The Turkic movements are evident and traceable. Each time the Turks invaded the border, they first carried out small-scale raids like bandits with small groups of cavalry, harassing the border cities, and then deciding whether to overwhelm the border with large troops based on the feedback received.

There are several benefits to doing so.

First, the small raids can give a glimpse of the strength and attitude of the garrison. Second, the repeated raids of small groups of cavalry will make the generals on the border unbearable, and if it is a large-scale blockade, it will expose a lot of information such as troops, and if it is ignored, it will cause dissatisfaction among the people. Third, the frequent raiding of small groups of cavalry can cause the general effect of "wolves coming", covering up the actions of the Turkic army, so that the soldiers on the border think that it is the harassment of the Turks again, but in fact, it is the real army that is pressing the border, which catches people off guard. Fourth, it is naturally easy to excuse. If it is true that there is an invincible general, or if it is not the time to move troops, it can be said that it is the private behavior of a very small number of Turks - they certainly do not say that they were ordered by the khan when they plunder.

"Since the beginning of the year, the movements of the Turks have become more and more frequent. The Turks have had a very bad time in the past few years, but I'm afraid that I can't hold it anymore. Li Shimin quietly looked at the sand table in front of him, on which there were several small red flags representing the enemy, planted in areas where the Turks frequently disturbed them.

"Most of the raids of the Turks are concentrated in Ganzhou and Suzhou, and these two guards are Zhang Baoxiang and Zhang Shigui, both of whom are generals, and Zhang Shigui is particularly brave and good at fighting. Li Tao stroked a small beard and said: "The minister thinks that now he should be prepared to deal with the Turkic invaders, but on the surface, he will not move. ”

Zhang Shigui? When Xia Hongsheng heard this name, he immediately remembered the representative of the evil old force in the story of the later generations, persecuting Xue Rengui and being jealous of his ability. Framing the traitorous ministers of Zhongliang - of course, this is not true, but the scandalization of it in folk tales after the Song Dynasty. The real Zhang Shigui in history is not only not a traitor, but also a loyal and good general with Qin Qiong, Wei Chi Jingde and others, and an official to the general of the left leading army. Named the Duke of the Kingdom, his descendants are knighted. After his death, Tang Gaozong held a grand funeral for him, and presented him with the name of Xiang. Shangguanyi, the prime minister of the dynasty, personally wrote an epitaph for him, and gave him a very high evaluation of his life of being born and dying for the Li Tang Dynasty and making repeated military exploits. He also gave the secret weapon of the East Garden, and gave the honor of the honor guard and the burial of Taizong in Zhaoling.

Xia Hongsheng was thinking about Zhang Shigui's matter, and heard Li Shimin ask: "Regarding the Turkic movements, all the secretaries have said how to deal with them?" ”

"Your Majesty. The minister thought that the Turks had repeatedly plundered the border people, and they had always been undead to the Central Plains. A middle-aged general was the first to open his mouth and said: "The minister thinks that he will attack the Turks." There are six reasons: Jieli Khan is extravagant and brutal, and kills Zhongliang. Getting close to traitors, this is one of them; Xue Yantuo and other tribes have rebelled from the control of the Turks, not only weakening the strength of the Turks, but also becoming the enemies of the Turks. Tuli, Tuo, and Desire Valley all offended Jieli, and Jieli was very small. has been embarrassed many times, so that it has no self-esteem, let alone unity, and thirdly; The land of northern Cyprus has experienced frost and drought for many years, and food is scarce. The grass is withered and the horse is thin, which is unfavorable, and this is the fourth; Jieli alienated the clansmen, entrusted with heavy responsibilities to foreign tribes, the Hu people were capricious, and once the Tang army arrived, there would inevitably be internal chaos, which was the fifth; Before the Sui world war, the Han people in the north went to the north to avoid chaos in the early years, as for the number is not small now, the ministers heard that these Han people gathered arms, occupied dangerous places for self-protection, if I went out of the army, it was natural to respond many times, and the inside should be combined with the outside, this is the sixth. ”

The words of this general, whom Xia Hongsheng had never seen, made Li Shimin and his fellow roommates, including Xia Hongsheng, all their eyes light up. Xia Hongsheng also agreed in his heart, the six reasons he said were extremely accurate and reasonable, and they were three points.

However, before anyone could echo it, I heard someone say: "Zhang Dudu's words are wrong, the old man thinks that although the Turks have plundered, they are ultimately the work of a very small number of Turks, not Jieli, let alone the Turkic soldiers who have invaded the border." If Your Majesty sends troops to attack the Turks, with the Weishui Alliance in front, won't Your Majesty become the one who has betrayed his promise? ”

"The ambitions of the Turkic wolves, who doesn't know, who doesn't know? Now that our dynasty is strong and prosperous, and the Turks are declining, just when the time and place are favorable, and everyone is occupied, if you don't fight at this time, when will you wait? The general, who had just listed six reasons for attacking the Turks, said.

Xia Hongsheng, who was opposed, recognized that Li Xiaochang was implicated in the rebellion before, and one of the many people who was removed from all positions, the eldest grandson Shunde, who was activated last year.

This product was greedy for money and bribes before, but Li Lao Er rewarded him with some money to shame him. Later, he was implicated in Li Xiaochang's rebellion, and he was dismissed from office with Liu Hongji. Last year, Li Shimin thanked him again for his meritorious service, so he used it again.

As for the person who made the suggestion, Xia Hongsheng had never seen it. However, from the six reasons he put forward to attack the Turks, Xia Hongsheng felt that he was definitely not an ordinary person - then again, the person who could be called into this room was not only a person who took advantage of the later generations, but also someone who was waiting for leisure.

What Gong Jin said is very reasonable. The current situation of the Turks is indeed as Gong Jin said. It's a great time. Li Shimin nodded and said, "However, what Shunde said is not bad. Since I am the Son of Heaven and should be an example for the world, although the Weishui Alliance is not the original intention, but it is a promise, if I break my promise, how will the people of the world see me? ”

Hearing Li Shimin say this, everyone didn't speak. Li Shimin's worries are also right, in this era, treachery is very serious.

was silent for a while, but saw Li Jing suddenly stroked his beard and said, "Your Majesty, the minister suddenly remembered that the opinions of the people in the world are actually changeable. There is a course in the military academy that specializes in teaching many kinds of combat methods, one of which is called public opinion warfare. ”

Public opinion warfare takes the people's hearts as the battlefield, systematically adopts various means against the enemy, exerts influence on the enemy's cognition, emotion, and will, invisibly strikes at the enemy's mind, exchanges the greatest victory and benefits at the minimum price, mentally disintegrates the fighting spirit of the enemy's army and people through some means, strikes the enemy psychologically, and disintegrates the enemy's morale and weakens the will to resist through a large amount of information transmission, so that he will give up resistance, evade battle, or even disarm and surrender, so as to win without a fight or win after a fight. For oneself, through the guidance of public opinion, it arouses one's own resentment against the enemy, so that one's own side can vigorously support the act of war. (To be continued.) )