In the eleventh year of the Great Cause, at the beginning of November, the Liaodong Army awarded Wang Rengong as the commander and led 5,000 elite horses into Hedong. Liu Wuzhou, the captain of Xuanmayi, opposed the Tang Dynasty and seized the Mayi, and the deputy of Hedong stayed behind Yao Junsu and Chen Xiaoyi of Yanmen to oppose the Tang Dynasty and seize Yanmen.

Li Valve's henchmen stationed in the two counties of Mayi and Yanmen, Li Xiaohe was guarded by Mayi, Li Daolin was killed by Yingyanglang in Mayi, and Wang Zhibian's troops were defeated and surrendered to Hebei by Hu Benlang in Yanmen, and 10,000 Tang soldiers in Yanmen were wiped out. When the news reached Taiyuan, Li Yuan vomited blood and fainted.

After waking up, he immediately summoned Li Shimin, who was reorganizing his troops and intended to go north to the rebellion in Pingmayi and Yanmen counties.

On the second day, after consulting with the ministers, Li Yuan decided to break the cauldron and sink the boat, no longer manage the two counties of Yanmen and Mayi, and shrink the nearby soldiers and horses. With the fifth son, Li Zhiyun, as the general of Zhenbei and the guard of Taiyuan, he was responsible for all matters in Taiyuan. Li Zhiyun was fourteen years old, and all the affairs of Taiyuan were assisted by Tang Jian, Dou Wei brothers, Wen Daya brothers, etc., and then Li Xiaogong and Li Shentong, two Li valve nephews, led 50,000 troops to defend Taiyuan.

Li Yuan personally led 80,000 people, swore to move troops, changed the banner, and used the white of the Turks, because he was subordinate to the Turks, so the white of the Turks was mixed on the banner, and opened to Guanzhong. intends to go westward with all his might, attack Guanzhong, and seek the foundation of the dynasty.

What an important place Guanzhong is! It can be said that it has always been a battle. In the last years of the Sui Dynasty, its importance continued unabated. First, it is where the capital of Chang'an is located, and it is also where the political influence is; Second, Yang Guang built the eastern capital, built the canal, and conquered Goryeo, which had little impact on Guanzhong, had a good economic foundation, and could be a stable base area; Third, there are barriers such as the Yellow River and Hangu Pass, which can be attacked and defended.

In the ninth year of the great cause, Yang Xuangan raised troops, and Li Mi put forward three strategies: upper, middle and lower. That is, to attack Guanzhong as the middle policy. It's a pity that Yang Xuan felt clumsy, also out of helplessness. The next strategy was chosen: besieging the eastern capital. The siege of the eastern capital failed, and Li Zixiong suggested going straight to Guanzhong. Although Yang Xuangan adopted, it was too late.

Although Li Yuan finally won Hedong in the Taiyuan Battle, he quickly expanded his strength by taking the grain and grass equipment from Hedong. However, in the land of the four wars in Hedong, the surrounding forces are watching. Especially when the Liaodong Army also moved into Hedong. Li Yuan couldn't sit still any longer, he knew very well in his heart that if he waited any longer, maybe most of the Liaodong Army would arrive.

At that time, as soon as the elite army of Liaodong arrived, it would be impossible for him to attack the key problems even if he wanted to. If you don't take Guanzhong, then it won't take long to stay in Hedong. He will inevitably die at the hands of the surrounding princes.

Li Yuan marched south from Taiyuan to Guanzhong, and within two days, 80,000 troops marched south along the Fen River. Arrive at the first dangerous pass leading to Guanzhong in Taiyuan, Huoyi Pass. Huoyi Pass is located in the two large mountain ranges of Luliang Mountain and Taiyue Mountain, which is the only passage for Taiyuan to go south. From the Taiyuan Plain to the south, after Huoyi, that is the plain that can be flattened to the Yellow River Tongguan Yima Pingchuan.

Li Yuan, Li Shimin, Li Jiancheng and his ministers marched in the heavy snow for several days, ignoring the snow and muddy and the cold weather, and went all the way south. The army had just arrived at Huoyi Pass. A scout arrived from the south, galloping quickly in the wind and rain. The scout's face was red from the cold, and even the beard on his face was frozen.

The horses stopped. The knight was so stiff that he couldn't get off his horse.

Several soldiers stepped forward, grabbed the snow ball to warm the scout's body and invigorate the blood, and another soldier quickly brought ginger soup, and after some busy work, the scout was finally able to move his hands and feet.

The scout stretched out his still stiff hand and took out a letter from his bosom, and said in a hoarse voice, "Changping County is in urgent military situation, Yang Xuan led an army of 50,000 to attack Hedong County, and Wang Shichong ordered his eldest son Wang Xuanying to lead 20,000 troops to attack Hanoi County, and the soldiers and horses have arrived at Yiguan, and they will attack Changping County immediately."

One of the soldiers was startled, and did not dare to slack off, so he hurriedly took the urgent report and hurriedly rushed to Li Yuan's general camp. …,

The goose-feather snow has been falling for days, but it has no intention of stopping.

Li Yuan stood on top of Huoyi's castle tower with his hands behind his back, looking at the north from afar, he was still waiting for news of Liu Wenjing's arrival in the Turks.

The snow in Hedong came so early this year, and the first snow fell for so many days, and the overcast sky just didn't clear. The snow on the ground had accumulated several feet thick, and I stepped on it up to my knees. Hedong has not seen such a heavy snow for many years, and marching on such a snowy day is definitely a disaster. Not only could they not travel far every day, but the soldiers also had to carry a lot of supplies in order to keep out the cold. However, the Fen River has frozen, and it is no longer possible to transport grain and grass by boat. The house leak happened to rain overnight, and it had just passed south through Xihe County and arrived at Linfen County, and the grain and grass in the army were no longer enough. If the march continues, the grain and grass of the 80,000 army and the counties along the way will not be able to pay at all.

Li Yuan had already given the order in the evening, and the whole army temporarily rested in Huoyi for two days. First, he hoped that the heavy snow would stop in two days, and secondly, he had sent soldiers and horses back to Taiyuan to urge the transportation of grain and grass, so he had time to wait for the arrival of grain and grass.

However, Li Yuan was still uneasy, and what he was really worried about was the Turks in the north. Liu Wenjing has not received any news so far, which makes Li Yuan, who is looking forward to Turkic reinforcements, worried. Although Mayi and Yanmen in the north of Taiyuan were taken away by Wang Rengong and Liu Wuzhou, Li Yuan couldn't care about them anymore. As long as he can take Guanzhong, he doesn't care even if the whole of Hebei is lost.

At present, they are marching into Hebei with all their might, although Mayi Yanmen is lost, as long as Taiyuan City is still in their hands, then they will not be able to go south for a while. Li Yuan looked forward to joining forces with the Turks and attacking Guanzhong during this time. As long as he enters the customs, with the natural risks of the Yellow River and Tongguan, Li Tang has a chance to turn the tables.

Then, until it was dark, he did not wait for Liu Wenjing's news, but waited for a messenger from the south. Yang Huiqin, who was proclaimed emperor in Jianghan, led 50,000 soldiers and horses to the north, capturing five counties in a row along the way, and has now crossed the Yellow River and attacked Hedong County, the northernmost county in Hedong. And Wang Shichong, who should have been restrained by Li Mi, also sent 20,000 troops at this time, crossed the Yellow River, and entered Hanoi County. It has even seized Yiguan, and can attack the two counties of Changping and Jiangjun at any time. Even Yu Wenhua in Guanzhong has already been Chen Bingtong Pass, eyeing him.

This series of bad news made Li Yuan almost vomit blood again.

There are Wang Rengong, Yao Junsu, Liu Wuzhou, Guo Zihe in the north, Liang Shidu in the west, and Chen Pojun in the east. Now that even the only chance to enter the pass has been cut off, Yang Jun and Wang Shichong sent troops to the north, which has blocked his chance to enter the pass! Should I go in or retreat? Continue to attack Guanzhong in the south, or return to Taiyuan?

Li Yuan urgently summoned his subordinates, including his son Jiancheng and Shimin. Special experience can make people grow the most, after several years of tempering, Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin have grown.

All the generals gathered in Li Yuan's military tent, serious and uneasy! For a long time no one spoke, and the people were silent.

Pei Lin was Li Yuan's most important advisor and close friend, and when he decided to raise troops and make various specific arrangements, he listened to his opinions to a large extent. Especially in the entry and acquisition, it is his strategy. Now, it was Pei Lin who broke the silence: "Although Yang Jian is incompetent, his subordinates, Yu Juluo, Tu Wanxu, Pei Renji, and Yang Yicheng are famous generals for a while. Now let them cross the Yellow River, as long as they rely on the danger of passing, it will be difficult to capture it for a while; And on the side is still Wang Shichong's eldest son led 20,000 soldiers and horses, and now Yu Wenhua and in Guanzhong have been prepared, they have been tuned to Tongguan, once our army is delayed for a long time, there will be a shortage of food. Although Li Mi said that he was united with us, he was actually cunning and unpredictable; The Turks have always been greedy and untrustworthy, mercenary, and have not received a reply until now, only for fear that things will have an accident; Liu Wuzhou, Guo Zihe, and Yao Jun were subordinated to Hebei, and their troops were strong. The Liang division was even supported by the Turkic troops, and the troops were in full swing. Chen Kefu, Yang Xuan, Yu Wenhua, Wang Shichong, Turkic, Liu Wuzhou, and Liang Shidu are all coveting Taiyuan. Taiyuan Yidu Society, our volunteer families are all there. ”…,

Pei Lian's hesitant voice fully expressed the voice of the minister who first proposed to capture Guanzhong and abandon Hedong at this time. And the silent tent at this time also shows the same thoughts of other generals and ministers. It is not advisable to pass in Guanzhong, and it is advisable to return to the division to save Taiyuan.

"Don't go back!"

Li Shimin suddenly stood up and said resolutely, "There are tens of millions of stones of grain and grass in Taiyuan City, why worry about the lack of food? Yang Yun is frivolous and impatient, but he is just another Yang Guang. Although his subordinates are all generals, Yang Mian is personally recruited, a handsome and incompetent, and he is tired of the three armies. Li Mizheng is bent on attacking Luoyang, caring about the current territory, and will not attack Taiyuan as far away. And Wang Shichong's soldiers are also all in Luoyang, and he can only send a partial division, and he is led by his son's unknown generation, and he can be captured in a battle. Liu Wuzhou and Chen Pojun, Liang Shi and the Turks are all attached to each other on the outside, and guess the reality on the inside. Our Tang Dynasty raised troops, but the land of the four wars in the east of the river, now Hebei in the east, Yanmen in the north, and Longyou in the west, all want to annex the east of our river and cannot reach. “

At this time, retreating will inevitably be besieged on all sides, and if you advance, there may still be a glimmer of hope to take Guanzhong. We should all be desperate to put ourselves in the place of death, and only by taking the pass can we survive. And we must enter Chang'an first, so that we can command the world in the future. Now as soon as the enemy encounters it, he will have to divide the army, and I am afraid that the rebels will disintegrate in one day. is still guarding the city of Taiyuan, which is a dead road, not a living road. If you settle for a corner, you will not last long. How would that be self-sufficient? ”

"The second brother is right!" Li Jiancheng also stood up and resolutely supported the people, "Don't retreat, you will be trapped in a corner of the city!" No matter from the situation or morality, we must move forward is the way out for the world. ”

Accounts differ and opinions vary. Completed, the two brothers of the people strive for.

PS: Brothers who read books, ask for two rewards!!