Tiantang

Chapter 248
Chapter 255

Stanley was so angry that he lost his mind.

The secret agreement with Zhang Xuan and the throne of Tubo are all forgotten. Now he has just one thought, and he will do whatever it takes, even if he sacrifices his life. Lead the Tang army to fight to the death.

Ang Ren and other generals tried hard to persuade them to no avail, so they had to lead the whole army and set up a formation on the Chiling line overnight, preparing to fight the Tang army to the death.

Early the next morning, more than [-] remnant Tubo soldiers under Stanley formed an formation on Chiling, ready to fight Zhang Xuan's troops to the death.Sworn to defend the glory of the Tubo army and Prince Stanley.

However, the Stanley army waited for a long time, but they heard a report from the spy Ma that the Tang army had set up camp under Chiling and did not pursue it.

Stanley roared in embarrassment and raged for a long time, and finally, under the persuasion of his generals, he retreated slowly in Tubo territory.

But as soon as the Tubo soldiers and horses moved, the Tang army began to pursue them.

When Tubo got the news and continued to prepare for the battle, the Tang army stopped again and kept a distance of [-] miles from Tubo's soldiers and horses.

Stanley became furious and led his troops to attack, but the Tang army immediately retreated after hearing the news.Stanley led his army to chase for tens of miles, but he didn't dare to pursue any more, so he turned around and retreated again.

When the Stanley army horses began to retreat, Tang Jun chased them up without haste, maintaining the same speed and frequency of action as the Stanley army horses.

If the Stanley army's horses are in a hurry, the Tang army will move quickly; if the Stanley army's horses are slow, the Tang army will also move slowly.

Repeated this cycle for more than ten times, the Stanley army and horses were extremely tired and miserable, and the soldiers complained a lot.

Stanley Kong was full of resentment and anger, but he had nowhere to vent, so he had to grit his teeth, and no matter what the Tang army did, he ordered the army to march towards Luoxiecheng with full strength.

The Stanley army marched in a hurry, and the Tang army behind them pursued them in full swing.

For more than ten days in a row, the Tang army under Zhang Xuan went deep into Tubo for hundreds of miles, wreaking havoc along the way, constantly attacking Tubo tribes or population settlements, supporting war with war, and supplementing themselves by robbing the Tubo people of food, grass, cattle and sheep, causing great damage. The movement shocked the entire Tubo country.

The news of Stanley's defeat did not reach the headquarters of the Tubo army and horses on the front line of Helong until Zhang Xuan led his army to attack Tubo.Jia Sang, the chief general of the Tubo Army, was shocked when he heard the news, and immediately dispatched half of the 5 soldiers he had stationed to pass through the hometown of Tuyuhun and go straight to Chiling, preparing to intercept Zhang Xuan's [-] Tang troops.

The Tubo soldiers on the Jiannan and Hexi lines were even more nervous, fearing that the Tang troops from Jiannan and Hexi would suddenly enter Tubo territory.

For a while, the name of Zhang Xuan, the great governor of Longshuo in the Tang Dynasty, spread throughout Tubo, and Tubo people deeply remembered this name.

Going southwest across Chiling Mountain is Luoxie City, about 500 miles away in a straight line.However, Zhang Xuan led the army to pursue the Stanley troops for nearly [-] miles, attacking the city and pulling out the stronghold all the way.

It can be said that Zhang Xuan chose the timing of this attack very well. The total number of troops in Tubo was less than 20, and half of the troops deployed along the borders had accounted for half of them. Thousands of people were defeated on the front line in Qinghai, and the number of soldiers lost would be as high as more than 5.

In other words, Zhang Xuan's real opponent, Tubo, can currently mobilize only 4 to [-] troops, and most of these troops are scattered throughout Tubo, so they cannot pose a strong threat to Zhang Xuan's army at all.

On the Gobi, more than a hundred miles south of Golmud, more than ten thousand remnants of Stanley met with the retreating Gyatso troops, with a total of 5000 soldiers and horses, but Stanley could no longer care about entanglement with Zhang Xuan. He led his army to patrol some cities, preparing to return to the city to usurp the throne.

He didn't have much time left, the king of Tubo was seriously ill and might die at any time, if he didn't return in time, the throne would definitely fall into the hands of other princes.And although he only has 5000 confidants and horses left in his hands, it is enough to take some cities.

As long as Stanley is on the throne of Tubo, with the support of Dong Zebu and other Tubo officials and nobles, the whole country of Tubo can only accept him as the new king.At that time, Stanley ordered the entire army to fight Zhang Xuan again, and he was ashamed.This is Stanley's mind.

……

……

The weather on the Tubo Plateau is far cooler than that in Longshuo. Although it is midsummer, the temperature during the day is not high.It's just that the temperature difference between day and night is huge, which makes Tang Jun somewhat uncomfortable.Fortunately, Zhang Xuan had already prepared and ordered the army to bring thick military uniforms.

The setting sun fell to the west, and the Tang army marched to a settlement of the Tubo tribe called Yanzijing. This small Tubo tribe had already abandoned the city, drove the cattle and sheep and fled in a hurry. It is an empty village.

The army rested on the spot.

In Zhang Xuan's big tent, his subordinates headed by Guo Ziyi sat on both sides, chatting and laughing.Su Hudong was also present.During this march, Su Hudong hesitated again and again, but still led his troops to follow.

This road was chased and killed, and went deep into Tubo. It was like entering an uninhabited land. The Tubo city was seized with food and supplies. When the Tang army flag arrived, the Tubo people fled.

During the expedition, no one in the Tang army had brought ten days' worth of dry food, but it had been exhausted so far. What the army needed was all looted from the Tubo city fortresses and military settlements along the marching route.

Zhang Xuan looked at the crowd with a smile, raised his glass and said loudly, "Everyone, let me have a drink! I respect you all!"

"I dare not be the last general! The last general respects the commander-in-chief!"

"Governor, the last general thinks that our army went deep into Tubo, victorious one after another, shaking the whole of Tubo, it should be enough, it's time for the squadron to return to the court." Guo Ziyi is cautious. He actually wanted to propose to Zhang Xuan yesterday that the squadron should return to the court. But seeing that Zhang Xuan was full of energy, he didn't speak.

Seeing that Zhang Xuan was in a good mood today, drinking and having fun with the generals, he took advantage of the situation to express his views.

"Governor, our army is here. It is less than [-] miles away from the Tubo King's Tingluo City. The Tubo army and horses have dispatched more than [-] people to meet our army through the old place of Tuyuhun. If our army is still stranded In the Tubo territory, it is very likely to be surrounded by the Tubo army, and then..."

Guo Ziyi got up and pointed to the map hanging in the tent, circled it, and his expression became very dignified.

Su Hudong also echoed, "The governor, Su Hudong thought it was time to retreat. Although our army has more than 3 people, it is deeply trapped in Tubo. If one is not careful, it will be surrounded and the entire army will be wiped out." Moreover, the commander of our army lives in Tubo, and the supplies of food and grass cannot keep up, and sooner or later there will be big troubles, and the morale of the army will be unstable."

Zhang Xuan smiled slightly, and slowly got up and looked around the crowd, and said calmly, "Everyone, the Tubo army is claimed to be 20, but it is actually nothing to be afraid of."

He strode up to the map, raised his hand and pointed on the map, "The Tubo troops are stationed in the Western Regions, Paro, our Datang Jiannan, and Hexi. There are more than 10 troops. These [-] Tubo troops will not Dare to act."

"This time, the Tubo people have gathered 5 troops to annex Hezhou, and they are eyeing our Tang Dynasty... That is to say, the Tubo people are currently able to mobilize less than [-] troops, and they are scattered everywhere. Come here, it will take time."

"Our army moves quickly, and it is considered a surprise army. It is difficult for the Tibetans to grasp the movements of our army, and it is not easy to form a situation of encirclement and pincer attack. Therefore, you don't need to worry too much."

"To this day, it is necessary for the commander to tell everyone frankly. Do you know why Stanley led an army of [-] to attack our Tang and Qinghai frontline?" Zhang Xuan looked at Guo Ziyi and the others with piercing eyes.

Guo Ziyi was startled, shook his head and remained silent.

Zhang Xuan laughed loudly, "Stanley led the army to attack the Tang Dynasty, with the intention of destroying the peace between the Tang Dynasty and Tubo. To put it bluntly, he didn't want Chisong Dezan to return to Tubo. And he wanted to take advantage of the chaos to take the throne and take Tubo Zanpu Instead."

"Currently, Tubo Zanpu is seriously ill in bed, and all the power of the Tubo royal court has fallen into the hands of the powerful minister Dong Zebu, who is Stanley's uncle... This shows that the Tubo throne has basically fallen into Stanley's pocket undoubtedly."

"Therefore, my commander harassed and harassed all the way. The enemy advances and retreats, the enemy retreats and advances, the enemy occupies and we harass, and the enemy is tired and fights. It is not for fear of Stanley, but for the purpose of forcing Stanley to return to Luoxie City as soon as possible to usurp Throne."

"As long as Stanley usurps the Tubo throne, there will be internal strife in Tubo. In this way, the Tubo people will have no time to care about others, and even the national power will be greatly damaged, and they will no longer be able to pose a threat to our Tang Dynasty."

"Therefore, our army cannot retreat for the time being. At present, the situation in Tubo is not chaotic enough. Our army, the catfish that stirs up the pond, still needs to stay for some days."

"As for the supply of food and grass, my commander has always advocated fighting to support war. The Tubo soldiers and horses burned, killed and looted in our Tang Dynasty, and our army can follow suit. It's just that our army of the Celestial Dynasty puts benevolence and righteousness first, and only takes food and supplies and does not kill indiscriminately. .”

"Look here, everyone. This is a military fortress of the Tubo people. It is called Namuxie City, and there are less than 2000 people guarding it. It is the gateway to the west of the Tubo King Tingluoxie City, and it is also the place where the Tubo people invaded the Western Regions. And set up a supply point for the supply." Zhang Xuan's voice suddenly raised an octave, and his face exuded a divine light, and said solemnly, "As long as our army takes Namu, not only can we intimidate some cities, but also Get a lot of supplies and relieve your worries!"

"General Guo, according to the order, we will prepare food at the third watch tomorrow, and raise troops at the fourth watch. We will go around the northwest and attack the city of Namche, and strive to take Namche in the shortest possible time!"

"Our army came chasing Stanley all the way, and the Tubo people must have thought that our army was intending to attack some cities. The Tubo soldiers and horses who were chasing after him were already rushing to help some cities... But at this moment, our army suddenly detoured to the northwest , jump out of the encirclement of the Tubo people, and catch the Tubo people by surprise!"

"When the Tubo people reacted and chased Namuxi again, our army can rest calmly and then make a decision. With the power of our army, we will stir up the entire Tubo country and make it more chaotic... If the time comes, Isn't it wonderful that our army can retreat calmly without losing a single soldier?"

Zhang Xuan laughed loudly, his eyes shone with confidence and firmness.

(End of this chapter)