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After dealing with these things, Yuming returned to his study, just about to look at the recital. The red sleeves rushed in excitedly and said loudly: "Your Majesty, the Hetao is urgent!" ”

"Oh? Could it be that the Battle of the Loop is over? Yu Ming saw that the red sleeves were happy, and the stone hanging in his heart fell to the ground, secretly thinking that it should be Luo Cheng and Luo Shixin who won the battle.

Red Sleeves nodded and said, "Yes!" Originally, the two generals Luo Cheng and Luo Shixin were dealing with Li Shimin in the Hetao area, and they could only be said to be barely undefeated. Several cities previously occupied were recaptured by Li Shimin. They can only cruise close to the grassland and the east of the river, if it is not for the abundance of grain and grass, and they can get food supplies from the east of the river at any time, I am afraid that they will be defeated long ago......"

However, after the emperor returned to Luoyang and defeated Qu Tutong, Guanzhong was already empty, and the land of Bashu was captured by Master and General Wei Chi. The Li Tang Dynasty was shaken, and the soldiers and civilians in Guanzhong were even more panicked, for fear that our army would move into Guanzhong. ”

Red Sleeves said eloquently: "In this case, Li Yuan also has to force Li Shimin to lead the army back to Guanzhong to ensure that Chang'an is not lost!" Stabilize the hearts and morale of Guanzhong. ”

"But in this way, as soon as the Tang army in Hetao withdrew, only 20,000 old, weak, sick and disabled county soldiers were left to defend, how could they stop the 100,000 tiger and wolf army led by Luo Cheng and Luo Shixin? After Li Shimin withdrew, the two generals Luo Cheng and Luo Shixin connected Kefeng Prefecture, Lingzhou and other counties, and just a few days ago, the Tang army of Wuyuan County also went out of the city and surrendered! Now the land of the Hetao is all my Great Zhou! ”

Speaking of this, Fang took out a letter torn open from his arms and handed it to Yu Mingdao: "This is what General Luo Cheng sent someone to send back in an expedited way. A thousand miles away, MeSign only took a few days to deliver, and it was really fast! ”

Yu Ming also happily took the letter, then opened the seal, took out the letter paper and looked at it carefully.

After reading it, he said excitedly: "Okay! After the Hetao fell into the hands of our army, Li Tang's strategic room for maneuver was even smaller! In the future, whether we attack Xiliang and Longxi to the west, or directly attack Shuofang, Yan'an and other northern counties in Guanzhong to the south, it will be convenient! ”

Red Sleeves also smiled and said: "And when we negotiated with Li Jiancheng, we were more confident!" ”

Yu Ming nodded, and then said with a straight face: "Originally, I just wanted to make a false deal with Li Jiancheng, and then secretly arranged, and when Li Yuan relaxed his vigilance, he launched a fierce attack on Guanzhong. But now it seems that we can really talk to Li Jiancheng about the surrender! For example, the situation has come to this point today. I think that Li Yuan, Li Jiancheng, Li Shimin and others should also know that they are powerless to return to the sky! ”

……

After seeing his sister Li Xiuning, Li Jiancheng, who returned to the post house, had a depressed complexion and a gloomy face.

Seeing this, Liu Jing's heart was also half cold, and he hurriedly asked, "Your Highness, how did you talk to Princess Xiuning?" Did she agree to come forward for us and persuade Yuming to agree to the negotiation terms? ”

Li Jiancheng sighed and said, "It seems that my father has overestimated his status in the heart of the imperial sister. In fact, as early as seven years ago, when he ordered to hunt down Yuming, the imperial sister had already indicated her choice with practical actions. At that time, Yuming was only a fugitive wanted by Emperor Yang Guang of Sui, while his father was a former stayer and a relative of the emperor...... When the status of my Li family in the Great Sui was in full swing, the imperial sister did not choose to follow us, but followed Yuming without hesitation, which shows her loyalty to Yuming. ”

Speaking of this, he said in a miserable tone: "Now she has become the imperial concubine of the Zhou Dynasty, with a high status, and she is also in charge of the Vermilion Bird Women's Army alone, holding the power of the army. But we have lost consecutive battles, not only Hedong, but also Jingxiang and Bashu. There is a huge difference between the situation and the Zhou Dynasty. How could the royal sister still speak for us in this situation? Isn't that a source of endless trouble for herself? ”

After Liu Jing heard this, she was also speechless for a while. He naturally knew that the struggle between the emperor's harem and concubines was very fierce. Li Yuan's concubines were very jealous of each other, and they were all trying to win over their ministers as support, trying every means to push their father and brother to high positions. Thinking about it, the Zhou Dynasty is not far behind.

Yuming has seven wives, many of whom have deep backgrounds such as the eldest grandson Wuji, Dong Li, Red Sleeves, Xiao Yuexian, Yang Luoqi, etc. These wives must also be fighting and jealous of each other. And if they knew that Li Xiuning was still secretly communicating with the emperor of the enemy country, they would definitely not let go of this opportunity, and they would bewitch the public in front of Yuming, saying that Li Xiuning had the intention of betraying the Great Zhou.

In this way, even if Yuming understands the righteousness and will not pay attention to these rumors, he will inevitably take precautions against Li Xiuning.

Liu Jing can also be regarded as a retainer of the Li family who watched Li Xiuning grow up, and she also knows Li Xiuning's character very well. With her ice and snow intelligence, she would never have anything to do with Li Jiancheng at such a time. As for coming out to help Li Tang speak, it is even more impossible. She wouldn't be stupid enough to do such a thing.

After figuring this out, Liu Jingfang smiled bitterly: "His Royal Highness King Yan, if this is the case, if we want to reach an agreement with the Zhou Dynasty, it will be even more difficult!" With their current strength, I'm afraid it will be difficult to back down! ”

Li Jiancheng also frowned, and after pacing back and forth in the room for a few steps, Fang suddenly raised his head and said, "Lord Liu, you quickly send a fast horse back to Chang'an, report the latest situation to my father, and ask him to give me the right to cut land and pay compensation." Judging from the current situation, if we do not make substantial concessions to Yuming, it will be difficult for him to agree to an armistice! ”

In fact, Li Jiancheng also wanted to say that he could persuade Li Yuan to give up the emperor title for the time being, anyway, this emperor is just a name, as long as he can hold the power. But he also thought that if he really persuaded him like this, I was afraid that it would be completely impossible to return to his position. So the advice was swallowed back.

Liu Jing naturally knew the stakes of the joints, so he nodded hurriedly and said, "His Royal Highness King Yan, then the lower official will arrange this matter immediately." Hello rest life! Negotiations will begin in earnest the day after tomorrow. We need to prepare the terms and rhetoric of the negotiations......"

With that, he bowed down and saluted Li Jiancheng, and then turned to leave.

Li Jiancheng also replied with a sad face, and then closed the door.

This night was a sleepless night for him......

……

A few days later, the negotiations between the Tang and Zhou countries officially began.

The negotiation venue, the Zhou Dynasty, unexpectedly chose a private room in Piaoxiang Building, the largest restaurant in Luoyang City.

The negotiators on Li Tang's side were Li Jiancheng, the king of Yan, and Liu Jing, who held the position of secretary of Honglu Temple.

The negotiators of the Zhou Dynasty were suddenly the Great Zhou Emperor Yuming and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Sun Wuji.

Although the ministers of the Zhou Dynasty had previously proposed that the other party only came to the king of Yan, they did not need the emperor to talk to the envoys of the Tang Dynasty in person. However, Yu Ming believes that there is a certain hope for the peaceful settlement of the issue of the reunification of the world in this negotiation. If Li Tang can surrender without bloodshed, then the world and the soldiers on both sides can also avoid a war with large casualties. Therefore, in order to show the importance of this negotiation, he finally went down in person.

In the meeting room, there was no one but the two maids who were in charge of pouring their tea.

After the representatives of the two sides sat down, the eldest grandson Wuji said straight to the point: "His Royal Highness King Yan, I don't know if you can have any objections to the conditions proposed by our side?" ”

"Lord Eldest Sun, there is an objection! Of course there are objections! Li Jiancheng hurriedly said: "Your proposal is to ask my father to cut off the emperor's title and change to His Majesty of your country, this condition is harsh!" You must know that my Datang was established before the Great Zhou of your country. And my father is also the father-in-law of His Majesty of your country, and it would be unkind to ask him to cut off the emperor's title! ”

"Brother Jiancheng!" Yu Ming suddenly spoke at this time. "There is no one else here, you don't have to call me Your Majesty, and I don't call you King Yan anymore, everyone still shouts your name. Just like we did 10 years ago. I remember that it was also in this Piaoxiang Building that year, Xiuning took me to participate in the Lantern Festival Poetry Competition, and then met Brother Jiancheng and Brother Shimin! ”

Li Jiancheng's pupils contracted suddenly, and he suddenly remembered at this time, isn't this the scene of the poetry competition back then? At that time, his father Li Yuan had just been transferred back to the Eastern Capital and was about to face the saint. Yang Guang's power is still in full swing, and the names of the four beauties in Luoyang are praised by the vast number of scholars and people. At that time, he and his younger brother Li Shimin were still quite unhappy about this, thinking that his sister Li Xiuning was also qualified to enter the ranks of the four beauties, but it was only because she was not in the Eastern Capital that she was unexpectedly defeated......

And now, ten years have passed. Yu Ming, the illegitimate child of the year, has become the emperor. The four beauties of Luoyang and his sister Li Xiuning all became his wives. Although his current status has improved compared to ten years ago, compared to Yuming, it is completely heaven and earth.

"Alas, the world is unpredictable, and there is no need to mention the past!" Li Jiancheng showed regret in his eyes, and he couldn't help sighing.

Liu Jing was a little anxious on the side, feeling that the negotiation was completely led by Yu Ming, it seems that he chose to negotiate in Piaoxiang Building, I am afraid that he has also gone through some research, and wants to use this to affect Li Jiancheng's state of mind.

At this time, Yu Ming spoke again: "Presumably, Brother Jiancheng also hopes that the world will be peaceful as soon as possible, and the surname will live a peaceful life, and there will be no need to be displaced like the former Sui, right?" That being the case, why can't we take a step back, give up some of our power, reunite the world, and let the surnames and soldiers live happily ever after? ”

Before Li Jiancheng could answer, Liu Jing grabbed the conversation and said, "Your Majesty, since everyone is living a happy life for the sake of their surname, why do you put forward such harsh conditions?" actually asked my Tang Emperor to cut off the emperor's title, isn't this deliberately embarrassing us? ”

...