Chapter 8 The Eighth Chapter Dengzhou Sends Grain to Pu Yu Chai Shao Leads the Army to Surround Shuofang

The two Inspectors Zhang and Huangfu left the state government on the second day and went separately to the county under the jurisdiction of Dengzhou.I saw waterwheels standing everywhere among the green mountains and green waters along the way, and the common people stood on them in shifts and stepped on them, chanting Wanzhong minor tunes, carefully distinguishing their sounds, saying: The two governors observed along the way, and they had a common feeling, that is, the spirit of the people here is very good.They couldn't help sighing: "The granary knows the etiquette, and the food and clothing know the honor and disgrace. Food makes people courageous."

When they see their own people, it will be a different feeling.When the disaster victims saw their government masters in different places, they all mumbled and dared not say a word. What made the two governors blush the most was that some of them even expressed their intention to settle in Dengzhou.After hearing such words, the two governors couldn't help feeling angry.Thinking about it carefully, if they were to return to their hometown, where there would be no food or fire, it would be very different from here, and they would be ashamed to reprimand them. Three days later, the two governors returned to Dengzhou government office.Chen Junbin received them in the hall this time in official uniform, and asked with a smile: "The two adults must have been very tired in the past few days. I wonder if you are still interested in listening to my thoughts?"

The two of them have been thinking about Chen Junbin's answer these days, and they couldn't wait for it. They said repeatedly: "I want to hear the details! I want to hear the details!" Chen Junbin signaled Chen Biejia to speak. Chen Biejia said: "Master Chen has told our subordinates these days that Puzhou and Yuzhou were hit by disasters, and the victims flowed to Dengzhou, so Dengzhou has an unshirkable responsibility. In other words, seeing the victims suffer from hunger and hunger , We can’t sit idly by. Therefore, after the disaster victims arrive, the state will first vacate their residences and then provide them with food. This is the first step in the state’s disaster relief.”

Zhang and Huangfu clasped their hands together to express their thanks to Chen Junbin: "Master Chen is benevolent and righteous. On behalf of the disaster victims, we would like to thank Dengzhou for its great kindness." Chen Junbin waved his hand, signaled Chen Biejia and continued: "As for the second step, it is specially designed for Puzhou and Yuzhou. Master Chen means to let the disaster victims in the two prefectures return to their homes in the near future. The two adults come to In the following inspection days, the counties in this prefecture have reported the number of disaster victims and made a list. There are 6,781 people in Puzhou and 5,360 in Yuzhou. I also heard that Dengzhou has a population of 6,781. In the surrounding states and counties, there are also scattered populations of two states, so I asked the two adults to investigate carefully.

"When these disaster victims return home, they will inevitably face the risk of having no rations and seeds. Mr. Chen has already thought about it. These rations and seeds are provided by the state, which can be calculated according to the population of 10,000 in each state. In addition, in order to solve the urgent need, the state donates to Five thousand shi of grain from your two prefectures can be sent to the border in just a few days. As for how to overcome the drought and how to make the officials and people in this prefecture carry out major agricultural activities, the two adults have a strategy in mind, and there is no need for officials to say more.

"The last step, if Guizhou is really ripe after autumn, please return the grain provided by the state year by year. The grain donated this time is not included. Mr. Chen said that if the harvest is not good after autumn, the grain will be sold There is no need to pay it back.” The two governors opened their mouths wide, feeling as if a big pie fell out of thin air, and they couldn't help being ecstatic.They kept saying: "I have to pay it back, I have to pay it back. As long as we get through the current difficulties, we will pay back twice as much after autumn." Chen Junbin cupped his hands and said: "You two adults, the food provided by this state can only solve the immediate difficulties. How to revitalize the agriculture and mulberry in this state depends on the strength of the two adults. You have more than enough energy here. I can only pray for Guizhou Working together, together with God's grace, we can completely get rid of this difficult situation."

Huangfu Inspector said: "I used to only hear about Mr. Chen's name, but now I know about Mr. Chen's heart. This trip with Inspector Zhang is not a coincidence. We not only learned about Dengzhou's measures to promote agriculture, but also received a generous reward out of thin air. Chen My lord, the people of this state will definitely remember your kindness, and they should set up a monument of merit to remember it." Chen Junbin said: "Your Majesty Huangfu is wrong. I, Chen Junbin, am an official of the Tang Dynasty, and I should have a sense of responsibility to the people of the world. This time Puzhou and Yuzhou were the hardest hit, and the two lords came to visit in person. There is no second word. The state must support neighboring states. However, Dengzhou has limited capacity after all, and if two more come, it will not be able to support it. Speaking of it, we still have fate. You don’t come sooner or later, but you are here now. If you let The people are grateful for their kindness, but in fact, you two should be most grateful. You can follow in the footsteps of refugees, and this kind of love for the people is not something that every official can do. You are good officials."

Inspector Zhang said: "I have gained a lot in Dengzhou this time. When I go back, I will follow Mr. Chen as an example and lead my family to cultivate the ridges. Since I do this, no one in the state or county can stay idle. Mr. Chen , after I go back, I will write another chapter to report your contribution to the imperial court." Huangfu Inspector nodded again and again: "Yes, yes. Yu Zhou also wants to make a statement, and he will definitely give full credit to Mr. Chen." Chen Junbin said lightly: "Well, I have to submit a report to the imperial court for this state to supply grain to Pu and Yu states. After all, so much grain has gone out, and the imperial court must know where it is going. My lords, what is in the form above? You can mention it briefly for verification. As for all kinds of compliments, you can avoid it. You must know that Dengzhou's trip was not for personal favors, after all, it was the emperor's kindness. Please remember this point, two adults. "

The two nodded repeatedly. They knew that although the current emperor is open-minded, if a courtier is domineering and arrogant, he would be taboo. They promised that they would pay attention to propriety when they made statements. In the next few days, the Dengzhou government servants organized the disaster victims in Puzhou and Yuzhou to return to their homes.When the disaster victims heard that they would have food to eat and fields to cultivate after returning home, after all, the hot land was hard to leave, they cheered and walked joyfully. In response to the food shortages that occurred in various places, Li Shimin decided to allocate food from the national treasury to help the victims.At this time, Sinongqing showed distress, and said: "Your Majesty, since last year, the storehouse has only been able to go in and out, and it is close to the limit. The imperial court has a system, and the storehouse must keep a constant amount of grain in case of emergency. If the storehouse is dumped, it will be released. If the court has something to do and there is no food supply, it will be the crime of the minister."

At this time, Wang Gui, who had been moved to be the servant of the Huangmen, was by his side, and he interjected, "Yes, now there are Jieli and Liangshi in the north, and there are Tuyuhun and Western Turks coveting the Central Plains in the west, what Si Nongqing said Yes, the country should keep food reserves just in case." Li Shimin pondered for a moment, then said: "Wang Qing, what do you think of Sui Wendi?" Wang Gui replied: "Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty was diligent and thoughtful about politics, and he was also the master of governance." "Yes, Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty was indeed a virtuous lord. But you only know one thing, not the other. He bullied orphans and widows to win the world. He makes his own decision, he works hard on his own, and the result may not be completely reasonable. Courtiers know what it means, and they dare not speak out. The prime minister and below, only know obedience. I have said before that the affairs of the world can be decided by one person's wisdom. If there are no ministers to remonstrate his mistakes, there will be more perversions. Later, Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty acted arbitrarily and led to the subjugation of the country. It should be said that Emperor Wen was also responsible. We will not talk about this topic today, but also talk about grain storage.”

"During the time of Emperor Wen, the world was rich and rich, and he had the most grain reserves." "I read a passage the day before yesterday. I don't know if you paid attention to it. There was a severe drought in the 14th year of Kaihuang Sui Dynasty. At that time, people everywhere were extremely short of food. At that time, the state warehouse was overflowing with food. Emperor Wen refused to give relief, and let the people find their own way. Emperor Wen did not pity the common people but cherished the warehouse. At the end of his reign, the grain in his warehouse could supply the world for sixty years. As a result, Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty relied on this wealth, so he was extravagant and immoral, and finally perished. From this point of view, the Sui Dynasty Emperor Wen is not a virtuous lord." In the minds of people at that time, Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty was a virtuous leader of a generation.It was the first time Wang Gui and Sinongqing heard such remarks from Li Shimin today, which can be described as unique. Li Shimin went on to say: "I have said so many words to explain a truth. Those who govern the country must accumulate virtue for others and not fill up their warehouses. The ancients said: 'The people are not enough, who is the king?' But the warehouse can be Prepare for a bad year, why worry about saving anything else! Now is the bad year, when you don’t need to store food, when will you use it again? As for Jie Li and others, it’s nothing to worry about. According to my decree, half of the food stored in the warehouse can be allocated to help the victims.” Sinongqing was ordered to leave. Li Shimin raised his head and thought for a while, and said to Wang Gui: "When the people suffer from disasters, we must let the officials know and save the people with food and clothing. To make the officials take action, I must demonstrate. How to demonstrate, you need to reduce the expenditure in the palace. Go to Although there are five thousand court ladies at the age of 18, there are still too many people from the Taishang Palace and Yeting Palace, so you can select them and ask them to return to their hometowns to find husbands and wives. Wang Qing, you can convey my will to Du Zhenglun and Cen Wenwen, Let them both preside over the matter." In the next few days, Cen Wenwen and Du Zhenglun stood at the west gate of Yeting Palace, holding the roster of maids in their hands, and selected those who were redundant, and sent them home with travel expenses.The court ladies had been confined in the deep palace for a long time. When they heard that they were going to be released and they could marry independently, their faces were filled with joy. One by one, they took the money and hired donkeys to go home. Seeing that the emperor was still like this, all the officials did not dare to neglect, and donated money and goods to the Ministry of Households to help the victims.The person who donated the most money and goods should push Pei Ji, he has accumulated a lot in his eunuch, maybe he wants to show it in front of Li Shimin.Sure enough, after Li Shimin heard the news, he was very appreciative. Unexpectedly, Pei Ji still committed something.It turned out that since last winter, a monk named Fa Ya came to the capital.He has been setting up altars in Wutai Mountain to give lectures, and he is quite famous.After coming to Beijing this time, he lived in Jingying Temple in Tonghuafang. He held an altar every day to preach scriptures, and he preached a "Diamond Sutra" with great fanfare, attracting faithful men and women in the capital to flock here.Fa Ya's lectures in Beijing soon became famous, and the dignitaries in the capital naturally invited her to give lectures in their homes.Although Pei Ji is called Sikong now, he has nothing to do all day long. He invited Fa Ya into his house, and he stayed there for five days. Fa Yaruo devoted himself to preaching the scriptures, so nothing happened.However, he was unrestrained, and his speech was endless, and he was actually connected with current events.He preached in public one day: "Nowadays, catastrophes have been happening for years, and it is the Buddha's fault. If you want to make the world safe, you must set up many temples to teach scriptures to repair their sins." These words reached Li Shimin's ears, which made him furious.He immediately summoned Dai Zhou, ordered Faya to be thrown into prison, and cursed: "This damned monster monk dares to deceive people with his lies under my nose. He deserves to be punished. Dai Qing, you should check it out carefully. Who else is behind this demon monk? How could he come here from Wutai Mountain and say such unreasonable words out of thin air?" Dai Zhou went down to check, and immediately found out that Faya had stayed at Pei Ji's house for the longest time.Li Shimin definitely thought that Pei Ji had resentment, so he spread rumors through the mouth of the demon monk and was furious. He immediately issued an order to remove all official positions and half of Pei Ji's official title, and ordered him to return to his hometown.After receiving the imperial edict, Pei Ji thought about it, and felt that he was too old to suffer the crime of going to the countryside, so he had the cheek to ask Li Shimin to see him, and begged: "The guilty minister is old. I hope the emperor will remember that the old minister has meritorious service, so I beg you to stay in the capital for the elderly." Li Shimin looked at Pei Ji's pitiful face, and felt even more disgusted in his heart. The anger he had endured for many years suddenly burst out: "I originally thought that you, the emperor Zuo Tai, had won the world's credit. Regardless of your inferiority and mediocrity, I will still be with you." Your kindness is the first among all the ministers! You are in the rank of Sikong and have the most seals, why do you still have a heart of resentment? In fact, your crimes are also great, like during the reign of Wude, the court bribed the public, and the discipline was disordered. It was you who deceived the Supreme Emperor Sincerely. I can’t bear to blame you because of your old honor, and I have forgiven you so much by letting you return to your hometown to retire today, do you still have the face to make another request?” Looking at Li Shimin's resolute face, Pei Ji recalled the past when he hugged Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji back then, thinking that today's result was exactly what he planted at that time, and he couldn't blame others, so he sighed and stepped back sadly .On the same day, he led his family back to his hometown Puzhou. Li Shimin expelled Pei Ji from Beijing, and remembered the benefits of veteran ministers such as Xiao Yu and Chen Shuda, so he issued an imperial edict to grant them special promotions and make them participate in the government.At the same time, he also adjusted some other positions: moved Wei Zheng to be secretary and supervisor, and granted him special promotion to participate in the government;Since Gao Shilian took office, because of his lack of quality in his work, he was secretly told that he "slept without speaking".After several adjustments, Li Shimin basically changed all the important officials, entrusting them with important tasks according to their talents and characteristics, which is just right. Xiao Yu and the others will naturally thank you for the appointment edict this time.Li Shimin smiled and said: "Since ancient times, people have competed for important positions in the court, such as prime ministers. In fact, those who are kings and ministers, if they are dead, they only seek their positions to enjoy their glory. Of course, the bigger they are, the more benefits they will get. As a matter of fact, the higher the official level, the more responsibilities. For example, since I came to the throne, I have encountered disasters, and I have worked hard with the Qing to manage the affairs of the country. I have not felt the joy of being a king. I am not as free as when I was a vassal. .The reason I appointed Xiao Gong and others today is to make you do your best to serve the imperial court." Xiao Yu and others thank you again. Li Shimin said again: "Mr. Xiao, I now rule the world and regard the world as the most important public. I dare not be selfish. After seven years of Wude, the Supreme Emperor has the intention of abolishing the establishment. I really have the fear of not rewarding great achievements, and my brothers will not tolerate it. Most of the courtiers follow the prince. Only you and Mr. Chen are not afraid of authority. Every time you fight with the Supreme Emperor, you are a real minister of the country. I will always keep in mind the benefits of you and Mr. Chen. But you are honest and honest , Good and evil are too clear, and there are often mistakes. This is the reason why you and Mr. Chen were dismissed last time. Today, you have been reinstated and promoted to a high position, please keep this in mind." Chen Shuda replied: "Your Majesty's deeds since he came to the throne, the old ministers have been watching and delighting in their hearts. Ministers and other positions are demoted or promoted, all based on big plans, and the ministers are well aware of the truth." "It's good for you to know, and I won't say much. Since I came to the throne, no matter old ministers or new ministers, or whether they have personal acquaintances with me, they have been treated equally. As long as everyone thinks about the country, I will reward them accordingly. Pei Ji was demoted to his hometown this time, it was something he did on his own. Wang Qing and the others took Pei Ji as a warning and should not follow suit, otherwise our monarchs and ministers will feel bad after things are done." At this time, Du Zhenglun came out to play and said: "Your Majesty, I have something to play." Li Shimin signaled him to speak. Du Zhenglun said: "In my spare time, I sorted out the daily notes of the Wude period, and found that the late Feng Deyi was really insidious and hypocritical. He has deceived the emperor so far." The daily notes are the emperor's words and deeds recorded by the historian who accompanied the emperor. At that time, the reigning emperor was not allowed to read it as a rule. Li Shimin was somewhat dissatisfied with Du Zhenglun's behavior, and said: "It's not good for Du Qing to do this. You must know that most of the ministers in the court served in the reign of Wude. It is extremely inappropriate for you to disclose the content of the emperor's daily life. How about it, you today Only the words and deeds of Feng Gong are selected, and the others are not allowed to be involved." Facing Li Shimin's reprimand, Du Zhenglun couldn't help breaking out in a cold sweat, so he replied tremblingly: "After seven years of Wude, Duke Feng told his majesty one thing and another behind his back. Prince Jieying, if you don’t establish yourself early, you will make a quick plan for it.” Said to Prince Yin: “What do you call a beggar for the sake of the world, regardless of your relatives?” Rather than granting a title that is unworthy, please Your Majesty also bestow a posthumous posthumous posthumous title to show off his evil." Li Shimin was extremely shocked, remembering that when he was fighting with Li Jiancheng, Feng Deyi repeatedly spoke out about Li Jiancheng's shortcomings in front of him, and counted his loyal strategies.Such a duplicitous person looks very submissive on the surface, and the clothes he lives in are also very simple.Thinking of him being able to die well under his hands, Li Shimin felt a sense of being fooled.He wanted to slander and scold, but it was not appropriate for the court, so he stood up and shouted: "Bring the pen and ink." The officials in the audience were silent, not knowing what Li Shimin was going to do.The eunuch over there quickly brought pens and ink, and spread the tissue paper on the dragon case. Li Shimin held the brush in his hand, and concentrated on it for a moment, and wrote a poem on the paper with the flying brush.He looked sideways and found he was quite satisfied, so he raised his head and said, "Mr. Xiao, I have given you a poem today. You can read it to the ministers." Xiao Yu took the silk paper and saw that it said: Xiao Yu understood Li Shimin's meaning, was very excited, and read the poem aloud. Li Shimin said: "Xiao Gong, I think the people behind have not heard clearly, you can read it aloud twice." After Xiao Yu's voice stopped, Li Shimin said: "Xiao Gong, this poem is titled for you, but it is actually for all the ministers. Compared with Feng Deyi, one is as bright as the sun and the moon, and the other is as dark as a ghost. I said that you should To practice Qingming politics, between the monarch and ministers, between ministers and ministers, and between officials and the people, there must be conspiracy and no conspiracy. I hope you will remember it." The officials below responded: "I will obey the order." Li Shimin continued: "As for what Du Qing said, it seems necessary. You can take away the gift of Sikong and change his posthumous title to Miao. Feng Deyi did some useful things for the court after all when he was alive. Let it be as usual." When Li Shimin said this, he remembered that when Luoyang was besieged, it was Feng Deyi who returned to Beijing to talk to Li Yuan, and finally saved Li Yuan's intention to return to the army, and only then did the great victories in Luoyang and Hulao come about. This work is great. After the meeting was over, Li Shimin summoned Wei Zheng to blame him and said, "Wei Qing, I think your comments on Du Zhenglun are a bit too much. Feng Deyi's evil deeds will eventually be revealed. He shouldn't have leaked the content of the daily life notes in court. Come out, what do you think?" Wei Zheng nodded: "That's right, his behavior today is a little sloppy. I will look for him when I turn around, and I must give him a serious warning." After April of this year, rain fell in the northern states.The thirsty earth was nourished by the rain, the green grass rose again, and the half-dead trees burst out new buds.The people looked forward to the happy rain and breathed a sigh of relief.Most of the wheat, mulberries, peas, sunflowers and other things planted in the fields have died, and the rest are dying.With rain, these crops can survive, and then they can be replanted properly. Although the harvest will be poor in autumn, it will not be exhausted, so that there will be hope for the coming year. Pu and Yu prefectures got funding from Dengzhou, and the two governors copied Chen Junbin's approach to implement it in the territory, which had an immediate effect.They tried to divert water for replanting, built more water tankers to irrigate in time, and the survival rate of seedlings was very high.When the rain comes, the conditions of these two states are much better than those of the surrounding states.Seeing the hope of autumn harvest, the two governors couldn't help weeping with joy.It is not easy to know that Puzhou and Yuzhou were the hardest hit in the past, but now they have undergone earth-shaking changes.They went back to the source, and were even more grateful for the kindness of Chen Junbin and Dengzhou.The two governors coincided with the table above, first talking about the changes in the state, and finally crediting Chen Junbin and Dengzhou for their contributions. After Li Shimin read the two prefectures' lists, he summoned Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui and said, "Look at the above lists of Pu and Yu prefectures. If his words are true, Chen Junbin has made a great contribution." Fang and Du read their watches respectively, and Fang Xuanling read it first, and said: "Dengzhou had a good harvest last year, and Wailang, a merit examiner from the Ministry of Officials, went to the field to inspect it in person, and the Ministry of Officials has kept a record of this. The ambassador of Shannan Road also verified that Dengzhou helped the victims of disasters in various places, and Chen Junbin was not stingy. As for his funding of Puzhou and Yuzhou, I have not heard of it yet." Du Ruhui smiled and said, "Chen Junbin's achievement today has a lot to do with the windfall he got when he took office. At the end of last year, someone secretly reported that Chen Junbin found the Sui granary in Nanyang and had not reported it to the court. The officials secretly investigated and visited, and it turned out to be true. It's just that Chen Junbin didn't fill his own pocket with Chen Liang, but used it as rations for the state and the refugees, so as to survive the famine." Li Shimin frowned at first, then gradually relaxed it, and said: "Chen Junbin is so bold, he dared to conceal it and not report it. But he finally used it on the common people, and there is something to be forgiven." Fang Xuanling said: "Your Majesty's words are very true. The Minister looked at the two states of Pu and Yu. The measures to promote agriculture are quite unique. It is like an official's self-cultivation and self-sufficiency, which is in line with the spirit of the emperor's own farming. Officials are like this , the people are more enthusiastic about farming. Also, it turns relief into credit, and the people don’t wait blindly, but work hard to get twice the harvest, which is very innovative.” Du Ruhui said: "Your Majesty called on agriculture to be the foundation of the country, and said that the governors of various places regard agriculture as the most important thing. From the point of view of my ministers, although Chen Junbin has some losses, his flaws are not concealed. He is indeed an outstanding governor. He has made great achievements in farming. And after becoming rich, he will not forget the world, generously relieve the victims of the disaster, and help other states to tide over the difficulties, he is also a good official." Li Shimin could tell that Du Ruhui wanted to praise Chen Junbin.He asked Fang Xuanling's opinion with his eyes, and Fang Xuanling nodded eagerly.He took a look at the watches of Pu and Yu states, and said, "Of course Chen Junbin can be greatly commended, but the benefits of Pu and Yu states should also be mentioned. Xuanling and Ruhui, seeing these three I am deeply impressed by the deeds of the governor. I feel that the administrative affairs implemented since last year have initially seen results. They think that the common people are diligent in farming and strictly abide by official ethics. It is not easy. Xuanling, you drafted this edict by yourself , and then open up the world, so that the governors of the world will follow suit. As for the matter of Chen Junbin's concealment, it must not be mentioned again in the future." On the same day, this edict was issued to the world, in which Chen Junbin was praised and said: "Last year, many states and valleys in the world were not listed, and there was little rice, so the houses of the people were ordered to eat.I heard that the governor and the common people know my heart, take care of each other, and have a surplus of food, and donate cloth and silk to the bequest walkers.Knowing that floods and droughts are constant, we will save and support each other, be courteous and prosper, and everyone in the sea will be brothers, so why should I worry about changing the wind of water?It has been ordered that there is a secretary who records the most meritorious service below the governor; This edict passed to the governors of various states, and the governors of neighboring states came to Dengzhou to watch it on the spot.The Dengzhou government office was busy for a while, there was a lot of traffic in front of the door, Chen Junbin was very tired of picking up and sending them off every day, but he could only greet them with a smile on his face.The governor who came to observe it went back and followed the same example, and implemented Chen Junbin's practice locally.From north to south, Chen Junbin's name was widely spread. Yuchi Jingde, the governor of Xiangzhou, couldn't help being furious when he saw Chen Junbin supporting Yu and Puzhou.Because Xiangzhou is connected to Dengzhou, and Xiangzhou also suffered a serious disaster, Chen Junbin sat back and watched, instead supporting Puzhou, which is not far from the capital, obviously wanting to ask for credit from the imperial court, and did not take Yuchi Jingde seriously.Seeing Yuchi Jingde's domineering appearance, Chen Junbin felt unable to reason, and couldn't laugh or cry. Since Jieli made an alliance with Li Shimin on the Weishui River Bridge, he returned to the Turkic Yazhang fairly honestly, and never invaded the Tang Dynasty again.He did this not to keep the covenant, but actually because his backyard was on fire and he had no time to look south. When the Eastern Turks were strong and prosperous at the beginning, they commanded the tribes of Shuomo, and they were so powerful outside the Great Wall.There are 15 larger tribes: Xue Yantuo, Huihe, Dubo, Guligan, Duolange, Tongluo, Pugu, Bayegu, Sijie, Hunhu, Xue, Xijie, Adiao, Qie Bi, Bai Xiao, Jie Li.Among the tribes, Xue Yantuo and Huihe are the most powerful.These tribes surrendered to the Eastern Turks, completely deterred by the military threat of the Eastern Turks.Eastern Turks conquered these tribes by force, but these tribes did not share a common national language and economic interests.If the Turkic forces were slightly weaker, these tribes would immediately rise up to resist. The first to raise the flag of rebellion were the six tribes of Huihe, whose chief Bodhisattva led more than 70,000 people in his tribe, and declared that he would no longer be bound by Xieli.After hearing the news, Jieli could not tolerate the rise of the rebellion, so he sent his brother Yugushe to lead the Turkic cavalry to crusade against Huihe.Facing the overwhelming army, the Huihe tribe, under the leadership of Bodhisattva, united as one, gathered five thousand horsemen and set up an ambush on Malu Mountain to meet them.They won more with less and defeated the demoralized Turkic soldiers.After Yugushe was defeated, he fled westward, and Bodhisattva led the army in pursuit, capturing many Turkic soldiers along the way.In this way, they chased all the way to the Tianshan Mountains, and finally completely dispersed the army led by Yugushe. So far, all the 100,000 Turkic cavalry he brought were lost. Influenced by Huihe, chief Xue Yantuo, Yi Nan, was also eager to try.The difference between him and a bodhisattva is that he must first find a backer who can take shelter.At that time, the three largest forces in the surrounding area were the East Turks, the West Turks, and the Tang Dynasty.Western Turks were too far away, so he had no choice but to choose Datang.Yi Nan sent his younger brother Tong Teler to Chang'an to meet Li Shimin, expressing his intention to join Datang.Li Shimin didn't have any hesitation at this time, and immediately agreed, and canonized the barbarian as Zhenzhu Vija Khan, and gave him a drum.Li Shimin also specially gave Yi Nan a treasured sword and a treasured whip, and said to Tong Teller: "Brother Guiyu! If there are serious crimes in your department, use this knife to kill them, and use this whip as a whip for small crimes. Fortunately, please don't condone them." Yes!" Yi Nan was overjoyed to hear the news, so he set up a tent at the foot of Dujun Yu's mountain, ordered the nearby department, and made it clear that he would never break up with Xieli. Jieli was very angry, not only hated Li Shimin's provocation, but also annoyed that Yinan betrayed him.He weighed the pros and cons, and felt that it would be best to subdue Xue Yantuo first, and let the Tang Dynasty let him go for a while, so he sent Tuli Khan to attack him. Tuli led the troops into the Yu Dujun Mountain, where Xue Yantuo had already been ready for battle.While Yinan dispatched iron cavalry to set up an ambush, he also sent people to contact Huihe, Bayegu and other tribes, stating their advantages and disadvantages, and asked them to send troops to reinforce them.Bodhisattva and others knew that Jieli was the common enemy of all the tribes. Only when the Turkic soldiers defeated in the future could the stability of the territory be guaranteed, so they each sent troops to reinforce Xue Yantuo.The tribes are so united, it's a pity that Natuli raised his troops all the way, his army's morale was not high and he didn't have a geographical advantage, so all the battles were in the north, so he had to retreat steadily.This battle not only failed to achieve the intended purpose, but also lost a lot of land under the jurisdiction of Eastern Turks.Seeing that he couldn't resist, Tuli gave up attacking and turned to defense, and led Congren Qingqi back to East Turkic Yazhang. Upon hearing the news, Jieli urgently summoned Tuli to enter the account.As soon as the two met, Jieli scolded him and ordered his followers to whip him.So still not relieved, Tuli was imprisoned for ten days before being released.As a result, the grudge between the two Khans deepened. Jieli remembered Li Shimin canonizing Yinan, and became furious again.He immediately sent people to Chang'an and invited Li Shimin to meet him at the border of Shuozhou.Its name is hunting, but it is actually a matter of intimidation. However, Li Jing, Minister of the Ministry of War, knew that Li Shimin's most important thing at present was to promote agriculture and promote governance, so he was unwilling to use force easily.He understands this, so he doesn't talk lightly about martial arts, but only strengthens the frontier defense and keeps abreast of movements in all directions.The most important threat to the frontier is the Eastern Turks.After Li Jing took office, he ordered Li Shi, Li Daliang and others who were guarding Shuozhou and Xiazhou to try to spy on various information about East Turks and Liang Shidu, and let them come to the capital every day.Li Jing had already heard about the news that Xieli sent people to Beijing this time.He read the news from all parties again, and silently thought of a countermeasure in his heart to deal with Li Shimin's inquiry.Sure enough, Li Shimin finished reading the memorial of Honglu Temple in the political affairs hall that day, and sent someone to call Li Jing. Now the people who come to the political affairs hall to discuss matters have changed slightly. One Gao Shilian left, and there are eight others in total.They are Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, Wen Yanbo, Wang Gui, Wei Zheng, Changsun Wuji, Xiao Yu, and Chen Shuda.Li Jing saluted Li Shimin after entering the gate, Li Shimin signaled him to sit down, and said: "Brother Yao, Jieli asked me to go hunting in Shuozhou, how should I deal with it? Others have said a lot just now, you are the Minister of the Ministry of War, talk about your situation view." Li Jing replied: "I think Xieli is just a false threat, so there is nothing to worry about. Now he is in a state of desperation, how can he have the energy to go south?" After Li Jing finished speaking, he gave the latest information about East Turks. Li Shimin looked at Xiao Yu and said: "Xiao Gong, after listening to what brother Yao said about the current situation of the Turks, do you still advise me to build the ancient Great Wall to prepare for the Turks?" Xiao Yu said: "Your Majesty's priority now is to promote agriculture, but to seek peace. The ancient Great Wall stretches across the northern border, and its general trend is connected, but only part of it is incomplete. If it is built to prepare for the Turks, it will not cost much, and it will really benefit the peace of the country. If the Great Wall is raised again to act as a barrier, the Turks will not dare to invade the border easily, so I think it is necessary." Li Shimin shook his head, and said: "Brother Yao is far-sighted and knows the disadvantages of the Turks. I asked him to speak today, in fact, to prove my evidence. Everyone has heard that the Turks are now linked by disasters and disasters. The tyranny is even worse, and the flesh and blood attack each other, and they will die sooner or later. I am preparing to clear the desert and pacify the Eastern Turks, and then work hard to build the ancient Great Wall. Wouldn't it become my fetters?" Xiao Yu was still unconvinced, and said: "After the covenant between Xie Li and Weishui Bianqiao, your Majesty once said that you want to stop martial arts and cultivate literature. Now that your vitality has not recovered, you have to work hard and go on an expedition. Isn't it contradictory?" Li Shimin smiled relieved, and said to Wen Yanbo: "Wen Qing, you have been in Turkic for a long time, how do you view the current situation?" Wen Yanbo replied: "The rise and fall of the Turks can be seen from their sheep and horses. The people of the East Turks are starving and their animals are thin, which is a sign of their impending doom. Your Majesty, the East Turks are now in internal and external difficulties. If Li Shangshu leads a surprise army to attack them , and then unite with Xue Yantuo and other tribes, I believe it will be won." Li Shimin shook his head and refused: "It is not the best time to attack Eastern Turks now. Since I came to the throne, the world has been suffering from severe drought, and the lives of the people are very difficult. There is not much food in stock, so launching a conquest now will undoubtedly make things worse. Well, I think the internal disputes in Eastern Turks are just beginning now, and we can just wait and see how it changes. Xiaogong, you must know that the conquest is also divided into two poles, just like Emperor Yang of Sui Conquering Goryeo is really a great feat, and I will not take it; like Jieli and others, who have repeatedly invaded our country and endangered the prosperity of the country, it must be conquered, and it is just a matter of choosing a good time." Du Ruhui said: "Your Majesty, Yehu Khan, the leader of the Western Turks, sent someone to say that he wanted to present ten thousand nails, precious silver, gold belts and ten thousand horses to welcome Tang Princess to get married. His envoy has been waiting in the post for many days. Answer, please show your majesty." Li Shimin didn't answer directly, but said: "There are masters of the art of war here, brother Yao, what do you think of the Western Turkic proposal?" Whenever Li Jing came in front of Li Shimin, he remained calm and restrained, not daring to overstep.He thought about it for a while, and slowly replied: "Sun Tzu said, 'Far away and close attack', if your majesty wants to seek Eastern Turkic, it seems better to agree to Western Turkic's marriage proposal." "Since Senior Brother Yao said so, let's make peace with the Western Turks. If you don't know, you can tell the envoys to come to Beijing to marry them in a few days. As for the matter before you, Wen Qing, you are familiar with the customs of the Eastern Turks, and you can bring gifts." Go on a mission. When you see Jieli, tell me that I am busy with domestic disaster relief and have no time to spare. I will see you again in two years. I think Jieli’s actions are nothing more than false threats. He saw a large number of treasures and thought that I If you are soft again, you will surely die down. "Brother Yao, you can ask Li Shi, Li Daliang, and Zhang Gongjin to strengthen their guard and train diligently. Xie Li is too busy to take care of himself now, and seeing that our country's border defense is well-equipped, he dare not easily violate the border. Also, Master Liang has always relied on Jie This time, Jieli is going to meet with me, and I heard that he is making noise in Shuofang again. Hmph, I don’t want to raise troops to disturb the people, because I let this clown escape for a few years. Now that the Eastern Turks are in decline, it’s time to deal with him It's time. Here is a statement from Liu Min, the governor of Xiazhou, saying that Liang Shidu and his subordinates are suspicious of each other, and it is the right time to attack." Li Jing replied: "Liang Shidu is the eagle dog of Jieli, and the people of Shuofang have already seen through it. In terms of external situation, our army is building a city every day to prevent Liang Shidu from invading the interior, and it has already oppressed Liang Shidu. There is no place to move. Your Majesty has said well that Liang’s division is in decline both internally and externally, and its backers have no time to take care of him. If my court orders a general to go to war, he will be able to destroy it. Now that your majesty has made up his mind, Li Jing is willing to lead the army to go out. , will capture Liang Shidu alive before His Majesty." Li Shimin said to the crowd again: "I want to raise troops to attack Liang Shidu, what do you think?" Everyone nodded, and Wei Zheng said: "The country is at peace now, only Master Liang is there to show off, and you don't need to go to war to attack him, and you can destroy one of Jieli's chess pieces in the country. I think it is feasible." Li Shimin nodded, and said: "Our monarchs and ministers have reached a consensus, first pull out the chess piece of Liang Shidu. Brother Yao, how to plan the military is up to you. How can you kill a chicken with a butcher's knife? You don't have to go to battle yourself, choose a general Fifty thousand soldiers and horses can go and attack." Li Shimin thought for a while, and then said, "How about this, I will help you order generals. Chai Shao can be the chief of the army, and Xue Wanche can be the deputy chief of the army. They will be punished soon." The strategy for dealing with Xieli was determined in this way. After Li Jing returned to the Yamen, he immediately dispatched troops, and called Chai Shao and Xue Wanche to give them face-to-face instructions. Chai Shao is currently the General of the Right Guard. In the second year after Li Wanniang's death, Li Shimin asked his eldest grandson Jiamin to visit a marriage for him.This girl is the youngest daughter of Sui Lang's general Pei Renji. She is beautiful and has a gentle personality.After Chai Shao got married to him, he felt her tenderness like water, which was hard to get from Li Wanniang, and they lived happily at home. Xue Wanche originally followed Li Jiancheng, and fled to Zhongnan Mountain after the Xuanwu Gate Incident. Li Shimin sent his brother Xue Wanjun to the mountain several times to recall him, and appointed him as the right leading general.The first time Li Shimin saw him was in Hebei. Xue Wanche, as Li Yi's general, came to attack Liu Heita together, and his bravery left a good impression on Li Shimin.He fled to Zhongnan Mountain, showing his loyalty to Li Jiancheng, and Li Shimin appreciated it even more.这时，万贵妃所生幼女丹杨公主到了适嫁的年龄，万贵妃让长孙嘉敏帮助挑选夫婿，长孙嘉敏又将这番话说给李世民，李世民脱口而出：“我看薛万彻就不错。”此后，万贵妃和长孙嘉敏又亲眼看了薛万彻本人，觉得还算满意。这样一来二去，薛万彻就当了驸马，成了李世民的妹夫。 李世民此次令柴绍、薛万彻为正副行军总管出征朔方，两人领兵五万出京城，过庆州，不日就到了夏州境内。闻听大兵来到，夏州都督刘闵、司马刘兰成出城迎接。他们将柴绍等人迎入城内，听罢柴绍宣读了李世民征讨梁师都的旨意，然后将与梁师都的对阵形势说了一遍。 原来刘闵和刘兰成皆是有心之人，他们整固城池以防备梁师都，渐渐稳住阵脚。刘闵此时又多次派轻骑深入梁师都所辖境内，专事践踏其庄稼，使其粮食不足。其间，刘闵派人潜入朔方城内，想法疏离梁师都的君臣关系，成功实行了反间之计。一名叫李正宝的将领被反间成功，他表示要拿下梁师都归唐。孰料有人告密，李正宝仓促之间只身逃出投奔刘闵。经过此事后，梁师都的内部猜忌更重。刘闵感到该是进击梁师都的时候了，遂修表一道，请求李世民发兵来攻朔方。 柴绍听完了刘闵的述说，赞扬道：“刘都督，你的这番功劳皇上已经记下了。我临行之时，皇上谆谆告诫，此战许胜不许败，且不可动静太大以扰百姓。梁师都困守朔方，已为瓮中之鳖，拿下他是迟早的事儿。我现在最担忧的是，万一我们攻打梁师都，他定会向颉利求援，如不能速战速决，倒是一件为难的事儿。” 刘闵沉吟道：“不错，梁师都一遇进攻，定会向颉利求援。突厥兵若来援，有两条道儿可行：一条是沿着朔州、银州边境东面来袭；第二条即是经过河套地区，沿着河水南下再入朔方。” 薛万彻道：“东面的路线不妨，李大亮、张公谨他们已在那里布下铜墙铁壁，谅他们难撼动一分。” 刘闵眼望柴绍，说道：“如此，我们专力对付其北路即可。” 柴绍沉吟了片刻，决然道：“如此，我们先对梁师都围而不打，静观其变。万彻，你领三万兵马到怀远一带设伏，只要有突厥兵出现，立刻痛击将之打败，此举定会让梁师都胆寒。我想，颉利如今内外交困，难以拿出大批兵力来援救梁师都。且我们领兵来此，一路上偃旗息鼓，动静不大，颉利定然以为对付梁师都的兵力仅是夏州的守军而已。估计他不会重视，所派人马不会超过二万。” 薛万彻依计带领三万兵马悄悄潜往怀远。柴绍又令领兵据守夏州，自己和刘闵分带两支人马，一东一西去袭扰朔方。梁师都见来袭兵马不多，遂大开城门带领人马冲杀出来。柴绍和刘闵的兵马与之一触即散，既而不知所踪。梁师都见对方力怯，心想此次要好好煞煞夏州的威风，遂放马到夏州城下，竭力攻打。城中的刘兰成偃旗息鼓，对之不理不睬。夏州城坚壁厚，梁师都一时无计可施，只好在那里跳脚大骂。这样挨到天黑，梁师都见今日难有结果，遂鸣金班师返回朔方。 刘兰成见梁师都已退过城门二里开外，随即一声断喝，只见城门大开，手执火把的兵士不绝地拥出城来。他们大声吆喝，奋力向前方追击。这时，埋伏在两侧的柴绍和刘闵，也令兵士大张火把现身出来。梁师都三面被围，只好没命地向朔方方向狂奔，其军大败，被唐军俘虏者甚多。 次日，唐军旗幡将朔方城围得密密匝匝。梁师都新败之后不敢再战，遥望北方想起自己的突厥主子，遂派人混出城外，星夜找颉利求救。