On the third day of the disastrous defeat of the Sui Army in the Eastern Capital, which was also the day of June 14th in the ninth year of the Great Sui Dynasty, the main force of the rebel army led by Yang Xuangan arrived at the city of the Eastern Capital smoothly, and was stationed at the east gate of the Eastern Capital just like in history. Outside the gate, the Sui Dongdu New City, which was just built in the first year of Daye, also ushered in his first offensive and defensive battle when he was eight years old.
In fact, even Yang Xuangan himself did not expect that the army march would be so smooth. Since crossing the Yellow River in Jijun, the Sui army along the way has all surrendered, including the ancient famous pass Hulao Pass. The same is true of Luokou Dacang of Shi Junliang, who surrendered and offered food, providing Yang Xuangan's team with enough rations to waste for several years. A set of elite equipment and countless horses and supplies relieved the urgent need of the rebel army's lack of equipment.
What makes Yang Xuan most proud is the support of the people for him. Suffering from Emperor Sui Yang's wanton squandering of national power, the people who have long been looking forward to changing the status quo are vying to attach themselves to the rebels. On the way to the west of the rebels, there are thousands of them every day. The common people came to join the rebel army, and the place where soldiers were recruited was as lively as a market. When Li Yang raised troops on the third day of June, Yang Xuangan had only 8,000 troops under his command, but after only eleven days, the size of the rebel army had already grown. More than 50,000 giants, and the number is still increasing rapidly!
With the army, the army rations, the weapons, armor and horses and supplies, the future seemed bright. Satisfied, Yang Xuangan shouted that he was in front of countless soldiers and civilians outside the Shangchun Gate. I have uttered the famous saying through the ages countless times, "I am a Shangzhu country, and my family has accumulated tens of thousands of gold. As for wealth and honor, I have nothing to ask for. I don't care about the extermination of the clan, but I will solve the urgent need for the world!"
Not to mention, Yang Xuangan's touching speech really played a role. On the day he arrived in Dongdu, some people outside the city sent cattle, sheep and fine wine to reward the rebels. With more than 2,000 people, Yang Xuangan laughed out loud, feeling more and more that he had made the right choice to raise troops, and also felt that the world was at his fingertips. The morale of the rebel army was also boosted, and they were full of confidence in breaking through Dongdu.
There was only one exception in the rebel army, and this person was Li Mi, the strategist of Yang Xuangan's rebel army. Looking at the tall and majestic city walls of the Eastern Capital, Li Mi was still full of worries, "There are twenty-two towers, and the walls are four feet five feet high and thick. It is three feet tall, nine feet taller than Daxing, seven feet thicker, and the moat is two feet wide and half a foot deep, leading into the flowing water of Luoshui! Such a fortified city will not be easy to take if we attack it head-on."
After muttering, Li Mi went to look towards the direction of the Eastern Capital Imperial City in the northwest, and prayed in his heart, "Fan Zigai, Fan Liushou, you must send troops out of the city to fight again. It is best to send all the main forces in the Eastern Capital City Send them out, only in this way can we hope to win the Eastern Capital quickly, and let that idiot Yang Xuangan win a glimmer of hope of success. If this idiot adopts my best strategy, how good would it be?"
…
Li Mi's prayer has a good chance of success. At the same time, in the Eastern Capital City, after personally going to the city to observe the enemy's situation, he confirmed that Yang Xuangan had no immediate plans to attack the city. Fan Zigai, who was appointed by Emperor Sui Yang to stay in the Eastern Capital, returned to the Imperial City immediately, and asked the King of Yue Yang Tong rang the Jingyang Bell to summon all the officials to discuss matters. The nine-year-old Yang Tong obeyed Fan Zigai's advice and immediately ordered the servants to ring the bell. After hearing the bell, none of the civil and military officials of the fifth rank or above in the eastern capital dared to neglect , also flew to the imperial city one after another, entered the Chongguangmen to participate in the court meeting in the East Palace's main meeting hall, and naturally included Chen Yingliang's current benefactor, Henan Zanzhi Pei Hongce.
The so-called Chaohui was actually Fan Zigai's hall of speech. After all the officials arrived, Fan Zigai first briefly introduced the military situation outside the city, and then immediately assigned tasks. The city gate, commanding the guards of the city gate, requires these eleven officials to stay in the city tower for food and lodging. Yang Xuangan's Shangchun Gate was entrusted by Fan Zigai to Youwuwei General Huangfu Wuyi. Huangfu Wuyi, who was in poor health, did not hesitate, and immediately took orders along with the other eleven important officials of the Eastern Capital.
After arranging the city gate guards and the guarding army, Fan Zigai suddenly said, "The rebels came from afar and marched 600 miles in eleven days. During the period, another battle was fought at Linqingguan. The team must be very tired, and the foothold in Dongdu was not stable when they first arrived. Therefore, the old man should think that Dongdu should send another army to fight against Yang Xuangan's rebels outside the city of Dongdu. To defeat the rebels, at the very least, we must win a battle, show the prestige of the court, and also attack Yang Xuangan's arrogance of the rebels, so as not to increase the number of rebels."
When Fan Zigai said these words, the meeting hall was completely silent, and almost everyone was peeping at Pei Hongce, and many people's eyes were a little gloating—Pei Hongce's name was not among the city gate officials arranged by Fan Zigai, So even if the civil and military officials present were analyzing with their toes, they could guess who Fan Zigai would send out of the city to commit crimes and meritorious deeds, and fight to the death with the Yang Xuangan rebels who were in full swing.
To everyone's surprise, Pei Hongce, who is currently wearing a crime, behaved very calmly, as if he didn't hear Fan Zigai's implication, and Fan Zigai was not polite, and quickly said to Pei Hongce: "Master Pei, among the courtiers here, only you have fought against the traitor Yang Xuangan. You have experience to look forward to and lessons to learn from. This is also your best chance to redeem your sins. Of course, you must be the leader of the decisive battle outside the city. Don't let Your Majesty, Your Highness and the court down again."
In full view of everyone, Pei Hongce came out of work unhurriedly, cupped his hands to Fan Zigai and said, "I am willing to take orders."
"Huh?" Many civil and military officials in Dongdu, including Fan Zigai himself, were surprised. Of course, Fan Zigai was surprised at how readily Pei Hongce agreed, while the other civil and military officials were surprised that Pei Hongce hadn't been scared by Yang Xuangan.
Surprised to be surprised, Fan Zigai still showed a gratified smile, nodded and said: "Very well, Mr. Pei is indeed a loyal and patriotic person. He has been defeated and fought repeatedly, and he is never discouraged. This perseverance is worth learning. When deploying the defense, the old man left 6,000 reserves, how about splitting half of it to you? I don’t expect you to take down the head of Yang Xuangan’s traitor in one battle. As long as you win the battle, Yang Xuangan’s traitor won’t dare to spy on Dongdu half eye!"
"Fan stays behind, I am willing to lead the army to fight!" Pei Hongce suddenly raised his voice, and said loudly: "But as a courtier of the Sui Dynasty, for the sake of the family and the world, and to repay His Majesty's heavenly grace, this official is here to stay." A battle can only be lost, never won!"
"what?!"
When Pei Hongce said this, the whole hall was shocked, and the old stubborn Fan Zigai almost stared out of his eyes. After finally regaining his senses, Fan Zigai suddenly roared angrily, "Pei Hongce, What did you say? You lead the troops to fight, you can only lose? Can't you win?!"
"That's right!" Pei Hongce nodded solemnly, and said loudly: "Fan Liushou, please be safe and don't be impatient. Please listen to the officer. Da Sui’s devotion and loyalty! If Fan Liushou thinks it’s unreasonable to step down, it’s not for the sake of Da Sui’s family and country, begging to be beheaded!”
"Pei Hongce, there are no jokes in the hall!" Fan Zigai said angrily, "If you talk nonsense and make unreasonable sophistry, don't blame the old man for new and old accounts!"
"Don't worry, Fan Liushou, you will know after listening to the humble opinion of the lower official." Pei Hongce said loudly without any fear: "When the lower official came home last night, he stayed up all night, thinking about it, thinking about how to defeat the traitor Yang Xuangan, so that he can fight against the traitor Yang Xuangan." Yang Ni didn't dare to take a peek at Dongdu! However, Xiaguan suddenly thought of an important question, and then realized that Xiaguan must not drive away Yang Xuangan's traitor, but must stick to the city of Dongdu and lure Yang Ni to attack!"
Speaking of this, Pei Hongce paused for a moment, glanced at Fan Zigai who was gnashing his teeth, and then said: "Fan Liushou must want to ask, what important problem did this subordinate think of to give birth to such thoughts? I dare not To lie to His Royal Highness the King of Yue, he did not dare to lie to Fan Liushou. I put myself in the shoes of the traitor Yang Xuangan and thought about it. Assuming that I am the traitor Yang Xuangan himself, what should I do to usurp the world of the Sui Dynasty? Take death and be easily put down by our Sui army?"
"Suppose you are Yang Xuangan's traitor?" Fan Zigai was surprised again, and said, "Your words are quite new, and you actually thought up a plan for Yang Xuangan's traitor."
"Fan Liushou, this is called empathy." Pei Hongce said a fresh term he learned last night, and then said: "The lower officials think that Yang Xuangan rebelled against him, and he has three strategies to choose from in terms of strategy. Now he It is his strategic strategy to come to the Eastern Capital, so the lower officials must let him continue to make mistakes, instead of driving him away, let him choose the best strategy, which will cause more disasters to the Sui court. Stay behind, do you want to hear Yang Xuangan's three strategies of the traitor? You will understand after listening."
"Let's listen to it." Fan Zigai replied with a cold snort.
"The lower officials believe that Yang Xuangan's best strategy for the rebels should be to attack Zhuo County and seize Linyu Pass (Shanhai Pass)!"
Pei Hongce's words made Fan Zigai jump up immediately, and all the civil and military officials in the Eastern Capital changed their faces, but Pei Hongce's expression remained the same, and he continued to say loudly: "Please stay behind and think about it, if Yang Xuan feels rebellious, and If Linyu Pass is captured, what kind of harm will it cause to us in the Great Sui Dynasty?! The emperor's orthodox army personally conquered Goguryeo, and has already entered the territory of Goguryeo. If Linyu Pass is lost, the 300,000 troops led by the emperor himself will not only If you make a decisive decision, you will immediately face the counterattack of the Korean barbarians and the double-teaming of the Khitan Turks. Can you imagine the consequences? Fan Liushou? His Royal Highness, my lords, can you imagine?!"