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"Liu Aiqing, I understand what you mean. But the second method is also very difficult to do! Although the Zhou army is numerous, it has plenty of food and grass, and their cavalry is stronger than ours, it is difficult for us to cut off its grain route and let it retreat! Li Yuan asked a little puzzled at this time.

"Your Majesty, Lord Liu does not mean to cut off the grain route of the Zhou army and force it to withdraw by cutting off the grain. Instead, they attacked a strategic place that the Zhou army had to save, forcing it to retreat from Jingxiang to protect the ...... of the place," Pei Lin suddenly explained to Liu Jing at this time.

Only then did Li Yuan understand, he frowned, and asked with some doubts: "Pei Aiqing, Liu Aiqing, then in your opinion, where should our army attack?" ”

"Luoyang!" Pei Lin replied categorically.

He drank a cup of tea at this time, and then explained in detail: "Your Majesty, Luoyang is one of the great capitals in the world, with a large population, which is not only the eastern capital of the former Sui Dynasty, but also the current capital of the Zhou Dynasty. For Yuming and Zhou Jun, they are both the most important cities. They can lose anywhere, but they can't lose Luoyang. You must know that if they are lost, not only the ministers and families of the Zhou Dynasty will fall into the hands of our army, but even Yuming's wife and daughter will be in danger. His prestige will be greatly diminished...... Therefore, if our army attacks Luoyang, the Zhou army will definitely return to the division to rescue! ”

"Your Majesty, what Master Pei said is true!" Liu Jing, Pei Lian's old political enemy, also stood on Pei Lian's side for the first time, after all, this was a major matter related to Li Tang's life and death, and he didn't dare to bury Li Tang's opportunity because of infighting.

He also hurriedly said for him: "Although Luoyang is a strong city, and there are close guards around it, it is close to Guanzhong, and our army can reach Luoyang in one day and one night from Tongguan. Now the main forces of the Zhou army are divided into Hetao in the north and Jingxiang in the south to fight, even if there are some horses around the capital, it is far from our army. If our army sends heavy troops to attack Luoyang from Tongguan, maybe we can take the opportunity to conquer it, and the pattern of fighting for hegemony in the world will be greatly changed! ”

When Li Yuan heard this, he also had some intention in his heart, if he could really capture Luoyang, it would be beneficial to the Tang army.

Liu Jing said at this time: "Moreover, even if our army can't capture Luoyang, but besiege it with heavy troops, the soldiers and generals under Yuming will also panic in their hearts, after all, their wives and children are still in Luoyang City." At that time, Yuming also had to withdraw his troops from Jingxiang and return to Luoyang in order to repel our army. At this time, Li Xiaogong can chase and kill the Zhou army, and our army can also arrange a heavy ambush around Luoyang to besiege the city and send reinforcements! At that time, it will definitely make Yuming unable to eat and walk around! ”

After Li Yuan heard this, he couldn't help but stand up, took the map from the bookshelf, and thought it carefully.

After a while, the other side finally made up his mind, and did as the two of them wanted, sending troops to attack Luoyang. This is also the only choice for the Tang Army at present.

"Two Aiqing, I don't know if you have a suitable candidate for the leading general?" Li Yuan raised his head at this time and asked.

Pei Lin and Liu Jing were both happy in their hearts, and it seemed that Li Yuan was finally moved by what he said.

Pei Lin immediately replied: "Your Majesty, according to the opinion of the ministers, it is the best choice to let King Yan make meritorious contributions. In fact, King Yan himself is very capable, otherwise he would not have been able to attack Hetao and Hedong at the beginning. He was defeated in the hands of Yu Ming, not because of his own command error, but because Yu Ming was stronger...... In fact, even King Qin suffered a lot in Yuming's hands. But now, Yuming is not in Luoyang, but went to Jingxiang to command the battle. Luoyang has no unscrupulous generals to guard. If you let King Yan lead the army to attack. I believe that I will be able to give Your Majesty a satisfactory result! ”

After Li Yuan heard this, he was slightly moved, after all, it was also a moment for him to abolish Li Jiancheng's position, and afterwards he also felt that the punishment was too heavy. Na Yuming is known as one of the two walls of the Great Sui, since he joined the army, he can be said to be invincible, invincible, and even he has been deflated in his hands. Let Li Jiancheng go to fight against Yuming, it is indeed a little difficult for him. Moreover, Li Jiancheng also captured Hetao and Hedong before, and occupied half of Hebei, although he later lost his troops under Yuming's attack, but he could not completely erase his past achievements.

Just when Li Yuan wanted to agree, Liu Jing grabbed the conversation and retorted to Pei Lian: "Master Pei, you are wrong!" As the saying goes: You have no jokes! Your Majesty has just announced that King Yan will not be allowed to lead troops within a year, but it has only been less than a month, do you want Your Majesty to be accused by the world of being untrustworthy? ”

After Pei Lin heard this, his face was also flushed with anger, and he sneered at each other: "Now the King of Qin is still in Hetao and can't get out, General Li Xiaogong is struggling in Jingxiang, and General Li Shentong is confronting Tuyuhun in Longxi...... Besides King Yan, who else do you say is qualified for this general? Don't you want King Qi to lead his troops again, do you? ”

These two people have just worked together and said that Li Yuan will send troops to Luoyang. Now that they have achieved their goal, they have resumed the relationship between political enemies and dismantled each other.

"Master Pei, King Qi has already been announced by His Majesty that he can no longer lead the troops alone, so naturally he can't think about it." And Liu Jing was obviously prepared, he was not asked by Pei Lian. Let Li Yuanji lead the troops, it is ironclad and defeated. But the person in his mind is someone else.

Liu Jing said with a straight face at this time: "Your Majesty, my Tang Dynasty is full of talents, in addition to the two emperors and the two royal relatives, there is also a veteran available!" This person had a prominent reputation and rich combat experience when he was in the Great Sui. He also has a lot of prestige in the army, and Weichen thinks that he can order this veteran to be the commander of the army and attack Luoyang! ”

"Oh? So who is this veteran? After Li Yuan heard this, he also asked with some curiosity.

Liu Jing said word by word: "Qu Tutong! ”

"What? You say he? Li Yuan was also taken aback when he heard this name.

Qu Tutong was born at the beginning of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, a native of Chang'an, and a famous general of the Sui Dynasty. Northern Zhou Qiongzhou stabbed Shi Qu Tu Changqingzhi. In his first life, he was a member of the Kumo Xi race, attached to the Xianbei Murong clan. During the Great Cause period, he participated in the pacification of Yang Xuangan's rebellion, suppressed peasant uprisings several times, and made great achievements for the Sui Dynasty.

When Emperor Yang Guangnan of the Sui Dynasty toured the Jiangdu, he appointed him to guard Chang'an. Soon after, Li Yuan rebelled against the Sui in the original army, and entered the pass, Qu Tutong held the Tong Pass, was defeated and captured, and refused to surrender at first, and later Li Yuan ordered someone to take his family and let him persuade him to surrender, so he reluctantly surrendered Li Yuan. And after the formal establishment of the Tang Dynasty, he served as the secretary of the military department and was named the Duke of Jiang.

Li Yuan actually admired Qu Tutong, believing that he was a loyal and righteous man, and he also had considerable military command talent.

It's just that Qu Tutong was sixty-five years old at this time. And I heard that my body has not been good recently, so I asked him to be the coach and go on an expedition to Luoyang, but I don't know if I can persevere.

When Li Yuan expressed his worries, Liu Jing didn't think it was a problem. He said that Qu Tutong only occasionally felt cold, and now after taking a few pairs of medicines, he has long been fine. And this veteran, whether he was in the Sui army before or now in the Tang army, is a person of high morality.

And he is also the secretary of the military department, and he is very familiar with the generals and troops in the army.

Before Qu Tutong descended to the Tang Dynasty, he guarded Tongguan for many years. He is very familiar with the terrain from Tongguan to Luoyang, and he is the chief general, whether it is from the transfer of soldiers and grass, or the command of operations, he is a superior candidate.

Of course, there is another reason why Liu Jing didn't say it, that is, Qu Tutong is a military general who belongs to the faction of Li Shimin, the king of Qin. If he really became the commander and conquered Luoyang, or forced Yuming to withdraw from Jingxiang, he would have made a great contribution to the Tang Dynasty and won Li Yuan's trust. In this way, Li Shimin's supporters in the DPRK and China have become even more powerful. The possibility of being established as a new one in the future has also greatly increased.

"Good! Since it is recommended by Liu Aiqing, then let General Qu Lao lead the troops to the battle! Li Yuan touched his long beard under his chin, and after thinking for a moment, he nodded in agreement.

The little Jiujiu in Liu Jing's belly, he had actually seen it a long time ago. But now Li Yuan also believes that letting Qu Tutong go on the expedition is also the only choice.

Although he can also agree with Pei Lian's opinion and change to Li Jiancheng as the main coach. But then it would be a slap in the face, and the decree that had just been issued would be null and void immediately. In this way, how do the ministers of the DPRK and China see themselves? How will Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin see themselves? Changing the order will seriously damage one's prestige.

Although Pei Lin was a little dissatisfied with Li Yuan's failure to accept his suggestion, he let Qu Tutong be the coach, and he was also the most suitable person now. And he is also a little uncertain about whether the Tang army can capture Luoyang. After all, with Yuming's ability, after the main force moves south, even if Luoyang's defense is weakened, it will never be easily conquered by the Tang army. This battle is bound to be a vicious battle, and it is really difficult to say who will kill the deer.

The monarchs and ministers discussed for more than an hour, and then decided that the number of troops to fight was 200,000, and the grain, grass, and baggage were all available.

Immediately, Li Yuan summoned the prison general Qu Tutong and informed him that he planned to go to Luoyang to besiege Wei and save Zhao, forcing Yuming to lead his army back north and give up attacking Jingxiang. And if Yuming refuses to return north, or the Tang army sees that there is an opportunity to take advantage of it, it is okay to take Luoyang.

Qu Tutong had discussed this matter with Liu Jing before, and naturally replied, which made Li Yuan very satisfied.

And Qu Tutong took the opportunity to propose that Liu Jing be his military advisor, and let his two sons Qu Tushou and Qu Tuquan be generals under the tent.

For Qu Tutong's requirements, Li Yuan met them one by one. He had only one request: that is, he must inflict heavy losses on the defenders of Luoyang and force Yuming to withdraw his troops from Jingxiang. Otherwise, Luoyang must be captured.

"Please rest assured, Your Majesty, Qu Tutong will do his best! If you can't solve the danger of Jingxiang and can't capture Luoyang, Qu Tutong will raise his head to see the saint to repay His Majesty's kindness and kindness! Qu Tutong said in a majestic manner, quite a bit of a veteran.

"Good! I'm just waiting for the good news from the old general! Listening to Qu Tutong's words, Li Yuan was also overjoyed.

On April 27 of the second year of Yongchang, 200,000 Tang troops set out from Chang'an, went east out of Tongguan, and rushed towards Luoyang......

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