Xingzai, who was pinned on by Liu Renliang, received Li Chengqian's distress letter two days earlier than Wang Fangyi.

Wang Fangyi was on the march, so Li Chengqian's distress letter was transmitted to Lingzhou City by flying pigeons, and then forwarded to Wang Fangyi.

Shuofang City, where Li Shimin is located, is an important rear material supply station for Li Chengqian, and there is a receiving point for flying pigeons.

On this day, Li Shimin was discussing with Fang Xuanling and Gao Shilian about the war between Datang and Xue Yantuo.

Li Shimin originally wanted to subdue the Mobei tribes first, so that he could conquer Goguryeo in the east, but with the continuous actions of Li Chengqian and Hui Hui, the Tang Dynasty and the Mobei tribes had to fight a tough battle.

Fortunately, Li Shimin's prestige is enough to suppress all forces within the Tang Dynasty, he said that no one dares to say no words except Li Chengqian, and he said that he wants to fight the entire imperial court, which makes the situation in the Tang Dynasty still very optimistic.

The three of them were discussing when they suddenly heard the waiter outside reply: "Your Majesty's military department squire Yang Hongli asks to see you." ”

Li Shimin originally just regarded Yang Hongli as an echo worm, thinking that it should be enough for him to do things in the previous dynasty.

However, as the war in northern Xinjiang became more and more complicated, Yang Hongli was no longer competent, so Yang Hongli changed from the original peace talks with the Mobei tribes to the requisition of military supplies from all over the Tang Dynasty.

"Pass him in."

When Li Shimin heard that he came to ask for a meeting, he thought that there was a problem with the military quartermaster and hurriedly ordered him to come in, but he thought in his heart that Yang Hongli was too incompetent.

After a while, I saw Yang Hongli approaching the hall and saluting Li Shimin with a happy face: "See Your Majesty." ”

Li Shimin saw it and waved his hand and said, "Yang Qing is flat!" As soon as Yang Hongli raised his head, he asked directly: "Why did Yang Qing come to see me?"

is the so-called obedient and listening, although Yang Hongli's ability is limited, he was born in the clan of the previous dynasty and has been immersed in officialdom for many years, so he can naturally hear the impatience in Li Shimin's tone.

I didn't dare to say much at the moment, so I reported directly to Li Shimin: "Your Majesty, the prince's family ordered Pei Xingjian to escort 5,000 stone of gunpowder to support the Northern Expedition. ”

"Gunpowder"

Li Shimin's eyes widened when he heard this.

Li Shimin has always been very eager for gunpowder, but because gunpowder has always been in Li Chengqian's hands, Li Shimin has been reluctant to seize control of gunpowder for fear of causing Li Chengqian's misunderstanding.

This time, the northern expedition Hou Junji had suggested that a batch of gunpowder be requisitioned from the East Palace and brought to the north, but Li Shimin did not use it because he was worried that the large-scale use would reveal the secret of gunpowder.

In understanding the characteristics of gunpowder, Li Shimin has always regarded gunpowder as a killer scissor to conquer Goguryeo, and now he suddenly heard that Pei Xingjian was ordered to come to deliver gunpowder, and he couldn't help but wonder who gave Pei Xingjian the order.

Could it be Li Chengqian?

"Xuan Pei Xingjian comes in." The impatience in Li Shimin's voice became more and more obvious.

After a while, the handsome Pei Xingjian entered the hall and walked to the middle of the hall and said to Li Shimin: "Minister Pei Xingjian sees Your Majesty." ”

is different from Yang Hongli, Li Shimin's treatment of Pei Xingjian can be said to be kind and pleasant.

"Pei Qing's family has worked hard all the way, so hurry up."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Pei Xingjian became more and more calm.

"Did the gunpowder brought by Pei Qing's family this time be sent to the prince?" Li Shimin said tentatively.

Although Li Shimin has not spoken to his courtiers so carefully for a long time, hypocrisy is a politician's genius, so even though he is not a high official and very young Pei Xingjian, he still uses it perfectly.

"Back to Your Majesty, the minister sent gunpowder to Your Majesty on the orders of His Royal Highness the Prince."

"Oh!" Li Shimin nodded, his eyes becoming deeper and deeper.

"When did Cheng Qian send the order to Chang'an," Li Shimin continued to ask.

"Back to Your Majesty, it was not long before Your Majesty sent troops that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince heard that His Majesty did not bring gunpowder, so he ordered his ministers to prepare." Pei Xingjian is still calm and unhurried.

"Good! Cheng Qian has a heart. Li Shimin looked at Pei Xingjian and said with emotion.

In the hall, Fang Xuanling sighed secretly in his heart: As long as Li Chengqian is kind to Li Shimin, Li Shimin feels very relieved now, and he is really a father and a son. However, once it comes to the struggle for power, the father and son will not give in to each other at all, and this time Li Shimin has seized Li Chengqian's military power, and Li Chengqian will inevitably find someone to settle accounts when he comes to Xingzai, and he doesn't know what will happen, so whether he should find a reason to hide so as not to suffer from the fish in the pond.

Li Shimin asked a few more words about Pei Xingjian and was about to send him out, but he heard Li Ke shouting anxiously from outside the hall.

"Father, emperor, son, and ministers have urgent matters to report."

Immediately afterwards, I saw that the door of the hall was pushed open by Li Ke, and several attendants followed Li Ke but couldn't stop it, and looked at Li Shimin with an embarrassed face.

Seeing this, Li Shimin's face instantly sank and said: "King Wu, why did he break into the palace", and the crime is very big.

Li Ke was really anxious at this time, and when he heard this, he hurriedly knelt down and held a note with both hands, and said with a crying voice: "Father, the emperor's eldest brother is surrounded by Xue Yan's tens of thousands. ”

"What"

When Li Shimin heard this, Huo Ran got up and said.

After that, he didn't wait for the inner servant to pass on the younger brother to run down the table in person, and Li Ke also knelt forward when he saw this.

Li Shimin snatched the paper from Li Ke's hand, looked down and saw what was written on it, when Li Chengqian left the camp, there were only 8,000 cavalry around him and Xue Yantuo's 90,000 army surrounded on three sides, and there were still a few days before the army in Wei Chigong's camp......

"Bang"

After reading the letter, Li Shimin wanted to kill, but he didn't find a suitable one to kill, so he kicked a small table.

"Your Majesty is angry, and it is more important to send troops to rescue the prince quickly." Fang Xuanling and Gao Shilian also stood up early, and at this time, seeing that Li Shimin was about to lose his courtesy, he hurriedly stepped forward to admonish.

Li Shimin snorted coldly from his nose when he heard this, raised his head and said murderously: "I want to personally destroy this 'Xue Yantuo'." ”

After that, he said loudly: "Spread my will and order Li Shiji's three-way army to start a war with Xue Yantuo immediately, I will arrive later, and I will also order someone to bring gunpowder, I want to let this group of barbarians who don't know whether they are alive or dead see the power of heaven......"

As Li Shimin's wills were passed down one by one, the war machine walking here immediately ran to the extreme.

Pei Xingjian walked out of the hall and immediately said to Li Ke: "His Royal Highness King Wu, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is now besieged, please send a message to General Xue Rengui quickly." ”

Li Ke nodded when he heard this, and when he went back, he sent someone to ride a fast horse to deliver a letter to Xue Rengui.

Here, Li Shimin was determined to go to the front line, and the persuasion of the ministers was ineffective, so he ordered Fang Xuanling and Gao Shilian to stay behind and take charge of the rear material dispatch.

He personally took Hou Junji, Xue Wanche, Li Ke and others to the front line, Pei Xingjian also brought 500 stone gunpowder with him, and handed over the rest of the gunpowder to Yang Hongli to be responsible for escorting.

In the military camp in the north of Changze City, Li Shiji, Li Daliang and Zhang Shigui studied Xue Yantuo's army every day, preparing to defeat Xue Yantuo in a battle.

Now I suddenly heard that Xue Yantuo secretly sent out an army of 90,000 to besiege Li Chengqian, and Li Shiji was a mixture of joy and sorrow.

The good news is that the forces on the Tang side's side did not have an advantage, so the three of them tried their best to eliminate Xue Yantuo's military advantage, and now Xue Yantuo sent 90,000 people to besiege Li Chengqian, which no longer has any advantage for the Tang Dynasty.

The worry is that if this advantage is exchanged for Li Chengqian, they will be unable to escape the blame for destroying Xue Yantuo's army and the three of them.

But no matter what, at this time, they only had one battle to face Xue Yantuo.