With Pei Lin at the bottom of the steps, Li Yuan had to wave his hand to his sons, and did not forget to warn, "Get up!" I'll spare you this time, if there is a next time."

The two of them stood up and hurriedly said, "The child doesn't dare." ”

"Just now you said that it only took 5,000 troops to capture Huoyi in five days?" Li Yuan was quite satisfied with the performance of his two sons, but suddenly remembered what Shimin had just said, and couldn't help asking.

Li Yuan raised troops for more than ten days, and there was basically no war in the first ten days, and Huo Yi in front of him was the first obstacle laid by Yang Yu, the acting king, to Li Yuan; Now Li Yuan's army has been here for three days, and every attack has been a failure.

In the face of Huo Yi, who was so demoralized, Li Yuan certainly hoped to win it as soon as possible.

"Back to his father, the child heard that Zhang Xutuo took a secret road from Huoyi to Gaobiling and attacked Yang Liang's army; The boy took note and sent someone to find this secret passage."

Li Shimin took out a map from his arms as he spoke, and then walked to the table in front of Li Yuan, where Pei Lin and Wen Daya surrounded him; Jiancheng hesitated for a moment, and then followed.

Li Jiancheng originally did not have the intention of competing with Li Shimin, but his leading generals Li Xiaogong, Shi Danai and others persuaded him to win the opportunity to attack Huoyi, so he came to ask Li Yuan for his life.

Seeing that the light on the case was dim, Li Jiancheng immediately lit the oil lamp on the case, this subtle move made Li Yuan nod secretly, and secretly praised the generosity of the eldest son in his heart.

Li Shimin pointed to the map and said, "Huoyi is terrained and dangerous, which chokes the only way to go south, but you can go around to the south of Huoyi County by taking the Zhangxutuo road from Gaobiling; I plan to lure the enemy with 2,000 men, and surprise the remaining 3,000. ”

Listening to Li Shimin's strategy of detouring and attacking, Li Yuan's eyes lit up at first, and then he asked depressedly, "I remember that the information sent back by the scouts said that Song Laosheng had a total of 20,000 elite soldiers, even if you lure the enemy with 2,000 people, how can you be sure that he sent all his troops to pursue your 2,000 people?" Besides, even if he only left a thousand men to defend the city, how could you enter the city without any siege equipment? ”

Li Shimin said calmly, "Father doesn't know, when we just started the army, I sent a hundred elite soldiers to enter Huoyi in batches pretending to be merchants; In addition, Zhao Chen, the county magistrate of Huoyi County, was also willing to work for us, thanks to Wuji who persuaded him. ”

Li Jiancheng listened to the words of the people, and suddenly felt a little ashamed, his younger brother is strategizing and winning thousands of miles away.

Li Yuan and Pei Lin were also speechless, they didn't expect Li Shimin's vision to go so far, their age was really like a dog.

"As for how to lure Song Laosheng's 20,000 troops out of the city, the strategy I came up with was to have people pretend to be my father and bring 2,000 people to persuade them to surrender." Looking at the admiring gaze of his father and brother, Li Shimin twisted his mind and added, "Although Song Laosheng is trusted by the acting king, it is not because he has made military achievements, but because he is Fan Zigai's henchman; Since Fan Zigai's death, who else can he rely on? Today's Song Laosheng must be in a hurry to make meritorious contributions and want to prove himself, and capturing his father is obviously the fastest shortcut. ”

After Li Yuan heard what Li Shimin said, he immediately twisted his beard and said, "Shimin's analysis is good, if necessary, I can go to lure the enemy in person, so why pretend?" ”

The Li Shimin brothers and Pei Lian Wen Daya all shouted, "No." ”

The plan for a surprise attack on Huoyi was thus decided, Li Yuan had originally planned to let Li Shimin lead three thousand elite soldiers to set off early tomorrow morning, but after Li Shimin went back to prepare, it actually rained heavily in the sky.

The rain in March is really cold on the body, and it is really not the time to go over the mountains and mountains in such weather.

In desperation, Li Yuan had to urgently stop Li Shimin, saying that he would wait for the heavy rain to stop before determining the departure date, but he didn't know that the rain had been falling for seven or eight consecutive days, and there was no tendency to stop.

In these days, Chai Shao rushed to Li Yuan's army from the eastern capital, and brought the news that Li Xiuning, Li Shentong and others had entered Guanzhong, and also brought the news that Li Yuan's fifth son, Li Zhiyun and others, were persecuted by the Yin Shishi

Regarding the life and death of his clansmen, Li Yuan was more worried than happy, and what he was most worried about was obviously Li Xuanba, who was following Yang Guang.

In addition, Li Yuan also heard two rumors about the Turks, one was that Shibi Khan had left the world, and now the Turkic army had retreated to the north of Dingxiang County, and the other was that the Turkic army and Liu Wuzhou's army had united and were attacking Taiyuan

Taiyuan is not only the land of Li Yuan's Longxing, but also the base of this rebel army, and most of the families of the soldiers are in Taiyuan; After the last rumor came out, many people had the heart to return, but Li Yuan couldn't blatantly tell them, "I have served the Turks as the master, and they will not attack Taiyuan"

The real reason for the fluctuation of people's hearts is that they have been here for too long, and the soldiers cannot see the hope of victory, and the same is true for the great and small strategists.

Li Yuan has always lived in a nest, and in the eyes of Yang Guangqunchen, he is just a drunken man. However, Li Yuan seemed to have to raise troops this time, but it had been brewing for at least a few years, how could he let his hard work in the past few years go to waste?

"Now morale is low, and I don't know when the rain will stop. If you think according to my place, it is better to return to Taiyuan and plan again. ”

"Absolutely not, if the morale is low and turns around, most of them will collapse. It's a pity that we have worked so hard to build momentum for so long, and once we lost it. ”

"But now you can't advance or retreat, and the general doesn't know what to do?"

Li Yuan looked down, and it was Pei Lian, Tang Jian, Yin Kaishan, Wen Daya and others who were in favor of turning back to Taiyuan, and it was the Li Shimin brothers and Duan Zhixuan, Liu Zhenghui, Liu Hongji, Chai Shao and other generals who opposed the turnaround.

Li Yuan frowned, he didn't know how to make a decision for a while, if it weren't for this heavy rain, Li Shimin would have taken Huoyi a long time ago, right?

Tang Jian looked at Li Yuan, who was hesitant, and said in a deep voice, "General, Taiyuan is our foundation, and Taiyuan cannot afford to lose." If Taiyuan is lost, we will be the first rat at both ends. ”

Li Jiancheng shook his head, this time he could only take his brother out of the top cylinder, "The letter from Taiyuan is just a rumor, how can the rumor be true?" Most of it was Yuanji who was abrupt. ”

Li Shimin also shook his head and said, "Big brother, Taiyuan's letter was written by Dou Dan, and he just guessed that the Turkic army might go and return, isn't there still a guess that Shibi Khan has returned to heaven?" ”

Li Yuan went south to plot against Guanzhong, but he couldn't let go of the foundation of Taiyuan, so he handed over the important land of Taiyuan to Li Yuanji; Li Yuanji was still a minor and could not bear the great responsibility of guarding Taiyuan, so he ordered Dou Dan, Yu Wenxin and others as assistants.

Dou Dan is not only the maiden family of Li Yuan's wife, but also married his daughter, which can be regarded as a kiss.

Dou Dan has no reason to betray Li Yuan, but his age is there, and sometimes it is understandable that he has done something wrong.

Brothers Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin pushed the problem onto Li Yuanji and Dou Dan, but they didn't want everyone in the audience to take Taiyuan's problem too seriously.

Pei Lin shook his head and did not speak.

Tang Jian didn't seem to hear Li Jiancheng's words, but said to Li Yuan, "General, saving soldiers is like fighting a fire, this matter can't wait." ”

Li Yuan was unhappy in his heart, but these people were all his righteous ministers, and they should not be held responsible; But it will not be easy to convince them.

Listening to Tang Jian analyze the matter again, the old courtiers all nodded, and Li Yuan could only say helplessly: "Okay, if it rains heavily tomorrow"

Li Shimin immediately stood up and interrupted Li Yuan angrily, "We are here to prosper the people, save the people from fire and water, enter Xijing, and command the world. But now it's just a thief, and he can't wait to return to the place where he defended the city, so how can he call the world to such a move, and won't it chill the righteous people who follow him? Besides, what can you do if you turn around and stick to Taiyuan, what is the difference between what you do and Liu Wuzhou, and it is not to the point where people in the world will laugh at it and become a thief? We will raise troops for the sake of righteousness, and if we advance, we will win, and if we retreat, we will be defeated. If you retreat today, the people's hearts will be lost, and destruction can be said to be just around the corner, even if you hold the city of Taiyuan, what can you do? What's more, Liu Wuzhou's attack on Taiyuan is just a rumor! ”

Everyone looked at each other, and Li Yuan asked coldly, "Song Laosheng and Qu Tutong are in danger, what should I do if I can't advance or retreat?" ”

"Qu Tutong is old and incompetent, he only knows how to hold Hedong, give up Hukou and Longmen, maybe Hedong City is eager and difficult, but I wait for the righteous flag to be held high, as long as Huoyi is broken, there will be countless righteous troops to follow. When the time comes, we will divide our troops into two routes, besiege Hedong, cross the Yellow River, and attack the Weihe Plain. Song Laosheng was born from a humble background, frivolous and impetuous, as long as he was lured to fight, he could be captured in one battle. Dad said that the two dangers can be easily solved in my opinion. ”

Everyone was moved, and Li Yuan asked again, "If Li Mi is going west, how should we deal with it?" ”

"Li Mi is short-sighted, he is reluctant to Luokou and Liyang granaries, and he can't care about plotting from afar!"

"But what if Liu Wuzhou unites the Turkic troops to attack Taiyuan?" Li Yuan asked again.

"Taiyuan City is a city with thick walls, we have a large army to defend it, and it is never a problem to hold on for months; If it is really attacked, it will not be too late for me to return to the army, and if it is just a rumor, let me wait to turn back, and let the world laugh at it. ”

Li Yuan snorted coldly, and Pei Lian immediately echoed, "What Shimin said is very reasonable, and I think the matter of turning Taiyuan should be considered in the long run." ”

Everyone was eager to return to Taiyuan immediately, but they just forced Li Yuan, and after listening to Li Shimin's analysis, they all hesitated.

Li Jiancheng immediately suggested, "In my opinion, there is a compromise in this matter. ”

"How?" Everyone asked.

"At this time, it is raining heavily, and it is not easy to hurry, it is better to wait for the rain to stop, we will fight with Song Laosheng for a while, and we will continue to move eastward if we win; If you are unfortunate to lose, you will decisively turn back to Taiyuan. ”

Everyone had to echo and say, "What Long Guogong said makes a lot of sense. ”

Li Yuan nodded, "Since that's the case, let's follow the opinions of the built." ”

After everyone retreated, Li Yuan looked at Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin, and couldn't help but nodded, "These people are really good that your brothers can come up with this clever plan to convince them." ”

"Father, we are people who do great things, thanks to your thorough analysis, otherwise it would be really difficult to convince them." Shimin shook his head and said with a smile.

"Shimin, you are right, and some things are indeed better for you to say."

"I think my ignorant children have analyzed the Tao very well, since they are given the stairs down, how can they not be interesting."