Wufawutan and Quan Yi each led 7,000 soldiers and set off two days earlier than Li Hong. What was left for Li Hong was naturally the Iron Pagoda, which had been listed as the top priority in Taiyi City over the years.
The long and solemn ceremony at the gate of the East Palace was carried out slowly. In Li Hong's opinion, every ceremony for the general to go to war was like a group of shamans playing tricks there. Then the emperor would offer sacrifices to the heavens and kill some live chickens and ducks to symbolize the great victory of the war.
"Remember to be on guard against Wang Fangyi when you arrive in the Western Regions?" Wu Mei said lightly, holding the hand of Li Hong, who was wearing black armor.
The helmet was not on his head at this time, but held in his arms. He looked at the ministers below and asked: "Wang Fangyi? Why should we be careful of him?"
"You little idiot, you are so stupid. Wang Jing and Wang Kang died inexplicably, and there was also Ashina Teler and his two subordinates. Even a blind man would know who did it. Wang Fangyi was the only military general in the Jinyang Wang family in recent years. He served under Pei Xingjian. If you want to achieve something in the Western Regions, you can't leave others with any gossip." Wu Mei pinched Li Hong's fingers and said unhappily.
"Don't worry, I won't suffer any loss. You and your father can wait here for my victory report." Li Hong broke away from Wu Mei's hand, stroked his helmet, and then, following the ceremonial officer's salute, he skillfully put the helmet on his head.
He took two steps slowly, faced the Emperor and Empress of the Tang Dynasty, knelt on one knee and said loudly: "I am going to the Western Regions today, and I will do my best to consolidate and prosper the four towns of Anxi! I will live up to the expectations of my father and mother."
Li Zhi looked at Li Hong who was kneeling on one knee and said slowly: "I hope you will return triumphantly."
Wu Mei followed behind Li Zhi, looking at the little man in black armor. She didn't expect that the little idiot who looked so sloppy and not serious at all in daily life has now grown up.
...
...
Standing there, he was almost as tall as his father. In addition to his strict and hard training in recent years, he exuded a murderous aura that was intimidating without even being angry.
Hua Meng led over Li Hong's mount "Grain Ticket". Naturally, this horse also had another "Meal Ticket". They were both two good horses stolen from Li Zhi back then. Now they are in their prime, tall and mighty. Standing next to Li Hong in black armor, they complement each other.
He climbed onto the horse's back and glanced at Li Zhi and Wu Mei, "Father, mother, take care of yourself. I am leaving now."
Tiefutu had already been waiting outside the city of Chang'an. Now, only the 200-man guards followed Li Hong to attend the departure ceremony.
As Li Hong turned his horse around, the 200-man guards beside him also quickly mounted their horses. The whole movement was neat and uniform, without a trace of noise. After they mounted their horses, the 200-man team suddenly looked like a sword drawn from its sheath, giving people a feeling of murderous aura.
Hua Meng, Grain in Ear, Light Snow, Summer Solstice, plus Ban Mei and Xun Lan, the six people behind them also wore black armor and followed Li Hong closely towards the gate of Chang'an.
Looking at the team raising dust, Wu Mei suddenly felt an inexplicable reluctance in her heart. Looking at the back that had been submerged in the team, Wu Mei really wanted to send someone to call him back immediately. She really couldn't bear to let him go to the Western Regions to suffer.
"Why didn't you give him the token just now?" Wu Mei, half a step behind Li Zhi, said in the company of civil and military officials.
"He didn't want it. I gave it to him just now, but he refused." Li Zhi was holding a jade pendant in his hand. It was a jade pendant that could mobilize troops.
Although Li Hong is now the Grand Protector of Anxi Protectorate, if Pei Xingjian is unwilling to give up power when he arrives at Anxi Protectorate, or is unwilling to hand over the military power immediately on the grounds that the prince is young and needs to be trained, then Li Hong can easily take over the military power as long as he takes out this jade pendant.
Wu Mei looked at Li Zhi with a strange look, and couldn't help wondering, "Then aren't you afraid that when Li Hong arrives at Anxi Protectorate, he will compete with Pei Xingjian for military power, which will affect the morale of the army?"
Li Zhi chuckled, looked at the majestic and solemn Hanyuan Hall in front of him, turned his head and said, "What kind of service has Li Hong done that he is not sure of? I believe he can handle this matter well. Li Hong knows the disadvantages of discord between generals and commanders better than anyone else. Looking at his appearance, I am afraid he has already made a plan in mind. Since he has been released, there is no need to think too much. Besides, I have already issued an order to Pei Xingjian, I think it will not affect the army."
Wu Mei listened to Li Zhi's reassuring words, but her brows were furrowed. Anxi Protectorate was not like the Guanzhong area. Li Hong was an expert at making money. Just look at Taiyi City.
But in the past few years, the reforms that his Prince Sixth has been carrying out seem to be all talk and no action. Until now, no one knows how powerful his Prince Sixth is. At least, looking around the court, no one has said how good the Prince Sixth is.
The area under the jurisdiction of the Anxi Protectorate today has shrunk significantly compared to previous years, but the four most important towns in the Western Regions, Suiye, Khotan, Shule, and Qiuci, are still in the hands of the Tang Dynasty.
It still intimidates the barbarians in all directions, except for Tubo, which is located on the plateau. Because it is not conducive for Tang soldiers to fight, they have never been able to gain the upper hand in the war. Even in the battles with Tubo, the Tang Dynasty has always lost more than it wins. This year, it has even switched from offense to defense and can only passively defend.
The Hexi Corridor is the only road leading to the Western Regions. Similarly, Yumen Pass, as the throat and part of the Hexi Corridor, is an important place for the Tang Dynasty both militarily and commercially.
If it weren't for the destruction of the Tang Dynasty's military system and equal-field system in the next few decades, the fertile land in the Hexi Corridor would not have been snatched away by Tubo.
But even now, the Tang Dynasty had no other way to reach the Western Regions except the Hexi Corridor. The Qilian Mountains in the north, as a natural barrier, provided the Tang Dynasty with a good barrier to prevent the invasion of Tubo.
But as Tuyuhun was invaded by Tubo, Tubo's reach had extended to the point where even if one was in Chang'an, one could smell a hint of danger.
For more than a month, Li Hong did not urge his small army of 10,000 to march quickly. Instead, after entering the Hexi Corridor, he began to observe the terrain and topography. He did not know whether he could conquer Tubo this time, but at least he must control Tuyuhun.
Everyone knows the importance of Tuyuhun as the strategic buffer zone between the Tang Dynasty and Tubo in the southwest. However, as Tubo grew stronger, Tuyuhun, under the management of the waste Nohebo, was easily taken away by Tubo.
Wudu and Quan Yi had already arrived at Yumen Pass. After the scouts contacted Li Hong's troops, the two left Wudu and the left and right guards to wait, and then immediately led the troops to Suzhou to meet Li Hong.
Li Hong rode on the horse calmly. During this journey, he finally understood what it meant to be a vast land with few people. He couldn't help but sigh in his heart: It was not easy for the Tang Dynasty to gain such influence in the Western Regions.
"Your humble servants, Wu Fa and Quan Yi, greet the Grand Protector." The two men dismounted from their horses, walked quickly to the front of Li Hong's horse, saluted and said.
"Stand up and talk. It's winter now. Don't kneel down all the time." Li Hong had already taken off his armor and put on Lanling's big fur coat. Now he looked like a bear riding on a tall horse.
"Yes, we will obey your orders." The two men replied in a solemn voice.
Li Hong is very satisfied with these two men now. Quan Yi and Wufawutian are both fourth-rank generals of the Wei Army.
"Has Pei Xingjian been notified? Where is he now?" Li Hong asked calmly after informing the two men to mount their horses and then leading the team to Yumen Pass.
"Protector Pei is now in Qiuci, and the Protectorate is also located in Qiuci."
"Why is it in Qiuci?" Li Hong frowned suddenly.
Suiye is the most western part of the country and can be said to be the most important military town of the Tang Dynasty in the Western Regions. Yutian is located in the south and close to the Tubo border. Pei Xingjian should be in Yutian at this time, so why did he go to Qiuci in the east? Moreover, Qiuci has always bordered the Eastern Turks and was under the jurisdiction of the Yunzhong Protectorate.
"What happened to Shule?" Li Hong's heart sank a little. He realized something was wrong. This was different from the historical information he remembered.
Shule's geographical location is said to be the safest. To the north and west is Suiye Town, and to the south and east is Yutian Town. The three towns form a diagonal line, guarding the border of the Tang Dynasty.
But now Pei Xingjian is in Qiuci behind the three towns. According to the basic setting of the Protectorate, the Protectorate should be in Shule anyway. In this way, he can attack and rescue from both sides, and naturally he can also send reinforcements to command Qiuci from the back.
"Reporting to the Grand Protector, the information sent by Jingzhe and Liebao said..." Unable to look at Li Hong's face that suddenly turned cold, he said nervously.
"Give it to me." Li Hong interrupted Wu Wu and reached out to ask him for the information.
Li Hong took the intelligence that could not be delivered, glanced at it, and said lightly: "The whole army should speed up the march, rest at Yumen Pass tonight, and set out for Shule early tomorrow morning."
"Grand Protector, Pei Xingjian asks you to go to Qiuci first, saying that there is something important to discuss." Quan Yi also took out a letter and handed it to Li Hong.
Li Hong took it again, read it quickly and closed it, then kept silent. He patted the horse's belly with his legs and took the initiative to speed up and head towards Yumen Pass.
It takes at least ten days to travel from Yumen Pass to Qiuci, and at least fifteen days to travel to Shule. Even if something happened, it is too late now.
Li Hong tried hard to search his mind for all the historical details he could remember, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not remember who the rioters in the Western Regions were.
The sky got dark much earlier than in Chang'an. Just as they arrived at Yumen Pass, the setting sun, which was originally hanging on the edge of the sky, hid below the horizon even more hastily than they did.
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