The Beiping County of the Sui Dynasty was located east of today's Tangshan, which was the Lulong Jiedu Prefecture of the Tang Dynasty. To the north was Linyu Pass, which was the choke point connecting Hebei and Liaodong. Beiping County also belonged to the boundary of Youzhou, but

Today it is occupied by Gao Kaidao.

Gao Kaidao had an army of more than 100,000 people and called himself the King of Yan. Like Wei Daoer, he also fished in the lake. Men over the age of fourteen in Liaodong and Beiping counties were required to join the army. Agriculture was abandoned and hungry people were everywhere. The reason why he could survive was -

On the one hand, Luo Yi gave him some food subsidies, and on the other hand, it also benefited from the food left in Liaodong after the Goryeo War.

Gao Kaidao had no troops, and every one of his 100,000 troops died. When the news came that his 20,000 troops were completely annihilated, Gao Kaidao felt extremely heartbroken, and it also made him feel a little afraid of the Sui army.

, the idea of ​​joining forces with Luo Yi was somewhat shaken.

What makes Gao Kaidao even more sad is the death of his brother Gao Wentong. Gao Wentong was his younger brother and his only relative in the world. Now his brother is neither alive nor dead. Luo Yi sent someone to tell him that his brother was dead.

Brother Yun died in the rebel army ambushed by the Sui army. This result was difficult for Gao Kaidao to accept, but there was no news about his brother so far. Gao Kaidao understood that in fact his brother had been killed.

In the military office in Lulong City, Gao Kaidao was pacing back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back. Gao Kaidao was in his forties this year. He was tall and tall, with a head as big as a stick. He had a fierce appearance and strong martial arts skills. He was close to his brother Gao Wen.

He is very similar to Gao Wentong, but unlike Gao Wentong, Gao Kaidao is very cunning and careful, and is not as stupid as his brother at all.

Next to him, his mastermind Sun Jiayan was persuading him earnestly, "Your Majesty, if Luo Yi is dead, the next one will inevitably be the Liaodong Army. For our own life and death, I believe that the general should indeed fight with

The Youzhou army united to deal with the Sui army."

Sun Jiayan was from Bohai County and was the first to join the army as Ge Qian's secretary. After Ge Qian's defeat, he retreated north with Gao Kaidao. He gradually gained Gao Kaidao's trust and became his mastermind. Gao Kaidao annexed another rebel branch in Liaodong last year.

The thief Gao Tansheng's army was Sun Jiayan's Hongmen Banquet plan. From then on, Gao Kaidao almost obeyed Sun Jiayan's suggestions.

This alliance between Gao Kaidao and Luo Yi was also facilitated by Sun Jiayan, but the annihilation of the 20,000-strong army dealt an extremely heavy blow to Gao Kaidao, and his intention to unite began to waver.

Gao Kaidao sighed and said: "But Luo Yi knew that my brother was going to die, but he didn't stop him or send reinforcements. He watched 20,000 troops being wiped out, but he didn't apologize to me, and now he wants me to continue.

It makes me feel so embarrassed to send troops.

"My subordinates believe that Luo Yi must have dissuaded the second general, but the second general could not listen to his advice. The prince should know the second general's character, and it is also night..."

Sun Jiayan saw Gao Kaidao's thoughts and kept saying that it was because Luo Yi was unkind, but in fact he was afraid of the Sui army, fearing that all the troops in his hands would be wiped out.

Sun Jiayan quickly persuaded him: "The defeat of the 20,000 troops is not because our combat effectiveness is not strong. On the one hand, we fought at night and were ambushed in a narrow valley. It is impossible for any army to turn defeat into victory in such adversity. It's just that

The problem of more defeats and fewer defeats, on the other hand, the 20,000 troops are just Liaodong native troops, with insufficient training and low morale. If it were the Yan army in the hands of the prince, the situation might be different."

Gao Kaidao has two armies in his hands, one is the 30,000 veterans he brought from Douzigang, who have been fighting against the bandits for many years. They are extremely brave and good at fighting, and are called the Yan Army. The other 70,000 are the bandits Gao from Liaodong.

The army that Tan Sheng took over was called the Liaodong Army. Its morale and combat effectiveness were very weak. The 20,000 people who were wiped out were the Liaodong Army.

Gao Kaidao sighed again, "Maybe what you said makes sense."

Sun Jiayan saw that Gao Kaidao had been persuaded, so he used the killer copper, "The second general was killed in battle, which made the whole army mourn. Don't you want to avenge the second general and let him die in vain at the hands of the Sui army?"

A flash of anger suddenly flashed across Gao Kaidao's eyes. Gao Wentong was his brother and his only relative. He died like this in the hands of the Sui army. How could he let it go?

At this moment, a soldier stood at the door and said, "Your Majesty, the Sui Army's envoy is here. They are just outside the city."

This sudden news stunned Gao Kaidao. What are the Sui envoys doing here? Don't... Jiayan stood up and said anxiously: "Your Majesty, you can't see the Sui envoys. They must be here to sow discord and they must be killed!"

"

The soldier stepped forward and whispered a few words into Gao Kaidao's ear. Gao Kaidao's eyes gradually narrowed. He stood up and said, "I'd better go and have a look!"

He ignored Sun Jiayan and walked quickly outside the house. Sun Jiayan didn't know what happened, so she hurriedly followed him out.

Outside the West City Gate, a delegation composed of more than a dozen Sui soldiers were waiting quietly on the official road. A carriage followed not far behind them. They were surrounded by more than a thousand soldiers with high altitudes.

Facing a powerful enemy.

"Your Majesty is here!"

There was a loud shout from the top of the city. Gao Kaidao rode out of the city surrounded by hundreds of guards. The soldiers stepped out of the way. Gao Kaidao turned over and dismounted. He did not even greet the Sui envoy, but shouted: "My brother

Where is his body?"

He saw the carriage behind him, walked up quickly, and pulled down the curtain. On the carriage was the body of his brother Gao Wentong. He slowly opened the curtain and stared at his brother's naked body, his eyes getting dim.

Turned red.

After a long time, he got off the carriage and asked in a hoarse voice, "Who is the messenger?"

A civilian officer stepped forward and held the dagger in his hand, "I am Shi Rong, deputy director of the Sui Army Cang Cao, who is sending a letter to General Gao on the order of the general manager."

He took out a letter from his arms and handed it to Gao Kai: "This is a personal letter from the manager of my family!"

Gao Kaidao took the letter, and the envelope read: "The Great Sui Dynasty Minister ordered the King of Chu to annex the state, Yang Yuanqing, the general manager, to General Gao Kaidao..." Gao Kaidao opened the letter, and there was only one sentence in it, "Although the Liaodong Army was wiped out by the Sui Army,

, but your younger brother was not killed by the Sui army...

At this time, Sun Jiayan also arrived. He stepped forward and took a look at the letter. He immediately shook his head and said: "No way, he must have been killed by the Sui army!"

Gao Kaidao sighed, "I have seen Wentong's body. He was not killed on the battlefield, but killed by a sneak attack. Moreover, Yang Yuanqing also said that he was not killed."

Sun Jiayan said anxiously: "Of course Yang Yuanqing will not admit it. He said he was not killed by his Sui army. Does the prince believe it?"

Gao Kaidao turned around and glared at him fiercely, and said angrily: "Who is Yang Yuanqing? He is the emperor of the Sui Dynasty. Do you think he will lower his status? Since he said he was not killed by the Sui army, he must not be the Sui Dynasty."

What can’t be believed about what the military did?”

Gao Kaidao snorted heavily, with a fierce light in his eyes, and gritted his teeth and said: "I understand, this must be Wentong who has escaped from the battlefield, but was intercepted and killed by Luo Yi on the way. He wanted to blame the Sui army and force me to send troops again.

,otherwise why didn’t he go to the rescue?”

Sun Jiayan sighed secretly. He finally persuaded Gao Kaidao, but was ruined by Yang Yuanqing's letter. He was really unwilling to give in, and persuaded again: "Your Majesty, the Sui army is a tiger. They destroyed the state. The next one is

We should put the overall situation first and deal with the Sui army first, and then settle accounts with Luo Yi."

Gao Kaidao shook his head, "Sui Jun is a tiger and Luo Yi is a wolf. I don't want to be eaten by a tiger, let alone a wolf. I have decided not to help anyone."

He turned around and shouted: "Pass my order, the army will withdraw from Beiping County and return to Liaodong!"

…

Gao Kaidao's 50,000-strong army retreated to Linyu Pass that day, abandoning Beiping County. Gao Kaidao ordered his confidant General Zhang Jinshu to lead ten thousand elite Yan troops to guard Linyu Pass, blocking the Sui army's passage north to Liaodong.

The army returned to Yanjun.

With the withdrawal of Gao Kaidao, the Sui army also began to launch an offensive eastward. Yang Yuanqing left 5,000 troops to guard Yixian County, and he personally led an army of 50,000 troops to march towards Laishui County step by step.

At this time, Luo Yi had temporarily returned to Lizhou, and Laishui County was garrisoned by General Xue Wanche with an army of 20,000. Under strong pressure from the Sui army, Xue Wanche was forced to abandon Laishui County and retreat to Zhuojun.

In the afternoon, 50,000 Sui troops arrived in Laishui County and set up camp outside the county.

The place where the Sui army chose to camp was still the original Beida Camp. The camp was extremely busy. Tents were erected, flagpoles stood in the open space, and the red eagle flag of the Sui Dynasty was fluttering in the wind.

Yang Yuanqing entered Laishui County under the escort of thousands of soldiers. As soon as he entered the county, he saw the county magistrate, the county lieutenant and the chief registrar tied behind their backs with ropes. They were naked and kneeling by the city gate to plead guilty.

"Zhou Zhiping, the Prime Minister of Laishui County, apologized to His Highness the King of Chu!"

Yang Yuanqing glanced at them and asked coldly: "Where is the county magistrate?"

The county magistrate Zhou Zhiping shed tears and said: "County Magistrate Zhang said that he surrendered to Luo Yi and betrayed the Sui Dynasty. He had no face to see His Highness again. He hanged himself and died this morning. Only the three of us are left to eke out an ignoble existence. The guilty minister wants to say something to Magistrate Zhang."

—In a word, even if you die, you will have no regrets!"

"you say!"

"Your Highness, Xue Wanche asked Magistrate Zhang to accompany him to Zhuo County before he left. Magistrate Zhang refused. He said that he surrendered only to protect the people and did not want to rebel against the Sui Dynasty. Now that the people have been saved, his reputation has been destroyed.

He is so tarnished that he is willing to die to clear his name. I just beg Your Highness not to regard him as a treacherous minister."

Yang Yuanqing nodded silently and turned around to order the soldiers, "Untie them and put on their clothes!"

Yang Yuanqing waited for them to put on their clothes, and then said slowly: "Where is Magistrate Zhang's home? Take me to see it."

The county magistrate took Yang Yuanqing to the back house of the county government, which was the residence of the county magistrate. He heard crying from the yard in the distance. Yang Yuanqing got off his horse and walked quickly into the gate. He saw a mouthful of thin skin lying in the yard.

In the coffin, a woman and three or four children, wearing sackcloth and mourning, were kneeling in front of the coffin, mourning and crying.

When the children saw the large group of soldiers coming in, they were so frightened that they hid behind their mother. Yang Yuanqing walked to the coffin. The coffin was not covered, and inside lay a dead official, about thirty years old. His court uniform was shabby and his boots were worn off.

After realizing that he was a poor official, he took another look at the woman and several children, all of whom were clothed in cloth and wavy skirts. Yang Yuanqing couldn't help but sigh secretly and asked her, "Are you the county magistrate's wife?"

The county magistrate hurriedly stepped forward and said: "Sister-in-law, this is His Royal Highness the King of Chu!"

The woman knelt down in front of Yang Yuanqing and cried: "Your Highness, my husband is an upright official and a loyal minister. He had no choice but to surrender. He committed suicide to show his determination and begged Your Highness to leave him a good name after his death!"

Yang Yuanqing nodded, turned around and said to the county magistrate: "From now on, you will be the magistrate of Moshui County. You will give magistrate Zhang a rich burial, his wife and children will be raised by the county, and you will build a people-loving temple for magistrate Zhang."
Chapter completed!