Tongguan was basically ruined.

When Cao Xuan retreated, the plan he set up was actually poisonous enough.

All his ignition points and detonation points were set on the passage to Chang'an and on the stuck points everywhere. The smoke first, and then the fire, he just wanted to lure the Tang army to come and pursue him.

Once you enter this area, the fire is together, and if you want to exit, it will be even more difficult. He didn't think that he could completely annihilate the Tang Army, turn defeat into victory or anything, if he could be lucky and swallow part of the vanguard of the Tang Army, then he would be extremely satisfied.

It's a pity that this time it's the old bird who plays against him.

These two would rather watch him run away, and would rather watch Tongguan be destroyed than let their soldiers risk pursuing the so-called full merit for them.

"Li Xiang, it's a pity, this time not only did we not catch Cao Xuan, but even Zhu Youzhen ran away." You Yong Shizhuang looked at Li Ze, who was sitting on the top of a pile of ruins and looking at the entire Tongguan City, and said humbly.

Li Ze smiled: "No, no, no, you didn't do anything wrong. At all times, we must put the lives of our soldiers first. I ran away, I ran to the monk who couldn't run the temple, and I ran through the fifteenth year of junior high school. Besides, none of us thought that Zhu Youzhen would have such great courage to drill into the Qinling Mountains in such a season. Since we can't think of it, and he did it, then we have to admit it! ”

"Li Xiang, no matter where he goes, Shi Zhuang is here to promise you that he will definitely pull him out and send him to you." Shi Zhuang arched his hand and said: "Yizhou, it will not be his protective shell." ”

"This time, Zhu Youzhen's strong man broke his wrist, and his courage is really heartbreaking. However, without much preparation in advance, he led the army through the Qinling Mountains after the closure of the mountain, and the losses must have been great. Even if some of them get out, I am afraid that they will not be able to recover their strength in a short period of time. You Yong said: "Besides, if he really swallows Zhu Youqi's power to enrich himself, but if he really wants to completely digest it, it is not a matter of a short time." Moreover, although Yizhou has been occupied by pseudo-Liang for a long time, the internal contradictions have been continuous, and internal friction is also the reason why they cannot really become stronger. Li Xiang, I think that the focus of our next attack will still be on Zhu Youzhen. ”

Li Ze looked at Shi Zhuang with a smile and said, "What is your opinion?" ”

"Zhu Youzhen's strength has been hit hard. Next, he is definitely going to merge with Nanxiangxun. It is difficult to ensure his strategic stability in Hanzhong, so once Zhu Youzhen stabilizes his foothold, he will inevitably attack Xiangyang, Jingnan and other places first, in order to obtain one or two strategic fulcrums. If he obtains a strategic fulcrum, this person will inevitably stop and run Yizhou with all his might. Shi Zhuang said.

"That is, we can't let him get these two strategic fulcrums." Li Zedao.

"I want to take Hanzhong!" Shi Zhuang said. "As long as Hanzhong is taken, it will be difficult for Yizhou to be alone." Shi Zhuang said: "At this time, we only need to have a legion stationed in Hanzhong and constantly exert pressure on it, which is enough to prompt civil strife in Yizhou. Compared with Xiang Xun, Zhu Youzhen's harm is actually not big, it is remarkable, just like the temperance of the separatist side in the past, but Xiang Xun's series of actions in Guangzhou pose a greater threat to us politically. ”

"So your suggestion is to deal with Xiang Xun first." Li Zedao.

"Yes!" Shi Zhuang said: "As long as we defeat Xiang Xun and completely recover the south, Yizhou will not require us to work hard." ”

"This matter, after we enter Chang'an, let's discuss it again!" Li Ze said with a smile: "But as Shi Zhuang said, the biggest threat to us now is the southern direction training, you have all read the military report, Xuanzhou has fallen, the Lingnan Army led by Xiang Zhen has entered Huainan, and Rong Hong is attacking Zhejiang, Xu Xiang and Li De are only struggling to support now." ”

"How is the direction of Ezhou?" Shi Zhuang asked.

Li Zedao: "When Ruyan left Ezhou, he made some arrangements. Now Li Kang and Li Hao cooperate by land and water, and Liu Xinda has fallen into a stalemate. However, Yueyang, which Qian Biao is defending, is very problematic, and the latest intelligence shows that Qian Biao is ready to retreat into Dongting Lake in case of defeat. ”

"It's a grim form!" You Yong said: "Li Xiang, Chang'an has no enemies anymore, we must immediately send reinforcements to stabilize the form." ”

"Liu Chenglin has already set off." Li Zedao: "He will go directly to Huainan and other places. ”

"Then I'm going to Ezhou?" Shi Zhuang asked.

"That's exactly what it means!" Li Ze nodded and said: "The key is still in Ezhou, as long as Liu Xinda is defeated and Ezhou is completely controlled, then Jingnan can be aided in the west, Jiangxi can be coerced in the east, and it can also cooperate with Liu Chenglin and the two departments to clamp Xiangzhen together." The importance of the thoroughfare of the nine provinces is self-evident. ”

"Once the nail in Ezhou is removed, does Li Xiang want us to move forward bravely, or will we stop and rest first?" Shi Zhuang asked.

Li Ze laughed: "You are very confident, you think that as soon as you go, you can defeat Liu Xinda with one drum?" It's an old bird, it's so slippery! ”

Shi Zhuang smiled slightly and said, "It's just a chicken and a dog." ”

Li Ze laughed: "Then so be it." After retaking Ezhou, my opinion is that we should recuperate for a while. After two big battles in a row, our army and the people were tired. Although it is possible to win if you muster up your bravery, the price to pay is too great. People's livelihood will be greatly damaged, and in my opinion, the gains will outweigh the losses. We don't need to do anything right now. ”

Shi Zhuang nodded and said, "I understand what Li Xiang means." Under the condition of firmly entrenching the fence, they diligently cultivated their internal skills and developed the people's livelihood, and at the same time constantly put pressure on the south, forcing them to constantly invest heavily in the military. On the whole, the economy of the South is still good, but once the two sides of us become hostile, we can completely blockade and suppress them economically. When it comes to making money, ten Xiang Xun can't catch up with Li Xiang. ”

"You've learned to pat yourself on the back."

"It's not a sycophant, it's a fact, and I can see it clearly in the past ten years." Shi Zhuang smiled: "General You wants to come and feel the same way as me. ”

"That's true!"

"As Li Xiang said before, to fight a war, to the end, is to fight economically, to fight for money. Especially in this situation of confrontation between the two powers, whoever has a stronger economy and stronger staying power will be able to win the final victory. Shi Zhuang said: "This is a vicious circle. Once the south is forced to engage in a long-term confrontation with us, it has to continue to increase its investment in the military, unlike us, the southern clan is powerful, Xiang Xun wants to make money on these people, I am afraid it is not an easy thing, he can only find a way to the ordinary people, increase taxes, taxes, conscription, etc., will inevitably follow, so that the common people are miserable, when a large number of people are forced to serve the military, their economy will definitely deteriorate further. ”

Li Ze said with a smile: "After a long time, Xiang Xun will definitely not be able to stand it, so he can only take the initiative to attack us, and when it comes, it will be our turn to wait for work and slowly clean them up." ”

"Once they suffer a military defeat, they will be forced to expand their armaments and wars even more, add more taxes to supplement military spending, and force more young people to join the army, this is a black hole, and those who are pulled into it will not be able to get out at all, until they are finally destroyed." You Yong smiled: "And we are different, we now have the Silk Road to the west in our hands, with countless fleets sailing on the sea, we have better weapons and equipment, and we only need fewer troops to contain the attack from the south." ”

"Use the least amount of power to get the biggest victory!" Li Zedao: "The kind of bloody thing, the mobilization of the whole people, and the fact that the last copper plate in the pox is taken out to block the national fortune, there is no need to do it now." The area under our control has finally developed to the point where it has been, and we cannot afford to give up on what we have done. ”

As he was talking, Chen Wenliang and a hooded man came from the gate in a hurry, and after looking at the figure of the man walking, Li Ze already knew who the person was.

"Gao Xiangsheng came from Chang'an." Li Ze stood up from the ruins and went down

Shi Zhuang and You Yong followed, but they hugged their fists together and said goodbye to Li Ze.

Gao Xiangsheng is a person from the internal guard, and when he came to see Li Ze, he naturally had something important to tell him, and the two of them consciously avoided suspicion.

"General Gao, this time I have made another great contribution!" Li Ze greeted him with a smile, and he was always very polite to Gao Xiangsheng. Of course, in this politeness, there is also a faint alienation. It's far less comfortable than treating Shi Zhuang and You Yong. With Gao Xiangsheng, it is purely a relationship between superiors and subordinates.

"Fortunately, I didn't lose my life!" Gao Xiangsheng took off his hood and bowed: "Li Xiang, Chang'an has finally returned to our hands with all beards and tails, and now, the military horses of General Tu Lichun and General Wang Sili have arrived near Chang'an, and the vanguard has entered the city to control the situation, and I have finally escaped." ”

"Cao Xuan ran away, what happened to the troops he left behind?"

"Some of them surrendered, the other part was dispersed, and now General Tu and General Wang are exterminating these guys, and it won't be long before these people either become prisoners of war or become dead." High elephant ascension. "I came in a hurry today, but Hao Ren sent someone to deliver an urgent report."

"What did Hao Ren find out?"

"Cao Xuan caught up with Hao Ren, and from Cao Xuan's mouth, Hao Ren finally knew Zhu Youzhen's plan!" Gao Xiangsheng said: "After taking Yizhou, Zhu Youzhen will automatically go to the emperor's name, abandon Daliang, and declare himself a minister to Guangzhou!" ”

Li Ze paused, and only nodded after a long time: "Zhu Youzhen, this guy, is really impressive!" ”