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Sitting in the meeting hall of the former city guard's mansion, Yu Ming couldn't help but feel a little touched: two years ago, he was here to drink and talk with Li Yuan about the construction of Jinyang Palace, for fear of angering Yang Guang and causing a catastrophe.

But unexpectedly, two years later, he and Li Yuan both rebelled, but Yang Guang was already dead, and the Sui Dynasty also perished. The situation in the world is changing very quickly.

"His Royal Highness King Zhou, I Lao Cheng has caught Hou Junji, this old man! You should give me a credit for it! At this time, Cheng Yanjin pulled a Tang Army general with a lot of flowers, walked into the conference hall, and said to Yu Ming with a big grin.

"Okay! This time to take the original city, Cheng Biting Jin should be credited! "Yuming is not stingy with this bit of military exploits. He was now more concerned about the battle situation on the Baibi front line, and how this Tang army ran to the original city unconsciously.

"Hou Junji, if I'm not mistaken, two years ago, I was the former Jinyang Palace Supervisor, and I saw you at Li Yuan's reception banquet!" Yu Ming smiled lightly at Hou Junji.

"Humph! Yuming, it's useless for you to have a relationship with me! Back then, you kidnapped the eldest lady and killed Xuan Bagong. Your Majesty will not be able to forgive you! Hou Junji snorted coldly.

Cheng Yanjin couldn't listen to it anymore, he rushed forward and slapped Hou Junji twice: "You dare to talk to King Zhou like this!" Don't think you're going to win a few battles and you're going to be great! That's because you didn't touch our troops in Da Zhou. Now that our army has entered Hedong, then your Tang army will only have the end of defeat! ”

There was blood flowing from the corners of Hou Junji's mouth, but he twisted his head to the side with a proud expression, looking like he didn't eat oil and salt.

Seeing this, Yuming didn't bother to say more to him, turned his head to Luo Shixin and said: "Shixin, take this guy down and torture him, I don't believe that he won't speak!" ”

Luo Shixin nodded, he strode over, like an eagle catching a chicken, lifted Hou Junji up, and then walked towards the cell in the mansion.

"Let's go down and rest! It's getting late now, so let's come back to the council chamber tomorrow to discuss the battle situation! Yu Ming said.

……

Early the next morning, Luo Shixin came to the council hall with a solemn expression. At this time, Yu Ming, Cheng Yanjin, Qin Qiong, Lin Mo and other generals all arrived.

Luo Shixin bowed to Yuming and said: "King Qiyu, the general interrogated all night last night, and used eight kinds of torture tools, before finally making this Hou Jun subdue and soft-mouthed, telling the strength of the Tang army on the front line, the battle situation, and how they came to the original city......"

"Shixin, you did a good job!" Yu Ming praised repeatedly: "Then tell me, what is the situation now?" ”

Luo Shixin hurriedly said: "Back to the king of Zhou, the Tang army is actually not as large as Liu Wuzhou's army, and Li Shimin's army plus the army under Li Yuanji's original command is less than 100,000, only about 280,000. Liu Wuzhou's army numbered as much as 400,000. Although he had to divide his troops to guard the cities east of the river, the army on the front line of Baibi still had 100,000 people. and the Don army have fought many times, but have not been able to make progress......"

"At this critical moment, Li Shimin took advantage of the cold weather and the freezing of the Yellow River to send his uncle Li Xiaogong to lead 100,000 troops to cross the Yellow River from the lower reaches of Yanjin, bypassing Longmen Pass, breaking through Xia County in one fell swoop, and breaking the retreat ......of Liu Wuzhou's main force."

Originally, Li Shimin asked Li Xiaogong to defend Xia County with all his might, to cut off Liu Wuzhou's grain, grass and backup, and when Liu Wuzhou's army collapsed due to the lack of food, he would attack from both sides and defeat Liu's army in one fell swoop...... But Li Xiaogong thought that in this way, all the credit went to Li Shimin, and his face was gloomy. So he sent his deputy general Hou Junji to lead half of his men and horses north to attack Yuan. ”

Because Li Yuan's combat goal to Li Shimin's army was to subdue Yuan and stabilize the situation in Hedong. As long as Li Xiaogong can lead the army to recapture the original, then his credit will not be overwhelmed by Li Shimin's defeat of Liu Wuzhou......"

Hearing this, the eldest grandson Wuji Fang smiled and said, "If our army does not appear, then Li Xiaogong's plan is indeed very likely to succeed." The Liu army in the original city was only 10,000, and they were all old and weak soldiers, and they were indeed not the opponents of Hou Junji's 50,000 elite Tang army. But now, it has given us a great opportunity! ”

He turned his head at this time and said to Yu Ming: "King Zhou, if Li Xiaogong is really honest and shrinks all the 100,000 Tang troops in Xia County, then we really can't do anything about him." But now he has divided half of his men to attack the plains, and we have completely annihilated them. We will have some certainty against him with 100,000 troops and 50,000 horses! ”

The words of the eldest grandson Wuji were not full, after all, the besieging side attacked the defenders with twice the force, which was still a little insufficient.

"Brother Wuji, according to your plan, how should our army take Xia County as soon as possible?" Yu Ming asked in a deep voice.

Eldest Sun Wuji smiled slightly at this time: "If we don't catch Hou Junji, I'm afraid we will only have one way to attack." But now that we have caught Hou Junji, we can make a chapter on him! ”

"I'm afraid this won't work!" Luo Shixin naturally guessed that the eldest grandson Wuji wanted to use Hou Junji to deceive the city gate of Xia County, and he hurriedly said: "Hou Junji was punished a lot by me last night, but I'm afraid that he can't stand up now, and his speech is not good, I'm afraid it will be difficult for him to deceive open the city gate...... Moreover, this person is extremely loyal to Li Yuan, and he is afraid that when he shouts, he will expose our army's intentions......"

The eldest grandson Wuji didn't think so at this time, and laughed: "General Luo doesn't have to worry, my method of deceiving the city doesn't need this Hou Junji to speak......"

At this moment, he explained his method in detail, and after hearing it, everyone applauded unanimously. Although this plan does not guarantee success, if the eldest grandson Wuji's plan is followed, the probability of success is still at least sixty percent.

Moreover, even if it fails, there will be no loss for the Zhou army, and it is a big deal to storm Xia County as originally planned.

"Good! Just act according to Brother Wuji's strategy! Everyone will go back to the camp to rest and prepare, and set off early tomorrow morning to fight in Xia County! Yu Ming stood tall at this time.

"Obey King Zhou's military orders!" All the generals also clasped their fists and saluted at this moment, and then retreated one by one.

……

Five days later, Zhou Jun unknowingly touched a forest outside Xia County. It is only five miles away from Xia County, and you can see the lights looming on the head of the city. Judging from the current situation, Xia County is still in the hands of Li Xiaogong's Tang Army.

Calculating the time, it has been ten days since Li Xiaogong attacked Xia County. Song Jingang launched attack after attack. The corpses of Liu Jun under the city were piled up, and the army of more than 100,000 people now had less than 50,000 people. The Tang army in Xia County also suffered heavy casualties, with about seventy percent of the 50,000 troops lost, and now the defenders are less than 20,000, and many are wounded.

Li Xiaogong already regretted it a little at this time, and felt that he should not be greedy for merit, so he divided half of his men to occupy the plain. Ten days have passed now, but Hou Junji has not sent any news back, and I don't know if he has conquered the original or not.

"If Hou Junji doesn't conquer Yuan, let him lead the army back to assist in Shouxia County." Li Xiaogong secretly thought in his heart: "Although the current 20,000 people can defend the city, but Liu's army will run out of food and grass, it is inevitable that Liu Wuzhou will not jump over the wall in a hurry and attack Xia County with all his men and horses, then his 20,000 people will be a little powerless to defend the city."

"Hold on for two more days. Calculating the time, in two more days, the grain and grass of Liu Wuzhou's army will be finished. Li Xiaogong walked to the city wall at this moment, looked at the tired Tang soldiers on the city wall, and sighed lightly.

At this moment, he heard a sound of people shouting and neighing from the north of his city, and it seemed that a large group of men and horses were coming. When Li Xiaogong was about to send someone to check, the officer guarding the north gate hurriedly came over and reported: "Report to the general, General Hou Junji's men and horses have returned from the north, they say that the attack was lost, and General Hou was also seriously injured, and I hope to enter the city to receive settlement and treatment." ”

"What? 50,000 troops attacked the plains, but only more than 2,000 people returned? After Li Xiaogong heard this, he was also shocked.

He hurriedly led the crowd to the north city gate, only to see more than 2,000 officers and soldiers standing under the city, all wearing Tang Army armor, and the officer was Fu Jie, the captain of Hou Junji's personal army.

"Fu Jie, where is Hou Junji? He still has the face to come back to me! I gave him an army of 50,000 and asked him to attack the original city with only 10,000 defenders, and he was able to fight like this, and only 2,000 men fled back! This guy really let me down! Li Xiaogong said angrily.

Fu Jie, the captain of the pro-soldiers, was also stunned for a moment when he heard this, and at this time, Lin Mo, who was hiding behind him, put the dagger behind his waist and whispered: "Just answer him according to the previous arrangement, and let Li Xiaogong open the city gate and let us in!" ”

Fu Jie only felt that the hard object behind his waist and his own flesh were tighter. He had no choice but to say with a bitter face: "General Li, we have been ambushed, there are not only 10,000 Liu Wuzhou's troops in the original city, but also 100,000 Yuming's troops, and our 50,000 people attack the fortified city guarded by other people's 100,000 troops, how can we not be defeated?" ”

"What? Yu Ming also led the army into Hedong? When Li Xiaogong heard this, he was shocked. If the Zhou army also joined the battle for Hedong, I am afraid that the plan formulated by Li Shimin before will be somewhat insufficient.

"What about Hou Junji? Where he is, call him out and speak! Li Xiaogong was also anxious at this time.

"General Hou is seriously injured and is now in a coma, I'm afraid he can't speak." Fu Jie sighed. At this time, he waved his hand behind him and said, "Bring General Hou up!" ”

A moment later, four soldiers carried a stretcher and carried Hou Junji to the city gate. Several torches were specially lit around the stretcher to illuminate its face.

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