Chapter 236: Tuyuhun defected, and the Tibetan king fled south

"When will the Tang army break through the Bayankala Pass?"

Nang Zhongbajie was very wise. He immediately asked the centurion the most crucial point.

"I changed trains at the post station and came here non-stop, and it took me a day and a night." The centurion replied to Chidai Zhudan and the senior officials in the big tent.

"Zanpu, our army will first send some elite troops south to reinforce Wuhai City and block Huashi Gorge. This will prevent the Tang army from going north to Dafeichuan, and then we will wait for an opportunity to annihilate the Tang army that has circled behind us."

Nangzhong Bajie said to Chidai Zhudan: "It will take at least three days for the Tang cavalry to rush from the Bayankala Pass to Wuhai City."

The more cavalry there are, the slower the march.

Nangzhong Bajie thought they still had a chance!

"Oh!"

"In times of crisis, who can take on this important task?"

Chidai Zhudan's eyes became sharp. He slapped the table and spoke to the ministers in the big tent.

The more critical the moment, the calmer he should be.

He is the descendant of Songtsen Gampo, and the Tubo Dynasty cannot be destroyed in his hands.

As long as he can overcome this difficulty, he will definitely be able to make a comeback, recapture Qinghai, recapture Jiuqu, and even occupy Helong!
Chidai Zhudan thought that what Nangzhong Bajie said made sense. As long as they blocked Huashixia and used part of the troops to annihilate the Tang army, they could not only clear the obstacles but also boost morale.

The Tang army was alone in advancing deep into the enemy's territory and could not have carried too many soldiers.

"I am willing to go!"

"I am willing to go!"

Generals Nlandazalugong and Nanangshangjiesixiuting stepped forward and asked for orders.

In the battle a few days ago, they were powerless to turn the tide.

Even around the entire Qinghai region, they felt extremely aggrieved.

They were led by the Tang army and fell into the trap step by step.

Looking back, the moment when they had the best chance of winning should be when the summer alliance ended and they took the initiative to attack Jiuqu and Tangjing.

It is too late to say anything now. Even if it costs their lives, they will protect the Zamp and bring him back to Lhasa.

"General Enlan will lead 30,000 cavalry to quickly reinforce Wuhai City. But how does General Enlan plan to annihilate the Tang army?"

Chidai Zhudan was worried about the retreat, so he asked Enlanda Zhalugong for help.

"After I arrive at Huashi Gorge, I will deploy part of the troops there, and leave the other part of the troops and hide in the fields a dozen miles away. Then I will show my weakness and let the Tang army attack Huashi Gorge. The ambushed troops will take the opportunity to attack from the rear. The Tang army will be exhausted after a long journey, and our army has the advantage in numbers, so we can easily win..."

After thinking for a moment, Nlandazalugong explained the tactics to Chidai Zhudan.

"We need to withdraw our men back to the snowy plateau so that Tubo can be preserved. General Enlan, the future of Tubo depends on you. Take the saber of this Zamp and march out immediately!"

The opportunity to fight was fleeting, and Chidai Zhudan did not hesitate for a moment.

He took off his jeweled sword and used it to encourage Nlandazalugong.

"As ordered!"

After taking the sword from Chidai Zhudan, Nlandazalugong's eyes were filled with tears and he bowed deeply to express his gratitude.

Because this is not just a sword, but the fate of the entire Tubo, how can it be of great significance?

If the Tang army was allowed to break into Huashixia and reach the rear of Dafeichuan, the consequences would be disastrous.

After the worship, Nlandazalugong left the tent with several generals.

There was silence in the big tent, and the ministers and kings of various tribes had their own thoughts.

"Cough cough..."

From a tent nearby, coughing sounds were heard from time to time. It was the voice of Moluqiongsang Woermang. He was terminally ill and there was no cure.

When Chidai Zhudan heard the voice, she couldn't help but feel sad.

He had executed Xinuluo Gonglu on trumped-up charges, causing Moluqiongsang and Woermang to become a major issue.

For nearly twenty years, Meiluqiongsang Woermang has always been trusted by Chidai Zhudan.

When the doctor told him that his life was hanging by a thread, Chidai Zhudan felt even more sad.

If the troops withdraw and leave, can Moluqiongsang and Woermang withstand the bumps?

"Dalon Hyungsang said that snow is our hope. Now the snow is already a finger thick. God will bless us, the snow will continue to fall, and in two days, we can withdraw our troops."

When everyone was feeling the most pessimistic and the atmosphere was the most awkward, Nang Zhongbajie came back from the tent holding a handful of snow.

This is to remind them that they will be able to retreat smoothly to the snowy plateau.

"Two days later, light the beacon fire to signal the troops stationed in Dafeichuan to break through to Dafeichuan. Leave behind 20,000 warriors and 30,000 slaves. Mei Lingzan, Mei Luzan, and the more than 20,000 Suobei soldiers under your command will also stay to resist. After three days of resistance, you will be allowed to withdraw to the Snowy Plateau, and you will be rewarded handsomely at that time!"

Chidai Zhudan nodded and began to prepare the retreat plan.

There is no doubt that the 5,000 warriors on Dafeiling and their affiliated tribes will become bait.

But it was not enough to just take over Dafeiling, because the route from Dafeiling to Dafeichuan was cut off by the Tang army, and the main force of the Tang army was outside Dafeichuan, eyeing it covetously.

Therefore, not only the troops on Dafei Ridge, but another 50,000 soldiers have to be sent to form a line to block it.

To be on the safe side, he decided to sacrifice Subi's troops.

After hearing the news, Mei Luzan's face changed drastically.

Allow retreat after three days?

Although it was snowing heavily, which was not conducive to the attack, could they hold out for three days?

I'm afraid that in three days, their corpses will cover the entire Dafei River.

"Why? Don't you agree?"

Seeing that Meilingzan and Meiluxan did not reply, Chidaizhudan snorted coldly.

"The Subi are one of the four tribes in Tubo. We share weal and woe and are one. I am willing to do my best to stop the Tang army from crossing the Dafei River!"

Mei Lingzan bowed quickly, looking very loyal.

Mei Lingzan felt that the situation was very clear. Li Xuan had not sent him a signal for a long time and was waiting for this moment.

He couldn't help but admire Li Xuan's ability to keep his composure.

If he led the Subi soldiers to defect at this time, it would definitely be a fatal blow to the main force of Tubo.

"The minister obeys the order!"

Although Mei Lu Zan was unwilling and reluctant, facing the power of the Ruler Belt Pearl Dan, he had no choice but to obey.

If he dared to disobey the order, given Chidai Zhudan's temper, he would be arrested on the spot.

"Yes! Together with the Dafei River, 140,000 soldiers can definitely stop the Tang army. I believe in you."

Chidai Zhudan looked much better.

It seems that Meilingzan is more aware of the current situation. If Subi can withdraw part of his troops, he will definitely keep Meilingzan and Subi's position as king.

As long as Tubo can escape with its more than 100,000 main forces intact, it will be fine.

Almost all the soldiers affiliated with the Tibetan tribes were killed on the battlefield, but they were still unable to affect his rule.

When the children and teenagers grow up, the Tubo army of 400,000 will once again overwhelm Helong.

Seeing this situation, the Tuyuhun king, the Dangxiang king, the Tongjia king, and the Zhangzhung king felt much more balanced.

However, their hearts would soon be filled with grief. If the men on Dafei Mountain were completely wiped out, they would not be able to explain to their tribesmen.

There is a possibility of unrest among the tribe.

……

They wanted to withdraw their troops in broad daylight, but they could not hide it from the Tang army sentries who had been monitoring Tubo.

In addition to the mountains, the Tang army also built a lookout tower in front of the camp to observe the movements of the Tubo camp.

Teams of Tibetan cavalry left the Dafei River and headed towards the ancient road on the side, where they were immediately noticed by the Tang army.

The sentry informed Li Xuan of the news.

"Tens of thousands of Tibetan cavalry have been mobilized to stop General Wang and General Nan. Marshal Li, we need to act now."

In the main tent of the Tang army, generals and subordinates gathered together, and An Sishun said to Li Xuan.

The other generals and commanders all looked at Li Xuan with an impatient look.

The subordinates also put their hands on their knees, and they all felt that the time was ripe.

The New Year's Eve is about to come, and they all hope to completely secure their victory before the New Year's Eve.

"We can already eat Huangyu from Qinghai, and carp from Baihai is also a delicacy. The Yellow River is our mother river. If we don't have the Yellow River, how can China exist?"

"No one has ever been able to achieve this kind of honor. But this opportunity has been encountered by my generation."

"The blood and sweat we shed flowed from the source of the Yellow River, the Yugu Zonglie Basin, into the Baihai Sea, into Jiuqu, into Longyou, into Shuofang, into Hedong, into the Central Plains, and into Qilu..."

"That moment is destined to go down in history. All of you present here, regardless of whether you are a Han or a Hu, should carve a stone tablet to honor your merits!"

"This is the day we have been waiting for! Unfortunately, the weather is not good and it is snowing heavily. Otherwise, we can wait for General Nan and General Wang to rush to the vicinity of Dafei River. However, it is enough to tie down tens of thousands of Tibetan cavalry and make them feel like a thorn in the side. If the snow does not stop, it will affect our pursuit by infantry and cavalry."

"With King Suobi as our internal supporter, our army will surely win the victory with overwhelming force..."

After receiving the news, Li Xuan made a prompt decision and prepared to start a decisive battle.

Many unexpected events will occur when it snows heavily.

He also had to consider the positions of Nan Jiyun and Wang Nande and whether they could control the key road.

The tens of thousands of Tibetan cavalry might be able to stop the Lintao army.

They were the pursuing party, and the thicker the snow, the more disadvantageous it was for them to attack.

"Li Shuai, please give the specific tactics orders!"

All the generals and their subordinates were overjoyed and stood up and bowed.

"General Che, the armored cavalry of the Chishui Army and the Lintao Army are equipped and gathered together, waiting for orders to attack the Tubo camp..."

Li Xuan also stood up and started to make arrangements.

In addition to the arrangement of armor and cavalry equipment.

Li Guangbi, Cheng Gui, Geshu Han, Li Feiyuanli and other generals led more than 10,000 elite cavalry, equipped with armor, and broke into the Tubo camp.

Li Zhushi, Wang Sili, Xin Yunjing, Li Feishouyu and other generals led tens of thousands of cavalry and prepared to launch a pursuit.

The rest of the military envoys or deputy envoys, in units of armies, led the infantry to pursue the Tubo cavalry!

At the same time, when Tibetan soldiers were captured, some soldiers would be left behind to guard them.

The Tibetan tribes on the Dafei Mountains were dealt with by the Hexi Hu cavalry, Taoyang Tuyuhun cavalry, and Bailang Qiang cavalry.

Together, there were more than 20,000 cavalry and 15,000 infantry.

However, Tubo had no cavalry on the Dafei Ridge.

To be on the safe side, Li Xuan asked Gao Xiuyan to lead the Anren Army, Zhenxi Army and other armies, with 10,000 infantrymen, carrying 2,000 powerful crossbows and 3,000 iron armors to resist.

If they stay put and don't come down, they will stay at the foot of Dafei Mountain and the Tang army will not be able to attack. The food on Dafei Mountain will not last long. When the Tang army wins and they are almost starving, they will definitely fight among themselves.

After a series of arrangements were completed, the attack was scheduled for the afternoon.

At the same time, Li Xuan ordered to stop eating horse meat which had been consumed for several days.

This time, we slaughtered a fresh and fat sheep and stewed it, and drank a bowl of mutton soup to warm our bodies.

In addition to the busy fireman, other soldiers began to prepare various military supplies.

At noon, the aroma of mutton wafts in the air.

The soldiers had already eaten their fill of horse meat that morning, but they preferred fresh mutton.

After drinking a bowl of mutton soup, the soldiers felt warm both in body and in heart.

No one was afraid of the upcoming battle. Instead, they were looking forward to it. Their chance to win military honors and medals was about to come...

The snow was falling heavily, the mountains and rivers were covered in silver, and from time to time there was a gust of north wind whistling like a knife.

Just after the afternoon solstice, the Tang army began to leave the camp.

The armored cavalry have already put on their horses, and the generals have led their elite troops out of the stables and divided into several teams.

The Tang army, with its infantry as a whole, began to advance towards the Tubo camp.

"Boom! Boom! Boom..."

The drums were being beaten very slowly; this was the sound of a call to arms.

The camp of more than 200,000 troops was in good order under the coordination of Li Xuan.

Being only five miles apart, the Tubo sentries naturally discovered the Tang army's great movement.

"Woo...Woo..."

The warning horn was then blown.

"The Tang army wants to attack while General Enlan is away!"

"Li Xuan pressed on step by step, not giving us a chance to breathe."

"Oh! I should have guessed it!"

Chidai Zhudan came to the outside of the camp, clapped his hands, and seemed a little out of control.

"Our army is fully committed to defending against the fierce attack of the Tang army. We should be able to hold out for a few days. But if the camp is breached, we will have no chance. I think we should advance our plans."

Mojie Sangdongzebu suggested to Chidai Zhudan.

Now, no one in the army from top to bottom thinks they can defeat the Tang army and defeat Li Xuan.

They all wanted to survive from the Tang army and withdraw more troops.

Even a famous general like Mojie Sangdongzebu, who had conquered Xiaobolü, lost his confidence.

"Light the beacon fire immediately and order the soldiers in Dafeiling to break out to Dafeichuan..."

Considering his own life, Chidai Zhudan decided to follow the advice of Mojie Sangdongzebu.

After running for a day or two, the snow will be almost gone.

At the same time, Chidai Zhudan ordered several generals, together with Molingzan, Molushan and others, to take over the several miles of defense line of Dafeichuan with 70,000 infantry.

Fortunately, they had built fortifications in advance and had more than three layers of barricades.

There were at least two chariots in parallel blocking the way.

Under normal circumstances, the Tang army would have to suffer heavy casualties if they wanted to break through.

"Woooooooo..."

At this moment, hundreds of Tang army bugle soldiers suddenly arrived in front of the Tubo formation and blew their bugles together.

The low horn sound was inaudible, but the Tibetan soldiers on the front line were very puzzled.

The Tang army's infantry had not yet arrived, so why were a group of buglers blowing trumpeters at the front line?
"What's going on on the front line?"

Hearing the sound of the horn, Chidai Zhudan frowned.

"Reporting to the Zanpu, there are hundreds of Tang army trumpeters blowing their horns in front of the battle!"

A messenger reported to Chidai Zhudan.

Chidai Zhudan frowned. He had never heard of this operation. What did it mean?
Under normal circumstances, shouldn't orders be given by horns?
And there won’t be a hundred trumpets blowing at the same time.

"Is this the clarion call for the Tang army to attack immediately?"

A minister asked in confusion.

"The Tang soldiers haven't arrived yet!"

Nangzhong Bajie shook his head.

Chidai Zhudan and the ministers racked their brains but could not figure out what "a hundred trumpets blowing at the same time" meant.

The situation was urgent and they didn't have time to think too much.

The army was ready to go and began to move southwards towards Wuhai.

"Whoosh..."

And beacon fires were burning in the Tubo camp.

Columns of smoke broke through the heavy snow and rose into the sky. Four columns of smoke were used to notify the garrison on Dafeiling to converge in the direction of Dafeichuan.

The Tibetan king Chidai Zhudan overestimated his influence and underestimated the fear of Li Xuan by the Tuyuhun and Dangxiang tribes.

The eighteen heads that Li Xuan sent to Dafeiling have not been forgotten by the soldiers on Dafeiling.

The Tibetan tribes have figured out in the past few days that if they guard Dayiling, they can still fight the Tang army with difficulty.

If they rushed down to fight against the Tang army, which was as fierce as wolves and tigers and had numerous cavalry, they would not be able to do it.

So, when they saw the smoke columns, the first thing they did was panic.

But there are still 5,000 Tibetan warriors on Dafei Ridge. These people enjoy good treatment and are quite loyal to Chidai Zhudan.

The leader of these Tibetan warriors was a Tibetan minor minister. He ordered the slaves to prepare to go downhill to test and attract the Tang cavalry.

The rest of the tribes follow suit!
The slaves were extremely frightened. They didn't even have armor, and they went down to fight the cavalry head-on, and they almost died.

So, a group of slaves were reluctant to go down the mountain.

Just when Xiao Gonglun was furious, a Tibetan warrior came running and reported: "Report to the Marshal, the Tuyuhun tribe has rebelled. Those Tuyuhun soldiers and slaves have killed the Tuyuhun prince, Tuyuhun generals and a group of nobles!"

Under normal circumstances, the Tuyuhun soldiers in Qinghai could not cause any trouble.

But at this critical moment, the betrayal of the Tuyuhun tribe was fatal.

The Tuyuhun nobles who were inclined towards Tubo were killed, and the situation was irreversible.

"Quick! Kill all the Tuyuhun untouchables first!"

The Tibetan general Gonglun immediately issued a military order.

However, at this time, Xu Nuo's Tuyuhun soldiers had already let go of the fence and rushed down the mountains from the south and west.

The Dangxiang and Tongjia tribes nearby watched helplessly.

Even with the general's order, the ordinary soldiers did not move forward.

After more than 10,000 Tuyuhun soldiers came down the mountain, they met the cavalry led by Taoyang prefect Murong Xihao.

They came to surrender with the heads of princes, generals and nobles, which made Murong Xihao overjoyed and he accepted them immediately.

And ordered them to help defend against the Tibetan soldiers who were about to come down.

In a short period of time, the power of one side increased while the other decreased.

The Tibetan tribes on the ridge were extremely moved, because they saw that after Tuyuhun surrendered, not only was it fine, but they also immediately blocked the way down the mountain with weapons.

Many generals realized that the game was over, and the ordinary soldiers under their command were imitating the Tuyuhun soldiers.

In order to prevent his own soldiers from chopping off his head and presenting it to the Tang people, he set his sights on Xiao Gonglun's head.

In addition, the loyal Zhangzhung of Tubo was also the target of attack by the Tongjia, Dangxiang and other tribes.

Because Zhangzhung and Tubo have almost become one tribe, like brothers.

The Tibetan young Gonglun was unaware of this and was still urging his slaves to go down and attract fire.

Slaves were slaves after all, and the warriors, wearing iron armor, drove them down.

Little did they know that after being driven away, many slaves did not fight with the Tang army, but instead ambushed the warriors in the army, then dropped their weapons and surrendered to the Tang army.

A series of blows made the Tibetan young Gonglun's head buzz.

At this time, the Dangxiang, Tongjia and other tribes launched a surprise attack on Tubo and Xiangxiong...

The Tibetan warriors and Zhangzhung had no numerical advantage and were caught off guard and defeated.

The Tang army recruited Tibetan slaves while enjoying the show.

As long as you stay there, no matter who wins or loses, you will come down sooner or later.

……

Dafeichuan.

"Zanpu, Dalun Jiongsang is unwilling to leave and said that he would be carried to the front of the battle to watch the warriors resist the Tang army..."

Under the protection of the imperial guards, Chidai Zhudan was preparing to retreat towards Wuhai.

He ordered people to carry Moluqiongsang and Woermang onto the cart.

But Dalon Hyungsang was still breathing heavily, knowing that his time was up, so he waved his hand and asked to stay in Dayechuan, and indicated that he wanted to fight one last battle in front of the battlefield to boost morale.

If the chief minister hadn't left, the soldiers would have been even braver...

With tears on her face, Chidai Zhudan agreed to the request and went to the couch of Meiluqiong Sangwoer to bow to him.

But Meiluqiongsang Woermang just grabbed Chidai Zhudan's hand and smiled.

Recalling the twenty years he served as prime minister, he was full of vigor and vitality when presiding over alliances, and he was invincible when conquering cities and territories...

Now, he could only wish that Zamp could return to Lhasa safely, stabilize the situation, and try to revive...

Covered with several layers of sheepskin, Meiluqiongsangwoermang was brought to the front of the battle.

The 20,000 warriors who stayed behind were all moved by what they saw. They swore to fight to the death and blocked the Tang army outside the Dafei River.

Meiluqiongsang Woermang was unable to command. He lay on the couch drowsy, his eyelids unable to open.

But he can't sleep!
Snow flakes fell on his face, and the coldness made him slightly sober.

But there was no trace of blood on his face, nor any life...

Chidai Zhudan also gradually left Dafeichuan.

The infantry and cavalry followed him in retreat, and his followers drove a herd of cattle and sheep.

There were also ministers such as Mojie Sangdongzebu, Nanang Zhongbajie, Nanang Shangjie Sixiuting, and the Tuyuhun King, Dangxiang King, Tongjia King, and Xiangxiong King accompanying him...

(End of this chapter)