Ji Tang

Chapter 246 The Rise and Fall of the Turks ([-])

However, the Sui Dynasty was crumbling under Yang Guang's torment and was exhausted. Turks were keenly aware of this.

So, when the time came during the Daye period, Yang Guang patrolled Beisi and went to the north to cheer up the wind. Shibi Khan led hundreds of thousands of cavalry to prepare to attack Yang Guang.

If not for Princess Yicheng, who had already married into a Turk, she couldn't bear to see her younger brother hacked to death by her husband, so she secretly informed Yang Guang.

Therefore, Yang Guang escaped and took refuge in Yanmen County. However, the Turks seemed to be in an uninhabited land in the northern border of the Sui Dynasty, conquering 39 cities, but only two were not captured.

Fortunately, Yanmen was not breached, but Yang Guang was frightened by the powerful Turks, and the Sui Dynasty showed its weak neck.

The Sui Dynasty was quickly torn apart by Yang Guang, and weapons were everywhere. The powerful enemy East Turks became unified and powerful without the intervention of the Sui Dynasty.

The Han people from the Central Plains who fled the war brought population and technology to the Eastern Turks.The separatist forces in the Central Plains, Xue Ju, Dou Jiande, Li Gui, Gao Kaidao, and Wang Shichong, also declared their submission to the Turks.

The number of people in control of the Eastern Turks reached more than one million, and the army was extremely powerful, which was unprecedented in ancient times.

During the Xiongnu Modun Chanyu period, the powerful Xiongnu had only more than 20 string-controllers, while the unified Mongolian tribe that dominated the world in later generations only had [-] string-controllers.

Wanyan Agu raised his army with less than 4000 men.

It can be seen that at the end of the Sui Dynasty and the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, the Turks became very powerful!

The Tang Dynasty was established in this atmosphere.And sure enough, when Li Shimin first came to the throne, the Turkic Jieli Khan gave him a powerful blow.

Jieli Khan and the younger Khan personally led an army of 20 to the north of the Weishui River Bridge outside Chang'an City, the capital of the Tang Dynasty, only 40 miles away from Chang'an City.

This Jieli Khan was a veteran rogue. As early as the Li Yuan period, he had robbed people and property in the northern border of the Tang Dynasty. This time, he judged the political instability of the Tang Dynasty and planned to do something big.

However, Chang'an did not have enough troops to deal with it at this time. Chang'an was in danger, and some people suggested fleeing and moving the capital. However, Li Shimin was worthy of being the emperor on horseback. He was calm and courageous. He only took six people to negotiate with Jieli Khan across the Weishui River.

Jieli Khan was frightened by Li Shimin's momentum and demeanor. He also knew that the Southern Dynasties were using their troops treacherously and suspected an ambush.

In addition, Ji Song continuously annihilated nearly [-] of their elite cavalry, which made all the troops fearful and had lost their vigor.This made him unable to figure out the reality of Datang.

He went deep into the enemy's territory. Under the strong walls of the Tang Dynasty and the clear wilderness, logistical supplies became his biggest flaw.As the current Turkic Khan, he certainly knew that this place was not a place to stay for a long time.

If he waits until the Tang Dynasty army returns to support and sends an elite force to block their way back north, then it will not be a matter of whether he wants to fight, but whether he can return to the grassland safely.

Historically, the reasons why Jie Li retreated were that, first, it was not the best time to destroy the Tang Dynasty, and second, Li Shimin fed him, and Li Shimin spent all his wealth and silk to feed him.

Although with Ji Song's participation, it was not so ugly and the Turks were not given more property.

However, the shame of being forced to make an alliance under the city was like a needle pricking Li Shimin's heart. How could the emperor be so humiliated?Must win the game.

This wait is not ten years, 20 years or 30 years, but only three years from now, which is now.

There was a split within the Eastern Turks. The Xue Yantuo, Uighur, Bayagu, and Tongluo tribes who opposed Jieli Khan were dissatisfied with his changes in national customs and the implementation of political orders, and appointed Xue Yantuo as the khan.

Tuli Khan also secretly contacted Tang and broke with Jieli Khan.

At the same time, the Eastern Turks encountered heavy snowy weather at this time. Most of their livestock froze to death and starved to death, and the Turks' power gradually weakened.

When the Tang Dynasty waited for the Sui Dynasty, they only had to follow the methods of the Sui Dynasty to fight each other, and then they could sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight and let them kill each other. However, Li Shimin did not stop there. A lot of preparation was done.

Although there have been various natural disasters in recent years, under the governance of Li Shimin and others, Datang has become relatively stable.

After stabilizing the inside, of course we must turn our attention to the outside.When Li Shimin looked again at the Eastern overlord who had humiliated him, he found that it was currently weak.

Natural disasters will not only take care of Datang. The grasslands are also ravaged by various natural disasters. The White Devil, the Black King, and the sudden drop in temperature have made this once powerful neighbor weak.

If nothing else happens, whenever the grassland peoples suffer disasters, they will turn their attention to the rich Han people in the Central Plains.

There is a guarantee for them to survive the disaster. There is no food, no use, no women, no slaves. The Central Plains has it!
Not only are they available, they are also the best and easiest to get, so just grab them!

But after several trials, Jie Li discovered that this little guy from the south seemed a little difficult to beat!

Li Daozong, the king of Rencheng, defeated the Turks in Lingzhou and beheaded more than a thousand people.

The warriors who went south to plunder Youzhou were also defeated and had to return to the grassland to find another way.

Yanmen Pass in Bingzhou was even more tightly guarded, and the dangerous closing made him daunted.

In addition, Tuli's little Khan was flirting with the Emperor of Tang Dynasty, so he couldn't let go and start a big fight.

At this moment, he suddenly discovered that when did the Turks, who were once so powerful, become so weak?
At the same time, Li Shimin and Li Jing also discovered that this neighbor seemed to be able to fight. How about giving it a try?

Therefore, Li Jing specially formulated methods and tactics to target the Turkic cavalry.

He trained, fought, and even lived the elite Tang cavalry in exactly the same way as the Turks.Familiar with it, imitated it, surpassed it, Li Jing had high requirements for these cavalry.

First of all, these cavalry can march long distances wearing armor and have good physical fitness, which is quite similar to today's heavy-duty cross-country.

Secondly, proficiency in using cold weapons such as spears and short knives requires being able to pierce heavy armor with one blow.Tricks are useless. The enemy will not give you a chance to perform fancy techniques. Killing should be simple and efficient.

Third, one must be able to skillfully control horses while wearing heavy armor.

Fourth, you need to be good at using long-range weapons and crossbows.

This set of standards can be said to be capable of shooting from a distance, capable of fighting at close range, with abundant physical energy and comprehensive skills.This set of standards gave the cavalry selected by Li Jing a combat effectiveness that was no less than that of the Turkic cavalry.

The technical advantages of the Tang Dynasty were to crush the Turks, including Tang crossbows, extremely sharp straight knives, and various sophisticated armors.

Therefore, Li Jing does not need too many troops.However, in order to complete his victory in one battle, Li Shimin still gathered more than [-] people for Li Jing, and he was ready to reinforce him at any time.

When things have reached this point, the two old and new hegemonic forces in the East are inevitably heading towards a decisive battle.

The winner will definitely take it all, and the loser will have a hard time making a comeback.

The decisive battle that will determine the dominance of the East for hundreds of years has begun.

One is an eastern hegemonic nation that once controlled millions of people and had a territory spanning thousands of miles; the other is an emerging dynasty that emerged from the chaos of the late Sui Dynasty.

One is like the sunset, and the other is like the rising sun.

And their duel will also determine the direction of human civilization in the world, but what kind of excitement is there?

We will wait and see!

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(End of this chapter)