Chapter Fifty Helpless

  Thanks for abccd5432's reward, dropped to 12th place on the new book list, one more drop and it won't be able to get on the homepage anymore.

  Such a request from Yang Guozhong might sound excessive to others, but Li Longji and Yang Yuhuan didn't think it was unusual at all, because Yang Guozhong had been doing this for years, and Li Longji also gave him such trust.

  Yang Guozhong's words were understood by Li Longji as a kind of consideration and care for him.

  "Hmm, Guo Zhong, then I'll have to trouble you with this. The Tongguan affair, please take care of it for me. I really need a good sleep!" Li Longji said, stifling a yawn, and asked Yang Guozhong: "Guo Zhong, you also need to be careful to rest. I know that you haven't returned to your mansion for many days, day and night handling affairs in the palace, it's hard work! By the way, does your wife know about Si Lang leading the army to rescue Tongguan?"

  "Your Majesty, I am not tired. Now that the country is in trouble, as a minister entrusted with important tasks by Your Majesty, I should be diligent in government affairs and dare not slack off!" Yang Guozhong said loudly, then whispered to Li Longji behind him: "Your Majesty, I didn't dare tell the Empress about the Fourth Prince leading troops to rescue Tongguan. If she finds out, who knows, she might run into the palace and cry and make a scene..."

  Yang Guozhong's face was awkward, he was the most aware of his wife's doting on this young son. He had also strictly ordered the servants in the mansion not to tell his wife Pei Rou about Yang Hui leading troops to reinforce Tongguan, otherwise if Pei Rou found out, who knows what she would do, crying and wailing to heaven and earth, maybe even using a knife to threaten him, demanding that he summon their son back; or perhaps running into the palace to appeal to the Emperor to recall Yang Hui.

  He told Pei Rou that Yang Hui had gone to a villa outside the city to rest for a few days and recover from her illness, as it was too hot in the city. However, Pei Rou still had doubts about this, because Yang Hui hadn't come to tell her before she left, which was unusual. But since Pei Rou's body was still weak and she didn't have the energy to investigate further. Yang Guozhong could only say that Yang Hui had been ordered by the Emperor to go and rest, and there wasn't time for her to bid farewell, as she was sleeping at the time and he couldn't bear to wake her up.

  But Yang Guozhong also knew that this matter would eventually be known to Pei Rou, and it was just a matter of time before she found out. As long as Yang Hui returned safely in the end, everything else didn't matter.

  "It's better not to let her know, then!" Li Longji said with a faint smile at the corner of his mouth. He slowly closed his eyes and waved his hand at Yang Guozhong: "Guozhong, you go take care of your business. If there's anything that can be handled by you, just handle it yourself. If it's something difficult to deal with, come into the palace and tell me about it later! And if there's any major news from Tongguan, also come in and let me know! I'm really worried about the situation at the front lines, the military strength at Tongguan is too weak now!"

  "Yes, Your Majesty, there is news from Tongguan. I will report to you immediately! Don't worry, Your Majesty, nothing will happen at Tongguan! Please take a good rest, I will take care of the court affairs for you. Just rest well for a few days and recover your spirits first!" Yang Guozhong said, glancing again at the alluring figure of Yang Yuhuan beside Emperor Li Longji, before retreating from the imperial bedchamber.

  He immediately wrote a letter and had it sent to Yang Hui in Tongguan by express post, instructing him on some matters that required attention.

  Yang Guozhong had already seen the letter sent by Yang Jie after he killed Bian Zhongcheng. He had no resentment towards Yang Jie for killing Bian Zhongcheng, and instead praised Yang Jie's move as a beautiful one, gaining the support of his subordinates. In the letter, he also comforted Yang Jie, telling him to take bold action, do everything possible to seize military power, and if there was anything difficult to resolve, write to him immediately, and he would plead on his behalf before the Emperor!

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  Yang Hui, who had been watching the battle from the top of Tongguan City, did not know that the situation in Chang'an was so complicated. He also didn't know that his "treacherous minister" father had already obtained for him the position of "Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Cavalry", a title that sounded very sacred and respectful. Nor did he know that Chen Xuanli had come with the intention of reaping benefits without doing any work, as all his attention was focused on the fierce battle being fought in front of Hantongguan City.

  The eighth desperate attack of the rebels was repelled again, but the next attack began to organize immediately, and at this time, the defenders on the city wall had already consumed a lot of energy, many soldiers couldn't even pull open their bows, let alone fully draw them. The rebel's attacking speed and scale were significantly larger than last time, he knew that the situation was becoming more difficult and the battle would be even more brutal!

  It was getting dark soon, the sun had lost its radiance and was about to set behind the mountains. He hoped that Li Fude and Pang Zhong could hold on until nightfall.

  Gao Shi, who had been watching from the city wall, couldn't help but run to Yang Hui's front again and plead his own thoughts: "Yang Junma Shi, Li Jiangjun and Pang Jiangjun fought too well in Hantongguan City, the rebels have no advantage, I think that if we divide another force to go there, we can definitely hold on to Hantongguan City and not let the rebels occupy it! I am willing to lead two thousand cavalry to respond, please Yang Junma Shi grant permission!"

  Gao Shi said this with passion and fervor, the intense battle in front of Tongguan Pass had ignited all his masculinity. Not just him, other soldiers, including those who had experienced the defeat at Lingbao, were also stirred up again, clenching their fists and eager to try. Gao Shi was the most passionate, he ran to Yang Jie's side once more to ask for orders.

  "General Gao, I still cannot agree to your request!" Yang Hui refused General Gao's plea. "If we had another 10,000 troops, I would not hesitate to order you to lead the army to reinforce the city of Hantonguan, and do everything possible to defend it against the rebel forces! But now our military strength is too weak, and defending the city of Tongguan where we are currently stationed is already a strain on our resources. If we were to divide our troops again, the defense of Tongguan would be even weaker! You see that General Gesu not only withdrew the garrison from Hantonguan, but also pulled back the troops from the 12 connected cities, precisely because he was worried that the military strength on the city walls was too weak to withstand the rebels' large-scale siege. I will not agree to anyone leading a relief force to Hantonguan, and instead, we should withdraw the several thousand troops stationed there and have them join forces with us here to defend the city of Tongguan!"

  Yang Kai's words were firm, but also helpless. The troops in his hands were too few. He was afraid that if he sent more troops to Hantonguan City, they would not be able to withdraw and would be heavily defeated or annihilated by the rebel army. In that case, there would be no strength to defend the current Suiguan City.

  Tongguan Pass is the last pass to defend Chang'an, once lost, the rebels can rush straight to Chang'an, and there are no more passes to guard between Tongguan and Chang'an.

  If he had enough troops at his disposal, he would not have hesitated to send more troops to defend Hantong Pass, even if it meant total annihilation, as long as he could hold the pass. But now it's impossible, he has made up his mind to concentrate all his forces on defending Suizong Pass, taking advantage of its more treacherous terrain to keep the rebels at bay.

  Yang Kai wished that the reinforcements could arrive immediately, before the city of Hantanguan was abandoned, so he would not order the more than 2,000 troops in Hantanguan to retreat, but instead send troops to support.

  What can I do?

  Yang Qi was very angry about the slow movement of the subsequent troops.

  But he also knew that it was likely that before nightfall the next day, subsequent relief troops would be unable to arrive, and only rescue troops of a few thousand people like him could arrive, which could not fundamentally solve the problem.

  Yang Ke certainly had other thoughts in her mind but didn't tell Gao Shi about them!