Chapter 66 Employer's strengths

Xue Wanche stared at Prince Li Shimin who was waiting for him standing in the center of the Xiande Hall with a lot of emotion. He had not entered the Xiande Hall for less than two months, and everything was different.When he received the Prince's order on June 2nd to go to the outskirts of the city to prepare a big gift, he never imagined that the current prince would drink the hell in the Xuanwu Gate just a dozen hours later.In ancient times, there were many examples of brothers fighting for position and fighting each other. He was as ruthless as Emperor Wen of Wei, and he only asked his younger brother to write a seven-step poem. .He was originally a general, but unexpectedly he was in the midst of a bloody change in the palace. These days, he was hiding in the mountains. Many things that he couldn't figure out before now have been figured out. He regrets that he didn't learn from Li Jing and Li Shiji to abide by the way of ministers Avoiding the battle for the reserve position, he has not eaten well or slept well for more than a month, and he has lost a lot of weight. Now that he is back in the East Palace, it feels different.He hesitated for a long while, and finally said slowly: "Sinner Xue Wanche, I have an audience with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"

Li Shimin looked at him speechless for a long time, then said for a long time: "Have you met your elder brother? Do you understand what I asked him to tell you?" Xue Wanche nodded: "The prince does not miss the old evil, and the guilty minister admires him very much!" Li Shimin smiled: "The two sides are hostile, and each is the master. There is no crime or innocence! Although you are a confidant of Jiancheng, you are also a good general of the court. It is not wrong to have made contributions to the country. Jiancheng trusts you. I forgive you and Shu Fang is not pretending to be a gesture, but also cherishing talents for the country. As the saying goes, when the country is in trouble, think of good generals. Now that the court is troubled by internal and external troubles, it is really not the time for internal strife, but it is also the time for you to show your talents and serve the country. Among the old people, Wang Gui is now Menxia province serves as an admonishing doctor. When the court discusses affairs, he never cares about his status as an old man in the East Palace. Avoid suspicion, national scholar Wushuang, I will never doubt you in major matters, I hope you will not doubt yourself!"

Xue Wanche bowed and said, "I don't dare! Your Highness has an order, so I will serve you!" Li Shimin asked: "Jingzhou Li Yi is your old master. Recently, because of the completion of the project, he has a bit of a grudge. I don't have much contact with him. In your opinion, how is this person?" Xue Wanche pondered for a while, and said: "The king of Yan is strong and powerful, and he is jealous. He will not touch himself if he does not say anything convenient. I used to communicate with the East Palace in the hope that the crown prince would let him go back to Youzhou. If he is favored again, he can't feel at ease! But this person is a good fighter, and he is unambiguous on the battlefield!"

Li Shimin asked: "Will he raise his troops against the Tang Dynasty again and avenge Jiancheng and Yuanji?" Xue Wanche shook his head: "He is not an unrealistic person, he would never do such a thing, I think it should prevent him from leading the army back to Youzhou to resist the court. In fact, this is not a big deal, but now the Turkic army The situation is under pressure, and his Tianjie Army is responsible for guarding the key points. If there is any accident, external troubles and internal troubles, the imperial court may not be able to take care of it." Li Shimin nodded: "That's right! In your opinion, how should we guard against his move?"

Xue Wanche said: "Your Highness can send an army to guard Binzhou. As long as Binzhou is not lost, he will not be able to cross the river eastward. Even if there is a disturbance, it will not affect the imperial court's division of troops to take care of it. He will lose the other!" There was a meaningful smile on the corner of Li Shimin's mouth, and he said: "You are right, but it is too obvious to do that. It is forcing him to rebel now. Before the Turkic army retreats, whether he will rebel or not." Alright, tomorrow I will write the Sixteen Guards Mansion, and you, Xue Wanche, will lead an army of ten thousand people to defend Sanshui!"

Xue Wanche was taken aback: "Let me go down and intercept King Yan?" Li Shimin nodded: "Yes, that's exactly the case, would you like it?" Xue Wanche thought twice, knelt down on one knee and said loudly: "The last general takes orders!" When Wei Zheng entered the East Palace, he happened to meet Xue Wanche face to face. The two looked at each other in astonishment, and after a long time, they looked at each other and smiled, greeted each other lightly, then turned and walked away. After entering Xiande Hall, Li Shimin was completely dressed in court clothes, very formally dressed, as if he was about to go out.Wei Zheng was stunned for a moment, then bowed in salute.

Li Shimin waved his hand: "You just came back from Shandong, have you worked hard all the way?" Before Wei Zheng could answer, he said again: "Your trip has relieved the court's worries! I have read the report you sent back on the way, and you just released two people. You are a special envoy, so you can do things cheaply." Yes, what’s the big deal? Why bother to make such a fuss? I’ve already informed Shangshu Sheng that Zhou Fu, the prefect of Cizhou, will be fined for half a year’s salary, so that he will have a long memory. If you want to go to the Palace of Eternal Life to meet the Emperor Father, you can go with me for a while!"

Wei Zheng was taken aback for a moment, then took the order. Li Shimin didn't ride a horse or a car, so he walked out of Xiandemen all the way in a car.He was tall and straight, with long legs and big strides, and it was quite difficult for Wei Zheng to follow behind.Not long after Li Shimin noticed it, he slowed down his pace and said with a smile: "People's habits are really terrible. Even if they want to change, they do it deliberately. Before they know it, their nature will be revealed. After staying in the army for a long time , no matter what you do, you are in a hurry, it seems that there is never enough time! I am afraid that this problem will not be corrected for a while."

Wei Zheng smiled lightly: "It's not a big deal to move, sit and lie down. As long as the military and state affairs are prudent and prudent, it's nothing to eat and walk a little faster!" Li Shimin glanced at him, and asked with a smile, "What does Li Shiji mean?" Wei Zhengdao: "Don't worry, Your Highness, Shiji has always used the word 'loyalty' to govern his family and the country, and he will never have any rebellious ambitions. He asked me to reply to His Highness, 'East Palace Yunyun Hongyi Palace Yunyun, Gai Feichen knew about it, but there is an imperial edict." Fate, the minister is sincerely obedient and does not contradict, the country has something to do, Shiji dare not spare himself and fear death'."

Li Shimin was stunned for a moment, stopped in his steps, and then laughed loudly: "What a Li Shiji, I thought he was a good gentleman who was always calm and steady, but I didn't expect to be able to say such hard words. I will fight with him." After dealing with him for so long, this is the first time I sincerely say 'admiration' to him!" Wei Zheng smiled: "The ancients said that it is better to be silent than a thousand words. Shiji has obtained the samadhi of this. Back then, under Pu Shangong's tent, all the generals moved forward when there were unresolved matters, but Shiji stood silently. ;When the matter is decided, all the generals are silent and dare not take up their duties, but the world will lead him. I have known him for many years, and I know that he is a man of words and quick in action. It's very hard to be a minister." He said with a smile on the corner of his mouth: "That year when Pu Shangong died, Shiji prepared a coffin for him, and later told me that one must do one's best to be a minister for a day. It is a truth to be a monk for a day and beat the clock for a day!"

Li Shimin smiled again when he heard the words, and sighed: "It seems that there is a chance, I have to learn more." He paused for a moment, and said after deliberation: "The military situation in the north is getting tighter and tighter. I have already sent Li Shiji an imperial order and a troop transfer talisman. In the northeast, he is behind to support Wang Junkuo. I feel more at ease. Now The great enemy is now, and we cannot allow us to deal with internal affairs slowly and steadily. This battle is not only related to the safety and survival of Chang'an, but also whether the world can be peaceful and the people can be happy. These days, my mind is full of military affairs. I can’t even take care of other things, and sometimes my head hurts when I think about it, so you might as well let me know what you think, and brainstorm before making a decision, so it’s not easy to make mistakes!” Wei Zheng pondered for a while, and said: "I am a layman in military affairs. Let me tell you now, but I can't tell you how to do it. Your Highness has led troops all the year round, and has been in battle many times. He is naturally skilled in the use of troops. What His Highness thinks Policy, can you tell me about it first, and I may be able to make up for your Highness." Li Shimin sighed: "In matters on the battlefield, the so-called tactics and strategies are actually nothing more than sleight of hand. In a real war, it still depends on the strength of both sides. Now we are at a disadvantage in terms of military strength, and the difference in the number of cavalry is even greater. At present, the imperial court can only mobilize about 220,000 troops at full strength, of which no more than 60,000 cavalry, and the Eastern and Western Turks unite, and the five major tribes send troops at the same time, and they can dispatch nearly 280,000 elite cavalry at most. The Weifu in the Jingxiang area is completely inferior in terms of total military strength. In this regard, we are incomparable. Besides the combat strength, most of the 220,000 troops in our hands are veterans who have served in the army for many years and have rich combat experience. He is also courageous and has a strong adaptability on the battlefield. Among the few troops, only Ren Gui's troops have not experienced a big battle, and they may suffer some losses in battle. However, several of our troops are from Shandong, The southeast, inside the pass, outside the pass, and northern Hebei provinces are not under the same control. Armor, weapons, horse gear and equipment are not standard except for Tiance's army. In addition, they are all princes of one party, and no one is usually willing to submit to anyone. It may be difficult to obey orders and obey the command in a unified way, not to mention that Li Yi's Tianjie army may not be able to rebel. It is not bad that such an army can exert 70% of its usual combat power. On the other hand, the Turks, other People and their soldiers have lived on horseback since they were born. For them, cavalry combat is as natural and simple as eating and sleeping. Their strategies are open and closed, with few tricks but simple and effective. Actions come and go like the wind. They are proficient in riding and archery, and they are extremely powerful in fighting alone. Although they belong to different tribes, they have simple class control and strict orders. This is incomparable to us. What I think is, Now that the imperial court has just experienced a major change, and the hearts of the people are not yet completely stable, in this eventful autumn, I am afraid that this battle will be extremely dangerous." Wei Zheng followed behind, listened to Li Shimin's analysis silently, and said calmly: "The hidden worries that your highness said are not entirely true. It has been less than two months since your highness entered the East Palace, and it is at this moment when the government and the public are paying attention. The enemy is naturally uneasy. If you win this battle, it’s fine. If you lose, not to mention that the court is in danger of moving the capital, His Highness’s reputation and prestige will plummet immediately. Therefore, this battle is not only about the safety of the court and the state of the country. At the same time, His Royal Highness's own wealth and life are at stake. I believe that although this battle appears to be military on the surface, it is actually a great political event!" "Oh?" Li Shimin was taken aback for a moment, and couldn't help but stop.He looked back at Wei Zheng, and said with a smile: "Xuan Cheng must have underestimated me as a prince, right? If you say that my headache is only because of this mere prince, please forgive me. If I can't risk the world with the safety of the country Rise and fall, how can we recruit the world's civil and military heroes to come to help?" Wei Zheng smiled: "I don't mean that, but since ancient times, kings are not saints. If His Highness is worried because of this, Wei Zheng doesn't believe it. But if His Highness doesn't have this feeling in his heart, it's against common sense, and Wei Zheng naturally doesn't believe it either. " He paused for a moment and said: "However, I said that this matter is a huge political issue, but it is not aimless. It depends on how His Highness views this matter. At present, the Central Plains has been plagued by wars and famines for years, and the common people are suffering. The will of the people is not in line with His Majesty and His Highness's original intention of governing the country. Therefore, the Wei Mansion can no longer be confiscated. Not only can it not be confiscated, but it should also be ordered to reduce rent and exempt taxes. The army will be suspended for two to three years. Good self-economy will support the people's livelihood and accumulate national power, this is one of them! The reason why the Turkic army has moved south this year is that since last year, the northern half of the winter has not snowed, and the climate is bitterly cold. Not to mention countless horses, cattle and sheep froze to death. The grass on the prairie has all withered this year, because the various tribes urgently need to go to the Central Plains to plunder and spend money. Therefore, although one or two people have great ambitions, it is extremely difficult to control the whole. Jieli may be thinking of destroying Chang'an entered the Central Plains, and Tuli was suppressed by him for many years. His thoughts and deeds were very different from his, let alone other tribal leaders? Therefore, this battle is politics for me, but is it not politics for the enemy? This is the second! Today In this situation, whether to fight or not to fight is not up to me. I think that no matter how I fight this battle, it is better to retreat from the enemy at the least cost. As for how to retreat from the enemy, that is His Highness's expertise, so I will stop talking too much! " Li Shimin laughed and said: "Although what you said is not suitable for destroying the enemy, it is also a way of seeking the country. I will judge it carefully, but if you want to have the best of both worlds, it is difficult for the strong..." As he was speaking, he suddenly stopped talking, as if he suddenly thought of something, the expression on his face kept changing, he walked forward silently, Wei Zheng looked at him, but followed behind without asking any further questions. After walking for a while, the two of them had already turned around the corner of Zichen Hall. Li Shimin raised his head, looked around, and unconsciously showed a slightly smug smile on the corner of his mouth...