The Great Tang General

The first to attack was Li Guangbi, the governor of Fanyang.

Adjacent to the Fuyuan Protectorate was the Bayegu tribe.

This is an ancient tribe that has experienced many divisions.

In the early years of the Kaiyuan period, a part of the Bayegu people defected to the Tang Dynasty.

A part of them was located to the west of Julunpo (now Hulun Lake), and was later incorporated into the Uighur royal court.

Together with Yao Geluoshi and Milidagan sent by the Uighurs, they formed the westernmost line of defense.

Most of these tribes lived along the Wangjian River (now the Shilka River), which stretches for nearly two thousand miles.

The Wangjian River is rich in water and grass. It flows eastward through the Kulun Lake.

Its middle and lower reaches are the habitat of the Shiwei tribe.

After being reminded by the Uighur royal court, Miridagan united with the Bayegu tribe and some small tribes to form a team of more than 15,000 cavalrymen, stationed in the west of Julunbo to guard against the Tang army of Fanyang Military Governor's Office.

Since last year, the Tang Dynasty did not attack in the future, causing the troops of Meridagan to relax a little.

After the relationship between the Uighurs and the Tang Dynasty deteriorated, the grassland tribes were also very frightened, fearing that the Tang army would sweep in.

But Yidijian continued to spread the unforgivable crimes of the Tang Dynasty.

They used the Tang Dynasty Protectorate as an example to warn the subordinate Hu tribe that if they did not resist the Tang Dynasty, not only would the chiefs lose their power, but the herdsmen would also freeze to death and starve to death in the winter.

For example, the former Anbei Protectorate was only a protectorate in name only, responsible for mediating conflicts and disputes among various tribes.

The former Grassland Governor's Office was a "title" given by the Tang Dynasty to the chieftains of the Hu people.

Now that the Governor's Office no longer exists, the Protectorate has begun to directly intervene in the rule of the grassland tribes, relocating Han people, consolidating pastures, and accumulating farmland.

It is obvious that the Protectorate was governed like a territory.

Such overbearing behavior made some Hu chiefs very dissatisfied.

Even the reputation of the Heavenly Khan could not make them surrender.

In the final analysis, the two generations of heroic rulers, Guli Peiluo and Moyanchuo, were able to reward the merits and punish the crimes, and were quite popular among the people.

Only some tribes that had a good impression of Prince Yehu would waver in their hearts after learning that Prince Yehu had restored order.

The other part was composed of tribes that already had conflicts with the Uighurs.

After the arrival of the Heavenly Army, they will not fight for the Uighurs, but will directly surrender to the Tang Dynasty.

After all, you need to pay taxes no matter who you rely on.

For example, the Sayan Mountains tribe was just conquered by the Uighurs.

After Moyanchuo's death, the Sayan Mountains tribes immediately surrendered to the Tang Dynasty and listed the crimes of the Uighurs.

……

The rivers are flowing and all things are reviving.

It is one hundred and fifty miles northeast of Kulunbo.

Li Guangbi led the Hu-Han cavalry, totaling 20,000 cavalry, and swept across the grassland like a whirlwind.

Wherever the horses' hooves stepped, yellow dust blocked out the sun, like surging sand waves rising up and filling the entire field.

"stop……"

"Let's stop for today, cook, send scouts to gather information, and continue our journey tomorrow."

As the sun was setting, Li Guangbi ordered the troops to stop and rest.

Each military governor's office had a clear goal for this expedition.

Li Guangbi learned from his spies that more than 10,000 cavalrymen from the Uighur and Bayegu tribes were stationed to the west of Lake Kulun.

So Li Guangbi crossed the Wangjian River early and headed northeast.

The purpose of Fanyang Military Governor's Office was to wipe out the Uighur troops west of Julun Lake.

It also intimidated the north and south, causing the Uighur Khanate to lose its eastern territory.

The original tribes must unconditionally obey the command and dispatch of the Tang Dynasty, otherwise they will be annihilated.

"Is there any movement from the Huihe side?"

Li Guangbi asked the scout general.

Li Guangbi, who is over 50 years old, still remains energetic.

The territory of the Tang Dynasty was unprecedented in history.

This might be his last battle, because Li Xuan had told him that he would be transferred to Tiance Mansion to take up an important position.

Last year, Li Guangbi named the Whale Island and established the Whale County. When he returned to Chang'an to report, he was awarded the Jade Lin Medal by Li Xuan. This became known to the world and everyone praised him.

As soon as he returned to Fan Yang last year, Li Guangbi immediately began preparing for a new battle.

"Report to the governor, the troops of the Uighur Bayegu and Miridagan are deployed as in winter. They cannot detect our army's movements. However, as our scouts investigate, they will definitely be aware of it."

The scout general replied to Li Guangbi.

"As expected! The relationship between the two sides is tense!"

Li Guangbi nodded.

The location of the Huihe garrison was excellent, with the Kulun Lake to the east, the Jianhe River to the south, and an open area to the north.

They are looking down from the north and south, and as long as they send more scouts, they will be able to react.

Whether it is a chase and tug-of-war or a desperate fight, the Uighurs have a chance of winning.

During the course of the wars, the Uighur Khanate trained a Uighur Wolf Cavalry that was even more elite than the original Turkic cavalry. They were fearless, good at riding and shooting, and extremely brave.

"Where is Li Guang going?"

Li Guangbi asked the scout general again.

Li Guangbi was influenced by Wang Zhongsi in his use of troops and did not like decisive battles involving large armies.

The Uighur cavalry were no pushovers, and if we rashly engaged them in a decisive battle, we might end up killing one thousand enemies and eight hundred of our own.

So he sent his younger brother Li Guangjin to lead a part of the cavalry and tens of thousands of Hu and Han infantry from Fan Yang, north to the south of Julunpo, pretending to prepare to force a crossing of the Wangjian River to attract the attention of Meridagan.

In fact, Li Guangbi had already led his main force across the Wangjian River from the Shiwei territory and detoured from the northeast of Julunpo.

Once the Uighur cavalry focused their attention on the Tang army in Wangjian Henan, it would be time for the main force of the Tang army to attack.

In this way, the main force of the Uighurs in the east would first lose their retreat route, thus preventing the Tang cavalry from being caught in a tug-of-war and causing accidents.

The Tang Dynasty could use its superiority in military forces and armor to complete the elimination of the Uighurs.

"It will probably take Lieutenant General Li two more days to reach the designated location."

The scout general replied to Li Guangbi.

"In this case, the army will rest here for two days before moving on. Keep in touch with Li Guangjin at all times."

After pondering for a while, Li Guangbi gave instructions to the scout general.

"As ordered!"

The scout general received the order.

Li Guangbi had to adjust the timing well so that the Uighur cavalry could first discover the Tang infantry in Wangjian Henan.

Only the Tang cavalry, which had crossed the Wangjian River and came in a roundabout way, could take the enemy by surprise.

Two days passed in a flash.

Li Guangjin brought more than 2,000 cavalry and tens of thousands of infantry to the south bank of Wangjian River, which is next to Julunpo.

This place is very close to the Uighur camp.

The Tang army seemed to want to take an unconventional approach, crossing the river at night and then launching a surprise attack on the Uighur camp.

But their actions were discovered by Uighur scouts, horns were blown, and countless Uighur cavalry rushed over.

The Tang army crossed the river slowly, and when the Uighur cavalry arrived, only a hundred people had crossed the Wangjian River.

Faced with the oncoming cavalry, they jumped into the Wangjian River in a panic and swam to the other side of the river.

The soldiers sitting on the sheepskin rafts also paddled back.

This caused the Huihe cavalrymen who were stationed on the riverbank to laugh out loud. They thought they had seen through the Tang army's conspiracy and that many Tang soldiers had drowned in the glacier under the starry sky...

"The Tang army intends to go to war with the Huihe. Report this to the Great Khan quickly and prepare in advance."

When Milidagan arrived, he saw a dark mass of people on the other side of the Wangjian River, and his expression was solemn. He understood that the war between the Tang Dynasty and the Huihe was definitely not limited to this direction.

The directions of Taiyuan, Shuofang, Hexi Corridor, and the Western Regions may all face attacks from the Tang army.

The Uighurs were facing a life-and-death situation.

If they win, they will intimidate the Central Plains and force the Hu people who originally belonged to the Tang Dynasty to surrender.

If we fail, we will be doomed. Who knows how the Crown Prince Yehu governs?

"As ordered..."

The Uighur scout, riding four horses, galloped westward to report the emergency.

Miridagan did not request reinforcements, firstly because he knew that there would be no reinforcements at the moment.

Second, as long as the Wangjian River is defended, the Tang army will find it difficult to cross it.

At dawn the next day, Meridagan saw camps all over the other side of the river and a number of horses in the distance.

The flags, mainly the Tang Dynasty's Xuanlong flag, fluttered in front of the river bank.

The Tang army organized hundreds of sheepskin rafts and paddled them in the river.

Some even paddled directly into Kulun Lake, while others paddled downstream.

It seemed as if they were looking for another river bank suitable for attack.

"From the south of Julunpo, we must deploy scouts densely to prevent the Tang army from suddenly crossing the Wangjian River."

Upon seeing this, Miridagan issued a military order.

The best way now is to defend the river and wait for the situation on other fronts and the order of the Great Khan.

But the Tang Dynasty did not give Milida any chance.

After learning that Li Guangjin had attracted the attention of the Uighur cavalry, Li Guangbi led 20,000 cavalrymen to attack the west of Julunpo.

Along the way, Fan Yang Deputy Governor Pugu Huai'en served as the vanguard general, leading two thousand cavalrymen.

The scouts were further ahead and officially began to hunt down the Uighur scouts.

When the Tang army was fifty miles away from the Uighur camp, the Uighur scouts finally escaped the Tang army's pursuit.

They rushed back and reported the important news to Chief Miridagan and Chief Bayegu.

However, when they reported on their way back, the Tang Dynasty pursued them without stopping.

By the time they informed Milidagan of the news, Pugu Huai'en had already led the vanguard army to within twenty miles of the Uighurs.

The vanguard troops all had spare horses. After they changed horses, they were ready to rush into the Uighur camp in one go and disrupt the Uighur formation.

"Oh no... We have fallen into the Tang army's trap. The Tang army in Wangjianhe South was just a feint! The real main force of the Tang army had already crossed the Wangjian River and came from the north of the Huihe."

It was too late for Miridagan to realize that Li Guangbi was "openly repairing the plank road and secretly marching through Chencang".

This was the first serious battle between the Uighurs and the Tang Dynasty.

Soldiers who, deception also.

The Tang Dynasty's way of fighting was completely different from that of the tribes conquered by the Uighurs.

The death of a heavy soldier due to illness is not the belief of the Tang Dynasty.

The beliefs of the Tang Dynasty New Army are honor, mission and responsibility.

Fighting to the death is a foolish act.

A general is one who can achieve the greatest victory at the lowest cost.

Fundamentally speaking, the Tang Dynasty could give much more to its soldiers than the Uighurs.

"Quickly organize the troops and stop the Tang army from advancing. The rest of the troops should be organized and no longer worry about the Tang army on the other side of the Wangjian River."

Miridagan was anxious and issued a military order.

When the Uighur cavalry learned that they were ambushed by the Tang Dynasty, they panicked and fear of the unknown began to grow in their hearts.

After a while, the Uighurs managed to organize more than 2,000 cavalrymen to the west of Kulunpo and attacked Pugu Huai'en's vanguard cavalry.

Trying to break Pugu Huai'en's army and buy time for the Uighur army.

"Rumble..."

The iron hooves shook the earth.

The chill of the elite vanguard's iron armor struck directly into the hearts of the Uighurs.

The troops were hastily organized and their morale was low, but they had no choice but to charge forward amid the shouts of men and the neighing of horses.

"Soldiers, from now on, honor, status, and pay will be measured by rank in the army... It is so difficult to fight in a prosperous era. Military merit is right before your eyes. If you don't take it, it will be a gift from heaven, and you will be blamed! To die in battle is to be famous, and to win is to enjoy glory. This is what our generation pursues... Use the long spears and sharp blades in your hands to create illustrious merits."

"kill!"

Pugu Huai'en shouted loudly to boost morale, and rushed towards the Uighur cavalry that was right in front of them and blocking their advance.

Their goal was to rush to the Wangjian River and lay the foundation for victory for the main force behind them.

How could they be stopped by two or three thousand Uighur cavalry?

Pugu Huai'en is currently the deputy governor, with the military rank of general. But he has ideals.

Not only did he have to be a governor, but he also had to be the governor of a frontier governor's office and, like Li Guangbi, become a general with first-rank treatment.

He longed to achieve great things and be recognized by the Supreme Being, so he was ready to die.

"kill!"

The Tang cavalry raised their spears and shouted loudly.

In the blink of an eye, the two sides were only ten steps apart.

Pugu Huai'en's eyes were wide open as he rode his horse forward, the spear in his hand flashing a cold light.

"Pfft!"

He met with the armored leader of the Uighurs, and he shouted and attacked like a dragon emerging from the sea.

The Uighur cavalryman was stabbed in the vitals and fell off his horse.

Upon seeing this, the morale of the Tang army was greatly boosted. The cavalrymen under their crotch neighed and rushed wildly into the chaos, surrounded by billowing smoke and dust, and rushed straight towards the Uighur cavalry.

In an instant, the two sides came into close combat, accompanied by the melody of swords and horses, and blood appeared.

After stabbing several riders in a row, Pugu Huai'en rushed to the core of the Uighur cavalry with his personal guards. He stabbed left and right with his spear in his hand, and wherever he went, the enemy soldiers fell off their horses and blood splattered.

His personal guards followed closely behind, each of them bravely taking the lead, like tigers and wolves among a flock of sheep, unstoppable.

The Uighur cavalry were frightened and, seeing the bravery of the Tang army, they did not dare to engage in close combat, which gave the Tang army more opportunities to get closer.

The fierce fighting style of the Tang cavalry led by Pugu Huai'en was unheard of by the Uighur cavalry.

This tribe is more than ten times more ferocious than any other tribe on the grassland.

Occasionally, the spears pierced the Tang army, but were blocked by the iron armor.

As a result, the Tang cavalry broke into the battle formation like a sharp knife, advancing forward and breaking the formation of the Uighur cavalry into pieces.

The sounds of shouting, horses neighing, and weapons clashing intertwined together to play a brave and fearless war song.

Pugu Huai'en led the Tang army to kill people in all directions. In one charge, he killed hundreds of cavalrymen, which frightened the Uighur cavalry and made them flee in all directions.

Knowing his purpose, Pugu Huai'en did not turn back to continue the charge, but continued to gallop towards the Wangjian River.

The defeated Uighur army did not dare to pursue and could only follow behind, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

But the main force of the Tang army, led by Li Guangbi, came around Julunbo.

As long as Pugu Huai'en could disrupt the Uighur army unexpectedly, the blow of these Tang cavalry to the Uighur troops would be fatal.

"With the same troops, why can't we intercept them? I will definitely kill the commander..."

When Milidagan learned that Pugu Huai'en had broken through and was heading towards Wang Jianhe's camp, he gritted his teeth.

He believed that the collapse of the defense line was caused by the incompetence of the commander.

In desperation, Miridagan had to mobilize all the troops available to stop Pugu Huai'en.

Buy time for the Uighur cavalry to escape from the Wangjianhe camp.

On the other side of the Wangjian River, Li Guangjin saw the chaos of the Huihe troops and even wanted to abandon the camp. He decisively ordered the Shenbi crossbowmen to take more than 100 sheepskin rafts and cowhide rafts to attack the Wangjian River and actively contain the limited Huihe troops...

(End of this chapter)