Struggle in the early Tang Dynasty

"You have a good idea. But the crux of the problem is whether your so-called strategy can succeed. It doesn't matter if you don't tell what the strategy is, you have to tell His Majesty. Otherwise, why would you ask His Majesty to take such a big risk?" The risks match your actions?"

Guo Ye smiled bitterly and said: "This is the difficulty of the whole matter. Not only can I not tell you about this strategy, but I can't tell your majesty either. To be precise, I can't tell anyone about the [-] troops in your majesty's hands."

"Why is that?"

"Because I'm worried that there are Goguryeo spies around His Majesty!"

"How is that possible?" Xue Rengui said with an unbelievable look on his face, "The people around Your Majesty are already extremely wealthy. What conditions can Yuan Nanjian offer to buy them off? Unless he is willing to give up his position as king come out."

"I also think it's impossible, but it's the truth."

"What evidence do you have?"

"I don't have any evidence. But just a few days ago, when I was in a decisive battle with Zheng Xiliang on Muye Mountain, he thought he had a chance to win. He once mentioned to me that there were people in the Tang Dynasty colluding with Goguryeo."

"Who is that thief?"

"He didn't say that. At that time, I guessed it was the five great gentry. But then I thought about it carefully. Now that the five great gentry are far away from the court and colluded with Goguryeo, even if I am defeated by the Tang Dynasty and die, what good will it do them? This senior official should be someone else."

"So, you don't want me to tell His Majesty about this strategy. In case the spy finds out, inform the Goguryeo people."

"Exactly. This strategy is completely shady. Once it is leaked, the consequences will be disastrous. Therefore, I must keep it as secret as possible. Even Your Majesty cannot tell it."

"Then you don't even believe me, do you?"

"You?" Guo Ye smiled slightly and said, "Although I believe you, but in His Majesty's camp, under the persecution of so many senior officials, do you think it's better for you to know this secret? Or not? "

Xue Rengui scratched his head and said, "Of course I don't know about it. It turns out that you still think about me. But..."

"how?"

"I don't care if you're hiding things like this. But your majesty, who doesn't know the inside story of this plan, can agree to your plan? If your majesty disagrees..."

Guo Ye looked into the distance and said, "To be honest, I'm not sure. Whether this strategy will succeed depends on His Majesty's trust in me..."

Chapter 1924 Monk Falin Enters the Enemy Camp

Goguryeo camp, Chinese army tent.

Jiang Yishi's face sank like water, and he said: "Last night, it was that Xue Rengui who broke into the camp again. This person treats our army like nothing, comes and leaves whenever he wants, and makes people panic. Is there anything we can do?"

A general named Sun Dazhong bowed slightly and said: "There are only those who can be thieves for a thousand days, but there is no one who can guard against them for a thousand days. That fellow Xue Rengui is very skilled in martial arts, skilled in bows and horses, and he specifically targeted the weak points of our camp. It's really not easy to stop him."

He paused for a moment, then continued: "As long as Tang Jun's brigade can't break through our camp, it doesn't matter even if Xue Rengui can come and go freely. We're just losing face. The key now is that he If you come back once, you must ask for reinforcements, so you must guard against it."

Jiang Yishi twisted his silver beard with his hands, and said, "That's right, what General Sun said is very good. Hundreds of thousands of troops are fighting, what can one's own bravery accomplish? After everyone returns, they must explain this truth clearly to their soldiers. Just because of this trivial incident, our army’s morale should not be demoralized.”

"There is also the matter of reinforcements..."

"Then there is no need to worry. If the Tang army wants to rescue their emperor, they must first gather a large army. If there are fewer people, they will send us food. If there are too many people, just gather people and prepare food and grass. Months, I don't believe that Li Shimin can last for such a long time."

Sun Dazhong said: "There is also Zhang Liang's army of Duke Xun. If they cooperate internally and externally, it will be troublesome."

"he?"

Jiang Yishi curled his lips and said, "You haven't seen what he is like? For so many days, he only dared to camp twenty miles away from our army, and he didn't dare to send a single soldier to invite him to fight. With just this little courage, you still want to pose a threat to our army? It's a joke."

"Even if Zhang Liang is not afraid, what about the soldiers of the Khitan and Xi tribes? These two countries have both surrendered to the Tang Dynasty one after another. If Xue Rengui invites their soldiers..."

"The army of the Khitan and Xi people? If they don't come, it's fine. Even if they come, they won't help us Tang Dynasty, but help us Goguryeo."

"How do you say this?"

"Up to now, it's nothing to tell you. Our Goguryeo master Zheng Xiliang has long been ordered by the king to go to Khitan. Who is Mr. Zheng, you don't know. He is an old man, so why did he miss it? reason?"

As soon as Jiang Yishi's words fell, the atmosphere in the big tent suddenly became relaxed, and everyone smiled happily.

"It turns out that Mr. Zheng has already stepped out, so there is nothing wrong with it."

"Master Zheng is a fairy-like figure, it's really overkill to go to Khitan as an envoy."

"The old man took action himself, and I, Goguryeo, have nothing to worry about!"

"Old Master Zheng and Marshal Jiang can be called the twin jades of our Goguryeo. This time, the two of them will make a move together. The Emperor of the Tang Dynasty is absolutely unlucky!"

"You said that we captured the emperor of Tang Dynasty, how much reward will the lord have to give?"

"Sun! Look at your prospects. What are you doing just thinking about rewards? If you really captured Li Shimin, after a thousand years, our names will be on the history books. Isn't it better to leave a name in history than a little property?"

……

There was chaos in the tent of the Chinese army, and Jiang Yishi didn't care about it at all. It wasn't until about a quarter of an hour later, when people's voices became quieter, that he coughed lightly and said, "Let me tell you the truth, our reinforcements are not It’s just the way of Khitan.”

"Any other reinforcements?"

"That's natural. It is estimated that in less than half a month, other reinforcements will arrive. At that time, our soldiers will be united and our strength will increase greatly. The Emperor of the Tang Dynasty will be unlucky!"

"But I don't know what your reinforcements are referring to..."

Just as he was about to answer, a small school suddenly came to report, saying: "Report to Commander-in-Chief, the National Teacher sincerely asks to see you!"

Jiang Yishi frowned, and said, "Monk Xincheng? What is he doing here?"

In any case, Monk Falin has a high status in Goguryeo, and basic respect still needs to be given.

Jiang Yishi hurriedly led all the generals out of the camp to meet him.

But I saw Monk Xincheng, with about a hundred cavalry and several carts, standing quietly outside the camp.

He led all the generals to pay respects and said: "I pay my respects to the national teacher."

"All generals please hurry up, the poor monk is a foreigner, so there is no need to be polite."

"Thank you Guoshi." Jiang Yishi stood up and said: "This is not a place to talk, please come to the camp as soon as possible."

"Alright."

When we arrived at the Chinese military tent, the guests and hosts were seated separately.

Jiang Yishi asked: "National Teacher, didn't you go to Khitan together with Mr. Zheng? Why did you appear here? Could it be that the Khitan army is not far away? Then where is Master Zheng?"

"This matter is really hard to explain." Monk Falin sighed, and continued: "Let's talk about Zheng Xiliang first, this person has already sacrificed his life for the country."

Jiang Yishi's face changed drastically immediately, and he said, "What? Say it again?"

"It's the same ten times. Zheng Xiliang is dead, and there are no bones left!"

"Dead... dead?" Jiang Yishi immediately stood up, stretched out his hand and grabbed Monk Falin's neck, and said, "Did you kill the old man? I will tear your body to pieces Duan, to avenge his old man."