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Chapter 1276 Uyghur King's Tent
Upon returning to Tingzhou, Lin Hao recounted Princess Xian'an's situation to Yang Xigu. After pondering for a moment, Yang Xigu said:

"We have had many exchanges with the Uyghurs in the past. If the Uyghurs try to harm our Great Tang, that would be a very bad thing."

During the An Lushan Rebellion, it was only with the aid of the Uyghurs that the rebellion was completely quelled. Now, the Tang Dynasty is unstable internally, while its power is rising again in the Western Regions.

When they joined forces with the Tang Dynasty to attack Tibet, the Tibetan forces did not seem to be very aggressive.

To be precise, it was the perception of the Tang Dynasty's power that made them wary of it, which is why they were less focused on attacking Tibet.

If Lin Hao hadn't agreed to exchange Tang Dynasty citizens for the armor, the other side might have joined forces with Tibet to launch a pincer attack on the Tang Dynasty, which would have been far too dangerous.

After all, putting aside personal factors, his purpose in going on this expedition was to divert attention from internal conflicts.

Since the goal is to shift the focus of conflict, it makes no difference to him whether the enemy attacks Tibet or the Tang Dynasty.

Changshou Tianqin Khan usurped the throne because the previous Khan attempted to break with the Tang Dynasty.

This shows that not all Uyghurs are close to the Tang Dynasty. Although the current Khan has only been in power for a short time and has not yet revealed any signs of his power, the Tang Dynasty cannot be at ease with him, judging from the process of his ascension.

Taking all this into consideration, Yang Xigu also felt that supporting Princess Xian'an was absolutely necessary, but he still gave her some final instructions:

"You are now the Grand Governor of the Western Regions. Isn't it a bit inappropriate for you to go there in person? What if something happens to you?!"

Before Yang Xigu could finish speaking, Lin Hao interrupted him directly:

"Protector, there's no need to worry. I've already made arrangements in Luntai City. Besides, with you and Prince Guo here, no one can turn the tide!"

Lin Hao understood that Yang Xigu was acting out of concern. Logically speaking, it was indeed somewhat inappropriate for Lin Hao, the Grand Commander of the Western Regions, to personally go there.

However, Lin Hao is no ordinary person. With his ability to descend, he can remotely control the situation, so there is no need to worry about internal issues.

Ultimately, Lin Hao's confidence led to effective communication, leaving the other party with no choice but to say helplessly:
"But you must take good care of yourself on your journey to the Uyghur royal camp. If things don't go well, come back immediately!"

Lin Hao smiled and said, "Don't worry, Protector Yang!"

Lin Hao finally put aside his work for the time being and went with Du Wenguang to cause a ruckus at the Uyghur King's tent.

"You can rest assured about the Western Regions. With me and Prince Guo here, those people won't be able to cause any trouble!"

Having previously reclaimed their original territories and captured countless Tibetans, all the white-haired veterans of the Tang army have now regained their youth.

Moreover, they have all been equipped with brand-new iron armor, and the grain harvest has just been bountiful. They are at the peak of their fighting strength, eager to fight. I really want to see who will dare to show their face and do something reckless at this time.

Moreover, even without mentioning military strength, they have plenty of ways to win over and divide the foreign tribes in the Western Regions, and resist the attacks from Tibet and other foreign tribes with ulterior motives.

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After bidding farewell to Yang Xigu, Lin Hao, along with a group of capable subordinates, disguised themselves and set off with Du Wenguang, carrying a large amount of supplies to aid Princess Xian'an, heading north from Tingzhou to the Uyghur royal camp.

The wagons they were escorting contained not only three thousand sets of armor, but also weapons such as steel swords and arrows, as well as gold and silver money for Princess Xian'an to use to bribe people.

The group left Tingzhou, headed north along the ancient road, then turned east, and traveled towards the Uyghur camp. After two days of continuous travel, they were already far from the sphere of influence of Tingzhou.

"Although I have been in the Western Regions for many years, I still don't know much about the Uyghur royal camp. I wonder which forces are currently in the royal camp. I would appreciate it if Commander Du could explain this to me so that I can be prepared!"

On the way to the Uyghur King's tent, Lin Hao and Du Wenguang rode side by side in the middle of the group. Bored, Lin Hao asked Du Wenguang about the situation of the Uyghurs.

After all, in later historical records, this Uyghur civil war was only mentioned briefly, lacking detailed descriptions.

Even from Jieyugas, Lin Hao only obtained part of the truth; other forces also need to gain a deeper understanding.

At present, Lin Hao only knows that after Jieyuqis returned with his troops, he killed the current Khan and installed the son of the loyal Khan on the throne.

He was then appointed Fengcheng Khan by the Tang Dynasty. As for which other forces were involved, the historical records do not describe it.

Now that Lin Hao is going to the Uyghur King's camp to help Princess Xian'an, he can't be unaware of these inside stories.

Du Wenguang seemed to have been prepared, and upon hearing this, he said solemnly, "What the Grand Commander said is absolutely right. The situation within the royal tent is now very complex, mainly due to the entanglement of forces from all sides."

He cleared his throat and began to describe in detail:

"This first group consists of the former subordinates of the loyal Khan. These people are the most numerous, and their tribal power is deeply rooted. They were originally the foundation left by the previous Khan."

However, the loyal Khan was murdered only four months after his ascension to the throne. The new Khan's hasty ascension was illegitimate, and most of his former followers harbored doubts and remained on the sidelines.

"The new Khan and the princess are both vying for these people, but only a few have made a decision. Most are still observing from the sidelines and will probably wait until things settle down before making a decision."

Du Wenguang's tone carried a hint of disdain, yet also a touch of helplessness.

Lin Hao nodded and said, "With strong capabilities, we can wait for the right price. Regardless of who wins in the future, we will need their support, so there's no rush."

Du Wenguang nodded and continued, "The second force is the Great Minister Jieyugas. He is a top figure of real power in the Uyghurs. He has been in power for many years and the tribe is strong."

This time, we joined forces with you, Grand Commander, to decisively defeat the Tibetans in the Western Regions. We returned with the glory of our great victory, and our prestige is at its zenith.

Within the royal tent, there are many who fear his military might and admire his achievements. To be frank, if Jieyuqis were to seize the throne and replace him at this time, he would have at least a 60-70% chance of success.”

Lin Hao seemed to be thinking about something, then nodded and said, "His greatest asset is indeed the momentum of a great victory and a strong army."

Jieyuqis was originally one of the most powerful figures in the Uyghur territory. He had served as Grand Chancellor for many years and held great power. Now, with the momentum of a great victory, he returned with a large army, which was enough to determine who would inherit the Khan's throne.

“The third faction is Princess Ye’s lineage!” Du Wenguang’s voice lowered, carrying obvious vigilance and disgust.

"She was born to the previous Muyu Khan and Princess Chonghui, who was the daughter of Pugu Huaien."

"Recently, rumors have been circulating in the royal tent that Princess Ye poisoned the loyal Khan! She is also Her Highness's most important enemy!"

“Pugu Huaien?” Lin Hao’s gaze sharpened; the name was not unfamiliar.

Pugu Huaien was originally a famous general of the Tang Dynasty. During the An Lushan Rebellion, Pugu Huaien made many meritorious contributions, and 46 members of his family sacrificed their lives for the country, making them a family of loyal martyrs.

After the An Lushan Rebellion was quelled, Emperor Daizong of Tang sent Pugu Huaien's portrait to the Lingyan Pavilion, ranking him first above Guo Ziyi and Li Guangbi.

However, Pugu Huai'en was eventually framed by the eunuch Luo Fengxian, who accused him of colluding with the Uyghurs to rebel. Pugu Huai'en had no choice but to raise an army against the Tang Dynasty.

In the end, his rebellion was quelled by Guo Ziyi, and Pugu Huai'en also died in Mingsha City. With such a thing happening in his family, it is not surprising that Princess Ye disliked the Tang Dynasty.

"Exactly!" Du Wenguang sighed and said.
"Princess Ye is the daughter of Muyu Khan and Princess Chonghui, who is the daughter of Pugu Huai'en."

"Our Great Tang bestowed upon her the title of princess and married her to Muyu Khan. After Pugu Huaien was forced to rebel, Princess Ye harbored deep resentment towards the Great Tang!"

At this point, Du Wenguang also showed a dissatisfied expression, and then further explained the source of Princess Ye's strength.

"Although Princess Chonghui has passed away, Pugu Huai'en still enjoys prestige among some Uyghur tribes."

"Princess Ye's half-brother is now a powerful Yehu (tribal chief)."

"The Pugu tribe was originally a powerful Tiele tribe, playing a pivotal role in the Uyghur alliance. With this backing, and Princess Ye herself being quite capable, she had many followers and her strength should not be underestimated."

"Finally, it is Her Highness the Princess!" Du Wenguang's tone turned respectful.

"When Your Highness was sent to marry a foreign ruler, His Majesty provided you with guards. Over the years, Your Highness has been kind and reasonable, and has won the respect of some Uyghur noble chieftains and also won over a group of loyal followers."

Du Wenguang glanced at Lin Hao, hesitated for a moment, and then said:
"However, compared to Jieyugas and Princess Ye, Your Highness's hard power is indeed slightly inferior."

Lin Hao and Jieyujiasi joined forces to attack Tibet, which gave Jieyujiasi even greater prestige. Now that he is returning with great power, who knows what might happen when he goes to the royal camp.

Despite his words, a hint of eagerness flashed in his eyes as he thought of the three thousand armored soldiers and weapons behind him: "However, with the Grand Commander's strong support, we are confident that we can contend with them!"

Lin Hao listened silently, his mind already sketching out the power structure of the Uyghur royal court. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke:

"It seems that, in the current royal tent, the one openly opposing the current Khan and Princess Heya is Jieyuqis!"

"There are resentful former subordinates of the loyal Khan, along with Her Highness the Princess, making them two and a half forces."

He considered his old subordinates as "half-shares" because of their wait-and-see attitude, which made them opportunistic.

"The Grand Commander is wise," Du Wenguang nodded in agreement.
"Jieyugas had previously sent someone to contact Your Highness, hoping that Your Highness could join forces with him to kill the traitor. If Your Highness and the Grand Chancellor work together, Princess Ye's faction will naturally have little chance of winning."

"But the problem is..." Lin Hao changed the subject, pointing directly to the core of the issue:

"Jieyugas is powerful. Even if he succeeds, the new Khan will probably just be his puppet. And Her Highness is weak. She probably won't have much say in the end!"

Seeing Du Wenguang's unpleasant expression, Lin Hao didn't dwell on the question but continued to ask:

"Do you know who is currently qualified to inherit the Khan's throne? What are their characteristics?"

Du Wenguang replied, "The Khanate will surely be usurped by the Yaoluoge clan. The loyal Khan has several young sons, and his brothers are also secretly plotting, all with their own agendas. However…!"

At this point, Du Wentao shook his head and said, "None of these men are capable of being great rulers, and Jieyugas probably wouldn't think much of them."

Lin Hao recalled the historical context he knew. Among the youngest sons of the loyal Khan, there was one named Achuo. His father was poisoned in 790, and he succeeded to the throne with the support of the general Jieganjiasi. The Tang Dynasty conferred upon him the title of Fengcheng Khan.

Thinking of this, Lin Hao said:
“I predict that Jieyuqis will choose to support a young prince, such as Achuo, the son of the loyal Khan. Young princes are easy to control, and it is an ancient practice to use the emperor to command the princes.”

Du Wenguang looked slightly surprised, then nodded and said:

"The Grand Commander's prediction is correct. Jieyujiasi did indeed send an envoy to express his hope that Your Highness would support Achuo and help him obtain investiture from the Tang Dynasty."

Although the Tang Dynasty was in decline, it was still a formidable force even after the tiger died. Moreover, the Tang Dynasty had not yet collapsed. Therefore, the Tang Dynasty's investiture was of great importance to the legitimacy of the steppe regime.

"However, Your Highness is worried that if Achuo ascends the throne, all power will fall into the hands of Jiesi, which would not be good for the Tang Dynasty or Your Highness himself. Therefore, you have not yet agreed."

A glint flashed in Lin Hao's eyes, and he immediately voiced his thoughts:

"Commander Du, I think Your Highness might as well agree first."

"What?" Du Wenguang was taken aback, his face showing confusion.

"This is a strategy of 'feigning weakness to the enemy, so that the snipe and the clam may fight,'" Lin Hao explained in detail.

Both Jieyugas and Princess Ye are incredibly powerful and are currently the two largest forces.

"If Your Highness clearly opposes Jieyugas, it may force him to temporarily compromise with Princess Ye, or even join forces to eliminate Your Highness as a variable."

"On the contrary, if Your Highness agrees to support Achuo, Jieyugas will lower your guard against Your Highness and concentrate all your efforts on dealing with Princess Ye and the usurper she supported."

Lin Hao then continued his analysis: "Princess Ye has the support of Pugu's old subordinates, and she is by no means an easy opponent. Once the two sides fight with all their might, no matter who wins, it will be a Pyrrhic victory, and their strength will be greatly reduced."

"At that time~!" Lin Hao then shook his head and said with a smile:

"Your Highness will then use the Tang Dynasty's investiture as bait, leading those three thousand elite troops armed with iron armor to intervene with thunderous force and decisively clean up the mess."

"The benefits of the fisherman after the fight between the snipe and the clam are readily available. Princess Jieyugas and Princess Ye never imagined that Your Highness would hold such a decisive force in your hands."

Du Wenguang's heart raced and his blood boiled as he listened. This plan was bold and ruthless, directly targeting the two most powerful forces of the Uyghurs.

He could almost see the scene where both sides were severely injured, and then the princess would be the one unaware of the danger.

However, he was cautious by nature. Although he was tempted, he was mindful of his own strength and Princess Xian'an's opinion, so he did not immediately agree.

Finally, after a moment of contemplation, Du Wenguang said:
"The Grand Commander's plan is brilliant, but... His Highness's decision on whether to approve it still needs to be discussed with the Princess. Furthermore, the intensity of the conflict and the timing of the clashes are both challenging aspects!"

Lin Hao knew he was interested, but he wasn't in a hurry. He then calmly said:
"It's alright. The specific decision should be made by Her Highness. We should continue on our way first. The commander can think it over carefully and then explain in detail when we meet Her Highness."

For the rest of the journey, Lin Hao inquired from Du Wenguang about more detailed and trivial information, such as the local customs, relationships between various tribes, and troop deployments of the Uyghur royal camp.

Du Wenguang answered each question, and his admiration for Lin Hao's meticulousness and foresight grew even stronger.

The team then traveled day and night, but there was no other way; Jieyugas had already been gone for some time.

If they are too slow, by the time they return, Jieyuqias will have already defeated Princess Ye and secured the Uyghur Khanate, and then it will be too late!

Fortunately, Lin Hao's falcon in the sky gave him eyes to report back the terrain, water sources, and even the movements of the large group of people dozens of miles ahead.

Combined with the familiarity of Du Wenguang's guides with the grassland trails, he was able to discover those little-known paths.

Therefore, the team avoided the main trade routes and tribal settlements, choosing instead to quickly traverse remote paths to advance at a faster pace. Surprisingly, few people saw them along the way.

Several days later, through the eyes of the eagles that were scouting ahead, a large army was seen slowly advancing along the main road, with banners waving. It was none other than the victorious army of Jieyugas.

At this time, they were still more than two hundred li away from the Uyghur king's camp.

"Speed ​​up! Go around them!" Lin Hao decisively ordered.

Under the cover of night, the troops quietly crossed the vanguard of the Jieyuqis army via a dry ancient riverbed, leaving the noisy army behind.

After another day and night of rapid march, the group finally arrived at a small tribe near the royal tent that had secretly pledged allegiance to Princess Xian'an.

Du Wenguang then sent people to inquire about the situation. Although the atmosphere inside the royal tent was tense, the usurper was still in power, and Jieyuqis's army had not yet arrived.

After resting briefly in the small tribe and hiding most of the supplies and people there, Du Wenguang, along with Lin Hao and more than ten personal guards, changed into the clothes of ordinary merchants or tribal people and headed towards the capital of the Uyghurs.

From a distance, the Uyghur royal camp looked less like a city and more like a vast tribal settlement.

There were no towering city walls, only simple wooden fences and earthen mounds that delineated the approximate area.

Countless white yurts, scattered like mushrooms across the vast grassland, lay haphazardly.

The closer you get, the more you can smell the mixed odors in the air: the smell of livestock manure, the sour smell of dairy products, the smoky smell of roasted meat, and the body odor produced by the gathering of many people and animals.

The people coming and going on the road were of all kinds, with Uyghur warriors wearing fur robes and carrying curved knives at their waists driving herds of cattle and sheep.

Caravans of Sogdians or Han Chinese, dressed in silk or cotton and with shrewd faces, led camels, their camel bells jingling.

At this time, the Uyghurs had not yet been Islamized. You could see Zoroastrian priests dressed in strange robes with solemn expressions, shamans covered in bone ornaments chanting incantations, and Buddhist monks with shaved heads and wearing robes.

The various languages ​​and beliefs here converge, creating a noisy and chaotic atmosphere.

In stark contrast to the grand order of Chang'an and the military solemnity of Tingzhou, it exudes a primitive feel everywhere.

However, this loose and chaotic nature is characteristic of nomadic regimes, so it's not entirely unusual.

On the contrary, regimes like the Mongols and the Later Jin, which were born from the absorption of Central Plains culture, were the outliers.

Du Wenguang was already used to all of this. He led Lin Hao and his group through the messy yurts, avoiding the main road where there were many people and attention, and taking the secluded side roads instead.

Finally, they arrived at a relatively quiet area, seemingly loosely guarded but actually heavily guarded by hidden sentries.

At the center is a large, more ornately decorated tent-like palace that combines Tang and Uyghur styles.