The idea of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the roof of the world, obviously did not take shape in the Tang Dynasty. In the eyes of the people of the Tang Dynasty, there was only the word "tianxia" and no concept of "world".
At the border between Tuyuhun and Tubo, there is a plateau area crossed by the Tanggula Mountains and the Kunlun Mountains. The mountains are majestic, the snow peaks are covered with glaciers, and the rivers are crisscrossed by lakes. It is also the birthplace of the Yangtze River and the Lancang River. , with abundant water and grass, fat cattle and sheep, and many salt fields, it became the most important agricultural and livestock pasture and salt-producing land in Tubo. Because of its special geographical location, it is like the gateway to the plateau, so it is also an important military base.
The Tubo people called this place "Gaorumusi", which means the desert pearl with many rivers, which is now "Golmud"; while the Tang people gave it a meaningful nickname - "Top of the World".
The top of the world is naturally unscalable and insurmountable. The harsh natural environment and weather are one factor. The fact that one-third of Tubo's plateau troops are here is another factor.
In Tubo, almost all the people were soldiers. After the young Tubo Zanpu abandoned Zong Nongzan (known as Songtsen Gampo in later generations) to unify the plateau, he followed the Tang Dynasty's military structure and divided the 600,000 soldiers and horses on the plateau into more than 1,000 soldiers and horses in "ru" units. department. The Daru tribe has marshals and deputy marshals to manage the troops, but like the "marching road general manager" in the Tang military system, it is not established in ordinary times. It is only awarded by Zampu personally during the expedition.
However, here in Golmud, there is a special Tibetan "marshal" who is in charge all year round. He commanded 200,000 plateau cavalry and camped at Golmud at the foot of the Tianshan Mountains, facing the Dafeichuan Military District of the Tang Dynasty. Like a Tibetan mastiff with sharp fangs, he guarded the gateway territory of the snow-covered plateau.
The marshal of the Golmud Military Region of Tubo was on the same level as the Grand Chancellor of the Tubo Dynasty, one person was inferior to ten thousand people. Today's Marshal of Golmud is an underachieving young man - Gar Qinling. And his father is the famous prime minister of the Tubo Dynasty, Gar Dongzan Yusong, who is known as "Lu Dongzan" in the Tang Dynasty.
The Gar family was originally a noble of the Tubo Dynasty. Now the father and son are in charge of the court and command the troops, and the Gar family has reached its peak. It was also with the assistance of Lu Dongzan, the great treatise, that Qizong Nongzan, who became Zanpu at the age of 13, unified the Tubo Plateau.
Qizong Nongzan, the nominal 33rd Tubo Zampu, was actually the founding king of the Tubo Dynasty!
The Gar family was famous for a while; the young military commander Gar Qinling was full of high spirits, like a young and strong eagle with full wings, gazing at the world from the high branches of Golmud, eager to wait for the day when he would become a blockbuster.
Liu Shanyin, the Shaoqing of Honglu Temple, the envoy of the Tang Dynasty to Tibet, knew what kind of person he was about to face. The Gar family's prominence in Tubo was unparalleled, but Qin Ling did not become the first military marshal of Tubo because of his father's relationship with the family. He knew this very well.
Tubo people are generally precocious and can get married and have children at the age of ten to fight the enemy. Qin Ling, who is in his twenties, has been fighting on the battlefield for more than ten years. It is appropriate to call him a battlefield veteran. Moreover, his illiterate father, the Tubo Prime Minister, gave birth to him, a military genius proficient in Sinology and the art of war!
After serving in the army for more than ten years, he bravely took the lead in all battles among the three armies. He led the troops in more than a hundred battles, large and small, without losing a single one! ——Qinling’s status today was all achieved by his own sword and shot. As a result, Zanpu safely handed over one-third of the country's troops and the most important portal of the entire dynasty to Qinling.
The glaciers reach into the clouds, and the cold wind is like a knife.
Liu Shanyin squinted his eyes and looked at the vast snowfield and thousands of miles of glaciers in front of him. He couldn't help but take a deep breath and shouted loudly: "What a wonderful river and mountain! What a wonderful river and mountain!"
Then, a sharp gasp.
Although he lived in Dafeichuan for a month before coming to Geer, he still could not adapt to the thin air here.
"Liu Honglu, let's just wait here for them to come to greet them, why don't we go into the Tubo military camp ourselves?" The accompanying clerk said worriedly, "If we don't come in three or two hours, it will be dark. We will freeze to death!"
"Haha, you're scared!" Liu Shanyin laughed wildly and said, "I forgive him for being a Tibetan barbarian, but he doesn't have the guts to freeze me, Liu Shanyin, to death! If Gar Qinling doesn't leave Guo Xiangying within an hour, I'll go home."
"Going home?" All the people accompanying him were stunned - this is too childish!
"Stop talking nonsense, one hour! Wait!"
Almost as soon as he finished speaking, a number of eye-catching black spots appeared in the vast expanse of white snow ahead, and nearly a hundred riders came galloping towards them like a whirlwind.
"Haha, here we come!" Liu Shanyin smiled while stroking his beard, narrowing his eyes to a slit and looking ahead, thoughtfully.
Everyone accompanying him breathed a sigh of relief. Who would want to stay in this hellish place where even peeing in the ice and snow can freeze to a knife
The group of cavalry rushed closer, and they were indeed Tubo cavalry. They formed a fan shape and surrounded dozens of envoys from the Tang Dynasty. The leader, a bearded young man, took two steps forward and spoke in Tibetan language.
Liu Shanyin waved his hand, and the accompanying guide and translator stepped forward to identify himself. The young man rode his horse and took a few steps forward, saluted him and invited him to go to the Tubo military camp.
"Tell him that if Gar Qin Ling hadn't come out to greet him personally, I would have refused to take a step forward." Liu Shanyin said.
The post officer hesitated for a moment and replied truthfully. The young man was obviously a little angry, and a group of cavalry looked at them with cold eyes and narrowed their eyes for a while, then walked away.
After half an hour, a large number of cavalry appeared in front, about to move people. There were colorful flags and horns making noise in the sky. Ruoda led a handsome flag and Gar Qinling personally went out to greet them.
Liu Shanyin stopped everyone and only brought three translators forward.
With the handsome flag fluttering, Qinling Ma took the lead and walked forward slowly. Looking at Liu Shanyin's slightly mocking smile, he pointed at Liu Shanyin with his riding crop and said in fluent Chinese: "Are you the envoy of the Tang Dynasty?"
"It's me." Liu Shanyin looked at him with the same expression and said calmly, neither humble nor arrogant, "Young Master of Honglu Temple, Liu Shanyin."
"I am a fourth-grade young minister, and my official position is a little too young." Qin Ling sneered and said, "When you see me, you won't get off your horse and pay homage to me?"
"The envoys of the upper state do not worship the king of the lower state, let alone you are just a minister of the lower state?" Liu Shanyin shook his head and smiled, and said, "Qinling, don't say that you are the marshal of Tibet at this moment. Even Zanpu can only say this to me. Treat each other with courtesy. You are so cold and cunning, and it is unworthy of the country. I would like to ask, is this how you Zanpu usually teaches you how to treat guests?"
"You are indeed powerful with words and swords." Gar Qinling smiled nonchalantly, dismounted and stood by the road, stroking his chest and bending down to salute, "I would like to invite Liu Honglu, the envoy of the Kingdom of Heaven, to come to the camp and rest for a while!"
"Easy to say, easy to say." Liu Shanyin smiled and said, "May I ask where Zanpu is in your country? This envoy is here on the order of the emperor. All matters big and small should only be discussed with Zanpu."
"The Han people have a saying, you don't ask your ministers." Gar Qinling raised the corner of his mouth and sneered, "Where is Zanpu? Is it something that my ministers can ask about?"
"That would be interesting." Liu Shanyin took a deep breath and said loudly, "As early as two months ago, the Tang Dynasty sent a messenger to inform your country that this envoy will be sent to the plateau and will arrive today to discuss peace. Regarding the marriage grant. Now, the general does not know where Zan Pu is. So this envoy thinks that your country Zan Pu is not sincere in accepting the peace proposal and the marriage grant. Why should I go to your military camp without bothering you? Just go back."
"You have quite a temper." Gar Qinling did not show any anger but smiled instead, "State affairs are the most important thing, and your envoy must not act out of anger. As the king of a country, Zanpu is busy with military affairs, so you can't wait for your envoy in the military camp. "Your Majesty, please stay in the camp for a while, and I will send someone to fetch Zanpu immediately."
"This sounds like a human saying." Liu Shanyin sneered, shook his horse's reins and said, "My hands are going to be frozen by the plateau and I can't hold the horse's reins. Come forward. , lead the horse.”
As soon as he said these words, the expressions of the post officials behind Liu Shanyin changed!
There was a hint of sullenness on Gar Qinling's face, but he immediately regained his expressionless smile. He took two steps forward, took the reins of the horse, and led the horse forward.
The more than a thousand Tubo cavalry and dozens of accompanying people present all suspected that they were dazzled. Many Tubo cavalrymen were about to draw their scimitars and come forward to kill Liu Shanyin instantly!
However, Gal Qinling was talking and laughing freely. He waved his hand to signal the soldiers and horses on both sides to clear the way for escort. He led the horse beside Liu Shanyin's horse and said with a smile: "Your envoy is a high-ranking envoy of the Kingdom of Heaven. I can help you." It is a blessing to lead a horse to the ground. I have studied Han classics since I was a child. I remember that Han Xin was humiliated by his horse in his life. What do you think about this humiliation by your horse? "
"Don't worry, General, I won't say anything about you comparing yourself to Huaiyin (Han Xin is from Huaiyin and is titled Marquis of Huaiyin)." Liu Shanyin said with a smile.
Qin Ling was stunned for a moment and asked, "What do you mean?"
"I'm afraid that the general will be laughed at by the world!" Liu Shanyin laughed loudly, "If he can only bear humiliation and be compared to the Marquis of Huaiyin, then let you Tubo people get into other people's crotches. From this, Plateau There must be countless Huaiyins above!"
"Haha!" Gar Qinling was still not angry, but laughed loudly and said, "Your envoy is indeed very good at sophistry, and he is still like the people of the Tang Dynasty. When I was reading "Zuo Zhuan", I saw a sentence that I was very puzzled by. , so I would like to ask your envoy - "Those who are not of my race must have different minds." What does this mean? Does it mean that you, the Tang Dynasty people, are unmatched in poetry and military skills? The country regards us as barbarians who drink hair and blood?”
"The general is indeed a bit knowledgeable, and he has read all the "Zuo Zhuan"." Liu Shanyin smiled with emotion, ""Zuo Zhuan: The Fourth Year of Chenggong" contains: 'Those who are not of my race will have different minds. . Although Chu is a big country, it is not from my clan, so is it willing to call me? "The profound meaning here can only be understood but cannot be expressed in words. "
"Since you are an envoy to your superior country, you should be knowledgeable and far-sighted, but why do you treasure your broom and refuse to teach me?" Qin Ling looked forward with his head raised, stopped and reined in his horse, and said, "When your envoy came, he must have passed through Lanzhou before. ?”
"That's natural."
Qin Ling suddenly turned his head, looked at Liu Shanyin with sharp eyes, and said, "Is your envoy following the emperor's orders, or is he following Qin Mubai's orders?"
Liu Shanyin felt an unnatural chill running down his body.
The military commander in front of him, who was less than thirty years old and had more than 10,000 people under one man in Tubo, obviously had a mind, knowledge and government that exceeded his expectations. And the aura and edge of his self-confidence and self-power made him appear calm and tall even when he was leading people's horses to buckle.
"Since I am the envoy of the state, I am naturally carrying out errands according to the order. Why does the general need to ask more questions?" Liu Shanyin replied calmly.
"That's good. That's good." Gal Qinling said with a smile, "In this way, your envoy can still complete his mission safely."
"Hey, what the general said is interesting." Liu Shanyin said, "Listen to the general's words. What if I listen to Qin Mubai's words?"
"It's very simple." Gar Qinling smiled slightly and said, "Even if I don't kill your envoy, your envoy will be dead on the plateau."
Liu Shanyin's expression froze unnaturally.
"Why, have you been told off by me?" Gar Qinling laughed and said, "Your Majesty, don't you want to sacrifice yourself for your country and die on the plateau, and then ruin the peace and marriage proposal?" Are the two countries at war? This is a big sin! Please think twice and don’t join forces with Qin Mubai to bring harm to the country!"
"What an awesome boy!" Liu Shanyin couldn't help but sigh to himself, took a deep breath, forced a smile, and said, "Is the general using a provoking method on me? It's obvious that the general doesn't have the slightest sincerity to talk about peace. It’s marriage, isn’t it?”
"If a wise person doesn't tell secrets, your envoy really guessed it right." Gar Qinling smiled coldly, looked sideways at Liu Shanyin and said, "If Zanpu and my father hadn't insisted on intermarriage, my commander would have Two hundred thousand cavalry had already marched through Lanzhou and marched straight to the Central Plains. In this case, there would be no need for my commander to lead the horse for your envoy. Instead, it would be the arrogant and domineering Qin Mubai who knelt in front of me and licked his shoes. Socks!”
"The toad yawned loudly!" Liu Shanyin laughed loudly, "In the battle of Dafeichuan, the general's tens of thousands of troops were defeated by Marshal Qin's hundreds of men. How can such a shame and humiliation be forgotten so quickly? "
"Just like I won't forget the shame of riding off the horse today." Gar Qinling led the horse forward without taking it seriously, and with a smile on his face, he said leisurely and contentedly: "You and I, wait and see."