The film and television world begins with the battle for the throne in Kowloon

Chapter 858 A Test of Danger and Opportunity (Part )

During these three days, Li Yan appeared to be motionless, but in fact he was secretly observing his men.

Gu Rentu was simple-minded and straightforward. He was determined to follow Li Yan and had no scruples. These few days were just like usual. He ate when he was supposed to, slept when he was supposed to, and put life and death aside. He was very calm.

Hermu was influenced by himself and pretended to remain calm even when faced with a huge crisis.

In fact, he was worried about the situation all the time. Although he pretended to be calm, his heart was already burning with anxiety. It had only been three days, but he looked haggard and his eyes were red. It was obvious that he had not slept at all in the past few days and had been working hard every day.

"Your Majesty, there are more than 200,000 soldiers outside the city who have surrounded us and set up multiple defense lines."

Heermu hesitated for a moment, unsure of Li Yan's thoughts, so he said tentatively: "Our horses have lost their combat effectiveness. Only the 800 guards led by Gu Rentu are not affected because they eat separately from the horses of the army."

"Under such circumstances, if we try to break through, I'm afraid it will be very dangerous."

"Your Majesty is originally a Han Chinese from the Central Plains. If you have no irreconcilable hatred with the Tang Dynasty, it would be a good idea to take this opportunity to reconcile with the Tang Dynasty."

Li Yan nodded. Hermu was a Kutshan. Compared with the grassland, the prosperity of the Central Plains was more in line with his aspirations. If it were not for his life-saving grace and the benefit of being reused, he might have left the grassland long ago.

They had no concept of country, so surrender was not an obstacle for them, especially to the Tang Dynasty, which was simply abandoning darkness and joining the light.

Li Yan smiled bitterly in his heart. This test seemed to have no meaning to these two people?
After thinking for a while, Li Yanga asked, "Heermu, do you know why Jie Li wants to use the Tang Dynasty to get rid of us?"

"Of course, they are afraid of the king's influence in the Khanate."

After confirming that Jie Li had taken action, Hermu thought things through clearly: "Although Shiluodie conquered the three kingdoms in Liaodong, nearly half of the 80,000 troops of Zuoxian King's headquarters were killed, while my Youxian King's headquarters remained unscathed."

"As the situation became more serious, Jie Li was worried that the king's return to the grassland would threaten the succession of the crown prince Shiluo Die to the Khanate, so he decided to kill him."

"If we use the Khan's tent and the troops of Zuo Xian Wang to get rid of the king, they may not be able to defeat us based on their fighting power, and it is unknown who will win or lose in the end. Even if they can win, I am afraid both sides will suffer losses. This is why Jie Li is using a knife to kill someone!"

"Well, you're talking about one aspect."

Li Yan nodded silently. Hermu was considered to have some intelligence in the Turkic Khanate, and it was very good that he could see these things.

"There is another reason you don't know, which is that I once told Jie Li that my real identity is the eldest son of Li Jiancheng, the former crown prince of the Tang Dynasty."

As soon as Li Yan finished speaking, Helmu was stunned for a moment.

As a civil official in charge of the Right Wise King's Ministry, he naturally knew about the shocking event that took place in Chang'an ten years ago. He also understood what being the eldest son of Li Jiancheng meant. This was a different world from the Tang Emperor Li Shimin himself!
Helmu smiled bitterly and understood why Li Yan, who seemed to be full of wealth and nobility, would leave the prosperous Central Plains and run to the Turkic people who ate raw meat and drank blood.

He only thought that Li Yan had enemies in the Central Plains, but he didn't expect that Li Yan's enemy was so powerful that it was Li Shimin himself.

Now many things that Hermu did not understand before were clear to him. No wonder Li Yan wanted to help Jie Li, and Jie Li did not doubt such a Central Plains person; no wonder Li Yan did not care about the position of Khan on the grassland at all.

Li Jiancheng's eldest son was to take over the entire Tang Dynasty.

Helmu didn't know that the eldest son Li Yan mentioned was just a bastard's son, but he knew that the eldest son of any family was of great importance. After Li Jiancheng's family was killed, the eldest son shouldered a huge mission.

Li Yan, an ambitious and talented man who left his hometown and worked in the desert to become the Right Wise King, undoubtedly wanted to conquer the world.

Li Yan had become the mortal enemy of both the Tang Dynasty and the Turks. No wonder the two families joined forces to plot against him. The Tang Dynasty had mobilized more than 200,000 troops to deal with only 20,000 Turkic troops. They were determined to win and take the life of the Right Wise King.

Seeing Gu Rentu and Heermu looking shocked, Li Yan said dejectedly: "Now you know that Li Shimin and I are irreconcilable. What the Tang Dynasty really wants is my life. You are implicated by me."

"My life has come to an end, but you still have a chance to survive."

"In a few days, when the city falls, I will commit suicide. You can surrender to the Tang Dynasty in exchange for a chance to live."

Before Heermu could speak, Gu Rentu stood up angrily and said, "My king, I don't care who you are. From the day you saved me, my life has been yours. We still have 20,000 troops and 800 cavalry. We may be able to fight our way out."

"If there is really only one way to die, then Gu Rentu will die before you and will never surrender."

Seeing Gu Rentu's heroic spirit, Heermu was silent for a while, then stood up. Although he did not say anything heroic, he said with a firm look in his eyes: "Your Majesty, you saved my life. If it weren't for you, Heermu's body would have been gone long ago."

"Since the king has made the decision, Heermu will return his life to the king. On the road to the underworld, the two of us will still protect the king."

After saying this, both of them looked at Li Yan with determination.

"Hahaha"

"The heavens finally did not let me, Li Yan, down. Although Jie Li and Shi Luo Die betrayed me, I still have two good brothers who are loyal to me."

Li Yan laughed out loud, feeling particularly happy. He stood up and walked down, holding the two men's arms: "Gurentu, Heermu, from today on, you are not only my subordinates, but also my brothers. From now on, we will share life and death, happiness and misfortune together."

Li Yan felt very relieved. No matter what, these two men that he had trained personally did not let him down.

Seeing that Li Yan took it so seriously, Gu Rentu also grinned, and Hermu also laughed happily, as if he had let go of his gains and losses. For a moment, the three of them, holding each other's arms and looking at each other, no longer cared about the 200,000 enemy troops outside, and life and death seemed to have become dispensable matters.

Many years later, Gurentu and Helmu, who had held great power but died of old age, were extremely grateful that the decisions they made when facing life and death on such a desperate night not only earned them a thousandfold return, but also made their families glorious for hundreds of years.

An hour later, still in this hall, in addition to Li Yan and the other two, there were more than twenty generals standing in the hall.

This time, there were 20,000 people surrounded in the Right Wise King's army, each led by 20 thousand captains.

Li Yan ordered Gu Rentu to call twenty centurions to the main hall. It was obvious that there was going to be a big move, and everyone stood there quietly without saying a word.

Li Yan stood at the head of the group and said with dignity: "Generals, everyone knows the current situation. Jie Li has betrayed us. More than 200,000 Tang troops have surrounded Liaodong City. We have no way out."

"I have decided to leave the city tomorrow and fight the Tang army to the death. I will never surrender."

"Twenty thousand versus two hundred thousand. I have no confidence that I can break out of the encirclement. I am ready to die on the battlefield."

"You are all soldiers who have followed me for many years. Although I promoted you, you have fought for me for many years, risking your lives. You have repaid what you owe me."

Li Yan said this and looked at Helmu.

Hermu waved his hand, and twenty-one soldiers walked out from the back of the hall, each holding a tray in his hand.

On each tray were placed big yellow gold ingots, one stacked on top of the other, filling the entire tray.

It was quite heavy, and even the burly soldiers had difficulty carrying it.

These people walked up to a centurion each and stood still, and even one was placed in front of Gu Rentu.

The gold ingots were placed right under everyone's eyes. Under the candlelight above their heads, they shone with a golden glow, making people's eyes shine. Many people secretly swallowed their saliva, revealing greedy looks.

"At this critical moment of life and death, this king will not force you."

Li Yan said in a loud voice with a stern face: "Each of you has three hundred taels of gold in front of you. This is the last friendship of this king."

"We are master and servant, let's part ways in peace."

"Tomorrow's battle will be a life-and-death struggle. Those who are willing to follow me and fight to the death can stay. If you are not willing, I will not blame you. Take the gold and leave. After the battle, surrender to the Tang Dynasty and perhaps you can save your life."

One is to follow the Right Wise King out of the city to fight and survive from the stranglehold of an army of 200,000; the other is to take the gold, hide in the city, wait for the victory of the Tang army, and then be incorporated into the city with a new leader, and continue to lead the troops.

The emergence of this situation is both reasonable and unexpected.

The twenty centurions looked at each other, and began to discuss and express their opinions.

Li Yan did not stop them, but his eyes were slightly blurred, waiting for everyone's choice.

The arguments gradually became louder, with everyone talking at once. Some wanted to fight alongside Li Yan, some saw the power of the Tang army and wanted to preserve their useful bodies, and some were very hesitant and confused, not knowing whether to believe in the Right Wise King whom they had always believed in, or to abandon their position and join another wise leader.

At this moment, Gu Rentu seemed unable to bear it anymore.

With a look of rage on his face, he swung his big hand like a palm-leaf fan and knocked the tray in the hands of the soldier in front of him to the ground.

"crash"

Suddenly, gold ingots as big as fists rolled onto the clear stone floor and scattered like rabbits, making a loud noise of metal colliding with each other.

The sudden sound interrupted everyone's quarrel.

"Humph"

"The king has shown me great kindness, and I, Gu Rentu, will follow him till death."

Gu Rentu clenched his right fist and waved it like a demon god, snorting coldly: "All of you were promoted from the bottom by the king. At that time, you had nothing but your lives. The king did not despise your humble origins and made use of you."

"Not only have you been made generals, but you have also been allocated pastures so that your tribe can survive and grow. All the glory and wealth come from the king."

"But now that the king is in trouble, you are thinking of retreating? Are you still human?"

At the end, Gu Rentu's eyes widened and he roared angrily: "You are not men at all. You are not worthy of being my brothers, let alone the king's subordinates. You are going to beg the enemy for your lives with gold?"

"I, Gu Rentu, am the king's man in life and his ghost in death. Whether alive or dead, I will guard the king."

(End of this chapter)