The Flourishing Tang Dynasty: Beginning with Marrying Yang Yuhuan

Chapter 108 Conditions Suiye City

Facing Li Heng's question, Mohe Dagan could only answer honestly: "I am guilty of besieging Qiuci last year. I am deeply ashamed and I am here to apologize."

Li Ying asked, "Is that the Khan's original intention?"

Moheda Gan said quickly, "No, definitely not. It was all because of Dumozhi's slander and Sulu's coercion. If the Tuqishi married a Tang princess, they would always be Tang's son-in-law and subject. I was also forced to do so. If I could make the decision, I would never dare to offend the Tang's majesty and hurt the harmony of the family."

Li Heng nodded and said, "In that case, the Khan is a guest, can we go into the city to have a chat?"

When the general behind Mohedagan heard that they were going to enter the city, he hurried forward and said something that Li Heng could not understand.

However, although Li Heng did not understand, he probably knew that this person was persuading Mohedagan not to enter the city.

Moheda Gan raised his hand to interrupt the general behind him, muttered a few words that Li Heng could not understand, and then said to Li Heng: "His Royal Highness Prince Shou sincerely invites me, how can I not go."

"Okay." Li Heng also admired Mohedagan's courage and said, "Great Khan, please."

Mo Heda said: "Your Highness Prince Shou, please."

As they talked, they entered the city hand in hand.

Li Heng had already prepared the banquet. After entering the city, Li Heng and Mohedagan feasted together.

After three rounds of drinking.

Moheda Gan stood up and bowed to Li Heng, saying, "I know that His Royal Highness Prince Shou is a straightforward person, so I will not beat around the bush. The reason I came here is not only to apologize, but also to ask His Royal Highness Prince Shou to help me quell the Tuqishi rebellion."

Li Ying asked, "Are you referring to the rebellion of Dumozhi?"

"Your Highness Prince Shou is wise." Moheda Gan replied respectfully, and then said righteously: "Dumazhili colluded with the Arabs, plotted to kill Sulu Khan, and imprisoned Sulu Khan's son in Suiye City. He is indeed an unforgivable criminal."

Mohedagan shamelessly pushed all the blame for Sulu's murder onto Dumozhi.

Li Heng did not expose the truth and said, "He deserves death for what he did, but this is your internal affairs after all. I'm afraid it's not reasonable for the Tang Dynasty to send troops, right?"

Moheda Gan said: "Turgesh has always been a vassal state of the Tang Dynasty. It is reasonable for the Tang Dynasty to send troops to help Turgesh quell the rebellion, just like the Tang Dynasty helped the small country of Bolor the year before last. If the Tang Dynasty can send troops, Turgesh is willing to empty its treasury and offer Turgesh cattle, sheep, beauties and wealth to Your Highness."

Mohedagan has made it clear and stated his conditions.

But this condition was not attractive to Li Heng at all.

Li Heng pondered for a moment, and also stated his own conditions, saying: "The Tang Dynasty can send troops, but the prerequisite is that Suiye City will belong to the Tang Dynasty from now on."

"This..." Mohedagan was shocked.

The reason why Sulu was able to rise quickly, in addition to his own strong abilities, was also because he captured Suiye City, made it his capital, and quickly made his fortune.

Seeing that Mohedagan didn't say anything, Li Heng continued, "Suiye City is now in the hands of Dumozhi. If the Tang Dynasty doesn't send troops, you can't take Suiye City. Moreover, Suiye City originally belonged to the Tang Dynasty, but Sulu occupied it. Now the Tang Dynasty wants to take back Suiye City, and it is reasonable for you to return to your original place."

Moheda Gan was silent for a while, then said, "Your Highness, could you please let me think about this matter again?"

"Of course." Li Heng nodded, "The Khan, please let me know when you have considered it." Moheda Gan said, "Thank you, Your Highness."

The two men talked about the matter and the banquet continued, but Mohedagan was obviously not in the mood to drink.

After the banquet, Li Heng saw Mohedagan off.

Gao Xianzhi followed Li Heng and said, "Your Highness, this Moheda Gan betrayed and killed his former master, so he may not be trustworthy."

"Indeed." Li Heng nodded and said, "But Dumozhi cannot be trusted either. When I left Chang'an, Dumozhi was sending people to the court to request the court to enthrone Sulu's son Yehu as Khan."

Dumozhi and Mohedagan together killed Sulu. Logically, they and Sulu's son were enemies.

However, Dumozhi and Sulu both belonged to the Black Turgesh clan, and Dumozhi could not lead his people out to work alone, so he used the trick of "using the emperor to control the princes".

Mohedagan, who belonged to the Huang family, had his own original tribe. After falling out with Dumozhi, he led his tribe to fight against Dumozhi's Hei family.

Gao Xianzhi was a little worried after hearing this, and said, "Dumazhi is now holding Sulu's son hostage and occupying Suiye City. He has also gone to the court to request the title. The court will most likely agree."

"Not necessarily." Li Ying shook his head.

If Zhang Jiuling was in power, the court might have agreed to Dumozhi's request, but now Li Linfu was in power. Both Li Linfu and Li Longji were thinking about expanding the border, and they had been brooding over the seizure of Suiye City.

Therefore, as long as there is a chance to take over Suiye City, they will never let it go.

This time, if the imperial court agrees to Dumozhi’s request for the title, wouldn’t that mean giving away Suiye City again?

Moreover, Dumozhi was able to occupy the city of Suiye in the battle with Mohedagan with the secret help of the Arabs and Tubo.

The split of the Turkic people was ostensibly a war between Mohedagan and Dumozhi, but in reality it was a struggle between the Arabs, Tubo and the Tang Dynasty for control of the Western Regions.

Based on this understanding, if Li Linfu still opposed him just for the sake of opposing him, it would seem a bit stupid.

To put it another way, even if Li Linfu really did something stupid, Li Longji would choose to stand on his side.

By then, if this matter succeeds, it will further expand the influence of the Tang Dynasty in the Western Regions, and he will have a greater say in how to cultivate the land.

Gao Xianzhi had only recently taken up the position of a high-ranking official and was somewhat out of touch with the news, otherwise he would have been able to understand these things.

But it doesn't matter if you don't understand it now. Li Heng had previously predicted that the Turgesh would be defeated in the war with the Arabs, and he had proposed the strategy of division and support very early on. Such foresight made Gao Xianzhi completely trust Li Heng.

Gao Xianzhi thought for a while and said, "Will Mohedagan agree to give us Suiye City?"

"Yes." Li Heng nodded and analyzed: "Suiye City was not in his hands to begin with, so it doesn't matter whether he gives it to us or not. Moreover, although he has the courage to tie himself up in order to seek our support, he is an erratic villain. He could just agree first and then take it back from us when he has accumulated enough strength."

Gao Xianzhi said: "If that's the case, why do we need his consent? I will lead the army and take it directly. There is no need to cooperate with such a villain."

"No." Li Heng shook his head. "Although we can take Suiye City by ourselves, with the help of Mohedagan, we can reduce our casualties. Secondly, we can have a legitimate reason to cooperate with Mohedagan. And the most important point is that with Anxi's current strength, it will take us a breakthrough to manage Suiye City. The other territories of the Tuqishi outside Suiye City still need a force that is relatively close to the Tang Dynasty to control them."

(End of this chapter)