The Tibetan army that invaded Tuyuhun numbered about 80,000, and including the logistics, the total number was over 200,000.
During the battle with Tuyuhun's army, Tubo had already lost about 10,000 people. Yesterday, Sun Congdong's sniper attack by 1,000 forbidden troops caused another 5,000 losses.
So now there are only more than 60,000 Tibetan troops left.
But the outcome of a war cannot be judged solely on the number of troops. To be honest, the 30,000 troops led by Su Dingfang put a lot of pressure on Lu Dongzan.
Because there were too many uncertainties in the 30,000 soldiers and horses of the Tang Dynasty, the Tibetan spies lurking in Chang'an had already been reported. Among the 30,000 soldiers and horses of the Tang Dynasty, 10,000 were armed with weird new weapons.
In the first battle at Jishi Mountain, the Tang army had only a thousand soldiers and horses armed with new weapons, which almost caused the Tubo army to collapse. If ten thousand soldiers and horses lined up to fight, the Tubo army's winning rate would be very small.
This is also the reason why Lu Dongzan took the initiative to start negotiations today.
A powerful enemy was rushing toward him with the force of wind and thunder. He had to stop his losses because he was not sure of victory.
However, Lu Dongzan was determined to cut his losses and stop losing money. He was absolutely unwilling to lose all his money. He could not explain to the Zanpu and landowners in Tubo. Therefore, it was absolutely impossible for the entire army to withdraw from Tuyuhun.
"Uncle Li County, if all the Tubo people withdraw from Tuyuhun, I will be eaten by them until no skin is left after I go back."
Lu Dong sighed with a sad expression. Until now, he still couldn't figure out why it ended like this when it was obviously a devastating war to destroy the country.
Today, the Tibetan army is in a dilemma. The meat is already in their mouths. If they want to swallow it, they will be beaten, but if they want to spit it out, they are reluctant to do so.
Unfolding a sheepskin map on the low table, Lu Dong praised: "Do you still remember the treaty made by the Tibetan envoy Lun Zhongcong to you in Liangzhou City?"
As he spoke, Lu Dongzan pointed to the sheepskin map, his finger slowly landed on the west of Jishi Mountain, and then moved slowly until it moved to the west of the Kunlun Mountains, and thus drew a straight line on the map.
Li Qinzai's eyelids twitched a few times.
"According to the previous agreement, all the land from the west of Jishi Mountain to the Kunlun Mountains and the northern part will belong to the Tang Dynasty, and the rest will belong to me, Tubo," Lu Dongzan said slowly: "I am sincere this time and have given half of the land in Tuyuhun
They were all assigned to the Tang State, and the trade route in the Western Regions was also within the Tang State’s territory.”
Li Qinzai didn't say anything. He could see that Lu Dongzan's offer this time was indeed full of sincerity. Before the war between the two countries officially started, Tubo had already voluntarily given up half of Tuyuhun's territory, which was polite enough.
With thousands of miles of land, the most important Silk Road, and the expanded territory between the Central Plains and the Anxi Protectorate, Chang'an's control over the countries in the Western Regions has become much stronger since then, which is very important to the Tang Dynasty.
It's a real benefit.
Based on Lu Dongzan's asking price alone, if the Tang Dynasty accepted it in full, Li Zhi could have turned his nostrils upward this year and walked away from his relatives and had a great time in front of his family's ancestral tablets when he offered sacrifices to heaven and ancestors.
Even if he danced in front of Li Shimin's grave, the courtiers would praise him as a filial child.
Nothing else. The emperor who expanded his territory was so awesome. He did everything right. If you still feel unsatisfied just by dancing in front of your ancestors' graves, you might as well be thicker-skinned. Taishan Fengchan can arrange it...
The hero who made Li Zhi so famous was of course Li Qinzai, and only Li Qinzai.
From the beginning to the end, only Li Qinzai was involved in this matter. He kept dealing between Tubo and Tuyuhun, using both kindness and power, force and softness, forcing Lu Dongzan to compromise.
If he agrees to Lu Dongzan's conditions now, Li Qinzai can easily return to Chang'an, and at least he will definitely be granted the title of Marquis upon his return.
No amount of reward can be exaggerated for his contribution to the expansion of territory, not to mention that Li Qinzai single-handedly won thousands of miles of territory for the Tang Dynasty, and also had all the strategic places that the Tang Dynasty valued.
The sheepskin map in front of him was really tempting. Li Qinzai stared at it and his breathing became heavier. He had never been so tempted when he met Zi Nu.
As an envoy of the Tang Dynasty, his mission has actually been completed at this moment, and it has been completed very beautifully. He will definitely be treated like a hero when he returns to Chang'an.
However, as a minister who cared deeply about the Tang Dynasty, Li Qinzai could not agree to Lu Dongzan's conditions.
Because what Lu Dongzan gave is not enough.
It’s not that Li Qinzai is greedy, but that as a time traveler, Li Qinzai must look at the northwest territory from the perspective of the Tang Dynasty’s century-old strategy.
In the history of the Tang Dynasty, when it experienced the An-Shi Rebellion and its national power was weakened, it was Tubo who swallowed up the Western Regions, because the vast territory of Tuyuhun gave Tubo ample development opportunities and also gave Tubo an important strategic buffer zone.
As a result, the Anxi Protectorate under the control of the Tang Dynasty was gradually eroded by the Tibetans, and the Tang Dynasty finally collapsed, the country changed hands, the government and the public were in chaos, and the people were displaced.
Now that Li Qinzai has traveled through time, he is slowly changing the world. When I have the advantage, how can he hand over the other half of Tuyuhun's territory to Tibet, giving them the capital to buffer and develop?
Tuyuhun, he wants them all!
It was worth paying the price of a war, because controlling this land would compress the development space of Tubo and extend the life of the Tang Dynasty for hundreds of years.
Li Qinzai's choice today is worthy of history a thousand years from now.
Li Qinzai gritted his teeth and his eyes turned red for some reason.
Li Zhi, when I do this big thing, when you want to get mad, you don't just dance on your father's grave, you blow up your father's grave, and your father has to smoke for you and praise you for your filial piety.
He is under the Nine Springs.
After Lu Dongzan put forward the conditions, he kept staring at Li Qinzai's face and saw that his originally smiling face suddenly changed, turning red and blue for a while, accompanied by a fierce expression of gnashing of teeth.
Lu Dongzan was startled, and an ominous premonition came to his mind.
After a long time, Li Qinzai suddenly bared his teeth and smiled at him: "Prime Minister, I'm sorry, Tuyuhun, I want them all, not even an inch less!"
Lu Dongzan was stunned for a moment, then he stood up and shouted furiously: "Li Qinzai, are you crazy? You don't follow any rules?"
Li Qinzai looked him directly in the eyes and said slowly: "What we are talking about now is not rules, but strength. If Tibet doesn't give it, the Tang Dynasty will take it for itself."
Lu Dongzan's eyes darkened and he stared at him coldly: "So, the Tang Dynasty has decided to go to war with Tubo?"
"If Tibet does not withdraw from Tuyuhun, there will be a war between you and me."
"Is this your intention or the intention of the Emperor of Tang?"
"I am the envoy of the Emperor of Tang Dynasty, and my words are the words of the Emperor."
Lu Dongzan's eyes were full of murderous intent: "Li Qinzai, don't forget, you are still in my Tibetan camp. If I want to take your life, it will be easy for me to turn the palm of my hand."
"The life and death of a mere envoy doesn't matter. If you kill me, the Tang Dynasty will want more than just Tuyuhun. The King will march into the Tubo Kingdom."
"Prime Minister, please don't forget my identity. I am the grandson of the British Duke of the Tang Dynasty. I am a highly valued minister of the Emperor. If Tubo dares to kill me, don't forget that the Emperor is angry. My grandfather and all the generals of the Tang army will not do it."
If you will let Tubo go, not only will you not get Tuyuhun, but you will also be in danger of destroying the country."
Lu Dongzan said angrily: "Tubo and Tang Dynasty have been at odds with each other for decades, but they may not be able to do anything to me!"
"What if we add the new weapons of the Tang Dynasty?" Li Qinzai said leisurely.
Lu Dongzan's body trembled, and the pupils in his eyes quickly shrank to pinpoints.
Li Qinzai calmed down and looked directly into his eyes with a smile.
The atmosphere in the handsome tent suddenly fell to freezing point, and a chill filled the surrounding area.
After a long time, Lu Dongzan suddenly laughed, then stood up and saluted Li Qinzai.
"It was me Meng Lang just now. The matter can be discussed slowly. There is no need to make such a mess. If the discussion cannot be decided today, it doesn't matter tomorrow. Tubo and Tang Dynasty have been friendly for decades. It is not worth going to war over this trivial matter. Li
Does the county official think so?"
The tense expression instantly turned into the spring breeze and drizzle, warm and amiable.
Li Qinzai also smiled and said: "However, major affairs of the country cannot be decided in one word. After all, they have to be discussed slowly. You and I will take a rest today and think about it each. It will not be too late to discuss it tomorrow."
"That's right, that's what I meant." Lu Dong sighed in praise and said, "The Emperor of the Tang Dynasty is so lucky to have County Uncle Li as a loyal and capable minister. I really envy him!"
Li Qinzai thanked him humbly. The two looked at each other and smiled, their smiles were extremely sincere and brilliant.
After bowing out politely, Li Qinzai slowly walked out of the commander's tent, and was greeted by Liu Asi and others.
The moment Li Qinzai turned around, his expression became solemn.
"Fifth Young Master, how did the discussion go?" Liu Asi asked curiously.
Li Qinzai didn't say a word, and after leading his troops dozens of feet away from the commander's tent, he said in a deep voice: "You and I should quickly find an opportunity to leave the Tubo camp. Lu Dongzan has murderous intentions for me!"