The chief general of Hexi stationed in Dunhuang County was Li Feishouyu, the commander of the Yumen Army.

Unlike Jiedushi, military envoys would be transferred every few years.

Li Feishouyu's archery skills were unmatched in the Hexi army, and he was a world-famous Helong general.

In history, Li Fei Shouyu fought against An Lushan's army in Luoyang with only one arrow. He once shot an arrow at An Lushan's chariot, but eventually he ran out of arrows and jumped into the river and died.

Li Xuan changed Li Fei Shouyu's fate.

However, this time Li Xuan led his troops into Yumen Pass at lightning speed.

No news came out of Yumen Pass. By the time Li Feishouyu reacted, thousands of light cavalry had cut off the road from Dunhuang to Jinchang County.

The fences set up on the road cannot be blocked.

At the same time, Li Xuan sent cavalry to Yangguan to block all the east and west gates.

The Yumen Army was stationed around the city of Dunhuang. Li Feishouyu immediately mobilized the Yumen Army cavalry and asked the soldiers to prepare for battle.

The Tang Dynasty had iron laws.

If a large army is marching, mobilizing, or passing through, the passes, local garrisons, and local officials must be notified in advance.

There are strict customs clearance documents and transfer orders.

This is the rule, otherwise it will be regarded as treason.

Li Feishouyu also found Li Chen, the governor of Dunhuang, to confirm that these cavalrymen did not have any imperial orders or decrees.

He also sent scouts to Yumen Pass and Yangguan to gather information.

Not long after, scouts brought back news that countless cavalrymen had passed through Yumen Pass, which could be described as "filling the mountains and valleys".

From the military flags, it can be distinguished that the incoming cavalry are the elite border guards from Anxi and Beiting.

Under uncertain circumstances, Li Feishouyu led the Yumen Army to garrison Dunhuang City.

Two days later, Li Xuan led the Tiance Guard and arrived at the city of Dunhuang first.

Dark clouds are pressing down on the city, threatening to destroy it. This large frontier city, which has a profound connection with Li Xuan, is now under the attack of Li Xuan's army.

"It's the banner of King Tianshui!"

Li Fei Shouyu on the city wall was moved when he saw Li Xuan's big banner.

He had guessed it, but didn't dare to believe it.

It is now confirmed that it was Li Xuan who led the cavalry into Yumen Pass, which made Li Feishouyu feel conflicted.

Although Lifei Shouyu is a Qiang, he is loyal to the Tang Dynasty. The men of the Lifei family of the Hexi Qiang have served the Tang Dynasty for generations!
Even though An Lushan had been named Prince of Xiping and received the Jade Unicorn Medal, he believed that An Lushan was not worthy of carrying shoes for the Prince of Tianshui.

Under Li Fei Shouyu's gaze, Li Xuan, wearing black armor, rode alone to the front of Dunhuang City.

The Tiance Guards in the rear wanted to follow, but were stopped by Li Xuan.

But every member of the Tiance Guard held a bow, staring at Dunhuang City with sharp eyes, and their momentum was concentrated to the extreme, as if they would rush over at any time.

Just like that, Li Xuan stopped a few dozen steps away from the West City Tower.

None of the soldiers on the city wall dared to draw their bows or crossbows, even though they knew that King Tianshui had ill intentions.

"Shouyu, how are you?"

Li Xuan smiled and shouted to the top of the city wall.

"Greetings to the King of Tianshui!"

Li Fei Shouyu bowed to Li Xuan on the city wall.

"Greetings to King Tianshui..."

Although it has been eight years, more than half of the soldiers have followed under Li Xuan and admire him.

Whenever they heard about Li Xuan's extraordinary achievements in the Western Regions, they felt itchy and wished they could be part of it.

So they all shouted in unison, startling the wild geese.

"I followed the secret decree of the sage and led the army to eliminate Yang Guozhong and suppress the rebellion of An Lushan. Do you want to open the city gates and drink with me in Dunhuang City, or do you want to discuss archery with me here?"

Li Xuan brought out this pretext again.

Smart people knew that Li Xuan wanted to "clear the court", but ordinary soldiers did believe that Li Xuan really wanted to eliminate Yang Guozhong.

After all, the soldiers also knew that Yang Guozhong and the Five Yangs were causing chaos in the world.

Before the world's worries and worries, after the world's joy and joy.

People believe more in the moral integrity of King Tianshui!
"King Tianshui..."

Li Feishouyu blushed and shouted at Li Xuan's title, saying that he was willing to die for the Tang Dynasty without frowning.

Under the gaze of the soldiers, he took a step away and came to the parapet, exposing his chest, and slowly raised his ox-horn bow.

Li Xuan also reached for the strong bow on his horse.

Time seemed to freeze at this moment, and the soldiers of the Yumen Army dared not even breathe.

Some simple-minded soldiers were puzzled as to why Li Fei Shouyu pointed his bow at the King of Tianshui?

Some soldiers knew the reason, but the King of Tianshui once "broke the ambush with one arrow", so even if Shouyu's archery skills were strong, he was far inferior to him.

More soldiers were conflicted and worried!
Li Feishouyu's hand had already touched the quiver, but he paused and ultimately did not pull out the arrow.

"Li Shuai..."

In the end, Li Fei Shouyu put down his carved bow and called Li Xuan "general" as he did before.

This also means that Li Feishouyu will open the gates of Dunhuang without reservation.

It also made the soldiers of the Yumen Army breathe a sigh of relief.

They have a close relationship with Li Fei Shouyu and are even more unwilling to be enemies with Li Shuai.

Li Chen, the governor of Dunhuang, shook his head. Since Li Feishouyu agreed to open the city, there was nothing he could do.

The military envoy and the prefect were not subordinate to each other, and his rank was not much different from that of Li Feishouyu. Li Chen could not stop it, nor did he dare to stop it.

He was a descendant of Li Yuan's elder brother Li Zhan, and was also considered a royal family member. He understood that Li Xuan's entry into the country would be a further blow to the Tang Empire.

As the prefect of Dunhuang, he knew that Li Xuan's influence in Dunhuang was greater than his.

If nothing unexpected happens, the other armies in Hexi and Longyou will be subdued by Li Xuan just like the Yumen Army.

When an army of 200,000 powerful soldiers approaches the Three Qins, how should the imperial court respond?
But Li Chen was quick-witted. Dunhuang was the first county after Li Xuan entered the Pass, so if they surrendered, it should have a bright future.

A quarter of an hour later, all four doors opened.

Li Fei Shouyu and Li Chen welcomed Li Xuan into the city together.

"I, Li Fei Shouyu, will do my utmost to help General Li eliminate Yang Guozhong and kill An Lushan..."

After meeting Li Xuan, Li Fei Shouyu half-knelt on the ground and saluted Li Xuan.

"When fighting against Tubo, the general was brave, good at riding and shooting, but unfortunately the Uighurs and Tubo surrendered, so the general did not get the position of general. Now the country is in danger, with Yang Guozhong and the Five Yangs at home and An Lushan crossing the Yellow River outside, it is a good time for the general to make achievements."

Li Xuan helped Li Fei Shouyu up, held his hand and spoke emotionally.

"I have always missed following Marshal Li and galloping across the snowy plateau. The country is no longer what it used to be, and we need heroes like you."

Li Fei Shouyu is not a stupid person and can guess Li Xuan's purpose.

But Li Xuan's surname was Li and he was the descendant of Emperor Taizong. He believed that Li Xuan would bring the Tang Empire back to its prime.

He can also repay Li Shuai for promoting him.

"Good boy!"

Li Xuan patted Li Fei Shouyu's shoulder and turned to Li Chen next to him: "Are you the governor of Dunhuang?"

"To the Lord of Tianshui, it is this humble official. When the Lord of Tianshui was carrying out the reform, I was only a county magistrate, but I am a defender of the new law. I hope that the Lord of Tianshui can become a prime minister again and save the people."

Li Chen bowed to Li Xuan again and answered slowly.

"Dunhuang is a good place. If you have achievements and can satisfy the people, you will be promoted to a high position. Don't be like Sheng Yuliang, who made the people look at him in dismay. Sheng Yuliang was beheaded in front of this city gate."

Li Xuan spoke to Li Chen earnestly, and also warned him not to forget the previous governor of Dunhuang.

Dunhuang Oasis is like a pearl in the Gobi Desert. During the Tianbao period, the crops and food harvests of Dunhuang were not only self-sufficient for the people and the frontier troops, but also transported to the Western Regions and Shuofang.

This is very rare in the frontier.

In addition, there are many orchards on both sides of the Dang River within the Dunhuang Oasis.

Although the animal husbandry is not as good as that of Wuwei County and Zhangye County, it is still pretty good.

In Li Xuan's plan, Dunhuang was to become a big city, connecting the Western Regions and developing handicrafts and trade.

It enabled the Tang Dynasty to more effectively control the Western Regions.

"I understand. I will follow the instructions of the King of Tianshui and bring peace to the people of Dunhuang."

Li Chen replied in fear and trepidation.

During this extraordinary period, he did not dare to mess around in Dunhuang.

If you want to recruit local militia to fight against Li Xuan, the people of Dunhuang will definitely not follow you.

Li Xuan ordered the Tiance Guard to station around Dunhuang City, rest for a while, and wait for news from Chang'an.

The soldiers who cut off the Silk Road raised the banner of the Yumen Army and prohibited anyone from passing in the name of encircling the Hu bandits.

Li Xuan had received the news that Yangguan was captured by Cheshensai without bloodshed, and the guards were replaced by soldiers from the Western Regions, allowing Li Xuan to completely seize the initiative.

After a conversation with Li Fei Shouyu and Li Chen, Li Xuan entered the city of Dunhuang.

When the people of Dunhuang learned that the Prince of Tianshui had come personally with his troops to quell the rebellion, they were no longer afraid and ran out of their houses one after another.

On both sides of the street, people stood in clusters, their eyes full of enthusiasm and expectation.

The children rode on the adults' shoulders, waving their little hands, wanting to see the King of Tianshui that the adults had always talked about.

The word "king" always makes young people yearn for it.

The old people were leaning on their crutches, trembling, and stretching their necks. They had experienced the contributions of King Tianshui to Dunhuang. In their hearts, King Tianshui was selfless and great.

When cheers broke out from the crowd, it meant that Li Xuan had entered the city.

Although their identities were different, Li Xuan let down his guard, was extremely friendly, and took the initiative to greet the old man.

Seeing the more mature and heroic Li Xuan, the people of Dunhuang were filled with tears.

"Lord Tianshui, I want to join your army and help you put down the rebellion..."

"I want to send my son to the Tianshui King's army to serve the country..."

People kept shouting that they wanted to join Li Xuan's army.

"Tomorrow the king will be outside Dunhuang City recruiting local warriors. Anyone interested can go and sign up. The annual military pay is 12 pieces of silk."

Li Xuan had exactly this intention and promised to call up troops the next day.

He wanted to recruit a certain number of soldiers and train them in Helong as a reserve force.

Since it is a power grab, we have to face many enemies. If we are not fully prepared, it will be difficult to implement the plan.

He was facing the powerful Yanyun cavalry, and the sacrificed soldiers had to be replaced in a timely manner.

Moreover, by deploying new soldiers in Hexi and Longyou, they can also respond to threats from Tubo and Huihe at any time.

Li Xuan did not forget that the Tibetan Empire and the Uighur Khanate rose after the Anshi Rebellion in the Tang Dynasty.

Especially when it comes to Tubo, Mashang Zhongbajie and Enlan Dazhalugong are still in power. Even though Tubo is far from the historical strength, Li Xuan feels that they will not give up the opportunity to create civil strife in the Tang Dynasty.

Historically, Geshu Han had occupied Qinghai, as well as the area around Dafeichuan and the territory around Dajishishan.

However, because the imperial court transferred too many soldiers from Longyou and Hexi to quell the rebellion, the garrisons and cities on the border lacked soldiers to guard them and supplies were insufficient, which gave Tubo an opportunity to seize more than a dozen counties in Hexi and Longyou and capture Chang'an.

As soon as the war dust rose from Xiaoguan, the Hehuang River separated me from the spring in a foreign land.

The Han people spoke in the language of the Hu people, but they cursed the Han people from the top of the city wall.

Li Xuan will not let this scene happen again.

"Reporting to General Li, the court has ordered the Hexi Army to go and quell the rebellion. Now General Geshu has been summoned to Chang'an. Wu Huaiyuan is in charge of the military affairs. He ordered our Yumen Army to send 3,000 infantry and cavalry to Chang'an..."

At the Yumen Military Government Office, Li Feishouyu explained the current background and the court's military orders to Li Xuan.

He called Wu Huaiyuan by his name because it was well known that Wu Huaiyuan defected to Yang Guozhong and that was why he got the high position.

Although Wu Huaiyuan is also from the Hexi Qiang tribe, Li Feishouyu looks down on such people.

"From preparing food and supplies to marching, it will take at least a month. Even the fastest Chishui Army will not reach Chang'an until March next year."

Li Xuan estimated the date in his mind.

It would be best to reveal our cards before the Helong Army sets out.

The time he and Luo Xing agreed to meet was in late December, near the Chinese New Year, to pick up Li Shizhi, Li Yi, Jiang Du, Pei Fan and others.

Then wait a few more days and march towards Changping County.

Such as Changping and Jiuquan, which have a large area.

Once there, it is difficult to blockade it unexpectedly.

But Li Xuan could subdue the armies of Doulu, Ningkou, Jiankang, Moli and others before reaching Liangzhou City.

There were also tribes such as Tuyuhun, Xianbei, Hexi Uighur, Sijie, and Hunbu around the Hexi Corridor.

These Hexi Hu tribes are very important to Li Xuan's future management of Hexi.

……

In December, after crossing the Yellow River, An Lushan immediately ordered Tian Chengsi and Li Baochen to launch an attack on Junyi, the city of Chenliu County (now the urban area of ​​Kaifeng).

Even though Henan Jiedushi Zhang Jieran gathered some cavalry and recruited local militia, they were still vulnerable.

In less than two days, the county city was captured and Zhang Jieran died for his country.

Although Zhang Jieran died in the battle, the soldiers defending the city were definitely unqualified.

After the rebels completed their first landing, the Tang army defending the city put up only a brief resistance and then surrendered to the rebels, without any regard for the fate of the people in the city.

As a result, more than 7,000 cavalry, county soldiers, and local militiamen left the city to surrender.

The roads outside Junyi City were crowded with prisoners.

"General Tian and General Li are great generals. They have made great contributions in conquering Chenliu. I will reward them with 500 taels of gold and 1,000 pieces of silk."

After An Lushan arrived in his luxurious chariot, he reviewed the thousands of surrendered Tang troops and was very proud.

The capture of the heavily guarded Junyi City gave An Lushan more confidence.

The Eastern Capital Luoyang was about to appear before him.

"Prince, for the sake of the greater good, we cannot allow the soldiers to continue burning, killing, raping and looting. This place is too close to Luoyang and we may lose the support of the people."

The counselor Yan Zhuang persuaded An Lushan.

Judging from the soldiers' posture, they will inevitably enter Chenliu to rape and plunder.

Yan Zhuang wanted to govern the world. Like Xiao He and Zhang Liang, he naturally knew that a violent and brutal army would cause endless troubles.

Previously in Hebei, he was unable to persuade the soldiers to take action to boost their morale, and now he cannot be so willful.

"Are we going to mistreat the soldiers?"

An Lushan looked displeased when he heard Yan Zhuang's words.

Wasn’t it always like this when he led troops into battle before?
If the soldiers are not rewarded, how can they fight ten enemies at once and be invincible?

"If the prince wants to be the emperor, he must do this. He who wins the hearts of the people wins the world."

Yan Zhuang continued to persuade.

A Hu person, or a mixed Hu person, without a large ethnic group as a basic support, is like a rootless duckweed.

He believed that after An Lushan gained power, he must assimilate to Han culture and gain the support of Han scholars and officials in order to achieve ultimate victory.

"I've only heard that whoever controls the Central Plains controls the rest of the world. I'm about to control the Central Plains. There are so many Han people, just like leeks. When you finish harvesting one crop, another crop will come. There will never be a shortage of manpower."

An Lushan did not listen to Yan Zhuang.

"The prince..."

"That's enough, don't say any more."

Yan Zhuang wanted to say something but was stopped by An Lushan.

He is now inflated and has forgotten Yan Zhuang, his hard-working and meritorious strategist.

Seeing this, Yan Zhuang didn't dare to say much, but he felt very uncomfortable.

If you become rich and powerful, don't forget each other! How could the Hu people know?
He stared at An Lushan, wondering if his ambitions could be realized through An Lushan?
"Father, father..."

At this moment, An Qingxu ran towards An Lushan's chariot with tears in his eyes, jogging and crying, as if he had encountered something very sad.

"How is Xu'er?"

When An Lushan saw An Qingxu like this, he asked what was going on.

"Wuwu...Reporting to father, my elder brother was killed by the Tang Emperor. News came from the rear that my elder brother's head has been sent to Hebei..."

Although An Qingxu was crying, he was extremely happy in his heart.

He and An Qingzong were not from the same mother, and had no feelings for each other.

An Qingxu was not a good person either. He wished An Qingzong would die!

Now we just have to wait for An Lushan’s rebellion to succeed, and then the position of crown prince will belong to him.

"clang!"

"Wow, my God, what crime did my son commit that deserves to be killed?"

After hearing the bad news, An Lushan stood up from the chariot with his fat body, drew his sword and slashed at the chariot.

A deep knife scar was revealed.

After wiping away his tears, An Lushan raised his knife and questioned the heaven.

Those who don’t know would think that “father’s love is as high as a mountain”!

"Prince, accept my condolences! Once you enter Chang'an, you must ask the Emperor of Tang for the truth. Whoever came up with this idea must be buried with his life."

The chief secretary Ping Lie came forward to comfort An Lushan.

"Xiaozhe, let these prisoners kill each other. Whoever is left alive will be released. Otherwise, kill them all!"

An Lushan's anger suddenly rose, and he pointed at the Tang army prisoners outside the city and said.

"As ordered!"

The bloodthirsty Sun Xiaozhe licked his lips and accepted the order.

Yan Zhuang wanted to stop him, but when he saw An Lushan's red eyes and violent look, he stopped.

He was very puzzled, as the death of Emperor An Qingzong should have been expected.

There is no shortage of food now, and killing these prisoners will do no good.

The captives crowded on both sides of the road naturally refused to kill each other when they heard that they were asked to do so and wanted to escape.

At this time, the prisoners still had weapons in their hands.

But being huddled together, they no longer had any tactical advantage. The rebels fired their crossbows at the same time, and their large shields and spears blocked the way, and the Tang army prisoners could not advance an inch.

In the end, in order to survive, the Tang army actually started killing each other.

For a moment, blood and flesh flew everywhere, it was a horrible sight.

"Ha ha……"

An Lushan stood on the chariot and laughed heartily.

In the end, after six or seven thousand people died and the scene was a sea of ​​blood and corpses, An Lushan finally ordered the troops to stop.

The rebels entered the city and began a new round of looting.

……

A few days later, the rebels attacked Xingyang again.

There were only a few hundred cavalrymen in Xingyang, and the rest were county soldiers and local militia.

The rebels, led by Cui Qianyou, attacked Xingyang City. The city was captured in just one day and Xingyang prefect Cui Wuwei was killed in the battle.

Although Cui Wuwei obtained a high position by relying on Yang Guozhong, his fight to the death was enough to make him famous in history.

After taking Xingyang, the rebels continued their march towards the eastern capital Luoyang.

Unfortunately, the Chenliu and Xingyang defense lines did not buy Gao Xianzhi much time.

Gao Xianzhi had no time to discipline the good-for-nothings and guerrillas under his command, so he could only bite the bullet and march to the front line in Luoyang to fight.

The officials in Luoyang did not sit idly by. Li Jian, the governor of Luoyang, Lu Yi, the prime minister, and Jiang Qing, the judge of the envoy, proposed burning the Heyang Bridge to buy time for Gao Xianzhi's dispatch.

Heyang Bridge is the most important strategic bridge in Luoyang.

In the 10th year of the Taishi reign of the Western Jin Dynasty, Du Yu built the Heyang Bridge at Fupingjin (now southwest of Mengxian County). It was one of the important transportation routes between the north and south of the Yellow River. The Northern Wei and Eastern Wei dynasties successively built three cities in Heyang to the north and south of the bridge and on the island in the middle of the river, which served as important garrisons for the outer periphery of Luoyang.

After losing the Heyang Bridge, An Lushan had to go through a lot of trouble and had to face the troops deployed by Gao Xianzhi. One can imagine how angry An Lushan was.

"Whoever burns down the Heyang Bridge will be killed by me!"

An Lushan swore, pointing to the burned Heyang Bridge.

The rebels were also filled with anger. They marched in a mighty force, charging through the defense line set up by Gao Xianzhi.

Gao Xianzhi suffered defeat after defeat. The cavalry and new recruits he led were no match for the Yanyun Iron Cavalry and the Hu Cavalry, and he lost tens of thousands of soldiers in a row.

Knowing that he had little chance of winning, Gao Xianzhi chose to preserve his strength and led his remaining troops to withdraw from Luoyang.

The huge city of Luoyang had become an undefended city, and An Lushan easily entered Luoyang.

Because An Lushan wanted to treat Luoyang as his "home", he strictly enforced military orders and did not let his soldiers burn, kill and loot in Luoyang City.

However, the villages around Luoyang were repeatedly persecuted by the rebels.

On the day of entering Luoyang, An Lushan ordered the execution of Li Jian, Lu Yi and Jiang Qing who burned down the Heyang Bridge.

The counties in Hebei were very restless, so An Lushan sent the heads of the three ministers to the counties in Hebei for circulation, warning the governors of Hebei to serve him with all their strength.

Afterwards, An Lushan summoned Henan Yin Da Xi Xun and other officials and asked them to take charge of their duties temporarily.

Under the tyranny of An Lushan, Da Xixun and others did not want to lose their lives and had to obey An Lushan.

After taking Luoyang, An Lushan continued to send Cui Qianyou to attack westward.

Dou Tingzhi, the governor of Shan County, and Wei Bin, the governor of Linru County, surrendered to An Lushan.

Gao Xianzhi was in a hurry all the way and could only garrison in Tongguan.

An Lushan also asked Cui Qianyou to prepare to attack Tongguan.

Less than two months after An Lushan went south, he reached Shan County and threatened Tongguan, shocking the world.

Li Longji had no choice but to order the troops from Lingnan, Jiangnan, Shannan, Qianzhong and other counties to gather and march north to recapture Luoyang.

Li Longji, who was not in a clear mind, blamed Gao Xianzhi for the loss of Luoyang. He believed that Gao Xianzhi was incompetent and sent an envoy to execute him.

Gao Xianzhi was filled with grief, anger and helplessness, and could only die with hatred in his heart.

Before his death, Gao Xianzhi faced northwest, hoping that his subordinates there would not suffer the same fate as he did today.

Afterwards, Li Longji ordered Geshu Han to lead the Flying Cavalry and the Dead Cavalry to gather at Tongguan.

Even though Geshu Han suffered from strokes from time to time, Li Longji still forced him to go to war.

Before Li Xuan came back, Geshu Han had to bear everything.

In a short period of time, Geshu Han led more than 100,000 cavalry, flying cavalry, county soldiers, and new recruits to defend Tongguan.

The soldiers guarding Tongguan are not just ordinary people.

Because a part of the Hedong army arrived at Tongguan first to provide support, and the Shuofang army also rushed to Tongguan.

If nothing unexpected happens, troops from Hexi and Longyou will arrive one after another in the next few months.

After confirming the loyalty of the Hedong Army, Li Longji, at the recommendation of Guo Ziyi, finally began to use Li Guangbi, the general favored by Wang Zhongsi.

He appointed Li Guangbi as the governor of Yunzhong, acting imperial censor, and deputy ambassador of Hedong Jiedushi, in charge of Jiedushi affairs.

He ordered Li Guangbi and Guo Ziyi to mobilize the available troops and attack Hebei from Jingxing, to support the governors of various counties in Hebei and capture An Lushan's rear base.

……

December 28th.

As the New Year approaches, there is no festive atmosphere in Chang'an.

The news that An Lushan had rebelled and had taken over the Eastern Capital with great force was widely spread.

From kings and nobles to ordinary people, everyone was full of worries.

Next to the royal orchard at the foot of Mount Li, there is a mansion covering an area of ​​100 acres. It was a reward from Li Longji when Li Xuan recaptured Jiuqu.

There are pavilions, towers, rivers, lakes and rugged rockery inside.

Li Xuan never lived in this house, and now the mansion is where Li Shizhi recuperates.

News about Li Shizhi's serious illness came out one after another.

Everyone said that he would not survive this winter, but now it is almost the New Year, and Li Shizhi is still alive and well.

"Father, why are you up?"

When Li Qian pushed open the door of Li Shizhi's room again, he saw Li Shizhi, who had been bedridden for two months, standing in the room.

Apart from the pale face, he didn't look sick at all.

When Li Qian went out just now, Li Shizhi was still lying on the bed.

It was only after Luo Xing came over and said he would take care of Li Shizhi for a while that Li Qian left.

When Li Qian saw Luo Xing leave, he immediately returned to his room, only to see his father like this.

"Notify Sanlang, Silang, and Liulang, and ask Yuying, your sister, and brother-in-law to gather here."

Li Shizhong gave instructions to Li Qian with full energy.

"Father, are you...well?"

When Li Qian heard what Li Shizhi said, he was surprised and thought that Li Shizhi's illness had improved.

"Father has been pretending to be sick!"

Only then did Li Shizhi speak frankly.

"Father, why is this?"

Li Qian was shocked when he heard this.

"Qilang has led his troops into Yumen Pass and is preparing to purge the emperor's court. Our family must leave quickly... Qillang has not been ill..."

Li Shizhi told Li Qian the cause and effect of the matter.

His brother's sons all served as local officials, so he could not take care of them.

Moreover, after Li Xuan killed his cousin, the relationship between their lineage and other lineages became very strained, so Li Longji probably would not kill his nephew.

If his daughter didn't leave with him, she would have a hard time living.

"Ah! Father, you pretended so well, it was so painful to hide it from me!"

Li Qian didn't know whether to cry or laugh.

Unlike Li Shizhi, Li Qian could hardly contain his joy and delight when he heard that his brother was leading troops to purge the emperor's court.

With Qilang's ability, if he could conquer the Hexi and Longyou armies, he would most likely be able to reach Chang'an and seize power.

Their family will become richer!
If Qilang could go one step further, Li Qian couldn't even imagine it!
Li Qian has been feeling extremely aggrieved ever since Qilang was dismissed from his post as prime minister. He believes that Qilang is a natural genius that appears only once in a thousand years and he must achieve something.

Just to be the prime minister, he was trapped in a swan flying high. He had always felt bad for Qilang, but dared not mention it.

"I have no choice but to act like one. I have to pretend to be more like one so that Yang Guozhong and the eunuchs in the palace can let down their guard. You guys have lost weight recently. I have seen it. Qilang is kind and benevolent. As long as you don't do anything wrong, I will not treat you unfairly."

Li Shizhi was not as optimistic as Li Qian.

An Lushan reached Luoyang so quickly that it was very difficult for Qilang.

He was more aware of the world's reaction after Qilang took such a risk.

Will the border troops in Hedong, Shuofang, Jiannan and Lingnan obey Qilang?
Moreover, when troubled times come, the prefect can recruit local militia and increase his power greatly. What is their attitude? This is crucial!
Li Shizhi could only try his best to exert his influence.

"Da Lang, we will set out tonight. Luo Xing has prepared the carriage and horses. Call your family to the house as soon as possible."

Li Shizhi asked Li Qian to do it quickly, and reminded him: "Just say I am critically ill and ask them to come quickly. But don't tell anyone else."

"Yes, father, I will do it right away."

Li Qian bowed and left quickly.

While Li Qian was taking action, Luo Xing went to Chang'an to inform Pei Fan and Jiang Du.

The reason for choosing this time is also because of the Lantern Festival holiday.

Jiang Du and Pei Fan were extremely excited when they learned that Li Xuan was going to purge the emperor's side.

They are all vested interests. If Li Xuan can ascend to the throne, their daughters will be the empress and imperial concubine, and will be honored and favored.

Pei Fan, in particular, once imitated the "Yuchang Sword" and suggested to Li Xuan how to trap Crown Prince Li Heng, but was rejected by Li Xuan.

Now Pei Fan understood that his son-in-law was planning something bigger, so he was not afraid of Li Heng.

At Luo Xing's suggestion, Pei Fan and Jiang Du dismissed their slaves and took only their relatives and trusted servants to a mansion outside the city.

All silk and coins in the house should be abandoned, so as not to make the target too big and arouse suspicion.

Before the gates of Chang'an were closed, several families successfully left Chang'an City and reached the foot of Mount Li.

The night is cold and dreary.

Liao Zhengrong led three hundred cavalrymen to the house.

These 300 cavalrymen belong to the Guanzhong Changping New Army, and all of them are Liao Zhengrong's trusted confidants trained in recent years.

In addition, after crossing Xianyang Plain, there are still 500 cavalry.

Their war horses were secretly provided by the Hexi Changxing Transport Group led by Li Shu.

Li Shu was the son of Li Xiyan, deputy ambassador of the Changxing Transportation Department of Hexing, and a friend of Li Xuan's fourth brother Li Jiqing.

Li Xiyan had passed away, but Li Xuan valued Li Shu very much and appointed him as the judge to be in charge of the Hexi Changxing.

Plan carefully.

They also took advantage of the gap when the cavalry from Fufeng and other counties were withdrawn.

As long as they leave, Chang'an will not be able to send cavalry to pursue them immediately.

Even if Li Longji sent out his Flying Dragon Guards, they might not be able to defeat Liao Zhengrong's elite cavalry, which was mainly composed of rangers and was strictly trained.

"Ah Lang, please get in the car. We need to travel overnight and leave as soon as possible."

Li Shizhi looked at the happy faces of his children and was filled with melancholy.

It was only after Luo Xing's reminder that he got into his carriage.

The servants of the Duke of Song's mansion also boarded the carriages and followed. Dozens of carriages, under the cover of three hundred cavalrymen, left Chang'an in the cold night.

In order to maintain the speed of the carriage, no unnecessary items, not even gold and jade, were carried.

They drove along the wide official road leading to Sanqin in the cold night.

One night, they crossed the Xianyang Plain and joined up with another 500 cavalrymen.

Here, change horses and continue west.

Li Xuan had already sent his confidant to inform Gao Kai, the commander of the Momen Army, that he would temporarily take Li Shizhi, Li Yi and others to the Momen Army.

Three days before Li Shizhi and others left Chang'an, Li Xuan gave an order to open the road to the Hexi Corridor.

Ninety thousand cavalrymen poured into Jinchang County one after another.

The 20,000 light cavalry, led by Ma Lin, Lai Chen and Hun Yu, crossed Jiuquan County and Zhangye County and arrived at the border of Wuwei County.

The Doulu Army, Moli Army and Jiankang Army in its territory were commanded by Liu Zhiru, An Yuanzhen and Zhang Renxian respectively.

These were Li Xuan's old subordinates, and they surrendered more decisively than Li Feishouyu.

Li Xuan also sent Che Shensai to recruit the Ningkou troops in the two branches of the Juyan River.

The current commander of the Ningkou Army is Zhang Shouyu, the younger brother of the famous general Zhang Shougui and also a subordinate of Li Xuan.

The Ningkou Army had 8,000 soldiers and was responsible for defending against the Uighurs, which was of vital importance.

After being recruited by Li Xuan, Zhang Shouyu came to pay a visit with his deputy general.

At this point, the only troops left in Hexi were the Dadou Army and the Chishui Army in Wuwei County. The other small armies, guard posts, and forts were not a concern.

However, Li Shizhi, Li Yu and the hostage Li Yi "disappeared" in Chang'an, which shocked Li Longji in Huaqing Palace...

When Li Xuan arrived in Wuwei, Wu Huaiyuan, the governor of Hexi, received an urgent secret order from the court, which was 800 miles away...

(End of this chapter)