Tang Dynasty

The next day, Li Shimin led 1 troops into Chang'an.Ten miles away from Chaoyi City, Li Yuan personally led a hundred officials to see him off.

It was mid-September, and it was mid-autumn.Li Shimin took the practice wine that Li Yuan handed over, and held it up high.The golden wind blew the corner of the robe, and suddenly felt a bit cool.Li Shimin looked a little far away along the wine glass in his hand, but what he saw was maple red everywhere.Unknowingly, the season has changed.

He raised his wine glass high and signaled to everyone present.It's just that as far as the eyes can see, the shadow of expectation is finally missing.

Thinking of everything yesterday, I couldn't help laughing at myself secretly.Things have come to this, words have come to this, if you expect something, wouldn't it be too ridiculous?

Sighing without a trace, he raised his glass, raised his head, and drank it down in one gulp.Then with a "touch", the bowl in his hand fell to the ground and shattered.

Li Yuan saw his heroic appearance, laughed three times and said: "Shimin, I will wait for your victory for my father!"

Li Shimin bowed his hands to him, and said loudly: "Shimin will live up to his father's trust!" The words fell, and without hesitation, he turned and got on the horse.

"Send the order, let's go!" He raised the rein and said to the lieutenant beside him.The lieutenant general got the order, and immediately sent the order down, and the army soon began to move slowly like a long dragon.

Sitting high on the horse, Li Shimin bowed his hands in the direction of Li Yuan's people again, as a final farewell.

However, at this moment, he saw a shadow.

At that moment, time stood still, and the world was black and white.

One person and one horse, standing in a very remote place.The plain white robe and fiery red cloak, among the maple red all over the mountains and plains, make people unable to take their eyes off.

As if knowing that he was found, the next moment, the man turned around and left slowly.

Li Shimin forced himself to look away, and smiled softly.

Brother, no matter why you are here.In this way, it is enough.Let's wait for the news of Shimin's triumph.

Then he lifted the rein of the horse, turned around and headed to the front of the team without looking back.

----

"Sir."

Hearing the call, Li Jiancheng turned his head, only to see that Liu Wenjing rushed up on horseback and bowed to him.

He nodded slightly as a signal, raised the rein and asked, "What is your duty, Mr. Liu?"

Liu Wenjing slowed down the speed of the horse and walked side by side with him, saying: "Since the son is here, why is he only behind and not forward?"

Li Jiancheng smiled and said lightly: "No need."

"Yes," Liu Wenjing sighed, and said, "As long as the second son knows that the son is here, there is no difference between seeing or not seeing him."

Li Jiancheng turned his face slightly when he heard the words, "Master Liu seems to have something in his words?" At this time, his expression has returned to normal, although there are doubts in his words, but his expression is also gentle.

Liu Wenjing smiled and said, "Your Majesty, do you know that the Second Young Master got drunk last night?"

Li Jiancheng said calmly, "I don't know."

"I went to say goodbye to him last night, but I saw him alone holding a jar of wine, drinking too much." Liu Wenjing said slowly, "If I hadn't found a few servants to stop me forcibly, I'm afraid today's expedition would be too late. To delay."

Li Jiancheng was silent for a long while, and said: "If the official business is delayed due to personal matters, it is indeed not the general's fault."

Liu Wenjing looked at him and said meaningfully: "I think that there is only one 'private matter' that can make him such a thing."

Hearing this, Li Jiancheng's eyes were chilled for a moment, but soon became gentle again.He smiled lightly, and asked back: "Why did Mr. Liu tell me these things?"

"No other intention, it's just a few gossips with the prince." Liu Wenjing was very good at observing words and expressions, at this moment she smiled, then suddenly changed the subject and said, "I see that the prince has recovered from his illness, so I will go to the camp together with you How about a look?" After saying that, he turned sideways and made an inviting gesture.

Li Jiancheng looked at him silently for a moment, then nodded at last, and said, "That's fine." After saying that, he rode his horse to the camp.

Liu Wenjing looked at the back of him who was leaving first, and the smile on his face gradually faded a bit.Even in the face of his own insinuations, Li Jiancheng's answer can be said to be watertight, but the word "big brother" that Li Shimin called out when he was drunk last night was indelible.

With a low sigh.Even though he didn't know exactly what happened, he knew in his heart that there was probably only one person in the world who could make Li Shimin lose his composure to this point.

----

Five days later, Li Jiancheng and Liu Wenjing's army will also march to Yongfeng warehouse.

On the eve of his departure, Duobi came to his room.

"Jiancheng, are you finally willing to see me?" Sitting down on the guest seat, he opened his mouth with a hint of a joke.

"I was ill a few days ago, and I was afraid of delaying the expedition, so I simply closed the door to recuperate." Li Jiancheng said with a faint smile, "What a disrespect, I will teach the elder brother to blame."

"It's important to recover from the illness. It's not too late to see you when you recover from the illness." Dubi laughed a few times, watching his voice slowly sink a little bit, unconsciously showing a little concern, "Arrow wounds can only heal, how can I get hurt again?" sick?"

"Accidentally sitting in the courtyard and catching a cold for a while, you must be careful in the future." Li Jiancheng dealt with it casually, and smiled, "Brother, please rest assured."

He Bi nodded, the two chatted a few words, he stood up and said: "Jiang Jian, you will go out tomorrow, rest early today, I won't bother you anymore."

Li Jiancheng also stood up and sent him to the door.

Pushing open the door, the evening wind suddenly blows in, carrying a hint of coolness.Li Jiancheng's loose gown fluttered in the wind, and a strand of long hair from his temples was blown to his lips.

"It's windy at night, let's go in quickly." He stretched out his hand with a smile, and gently brushed the strand of hair behind his ear, "Illness disappears like silk, even if you have some martial arts skills, you can..."

The hand next to the ear suddenly trembled, Li Jiancheng was slightly taken aback, and then he understood.

He hurriedly took a step back, still smiling and said: "Brother, take care."

Agbi stood where he was, looking at him motionless.

Li Jiancheng turned around and closed the door.Leaning his back against the door panel, he stretched out his hand to caress the upper neck. There was a scabbed bite mark there, and there was still a slight bulge between the tentacles.

Then, he heard someone outside the door asking in a low voice: "This...is the reason why you haven't been able to see anyone for a few days?"

Li Jiancheng looked ahead and said calmly, "Brother is worrying too much."

The other party was silent for a long time, then asked again: "Li Shimin?"

Li Jiancheng didn't answer any more, just walked to the bed and blew out the candle.

After a long time, he heard someone outside the door punching the door frame with such force that it seemed to shake the whole room.

Then, everything was quiet.Outside the window, there is only the rustling sound of the wind blowing the branches and leaves, which is extraordinarily quiet, yet extraordinarily distinct.

----

The next day, Li Jiancheng and Liu Wenjing led most of the troops to Yongfeng warehouse.Different from Li Shimin's mission as a vanguard, this large army is here to defend Tongguan, in case Qu Tutong of the East River takes advantage of the situation to attack from the rear.

On the first day of stationing in Yongfeng warehouse, news came that Li Shimin defeated Liu Yaozi's rebel army in Jingyang.

It is said that when Li Shimin was stationed in Jinyang that night, he took advantage of the enemy's unpreparedness and personally led hundreds of elite cavalry into the enemy's camp.How could the local people expect him to fight so quickly, that Liu Yaozi was still asleep, and he was beheaded by Li Shimin with a single knife.

Winning with little effort, it is indeed a beautiful battle.

Li Jiancheng sat in the upper seat, and the little principal who came to report the news was beaming, and he told the news as if he had seen it himself.As he listened, he lowered his head and unfolded the letter he had held for a long time.

What is written in the letter is no different from what the school said.However, in comparison, the book only reports the situation of the war in a few words, which is concise and even raw, which makes people not used to it.

Li Jiancheng looked down at the lines of black and white.The handwriting was taught by myself, but compared to myself, it is more vigorous and free and easy, just like this person.

Finally, he paused his gaze at the end of the letter.There is a dot of ink, the color is thick, and it is very smudged, but it seems to be wiped by someone before it dries, and a long and messy trace is dragged aside.

The appearance of the man who was hesitant to speak when he wrote the pen was immediately vivid in his mind.Li Jiancheng shook his head, thinking that since he had nothing to say, why bother; he had something to say, but why didn't he write in the end.

In fact, what can be said.

Folding the letter with his head down, he nodded slightly, signaling the guard to step back.At this time, Liu Wenjing who was on the side said: "You are not surprised by Shizi's expression, presumably the Second Young Master has personally informed Shizi of the news, right?"

"It seems that nothing can be hidden from Mr. Liu's eyes." Li Jiancheng was noncommittal, just smiled lightly, got up and put the letter into the brocade box in the cabinet.Turning around, he said, "Actually, the people of the world are young, and this move is after all a little emotional. Compared with beheading people directly, if you can subdue them at this time, surrender them, and use them for your own use, that is the best." Policy. But since we have won... that's all."

"My son's words are wrong." Liu Wenjing looked at him and said, "The second son is so eager to make contributions, what is the reason for this, how can the son not know?"

Li Jiancheng smiled and said: "Quick battles and quick decisions are his usual style. He is brave in battle, so it is not uncommon." He looked down on our army before, so he will be vigilant at this moment. He was originally the person who replaced Wang Yang You. If Chang'an is in trouble at this time, he will not sit idly by. I predict that he will make moves in the near future. You I just need to be alert."

Liu Wenjing nodded, and then heard Li Jiancheng say: "I will go to the camp to see, Master Liu, would you like to come with me?"

"How dare you refuse." Liu Wenjing finished speaking, and saw that Li Jiancheng had already stepped out of the door.He hurriedly followed, sighing inwardly.

Even he, an outsider, can see that Li Shimin's desperate efforts are just for another way to win this person's attention.

Even though everyone says that the authorities are deluded, the onlookers are clear.However, among the two people in the Tan and Tan authorities, one is unconscious, while the other's mind is always as clear as water.

He was so clear that he, a bystander who thought he was clear, couldn't see whether Li Shimin's various actions of throwing stones into the water could cause any sound or ripple in this unfathomable sinking pool.

Or maybe, he is no longer an outsider.

Liu Wenjing shook her head and sighed, and finally moved up and followed.

----

Sure enough, as Li Jiancheng expected, but three days later, Qu Tutong personally led the troops to Tongguan.Li Jiancheng, in a silver armor and white robe, stood on the top of the city with his sword supported, with an unusually calm expression.

"Isn't this the eldest son of Duke Tang's family?" Qu Tutong showed a bit of contempt when he saw Li Jiancheng, "Why, after recovering from a serious illness, have you forgotten the embarrassment of that rainy night?"

Li Jiancheng's expression was calm, but when he heard the words, he smiled and said: "I was taken care of by General Qu that night, but I didn't have a chance to return it. I was really disturbed. I didn't want this time, but the general came here in person."

Qu Tutong laughed a few times, and said: "If it wasn't for the heavy rain that night, your old Li Yuan would have been sent by a white-haired man to a black-haired man. You are only a yellow-haired child, and you are just defeated, so hurry up and leave." If you surrender the city, you will lose your life!"

His words were extremely arrogant, and several generals at the top of the city were indignant when they heard the words, and asked to fight out of the city one after another.

"No need." Li Jiancheng didn't take it seriously, and still had a smile on his face, "He did this just to provoke me to leave the city. If I really went out of the city, I fell into his trick. Your mission this time is to stick to Tongguan. , to stabilize the rear, but not to repel Qu Tutong. You still need to calm down, and you must not be provoked by him."

The generals could only be silent when they heard the words, but at this time Qu Tutong had already approached the city slowly with his soldiers, he was still yelling and insulting in every possible way.The others were angry and gritted their teeth, but Li Jiancheng acted as if the matter had nothing to do with him, his expression was calm, and he secretly told the people in the city to get ready.

If other people are really like him and have experienced life and death, they will know that the so-called vain name is worthless at all.

Qu Tutong yelled and scolded for a long time, but seeing that it didn't work, he became angry from embarrassment and had to order to attack the city.Hearing his order, the army rushed towards the gate of the city like a tide.

Li Jiancheng drew his sword in his hand and waved away the countless arrow clusters that were shot towards him.He took a step back and signaled, and the defender behind him appeared.

The people and horses are divided into two groups, one for shooting arrows and the other for rolling logs.The rolling log fell from the top of the city, overturning the ladder and the enemy troops on it. Soon, the archers behind them stepped up and shot the enemy soldiers who were about to set up the ladder to death at the bottom of the city.

So back and forth, under thousands of times of training, the cooperation can be described as watertight.

Li Jiancheng looked at the defeated Sui army under the city with satisfaction, and a slight smile appeared on the corners of his lips.Then he slowly raised the longbow in his hand and pointed it at the general who was fighting among the crowd.

Draw the bow like the moon, and the arrow goes like the wind. With a sound of "嗖", the next moment, Qu Tutong rolled off the horse in response.

The main general was injured, and the army immediately lost its position and attacked the city indiscriminately for a while, and finally Ming Jin withdrew his troops.

Liu Wenjing saw that some generals seemed to be asking for orders to pursue them, so she hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, don't chase after the poor."

"Naturally." Li Jiancheng handed the long bow in his hand to the general beside him, and said calmly, "Qu Tutong should not have the heart to attack the city for a while, so naturally there is no need to chase." After speaking, he turned and walked down the city.

One of the generals looked at Qu Tutong's fleeing back, and sighed in his heart that it was just right if an arrow pierced his heart.

However, when he looked away, he suddenly found that the arrow shaft was inserted into Qu Tutong's left shoulder, which was actually the same place where Li Jiancheng was injured.

He couldn't help turning his head in surprise, but Li Jiancheng had already left the tower.

"It's enough to teach Qu Tutong to be seriously injured. If he dies, it will be of no benefit to us." Liu Wenjing met his gaze, but said with a smile, "That arrow, my son was really merciful." After saying that, she laughed Laughing, he patted the general on the shoulder, turned around and walked down the tower.

Knowing that if Qu Tutong is dead, who will be in charge of the overall situation in Hedong, what kind of character this person is, and how he will use his troops, as far as his side is concerned, it is unknown.If he leads the whole army to attack by force, he may not be able to defend himself by staying behind closed doors.

If this is the case, it is better to just teach him to recuperate from serious injuries, so that before he recovers from his illness, Qu Tutong will not attack the city aggressively. In this way, he can buy some time for Li Shimin to go west.At the same time, it is also possible to retain troops to the greatest extent and wait to attack Chang'an in the future.

It's just that, in the face of an enemy who wants to kill him with one arrow, he can still shoot the arrow so safely into the person's shoulder instead of the heart.

Such a magnanimity is really... very human.