Seeing Han Xizai and the others, they looked like they wanted to persuade again, Li Jing announced the dispersion of the dynasty first, turned around and went down the steps, and went towards the inner hall, not giving them a chance to speak at all.

Li Hongji's face was full of unwillingness, and he followed Li Jing to meet him. In the inner hall, Li Jing sat at the table, drank a few sips of tea urgently, and looked exhausted.

Li Hongji stepped forward and squatted on his side, grabbed his father's hand, and asked urgently: "Father really wants to negotiate peace with the Northern Han Dynasty?" ”

"If you don't make peace, what else can you do?" Li Jing sighed sadly: "I can't fight anymore, and if I fight with the Northern Han Dynasty again, the Tang Dynasty will die!" As a father, you can't lose the foundation created by the first emperor in your hands! ”

"Huainan is also the foundation of the first emperor, how can it be plundered by Han thieves! There are still 100,000 troops in our dynasty, and the river is crossed, which is enough to resist it! Li Hongji was a little excited.

Seeing this, Li Jing couldn't help but raise his hand, gently stroked the top of his eldest son's head, and said softly: "Hongji, I know that you have great ambitions and fierce spirits, however, the strength of the Han army is beyond your ability. You have to take into account the overall situation, Jiangbei has become a trend of erosion, and it is difficult to clean up, but Jiangdong and Jiangxi can no longer have problems.

Sending an envoy to sue for peace is a desperate move, and it is a continuation of the Tang Dynasty. However, what the result is, it still depends on the attitude of the Han Emperor, before the envoy returns south, the Tang Dynasty cannot be unprepared.

The generals of the outer court are not enough in the end. With King Jingda of Qi as the commander, I commanded the Dangtu battalion and the land and water armies along the river to consolidate the defense of the river. You are your deputy, be a restraint, and be a good student to assist your imperial uncle to ensure the safety of the river defense.

Once the Han Emperor does not make peace with the Yangtze River, it will be our greatest reliance! ”

"Yes!" Facing Li Jing's gaze, Li Hongji was no longer unwilling, and nodded in response.

On the side of the foreign ministers of the Southern Tang Dynasty, after leaving the palace, Feng Yansi followed Song Qiqiu, took a car with him, and asked, "Duke Song, what do you think about the matter of peace?" ”

"What a peace! It's just peace! Song Qiqiu closed his eyes slightly, his body shook slightly with the movement of the vehicle, and said directly: "However, it's just a way to quench your thirst!" ”

Feng Yansi was a little embarrassed, after all, he also supported the negotiation of peace, so he turned his head a little weakly, looked at the streets and alleys, full of depression, and the scene of depression in all industries, and sighed: "In order to deal with the invasion of the Northern Han Dynasty, the imperial court has exhausted its military, financial, and civil power. ”

"If you didn't listen to me that day, you can't regret it today!" Song Qiqiu said: "Your Majesty has a weak temperament, he is slow to make a decision when encountering problems, he is suspicious of people, and he changes his orders every day, how can he not be defeated." It was only the Manchu Dynasty, and the princes of Gong Gong were unswerving, and Han Xizai was unswerving, and he had some insights.

Is Datang really unable to fight? After more than ten years of accumulation, once there is no spare strength? From the old man's point of view, King Yan is right, you are afraid of being beaten by the Han army!

Negotiate peace, hum, if you don't cede all the fourteen states in Jiangbei, how can Emperor Han withdraw from the army? Huainan is lost, only half of the south of the Yangtze River remains, how can it be defended? ”

Hearing Song Qiqiu's words, Feng Yansi's face changed for a while, but in the face of this old minister, he didn't dare to refute. After thinking about it, he sighed: "It seems that Song Gong does not agree with the peace, why don't you make a statement to Your Majesty?" ”

"Is there any room for me to speak in this court? Even if you speak, will Your Majesty listen? Song Qiqiu's breath was a little anxious, he took two deep breaths, and then calmed down, and said bitterly: "I waited for the first emperor to create a foundation and threaten the southern country, but I never thought that I would experience such results in person when I was old." Sunset West Mountain, Sunset West Mountain......"

Song Qiqiu's sigh was vaguely lamenting the passing national fortunes of the Southern Tang Dynasty. The decline of the country's power is almost irreversible, like falling into the abyss......

When the state affairs were in crisis, unconsciously, the party strife in the Southern Tang Dynasty was alleviated, and between the two parties, and within the two parties, there were different opinions, and there were countless people who disagreed with each other. Looking at Feng Yansi and Song Qiqiu, Sun Sheng and Han Xizai, you can know. If the national glory of the Southern Tang Dynasty lasted for a few more years, it would probably transform into a main battle faction and a surrender faction.

Yanziji, Sun Sheng was worshiped as Sikong, and sent the envoy Shouchun with the letter of state, and presented the Han Emperor Liu Chengyou to negotiate peace. Han Xizai came to send it in person, and the two had another argument, and the result was that they were not speculative and conspired with each other.

After Sun Sheng took the mission and went north by boat, an urgent report came from the north again, and the siege of the city was three months, and Shouchun was finally broken by the Han army. This frightened Tang Ting again, and even a stupid person could see that after a long spring, the Han Master was slightly south, and there was no obstruction at all.

As for Sizhou, it is difficult to support it alone, and no one believes that Guo Tingwei can hold it. And with the current emptiness of Huainan, it will be difficult to stop the Han army. Therefore, Li Jing, the lord of the Tang Dynasty, strengthened his determination to negotiate peace.

......

Yangzhou, Jiangdu City.

Since Yang Wu, for about 30 years, this famous city in Huainan has not experienced war. Even in the past few months of the Han army's southern expedition, the two sides exchanged troops in the state towns on the Huai and Shui lines.

However, since the beginning of spring, the Southern Tang army has marched north, but after more than half a month, the situation has taken a sharp turn for the worse, and the Han army has attacked like a whirlwind. At this time, at the head of Jiangdu City, the Tang flag has been folded, and what has been re-established is the Han flag.

Zhao Kuangyin and Chen Sirang joined forces, led an army of 4,500, and rushed south by boat and boat, heading straight to Gaoyou. In the early morning of the next day, a surprise attack was launched on the Tang army, and the newly defeated Tang army was unprepared and took advantage of it.

The Han army was fierce, and the Tang army, which had lost the morale of the army, was completely unstoppable, Yao Feng directly abandoned the army and fled, was captured by his subordinates, and surrendered to the Han army. And this time, the Tang Army's navy failed to escape, and was intercepted in the water village, and after some attack, they were all captured by Zhao Kuangyin.

The battle has reached this point, and the Tang army in Huainan has basically lost its will, and in the face of the Han army, the resistance is getting weaker and weaker. The defeat of the army was like a mountain, so the victory of the Han army became easier and easier, and the results were also greater. After the Battle of Gaoyou, the biggest trouble for Zhao Kuangyin was that there were too many prisoners......

After Gaoyou defeated Yao Feng's army, Zhao Kuangyin and Chen Sirang took a short rest, and only led 2,500 soldiers to the south along the canal, waving the banner of the Tang army, and rushing to Yangzhou.

To Yangzhou, there was no resistance to entering the city, almost effortlessly, and the city was full of soldiers and civilians, all of which were gained.

On the bank of the canal, at the head of the Jiangdu City, Zhao Kuangyin stood in the south, his eyes were red, and his expression was tired, but between his attitudes, he was full of wanton relaxation, and he couldn't wait to let out a long howl and laugh a few times.

"Envoy of the Scriptures!" Dang Jin ran up to the city with a sullen head and stood on its side: "What are you looking at?" ”

Hearing this, Zhao Kuangyin raised his hand to guide the party and said: "The canal flows into the river, and across the Yangtze River, it is the land of Jiangdong." It's a pity, our army's soldiers, so far, can't compete for all the merits, and destroy the Tang in one fell swoop, it's a pity! ”

Dang Jin didn't think about it so much, just listen to the military orders left and right, and at this time he smiled and said: "The city has been completely controlled, and this city is really empty, but these guards are too useless, and they surrendered without a fight at all." I inquired and found that most of the garrisons in Yangzhou have not fought for more than ten years, which is really a waste! ”

"I didn't expect to be able to take the whole city!" Zhao Kuangyin also laughed and said: "However, the war has progressed to this point, do you feel that our war is getting smoother and easier?" You know what that means? ”

"What does it mean?" Dang Jin asked.

"The puppet Tang army has been defeated, the people's morale has dispersed, and in the face of our army's invasion, it is powerless to resist. My Han army can officially annex Huainan! Zhao Kuangyin said.

Dang Jin nodded, but his head was a little confused, and he didn't fully understand Zhao Kuangyin's words.

Referring to this, Zhao Kuangyin thought of something, and immediately ordered: "Yangzhou is the richest state in Huainan, with abundant products and countless goods. The order was sent down, and the officers of the battalion were ordered to strictly restrain the soldiers and soldiers, and not to disturb the people and plunder money and goods. All government offices and government treasury should be strictly guarded, and no mistakes should be made.

Yangzhou is under the grass, every tree, brick and tile, all belong to the country, when it is reported, let His Majesty and the court deal with it, no one is allowed to move lightly! ”

Zhao Kuangyin can say this, which shows that his ideological consciousness is still very high, or his ambition is lofty, even if he is as rich as Yangzhou, it is difficult to move his heart.

When Dang Jin heard this, he couldn't help muttering: "The brothers have fought so far, and they have fought several bloody battles before they entered this big city. It's understandable to vent and get some money! ”