A round of blood-colored sunset hung on the head of the Hangu Pass Tower, reflecting the blood and broken limbs all over the ground, which made the crows and sparrows passing by here feel frightened, and after cooing and chirping twice, they swirled and disappeared.

As early as the Warring States a thousand years ago, Qiang Qin relied on this pass to advance and retreat appropriately, resisted the Six Kingdoms, and finally swept the world. In today's prosperous era of the Tang Dynasty, in the face of the sudden rebels on both sides, the 800 soldiers guarding the pass were caught off guard and were busy guarding the pass. The two groups of men and horses met from noon to fight fiercely until midnight, because the lower part of Shi Yuannian was extremely fierce, and the defenders were inferior in numbers, they were inevitably passive, and more than half of the casualties were lost. In order to preserve the vital force, the generals guarding the pass had to order the evacuation, retreat to ten miles and then stick to the mountain, and then send scouts to report the news to Luoyang, the divine capital. In this way, the lower part of Shi Yuannian paid the price of more than 2,000 people, and finally occupied this Xiongguan, stuck in the throat of Liangjing like a tumor, and the situation was imminent.

In the East Palace of the Divine Capital, Li Hong restored the right to supervise the country, and summoned Yan Liben, Li Jingye and others to discuss countermeasures with the military generals in Luoyang, and Xue Ne, Fan Ning and Li Yuanxi were also among them.

"Why is the Chang'an Military Department still slow to send troops? Wait and see, the sin is complicit! The thieves were like a fish in their throats, which made Li Hong, who had always been old and calm, annoyed, and looked at Hangu Pass, which was close at hand on the map behind him, and his anxiety could not be hidden.

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Qiqi, in the opinion of the old minister, the rebels have conquered Hangu Pass and cut off the main road connecting the two capitals, and the military department wants to send troops to rescue the driver, but it is difficult to get the approval of the second saint or His Royal Highness, I am afraid that it will be a dilemma for a while." Yan Liben replied.

"Returning to His Royal Highness, the minister seconded the words of the right minister, whether it is an official of the military department or a general in charge of the army, without the edict of the emperor and queen, he will never dare to move the troops and horses. What's more, the conclusion of the princess case and the eldest grandson's Shengsheng incident both happened in Luoyang, and the military department was confused, and there were some people who couldn't react for a while. Li Jingye echoed.

"The opportunity for the rebels to raise troops this time is quite delicate, the left minister and Si Rong Taichang Bo Shu Wei Xiliang, the general of Pingyang County Gongxue has not yet returned from Liaodong, and the only two generals in the DPRK and China who can directly send troops in times of crisis are thousands of miles away from Luoyang. It is estimated that the thief has been premeditated for a long time, just to catch me off guard...... The last general was derelict last night, and asked His Royal Highness the Prince to surrender his guilt! Chen Hou, the chief general guarding Luoyang, stepped forward and knelt down to ask Li Hong for punishment.

"As you just said, the thief has already premeditated, and the same is true of last night's incident, so how can you say that you are guilty," Li Hong waved his hand and motioned him to get up quickly, "All the secretaries had meritorious deeds last night, and this palace knows that all the secretaries worked hard, but now is not the time to talk about merit." At present, it seems that the eldest grandson Sheng is also being used by the thief, if he is not quickly removed, he is afraid that it will cause a big disaster. ”

"Luoyang to Chang'an is only 800 miles, can't you send someone to take a detour to deliver a message?" Seeing that they had been talking for a long time, and there was not a word on the spot, Fan Ning became anxious, and he didn't care about any courtesy, so he interjected directly.

Li Yuanyan replied: "Are you stupid when everyone else? Luoyang and Chang'an are all pillows of the dragon vein of the feng shui treasure land, if you do not take the old road of the two Beijings, you have to go around Bashu and then through Hanzhong, in order to be able to transfer to Chang'an, many of the horses can not walk, can only walk, I don't know how long to delay, but not more difficult than climbing to the sky! ”

Chen Hou, the defender of Luoyang, nodded in response: "And now that the flood is over, the sergeants are tired, and there are sergeants infected with the epidemic before, if you rush out, not only can you not win, but it will also cause the epidemic to expand, demoralize, and increase the number of casualties in our army......"

This is indeed a dead game, it seems that no breakthrough can be found in any case, the prosperous gods of this world have become a cage, and the first year of the history is like a ghost peeking at them, patiently waiting for them to die and struggle, trapped beasts to fight.

Li Hong's heavy gaze turned to Xue Ne, and saw that he had been frowning and thinking, very serious, I don't know if he has a good plan: "Shen Yan, what idea have you come up with?" ”

Xue Ne came back to his senses and arched his hand: "Your Highness, the minister thinks that for today's plan, although there are all kinds of embarrassment, we must not stick to Luoyang, the enemy is outnumbered, once we stick to it, we will sit and wait to die, and we must be around Luoyang, properly deployed, otherwise once the thieves are killed, the two saints will be in danger." ”

"In detail." Li Hong attached great importance to Xue Ne's proposal, and his body unconsciously leaned forward a little.

"Have you ever thought about why Shi Yuannian didn't attack Luoyang now?" Xue Ne stood up, still respectful and polite, but there was a conviction and resoluteness between his eyebrows that he didn't usually have, "It's very simple, because they are still accumulating strength and waiting for backup." If my expectations are correct, this thief should have come from the area of Ningshuo and Jingbian, through the boycott and Yanzhou. Occupying Hangu Pass has undoubtedly cut off the communication between the two capitals, and the information of various places cannot be exchanged, so most of my Datang places do not know that there are already thieves occupying Hangu Pass, so I can only sit back and wait for death......"

What Xue Ne said, Li Jingye naturally understood, but he did not agree with Xue Ne's words, and retorted: "What Xue Mingfu said is good, Luoyang and Chang'an cannot pass on the news, and Datang is equivalent to being completely blind and deaf." But the previous dynasty built Luoyang quite painstakingly, the city is solid, the city is abundant, once the city gate is closed, it is difficult for thieves to make times. We don't know the number of thieves at the moment, and we don't know their movements, if we take the liberty to give up and stick to Luoyang, the thieves take the opportunity to attack, not only the holy drive is dangerous, but the lives of millions of people in the city are hanging by a thread, please think twice. ”

Li Hong smiled lightly and said to Li Jingye: "General Li don't worry about it first, since Shen Yan dares to say amazing words, he naturally has a plan, and listen to him." ”

Xue Ne bowed his hand again, stopped before walking to the edge of the map, pointed to the official road east of Luoyang, and said slowly: "To avoid Luoyang being captured, the key is to hold the east of Luoyang and ensure that the supply route to Yanshi and Tiger Prison is not outflanked and cut off. This road is a strategic route to the east connecting Henan, Hebei and Huainan, and is the key to ensuring that Luoyang will not be left alone. Therefore, we must not close the city gate and defend the lonely city in vain, otherwise even if Luoyang City is not breached, other other fanstates with different intentions will also take the opportunity to make trouble, and when the situation accumulates and it is difficult to return, Luoyang will be in danger. Therefore, from a prudent point of view, we must guard the official road in the east, the Yellow River crossing and Heyang Bridge in the north, and the Shou'an and Yique areas in the south, and at the same time send the military scuds out of the city overnight to report to my father's army. ”

"But General Xue is far away in Liaodong," Chen Hou already felt that Xue Ne was young and weak, not like a military general, and after hearing this, he felt even more unreliable, "If you want to return to the division, it will take at least three months, and then the crisis will be completed, what is the use?" My Luoyang garrison only has a few thousand people, and if we want to divide our troops elsewhere, the city will inevitably be lost. ”

"Why do you have to wait for my father to transfer troops? When the news is sent out of Henan Province, it can be transmitted to Hebei Province, and then to the whole country, and my father only needs to send the vanguard to return to the division quickly, so as to intimidate those who have different intentions. What's more, we don't defend the city of Luoyang, not the land of Luoyang, but here. Xue Ne said, and clasped his slender knuckles heavily on the west side of Luoyang on the map, near the bank of the Yellow River in Hangu Pass.

"Shaanzhou?" Everyone fixed their eyes on the position that Xue Ne was pointing to, and asked questions in unison.

Xue Ne replied and continued: "The topography of this place is unique, close to the Yellow River, and the mountains on both sides stretch to form a pot mouth. As long as we hold on to this unique land, Luoyang will be safe. Not only that, there is a Zhongtiao Mountain in the north of Shaanzhou, and there is a hidden path for woodcutters to chop firewood in the mountains, and it only takes three or two days to walk through the mountains to reach Jiangzhou. If we can unite the defenders of Jiangzhou, we can ask for help from Jiang Ke, the left minister stationed in Liangzhou, and we can cut off Shi Yuannian's retreat. Once the time is ripe, you can send troops to the back of Hangu Pass, and the defenders of Shaanzhou will be attacked on both sides, and then the thieves will be blocked in the narrow strip between these two mountains and become the turtle in the urn! ”

After listening to Xue Ne's plan, everyone looked at each other and said nothing, Li Hong had a plan in his heart, and asked: "Speak carefully, what do the right ministers, General Li and General Chen think?" ”

"This ......" Chen Hou couldn't help but speak first, "This plan does sound very good, but Xue Mingfu is young, and what he knows is more recorded in the military books, and he has no actual combat experience." The last general was ordered to guard Luoyang City for nearly ten years, and it was his duty to the safety of the two saints and the people in the city. ”

Yes, Xue Ne is young and has no military achievements, and no matter how fanciful he says, it is difficult for these generals to believe him. Li Yuanyan looked at her father, hoping that he could say a few words for Xue Ne, but Li Jingye hung his head and thought about it, and he didn't mean to answer at all, and seemed to have a lot of doubts about Xue Ne's strategy.

Fan Ning couldn't help but sneer, and sneered: "What does this general mean is that Xue Lang's strategy is like Zhao Kuo, is it just talking on paper?" Last night, when we were desperately defending the two saints, you were still swaying in the water! ”

Li Hongyi waved his hand, signaled everyone not to be disobedient, turned his head and asked Yan Liben: "The right minister is highly respected, and he is my Tang Dynasty pillar. ”

"Xuanwei Desert on the left, Danqing on the right......" Yan Liben squinted, looked at Xue Ne, and said slowly, "The old minister can only dance in Wenmo, and he really doesn't understand much about the affairs of the soldiers." However, the first emperor once said, 'The people are precious, the society is secondary, and the monarch is light', if the generals only know how to guard the two saints, but not the world, they are not loyal and good generals...... The stakes are so big that His Highness is difficult to decide, so why not ask the meaning of the two saints? ”

Yan Liben said and squeezed his eyes at Li Hong. Li Hong was stunned, Fang understood what he meant, he could be in the position of the right prime minister, and where could he only dance and make ink, he smiled quietly, nodded and said: "It is true that as the right minister said, this matter is too important, and please go with the palace, and wait for the father and queen mother to decide!" ”

After that, the group waited for the car to leave the East Palace and went to Ziwei Palace to ask the two saints for instructions. After Li Hongyu clarified the cause and effect, Li Zhi and Empress Wu summoned everyone into the palace. Plagued by stubborn diseases, the emperor who has passed the year of confusion looks bad, but his expression and posture are still majestic and calm, wearing the clothes of the Son of Heaven, and sitting on the high platform with the Empress Wu, seeing them, everyone has inexplicably confidence in their hearts, and they are no longer as panicked as Fang Cai, and they all stepped forward and arched their hands: "Meet the two saints!" ”

"Excuse me," Li Zhi motioned for everyone to get up, and said slowly, "Fang Cai Hong'er has told me and the queen about the matter of the Zhuqing's argument. The queen and I thought the same thing, and ordered the scribe to draft an edict...... Hong'er, read it and listen to everyone. ”

Li Hong bowed forward, took the book with both hands, and Xue Ne and his party hurriedly knelt on the ground and kowtowed again. Li Hong held the book in his hand and read it to everyone: "In the first year of the thief head, the people gathered to make a rebellion, and the soldiers pressed the gods, and the situation was critical. I am the Tang Dynasty Rong Ma founded the country, the virtue of the four seas, I and the queen should be the people first, the world is the most important, now I hereby grant me the military talisman, with Li Jingye as the main general, Xue Shenyan as the deputy general, the right to defend the eastern capital of the army, except for a thousand forbidden troops left in Luoyang, the rest of the troops and reinforcements can be freely deployed. ”

Unexpectedly, in such a short period of time, the two saints decided to give up this impregnable city, putting the world and the people above their personal safety, and Chen Hou, the defender of Luoyang City, eagerly arched his hand and said: "Your Majesty, this ......"

Li Zhi motioned to Chen Hou to be calm and not to be impatient: "At an extraordinary time, an extraordinary general, Chen Qing should not think too much." Xue Shenyan was young and smart, and he guarded the palace last night, did his best, and helped the forbidden army to retreat from the flood with his wit...... This time, we must help General Li well and retire the thieves as soon as possible. ”

"Yes," was appreciated by the emperor, Xue Ne's heart was indescribably surging, and he bowed again, "Minister, the minister is willing to die for the Tang Dynasty, but there is still a reluctant request." I beg Your Majesty to grant Fan Ning a military position, let her be in the army with her ministers, with her cleverness and wit by her side, the ministers will be able to defeat the thieves in one fell swoop! ”

Xue Ne's words made Fan Ning, who had been following her, blush, but she also understood that the Tang Army was strict in governing the army, and it was impossible for them to blend into the barracks without a military rank. Last night the situation was very special, she had already come to the fore, and now Xue Ne should not be too much to make this request in front of the emperor, but Li Zhi coughed and whezed a few times, his face was very ugly, and he said in a low voice: "I am Datang...... Haven't you reached the point where you need women and children to go into battle to kill the enemy? ”