Chapter 14 The fourteenth chapter Tang Jun waved Ge Ding Mobei people wept and mourned as dark as dark

Du Ruhui went back to the mansion that day to recuperate from his illness, but he never recovered from the illness, and lay down on the couch day by day, his body getting heavier day by day. Fang Xuanling was ordered by Li Shimin to visit his doctor. On this day, he entered the palace and explained to Li Shimin in detail: "Ruhui is getting thinner and thinner, and can only eat some porridge every day. His abdomen is getting more and more painful. The imperial doctor said that he is in pain The location is in the liver." "Liver? He has such symptoms, and he can't be tired at all. He has been busy with the battle ahead day and night, and it seems to be more serious."

"That's right. In the past, I had suffered from insomnia. During this period of time, I was exhausted and exhausted. I couldn't afford it." Li Shimin's eyes turned red, and he sighed: "Ruhui is just forty-six years old this year, and he is in the prime of life. He worked so hard for the country that he got sick. I wonder if I didn't care enough. Xuanling, go tell the imperial medical office and let them spread the disease." Seek good doctors from all over the world, search all over the world for rare medicinal materials, and definitely cure Ru Hui's disease. Otherwise, I will punish him severely."

After Fang Xuanling left, Li Shimin sent someone to call Prince Li Chengqian.After a while, Li Chengqian entered the palace for an audience, followed by the crown prince's left concubine, Yu Zhining, and his right concubine, Li Baiyao.At that time, Li Chengqian was only twelve years old, and Yu Zhining and Li Baiyao wanted to teach him. Li Chengqian recently saw that Li Shimin had lost his childishness, he was trembling and did not dare to say much, he lowered his head and waited for orders.He also suffers from foot disease, which makes him unsightly when he moves. Li Shimin felt a little unhappy when he saw his timid look.Li Shimin called him here today to let him go to Du Ruhui's house to inquire instead of him, and wanted to take this opportunity to talk about Du Ruhui's achievements, so that Li Chengqian cherished the minister since he was a child.Because he was heartbroken for Du Ruhui, he didn't want to say more at the moment, so he said to Zhining and Li Baiyao, "Ruhui has been with me for many years, but he was seriously ill. You took the prince to visit today, and I also intend to come in person .”

Yu Zhining understood Li Shimin's intentions, and replied: "The prince is benevolent and filial, and I will definitely explain the emperor's intentions clearly. The way of Chen Junchen and his son is to ask about sleeping and eating, and I will let the prince do it bit by bit. rise." Li Shimin nodded, looked at Li Chengqian and said: "Chengqian, as the prince, you will see Ruhui later, so you have to make this clear. You go." Li Jing and Li Shi joined forces in Baidao and drove Jieli to the north. On the one hand, they ordered the army to station in Baidao, and on the other hand, they gathered the captured Turks and sent them to Dingxiang City to settle down.

The north wind blew over the Yin Mountain in bursts, making everyone feel the cold outside the Great Wall even more.After all this fighting, the soldiers had not enough food and grass, and their clothes were mostly torn.In a few days, Li Jing inspected the army and found that many people were frostbitten.He asked Zhang Gongjin and Li Daliang to be responsible for registering the frostbitten soldiers, and then sent them to escort them back to Mayi to recuperate.Li Jing edited two more books, and sent people to send them to Chai Shao and Xue Wanche separately, asking them to quickly transfer food, grass and clothing, and add another ten thousand soldiers to come up.

Chai Shao and Xue Wanche fulfilled their duties, Li Jing's letter had just been delivered, and the two transfer teams had already arrived in Baidao.Chai Shao was the most careful, knowing that Li Jing and Li Shi's surprise attack this time must not have much luggage. Apart from food and grass, he also transported a lot of cotton clothes and tents.Zhang Gongjin and Li Daliang were overjoyed when they saw each other, and Li Daliang praised: "What Chai Fuma has done is really a timely gift." Li Jing and Li Shi took advantage of the opportunity when the army was resting here, and sent out scouts one after another to investigate Xieli's actions separately.Three days later, the scouts returned one after another, saying that the Jieli people stopped when they reached Qikou.

Li Jing turned over the map of mountains and rivers, and pointed out: "Look, Li Shangshu. To the north of Qikou is the territory of Xue Yantuo and Huihe, and to the northeast is the territory of Khitan. We will lead the army to press forward. Where will Jieli flee to?" ?” Li Shi looked at the map of mountains and rivers for a long time, then raised his head and said: "If our army continues to attack, Xieli has two ways to escape: one is to flee to the west to seek the protection of the Western Turks. Shen, when Jieli got there, he could only rely on others. With Jieli's personality, he would not go this way unless he was desperate. Another thing is that Jieli fled northward from the junction of Huihe and Khitan, trying to reach the extreme north. There will be further development."

Li Jing shook his head and said: "It's freezing cold today, Jieli has suffered a lot from this battle, if he wants to escape to the extreme north, the climate there is even colder, and if he doesn't bring food and fodder with him, it is very difficult to survive, so now is not the time for him to flee north. From this point of view, if Xieli is cornered, he has no choice but to flee westward. But now, Xieli has stopped at Qikou, what is he thinking at the moment?" Si Li went to Chang'an to beg for peace with Li Shimin, but at that time communication was inconvenient, Li Jing and the others had no way of knowing.

Li Shi said worriedly: "Jieli is stationed at Qikou now, and he must want to observe the next move. For the current plan, it is best to encircle the north and the south, and encircle and wipe them out. The further north our army is, the farther it is from the rear. It is best to contact Xue Yantuo, Huihe and other tribes, so that they can send troops to help, so that they can be overcome at one stroke. But, are the barbarians and Bodhisattvas willing to listen to our orders?" "The people in the northern border tribes have repeated personalities. They used to have grievances with Jieli. If they see our army coming, they don't know what to plan in their hearts. There is no need to contact them. For the current plan, we can only rely on our own strength. Director Li, I The most difficult thing now is that if Jieli hears that our army is attacking Qikou, his soldiers will definitely flee in all directions, and it will be difficult for our army to win a complete victory."

Li Shi seems to be talking to himself: "If we are in the west of Qikou, we will have another team." To the west of Qikou, in winter, it becomes a vast desert. There is no one there, and it is difficult for the team to station for a long time. Li Jing was silent for a moment, thinking about sending a troop west along Yinshan Mountain to cut off Xieli's escape route.But the terrain there is dangerous and difficult to deal with. If soldiers and horses go deep into it, they will easily fall into desperation. This is a dangerous move.Thinking of this, Li Jing had a plan in mind, and said, "Boss Li, we will cross Yinshan Mountain in the future. You lead the Eastern Route Army to station there, and I will lead the Western Route Army to sneak westward along the foot of Yin Mountain. Let's not disturb Jie." Li, let him settle down and not move. We will then decide the time to attack with surprise soldiers, with the goal of capturing Xieli alive."

Li Shisi thought about it, and felt that there was nothing good to do at the moment.In this way, moving the camp to the north and maintaining a close relationship with Jieli may capture better opportunities. Two days later, the army dismantled the tents, lined up through the Baidao Valley, and then stationed separately, one on the left and one on the right.When the soldiers arrived here, they felt the coldness of the northern kingdom even more.Fortunately, Tang Jun's clothes are very thick, so there is no danger of catching cold. Tang Jian and Zhi Shili left Chang'an that day, and rushed to Qikou at full speed.Zhi Shisili was very familiar with the geography of Yinshan Mountain. He led Tang Jian to turn left and right in Yinshan Mountain. Although the road was difficult, he ran straight to Qikou without making a big turn.In this way, they have no chance to meet Li Jing and others. Xieli was looking forward to the Tang envoy's arrival in the Qikou tent every day. In several days of dreams, he saw Li Shimin's stern face, only listened to Li Shimin's sharp words, counted his sins, and categorically refused his peace offer.After waking up from the dream, his whole body was sweating profusely, remembering how many times he had invaded the Tang Dynasty in these years, and greedily extorted a large amount of gold and silk, it was not too much for Li Shimin to treat him like this. Sometimes this thought flashed through Xieli's mind: I was about the same age as Li Shimin, why did Li Shimin get the throne shortly after the two met each other, and made the Tang Dynasty prosperous, while he seemed to have gone downhill since then, The border is getting smaller and smaller, and all the subordinates are rebellious?This kind of contrast is really obvious, could it be God bless Datang?Such thoughts only flashed through Xieli's mind. Jieli's idea at this time is also very simple, that is, to retreat the Tang army's advance slowly, and then spend the winter with Li Shimin, and escape to the extreme north when the weather is warm, where he will try to increase the population, raise horses, and wait for the scale to grow. At that time, he will lead the tribe to kill southward like a whirlwind. Barbarians, Bodhisattvas and the like, including Li Shimin, will face the sharp blade at that time, and they are not afraid that they will not submit. Jieli was thinking wildly in the tent alone like this, his temper became more and more tyrannical, and the people of his tribe dared not come to him easily, and even Princess Yicheng did not see him face to face for several days. At sunset that day, the moisture on the ground met the warmth of the sun to form a dense fog. The heavier the twilight, the thicker the fog, and gradually it became difficult to see your fingers.Tang Jian and Zhi lost their minds to break through the heavy fog and dismounted in front of Jieli's tent. Jieli heard that the Tang envoy came to the tent, thinking that Li Shimin must have allowed him to sue for peace, he was overjoyed and rushed out of the tent in a panic.Seeing that it was Tang Jian who arrived in person, I was overjoyed again. Since Li Shimin sent Hongluqing as his envoy, he was obviously serious about this matter.He was courteous in every way and welcomed Tang Jian into the account with a smile on his face.While entering the account, he turned his head and said to Zhi Shili in Turkic: "You are very good, you have lived up to my expectations." After Tang Jian entered the account, he bowed to Jieli and said: "My emperor is kind and unwilling to go to war with each other to slaughter living beings, so he allowed the Great Khan to enter the capital." Jieli was overjoyed, and shouted: "Have a feast quickly, throw a banquet quickly, and clean up the dust for the Tang envoy first. Ambassador Tang, it's getting late now, let's talk about serious things tomorrow. I still have Middle-earth shochu here, you Drink a few cups to warm up your body." Zhi Shili looked at Jie Li's attentive look, thinking that the people of the tribe could only see his furious face for a long time, and it was too rare to see such a smiling face, and felt very unnatural in his heart. It was the tallow candle burning vigorously in the night tent, and Jieli held a lamp to persuade Tang Jian to drink.Jieli usually drinks a lot, so how can Tang Jian, who drinks less, be an opponent?After a few glasses of wine, Tang Jian was defeated.Over there, Xie Li had asked some beautiful Turkic girls to wait outside the tent, Xie Li clapped his hands, and these girls entered the tent one by one, dragged Tang Jian softly, and sent Tang Jian to another tent to rest. . When Tang Jian woke up the next day, he saw several young girls with jade bodies lying beside him. He couldn't help showing embarrassment, and ordered them to get dressed and leave.He drank too much last night, and his head is still heavy until now, but he understood his mission, so he got up and went to Xieli's tent, asking to see Xieli.The gatekeeper waved his hands again and again, saying that the sweat would sleep until noon, and no one was allowed to enter the account. If anyone entered it without permission, he would be killed. Tang Jian had to walk back slowly.Until sunset, Xielifang sent someone to invite Tang Jian. When Tang Jian stepped into the tent, he saw roasted whole lamb and large pieces of beef on the carpet in the center, and there were wine pots and wine cups beside them.Jieli stretched out his hand to invite Tang Jian to sit at the main table. Seeing that he was going to drink again, Tang Jian waved his hands again and again and said, "I'm overwhelmed with alcohol. I drank too much yesterday. Please use it yourself." Jieli laughed loudly: "Ambassador Tang, as a Honglu minister, if you are not good at drinking, how can you entertain the Quartet? Haha, whenever I have guests, I must have a drink with them before talking about business. If you don't drink , how do we talk about it next?" Tang Jian felt that there was something rascal in Xieli's words, so he smiled and said, "If a large army comes to the city, can the Great Khan still drink wine with such a calm expression?" Xieli's heart sank, and he recognized the irony in Tang Jian's words.He remained silent, raised his head and drank the wine, trying to suppress the anger gushing in his heart.In the past, if someone ridiculed himself like this, he would have become furious on the spot. Tang Jian ignored Jieli's emotional fluctuations, and continued: "The emperor sent me to see Da Khan as an envoy. There are two main meanings: one, the emperor approved Da Khan's intention to seek peace, and he can immediately strike down the troops. , the Great Khan surrendered the whole country; two, the Great Khan offered to enter Chang'an, and my emperor wanted to welcome the Great Khan to the bitter cold outside the Great Wall. The emperor hoped that the Great Khan would enter Beijing as soon as possible in Chang'an, and I hope the Great Khan understands my emperor's mood , it’s time to do it early.” Jieli was noncommittal, drank another glass of wine slowly, and said, "Ambassador Tang, you don't want to drink, you can eat some of these beef and mutton. I have made up my mind to go to Beijing, so it goes without saying. It's just that the clan was dispersed by the Tang army. They know that I am here, and they will slowly come to gather. If I leave now, there will be no leader here, and there may be some troubles. I think, if Ambassador Tang is patient, he will wait here first, and wait for me to take this matter. We will go again when things are settled. If Ambassador Tang has a lot of business in Beijing and China, he can go back to Beijing first, and within three months, I will definitely go to Beijing to meet the emperor." "Three months? It's too long. Big Khan, can you make the trip within a month?" Jieli shook his head: "No, one month is too short. The clansmen have gathered here, and I have to arrange them properly. Ambassador Tang, there is one more thing you need to help with. We are currently short of clothes and food, and it is difficult for us to get through this. Winter. Since we are a country of the Tang Dynasty, please report to the emperor, and it would be best to find a way to donate some food and clothing." Tang Jian sneered secretly in his heart, thinking that outsiders commented on Jieli's tyranny and simplicity, but in fact it was only one side of his character, and he also had a cunning side.Tang Jian didn't want to deny it on the spot, so he agreed: "It's actually right to donate some food and clothing. I will write a book and send it to Chang'an tomorrow, and ask the emperor to make arrangements. It is a national problem, how can the Tang Dynasty sit idly by? Khan, I want to share with you It would be best for you to go to the capital together, as you really can't get away now, I can wait for a while." Two days later, Tang Jian saw that Jieli stayed in the tent all day, eating meat and drinking there, not caring about the life and death of his clansmen, and immediately understood that Jieli's reluctance to go to the capital was just an excuse.I wanted to question Xie Li face to face, but thought that time was too short, so I decided to observe for a while longer. Li Jing was overjoyed when he learned that Li Shimin allowed Jieli to make peace, and sent Tang Jian to Qikou to comfort him. He immediately sent someone to call Li Shi and Li Daliang to discuss matters.At this time, the camps of the East and West Route Army were only 40 miles apart. Soon, Li Shi and Li Daliang led several cavalry to Li Jing's tent. "The opportunity we've been waiting for has finally come." Li Jing swept Li Shi, Li Daliang, and Zhang Gongjin with deep eyes, and said word by word. The three of them remained silent and listened quietly to Li Jing's words. "Although Jieli lost two battles in a row, the crowd is still strong. If you let them escape, it will be a future disaster. Now the emperor sent Tang Jian as an envoy to comfort him. Jieli was in a state of panic, seeing that our army would not attack again. His heart must be wide-eyed. I intend to select 10,000 elite cavalry, and I will lead them to sneak a surprise attack. You lead the army to follow and try to surround them from the east and west. In this battle, the Eastern Turks will be completely defeated." Li Shi and Li Daliang felt that this was a good plan, and the army waited here for many days just to wait for this opportunity.In the audience, Zhang Gongjin's mind was relatively slow, and he asked inexplicably: "Li Shangshu, the emperor sent Tang Jian as an envoy to see Jieli, and he agreed that the two countries should stop fighting and make peace. If we attack it with troops, will it violate the law?" His Majesty's will." Li Daliang laughed and said: "Dudu Zhang, you are a little pedantic. We have received the emperor's order to seek benefits, and the emperor has not let us stop attacking, let alone stop fighting. Li Shangshu's doing this is just a tribute His Majesty's will." "But Tang Jian is in the Jieli camp, if our army moved, wouldn't it destroy Tang Jian's life?" Li Jing said solemnly: "Killing 10,000 enemies, inflicting 8,000 self-inflicted injuries. If Tang Jian's mere life is exchanged for our army's complete victory, this is still a good deal. Besides, Tang Jian has been on mission many times, and he knows how to change things. He can plan a way to protect himself. Besides, our army is pointing directly at him, attacking him unprepared, and Xieli has no time to protect himself, so how can he have time to think about killing Tang Jian?" Li Shi nodded approvingly, and said: "Dudu Zhang, haven't you heard the saying 'Soldiers are deceitful'? It was precisely this method used by Hanxin in the past to defeat Qi." He turned to Li Jing and said, "Li Shangshu Of course, this battle can be won, but it is also dangerous. The environment and weather in the desert are harsh, and the troops are most likely to be left behind during the march, and they are far away from the rear, so it is difficult to transport food and grass." "Director Li is very worried. I've made up my mind. Let each person bring 20 days' worth of food and grass. As long as the first battle is won, the follow-up food and grass should be able to take care of it. In fact, fetching water in the desert is the most difficult thing, but now There will be heavy snowfall, and the snow will be very thick, then let the soldiers boil the snow and melt it on the spot.” Li Jing decided to lead 10,000 elite riders to set off that night, and let Li Shi and Li Daliang lead the East Route Army, and let Zhang Gongjin lead the West Route Army, and set off at Chenshi tomorrow to meet them.Li Jing's method of attacking Qikou this time is very similar to the previous attack on Dingxiang City.He saw Xieli's unpreparedness, so he used surprise soldiers to strike swiftly and violently, causing the enemy to chaos, and further expanding the results of the battle. It was night, and 10,000 people were ready to go.Li Jing was fully clothed, rode to the front of the queue, and shouted: "Su Dingfang." "The subordinate is here." Su Dingfang quickly ran to Li Jing. "You are the vanguard of this battle. You can choose a thousand people to follow you and set off immediately." "Li Shangshu, my subordinates don't want so many people, two hundred people are enough." "Do you know your responsibilities?" "I know. As a forward, you should attack the enemy's line first, and you must not lose contact with the rear." Under the light of the fire, Li Jing nodded slightly, and motioned for Su Dingfang to lead people to set off. The clatter of horseshoes suddenly sounded, and ten thousand horses quickly rushed into the desert, and gradually became silent. Tang Jian was bored waiting for Jieli, so he couldn't bear it this day, so he went to Jieli's big tent to ask for a meeting. These days, at night, there is thick fog within a hundred miles of Qikou.Seeing the Tang envoy coming here, the Turkic people knew that the emperor of the Tang Dynasty had agreed to stop the war and seek peace. The tense nerves gradually relaxed. Seeing that the fog lingered for several days, they felt more secure, and they were happy to have fun in the tent. In the long-lost peaceful time.Xie Li also relaxed, thinking that every day would be a day, so that he could get through the winter earlier, and gradually forgot about Tang Jianhou who was here to bring him to Beijing. Tang Jian begged to see him outside the account, and Jieli remembered this matter. Although he was helpless, he had no choice but to allow him to enter the account.After entering the account, Tang Jian asked face to face: "Khan, I heard that almost all of your subordinates have returned. It seems that we can leave for Beijing. We can't keep the emperor waiting too long." Jie Li hesitated and said with embarrassment on his face, "Ambassador Tang has just been here for a few days, can't you wait? You know, it takes a few days to gather the people, so you have to wait patiently for a few more days. Or, if you If you can’t wait, you can go back to Beijing first.” Tang Jian understood that he was perfunctory himself, and suddenly remembered the words Li Shimin held his hand before leaving, which really had a lot of meaning.Tang Jian has followed Li Shimin for many years, and he is well aware of Li Shimin's character of not dragging his feet in everything.The Qihe agreement with Xieli this time is contrary to his past actions, because Xieli is already in decline, and he should not give Xieli a chance to breathe.Tang Jian suddenly had a flash of inspiration, remembering that he hadn't heard a word about Li Jing's dismissal before leaving.The emperor asked himself to come to comfort the envoy, how could he know that it was not a tactic to slow down the army? Looking at Jieli's situation, if it is not at the end of the mountain, it will definitely not be easy to enter Chang'an.If I beg here, it will be difficult to achieve my goal, and there are countless dangers hidden.Thinking of this, Tang Jian decided to leave this place, so he changed his face and said: "If the sweat is really hard to get away, you can enter Beijing later. It's just that I can't stay here for a long time. You must know that the emperor is in Beijing at this time. They are anxiously waiting for my return to Beijing, and I will return tomorrow." Seeing that Tang Jian said he wanted to leave, Jieli thought that as long as Li Shimin promised that the Tang army would not fight again, everything would be fine. He stayed here, but he bored himself, so he replied: "Okay, you can go back to Beijing earlier, and you can let the Tang army go to war." Your Majesty will feel at ease soon. Isn’t it too hasty for you to leave tomorrow? Although this place is not as prosperous as Chang’an, there are still conditions to ensure that Ambassador Tang can enjoy all kinds of happiness by himself.” Tang Jian secretly scolded Jie Li for being shameless. Seeing that it was getting dark, Jie Li called someone to set up a banquet in the tent, and said to Tang Jian: "Ambassador Tang is determined to leave, and I can't stop him, so I have to prepare this banquet to see you off. The situation is clearly explained." Xieli was very happy for Bo Tangjian, and ordered the dancers to enter the tent to help the wine. He saw young men entering the venue wearing light tung oil cloth shirts, beaded hats, and long grape-patterned belts; , wearing a thin purple blouse and brocade boots.They stepped on the rhythm of the drums, graceful, light and elegant, with golden bells tinkling and golden boots rustling.In the interval, the man drank horse butter to get drunk, and the woman stepped on the spot, and then sang and shouted at each other. Tang Jian never imagined that after Jieli suffered such chaos, such a complete dance team could be preserved.Looking at its dancing posture, it is very different from the dance in Beijing, showing the rough charm of the people in the desert tribe.Tang Jian gradually became more focused, immersed in the atmosphere of music and dance, unaware that the time had passed. At this time, a person hurriedly came to Jieli, leaned over and said a few words to Jieli.Jie Li was shocked when he heard the words, waved his hand to stop the music, and asked the dancers to leave the tent, then looked directly at Tang Jian and said, "Ambassador Tang, do you know? Li Jing's army is only ten miles away from here!" Tang Jian was startled, thinking that Li Jing really came, but his face showed confusion, he said: "In the thick fog, how can we judge that it is the Tang army attacking? The emperor has already agreed to stop the battle and make peace. How can we send troops to attack again?" reason?" "That's right, since the emperor promised me to surrender, he sent troops back to attack here, so is he so untrustworthy?" A look of sudden realization appeared on Tang Jian's face, he slapped his thigh, and said loudly: "If Li Jing really came here, then this matter is okay. Big Khan, I came here directly from Chang'an with Zhi Sisili, and I never took photos with Li Jing and others. Excuse me. I think it's because of inconvenient information, Li Jing didn't know the emperor's intention to stop the war, so he came to attack. Khan, you can ask Zhi Shisili for proof of this matter." Jieli cast a questioning look at Zhi Shi Si Li, Zhi Shi Si Li nodded and agreed: "Ambassador Tang's words are indeed true. We were anxious to meet Da Khan, but we didn't have the chance to meet Li Jing." Tang Jian got up and cupped his hands and said, "Khan, this matter is certain. I think Li Jing didn't understand the emperor's will, so he led his troops here. It's okay. I have the emperor's golden arrow on me. Let me go forward and hold this As soon as Jian Xiao understands, he will definitely be sent back to the army. I hope that the sweat will not be in a hurry." After speaking, he took out a bright golden arrow from his bosom. At this moment, Xieli was in a state of confusion. Seeing this golden arrow was like a drowning man seeing a life-saving straw. Protect Ambassador Tang and go forward to let them retreat early." At this time, he trusted Tang Jian even more, and did not think of detaining Tang Jian as a hostage. Tang Jian and Zhi Shisili rushed out of the tent first, then got on their horses and galloped out in a hurry.I saw that the Turkic people in the camp were already in a mess, they were yelling, and the men and horses were running around.Seeing this, Tang Jian stopped his horse and said to Zhi Zhi, "Your Majesty once told me about your thoughts. Li Jing must be prepared to fight here. The fall of the Khanate will be tonight. In the midst of chaos, protect yourself Your family is the most important thing. You don’t have to go with me, go and protect your family quickly. This golden arrow is up to you to hold, in case Tang soldiers come to force you to take it out, they will naturally be very respectful.” After hearing the words, Zhishenli took the golden arrow, cupped his hands and said, "If that's the case, I will leave. Ambassador Tang, you should also pay attention to your own safety in the midst of the chaos." Tang Jian drove five li to the south, and saw a group of men and horses killed in the thick fog.Holding a torch in his hand, Tang Jian stopped his horse and shouted loudly, "Is this Li Shangshu? I'm Tang Jian." The leader was none other than Su Dingfang, the general of the Tang Dynasty. He led two hundred cavalry as the vanguard of the army and approached Qikou.He saw a person yelling there, so he came to Tang Jian to examine his appearance carefully, and he recognized Tang Jian, Hongluqing, and said happily: "So Mr. Tang has escaped by himself. Li Shangshu warned us earnestly, let us try to find him." Master Tang, it's all over now. Master Tang, Li Shangshu will be here in a while, and I will not accompany you at the end." After speaking, he whipped a few times, and the horse leaped into the air, and immediately disappeared into the thick fog. The 10,000 horses led by Li Jing arrived in no time, and they rushed towards Qikou like a whirlwind, leaving the Turkic people powerless to fight, and they all scattered for their lives.Na Jieli leaned against the tent door, full of hope that Tang Jian would withdraw from the Tang army, and did not take any precautions.He rode on a thousand-mile horse and went out of the city to look far away. He saw people rushing to inquire about the news. Some said that the Tang army was only seven miles away, and others said that the Tang army was only five miles away.After doing this for a while, he suddenly heard the sound of horseshoes in the thick fog ahead, and saw the mighty Tang army galloping towards him. Jieli was dumbfounded.At this moment, Jie Lifang realized that Tang Jun's attack was real, and he had just been a fool for letting Tang Jian escape.He knew that it was too late to fight back with his troops, and he would be defeated in this battle, he felt that it was more important to escape, so he turned his horse and led dozens of his followers to flee westward. When the Tang army entered the Turkic camp, the Turkic people fled in all directions as if they were in an uninhabited land.Tang Jian had already met with Li Jing at this time. Seeing the situation, he said worriedly: "Li Shangshu, with our 10,000 people, it is difficult to kill all the Turkic people. If they are allowed to flee, they will gather again in a few days. Is it trouble?" In the firelight, seeing Li Jing tightly shut his lips, he said after a moment of silence: "It's okay. The task of our group of troops tonight is to disrupt the formation, and the more scattered they are, the better. After the Turkic people fled, they dare not flee north or south. , had no choice but to flee east to west. Now, Zhang Gongjin has led the West Route Army, and Li Shi and Li Daliang have led the East Route Army to set up a net there. After tonight, we can wait here quietly and prepare to receive and count the prisoners That's it." Tang Jian cupped his hands and said in congratulations: "Li Shangshu's plan is exhaustive, and no one can match it. Tang Jian sincerely admires it. After this battle, the name of East Turks will no longer be known in the world, and it will get rid of a great disaster for our country." Li Jing smiled and said: "It is difficult to say that I have no plans. These days, I am always afraid that you will be taken hostage by Jieli, and even lose your life. I don't want you to be so clever and get out of your body. I am really sorry for your experience. Difficult to calculate." Tang Jian remembered the thrilling experience tonight, and at this time he felt a little scared. The sky is gradually brightening, but the fog is still shrouded.The Qikou camp is now gradually calming down, and the camp is in a mess. The Tang army began to clean up the battlefield. They tied up the men and women who hadn't escaped in time with ropes, and dragged them to the empty space in the camp. place.Holding the golden arrow in his hand, the one who had lost his mind was followed by a crowd of black people.It seems that besides protecting his own family, he also enlisted his close relatives. Tang Bing was pleasantly surprised to find that there were a lot of gold and jewelry scattered in the camp. Those with quick eyes and quick hands put them in their arms, and some people even started looting them.Seeing this, Li Jing ordered Su Dingfang to bring people to suppress the situation, and the commotion gradually calmed down.Su Dingfang collected a large amount of treasures and sent people to guard them strictly. Then he came to Li Jing and asked for instructions: "Li Shangshu, there are still a lot of treasures that have been scattered into individual hands. I want to lead people to confiscate them one by one." Li Jing breathed a sigh of relief, thinking of everyone's arduous journey these days, he couldn't bear it, and said: "Right now, strengthening the vigilance is the top priority. If they are confiscated one by one, there will be commotion again, and we will discuss this matter later." Su Dingfang said again: "Just now we caught a woman in full dress and a young man. His subordinates saw that they were special, so they searched for someone to find out their details. It turned out that the woman was Ke He Dun from Xieli, that is, Princess Yicheng of the Sui Dynasty, that young man is Dieluozhi, the son of Jieli and Princess Yicheng." Li Jing was obviously concerned about Xieli's whereabouts the most, and asked, "Is there no trace of Xieli in the camp?" "According to eyewitnesses, after our army entered the city, Xieli fled westward with dozens of people." Li Jing said to himself: "Well, it is best for Jieli to be captured by Gongjin. If he escapes, the battle will not be complete. As for Princess Yicheng, this girl has married four times, and she has become an enemy of our country. She is too shameless." But, you can behead her on the spot. Well, you can imprison her in a chariot and send her to the capital.” Li Jing treated Princess Yicheng in this way because he heard that she was beautiful, and the current emperor Li Shimin wanted to accept her as well. Trouble, if she is sent to the capital, maybe what will happen again. Two days later, the East and West Route Army gathered at Qikou in high spirits.In this battle, Li Jing and the West Route Army beheaded more than 10,000 Turks, captured 200,000 people, and captured hundreds of thousands of livestock; Li Shi and Li Daliang's East Route Army also captured more than 100,000 Turks. From the north of the Yin Mountains to the desert are all the territory of Tang Dynasty. The news of Li Jing's army's great victory at Qikou spread to the capital. Li Shimin was overjoyed when he heard the news, and said to all the ministers: "It will be a matter of time before Jieli's power declines and is destroyed. Li Yaoshi only used 10,000 horsemen to fight straight for this battle." The lair can be said to win more with less, which shows its military skills. All parts of the country are busy with farming. If we devote all our national power to fighting the enemy, it will ruin the years of hard work of our monarchs and ministers. Li Yaoshi is well aware of this principle, and won without compromising national strength. It is really not easy for a commander-in-chief to have such a heart." Afterwards, Li Shimin issued an edict to amnesty the world and celebrate the event of the East Turks, needless to say. When the news spread to Da'an Palace, Li Yuan was bored in the palace every day, so he couldn't help but rejoice when he heard the good news.The palace people couldn't help being surprised to see that he looked childish despite his old age.Li Yuan looked to the north, stretched his arms and stretched his body, praised Li Shimin and said: "The great ancestor of the Han Dynasty was trapped in Baideng, and he could not take revenge for life. I have been humiliated for many years, and I have been a minister under the Eastern Turks. Erlang will destroy it today. Erlang is entrusted by me. People, if you have a son like this, why worry about it." After saying that, he ordered people to enter the Taiji Palace, asked Li Shimin to set wine in Lingyan Pavilion, and summoned more than ten senior officials to feast and celebrate together. Li Shimin complied with the order and asked them to come to the scene on time according to the list proposed by Li Yuan. Among them were Xiao Yu, Chen Shuda, Yu Zhining, Yan Shigu, Su Shichang, Wen Daya, Liu Zhenghui and others. Lingyan Pavilion was first built in the Northern Zhou Dynasty, and its original intention was to be a place where the emperor summoned his ministers to have a banquet during festivals.Because the pavilion was not built in the imperial city, the emperor and his officials came here to have a banquet, and when they opened the window, they could see the street view, which meant "having fun with the people". Cigarettes are lingering in the pavilion tonight, candles are burning brightly, and a group of musicians hide behind the curtains, playing brisk music.According to etiquette regulations, Xiao Yu and others came first to welcome Li Shimin into the pavilion. After a while, Li Yuan entered the gate of the pavilion in a warm car, and then went down to the ground. Li Shimin led the crowd to salute him. Today's Li Yuan seemed really happy. He excitedly sat down on the chair, then waved his hand and said, "Erlang, everyone, you can take your seat. Gu is happy today, don't have so many formalities, and the table will start immediately after everyone sits down. Yes Now, don't drink wine tonight, but drink 'Cell Spring', which is popular in the army, and everyone can drink to their hearts' content and enjoy themselves to the fullest." Li Shimin said: "Father is already in the spring and Autumn period, so he must drink alcohol to a certain extent, so as not to damage his body." Li Yuan smiled and said: "Erlang, don't spoil my interest. Confucius said, 'If you hear the Tao in the morning, you can die in the evening'. You have destroyed the Eastern Turks and removed a stone that has been in your father's heart for many years. Drinking more wine is nothing. ? Come, drink, drink." Xiao Yu jokingly said: "Your Majesty, it is rare for the Supreme Emperor to be so happy. I would like to accompany the Supreme Emperor Meng Lang once." Li Shimin nodded with a smile, and said: "Father, the prisoner recently presented a wonderful thing, it is very unique, how about drinking according to this order today?" "What wonderful thing? Hurry up and bring it up to open everyone's eyes." A court lady brought up something on a tray, and everyone took a closer look, and it turned out to be a wine order utensil.The base of the object is a gold-plated tortoise, with a silver chip tube on it, and "The Analects of Confucius Jade Candle" is written on the tube.Li Shimin stretched out his hand to open the silver chip tube, took out several silver chips for wine orders, and said: "This is the first time this thing is used today. Its seat is a gilded tortoise, which means to wish the Supreme Emperor a long life. These wine chips are very interesting. There are famous wine chips on the tube. It is called 'Analects of Confucius Jade Candles', and there are fifty chips in the tube, each chip is engraved with words on the front, the upper part is the Chinese phrase, and the lower part is the example of drinking." Overjoyed, Li Yuan stretched out his hand to take the wine order flag, put it in front of him, and said: "So, I will be the leader of the order first, and the order will be issued immediately." After finishing speaking, he took out a silver chip from the tube, and the maid behind him will After receiving this chip, he lightly opened his jade lips and said: "Death and life are fate, wealth and honor are in the sky. Drinking yourself is very important." It turns out that people in the Tang Dynasty had four ways of drinking, persuading, drinking, and letting go. "Drinking" is self-pouring. "Persuasion" means a toast, "punishment" means a fine wine, and "release" means a new betting.Li Yuan got this chip and wanted to drink up the full cup of wine in front of him. Su Shichang praised from the side: "The Emperor Taishang really has a lot of meaning to get this idea. Jieli has been doing evil for many years, and he is wiped out today. God has eyes in the end." Li Yuan gulped down the cup and said: "No. To achieve something, it is not only the right time, but also someone's plan. Jieli's destruction is ultimately due to the credit of Erlang and the officials. Well, let's not gossip. It's an order." The title of the fundraiser is: "Your Neighborhood Township Party. The top and bottom are seven points each." Li Yuan's left hand is Li Shimin, and his right hand is Xiao Yu. Since then, there have been many kinds of drinking orders, "In the four seas, all are brothers. Ten points for any persuasion." "Riding on a fat horse, wearing light fur. The clothes are fresh and the benefits are seven points." ""The one who lives in a low class and stalks the superior. The last two people are very good." Drinking orders are drawn out one after another. Although the drinking method is elegant, there is a lot of wine in the belly. Everyone gradually became drunk, Li Yuan's face was red and his ears were hot, and he said loudly: "Today I just drink according to the order, and the scene will be too boring for a long time. All love you, and let Gu and Erlang cheer for you once." He He looked at Li Shimin and said, "Erlang, as a father, you have practiced the pipa proficiently these days. Let me caress a piece. How about you dance with your sword?" Li Shimin had already drank a lot of wine, and gradually became infected by the lively scene, he said with emotion: "Father has an order, and my son must obey it. Bring the pipa and the sword." 李渊老来学艺，让乐工教其演奏琵琶技艺，今日也是第一次当众显露新学来的本事。在座众人闻听太上皇要亲自操琵琶，皇上仗剑起舞，这是多么新鲜的事儿，各自虽酒醉八分，兀自张大着嘴巴发呆，也不敢张狂乱讲。 李渊起身离座，伸手接过琵琶，到前方空阔处的一张椅子上坐定，只见他五指轻捻，一曲《剑器》从其手中发出。该曲刚健雄强，节奏明快，似回雪飘摇，如箭射长空，动如雷霆，静如凝光。众人一品，觉得李渊的演奏技艺有相当火候，不由得齐喝了一声彩。 那边的李世民持剑下场，其依琵琶乐声节奏起舞。只见那柄利剑似龙游翔，时而划剑成圆，时而剑势如虹。他在场中左右游走，左旋右抽，忽然掷剑向上，那剑到达阁顶后向下垂落，如电光下射，李世民执剑鞘承之，利剑毫厘不爽直入鞘中。众人叹为观止，掌声雷动。 是夜众人尽欢而罢，到了第二日，李渊弹琵琶、李世民舞剑的消息传了出去，人们惊叹之余又有一丝儿艳羡，觉得未亲眼目睹如此场面，为极大的憾事。 李世民因平定东突厥，心中欢喜数日难抑。然天公与人欢喜，往往极短，转眼间就会乐极生悲。房玄龄这日匆匆求见李世民，奏道：“陛下，臣看如晦的光景越来越差，其最后的日子也许就在这两日。” 李世民大惊，问道：“这群该死的太医，竟然如此不中用，那么多人，连一个如晦都医不好？” 李世民让太医署倾尽全力医治杜如晦，太医署不敢怠慢，太医令、太医丞带人一拨一拨入杜如晦宅中问诊，又召各地的名医入京，调八方奇珍药材。那些日子，往杜如晦宅中去的医者相望于道，源源不断。 房玄龄道：“太医署此次对如晦的病可谓尽心尽力，然无可奈何，也是没有法子的事儿，请陛下勿责。” 李世民见房玄龄一脸悲凄之容，知道他和杜如晦心意互通，如同一人，起身道：“玄龄，你同我一起去看看如晦。”说完让太监立刻备马。 李世民到了杜如晦的宅中，见躺在榻上的杜如晦形容枯槁，仅剩下个皮包骨头，与未休病之前宛如两人。杜如晦的神志很清醒，眼光很明亮，见到李世民作势要起，被李世民伸手止住。 杜如晦的眼中滚出两行清泪，许是他太瘦弱，只觉他那泪珠儿也似乎瘦了一圈。他微欠了一下身，气喘吁吁说道：“陛下，臣一病不起，不能再为皇上办事。唉，这身子真是不争气。” 李世民顿时哽咽道：“如晦，你为我尽力如此，有病了就该好好养着，不要再起别的念头。” 杜如晦伸出枯瘦的手，将眼上的泪珠揩净。他忽然绽颜一笑，说道：“臣这些日子躺在病榻之上，每日的疼痛将臣折磨得难以入睡。这样整日整夜瞪着房顶苦思冥想，终于想明白了一件事儿。” 李世民看到他露出了笑容，心里多少有些好受。以前杜如晦每次定计之后，方露出一笑，现在的笑容中依稀有原来的影子，让他感觉很熟悉。 杜如晦接着说道：“臣自从跟随皇上，蒙陛下不弃，视臣以亲近，才有了这样一番轰轰烈烈的经历。人生来到世上，多少人都是庸庸碌碌一生，又有谁有臣与玄龄这样的际遇？有了这样的经历，别说已经跟随陛下十余年时间，就是仅有一年，此生亦已足矣。当然，人的欲望无穷无尽，臣自知将死，犹奢望继续为陛下办事，不免为臣的憾事。” 房玄龄在一旁也流下了眼泪，他不忍让杜如晦看到，遂转头轻轻抹去。 李世民见杜如晦说话之时，其神色很是轻松，知道他已经看破了生死，虽对生有着无尽的留恋，然对死并不畏惧。想起杜如晦将不久于人世，又让他忆起以往的岁月。每临大事乃至危急关头，是眼前的这两人与自己一起倾力排解。杜如晦若撒手西归，无疑失去一臂，李世民心中实在无法接受。他伸手去握杜如晦那双消瘦的手掌，触手处只觉其皮肤已失去弹性，骨节尽显，流泪道：“如晦怎能说这般话？眼下天下刚刚有一些起色，李靖又新将东突厥灭掉，正是你和玄龄一起大展宏图的时候，你难道真想舍我而去吗？” “陛下不用安慰，臣心明如镜，知道去日不远，这是没法子的事儿。陛下手下能臣云集，就是离了如晦，也一样能取得天下大治。臣今后在九泉之下，也日日盼望这个日子。” 李世民心头更悲，扭头唤道：“玄龄，你看如晦心硬如铁，真要舍我而去啊。” 房玄龄见李世民发乎真情，眼泪不绝地涌出，打湿了胸前衣襟，竟然有些神志不清，上前轻轻移开李世民之手，将他扶了起来，说道：“陛下，如晦现在休养要紧，我们似可离去了。吉人自有天相，如晦也许静养数日，身子会慢慢好起来，亦未可知。” 李世民最终在房玄龄的劝说之下返回宫中。到了第二日午时，杜如晦油尽灯枯，阖目长逝。 噩耗传入宫中，李世民闻讯大哭，对房玄龄说道：“你与如晦随我多年，立下了多少功劳，然你们并不言功。这几年，朝中的台阁规模，典章文物，皆是你们所定，可谓重权在握。然你们能从善如流，不见权威痕迹。魏征、王珪善谏诤，而你们能让其贤，李靖、李世善将兵，你们能发挥其所长。今如晦逝去，我失一臂矣。” 李世民因为杜如晦逝去，决定废朝五日。赠杜如晦为开府仪同三司，加封为司空，谥曰成。他又召虞世南前来，令其挥毫撰文，言君臣痛悼之意，然后刻成石碑立于杜如晦墓前。 杜如晦归葬之日，李世民率领百官前去送行。起灵的时候，李世民忽然痛哭失声，司仪署一名主事匆匆走到李世民身侧，轻声谏道：“陛下，《阴阳书》中有规制，发殡之日不宜哭泣。”李世民抬手抹了一把眼泪，大声说道：“君臣之义，同于父子，情发于衷，安能因避忌而不哭泣？”按当时的风俗，发殡之日若从人哭泣，则为不吉。李世民此语一出，算是从此打破了此项陋规。 是夜，李世民恍恍惚惚睡去。就见杜如晦如往日面貌，身披素衣，飘飘而来。他到了李世民十步开外的地方站定，然后敛衣下拜，说道：“陛下不可为臣太过悲痛，若陛下不能自已，臣去实在难以心安。” 李世民大喜，起身欲到杜如晦身边，说道：“如晦，我知道你不会舍我而去。” 杜如晦连连后退，躲闪道：“陛下身上阳气太重，臣为阴间之人不敢太近。陛下，臣魂归地府，阎君说陛下思虑太重，怕因此伤神，特遣臣来与陛下再见一面。” 李世民停下脚步，将信将疑，问道：“如晦，你颜色如故，怎么成了阴间之人呢？如晦，你不可骗我。” 杜如晦又是躬身一拜，说道：“陛下，臣的确已为阴间之人，臣此次来是想告诉陛下，臣今生追随皇上，快乐之时为多，身病难治，陛下尽心尽力，又给予臣许多身后哀荣。如晦如今再无任何遗憾，心中十分快乐，唯望陛下恢复平常心情。” 李世民此时隐隐约约觉得杜如晦果然逝去，就立在那里发呆。 杜如晦又说道：“臣有一事忘记奏明皇上，如今东突厥已灭，其徒四窜，则颉利、突利原辖之地已成空虚。历代以来，长城以外往往是异族盘踞的地方，他们稍成气候，即向南侵。请陛下抓住这个机会，将此地盘为我所用，以永绝边患。” 李世民听罢此言，猛然醒悟此次战后，如何妥善安置突厥之众为当务之急，遂张口欲问究竟。忽见杜如晦又是伏地叩首，然后身子无声后退，隐入殿外的白雾中再也不见。 李世民大急，紧跨几步追赶过去，唯见白雾一片。他大声喊道：“如晦，如晦，你在哪里？你在哪里……”他这一阵大急，将自己从睡梦中惊醒过来。他瞪眼看着上方的黑暗，心中回味着刚才的梦中之事。只觉其间过程十分清晰，犹如与杜如晦生前面对面说话一样。 宫女们见李世民惊醒，急忙掌灯。李世民扭头问道：“什么时辰了？” “已交五更。” 李世民脑子十分清醒，再也不能入睡，索性披衣起来，在殿中慢慢踱步。他忽然唤来一名太监，说道：“你去，传房玄龄即刻见朕。” 房玄龄入殿的时候，天光已有些蒙蒙亮。李世民让他坐下，说道：“玄龄，我刚才见到了如晦。常言道人鬼殊途，再难相见，看来也不当真。” 他接着将刚才所梦说了一遍。 房玄龄大为感动，颤声道：“陛下，日有所思，夜有所梦。想是陛下思虑如晦太多，因成其梦。” “你说得不对。像如晦所说的安顿突厥之事，我尚未想过，如何能入梦中？” 房玄龄也不好解释，抽泣道：“皇上这些日子因伤如晦离去，悲痛太过，切莫因此伤了身子。如晦这辈子跟随皇上，让皇上视若至亲。臣与如晦心意互通，知道他就是魂归地府，心亦十分满足。” 李世民的眼圈忽然红了起来，说道：“我心伤如晦，不为他办事练达，不为他对我忠心，实因我从此与他再难相见。” “臣知道。” “你和如晦在我身边多年，日常之中并无感觉。我知道，人难免一死，可是他这一离去呀，让我撕心裂肺，实在不忍。我昔日有事可以直呼你和如晦前来，从今之后，仅有你一人形单影只，更会令我触景伤情。” 房玄龄不忍继续这个话题，说道：“如晦所言安置突厥人之事，委实迫在眉睫。陛下，臣想下去后思量一番，也请皇上将此意晓谕百官，力求集思广益，以策万全。” “嗯，我会让他们去办。”李世民的语锋一转，又继续刚才的话题，“我今失如晦，万万不能再失去你。玄龄，打从今日开始，你仅对朝中大事上心，对一应庶务万万不可接手。平日里，你还要加强锻炼身体。眼前天下初创，还不能离开我们君臣两人。” “臣遵旨。也请陛下以天下为重，保重龙体为要。” 李世民扭头唤太监取来两条黄金带，说道：“这两条黄金带，是高昌国进贡之物。我今日将此条赐予你，可悬于宅中正堂之上，使你日日能见到此带，不忘记今日之景。至于这一条……”他说到这里，又哽咽起来，“这一条，你可代我将它送入如晦宅中，再带去一些御馔，到如晦灵前再祭一回。世传鬼神畏惧黄金，若如晦在阴间拥有此物，不至于受到欺负。” 房玄龄接过黄金带，躬身谢赏。心想，李世民对待臣下如此有恩，也不枉大家追随一场。至于其赐黄金带给地下的杜如晦，此做法虽匪夷所思，然其发乎真情，房玄龄禁不住又热泪盈眶。 此后很长一段时间，李世民对杜如晦的追忆难以泯灭。每每瞧见与杜如晦有关的物事，不免睹物思人，唏嘘一番。 李世民对杜如晦的后代也大加照顾。擢其长子杜构为尚舍奉御，次子杜荷为尚乘奉御，皆为其身边之人。未几，他又招杜荷为城阳公主的驸马，封爵为襄阳郡公，朝野之人，皆知当今皇上待杜家恩遇殊重。