After passing through the vast Gobi and countless strange-shaped mountain beams and canyons, on this day, a 5,000-strong Tang cavalry team finally arrived at the Tuoyun Pass, where it was still an endless earthy yellow, and there was no trace of green in sight, which made people tired and irritable.

The altitude here is high and the road is difficult, there are few people on the way, only occasionally you can see the white bones of the fallen camel, this expedition, the Tang army each carried three horses, carried a large amount of food and supplies, walked for four days, and then arrived at Tuoyun Mountain from Weitou City

"General, look there!"

Ah Ming pointed to a weathered ruin at the foot of the mountain in the distance and said: "There is the site of the post station that Zhang Shangshu said." ”

The main general of this expedition to broken leaves is Guan Ying, who is known for his courage and daring to take risks, he attacked the big stone city where Tubo Zanpu was hiding and was dismissed by Wang Siyu, but Zhang Huan saw that he had perseverance and decisiveness that ordinary people could hardly reach, the more difficulties and challenges he encountered, the more he could exert his acumen and determination, and therefore, Zhang Huan eclecticated and promoted him from a small captain to the main general who commanded an army, so that he could stand alone, in fact, this is the tradition of the Xiliang Army, with military merit first, talent first.

Guan Ying looked at the ruins of the post station, and he suddenly asked, "The post station is here, does it mean that there is a water source nearby?" ”

Amin nodded in admiration, "The general's thinking is delicate, five miles east from here, there is indeed a spring, and there is also a poplar forest there. ”

"Okay, I'll bother you to take a team of my soldiers to fetch water." Guan Ying waved his hand back and ordered, "Everyone rest on the spot for two hours." ”

The officers and men of the Tang army dismounted one after another, each looking for a shady place to rest, while a group of 300 soldiers who drew water followed Amin to the east.

This time, Guan Ying did not fall asleep, and the safety of 5,000 people and the heavy responsibility entrusted by the governor made him feel a strong responsibility, and he once again took out a map drawn by Ah Ming and carefully studied the route of the expedition.

Passing through the Tuoyun Pass and further north, there is still the semi-arid Gobi Desert. There is also a desert, where hundreds of miles are deserted, the most test of perseverance, about four days of journey, through this most difficult place, you will arrive at the Pearl River, and then to the north is the vast prairie. After about five days' walk, you will reach the destination of the expedition, Broken Leaves, the fifth military town in Ansi, next to the famous Atami (today's Issyk-Kul Lake in Kyrgyzstan).

Looking at the Broken Leaf Military Town, which has been drawn with charcoal on the map, Guan Ying's heart can't help but fluctuate, a few years ago he was a small ruffian in the township who stole chickens and dogs and molested women. was kicked out of the house by his father and brother, who would have thought that a few years later he would be a general with an army of 5,000 and would make immortal contributions to the country.

If you can take down the broken leaves for me. I will make you a Zhonglang general, a soldier with broken leaves.

Thinking of the governor's encouragement to him, Guan Ying's blood couldn't help but boil, and he immediately stood up and shouted loudly: "Brothers, get up, it's time to work!" "The first step of the northern expedition is to occupy the Tuoyun Pass, first build a simple camp with 800 soldiers, and Zhang Huan will then send a fortification battalion to build a castle here.

Early the next morning, a cavalry of the Tang Army passed through the Tuoyun Pass. Towards the endless Gobi Desert

The camp of the Don army, the merchant of the Great Food Merchant who went to Shule, had already brought back Aros's letter and original words, and he refused Agush's order to withdraw his troops. At this moment, Agush's face was extremely ugly, he never expected that Aros would disobey his order, the letter was held tightly in his hand, almost crushed into pieces, if it wasn't for the Tang army camp, he would have already burst into thunder

On the side, Zhang Huan quietly looked at this young big food aristocrat. I have been with this big food prince for nearly a month. He has a thorough understanding of his character and its weaknesses.

It has been nearly 50 years since the founding of the country, and their generation cannot understand the difficulties of their fathers' entrepreneurship. They are golden silk birds who grew up in the deep palace, well-educated, and far from being comparable to their low-level fathers in terms of talent and temperament, but their shortcomings are also obvious, proud and conceited, noble and unable to withstand setbacks, sensitive and sentimental, not so much that he came to the east to negotiate with Tibet, but his real purpose is to come to the east to write his experience and hearsay.

Aros's refusal was expected by Zhang Huan, from the mouth of the Dharma Tuodu, he knew a little about the situation of this Tocharian governor, who was more than fifty years old, had fought in the West for many years, he indulged the soldiers to loot the city, but he was able to order the soldiers who were crazy to stop immediately, just from this point can see the ability of this great food commander to control the army.

Defeating Da Shi, Zhang Huan has no doubts, after all, his strength is superior, after all, he has the sharpest weapon in the world, but how to reduce his casualties as much as possible, and even let Guan Ying gain a foothold in Broken Leaves, this is the problem that Zhang Huan must consider.

So, can the young and vigorous aristocrat in front of him become the key figure in this battle?

"Your Royal Highness, we Eastern sages also have a famous saying: the general is outside, the king's order is not affected, I think, this is the real reason why General Aros is unwilling to withdraw his troops."

Ah Ming, who was proficient in Chinese, went as a guide, and the translator for them was another big food merchant who was fluent in Chinese, and he obviously could not understand the essence of Sun Tzu's art of war correctly, so he simply translated the literal meaning of the past, and the general did not accept the king's orders: as long as the general was not in Baghdad, as long as the army was in his hands, he would not pay attention to the orders of the caliph.

Zhang Huan originally wanted to hint at Agush, but he unintentionally inserted willows into the shade, and the straightforward meaning of the translation stabbed Agush's sensitive heart, his face changed greatly, he stood up sharply, and said coldly: "General Zhang, our general of Dashi is absolutely obedient to the orders of the caliph, please don't speculate." ”

After speaking, he straightened his waist and strode proudly outside the tent, the interpreter stammered to express his meaning, Zhang Huan looked at his back, smiled slightly, and shook his head gently.

That night, Agush, escorted by a dozen retinues, left the Tang camp and returned to Shule.

The Tang army continued westward, and finally settled in a small town about 200 miles away from Shule, waiting for the arrival of the fighters, and Zhang Huan immediately sent Cao Hanchen as a parade general, leading 3,000 light horsemen to explore the road back to the south of the Great Food Army.

It was late autumn in mid-September, the sun was dim, nature was withering, the golden color was slowly fading, and under the cold morning and evening frosts, the earth was bleak, and from time to time a blackbird swept overhead, quacking harshly, as if to tell people that winter was coming.

From the spring expedition, nearly 200,000 Tang troops spent nearly half a year in Anxi, as the year approached, homesickness began to sprout in the hearts of the soldiers, September 20, the first snow of Xuanren seven years quietly covered the land of Anxi.

On this morning, the four fields were white and vast, cloudless, the snow was trampled by the feet, and the branches hung pink frost flowers, a team of Tang cavalry came from afar, escorting the logistics baggage team to the Tang army camp, marching Sima Guo Shiqi brought tens of thousands of stone grain, which is a very normal grain and grass transportation, but this time the logistics transportation, but there are differences from the usual.

Pei Mingyuan came from Longyou again, not only brought the soldiers' family letters, as well as a large number of winter clothes, he also brought the news of the drastic changes in the imperial court, a month ago, the emperor Li Miao has died, chasing the temple number for the Min Zong, Cui Xiaofu with the support of Pei Jun set up Li Mian's grandson Li Yan as the new emperor, changed the year name to Yong'an, and now it is the first year of Yong'an.

Inside the big tent, Zhang Huan's face was grim, he paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, this matter came very suddenly, however, he also understood that this was Cui Xiaofu's hand, and set up a new monarch before the end of the Anxi Campaign, so that she could start ruling again, the new monarch was only two years old, that is to say, she had to listen to the government for sixteen years, Zhang Huan smiled coldly, her wishful thinking was really good, and let the raw rice cook mature rice before he went back, he couldn't help but snort, and asked: "Did Pei Xiangguo send someone to Longyou?" ”

Standing on the side were several of his henchmen, and in addition to Pei Mingyuan, there was another person from Chang'an, who was Li Xuhe, the left of Menxia Province, that is, the Japanese student who longed for the prosperous Tang Dynasty and refused to return to China.

He came to Anzai privately under the pretext of visiting relatives in Japan, and he brought with him a letter from Yuan Zai and a large amount of inside information about the emperor's death.

Seeing Zhang Huanfang's question, Pei Mingyuan immediately bowed down and replied: "Back to the governor, during the emperor's serious illness, Pei Xiangguo sent Lu Shilang to Longyou to discuss the establishment of a new monarch. ”

Zhang Huan nodded, "You guys did a great job!" ”

He walked slowly through the tent door, looked at the gray sky outside the tent, and couldn't help but sigh softly, "After this battle, it's time to go back." ”