More than ten miles east of the Sui army camp is a large hill with a radius of dozens of miles, the mountain is densely wooded, and the foot of the mountain is surrounded by a large forest, and the woods surround the whole mountain, like a green belt stretching southward. At this time, just north of the mountain, a Tang army of 20,000 men was about to seize the time to rest and prepare for a second attack on the Sui army camp.

This Tang army is all composed of Li Xiaogong's elite soldiers, with excellent combat power and equipment, and the commander of this army is Li Xiaogong himself. Li Xiaogong himself, under the escort of a team of personal soldiers, watched the Sui army camp from a distance in the southwest, and he did not let the soldiers of the second sneak attack watch, first, so as not to be too tragic and affect everyone's confidence and fighting spirit, and second, to let the soldiers get enough time to rest.

When he saw that Lu Zushang's army of 10,000 people was killed and collapsed, Li Xiaogong couldn't say a word for a long time, and finally let out a long sigh.

The deputy general on the side looked at Li Xiaogong and said softly: "Your Highness, the Sui army is preventing us from stealing the camp for the second time." ”

A look of unwillingness flashed in Li Xiaogong's eyes, even the deputy general could see it, how could he not know that the Sui army was prepared? I could only reluctantly order: "Greet the soldiers back to the camp." ”

"Whoa." The adjutant general answered the order and hurried forward to give the order.

"Victory is not arrogant, worthy of being the tiger of Jianghuai, Du Fuwei should not be underestimated." Li Xiaogong sighed and returned to the camp lonely.

When Chai Shao and the others heard that Du Fuwei had taken precautions, everyone's hearts were heavy, and a wonderful move they had pinned on with great hope was also so ruthlessly shattered by the Sui army.

"Your Highness, generals, our rattan shield did have the effect of defending against crossbow arrows, but in this battle, I was defeated by the Sui army, not by crossbow arrows...... Those ordinary Sui soldiers cooperated tacitly, killed bravely, and advanced and retreated in a certain way. Even without crossbow arrows, it is stronger than our army. At this time, Lu Zushang, who was lucky enough to escape his life, also told in detail about the night attack.

After listening to Lu Zushang's statement, everyone was silent.

If in the past it was possible to blame the reason for the defeat on the sharp bows and crossbows of the other party and the mighty cavalry, then this time? They seem to have found a new direction again? The opponent not only has a sharp bow and crossbow and a mighty cavalry, but also has a better quality of individual soldiers and teamwork than them? Fortunately, Lu Zushang was not injured? Otherwise, this battle of life and death has not yet begun? On their side, they wounded a large general.

But Rao is like this, and Li Xiaogong also has to think about how to deal with the Sui army next.

Because of Lu Zushang's words such as "tacit understanding, brave killing, and moderate advance and retreat"? It is enough to show that Duvowe's army even if he put aside weapons and armor? It is also a strong elite soldier.

What worries Li Xiaogong even more is that this army is the eleventh army established by the Jianghuai Army, if it is replaced by the most elite ten army corps under Yang Tong, how terrifying will the combat power be?

And Yang Shanhui, who confronted them, how many main battle legions did he have in his hands? And if it's all on the battlefield? The result?

Go without saying.

After a long time, Li Xiaogong said in a deep voice: "Victory and defeat are a common thing in soldiers, this defeat is not because of our wrong strategy, nor is it that our ability is not enough, it can only show that the Sui army is well prepared?" Our chances of victory were already very small, and we were unprepared by the Sui army? Failure is also a natural thing. ”

Everyone nodded silently.

"After dawn, we will fight Du Fuwei again." Li Xiaogong said in a deep voice.

"This ......" Chai Shao frowned and looked at Li Xiaogong: "The night attack is still beaten like this?" Facing the enemy in a dignified manner, I'm afraid there are very few chances of winning. ”

"But we don't have any more options." Li Xiaogong sighed and said, "Yang Shanhui can spend with us?" But we can't afford it. I was going to take advantage of the camp? Lead the Sui army to attack? First, it can consume the strength of the Sui army, and secondly, it can also wear down the spirit of the Sui army, and then counterattack when the enemy army cannot attack for a long time. In order to achieve this goal, he even did not hesitate to send people to Luoyang to spread rumors that Yang Shanhui would support the army and stand on its own. But they clearly saw through the plan, and also saw through our weaknesses. ”

Chai Shao said: "Our weakness is food? ”

"Food is one thing, and time is the other." Li Xiaogong glanced at Chai Shao: "We can't afford to spend it with the Sui army, if it takes a long time and we can't return to Xiangyang as soon as possible, Jingxiang may change at any time." It's just because in addition to Yang Shanhui in Jingzhou, there are also Xue Wanjun of Xiyang and Li Jing of Nanjun, if these two people send troops at the same time, not to mention that we and the prince will lose our way to Shu, we will be divided into two small pieces, so that we will become sinners in the Tang Dynasty. ”

When everyone heard this, they were immediately dumbfounded and confused.

As Li Xiaogong said, they are obviously an army of more than 100,000 people, but at this moment, they have become a burden for Li Jiancheng, and what is even more embarrassing is that they still need the outnumbered Li Jiancheng to rescue... If they hadn't been able to return to Xiangyang for a long time, Li Jiancheng would have walked peacefully on the road to Shu, instead of taking a huge risk and defending Xiangyang.

It's a shame to say.

In fact, it's not that they don't want to go, they really can't go, the damn Sui army is not only tough, but the boss and the generals are also very cunning, but who can understand their suffering?

"Your Highness, please allow the last general to say something disrespectful but true." Lu Zushang bowed and said.

Li Xiaogong is not the kind of harsh person, and when he heard this, he nodded and said, "You say." ”

Lu Zushang arched his hand and said: "It's not that the last man has lost his fighting spirit from this battle, but with our current situation, we are not the opponent of the Sui army at all, and we must get external support, otherwise it will be difficult to jump out of the encirclement of the Sui army; Even if you are lucky enough to jump out of the encirclement, it will be difficult to cross the whitewater. Can we ask His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to send out the whole army? In the Caiyang area, we contain Luo Shixin? ”

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince supported us one after another, and was defeated by Luo Shixin one after another; Today, the troops in Xiangyang are almost exhausted, if the whole army of Xiangyang is dispatched, what will happen to Xiangyang City? If the prince makes a mistake, who can be responsible? Li Xiaogong asked a series of questions.

Facing the gaze of Li Xiaogong's origin, Lu Zushang did not evade, but continued to say his own proposition: "The Sui army actually does not have many troops in the Nanyang area, and Jingbei will be ceded to the Sui Dynasty sooner or later. And after we joined the Xiangyang army, we met the city and went straight to Yiling. ”

Chai Shao next to him glanced at him, shook his head and sighed, and said bitterly: "General Lu's idea is indeed good, but our food and our time can't wait for the reinforcements." ”

Li Xiaogong secretly calculated in his heart that if the scouts kept running towards Xiangyang day and night, it would take at least two or three days, not counting the mountains and rivers in the middle, and intercepting the Sui army; And the Xiangyang army came from Xiangyang, and it would take at least four days to walk, which would take seven days. For such a long time, my own food could not be supported in the first place.

The key is that the soldiers in Xiangyang, how can they get past the stubborn Luo Shixin? Even if you succeed in Caiyang, it is estimated that there will not be much left, so what's the point?

Thinking of this, he smiled bitterly, shook his head and said: "Si Chang is right, it's too late, in the final analysis, it's the Sui army that sees through and sees through us." They knew that the more we dragged on, the more serious the situation would become, so they leisurely went around the mountains with us. To be honest, I can't think of a way to appoint anything other than to storm now, everyone works together, thinks about whether there is any other way, what to say, and speak freely. ”

There were only four people in the tent, Chai Shao, Wu Shi Tong, and Lu Zushang, and Li Xiaogong said his helplessness very frankly.

Everyone understands people, even if they don't say it, they all know that he is already poor in donkey skills, rather than hiding and tucking, it is better to put all the problems on the table, maybe there are some new ideas.

"When His Highness returned to the camp, he said that Du Fuwei had begun to defend to the death, so that the second night attack could not be carried out as desired. But from this, I did think of a more suitable solution for us. Chai Shao said.

"What's the solution?"

"The way is to plan what is planned, and what is wrong is wrong, and continue to fight Du Fuwei."

Everyone looked at Chai Shao in amazement.

Knowing that the enemy is prepared, still go to fight? Isn't this for the soldiers to be sent to their deaths?

Li Xiaogong also couldn't accept it, and he didn't expect Chai Shao to make such a ridiculous voice, he frowned and said, "Sichang, you say be specific." ”

"The last will obey." Chai Shao bowed his hand, and then said: "Your Highness, our army has seventy or eighty thousand Jingzhou people, if we abandon Jingzhou, these soldiers will leave us sooner or later, and they will not go to Yizhou with us." As long as we collect the dry food of the Jingzhou soldiers, the remaining more than 20,000 elite soldiers can support about ten days, and we simply let these Jingzhou soldiers attack Du Fuwei at night again tonight, and the elite soldiers who have obtained the ten days' food will take the opportunity to bypass Du Fuwei's camp and Caiyang County, and return directly to Xiangyang City. ”

"Then the seventy or eighty thousand Jingzhou soldiers are not people? Just let them go to death? Li Xiaogong asked unhappily, Chai Shao, a strong man, had violated his principles of life.

He can trap the enemy, but he will never trap his own soldiers.

Chai Shao said with a wry smile: "I mean let these soldiers go to feint, seventy or eighty thousand in front of the Sui army camp to create a huge momentum, not to mention that Du Fuwei did not dare to move lightly, but at least there is no time to take care of us, by the dawn of the day, we have already jumped out of the encirclement of the enemy army, and Yang Shan will investigate and pacify seventy or eighty thousand people, for fear that these soldiers will riot, and they will not be able to catch up for the time being." With the consistent style of the Sui army's inner and outer tyrants, it is inevitable that these 70,000 or 80,000 people will serve a few years of hard labor, and then let them return to their hometowns to farm, and they will have a way to live. ”

Li Xiaogong originally thought that Chai Shao suggested that he send 70,000 or 80,000 people to die, so that more than 20,000 elite soldiers could get enough food to escape, then he would definitely not be able to accept it. If you just let these soldiers demonstrate before the Sui army camp, cover for the elite soldiers, and surrender to the Sui army at dawn, this is another matter.

After straightening it out, Li Xiaogong found that he was actually moved, and this method seemed to be the best way out at present, he glanced at everyone and asked, "What do you think?" ”

"Your Highness." As the veteran of the Jinyang army, Wu Shi Tong was naturally the first to speak, he said: "As the horse said, these Jingzhou soldiers will be lost sooner or later, if we are reluctant to give up this soldier who must be lost, then there will be no more than 20,000 elite soldiers left." If we concentrate the grain for the elite soldiers, and have these Jingzhou soldiers as a cover, we will win at least one day, and the possibility of successfully returning to Xiangyang is very high. ”

"General Lu, what do you think?" Li Xiaogong asked Lu Zushang.

Lu Shangzu smiled bitterly: "The last general also thinks that this is the only way out at present. ”

Li Xiaogong nodded and said, "Since we have the same opinion, then the second question is who will bring some soldiers to harass the Sui army before?" Cover up for the elite soldiers until dawn? I'm sure I can't, one of the three of you must bear the burden. ”

The three of them were silent for a while, and after a while, Lu Zushang sighed and said: "General Chai is a Tang Dynasty concubine, and General Wu is a Tang Dynasty veteran, both of whom are big thieves in the eyes of Yang Tong, and they are the ones who must be punished...... In contrast, I am an unknown person, I will stay, and I have nothing to do with the Tang royal family, Yang Shan will trust me more. ”

Li Xiaogong's favorite person is also Lu Zushang, as he himself said, if Chai Shao and Wushi Tong fall into the hands of the Great Sui, they will definitely die, and Lu Zushang sacrificed seventy or eighty thousand prisoners, even if he can't get a reward, at least he can survive.

He immediately said: "In this case, we will immediately take action, order all the soldiers to hand in the dry rations, and I will go to Xiangyang tonight." ”

"Whoa." The three of them saluted together, turned around and went out of the tent, but Li Xiaogong stopped Lu Zushang, "General Lu, wait a minute." ”

"Your Highness, please." Lu Zushang hurriedly stopped.

Li Xiaogong stepped forward and said bitterly: "It's me Li Xiaogong who is incompetent, it's me who can't stand you, whether you come back to me in the future, or stay in the Sui Dynasty to live, you are all heroes of the Tang Dynasty." I will stay in Xiangyang for your family, and the prince will definitely not be embarrassed for them, even if I Li Xiaogong dies, I will not allow others to harm your family. ”

"Thank you, Your Highness." Lu Zushang's eyes were red, he wanted to say something, but he couldn't say a word.

Li Xiaogong patted him on the shoulder, so he said relaxedly: "Actually, I know that Datang's situation is very dangerous, but the three of us don't have a choice, otherwise it will be your turn?" ”

"Your Highness......"

"You don't have to explain, I understand." Li Xiaogong sighed: "In the future, you will live in peace in Dasui, don't think about going to me." I really can't protect you. ”

Li Xiaogong knew too well the faces of Li Yuan and those people in the court, and he also knew that his decision today was very likely to cause him to lose everything, even his life.

"Please take care of your Highness!" Lu Zushang bowed deeply.

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It's the end of the month.,Please brothers and sisters who have tickets in your hands.,Reward one or two.。。