Fortunately, Li Shimin's little lion was just an appearance. After killing it for a while, it retreated. Tuyuhun killed it again and returned to their royal court.
But since Liangzhou was inexplicably attacked in April this year, Li Shimin seemed to be really angry. He sent hundreds of thousands of troops at a time to attack Tuyuhun. Even Tubo began to carve up Tuyuhun.
At first, he almost went to attack Shanshan City, but his reason defeated his desire.
The geographical location of Gaochang State was too important to the Tang Dynasty.
With the rise of the Tang Dynasty, Li Shimin would definitely annex the Western Regions, and he, Qu Wentai, would be the first to be killed.
Li Shimin must hold Gaochang tightly in his hands. Even if he is willing to become a vassal state and submit to the Tang Dynasty, Li Shimin will not be relieved.
In Li Shimin's eyes, Gaochang must be destroyed. Another reason is that after the fall of the Sui Dynasty, he took in a large number of survivors of the Sui Dynasty and generals who escaped from the Central Plains.
And he was the most loyal vassal king of Sui Yang Emperor Yang Guang.
But half a month ago, he got information that Tuyuhun Khan Fuyun and his entire family were captured alive and sent to Chang'an.
Li Shimin's army of hundreds of thousands swept across the entire Tuyuhun.
He immediately contacted Shanshan King Dayan Mangjiebo. He captured Yiwu and attacked Yumen Pass from the north, and asked Shanshan King to attack Yangguan and Shazhou from Yangguan in the south, hindering the westward advance of the Tang army.
At the same time, the countries in the Western Regions were coerced by the Western Turks and formed a coalition to come to help.
He could no longer remain calm and immediately pulled out the nail that Li Shimin planted in his heart - Yiwu.
He led his army across the Styx River and raided Yumen Pass.
But before Yumen Pass could cover up the heat, intelligence came from Yangguan in the south. Tyuhunda Yanmang formed an army of 80,000 people and was stabbed in the chrysanthemum by the Tang army.
Half of the 80,000 troops were killed by a single charge from the Tang army. Dayan Mangjiebo, that idiot, escaped with his men.
Even the Yumen Pass that I grabbed was thrown away.
According to intelligence, there were more than 80,000 reinforcements from the Tang Dynasty, and they were all cavalry. The generals were Qin Qiong, Chai Shao, and Li Daliang.
These three people did not go to the Tuyuhun Palace. Instead, they secretly hid in Hexi and waited for them to attack.
This is crazy, it’s fishing law enforcement!
Eighty thousand men attacked him. Although he had 100,000 men and the coalition forces of the Western Turks and other countries in the Western Regions, this place was not good and there was no way out.
Once the Tang army breaks through Yumen Pass, behind him is the fast-flowing River Styx, and he can only feed the fish.
He was so frightened that he quickly ordered the army to cross the river overnight, abandoning the dangerous place of Yumen Pass and waiting for the Tang army on the other side of the river. As long as the Tang army dared to cross the river, he would catch them and kill them.
But when the Tang army arrived here, it was led by Li Daliang. After this guy reoccupied Yumen Pass, he had no intention of crossing the river at all, and instead began to build fortifications.
Qu Wentai was so angry that he jumped to his feet and scolded his mother.
Now that he got this news, that nasty little bastard came and actually wanted to attack him.
"Report..."
"King, the Tang army sent people and ferries to deliver letters of credence. The Tang Dynasty declared war on Gaochang."
Qu Wentai, the king of Gaochang, said angrily: "Why did he declare war on us?"
"I have declared war on him a long time ago. I hit his Yumen Pass."
Qu Wentai, the king of Gaochang, cursed like this, but he was still very scared in his heart. The Tang Dynasty had declared war on his Gaochang country, so there would be no room for change in the matter.
We can only fight to the death.
"Send someone to deliver the credentials. This king has also declared war on the Tang Dynasty."
…
At noon the next day, the declaration of war from Qu Wentai, the king of Gaochang, also reached Yangguan and was placed on Li Ke's desk.
At Yumen Pass in the Han Dynasty, the Great Wall and checkpoints were built to guard against the Huns, and Dafang City was built on the bank of the Styx River to store grain and grass.
During the Wei and Jin Dynasties, in order to strengthen ties with Yiwu, the Central Plains opened up the second Silk Road to the Western Regions and set up Yumen Pass by the Styx River more than a hundred miles northwest of Suoyang City (Tanggua Prefecture).
Therefore, the distance from Yumenguan to Yangguan in the Tang Dynasty is actually quite long. It would probably take seven or eight hours to transmit the urgent message.
"Your Highness, Qu Wentai has declared war on us." Qin Qiong was very angry at the stubborn Qu Wentai.
Li Ke stood up slowly and said with a smile: "I will fight over there!"
"Come here, change your armor!"
Qin Qiong couldn't figure out what His Highness meant and asked: "Your Highness, please don't be rash. Qu Wentai has abandoned Yumen Pass and fled to the other side of the river. He has cut off all the bridges. It is the flood season now and no one can cross the river."
"Uncle Qin, I have had enough rest after a night's rest. It's time to show Qu Wentai that I also have a temper."
"You killed King Yiwu of the Tang Dynasty, and also attacked Yumen Pass and killed our soldiers. How dare you say this!"
"The general is willing to go with the prince..."
"No, you immediately lead your army south and pursue Dayan Mangjiebo for thousands of miles. You will kill me."
"I give you two months to capture Shanshan City and Qiemo City."
Qin Qiong: "..."
"I will obey your orders!"
Qin Qiong clenched her fists, it was time to show off her power.
Otherwise, following the prince to the west, he would still have not made any achievements, which would only add to the jokes.
"My lord, you must be careful!"
Li Ke smiled and said: "Don't worry!"
Li Ke put on his inner armor and then his outer armor, grabbed his long knife, and left Yangguan with his bodyguards.
"Your Highness, the snake has sent a secret report. Starting from here, go northwest for one hundred and twenty miles, and there will be a river where people can cross."
They used ropes to cross the river and assassinated the soldiers guarding the other side. The bridge has been built and is waiting for you to go.
"March quickly and arrive before sunset. Cross the river and go north along the River Styx. The beheading operation will begin tomorrow night."
"yes……"
This time Li Ke brought Yan Yun's Eighteen Cavalry, as well as more than 120 people from Shadow, and Li Bingdao's 100 people, for a total of 250 people.
As for the two hundred people in the youth camp, he does not plan to use them now. They are still too weak, and Li Ke is training them at the general level, not the special forces.
It would be a pity if these people died, and most of them were nobles. In terms of vision and judgment, these people far surpassed others.
At dusk, Li Ke led 250 people across the pontoon bridge, then cut it in half and let the water wash away the bridge.
And Li Ke and others rode their war horses and disappeared into the night, disappearing into the vast next door.
Biquge
