The Double Ninth Festival has passed, the weather has turned cold, and the night wind with a hint of chill is blowing through the camp that can't be seen at a glance. Unlike the Han people, the Hu people never build camps when garrisoning, at most they are just tents.
Ashina Sheer picked up the wine cup and drank it all in one gulp, and sneered: "Li Huairen is going to do his old trick again."
Tuli Khan remained silent with a cold face. He did not regret his alliance with Li Tang, but he had already begun to regret his alliance with Li Shanyi... If not for this, he would not have turned around and left during the battle in Guji Town last year. .
That shameless guy held this matter firmly in his hand, but threw it out at this moment... Tuli Khan gritted his teeth in hatred.
Why?
The reason is very simple. Many descendants of the Ashina clan lost their lives at the hands of Li Huairen. Even now, the Turks' control over the grasslands is declining uncontrollably. It is also because of the King of Handan of the Tang Dynasty.
And once the news of Tuli Khan and Li Shanyi's marriage to Jinlan spreads, for the former, not only the tribe members will stay away, but at least many people will be wary of him.
In the battle of Guji Town, Jieli Khan was defeated. There were many reasons, but wasn't the main reason why Tuli Khan suddenly withdrew his troops?
"Don't worry." Ashina She'er sneered: "Back then, my uncle pushed too hard, and it was a helpless move to form an alliance with Li Tang. Now that you and I are joining hands, Li Huairen's plan is useless."
Tuli Khan was silent for a while, and then said slowly: "I asked you to sworn sworn sworn relatives with the King of Qin that day, but the Emperor of Tang did not allow it, and only the king of the county..."
"Oh oh oh!" Ashina She'er suddenly realized, "No wonder after the battle of Yanmen, Li Huairen wanted to capture Gu She alive and immediately made him the county king."
"Yes." Tuli Khan sighed: "Who could have imagined what happened today."
"Li Huairen is even worse than Pei Hongda." Ashina She'er also expressed emotion, "Unlike Pei Hongda, Handan used Huairen to win the trust of the Tang Emperor and the support of the soldiers. He is driving a wedge between people, heaping up corpses like a mountain, and he is doing everything possible.”
"But Li Huairen asked himself to go on an expedition..." Tuli Khan hesitated: "Do you want to withdraw?"
Ashina She'er was also hesitant. This time he entered the pass and stopped at the border between Yuanzhou and Jingzhou. The main force of the Tang army was close, and he was afraid that it would be difficult to defeat the enemy. He had previously sent Ashina Simo out. The envoy, forcing the Tang Emperor to hand over Li Huairen, was nothing more than a means.
Just as Li Shan said in the Taiji Hall, Ashina She'er also knew that Li Yuan would not agree to such conditions. It was nothing more than relying on them and getting them. Food, grass, population, livestock, and property were very important to the Turks. But what the two Khans valued more was to use this battle to demonstrate their military prowess, ensure the Turks' status on the grasslands, and increase their control over those tribes that were hesitant due to several major defeats last year.
But neither of them expected that the peace talks would be forcibly interrupted before they even started. Li Huairen invited himself to go on an expedition. If he could not defeat the other party, he was afraid that Li Tang would not have any intention of peace talks.
But if we continue to fight, is there any chance of defeating the enemy?
This question lingered in the minds of Ashina Sheer and Tuli Khan. In the battles last year, the King of Handan had no more than nearly 10,000 troops, and at one time he only had 800 cavalry under his command. However, he was sure to win every battle, and all It was a great victory, so how could this not make them fearful?
Ashina Sheer asked Ashina Simo in detail about various matters related to this mission, from the atmosphere in Chang'an and the imperial city to the mobilization of troops in Jingzhao and the pass.
Ashina Simo left Chang'an the day before yesterday and passed through Qizhou and Longzhou before diagonally crossing the northern part of Jingzhou. He even crossed the Tang Army's defense line before arriving. He observed everything along the way, "At least tens of thousands of troops. This afternoon, thousands of Tang troops Head towards Longzhou."
"The terrain of Liupan Mountain is too dangerous." Tuli Khan shook his head, "It's hard for Liang Division to advance even an inch. Longzhou won't affect the overall situation. Do you know who is under Li Huairen's command?"
Ashina Simo smiled bitterly and shook his head, "There is no way to find out about such things, but there must be Su Dingfang. This person is now the general of Zuojianmen and is ordered to protect the imperial city... He was Princess Pingyang before."
"There should also be Zhang Zhongjian. This person is from Yuan Junzhang's old department." Ashina She'er's eyes were cold. During the battle in Yunzhou last year, he and Li Shan fell to fight, but it was Zhang Zhongjian who snatched him away, causing him to be attacked by Li Shan. Stun the captives.
Ashina Simo was hesitant to speak. Tuli Khan saw his lips slightly parted and said impatiently: "Just say what you have to say."
"Uh, why not retreat?" Ashina Simo whispered: "As close as Jingzhou, the Tang army will attack with all its strength. If it is difficult to defeat the enemy, the days will get colder as time goes by."
The meaning of this statement is obvious. Jingzhou is too close to Jingzhao. The Tang Dynasty will not allow the Turks to continue to move south in any case. It will definitely drive the Turks out of Jingzhou or even Yuanzhou with a fierce counterattack.
While the Turks came from afar, the Tang army continued to replenish its troops. As time went by, the advantage must be with the Tang Dynasty.
Tuli Khan said softly: "With the autumn harvest now, the Tang army has plenty of food and grass. However, there is also a lot of food and grass in the three states as the wandering cavalry raids."
"But most of them must be brought back to the grassland, otherwise it will be difficult to survive the winter. What if there is another famine next year?" Ashina Simo shook his head and said: "What's more, in the Tai Chi Hall that day, Li Huairen spoke fiercely and said that he must regain the three states."
"Do we need to recover the three states?" Ashina Sheer's eyes flashed and he repeated in a low voice.
"That's a big statement!" Tuli Khan sneered at this, "Now the Liang army is stationed in the southwest of Yuanzhou, and it is difficult to advance. However, the Tang army also has difficulty in getting out, and there are even more troops gathering in the north of Jingzhou..."
As far as the current situation is concerned, Tuli Khan believes that after the main force of the Tang Army arrives, it will be difficult for the Tang Army to defeat the enemy and move south. The two sides should confront each other at the border of Yuanzhou and Jingzhou, and this valley is easy to defend and difficult to attack from the south to the north. The Tang Army It would be difficult to break through the defense line and enter Yuanzhou, let alone regain Sanzhou.
Ashina Simo looked a little cowered and said in a low voice: "That's the King of Handan..."
There was no way, Li Shan's previous achievements were too brilliant, and he was eager to capture him alive. Jieli Khan, who was even more pursued, abandoned his banner and fled three times. The piles of corpses on the bank of the Cangtou River are enough to prove it.
What's more, Ashina Simo couldn't help but remember that at the beginning of last year, he also sent Li Tang as an envoy. In the Liangyi Palace, the young prince also spoke so fiercely and threatened to attack... I want to see Jie Li Ke How much better can Khan be than his son?
It's hard to tell clearly. Yugushe was defeated and captured, but Jieli Khan escaped. However, an army of more than 100,000 people could not attack Guji Town, and they were hunted down like dogs. Who is better between father and son? It's hard to say who is lower.
A master who never forgets the past, this time the King of Handan once again spoke out, how could Ashina Simo not be afraid?
Ashina She'er waved Ashina Simo to retreat and said in a low voice: "This is an opportunity..."
That night, the oil lamp in the tent was kept on, and the two young Khans discussed until dawn.
(End of chapter)
