Among the sand dune cities, Shebitu is the closest border city to the east. Because it borders the Mobei Desert, there is not much arable land. It has always relied on the help of the central royal city of Shebitu to survive.
It is used as a warning to defend against possible Turkic invasion in Mobei.
Although Mobei usually has a certain military strength, there are only more than a thousand, and this place serves as a warning. If the Turks really come, this small town in front of them cannot stop them no matter what.
However, just seven days ago, the contemporary King Shebitu personally led an army of 50,000 people to this border town and crowded the entire town.
The entire Shebidu had only a little more than 60,000 troops in total, and now 50,000 were directly mobilized. This also shows how serious Shebidu is about this matter.
In the city lord's mansion.
Li Nianan looked puzzled and asked his uncle, who is now the Shebitu King Li Sitang: "Uncle, is it just a token from more than a hundred years ago? We have been separated from those people in Daxia for so long , why pay such a high price for a token, a promise?
The Yuezhi is not someone to be trifled with. Although we won twenty years ago, we also paid a heavy price. This time I heard that Qiu Ye came with an army of two hundred thousand people. How can we stop these 50,000 people? "
Li Nian'an was very puzzled. His uncle was also the head of a country. How could he do such an unwise behavior?
It's just a promise, but if you don't keep it, what will happen to the Xia people whose families are now ruined?
At the beginning, their lineage took the initiative to give up the fertile land of Daxia to them. A group of soldiers like them went to the desert north to drink the wind and eat the sand. This is how Shebitu became today.
To put it bluntly, they didn't owe Daxia at all. Why would they bury all the soldiers in Shebitu here just for a promise?
"shut up!"
Li Sitang, who was sitting on the main seat, gave a sharp shout and interrupted his nephew's words. He stared at his nephew with dark eyes for a long time and said, "I have told you many times, the people of Tang Dynasty keep their promises, and every promise is worth a thousand pieces of gold!"
"But now the Tang Dynasty has been dead for more than two hundred years!"
Li Sian retorted unconvinced.
"Then we are also from the Tang Dynasty! As long as we are still alive, the Tang Dynasty will still be there! We old guys are not dead yet, and it is not your turn to decide the survival of the Tang Dynasty!" Li Sitang was like an enraged lion. He stood up suddenly, his eyes filled with anger, and his hand was already on the hilt of the sword at his waist.
The scene suddenly became quiet, and the uncle and nephew were facing each other, with no one willing to give in.
In the end, Li Sian was defeated and sat back dejectedly and said:
"Uncle, I don't understand. Two hundred years have changed, and even if the Tang Dynasty was so glorious, it's already been two hundred years!
We Shebitu, the ancestors of our ancestors overcame thorns and thorns, so that everyone can survive in Mobei. We rely on ourselves, not the Tang Dynasty. Why do you insist so much? Externally we call Shebitu, but internally you actually call yourself the Protectorate of the Western Regions. , I don’t understand! My cousin doesn’t understand either. Otherwise, why didn’t he come even though you came this time? "
Li Sitang's anger gradually subsided, and he sat back down, his expression a little gloomy, but the stubbornness in his eyes did not lessen.
"It's his fault if he doesn't come, but the roots of us people are in the Tang Dynasty. My father and grandfather told me when I was very young. People can't forget their roots. If you forget your roots, you will have nowhere to go. We, Wanderers are, after all, wandering ghosts.
Do you think we didn’t understand it as you did when we were young?
But as we get older, everyone understands our elders that this is not our home. We are just passers-by here after all. This is not a place where we can take root, and our roots are not here. The reason why we are so determined. I am from the Tang Dynasty, but I am just trying to find a home for my roots.
Only with roots can you have a home! "
Li Si'an couldn't understand, but didn't say anything else.
"If you don't want to come, just go back. Let us old guys who are looking for roots fight the Da Yueshi. This is our own choice. From now on, the Protectorate will be left to you young people."
Li Sitang closed his eyes. The moment he came here, he was ready to die for the promise, even if the promise was not made by him but by his ancestors.
But as a descendant of the Tang Dynasty, he felt that he had the obligation to keep his promise, even if he had to pay for it with his life!
Li Si'an was silent for a moment and turned around and went out.
Soon someone came to report: "Your Majesty! General Hussars left the sand dunes with five thousand soldiers!"
Li Sitang was silent for a long time, and finally waved his hand and said: "That's all, let them go. After leaving five thousand more people, Shebitu will be better off."
The messenger retreated, but after a while, a man strode in.
Seeing the person coming, the decadence on Li Sitang's face was instantly wiped away, and he sat up straight!
He asked aloud: "Why is Ambassador Ban here?"
It turns out that the visitor is none other than Ban Chao!
After receiving a message from Feiying from Zhao Jun, Ban Chao and his party rushed to Shebitu without stopping. As an envoy from Yunzhou County, they met the current king of Shebitu, Li Sitang.
Then he took out half of the weapon talisman and made a promise.
Originally, he thought that this matter would go through some twists and turns. After all, so much time had passed, and it was hard to say whether the other party would recognize this promise or not.
But what he didn't expect was that the moment King Shebitu saw the military talisman, he immediately asked someone to take out another piece from the royal family's collection. After the two were perfectly combined, Li Sitang immediately agreed to his request and even led the troops himself. Fifty thousand people came to this sand dune city.
Now looking at the Shebitu King in front of him, Ban Chao was filled with emotion, but he quickly calmed down, bowed to him respectfully, crossed his hands and said: "Master Shebitu, news has been received from the front line. , Guishang will arrive near Sand Dune City at most tomorrow. The foreign minister would like to ask if your army is fully prepared?
In addition, the foreign minister just saw the Hussars General leading five thousand people out. Did he go to investigate the situation? "
Li Sitang first answered his previous question.
"Ambassador Ban, don't worry, we have been prepared for a long time and can fight in Guishang at any time.
As for the hussar general, he went back. "
"Going back?" Ban Chao's face was full of surprise.
Li Sitang nodded affirmatively and said, "These young people have different ideas from us. Just go back."
"Master Li, there is no need to feel sad. Young people are all like this. You and I were basically like this when we were young."
Ban Chao also had a general understanding of the situation in Shebitu and knew that young people and older people in the country had quite different ideas.
So it's not surprising that this would happen.
Dang Ji said: "In this case, the foreign minister will continue to urge the army to arrive as soon as possible."
"Good work! Good work!"
Li Sitang smiled bitterly and nodded.
…
(End of chapter)
