The Passionate Guns of Sui and Tang Dynasties

Chapter 324 Li Mi's Means
The camera temporarily shifts back to Licheng, Shandong.Before dawn on the second day when Yang Yong's soldiers set up camp to march westward to Tongguan, Li Mi and Wang Bodang gathered [-] soldiers and horses. After the battle meal, they marched from Licheng to Liyang.

On the way Li Mi sighed and looked listless, Uncle Wang was warm-hearted and impatient, seeing Li Mi's gloomy look, he asked, "Brother, what's wrong with you?"

"Oh, brother...don't say anything!" Li Milian sighed and shook his head, hesitating to speak, Wang Bodang couldn't stand it anymore, "Brother, just say what you want, my brothers, don't you still have something to say?" Is it okay to carry your brother's words?"

"Brother, how can it be? How can it be!" Li Mi said, looking around, "Brother, let's talk about it when we return to Liyang."

Uncle Wang looked at Li Mi's preoccupied appearance, and thought that this place in the wilderness, in front of so many soldiers, was indeed not the place to talk, so he stopped asking.

After arriving in Liyang, General Qu Tutong led people out of the city to bring Li Mi and Wang Bodang's troops into the city. When they arrived at the commander's mansion, Li Mi took out Yang Yong's order, and Wang Bodang also explained Yang Yong's intentions and the current situation. When Qu Tutong heard that the situation was tense enough, Li Yuan and Dou Jiande might raise troops to invade the country at any time. I asked why the prince suddenly sent so many soldiers and generals. It was just right for Li Mi to be the chief general here. , the situation is so critical, so many soldiers came at once, I really don't know how to deal with it, so I respectfully salute Li Mi, and report the city defense situation in this area.

Li Mi also took the position of the coach without hesitation, and ordered Qu Tutong to arrange the 5 horses he had brought, and let him lead the way. Li Mi took Wang Bodang to inspect the defense in Liyang.

Back in Liyang that night, General Qu Tutong led people to patrol the city on duty. Li Mi arranged some dishes in the tent, invited Wang Bodang, and sent out all his subordinates. The two brothers sat down to eat and talk.

After three cups of wine, before Uncle Wang could ask questions, Li Mi opened up the chatterbox, first talking about the friendship between the two brothers, then talking about the ups and downs of the two over the years, and then talking about the family experience of the two. They were all in tears, and then they talked about the vicissitudes of Wagangzhai, and Li Mi, sighing and feeling melancholy.

Uncle Wang saw that Li Mi was too sad, so he raised his glass and said, "Brother, the past is unbearable, and all the unpleasantness has become a fleeting cloud, let it go, don't mention it again. Fortunately, our brothers have saved Mingzhu now, Those unhappy things will never happen again, and we will see the sun from now on, and our brothers can make great achievements. Let's do it!" Wang Bodang said, drinking the wine in his glass in one go.

Li Mi raised the wine to his lips and put it down slowly, with a sad face on his face, he smiled wryly: "Brother, we have a life-long friendship, and we can talk about everything. Brother Yu, I want to ask you, what do you think of our lord? Is he really a wise master?"

Wang Bodang listened and put down the chopsticks he picked up: "Brother, why do you say that? The biggest problem with the prince is women. Besides, he is a famous hero. He treats soldiers like brothers and loves the people." For example, the civil servants under his command don’t love money, the generals don’t spare their lives, they are very supported and loved, don’t such people know the Lord?”

Li Mi moved the chair closer to Uncle Wang, and said in a low voice, "Brother's words are wrong. Loving a woman is not a problem. Young people, which boy is not romantic, which girl is not pregnant? But, what you see Yang Yong’s well-known heroes are all appearances. Yang Yong is a gentleman on the outside and a villain on the inside. For example, Brother Wei and Brother Xu, we are both generals, but Yang Yong favors one and treats them as military advisers. He is on the same level as Li Jing, but what about Brother Yu? He has no name and no distinction! It’s not that Brother Yu is fighting for power and profit, and his papers are about martial arts and intelligence. Brother Yu is not worse than Brother Wei and Brother Xu, not to mention Brother Yu is still the leader of Wagang? At this stage of the world, do you think this is fair to Brother Yu?
And you, brother, in Wagang Mountain, you are the arm of brother Yu, and you are the same in front of brother Yu. Brother Yu is the king of Wei, brother, you are the second prince.But now?Brother, what do you think is the position among Yang Yong's generals? "

"This?..." Uncle Wang frowned, "Brother, I really haven't thought about this little brother. However, I think that Yang Yong keeps his word, is consistent with his appearance, and is magnanimous. He has reused all of us defeated generals. No doubt. Didn’t elder brother participate in every discussion on the military situation? And this time, let us defend Liyang, hand over the [-] troops to us, and let elder brother be the main general, even Qu Tutong, the main general here Do you trust us if you obey the elder brother?"

Li Mi shook his head and said: "Brother, you are too upright. This is all an illusion. This is Yang Yong's way of employing people. Don't you see that every time you discuss the military situation, why does Brother Yu talk less or even not? Because Yang Yong The first one to believe is Li Jing, that is his father-in-law, who is his direct descendant, followed by Brother Wei and Brother Xu. If the opinions are top-notch, Yang Yong will never listen to us surrendered generals, so what Brother Yu said is useless , only keep silent!
Also, as the brothers said, on the surface Yang Yong trusts us, and the important task of guarding Liyang and the [-] army have been handed over to us brothers, but in fact, this is Yang Yong's method of pulling people in cages. Qu Tutong's military power is in the hands of Qu Tutong. To put it plainly, Qu Tutong is our supervisor. He is Yang Yong's eyes and ears around us, watching us come. "

"Is it possible?" Wang Bodang looked at Li Mi's serious look with half-belief.

"Brother, if you don't believe me, Brother Yu, find a chance to test it out, see if he, Qu Tutong, can listen to Brother Yu? Let's stop this matter, and it will be announced in three days. Come, drink and drink." .

Wang Bodang also drank the wine, and the two of them stopped discussing the matter after changing the subject. After drinking to their heart's content, they ordered the rest of the table to be removed, and they slept together on the same bed that night.

Two days later, Li Mi raised his tent, and after all the generals arrived, Li Mi suddenly ordered Qu Tutong to lead [-] troops to attack Weijun (now Anyang, Henan). Marshal, the prince made it clear when he was leaving that we were asked to defend Liyang against Li Yuan from Bingzhou and Dou Jiande from Hebei, and we were not allowed to attack. Weijun is Dou Jiande's territory, am I being rash in raising troops?"

Li Mi said with a gloomy face: "Don't be hasty, the commander has received the exact news. Li Yuan is coercing the emperor to order the princes, and he is lobbying Dou Jiande to attack us in the name of Emperor Gong of the Sui Dynasty. If the two of them reach an agreement, we will be attacked on both sides. We can't Sitting still, we must take the initiative to attack."

"General, the Great Sui Dynasty has existed in name only, and Dou Dejian ruled Hebei. How could he obey a child under ten years old? This is obviously because Li Yuan wants to use him as a weapon. Dou Jiande will definitely not be fooled." Qu Tutong said, watching Li Mi's face became more and more ugly, and he quickly changed his words, "According to the general's opinion, this is a big matter. Shall we discuss it with Wei Junshi in Luoyang before making a decision?..."

As soon as Qu Tutong said this, Li Mi was furious, and slapped the table: "Du, bold! This commander ordered you to send troops, not to discuss with you. If you dare to bargain, you clearly despise this commander and have no military orders. Come on, someone, push Qu Tutong out and behead him for public display!"

(End of this chapter)