"Your Majesty, what the Tang emissary said is not without reason! Previously, there were eighteen rebellious princes helping our Great Liang, but now that the Tang Empire has unified the Central Plains, if we do not surrender, we will be attacked by the Tang Empire's army sooner or later … "
"Xin Dacheng, shut up!"
As soon as the two Taichang Temple officials left, a middle-aged official stood out from the main hall of the Liang Imperial Palace and clasped his hands.
However, before he could finish speaking, Liang Shidu interrupted him with a loud shout, "Since the founding of my Great Liang Country, the country has been peaceful and the people have lived in peace and contentment. Right now, the Li Tang has only sent two civil officials, and you're already scared out of your wits? At such a critical moment, Xin Dacheng, you dare to cause chaos in the people's hearts, you must be a spy sent by the Tang Empire! Men, throw Xin Dacheng into the prison and behead him on a date! "
"Yes!"
As soon as Liang Shidou finished speaking, two guards immediately came up and took the middle-aged official away.
"Your Majesty, you must not! Assistant Minister Xin is only thinking of Your Majesty's safety! Your Majesty, please show mercy and spare his life! "
Seeing that Liang Shidou was about to kill an official so rashly, how could the officials in the hall sit by and do nothing? A tall and sturdy general immediately stepped forward to plead for leniency.
"Yes! Your Majesty! Although Assistant Minister Xin's words are a bit out of line, his crime does not warrant death! "
"Please retract your order and forgive Assistant Minister Xin!"
As the saying goes, the fox grieves for the rabbit. Originally, seeing that the Tang Emperor had the intention to attack the Liang Empire, the officials' hearts were already wavering. Now that Liang Shidou wanted to kill an official, the other officials in the hall naturally could not accept it. If Xin Dacheng was killed today, would they be killed tomorrow as well? Thus, everyone began to plead.
Liang Shidou's eyes flashed, and after a moment of hesitation, he said, "Hmph! Xin Dacheng, since all my beloved officials are pleading for you, then I will spare your life for now. However, you can avoid death, but you cannot escape punishment. From today onwards, Xin Dacheng will be stripped of his position as Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Revenue! As for the rest, if they continue to boost the morale of others and destroy the prestige of our Great Liang like Xin Dacheng, I will not spare them! "
Xin Dacheng's face was ashen as he cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"
The rest of the ministers felt a chill in their hearts, and they hurriedly cupped their hands and said, "We obey the decree!"
Liang Shidu was still a little uneasy. Although Xin Dacheng's words made him very angry, he had to admit that what Xin Dacheng said was true. Now that the Central Plains had been unified, his Daliang Kingdom, as the last "thorn" in the Tang Dynasty's territory, was obviously unable to hold the fort alone. At this time, the most important thing was to unify the minds of his subordinates and not let their hearts waver! His gaze was like lightning as he stared at all the ministers in the hall.
"Although the Tang Empire is strong, our Daliang is defending the city, and we can ask the Turks for help at any time. If the Tang Army wants to take down Shuofang City so easily, it is nothing more than a fool's dream! Right now, the most important thing is for us, sovereign and subject, to be of one mind. While reinforcing the defenses of the city, we are also actively stockpiling food. Even if we are besieged by the Tang army, we will be able to hold out until the Turkic army comes to our rescue!
I advise some people not to have any thoughts of seeking refuge with the Tang Army. Li Shimin hates our Liang to the bone. Even if you seek refuge with the Tang Empire, you will not have a good ending! Thus, there is only one path left for you, and that is to follow me and protect the Daliang Kingdom. Only this way can you enjoy a lifetime of glory and wealth! "
Liang Shidu's warning and tempting words drifted through the hall. When the ministers in the hall heard this, they all had different thoughts, but on the surface, they were all "sincerely convinced" and cupped their hands and said, "We swear to live and die with the Daliang Kingdom!"
Liang Shidu laughed heartily and said, "Good! But today, after those two Tang officials return, Li Shimin will definitely be unwilling, and may even send troops to attack Daliang. For the sake of today, you all need to reinforce the defenses of Shuo Fang City as soon as possible. Rolling logs, crossbows, kerosene, and other defensive items must be prepared as soon as possible. All officials must work together to build Shuo Fang City into a steel fortress that no one can break through! If Li Shimin dares to send troops over, then his people will not be able to return! "
"We obey the decree!"
… … …
In the forest three li south of Shuofang City, the Imperial Court's army was hiding and waiting for orders. As there were many signs that Liang Shidu had not discovered the arrival of the Imperial Court's army, Yuchi Jingde ordered the army to hide and act according to the situation.
In order to not be discovered, the army definitely could not start a fire to cook. They could only eat some dry rations and drink some water to fill their hunger.
"Report!"
"Head Steward, the two envoys who went to Shuofang City have returned to the main camp!"
Within the central tent, Yuchi Jingde sat at the head of the table, and the other main generals were on his left and right. At this moment, a messenger ran in to report.
"Oh? Quick! Invite them in! "
Yuchi Jingde hurriedly ordered when he heard this.
"Yes!"
The messenger left, and not long later, two Taichang Temple officials walked in and bowed, "Greetings, Head Steward!"
Yuchi Jingde nodded and directly asked, "What did Liang Shidu say when the two officials went to Shuofang City? Did he surrender or not? "
Shen Fa cupped his hands and replied, "Head Steward, Liang Shidu is stubborn. In front of me, he swore that he would never surrender. He also said that if His Majesty was not satisfied, he could just send troops to attack the city!"
"Hmph! Arrogant! This guy is just relying on the protection of the Turks, but he dares to intimidate His Majesty and look down on His Majesty! When the Ol 'Chai attacks the north, I will definitely take his head! "
Hearing this, Chai Shao snorted coldly and said angrily.
Yuchi Jingde pressed his hand down and said, "Sichang, there is no need to be angry. I already expected that Liang Shidu would not surrender! Two years ago, Xiexi's troops were able to reach Chang 'an because of Liang Shidu leading the way. He knows that His Majesty hates him to the core, so he will not surrender. Letting the two Taichang Temple officials go to summon the surrender is to show His Majesty's benevolence to the world, and also to divide the hearts of the people of Liang! Deputy Shen, this general asks you, how did the civil and military officials of Liang react after hearing the imperial edict to surrender? "
The Turks had always been a great threat to the Tang Dynasty. Their cavalry was too mobile, coming and going like the wind. However, in reality, it was not so easy for them nomads to come to the Central Plains. The Central Plains had big cities, many villages, and complicated roads. It was easy to get lost. Perhaps Xiexi originally came to attack Chang 'an, but ended up going the wrong way and went to Taiyuan. Wouldn't that be a waste of time?
Therefore, every time they came to rob, they would find a way to find a few Central Plains people to be their guides, living compasses. It was not only worry-free but also laborious. Shuofang City's Liang Shidu was a famous guide, the ancestor of the tour guide world. He especially liked to lead the way for the Turks and even helped them come up with ideas. It was not an exaggeration to call him Tang Dynasty's number one guide.
In the ninth year of Wude, Li Er had just ascended the throne when Xiexi Khan led an army of more than a hundred thousand to crash the scene, making Old Li almost unable to get out of the situation. This face-slapping operation was related to Liang Shidu. The Wei River Alliance was the shame of Li Er and all the Tang Dynasty officials. Therefore, the entire imperial court hated Liang Shidu to the core and wanted nothing more than to capture him and tear him into pieces.
Shen Fa recalled, "At that time, after I finished reading the imperial edict, many of the officials in the hall began to discuss in low voices. They seemed a little … a little moved or fearful!"
Yuchi Jingde nodded and laughed. "It seems that although Liang Shidu is stubborn, the other Liang officials are not willing to be defeated and die with him. In this way, we have a chance to divide the officials in Shuofang City and have them cooperate with us from the inside!"
Xue Wanjun cupped his fists and said, "Head Chief is wise. In this way, we can also reduce our casualties and fully guard against the Turks' sneak attack!"
"Head Chief, I have a plan. I wonder if it will work?"
At this moment, a general sitting on the right side of the hall stood up and bowed.
Yuchi Jingde nodded and said, "Governor Liu has been in charge of Summer Province for many years. You must know the situation in Shuofang City better than we do. If you have a brilliant idea, feel free to say it!"
It turned out that this person was Summer Province's Governor Liu Min. This time, Summer Province's thirty thousand soldiers were under his command!
Liu Min cupped his fists and said, "I wouldn't dare to speak of a brilliant idea! I feel that since Liang Shidu still doesn't know that our army is lying in ambush outside Shuofang City, we can first send some spies into the city to act as spies from the inside. Then, we can send out a few teams of cavalry to trample on the crops outside Shuofang City to disturb the hearts of the people in the city!
Without the supply of food from outside the city, the people in the city will definitely panic. At that time, not only will the people flee outside the city, Liang Shidu's officials might also take the chance to escape. At that time, when we send out troops to besiege the city, Liang Shidu will definitely seal the four city gates and not come out. Our spies can then spread the news of Liang Shidu's cruelty to the people in the city and promote the benevolence and righteousness of the current emperor, encouraging the people in the city and those generals who have the intention to rebel against Liang Shidu to help us take the city!
With cooperation from the inside and outside, won't it be easy for us to take down Shuofang City? "
Yuchi Jingde laughed loudly and said, "Good! Governor Liu's plan is excellent! Shuofang City's walls are sturdy. If we want to take it head-on, we will definitely suffer heavy losses. Cooperating from the inside and outside is the best plan! Governor Liu has lived in Summer Province for a long time, so you must know Liang Shidu's evil deeds like the back of your hand. You will send spies into the city. When the time comes, let them use Liang Shidu's crimes to encourage the people in the city to help us take down the city! "
From the beginning, Yuchi Jingde had never thought of taking the city head-on because Li Er had only given him eighty thousand soldiers. If he wanted to take down Shuofang City with this amount of people, it was undoubtedly wishful thinking! Therefore, he had always had the idea of cooperating from the inside and outside to take down the city. It was just that he hadn't formed a complete plan like Liu Min's!
Liu Min hurriedly cupped his fists and said, "Yes! Head Chief! "
Yuchi Jingde then looked at Xue Wanjun and said with a serious face, "General Xue, you will lead a thousand light cavalry. After Liu Min's spies have infiltrated the city, you will lead the cavalry at night to trample on the crops outside the city. Be careful, you must not harm the innocent people!"
Xue Wanjun stood up and cupped his fists. "This general understands!"
After instructing Xue Wanjun, Yuchi Jingde continued, "Sichang, I order you to lead thirty thousand elites and lie in ambush on the east side of Shuofang City. Once Xieli sends reinforcements to Liang Shidu, they will definitely pass by the east side of the city. You will wait at ease and annihilate them with all your might!"
Chai Shao said seriously, "This general understands!"
Yuchi Jingde said loudly, "Liang Shidu has been stealing from Shuofang for many years. In this battle, not only will we lure the Turks to send out their troops, we will also take down Shuofang in one fell swoop and pull out this poisonous thorn that is deeply rooted in the north of our Great Tang!"
"Yes!"
All the generals in the tent roared in agreement!
…
Jiannan Province, Peng Province, in the Qiang tribe near the Lan family volcano.
The Qiang people were an ancient tribe. Their history could be traced back to the time of the Yellow Emperor. Back then, the Yellow Emperor's tribe had a great battle with the Yan Emperor's tribe. After the defeat, the Yan Emperor led his tribe and merged with the Yellow Emperor's tribe to form the Huaxia (Han Chinese). Later on, a small number of Han Chinese migrated to the west and merged with the local natives, forming the Tibetan, Qiang, and other ancient tribes.
Most of the Qiang people had lived in the land of Sichuan for generations. After thousands of years of reproduction, they had already split into hundreds of tribes of various sizes. Usually, they would help each other and live a peaceful life.
The Qiang tribe near the Lan Family volcano was the largest Qiang tribe within a radius of a hundred miles, with tens of thousands of people. The leader of the tribe was Qiao Feng. His ancestor, Qiao Zhou, was a high-ranking official in the Shu Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties period, the Qiao Family was considered one of the top families in the Shu Kingdom. Later on, with the unification of the Sui and Tang dynasties, the Central Plains dynasty's military penetration into the land of Shu became stronger and stronger. Thus, the power of the Qiang family was weakened to a certain extent.
At this moment, the Qiang family's courtyard was filled with all kinds of people. Most of them were Qiang people. There were only a few Han Chinese. Ke Shiqing, a student of Yanhuang College, and Gao Shilian, the Chief Secretary of the Yi Protectorate, were among them.
"Ke family's Dalang, you were able to enter the Imperial College a few years ago. You have indeed brought honor to the Qiang tribe in this area! Hehe! When you pass the imperial examination, even if your tribe's Old Liang doesn't hold a banquet to celebrate, this old man will definitely hold a hundred tables for you to celebrate! "
In the courtyard, a hale and hearty old man with white hair looked at Ke Shiqing and said with a kind smile.
Ke Shiqing quickly clasped his hands and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Grandpa Qiang. However, Grandpa Liang has already told me that as long as I pass the imperial examination or enter the imperial court, he will definitely hold a banquet for me to celebrate. If Grandpa Qiang doesn't mind, please come and have a drink!"
"Hey! You child! What's there to mind? You're a member of our Qiang tribe. This old man is more than happy to see you succeed. Why would I mind? When the time comes, this old man will definitely go and have a good drink. I'll drink all the good wine that Old Liang has hidden away! "
Qiao Feng laughed heartily.
At this moment, the person sitting next to Ke Shiqing looked at him and scolded, "Hmph! Our Great Clan Chief Qiang is getting more and more shameless as he gets older. I see that you've hidden away a lot of good wine these past few years? "
Qiao Feng stroked his beard and smiled. "Hehe! Shiqing is from your tribe. When the time comes, it should be your turn to treat him to a drink. Hey, if you can't afford it, just say the word and this old man will do it for you! "
"Who … who can't afford it? When the time comes, let's see if you won't be drunk! "
Clan Chief Liang said unhappily.
Even if he lost, he couldn't lose! He didn't want to be such a petty person!
"Alright! Grandpa Liang, Grandpa Qiang, thank you for your kindness. If that day really comes, Shiqing will treat you to a drink of Immortal Drunkenness! Today, this junior has come here to discuss some matters with Grandpa Ji … "
…
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