Chapter 472: Face and Back
Hanoi was one of the largest counties in the country and belonged to the Sili. In the 10th year of Tiansheng in the previous dynasty, when it was at its peak, there were 240,000 households, 1,067,000 people, and 18 counties under its jurisdiction.

Now, after years of war, and with the past few years being the main battlefield between the Han and Tang dynasties, there are less than 100,000 households.

This time, Li Yuanhui moved 10,000 households to supplement the population in the surrounding areas of Luoyang. This migration of population was undoubtedly plundering war resources and potential.

This is a long time.

It can be predicted that the Tang army may use its naval advantage to continue plundering along the Yellow River.

After Liu Xuanji arrived in Huai County, he divided Henei County into Huaizhou, appointed Su Dingbian as the governor of Huaizhou, and ordered him to relocate a large number of households along the Yellow River to the north, and at the same time set up fortresses and beacons along the river.

In this conflict in the autumn and winter of the sixth year of Wude, although it seemed that Liu Xuanji had forced the Tang army to retreat across the board as soon as he sent out his troops, the Han army praised him, saying, "Your Majesty's prestige spread far and wide, and the southern barbarians fled before your troops arrived."

However, the Wen County government treasury and all the households were moved away by the Tang army, and many camps were burned down.

The Tang army lost only a few hundred soldiers in this battle, but beheaded more than a thousand people. In addition, they also seized more than 100,000 dan of grain and more than 10,000 households in Wen County.

One side wins in face, the other side wins in substance.

It can be said that everyone gets what they want.

As for why he did not fight a fierce battle with Liu Xuanji in Hanoi, Li Yuanhui had naturally considered it.

Although generals including Chang Yanheng, Zhang Jian, Pei Xingyan, and Xue Wanche all volunteered to fight, military morale and food supply were not a problem.

But engaging in a large-scale battle with the Han army in Hanoi was not part of his plan.

Because even if you win one or two battles, it will not have an impact on the overall situation. Before the war, it has been decided that it is a tactical harassment and probing, and to consume and plunder the opponent's war potential, so don't casually expand the scale of the war to a strategic level war.

What's more, Liu Xuanji personally led the elite Han army, so it was wishful thinking to expect a quick victory. The number of troops that the two sides could mobilize was actually not much different. Once a strategic stalemate was formed in Hanoi, it would not be easy to extricate themselves.

There are too many variables.

I'm afraid the other side would be very happy to confront the Tang army in Hanoi, and even escalate the situation.

Fighting on the battlefield between the two camps was what Liu Xuanji was best at.

Liu Xuanji stayed in Hanoi until snow fell and the river began to freeze before he led his troops back north. Even so, he still left behind more than 10,000 elite Northern Palace Army soldiers and ordered the Northern Palace Army's Left Lieutenant General Lu Shuang and Right Lieutenant General Chen Liyong to be under the command of Su Dingbian, the General of the Southern Expedition and the Governor of Huaizhou.

"You can decide all matters here by yourself." After leaving these words, the Han Emperor Liu Xuanji set out on the journey back to Yecheng.

It also snowed in Luoyang, a hundred miles away, on the same day.

Amid heavy snow, Li Yuanhui, the King of Qi of the Tang Dynasty, led his troops back to the city.

As soon as he arrived at the palace gate, he was greeted with not-so-good news. Madam Duan was about to give birth. Although she was full-term, it was her first time giving birth, so the situation was not optimistic. The princess sent someone to ask the army if it was impossible to save the adult or the child.

Li Yuanhui was just about to explain things to the generals and let them go, but this piece of news suddenly made him lose interest.

This kind of thing is actually not a problem for Li Yuanhui at all. One is a stranger he has never met, and the other is his confidante who has been with him for many years. And as a person who has received modern education, Bao Dai is the only choice no matter what.

Before he could speak, Duan Wuda, one of the generals behind him, almost fell off his horse in panic, "Your Majesty."

Duan Wuxuan's eyes turned red, but he shouted in a trembling voice: "Achimo, what are you doing? This is your highness's family affair."

Duan Wuda didn't care and knocked his head heavily on the ground and said, "Please, my king, save my sister's life."

"What a noise." Li Yuanhui was about to speak, but was interrupted and was very unhappy. However, this sentence made the Duan brothers feel disappointed, but the following words made them feel upset again. "Vajra, go tell the princess that she can make her own decisions in the palace, but when it comes to the life and death of the mother and son, the palace will prioritize saving the mother in the future. This is a rule. Go and tell her quickly."

Murong Kexie behind him was stunned when he heard the words, then he immediately rode into the palace and rushed to Changchun Hall to report the news.

Duan Wuxuan was relieved, but he immediately dismounted and knelt with his brother Duan Wuda, saying, "We brothers thank the king, but Wuda interfered in the king's family affairs, please punish him."

Li Yuanhui said, "Isn't it natural for brothers and sisters to protect each other? What's wrong with that? Go home and take care of the old lady. Don't act like a girl anymore."

As those in a higher position, most of them value offspring more. However, as the women in the Prince of Qi's Palace, their life and death in such matters are completely dependent on the Prince of Qi.

As a subject, if he asked to protect his own sister under such circumstances, it would undoubtedly mean giving up the King of Qi's offspring.

If you are serious, you can charge him with "murdering the royal heir". And this is a matter of the royal palace, how can you, an outsider, get involved?
But Li Yuanhui's words were beyond everyone's expectations. This meant that at least when all the female members of the Prince of Qi's Mansion gave birth, the eldest daughter would be given priority.

Emperor Xuan of Wei actually established a similar system, but it failed to be widely implemented. However, Li Yuanhui's words still make many people feel particularly heartwarming today.

Because many ministers, sisters and relatives were present in the palace.

Among them are Zheng Shandao, Zhang Jian, Zhang Zhen'e, the Duan brothers, and even Zhu Deyu and Guo Fenghe, all of whom are relatives.

Putting ourselves in other people's shoes, if Li Yuanhui dealt with Duan Wuda for this reason, people would think he was cold and heartless. Although this is in line with the normal moral level of a superior, if we have a choice, everyone would choose a leader who likes to sympathize with his subordinates, right?
After sending everyone away, they walked all the way to the palace where Madam Duan of Changchun Hall lived. All the women in the courtyard were there.

Princess Murong Jiayin stood in the center, with her eyes closed, silently reciting Buddhist scriptures, and the Buddhist beads in her hand kept turning.

Li Yuanhui stepped forward and stood beside her, waving his hand to signal everyone not to greet him. He looked grimly at the basins of blood being carried out from the delivery room, and could still hear Duan Jin's voice.

Finally, accompanied by the cry of a baby, and the scream of Duan Jin who was unable to hear her scream, the midwife came out and announced the good news: "Congratulations, my king, both mother and child are safe."

This is Li Yuanhui's sixth son. Maybe because he has so many children, he really doesn't feel particularly happy.

On the contrary, he was more concerned about Duan Jin's situation at this time. Mother and child were safe, so everything should be fine.

There are lives being born in Luoyang and deaths being suffered in Jiangdong.

After the Battle of Liyang, General Miao Xianyun fell ill upon returning.

King Cao Cheng of Chu was also depressed because of this. He no longer had the face to compete with the new emperor for power, and repeatedly submitted petitions to punish them, but the new emperor Cao Yan rejected all of them, and even issued an edict to comfort the two and reward them generously.

And Miao Xianyun did not even survive the winter of the sixth year of Wude in the Tang calendar.

Before his death, Emperor Cao Yan, as his son-in-law, personally came to his father-in-law's bedside and bid him farewell.

He was posthumously awarded the titles of Grand Tutor, General of the Cavalry, and Duke of Wu.

The new emperor, Cao Yan, finally regained most of the power after his father-in-law died of illness and his uncle lost power.

After Cao Yan regained power, he also wanted to clean up the army. He planned to streamline the army first, remove the old and weak soldiers and cultivate the land, and then recruit strong soldiers to build a new army.

At the same time, Cao Yan recruited many talents from humble backgrounds and planned to rectify the administration of officials.

And everything he did was actually for two words.

Northern Expedition.

(End of this chapter)