Tang Dynasty Swordsman

Page 53

In the imperial court of Chang'an, Li Heng pushed Li Fuguo to the forefront, thus beginning a new round of purges.

The target of the purge was, of course, those who came from Shu after Li Heng ascended the throne in Lingwu, especially the prime ministers, most of whom were promoted by the former emperor. How could Li Heng allow them to rule for long?

In fact, before and after Li Tan left the capital, Li Heng had already dealt with the incompetent Fang Guan. At that time, Fang Guan had been transferred to the position of Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince, but he was quite unhappy, often feigning illness to avoid court, yet his house was constantly filled with guests. Furthermore, his cronies repeatedly petitioned Li Heng, saying, "Fang Cilü possesses both literary and military talents and should be given a high position." Li Heng was deeply disgusted and thus officially issued an edict listing Fang Guan's crimes, demoting him to the position of Prefect of Youzhou. In addition, Fang Guan's cronies were also demoted, such as the former Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, Liu Zhi, who was demoted to Prefect of Langzhou, and Yan Wu, the Prefect of Jingzhao, who was demoted to Prefect of Bazhou…

Li Ji had already heard about these things, but he only learned from the letter that Xu Shuji, an important henchman of Fang Guan, had not only retained his military power but had also been appointed as the military governor of five prefectures, including Qing and Deng, because of his merit in rescuing Suiyang and his close ties with Li Fuguo.

Upon reading this, Li Ji couldn't help but clench his fist tightly.

Following the dismissals of Fang Guan, Pei Mian, Li Lin, Wei Jiansu, Cui Huan, and Zhang Hao, Li Heng's sword finally fell on Cui Yuan. The key issue was that Cui Yuan's excessive deference to Li Fuguo's orders had already drawn widespread criticism from the court. Li Heng trusted Li Fuguo and would certainly protect him to the death, but he might not trust Cui Yuan. Dismissing him from office would be the perfect way to silence public criticism.

He immediately ordered Cui Yuan to replace Fang Guan as the Crown Prince's Junior Tutor, and expelled him from the Hall of State Affairs.

Thus, only the Grand Councilor Miao Jinqing and the Vice Minister of the Chancellery Wang Yu remained in the Council of State Affairs. Therefore, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of War Lü Yin, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel Li Xian, the Vice Minister of the Chancellery Li Kui, and the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue Di Wuqi were appointed as co-Chancellors of the Chancellery and Secretariat, to participate in important government affairs.

According to Li Guayan (actually Li Qiyun): Lü Yin was obsequious and sycophantic, Li Kui was obsessed with fame and fortune, and Wu Qi was in charge of the Ministry of Revenue, Transport, Taxation, Salt, Iron and Coinage, and had no time to sit in the court; only Li Xian was a member of the imperial clan and was upright and dignified, and was highly regarded by both superiors and subordinates.

However, it's estimated that Li Xian alone will be unable to hold out, and he will most likely be no match for Li Fuguo...

Li Fuguo wielded immense power, even refusing to bow to Crown Prince Li Yu upon their chance encounter in the palace. It is said that all the officials advised Li Yu, as the heir apparent, to reprimand and restrain Li Fuguo, but Li Yu replied, "My father and I followed the Emperor on his western hunt, enduring hardship and hunger in Lingwu. If it weren't for the Duke of Cheng, how could we be where we are today? The Duke of Cheng is old and frail, hence his slow bow; how could I bear to reprimand him?"

Upon hearing this, Li Fuguo hurriedly went to visit Li Yu to apologize. As a result, everyone said that the Crown Prince was able to move people with his benevolence, while Li Fuguo was actually afraid of him. As a result, Li Yu's reputation became even more renowned.

Upon reading this, Li Ji couldn't help but sneer inwardly—this was clearly an act. It seemed Li Yu had adopted his suggestion, outwardly appeasing Li Fuguo and avoiding direct confrontation, while secretly seeking an opportunity to sow discord between Li Fuguo and Empress Zhang. Li Yu's words clearly implied: "Old Li, I won't fight you for power, I'll give you all the benefits, so shouldn't you at least give me some face?"

Li Fuguo was a shrewd man, and he immediately understood, so he took the initiative to apologize and offered up his face with both hands.

In addition, the letter also mentioned that Princess Ningguo had officially married the Uyghur Khan Yingwu.

The letter states that on the day of Dinghai in the seventh month, Wang Yu was appointed as the envoy for the investiture ceremony, with Li Xun, the Right Vice Minister, and Xianyu Shuming, the Assistant Minister of Personnel, assisting him, to formally escort the princess to her new home. On the day of Jiazi, Li Heng escorted the princess to Xianyang. When the princess bid farewell, she said, "The affairs of the state are of utmost importance; even death would be without regret!" Li Heng returned in tears.

When Li Ji read this, he couldn't help but feel sad. He thought to himself, "In the end, I couldn't escape this day after all... Could it be that the Huihe soldiers failed to capture any children in the two capitals, so the bastard emperor was afraid that they would turn against him, and in the end, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and send his beloved daughter away?"

Absolutely despicable!

Chapter Nine, Putting Them in a Deadly Situation

After reading Li Guayan's letter, Li Ji tossed it aside, pondering how to reply, and picked up his chopsticks.

It was probably a farewell meal, more lavish than usual. A dish of steamed mutton with garlic sauce was incredibly flavorful, tender yet firm, and rich yet not greasy; Li Ji ate with great relish. The staple food was sesame seed cakes. Li Ji simply split the cake in half, dipped the mutton in the garlic sauce, and took a big bite, his hands oozing with grease…

The side dishes included scrambled eggs, roasted goose breast, boiled okra, roasted fresh leeks, as well as candied scallions and vinegared celery, along with a large bowl of sesame millet porridge and a small bowl of tender mutton bone soup. Li Ji waved his hands non-stop and ate until he was completely full before putting down his chopsticks and sighing softly, "After this trip to the frontier, I wonder when I will be able to eat such delicious food again..."

Qingluan knelt down and prayed, "May my lord overcome all obstacles and achieve his goal." After straightening up, she pointed to the corner of the room and said, "The clothes have been washed and ironed. Tomorrow morning, I will send my lord off on his journey."

Li Ji turned his head slightly and inadvertently noticed that Qingluan's eyes seemed a little red and there were traces of tears under them. He smiled and asked, "Are you also reluctant to part with me? Although the barbarian bandits are numerous, I don't take them to heart. The headquarters has already made proper plans, and this journey will surely be safe. There's no need to be sad." He paused and then said, "I only hope that General Li Yuanzhong can return from Kuozhou as soon as possible, so that I can relinquish my heavy responsibilities and return to Shanzhou."

In fact, he really wanted to fight alongside Guo Xin, Li Yuanzhong and others. If Guo Xin's judgment was correct, regardless of whether they won or lost, this battle would take at least two or three months. If Shancheng couldn't even hold out for two months, it would prove that Guo Xin was just a theorist. As Guo Ziyi's nephew and recommended by Yan Wu, he probably wouldn't be that bad.

But I really can't bear to leave Qingluan's... delicious food for too long.

"You should take good care of the house and keep it clean until I return."

Qingluan bowed again, as if deliberately concealing her face, and slowly said, "The old soldier has taken care of cleaning and tidying the house; I'm afraid I cannot stay here for long..."

Upon hearing this, Li Ji was somewhat taken aback and blurted out, "Why is that?" He then realized his mistake and slammed his hand on the table, exclaiming, "It was my oversight..."

Ultimately, Qingluan was still a courtesan, not Li Ji's private property... This term sounds offensive, but in those days, servants and even concubines were mostly treated as the property of their masters. Qingluan was only temporarily transferred from the granary to serve Li Ji's daily life, doing his laundry and cooking. Since Li Ji was temporarily away on official business, Qingluan had no reason to continue staying in this room.

This house is temporarily unoccupied, and no one needs to serve the emperor or eat there. As for chores like wiping the windows and sweeping the courtyard, is it really necessary to have a courtesan, who is reasonably attractive and skilled, specifically in charge of them? It's such a waste of resources.

Therefore, logically speaking, once Li Ji leaves, Qingluan should definitely be transferred back. As for whether she will be transferred back when Li Ji returns, that remains to be seen.

Thinking about this, Li Ji felt somewhat depressed.

He didn't mind Qingluan cooking for others; the more discerning a gourmand, the less they crave to enjoy food alone—it's all about sharing and everyone praising it, that's true "shared happiness." But as a courtesan rather than a professional cook, Qingluan would most likely be summoned to accompany others in drinking, or even to serve them in bed!

Leaving aside the past, all of this has passed before my eyes. How could I possibly bear to fall into the arms of another?! Li Ji thought to himself, the reason why I have the opportunity and the means to indulge in sensual pleasures, yet I still can't take the plunge, is precisely this: if there's no affection, sleeping with someone isn't enjoyable; but if there is affection, who would want to leave it to someone else?

After thinking for a moment, he said, “My stay will not be long, and with a great enemy at hand, the government will likely have few social engagements or banquets... I will write a few words after a short rest, and you can give them to the Registrar of Household Affairs. From now on, you can stay at my house and not go anywhere else—I believe he can’t refuse me this favor.”

Seeing Qingluan's overjoyed expression, she hurriedly bowed for the third time, saying, "I am deeply grateful for your kindness, my lord, and have no way to repay you..." Li Ji reached out and held her shoulder, massaging it slightly, and couldn't help but feel a surge of romantic thoughts...

However, I reminded myself that if I were to take advantage of the situation and use the Azure Phoenix, it would be taking advantage of someone in distress, which is not the behavior of a true man. Besides, we are going to war tomorrow, and I should conserve my energy... I'll wait until we return, or even until the war is over, before considering this further.

----------

After writing a reply to Li Guayan, and then to Qingluan... which could be considered a leave request, Li Ji went to bed early. The next morning, he got up, mustered his troops, and set off westward from Shanzhou in a grand procession.

The small gorge is located 30 li east of Shancheng. People at the time described it as a place of great danger, with steep cliffs and towering peaks, the Huangshui River flowing through it, and the sound of thunder and arrows. The mountain path was so narrow that a cart could not travel in pairs and a horse could not ride side by side.

Specifically, the Huangshui River flows eastward and narrows abruptly at Xiaoxiakou. For nearly six miles thereafter, the current is rapid and the riverbanks are extremely narrow. The north bank is a main road, but at its narrowest point, it is too narrow for two horses to pass side by side. There is also a small path on the south bank, which is so narrow that even horses cannot pass through. In many places, pedestrians have to lean on the wall to barely get through.

However, this wasn't Li Ji's first time here, and he had discussed defense strategies with Chen Fu and others on previous visits. Theoretically, they should station troops at the eastern entrance of the gorge; even a massive enemy force would be forced into a long, serpentine formation, becoming natural targets. But the problem was that this meant the Tibetans wouldn't need to penetrate deep; simply blocking the western entrance of the gorge would prevent the Tang army from escaping. While this would protect the farmland in the valley behind the gorge, it would completely fail to provide support to Shancheng.

If Guo Xin were to defend Shancheng, it would be tantamount to being trapped in a dead end. Not only would it deal a heavy blow to morale, but once the city could not be defended, there would be no way to even retreat.

Therefore, the only option was to set up camp on the west side of the gorge, facing the trumpet-shaped opening and with its back to the narrow road, positioning itself as an easy target to attack but difficult to defend. Theoretically speaking, defending from the east to the west would have been more suitable, with the Grand Canyon or even Laoya Gorge being more appropriate. However, that would have meant handing over vast tracts of farmland and produce to the Tibetans.

In response to this situation, Li Ji's suggestion was: "Go up the mountain!"

Upon exiting the western entrance of the gorge, he ordered his skilled climbers to ascend the southern cliff face and construct a rope ladder several dozen feet long to support his comrades and supplies. Li Ji deployed five hundred new soldiers to the mountain and ordered them to cut down trees to build a simple catapult, using stone cannons and crossbows to control the flat land outside the gorge entrance—this force was entrusted to the cautious and reliable Chen Fu.

The remaining troops dug trenches and built fortifications on the south bank of the Huangshui River outside the canyon entrance, setting up camp. Yi Tiechui was somewhat puzzled and asked Li Ji, "The road on the north bank is wide, while the road on the south bank is narrow. If the barbarian bandits want to pass, they must take the northern route. Why don't we build fortifications on the north bank and instead set up camp on the south bank?"

Li Ji pointed to the surrounding terrain and explained, “Although it is said that the north is wider and the south is narrower, there is no need to consider that. If it is to transport goods, we should take the northern route, because the southern route is not suitable for carriages; but if a large army wants to pass, what difference does it make whether one person walks sideways or one horse travels alone? In fact, the land on the north bank of the Huangshui River is also narrow, while the south bank is much more open…”

The angle between the funnel-shaped opening west of the gorge and the Huangshui River is less than 15 degrees on the north bank but more than 65 degrees on the south bank. This means that if you come out from the main road on the north bank, the road gradually widens and expands, while if you come out from the narrow path on the south bank, the view opens up instantly. Therefore, if several thousand troops were to camp on the north bank, the space would be too cramped to deploy them effectively, forcing them into a purely defensive posture. Furthermore, they would be easily blocked by the Tibetan army and unable to move an inch.

Li Ji led three thousand Tang soldiers, mostly new recruits, but also included five hundred elite Shence troops and no fewer than four hundred warhorses. This was a mobile force that could be utilized and had to be utilized. Having previously reviewed the Battle of Suiyang with Li Mi, Li Ji concluded that a purely defensive strategy, surrendering all initiative to the enemy, would only lead to a weakening force, and without external support, there would be no chance of a comeback.

Zhang Xun defended Yongqiu, Ningling, and even Suiyang with a smaller force. Facing rebels many times his size, he not only repeatedly launched successful counterattacks but also moved freely. If Suiyang's strategic location hadn't been so crucial and irreplaceable, even if Yin Ziqi had three heads and six arms, he wouldn't have been able to do anything to Zhang Xun.

Therefore, Li Ji's strategy was to use deep trenches and high walls, along with crossbows and cannons on the mountains, to directly resist the barbarian invaders. He would then look for opportunities to deploy cavalry to disrupt the enemy's formation and demoralize them, thus reducing the pressure on the defense. Moreover, he needed to support the attack and defense of Shancheng, and even cooperate with Guo Xin to evacuate the entire city's military and civilians to Shanzhou. How could he possibly trap himself in a self-destructive situation?

On the south bank of the Huangshui River, the plains are relatively vast, offering more room for maneuver and making it a much more advantageous place to set up camp than on the north bank.

Yi Tiechui agreed with Li Ji's explanation, but then sighed and said, "It's just that the wider the area, the harder it is to defend..."

Li Ji asked with a smile, "Iron Hammer, are you scared?"

Yi Tiechui's face immediately turned bright red, and he puffed out his chest: "At worst, I'll fight the barbarian thieves to the death. What do I have to fear?!"

Li Ji patted him on the shoulder and comforted him, saying, "If Shancheng sends four or five times more enemy troops to Xiaoxia, then General Guo is incompetent, and we should retreat in time without holding out for long."

The main Tibetan force will inevitably attack the western wall of Shancheng, while sending a guerrilla force eastward along the mountains, theoretically, wouldn't be able to send a very large army—though it would likely still be several times larger than Li Ji's forces. If the Tibetan army can successfully advance its main force to the east of the city, forming a siege around Shancheng, external reinforcements will be difficult to provide, and Shancheng will certainly be unable to defend itself. Would Guo Xin not understand this? If he is momentarily confused, or if he understands but is powerless to act, and allows the Tibetans to launch a large-scale eastward advance at the very beginning of the battle, then what is the point of Li Ji and his men defending the western entrance of Xiaoxia?

It would be better to quickly return to the east entrance and guard it strictly.

Li Ji nearly put himself in a deadly situation in order to support Shancheng. Sun Tzu said, "Throw them into a place of certain death, and they will live; trap them in a place of certain death, and they will survive." However, Li Ji interpreted this as referring to military posture rather than strategic maneuvering, reminding his generals: Even if we are trapped in a desperate situation, we have hope of survival; even if the enemy is trapped, we must not be negligent…

Therefore, in military campaigns, it is absolutely impossible to put oneself in a deadly situation without having a backup plan and to hope for a "future successor"—Han Xin had a plan to change the flag, so he beheaded Chen Yu; Ma Su abandoned the water and went up the mountain, thus losing Jieting.

Therefore, Li Ji entrusted the construction of the camp to Yi Tiechui, while he himself lingered on the Huangshui River, planning an escape route. The gorge was over six miles long, and both the southern and northern routes were narrow and difficult to traverse. Not only would it be difficult for the enemy to break through, but even if the Tang army suffered a defeat or had to make a strategic retreat, it would not be easy for them to retreat. However, if the entire army were to perish here, no matter how difficult the road was, with no obstacles ahead, wouldn't the barbarian bandits be able to pass through without any trouble?

However, the road was too narrow to cut through the mountains; the Huangshui River was too turbulent to launch boats. In the end, Li Ji had to take a two-pronged approach. On the one hand, he buried nails and tied ropes to the cliffs of the southern route so that the soldiers could climb the ropes, which would be faster and less dangerous. On the other hand, he collected sheepskins, gourds, and other materials to build rafts for launching—those things were not easy to capsize and were unlikely to be smashed by the rapids like wooden boats.

However, it's not easy to manufacture a large number of qualified sheepskin rafts; most of them end up only being used as life preservers...

Li Ji estimated that if something unexpected happened, it would be impossible to withdraw the entire army. If four or five hundred men could escape, they might be able to rebuild their defenses at the eastern entrance of the small gorge, leaving enough time to request reinforcements from Shanzhou.

Once the plan was finalized, a letter was written to Guo Xin to inform him. The next day, Guo Xin replied, first informing him of the current situation.

According to the news Guo Xin had just received, Suihe Garrison had finally fallen to the Tibetan army after holding out for three days. The southern Tibetan army numbered no less than ten thousand. The northern Tibetan army also numbered around ten thousand, and cavalry had already passed through Xuanwei Army, crossed Tulou Mountain, and invaded the outskirts of Shancheng. Guo Xin initially feigned weakness, refusing to come out of the city to meet the enemy. Only after the Tibetan cavalry brazenly approached the city did he suddenly lead his cavalry in a charge, achieving a minor victory, beheading over a hundred, and greatly boosting the morale of the soldiers and civilians within the city.

The main force of the Tibetan army should still be coming from the west along the main road. It is said that they have already captured Suirong City and advanced to the walls of Linfan City. Guo Xin estimates that Linfan City cannot be held for more than a few days. At the latest, ten days later, the three Tibetan armies will meet in the western suburbs of Shancheng.

So these days, he's been busy mobilizing the army and civilians to harvest the wheat south of the city—whether it's ripe or not, the unripe wheat can at least be used to feed horses or as firewood, and it can't be left for the Tibetans.

Guo Xin largely approved of Li Ji's deployment at the Xiaoxia Gorge entrance. In his letter, he wrote: "I had only heard your words before, but had not personally inspected the area, and was unaware of the Xiaoxia Gorge's perilous nature, which was beyond my expectations... How could tens of thousands of soldiers from Shancheng possibly retreat smoothly across the Xiaoxia Gorge before the enemy? Unless Yu the Great were here, he could drive away bears and open the mountains..."

"Therefore, I will hold Shancheng firmly and wait for the barbarian bandits to run out of food and retreat before gradually withdrawing. If the barbarian bandits do not leave, Shancheng will not fall. If it falls, I will surely die with the city and the soldiers! You need not worry too much about Shancheng. If you can defend the west of the gorge, then defend it. If you cannot defend it, then retreat to the east of the gorge. The key is to preserve our strength so that we can make a move later."

"However, if the commander can continuously reinforce the troops, the number of troops at the gorge will not be several thousand, but tens of thousands. Then the barbarian bandits will not dare to attack Shancheng with all their might, and it will not be difficult to defend it."

At the end of the letter, it seems that a sentence was added just before it was sealed: "I have just received news that the Northern Barbarian General is Shang Zanmo, the Southern Barbarian General is Shang Xidongzan, and the Barbarian General in the front is indeed Ma Chongying!"

Chapter 10, The First Collision

Langda Zhalugong, a great scholar and general of the Tubo Kingdom (Dazha was translated as Xinuoluo or Xinuo in Tang Dynasty, hence the name Lunxinuo), whose Chinese name was Ma Chongying.

Although he orchestrated the invasion of Tang territory during the Zhide era, not only ravaging Longyou but also joining forces with Nanzhao to plunder western Sichuan, Ma Chongying never actually regarded the Tang Dynasty as an enemy of Tibet. In his youth, he admired the culture of the Central Plains, studied Chinese classics, and repeatedly submitted memorials to the Zanpu Chidai Danzhu, saying that only by living in harmony with the Tang Dynasty could Tibet achieve long-term peace and stability.

From the time of Songtsen Gampo onwards, two opposing groups gradually formed within Tibet: the traditional Bon religion and the emerging aristocracy who had successively accepted Buddhist beliefs brought from the Central Plains by Princess Wencheng and Princess Jincheng, or from Nepal by Princess Bhrikuti. Among them, Ma Chongying was both a pioneer of the Tang faction and received a name from Princess Jincheng, thus becoming an important leader of the Buddhist group.

Furthermore, after Chidai Danzhu was assassinated, Ma Chongying supported Saxilong Lazan, also known as Trisong Detsen, to succeed him. He then falsely accused the main murderer of being instigated by Bon believers, thus launching a bloody purge within Tibet.

So why did he repeatedly launch military campaigns to harass Tang territory? This was because Ma Chongying astutely realized that although the Tang Dynasty appeared strong on the surface, it was actually on a downward spiral. While it could barely survive in the Central Plains, it feared it could not hold onto the Western Regions for long. A terrifying force was about to sweep in from the west, ravaging the Buddhist world and even invading Tibet. Currently, only Tibet could shoulder the responsibility of supporting the Buddhist kingdoms of the Western Regions and repelling the enemy west of the Pamir Mountains.

This is both a war to protect the nation and a war to protect the faith!

However, expecting the Tang Dynasty to voluntarily withdraw from the Western Regions, or to grant the new Zanpu (Tibetan king) the privilege of allowing Tibetan troops into the Four Garrisons of Anxi, was utterly a pipe dream. During the Tianbao era, Tang generals arbitrarily initiated border conflicts, seizing land on the shores of the Western Sea, leading to a significant rise in anti-Tang factions within Tibet. Taking advantage of this public opinion, and the opportunity presented by An Lushan's rebellion, Ma Chongying plotted to cut off Longyou (the region south of the Great Wall), blocking the Tang army east of Fengxiang, thus paving the way for Tibet to become the ruler of the Western Regions.

The Battle of Talas in the tenth year of the Tianbao era made Ma Chongying realize that a crisis was approaching step by step, and he began to plan accordingly. It has been eight years since then.

Ma Chongying was indeed more farsighted than most people of that era, but he was still limited by the backward level of transportation and communication, which unwittingly led him onto a difficult and arduous path that brought him no real benefit. In fact, the Battle of Talas not only proved that the Tang Dynasty's territory had reached its limit and could not be expanded any further, but also heralded the end of the eastward expansion of the Islamic world.

Just one year before the Battle of Talas, the Abbasid Caliphate (the Black Caliphate) officially rose to power through the Battle of the Taj River, replacing the Umayyad Caliphate (the White Caliphate) in ruling most of the Islamic world. This power, which originated in Khorasan, thus formally shifted its center of influence westward. Five years after the Battle of Talas, Abu Muslim, the Abbasid Caliphate's first general and governor of Khorasan, was executed, and the Khorasan region gradually weakened until it fragmented—no longer posing much of a threat to the Western Regions.

Historically, the Tibetan Empire did indeed occupy the Western Regions for a time, but its excessive territory and numerous wars ultimately brought about the downfall of this rapidly rising plateau kingdom. Islamic forces could only attempt to expand eastward again after the fragmentation and collapse of the Tibetan Empire…

Of course, Ma Chongying was unaware of this, and even Li Ji, who had lived two lives, couldn't have considered things so far ahead. Although Li Ji had majored in Chinese history in his previous life and had some knowledge of world history, he knew that the Abbasid Caliphate's main focus was on the Eastern Roman Empire and the Umayyad Caliphate, and that it wouldn't expand its influence further east. But... in his original timeline, there was no Battle of Talas. Who knows if this disturbance would affect the historical process of Central Asia and even West Asia?

Besides, he couldn't possibly have realized that Ma Chongying's desire to take the Western Regions was to prevent the eastward invasion of Islam... If he had known, he would have patted the other on the shoulder and said, "Brother, you're overthinking it."

The spread of religion is not entirely influenced by national military power. Who knows, after Tibet conquers the Western Regions, it might switch from Buddhism to Islam? As for territorial expansion, even if the Abbasid Caliphate is on the rise, it is impossible for it to cross the Pamir Mountains in a short period of time.

Thus, Ma Chongying's grand ambitions and Li Ji's naive desires unexpectedly collided.

Ma Chongying's original plan was to gradually pressure the Tang Dynasty to abandon Shancheng, after which the Tibetan army would launch a full-scale attack on Shanzhou. To this end, he repeatedly sent people to infiltrate Tang territory to spread rumors and even bribed Gao Sheng to persuade him to withdraw his troops. However, Gao Sheng was weak and incompetent, only knowing how to adhere to the strategy of non-interference, neither fighting nor making peace, neither defending nor retreating—which at least spared his own death.

—I'm just staying behind. You want me to give up the city and land? My shoulders are weak, I can't bear this responsibility. If you want Shancheng, then come and take it yourself.

Upon hearing of An Lushan's death and the Tang Dynasty's recapture of the two capitals, Ma Chongying was no longer willing to wait. He devised a three-pronged strategy to attack Shancheng, aiming for a swift victory and then advancing towards Shanzhou. If the Tang Dynasty suffered heavy losses defending Shancheng, they might be forced to abandon Shanzhou as well, thus achieving his first strategic objective. If the Tang Dynasty held Shanzhou, he could seize the opportunity to annex Kuozhou to the south and advance north towards Liangzhou, severely damaging the Hexi army and directly severing the connection between Liangzhou and Gansu.

Therefore, the objective of this autumn's war was not merely to capture Shancheng; a large army was required for any chance of success. Thus, Shang Jiexi was left to garrison Luoxie, while Ma Chongying, along with two other high-ranking officials—Shang Xidongzan and Shang Zanmo—joined forces, with a main force of 30,000 and auxiliary troops of 50,000, marching in a mighty army towards Shancheng.

The initial stages of the battle went relatively smoothly, until news came that Guo Xin had been replaced as the garrison commander of Shancheng. Guo Xin had been stationed in Hexi for a long time, and the Tibetans had dealt with him before. Ma Chongying might not have thought much of this Tang general, but he concluded from this that the Tang people would not be willing to withdraw voluntarily.

It seems the main battle will take place beneath the walls of Shancheng.

"When I first heard that the Tang emperor had sent his son, the Prince of Qi, to guard Longyou, I thought he was just a spoiled brat and not worth mentioning. Who would have thought he would be so brave as to fight?"

General Qilibuzang comforted Ma Chongying, saying, "Since he is a spoiled brat and does not know the might of our army, it is understandable that he dares not easily abandon the territory. As long as we successfully capture Shancheng and kill many Tang people to show our might, he will naturally be timid, and it may be much easier to advance into Shanzhou."

Ma Chongying reminded him, "The Tang emperor originally conquered the world on horseback. Emperor Taizong was so brave and extraordinary, almost like a god. Who knows if his descendants will not produce another martial man? Even before the Tang emperor ascended the throne, he could ride a spirited horse and defeat our Tibetan warriors on the polo field. He only became muddleheaded in his old age and trusted the barbarians... In short, we must not underestimate the enemy and must follow the strategy and advance steadily."

The western border of the Tang Dynasty was originally dotted with military garrisons. The Longyou Circuit alone had over 70,000 troops, the vast majority of whom were stationed in several western prefectures for mutual support. However, after the main force was transferred east to defend the capital, these garrisons were barely able to defend themselves, let alone coordinate attacks, and were thus captured one by one by the Tibetan Empire. Especially the armies and cities captured last year; Ma Chongying had meticulously planned his strategy, ostensibly omitting some areas from the main force, but in reality severing many communication lines, rendering the remaining garrisons virtually defenseless.

Therefore, they attacked again this autumn, besieging Suihe Shouzhuo, Suirong City, Linfan City, and other places. They originally thought it would be exceptionally easy and that they could smoothly advance to Shancheng. However, the battle reports from various places were not optimistic. Although the aforementioned cities had only held out for a maximum of four days, the Tang army's resistance was extremely tenacious, quite different from last year.

According to Ma Chongying's analysis and the information obtained from interrogating prisoners, last year's defeats were due to a hasty attack, while this autumn the Tang army was well-prepared. More importantly, last year, despite urgent reports of the attack, Shanzhou's response was slow; not only did they refuse to send reinforcements—and of course, they couldn't—but they also refused to give a clear answer on whether to defend or retreat. This year is different. Guo Xin, without even arriving in Shancheng, ordered the evacuation of the people from the three locations to Shancheng and Dahua. He also did not issue orders for the soldiers to hold their ground, but only to adapt to the situation and try to slow down the Tibetan army's advance.

With their parents, wives, and children gone, and no longer burdened by worries, the warriors of Longyou were truly inspired. Even before the Tibetan army arrived, most of them were determined to die with the city. As a result, although the Tibetan army captured three cities after fierce fighting, their losses were actually greater than those of the Tang army.

Ma Chongying's lofty ambitions were thus clouded by a dark cloud, and he sensed that this battle would not be as easy as his subordinates had imagined...

When they finally broke through the enemy's defenses, the three armies arrived at Shancheng one after another—Ma Chongying was the last to arrive—he rode out to inspect the city's defenses and couldn't help but sigh, "This is truly a formidable city. If it weren't for the fact that it is located in the plains and has no strategic terrain, I'm afraid even hundreds of thousands of troops would have had a hard time breaking through it."

After returning to camp, he discussed with his generals that it would be better to send an envoy into the city to persuade Guo Xin to recognize the situation and abandon the city and retreat. "We can allow him to withdraw all the soldiers and civilians in the city, but leave the treasury to our army."

However, this proposal was opposed by Shang Xidongzan, Shang Zanmo and others. Shang Xidongzan said: "This year's military expedition is indeed intended to sever Longyou so that I can devote all my strength to the four towns of Anxi. But with nearly 100,000 troops, if we gain nothing but take an empty city, I'm afraid it will be a loss."

"Although the Great Treatise says that the Tang people can leave their treasury supplies and wealth to our army, I fear that their treasury is not very full. I arrived two days earlier and have already surveyed the area south of the city. Most of the crops have been harvested, and the remaining stalks are not yet ripe. If we bring all the harvest into Shancheng, our army may benefit from it. However, since it is not yet ripe, it can only be used as horse feed and firewood. I am afraid that the grain in the city is enough to feed tens of thousands of Tang people for a few months, but it cannot compensate for the expenses incurred by my 100,000-strong army in traveling thousands of miles from Lhasa to here."

"If we can capture this city and take more than 10,000 Tang people as prisoners, and distribute them among the various tribes, everyone will be happy and morale will be high. If we only get an empty city and a little food, it will be difficult to win over the people, and the battles afterward will not be so easy."

Ma Chongying, after all, had only recently assumed the position of Grand Chancellor, and his prestige was insufficient to command the entire Tibetan Empire—especially the three Grand Masters. Even his grand strategy of splitting Longyou and conquering the Western Regions was influenced by the prevailing anti-Tang sentiment within the country; otherwise, he simply couldn't have mobilized such a large army. Therefore, he dared not disobey the generals' wishes, and merely said:

"I see that Shancheng is very well-defended, and Guo Xin is a capable general. When I went to Suirong and Linfan, I saw that the Tang people were very determined to resist. So if we launch a strong attack on Shancheng, we will suffer heavy losses and it would be even more of a loss than a gain. If you have any good ideas, please teach me."

Shang Xidong laughed and said, "There are only established methods in warfare, not any brilliant strategies. Relying on intelligence and acting rashly will only make us vulnerable to the enemy." He then ordered someone to unfold a map and pointed to it, saying to his generals, "According to our spies, the garrison in Shancheng numbers only seven thousand, and they are short of warhorses. They will certainly not dare to engage us in open battle and can only defend the city. Although Guo Xin is a famous general from Hexi, he is new to Longyou and unfamiliar with the local people and the land. His ability to control his troops must be lacking."

"The reason they refuse to withdraw is that they are hoping for reinforcements from the direction of Shanzhou. Our army will advance from the north and south, reach the east of the city, surround Shanzhou on all sides, and then choose a place to attack with all our might. I believe Guo Xin will not be able to defend it. Do you think that with nearly 100,000 troops, we can't take down a few thousand people? Do you think we are barbarians who don't know how to attack cities?"

Having no other options, Ma Chongying temporarily agreed to their request. He then dispatched his general Qilibuzang with 5,000 cavalry to attempt a surprise attack from the south of the city towards the east.

However, Qilibuzang returned empty-handed after only half a day.

It turned out that Guo Xin had already ordered his soldiers to temporarily form a semicircle outside the north and south city gates using carts and deer antlers, about half a mile from the city. Upon hearing the alarm—with both sides only about three miles from the mountain walls, and the city walls providing a high vantage point, how could the Tang people possibly miss the Tibetan army's movements?—he ordered archers to leave the city and ambush inside the encirclement, unleashing a barrage of powerful bows and crossbows, while also sending several hundred elite cavalry to harass and outflank them. Qilibuzang wanted to charge directly through using his fast horse, but feared being cut off by the Tang soldiers and pursued from behind; he wanted to attack the Tang encirclement, but suffered repeated defeats, and ultimately had no choice but to retreat in frustration.

Ma Chongying didn't blame him, saying, "It's just a test of the enemy's strength, I know that."

So the main army stationed itself west of the city, not in a hurry to attack, but instead ordered 10,000 cavalry and infantry to slowly advance in the north and south respectively. After two days of fierce attacks, the Tang siege was finally broken, and the Tang soldiers all retreated back into the city. Then, the army set up camps south and north of the city, relying on the mountains to monitor the Tang army's movements and block their exit routes. Then, another general, Qiangba Luobu, was ordered to lead 3,000 cavalry to attack east of the city—