Ansui Jiedu makes Du Youcai very different from Peng Fang, of course, this is also because of his territory, and his strength is not comparable to Peng Fang. The entire territory of Ansui is not smaller than Hedong, Li Ze may be able to easily swallow Peng Fang, but he will definitely not be able to eat Du Youcai in one bite.

It was for this reason that Li Zecai tolerated Peng Fang's existence, because Li Ze was worried that he would take too big a step and behave too greedily and arouse Du Youcai's hostility and push him to his opposite.

Now, at least Du Youcai still shows his apparent obedience to Zhenzhou.

Du Youcai has no ambition to compete in the world, his biggest dream is that his Du family can always be in Ansui. Although Jiuding is good, but it is very human can do it, Du Youcai thinks that he is more than enough to sit in one side, once he wants to win the world, he will inevitably die without a place to be buried.

So he stayed in Ansui very peacefully.

Zhu Wen didn't have his idea, and sent people to contact him many times, and made a wish, but Du Zicai categorically refused. Du Zicai was reluctant to join forces with Zhu Wen, but the two sides did not tear their faces at the earliest, but when Zhu Wen established himself as emperor in Chang'an, Du Zicai completely cut off contact with him.

The reason is simple.

Du Zicai's festival envoy is sealed by the Tang Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty exists, his festival degree envoy is reasonable and legitimate, not only has legal legitimacy, but also has moral legitimacy, Zhu Wen established himself as the emperor, so what is his festival envoy?

He just wants to be the overlord of a land in Ansui.

Therefore, he continued to claim to Zhenzhou.

Du Youcai's biggest problem was that he didn't believe that Tubo would attack him. The purpose of Ansui's existence was originally to resist Tubo, both sides have fought for many years, both have suffered losses, but they have also taken advantage, over the years, although Tubo has become stronger and stronger under the governance of Tocharo, but the dependence on Ansui is actually growing. A large number of goods from the Central Plains entered Tibet through Ansui, and the two sides had close contacts at the top and had too many interests to connect with each other, and once the war started, the losses on both sides would be great.

Of course, there is also Du Youcai's self-confidence.

If you don't believe it, you won't be well prepared for war.

Although he stationed tens of thousands of troops in Lingzhou, Feng'an, Dingyuan, Anyuan and other places, and had a complete defensive chain, under the all-out attack of Tubo, this defensive chain was shattered with a bang.

Tocharian gathered an army of 200,000 men.

That's all the power Tocharian can muster.

Less than half a month after the start of the war, even if the Ansui army resisted desperately, it was still defeated and retreated, and Lingzhou soon fell completely.

Du Youcai was shocked, so he could only shrink the defensive line, gather the rout, and gather all his forces to Xiazhou, Yinzhou, Suizhou and other places to organize the second line of defense.

At the age of thirty-five, he became the envoy of the Ansui Festival, and now at the age of fifty-five, Du Youcai has never encountered such a crisis as now, and he has never seen such a big battle after fighting with Tubo for many years.

Most of the envoys of the Tang Dynasty were military generals, and most of them rose in the most chaotic era of the Tang Dynasty, but Du Youcai was a special case, he was a civil official. It was appointed by Datang Zheng'er to serve as the envoy of the Ansui Festival. worked in Ansui for 20 years, and he also became the king of Ansui completely.

Although he is a civilian official, Du Youcai can fight and can fight, he never goes to the front line, but his ability to strategize and formulate strategies and tactics is not lost to the best generals of this era.

But this time, he lost his eyes and made a mistake.

When he thought he was at his safest, he suffered the worst defeat of his life.

Du Youcai, who was thin, sat behind the big case, his eyes were bloodshot.

"I was wrong." He muttered: "Tocharo has reached the pinnacle of his courtier, his prestige has surpassed that of Tubo Zampu, he will either go further and become the king of Tubo himself, or wait until he dies, his family will be completely eradicated by the king of Tubo, and his wealth, tribe, cattle and sheep will be eaten by other people, so he wants to use a foreign war to make his prestige go further, and add another stroke to his victory in the position of Tubo Zampu." How did I not think of this? If he doesn't enter, he will die, so he must enter! ”

He pounded his head in some pain, why did he only understand this now? Is it because he had never thought of such a rebellious thing?

War is the best means for Tocharian to gather domestic strength, with war, he can plunder more wealth to satisfy his subordinates, through war, he can more smoothly eradicate the forces dissatisfied with him in Tubo, so, this war, in fact, is inevitable.

Of course, there must have been external forces involved.

Zhu Wen must have colluded with the other party.

I just don't know what benefits Zhu Wen promised him.

With a bang, the door was pushed open, and a cool breeze blew in, making Du Youcai shiver excitedly, looking at the figure who hurried in, Du Youcai asked, "Is there any bad news?" ”

"Father, there was an emergency military report from Youzhou just now, and an army from Tubo has arrived in Youzhou." Du Liang swallowed a mouthful of saliva, "There are more than 50,000 people." ”

Du Youcai let out a long breath: "Eight hundred miles to urgently order Dai Lin, give up Youzhou, and the whole army retreats to Xiazhou." ”

Du Liang looked at his father with some surprise: "Father, if you give up Youzhou, Tubo will be able to drive straight in, then, most of Ansui will be gone." ”

Du Youcai smiled bitterly: "It's like this now." How many days do you think Dai Lin's 5,000 military horses can hold Youzhou? ”

"Dai Lin's department, but I'm an elite."

"It is precisely because of this that I can't let him lose in Youzhou in vain. Retreat to Xiazhou, strengthen the defense of Xiazhou a little, and we will fight to the death with the Tubo people in Xiazhou. Du Youcai Huo Ran stood up.

"Father, Xiazhou City is tall and steep, and the troops are sufficient, of course it is not a problem to hold on, but if the Tubo people besiege Xiazhou and do not fight, and send another unit to attack Suizhou, Yinzhou and other places, what else can we have left?" Du Liang asked puzzled.

Du Youcai stood for a long time before he said slowly: "I have sent an envoy to Hedong and Zhenzhou to ask for help from the imperial court. ”

Du Liang was taken aback: "Father, didn't you tell me a few years ago that the ambition of Li Zewolf's son in Zhenzhou stopped moving forward after the defeat of Zhang Zhongwu, and he must have set his sights on the northwest, does he have the ambition to annex my Ansui?" Now that we are asking them for help, are we not seeking the skin of the tiger? It's easy to please God, it's hard to send God, and when they come, I'm afraid they won't leave. ”

"Of course I do." Du Youcai was silent for a moment, "But now it's not a matter of territory that we are considering, but a matter of net worth." We now have three ways to go, the first is to fight the Tubo to the end, and finally die and be wiped out. ”

Du Liang's head shook like a rattle.

"The second one, surrender to Tibet, in doing so, you can also save your wealth in the future." Du Youcai continued.

Du Liang shook his head even more: "Father, our Du family has been fighting with Tubo for decades, how many Tubo nobles will die in our hands, we are feuds." If we surrender, I am afraid that it will not be long before we become rich and rich, and we will become food on other people's plates, and let me surrender to them, unwillingly, unwillingly, I am a dignified man. ”

"Do you think we have another way?" Du Youcai nodded: "In addition to asking Zhenzhou for help, what other way can I go?" Now ask for help from Zhenzhou, lead Zhenzhou soldiers into Ansui, at least there is still a little capital, to the worst, our Du family can also protect the wealth of a lifetime, just like that Gao Lei, go to Wuyi to drink and play cards. ”

"Can't we ask for help like Zhang Wu?" Du Liang hesitated for a moment and asked.

Du Youcai laughed hehehe: "Son, you have to set your sights higher, Zhang Wu has already submitted to Zhu Wen, do you think that this time Tubo's large-scale attack, there is no shadow of Zhu Wen behind it?" Zhu Wen's calculation is to lead Tubo to attack Zhenzhou, and our Ansui will inevitably be sacrificed, how can Zhang Wu send a single soldier? If he doesn't take the opportunity to bite us, it's good. ”

"What's in it for Juwen?"

"Because Zhu Wen is facing a predicament now, he wants to attack the south, but he is worried that when he fights the south, the Zhenzhou court will attack him in a big way, so he wants to contain Li Ze. Once Li Ze and Tubo fight, where can he slow down to interfere with Zhu Wen's southward move? Once Zhu Wen took the rich south and his strength increased greatly, he would naturally be able to come back to clean up Li Ze and even Tubo. From this incident, it can also be seen that Li Ze's strength, at least, Zhu Wen thinks that Li Ze can compete with the Tubo army. If the two lose both, he'll be happier. ”

Du Liang sat down dejectedly.

"We have a heavy army and Xiazhou City, defend this fundamental land, and contain a part of the Tubo army. In the case that Tubo could not quickly take Xiazhou, they would divide their troops to Suizhou and Yinzhou, because their fundamental purpose was still Zhenzhou. The elongation of the battle line will put pressure on the logistics of Tubo, and this is the fighter we created for the Zhenzhou Imperial Court. ”

"What if, if the Zhenzhou soldiers are not prepared for war at all? Just like us, we suffered such a big loss without defense! Du Liang asked worriedly.

"How could they not be prepared?" Du Youcai smiled bitterly: "I only understand now, Li Ze is only afraid that he is also waiting for this opportunity, and he will march into Ansui justifiably, let us willingly offer Ansui with both hands!" ”

"Is there no other way? Father! ”

"If there is any other way, is your father willing to give up the territory that he has been in business for decades? It's better to give Li Ze than to Tocharo, at least, I'm still a loyal servant of the Tang Dynasty. Du Youcai sighed.