Tang Dynasty Swordsman

Page 213

Knowing they could not escape, they have already surrendered.

Ma Chongying sighed deeply: "He has already been defeated by Grand Commandant Li twice. He must be too ashamed to return to his hometown to see his elders... But I wonder how many troops Grand Commandant Li used and how he managed to defeat Mang Re Mei Long Qi Xi Bi?"

Chapter Sixty-Three, Three Laughable Points

Li Ji recounted the events of the battles fought in Su and Gua prefectures to Ma Chongying. Ma Chongying sighed, "Looking back and forth, hesitating to stay or leave, he was destined for defeat..."

He paused, then continued, "However, his eventual decision to cut his losses and flee west to Shazhou was a wise one." He looked at Li Ji and said, "In that case, our army did not suffer a major defeat, but only a minor setback."

Li Ji smiled: "It is indeed a pity. However, although it was a minor setback, Guazhou is now entirely in our hands. Our main force is defending Changle, with deep trenches and high walls, making it as impregnable as a fortress. Even if a hundred thousand barbarian troops came, we would have nothing to fear. Moreover, Shangjiexi has just suffered a defeat, and morale is low. At least for this year, there is no reason for them to launch another attack." He pointed at Ma Chongying: "You are already isolated here, and trapped in a deadly situation. Don't you realize that?"

Ma Chongying smiled and said, "If I didn't know, I wouldn't have invited Grand Commandant Li to speak at the city gate."

After a brief silence, he asked Li Ji, "Does Grand Commandant Li know why I have repeatedly invaded Tang territory, attacked Longyou and Hexi, and plotted against Anxi and Beiting?"

Li Ji sneered: "It's nothing more than greed." Perhaps it's greed for land, perhaps for people, perhaps for power, perhaps for fame, it's nothing more than these few things.

Ma Chongying shook his head and said, "Grand Commandant Li, you are underestimating me too much. I am devoted to the country, and although I am stationed in the Tibetan and Tang regions, my heart is the same as yours..."

Li Ji interrupted him without any politeness: "Who cares what you think? I only know that the Tibetan army expands its territory and seizes land, which pleases the Zanpu (Tibetan king), and the noble chieftains are happy to enslave the Tang people. Isn't this 'greed'?!"

These words left Ma Chongying speechless. After a long pause, he smiled bitterly and said, "Your Excellency is once again criticizing my Zanpu. How could ordinary people possibly fathom the ambitions of my Zanpu? However, what you said about my esteemed chieftain is not wrong—if they were not greedy for the Tang family's land, wealth, and people, and could consider the long-term interests of the nation like I do, they would naturally devote all their efforts to conquering Anxi and Beiting. In that case, we might not have had the battles of gaining Longyou and then attacking Dazhen Pass in the past few years..."

Li Ji still sneered: "If you want to consider the long-term future of Tibet, you should guard the borders and form an alliance with our Tang. We need not dwell on the many wars between our two countries over the past century, but when you were in power, your troops marched down the Western Sea and advanced into Menggu and Chiling, which was somewhat justifiable. But your invasion of Longyou and Hexi, and your plot to seize Anxi and Beiting, were nothing short of suicide. As a result, endless warfare has led to many Tibetan men dying on the borders, and their children suffering hunger and poverty within the country. If this continues, even if our Tang cannot recover the lost territories, Tibet will inevitably become increasingly impoverished and weak. How can it possibly survive a hundred years from now?!"

Ma Chongying sighed, “Your Excellency should know that I admire the Tang Dynasty, hence my Tang name. After taking power, my original intention was only to recover lost territories and advance to the Menggu and Chiling line, where I could then make peace with the Tang. Unfortunately, the Tang family was in turmoil, and the western troops were transferred eastward, leaving Anxi and Beiting vulnerable and undefended…”

"Does this make you eager to hunt?"

Ma Chongying shook his head: "No. What I think might be dismissed as sophistry by Grand Commandant Li, but since we've come this far, why not listen?"

"You said."

"Since ancient times, there has never been a country that did not expand. If a country does not expand, it will inevitably shrink inward, and once it is taken advantage of, it will perish in no time. Thus, the Tubo (Tibetan) people rose from the Yak tribe and fought for several generations, eventually occupying five Ru and sixty-one Dongdai, completely controlling the plateau, and becoming powerful for a time. However, the height and strength of a person have their limits, and the strength of a country also has its limits. After several battles with Tang during the reign of Qizong Nongzan, it was known that the momentum of eastward expansion had come to an end. Therefore, it was forced to sue for an alliance and welcome the princess, forming a nephew-uncle relationship with Tang."

"The subsequent three generations of the Tang dynasty, Mangsong Mangtsen, Chidu Songtsen, and Chide Zutsen, sometimes fought and sometimes made peace with the Tang. This was either due to the unwise actions of the Tsangpo or the greed of the noble chieftains. In my opinion, it was of no benefit. The Tang dynasty is like the sun in the sky; anyone who dares to touch it will surely be burned to a crisp. Why not form an alliance, allowing envoys to come and go and merchants to trade, so that the two sides can complement each other and remain nephews and uncles forever?"

"Naturally, Tibet was powerful and, to eliminate internal strife, would inevitably maintain its military presence abroad. Since it could not challenge the Tang Dynasty in the east, it would naturally turn westward to take over, thus acquiring Xiangxiong, Mayang, and Greater and Lesser Bolu. However, beyond the Pamir Mountains to the west lay the Abbasid Caliphate, also a powerful nation, which Tibet could not defeat. Therefore, it sought to request the Tang Dynasty to send troops to attack from both sides, hoping to share the territory in the future. Unfortunately, Gao Xianzhi suffered a narrow defeat at Talas, and soon after, the An Lushan Rebellion broke out..."

Li Ji frowned and asked, "What exactly are you trying to say?"

Ma Chongying countered, "I wonder if Grand Commandant Li is aware of the Celestial Religion?"

Li Ji nodded: "I know a little bit about it."

Ma Chongying said, “That would be for the best. After our tribe crossed the Pamir Mountains and fought against the Abbasids, we realized that the Abbasids’ strength was entirely due to Islam. This religion values ​​strength above all else, inciting its followers to believe that they should wield scriptures in one hand and swords in the other, and kill any non-believers! Since the Tang Dynasty was defeated by Talas, the Abbasids have intended to invade Anxi from the east. Their religion has taken the lead, and many of the Khwarazmian, Mughal, and Karluk peoples have become believers. If Islam gains control of Anxi, then Beiting, and then our tribe, wouldn’t that be a cause for concern?”

Li Ji sneered, "Since we know that the Abbasid Caliphate became powerful because of its religion, why doesn't Tibet follow suit?"

Ma Chongying said solemnly, "What are you saying? That religion relies solely on its strength to disturb the world and sow discord among people's hearts. I respect my ancestors and worship Buddha, how can I listen to the words of those heretics? In my opinion, what the Tianfang religion teaches is the demonic path! It is Mara who wants the world to kill each other and turn the human realm into a hellish realm, so he created this religion! The former Persia was destroyed by the Abbasid Caliphate, and its thousand-year-old scriptures were reduced to ashes, and the teachings of our ancestors were turned into rotten soil. I could not bear to see Tibet follow the same path as Persia, so I sent troops to the Western Regions to protect the Tang Dynasty."

He paused, then explained, "Most officials and commoners in both Tibet and Tang are Buddhists. Even though the Tang emperor claimed to be a descendant of the Daoist patriarch, he did not reject Buddhism. In the past, when Princess Wencheng and Princess Jincheng visited Tibet, they brought Tang dynasty scriptures, which the Zanpu (Tibetan king) worshipped and officials and commoners used with reverence. From then on, although Tibet and Tang were two separate countries, they were essentially one. Surely Your Excellency does not wish for Tibet to one day convert to Islam and adopt the rituals of the Abbasid Caliphate? Moreover, if Tibet were to also become a heretic, and its territory were close to that of Tang, the next target would inevitably be the Tang family!"

“If the Tang family can secure the Western Regions, our Tibetans will not dare to invade the north; since they cannot, I will try to defend them—not for my own selfish reasons, but for the sake of Tibet a hundred years from now, for the sake of the glorious China, for the sake of its institutions not being destroyed, and for the sake of Tibet submitting to it, which would be an honor.”

As he spoke, he bowed deeply to Li Ji from horseback: "I earnestly request that Grand Commandant Li consider my words, perhaps you will gain some insight."

Li Ji thought to himself, "So that's how it is. This Ma Chongying is quite remarkable; he has a long-term vision... But unfortunately, your eyesight is flawed, and you've completely misjudged him."

Then he pointed his whip at Ma Chongying and said, "What you say is utterly ridiculous!"

Ma Chongying smiled wryly, thinking to himself, "I knew you wouldn't believe me. You're still young and haven't had any contact with the Arabs or the Islamists, so you're blinded by your own limited perspective." He then asked aloud, "Does Grand Commandant Li not believe me? What's so laughable about what I've said?"

Li Ji curled his lip and slowly said, "Let's take your words as true, and not as sophistry. In my opinion, there are three laughable points."

"consult."

"The first ridiculous point: You also know that a country's territory has its limits, but you do not know that the westernmost point of our Tang Dynasty is the Pamir Mountains. That is why Gao Xianzhi suffered a defeat at Talas. His defeat was due to his long journey to foreign lands and his greed for the ultimate goal, not because our Tang Dynasty was insufficient to resist the Abbasid Caliphate. Moreover, although the Abbasid Caliphate is powerful and has swallowed up Persia, its borders have also reached their limit as far as Uzbekistan. It is impossible for it to cross the Pamir Mountains again to attack Anxi. Therefore, after Talas, the Abbasid Caliphate sent our Tang Dynasty to pay tribute and make peace many times."

"Moreover, the Abbasids' ambitions lie in the west. After Abbas deposed the White Caliph and established the Black Caliphate with its capital in Kufa, Mansur established Baghdad, a city nearly ten thousand miles away from the Pamir Mountains, roughly the same distance as the road from Chang'an to the Pamir Mountains. Therefore, the Pamir Mountains separate the east and west, and our Tang Dynasty cannot cross the mountains to attack the Abbasids, nor can the Abbasids move further east."

These words left Ma Chongying speechless—"Damn, Li Ji seems to know more about the Abbasid Caliphate than I do! Is he based on real information or just making it up on the spot?"

Li Ji continued, “Both our Tang Dynasty and the Abbasid Caliphate are great nations with tens of millions of households, while Tibet has only a million households. After encompassing the plateau, its territory extends to the extremes in all directions. Although the Abbasid Caliphate is currently focused on the west and neglecting the east, and is neglecting the defense of Persia, Tibet cannot take advantage of this weakness to attack Yuezhi, Tiaozhi, Gandhara, and other places. If they do go, they may succeed temporarily, but in the end they will lose soldiers and generals, just like in our Tang Dynasty’s Longyou and Hexi regions—do not say I did not warn you.”

Ma Chongying lowered his head and remained silent.

"The second ridiculous point: You know that the doctrine of Islam is to wield both sword and scripture, vowing to kill all non-believers in the world. But just as I often say 'kill all the barbarians,' it is merely empty talk and cannot be put into practice. Therefore, when the Abbasid Caliphate conquered Persia, it did not massacre all the followers of Zoroastrianism and Manichaeism. In fact, it allowed the inhabitants to still believe and spread the religion, only requiring the non-believers to pay a few more percent of the household tax. The intention was to induce the natives to voluntarily convert to Islam in order to obtain food and clothing and to seek a peaceful life."

"This is what we mean by 'beyond our power,' when the direct path is unfeasible, so we try to find a roundabout way. If you truly wish to resist the Abbasids and reject their teachings, then you can have the Zanpu (Tibetan king) submit a memorial to Chang'an, clearly stating the dangers and awakening our Tang emperor. If the Abbasids do indeed cross the Pamir Mountains to invade Anxi and Beiting, and our Tang is unable to resist, then since we have allied with Tibet and the Uyghurs, wouldn't we seek reinforcements from them? If Tibet is willing to treat us sincerely, why would it needlessly start a war, causing the soldiers of Tang and Tibet to shed blood and the people to suffer poverty and hardship?"

"The Arabs and the Mughal people know how to outwit their enemies, but you rely solely on force. Tell me: who is truly the demonic one, and who was sent by Mara to wreak havoc on the world? Moreover, the Tang and Tibetan wars are incessant, and both are weakening. Doesn't this give the Western barbarians an opportunity to take advantage of you?!"

Cold sweat was clearly visible on Ma Chongying's forehead.

"The third ridiculous point: You, sir, do not consider your own virtue and strength, actually believing that Tibet, with its million households, can contend with China, with its ten million households. Now that I have recovered Hexi and come to Beiting, it is clear that your so-called grand ambitions are nothing but a mirage. Since this is the case, instead of deeply regretting your past actions and surrendering, you continue to ramble on and on, still boasting of yourself as a wise man with foresight. Isn't that laughable?!"

Li Ji concluded with these three laughable points: "With these three laughable points, it is clear that what you have said is nothing more than donning armor and wielding weapons, yet shouting and fighting at a windmill... at a place where there is no opponent, calling yourself a martyr, but in reality, you are nothing more than a madman who has lost his mind!"

Ma Chongying's dark brown face turned even redder, and his narrow eyes widened as if his pupils were about to bulge out of their sockets. Li Ji thought to himself, if what you just said is true, then this sudden rebuke is tantamount to denying your ambitions and efforts over the past ten years, or even your entire life, and it is tantamount to denying your life—come on, spit out some blood so I can have some fun.

Unexpectedly, Ma Chongying glared at him angrily for a long time, but finally closed his eyes and sighed, "What Grand Commandant Li said seems to make some sense..." But he immediately retorted, "The so-called three laughable things are: first, that the Abbasid Caliphate is no longer able to cross the Pamir Mountains to invade the east, perhaps that is true, but the spread of the Islamic religion to the east is getting closer and closer, and it has already crossed the Pamir Mountains."

"Secondly, it is said that our tribe should assist the Tang in defending the Western Regions, rather than taking them by force. In fact, that is also my original intention. However, affairs of state are not so simple. If we cannot obtain land and manpower, how could our chieftains be willing to send troops for the Tang? Moreover, the Tang will most likely seek help from the Uyghurs, not from Tibet—when the An Lushan Rebellion was raging, our country offered to send troops to aid us, but the Tang emperor refused, only offering a large amount of wealth to beg the Uyghurs, which is clear evidence. If Anxi and Beiting are in trouble, the Tang will also seek help from the Uyghurs. However, the Uyghurs are not trustworthy and will surely take the opportunity to annex our territory, or at least station troops there. In that case, not only will it be difficult to defend against the eastward invasion of the Western barbarians, but it will also become a threat to our tribe. We must be wary of this..."

Li Ji interjected, "Trust between nations naturally stems from long-standing friendships. If Tang had encountered trouble after Songtsen Gampo welcomed Princess Wencheng, why wouldn't it have sought help from Tibet? This is all your own doing, so why blame Tang?!"

Ma Chongying didn't retort, but continued, "As for the third point mentioned by Grand Commandant Li... Now that the Tang family has recovered and is capable of defending the Western Regions, our tribe should naturally change course and no longer cross the Qilian Mountains to the north..."

Li Ji interrupted again, rudely: "With Tang troops in the Western Regions, the Uyghurs cannot easily move south. If there were no Tang troops in the Western Regions, the Uyghurs would definitely come to fight with Tibet, and the tragic situation of endless wars would soon be seen again. Don't you consider that with Tibet's capabilities, is it possible for them to launch a full-scale attack on the grasslands and deserts? Is a long-term war really beneficial to Tibet?"

He then sneered, "Indeed, having acquired the land will solidify your power. And since we are going to war with the Hui, we must raise a large army, which will further secure your authority. You will be second only to the Zanpu, and your wealth and status will be unmatched. As for the ordinary Tibetan people, they are like cattle, sheep, dogs, and horses. Even if they lie dead in ditches or freeze and starve to death, they will naturally not concern you, a nobleman!"

Ma Chongying's left hand, which was holding the reins, trembled slightly. He then shook his head and said, "Grand Commandant Li has his considerations, and I have my plans. You overestimate the strength of the Uyghurs. In reality, they are nothing more than some barbarian bandits. Since things have come to this, it will be of no benefit for me to hold onto Zhangsan City any longer. I humbly request that you grant me two requests, and then there will be no need for further fighting and the loss of soldiers. I will hand over this city to you without hesitation."

Li Ji almost blurted out, "No!" But then he thought again. If he could decisively defeat the main force of the Tibetan army at Guazhou, crippling their power and rendering them unable to wage war for three to five years, then so be it. But now, tens of thousands of elite troops were still in Shang Jiexi's hands. Ma Chongying would never surrender unconditionally here. Although I could eventually starve you to death, it would consume a considerable amount of food and fodder, and I might also lose many Tang soldiers... Well, to avoid casualties, I'll listen to your conditions first.

Chapter Sixty-Four: Two Tigers Fighting

Ma Chongying proposed that he would hand over Zhang Sancheng's garrison if Li Ji agreed to two conditions; otherwise—

"Grand Commandant Li, do not think that you can take my life by drawing your sword and probing forward. There are nearly two thousand of my men in the city, all of whom are brave warriors of our tribe, each of them willing to die for the Zanpu. Even without me, they will still hold Zhangsan City and make it difficult for the Tang army to cross. Now that you have arrived, the Beiting army may temporarily cease its offensive and build fortifications to defend themselves. But what about the Anxi army? Let me tell you the truth, Guo Xin has personally led a large army to attack Zhangsan City for more than half a month, and no less than two or three thousand soldiers have died or been wounded at the walls. Do you think that their soldiers have not died enough?"

Helpless, Li Ji had no choice but to ask, "What are your conditions? Tell me first."

Ma Chongying said solemnly, "Firstly, only Grand Commandant Li can pacify the Western Regions. I earnestly request that he come to guard Anxi and Beiting to prevent the Western barbarians and to prohibit the eastward spread of the Tianfang religion."

Li Ji smiled and said, "Who guards the Western Regions is not up to me..."

Ma Chongying said, “Don’t try to fool me. Grand Commandant Li is in his prime, and he has already reached the pinnacle of his position in the Tang Dynasty. If he were to release his troops and return to the capital, he would probably no longer be able to realize his ambitions. If he refuses to release his troops, he will also be suspected by the court. Why not let him be stationed in the Western Regions? The Tang Emperor and the prime ministers would be at ease then. And with your prestige and the weight of your troops, if you make this request, the Tang Emperor will certainly not dare to refuse…”

Li Ji thought to himself, "As expected, you're in charge of the country. You see that very clearly."

"Would Li Taiwei allow me permission to do so, given his determination to defend the Western Regions and to suppress Islam?"

Li Ji smiled and said, "The Tianfang Sect has scriptures in one hand and swords in the other. But if they can't use their swords, what use are their scriptures?"

At this time, most of the kingdoms and tribes in the Western Regions still believed in Buddhism—although their schools of thought were not entirely the same as those of the Tang and Tibetans. If Ma Chongying hadn't brought it up today, Li Ji wouldn't have known that Islam had already spread to the east to some extent, and many people among the Huoxun, Mulu, and Karluk tribes had already converted to Buddhism.

Huoxun is located south of the Aral Sea and on the east bank of the Wuhu River, originally belonging to the Mengchi Protectorate. Mulu Prefecture is located on the north bank of the Nami River, originally belonging to the Anxi Protectorate. The Karluks are scattered between Xuanchi, Yibohai and Boxi Mountain—the former two are west of the Pamir Mountains, and the latter crosses the Pamir Mountains.

Li Ji's immediate target was only the Pamir Mountains, because the lands west of the Pamir Mountains, although nominally under Tang Dynasty jurisdiction, were in reality only marginally governed, with very few officials stationed there, and were largely self-governed by the indigenous people. Moreover, after the Battle of Talas, both the Tang Dynasty and the Abbasid Caliphate tacitly acknowledged that their border was at the Pamir Mountains.

Thus, he recovered the lost territories east of the Pamir Mountains, which the Abbasid Caliphate wouldn't care about. However, if someone were to cross the Pamir Mountains again like Gao Xianzhi, the Abbasid Caliphate would be terrified and would send troops to attack. The level of transportation and communication at that time limited the Pamir Mountains to the western border of the Central Plains dynasties. As Ma Chongying said, no matter how large a country is, there is always a limit. Beyond that limit, it's not that it can't be conquered, but to hold it firmly would require a huge price, making it a losing proposition.

Of course, if Li Ji can stabilize the territory east of the Pamir Mountains, vigorously develop production, and increase the population, then with the strength of Anxi and Beiting, he can contend with at least half of the Abbasid Caliphate. In that case, the Pamir Mountains will not be an insurmountable barrier, and there will be no need to defend them as the eastern and western borders. But that is a matter for later and cannot be put on the agenda for the time being.

So he nodded to Ma Chongying: "I don't particularly like the Tianfang religion either, but there's no need to ban it. We can use their own weapon against them. Once I've pacified the western border, I can collect a few more taxes from the Tianfang followers—and then we'll see how many will still be willing to believe and not turn back after they've starved."

This also implies that Ma Chongying intended to guard the Western Regions.

What is your second condition?

Ma Chongying hesitated for a moment, then cupped his hands and replied, "Actually, the one who currently holds power in Tibet is not me, but Shang Jiexi. As the Grand Master, he controls the Secretariat and the Chancellery. Last year, he attacked Longyou, and this year he hastily seized Beiting; all of this was his doing. Although Grand Commandant Li was defeated by Shang Jiexi at Guazhou, his troops did not suffer major losses. He must be unwilling to accept defeat, and after a little reorganization, he will come again."

"I am different. Although I may not agree with what Grand Commandant Li just said about the three laughable things, I know that Tibet has no chance in Anxi and Beiting. Rather than repeatedly invading and suffering heavy losses, it would be better to advise the Zanpu to continue to defend the old borders and make an alliance with Tang. The land and population that Your Excellency needs will have to be obtained from Nanzhao, Gandhara, India and other places."

"Therefore, if I, Ma, were to return to Luoxie, I could change public opinion in the country due to Shang Jiexi's defeat, and then alter the decisions of the Secretariat and the Chancellery..." At this point, he looked at Li Ji and asked, "But I don't know if Grand Commandant Li believes me or not?"

"Do you mean you want me to open the road and let you return to Tibet?"

"Exactly."

Li Ji hesitated. To be honest, he genuinely wanted to capture or even kill Ma Chongying, both to rid China of a major enemy and to erect a "Monument to the Killing of Ma." However, the bait Ma Chongying offered was tempting enough. Li Ji was not like some of the boastful officials in the court who constantly clamored to annihilate Tibet in one fell swoop—that plateau, even in his original timeline, would not be under his actual control for over a thousand years—if he were greedy, he might completely drag down the Tang Dynasty.

Moreover, even if they wanted to restore the borders to what they had in the thirteenth year of the Tianbao era, it would not be an easy task for the Tang family to encompass the Western Sea and the Great Fei River—after all, the country's strength today is far from comparable to that time.

If both sides could cease hostilities and make peace, and sit down to genuinely and sincerely discuss the border issue, still demarcating the Menggu and Chiling line as the dividing line, it would undoubtedly be of great benefit to the Tang Dynasty. The Tang Dynasty urgently needed stability and consolidation; once the problem of the tyrannical regional military governors was alleviated, it was expected to completely overwhelm Tibet within ten or twenty years. And if Tibet still intended to cross the Himalayas to attack India, it would surely suffer a crushing defeat, and gradually cease to be a threat to China.

Of course, this is on the premise that Ma Chongying's words are sincere and that he can keep his word.

However, if he did not agree to Ma Chongying's conditions and refused to let him return to his country, a fierce battle would be imminent—at least for Anxi Town—not to mention the inevitable future conflicts, making it uncertain whether he could remain secure in the Western Regions. Ultimately, Ma Chongying was a formidable enemy of the Tang Dynasty; his personal talent was only a small part of his problem. Most importantly, he had served as a high-ranking official in Tibet. Now, the greatest adversary for the Tang Dynasty was Shang Jiexi.

This year I managed to shut Shang Jiexi out, but what about next year? As long as Tibet's northward expansion strategy remains unchanged, he will come back sooner or later, and even if a different person becomes the Grand Tutor of Tibet, he will still cause endless trouble.

If Ma Chongying could truly persuade Tibet to change its strategic objectives and make peace with Tang, then the benefits of letting him go back would far outweigh those of capturing one, or even more, Tibetan officials.

In the blink of an eye, countless thoughts raced through Li Ji's mind. Weighing the pros and cons, he finally slapped the horse's neck and said, "Alright, I agree." Then his face darkened. "However, since we are enemies, I have no reason to trust you so easily. You may order the soldiers in the city to lay down their arms and surrender, and stay with me as hostages. If you return to Lhasa but break your promise, I will kill all two thousand Tibetan soldiers and leave their bodies at the foot of the Tianshan Mountains!"

When Ma Chongying first heard that Li Ji had agreed to his conditions, his face lit up with joy. But when he heard what Li Ji was going to say next, he couldn't help but smile bitterly. He pleaded, "I will never break my promise, but if I abandon my people and flee back alone, how will I have the chance to advise the king? Shang Jiexi might even try to poison me when we pass through Shazhou... Only by returning with the whole army can I point out Shang Jiexi's mistakes in losing territory and troops, try to seize his position as Grand Master, and then change the national policy."

As he spoke, he immediately bowed deeply to Li Ji: "If I lead the troops back, the promise can be kept; if I return alone, the mission will surely fail. Moreover, if I do not break the alliance, why would Grand Commandant Li detain my generals and soldiers? If I break the alliance, what good will it do for Tang to kill two thousand people? I implore Your Excellency to reconsider!"

"Then how can I trust you?"

"I swear to the heavens that if I do not keep my word today, my entire clan will be wiped out within ten years, leaving not a single chicken or dog alive!"

Li Ji didn't believe in any oaths, but he agreed with Ma Chongying's explanation. If he were to let Ma Chongying escape alone, his reputation would plummet, and how could he then influence Tibet's established national policy? Rather than letting Shang Jiexi kill him, it would be better for Li Ji to cut off Ma Chongying's head himself to intimidate Tibet and make a name for himself throughout the world.

He had inquired in detail about the internal affairs of Tibet from Mangre and knew that Ma Chongying and the monk Jiexi were indeed at odds, with various disagreements and even opposing views on both foreign wars and domestic governance. Therefore, even if Ma Chongying was merely using an excuse to escape back to seize power, causing internal strife within Tibet would be more beneficial to the Tang Dynasty than simply eliminating Da Nanglun…

Ma Chongying and Shang Jiexi were both hawks in the Tang Dynasty, but two hawks cannot fly towards each other; they will inevitably clash sooner or later. Moreover, if what Ma Chongying said today is true, then he has become a rare dove. A dove from an enemy country must be supported.

After much deliberation and weighing of options, Li Ji finally pulled on the reins and said, "Fine, I'll agree to your terms for now." Then he glared at Li Ji and said, "If you dare to break your promise, I'll carve a monument to kill you—I can have you today, and I can have you in the future!" With that, he turned his horse around and rode away.

The following morning, the Tang army broke camp and retreated slightly, clearing a road about three miles wide east of Dunhongpu, allowing Ma Chongying to lead the Tibetan army to abandon the defense of Zhangsancheng and flee south in panic. Li Yuanzhong suggested, "Since the Grand Commandant has tricked the Tibetan bandits out, we should take advantage of the situation to pursue and kill them, and we will surely achieve a great victory."

Li Ji waved his hand: "No need. Let this tiger return south for now, so that the barbarians will be left to fight each other." He then raised an eyebrow: "I'm not afraid that fellow will betray the alliance. My only concern is whether he'll survive to cross the Great Sand Sea again and escape back to Shazhou..."

With the Tibetan army gone, Li Ji and Li Yuanzhong led their troops to defend Zhangsan City. Looking up, they saw that the Tang banners had already been raised on the ramparts—the Anxi army must have been rushing to capture the city. Upon entering the city, they had barely dismounted when a golden-armored general strode towards them, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Old Li, I never expected we would meet again!"

This was naturally Guo Xin, the Deputy Military Governor of Anxi. Li Yuanzhong smiled and returned Guo Xin's greeting, then stepped aside, revealing Li Ji behind him: "Brother Guo, look who I have brought with me?"

Guo Xin sized Li Ji up and down, a hint of doubt in his eyes. Li Ji smiled and cupped his hands in greeting: "General Guo, it's been ten years since we last met. Have you already forgotten me?"

Back when they fought side by side against the barbarians in Longyou, Li Ji was just a young man in his early twenties. In the blink of an eye, more than ten years have passed, and his appearance has naturally changed—at least his beard has grown much longer. Therefore, Guo Xin did not dare to recognize him rashly. He waited for Li Ji to speak before raising his eyebrows and asking, "Could it be that Grand Commandant Li has come to this?"

He then raised his voice and said, "We have been looking eastward for the royal army to come to our aid every day. Today we finally see the face of the Grand Commandant. We will never forget the kindness of the Grand Commandant in saving us from danger!" As he spoke, he bent his left knee and was about to kneel down.

Li Ji thought to himself, "If you bow first and then express your gratitude, it will show your sincerity. But you express your gratitude first and then bow. You must be a little reluctant, right?" Although he was complaining in his heart, he had no choice but to help Guo Xin up with both hands and pull him along: "If it weren't for Commanders Guo and Li leading their soldiers to defend the two towns to the death, how could I have made it here safely? I should be the one thanking you both."

Now that their tastes have reversed, the two men can no longer find the closeness they once had with Li Ji. They exchange polite words, and a sense of distance inevitably arises. After inquiring about the general situation, Guo Xin wanted to host a banquet for Li Ji and Li Yuanzhong. Li Ji smiled and said, "Where in the army can we find fine wine and delicacies? Even in this small city of Zhangsan, with its mere garrison, there's nothing to eat—tell me, how far is it from here to Yanqi?"

In his original plan, he should have completely crushed the main force of the Tibetan army in Guazhou or Shazhou, forcing them to retreat south of the Qilian Mountains. Then, he would have led a vast army westward, passing through Beiting and entering Anxi, where he would have stayed. However, the reality was that the main force in Hexi needed to remain in Guazhou to defend against Shang Jiexi's counterattack. He, Grand Commandant Li, only led two thousand cavalry to Beiting, leaving five hundred men behind, totaling a mere fifteen hundred soldiers, to Zhangsancheng to garrison the enemy…

Li Ji was confident that by gathering the remnants of the Anxi and Beiting armies and deploying them on the plains, he could defeat them with his thousand-odd elite cavalry. However, the situation couldn't be calculated that way. Currently, the host was stronger than the guest, making it inconvenient to seize control of the enemy's territory.

Even so, Li Ji hoped to first travel to Anxi so that Han and Hu officials and civilians could see his dignified appearance and power as the Grand Commandant of the Dynasty. On the surface, it was to stabilize the hearts of the people in the Western Regions, but in reality, he wanted to first etch his indelible image in the hearts of the local Hu and Han soldiers and civilians.

He then said to Guo Xin, "Now that Zhang Sancheng's garrison has been recovered, I hope you can lead me to Yanqi Town. Once we are seated, we can discuss our next course of action." Guo Xin dared not disobey and readily agreed—after all, Yanqi Town was not far from here, and could be reached in a day by fast horse. Li Yuanzhong then returned to Tingzhou.

Yanqi was originally an ancient kingdom in the Western Regions, whose king's surname was Long. It was once subordinate to the Turks, but was defeated by the Tang army in the eighteenth year of the Zhenguan era and subsequently became a vassal state. The kingdom claimed to have nine cities, but in reality, they were just small fortresses in oases, with fewer than two thousand soldiers. After the Tang Dynasty established a garrison there, the number of soldiers residing in the capital alone was no less than five thousand—the entire Anxi Four Garrisons had a quota of thirty thousand soldiers. Over the years, people reproduced and multiplied, and the number of Tang people or basically Tang-influenced natives in and around the city made up half of the population.

Thus, the King of Yanqi was essentially rendered powerless—the same was true for Kucha and Shule. Only the King of Khotan maintained a degree of independence—Yanqi, aside from nominally supporting a so-called royal family, was virtually no different from a county in the Central Plains. When Li Ji entered Yanqi, he asked if he should pay a visit to its king, but Guo Xin shook his head: "If he is sincere, he will naturally come to pay his respects to the Grand Commandant; if he is not, there is no need to be harsh—how can a high-ranking official like myself, the Three Dukes of Tang, pay homage to a barbarian chieftain?"

Chapter Sixty-Five: Great Merit Goes Unrewarded

Li Ji asked Guo Xin, "How many troops does Anxi still have? Do they have the strength to attack Shazhou?"

Guo Xin smiled bitterly, "Khotan and Shule have both fallen into the hands of the barbarian bandits. The western border of our town has shrunk to Weitou Prefecture. Apart from the garrisoning of various cities, we have no more than five thousand soldiers available... The previous attack on Zhang Sancheng's garrison resulted in heavy losses..."

Ma Chongying claimed that the Anxi forces had launched a fierce attack on Zhangsan City, resulting in the deaths of two to three thousand men. This was obviously an exaggeration and a threat. If so many Tang soldiers were truly buried beneath the city walls, Anxi Town would have collapsed on the spot. Ma Chongying could have ignored Li Ji and Li Yuanzhong to the east and marched straight towards Yanqi after leaving the city. In fact, Guo Xin, like Li Yuanzhong, had launched a fierce attack on the city walls for several days, losing four to five hundred men, before daring to continue the attack. He could only set up camp and monitor the situation, waiting for the Tibetan army to run out of food and fall into disarray.

Even so, for Anxi Town, which only had 5,000 mobile troops, the loss of 400-500 men was almost a crippling blow. Guo Xin said, "I really don't have the strength to fight Shazhou anymore."

"From Yanqi to Shazhou, one must first go south to Quli, and then east along the Chi River. The Chi River is shallow and often dries up. To the south lies the Tulun Desert, and to the north, the sand dunes. It takes 1,500 li to reach Dunhuang..."

The area of ​​Shazhou is vast, but the Tulunqi (Taklamakan Desert) stretches across it like a dagger, extending from west to east, reaching the vicinity of Dunhuang. From Dunhuang westward, there are two roads along the edge of the desert, one to the north and one to the south. The northern road, as Guo Xin mentioned, runs halfway along the north bank of the Chishui River. The southern road is much longer, passing through Shouchang from Dunhuang, and then over a thousand li to cities such as Qitun and Putao, then another seven or eight hundred li to Qiemo, and after leaving the area, another thousand li to Khotan.

Guo Xin understood Li Ji's meaning. At present, the main force of the Tubo army was near Dunhuang, while the main force of the Hexi army was stationed at Changle to confront them. At this time, if Anxi could send troops to harass the Tubo army's rear, Shangjiexi would be in great panic. Even if they did not turn around and run away, they would certainly not dare to attack Changle again.

However, Anxi lacked both troops and provisions, and the journey to Dunhuang was 1,500 li away. If they were to head south to the Qiemo River basin to attack Qitun and Putao City, not only would the sandy terrain be difficult to traverse, but it would also be impossible to put enough pressure on Shang Jiexi. He was truly willing but unable to do so.