Tang Dynasty Swordsman

Page 201

Li Ji led his generals to the eastern edge of Yanzhi South Mountain to inspect the ruins of the Da Dou Army. In truth, the fortifications were mostly intact, but the people were gone; all that could be seen were skeletons and broken swords, and foxes and rats roamed about. Li Ji sighed twice, then laughed and said, "Last year, Qilibuzang abandoned Liangzhou and fled west. If he sends troops to recover Da Dou and Jiaocheng, and continues to raid Fanhe from time to time, I will not be able to sleep peacefully."

Wei Gao said, "The barbarian bandits fled in haste that day, like fish that had escaped the net, rushing back to Ganzhou. They probably didn't consider this. But if Commander Qiu doesn't hurry to lead us west this autumn, the barbarian bandits might make a move first and attack Da Dou Army..."

Before the words were finished, a shout was heard from below the mountain. The generals looked down and saw flags waving, signaling an impending military emergency.

"The vanguard has encountered the enemy!" Li Ji glanced sideways at Wei Gao, thinking to himself, "Should I praise your uncanny ability to predict the enemy, or curse your jinx? It's like everything I say comes true..."

As Wei Gao had predicted, the Tibetan army encountered by the Tang army's vanguard was sent by Qilibuzang, who intended to occupy Dadoujun and Jiaocheng garrison in advance, thereby blocking the valley and preventing the Tang army from attacking Ganzhou.

The administrative divisions of the Tibetan Empire were known as "five as sixty-one Dongdai". After Songtsen Gampo, the country gradually became more powerful and expanded its territory. It was convenient to set up military towns in the newly occupied territories and appoint officials - rather than local noble chieftains - to manage military and political affairs. The Tang people, following their own customs, also called them Jiedushi (military governors).

Among them, there were five military towns in the northeastern part of Tibet, known as the "Five Eastern Circuits". The Grand Master concurrently served as the Grand Master of Military Affairs and Pastures of the Five Circuits. These five military towns were Yemaochuan, Shanzhou, Hezhou, Liangzhou and Guazhou. Except for Yemaochuan, which was in the Menggu area and was a border disputed area before the Tianbao era, the other four were Tang territories that had only recently been occupied.

Qilibuzang was originally the deputy to the military governor of the five circuits—in China, he could perhaps be called the deputy military governor or the military governor's commander—stationed in Liangzhou to guard against Shuofang. However, last year he was defeated by Li Ji and hastily abandoned Liangzhou to flee to Ganzhou, but he was not demoted. This was because Ma Chongying, at the noble assembly, used bowing to Shang Jiexi and taking a step back as a condition to protect his confidants Qilibuzang, Mangre, and others.

Thus, Qilibuzang remained the deputy commander of the five eastern border regions, but unfortunately, Shang Jiexi launched a large-scale attack on Tang, bringing along troops from Hezhou, Shanzhou, and even Yemaochuan. Qilibuzang could only mobilize the town of Guazhou at that time.

Therefore, he was very worried that the Tang army in Liangzhou would take advantage of the situation to attack, but unfortunately, despite his repeated attempts to persuade Shang Jiexi, Shang Jiexi ignored him. Shang Jiexi believed that Li Ji had only been in Liangzhou for less than a year and needed to stockpile provisions and recuperate, so he would not launch an attack this autumn; and if Li Ji really did advance westward, there was no need to worry, Qi Libuzang should take advantage of the terrain to resist step by step and prevent him from penetrating too far.

Because we've fought in this direction before. Although the Hexi region is vast, there are only a few roads suitable for large armies, making it easier for you to anticipate enemy movements and take preventative measures. From Liangzhou to Guazhou, it's over a thousand li. How far can the Tang army advance? Once I break through the enemy's front and enter Guanzhong, Li Ji will surely have to retreat to defend the capital. If he doesn't retreat, I can turn around and advance from Lanzhou through Wucheng Shouzhuo, and from Shanzhou through Dadoubagu, advancing on two fronts simultaneously, directly cutting off his retreat!

Qilibuzang admitted that Shang Jiexi's words made sense, but the problem was that even if I held this battle, I wouldn't have gained much merit. If I hadn't held it, and the Tang army had penetrated deep into Gansu, Jiangsu, and even Guazhou and Shazhou, I would have had to wait for you to return and relieve the siege. At that time, I estimated that even Ma Chongying would have difficulty protecting me... Da Lun, you are suspected of setting me up!

Having exhausted all other options, he could only concentrate all his forces on a strong defense. To this end, he specifically dispatched a force to seize Dadoujun and Jiaocheng garrison, aiming to close the western gate of Liangzhou. However, he hadn't anticipated that Li Ji would act a fraction of a second faster…

Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Battle of Ganzhou

The Tibetan army, numbering over two thousand, crossed the border to seize Dadou Army and Jiaocheng garrison. They encountered five hundred Tabai soldiers from the Tang army in Hexi.

"Ta Bai" means vanguard, and using its name as a military designation refers to a reconnaissance unit advancing before the main army. Currently, the main force of the Tang army in Hexi consists of thirty-four regular battalions, each with approximately five hundred men, commanded by a shi jiang (a unit of military officers), forming the most basic combat unit. Above these, Li Ji further subdivided them according to members' skills, weaponry, and battlefield function, establishing eight higher-level military designations, each headed by a military commander:

Vanguard Commander: Wei Gao; Rearguard Commander: Xu Yu; Left Wing Commander: Li Fengguo; Right Wing Commander: Hou Zhongzhuang; Wandering Army Commander: Ma Meng; Valiant Cavalry Commander: Chen Lizhen; Vanguard Commander: Gao Chongwen; White-Treading Army Commander: Jing Jiang.

However, each military commander only has one battalion under his command on a daily basis. The troops to be sent out are only assigned to his command during wartime. This is to ensure that the Hexi army listens to only Commander Li and that the officers above the battalion level do not quickly develop their own powerful factions.

Jing Jiang was temporarily transferred from the military supervisor's office. Because he was originally from the Shence Army in Longyou, he claimed to have fought in Hexi and was relatively familiar with the geography and people—although it was many years ago—so he was ordered to lead two battalions of the Tabai Army to clear the way for the main army.

Upon receiving news from the Dadou Army ruins, Jing Jiang hurriedly descended the mountain, spurring his horse at full speed, and quickly caught up with his own troops. At this time, following Li Ji's orders, the main Tang army had set up camp ten miles into Dadou Valley, with only two battalions of the Youyi and Xiaoqi remaining, ready to join the battle at any moment. A dozen miles from the main camp, the Tabai army and the Tubo army clashed head-on.

The Tibetan army seemed completely unprepared to encounter the Tang army here. Even while still in marching formation, they were met with a volley of arrows from the Tang general, Ta Bai, resulting in dozens of deaths and injuries. The Tibetan general then sent archers forward, while the cavalry circled around to the flanks, forcing the Tang army back and allowing them to change to a direct engagement formation. Seeing the superior numbers of the enemy, the Tang army dared not attack rashly and hurriedly reported to their camp. The Tibetan army, however, remained hesitant, unsure whether there were more enemies behind them—or if they had encountered a patrol.

If they had only accidentally encountered the enemy's patrol, they must defeat the enemy in front of them as soon as possible and rush to Dadoujun and Jiaocheng to capture them, lest the Tang people react and send troops to seize them. This was because, according to the reports from spies and scouts half a month ago, the Tang people had stopped at Fanhe County and had not yet restored the defense line near the eastern foothills of Yanzhi Mountain.

However, if the enemy's main force follows behind, then we must retreat immediately, otherwise defeat is inevitable.

With the enemy general hesitating for a moment, Jing Jiang finally led another battalion of Ta Bai to arrive. Shaking his eyes with his hand, he looked into the distance and laughed, "They are only two thousand strong and not very elite. There is no need to call for reinforcements. I can defeat them on my own." He then instructed his men, "Do not inflict too many casualties. The key is to capture the enemy general and gather intelligence on their army."

Among the generals under Li Ji's command, Lao Jing and Hou Zhongzhuang are the oldest and most senior, considered veterans—both around forty years old, making it difficult to distinguish between them—he has rich combat experience and a clear understanding of his own role: I lead the Ta Bai, and my duty is to explore the terrain and the enemy's internal situation. As for killing generals and defeating enemy troops, that's the job of other troops. If I were to take it, it would not look good on my colleagues.

So Lao Jing personally took up his spear and led a thousand Tabai soldiers in a charge against the Tibetan army. Among the armies of Hexi, the Tabai were among the best in terms of both quality and equipment, ranking third—the first two being Gao Chongwen's elite vanguard and Chen Lizhen's elite cavalry—the soldiers were all equipped with horses, swords, spears, bows, and crossbows, and their fighting strength was considerable. Although the opposing forces were all genuine Tibetans, they had been temporarily transferred from Guazhou to assist in the defense of Ganzhou. They were not very familiar with the terrain and had not encountered Tang troops for a long time, so they inevitably underestimated the enemy—furthermore, they were unclear about the enemy's situation and hesitated to advance or retreat. Therefore, the Tibetan army was defeated as soon as they made contact.

The barbarian general was quite capable; he quickly restrained his defeated troops and retreated slowly. Old Jing did not pursue them in a hurry, but instead ordered half of his white-clad detachments to advance and follow behind the enemy, harassing them from time to time. Although he failed to capture the barbarian general alive, he did capture two junior officers, who were immediately taken back to the main camp and handed over to Li Ji for punishment.

After Lao Jing left, Li Ji said to his generals, "Before worrying about victory, worry about defeat. If we can defeat the barbarians and recover Ganzhou, that would be best. If we fail, or if the barbarian army comes to reinforce us across the Qilian Mountains, I must first secure our retreat route." So he left three battalions of troops to repair and defend Dadou Army and Jiaocheng Garrison to guard the western gate of Liangzhou.

They immediately descended the mountain and returned to camp. Before they could even warm their seats, Lao Jing led the prisoners back. Li Ji ordered someone familiar with the Tibetan language to interrogate them repeatedly, and they gained a general understanding of Qilibuzang's plans.

When Qilibuzang abandoned Liangzhou and fled west, he had about 5,000 remaining Zhenfan troops under his command. A month ago, he transferred half of the troops from Guazhou garrison, bringing his total strength to more than 10,000. In addition, there are no less than 20,000 cavalrymen who have joined the Qiang and Hu tribes and are now under his command.

Ganzhou is bordered by the Ganjun Mountains to the north, the Qilian Mountains to the south, and the Yanzhi Mountains to the west. The area between these three mountain ranges is mostly desert and Gobi, with oases only appearing where the Zhangye River and the Ruoshui River flow, featuring large grasslands and small plots of arable land. Qilibuzang himself was stationed in Zhangye County, the seat of Ganzhou, with troops deployed to defend Shandan County to the east, as well as the cities of Qilian and Xi'an to the southeast. Furthermore, in Laojun Township at the western entrance of Dadou Valley, fortifications and fortifications were being built to guard against an attack by the Tang army.

Li Ji breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to himself that he had made the right move by rushing to take Ganzhou before the autumn grain was fully stored. The key was that the Liangzhou treasury was full due to the supply from merchants like Yu Ling, which allowed him to move the army ahead of schedule. If he had delayed for ten or fifteen days, not only might the barbarian bandits have occupied Dadou Army and Jiaocheng, but even if their fortress west of Dadou Valley was completed and their elite troops moved in, it would have caused him great trouble.

Therefore, he urgently ordered Lao Jing to lead the vanguard to approach the enemy camp as soon as possible to scout it out. At the same time, he ordered Gao Chongwen to lead the vanguard and Wei Gao to lead the vanguard. The fourteen battalions continued to advance before dark. They calculated the distance so that they could reach Laojun Township early the day after tomorrow and launch a fierce attack on the enemy camp.

We absolutely cannot wait until they finish building the walls!

Then he asked his generals, "Qilibuzang has divided his troops to defend the various cities. Does he underestimate us, or does he underestimate himself?"

The nearest of the fortresses Zhangye, Shandan, Qilian, and Xi'an is more than 60 li apart, making it impossible for them to coordinate with each other. I can simply proceed slowly and break through them one by one—why would that guy deploy his defenses like this?

Ma Meng stepped forward and said, “From Yanzhi Mountain to Zhangye, there are two routes. The northern route will pass through Shandan, while the southern route will follow Xi’an and Qilian. It seems that the barbarian bandits do not know which route I will take to advance, so they have no choice but to divide their troops to defend.”

Ma Meng was originally just a minor officer in Liangzhou. He initially served as Li Ji's guide to the Uyghurs. Li Ji saw that he was familiar with the geography, fluent in multiple languages, and skilled in horse herding, so he recruited him into his ranks. Among all the generals, he had followed Li Ji the longest, but at the same time, he was the least qualified. He was not qualified to be a military commander; he would have been a sergeant in a battalion at most. It was only because Li Ji wanted to take care of the veterans and keep the newcomers in check that he made an exception and promoted him.

Therefore, he was familiar with the roads, but his knowledge was quite limited.

Hou Zhongzhuang immediately asked, "I know that from Liang to Gan, merchants and travelers mostly take the northern route instead of the southern route. There must be a reason for this, right?"

Ma Meng nodded and replied, "From east to west, the first half of the southern route must follow the foothills of Yanzhi Mountain. After crossing the Ruoshui River, there is no water or grass for fifty or sixty li, making it inconvenient for marching. It will be a little easier to travel when we reach Qilian City."

Hou Zhongzhuang said, "In that case, the enemy will surely block the northern route with their main force, and the defenses of Xi'an and Qilian will be weak." In the end, the two junior officers captured were of low rank and had limited knowledge. No matter how they were interrogated, they could not find out how many troops were stationed in each city.

Theoretically speaking, the Tang army's strategy of feigning a northern route while secretly advancing south would maximize their chances of victory by catching the enemy off guard. However, as Ma Meng pointed out, the problem lay in crossing the Weak Water, known for its extreme sluggishness, and then traversing fifty li of barren land. Was that route even traversable, and how many troops could possibly cross it? Hou Zhongzhuang had no idea, and therefore dared not offer any suggestions rashly. He merely hinted at it, leaving the decision to the commander-in-chief.

Wei Gao said, "I have heard that Shandan County is built against the mountains. Although the surrounding area is rich in water and grass, it has no trees, making it difficult to attack..." Without trees, large siege weapons cannot be built. "Moreover, our army comes out of Dadou Valley. It is more than a hundred miles away from Shandan. Although it is north of the mountains and south of the desert, there may be a way to bypass it. The local Qiang and Hu people must know this. I think the barbarian bandits want us to stop our troops under the walls of Shandan City and then send troops to attack our rear."

Li Ji nodded: "The enemy is fortified and waiting for us. If we attack them by the main road, we will play right into their hands. The key to warfare is to control the enemy rather than be controlled by them. We must appear weak when strong, retreat when advancing, and use unorthodox tactics to force them to move around, only then will we have an opportunity to exploit." He then pointed to the map and said to his generals:

"Gentlemen, look, Qilian City is actually connected to Zhangye in the west, but not to Liangzhou in the east—as Ma Meng said, it is a hundred miles to the east, and it is not easy for a large army to travel there—the city was built to protect Dadouba Valley. Dadouba Valley connects Gansu and Shanzhou. Now the enemy has mobilized all the troops in Longyou to attack Qin and Wei, so Shanzhou will definitely be vulnerable. If we attack Qilian City and pretend that Dadouba Valley is moving south, the barbarian bandits will be afraid and will hastily reinforce Qilian..."

The generals all nodded, but in truth, they didn't quite agree. The commander's suggestion to disregard geography and transportation was a common tactic in military strategy, but the question remained: was it possible for the main force to take the southern route? And if only a small force was sent, masquerading as the main force, would the Tibetans be so easily fooled? After all, Qilian City was a renowned fortress built by the Tang dynasty, not a newly constructed fortress after the Tibetans entered Gansu; it couldn't possibly be easily attacked and captured…

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As for Qilibuzang, he had no choice but to divide his troops to defend various cities.

The main reason was the limited number of troops under his command—the Zhenfan army numbered only ten thousand, and they were not elite. Although there were many Qiang and Hu auxiliary troops, since their defeat in Liangzhou last year, they had clearly begun to conserve their strength and were hesitant to act. They could not be trusted at all—they dared not fight the Tang army in open battle, especially the Tang army led by Li Ji.

Although if the Tang army were to launch a large-scale invasion, they would inevitably take the northern route, as the southern route would be very difficult... Li Ji seems to prefer catching the enemy off guard, so the Xi'an and Qilian lines must also be fortified. In particular, the defense of Dadouba Valley by Qilian City is crucial to the decisive battle of the main force in Longyou, so Qilibuzang dares not be too careless.

Therefore, he first sent troops to occupy the eastern and western ends of Dadou Valley in order to block the Tang army and delay them for as long as possible. Then, he concentrated half of his troops in Shandan County and stationed the other half in Zhangye, so that he could respond to the movements of the Tang army at any time and provide relief to the northern and southern routes.

If the Tang army came from the northern route, it would be reasonable, and Qilibuzang was not too worried. What he feared was that Li Ji would launch a surprise attack on Qilian City. Therefore, he had been keeping a close eye on the southern route these days, and had his subordinates send out more scouts. If there was any slight warning, he was required to report it to him in time.

But he did not expect that the news of defeat would first come from Yanzhi Mountain.

Li Ji launched his attack a full half month earlier than Qilibuzang had anticipated, causing the troops sent to seize Dadoujun and Jiaocheng to suffer a crushing defeat. The Tang army then followed suit, launching a fierce attack on Laojun Township on the morning of the third day. Because the fortifications were not yet complete, the Tibetan army was unable to resist and was forced to abandon the defenses and retreat to Shandan County.

Because they retreated quickly, the losses were not significant, but the retreat of this defeated army into Shandan will undoubtedly have a huge impact on the morale of the defending troops.

Qilibuzang was considering whether to reinforce Shandan when he suddenly received news that the Tang army had marched swiftly out of the southern route, surrounded Qilian City, and seemed to intend to bypass Qilian City and enter the Dadouba Valley.

He inquired in detail from the messenger from Qilian City: "How many Tang soldiers are there?"

"Flags covered the mountains and fields, countless in number."

"Is Li Ji's name among them?"

"The banner of the Hexi Military Governor is currently in the army!"

Qilibuzang laughed loudly, "In that case, the main force of the Tang people will undoubtedly attack Shandan!"

If you say that a surprise attack on Qilian City was a spur-of-the-moment force, it might be believable. But for a large army to cross the Ruoshui River so quickly and traverse fifty miles of barren land, it's impossible unless the Tang people had wings! Especially if the main force of the Tang army entered the Dadouba Valley, it would be like cutting off their retreat. With such a risky plan, how could Li Ji, as the commander-in-chief, possibly lead the troops personally?

Oh, but given Li Ji's personality, he's always been reckless and doesn't care about life or death. Who knows, in a moment of hot-bloodedness, he might really do something so unwise...

Qilibuzang considered that if the Southern Route Tang army was just a feint, then leading his army to rescue Qilian City would be exactly what the enemy wanted; but if the Southern Route was real and Li Jizhen had led the main force to the south, then as long as he went to Shandan in time, he would be able to see through their tricks, and then launch a counterattack while they were vulnerable, and even have a chance to recover Liangzhou.

Li Jizhen has indeed gone to Shanzhou. This matter is sure to give Da Lun a headache. If Da Lun suffers heavy losses in this eastern expedition, but I am able to recapture Liangzhou, it might actually be a good thing for us generals of Da Lun's faction...

So they mustered their troops, left Zhangye City, and hurried towards Shandan.

As Qilibuzang had predicted, the main force of the Tang army did indeed come straight from the northern route towards Shandan, while only a few battalions of soldiers and many flags marched south, pretending to be a large army. They gathered under the city walls every day to make noise, but dared not actually attack Qilian City.

Shandan County is bordered by Ganjun Mountain to the north and Ruoshui River to the south. The Tang army could not cross the city and could only set up camp to the west of the city. However, Qilibuzang led the reinforcements across Ruoshui River first and came from the west, and entered Shandan City smoothly.

But then he wondered, Li Ji's advance was exactly what he expected. Could it be that the opponent only had these two tricks up his sleeve? After all, he had been defeated by Li Ji many times, and he had developed some psychological trauma.

It seems Li Ji is trying to lure out his main force, intending to annihilate them beneath the walls of Shandan City… But I'm not that stupid to go out and fight him in open battle. Does he think that with our large army, our supplies will be insufficient? But I've already stockpiled enough food for the entire army to last three or four months inside Shandan City.

Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Power of the People

Actually, the army that set up camp west of Shandan City was not the main force of the Tang army, but only more than 4,000 men. However, they set up three times the number of camps and built three times the number of stoves every day to cook and confuse the Tibetan army.

The Tang army's dozens of camps were actually scattered along the hundred-mile stretch of road from Shandan County to Yanzhi Mountain, in various oases, to protect the supply lines. Li Ji had anticipated that even if Qilibuzang led his main force to Shandan, he would not dare to easily leave the city to engage in open battle with his own army—if he had the guts, he would have already come over without Li Ji's feigned southward route.

However, Li Ji himself was not afraid of the risks and personally came to the camp below the city to oversee the operation. He also ordered timber to be felled and transported from dozens of miles away, and the sound of hammering could be heard constantly in the camp every day, as if they were painstakingly building siege weapons. In this way, they were forced to defend the city, but did not launch an attack for more than ten days, so as not to arouse suspicion from the Tibetan side.

As Wei Gao had predicted, Qilibu Zangguo ordered the Qiang and Hu cavalry to cross the barren land south of the Ruoshui River in an attempt to ambush the Tang army's rear and cut off their supply lines. However, the Tang army had already set up multiple observation posts along the Ruoshui River. Upon seeing the Qiang and Hu approach, they allowed them to cross, while the troops stationed in the nearby oases converged to encircle them. In just a few days, they annihilated four Qiang and Hu armies, totaling more than 3,000 men. Upon receiving the news, the remaining Qiang and Hu dared not cross the Ruoshui River again and had no choice but to retreat dejectedly to the vicinity of Shandan.

Qilibuzang was quite surprised when he heard the report. "I thought that Li Ji had only been stationed in Hexi for a short time and that his troops numbered at most 20,000. Now, with 15,000 troops already in formation and many more deployed along the way, could the total number be more than 30,000? Or is it that the Tang army from Shuofang has actually come to reinforce us?"

The pressure grew increasingly immense, making him even less inclined to venture out of the city for open battle. He thought to himself, "I'll just keep at it like this, even until we run out of food—not to mention I can still supply you from the rear—I'll retreat to Zhangye, and you won't have the strength to continue your advance. Besides, if Da Lun is in Longxi and spends three or four months without making any progress and forcing Li Ji to return to reinforce, then the responsibility won't fall on me."

The two sides remained locked in this stalemate for a long time. Meanwhile, the Tibetan army of 150,000 men advanced from three directions—Lanzhou, Baosaizhou, and Taozhou—to attack Weizhou. Li Sheng defended the Taoshui line for only four days before being forced to abandon it and retreat to Xiangwu City.

This was unavoidable. After more than half a year, even with the imperial court's full support, he could only recruit 30,000 soldiers, and they lacked training, which diluted the old soldiers he brought from Jingyuan.

The Tibetan army advanced on Xiangwu, and Li Sheng, unable to win a field battle, was forced to abandon Xiangwu and retreat from Weizhou to Shanggui County in Qinzhou, where the terrain was relatively narrow and easier to defend. The Tibetan army split up again, with the southern route pursuing Li Sheng and the northern route capturing Gangu and then heading north to Chengji and Longcheng, threatening Huizhou and Yuanzhou.

Basically, the barbarian army relied on its superior strength and manpower to push forward, hoping to recover the Qin and Long prefectures in one fell swoop and then force Dazhen Pass down to the ground.

When Shang Jiexi first assumed the position of Grand Master, he naturally wanted to consolidate his position with a great victory. The reason he gathered so many troops, drawing almost half of the soldiers from the "Five Ru Sixty-One Dong Dai", and also sending out all the barbarian troops from Longyou, was to break through Dazhen Pass in one fell swoop and invade the Guanzhong Plain.

However, victory and defeat are common in war. The more troops there are, the greater the logistical pressure, and the greater the losses if setbacks occur… Therefore, Shang Jie ordered his army to advance swiftly, hoping to push the battle line back to the level it was before last autumn before the Tang army arrived to reinforce them—to recover the Qin and Long prefectures and the entire Longyou region. Even if we ultimately suffer a defeat at Dazhen Pass, I will have something to say and something to report back on. Especially since what you, Dazhalugong, lost, I have recovered, you can only accept your position as Da Nanglun, how dare you challenge for the throne again?

But what he didn't expect was that Tang reinforcements would arrive so quickly...

The key was that Li Yu dispatched Guo Ziyi, protected by six battalions of the Northern Army, to be stationed in Fengxiang and command troops from all sides. This ensured that the various towns in Guanzhong dared not delay in sending troops to aid Qin and Wei. Previously, when the army lacked a commander-in-chief—not only the deputy commander Guo Ziyi, but even the nominal Grand Marshal Li Miao had never stepped outside Chang'an—it was possible to gloss over the situation and later shift blame to the Council of State for poor planning and unclear orders, leading to defeat. Now, with General Guo personally issuing the orders, what tricks could escape his discerning eyes?

Although Guo Ziyi was always mild-mannered and rarely reprimanded his generals, as long as he submitted a memorial to the court pointing out someone's faults, the court would order punishment, and who would dare to disobey? Not only in the army and the court, but also among the common people throughout the land, no one could defend or defend him.

Guo Ziyi first ordered the Fengxiang Army to advance and directly support Li Sheng; then the Anxi and Beiting military camps were to hold Huining Pass, while the Jingyuan Army was to advance from Zhisheng Pass to block Longcheng; the Dongchuan Army was to advance from Fuzhou northward to Dangzhou to flank the enemy. In addition, 40,000 troops from Binning and Fufang were to be assembled inside Dazhen Pass as the general reserve force for the campaign.

Thus, Shang Jiexi kicked a hornet's nest, and after attacking Shanggui and Longcheng for more than twenty days, he still could not conquer them.

News of the fierce battle in Longyou had not yet reached Ganzhou. Qilibuzang, stationed in Zhangye, lived in constant fear. He felt that Li Ji must have a scheme up his sleeve; it was impossible for him to have his troops lingering beneath the city walls without launching an attack—this was inconsistent with the enemy's usual behavior. But what was Li Ji waiting for? Was it for the supplies of timber and boulders needed to build siege weapons to arrive from the rear, or was he planning a surprise attack to disrupt their rear? And where would this surprise attack come from?

On the sixteenth day of the standoff, a sudden report came: "Hamchi Beacon has been attacked by the Tang people!"

Qilibuzang's eyes widened in disbelief: "How could the Tang people have copied my future plans? This news is utterly absurd!"

Xianchi Beacon Tower is located at the border of Gansu and Jiangsu provinces, south of the Helishan Mountains and west of the Zhangye River. The Zhangye River originates from the Qilian Mountains, merges with the Ruoshui River north of Zhangye City, and meanders northward to Juyan Lake, 700 li away. The Tang Dynasty once established a garrison town south of Juyan Lake, which was later upgraded to the Ningkou Army, stationed with 1,700 troops to prevent the Uyghurs from invading southward.

The grasslands are vast and desolate, lacking mountains, valleys, and roads. Theoretically, as long as one doesn't lose their way, one can cross the border from anywhere. However, in reality, the area between the Tang and Hui regions is mostly desert or semi-desert terrain, often with no water or grass for tens or hundreds of miles. While a single horse might risk crossing, a large army certainly couldn't. Therefore, the Tang people had to fortify the areas around Juyan Lake and the Zhangye River, where water was plentiful.

The Tibetan Empire, having only recently seized Hexi, was not yet able to completely pacify the region. Furthermore, unwilling to initiate conflict with the Uyghurs, it did not deploy troops in Ningkou Army, but instead established sentry posts at Xianchi Beacon near the east-west main road. Qilibuzang had also worried about a Uyghur southward advance, thus stationing a large army in Fulu County, Ganzhou, and personally overseeing Zhangye. However, after much deliberation, to defend against the Tang army, he finally left Zhangye and went to Shandan…

If the Uyghurs were to march south, they would be mostly helpless against formidable cities like Zhangye, and could only plunder the countryside—after all, the majority of the inhabitants were Tang people, or the unpredictable Qiang and Hu tribes, so they could plunder as they pleased. But now, upon hearing that the attackers from the south were actually under the banner of the Tang people, and that Li Ji's banner was among them, Qilibuzang panicked on the spot.

He thought to himself, "Li Ji is really crazy! Even if you have a good relationship with the Uyghurs, you can't personally lead a large army thousands of miles to circle back into our territory and then attack my rear!" But knowing Li Ji's usual behavior, no one could guarantee that he wouldn't take such a risky move...

Reports indicate that the attacking force numbers in the thousands, even tens of thousands, with Tang and Hui banners mixed together. Qi Libuzang suspects that Li Ji personally went to the Hui region to request reinforcements... But when exactly did you set off, my friend? Could it be that you had already made overall plans for the autumn campaign sometime in May or June?

The Tang army's siege capabilities far surpassed those of the Uyghurs. Zhangye was currently undefended, and if Li Ji were to reach its gates, it was uncertain how long it could hold out. Furthermore, an attack on Zhangye would likely be difficult to conceal, and the troops within Shandan, fearing their retreat would be cut off, would inevitably fall into disarray. Left with no other choice, Qilibuzang secretly fled Shandan under cover of night and hurriedly returned to Zhangye.

But in reality, only Uyghurs came; there were almost no Tang people, let alone Li Ji himself.

Back then, Li Ji assisted Li Tan in defending Longyou and was ordered to borrow troops from the Uyghurs. However, the valiant Khan fell from his horse while hunting and could not raise an army. Instead, Dunmohedagan, who was then the prime minister, gave Li Ji the banner of the Yabghu (Yaggu) of Li Chengyi, the Prince of Dunhuang, to take back—essentially borrowing the Uyghur flag to confuse and intimidate the barbarians. From this, Li Ji thought to himself, since the two sides are allied, I can use the Uyghur flag, and the Uyghurs can use the Tang flag.

After occupying Liangzhou, he sent envoys to contact Changshou Tianqin Khan Dunmohedagan, hoping to borrow troops to attack the barbarians in times of crisis—"For the sake of our friendship, your esteemed family will send troops first, and the reward will be settled later"—the Khan agreed. Immediately afterwards, Li Ji made a batch of Tang army flags and replicas of his own great banner, and sent them to his close friend Di De, in preparation for any eventuality.

—What true general doesn't set up three or five main camps and erect three or five large banners? What makes a great general? Only when the enemy can't see through you can you be considered to have 30% of the qualities of a great general.

Before this western expedition, Li Ji informed Emperor De that he hoped he could use the Tang dynasty's banner to march south from Yanhai and attack the Tubo from both sides. His reason for sending troops to attack Qilian City was not actually to divert Qilibuzang's attention to the southern front, but rather to assure the enemy that his main force would inevitably march north to attack Shandan City. Once this was confirmed, Qilibuzang would certainly reinforce Shandan, thus leaving Zhangye undefended…

Li Ji remained at Shandan City for half a month without engaging in battle. What was he waiting for? He was waiting for the "Tang army" led by Emperor De to launch a surprise attack from the south, forcing Qilibuzang to return with his troops to provide reinforcements.

Qilibuzang's secret departure from Shandan could not be kept secret from those who were interested, and Li Ji received the news early the next morning. So, on the one hand, he ordered the main force in the rear to advance and gather as soon as possible, and on the other hand, he brought out the few siege ladders that had been painstakingly built—these two weeks had not been wasted, of course; since some materials had been brought in from the rear, some tools should also be made—and set off to attack the city walls.

Gao Ying advised him, "Our army numbers only four thousand, which is insufficient to capture the city in one fell swoop. We would only suffer heavy casualties. It would be better to wait until our main force is assembled before attacking the city." Li Ji waved his hand and said, "I mobilized the main force of the barbarian army to make the people inside the city suspicious and fearful. However, if Qilibuzang has already returned to Zhangye, and I do not rush to attack, the city's soldiers will think I am cowardly. Once their minds are settled, it will be more difficult to attack."

Yan Zhuang smiled and said, "The Grand Commandant has a brilliant plan to conquer the city, Gongchu, do not worry."

His arrogant attitude, as if he were a close confidant of the Grand Commandant and someone who conspired with him, infuriated Gao Ying, but he couldn't show it on the spot. In fact, Gao Gongchu had privately advised Li Ji many times, saying that Yan was originally a traitor, and his intentions were unpredictable, so the commander-in-chief should not trust him too much. Li Ji would always smile and say, "I know what I'm doing. In short, it's fine not to let him hold real power, but just make him an advisor."

Even so, Gao Ying was worried that the general might be influenced by his surroundings, and that the general might be gradually led down a path of no return by being subtly influenced by someone like Yan Zhuang, who was born with a rebellious nature. Fortunately, with a formidable enemy at hand, the external pressure was enough to keep the group together and prevent any major conflicts or disputes from arising in the short term.

This is also one of the reasons why Li Ji forcefully seized Liangzhou and then rushed towards Gansu and Su—his civil and military officials came from all over the country, with different values ​​and ambitions. Without sufficient external pressure, they might start fighting amongst themselves. After all, he currently did not have a Yan Zhenqing with enough prestige and experience to oversee things.

He desperately wanted a reliable second-in-command—Gao Ying was capable enough, but lacked seniority and prestige; Yan Zhuang was capable and senior enough, but couldn't command respect, and he couldn't completely trust him either—it was a pity Li Bi couldn't come to Liangzhou…

Returning to the story, Li Ji deployed his troops and launched a fierce attack on Shandan. The Shandan defenders, still hesitant due to Qilibuzang's hasty departure, were thrown into chaos. During the intense fighting, several fires suddenly broke out within the city. Hundreds of captured Tang laborers, having cut down the barbarian guards, donned black turbans and charged towards the west gate. Fires were lit within the city walls as a signal, and Li Ji immediately abandoned the siege ladders he had just approached, focusing all his efforts on attacking the gate. Before noon, the gates of Shandan were finally breached.

Ignoring his subordinates' advice, Li Ji led Yuan Jing'an and other soldiers, charging into the city at the forefront. A Tang man in a black turban, holding a blood-stained longsword upside down, knelt on one knee and proclaimed, "Zhong Hua, the straw man, respectfully welcomes the Grand Commandant!"

Li Ji nodded to him with a smile: "You've worked hard—fighting bravely against the barbarians from behind my horse, I'll remember your greatest achievement today!"

After Tibet seized Hexi, before it could fully restore production, it began to exploit the Tang people to support the war in Longxi and the Western Regions, which triggered several uprisings.

Frankly speaking, in those days, the most influential people in local areas were often not officials, or even military generals—whether in the Tang Dynasty or Tibet—but rather local magnates and powerful families. If these magnates could be won over in time, even if the common people harbored resentment, they would be able to suppress it on behalf of the rulers. The problem was that the Tibetan government was harsh, and the conflict between the Tibetans and the Tang Dynasty was not only between the two countries but also involved ethnic tensions. Even ordinary Tibetan soldiers did not respect the Tang landlords and often bullied them wantonly—like Old Hu surnamed An in Chiquan Town—leading to chaotic and difficult-to-manage public order.

If the Tibetans had occupied Hexi for a long time, they would have been able to gradually eliminate the Tang resistance and secure their position on this land. However, before they could even warm their seats, Li Ji led his troops to attack.