Khotan is not very big. As an important town guarding the Western Regions and Yunzhong, in addition to the city walls rammed with loess, most of the loess buildings are also seen at a glance. As for the buildings with blue bricks and tiles, except for the big houses and the There wasn't much outside the Protector's Mansion.
Military camps were stationed in all four directions of Khotan City, and the number of people at this time had reached 100,000.
Pei Xingjian, Hei Te Changzhi, and Xue Rengui were already waiting at the city gate. The spies had been running back and forth several times. Seeing that the sky was about to darken, a black shadow finally appeared at the end of the horizon.
After a while, the three of them saw a long dragon approaching slowly as far as the eye could see.
The three of them were all experts in using military force. It was their first time to have such close contact with Prince Liu Sui, which still made them feel quite shocked in their hearts.
According to the marching speed, more than 20,000 troops rushed from Chang'an to Khotan. Although it cannot be said to be very fast, the marching speed cannot be said to be very slow, and can only be regarded as medium.
But even so, the three of them still felt a calmness and a hidden aura of killing from the cavalry team of more than 20,000 people.
It seemed like an unsheathed horizontal knife. Although it was not stained with blood, it was already extremely sharp and always waiting to be stained with blood.
"The last generals Pei Xingjian, Xue Rengui, and Hei Te Changzhi have met the Great Protector." The three of them saluted in front of Li Hongma, while the huge cavalry team behind them still marched slowly towards the camp from both sides in an orderly and leisurely manner. go.
Pei Xingjian is now about fifty years old, and seems to be a few years younger than Xue Rengui. He has black teeth and is at the peak of the three of them. He is in his thirties and has a tall and fierce figure. Perhaps it is because of the training in the battlefields of the Western Regions. He was more domineering than when he first met Li Hong in Chang'an.
Li Hong waved his hand to signal the three of them to get up, then he got off the horse and threw the reins to Mang Zhong behind him, and said, "Let's walk into the city."
Lawless and Quan Yi followed Li Hong, and naturally they were accompanied by Pei Xingjian.
"Actually, you two don't have to rush to Khotan to greet me. I don't know where your troops are stationed now, but I guess it won't be in Khotan for rest." Li Hong was polite at first.
Hua Meng, who was next to him, had already handed Pei Xingjian the letter of appointment from His Royal Highness Crown Prince Li Hong, as well as identity verification items such as fish charms.
Pei Xingjian checked it carefully while walking, and after checking it, he respectfully returned it to Hua Meng.
"This is your first time to come to Anxi, Protector General. Logically speaking, the general and others should go out of the city to greet you. But now that the war is urgent, you have learned something about it on the way. The general and others are really helpless. I hope you will forgive me. Sin." Pei Xingjian saw Li Hong's gentle expression and said politely.
"Nothing is more important than the war. As the saying goes, military orders abroad are subject to certain restrictions. Hmm... I guess you have other motives for sending General Xue and Hei Te here today?" Li Hong glanced at Pei Xingjian, medium. He has a tall figure, a complexion with a bit of plateau red due to the sunshine on the plateau, and piercing eyes. He looks like a veteran who has been on the battlefield for a long time.
And he is still that kind of wise veteran. Although Li Zhi decreed that Li Hong be appointed as the Chief Protector of the Anxi Protectorate, he did not appoint Pei Xingjian as the Deputy Protector. In other words, the current establishment of the Anxi Protectorate is: In fact, it was two governors who exercised the rights of the governors.
Military strategists have always been taboo about giving orders to many families, and he is also the crown prince of the Tang Dynasty. If Pei Xingjian is unwilling to hand over military power, or Li Hong forcefully seizes power and orders during the march, the Anxi Protectorate will fall into even more chaos. .
At this time, Su Dingfang, who studied under Xing Guogong, recruited Hei Te Changzhi and Xue Rengui, and had already made a plan to hand over military power and let His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Li Hong have the final say.
"Don't be upset if you protect me, we will eventually recruit General Xue and General Black Teeth..."
Li Hong waved his hand and looked at the city walls and gates of Khotan. After walking in, he looked at the two broadest streets that crisscrossed each other and asked, "Is there anything going on recently at Wang Mingyuan?"
"The Great Food in White Clothes has been keeping an eye on it. King Perus of Persia hopes that Wang Mingyuan can guard it with him, but now it seems that the Great Food in White Clothes will not make any big moves for the time being." Pei Xingjian answered all questions.
As the last heir of the Sassanid Kingdom, Belus was doomed to the fate of the country. Now, with the help of the Tang Dynasty's prestige, it helped him to keep his place under the nose of the white-robed eaters. He was always in danger of being swallowed by the white-robed eaters. .
As a general of the Tang Dynasty, Wang Mingyuan helped Belus guard the Persian Governor's Mansion, which was named by Li Zhi.
"What's going on in Shule?" Li Hong asked from left to right as if he was flipping through a book, his mind kept jumping.
And along the way, he had already made a decision and was just waiting to find out whether Pei Xingjian was a qualified general.
"Back to the Great Protectorate, although Shule is just a riot now, it must not be underestimated. Wensu has united the two tribes of Dongqiemi and Xiqiemi. Under the interference of Tibet, we have no time to take care of it. Therefore, as a last resort, General Xue had to leave Shule Withdraw your troops and retreat." Pei Xingjian looked solemn and said after careful consideration.
Several people hurriedly arrived at the Duhu Mansion. Li Hong was not even interested in stopping at the door to watch. After signaling to Pei Xingjian, several people came to a room together. There was a huge sand table from the Western Regions in the room, and this It was also a gift given by Li Hong to Pei Xingjian who just took office two years ago.
"The north of Kucha is controlled by Ashina Duzhi, so you sent troops to Kucha to prevent unexpected events. Then Shule drove out General Xue and his party because of Wensu's encouragement. Tubo is still making small moves now. After the beginning of spring, it is very It may also put strategic pressure on me. You have been in the Western Regions for many years and have been fighting with Duke Xing for many years. In your opinion, what should be our top priority now?" Li Hong put down the wooden stick in his hand and took Xia Zhi. He asked, handing over the water glass.
Li Hong's question had the intention of launching an attack on the enemy. Anyone with a discerning eye could see that Pei Xingjian tightened up on Qiuci and gave up suppressing the Shule riot, which shows that his mind was not on the riot.
Of course, as Pei Xingjian said just now, although the Shule riot was small, its impact was not as weak as it seemed. Therefore, this was also the reason why Li Hong asked him.
Pei Xingjian looked at the area on the sand table, then looked at Li Hong's expression, and said calmly: "In order to fight against the outside world, we must first settle down the inside. If the Shule incident cannot be resolved, it will be a huge hidden danger to the Tang Dynasty. Therefore, The final general believes that the uprising in Shule should be resolved first, and then the Tubo army should be guarded, while the northern area occupied by the Ashina Duzhi should be recaptured. "
"Okay, according to what you said. The Anxi Protectorate can only have one Grand Protector to command the battle, and you will be the one to lead the troops in the battle. If you need people and give money, you just need to take back Shule, food, horses, and weapons. Wait, I, Li Hong, will support you with all my strength in Qiuci! Even the 20,000 troops I brought will be under your command. But..." Li Hong looked at Pei Xingjian's somewhat excited and relaxed eyes and continued: " General Xue needs to re-enter Shule before Yuan Day! Is it possible?”
"Your Highness, you...?" Pei Xingjian did not expect that Li Hong was so enlightened. The first thing he did after arriving in Qiuci was to give up military power, clarify his responsibilities and authorities before himself, and was willing to provide him with various guarantees behind his back.
This is good news worthy of celebration and gratification for any general who has been leading troops in battles abroad, and it is also a boss that many generals hope to meet.
"It has always been a taboo for military strategists to send orders to many places. What's more, it is my first time to come to Anxi. For me to lead the troops in battle now is not only disrespectful to my father, but also disrespectful to all the soldiers of the Tang Dynasty's border army." Li Hong looked at a few people, and then walked out together again.
Naturally, this time was no exception. Just like at Yumen Pass, Li Hong still checked all the barracks and defenders. Naturally, he also hoped to use his identity to improve the morale of the soldiers.
When Pei Xingjian said that he hoped to invite him back to Kucha City for a meal, neither Xue Rengui nor Heiji Changzhi expected that this proposal would be rejected by the noble Crown Prince, who instead proposed to have dinner at the camp.
The barracks include earthen huts made of rammed loess, as well as temporary barracks built with tents. In short, they are of various shapes, but they are arranged neatly and neatly.
A wild boar's scream attracted Li Hong's attention. He listened attentively and asked, "What? Are you killing pigs today?"
"How could it be? This should be a wild boar that the soldiers shot and killed. They should have killed it and thrown it away." Pei Xingjian was a little embarrassed and said awkwardly.
Li Hong looked at him clearly and asked Hei Te Changzhi to bring the wild boar over.
Pork was not recognized by people in this era. People thought that pigs ate too many things and did not distinguish between dirty and clean things. Therefore, pigs were also called dirty pigs at this time and would not be used as food.
A black wild boar weighing more than two hundred kilograms was easily carried over by Hei Te Changzhi with one hand. There was a deep wound on the neck of the wild boar. Blood was still dripping on the way. But it is no longer viable.
"General Xue, find a big pot and some hot water." Li Hong kicked the black-toothed wild boar that was still on the ground. It looked like the meat was definitely better than in the previous life.
Pei Xingjian looked at Li Hong as if he were seeing a cow or sheep. Naturally, he knew that His Highness the Crown Prince wanted to eat this dirty pig. He thought about it and stopped him and said: "Defender, if you want to eat meat, there is plenty of meat in the barracks. This wild boar …”
"Look at the food you're eating, even though I don't understand food." Li Hong raised his head and scratched his chin with one hand as if in deep thought, and said, "I remember there was a record in some classical book, saying that wild boar meat is delicious. It's a very fragrant and delicate meat, and it tastes very good. I'll give it to you to test it later. Oh, it doesn't matter if you don't want to eat it. I'll eat it with Black Teeth, don't you mind?"
Hei Te Changzhi frowned. How could Korean sticks be so taboo? In the barren Liaodong, it was good to be able to fill his stomach. When Li Hong asked, he naturally nodded and said: "The general doesn't care."
(End of chapter)