Early Tang Dynasty: forge ahead

Chapter 517 A little favor
Mangsong Mangzan did come to surrender on his own initiative.

Mangsong Mangzan was very confident in his judgment, but he had overlooked one point: the world is so big that there are all kinds of strange things.

He thought that Chen was using a fake "Mangsong Mangzan" to deal with Nan, and he needed the real Mangsong Mangzan himself to deal with outside doubts.

Therefore, he asked his trusted men to bypass Wuhai City and look for the generals of the Chen clan to seek protection and support.

Little did they know that Chen owned a fake Mangsong Mangzan that looked more like Mangsong Mangzan than the real one.

The current Mangsong Mangtsen is emaciated and has his beard shaved off. He is only 40% similar to the original Mangsong Mangtsen. However, Wang Xiaojie's Mangsong Mangtsen is 80% similar to the original Mangsong Mangtsen since he shaved his beard into the same style as Mangsong Mangtsen.

The real one is four points, but the fake one is eight or nine points.

The real ones are hard to control. They are ambitious and capable. The fake ones are certainly a little clever, but easy to control.

It is self-evident which Mangsong Mangzan to choose.

Chen pretended to agree, but secretly arranged people to surround and kill him.

Fortunately, Mangsong Mangzando was careful and moved to another place at the critical moment, thus escaping the disaster.

Mangsong Mangzan then realized that Chen family also wanted Mangsong Mangzan's life, and so did Nan family.

During the more than two months he was away, there was no place for him to stand in Tubo.

This difficulty was not enough to make Mangsong Mangzan collapse. The one who dealt him the fatal blow was the Fuqian, or the head of a thousand households, named Jiayangram.

He was one of the three people who followed Mangsong Mangzan out of the mountains.

Mangsong Mangzan has vowed that as long as he becomes rich, he will share his wealth and glory with Zanpo, Jiayangram and Sangmu, the three people who have shared hardships with him.

There is a high probability that Sam is dead. He went to contact Chen's people, but the other party failed to find him, so they would most likely take it out on Sam.

However, at this time, Jiayang Lhamo kidnapped him and wanted to offer him to the Nan family in exchange for wealth and honor.

Jamyang Lhamo's reason was simple. He followed him in the hope of gaining wealth and fame. As a result, he suffered a lot and was finally not accepted by Tubo.

This result was unacceptable to Jayanram, so he took a risk and kidnapped Mangsong Mangzan to seek credit.

Finally, Zanpo found an opportunity to kill Jayan Lhamo.

The bloody reality made Mangsongmangzan completely give up his dignity. He wanted to make Chen and Nanan pay the price for their actions.

He wants everyone who betrayed him to pay the price.

There was no place for him to stand in Tubo anymore, and the only solution that Mangsong Mangzan could think of was to surrender to the Tang Dynasty and use the power of the Tang army to eliminate the Chen and Nanan clans and regain his own position.

Mangsong Mangzan knew the consequence of doing so. The Tang court would extend its hand into Tubo and control Tubo, and he would have to live under the control of the Tang court in the future. But what could he do?

It's better than now, like a stray dog, ragged, hungry, and needing to hide from place to place. And the rebellious people are harming the country and even have the hope of controlling the power of Tubo...

Mangsong Mangzan convinced himself and even Zanpo, and took the initiative to find Tang Jun and meet Chen Qingsi...

Mangsong Mangtsen and Zanpo had heard Galdongtsen talk about Chen Qingsi more than once, and his tone sometimes expressed his regret that he was no longer in Tubo.

This is indeed the case. Most people in the world regard Su Dingfang as the nemesis of Tubo. As long as Su Dingfang is there, Tubo will never be able to leave the plateau...

But the upper echelons of Tubo, such as Mangsong Mangtsen, the late Gar Dongtsen, and Lun Qinling, all knew that there was a real Tubo nemesis, and that person could only be Chen Qingsi...

Su Dingfang was indeed a good fighter, and there was no one who could match him tactically. However, a tactical victory could not determine a strategic defeat.

The Tang court had made huge strategic mistakes since the deaths of Li Shimin and Li Jing, and relied on Su Dingfang's strength to fight a series of beautiful battles.

It did demonstrate the power of the Tang Dynasty, but it also left behind huge hidden dangers.

The Tang court was blinded by victory and did not notice it, but Gal Dongzan saw it and made corresponding arrangements.

But after Chen Qingsi's rise, he eliminated the hidden dangers in the north, Silla and Goguryeo. He led his troops directly to Qinghai, trapped them on the plateau, and cut off their opportunity to rise.

"The foreign king Mangsong Mangzan greets the chief steward of the Celestial Empire!"

Facing Tubo’s greatest enemy, Mangsong Mangzan lowered his head in humiliation, bent his waist, and engraved the word "endurance" in his heart.

Zanpo thought of Mangsong Mangzan's words: "Goujian slept on firewood and tasted gall, only then could he conquer Wu. Today, you and I have fallen to this point, how can we get rid of the bandits? Are we sitting and watching them wreak havoc on Tubo, and doing nothing? Today, we have no choice but to borrow the power of the Tang court. You and I submit today so that Tubo can stand up again in the future, just like Goujian."

Zanpo looked at Chen Qingsi in front of her and bent down and lowered her head.

Chen Qingsi nodded slightly and led the two to the hall.

Seeing the two of them in such a state, Chen Qingsi mercifully asked someone to prepare a meal, and also specially asked someone to invite Chimalo over.

Chen Qingsi did not show much enthusiasm, nor did he specially host a banquet for them. Just for safety reasons, he asked Cheng Wuting, Xi Junmai and Song Lingwen to accompany them.

Chen Qingsi naturally sat at the top, with Cheng Wuting and Xi Junmai on his left and right, then Mangsong Mangzan and Zanpo, and lastly Song Lingwen.

Looking at such a seat, a trace of humiliation flashed in Mangsong Mangzan and Zanpo's eyes.

It's easy to say about Zanpo. Mangsong Mangzan is the ruler of a country after all. It's reasonable for him to be under the command of Chen Qingsi, the commander-in-chief of the three armies.

What virtue and ability did Cheng Wuting and Xi Junmai have that they could be above the Tibetan king?

Mangsong Mangzan thought about it for a moment and realized that the cards in his hand were useful against the Tang court, but not enough to be used recklessly, so he endured it.

Chi Maluo, who was suddenly summoned by Chen Qingsi, felt inexplicably uneasy as he followed the army all the way here.

This legendary woman from Tubo in history tried every means to escape from Chen Qingsi and seek a future for Tubo and Mo Lu.

It turned out to have no effect. Chen Qingsi was completely unmoved and did not give her any chance until her own people led their troops to surrender. Even today, the plateau is in chaos, and many people without Lu family have come south to surrender.

At first, those without Lu’s family were sneaking around, but later they found that no one paid attention to them, so they stopped hiding and chose to go south.

Today, no one cares whether the Lu family surrenders to the Tang Dynasty, and no one wants to offend the Tang Dynasty at this time.

In this battle, Chen Qingsi completely defeated them.

Chen Qingsi did not break his promise and arranged a good pasture for them in the Nine Bends of the Yellow River. Of course, they did not have the privileges that the Lu family had in Tubo. However, Chen Qingsi gave the elites of their clan the opportunity to study in Guanzhong, and also arranged for Confucian teachers to teach at their pasture, so that they could accept Chinese culture and have the opportunity to serve as officials in the Tang Dynasty.

Chimalo was satisfied with the result at this moment. Tubo was now a mess.

Now the Chen family and the Nan family are only engaging in tentative friction, secretly calling on their friends and trying to win over and threaten small and medium-sized powerful people to join their camp.

When the time comes, there will definitely be a mess. The private soldiers of the Meilu clan have surrendered. The Meilu clan on the plateau cannot cope with this turbulence. Being able to withdraw in time is a great blessing in Chima Luo's eyes.

As for those who don't want to come, we can only leave it to them and leave it to fate.

Chimalo had long realized that his bottom line had been lowered again and again, and now he was willing to let the Meilu clan completely become the subjects of the Tang Dynasty.

The most terrifying thing is that she lowered the bottom line willingly, because if she didn't, she would lose even more miserably.

Therefore, Chimalu was a little scared about Chen Qingsi's invitation. She really couldn't guess what Chen Qingsi was thinking.

Every time I meet him, nothing good happens.

I don’t know what the other party is thinking this time!
Chimalu did not dare to delay and came to the hall of the Governor's Mansion in Fu'e City.

As soon as I entered the hall, I saw that there were already many people in the hall. Chen Qingsi was in the first place, Cheng Wuting and Xi Junmai were on the left and right, and the two people below were...

Chimaluo's body trembled slightly, and there was a hint of surprise in his eyes.

It's him?

Fear, astonishment, shock.

Chimalo and Mangsongmangtsen had known each other since childhood, and they studied Chinese culture together with Gardongtsen.

Deep in her memory, the greatest king of Tubo once held one in each hand and then engaged them.

Chimalo knew from a young age that she would become the queen of the future Zamp of Tubo. When she grew up, she also knew that her father had placed the Meilu family on Mangsong Mangtsen because of this relationship, and taught her to wholeheartedly assist her future husband, the Zamp of Tubo.

As a result, it was because of him that the Lu family ended up in the situation they have today.

Chima Luo had mixed feelings. She had a certain fondness for Mangsong Mangzan. They grew up together, were childhood sweethearts, and had made an engagement early on.

Mangsong and Mangzan were extremely smart, and their talents, wisdom and strategies were outstanding.

But now... he has become a prisoner.

Chimalo sighed secretly, comparing himself to others will only make you feel nauseous. Mangsongmangzan might be the best choice for a while, but compared to him, he is nothing.

Thinking of this, Chimaluo ignored Mangsong Mangzan and stepped forward and said, "Chimaluo greets the chief steward!"

Her tone was unconsciously respectful, and there was a hint of admiration in her eyes.

Mangsongmangzan lowered his head in shame, speechless in front of Chimalo and Meilu.

Chen Qingsi smiled and said, "We are all acquaintances, so there is no need for me to introduce you!"

There was silence for a moment.

Chima Luo said calmly, "Of course I know him. The chief steward is really a master at using troops. The Tibetan king has become your prisoner."

There was a hint of anger in Mangsong Mangzan's eyes, and his original shame was gone. As the king of Tubo, he had no regrets about all his decisions.

How could Chimalo, as his former future princess, have no understanding of him at all?

Chen Qingsi said: "This is really not my credit. They came to me on their own. Miss Zhuo, come and sit down. Let's listen together and see what your former Zanpu wants to do here."

Chimalo nodded and took a seat.

Chen Qingsi turned his gaze towards Mangsong Mangzan.

"Today's shame will be avenged another day."

Mangsong Mangzan secretly hated him in his heart, but he still had a smile on his face and said, "The general manager is a great hero, and he has made every possible plan. Han Xin and Li Jing are no better than him. I am convinced that we were defeated by the general manager this time."

Chen Qingsi nodded slightly. He understood the rules. In order to prove that he was not so incompetent, he praised his opponent who defeated him to the sky.

Mangsong Mangzan stood up and bowed, saying, "Because I was deceived by others and overestimated my own strength, I ended up fighting against the royal army, which led to today's defeat. I deserve it. Nowadays, treacherous people are rampant in the plateau, and the Tibetan people have suffered greatly from them. I beg the generals of the Heavenly Dynasty to forgive the past and send troops to help me eliminate the treacherous people. We Tibetans are willing to follow the Tang Dynasty as our suzerain for generations. If we break this oath, we are willing to be punished by heaven and not enter the reincarnation."

Chen Qingsi said: "This is empty talk. If the oath worked, Tubo and our dynasty would have been together today. Or are you letting Songtsen Gampo suffer in hell for your own benefit?"

Zanpo stood up angrily and said, "Don't humiliate the great Songtsen Gampo!"

Chen Qingsi nodded and said, "He is a loyal one, but in the previous alliance, my Emperor Taizong won but did not advance, which has given you Tibetans enough dignity. You don't know how to repay, and you have repeatedly raised troops. You have treated the alliance as nothing. If I want to trust you today, won't we repeat the same mistake? Why don't we bring some practical benefits? Only when the benefits are sufficient will there be a need to continue the discussion. You are full of empty words, so why not keep them in Chang'an and talk to your colleagues."

Mangsongmang praised: "As long as the imperial court is willing to send troops to help me suppress the rebellion, I am willing to accept the Tang imperial court's stationing of troops and the establishment of a protectorate like Tuyuhun. The territory north of the Maduo River will all belong to the Tang Dynasty."

As soon as he said this, Zanpo and Chimalun's faces changed.

The Maduo River is the source of the Yellow River. All the frontier areas north of the Maduo River, including Wuhai, were ceded to the Tang Dynasty.

This is already a great humiliation of ceding territory for glory, but they don't want to accept the Tang Dynasty's garrison. Isn't this the same as Tuyuhun?

When Tuyuhun accepted the Tang court's garrison, they mocked them in various ways on the plateau, but they never expected that it would be their turn today.

Zanpo couldn't stand it, and even Chimalo felt ashamed. How could her former husband be such a person?

Mangsong Mangzan also gave it his all at this time. In fact, he had initially planned to have a good negotiation with Chen Qingsi, but after only a brief contact, he found that Chen Qingsi had no intention of negotiating at all. If he did not make a big bet and impress him, he was afraid that he would really have to go to Chang'an to dance for Li Zhi.

Chen Qingsi nodded and said, "That's right, to be honest. Before today, after hearing the Zamp's bold remarks, you and I could really reach an agreement. Now, sorry, there is no need to discuss it anymore. As for the reason, maybe you will know it in the future, so just be a fool for now."

"Someone is coming..."

He waved his hand and said, "Secretly take Mangsong Mangzan and Zanpo back to Chang'an and hand them over to Your Majesty for disposal."

Chen Qingsi did not give Mangsong Mangzan and Zanpo any chance to speak and directly had them taken away.

Mangsong Mangzan had no idea what the problem was. Why was Chen Qingsi still not satisfied after he had been so humble and offered such conditions?

Chen Qingsi looked at the dazed Chima Luo and asked, "Have you given up on Tubo?"

Chima Luo asked: "What do you want?"

Chen Qingsi said: "I know that although the Lu family has declined, their connections are still there. I need you to help me contact the Zanpu in the hands of the Chen family."

Chima Luo looked at Chen Qingsi deeply, smiled and said, "Okay!"

(End of this chapter)