If we use the Anxi Governor's Mansion to attack Tochara and attack from both sides with Baiyi Dashi, the best situation would be to use the Persian Governor's Mansion as the boundary and then divide and conquer.
But such a situation is bound to cost oneself. After more than a year of hard work, Tubo became independent again, and even gave them a great opportunity to attack the four towns of Anxi.
In this way, it may even give Tubo and Baiyi Dashi a chance to attack him! Li Hong would not do anything that was not worth the loss.
Now, the best way is to abandon the Persian Governor's Palace, use the four towns of Anxi as the center, stabilize the Tubo, Ashina Duzhi and other areas that have just been suppressed, and then make plans after truly establishing a foothold in the Western Regions. Tochar and other places.
And it won't be long. After all, the four towns in Anxi now have been governed by Li Hong after several years of construction. They are not the Anxi Protectorate that was in turmoil whenever there was a riot.
Wang Mingyuan and the 20,000 Tang troops must be rescued. No matter what, we cannot just watch them be surrounded and die.
"Order the army to change its route to Shule, and order Li Jingxuan to lead the Yumen Pass garrison into Khotan Town! Order Wang Fangyi to switch defenses with him and station at Yumen Pass, and order Yuan Shuji to rush from Loulan to Suiye Town to garrison immediately!" Li Hong has always been concerned about Wang Fangyi of the Wang family in Taiyuan. He was worried, and letting Wang Fangyi and Li Jingxuan switch defenses showed his worries.
On this point, Li Hong and his dragon mother Wu Mei have very similar views.
According to historical records, Wang Fangyi also died of illness after being exiled to Yazhou because of Wu Mei's suspicion.
Following Li Hong's orders, more than 14,000 troops began to move forward, along the western edge of the Takalimakan Desert, towards Shule Town.
And there, Xue Rengui is now leading his troops to garrison.
Hei Te Changzhi followed Li Hong and originally planned to return to Khotan to guard. However, due to Li Hong's order, he had to continue to follow His Highness the Crown Prince to Shule.
Although His Highness the Crown Prince did not explain, Hei Te Changzhi could feel that His Highness the Crown Prince would probably have to fight a tough battle next, otherwise, he would not have kept him by his side instead of guarding Khotan.
If you want to go to the Persian Governor's Mansion, the fastest and safest way is to go out via Shule and then continue to the southwest.
But if you want to avoid the Tocharian troops in Tocharian territory, you need to work hard.
Fortunately, when Li Hong ordered to go to Shule, Heng Qiao and Fang Zhan of the 'Jingwei' had already been mobilized to Shule. Their task was to lead Li Hong and others as guides through Tocharo to Persia.
Li Hong knew very well that troops are valuable and quick, so he had already divided his troops into two groups before reaching Shule.
Most of the troops followed Quan Yi and retreated to Shule City. It was not that Li Hong was worried about Guo Shifeng and Cheng Wuting, but because the two men did not get along and needed a commander who could suppress them, and Quan Yi had now grown up. the most suitable candidate.
Li Hong knew very well that he was determined to go to the Persian Governor's Mansion to rescue the 20,000 Tang soldiers. This trip would definitely not be smooth and smooth.
It can even be said that it is extremely dangerous. If it is not done well, I am afraid that even myself and others will have to put their lives on it.
And he also adopted a cautious attitude. Two battle-hardened generals, Xue Rengui and Hei Chi Changzhi, accompanied him to the rescue. He also placed two women, Banmei and Xunlan, in Shule City.
Although Banmei, Xunlan, and Quan Yi were reluctant, looking at the serious face of His Highness the Crown Prince, they had no choice but to obey the orders and go to Shule City.
Under Li Hong's order, of the remaining 7,000 troops, Hei Te Changzhi led 3,000 troops to break off the rear, while he led 4,000 troops in the center.
Xue Rengui had already gathered 3,000 troops at the mountain range ahead, waiting to join him and serve as the vanguard.
Fang Zhan and Heng Qiao led hundreds of people, including Bai Qi who looked reluctant, as scouts entering Tochara.
Xue Rengui is mighty and tall. He is in his fifties, but his body is upright. He is wearing a suit of armor and stands like an iron tower.
With a soldier's aura of solemnity and roughness on his face, when he saw Li Hong coming with his troops, he hurriedly stepped forward to salute, led his horse and said, "Your Highness, the last general and Hei Te Changzhi will go. Your status is respected, if this time There is an accident, the general and others..."
"There is no need to persuade me. This trip itself is extremely thrilling and dangerous. How can I sit in Shule City and watch you take risks? So what if you are the prince? If I can exchange my life for 20,000 soldiers of the Tang Dynasty to be safe and sound, Then I should go there in person." Li Hong shouted loudly while looking at the dark crowd.
Xue Rengui and Hei Te Changzhi looked at each other. As outstanding generals who have been on the battlefield for many years and have many years of experience in leading troops, how could they not know that the words of His Highness the Crown Prince have an immeasurable impact on the morale of more than 10,000 people? promote.
With these words, no one thought that His Highness was trying to win over forces in the Western Regions and win the support of everyone in the four towns of Anxi.
After all, the Anxi Protectorate has long been branded with the crown prince's governance, and no one can deny this.
What's more, in the past few years, Chang'an City has not said that it has truly transferred His Highness the Crown Prince back to the palace. It is obvious that it has approved all His Highness the Crown Prince's actions in Anxi.
Seeing Li Hong's firm and resolute look, Xue Rengui, a decisive general, no longer tried to dissuade him. After accepting the order, Xue Rengui and Hei Te Changzhi went their own ways.
Crossing the undulating mountains and canyons, we entered the uninhabited Tochar, which is also a nomadic nation, and it is also a country with many girls and boys.
At its peak, its military strength was no more than 100,000. Therefore, for Tocharia, which was sandwiched between White Food and the Tang Dynasty and was always being devoured by the two countries, all the people in the country were soldiers and all the men were trained in warfare.
The most bizarre custom among them is naturally the Tocharian marriage custom. It was recorded in the Sui Dynasty that brothers who share the same wife sleep next to each other. Each one enters the room and hangs his clothes outside to express his ambition. The son will belong to his elder brother.
After entering the territory of Tocharo, Li Hong began to order Fang Zhan and Heng Qiao to walk through the rocky trails without being noticed.
If you encounter a small group of Tocharian troops, destroy them. This is also to keep their whereabouts secret so that they will not be discovered as soon as they enter another country.
All the 10,000 people were equipped with light cavalry and simple uniforms. After crossing the Wuhu River, Li Hong ordered the troops to speed up.
Everyone's life began to be completed on horseback. They took naps on horseback, ate on horseback, and fed horses on horseback.
As we went deeper and deeper, there were more and more tents in Tocharo. Among them, we encountered several groups of small nomadic tribes, but they were all covered up by Fang Zhan and Hengqiao with lightning speed. Before the nomadic cavalry of Tocharo understood, Whatever happened, they were all wiped out.
All the people, including the injured and killed horses, were pulled deep into the mountains by the troops behind them. It would probably take a year and a half to discover these corpses, and it might even never be discovered. people discovered.
Just like the Western Regions and Tubo, the vast and sparsely populated geographical environment makes people once again marvel at the magnificence of the plateau.
The thin air, blue sky, and purity unique to high altitudes left Li Hong and others with no time to take a closer look.
It took them thirteen days to get close to the south of Tochara King's City, and now they had only traveled five hundred miles.
Entering the hinterland means that the possibility of being discovered is increasing. After discussing with Xue Rengui and Hei Ji Changzhi, Li Hong had to change his strategy.
During the day, 10,000 people took a rest in the high mountains and canyons that were not easily noticed by others, and then continued their hurried march at night.
Fang Zhan and Heng Qiao had branches tied on their heads and the weapons in their hands were wrapped in cloth to prevent reflection, when they were discovered by Tocharian herdsmen on another hillside.
The entire team was extremely quiet, with caution and seriousness on everyone's face. Daily necessities such as feeding the horses were all handled very close to where the troops were resting.
But in such an environment, His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty, was able to adapt calmly and calmly.
Whenever the troops are resting during the day, within an hour, the entire station will be filled with stench. After all, ten thousand people eat, drink, and have sex in a very small place, but His Royal Highness can still do it like the others. Those who didn’t care were talking and laughing.
Such an optimistic mood, coupled with the attitude of putting aside his noble status and working and resting with ordinary soldiers, made Xue Rengui, who was originally worried that His Highness the Crown Prince would not be able to bear the hardships of the rapid march, couldn't help but admire Li Hong in his heart.
And Hei Te Changzhi, who had followed Li Hong in the Tubo campaign for more than a year, had long been accustomed to His Highness the Crown Prince's indifferent attitude towards marching.
The dark night when they were supposed to continue marching was blocked by a thick layer of clouds in the sky. A storm began to pour down just after the darkness of night enveloped the entire land.
On a night of heavy rain, everyone's body was soaked by the rain.
Hua Meng and Mang Zhong, including His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's personal guard, looked at the dark grove on the top of the mountain not far ahead. Just as they were about to ask Li Hong to go there to take shelter from the rain, they were stopped by Li Hong's shout. .
Stepping on the muddy and slippery path, Li Hong wiped the rain off his face and shouted loudly to Lawless: "Second order, the horses in everyone's hands must be placed on the ground and must not be raised above their heads. No one is allowed to If you stand in trees or other high places to take shelter from the rain, you must stand in this canyon.”
The rain was pouring down, and the narrow canyon was about to turn into a small river. Without waiting for orders from other generals, some soldiers began to consciously lead their horses, trying to find a high ground to take shelter from the rain, instead of standing in the rain that was already above their knees, waiting. Ended with heavy rain.
As soon as Li Hong finished speaking, he heard thunder rumbling from far to near above his head.
(End of chapter)