"Oh! Thank you so much, princess!" Wang Xun smiled and accepted the other party's explanation.
The short, fat-faced Liu Shun'er carried a lantern and carried Wang Xun back to the palace. When he saw that the door was closed, he immediately turned around and ran towards the palace not far away. The patrolling guards nearby backed down one after another.
After a while, he had arrived at the place where Ashilanda usually conducted official business. He stood outside the door and looked inside, then lowered his voice and shouted: "Qi Khan, Liu Shun'er has something to report!"
"Come in!" Ashilanda was discussing matters with the Prime Minister inside, and there was no trace of drunkenness on either of their faces.
The short fat man Liu Shun'er handed the lantern to the guard at the door and walked in quickly with a smile. Before entering the door, he stumbled deliberately and rolled like a meat ball to Asilanda's feet. He lay on the ground and kowtowed gently.
, "Report to the Great Khan. As expected by the Great Khan, the princess summoned the Tang envoy tonight!"
"Really? What did they say? You learn them all for me!" Axilanda laughed out loud at Liu Shun'er's antics, glanced at his appearance, and gave casual instructions.
"Yes!" The short and fat man Liu Shun'er agreed in a low voice, slowly got up and said with a smile: "Princess, she called the Tang envoy over and invited him to tea first. Then she took the opportunity to ask about the real time of the Anxi Army's dispatch. Then,
So I asked Tang Envoy to help me kill everyone in Zhezhi City! I will avenge the little prince!"
"This stupid woman!" Ashilanda stamped her foot angrily, "Thinking about revenge all day long, revenge! I am almost annoyed to death by her! What did Tang Envoy say? Did you agree to her?
"
"The Tang envoy was very soft-hearted. After hearing what happened to the little prince, he was so angry that his eyes were red. He immediately patted his chest and promised that Ju Chebi Shihan would die without a burial place!" Liu Shun'er nodded,
Face full of flattery.
"Stupid!" Axilanda continued to stamp her feet, not sure whether she was scolding Wang Xun or Princess Yihe.
The Prime Minister Zhang Baogui thought for a while and explained with a smile, "Actually, it is a good thing for the princess to do this. On the one hand, it will let the Tang Dynasty understand that you and the cannibal have a sworn hatred. On the other hand, it will also deepen the relationship between the Tang Dynasty and the Tang Dynasty.
The emperor’s impression of you. For the sake of the Tang Dynasty, you even risked your own life. Shouldn’t the emperor of China give you some compensation?”
"Yeah!" Asilanda smiled and nodded, obviously being touched by what he said. "Although that woman has little knowledge, she has always been loyal to me. If she really gained benefits for me because of this move,
It’s not in vain that the king spent more than a thousand horses on her that day!”
"Women from the Central Plains have always paid attention to obeying their husbands when they get married!" Zhang Guogui smiled proudly, as if his face was also very radiant. "The Great Khan loves her so much, so of course she will do her best to plan for the Great Khan."
As he spoke, he turned his head to the short fat man and said, "Manager Liu, you just said that the princess got the specific time of sending troops from the Tang envoy. Do you remember when it was?"
"Remember, I remember it very clearly!" The short fat man smiled and saluted Zhang Baogui, and imitated the words loudly, "The Tang envoy said, the Tang envoy said that the Tang army in Anxi had already strengthened its troops. Because it was worried about snow, it temporarily stopped at Xiao
Bo Lu. According to the Tang envoy, in the spring of next year, no matter how many princes respond here, the Anxi army will cross Congling!"
"Nonsense. They were ready to go." Ashilanda interrupted angrily, "I wonder why they were delayed in Xiaobolu for so long?! If they had left Congling immediately after the war, half of them would have been destroyed by now.
If you can catch it in the river, why worry about camping in the wild in winter?"
Zhang Baoguo had already guessed the reason. However, remembering what Song Wu had said to him during the day, he hesitated whether he should reveal the answer. Axilanda glanced at him, smiled, and pretended
Said to himself: "Strange. Everything this year is so weird? That imperial envoy is as soft-hearted as a child. All his subordinates are too young to be ridiculous! Could it be that there is no one in the Tang Dynasty, so I can just pull him.
A group of warriors came to serve as envoys?!"
The imperial envoy and his entourage both had a murderous spirit in them. Zhang Guogui had noticed this a long time ago. He just tolerated the face of his fellow tribesmen and did not continue to delve deeper. At this moment, when Ashilanda exposed it, his heart immediately felt as if he was frightened.
He jumped like a rabbit. His eyes subconsciously turned sideways, not daring to meet Asilanda's gaze.
"Are you not at all doubtful about the identity of the Great Relativity's envoy?" Ashilanda stepped forward with a smile, lowered his head and asked.
He was much taller than Zhang Baobao. At this moment, he deliberately brought the distance very close, which immediately created a condescending feeling of oppression. Zhang Baobao was so oppressed that he couldn't breathe. After struggling several times in his heart, he finally got the honor.
Wealth had the upper hand. He cupped his hands and said with a smile: "The Great Khan is indeed very discerning. I do have doubts about their identities, but I don't dare to make random guesses because I have no real evidence!"
"Then what did you guess? Tell me!" Ashilanda nodded, smiled and moved away.
The pressure on his head suddenly eased. Zhang Baoguo sighed softly and responded in a low voice, "I am just making random guesses. If my guess is wrong, please forgive me!"
"It doesn't matter. You haven't been under this Khan for more than a year or two. When did this Khan say that you can't even make a small mistake!" Asilanda waved his hand magnanimously, making a pun. "Tell me,
Tell me everything you guessed, and Ben Khan will make a decision!"
"Actually, the Anxi Army stopped at Xiaobolu, and the envoy's identity is doubtful. These two matters are closely related to each other!" After all, he is an old fox. As long as Zhang Guogui breaks through the invisible barrier in his heart, his thinking will become very clear. "The Anxi Army
Sitting back and watching the loss of fighter planes, but refusing to move westward, in Yichen's opinion, it is probably not because of the weather, but because the Tang Dynasty court has a dispute over whether to capture Hezhong!"
"How can there be such a stupid person in the world if he doesn't get some benefits from winning the battle?" Axilanda shook his head and laughed, slightly disagreeing with Zhang Guigui's analysis.
"Then let's see if the benefits can fall on me!" Zhang Guoguo smiled and continued to analyze, "As far as I know, the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty has long been too old to have the energy to handle the affairs of the state. And the ministers under his command are divided into
There are many factions fighting among themselves endlessly. The Anxi Army won a great victory, which may have caused several forces in the DPRK to lose balance. If the entire Hezhong is taken back, I am afraid..."
"Stupid!" Ashilanda put away his smile and cursed in a low voice. Then he quickly added, "I'm not scolding you. You continue. In order to attack your political opponents, you don't even take the land that is within easy reach.
How stupid!”
"The benefit will not fall on him anyway. It will only harm others!" Zhang Guoguo said, as if he was commenting on a group of people who had nothing to do with him. "Besides, the Anxi Army is already thousands of miles away from Chang'an.
Road. It is difficult for the Tang Dynasty court to control it. If the river is taken down, the grain, fodder and baggage can be completely self-sufficient. If the grain, fodder and baggage are no longer dependent on the Central Plains, what can the Tang Dynasty court do to ensure that this tiger and wolf army has no different intentions?
Woolen cloth?!"
"Huh!" Although he was extremely cunning, Asilanda was also impressed by Zhongyuan's profound and profound tactics. He pondered for a long time, but he couldn't find a suitable word to comment on.
Anyway, Wang Xun and others have been sold, and Zhang Guigui doesn’t care if he sells more or sells less. He simply follows his own train of thought and continues, "So, in my opinion, the Anxi Army is restrained by his own family.
, stopped moving forward. The purpose of the mission's appearance was threefold. First, to explore the way for the army. Second, to contact the forces in the river area that were leaning towards the Tang Dynasty to deal with the cannibals together. The third was also the main purpose of their trip.
, is to find an excuse for the Anxi Army to continue to advance westward, to silence the opponents. At the same time, it can resolve the entanglements from behind and win buffer time. This last point is particularly important. Compared with it, the first two items are just additions.
Head, something you can do easily."
"Are you saying that the envoys are all fake Anxi Army soldiers? No wonder that the imperial envoy actually touched a few traders. If it were a real scholar, he probably wouldn't care about sacrificing a few lives to keep the secret!"
Ashilanda was not slow to respond and followed the precious words of Da Xiangzhang.
The Prime Minister Zhang Baogui shook his head and gave his guessed answer with a smile, "It's hard to say whether they are fake or not. But they are from the Anxi Army, there is no doubt about it! The Anxi Jiedu Envoy has the right to make decisions in case of problems. He will first send the mission
It is completely reasonable and reasonable to come out and then send a letter to the court to request ratification! It does not violate the rules and regulations at all!"
"That's right!" Ashilanda pondered again. Following the Prime Minister's words, all the mysteries came to light. A group of young generals were not well-known in various parts of the Western Region, so the chance of being recognized was greatly reduced. Because
They are all young, so their desire to establish meritorious service is much stronger than that of the veterans, so they dare to take risks. Also because of their youth, these people always act with a sense of jerkiness, not at all like the envoys who came to represent the Celestial Dynasty in the past.
Every word they spoke could be said perfectly. Still because of their youth, they exuded a vitality from head to toe that no one dared to ignore no matter what.
"So, in my opinion, the Great Khan needs to make two preparations. First, pretending not to have guessed anything and continuing to be with the Tang Dynasty is actually to maintain friendship with the Anxi Army so that he can use the power of the Anxi Army to unify Dawan in the future.
Secondly, we need to leave a leeway with Dashi to prevent the Anxi Army's itinerary from changing in the future, and we ourselves will be pushed to the forefront. Just like after the last battle of Talos, use
I tried my best to resolve it."
This is indeed the opinion of a certain country, and Asilanda had to agree. But in his heart, he thought of a deeper level. "The two of us have been dealing with the Anxi Army for no less than twenty years, right?!"
"Twenty-three years!" Prime Minister Zhang Baogui smiled and responded with a grin. At that time, Axilanda was still a very small force here, making a living by robbing caravans or fighting for other city lords.
And he was just a bookkeeper traveling with the caravan in the Western Region. After being captured by Ashilanda, he had to commit himself to a thief in order to find a way to survive. But now, one of them has become the king of Bahanna, and the other
He became the Prime Minister and became a very popular minister. At that time, I am afraid that the two of them never dreamed that they would reach this point. After reaching this point, they could not go back no matter what!
"In the past twenty-three years, whether you were with the Anxi Army or the Dashi Army, have you ever seen such an energetic face?" Axilanda's purpose was obviously not to be nostalgic, and he looked into Zhang Baogui's eyes and asked.
.
Zhang Guogui's heart twitched suddenly, but he quickly put the guilt behind him, "I haven't seen it before, Dahan needs to prepare early!"
Ashilanda nodded, very satisfied with Zhang Baogui's performance, "When you go down, find a few reliable people and pass the news to Zhezhi City and Jiabuluo that the Tang envoy has secretly arrived in the river. Especially
It's Juchebi Shihan from Zhezhi City. We must let him know that the Tang envoy will deliberately avoid him and not give him a chance to abandon the secret and turn to the bright side!"
"Yes!" Zhang Guogui answered without hesitation.
"Feng Changqing..." Axilanda raised his head, a sneer appeared on the corner of his mouth. He has been swinging between Dashi and Datang for most of his life. Many choices are beyond his control. And between Datang and Dashi
The competition between the two is probably not something that can be decided in a short while. If you want to truly be the master of this place, you should be ruthless and not be merciful.
…
"Ah sneeze!" Hundreds of miles away in Xiaobolu City, Anxi Jiedushi Feng Changqing sneezed heavily. It was not yet cold, but he had already wrapped himself tightly in a woolen cloak. After all,
His age is there, and he was not famous before. His life was quite rough, and his physical strength and energy began to decline prematurely.
"Does the commander need to order someone to bring a bowl of ginger soup?" Cen, the palmist who was sorting out official documents nearby, saw that Feng Changqing's face was a little gloomy, and he stepped forward and asked with concern.
"It's not necessary!" Feng Changqing waved his hands and refused stubbornly. "It was just blown by the wind last night. It's okay!"
"Commander, you should go and rest early!" Cen Shen hesitated for a moment and continued to persuade in a low voice, "There is no need to hold on. These more than 30,000 brothers are all looking at you!"
"What are you looking at me for? I can't grow flowers on my face?!" Feng Changqing shook his head and responded to Cen Shen's reminder with a joke, "If you are tired, go back and rest early. I am used to it.
Stay up late, and if you don’t stay up late, you’ll feel exhausted all over!”
Seeing that the other party refused to listen to his advice, Cen Shen had no choice but to do it. He cupped his hands, quietly returned to his original seat, and continued to sort out the military documents for Feng Changqing. Although there was no war during this period, he still had to deal with Anxi.
Some of the internal chores of the army were also quite exhausting. Especially regarding the promotion issues of Bi Sichen, Wang Tao and other veteran generals who had been in the army during Fumeng Lingjin's time, everyone spent a lot of time and effort and filed enough lawsuits.
Fortunately, several veteran generals attached great importance to fame and fortune. Although Bian Lingcheng repeatedly obstructed them, they could not resist the temptation of promotion and accepted Feng Changqing's arrangement. At present, a group of Bian Lingcheng's people in the army have been promoted from important positions.
After being transferred, as Feng Changqing's private staff, Cen Shen could finally breathe a sigh of relief quietly.
While he was burying his head in the papers, Feng Changqing's voice suddenly sounded in his ears again, "Has there been any news from the mission? Have you implemented all the informants I asked you to arrange last time?"
"Everything has been implemented!" Cen Shen slowly stood up from behind the desk and responded in a low voice, "But the scouts have not been able to send back the news about the mission. The distance is quite far, the weather is getting colder again, and the road is getting longer.
It’s getting harder and harder to leave!”
"Well!" Feng Changqing frowned, with a hint of worry in his voice. "Young man, things are unreliable! Logically speaking, no matter whether there is any gain or not, he should send someone to deliver a letter to me as soon as possible.
That’s it!”
"Is the commander-in-chief talking about General Wang?" Cen Shen asked with a smile, the expression on his face was a bit amusing. "But my subordinates remember that the commander-in-chief chose him as the chief envoy against all objections!"
At the beginning, both civilian staff like Cen Shen and close veterans such as Zhou Xiaofeng felt that the plan to send Wang Xun and others as envoys to the Lingxi countries was a bit too risky. However, Feng Changqing was stubborn and refused to obey.
Cen Shen and others dissuaded him, and rejected Zhou Xiaofeng's suggestion to send a mature and prudent person to replace Wang Xun.
Feng Changqing still doesn't feel regretful about his persistence. "Of course!" He responded loudly, raised his head and glanced at Cen Shen, and couldn't help shaking his head and laughing, "Do you think I think too highly of Mingyun and the others?
Or maybe their hopes are too high?"
"I don't dare!" Cen Shen smiled and handed over his hand again. The expression on his face clearly told him that he did think so in his heart. The reason why he did this was not out of jealousy, but as an old friend who knew Wang Xun well.
, Cen Shen knew very well that Wang Xun was a little too immature at the moment. Throwing an ignorant young man who was not deeply involved in the world among the old foxes in the Lingxi countries who had lived between the Tang Dynasty and the Great Food was like giving away meat.
There is no difference between the tiger’s mouth and the tiger’s mouth!
"Then do you know how old I am this year?" Feng Changqing smiled and asked again.
"Commander is not yet sixty this year!" Cen Shen didn't even think about it, he just opened his mouth and came, "If you are willing to take care of yourself and not stay up late all the time, under your leadership, the Anxi Army will surely be able to be brilliant for more than ten years.
!”
"You, you cunning guy!" Feng Changqing laughed loudly, while laughing, looking at Cen Shen and shaking his head.
Cen Shen was shocked by the sight and quickly turned his head away, trying not to meet Feng Changqing's eyes. At the same time, he asked loudly, "Isn't what my subordinate said right? Commander Mo Xiao, my subordinate is right.
Every word is true!"
"You are indeed telling the truth!" Feng Changqing slowly put away his smile, and his eyes suddenly became a little deeper, "But do you know that since the early years of Tianbao, who has been able to hold the position of Anxi Jiedushi?
Ten years of work?!"
"This..." Cen Shen was stunned by the question. He really couldn't answer for a while. In his memory, he vaguely knew that Feng Changqing's predecessor Gao Xianzhi was the military governor who replaced Fumeng Lingjin in the seventh year of Tianbao.
In the 10th year of Tianbao's reign, he was promoted openly and secretly due to a command error in the Battle of Talas. He was promoted from the position of Jiedushi to Chang'an to enjoy peace and happiness.
The imperial court appointed Wang Zhengjian to succeed Gao Xianzhi. Soon, Wang Zhengjian fell ill from overwork and died in office. Before his death, he recommended Feng Changqing to the imperial court. Gao Xianzhi's predecessor, Meng Lingqing, took office about the third year of Tianbao, and Tianbao
Seven years later, he was jointly impeached by Bian Lingcheng and Gao Xianzhi, and was transferred elsewhere by the court.
After careful calculation, none of the four Anxi governors served for more than five years! What does this mean? Thinking of this, Cen Shen suddenly began to sympathize with Feng Changqing's situation. He brought a group of brothers to such a remote place
Working hard for the country, he not only had to deal with the eunuchs, but also had to be wary of the court's suspicions. It's no wonder that Bian Lingcheng made the old general tie his hands and feet when he casually played some conspiracy! If he was not careful, the Western Expedition would be in vain.
But returning is a trivial matter, maybe even your own life will be involved!
"After all, this place is too far away from the Central Plains!" Feng Changqing smiled bitterly and shook his head helplessly. The court should be more vigilant. I have already understood it and don't care about this. What I care about is that when I see this
A generation is about to die, but it still has not been able to decide the winner against the big eater!"
"There is no rush. Hu people have never had good luck for a hundred years! In the past, Jieli Khan's command was said to control millions of strings, but it declined in the blink of an eye! It must be the same if it is a cannibal!" Cen Shen didn't know what to do.
What words can I say to comfort the old general? I can only use the rise and fall of the Turkic Empire as an analogy.
"But who can guarantee that the Nine Kingdoms of Tang Dynasty will prosper forever?!" Feng Changqing's voice suddenly rose, like Hong Zhongda Lu.
Cen Shen couldn't answer, so he chose silence again. Deep in his heart, he knew that Feng Changqing's worries had gradually become a reality. After more than thirty years of prosperity and stability, the Central Plains had shown signs of decline. However, when he was in Chang'an, he
I once thought hard about if one day I was lucky enough to be appreciated by His Majesty the Emperor, could I offer a clever tip? The answer is no. Some problems are just as easy as not thinking carefully. Once you think deeply, you will find that it is not what it seems on the surface.
Simple.
"You, I, and no one can guarantee it!" Feng Changqing's words continued, hitting Cen Shen's ear drums. "What I can do is to try to put an end to the troubles in this world while our generation is still alive.
Solve it. Even if it cannot be done, we must leave a few generals to the Anxi Army and the Tang Dynasty to pass on the fire."
As he spoke, he looked out the window and looked far into the night sky to the west.
The generals of my generation are getting older. And the competition between Datang and Dashi has probably just begun.
The fake food messenger was only in his early twenties.
Wang Xun, Yu Wenzhi, Song Wu and others are almost the same age.
