Li Zhaojin was taken aback, drew his sword one after another, and roared towards Li Zhu, Li Zhu had already prepared, he threw the corpse, sneered, and the big iron spear stabbed left and right, instantly stabbing several personal soldiers off the horse, at this moment, Su Dingfang issued an order to attack.

The cavalry of the 3,000 Sui army was like thunder, and pounced on Li Zhaojin's army, Li Zhaojin was dead, the army was leaderless, and the morale collapsed.....

This is the reason why Yang Yuanqing only asked Su Dingfang to bring 3,000 cavalry to Dunhuang County, 3,000 cavalry did not come to fight, but to accept the surrender of the defeated army, the Sui army was divided into two wings, chased all the way, controlled the killing, the defeated army could not catch up with the Sui army's war horses, cornered, and surrendered on their knees, the 12,000 troops of Dunhuang County fled and were killed less than 2,000, and the rest of the army all surrendered.

An hour later, Su Dingfang led his army into Dunhuang City.

Just when the Sui army entered and occupied Dunhuang County, Li Yuan's urgent order also arrived in Liangzhou, ordering Li Xiaogong, the king of Hejian County, to lead 15,000 troops from Wuwei County and Zhangye County to rush to Dunhuang to seize Dunhuang County, and never let the Sui army stick a sharp knife in the back of Hexi.

At the same time, Li Shimin ordered Yin Kaishan, the governor of Liangzhou, to lead 8,000 troops to hold the Dadou Tu Valley to prevent the Liang division from taking the opportunity to enter Hexi.

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In Chang'an City, more than a dozen peace envoys from the Northern Sui Dynasty slowly entered Chang'an City from Mingdemen under the escort of three hundred Tang troops.

In front of the team, Du Ruhui, the head of the Northern Sui Household Department, looked at the magnificent Chang'an City and couldn't help but sigh: "Strong! After 12 years, I, Du Ruhui, are finally back. ”

Wei Zheng, the deputy envoy behind him, heard Du Ruhui's emotion, and couldn't help laughing: "Is it true that Du Xiangguo has never come back?" ”

Du Ruhui shook his head, "In the early years of the great cause, I followed the governor to Fengzhou, married a wife and had children in Fengzhou, and took Fengzhou to Fengzhou, and I never came back. ”

"Why doesn't Sangkook come back? Is it because the governor refuses to approve the leave? Wei Zheng asked curiously.

Du Ruhui smiled bitterly, "That's not it, at the beginning, I felt that it was very shameless to be a county magistrate in Fengzhou, and I was afraid that my former classmates and friends would laugh at it, so I didn't dare to go back to Chang'an, I was only twenty years old at that time, and then this inferiority complex disappeared, but I have started a family." Parents also came. I don't want to come back. ”

Li Shentong, who was accompanying them next to him, couldn't help laughing, "Hehe! At that time, did Du Xiangguo feel very aggrieved when he went to Fengzhou to be an official? ”

Du Ruhui sighed: "Yes! At that time, Dali was a county, and it was necessary for the Ministry of Officials to send an alternate official to serve as the county commander. At that time, everyone desperately pushed back, looking for various reasons, and some people said that their hearts could not withstand the cold. Some people said that the old mother was in the hall, I said that I was afraid of the cold, but the senior waiter of the Ministry of Officials was angry and filled in my name, and I hereby appointed the Officials Alternate Du Ruhui as the commander of Dali County of Wuyuan County, three days later, I stomped my feet to protest, and finally had no choice but to set off, at that time I was resentful, and I did not give Mr. Yang a look at the face along the way. Now that I think about it, I really want to go to the tomb of Gao Shilang to put a stick of incense. ”

More than a dozen officials behind him laughed together, and Wei Zheng said with a smile: "The bird chooses a good tree to perch, and Mr. Yang is the best good tree, Du Xiangguo made a mistake and bet on his own future." ”

Li Shentong's face was a little embarrassed, and he laughed dryly: "This may not be!" The best good wood should be the saint of our Tang Dynasty. ”

"It's hard to say. To each his own! To each his own! The crowd burst out laughing.

After a while, the group talked and laughed and arrived at the imperial city, and as soon as they entered the Suzaku Gate, several eunuchs greeted them and bowed their hands and said, "Your Highness." The saint invited the Sui envoy to go to the Liangyi Hall to pay respects. ”

Li Shentong nodded and said to Du Ruhui: "Du Xiangguo." Our saint attaches great importance to this peace talks, please Du Xiangguo go to the Liangyi Hall to meet, Vice Envoy Wei has other arrangements, please Xiangguo come with me! ”

Du Ruhui explained a few words to Wei Zheng, and then sat on his shoulder with Li Shentong, and several sturdy eunuchs walked all the way to the Liangyi Palace.

In the Liangyi Palace, Li Yuan and more than a dozen important ministers have been waiting for a long time, Li Yuan is a little unhappy in his heart, Yang Yuanqing keeps saying that he wants peace talks, but on the other hand, he secretly sent troops to seize Dunhuang County, he feels that Yang Yuanqing is not sincere.

At this time, a guard shouted from outside the hall: "The envoy of the Northern Sui has arrived!" ”

"Announce him to the temple!"

"Your Majesty has a decree, Xuanbei Sui envoys will meet you!"

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"Your Majesty has a decree, Xuanbei Sui envoys will meet you!"

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In the shouts of the guards, Du Ruhui strode into the Liangyi Palace, Du Ruhui is the youngest Xiangguo in the five phases of Ziwei Pavilion, only thirty-two years old this year, but he is Yang Yuanqing's founding father, and Yang Yuanqing's henchman, he is like a straight spear, sharp and unstoppable, there was a whispering in the Liangyi Palace, many ministers have heard of Du Ruhui's name for a long time, but they didn't expect him to be so young.

Du Ruhui walked to the jade steps and bowed, "Du Ruhui, the secretary of the Sui Household Department, see His Majesty the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty!" “

"Du Xiangguo is exempt from courtesy!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Du Ruhui stood up straight and said loudly: "Sui Chen sent an envoy to your country under the order of my dynasty Shangshu and His Royal Highness the King of Chu to discuss peace talks between the two dynasties, hoping that the peace talks between the two dynasties will be frank and fruitful, and we are willing to complete this peace talks with the greatest sincerity." ”

Li Yuan is the king of a country, although he is unhappy in his heart, but there are some he can't say, so he gave Pei Lin a look, Pei Lin walked out of the court, arched his hand and said: "In Pei Lian, I have heard for a long time that Du Xiangguo has an outstanding reputation, and he is the first capable minister before the king of Chu, and I want to ask Du Xiangguo about some things." ”

Du Ruhui smiled slightly, and also arched his hand: "It turned out to be Pei Xiang, please speak!" ”

Du Xiangguo said that the Sui Dynasty is willing to complete this peace talks with the greatest sincerity, I don't understand, since it keeps saying that there is sincerity, then why did your dynasty send troops to Dunhuang County during the peace talks, and where is this sincerity?"

Pei Lin spread his hands and said to everyone: "I can't see where the sincerity of the Sui Dynasty is?" Did you see it? ”

Du Ruhui shook his head, "Pei Xiang's words are wrong, please listen to me, His Royal Highness the King of Chu decided to send troops to Dunhuang County to maintain the territory of the Great Sui, when Tuyuhun was defeated by Emperor Wu of my Great Sui, has been silent, recently Liang Shi in order to obtain the support of Tuyuhun, do not hesitate to betray the interests of my Great Sui, so that Tuyuhun once again make waves, in order to prevent Dunhuang County from falling into the hands of foreign races, His Royal Highness resolutely decided to send troops to Dunhuang County, to defend Tuyuhun to the north, Pei Xiangguo can not understand the decision of the Great Sui to fight against foreign races? Of course, perhaps the Tang Dynasty really couldn't understand it, but our Great Sui army and people were united in their determination and would never allow Tuyuhun to infringe on an inch of our Great Sui territory. ”

Du Ruhui hid a needle in his words, alluding to the collusion between the Tang Dynasty and the Turks, which made the atmosphere in the Liangyi Hall a little embarrassing, at this time Xiao Yu walked out of the column and said sincerely: "Du Xiangguo is a little too underestimated of the Tang Dynasty, and we are also very worried that Liang Shi will betray Xihai County and Heyuan County to Tuyuhun for a few cattle and sheep, so we will reconcile with you with the greatest sincerity, so as to stop Liang Shidu from betraying national interests in time, and the Tang Dynasty will also defend our borders from foreign invasions, please Du Xiangguo don't underestimate us." ”

Xiao Yu's sincerity made Du Ruhui nod and said: "If every minister of the Tang Dynasty can defend the interests of the nation like Xiao Xiangguo, then I apologize for despising your country just now, however, our Sui Dynasty's capture of Dunhuang County really has nothing to do with this peace talks, after all, Dunhuang County is not controlled by the Tang Dynasty, but by the remnants of the Liang Kingdom, we see that the Tang Dynasty is reluctant to recover Dunhuang County, lest Li Zhaojin take refuge in Tuyuhun, or defect to the Western Turks, so we took the initiative to send troops to eliminate the forces of the Liang State and restore the rule of the Sui Dynasty, I hope that your country will not be too sensitive and think that we want to occupy Hexi, and I can tell you clearly that there is no such idea. ”

Pei Lin wanted to refute again, but Li Yuan stopped him with a wave of his hand, Li Yuan knew in his heart that Du Ruhui had grasped their biggest weakness, that is, Dunhuang County was not in the hands of the Tang Dynasty, but in the hands of the remnants of the Liang Kingdom, in this way, no matter how they refuted the debate, the Sui Dynasty was famous, and it could not change the Sui Dynasty's determination to occupy Dunhuang County, if they wanted to recapture Dunhuang County, it was far from enough to rely on the tongue and the sword at the negotiation table, they had to use the cooperation of the war, and they had to fight the Sui army back with their fists, so that they could make concessions at the negotiation table, There is no need to talk about it anymore.

Li Yuan smiled slightly, and asked again: "I have another small question I want to confirm, regarding this peace talks, has Du Xiangguo been fully appointed by your country?" ”

Du Ruyan bowed slightly and said: "Your Majesty, Sui Chen only got a certain amount of authorization, and did not get full authority, in some major issues, Sui Chen must send someone back to ask His Royal Highness the King of Chu, please ask all the ministers of Ziwei Pavilion, please forgive Your Majesty!" ”

In fact, Du Ruhui was given full authority by Yang Yuanqing, and the reason why he said this was just a technical means to artificially prolong the negotiation time, and after the Sui army completely occupied Dunhuang County and Yiwu County, the ownership of these two counties could be determined in the negotiations, so that the Tang army did not dare to attack easily, and Su Dingyi could continue to lead the army west to conquer Shanshan County and Jimo County.

War is for the seizure of territorial power, while peace talks are for the purpose of fixing the power of such territory, and the two are mutually reinforcing.

Li Yuan was helpless in the end, so he had to nod, "Okay! I hope that a settlement agreement will be reached as soon as possible, and I hope that the next time I meet His Royal Highness the King of Chu, it will be at the wine table, not on the battlefield. ”

Du Ruhan smiled faintly and said: "His Royal Highness the King of Chu also said the same, he said that he was an old friend with His Majesty in the past, and he missed the years of cultivating Fenyang Palace with His Majesty, and hoped to have a drink with His Majesty and reminisce about the old feelings." ”

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In Zhangye County, Li Xiaogong led 15,000 Tang troops to the north, the army consisted of 10,000 infantry and 5,000 cavalry, the armor was shining, the swords and spears were like a forest, and the murderous spirit was fierce.

In Dunhuang County, Su Dingfang completed the reorganization of 13,000 troops in three days, he led the army to strengthen the city wall, and fortified the wall, and moved all the animals of Dunhuang County into Dunhuang City, ready for the upcoming war.