Guiyi Fei Tang

Chapter 63 The war is coming
"Screw rustle..."

"Xilulu!"

At two quarters past noon, when Shang Bibi's troops finally appeared, the Tubo flag and the Sanchen flag of the Tang Dynasty met again at the foot of the Qilian Mountains after many years.

In front of the two armies, although Shang Bi Bi had a large number of troops, they did not dare to be arrogant.

Although the Shandan army had few troops, they were not intimidated by the large enemy force.

Under the gaze of everyone, a large carriage slowly drove over, obviously Shang Bibi's carriage.

"This guy put the central army's banner on his own carriage. Isn't he afraid that he will be captured directly by Huanglong?"

"Pfft..."

Looking at Shang Bibi ostentatiously sticking the big banner on the carriage she was riding in, Suo Xun could not help but mock her, and some captains almost laughed out loud.

Fortunately, he spoke in Tang dialect, otherwise the Shanzhou cavalry around him would probably be angry and embarrassed.

"Den-"

Amid Suo Xun's ridicule, the large carriage stopped between the two armies, more than thirty steps in front of Liu Jilian and his men.

Shang Duoluo dismounted and opened the door, and Shang Bibi also got off the carriage with his help.

After getting off the car, Shang Bibi turned his gaze to the Shandan army. Facing the Shandan army wearing Tibetan armor, he did not show contempt, but was very happy.

The three hundred cavalrymen and five hundred horse infantrymen were all wearing heavy armor and were rare armored soldiers.

This team will definitely be a great help to him in defeating Shang Yanxin.

However, this number of soldiers alone was not enough to repel Shang Yanxin, so he guessed that the Shandan army had other plans.

"Who is the leader of this army?"

Shang Bibi asked Shang Duoluo in a low voice, and Shang Duoluo gestured to Shang Bibi to look in the direction he was looking.

However, when Shang Bibi saw Zhang Huairong and the other two, she couldn't help but laugh softly and said, "Why is this Tang army general so short?"

Because they were too far apart, in Shang Bibi's eyes, Zhang Huairong, sandwiched between Liu Jilong and Suo Xun, looked very "short".

"Forget it. Today we need help. Let's go up."

After calming down, Shang Bibi stepped forward under the protection of Shang Duoluo.

Only as the two sides got closer did he see Zhang Huairong's situation clearly.

It’s not that he was born short, but the two generals beside him were too strong, especially the one on Zhang Huairong’s right, who was so tall that he looked like a god.

"dismount!"

Zhang Huairong spoke in a deep voice, and in an instant Suo Xun and Liu Jilong dismounted from their horses one after another and walked towards Shang Bibi.

"Zhang Huairong, the Sima of Ganzhou, is here to meet the governor Shang!"

"Shanzhou Jiedushi Shang Bibi greets Sima Zhang!"

The two sides began to greet each other and introduce themselves to each other after a few steps, while moving forward at the same time, finally stopping at a distance of one step apart.

But after the two sides got closer, there was no need to describe Shang Bi Bi's feelings.

Zhang Huairong, whom he had previously mocked for being short, was actually half a head taller than him, not to mention Suo Xun. And Liu Jilong was nearly a foot taller than him. He almost had to look up to meet his eyes.

"How come this guy is so strong?!"

Looking at Liu Jilong's muscular figure and his chiseled face, Shang Mai Mai couldn't take her eyes away for a moment and couldn't help but sigh:

"I never thought there would be such a man in Hexi!"

He said this in Tibetan, but Liu Jilong did not respond. Instead, Zhang Huairong chuckled and introduced them: "These two are Zuo Guoyi Suoxun and General Liu Jilong of Shandan, our Great Tang."

"This is me, Shang Duoluo, the governor of Shanzhou." Shang Bibi introduced herself without giving in.

It’s a pity that Shang Duoluo’s figure is not even as good as Suo Xun, let alone compared with Liu Jilong.

Zhang Huairong is very proud of this.

Suo Xun and Liu Jilian were undoubtedly among the most powerful generals in Hexi at that time, and they were perfect for intimidating outsiders.

However, no matter how proud we are, the first priority right now is to understand the situation and take measures against the enemy.

"The situation is urgent, so I won't lie to the governor."

Zhang Huairong put the words in front of him first, then bowed and said: "Our army only has 800 armored soldiers and more than 800 civilians here. I wonder how many troops the Jiedushi has?"

"I have 500 elite cavalry and 2,500 light cavalry." Shang Bibi was unwilling to be outdone and explained:

"The bandit general chasing me is called Shang Yanxin. He is a fierce general under Lun Kongre and he leads 5,000 light cavalry."

"I wonder if Zhang Hexi has other troops on the way besides sending out Sima Zhang?"

Shang Bibi was very good at flattering people. You should know that Zhang Yichao still called himself the governor of Shazhou at this time, but Shang Bibi called Zhang Yichao Zhang Hexi, implying that Zhang Yichao was the governor of Hexi.

The Jiedushi of Hexi was not only Zhang Yichao's personal wish, but also a goal that people in Shazhou were looking forward to.

If the Tang Dynasty could appoint Zhang Yichao as the governor of Hexi, then several powerful people in Shazhou would also be able to be promoted, and Shazhou would have a sense of righteousness towards the entire Hexi region.

The concept of righteousness is very useful even in troubled times, let alone now.

Therefore, his flattery not only made Zhang Huairong feel very comfortable, but even Suo Xun's gaze towards him softened a little.

The only person who was not affected was probably Liu Jilong, who knew the direction of history.

At this moment, Liu Jilong's mind was full of looking at Shang Bibi's troops. He could see that Shang Bibi's troops were exhausted. If Shang Yanxin came to kill them at this time, they would probably have to die here.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but want to remind Zhang Huairong, but considering the difference between host and guest, he held back and just prepared himself to fight the enemy at any time.

"Zhangye's troops are on the way. Before that, please ask the governor to temporarily hand over the maps of the five states to us."

Zhang Huairong stated his purpose, which made Shang Bibi's expression freeze.

Fortunately, he was good at cultivating his Qi, and he smiled again in just a breath: "Haha, of course I have to give you the map of the Five States, but I also said in the letter that as long as the Heavenly Army and I work together to repel Shang Yanxin, I will hand over the map of the Five States."

"Not only that, if the Heavenly Army wants to move eastward to recover the Helong states in the future, I can also instigate some ambitious people for the Heavenly Army."

Shang Bibi would not hand over the map of the five states easily, and Zhang Huairong did not want to get the map so easily. What he did just now was just a test.

Seeing that Shang Bibi was alert, he turned his attention to Shang Duoluo and Shang Bibi's three thousand cavalrymen.

"The matter of the books and maps can be handled as stated in the letter, but before that, we still have to repel the invading enemy."

"Just in case, please ask the Jiedushi to order Shang Duhu to cooperate with our army in preparing for war."

"Of course, haha..." Shang Bibi did not refuse. He did not think that he could lead 3,000 cavalrymen to dominate Hexi.

The situation in Hexi is complicated. Even when Dharma Zamp was alive, it was not peaceful, let alone now.

Zhang Yichao must have had some extraordinary qualities to be able to recover Hexi. Shang Bibi didn't believe that she could gain any advantage without having an advantage in military strength.

His current idea was to repel Shang Yanxin and then settle down in the grasslands between Gansu and Su.

"Protector Shang, please obey the orders of Sima Zhang for the time being."

"The last general takes command!"

Shang Bibi gave the order and Shang Duoluo responded without hesitation.

Obviously, he also knew that his own side was exhausted and could not possibly cause any waves in Hexi.

"Now that the matter has been settled, please ask the Jiedushi to temporarily stay in Qilian City and wait for the arrival of Governor Zhang and his troops. After repelling Shang Yanxin, we can discuss the matter in detail."

"please……"

Zhang Huairong made a gesture, and Shang Bibi also smiled and said, "No need, I can just camp outside the city, and don't bother the heavenly army."

He maintained basic vigilance. Zhang Huairong didn't say anything, but just chuckled and saluted, then turned and walked towards his own team.

Seeing this, Shang Bibi also brought Shang Duoluo back to the carriage and followed with the team in the carriage.

Soon, the two troops left the entrance of the valley and headed towards Qilian City.

Liu Jilong did not leave immediately, but stood at the entrance of the valley and looked around.

The entrance to the valley is very wide, about a mile wide on either side. Although there are high mountains on both sides, the terrain is very gentle. There is also a small river flowing out of the valley mouth, so even cavalry can ride through on horseback. It is not suitable for garrisoning.

On the contrary, Qilian City, which is more than ten miles away from here, is in a very convenient location. Not only does it have ready-made wells, but it is also guarded by cities, making it difficult for cavalry to break through.

After a quick look, Liu Jilong turned around and followed Zhang Huairong and others back to Qilian City.

On the way back, Li Ji couldn't help but ask Jiu Juyan: "Why do we have to repel Shang Yanxin in Qilian City? Can't we just take these foreigners to Suzhou?"

Jiu Juyan lowered his voice and responded, "The grain in Zhangye and Shandan has not been harvested yet. If we don't fight in Qilian City, the war will spread to Zhangye and Shandan."

"I would rather defend Qilian City than let Shang Yanxin's bandits destroy the grain fields outside the second city."

"I understand." Li Ji understood it immediately. He glanced at the two teams and couldn't help but exclaimed:
"I heard that Shang Bibi was also the leader of a powerful town in Hehuang. How come he only has 500 armored soldiers and more than 2,000 light soldiers?"

"If he had more soldiers, he wouldn't have retreated to the west." Jiu Juyan still cared about Shang Bibi's face, but Li Ji didn't think so. The two sides hurried and returned to Qilian City an hour later. The civilians in Qilian City also filled the gaps on both sides of the city wall, but it was still not strong.

As soon as he returned to Qilian City, Zhang Huairong ordered people to kill sheep and cook meals to entertain the troops from Shandan and Shanzhou.

There are now more than 4,600 soldiers and civilians gathered in Qilian City, and more than 4,000 draft horses and oxen. If Liu Jilian had not brought 3,000 shi of grain, the original grain in the city would not be enough.

After Liu Jilong returned to the city, he found a tent to rest and told the soldiers to call him when it was time for dinner.

Gradually, the sky darkened, but the Shandan Army and the Shanzhou Army were wary of each other. After all, the conflict between the Han people in Hexi and the Tibetans was too deep to be resolved in a short time.

"Crackling..."

At night, when the firewood crackled in the fire, a team of cavalrymen holding torches rushed into a temporary camp dozens of miles away from Qilian City.

The camp was filled with tents and horses, and besides that there were figures squatting in front of the tents.

What was horrifying was that wherever the cavalry passed, all the people were wearing heavy armor, and even when facing their own people, they had unfriendly expressions.

Dozens of horses gathered next to each tent. Just on the less than three hundred steps long path through the camp, there were thousands of horses on both sides, and the fire in the camp could spread nearly a hundred steps to the left and right.

"Shut up!"

Finally, the cavalry reined in their horses, turned around, and walked directly into a not-so-big tent.

When he entered, the cavalry commander immediately saluted and bowed his head to report:
"Qiliben, we have followed Shang Bibi's footsteps for more than ten miles, but have not found any trace of them. I am afraid they have already rushed out of the valley."

Under the candlelight, the scene inside the tent flickered.

As the general finished his report, a figure sat up on the felt and said in a rough voice, "Shang Bibi, this fellow, really surrendered to those Han slaves."

"It should be. We found hoof prints in the opposite direction, and we didn't find any signs of fighting along the way."

The general agreed, and the figure stood up and walked in front of the general.

He slowly raised his head, and a general in his thirties with an average build and ordinary looks appeared in front of him.

The general tutted his tongue a few times, and finally sneered: "I'm afraid Dalun won't be happy if he can't get Shang Bibi's head."

"Zhang Yichao and his group of Han slaves stole four states. I want to see what he can do."

After the words fell, the general looked down at the general and said, "Order the three armies to set out at noon tomorrow, and fight their way out of the valley and into Ganzhou before noon. Do not put down your swords for three days!"

"Yes!" the general responded excitedly, then stood up and left the tent under the general's gaze.

After he left, the general lay back on the felt, but his mind had already flown to the Ganzhou grassland.

At the same time, flames were rising into the sky outside Qilian City.

Hundreds of bonfires of various sizes were lit, and Shang Bibi's soldiers picked up almost all the dead wood in the gorge.

This is because the climate of this era was humid and warm, which is why dead trees and branches can be found at the foot of the Qilian Mountains.

More than a thousand years later, even if you walk more than ten miles down the mountain, you probably won’t see a dead tree or a dead branch.

"After being out for so many days, I finally had a hot meal!"

"Eat your fill, so that tomorrow we can teach that leprous dog Shang Kongre (Lun Kongre) a lesson!"

“Hahaha…eat! Eat more!!”

Inside Qilian City, the soldiers of the Shandan Army could clearly hear the noise of the Tibetans outside the city.

At this moment, outside the city were Shang Bibi's troops, while inside the city were Shandan's troops.

But compared with the hustle and bustle outside the city, the city was dead silent except for the sound of horses.

Many soldiers sat in groups of three or five. Although they had corn porridge in their hands, they had no appetite.

"Damn it, we still have to provide food for these foreign dogs!"

"Humph! If our family knew, they would probably call us idiots."

"You didn't see how they took the rice just now. If you didn't know, you would think we owed them!"

"You bitch, are you still treating us as slaves?"

The soldiers gathered in groups of three or five, cursing and swearing, their hearts filled with hatred for the Tibetans.

Liu Jilian was sitting in his tent, but he could still hear the insults from the soldiers outside.

He could understand the soldiers' feelings. After all, he had also worked hard to get to where he is today, having been enslaved by the Tibetan nobles.

The humiliation that the Tibetans inflicted on the Hexi people in the past is still deep in his heart.

This kind of feeling is not something that Zhang Huairong, Suo Xun and other powerful young men can understand.

Thinking of this, Liu Jilong sighed, stood up and walked out of the tent.

Seeing him lift the tent, the soldiers who were cursing shut up one after another.

Liu Jilong looked at them and stepped forward to comfort them: "The Tibetans bullied us, and we cannot forget this hatred, but the Tibetans outside the city will also fight alongside us."

"If we encounter a war, I won't feel bad if ten of them are killed or injured, but I will feel bad if a few of my brothers are killed or injured."

"Let's put aside the old grudges for now and deal with Lun Kongre first."

"As for who is the heat-phobic person, I guess I don't need to tell you..."

After hearing his words, everyone felt much better, and at the same time they also remembered the misery that Lun Kongre had brought to the Han people in Hexi in the past.

Lun Kongre was a cruel person who would cut off people's hands and feet and burn down their houses.

The people of Guasha suffered less damage because they were too far away from the Yellow River and the Wei River, but among the two states of Gan and Su, Ganzhou suffered the most.

Now that Liu Jilian mentioned this matter, some soldiers who joined the army in Zhangye couldn't help but feel a little fear, but after the fear, they felt more anger.

The people of all ethnic groups in Hexi hated Lun Kongre's brutality, but they were powerless to do anything about it.

Now that they are about to engage in battle with Lun Kongre, everyone is holding their breath, wanting to show off the Han people's martial arts on Lun Kongre's subordinates.

"When fighting, don't be impulsive, obey the flag and military orders."

Liu Jilong looked at the group of passionate soldiers in front of him, and couldn't help but think of Zhao Qian and others.

What he thought of was not Zhao Qian, but the many comrades-in-arms who, like Zhao Qian, had lost their lives as soon as they first went to the battlefield.

"Don't worry, we will definitely obey your orders when we are in battle!"

"Yes, don't worry!"

"hey-hey……"

Under the firelight, the soldiers' smiles were particularly sincere. They all had different feelings towards Liu Jilong, the general who was close to them.

They, who were born into common people, all regarded General Liu Bie as a role model and their future selves.

Facing their gazes, Liu Jilong felt heavy-hearted.

He understood the principle that "righteousness does not command wealth, and kindness does not command the army", but when so many vivid faces were placed in front of him, how many people could calmly sacrifice their lives without experiencing the consequences?

Liu Jilong didn’t know when he would be able to do it, but perhaps after experiencing more battles, he would be able to do it.

At least since he joined the army in Guazhou, the faces he could remember became fewer and fewer. As his official position became higher and higher, those soldiers he was not familiar with became a string of cold numbers to him.

"Eat more. When you are full, you can go into battle and kill the enemy."

After giving some instructions, Liu Jilong walked towards Zhang Huairong's tent.

As he left, he could still hear the discussion among the soldiers.

But as he walked further and further away, the content of the discussion gradually became unclear. He only knew that there were indeed discussions all around him.

After walking more than ten steps, he arrived in front of Zhang Huairong's tent.

After lifting the dining tent, he saw Zhang Huairong who was eating.

"You came?"

When Zhang Huairong saw Liu Jilong coming, he slowly put down the corn porridge in his hand, and Liu Jilong also went straight to the point.

"The soldiers have some opinions about cooperating with the Tibetans. I suggest calling the captains of each team here and asking them to comfort the brothers to avoid any problems in cooperation before the battle."

"Hmm..." Zhang Huairong nodded: "I'll leave this matter to you. Do as you say."

His performance disappointed Liu Jilong, who thought that if he hadn't reminded him, he probably wouldn't care about such things at all.

From this point of view alone, he is far inferior to Zhang Huaishen. No wonder he doesn't even leave his name in history.

Shaking his head in his heart, Liu Jilong bowed and left the tent.

"I will finally retire..."

(End of this chapter)