Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 798 There is nothing new in history

On the night when Nanang Chituojie was killed, Shang Zanmo's trusted followers, with the help of an insider, raided Liangzhou and disarmed the Tibetan army in Liangzhou. Accompanying them was the Tibetan king Trisong Detsen.

With the Tibetan king leading the way, Dazalugong's personal army could no longer resist and laid down their weapons and surrendered. Just like when they faced the invincible Tang army, Lunqinling was no match for Trisong Detsen's army.

In front of a group of Tibetan officers, Trisong Detsen announced Dazhaglugon's crimes: killing Tibetan nobles who believed in Buddhism, using troops carelessly resulting in heavy casualties, etc.

These are all reasons why the crime does not warrant death.

Later, he appointed Shang Zanmo as the Tubo Grand Councilor and the commander of the army. Then, the Hexi Tubo army withdrew from Daduba Valley to Shanzhou. At this time, the Zamp's imperial guards had already stationed in Shanzhou and took over the city defense.

During this expedition, Dazalugong brought out most of the Tibetan nobles who were members of the Bon religion, causing a serious imbalance of power in Tibet.

Taking advantage of this gap, Trisong Detsen was supported by the Buddhist ministers Trisang Yapula and Lodegunanggong, and gradually took control of the imperial guards. With the full support of his mother's clan, the Nanang clan, the Buddhist forces began to exert their strength and cleared out the trusted followers of Dazhalugong who stayed in Lhasa.

The conflict between Buddhism and Bon in Tubo came to an end with Buddhism's great victory.

Nanang Chitogyal was also a member of the tribe. He was a staunch supporter of Bon religion and could be considered the uncle of the Zamp. That was why Dazha Lugong dared to lead his troops to invade Hexi.

However, the Nanang clan would later change their stance and begin to support Buddhism, which was something Dazha Lugong had not expected and was one of the decisive factors in his failure.

In the final analysis, this Tibetan scholar did not read enough history books about the Han people. If he had read more, he would surely understand that it was normal for the aristocratic families to bet on many sides and not put all their eggs in one basket.

Trisong Detsen sent his confidant Basangxi to Lanzhou to visit Fang Chongyong, who was also a Buddhist monk who had returned from India.

Basangxi brought a handwritten letter from Trisong Detsen, in which the Tibetan king said:
The Tibetan army's previous expedition to the Tang Dynasty was caused by the rebellion of the Bon religion in Tibet, and it was not my intention. Tibet and the Tang Dynasty are like nephews and uncles, as close as a family. Occasional friction is accidental and not worth holding a grudge. To show sincerity in the peace talks, the Tibetan army will withdraw from the Hexi area.

As for the division of the new borders of the Tang territory, I hope that the Tang Dynasty will send envoys to Shanzhou to discuss it. If there are any different opinions, we can sit down and talk, and there is no need to fight on the battlefield to avoid hurting the harmony.

This young Tibetan king displayed superb diplomatic skills and flexibility, and was a classic example of knowing when to stop while you are ahead.

By stabilizing this Tibetan border army, he stabilized the situation in Lhasa City and secured his position as the Zamp.

During the years when the Tang Dynasty was in turmoil, the political forces, culture and religion at all levels in Tibet were also quietly evolving and iterating, with the survival of the fittest.

Trisong Detsen also needed time to regroup, resume production and eliminate dissidents.

Fang Chongyong had already planned for his elite troops to go out immediately, but he did not expect such a sudden change to happen. It felt like a fist hitting cotton. He was so depressed that he wanted to vomit blood, but he could do nothing about it.

Since the Tibetans have already withdrawn from Hexi and gathered a large number of troops in Shanzhou, it would be better not to fight this battle if possible.

The opportunity has been lost, there is no point in being stubborn.

If we force our way into Shanzhou and the Hehuang Valley, logistics will become extremely difficult.

It was a pity that if they missed this opportunity to inflict heavy damage on Tubo, there would be no peace on the border in the future. Fang Zhongyong could not help but sigh in his heart, that young Tubo Zamp was obviously not an easy character to deal with, and was even more difficult to deal with than Dazalugong.

Fang Chongyong had no choice but to agree to Trisong Detsen's "peace request" in principle. He wrote a letter and asked Basangxi to take it back, and promised to send envoys to Tubo in the near future to discuss a truce and border survey.

A few days later, Che Guangqian led his troops into Liangzhou City, and what Trisong Detsen said was true. Not only the Tibetan soldiers in Liangzhou, but also in the five states of Hexi were wiped out.

The Tibetan king had a very clear understanding of the situation in the border towns. In fact, his confidant Shang Zanmo was the commander of the border troops who had been stationed near the Tang Dynasty border in recent years.

During this journey, Shang Zanmo secretly observed the strength and military deployment of the Bianzhou army and provided reasonable suggestions to the Zamp. It was Shang Zanmo's strong request that made Trisong Detsen order the troops to withdraw, return to the country to rectify government affairs, eliminate dissidents, and plan for another battle in the future.

The appearance of the Bianzhou army made the local wealthy families in Liangzhou overjoyed. Tens of thousands of people welcomed them outside the city. This was the so-called welcoming of the royal army.

Afterwards, Fang Chongyong also brought his staff team to Liangzhou and cordially expressed his condolences to the local wealthy families.

Amid the rapidly easing situation, a discordant episode occurred.

Just two days after Che Guangqian led his troops into Liangzhou City, a group of Tibetan scouts were seen wandering around. They neither reported their identities nor contacted the Bianzhou Army scouts. They were like sticky candy, running away when you go and following you when you come back.

It seems to be malicious.

However, the soldiers of the Silver Spear Xiaojie Army were not accommodating to them. Under Che Guangqian's command was a sharpshooter named Lei Zhen, an elite selected from the best soldiers in Hebei. Seeing this group of Tibetan cavalry so strange, Lei Zhen led more than ten people from his own army and chased them for dozens of miles, and shot and killed them one by one on horseback, and then led the team back to Liangzhou City.

Afterwards, there was no reaction from Trisong Detsen and the Tubo side, as if they were unaware of the incident. Fang Chongyong also did not mention it, as if nothing had happened.

That night, after entertaining representatives of local wealthy families in the government office of Liangzhou Prefecture, Fang Zhongyong, who had not drunk a drop of alcohol, came to the old house where Doctor Li lived in the past with a few personal soldiers. Since Doctor Li had passed away several years ago, this inconspicuous local clinic had been abandoned.

After pushing the door open and entering, the courtyard was filled with withered vines and old trees, and was covered in dust. It had long been deserted, and when visiting late at night, it looked like a haunted house.

"Back then, I wrote letters for many wounded soldiers in Hexi here. Liu Zhan was one of them. He wanted to retire because he missed the girl in his hometown, but when he returned, he found that the girl had already married."

Fang Zhongyong sighed softly, as if recalling the past.

"Sir, why don't we rebuild this clinic? I think it's only a matter of time before we have another dispute with Tubo. Hexi will definitely be full of war in the future, so we'd better prepare early."

Che Guangqian clasped his fists and said to Fang Chongyong.

Fang Guanjia was not the only one who felt aggrieved this time, but the strength of Trisong Detsen lay in the fact that he retreated very cleverly.

Even if the Bianzhou army continued to fight, they would not gain much.

Haven't you seen how much war resources Brother Ji invested in order to maintain the Hehuang Valley? That was more than 100,000 elite soldiers in the two vassal towns of Hexi and Longyou!

Now, Trisong Detsen took the initiative to offer to relieve the pressure on the border between the two countries, and Fang Zhongyong naturally wanted it. You can't say that the situation is stronger than people only when the situation is favorable to you.

"Rebuilding the clinic is inevitable, but the people are nowhere to be found, and the peach blossoms are still smiling in the spring breeze."

Fang Chongyong shook his head, feeling very melancholy.

He and Anaye often had an affair in this courtyard at that time, without the knowledge of Doctor Li. The young man and woman hugged and kissed desperately, savoring each other's taste, and could not get enough of the pleasure of sex.

Is this a tragic comedy?
No, now Anaye has become his concubine and has given birth to several children for him. There is no such thing as abandonment after incest, no such thing as cuckoldry, and no such thing as luck comes with luck.

But in Fang Zhongyong's heart, losing is a kind of misfortune, and gaining is another kind of misfortune. What he gained was a woman, and what he lost was the happy time that was gone forever.

That kind of carefree and happy time when you don't have to worry about anything as long as you have a satisfying woman by your side.

In a way, it would have been better for them to have both died at that moment, so that the silly and happy times could have been preserved forever.

Now, in the face of family, country and the world, what is a woman?

Now that he had come to this point, the pressure on his shoulders made Fang Zhongyong completely unable to care about his children's personal affairs. The past heart-shaking love stimulation was like the water in a shallow pond. Every time he recalled it, he would scoop out a little bit, and it became increasingly diluted.

When a person's vision becomes higher, past happiness and satisfaction can no longer move him.

If the war with Tubo had not come to an end, Fang Zhongyong would not have been able to recall the romantic times of the past even if he came here. So at this moment, he actually admired Brother Ji a little, but he couldn't tell others.

Brother Ji can relieve stress and put aside his worries by playing with women. He never gets tired of playing even at an old age and can put all government affairs aside.

Fang Zhongyong asked himself, he couldn't do it at all, this might be a different kind of ability.

"Sir, it's late at night, or..."

Seeing Fang Zhongyong in a daze, Che Guangqian asked in a low voice. Under the light of the torch, a melancholy look appeared on the face of this official Fang.

“I wanted you to guard Hexi, but there is something more important, so I have to let the others stay here.

When the army returns to the capital, you will return to Bianzhou with me."

Fang Zhongyong's expression suddenly tensed, and he gently waved his hand and said. The soldiers around him immediately left the courtyard, leaving only Che Guangqian.

"Sir, I understand."

Che Guangqian nodded with a serious expression.

Having said that, there is naturally no need to say anything more. Everything is self-explanatory.

"Well, I hope you understand."

Fang Zhongyong patted Che Guangqian on the shoulder without saying what the "important thing" was.

"Your Majesty, there are many members of the Li clan in Liangzhou, such as the descendants of Princess Honghua and her son-in-law Murong. I am afraid that these people will..."

Che Guangqian said cautiously.

The meaning is self-explanatory.

Once the dynasty changes, these people in Liangzhou will definitely rebel.

Because the narrative logic in Liangzhou is completely different from that in the Central Plains, the big families here attach great importance to the so-called "united front values."

In other words, the rebellion was to "recruit" the new court. Because of this, those conciliatory strategies could not work, because they were not causing trouble for the Li Tang royal family.

"I have already arranged this matter. Otherwise, what is the point of holding a banquet for the Hexi clan tonight?"

Fang Chongyong waved his hand gently and said.

Seeing that Che Guangqian didn't quite understand, he continued to explain: "Liangzhou is a borderland, and the laws of the court are somewhat out of reach. Things that run smoothly in Bianzhou may not work here. It is better to let local affairs be handled by local people, and leave their children a chance to serve as officials in the court, and then we can work it out slowly."

Judging from what he said, he obviously had no intention of sending troops to quell the rebellion in the future, but to let the local big families take sides depending on the situation.

Let heroes deal with heroes, let brave men deal with brave men, and let the local big families investigate the localized Li clan.

The Li family has changed from a royal family to an ordinary large family, so they should handle these matters according to the rules of ordinary large families to prevent the locals from feeling grief-stricken.

Fang Zhongyong didn't want to make a scene too violently. If the struggle was like the one in Tubo, it would cause unrest in the country. Usurping the throne was not a glorious thing, so it was enough for everyone to keep it a secret.

"By the way, I have to go to Shazhou tomorrow. Please keep an eye on Liangzhou. The Tibetans should not play any tricks, but we cannot rule out the possibility that they will use shady tactics."

Fang Chongyong warned.

"Please rest assured, officials."

Che Guangqian clasped his fists and bowed, but in his heart he was secretly planning what to do after returning to Bianzhou.

This is a great event to honor our ancestors!

……

Huangshui City, the capital of Shanzhou. The city is small, but its location is very strategic. At present, there are at least tens of thousands of Tibetan elite soldiers stationed here, and the strength is very strong.

However, Trisong Detsen had already made up his mind to negotiate peace with the Tang Dynasty.

Compared with powerful officials like Dazalugong, Trisong Detsen has more of a "master" spirit. Dazalugong can sell his father's land without feeling bad, but he feels so bad.

In the government office study in Huangshui City, Trisong Detsen was interrogating Dazha Lugong, who had his hands tied, disheveled hair and looked extremely miserable.

Trisong Detsen was short in stature and had a gentle face. He looked more like a monk in a temple than a burly military general.

"Dazalugong, you should have assisted me in governing and commanding the army, but you wanted to use me as a puppet. Do you know your crime?"

Trisong Detsen looked at Dazhaglugong and asked.

His voice was very calm and gentle, and although it was a question, it did not sound fierce or violent.

"Humph, if I hadn't supported you back then, you wouldn't be where you are today. There's no point in saying more."

Daza Lu Gong snorted coldly and didn't want to say any more nonsense.

The political struggle in Tubo was so fierce that even Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty had to admit defeat. Moreover, the vein of this political struggle had continued since Songtsen Gampo and had not changed until the demise of Tubo.

"I want to build a grand Buddhist temple outside of Lhasa, named Samye Monastery. I hope you can preside over this project and convert to Buddhism.

Are you willing to do this?
If you are willing, I will appoint you as the master of the temple. If you are not willing, you will die. "

Trisong Detsen looked at Dazhaglugong and asked.

It is better to destroy the heart than to kill someone.

This move by Trisong Detsen was not only to show the outside world that he was a devout Buddhist, but also to extend an olive branch to the Bon nobles.

"Your Majesty, I am willing..."

Dazalugong knelt on the ground, kowtowed to Trisong Detsen, and gave in helplessly.

Since Trisong Detsen could appear here, he must have dealt with the Enlan family. According to the political rules of Tubo, if he wanted to survive, he had to give up his belief in Bon and cut ties with it.

The purpose of leaving Dazalugong behind was to check and balance the Nanang clan. The former Tibetan minister could not help but look up at the Tibetan king, feeling sad.

(End of this chapter)