Under Yun Qianxue's gentle words of comfort, Hesijia cried for a while and gradually calmed down her sad mood.
She wiped away her tears and said softly: "Jun Yun, let's go."
"Where to go?" Yun Qianxue looked at her affectionately.
Hesijia took a deep breath and responded: "Go back to the imperial capital and be with Father Khan!"
"Okay, I'll accompany you." Yun Qianxue raised her hand to smooth Hesijia's hair, and responded with a smile: "Let's go back and fight side by side with the Great Khan."
After saying that, he helped Hesijia stand up. The two of them turned around and walked out without even looking at Li Jiangyao and the others.
"Wait a minute!" Li Jiangyao quickly called to them.
Yun Qianxue looked at the opposite side proudly and asked calmly: "What? Does the Protector want to detain us?"
Li Jiangyao sighed and said helplessly: "Detention is not enough. But we haven't finished talking yet..."
"There is nothing left to talk about," Yun Qianxue said, "You all heard clearly what my wife said just now. We are going back to the imperial capital, so let's meet on the battlefield."
Xu Youchang said anxiously: "The truth is already obvious, why are you still so stubborn? Even if you don't think about yourself, you should think about the princess. Can you bear to look at her...watch her stay in the Holy Land forever? Tang?"
A bitter smile appeared on Yun Qianxue's face: "General Xu, when you love someone, shouldn't you respect her choice and accompany her to life and death? He Sijia has made up her mind. She wants to continue to protect her father Khan. , as a husband, shouldn’t I support you?”
"Confused!" Xu Youchang stood up and said: "Both of you are confused! From the moment Ash Khan handed over the golden order to you, it was equivalent to entrusting the future of the entire Turks to you. Go back now, that is It completely shattered his expectations. It seems that you love your father very much, but in fact you are selfish and only know how to satisfy your own fragile feelings!"
Hearing this, Hesijia shuddered and immediately turned to look at Xu Youchang, her eyes full of sadness and resentment.
Xu Youchang suddenly felt sad in his heart, but he still looked firmly into Hesijia's eyes and refused to give in.
Li Jiangyao coughed lightly: "Princess, General Yun, can you listen to my last few words, and then you decide whether to go or not."
After all, Hesijia avoided Xu Youchang's burning eyes and nodded to Li Jiangyao: "Please tell me."
Li Jiangyao stood up and left his seat, walked to Hesijia, and said softly: "Your Royal Highness, do you know why Xu Youchang and I insist on you returning to the Western Continent?"
Hesijia stared at the other person and shook her head.
Li Jiangyao smiled faintly: "Please don't think that we are trying our best to persuade you two just to capture Lanzhou. You know, without you, Prince Tanli could have reached an agreement with me more than ten days ago. I let him go, and he took Lanzhou. Give it up. At that time, your soldiers and horses will not have time to carefully deploy defenses, and our Xinjiang Army can even attack directly to the imperial capital."
Yun Qianxue couldn't help but asked curiously: "In that case, why did the Protector wait?"
Li Jiangyao looked at him, and then looked at Hesijia: "Because what I consider is not only today's victory, but also tomorrow's peace. Hesijia, I take the letter you wrote to me seriously. I've seen it. You are still Anya from Metasequoia City, and you are still the kind-hearted Turkic girl I knew. Therefore, I hope you can return to your homeland safely, redeem your people, and put an end to the hatred between the Turks and the Holy Tang. Eventually eliminated.”
Listening to Li Jiangyao's heartfelt words, Hesijia's eyes gradually gained an imperceptible light.
Just listen to Li Jiangyao continue to say: "Hesijia, the main force of the Turks, must pay a bloody price for all the atrocities they have committed. However, the Turkic people are innocent, and they do not even understand that this battle that took away the Why did the husband, father, and son's expedition happen? If you and Yun Qianxue don't go back, your people will also pay a heavy price. And all the hatred will eventually be passed on to Shengtang by people with ulterior motives."
"In that case, neither the Holy Tang nor the Turks, including the Ghost Desert in Western Xinjiang, will ever have peace."
"Hesijia, please answer me seriously. Do you want to see this scene?"
Yun Qianxue seemed to be meeting Li Jiangyao for the first time, with a look of surprise and admiration on her face. He was stunned for a moment, and then looked at Hesijia beside him.
Hesijia looked very calm and responded softly: "Li Jiangyao, I hope that the Turks and Shengtang will no longer hate each other and live in peace forever."
Li Jiangyao nodded and said solemnly: "Then please accept our goodwill, which can be regarded as fulfilling your father Khan's wish. Return to the Western Continent, return to the Turks, and help Prince Tanli heal the consequences of the war. Trauma, to protect the hope of peace for the people of our two countries."
Tanli also came closer at this time and said in a deep voice: "Sister, Mr. Yun, I admit that I have selfish motives and I am sorry for my father. But my decision is at least beneficial to the Turkic Empire. The Protector-General said before that only You can check and balance the evil thoughts in my heart and prevent me from going astray again with the Turks. Therefore, I sincerely invite you to go back with me and let us start over."
Hesijia turned to look at him: "Second brother, you should know very well that doing this is equivalent to directly killing our father Khan. I can go with you, but I will never forgive you! Never!"
With tears in his eyes, Tanli choked up and said, "I don't ask for your forgiveness, and I won't forgive myself either..."
Seeing that Hesijia changed her mind and agreed to return to her hometown, Xu Youchang finally felt relieved and said softly: "Your Highness, what I said just now was a bit reckless, please forgive me."
Hesijia glanced at him resentfully, nodded slightly, and said nothing.
Li Jiangyao looked at the two people, and couldn't help but feel sad, and sighed: "In that case, you should set off as soon as possible. Gema had promised me before that he would not take the initiative to challenge and harass the Golden Tribe, but he was so far away from me. , Things are unpredictable. Go back one day early and protect your people. Hesijia, for your safety and for your smooth passage through the Ghost Desert of Western Xinjiang, I will send 20,000 cavalry from the First Army to accompany you. On the way, they will obey General Yun's orders until you think you are completely safe before letting them come back."
He Sijia and Yun Qianxue knew in their hearts that Li Jiangyao's 20,000 Xinjiang Army was actually used more to check and balance Tanli's Eleventh Army. This cruel second prince might do something detrimental to them.
Hesijia nodded slightly: "Thank you for your care. Protector-General, your kindness will surely turn into an evergreen tree of peace, protecting the Turkic Holy Tang from wind and rain. Please also consider the friendship between us, Hesijia is extremely grateful for being able to show mercy to my father Khan...to my father Khan!"
As she said that, she fell to her knees and bowed to Li Jiangyao.
Li Jiangyao was startled and quickly stretched out his hand to help her up: "Hesijia, you have saved countless soldiers and civilians in Metasequoia City in times of crisis. We all think of you in our hearts. So please rest assured, even if the Turks If you are defeated, I will also treat your father Khan with the courtesy of a king."
-
The secret agreement known in history as the "Yongdeng Peace Talks" was finally successfully reached with Li Jiangyao's vigorous mediation.
His Highness Tanli, the future leader of the Turkic Empire, His Highness Prince Regent Hesijia, and General Yun Qianxue, the Turkic commander-in-chief, each signed the agreement in blood, formally announcing their withdrawal from the war of eastern aggression and handing over Lanzhou City to the Zhenjiang Army.
The 40,000 soldiers and horses of the 11th Legion of the Golden Tribe also presented their own flags and swords as a sign of surrender.
Then, they lined up to leave the city, and under the "escort" of the First Gale Army, embarked on the journey back to their homeland.
Looking at the army moving further and further away, Xu Youchang felt disappointed. He seemed to have lost the most precious thing in his life, like a helpless child, not knowing whether to cry loudly or scream in pain.
Li Jiangyao came to his side silently, and sighed softly after a long time: "She left after all."
"Yes, she left." Xu Youchang raised his head, tried hard to hold back his tears, and then said with a smile: "Originally, I thought she was in Guanzhong and not far from me, but now..."
Li Jiangyao raised his hand and patted his brother on the shoulder: "I'm sorry..."
Xu Youchang laughed loudly on purpose: "Fool, what are you sorry for? I should be thanking you for allowing her to live well."
Li Jiangyao couldn't bear to see him like this, so he quickly changed the subject: "I heard from Tanli that she also gave you a token. Can you tell me what it is?"
"I don't." Xu Youchang held the jade pendant in his hand tightly: "This is the first time I have received something from a girl. You can't even ask, haha."
"If you don't say pull me down, look at how stingy you are." Li Jiangyao also held back his tears and forced himself to smile: "Just have fun on your own, I don't want to know."
As he spoke, he took a deep breath and said solemnly: "Okay, I won't talk to you about useless things, let's talk about military affairs."
Xu Youchang carefully put the jade pendant into his arms, then stood at attention and said: "Please give me your instructions!"
"The Third Army has taken over Lanzhou City, and now it's time to fight a tough battle." Li Jiangyao said lightly: "Tell me, what is your idea?"
Xu Youchang regained his former composure and replied seriously: "I plan to let Du Jian lead the Second Army and the Sixth Army to form a vanguard corps, go out to Longxi and Tongwei, and cause oppression to the Turks stationed in Tianshui. .At the same time, let the princess command the Third Army and the Ninth Army, pass through Qingshui County, and intersect to Maiji Mountain east of Tianshui, cut off the connection between Tianshui and Baoji in a roundabout way, and completely isolate the Tenth Army of the Golden Tribe."
Li Jiangyao praised: "Okay, friend commander, you are preparing to encircle and annihilate the enemy."
"Now that I have strong troops, of course I should fight a war of annihilation." Xu Youchang smiled confidently: "It's time to let the arrogant Turks have a taste of the power of our Xinjiang Army!"
[Author's note: The war is about to begin. Believe me, counterattacking the Turks is not the beginning of the end, but the end of the beginning...]
