A Good Landlord in the Tang Dynasty: Emperor Yuan Cong

Chapter 1135: The More You Think, the Angrier You Get

We crossed the Shiqi River and headed west through Huangcaobo, following the bones and feces of camels and horses, and crossed the desert and Xiaoqi, and finally saw a beautiful oasis.

Saw the quietly flowing Xilin River.

As soon as we walked out of the desert Gobi, we suddenly saw green everywhere: bright rivers, emerald pastures, and patches of poplar forests full of vitality, which made everyone cheer.

The Xilin River Basin in summer is the most beautiful season.
The blue sky, white clouds and green grass are like a hundred-mile art gallery.

Especially in the Nanshan area, the grass is lush, the forests are green and colorful.

The melted snow from the snow-capped peaks of Tianshan Mountain flows northward, converging into five tributaries to form a river nearly 300 miles long and 70 to 80 feet wide at its widest point.

The army seemed to have suddenly stepped from the desert into a picturesque wonderland.

Their arrival broke the tranquility here.

Soon someone came to greet them. It was Quechu, the leader of the Huluwu tribe who had fought in the front. Behind him followed some leaders of Turkic tribes.

"General Manager, these are the leaders of the Chumukun tribe in the Xilin River nomadic tribe,"

The Xilin River Basin is rich in water and grass. In summer, most herders move from the foot of the mountain to the summer pastures in the south mountain, where it is cooler and has more grass.

Quechu brought his men to Xilin first, which made the local herdsmen nervous. He took the initiative to visit each tribe one by one and find their leaders to explain his purpose.

Although the leaders of Chumukun and Xilin were surprised at the rapid changes outside, they had previously been summoned to Gongyue to pay a visit to the Tang general manager, and some people from various Xilin tribes had followed him. They knew some news, but they did not expect another change.

Some people can't wait to go to their Lu Chu,

"Dachuo, Quchuo of Huluwu said that this place will belong to them from now on. Should we move back to the north?"

Lu Chue looked at the expectant eyes of the leaders of the Xilin tribe and knew what answer they wanted to hear, but he could only say helplessly, "Indeed, the chief steward of the Heavenly Khan has made a decision to let us move back to our old place in the north, and this place will still be handed over to Huluwu.
We are in the Mukun tribe, and everyone must relocate immediately."

This news made the leaders of the various tribes in Xilin look gloomy. They had moved here from the north with great difficulty, and now no one was willing to move back.

It is so wonderful here, with abundant pasture and picturesque scenery. There is the Xilin River, the Huangcao Lake, and the southern foot of the Tianshan Mountains. There are also a variety of wild animals, such as wild boars, wild sheep, foxes, deer, etc. There are also many kinds of birds.
What a wonderful place, the four seasons are like a song.

How can anyone bear to leave?

"How can the people of Huluwu be so excessive? This is our pasture, our home, and we will not leave."

Lu Chue stood there and did not stop the leaders of the Xilin tribes from making increasingly loud noises. He was extremely dissatisfied with the whole journey.
Wu Huaiyu was riding on his horse, watching the small leaders of the Chumukun tribe getting very angry, while Luchuo was indifferent. Quchuo of the Huluwu tribe was also watching with cold eyes, and even his eyes were obviously provocative, which made those people even more excited.

"Lüchu, are your people so rude? The chief eunuch led the heavenly soldiers passing by, and you, Chumukun, didn't rush to welcome them and slaughter cattle and sheep to entertain them?"

Luchu glanced at Quechu. The two tribes had always had a bad relationship because of the dispute over this territory. Now Hu Luwu got the advantage but still acted like a good boy, which made him even more furious.

"General Manager, our Chumukun tribe has been here for a long time. No one wants to move north. We hope that you can show us mercy. If we can stay here, we will remember the kindness of the Khan and the General Manager. If there is any problem in the future, we will go through fire and water and never give up!"

Lu Chue was also anxious.

If you endure for a moment, you will get angrier. If you take a step back, you will suffer more.

Why should we give in to Hu Luwu?
And looking at the current situation of the Xilin tribe, it is estimated that other tribes have the same attitude. No one is willing to leave this fertile land. Compared with here, the north is too far behind.

Grassland is the root of a tribe. Without good grassland, it is difficult for the tribe to develop. Therefore, there are countless conflicts and wars on the grassland due to the competition for pasture.

This is the lifeblood.

If Lu Chue did nothing and simply handed over the territory to Hu Luwu's tribe, he would most likely lose his position as the Great Chue and might even be driven out of office.

No matter from which perspective, he has to fight for it again.

He came in front of Wu Huaiyu, knelt down in front of the horse, then pulled out a knife in public, cut his palm, and swore to Wu Huaiyu with his bleeding hand.

"Prime Minister Wu, what Huluwu can do for the Tang Dynasty, we Chumukun can do better. We will definitely be loyal to Tian Khan and the Tang Dynasty."

To show his sincerity, he cut his face again.

"To show our loyalty, we are willing to be the vanguard in this battle against Gaochang City. We will help the general to take down the five major cities of Gaochang. No matter how many of our soldiers are killed or wounded, we promise to take them down and not let any of the Khan's soldiers be injured."

As soon as these words came out,
Hu Luwu's Quechu couldn't stand it anymore. How can anyone show loyalty like you?
How can the fat meat that is in your mouth fly away? If you can't get this old place back, Quechu probably won't be able to be the big boss again after he returns. He will definitely be condemned by thousands of people and abandoned by his friends and relatives.

"Prime Minister Wu, I, Hu Luwu, am absolutely loyal to the Tang Dynasty, to the Heavenly Khan, and to the Grand Chancellor, and we have already proved it with our actions..."

The two big guys started arguing in front of Wu Huaiyu's horse.
Lu Chue cut his palms and face until blood flowed, and Que Chue did not give in either, and also drew his sword and cut until blood flowed.

The two are enemies.

In order to fight for this piece of land, neither side would give in.
The anger quickly rose,

"You dog slave, you're going too far!" Lu Chu roared, then pounced on him.

Quechu on the other side was younger, and he faced Luchu who was rushing towards him with disdain.

The two big guys actually started fighting in front of Wu Huaiyu's horse in front of countless people.

Some people wanted to step forward to persuade him.

Wu Huaiyu waved his hand,
Let them fight.

Wu Huaiyu didn't mind at all the conflicts and quarrels among the leaders of these big tribes. If they didn't have conflicts, Wu Huaiyu would find a way to create some.

If they all loved each other like a family, then the Tang Dynasty would have no place to stand in the Western Regions.

To be honest, if the Western Turks had not been in internal strife for years and the Southern and Northern Courts had not been in opposition, and the strongest Khan, Duolu, was from the Eastern Turks, the Tang Dynasty would not have had such a suitable opportunity to send troops.

Although Dulu was quite strong before,
But after he was captured alive by Wu Huaiyu, it was clear from the reactions of the various tribes that he was not really prestigious, it was all fake prestige, and few people in the Wu Dulu tribe really regarded him as one of their own.

"We are all old friends and acquaintances. It's okay to have a few quarrels. It's normal to throw a few punches when you are angry. Just let them quarrel. The anger will naturally subside. Let's talk about it after we calm down." Wu Huaiyu laughed.

As soon as these words came out,
Whether it was the new Beiting Khan Ashina Mishe, the young Khan Ashina Buzhen, or the other Chuo and Shijin, they no longer tried to persuade them.

Then a very strange scene appeared, on the beautiful Xilin River beach grass,
The two Chuoshes, Lüchuo of the Chumukun tribe and Huluwuquechuo of the Ten Arrows Tribe of the Western Turkic Khaganate, had a fierce fight, punching and kicking each other.
When they were young, they were both famous warriors in their respective tribes.

Although they are old now, the nomads are still in good physical condition. The fight was quite lively. Because the two had just cut their faces and hands with knives to swear, the fists and kicks made them covered in blood, and it looked very tragic.

Fortunately, in front of Wu Huaiyu,
The two men just fought with their fists and feet, and no one dared to draw their swords.

Soon the two of them were tired from fighting, and their physical strength was greatly consumed. The fist-to-flesh fight made them both gasp for air. Their fists had no strength left, and their movements became slow.
In the end, the two of them rolled together in each other's arms, covered in dust.

The dignity of these ten arrows also fell into the dust.

"alright,"

Wu Huaiyu jumped off his horse, grabbed one with each hand, and pulled the two exhausted men apart. The two men were in a miserable state, covered in mud, and their faces and hands were covered in blood.

"I think the two great men have calmed down. Pack up quickly. After we set up camp, we can sit down and have a good talk. We are all subjects of the Heavenly Khan and brothers of the same clan. If there is anything, just talk it out," Wu Huaiyu said hypocritically.

The two men had no choice but to stop. They had no choice but to stop as Wu Huaiyu would not let their men help. The two old men would be exhausted to death if they continued fighting like this.

The army camped on the banks of the Xilin River.

Although Lu Chue was beaten black and blue and was very angry, he did not dare to show his anger to Wu Huaiyu.

"Thank you, Wu Xiang,"

Lu Chue gritted his teeth and called the leaders of Chumu Kunxilin, "Go back to your tribes immediately, bring cattle and sheep to comfort the army."

Several leaders were still indignant. Their territory was about to be lost, and they were still being rewarded with cows and sheep?
"Dachu, this Prime Minister is too unfair." The son of a chief said dissatisfiedly.

Lu Chu glared at him and said, "Now is not the time to feel sorry for the cattle and sheep. I will compensate you later. Go quickly."

A group of people left reluctantly.

Wu Huaiyu saw all of this but ignored it. There was no shortage of food and fodder for this march. All the troops gathered together, bringing along cattle, sheep, and camels. There was no rush to march anyway, so they could just follow behind and graze the livestock as they marched, so that they could use them as rations at any time.

Besides, nomadic warriors would carry some dried milk and meat when they went out to fight, which could last for a long time.

But again, although we cannot be too harsh and oppressive towards these Western Regions Turkic tribes, we cannot be too polite either, otherwise they will not know what it means to be in awe of power and to cherish virtue.
The horses were untied to graze,
The banks of the Xilin River became lively.

As usual, Wu Huaiyu called together his ceremonial music and dance troupe and guards for a routine patrol of the camp. After half an hour of lively activity, they returned to their tents.

This ritualistic inspection of the military camp by the Prime Minister is constantly strengthening the impression of the inviolable majesty of the Tang Dynasty in the minds of the Turkic tribal warriors.

The purpose of ceremonial guards is to establish authority.

In the camp of Huluwu tribe, Quechu was treating his injuries. Although they had fought with fists and feet, his skin was torn and his face was swollen like a pig's head.
"Lu Chue is such a jerk. His old arms and legs are still quite strong. Hiss, be gentle."

A group of leaders of the Huluwu tribe gathered in the tent. They were waiting to take over the territory with their troops after defeating Gaochang.

They had even divided up their respective territories under Quechu's leadership after much arguing, and now things were about to change again, and everyone was getting anxious.

"That old fellow Luchu refuses to give up his territory,"

"Yeah, he even said something cruel about taking over the five big cities of Gaochang for Tian Khan. It seems this guy is determined to fight."

"Then what should we do? Wu Xiang has been silent just now, and I'm afraid this matter may turn around."

"Why don't we fight too and take the five cities of Gaochang for Prime Minister Wu?"

"Why don't we just destroy Gaochang Kingdom?"

A group of leaders were talking at once, no one was willing to give up the land that was about to be acquired. They had been on the wrong side before, and Yugushe had forced the land to be handed over to the Chumukun tribe. They were weak and had no other choice.

But now that I have the chance, I can’t miss it.

"It would be difficult for our Huluwu tribe to destroy Gaochang alone. We would suffer heavy casualties and that would be a loss."

"Is Qu Wentai really dead?"

"Yes, I heard that Gaochang Crown Prince Qu Zhisheng not only killed Tutun Ashinaju, but also slaughtered more than a thousand of his men, and then led his troops to attack Khan Futu City and wiped out all the troops left by Helu Yehu.

Why does it sound so shocking? Isn't it said that the Gaochang prince is a frivolous young man? How did he suddenly become so amazing? "

"Yes, if Qu Zhisheng is really that powerful, even if we can really destroy Gaochang Kingdom by ourselves, the casualties we suffer will definitely not be small."

Quechu felt pain all over his body, as if he was falling apart.

Listening to those words makes me even more annoyed.

Now the old fellow Luchuo from Chumukun has proposed to Wu Huaiyu the condition of destroying the five cities of Gaochang, and they, Hu Luwu, have to follow it even if they don't want to.

Judging from the intelligence we have received so far, although the old King of Gaochang is dead, this young prince seems to be even more ruthless. Their nomadic tribe is not good at attacking cities.

If they met a ruthless man like Qu Zhisheng who was able to defeat Ashina Ju in a short period of time and then seize Khan's Futu City, he estimated that if they really gave it a try, they could win, but this victory would come at a heavy price, with at least several thousand casualties.

Thousands of casualties were too much for Hu Luwu's tribe to bear.

Even if we get the old place back, I'm afraid it will be difficult to defend in the future.

dilemma.

It’s all that old bastard Luchu’s fault. He should have been beaten to death just now.

"No matter what, we finally have the chance to take back our old place, and we can't let it go no matter what. No matter what conditions Chumukun puts forward, we will follow them."

outside the camp,
A group of people came.
It was Shabolayahu Ashina Helu who came.

Also traveling with them was Zhenzhu Yehu Ashina Jiebi and his entourage.

Helu came from a long distance and was exhausted. As soon as he entered the camp, he went straight to Wu Huaiyu's tent. This Yu Gushe's confidant, Shabolayahu who was in charge of the eastern part of Beiting, had a pale and ugly face at this time.

There was still anxiety in his eyes.

As soon as he entered the big tent, he bowed to Wu Huaiyu.

"Please ask the Prime Minister to send troops to suppress the rebellion in Gaochang!"

Helu never expected that when he came to pay homage to the Prime Minister Wu of the Tang Dynasty, his home would be robbed. Not only did Ashina Ju fail to take Gaochang City as a gift to him as ordered, but his own Khan Futu City was attacked by Qu Zhisheng. He lost nearly 5,000 people in Futu City and Gaochang Ashina Ju's tribe at once.

Five thousand.
Although he was a Yehu and was in charge of the Three-Surname Karluk, Chuyue Chumi Geshu and other tribes, he did not have many troops and tribes directly under his command.

Now that five thousand of them had been annihilated at once, Ye Hu had been seriously injured.

He was now very angry and desperately wanted to go back and kill Qu Zhisheng.

But he now only has a thousand cavalrymen, and wants to borrow troops from Wu Huaiyu to fight back.

Wu Huaiyu looked at him. This man was also the fifth-generation grandson of Midianshi, and a clan brother with Mishe and Buzhen. His father, Yibulishe Shekui, was a special agent of Jieyue and had quite a reputation in Western Turkestan.

Historically, this guy was attached to the Tang Dynasty during the Zhenguan period and made a lot of efforts for Tang's conquest of the Western Regions. But later in the Gaozong period, he rebelled, proclaimed himself Khan, and caused quite a stir for a while, but was finally destroyed by Cheng Yaojin and Su Dingfang.

"Ye Hu, you have worked hard along the way. Take a rest first. We can talk about the rest tomorrow." Wu Huaiyu looked at him and thought to himself that this guy was tricked by Qu Zhisheng, which was not a bad thing for the Tang Dynasty.

After Helu walked out of the big tent, his face became even uglier. He didn't expect Wu Huaiyu to treat him so perfunctorily.

He was appointed as the governor of Yaochizhou. The territory of Yaochizhou was bounded by Ye River in the west and Liyidejian River in the east.

This area is not very big. It is connected to Gaochang in the east, Yanpo Prefecture assigned to Hu Luju in the west, the Damo Prefecture Military Governor's Office in the northwest, the Shatuo Prefecture Military Governor's Office in the northeast, and the Yingsuo Prefecture Military Governor's Office of Shunishi across the Tianshan Mountains in the southwest.

The place is not big, but it is quite fertile.

Ke Helu considered himself to be one of the four great Yehus, and he used to be a nomad in the Xiluosi River basin, managing several large tribes. But now he was only granted the title of governor and the territory allocated to him was also small.

Gritting his teeth, he headed towards the Chumukun tribe.

Chu Mukun's father-in-law, Luchuo, planned to have a good talk with Luchuo first, and then go find Quchuo.

In fact, Hu Luju's Quechu was also his relative, and Quechu's son was his son-in-law.

He must avenge Qu Zhisheng's knife immediately and not wait until the next day.

Wu Huaiyu refused to give him soldiers, so he had no choice but to ask his father-in-law and relatives to borrow soldiers. He was worried that if he delayed any further, the troops he left there would be killed by Qu Zhisheng.

If all his subordinates were killed in the battle, he would not be able to hold down his position as the governor of Yao Chi.

The troops and men are the foundation of our survival and must not be delayed.

Helu arrived at his father-in-law's camp, but as soon as he entered the tent he saw that his father-in-law Luchu had a bruised and swollen face with many cuts on it, and he almost didn't recognize him.

"This is?"

Lu Chu felt a sense of sympathy for the arrival of Ye Hu's son-in-law.

"Ah," he sighed, "I just had a fight with that bastard Quechu. I'm old now, not as good as I used to be, but that bastard isn't much better either."

"Why?" Helu was puzzled.

Lu Chue briefly explained the reason. He Lu frowned after listening to him. "The Minister of War is deliberately trying to create conflict between your two tribes."

"Isn't it obvious?" Luchu snorted coldly, "He captured Dulu Khan and wanted to take him to Chang'an, and then appointed Mishe as the new leader of the Five Dulu in the East Wing, but he also gave in to Zhen as the Little Khan.

They have also swapped the territories of the Chishi and Shesheti tribes, and now they are trying to swap the territories of our Chumukun and Huluwu. This is full of evil intentions."

It’s not that Lu Chue doesn’t understand, it’s just that he doesn’t know how to deal with it.

"You are careless. You should have taken Gaochang first," Lu Chue said to his son-in-law. He didn't know how to play a good chess game, and he ended up in such an embarrassing situation. He didn't know what to say. "Let's join forces and take Gaochang back."

Helu also meant this.

The two men hit it off immediately and began to discuss how to destroy Qu Zhisheng and take over Gaochang Kingdom.

Lu Chue wanted to use this achievement to gain Wu Huaiyu's support and prevent them from moving north. Helu was eager to fight back, gather the remnants, destroy Gaochang, and plunder to restore some strength.

(End of this chapter)