"Then have you forgotten that their relatives are still in Luoyang City?" Yang Tong said nonchalantly: "Didn't you bring their relatives from Xingyang County to Luoyang to make them loyal to the imperial court?" ”

"Your Highness thinks too much, Weichen just doesn't want the soldiers to fight to the battlefield, but their wives and children have no one to take care of, and they have never thought of blackmailing anything." Li Xuanba bowed down and said: "Of course, Wechen didn't question His Highness's intentions, on the contrary, Wechen thought that His Highness was doing the right thing. ”

Many years ago, Li Xuanba heard a sentence that there is no absolute loyalty in the world, and if there is, it is that the weight of temptation is not enough. Even if he is as loyal as Zhang Xutuo, if he is forced to betray the court with the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers, will Zhang Xutuo betray it? If tens of thousands of people are not enough, what about hundreds of thousands?

After saying this, Li Xuanba himself was silent first, as long as there was enough temptation, anyone could betray. The throne is irresistible for anyone, especially those like Li Mi and Li Yuan who are qualified to ascend to the throne.

But for ordinary soldiers, family is the most important thing, and Yang Tong threatened the relatives of the Xingyang Army, so he naturally didn't worry that they would defect to Li Yuan.

"When I was a child, this king heard that Zhongyongwei is good at killing, but I didn't expect that you would not even be willing to do such a thing as a threat today." Yang Tong did not suspect that Li Xuanba was satirizing him, he was in a high position, and he had to know some means of controlling people. He said very seriously: "Although I don't understand why Your Majesty wants you to go to Hedong, but for the sake of the imperial court, this king must leave those women, children and children behind." ”

Yes, you would use threats, but didn't the assassins you send reveal your identity before they died? Li Xuanba sneered inwardly.

"As long as His Highness can take care of them, the Xingyang Army will definitely be loyal to the imperial court." Li Xuanba was silent for a moment, and said slowly: "The same reason. If they were harmed, Xuanba could not guarantee that there would be no turmoil in the army. ”

"Can this king interpret your words as a threat?" Yang Tong raised his eyebrows and said: "I don't want to threaten the soldiers under my command, but I threaten the King of Yue of the Great Sui, the style of loyalty and bravery, is really extraordinary, but this king promises you." The relatives of the officers and men of the Xingyang Army will not suffer a trace of grievances in Luoyang. ”

The topic of conversation between the two was a little heavy, Li Xuanba got the promise of King Yue, and no longer argued about these meaningless things, he said calmly: "Father, what has he done during this time?" ”

Yang Tong heard that Li Xuanba was willing to go to Hedong, and his heart was relieved, and he recounted Li Yuan's actions during this time.

After Li Yuan raised his troops, he sent Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin to lead the army from Jinyang to attack Xihe County first, and they only took nine days. He took down the West River and returned to Jinyang.

In mid-June, Li Yuan was honored as a "great general", set up a general's mansion, opened a warehouse to help the people, and recruited soldiers.

At the beginning of July, Li Yuan appointed Li Yuanji as the general guard of Taiyuan, honored the king Yang Yu as the emperor, and waved his army south. At the beginning of August, he attacked Huoyi. Song Laosheng, the Sui general, captured Linfen County on the eighth day of August, and conquered Jiang County on August 13, which can be described as overwhelming.

Under the general trend. The thieves in Guanzhong were attached to Li Yuan, and most of the guards of the imperial court surrendered without a fight, and in just over two months, Li Yuan's troops changed from 30,000 to more than 100,000. So, Li Yuan's general Zuo recommended him as a lieutenant. There is a tendency to be self-reliant.

"So, Hedong County has become an isolated city?" Li Xuanba said with a little surprise. Although he knew that Li Yuan would get the world, he never expected that the combat power of the Taiyuan Army would be so strong.

"If not, why did the king bring you back?" Yang Tong sighed: "If the east of the river is lost, the gate of Guanzhong will be opened, the Taiyuan army has been fighting against the Turks for many years, the cavalry is very numerous, and the Central Plains is flat, so don't you let them gallop?" ”

"Since Your Highness knows the seriousness of the matter, why don't you ask Your Majesty to return to the Eastern Capital?" Li Xuanba arched his hand and said: "As long as the 100,000 Xiaoguo army comes back, my father will inevitably retreat in the face of difficulties." ”

"Your Majesty's thoughts, how can we guess them?" Yang Tong shook his head bitterly and said, "This king once sent someone to Jiangdu to report it, and His Majesty said that the Xiaoguo army has another purpose. ”

What could be more important than a country? Li Xuanba was puzzled, he complained in his heart, I thought you were just overjoyed, but I didn't expect you to be really a faint king.

"When does Your Highness want the Xingyang Army to set off?" As a courtier, Li Xuanba could not refuse Yang Guang's edict, so he could only comply, he said: "The army has just returned to Luoyang, and Weichen wants to reunite the soldiers with their families for a few days, after all, I am afraid that I will not be able to come back for a while and a half. ”

"If you can wait, why doesn't this king wait to exterminate the Wagang thieves and then send a large army to rescue Hedong? Do you think this king really sent you to fight on the battlefield with Tang Guogong? Yang Tong said angrily: "There are only more than 30,000 people under General Qu's command, if Tang Guogong sends a part of his troops to besiege Hedong, and the rest of the army directly takes the Beijing Division, General Qu has no way to rescue him." ”

Li Xuanba was a little confused, and when he learned that he was going to face Li Yuan, he kept thinking about what to do, thus ignoring what the imperial court wanted him to do. was scolded by Yang Tong, and he suddenly understood.

"Your Highness is saying that rebellion is false, and containment is true?" Li Xuanba said with a smirk.

But think about it, there are more than 100,000 Taiyuan troops, and the combined subordinates of Xingyang Army and Qu Tutong are only 50,000, even if you add the original garrison in Hedong, it is no more than 60,000.

There are many brave men in the Taiyuan army who fight against the Turks all the year round, and in terms of combat power, they are not weaker than the imperial army, but the strength is more than twice that of the imperial army.

"Exactly." Yang Tong said angrily: "When Wang Shichong exterminates the Wagang thieves and the army is combined, Tang Guogong's soldiers and horses will not be enough to worry about." ”

"Then what does Your Majesty plan to do with my father?" Li Xuanba hesitated for a long time and said respectfully.

"The Duke of Tang is the emperor on behalf of the king, which means that he still remembers the kindness of the court, and besides, except for the traitorous ministers, he did not kill innocents indiscriminately, if he can be more interesting at that time, His Majesty will leave his life, but if he is stubborn, no one can save him." Yang Tong looked directly into Li Xuanba's eyes and said very seriously: "When the time comes, it depends on whether you can persuade him." ”

The court was able to give such a promise, Li Xuanba was already very satisfied, he bowed very sincerely, turned around and left.

"You're not going to meet with your aunt?" Behind Li Xuanba, Yang Tong said something that surprised him.

"The soldiers have no chance to reunite with their relatives, how can Xuanba have the face to go to Her Royal Highness the Princess?" Li Xuanba stopped and said without looking back: "Besides, Her Royal Highness the princess seems to be deliberately avoiding me, since she doesn't want to see her, why should I embarrass her?" ”

"Then just wait." King Yue was stunned and said: "Wang Shichong will soon be able to exterminate the Wagang thieves, and when the time comes, the overall situation will be certain, and Your Majesty should let you get married." Li Xuanba replied and left in silence. (To be continued.) )