Early Tang Dynasty: forge ahead

Chapter 478: Returning with the Dead Body Wrapped in Horsehide

Li Zhi was also an ambitious ruler who wanted to surpass his great father in the future.

The emperor couldn't help but curl up the corners of his mouth.

"What do you think about the Chimalun matter, my dear?"

Back to the topic, Li Zhi enjoyed the outcome of this act of beating the man who had fallen into the water.

Chen Qingsi said: "Tuba is located on the plateau, which is easy to defend but difficult to attack. It is better to divide them and wait for them to be at their weakest. It is up to your majesty to kill them or make them surrender. However, Chimalun is of the same type as Galdongzan, and both of them care about Tubo. You can use her to deal with Galdongzan, but you cannot rely on her to deal with Tubo. She is not trustworthy..."

Chimalun was a remarkable woman who supported three generations of powerful rulers of Tubo.

Her legendary experience is no less than that of Empress Wu of the same period.

Li Zhi was stunned for a moment, and said, "I don't know about this, I will remind Pei Qing..."

Pei Yan has always been in charge of the Chimalun line.

Li Zhi had never thought of letting Chen Qingsi take over, but he knew that Chen Qingsi was an expert on Tubo, so he asked him out of habit.

Chen Qingsi’s goal is very simple, which is the Western Arabs.

Su Dingfang and Li Ji were both old, and Li Zhi himself did not understand military affairs. The only person he trusted in military affairs was Chen Qingsi.

"It will be difficult for Tubo to become a powerful country in the short term. My dear minister, your next focus should be on the west. I know victory and defeat are common in the military. When two armies confront each other, there will always be a loser. But facing the Arabs, I don't want to lose, and I can't lose."

Chen Qingsi also had a serious expression on his face. The current situation was beyond his control.

When the Arabs were at their most powerful in history, their main development direction was to completely avoid the East.

Now should have been the time for the White Caliphate to expand in all directions, but because the Tang Dynasty was too powerful and posed a threat to them, the Caliphate actually shifted all its strategic focus. They gave up their original strategy of conquering in all directions and instead shifted their focus to the east.

After all, the only country in the world today that can threaten the Arab Empire is the Tang Dynasty in the East.

This was something Chen Qingsi had not expected.

If we want to fight, we need chips.

The Western Regions are the bargaining chip of the Tang Dynasty, but as for the bargaining chip of the Arab Empire, it is still uncertain.

Because the Tang Dynasty didn't want to fight this war at all... at least it didn't want to stretch its hand too far before it had complete control over the Western Regions.

But there is no trust between countries. At least the Arabs do not believe that the Tang Dynasty will not rape them when they march west.

Instead of worrying, it is better to resolve the unstable factors first.

This is also the reason why there must be a war between the Arab Empire and the Tang Dynasty.

Therefore, this war between the two countries will not be like the Battle of Talas in history, which will end at the right time.

If the Tang Dynasty loses, the Western Regions will be lost.

And the consequences will be extremely serious...

The culture of the Arab Empire is completely detached from that of the East. Once they seize the Western Regions, they will force the Western Regions to convert to Arab law and remove the imprint of China, which will make hundreds of years of China's development of the Western Regions come to nothing.

Li Zhi could not accept such consequences, and neither could Chen Qingsi.

As for the bargaining chips of the Arab Empire, it depends on the appetite of the Tang Dynasty.

After all, if the Tang Dynasty really lost, it could still retreat back to Yumen Pass.

There are two thousand miles of desert as a barrier for retreat.

If the Arab Empire loses, the Tang Dynasty can directly attack Damascus and Baghdad...

"Your Majesty, rest assured. I will never let the centuries of hard work of the Chinese sages be destroyed in an instant."

Li Zhi nodded in satisfaction and said, "Just do it. If you have any needs, just tell me directly. For everything, the overall situation of the Western Region is the most important."

Li Zhi particularly emphasized this point.

This right-hand man in front of me is good in every way, except that he often ignores the overall situation.

The overall situation in the emperor's mind is different from the overall situation in Chen Qingsi's eyes.

The big picture in Li Zhi’s mind is that as long as it is beneficial to the goal, some unimportant things can be discarded.

For example, sacrificing some of the people's interests.

But Chen Qingsi would avoid these when doing things, and was even willing to take more detours for this. Li Zhi didn't like this style, but there was nothing he could do, Chen Qingsi was irreplaceable, so he could only tolerate it.

Chen Qingsi naturally responded very happily. There was a slight deviation between his overall situation and Li Zhi's.

After Chen Qingsi left the hall, Li Zhi summoned the newly appointed prime minister Zhang Wenguan.

Zhang Wenguan has always been the head of the Prince's Mansion in the Eastern Palace, and his official position is the Prince's Secretary.

When Li Zhi returned from the Fengshan ceremony, he promoted Zhang Wenguan to the position of Huangmen Shilang, and the third-rank assistant minister of the Secretariat, in recognition of Zhang's contribution in assisting Crown Prince Li Hong in regulating the country, and became the prime minister.

"His Majesty!"

Zhang Wenguan had a righteous face, a proud character, was upright and incorruptible, and was very much like Wei Zheng of the past.

In order to curry favor with this newly appointed prime minister, who was also the prince's teacher, some people praised him as comparable to Wei Zheng.

Zhang Wenguan said modestly: "I dare not compare with Wei Wenzhen, but I am satisfied if I can catch up with Dai Daogong."

Dai Daogong was also known as Dai Zhou, a famous prime minister in the early Tang Dynasty. He was loyal and upright by nature, and was always willing to speak out against any dangers. He was also a wise prime minister.

"My dear! Please take a seat. I have come to you to discuss the matter of reclaiming new land in Weinan..."

In fact, Li Zhi disliked Zhang Wenguan even less, but Zhang Wenguan did have the style of Wei Zheng and was the best candidate to assist the prince.

Originally, Li Zhi planned to keep him under pressure and let him rise up when the crown prince ascended the throne.

However, the current political tasks are extremely heavy, and the national treasury is mostly empty due to the Fengshan ceremony.

It was also necessary to prepare for a decisive battle with the Arabs in the Western Regions. The court needed an honest and upright person to keep order, and also needed someone who was good at administration to manage the economy in order to obtain more strategic materials.

Zhang Wenguan is the best choice.

Even if he disliked him, Li Zhi had to use him, and use him in an important position.

After leaving the palace, Chen Qingsi looked towards Tubo and the dark clouds in the southwest sky, thinking to himself: "Dark clouds are everywhere. This is the picture of Tubo now!"
-
The capital of Tubo.

Dalunfu!
Gardongzan continued to handle state affairs diligently and conscientiously as usual.

Suddenly, Deputy Minister Dayan Mangbuzhi ran into the hall in panic, his face pale and terrified, as if the sky had fallen.

"what happened?"

Galdongzan was also worried because Dayan Mangbuzhi was his confidant who was promoted by him. He came from a poor family in Tubo and was not among the nobles.

The class problem in Tubo was far more serious than that in the Central Plains. Dayan Mangbuzhi has been able to survive to where he is today after going through severe tests.

It must be a big deal to make him so flustered.

But he remained calm and smiled.

Dayan Mangbuzhi was slightly surprised to see Gar Dongzan like this, but he also felt a little relieved. He paused and said, "I just got the news that Su Dingfang is ill in bed. The Tang court is waiting for us to fall into the trap... Now we have fallen into the trap and suffered heavy losses. Qin Ling has also died in the battle..."

When Galdongzan heard this, he felt an inexplicable pain in his heart and the smile on his face stiffened a little, but he soon returned to normal.

"impossible!"

Gal Dongzan said, "I personally confirmed the news that Su Dingfang was seriously ill. It cannot be false. Besides, I have not received any news from the front line... Where did you hear it from?"

Dayan Mangbuzhi shook his head and said, "I don't know, it's just that this rumor has spread, and it seems to be true. At first, I also thought it was a rumor. This kind of trick is often encountered. But this time is different. There are no people from the Lu and Wei families who frequently enter and leave the Potala Palace. It doesn't seem fake."

Gal Dongzan still insisted, "It's impossible. Su Dingfang is indeed ill, there is no doubt about it, unless he..." Gal Dongzan suddenly stopped talking, but thought of a possibility in his mind. He took a deep breath and said, "I haven't received any definite news yet, so don't panic. Just pretend that nothing has happened and everything is normal."

As he spoke, he waved his hand, called over a trusted confidant, and ordered him to go and find out the news immediately.

Galdongzan dismissed Dayanmangbuzhi and continued to handle government affairs with one hand on his chest, with a terrifying calmness.

The second day, night!
Galdongzan was awakened by a rapid knock on the door.

"who!"

Galdongzan had been sleeping in his clothes since he received the news that his son "Lunqinling" had faked his death. At this moment, he suddenly woke up with his heart beating faster. He pressed his hand hard on his heart and looked outside the house, with a hint of desire in his serious eyes.

"Father, it's me, Zanpo..."

When Galdongzan heard the voice of his third son, tears started to flow from his eyes.

He suppressed his grief, wiped away his tears, and said, "Come in!"

Galdongzan got up from the bed and lit the oil lamp.

Candlelight illuminated the small bedroom.

Zanpo looked exhausted and fell to her knees, sobbing, "Father, father...brother, brother...he..."

Facing her father, Zanpo could no longer suppress the sorrow in her heart. She burst into tears and spoke incoherently.

Gal Dongzan asked: "Has Qin Ling been killed..."

Zanpo nodded vigorously with great sorrow and said, "My brother saw through the Tang army's plan and ordered me to lead the troops to break through Luozhen Valley, while he personally led the troops to delay the Tang army's arrival in Wuhai."

Looking at his son, Gal Dongzan slumped on the bed and said, "You have made a big mistake."

Galdongzan was so amazing that he guessed the whole story just from Zanpo's reaction and after hearing what he said.

It must be that after Zanpo passed through the Poluozhengu, he was worried that he could not bear the pain of losing his son, so he deliberately concealed the military intelligence and sent people to inquire about the news. After confirming that Lun Qinling was indeed killed in the battle, he came to report it in person.

However, they did not know that there were other noble forces in the Tubo army. Naturally, they would not listen to Zanpo obediently, but would convey the military intelligence to their own heads in their own way.

This also resulted in Gal Dongzan, who should have received the intelligence first, being the last to receive the military intelligence...

Gal Dongzan no longer cared about his grief at this moment. The current situation was extremely critical. If he was not careful, the entire Gal family would be destroyed.

"Da Lun! Zanpu is here!"

Just when Galdongzan was racking his brains for a way to save the situation, he was shocked to hear a piece of news.
-
Qinghai Lake, the Tang army camp stationed in Tuyuhun.

The originally dilapidated camp was renovated.

Su Dingfang warned, "This time, Tubo suffered heavy losses and cannot mobilize troops in the short term. But you must not be careless. This loss is not your fault. However, a lot of troops were lost after all, so you cannot shirk your responsibility. I still have some face, so I will say a few good words for you. Be more careful in the future and don't make the same mistake again."

Xi Junmai thanked him repeatedly.

"Okay, let's get going!"

Su Dingfang narrowed his eyes, looked around with some nostalgia, then turned and left.

Xi Junmai bowed and saluted to see him off until Su Dingfang had walked more than twenty steps away. Then he stood up. When he saw the tall figure, he felt inexplicably sad.

Su Dingfang walked towards his beloved horse step by step, and was about to mount it.

Wang Xiaojie jumped out and said, "General, the round trip is long, and it may rain or snow. Why don't we take a carriage back to Shanzhou... Look, I asked Murong Khan for a carriage, and I will drive it myself. It is very stable and comfortable."

"Get lost!" Su Dingfang cursed, and raised his whip, hitting Wang Xiaojie lightly, saying, "I have never ridden in this woman's vehicle in my life. You are old, and you are still making fun of yourself?"

The Tang Dynasty valued martial arts, and young people would be laughed at for riding in sedan chairs.

That's a piece of trash who can't ride a horse.

However, as life becomes more affluent, some people have begun to move towards enjoyment.

Some people already choose to travel in horse-drawn carriages or even sedan chairs.

But Su Dingfang, who had survived the late Sui Dynasty, was extremely averse to horse-drawn carriages and sedan chairs.

He said this without paying any attention to Wang Xiaojie, mounted his warhorse, and headed towards Shanzhou.

The troops moved forward slowly, and when they reached Chiling, Su Dingfang lay quietly on the horse's back.

"Commander!"

Wang Xiaojie had been paying attention to Su Dingfang's situation. Seeing him like this, he screamed in surprise.

The surrounding soldiers also gathered together.

The same was true for Cheng Wuting and Heichi Changzhi. They looked at Wang Xiaojie with horror and confusion.

Wang Xiaojie cried like a child, saying, "Marshal, Marshal... He caught a cold last year when he attacked Naluyi, and he never told anyone. This time, he went into battle with all his strength despite being sick..."

When Su Dingfang woke up, it was already late at night. He was lying on a sturdy bed, surrounded by soldiers and generals. When they saw him wake up, they cheered.

"Commander!"

……

All kinds of sounds kept ringing.

"Noisy!"

Su Dingfang said this with difficulty.

In an instant, the room became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

"Where is this?"

The second sentence said by Su Dingfang.

"Stone Castle!"

The one who answered was Wang Xiaojie, his eyes were red and swollen.

Su Dingfang thought for a moment and said, "A good place..." He hesitated for a while and said, "In the Shanzhou study, there is a letter written by someone to Minister Chen. I will give it to him after I die."

"Marshal, please don't say discouraging words."

Su Dingfang ignored him and said with difficulty: "Also, after I die, if the court arranges for a capable person to take over my position, you should treat him as you would treat me. If there is no arrangement, then listen to Cheng Wuting's arrangements and don't make any mistakes."

"Commander!"

Cheng Wuting also burst into tears.

Su Dingfang glanced at Wang Xiaojie again and said, "Xiaojie is brave and loyal, but his mind is not on the right path. Please bear with me..."

"Commander!"

Wang Xiaojie burst into tears.

Su Dingfang laughed: "Why are you crying, you grown man? I have fought in many battles in my life, I have a wise leader, a mentor, and a group of comrades who are willing to help me through life and death. Now I can die on the frontier and return home wrapped in my horse's hide. This is enough for my life."

"Ha ha……"

His laughter was loud at first, but gradually it faded away.

A famous general, he died of illness in Shibao City.

(End of this chapter)