With a rumble, the heavy city gate slowly opened.

King Qu Wentai of Gaochang walked out of the gate with his concubines, princes, members of the Qu clan and many civil and military officials, and slowly greeted the majestic and orderly royal masters of the Central Plains outside the city.

"The grapes in Turpan are ripe, Ana'erhan's heart is drunk, and his heart is drunk~"

Li Yao, wearing a power fence on his head, was leisurely riding on a war horse, softly humming a folk song from the Western Regions of later generations, and at the same time looking at everything in front of him.

There are no lowered flags raised high on top of the city.

This is not the Qingyang Gate occupied by Neiying in the city, but the Jianyang Gate which is one mile away from the Qingyang Gate.

Qu Wentai and others looked obviously a little worried, but they did not dress or tie their arms in accordance with the ceremony. They were still wearing brocade crowns and splendid clothes, accompanied by ceremonial guards.

However, in Li Yao's view, it is not difficult to understand the behavior of Gaochang's monarchs and ministers.

Gaochang did hinder the Tang army's western expedition, giving her the reason to "conquer it as a last resort." Therefore, although Qu Wentai followed the advice of the eminent monk Huicheng and finally chose to give up resistance, he still wanted to retain as much of the country as possible for himself.

The dignity of the Lord changed the surrender ceremony into a welcome ceremony, even though there is actually no difference...

"Turpan? It seems to be in Tiele language. This slang song sung by my sister is really interesting."

Li Shimin beat the rhythm on the pommel bridge with his horsewhip, and suddenly asked Li Yao with a smile.

Li Yao gently held Shaluo, raised his chin, and pointed at Qu Wentai, who walked with a single step, as if his legs were weighed down by a heavy weight: "Don't the people of the world think he is more interesting?"

Li Shimin frowned and said: "It's interesting, but moving so slowly is really a waste of our time. Why don't you let me urge him to come here faster?"

Li Yao waved his hand: "Our army is also a teacher of benevolence and righteousness after all. Others will be the kings of subjugation, so we should give them a little dignity."

Li Shimin sneered and said scornfully: "This Qu family doesn't look like surrendering when they surrender. This little cleverness only brings down our dignity." As he said this, he picked up the reins and made a gesture of charging forward.

Accepting surrender is not a trivial matter. As the coach, Li Yao could not allow Li Shimin to steal the limelight. She stretched out her hand to stop him and said with a smile: "I have my own way to save the dignity of both parties. Please calm down, Shimin."

Sure enough, when the group of Gaochang people came closer, Li Yao suddenly knocked on the horse's belly, and the divine horse "Zhao Yebai" was like an arrow from the string, and in a blink of an eye, it carried the hostess to Qu Wentai.

The war horse Xi Yuyu let out a long hiss, and the man stood up, waving his two iron hooves in the air, almost kicking Qu Wentai's Tianling Cap, which immediately caused exclamations from all around.

After the dust dispersed, Li Yao looked down from a high position and glanced arrogantly at the rather chaotic team. His eyes immediately fell on Qu Wentai, and he said with a half-smile: "Prince Jin, I didn't expect that we would meet again in this way."

More than ten years ago, Qu Wentai visited the Western Region of the Tang Dynasty disguised as a merchant's son, and met Li Yao once in Dunhuang, and "Jin Shizi" was the pseudonym he used at that time.

Qu Wentai was almost scared out of his wits by Li Yao, so how could he think about the other party's slightly teasing greeting? He took four or five steps back, then suppressed the urge to turn around and run away, crossed his hands and bowed respectfully:

"Something happened... in our country. Wen Tai was still involved in important matters just now. I didn't know that the Princess Protector of the Tang Dynasty was coming. I was not welcomed at a distance. Please forgive me, Your Majesty!"

However, there was no "no courtesy" from the horseback. Qu Wentai's heart seemed to have sunk to the bottom, and his waist unconsciously bent lower.

After a long while, Li Yao finally said: "Are our soldiers sharp?"

Qu Wentai said harshly: "Sharp... extremely sharp."

Li Yao asked again: "How does this princess compare with me?"

"How can the light of fireflies compete with the brightness of the bright moon? The loss is far inferior to that of your noble lord."

After finishing speaking, Qu Wentai buried his head even lower.

Li Yao snorted softly in his nose and reprimanded coldly: "In that case, why are you closing the pass and setting up a pass to prevent my army from moving forward?"

Qu Wentai's body trembled violently, and he knelt down with a plop, and begged for mercy with a trembling voice: "The ferocious wolf is greedy, and the Gaochang country is weak... We all did it as a last resort, so please forgive me.

The Lord is magnanimous and noble!”

"Please raise your noble hand, Princess Protector!"

A crowd of people knelt down immediately behind Qu Wentai, and shouts came one after another.

Li Yao suddenly raised his riding whip and made a crackling sound, which shocked Qu Wentai and others into silence.

Qu Wentai subconsciously raised his head and glanced up, but saw the black three-piece gauze on the saddle suddenly floated up, revealing a cold, arrogant and beautiful face, and a pair of eyes as cold as daggers. He was so frightened that he quickly tapped his forehead.

My body was shaking violently.

The last time Qu Wentai saw Li Yao was during the tribute trip to Chang'an in the winter of the 13th year of Takeori's reign. At that time, Li Yao's face seemed to be frozen in time, and he couldn't help but admire him. But now when he saw this familiar face again,

There was no emotion in his heart, only fear and horror.

Li Yao glanced at the emperor and ministers of Gaochang who were kneeling on the ground, and said calmly: "I would rather lead the army across the sand sea than attack the pass in Gaochang. Not only to avoid delaying the military plane, but mainly because I hope to preserve a chance for you and others.

It just depends on whether you can grasp it."

As soon as these words came out, Qu Wentai heard the sound of nature and hurriedly said: "Please express it clearly!"

Li Yao said every word: "If you are of Han descent and are willing to return to the Tang Dynasty, I can go to the sages and confer on you the position of governor and the hereditary title of king, so that the glory and fortune of Paul and others can be passed down from generation to generation.

"

Although Qu Wentai understood that once he agreed to surrender to the Tang Dynasty, it would mean the end of Gaochang Guozuo, but he had no other choice.

At least the Qu family can continue.

As a result, Qu Wentai was like a drowning man waiting for a life-saving straw. Without thinking much, he cried and worshiped: "The sinner Qu Wentai is willing to remove the title of Gaochang and surrender five counties, fourteen counties and twenty-two cities to the Celestial Empire!"

"Okay! Flat body!"

Li Yao suddenly became full of energy, raised his beautiful long legs, jumped off the horse neatly, and immediately stretched out his hands to help all the Gaochang people to get up.

As soon as Qu Wentai shed tears, he took the initiative to help Li Yao lead the horse, with a smile on his face...

…

…

At the end of May in the 19th year of Taketoku, the king of Gaochang, Qu Wentai, surrendered to the Tang army and expressed his willingness to enter the court as a hostage to pay for his sins. Princess Protector comforted her and agreed to the Qu family's request. Then the old system of Gaochang was temporarily implemented and the former Gaochang was appointed.

Minister of War Shi Suoyanzhi, General Huya Zhai Gongli, Mingwei General Shi Hongxiu and other righteous people were appointed as county guards. At the same time, the military and political power of Gaochang's hometown was handed over to the governor of Yizhou, General Xie Shufang, the right guard guard, to take charge on his behalf. He also dispatched close associates Liu Anyuan and Du Deman.

, Ao Legen and others led their headquarters of 12,000 troops to take over all the passes, forts, beacons and other important military locations in Gaochang.

Overwhelmed by the powerful force of the Tang army, the situation and people's hearts in Gaochang were quickly stabilized. Even the nobles who were more culturally inclined to the Turks were unable to make any waves and had to accept the rule of the Tang Dynasty honestly.

After Gaochang's incident, good news came from the Tang army's partial division. Khotan, Shule, Jiepantuo and other countries sent messages to decide. The Tang army on the southern route led by Chai Shao conquered a large area west of Congling almost without a single blow.

Seeing that the various armies were about to be in place, Li Yao quickly rectified the troops and equipment and sent troops directly to Yuanqu City. The nomadic tribes at the southern foot of the Tianshan Mountains fled. In just a few days, tens of thousands of fine cavalry arrived at the shore of the Fish Sea first and appeared.
Chapter completed!