Tibet

More than 20,000 households in Longyou Prefecture have returned to their hometowns, and 14,000 households in Fengzhou have returned to their hometowns. Adding the returnees from Lingzhou and Hexi, there are almost 50,000 households in the Helong area. More than 100,000 people began to return to their hometowns, forming a massive return wave.

Li Ye did not stop them. He had previously promised that refugees could come and go freely. Of course, he would not break his promise. Moreover, he was mentally prepared that once the war was over, there would definitely be a wave of people returning home.

But as long as half of the refugees are willing to stay, he can be considered to have achieved the goal of introducing the population. In fact, the goal is not difficult to achieve. After all, 100,000 people have joined Longyou, and including their families, there will be at least 500,000 people. If they can leave and retain 300,000 people among the remaining people, the goal will be achieved.

Li Ye nodded, "We need to do a good job in publicity. The warlords in Hebei have to support the army. They can't really be tax-free, and the taxes will be very heavy. Let the people understand this and they will have their own choices." ”

Jia Shen nodded, "Remember this humble position!"

At this time, a soldier rushed over and said: "Your Highness, Yanzhou is asking for urgent help!"

Li Ye was startled. He immediately realized that there was something wrong with the kerosene. He immediately ordered: "Bring the messenger to see me!"

After a moment, the soldier who delivered the message was brought forward. He knelt down on one knee and saluted, "Your Majesty, I see you for your humble duty!"

He immediately handed over a letter asking for help written by Zhao Hui. Li Ye read the letter and asked, "Did a fierce battle break out between the two sides when you set out?"

"Not yet, but I heard that General Zhao has decided to fill in six oil wells!"

"What about the inventory?"

Li Ye asked: "There should be 10,000 jars of kerosene in the warehouse. How should he deal with it?"

"Reporting to Your Highness, it has been shipped out!"

Li Ye breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't care if the oil well was filled, but the 300,000 kilograms of kerosene inventory in the warehouse must not be lost. Li Ye thought for a moment and said to the messenger: "Go back and tell Zhao Hui not to talk to the court for the time being." The army resisted forcefully, harassed them for oil extraction, and did not allow the kerosene to be transported out of Yanzhou."

Li Ye rewarded the messenger with another ten taels of silver, and the soldier bowed and hurried away.

Li Ye paused his inspection and returned to the military camp. Liu Yan pondered for a moment and said to Li Ye: "I think this is probably the eunuch party hinting to us that this year's bribe has not been given to them yet?"

Li Ye nodded, "Your feeling should be right, but bribing the eunuchs is just a stopgap measure when we don't have a firm foothold in Longyou. Now we don't need to spend hundreds of thousands of taels of silver every year to bribe them. Compromise is not an option. Only struggle is the right way!"

"What do you plan to do, Your Highness?"

Li Ye stopped his horse, looked at Xiao Guan in the distance and said calmly: "Warn them first!"

Xiaoguan is located in the north of Yuanzhou. It is part of the defense of the Great Wall and is also the northernmost fortress of Guanzhong defense. Once the nomads capture Xiaoguan, the iron cavalry will sweep southward. There will no longer be any dangerous pass that can resist it, allowing the nomads to drive straight in and enter. Guanzhong, so among the four passes in Guanzhong, there has always been the theory of Beixiao Pass.

However, since the Tang army had controlled Shuofang and even Hetao for a long time, the defensive value of Xiaoguan was greatly reduced. The 5,000 garrison in Xiaoguan was reduced to 1,000, and later to 300 due to financial constraints. However, in Anlu During the Shanbei attack, Xiaoguan's garrison was once increased to 20,000 people, and fortifications were built to increase the defense capability to the south.

But as An Lushan's army retreated to Guanzhong, Xiaoguan returned to silence, and its military strength was reduced to 500. Although it was 200 more than at the minimum, 500 people defended such a huge Xiaoguan, and the strength was indeed seriously insufficient. Maybe it’s all covered.

That night, five thousand Helong troops arrived at Xiaoguan. They stopped three miles away from Xiaoguan. Here was a big turn. Under the moonlight, you could faintly see the black pass in the distance. That was not the main entrance to Xiaoguan. Pass, but the west flank of Xiaoguan, also called Xiguan.

The entire Xiaoguan is a defense system, consisting of four passes in the east, west, south and north. In the middle is Guancheng, which contains warehouses, customs, shops, inns, taverns and a brothel, as well as the general's residence and barracks.

It can only accommodate 500 people at most. If there are more troops, they can only camp on the outside.

It is now non-wartime. According to normal practice, the number of defenders during the day is 100 and the number of defenders at night is 50. If it is wartime, the number of guards on duty will be tripled.

Scout Zhonglang assigned Zhang Dian the important task of seizing the gate. He led fifty of his men to Xiguan under the cover of night, while the other three hundred men lay in ambush outside the gate of Guancheng, waiting for the gate to open.

Xiaoguan is actually a crack between two mountains. Official passes and an official road were built on the crack. City walls continued to be built on the mountains on both sides, just like the two wings of a bird. There is no official road in Xiguan, so infantry must climb the mountain. , and at a high place.

Half an hour later, fifty soldiers were already close to the city wall. The city wall was about one foot and a half high. This was Chang'an built in the Sui Dynasty. It was not that long ago and the city wall was quite strong.

Zhang Dian made a gesture, and the soldiers immediately set up a human wall. There were five people at the bottom, three in the middle, and a short scout at the top. He was very agile. He looked around for a moment, then jumped into the barrier and huddled up. In the darkness, observing the situation on the gate, he saw five Tang Army soldiers wrapped in blankets and sleeping soundly in the corner.

The soldier slowly stretched out his hand and gestured downwards, indicating that there were five guardsmen sleeping soundly.

Zhang Dian led 20 soldiers up the ladder to the city. They took action together and restrained five soldiers. Zhang Dian pressed a dagger on the neck of the leading soldier and whispered: "We are the Helong Tang Army, and we have been ordered to do so." Take over the pass and keep quiet, I won’t kill you.”

The leading soldier nodded repeatedly. The soldiers tied the hands and feet of the five people, blocked their mouths with rags, and covered their heads with black bags. Two soldiers were left to guard them. Zhang Dian led dozens of soldiers to touch Guancheng below. .

It was the third watch at this time. Although there were fifty defenders on duty at night, most of the defenders were actually asleep. Only five people were left patrolling back and forth on the city gate. They were not defending against the enemy. , but there will be merchants passing through. The inns in Guancheng are the business of the general and require guests to stay.

Before the five soldiers could react, their mouths were covered by the hands stretched out from behind, and they were knocked unconscious with a punch and then tied up.

They are all soldiers of the Tang Army. They will not kill unless it is absolutely necessary. If they want to kill, they will kill the general. There is no need to kill the ordinary soldiers below.

After clearing away the five patrolling soldiers, the city gate slowly opened, and the three hundred soldiers outside swarmed in.

Torches were lit on top of the city, and five thousand Tang army cavalry, who were hiding two miles away, led by Lei Wanchun, rode towards Guancheng.

The chief general of Xiaoguan is Liu Cui, a general who is a subordinate of Pugu Huai'en, the military governor of the pass.

In the light of hunting fire, Liu Cui was pushed up. He glared at Lei Wanchun and said: "We and the Helong Army are not in conflict with the river. What do you mean?"

Lei Wanchun said calmly: "From now on, the defense of Xiaoguan will be the responsibility of the Helong Army. Our Highness has an order not to embarrass you!"

Liu Cui was a little anxious. The wealth he had accumulated for more than ten years was all in Guancheng.

He quickly shouted: "General Lei, we can leave, but please return our personal belongings to us."

Lei Wanchun ignored him and ordered coldly: "Open the south gate and drive them out!"