Guo Fu was also able to wear armor and join the army. At this point, the emperor drove the expedition in person, and the three concubines led the army to accompany each other, and it was immediately spread as a good story in Zhongjing and even the world. Many storytellers have compiled this into a joke, which is widely praised among the people.

Zhang Xuan's 100,000-strong army left Zhongjing, exited Tongguan and entered the Guanzhong Plain, and then marched all the way to Hezhou a month later.

At present, Hezhou is the most marginal city on the Helong line, because the hometown of Tuyuhun (most of the area of Liangning Prefecture and Qinghai Prefecture) has all fallen into the hands of the Tubo people.

In May in Hezhou, the spring flowers are blooming, just because of the proximity to the territory of the Tubo people, the current Hezhou is relatively different from the past, and it seems a little deserted.

The 100,000-strong army arrived in Hezhou, and the movement was not small, and the Tubo people of course also got the military report. It's just that Stanzhu, the king of Tubo, has agreed to unite with Li Gong, and the 50,000 troops are also rushing to the aid of Tuyuhun's hometown.

It's just that the Tubo people didn't expect that Zhang Xuan's army would attack Tubo, because everyone knew that Zhang Xuan's imperial expedition to the west was the first to exterminate Li Ran's rebels. Even Guo Ziyi, the general under Zhang Xuan's account, and others did not expect that Zhang Xuan's original goal was to Tibet.

But Guo Ziyi is a veteran general in the army after all, and his strategic vision is not worrying. Seeing that the emperor ordered the diversion of Hezhou, Guo Ziyi vaguely guessed that the emperor's strategic intentions did not seem to be as simple as destroying Li Gong.

Because the Tibetan cavalry often attacked and harassed, the villages outside Hezhou City were almost gone, and the ten rooms were empty. The villagers either fled to Longshuo, Lingzhou and other places, or were sǐ under the hooves of the Tubo cavalry.

Most of the immigrants who cultivated the tuntian fields in Liangning Prefecture also became slaves of the Tubo people, and lived in fear under the butcher's knives of the Tubo people, grazing and cultivating for the Tubo people, and even became slaves of the Tubo nobles.

The army set up camp outside the city of Hezhou, Zhang Xuan led Guo Ziyi and other generals to lead 2,000 Shence army cavalry into Hezhou ♀ The desolate and dilapidated scene along the way made Zhang Xuan frown and his face gloomy like water.

With the occupation of Tuyuhun's hometown and the operation of Liangning Prefecture, it has gradually become an important commercial town and transportation hub in Longshuo and even the entire northwest region.

On the official road where people flow like water, clumps of weeds grow on both sides, and there are black smoke and miasma broken walls everywhere.

Yang Lian had already rushed to Hezhou with his subordinates, Gu Xi and others, in advance, waiting outside the city gate of Hezhou.

The sound of dense horses' hooves came, Zhang Xuan and his party appeared in Yang Lian's field of vision, Yang Lian hurriedly took a step forward with a few generals, bowed to the ground, and shouted loudly, "The last general will wait to meet Your Majesty, long live my emperor!" ”

Zhang Xuan turned over and dismounted, Guo Ziyi and others also turned over and dismounted, lining up behind him.

Zhang Xuan took a step forward, stared at Yang Lian coldly, and said lightly after a long silence, "Yang Lian, are you guilty?!" ”

Yang Lian suddenly looked up at the emperor a little inexplicably, saw that the emperor's face was gloomy, the corners of his mouth trembled, he lowered his head, and said softly, "The last general...... Convicted! ”

In fact, Yang Lian couldn't figure out what the emperor meant at all, and he didn't think of what crime he had committed.

At the beginning, An Lushan rebelled, and the Tubo people took advantage of the situation to fight back, and Li Guangbi was ordered by Emperor Li Tang to evacuate Liangning Prefecture, causing Tuyuhun to fall into the hands of the Tubo people again, and he was outnumbered and could only retreat to the Shaliu River.

Originally, he guarded the Shaliu River and did not let the Tubo people take the opportunity to invade Longshuo, even if it was useless, it should not be a big deal.

And coupled with the fact that there is also Li Hong in Hexi, in fact, Yang Lian's pressure is not small.

There is Tubo outside, and Li Gong inside, he sticks to the Shaliu River and has always insisted.

"The fall of Liangning Prefecture is not your fault. But the Tubo people are so arrogant on our border, capturing and enslaving our border people, so that the people's hearts are scattered and the army's morale is sluggish, and you, as the chief general of Qinghai, cannot escape the blame! ”

"There are less than 50,000 Tubo defenders in Liangning Prefecture, and there are 40,000 of your military horses, where are you afraid of him? Even if we can't recover Liangning Prefecture, at least we must protect our border people from being trampled on by the Tubo people! Look at it, Hezhou is dilapidated, ten rooms and nine empty, I don't know how many people are in the hands of the Tubo people, and in Liangning Prefecture, I don't know how many of my people are still enslaved and killed by the Tubo people

"Although I have no edict to order you to attack Tibet, but the so-called generals are not subject to the orders of the kings abroad, you are the main general of Qinghai, and it is your sacred duty to protect the people and guard the border.

"Okay, if you are loyal to the court and try your best to keep Longshuo intact, I will no longer ask you for the blame. But one by one"

"It's your shame! It's my shame! The horsewhip in Zhang Xuan's hand pointed in the direction of Liangning Prefecture in front of him, "Our compatriots are still in the slavery of thieves, such a great shame, if it is not snowing, I will sleep and eat restlessly!" ”

"Therefore, I decided to destroy Tibet first, and then try to Li Gong. Li Gong's rebellion is civil strife, and the Tubo people bullying me and oppressing me are external insults! Can't bear it, can't bear it! ”

"Yang Lian, you don't have to stay in Hezhou anymore, you quickly return to Shaliuhe, immediately set out with the whole army, and I order you to bypass Qinghai Lake and attack Wuhai. And I personally led the army, all the way into Liangning Prefecture, Liangning Prefecture is no longer restored, and I swear not to return! ”

Zhang Xuan's voice was impassioned and indignant, "I hereby swear to the heavens, where the army goes, those who follow it will prosper and those who rebel will perish, and I will not destroy the country of Tubo, and I will not return to the country!" The humiliation that the Tibetan thieves have brought to me is a hundredfold great! ”

Yang Lian's heart was awe-inspiring, and he immediately kowtowed to the ground, "The last general will obey the order!" The last general will lead his troops and horses to attack Wuhai, if this battle is not won, the last general should apologize to His Majesty immediately! ”

Yang Lian kowtowed to Zhang Xuan three times, then got up and got on his horse, and led his troops and horses to gallop away from Hezhou and return to the Shaliu River.

Zhang Xuan took Guo Ziyi and others into the city and entered the Taishou Mansion in Hezhou.

Zhang Xuan looked at Guo Ziyi, who was standing under his bookcase, and said in a deep voice, "Ziyi, have the Hui people ever sent troops?" ”

"Back to Your Majesty, the minister got the military report, Hui Khan Guli Peiluo and Prince Gele, personally raised the whole country's troops, entered the state through Longshuo, and was preparing to cross the Chiling to attack Tubo, and form an outflanking situation with our army."

Guo Ziyi replied with a fist.

Zhang Xuan's face softened slightly, nodded and said, "Good ∮, my army will destroy Tibet independently, and there is no problem." Do you know why I still let the Hui army and horses help in the war? ”

Guo Ziyi shook his head, "Please make it clear to Your Majesty, the minister doesn't know." ”

"What I want is far away∞ I want to let the Hui people gradually integrate into my big country in China, the Hui soldiers and horses are also my soldiers and horses, and the Hui people are also my people, and the court has the right to requisition!"

"Your Majesty is wise, and the minister understands." Guo Ziyi replied with a fist.

In fact, Guo Ziyi had already known it, but she didn't dare to say it directly. He had long seen that the emperor was very ambitious, not only to destroy Tibet, but also to include the land of Hui into the territory of the great empire, just because Hui and the emperor were related by marriage, he would definitely not use force.

It's just that if the emperor destroys Tibet, the territory of the country will be huge for a while, and the national strength will be stronger. The Hui were originally vassal states, and they did not dare to rebel at this moment. Through a long period of peaceful evolution, Zhang Xuan had the means to integrate the Hui into his Chinese dynasty.

Zhang Xuan smiled loudly, and a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, "Ziyi, pass the decree and tell the Hui Khan, just say that the Hui will obey the imperial court and help destroy Tibet, and I will not treat the Hui people badly." After destroying Tibet, I will carve out hundreds of miles of abundant water and grass in the land of Tibet, as the territory and nomadic land of the Hui people. ”

Guo Ziyi was taken aback, and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, this ......"

Zhang Xuan waved his hand and smiled silently.

Tibet is vast and sparsely populated, and for the time being, the Han people alone cannot fully operate and develop. Set aside a piece of territory for the Uighur people, as the territory of the Uighur, which is equivalent to invisibly splitting out a second small Uighur kingdom, and the national strength of the Uighur will be more dispersed.

Of course, this is a long-term effect. In the short term, the Uighurs have gained a large amount of land, which is naturally beneficial and harmless.

Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief, in fact, in his eyes, it is not difficult to exterminate Tibet, the difficult thing is how to govern the land of ÷ Tibet for a long time, the altitude is too high, the climate is harsh, and it is not realistic for Han people to immigrate in large numbers. The Han people reclaim the famine, in the Tuyuhun hometown circle more than 1,000 miles, and then go deeper, in terms of the physique of the Han people, it is more difficult to survive and reproduce here.

Zhang Xuan originally wanted to move the Hui here as a whole, but later gave up this plan because the cost was too high, and the Hui people might not be able to adapt to the environment of the Tubo Plateau.

Today's plan, in the land of Tibet, still relies on garrisons, supplemented by Han tuntian and Hui nomadic herdsmen, to suppress and manage the Tibetan civilian herdsmen, and through a long period of indoctrination and assimilation, to change this warlike Tibetan nation.

As early as when Zhang Xuan was in Beijing, he had set a policy for pacifying Tibet.

As soon as he thought of this, Zhang Xuan's face turned solemn, and he said in a deep voice, "Ziyi, the army is resting in Hezhou for two years. The third rì early in the morning, march into Liangning! I order you to lead the main force to besiege Yang Lian and the Hui soldiers and horses in three ways to recover Liangning Prefecture! ”

"Remember my words, in this battle, you will not be surrendered, and all the anti-Tibetan soldiers will be killed!"

"Nanhachi!" Zhang Xuan shouted again.

Nan Jiyun solemnly came out and hugged his fists, "Your Majesty, the last general!" ”

"Nanba, I order you to lead 10,000 cavalry to attack the Tubo granary Dulan, and be sure to take down or burn the grain and grass hoarded by the Tubo people before the army attacks!"

"The last will obey!" Nanba bowed down to receive the order.

A big war is imminent.

On the front line of Hezhou, grain and grass baggage teams from Longshuo prefectures and inland Central Plains drove over in an endless stream, and the atmosphere was very tense and dignified.

Early in the morning of the third rì, Guo Ziyi led an army of 90,000 to march quickly to Liangning Prefecture. Emperor Zhang Xuan was also in the army, Guo Ziyi and others repeatedly advised Zhang Xuan to stay in Hezhou, but the emperor refused and insisted on joining the front line.

At the same time, the 50,000 cavalry of the Hui set out from Buzhou, crossed the Chiling, and attacked Liangning Prefecture along the southern shore of Qinghai Lake. Yang Lian led an army of 40,000 along the north shore of Qinghai Lake to Liangning Prefecture

Prior to this, Nan Jiyun led 10,000 cavalry of the Shence Army, equipped with elite firearms, to gallop to Dulan and attack the granary of the Tubo people.