Li Xuan's original official title was Zijin Guanglu Dafu, which was a civil official of the third rank.

Now Li Longji dismissed Li Xuanwen from his official post and promoted him to General of the Cavalry.

This is the first rank, and also the highest military position in the Tang Dynasty.

As for the first-rank General Tian Ce, he was never included in the statistics because there had been no General Tian Ce since Li Shimin.

Although the General of Cavalry was a casual official, his status was prominent.

In fact, for the border generals, the third-rank title of General of the Imperial Guards was also used to show off their status.

If Li Xuan had not carried out reforms, Li Longji would have certainly given Li Xuan the title of Kaifu Yitong Sansi, which was also the first rank.

Li Xuan's outstanding military achievements brought him to this point and earned him huge rewards.

Soon, the news that Li Xuan wiped out the 100,000-strong Arab coalition army at a small cost at Suiye River spread throughout Chang'an.

From the poet's soaring poems, we can see that the Tang Dynasty was an era full of martial spirit and positivity.

The Tang people had some confidence in themselves.

People with blond hair, blue eyes and white skin were often seen on the streets of Chang'an, but the Tang people regarded them as barbarians and did not fawn on them like some people in later generations.

However, the barbarians actually sent an army of 100,000 to invade the Western Regions of the Tang Dynasty, which made many scholars angry.

The Western Regions were a part of the Tang Dynasty. The songs, dances, fine wines, food, and specialties of the Western Regions had a great influence on the people of the Tang Dynasty.

Regardless of the reason, the fact is that the Arabs expanded eastwards into the Tang Dynasty, and they deserved to be taught a lesson by King Tianshui.

At the same time, the fact that a barbarian could send out an army of 100,000 aroused the curiosity of many scholars and common people.

In their impression, only the former Turks, now Uighurs and Tubo, could mobilize an army of 100,000.

There were merchants from the Arabs and Sogdians in Chang'an, as well as literati who had been to the Western Regions and knew astronomy and geography.

After "Da Shi" became a hot word, people realized that there was such a big country.

If the Tang Dynasty had not conquered Tibet and the Turks, its territory would have been smaller than that of the Caliphate.

The population of the Caliphate was huge, even more than ten times that of Tubo.

There is only a green ridge separating the east and the west.

Prevent the two civilizations from colliding with each other.

After the changes in the Arab world, similar to the changes of dynasties in China, the Umayyad Dynasty became the Abbasid Dynasty, just like the Li family replaced the Yang family.

The Black Caliphs were so ambitious that they even wanted to occupy the Western Regions of the Tang Dynasty.

Therefore, the government and the public all supported the idea that Prince Tianshui should take the initiative to cross the Pamir Mountains, recover the old territory, and drive out the Black Arabs.

Because this is an army of justice.

But some people also feel worried because there have been too many wars this year, and they were all big wars.

The news that An Lushan led a coalition force of more than 100,000 Hu and Han troops to attack the Xi and Khitan again became a hot topic.

The last time An Lushan led the Hedong Army, he suffered a terrible defeat, so people had no confidence in An Lushan.

Jiannan, which had always been stable, was suddenly in flames.

People only know that Nanzhao was reckless, invaded the Tang Dynasty, and killed the Tang governor.

Yang Guozhong said that Nanzhao had the "ambition to replace Tubo."

From border officials to the Jiannan Jiedushi, they were all Yang Guozhong's men.

People are not clear about the specific situation.

In fact, the Tang Dynasty could order Tubo to send troops to attack Nanzhao from both sides.

But this was a battle initiated by Yang Guozhong, which was considered his political achievement. He believed that the southern barbarians were crude and could be defeated in a snap by the Jiannan Army, and there was no need for Tubo to get involved.

However, Yang Guozhong felt jealous that Li Longji rewarded Li Xuan again.

He already has great power, even if he is pure and innocent, he has to shut up.

The sage remained in aloof and did nothing, entrusting all government affairs to Yang Guozhong.

This means that the memorial originally submitted to Li Longji was first reviewed by Yang Guozhong.

If it is not good for Yang Guozhong, he will intercept it directly.

But there is one exception, that is Li Xuan and An Lushan.

Their memorials were not submitted to the Secretariat, but were delivered to the emperor through the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

An Lushan must be killed.

However, the person Yang Guozhong feared the most was Li Xuan.

Once Li Xuan returned to the court, he would definitely be appointed prime minister again. He had no confidence and kept holding on to power.

But it is very difficult to kill Li Xuan, even if he uses Bian Lingcheng as an insider.

Moreover, the imperial concubine kept telling him to learn from the King of Tianshui and be a good prime minister.

He wanted to replace Liao Zhengrong, the commander of the new soldiers of Changping, but Yang Yuhuan not only warned him, but also told Li Longji.

That's why Li Longji didn't let him take care of such trivial matters.

The new soldiers of Changping were like an intelligence network, monitoring the counties and making the county magistrates, county governors, wealthy families and powerful people fearful.

Yang Guozhong also understood the importance of the new soldiers in Changping, but with Yang Yuhuan's protection, it was difficult to frame them.

The power of the Yang family came from Yang Yuhuan, including the chief prime minister Yang Guozhong.

There was a voice in the court and the country that Li Xuan would still become prime minister, it was just a matter of time.

Yang Guozhong did not sit and wait. He knew it would be difficult to take down Li Xuan from the rebellion, so he secretly told Li Longji that Li Xuan was still determined to reform and implement changes in the Western Regions.

Li Longji is only interested in pleasure now. If he learns that Li Xuan is going to make trouble again, he will definitely not call Li Xuan back.

This way you won't offend the Imperial Concubine.

The most important thing at the moment is to kill An Lushan first.

Everyone in the government and the public knew that he and An Lushan were like water and fire. He always felt that An Lushan was ambitious and must be eliminated.

This was also something that the ministers rarely supported him on.

What Yang Guozhong didn't know was that Li Longji thought that he and An Lushan were just a disagreement between generals and ministers, and that it was not a big problem.

No matter what Yang Guozhong said, Li Longji would not believe it.

Li Xuan's former subordinates and the literati in Chang'an were all looking forward to Li Xuan's return as soon as possible to take charge of the government.

The Yang family had become lawless, and Yang Yuhuan's character was controlled by the Five Yangs, making it impossible to curb them.

Wise people believe that a thousand-mile long dam can be breached by a single ant hole and this is not an exaggeration.

Li Xuan is as tenacious as weeds. “Wildfire cannot burn them all, they will grow again with the spring breeze.” He always gives his followers hope.

The saying “I searched for him among the crowd for hundreds of times. When I turned around, there he was, standing in the dimly lit area” also applies to everyone who is waiting.

Like Yang Yuhuan, she loved spring even more. Even though Li Longji was reluctant to leave Huaqing Palace, she advised him to return to Chang'an early to enjoy the beautiful spring scenery and the colorful flowers.

Like Pei Lingxi and Shuang'er, they looked at the moon in the sky with their children countless nights, wishing that they could live long and share the beauty of the moon even though they were thousands of miles apart. As their husbands made achievements in the Western Regions, they took on the responsibility of raising their children, shouldering the responsibility of the family, and praying for peace.

Like Li Shizhi, he usually has a great time with his friends and seems to be unrestrained, but he always hopes that Qilang can become prime minister again.

Like Du Fu, who returned to his hometown in Luoyang with his wife and children, Yang Guozhong was in power and his career was dead. He was extremely sad about his words of "making the king as great as Yao and Shun, and making the customs pure again". He smelled the hidden dangers under the prosperous times. I don't know what he wanted to do, so he went to Chang'an again. In the Da Ci'en Temple, he chanted "The yellow crane never stops flying, where can it go to cry?", which clearly indicated that after the King of Tianshui was squeezed out, one by one, the wise ministers were demoted from the court and had nowhere to go like the yellow crane; he also wrote indignantly "You see the geese following the sun, each has its own plan for rice and millet", denouncing those who curry favor with the powerful, just like migratory birds that migrate with the warmth of the sun, only caring about making a living and pursuing personal gain. Everyone understood the meaning of Du Fu's poem, which made Yang Guozhong jealous.

History is like a joke. Shangluo governor Wang Changling was demoted by Yang Guozhong to Longbiao as a county lieutenant. After hearing this, Li Bai wrote a poem: "The poplar flowers have fallen and the cuckoo is crying. I heard that Longbiao is across the Five Rivers. I send my sorrow to the bright moon, and follow the wind to the west of Yelang"...

The Yang family naturally took over the gold mines in Shangluo.

Wang Wei was in mourning for his mother, but after learning about the government affairs, the fire burning in his heart was extinguished. At this time, Wang Wei had already achieved the state of "walking to the end of the water, sitting and watching the clouds rise".

It was also in this year that Li Bai traveled to Liangyuan and met the fourth spring of his life, Zong Shi, who gave this wandering poet some support in his later years.

It’s not that there were people who did not dare to rebuke Yang. During this year’s Cold Food Festival, a poem “Flowers are flying everywhere in the Spring City, the imperial willows are leaning in the east wind during the Cold Food Festival, at dusk the Han Palace is lighting candles, and light smoke drifts into the homes of the five marquises” spread throughout Chang’an.

The "Five Marquises" are used as a metaphor for the "Five Yangs", which is a satire on the Yang family hidden in the beautiful quatrain.

Li Xian was a wise man who could protect himself. As the prefect of Jingzhao, he was always able to resolve Yang Guozhong's attacks against him and was loved by the people.

More importantly, Li Xian’s status was not ordinary, and Yang Guozhong could not dismiss him without reason.

All over Zhuque Street, trucks carrying wood and stone were passing by one after another.

Because Wu Yang wanted to build a mansion on a large scale.

Although they were a group, they competed with each other. Whenever they thought another's house was better than their own, they would immediately tear it down and rebuild it even if it cost hundreds of thousands of strings of cash.

The civil engineering work continued day and night.

The Tianshui Palace is already considered a fine residence, but compared with Wu Yang's residence, it is dwarfed by the giant.

On the Litchi Road outside the city, officials began to get busy. Even if there was a stone on the road, it had to be moved away, and if there was a depression, it had to be filled.

This is to avoid delays in the transportation of lychees to Fuling in the near future.

Although the Litchi Road was proposed by Yang Guozhong and built resolutely by Li Longji, Yang Yuhuan also had responsibilities.

She thought there was nothing wrong with eating fresh lychees.

But the 800-mile rush is the country’s most urgent military intelligence and a matter of national destiny.

To eat lychees, people have to rush 800 miles. This kind of putting the cart before the horse will shake the nation.

This is not a question of the value of litchi. When governing a country, leaders must lead by example, and even small mistakes will be magnified.

There are some things that wealthy merchants can do but officials cannot.

In Jiannan, Xianyu Zhongtong was full of energy and vigor. He led the 20,000-strong Jiannan army to formally attack Nanzhao in order to gain military merit.

When Yang Guozhong was down and out, Xianyu Zhongtong promoted him. This insignificant investment enabled him, a member of a wealthy family, to become the governor of Jiannan, where he could get whatever he wanted.

By destroying Nanzhao and expanding the territory for the Tang Dynasty, he could not become Li Xuan, but becoming the second Li Xuan should be no problem.

What are Xianyu Zhongtong’s chances of winning this battle?
Xianyu Zhongtong would definitely answer, "It's just a small Nanzhao, what's the point of mentioning it?"
When migratory birds passed by Nanzhao and returned north to Fanyang, they saw flying dust and soldiers and horses all over the mountains and plains, stretching for dozens of miles.

An Lushan was full of confidence. He was determined to avenge his previous humiliation this time, completely conquer the Xi and Khitan, and complete his grand plan.

The little thief Li Xuan has entered the Western Regions, and it is not easy for him to return to Chang'an.

The villain Yang Guozhong regards him as a thorn in his side. Li Longji is old, and the prince will succeed to the throne sooner or later.

An Lushan knew that he didn't have much time.

Who says the Hu people cannot unify the world?

Don't compare him with Shi Le and Fu Jian.

Above the Baihai Sea, the ice and snow had not yet melted, and an army called "Shen Ce" was patrolling the source of the Yellow River.

The new recruits thought that this was what being a soldier was like, but the old soldiers missed the image of the previous commander riding his horse and waving the whip.

It's not just a reward, it's also a belief.

After some conflicts and contradictions, the city was inhabited by hundreds of thousands of immigrants and became stable under the governance of famous officials.

White cotton is blooming everywhere.

People gradually realized that this was an indispensable treasure.

The melodious flute sound from Qinghai drifted to the top of Qilian Mountain...

……

Early March.

The envoys who set out from Chang'an rode at full speed and finally arrived in Suiye.

They brought letters of appointment, some jumping medals, bravery medals, and announcements of rewards for the soldiers.

Soon, carriages and horses will depart from Chang'an and be transported to Qiuci.

At the same time, there was an imperial edict in which Li Longji agreed to Li Xuan's plan to send troops west of the Pamir Mountains.

Li Xuan had no emotion about being awarded the title of General of Cavalry, as this was not what he wanted.

Even though Huo Piaoqi was once the object of Li Xuan's admiration.

It would be better to reward him with 10,000 pieces of silk than to give him an empty position.

However, the silk and colored forgings that Li Longji rewarded him with were very useful. After arriving in Anxi, they could be sold in exchange for gold, silver and jewelry.

The court helped him transfer the goods for free.

With the imperial edict, Li Xuan immediately gathered his generals and subordinates. When he heard the news that Li Xuan was going to lead the troops westward, the first person to change his face was Bian Lingcheng. He immediately said, "Grand Protector, I can stay in Suiye for this trip, and I will let the internal officials follow."

It was rare for Bian Lingcheng to speak to Li Xuan in a gentle tone, making it sound less offensive.

The main reason was that when he heard that he had to cross mountains and rivers for hundreds of miles, Bian Lingcheng felt uneasy.

He had experienced the pain of climbing over mountains and crossing rivers, and when he and Gao Xianzhi reached Lianyun Fort, he became exhausted.

Eunuchs have nothing between their legs and live a life of luxury, so they are most afraid of long journeys, and even riding a horse is uncomfortable for them.

"No! When the main army marches, the central army must follow."

Li Xuan's eyes moved and he said mercilessly.

Bian Lingcheng is a villain who often exaggerates in his memorials. Li Xuan will not let him stay alone in the Western Regions.

Wherever he goes, Bian Lingcheng must follow!

"you……"

Bian Lingcheng was so angry that he was fuming. Did this guy want to tire him to death?

But he couldn't do anything about Li Xuan and could only stare blankly.

However, he really couldn't stand this kind of living in the open air, so he looked at Jia Chongguan, the garrison commander of Khotan.

"Reporting to General Li, the military supervisor caught a cold not long ago and is ill. If I follow him on the expedition thousands of miles away, I'm afraid something might go wrong. Staying in Suiye won't affect anything."

Jia Chongguan had no choice but to step forward and speak to Li Xuan.

He was originally just a guarding general, promoted by Bian Lingcheng, and was very filial to Bian Lingcheng, so at this time he had to speak for Bian Lingcheng.

"Soldiers travel thousands of miles to fight for their country. Some of them will die in the wilderness. It's just riding a horse and traveling a few hundred miles. Is it more dangerous than charging into the air under arrows and stones, and being attacked by swords and spears?"

Li Xuan took a deep look at Jia Chongguan, and then questioned Bian Lingcheng, "The commander of the Central Army was appointed by the sage, and he is responsible for the emperor's salary and his worries. If you retreat at the slightest difficulty, are you still a loyal minister?"

Li Xuan's words made the faces of his subordinates and generals present become serious.

They all looked at Bian Lingcheng at the same time, with various expressions on their faces, which made Bian Lingcheng very embarrassed.

General Li led the troops by example, and with his ability and bravery, he earned the admiration of the countries in the Western Regions, the Gelulus, the Turkic tribes, and the troops of Anxi Beiting.

Marshal Li also cares about his soldiers and thinks of others. This kind of magnanimity can infect the soldiers even more.

In contrast, Bian Lingcheng's fear of death left a very bad impression on the soldiers.

The fact that Li Xuan was able to suppress the arrogant military supervisor also proved Li Xuan's prestige.

After all, Gao Xianzhi had been unable to do anything to Bian Lingcheng before.

"The army of our army is traveling with the army..."

Bian Lingcheng said with gritted teeth.

He hated Li Xuan so much because he always embarrassed him.

I must find an opportunity to let Li Xuan know how powerful he is.

Some eunuchs were distorted and extremely jealous. Once they gained power, they would punish Li Xuan, not to mention that he had been prime minister, even if he was the emperor.

Jia Chongguan was extremely embarrassed and could only sit back in his seat in shame.

Although Li Xuan didn't say anything, he could feel Li Xuan's sharp gaze.

But that's what it means to be controlled by others.

Everything has a price, it’s just a matter of paying it early or late…

"King of Khotan, you will lead the coalition forces of the Anxi states and stay in Anxi to supervise the Arab captives, build roads, and maintain food supply."

After Bian Lingcheng shut up, Li Xuan began to assign tasks.

"Your Excellency, Grand Protector, we in the Western Regions also have warriors who are willing to follow you into the river and make achievements."

Yuchi Sheng volunteered.

Li Xuan's arrangement clearly treated the Anxi coalition forces as an auxiliary team.

Although Yuchi Sheng was a king, he had been to Chang'an and witnessed its grandeur, prosperity, and flowers blooming all over the city, like a dream paradise.

He is one of the few kings who has dreams.

It is better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix. This saying does not apply to Yuchi Sheng.

A chicken head is still a chicken head after all, and he is willing to be the tail of the phoenix.

"Daqin is the second most powerful country in the world after the Tang Dynasty. Not allowing the Anxi countries to go to Hezhong is to avoid too many casualties in the Anxi countries..."

Li Xuan said this in a cryptic and suggestive way.

Some things would be too hurtful if you said them openly.

For some countries that are just getting by, they are happy with it.

It's not like a country this small has any big ambitions. Just be content with the present.

Li Xuan allowed the Anxi countries to stay because he felt that the coalition forces of the Anxi countries were of mixed quality and their combat effectiveness was too weak.

And there were too many infantrymen, which might even drag him back.

The Anxi countries were loyal to the Tang Dynasty. Even if the Tang Dynasty was defeated, the four major countries would not betray it.

"Reporting to the Grand Protector, there are warriors who are good at hunting tigers in the Anxi states. Please allow me to select 3,000 elite cavalry from the army to follow you into battle. They must be brave warriors who dare to fight."

How could Yuchi Sheng not understand what Li Xuan meant.

He admitted that the overall combat effectiveness of the Anxi coalition forces was much inferior to that of the elite forces of the Tang Dynasty.

But there is no shortage of hard-working people in their country.

He will definitely be able to gather 3,000 elite cavalrymen to form a group of death-defying warriors.

"Grand Protector, I think the King of Khotan is right. Twenty thousand or so are enough to guard the prisoners and transport the grain. There are also warriors in the Western Regions who are good at bending strong bows and riding and shooting."

Feng Changqing thought there was nothing wrong with this.

If there really are a group of volunteers, they must be brave and will be of benefit rather than harm to the army.

"Good! The King of Khotan will select 3,000 brave warriors to accompany the army. After this battle, they will be rewarded the same as the soldiers of the Tang Dynasty."

Li Xuan nodded and agreed to Yuchi Sheng's request.

As for the affairs of the coalition forces of the Anxi states, it was handled by Yuchi Sheng's younger brother Yuchi Yao.

"Thank you, Grand Protector!"

The King of Khotan thanked him.

"Shiliyehu, you lead your cavalry and accompany me. The saint's reward for you is on the way. After this battle, you will definitely get more rewards. I will also support you to become the Khan of the northern part of the Western Regions!"

Li Xuan did not forget the key cavalry force of the Qarluk.

"The king is willing to go through fire and water."

Shi Liyehu quickly accepted the order.

As long as Li Xuan could support him in establishing the Khanate, he would have the capital to compete with the Uighurs.

"Captain Huxeluo, the five thousand cavalrymen under your command should also follow the army!"

Li Xuan spoke to the Turgesh leader again.

After the Hei and Huang clans fought against each other, the Turks became a loose group.

Some of them were difficult even for the Tang Dynasty to control.

In the Battle of Suiye River, the troops led by Huseluo basically played by the periphery, catching some fish that slipped through the net, and suffered almost no losses.

In order to win over the Turkic tribes, Li Xuan decided to take him away as well.

"As ordered!"

Huseluo accepted the order.

They were grazing in the Yili River Basin in Anxi and were destined to be inseparable from the Tang Dynasty.

What’s more, he is a genius like Li Xuan.

It would be great if we could get some rewards like the Qarlugs.

In addition, soldiers from Sogdia, Bukhara, and other countries would naturally go with Li Xuan.

After they show up, their country will definitely change its flag, which will be a big deal for the Arabs.

"Three days later, the Jinglüe Army, the Changcheng Army, the Qiuci Army, the Yutian Army, the Yanqi Army, the Suiye Army, the Hanhai Army, and the Tianshan Army will all be dispatched without any casualties. The rest of the Shouzhuo, Shubao, and Zhenzhen troops will stay in Anxi to garrison."

"Judge Feng, Judge Yan, you can mobilize the civilians and, with the assistance of the soldiers from the Anxi states, transport the grain to Julan City."

Li Xuan looked at the other generals and decided on the date and number of troops to send out.

He also gave instructions on logistical matters.

For the long journey, Li Xuan only needed cavalry.

When marching, because the mountains are rugged, people lead the horses and the horses carry food, so they can carry more supplies.

As long as you get over the mountains, you will have more maneuverability.

Food can be plundered from the Arabs or supplied by the countries in the middle reaches of the Yellow River.

In addition, the first batch of beef jerky has been delivered to Shuye.

At critical moments, it can be used as military rations and eaten for more than ten days.

You can also replenish your supplies quickly during battles or raids without having to cook.

Next, Li Xuan discussed specific tactics with his subordinates and generals.

No matter what, the Tang Dynasty must pass through the Qianquan Ancient Road nearby.

If we go south and bypass the Pamir Mountains, it will take two or three more months to travel, which will miss the opportunity to fight.

It was not until dusk that the tactics were finalized according to Li Xuan's will.

They marched in sections to confuse the enemy and headed straight for the city of Talas, starting the Battle of Talas.

As the first big city after the ancient Silk Road, Li Xuan was certain that there were a lot of food and supplies in Talas.

It can solve the army's food and fodder needs.

The next day, Li Xuan summoned the army.

In front of tens of thousands of troops, he personally awarded medals to the jumpers and warriors and read out the awards.

To boost morale.

All soldiers hope that the rewards will be higher when they return.

I am even more eager to be the next one to receive the jumping medal.

Marshal Li wore the Jade Lin Medal, patted the soldiers on the shoulders, and personally awarded the Jumping Medal and the Warrior Medal to the soldiers. What an honor it was!

Many soldiers and generals were promoted.

Li Xuan appointed dozens of Langjiang and Yajiang.

He also recommended more than a dozen lieutenant generals and generals.

For example, Che Guangqian was appointed as the deputy envoy of the Khotan Army because he obtained the main flag of the Arabs.

Hun Yu killed Ziyad ibn Sari, the commander of the Arab expeditionary force, and was appointed as the deputy envoy of the garrison of Qiuci.

Ma Lin was promoted again and appointed as the deputy envoy of Yanqi.

Li Siye was recommended as the General of the Imperial Guards, Lai Zhen was recommended as the Lieutenant General of the Imperial Guards, and so on.

Li Xuan recommended more of the original generals and soldiers from Anxi and Beiting.

After the award ceremony, Li Xuan began to swear an oath to the soldiers. He used his eloquence to make the soldiers excited.

They looked towards the west as if they were looking at fish.

Two days before the expedition, the entire army enjoyed fresh mutton and delicious Hu cakes.

The Silk Road has not yet restarted.

The first wave of troops, led by Cheng Qianli, began to advance westward along the Qianquan Ancient Road...

(End of this chapter)