A personal soldier walked into the outside and presented a red message tube to Zhang Xuan. The highest level of information in the Northern Sui Dynasty was the purple message tube, which indicated that it was the most urgent and important, but the purple message tube was only used by those who were superiors. For the Chang'an Intelligence Agency, the red message tube was the most urgent information.

When everyone saw the red message tube, they knew that something must have happened. They stopped what they were doing and looked at Zhang Xuan together. Zhang Xuan looked at the information and said to everyone: "Yesterday, the Tang Dynasty made the final decision and ordered Li Xiaogong's Eastern Expedition Army to withdraw from Jiangxia County in the west."

Everyone hurriedly looked at the sand table and saw that there were hundreds of miles of Jiugong Mountains between Jiangxia County and Yuzhang County. It was not that easy to retreat directly from Yuzhang County to Jiangxia County."

Zhang Xuan said again: "According to the Tang Dynasty's letter delivery rules, the Ministry of War will send Li Yuan's order to Jiangxia with a pigeon letter, and then take a boat from Jiangxia to Yuzhang County. It will take as soon as three days. In other words, Li Xiaogong will only receive the emperor's order at least the day after tomorrow. Even if he immediately raises troops north, it will take four to five days to enter Jiangxia County. In other words, we still have eight days, and I hope to prepare for all the wars within these eight days."

Fang Xuanling said on the side: "Since Li Shenfu knows that Li Xiaogong's army is going to enter Jiangxia, I'm afraid he won't abandon Jiangxia so easily."

Zhang Xuan nodded. This was actually within his expectations. Since the Sui army occupied Baling, Changsha and Nanjun and cut off the retreat of Li Xiaogong's army, there was no way out except to withdraw the troops and return to Jiangxia.

Zhang Xuan looked at Yuzhang County for a while and said, "Li Xiaogong's arrival in Jiangxia may not be a bad thing."

Li Xiaogong's army is currently stationed in Yuzhang County. Although the logistics areas were captured and the support grain was cut off, Yuzhang County and Poyang County were relatively wealthy counties. There was a lot of food in the official warehouse and could be bought on the market, so that the Tang army could also ensure the supply of military rations.

He had food in his hands and was not panicked. The food in his hands could last for at least more than a month, and Li Xiaogong was not so nervous.

But it is impossible for everything to be so perfect. Although the morale of the army can be stabilized after the food is solved, the morale is declining day by day, which makes Li Xiaogong really helpless.

Among the 90,000 Eastern Expedition Army led by Li Xiaogong this time, most of them were Xiao Xian's surrendered troops. The Tang army brought only 20,000 from Bashu, and the others were replaced by Liang's army and turned into Tang army. At least half of these 70,000 soldiers were from Nanjun, as well as Changsha County, Baling County and Luling County.

When the Sui army captured Nanjun, Changsha and Baling counties, although Li Xiaogong ordered to conceal the news, most of the lower-level generals surrendered. How could such news be hidden? The news of the capture of the three counties quickly spread throughout the army, causing an uproar among the soldiers and a depressed morale was inevitable.

In the big tent, Li Xiaogong was walking back and forth with his hands behind his back. Just now, he received the emperor's order sent from Jiangxia. The emperor ordered him to return to Jiangxia immediately and work with Jiangxia's garrison to defend the upcoming attack of the Northern Sui army on Jiangxia.

Giving up Yuzhang County and retreating to Jiangxia north was not a problem for Li Xiaogong, but Li Xiaogong was worried about his army. The reason why the morale of the soldiers is now low and stable is because everyone thinks that he can lead the army to recover Baling and Nanjun. If he finally leads his army to Jiangxia, in extreme disappointment, he is very worried that the army will be in chaos.

However, except for leading the army north as soon as possible, he seemed to have no third way to go.

At this time, General Huang Junhan advised: "Your Highness, I feel that the more I drag my post, the more unfavorable the situation will be for us. The soldiers' low mood is largely due to the uncertain future. The most urgent task is to withdraw to Jiangxia County. Although it will disappoint some soldiers, it will also give soldiers a sense of security. Then we reorganize our army in Jiangxia County, remove the details and retain the main points. Those who are unstable in the general will eliminate the soldiers. The soldiers who are left behind will inevitably be elite troops, and their morale will slowly recover and the situation will become clear."

Another general, Lu Zushang, also said: "General Huang said very much. Now the enemy is dark and I am clear. Zhang Xuan knows our situation very well, but we know nothing about the Sui army and do not know where they are? I don't know how many of them are. Bei Zhi feels that it is this unknown fear that invisibly brings a kind of pressure to the soldiers, which is also an important aspect that affects morale. In this case, it is better to be quiet. As long as we move, the other party will follow us, so that we will not be so passive."

Li Xiaogong nodded, "You are all right. The key problem is that we know nothing about the enemy, even the court does not know, and Jiangxia does not know anything. We are indeed too passive. I am very worried that the other party will intercept us in Jiangxia County. A big battle is inevitable. I actually consider doing the opposite and killing Changsha County directly, then breaking from Changsha County to Nan County, and killing Zhang Xuan off guard. I believe that there will not be too many troops there, and we can escape unstoppably."

Huang Junhan and Lu Zushang looked at each other, and Huang Junhan hurriedly said, "Your Highness, the emperor means we will support Jiangxia. The situation in Jiangxia may not be good."

Li Xiaogong didn't say anything. He walked to the window with his hands behind his back and looked out the window. He didn't know the emperor's intentions. He was worried that he would not only not be able to support Jiangxia, but instead fell into the trap of the Sui army. He really did not have much confidence in this Eastern Expedition Army composed of surrendered troops. It was wise to go to Changsha, but the emperor's will was not to be disobeyed.

After a long time, Li Xiaogong sighed, "Transfer my order, the army is ready to set off and head north to Jiangxia!"

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The reason why the Yangtze River waterway is very important to the army in the south is that it is really difficult to march by land. The mountains are high and dense forests are dense, and the population is sparse. Most of the time the army needs to cross mountains and ridges, and the official roads are sometimes not available, which is a severe test for the army to march.

Especially in Yuzhang County, more than 90% of the county are mountains, with towering mountains and difficult roads. There are vast primeval forests everywhere, towering trees can be seen from the eyes. Even the most important palace construction in the Sui and Tang dynasties, the most important beams and wooden pillars are from Yuzhang County.

Yuzhang County and Jiangxia County border northwest, but there are Jiugong Mountains that are hundreds of miles long and hundreds of miles wide. The place is sparsely populated and the official road is cut off. The few hunters who serve as their guides clearly told them that throwing away all unnecessary supplies and livestock to eat meat is more meaningful than using them as means of transportation. The implication is that large carts cannot walk, and they can only travel lightly and simply, which is much more difficult than the road to Baling County.

Although Li Xiaogong was fully prepared for this hundreds of miles of march, after entering Jiugong Mountain, the harsh road still made him regret it. He had known that he would have gone to Changsha County.

The mountainous area was cold and it was drizzling again. The soldiers were trembling with coldness. The narrow path was muddy and could not move forward. After a whole day of march, it took less than fifty miles to walk. The soldiers were exhausted. While resting in the woods, many soldiers fell down and fell asleep without even eating.

However, although the cart cannot walk, the war horses can march like humans. Thousands of livestock carry food, which still plays a great role.

Li Xiaogong looked at the endless hills in the distance and couldn't help but sigh, when will this difficult torture end?

"Your Highness!"

General Wang Renshou urged the horse to catch up with Li Xiaogong and panted: "I think something is wrong with Beizhi."

"What's wrong?"

"Bei Zhi was thinking just now that it was a wise decision for the soldiers who delivered our letters to choose to take a boat instead of taking a damn land route, but Bei Zhi suddenly thought about it again, since he was taking a boat, why wasn't he intercepted by the Sui Navy? You must know that they were not disguised, but were still wearing the armor of the Tang army. Will the Sui army patrol ship let them leave Jiangxia and come to Yuzhang County?"

Li Xiaogong frowned, and Wang Renshou made some sense. He thought for a while and said, "Maybe the soldiers who sent the letter were to cover the night and were not discovered."

"I have thought about it this way, but I think the possibility is really not very good."

"What do you mean is that the soldiers who delivered us the letter were pretended by the Sui army?"

"This is not possible, but I think it must be because the Sui army general ordered not to intercept them, so they came to deliver the letter smoothly."

Li Xiaogong nodded, "I understand what you mean. You think the Sui army is waiting for us in front."

"Very likely!"

Li Xiaogong pondered for a moment, turned around and ordered his personal guards, "Tell me my order, and then send three hundred scouts to the front to investigate, and they must find two hundred miles away."

"Abide by the order!"

The personal soldiers took the order arrow and went to pass the order. Li Xiaogong took out another gilded order arrow and handed it to the other two personal soldiers and said, "You two will hurry to Wuchang County immediately and ask General Li to send troops to Yongxing County to respond."

"Abide by the order!"

The two personal soldiers received the order and turned around to leave. Li Xiaogong called them again, "Remember, if you are intercepted by the Sui army patrol, break the order arrow immediately!"

The two personal soldiers agreed and urged the horse to run away. Li Xiaogong looked at their backs as they walked away. He really didn't have much confidence in his cousin Li Shenfu, so he could only rely on himself.
Chapter completed!