In the long smoke desert, you can see wind-eroded mushroom stones everywhere. The scorching sun is scorching, and mirages are frequent.

Even Xue Rengui himself felt that it was a miracle that their group of people were not overwhelmed by thousands of troops, did not die of hunger, thirst and fever, and were not lost in the desert and died in the belly of a wolf.

Ahead, a large green field loomed.

This time, not a mirage!

Soldiers of the three armies, cheer thunder!

"General Xue, we're coming out! We left the Eight Hundred Desert and came to the grassland! The left and right lieutenants cried out with joy.

The corners of Xue Rengui's mouth rose slightly, nodded and smiled, and breathed a sigh of relief.

It has been more than half a month since the day of the breakthrough to the north. Along the way, first the bloody battle of the Tianshan Mountains ambushed the mud slurp, and then crossed the unattainable and dangerous Tianshan Mountains; After descending the mountain, he entered the territory of Basimi under the rule of the Western Turkic Northern Court. Although the Baxi Secret Department is a small tribe, all the people are soldiers with a large number of elite riders, waiting for work. Xue Rengui led the iron army of this division's veterans who were tired but had the seal of Qin Shubao's god of war in their bones, and attacked the weak and strong head-on, like a sharp cone piercing the three lines of defense laid by the Ba Xi Secret Department, destroying thousands of enemies and breaking through the encirclement, killing more than 30 enemy generals and chiefs. Xue Rengui also captured the second son of the Baxi secret leader before the battle, and took him away as a pledge, and let him go back after fleeing for 500 miles. Feeling Xue Rengui's righteousness, he vowed to persuade his father to stop pursuing the Tang army after he returned, and said that in fact, the secret department had never intended to be an enemy of the Tang Dynasty. It's just that the obscenity of the North Court has to be subservient to the North Court and act according to orders.

Breaking through the siege of Ba Ximi, Xue Rengui's department arrived at the great desert near the southern foot of Jinshan. As early as a few decades ago, Jinshan was the territorial dividing line between the Western Turks and the Eastern Turks, which were pacified by the Tang Dynasty. To the west, there is the sphere of influence of the North Garden; To the east, it entered the Mobei grassland of the Tang Dynasty.

And here, the one guarding the territory of the North Courtyard is the general of the North Courtyard who is second only to the mud sipping, and the leader of the Hu Lu Department, Hu Lu House.

80,000 soldiers, deployed in dangerous fields!

At this time, Xue Rengui's department was more than 1,000 miles away from Gaochang, and many soldiers were killed and injured in battle along the way, and the supplies along the way basically relied on booty and wild hunting, and every soldier almost reached the limit of what the human body could bear to be tired!

But Xue Rengui knew that there was no way back now! Only by breaking through the big defense line guarded by Huluwu, crossing the desert into the Mobei grassland, and then entering Helong through the Yinshan and Helan Mountains in Duhufu, it is possible to return to Lanzhou!

Thousands of miles away, thousands of miles away!

At this moment, Xue Rengui really hoped that he and the remaining 17,894 Tang Army soldiers could transform into wings and fly back to Lanzhou!

Xue Rengui only used one sentence to boost the morale of this lonely and brave division - "We are all sons of the Tang God of War, and we have only one way forward!" ”

"Kill—"

More than 10,000 tired soldiers, to the 80,000 elite Turkic cavalry of the Hulu House, made a sworn attack to the death!

Xue Rengui, the first soldier, is like the head of a bloody spear, breaking through the army!

……

The fierce battle lasted more than four hours. In the middle of the night, the "Eighteen Cavalry" generals under the command of Hu Luwu, the general of Beiting, who were proud and brave to crown the three armies, were personally picked and killed by Xue Rengui in front of the battle!

The people of Huluwu are terrified!

The eldest leader Hu Luwu was full of grief and indignation, and immediately gave up the encirclement of Xue Rengui's department, and let them break through the defense line here and enter the desert!

After this war, Xue Rengui became famous, and he was known to women and children in the north and south of the desert!

The mud that was pierced through the chest by Xue Rengui was a big disaster, and he couldn't pick up half his life, but he would definitely not be able to lead the troops within a year and a half. The 6th Khan of the North Court was furious, and ordered a man of pure gold to be cast in the same size as a life-size, and threatened that if anyone cut off Xue Rengui's head, he would reward him with this golden man; If he can be captured alive, in addition to the bounty man, he will also be awarded a thousand tribes to receive 3,000 cattle and sheep, and 20 beauties!

At this time, Xue Rengui, who had already led more than 10,000 soldiers of the Western Expeditionary Army who had survived a hundred battles, was like a group of immortal iron men who trekked through the 800-mile desert where no grass grows, crossing across and stepping on the grassland to breathe fresh air.

"General, where are we going now?" The left and right lieutenants asked Xue Rengui.

Xue Rengui wrinkled his eyebrows and pondered for a moment, and said, "This place is also the first time in my life. I have seen the map of the "Mobei Military Geography" inherited by the young marshal from Wei Gong; If I remember correctly, more than 400 miles to the southeast is the territory of the former Eastern Turkic Turkic Khan. ”

"Tuli Khan? Was it the little Khan of Ashina who assisted the Tang Dynasty in pacifying the Turkic Khanate a few years ago? Left and right asked.

"It's him." Xue Rengui nodded and said, "The Turki Khan is the noble chief of the Ashina Tribe. The surname of 'Ashina' is just like the surname Li of my Tang Dynasty...... After he returned to the Tang Dynasty, he was awarded the title of Governor of Shunzhou, and later died of illness in the Hui Dynasty. After that, his son Ashina He Luohu succeeded him and remained in the steppe to be entrusted by the Tang Dynasty to govern the Turkic remnants here. ”

"That's great!" Left and right said excitedly, "So, he is our own Datang!" ”

“. YZ u is here~" Xue Rengui frowned lightly and said, "But I don't know him." In the past few years, the Tang Dynasty has rarely garrisoned troops here, and at most only sent some officials to assist He Luohu in managing the military and government. In the current Turkic steppe, the most powerful is the Xue Yantuo tribe north of the desert. Their Lingyi men, like the Turki Khan, have helped the Tang Dynasty to pacify the Turkic Khanate. Later, His Majesty gave the princess surnamed Li to marry and named him the Khan of Zhenzhu. But Yi Nan has always been strong and brave and ambitious, and in recent years, he has annexed several grassland tribes one after another, which is nothing more than wanting to unify the grassland and break away from the Tang Dynasty and become the second Jieli. That is to say, the Ashina tribe, a grassland aristocratic tribe nominally led by He Luohu, is still a vassal of the Tang Dynasty; But in fact, I am afraid that they have succumbed to Xue Yantuo's authority under the authority of Yi Nan. After all, Datang can't do anything about it......"

"What then? Then shall we still go to Ashinabu? Left and right asked.

"To go or not to go, that's the way we have to go." Xue Rengui's eyes narrowed slightly, and his tone sank, "Think about how the yellow flower-like grassland Ashina Department yesterday is compared to the 80,000 iron horsemen under the command of Hu Luwu!" ”

"Order-all eastward march, target, Ashina territory, Yu Overseer Mountain Tent Tribe!"

Two days later, Xue Rengui, who had traveled all the way, led his army to arrive at Yudujun Mountain, where the former Turkic Khanate was located, and also the most prestigious political and military heart and prosperous place on the grassland.

But what you see is shocking!

The once bustling Tooth Tent tribe is now lifeless and fragmented, with scattered corpses and cattle and sheep running around. The shepherd's felt tent was billowing in the smoke of the flames, the green grass was dried up with bruised blood clots, and the tribe of dozens of miles in size was like a dead land!

"This place has been ransacked by fire!" Everyone unanimously came to this conclusion!

"Who dares to act so boldly and recklessly to do something to the grassland Ashina?" Xue Rengui was both shocked and angry, and secretly thought to himself: Although the Ashina tribe is yesterday's yellow flower, it still lives up to the name of the nobles, and it has prestige and influence among the grassland tribes, at least it can be regarded as a spiritual leader. Moreover, He Luohu, the son of the Turki Khan, was personally awarded by the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty to govern the army close to the people, and he was the minister of the Tang Dynasty. Now Ashina is washed in blood...... Could it be that Yi Nan is really reversed?

"Search the tooth tent to see if there is a live mouth!" Xue Rengui gave an order, and all the soldiers searched separately.

After the hour passed, all the soldiers reported, but none of them survived, and almost all the wealth of cattle and sheep was looted!

"How can it be!" Xue Rengui gritted his teeth and snorted, and his hand Fang Tian's halberd was clenched.

"General, there is a brigade of military horses in the east!" Suddenly the scout came to report.

Xue Rengui raised his eyebrows: "Prepare for battle!" ”

Countless iron hooves are rolling in. The prairie is shaking!

Xue Rengui set up a good formation and only brought a flag to make a horse out. Along the way, all the soldiers were stained with blood and dirty, but only this bright red Tang character banner was still bright and shiny in the wind.

The number of soldiers and horses coming from the front was no less than 30,000. The Black Iron Xuanjia Scimitar Wolf Banner is obviously the army of the steppe tribe.

Xue Rengui raised his hand Fang Tian Painting Halberd, signaled the whole army to be on alert and ready for battle, and then stepped forward first.

The opposing cavalry stood still on a high slope in a circle, occupying the geographical advantage of being condescending to prepare for a charge, but they did not rush to attack, but lined up like a dark cloud. Subsequently, a number of horses galloped out and came towards Xue Rengui.

Xue Rengui naturally didn't know these people who came, but looking at the other party's attire and bearing, they should be chiefs and generals. These people are quite guarded and confused at the same time.

A few riders stared at Xue Rengui a few times, muttered a few words, and one of them stepped forward and said in Chinese: "Who is Your Excellency?" Why did you loot the Ashina tribe? ”

Xue Rengui's expression was solemn, and he hugged his fists and said: "I am under the command of Qin Shubao, the Duke of Anxi Protector Country, and Xue Li, the general of Lanzhou Zuo Weiwei!" led the army to this point, coinciding with the bloodbath of Ashina. My department will arrive an hour earlier than your department, if you don't believe it, you can enter the tooth tent to check the knife edge! The knives used by my Datang sergeant are all straight and horizontal knives; And the wounds of the deceased in the tooth tent were all caused by scimitars! ”

The few people on the opposite side were obviously taken aback, and asked the man: "Your Excellency is Xue Rengui, the Tang Dynasty god general who defeated Hu Luwu in the Tianshan Mountains and defeated Hu Luwu in the Eight Hundred Deserts?" ”

"What kind of Tang god general dare not be, it is Xue." Xue Rengui said lightly.

Several people on the opposite side exclaimed in surprise, turned over and dismounted neatly, stood in front of Xue Rengui's horse, stroked his chest and bent down: "General Xue is above, please accept our great gift!" ”

Xue Rengui was stunned for a moment, so he inserted Fang Tian's halberd into the dirt next to the horse, and also got off the horse and hugged his fists in return, saying, "I don't dare to take such a big gift." Dare to ask Your Excellency, what do you call it? ”

"The gods are on top, and I am the Uighur tribe of the Uighur tribe conferred by His Majesty the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty (official name, meaning of the big leader), and I am confused." The man who had just questioned him replied, "A few days ago, I received a call for help from Ashina He Luohu, saying that Yi Nan had come to harass and intended to massacre the city, so he led an army to rescue him...... Unexpectedly, it was still late! ”

"It turned out to be a big collar of Tumidu, and the last general is disrespectful!" Xue Rengui hugged a fist, and raised his thick eyebrows angrily, "Is Yi Nan really going to rebel?" ”

"Hey!" Tu Midu sighed, shook his head and said, "After Yi Nan helped the Tang Dynasty pacify Jieli and was named the True Pearl Khan, he was proud of himself and bullied the weak, and for several years he was rampant in the grassland and large and small tribes, even the noble Ashina of the grassland, he dared to bully!" Of the tribes the size of the steppe, only my Uighur tribe and the Ashina tribe did not give in to him. Now, Yi Nan has more than 200,000 soldiers, and he has long been disobedient in Mobei, and sooner or later he will definitely sweep the grassland. Now that the Tang Dynasty has started a war with Tubo and the Western Turks, Yi Nan thinks that the Tang Dynasty has no time to look north, so he brazenly makes a move against Ashina! - General Xue, I have reported to the Governor of Bingzhou, Li Yugong, to ask for help! However, Yi Nan has already washed the Ashina with blood, and sooner or later I will definitely do it again! Please also ask General Xue to uphold justice! ”

"Justice?" When Xue Rengui heard these four words, his chest was churning with anger, but he was also a little crying and laughing, and said secretly: I am also a hurried passerby, I am still difficult to protect and am anxious to return to Lanzhou, where can I take care of it? The imperial court has its own feudal official Li Tao to manage here, and His Majesty calls him 'the Great Wall of the Tang Dynasty to the north', where is my turn to come and act on my behalf?

But in the blink of an eye, when he saw the blood-washed tribe and the corpses in all directions not far away, Xue Rengui really couldn't bear this anger. After pondering for a while, he said: "Since Yi Nan is the True Pearl Khan conferred by His Majesty, now he is blatantly rebelling against the Ashina tribe in blood. I am the general of the Celestial Empire who has led the army here, and I cannot ignore it! - Daling, please send a message to Yi Nan to say that the envoy of the Tang Dynasty has come to ask for the guilt, and let him answer with me Xue Rengui before the battle and give an explanation! ”

"Uh, this ......" Tu Midu looked a little embarrassed, and his mouth was swallowed.

Xue Rengui knew that Tumidu was a little afraid of Yi Nan, and obviously underestimated him Xue Rengui, and he couldn't believe the more than 10,000 Tang troops here. He smiled slightly and said: "Tu Mi Du Daling, although Xue is a pawn of the Tang Dynasty with no name, however, with the banner of the Tang Army here, it is a symbol of the Celestial Empire." According to the Celestial Dynasty, he should look at the wind and escape! If he really wants to rebel, he will dare to use a sword against me Xue Rengui! - If he uses force, he will betray Datang first, and I, Datang, will rise up and attack him! If this is the case, Li Tao's army will be famous, and the pacification of Mobei will return to the grassland, which is just around the corner! With the divine power of the Tang Dynasty as a support, Xue came alone to this division and the veterans were tired, but he was not afraid; The soldiers under the command of the big leader are well fed, and the people of the tribe are fighting against the enemy with all their might, so why be afraid? ! ”

"What General Xue said is true! That's it, that's it! Tu Midu still hesitated for a moment, nodded and said, "Then, first ask General Xue and his soldiers to rest in my tribe and recuperate!" Wait for me to pass on the message to Yi Nan and see what he thinks! ”

"It's better to be respectful than to obey! Collar, please! ”