Chapter 22 In the twenty-second round, Li Jing, a heavy soldier, took command and named Xiao Yi into Vietnam.

What Li Jing was worried about was becoming a reality step by step.Duan Zhixuan led the troops to Tuyuhun, and ordered the Dangxiang Department and the Qibi Department to be the left and right wings, and together they rushed to the location of Fu Yun's main tent. Unexpectedly, they rushed to nothing, only clothes scattered on the ground and sheep and horses that occasionally ran away.Duan Zhixuan asked people to inquire about the news, and heard that Fu Yun led the brigade to escape to the west, so he pulled out his camp and chased west. Murong Fuyun's footsteps didn't seem to stop for a moment, Duan Zhixuan chased along his footprints, but never caught up.This day, Duan Zhixuan chased to the bank of Qinghai Lake, and then to the west, there was the vast Gobi Desert and the rolling Qilian Mountains.The Tuyuhun people seemed to disappear all of a sudden. I don't know if they hid in the vast moraine, or went to the Western Turks?

Duan Zhixuan looked into the distance and felt that this battle was really useless. He chased for eight hundred miles, but he didn't fight Fu Yun.He intends to continue the pursuit, but he is afraid that the lone army will go deep and be plotted against by Fu Yun.When Tang Jun came here, he was already exhausted, and his food and grass were basically exhausted.If the pursuit continues, food and grass will continue to become a big problem.Duan Zhixuan thought over and over again, and then thought of retreating.Therefore, he summoned the leaders of the Dangxiang and Qibi tribes to discuss the matter of retreating.

The leader of the Qibi tribe, Qibi Heli, is only 27 years old. He is very brave and good at strategy, and is deeply loved by the tribe.He devoted himself to Tang again and tried his best.Hearing that he was about to retreat, he immediately became anxious and said, "Director Duan, I have fought Fu Yun several times, and I know that he is extremely cunning. We chased him for more than 800 miles without fighting him. If you want to completely defeat Tuyuhun, you must be patient. According to my opinion, we can divide the brigade into pieces and contact each other. Once we find the trace of Fuyun, we will encircle and wipe them out. If we retreat now, then Fuyun It is bound to lead the troops to make a comeback, and this battle will be in vain.”

Duan Zhixuan sighed: "How could I not know about Fu Yun's tricks? It's just that we have traveled thousands of miles to the capital, and there is no supply of food and grass. Now the team is exhausted. If we rush in, it will be a failure." "Or Director Duan will lead the Tang Army to station here, and our Qibi Department and the Party Department will pursue and search. If Fu Yun can be found, Director Duan will lead the army to cover up and kill him. How about that?" Duan Zhixuan shook his head and refused, and said: "Although Qibi and Dangxiang are called the two wings of the army this time, they actually acted as the forerunner of the army, and they are very tired. If I make you pursue it deeply, you will be very vulnerable to serious damage. I cannot issue this order. How about this, let's go back to Shanzhou, rest and observe Fu Yun's movements, write a letter to the court, and decide to stop."

On the second day, the army pulled out of the camp and returned to the east, and slowly retreated to Shanzhou. As expected, Murong Fuyun was deliberately planning to lead the Tang army into the Qilian Mountains, and then rely on the familiar terrain to defeat them.Seeing Tang Jun take the initiative to withdraw, Fu Yun showed his head again and led Xiaoqi to attack Liangzhou.When Duan Zhixuan led troops to help, Fu Yun took the spoils and set fire to many houses along the way, but he didn't know where he went. By the time these bad news spread to Chang'an, Li Shimin had returned to Beijing after his summer vacation.After reading these battle reports, he said angrily: "This old and immortal Fu Yun has come to hide and seek with me. Hmph, I was too contemptuous before the battle, and Duan Zhixuan shouldn't be alone to ask for it. Well, Fu Yun, just wait and see what I can do."

Li Shimin was talking to himself in the hall, then he got up and walked around the hall, he was thinking about who to appoint as commander.Fu Yun was extremely cunning, relying on his familiarity with the terrain, seeing that the Tang army did not make direct contact, he didn't know where to slip with oil on the soles of his feet, and came out to harass suddenly when he saw an opportunity, it was really difficult to deal with.If you send someone to be the commander, this person should not be blindly brave, but must consider everything, be able to block Fuyun's retreat, or have the ability to pursue, so that he can win a battle.Li Shimin thought about it for a long time, and felt that it would be most appropriate to appoint Li Jing as the commander. However, Li Jing just resigned from the post of Shangshu Youpushe on the grounds of old age and sickness, and then sent him to lead the army into the desolate Western Regions. Li Shimin couldn't tell the truth.

Tuyuhun is located at the throat of the road to the west, with Tubo in the south and Gaochang, Yanqi, and Western Turkic states in the west.Datang is now at war with Tuyuhun, these countries must be staring at the outcome.If the battle of the Tang Dynasty stops here, I am afraid that these countries will not even come to pay tribute in name.From this point of view, this battle is no small matter and must be won completely.Duan Zhixuan's previous expedition to Tuyuhun did not suffer a major setback, but Fu Yun calmly drove the sheep and horses back without hurting the fur, and took the opportunity to attack Liangzhou, so this battle is not a complete victory for the Tang Dynasty. The countries of the Western Regions are paying close attention to the Tang Dynasty next move.

Thinking of this, Li Shimin secretly made up his mind: he must use Li Jing as his commander! Li Shimin summoned Hou Junji and asked, "After Brother Yao retired, do you still often go to his mansion to ask for advice on the art of war?" Hou Junji is now full of ambition, and has served as Minister of the Ministry of War for several years. He thinks that the art of war and military aircraft are the most arrogant in the world, so he has long since stopped asking Li Jing for advice.When Li Shimin asked this question, he was at a loss, and replied: "The minister is busy in the yamen every day, and recently he encountered the conquest of Tuyuhun. He wanted to ask Li Yaoshi for advice, but he never had time."

Li Shimin didn't like Hou Junji's answer, and said: "You are busy every day, are you busier than me? There is no limit to the way of knowledge, and the same is true of the art of war and military strategy, and the slightest misjudgment is a tragedy of bloodshed. You must have the style of humility to master the art of war and military aircraft. Marching and fighting are the most dangerous, and you must not be a little slack. To be a commander, you must have a calm face, and you must consider the overall situation and the details before you can strike a thunderbolt , won a complete victory. This point, Li Yaoshi did the most perfect. Alas, once Brother Yao leaves, I feel a little stretched every time I encounter a war."

Seeing Li Shimin's praise of Li Jing, Hou Junji didn't take it seriously, so he took the initiative to ask for a fight: "Your Majesty, I see the next move of the court, and it seems that I will continue to use troops against Tuyuhun. Although I am not talented, I would like to beg for soldiers to fight against Tuyuhun and capture Murongfu. allow." Li Shimin was indifferent to Hou Junji's rhetoric, and said lightly: "I have my own ideas about the conquest of Tuyuhun. You are in charge of the military department, and you must do your best for this battle, and plan the deployment of troops and food." He raised his head again. After thinking for a moment, he said, "I called you here because I want you to take my place in Brother Yao's residence. I have prepared some red gold and lu silk, and you will reward him with them."

Hou Junji was perplexed, he couldn't understand why the emperor rewarded Li Jing for no reason, and he didn't dare to ask more questions, so he bowed to receive the order. Li Shimin also instructed: "When you arrive at Brother Yao's residence, don't just turn around and leave. Take this opportunity to ask Brother Yao for advice, such as how to conquer Tuyuhun, you might as well ask more. You are still young, and you have the opportunity to go to war in the future. There are still many more, and I am not busy at the moment." Hou Junji bowed and withdrew, and immediately rushed to Li Jing's residence with the rewards.On the way, Hou Junji kept guessing what Li Shimin's intention was, but he couldn't think of anything, so he stopped thinking about it. It wasn't until the court meeting on the second day that Hou Junji understood Li Shimin's intentions. After the ministers finished their work, Li Shimin stood up, walked a few steps on the imperial platform, then looked at the ministers and said, "Now the world is rich and people live and work in peace and contentment, but Murong Fuyun, the lord of Tuyuhun, who didn't know what to do, took my magnanimity He is regarded as weak and deceitful. Duan Zhixuan led the troops to question the crime. He should silently observe the general situation and take the initiative to come to Beijing to ask me to forgive his crime. However, he thought he was familiar with the geography of Longxi and thought that there was Western Turk behind him, so he actually arrested me. A few days ago, he saw Duan Zhixuan leading the troops back, and then came out to plunder Liangzhou for a while. He did this because he thought that there was nothing I could do to him, and he clearly protested against me. Hmph, I have made up my mind to send more troops to completely Sweep Tuyuhun and capture Fuyun to Beijing. Wei Qing, I want to raise an army, what do you think?" Wei Zheng went out to play and said: "Tuyuhun is capricious and does not think about naturalization, and he lives in the throat of our country leading to the Western Regions. If it is not wiped out, there will be endless troubles. The stability of the frontier is a major issue for the country, and it is related to the safety of the people in the country. Your Majesty wants to send troops to conquer , I have no objection." Other ministers also came out one after another, and they all agreed to use troops against Tuyuhun. Li Shimin sat back on the dragon chair and said: "Okay, it's rare that all the ministers agree. It's not too late. At today's court meeting, the personnel to go to the expedition will be decided. Let's discuss it." Hou Junji went out to play and said: "Your Majesty, Duan Zhixuan led the troops to attack this time, but it is a pity that he did not encircle Tuyuhun and make him escape calmly. I thought that this time a heavy army was going to be sent out, so I sent someone to lead the troops west to block his escape route. , and then gradually encircle them from the south, from the north, and from the east, and then divide and annihilate them. Your Majesty, I am Minister of the Ministry of War, and I am willing to lead the troops to conquer Tuyuhun." As soon as Hou Junji finished speaking, Li Daozong, Shangshu of the Ministry of Justice, Yuchi Jingde, Shi Danai, Xue Wanche, Xue Wanjun, Ashina Sheer, Zhi Shisili and others came out one after another to challenge the battle. Li Shimin was noncommittal, and asked Hou Junji, "Junji, why didn't you tell me yesterday what you said? Why did you come up with such a plan overnight?" Hou Junji said: "Your Majesty, I dare not covet the achievements of heaven. These words were taught by Duke Wei of Tejin." Li Shimin looked at Li Jing and said, "Even though Senior Brother Yao doesn't care about military affairs, he still has a clear understanding of the fire. He has already planned this battle. Senior Brother Yao, do you have any other plans to teach me?" Li Jing bowed out of the class and said: "The battle of Tuyuhun is of great importance, and I will report it to Your Majesty in detail after I have considered it maturely. Your Majesty, I will invite the generals to fight Yin Yin. If Your Majesty does not think that I am old, I am willing to preside over the Western Expedition." .” Li Shimin was overjoyed, jumped up a few steps and walked down the stage, clinging to Li Jing's hand, he said: "Brother Yao, I am worried about the selection of candidates for the Western Expedition. If you can go to host, what worries do I have? It's just that Brother Yao is not in good health. Is it okay to lead the soldiers into the barren land to suffer?" Yesterday Hou Junji brought rewards into Li Jing's house, and asked Li Jing about the Western Expedition. What a smart person Li Jing is, he already understood what Li Shimin meant.Just imagine, now that there is no festival or festival, and there is no special event, Li Shimin rewarded such a valuable thing, clearly borrowing something, meaning to let Li Jing come out again to preside over the military.In today's court hall, Li Shimin was noncommittal to the generals' invitation to fight, his eyes searched for Li Jing's figure in the crowd many times, and met Li Jing's eyes many times.The earnestness in his eyes was clearly seen by Li Jing. Li Jing replied emotionally: "Raise soldiers for a thousand days, and use them for a while. I have bathed in the emperor's favor. Now that the country is in danger, how can I be dismissed because of minor illnesses? As long as your majesty trusts me, I will die forever." Li Shimin said movedly: "Brother Yao is like this, I am very grateful. If it weren't for the importance of this battle, I would not dare to let you go out again." He turned to the officials and said, "Brother Yao puts state affairs first, and he can be called I am a role model for a good minister. Brother Yao’s move is really a devotion to the court. After all, the loyal and good ministers of the past have been around for a long time, and Brother Yao is standing in front of everyone. Chu Qing, when the official department evaluates the performance, we must greatly promote Brother Yao’s trip This move." Li Jing bowed and said: "Your Majesty praises me so much, I am so grateful. I have made up my mind, and I just listen to Your Majesty to clearly state my duties and the date of departure." Li Shimin walked back to the stage and said, "I will follow Brother Yao's plan and dispatch heavy troops to encircle and wipe out the soldiers of Tuyuhun. Brother Yao, I will appoint you as the commander of the Xikaidao March to lead the battle and save all the troops. Hou Junji, minister of the Ministry of War, was the general manager of the Jishi Road march, Li Daozong, minister of the Ministry of Punishment, was the general manager of the Shanshan Road march, Li Daliang, the governor of Liangzhou, was the general manager of the Qiemo Road march, Li Daoyan, the governor of Minshan, was the chief marcher of the Chishui Road, and Gao Zengsheng, the governor of Lizhou, was the commander of the Yanze Dao Marching Chief, leading a total of 200,000 soldiers. In addition, let the Turkic, Dangxiang, and Qibi tribes send troops to cooperate with the army to conquer. Brother Yao, I will trouble you for the future." Li Shimin's words actually set the stage for the Tang army's conquest of Tuyuhun.Li Jing was the commander in chief of this campaign, commanding from the center, leading all the soldiers and horses.All the soldiers and horses have their own positions. Li Daliang is in charge of Qiemo Dao's march, and he must lead his troops to the west to block the Tuyuhun westward road; The soldiers went west along Jishi Mountain, echoed with Li Daozong, and squeezed northward; Li Daoyan and Gao Zengsheng heavily defended the Minzhou and Lizhou areas to prevent Tuyuhun from attacking eastward and fleeing southward. This is a perfect pocket formation. Li Jing listened to Li Shimin's arrangement, and it was indeed in line with what he expected.However, Li Shimin was able to arrange all the personnel and their positions in an instant, which was obviously done after careful consideration.From this point of view, Li Shimin had made up his mind a long time ago, and it was definitely not the result of hastily listening to Hou Junji relay his few words.The reason why he kept silent was mainly because he did not express his willingness to take command.Thinking of this, Li Jing couldn't help secretly praising Li Shimin. Li Shimin asked Li Jingdao: "Brother Yao, do you like my formation of troops like this? If not, I will follow your idea. As for the generals in Beijing, you can choose and go with you. You don't need to hear about me." Li Jing replied: "Your Majesty's plan is as perfect as possible, and I will follow this plan and go out against the sun. I only have one thing to ask Your Majesty to tell you. This time, we must go deep into the barren land and pursue it in depth. The process will inevitably be arduous and difficult, and we cannot win quickly. In this way, The transfer of grain and grass and the replenishment of horses are crucial, and it must be maintained by capable people." "I have already thought of this festival. Wuji, you are in charge of transporting food and grass and replenishing horses, which must be continuously sent to the front line. Whether the battle can be won or not depends on who has enough food and grass. Duan Zhixuan retreated to Liangzhou last time. It’s nothing more than the lack of supply of food and grass.” Wei Zheng went out to play and said: "Your Majesty, I think it will take time to send troops, horses, food and grass for this western expedition. When the preparations are completed and the soldiers and horses arrive at their respective positions, it will be winter time. By then, it will be windy, cold and snowy in Longxi Urgent, our army is not familiar with geography and encounters such bad weather, will it be in Fuyun's hands? I think it is better to wait for the weather to warm up in the coming year before marching troops." Li Shimin smiled heartily, and said: "It's okay, Brother Yao once led his army deep into Mobei, and the weather is also freezing. In comparison, the coldness of Longxi is not as cold as that of Saibei. Brother Yao, what do you think? When will the expedition be decided? You decide." Li Jingdao: "Our country has had abundant harvests year after year, and the warehouses are full of food, grass and weapons. In contrast, Na Fuyun used troops abroad one after another, which consumed a lot and did not have much reserves. When it is cold today, his cattle and horses have no grass to graze. The sudden decrease in the number is just when they are tired. Your Majesty is right, our army has high morale and has experience in fighting in various environments. The cold weather can hardly stop our army, and the minister intends to go out immediately." The strategy of aggressively conquering Tuyuhun was thus decided. Afterwards, Li Jing was busy with the battle and was unwilling to stay longer in Beijing. Three days later, he led Hou Junji, Li Daozong, Xue Wanche, Xue Wanjun, Zhi Shili, Ashinasheer and others to Shanzhou, making this the location of the Chinese army. .When he was leaving, he wrote to Li Daliang, Li Daoyan, and Gao Zengsheng, asking them to meet up in Shanzhou and hold a pre-battle military meeting. Li Jing led his people to the west, passing through Binzhou that day, he remembered the old battle of Qianshuiyuan, and even more thought of Zhang Wansui who used to herd horses there.This old horse thief died last year without any illness. Li Shimin couldn't help but shed two lines of tears when he heard of his death.After Zhang Wansui's death, Longxi Horse Farm was taken over by Wei Panti, who was famous for raising horses in Youzhou. He faithfully inherited Zhang Wansui's mantle and continued to prosper the Tang Dynasty's horse administration. While Li Jing was lamenting Zhang Wansui on the road, a man dressed in a different costume came from Beijing that day, and went to Honglu Temple to ask Tang Jian to see him.This person spoke very strange words, and the interpreter beside him was vague, which made Tang Jian confused for a while.In the end, after a lot of effort, Tang Jian realized that this person was the envoy sent by Zanpu Qizong Nongzan of Tubo.The interpreter was really terrible. Although he was sweating profusely, he couldn't convey his meaning after all.Tang Jian had a flash of inspiration at this time, and suddenly remembered that He Jiluo was coming, so he sent someone to call him. The envoy saw He Jiluo, with a smile on his face, he hurried forward to meet him, Wuliwala and He Jiluo talked, it seemed that the two were quite familiar with each other.Tang Jian thought that He Jiluo was a close friend of Yuchi Jingde, and the two of them were familiar with each other, so there was no extra politeness, so he asked with a smile: "Jiluo, do you know this Tubo envoy? It seems that you must be familiar with each other. Very good." He Jiluo said: "The villain once reported the situation in Tubo to Mr. Tang. The villain has a very good relationship with Xiaolun Lu Dongzan. This envoy is someone close to him, and he is very familiar with him." "He was overjoyed to see you just now, what did he say?" "The envoy said just now that Lu Dongzan asked him to find the villain first after entering the capital. However, there are so many people in the capital, he searched for two days, but he really had no clue, so he had no choice but to come to see the lord first." "Well, I'll excuse you to relay what he said. The interpreter just now was really bad, and the words he translated made people feel like they were in the clouds." He Jiluo smiled, turned his head and chatted with the Tubo envoy for a while, and then said to Tang Jian: "Master Tang, the envoy's words to convey Tubo Zanpu have two main meanings: one, Tubo lives in a remote place, and is eager to communicate with Dabo. The Tang Dynasty has a good relationship, and this is to affirm this intention; on the other hand, Tubo Zanpu heard that the Tang Dynasty used troops against Tuyuhun, and in order to show the sincerity of the friendship in the future, he is willing to send troops to assist the Tang Dynasty." Tang Jian felt that the matter was serious, so he invited the Tubo envoy to visit Li Shimin, and He Jiluo naturally followed him to act as an interpreter. Li Shimin didn't have a very clear understanding of Tubo, but felt that Tubo's rapid rise in recent years had a lot to do with its ability to praise and abandon the sect, so he asked the envoy more to tell more about the abandonment and praise.Seeing that the emperor of Tang Dynasty cared so much about Zanpu, the messenger beamed with joy and praised Zanpu for his bravery and strategy, and even described the physical characteristics of Zanpu who abandoned his ancestor.Finally, he asked Li Shimin: "Zanpu admires China deeply, and is eager to be with China forever. I would like to invite the villain to pay tribute to the Emperor of Tang Dynasty, and please give Princess Datang a marriage with Zanpu. From now on, Zanpu will marry Zanpu as his son-in-law. Treat Datang with the courtesy." Li Shimin was noncommittal, disapproving of the fact that Tubo has not yet written, so he did not reply to the envoy's marriage proposal. He Jiluo observed the words and expressions, and explained to the envoy in Tubo dialect: "Your Majesty the Emperor thought that China and Tubo had never communicated before. Now that Tubo sends envoys to Beijing, the Tang Dynasty will also send envoys to answer the ceremony. As for the marriage proposal, I will wait for Xu Tuzhi in the future. "The emissary nodded repeatedly at these words, and in his heart he also felt that Zanpu proposed as soon as he came up, and his temperament was too anxious. Tubo took the initiative to send an envoy to express the intention of repairing. Li Shimin felt very relieved, and felt that the abandonment of the sect was quite insightful, so he said to the envoy: "I have always regarded Huayi as a family. I am very relieved. After you return to the country, you can convey my words to Zanpu. From now on, the two countries should not invade each other and get along harmoniously. As for the conquest of Tuyuhun, our army has gathered a large number of troops and surrounded Tuyuhun It's like an iron barrel, and the winning ticket is in your hands, so there is no need for Tubo to send troops to help." In the end, Li Shimin asked Tang Jian to send someone from Honglu Temple to accompany the envoy into Tubo to comfort him.A few days later, Feng Dexia, the secretary of the Honglu Temple, set off for Tubo as an envoy of the Tang Dynasty. He was the first envoy to go to Tubo for the Tang Dynasty. Li Jing entered Shanzhou, Li Daliang arrived here from Liangzhou one day earlier, and together with Duan Zhixuan welcomed Li Jing and others to enter the city.Li Daoyan, governor of Minzhou, and Gao Zengsheng, governor of Lizhou, thought it was because the journey was far away and they had not yet arrived.Seeing this, Li Jing's face darkened immediately, and he asked someone to go to the post station to summon the two people. Duan Zhixuan failed to win this battle, and Li Shimin did not order him to return to Beijing.He stayed in Shanzhou these days, and he couldn't help but feel lost.Thinking back on the course of the battle, reviewing that he hadn't planned in detail before the battle, he only acted bravely for a while and rushed to attack, and didn't block Fu Yun's retreat, which finally made him escape calmly, feeling extremely guilty in his heart. Seeing Li Jing and others coming, Duan Zhixuan asked: "You are here, can you bring the emperor's will for me?" When Li Jing was about to leave, Li Shimin asked him to do something cheap for Duan Zhixuan. Li Jing had already thought of a good job for him, so he said: "General Duan chased Fu Yun for eight hundred miles and drove them into the desert. It's a good story. The emperor's mobilization of heavy troops this time is the time to deal with Fu Yun in one fell swoop. Li Jing came here, and the emperor told me that General Duan was too tired last time, so it is not appropriate to go to the front of the army to charge this time. Don't preside over the succession of grain and grass." Li Shimin didn't say a single word of blame, and gave Duan Zhixuan a lot of comfort, but he put on a face of embarrassment, and said anxiously: "The words of Li Dadu made Zhixuan even more ashamed. He didn't fight Fu Yun in this battle, and he led the army again. It is Zhixuan's crime to plunder Liangzhou, which made the emperor restless, and finally sent heavy troops to make everyone come here. It is Zhixuan's crime. With a lenient heart, the emperor refused to blame Zhixuan for a word. But in my heart, there is not a moment in these days Quiet, you have actually betrayed the grace of the saints, and you have lost the hope of the world. As for some good stories, it made Zhixuan even more uncomfortable to hear. Governor Li, I know you are comforting me, but Fu Yun fled calmly, seemingly To run away is indeed a treacherous attempt to lure our army to go deep, in the final analysis, it was Fu Yun who won." Li Daliang said from the side: "Brother Zhixuan, you are in Shanzhou these days, regretting your past every day, can it be endless? The emperor is very wise, if you make mistakes, he will also blame you. Now the emperor approves you For meritorious service, you should gather your spirits and start planning food and grass matters, why do you need to chatter like this?" Li Daliang was guarding Liangzhou, and he had a lot of contacts with Duan Zhixuan recently.He had long seen that the previous defeat was mainly because Li Shimin underestimated Fu Yun.Since he did not blame Duan Zhixuan, he sent Li Jing to lead a heavy army to conscript, making it clear that he did not want to blame his subordinates. Li Jing didn't like talking too much, nodded and said: "That's right. General Duan, after all, you have gone deep into the hinterland of Tuyuhun. In the pre-war meeting, you can talk about the customs and geography of Tuyuhun, and talk about your thoughts on this battle." Li Daoyan arrived in Shanzhou on the second day, but Gao Zengsheng walked slowly and arrived late, and it took another two days before he arrived.Gao Zengsheng turned out to be an old subordinate of the Qin Palace, and he accompanied Hou Junji in ambush in the palace during the Xuanwumen Incident, and he made great contributions.After Li Shimin came to the throne, he felt that Gao Zengsheng had both martial arts and literary talents, so he was appointed as a foreign official. After a few years, he was finally promoted to the governor. When Gao Zengsheng saw Li Jing, he didn't care, and said carelessly: "Mr. Li, it seems that this meeting should be held in the middle of Beijing. You chose Shanzhou as the venue, which made me exhausted. Although I worked hard, I still didn't make it to the meeting. .” Li Jing didn't say a word, and faced each other with a cold face. At the pre-military meeting, Li Jing said with a sullen face: "This battle against Tuyuhun is of great importance. The emperor has mobilized many soldiers and horses for this purpose, in order to win the battle. I am the commander of the march, and I want to live up to the emperor's grace. I must do it with all my heart. I have been in the army for many years, and you should know my temper, that is, to rule the army with strict orders. This time, the emperor sent a total of five armies and horses, and also sent Turkic, Dangxiang, and Qibi to assist. If there is no strict order, There is bound to be a mess, and I would like to reiterate my strict order here. Director Li and Director Gao, you are the commanders of the Second Army, and you must make you understand the situation of your opponents. This is why I summoned you here. The time should be delayed to this point. Since you are the first offenders, this commander will not punish you this time, if this happens again in the future, don’t blame Li Jing for being stern and selfless!" Li Daoyan is the eldest son of Li Shentong, King of Huai'an, Gao Zengsheng is an old member of Qin Wangfu, and they are governors and governors of a state. They are all arrogant and unruly.Li Jing immediately reprimanded them, and the two felt very uncomfortable.Li Daoyan's character is cowardly, and he is embarrassed to speak out.That Gao Zengsheng had a straightforward temper, and he knew that Li Jing had not supported Li Shimin before the Xuanwumen Incident, so he vaguely felt that Li Shimin didn't trust Li Jing very much, so he said: "Dudu Li, the dismissal was indeed delayed for two days, but this is not a war At that time, don't be too harsh, as for Li Dudu governing the army with strict orders, the lower officials have heard a lot, and will definitely follow the orders strictly from now on." Li Jing heard Gao Zengsheng's subtext, which was ridiculing himself for his soldiers looting treasures when he attacked and defeated the Eastern Turks.In an instant, a trace of sadness flashed across Li Jing's heart: "I have made great contributions to the Tang Dynasty over the years, but there are always people who find fault with me and try to find fault with me. I serve the court loyally, and I have never done anything wrong. Yixin, why are they always worried about me?" However, Li Jing is a calm person, such thoughts just flashed in his mind, and his thoughts at this time were all focused on the battle in front of him, without any emotion fluctuations on.He ignored Gao Zengsheng's sarcasm, looked around at everyone present and said: "The most important thing for the soldiers and horses of the five routes to encircle Tuyuhun is to follow the commander's order and arrive at the designated position within the specified time. If any of the troops and horses delay the schedule, It will give Fu Yun an opportunity. If he escapes again, our army will lose everything. Before I set off as commander, the emperor personally gave me golden arrows. He asked me to kill and punish those who disobeyed the military order on the front line. Quan, there is no need to report. The commander said this, not to scare you, but because this battle is important, without strict restrictions, there is no doubt that you will lose. Do you all understand this truth?" Everyone in the tent agreed in unison, Li Daoyan and Gao Zengsheng also echoed in this situation. Hou Junji's attitude towards Li Jing was very contradictory. On the one hand, Li Jing had achieved great military exploits for the Tang Dynasty, and he was indeed a master of war and military strategy in the world, so he had to accept it; Important battles only favored Li Jing and Li Shi, but turned a blind eye to him, which made the arrogant Hou Junji a little bit dissatisfied.This time, he intends to cheer up and do some meritorious deeds, so that the world will know his methods.He reiterated the military order to Li Jing, fully agreeing, and said: "Murong Fuyun is treacherous and wise, and he is good at relying on the terrain to deal with our army like a loach. If our army is scattered, no matter how many people there are, it will be useless. We can only hold on to its tail tightly. , Encircling the army and giving him a thunderous blow will be effective. Dudu Li came up today to emphasize the military order, and Junji thinks it is the key." Gao Zengsheng's qualifications were much lower than that of Hou Junji, and when he came to Hou Junji, he could only bow his head and obey orders.After Hou Junji said that, he didn't dare to say another word. Next, Li Jing talked about his plan for this battle, and designated the route and time for the various troops to attack. Li Jing finalized the plan for this battle, and finally said: "This battle is based on the emperor's marching strategy, and this commander is just setting the date. I want to reiterate one more point, that is, all troops must strictly observe the marching time and arrive at the designated position , is the key to the success of this battle.” Xue Wanche said at this time: "Since this battle is the emperor's imperial strategy, anyone who disobeys it will be violating the order, and disobeying the order will be the crime of beheading. Li Dudu, there is actually no need to say more about this." Li Jing nodded and said: "That's it, everyone go down and prepare separately. Manager Li and Manager Gao, after all, you are not familiar with the customs and terrain of Longxi, that's why I called you all the way here. You two might as well stay here Stay for a few more days, and I will let General Duan accompany you to familiarize yourself with the customs and terrain here, which will be very beneficial for the next step of the battle." Li Jing made Li Daoyan and Gao Zengsheng familiar with the customs and terrain of Longxi, not on a whim.When he was still in Beijing, he felt that Tang Jun's ignorance of customs and terrain was a major shortcoming.When he arrived in Shanzhou, he stayed with Duan Zhixuan and asked more about this aspect.Looking back on the past, Duan Zhixuan felt that he still suffered from the unfamiliarity of the terrain, and deeply regretted not finding a guide sooner. Li Jing asked: "If you want to say that people who are familiar with the terrain, besides the Tuyuhun people, there are also Dangxiang people?" "That's right, the Dangxiang people used to be one with the Tuyuhun people, but these years, the Dangxiang people could not bear the oppression of Fu Yun, and rebelled against Tang. Li Dadu is here, and he has to make good use of the strengths of the Dangxiang people." Duan Zhixuan thought for a while, and suggested to Li Jing: "During the process of communicating with the Dangxiang Department and the Qibi Department, I felt that the people in the two departments are very different. In contrast, the Qibi people are straightforward and open-minded; while the Dangxiang people Confined by a narrow mind, he values ​​his own territory very much, does not allow outsiders to invade, and likes to make a lot of money. If Governor Li wants to use party members as guides, he must be careful." Li Jing nodded in approval, and then calculated carefully.The next day, Li Jing summoned Tuoba Chici, the leader of the Party Headquarters, and comforted him with kind words, promised him a lot of money, and asked him to choose capable people as the Tang Army's guides, and vowed not to take an inch of the Party Headquarters. Seeing that he could get so much gold and silk, Tuoba Chici was overjoyed and agreed repeatedly.After returning, he selected his clansmen and imported them into the Tang army camp continuously, serving as the guides of each team. Li Jing was busy arranging troops here in Shanzhou, because the soldiers from all walks of life hadn't started to move, so it seemed to outsiders that there was no movement.Murong Fuyun thought that Datang had nothing to do with him, so he often sent troops to the border of Datang to harass him, and then returned triumphantly.Murong Fuyun didn't know that a big battle against him was about to begin, and Li Shimin even appointed the world-famous Li Jing as his commander. His good days were numbered. This is the short-lived calm before the war, and in the calm, infinite murderous intent is accumulating. But it is said that Feng Dexia accompanied the Tubo envoys, stayed overnight on the road, and experienced the harsh alpine climate. It took more than a month on the road to arrive at Luoxie. Qizong Nongzan and Lu Dongzan were overjoyed when they saw the envoy from the Tang Dynasty, and they received Feng Dexia with the highest Tubo etiquette.Qi Zong Nongzan felt a little disappointed when he saw that the Emperor of Tang Dynasty did not agree to his proposal of marriage.Lu Dongzan persuaded from the side: "After all, the Tang Dynasty and our country communicated for the first time. Although the intention of praising ordinary marriage is earnest, it also needs a lot of time. This matter needs to be done slowly. I want the envoy to leave in a hurry. Topic. Let’s wait for time, and do it slowly.” Qi Zong praised him but was not happy, and reprimanded: "Take your time? Could it be that you want me to wait until the beard turns white?" "Don't worry about Zanpu. Since Princess Datang is married to a Turkic man and can marry Fuyun's son, why can't she come to our country? If things don't work out, I can personally go to Chang'an City to talk to the emperor of Tang Dynasty and visit for Zanpu Come on a good princess." Qi Zong nodded in praise and said: "Okay, let's do it slowly. I believe in your means. If the Emperor of Tang Dynasty agrees to make a marriage, you must go to Chang'an as an envoy." Lu Dongzan bowed and agreed. Abandoning Zong's praise, he turned to the topic of Tuyuhun, and sighed: "This old Fu Yun is a little clueless. Now that the Tang Dynasty is strong and prosperous, everyone in the world admires him. He is the only one who doesn't take it seriously. It’s just asking for fun. In my opinion, the Tang Dynasty will definitely send heavy troops to conquer Tuyuhun, and old Fuyun’s good days are numbered.” Lu Dongzan said, "That's right, I'm also worried about old Fu Yun." Qi Zong Nongzan said worriedly: "If the Great Tang captures Tuyuhun, will it come to plot against our country again?" "No. One, our country is located in a high mountain, and the Central Plains is vast, and we have never had any intentions for me; two, the Tang Dynasty has been committed to domestic stability these years, and if no other country actively invades, it has no intention of using weapons. Old Fu Yun is A ready-made example, if he was honest and friendly with Tang Dynasty, how could he meet with Tang soldiers? From this point of view, Zanpu need not worry." "Well, I hope it's as you said. We must hurry up on the marriage. If the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty agrees to marry the princess to me, I will treat the Tang Dynasty as a son-in-law. In this way, you can sit back and relax." Yuezhou is called Shaoxing today, located at the foot of Kuaiji Mountain, and has been called Kuaiji County since Qin and Han Dynasties.It is adjacent to Zhejiang (now known as Qiantang River) in the north, and the rivers in the territory are criss-cross, green water, crystal clear, stone bridges, light boats shuttle, green mountains like Daisy, a beautiful water town scenery, known as the "Land of Fish and Rice". Three miles to the north of Yuezhou City, there is a temple with a lot of incense, named Jiezhu Temple.The temple was established during the Northern Wei Dynasty, and it increased in size during the Sui and Tang Dynasties, and the temple doubled in size.The temple sits west and faces east, and is built according to the mountain.The main hall in the courtyard is the Daxiong Hall, and other halls such as the Temple of God, the Hall of Garan, the Pavilion of Thousand Buddhas, and the Hall of Xixin are all available.On the left side of the main hall, there are many corridors lined up in a row. Starting from the front, they are called Dongjing courtyard, abbot's courtyard, upper courtyard and lower courtyard, which are the bedrooms of the abbot and other monks.A number of small courtyards were set up in the Dongjing courtyard for some eminent monks to live in, and the temple assigned children to wait on them. The old monk who was annoyed by Li Shimin lived in a small house to the west of Dongjingyuan. Biancai is eighty-nine years old this year, with white hair and beard.He is proficient in Buddhism and is the proud disciple of Zhiyong, an eminent monk who attained Taoism in the Sui Dynasty. The whole temple respects him very much.He is good at debate, piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, especially his calligraphy is famous all over the world.Li Shimin came to Beijing after calling for debates three times. Outsiders didn't know that Li Shimin's original intention was to inquire about the traces of the authentic script of the "Lanting Preface", and thought that the current emperor gave him preferential treatment after hearing his name.In this way, the reputation of eloquence is even better. At sunset that day, Biancai stepped out of the temple as usual and walked along the foot of the mountain.The breeze blew, and the long silver beard of the debater was swayed, which contrasted with the yellow shirt he was wearing, making him look more and more solemn. When Biancai was about to turn back to the monastery, he suddenly saw a person rushing over in front of him.When this person approached, Biancai saw clearly that this person was about twenty years old, with a fair skin like a woman's, a pair of beautiful big eyes, coupled with a pair of slender sword eyebrows, very impressive.But the fluttering yellow shirt he was wearing was covered with dust, and he looked tired, showing a down-and-out appearance.Judging from his appearance and attire, he seems to be a leisurely scholar from Shandong.The debate determined the identity of the other party, and he felt some pity in his heart. 那人到辩才身边，停下脚步，躬身打个问讯，说道：“小人自山东来此贩货，昨日自杭州搭便船，不料舟行太慢，到了这里就错过了宿头。敢问老师父，此处可有歇脚的地方？” 此人说得一口流利的官话且带有南方韵味，令辩才十分惊讶，遂揖手道：“阿弥陀佛。檀越既自称为北人，缘何会有本地语韵？” “好教老师父知闻，本人为梁元帝之后，这些年虽长住北方，家传缘故说话里就保留了一些原来的韵味。” “檀越来此有何贵干？” 那人叹了一口气，说道：“还是为生计所迫啊！老师父见我体形如此，那是因为幼时一直读书，未在田间里劳作，显得有些纤弱。如今功名不成，无奈何间，只好购些蚕种来卖，以此聊作糊口。” 这句话引起辩才无限感叹：“檀越原为帝胄之家，经乱世沦落至此，委实令人心伤。嗯，时辰不早了。檀越也应该看到了，这里前不巴村，后不着店，没有借宿的地儿。你若不嫌山寺简陋，就先到老衲舍内暂住一宿，明日再寻他处如何？” 那人喜出望外，躬身施礼道：“弟子蒙老师父恩遇，只有感激涕零。”这人一高兴，顿时改变了自己的称呼。 “既是这样，我们走吧。檀越既是梁元帝之后，自然姓萧了。” “不错，弟子确实姓萧。老师父今后称呼弟子，直呼萧生即可。” 这名萧姓青年，即是李世民所派来的监察御史萧翼。他今日好像偶然路遇辩才，殊不知，他已来越州数日，暗暗打探辩才的生活习性。他知道了辩才有晚间到寺外转悠一圈的习惯，遂定下计策，就有了今日巧遇辩才的场景。 辩才初一接触萧翼，既感于其是帝胄之后，又喜其文雅的谈吐，就有了好印象。辩才日常自视才高，又是高龄，周围并没有可以谈得投机之人。他日日伴着晨钟暮鼓，多是独处的时辰，心中不免有许多寂寞。回寺的路上，辩才又与萧翼攀淡了数番，萧翼答话得体。辩才试着一问，得知萧翼对琴棋书画并不生疏，立即有了知音之感。 辩才的房舍甚是精巧，共有三小间。其内间为辩才的卧室，外面两间，一间摆满书卷、案台、古琴等物，另一间为客房，侍候辩才的小童也住在这里。 辩才入室后，吩咐小童道：“萧檀越从北方而来，一路旅途劳顿，肚子还空着，你赶快准备一些缸面、药酒、鲜果、素面等物。” 小童答应后离去。 辩才拿出棋盘，示意道：“萧檀越，趁此间隙，我们先摆上一盘如何？” “弟子奉命。”萧翼边说边坐到辩才对面。 “檀越腹中空空，老衲如此性急，是否有些乘人之危？” “不妨，弟子年轻体壮，少进一二餐饭，不足为虑。” 辩才的棋盘很别致，乃烧就的白瓷。只见棋盘底色白净玉润，上面刻有纹理清晰的棋路。当棋子落在盘上的时候，可听见有清脆的响声，甚是美妙。 辩才让萧翼执白先行，萧翼执棋说道：“老师父，弟子惯好下快棋。今日时辰太短，我们就下一盘快棋如何？”辩才沉吟道：“萧檀越这样说，想来棋艺大非寻常。好呀，老衲虽脑筋迟钝，也爱快棋，就这么办。” 萧翼提出要下快棋，并非盲目为之。他临出京之前，略略打听了辩才的脾性。得知辩才固然年老，然爱性急。其师智永多次说过，习书之人应该心如止水，不可急躁，方成大器。辩才遵从师训，努力将自己的火暴性子化入笔墨之中，以求淡泊。数十年下来，辩才果然磨炼得平和一些，然人之禀性为天成，一遇特殊时刻，他那急性子又会暴露出来，彰显无遗。萧翼现在投其所好，也想亲自试一试辩才的习性。萧翼执白先行，此后下子，嘴里不时叫着弈棋术语，拈指提子轻叩棋盘，姿势美妙，让辩才大为心折。他深居古寺，平时难有如此高明之人过招。所谓棋逢对手精神爽，辩才抖擞精神，全神贯注，与萧翼展开对攻。两人落子如飞，不觉已下了一百三十余手。 这时，萧翼投子入盒，叹道：“不料老师父棋艺如此高深，弟子观棋面形势，已入收官阶段。若再想开辟新天地，弟子委实不能。” 辩才摇头道：“萧檀越不可妄自菲薄，老衲观棋面形势，谁胜谁负尚未可知呢。”说罢，他也弃子入盒，开始点棋子数。过了片刻，辩才舒了一口气，不好意思说道：“算来算去，老衲侥幸胜了萧檀越数子，可谓不分胜败。” 萧翼一直观察辩才的神色，发现此老僧如此好胜，不禁暗暗好笑。 小童将酒饭端了上来，原来江东所说的缸面，即是河北所称的甕头，实是初熟之酒。辩才让萧翼饮初熟酒，自己却陪饮药酒。原来寺院中禁止僧人饮酒，若僧人身体有病，饮些药酒倒无妨。辩才年已八十九岁，天天饮药酒亦属正常。 辩才执酒祝道：“老衲居处寂寞，不料今日能与萧檀越相识，可谓一见如故。你棋艺非凡，敢是故意相让，让老衲胜了数子。老衲深自感谢，来，请满饮此盏。” 萧翼感动道：“弟子这些年颠沛流离，极度落拓。今日来到老师父舍中，有一种久违了的宾至如归的感觉。”说完，他举盏向辩才示意，然后一饮而尽。 辩才浅饮一口，微笑道：“老衲深居此寺，与青灯古佛相伴，心如止水。难得你身怀才艺，与老衲极为投缘。老衲只有一点疑惑，想问檀越究竟？” “老师父请问。” “老衲曾入京三回，见过当今皇上。老衲觉得，当今皇上实为不世出的贤主。其有武功韬略，为大唐夺得天下立有奇功。其即位以来，抚民以静，不滥使民力，开一代盛世。老衲又听说他求贤若渴，开科举不依常式，四时听选，不拘一格选人才。马周昔为常何将军的门客，皇上阅上书之时识其才，因简拔之授以重任。老衲以为，大丈夫处盛世之时，不可流于草莽陋巷之间。以你之才，似到朝中建功才好，你如此落拓，老衲实为不解。” “老师父这样说，让弟子实在羞愧。弟子曾经自负才艺，亦到科场中试了几回，无奈运气太差，每次离中榜皆差了几名。如此让弟子实在灰心，因想天下之大，其间藏龙卧虎，许是没有弟子显露的机缘。没办法，只好南北穿梭，行商贾之事，聊以糊口罢了。”辩才点点头，说道：“差之毫厘，失之千里。许是你机缘未到，才有这些磨难。依老衲之意，檀越这辈子欲显露头角，须从科举功名上入手。老衲的眼光不会错，你不可轻易放弃。” "Disciple, keep it in mind." 辩才侧头看了一眼外面的夜色，说道：“眼前有酒无令，太过沉闷。萧檀越，我们不行酒令，饮酒赋诗如何？” “弟子从命。” 辩才唤来小童，令他取来诗韵筒，先让萧翼取韵赋诗。萧翼推辞，说道弟子不能先于师父。辩才微微一笑，伸手从简内取出一韵。两人伸头一看，原来是一张来字韵。 辩才起身离座，绕窗漫步，既而吟道： 萧翼也离座起身，走到室右的古琴旁，赞道：“好诗。老师父，弟子有一个不情之请：且让弟子抚曲一首，请老师父将此诗再吟咏一回，以彰其趣。” 辩才喜道：“诗乐一体，是为至趣。好呀，老衲今日得遇良才，实在是欢喜得很了。你先调琴韵，老衲即依曲咏出。” 那边萧翼惊叹道：“好琴。”只见这是一张焦尾桐琴，琴身陈旧，显是古物。琴尾刻着两个篆字“凤凰”，琴侧以金玉镶成为龙凤螭鸾。 “不错，此是先师之物。相传此物为汉时赵皇后所有，老衲又见上面刻有秦篆，猜想此物定是秦代所制。” 萧翼赞叹之余，伸手开始抚曲。辩才细辨其音，知道其所抚曲为《水仙操》。该曲相传由春秋时伯牙所作，伯牙学琴三年不成，一日来到东海蓬莱山，闻海水澎湃，群鸟悲号之声，心有所感，乃操琴而歌，遂有此曲。此曲时而慷慨激昂，时而温柔雅致。在其演奏山顶一节，好似一人登临峰顶，俯视群山，只见春残花落，又听雨声潇潇，一片凄凉肃杀之象。又闻四周细雨绵绵，若有若无，极尽寂寥之状。辩才合着音韵，缓缓将所赋之诗诵出。诗韵相配，甚是和谐。 辩才诵罢所作之诗，见萧翼抚琴未歇，遂闭目倾听。到了最后，只听萧翼所抚琴曲若海水涨潮，海鸟拍击水势，展翅向海内飞去，其鸣叫之声，渐行渐远，既而万籁俱寂。 辩才闭目摇头不止，赞道：“好哇。伯牙此曲在你手中被演绎得活灵活现，自先师仙逝以来，老衲从未再听闻如此美妙的琴曲。” “老师父谬赞了，弟子如此技艺，岂敢班门弄斧？弟子只是想合着老师父的兴致，凑个趣罢了。” 两人旋归其座。 辩才拿起诗韵筒，伸向萧翼道：“萧檀越既让老衲听闻了美妙的琴曲，想诗才也不差。来，速抓一韵，让老衲及早欣赏。” 萧翼也不推却，伸手抓出一韵，却是一张招字韵。萧翼微一沉吟，随口咏出，诗曰： 萧翼此诗既合招字韵，又与辩才前诗唱和，引得辩才连连夸赞。 萧翼有所图而来，知道辩才为人孤傲，与其相处肯定不容易，今日只是想与其照一面而已。不料辩才为性情中人，见了萧翼的才艺，大有相见恨晚之意。两人通过诗酒联话，又抚琴弈棋，拉近了距离，甚是融洽。萧翼暗暗心想，若依此气氛结交下去，只要《兰亭序》真迹确实在辩才手中，不愁取不到手。只是自己处心积虑，投其所好欺骗面前这位善良的老僧，心中有些不忍。又想皇命不可违，你辩才老僧已是风烛残年，还苦苦地霸住《兰亭序》真迹不示人，枉费了当今皇上及天下爱书之人的心意，其实不该。想到这里，就对自己的欺骗之举顿时释然。 那辩才却不知道萧翼的这番心绪，依旧一团高兴，显得天真烂漫。他们又联了数首诗，既而又谈前代文史。萧翼抖擞精神，将胸中所学尽数抖出，其中不乏真知灼见，使得辩才更为折服。 两人舍中漫话，不觉东方已白。小童惜辩才年老，多次催促其入睡，被辩才赶走。待他看到东方已现鱼肚色，方不好意思说道：“这是老衲的不是了。想萧檀越一路长途跋涉，老衲私于自己兴致，竟然不觉时辰，让檀越陪同苦坐。唉，人老了就糊涂，想檀越定是责怪老衲了吧？” “老师父高龄，弟子年轻力壮，要说责备之话，只能责弟子扰了老师父的清修。” “如此，我们撤席各自安歇吧。萧檀越，老衲今日见你，大有相见恨晚之意。不知你天明之后，意欲何往？” 萧翼一闪念间，觉得不如就此趁火打铁，干脆就住在这里，想法看到《兰亭序》真帖最好。又一转念想，辩才看似天真烂漫，然他经历多个朝代，可谓阅历丰富，自己若太性急，万一露出马脚，则前功尽弃。想到这里，他缓缓答道：“弟子来越州为贩蚕种。天明之后，弟子要到乡间走一走，须办妥此事为要。” 辩才露出失望的神色，意甚不舍，说道：“萧檀越不会几日就回吧？” “不会。弟子每年来越州，须在此呆上月余时间，方能办妥此事。” “那好，望你办事之余，经常来舍中见见老衲。” “弟子若有闲暇，定置酒来此，以答谢老师父。圣人言：来而不往非礼也。” 辩才哈哈大笑，起身道：“我们实为忘年之交，难道还要随这些俗礼吗？”