At this moment, most of the Hui army outside the city has retreated, and the cheers of the Tang army have gradually subsided, and the pale-faced Tang Dynasty Emperor Li is standing at the head of the city, and the wind rolls up his clothes belt, which looks particularly thin in the wind of the hunting mountain.

He silently watched the last group of Hui troops pull out the camp and go north, yesterday a messenger came to report that Zhang Huan attacked the capital of Hui, and exchanged more than 100,000 Hui nobles and hundreds of thousands of Hui women and children for Dengli's retreat.

Zhang Huan is now in Daijun, and if the Hui army withdraws 500 miles away, he will first release the women and children back to the Su, and then he will return to the nobles after the Hui army withdraws 2,000 miles away.

"Your Majesty, the wind is strong in the city, go back!" Zhu Xicai, who was standing beside him, said softly.

Waiting for an opportunity to seize control of the 80,000 army, this is the real purpose of Cui Yuan sending him.

Now, his plan is only halfway through the implementation, but things suddenly take a turn for the better, and the siege of Xishou Surrender City is lifted, which means that if he wants to complete the task given to him by Cui Yuan, there are only a few days left.

"I'm going to see General Duan, so don't follow."

Zhu Xicai is Cui Yuan's henchman, and the Li Department naturally knows it, but after Duan Xiushi was injured, Zhu Xicai led his troops to repel the attacks of the Hui people several times, which was more important than anything else at that time.

And now that the danger to his life has been lifted, the vigilance is getting stronger and stronger in the heart of the Li family, and the 80,000 army is his only reliance, how can he allow Cui Yuan to get involved?

Li Xie coldly dropped a sentence and strode down the city.

Duan Xiushi was born in the Ming Jing Kejinshi, joined the army in his early years, and has been serving in the Anxi Army, and also participated in the pacification of the Anshi Rebellion.

He is a hardcore royalist, because of the impeachment of Cui Yuan's dictatorship was demoted to Fengxiang County Assassin History, but also became the most trusted person of the Li family, in this Northern Expedition he was appointed as the capital protector of Anbei, but soon after being besieged, he was hit by a stray arrow, and it was a poisoned arrow coated with medicine, and the military doctor made every effort to rescue, his life was saved, but because of the extreme toxicity, the body has not been exhausted of the remaining poison, and repeated recurrence several times.

Duan Xiushi was about fifty years old, he was originally elegant and outstanding, but a month's pain had tormented him to the bone, and at this moment, he was lying on the couch quietly thinking about his injury.

There was a sound of footsteps outside the door, and then Li Ji's brisk laughter came from the door, "Duan Aiqing is in good spirits today. ”

"Ahh It's Your Majesty. ”

Duan Xiushi hurriedly sat up straight with the support of his own soldiers, and he arched his hand and smiled: "Your Majesty seems to be in a good mood!" ”

"Of course! Hui retreated, and I was so excited last night that I didn't close my eyes all night. ”

Li Xian smiled and sat down next to him, Duan Xiushi immediately glanced at the soldiers in the room, and everyone retreated.

"Your Majesty, the old minister has been thinking about his arrow wound for the past two days, and the arrows were raining at that time, but the ministers were poisoned arrows, isn't this too coincidental?"

"Are you saying that this arrow was not fired by the Hui people?" Li Department said with a faint smile, he has always had doubts about this matter, but the war is tight, and it is the time to employ people, so he doesn't think much about it.

Duan Xiushi sneered, "The minister has been drowsy, and he has no time to think about it, and today the minister specially asked a few personal soldiers, when the arrow was hit, the minister was still two feet away from the battlement, and the part of the arrow was the outside of the right arm, which could not have been shot from below." ”

Li Ji raised his head and pondered for a moment, then said slowly: "You are right, this is indeed a bit too coincidental, if this is the case, I am afraid that these two days will be his last chance." ”

Li Xian's eyes showed a trace of anxiety, time was pressing, and Duan Xiushi's illness was difficult to recover for a while, he had no one to trust, although there were many lieutenant generals in the 80,000 army, but he didn't know if Cui Yuan had deliberately placed him, once he was a stranger, the opportunity he had so easily got would be lost.

Duan Xiushi knew his thoughts, so he reminded him: "Why doesn't Your Majesty use external forces? ”

"External forces?" Li was stunned for a moment, and he suddenly woke up, "You mean .....?"

Duan Xiushi nodded slowly, "Yes, the old minister is talking about Zhang Huan!" ”

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In the early morning of the next day, the thick fog of Yinshan filled the entire city of Xishou, and the Hui people had retreated, and the soldiers at the head of the city relaxed, no longer as nervous and frightened as before, and they gathered together in twos and threes, each describing the scenery of his hometown.

At this time, several soldiers heard movement under the city at the same time, and they pricked up their ears as if it were the sound of horses' hooves, 'Could it be that the Hui people have returned again?' ’

The soldiers lay on the battlements and looked down, and through the thick fog, they seemed to see a cavalry of several hundred men already under the city.

"On the city! Please receive a letter. "As soon as the words fell, a feathered arrow without an arrow shot into the city, carrying a letter on it, and the soldiers hurriedly handed it to the lieutenant on duty, only to see that the letter jacket read, 'His Majesty the Emperor Zhang Huan, the general of the Hedong Army.'

Du Wei was startled, and ran towards the city like the wind, and soon, Li was surrounded by nearly a hundred guards and went to the city wall, "Where is he?" Let me see! ”

Li squeezed to the side of the city wall, looked at the sergeant's hand, and saw hundreds of cavalry faintly in the thick fog.

"Is General Zhang Huan down there?"

"Your Majesty asked, is it General Zhang Huan below?" A high-pitched guard amplified his voice for him.

"Your Majesty, the minister is the guerrilla general Zhang Huan." There was an answer from the downwind below.

Li Ji smiled, he waved his hand and ordered: "Open the city gate!" ”

The lieutenant next to him was startled, and hurriedly stepped forward and admonished: "Your Majesty, it is difficult to distinguish the truth from the falsehood in the fog, and it is necessary to prevent the Hui people from defrauding the city." ”

Li snorted and said in a long voice: "Is he Zhang Huan, I know very well, open the door!" ”

The lieutenant had no choice but to order the sergeant to move the boulder blocking the gate, open the city gate, and the cavalry of hundreds of people swarmed in, led by a young general in iron armor, Zhang Huan.

He had come from Daijun and had completed negotiations with the Denli Khan on not harsh terms, and the two sides soon reached an agreement on the withdrawal of their troops, and the Denli Khan also promised to return the three surrendered cities that had actually been controlled by the Tang army.

Zhang Huan immediately handed over the aftermath to the deputy general Liu Yuanqing, and he led 300 guards to the city of Xishou overnight.

"Minister Zhang Huan, see Your Majesty!" Zhang Huan saw the thin Li Department walking towards him from afar, he hurriedly stepped forward, knelt down on one knee, and made a military salute.

"Zhang Huan, farewell to Daming Palace, I didn't expect us to meet here." Li Department helped Zhang Huan up, looking at this young officer with emotion, at the beginning of the year he was dismissed by the Queen Mother from the post of Guoyi Lieutenant of the Yulin Army, and later returned to Hedong, it is precisely in this way that he can lead the army to rescue himself, it can be seen that there is a providence in the dark.

He gently patted Zhang Huan's shoulder, "Let's go!" Go to your room and tell me about your heroic deeds. ”

The residence of the Li family is the strongest house in the city, all of which are built of white stone masonry in Yinshan Mountain, although it is solid, but the appearance is rough and the interior is simple, and the difference between the magnificent Daming Palace is ten million times.

Zhang Huan followed Li into his temporary study, there was only a few beds in the room, a few books were placed on the desk, a sword and a handwritten hand of Li were hung on the craggy stone wall, and five strong and powerful characters were written on the banner: 'Shame and courage'

Li Xian waved his hand, and ordered Ma Yingjun, who was next to him, to go out first, he went up and sat down, pointed to a small stool next to him and smiled: "Sit down, you don't need to be polite to me here." ”

Zhang Huan thanked him and sat down, Li glanced at him, and suddenly smiled: "I heard that you broke through Han's ears and gained a lot!" ”

Zhang Huan smiled embarrassedly, "The minister rescued more than 80,000 captive Tang people and ransacked Han Erbali. ”

He took out a booklet from his arms and handed it to Li Xiandao: "This is the list, except for the rewards for the soldiers, the others are all here, the ministers dare not occupy them privately, and they are specially dedicated to Your Majesty!" ”

Li Department took it and flipped it, although it felt like it should be far more than that, but Li Department didn't say anything, he was worried about how to raise the 80,000 troops, how could he push this generous gift outward, he smiled slightly: "It seems that the old bottom of the Hui people has been taken out by you, it's okay!" I have never had any money available, and since you have the heart to give it, then I will not accept it politely. ”

He happily accepted Zhang Huan's heavy gift, glanced at Zhang Huan again, and said with a smile: "Since Aiqing gave me such a heavy gift, then what should I reward you?" ”

Zhang Huan hurriedly got up and replied: "It is the duty of the minister to serve His Majesty, and the minister does not want any reward." ”

Li Xie nodded, he read the booklet again, and said with a faint smile: "You are right, no matter what I reward you, can you compare with it?" ”

He stood up, walked slowly to the window with his hands in his hands, stared at the thick fog outside, and after a while, he suddenly asked, "How many troops do you have?" Maybe it's all under your control? ”

"Report to Your Majesty, the ministers originally had the most elite 3,000 cavalry in Hedong, and this sneak attack killed and injured more than 800 people, and later the ministers picked some strong people from the rescued Tang Dynasty people to make up for it, and now they are still 3,000 people, they are absolutely loyal to the ministers!"

"That's good! From now on, you will be the commander of my Heavenly Cavalry Battalion, and you will directly obey my command. ”

The Tianqi Battalion was set up by Tang Suzong, also known as the Shenwu Army, together with the left and right Yulin Army, the left and right Longwu Army, and called the Sixth Army of the Northern Ya, and also the direct personal guard of the Tang Emperor, Zhang Huan stepped forward and knelt down, and said in a deep voice: "Minister Zhang Huan is willing to serve His Majesty to the death!" ”

"Hurry up, please!"

Li hurriedly helped him up, he thought about it, took out a gold medal from his waist and handed it to him: "I don't have anything to reward you, so I'll give you this gold medal!" This was given to the first emperor by Emperor Xuanzong, and the first emperor left it to me, with which you can enter the palace at will. ”

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Zhang Huan took the gold medal with both hands, and saw four seal characters engraved on it: 'If you see my face', this is the handwriting of Tang Xuanzong Li Longji.

At this time, there was a sudden sound of hurried footsteps outside the door, and only one person was heard outside: "Please inform Your Majesty, I have news to report!" ”

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