The weather in Jinling is getting colder and colder. The whistling north wind invades the undercurrent of the Yangtze River. The coldness that comes with it continues to spread to the south bank. The last stubborn fern on Bailuzhou is finally suppressed. I bent over and was forced to hang on to the wet cold dew, like tears of surrender.
Li Yuan was sitting in the palace office, sipping steaming tea and patiently flipping through some old military documents of the Southern Tang Dynasty.
These densely packed traditional Chinese characters are written in very different handwritings. After turning two pages, they often change to another type of handwriting, making it very laborious to read. What are the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms? It has only been fifteen years since the founding of the Southern Tang Dynasty. Five emperors have been changed in the Central Plains. A small official who records military affairs has been changed more frequently. Is it abnormal? Li Yuan thought so.
Walking to the window and looking at the tall towers not far away standing silently in the cold wind, Li Yuan smiled faintly. A prosperous capital city looks as if it cannot be moved by wind and rain, but once it changes its owner, it will be in a different situation. It may remain as majestic as before, or even collapse and be destroyed. Sometimes human power is more terrifying than natural disasters.
At this time, Li Yuan inexplicably thought that he had been involved in this world's chaos. If he wanted to survive, it would be impossible for him to stand alone and with his current status. Compared with myself in the military camp three months ago, although I have already experienced transformation now, it is not easy to be able to stand at the foot of the imperial city, but so what if I become the direct governor of Yuhou, the power to mobilize troops is not in my hands. A Chen Jue can force you to put on a mask and dare not breathe, but it is obviously not enough.
Throughout the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, the throne of the emperor has always been the dream of all ambitious people, but whether it is secure or not is another matter.
In Li Yuan's view, it would be more stable to be a powerful feudal town. But the monarchs of the Southern Tang Dynasty were also very smart. After the founding of the country, they learned the lessons of most countries. The general power was firmly controlled by the central government. The Forbidden Army not only guarded Jinling, but also stationed in various state capitals. The envoys stationed in various places caused a huge deterrent to the local Jiedushi governors, so that there was no rebellion in local feudal towns in the Southern Tang Dynasty, which is really commendable.
Therefore, it was extremely difficult to separate the regions in the Southern Tang Dynasty. But there are also special circumstances, namely wartime. The emperor would grant privileges to generals he trusted, such as Bian Hao, who was appointed governor of Xinzhou and envoy to the camp before marching into Chu.
This is the goal now! Li Yuan secretly thought that if he wanted to achieve anything, he must not stay in Jinling for long.
When his mind was wandering, Peng Shigao walked in, and Li Yuan greeted politely: "Envoy Peng Du!"
This is the military office directly under the palace. After all, it is Peng Shigao who speaks the loudest. He is seen walking in a hurry, and after returning the greeting, he sits down on his own. He stared at Li Yuan's cup of tea for a while, then asked the clerk to make another pot of tea soup.
Peng Shigao said with a serious face: "Your Majesty has issued an order."
Li Yuan's heart moved. Liu Jiangsheng had just brought a battalion of soldiers to Beiyuan a few days ago. Didn't he just start reorganizing the Forbidden Army? Why so fast? He immediately asked: "When will we send troops to Chu Di?"
After quietly watching the clerk put down the teapot and exit the door, Peng Shigao continued: "It's not Chu, this time it's Zhou. Has Li Yuhou ever heard of Murong Yanchao?"
Li Yuan thought for a while and replied: "This man is a strong general. Liu Zhiyuan, the founder of the Han Dynasty, is the same mother and brother. Guo Wei established the Zhou Dynasty on behalf of the Han Dynasty. Although Guo Wei gave imperial edicts to appease him, Murong Yanchao separatized Yanzhou and refused. He always secretly harbored rebellion. Heart."
"Exactly." Peng Shigao replied: "Murong Yanchao has already raised troops to rebel against the Zhou Dynasty. He not only contacted the Han Kingdom in the north, but also sent an envoy to Jinling the day before yesterday to request rescue. Your Majesty has issued an order to order Yan Jingquan of Haizhou to lead elite troops. Five thousand go north first."
Li Yuan couldn't help but his face darkened: "Does Your Majesty think that he can command the Central Plains this time? After years of fighting, Fujian and Chu are still in bad debt. We, the Tang Dynasty, are exhausted. If we don't pacify Chu as soon as possible, we will How can we win if we rashly send out troops to conquer the powerful Zhou Dynasty?"
Peng Shigao shook his head disapprovingly, but said with a smile: "Li Yuhou's words are wrong! The current situation in the Tang Dynasty is a once-in-a-lifetime situation! Murong Yanchao occupied Yanzhou, with sufficient money and food, many soldiers and strong cities; the leader of the Northern Han Dynasty also After contacting the Liao Kingdom, we have already raised 50,000 troops to attack Jinzhou. The Khitan cavalry has always been good at fighting. Now we, the Tang Dynasty, have sent troops to the north to attack each other from the north to the south. I wonder how Guo Wei can last for less than a year after his founding? Taking advantage of the melee in the Central Plains, Now is the God-given opportunity to command Kaifeng and compete in the Central Plains!"
Seeing Peng Shigao's complacent look, Li Yuan sighed and said, "Does Your Majesty think the same way?"
"Not only your Majesty, but also Prime Minister Feng, Ambassador Chen and many other important ministers have requested the Northern Expedition! Only Minister Han has been discouraging Your Majesty."
Li Yuan said with emotion: "As expected of Han Xizai! Shilang Han did the right thing, this battle will never be won!"
Peng Shigao seemed a little unhappy, and his face was full of doubts: "How can you see it?"
Facing Master Peng's suspicious gaze, Li Yuan stood up calmly and pointed at a military map hanging on the wall: "If five years ago when the Khitans destroyed the Jin Dynasty, the Central Plains had no master, and Your Majesty had accepted the advice of Han Shilang, If we send troops to the Northern Expedition, maybe our Tang Dynasty has already recovered the two capitals! It will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Who is Guo Wei? He is not Liu Zhiyuan who took advantage of the situation, let alone the weak son-emperor Shi Jingtang. Although the Zhou Kingdom was founded less than a year ago Years ago, Guo Wei had many soldiers and generals, all of whom followed him and were battle-hardened tiger and wolf troops.
Although Murong Yanchao was named Taining Jiedushi, he only had an isolated city in Yanzhou in his hands. Kaifeng Mansion in the west and Qingzhou Mansion in the east are only a short distance away from Yanzhou. The elite imperial guards of the Zhou Dynasty can reach them within a few days, and the city will be besieged in an instant. "
Peng Shigao stared intently at the three small points pointed out by Li Yuan on the map, swallowed his saliva and said: "What about the Han Kingdom in the north? Where are the soldiers and horses of the Liao Kingdom? These are all elite divisions. The Zhou Kingdom Without the Yanyun Sixteenth Prefecture, it would be easy for the Khitan cavalry to move south, so how could Guo Wei be distracted?"
Li Yuan shook his head and moved his finger a little further to the north of the map: "It is indeed easy for the Khitan cavalry to go south, but has Ambassador Peng ever thought about why the Liao Kingdom didn't occupy the Central Plains after they invaded Kaifeng and destroyed the Jin Kingdom last time? The general once heard that Liao soldiers and horses marched south to attack, and they never brought baggage with them. Instead, they looted every city along the way. This is what they call fighting to support war. Just order a general to hold the fortified city and wait for it. The Liao army had no food and grass to continue, so it naturally retreated. As for the soldiers and horses of the Northern Han Dynasty leader, they were all the last remaining people who had been beaten away by Guo Wei. They were already frightened. What's more, the Han emperor recognized the Emperor of Liao as his uncle, which completely lost the support of the people. , it’s just another Shi Jingtang, it’s unlikely to become a thing, and it’s nothing to worry about.”
His eyes froze for a moment, Peng Shigao took a deep breath and said, "According to what you said, this is the way for me to go north to the Tang Dynasty?"
"The general guesses that your majesty will not rescue Yanzhou, but will order Yan Jingquan to take the opportunity to send troops to Xuzhou, just like he did in the past when he attacked Tanzhou Prefecture of Chu State, right?"
Peng Shigao's eyes widened. This was a secret strategy suggested by Prime Minister Feng and Minister Chen. He only learned about it after Liu Yanzhen revealed it. He couldn't help but secretly wonder: "How did you know?"
Li Yuan cursed, of course the history books told me, otherwise? But he still smiled faintly: "It's just a guess. Your Majesty is always thinking about recovering the Central Plains, isn't it? Seeing that the war in the Central Plains is about to begin, Your Majesty will definitely believe that the current Zhou Kingdom will be like the civil strife of Chu, and Guo Wei will not be able to take care of it. And Xuzhou Connecting with Chuzhou of the Tang Dynasty, Guo Wei had just killed Jiedushi Liu Yun last year, and people were still uneasy. This is why your majesty only gave Yan Jingquan five thousand elite soldiers. His intention was to attack all the way and capture Xuzhou in one fell swoop. , then we can join forces with Murong Yanchao at Kaifeng City."
"That's it! Li Yuhou is a god!" Peng Shigao couldn't help stroking his hands and shouted: "Can Xuzhou be conquered?"
Li Yuan waved his hand decisively: "Yan Jingquan will lose this battle! Guo Wei sent an envoy to make good relations with the Tang Dynasty last year, but it was just that the country was not at peace and he had no time to go south. Xuzhou has been the place of the Four Wars since ancient times. , there is Murong Yanchao in the east, and the Tang Dynasty is connected to the south. Now that Murong Yanchao has rebelled, how can a handsome man like Guo Wei not put heavy troops on guard? The so-called unrest in Xuzhou is just a sporadic old general of the Han Dynasty causing rebellion. That’s all, it’s even more of an illusion that deceives the Tang Dynasty. I have to pity the five thousand sons of the Tang Dynasty. I’m afraid that they will fall into the tiger’s mouth and never come back!”
Master Peng opened his mouth for a long time, scanning the map with his eyes, and finally leaned on the back of his chair dejectedly and sighed: "If Xuzhou is really heavily guarded, not only will the five thousand elite soldiers never return, I'm afraid I will die The Tang Dynasty is going to be in trouble! According to what you just said, Guo Wei will definitely win, and I'm afraid he will turn around and go south. Now the Chu land is not peaceful, the Langzhou soldiers are independent, and the Wuyue Kingdom is eyeing it. We, the Tang Dynasty, are enemies on three sides, and we are enemies on three sides!"
"Alas! There is no need for Peng Du to be so pessimistic, let's just wait and see what fate will bring!"
Li Yuan saw through it but didn't tell it, so why was he feeling helpless? God originally gave Southern Tang a good start, but it chose an emperor who was very happy with his achievements, plus a bunch of flattering ministers, who kept digging holes for himself. How could he be invincible?
As expected, Yan Jingquan annihilated the entire army in Shuyang on the tenth day of February, while Guo Wei was still focused on besieging Yanzhou at that time. He only sent envoys to deal with the Southern Tang in March. Li Jing finally compromised and did not dare to fight anymore. However, Murong Yanchao struggled to survive until May, when his subordinates mutinied and the city was destroyed and he died.
This may be a God-given opportunity.
