After the meeting, Luo Zhaoyun left Li Jing, Hou Junji, Guo Xiaoke, Changsun Wuji, Du Ruhui, and Xue Wancheng to participate in the core meeting. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

The defense of the entire Shuai Mansion was taken over by Mai Jicai, Cheng Mingzhen, and Zhou Zhongyin, and all of them were replaced by the guards they brought with them.

The lights in the festival hall were bright, Luo Zhaoyun asked about the current military strength, logistics supplies, grain and grass, horses and other details, Du Ruhui to make a record, the eldest grandson Wuji is responsible for checking the accounts, this is not to believe the generals, but a kind of takeover procedure, sloppy, only everything is done according to the rules, the upper and lower military discipline can be the same, not sloppy.

Li Jing truthfully told the current strength of Fu Qi City, as well as the garrisons of several other small cities, that there were about 30,000 main forces in Fu Qi City, and that the other three small cities each had 10,000 troops, in addition to this, there were two military camps, each with 15,000 soldiers and horses, and the regular army added up to 80,000 people.

Luo Zhaoyun thought for a while and said: "With 80,000 troops, I am afraid that there are only 50,000 men and horses who can go out with the army to fight against the rebels, after all, Xihai County still needs to leave a garrison for defense in case the rebels attack, or Tubo takes the opportunity to suppress the border." ”

Li Jing nodded and said: "Yes, we can only send out 50,000 elites to expedition to other places, of course, if our army can occupy other counties, open warehouses and release grain, continue to recruit troops, and collect and surrender the army, the team will get bigger and bigger." ”

Luo Zhaoyun felt that what Li Jing said was quite reasonable, and said against the sand table map: "General Li, what do you think about the next use of troops?" ”

Li Jing pondered for a moment and said: "The western region is very large, there is the Hexi Corridor, and it can connect with dozens of countries in the Western Regions, if we can take the counties in the Hexi Corridor first, and put them into our sphere of influence, the territory is so wide that we can absorb many colorful races in the Western Regions to join the team, form a mixed army, and then fight against some forces in the northwest that have established themselves as kings, we will be able to play with ease." ”

Luo Zhaoyun frowned and said, "What does General Li mean, first develop in the west, expand the territory, reserve strength, and then advance to the east?" ”

Li Jing explained: "Well, it is this meaning, the Central Plains melee, the heroes are competing for the deer, although the hinterland of the Central Plains is the center of the world, Luoyang is the eastern capital, who can control it, can coerce the Son of Heaven to order the princes, but the Central Plains has no natural danger to defend, easy to attack and difficult to defend, after any force occupies it, it will be easily snatched away, we are not in a hurry to go to the Central Plains to seize the territory." ”

"It's different in the west, as long as the accumulation is enough, the counties are connected, a larger army is combined, and the east is advanced, as long as Chang'an City can be taken in the end, and the territory of the northwest and southwest can be integrated, the materials and military sources will be much stronger than those rebel forces in the Central Plains, and it is not difficult to sweep Liuhe like Qin."

The eldest grandson Wuji said: "Do this, will it delay the fighter, once someone takes the first step to attack Chang'an, attack Luoyang, each of them is the emperor, seize the opportunity, we are still fighting on the border, I am afraid that we will be regarded as an outlier at that time, but by the new dynasty of the Central Plains, gather the strength of the Central Plains to fight, the northwest is barren, how can we consume the wealth of the Central Plains?" ”

Everyone nodded, feeling that what the eldest grandson Wuji said was also reasonable, the nobles and sages of the gate lords, the sages and talents, are all in the Central Plains, the northwest is just a remote and uncivilized place, and the long-term development here is definitely not as fast as the Central Plains, if you miss the period of hegemony, you will become the king of the border at that time, how can you deal with the new dynasty of the Central Plains?

Li Jing and Eldest Sun Wuji both looked at the marshal, and in the end, it was up to him to make the decision.

Luo Zhaoyun absorbed the opinions of the two, analyzed it in his mind, and after thinking for a while, he said: "In fact, we can divide our troops into two routes, all the way to Zhangye County, Dunhuang County, take Yumen Pass, occupy the Hexi Corridor, ensure that we can communicate normally with dozens of countries in the Western Regions, and then gradually penetrate Yiwu, Loulan, and other places, and also become our county, absorb the local Qiang people, Hu people, and Western Regions people, and combine an army of mixed nationalities." ”

"The second route of soldiers and horses, concentrate elite troops, march to Wuwei and Xiping County, first conquer Li Rail, drive Xue Ju and Liang Shidu's territory to the east, let them compete with Liu Wuzhou, Li Yuan, and Guanlong regional forces for territory, we will sit on the mountain and watch the tiger fight, and wait for the weakened military strength of all parties to find an opportunity to destroy them."

After hearing this, the generals all felt that it made a lot of sense, and nodded their heads one after another, so that the two routes would develop at the same time, and the fighters would not be delayed.

"What the marshal said is extremely reasonable, and his subordinates think it is feasible!" Du Ruhui arched his hand and said.

Li Jing opened his mouth and said: "To develop to the west, let the last general lead the troops, stay in the northwest frontier for several years, and have some knowledge of the culture of the Western Regions and the plateau, and I also master the language here, and I can master the counties of the Hexi Corridor in the Han Dynasty again." ”

Luo Zhaoyun showed a smile on his face, this is also his wish, he is not at ease with others, not only talent, but also people's character, which is not as good as Li Jing.

After all, Li Jing is in his forties, close to fifty, he has no ambition to dominate, he is mature and steady, has his own opinions, and wherever he holds the military power, he can rest assured, if he is replaced by a young general such as Hou Junji, it will inevitably make Luo Zhaoyun suspicious.

Luo Zhaoyun sighed: "Then there is General Lao Li, I hope that within two or three years, the vast land in the northwest can be connected in series, strengthen communication and promote commercial exchanges, and this commander will attract some merchants from the Central Plains to trade on the Silk Road, once the people in this northwest region become rich, they will follow us with all their hearts." ”

Li Jing sighed: "As early as four or five hundred years ago, Wang Mang at the end of the Han Dynasty played the Empress Dowager Wang Zhengjun of the Linzhao Dynasty at that time, saying that the world already has the East China Sea, the South China Sea and Beihai County, and then there is a Xihai County, which can be regarded as the unification of the four seas. ”

"Those long-defunct post booths once connected the snowy plateau with the hinterland. They are both post facilities, responsible for the transmission of military supplies and military intelligence; It is also a military stronghold, and it is responsible for defensive tasks, and I will also start in this regard, setting up post stations, resting roads, facilitating communication, transmitting information, connecting post posts, and thoroughly linking the snowy plateau with the hinterland. ”