"I also know that peace talks are the only way out. But Yang Tong already has an absolute advantage, peace talks, how to make peace talks? What qualifications do we have for peace talks? ”

Li Yuan's voice was very low, revealing an indescribable gloom.

Li Jiancheng said: "Father, since we started our army from Taiyuan, in the process of going south and occupying Guanzhong, we have been like a bamboo, and we have maintained a record of repeated victories, because Yang Dong's army was pinned down by the Turks in Mayi. However, since the Sui army's eastward crusade, in the Battle of Hedong and Taiyuan in the Battle of Bingzhou, as well as the battles of Ding'an County, Beidi County, Yijun County, and Yijun County, we have been defeated repeatedly, and hundreds of thousands of troops have been annihilated by the Sui army. Let's talk about Xue Ju, his troops, equipment, logistics, and generals are not as good as ours, but when fighting, it turned out to be half the result of victory and defeat, if it wasn't for Li Liang stabbing him in the back, our army is afraid that it will not even be able to get the previous victory. In the face of ironclad facts, it shows that sophisticated equipment cannot hide the fact that the army is inferior to people. If you don't negotiate peace, don't stop training strong soldiers, and continue to fight with the Northern Sui, then it will inevitably end up dismally! ”

Li Yuan didn't speak for a long time, and it was too smooth to take and merge the state and Guanzhong, causing everyone to be blindly optimistic, and to start a war with arrogance without any rest, but Yang Tong fought over, only to find that his army was too weak, and when he realized this, he lost the state and the Sui army to the doorstep. It is this kind of blind self-confidence that has missed the most precious time to recuperate, which has created the current predicament and desperate situation.

Li Jiancheng saw that Li Yuan was hesitating, and persuaded again: "Let's not talk about a desperate situation, maybe it's a new world." As long as we reach a reconciliation with Yang Tong, we can concentrate all our energy on handling internal affairs, developing people's livelihood, training strong soldiers, and exterminating Xue Ju. ”

"But with Yang Tong's greed, he will definitely make very excessive demands."

Liu Wenjing, who had been silent, spoke: "Holy Lord, so far, we are not afraid of Yang Tong's request!" Rather, I was afraid that he would not ask for it. ”

Li Yuan pondered for a long time, and sighed softly: "You have a point, now we are indeed not qualified to be the enemy of Yang Tong, and the Battle of Bingzhou is too big a blow to our army, so we have time to redefine the development strategy!" So be it! Send someone to contact Li Jing first, see the other party's attitude, and then determine if there is any possibility of reconciliation......" Speaking of this, he glanced at Li Jiancheng and Liu Wenjing, and said, "Who do you two think is more appropriate to send?" ”

Li Jiancheng had already prepared for the candidate, and hurriedly said: "This matter has not yet become a decision of the imperial court, it is better to keep it secret, but at the same time, in order to show the sincerity of his father, the son suggests that it is most appropriate for the supernatural uncle." ”

Li Yuan thought about it, it was indeed the most appropriate for Li Shentong to go, so he nodded and agreed, "Okay!" Let him go and see Li Jing! ”

He saw that Li Jiancheng wanted to speak and stopped, and it was very difficult to speak, and asked, "What else is going on?" ”

Li Jiancheng gritted his teeth and said, "There is one person who may be able to convince Yang Dong." ”

"Who?" Li Yuan's eyes lit up, and Liu Wenjing also looked surprised.

"Third sister!" Li Jiancheng didn't dare to look at Li Yuan.

Li Yuan was surprised: "Ning'er? ”

"Yes!" Li Jiancheng hesitated, bowed his head and said: "The third sister was bitten by Yang Tong when she was a child, and she has never forgotten it, which shows that Yang Tong has left a deep imprint in the third sister's heart since she was a child. Li Jiancheng told the meeting in Fenglingdu that day.

"You mean kissing?" Li Yuan's heart pounded.

"Not really!" Li Jiancheng shook his head and said, "Erchen means that the third sister will send an envoy to Yecheng, maybe it will achieve unexpected results, at least she will not be like Lord Pei Ju, who has not even had a chance to see Yang Tong's face." ”

This is indeed Li Jiancheng's heartfelt words, they all say that Li Yuan was in charge at the age of seven, but in fact, Li Jiancheng is not much worse.

During the decades that Li Yuan was an official in other places, the Li family lived in his hometown in Hedong from top to bottom, and only the Dou family and his second son Li Shimin have been following Li Yuan. Li Jiancheng is ten years older than the second Li Shimin, and he is the eldest son in the family, and he assumed the role of 'father and brother' when he was a child. The feelings between each other are by no means understandable to Li Shimin, who is deeply favored by his parents, when it comes to his love for Li Xiuning, Li Jiancheng is only a lot more than Li Yuan, although he can see that his sister likes Yang Tong, so he refuses to marry again and again, but he doesn't want Li Xiuning to take the road of harmony.

But Li Yuan didn't think so, what is the value of the daughter of the family gatekeeper? It is to strive for a steady stream of interests for the family, and to sacrifice oneself to complete the family at the time of the family's life and death.

Li Yuan said: "You said that Yang Tong gave Ning Er a jade hairpin when he was leaving. ”

"Yes!" Li Jiancheng smiled bitterly. He was worried about this, so he never said anything.

Liu Wenjing was overjoyed and said: "Holy Lord, it seems that Yang Tong and Her Royal Highness the Princess are in love. Perhaps this is the best way out of this predicament. ”

The ancients used hairpins to convey affection, but Yang Tong didn't know it, so he took a box containing a jade hairpin and gave it to Li Xiuning, but when he got here, it became another interpretation.

"What does Zhaoren mean to kiss?"

"The dispute between the saint and Yang Dong is a war between our Han people, and there is no such thing as harmony or affinity, and it is not actually humiliating to marry Her Royal Highness the princess to Yang Tong as a side concubine. And the two are in love, which is the beauty of adults. Liu Wenjing said this, looked at Li Yuan, who looked relaxed, and then said: "Even if you talk about it this time, I am afraid that you will be blackmailed by Yang Tong, if the saint agrees to the harsh conditions, the saint's reputation will be greatly damaged, and the morale of Guanzhong will plummet; If he does not agree, Yang Tong is very likely to take down Guanzhong. If it is given out in the name of a dowry, it is very different. ”

Li Jiancheng asked, "Why is it different?" ”

Liu Wenjing smiled slightly: "At the beginning of the Shengshang army, Her Royal Highness the princess disguised herself as a man, started with a few hundred people, and swept through the Guanzhong, and incorporated more than 70,000 people from He Panren, Xiang Shanzhi, Qiu Shili and other righteous armies. The saint was able to get into the main pass, and the first hero was Her Royal Highness the princess, who started with a few hundred people and gathered 70,000 troops! When a meritorious heroine marries, it is reasonable for the saint to give more 'dowry'. If there is a controversy, it is only said that the Holy One favors too much, but the hearts of parents all over the world are like this, and the Holy One loves his daughter, what is the fault? ”

"Other clan women can do the same!" Li Jiancheng had to admit that Liu Wenjing's words and practices had saved Li Yuan's face. But as an older brother, he didn't want his precious sister to marry in such a humiliating way.

"First of all, Yang Tong is not the kind of person who is at the mercy of others, according to Pei Ju, Pei Shiqing went to Yang Dong's backyard because of his idea, Yang Tong was angry, and killed more than 1,000 children of the family together, if it was other strange princesses and county lords, they couldn't beat Yang Tong at all, and even provoked this god-killing thunder fire."

"Secondly, there is the issue of 'dowry'. Among the princesses of all dynasties, which princess received a dowry of 4 million stone of grain and 1.5 million taels of gold? And with the current predicament of my Datang, Yang Tong will definitely be more ruthless than last time! Only Princess Pingyang's 'dowry' can stop the mouths of Youyou. ”

Li Jiancheng bit his lip, but he didn't say a word for a long time, he knew that this was actually no way.