Love Affairs in Chang'an - Chapter 386

Chapter 386 Octagonal Lightning (1)

The Gaochang Kingdom is located in the Turpan Basin in the later generations. It is located in the south of the Tianshan Mountains and is close to the transportation hub of the Western Regions. It is dry and sandy all year round, and it is incomparably hot in summer. Also because the basin is surrounded by mountains, the Tang people used to call it “Flame Mountain”.

Originally, such a place with a harsh climate should be extremely desolate, because it was located in the Silk Road, where there were many merchant trips, thus generating extremely rich commercial profits, and at the same time making it a must-have place for Western Regions warriors!

At this time, it was a hot summer day, and the army of the Great Tang was in an extremely miserable state.

The main tent of the Tang army camp was like a steamer, but all the generals below Commander-in-Chief Qin Shubao were fully clothed, and everyone was sweating profusely.

“Marshal, why don’t we take advantage of this opportunity to move our troops into the city to avoid the summer?” Qi Bi He Li said, “Since the Anxi Protectorate has been built, it is reasonable for the army to enter the city. How can the marshal enter the city alone?”

“Yes, Marshal. General Qibi He Li’s words are reasonable.” The other generals echoed.

Qin Shubao waved his hand and the generals stopped. “How can I not know the suffering of the soldiers in the hot summer?” He said. But at this time, King Qu Wentai of Gaochang died not long ago during the mourning period, and the people were panicking after the war. If we rush into the city, we will disturb the people and violate morality. If our army is to enter this place alone, the morale of the army must be stable, and the morale of the people must not be lost. The western expedition, siege pull village for the lower, over the heart convinced the crowd for the upper. Otherwise, what can we accomplish with just ten thousand soldiers and horses? Since Qu Zhicheng has already led the country to surrender, he should not doubt that he is a citizen of the Great Tang Empire. Also hope that the soldiers to the overall situation, patience for a few days. When the heat is over, let the people of Gaochang know the sincerity and kindness of our army. ”

“Since the Marshal has given the order, we have nothing else to say.” Qi Bi clasped his fists and said, “However, General Mo still has one thing to say. General Mo agrees that the commander-in-chief should station his troops outside the city to show his sincerity and kindness. However, the commander-in-chief has only led 500 troops into the city to take charge of the Governor-General’s Mansion. General Mo thinks that it is absolutely not feasible!”

Qin Shubao’s dragon-eyed phoenix eyes shone slightly as he stroked his beard and said, “Why?”

“Marshal, please listen to General Mo.” Qu Zhisheng had already led the country to surrender, but Gao Changguo had always been a puppet state under the control of the Western Turks. Earlier, the old king, Qu Wentai, had also sent an envoy to the Tang Dynasty to submit to me, but not long after, he rebelled against the whole country. What could he do? Because the distance water was not close to the fire, the strong dragon did not suppress the earth snake. The land of the Western Regions was originally under the control of the Western Turks. The Khanate of the Western Turks had Tutun (Turkic official name) in Gaochang all year round, one to supervise the actions of the king, the other to collect and exterminate the tax wealth. Gao Chang was a typical country of puppets. In recent years, coupled with Tibet’s stubbornness, the iron hooves of the plateau stepped onto the ground of the Western Regions and joined forces with the Western Turks to resist the Tang Dynasty. Under the combined pressure of these three forces, the king of Gaochang could not protect himself. In the Battle of Puchang Sea, the Tibetan and Gaochang Alliance Army suffered a huge defeat. The Tibetan forces temporarily withdrew from the Western Region, but the Western Turks were unharmed. At this moment, Gao Chang surrendered to the threat of the Great Tang army, but this did not mean that he had escaped the control of the Western Turks!

“Are you saying that Qu Zhisheng invited me into the city to take charge of the Anxi Protectorate? Could it be a conspiracy? Are they trying to murder me?” Qin Shubao said casually.

“Commander-in-chief, you must be careful!” After Gao Chang surrendered, the marshal did not send a single soldier or horse into the city for the sake of not disturbing the people. We know almost nothing about what happened in the city. At the end of the day, we can say that a few months is enough time for the Western Turks to react against our troops. If this is a conspiracy, the consequences will be unimaginable!

“Qibi He Li, you are thoughtful and meticulous. That’s good. But you only know one thing, not the other.” Qin Shubao smiled and said, “In recent years, there has been internal chaos in the Western Turkic Empire. It has been divided into the north and south courtyards, and the enmity between the two courtyards is as deep as the sea. It has been years since they attacked and killed each other.” Nanting Shaboruo Khan of the Western Turkic kingdom has repeatedly sent envoys to pay tribute to and be friendly to me. Qiuci, are good, and at the end, breathing fire, yanqi, stone, history, He Guo, Mu Guo, Kang Guo and so on are subject to its season. Norland is the only one who refuses to submit to me and has a grudge against me. This Marshal has received the credentials of Nanting Shabo Luo Yehu Khan, and he is willing to restrain the Norland troops for our auxiliary wings. Although his words could not be fully believed, it was true that the two tribunals of the Western Turks were at odds with each other. In other words, in the current Gao Chang region, we, the Tang Dynasty, the Norland and the South Court, are competing. No one should act recklessly, otherwise, there is a possibility of being defeated by the other two forces. Moreover, now that the Lanzhou military forces have been out of the two checkpoints, Xue Wanche personally led the army stationed in Pu Changhai and I echoed from afar, our army has the backup will have the confidence, why are you afraid of his north and south court? This Marshal reckons that Qu Zhicheng only formally invited this Marshal into the city to take charge of the Governor’s Mansion after he learned that Xue Wanche’s army had left the Second Pass in the west. Even if there was a Western Turkic Tutun in the city, he probably wouldn’t dare to act recklessly. Otherwise, even if my son tramples Gao Chang into powder, the hundred thousand troops of Lanzhou will be more than enough! ”

“Marshal, you must not let down your guard!” Qibi He Li hurriedly said, “Although the Northern and Southern Tribunals of the Western Turks have attacked and killed each other for many years, they have always treated the Great Tang as a common enemy!” Moreover, Gao Changguo is precisely the sphere of influence of Norland. Even if Nantian is sincere in its friendship with our Great Tang, it is still far from being close to fire. It was said to be restraint, but when it came to fighting, they could sit on the mountains and watch the tigers fight, and reap the benefits of fishing! The marshal’s heart was like a sea, and he didn’t know how crafty he was. The general was naturally a Hu, but he also had to say something bad about the Hu-he could not use Han Confucianism’s kindness and sincerity to measure the Hu’s thoughts and tolerance! Even though Nanting is friendly with me, as long as we lose power, he will instantly turn against us and take advantage of the situation to rob us! Moreover, Gao Chang was not under Nanting’s rule, and Nanting Khan sent a letter of acknowledgement as if he had accepted a cheap relative. At that time, if our Great Tang grows stronger in the Western Regions, he will be able to receive protection. On the other hand, he was a hundred miles away, so he could easily deduce that he was beyond his reach. Moreover, the two northern and southern tribunals of the Western Turkic Empire are originally powerful, and the southern court is simply irresistible. That is why they have shown their goodwill to our Great Tang Empire, asking for protection and rescue from afar. “At this moment, we can only be cautious. We cannot overestimate or trust Nanting.”

“That makes sense.” Qin Shubao nodded his head in agreement. “Qi Bi He Li, you were originally a Hu Chieftain who lived outside the fortress for a long time, so you know very well the subtleties here, far better than I do. But why did our army change battles for a thousand miles? Have you forgotten?”

Qi Bi He Li was stunned for a moment, then nodded his head and said, “How dare you forget me? Conquering Gao Changwei and the Western Regions is precisely the purpose of our trip.”

“That’s it.” Qin Shubao smiled and said with ease, “Your Majesty, give me the Anxi Protectorate. Tell me to set up the Xiting Continent and the Dadu Protectorate here. From then on, I will begin to manage and repair the Western Regions.” Now that Gao Chang had made up his mind that Qu Zhicheng had accepted the title of Guan Jue from the Great Tang and had personally completed the construction of the Great Governor’s Mansion, could this Marshal find any reason not to take office? Actually, there’s no need for you to say anything. I also know that the two courts of the Western Turkic Empire are staring at us with their eyes wide open. Everything we do is under their surveillance. The more I shrunk my head and tail, the more timid I became when I saw the enemy in the dark. “Now, even if I know that Gaochang City is a conspiracy trap, I have to step into it with my head held high!”

“Marshal, don’t be impulsive!” The generals were anxious and exclaimed.

Qin Shubao raised his head and waved his hand, “I have already made up my mind! There is no need to remonstrate!”

The general was anxious and didn’t dare to say anything else, so he could only complain in a sullen voice.

“Rengui.” Qin Shubao suddenly called out.

“The end will be here.” Xue Rengui, who had been standing quietly by the side, cupped his fists and promised.

“This marshal will only bring Yuwen Hongtai and the 500 Instrument Soldiers into the city. The troops outside the city will be handed over to you to command. General He Li and the others will be assigned to assist you.” After saying that, Qin Shubao picked up the seal on the table and said, “Take it!”

Xue Rengui’s thick eyebrows darkened as he stared at Qin Shubao and cupped his fists.

“You dare to disobey the military order?” Qin Shubao was furious!

“Admiral, please listen to me!” Xue Rengui bowed on one knee and said in a deep voice.

“Speak.”

“Please, Marshal, withdraw!” Xue Rengui paused word by word, as if a rock had shattered the heavens!

Sure enough, the entire hall was in an uproar.

Qin Shubao looked at Xue Rengui with rapt attention for a long time before he said, “Rengui, I know that you have always been a brave schemer, but what you said just now was actually beyond my expectations. Tell me, why did you suggest that I withdraw my troops?”

“At the end of the day, I thought it would be a good idea for our army to take retreat as an advance.” Xue Rengui said, “Gao Chang has been set but is in national funeral, the Great Tang to benevolent filial piety governance, not into the city garrison, one of the reasons for withdrawing troops;” Secondly, our army alone into the army is extremely tired, grain transfer is very difficult and lack of water hot, soldiers homesickness is unspeakable; Thirdly, although our army had long since put life and death aside, it had placed a tremendous burden on Lanzhou. Commander-in-Chief, although Lanzhou was ruled by a hundred thousand troops, the enemy was surrounded by a thousand miles of battlefront, but in fact, the number of troops in danger was small. The new territory of Major Marshal, Lanzhou, was full of cripples waiting to be rejuvenated, so it was not easy to manage the people, so how could he have the strength to prepare for the construction of the Anxi Governor-General’s Mansion? At this moment, the hardest part is not the commander, not our soldiers, but the soldiers and civilians of Major Marshal and Lanzhou. If Major Marshal came to help Gao Chang, it would cost Lanzhou military forces countless money, wasting people and money, at that time Lanzhou internal emptiness to the enemy can take advantage of the opportunity, if there are unimaginable consequences; If Major Marshal did not come to help Gao Chang, Yu Gong, disobey the imperial edict and the imperial court’s decree, Major Marshal’s sin could not be shirked, and if it was selfish, how could Major Marshal leave the Marshal untouched? At this moment, Gao Chang was in a state of mourning, so it was appropriate for the marshal to withdraw his troops for this reason. He did not lose his national prestige and could show his gratitude. Our army or back in Pu Changhai and Xue Wanche troops, or east into the two pass and Major Marshal meet again Xu Tuliang, is a long-term plan. Gao Chang, is like chicken ribs, tasteless food abandoned meat, it is better to decisively retreat. When I retreat, regardless of whether it is the Western Turkic Northern and Southern Tribunals or Tibet, as long as they dare to plot against Gao Chang, they will take the initiative to cause trouble and declare war on me. At that time, Gao Chang’s army and people will have to look to the Great Tang, and our military division will become famous. “At this moment, the commander must not be impulsive. He should focus on the long-term overall situation!”

Xue Rengui’s words fell into silence.

Thinking of retreating, Xue Rengui was not the only one, even Qin Shubao had wanted to temporarily abandon Gao Chang’s “chicken ribs”. However, Xue Rengui was the only one who dared to speak out.

For a long time …

Qin Shubao raised his eyebrows, stroked his beard, and said in a long voice, “Master, you have done something. You are not allowed to change my order. Xue Rengui, I order you to take over the military seal! From now on, you will be in charge of the entire army and do my duty as marshal!”

Outside the tent, the gale roared, and the war drums were like thunder.