Qu Tutong didn't understand the temperament of the new master yet. Li Po had always been decisive in military matters and only followed normal procedures in political matters. This was inseparable from the process of his rise. He and Li Yuan were
Differently, it can be said that he is a standard horse-riding emperor.
While thinking about it, Qu Tutong was startled when he suddenly heard a why.
He immediately followed his habit and raised his head slightly to look at the emperor's face. As he got older, his eyesight was not good enough and he couldn't see clearly. In fact, his brain didn't react that quickly, so he could only think slowly.
Yuchi Gong, Li Nian, Xue Wanche... He had just returned to Beijing, and he did not have enough time to familiarize himself with what these names represented. When he returned from the northwest, Yuchi Gong and Li Nian had met both of them, and they were all leading large groups of cavalry.
The momentum was huge, and it came and went like the wind. Even when the Sui Dynasty was strong, we could not see such a scene, nor the Turks. There were quite a lot of cavalry over there, but the armor, bows and arrows were not as neat as the Jin army.
Xue Wanche, the general of the Youwu Guard, probably led mostly cavalry. The troops led by Xue Wanche were stationed in Henan.
And summoning tens of thousands of cavalry to rest near Chang'an? If they don't go to the northwest to quell the rebellion after Liang's surrender, they are definitely not preparing to invade Henan. Could it be that they want to spend the winter here?
Although he thought slower, Qu Tutong has led troops for many years and is very familiar with military strategy...
After a long time, he raised his hand and said, "The Supreme Being wants to gather troops to prepare for the Turks?"
After Qu Tutong thought carefully, there was only one possibility, and it should be to prevent the Turks from attacking from the direction of Yulin?
"You know the arrival of the autumn wind as soon as a leaf falls, you are really amazing." Li Powen praised in a sullen tone, "I came from the north to report that Ashina Qiuluo, the Turkic Jieli Khan, was recruiting soldiers from various ministries to gather at the Khan's tent. There may be useful soldiers.
I guess I am either looking for trouble from my Western compatriots, or I want to lead a crowd to congratulate me on becoming emperor.
If it comes south, wouldn't it be rude if I couldn't lead my army to greet it?"
At the end of autumn, when the cattle and sheep were fattening and the war horses were getting fat, it was the best time for the Turks to use their troops. Li Po never relaxed his spying and precautions against the Turks.
There were many Turks under his command, and with the secret help of Ashina Luoheng, the great Turk who was stationed in Dali City, Dingxiang County, most of the Turks' movements could be detected by Yu Wenxin in the north.
The grasslands have been relatively peaceful this year, and the Turkic Khanate has generally entered a new stage. The matter of the heroine's ascension to the throne has slowly subsided. The Turks have gradually accepted this fact, and most of those who did not accept it have been killed.
Once the internal disputes between the Turks came to an end, the power of the Turks became apparent. Their old enemies to the north were quickly defeated and fled far away.
In the east, their disputes with the Khitans and Mohe people are intensifying, because these savage tribes are fiercely resisting the oppression of the Turks.
Eastern Khan Ashina Duowen was not a benevolent or wise king. His reputation as lustful, cruel and violent was spreading among various tribes in the East.
Especially after he helped the Khitans repel the Shiwei tribes, the remnants of the Khitans and Shiwei people began to gradually merge together, and their momentum gradually grew stronger, and they began to resist the Turks' tyranny.
The barbaric Mohe people were more direct. They were driven into the deep mountains and forests by the Turks, but they did not forget the pain the Turks had caused them. So in autumn, they came out in groups to plunder the Turks.
The tribes and the harassing Turks are very annoying.
Moreover, the disputes between the Turks and the Goguryeo people are also intensifying. As the Goguryeo people are greatly weakened, the sound of the Turks' horse hooves has been heard under the Liaodong City. This makes the Goguryeo people very angry. They loudly condemned the treachery of their allies, but they also criticized their allies.
Their behavior is helpless.
What makes the Goguryeo people even more angry is that the Turks are planning to turn the entire Liaodong into their pasture. The Turks are spreading to the hinterland of Liaodong, but the Goguryeo people can only watch and are unable to stop this intrusion.
Turli Khan Ashina Duowen is creating more and more enemies for the Turkic Khanate, but he has little interest in Dou Jiande's various proposals from the south, because there have been too many stories telling him that dealing with people from the south will not bring him any success.
Any benefit is likely to anger their Khan King, Ashina Yang Huan.
Relatively speaking, Jieli Khan, who was tied with him, was not much worse than him. After defeating the Western Turkic Shegui Khan, Jieli Khan's reputation in the Turks reached its peak.
He is the wisest commander among the Turks today, and countless Turkic warriors want to serve him.
Maybe it’s because Western Khan’s tribe suffered heavy losses and their strength was greatly weakened. Maybe it’s because Western Khan’s tent is closer to the Turkic royal court. Maybe there are more and more people in the royal court saying good things about Western Khan. Anyway, no matter what, Turkic Khan
King Ashina Yang Huan gave Jieli Khan great trust.
She even married one of her daughters to Ashina Qiuluo, which made Ashina Qiuluo's reputation even higher.
In this autumn, Jieli Khan Ashina Qiuluo issued an order to recruit warriors from various tribes to gather at the foot of the Holy Mountain. The meaning of war was very obvious.
When Yu Wenxin got the news, he immediately sent someone to report to Li Po urgently. He also brought with him his ardent hope for the Han Dynasty to become emperor. As the general manager of Daizhou, he really hoped to return home in glory.
He has been serving in Daizhou for seven or eight years. He started as the governor of Yanmen County and then became the general manager of Daizhou. He also went on several missions to the Turks. There is no doubt about his talent and loyalty.
However, it was precisely because of this that Li Po left him in office in Daizhou in order to prevent the Turks from going south, because Yu Wenxin not only knew the situation of the Turks, but also had led a large army, so he was a man who could stand alone at critical moments.
.
The only thing to worry about is that this person may do something when he is desperate. For example, when he offered Jinyang, he was very straightforward.
In addition, this person has a very bad problem, he is a bit flattering and bullying. Of course, his flaws are not concealed, and Li Po has always been able to use his strengths and avoid his weaknesses when employing people.
Now the guy who offered Jinyang and encouraged him to listen to the wall under the Wang family's wall has become the first barrier to the new Tang Dynasty in the north.
The news reached Chang'an and Li Po had proclaimed himself emperor. The news was delayed so much that it made people feel helpless. It was like if Yu Wenxin got the news and sent it back to Chang'an, Ashina Qiuluo might be moved.
Soldiers.
This is undoubtedly bad news for Li Po. The Turks took advantage of the opportunity to go south, which will cause great troubles and even changes to many future plans.
Qu Tutong frowned over there, Ashina Qiuluo... He had never heard of this name. His first reaction was that the Turkic Western Khan had been replaced? Why didn't I hear about it?
Where is Ashina Dubi? It is said that he was a fierce tiger among the Turks. Could it be that he was killed?
Regarding the news from the north, no one except Li Po is as well-informed as before the Sui Dynasty. Many people in the south even have no idea that the powerful neighbor in the north has changed his mistress.
As for the last time Qu Tutong received news from the Turks, it was because Chen Shuda and Dugu Huai'en were on a mission to the Turkic royal court. Dugu Huai'en was released, but Chen Shuda was unlucky enough to have his nose and ears cut off, but was sent to Jinyang.
This is undoubtedly a great shame and humiliation for Li Yuan. At the same time, he also got some news from the Turks. Ashina Yang Huan unexpectedly became the Turkic Khan. How can you reason? In a grassland empire like the Turks, a female protagonist actually appeared.
In power...
At that time, Li Yuan and his ministers were shocked and angry, so they stopped talking to the Turks and had no contact with them anymore. As a result, news about the Turks was also cut off.
What Li Yuan feared most in these years was actually not what the princes could do, but the Turks moving south from Yulin, or the Turks colluding with Li Po and moving south in a large scale.
"I don't know who Ashina Qiuluo is, but if the Supreme Lord wants to personally conquer the outside world, I think it is impossible. It would be better to send a general to welcome him..."
Not familiar with the situation at all, Qu Tutong could only say this.
Li Po smiled and waved his hand to Yan Shigu. Yan Shigu presented all the secret reports he had prepared to Qu Tutong and stood beside him to explain for a while.
When they had finished talking, Li Po said: "The year before last, the Western Turkic Khan Shekui came from the east. Ashina Qiuluo greeted him and fought hard to win. The Shekui Khan fled westward in confusion, but the Turkic royal court was not harmed.
Small.
It has only been two years, and if he still wants to gather a large army and go on a campaign, he is going to die. He can just go to the Western Regions. If he dares to peep south, he should let him know that our Tang Dynasty will not be insulted.
You go back and take a good look at these secret reports. The Ministry of War must come up with a feasible strategy, especially the food and fodder for the army, which must be prepared together with the Ministry of Household Affairs. The war in late autumn this year will not be just one, and we must not mess up the situation.
"
…………………………
Qu Tutong slowly walked out of the Tai Chi Hall. The sunshine outside made him squint his eyes. It was another good day today, but the news that the Turks wanted to go south still weighed heavily on his heart.
The Turks have been the powerful enemies of the Central Plains Empire for decades. Sometimes the two families reconcile and marry each other, but more often they scheming and attacking each other.
As a former Sui Dynasty veteran, he had never had to deal with the Turks once or twice, so he didn't have much fear. However, when the Tang Dynasty was deploying troops, the Turks suddenly made some changes. He didn't know whether this battle would be successful.
Can we fight, or can we win.
He remembered the cavalry camp he had seen in Qinzhou and the news he had heard before, so he also felt that a battle with the Turks was not that worrying.
He briefly read these secret reports in the palace, and Yan Shigu was beside him to explain. Others were a little vague to him, but he was very sure that the Turks were going downhill.
Can it still gather more than 300,000 cavalry and swarm south like it did more than ten years ago? If there are not many enemies coming, they can definitely fight.
What reassured him the most was that the emperor's firm attitude gave him some confidence...