Out of Yanshoufang, Li Hong strolled on the streets of Chang'an City, his thoughts were very melancholy. He wanted to tell Zhou Juan that he was Li Hong, the prince of the Tang Dynasty, but he still couldn't help but say nothing, he didn't know what this simple girl would think after he told Zhou Juan about her life experience, whether he could still maintain his previous relationship with her, with such concerns, he couldn't help but didn't say it.

This time, he was nominally going to the northwest to inspect, but in fact he was going to confront Lu Dongzan head-on. This is a war, and war must be fought to the death. He himself could not guarantee that he would not die, so his heart was sad.

Chen Gong, who was following him, saw that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was lonely and desolate, and wanted to step forward to say a few words, but just as he was about to step forward, he suddenly held back again.

"Your Highness, should we go back to the palace?" Chen Gong said in a low voice.

Li Hong nodded slightly and did not speak again.

……

Luoyang was reluctant to be from Chang'an, and Le Yanwei's recital had just been sent to Luoyang, and Gaozong's approval arrived on the third day. The above content is very simple, he ordered Xue Rengui to mobilize 100,000 troops to aid the northwest, and let Li Hong have full authority to deal with the war with Tubo.

Receiving this will, Li Hong breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.

With an army of 100,000 plus the army he was recruiting from nearby, there was no problem in playing 200,000 cavalry, so it was more likely that he would be able to leave this Tibetan cavalry behind against the 200,000 Tubo cavalry. There is also Xue Rengui, although this fierce general is not suitable to be a commander, but as a vanguard army, he is indeed a good hand to capture the flag, and Li Hong is now lacking such a person.

After circulating Gaozong's will to everyone, Li Hong opened his mouth and said, "What do you think now? ”

Le Yanwei, Sun Chuyue, Xiao Dezhao, Zhang Wenqian and Li Jingxuan all moved their eyes to Su Dingfang, and Di Renjie was also bowing his head in contemplation. Su Dingfang is a famous general of the Tang Dynasty and the person with the highest official position among the people present, so this question should naturally be answered by him.

"There are 6,000 defenders in Hezhou, 10,000 foot cavalry in Liangzhou, and 20,000 foot cavalry in the Western Regions, this is our strength on the Northwest Front, and Wang Fangyi, as the head of the Tang Dynasty in the Western Regions, wants to collect the armies of various countries in the Western Regions, and can collect nearly 100,000 horses. In this way, we have 130,000 riders in the Western Regions. plus the 100,000 elites transferred from the Northeast Battlefield. It's enough to compete with Lu Dongzan's 200,000 elite riders. Su Dingfang analyzed. However, in view of the fact that it is difficult for the army of the Western Regions to cooperate with us, His Highness still has to mobilize 30,000 cavalry from Bingzhou and Lingzhou. Our current soldiers are okay to defend the city, and if we want to take the initiative to attack, the terrible combat effectiveness will decline, and we can only rely on cavalry. ”

Li Hong agreed with Su Dingfang's cautiousness, although he had not seen the strength of the Tubo elite cavalry, it could be seen from the combat effectiveness of Zhao Zhongyong's six hundred Tubo cavalry that the strength of the Tubo cavalry did not belong to the elite cavalry of the Tang Dynasty, and it may be surpassed.

Can he not be cautious about such an army of more than 200,000 people?

"Let's just decide!" Li Hong thought for a while and replied, "This matter will be handed over to Su Xiang." Le Xiang and Sun Xiang, the food and grass materials needed on the front line will be handed over to you. ”

It is very suitable for Su Dingfang to coordinate the dispatch of the army, and let Le Yanwei and Sun Chu make an appointment with the two prime ministers to allocate grain and grass materials, and naturally there will be no big problems.

"No!" Su Dingfang, Le Yanwei, and Sun Chu about three people received the order.

"I don't know how many people and horses His Highness will bring with him when he goes to the northwest this time?" Di Renjie asked suddenly.

"Chen Gong's eight hundred guards, Li Duoqi's four thousand elite horsemen." Li Hong said, this is already his entire family background, and the combat effectiveness of the other East Palace Ten Rates is not as good as these three elites, and he has no intention of preparing to take them there.

"Is there a little less of His Highness's guard?" Xiao Dezhao asked worriedly.

"It's a lot, and Zhao Zhongyong's six hundred Tubo elite riders, it's enough." Li Hong said with a smile, "Lone just wants to see, how capable he is Lu Dongzan, how can he be lonely?" ”

"Who is Your Highness going to let go with you?" Di Renjie asked again, this time he was not asking soldiers, but generals and officials, because now that Li Hong is in charge of the country, he is going to the northwest, so naturally there must be a group of officials to accompany him.

"In terms of military generals, Chen Gong and Li Duoqi naturally want to follow Gu, followed by Qin Zhan and Xue Na and Hei Tooth Changzhi." Li Hong said, "As for Wenchen, let Sun Xiang, Xiao Qing and Li Sheren go with Yang Sijian and Gu!" ”

The Sun Xiang in Li Hong's mouth is Sun Chuyu, Xiao Qing is Xiao Dezhao, Li Sheren is the Zhongshu Sheren, the bachelor of Hongwenguan, and the right middle protector of the prince Li Jingxuan, the right middle protector of the prince is the general who commands the forces of the prince's East Palace, Li Jingxuan follows Li Hong to the northwest It is normal, Yang Sijian is also a subordinate official of the East Palace, and it is also very reasonable to follow Li Hong to the northwest.

"No!" When Sun Chuyue and Li Jingxuan heard that they were going to follow the prince to the northwest, they hurriedly bowed down to receive the order. There was no worry or dissatisfaction on their faces, in addition to the pride of being a Tang Dynasty that made them look down on foreigners, but also because of the strength of the Tang Dynasty's armed forces, which made them very confident in their own strength. Moreover, there are the officials of the Tang Dynasty, not to mention the generals, all of them are skilled in bows and horses, and Wenchen is not weak in martial arts, so no one is afraid to fight on the battlefield.

"General Pei Judao is at home, let him follow His Highness to the northwest together!" Suddenly, Xiao Dezhao spoke.

Pei Judao?

Hearing this name, Li Hong thought of his fiancée Concubine Pei in his previous life, and the little girl he had seen in Xu Jingzong's mansion. nodded slightly, "It's so decided, let Pei Judao be responsible for escorting the grain and grass." ”

"No!" Le Yanwei commanded.

In this way, the matter of Li Hong's expedition to the northwest was decided.

"This time I want to go to the northwest, and Chang'an City will be handed over to you!" Li Hong said that with Su Dingfang and Le Yanwei in charge, he is not afraid of any chaos in Chang'an City, plus Di Renjie and Zhang Wenjun, who have been resourceful for a long time.

"Your Highness, rest assured, the veteran will definitely handle the affairs of the DPRK and China well, and will not let His Highness be distracted by this." Su Dingfang said loudly, and Le Yanwei also assured on the side.

Li Hong nodded slightly, he was very satisfied with the attitude of the two. This is what he wants to see, only in this way can he go to the northwest to deal with Lu Dongzan with confidence and boldness...