The Great Tang General

No matter how good a warhorse is, it cannot run forever.

The light cavalry under Hun Yu were exhausted after a series of battles.

It was difficult to catch up with Yidijian and Mohedagan for a while.

However, the 5,000 light cavalry led by Zhang Xing were not wearing armor.

He has been pursuing the enemy with ease.

When entering the battlefield where Hun Yu was intercepting, Zhang Xing ordered his troops to change their horses.

Abandon the tired warhorse first and use the one in better condition to give chase.

This time, Zhang Xing dispersed the team again and marched at a fast pace.

Most of the Tang army's cavalry were exhausted, and Yidijian's troops were even less physically fit.

Especially after breaking out from Hun Yu, the horse under him was panting violently.

Throwing away the Flying Dragon Guards was already the limit for Yidijian and Mohedagan.

Due to the intense running, the horses were damaged and the guards began to fall behind one by one.

“Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh…”

The Tang army's arrows whizzed past and shot and killed these lone Uighur guards.

Yidijian looked back and saw that the people running on the plain were all Tang army's light cavalry.

The setting sun was blood-red and the yellow sand was endless, making Yidijian feel despair.

"Hey..."

The warhorse seemed somewhat powerless when running.

Seeing that the number of soldiers under his command was dwindling, he recalled the story of his father Mo Yanchuo.

When Mo Yanchu was defeated in Baitinghai, he should have been in the same situation as him!

The difference is that Mo Yanchuo can still see hope of returning to Yu Dujun Mountain.

He could no longer see any sign of hope for Shanyu City.

I thought that if the entire army broke through, I would be able to bring at least half of the men back to Yu Dujun Mountain and lead the tribe to migrate.

But seeing the situation now, there is no point in going back.

Not to mention other fence-sitters and traitors, even the tribesmen who have lost their loved ones will kill Yidijian.

They would attribute the failure of the expedition to Yidijian's incompetence.

They would think that if Crown Prince Yehu had inherited the throne of Great Khan, so many tragedies would not have happened.

When Yidijian was confused and desperate, Zhang Xing led a team of about 300 light cavalry and rushed straight from the side.

"call out……"

Zhang Xing bent his bow and shot an arrow, and a Uighur guard fell down.

After many years in the imperial court, his riding and archery skills had not been lost, even though he used to lead the Mo Dao Army.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa..."

Behind Zhang Xing, the Tian Ce Wei light cavalry adjusted their position and shot arrows at the Uighur formation.

The Uighur cavalrymen at the rear fell to the ground one after another.

Without a target, the Tian Ce Wei Light Cavalry temporarily put away their bows and would continue shooting when they caught up again.

In less than a quarter of an hour, two or three hundred Uighur guards were shot and killed.

The number of soldiers under Yidijian's command was decreasing.

The sky is dark and the earth is dark.

"call out……"

Someone shot an arrow, which whizzed past Yidijian's side.

Yidijian pulled the reins like a frightened bird.

The warhorse could no longer bear the weight and Yi Dijian fell off the horse.

He rolled several times on the sand.

"Great Khan..."

Mohedagan next to him also had to rein in his horse and shout.

This time, the Guards had no choice but to stop.

After they saw the Great Khan fall from power, they surrounded Yidijian with a mission in mind.

At this moment, Zhang Xing arrived with the Tiance Guard's light cavalry and cut off the way ahead for Yidijian and Mohedagan.

After a while, more cavalry came and surrounded them.

"puff……"

After moving to another place and growing stronger, he spat out a mouthful of yellow sand.

He was young and strong and was not injured.

"Come on..."

When Yidijian wanted to get up, he saw Moheda standing around him in a daze.

"Great Khan, we have no way to escape..."

Moheda choked and said.

After being intercepted by Hun Yu, Commander Hulu was captured, and Gunlidagan was killed, he fell into deep despair.

He also felt extremely guilty in his heart. It was his self-righteous strategy that buried the Uighurs with his own hands.

When they started fighting, they were defeated by the Tang army.

He didn't understand why the Tang army was so fierce, as if no one was afraid of death.

He knew that even if the Tang army did not have the Ming Guang armor, they would still be no match for the Tang army.

There was also a big explosion before the battle.

Thunder from the sky, or fire from the ground?
He didn't understand.

"Alas... stop resisting and surrender to the Tang army!"

After seeing the circle around him, Yidijian finally came to his senses.

Any further resistance would only lead to more casualties.

The thriving Uighur Khanate collapsed in an instant because of his succession.

Is he incompetent?
He did not hate Prince Yehu who was competing with him for power.

Yidijian only regrets that he was born at the wrong time.

If it weren't for Li Xuan, he would never have ended up like this.

The Heavenly Khan had already shaken the world.

Ultimately, it is the desire for power that is greater than the fear of the Khan.

For power, people can do anything.

To the point of gambling with the fate of the entire Uighur nation.

"surrender……"

Just like that, the Uighur guards laid down their weapons, dismounted from their horses, and knelt down in surrender.

The Tang army stretched out their bowstrings, then slowly retracted them.

"Who is the leader?"

Zhang Xing came on horseback and shouted loudly.

"I am the Great Khan of the Uighurs!"

Fallen into the sand, Yidijian straightened up and frankly acknowledged his identity.

"Haha... you guys can actually get this military merit."

Zhang Xing laughed out loud.

He didn't expect Yidijian to be here, and he was delighted.

Zhang Xing was the official second only to Feng Changqing in Tiance Prefecture.

In the military officer system, only the Minister of War and the Privy Councilor were higher than him.

There is almost no room for further increase.

In terms of military rank, marshal was not only what Zhang Xing desired, but also what all the generals desired.

Military rank is permanent and will still exist even after retirement.

Even if you die, your name will go down in history.

This alone is enough to motivate countless generals.

Zhang Xing also hoped that the soldiers who were traveling with him could share the credit.

"take away……"

At Zhang Xing's command, his soldiers took Yidijian and Mohedagan back to pay homage to the Supreme.

As night fell, the fleeing Uighur soldiers were captured and killed by soldiers from other directions.

All in all, less than a thousand Uighur cavalrymen managed to escape.

Yidijian and Mohedagan were both captured alive.

Others can't cause any trouble.

At dawn the next day, the Tang army began to clean up the battlefield and bury the bodies around Baitinghai.

The Uighur soldiers were buried in the wasteland north of Baiting Lake.

The bodies of the Tang army soldiers were buried at the foot of Suwu Mountain, on the grassland surrounded by mountains and rivers.

His body was wrapped in horsehide and he rested here together with the soldiers who died in the First Battle of Baitinghai.

In this battle, the Tang army captured more than 100,000 cattle and sheep, and more than 40,000 war horses and horses.

More than 25,000 Uighur cavalry were killed, more than 24,000 Uighur soldiers were captured, and more than 3,000 slaves who accompanied them were also captured.

The wounded soldiers were also treated by Tang's military doctors. Li Xuan wanted to use both kindness and force, as these would be the main force in the future construction of the grassland.

In this battle, the Tang army lost 1,830 cavalrymen and injured more than 2,200 cavalrymen.

These were recorded by the Ministry of War.

Future pensions and retirement will be arranged by the Minister of War.

All their belongings and inheritance were sealed and sent to their families.

Recruiting soldiers, providing pensions, and retiring soldiers are all matters related to the Ministry of War and have nothing to do with the Tian Ce Palace.

Especially for the pension, the Minister of War Li Mi and the Vice Minister of War Liu Zhiru had to sign their names on each pension letter to show their respect for the martyrs who died fighting for the country.

If officers at the rank of colonel or above died in battle, the emperor would personally write letters to comfort them, and provide them with generous compensation and send them home along with medals.

"Yidijian, why don't you obey my order?"

Only then did Li Xuan see Yi Dijian and questioned him.

At this time, Yidijian looked haggard and did not look like a Great Khan at all.

Compared with Li Xuan's energetic appearance, he is obviously younger than Li Xuan, but he seems to be ten years older.

"Has the Heavenly Khan obeyed the order of the previous Heavenly Khan?"

Yidijian retorted to Li Xuan.

Now that things have come to this, he no longer has any excuses. After all, his life is in Li Xuan's hands, and he can kill him or chop him up as he pleases.

"Survival of the fittest, the strong prey on the weak."

Li Xuan did not get angry at Yi Dijian's words and said this wise saying.

The prairie can only become China's back garden, otherwise this land will sooner or later become a disaster for China.

The agricultural revolution was in full swing and the industrial revolution was about to begin.

Resources must be in the hands of the Tang Dynasty.

"Where is Prince Yehu? I want to see him before I die?"

Yidijian's Chinese is average and he couldn't understand what Li Xuan said.

Mo Yan Chue's displacement technique is orthodox.

He wanted to question Prince Yehu why he let a wolf into the house?

All those who died were members of the ten Huihe clans.

Most of the affiliated ones just stood by and watched.

"Prince Yehu is in Chang'an. He is the Jingwen Khan of the Huihe people. He is the new master of the grassland."

Li Xuan said calmly.

The Great Khan can also retire in Chang'an.

In this way, all power will be vested in the Grand Protectorate to be established.

"Who told you about my Huihe's plan?"

He couldn't meet Prince Yehu, and this was the question he wanted to know most.

There is no doubt that Dunsang Teqin must have failed on the road to the Hexi Corridor ahead.

"We Han people read Sun Wu's Art of War and know that we know ourselves and the enemy, so we can fight a hundred battles without danger. It's not that we know your intentions, but we are taking precautions and making comprehensive arrangements."

Li Xuan replied.

It was the national strength and military strength of the Tang army that crushed the Uighur Khanate.

This is an asymmetrical battle.

"I see!"

Yidijian stopped struggling and had nothing to say. He waited for Li Xuan's punishment.

Li Xuan simply took Yi Dijian away and escorted him back to Chang'an.

Only five days later, Li Xuan led the Dunhuang cavalry and Tiance Guards north to Yu Dujun Mountain.

The Shen Ce Guards and Wuwei Cavalry will stay at Baiting Sea for the time being.

Because Li Xuan had received news that the Qarluk and Xueyantuo peoples had surrendered to the Tang Dynasty.

Li Sheng was leading 10,000 Beiting cavalrymen, together with the Qarluk and Xueyantuo peoples, and marching towards the Chanyu City.

Li Sheng rode lightly and naturally arrived at Yu Dujun Mountain before Li Xuan.

To the west of General Yu's mountain, there was almost no force to resist Li Sheng's advance.

Either the tribe is too small, or there is no cavalry archery in the tribe.

They could only watch as a huge cavalry force galloped towards the Chanyu City.

When the news reached Chanyu City, it caused chaos.

The remaining commander of the Huihe Guards immediately issued an order of martial law, prohibiting anyone from entering or leaving the Shanyu City.

The Tang army launched a massive attack with the rebellious Qarluk and Xueyantuo peoples.

Unless Yidijian came back to help, the Huihe would not have the slightest power to resist.

What they didn't know was that Yi Dijian had already been defeated and captured alive.

After Li Sheng led his troops here, he ordered the accompanying craftsmen to build siege equipment.

Three days later, the siege equipment was completed.

When Li Sheng was about to order an attack on the city, scouts captured several defeated Uighur soldiers from Baitinghai.

After he learned of Yidijian's defeat, he gave up the siege.

Send these captives back to Shanyu City.

And claimed that Yidijian and Mohedagan had been beheaded.

Warn the soldiers in the city not to resist stubbornly, otherwise they will all be killed when the city is captured.

Shanyu City was built by Tang and Sogdian craftsmen and stands at the foot of Yu Dujun Mountain.

The city wall is made of brown bricks and stones, with a square moat built around the city.

The palace where the family of the Great Khan of the Uighurs lived had two gates and watchtowers to enhance security.

If such a city were attacked by force, there would inevitably be heavy losses.

It is best to defeat the enemy without fighting.

After the Uighur captives returned to the city, they told them the truth about how the main force had been ambushed and routed.

Moreover, the Tang Dynasty was able to control "thunder from heaven and fire from earth", which made sense.

They had no idea about the situation of the Great Khan and the Prime Minister. Anyway, the Tang army said that Mohedagan and the Great Khan were all dead.

This news directly undermined the fighting spirit of Shanyu City.

There would be no point in resisting at this time.

Another group of cavalrymen who were defeated from Baitinghai were allowed into Shanyu City.

The last straw broke the camel's back for the commander of the Uighur Guards, and he ordered the city gates to be opened and the drawbridge to be lowered.

Surrender to Li Sheng.

The young son of the Uighur Khatun and Yidijian were also captured by some Uighur nobles who wanted to show their loyalty.

The wife and children of Crown Prince Yehu, as well as Princess Gasi and other pro-Tang nobles were all released.

A few days later, Li Sheng received an imperial edict from Li Xuan.

The Supreme General will lead his troops and personally go to Yu Dujun Mountain.

Li Xuan also learned that Shanyu City had been captured by the Tang Dynasty.

The surrender of the Karluk and Xueyantuo peoples could only be considered icing on the cake.

However, this proves what Li Xuan said before: Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated in a hundred battles.

Even if Yidijian and Mohedagan did not raid Baitinghai, the Tang Dynasty had other means to defeat the Uighurs.

It just wastes more resources.

Early July.

While other places were still hot and humid, Li Xuan led the Tiance Guards and Dunhuang cavalry to Yu Dujunshan Chanyu City.

Shanyu City, built at the foot of the mountain and close to the Ekun River, is particularly cool at this moment.

Li Sheng, the chief of the left wing Qarlug and the chief of Xueyantuo, as well as some Uighur nobles, led their subordinates to welcome the arrival of the Heavenly Khan outside the Shanyu City.

"Greetings to the Heavenly Khan!"

"Meet the Supreme One!"

The cheers were earth-shaking.

At this moment, Li Xuan was the Heavenly Khan ruling the grassland.

He stood with his back against the sacred mountain of the Hu people, Yu Dujun Mountain, and accepted the visit of the Hu tribe.

"Throughout history, many generals have conquered this place. However, I am the only emperor who has arrived here."

Li Xuan said to Li Mi with a smile.

The grassland dream can finally come true at this moment.

The Hu people of all dynasties regarded Yu Dujun Mountain as a sacred mountain.

It is because in this era, the area of ​​a thousand miles in the northeast near Yu Dujun Mountain, mainly composed of Ekun River, Xian'e River, Dule River and Suling River, which is the Selenge River basin in later generations, was the best pasture of this era. It was rich in water and grass, and was a "battlefield" for the Hu people on the grassland.

"The places that the Supreme has been to are basically never set foot by emperors of previous dynasties."

Li Mi didn't understand Li Xuan's obsession with the grassland.

Li Xuan has been to Baihai and Persia.

But only by taking over the grasslands can farming and nomadic life be integrated.

Only then can the country proceed with the next step of reform with peace of mind.

This is China's biggest worry. The threat from the Arabs is far less than...

(End of this chapter)