Practice.

It's June, the weather is getting extremely hot, and the trees are crying hoarsely with thirst, which makes people feel even more irritated. But Wu Feng's mood is very comfortable, watching the city under his feet become more prosperous day by day, the population is increasing day by day, and the combat effectiveness of the army is also increasing day by day.

Just when Wu Feng was immersed in the joy of harvest, a person who didn't know the current affairs ignored Wu Feng's feelings and struck a broken gong to Wu Feng. "My lord, I think all of us have been a little paralyzed and lax lately. Ling Tianfang stood in front of Wu Feng and solemnly put forward his opinion.

Wu Feng was sitting on the big chair in the study leisurely sipping tea, "Tianfang, why do you say this?"

"My lord, I am afraid you have forgotten that everything beautiful in front of you now is like a building built on the sand, which may collapse at any time. If we do not find a way to address the danger we are about to face, I am afraid that it will not be long before the results of our construction will be reduced to rubble, which is by no means alarmist. Ling Tianfang was very dissatisfied with Wu Feng's somewhat careless appearance.

Wu Feng sighed softly in his heart, he didn't know the current situation, but he finally enjoyed the joy of a bumper harvest, and he had to be ruined, it seemed that there were still many troubles for the master. "Oh my God, I know what you mean, but at present, we are actively taking various measures to strengthen our strength, which is actually a means. ”

"But it will take too long for this tactic to work, and we may not be able to wait, and if we don't do something else, my lord, the position of the two sides will be reversed in the way of last year's big victory. Ling Tianfang's tone was a little heavy.

Wu Feng rubbed his jaw habitually, and whenever he encountered a tricky problem, he had this habitual action. His expression also became serious, "What, what's the news from Chidi's side?"

Ling Tianfang shook his head, "There is no news yet, and that Karon has not come, I don't know what the hell is going on." But I still insist that war between the Chidi and the Rope is inevitable. The question is how we can use this opportunity, combined with other means, to postpone our war with the Lopes, and especially to avoid it within this year. I have sent to contact the Motts, the Tubu, the Ghur, and the Numidians at your request, but none of them want the Roppes to tear their faces apart, so they do not want to be unduly intimate with us. The thoughts of the countries of the Western Regions are similar, they are afraid of wolves in the first place, tigers in the back, and they dare not express anything in public. ”

"It's not that they don't want to, but they can't or don't dare, after all, our strength is not enough to fight against the Luope, this is an indisputable fact. But they have forgotten such a sentence, there is no risk, how can there be benefits? If there is no pay, how can you gain? When the big event is decided, what will happen to you as an afterthought?" Wu Feng said with deep feelings.

"My lord, I have an idea, I wonder if it will work to delay or contain the Luo Pei people's attack on us?" Ling Tianfang put forward the purpose of his coming today.

"Oh, whether it works or not, bring it up first and we'll discuss it. Wu Feng felt that Ling Tianfang must have had a good idea before he put it forward so cautiously.

"If we can create a false impression that the Luope people believe or suspect that we have some kind of secret agreement with the other nomads of the Eastern Tengger steppe and the Western Regions, I don't think the Luope people will not fail to consider their own future if they send troops to Qingyang. Ling Tianfang was obviously very confident in this idea.

"Well, go on. Wu Feng nodded thoughtfully.

"My plan is that we can create some kind of accident or inadvertently let the Rope people discover that we are in frequent contact with several other nomads in the Eastern Tengger steppe and with the countries of the Western Regions, and that the problem of study and discussion may be to deal with the Rope together. Of course, the specific plot of this still needs to be planned in detail, and I think that the Luope people will definitely have a lot of spies and spies arranged in Qingyang, which also requires their 'cooperation'. Ling Tianfang's eyes showed a sly light.

Wu Feng nodded lightly again, but then put forward his own opinion: "Tianfang, I'm afraid that this method won't be hidden for a long time, and it also carries a lot of risks." ”

"Yes, but at the moment we don't have a better way to do it, so we have to find a way to make it as realistic as possible. As you just said, if there is no risk, what is the benefit? We just need to delay for a while. In addition, the training of the army must be intensified, and when these methods cannot be effective, it will ultimately depend on strength to speak. Ling Tianfang was still quite worried in his heart.

"Just work hard according to this opinion, you and Mo Lian plan well, and you must think to make the Luobei people believe. ”

In the following months, Wu Feng invited the representatives of the Mott and Tubu people in Qingyang from time to time to talk, and kept the conversation strictly confidential, in fact, there was no more content than some routine content such as strengthening contacts and exchanges, and promoting economic and trade exchanges between the two sides. At the same time, he sent envoys to the Quir and Numidis on several occasions to contact them, and invited the envoys of the Seer and Numidis to come to Qingyang for talks. The representatives of the Western Regions and even the Indean Kingdom in Qingyang also went in and out of the Wufeng City Guard Mansion from time to time.

In late June, Chidi's special envoy Caron came to Qingyang for the second time, and Wufeng held a separate banquet to invite Caron, and the two sides made further detailed discussions, but on the issue of forming an alliance, because both sides had evil intentions, they only expressed that they would trust and support each other in various fields, and did not reach an agreement on the substance. Wufeng and diligently kept Caron in Qingyang for nearly half a month before Caron returned to Chidi.

In July, Wu Feng made another decision that surprised everyone, Wu Feng decided to buy 400,000 imperial gold coins worth of grain, grass, cloth, tea, and medicinal herbs from the empire and give them to the Motts, Tubu, Qiuer, and Numidis respectively, which made these nomads overjoyed, and at the same time worried that Wu Feng would put forward any harsh conditions, but Wu Feng privately told them that they did not need any additional conditions, but asked them not to pass on the gifts from Qingyang Mansion and keep them as strict as possible. In addition, Wu Feng also donated a large amount of grain, cloth, tea, medicinal materials and other materials to the countries of the Western Regions, and the conditions were the same.

At the same time, the Qingyang army has not slackened its training at all, and has continuously carried out secret training exercises at night, and has strengthened the secrecy of the troops' training. The construction of the city defense facilities has also entered the final stage of intense completion, and the blockhouses and arrow towers are also densely scattered around the city wall. Various models of trebuchets were installed all over the city walls.

All of this was discovered by the spies and spies placed by the Luope people in Qingyang and other places, and quickly fed back to the Luope people's lair, the city of Barona.

On July 30, 692 in the continental calendar, the Great Chief's Palace in the city of Barona. Wadya sat on the throne of the great chief and looked very serious, and almost all the important ministers of Luo Bei had already arrived, and the atmosphere of the meeting was a little dull.

"Sedie, tell me what we have at the moment. Wadya looked around at the ministers present with blazing eyes, and finally fell on Sedie, who was in charge of intelligence affairs.

"Based on what we have, the current situation is somewhat unfavorable for us. The Chidi people in the west are already certain that there will be a big war with us this year, and there are signs that they have begun to prepare for war, and the direction is clear, that is, against us. In the countries to the south and east, there has been no change in India'an at present, but according to intelligence, the countries of the Western Regions are in frequent contact with our neighbor in the east, Li Wufeng of Qingyang Mansion of the Tang River Empire, but their contacts are quite secret, and it is impossible to know what exactly is discussed, and the intelligence reflects that Li Wufeng also gave a large amount of materials to the countries of the Western Regions, and his intentions are unknown. ”

After a pause, Sadie saw that everyone's attention was attracted by his next few words, and continued, "The above is nothing, what worries me even more is that several other neighbors on our East Tengger Grassland seem to have colluded with that Li Wufeng. ”

Although this sentence was not loud, it was like pouring a scoop of water in a boiling oil pot, which immediately caused a strong reaction.

Originally, these Luope nobles were quite wary of these neighbors of the same clan who had competed with them for hegemony in the Eastern Tengger Grassland, although they were defeated by the Luope people and recognized the supremacy of the Luope people, but they were always thinking about how to weaken themselves, fantasizing that one day they could turn things around and regain their hegemony. Now that these guys are actually colluding with Li Wufeng of the Tang River Empire, wouldn't that make Li Wufeng like a tiger?

Seeing the noble ministers in the hall talking about each other, Wadya frowned and cleared his throat, "Be quiet, what are you panicking, let Sadie finish speaking." ”

"They had close contacts with Li Wufeng in June and July of this year, and we sent secret envoys to each other, and we spent a lot of effort, but we still could not know the content of their talks, and their secrecy measures were very strict. The latest information shows that Li Wufeng secretly gave away a large amount of grain, cloth, tea, medicinal materials and other materials, far exceeding the amount sent to the countries of the Western Regions. Sadie also felt a little dry in his throat and eyes, and swallowed a mouthful of saliva before finishing his words.

Uller, the general of the expedition to the west, did not participate in the discussion of the nobles, but just stood aside coldly. The general Tu Da of Zhengdong and Besang exchanged glances, and both of them had some worry in their eyes.

Wadya also felt a little upset, the attack of the Chidi people had been expected for a long time, and his side had also made certain preparations, but he didn't expect that this damn Li Wufeng not only had something to do with the countries of the Western Regions, but also colluded with those of his own old enemies, which could not but arouse a high degree of vigilance.

"Lord Saidi, is your information reliable?" said Tu A, the general of Zhengdong.

Saidi glanced at Tu Da with some dissatisfaction, and replied, "It is absolutely reliable, not only from the news from the people of the river, but also from the information from the Motes, the Tubu, the Ghur, and the Numidians. ”

Wadya glanced at Tu Da, "Tu A, do you have any doubts?"

"Yes, Great Chief, I suspect this is a trick, a smokescreen that Li Wufeng can create. Tu replied respectfully.

"And what is his purpose?" asked Vadya quickly.

"Originally, we planned to march into Qingyang this year, and Li Wufeng also knew this, so I suspect that he wanted to create momentum, so that we would have some concerns and dare not let go of the attack. Tu replied that he had his thoughts.

"Oh, are you that powerful? Then why was he beaten by Li Wufeng last year and lost his armor and fell into disarray?" said Wule, the general of Zhengxi, who had not spoken.

A trace of anger flashed in Tu Da's eyes, and he didn't say anything, but he quickly returned to normal.

"What do you think, Bessan?" Wadya ignored Ulle and turned his gaze to Bessan, the general of the southern expedition.

"I agree with General Tuda, but what Lord Saidi said must not be guarded against, if the Chidi have a large-scale war with us, and our troops in the east are marching towards Qingyang, the remaining troops will be too weak, and if the Motts, Tubu, Qiuer, and Numidis come to draw salaries, we will be very passive. Besan spoke in a very tactful tone.

The Motts and Tubs were located on the eastern flank of the Lopes, while the Quirs and Numidians lived in the northeast and north of the Lopes.

"In addition, our intelligence agents have discovered that the envoy of the Chidi people, Karon, also stayed in Qingyang for a long time in June, and I doubt that he also had contact with the Motts. Sedie cautiously threw out a heavy bomb.

Almost everyone calmed down, and the Chidi people also formed an alliance with Li Wufeng and the Mott people?! If this is the case, then the situation is really not good. The nobles quietly exchanged ears, and their eyes would also focus on Wadeya.

Tu Da sighed in his heart, he was sure that this was definitely Li Wufeng's conspiracy, which would create this situation and make these people, including the Great Chief, wary. But who would believe what he said at this time, Li Wufeng, Li Wufeng, you are too cunning.

Sure enough, Wadeya, who was already a little worried, thought about it again and again and made a decision: "Just in case, Zhengdong will abandon the eastward invasion plan this year and make defensive preparations." Anyway, this year's harvest is abundant, and the grain and grass are still enough, after all, Chidi talent is our biggest enemy. Preparations for war mobilization were made immediately after the expedition to the west, and preparations for war were also made for the expedition to the south, and the plan for the southern invasion was cancelled, and the plan for the southern invasion was cancelled, and it moved closer to the west as a reserve for the expedition to the west. The Escort is also prepared to prevent accidents. ”

After the meeting was dismissed, Tu Da returned to his house with a gloomy expression, and Curdo, Geya, and Haxian, who had been waiting there for a long time, saw that their boss was uncertain, and they also guessed that the plan had changed, but they didn't ask. Tu replied to the three of them, slapped a smile, and told the three of them about the situation of the meeting in front of the palace and his own analysis and judgment, although the three of them were very disappointed, they could calm down. On the contrary, Tu Da was in a very bad mood, and in the end, Geya couldn't help but ask: "General, not this year, we can come back next year, why is the general so depressed?"

"I'm afraid the situation won't be so optimistic. This year to solve Li Wufeng should be the best opportunity, he has only arrived in Qingyang not long ago, the foundation is not solid, the strength is insufficient, miss this opportunity, I am afraid of raising tigers. Looking at his methods and schemes, I feel chilled. Next year, things will be easy, and next year may not have such a good opportunity. Tu Da sighed and looked at the eastern sky in a daze.

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