The reason why Shengtang was surprised and surprised by the news of Turkic invasion was not only because of the war itself.
The dynasty has been in existence for eight hundred years. Swordsmen and iron-blooded soldiers are commonplace. There are hundreds of countries or tribes that were directly wiped out by them, not to mention those unlucky neighbors who have been ravaged countless times.
It's just a game of fighting and hunting, what's the point of mentioning it!
What really puzzled the emperors and ministers of the Shengtang Dynasty was the scale and reason for the Turkic Empire's attack.
In terms of scale, the troops sent by the Turks to invade the Ghost Desert of Western Xinjiang were the famous Blood Wolf Legion. Although famous, the number of people is only 30,000. Using such a force to provoke Shengtang was either extremely confident or suicidal.
In short, it is really difficult to understand.
What is even more difficult to understand is the reason for sending troops: revenge.
revenge? What revenge?
The war book sent by the Turks stated that they were seeking revenge for the son of Duke Karen of the Blood Wolf Clan and the twenty-five Blood Wolf Clan warriors.
They were shamefully killed by the Shengtang people.
The Imperial Court was confused when they heard this: This... this is too baffling. When did we kill the Turkic nobles?
Li Jiangyao, who was thousands of miles away, couldn't help but feel excited when he heard about this, and subconsciously glanced at his boss Zeng Xian. Zeng Xian was also confused: Damn it, the gentlemen who co-coordinated the Protector's Office didn't report this matter to the Imperial Capital at first?
There was no report at the beginning, and now it cannot be easily acknowledged. Although the Turks who died were killed by the scout camp because they crossed the border to attack the caravan, they were worthy of their death. However, because they did not report the war situation in time before, if the superiors were to investigate now, the three deputy governors would have to be punished by the court.
As a result, they reached an agreement, and while resisting fiercely, they declared that they would never kill the Turkic nobles. At the same time, they assured the imperial capital that the Zhenjiang Protectorate would immediately gather troops and horses, and they would definitely defeat all the invading enemies. Don't bother the adults.
After the imperial court read the memorial to the Protectorate, they thought about it, weren't there only 30,000 enemy soldiers? There is really no need to worry about this, so let the Zhenjiang Army handle it themselves.
Therefore, the emperor Li Chengwu issued a decree, ordering the Zhenjiang Protectorate to send troops to fight against the enemy, and the Turks must be blocked from the ghost desert.
According to common sense, if the Turks invade Ghost Desert in large numbers, it is tantamount to invading the territory of the thirty-six countries of Western Xinjiang. Therefore, even if they want to resist, they should let their own troops from Western Xinjiang be dispatched. As for the Zhenjiang Protector The government, at most, is just suppressing the situation from behind, shouting for help, etc. There is no need to directly conflict with the Turks.
However, because they had failed to report military information first and now actively promised the court to retreat from the enemy, the senior officials of the Zhenjiang Protectorate did not care too much and directly made a decision to put an end to this trouble in person.
Following the rules, they first said hello to He Jingming who was recuperating in the imperial capital. Before waiting for a reply from Commander He, the Deputy Governor Cao Yongji took action and commanded the 30,000 rapid relief divisions stationed in Chechi State to go to the front line. .
Cao Yongji was originally a fierce general in the Long Sword Legion.
Twenty years ago, when the late Emperor Li Chengwen ordered to quell the rebellion in Western Xinjiang, Cao Yongji accompanied the army into the Ghost Desert with the title of deputy captain. When the war ended three months later, this guy had actually been promoted twice in a row due to his outstanding military exploits. Rank, he went directly from deputy captain to brigade commander, and his subordinates were in charge of six thousand long swords and tiger swords.
Not long after, in order to frighten the Turkic Empire and preserve the tranquility of Western Xinjiang, Li Chengwen decided to establish a Zhenjiang Protectorate and asked the two legions of Long Sword and Fierce Blade to dedicate 20,000 elites each as the new army team.
At that time, Western Xinjiang had just experienced the baptism of war. It was full of ruins and devastation, and the vast ghost desert was a ghost place where birds did not shit. In addition to the desert, it was the Gobi. The climate and environment were extremely harsh. Even the skin would become rough after staying there for a long time.
Therefore, at that time, none of the senior officers of the Long Sword Legion were willing to leave their old army and stay in Western Xinjiang to build a protective government. After Huo Fang, the commander-in-chief of Changdao, received the order, he asked this and that, but when he saw that none of his subordinates nodded and said anything, he couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed.
At this time, the new brigade commander Cao Yongji stood up and expressed his willingness to transfer to the Xinjiang Army.
Huo Fang was overjoyed when he heard this. He quickly reported to the Ministry of War and promoted Lao Cao to a higher level. According to the level of deputy army commander, he was sent to He Jingming.
From then on, Cao Yongji became the Deputy Protector of the Zhenjiang Protectorate, and he was also a representative of the long-sword warriors in the Zhenjiang Army. Most of the 30,000 rapid reinforcement divisions ordered to be stationed in Chechi Kingdom were the troops he brought from the Long Sword Legion.
Unlike Guan Zhan, the deputy governor of the Fubing Department, Cao Yongji and Zhang Sanpi from the Fierce Blade Army are both veteran military leaders who are used to the battlefield. Therefore, Lao Cao not only did not panic about this Turkic invasion, but on the contrary, he was a little eager to try it.
The reason for this is very simple. Commander He has been bedridden for a long time and has not interfered with the affairs of the Zhenjiang Protectorate for a long time. The imperial court has also been considering selecting a new Protector to replace He Jingming.
Isn't this Turkic invasion a golden opportunity?
The Shengtang Dynasty has always attached great importance to military merit. Whoever can defeat the Turkic ghosts will certainly be qualified to command the entire Protectorate!
With this little calculation in mind, Cao Yongji proposed to his other two colleagues that he should lead the troops to meet the enemy.
At this time, the Turkic army had launched a full-scale invasion of Ghost Desert in Western Xinjiang. After attacking several countries in succession, they are now preparing to concentrate their forces to attack the Kucha royal court. King Qiuci appealed to the Protectorate for help ten times a day, claiming that the five thousand rookies under his command could not stop the sharp teeth of the blood wolf. If no help came, Shengtang would wait to say goodbye to Qiuci.
The situation was tense and the Protectorate could not tolerate any more unnecessary arguments. Zhang Sanpi and Guan Zhan considered the overall situation and finally agreed with Cao Yongji's idea and let him take charge of commanding the battle.
Cao Yongji got the approval of the two and set off immediately. He rushed all the way from Anxi to the train station without even bothering to eat, so he rushed towards Kucha with the rapid reinforcements who had already assembled and been waiting here for a long time.
It originally took three days to walk, but it only took Lao Cao a day and a half to reach it. When King Qiuci saw the banner of Zhenjiang Protectorate, he was so excited that he burst into tears and almost hugged Cao Yongji and kissed him.
Deputy Guard Cao pushed him away: "Where is the Turkic ghost?"
"They're all gone."
"When did you leave? Where did you go?"
"I just left yesterday. It seemed that I was going to Shanshan Country."
"Holy shit! The whole army turns around and targets Shanshan!"
The army of rapid aid divisions had no time to rest for a moment, so they quickly jumped on their horses and continued to march towards Shanshan Kingdom.
Unexpectedly, less than half of the way, they received a report from the Pegasus Scout Battalion: After a short rest at the border of Shanshan Kingdom, the Turkic Blood Wolf Army turned towards Jingjue Kingdom!
Cao Yongji rolled his eyes in anger, and quickly ordered the troops to adjust their direction and fight with Jingjue.
In this way, the 30,000 quick reinforcements, chasing the 30,000 blood wolf army, circled in the ghost desert of Western Xinjiang. From Qiuci to Shanshan, from Shanshan to Jingjue, from Jingjue to Ruoqiang, from Ruoqiang to Loulan, for eight days in a row, Cao Yongji didn't even see the shadow of the Turks, and he was just running with his life. .
There are two main reasons why this depressing situation occurs.
First of all, the Turks' movements are really too fast. It is no exaggeration to say that they are as fast as the wind. Coupled with the ever-changing and elusive direction of travel, even the Pegasus Scout Battalion was unable to conduct careful reconnaissance and timely reporting, so that the rapid aid division could only be aware of it and follow behind to catch up.
Secondly, the armies of various countries in Western Xinjiang are really weak. Not only are their troops weak, but their combat capabilities are also sparse. If they could stop the Turks for a little bit, even if they just showed off on the road and frightened them, they wouldn't tire Deputy Guard Cao into a dog.
Two groups of soldiers and horses launched an armed parade one after another in the Ghost Desert of Western Xinjiang. The countries were so frightened that they hid behind the city walls and did not dare to show their heads. However, Zhang Sanpi, the deputy governor in Anxi, was the first to see this. Something is wrong inside.
He sent an urgent message to Cao Yongji overnight, reminding the other party to immediately stop blind pursuit and secure several strategic locations first, and then make plans after finding out the enemy's true movements.
At the same time, he also told Cao Yongji that he would urgently mobilize the main force of the Protectorate stationed in Anxi Kingdom to join the rapid reinforcements, and then everyone would work together to encircle the Turkic wolf army.
However, Zhang Sanpi's advice was still a step too late.
On the same day that his messenger rushed out of Anxi City on horseback as if his butt was on fire, the Turks, who were thousands of miles away and had been moving rapidly, suddenly stopped.
The place where they stopped was called Yewang Slope.
“Ye Wang Slope, Ye Wang Slope, there are many innocent souls on Ye Wang Slope.
Beating the golden drum and beating the silver gong will make it difficult for the wronged souls to cross the Okura River. "
Yewangpo is an angular area formed by the Congling branch and the Dacang River. The terrain is sloping, high in the north and low in the south. Since the east-west trade route runs through this place and it is located at the junction of many countries, Yewang Slope is also a famous ancient battlefield.
In history, many great battles have broken out here, and the bones of countless men from Western Xinjiang have been buried on the battlefield, becoming the ghosts of injustice who wander around Yewangpo all day long.
The Turks suddenly chose to stop here, obviously they had no good intentions.
But no matter what, the other party finally stopped running this time. The panting Uncle Cao showed a happy smile: It's good if he doesn't run, then let's do it!
During the period of chasing each other, the Pegasus Scout Battalion gradually figured out the details of the Turks, and accurate enemy information was sent to Cao Yongji one after another.
It was said before that the people coming from the opposite side were the Blood Wolf Legion of the Turkic Empire. In fact, this statement was not very accurate. From a strict definition, the opponent should be called the Blood Wolf Legion Part One, or the Blood Wolf Karen Army.
Because the 30,000 Turkic troops who invaded Western Xinjiang this time were only the tribal troops under Duke Karen, and the main force of the Blood Wolf Legion, the Wolf Guard Army commanded by Shan Duhan himself, did not appear at all.
After Cao Yongji received the news, he suddenly felt lucky and depressed. Fortunately, the enemy is not the main force of the Turks, so it is naturally much easier to deal with them; but what is depressing is that the heroes are useless.
My majestic long sword and tiger are strong. If you want to drink, you can drink the blood of powerful enemies. That's enough power. It doesn't matter if you have a second-rate army.
However, the smug Cao Yongji was soon surprised to find that although the opponent was a second-rate Turkic force, its combat power was at the level of Shengtang!
The curtain of the Yewangpo battle officially opened under a bloody setting sun.
Thirty thousand Turkic cavalry, when they saw the Shengtang army entering the battlefield, without even a polite word, they immediately launched an attack from the top of the northern slope occupying a geographical advantage, rolling towards the south like a furious wave.
Oh My God! Cao Yongji's heart tightened when he saw this: The other party didn't even have at least tentative contact, and launched a group charge as soon as they came up? !
The situation in front of him did not allow him to hesitate any longer. Cao Yongji drew his sword, shouted to the exhausted quick reinforcements, and quickly prepared a defensive formation, preparing to withstand the impact of the Turkic cavalry.
Even though the soldiers of the Protectorate were well-trained and experienced in hundreds of battles, they switched from pursuit to confrontation in the blink of an eye, but they still could not withstand the overwhelming pressure from the opposite side.
After all, everyone had been driving for several days and had just arrived at Yewangpo. Before they could even catch their breath, they met the Turkic army head-on who had rested for half a day. The state of the two sides was decided!
