Broken Leaf City, the pearl of the Silk Road, the important town of the Tang Dynasty in the Western Regions, and the farthest frontier city fortified in the western region by Chinese dynasties. （ . At the same time, it is also the birthplace of the poet immortal Li Bai.

For a long time from the early Tang Dynasty to the Xuanzong Dynasty, the town of Xiaye was once one of the four towns of Anxi, guarding the shortcut between the northern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains and the deserts of Central Asia and northwest China. (679-719 AD)

In fact, from a geographical point of view, Broken Leaf City is more in line with the purpose of the Anxi Protectorate than Yanqi. If we take a little time to explain, the geographical characteristics of the western part of the Tang Dynasty determine the necessity and rationality of the establishment of the four towns of Anxi. You may remember that in the geography class of junior high school, the teacher would definitely summarize the geographical characteristics of Xinjiang as "three mountains and two basins", that is, the Altai Mountains in the north, the Tianshan Mountains in the middle, and the Kunlun Mountains in the south, sandwiched between two desert basins, the Junggar Basin and the Tarim Basin. High mountains and uninhabited deserts are natural barriers against the enemy, in the era of the Tang Dynasty, the south of the Kunlun Mountains was Tubo, and the north of the Altai Mountains (Hu language means "Golden Mountain") was a real barren land. The mission of the Anxi Protectorate is to stick to the three main roads separated by the Tianshan Mountains and the Tarim Basin, which are not only the main roads of the Silk Road, but also the main roads for friendly communication and exchanges between the people of all ethnic groups in the Western Regions and the Tang Dynasty. And those who guard the entrances of these three main roads have Khotan in the south, Shule in the middle, and broken leaves in the north.

Coupled with the turtle in the center of the rear, this is actually the ideal configuration of the four towns of Anxi.

However, in the seventh year of Kaiyuan, the ten Khans of the Western Turks invited them to live in Broken Leaf City, in order to take care of the emotions of these descendants of the former steppe overlords, and at the same time intended to let the loose tribes after the collapse of the Western Turks share some of the heavy responsibilities of guarding the Western Regions, Xuanzong approved this request. Tang Jiahui, who was the envoy of the Four Towns at the time, suggested that Yanqi Town should be used to replace Broken Leaf Town, and since then, the Four Towns of Anxi have returned to the setting during the Zhenguan period.

Although Broken Leaf has now become the Khan City of the Ten Khans, the actual dominance and military power are still in the hands of the city guarding Gangwon. Although he only has less than 2,000 troops in his hand, which is several times less than the number of troops led by President Ten Khans, Jiangyuan's status in Broken Leaf City is still unparalleled, after all, he is guarding this important town on behalf of the Tang Emperor.

Three months ago, when Jiang Yuan received Xuanzong's secret decree and Gao Xianzhi's secret letter almost front and back, he was surprised for a long time.

The Great Food Army marched into the east of the Green Ridge, and he knew it. I also thought about whether the big cannibal would break the idea of Broken Leaf, but after careful consideration, I still put my mind at ease, after all, after more than 100 years of painstaking operation, Broken Leaf City has already become an extremely strong fortress. When it was ranked as one of the four towns in Anxi, the strong fortifications built by the Anxi army could still play a huge role, not to mention that with the entry and relocation of the ten surnamed khans, the warriors in the city of Broken Leaf had already been numerous, with Daqing Pool and Alam Mountain as a barrier to the left and right, even if there were several times the enemy, they could not surround Broken Leaf into a lonely city. Such a defense system is unparalleled in the entire Anxi Court, and the big cannibals will not come here as long as they are a little smarter.

Jiang Yuan's mind was lively, and he even thought about whether to simply send some troops to seize the first line of Julan City and Talas to pave the way for Gao Xianzhi, but after all, Broken Leaf City is too critical, if the division of troops is lost, the iron cavalry of Dashi will definitely kill to the area of Shuanghe Bole without hindrance, and the main force of the Anxi Army will definitely not be able to come back to help!

After serving as the city lord of Broken Leaf for many years, he diluted the Anxi Army complex in Jiangyuan's bones a lot, and he finally gave up this idea as he became more and more stable - just like the Holy Lord asked, I still have to do the logistics of Gao Gong. What's more, Gao Gong did not ask him to take the initiative to send troops. Moreover, I can now fully mobilize less than 1,500 town defenders. The Turkic Khan's gang, as long as they didn't hit the city of Broken Leaves, they wouldn't rush to send troops......

It's better to respond to all changes with the same, but I don't know how the Anxi army wants to fight this time, the 20,000 elite main forces are exhausted, and the 50,000 allied troops in the two divisions of Bahana Geluo Ridge are the biggest moves in recent years. Jiang Yuan was a little confused, why did Gao Xianzhi come to Broken Leaves, Bahanna and Geloling made such a big effort, it stands to reason that the goal of the Anxi Army should be the front line of Xiuxunzhou and Tuozhicheng, why did he come to the north?

"Lord Castle Guard! Tanma reported that a large number of troops appeared in Almat, and it should be Gao Gong's Anxi army that has arrived! The general Zhao Miao quickly climbed the city tower and reported to Jiang Yuan.

Jiang Yuan was slightly shocked when he heard this, how could he be so secretive and not even report in advance? A heart gradually sank, Jiang Yuan was not afraid that an enemy would sneak behind him, and it was impossible for Broken Leaf's defense system to have such a situation. He just vaguely felt that Gao Xianzhi was so cautious this time, and his intentions must be huge, so if such a big plot chose to be launched in Broken Leaf, who could guarantee that Broken Leaf City would be able to stay out of it?

"Let's go! Go to Almat! "No, I have to let Gao Gong give himself an explanation, he can't control how he wants to fight, but why his army came to break leaves, this must be asked!

"Your Excellency!"

Jiang Yuan stopped strangely and looked back at Zhao Miao, who looked embarrassed: "What's wrong?" ”

Zhao Miao looked at the sky and said in surprise: "It's getting late, and the city gates are forbidden." Adults are going out now...... Pretty troublesome, right? ”

Jiang Yuan looked up at the sky, slapped his forehead violently, and suddenly realized: "I'm confused!" ”

Because the location of Broken Leaf City is very important, there have been regulations since the founding of the city, and the door is closed and locked at the beginning of the unitary time, and no entry or exit is allowed. Unless there is an emergency military situation or a holy decree military report, the door is not to be opened at night. For other emergency and special circumstances that require the opening of the city gates, the city gates can only be opened with the joint consent of the city guards and the rotating khan.

Shaking his head a little dazed, Jiang Yuan smiled self-deprecatingly: "Then go again tomorrow morning, you work hard tonight, and get more equipment and grain and grass for the army......"

"Tell the castle keeper! Li Siye of the Anxi Army led his troops outside the East City, please open the city gate! A small colonel came panting and reported.

"Now?" Jiang Yuan was dumbfounded, and subconsciously looked at Zhao Miao.

Outside the east gate of Broken Leaves, Li Siye stared at the tall city wall quietly. It's back, and it's been a full decade since the twenty-ninth year of Kaiyuan. In the past, he was still under the command of General Fumeng Lingcha, and it was also outside this east gate that he led a battalion of men and horses to storm the Turkic Daxi Department, fought bloodily for two hours, and finally joined forces with Jiangcheng Shouli and Yingwai, and completely annihilated the enemy attacking outside the east gate. Those flags flying in the city, those corpses full of arrows, those deafening shouts, and the sounds of fighting, as if they happened yesterday, appeared in front of them one by one, echoed in the ears, and could not be dispersed for a long time......

Don't put Zhou Ying forward immediately, and looked at the city tower after learning from Li Siye's appearance: "General, this Jiangcheng guard is too much, right?" Anyway, he also went out from our Anxi Army, how could he become a city guard, and even the old brothers were sluggish. It's all meal time, why don't you open the door yet? ”

"Shut up!" Li Siye said coldly, "You know a fart!" Broken Leaf City is the most important town in my northwest, if I open the door to you casually, he Gangwon is a soft egg who only eats and doesn't do anything! Stay honest with me! ”

"Yes!" Zhou Ying stuck out her tongue and honestly retreated. Don't look at Li Siye's fierce scolding, but Zhou Ying knows in his heart that if you are not the person who makes Vice General Li look up to it, he won't even bother to scold you.

Jiang Yuan hurriedly ordered his soldiers to prepare horses, while tidying up his clothes, his mouth was not idle, and he began to nag at Zhao Miao: "How can it be so fast?" Did they come with our flag soldiers? Besides, at this big night, Li Siye is not a recruit who has just enlisted in the army, why did he rush into the city at this time? ”

Zhao Miao's feet didn't stop, but his mind quickly turned away: "My lord, do you think it could be that Gao Gong deliberately hides his whereabouts?" You see, he didn't inform us when he arrived in Almat, and this Li Siye hurried into the city at night......"

"That's right!" Jiang Yuan was shocked, and hurriedly rushed to the captain of the guard again, "Quick, give the order!" A citywide curfew! Clear the city's roads now! Idlers are not allowed to go out on the street! ”

After watching the captain of the guard beat his horse and gallop away, Jiang Yuan complained while getting on the horse: "Gao Gong is really unprepared this time, and he didn't say anything clearly in the secret letter last time......

The east gate of Broken Leaf City was wide open, and Li Siye took the lead and took the lead in galloping into the doorway.

"Brother Zhaoye, it's been a long time!" Li Siye's hearty laughter suddenly brought Jiangyuan back to the day of blood and fire ten years ago.

"Heirs are all right?" Ganghara Lisuo turned over and dismounted, and walked forward quickly.

"Huh! Okay. Speaking of which, whether it's Guizi or Shule, it's not as comfortable as you in the Broken Leaf City! ”

Jiang Yuan laughed a few times, after all, he was worried about the unusual behavior of the Anxi Army this time, and after a few words of greeting, he began to knock on the side: "Heiye is a pioneer officer this time, right?" Starry night, hard all the way. By the way, why don't you see Gao Gong? Will he enter the city again tomorrow? ”

Li Siye swept around slightly, and there were no idle people waiting on the side, but he still approached Jiang Yuan's ear quite carefully: "It's true that I am a pioneer officer, but the main forces of the four towns of Anxi are behind me tonight." The allied forces of Bahanna and Groling camped thirty miles east of the city. As for Gao Gong, he won't be able to enter the city until three days later! ”

Jiang Yuan was stunned when he heard this, it turned out that he was not the forward advanced city, but he came together! Why didn't Gao Xianzhi enter the city with the army, why did he stay behind?

Li Siye no longer took Jiang Yuan's inquiring eyes, and smiled: "Lord City Guard, my army has been marching rapidly for three consecutive days, and now it is hungry and poor. How to place, please tell me! ”

In a valley more than ten miles on the north bank of Daqing Pond, Gao Xianzhi only led more than 200 personal guards to camp here.

Except for Zhang Ji, none of the rest of the people left knew what the coach had in mind. However, it is the duty of a soldier to obey orders, and he should never ask what he should not ask, which is also the duty of a professional soldier.

Zhang Ji opened the tent and entered the big tent wrapped in a mountain breeze.

"Gao Gong, Tanma has been sent out in three directions, if it is not expected, there will be a response within three or five days."

Gao Xianzhi put down the map in his hand and said happily: "Okay!" Now that everything is ready, just wait for Guo Xilie! ”