A Good Landlord in the Tang Dynasty: Starting from the Village Chief

Chapter 606 The Crown Prince

Eight hundred li northwest of Chang'an
Xiaoguan Pass, one of the four major gateways to Guanzhong.
On the distant beacon tower, four pillars of smoke billowed.

Crown Prince Li Jiancheng stood on the city wall, his brows furrowed.

"Report!"

"Your Highness, the Turkic troops have entered Jingzhou from the Dongtanzheng Gorge in Longshan, following the Rui River valley."
Linjing County has fallen!

"what?"

Li Jiancheng was terrified.

Linjing County is located not far north of Jingzhou City and is named after the Jing River.

This city is 500 li away from Xiaoguan.

To Li Jiancheng's great surprise, Linjing City was located 500 li southeast of Xiaoguan, not 500 li north of Xiaoguan.

This means that the enemy has circled around to his back.

"Didn't the imperial court station troops in Huating to guard Tanzheng Gorge? Why were the Turks allowed to come over? Who is the commander of Huating?"

Jiancheng was furious.

Previously, the Turks had moved south along the west side of Longshan Mountain and had already launched a surprise attack with light troops, capturing Dazhen Pass and opening the road into the Guanzhong Plain, thus bypassing Xiaoguan, the northwestern gateway to Guanzhong.

The imperial court immediately dispatched troops to Qizhou and Longzhou to prevent the Turkic army from advancing down the Wei River.

But now,
The Turks then secretly crossed the Tanzheng Gorge and circled around to Jingzhou, which was 500 li behind him, and captured Linjing County.

Linjing is only about 400 li away from Chang'an.

“The garrison commander of Huating is General Liu Bao.” Sang Xianhe walked up the city wall along the horse path and told the Crown Prince, “Liu Bao is the younger brother of Liu Shirang.”

Li Jiancheng was stunned for a moment.

Liu Shirang was captured by him at Yanmen on charges of rebellion, and then executed by imperial decree.

"Traitorous brothers, why do you still hold such important positions? Why haven't you been dismissed?"

Sang Xianhe said: "In the first year of Wude, during the Battle of Qianshuiyuan, the Eight Generals were defeated, and Liu Shirang and his brother Liu Bao were captured. He pretended to surrender, but secretly arranged for Liu Bao to escape back and report the details of the enemy's internal affairs. He was rewarded by His Majesty."

When Liu Shirang was executed last time, His Majesty specially decreed that Liu Bao would not be implicated.

"Liu Bao harbored resentment because his brother was killed, so he took the opportunity to defect to the Turks, leading the Turkic army to attack Jingzhou and seize Linjing City?" Li Jiancheng asked angrily.

"The news that's coming back now isn't that Liu Bao surrendered to the enemy; he was defeated and captured."

The reason Liu Bao was captured was quite simple: he had originally led three thousand men to garrison Hualiang, overseeing Tanzheng Gorge, but after Li Jiancheng was transferred from Hedong to Binzhou to garrison the area,

He traveled north to Xiaoguan in Yuanzhou.
Many troops were transferred from Jing, Long, Bin, Bin, Ning, Qing, and Hong prefectures to Xiaoguan Pass to strengthen its defenses.

Of Liu Bao's three thousand garrison troops at Huating, one thousand were transferred away.

Of the remaining two thousand, another thousand were transferred south to intercept the Turkic army that was breaking through Dazhen Pass.

He only had a thousand soldiers left.

Tanzheng Gorge is a pass on the side of Liupan Mountain, also known as Jinfo Gorge.

This is the most important passage.

Li Daoyuan's commentary on the Waterways Classic states that the Jing River passes through Mount Dulu, and there is often a sound like playing a zither along the mountain road. He also says that the water flows and the wind blows, dripping from the cliffs, making a sound like the melody of playing a zither, hence the name.

The narrow strip of land stretching for over twenty miles from Tanzheng Gorge to Sanguankou is flanked by sheer cliffs and deep valleys, making it easy to defend but difficult to fortify.
Connecting with the Liupan Mountains and Kongtong Mountains, it forms a natural barrier at the junction of Guanzhong and Longxi.
It is a crucial pass.

Huating City naturally became a crucial military stronghold for garrisoning troops and guarding Tanzheng Gorge throughout history.

Leaving this place and heading east, there are no more natural barriers; retreating west, there are no more protective shields.

But even such a strategic location,
It's gone.

Even the majority of the responsibility for the loss still lies with Crown Prince Li Jiancheng. When he was stationed in the northwest, instead of sending troops to strengthen the defense of Huating, he first transferred a thousand men north to Xiaoguan, and then transferred another thousand men south.

Such an important gateway to the Jinghe River valley was lost just like that.

The Longshan Mountains, this natural barrier, are now like a sieve.
The Turks first broke through Dazhen Pass, and then passed through Tanzheng Gorge.

The sounds of war horns rise from all sides; beyond a thousand barriers, long trails of smoke rise as the sun sets on the lonely, closed city.

Ignoring the Crown Prince's dark expression, Sang Xianhe reminded him, "Your Highness, we must return to defend Jingzhou and quickly reinforce Huating to plug the gap at Tanzheng Gorge."

The main force of the 100,000 troops under Shaboluoshe and Yusheshe is still outside Xiaoguan. The troops that have broken through Dazhen Pass and Tanzheng Gorge are few and far between, and are only a surprise force.

But the harm is great.

Xiao Guan is now facing attacks from both sides.

"This humble general requests to lead 5,000 troops to recapture Linjing, drive this Turkic army back to Longdong, reinforce Huating, and guard Tanzheng Gorge," Sang Xianhe volunteered.

Li Jiancheng hesitated.

"Can five thousand men repel this Turkic army?"

He worried that Sang Xian and five thousand men would not be enough, but he dared not divide his troops too much, since the main force of the two Turkic tribes was outside Xiaoguan Pass.

"Please invite Prince Yan."

In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea,

Li Yi arrived with a strange expression on her face.

"Your Highness, a message has just arrived from Chang'an via an urgent courier service."

Li Jiancheng asked with some concern, "An urgent message? Could it be that the situation in Hedong is fluctuating, and Jieli has led a large army south?"

"neither."

Li Yi produced a letter: "Li Yi led 5,000 cavalry on a 160-mile raid in one day and night, launching a surprise attack on the Jinci camp in Taiyuan from Fenzhou. They won, beheading over 1,000 and capturing over 3,000. The Turkic camp of 20,000 men collapsed, Jieli fled in disarray, and the Turkic Khagan was captured."

Li Jiancheng's eyes widened.

“That’s impossible,” he said, his voice rising abruptly and cracking.

Li Yi also exclaimed, "It sounds unbelievable, but this is a victory report sent by His Majesty, so it can't be fake."

All I can say is that Li Yi is incredibly bold, and Jieli is indeed far too arrogant and conceited.

"An army of 150,000 marched south, only to be decimated by Li Shimin, with 25,000 captured or killed, and even the Great Banner of the Golden Wolf of Jieli lost."

Li Jiancheng took the letter from Li Yi.

I was watching very intently, my head was buzzing.

There is no harm without comparison.

Jieli led an army of 150,000 southwards. He retreated all the way, first losing Mayi, then Yanmen, and then Taiyuan was besieged. The Turkic vanguard reached Jinzhou.
He, the Marshal of Hedong, was utterly helpless in front of Jieli.

But at least he could say that if people are saved but land is lost, then both people and land can be saved, thus preserving the main force of the Tang army.

but now,
Li Yi led 5,000 cavalry on a 160-mile raid, penetrating into the ranks of 100,000 Turkic troops and single-handedly destroying the 20,000-strong camp of Jieli.
They routed Jieli, capturing and killing five thousand, while losing only eight hundred cavalry themselves.

In this comparison,

He retreated in defeat, from Yanmen to Puzhou, a distance of a thousand miles.

Li Yi once again led his troops to Hedong, and was able to defeat 8,000 Turks with only a few thousand men and two prisoners of war east of the Fen River. Now he has defeated 20,000 with only 5,000 men.

In the two battles east of Fen River, he could still say that Li Yi was fighting against Turkic mixed barbarians, who were servants who were raiding for grain.

But now,
Li Yi directly attacked Jieli's main camp, defeating 20,000 with only 5,000 men, and even capturing Jieli's queen alive.

Li Jiancheng felt dizzy.

He knew that after this battle, Li Jiancheng's prestige would be greatly diminished.

grit your teeth,
Jiancheng stammered, "Li Yi is too adventurous. Hasn't the imperial court already issued an edict to cease hostilities and negotiate peace? Why is he still sending troops?"
He only managed to win by taking advantage of the fact that the imperial court was negotiating peace with the Turks and that Jieli was caught off guard, thus launching a surprise attack.
He's risking the prestige of the Tang Dynasty and the fate of the nation to gain personal fame and fortune.

Li Yi and Sang Xianhe stood aside, neither responding to the Crown Prince's words. Although they were currently on the Crown Prince's side, they were also military officers.
Knowing how precious this battle was, he still admired Li Yi very much. As for raiding the camp during the peace talks, the Turks had done too many treacherous things over the years, and raiding him was just giving them a taste of their own medicine.

Li Jiancheng grew angrier the more he spoke.
"With Li Yi's abduction of the alliance, how can the peace talks continue? Jieli will surely retaliate, and there will never be peace on the border again."

···
Three days later,
Military advisor Tang Lin hurriedly came to see the Crown Prince.

"Your Highness, an imperial envoy has arrived from Chang'an. His Majesty summons Your Highness back to court."

Li Jiancheng, with a gloomy face, went down from the city to greet the angel.

The emperor issued an edict ordering the crown prince to return to Chang'an immediately.

"Your Majesty wants to wage a full-scale war against the Turks?" Li Jiancheng asked incredulously.

Li Yi is acting recklessly, and Your Majesty is acting recklessly too. Now we're at war with the Turks; how can we possibly win? How can we defend this vast northern frontier, stretching for thousands of miles, against the Turks?

Haven't you considered the consequences?

The rebellion in Jiangnan has not yet been quelled.

Where can we start a war now!
But the emperor's edict was clear: the crown prince must return to the capital immediately.

The Shuofang Road Camp was established, with Li Daozong, the governor of Lingzhou, serving as the chief commander, and Yang Shidao, the son-in-law of the emperor, and Li Yi, the Prince of Yan, serving as deputy chief commanders. Each of them led a force to jointly counterattack the forces of Yusheshe and Shaboluoshe in the northwest.

The imperial court shifted its stance from seeking peace to advocating war.

Li Jiancheng was stunned.

Even if the imperial court wants to wage war, he should be the one to lead the troops and preside over the war in the northwest from Xiaoguan.

But now, the emperor issued an edict summoning him back to court and handing over command of the Northwest troops to the young prince of the imperial clan, Li Daozong.

Even his brother-in-law, Yang Shidao, who only knew poetry and wine, was sent out of the capital to take up the position of deputy commander.

But at this point, he was eliminated.

undoubtedly,

This was a resounding slap in the face from the emperor's father.

This is a punishment for his previous failure in Hedong.

And all this,
It was all because Li Shimin and Li Yineng were causing trouble and acting recklessly.

They recklessly gambled with the fate of the nation, using the Tang Dynasty as a bargaining chip to gain military merit.
But what he risked was his empire and the nation.

The Tang Dynasty will be his Tang Dynasty in the future.

They don't care at all about betting on the table, but he is the future emperor of the Tang Dynasty. How can he act so recklessly?
The messenger delivered the imperial edict to Li Jiancheng, saying, "Your Highness, His Majesty instructs that you return to Chang'an immediately upon receiving this edict."

The emperor already knew that the Turkic light cavalry had broken through Tanzheng Gorge and captured Linjing County in Jingzhou.

In response, the latest arrangements were quickly made.
Prince Li Yi of Yan County was appointed as the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Shuofang Road Army, General Tianjie, and Governor of Jingzhou. He led troops to suppress the Turkic soldiers who crossed the Longshan Mountains and entered Longzhou and Jingzhou. He was ordered to recover Linjing and strengthen the defense of Xiaoguan Pass.

Meanwhile, Sang Xianhe was appointed as the governor of Longzhou, and he reinforced Huating with troops, recapturing Dazhen Pass.

The Tang Dynasty and the Turks went to war.
The emperor decreed that all generals should seize the opportunity to annihilate the enemy.

Li Jiancheng couldn't understand it.
Why did the emperor's attitude change so drastically overnight? Was it simply because Li Yi launched a surprise attack and won a battle during the peace negotiations?
However, Li Yi only beheaded a little over a thousand and captured a little over three thousand in this battle.

On what basis does the emperor believe that the Tang Dynasty can defeat the Turks?

Governing a country is like cooking a small fish.

How can one take such a risky gamble?

(End of this chapter)