Drive the RV back to Datang

Chapter 438 Chapter 449: Marshal of Ten Soldiers and Horses

Li Zhi gained a lot from this short conversation with Li Jing. He strengthened his confidence. If he wanted to defeat Geer Dongzan, Li Hao had to. For nothing else, only for Datang, he also believed that his father would not disregard Datang's safety because of personal anger.

After Li Zhi returned to the Taiji Palace, he went to the Ganlu Hall to see Li Shimin. After recuperating for a period of time, although Li Shimin was still bedridden, his spirit improved a little. At least he could sit on the bed and talk to people normally.

Li Zhi came to the bed, saluted and greeted, and asked about his condition, Li Shimin asked: "Zhier, you have not been here for several days, is the fighting outside very bad?"

Li Zhi's expression darkened when he heard the words, and he nodded silently.

Li Shimin's expression also darkened. Although he was angry and angry, he now figured out what to do if he was angry again. If he was angry to death, it would only make Lu Dongzan cheaper, so he tried his best to calm himself, and asked slowly. : "Listen to the auxiliary machine, he suggested that you invite Wei Guogong to go out. Wei Guogong was already sick in bed before, how can you defend against the enemy, you don't listen to the auxiliary machine." He also did not agree to bother Li Jing. Important, but he didn't want to squeeze his old friend like this.

Li Zhi said: "Father, my son has already visited Wei Guogong."

"Oh?" Li Shimin was a little excited when he heard the words, and hurriedly asked, "Pharmacist... is he in good health?"

At his age, he misses the old comrades who were born and died together very much, especially when both of them are sick in bed, they feel more cherished.

Li Zhidao: "Duke Wei is suffering from illness, he can hardly move except his hands and neck, but he is in good spirits today, sitting in a wheelchair to receive my son, and said a lot to him..."

When he said this, he suddenly stopped.

Li Shimin saw that he was troubled, and frowned, "What else did he say?"

Li Zhi said quickly: "He also said that he can help guard Chang'an, but this time, if he wants to save Tang Dynasty from fire and water, he must ask Li Hao to help."

Li Shimin fell silent when he heard the words, and slowly frowned. At this moment, there was only one sentence in his mind: It's Li Hao again.

Although Li Shimin is tolerant, he also has his own bottom line. Li Hao has touched his bottom line. He has long planned to never use Li Hao again in his life. However, he also knows that Li Jing is right, Ge Erdong Zan launched a sudden attack this time, and he came prepared. He may attack Chang'an at any time. Except for Li Hao, no one can defeat him. This makes Li Shimin very unhappy. This kind of forced use of Li Hao It made him feel like he was being coerced.

Seeing Li Shimin frowning and hesitating, Li Zhi cupped his hands and said, "Father, the situation is critical and there is no need to delay. If Tubo soldiers approach the city, even if they want to invite Li Hao, it will be impossible."

Li Zhi's words were simply the last straw that broke the camel's back. Li Shimin took a long breath and sighed: "Forget it, Father is not in good health right now. Father has entrusted you with all matters. You have full authority over everything." Deal with it, you can use whoever you want, you don't need to ask Father for instructions."

Hearing this, Li Zhi was so excited that he almost shed tears, and hurriedly thanked him: "Thank you, Father!"

He knew that his father couldn't let go of that old face, so he asked himself to use Li Hao again. Since his father agreed, does the opinion of the officials matter? What qualifications do they have to oppose the appointment of Li Hao? On the bright side, Li Hao was rewarded with the title of county king and went to the fiefdom, not exile, although the fact is that he was exiled, but matters in the officialdom are all about the stage.

Early the next morning, Li Zhi and his ministers were in the Hall of Liangyi to discuss the strategy of retreating the enemy. Li Jing actually sat in a wheelchair and was pushed by the Jinwu Guard to the Hall of Liangyi to discuss major issues together.

Looking at Li Jing's crooked hands and old-fashioned appearance, the hearts of all the ministers sank to the bottom of the valley. The military god of the year had already looked like this, and they felt that their last hope was also shattered.

In the hall, Li Zhi asked: "Now the Tubo army is attacking Qizhou. This is the last line of defense in front of Chang'an. If Qizhou is broken, Chang'an will be in danger. You are the humerus of the imperial court. Do you have a good strategy to defeat the enemy?"

Just as Li Jing was about to speak, Ma Zhou stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, I believe that Qiongnan King Li Hao has made outstanding achievements and is invincible. He is known as the nemesis of Tubo. If Li Hao goes out on horseback, he will definitely be able to repel the Tubo barbarians."

Last year, Zhongshuling Cen Wenwen died of illness in the army when he went to Goguryeo with the king. After returning to China, Li Shimin appointed Ma Zhou as the new Zhongshuling. Now Ma Zhou is a real prime minister, and his words are quite weighty.

The old Qin Qiong also immediately came out after hearing the words: "Your Highness, I seconded the proposal. I think what Ma Zhongshu said is very reasonable. Now in the court, the brave generals of the past are all as old as the old ministers, and the new generation is like Qin Huaiyu and Wei Chi. Baolin and others are far from Ge Erdongzan's opponents, Ge Erdongzan is a cunning soldier, even Li Ji and Su Dingfang, who have always been prudent in military tactics, were defeated by him, if you want to defeat this person, you must send Li Hao."

When Chu Suiliang heard the words, he immediately frowned and said, "Your Highness, I don't think it's right. Qiongnan is thousands of miles away from Chang'an. It will take more than three or four months for Li Hao to arrive. Things on the battlefield change rapidly. How can we wait so long!"

Ma Zhou snorted coldly when he heard the words, and asked, "Then, Master Chu, what is your magic way to defeat the enemy?"

Chu Suiliang said cheekily: "I don't have a magic trick, but I have the right to express my opinion on whether to send Li Hao."

At this time, Li Jing suddenly moved, and he was fiddled with the wheels with his crooked hands, slowly drove out, came to the center of the hall, and then said slowly: "Your Highness, this time, the old minister is willing to guard Chang'an with Qin Shubao until Qiongnan King Li Hao is here."

As soon as these words came out, the hall fell silent. In such an urgent military situation, Li Jing's words, the god of war, were almost like a sharp sword that could cut through all opposing words.

Sure enough, all the people stopped talking, and there was no more objection.

Hearing this, Li Zhi cast a grateful look at Li Jing, and then said: "Duke Wei, you are already so seriously ill, and I still need to trouble you to guard the country. Guzhen is really worried, for the sake of the country, the country and the people of Li... Yes, and Duke Yi."

Qin Qiong then said: "Your Highness is serious, defending the country is our duty, not to mention guarding Chang'an, Your Highness can rest assured, with veterans and Duke Wei around, I understand that the Tubo barbarians can't even step into Chang'an!"

In the 21st year of Zhenguan in the Tang Dynasty, on August 27, a team of fast horses announced the decree left Chang'an and headed south quickly.

At the same time, a flying pigeon flew out from Lantian Hou's Mansion and flew to the south. Then, Shi Najie sent people to move all the money and important items in the Hou's Mansion into the underground secret room, and then took everyone in the Hou's Mansion and a large number of The food went to Chang'an City. In Chang'an City, there was a mansion that Li Shimin rewarded Li Hao at the beginning, which happened to be the place where they stayed. The Lantian Hou Mansion will never be spared, so they must evacuate in advance, this is Li Hao's order.

Li Hao, who is far away in Qiongnan, has already made preparations. Li Guocheng has already set off with five thousand Xuanjia troops by boat, and meets Chen Bin at Liuqiu. The Bohai Sea entered the Yellow River, went upstream, went straight to Luoyang, landed from Luoyang, went to Shangzhou, and waited for Li Hao there.

Li Hao waited for Chang'an's imperial decree in Qiongnan.

On the eighth day of September, Ge Erdongzan captured Qizhou. On September [-]th, the army surrounded Chang'an and launched a siege battle. Countless siege weapons were used. The offensive was fierce. Ironically, Ge Erdongzan's The grain, grass and siege equipment were all looted from various state capitals in the Tang Dynasty.

In the face of Ge Erdongzan's strong attack, Li Jing and Qin Qiong sat in the south and the north, and they followed Ma Zhou's suggestion to call out all the bed crossbows in the Military Weapons Supervision and Scientific Research Temple.

The bed crossbow has never been used since Li Hao invented it, because this kind of thing is too bulky and useless for attacking a city. It is more suitable for defending a city, and now it finally comes in handy.

More than 300 bed crossbows were placed on the four sides of the city walls, and the huge crossbow bolts were launched, which could destroy the catapults of the Tubo army. Ge Erdongzan was caught off guard. More than half of the catapult was smashed, not only that, but the sudden appearance of these bed crossbows caused thousands of casualties in the Tubo army, but they hardly caused any damage to the Tang army, and the morale of the Tubo army was frustrated.

Ge Erdongzan immediately ordered to withdraw the troops, and gathered all the generals in the tooth tent to discuss the strategy of breaking the city. In fact, there is no good way to break the city. This is Chang'an. The city is so tall and strong, and there are still god crossbow guards, don't say He has an army of 10,000+, even if he has an army of 20, it is difficult to capture it.

Ge Erdongzan also seemed to understand this truth. Even if he ordered to siege the city, he didn't believe it. Chang'an is known as a city with a population of one million, how long the food inside can last.

This time, the clever Geer Dongzan miscalculated. After Zhenguan rice was available, rice was planted in Henan, Hebei, Hedong, Guanzhong and other places. As early as when Geer Dongzan defeated Li Ji, Shi Najie received Li Hao's order to buy grain everywhere and transport it to Chang'an, because Li Hao also knew that Geer Dongzan would never be able to capture Chang'an City, so he was also a Going to Geerdongzan will definitely be trapped in the city, so I made preparations in advance.

At the same time, Li Hao also asked the newspapers to publicize in the newspapers that Ge Erdongzan might attack Chang'an at any time. The people in Chang'an were panicked and fled Chang'an to seek refuge elsewhere. Right now, there are only 30 people left in Chang'an. , and the grain in the national treasury plus the grain donated by Shi Najie amounted to more than 60 shi, so there is absolutely no problem in sustaining it for three or four months.

On the first day of October, the decree team finally arrived in Qiongnan, and announced the decree at Li Hao's mansion. On the decree, Li Zhi, as a state supervisor, named Li Hao the Marshal of the Ten Brigades and Horses, and gave him a golden fish talisman, which can control all soldiers in the Tang Dynasty. Horses, generals from all walks of life, listen to their orders, and rush to King Qin of Chang'an.

When Li Hao heard the imperial decree, he was stunned. Marshal of the ten soldiers and horses, this is a military position that only appeared in the Romance, but now it really appeared, and it is a minister who must be extremely trusted. , it cannot be sealed lightly in non-special times, which shows that Chang'an is really in danger this time.

But he still couldn't believe it. How could the ministers and Li Shimin agree to this decree? Aren't they afraid that he would take the opportunity to rebel?
(End of this chapter)