"What did you say? Ash Na Zhijin wants to meet me?" Li Jiangyao put down the wet wipes on his face and asked with interest: "Did the Turkic envoy really say that?"
Situ Wushou nodded: "Yes, sir. That envoy came specifically for this matter. But..."
Li Jiangyao took a seat in the handsome position and said with a smile: "But what?"
Situ Wushou glanced at Yuduoluo next to him and said, "I have discussed this matter with Lord Yu, and we both agreed that the meeting conditions proposed by the other party were not very safe."
"Oh? What are the conditions? Tell me."
Situ Wushou responded: "The other party proposed to set up a meeting tent in the middle area between our army camp and the gate of the imperial capital. No troops will be sent to either side. Only you and Ashina Zhijin will meet alone."
Li Jiangyao scratched his head: "This arrangement is very reasonable. I don't see anything wrong with it."
Yudala couldn't help but said: "Sir, according to intelligence, the martial arts of Turkic Khan Ashina Zhijin is unfathomable. Even the Turkic Martial Saint Biro once said that he was not absolutely sure that he could defeat Ashina Zhijin. ,so……"
"So, you are worried that Ash's jin will kill me?" Li Jiangyao laughed: "This is looking down on me too much, isn't it? Besides, can the dignified Turkic Khan be so incompetent?"
Yuduoluo shook his head: "This is not a question of quality or not. Sir, the Turks are currently in a desperate situation. Even their princes and princesses have chosen to betray, and the main force of the enemy army is far away in the Central Plains. It is uncertain whether the Ashina branch will I'm so anxious that I'll jump over the wall..."
Li Jiangyao waved his hand gently and interrupted the other party: "Don't worry too much, the Xingluo Knife in my hand is not a vegetarian. If Ashi's Zhijin really intends to take risks, it can only be cheap. I."
Yuduoluo gave Situ Wushou a helpless look, and Situ Wushou said: "In addition to safety issues, we have another worry."
When Li Jiangyao heard what he said solemnly, he also put away his smile and said calmly: "I guess you are afraid of the outside world's comments, right?"
"That's true." Situ Wushou was the first senior civil servant in the Zhenjiang Army to know and follow Li Jiangyao, so he won his trust and trust. Although the Holy King of Western Xinjiang is not under the control of the imperial court, he meets with the Turkic monarch in front of the battle and has no officials accompanying him, so he can easily be taken advantage of by those who want to fabricate rumors and confuse the public."
Li Jiangyao smiled: "What rumors are you talking about? Is it possible that I will surrender to the Turks and betray Shengtang and Xijiang?"
Situ Wushou also laughed, but still said: "Of course we know that your Excellency will never do this. But we must be on guard against others. There is no telling which treacherous people will use this matter to make a big fuss. A while ago, you When He Sijia and the Eleventh Legion of the Golden Tribe were allowed to return to the Western Continent, Mr. Xie said that the imperial court would most likely investigate them in the future, and specifically told Mr. Yu and the Intelligence Department to pay close attention."
"Then let them pursue the case, I'm not afraid." Li Jiangyao said: "The situation is very turbulent right now, Ashina Zhijin took the initiative to meet, which is an important opportunity for me to observe the enemy's situation. Listen to the Turks What the Khan says will help determine the enemy’s next move.”
Hearing what he said, the two subordinates couldn't help but look at each other. Li Jiangyao is right. Meeting with the enemy's top leader can help you find out the enemy's reality to a large extent. It is an important means of dealing with the enemy.
Li Jiangyao saw that Situ Wushou and Yuduoluo had nothing to say anymore, so he smiled and said: "You go and reply to the Turkic envoy. I will meet the Khan outside the city at sunrise tomorrow."
-
Before dawn the next day, Li Jiangyao got up early. He was not wearing his usual armored uniform, but was wearing a white robe with a Xingluo knife hanging from his waist. He looked smart, capable and graceful.
Accompanied by Situ Wushou, Yuduoluo and five hundred soldiers, Li Jiangyao rode his horse to the meeting place outside the imperial capital.
There, a simple tent had already been set up.
According to the previous agreement between the two parties, the personal guard stopped two thousand steps away from the tent, while Li Jiangyao continued to move forward alone.
Almost at the same time, a horse also walked out of the mist on the opposite side. Immediately sitting upright was a middle-aged knight, who was Ashina Zhijin, the Great Khan of the Turkic Empire.
As if it had been discussed in advance, Ashina was wearing a black cloak, which was in sharp contrast to Li Jiangyao's white clothes.
The two war horses came closer and closer, and finally stopped at the same time beside the tent.
Ashina looked at Li Jiangyao for a moment and laughed loudly: "Your Excellency, should I call you the Protector? Or Baron Metasequoia?"
Li Jiangyao didn't expect that Ashina Zhijin's way of greeting was so special. It didn't have the airs of an emperor, nor was it rigid.
Since the other party started the conversation with a joke, he also laughed and said with a smile: "Let's just follow Khan's wishes. Anyway, these two titles are not very honorable."
Ashina never expected that Li Jiangyao was not only so young, but also calm and funny, so he responded with a smile: "In that case, I'd better call myself a general, worthy of my name."
Li Jiangyao nodded slightly, cupped his fists and said, "Khan please."
Ashina didn't make any movement, just nodded: "General, please."
As soon as the words fell, the two of them turned over and dismounted at the same time, and the rhythm of their movements was almost exactly the same.
Ashina Zhijin and Li Jiangyao walked into the tent side by side, took their seats in their respective directions, and began the formal talks.
Both of them are heroes of the world. When commanding thousands of troops, they play chess like they are playing chess, and their manners and manners are certainly not comparable to those of ordinary people. Therefore, there is no need for both parties to be polite and polite, and they can get straight to the point.
Ashina smiled and said: "General Li, I want to thank you first for the matter in Lanzhou."
Li Jiangyao knew what the other party meant and smiled lightly: "Khan, Prince Tanli and Princess Hesijia are all my friends."
"No, Hesijia is the one, not Tanli." Ashina said with a sigh of relief: "Besides, Xu Youchang's reasons for letting go of my precious daughter may also be part of it."
Li Jiangyao was a little surprised: "What? Does Khan even know this?"
Ashina smiled calmly: "I am not blind or deaf. I have asked Yinas carefully about what happened in Metasequoia City, and naturally I also know some issues about Xu Youchang. Alas, if it were not for my position, I might I will support Hesijia in choosing the person she really likes. As a father, I have wronged my daughter."
Li Jiangyao didn't expect Ashi Nazhijin to say such words, and couldn't help but feel a little more favorable to him in his heart. Putting aside the hostility between the two countries, the Turkic king in front of him seemed to have some human touch.
However, Ashina Zhijin suddenly changed the subject: "General Li, with your familiarity and understanding of Tanli, you let him go back with Hesijia. Obviously you have no good intentions. At this point, I am a little unhappy. Happy."
Li Jiangyao smiled and said: "Khan is serious. I don't know the complicated relationships within the royal family of your country. For me, as long as I am willing to surrender to the Zhenjiang Army, I will treat them equally."
Ashina stared at Li Jiangyao: "Are you hinting at me? Encouraging me to admit defeat and surrender?"
"Hahaha, Khan is joking." Li Jiangyao waved his hand: "Are you the kind of person who is willing to admit defeat? I don't think so."
Ashina nodded and continued: "I appreciate you very much. In such a complicated situation, you can see my thoughts and respond in time. If you were the Great Protector of Western Xinjiang eight years ago, I will definitely consider carefully whether to launch this war."
Li Jiangyao solemnly said: "It's useless to say all this now. The key question is not whether to start, but whether to stop. Khan, you have no hope of winning. Why not learn from Prince Tanli and end this as soon as possible?" everything?"
Ashina burst into laughter: "After talking for a long time, you still want to persuade me to surrender or give up. General, you should know very well that from the moment the Eastern Expedition army crossed the border and embarked on the journey, there was no way back for us. Either, achieve complete victory and completely conquer the Holy Tang; or die generously and drag Eastern civilization into the abyss. I... have no third option."
This is purely a crazy gambler mentality.
Li Jiangyao thought so in his heart. Either conquer the opponent or die with the opponent. What is the difference between this and the gambler in the casino who decides to make a desperate move?
Ashina Zhijin looks elegant, easy-going and intelligent, but at his core he is a complete lunatic with extreme thoughts. Such people are worse than those vulgar people who only know how to covet power, wealth and status.
"Khan, I think you are too idealistic." Li Jiangyao said proudly: "If you want to drag Shengtang into the abyss, you and your army may not be so capable. Isn't it just two or three hundred thousand highly militarized Are you horse thieves? We can afford it. We can slowly encircle and suppress you and clean them up slowly. It will take more than ten years to wipe out all of you."
Ashina smiled and said: "Really? Who said we only have our own strength?"
Li Jiangyao raised his eyebrows and said: "You mean Lao Jianhua? They are just clowns, what kind of virtue can they have? If you hadn't been entrenched in Guanzhong for a long time and posed a great threat, the imperial court would have sent troops to wipe them out."
"If Lao Jianhua is nothing to be afraid of, then what about Li Zheng?" Ash seemed to have a lot of time to hold his weight.
"Li Zheng? Who is he?" Li Jiangyao was a little confused: "I have never heard of this name before."
Ashina looked up to the sky and smiled: "Hahaha, it seems that the Intelligence Department of the Zhenjiang Army also has information that cannot be found. Then let me tell you, Li Zhang is the son of Li Chengxing, the king of Jin in the Holy Tang Dynasty. He He has been hiding in the Xuanjia Army under the pseudonym Di Xian."
Li Jiangyao was stunned when he heard this: "It's actually him? Are you making it up? The descendants of King Jin had long been killed by the court."
Ashina shook his head: "Lao Jianhua said he is, that is, what is there to argue about? You can neither confirm nor falsify, it is enough for Lao Jianhua and Li Yan . Not only that, this Li Bing also has a half-brother, the new emperor of your Holy Tang Dynasty, Li Bing."
