"Your Highness, the central strategy for humble duties is actually very simple. Please lead your army to quickly go north to join General Qu Tutong, gather a hundred thousand troops to attack Luoyang from the western route. Perhaps we still have hope of taking Luoyang."

"If I lead my army north, it means that Nanyang, Huaian, Jingyang, Xiangcheng and other counties will have to give up."

Zhang Gongjin nodded, "Zhang Xuan stationed 80,000 troops in Xinye. Even if His Highness doesn't want to give up, it will be difficult."

Li Shimin paced back and forth with his hands behind his back. He heard what Zhang Gongjin meant. Even Luoyang could only say that there was hope. "What about the worst?" Li Shimin asked again.

"Your Highness, the best strategy is to withdraw from Guanzhong across the board, and at most it can be protected west of Hangu Pass and Hongnong County, but at least all the troops can."

"Don't say it again!"

Li Shimin decisively stopped Zhang Gongjin's words. He would never consider a bad plan, and his father would never agree. At this moment, Li Shimin finally made up his mind that only a mid-strate plan was his only solution.

He immediately ordered: "Send my order quickly and ask the warrior to continue to lead his army to support Xiyang County. Liu Hongji immediately led his army north to join me."

Li Shimin accepted Zhang Gongjin's suggestion. In the current complicated situation, he could only continue to confront Zhang Xuan by grasping the main trunks. Although he was regretful, it was a wise move to concentrate his troops and prevent them from being defeated by the Sui army.

The atmosphere in Luoyang is still very tense, and the clouds of war always cover Luoyang. However, there is more or less joy on the streets of Luoyang in the past two days. The reason is that the emperor Wang Shichong killed Zhu Jie, the once evil-eating demon king, and hung his head on the Dingding Gate to show his public. Although food is scarce and wine and meat have become luxury goods, many people still use tea instead of wine to celebrate Zhu Jie's demise.

However, for all officials of the court, Zhu Jie's killing represents another meaning. Wang Shichong seized the military power of his generals, and Zhu Jie was just a victim.

Wang Shichong had already taken back all military power and handed over to his brothers and nephews. In fact, King Zhao, Wang Shiyun, was responsible for the southern city of Luoyang, King Chu, King Shiwei, guarded Baocheng, Prince Wang Xuanying, guarded the eastern city of Luoyang, King Han, Xuanshu, guarded Hanjia, King Lu, Dao, guarded Yaoyi City, and another 20,000 Imperial Guards were divided into 84 governments of the three armies, including King Xingben of Jingzhou, commanded the 28 government cavalry of the Longxiang Army, King Song, Tai, commanded the 28 government infantry of the inner army, and King Yue, Jundu, commanded the 28 government infantry of the outer army.

The final result of a series of military deployments was that the Wang clan members controlled all 60,000 troops, and were unified in command by Wang Shichong. This was the specific manifestation of Wang Shichong's resolute disbelief in the crisis.

In fact, Li Yuan was the same. The military power of the Tang Dynasty was basically handed over to his brothers and nephews. Zhang Xuan only had no brothers and his son was still young, so he could only take charge of the army himself, thus sacrificing the power of the dynasty. At this point, the prime minister's power in the Northern Sui Dynasty was much greater than that of the Tang Dynasty and the Zheng Dynasty.

That morning, Cen Wenben came to Xishi by carriage. The entire Xishi was deserted and there were few shops still in business. On the one hand, the commerce was withered, and supplies from north to south were gathered in Zhongdu to form a new commercial network. Luoyang was almost isolated. No cargo ships from Jiangdu had come to Luoyang for several consecutive months. Chang'an also has its own commercial network, including materials from Bashu, Guanzhong, Longyou, Hexi, Bingzhou and other places, supporting Chang'an, but Luoyang was not relying on both sides, and the business was in decline, and most of the shops were closed.

On the other hand, due to the influence of the war, almost everyone realized that the war was coming, and Luoyang City began to rush to buy food, cured meat, cloth, salt, wine, gold and silver jewelry, etc. Any supplies that could be exchanged for food during the war would be snatched up, resulting in price surges and shops' inadequate inventory were forced to close.

So when Cen Wenben entered Xishi, he thought that today was a closed day, and it was deserted everywhere, with birds falling from the door, and there was no longer the hustle and bustle of the past and crowds.

Cen Wenben shook his head secretly, and the carriage soon arrived at Pishi. All the shops here were closed and there was no pedestrian on the street.

Cen Wenben got off the carriage and handed the money to the coachman. The coachman smiled and said, "Young Master, you can't buy anything here. The road back is far. Why not let me send the boy out again!"

"No, I'm not buying anything, you go!"

The carriage turned around and Cen Wenben walked around and soon found the largest fur shop in Luoyang. It was originally called Beishan Fur Shop, but it has now been renamed Baizhou Hall. The black plaque with three big characters "Baizhou Hall" written on the golden edge, which turned out to be the imperial book of Emperor Wang Shichong.

Cen Wenben couldn't help laughing. If Wang Shichong knew that this Baibeast Hall was the intelligence agency of the Northern Sui Dynasty in Luoyang, how would he feel?

After knocking on the door twice, the door creaked and opened. A guy leaned his head and said, "Sorry, our store has stopped business. Go to another house!"

"I'm not here to buy things, I'll find you Lord Lu Dong, he's here!"

“You are”

"You go and tell Lord Lu Dong, I will come over from Duduguanxue Tower and he will know."

"Young Master, wait!"

The guy turned around and ran all the way. The Guanxue Tower mentioned by Cen Wenben was the nickname of the pavilion where the Intelligence Office of the Qi Palace was located. Only the core figures knew it. In just a moment, Hou Zheng and Lu Ping of Luoyang Intelligence Office hurried out from inside. He looked at Cen Wenben and asked hesitantly: "But Mr. Cen?"

Lu Ping had already received the news in advance that His Highness of the King of Qi sent Cen Wenben to Luoyang, but he had never seen Cen Wenben, so he seemed a little hesitant.

Cen Wenben smiled and said, "It's Cen Wenben!"

"Sir, finally, please come in!"

Lu Ping enthusiastically welcomed Cen Wenben into the store, then looked at both sides, and then carefully closed the door. He asked Cen Wenben to sit in the inner hall and poured him another cup of tea.

Cen Wenben smiled and said, "It seems that General Lu and Wang Shichong have a good relationship?"

When Lu Ping knew that he was referring to the plaque, he smiled bitterly and said, "It's Wang Shiyun that has a good relationship. To be precise, Wang Shiyun got this plaque for me because of the money. With it, it will save a lot of trouble, at least the army will not come to search."

"I just think it's very interesting. What will happen if Wang Shichong finds out?"

"If Wang Shichong knew about it, he would definitely peel us up and peel us. This is what he said. However, during this period, Wang Shichong's army was very strict. Every day, there would be troops to search, forcing us to destroy all the evidence. Several times, and thanks to this plaque, the search soldiers dare not make rash decisions."

"Can you still contact Xiangyang now? I mean the pigeon contact."

"There is no problem with this. Our carrier pigeons are outside the city and are not set up in the city. As long as the city gate is not closed, we can send letters to Xiangyang at any time."

Cen Wenben took out a sealed letter and handed it to Lu Ping, "This pigeon letter needs to be delivered to the Grand Marshal before dark. Please arrange it immediately!"

Lu Ping nodded and called a confidant, asking him to deliver a letter from the city immediately. The confidant took the message and left.

At this time, Lu Ping smiled and said, "If I was not wrong, there will be ours among the soldiers brought back by Yun Dingxing this time!"

Lu Ping is an extremely smart person. Since Cen Wenben's current identity is Yun Dingxing, how can there be no Sui soldiers in Yun Dingxing's army?

Cen Wenben said lightly: "All the soldiers brought back by Yun Dingxing this time are our people, and General Shen Guang is in charge of the command. Let's wait until the time is right to start the action."

Lu Ping was surprised, "A thousand people are there?"

Cen Wenben nodded, "All of them!"

Lu Ping rubbed his hands in excitement, "Then what can we do?"

Cen Wenben learned from Fang Xuanling that this Lu Ping was very smart and capable, and he was very wise. This time he won the Hulao Pass, he made a contribution. Cen Wenben thought for a while and said, "There is indeed one thing that needs the assistance of the general. Yun Dingxing has handed over a thousand troops to Wang Shiyun, but it is only nominal ownership. In fact, it is still led by Yun Shitai. But I hope that the arrangements for the dispatch of troops under Wang Shiyun's account will be our own people, so that our army can be sent to a key seat at a critical moment."

Lu Ping pondered for a moment and said, "I really have such a person in the Ministry of War. He got the city defense map of Luoyang for me. This person is now a doctor in the Ministry of War. I can directly insert him to Wang Shiyun's subordinates."
Chapter completed!