As expected, Li Quan failed to treat the guests the next day; the reason was very simple, the Li family invited Liu Qi to a banquet. Compared with Gao Shi, Liu Qi was the person worthy of attention of the Li family. He was only 21 years old this year. Although he became Guoyi of Zhechong Mansion by chance, he was a local official after all and deserved to be optimistic about it. Especially the rumors that the deputy envoy was also very favored, so it was even more worthy of attention.

The head of the Li family also expressed his apology to Liu Qi personally, saying that he was not in the city yesterday and could not entertain him. Although Liu Qi did not believe it, he also looked grateful on the surface.

After accepting the banquet of the Li family, Liu Qi stayed in Suye Town for a few days and had a drink with local officials in Suye Town. Several generals who participated in the Battle of Jieshan were very grateful to Liu Qi. Of course, they might have deliberately pretended to be grateful to each other in order to make a relationship. In short, they were very close. Liu Qi naturally would not turn them out, and the host and guests would have fun.

He also met his past acquaintances, such as the Cao brothers. The Cao brothers did not participate in the Battle of Jieshan, but also heard of the "Bailuzhou Bian General Liu" who offered plans to defeat the enemy. They didn't take it seriously at first, but later they heard that this "Bai Liu General" was a soldier a year ago. He was first lucky and was favored by Secretary Cen, and then favored by Gao Jiedu and became an official. Their brothers suddenly realized: "It's not the Liu Qi we knew at the beginning, right?"

The brothers thought about it and the more they thought about it, the more they felt that the "Luzhou Don't General Liu" had entrusted the person who wrote a letter and went to see him with courage. Liu Qi was quite happy that there was an "old friend" to come to see him, and it was not a bad rule to entertain such an old friend, so he ate a drink together.

On the third day of September, it was really a delay. Liu Qi set off from Suye Town to Tuozhe City. This road was very difficult. There was no decent city between Suye Town and Tuozhe City, and it was sparsely populated. Most of the time was to sleep in the wilderness.

Liu Qi couldn't read such an environment, and Gao Shi was very unacceptable to the climate here, and he couldn't chat with him after coughing every few days. Liu Qi then carefully observed the terrain, landform, and various natural environments along the way, and even privately drew a map.

Although he vaguely remembered that in history, the Tang Dynasty did not attack the Fan Kingdom west of Suye Town after the Battle of Talas; after the Anshi Rebellion broke out, the Anxi Protectorate lost its strength to attack externally. But what if he remembered it wrong, if the Tang Dynasty attacked Shi Kingdom again, Kang Kingdom or even Dashi, the map he drew would have a place to use.

I walked all the way and walked for more than twenty days to come to this capital of the Stone Kingdom.

...

...

"Thank you for Liu Guoyi's escort along the way." Gao Shi saluted Liu Qi.

"What is Secretary Gao doing? Even if you want to thank him, it will not be too late to thank him after returning from Dashi." Liu Qi stood up and asked in confusion.

The two of them were at the place where Shi Kingdom specially entertained foreign envoys. After the Tang Dynasty arrived at Tuozhe City, the officials in charge of diplomacy of Shi Kingdom immediately welcomed Gao Shi, Liu Qi and dozens of soldiers into the city with respect. They also ordered the Tang Dynasty soldiers who stayed outside the city to prepare meals. Tuozhe City was not big, and more than a thousand people entered the city without sufficient housing, so Liu Qi agreed.

Just after he settled down, the diplomats of Shiguo came to convey the order that the king of his country could summon them. Gao Shi wanted to invite Liu Qi to go together, but Liu Qi was not interested in giving a gift to a foreign king. Besides, he was worried that Shiguo would hide his sword in his smile, so he locked them both in the palace and took advantage of the opportunity of a thousand Tang army without a leader to wipe them out, so he refused Gao Shi's invitation and stayed here.

Gao Shi stayed in the Shiguo Palace for a long time. Liu Qi had lunch and came back when he was about to take a break. He also expressed his gratitude to Liu Qi after a few greetings.

"Liu Guoyi, the king of Shi Kingdom, Hassan, just now, conveyed the words of the King of Dashi. He was willing to receive envoys from the Tang Dynasty, but he did not want more than a thousand Tang troops to enter the territory of Dashi, and even did not want the Tang army to pass through Tuozhe City. He hoped to rest in the city for a few days before returning home." Gao Shi said.

"The great cannibals don't want the Tang army to cross Tuozhecheng?" Liu Qi asked.

"That's what Hassan, the king of Shi Kingdom, said, I confirm it again and again." Gao Shi said.

"How did the Dashiguo know our team of people right now?" Liu Qi asked again.

He probably knew about the direct-level territorial location of the Great Cannibal in Central Asia at this time, not close to Shiguo. How long did they have arrived in Tuozhe City? How could the Great Cannibal know so quickly?

"Did you forget? Talas City is still the land of the Stone Kingdom. When we passed Talas City, we also informed the officials of the Stone Kingdom to make the purpose of this trip." Gao Shi said.

"It seems that the Great Cannibal has a strong control over the Shi Kingdom." Liu Qi murmured to himself. "And, they are very cautious about the Tang Dynasty. Do you still have to do anything in Jixi? Is it necessary to attack Ye Zhen? I don't remember that the Tang Dynasty and the Great Cannibal had direct conflicts after the Battle of Talas? Could it be that it was the butterfly effect I brought? But during the Battle of Talas, I was just a small pawn, how could I affect the Great Cannibal?"

"Liu Guoyi, what are you saying?" Gao Shi could only see Liu Qi's lips moving, but he had no idea what he was talking about, so he couldn't help asking.

"It's okay. I remembered that I did reveal my identity and purpose when I passed by Talas. Secretary Gao, the Great Cannibal did not want the Tang army to pass through Tuozhe City. What did you think? Did you obey the Great Cannibal's order?" Liu Qi said.

"Liu Guoyi, I think it would be better to obey the words of the Great Cannibal." Gao Shi had already thought about it on the way back. "After all, the imperial court and the Anxi Protectorate had no intention of fighting with the Great Cannibal again. I came here for peace, so don't go against the intention of the Great Cannibal." As he said, he stared at the person opposite, worried that Liu Qi would be furious to refuse the Great Cannibal's request.

"Okay." Although Liu Qi was dissatisfied and doubtful, he was unwilling to provoke a conflict. It was not that he was afraid of the great cannibals, but that he was in the Shi Kingdom at this moment. If the great cannibals were angry and embarrassed, he and more than a thousand people under his command would have to leave it here, and it would be meaningless to die.

"How many escorts do you want to take to Dashi?" he asked again.

"Thirty people are enough." Gao Shi said: "I brought eighteen guards from Xiping County and asked Liu Guoyi to allocate 12 people."

"I'll go outside to recruit twelve people to guard you." Liu Qi said. He was unwilling to hand over his soldiers to Gao Shi. He clearly remembered that the core territory of the Great Cannibal was in the Mesopotamian River Basin in West Asia. At the speed of this era, he went from Tuozhe City to where he went there for more than half a year. With the negotiation time and the time of return, he was unwilling to "disappear" for more than a year.

Moreover, the Shi Kingdom is located in the east-west transportation road, with a large number of caravans. Kong Wu, who is willing to protect the caravan, has many powerful people. It is easy to hire twelve people; Liu Qi can also get the Protectorate's Office to reimburse the money he hires, and he doesn't have to pay it himself.
Chapter completed!