When the news of Moliyi's fall reached the West Route Army, the commander-in-chief, Uncle Shen, looked up to the sky and sighed.
Now, Uncle Shen finally understood the strategy of the Tibetan army.
The Tubo army first deliberately withdrew its troops from Dafeichuan and lured the Tang army into Sichuan, forcing them to disperse their forces and garrison various strongholds.
Then, the main force of the Tubo army set off from Wuhai, deliberately pretending to fight to the death with the Tang army, in order to attract the latter's attention.
Before the war between the two armies began, a partial division of the Tubo Army named Shankai Army had already detoured to the south side of Longyang Gorge. Using the mountain people's rock climbing skills, they climbed up to Moliyi Station from the bottom of the canyon and launched a surprise attack.
The commander-in-chief of the Tibetan army knew that once Moliyi was captured, the supply line of the Tang army would be completely interrupted, and a batch of gunpowder, arrows, etc. would be lost.
Therefore, the Tubo army used the lives of nearly ten thousand slave soldiers to consume the supplies of the Tang army. The purpose was to put the Tang army into a situation of lack of supplies and poor logistics before launching a general offensive.
After thinking about this, Uncle Shen knew clearly that the commander-in-chief of the Tubo army had already formulated a complete strategy before the war started. All the links were closely linked, but he had anticipated all possibilities.
In other words, by this point in this battle, the Tang army had already been defeated.
At this time, the most important task of the Tang army was not to hold on to the position, but to find a way to break out of the encirclement.
Shankui's army has already occupied Moliyi. If he leads his army back eastward to Shanzhou at this time, the Tang army will inevitably attack Moliyi, which is known as the throat of Qinghai-Tibet.
The arrows and gunpowder were almost exhausted, and there were tens of thousands of Tibetan soldiers chasing behind them. Under this premise, Shen Shugong believed that the Tang army had almost no chance of winning.
At present, the only way the Tang army can move is through another route, which is to first go north, get in touch with the Tang army in Qieji City, obtain some supplies and food stored there before the war, and then get together and march westward, passing through the sky.
Jun, Wulan, and finally passed through the Qaidam Mountain area, exited from Longle Pass, and arrived at Dunhuang in Shazhou.
The distance of this road is more than thirty times longer than returning to the Northern Tang Dynasty from Moliyi and Shibao City. It is almost equivalent to marching from Dunhuang to Liangcheng.
Although the journey was dangerous, there were not many Tibetan troops on the way, and there were water sources and pastures along the route for supplies.
After deciding on the march route, Uncle Shen immediately ordered the army to change the rear formation into the front formation, fight and retreat with the Tibetan army, and march to the north.
Sang Chiruo, the general of the Tubo army, saw that the Tang army had abandoned the Tuohe Pass, so he could naturally guess the latter's intentions.
His order to the Tibetan army was to concentrate the Tibetan light cavalry and use tactics such as long-range shooting and surprise attacks to constantly harass the retreating Tang army.
The purpose was not to defeat the enemy, but to slow down the Tang army's advance.
In the next three days, the Tang army evacuated northward from the Tuohe Pass, and was attacked by the Tibetan cavalry along the way. In addition, the surrounding area was the territory of the Tibetan tribe. No matter day or night, the attacks and harassment never stopped.
The Tang army tried several times to throw off the pursuing Tibetan army, but the latter held on tightly and had no intention of giving up.
Among the Tang army, not only were supplies lacking, but morale also slowly began to decline.
Uncle Shen, the commander-in-chief of the West Route Army, therefore convened a military council.
At the meeting, Uncle Shen said to the generals: "The Tubo army used light cavalry to delay our army's march. This action means that the other party has seen through our army's intentions. They have only one purpose, and that is to plan to withdraw before our army."
Along the route, deploy troops and generals, arrange interceptions and pursuits, and then regroup to encircle and annihilate us."
The generals of the Tang army were worried. Someone asked: "Commander, what should we do?"
Uncle Shen: "The best way is to get rid of the pursuers and pass through Tianjun and Wulan to reach Dunhuang as soon as possible before the encirclement of the Tibetan army is formed."
A general said: "The Tibetan cavalry was very tight, marching at night, and pretending to be suspicious. Our army tried many methods, but could not get rid of it."
Uncle Shen said solemnly: "The immediate plan is to detach a wing from the army and serve as the rear guard to intercept the Tibetan pursuers and buy time for the main force to leave."
When all the generals heard this, they all understood immediately.
Once this Xiang army in the rear breaks away from the main force and faces the Tibetan pursuers alone, there will only be one fate, and that is death in a foreign land.
There was a moment of silence in the tent.
Suddenly, a voice rang out: "Commander, the last general is willing to lead the army to the rear."
Everyone turned around and saw that the speaker was actually Wu Kedi, the deputy general of Liangzhou Camp.
When Wu Kedi saw everyone looking over, his body trembled slightly, and a sentence suddenly began to echo in his mind unconsciously.
"The fourth generation of the Wu family are all soldiers of the Tang Dynasty. In this generation, Aye is incapable of guarding your eldest and second brothers. As for you, you must not make any mistakes again."
Uncle Shen looked over and asked, "Why do you want to stay?"
Wu Kedi blurted out without thinking: "If Wu can save thousands of people, I will have no regrets in this life."
Uncle Shen looked at Wukedi and laughed softly: "Good boy, I saw the right person... It's just a pity that it's not your turn to lead the rear this time."
Wu Kedi: "That's...?"
Uncle Shen: "This time, I will lead the army personally."
When all the generals heard this, they all exclaimed in unison, and someone advised: "Commander, you must not put yourself in danger!"
Uncle Shen waved his hand and said: "I am young, and I am going west to Dunhuang. Along the way, I have to climb snow-capped mountains and cross deserts. If I am not careful, I may be cut off halfway. Instead of dying of illness on the way, it is better to stay and meet the Tubo people."
Fighting is a happy ending."
Everyone tried to persuade him, but Uncle Shen said he had already made up his mind.
After looking around at the generals, Uncle Shen turned his attention to Wu Kedi again. He walked up to the latter and said, "While I am not in the army, Lieutenant Wu will temporarily take command."
After a pause, Uncle Shen said to Wu Kedi, whose eyes were red: "If you can reach Dunhuang safely this time, remember to give me a message to the Prime Minister... just say that this march to the west, I failed to plan the battle well and was defeated.
As for Tubo, I should take the main responsibility. The public has been entrusted with the responsibility, and I feel sad and guilty. I also ask the Prime Minister to take a lenient sentence for the officers and soldiers of the West Route Army in consideration of my dedicated service in the past."
After saying this, Uncle Shen patted him on the shoulder and said softly: "Kedi, I have finished my journey, but you still have a long way to go... No matter when, don't always look at the past and raise your head.
Come and take a closer look at the future!"
On the second day, the Tang army divided into two groups, with a main force of 38,000 people, and marched towards Qieji City.
The commander-in-chief of the Western Route Army, Uncle Shen, led ten thousand Tang soldiers to the rear to fight to the death with the Tubo people.
Looking at the Tibetan soldiers coming towards the end of the horizon like a rising tide, Uncle Shen looked solemn and let out a long breath.
At this moment, someone next to Uncle Shen shouted: "Commander."
Hearing this voice, Uncle Shen was a little stunned.
He turned his head and looked to his side, then smiled and said, "You are here."
At that time, the military guards of the Jin family and the elders who were descendants of the Tang Dynasty came to the front of the military formation, saluted Uncle Shen and said: "We are willing to be the vanguard, please do so."
Uncle Shen: "As sergeants of the Liangzhou Battalion, you could have left with most of the troops."
An old soldier in the Liangzhou camp rode up to Uncle Shen and said loudly: "Commander, ninety years ago, our ancestors fought to the death with the Tibetan army here, and their blood was splashed on the battlefield.
This is a foreign land. Every stone and every grain of sand here is stained with the blood of our ancestors. We old people have been anonymous in the Jin family for so many years just for today. Now that we have returned to the old land, how can we be alone and abandon ourselves?
Don’t you care about your career first?”
When Uncle Shen heard this, he sighed: "Yes, our ancestors always wanted to go back to yesterday. Even before they died, they shouted the three words Dafeichuan. Now we have come to the battlefield of that year, and we are here again."
How can you have the face to avoid fighting and run away?"
The veterans of Liangzhou Camp nodded slightly and shouted again: "Commander please do it!"
Uncle Shen smiled boldly and said: "Since you are here, fight side by side with me! The descendants of the deserters from Dafeichuan back then are now returning to their old places. If it is written into the history books, it will surely be a good story!"
Seeing that the Tibetan army was getting closer and closer, Uncle Shen raised his horse and shouted with all his strength: "Kill!"
Suddenly, there were clouds over the Qinghai Sea, and the wind howled and the horses roared.
The answer is:
After the battle, he died for his country on the battlefield, and the general's gray hair will not be returned.
