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Chapter 897 The ruler of the Khanate

Suzhou.

Suzhou is Jiuquan, one of the four counties in Hexi. It was renamed Suzhou when the county was withdrawn and changed to a county in the Sui Dynasty.

This is the western end of the Hexi Corridor, the big city behind Yumen Pass.

Li Xia didn't spend too much effort to regain this place back then, because the city defenses were in ruins and the population was withered. The Mongols never defended a city or a place very much, and the grandsons who were entrusted here only knew how to enjoy themselves.

But it is easy to recover, and when Kublai Khan draws his hand to attack again, how to defend is the difficult problem.

Li Xia didn't have the money, food and population to run the place yet, so at that time, he only arranged 1000 people from Ma Geling to garrison at Yumen Pass, and [-] troops in Suzhou.

This is due to logistical considerations, because the city of Suzhou is larger, there are more fields, and the pressure on supplies is less.And once the smoke rises, troops can be sent to support Yumen Pass at any time.

These 3000 people are standing troops, and in late April, soldiers and horses continued to come from the east. They were drawn from Ganzhou, Yongchang, Liangzhou, Lanzhou, and even Longxi.

As a result, the entire Hexi and Longxi were empty of internal forces, and heavy troops were gathered in Suzhou and Yumenguan.

It is said that there are heavy troops, but in fact there are only a few thousand people.

April 25.

With a puff of dust and smoke rising from the east, another group of people arrived.

"Hexi Army Commander Lu Xiaoyou was ordered to reinforce."

"Let the soldiers and horses go to camp and settle down, and follow me to get familiar with the city defense."

Song He is now in charge of Suzhou city defense.

Since Li Xia regained Guanzhong, there was no need to guard the Shu Road, and he, a general from the Qingfu Army and Horse Army, was transferred more and more to the border.

This is actually a manifestation of trust.For example, although Song He is not the closest to Li Xia in the Qingfu system, he is now the vice capital.

It is equivalent to Zhang Jue's official position during World War I in Diaoyu City, and he is only 26 years old.

This time Li Zengbo attacked Xingqing Mansion and reused Yang Ben.

Song He actually wanted to go, but Li Zengbo said, "You are more careful and calm than Yang Ben. Only by guarding the west gate can the king's master attack the city with all his strength. Then you will be credited with a great achievement."

He was coaxed like this. On the one hand, he didn't dare to slack off, and on the other hand, he also felt that guarding Suzhou was a bit lonely.

It didn't take long before he was not lonely at all. First, intelligence from the Military Intelligence Department came one after another. Brother Ali and Hedan arrived in the Western Regions one after another. around.

Up to now, the garrisons of various states and counties have been transferred to support, and Song He is very busy.

The sense of tension that the war is about to start is also getting stronger.

The problem is that Song He knows that the troops are not enough, so he is actually quite disturbed.

Lu Xiaoyou also saw the problem, and said in a low voice: "The Mongolian army likes to use mediation schemes. We have deployed troops from various states and counties in this way. If the Mongolian army detours, Hexi and Longxi will fall. It is better to shrink the defense line and concentrate troops."

"I know." Song He grabbed Lu Xiaoyou's shoulders, avoided the soldiers nearby, and said in a low voice, "But the strategy was not arranged by me."

"Who else is it? Hexi and Longxi are really going to merge together?"

In the whole of Hexi, apart from Li Zengbo and Yang Ben who were attacking Xingqing Mansion, Song He and Lu Xiaoyou were the two with the highest military power, so Lu Xiaoyou really didn't know who else it could be.

Song He was about to answer, when he suddenly saw dust and smoke billowing in the distance, and a small army of soldiers rushed quickly.

Lu Xiaoyou hurried to the city wall, already holding a watch tube in his hand.

There were more than a thousand galloping horses, but not many riders, about three to four horses per person.

"Come? The king is really here?"

"The Mongolian army really wants to attack Hexi?"

The two generals on the top of the city looked at each other, and they were not surprised but happy, and their eyes were full of enthusiasm.

Although not long ago, they were still worried that the Mongolian army would invade and their own troops were insufficient, and they were worried about the Mongolian army's conspiracy.

But King Qin has arrived in person, and at this moment they only feel that it's time for the big man to make a contribution.

However, when they were ready to receive the letter to open the city gate, they saw the cavalry team of hundreds of people rushing westward without stopping...

At the same time, some knights drove their horses to the city.

"Call... The King of Qin has an order to order the Suzhou guard to always pay attention to the beacon fire in the west and be ready to support Yumen Pass at any time."

"The last general takes orders!"

"Let's say something to General Song and General Lu...the soldiers behind him dare to fight at any time, and they are ready to fight at any time. This is his confidence to deter the tribes of the Western Regions."

"..."

Following these words, Song He and Lu Xiaoyou looked up to the west again, only to see that the billowing dust and smoke was getting farther and farther away.

~~
Li Xia almost missed meeting Aluhu.

Because Aluhu's reply obviously didn't consider how far Chang'an was, and only said that if Li Xia had sincerity, he would go to Yangguan to meet the alliance before the 28th.

Hurrying all the way, finally arrived at Yumen Pass on the night of the 26th.

He didn't have time to talk with the guard Ma Ge for too long, but he just encouraged him a little and rewarded Ma Ge with some jewels.

When Ma Ge went down cheerfully, it was Lin Zi, the envoy of the Military Intelligence Department, who came to visit Li Xia.

"The king has really come."

"You have made a lot of contributions this time." Li Xia said: "First you found out that He Dan is not in Jiuyuan, and then you found out the information about the Western Regions."

"It's actually the same thing." Lin Zi smiled and said, "Hedan walked around from the desert to Bieshabali, and I sent someone from the Hexi Corridor to Bieshabali to follow him."

"It's not detailed in the letter, so tell me carefully."

"Your Majesty, everything that can be found is stated in the letter. Brother Ali Buge robbed the Ili River Valley, Hedan soldiers arrived in Bieshabali, and Aluhu replied. At present, only these news are accurate, and the details are still being investigated. "

Li Xia knocked on the armor and pondered for a while, but it was only at this time that he noticed Lin Zi's strangeness.

"Huh? Where's the hair?"

"Hey." Lin Zi smiled, took off his felt hat, and said nonchalantly, "There are many people who believe in monks here. I asked the spies to pretend to be monks. If someone talks to me about my body, hair, skin, and parents, I will give it to you first." They shave one."

Li Xia smiled and said, "When the world is unified, is there anything you want?"

"I want the king to tell my mother-in-law that I also want to marry another wife. In fact, I have an uncle who died in the war early and lost his incense..."

After this small interruption, Lin Zi patted his head again and became serious again.

Li Xia then asked, "Do you know why Aluhu agreed to form an alliance with me?"

This time, he thought that Brother Ali would reply first if he waited a little longer, but he didn't understand why it was Aluhu who proposed the alliance first.

This doubt has never been resolved.

"I don't know, it's too far away, and it's across the desert, so it's really hard to investigate." Lin Zi said: "Also, Aluhu used to belong to Brother Ali's family, and we have never placed spies in his sphere of influence. I don't understand."

Li Xia knew that this was not easy, so he understood quite well, and asked, "It's true that only 2000 people came?"

"This is certain." Lin Zidao: "The southwest of Yumenguan is all Gobi, and it is endless. If there is a large group of cavalry, he can see it from a distance. The riding skills on the top, can't be surrounded..."

After asking for a few more details, there is indeed no more information.

The next day Li Xia arranged to visit the horses again, and went to Yangguan to check the terrain in person, and confirmed that Aluhu had no army in ambush.

In this way, the agreed day of the alliance soon arrived...

~~
April 28, Yangguan.

This is the Yangguan of "persuading you to have a glass of wine, and leave Yangguan in the west without any old friends".

It used to be an important pass on the Silk Road, but it was gradually abandoned after the Tang Dynasty.

After leaving the ruins of Yangguan, we walked southwest for more than ten miles, and the sky was full of yellow sand all the way.

Finally, there is Mt. Dundun in front, and a beacon city wall known as the "eyes and ears of Yangguan" on the desert Gobi is still standing there, showing a sense of ruin.

Aluhu's troops were on the other side of the beacon wall.

Hu Legen led a man to drive forward and ran up to Mt. Dundun. Looking around, he saw tents set up on the oasis far away, and thousands of horses stayed there.

Soon, two Mongolian cavalrymen went up Mount Pier and exchanged a few words with Hulegen.

After that, a small group of cavalry came from the oasis, holding a flag symbolizing the Khan.

Hu Legen made people look at the opposite side, and he drove his horse back to Li Xia, and said: "Your Majesty, there are more than 20 people coming from the opposite side!"

Li Xia didn't show off, and didn't take big money. He brought 20 people on the opposite side, so he also ordered 20 people, and drove up to Dundun Mountain.

……

In front of the beacon wall, Li Xia got off his horse and stepped up to the thousand-year-old historic site.

He pressed his sword and looked westward, and saw that the twenty or so riders had just arrived nearby, the leader was wrapped in a black robe, he raised his hand to stop his subordinates, and he was walking towards this side alone, and he didn't Bring weapons.

The wind and sand were too strong, so Li Xia had to squint his eyes a little, and looked at the other party, gradually becoming a little confused.

He could tell that the other person's figure... looked like a woman.

And she is quite a mature woman.

Finally, when the other party came close and pulled off the sand-proof mask on her face, she turned out to be a Mongolian woman in her forties.

At first glance, this woman can't be said to be beautiful or not beautiful, only majestic.

Her demeanor and actions give people a sense of decisiveness, much more majestic than Zhao Yun and Jia Sidao.

In comparison, Zhao Yun and Jia Sidao looked like young girls in front of her.

She walked up to Li Xia slowly, without speaking.

Li Xia spoke first, and asked in Mongolian, "Aren't you Aluhu?"

"I'm not Aluhu." The woman in black said calmly, "But, I am the real ruler of the Chagatai Khanate..."

(End of this chapter)