Li Jiancheng and Wei Zheng discussed for a long time, and they already had a word to deal with it, and today Gao Hui revealed a little information, which gave him more evidence.

"Erchen went back to investigate, Zhang Xuan is indeed not in Zhongdu now, this is his usual style, major battles must be personally involved in command, he should be in Goguryeo or Liaodong Peninsula now, this time the Sui army counterattacked Goguryeo with about 100,000 troops, all of them are elite and strong generals, as far as Erchen knows, the 50,000 recruits they recruited at the beginning of the year were all used to defend Zhongdu, and the rest of the troops were distributed in various key places."

"So how is the battle of Goguryeo going?"

"I really don't know the specific progress of the ministers, I'm afraid even the ministers of the Central Capital don't know, but one thing can be confirmed, this time Goguryeo attacked Liaodong and formed an alliance with the Khitan, I heard that the Khitan army was storming Liucheng, and the battle was very tragic."

Li Yuan sneered and said: "You are really bold, you think that if you sign an agreement with me, he will be able to press the whole army, and you are not afraid that I will counterattack Hebei again?" ”

After a moment of silence, Li Jiancheng said: "Zhang Xuan still left tens of thousands of troops in Hebei, as well as tens of thousands of militia soldiers, if we want to conquer Hebei, we must use at least 200,000 troops, in fact, we are unable to attack Hebei again, we are greatly restrained in Longyou, and my father also knows." ”

"Of course I know, I'm just talking." Li Yuan's face lengthened, obviously unhappy.

Pei Lin grew a seven-trick exquisite heart that was good at the holy will, he knew that Li Yuan was dissatisfied in his heart, and immediately said: "His Royal Highness the Prince, the Holy One actually doesn't want to tear up the agreement, but Zhang Xuan has really gone too far, the people of Taiyuan and Shangdang have all been recruited by them to go to Hebei, Taiyuan County and Village are all in ruins, hundreds of miles of deserted people, if we don't stop it, I'm afraid that the state will become a thousand miles of red wilderness, and the Holy Lord is actually worried about this matter." ”

Pei Lin said just right, Li Yuan nodded, "Pei Xiangguo is right, I don't want the land of Longxing to become a red wilderness wasteland, built, you can tell me what to do!" ”

Li Yuan kicked the ball to Li Jiancheng again, Li Jiancheng already understood his father's thoughts, and stopping the Sui Dynasty from recruiting the people of the state was just an excuse, his father just wanted to take advantage of Zhang Xuan's absence to attack Hebei, and his father did not learn the lesson of the last time at all, which made Li Jiancheng sigh secretly, could it be that his uncle Li Shuliang died in vain?

But if he continues to oppose it, it will only anger his father even more, don't send troops himself, and let others lead troops to the battle, it will hurt the Tang Dynasty, he must pay attention to ways and means, and let his father slowly die.

Thinking of this, Li Jiancheng pondered for a moment and said, "Father, the son has a plan. ”

Li Yuan smiled and nodded, "Say it!" I listened. ”

"Erchen feels that Zhang Xuan's attack on foreign races is very popular with the people of the world, we can't openly say that we want to crusade against Zhang Xuan, that will be morally untenable, we must publicly express our position, condemn Goguryeo's vain attempt to invade Liaodong, and at the same time support Zhang Xuan's attack on Goguryeo, first of all, we must stand on our feet morally, and then we can use the method of gradual encroachment to march to Hebei."

This reply made Li Yuan's face soften a lot, and morally stood up first, and then encroached on Hebei, and he asked again: "How is a gradual encroachment method?" ”

"Father, the reason why the Sui Dynasty was able to recruit the people of Taiyuan and Shangdang is that they occupied Jingcheng Pass and Huguan before, I think it is a matter of course for us to take back Jingcheng Pass and Huguan, our first step is to take back these two passes, and then continue to advance to Hebei, try to attack Tianjing Pass and Tumen Pass, once we seize these two passes, the gate of Hebei will be open to us, we can march into Hebei at any time, and lay a solid foundation for a comprehensive attack on Hebei in the future, what does my father think?"

"Good!"

Pei Lin praised loudly on the side: "It's a good gradual cannibalization, it's really a clever strategy." ”

But Li Yuan was not too satisfied, he completely understood the eldest son's suggestion, that is, to capture Jingcheng and Fukou first, attack Hebei, etc., and then talk about it, to put it mildly, he still didn't want to attack Hebei, but Li Yuan also understood in his heart that the eldest son was frightened by the last attack on Hebei, if he blindly insisted, the eldest son would use various methods to oppose it, or not, now I don't care, and when Jingcheng and Fukou are really captured, it is not up to the eldest son to attack Hebei on a large scale.

Li Yuan smiled slightly: "This plan is feasible, we can divide our troops into two ways to attack Jingcheng Pass and Huguan Pass." ”

"Father, the emperor can't!"

Li Jiancheng hurriedly said: "Attacking two passes at the same time is a large-scale attack on Hebei, we will still lose the morality of the world, and the encroachment that Erchen said is to come step by step, first attack the next pass, and then find an excuse to attack another pass, so that the impact will be much smaller." ”

"Alright! Then come one by one, then which pass do you think we can attack first, Jingcheng or Fukou? ”

Li Jiancheng thought for a while and said: "Jingcheng is not easy to fight, it is better to fight Huguan first, which can create a little contradiction and prompt the two armies to clash, and then seize Huguan in the conflict." ”

Li Yuan pondered for a moment and said, "I need to think about it again, the emperor should step back first!" ”

Li Jiancheng quickly glanced at Pei Lian, got up and saluted, and slowly retreated.

waited for Li Jiancheng to go away, Li Yuancai seemed to ask Pei Lian casually: "Pei Xiangguo thinks who is more suitable to lead the troops?" ”

Pei Lin immediately understood that the saint didn't want to stop at seizing the two passages at all, and the attack on Hebei had already excluded the crown prince, Pei Lin thought about it and said cautiously: "Weichen recommends His Majesty's nephew, King Zhao Jun, to implement this matter. ”

King Zhao Jun is Li Xiaogong, who can fight well, second only to Li Shimin in the Li royal family, Li Yuan was suddenly happy, and Pei Lian's recommendation was exactly what he wanted.

The next day, at the court meeting, an edict initiated by Pei Lin and signed by Li Yuan announced to the world that the Tang Dynasty strongly condemned Goguryeo's peeping into Liaodong, and denounced Goguryeo's wolf ambition to be immortal and vainly trying to **** the territory, and at the same time expressed support for Zhang Xuan's counterattack on Goguryeo's battle, and the Tang Dynasty was willing to pay money and grain to reward the soldiers of the Eastern Expedition, and ordered Honglu Temple and Zhongdu to discuss the specific matters of money and grain support.

At the same time, Li Yuan appointed Li Xiaogong, the king of Zhaojun, as the ambassador of the annexation of the state, and led an army of 30,000 into the annexation of the state to cooperate with the Taiyuan Tang army to exterminate Liu Wuzhou and Song Jingang's thieves.

Li Yuan met Li Xiaogong in the Wude Palace, and gave him a secret order, ordering him to enter Shangdang County first, provoke a conflict between the soldiers of the two armies, and take the opportunity to seize Huguan, Li Xiaogong accepted the secret order, and that night he led the army to the east of the river

From the New Year to the beginning of April, Li Qingming had been busy in Chang'an for three full months, and they continued to buy shops, mansions, and granges with various identities, and their influence expanded rapidly, and hundreds of intelligence spies from Jiangdu had already entered their respective posts, and a complete intelligence network had gradually emerged.

After completing the formation of the Chang'an intelligence network, Li Qingming's task will be completed, and he will return to Zhongdu to serve as a squire in the military department, and his deputy Yang Chonglan was officially appointed by Zhang Xuan as Chang'an Houzheng, responsible for Chang'an intelligence collection.

On this afternoon, in a private room in the Yellow River Ancient Road Wine Shop, seven scout leaders set up a banquet for Li Qingming's farewell, everyone struggled together for more than a year, several times born into death, has established a deep relationship, to parting, everyone is reluctant, toast to congratulate Li Qingming on further promotion.

Li Qingming picked up his glass and said with a smile: "Although I am in the military department, I will also get a little news from everyone, I only have one word, I hope you will be cautious and cautious, protect your own safety, and then do your duty, come!" We toasted it. ”

Everyone raised their glasses and drank it all, and then the door opened, and the shopkeeper Wang walked in quickly, and said a few words to Yang Chonglan with his ear, Yang Chonglan was stunned, and said to Li Qingming: "It seems that there is important information!" ”

Li Qingming smiled: "I'm leaving early tomorrow morning, and I'm still bothering me now." ”

Having said that, Li Qingming still said to the shopkeeper Wang: "Go to the backyard and say!" ”

Li Qingming has formulated strict rules in the intelligence organization, one piece of information must not let the two leaders know, everyone is a one-line contact in terms of intelligence, and all the information of the king's shopkeeper must not be told in front of everyone.

Shopkeeper Wang took Li Qingming and Yang Chonglan to the backyard of the wine shop, walked into the room and sat down, Shopkeeper Wang said in a low voice: "I just got the news, Li Xiaogong entered the palace to receive the secret decree, the specific content of the decree is unknown, but Li Yuan dismissed everyone in the imperial study, only he and Li Xiaogong, the two talked secretly for half an hour. ”

Li Qingming's offensive in the past few months has been pervasive, and they have used a lot of money to buy a eunuch and a guard in the Wude Palace, and some very important information has come out of the palace.

Yang Chonglan said again: "Yesterday, a brother saw Gao Hui of the Bohai Society visit the crown prince Li Jiancheng at the gate of the Hongwen Pavilion, and Li Jiancheng immediately entered the palace, and then there was a will this morning. ”

Li Qingming took a few steps and said: "Gao Lie, the lord of the Bohai Society, is now in Goguryeo, Gao Hui's visit to Li Jiancheng must be related to the Battle of Goguryeo, if there is anything that can restrain us from attacking Goguryeo, then only the Tang army will attack Hebei, I suspect that the real goal of Li Xiaogong's army to enter the annexed state is not Liu Wuzhou, but our army." ”

"The envoy is right, Liu Wuzhou has withdrawn his troops back to Lou Fu Pass, and the situation in Bingzhou is not critical, there is no point in sending troops to Merge Prefecture at this time, Li Xiaogong led the army into Merge Prefecture must be to seize Jingcheng Pass and Huguan and open up the passage to Hebei, so Li Yuan said that he would support the Sui army to attack Goguryeo, which is to cover up and make amend."

Li Qingming immediately decided: "Regardless of whether Li Xiaogong is aimed at us or not, we must not take it lightly, and we must not be careless, and immediately send a red emergency letter to Zhongdu, asking Zhongdu to strengthen the defense of Jingcheng Pass and Huguan Pass." ”

(To be continued.) )