Chapter 132: It's freezing cold, but God is helping me

"Since you are here, wipe out all the Tibetan soldiers here and send a report of victory to the Saint during the Yuanzheng period."

"The enemy's spear array is temporarily formed, but they don't have large shields or bows and crossbows. General Wang, lead 500 cavalrymen to shoot at the rear of the Tibetan camp."

"General Xin, lead 500 cavalrymen to shoot at the flank of the Tubo camp!"

Li Xuan, riding on a Ferghana horse, issued military orders.

Li Xuan would not order the cavalry to charge with spears.

Because he had killed too many cavalrymen with his spear formation, he knew that the enemy would resist stubbornly, and even if he won by charging, at least 200 cavalrymen would be killed or wounded.

"As ordered!"

Wang Nande and Xin Yunjing accepted the order.

The two generals led their cavalry, each performing their respective duties, and began to divide the tasks.

At the same time, Che Shensai and Nan Jiyun had almost killed all the Tibetan soldiers who were guarding the Han slaves.

Li Xuan also ordered Nan Jiyun to lead the cavalry to shoot in front of the Tubo military camp.

Let Che Shensai continue to chase the Tibetan soldiers who were fleeing from the front camp, and use bows and arrows to kill as many enemies as possible.

Li Xuan led his Shen Ce team to shoot arrows on one side, and at the same time, they had the opportunity to break through.

If they broke into such a simple camp, Tubo would be helpless.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa..."

The Tang troops on all sides surrounded the camp and shot at the Tibetan spearmen.

In just half a quarter of an hour, Tibetan soldiers fell one after another.

Even if the shield was raised, it would be difficult to protect against arrows from all directions.

The three-round horse archery revealed many flaws.

But none of the generals ordered a strong attack.

The Tibetan soldiers were caught off guard and had no way to defend themselves. They just had to shoot as many as they could and win without any effort.

"General, the Tang army's bows are weak, and the soldiers are not organized. We cannot defend it. Please retreat!"

The captain of a thousand men persuaded the Tubo general.

The attacking party suddenly appeared within 20 miles of the defenders, and the defenders had no time to react and were likely to be defeated.

Moreover, they only knew about it when the Tang army was several miles away from them.

"Damn it! When the general was stabbed by a Tang soldier, I knew something was wrong. The Tang army really came to raid the Kuba City that was still under construction. Order the army to break out!"

The Tubo general had no choice but to give this order.

They only hoped that the Tang army would be wary of reinforcements and would not dare to pursue.

The Tibetan commander rode on horseback with his personal guards and ordered his men to break out to the south of Qinghai to attract the attention of the Tang army.

The Tibetan soldiers formed groups of ten or dozens, armed with spears, looking for gaps and running wildly in all directions.

Li Xuan ordered the cavalry to pursue for five miles.

Any team that was targeted would consider themselves unlucky. Even if they were not shot to death by arrows, they would be killed by the Tang army.

The Tibetan commander took the opportunity to flee with the two captains, but with so many people, they were the only team on horseback. How could they not be targeted?

Nan Jiyun jumped on his horse, holding a spear, and led dozens of people to charge forward. He was riding a handsome white horse, which was the BMW given to Li Xuan by the Kut merchant Kang Jiahong.

This horse's shoulder height is only lower than that of the Fire Cloud Horse, and it has extremely strong explosive power.

He fired several arrows quickly, galloped forward, and in an instant he arrived in front of a Tibetan soldier.

"Pfft!"

The long spear thrust forward, piercing his back.

The Tibetan commander's personal guards had no choice but to turn their horses and fight back, but Nan Jiyun blocked their attacks horizontally and diagonally, knocking the enemies off their horses repeatedly.

The elite cavalry of the Tang army followed up from the rear, and all the Tibetan guards were killed in a short time.

Nan Jiyun continued to attack, and with the help of his horse's speed, he soon caught up with the Tubo main general.

"call out!"

He first shot an arrow, and a captain wearing a silver-lettered certificate was shot off his horse.

The other centurion did not sit there and wait for death. He drew his bow and rode his horse back to shoot.

"call out!"

"Pfft!"

But Nan Jiyun was obviously faster, and the centurion's arrow was hit in the neck by Nan Jiyun before it could be shot out.

Before falling off his horse, the Tibetan captain released the bowstring, but the arrow shot obliquely into the sky.

Nan Jiyun's bow and arrow was also a stone bow, which was the bow that Li Xuan often used at home and gave it to Nan Jiyun.

The bow that Li Xuan is using now was gifted by the saint.

The Tubo general was horrified. Although he was the general, he was from the Nanang clan, one of the four great noble clans of Tubo. He was a general with a noble status and was awarded a certificate of honor with gold and silver, but he was not a brave man.

Without any guards around him, he was in despair.

"Pfft!"

Just when he was about to surrender, Nan Jiyun drew his bow and shot an arrow, which hit his hat and blood gushed out.

His body also stiffened and fell.

Nan Jiyun simply dismounted and took down the certificate.

In the Helong area, a Tibetan certificate of military merit was considered a military achievement, even the most ordinary iron-lettered certificate.

When the Tang army was pursuing the defeated Tibetan soldiers, Li Xuan ordered his troops to bring all the spare horses over.

He brought Gao Shi and Cen Shen to the place where the Han slaves were.

At this time, the Han slaves had already understood that it was the imperial court that sent troops to rescue them.

They didn't know whether they were happy or sad, and tears kept flowing.

Li Xuan saw that there were indeed children around ten years old building the city. Their ears were cracked and their faces were black and blue from the cold. They were wearing thin clothes and were shaking from time to time in the wind.

It can be seen that the backs of their exposed hands are already lacerated, and they will feel pain even if they move with the slightest force.

The Tibetan soldiers did not treat the Han people as human beings at all.

The two countries are now in deep hatred, and the Tang Dynasty is the same. The last time Huangfu Weiming attacked Jiuqu in revenge for the Tubo's slaughter of Dahua City, he killed thousands of Tibetan civilians.

"We came to save you, why don't you feel happy?"

Li Xuan was puzzled and asked a Han Chinese man who looked to be in his forties.

"I was kidnapped in the 16th year of Kaiyuan, and all my family members died. I am very happy to be rescued. I hope to die in Han land in the future."

Although the Han man said this, he was full of resentment.

In the 16th year of Kaiyuan, the great Tibetan general and general Veda Zhagonglu invaded the Tang Dynasty in order to consolidate his authority.

Wei Dazha Gonglu marched forward with great momentum, captured Guazhou, captured the governor of Guazhou, Tian Renxian, and even captured Wang Shou, the father of the governor Wang Jun.

Many state residents were killed, and even more were abducted to Tibet.

It was at that time that the man was captured.

He was very lucky. He survived from youth to middle age. When most of the prisoners he captured with him were dying from forced labor, he was still alive.

"The remaining people shed their tears in the dust of the barbarians, looking north to the king's army for another year." Ordinary people do not have the same feelings as the poets, and cannot feel the kindness of the country. How can they not resent their own country?
Li Xuan also felt ashamed when he heard this.

Because he knew that when Wang Jun, the governor of Hexi, learned that his father had been captured, he climbed up the city wall, faced the west and cried, and did not dare to send troops.

This allowed Wei Daza Gonglu to become more and more aggressive, and he attacked Changle County and the Yumen Army, constantly plundering food and military supplies, and abducting civilians.

Li Xuan despised Wang Jun very much. He thought that if a commander had ended up like this, he might as well die.

At that time, Wang Jun was also the Jiedushi of Hexi and Longyou, and he was in charge of hundreds of thousands of troops.

What's even more ridiculous is that because of this battle, Wei Da Zha Gonglu was so powerful that he was executed by Chi Dai Zhu Dan with a very lame reason.

From then on, the more ferocious Moluqiongsang Woermang appeared on the scene.

"When were they captured?"

Li Xuan then asked the man about the origins of his other labor.

"It should be in the past few years!"

The man replied that he didn't know the details.

Li Xuan estimated that it was around the 29th year of Kaiyuan when Tubo retook Shibao City. In that battle, the Tubo Zamp personally led several armies deep into Tang territory.

Gai Jiayun, who also served as the Jiedushi of Hexi and Longyou, was addicted to wine and sex and ignored defense. As a result, the Tang army was extremely passive in that battle, and the troops could only rely on military cities and fortresses to defend themselves.

The Tibetan army found it difficult to attack military cities and fortresses, so they turned to plundering the Tang army's civilians. The people of Dahua City were massacred in that battle.

One will be incompetent, exhausting the three armies.

Wang Jun and Gai Jiayun were both famous for their bravery when they were generals, but after making military achievements, they quickly fell into disgrace.

"The people in the Central Plains and the border are too far apart. I hope those who have suffered disasters will be reborn in the Central Plains in the next life..."

Gao Shi was deeply saddened by this inhumanity.

"The criminals are slaves, but what is their crime?"

Cen Shen also sighed.

There must be a lot of Han slaves like this in Tubo.

"I hate that I came too late, causing the people of the Tang Dynasty to suffer this disaster!"

Li Xuan felt extremely distressed. He instructed Gao Shi: "Secretary Gao, please lead the troops to search the Tibetan camp and take out the clothes inside to keep the people warm."

"As ordered!"

Gao Shi accepted the order.

"Official Cen, I see there are quite a few cattle and sheep in the Tibetan fence. Go and slaughter them, have a good meal to warm your body, and then leave." Li Xuan instructed Cen Shen again.

If we go straight for a hundred miles from here, we will enter the Tang territory. There is no need to be so anxious. Because the Huangshui River has frozen, we can cross the river on the ice.

There are Tibetan outposts on the border, but if the Tibetan patrols encounter the Tang army returning, they will definitely stay away from them.

Li Xuan took a long detour in order not to alarm Tubo, and he had no such concerns on his way back.

According to his estimation, the nearest Tibetan cavalry would not arrive until tomorrow at the latest.

About half an hour later, the generals came back to chase them.

Only a few scouts were left around.

"I don't want to leave. I still have to repair the city wall..."

At this time, a man rushed out and ran towards the city wall.

The Tang army soldiers were furious and immediately dragged him away.

After Li Xuan learned of this, he asked the soldiers to bring him over and asked, "The court is sorry for you, but the soldiers have been fighting hard in the cold weather because of you. Don't cause more trouble at this time!"

"I am grateful to the generals for saving me. But my family has been captured here. If I run away, they will not be able to survive. I dare not cause trouble to the generals, but those who are connected to me must depend on each other even if they become slaves."

The man knelt on the ground and begged Li Xuan to keep him here.

"If you stay here, the Tibetans will get angry and kill you."

Li Xuan understood; he could understand this feeling.

The man struggled with a painful look on his face, not knowing what to do.

"Where did the Tibetans imprison the Han people?"

Li Xuan suddenly asked the man.

"Many people were taken deep into Tibet. I only know that in the Qinghai area, most of the Han people were detained in a slave camp north of Fuqi City."

The man replied to Li Xuan.

Fuqi City, located in the western part of Qinghai, is a strategic location connecting the east and the west.

“How many Han people are there?”

Li Xuan asked again.

"The old people have been killed long ago, and the strong men have been driven here to build the city. There are probably about a thousand women and children left!" the man said after thinking for a while.

"I understand. You may leave now! I will personally rush to the north of Fuqi City to rescue your wives and children!"

Li Xuan made up his mind and prepared to launch another bold raid.

Directly from the frozen Qinghai River, penetrate to the north of Fuqi City.

Winters are colder in this era.

In the center of Qinghai, there is an island in the middle of a lake called Longju Island.

The Tuyuhun people once selected a group of tall and fat mares, and drove them to Longju Island to graze when the lake froze in winter. In the spring of the following year, they allowed sea dragons to mate with these horses. The "dragon foals" born could travel a thousand miles a day, chase the wind and the moon, and were extremely strong. They were called "Qinghai Jun".

Longju Island is named after this!

In fact, this is the origin of the Qinghai horse, but it is not as magical as the legend says. The Tuyuhun people drove the Qinghai horse and the Western Region horse to Longju Island together, let them mate and reproduce, and gave birth to good horses.

This is enough to prove that Qinghai is navigable even in the cold winter.

"General Li, you must think carefully about this matter. The Tibetan reinforcements will surely arrive. Although you are doing the right thing, if you lose the initiative, you may not be able to achieve your goal and may even hurt yourself."

Gao Shi persuaded Li Xuan that after all, Li Xuan was the backbone of Longyou and must not be lost.

"Protecting the country and the people is the duty of our generals. I think it is better to save a suffering Tang citizen than to kill a hundred Tibetan soldiers. My original wish in life is to bring peace to the world and let the people live and work in peace. Looking at the west, can you bear to let women and children continue to suffer there with only a small lake the size of a palm?"

Li Xuan looked toward the west and spoke slowly.

This sentence left Gao Shi speechless. The vast Qinghai Sea was actually compared by Li Shuai to a lake the size of a palm.

However, he admired Li Xuan's heroic spirit in his heart. If he did not have a broad mind that embraced people from all over the world, he would not have been able to say such words.

"But your life is more important. Only if you are safe and sound can you save more people and defeat Tubo!" Cen Shen also stepped forward and said.

"In the past, Geng Gong used a small force to defend an isolated city in the Western Regions against tens of thousands of Xiongnu troops. They dug wells in the mountains and boiled bows for food. When they returned to Yumen Pass, they only had thirteen men left. Do we have the same difficulties as them now? In the Spring and Autumn Period, Xian Zhen was only a general of a small country, but he took off his armor and rushed into the barbarian army to die in battle when defending his country. What's more, I am the commander-in-chief of a big country."

Li Xuan defended himself without hesitation.

"General Li is a brave man, and we naturally believe in him. But if you want to rescue the women and children, it will be very difficult on the march." Gao Shi believed that cavalry depended on mobility.

Even if General Li crossed Qinghai and unexpectedly captured the Tubo army, he would inevitably be trapped in the Tubo encirclement with a group of women and children who could not ride horses.

"That's wrong! It's freezing cold, but it's God's help! The sea is frozen, the river is frozen, and the horses can run freely. As long as there is no road cut off, I will definitely return to the border safely."

Li Xuan pointed to the sky and said, there has been a heroic spirit since ancient times.

Only a little over a thousand horses are needed, no more, no less, just right for galloping across the boundless wilderness and icy sea!

"Don't say anything. I only bring 1,500 cavalrymen. You follow the other troops and take the people back to the country first. The Anren Army will pick you up!"

Li Xuan stopped their persuasion.

"I am willing to go with the general. Not long ago, I was just a commoner, wandering around. Fortunately, the general recommended me to see the mountains and seas on the border. I am also willing to serve the country in a distant place like Gu Ji. Although I don't have the ability to charge into battle, I can record the battle situation and merits for the soldiers, observe maps, and take care of logistics."

Gao Shi bowed to Li Xuan.

Gu Ji once died for his country in the Western Regions. He used Gu Ji as an example to prove that he was not afraid of death.

"I am also willing to assist Marshal Li and do what a man should do. I will die a worthy death!"

Cen Shen followed Gao Shi and bowed.

"I will follow Commander Li regardless of death!"

All the generals also bowed to Li Xuan.

They are truly hungry for military exploits.

For Wang Nandi, Nan Jiyun, Che Shensai and others, the coach is not afraid and they are all full of confidence.

They don't have the concerns that literati have.

Just as Li Xuan said, the rivers and seas were frozen and nothing could stop them.

"In that case, let's eat the meat and set off! General Wang will lead 500 cavalrymen to protect the people as they pass through the Tubo garrison area."

Li Xuan entrusted the important task of covering the retreat to Wang Nandai.

"General Li, I am willing to go with you."

The king was unwilling to accept it.

"General Wang is the Lintao Army envoy. He needs you to mobilize the main Lintao Army in Hehuang when I am not around. I need you to convey my military orders and help me out!"

Li Xuan said solemnly.

Of course, he had his considerations for letting Wang Nan stay.

"As ordered!"

Wang Nande also realized his responsibilities as the military envoy of Lintao.

When the people learned that the Tang army was going to rescue their families, they were very grateful.

People whose families lived north of Fuqi City came one after another to thank Li Xuan.

They fell to the ground, crying bitterly. At this moment, they were sincerely grateful.

The people also learned Li Xuan's name, that he was the new commander-in-chief of Longyou, Li Xuan.

Having been to Hexi and Longyou, he naturally knew what a Jiedushi meant. It was a noble status and the governor commanded thousands of troops.

Such a noble man could actually lead his troops here in person. The resentment in their hearts was swept away.

Maybe the court is the same, but Li Xuan is different.

Soon after, the aroma of meat wafted across the coast of the Kuba Sea, and the Tang army began to eat boiled mutton in the enemy camp. The warm meat soothed the people's icy hearts after the disaster.

As for the other livestock, Li Xuan ordered his men to kill a number of them and put them on the horses.

In this extremely cold weather, there is no need to worry about the meat rotting.

After eating and drinking, it was already evening and the sky was gloomy.

Li Xuan ordered the people to be helped onto horses. There was no need for fast horses, they could just walk slowly all night.

This time a thousand horses were seized.

The army may come with three horses for each man, but when it goes back, it is not necessary for each man to ride three horses.

Li Xuan's personal guards were reinforced with elite cavalry, totaling more than 1,500 people.

They did not set foot on the Kuba Sea because their footprints would be too obvious.

They went around the north side of Kuba Lake and prepared to go around to Qinghai.

At midnight, they arrived at the Qinghai Sea.

There was thick snow covering the ice, so it was not easy for the horses' hooves to slip on the snow.

"General Li, in order to prevent the ice from freezing, our army will be divided into more than a dozen teams and dispersed in various areas."

Gao Shi said to Li Xuan.

"Yes! There are fifty people in each team, and each team is a hundred feet apart. Even if there are fifty people, they must be separated. The horses must move at a fast pace, not running, as that would impact the ice."

Li Xuan nodded and instructed the generals: "Our army's first goal is to reach Longju Island. There is dry grass there. We will feed the horses and trim them there."

They also carried a lot of fodder, but they tried to save it as much as possible.

"As ordered!"

The generals received the order.

Even in Qinghai, Li Xuan sent scouts to explore the route in advance.

Although there is a map, the location of Longju Island needs to be clarified.

Moreover, there are probably Tibetan soldiers and supplies on Longju Island, and the supplies above are just right for supplying them.

(End of this chapter)