Chapter 617 Flying Dragon Riding on the Clouds

Li Shimin in the morning light was as tired as his Amatler, with his eyes unconscious. The handsome and handsome young master who was once beautiful, began to become much gloomy after his disfigurement and his arms were broken, which often made people afraid to get close to him.

His shoulder was covered with a white cloak soaked in blood and stains. After many days of bloody battles and escape, the once precious and gorgeous white cloak could not be seen. Below the cloak was a black bright light armor, and the armor leaves connected with copper wire were already covered with dust and blood stains. The black iron armor leaves and dark red solidified blood stains were mixed together, making people feel the feeling of death and gloom on his body within a few steps.

Under his cold face, the sleeves of his left hand were empty. He pressed the horizontal knife at his waist with his intact right hand, and walked out of the cave calmly with a pair of deer leather boots. He had just come back from inquiring from outside, and had not had time to wash and sort out the fog at night had already wet his cloak, and a few strands of scattered hair under his helmet were hanging down. His originally smooth chin was also covered with blue and black stubble, and his roots stood up like iron wire, protruding.

When he saw his sister Li Xiuning, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, saying hello, and stopped and stood there.

"Erlang." Li Xiuning stepped forward and kindly helped his younger brother tidy up his cloak, "When did you come back?"

"Take the safest moment before dawn." Li Shimin's cold face raised slightly. The night before dawn was the quietest and safest moment of the day. The pursuers sent by Yang Hsiao were often resting in the camp at this time. Li Shimin asked a few days ago to take people to the foot of the mountain to inquire about the situation, trying to find a way to allow these thousands of remaining soldiers to retreat to the north. If it really doesn't work, it is also a way to go to Changping, which is to retreat to the east.

“How is the situation?”

Li Shimin shook his head helplessly, "As what my third sister said before, now we are trapped in the mountains and have no way to go. The Yellow River is in the south, the Yuwen family is in the east, and the Wang Shichong is in the east. We are surrounded by all sides and have no way to go. Although Taiyuan, Shangdang and other places are still in the hands of my Li family, it is difficult to quench the thirst from far away. If we cannot go back, they will not be able to come south to save us."

Although he had not found a way out these days, Li Shimin still found a lot of useful information. At this time, Hedong, let alone Li Shentong, Li Daozong and others came to rescue him, they were not enough to protect themselves. The news he received was that Wang Shichong had previously sent troops to attack Huoyi and wanted to go north to compete for Taiyuan. However, Liang Shidu on the other side of Luliang Mountain suddenly crossed the mountain and led a group of strange soldiers to seize the three cities of Huoyi, Jiexiu, and Lingshi, and firmly occupied the three roads that must be passed north to the fore, the Qianjunxing, and the Tongjunchuan. The only way to go north was seized, and the backyard of Luoyang was robbed by Li Mi again, and Wang Shichong had to withdraw his troops and retreat back to Jiangjun County.

However, the Liang Shidu took the opportunity to march northward. Within a few days, he had occupied Xihe County and headed north along the Fenhe River. The troops had already reached the south of Taiyuan, and another troops were sent from Lishi County to the west of Taiyuan, heading straight to the west of Taiyuan.

Wang Rengong, Liu Wuzhou and others in the northeast of the river were also not inferior. Wang Rengong, Liu Wuzhou, Yao Junsu, and Guo Zihe from Mayi, and Guo Zihe from Yanmen, gathered troops and horses to form a camp in the west. Wang Rengong was the marshal, and Liu Wuzhou and others were the deputy commanders. The troops gathered more than 100,000 troops. From north to south, they attacked Loufan County. In less than two days, all the counties of Loufan County were lost and the troops attacked Taiyuan County. Li Shentong, who remained in Taiyuan, led 30,000 troops to block Jiaocheng in the north of Taiyuan. The city was destroyed within three days. Li Shentong lost 30,000 troops and only dozens of people fled back to Taiyuan. After this defeat, Li Shentong and Li Daozong no longer dared to divide the troops in Zhucheng, and hurriedly retreated from Zhucheng outside Taiyuan to Taiyuan to the city.

First, they went to Jiaocheng, then to Fenyang, and then Mengxian, Shi Ai, Shouyang, Leping, Heshun, Liaoshan, Pingcheng, and the outer cities of Taiyuan fell one after another. About three days ago, Wang Rengong's army invaded the Western Alliance to encircle Yuci City on the east side of Taiyuan. The two armies on the west and south side of the Liang Shidu also seized Wenshui, Qixian, and Taigu, and 50,000 troops gathered to surround Qingyuan City on the south side of Taiyuan.

In the northern and central counties of Hedong, only Taiyuan City and the surrounding Yuci and Qingyuan were left. Li Shentong and Li Daozong gathered all the remaining 100,000 people to trap Taiyuan, protecting Li Tang's last base and the family and relatives of all civil and military officials.

Taiyuan City is arduous, but because of its geographical advantage, Shangdang County, surrounded by the three major mountains of Taiyue, Taihang and Wangwu, is still in the hands of Li Tang, but Shangdang is blocked from Taiyuan in the north, and the south is cut off from Wang Shichong from Wangwu Mountain, and has also cut off contact with Hedong County. Although he can temporarily rely on the advantage of high mountain and territorial advantage and will not be lost for the time being, he can only sit in a corner and finally watch the demise of the Li family.

The bad situation was not what Li Shimin was most worried about. What he was more worried about was the aristocratic tribes who had defected to their Li family in the Hedong counties. At the time, their Taiyuan dispute became the winner, occupied the center of Taiyuan, and issued an edict to determine the land of more than ten counties in Hedong. All the noble families turned to them one after another, but now, Wang Shichong to the south and Wang Rengong to the north, instantly took away more than ten counties in their Li family without much effort. This made him feel like he was deceived and betrayed. When he was angry, he couldn't help but remember Chen Pojun's mercy to those aristocratic tribes in Hebei and eliminated them in one fell swoop. When he heard this, he thought that Chen Pojun, who had always been smart, had made a big mistake and caused those noble generals to suffer endless troubles. But now, he realized that the man was still right.

This time he went down the mountain and sent people to sneak into Hedong County, Jiang County and Henoi County, trying to contact the aristocratic tyrants of the three counties and the local officials appointed by the Li family, trying to get them to attack behind Yang Hung, Wang Shichong and others, causing chaos to help them go down the mountain and return to Shangdang or Taiyuan. But the messengers sent out came back with disappointment. Later, he personally took people to the Pei family, the largest aristocratic tyrant in Hedong County, hoping to get their support. However, the head of the Pei family treated warmly on the surface, nodded repeatedly and agreed, but secretly sent people to report to Yang Hung. Fortunately, he and his subordinates were alert and found that the atmosphere was wrong in the middle of the night, so they fought to death to fight a bloody road before the troops sent by Yang Hung arrived. Even so, more than 20 brothers who followed him down the mountain remained there forever.

What is the reason for the aristocratic races to refuse? At first, he couldn't figure it out, but before he could return to the mountains, he had already figured out all this. The Li family is the representative of the aristocratic race. Thinking about the Li family's code of conduct, it is not difficult to understand the reactions of these aristocratic races to the situation in Hedong at this time. The aristocratic races do not care about loyalty, they only care about interests. As long as they can protect their family interests, as for who is the lord of Hedong and who is the lord of the world, there is no connection between them.

"Have you talked to them all?"

"All?" Li Shimin smiled mockingly and shook his head. When he saw the family, he almost couldn't come back. He didn't dare to see other families again. However, he still didn't spare what he should do. Although he did not go to contact and negotiate in person, he still sent his subordinates to visit each family with his handwritten letters. But as a result, half of the powerful men of the aristocratic clan refused to even see his envoys, and a small number of them met, but there was no reply. But Mo Ling replied a few words without any pain. As for the things they asked them to do, they all refused various excuses. There were also a very small number of people who were as shameless as the Pei family. When they saw his envoy, they immediately sent someone to capture him and sent him to Yang Ming to seek credit.

"I only met with the head of the Pei family in Hedong, but the shameless old thief wanted to tie me up in the middle of the night and give it to Yang Ming. Fortunately, I was alert and escaped. As for even the people, they were not much better. Now that our Li family has fallen into such a field, these guys are eager to take advantage of the situation and ask them to help them in time. That is impossible."

Although Li Xiuning didn't care about family interests or fighting for the world, she couldn't help but frown when she heard the Hedong clan tyrants who had been dependent on the Li family to treat the Li family like this.

"Erlang, I heard that when you came back, you brought a team of strangers back. Who are they?"

"The Royal Guard of Golden Armor."

"The Royal Guard?"

"Chen Pojun's imperial guards are equivalent to the three guards of the original court, personal guards and Xun Guards." Li Shimin explained to his sister, "However, Chen Pojun's personal guards are not those of the three guards of the relatives of nobles and the children of civil and military ministers. His personal guards are divided into the Imperial Guards, the Silver Guards, the Copper Guards and the Imperial Guards. Among them, the Imperial Guards are the best young officers selected in the army. A total of 108 Golden Guards are all young and the best, all of whom are seventh-rank military positions, and their future is unlimited."

A powerful and brand new young officer guard camp is a new thing that only people like Chen Pojun can make. Although Li Shimin had long regarded Chen Pojun as the enemy of life and death in his heart, he was extremely concerned about Chen Pojun. He would always know the first of some changes around Chen Pojun.

Some people say that if you want to know someone, then ask his opponent. Li Shimin thought that there might be no one in the world who knows Chen Pojun better than him. Since he met Chen Pojun, he has discovered that Chen Pojun has always been a person who likes to innovate. No matter what happens, he dared to change the military system and get out military ranks in Liaodong. Now he has created a brand new imperial guard, which is nothing strange. Only he can do such things.

Listening to her brother calmly saying that the stranger she brought back was actually her husband's personal guard. She couldn't help but feel dizzy. After a long time, her heart was still beating violently. She held her forehead with her eyes very bright, and her hands urgently grabbed Li Shimin's hand and said, "What did you say? Is the one you brought back really his?"

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Chapter completed!