Giza stood up with hunched shoulders and followed Li Siye, waiting for him to ask.
Li Siye asked him: "How many troops are there in the city?"
Giza replied: "Erwe Khan has 20,000 troops and more than 4,000 unarmed young men. They were herdsmen in the city. Their wives and daughters were driven out of Talas City by the Khan and ran to Yijian City.
, saying that we want to save food, but there is no food in Yijian City."
Li Siye turned his head and glanced at him, and Gisa obediently shut his mouth.
He lowered his head and guessed that the herdsmen who originally lived in the city had nothing but resentment towards Erwei Khan, and the current situation was favorable to him.
The most difficult thing right now is not how to get into the city, but how to survive until tomorrow night after entering the city. The appearance characteristics of the Han people and the Tuqisi people are very different, especially the hairstyles, the buns and the braided hair can be distinguished at a glance, although
These people have pointed felt hats, but once the felt hat falls off, it will be exposed in a matter of minutes.
Whether these killed warriors had any relatives, friends, or acquaintances in the city, as soon as they came to find them, their secrets would be exposed immediately.
The bigger question is whether they are alone in the tent or sharing it with others, and who their superiors are. Even a loose military organization like Tuqishi wants to pretend to be in it for a night, and it is like being on the tip of a knife.
Dancing on the children.
Li Siye frowned, suddenly turned around and asked Giza: "If we disguise ourselves as you people and enter the city, will we be discovered?"
Giza's sallow face suddenly turned pale again. He clasped his hands and said tremblingly: "You won't be discovered when you enter the city, but you will definitely be discovered if you stay in the city for a long time."
"We want to stay for a day and a night. Is this a long time?"
Giza's shoulders trembled. The idea of these Tang soldiers was crazy and bold. Their appearance and language were completely unknown, and they dared to pretend to be Tuqishi warriors and enter the city. They would probably reveal their secrets in one night after entering the city. He, the traitor who led the way, would definitely
Treated as a traitor.
In the current situation, the Tang army was about to enter the city, and he had no choice but to dissuade him. Whether he could deceive most people with falsehoods was the key to his survival.
Giza immediately crossed his arms and said: "Captain, we are a team of twenty. The fire chief was killed by you just now. I am the deputy fire chief. We will live in a felt tent together when we enter the city. We are not afraid of being recognized."
But I am afraid that the centurion and Aijin above will come, and I am also afraid that other teams will come to gamble. Everything is fine at night. What I am most afraid of is that during the day, if I meet an acquaintance, my secret will be revealed."
"We'll talk about things in the city after we enter the city." Li Siye patted him on the shoulder and asked: "Now I ask you, what are the details of entering the city? Will the soldiers guarding the city count the number of people?"
"Yes!" Giza nodded repeatedly: "Erwe Khan ordered that only soldiers and useful people can be found in the city. They will count the number of people to prevent old and weak women from sneaking in."
This is the problem we are facing right now. There are 24 Tuqishi warriors in charge of supervising the work here, and 46 young herdsmen working there. They want to replace 27 of the herdsmen. The replacements
How to arrange the twenty-seven people?
"It's very simple," Tian Zhen took out the horizontal knife from his waist and said, "Kill the extra people and get rid of them. Let's drive into the city."
"Don't kill innocent people indiscriminately!" Duan Xiushi stood in front of Li Siye and crossed his hands and said: "Captain, these people's wives and daughters are separated. We might as well let some of them go and let them disperse."
"Let them go? What if they go back to report the news to Tuqi Shi with the surname Hei? The only safe way is to kill them!"
Duan Xiushi turned around, and the blood vessels under the skin of her thin cheeks turned red with excitement: "They are unarmed, how can they kill indiscriminately? We are soldiers, not bandits!"
Li Siye nodded: "It's true that you can't kill indiscriminately, but you can't put them back either. Forty-nine of us dressed up and went into the city, leaving one behind to take them back to Julan City. Who wants to stay?"
All the Tang soldiers looked at each other. They had finally made up their minds to risk their lives to gain merit. Is there any merit in going back now? The matter was already halfway through, and no one was willing to give up in vain.
Duan Xiushi looked around at everyone, gritted his teeth and raised his hand: "Since no one wants to go back, I will take them back to Julan City!"
"Wait a minute," Li Siye stepped forward, grabbed Duan Xiushi's arm, pulled off his raised hand, and said to everyone: "This time we entered Talas City alone, there are fifty of us, and we will only be five if we go back to report our merits."
Ten people. Even if you leave the team, you will only have another mission, and your meritorious service in attacking Talas City will not be reduced. I will explain this to General Fumeng and make a guarantee here."
A thin soldier stood up, raised his hands and said, "I'll go."
"What's your name?"
"Xu Xu."
Li Siye breathed a sigh of relief: "Xu Xu, I want to tell you something. Please pass it to General Fumeng. Tell him that the army will set out tonight and arrive at Talas City before dawn tomorrow, and immediately start to pretend to attack the city. They are the only ones attacking the city.
Attracting all the attention of the black Tuqishi, we can hide in the city during the day."
The soldier stepped forward and crossed his hands: "Here, captain, I will definitely bring the message to you."
Li Siye stretched out his hand to greet Giza, put his hand on his shoulder and said: "Go and tell these herdsmen that the Tang army will take some of them to Julan City. After capturing the Talas, they will be freed and let them find their wives."
female."
Giza nodded repeatedly, strode up to the herdsmen squatting on the ground, and muttered in Turkic language. After listening, the herdsmen knelt on the ground and kowtowed, muttering to themselves.
Li Siye asked Bai Xiaode in surprise: "What did they say?"
Bai Xiaode stood expressionless, lowered his head and said: "They are thanking us and thanking the Tang army for their great kindness. They, the Sogdian herdsmen, have been enslaved by the black Tuqi for a long time and are overwhelmed."
"That's good. The people left behind won't snitch after entering the city, but we need to be careful at all times and don't take it lightly."
"Change clothes! Take off the armor and robes from the corpse."
The soldiers carried the corpses of all the Tuqi Shi warriors together, and then stripped off and changed their clothes and armor according to their stature. Li Siye put on the clothes of the Tuqi Shi Huo Chang, put on his hood, and covered his head. Duan Xiushi led twenty-six
They exchanged clothes with these herdsmen. They took off their crossbows, crossbows and quivers and stuffed them into the bottom of the oxcart filled with forage.
Li Siye handed a pointed curved knife to Bai Xiaode's hand and said to him: "You ride behind this Giza. If he makes any move, kill him directly."
The last ray of light in the sky shone on the snow peaks, and the green pastures turned into dim gray. More than 20 freed herdsmen looked back at the gray-yellow Talas city wall, while soldier Xu Xu looked back at the dark blue sky of the earth.
Against the background, ox carts were heading towards Talas City along the grassy road.
"Let's go."
He and the others turned around, climbed over the sunny side of the ridge, and headed towards the Tang Army's cavalry.
On another ridge, several cavalrymen wearing bright light armor looked into the distance. Talas City on the high ground opened its gates, and ox carts slowly drove into the city.
Li Siye and Giza were riding side by side at the front of the queue. Taking advantage of the darkness, he lowered his head slightly, so the soldiers guarding the city gate probably wouldn't notice his appearance.
There were more than ten warriors on horseback at the gate of the city. Two people stood by the roadside and silently counted the number of people. No one went to check the ox cart carrying grass.
Li Siye pulled the reins and breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that he had successfully passed the gate of the city. It was dark at night, so he probably wouldn't pay much attention to them. When the army comes to attack the city tomorrow, all the cavalrymen will pay attention to them.
On top of the city, soldiers like them, who are in charge of logistics and equipment, will not pay attention to them.
"Su Kezhao!"
Li Siye continued to ride his horse forward as if nothing had happened.
"Su Kezhao!"
Giza gently pushed his arm and whispered: "I'm calling you."
Li Siye arched his back, alerted himself behind him, and asked in a low voice: "How should I answer?"
"Just say yes."
Li Siye turned sideways slightly and said hum. Unexpectedly, the man who called him caught up to the horse, grabbed the horse's reins and muttered something. He sounded very angry.
All the soldiers felt their hearts tightening, and they all put their right hands on the handles of the scimitars at their waists.