In order to cooperate with the Hedong war situation, 20,000 cavalry of Lingwu County under the leadership of Yang Xuancheng of Taishou, from the west bank of the Yellow River along the South Mountain to the south, launched an offensive on Wuwei, 20,000 troops into Wuwei County, soldiers under Wuwei City, at this time, Li Rail's army is attacking Xue Ju with all its might, the rear is empty, Fengzhou Army killed to make Li Rail withdraw in panic, and gave up the siege of Xue Ju.

Xue Ju took the opportunity to counterattack, defeated Qiu Xinggong, the general of the Dou Resistance Department in Weiyuan County, Longxi County, and killed more than 6,000 Tang troops, the morale of the Western Qin army was high, and the troops were divided into two ways to kill the 20,000 Tang troops stationed in Xiangwu County.

At the same time, about 10,000 cavalry of the Fengzhou army, led by the general Pei Xingyan, marched from the Yan'an army to Honghua County, along the Maling River valley to the south, to Guanzhong, three days later, Pei Xingyan led 10,000 cavalry into Beidi County, besieged Anding City, Beidi County Taishou Sun Hua organized the people to defend the city, and urgently asked Li Yuan for help.

There was a dangerous situation in the west and north at the same time, which shook Guanzhong, and the grim situation made Li Yuan anxious.

The four porters walked quickly across the Wude Hall Square with their shoulders, stopped in front of the steps, put their shoulders down, and a guard carefully helped Dugu Zhen out of the palace.

Dugu Zhen's face was expressionless, but there was a faint hint of dissatisfaction in his eyes, he was dissatisfied with Li Yuan, Li Yuan's stall was too big, and he had more than enough heart but not enough strength, resulting in water leakage everywhere now.

Although he also agreed with Li Yuan to fight for Hedong, Li Yuan patted his chest and assured him that he could keep Taiyuan and that nothing would happen to Guanlong, but now he ......

Dugu Zhen felt the need to have a good talk with Li Yuan again.

In the official room, Li Yuan was discussing with Pei Lin and Li Jiancheng, the prince of the world, how to deal with it, Li Yuan didn't sleep all night last night, he seemed very tired, his eyes were red, and his voice was a little hoarse.

"Although Xue Ju attacked the Great Earthquake Pass, I don't think he can last long, after all, the early losses are too great, as long as we guard the Great Earthquake Pass, I don't doubt that he will withdraw after a while, so I don't have to pay too much attention to Xue Ju."

He waved his hand, stopped Li Jiancheng, who wanted to speak, and said: "As for Yang Yuanqing's 10,000 cavalry, that is more of a gesture, don't they just surround Anding City and not go south?" Because they also know very well that the cavalry can't capture the city, the grain and grass are difficult to solve, and it's only 10,000 cavalry, I think Yang Qiangqing is just putting pressure on us. ”

This is the conclusion that Li Yuan came up with after thinking hard all night, and his idea is not unreasonable, after all, Li Yuan is the lord of the party, he has a vision that is difficult for ordinary people to reach, and he sees the problem more thoroughly, he resolutely said: "This should be Yang Yuanqing's strategy to encircle Wei and save Zhao in order to cooperate with the Hedong Campaign, the purpose is to force us to give up Hedong, but the more this is the case, the more I will not let him succeed." ”

Li Jiancheng finally couldn't help but say: "But my father Guan Long's repeated tug-of-war has done too much harm to the people, and the child is very worried that our unification of Guanlong is also full of holes, and the grain and grass taxes are difficult to support our general strategy of the world. ”

Pei Lin also advised Li Yuan, "Your Highness, what the minister is worried about is that our troops are insufficient, now the Chang'an garrison plus General Chai's 30,000 troops and General Dou's 20,000 troops are only 100,000 people in total, and 50,000 of them are undertrained, if the people of the world are defeated by Yang Yuanqing in Hedong and return with a loss of troops, then we will become extremely passive, and I am afraid that we will not be able to turn over within three or five years." ”

Pei Lin knew Li Yuan very well, and when he saw that Li Yuan still didn't give up on Hedong, his heart began to worry, and at this time, a guard moved at the door: "Prime Minister, Dugu's right servant asks to see!" ”

"Well he comes in!"

Li Yuan did not dare to slack off on Dugu Zhen, who was not only his uncle, but also his biggest supporter at present.

Li Yuan said to Jiancheng and Pei Lin again: "You two should retreat first!" ”

"Yes!"

The two stood up and saluted, and left the room.

After a while, Dugu Zhen walked into the room quickly, and he stepped forward to salute and said, "Dugu Zhen is a lowly minister." ”

Dugu Zhen's current Shangshu right servant, according to the official system of the Sui Dynasty, Shangshu Province left and right servants, Menxia Province Nayan and Inner History Provincial Order, can be called Xiangguo, but not in Chang'an, because Li Yuan himself was named prime minister, then the heads of the three provinces can no longer be called Xiangguo, so although Dugu Zhen is the official Shangshu right servant, he is only a high-grade official, and cannot be called Xiangguo.

Despite this, Li Yuan still respected him very much, so he hurriedly returned the salute: "The right servant doesn't need to be polite, please take a seat!" ”

Dugu Zhen sat down, and one of them served them tea, Dugu Zhen groaned and said, "I came to Xiangguo to ask a few questions." ”

Dugu Zhen is also very careful, although he is Li Yuan's uncle, the head of the Dugu family, and the leader of the Guanlong nobles, but he also knows that Li Yuan's growth is not entirely dependent on their support, he himself also has strong strength, Li Yuan is now in power, and he will soon ascend the throne as the emperor, in this case, too much oppression of Li Yuan, it will be unfavorable to the Dugu family in the future, he must leave a little leeway.

Li Yuan is also very cautious about Dugu Zhen, he is ready to recruit troops from Guanlong, which needs the support of the Guanlong nobles, who directly or indirectly control a large number of people in Guanlong, and more than ninety percent of Guanlong's commerce is also controlled by them, whether it is food, taxes or soldiers, Li Yuan has asked for Guanlong nobles, and to some extent he is the second Yuwentai.

Li Yuan bowed and smiled: "If there is any problem, the right servant can raise it." ”

Although Dugu Zhen expressed his request in a tactful way, he thought for a while and said: "Twenty days ago, Shizi led 30,000 troops to seize the counties in Guannei, and in just half a month, he took Shangjun, Yan'an County, Beidi County, Honghua County, Pingliang County, Anding County, Huining County and other seven counties, all the way to the officials and people, and the progress was rapid, but the problem is that Yang Yuanqing returned to the army, and almost effortlessly took Yan'an County, and his cavalry went south, all the way like a bamboo, without any resistance, if Yang Yuanqing wanted to take away the counties in Guannai, In fact, it is also easy, so how can we consolidate our victory? If Yang Yuanqing can't take it away, the counties in Guannai have really become our territory, what does the prime minister think? ”

Dugu Zhen's question is very acute, this is also Li Yuan's more embarrassing place, the 10,000 cavalry of the Fengzhou Army killed from Yan'an County to Honghua County and then to Beidi County, almost without any obstruction, which exposed Li Yuan's weak control over Guannei, in the seven counties of Guannei, he did not station a single soldier, he really did not have a superfluous army stationed.

Although Dugu Zhen asked very sharply, Li Yuan couldn't avoid it, he sighed and said: "I also know this question very well, we need to garrison troops in these seven counties, but the garrison alone is not enough, we must also reach a compromise with Yang Yuanqing, both sides recognize each other's interests, otherwise you fight for the past, I take it, there will be no result, unless my army goes north to destroy Fengzhou, or the Fengzhou army goes south to destroy us, I don't want to deny this, now we really don't have enough troops to control the counties in Guannei." ”

Dugu Zhen smiled, "The prime minister wants to say that we have to deal with Xue Ju, we have to deal with Li Rail, we have to go south to take Bashu, and we have to fight with Yang Yuanqing for Hedong, and the troops in our hands are overstretched, right?" ”

Li Yuan nodded, "That's true!" ”

"Then the second question of the humble post is about Yang Yuanqing, where does the prime minister think his next target is?"

"Next Pepper ......"

Li Yuan didn't understand what he meant for a while, and hesitated for a moment and said, "Are you saying that after our failure in the battle for Hedong, Yang Yuanqing's goal?" ”

Dugu Zhen has approached the meaning he wants to express step by step, although he said in an understated tone: "The two armies fight, victory or defeat is normal, of course I hope that Shimin can defeat Yang Yuanqing and recapture Taiyuan City, but it cannot be denied that Shimin may be defeated by Yang Yuanqing, I mean, in case Shimin is defeated by Yang Yuanqing, where is Yang Yuanqing's next goal?" ”

Li Yuan had probably guessed a little bit of Dugu Zhen's meaning, he sighed in his heart, and said, "I personally think that Yang Yuanqing's next target is Youzhou?" ”

Dugu Zhen shook his head slowly, "I don't think it's Youzhou, but Guanzhong." ”

Li Yuan was shocked, he wiped the sweat on his forehead and asked, "How can this be seen?" ”

"Prime Minister, this is common sense, if he completely annihilates the army of the people, there are only tens of thousands of troops left in Guanzhong at that time, and there is a great enemy of Xue Ju in the west, and Yang Yuanqing can use the army left behind in Fengzhou and Lingwu County, take the counties in Guannei in the south, and enter Guanzhong, and then cross the river into Guanzhong, at that time, it will be difficult to capture Guanzhong with a north and an east? In this way, why did he go to fight for Youzhou with hundreds of thousands of Dou Jiande's army? ”

Li Yuan let out a long sigh, "The meaning of the right servant shot is to let me withdraw from Hedong, right?" ”

Dugu Zhen nodded slowly and said: "This is not just what I meant, all the Guanlong nobles hope that the prime minister can temporarily give up the east of the Yellow River and make every effort to pacify Guanlong......"

Dugu Zhen took out a booklet from his arms, put it on the table and pushed it to Li Yuan, "This is the famous book of the twenty-one Guanlong noble family heads, and everyone unanimously asked the prime minister to give up Hedong and preserve the strength of Guanlong." ”

Dugu Zhen said goodbye and left, Li Yuan stood in front of the window with his hands behind his back, he felt a huge pressure for the first time, this was the pressure that the Guanlong nobles collectively gave him, although Dugu Zhen did not say the words behind him, he understood to him that if he still refused to give up Hedong, then the Guanlong nobles would no longer support him, but instead support others, perhaps Yang Yuanqing.

The huge political pressure made Li Yuan unbearable, he felt that he was extremely tired, he just wanted to find a place to sleep well, and he didn't want to do anything, but even if he went to sleep, there were things he still couldn't escape.

At this time, Tang Jian, who joined the army in the room, walked into the room, "Prime Minister, are you looking for me?" ”

Li Yuan nodded slowly, "Quickly pass on my order, order the Duke of Qin to abandon Hedong and immediately lead the army back to Guannei." ”

……