After the end of spring ploughing in 888, the Tiance army, which had been assisting the local people in spring ploughing, finally made time, and Wang Houchun, who was stationed in Lingzhou, led the third battalion, Chai Jia's ninth battalion, and the directly subordinate battalion changed to cross the Yellow River and suddenly appeared in Yanzhou.

The 30,000-strong army unexpectedly surrounded Yanzhou, the bridgehead under Yang Fugong's rule. This move was a surprise to everyone. Because in the first ten days, because of the spring ploughing, almost all the troops and civilians of Tiance Mansion were dispatched, from Li Xuanqing himself, down to almost all the soldiers and civilians of the ordinary people in the jurisdiction of Tiance Mansion, from Huile County in the south to Xishou City in the north, they were either busy with spring plowing and planting, or planting trees and grass while the agricultural time was planting, preparing to march to the desert, in order to let the surrounding areas know what they were doing, Li Xuanqing even secretly ordered the Civil Affairs Department and Xuanyingwei to relax the monitoring of outsiders, so that his actions could be smoothly transmitted to the surrounding military towns. And it was because the garrison participated in the spring ploughing that Yang Fugong, Li Maozhen and Li Keyong did not have to worry about Li Xuanqing's troop build-up, so they relaxed the implementation of their plans.

That is, when everyone thought that Li Xuanqing was under their eyes, Wang Houchun unexpectedly appeared under the city of Yanzhou. The generals of the Shence Army, who were in charge of the defense of Yanzhou, did not have time to react at all, and were rushed into the city by the battalion directly under the charge of the forward. Because of Li Xuanqing's arrival, Yanzhou, which was unexpectedly transferred from Wang Xingyu's hands to Yang Fugong's Shence Army, was occupied by the Tiance Army.

Just when Wang Houchun's good news arrived in Lingzhou, Xuan Yingwei's other two confidential pieces of information also appeared on Li Xuanqing's desk almost at the same time.

"Lord, did we overreact before?" Xu Tianxiang looked at Li Xuanqing, who was silent in thought, and said with a wry smile: "How do I think Yang Fugong has no way to connect the scattered military towns around us. He can't even make trouble within his own Divine Strategy Army now. ”

Seeing Li Xuanqing looking up at himself, Xu Tianxiang walked to the map and marked Feng Xiang's location and said: "The location of Fengxiang Jiedu is a road in Lingzhou to enter the north and south of Guanzhong, and now Li Maozhen of Wuding actually went to beat Li Changfu quietly, should this be said that this guy really thinks that we are busy with agricultural affairs and can't take action?" Or do you think that the initiative is in their hands, and our Tiance Army only has the share of passive defense? ”

"My lord, the time has come." Just when Li Xuanqing put down the information in his hand and was about to speak, Cen Tianshi hurriedly followed the herald to the family hall of Tiance Mansion, where the General Staff was located. When Xu Tianxiang saw Cen Tianshi, he hurriedly handed him the two pieces of information he received and Wang Houchun's good news.

Cen Tianshi was obviously also stunned by these two pieces of information, and was silent after reading the information. He didn't speak, and Li Xuanqing, who had been pondering since he received the information, directly quieted down this family hall. Since this was a separate office for the Chief of Staff, there was no one else except the guards guarding the door.

Xu Tianxiang saw Li Xuanqing constantly pointing and pointing on the map, and hurriedly walked over, but he couldn't understand that he was going east and west for a while, so he simply didn't ask him, just lowered his head and thought about his own thoughts.

"My lord, it seems that the situation is much more complicated than we thought." Cen Tianshi stepped forward after pondering for a long time and said to Li Xuanqing.

Li Xuanqing didn't look up, but kept marking some strange symbols on the map, and said, "What did Mr. see?" ”

Cen Tianshi saw Li Xuanqing draw the location of Bianliang and Chang'an on the map, and said with a smile: "It seems that the lord has also thought of it." Zhu Quanzhong's people were probably discovered by Yang Fugong, so he asked Li Maozhen to fight Fengxiang. This Yang Fugong is really amazing. ”

Xu Tianxiang was also thinking about this possibility, but was reminded by Cen Tianshi's words, and suddenly said: "This Yang Fugong is reminding us in disguise, Zhu Quanzhong's plan?" If that's the case, wouldn't our troops go out of Yanzhou to disrupt his plan, but instead give Zhu Quanzhong an opportunity to take advantage of? Do you want to let Houchun come back? ”

Li Xuanqing shook his head, and the charcoal in his hand circled the direction of Yanzhou and said, "When have you ever seen what I ate and spit it out?" Thinking too much about you. ”

Cen Tianshi smiled beside him: "Tianxiang, you are in love, and it is the best plan for us to occupy Yanzhou at this time." Think about it, does our occupation of Yanzhou mean to Zhu Quanzhong that we are responding to his plan? What about Yang Fugong? ”

"That's definitely not good news, Yanzhou is the jurisdiction of this dead eunuch." Xu Tianxiang was a little puzzled: "We broke the tacit understanding between the three parties, and also made Zhu Quanzhong realize that his opportunity had come." ”

Cen Tianshi said with a smile: "I see that the lord is already making the next plan, just look at it." As soon as the words fell, Li Xuanqing put down the charcoal in his hand, glanced at Xu Tianxiang and said: "Tianxiang, have time to take a look at Sun Tzu's Art of War, as a chief of staff, the highest-level general of the Tiance Army, your eyes can't always stare at one city and one place, you must always examine every detail from the perspective of the overall strategic situation, so that you can control the rhythm of the war and always let others follow your pace." After speaking, he paused and continued: "Our Tiance Army has grown too fast, although there are several generals who are in charge now, but those who can have a global vision have never appeared. Didn't I ask you to sit in the position of chief of staff to think about how a war should be fought? But how should the Tiance Army fight? That's what a chief of staff should do. Do you understand? ”

"Lord, it's Tianxiang who is dull, I will work hard, please rest assured." Xu Tianxiang's words made Li Xuanqing nod, among the people around him, only Xu Tianxiang had this talent, and he also hoped that he could take on the responsibility of chief of staff as soon as possible, so that he could free up his energy to deal with other things, and also have more time to think about the future.

Thinking of this, Li Xuanqing explained: "You immediately let Houchun Tun soldiers Yanzhou, don't move forward for the time being, and then release the news." Another benefit of the Tiance army going out of Yanzhou is here. After speaking, he glanced at Cen Tianshi and said, "One month is enough time for Mr. to operate, right?" ”

Cen Tianshi laughed and said: "Don't worry, within a month, I promise to let His Majesty the Emperor personally write a holy decree, recognize the status of the lord, and give the lord a veritable official position of the general of Tiance. ”

"Tianxiang, your task is to find a way to find out what Zhu Quanzhong's backhand is by mobilizing the garrisons of Lingzhou and Yanzhou, and at the same time support Tuoba Siji, so that he can gain a firm foothold, firmly contain Xiazhou's troops, and free up time and energy for us to deal with stronger opponents." Li Xuanqing guessed his thoughts when he saw Cen Tian, and he smiled slightly, turned to Xu Tianxiang and said.

"Is the lord worried about Hedong?" After Cen Tianshi saw Xu Tianxiang turn around and write down Li Xuanqing's words, he picked up another love report.

"Xiao Si is really a good hand at intelligence." Li Xuanqing said with a smile: "Li Keyong actually transferred Li Cunxin to deal with Zhu Quanzhong, and let Li Cunxiao, a general who is basically on the front line of Zelu Erzhou to fight against Xuanwu Army Ding Hui and Niu Cunjie, transfer away, I don't know what he thinks in his head." Li Xuanqing also scratched his head, and said with a wry smile: "Li Cunxin has arrived at the front line, and the Shatuo people will definitely lose this battle." If he loses, he will break the strategic balance of the Central Plains, allowing Zhu Quanzhong to avoid the embarrassment of fighting on two fronts and let go of attacking Qin Zongquan. ”

Cen Tianshi nodded and said: "If it is as the lord expected, then even if Zhu Quanzhong has no backhand, after he cuts off Qin Zongquan, he can go back and send troops to Guanzhong while confronting Li Keyong, and snatch the emperor by himself." ”

Xu Tianxiang said: "Since we can guess, then Yang Fugong must be able to guess too." I don't think he will be unresponsive. ”

Li Xuanqing nodded and said, "He can guess, but he may not do it in the direction we expected." He may follow the path that Tian Lingzi took to the river. Didn't you see that Wang Jian had already done something to Chen Jingxuan? This is also the back road that this eunuch is preparing. ”

"Wang Jian is the old man of the Shence Army. was expelled from Chang'an because of Zhaozong before, and was appointed as the assassin of Lizhou. However, he was unwilling to be lonely and was ready to defect to Chen Jingxuan, but after being rejected by him, he began to go to the imperial court and attack Xichuan on the grounds of Tian Lingziyu's party. Cen Tianshi added: "Now it seems that Yang Fugong should have negotiated with Wang Jian, and it is estimated that the imperial court will issue an order to allow Wang Jian to crusade in the near future." ”

Li Xuanqing suddenly wanted to laugh, he didn't seem to have moved much, this history has changed again, Wang Jian, who was originally rejected by the imperial court, can't really get the imperial decree and go on the expedition.

Alas, in the face of this situation that is likely to become a reality, Li Xuanqing began to put aside these interferences in his mind after being stunned, and no longer paid attention to this, regardless of whether Wang Jian got the holy decree or not, according to historical records, he didn't always win, but Gu Yanlang, who had the holy decree in Dongchuan, did not necessarily have the courage to send troops to help.

"It's too far away, and it's out of our control. We still need to do the things in front of us, and while strengthening ourselves, we should delay the pace of the Central Plains and influence the direction of other feudal towns. Li Xuanqing looked at the two right-hand men beside him, one article and one martial arts, and said with a smile.

"What the lord said is that although the current situation is complicated, as long as the identity of the lord is resolved, then even if His Majesty the Emperor is taken hostage to Luoyang, what can it do? Don't forget the old saying: Shen Sheng dies inside, and Heavy Ears is at peace outside. Cen Tianshi's eyes were blazing, and he said this heart-wrenching statement.

"So are we going to wait a month in Yanzhou? Shouldn't the Hedong side think of a way? Xu Tianxiang was a little unwilling, the army was already ready, and suddenly he didn't move, he thought about it or wanted to do something, "Do you want to give Li Cunxiao a letter of repair, give him some advice, and let him give Li Keyong advice?" But after finishing speaking, he himself was not optimistic about his own opinion, and said with a wry smile: "Lord, do you think Li Keyong is still willing to listen to Li Cunxiao?" ”

Li Xuan glanced at him innocently, shook his head and said, "At this time, don't make trouble for my cheap big brother." In this way, Li Keyong may still think of him after losing, and there is still hope of turning the tables at that time. If I give him a look, nine times out of ten it will backfire. He clapped his hands and smiled: "Okay, there is no chance for these two sides to make a move, so you should hurry up and think about the matter over there in Fengzhou, right?" If Li Keyong is defeated in Luzhou, it is estimated that it will affect the safety of Jinyang, and I am afraid that Li Keyong will take advantage of Zhu Quanzhong's focus on Qin Zongquan to go north to fight for Fengzhou and expand his rear territory. ”

Li Xuanqing's seemingly contradictory analysis made the two people in front of him nod again and again. According to Li Ke's mind and way of thinking, there is a chance that he is really ready to do this.

"The lord plans to do something to the Zhenwu army?" Cen Tianshi frowned and shook his head, "Tianshi is not optimistic about this plan, and this will anger Li Keyong, which is not good for our plan." ”

Xu Tianxiang reacted and said with a smile: "Mr. has thought about it, what the lord said is to find a way to prepare for the grassland." As he spoke, he stepped forward and pointed to the map: "At the beginning of the year, the Qiangsi people were preparing to attack the Khitans in the east, and it is estimated that they are almost ready now. According to the feedback from Tahi Khan and others, it is estimated that it will be started in May or June? ”

"May or June? It's a bit early. According to the habit of the grassland, August is the best time. "Cen Tianshi is a little strange at this point in time.

Li Xuanqing squinted his eyes and smiled: "The people of the Tunis are too light on the enemy, and the Khitans are no longer the small tribe that they bullied in the early years. Moreover, in recent years, the people of the Quegasians have been rampant in the grasslands, and they have no hearts, and this war will be completely defeated if they are not careful. At this juncture, we need to hide our chess pieces and take advantage of the chaos if we have the opportunity to prepare for the future into the grassland. ”

"Don't worry, the General Staff has a plan for this matter, and he will definitely act at the opportunity to complete the lord's task." Xu Tianxiang arched his hand and said solemnly.

"Tell Tahi to send the old and weak women and children to the gate and give it a go. I will help him take care of his family so that he does not have to be distracted, and if he wins in the future, he can pick people up unconditionally. Li Xuanqing added and said with a smile.

"Haha, I found out, whether it's inside or outside the gate, as long as you can think of it, you can stir up the storm. It's a natural spoiler. Cen Tianshi made up the picture on his own and said with a smile.

"Spoiler?!" Li Xuanqing smiled slightly and muttered to himself.