Chapter 129: Auspicious snow indicates a good harvest

The middle section of the Tianshan Mountains has a gap that stretches for hundreds of miles between Gaochang and Beiting. This is one of the most important channels between southern and northern Xinjiang, and is the Luntai Mountain Road.

The starting point of the Luntai Mountain Road on the southern foot is Longquan Pass, and the end point on the northern foot is Beiluntai City (near Urumqi today). Beiluntai City did not develop into a metropolis in this era. However, as a strategic military site, a solid castle was built, which was the most important stronghold for entering and leaving the northern border. When Vijay went south, there were still 2,000 elite soldiers and horses here. When Yang Yi approached Gaochang, he increased his troops from Gaochang to defend. As long as he protected Beiluntai City and Longquan Pass at the same time, he could ensure his return.

After Ge Lan retreated from Futu City, he immediately retreated to Beiluntai City. Long before Ge Lan arrived, the news of the Tang army entering Beiting had already reported to Vijay urgently.

After hearing what happened in Beiting, Vijay's reaction can almost be described as a piss flowing!

If Murong Chunhua occupied the Beiluntai City and Yang Yi surrounded Longquan Pass again, then Vijay would be *** on the desolate and narrow Luntai Mountain Road and could not move forward or retreat!

The reason why Viaga was delayed in Gaochang was that he hoped to minimize the losses, and even hoped that the Tang army would reveal their flaws and he would turn the tables. At this time, when he heard that Beiting was in danger, he was so scared that he could reduce the losses. He ignored the flaws of the enemy!

What we need to consider now is the issue of life and death!

He personally rushed to lead the elite troops to gallop hundreds of miles a day and flew to Beiluntai City. Fortunately, the troops led by Murong Chunhua were light cavalry, and their attack ability was not very strong. Moreover, the main strategic purpose of this time was to burn enemy food and grass. Murong Chunhua calculated that he had to do his best to conquer Beiluntai City, and he might not be able to catch this small but strong fortress before the arrival of the reinforcements of Viaga. At that time, if Viaga came from the south and the Khitan came from the east, the strategic goals he had set might be lost. Therefore, he did not temporarily change the established strategy. He just sent An Shouji to expel Ge Lan, but he sent troops and horses to appear in the court and burned all the grass in Maye for thousands of miles.

When Viga rushed back to Beiluntai City, fire was already everywhere in Beiting. Jie Li and Ge Lan led the elderly, children and women, and all the grass and food accumulated after a long time of poverty turned into ashes!

After the news spread, the Beiting Hui tribe, who was still stranded on the southern foot of the mountain road, was as if they were lost. They were frightened and panicked, and they burst into tears. The tens of thousands of troops of Viaga were composed of dozens of Uighur tribes. How could they still have the intention to continue fighting? The left-behind generals saw that their morale had collapsed and dared not stop anymore. Before Viaga's order came, they ordered the entire army to retreat.

Although Yang Yi had not received the battle report sent back by Murong Chunhua (the journey from Beiting to bypass Yizhou and then to Gaochang was even more roundabout), he had such a sharp vision. After seeing the reaction of Beiting Uighurs, he smiled and said, "Chunhua succeeded!"

He was still not in a hurry, but just sent a large army to approach it step by step. The Uighur tribes of Beiting were eager to go home, and rushed up the mountain road like birds and beasts, throwing their helmets and armor all the way. Yang Yi took Longquan Pass without any effort. As soon as the southern gate of Luntai Mountain Road was blocked, the Silk Road was completely reopened!

An Shouye came from the west and saw this and was about to lead the troops to chase him. Yang Yi smiled and said, "They are almost forced to the point of desperate situation. If they continue to force them, they must fight to the death. It is not the time yet." He just sent three thousand people to chase them slowly, and did not get too close. He just searched for various materials discarded by the Uighurs along the way.

Soon after Murong Chunhua's war report came, Yang Yi smiled and said, "The task is done!" But if you look closely at the details of the battle with the Khitan attached to Murong Chunhua, you will be surprised: "The three thousand people stationed outside have such skills! If they are elite troops in their country, it will be great." He urgently sent people to Beiting to ask Murong Chunhua to be careful of the enemy from the east. At the same time, he drove 8,000 war slaves to add Longquan Pass before the snow came, and transported the city-guarding equipment from Kucha, Gaochang and other places to prepare for Via's death counterattack.

"The Northern Lu escaped, and the Northern Lu escaped!"

"The Silk Road has reopened, the Silk Road has reopened!"

As soon as Yang Yi's vanguard entered Longquan Pass, the news was like wings growing, flying all over Yanqi, Kucha, Guazhou, and Suzhou! The merchants on both sides had already received information and knew that the Tang army in the northwest had already gained military advantage and were all ready. At this time, when they heard the news, they rushed towards Gaochang.

While expelling the Uighurs in Beiting, Yang Yi also started public security work, suppressing the remaining Uighur soldiers and horses in the Gaochang Basin and the traitors who turned to the enemy during the war. The weather was getting colder and colder, but the market on the Anxi Silk Road was getting higher and higher against the weather.

Zheng Han brought the money that Shule had just sent to Gaochang, but found that the situation was the same as his second brother expected. Logically speaking, Gaochang had just experienced the war and everything was in a state of chaos, but the land price was much higher than he expected.

Anyone in the business world who has some vision has clearly seen the current situation: Viaga's defeat and escape have a completely different meaning from the last time! Although Zhang Mai expelled Viaga last time, the foundation of Anxi Tang army in the northwest was not stable after all, and the east was restrained by Cao Yijin. Now, after annexing the Guiyi army, Zhang Mai expelled Viaga, and he was almost invincible in the northwest. Everyone already believed that Viaga would never have the chance to go south after losing this time, and the Silk Road on the southern foot of the Tianshan Mountains will be a smooth road from now on!

"From Ningyuan to Ganzhou, it is all under the control of General Zhang!" Naib said to his sister Shi Nai: "The trade between Saman and Anxi has also stabilized. Now Kuba's border business is getting bigger and bigger, and the conditions for merchants' exchanges have become more and more relaxed. In the past, merchants from the two countries could only trade at the border. Now, as long as they spend half a tael of gold to buy customs clearance documents from the border and get official guarantees, they can go from Bukhara to Kucha. Now that Gaochang is opened, this road can extend to Ganzhou! Soon after, I guess even Liangzhou and Lanzhou will be opened."

He was originally a regional merchant in the Talas region. As his business grew bigger and bigger, he also paid attention to the overall situation of the Silk Road, so he also worked hard to collect the geography of the East.

Shi Nai said: "Lanzhou is opened, so it's not far from Chang'an."

"Yes." Naib smiled and said, "At that time, the road will be running not only by camels, but silk and gold! We can't just do cotton business. There are too many people staring at this area, and the profits are gradually getting thinner. I have already outsourced some of the quotas. In the future, we will consider other ways that can be bigger."

While Gaochang's merchants were about to move, there was a large army in the east walking on the wilderness leading to Beiting.

The army stretched for thousands of miles, and the total number was afraid there were 30,000 people! 30,000 people, but there were no less than 100,000 horses!

Looking at the banner of the army, it was Yelu Shuogu, the right commander of the Khitan Pishi Army!

He led 5,000 elite troops from Huangshui and advanced 500 miles westward, and ordered 10,000 troops from the Ugu enemy Lieutenant Army to meet. When he arrived at the Zubu tribe, he recruited another 12,000 people and continued to advance westward. He recruited more than 9,000 Dadan troops in the southern part of the Northwest Road Zhidao Division. The road was magnificent. The rear army was still 800 miles east of Wushan (now Hangai Mountains), but the vanguard was close to the border of the Uighurs in Beiting.

Yelu Shuogu used his troops very quickly, and he himself was in the second group of the army. His plan was to make 9,000 front troops arrive near the city of Futu before the harsh winter arrives. When he arrives in the spring, he will be intimidated to lead the Piga and trample the Western Regions. On the way to advance westward, he has already made a general plan for the war next year.

Unexpectedly, after passing Wushan that day, suddenly rushed towards the front, and it was the emergency envoy sent by Yelu Letaigu. After listening to the messenger's report, Yelu Shuogu's heart was slightly shocked: "Has the city of Futu burned?"

"Yes."

"Where is Naletagu?"

"General Yelu is leading his troops to the east. The Beiting grass has been burned by the Tang army and cannot be stationed for a long time."

Yelu Shuogu was very dissatisfied with Letaigu's defeat and escape. Although he said that the opponent had a large number of troops, Yelu Shuogu also believed that the Khitan cavalry should not be defeated and escaped easily!

However, the situation in front of him seemed not to be too entangled in this matter. When he was on the shore of Huangshui, he was not very convinced of Shu Luping's judgment, and felt that the empress dowager was too arrogant to the Tang army, but after this incident, he was already five points higher than the Tang army in the northwest!

"Advance! Accelerate the advance!" Yelu Shuogu said: "We must meet with Vijay quickly!" Then he himself took hundreds of cavalry and rushed to catch up with three thousand vanguards overnight.

On the way to continue westward, he first met Yelu Letaigu. After the two armies merged, Yelu Shuogu ordered Yelu Letaigu to lead the way.

Yelu Letai said: "Xiwen (that is, the meaning of the Khitan word to command the army), Murong Chunhua's methods were so vicious that he followed me all the way and set fire to burn all the forage in Beiting. If our army continues to advance westward, we may be frozen to death and starved to death in the wilderness of Tingzhou!"

Yelu Shuogu said coldly: "If you don't care about Viaga, then in the coming year, Viaga will either surrender to the Tang people, or as you said, frozen to death and starved to death in this wilderness, our Khitan will be cut off by the Han people! Go west, go west! It was the first time that Murong Chunhua came to Beiting and was not familiar with the road here, and perhaps there would be a flaw. In any case, we have to respond to Viaga and cannot easily give up the arm we arranged in the Western Regions!"

Therefore, despite Yelu Letaigu's dissuasion, he took the risk of continuing to move westward and walked more than 200 miles. At dusk on the day, he suddenly came forward: "A fire appeared in front!"

"What!"

He galloped over, but saw that the fire had gradually faded, and two big flags were planted among the ashes, with the word "Tang" written on it and the other one written on it!

"Fine and stable, there is a package hanging under the Murong banner."

"Cook it!"

When the package was opened, there was a ball of ashes inside, and there was a letter written in Chinese.

Yelu Shuogu did not know Chinese characters, but the degree of Khitan was far deeper than that of the Uighurs, and he had long dealing with Han people. Therefore, there were Han staff members in the army. Yelu Shuogu called Han staff members, and the staff members opened the letter and translated it into Khitan dialect and read it: "Murong Chunhua, the general of the cavalry of the Tang Dynasty, led to the Khitan general: Beiting has been burned and heavy snow is coming. If we want to die, our army will wait for you to be on the ruins of Luntai." Below is Murong Chunhua's handwritten strokes.

After hearing the translation of the Han staff, the Khitan generals were furious and said, "This Han named Murong Chunhua is so arrogant. Even Lu Long and the famous Han general of Lingwu dare not say such big words!"

They all asked for battle, but Yelu Shuogu was a person who had become famous since the time of Yelu Abaoji. He was already old. Looking at the wilderness covered with ashes, he sighed: "Let's go, go back."

All the generals shouted, "How can that be done! The enemy went back before they even saw it. How can we explain to the Queen Mother and the Emperor!"

Yelu Shuogu said coldly: "If we don't go back now, we are afraid that we can only become ghosts and explain to the Empress Dowager and His Majesty the Emperor! Our biggest enemy is not Murong Chunhua, but the sky that is about to turn white, and the ground that has turned black!"

The sky that is about to turn white refers to heavy snow, while the ground that has turned black refers to ashes.

"Walk!"

Hiding in the distance and seeing Yelu Shuogu’s banner circling with a thousand-mile mirror, Murong Chunhua breathed a sigh of relief: “Go back.”

"Go back?" Shi Hui said.

"Well," Murong Chunhua said: "They can't stay here in Beiting, so we will withdraw to Zheluoman City in the northern part of Yizhou immediately, where we will spend the winter."

Shi Hui said: "Are there no troops stationed in Beiting?"

Murong Chunhua said: "No. Our food and grass are almost the same. This winter will become a wilderness of death. If we want to transport food from Yizhou, the cost is too high. We don't need to leave a group of brothers here to accompany Vijay to freeze and starve."

"But what should I do when the Khitan comes again in the spring?"

Murong Chunhua said: "It is thousands of miles away from their nearest stronghold to Beiting. We crossed Zheluoman Mountain, or General Yang passed through Luntai Mountain Road but only hundreds of miles. If you get the moon near the water tower, they will definitely not be able to get ours."

The nine thousand army suffered almost no great losses, so they brought more than 20,000 prisoners back to the northern part of Yizhou. Murong Chunhua ordered Yang Zhuo to take people to send the prisoners to Yiwu City, the capital of Yizhou. However, he himself stationed in Zheluoman City, guarding the important roads of Beiting into Yizhou to prevent the Beiting Uighurs from fighting back to death.

Shortly after Yang Zhuo set out, a new appointment came from the south. The messenger who sent the order said repeatedly: "Congratulations to General Murong, congratulations to General Murong!"

Murong Chunhua felt amazement in his heart, thinking that although his contribution was not small, the battle situation had just been reported, so he shouldn't have a reward from Zhang Mai so soon, so he asked, "Where does the joy come from?"

But he listened to the envoy: "General Murong, the general, has just adjusted the military deployment of our army. Two additional military regions are added in the west and north, each region has a governor. To the west is Ningyuan Military Region, with General Guo Luo as the governor, and to the north is Luntai Military Region, and General Yang Yi as the governor. And General Murong, you have just been appointed as the deputy governor of Luntai! Therefore, the officials are here to enthrone the public and congratulate them in private."

All the generals under his command were very happy when they heard this and congratulated Murong Chunhua. Although Murong Chunhua had no time to ask about the details of the deployment of the military region, he felt moved when he heard the word Luntai: "Luntai... Luntai..."

"Ah, it's snowing!"

"Auspicious snow indicates a good harvest!"

Sure enough, heavy snow like goose feathers drifted outside the window, but Murong Chunhua's heart was still lingered in the word "Luntai". He knew that no matter whether Zhang Mai had sent other orders to Yang Yi, the four words "Luntai Governor" alone contained a lot, and many of the meanings that Yang Yi would understand at first sight.
Chapter completed!