December 12, Anzhou.

As the evening came, Li Zixiong invited Li Hun to the banquet, and the focus of the conversation was cooperation.

The two of them are sympathetic. Although one falls into a bandit and the other is in a high position, the future is very likely to be the same. Li Zixiong's today may be Li Hun's tomorrow. Now Li Zixiong is struggling to death, while Li Hun is on the end of the road, so cooperation is inevitable. The key to cooperation lies in the benefits of the return of Anzhou and Northeast China. The greater the benefit of the return, the more helpful it will be to the future of the two.

When Li Zixiong received the news that Yuwen Shu had personally visited Gubeikou, Li Hun also received the same news. His subordinates who stayed in Gubeikou also sent this important news to Li Hun in a 100,000-hot manner in accordance with the prior agreement.

Yuwen Shu's personal trip to Gubeikou is of great significance. On the one hand, it certainly proves that the Holy Lord and the Central Government are bound to win Anzhou and Northeast China, and they have been spared no expense for this. On the other hand, it also shows that the domestic political situation has deteriorated and the situation is very unfavorable to the Holy Lord and the Central Government. For this reason, we have to seize the "life-saving straw" of martial arts in Xinjiang to reverse the crisis. As representatives of the Longxi Military Merits and Aristocratic Group, Li Zixiong and Li Hun know the inside story of the high-level central leadership, so they are not concerned about the change in the attitude of the Holy Lord and the Central Government to recruit and retaliate, but why?

"There may be something wrong in Xijing." Li Zixiong guessed carefully, "Dongdu was in the name of liquidating Yang Xuangan's party, and launched a large-scale killing in the two capitals, spared no effort to eliminate dissidents. Xijing would never be tied up and let it be slaughtered, and would inevitably launch a fierce counterattack. Once a rebellion broke out in Guanzhong, the two capitals fought, which not only poses a serious threat to the security of Western Xinjiang, but also will also cause another heavy blow to the authority of Dongdu. It is the end of the year, and the tribute envoys from various places gathered in the capital, and the result can be imagined."

Li Hun nodded repeatedly, agreeing with Li Zixiong's analysis and judgment, "The reason why Yang Xuangan's mutiny failed was that Xijing's choice at a critical moment was crucial. If Yang Xuangan did not intend to usurp the country, but decisively reached a compromise with Xijing in the matter of imperial rule and won the alliance and cooperation of Xijing, the east capital would inevitably be destroyed, and the civil war would inevitably break out. The emperor was almost defeated and lost to Maicheng, but Yang Xuangan was too ambitious and proud and conceited, and misjudged the situation.

, made a wrong decision, turned against Xijing into enemies, and eventually suffered a complete defeat. Therefore, the Dongdu crisis was resolved safely, and Xijing made great contributions. The two could have taken this opportunity to ease the conflict, but the cruel facts shattered Xijing's fantasy and forced Xijing to counterattack. However, the opportunity was lost, and the brazen counterattack in a passive situation was difficult to achieve effective results. The most foreseeable result was that both sides were injured and the net was defeated."

Li Hun said with a pun, Li Zi was ambitious to understand it, and smiled with a beard, "You seem pessimistic about the situation in the two capitals."

"Don't Ming Gong remain optimistic?" Li Hun asked back.

Li Zixiong shook his head and looked worried, "If the Xijing and Dongzhu break up and Guanzhong fall into chaos, it will definitely seriously affect the security of Western Xinjiang. At that time, the Northwest Army will not say that it will counterattack the West Sea and enter Loulan again. I am afraid that Longxi will become increasingly embarrassed and will be helpless in the face of the invasion of Achai Lu (Tuyuhun), and Hexi will be even passive. Not to mention that it will go deep into the Western Regions to fight with the Western Turks, I am afraid that even Yiwu will give up in the end, and eventually be blocked by the Western Turks in Dunhuang at will."

Li Hun thoughtfully and said, "I had great hope for Wenxigong (Pei Shiju) this trip to the west and had a great chance of winning the Civil War. However, if the two capitals are in opposition and the Western Frontier is in turmoil, the Northwest Army has to trap Longyou and passive defense, which will inevitably have a significant impact on the entire Western and Turkish situation. The results of Wenxigong's trip to the west are likely to disappear in an instant, and the east-west attack on the desert may eventually evolve into two Turkic attacks on Middle-earth. In this way, the advantages of the Sino-Turkish battles on both sides will be lost, and the Civil War is very likely to end in failure."

Li Zixiong looked solemnly and silently, looking at Li Hun with all his eyes. The two thought of Li Fengyun at the same time, thought of Li Fengyun's pessimistic predictions about the Civil War, and thought of Li Fengyun's concern that Zhongtu was once again in division and war.

Could it be that the direction of the world's general trend, as Li Fengyun predicted, is moving in a direction that is not conducive to Middle Earth?

"This autumn, when we went north to Youyan, Li Pingyuan predicted that the war between the North and the South would break out within two years." Li Zixiong said calmly, "Now, if his prediction is correct, then there is only one and a half years left before the war between the North and the South."

"Ming Gong believes in Li Pingyuan's prediction?" Li Hun smiled and asked.

"You don't believe it? You don't believe it, why do you still leave Dongdu, far away? Northern border?" Li Zixiong pointed at Li Hun and stopped his rebuttal, "Don't say that you can't help yourself, being tired of the King of Qi, and being forced by the emperor. If you want to stay in Dongdu or return to the Northwest Army, you have countless ways, even the emperor will be difficult to stop."

"Indeed, there is a way to stay in the East Capital or return to the Northwest Army, but this will not help solve the danger of the destruction of my Chengji Li family. On the contrary, being in a central key area or being deeply in danger may make me Chengji Li family die faster." Li Hun sighed, "The birds are hidden, and the rabbits are dead and the dogs are cooked. Although I Chengji Li family was not destroyed by the hands of the late emperor, I still cannot escape the pursuit of the current emperor. In order to save me, Chengji Li family, I had to take a risk and survive in death."

Li Zixiong nodded repeatedly, agreeing deeply.

Centralized reform is first of all, institutional reform, which completely destroys the aristocratic system. The targets of its containment and crackdown are not only the families of the family inherited from scriptures, but also the emerging new nobles who rose with military merits. These new nobles are mainly concentrated in the Guanlong noble group, and are vested interest groups for the unified dynasty. They are also a solid "fortress" that centralized reform needs to be conquered. However, the Chengji Li family in Longxi refused to take sides as soon as the Holy Lord was competing for the imperial reign. Fortunately, the "turning of the rudder" was timely and did not die.

The saint was offended by the saint, but the crisis had arrived, and the seeds of destruction had been planted. After eleven or fifteen, they had to prepare for the future and actively save themselves. Especially after the saint master carried out drastic centralized reform, the Chengji Li family in Longxi decisively "take action". The most important countermeasure was to actively intervene in the battle of the new generation of imperial unification to establish themselves in the future. Unexpectedly, the King of Qi Yang Ming was a bottomless "pit". The Chengji Li family in Longxi made a mistake and completely offended the saint. Now they had to fight to the death.

"Since you are here and since you believe in Li Pingyuan's prediction, the development of Anton's side is crucial under the current situation. Otherwise, a year and a half later, even if the war between the North and the South broke out, even if Middle-earth was surrounded by dangers under the attack of the two Turks, the east and west Turks, we would be unable to help and could only watch the great opportunity pass by."

Li Zixiong said this very sincerely, but Li Hun sneered, "If Li Pingyuan's prediction is completely correct and the war between the north and the south broke out one and a half years later, then with the small land of Anton, even if Li Pingyuan has three heads and six arms, even if the Donghu people respect him as a god, even if enough support is given in the Great Wall, what will be developed in one and a half years? What's more, Li Pingyuan does not have three heads and six arms, and the Donghu people are unruly and impermanent. In order to prevent the tiger from raising, it is impossible for the emperor to give full support to Anton, at most, and let Anton guard the border for him honestly. Therefore, Li Pingyuan's idea is wrong.

The King of Qi not only cannot give up, but also must take advantage of the great opportunity of this return to coerce the emperor to grant more power. If the King of Qi can be in charge of the military and political affairs of the northern border and assume the important task of defense in the northern border, it is the most ideal. The King of Qi has grown and strengthened, and the Andong River has risen and will also accelerate its development. In this way, the two sides can accumulate enough strength in the next year and a half to make a difference in the war between the north and the south. Otherwise, they will fight for their own benefit and not only will they not be able to develop, but they will also give their opponents the opportunity to defeat each other. As for the war between the north and the south, it is even more out of reach. Without thinking, what if they participate? They will die."

Li Zixiong sighed, "The opportunity has been given to him, and he even gave up after thinking about it. What do you want us to do?"

Li Hun shook his hand and said solemnly, "Ming Gong, you and I know that if we want to change our destiny, the only opportunity at present is the war between the north and the south. Only by winning the war between the north and the south can we have the possibility of going further and joining the war between the emperor and the emperor to seek future benefits. However, whether it is the war between the north and the south or the war between the emperor and the war between the emperor, the King of Qi is an indispensable key figure. Only he can play a decisive role at the critical moment. As for others, neither you nor me nor Li Pingyuan, they cannot do this. Therefore, it is not important how the King of Qi does, and what we do is important. What the King of Qi does not want to, cannot, and dare not do, we can do things, and use the King of Qi to fight for the imperial rule, and even use the King of Qi to seize the world. Everything is possible."

Li Zixiong glanced at him and showed a warning look, "You must not underestimate Li Pingyuan. You can hold the King of Qi hostage, but if you want to coerce Li Pingyuan with a fait accompli, the consequences will be worrying."

Li Hun disagreed, "What are you worried about? Are you worried about Wen Xigong or Shandong's major lords?"

Li Zixiong was very calm and rational, and was not blinded by the arrogant Li Hun at all. He gently stroked his long beard and said lightly, "I am not only worried about Wen Gong, but also about Shandong's great lords."

Li Hun frowned slightly and asked, "What's the solution?"

"Whether Wen Xigong or Shandong clan, its outstanding strategy and its huge power are far beyond our imagination." Li Zixiong said seriously, "If Li Pingyuan is just an executor and a chess piece, then when the situation changes dramatically, when Li Pingyuan is no longer able to control the development of the situation, the forces behind it will inevitably come to the forefront. In this way, can Li Pingyuan decide his own destiny? Can he continue to do whatever he wants as a white-haired thief or a white wolf?"

Li Hun immediately thought of a possibility, "You mean, if Wen Xigong, or the Shandong clan, reaches a compromise with the emperor, will Li Pingyuan see the light of heaven again?"

Li Zixiong nodded slightly, "If Li Pingyuan sees the light of day again, the situation will change. They work together, and we are completely isolated from the King of Qi. Li Pingyuan alone can kill us."

Li Hun was shocked, thought hard, weighed repeatedly, and finally said with difficulty, "I followed the plan of Ming Gong."

"Good!" Li Zixiong stretched out one hand and "swears to high-five."
Chapter completed!