A tense atmosphere shrouded the streets and alleys of Luoyang, although the official tightly sealed the news of the Tang army's attack on Hongnong County and Xiyang County, but the news still spread far and wide, spreading all over Luoyang, making the people of Luoyang panic, the price of rice began to rise rapidly, and the people of Luoyang set off a wave of storing all kinds of food and materials. Pen % fun % Pavilion www.biquge.info

The most representative rice price has risen sharply from 120 yuan to 300 yuan of rice, which only collects the emperor's money or the Qinglong money of the Northern Sui, and the Daye money or the copper coins minted by Wang Shichong are rejected by various merchants.

On the morning of this day, another shocking news spread throughout Luoyang, Hangu Pass was broken by the Tang army, which means that the famous defense system in the west of Luoyang, the Kuihan Passage has been completely broken through by the Tang army, this news brought a huge panic to the people of Luoyang, the price of rice soared again, from 300 yuan to 500 yuan of rice, and various prices began to get out of control.

Luoyang Imperial Palace, Hubu Shangshu Cui Wenxiang walked quickly through the Xuanzheng Palace Square, walked in the direction of the imperial study, Cui Wenxiang in the Wang Shichong court in the past two years, he betrayed his cousin Cui Xiaoren, won the trust of Wang Shichong, so that he began to soar, just two years to the Hubu Shangshu and seal the Shangshu Tai walking, officially promoted to the Xiangguo, making him the youngest Xiangguo in the Wang Shichong court.

Although Cui Wenxiang has a despicable character, after all, he was born in the Boling Cui clan and has a high talent, he has done a good job in the position of Xiangguo, and he takes care of government affairs in an orderly manner.

However, Cui Wenxiang also understood in his heart that Wang Shichong was not a long-term solution, he had to find another way out for himself, of course he did not dare to take refuge in the Northern Sui, he knew that Zhang Xuan could not spare himself, Cui Wenxiang secretly submitted a letter of surrender to the Tang Dynasty, and got a handwritten reply from Li Yuan, which was full of appreciation for his abandonment of darkness and surrender to the light.

This made Cui Wenxiang feel reassured and full of confidence in his future, but he was not so conscientious about Zheng Guo's affairs.

"Choi Sang-kook!"

Cui Wenxiang just walked up the steps, he heard someone behind him call him, he turned around, but saw that it was the crown prince Wang Xuanying, he quickly stopped and waited, today Wang Shichong urgently summoned Xiangguo and other important ministers to discuss military affairs, Cui Wenxiang thought he was late, but he didn't expect the prince to be behind him.

Cui Wenxiang likes the crown prince Wang Xuanying very much, modest, low-key, approachable, and gentle, not at all as arrogant and fierce as his Lao Tzu, this is the favorite type of emperor of civil officials, but unfortunately he is the son of Wang Shichong.

"Why is Your Highness only here now, Weichen still thinks that he is late." Cui Wenxiang stepped forward and smiled.

"My father just sent someone to inform me that the Senate was postponed for half an hour, doesn't Cui Xiangguo know?"

Cui Wenxiang was stunned, shook his head and said, "Weichen doesn't know!" ”

"I guess the messenger didn't find Xiangguo!"

Wang Xuanying said in a low voice: "I have something I want to communicate with Cui Xiangguo, is it convenient?" ”

"It's okay!"

Cui Wenxiang and Wang Xuanying came to a corner, Wang Xuanying said worriedly: "I just got the news, the price of rice in Luoyang West Market has risen to 600 Wen for doumi, the price of rice is too high, it is useless to close the position, Cui Xiangguo see if there is any way to deal with it?" ”

A few days ago, when the price of rice rose to 300 Wen of doumi, Wang Xuanying started the regular closing of the position to suppress the price of rice, and invested 80,000 stone of parity rice, and sold it for 200 Wen of doumi, in an attempt to pull down the price of rice, but it had no effect, the price of rice was still strong and high, and today it rose to 600 Wen of doumi, which really made Wang Xuanying distressed, he didn't know how to deal with it, today it is estimated that his father will ask about it, he must have a response plan, so he can only ask Cui Wenxiang for advice.

Cui Wenxiang shook his head and said: "When the Red Eyebrow Army approached Chang'an, the price of rice in Chang'an rose sharply, Wang Mang ordered to invest 100,000 stone of grain to stabilize the price of grain, but there was no effect, it is estimated that the situation today is the same, because the panic caused by the war is not the same as the panic caused by rumors, to stabilize the price of grain unless the Zheng army defeats the Tang army, or the reconciliation between the Zheng and Tang countries, there is no threat of war, the high price of rice is difficult to support, and then use the regular position, the high price of rice will collapse, now it is not possible, every household is storing grain, It is to meet the needs of the siege, and the amount of grain that is often closed will be snapped up, although His Highness's idea is good, but the method is wrong. ”

Wang Xuanying frowned, "Then how should I deal with it?" ”

"It's very simple, His Highness will change the grain that is often closed into porridge, so that people from poor families who have no money to buy food also have a way to live, this is the only way."

"What about the fight against profiteers and those who have made a fortune?"

Cui Wenxiang smiled, "Your Highness, there are no profiteers at this time, they are not ordinary people behind them!" ”

Wang Xuanying suddenly woke up, wasn't Luoyang's grain controlled by his uncle? He was immediately deflated, nodded and said, "Okay! Thank you Xiangguo for your advice, let's go to the imperial study first. ”

"About Wang Mang's allusion just now, Your Highness must not mention it in front of the saint!" Cui Wenxiang instructed him again.

"I understand this, I won't mention it."

The two of them said as they walked briskly towards the imperial study........

Wang Shichong returned to Luoyang after deploying the battle to attack Jingzhou, he could not stay in Nanyang all the time, Luoyang still needed him to come back to sit in the town.

As soon as he returned to Luoyang, a series of good news followed, the Zheng army captured Xiangyang County, the Zheng army captured Jingling County, and the Zheng army attacked Nanjun and was besieging Nanjun, but within a few days, the news came that the Tang army was attacking Hongnong County and Xiyang County in two ways.

This suddenly made Wang Shichong panic, you must know that he only has a total of 150,000 troops, 50,000 troops went south to Jingzhou, 30,000 troops are stationed in Xiyang, and 30,000 troops are stationed in Nanyang, Shuyang, Huai'an, Xiangcheng and Xingyang five counties, Henan Mansion only has 40,000 troops left, which also includes 20,000 Royal Forest Army, and these 40,000 troops each have 5,000 troops stationed in Hangu Pass and Tiger Prison Pass, and the army that really guards Luoyang City is only 10,000, even if the 20,000 Royal Forest Army is sent to the city, there are only 30,000 people, and the strength is stretched to the bottom.

There were more than a dozen important ministers and generals standing in the wide imperial study, Wang Shichong's face was gloomy, and he said to everyone: "I just got the news, Hongnong County has surrendered to the Tang Dynasty, Qu Tutong's 30,000 troops have killed in Mianchi County, and are continuing to kill in the direction of Luoyang, but the speed has slowed down, and the situation in Xiyang County is also very grim, although our army resists stubbornly, but the 30,000 defenders can't stop Li Shimin's 70,000 army attack, and has been defeated three times, and the army has suffered heavy losses. Let's talk about what to do! ”

The imperial study was silent, and after a while, Wang Shiyun bowed down and said: "Your Majesty, I can't see the true intentions of the Tang army now, whether they want to force us to withdraw from Jingzhou, or want to directly wage war against us, it is still difficult to predict, Weichen believes that Xiangyang and Jiangling are still controlled by the Tang Dynasty, Jiangxia also has tens of thousands of heavy troops, and the Tang Dynasty may not be willing to give up Jingzhou easily, Weichen feels that the real purpose of the Tang Dynasty is to open up Nanxiang Road and connect Guanzhong and Jingzhou together." ”

"Then how do you understand that the Tang army has captured Hongnong County, and now the army is killing Luoyang?" Wang Shichong asked again.

"Your Majesty, Li Shimin's 70,000 army is the main force, Qu Tutong's only 30,000 troops, with these 30,000 troops can not capture Luoyang, he should contain our army south, otherwise it can't be explained that his army will suddenly slow down."

At this time, Xiangguo Duan Da also said: "Your Majesty, Weichen also supports Wang Xiangguo's opinion, the Tang Army's target is still Jingzhou, which can be seen from a small detail." ”

"What details?" Wang Shichong asked.

Duan Da walked to the map and pointed to Neixiang County in Xiyang County with a wooden pole: "If the target of the Tang Army is us, then Li Shimin should divide his troops all the way east into Jutan County in Nanyang County after taking Neixiang County, and directly copy the back road of Nanyang County, but Li Shimin did not do this, and still attacked in the direction of Junyang County, which is obviously the direction of Xiangyang, and Weichen can conclude from this that the target of the Tang Army is still Jingzhou, not us." ”

Wang Shiyun and Duan Da's analysis made Wang Shichong feel a little calm, and he asked the crown prince Wang Xuanying: "What is the prince's opinion?" ”

Wang Xuanying thought that his father had convened everyone to discuss the skyrocketing price of food, but his father didn't care about this kind of thing at all, and only thought about the deployment of the army, which made Wang Xuanying secretly relieved, but at the same time, there was also a trace of loss, and the people's livelihood was also very important, but his father didn't care at all.

Wang Xuanying had no choice but to bow down and say: "Erchen thinks that no matter whether the target of the Tang army is Luoyang or not, Luoyang's troops are too small, and Erchen suggests increasing the Luoyang garrison, and at the same time transporting all the grain from Luokoucang back to Luoyang." ”

Wang Shichong nodded, the prince's suggestion came to his heart, he pondered for a moment and said: "The prince is right, no matter what, the defenders of Luoyang are still too few, I plan to transfer the 20,000 defenders of Xingyang County and Xiangcheng County back to Luoyang, leaving only the 5,000 troops in the Tiger Pass, and at the same time transporting all the 800,000 stone grain in Luokoucang back to Luoyang, what do you think Aiqing?" ”

Yun Dingxing, the general of the Left Guard and the head of the military department, immediately praised: "Your Majesty is high! ”

Everyone expressed their support for Wang Shichong's plan, and Wang Shichong nodded, "Then it's decided, relax the control of Xingyang County and concentrate on defending Luoyang." (To be continued.) )