The eldest grandson Shunde, who was once a fugitive, had no chance to show his face in public. Like Liu Hongji, who was also a fugitive, he could only hide in the darkness behind Li Yuan forever. However, these two confidants of Li Yuan were lucky. In order to celebrate Goguryeo’s honorary surrender, killing the number one traitor Hu Sizheng and returning to the Eastern Capital, Emperor Sui Yang issued an amnesty for the fourth time. Liu Hongji and his eldest son Shunde, whose crimes were not too serious, were both pardoned. He was able to publicly serve as Li Yuan's staff, and together with Li Yuan came to the Yanmen battlefield to serve as the king, and finally got the opportunity to meet publicly with Sun Wuji, the nephew of the family.
Of course, the thighs they hold are different, and Changsun Shunde also knew that the meeting with his clan nephew was not as simple as a reunion after a long absence, and the result was as expected. Intimacy, the standard of etiquette that is Jishou and hands-on, and after exchanging a farewell story, Chen Yingliang, the culprit behind Changsun Wuji's scenes, appeared in front of Changsun Shunde, as the fiancé of Changsun Wugou. , also paid a junior gift to the eldest grandson Shunde, calling him uncle.
"Marshal, you've ruined your lowly position." Facing Chen Yingliang, who was saluting at the head of Ji, Sun Shunde could only kneel down and return the salute, and said with a wry smile: "You are the commander of the King Qin coalition army personally appointed by His Majesty the Emperor. The lowly position is just under the command of Ambassador Li. A small staff member of yours is not even qualified to meet and speak with you, and his status is so different, how can he bear such a big gift like you?"
"Uncle, public is public, private is private, my nephew's current position is higher than yours, but in private, according to Wuji and Wugou's seniority, my nephew is still your junior." Chen Yingliang said The boss said it very sweetly, and then cupped his hands and said: "Uncle, please be sure to be worshiped by my nephew Chen Yingliang, otherwise, you just don't recognize me as a junior, and you don't recognize me as a niece and son-in-law."
However, the elder Sun Shunde had no choice but to accept Chen Sangliang's junior gift, and the very manly Chen Yingliang presented the elder Sun Shunde with a rather expensive meeting gift, and asked the captain of the personal army, San Gouzi, to bring a token to the elder Sun Shunde. , allowing Changsun Shunde to freely enter and leave the camp of the Qinwang coalition army, but Changsun Shunde refused repeatedly, so he had no choice but to accept the order. At the same time, Changsun Shunde knew very well that the real drama was about to begin.
Sure enough, after talking nonsense with Changsun Shunde again, Chen Yingliang suddenly changed his mind and said to Changsun Shunde with a smile: "Uncle, Wuji often told me that your talent lies not in his father but in mine." Under my father-in-law's elder grandson, I just never had the opportunity to show my strengths and talents, so I was forced to serve as a small staff member under Ambassador Li's account. It is really wronged. My nephew also feels sorry for you, uncle, and wants to make the adjustment I have entrusted you with a heavy responsibility in my army, but I don't know what your intentions are?"
"Sure enough." Changsun Shunde trembled in his heart, knowing that Chen Yingliang had finally shown his sharp fangs and was about to poach Li Yuan's corner, but Changsun Shunde didn't have time to consult Li Yuan's opinion when he came here. The shogunate acted as an internal response, and said vaguely: "My nephew's kindness, I appreciate it, but Ambassador Li has treated me well and has treated me with a lot of kindness, I really can't bear to abandon it..."
"Uncle misunderstood, my nephew didn't want to invite you right now." Chen Yingliang said with a smile: "Of course my little nephew knows that Ambassador Li is kind to my uncle, and I also know that uncle, you will not abandon Ambassador Li now. My nephew just wants to consult Let me ask my uncle's opinion, if uncle is willing, after the battle between King Qin and King Qin is over, my nephew will ask for someone from Ambassador Li, or I will ask you, uncle, to resign from Ambassador Li's command and work under my nephew's tent."
"It seems to be a little sincere. You can recruit me after the King Qin battle is over. At that time, if King Qin succeeds, you will definitely be promoted again. It might be better to follow you. If King Qin fails, of course I don't need to completely fall with you."
Changsun Shunde nodded secretly, feeling that Chen Yingliang's solicitation was indeed a bit sincere, and it was not impossible to consider accepting it. Satisfied, Changsun Shunde bowed his hands to thank him, and replied that he would ask Chen Yingliang to give him some time to think about it before replying. Chen Yingliang was overjoyed when he heard that, and hurriedly said that his door would always be open to Changsun Shunde. Whenever Changsun Shunde figured it out, he could come to discuss with him at any time. Li Yuan came to help his relatives, but the elder Sun Shunde just nodded and said that he would definitely think about it carefully.
After talking about this matter, Chen Yingliang changed the subject again and said suddenly: "By the way, Uncle, haven't you always had any chance to make meritorious service under Ambassador Li's tent? Just in time, I have an errand to arrange for someone to go to It is a credit to do it, and it is a credit if it is done well. Instead of making it cheaper for others, it is better to ask my uncle to take care of it."
The elder Sun Shunde asked curiously what the mission was, and Chen Yingliang said in a startling way: "I plan to send a person to negotiate with the Turkic army, and negotiate with Shibi Zeitou Chief. I will release the 5,000 Turkic prisoners of war that I captured earlier after sending the food and medicine to Yanmen City. Listen to Wuji and say, Uncle, you also know some language and writing of the Turkic army, so I want to hand over this task to you."
"Marshal, you want to release the Turkic prisoners of war in exchange for us to escort a batch of grain into Yanmen City? Why?" Changsun Shunde asked in shock.
"Because there must be a shortage of food in Yanmen City." Chen Yingliang said solemnly: "After the siege of Nao County was lifted, I once learned about the situation in Yanmen through the channel of His Royal Highness King Qi. I knew that when His Majesty the Emperor withdrew into Yanmen City, There is only 20 days of food in Yanmen City. Today is the 29th day that His Majesty was trapped. No matter how much food is saved in the city, it should be almost the same. As officials of the Sui Dynasty, how can we let His Majesty suffer from the cold? Hungry? That’s why I came up with this method, using the more than 5,000 Turkic prisoners we captured as bargaining chips, in exchange for the Turkic army allowing us to escort a batch of food northward to Yanmen City, and first solve the urgent need of His Majesty the Emperor.”
"But what if we release so many Turkic captives and they take up arms and fight us again?" Changsun Shunde asked in shock.
"A defeated general, how can you speak bravely? The Turkic soldiers who have been captured by us will have the courage to fight us again to the end?" Chen Yingliang sneered confidently, and then added: "Of course, I have to teach myself a lesson. These Turkic barbarians, you can directly tell Shibi Zeitai that in order to punish these Turkic prisoners of war for offending me, Da Sui Tianwei, I will cut off two fingers of each of them before releasing them, so that they will always remember this bloody lesson. "
Seeing Chen Yingliang's words were serious, Changsun Shunde thought about it again, and then said: "Since it is sent by the commander in chief, then the humble position should be obeyed. The bandit chief refused to agree, and asked the commander-in-chief to forgive the crime of incompetence for his humble position."
"Of course. I'll just give it a try. I'll do it well if it works. Of course I won't blame you if it doesn't work out." Chen Yingliang laughed, and then Chen Yingliang suddenly grabbed Changsun Shunde's right hand and said in a low voice: "Uncle, My nephew has a small request for you. After seeing Shibi, please use the honor of Li Yuan as the staff member of Ambassador Li to test the possibility of peace talks between Shibi and us. For the peace talks, Ambassador Li can come forward and try his best to broker this matter. After the matter is completed, my nephew will have a rich reward."
"In the honor of Ambassador Li?"
Eldest Sun Shunde gasped, while Chen Yingliang patted the back of Elder Sun Shunde's hand, and said with a smile, "Don't worry, you don't need to forge Ambassador Li's seal or letter, you just need to talk orally. The ambassador's letter is of course the best, and it doesn't matter if you can't bring it back, just help me figure out Sibi Zeitou's attitude towards the peace talks."
"What a ruthless boy, if you go in, you can get the ironclad proof that Ambassador Li secretly communicated with the Turks, and if you go back, you can test Shibi Khan's attitude towards the peace talks. You can kill two birds with one stone, and the public and private are right. No wonder you can climb to the head of Ambassador Li in just two years. Go." Changsun Shunde was secretly shocked, but he hesitated to agree, and agreed to give Chen Yingliang a try. Chen Yingliang was overjoyed, and hurriedly thanked Changsun Shunde again and again, and ordered Changsun Wuji to continue entertaining Changsun Shunde, while he immediately went to hold a meeting At that time, the generals of King Qin's army were called to discuss the important matter of sending food.
The reason for announcing this decision in public was of course that Chen Yingliang was also guarding against the suspicion that he had secretly communicated with the Turks. Fortunately, the reason Chen Yingliang made this time was very sufficient and very important—to prevent His Majesty the Emperor Yang Guang from freezing and starving. Just do it. So even if he hated Chen Yingliang like Li Yuan, and was cautious and suspicious like a master of the underworld, none of them dared to have the slightest objection. No matter what you say, even if it is just to save His Majesty the emperor from starving for a day, it is definitely worth releasing these more than 5,000 Turkic prisoners of war.
After successfully blocking everyone's mouths, Chen Yingliang immediately ordered Wei Zheng to write a letter to Shibi Khan for him, and at the same time summoned his eldest grandson Shunde, and publicly appointed his eldest grandson Shunde, who was proficient in the Turkic language, as the envoy to visit the Turkic camp. Shunde set off immediately and rushed to the Turkic camp as soon as possible to negotiate with Shibi Khan. Li Yuan knew something was wrong but did not dare to object—nor had the right to object. Fortunately, Changsun Shunde was also very knowledgeable, and asked to go back to the Taiyuan military camp on the pretext that he had to go back to prepare his belongings and change clothes. Chen Yingliang was also very generous to his uncle, and immediately nodded in agreement.
Changsun Shunde hurried back to the Taiyuan military camp to change clothes, and Chen Yingliang told Li Jing again: "Li Juncheng, you also have an errand, immediately send some Mayi soldiers to the prisoner-of-war camp, tell the Turkic prisoners of my decision, and let them all Knowing that I am going to use them as a bargaining chip to negotiate with Shibi Chieftain about food delivery, let them feel at ease as prisoners of war, and don't make trouble for me."
"Let the Turkic prisoners of war know?" Li Jing was startled, and said in surprise, "Why? Let the Turkic prisoners of war know about these things first. If the negotiations fail, these Turkic..."
Before he finished speaking, Li Jing already understood Chen Yingliang's vicious intentions, so he shut up quickly, while Li Yuan next to him added a superfluous smile and said, "The commander is really clever, let these Turkic prisoners of war know about this matter, if the negotiation fails, these Turkic prisoners It's not the general who hates it, but their Khan Shibi Bandit Chieftain, and the news spread to the Turkic army, which is a big blow to the morale of the Turkic army."
"Ambassador Li really knows my heart." Chen Yingliang praised Li Yuan for the first time, and then ordered: "Generals, this commander will announce another decision by the way. The military situation is on fire, and we can't rest for a long time outside the city of Nao County. Starting tomorrow, Our army marched thirty miles north every day, step by step, while resting, while slowly moving north, looking for an opportunity to fight the Turks."
All the generals sang promises, and Chen Yingliang waved his hand to disband the tent, and asked the generals of King Qin's army to go back to arrange matters for going north. After returning to his own camp, he went to find Changsun Shunde to find out the situation. Fortunately, Changsun Shunde hadn't left the Taiyuan military camp yet, and was still talking in a low voice with his precious son Li Er in Li Yuan's back tent. Li Yuan finally got to know his eldest grandson. Shunde went to negotiate with Chen Yingliang for details.
Chen Yingliang attempted to use his relationship with Changsun Wuji to win over Changsun Shunde, which was already expected by Li Yuan. After hearing Changsun Shunde's report on this aspect, he was naturally not surprised, and couldn't help but sneered at Chen Yingliang. However, when the grandson Shunde stammered that Chen Yingliang asked him to use Li Yuan's signboard to bluff and cheat, Li Yuan couldn't bear it anymore. The death crime of secretly colluding is simply shameless and vicious to the extreme.
No matter how much you curse, it is useless. The devastated Chen Sangliang gave verbal orders to his eldest grandson Shunde. Except for Chen Yingliang's eldest son-in-law, eldest grandson Wuji, there is no witness, let alone any written evidence. Of course, Li Yuan can't expose it. With Chen Yingliang's sinister true face, he could only quickly force himself to calm down and think about countermeasures and revenge plans. It was also at this time that Li Yuan suddenly discovered an important question, and hurriedly asked his grandson Shunde, "Shunde, you said just now that the little thief Chen Yingliang wanted to test Shibi Khan's attitude towards the peace talks?"
"That's right." Eldest Sun Shunde nodded quickly, and repeated: "Little thief Chen said, it would be best if I could get back the reply letter Shibi Zeitou gave you. The Thief Chief's attitude towards peace talks is fine."
"Find out Shibi Khan's attitude towards the peace talks?" Li Yuan twitched his beard and began to calculate, and said suspiciously: "Could it be that this little thief is afraid that he won't be able to defeat the Turks, so he made some preparations in advance?"
"Father, my son is also so suspicious." Li Er hurriedly interjected: "The Turkic army still has more than 200,000 troops. Too tired, the combat effectiveness is greatly affected, and there are too many internal problems, it is not surprising that Chen Yingliang is afraid that he will not be a Turkic opponent."
"Of course, it is not ruled out that Chen Yingliang is deliberately showing weakness." Li Er added, "Chen Yingliang has always been known for his tricks, deliberately showing weakness to make the Turkic army take it lightly, and then highlighting surprise attacks. This is a common tactic used by military strategists, so Chen Yingliang may also have such an idea."
Li Yuan nodded slowly, twirling his beard and continuing to calculate, while Changsun Shunde said cautiously: "Ambassador, I was ordered to go to Turkic as an envoy, and Chen Yingliang ordered me to go out immediately. If you don't have any orders, then I will leave. Ambassador Don't worry, this humble job will never give Chen Yingliang a chance to frame you, and when I come back, I'll tell Shibi Chief to just ignore it."
Li Yuan didn't answer, but the muscles on his face twitched a few times, and then he made up his mind, called Changsun Shunde to him, and whispered in Changsun Shunde's ear: "After you go to see Shibi Khan, you can send our army Tell Shibi Khan about the various internal situations, and make it clear that the current commander of the little thief Chen Yingliang is unstable, and there are many internal problems in our army. You can also tell Shibi Kehan all the grievances and grievances between the little thief and me. Sweat, but you must never leave ink to eat paper, understand?"
The eldest Sun Shunde's face changed slightly, and he said in a low voice: "I understand, but I may not be able to meet Shibi Bandit Chief, nor may I have the opportunity to introduce these situations to him. If I cannot do it, I ask the ambassador to forgive me."
"Don't worry, you will definitely be able to meet Shibi Khan, and you will definitely have the opportunity to introduce the situation." Li Yuan patted Changsun Shunde on the shoulder, and said with a sneer, "Turk doesn't know anything about our situation, and I'm afraid the little thief Chen Yingliang is even more concerned. This is the first time I heard his name, so I dare to conclude that even if Shibi Khan will not agree to the conditions offered by the thief Chen Yingliang, he will definitely meet you in person, and he will definitely try his best to get our military information. "
With Li Yuan's entrustment, eldest grandson Shunde first returned to Chen Yingliang's tent of the Chinese army, and after bidding farewell to Chen Yingliang, he took two entourages and rushed northward to the Turkic camp. During the camp tour, Li Jing ran up to Chen Yingliang again and reported to Chen Yingliang alone: "Commander, I don't know if you know, Ambassador Li went to the Jiangdu army camp this afternoon and spent a long time with Wang Shichong's family."
"Of course I know." Chen Yingliang nodded, and while beckoning Li Jing to accompany him on the camp tour, he said casually: "I also know that this is a scheming scheme to get close to my father-in-law on purpose, so that I will have mutual suspicion of Wang Juncheng, and then take the opportunity to sow discord, even more Isolate me more, and shake my handsome position even more."
"The commander-in-chief is really clever, but I'm still worried that you've got caught in the wrong. It seems that I'm worrying too much." Li Jing showed a relaxed smile, which was quite sincere.
Chen Yingliang smiled, and just wanted to show off a few words, but never thought that another soldier would rush up, salute, and whispered a few words to Chen Yingliang's ear, finally Chen Yingliang's face changed, and he showed Gritting his teeth. Li Jing saw that the situation was wrong, so he hurriedly asked Chen Yingliang, "Marshal, what happened?"
Chen Yingliang glanced at Li Jing first, hesitated for a moment, and then said in a low voice: "Ambassador Li just left the camp with a gift and went to Nao County. If there is no accident, he must have gone to see His Highness King Qi."
"It's normal." Li Jing smiled, and said lightly: "His Royal Highness, the emperor's second son, although you have the military power in your hands, you must be respectful to him if you are personally appointed by the emperor as the commander-in-chief of King Qin. Pulling him as an ally makes it easier to deal with you."
"I'm not afraid that he will contact His Royal Highness Qi to deal with me, but I'm worried about being restrained by them." Chen Yingliang said with a gloomy face: "I've said a little less about His Highness Qi's attitude, and I have to show it to the public. I respect his opinion. If he deliberately opposes me and deliberately interferes with my decision-making and command, then the internal problems of our army will inevitably expand immediately, with more contradictions and more difficult command. Once I accidentally lose a battle, His Royal Highness Qi I'm afraid I have to attack my military power. At that time, I can't push the emperor's own son His Royal Highness King Qi out of the gate and behead him, right?"
"Besides, His Royal Highness Qi also said that he would not listen to my orders." Chen Yingliang said sullenly: "His Majesty the Emperor ordered me to be the commander of King Qin's coalition forces, and asked me to command and order King Qin's troops. There are more than a thousand troops, but they are the escort soldiers and horses rescued by us, if His Royal Highness King Qi plays a rogue and refuses to listen to my command, I will have nothing to do with him."
Li Jing's face also changed slightly, but after careful calculation, Li Jing said in a low voice again: "Marshal, if you trust me, let me solve this problem for you, and keep His Royal Highness King Qi. cause any trouble."
Focusing on Li Jing's face, Chen Yingliang hesitated for a while, but considering Li Jing's position of loyalty to the Sui Dynasty in history, Chen Yingliang still said: "Of course I trust you, but I need to know what you are going to do first."
"It's very simple, an eye for an eye." Li Jing sneered and said: "Ambassador Li urged His Highness King Qi to hold you back, so I will encourage His Royal Highness Qi to take Ambassador Li's military power as the cornerstone first, and then you will cooperate with me a little bit. If you arrange someone to go back to Taiyuan to supervise the transportation of the army supplies, you don’t have to worry about His Royal Highness Qi not fighting with Ambassador Li, they will fight themselves, Commander, do you still have to worry about His Royal Highness Qi embarrassing you?"
Chen Yingliang was a little tongue-tied, looked Li Jing up and down for a long time, then smiled, and said: "Li Juncheng, then please, I will fully cooperate with you."
Li Jing cupped his hands and showed a kind and gentle smile again.