Chapter 43: First Opportunity
Zhang Xuanning stood high up in the forest.
Surrounding them were relatively reliable guards led by Zhang Yi. In the past six months, there were only three of them. All of them had no family background and were loyal to the people. Therefore, even though they saw Zhang Xuanning personally take off his mask, revealing a young man's face, and wash his face, they were only a commotion and did not question it.
Looking down from a high place, the mountains and fields were dark in the drizzle, without any unusual signs. A small camp could be seen.
Zhang Xuanning asked: "How?"
Zhang Yi replied, "They are nearby. We are surrounded. I can feel them."
Zhang Xuanning nodded and said with a sigh: "I knew something was wrong when I received the patrol mission. Sure enough, after I traveled a hundred miles and left the military camp, it was almost the same!"
When Zhang Xuanning received the order to go out and investigate the retreat of the Turks, he knew that his death was imminent, so he led his 100 cavalrymen to fight, estimated the distance and the possible attack distance, and sent people to ensure safety in advance. After setting up camp today, he came out quietly.
He is the highest-ranking general here, so of course he can go out at will.
Sure enough, everything was as expected.
At the moment he added: "I have ordered the camp to be on alert. No matter who the attackers are, they cannot attack without warning. We must fight hard. They have the advantage in strength, so they will definitely fight."
"Bang, bang!" As soon as the words fell, several fireworks were seen exploding in the sky around the camp, turning into hundreds of points of light, instantly illuminating the surroundings.
Zhang Xuanning and Zhang Yi were both masters. Looking down, they saw densely packed people jumping up at the same time. Almost at the same time, hundreds of torches started burning. These were special torches that could burn in the drizzle. With these torches, they could clearly feel the occupation of various key points and commanding heights near the camp, forming an encirclement.
Zhang Xuanning took a deep breath and said, "There are at least 500 people here, many of whom are good at martial arts. The Li family really thinks highly of me, sending so many people to deal with us at once - he has already dispatched the Li family's good fighters nearby, right?"
He paused, his eyes flashing, and after watching for a while, he said, "From the looks of it, the formation is in line with the military strategy, and not a single flaw is revealed. There must be a talented general in charge, or maybe Li Shimin himself is in charge. If I were in there, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to escape."
Zhang Yi responded: "Yes!"
But admiration for Zhang Xuanning emerged in my heart.
Walking out may seem simple, but it is actually a great wisdom. First of all, you must understand that you are already in a deadly situation before you can plan to escape. This has eliminated 90% of people. Secondly, you must be decisive in killing without any hesitation or reluctance. Some smart people, even including some great wise men in history, have seen the result, but they just have illusions, either they imagine that their master still has feelings for them, or they imagine that things will not be so bad, or they are reluctant to give up the fame and status they have already obtained, so they delay the opportunity to escape, and end up dying and their clans are destroyed. This is common.
Having these two points means one has the qualities of a hero. Whether or not one can succeed, and how much one can accomplish, is determined and influenced by various other factors.
The two Xiaoqiang would never have such wisdom, and even if they were discovered by chance, they would never abandon their subordinates. Even if they were outside, they would go back to fight the powerful enemy together. Therefore, it is truly a miracle in the world that they are not dead!
Just as I was thinking this, I saw hundreds of enemies rushing towards the military camp.
Zhang Xuan concentrated his power and could see that the attackers were all wearing light armor of the same standard, but their weapons were different, ranging from knives and swords to heavy spears, guns, axes, etc. Their body movements were also different. They should be the special forces of the Li family, an organization of martial arts experts.
However, the elite troops of the Sui army were no pushovers. Drums roared in the military camp, and hundreds of Sui soldiers occupied key positions. When they saw someone rushing up, they heard a command from inside. They knew it was Tao Ji. The strong bows in the army did not aim at random, but carried out intensive covering strikes on one place.
The few good fighters who rushed forward suddenly turned into hedgehogs and fell to the ground with a bang.
Even a master would not dare to confront the dense covering fire head-on.
But the others also reacted quickly, rolling and jumping, approaching the military camp. Seeing that they might have casualties, they still rushed in with most of the people and approached the military camp. For a while, there were flashes of swords and sabers, and the bloody battle began.
Zhang Xuanning stopped watching and sneered, "It will probably take at least half an hour to take over this camp. Let's go. When they find out I'm not inside, they will search nearby. We have half an hour to escape danger and get to a safe area. We might as well not look at this place."
After saying that, he turned around and left.
Zhang Yi followed silently, but he knew in his heart that this person could seize the opportunity to fight and could make a decision of life and death.
The three bodyguards also followed, and they never looked back at the Sui camp where the fierce fighting was still going on.
When they reached the foot of the opposite mountain, the five men mounted their horses and galloped away in the night. After a while, the drizzle stopped and the moon came out. It was September and autumn had just begun. Under the moonlight, flowers could be seen in the wild and large forests of different kinds of trees covering the hillside. While riding their horses, one could even hear the awakened birds and animals.
After running for half an hour at full speed, they covered fifty miles in a short time . They arrived near a river. The five men dismounted from their horses, cut the horse ropes with knives, set the five horses free, and then slapped them hard.
The horses were frightened and continued to move forward. The five people looked and watched them disappear. After walking for a while, they found a boat at a quiet turning.
The boat was not big, but it had a sail. The two men had been waiting there for a long time. When they saw them get on the boat, they immediately pulled up the sail . In the autumn wind, the speed of the boat continued to increase.
Zhang Xuanning's face had not seen the sun for many days, so it was a little pale. Under the moonlight, it was even more like a jade crown. He stood on the deck and smiled faintly: "We are not completely safe yet. With the strength of the Li family, we must get out of this river tonight and pass through the river mouth. There are three exits in the river, divided into three directions. In this way, no matter how powerful the Li family is, they will not be able to catch up. I will win this game."
Just as the words fell, a pillar of fire appeared dozens of miles away. Everyone knew that this was the final move of the Sui camp to destroy itself and destroy itself together. It meant that the war was over and the pursuers would search the surroundings.
It was at this time that Li Shimin, who was in the camp, turned pale. After all, he was young at that time and did not have the self-control to hide his emotions as he would in the future.
But as he watched the fire in the camp and saw corpses everywhere, he suddenly burst into laughter.
He then looked at the hundreds of Li Clan soldiers around him, as well as several generals who were waiting for his orders with bated breath, and then he said, "Shi Wuji is indeed a talented general. Just by looking at his escape trick, we can tell that he is a man of great determination. He can give up his position in the court and his followers. He also cost me forty good men, but I don't think he can escape."
After saying that, he looked at someone and asked, "Can you catch up?"
"Sir, it's night now and the eagle vision cannot monitor us, but I brought a hunting dog. It's slower, but it can still catch up." The man thought for a moment and replied.
"Well, gather and guard all the dead in the battle one by one. I will not treat unfairly those who died for my Li family. The search team will first search for clues nearby, and the others will take a short rest. Once found, follow me to pursue." Li Shimin issued the order calmly.
The people around him responded immediately. The young master's confidence and composure really made them full of fighting spirit.
Seeing his men busy around the still burning camp, some mounting their horses, some checking the vicinity, or collecting corpses, they were busy and orderly, and were not at all moved by the loss of forty men. He knew that these were indeed Li's elite troops.
However, no matter how elite the soldiers were, attacking a well-set up and guarded military camp at night was a taboo. If it were a normal field battle, perhaps only ten casualties would be enough to destroy this team of Sui soldiers.
Of course, this is not the point. The point is Shi Wuji. Back then in Anchuan County, he destroyed a certain link in the Li family's plan. After all, the family is deeply rooted and does not care about this loss. Just because of this, he might even be valued by the family and bribed. However, this person actually killed Li Judao brazenly, which not only angered the relevant family members, but also clearly showed that he did not care at all and did not care about the Li family's attitude.
Such an attitude without any respect is difficult to win over. After all, when commanding subordinates, respect is the first thing.
Afterwards, this person wrote a letter directly, saying that the Li family was plotting a rebellion, which did affect the plan to some extent, but the overall situation had been decided after all. Unfortunately, this person performed extremely well in the Battle of Yanmen, and his strategy and decision-making were extraordinary. Considering that this person was already a second-rate master, if it was delayed any further, he might grow into a big trouble, so he made up his mind to kill this person. Therefore, through influence, he let this person be ordered to travel in order to attack.
He used all his strength to fight like an eagle against a rabbit. He was well versed in the art of war and knew that the battle would be to the death and no leeway would be given. Knowing that the enemy had only a hundred people in the army, he still brought 500 good fighters he mobilized, which accounted for almost one-sixth of the Li family's secret forces. No matter how strong the enemy was, he could not escape.
However, he didn't expect that this person left early, causing his full-strength attack to be in vain.
I still don’t know if it was a coincidence. If it was a coincidence, it would be fine. But if it could be predicted, this person’s keen vision, his tolerant character, and his ruthless determination would make me shudder.
Regardless of whether it is true or not, as long as there is a possibility, it must be nipped in the bud, and this time it must not be let go.
Thinking of this, someone nearby came forward and whispered, "Sir, we have found traces of five riders."
Li Shimin came to his senses and sneered, "Chase him, don't let him get away."
After saying this, he was the first to mount his horse, and rushed out at the forefront. Behind him, except for dozens of people who stayed behind, the other four hundred people shouted and followed.
Suddenly the sound of horse hooves could be heard in the sky. At this point, there was no need to cover it up anymore.
Zhang Xuanning poured out the wine, raised the cup towards the moonlight, drank slowly, and said a little sadly: "It's a pity for Tao Ji. Maybe before he died, he didn't know who attacked him. Maybe he was still thinking about me. It's even a good thing that I went out and escaped this disaster!"
No one else had the right to speak, and Zhang Yi also remained silent.
Zhang Xuanning smiled bitterly and said, "I know all this, otherwise I wouldn't have made such a decision. The moment we offended the Li family, our fate was sealed. We can escape, but it's impossible to save the lives of the entire team. But the problem is, even though I know this, I still feel sad when I see that my brothers and I can't be saved!"
At this time, Zhang Yi said seriously: "Sir, this situation is the best it can be. Even if you stay in the camp, you will only die. It doesn't matter at all. As long as you remember them and avenge them in the future, I believe they can smile in their graves."
Zhang Xuanning nodded and showed a hint of appreciation for him. He really knew how to cooperate!
He said, "That's all I can think of. Come, I'll toast to you."
After saying that, he picked up the wine glass, faced the moonlight, and prayed silently for a moment, while the others hurriedly followed suit. After the silent prayer, he poured three cups of wine on the bow, then stood up and said, "The following is the last hurdle. I think no matter how powerful Li Shimin is, he can't catch up with me. This is not a matter of strategy and strength, but a matter of initiative. However, we can't be careless. Everyone, get ready, get ready to get out of the river mouth!"
What you just did may seem a little fake, but those who think it is fake are those who are ignorant of the world. Don’t they know that whether there is a set of traps or not, and whether there is a step or not are actually two different things?
No matter how fake it is, you must act sincerely. This is politics and the way the world is.
Almost at the same time, Li Shimin felt depressed for the second time today because he had discovered the empty horse. As soon as he thought about it, he knew that the river was the way to go.
Li Shimin waited for a moment, and someone reported solemnly: "We have found traces of the boat by the river, and the scent has disappeared."
Li Shimin said sternly: "Do you know how this ship came here?"
This is the key. If he saw it at the last minute, maybe Shi Wuji was lucky. If he was already prepared, then Shi Wuji was far-sighted and had a keen insight. Having such a powerful enemy is indeed a serious concern.
The investigator replied, "I have already woken up the farmers around here. I know it is a passenger ship that approached a day ago. There are two people on board. It is not a local fishing boat. It is said that there are sails on the boat."
Li Shimin's face suddenly turned pale, and everything turned into the worst situation.
If it was a fishing boat, even if it was moving in the river, it would not be fast and could be caught up. But if it was a special speedboat, I was afraid it would be difficult to catch up. So I asked, "Where does this river lead to?"
"This is a branch of Luohe River. The main trunk of Luohe River is ten miles ahead."
"Is there an exit?"
"Three, sir, what should we do? Should we notify all places to blockade? If we sprint, we still have a chance to catch up. After all, the river is not fast, the wind is not strong, and the boat speed is not high."
Li Shimin was silent for a while, then sighed: "Forget it, Shi Wuji won this time, let's meet again in the future!"
At this time, the Li family had not started a rebellion after all, and many things were difficult to do openly, so the mobilized forces were also limited. In addition, Shi Wuji himself was only a second-rate master. In this situation where he had lost the initiative, interception was useless.
The people nearby were stunned, but still said, "Yes!"
Li Shimin stared at the moon, his eyes flashing with cold light, and said: "This man is truly a great general and a hero. If there is a chance next time, I really must not let him go."
After a pause, he gave another order: "Supervise the court. If he comes back, report to me immediately. Also, investigate his background and find out who his family is. If you find out, immediately control his family and use them as a threat."
"Yes!" The subordinates responded immediately. Blackmailing family members might seem unjust in the eyes of some moralists, but in fact, it is the first and most commonly used method in politics throughout history.
Even in the modern world where Zhang Xuanning lives, if a crime is committed, the first thing to do is to control the person's family.
Therefore, the way of the ancient and modern times, when starting a rebellion, the first thing to do is to not spare your family, or you can move away in advance.
Of course, when facing a rebellious uprising, few people in the authorities would really pin their hopes on the threat of their relatives. Let alone Liu Bang, who was definitely the kind of person who would eat his own father's flesh. Over thousands of years of history, who would really consider their relatives in a strategic context unless it was absolutely necessary?
Blackmailing relatives is useless for the powerful. Well, it is a little useful, just like you do the first day of the month and I do the fifteenth day.
When the rebellion broke out, the imperial court killed all the members of his family. After the rebellion, the relevant officials and the royal family compensated him with several times or even dozens of times the number of heads. This was also a matter of course.
After the fall of the Ming Dynasty, millions of members of the royal Zhu family were killed. This was a natural political retaliation, and it was a political rule that no one could change.
Even some political struggles and subsequent settlements, why are they so cruel? It’s nothing more than you doing the first day and I doing the fifteenth.
This can explain countless historical events.
Although they lost the initiative and the game, the strength of the Li family is at its peak, which is not something that a villain like Shi Wuji can compare to. No matter how talented one is, if he lacks strength, he can only be a grandson or an ant.
Therefore, Li Shimin was not worried at all at this time. He thought quietly, but a little appreciation arose in his heart: "This man must be killed, but if he is willing to surrender to me, I can have more wings. I must also place people in my father and brother's place. When the rebellion starts in the future, it will be difficult to place people in the place where the emperor and ministers have their own systems."
At the age of only seventeen, he already has foresight, has grown his wings, and even has the heart to monitor his father and brother. This is the true face of an emperor who will be remembered for generations!
This is also the true character of a hero in the world!
