Thief Emperor

Chapter 722 The Emperor Leaves His Hometown
Whether it was Li Yun or Zhao Cheng and Su Sheng, it was the first time for them to experience a large-scale, large-scale military battle involving more than 100,000 troops.

Especially Li Yun.

The two generals Su and Zhao still led their own armies, but he had to integrate the two armies. This was the most critical moment and also the most challenging time for him.

Fortunately, these two generals are relatively professional. Li Yun only needs to formulate the overall strategic direction. He does not have to personally take care of the lower-level matters. These two people can handle them well.

At this moment, Li Yun was implementing a decisive and bold strategy.

So far, among all the warlords and princes in the world, only Li Yun has such courage and boldness to make such a decision in such a short time.

On the one hand, it is because the Jiangdong Army is now strong enough, and on the other hand, it is because he is now one of the few "princes" who can afford to lose.

Even in the most extreme case, if all his 100,000 men were killed in the Central Plains and perished in Dujidao, as long as Li was not dead, he could still raise a new army in a year or two and defend his base in Jiangdong.

After all, if we only consider the territory, Li Yun is now absolutely the best in the world.

In the one year of the fifth year of Zhaoding, Li Yun had successfully moved beyond the scope of Jiangnan Road and Huainan Road. He had taken over almost half of Shandong Road and half of the Central Plains. Li Zheng had taken over most of Lingnan Road and was gradually incorporating the entire Lingnan Road into his territory.

He has already far exceeded the territory of the Jiangdong rats. It can be said that half of the world is already in his control.

However, this control is still unstable at present. After all, the north is the main battlefield. Once the war in the north is completely settled, the south will also be decided. Now, most of the territories controlled by Li Yun are in the south.

Even so, his administration had basically been laid out, and most of the south could become his rear.

Moreover, this extreme situation is almost impossible to exist.

The worst case scenario is that the entire Shuofang army turns back, and the two sides fight to the death near Luoyang. When both sides are defeated, the Hedong Jiedushi and the Pinglu Jiedushi die, and the Shuofang army reaps the benefits.

Even in this case, with Li Yun having made various arrangements, the Jiangdong Army would at most be forced to withdraw from the Central Plains, and there would not be large numbers of casualties.

Therefore, Li Yun would not have any fear in his heart.

He rested briefly in the camp for one night. Early the next morning, he followed Su Sheng to Su Sheng's main military tent.

Not long after the two men arrived at the Central Army, Meng Hai, along with two men from the Nine Divisions, hurried into the Central Army tent. Meng Hai knelt on the ground, bowed his head and kowtowed, saying, "Sir, the brothers in Guanzhong sent a message saying they have seen the Shuofang Army entering the pass from Tongguan!"

Li Yun looked at him and asked, "Did any fighting occur in Tongguan?"

Meng Hai lowered his head and said, "Yes! But after only two days of fighting, Tongguan was opened by the Shuofang Army. Now the Shuofang Army is on its way to Guanzhong!"

Li Yun nodded slowly, turned his head to look at Su Sheng, and chuckled, "It seems that Liang Wen's subordinates are not determined to go to the capital to avenge Liang Wen. They still have some brains. At least they are trying to defend Tongguan."

Su Sheng smiled upon hearing this and said, "After all, they are from the grassroots. If they had experience in the imperial court, after Liang Wen died, the leaders of these people would most likely continue to guard Tongguan and then negotiate with the imperial court. They might have been granted titles of nobility and become rich and powerful by now."

Li Yun shook his head and said, "Didn't Liang Wen follow the same path? He died in the capital, so who among his subordinates would dare to follow his example? Besides..."

"Once we have entered the capital, we will have everything. Why would we need a title from the imperial court?"

Su Sheng was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "That's right."

After that, he stood up, clasped his fists and said, "My Lord, I have already sent out the message last night. The army can start moving today. I will go right away!"

Li Yun said "hmm", he looked down at the map and said, "Leave 10,000 people here for me. I will stay here for a few days to prevent any accidents."

"If there is any situation, please contact through the Nine Departments."

Li Yun looked up at him and continued, "Remember, after you get near Luoyang, you must first find out the situation in Luoyang. Don't attack rashly, in case you encounter a Shuofang army of 10,000 people on the road."

Mr. Li said slowly: "Look for an opportunity to fight them!"

"Yes!"

Su Sheng answered loudly, "Yes", then turned and left the general's tent.

Li Yun sat in the main seat, closed his eyes and thought for a while, then opened his eyes, looked at the document in front of him, and said, "Meng Hai."

Meng Hai lowered his head quickly: "Go up."

"The officials and big families in Guanzhong who have contacted me."

"Have the Nine Departments sent anyone?"

Meng Hai lowered his head, thought for a moment, and then said, "Some people have been sent to their homes."

"it is good."

Li Yun said softly: "Send more people to the capital to lie low. It would be best if they could take care of and protect these people in the capital so that they can hold on during the turmoil in the capital."

"Hold on until Wei Quanzhong enters the capital. Once Wei Quanzhong enters the capital, send a message to them through the Nine Departments, and let them..."

"Persuade Wei Quanzhong to become emperor."

Meng Hai was startled, then looked up at Li Yun. Li Yun said with a smile, "Don't doubt it. Just do as I say. Then write a letter to Du Shouyi and ask him to mobilize his own connections."

"Even if we can't persuade Wei Quanzhong, at least we have to make him interested." Meng Hai seemed to understand and bowed to Li Yun: "Yes, I will arrange it right away."

After a pause, he said, "Si Zheng is on his way."

Li Yun looked up at him, nodded slightly, and said with a smile: "When he arrives, let him come to see me. This war..."

"Kyushi will play a considerable role."

Since the establishment of the Ninth Bureau, it has been more than just an intelligence agency. Li Yun defines it as an information coordination agency.

In the future instant messaging era, this function can be solved with just a few terminals, but now it requires a lot of manpower and material resources, and even some intelligence.

For example, in order to quickly transmit messages, Jiusi set up one node after another in some important places to relay messages.

There is also a series of codes, logos and so on.

Fireworks, this new gadget, is now widely used by Jiusi to deliver messages.

In this way, even if the various armies of Jiangdong Army are hundreds of miles apart, they can act as one when they act together.

Meng Hai immediately lowered his head: "Yes!"

After saying that, he lowered his head and retreated, and went to work according to Li Yun's instructions. Li continued to sit in the general's tent, his attention focused on the map with an eager look.

Almost all men want to be the supreme ruler.

And now, this position is very close to Li Yun, only one step away!

His gaze fell on Hedong Road, located north of Henan Road, and he took a deep breath: "The key lies in the Hedong Army in Taiyuan."

At this time, in terms of direct combat effectiveness, the Jiangdong Army is not inferior to the Shuofang Army. If the two sides fight, it is obvious that Li Yun has stronger endurance and resilience. He can rely on these to slowly wear down the Shuofang Army.

The premise is that other large forces cannot be involved.

Under the current circumstances, unless the leader of the Hedong Army is a fool, he will inevitably end up in trouble.

Otherwise, it would be a shame to the family fortune accumulated by several generations of the Hedong Li family, and even more so to this world of great contention.

Therefore, the key to this battle in the Central Plains fell on the Hedong Army in Taiyuan. Li Yun had been keeping an eye on them, watching when they would end and when they planned to end.

"As long as I can eat Luoyang quickly."

Li Yun murmured to himself: "I'm not afraid anymore."

With the depth of his rear area and the combat effectiveness of the Jiangdong Army, as long as he occupied Luoyang, it would be difficult for others to drive him out of the Central Plains.

This somewhat hasty battle of Luoyang has unknowingly become the most important war that will determine the next few decades!
…………

Guanzhong.

His Majesty the Emperor hurriedly fled the capital under the protection of a group of officials and soldiers.

This time, His Majesty the Emperor didn't even pretend. He didn't bring any civil or military officials with him, except for some who were close to him.

Anyway, His Majesty the Emperor is well aware that these people have already secretly submitted letters of surrender to the enemies outside.

Moreover, the letter of surrender was not only submitted to one company.

Some people sent letters of surrender to Li Yun and also to Wei Quanzhong!

In this case, the emperor would certainly not choose to take them with him.

On the contrary, he did bring all the members of the Wu family who could be brought along this time. However, due to the many disturbances in recent years, the Wu family had not had a good time, and their population had dwindled. Only two or three hundred people followed him on the journey.

His Majesty the Emperor left the capital by carriage, and when he looked back at the city where he was born and raised, he found himself in tears.

He knew in his heart that it would be difficult for him to come back in this life.

If they come back again, they might even be caught by someone else.

Pei Huang was riding with him. Compared to the last time he went to Xichuan, Pei Huang was much more mature and steady this time. He looked at the emperor and whispered, "Your Majesty, don't be too sad..."

The emperor shook his head and sighed deeply: "I am tired."

"Sanlang will be fully responsible for everything along the way."

Pei Huang was silent, then he also sighed.

"My minister obeys."

(End of this chapter)