Liang Jianfang saw that the opponent's armor also belonged to the Tang Army, and he bent down again and walked back to the rear of Gao Po.
"A group of soldiers and horses just passed by. It seems to be our Tang Army."
Zhang Shigui hesitated and said, "Are they Pei Xingjian's troops?"
Liang Jianfang sat down and discussed with him for a while. Some things were still uncertain and could not be easily believed.
Zhang Shigui was older than Liang Jianfang. He followed Qin King Li Shimin in his eastward expedition to Luoyang and made many military exploits against Wang Shichong.
He was granted the title of Duke of Guo, and later went to Gongzhou Road to lead the army. When he returned to Chang'an, he encountered the Western Expedition. Because of his bad conduct at that time, there was a lot of criticism in the court and the army, unlike Qin Qiong and Cheng Yaojin. get reused.
I finally got this opportunity, and now I am just a deputy general.
Zhang Shigui was a veteran who was over forty years old. He immediately understood what he was worried about. He put on the clothes of a soldier and tied a cloth on his head. "I'm going to check on them."
After that, Zhang Shigui ran to the other end of the high slope.
He walked quickly and took a detour from here to the other side, stopping in front of the camel caravan.
Xue Rengui was patrolling nearby and saw a stranger blocking the road. The stranger was wearing the clothes and leather armor of a Tang soldier.
And Zhang Shigui also looked at the other party.
"I'm under the command of General Liang Jianfang, and I'm here to investigate. May I ask if I'm seeing Pei Duhu's troops?"
Xue Rengui nodded and said: "That's right, the last general is Xue Rengui, the general under the command of Pei Xingjian. May I ask where the general's troops are?"
Zhang Shigui replied: "We will arrive soon, but I don't know if the capital of the Persian King is still well."
Xue Rengui's entire body was darkened, and his eyes were much sharper than those in Chang'an City.
"I also asked General Xue to take me to see the capital of Persia."
"That's fine."
Xue Rengui signaled the camel team behind him to turn around and gave Zhang Shigui a camel.
"It is not easy for the army to trek here. It is when the fruits are ripe in the Western Regions. We used the fruits as military rations along the way. We encountered a sandstorm before and the army had to stop and station."
Xue Rengui nodded and said: "It will be much better after passing the Persian soil and water. It will be just after passing the valley in front of you."
Zhang Shigui didn't say much, and followed him towards the direction of the Persian capital.
After the camel team crossed a river, there were more green plants in front of them. After walking a little further, they saw an earthen city.
After walking for a while, we saw more pedestrians and camel teams coming and going, and there were even many people from the Western Regions patrolling around on war horses.
After that, the Tang army could be seen. Xue Rengui explained: "Our Anxi Protectorate Headquarters soldiers and horses have always been guarding the Persian Royal City. There are more than 50,000 soldiers and horses here, including the remnants of Persia, the Western Regions, and Gaochang. , and even Western Turks.”
The walls of the Persian capital looked high, and the whole city was earthy brown. Ashinadur was sitting in front of the city and stared intently at the Tang Dynasty brought back by Xue Rengui.
Zhang Shigui smiled at Ashinadur, and entered the Persian capital with Xue Rengui, where people were constantly coming and going.
"This doesn't look like a place to prepare for a war at all."
Xue Rengui explained: "Pei Duhufu means that even if the army wants to fight, it still needs military pay and food, and the city cannot refuse merchants."
"I see."
Zhang Shigui looked at the polite Persians and became more and more curious about the young man Pei Xingjian.
Just as I entered the city gate, I saw a stall behind the city gate, where it seemed that merchants coming and going had to pay money.
Zhang Shigui's eyes were blank when he saw a pile of gold coins on the table.
Unexpectedly, merchants entering the capital of Persia to buy and sell goods had to pay three gold coins.
After just one more glance, Zhang Shigui withdrew his gaze and continued to follow Xue Rengui. The capital of the Persian King became even more lively.
There were Persian women's laughter and angry curses.
It’s just that there are more Tang soldiers in the city.
Zhang Shigui said nothing and kept observing the situation in the city, feeling much more at ease.
There are trees planted on both sides of the domed Persian palace in front of you, and there is even a small river with very clear water.
There is a small room on one side of the palace, and many Tang soldiers are standing in front of the room.
Xue Rengui got off the camel and walked into the hut.
When Zhang Shigui saw the situation inside the house, he finally saw a young man wearing a Tang Dynasty round-neck shirt. He looked to be about twenty years old.
Pei Xingjian saluted and said, "I wonder when General Liang Jianfang's troops will arrive in Persia."
Zhang Shigui replied: "As short as two days, as long as half a month."
"Yes." Pei Xingjian nodded and said to Xue Rengui on the side: "Brother Xue, clean up the royal capital today."
"Here." Xue Rengui nodded.
Pei Xingjian took Zhang Shigui to introduce the situation in the city. The specific situation had already been told by Xue Rengui once.
Zhang Shigui asked curiously: "Where is the King of Persia?"
Pei Xingjian explained: "He is in the palace. When General Liang Jianfang arrives, the King of Persia will personally greet him."
"I don't understand my humble position. The capital of Persia is obviously Persian, so why is everything here, including the people in front of the city gate collecting city taxes, all from the Tang Dynasty?"
Pei Xingjian explained: "We snatched the king of Persia from the cannibal. The old king of Persia escaped, and he took away some of the nobles of Persia. Unfortunately, these people were intercepted by the cannibal. Kill them all, including the old king."
"We have seen the historical laws and order in Persia. In the past, those who looked after the royal capital, including those who governed the royal capital, were also Persian nobles. Since we are going to fight against the cannibals, everything here must obey our arrangements."
Zhang Shigui was very satisfied with Pei Xingjian's governance. At least the Persian capital seemed to be full of vitality, and he did not see them causing trouble in Persia.
Now it seems that the news and reports seen in the Western Regions are true.
Pei Xingjian first took him to see Anyanyan, "This is a member of the old Zhaowu family of nine surnames. He is in charge of the exchange of goods in the capital of Persia. He is also the money bag and grain bag of our Tang army in Persia."
Anyan Yan politely saluted this stranger from Tang Dynasty.
Pei Xingjian took him to see Adalan in Persia and introduced him: "This is Adalan. He used to help the Ministry of Rites to take charge of the Gaochang people. Now he has 10,000 Gaochang troops."
Adalan bowed slightly and said, "I have seen this general."
Pei Xingjian smiled and said: "Gaochang soldiers and horses are also our main force. They are currently stationed in a remote city three miles away."
The situation in the Persian city is very complicated, so complicated that there are people from all walks of life, including people from the Western Regions, people from Gaochang, and even the original Turkic soldiers and horses. It is like the soldiers and horses of all ethnic groups gathered under the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty. In Persia, to fight against the Great Eclipse.
Pei Xingjian took him to see Ashinadur again, "This is Tell Ashinadur, the original Turk. He still has five thousand Turkic soldiers and horses in his hands to look after the situation outside the Persian capital."
Knowing the current distribution of power in the Persian capital, Zhang Shigui had a rough idea in his mind.
All these soldiers and horses were under the command of Pei Xingjian, and the Tang people were in charge of the inner city of Persia.
Zhang Shigui followed Pei Xingjian on the city wall of the Persian Capital and saw many Guanzhong disciples practicing on the west side of the Persian Capital.
Pei Xingjian whispered: "Of the eight thousand Guanzhong disciples we brought here, there are still two thousand. Another thousand are led by Wang Xuance. The rest have returned to the Western Regions. There are records in the Anxi Protectorate."
Zhang Shigui had read the records of the Anxi Protectorate. In order to convey news, there were always troops traveling between the Western Regions and Persia. There were many messages exchanged from the Anxi Protectorate to Persia.
Regardless of governance or military management, Pei Xingjian was able to manage the Persian capital with such a complex personnel, and it must be said that his talent was very high.
Zhang Shigui asked again: "I wonder where General Wang Xuance has gone."
Pei Xingjian also had some beard on his chin. He nodded and said: "General Wang Xuance left Tianzhu with a thousand soldiers and horses. The news just came last month that he failed to borrow troops, and now he has gone to Tubo to ask Tubo People borrowed troops to attack Tianzhu."
"Cianzhu?"
Pei Xingjian smiled shamefully and had no choice but to continue explaining, "The war in Persia is very complicated. Once a war breaks out, it will not only be a war between Persia and Dashi, but also many surrounding small countries will be affected. This is not a matter between one country and one country. The Tianzhu people helped A certain family has recorded what happened during that time and is about to settle the matter."
"In Wang Xuance's words, the big man-eating war elephant that time was lent to him, and now he has to settle the score. He must destroy Tianzhu, so that the Persian rear can feel at ease. This helpless move is laughable."
Zhang Shigui was secretly shocked. Not to mention how Wang Xuance was going to fight with a thousand soldiers and horses, just saying that he wanted to destroy Tianzhu sounded unbelievable.
After standing on the city wall for half an hour, the heat became unbearable. Pei Xingjian led Zhang Shigui down to the top of the city. "Back then, we won the battle against the great food general Omer. That battle was thrilling, and we won't be able to conquer him next time." It’s just Umar and a general named Khalid, but Ashnadur has already sent a letter to the Turks, and he will call his brother Ashnavonian to come to the aid of Persia.”
This place has become the center of the world situation. If Dashi wins, Dashi's territory borders the Tang Dynasty, and the two countries will lose the buffer zone of Persia if they go to war.
This is a changing war across Central Asia. The cannibal has penetrated the strait and controls a huge amount of land and population.
Pei Xingjian whispered: "If this battle is lost, the Tang Dynasty will most likely stop its westward march. The court must be so worried about this."
Zhang Shigui replied: "I don't understand my humble position."
Pei Xingjian sighed solemnly, "General Liang Jianfang came with 20,000 troops?"
"In fact, there are nearly 30,000 troops. Another 30,000 troops and horses are led by Duan Zan, the son of Fan Guogong Duan Zhixuan, and the troops in Guanzhong are reorganizing the Western Turks. They will rush to the aid of Persia in the near future."
Pei Xingjian nodded and said: "With Persia's current financial resources, it is no problem to raise 150,000 troops and horses. Even though Persia is only surviving now, Persia is actually rich."
Now that I think about it, it was very wise for the Ministry of Rites to advocate rushing to aid Persia.
Zhang Shigui left the Persian capital.
Arriving at the previous high slope, Liang Jianfang stationed his troops and horses here.
Liang Jianfang listened to what he saw in Persia and had an idea in his mind, "Is the capital of Persia completely under the control of us Tang people?"
Zhang Shigui nodded, "The King of Persia is just a person with no real power. Pei Xingjian is in charge of all matters in Persia, and there is a special person in charge of money and food. This year, the army is in full swing. Persia is very wealthy, and it is easy to feed an army of more than 100,000 people."
Liang Jianfang said loudly: "Gather the army! Let's go to Persia tomorrow."
There was a burst of cheers in the army, and everyone began to pack their luggage.
On the second day, before dawn, the team set off from here.
After days of marching, they were already exhausted. The moment they saw the Persian capital, everyone in the army breathed a sigh of relief.
When Liang Jianfang saw Pei Xingjian and Xue Rengui standing in front of the city, the stone in his heart finally fell to the ground.
When he came from the Western Turks with a large army, he didn't know what to do without Pei Xingjian to support him here. He might have to return to the Anxi Protectorate in embarrassment.
Pei Xingjian did not disappoint him. Liang Jianfang stepped forward and said, "I brought the Anxi Army here, and my efforts were not in vain."
Zhang Shigui, who was beside Liang Jianfang, had already put on a suit of armor. His attire did not look like that of a scout.
Zhang Shigui explained: "I came here yesterday without telling my identity just for investigation. I don't know what the situation is, so I don't dare to let the army move lightly. If the King of Persia is not like this, we will plan to attack Persia again."
Xue Rengui is somewhat dissatisfied with this kind of thing. Tang Jun still doesn't trust Tang Jun?
Pei Xingjian smiled and said: "Of course we should be cautious. Dishes have been prepared in the city. I don't know if the Persian food is to your liking. We also invite the army to the city for a banquet."
Everyone walked into the city, and the main streets in the city were filled with all kinds of meat, cakes, and drinks.
As soon as the soldiers entered the city, they began to feast and march for a month. Those days were really not what people live.
There were Persians dancing and singing all around to add to the fun.
Pei Xingjian brought Liang Jianfang and Zhang Shigui to the Persian palace.
Compared to the bustling Persian capital, the palace seemed much deserted.
The King of Persia was the Persian prince Belus who asked Datang for help. Anyanyan stood beside the King of Persia and said with a smile: "I have seen two great generals."
The King of Persia also saluted, "Thank you two great generals for coming to the aid of Persia."
Zhang Shigui whispered, and Liang Jianfang's eyes fell on Anyanyan, "Are you the one who killed the Western Turk Khan?"
Anyan Yan whispered: "General, killing a person in Persia is very easy."
This is a barbaric land, at least under Pei Xingjian's current rule, everything has been restored to order.
As for the killing of Nishu Khan, it would be fine if the DPRK and the Central Government did not pursue it. Persia still needs people like Anyanyan.
The King of Persia invited the two generals to stay in the palace and prepared wine and food.
It can be seen that the Persian king obeyed Pei Xingjian's words.
There were Persian women dancing at the banquet in the palace. Liang Jianfang had no intention of watching this. He asked Pei Xingjian in a low voice, "Is this Persian king so obedient?"
Pei Xingjian whispered: "He has no choice. As soon as we Tang people leave, Persia will be gone. Anyan Yanxiaguan is not familiar with it either. I heard that he helps the Marquis of Lishan County."
Liang Jianfang took out a compass and said, "This compass was also given to me by the Marquis of Lishan County."
Pei Xingjian nodded and asked, "The Marquis of Lishan County has withdrawn from the court now?"
