Tibet.

Chapter 1390 Battle of the Valley
The Ili River Valley, like the Suiye Basin, is a pearl among the mountains. The Ili River runs from east to west and is hundreds of miles long. On both sides of the river are endless pastures and large coniferous forests, and in the distance are snow-capped mountains.

Throughout the thousands of years of history, the Yili River Valley has been a coveted treasure land by countless nomadic peoples with its humid climate and fertile and vast pastures.

The main people living here are Serbs and Usu, but they are relatively weak and have always existed as dependents.

During the Kaiyuan and Tianbao years, this was the base camp of the Turks, who drove out the Serbs and Usu and occupied the entire Ili River Valley.

In the early years of Tianbao, the Tang army defeated the Turks, retook Suiye and the Yili River Valley, thus connecting the Suiye Basin, the Suiye River Valley and the Yili River Valley into one. The Yili River Valley in particular was a strategic passage from Beiting to Suiye, and was extremely important to the Tang army.

The Tang army built Gongyue City in the Yili River Valley and stationed 300 troops to guard the valley. The Sai and Wusu people who had been driven away previously returned and lived on this fertile land.

In addition to the Sai and Wusu people, there were several smaller Turkic tribes that no longer threatened the Tang army's control over the Yili River Valley. Li Ye, the governor of Hezhong, agreed to let them live in the western part of the Yili River Valley and live in peace with the Sai and Wusu people in the east.

However, the Qarluk people of the Pofu tribe living in the north had been eyeing the Yili River Valley, but because they were intimidated by the Tang army, they dared not take any action. However, the Qarluk people were not willing to give up, and they had been patiently waiting for an opportunity.

The capture of Suiye City gave the Qarlugs an opportunity. They believed that the Tang army had lost its position in the river, so they seized the opportunity without hesitation and sent troops to the Yili River Valley.

The Prostrate Qarluk Khan was called Shaya, the fourth uncle of Jinshan Ling. He actually seized the Khanship from his nephew. The year before last, he led his army to fight against the Jinshan Qarluk tribe, but both sides were defeated and retreated back to Xuanhai.

Shaya was eager to restore his strength. The fastest way for a nomadic people to restore their strength was to annex other small tribes. This time he occupied the Yili River Valley and annexed three small Turgesh tribes, and his strength was restored.

But Shaya was not resting on his laurels. He was keeping an eye on the movements in Beiting. If there was no movement in Beiting, it would mean that the Tang Dynasty acquiesced to his occupation of the Yili River Valley.

That morning, Shaya Khan suddenly received news from spies that a Tang army of tens of thousands of people was marching towards the Yili River Valley. This shocked Shaya and he quickly ordered the troops to be assembled.

The eldest son Kunteli quickly advised: "Father Khan, there are not tens of thousands of people in Beiting. They may not be coming for us. They may just be passing through Suiye!"

Shaya Khan thought about it and it made sense, but he did not dare to be careless. What if the Tang army directly wiped them out?
At this time, another soldier came to report, "The Tang army sent a letter, it was written by the governor of Beiting."

The soldier presented the letter. Sha Ya read it and his face turned ugly. He said to his eldest son, "Li Fei Shou Yu asked us to withdraw our troops to Xuanhai immediately, otherwise he will lead his army to attack us directly!"

The eldest son, Kunteli, was a little scared and said to his father, "Why not retreat north temporarily and send someone to Chang'an to ask the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty to allow us to graze in the Yili River Valley!"

Shaya Khan sighed, "We didn't even send anyone to congratulate the Tang emperor on his ascension to the throne. How could they agree to our request at this time?"

The second son Sabat said: "Father Khan, the relationship between the Karluks and the Tang army was so good before, but Li Ye did not allow the Karluks to get involved in the Yili River Valley. It is even more impossible for them to agree now. We can either fight the Tang army, defeat them, and completely occupy the Yili River Valley, or retreat to Xuanhai and completely give up on the Yili River Valley!"

Shaya Khan shook his head. "How can I spit out the fat meat that's already in my mouth?"

"Then let me lead the army to fight them. If I fail, it will still be in time for my father to lead the tribe back to Xuanhai."

Shaya Khan pondered for a long time and finally nodded. How could he know it wouldn't work if he didn't try?
He warned: "Don't fight the Tang army head-on, try it out, if it doesn't work, retreat immediately, to ensure the safety of the main force, we still have to fight the Jinshan tribe."

"Please rest assured, father. I am only testing you. If it doesn't work, I will retreat immediately!"

Shaya Khan immediately handed over 30,000 troops to his second son Sabat and asked him to lead the army to conduct a test battle with the Tang army.

The eldest son Kuntli tried to persuade him again and again, but Shah Khan refused to listen.
At night, Shaya Khan was lying in the big tent with two Qarluk girls in his arms, watching a group of girls dancing.

Suddenly, the eldest son Kuntli rushed in and shouted, "Father Khan, Sabat is rebelling!"

Shaya was stunned, "What are you saying?" "Father Khan, please listen!"

Kuntli stopped the singing and dancing. The big tent was very quiet. Then he heard shouting and killing outside. Sha Ya stood up and asked with a pale face, "What's going on?"

"Father Khan, Sabat got the army and started a rebellion."

Shaya was so angry that he cursed: "This ungrateful bastard, I am so blind!"

At this time, the guards came running and shouted: "The army is coming, Khan, leave!"

Shaya hurried out, jumped on his horse and fled. His eldest son Kuntli followed closely on horseback, but after running for several miles, they were surrounded by a large army.

Shaya was so angry that he shouted, "I am the Qalluk Khan, let Sabat come out to see me!"

Sabat hid in the dark and gave a cold order: "Shoot them to death with arrows!"

At a command from his captain, thousands of cavalrymen fired arrows at the enemy, killing Khan Shaya and his eldest son Kunteli.

Shaya was a mean and stingy person. He never shared the looted property with his subordinates, which had long made his subordinates dissatisfied. Sabat secretly bribed five captains of ten thousand men in advance. With the support of the generals, Sabat became the new captain of ten thousand men. He ordered the millions of looted sheep to be distributed to his generals, and immediately won the unanimous support of his subordinates.

The 10,000 Beiting troops were already fifty miles away, and Sabat immediately led 40,000 troops to fight against the Beiting army.

Li Fei Shouyu initially did not intend to ask the Tang army on the Western Expedition to help him. After all, the responsibilities of both sides were different. More importantly, Li Fei Shouyu knew Shaya. He would not take risks. He would try to fight with him, and would immediately withdraw to Xuanhai if he was at a disadvantage.

But at this time, Lifei Shouyu got the news that Sabat had launched a coup, killed his father and brother, and seized the Khan throne.

Lifei Shouyu immediately became nervous. Sabat was completely different from his father. He was a madman. Lifei Shouyu immediately led his troops to retreat a hundred miles and sent people to ask for help from his brother Lifei Yuanli.

The next day, Xi Wanli led 20,000 elite cavalry to provide support.

The two armies joined together and Xi Wanli performed the etiquette as a junior. Li Feishouyu did not dare to underestimate Xi Wanli, because he was a leader of the younger generation and the young general most valued by the emperor.

"General Xi, do you have any good ideas?"

Xi Wanli smiled slightly and said, "Of course we should fight the opponent head-on, but it would be more effective if we dampen their morale before the fight!"

The next morning, Lifei Shouyu received news that the Qarluk army had appeared twenty miles to the west, and he immediately ordered his troops to assemble into a large formation.

The location chosen by Xi Wanli was very unique. They chose a low place. Ten miles away was a long slope, which was very suitable for attacking from top to bottom. This was the charge route tailored for Sabat.

Soon, 40,000 troops appeared on a high ground ten miles away. Sabat looked at the 30,000 cavalrymen of the Tang army who formed a large battle array in the distance. He laughed out loud: "I thought they were going to use the Modao Army! They actually want to use cavalry to fight us head-on. Let them have a taste of the grassland cavalry!"

He drew his sword and shouted, "Eagles of the grassland, let us spread our wings and slaughter the Tang army until the blood flows like a river!"

The 40,000 soldiers raised their arms and shouted loudly, like a flood bursting through a dam, sweeping down on the Tang army from above.

(End of this chapter)