Speaking of this, Sun Kewang paused deliberately, and then secretly observed Zhang Xianzhong's reaction.

As he expected, Zhang Xianzhong was stunned for a moment, and almost subconsciously asked back: "Oh, then why do you think so?" ”

Sun Kewang avoided Zhang Xianzhong's direct gaze, but he couldn't help but sigh in his heart, and hurriedly replied in a low voice: "Your Majesty, with all due respect, among the three kingdoms, my Daxi Kingdom has the smallest territory and the weakest troops. What's more, because of incompetence, in the previous battle of Xuzhou, nearly 50,000 soldiers have been lost, and the strength of Daxi is becoming more and more insufficient. Therefore, it is believed that once the Tang army pacifies Huguang and sweeps away the remnants of Zuo Liangyu's forces, it will definitely gather forces and focus on attacking our Great Western Kingdom, which is an inevitable trend. ”

"Pingdong Hou, I heard that Zuo Mengeng, the son of Zuo Liangyu, led more than 100,000 people of the left army in western Hubei to go to the southwest of Hunan Province, relying on the local precipitous situation to hold on, I am afraid that the Tang army wants to eliminate them, it may not be so easy." The right prime minister, Wang Zhaolin, interjected from the side.

Sun Kewang glanced at the right prime minister, who was known for his incompetence and mediocrity, and replied with a sneer: "Prime Minister Wang, do you know that the current Zuo Mengeng is already a lost dog, they went to Jingzhou and other places with poor mountains and bad waters to recover in order to recover, no money and no food, if you want to recover, it is not easy to talk about it." It is foreseeable that for at least five or six years, they will simply not be able to pose any more threats to the Don army. Therefore, Li Xiao, the king of the Tang Dynasty, didn't pay attention to this small remnant of the left army at all, and didn't bother to send troops to continue the attack. ”

Hearing Sun Kewang's reply, Wang Zhaolin was speechless, but Zhang Xianzhong frowned, kept brushing his thick yellow beard, and looked worried.

In the entire court, the civil and military ministers began to talk to each other again, like a group of flies gathering, making a noisy buzzing sound.

Zhang Xianzhong was silent for a long time before he raised his head again, his eyes were full of worry and helplessness, he was silent for a long time with a tense face, and then asked Sun Kewang again: "Hopefully, if the Tang army really comes to attack, then according to your opinion, how should I deal with it next?" ”

Sun Kewang thought for a while, and then replied loudly: "According to the opinion of the below, now there should be three strategies to choose from, please ask the emperor to let the ministers explain." ”

"Well, then you can tell them one by one."

"Your Majesty, this best strategy is to take advantage of the fact that the Tang Army is temporarily unable to launch an offensive against our Daxi while the Tang Army is swallowing Huguang, and immediately preemptively attack and occupy eastern and southern Sichuan, which are defended by the Tang Army but have empty troops, so as to seize the opportunity to expand the territory in one fell swoop and establish a solid defense and defense before the Tang Army reacts. In this way, we have seized the lead, after the Tang army pacified Huguang, and then wanted to enter Sichuan to seize the lost territory, our army waited for work, and there were many precipitous and important places in the east and south of Sichuan that could be defended, and it was not easy for them to recapture it! What's more, our Daxi and Dashun are still in an alliance state, and there is no need to worry that the Dashun army will take advantage of the situation, so our army has no worries at all, and can go all out to attack southern Sichuan and eastern Sichuan, and determine the situation in one fell swoop. Erchen believes that this plan should be the best policy. ”

When Sun Kewang said this, he looked at Zhang Xianzhong with burning eyes, and his face was full of expectation. It can be seen that he desperately hopes that Zhang Xianzhong will give a positive answer.

It's just that after Zhang Xianzhong listened to Sun Kewang's strategy, he still frowned, bowed his head and groaned, and didn't speak for a long time.

After a long time, Zhang Xianzhong raised his head again and said sullenly to Sun Kewang: "Let's talk about the middle strategy, I want to hear it again." ”

The disappointment on Sun Kewang's face flashed, he thought about it, and then replied: "Your Majesty, the middle strategy of the sons and daughters is that before the Tang army attacked my Daxi, my Daxi Kingdom made a decisive decision, gave up Xichuan, and then turned against the Hongguang court, and attacked the land of Yungui in the Ming Dynasty first, and took advantage of the chaos to seize Yungui, thinking that it was the foundation of the foothold. If our army can gain a foothold in Yungui, it can rely on the local steep passes and terrain to block the pace of the Tang army's attack. Moreover, I think that the Tang army is determined to be in the world, and for the time being, the land of Yungui will not be open, and after taking the Xichuan abandoned by our army, it should not continue to attack our Daxi. In this way, I was given plenty of time to recuperate. When the Tang army goes north to compete with Dashun and Taqing for the world, after our Daxi takes advantage of the chaos to cover up and attack, we will definitely be able to defeat the Tang army in one fell swoop and retake Xichuan, and even if it goes well, it is entirely possible that the entire Sichuan region will be taken by our army. ”

Just when Sun Kewang coughed lightly and wanted to continue to say his next words, Yan Ximing, the right prime minister who had not spoken on the side, interjected: "Pingdonghou, Xichuan is the foundation of our army, and Enke will abandon it!" Taking a step back, as soon as this Xichuan is abandoned, our army's attack on Yungui will not be smooth in the future, will it have to be attacked by the Ming army and the Tang army before and after, this situation will be so sinister, how can this be made! As the emperor's righteous son and an important minister of the state, the Marquis of Pingdong said these words when he was facing the enemy, which really chilled the prime minister. ”

"Prime Minister Yan, how can you say that, you don't understand what Ben Hou means......" Sun Kewang hurriedly explained.

"Alright, stop fighting! This is the end of the story. Zhang Xianzhong, who had not spoken above, said sullenly: "Hopefully, since you have said the middle policy, it is better to tell me and the ministers the next policy, so that everyone can listen to it together." ”

Sun Kewang sighed lightly, and then tilted the left Prime Minister Yan Ximing, who had interjected in a panic, and replied in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, this strategy is to urgently train soldiers and horses, and make every effort to stick to the current territory, so as not to respond to all changes." At the same time, immediately repair the book to Dashun, and ask them to prepare a mobile force with sufficient strength in Hanzhong, so that they can come to the aid of our Daxi Kingdom at any time, and prevent our army from being unable to resist the attack of the Tang army, and still have a reliable backup available. Of course, if we act like this, I will have to show my sincerity to Li Zicheng with enough generous gifts, and if necessary, I will have to cede land to him......"

Sun Kewang hesitated and didn't continue, he looked at Zhang Xianzhong with a timid look, and found that Zhang Xianzhong's brows were wrinkled tighter, and a donkey face was also longer.

At this time, under the entire court, the ministers who had been talking to each other quieted down, and there was silence in the empty hall.

Seeing that Zhang Xianzhong was indecisive, Sun Kewang gritted his teeth, and replied loudly to Zhang Xianzhong: "Your Majesty, in my opinion, among the three strategies, it is better to choose the best policy." In today's situation, it is not that people want me, but that I need to try people, and the stakes and time are urgent, and we can no longer have any waiting and hesitation. Instead of responding passively at that time, it is better to take advantage of the current lack of troops of the Tang army in eastern and southern Sichuan, attack it with all its might, defeat the remaining Tang troops in these Sichuan regions, and completely unify Sichuan by our Daxi. When the time comes, it will be the best strategy for our Great Western Army to calmly deal with the attack of the Tang Army. I also hope that my father will not hesitate, immediately adopt the words of his son, and act quickly! ”

Zhang Xianzhong stiffened his face and didn't answer, but he kept brushing his long beard, and his face became more and more ugly.

Zhang Xianzhong was silent on the surface, but his heart was extremely entangled and sad.

Grandma's, think about Lao Tzu's rebellion, his life, swept the world in the Ming Dynasty and entered a no-man's land, and he never met any opponents in his life, but he didn't expect that after establishing the Great Western Kingdom and becoming the Emperor of Great West, he met Li Xiao, the most difficult opponent in his life.

This Li Xiao, first defeated himself under the Iron Dragon City in the eighth year of Chongzhen, and also captured Li Dingguo, Liu Wenxiu, and Feng Shuangli, the three powerful generals under his own command. Up to now, these three people have become the mainstay of Li Xiaojun's existence, this fate and creation, how can it really be said!

And the recent battle of Xuzhou can be regarded as the second encounter between himself and the Tang army. The 60,000 elites of Onishi were almost wiped out in this battle, and their righteous son Ai Nengqi was broken, only Sun Kewang escaped with the remnants by luck, such a fiasco, thinking about it now, it was enough to make him resentful and helpless.

Maybe this Li Xiao can be regarded as his destined nemesis.

Zhang Xianzhong looked around at everyone, glanced at Sun Kewang's expectant eyes again, sighed, and said slowly: "Hopefully, from the perspective of my father, it is your strategy that is quite desirable." ”

Zhang Xianzhong's words made Sun Kewang feel like he was struck by lightning.

He froze, his mouth half-open, and his eyes full of disbelief. And the ministers next to him were even more speechless.

What's going on?

Butcher Zhang, who has always been decisive and unscrupulous, would choose Sun Kewang's next strategy, and only dare to sit obediently and guard the city, like a turtle, and no longer have the courage to attack or transfer the base, what's going on?

For a moment, the entire hall was silent, as quiet as a tomb.

Zhang Xianzhong saw everyone like this, of course he knew what they were thinking in their hearts, so he looked around at everyone and sighed: "Everyone, do you suspect that there is something wrong with my old Zhang's approach?" Let me tell you, in my Lao Zhang's opinion, the so-called next policy is really the only feasible strategy! ”

When all the ministers heard this, their eyes widened and their ears pricked up, wanting to listen to what Zhang Xianzhong was going to say next, and Sun Kewang, who was standing at the forefront, listened attentively, looking very devoted.

Zhang Xianzhong smiled coldly and said, "First of all, let's talk about the best policy that can be expected." It is to ask our army to immediately send troops to attack the eastern and southern Sichuan garrisoned by the Tang Army. This kind of strategy seems to be quite advantageous, so that I can take advantage of the lack of strength of the Tang army and take advantage of the lack of strength to seize its territory, but in my opinion, if I really act like this, with the whole country's army, to attack these two places of the Tang army, it is very dangerous, the future is unpredictable, and it is really difficult to do. ”

"Father, this ......" Sun Kewang couldn't help but interject hurriedly, but was stopped by Zhang Xianzhong waving his hand.

"Hopefully, have you thought about it, if our army pours all the troops of the whole country and goes all out to attack eastern or southern Sichuan, will it really be as smooth as you say? In my opinion, I'm afraid it may not be. Zhang Xianzhong frowned and said: "In the previous battle of Xuzhou, the soldiers and horses of the second town of the Tang army have not yet been reinforced, and the Ming army of Zeng Yingbu has not yet been reorganized, but our army's attack on Xuzhou has been hard for a long time and has not been captured. Now, the soldiers and horses of the Ying Department have been reorganized into the tenth town of the Tang Army, and they have basically been redressed and reorganized, and their combat power has been greatly improved, and they cannot be said to be the same as at that time. Our army's attack this time, even if it has a superior force advantage than before, if you want to take it suddenly, I am afraid that it will be difficult. Even if you try your best to capture southern Sichuan and other places, I am afraid that the losses will be heavy, and the gains will outweigh the losses. ”

When Zhang Xianzhong said this, his face was full of helplessness: "Therefore, even if everything goes well, if our army wants to take eastern and southern Sichuan, it will definitely suffer many obstacles, and the losses and expenses will be amazing." Moreover, even if our army is brave and not afraid of death, and captures these places in a bloody battle, it will definitely suffer heavy losses and demoralization, how can we deal with the Tang army that has entered Sichuan in a big way? This kind of ending is really not what I want. ”

When Zhang Xianzhong said this, he let out a long sigh: "Next, I'll talk about the middle strategy." I hope you say that if I want to abandon Xichuan, which is the foundation of the country, go all out to the south, and attack Guizhou in Yunnan, this plan, to be honest, is really not good. Of course, if it was just to turn the other cheek with the Hongguang court and tear up the agreement signed with it, it would really be nothing, and I didn't take that agreement seriously at all. Moreover, if our army attacked these places, the local garrison of the Ming army would have low morale, poor equipment, and a great shortage of food, and those places would indeed be quickly captured by our army. But have you ever thought that even if our army captures these places, it will definitely spend a lot of time and money to invest in construction, and our army does not have these two key items now, so even if we successfully occupy these places, it will be like chicken ribs and will not have much value. ”

Zhang Xianzhong took a long breath and continued: "And the land of Xichuan, where we are now founded, is rich and rich, which is really the foundation of my great western country, and it is not a last resort, how can I abandon it!" If this rich Xichuan is successfully led by the Tang Army without spending a single soldier, the Tang Army will definitely be like a tiger with wings and cannot be reasserted, and this kind of practice is simply the most stupid move of the enemy. And this noble land, the land is barren, the people are poor, and Li Xiao, who has more troops and more strength, disdains to occupy it, what is the use of our army giving up the rich Xichuan and taking these places instead? Is it possible to eat just because the place is steep? What worries me more is that if we take these places with our front foot, the Tang army will then follow the attack, our army's foothold is not stable, the people's will is undecided, how can we resist its powerful attack, how can we compete with its appearance! ”

When Zhang Xianzhong said this, his face was already very solemn, he looked around at everyone, and continued: "So, in my opinion, the only feasible strategy now is the next policy that can be expected. Only by holding on to the city, fighting according to the pass, and then asking Dashun to send troops to help, and working together to defend Xichuan, is the best defense policy. There is nothing else to do. ”