novelden Chapter 1882: Rather than helping Han for free
Chapter 1882: Rather than helping Han for free
Although Censor Chen despised this double-dealing behavior in his heart, Li Bi's analysis was reasonable. Especially under the tremendous pressure of his family's survival, he did not dare to easily say that he would stick to the end.
After all, Li Bi's plan also included the option of "being a loyal minister if you can hold on", not just surrendering blindly.
The doctor nodded repeatedly, "Mr. Li is very thoughtful and far-sighted. I admire you! That's how it should be!"
"We are secretly accumulating strength and waiting for the opportunity! If the situation turns unfavorable, we will be the last straw that breaks the camel's back. This will also benefit the people and go with the flow!"
Soon, everyone in the secret room reached a consensus.
He decided to fully support Dugu Jia's decision to defend the city on the surface, actively perform, and strive for trust and real power.
In secret, he maintained a close yet distant relationship with the Jinyiwei of the Chu State to leave a way out for himself.
Whether he will eventually become a loyal minister of the Han Dynasty who saves the day, or a hero of Kaesong who helps the Xin Dynasty to establish itself, all depends on how the situation develops.
A crisis that could have led to internal division was temporarily resolved by Li Bi's shrewd and pragmatic strategy.
However, no one knows how long this fragile consensus based on self-interest can last in the coming bloodbath.
The fate of Chang'an City has unknowingly planted an extremely unstable seed.
A few days later, in the capital of the Tang Dynasty, the Chang'an Imperial Palace.
It was afternoon, and the sunlight filtered through the carved window lattices, casting mottled shadows on the golden brick floor.
Incense was curling in the imperial study, and the Tang Emperor Li Shimin was reviewing memorials with a look of composure that came from controlling the world.
He is young and strong, and is full of ambition and wants to achieve great things.
Suddenly, there was a sound of hurried footsteps outside the study, followed by the eunuch's shrill announcement:
"Your Majesty, Prime Minister Changsun Wuji requests an audience with urgent military information!"
The red pen in Li Shiming's hand paused slightly, he raised his head, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.
Changsun Wuji has always been calm, what could make him so hasty?
He put down his pen and said in a deep voice, "Xuan."
After a moment, Prime Minister Changsun Wuji walked quickly into the imperial study.
Although he was over fifty years old, his steps were still vigorous. However, his face now showed an unprecedented solemnity, and there were even tiny beads of sweat on his forehead.
In his hand he clutched a letter with a feather on it, signifying the highest degree of urgency.
"Your Majesty, I, Changsun Wuji, pay my respects to you!" Changsun Wuji bowed and saluted in a hurried tone.
Li Shiming looked at him with even greater curiosity, but he still had a gentle smile on his face and raised his hand to support him:
"My dear minister, please stand still. Why are you so flustered? Is there a change in the situation on the eastern front?"
The first thing he thought of was the main force of the Tang Dynasty that was confronting the Chu army in Wei.
Changsun Wuji stood up, took a deep breath, and tried to calm his breath. Then he raised the letter in his hand high up and said in a sad and serious voice:
"Your Majesty, this isn't the Eastern Front, but... it's a major upheaval in the Central Plains! We just received an urgent report from a spy lurking in Han territory!"
"Han Emperor Liu Xiu personally led an army of 200,000 men to a decisive battle with the main force of the Chu army at Hongdu and Kunyang. His army was... completely annihilated! Liu Xiu himself was also killed on the battlefield!"
"what?"
Even though Li Shiming was a calm person, his face suddenly changed when he heard the news, and he stood up from the dragon throne!
The smile on his face disappeared instantly, replaced by extreme shock and disbelief!
"Liu Xiu's 200,000-man army... was completely annihilated?"
Li Shiming's voice rose a few degrees. He walked quickly from behind the imperial desk, snatched the letter from Changsun Wuji's hand, and couldn't wait to read it.
The handwriting on the letter was illegible, obviously written in extreme urgency, but the content was so clear that it was frightening.
It describes in detail the siege of Hongdu, the breakout from Kunyang, the strange phenomena that fell from the sky, and how Liu Xiu was eventually beheaded in the forest by Ran Mingzhen.
Finally, attached is a summary of the content of the urgent letter for help from the Empress Dowager Dugu Jia of the Han Dynasty.
I implore the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty to strictly order the front-line commander Li Jing to increase the offensive to contain the Chu army and buy a chance to survive for the Chang'an defenders.
Li Shiming read it word by word, and his expression became more gloomy the more he read.
When he finished reading the last word and slowly put down the letter, his eyes had become extremely cold.
He was silent for a moment, then looked up at Changsun Wuji, his tone carrying a hint of self-mockery and coldness:
"I...really overestimated Liu Xiu!"
"I originally thought that he was at least a great hero, occupying the wealthy land of Jingchu. Even if he couldn't defeat Chu Ning, he could at least hold out for a year or two and drain the vitality of the Chu State."
"I didn't expect them to be so vulnerable! In just a short time, an army of 200,000 was reduced to ashes, and even their own lives were lost! What a waste!"
He walked to the window and looked at the towering palace outside. His eyes seemed to penetrate time and space and saw the drastic changes that were about to take place in the Central Plains.
"With Liu Xiu's death, the Han Dynasty is leaderless. How can a woman like Dugu Jia and her useless son stop Chu Ning's army? Chang'an City... is in danger."
Changsun Wuji stepped forward and said solemnly, "Your Majesty is absolutely right! This is a shocking and drastic change!"
"If the Chu Kingdom could easily annex the entire Han Dynasty, its power would surge, and its territory, population, and resources would far surpass ours!"
"When the time comes, Chu Ning, with the power of a great victory, his next target will definitely be our Tang Dynasty!"
"As one side gains strength, the other loses strength. Our country will face an unprecedented threat! We must not sit idly by!"
Li Shiming turned around and looked at Zhangsun Wuji sharply: "The Prime Minister means that we must intervene?"
“We must intervene!”
Changsun Wuji said firmly: "But how to intervene requires careful consideration."
"Dugu Jia is asking us to intensify our offensive. This is a scheme to kill someone with a borrowed knife. She wants the Tang soldiers to take advantage of her situation."
"If our army rashly launches an all-out attack, it will certainly put more pressure on the Chu army, but General Li Jing will also suffer heavy casualties, which will not be worth the loss."
He changed the subject, a shrewd calculation flashing in his eyes: "I think that although our army must move, we cannot do so in vain."
"Your Majesty, on the one hand, can you issue an order to General Li Jing, instructing him to seize the opportunity to increase pressure on the Chu army's eastern defenses, respond proactively, and tie down some of the Chu army's forces? On the other hand..."
Changsun Wuji lowered his voice and said the key point: "Your Majesty, please personally reply to that Dugu Jia! She begged for help in a humble manner in the letter, so our dynasty cannot easily agree!"
"We need her to show her sincerity! We can ask her to formally cede the Heluo or Hedong state bordering the Tang Dynasty to our dynasty in the name of the Empress Dowager of the Han Dynasty and the Regent!"
"In this way, our dynasty's military action will be justified, as it is to recover our 'homeland', not to provide gratuitous aid to the Han."
"Even if the Chu army still manages to break through Chang'an in the future, our dynasty has already benefited from it, occupying a strategic location and being able to advance and retreat freely!"