In the early morning, Gao Xianzhi and the supervisor Bian Lingcheng stood in front of the abandoned post station on the post road. Wang Tingfang, the envoy and judge, carried the letter with their earnest instructions and prepared to go on the road, because he wanted to send the news of victory back to Beijing to tell the emperor that this was the most important thing in this war.
A crucial part.
The emperor is happiest when a battle is won. Only when the emperor is happy can their efforts be considered truly effective. Wang Tingfang is also the highest-ranking official who has ever won a victory. And there is a secret to it. Whenever a battle is won, the next step is to win.
Those who go to the court to report victory to the emperor will be promoted one level when they return. This is an unwritten practice, so this is also the way Gao Xianzhi wants to take care of his own people.
Wang Tingfang and his entourage rode on three fast horses and quickly disappeared at the end of the post road.
The Tang army also began to prepare to go on the road, and it was also the time to say goodbye to the friendly forces participating in the war. The friendly forces played a big role in the war, especially the Shini Kingdom. Even the leader of the country, Gayancong, died in the battle, and his son Ruosuluo was injured.
.As an ally of the Tang army, Shini will certainly receive a greater reward.
But now we have to face a problem. No matter how many sons Gayancong has, only the true heir to the throne can inherit the saint's award. Gao Xianzhi had to figure this out before he could return to Hexi to write a memorial to ask for merit.
It just so happened that at this juncture, Gayancong’s eldest son Zha Wukan disappeared. This matter is really strange. What happened last night that caused Zha Wukan to disappear? What’s even more strange is that the Hidden Division did not mobilize any troops to go there.
Searching gives people the feeling that this person's disappearance is a matter of course.
Gao Xianzhi was in the excitement of victory, and nothing else mattered to him. Didn't Gayan still have a younger son since his eldest son disappeared? Although he had served in the Tang army, it was reasonable for him to return to the tribe and inherit the throne.
.
He summoned the elders of the Secretariat and asked them to decide who would be the successor. These elders no longer needed to discuss and consider, it could only be the little prince Ruosuluo. Moreover, no matter who they were in charge, they must obtain the support of the Anxi Protectorate.
, Ruosiluo is well-deserved from any aspect.
"In this case, you, the Consciousness and Hidden Division, just wait for the saint to reward you. If you lose, your future will be bright."
Before Li Siye left, he decided to say goodbye to the Ruosuluo brothers and sisters. Although the mood and the situation were not right, it was necessary.
He walked into the shed built at the foot of the mountain. His sister Aranda was feeding her brother medicine with a wooden medicine bowl. When she saw Li Siye coming in, the wooden spoon in his hand stopped for a moment, and then continued feeding, as if she hadn't seen him.
Ruosuluo coughed and choked out the medicine in his mouth. Aranda quickly wiped the medicine from the corner of his brother's mouth with linen cloth. Ruosuluo shook his head, and his sister had to put down the medicine bowl.
"I will follow the army back to Shule soon, so I came to see you."
Ruosuluo replied softly: "Thank you very much, Ambassador Li Zhen. Thank you, thank you very much."
Li Siye understood what he meant by saying thank you twice more, so he just pursed his lips and said with a smile: "You don't have to thank me, this is your father's last wish."
Ruosuluo hesitated for a long time, then suddenly asked him: "Has Cha Shiqian already..."
Siye didn't know how to answer him, and faced the two people in silence for a moment.
Tears burst out of Aranda's eyes, and she covered her mouth and stood in a corner of the shed. Ruosuluo squirmed at the corner of her mouth before speaking slowly: "I have been following you since the beginning of the Congling Guard, and I always thought that I could continue to work under your command.
, I don’t know what you will think, but I would like to regard what happened last night as my doing, and I am also very grateful to you, I am really grateful to you.”
"If Luo is lost, you, you don't have to think like this... recover as soon as possible."
Yan Xiaosi stood at the door of the shed and reminded: "General, the team is about to set off."
Li Siye nodded and said to Aranda who was standing in the corner: "Aranda, your father asked me to take care of you before he died. Are you willing to go back to Shule with me?"
Aranda shook her head stubbornly: "No, I want to stay in the Sanya Department, and I just want to stay in Congling."
"Okay, if you ever change your mind, come to Shule Town to find me. Goodbye."
Li Siye turned around and walked out of the shed. Yan Xiaosi brought Hei Pang over. He got on his horse, whipped his horse's buttocks with his whip, and ran in the direction of the team.
Ruosuluo turned back, looked at his sister who was weeping in the corner and asked, "I remember you wanted to marry him when he was on guard in Congling. Why do you refuse now?"
Aranda squatted on the ground and cried, shaking her head.
…
At the end of September, the Tang army returned to Congling Shouchu and left a small number of captured cattle and sheep in Shouchu City in recognition of Congling Shouchu's logistical support to the expeditionary force.
In early October, the Tang army went to Shule Town for rest and reorganization, and the Shule army returned to the prefectural cities. Gao Xianzhi took the initiative to divide the captured cattle and sheep herders into five equal parts, and let some of them stay and settle in the Gobi pastures east of Shule.
Li Siye originally thought that his expedition would be over when he reached Shule City, and he could just sit at home and wait for the court to award him a reward. Unexpectedly, Gao Xianzhi asked him to go to Hexi with him, because the Jiedushi envoy must return the talisman to his husband Meng Lingcha.
Only when the hand is in hand can the handover be completed.
"Don't forget that you are not only the envoy of Shule Town, but also the deputy governor of Anxi, so you must go together."
Li Siye felt quite regretful. He thought he could spend time with his wife at home.
Gao Xianzhi seemed to have read through his thoughts and chuckled: "Look at how home-loving you are."
"If a man doesn't love his family, all his hard work and struggle will lose half of its meaning."
"I like to hear this. Don't worry, the troops will stay in Shule Town for five or six days before leaving. This will give you and my wife enough time to warm up."
"Thank you, Ambassador Gao. Haha."
Gao Xianzhi set up camp in the Governor's Mansion of Shule. Local officials and businessmen in Shule kept coming and going, and they kept getting close to each other. Everyone could predict who the future owners of the four towns in Anxi would be. The gifts given by these people,
Gao Xianzhi also refused to accept anyone who came, which made Li Siye couldn't help but lament that no one is perfect. It seems that this kind of person cannot be an upright official.
Li Siye came out of the camp and led his horse and Yan Xiaosi to the guarding envoy's house. However, there was a man following behind him, crossing his arms and saying, "Li Duhu, Kang Huaishun, a humble official, is polite to you."
Oh, this guy keeps thinking about it and comes to collect debts so quickly.
Pretending to be ignorant, he turned around and asked, "Kang Huaishun, why are you saluting me?"
"Of course there is something, Li Duhu forgot? What did you promise me that night when we were in Lianyunbao?" He pointed at his face, fearing that Li Siye would default on his debt.
"What did I promise you?"
Kang Huaishun had a disappointed look on his face and said as expected: "Li Duhu, integrity is the foundation of life. An official as big as you should be more trustworthy. If you break your trust with me today, you may break your trust with everyone in the world in the future."
"Yes, yes," Li Siye raised his hand to stop him from talking: "I just returned to Shule City, and I haven't gone home yet. Do you know that my wife is waiting for me outside the house and you are waiting for me, and you are following me like a debt collector.
Will you find a suitable time to beg me again?"
Kang Huaishun quickly bowed and apologized: "I'm sorry, General Li. I know Madam is looking forward to seeing you, and I am also looking out for Dao Rou. Please forgive me, General. I'll come back to see the General tomorrow, no, the day after."
He crossed his hands and took a few steps back, preparing to turn around and leave.
Li Siye raised his hand to stop him and said: "Hey, forget it, I think you don't want to wait, so I'll give you a happy one today. Follow me to my mansion. But I tell you in advance, this is the only chance you have.
Get everything ready and show your best side.”
Kang Huaishun grinned: "Thank you Li Duhu for your concern. I just entered the city this morning and asked General Gao for a half-day leave. I went to the perfume shop in the city to take a bath, and I went to the Nvhong shop to buy incense.
Totally ready.”
Li Siye looked him up and down carefully and realized that he was brand new from head to toe. His black gauze robe was spotless, his wrapped hairline was shiny black, and his hair was still wet. The patches on his crimson robe were all made of
The red soles are patched, and you can't tell they are old unless you look carefully. Especially the black Liuhe boots, the linen strips on the edges of the soles are white. This outfit and the fragrance emanating from it are in harmony with the gray-headed people of this desert border town.
Once pedestrians compare it, the effect is fully apparent.
Even the groom's official on the wedding day of a wealthy family in this city is not as new and refined as him.