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Chapter 1279 The Next Target: The Karluks
Lin Hao has been away from the Uyghur King's camp for nearly a month, having successfully retired and returned to the Western Regions.

Upon returning to Luntai City, Lin Hao immediately sent someone to inform Guo Xin and Yang Xigu about what had happened at the Uyghur royal tent.

They were also invited to Luntai City the following year to discuss strategies for the western expedition and the recapture of Suyab City.

Lin Hao then continued to devote himself to the land reclamation project, leading the soldiers and civilians of Luntai City to work busily in the vast fields.

Retired veterans were in charge of supervision, newly surrendered tribes were the main force, and even the soldiers on duty worked during their rest time.

Using the iron farm tools continuously produced by the Luntai workshop, the dormant land was turned over piece by piece.

Lin Hao also personally surveyed the terrain and directed the military and civilians to dredge the old Tang Dynasty canals and dig new canals to bring the melting snow from the Tianshan Mountains and underground water sources to the vast fields.

New composting methods have also been promoted to improve soil fertility.

Standing on the newly built canal embankment, gazing at the neatly planned, crisscrossed fields, Lin Hao couldn't help but smile at Guo Yuanzheng beside him:
"Food is the foundation of an army and the basis of a stable government. Only when our army is self-sufficient in food can we truly be invincible in the Western Regions."

“This place will surely be lush and bountiful next year,” Lin Hao said with a smile.

"What you say is true, sir. It is all thanks to your efforts that our Great Tang Dynasty enjoys its current prestige in the Western Regions!" Guo Yuanzheng also praised with a smile.

"I didn't expect you to have learned to flatter so much, Yuanzheng! Haha!" Lin Hao chuckled, then pointed to the workshop in the distance and said:
"Let's go check on Wenbin!"

After inspecting the canal dam, Lin Hao led Guo Yuanzheng to the water-powered forging workshop outside Luntai City, where the furnace was always burning.

Aside from the mass-produced standard armor and weapons, Lu Wenbin is mainly in charge here. Actually, there's not much to see here, since Lin Hao built it all by himself.

But things are different now. A batch of weapons has been built here, allowing Lu Wenbin to secretly train a special army.

Lin Hao selected two thousand new recruits from the army who possessed amazing strength and burly physiques, and prepared to train a large number of Mo Dao soldiers.

At this moment, on the training ground, the heavy longswords gleamed coldly in the thin winter sunlight.

The new recruits sweated profusely as they practiced the most basic chopping movements under the reprimands and guidance of the senior officers.

That massive blade, three feet long and with a four-foot handle, required the strength of the entire body to swing each time; only a strongman could handle it.

Lin Hao believed that when this Mo Dao (陌刀) team was formed and arrayed on the battlefield, it would become a decisive force capable of crushing any enemy formation.

······
Back inside the Grand Governor's Mansion, Lin Hao looked at the huge map of the Western Regions, which depicted a river valley plain surrounded on three sides by snow-capped mountains.

Speaking of the Ili River Valley, we must also mention Suyab.

Suyab was originally a military outpost of the Tang Dynasty in the Chu River basin (Central Asian steppe), mainly defending against the eastward expansion of the Turks, the Turgesh Khanate, and the Arab Empire.

The Ili River Valley was originally a military base of the Tang Dynasty on the northern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains, controlling the activities of nomadic tribes (such as the Karluk tribe) and defending against the Tibetan invasion from the south and the southward migration of grassland tribes.

The two areas are connected by passages such as the Muzart Pass and the Talechi Pass in the Tianshan Mountains, forming a defense system that "protects the oasis in the south and controls the grassland in the north".

If Suyab is attacked, the Ili Valley can send troops to reinforce it; if the Ili Valley is besieged, Suyab can hold back the enemy from the west, and the two can provide strategic support for each other.

Speaking of the Karluk tribe, one must mention this three-clan tribe, which, since the beginning of the Turkic period, has been fickle and vacillating.

From 657 to 751, the Karluks were conquered by the Tang Dynasty several times, and then rebelled several times.

In the tenth year of the Tianbao era (751), the Karluks defected during the Battle of Talas, colluding with the Arab army and betraying the Grand Protector Gao Xianzhi, leading to the defeat of the Tang army and further expanding the Karluks' power.

In the first year of the Dali era (766), taking advantage of the An Lushan Rebellion, the Tang Dynasty was unable to look westward, defeated the Turgesh, and occupied the former territory of the Western Turks in the Chu River basin west of the Pamir Mountains, including the famous cities of Suyab and Talas.

However, there was also a portion of the Karluks who were distributed in the Ili River Valley and the southeastern shore of Lake Issyk-Kul, which was once Karluk territory.

In the fifth year of the Zhenyuan era (789), the Karluks gradually grew stronger and formed an alliance with the Tibetan Empire, helping the Tibetans capture Beiting City.

Their sphere of influence expanded further, and the Karluks also controlled areas including the Ili River Valley.

Subsequently, the Karluks, along with the Tibetans and Kyrgyz, formed an allied force to fight against the Uyghurs, and the allied forces once forced the Uyghurs out of the Junggar Basin.

During this process, the Karluks' sphere of influence continued to expand, and regions including the Ili River Valley were occupied by them.

Taking control of this land for farming and raising troops would be equivalent to cutting off one of the Karluks' arms, laying the foundation for the future recapture of Suyab and Talas.

······
As the winter snow melts and spring grass turns green, the fields surrounding Luntai City are revitalized.

On this day, dust rose on the horizon as a sizable Uyghur delegation arrived in Luntai City.

The main hall of the Grand Commander's Mansion was solemn, with Guo Xin, Yang Xigu, and Lin Hao sitting upright.

The head of the delegation, Du Wenguang, quickly stepped forward and bowed deeply according to the proper etiquette:
"Du Wenguang greets the Prince of Wuwei, the Grand Protector Yang, and the Grand Commander Lin!"

Behind him, a group of Uyghur generals, regardless of their inner thoughts, could only follow suit and bow upon seeing Du Wenguang's actions. The youngest general at the head of the group said:

"Adiegudulu greets the Prince of Wuwei, the Grand Protector Yang, and the Grand Commander Lin!"

This bow was in stark contrast to the previous posture of Jieyugas, which had attempted to be on equal footing and even subtly appeared to be superior.

In the silent clash, the Tang Dynasty had clearly gained control of the alliance.

Lin Hao's gaze swept over the group of Uyghur generals, and he understood.

Princess Xian'an was quite capable, sending mostly young and talented men like Gudulu.

Their relatively short tenure made them easier for the Tang army to command and control, and also effectively prevented veteran generals with great achievements from becoming too powerful outside the capital and threatening her hard-won regency position.

At the same time, after the fierce internal strife within the Uyghur royal court, few of the Uyghurs' renowned veteran ministers remained, and they were truly unable to send out many famous generals to lead the troops.

However, Lin Hao did not underestimate the Uyghurs' fighting strength because of this; he had heard of the name Adiegudulu long ago.

This man was actually Huaixin Khan, the future Khan of the Uyghurs. He was an orphan from the Tiele Adie tribe.

Because the Uyghurs had a custom of taking in orphans from other ethnic groups as their personal guards, he was able to enter the Uyghur Khan's personal army and gradually stand out. Now he is a general commanding an army.

He would later become the second prime minister of the Uyghurs, and after the death of Fengcheng Khan, he would seize the throne of the Uyghur Khan from the Yaoluoge family and become Huaixin Khan.

Later, he led the Uyghurs to repeatedly defeat the Tibetans, opening up the road from Hexi and Longyou to the Western Regions, and the Karluks were also defeated by him.

However, Huaixin Khan's ascension to the throne was illegitimate, and after his death, the Uyghur nobles who were close to Yaoluoge rebelled one after another.

For this reason, they even colluded with the Kyrgyz to overthrow the Khanate, which led to the gradual decline of the Uyghurs. Otherwise, the Uyghurs might have continued to grow stronger in the future.

However, he no longer had the original opportunity, so he behaved extremely humbly and obediently.

Lin Hao, wanting to test the waters, asked, "General Gutlugh, you are young and promising. What are your thoughts on this campaign against the Karluks?"

Gu Dulu clasped his hands in a gesture of respect, speaking with utmost humility:
"As this humble general is on this mission, Her Highness the Princess has repeatedly given strict orders that all actions must be carried out in accordance with the commands of the three Grand Commanders of the Great Tang. This humble general will obey orders without question and dares not speak of any strategies."

This composure and patience far surpassed that of Jieyuqis, no wonder he was able to sit on the throne of Khan later.

"It's a pity you don't have that chance now!" Lin Hao thought to himself.

A barely perceptible smile flickered across Lin Hao's lips. Historically, Gutlugh was able to successfully usurp the throne thanks to his outstanding military achievements in defeating the Karluks, as well as the early death of Fengcheng Khan Achuo.

Now, he has already secretly taken care of Ah Chuo's health and left behind a prescription so that he can live a little longer.

In this battle against the Karluks, the greatest credit will undoubtedly go to the Tang Dynasty, and the share of the credit that the Karluks can claim will be strictly controlled.

After Lin Hao's arrangements, the possibility of him replicating the road to the Khan's throne is now extremely slim.

However, not all Uyghur generals were as docile as Kutlug.

In the eyes of some, one could still see a trace of the arrogance and defiance of the prairie wolf pack.

"It seems you're not entirely convinced!" Lin Hao, seeing this, wasn't angry. Instead, he smiled and said:

"In that case, why don't you all come and watch the military drills of my Great Tang army?"

Lin Hao then devised a plan he had already discussed with Guo Xin and Yang Xigu: to hold a military parade first, to let them witness the might of the Tang army. Gu Dulu and the others, also wanting to know how much fighting strength the Tang army still possessed, readily agreed.

Then Lin Hao, Guo Xin, and others led a group of people to the training ground.

When Du Wenguang, Gudulu, and others took their seats on the reviewing stand and saw the Tang army arrayed in the drill ground, even though they were mentally prepared, they couldn't help but gasp in shock.

Under the rising sun, thousands of Tang soldiers stood solemnly like a forest, with elite veterans in the front row, their faces stern and their eyes sharp as eagles (veterans with restored white hair).

The back row consisted of young, yet determined, rising stars, all of whom were clad in cold-forged iron armor.

Under the sunlight, it reflects a continuous, chilling metallic gleam.

The swords and spears in their hands, and the powerful bows and crossbows on their shoulders, all exuded a level of sophistication that was ahead of their time.

Even the Shatuo and other Hu auxiliary troops arrayed on the flanks were equipped to the standards of elite Uyghur troops.

"The entire army is fully armored! The Tang Dynasty is incredibly extravagant!" a Uyghur general exclaimed in a low voice, his voice trembling with disbelief.

There's no way anyone wouldn't be flustered when faced with such a powerful and imposing army.

As the drill began, the veterans' formation marched in neat and heavy steps, practicing formation changes and thrusting techniques.

The movements were swift and efficient, and the fierce killing intent condensed from a hundred battles was almost tangible, rushing towards them, making the Uyghur generals on the viewing platform gasp for breath and their palms sweat.

Gutlugh quickly assessed the situation in his mind. If he encountered such a powerful army in the wild, even if his forces outnumbered them several times over, he would probably find it difficult to fight them head-on.

Moreover, the logistics for the Western Regions campaign were simply unsustainable, resulting in such a massive expenditure of manpower and a stalemate.

Most importantly, it is said that most of the Tang army in the Western Regions were old soldiers with white hair, so where did these elite troops composed of young and strong men come from?
The Western Regions were isolated from the Central Plains, making it extremely difficult to replenish the ranks of soldiers. The young men who had previously traveled from the Uyghurs to the Western Regions knew very well that there were definitely not this many people.

I originally thought that as the elite soldiers here gradually grew old, the Tang Dynasty's vigor would naturally wane, but look at the current situation!

Thinking of the increasingly powerful Princess Xian'an in the royal tent, and the now-powerful army of the Western Regions, the faint glimmer of hope that had just risen in Gudulu's heart gradually faded away.

Then, a heavy rumble of wheels came from the edge of the training ground.

Dozens of specially made two-wheeled carts were pushed in by strong soldiers, with a young Tang soldier of exceptionally tall and robust build standing solemnly beside each cart.

They remained silent, unloading the heavy armor components from the cart and quickly donning them, working together to do so.

As the last piece of armor was fastened, they resembled moving iron towers in the sunlight.

Then, they took the iconic weapon from the car, the Mo Dao, which struck fear into the hearts of the Western Regions: a blade three feet long and a handle four feet long!

"Mo Dao! It's the Mo Dao troops of the Great Tang!" A barely suppressed commotion arose among the Uyghur generals, and many people subconsciously stood up.

The infamous reputation of Li Siye's Mo Dao troops, who "advanced like a wall, crushing both men and horses," is still passed down among the various ethnic groups in the Western Regions.

They never expected that this legendary, almost invincible army would reappear in the seemingly depleted Western Regions border army of the Tang Dynasty!
Gu Dulu's pupils contracted sharply, the last trace of color drained from his face, and his last hope was shattered.

He looked at the young, strong soldiers equipped with longswords and heavy armor, and felt a chill in his heart.

The Tang Dynasty not only possessed an unparalleled elite force, but also a well-trained army of Mo Dao soldiers.

This is not only a display of military power, but also a declaration: the Tang Dynasty's dominant position in the Western Regions has been rebuilt and will continue!
The military parade ended in this solemn and awe-inspiring atmosphere. When the Uyghur generals looked at Guo Xin, Yang Xigu, and Lin Hao again, their eyes were filled with deep awe and complete obedience.

After establishing his authority, the real strategic meeting was held in a secret room in the Protectorate General's office.

A huge sheepskin map was laid out in the center, with Guo Xin, Yang Xigu, Lin Hao, and Du Wenguang and Adiegudulu, representing the Uyghurs, sitting around it.

"The Karluks are like a scab, but they are fickle and treacherous. The betrayal of Talas and the capture of Tingzhou are particularly egregious and must be avenged!"

Yang Xigu spoke first, his tone chillingly cold. The humiliation of the fall of Tingzhou was the biggest scar of his military career.

Guo Xin remained calm as he traced a line across the map: "Times have changed. Our army has already taken control of Tingzhou, Yizhou, and Yanqi, and the eastern route is now cut off."

"If Tibet wants to rescue the Karluks, it must cross the Pamir Mountains. The journey is treacherous and the supply lines are difficult, so the number of troops it can deploy will be limited."

Guo Xin's finger finally landed heavily on the city wall of Shule, and he said:
"The key is this: our main force of the Anxi army will advance westward and recapture Shule. Once we capture this city, we can completely block the main passage for Tibet to advance northward."

"The Karluks will be trapped like turtles in a jar, isolated and helpless!" Recapturing Shule, one of the four towns of Anxi, has been Guo Xin's long-cherished wish for many years, and it is also a strategic point to sever the connection between Tibet and the Karluks.

Lin Hao then added to the southern strategy: "In addition, we have a staunch ally—Ferghana (the Great Ferghana of the Han Dynasty)."

He mentioned that Ferghana had submitted to the Tang Dynasty since the time of Emperor Taizong, and had been a staunch supporter of the Tang Dynasty throughout the ages. It even sent troops into the Central Plains to quell the An Lushan Rebellion, and its prince died on the battlefield, demonstrating its loyalty.

“During this period, I sent Kang Huai’en to re-establish contact with his king and provide him with military supplies and provisions. He has returned the favor by gifting him Ferghana horses as a sign of his sincerity.”

"At that time, Ferghana's army can advance north from the southwest, attacking the Karluks' flank and rear, forming a pincer movement with us!"

Du Wenguang, representing Princess Xian'an, clearly stated: "By Your Highness's decree, the Uyghur army will obey the orders of the Great Tang! We vow to annihilate the Karluks, avenge our past humiliation, and solidify our alliance!"

Gu Dulu bowed again: "We, your humble servants, will follow the lead of the Great Tang and are willing to be the vanguard!"

A strategic consensus was thus firmly reached among all parties, and the details were quickly finalized:
Guo Xin returned to Kucha immediately, assembled the Anxi army, and prepared to launch a westward attack on Shule.

Yang Xigu was stationed in Tingzhou, overseeing logistics and remaining vigilant against any potential disturbances from the Tubo Kingdom in the east.

Lin Hao continued to train his troops in Luntai, especially accelerating the combat training of the Mo Dao team.

At the same time, sufficient manpower should be prepared to begin land reclamation and development after capturing the Ili River Valley, and to build it into an advance base.
Princess Xian'an will continue to mobilize the remaining Uyghur tribes' forces, agreeing to send the army to the front lines when the grasslands are at their peak in early summer.

······
As spring deepens and summer approaches, the land north and south of the Tianshan Mountains is lush and green, making it the perfect time for cavalry to gallop across and for large armies to wage war.

As dust rose again on the northern horizon, the main force of the allied army, composed of more Uyghur tribes and dispatched by Princess Xian'an, arrived outside Luntai City as scheduled.

On the vast plains, the banners of the Tang army and the Uyghur allied forces blotted out the sun, their men and horses were magnificent, and their swords and spears were like a forest.

Yang Xigu and Lin Hao stood side by side on the city wall, gazing at this powerful allied army that embodied the will for revenge and the determination to expand.

"Hoo-ha!" The soldiers shouted and began their martial arts practice.

The elite soldiers of the Tang Dynasty, in dense formations, pressed forward like an iron wall.

The Mo Dao in their hands only required two slashing movements, yet it exuded an unparalleled power. The wooden statues placed in front of them were shattered into pieces under their slashes.

"This~!" Seeing their posture, the Uyghur generals, including Gudulu, were all dumbfounded.

The other tribal leaders who had been invited by Lin Hao to witness the ceremony were all speechless, their mouths agape.

As the Mo Dao team charged from one end of the training ground to the other, all the wooden targets in front of them shattered in their wake.

These leaders, witnessing the power of the Mo Dao Formation for the first time, were utterly astonished and murmured to themselves:
"That takes immense strength and an incredibly fast knife!"

These soldiers of the Mo Dao team seemed to still have energy left after cutting down all the wooden targets in front of them in one go.

Moreover, the long swords in their hands were still gleaming, with no damage to the blades. Both the soldiers' physical strength and the sharpness of the swords exceeded their expectations.

"The Grand Commander has trained his troops so well that even the Mo Dao troops under General Shentong back then are probably not as good!" Yang Xigu couldn't help but praise.

Yang Xigu was older and had seen Li Siye leading the Mo Dao team to conquer all directions.

However, neither the duration nor the intensity of their attacks can compare to the Mo Dao team trained by Lin Hao.

Yang Xigu glanced at Lin Hao. Li Siye had only led ordinary soldiers, equipped with elite armor and Mo Dao (a type of long-handled sword) made by the Tang Dynasty itself. They were not comparable to the group of men Lin Hao had in front of him.

The armor and long-handled swords that Lin Hao equipped them with were made using more advanced metallurgical technology.

It was lighter than the Tang army's original equipment, but the armor's defensive capabilities and the sharpness of the Mo Dao were far superior to those of Li Siye's original equipment.

More importantly, these soldiers wielding the Mo Dao were trained by Lin Hao using special methods.