The rain fell at noon, and in the afternoon, it was already pouring rain, more than ten miles of camps, and the white tents on the top were all wrapped in the wind and rain, and the city of Xilou was beaten by the rain, such as whimpering.

Li Congjing stood in front of the tent in armor, and he saw a group of patrolling soldiers, walking through the mud, their steps heavy and steady. In the heavy rain curtain, both the grassland soldiers and the Tang army soldiers were more silent than before.

It has been a few days since the Youzhou army arrived at the West Building, and the black car Murowei and the large and small tribes that can come are also present, and it is only two days before Li Congjing agreed in the document to "break the West Tower on the 25th".

The Bohai Expeditionary Force led by Yelu Abaoji also returned to the division a few days ago.

The total number of troops from both sides gathered in the West Building was nearly 300,000, and the number of troops on both sides was roughly equal.

The grassland people, to a certain extent, can be said to be a warrior, in the face of such a big war, the grassland tribe whenever they go to war, usually the whole tribe goes out together, regardless of men, women and children, carrying cattle and sheep and family wealth - in the case of the tribal armed forces are all fighting, throwing aside the old and young family wealth without force is tantamount to asking someone to rob.

The coalition army, dominated by the Tang army, and the Khitan army had no intention of fighting in a big way in the past few days. Small-scale battles happen all the time, but they don't have anything to do with the overall situation, and are more like some kind of itching under some kind of impatient emotion. In this case, both sides are well guarded.

The Khitan army did not move much, and Li Congjing naturally knew the reason. Until today, the news of Yelu Abao's death has not come out, which shows that although Yelu Abaoji is seriously ill, he is still holding on to his breath.

Time is very urgent for Li Congjing, but he is not lacking in patience, the more he is at this critical juncture, the more he has to calm down. Li Congjing always knew that Yelu Abaoji was going to die - he still had time to wait for others to die.

In the rain curtain, a large group of people and horses galloped on the grass.

Meng Songbai, the personal guard, pursed his lips and said to Li Congjing: "Marshal, I bet that these grassland barbarians must have come to fight again!" ”

Li Congjing smiled casually and didn't say much.

Meng Songbai seemed to be very angry, "These barbarians know that they are screaming and killing, and they can't understand the strategic intentions of the military commander, but they still want to add to the chaos, which is really annoying to watch." Marshal, do you want to send them for you? ”

"There is no need to be so indignant." Li Congjing comforted Meng Songbai, patted him on the shoulder and said: "Although the grassland people have poor combat strength, they can also fight against the wind, and they can give us strength at the worst, and they are not useless." We still need them, it's inconvenient to look at people too much. ”

For these steppe tribes, when the time has not come, no matter how they ask for battle, Li Congjing's meaning is very clear: it is okay to can't help but fight, it is okay to fight the Khitans, and there must be no more than 300 people in a single dispatch. Otherwise, military justice is engaged.

Speaking of military law, although it is a temporary coalition army, Li Congjing made the decree clear when he first met the tribal leaders. In the past few days, many people have been punished, and a few heads have been cut off. Otherwise, these steppe barbarians are very stubborn, how can they stay in the camp so well

After Yelu Abaoji returned to the division, he left the army to be stationed outside the city, and he was carried into the city and returned to the palace to recuperate.

In the past few days, Yelu Abaoji has been in a coma for a long time, and rarely awake, not only that, but he often coughs up blood, and his body is getting thinner and thinner. The imperial physician diagnoses and serves every day, but he is helpless. Under Shu Luping's anger, many imperial doctors had already lost their heads.

Heavy rain in the spring, it is really rare, Shu Luping looked at the hazy sky outside the window, worried, a pair of bewitching eyebrows huddled together.

"The Tang army pressed the border, the smoke rose all over the place, and the rebels were everywhere outside the city, and now the emperor is seriously ill, and he doesn't know when he will be able to preside over the state again, but the Khitan rivers and mountains cannot allow such erosion, otherwise the country will not be a country. Mr. is always relied on by the emperor, every time there is a social plan, all ask Mr. for advice, how to resolve the dilemma now, Mr. can have a plan? Shu Luping retracted his gaze, his demeanor and tone were calm as usual, and asked Han Yanhui in front of him.

Han Yanhui just sighed slightly.

"Sir has everything to say, now that the country is in danger, it is time for the monarch and the ministers to work with one heart and one mind, and I hope that Mr. will not have any worries, otherwise how can he face the hard work of the emperor and his subjects in the past ten years?" Shu Luping further said.

After sighing, Han Yanhui stood up and bowed to Shu Luping, "Returning to the queen, the minister is incompetent, and if you want to solve the crisis now, in the minister's opinion, there is only one way." ”

"What is it?" Seeing that Han Yanhui had a plan, Shu Luping was a little excited.

Han Yanhui spit out two words with difficulty and firmness: "Negotiate peace!" ”

"Peace?" Shu Luping was slightly stunned, and then he was angry, and he thought about it and felt helpless, and for a while, he was silent.

Seeing that Shu Luping was not angry, Han Yanhui continued: "Emperor Lai's eloquence and talent, the queen's benevolence, since the emperor unified the eight Khitan tribes, he has expanded his territory and is invincible, so he can turn the clan into a country, subjugate the tribes, and achieve a hegemony. In the ten years since the founding of the Khitan, the country has been strong and prosperous, and if the Bohai Sea can be determined in the east, it can be expected to go south to the Central Plains. ”

"However, after all, the Khitan established the country by force, and there were more than enough soldiers in the past ten years, but Bu Ren did not teach enough, and the grassland tribes succumbed to the Khitan because of their strength, not because of virtue and willing to be a minister, if the Khitan country is getting stronger and stronger, and the attack is invincible, but it is enough to stabilize the country by force, and the tribes can not resist a little, and then implement benevolent government in the future to consolidate the hearts of the people, it is not impossible."

"It's a pity that this trip to the Bohai Sea failed to make a contribution, the army returned to the dynasty, and the emperor unfortunately contracted the disease, but the villain was able to do his best, and called on the rebels and thieves to the imperial capital. The Son of Heaven of the Tang Dynasty, since a hundred years ago, was the Khan of the Heavens, and his virtue and prestige flourished in the grassland and penetrated into the hearts of the people. ”

"To this day, more than a dozen tribes such as Tatar and Heichezi Murowei have rebelled one after another, the Datong army went out of Sangkan Pass and Keshengzhou, seized the river set and looked north, the Lulong border army crossed the Great Wall, and Yikun and Raozhou were in a hurry. Three thousand miles of desert northern grassland, most of the chaos has been chaotic, the Han people in various cities want to flee south, millions of people, half suffered by the war and half fell into the hands of the enemy"

"The Tang general Li Congjing, a scheming man, and a wolf ambition, is bent on murdering the Khitan, and the hundred battles and Lulong armies under his command are all fierce and fearless of death, but his orders are all evil. This time, Li came from the north, and his plan was not small, and his momentum was huge, so he easily refused to return to the south. And the Khitan is no longer durable to fight, and if the war is long, the country will not exist at all. Negotiation of peace is really a top priority, and only in this way can we tide over the difficulties and clean up the society. With the emperor's majesty and the queen's virtue, today's humiliation will be returned to the Tang Dynasty a hundred times in the future."

Han Yanhui said these words in one breath, and he also knew that he was suspected of being loyal to his ears, so he stopped talking, and made up his mind not to discuss whether Lu Ping agreed or not, so he no longer argued, and stood bent and waited for Shu Lu Ping to judge.

Shu Luping's face was several times, his heart fluctuated, and it was difficult to calm down. Han Yanhui's meaning is very clear: first, the Khitan rule in Mobei is not solid; Second, the Khitan is now in chaos, but it can't withstand the long-term chaos; Third, Li Congjing is very capable of fighting, if he only wants to delay the war and tactically adopt a self-preservation strategy, it will be difficult for the Khitan to defeat. Fourth, negotiate peace first, seek to preserve the national capital, and then find Li Congjing to settle accounts in the future.

I don't know how long it took, Shu Luping sighed abruptly, "Mr.'s words are really a strategy for the country." Although this palace is not reconciled, it also admits the facts. However, the matter of peace is big, and it needs to be decided by the emperor and the ministers. She agreed with Han Yanhui's words, but this matter was too big for her to hold.

Han Yanhui was surprised, he didn't expect Shu Luping to agree to his words so easily, he thought that he still needed to go through some hard advice, or a long debate, and he couldn't help but admire Shu Luping in his heart.

"Hugh has to negotiate peace! The divisions of the Qinwang from all walks of life are arriving one after another, and they will see that the thief army has been broken overnight! ”

The two of them were silent, and an angry voice sounded. Shu Luping and Han Yanhui looked back in amazement, but saw that Yelu Abaoji had already sat up, looking at his appearance, although his face was gloomy, he was in good spirits, and his face was red.

"The Emperor"

"Summoning the crown prince and the generalissimo to meet you!"

The rain left abruptly before dusk, as unjustified as its arrival.

At night, the West Building is brightly lit.

"Li Congjing's text made my Great Khitan smoke rise everywhere, most of the country was in turmoil, and the society was in danger. Now 300,000 people are facing each other in the West Building, what is the situation down, and I don't know what the imperial brother thinks? On the tower of the city, Jerod asked Jerub.

"Why do you knowingly ask?" Jerube's voice was cold, and his eyes did not squint.

Yelu Deguang smiled with deep meaning, "Why did you ask knowingly?" ”

"There is no danger in Khitan at all, and the situation is in the hands of my father, so why do I need to say more?" Jerube.

Yelude's expression was strange, "Brother Huang also saw it?" ”

Yelubei snorted, "Since returning from Bohai, although my father is seriously ill, he is not confused, and there are many secret orders along the way. The Khitan was established in the hands of his father, how could his father let Li Congjing write a document and plunge the grassland into chaos? ”

Yelu Deguang laughed lightly, "It's a pity that Li Congjing may not be able to see this, and he doesn't want to think about it, the Khitan has been established for ten years, and if it is really said that there will be chaos?" If the Khitan is so prone to turmoil, how can the Khitan have today's grand occasion? ”

While the two were talking, a palace envoy came to summon, "Prince, generalissimo, summoned by the emperor!" ”

When Yelu Deguang and Yelu Bei saw Yelu Abaoji, the Khitan emperor was already sitting on the imperial chair, with a solemn posture and high spirits, where was there still half a sign of being seriously ill?

Yelu Abaoji looked directly at the two sons in front of him who were most satisfied with him, and slowly spoke: "Li Congjing converged with the grassland tribes, joined more than 100,000 troops, before the Chen soldiers and emperors, the momentum was violent, and the Mobei grassland was full of smoke, how should we deal with it, what are your two opinions?" ”

Yelu Deguang and Yelu looked at each other, bowed down at the same time, and said loudly: "But with the order of my father, my son is willing to be the vanguard and defeat the thieves for my father!" ”

As soon as these words came out, Shu Luping and Han Yanhui were shocked, and Shu Luping frowned and reprimanded: "Hugh is talking nonsense!" Li Congjing is powerful, and half of the Khitan country has suffered a military disaster, have you ever thought about what the Khitan will look like if the war is unfavorable? ”

Han Yanhui didn't speak, but his expression showed that he agreed with Shu Luping.

Yelubei said: "The Khitan will not be defeated!" ”

Yelu Deguang looked at Shu Luping with a smile: "Don't worry, the queen mother. Everything is under the control of my father, this time I will fight, the battle will be won, and there will be no disadvantage of the war! ”

Shu Luping was stunned.

Yelu Abaoji laughed, his face was full of relief and pride, "Sure enough, it's my Yelu Abaoji's son, at this most critical juncture, you two still know what I'm thinking!" ”

Immediately, Yelu Abaoji snorted coldly, his eyes widened, "Li Congjing wants to break the West Building, and his appetite is not small, but why should he!" Just by virtue of his paper? Did he really think that if he used his mouth, he would be able to plot against the grassland tribes to die for him? Naive! Who is he Li Congjing? At that time, Tang Taizong didn't dare to have such a certainty! He is only tens of thousands of town soldiers, so he dares to have such a delusion, and he can't help but think too highly of himself! ”

Who are Shu Luping and Han Yanhui, and at this time, they all heard the hidden meaning of Yelu Abaoji's words, and they were all ecstatic after being shocked, "The emperor has already arranged to break the enemy?" ”

Han Yanhui even said: "Could it be that among the grassland tribes gathered in the West Building, there are chess pieces arranged by the emperor?" ”

Yelu Abaoji sat on the imperial chair with a majestic appearance, "If there is no arrangement, where can Li Congjing gather so many grassland tribes?" If there is no arrangement, with the black car room Wei Na gang of shrimp soldiers and crab generals, they can also fight and win successively, and successfully join Li Congjing in the West Building? Li Congjing's inscription is indeed enough to punish his heart, but he also doesn't want to think about it, since this inscription has appeared, how can I have no countermeasures? ”

"Of course, the emperor has a countermeasure, and taking advantage of the trend is even more of a superior plan!" Han Yanhui sighed, and then admired the five-body throw, "It turns out that the Khitan chaos is deliberately indulged by the emperor, and the purpose of this illusion is to wipe out Li Congjing and those with two hearts!" The emperor is far-sighted and far-sighted, and the ministers can't wait! He also saluted Yelu Deguang and Yelu Bei, "The prince and the generalissimo are really dragon-like, wise and brave, and admired by the ministers!" ”

"Since I led the eight Khitan tribes twenty years ago, established the Great Khitan Kingdom ten years ago, and crisscrossed the Northern Desert for decades, how can I lack dominance over the grassland?" Yelu Abaoji stood up, "Pass the military order: Tomorrow dawn, the whole army will attack, break the chaos and thieves, and kill Li Congjing!" ”

He opened his arms, his eyes were like electricity, and his face was radiant, "Come on, put on armor for me!" ”

At dawn, the camp of the coalition forces outside the city of Xilou was awakened by the sound of the siren, and Li Congjing ordered the army to line up outside the camp and ride out of the camp.

When the Khitan army launched the first round of charge, Li Congjing, Tubak, Heichezi Murowei and other chiefs of the grassland were surprised to find that Yelu Abaoji appeared in front of the battle!

The decisive battle of the General Assembly came without warning, and Yelu Abaoji personally commanded the Khitan army to rush out of the first formation.