When Li Wenyuan returned to the team, he was still thinking about Su Wei's words, should he drive the rebels away or encircle them? Isn't that a face-saving project to make the eastern capital appear peaceful before the emperor returns to the eastern capital?

But after thinking about it, Yang Guang's car could reach the Eastern Capital in a few days, and if the siege of the Eastern Capital could be lifted before Yang Guang arrived, Yang Guang would not be able to see the rebels, but it would also be able to please Yang Guang. Su Wei went through the Northern Zhou Dynasty to the Great Sui, and was mixed in the officialdom for decades, and it was precisely because he supported Yang Guang in his stance on the gate valve that he was able to stand tall in the storms again and again.

After thinking about it, the team arrived at the Yellow River, and Li Wenyuan ordered the team to rest and wait for the ships to pick them up. The soldiers dismounted, fed the horses clear water bean cakes, and then rested in the same place. Li Wenyuan and Zhang Juntai sat on the big bluestone cleared by the soldiers under a tree, and Li Wenyuan said: "Juntai, how do you think this can repel the bandits?" ”

Zhang Juntai ate a mouthful of dry food and said to Li Wenyuan: "General, the news brought back by the scouts yesterday says that more than 70,000 people from the Wei Xuan Department have left Hangu Pass to rescue the Eastern Capital under the order of Acting King Yang Yu. ”

But the scouts also came back with news that yesterday Fan Zigai was left behind in the eastern capital, and sent Henan Ling Daxi to lead 5,000 left-behind soldiers to reject Yang Jishan in the south, and Zanzhi Pei Hongce in Henan County to lead 8,000 left-behind soldiers to reject Yang Xuanting in the north. These two roads are the main force of Yang Xuangan, and the Yang Xuangan troops who are advancing along the official road in the middle are bluffing soldiers. Li Wenyuan kept gesturing on the ground with a branch, and continued:

Fan Zigai saw it clearly, intending to use the remaining soldiers to repel these two soldiers first, and then concentrate on defeating Yang Xuangan's troops, and the siege of the eastern capital could directly dissipate invisibly. But it's a pity. ”

Zhang Juntai also listened to the scout's details, so he took over and said: "It's a pity that the left-behind soldiers in the Eastern Capital have not experienced war in the thirty years since the founding of the Great Sui, and they are elite, but they have long been corrupted and degenerated in the drunken gold fans of the Eastern Capital. In particular, the Daxi Department was stationed in the Hanwang Temple, and when he saw that the Yang Jishan Department, which was far inferior to himself, he did not dare to fight, and fled back to the Eastern Capital directly in defeat, leaving a large number of armor and equipment, which were captured by the bandits. ”

Li Wenyuan nodded: "Yes, the left-behind soldiers can't be called soldiers compared to the soldiers under Goguryeo City." However, Pei Hongce also has some ability, and he can control these left-behind soldiers to fight with Yang Xuanting's troops. ”

"Yes, although there are five defeats in five battles, it is not easy to gather the rout and then form a formation." Zhang Juntai said with emotion.

"But now that these two armies have been defeated, Yang Xuangan's army, which is armed with more than 10,000 pairs of armor and equipment, is already a difficult bone to gnaw, not to mention that his two big victories have attracted nearby young men to join the army, and it is now a huge force." Li Wenyuan frowned.

Zhang Juntai shook his head this time and said: "This general doesn't know anything, Dongdu is a big city newly built two years ago, the city is strong and wide, and it can't be attacked without a large number of siege equipment. His Majesty took away most of the siege equipment in the world in order to attack Goguryeo, and Yang Xuangan could not pose a threat to the eastern capital without siege equipment in his hands, so the siege of the eastern capital looked very dangerous, but in fact, there was no danger. ”

At this time, the scout came back and reported: "General Laihu'er has led the army to the Yellow River and joined General Qu Tutong." ”

Another scout also sent back the news: "General Yuwenshu has also arrived nearby, and the Tiger Benlang general Chen Ling has also captured Liyang." ”

Li Wenyuan smiled and said to Zhang Juntai: "The bandits are really rootless duckweed this time, and the general trend has been achieved." Then he began to cross the river.

Yang Xuangan on the other side also learned from his subordinates that Liyang had been broken and that several large armies withdrawn from Goguryeo were approaching him, and he was uneasy, so he sent someone to invite Li Zixiong to come to discuss.

Li Zixiong opened the door of the tent and saw Yang Xuangan pacing back and forth with his hands behind his back in the tent. Seeing Li Zixiong coming, Yang Xuangan said, "Sir, save me." ”

Li Zixiong helped Yang Xuangan sit on the chair, and then said: "Don't worry about Chu Gong, the veteran Qu Tutong has been in battle for a long time, if he is asked to cross the Yellow River and echo the east and west of Wei Xuan, then our army will be defeated." It is better to divide the troops and refuse to defend the Yellow River, as long as Qu Tu does not come to the Yellow River, then the Wei Xuanbu and the Eastern Capital are isolated and helpless, and they can be broken in the near future. ”

Fan Zigai had just beheaded Pei Hongce and Da Xi in the camp of the left-behind soldiers, and said to the rest of the people: "The bandits have come to the city, and these two people do not want to share their worries for Your Majesty, but are cowardly in battle, and they have been in chaos in the face of the bandits without fighting, resulting in heavy losses of military equipment and equipment. Today, I beheaded these two people, just to inform you that if you resist bravely, I will definitely ask for merit and reward for you after Your Majesty returns to the division, and if you retreat and fight, don't blame us for using their heads to sacrifice the flag! ”

In this way, under the coercion and temptation of a radish in one hand and a big stick in the other, the morale of the remaining soldiers was stabilized again. At this time, the sentry on the city tower came with the news that a group of bandits outside the city had broken out and marched towards the Yellow River.

Fan Zigai said: "Haha, it must be the old general Qu Tutong who came with reinforcements. The bandits outside the city must divide their troops to guard the Yellow River, and the sons and daughters will follow me out of the city to drag the bandits, and when the old general Qu Tutong leads the troops, the bandits will definitely collapse without a fight. After the war, he cut his nose and judged his merits. ”

Subsequently, Fan Zigai personally led 5,000 left-behind soldiers out of the city to attack Yang Xuangan's camp. The left-behind soldiers, inspired by Fan Zigai's half-persecution and half-reward, were different from the cowardice just now, but fought extremely bravely. Under the onslaught, Yang Xuangan's newly recruited young men were invincible and defeated one after another, so Yang Xuangan had no choice but to recall the team that was about to go to the Yellow River. When the troops returned, Fan Zigai returned to the eastern capital with the army, and closed the city gate to no longer fight.

Yang Xuangan led his troops to chase down the city, and was shot down by dozens of archers in the city, and retreated to the camp in desperation. Anyway, as long as Yang Xuangan sent troops to defend the Yellow River, Fan Zigai led his troops to attack, and as long as Yang Xuangan called back those troops, Fan Zigai withdrew to the city and continued to defend the city.

At this time, Li Mi said to Li Zixiong: "You go and persuade Duke Chu, it's still too late to evacuate westward, and if it's too late, you won't be able to return to the sky." ”

Li Zixiong said: "Why didn't Mr. go in person? ”

Li Mi said: "Where is the Duke of Chu still willing to listen to me? Duke Chu is determined to start an incident but doesn't think about how to win, if we continue like this, we will all be caught and beheaded by the imperial court! This is why I want to save your life, from the matter of Wei Fuhei, I can already see that Chu Gong has alienated me. ”

Li Zixiong said: "What does Mr. mean to retreat west and occupy Guanzhong? ”

Li Mi nodded, there are many natural dangers in the Guanlong Pass, which is easy to defend and difficult to attack, if it can be carefully managed, and then slowly plot the Central Plains, it is also a way to resolve the current desperate situation.