Dramatic changes in the movies and TV shows

Chapter 1270 The Rolling Torrent
The vast Gobi Desert is like a giant gladiatorial arena, where a chilling atmosphere lingers in the air.

Seven thousand Tang soldiers stood silently, their armor gleaming in the cold, metallic light under the northern desert sun, exuding a chilling aura.

On the left and right flanks were the Uyghur tribe and more than 10,000 newly recruited mixed barbarian cavalry. Although their armor was in disarray, the eyes of each of them burned with the flames of greed and fanaticism.

He clearly regarded the Shatuo tribe in front of him as his stepping stone to the Tang Dynasty's household registration and permanent land ownership.

The Shatuo leader Zhu Xiejinzhong tried his best to control his troops, but the undisguised bewilderment on the faces of his cavalrymen and the barely perceptible loosening of their formation revealed their inner fear and wavering.

Lin Hao immediately stood under the central banner, his gaze sweeping across the entire field like that of a hawk. With his hawk-like perspective, he could see the smallest details. For him, the confrontation between the two armies was more like a one-sided X-ray vision.

In an instant, he locked onto the right flank of the Shatuo army, noting the subtle chaos at the junction of several small tribes, and the faint atmosphere of observation.

“Kang Huaien!” Lin Hao’s voice was cold and unquestionable.

"Your subordinate is here!" Kang Huaien replied excitedly in a loud voice.

In just a few days, he went from a small tribal chief who barely made ends meet to a general who could command thousands of troops, and now he was the first person the Grand Commander specifically requested.

"Lead your right wing headquarters to probe the enemy's left wing. Hold my command arrow; anyone who hesitates or fails to advance will be executed on the spot!" Lin Hao ordered directly.

"Yes, sir!" Kang Huaien, as if injected with adrenaline, pulled on the reins of his warhorse and quickly returned to the right flank to relay the orders to the other leaders of the various tribes.

"My lads! The Grand Commander has ordered that this is the moment to make our mark! Follow me and kill!" He roared, charging ahead and leading his most fervent troops like a flood bursting its banks, crashing into the right flank of the Shatuo army!
The right wing of the Shatuo clearly did not expect the allied forces to launch such a decisive preemptive strike, especially with their auxiliary troops leading the attack.

The hasty rain of arrows was sparse. Kang Huaien's troops let the armored cavalry go first, and with the ruthlessness of desperate men, they actually managed to wedge themselves firmly into the right flank of the Shatuo, causing quite a bit of chaos and commotion!
Just as the chaos reached its peak, Lin Hao's eyes flashed with a sharp light as he immediately seized a fleeting opportunity.

In particular, through the aerial perspective of the falcon, one can clearly see that the right wing of the Shatuo army suffered an impact, resulting in a fleeting crack at the junction with the central army!

"General Protector Yang!" Lin Hao's voice suddenly rose, like a sword being drawn from its sheath!
"Your subordinate is here!" Yang Xigu, clad in heavy armor and as imposing as an iron tower, was already poised to strike. He had been preparing for this moment for a long time.

"Lead the heavily armored cavalry, aim at the junction of the enemy's right flank and center, and crush them! Tear them to shreds!"

"Great Tang Heavy Cavalry! Charge!" Yang Xigu roared, his eyes burning with fervor beneath his heavy helmet as he led the charge.

"Kill!" the army roared in unison.

"Boom!" As the warhorses charged forward at high speed, the earth trembled violently.

Three thousand heavily armored cavalrymen, both men and horses clad in black armor, slowly pressed towards the Shatuo army formation like a moving steel wall, charging with an unstoppable force of death!
Their heavy armor completely ignored the scattered arrows that came flying at them. The clanging of the arrows was like the drumbeats that played for their charge, crushing them with the most ferocious and overwhelming force!
The junction between the right wing and the central army of the Shatuo army was completely shattered by this thunderous blow!
As the heavy cavalry passed by, men and horses fell, blood and flesh flew everywhere, and the neat military formation was torn open with a huge gap!

"Push forward! Central army, move to the left and block them for me, quick!" Zhu Xie Jinzhong, watching from the center, roared furiously, his eyes bloodshot.

He had to mobilize the main force of the central army to reinforce the right flank of his main force, otherwise the entire army would be split in two!

However, the hasty lateral movement of the Shatuo army inevitably caused greater chaos and weaknesses in their formation, especially the right flank, which was instantly exposed and became extremely vulnerable!
Just as the central heavy cavalry was crushing the enemy's central force and Kang Huai'en on the right flank was breaking through the enemy's right flank, Lin Hao issued his third order:

"Right flank, all troops, charge! Target: the enemy's exposed right flank! Crush them!"

"The Tang Dynasty is victorious!"

"For the Tang Dynasty! For the land!"

The remaining thousands of mixed Hu tribesmen on the left wing were already starving and thirsty when Kang Huai'en led his elite mixed Hu tribesmen out to charge out.

Now, upon hearing the order, they were like a raging beast released from its dam, frantically rushing towards the right flank of the Shatuo army, which had suddenly become vulnerable after being breached!
Wherever their troops pointed, they displayed an impact no less than that of a regular army!
"Great Minister Jieyuqias, you will lead the right-wing Uyghur army to attack the left wing of the Shatuo!"

"Uh...yes!" After the order was given to Jieyugas, he felt something was off.

Although he had previously said he would fully support Lin Hao, he still hesitated when he saw Lin Hao arrange for him to attack the right wing of the Shatuo.

Firstly, the left wing of the Shatuo army looked like a small tribe that was easy to bully, while the right wing was obviously much more elite. Yet, he was sent to attack it, which made him somewhat unhappy.

Most importantly, the feeling of being ordered around by the Tang people made him extremely uncomfortable.

Although they had once been subordinate to the Tang Dynasty and submitted to it, that was many years ago. Being suddenly commanded by Lin Hao made them feel uneasy.

Or, let them fight for a while, and once they've worn each other down, I can then command the Uyghur troops to seize the opportunity and wipe out the Shatuo people in one fell swoop, showcasing my capabilities.

The Uyghur army, having begun to harbor ulterior motives, hesitated and advanced slowly, the entire army lingering as if it were dawdling.

Lin Hao wasn't angry when he saw this, after all, these Hu tribes were just like that.

However, the battlefield is ever-changing. Lin Hao immediately waved his hand and shouted, "All troops, attack the enemy's right flank!"

With that, he led the charge, and the Tang cavalry behind him surged like a raging torrent, crushing down on the right flank of the Shatuo.

The battlefield situation changed in an instant. The left flank of the Shatuo army fell into chaos and was broken through by the mixed Hu army.

The central army was torn apart by Yang Xigu's heavy cavalry, and now the entire Tang army was charging at his left flank. It looked like they were about to be surrounded. How could the Shatuo army possibly resist?

The collapse happened in an instant and spread as quickly as a plague. The elite troops on the right wing were immediately affected when they saw the main force of the Tang Dynasty rushing towards them, and they were already showing signs of defeat.

Seeing that the Tang army was unstoppable, the leaders of all the tribes, large and small, of the Shatuo began to make their own plans.

"We've lost, is that all?" Panic burned like wildfire within the Shatuo army.

Zhu Xieyonggu, a leader who had long harbored disloyal intentions, flashed a ruthless and resolute look in his eyes. He suddenly roared at his trusted confidants:
"We cannot let Zhu Xie die with us any longer. The Tang Dynasty needs someone to check the Uyghurs! This is our last chance!"

"My lads, follow me! Kill the traitor Zhu Xie to fulfill your loyalty, and surrender to the Grand Commander!"

There are too many precedents in history of defecting in the face of battle, and Zhu Xie Yonggu decisively followed suit at this moment.

His cavalrymen were already terrified. Upon hearing this, they did not hesitate for a moment, immediately turned their blades around, and charged back towards where the central command flag had been!
"Zhu Xie Yonggu has rebelled!"

"Surrender to the Tang Dynasty! Surrender and you will not be killed!"

The power of example is terrifying. Seeing this, other Shatuo tribal leaders followed suit, both for the survival of their tribes and for the possibility of wealth.

In an instant, the Shatuo army descended into a frenzy of infighting.

"Just as I thought!" Zhu Xie Jinzhong looked at the swords and spears that suddenly came from all around him, a look of despair on his face.

Tribes like theirs have always been opportunists, following whoever wins. This isn't the first time the Shatuo tribe has betrayed the Tang Dynasty, but each time they've hedged their bets, allowing the Shatuo tribe to gradually grow stronger.

But last time he betrayed the Tang Dynasty, he not only stained his hands with the blood of the Beiting army and people, but this time he will not hedge his bets.

Normally, it wouldn't be a big deal, but the Tang Dynasty had already lost control of the Western Regions and was barely able to protect itself, so there was no need to hedge its bets.

But who could have predicted that the Tang Dynasty would rise again in the Western Regions, putting him in a difficult position.

It was no surprise that the small tribes of Shatuo had rebelled, but he was unwilling to accept it. Who could have imagined that the Tang Dynasty could rise again in the Western Regions?

Although he did not hedge his bets, that was not a reason for these small tribes to rebel, nor did he accept their rebellion.

He swung his sword and fiercely killed several rebel soldiers, roaring hoarsely:

"You traitors! The Great Tang will not truly be here!" However, before he could finish speaking, several spears pierced through his armor at the same time.

His burly body crashed to the ground; this once-powerful Shatuo warlord had fallen victim to the betrayal of his own men. His son, Zhu Xie Zhiyi, witnessing his father's death, was consumed by grief and rage. Just as he was about to fight to the death, Zhu Xie Yonggu, who had quietly approached, feigned a shout to get closer.

"Nephew Zhiyi! Don't be impulsive! It's me!" Taking advantage of his unpreparedness, Zhu Xieyonggu suddenly slashed him from behind, knocking him off his horse.

He held Zhu Xie Zhiyi's bloodied head high, roaring towards the Tang army:

"The head of the chieftain is here! We surrender! We surrender to the Grand Commander!"

The sounds of fighting on the battlefield quickly subsided, those who resisted were swiftly eliminated, and most of the Shatuo soldiers discarded their weapons and knelt down to surrender.

Surrounded by Guo Yuanzheng and his personal guards, Lin Hao slowly approached the front of the formation. Zhu Xie Yonggu and a group of defected Shatuo leaders knelt on the ground, trembling, not daring to raise their heads.

"Since you are willing to abandon darkness and embrace the light, I will grant you a chance," Lin Hao said calmly.
"However, I, the Grand Commander, have three conditions!"

"Please give your instructions, Grand Commander. We will not hesitate to die for you!" Zhu Xie Yonggu kowtowed hurriedly, his forehead covered in sand.

"First, immediately send back all the captured and enslaved citizens of the Great Tang Dynasty, leaving no one behind! If even one is missing, you will be held responsible!"

"Second, severely punish the thugs who abused and slaughtered my Tang people in the past. Regardless of their current identity, once verified, they shall be executed without mercy as a warning to others!"

"Third, all grasslands of Zhu Xie Jinzhong's tribe and his followers shall be confiscated, and all their tribal people and slaves shall belong to this capital. All your tribes shall also be relocated from the core area of ​​Pulei Lake (Barkol Lake) and await resettlement!"

"Yes, sir! We will obey the Grand Commander's order! We will do our utmost to atone for our crimes!" Zhu Xie Yonggu and the others dared not disobey in the slightest and repeatedly agreed.

Being able to save the tribe and their own lives was already a stroke of luck; they dared not ask for anything more.

They are, after all, a nomadic tribe. Even if they are not allowed to stay in the grasslands, they can simply go to other places with abundant water and grass.

Lin Hao turned his gaze to the side, where Kang Huaien and other leaders of the various tribes were flushed with excitement from their great victory, and shouted, "Kang Huaien!"

"Your subordinate is here!" Kang Huaien practically lunged forward.

"You have fought bravely today, and I have seen it all. From this day forward, the core grassland of Puleihai, which originally belonged to Zhu Xie Jinzhong and his followers, will be granted to your tribe and all the tribes that have contributed today! I hope you will manage it well and make it a permanent bulwark for the northern border of the Great Tang!"

As soon as this statement came out, it was shocking!

Not only were Kang Huaien and the others stunned as if they had been hit by a huge pie, and overjoyed beyond measure, even the surrendered generals like Zhu Xieyonggu, who were kneeling on the ground, suddenly looked up, their eyes filled with shock, resentment and disbelief!

The most fertile grasslands, passed down through generations of the Shatuo people, were given to these "wandering barbarians" who would never have given a second glance in the past.
However, the next moment, deafening shouts of ecstasy overwhelmed their thoughts.

"Thank you for your great grace, Grand Commander! Your great grace is boundless!" Kang Huaien and the others reacted, tears streaming down their faces, and they all fell to the ground in gratitude.

They suddenly drew their daggers from their waists, and without hesitation slashed their cheeks, drawing blood as they swore an oath, their voices echoing across the land:
"Heaven above, earth below, I, Kang Huai'en (leader of all tribes), and my descendants and followers, pledge to be servants of the Great Tang for all eternity, and to serve the Grand Commander forever! If we break this oath, may we be condemned by heaven and earth, and be killed by gods and men!"

They kissed the land beneath their feet, the land that was about to become theirs, with their loyalty instantly soaring to its peak.

Lin Hao coldly watched the boiling scene, his mind as clear as a mirror. The reason why these barbarian tribes were so excited to swear oaths was not only because the Tang Dynasty was rising again in the Western Regions, but also because of the subtle assimilation effect of his hive consciousness.

The reason for spending heavily to win over these mixed barbarians was actually a three-pronged strategy.

Firstly, he spent a fortune to buy the horse's bones. This completely won over the hearts of the various nomadic tribes and demonstrated to all the tribes in the Western Regions that as long as they followed the Tang Dynasty, they would gain real benefits!
Secondly, divide and rule. By granting the grazing lands of their sworn enemies to various non-Han tribes, rather than to a single tribe, they planted deep spies within the Shatuo, making unity impossible and forcing them to rely even more deeply on the authority of the Tang Dynasty.

Third, to contain the Uyghurs. By using these absolutely loyal new allied forces, they preemptively filled the power vacuum in Lake Pulei, completely blocking any path for the Uyghurs to expand eastward to this area under any pretext.

Yang Xigu, standing to the side, took in Lin Hao's swift and decisive actions and profound strategies, and was filled with admiration.

Granting the grasslands of the Shatuo people to these mixed-race tribes would not only win them over but also show the surrounding tribes that following the Great Tang Dynasty would bring immense benefits.

He spurred his horse forward and exclaimed in sincere admiration:
"The Grand Commander's military tactics are divine, and his defeat of the enemy is swift and decisive; his post-war handling is also far-sighted and meticulously planned, leaving me utterly convinced!"

Yang Xigu understood that the future of the Western Regions now rested on the shoulders of this young Grand Governor of the Western Regions.

Lin Hao nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the kneeling surrendered generals, the ecstatic new nobles, and the boundless surrendered troops, before looking towards the more distant east.

With the threat from the Shatuo tribe eliminated, one of the biggest obstacles to advancing eastward into the Hexi Corridor has been removed.

"Clean up the battlefield, take inventory of the prisoners, and settle the surrendered troops!" he ordered calmly.

In this battle, more than 1,000 enemy soldiers were killed, more than 5,000 were wounded, and more than 30,000 Shatuo people were captured, along with countless livestock.

These prisoners are the engine of eternal youth; each prisoner is a precious asset. Among his army, there are still many white-haired veterans waiting to regain their youth.

Especially for those Shatuo prisoners who were seriously injured and beyond saving, Lin Hao had no intention of slowly treating them; making use of them as soon as possible was the right thing to do.

With Lin Hao's command, the order and authority of the Tang Dynasty were being firmly established on this land, which had just experienced the ravages of war, through iron and blood.

However, after Lin Hao divided up the pastures, things were naturally bustling with activity, but some members of the Uyghur army were unhappy.

“Great Minister, the Tang people have secretly divided up Lake Pulei. If it weren’t for my Uyghurs, how could the Tang people have won? Now that we have defeated them, they are not giving the Uyghurs any benefits. How can this be acceptable?”

Kang Huaien and the other Hu people wept with joy, but the Uyghurs were the only ones who were unhappy.

The leaders of the various tribes of the Shatuo people were extremely frustrated because they were not allocated any grasslands.

Jieyujia was also frustrated. He had originally thought that the Shatuo people were numerous and powerful, so he would let the Tang army and the Shatuo army fight for a while first.

Once they are both exhausted or weakened, I will then command the Uyghur troops to seize the opportunity and wipe out the Shatuo people in one fell swoop, thus monopolizing this fertile grassland surrounding Lake Pulei.

Who would have thought that the Tang army would win so easily? The military prowess of this Western Regions Grand Commander was so strong that it sent chills down his spine.

The Shatuo people only showed a slight weakness, which he seized upon and easily defeated. If the opponents today were the Uyghurs, they probably wouldn't have fared well either.
They originally intended to stand by and watch the fisherman reap the benefits, but who knew that the Tang army and those mixed barbarian tribes would take advantage of the situation.

The Uyghur army was already hesitant on the battlefield, so it was already a favor that they didn't pursue his disobedience. Of course, given the current strength of the Uyghurs, they probably wouldn't dare to do anything to him. However, hoping to get a share of the spoils was wishful thinking, since the Tang army wasn't really afraid of him these days.

Since he didn't contribute anything, how could he possibly ask for spoils? Even Jieyugas wouldn't be that shameless.

It seems we can't continue like this. We didn't gain much advantage in Tingzhou or Yizhou, and the advantage we did gain was exchanged for Tang army armor.

In this battle, we haven't gained anything at all. We must go first in the next battle!

Jieyujias originally intended to use the Tang army as the vanguard to weaken the strength of both the Tang and enemy forces. However, now that the Tang army is proving so capable, he has no choice but to change his strategy.

"Let them have the Pulei Sea. We'll fight the next battle ourselves. We're the Hun lads, we can take whatever we want ourselves." Jieyujias certainly wouldn't admit it was his fault, but instead, he proudly encouraged the others.

"Your Excellency, Protector Yang has sent cattle and sheep as a reward for our army." Just as they were getting angry, a guard came in from outside the tent and reported this with great joy.

Lin Hao shared some of the cattle and sheep he had seized from the Shatuo people with Jieyuqis. After all, they were all allies, and the Uyghur tribe still had some use to them. Since they had won the battle, they should at least be given something in return.

The Uyghur generals in the tent all showed joy on their faces, but Jieyuqis snorted coldly. The Tang Dynasty was treating him like a beggar. They took the city, gave the pastures to the mixed barbarians, but only gave the Uyghur army a little bit of cattle and sheep.

However, the thought that if they were to demand pastures, the Shatuo people and other non-Han peoples would treat the Uyghurs as enemies.

The shadow of having previously driven the Shatuo Turks, Baifu Turks, and Karluks to rebellion still lingered in Jieyuqis's mind, so he didn't say much.

Moreover, he is now thinking about how to get more iron armor from the Tang army.