After everyone dispersed, Li Er continued to stare at the map of the Northwest.
"Am I being paranoid?"
After looking carefully again, Li Er couldn't find any factors nearby that might be detrimental to Datang, so Li Er could only continue to wait and see.
Early the next morning, the civil and military ministers gathered together, waiting for Li Er to talk about the situation in the northwest.
In particular, some generals are preparing to fight in the Northwest.
As a result, Li Er didn’t mention anything about the northwest!
Wen Yanbo glared hard at Fang Xuanling and Wei Zheng, but they showed no reaction.
Li Er did not mention the migration of Khitan, Mohe and Shiwei to Guanzhou.
He knew that the officials would definitely object,
So Li Er directly gave Zhang Gongjin a decree, asking him to send the people to Guanzhou in the name of escorting the prisoners.
As for why 10,000 people captured more than 30,000 prisoners,
It can only be that I, the sergeant of the Tang Dynasty, am brave and good at fighting and invincible!
The civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty left the Zichen Palace in disappointment.
Those who wanted to see a joke or make military exploits failed to do so.
After the dynasty dispersed, Li Er met with Sun Renshi, the naval commander who had just arrived in Chang'an, at Ganlu Hall and asked him about the situation of the Wuhu Sea Battle in detail.
…
In Liangzhou City, Cheng Yaojin looked at Du Ruhui with an unhappy face.
"I said to Lao Du, you don't let me go to Xiu Tuze to help Li Daliang, and you don't let me lead troops to suppress the rebellion!"
"I, Lao Cheng, are a military commander. I can't drink tea with you all day long, right?"
"If someone says that I am greedy for life and afraid of death, I, Old Cheng, will not be able to survive in the future!"
Du Ruhui leisurely refilled Cheng Yaojin's cup of tea.
"Don't be impatient, Mr. Lu. You can't kill a chicken with a bull's knife. A few thieves are not worthy of your general's action."
"Didn't you also say that those rebellious people don't dare to confront you head-on, and they will run away if they see you? What's the use of you going out?"
Cheng Yaojin widened his eyes and said, "Then we can't let those rebels run rampant in the Hexi Corridor. If this continues, the entire Hexi Corridor will almost be emptied by them."
"When the court takes the blame, we will all be punished!"
Du Ruhui ignored this and asked strangely: "Does Duke Lu think it is possible for these rebels to occupy the Hexi Corridor and become independent?"
Cheng Yaojin was stunned: "What a joke!"
"There are more than 100,000 Tang Dynasty cavalry in the northwest. Although they have been temporarily contained, how long can Xue Yantuo contain the remnants of the Western Turks?"
"Once Hou Junji and Li Daliang free their hands, they will immediately be wiped out."
"Even if Hou Junji and Li Daliang can't spare their hands for a while, they can't even hope to capture Liangzhou City with more than 10,000 men like me, Lao Cheng."
Du Ruhui nodded and said, "I also feel that they are not that capable!"
"Furthermore, these rebels don't seem to be very concerned about attacking the city. They avoid direct confrontation with the army. It doesn't seem like they have any intention of occupying the city and becoming self-reliant."
Cheng Yaojin nodded: "Yes, they seem to be just robbing like crazy."
Du Ruhui frowned and said: "But this is strange, what do these rebellious people want to do?
What will they do after their robbery spree?"
Cheng Yaojin shook his head: "Who knows, maybe it's just for robbery. I saw this kind of situation many times when I was young."
Du Ruhui glared at him: "This is not an era of chaos and bandits in the late Sui Dynasty."
Cheng Yaojin asked tentatively: "How about I go catch a leader and question him?"
Du Ruhui shook his head: "Forget it, the real behind-the-scenes masterminds have long been hiding. Now those who come out to rob are just minions. They are asking for nothing."
"Didn't you raid several Linghu family estates and get nothing? Those people are well hidden!"
Cheng Yaojin picked up the tea and drank it down: "Then there's nothing I can do about it, old Cheng!"
"I, Old Cheng, am a military general, and it is your civil servants' business to be cunning!"
Du Ruhui was too lazy to follow the rogue's advice, but said to himself: "These rebels have no idea of occupying the city and becoming independent, but they will definitely not be able to stay in the land of Hexi in the future, so what should they do?"
"Run away!"
Cheng Yaojin said casually.
Du Ruhui stood up excitedly: "Yes! That's it!"
Cheng Yaojin frowned: "That's it?"
"These rebels are going to run away! They are robbing like crazy just to prepare for their escape."
Cheng Yaojin also understood: "Biao, you are trying to make money!"
Du Ruhui thought deeply: "But where can they run?"
Cheng Yaojin said: "Of course we are running outside the Tang Dynasty. To the west of the Hexi Corridor is the Western Region!"
"Although we defeated the Western Turks, the Western Region is so big that we can't control it at all.
Once these rebels get out of Yumen Pass, we really may not be able to do anything to them!"
Du Ruhui shook his head: "Hou Junji in the west still has a lot of troops left. Do you think they can get out of Yumen Pass?"
Cheng Yaojin said: "This is a bit difficult!"
"Then where are they going?
I definitely won’t run eastward, that would be courting death!”
"Going south over the Qilian Mountains?
But over there it’s all desert, and it’s almost like seeking death.”
"To the north?"
"Biao, these bastards are not planning to make peace with Xue Yantuo, are they?"
Du Ruhui nodded, then shook his head.
Cheng Yaojin was anxious: "What do you mean by nodding and shaking your head?
I, Old Cheng, are going to mobilize the troops first. If these bastards escape, we will be in big trouble!"
Du Ruhui called to Cheng Yaojin: "Gong Lu, please wait a moment."
Coming to the map, Du Ruhui pointed at Xiutuze in the north of Liangzhou: "Gong Lu, what do you think is the chance of success for these rebels to hide from our sight and go to Xiutuze and Xue Yantuo to make peace?"
Cheng Yaojin thought for a while: "They have no chance now. If we hadn't guessed their intentions before, then it would be 50% at most."
"After all, it's not easy for so many people to escape from under our noses."
"And even if they slip away, I, Old Cheng, will immediately lead the troops to pursue them. Li Daliang is still in front, and I will definitely destroy them first regardless of Xue Yantuo."
"Their chance of successfully escaping is less than 30%!"
Du Ruhui nodded: "That's right. The Hexi Linghu clan will definitely not risk the entire family's wealth and lives for less than a 30% chance!"
"Then how are they going to escape?"
Du Ruhui frowned and traced his fingers northwest along the map, until he reached the end of the Blackwater River.
"here!"
Cheng Yaojin's eyes widened: "Ju Yanhai?"
"Do they want to cross Xiakou Mountain?"
Du Ruhui frowned and continued to draw northwest.
"If you go over here, it's not far from the original Western Turks, right?"
Cheng Yaojin also made a mark with his hand:
"Yes! Just go northwest after exiting the mountain pass, and go straight to the Western Turks along the Altyn Mountains!"
Du Ruhui tapped his fingers heavily: "That's right!"
Cheng Yaojin said: "You don't think that they will run along the Altyn Mountains to make peace with the Western Turkic rebels, right?"
