Chapter 366: The Theory of Harmony

I haven't been on the battlefield for three years, well, I still miss the feeling of fighting on the battlefield.

Zhang Yunwen leaned back against the Taishi chair, rested on the desk in front of him with a pair of feet, and held his hands behind his head, looking leisurely and contented.

This is what he looked like when he was working in the Investigation Institute.

Every day, Zhang Yunwen left his house early in the morning, first walked around the training camp of the gendarmerie battalion, artillery battalion, and reconnaissance battalion in Beiya, and then came to the investigation institute in Nanya, where he sat and waited for the news to come.

And so the days went by. During this time, the battle between the East Palace and the King of Wei also died down temporarily, after all, this conquest was a major national matter, and the center of gravity of the entire country should be biased there. It would be very unwise to provoke Li Shimin's displeasure because of the fighting.

And Li Zhi, who is bored, often takes Princess Jinyang to Zhang Yunwen's house as a guest, nominally to visit the second sister and Zhang Ji, but in fact, it is for fun. Because in Zhang Yunwen's house, a courtyard was specially taken out and a playground was made, and all the things that could be moved in the playground in later generations were moved in, from eating to playing. This is very attractive to teenage children like Li Zhi and Princess Jinyang.

So every few days, when Zhang Yunwen went home, he would see a group of children.

The army that conquered Gaochang set out in March, marched for a month, and reached Longyou to join the army of the right guard. As for the reason for this pace of marching, it was because of the drag of artillery. The mortars are okay, a horse can pull them away, but the thousands of pounds of artillery are not easy to handle. Since there was no equipment for artillery marches, the artillery had to be placed on horse-drawn carriages. However, the wheels could not support such heavy artillery, so they had to be replaced after a long journey. When we reached the sand, the wheels got stuck in the sand and had to take time to get the wheels out.

When the two sides joined forces, Ashina Sheer and other newly recruited Turkic generals looked curiously at the black iron cylinders of different sizes. These artillery pieces appeared in the battles of the Turks and the Tuyuhun, and they had already heard of them. Now that they see the real thing, they have stepped forward to touch it.

Starting from the Helan Mountain camp on the right side of Longyou, 100,000 Tang troops went to the Western Regions like a tide.

The scouts led by Li Yang were the first to set off. These spearheads rushed to the front, ready to meet the Gaochang scouts, and they would solve it easily. As a result, more than 300 people were scattered, and they went more than 100 miles first, but they didn't even see a single hair.

This is that Gao Chang did not send any scouts to ride out at all.

Along the way, I crossed the vast desert, thousands of miles of quicksand, sometimes the rain fell like a knife, and sometimes the sun was like fire. In order to keep up with the logistical supplies behind, the speed of the army is not fast.

During this long journey from Longyou to Gaochang, there was almost no information coming from the army every two or three days. There are routine reports and documents in the army, opinions on how to deal with non-commissioned officers and non-commissioned officers in violation of discipline, and letters to their families. Packed together, a thick bag, sent back to Chang'an through the fast horse post system.

Many documents, such as the handling of disciplinary violations in the gendarmerie battalion, were sent directly to Zhang Yunwen.

Of course, the same is true of the army defending against Tibet in the south, and the intelligence is constant.

Although the army that conquered Gaochang set out first, it was Songzhou City in the south that fought first.

After half a month of troops stationed in Jishi Mountain, Songtsen Gampo finally made a move. This move is the momentum of thunder.

The Tibetan army crossed the Jishi Mountain and swept through the sixteen prefectures of Hequ. After fighting a battle with Tibet, these Qiang people immediately surrendered to Tibet and embraced all their strength. To the east, the Tibetan army crossed the swamp and occupied the prefectures of Zhang, Xu, Tai, and Qiao. These assassins of the state also did not put up resistance and surrendered.

As a result, the entire western part of Songzhou fell into the hands of Tibet.

At this time, the 200,000 Tubo army had already pointed directly at Nuo and Kuozhou.

The two states of Nuo and Kuo are closer to Songzhou, and their state cities are like Songzhou Castle, with a wall more than one foot high, which is built of stone and wood, and is very solid. The Han people in these two states accounted for about 30% of the city, and the Han and Qiang lived together, and the Han people taught these Qiang people advanced farming methods, so that the two cities had little famine and abundant grain. Therefore, the history of the thorns in these two states is also focused on the Tang Dynasty.

However, when the Tibetan army pressed the border, and the rest of the prefectures surrendered, the history of these two states also began to waver.

At this time, Han Wei, the governor of Songzhou, led an army of 8,000 to Ningyuan Town, a small town south of Nuo and Kuozhou, and was ready to fight Tubo here.

How could the Tibetan army, which had detected the movements of the Tang army, not make any moves? So a Tibetan army of more than 10,000 people broke away from the army, bypassed Nuo and Kuozhou, and rushed straight to Ningyuan Town.

Han Wei led the troops to fight in the northwest of Ningyuan Town. The double-shot battle lasted for half a day, regardless of victory or defeat. In the end, the Tibetan generals sent a team of 1,000 people around the back of the Tang army, and finally defeated the Tang army.

In this battle, the Tang army suffered 820 serious wounds and more than 1,600 minor wounds. In Tibet, the number of casualties was even higher.

When Han Wei fled south with the rest of the soldiers in embarrassment, the Tubo generals did not chase after him, and then shouted loudly in Chinese: "My family Zampu has come to the Tang Dynasty to marry the Tang princess!" Han Dudu hurry up and report to Chang'an! ”

Han Wei fled back to Songzhou City and immediately sent fast horses to Chang'an. And just after he returned to Songzhou, the two prefectures of Nano and Kuozhou surrendered to Tibet one after another.

At this time, Niu Jinda's 5,000 pioneers were still five days away from Songzhou.

After the surrender of Nuozhou and Kuozhou, the Tubo army did not take advantage of the situation to attack, but stationed in Nuozhou and Kuozhou, putting on a strict defensive appearance, and only sent rangers to reconnoitre, without any intention of attacking.

It seems that they are waiting for Chang'an's reaction. Han Wei thought to himself.

When the fast horses of Songzhou City sent the rampant words of the Tubo people to Chang'an, Li Shimin was shocked and angry.

"Bastard, do these Tubo people really think that with his 200,000 remnants of the army, they can force me to marry the princess? I just didn't agree! Li Shimin was pacing in the hall angrily.

Although it was not a court meeting at this time, all the important ministers were here.

"Your Majesty, rest assured, my Tang army is as powerful as a tiger, how can the soldiers in Tubo who only know how to play with mud and are still using stone weapons be the opponents of the Tang army!" Cheng Yanjin patted his chest and said, "If Your Majesty is not at ease, you can send Lao Cheng over, Lao Cheng will lead 10,000 soldiers and horses, and he will definitely be able to kill these Tubo barbarians!" ”

As soon as Cheng Yanjin's words fell, everyone couldn't help but let out a chuckle. And in this laughter, Li Shimin's anger has also disappeared a lot!

Zhang Yunwen suddenly realized, no wonder Cheng Biting Jin is so favored by Li Shimin, it turns out that he still has such a role!

The eldest grandson Wuji said: "Tubo is menacing, but I don't know the combat effectiveness of my Tang army at all. Similarly, I, Datang, don't understand his combat effectiveness. However, Datang has an advantage that Tubo does not have! ”

"Oh!" Listening to the eldest grandson Wuji begin to analyze, Li Shimin listened attentively.

"This so-called advantage is also due to Zhang Yunwen, General Zhang!" The eldest grandson Wuji said with a smile.

Li Shimin was stunned for a moment, and then came to a realization: "The auxiliary machine is talking about those agents from the investigation institute!" ”

The eldest grandson Wuji nodded: "Not bad!" "When Zhenguan was eight years old, when Tubo sent a delegation to my Tang Dynasty for the first time, Zhang Yunwen said that it was necessary to prevent the slightest mistake, and Tubo had to prevent it, and now it seems that Yunwen's words at that time were really right!"

Li Shimin hurriedly said: "Yunwen, come over and tell me what is the current situation of those people who were sent to Tubo?" ”

Zhang Yunwen took two steps forward: "At the beginning, a total of 207 people were sent into Tubo, and the remaining detectives who died 32 people all stayed in Tubo. Some are doctors, some are monks, and some have joined the Tibetan royal family and become cronies. But unfortunately, there is no one who can blend into the Tibetan royal family! Now a lot of information is coming out of them! ”

As soon as Zhang Yunwen said this, everyone immediately nodded, so it was.

However, the eldest grandson Wuji immediately said: "But Yunwen, what if these people betray the Tang Dynasty after Tubo is reused?" ”

Zhang Yunwen said: "Anyone who enters Tibet is a person who is old and young, and his old mother, wife and children are all left in Chang'an. And the last general made a promise to them, ten years later, when he returned to the Tang Dynasty, he would give 3,000 yuan of money and ten hectares of fertile land! ”

The eldest grandson Wuji listened, so he didn't speak.

Then, everyone began to discuss the war between the North and the South.

Just when everyone was discussing, they suddenly heard the voice of an inner servant from outside the hall: "Your Majesty, there is a strong man from outside the palace, saying that it is Zhang Yunwen Zhang's person, he said that he is responsible for monitoring the Tubo mission, and Nalu Dongzan asked him to pass the word, saying that he wants to see His Majesty!" ”

When Li Shimin heard this, he couldn't help frowning, what does this Lu Dongzan mean, and now he wants to see himself. After a deep sigh, he said, "You go and bring two guards to bring Nalu Dongzan over!" ”

"Whoa!"

Everyone in the hall, you look at me, I look at you, but I don't know what this Lu Dongzan means by asking to see.

After nearly half an hour, the chamberlain took Lu Dongzan to the main hall.

"You want to see me?" Li Shimin's eyes were like knives, looking at Lu Dongzan. A majesty unconsciously emanated from the body, and in the hall, the air suddenly stagnated.

Lu Dongzan smiled slightly: "Yes, Your Majesty the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty, the reason why the foreign ministers came to see Your Majesty is to ask for my family's Zanpu!" ”

As soon as these words came out, Li Shimin's anger that had not been calm for a long time surged up again. I saw him look at Lu Dongzan coldly: "Minister, you have come to ask for your family Zampu three times and twice, but why did I marry my daughter to your family Zampu?" Just with that mere 200,000 Tibetan army? ”

Hearing the thick disdain in Li Shimin's mouth, a trace of gloom flashed in Lu Dongzan's eyes, and when he was about to speak, Li Shimin continued: "Great Minister, do you know that just a few days ago, your Zanpu soldiers pointed directly at Nuozhou, and fought with Han Wei, the governor of Songzhou, in Ningyuan Town. Although our Tang army retreated, it lost only 800 people, while your Tubo lost nearly 2,000 people! It was after this battle that your family in Tibet threatened to marry my princess! Hmph, should I really be afraid of those 200,000 people? ”

Lu Dongzan was stunned for a moment, and then said: "That's not what the foreign minister meant!" I want to Tubo Datang, it is a country of friends and neighbors, and we should live in harmony, so we can attack each other! My family Zampu and the foreign ministers really don't want to see the two countries attack each other, so they asked His Majesty the Tang Emperor to marry the princess to my family Zampu. In this way, Zampu is the son-in-law of His Majesty, and His Majesty is the Weng of Zampu, and the two countries are the country of Weng's son-in-law, friendly for generations, and will never attack, isn't it wonderful? Just like Zhaojun in the Han Dynasty married the Huns, in the past 50 years, there is no wolf smoke rising on the border, the people live in peace, and the world is peaceful! ”

As soon as Lu Dongzan moved out of the country, Li Shimin and those civil officials couldn't help but ponder. After all, the place where Tibet lives is high and steep, and the climate is harsh, if it is attacked, I am afraid that the loss will be huge, and it is of course the best to be good-neighborly and friendly.

Seeing that Li Shimin and the others' faces gradually softened, Zhang Yunwen was a little anxious, this matter will never be done, if it is done, it will be a disaster for the Tang Dynasty!

Hearing this Lu Dongzan talk about Wang Zhaojun, Zhang Yunwen suddenly turned his brain, raised his head and laughed three times, and said aloud in the surprised eyes of everyone: "Your Majesty, the last general suddenly had inspiration to make a poem, and asked Your Majesty Xu to recite it in court!" ”

When everyone heard this, they immediately complained in their hearts that Zhang Yunwen was not in harmony. Li Shimin laughed twice: "I haven't heard Yunwen compose poems for a long time, but since I wrote it today, I just recite it well!" ”

Zhang Yunwen coughed lightly and said loudly: "The soul of Huanpei returns to Qingzuka Yue, and the sound of the pipa breaks the autumn of Black Mountain." How many generals the Han family conquered the west, and it was shameful to meet under the spring. ”

As soon as the four lines of poetry came out, Li Shimin and the ministers suddenly changed their complexions.

And Nalu Dongzan turned around abruptly and looked at Zhang Yunwen with complicated eyes.

"Prime minister, I already know what you said, you go back first!" After speaking, without waiting for Lu Dongzan to speak, he continued, "Come on, send the prime minister back to the post house!" ”

After Lu Dongzan left, Li Shimin suddenly laughed loudly, and his voice echoed in the hall for a long time.

"Okay, you Lu Dongzan, I was almost confused by your words! Hmph, what kind of people are stable and peaceful in the world, if my Tang Dynasty is weak, how can he come to ask for relatives? Now my Tang Dynasty soldiers are strong and strong, military generals are like clouds, and it is easy to destroy Tibet, what else do you want to marry a princess and call for peace! He really thought that he could threaten me like the Turks a few decades ago, but the Tang Dynasty couldn't do it! ”

When Zhang Yunwen heard this, he suddenly praised in his heart. Li Shimin is worthy of being born in the army, with a tough personality, and will not give in to those who threaten the safety of Datang! He immediately stepped forward and said, "Weichen is willing to train 100,000 elite soldiers for His Majesty, who can adapt to the plateau climate and fight in the plateau terrain!" ”

Seeing this, the rest of the generals such as Chi Jingde and Cheng Yanjin also stepped forward together: "The ministers are willing to destroy Tubo for Your Majesty!" ”

Li Shimin was stunned for a moment, then pointed at Zhang Yunwen and said with a smile: "Haha, Yunwen, you have a good plan, the sentence 'meeting under the spring should be ashamed' made these generals all follow you to oppose and kiss!" But Yunwen, what did you just say about training 100,000 elite soldiers, isn't the Tang Dynasty army still enough? ”

Zhang Yunwen hurriedly explained something like altitude sickness. After hearing this, Li Shimin immediately nodded suddenly: "No wonder these Tubo people dare to be so arrogant, that is, they conclude that our Tang army cannot go to the plateau, and even if they go up, their combat power will be reduced by half!" After a deep groan, Li Shimin nodded, "This matter must be done, but I'm afraid it will take a while." ”

Zhang Yunwen hugged his fists and said: "Weichen is not in a hurry, as long as he can destroy Tibet, it will take ten years to succeed!" ”

At this time, the voice of the chamberlain came from outside the hall: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, great joy!" Great joy! ”

Li Shimin was about to be angry, but when he heard the chamberlain shouting "Great Joy", his heart became curious, and he shouted to the side of the gate: "What a great joy, come in and say!" ”

The door of the main hall slowly pushed open, and two figures appeared at the door of the main hall.

One is the chamberlain, and the other is Chen Quankang.

After the two of them saw the ceremony, Li Shimin asked, "What kind of happy event?" ”

The chamberlain gently pushed Chen Quankang, who looked at Zhang Yunwen, stepped forward and said, "Back to Your Majesty, I received news from the Western Regions today that Lu Wentai is dead!" ”