Tang Dynasty Swordsman

Page 208

Thus, Mang Re led three thousand elite cavalrymen to charge into the enemy lines. When they looked around, they saw a dark mass of men, extremely orderly and quite frightening.

The attack by the barbarian cavalry was quite unexpected for Li Ji. He had considered it, and Wei Gao had also warned him that the barbarian bandits might be trying to lure him deeper into the territory by launching an attack between Fulu and Jiuquan in an attempt to rob his grain transport. Therefore, Li Ji specifically ordered Wei Gao to guard the lagging wagons and secretly lay in ambush, hoping to capture the attacking barbarian army in one fell swoop.

But they did not expect the barbarian army to attack from the middle route, and their thousands of elite cavalry were equipped with extremely fine gear, which was rare in their lives - originally only Ma Chongying's personal guards could be so armed to the teeth, right? Li Ji had been very cautious in his march, and sent roving cavalry and barbarian cavalry to protect the flanks, but he did not expect that three thousand heavy cavalry would come to attack. The small group of Tang cavalry collapsed almost at the first contact.

Fortunately, Li Ji had previously mixed several heavy cavalry units into the infantry formation as a precaution. Therefore, when they saw thousands of barbarian cavalry charging towards them, the infantry was unable to change formation in time, and several hundred heavy cavalry nearby donned their helmets and tassels, brandishing their spears and charging out to meet them. The cavalrymen shouted and charged into the enemy lines, their movements like waves crashing – but ultimately, the Tang cavalry were outnumbered and had been hastily engaged in battle. Even though they fought desperately to protect the infantry, suffering heavy casualties, they could not stop the barbarian army's advance.

In an instant, the barbarian cavalry charged into the infantry formation. The thousand Tang soldiers in the front collapsed at the first contact, scattering in both directions. The Tang soldiers a little further away also hurriedly retreated in the opposite direction from where the enemy had come from. The generals rode into the middle of the army, shouting repeatedly, hoping to quickly change into a formation to face the enemy. The road was not wide to begin with, and the troops marched in rows of only four or five men, with no depth. The barbarian cavalry killed more than a hundred men in an instant, passed straight through, then turned their horses slightly to the west, and charged back again.

Mang Re's original plan was to break through the Tang army's formation and then advance along the road towards Fulu. Normally, supplies were located towards the rear of the formation, and he hoped to take advantage of the Tang army's inability to change formation, advancing straight to the supply wagons and setting them ablaze. But given the lack of supplies, Li Ji, would you dare to penetrate deeper into Suzhou? Even if you did, how long could you hold out?

However, the speed at which the Tang army assembled and changed formation exceeded his expectations. Looking into the distance, he could see no supply wagons, but the Tang troops at the edge of his field of vision, perhaps due to their relatively low psychological pressure and skillful command, were already close to forming a defensive square. He believed that even if the previous Tang army had completely collapsed and could not hinder the advance of the barbarian cavalry, their formation would be complete by the time he arrived.

The elite heavy cavalry charging into the unprotected infantry formations with no trenches or earthen ramparts actually had a decent chance of winning. However, their own troops would eventually tire from their advance, and if they couldn't break through the Tang lines quickly, the enemy could outflank them from all sides, potentially turning the tide of the battle. After all, the Tang army numbered 30,000—referring to their main fighting force. If you include the supply troops and the Hu cavalry attached to them, their numbers would be even greater, while their own side only had 3,000 cavalry.

If three thousand cavalry could strike a vital point and defeat an enemy ten times their size, it wouldn't be a pipe dream. However, judging from the Tang army's state—well-trained and composed under attack—and the collapse of the few units that directly engaged in battle, that's quite normal—it would be difficult to expand their gains further. Moreover, Mang Re glanced out of the corner of his eye and saw elite Tang cavalry rushing in from the east and west, but they no longer advanced in droves, giving the barbarian cavalry a chance to defeat them one by one. Instead, they maintained a certain distance and began to regroup…

Mang Re's eyes darted around, and he had already made up his mind. He immediately commanded the barbarian cavalry to charge back in the direction they had come from, until they were about a mile away, and then slowed down and lingered.

With such a powerful cavalry force lurking nearby, the Tang army would no longer dare to advance boldly, but would instead form ranks and wait. However, cavalry is swift as the wind, and no matter how strong the infantry formation, if they do not take the initiative to attack, the infantry will not be able to catch up. Thus, tens of thousands of Tang soldiers would be scattered across the plains, unable to move forward or fight, inevitably leading to a loss of direction and a severe blow to morale.

The only solution was to gather cavalry and advance, hoping to defeat or at least drive back the barbarian cavalry. Mangre seized this opportunity, just as Shang Ximo had originally planned, to lure out the Tang cavalry and inflict heavy losses.

According to previous reconnaissance, the Tang army had around 8,000 warhorses, most of which were light cavalry. The heavy cavalry capable of directly confronting their own barbarian cavalry could easily number no more than 4,000. Therefore, with 3,000 against 4,000, and taking advantage of the soldiers' high morale, there was a good chance of achieving victory in this battle.

Sure enough, in less than a quarter of an hour, the Tang army's heavy cavalry had assembled and charged forward.

Li Ji, positioned in the center of the army formation, was not far from where the enemy had launched their surprise attack. He craned his neck and saw the entire rout of his army. Both shocked and enraged, Li Ji summoned Chen Lizhen and ordered him to lead the elite cavalry to fight the barbarian cavalry.

Li Ji organized four battalions of elite cavalry, selecting the finest warriors from Guanzhong and the most valiant soldiers in the army. All were equipped with iron helmets and armor, and wielded large bows and long spears, intended as a decisive weapon for victory on the plains. Naturally, this was entrusted to Chen Lizhen, a former general from Pinglu, skilled in commanding cavalry. Seeing that the barbarian army was well-equipped and reports from the front lines indicated their overwhelming strength, Li Ji, realizing that other armies would be unable to defeat them, ordered Chen Lizhen to assemble the elite cavalry and charge after the enemy.

Chen Lizhen accepted the order and was about to leave when a general rode out from behind Li Ji, clasped his hands and said, "Please allow me, Grand Commandant, to accompany General Chen. We will surely capture the barbarian general and present him to Xixia!"

Li and Chen turned their heads at the same time, and upon closer inspection, they saw that it was Nan Jiyun.

Nan Jiyun had only been in Liangzhou for three months, and under Li Ji's orders, he inspected the various camps daily and taught them combat skills, but he hadn't actually assigned any troops to command. The key issue was that this fellow's rank and prestige were too high, and Li Ji couldn't simply bestow the title of deputy envoy upon him. So how many troops would be appropriate for him? A few battalion commanders would be beneath him; more battalions, even a newly formed army, would likely cause resentment among the veteran generals—not resentment of Nan Jiyun's prestige and abilities, but rather resentment that he, already adorned in purple robes and ranked third grade, was still vying for credit with younger generations like himself.

Furthermore, since Nan Jiyun had come to the capital without permission, Li Ji feared that appointing him to a substantive position under his command would not look good to the court—with a major war imminent, he didn't want to displease certain people in the court and cause them to secretly hinder him, which would be undesirable. Therefore, Nan Jiyun's position was quite extraordinary. If we were in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, there would be a common term to describe him, which would be—guest minister.

In fact, the current envoys are somewhat similar to the guest ministers of the past. They hold a prestigious position, but in theory, they have no real duties and are only temporarily assigned to their posts. Once the task is completed, they leave. Of course, gradually, the task never ends, and the envoy may even work until he dies.

Nan Jiyun, however, did not contend for power. If he wanted real authority and to personally lead a large army, why would he have come to Hexi? He believed that Nan Jiyun's act of voluntarily resigning as the Military Governor of Heng Hai would set an example for other garrison commanders, and since Li Yu was about to encourage him, it would be an opportunity to appoint him as a garrison commander. Nan Ba ​​was merely lamenting the return of his thigh muscles and planning to find an opportunity to fight on the battlefield.

Therefore, he sought neither fame nor fortune. Since arriving in Liangzhou, he did whatever Li Ji asked him to do and never argued over anything. But when they encountered the attack of the barbarian cavalry, which was quite elite, this fellow couldn't help but feel the urge to fight. He immediately spurred his horse forward and asked Li Ji: "Let me go with Chen Lizhen to kill the bandits."

Upon hearing this, Chen Lizhen frowned slightly. Nan Jiyun understood and immediately smiled, "Little Chen, you don't need to worry. You are the military commander. I will go with you and follow your orders. I will never act on my own."

He naturally understood why Chen Lizhen was unwilling to take him along: his rank was far higher than Chen's. If Chen were to express dissatisfaction with the command during battle and start interfering, who would the soldiers listen to? Even if the soldiers still obeyed their commander's orders and did not take this parachuted-in third-rank official seriously, would Chen Lizhen himself dare to reprimand him?

However, Li Ji waved his hand and said, "General Chen, you may leave." He then comforted Nan Jiyun, "I have other important tasks to attend to, and I need to trouble you, Brother Nan..."

Chen Lizhen breathed a sigh of relief, quickly clasped his hands in greeting, and then spurred his horse and galloped away—he was afraid Li Ji would change his mind—and soon rejoined his men. At this time, he had assembled less than 1,500 cavalry, but he was fearless. With a single command, he led his troops forward.

Mang Re, seeing the Tang family's heavy cavalry leave their ranks from afar, was overjoyed. He quickly ordered his soldiers to retreat slightly and then changed into energetic spare horses—he had come alone with two horses—to keep the Tang cavalry as far away from their infantry as possible, in case the infantry came to their aid during the fierce battle.

The Tang cavalry advanced, and soon the two sides were less than two arrow-lengths apart. Almost simultaneously, their commanders raised their lances and ordered their men to gradually increase their speed and charge head-on.

Mang Re stared intently and saw that the Tang cavalry were well-equipped. In the past, he would have definitely avoided such an elite cavalry force. But now, the equipment and weapons under his command were no less sophisticated than those of the Tang people, and their numbers were twice as many. The opportunity was great, so how could he avoid fighting?

—Actually, most of these equipment were made by the Tang people and were captured during the attack on Hexi a few years ago. They had always been kept deep in the military treasury of Guazhou and were rarely used. Now, Shang Ximo has taken them all out to supply Mang Re, which can be considered a great investment.

Mang Re was quite confident in his ability to command in battle, believing he wouldn't make any major mistakes. Unless the opponent was an exceptionally talented and unpredictable genius, there was no reason for him to lose this battle. He only needed to be cautious and not let the Tang cavalry hold him back, preventing him from getting bogged down in a chaotic melee from which he could not escape.

Chapter 53, A Thousand Pear Trees

The elite cavalry of the Tang and Tibetan armies charged towards each other, gradually accelerating and closing in. The Tibetan cavalry were the first to raise their bows and unleash a rapid volley of arrows. The Tang soldiers, on the other hand, raised their left arms to protect their faces and other vital areas with small wooden shields tied to their arms, completely disregarding their armor.

As expected, the arrows struck the iron armor, most of them bouncing off and falling away. Only a few were wedged into the gaps in the armor, but even those were difficult to penetrate the flesh.

Li Ji didn't really think much of the forging techniques of that era, but unfortunately, he was all talk and no action, or rather, he had a lot of knowledge but little skill. He didn't have the ability to make significant improvements and had to accept it reluctantly. In fact, the iron-making skills of the Tang Dynasty, even if not the best in the world, were among the best, and were basically sufficient for the era of cold weapons.

Regarding Tang armor, the Tang Liudian records as many as thirteen types, namely: Mingguang, Guangyao, Xilin, Shanwen, Wuchui, Baibu, Zaojuan, Bubei, Bubing, Pijia, Mujia, Suozi, and Majia—the first four, plus Suozi, are all iron armor styles.

Mingguang and Guangyao were plate armors, but because they were too heavy, they were used less and less after the early Tang Dynasty. Xilin, Shanwen, and Wuchui were all scale armors, but the first two were too expensive to make—and naturally had high protective power—so they were mostly worn by generals. As for heavy cavalry, they mostly used Wuchui armor or chainmail.

Both types of armor were lined with thick silk and inlaid with iron, either iron plates (hammers) or iron rings (chains), providing extremely high protection that could not be penetrated except by strong bows and crossbows. Cavalry bows were generally softer than infantry bows—because when galloping on horseback, it was difficult to fully exert the strength of both arms, and it was also inconvenient to draw the bow and aim for a longer period of time—therefore, when heavy cavalry fired at each other with horse bows, it only had a psychological effect.

Yes, of course you can "shoot the horse before the man," but the problem is that heavy cavalry mounts also have cloaks, though not very thick, they are not so easy to shoot accurately and wound.

Perhaps for this reason, the barbarian cavalry's volley of arrows only wounded six or seven enemies. Moreover, the Tang cavalry did not draw their bows to fire back, but instead charged straight at them with their spears, intending to engage in hand-to-hand combat. Seeing this, Mang Re raised his spear into the air, and his men understood, all drawing their bows and ceasing their firing, instead gripping their melee weapons tightly.

Mang Re's eyes were fixed on the Tang cavalry opposite him, and he couldn't help but feel his blood boil—this was what war should be! A true man should ride a fine horse, wield a broadsword and sharp spear, and fight the enemy head-on, winning victory amidst flying blood and flesh, and claiming glory. The last time he clashed with the enemy was at Muxia Pass, where his troops were mostly lightly armed infantry, and he hadn't even had time to form a battle formation. Against them were elite Tang cavalry, with the surging Wa Ting River behind them… The disparity in strength was too great; even if he fought to the death like a cornered beast, defeat was inevitable…

I hope this Tang cavalry will fight bravely today and not collapse at the first encounter. I think to myself, if the Tang cavalry scatter after one charge, even if I pursue them relentlessly, how many can I kill? Besides, their infantry formation is already in place behind them. The Tang cavalry might even feign defeat to lure me into their ranks. I must restrain my soldiers and not fall for their trick!

If the Tang army is willing to fight bravely, I will have the opportunity to use my superior forces to surround and cut off the enemy, thereby inflicting heavy casualties. After all, the fact that my three thousand elite cavalry are lingering is a major problem for the Tang army, and I should not underestimate this heavy cavalry of the Tang. Keeping them alive may prove very useful at any time, and if used well, may even turn the tide of the battle in an instant.

With his left hand holding the reins and his right hand holding a fourteen-foot-long lance, he aimed at the Tang cavalry in front of him. The distance between the two sides was getting closer and closer, forty paces, thirty paces, twenty paces... Mang Re loosened the reins with his left hand, reached to the side, and grasped the middle of the lance. At the same time, he pressed down slightly with his right hand, raising the lance tip slightly so that it faced the enemy directly.

At this critical moment, the opposing cavalry suddenly lowered their heads—what did Mang Rexin mean? Did they dare not look at him? Had they become afraid? But he also knew that the Tang people were skilled at making crossbows, especially since he had heard that Li Ji's army had a large number of crossbows transferred from Guandong. Was the enemy about to lower their heads to retrieve a crossbow? With the enemy closing in within two or three zhang, even a single, light crossbow shot to the chest or abdomen could pierce through iron armor, let alone a shot to the face…

But you'll need time to aim. If I'm alert enough and take precautions, dodging it won't be difficult. And once I dodge the arrow, it will be too late for you to throw your crossbow and spear; my lance will surely pierce your face!

He tightened his grip slightly, squeezed his legs tightly around the horse's belly, and prepared to sidestep or deflect an incoming arrow at any moment. Just then, the Tang rider opposite him raised his head. Looking closely, he saw that the rider had no other weapons in his hands; both hands were still gripping the spear shaft, and like him, the spearhead was slightly raised, pointing towards his face.

Alright, then let's clash our spears and fight to see who wins!

But to his surprise, a sudden flash of fire erupted from the spearheads opposite him, followed by a cloud of fire hurtling towards his face! Mang Re instinctively yelled, leaning back almost lying on his horse's back. The fire cloud flew less than half a foot from his nose, the heat so intense it even singed his beard. His mount then neighed, tilted its head, and galloped away.

Before Mang Re could even straighten up, he suddenly sensed the approaching danger and immediately swung his spear horizontally upwards. With a "crack," the enemy spear struck, jolting his arms numb—for no other reason than this posture was far too inconvenient for exerting force…

The fiery clouds swept across the land, not just in one place. The first rank of Tang cavalry charged forward, each seeking an opponent, and each spewing fire, thick smoke, and iron pellets from their spears... Caught off guard, the barbarian cavalry managed to dodge the flames in the blink of an eye, less than one in ten managed to escape. Most were struck in the face from two zhang away, falling from their horses with screams of agony.

The warhorses, especially, were terrified and dared not charge forward. Some dodged to the side, others rushed to a stop, causing some to rear up, and many even stumbled and fell to the ground. The barbarian cavalry formation was thrown into chaos...

----------

This is a new weapon that Li Ji ordered Lao Huang, Jia Huai and others to develop this year. Its principle is the same as the "firearm" that burned Qilibuzang that day, but it is only slightly different in detail.

That is, they used a slightly thinner bamboo tube, about a foot long, which was pre-filled with gunpowder and a paper packet containing gunpowder, iron filings, and poison. The front end was sealed with thin paper to prevent spillage during operation. Most importantly, they finally managed to create a primitive fuse, which was made by wrapping gunpowder in coarse paper, twisting it, and inserting it into the back of the bamboo tube.

The two sides charged towards each other at breakneck speed. Just as they were about to close in, Mang Re noticed the enemy cavalryman slightly lower his head. He wasn't drawing his crossbow, but rather lighting a fuse—the Tang cavalry carried incense sticks in bamboo tubes, which provided some protection from the wind, and they were only lit just before engaging in battle. The length of the fuse was pre-set to accommodate the burning speed. Once lit, the Tang cavalryman immediately discarded the flame, gripped his spear shafts tightly with both hands, and pointed the spearheads at the enemy—

Because the bamboo tube was tied right under the spearhead, only concealed by the gleaming spearhead, the enemy might not notice it in the rush.

After a few breaths, the fuse burned out and finally ignited the gunpowder inside the bamboo tube. The paper packet immediately exploded, and the iron shot inside, along with flames and black smoke, sprayed towards the enemy.

After testing, it was found that this thing had a much shorter range than a "musket," with an effective killing distance of only two or three zhang (approximately 6.6-7 meters), and its power was also small. However, the good thing was that this thing was used once and then discarded, while the lance was not disposable. The rider on horseback not only did not need to change his weapon, but he also did not need to make any major changes to his movements. After spraying the lance, he could simply thrust forward with the lance.

This made it popular among most of the trained soldiers—if it were like a musket, it would be useless after one use, and there wouldn't be enough time to change weapons at a distance of two or three zhang, everyone would definitely discard it like trash. The key is that the bamboo tube is very light, and after the gunpowder burns out and the iron shot is sprayed out, it is almost as light as a feather and will not affect the weight of the lance.

So they equipped some cavalry and asked the Grand Commandant to name it. Li Ji thought to himself, "This name is already there. This thing existed in my timeline." He smiled and said, "Cen Shen has a poem that says, 'Suddenly, like a spring breeze overnight, thousands of pear trees bloom.' When you see this thing emitting white light, doesn't it look like a pear blossom? So it can be named 'Pear Blossom Spear'!"

Everyone was thinking, "What? Pear Blossom? It doesn't look like it at all..." Originally, several generals were eager to try it out. If the Grand Commandant had given the naming rights, they would have suggested names like "Fire-Tipped Spear" or "Poisonous Fire Dragon." But now that the Grand Commandant has spoken, fine, let it be Pear Blossom Spear it is.

Especially just before the expedition was about to begin, news suddenly arrived that Cen Shen had died...

Cen Shen was originally a clerk in the Ministry of Revenue. At the beginning of the Yongtai era, he was demoted to the position of Prefect of Jia Prefecture. However, before he could take up his post, he encountered the chaos in Shu and was forced to stay in Liang Prefecture. Shortly afterward, the court sent Du Hongjian to Shu to suppress Cui Gan (also known as Cui Ning). Cen Shen then joined Du Hongjian's staff and went with him to Chengdu. After Du and Cui reconciled, he went from Chengdu to Jia Prefecture to take up his post.

Last year, after completing his term of office, he returned to the capital, but was blocked by bandits and forced to return to Chengdu. He soon fell ill and died in a post station in Chengdu at the age of fifty-two.

Cen Shen's reputation as a poet in the central government was not particularly high, but his poems were widely praised and sung in border towns and among the army. As for the Hexi region, Grand Commandant Li had a particular fondness for this kind of poetry, often praising the frontier poems of Wang Changling, Gao Shi, Cen Shen, Yan Wu, and others in front of his generals and officials—while preferring to appreciate the poems of his close friend Du Fu alone—a fact known to all. Thus, the Grand Commandant named his spear "Pear Blossom Spear" after Cen Shen's poetry, and since Cen Shen had just passed away, this name was deemed a fitting tribute and was thus finalized.

The "Pear Blossom Spear" wasn't actually very powerful, but its dual function made it a valuable asset. In this era of purely cold weapons, the debut of new firearms was enough to terrify the enemy, causing their morale to plummet—especially since it caught them completely off guard. The Tang cavalry's horses were all trained and unafraid of smoke and fire—especially since the smoke and fire were directed at the enemy—yet the barbarian mounts were utterly terrified. The first few ranks immediately fell into chaos, and even those behind often became uncontrollable, turning to flee.

In some ways, horses are more easily startled than humans, and their psychological resilience is far worse.

Infantry, when arranged in a tight square formation, are best suited for defending against the enemy; cavalry formations are relatively loose, but by no means without formations, allowing them to fight independently. As a result, the barbarian formation was thrown into disarray and was quickly broken through by Tang cavalry, who then charged from both sides, and the barbarian formation collapsed after only half an incense stick's time.

The crucial point was that Mang Re was nearly sprayed directly in the face, which reminded him of the tragic fate of Qilibuzang that day. This terrified him, and his limbs went weak and he lost control of his mount. The first wave of troops fled to the side. With their commander gone, the army lost all will to fight and was defeated by the Tang cavalry. More than a hundred were killed on the spot, and more than three hundred were captured. The remaining troops fled back in disarray, scattering across the open fields.

Mang Re finally managed to control his mount, but dared not turn around to fight the Tang cavalry again. A seasoned warrior, he knew the defeat was inevitable and irreversible. His only option now was to quickly shake off the Tang cavalry and find an opportunity to regroup his troops. If morale was still high, he would seek another chance to harass the Tang's rear—though he would likely not dare to directly confront the Tang heavy cavalry again. If morale had already been severely damaged and could not be restored quickly, then retreating to the foothills of Dongting Mountain and fortifying his position was the best course of action.

However, just as they had gathered a few hundred riders, a cloud of dust suddenly rose from the side, and a group of Tang cavalry galloped towards them.

This time, all the troops were light cavalry. Before the setback, Mang Re would never have taken them seriously. However, now that everyone was terrified and the soldiers had no will to fight, he really dared not confront them head-on again. What if he got entangled by the light cavalry and the heavy cavalry caught up from behind?

So he pointed his spear and said, "Don't linger in battle. Charge forward and then turn back to the foothills of Dongting Mountain."

Then they saw an enemy general leading the charge, clad in heavy armor and wielding—holy crap, the legendary horse lance! The general clearly had his sights set on Mang Re, and charged straight at him with his lance. Several barbarian cavalrymen who tried to stop him were all stabbed off their horses one by one by the lance.

Forced into a corner, Mang Re had no choice but to raise his spear to meet the attack. The two weapons clashed with a clang, the impact causing his arms to ache and his internal organs to feel cold.

The opponent's strength and ferocity were unprecedented in Mang Re's life, almost making him suspect that Li Ji himself had taken to the battlefield—however, judging from the general's age, he should be quite old, while Li Ji was said to be only in his early thirties, in the prime of his life. Although Mang Re also relied on his bravery in archery and horsemanship, and was ranked among the top generals among the barbarians, he was ultimately thrown into disarray by the sudden defeat, and could only use half of his full strength. As a result, he was relentlessly pressured by the general, unable to fight back or escape, and finally took a heavy blow to the shoulder, falling sideways from his horse.

Tang cavalry immediately rushed over and scattered the barbarian cavalry who attempted to come to their aid. When Mang Re finally straightened up with a leap, he glanced around and saw Tang cavalry eyeing him menacingly on all sides; not a single one of his own soldiers remained…

The Tang general, beaming with pride, pointed the tip of his spear at Mang Re's chest, barely inches away, and demanded, "Surrender or not?!"

Mang Re sighed helplessly, throwing down his lance: "I surrender..."

This Tang general was none other than Nan Jiyun. Li Ji did not allow Nan Jiyun to accompany Chen Lizhen to fight the enemy, but instead ordered him to lead two battalions of mobile troops to the east to cut off the enemy cavalry's retreat—"If General Chen cannot defeat the enemy, so be it; but if he can, Brother Nan can try to intercept and kill them, and achieve the great merit of beheading a general and capturing a flag!"

The commander of the Youyi Army was Ma Meng, and everyone knew he only got the position because of his former position as a subordinate of the Grand Commandant. His actual ability was far inferior to that of the other army commanders. Li Ji originally intended to use the Youyi light cavalry to intercept the barbarian cavalry, but he was certainly not comfortable entrusting the task to Ma Meng. Fortunately, Nan Jiyun was by his side.

Nan Jiyun lived up to expectations, capturing Mang Re alive, binding him with ropes, and bringing him before Li Ji. Upon learning Mang Re's name, Li Ji immediately stepped forward and untied him…

Chapter 54, Sitting and Watching Without Taking Action

Li Ji deeply resented the barbarians.

He thought to himself, "Why aren't you all staying on the plateau? What are you all doing rushing down there? It's always been the northern barbarians who threaten China. When has it ever been the turn of the Tibetans in the southwest? Especially before the An Lushan Rebellion, the Tang dynasty had already forced Tibet to lose territory and become desperate, and was forced to sue for peace. Who would have thought that the east would suddenly fall into chaos, and Tibet would seize the opportunity to invade..."

However, it is only natural and common for China to suffer foreign aggression when it is in chaos. The problem is that the steppe kingdoms that have always been a scourge to China are now behaving themselves – referring, of course, to the Uyghurs – which makes the barbarians seem even more hateful and deserving of death!

Based on certain ideas derived from later generations, Li Ji was not keen on carrying out genocide. Even if he captured Tibetan soldiers on the battlefield, he would often imprison them instead of killing them. However, he never showed any mercy to the Tibetan generals and noble chieftains who were the main culprits. He would kill them one by one, or two by two, until they were all slaughtered to temporarily prevent future troubles.

However, upon capturing a high-ranking general of the barbarians for the first time today, Li Ji not only spared his life but also greeted him with a smile and personally untied his bonds. He reasoned that the battle was not yet over, and he needed to thoroughly understand the barbarian situation and the movements of their army to facilitate future campaigns. This kind of intelligence could not be obtained from ordinary soldiers, and he could only rely on this barbarian general before him—Mangremelongqixibi.

Although Li Ji has a tough personality, he still has a bit of softness in him.

Li Ji then spoke kindly to Mang Re and inquired about the internal affairs of the Tibetan army. Since Mang Re had already surrendered and his spirits were broken, he did not hide anything and answered Li Ji's questions in general. However, at the end, he asked Li Ji in return, "May I ask, today your army was able to make its lances breathe fire. Is this magic or a weapon?"

Li Ji smiled and said, "The Master did not speak of strange phenomena, physical prowess, disorder, or spirits—this is an object called the 'Pear Blossom Spear'."

"Is it the same thing that injured Qilibuzang on the banks of the Weak Water?"

"They are different in size, but they are essentially the same thing. However, I cannot disclose the specific principle behind it." At this point, Li Ji suddenly remembered something and asked, "How is Qilibuzang doing now?"

Mang Re sighed deeply: "Severely injured and needing to recuperate, I don't know how many more years I'll live..."

Li Ji thought to himself, "I understand. I guess you were scared by my new gadgets, so you had no choice but to surrender and dare not cause any more trouble."

After Mang Re surrendered, the Tang army successfully entered Jiuquan City on the third day. They then escorted Mang Re to the foothills of Dongting Mountain and persuaded the garrisoned Tibetan troops to surrender. Li Ji stopped his horse midway, observed the mountain terrain, and nodded. He turned to Mang Re and said, "The place you have chosen is very good. If the fortification is completed, a thousand troops stationed inside can be equivalent to ten thousand cavalry. However, this fortification is more effective for defending the west than the east."

He paused, then asked, "What is this place?"

A guide nearby replied, "It was called Jiayu in Tang Dynasty."

Li Ji then returned to Jiuquan and summoned his generals to discuss the next course of action. Gao Chongwen said, "Speed ​​is of the essence in war. Now that our army has crushed the barbarian rebels and captured this city, we can quickly head west and head straight for Jinshan and Dushan. According to Mang Re, Mo Fang is still building fortifications on the two mountains, which are not yet complete. If our army is slow in its advance and the fortifications are completed, it will be difficult to attack them."

"This humble general requests to go first and, within five days, capture the old fortress of Yumen Army for the Grand Commandant. Then the Grand Commandant can divide his troops to monitor the enemy in Guazhou, lead his army directly to Hehe Garrison and Yumen Pass, exit through Xingxing Gorge, and coordinate with the Beiting Army and the Shatuo tribe."

Wei Gao objected, saying, "According to Mang Re, the Tubo Grand Master Shang Jie Xi is leading his army to attack Beiting. They are not far away. If our army advances rapidly, they will surely turn back and join forces with the enemy in Guazhou, thus pinning us down from the north and south. How can we safely leave Yumen Pass? Even if they do not turn back, it is more than 600 li from Yumen Pass to Yiwu. It will take more than ten days for our army to march. If we cannot control the enemy in Guazhou and allow them to cut off our rear, and with the main force of the Tubo bandits in front, it will be no different from trapping ourselves in a deadly situation."

He advised Li Ji: "It would be better to hold back for now, let the soldiers rest, and ideally, block the news of Mang Re's defeat and surrender, so that Shang Jiexi can safely go north. Once he is far away, the Grand Commandant can lead us to break through the two mountains and the old fortress of the Yumen army, cross the Ming River, and take Jinchang directly. According to Mang Re, Shang Ximo has given him most of his good horses and sharp weapons, and his original force of less than 10,000 has also been divided, with half of them located east of the Ming River. Therefore, Jinchang will be almost an empty city and easy to take. If we capture Jinchang, we can cut off Shang Jiexi's retreat."

All the generals nodded, agreeing that this was a prudent opinion. Only Old Jing frowned and interjected, "Mang Re said that Ma Chongying sent a surprise attack on Zhang Sancheng, cutting off the connection between Anxi and Beiting. Shang Jiexi is also personally leading a large force to attack Beiting. This autumn, he is determined to win. If our army advances slowly and lets him pass, and Beiting falls because of this, what should we do? In the end, those Hu people from the Shatuo cannot be trusted. Moreover, Jian Congshi returned and reported what he saw. Beiting is probably at its last gasp..."

Wei Gao frowned and asked, "General Ze Jing means..."

Old Jing hesitated, "Why not advance and defeat the enemy, confronting the main force of the barbarian rebels within the territory of Guazhou... Although, according to Mang Re, they still have over 50,000 troops under their command, with the momentum of our victory, we might not be no match for them... If we can crush the main force of the barbarian rebels in Guazhou, Anxi and Beiting can both be secured. After that, we can advance slowly without any problem..."

Wei Gao spread his hands: "In that case, a fierce battle is inevitable. Can you guarantee victory?"

Old Jing grinned, seemingly unwilling, but unable to refute it, so he could only remain silent.

Li Ji turned his gaze to Nan Jiyun: "What does Brother Nan think?"

Nan Jiyun thought for a moment and replied, "When I was defending Suiyang with Zhang Gong, we fought a hundred battles and repelled the enemy, but the reinforcements were slow to arrive. If it weren't for the Grand Commandant kidnapping Xu Shuji and forcing him to come to the rescue, his bones would have long since decayed. Later in Weibo, we split up to attack Jizhou. The Grand Commandant fought a bitter battle at Hengshui, while Zhaoyi Army advanced slowly. Hedong Town was abandoned halfway, and Wushun Army collapsed on the spot... From this, I realized that I can't trust anyone else. Only my own brave soldiers are the guarantee of victory."

"Before setting out, I inquired with Jian about the situation in Tingzhou. He said the garrison was short of provisions and weapons, and everyone was exhausted. Now, with Jie Xi personally leading 50,000 troops to attack, and Ma Chongying cutting off Zhang Sancheng, it's hard to predict how many days they can hold out. If our army is slow to advance, even if we capture Jinchang, the barbarian bandits might seize Beiting first... This might not be very advantageous for the Grand Commandant's campaign to conquer the Western Regions, would it?"

Yan Zhuang, who had been mostly silent during the military meeting, turned to observe Li Ji's expression. Seeing that Li Ji was frowning and staring at the map, Yan Zhuang understood and stood up, saying, "Gentlemen, please listen to what I have to say."

Because of his past record of collaborating with the rebels, most of the generals and officials in Hexi were unwilling to get close to Yan Zhuang, only keeping their distance out of respect for Li Ji. Yan Zhuang also knew that he was not well-liked, so he usually remained silent in meetings, especially military conferences. If he did have something to say, he would secretly report it to Li Ji afterwards. Therefore, his initiative to express his opinion was unprecedented, and the hall fell silent as everyone turned to look at him.

Yan Zhuang calmly said, "When I was serving as the Minister of Agriculture in Chang'an, I read through many old records. I still remember that during the Tianbao era, when the population was calculated, Liangzhou had 23,000 households, Ganzhou had 6,300 households, Suzhou had 2,200 households, Guazhou had 400 households, Shazhou had 4,300 households, Yizhou had 2,500 households, Xizhou had 20,000 households, and Tingzhou had 2,300 households—so you can see how poor Guazhou was."

"Now our army has come from Liangzhou, passed through Ganzhou, and arrived at Suzhou. You should be able to understand the situation in these three prefectures. To the south lies the Qilian Mountains, which are not easy to cross. North of the Qilian Mountains, even a dozen or twenty miles outside the main road, although it is not as central as the Central Plains, there are many streams and springs, which can be cultivated. Further north, although it is desolate, there are still some oases and pastures, which are convenient for animal husbandry. However, from Jiayuguan westward, water and grass are scarce, farmers are becoming fewer, and herdsmen do not often come and go."

"Therefore, Guazhou has only four hundred registered households. It is said that only within a fifty-mile radius of Jinchang can millet be grown. Although there is the Ming River to the east and a large marshland to the north, they often dry up and become deserted. They can barely be used for animal husbandry, but cannot yield any benefits from farming. The poverty of Guazhou is evident..."

Chen Lizhen was getting impatient: "What exactly does Lord Yan want to say?"