A Good Landlord in the Tang Dynasty: Starting from the Village Chief

Chapter 279 Can I reach the other side?

Li Yi really wanted to create some unexpected situation so as to avoid going on this expedition.

In order to avoid taxes and labor service, the people of the Sui Dynasty even crippled their hands and feet, calling them "lucky hands and feet." Li Yi couldn't be so cruel; he just wanted to feign illness.

But back home,
Looking at the Shengyefang mansion covering an area of 72 mu, looking at the 22-foot-tall Wutou Gate, looking at the halberds arranged inside the gate,
Li Yi felt that his thoughts were too selfish.

How could he enjoy the treatment of a high-ranking official in the Tang Dynasty while evading his responsibilities?

It is wrong to want both.

I know this battle is difficult, but now that the mission has fallen upon me, I have to go.

After returning home, Li thought hard, but unfortunately he only remembered that Liu Wuzhou almost swept Hedong in the early Tang Dynasty, and Song Jingang also had a peerless general Yuchi Gong under his command, who would be a ruthless man who would be ranked as a door god alongside Qin Qiong in the future.

In the novel, Li Shimin later ambushed Yuchi Gong in Meiliangchuan. Qin Shubao exchanged three whips for two maces and defeated the fierce man who captured three passes during the day and eight strongholds at night.

He was not very clear about the details of the entire Hedong Campaign. He only remembered that Pei Ji seemed to have personally led the troops, but was defeated. Then Li Shimin took action, and it was only after a standoff of more than half a year that he seized the opportunity of the enemy's food shortage and won.

But now Liu Wuzhou's army is still in the Bingzhou area, and the supply line is not long.

The most troublesome thing is the commander this time, Li Zhongwen. Although he is a descendant of the Guanlong military family and has led troops in Guanzhong before, looking at his appearance today, he underestimates the enemy and does not realize the real difficulties of this expedition.

An arrogant soldier will be defeated.

Looking at the seven stewards, there are also two dandy princes like Li Boyi and Li Fengci.

thinking about it,

Li Yi decided to borrow a general.

The last time Sizhuyuan suppressed the bandits, it was Qin Qiong, Luo Shixin and other nine generals who were relied on. In the battle of Guzhou, experienced generals like Luo Shixin also helped.

It wasn't that Li Yi didn't trust Li Zhongwen, Wang Xingmin, Liu Shirang, and Yu Yun; it was simply that they had never cooperated. Liu Shirang had a little understanding of them, but he only remembered that he had been captured during the battle at Qianshuiyuan.

Wang Xingmin was also a bandit.

Tian Liuan and Liu Demin went to Shandong, Chang He and Li Junxian followed the prince to Hexi, and these four generals could not be borrowed.

Li Jing went to Kuizhou in Shannan again.

We can only borrow a few generals such as Luo Shixin, Qin Qiong, Cheng Yaojin, Niu Jinda and Wu Heita.

Li Yi wrote a letter to the emperor requesting to borrow a general.

If we can borrow these five generals, this trip to Bingzhou will be more secure.

Li Yi was looking forward to the emperor's agreement.

Unfortunately, the emperor summoned him into the palace the next day.

"Yesterday you submitted a petition requesting to borrow Luo Shixin, Qin Qiong, and several other generals, but I could not agree to your request."

Li Yi didn't understand.

Li Yuan was quite nice and explained to him, "Wang Shichong just usurped the throne and proclaimed himself emperor in Luoyang."

After becoming emperor, Wang Shichong naturally had to show off. A new official has to make a lot of progress, not to mention that the new emperor had ascended the throne.

Guzhou is a hundred miles west of Luoyang.

This problem made Wang Shichong unable to sleep or eat. If he didn't remove it, Luoyang would not be safe at all and could be attacked by the Tang army at any time.

If anyone else in Luoyang City planned to lure the Tang army to open the city and surrender, Wang Shichong might have his house ransacked in his sleep.

He had to recapture Guzhou, and even take control of Shan and Guozhou, only then would Luoyang be safe. He also had to recapture Henei to the north of Luoyang and use Wangwu as a defense, so that his great Zheng State could remain firmly in the Central Plains and then compete for hegemony over the world.

Wang Shichong attacked Guzhou several times but failed.
This time, he also made careful planning and finally succeeded. He besieged the city and attacked the reinforcements, successfully defeated Shi Wanbao and killed him in droves.

After defeating Shi Wanbao, Wang Shichong continued to attack Guzhou.

The Tang Dynasty's chief person in charge in that area, Li Xiaoji, the King of Yong'an and the governor of Shanzhou, personally led troops to rescue but was also defeated.

For a time, Guzhou was on the verge of collapse, and even Shan Guo was in danger.

Li Shimin wrote a letter in blood on the Changchun Palace asking for battle.
Li Yuan refused, but he dispatched his generals Qin Qiong, Cheng Yaojin, Duan Zhi, Xuan Zhai, Changsun and Zhang Shigui to rescue Guzhou.

Liu Hongji was transferred to support Huang Junhan who retreated to Baiya in Hanoi. Luo Shixin, Wu Heita and others were also transferred there. They not only had to defend Baiya Fort, but also had to try to recapture Huaizhou.

For Li Yuan, it is necessary to continue the strategic encirclement of Wang Shichong in Luoyang. Guzhou and Huaizhou must not be lost.

All the generals that Li Yi wanted to borrow were sent out.
No schedule!

Facing Li Yi, Li Yuan was unusually patient. He pulled him to sit on the imperial couch and talked about the current situation facing the Tang Dynasty.

The situation is not optimistic.

Especially Wang Shichong of Luoyang and Dou Jiande of Hebei, who made it difficult for the Tang Dynasty to cope on the eastern front.

Li Yi listened quietly.

Gradually, he understood what was going on. The emperor was not telling him these things to seek advice, but simply because he was under a lot of pressure and wanted to find someone to talk to.

Since the Sui Dynasty,

Now we have entered a new stage, that is, the merger stage.

A number of powerful rebel kings proclaimed themselves emperors.

Liu Wuzhou proclaimed himself emperor in Mayi, named his country Han and the reign Tianxing, and also accepted the title of Dingyang Khan conferred by the Turks.

Wang Shichong proclaimed himself emperor in Luoyang, established the state of Zheng, and demoted Yang Tong to Duke of Lu.

Dou Jiande, who had originally paid tribute to Luoyang, immediately severed ties with Luoyang and began to set up the emperor's ceremonial guard.

Others like Li Gui and Xiao Xing had already proclaimed themselves emperors long ago. Several emperors were killed by assassins, including Emperor Yu Wenzhi of Daxu, Emperors Xue Ju and Xue Rengao of Daqin, and the soon-to-be-killed Emperor Li Gui of Daliang.

The winner is the king and the loser is the bandit.

The loser will not have a good ending, especially the one who declares himself emperor.

When Li Yuan killed Xue Rengao, he said that if the Tang Dynasty was defeated, he and his son would suffer the same fate.

"Now we are at war on all sides and attacking everywhere. We can't keep up with the money, food, and troops. If the Turks turn against us again, we will be in danger." Li Yuan sighed.

"Your Majesty, I believe that these difficulties are only temporary. Looking across the world, only the Tang Dynasty is growing stronger and stronger, and its influence is becoming more and more powerful. The Mandate of Heaven is with the Tang Dynasty, and the Li family will surely rule the world.

Although there are still many factions fighting for power, I believe that within three to five years, the whole world will belong to Li."

Li Yuan smiled,

Somewhat tired.

Outsiders only see the emperor as high and mighty, with his words being final.

"I am walking on thin ice now. Do you think I can reach the other side?"

"Definitely."

The emperor would also be confused, hesitant, and even frightened. It is for this reason that the emperor would sometimes be so suspicious, suspicious of his ministers and even his son.

Li Yuan rarely spoke a few sincere words to the young man Li Yi.

"You are young but intelligent, full of ideas. Please help me alleviate my worries. Wars are raging everywhere, and our forces are stretched thin. Even now, the Turks are invading en masse, and Guanzhong is in danger. What should we do?"

"If there are not enough troops, then send more." Li Yi was quite direct.

"Guanzhong is empty, so strengthen the defense."

Li Yuan seemed to be thinking, "Be more specific."

"The imperial court now has established the Xingtai and Zongguanfu, and has sent princes or generals to serve as generals to manage the military and political affairs of various states, with great autonomy.
However, although the imperial court had a large number of cavalry and chariot cavalry in the Guanzhong area, they could be divided into various guards.

I believe that, since the empire is still unsettled, we can temporarily divide Guanzhong into several regions, each with a general manager, or appoint a general to lead the military, which will strengthen the defense of Guanzhong."

Li Yuan heard some sensitive information from it.

Although the Tang Dynasty now implements the system of household soldiers, it is actually completely different from the original household soldier system of Yuwen Tai in the Western Wei Dynasty.

The military system of the Western Wei Dynasty was basically composed of eight pillar states, twelve generals and twenty-four governors. Among the eight pillar states, six actually commanded the troops. Yuwen Tai and the Yuan family occupied one position but did not actually lead the troops.

Each of the six pillars of the country led two generals, and each general led two chief ministers, which actually made a total of twenty-four armies.

During the Western Wei Dynasty, the soldiers were like the general's private soldiers. For a period of time, they even had to follow the surname of the commander-in-chief.

Soldiers and farmers are united, and the soldiers belong to the general.

But nowadays, the soldiers and generals of the government troops are separated.

The more than 200,000 palace soldiers in Guanzhong, including the various cavalry and chariot cavalry, were dispersed and affiliated with various guards. Normally, the generals of the guards could not directly command the palace soldiers under them.

In this way, if Guanzhong was really attacked, such as the last time Xue Ju attacked, the court would have to temporarily select generals, transfer generals to be general managers, and mobilize troops, etc. It was very complicated and the response was slow.

Li Yuan thought that Li Yi's words meant that Guanzhong should be divided into many military regions like the Western Wei Dynasty, and a general would be sent to unify each region. A region could be like several states or counties, and all the soldiers in the various cavalry and chariot corps under the jurisdiction of this general would be under the command of this general. This was unified command.

Able to respond fastest,
It is also convenient for training in farming and warfare in peacetime.

Nowadays, there are very few soldiers in Guanzhong.
Repeated deployment of troops,
Li Yuan was very worried that if the Turks invaded on a large scale, how could he resist hundreds of thousands of cavalry? Once they broke into the Guanzhong Plain, how could Chang'an be defended?

Li Yi's suggestion made his eyes light up.

Li Yuan thought a lot.

I even quickly came up with a preliminary plan in my mind.

"Divide Guanzhong into twelve regions, each with an army, each with a general and a deputy general, named after a star."

Li Yuan walked to the map and began to circle it.

"Wannian Road, Chang'an Road, Fuping Road, Liquan Road, Tongzhou Road, Huazhou Road, Ningzhou Road, Qizhou Road, Binzhou Road, Xilinzhou Road, Jingzhou Road, Yizhou Road,"

According to the name of the star,

The Wannian Road was the Canqi Army, with a Canqi General, and the Chang'an Road was the Guqi Army, with a Guqi General to supervise the soldiers in farming and fighting.

Li Yuan pointed and drew on the map.

After a long time, he shook his head again.

"The cavalry offices in each of the prefectures,"

The Cavalry Department is not temporarily affiliated with the Twelve Armies.

These twelve generals were in charge of twelve cavalry and chariot troops around Chang'an, which was equivalent to having twelve military regions and twelve standing armies in Guanzhong.

If an alarm occurs, there is no need for the court to send generals and mobilize troops. The generals are stationed in various places and can directly mobilize troops and generals to defend and fight in their jurisdiction just like the generals.

Li Yuan planned to add another 30,000 soldiers to the Guanzhong area, and add 2,400 people to the three cavalry houses in each of the twelve regions to supplement the increasingly empty defense forces in Guanzhong.

The cavalry soldiers were assigned to guard the palace, while the chariot and cavalry soldiers were stationed to guard the border.

Li Yi accompanied the emperor in the conversation for a long time and basically came up with the prototype of the Twelve Armies in Guanzhong, but for Li Yi, it was of no use.

He came to borrow a general, but ended up borrowing nothing.

Li Yuan was very happy and patted his shoulder: "When you return victorious, I will reserve a place for you among the Twelve Heavenly Star Generals!"

(End of this chapter)