The soldiers and horses of the Tang Dynasty who returned from the Hedong battlefield rested in the camp in Weibei for more than a month, and Li Shimin, the king of Qin, could not hold back his eagerness.

Three years ago, he and his eldest brother led more than 100,000 troops to Luoyang. At that time, Li Mi was big in the Central Plains, and Xue Ju was in the rear in Longyou, and the Tang Dynasty only occupied the land related to Central and Hedong.

At that time, Luoyang City was a place coveted by various forces, and Li Mi and Wang Shichong repeatedly fought for it, and invested more than 100,000 troops at every turn.

Li Shimin and his eldest brother Li Jiancheng thought that even if Luoyang City was captured, it might not be able to hold on for a long time.

Moreover, the land of Guanzhong is not consolidated at all, and the battle line is too long, which consumes national strength in vain. It is better to withdraw troops from Chang'an to consolidate the rear in order to have a long-term plan.

Now, three years have passed, and Datang's strength is no longer what it used to be. The lands of Hedong, Longyou, Guanzhong, and Bashu are all under control, Dou Jiande has formed an alliance with the Tang Dynasty, and even Youzhou Luo Yi and Jianghuai Du Fuwei have also declared their allegiance, and there are more Western Turkic Yehu Khan and Tiele tribes in the rear to form an alliance with them.

At the same time, with the aftermath of the Hedong War, the army is ready to go east.

On the 8th day of the first month of June, the weather was fine, and Li Shimin stepped on a Persian little red horse that he had recently purchased from the West Market.

This horse's hips are fat and thin, his body is strong, his coat is red and black, and his feet are as light as flying, and he was carried outside the imperial city in a short time.

When he entered the palace, he saw his father, Emperor Li Yuan, pacing under the jade steps, and the sun gradually setting to the west cast a long back behind him.

Li Shimin hurriedly rushed up, and when Li Yuan saw his son coming, he happily called him into the inner hall to talk.

When they arrived at the inner hall, the father and son sat cross-legged opposite each other, and Li Yuan asked, "Erlang, if you send troops to Luoyang at this time, are you sure to win?" ”

Li Shimin's eyes lit up, and he asked happily: "Father, you have finally made up your mind!" ”

Li Yuan deliberately sank his face and asked, "Father asked if you can win?" ”

Li Shimin immediately patted his chest and said: "Father, if you give your son 30,000 elite soldiers, your son will definitely tie up Wang Shichong to see you!" ”

Li Yuan laughed, he shook his head and said, "Back then, Li Mi had 300,000 male soldiers who couldn't capture Luoyang City, why did Erlang take the enemy so lightly?" ”

Li Shimin was not in a hurry, and said: "Li Mi's soldiers are mostly homeless, and they are only soldiers to eat food, and they are unwilling to attack the city with all their strength. The soldier lies in the fine, not in the many. Besides, my Datang is now benevolent and departed in the sea, the armor is strong, and the people are in their hearts. And Wang Shichong acted perversely, and people and gods abandoned together. At this time, the use of troops will get twice the result with half the effort......"

Li Yuan looked at his son approvingly from time to time. At the end, he asked suspiciously: "If Dou Jiande sends troops south, what will you do?" ”

Li Shimin paused for a moment and replied, "Didn't my father form an alliance with him?" Besides, he had a bad relationship with Wang Shichong, how could he send troops? ”

Li Yuan continued to ask: "I mean, if Dou Jiande sends troops, what will you do?" ”

"The military aircraft are changeable, and I don't know how Dou Jiande marched. If he goes to Taihang Bacheng, the battle situation is unpredictable; If he crosses the Yellow River in the south, his sons can besiege the city and send reinforcements! In any case, if you go to the Central Plains, even if Dou Jiande sends troops, Wang Shichong's territory must be my Datang! ”

"Good! This is going to the Central Plains, the scale of troops is huge, and Wang Shichong is also a veteran who has been on the battlefield for a long time, so he needs to be careful! ”

……

The father and son discussed the military affairs until the first day of the lanterns, and the palace attendants came out to hold the lanterns.

After a while, in the square, beside the road, under the eaves, and the palace were all emitted faint candle flames.

Li Yuan saw that it was getting late, so he motioned for his son to go back to his house to rest.

Before leaving, Li Yuan untied the sword at his waist, dragged it up with both hands and handed it to Li Shimin, he said solemnly: "Son! My father is already old and can't accompany you to the battlefield, so let this Longquan sword accompany you! ”

Li Shimin took the sword with both hands, and Li Yuan continued: "This sword is called Longquan Sword, and it was forged for ten years by Ou Yezi, a sword-casting master in the Spring and Autumn Period, from the spring water of Wuyi Mountain. His father had served as a court guard in the previous dynasty, and Emperor Wen at that time gave it to his father. Today, my father gave it to you, hoping that it will accompany you to victory and success. ”

Li Shisheng loved bows, horses, and swords, and he was naturally overjoyed at this moment, he lightly opened the scabbard, and suddenly felt that the sword body emitted bursts of cold light.

Li Yuan waved his hand to stop: "Go back and open it again!" Jiro! My father said first, and in the future, he must not be brave enough to charge into battle, and leave it to the general to do. Don't forget your identity as the commander of the whole army, it is your duty to sit in the military tent and command the overall situation. ”

Li Shimin nodded, but his eyes never left the sword.

Li Yuan said earnestly: "You must keep the following words in your heart. Back then, your great-ancestor followed Emperor Wei Wen Yuwentai to fight in all directions, and his family was a soldier, and his two sons died in battle before they could be crowned. Emperor Wei Wendi sympathized with the loyalty of my Li family, and insisted on leaving your grandfather to become a civil official, so as to inherit the title and continue the bloodline of the Li family. ”

It was the first time Li Shimin heard his father talk about the family's past, although he had known it for a long time, but it was quite different at the moment.

Father's tone was so heavy that he even felt depressed.

"Father is not hindering your desire to kill enemies, but you are a person with heirs, so you must think about future generations!"

Li Shimin lowered his head in shame and said, "Erchen really owes the children too much. Erchen hopes to calm the world for the Tang Dynasty as soon as possible, and then accompany his family well. ”

"It's good to know, let's go back early!"

……

Li Shimin flew back home, and the princess had already prepared wine and food, and led the children to wait quietly for her husband's return.

The eldest grandson of the princess is a dear wife, and he and Li Shimin are in love, understand each other, and talk together.

Their son, Li Chengqian, was just three years old at this time. The children's hair is combed into a "total horn", separated from the left and right, and tied into a bun next to the ear, which is very cute.

Li Shimin took the child into his arms and fed him while enjoying this short happy time with his wife.