Control your ancestors and create an immortal family starting from the Eastern Han Dynasty

Chapter 135 The Battle of Luoyang Begins, Advice to Li Shimin (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
The news spread like wildfire in all directions.

—The entire land was shaken!
As the first battle fought by the Gu family, this battle was already highly anticipated.

now--

Gu Quan and Li Shimin delivered a perfect answer.

A surprise attack on Longxi;

Unbeknownst to them, they had achieved a level of combat similar to that of Marquis Zhongwu Gu Xiao and Emperor Guangwu of Han Liu Xiu in the past.

This impact has even surpassed the victory itself.

The superstition of prophecies and apocryphal texts has always been an indelible mark of the feudal era. It is hard not to think of Liu Xiu in the past when Li Shimin fought against Gu Quan.

"The Mandate of Heaven is with Li."

The prophecy of these four words rose almost instantly in the hearts of people all over the world.

This would be of unimaginable help to the Li Tang dynasty.

Although we have never experienced it firsthand, who wouldn't want the prosperous scene passed down from generation to generation?

The people have suffered for far too long.

Since the reign of Emperor Yan Han, the people of the world have almost never experienced a truly prosperous era.

The Gu family's silence only intensified the despair within them.

During Yang Jian's time—

Although it was the Kaihuang era of prosperity, in this recent era, it is difficult to fully implement and make any policies effective.

It's simply impossible for one generation to finish it.

After Yang Guang ascended the throne, he destroyed all of this invisibly.

What awaited the people was an even more desperate reality.

Most importantly, since the fall of the Sui Dynasty, various prophecies about the reasons for its demise have inevitably included the fact that the Sui Dynasty did not value the Gu family.

Now that the Gu family has reappeared, and even cooperated with Li Shimin to achieve the same results as Gu Xiao and Emperor Guangwu in the past, how could the people of the world not be looking forward to this?
However, everything has its advantages and disadvantages.

The same applies to welcoming the Gu family into the country.

This will make the people of the world pay more attention to everything about the Li family, and it will also make the feudal lords from all directions target the Li family more.

This is a storm that the Li family must face.

When news of this battle was fully heard, the feudal lords of the land would tacitly turn their attention to the Li Tang dynasty. With just one battle, the Li Tang dynasty had gradually and completely replaced Yang Guang and become the target of all the feudal lords.

—Without destroying the Li Tang dynasty, the people's hearts will never be at peace!

Stories are brewing in all directions.

It was winter in the second year of the Wude era.

As everyone in the world chanted the name of "Li Gu", an alliance with the motto "First destroy Tang, then vie for the throne" was finally formed.

In fact, the feudal lords from all directions had long harbored this idea.

As Dou Jiande's envoys arrived in various places one after another, the alliance was naturally formed.

Emperor Zheng of Luoyang, Wang Shichong;
Jiangdu Xu Diyu Culture and;

Dou Jiande, the Xia emperor of Hebei;
Liang Shidu of Shuofang;
The most powerful and ambitious figures in the world today, who have the opportunity to vie for supremacy, have made the same decision.

—Destroy the Tang Dynasty first!

They agreed to launch a joint attack on the Tang Dynasty the following spring!

It is worth mentioning that Li Mi, who was once able to open granaries to help the people like Li Shimin, eventually fell victim to his own ambition as his status changed.

He was defeated by Wang Shichong and has now surrendered to the Tang Dynasty.

This also includes many capable individuals within the Wagang Army.

History has indeed changed a lot since the emergence of the Gu family, but the fate of some people was still predetermined.

Li Yuan was extremely excited about Li Mi's surrender.

But when they heard about the "Alliance to Destroy the Tang Dynasty," despair followed.

—That's right, it's despair!

The Tang Dynasty is indeed quite powerful now.

They could even be called one of the top feudal lords in the world.

But faced with so many warlords attacking together, Li Yuan's first feeling was still despair.

The excitement of a resounding victory vanished instantly.

As the various warlords successively issued "proclamations to attack Tang," claiming that "Li Yuan" was a relative of "Yang Guang" and falsely accusing Li Yuan of being a tyrant, they resolved to launch a campaign against him.

This reason is indeed very far-fetched.

But who cares?
They simply wanted to take advantage of the prevailing trend to reverse the growing prestige of the Li Tang dynasty!
—The situation changed abruptly!
Li Yuan initially held some hope.

After all, in such a chaotic world where warlords rise up, as long as one is willing to pay the corresponding benefits, one may be able to disperse or even win over a group of allies.

But such an idea is doomed to failure in the current situation.

In this era of fierce competition, who wouldn't want to sit in that position?
The Tang Dynasty is now incredibly powerful.

Although it has not yet conquered the world, it has already gained a reputation similar to that of the Sui Dynasty in its early days.

This is something no feudal lord could stand idly by!
There was only one path left for the Li Tang dynasty: to fight.

But how should we fight back?
Tai Chi Hall.

A somber atmosphere weighed on everyone's hearts; the joy of their previous great victory and land conquest had long since vanished.

—The peril of national subjugation!
Indeed, in many people's minds, this is a crisis of national subjugation!
At the same time, they faced the various lords from all directions.

This is a situation that even the Sui Dynasty could not withstand, let alone the Tang Dynasty today.

Although the Tang army was strong, how could it be stronger than the Sui army of the past?
But what can we do at this moment?
The only option is to keep fighting!

Seeing the solemn expressions on the faces of his ministers, Li Yuan's expression was equally awkward.

When he first learned of the war in Longxi, he even had the feeling of unifying the world, but now that feeling has completely disappeared in an instant, replaced by the danger of national subjugation.

At this moment, Li Shimin slowly walked out, his expression extremely serious.

"Father."

He bowed with his hands clasped in greeting and slowly began to speak.

Everyone's expression instantly turned to him.

Li Shimin's prestige throughout the Tang Dynasty was now immense.

Whether it was his previous achievements or the current assessment of Xue Ju's merits, especially the prophecies about him, all of these demonstrate his extraordinary nature.

"Your subject believes that our Great Tang must fight no matter what."

Li Shimin's gaze was as sharp as a hawk's, and he exuded an unquestionable majesty. "As the saying goes, the road to the throne is full of thorns. Peace cannot be achieved without war, and the world cannot be settled without military force!"

"Only by trampling through the enemy lines with iron hooves can we let the world know the might of the Tang Dynasty and make all nations admire the prowess of China!"

"Now, although the four false emperors have joined forces to plot against our Great Tang."

"But for our Great Tang Dynasty, isn't this an opportunity?"

"As long as we can win this battle."

He took a deep breath. "At that time, the people of the world will surely fear the might of Father Emperor, and Father Emperor will become the supreme ruler who sweeps across the world!"

The atmosphere inside the hall changed instantly.

In fact, all the ministers knew that Li Shimin wanted to fight.

But the question is, how do we fight it!
The Tang Dynasty at present does not have enough troops to deal with the various warlords. If war breaks out, it is very likely to face a situation similar to that of Yang Guang.

Even if one can gain an advantage on one side of the battlefield.
But it cannot quickly eliminate the thieves;
This led to constant harassment of their rear, which seemed like a dead end.

But at that moment, Gu Quan, Gu Yan, and other members of the Gu family slowly stepped forward, stood behind Li Shimin, and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, our Great Tang should fight!"

—A simple sentence, yet it makes people pay attention.

Because their surname is Gu.

Li Yuan frowned slightly, sighed deeply, and said, "How could I not know that we should fight? But the question is, how should we fight?"

"Father."

Without the slightest hesitation, Li Shimin immediately said, "Your subject believes that our Great Tang will surely prevail."

He paused slightly in his speech.

His expression immediately grew even more serious, and he spoke again in a firm and resounding voice: "Father, gentlemen!"

"Now that Xue Ju has been defeated, Longxi has submitted."

“Wang Shichong, Dou Jiande, Yuwen Huaji and their ilk, fearing the strength of our Great Tang, wanted to emulate the alliance of the six states to weaken Qin.”

"However, in my opinion, although these people are numerous, they are in fact a mob. Our Great Tang has ten advantages, while the feudal lords have ten disadvantages!"

Ten wins and ten losses!
Instantly, everyone's expression changed slightly.

Ignoring the stares of the crowd, Li Shimin continued speaking in the hall: "Firstly, righteousness triumphs over tyranny;"

"Our Tang dynasty raised righteous troops to eliminate the tyrannical Sui dynasty and bring peace to the people. This is an army that is in accordance with Heaven and the people."

Wang Shichong murdered his lord and usurped the throne, while Yuwen Huaji murdered his emperor and established himself as emperor. These are acts of treason, deserving of universal condemnation. Righteousness prevails over us; we have won this victory!

Secondly, a wise ruler will seize power.

"My father is wise and decisive, and I have entrusted him with this task without any doubt."

"They each harbored their own ulterior motives—Wang Shichong was suspicious and killed a good general, Dou Jiande was indecisive, and Yuwen Huaji was deserted by his followers. The commanders' wisdom was the key to their success!"

Thirdly, the troops were well-trained and the generals were brave;

"My Xuanjia Iron Cavalry is invincible, and Ziyuan and others are all capable of defeating ten thousand men."
The allied forces were outwardly united but inwardly divided; Wang Shichong used civilians as soldiers; and Dou Jiande's troops had never experienced major battles, resulting in a vast disparity in strength. This was a triple victory!

Fourthly, unity of purpose between superiors and subordinates;

"Our dynasty's civil and military officials work together, and our soldiers fight with their lives on the line."

"The allied forces each harbored their own ambitions—Dou Jiande wanted to annex Henan, Wang Shichong was wary of Hebei, and the internal divisions resulted in four victories!"

Fifthly, the advantage of terrain can be used to defeat the enemy;

"I rely on the strategic passes of Tongguan and Longshan, and one man can hold the pass."
They came from a thousand miles away to attack, forcing Wang Shichong to cross the Xiaohan Pass, while Dou Jiande forced a crossing of the Yellow River, allowing him to wait in comfort for the enemy to tire themselves out—this was the fifth victory!

Sixth, there was ample food and provisions.

"The Guanzhong Plain is fertile, and the Taicang granary is full, enough to sustain us for three years."
Wang Shichong was besieged in Luoyang, where people resorted to cannibalism. Dou Jiande exhausted the manpower of Hebei through conscription, making logistics the decisive factor. This was the sixth victory!

Seventh, its adaptability is limitless;

"I can concentrate my elite troops and attack from the east while defending from the west;"

"Their allied forces are slow to deploy—by the time Yuwen Huaji's fleet reaches Jiangling, we will have already captured Luoyang. Speed ​​is of the essence in war, and this is our seventh victory!"

"Eighthly, it reflects the will of the people;"

"Our Tang Dynasty exempts taxes and distributes land equally; the elders of Guanzhong offer us food and drink. Now, with the assistance of the Gu family, all the people of the world sing the praises of our Great Tang Dynasty."

"They levy exorbitant taxes—Wang Shichong minted 'small coins' to plunder the people's wealth, and Dou Jiande forcibly conscripted able-bodied men. The people's hearts are turned against them, and this is a sure way to defeat them!"

"Ninthly, the Turks can be controlled;"

"Liang Shidu is not a concern. He may seek help from the Turks, but Tuli Khan has a prior alliance with us. We only need to send envoys with generous bribes, and the barbarian cavalry will surely hesitate and not advance. The northern border will be safe, and we will be victorious!"

"Tenthly, the opportunity to fight is in our hands;"

"Now that the feudal lords have just formed an alliance and their plans are not yet finalized, it will be dangerous if we wait for them to encircle us!"

"It would be better to strike first and take Luoyang directly."

"If Wang Shichong is defeated, the remaining enemy forces will collapse on their own. The initiative will be in our hands, a tenfold victory!"

Li Shimin's thunderous voice resounded throughout the Taiji Hall.

Everyone's expression changed, even Li Yuan's.

However, before the courtiers could react...

Li Shimin then knelt down before Li Yuan: "I wish that Your Majesty would grant me 100,000 elite troops. I am willing to seize this opportunity to take Luoyang directly, and within three months, I will present Wang Shichong's head to the capital! If I fail, please punish me for deceiving Your Majesty!"

Resolute and confident.

This is Li Shimin at this very moment.

He had been discussing this situation with his trusted generals for many days.

Fighting is a must.

Their only concern was how to fight, and how to persuade Li Yuan and the ministers in the court who wanted Li Yuan to give up Longxi and make peace with the other lords.

In fact, Li Yuan was not an ordinary person;
However, when faced with major events, he has too many things to consider and always needs someone to give him a push.

And now——

That's it.

In fact, the Tang Dynasty had no choice. Whether it was becoming the ruler of the world or protecting his family, Li Yuan had no choice but to face the enemy head-on.

History teaches us that contentment with a small corner of the world is not a sustainable strategy.

Li Yuan was naturally aware of this as well.

But he also hesitates, which is one of the drawbacks of his personality.

The entire Taiji Hall was completely silent.

It seems everyone was stunned by Li Shimin's words.

This situation was not broken until much later.

—It was that group of military officers who also volunteered for battle.

It wasn't just Li Shimin's confidants.

But at this moment——

The group of generals stood behind Li Shimin, and the scene was strangely somewhat frightening.

Gu Yi was also watching all of this.

He clearly saw that Li Jiancheng, who was right next to Li Yuan, looked at this scene and his eyes changed slightly. Although it was only for a moment, it was very obvious.

A person's mindset will gradually change as their status and situation change.

obviously--

Li Jiancheng has gradually become aware of Li Shimin's influence in the army, and this idea is certainly not unique to him.

The ministers in the court, and those who supported him.

It's impossible that they didn't notice this.

However, all these hidden dangers were destined to prevent the current changes from happening, and the Tang Dynasty still had to face its current situation.

Li Yuan did not look at Li Jiancheng; he kept his eyes fixed on Li Shimin and the generals behind him. After a moment of silence, he finally nodded slightly: "Good!"

“My son’s words today will be remembered for a thousand years.”

"This theory of ten wins and ten losses has finally made me realize something."

He slowly rose, his gaze sweeping over the assembled officials, and said in a low voice, "There must be no peace talks!"

"When my Great Tang Dynasty was first established, I made a great ambition to bring peace and prosperity to the nine provinces."

"If we were to sue for peace now—"

"Wouldn't that make me a faithless person?"

Although he did not express his attitude directly, the meaning behind his words was already quite clear.

This demonstrates Li Yuan's political wisdom.

He is giving those who want to make peace a way out, showing them his attitude, and giving them a chance to turn back and not say anything detrimental to unity at this time.

Sure enough, right after he finished speaking, he looked at Pei Ji and said calmly, "Xuanzhen, what do you think?"

"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

Without the slightest hesitation, Pei Ji immediately bowed to Li Yuan and said, "Your Majesty, I second your proposal and request that you mobilize the army!"

"Your Majesty, please mobilize the army!!!"

"Your Majesty, please mobilize the army!!!"

"."

Shouts instantly resounded throughout the Taiji Hall, and the ministers reacted with perfect understanding.

If they still can't see it even at this point.

Then you really won't need to be an official anymore.

Li Yuan nodded in satisfaction, then looked at Li Shimin again and asked seriously, "Second Brother, do you have any other strategies?"

This time, Li Shimin did not speak directly, but instead bowed and turned to look at Gu Quan, Changsun Wuji and others behind him.

—Don't take credit for others' work;
This also reflects Li Shimin's personal charisma.

He wanted his subordinates to prove themselves in front of Emperor Li Yuan.

Without hesitation, the group immediately shared the strategies they had discussed over the past few days.

First and foremost, seizing the initiative by attacking Luoyang is the key.

However, thorough preparations are needed to complete this core task.

Be on guard against enemies from all sides.

Regardless of the battle situation, as soon as the Tang army makes a move, if Wang Shicheng truly falls into a disadvantageous position, then all the feudal lords in the world are destined to take action one after another.

Even though this alliance does have some cracks.

But this rift was utterly insignificant in the face of the destruction of the Tang Dynasty.

If the Tang dynasty were to destroy another feudal state...

With such prestige and prophecy, the opportunities left for them are truly few!

The atmosphere inside the hall suddenly became serious without anyone noticing.

Listen to everyone's strategies.

Everyone frowned, pondering the possibilities. But in such a major battle, it's impossible to be completely foolproof.

Li Yuan naturally understood all of this.

Although he can be hesitant at times, once he makes a decision, he won't hesitate any longer.

And so the matter was settled.

Li Yuan did not give his ministers time to question these strategies, and just as everyone finished speaking...

He immediately finalized the matter in front of all the ministers.

Li Shimin was appointed as the commander-in-chief;

Gu Quan and Li Jing were appointed as deputies;
He led an army of 100,000 and marched on Luoyang.

It must be said that when faced with such a potentially fatal crisis, the ministers were still very united.

Although compared to the Li family;
These aristocratic families did not have a very high sense of crisis.

But Li Yuan has already promised them too many benefits. People are always driven by self-interest, not to mention that the Li family now has the Gu family's assistance.

Compared to other feudal lords, the Li family still had a sliver of a chance.

They might also choose to take a gamble.

From this day forward, the entire Tang Dynasty's operational speed reached its absolute limit.

forage;

Soldiers and horses;

Armor and weapons;

The allocation of all the tools and equipment has reached its limit.

In addition, this happened right before the troops were dispatched.

Li Yuan even followed the example of Gu Chen when he launched his military campaign, holding a grand sacrificial ceremony to boost morale and denounce the crimes of the various feudal lords.

——The momentum is overwhelming.

Whether it was the soldiers of the Tang Dynasty or the people living in Tang territory today.

They were different from the Li imperial family and other aristocratic families.

The series of victories, coupled with the Gu family's influence.

This has instilled a deep sense of pride in them, and even when facing the various feudal lords, they still have trust and expectations for the imperial court.

This is absolutely the sharpest weapon in the Tang Dynasty.

Gu Yi had been silently observing all of this, without any ripples in his heart.

History has indeed changed.

The joint attack on Tang by the various feudal lords from all directions was indeed a crisis for the Tang Dynasty.

Unfortunately, they were not facing Yang Guang.

The morale of the Tang army was high;
Not to mention that the commander was Li Shimin.

On the other hand, their so-called "anti-Tang alliance" was not only feared by its soldiers, but even by the individual lords themselves, who were wary of the increasingly formidable power of the Tang Dynasty.

This kind of war is impossible to fight.

The current Li Shimin is even more comprehensive than the original historical figure. Even Gu Yi can hardly imagine how powerful and prosperous the golden age he will eventually create.

The news kept spreading in all directions.

And just after the sacrificial ceremony, in the eighth month of the third year of Wude.

Li Shimin officially led his troops straight towards Luoyang.

Although Wang Shichong had made the necessary preparations, he still suffered repeated defeats when faced with the overwhelming force of the Tang army.

But things did not turn out as Li Shimin, Gu Quan and others had expected.

Just as the news spread.

Dou Jiande also raised an army in Hebei, leading 100,000 troops out of Hebei and issuing the "Proclamation to Punish Li" to the world, claiming that his army of 300,000 was heading straight for Guanzhong.

Liang Shidu also mobilized troops;
However, as Gu Quan and the others had expected, he wanted to obtain the help of the Turks.

Unfortunately, Li Yuan had already increased his investment in the Turks before this, which greatly reduced the threat that Liang Shidu could pose.

In Jiangdu, Yuwen Huaji also made a move, sending warships down the canal to attack Liyangcang.

Yuwen Huaji has now swallowed up everything left behind by Yang Guang.

Actually, after these four feudal lords.

Yuwen Huaji's current strength is not weak, especially the morale of his soldiers.

These soldiers now all yearn to return to the Central Plains; this desire has even replaced their fear of the Li and Gu families.

Only the act of regicide would be subject to criticism.

But that wasn't enough to affect the battle.

—The whole world is in an uproar!
The intensity of this battle far exceeded that of previous ones, and it can be described as a battle in which many warlords rose up.

But the Li Tang dynasty had no choice but to fight back.

The other routes are not crucial; they only need to hold off the enemy's offensive. Small-scale gains and losses are not even important.

As long as the war in Luoyang ends and the Tang army returns.

Then none of that matters!
Li Shimin was certainly aware of this, and he became increasingly aware that speed was of utmost importance in warfare.

End of September;
They defeated Wang Honglie, Wang Shichong's nephew, at Cijian, thus completely opening the western gateway to Luoyang.

And then——

He then set his sights on Luoyang Warehouse, the largest warehouse in the world!
Luoyang is definitely not an easy city to conquer.

Today's Luoyang is no longer the old city left behind by the Han Dynasty. To completely conquer Luoyang would definitely require paying a huge price.

But Luoyang Granary is different!
If Wang Shichong wanted to protect his grain supplies, he would have no choice but to leave the city and fight. In that case, Li Shimin would have no fear of anyone in the world.

If Wang Shichong is unwilling to leave the city.

Then we will seize his grain supplies, and then we can gradually encroach on various parts of Luoyang, turning the entire city into an isolated city!

The man guarding the Luoyang granary was Bing Yuanzhen, a former general under Li Mi, who was later bribed by Wang Shichong and betrayed Li Mi.

But Li Mi still knew his personality very well.

It was under these intelligence reports.

Li Shimin used Bing Yuanzhen's favorite concubine to send false information, luring him out of the city for a night attack. In one battle, he killed thousands of enemies and directly captured Luoyang Granary in mid-October.

Wang Shichong was actually prepared.

The Luoyang granary contained a considerable amount of kerosene; if any problems arose, it could be set on fire and completely destroyed.

Normally, it would never benefit Li Shimin in any way.

But unfortunately—

Bing Yuanzhen was completely unprepared, and just as the guards inside the warehouse were about to light the fire, Li Shimin had already stormed in.

Although some food supplies were still lost.

However, thanks to timely fire suppression, Li Shimin still managed to capture nearly 900,000 shi of grain.

The situation has changed drastically.

The news spread throughout the world every few days.

There were all sorts of things like Yuwen Huaji conquering Tang territory and the Liang army reaching Tongguan Pass.

This was clearly a message deliberately leaked by someone in an attempt to undermine the morale of the Tang army.

But they ultimately underestimated Li Shimin.

For Li Shimin, there is no other option but to move forward.

Only by completely capturing Luoyang could the Tang Dynasty seize this sliver of hope amidst the encirclement from all sides.

What news could affect him?

He didn't even try to cover up the news, letting it spread among the soldiers.

In the past...

This move will absolutely cause a collapse in morale.

But now the Tang army is winning battle after battle, and Li Shimin even laughed in front of the three armies, saying that this was because "the enemy is afraid of us and is deliberately trying to sow discord among us."

If these messages are spread further, they will have little impact.

However, the Tang army's subsequent offensive was still thwarted.

—Shan Xiongxin.

This general under Wang Shichong halted the Tang army's advance at Jinyong City, a fortress north of Luoyang.

He was completely different from other generals before him.

Shan Xiongxin was an extremely brave man who showed no fear when facing the Tang army. He repeatedly went out of the city to fight and even almost injured Li Shimin.

If Yuchi Jingde hadn't arrived in time, Shan Xiongxin might have even had the chance to kill Li Shimin directly!

This did indeed hinder the Tang army's advance.

Unfortunately, compared to the overwhelming Tang army, Shan Xiongxin's troops were far too few.

Under this series of successive attacks, Wang Shichong absolutely cannot spare troops from Luoyang to aid Shan Xiongxin.

However, Shan Xiongxin was not invincible.

Whether it's Gu Quan, or Cheng Yaojin, Qin Qiong, or others, they can all stop Shan Xiongxin.

Under these circumstances.

Even with his extraordinary abilities, Shan Xiongxin could not continue to hold out.

Under the relentless attacks of the Tang army, they had no choice but to abandon the city and flee back to Luoyang.

This incident had a certain impact on Li Shimin.

Perhaps it was precisely because of that invincible spirit that Li Shimin failed to eliminate Shan Xiongxin even when he almost lost his life, which inevitably made him have some unusual thoughts.

He has too much on his shoulders.

If we cannot eliminate someone like Shan Xiongxin this time, it will definitely have a huge impact on our future offensive.

However, Gu Quan, who was usually very serious and silent, stepped forward at this moment and took the initiative to say to Li Shimin, which was quite rare. "Your Highness, I remember when I was reading the clan history in the past."

"I heard that when my ancestor, Marquis Zhaolie, was young, he was inferior to his brothers in both literature and martial arts."

"But our ancestors never gave up."

A simple sentence instantly brought Li Shimin back to his senses.

No one is perfect;

Li Shimin was able to gain the support of so many soldiers not because of his military strength.

Looking at Gu Quan in front of him, Li Shimin suddenly smiled: "Ziyuan, the brothers all tell me that you are too tense, which is frightening."

In my opinion...

"You're cold on the outside but warm on the inside."

Gu Quan has now become, in a way, like Gu Xiao in the past.

He was the highest-ranking person under Li Shimin.

Whether it was Gu's reputation or his achievement of defending Qin City for three months during a surprise attack, these were realities that the generals had to acknowledge.

However, these guys felt a lot of pressure facing Gu Quan.

As he spoke, Li Shimin gradually put away his smile, sighed softly, and his eyes regained their sharpness: "If I can one day march into Luoyang, I will definitely avenge this battle!"

"Your Highness."

Upon hearing this, Gu Quan suddenly spoke again: "Your Highness, if our army were to face a siege in the future, should our brothers fight to the death against the invading enemy?"

In an instant, Li Shimin's brows furrowed.

He naturally understood the meaning behind Gu Quan's words.

In short—

They are each serving their own master, so how can there be any hatred?

On the contrary, Shan Xiongxin's abilities and loyalty make him a worthy candidate for employment.

Li Shimin remained silent for a long time before his brows finally relaxed. He gently patted Gu Quan's shoulder and said, "Ziyuan is right. I was narrow-minded."

"In the future—"

"If I make another mistake, Ziyuan, you must remember to offer me advice."

Gu Quan cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Li Shimin, but said nothing more.

With Shan Xiongxin's defeat.

The morale of the Xia army around Luoyang was completely shattered.

Li Shimin didn't even need to attack again; some cities surrendered almost as soon as they heard the Tang army was coming.

This is an inevitable phenomenon.

With supplies cut off, who could possibly stop the overwhelming Tang army?

That same month, the Tang army recaptured Huiluo Cang.

This place is absolutely crucial; Dou Jiande's reinforcements must pass through here if they want to reach Luoyang quickly.

However, this place is not the best position to deal with Dou Jiande.

The real important one is Hulao Pass!
That's the key point.

However, the Tang army's capture of the area also slowed down Dou Jiande's ability to provide reinforcements.

Luoyang is now an isolated city. If Li Shimin is given time, he could even take Luoyang without bloodshed, as long as he can hold out.

But how could this possibly stop Dou Jiande's army?

Inside the Tang army camp.

"Your Highness, since I was able to defend Qin City for three months, I can now defend Hulao Pass."

In front of the generals.

Gu Quan cupped his hands to Li Shimin and volunteered for battle, saying, "This humble general requests permission to lead his troops to Hulao Pass to meet the enemy!"

"This humble general is willing to go with you!"

"This humble general is also willing!"

"."

As soon as Gu Quan finished speaking, shouts rang out in quick succession.

It wasn't just Gu Yan.

Similarly, Cheng Yaojin and others also volunteered for battle.

Li Shimin sat in the main seat, looking intently at everyone present, his expression very serious.

How could he not know that handing it over to Gu Quan was the best course of action?

As for the reason——

Just as Gu Quan said, the battle of Qincheng was his best achievement.

The problem is that Li Shimin was never one to fear danger and push all the risks onto his brothers.

He took a deep breath, then waved his hand to quiet the soldiers. He then slowly stood up and said, "Brothers, there's no need for further words. It is most appropriate to entrust Hulao Pass to Ziyuan."

Upon hearing this, the soldiers lowered their heads.

That's something they really can't refute.

Gu Quan's expression remained unchanged, and he was about to accept the order with his hands clasped.

But just then——

Li Shimin's voice rang out again: "However, I, Li Shimin, absolutely cannot place the safety of my Li Tang dynasty entirely on Ziyuan's shoulders."

"Pass on my command."

His tone suddenly rose: "I will accompany Ziyuan to Hulao Pass to confront Dou Jiande."

"Brothers—"

"To assist the King of Qi in continuing the siege of Luoyang."

"We must not give Wang Shichong any chance whatsoever!"

The entire camp fell into a deathly silence in that instant.

Not to mention that the soldiers didn't even have time to react.

Even Gu Quan and Prince Qi, Li Yuanji, were stunned, never expecting Li Shimin to make such a decision.

The next moment, the soldiers hurriedly tried to dissuade them.

Even Gu Quan's expression changed.

Guarding Hulao Pass is an extremely dangerous task.

Luoyang is no small city. Wang Shichong still has a full 60,000 troops in the city. We absolutely cannot transfer too many troops away, otherwise Wang Shichong will definitely lead his army to break out.

At that time, they could then join forces with Dou Jiande to attack the Tang army from both sides.

How could such a matter be entrusted to Li Shimin, the commander-in-chief of the three armies, to go in person?

Even Li Yuanji was trying to persuade him.

But Li Shimin had clearly made his decision, and regardless of the persuasion of his generals, he immediately waved his hand and said, "My mind is made up, there is no need to persuade me further."

He rarely referred to himself as "the Lonely One" in front of his brothers.

But every time he refers to himself in this way, he has already made his attitude clear.

No amount of persuasion could change his mind!
(P.S.: This is a combined chapter, please vote with your monthly tickets and recommendations! This might be the only time this book can climb the charts, so please support me with your monthly tickets. I will definitely do my best to update. Please help me out!)

(End of this chapter)