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Privy council.

Li Ji, the privy envoy, held a combat meeting with a group of generals such as Liu Hongji, Yin Kaishan, Duan Zhixuan, Zhang Gongjin, and Li Daliang.

This southern expedition, the direction of the big operation, the emperor has already set. That is, land and water go hand in hand, mainly on land, supplemented by sea routes. Li Ji was the commander of the Southern Expedition, and when he led 100,000 cavalry, he crossed the Wuling Mountains to conquer the Lingnan rebels.

"Xianggui Dao, Xiaohe Dao, or Ganzhen Dao?" Liu Hongji asked.

Sitting there, Li Ji said he was under a lot of pressure.

Who can win the duel between the god of war and the god of war?

Li Ji was not sure, if the emperor gave him more time, he thought that with the strength of the imperial court, he would be able to win, but it would take some time.

But now the emperor is urging him to attack Guangzhou before the summer heat, so as to avoid the high temperature of Lingnan in summer, and the soldiers are difficult to adapt. But now at the end of March, Lingnan is already heating up.

Although it has not yet entered the summer heat, it will soon be the rainy season, and it will be difficult to enter.

What gave him the most headache was that the emperor asked him to attack all the way.

Concentrate forces and re-attack, the emperor's intention is to fight quickly, especially now that there is a mess everywhere, the emperor wants to cut through the chaos quickly.

If the troops are divided into multiple attacks and the momentum is larger, Li Ji is sure to force Li Chao to fight at the same time on a long front, and it is difficult to support each other and help each other. On the side of the imperial court, which has an absolute superiority in troops, this is the most stable method of warfare.

However, this method requires a large-scale mobilization of troops, which takes a long time and costs a lot of money.

In particular, it is easy to miss the best time to attack, so that Li Chao has enough time to strengthen his control of Lingnan and further gain a foothold.

The emperor's method was to gather the elite and attack with heavy fists, using only 100,000 soldiers and horses. This saves time and military spending, but it also has disadvantages.

It is easy to be treated by the enemy, and the officers and soldiers are at risk of exhaustion.

"Li Chao commanded the army to fight, and he really made great achievements. However, there are famous commanders in Lingnan but no male soldiers, and when I attack with 100,000 elite soldiers, I will be like a tiger entering a flock. Somebody thought that the privy envoy was too worried. Li Daliang said.

Li Ji just asked lightly, "Is Li Chao really without strong soldiers?" Don't forget, why did this turmoil start, isn't it because Li Chao has a secret elite army in Nanyang, as many as 50,000? Besides, don't think that there are only 50,000 people in Lingnan. ”

He gave everyone a detailed calculation.

Li Chao has a private army on Liuqiu Island, it is said that there are 3,000 elite territorial guards, and Li Chao also has a Shanyi mercenary army there, I heard that there are no less than 20,000. In addition, the population of Liuqiu has increased greatly in recent years, and there are many immigrants and workshops and mines, all of which have a militia.

"Just one Liuqiu, pull out 50,000 people, no problem. Ryuqiu had shipyards and a large merchant fleet, which could be quickly called up and converted into troop carriers or even warships when needed. ”

"There is also Li Chao's Zhao Guoling, there are not many soldiers there, and the private soldiers and government soldiers add up to about 5,000. But the combat effectiveness of these soldiers is definitely not weak. ”

"In addition, the soldiers who were originally stationed in Lingnan are now also on their side."

"And those Han Hao clans and slang chiefs, they also have a lot of strength. What if you add those chambers of commerce?"

In the past, Lingnan was indeed remote and weak in the eyes of the Central Plains, but now Lingnan relies on the development of maritime trade, and now it is asking for money and people, and Li Chao still has a full set of military industries there.

Therefore, Li Ji did not despise Li Chao in the slightest.

How many people who once despised Li Chao lost very badly.

"I believe that Li Chao must have known our plan, and he can even guess the route we are going to march."

Zhang Gong, the secretary of the Ministry of War, reminded him.

"His name is Zhang Chao now, and he has been deprived of his surname."

"Whether it's Li Chao or Zhang Chao, I remind you that this person must not be underestimated."

can control Lingnan and Fujian in a short period of time, how can this kind of person be simple. Now it is a prosperous era of Zhenguan, if it weren't for Li Chao, who would dare to rebel, and who would support the rebellion.

But Zhang Chao did it.

He rebelled in the prosperous era, and so quickly controlled Fujian and Funan, the capital of Sanguang.

A formidable opponent.

Back in front of the sand table again, looking at the Wuling Mountains.

He shook his head.

"Xianggui Road is the best offensive route, the lowest and flattest terrain in Yuechengling, and the easiest for the army to pass. Moreover, the Xiangjiang River has been dredged and the transportation is also convenient. But Li Chao must have taken precautions, and there must be heavy troops waiting for us in Guizhou. ”

Knowing that there are tigers in the mountains, he prefers to go to the tiger mountains, this is not Li Ji's style, or if the opponent is not Li Chao, he may be on it. But knowing that the opponent is Li Chao, it would be stupid to bump into it.

"Xiaohe Road and Ganzhen Road." Li Ji hesitated between these two routes.

"The Ganzhen Road has to pass through the Great Luling Mountains, where the road is the most difficult, the army is difficult to pass, but it is easy to defend and difficult to attack. Not suitable for an army of 100,000, Xiaohe Dao is better. ”

In the end, Li Ji chose Xiaohe Dao.

The main direction of attack is also placed in Hezhou.

However, the virtual is real, and the real is virtual. The necessary cover was still needed, and he planned to put a small number of soldiers and horses in Xianggui Road and Ganzhen Road, bluffing, and feints to attack in order to attract some Zhang Chao's troops.

After half a day of deliberation, the plan was finalized.

Li Ji took the plan and entered the palace to face the saint.

After reading it, Li Shimin agreed.

"From Xiaohe Road to Lingnan, the main attack on Hezhou, and then to Guangzhou, very good."

Li Ji hesitated and said, "The minister asks His Majesty to transfer some elite soldiers and strong generals, and the minister estimates that Zhang Chao's troops will be very sufficient, and the combat power will also be very fierce." ”

"Who do you want to go south with?" Li Shimin put down the fold.

"The minister wants to invite Qin Qiong, Wei Chigong, Cheng Biting Golden Bull Jinda, Shan Xiongxin, Luo Shixin and other generals to accompany him."

Li Shimin stared at Li Ji.

"Wei Chigong can be your deputy commander, and I can also transfer Li Daliang and Zhang Liang to go with you."

As for Qin Qiong and the others, Li Shimin was not at ease, in fact, even if he was relieved, it was useless, because he issued several edicts to these generals in a row to let them enter Beijing.

But up to now, none of Qin Qiong, Cheng Yanjin, Luo Shixin, Niu Jinda, Shan Xiongxin, Su Dingfang, etc., have received the edict to enter Beijing. The six doors were secretly played, and Cheng Yanjin gathered the soldiers and horses and militia in the territory, and practiced every day, saying that he was preparing to encircle and suppress the Qiang people.

And Qin Qiong didn't react.

Luo Shixin, Niu Jinda, and Shan Xiongxin were also training soldiers and horses, refusing to enter Beijing.

What made him most angry was Su Dingfang.

This student of Li Chao, one of the eight kings of the Tang Dynasty, King Jiangjun, has openly raised an anti-flag in Monan in response to Li Chao.

The situation is not optimistic.

Only half of the nobles of the eight territories of the Tang Frontier are now leaving their territories and coming to the capital after receiving the edict. There are also half of them, who find various reasons to shirk and do not set off.

There are even more rebellious ministers like Su Dingfang who directly raised troops.

There are also soldiers and horses like Cheng Biting Jin.

Sima Zhao's heart is well known to passers-by.

He couldn't have imagined that these people would choose Zhang Chao instead of standing on his side.

Why?

Because of the attitude of the nobles, Li Shimin demanded a quick solution more and more.

Wait for Li Chao to be killed, and then settle accounts with Cheng Yanjin and others.

As for Su Dingfang, he would not tolerate it for a moment, he was already ready to transfer Shuofang and Hexi soldiers and horses to encircle and suppress Su Lie.

"How soon will we be able to send troops?" Li Shimin asked.

"About a month to prepare."

"I will only give you seven days, and after seven days, I will immediately send troops. All kinds of soldiers and horses rushed directly to Hunan from the military offices in various places, and you assembled there. ”

"Mao Gong, time is pressing, I don't have that much time for you. If it drags on, it will be hot, and it will be even more difficult to fight in Lingnan. I can't wait until autumn, until winter. I can't wait that long! ”

Li Ji sighed in his heart.

"Obey."

Li Ji stepped back.

Wang Chengen came in.

"What?"

"Your Majesty, Xiangyang, Nanyang, Luoyang, Chang'an, Jingzhou and other important cities have all broken out in a run and panic buying, the situation is very chaotic, and the officials around the country are stepping up their suppression, but some people are spreading rumors behind them, adding fuel to the fire, and now the water is very muddy."

Li Shimin's eyelids jumped.

Afraid of what will come, the run and panic buying turmoil, in the end, still failed to control in the capital.

It's been spreading rapidly.

"Why did there be a run in those places, didn't they already give an order in advance to let all localities prepare?"

"Your Majesty, Li Ji's Qianzhuang branches in various places, like Hanjing, are mostly empty in the treasury. Originally, there were a lot of gold, silver, and copper coins on the books, but now there are not many at all. It can be maintained in normal times, but now as soon as there is a run on the people and merchants, it will be redeemed immediately. ”

Paper money could not be converted, and it became a fatal crisis.

Originally, it was just Li Ji's problem, but now even the banks and other merchants' banks with the imperial court have been squeezed.

In fact, even if there is gold, silver, and reserves in the treasury of the branches of the imperial court, in fact, whose banknotes have not been overissued? Moreover, a large number of runs could not be dealt with at all, even if the imperial court was indeed rich, but the imperial court could not adjust, and the branches in one place after another were emptied, and then the panicked merchants and ordinary people went to the next door.

So like a plague, it spread rapidly and could not be controlled.

A large number of workshops and shops have closed.

Something went wrong.

"Your Majesty, the morale of the army is also a little unstable."

The government soldiers are a combination of soldiers and peasants, but the forbidden army relies on military salaries to eat and support their families. The imperial court had long since changed the salaries and salaries of officials and soldiers to pay bills.

It used to be really convenient.

But now, there is a problem with the banknote, the banknote has doubled in value, and the 1,000-dollar banknote can only be exchanged for 500 copper coins, and it cannot be redeemed. The paper money in the hands of the forbidden soldiers could not be exchanged for food, and they could not support their families.

I can't eat enough, and no one has complained.

"Take money from the treasury and the inner treasury, and pay the officials and soldiers first. If it is not enough, it will be folded with silk and cloth, and if it is not enough, it will be deducted from the granary. ”

Li Shimin also had no choice.

Immediately fighting, he is indeed not afraid of anyone, but it is difficult enough to rule the world under the horse, let alone involve the economy.

At this time, he could only take out the silk and cloth that had already withdrawn from the Datang monetary system, and even take out the grain.