After being silent for a long time, Li Cunhuan saw that the messenger was still standing, so he instructed Zhu Jilong: "You ask this gentleman to go down and rest, we have to discuss more, and ...... tomorrow at the latest" Li Cunhuan thought for a moment, and then remembered the name of the Tatar commander, and added: "I will give Marshal Ashdena an answer tomorrow at the latest!" ”

The messenger lowered his head, pondered for a moment, and said, "In this case, the villain will not rest more at Yanmen Pass, and it is better to return to the camp." I'm afraid that Marshal Asdena will be more suspicious and ruin the relationship between the two armies! ”

When Li Cunhuan heard this, he felt that what the envoy said was right, the distance between the two armies was not far, and the envoy was left here, what was it? Could it be house arrest? He nodded and said, "It's okay!" Then he said to Zhu Jilong: "You personally lead someone to escort this gentleman all the way to meet the Tatar scouts, and come back!" ”

The envoy hurriedly knelt down on his knees and said, "Thank you, King Houen!" ”

Li Cunhuan waved his hand and said, "No need." ”

After the envoy left, Yang Shihou hesitated for a moment and said: "The last general thinks that this battle should be stabilized, and His Highness didn't know that Zhou Jiedu's envoy had taken Yanmen Pass, so he hurried over. Now that Zhou Jiedu has taken Yanmen Pass, he can completely hold Daizhou with his own troops. His Highness should lead the army back to Xinzhou and capture two passes before the Tatars come to Lanzhou. ”

Zhou Yanpet also nodded when he heard this, hesitated, and said: "Your Highness, Meng Zhixiang has been back for a while, and Li Siyuan is afraid that he has already been imprisoned." And Shiling Pass has Hao Yi as the internal response. It is completely possible to take Shiling Pass and attack Taiyuan before the Tatars rush over. ”

The people in the house couldn't help whispering, they didn't know what Zhou Yanpet meant by this, or they had already guessed part of it, but they weren't sure. Zhou Yanpet looked at Li Cunhuan. Li Cunhuan nodded, and Zhou Yanpet told Li Cunhuan about his discord plan. Immediately, many people applauded.

Zhou Dewei immediately said: "Your Highness, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!" Here His Highness claimed that the soldiers were very tired when they first arrived, and that they would fight a decisive battle in ten days. There is no need to demolish the tents at the foot of the mountain, and the last general will let his soldiers do more activities, and the Tatars will return to the Taoist Highness is still in Yanmen Pass. This can delay the Tatars for ten days, and His Royal Highness quickly returned to Xinzhou and went down to Shiling Pass in one fell swoop. Enter Taiyuan Mansion! By the time the urgent documents from Taiyuan Prefecture were delivered to the Tatars, I am afraid that it would be more than ten days later. When the Tatars found out, it would be better to attack Yanmen Pass in anger and anger, and they would lose tens of thousands of horses! And if the Tatars go directly to Lanzhou into Taiyuan Mansion, this is also no hindrance, even if this section of the journey is a rapid march of the whole way, I am afraid it will take fifteen or sixteen days. Coupled with the time delayed before, His Royal Highness has already entered Taiyuan Mansion for more than a month! I'm afraid that when the Tatars came to Taiyuan Mansion, the yellow-edged, red-on-black and black-lettered Li banner on it had probably been replaced with my Lu Long's golden dragon Li flag! ”

Zhou Dewei's words immediately resonated with many generals, such as Fu Cunxian, Yuan Xingqin, Gao Xingzhou, and other generals who were as big as Jiedu envoys, and as small as Xiangdu, all of whom commanded the envoys, and suggested that Li Cunhuan return to Xinzhou and attack Shiling Pass.

Zhou Dewei saw that Li Cunhuan did not speak, and said that Li Cunhuan was afraid that Yanmen Pass would be lost. He patted his chest and said: "Please rest assured, Your Highness, the last general dares to issue a military order here, so that the Tatar barbarian will not be able to pass the Yanmen Pass even if he is a soldier!" ”

Li Cunhuan nodded when he heard this, but he didn't say anything, and he didn't know what he meant. The generals couldn't help but look at each other, quite unpredictable what Li Cunhuan was thinking. Could it be that Li Cunhuan wants to fight the Tatars?

Although when it comes to soldiers and horses, Li Cunhuan is nearly half less than the other party. However, the elite level of the wheel, Li Cunhuan is stronger than the Tatars. Although the Tatars are fierce, Li Cunhuan's army is a professional soldier. At the same time, the penetration rate of iron armor in the army under Li Cunhuan has reached forty percent, and the lightest type of army, the crossbowman, is also equipped with a cotton armor.

Although cotton armor is made of cotton, it is not hypertrophied, because it is wet with cotton, repeatedly patted, and finally becomes a thin cotton sheet, which is fixed with iron wire and copper nails to make armor similar to fish scale armor. The characteristics of cotton armor are lightweight, cold-proof, low price, and high surname price ratio. Although it is made of cotton, it is not worse than leather in terms of defense against arrows, and the density of iron wire used in cotton armor is quite high, and the tail finger of an average adult is not hard, and it cannot be inserted.

The most important thing is that the price of cotton armor is very low, a cotton nail only needs seven catties of cotton, half a catty of wire, in the case of sufficient raw materials, an apprentice can make a cotton nail in two days. The premise is that the cotton pads don't need to be patted by him, but the work of making the cotton pads is too easy, and it is completely possible to give a little salary and let the nearby people make them in their spare time. If it weren't for the cotton armor fighting behind the sword in close combat, it would only have half the defense power of leather armor. Li Cunhuan has long abandoned expensive leather armor and opted for cheap cotton armor.

On the contrary, the Tatars, although everyone wears armor, but the problem is that none of the ten wear iron armor, and they are basically wearing leather armor. What's more, because of the backwardness of technology, most of Lu Long's leather armor can only get a failing evaluation in terms of quality.

However, the Tatars had more than 100,000 cavalry, and because of their meat-eating habits, they were a few points taller than the Han people in terms of physique and height. In this way, the gods of both sides are not more than five or five.

If the two sides fight, the odds are really hard to say. The most important thing is that if you win, I am afraid that there will be a lot of losses, and it is easy for Li Ke to train a lot of soldiers and horses during this time. Not to mention losing, the work of the westward conquest of Hedong will be ruined.

Li Cunhuan shifted his gaze to Ge Congzhou, who had not yet spoken, and asked, "I don't know what Ge Gong thinks?" ”

Everyone's eyes couldn't help but follow Li Cunhuan's words and project to Ge Congzhou, who was sitting second on the left. Although in terms of seat ranking, Ge Congzhou is the third among the generals here, but his existence is often ignored by everyone. It's not just that Ge Congzhou is often silent, but it's also because Ge Congzhou just surrendered and was reused by Li Cunhuan. Not only was he named the commander of the Yuan Congjun Army, the Horse Infantry Army, but also the commander of the Yiwu Army. In addition to this expedition to the west, Li Cunhuan specially ordered Ge Congzhou to accompany him.

Clear-eyed people can see that there is nothing wrong with this battle Ge Congzhou, and by virtue of participating in the war, he will become Lu Longjun, after Fu Cunzhen and Zhou Dewei, the third Jiedu envoy. You must know that Li Cunxiao is only the governor of the Xiongjin Metropolitan Governor's Mansion, although the metropolitan governor is a three-grade subordinate, compared to the Jiedu envoy, it is only a grade difference. But there is a lot worse in power.

In this way, Ge Congzhou naturally aroused the envy of many people, not to mention the old courtiers such as Yang Shihou, Yelu Abaoji, and Li Cunxiao, and their comrades and friends naturally did not have much interest in Ge Congzhou. So it's normal for Ge Congzhou to be ignored by others.

Seeing that Li Cunhuan directly asked Ge Congzhou by name, the eyes of the generals looking at Ge Congzhou couldn't help but contain a little bit of concealment or blatant jealousy.

Although Ge Congzhou is low-key, he is obviously not a person who is afraid of things. It seems that he can't sense those jealous eyes. Looking up at Li Cunhuan, he obviously already had a plan, and he didn't see how he thought about it, so he opened his mouth and said: "That depends on Your Highness, when you want to go south!" ”

When Li Cunhuan heard this, he asked knowingly, and asked, "What do you mean by this?" ”

Ge Congzhou replied: "If Your Highness wants to win the world in three or five years, he will agree to the Tatars' covenant to fight." Victory will allow Mo Nan to be at peace. It is also the southern cavalry, which can help open the Silk Road to the Western Regions and rebuild the Anxi Protectorate. It is also helpful for recovering the level. ”

Speaking of this, Ge Congzhou paused, and saw that Li Cunhuan's face was as usual, and he was a little unsure of what Li Cunhuan was thinking. Then he opened his mouth and said: "But if you don't make an appointment with the Tatars, although Your Highness has seven or eight points to win Taiyuan Mansion." But the war thing, there are absolutely! In the past, it was said that Cao Mengde's million-strong army went south, and Jingzhou fell to the wind. What a majesty, in the end, it was not defeated by Sun Liu in Chibi. In addition, after His Royal Highness conquered Taiyuan, in case Li Keyong escaped, he escaped from the east and west of the river. The mountains and rivers in the north of this river, the land of a state is like a country, either surrounded by high mountains or isolated by big water. If you rely on the Tatars again, I am afraid it will take three or five years to pacify Hedong! ”

When Li Cunhuan heard this, he immediately shook his head and said, "Three or five years? If it is three or five years, it would be fine, and with the current situation, when the wheat is ripe in April and May, Zhu Wen will send troops to Guanzhong and Heyang to eradicate Li Hanzhi and Liu Zhijun who betrayed him. In this way, the chaotic situation in the Central Plains has changed. I'm afraid it won't be easy to ask Zhu Wen in the south in the future! I'm afraid it will take ten or eight years! ”

Zhou Dewei frowned, and opened his mouth to advise: "Your Highness! Soldiers, the country's major affairs! The land of life and death, the way of survival! How can you be rash? His Royal Highness is only twenty and eight now, and even after pacifying Hedong and the Central Plains, it is only forty. When the world's male soldiers go south, it will not take a moment to settle the south. His Highness was in his early fifties at most. Why take the risk? ”

Fu Cunxian also spoke: "Your Highness, what Zhen Yuan said is not wrong. There is a seven- or eight-point chance of winning in the south, but a five-point chance of winning by making an appointment with the Tatars! ”

Li Cunhuan shook his head and said: "Life is only a few decades, and there are many heroes in the world who die in the prime of life. In his lifetime, he should do great things in the world. ”

Zhou Dewei couldn't help but be helpless, and glanced at the military advisor Zhou Yanpet, meaning, you go and persuade!

Zhou Yanpet, who didn't want to support Zhou Dewei's opinion before, nodded, agreed with what Li Cunhuan said, and agreed: "What His Royal Highness said is very true, life is only a few decades, and throughout the world, all dynasties. To open up the territory is to meet the emperor of Zhongxing such as Han Wu when the dynasty opened the country. Otherwise, a country's territory is either fixed or slightly lost. Your Highness's move is the way to lay the foundation for the future! ”

Zhou Dewei and the others couldn't help but be a little dumbfounded and depressed, and they didn't know whether to say that Zhou Yanpet was talking nonsense. It's better to say that Li Cunhuan is far-sighted. One of the most depressing is a few weeks of Dulwich, who asked you for help, but now you have become a 'traitor'.

Li Cunhuan smiled: "Where am I as powerful as you say." But there is no perfection in the world. Zhenyuan said that the soldiers of the world would threaten Jiangnan, which is difficult to say. Cao Mengde, who used to be the world's military might, was not the same and had bad luck. Besides, the defeat of the Tatars was equivalent to cutting off the reinforcements from Hedong. Even if Taiyuan does not surrender, I am afraid there will be many dissidents! ”

Zhou Dewei and the others saw that Li Cunhuan's idea had been made, and they said helplessly: "Your Highness is wise! ”

Li Cunhuan sent Feng Baodu as an envoy to the Tatars to negotiate with Ashedna. Within three days, Ashdena retreated fifty miles to give up a battlefield where he could fight, and five days later he met on the plain of the upper reaches of the Sanggan River, north of Yanmen Pass.

…… Big Tent ...... Still in gray-white tones, Ashed was expressionlessly kneeling on the soft felt, holding a silver goblet with milky mare's milk on it.

"You may be seated!" A slightly hoarse voice sounded, and without asking, it was Ashedna's voice.

Hearing this, the Tatar on the opposite side sat down cross-legged with a little casualness, and through the sunlight penetrating the window of the big tent, it could be seen that the person who came was the Tatar envoy who sent Li Cunhuan. However, Asdena spoke in a respectful tone, and it was clear that the emissary was of no low rank among the Tatars.

"Wise wise man, Assad, how do you feel about the king of the Han people in Hebei? Is he a reckless king? There was a rare hint of respect in Ashdena's slightly hoarse and unruly tone. And pushed a cup of emerald tea with an enticing fragrance next to him in front of Assad.

The wise man Assad folded his hands and said to Asadena: "Marshal Xie! He picked up the tea, took a sip, as if enjoying it very much, raised his head and squinted his eyes.

Asdena didn't urge, sat upside down, picked up the mare's milk wine in his hand and took a big sip. looks very patient, if the generals in the big tent see it, I am afraid that they would have lost their eyeballs a long time ago.

"He's a hero with a heart that can fit a lot of world." The squinting wise man Assad suddenly spoke.

Hearing this, Asedna frowned, but did not refute, and looked at the wise man Assad carefully. He knew that Assad would give him an answer.

Sure enough, Assad did not let Assad wait for a long time, "I was very respectful when I was in Li Cunhuan. I thought it would make him feel contemptuous, but he didn't. He was very polite and quickly calmed down. I didn't show even the slightest disdain or disdain because I came from the grassland. ”

Although Ashdena didn't want to admit it, he had to admit that Li Cunhuan was indeed very broad-minded.

"But if that's the case, then he's just a benevolent and opinion-taking king." Because after he received the letter, he did not immediately make a decision, but asked his generals to read the letter once, and then began to ask questions. ”

Speaking of this, Assad paused and said, "In this way, I will wait for his subsequent actions." If he chooses to fight you. At this point, Assad's thin face showed a hint of worry. He will be a hero who will overcome all obstacles, and you face him! Although I have to admit, I think his odds are higher! ”

Asde's hand, which was holding the wine glass and preparing to put it in his mouth, froze slightly. It was immediately on the lips. In one gulp, Asted drank the mare's milk wine in the cup. The silver glass slammed down on the tray on the side, making a crisp metal clash.

Asadena looked at Assad with a serious look in his eyes. Said word by word: "I! Pander to! History! Morality! That! Yes! Hit! Fail! He! Will! Tartar! Tartar! Push! Above! Top! Peak! ”

"Hope!" Assad didn't refute much, just said something indifferently and picked up the teacup. Carefully tasting the delicious food, the tense atmosphere in the big tent was immediately calmed, and no matter what happened, Ashdena's heart could no longer be calmed.

Assad and his relationship are also teachers and friends, and he is recognized as a wise man on the steppe. This time, in order to test Li Cunhuan's situation, he specially asked Assad to come out. I don't want Assad to give him such a high evaluation after he comes back.

After a long time, Asdena asked, "Does he have any weaknesses?" ”

Assad was silent for a while, and then said: "I see a weakness that I don't know if it's a weakness or not. ”

Asdena couldn't help asking, "My friend, say it!" The fate of the Tatars is now in your hands. ”

Assad shook his head and said, "Fate is predestined. Speaking of this, Assad paused and said: "He is a hegemon!" ”

"Overlord?" Ashdena doesn't know why this has become Li Cunhuan's weakness, no matter how you look at it, it looks like she is praising Li Cunhuan.

Assad nodded slowly and said, "His palms have thick calluses and some looped legs on his thighs. He is obviously a person who is not weak in martial arts. And there is a bit of domineering between his eyebrows, which is not caused by his appearance. It is caused by staying in the top position for a long time, and this is an out-and-out hegemon. All his men were subject to him. But because of this, if he is seriously wounded, or if he dies in battle. Everything he built will fall apart. And I also heard that Li Cunhuan has no descendants. ”

In fact, Li Cunhuan does not have no descendants, but the news of his wife's pregnancy is only circulating in the upper echelons, and the lower soldiers do not know about it, so Assad said so.

Ashdena nodded vigorously and said, "I understand! But I hope I don't use this weakness at the same time. I wish I could defeat him with dignity! ”

Assad picked up the teacup, took a sip, and muttered softly: "Hopefully! ”

Although Assad's voice was small, there were only two of them in the big tent, and it seemed very quiet, how could Assad not hear what Assad said? He couldn't help but raise his eyebrows, but Ashdena didn't say anything.

Asdena has always believed that facts speak for themselves, and the sword gains everything. It's not unnecessary, but it's all in the service of swords.

(To be continued)