Wang Yuan didn't know what to say, Yang Guozhong was indeed in the most difficult time, and the crusade against Nanzhao failed, and Yang Guozhong's position as the left minister was bound to be lost. No wonder he didn't have much interest in An Lushan's affairs, and when he couldn't protect himself, how could he still think about bringing down others.

Wang Yuan's mind was also blank in this matter, and he didn't know how to solve this immediate crisis for Yang Guozhong.

"Don't worry too much about Zuo Xiang, let's discuss a foolproof plan, Wang Shilang is also back, didn't you say that Wang Shilang has the best way?" Zhang Qiu and Qiong said in a low voice.

"Talk about it!" Yang Guozhong said angrily: "I regret that I shouldn't have listened to your bad idea, and things are so out of control." ”

Zhang Qiu and Qiong looked embarrassed, covered his mouth with his hand, and coughed to cover it. Yang Guozhong was furious, and pointed at Xian Yu Zhongtong, who was trembling on the side, and scolded: "You are still embarrassed to run back to the capital to beg me to increase the number of troops in Jiannan, how many soldiers and horses have I added to you before and after?" How many soldiers and horses were originally under the jurisdiction of Jiannan Jiedu? There are only 31,000 people, how many soldiers and horses did you bring to fight Nanzhao? More than 78,000, the original appearance has more than doubled your soldiers and horses, but you have been defeated again and again. How many soldiers and horses did Nanzhao have? Together, there are less than 50,000 soldiers and horses. With nearly 80,000 against 50,000, you can be defeated so completely, even if I find someone to lead the army to fight, I will never be as incompetent as you. ”

Xian Yu Zhongtong's face was like purple liver, ashamed and landless, and he didn't dare to defend half a sentence. This person was originally a wealthy businessman in Yizhou, and recommended Yang Guozhong to Zhang Qiu and Qiong, the envoy of Jiannan Jiedu at the time. After Yang Guozhong arrived in Chang'an, he funded a large amount of money for Yang Guozhong, and the three sisters of the Yang family accepted a large bribe from Yang Guozhong, which spoke for him in front of Xuanzong, and only then did he have today's Yang Guozhong. Otherwise, how could the three sisters of the Yang family take this broken distant cousin as a thing?

Yang Guozhong is not an ungrateful person, he is grateful for Xian Yu Zhongtong's recommendation and support when he was down, and he was promoted all the way to Xian Yu Zhongtong, and finally put him in the position of Jiannan Jiedu envoy. But I didn't expect that everything I did came from this person, but it was destroyed at the hands of this person, and I really had a hard time, and I couldn't smile bitterly.

Wang Yuan heard the clue and asked in a low voice: "Zuo Xiang, listen to your words, the war against Nanzhao is not over yet?" ”

Yang Guozhong said angrily: "I want to announce the end, Your Majesty has asked about the opportunity, and Li Linfu has also asked several times." But what shall I repay? Say that this battle was defeated? didn't touch Yamato City, but was taken by the family Ge Luofeng with tens of thousands of Huazi soldiers to seize the two towns of Anning in Yaozhou? I'm in a dilemma. If there are more troops in Jiannan, the DPRK and China will know that the war has been frustrated, and if they do not increase their troops, the mess will not be able to be cleaned up. I'm afraid I won't be able to pass this year. ”

Wang Yuan frowned and said, "Can I understand it this way, the war against Nanzhao is not over, and the imperial court does not know about the defeat?" ”

Yang Guozhong said: "All I handed over are good news, how dare I mention the loss?" But paper can't hold the fire, didn't you say that Li Guangbi, who was far away in Yunzhou, knew the news of the defeat? He knows it, and presumably many people in Chang'an City should know about it. It's just that they pretend to be confused and don't say it. ”

Wang Yuan pondered for a moment and said softly: "It seems that things have not yet reached the point of being out of control. Although the battle against Nanzhao has been lost so far, as long as the war is not over, it cannot be called a defeat. Although there are rumors of defeat, the war is not over, and no one will say a word. People like Lee Kwang-pil will never jump out indiscriminately to find trouble with Zuo Xiang. Don't forget who Wang Zhongsi is, it is Li Linfu who wants Zuo Xiang to step down the most, not the crown prince, even if Li Guangbi and Wang Zhongsi know the news of the war from some way, they will not make wedding clothes for Li Linfu. I now understand that the reason why Li Guangbi pretended to tell me this unintentionally was to remind the left minister through me that they had the handle of the left prime minister, and not to treat them as fools. ”

"Makes sense!" Yang Guozhong nodded with wide eyes and said: "No wonder Wang Zhongji mentioned many unreasonable requests to me when he visited me this afternoon, he asked me to allocate additional military supplies from the military department, and hoped that I would not object to some of his promotions and appointments in the army, etc. I thought it was weird at the time. Wang Zhongsi usually doesn't make these requests, this person gives me the impression that he is very well-behaved, and he is not very willing to quarrel with the military department about these things, he is a gentle person. ”

Wang Yuan said: "You rejected him?" ”

"No, I just said to discuss and deliberate."

Wang Yuan said: "To meet him is, as long as it is not too excessive, it will meet him." Now do not offend them. ”

Yang Guozhong nodded and said, "Now that the prime minister knows the reason why he did this, he naturally won't offend him." But what I'm worried about is that Li Linfu and Wang Ji probably also know about this, if Li Linfu knew about the defeat in the war, why didn't he trigger it? ”

Wang Yuan said: "The border towns know all about the festival, how can they expect Li Linfu to know nothing." But their purpose is to get the left minister to step down, but they will not be like Wang Zhonghe, who can use a little favor to gag their mouths. Therefore, until the war ends, they will never jump out to impeach the left prime minister, they will only closely follow the development of the war. Once they feel that the war is irreversible and the whole crusade is a foregone conclusion, they will no longer allow the left minister to conceal the news of the war, and will bring the matter to His Majesty. At that time, the left minister had to admit that the crusade against Nanzhao had failed, and there was also the crime of concealing and not reporting and deceiving His Majesty, so the left minister would be in big trouble. ”

Yang Guozhong sighed: "As soon as you say this, I suddenly became enlightened. But what to do with this mess now? I had no clue. ”

Wang Yuan thought for a while and said: "The top priority is to quickly turn the war around, I don't know what the specific war is." ”

Yang Guozhong said to Xian Yuzhong: "Don't you talk about the shape of the war?" ”

Xian Yu Zhongtong hurriedly said: "Yes, yes." This one...... After Yaozhou and An Ning failed, Ge Luofeng sent an envoy to me to ask for peace, saying that as long as I quit the army, I would return Yaozhou and An Ning to me for the Tang Dynasty reset. I didn't agree, and led the army to take Anning Yaozhou, but I was ambushed in Lushui, and I was defeated. had no choice but to lead troops to retreat to the Quzhou area. ”

Wang Yuan interrupted him and frowned, "Ge Luofeng returned Yaozhou and Anning?" Why didn't you say yes? It's weird. ”

Xian Yu Zhongtong glanced at Yang Guozhong, Yang Guozhong smacked his lips and said: "I don't allow it, Ge Luofeng's intention is to sacrifice the city to seek peace, but my goal is to crusade against Nanzhao." He used my Tang Yaozhou and Anning as bargaining chips, how can this be allowed? Besides, Zhang Qiantuo was killed by them, how can this account be calculated? So I didn't agree, and ordered Xian to lead the troops to attack. ”

Wang Yuan was speechless, Yang Guozhong's brain was really bad, no matter what, if someone was willing to return the city, how could there be no reason? This gamble is also unreasonable. As a result, he was ambushed by someone for playing prestige, which led to a big defeat and returned, which was also too unjust. It is unreasonable for a stupid person to do a stupid thing.

"How many soldiers and horses do Jiannan still have now? Can you live in Quzhou? ”

"There are still 46,000 soldiers and horses, and the defense can be defended, but if you attack, the troops are insufficient." Fresh in the middle channel.

Wang Yuan said: "Nearly 50,000 troops are still said to be insufficient? Then the Nanzhao Kingdom is only 50,000 soldiers and horses. ”

Xian Yu Zhongdao: "Wang Shilang, you don't know, the Southern Barbarians are very cunning, don't look at them don't have any decent armor and blades, but they are as cunning as apes, crossing the mountains and forests like walking on the ground." In addition, the southwest is high and densely forested, the weather is extremely hot, and it rains almost every day. Almost half of our Jiannan soldiers are difficult to adapt to, and they are weak in battle, so they are not their opponents at all. ”

Yang Guozhong said angrily: "You have a lot of reasons, it's all because the soldiers are not good, it's not that you are incompetent." ”

Xian Yu Zhongtong quickly shut up and didn't dare to speak again.

Wang Yuan didn't think he was looking for a reason, thinking about the terrain and climate in the Yunnan-Guizhou area, it is indeed not something that ordinary people can adapt to. The time and place are favorable, and the same people do not occupy it, plus the lord will be a straw bag, not to mention 80,000, 180,000 is also for nothing. This is also one of the reasons why Wang Yuan persuaded Yang Guozhong not to provoke Nanzhao easily. When the Tang Dynasty was founded, there were many soldiers and generals, but they also failed to take the Nanzhao Kingdom, and its existence must have its own way of survival.

"It is impossible to increase the number of troops. If Li Linfu and the others knew the news of the defeat in the war, and the number of soldiers and horses in Jiannan had already exceeded expectations, adding more troops would be tantamount to admitting the defeat in the war. There is no need for Li Linfu to say it, His Majesty will also be able to smell the smell, and if he sends another messenger to verify the war, then everything will be revealed. Wang Yuan frowned.

"yes, that's what I thought. His Majesty asked about the last increase of 20,000 troops half a month ago, and I could only prevaricate. Any more troops will definitely be exposed. ”

"Then, for the sake of turning the tide, we must organize an offensive counterattack. If you don't want to destroy Nanzhao, but you want to recapture the two provinces of Yaozhou and Anning, and then enter the territory of Nanzhao to seize one or two cities, it can be called a victory. Then the situation can be reversed. Even if some people mention the previous defeats, as long as the overall battle is won, they have no reason to attack the left minister. ”

Yang Guozhong nodded and said, "That's true, but ...... Rely on him? I didn't have to lose any more. Yang Guozhong pointed to Xian Yuzhong Passage without any taboos.

Xian Yu Zhongtong waved his hand again and again: "Zuo Xiang doesn't have to consider my feelings, I am willing to take the blame and resign from the post of Jiannan Jiedu envoy." ”

Yang Guozhong said: "Blame? Are you trying to tell someone you're a failure? All I reported was good news, so I can only give you a promotion. ”

Wang Yuan wanted to laugh very much, but he lost the battle but had to promote Xian Yu Zhongtong, which is also the first person in the world. Yang Guozhong himself was trapped by his own lies and had to die as a defeated general.

"Zuo Xiangke can ask Xian Yu to hurry back to Jiannan to lead the army to defend, at least to ensure that the city cannot be broken through again by Nanzhao's soldiers and horses, stabilize the situation, and look for a new commander to turn the tide of the war." Wang Yuandao.

Yang Guozhong looked at Wang Yuan and said: "This is the difficulty, do you think I haven't thought of changing someone to command the battle?" But how can there be such a person around me? In today's situation, I can't find someone I don't trust to take over, that will expose the erosion of the whole war. You help me think about it, who else can help me through this? ”