Lawless and Quan Yi each led 7,000 troops and set off two days earlier than Li Hong. Naturally, the only thing left for Li Hong was the Tiefu Tu, which he had always listed as a top priority in Taiyi City over the years.
The long and solemn ceremony at the entrance of the East Palace slowly progressed. In Li Hong's opinion, every time a general went out for an expedition, it was like a group of dancing masters pretending to be gods and ghosts, and then the emperor would sacrifice to heaven and kill some live chickens and ducks for It symbolizes a great victory in the expedition.
"Remember to be wary of Wang Fangyi when you arrive in the Western Regions?" Wu Mei held the hand of Li Hong, who was wearing black armor, and said lightly.
The helmet was not on his head at this time, but was held in his arms. He looked at the ministers below and asked: "Wang Fangyi? Why should you be careful about him?"
"You little idiot, you are so stupid. Wang Jing and Wang Kang died inexplicably, as well as Ashinatler and his two subordinates. Even a blind person knows who did this. Wang Fangyi He is the only military commander in the Wang family in Jinyang in recent years. If you serve under Pei Xingjian, you must not leave anyone unmentionable if you want to make great achievements in the Western Regions." Wu Mei pinched Li Hong's fingers and said angrily.
"Don't worry, I won't suffer any loss. You and your father can wait here for my good news." Li Hong broke away from Wu Mei's hand, stroked his helmet, and then followed the ceremony officer's salute. He put the helmet on his head skillfully.
Slowly taking two steps, facing the emperor and empress of the Tang Dynasty, he knelt down on one knee and said loudly: "My son, I will go to the Western Regions today, and I will do my best to consolidate and prosper my four towns in Anxi! I will definitely live up to my father. , the mother’s expectations.”
Li Zhi looked at Li Hong who was kneeling on one knee and said slowly: "I hope you will return in triumph."
Wu Mei followed Li Zhi and looked at the little man wearing black armor. She didn't expect that the little idiot who usually looked at him as a fool and had no integrity at all had now grown up.
Standing there, he was almost as tall as his father. In addition, he had practiced hard in the past few years, and when he stood there, he actually had an aura of killing without anger.
Hua Meng took Li Hong's horse "food stamps". Naturally, this horse also had another "meal stamps". They were two good horses stolen by Li Zhi back then. Now they are in their prime, tall and mighty, and have the same Standing together, Li Hong in black armor complemented each other perfectly.
He climbed up on the horse and took a deep look at Li Zhi and Wu Mei: "Father and Queen, please take care of yourself. I am leaving."
Tiefutu had already been waiting outside Chang'an City, and now the only people following Li Honglai to participate in the expedition ceremony were the two hundred personal guards.
As Li Hong turned the horse's head, the 200-man guard next to him also quickly got on the horse. The whole movement was uniform and uniform, without a trace of noise. After getting on the horse, the 200-man team suddenly seemed to be unsheathed. It's like a horizontal sword, giving people a murderous feeling.
Hua Meng, Mang Zhong, Xiao Xue, Xia Zhi, plus Ban Mei and Xun Lan, the six people behind them also wore black armor and followed Li Hong closely towards the Chang'an city gate.
Looking at the dusty team, Wu Mei suddenly felt an inexplicable reluctance in her heart. Looking at the figure that had been submerged in the team, Wu Mei really wanted to send someone to call him back immediately, she was really willing to let him go to the Western Region to suffer.
"Why didn't you give him the token just now?" Wu Mei said half a step behind Li Zhi, accompanied by hundreds of civil and military officials.
"He didn't ask for it. I gave it to him just now, but he rejected it." Li Zhi suddenly held a jade pendant in his hand. This is a jade pendant that can mobilize troops and horses.
Although Li Hong is now the Chief Protector of the Anxi Protectorate, if Pei Xingjian is unwilling to delegate power to the Anxi Protectorate, or is unwilling to hand over military power immediately on the grounds that the prince is young and needs training, then Li Hong will only With this jade pendant, you can easily take over the military power.
Wu Mei looked at the calm-looking Li Zhi strangely, and couldn't help but wonder: "Then you are not afraid that when Li Hong arrives at the Anxi Protectorate, his fight with Pei Xingjian for military power will affect the morale of the army?"
Li Zhi chuckled, looked at the majestic Hanyuan Hall in front of him, turned around and said: "Li Hong, what kind of servant has he done that he was not sure about? I believe he can handle this matter well. The disadvantages of generals' discord, Li Hong He knows it better than anyone else. Looking at him like this, I'm afraid he already has a plan in mind. Since he is released, there is no need to think too much. Besides, I have already issued an order to Pei Xingjian, so I don't think it will affect the army. "
Wu Mei frowned as she listened to Li Zhi's heart-warming words. The Anxi Protectorate was no better than the Guanzhong area. Li Hong was a good hand at making money, just look at Taiyi City.
However, in the past few years, the reforms carried out by his Prince Liu Sui have always seemed to be loud but not rainy. Until now, no one knows the combat effectiveness of his Tai Zi Liu Sui. At least, looking at the current situation, Tang, no one has ever said how good the Prince's six rates are.
Today, the area under the jurisdiction of the Anxi Protectorate has been much smaller than in previous years, but the four towns of Suiye, Khotan, Shule, and Qiuci, as the four most important towns in the Western Region, are still in control. In Tang's hands.
Still frightening the barbarians from all directions, except for Tubo on the plateau, which was not conducive to Tang soldiers fighting, they have never been able to take the lead in the war. Even when fighting Tubo, the Tang Dynasty always lost more than it won, and this year it has even been It is a transition from offense to defense, and it can only be passive defense.
The Hexi Corridor is the only road leading to the Western Regions. Similarly, Yumen Pass, which is the throat, and part of the Hexi Corridor, is an important place in the Tang Dynasty, both in terms of military and trade.
If it were not for the destruction of the military system and land equalization system in the Tang Dynasty in the next few decades, the fertile land in the Hexi Corridor would not be taken away by Tubo.
But even now, the Tang Dynasty can lead to the Western Regions, but there is no other way except the Hexi Corridor. The Qilian Mountains in the north, as a natural barrier, provided Datang with a good barrier against Tibetan invasion.
But as Tuyuhun was occupied by Tubo, Tubo's sense of touch has been extended to the point where it seems that even in Chang'an, one can smell the slightest smell of danger.
For more than a month, Li Hong did not urge his small force of 10,000 people to march quickly. Instead, after entering the Hexi Corridor, he began to observe the terrain and landforms. He did not know whether this expedition could capture Tubo. But at least he had to control Tuyuhun.
Tuyuhun served as the strategic buffer zone between the Tang Dynasty and Tibet in the southwest. Everyone knew its importance. However, as Tubo became stronger, Tuyuhun, under the management of Nuohebo, a waste, actually allowed Tibet to take it away easily.
Lawless Tian and Quan Yi had already arrived at Yumen Pass. After the scouts made contact with Li Hong's soldiers and horses, the two left Wutian to lead the left and right guards to wait, and then immediately led the soldiers and horses to Suzhou to meet Li Hong.
Old God Li Hong was riding on horseback. Along the way, he finally understood what it meant to be in the true sense of a vast land and sparsely populated areas. I couldn't help but sigh in my heart: It was not easy for the Tang Dynasty to gain such influence in the Western Regions.
"General Wu Wen and Quan Yi have seen the Great Protector." The two of them got off their horses, walked quickly to Li Hongma, and saluted.
"Get up and talk. It's already winter now. Don't kneel down all the time." Li Hong had already taken off his armor and was wearing Lan Ling's big fur. Now he looks like A bear rides on a tall horse.
"Yes, I will obey my orders." The two men replied solemnly.
Li Hong is very satisfied that these two people now, Quan Yi and Lawless, are already fourth-grade generals of the Wei.
"Has Pei Xingjian been notified? Where is he now?" Li Hong asked calmly after informing the two of them to get on their horses and then start leading the team to Yumen Pass.
"Pei Duhu is now in Kucha, and the Duhu Mansion is also located in Kucha."
"Why in Qiuci?" Li Hong frowned suddenly.
Suiye is the farthest to the west. It can be said to be the most border military town of the Tang Dynasty in the Western Regions. Khotan is to the south and close to the Tibetan border. It is said that Pei Xingjian should be in Khotan at this moment, so why did he go to Qiuci to the east? Moreover, Qiuci has always bordered the Eastern Turks and fell under the jurisdiction of the Yunzhong Protectorate.
"What happened to Shule?" Li Hong's heart sank a little. He realized that something was wrong. This was different from the historical information in his memory.
Shule's geographical location is said to be the safest. To the north is Suiye Town to the west, and to the south is Khotan Town to the east. The three towns form a diagonal line, guarding the border of the Tang Dynasty.
But now Pei Xingjian is in Qiuci behind the three towns. According to the basic setting of the Protectorate, the Protectorate should be in Shule anyway. In this way, both left and right can attack and rescue, and naturally reinforcements can be directed to Qiuci from behind.
"Back to the Protectorate, the information sent by Jingzhe and Cheetah said..." Unable to look at Li Hong's suddenly cold face, he said nervously.
"Bring it here." Li Hong interrupted the helpless words and reached out to him for information.
After receiving the information that could not be handed over, Li Hong glanced at it and said calmly: "The whole army will speed up the march. We will rest at Yumen Pass tonight and set off for Shule early tomorrow morning."
"Dadu Protector, Pei Xingjian asks you to go to Qiuci first. He said that he has something important to discuss." Quan Yi also took out a letter and handed it to Li Hong.
Li Hong took it again, quickly read it and closed it. He kept his head silent, patted the horse's belly with his legs, and was the first to take the initiative to speed up and go to Yumen Pass.
Yumen Pass is at least ten days' journey from Qiuci, and at least fifteen days' journey from Shule. Even if something happens, it's too late now.
Li Hong searched hard in his mind to recall all the historical details that he could remember, but no matter how he recalled it, he could not remember who the current rioters in the Western Regions were.
The sky got dark much earlier than in Chang'an. As soon as they arrived at Yumen Pass, the setting sun, which was still hanging sideways on the horizon, hid below the horizon in a hurry than they did.
(End of chapter)