People in the early Tang Dynasty: I compete with Wu Zhao for the throne

Chapter 1599 Anxi's Bloody Night

The four towns of Anxi are Shule, Qiuci, Yutian and Gaochang.

The Anxi Protectorate was located in Qiuci.

Qiuci, the former kingdom of the Rouran, was later destroyed by the Turks and finally by the Tang Dynasty.

This is a city on the edge of the desert Gobi, to be precise, it is located in the central southern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains and the northern edge of the Tarim Basin.

Go north to reach Suiye City.

The topographical location is somewhat similar to Ankang.

In order to control the Silk Road, both Li Xuan's Luoshui Road and the Four Towns of Anxi set their capitals south of the Tianshan Mountains.

Although the angel arrived in the Western Regions from Lhasa, and then arrived at the four towns of Anxi from the Western Regions.

The news that Emperor Zhongzong had died, Prince Li Dan had ascended the throne, and the Empress Dowager was in power spread immediately throughout the four towns of Anxi.

Five thousand Lhasa Road soldiers, as well as Turkic captives, chiefs and princesses, were stationed in a military camp north of Qiuci.

As soon as Fan Yunxian arrived at Anxi Protectorate, he sent a letter to Chang'an.

These five thousand Luoshe Road soldiers seemed to come from various guards, but in fact, they were all under Li Xuan's control.

We cannot allow these five thousand people to enter the pass.

Once they are allowed in, who knows what will happen.

Taking advantage of the time when Li Xuan was staying in Anxi, Fan Yunxian asked the secret guards to send an urgent letter to Chang'an over an area of ​​800 miles.

Let the Queen Mother order the Governor of Dunhuang to intercept the 5,000 soldiers under King Peng in Dunhuang.

As for what happens afterwards, even if the Dunhuang Governor's Office sends someone to escort us, that would be fine.

Everything is better than Li Xuan leading his troops to Chang'an himself.

He is the General of the Right Guard and has great prestige among the troops. Who knows who the Sixteen Guards of Chang'an will listen to when that time comes.

After doing all this, Fan Yunxian followed Xue Shao, Zhao Gong, and Li Xuan to the Anxi Protectorate to announce the imperial edict.

When the angel arrived, all the generals of the four Anxi towns also rushed to Qiuci.

……

"...I decree this!" Xue Shao held the imperial edict in his hand and looked at the generals with a serious expression. For a moment, his breathing became heavy.

He didn't expect that after rewarding the generals, Empress Wu added an extra item.

Quan Shancai was promoted from Deputy Protector-General of Anxi and General of the Right Guard to Protector-General of Anxi. Protector-General of Anxi Wang Fangyi was transferred to the position of Left Palace Attendant and returned to the capital to serve.

Du Huaibao was appointed as the acting deputy governor of Anxi Protectorate.

Du Huaibao is the Du Huaibao who caused the chaos in the Western Regions before and was eventually relieved of all his posts.

Li Xuan was standing behind Xue Shao. Even he did not expect that Empress Wu would make such a move.

He was so eager to get rid of Wang Fangyi.

In addition to being Queen Wang's cousin, Wang Fangyi was also the grandson of Princess Tong'an and the cousin of Emperor Gaozong.

Empress Wu was so intolerant of him.

Everything else would have been fine, but Empress Wu transferred Du Huaibao back, which was a slap in the face.

Although Du Huaibao now seems to be the deputy governor of Anxi Protectorate, everyone knows that with the gradual pacification of the Western Regions, Quan Shancai will either be transferred to the Western Regions or transferred back to Chang'an.

In this way, Du Huaibao would become the Protector of Anxi again.

Isn’t she afraid that something might happen in the Western Region again?

"Your servant Du Huaibao respectfully accepts the imperial edict." A middle-aged man wearing a green robe, who looked like an ordinary inner court official, walked out and knelt down to express his gratitude.

Li Xuan suddenly looked at Zhao Gong in disbelief. Du Huaibao was actually among their group of people.

Du Huaibao followed them from Lhasa to the Western Regions, and then from the Western Regions to the Four Towns of Anxi.

Zhao Gong couldn't help but shake his head slightly. He didn't know about this matter either. His attention was all on Li Xuan, and he never thought that Empress Wu would play such a trick.

Oh my God, the Western Turks have just been pacified, and they can’t help but transfer all the army commanders away?
Li Xuan was the commander-in-chief of the Luoshui Road. Although Liu Shenli was the commander-in-chief of the Four Towns of Anxi, the real commander of the army was always Wang Fangyi.

They are Quan Shancai and Brun Zanren, both of whom are Wang Fangyi's deputies.

……

"I accept your command and thank you." Wang Fangyi kowtowed calmly, as if he had expected all this.

"I accept your order and thank you." Liu Shenli, Quan Shancai, Brun Zanren, and many other generals bowed their heads in unison, but their spirits were not high.

Li Xuan looked at Fan Yunxian calmly with a cold look in his eyes.

For some reason, Fan Yunxian suddenly felt cold.

Du Huaibao stood up and humbly bowed to everyone and said, "Angels, Marshal!"

Turning around, Du Huaibao looked at Liu Shenli and bowed, saying, "General, I will go and prepare a dinner now to welcome you all to Anxi."

Liu Shenli looked at Du Huaibao calmly, and Du Huaibao's expression remained humble.

But the more humble he is, the more arrogant and complacent he seems.

Even a little domineering.

Liu Shenli looked up at Wang Fangyi, then looked at Li Xuan and nodded, "When will King Peng leave?"

Li Xuan looked at Du Huaibao expressionlessly and said, "Tomorrow morning, since there is nothing for Xuan to do today, Xuan will go back to rest first. After the banquet is over, I will come to visit the Marshal again."

After saying that, Li Xuan bowed solemnly to Liu Shenli, then turned around and was about to leave.

Qiu Zhenmu, Cui Ding, Zhou Qian, Su Baotong and others bowed at the same time, then stood up and were about to leave.

Everyone in the hall was stunned and looked at Du Huaibao with great annoyance.

Because of what Du Huaibao just said about preparing a dinner, he only wanted to entertain all the angels who arrived in Anxi.

Only Xue Shao, Zhao Gong and Fan Yunxian can be considered angels, but Li Xuan is not.

He was the pacification envoy of Luoshui Road and the commander-in-chief of the Luoshui Road. He went to Chang'an to report on his work, which was not considered a bad job for the four towns of Anxi.

"What are you talking about, Your Highness?" Quan Shancai immediately stood up and bowed to Li Xuan, saying, "In the early years in Western Tuyuhun, I once fought side by side with Your Highness. Now that several years have passed and I see Your Highness again, I naturally have to drink a few more glasses tonight."

Wang Fangyi was dismissed from the post of Protector General of Anxi Protectorate, and now Quan Shancai has taken over.

Although Du Huaibao said that he would definitely take over Quan Shancai's position after he was transferred, as long as Quan Shancai was not transferred, he would have the final say here, and above them, there was also Liu Shenli.

Sure enough, when Quan Shancai handed over the ladder, Liu Shenli immediately took it.

"Indeed." Liu Shenli nodded and said, "The battle in the four towns of Anxi is over. I think it won't be long before I will be transferred back to Chang'an. After all, King Peng also served under me in his early years. Today we meet again, let's have a few more drinks together." Li Xuan breathed a sigh of relief and bowed to Liu Shenli, saying, "In this case, I'll trouble you, Marshal. I'll go back and change my clothes and wash up before coming back."

"Okay!" Liu Shenli nodded.

Li Xuan nodded to the others, then walked quickly outside.

Among the crowd, Li Xuan was the only one who didn't even look at Du Huaibao.

The moment Li Xuan left the lobby, Du Huaibao looked at his back with resentment in his eyes.

……

In front of the military camp gate, Li Xuan dismounted from his horse.

Zhao Gong and Xue Shao each returned to their rooms. They had just returned from the Western Regions and had gone to the Anxi Protectorate to announce the imperial edict. Who could have imagined that something like this would happen.

Fan Yunxian quietly sneaked into Zhao Gong's room.

"Commander Zhao, are we really going to set off tomorrow?" Fan Yunxian couldn't help but look at Zhao Gong anxiously.

Zhao Gong frowned, looked at Fan Yunxian and asked, "Is there anything wrong?"

Fan Yunxian's mouth twitched slightly, and then she said carefully: "If we set off tomorrow, we will arrive in Chang'an in mid-December. It's too early to go back."

Zhao Gong sneered at the corner of his mouth, looked at Fan Yunxian and said: "Fan Jian must have something to do, but I'm afraid this matter can't be changed. Of course, if Fan Jian really has any ideas, he can go directly to King Peng. He is always good at listening to other people's opinions."

"Commander Zhao, King Peng can't..." Fan Yunxian paused in the middle of his words. He shook his head and said with a wry smile: "Why is it like this?"

"He is angry, just let him vent it." Zhao Gong shook his head, then turned around and went to read.

Fan Yunxian sighed softly, shook her head, and returned to her room.

If it really came to the point of being forced, he would use his identity as the eunuch supervisor to directly order the Dunhuang governor Linghu Mou to forcibly intercept the 5,000 cavalry led by Li Xuan.

But if that happens, Li Xuan will definitely get angry.

The victory at Talas completely ended the war with the Western Turks, and another 4,000 Arab cavalry were beheaded.

It is customary to boast about great victories.

It was just because the court urged Li Xuan to return to the court that many things did not have time to be communicated with Chang'an.

But if the governor of Dunhuang does not allow people to lead troops into the pass without the central government's order, Li Xuan will be furious. Once he is forced to rebel, none of them will survive.

Especially under the stimulation of Du Huaibao.

……

Under the night sky, the lights are bright.

Liu Shenli sat in the main seat in the hall.

Xue Shao, Zhao Gong, Li Xuan, Qiu Zhenmu, Fan Yunxian and others sat on the left.

Quan Shancai, Brunzanren, Wang Fangyi and others sat on the right.

Wang Fangyi came last.

Li Xuan glanced at him lightly, his eyes were cold.

Wang Fangyi had just been transferred to the position of Zuo Sanqi Changshi, and Du Huaibao had already placed him at the last position.

This humiliation is worse than not letting him in.

As the sounds of singing and dancing began, a group of scantily clad Western dancers rushed into the hall and began to belly dance happily.

Du Huaibao sat down at the lower left, looking at the expressions of the people in the hall with a smile, but the strange thing was that everyone looked unhappy and no one even intended to say more.

Finally, the dance ended.

Du Huaibao stood up, holding a wine jar in his hand and walked into the hall. He bowed to Liu Shenli who was sitting in the main seat and said, "General, I am very happy to be back home today. I spoke nonsense after drinking. Please forgive me, General."

Liu Shenli looked at Du Huaibao with cold eyes, as if he was looking at a dead person.

He turned his head to look at Wang Fangyi, who had a sullen expression, and shook his head slightly, signaling him to calm down.

Wang Fangyi took a deep breath and lowered his head slightly.

Li Xuan watched this scene calmly, disgust clearly visible in her eyes.

Empress Wu wanted to kill Wang Fangyi, but she couldn't do it easily. She needed to find an excuse to convince everyone in the court and the country.

After all, her hatred for Wang Fangyi was known to everyone in the court and the country, so she sent Du Huai back.

Sure enough, after Du Huaibao bowed to Liu Shenli, he turned around and walked to Wang Fangyi, holding up the wine jar and said, "Brother Wang, you and I have been friends for more than ten years. You were in Anxi and I was in Tingzhou. I was in Anxi and you were in Tingzhou. You were in Anxi. I was dismissed from office and became a commoner. Now I am back, but you are going back to Chang'an to take a sinecure."

Wang Fangyi raised his head with a cold gaze and looked at Du Huaibao, with murderous intent in his eyes.

Du Huaibao subconsciously tilted his head, then looked at Wang Fangyi again, and said with a half-smile: "I heard that Brother Wang did a lot of things in Anxi. When Brother Wang leaves, I will treat those people and things well."

Wang Fangyi clenched his fists immediately. Du Huaibao felt a chill all over his body, but his body slowly leaned forward.

"What did she promise you?" Wang Fangyi suddenly relaxed and leaned back slightly.

Du Huaibao looked at Wang Fangyi with some disappointment, sighed, and did not answer Wang Fangyi's question. He turned around and toasted others.

Xue Shao, Zhao Gong, and even Fan Yunxian, he was very good, but when it came to Li Xuan, he raised his glass somewhat perfunctorily: "Please, King Peng."

Li Xuan looked at Du Huaibao and asked calmly, "Du Hu came from Chang'an. Does he know anything that I don't know?"

Du Huaibao was about to leave when he paused and became cautious: "What did the prince say?"

"After all, I am the heir to this dynasty, Sikong, General of the Right Guard, and Pacifier of Luoshui Road. Am I so disrespectful to Du Duhu?" Li Xuan raised his head with an indifferent expression.

"Your Majesty!" Du Huaibao was about to say something, but Li Xuan waved his hand and said, "Du Hu, let's make a bet."

"What are you betting on?" Although Du Huaibao had a bad feeling in his heart, he was not afraid of Li Xuan because he was not under his jurisdiction.

"I bet you won't survive this night." Before Li Xuan finished speaking, everyone in the courtyard was shocked at the same time.

"Ah!" Du Huaibao looked up in astonishment, and at this moment, a sharp sword light had swept across his throat.

Blood exploded.

……

In silence, Li Xuan looked at Du Huaibao's body and said softly, "Bo Yu."

"Here!" Chen Ziang walked up from behind and bowed solemnly.

"According to the order of the military commander of Luoxi Road, I will send a letter to the military commander's office of Anxi Road to transfer Du Huaibao, deputy governor of Anxi, to serve in the front of the army. Please sign it, right prime minister." Li Xuan looked up and nodded to Liu Shenli, then said: "Then send a letter to Chang'an, saying that Du Huaibao, deputy governor of Anxi, died in the front of the army, and Luoxi Road will request compensation."

The whole hall fell completely silent.

(End of this chapter)