Jiangling, capital of Liang State.

King Xiao Xian of Liang was chatting with the envoy of Zhao Ouyang Xun while drinking tea.

Xiao Xian was born as a descendant of the Liang Kingdom. He was born with the demeanor of an imperial family and had a very generous conversation. The Xiao family of Liang Kingdom admired Buddhism. When Emperor Wu of Liang even reigned, he became a monk many times.

Xiao Xian and Ouyang Xun chatted, from Buddhist scriptures to metaphysics.

Ouyang Xun couldn't help but say in surprise: "I didn't expect that Your Majesty is not only so profound in Buddhist principles, but also so proficient in metaphysics."

Xiao Xian smiled and said, "Ancestors once said that they had studied Zhou Kong when they were young, and read Taoist books again in the middle of the year. The volume of the scriptures was released in his later years, just like the moon reflected all the stars. It was said that in the future, it was just a confirmation between the three schools of Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism."

Ouyang Xun nodded. As a person who has been operating metaphysics for many years, Xiao Xian's words really impressed him.

"Okay, I won't talk about the gossip," Xiao Xian said, "Talk about our military affairs. My aunt was the queen and the Xiao family was appointed as an official. If it weren't for this, I could not be the magistrate of Luo County. I would use this as a basis. With today's Liang State, I would have to repay this kindness. What's more, Li Tang wanted to sweep the world, but he regarded himself as Liang and Zheng, such a bandit, would destroy him in the future. I must not send troops to fight Li Tang without reason."

When Ouyang Xun heard Xiao Xian talk about his kindness first, he couldn't help but secretly say that it was not good. Generally, this must pave the way for rejection.

But Xiao Xian smiled and said unexpectedly: "I just want to know that King Zhao has proclaimed himself emperor and made the emperor's daughter of the previous dynasty the queen. If he defeated him, would he have to dominate the world like Li Tang?"

Xiao Xian's question made Ouyang Xun difficult to answer for a moment. After Zhao defeated Li Tang, it was inevitable to sweep across the four directions. Why should Xiao Xian help a future enemy in this way? But if it doesn't, it seems too fake.

Ouyang Xun originally wanted to say that if Zhao defeated Li Tang, and the two families of Liang were divided into rivers and ruled each other, one in the south and one in the north. But looking at Xiao Xian's expression, you know that this would definitely not deceive him.

Ouyang Xun thought about it and said, "When Emperor Yang was defeated in Jiangdu, I don't know how many people in the world proclaimed emperors and how many people proclaimed kings. The Sui Dynasty lost his deer, and the world chased him, but there was only one deer. Your Majesty, aren't you also determined to Zhuolu?"

Xiao Xian nodded: "This is a good thing. Can you also think from your words that Lord Zhao really has the will to unify the world?"

Ouyang Xun simply accused him of the situation and asked back: "Your Majesty might as well think about it. Compared with the fate of Dou Jiande and Li Mi, which country is Li Tang and our Great Zhao, which country is more beneficial to Liang?"

Xiao Xian was silent for a while, Ouyang Xun's heart was filled with anger. I wonder if his words had offended Xiao Xian.

"Well said," Xiao Xian's expression calmed down, and his mood was still calm, "Come on!"

The eunuch in the hall hurried forward and said, "Your Majesty."

"King Song, has Mr. Cen arrived?"

"Awaiting outside the hall for His Majesty's summons!"

"Let them come in."

Soon, two ministers from Liang State, one literary and one military, came to Xiao Xian. Xiao Xian pointed at the two and said to Ouyang Xun: "This Minister Cen, whose grandfather served as an official in Liang State, served as the Minister of Personnel. Now his grandson has also served as the Minister of the Xiao family, and is currently the Minister of the Secretariat. All my edicts have been issued by him. This is the King of Song. At the beginning of the rebellion, if he had not come to surrender, how could I have today?"

Ouyang Xun immediately said: "I have long admired Daming!"

Ouyang Xun is not humble, this Minister Cen is Cen Wenben, with a talent. He had heard of his reputation when he was in Jiangdu. Now Yan Ran is the first civil servant in Liang State. The King of Song was named Yang Daosheng. When Xiao Xian raised an army, the other party captured Nanjun and led his army to join him.

Since Dong Jingzhen and Zhang Xiu were killed by Xiao Xian one after another, this person has been a very trusted general under Xiao Xian.

Cen Wenben smiled and said, "The tongue is like an arrow, the pen is like a knife. It would be fine if I heard that Brother Ouyang's calligraphy was unparalleled in the world. I didn't expect that his words were so great. I could be a lobbyist for King Zhao to be appointed as a lobbyist for Liang State!"

Ouyang Xun knew that Cen Wenben mocked him for lobbying Liang State, but he said angrily: "How can a slight, thin word move the heart of King Liang? Your Majesty has already made a good decision in his heart."

Xiao Xian said: "Li Yuan instigated my general Zhou Faming to seize the land of our four states. He also used Li Xiaogong, Li Jing and Xu Shao as generals to build warships along the river. He had long been determined to attack our Liang Kingdom. Now Li Tang is besieging Luoyang again. Although I have no friendship with Wang Shichong, I know the truth that my lips are dead and my teeth are cold."

Ouyang Xun immediately showed joy.

Yang Daosheng said: "Okay, we have been angry with Li Tang for a long time. It's great to be able to breathe this bird."

Xiao Xian said: "King of Song, I will ask you to attack Xiangyang with 10,000 troops and open the passage south of Luoyang."

Sending troops to Xiangyang, Ouyang Xun thought to himself that this was not the right one.

Cen Wenben said: "Your Majesty, Li Tang Li Xiaogong, Li Jing's army is stationed in the upper reaches of the river. If the Song King goes north and the Tang army goes straight down the river, what should we do?"

Xiao Xian said: "It's okay, just let General Wen lead his army to Qingjiangkou and guard the important roads upstream."

Cen Wenben is waiting for further advice. At this time, a civil servant outside the hall came in and said to Xiao Xian: "Your Majesty, the military situation in Luoyang is urgent!"

Xiao Xian and Cen Wenben stopped talking. Ouyang Xun thought that Xiao Xian's dispatch of troops was originally ambiguous. If the military situation was not good at this time, wouldn't it affect Xiao Xian's determination to send troops?

Xiao Xian said immediately: "Think!"

"Three days ago, Li Shimin burned Hulao Pass and retreated to Luoyang. Now the 100,000 troops of Zhao State have led their troops to Luoyang."

OK, Ouyang Xun was excited for a moment and almost shouted out.

Cen Wenben said in a daze: "Li Tang doesn't even want Hulao Pass. Could it be that he really let Zhao army go straight to Luoyang City to meet Wang Shichong?"

Xiao Xian stood up and said happily: "This is really done well."

Speaking of this, Xiao Xian looked at Yang Daoxian and said, "King Song, Li Tang is in a dilemma. Do you understand if you must conquer Xiangyang anyway?"

"Yes, Xiangyang."

After hearing Xiao Xian's words, Ouyang Xun thought to himself that Xiao Xian asked Yang Daosheng to attack Xiangyang before, which might have been just a restraint, but after hearing that the Zhao army captured Hulao Pass, he ordered that Xiangyang must be captured. These are two completely different attitudes.

With the status of the nine counties in Jingzhou during the Three Kingdoms, if we want to go down from Jingzhou to Jiangyang, it is important to Jiangxia; if we want to stabilize Jingzhou, it is important to Jiangling, and if we want to advance the world, it is important to Xiangyang. This is why, during the Eastern Jin and Southern Dynasties, the powerful vassal and juquan were repeatedly changed in the Southern Dynasties, and from Longzhong to attack the Central Plains from Jingchuan, Xiangyang was the key.

With Jingzhou's geographical location, Xiangyang, Jiangling and Jiangxia are all important places. Now Xiao Xian is in Long and looks at Shu. Xiao Xian heard that Li Tang's war in Luoyang took a sharp turn and really wanted to take Xiangyang. It seems that the other party is not a person who is just a little sane, but is truly ambitious.
Chapter completed!