzhou camp, Yuchi Gong laughed loudly, "There are 60,000 from Yunzhou. We have 60,000, plus Shubao's 20,000, a total of 140,000. There is also the Xuanjia Army. I asked Jieli if he is afraid?" Do you still dare to challenge me head-on?"
Old Li Jing wanted to refute, but then he thought, yes, send someone to ask Jie Li how he is feeling now. One hundred and forty thousand against one hundred and forty thousand, do you still dare to challenge?
Jie Li stubbornly agreed to continue the bet. Don't forget that we still have Liang Guo as reinforcement. If your Zuo Wuwei's 20,000 troops dare to move, Liang Guoshuo will immediately send troops, at least 30,000 troops.
The Tang Dynasty blatantly withdrew Qin Shubao's Zuowu Guards. We no longer defended Shuofang, and we all gathered under Dingxiang City.
So Xue Li from Shuofang City also sent troops, and brought all 40,000 defenders from Shuofang to support Dingxiang City. He bluntly said that Shuofang did not want this battle and would definitely win. Jie Li greatly rewarded him and hosted a banquet in person.
After several days of marching, Xiao Rui and others finally arrived at the Yanzhou camp.
Instead of visiting Li Jing first, he came to Hou Junji's tent. The general had eight wounds from swords and more than a dozen arrow wounds. He was sulking in his tent as he watched the battle but was unable to participate.
"Being angry is not good for recovery, General Hou. This battle is still going on. Do you really not want to participate?" Xiao Rui opened the door and walked in.
Hou Junji said in surprise: "Master Hou! You are back...you, me, alas, Hou Junji is incompetent, and let down the hard work of Youzhou for a year, and the 20,000 elite cavalry of the Tang Dynasty. It is all explained." "
Xiao Rui stepped forward and personally unwrapped the bandage to check the injury, and then helped Hou Junji apply medicine himself. The two have been together in Luoyang for many days and can be regarded as a pair of good friends.
Hou Junji said movedly, "Don't be busy. If your body hurts, your heart may feel better."
Xiao Rui complained: "I have heard it all, and the responsibility for this battle is not yours. You led the troops to fight against the Turks until the last soldier. Looking at the entire Tang Dynasty, no one dares to say that the soldiers he led are braver than you. , which one didn’t lose three troops and was defeated?”
"If you have to blame someone, then blame the prince. If this kid didn't cause trouble, how could he have made so many sacrifices today?"
Hou Junji retorted: "No, the war between the Tang Dynasty and the Turks is inevitable, not just for the prince. I underestimated the Turks' fighting power. I have never heard of so many dead soldiers around Jie Li, even if They are the Royal Guards, whom we also fought against back then, alas..."
Xiao Rui thought for a moment, "I think this is Zhao Deyan's deliberate design to deal with me."
"Master Hou, I heard the commander say that they may still come for you this time. Now that you have lost all your martial arts skills, you must be careful." Hou Junji reminded.
After visiting Hou Junji, Xiao Rui walked straight into the meeting room, where a group of generals were arguing.
"Our Youwuwei will be the main attack!"
"My left back will be the main attacker!"
"My right guard..."
"I, Zuo Wuwei, are the main attacker!"
…
Xiao Rui really wanted to cover his eyes, thinking, are you facing Ping'an County in front of you?
"Master Hou!"
"Master Marquis is here? Please comment, who should be the main attacker in this battle?"
Everyone looked at Xiao Rui.
Xiao Rui spread his hands and said, "What do you want me to do? Of course, the commander-in-chief has the final say on who will be the main attacker. Even I am the commander-in-chief's subordinate."
Old Li Jing smiled and scolded: "Do I dare to command you, kid? It's obvious that Jieli's intention is to come for you. He doesn't even look down on my 60,000-strong main force. He must have prepared something for you and the Xuanjia Army. Gifts. How do you respond?"
