Chang'an, inside the Hall of Wude.
Princess Li Xiuning of Pingyang, dressed in a fiery red military uniform, was kneeling in front of Li Yuan with tears in her eyes. Regardless of the dissuasion of ministers on both sides, she kept kowtowing to Li Yuan and said: "Father, please allow me to follow the army to Hanchuan and take down the Sui Dynasty." Take the heads of Long Zhi and Guan Ling to avenge the consort!"
Li Xiaocha fled back to Chang'an yesterday. He brought back bad news to the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty: the 30,000 Tang army that supported Li Xiaogong in Bashu was wiped out, Hanchuan County was lost, and the consort Chai Shao unfortunately died in battle.
After hearing the news, Princess Li Xiuning of Pingyang could not bear the blow for a while and fainted on the spot. After several rescue efforts by the imperial doctor, he finally regained consciousness.
After regaining consciousness, Li Xiuning ignored the imperial doctor's advice to have a good rest. She took out the armor she had worn when she and Chai Shao followed Li Shimin to pacify Xue Rengao. After dressing up, she left the Princess Mansion and rushed straight to the Wude Palace where the morning court was taking place. , tearfully asked Li Yuan for a fight.
Looking at his daughter who kept kowtowing at the bottom of the steps, Li Yuan felt heartbroken. Originally, Li Yuan was quite dissatisfied because of Chai Shao's capture in Jingxiang. If it weren't for his daughter's deep love for him and his wife, he would have planned to find another consort for his daughter.
But now when the news of Chai Shao's death came, Li Yuan felt sad in his heart. After all, this son-in-law worked very hard for his career as emperor and made a lot of contributions.
However, Li Yuan knew very well that he was the emperor of the Tang Empire, and his status did not allow him to behave emotionally.
After taking a deep breath, Li Yuan controlled his emotions, stood up slowly, walked down the steps and helped Li Xiuning up, saying: "Sanniang, it's not that I don't want to avenge Sichang, it's because I am incompetent. Now Erlang leads the way. The army fought Wang Shichong in Hongnong, and Dalang also led the army to Qingzhou to fight the Sui army. I really don’t have any generals to lead the army."
Li Xiuning wiped the tears on her face and said seriously: "Father, I am willing to personally lead a large army to Hanchuan. I ask my father to fulfill my wish."
"you?"
Li Yuan stared at Li Xiuning for a long time, and finally shook his head and objected: "I know that Sanniang is a heroine, a hero among women, and she also led tens of thousands of rebels to help me attack Chang'an. But now you have been blinded by hatred, like this You can't lead an army."
When Li Xiuning heard what Li Yuan said, her eyes turned watery again, and she sobbed: "Then my father is not willing to avenge Sichang?"
Li Yuan sighed helplessly, patted Li Xiuning on the shoulder and said: "Sanniang, Sichang is gone, and my father is also very sad. But now that the Tang Dynasty is at war on all sides, you still need to understand some difficulties!"
"Father, I do not agree with your statement!"
As soon as Li Yuan finished speaking, and before Li Xiuning spoke, a man suddenly appeared from among the ministers, bowed his hands towards Li Yuan and said: "Father, I think that Hanchuan is a strategic location connecting Guanlong and Bashu, and we must not let it fall." In the hands of the Sui army. What's more, Chai Prince Consort was a general from Yuan Cong who his father raised an army from Taiyuan in the past. Now he died on the battlefield. If his father sat idly by and ignored it, it would definitely chill the soldiers of the Tang Dynasty who fought bloody battles on the front line. Heart!"
Everyone looked around and saw that the person who was speaking out was about twenty-five or six years old. He had a handsome appearance, a slender figure, and an extraordinary bearing. It was Li Longji, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty who had just entered and exited recently, and was implanted as the son of Li Yuanshu. After Li Yuan became emperor, he was named King Changguang.
Li Yuan is now old and greedy for pleasure. He does not have much energy to deal with trivial government affairs except military and state affairs.
In the past, Prince Li Jiancheng helped with the matter, but now Li Jiancheng is away on an expedition and his other sons are young. Li Yuan then thought of the son of a concubine. Although Li Longji still needed to report to Li Yuan after handling it, Li Yuan generally had no objection to these trivial things.
Moreover, as an emperor who could create a prosperous Kaiyuan era, Li Longji's own abilities were not bad. He handled many things so that Li Yuan could not find fault at all, and unknowingly he began to reuse this bastard who was not very popular in the past.
After hearing this, Li Xiuning glanced at Li Longji gratefully, knelt down on the ground again and said, "Father, the prince-in-law's revenge must be avenged, and the important land of Hanchuan must not fall into the hands of the Sui army!"
Li Yuan glared at Li Longji with great displeasure and shouted: "I have already said that the imperial court has no soldiers and generals to send. Is it possible that any of you can spread the beans and make an army?"
Li Longji curled his lips slightly and said: "Father, who said that our court has no troops to send? Uncle Shentong is sitting in town and has 50,000 elite troops under his command. Isn't this a ready-made army?"
"Absolutely not!"
As soon as Li Longji finished speaking, Prime Minister Chen Shuda came out and said: "Your Majesty, this is absolutely impossible! King Huai'an's 50,000-strong army is used to defend Yang Yanzhao's regiment on the Nanyang front line of Wuguan. If King Huai'an's army is transferred, then Yang Yanzhao will Then we can lead the army out of Wuguan and attack Chang'an!"
"Chen Xiangguo is worrying too much!"
Li Longji smiled slightly: "Although Yang Yanzhao is worshiped as the Governor of Nanyang, and his position is the same as that of Xue Rengui, Li Jing, and Chang Yuchun. But in my opinion, this person is just relying on his royal family background and does not have much ability at all. Otherwise, he would not He holds tens of thousands of powerful soldiers but has not made any achievements for many years!"
"What's more, I didn't say that I would mobilize all King Huai'an's army. According to the intelligence, the people who invaded Hanchuan were the Longzhi Division who originally guarded Xicheng County. The number of soldiers and horses is about 30,000."
"Xicheng is the gateway to guard Jingxiang's flanks. There must be about ten thousand soldiers and horses left behind. In addition, Long Zhi's attack on Hanchuan was to support Li Jing's attack on Bashu, so after they captured Hanchuan, they would definitely send an army A group of troops and horses attacked Jiange to attract the attention of Prince Zhao and General Li Shiji."
"Jiange has been a dangerous place in the world since ancient times. Although most of Bashu's troops and horses were transferred to the eastern front due to Li Jing's attack, if Long Zhi wants to make some noise in Jiange, it will take at least 10,000 troops. Calculated in this way , I am afraid that there are only more than ten thousand Sui troops who can really stay in Hanchuan."
Chen Shuda sneered: "His Royal Highness King Changguang, please don't forget that Chai Prince Consort was defeated and died. I am afraid that many of the 30,000 troops he led were prisoners of war of the Sui army. Your Highness's talented analysis forgot to include these people. Got it!"
Li Longji laughed and said: "It would be better if Chen Xiangguo didn't mention it. Now that you say it, I think this battle will be easier to fight. Don't forget, most of the 30,000 troops led by Prince Consort Chai are Guanlong people. They His parents, wife and children are all in Guanzhong. If Long Zhi really dares to take in these Tang army prisoners of war, it will only take a few letters from home to make the Sui army collapse without a fight!"
