Wang Shichong smiled slightly and said: "Exactly, the reason why Your Majesty has not let Tudi Ji return to Beji's hometown is because he is afraid that he will have no way back?" ”

Yang Guang nodded: "Yes, in the last battle of Pyongyang, the Goguryeo army itself was not too strong, but the cavalry of the Khitan, Xi, Tongluo, and Beji barbarians were very powerful, even if they were generals in a hundred battles, such as Yuwen Shu, Yu Zhongwen, etc., they also said that these barbarian cavalry were fierce and ferocious, coming and going like the wind, and they were not inferior to the cavalry of the steppe overlord Turks, and even in terms of ferocity and barbarism, they were more than equal, if they could be subdued, it would be tantamount to cutting off Goguryeo's arm!" ”

"After the last battle of Goguryeo, as your Wang Aiqing said, the monarchs and ministers of Goguryeo were suspicious of each other, and they lost peace up and down, and after these servant tribes won the battle, they asked the Goguryeo king Gao Yuan for a reward according to the agreement, but Gao Yuan experienced the war with his headquarters, and the recruited militiamen had no time to harvest food because they were in the army, and they themselves had a food shortage, so they only symbolically gave these tribes some money and food, and asked them to go to Liaodong and find Yuan Taizuo to ask for a reward."

"But Liaodong has been besieged by our army for more than half a year, and the situation is even worse, Yuan Taizuo has no money to send these barbarian cavalry, and he is also afraid that Gao Yuan will drive the tiger and devour the wolf, and borrow these barbarians to stay in his Liaodong territory for a long time, so he thought of a way to take out part of the inventory to give to several large tribes, buy them, let these big tribes attack, and drive away other small tribes. Several large tribes of the Khitans, because of their large size and alliances, became natural allies to carry out this order. ”

"This tribe of Tudiji is not large, and it is considered small among the tribes of Beji, because they have not been able to get a reward. So he stayed in Liaodong to ask Yuan Taizuo for money. But I didn't expect to wait for more than a month. What they were waiting for was not a reward, but the cavalry of the Khitan Yuling Division, who had always had an enmity with them. ”

Wang Shichong smiled and nodded: "This trick is to raze and raze, the method of driving the tiger and devouring the wolf is really effective, although the Beji cavalry is fierce, but the number is too small, leaving the hometown of the deep mountains and dense forests, it is not the opponent of the Khitan people on the plain, presumably the loss of this sudden land is also very heavy." ”

A smug look flashed on Yang Guang's face: "I have already found out. He still has a population of more than 5,000 families and more than 10,000 soldiers, but less than 2,000 families and 3,000 soldiers have fled back to his hometown. ”

Wang Shichong said with a smile: "But as far as Weichen knows, there are now several cities occupied by our army on the east bank of the Liao River. The north happens to be the territory of the Khitan Yuling Department, which is what Tudiji wants to attach. He also has to pass through the area of this Yuling tribe, or he has to come back through the Liaodong territory of Goguryeo, which is even more likely, is Your Majesty worried that the Yuling tribe will not give up the passage and let it go? ”

Yang Guang sighed: "In the past, our Great Sui has never dealt with these Khitans, and they have been fighting against the Beji people for hundreds of years, and this is what bothers me, if we send troops to escort Tudiji back to Beji, then we will disperse the forces of the second attack on Goguryeo, I don't want to divide the troops this time, I want to gather a large army, fight steadily, and take Liaodong City directly." This is also the tactics that you Wang Aiqing said last time, and most of the generals approve of it. ”

Wang Shichong nodded: "Last time, our army captured several cities on the east bank of the Liao River, and now it has also cut off the connection between the Yuling Department and the Liaodong headquarters of Goguryeo. ”

Yang Guang's brows gradually relaxed, and then wrinkled together: "It's just that these barbarians, fierce by nature, fighting is a common thing, even if the Yuling Department is willing to submit to our Great Sui, the hatred with the Beji people still can't be resolved, and with my Great Sui's consistent national policy, for these battles of foreign barbarians, at most it is to mediate, and they will not be forced to make a truce. ”

Wang Shichong sneered in his heart, it seems that after Yang Guang has been the leader of the wrongs for a few years, he has also begun to know that firewood, rice, oil and salt are expensive, and he knows that even with the wealth and strength of the Great Sui, he will give these four barbarians a poor and devastated, and he will no longer give endless rewards, but he still nodded with a look of admiration: "Your Majesty is wise and wise, and the worries are far-reaching, and the ministers are never as good as it." ”

A smug look flashed on Yang Guang's face, even though he knew that Wang Shichong was patting on the back, he was still very useful, he smiled and shook his head: "Wang Aiqing, then what good way do you have to make the Yuling Department obedient and no longer attack Beji's Tudiji?" ”

The corners of Wang Shichong's mouth hooked, and a mysterious look appeared on his face: "Your Majesty, Weichen dared to mention this matter to His Majesty, just because he had his own ideas, there were too many soldiers in the court who died at the hands of the Khitans last time, and if you want to recruit An now, I am afraid that it will also shake the hearts of the army, so even if you recruit An Yuling, it is not appropriate for the official to come forward." ”

Yang Guang's eyes lit up: "What do you mean, do you mean to give full play to your strengths as a businessman and trade with the Yuling Ministry?" ”

Wang Shichong smiled slightly: "Exactly, the so-called bustling every day, all for profit, the world is often, all for profit, even these barbaric and backward primitive people, this is the case, they fight for Goguryeo, it is nothing more than because the Goguryeo people send them food, send war equipment, trade with them, let them get the much-needed daily necessities, silk and silk, what the Goguryeo people can give, we can also give it to the Great Sui, relying on this alone, it will make the Khitan people out of the control of Goguryeo, not to mention that they will definitely be able to stand on our side, At the very least, it can maintain neutrality. ”

Yang Guang nodded with satisfaction, rubbed his hands excitedly, and paced back and forth in the main hall: "Yes, this plan is very good, Wang Aiqing, how much money do you need for food and silk, even if you open your mouth, if you can buy the Yuling Department and even the Khitan Eight Tribes, and no longer help Goguryeo, it will be much stronger and more saved than directly going out to crusade." ”

Wang Shichong shook his head confidently, and the corners of his mouth hooked: "Your Majesty Shengming, Weichen doesn't need a penny from the state treasury, as long as Your Majesty gives Weichen a trade privilege, allows Weichen's caravan to enter the Khitan Yuling Department, and then gives a pardon decree to reward the head of the Yuling Department, Brother Bara, with the title of general, it's fine!" (To be continued.) )