As soon as Fang Xuanzao's words fell, Bing Yuanzhen sneered repeatedly, "Fang Shangshu, you think things too simply, Wang Shichong and Yang Yuanqing are originally in an alliance, will he turn against Yang Yuanqing for us?" You...... Before Bing Yuan finished speaking, Li Mi waved his hand to stop him, stared at Fang Xuanzao and said, "Sir, please continue." ”

Bing Yuan really saw Li Mi's solemn expression, obviously Fang Xuanzao's suggestion moved him, and remembered that he had been talking bitterly for a long time just now, but Li Mi was unmoved, and he suddenly realized that Li Mi actually wanted to stop fighting.

The lord didn't see such an important change in mentality, Bing Yuan felt a burst of regret in his heart, and at the same time he was full of jealousy for Fang Xuanzao, Fang Xuanzao actually caught this mentality of the lord, he didn't dare to say more, and only squinted at Fang Xuanzao with a contemptuous gaze.

Fang Xuanzao ignored Bing Yuanzhen, and continued: "I'm not optimistic about the alliance between Yang Yuanqing and Wang Shichong, I just think they are just using each other, Yang Yuanqing needs Wang Shichong to resist Li Yuan's eastward expansion for him, and he also needs Wang Shichong to destroy the Sui Dynasty in Luoyang for him, especially the latter, Yang Yuanqing did not hesitate to lend him 100,000 stone grain in order to support Wang Shichong on the throne, as for Wang Shichong's ....."

When Fang Xuanzao said this, Yu Guang quickly glanced at Li Mi, and seeing that he was listening attentively, he was secretly proud in his heart, he had already felt the pulse of the lord.

"Wang Shichong didn't really take refuge in Yang Yuanqing, he knew very well that Yang Yuanqing was just using himself, once the use was over, Yang Yuanqing would be the first to destroy him, so he also maintained a kind of vigilance, did the lord forget about Lu Chu?"

A sentence reminded Li Mi that a few days ago, officials in Luoyang came to join him. brought a piece of news, Wang Shichong had promised Yang Yuanqing to hand over Lu Chu to him, but in the end Lu Chu was killed by Wang Shichong himself, which shows that Wang Shichong has two ends of the first rat in his bones.

Li Mi walked a few steps with his hands behind his back, and then turned back and said, "In this way, it is possible that Yang Yuanqing will attack Luoyang first, instead of us." ”

Fang Xuanzao squinted and said, "The idea of the humble position is that Yang Yuanqing is actually waiting. Wait for Wang Shichong to usurp the throne and oust Emperor Tai from power, before that, Yang Yuanqing will not attack Luoyang. ”

Bing Yuanzhen next to him couldn't hold back any longer, and interjected: "Since Yang Yuanqing won't attack Luoyang for the time being, then his target should be us, shouldn't it?" ”

"No!"

Fang Xuanzao vetoed Bing Yuanzhen's idea without hesitation, "I thought that Yang Yuanqing would not use any more troops for the time being. Hebei is not Hedong, Hebei is full of devastation, Chiye Qianli, Yang Yuanqing needs to spend a lot of effort to relieve disasters and treat the trauma of war, his resources should be inclined to the people's livelihood, if he fights continuously, his resources will be exhausted, and he will not be able to fight the Tang Dynasty in the future. ”

Fang Xuanzao saw that Li Mi had already believed in himself, and urged again: "Your Highness." Our top priority now is to make a truce with Wang Shichong as soon as possible, and redeem the families of the soldiers of Luokou City with some of the treasures seized from Yu Wenhua and his hands, and I think Wang Shichong should agree. ”

Li Mi finally nodded, "Then please ask Mr. to be my envoy and go to Luoyang to negotiate with Wang Shichong...... After entering the spring, the dead and silent Luoyang City finally began to regain a little vitality, with the capture of Luokou City, the food crisis that has been plaguing Luoyang was finally alleviated, Wang Shichong got 500,000 stone grain from Luokou Cang, in addition to returning 100,000 stone grain to the Sui Dynasty. The remaining 400,000 stone grain gave Wang Shichong a sudden confidence.

Although the war in Tiger Prison Pass was fierce, it did not affect the recovery of Luoyang City's vitality, the price of grain dropped from 10,000 yuan to 300 yuan of rice, and the former cloth money and rotten money gradually disappeared, which made Wang Shichong gain a great reputation.

Of course, the year-long famine also hit Luoyang extremely hard, and the once million people of the city. The capital of the Great Sui Dynasty, which was once prosperous, also became devastated, and Yang Guang spent tens of millions of dollars to build the 200-mile West Garden. It has long been the grain fields and vegetable fields of the Luoyang people, and the exquisite buildings have been looted, burned or collapsed, and the rest are dilapidated and desolate, becoming the homes of crows and jackals.

What's more, there are only more than 100,000 of Luoyang's million people left, most of whom have fled to Guanzhong and Hedong, the streets have become deserted, and less than half of the shops in the prosperous city of Fengdu are still open.

On the morning of this day, a team of Wang Shichong's soldiers escorted Fang Xuanzao's carriage into Luoyang City, and Wang Shichong's son, Wang Xuanying, was already waiting by the city gate.

"On behalf of my father, I welcome Fang Shangshu to Luoyang!"

Wang Xuanying is about thirty years old, but he looks gentle and elegant, without the slightest bit of Wang Shichong's strong and cold, he smiled sincerely, with joy bursting out from the depths of his heart on his face, although Wang Shichong holds the power of government affairs, but in fact, most of the government affairs are handled by Wang Xuanying, and Wang Shichong is mainly responsible for military affairs.

Wang Xuanying resolutely agreed to the truce with the Wagang Army, he knew that the court and the people were in urgent need of recuperation, and it was Wang Xuanying's strong promotion that Wang Shichong finally agreed to negotiate peace with Li Mi.

Fang Xuanzao pulled the curtain and said with a smile: "Thank you Shizi for coming to pick it up in person, I hope that our peace talks can start with happiness and end with satisfaction." ”

"As the envoy said, I hope so!"

Wang Xuanying and Fang Xuanzao glanced at each other, laughed together, and the carriage sped up and drove towards Miyagi...... Although Wang Xuanying actively promoted peace talks with Li Mi, not everyone was willing to reconcile with Zheng Wei, and Wang Shichong also had fierce opposition within him, mainly from the military led by Wang Renze, who led the army to fight at Tiger Pass, and the heavy casualties of the soldiers made it impossible for him to face this reality.

In Wang Shichong's government affairs room, Wang Ren was heartbroken and persuaded Wang Shichong to change course and withdraw, "Second uncle, more than 20,000 brothers died defending the Tiger Prison Pass, and the bones of the soldiers are not cold, but today they are talking to Li Mi, how can the brothers accept it?" This will be a great blow to morale, second uncle, you are also the one who leads the troops, you should understand it better than your nephew. ”

Wang Shichong sighed and said: "I know that it is difficult for the military to accept, but you also have to consider the overall situation, do you think Li Mi is willing to give up Luokou City?" He made this decision more painful than us, but there is no way, Yang Yuanqing has already taken Hebei, his next target must be the Central Plains, we can only lose both sides if we continue to fight with Li Mi, and finally cheapen Yang Yuanqing, do you understand? ”

"But I am an alliance with the Sui Dynasty, and we will deal with the Tang Dynasty together, Second Uncle, the crisis is just for Li Mi, what do we have to do with it?" Wang Ren was still unconvinced.

"Don't be naïve, Yang Yuanqing is a tiger, on the side of his couch, how can he allow others to sleep soundly, he will kill us sooner or later, even earlier than Li Mi, his so-called alliance with us is just using us, do you think he is really so stupid to let us go for a so-called face?"

Wang Shichong got up and patted him on the shoulder, smiled and said, "Reconciling with Li Mi will only be beneficial to us, so don't object anymore, I have already decided on this matter." ”

Wang Ren said helplessly for a while: "But how can I explain to the soldiers?" ”

Wang Shichong smiled slightly, "It depends on what you say, you tell the soldiers that Li Mi is no longer able to fight with us anymore and beg for peace with us, you want to portray this incident as our victory, understand?" ”

"But there is a reward for victory." Wang Ren knew that it was inevitable, so he could only bargain as much as possible to get something substantial.

"Yes, I will reward all the soldiers who participated in the war, especially you, I will make you the king of the county, I will reward you half of the property sent by Li Mi, and you can choose fifty palace maids at will, even if you pick the princess away, you can follow you!"

Wang Shichong squinted his eyes and smiled, Wang Ren is his most trusted nephew, who will take over the military power for him in the future, and he will never be stingy with his reward for Wang Renze.

Wang Ren was moved in his heart, bowed down and said, "Thank you for the reward from the second uncle, my nephew will not let the second uncle down." ”

"Go ahead! Pacify the brothers and tell them that I, Wang Shichong, will not treat you badly...... Wang Ren left, and after a while, Wang Xuanying hurriedly walked into the government affairs room, and said excitedly: "Father, Li Mi's envoy has arrived." ”

"Then you don't need to be so happy!" Wang Shichong glared at his son with great displeasure.

Wang Xuanying was startled, and the smile immediately disappeared from his face, he didn't know why his father was displeased, so he had to tremble and say: "Li Mi's envoy is waiting outside the palace, does my father want to see him?" ”

Wang Shichong stood in front of the map with his hands behind his back, staring at Hebei and Hedong, and after a while, he said slowly: "I had better avoid this peace talk, so as not to annoy Yang Yuanqing, you can talk to Li Mi's envoy on my behalf!" Tell them what I'm suffering and ask them to understand. ”

"But... If you tell them this, will it expose your father's desire to get rid of the control of the Sui Dynasty? The child felt that it was better for his father to be sick. ”

Wang Shichong laughed, "Don't think they are stupid, they know in their hearts, just like a mirror, but your caution is not wrong, just tell the envoy that I am not feeling well and cannot meet him." ”

"Got it."

Wang Xuanying turned around to leave, but Wang Shichong stopped him again, "Also, I can let go of their family members in Luokou City, but I don't think the sincerity is enough for the property they sent, I still need 200,000 stone of grain...... Anyang City, Wei County, this is the capital of the Northern Wei Dynasty, and it is also the largest city in Hebei, although Dou Jiande seized the entire territory of Hebei south of Youzhou, but only Anyang City and Liyang City did not take the two cities, Liyang City is a foundation of Li Mi in Hebei, Dou Jiande did not attack.

And Anyang City is the most enclave of the Luoyang Sui Dynasty in Hebei, guarded by 10,000 Sui troops led by Yang Shanhui, the Taishou of Wei County, and Changshi Yaojunsu, after dozens of sieges by Dou Jiande's army, the city is majestic, but with the end of the Hebei Campaign, the ownership of Anyang City has also become a problem.

In the afternoon of that day, more than 100 Sui army guards arrived at the city of Anyang, who had just been transferred to Hebei and served as the Taishou of Hejian County.

"Please report to Yang Taishou, just say that the clan brother Xuanyu is visiting......