Tang Dynasty, my wife Wu Zetian

Chapter 471 The Descent of a Saint
After the banquet, all five chieftains remained in Suyab.

That night, Li Zhefu arrived at a small courtyard in the west of the city.

This small courtyard is where Li Zhefu and Kudi Jiuniang meet in private.

Kudi Jiuniang was already waiting in the house. When she saw Li Zhe crawl in, she smiled and went to greet him, asking, "Why are you in such a hurry to see me?"

Li Zhefu's face was gloomy. He walked to a chair and sat down, saying coldly, "I underestimated He Lu."

Kudi Jiuniang poured him a cup of wine, brought it to her lips, and said softly, "After all, he was the Khan who once ruled the Western Turks. He's not so easy to deal with."

Li Zhefu drank the wine and sneered, "I originally wanted to keep him for a few more days, but I didn't expect that he would still want to control the five Turkic tribes at his age. He's courting death!"

Kudi Jiuniang respectfully asked, "Is there anything I can do for you?"

Li Zhefu glanced at her and said, "You whisper in Pei Xingjian's ear and get him to send him to inspect the Western Turks. As long as he goes to the five Turkic tribes, I can easily kill him."

Kudi Jiuniang reminded her, "You killed the Deputy Protector-General of Anxi of the Tang Dynasty. Aren't you afraid of retaliation from the Tang army?"

"If I send an assassin or use poison, who will know it was me who did it?" Li Zhefu said dismissively.

“But with his death, you will benefit the most. Pei Xingjian, being such a shrewd man, will surely be able to guess that.”

Li Zhefu said coldly, "That doesn't matter anymore. As long as He Lu gains power, I'll be the one to die. Right now, Pei Xingjian is plotting against Tokharistan. I don't believe he would turn against me for the sake of He Lu!"

Kudi Jiuniang smiled charmingly and said, "That's true. He has indeed been preparing to take action against the Tokharistan recently, and he even said he wanted to ask you to transfer another 10,000 troops."

Li Zhefu laughed and said, "That's perfect. After He Lu dies, I'll give him ten thousand men as compensation."

"Are you willing to part with it?" Kudi Jiu Niang blinked.

"Hey, you don't understand. The Arabs aren't so easy to deal with. If the Tang Dynasty were to fight them, it wouldn't be over in three to five years. Wouldn't that give the Turks a chance to grow stronger?"

A few days later, Li Zhefu and the others proposed to return to their headquarters, and Pei Xingjian hosted a farewell banquet.

During the banquet, Pei Xingjian indeed suggested that Helu inspect the five Turkic tribes.

To Li Zhefu's surprise, He Lu readily agreed, and his expression was quite pleased.

Li Zhefu sneered inwardly, knowing that He Lu wanted to regain control of the Nushibi Five Divisions as soon as possible.

Little did he know that this inspection tour would be the last journey of his life!
He Lu accompanied the five tribal chiefs to the Western Turkic Khaganate, and their first stop was to inspect the cadres of Basai.

This is not surprising. Chief Pobi of Basaigan was a former subordinate of Helu. During the few days in Suyab, Pobi chatted most happily with Helu, so Helu naturally trusted him the most.

After Li Zhefu returned to his headquarters, he immediately dispatched men to summon the chieftains of the other four tribes to plan the assassination of He Lu.

To everyone's surprise, only three families showed up.

……

Anxi Protectorate, Suyab City.

Cui Zhibian, dressed in military uniform, strode into Pei Xingjian's room and said, "I have already issued the battle order to the army. Twenty thousand light cavalry are fully prepared and await your command."

"You've worked hard." Pei Xingjian had already changed into his military uniform. He poured him a cup of tea and said, "Now, just sit and wait for news."

Cui Zhibian frowned and said, "I only have one worry right now."

"worry about what?"

Cui Zhibian said, "The Turks are not bad in battle. If no one supports Helu, he will be easily killed. Even if we have a legitimate reason to fight, this battle will not be easy."

Pei Xingjian smiled and said, "I just received news that Li Zhefu sent people to summon the chieftains of the four tribes, but only two chieftains went. Neither the Basai chieftain nor the Geshu chieftain sent anyone."

"Moreover, after receiving Li Zhefu's summons, the chief of the Geshu tribe immediately set off for the Basai cadres. He has probably met Helu by now and told Helu about the situation."

Cui Zhibian exclaimed in surprise, "This He Lu is truly capable. In less than half a month, he has won over the hearts of two tribes?"

Pei Xingjian said, "He Lu was indeed unexpected, but he was able to recover two tribes because Li Zhefu made a fatal mistake."

Cui Zhibian asked, "What?"

Pei Xingjian said in a deep voice, "He didn't realize the influence my words at the banquet had on the chieftains of the four Turkic tribes."

After a moment's thought, Cui Zhibian said, "That's right. We have clearly expressed our support for Helu. For Li Zhefu to take action against Helu at this time is tantamount to provoking our Great Tang!"

Pei Xingjian said, "Today's events can serve as a test."

"What test?"

"Knowing that attacking Helu is tantamount to attacking our Great Tang, if any Turkic tribe still dares to deal with Helu under such circumstances, they are simply courting death!" Pei Xingjian's face was full of murderous intent.

Cui Zhibian's eyes flickered slightly, but he remained silent.

He knew very well that the Turks dared to be so bold because Pei Xingjian had deliberately instigated infighting among them so that he could wipe them out in one fell swoop.

He didn't like this kind of underhanded tactic, but Pei Xingjian did it for the country, and it was the most effective method, so he couldn't blame him.

The two sat in the hall and waited until the moon rose and the sun set, until the next day at dawn, when news finally came that the cadres in Basai had been attacked.

The two immediately led 20,000 light cavalry out of the city and headed straight for the rescue of the cadres in Basai.

……

Early in the morning, the sky was bright and cloudless.

Li Zhi, dressed in a loose and comfortable white long robe and holding a folding fan, walked on Pingkangfang Street.

After walking along the main street for a while, a mansion appeared ahead, with the two large characters "Xue Mansion" written on the plaque.

Li Zhi said, "Fu Sheng, do you think my sudden visit might frighten Xue Rengui?"

Wang Fusheng smiled and said, "I think that with General Xue's personality, he will only be happy and will not be frightened."

Li Zhi nodded.

The two arrived outside, and Wang Fusheng knocked on the door. A doorman quickly opened the door and glanced at Wang Fusheng.

Who are you looking for?

Wang Fusheng said, "We are here to see General Xue."

"Has there been any prior audience?"

A visiting card is a name card sent in advance before visiting someone; without a visiting card, one is considered an uninvited guest.

Wang Fusheng asked, "Is it necessary to pay a visit before I can go?"

The gatekeeper frowned and said, "If you have prior notice, you can go in directly. If not, you will have to wait for me to announce your arrival. However, my master rarely gets a break, and he doesn't see any idle people these days."

Wang Fusheng said, "Then please tell General Xue that Wang Fusheng requests an audience."

Wang Fusheng was a palace eunuch, but not well-known. The people in the city might know that the eunuch's surname was Wang, but few knew his given name.

The doorman said, "Wait here," and closed the door.

Not long after, a series of hurried footsteps came from inside the door, and with a "bang," the door was pulled open.

Xue Rengui, dressed in a short-sleeved T-shirt, knelt and kowtowed upon seeing Li Zhi: "Your Majesty, I was unaware of Your Majesty's arrival and have failed to greet you properly. Please forgive me."

Li Zhi reached out and pulled him up, laughing, "I came uninvited, there's no need for such a grand ceremony."

Xue Rengui appeared to have been exercising; he was covered in sweat, and even Li Zhi wiped his hand with sweat when he helped him. Stepping through the gate, Lady Liu, along with Xue Ne, Xue Yujin, and the entire household, were kneeling in the courtyard to welcome the Emperor.

Li Zhi gestured for them to rise, and smiled at Lady Liu, saying, "Lady Liu, it's rare that General Xue has a few days of leisure at home to keep you company, but I have suddenly come to disturb you. I am truly sorry."

Today is the Cold Food Festival, and officials have a three-day holiday.

Lady Liu hurriedly lowered her head and curtsied, saying, "I am overwhelmed with gratitude. Your Majesty's arrival is an honor to our entire household. We are so honored that we cannot even begin to welcome you."

Xue Ne, standing beside her, kept her head bowed respectfully, while Xue Yujin looked up at Li Zhi and gave him a sweet smile.

Li Zhi saw that she was exquisitely beautiful and charming, and asked, "How old are you?"

Xue Yujin was not afraid of Li Zhi. She looked at him with her big eyes, smiled with her eyebrows curved, and said, "Your Majesty, my daughter is seven years old."

Li Zhi smiled and said, "She is three years older than my Princess Taiping. Lady Liu, you can bring her to the palace when you have time, so she can be a playmate for the princess."

Lady Liu was secretly delighted and said, "This concubine accepts the decree."

Li Zhi waved his hand and said, "Alright, you all go about your business. I'd like to have a few words with Minister Xue."

Xue Rengui knew the emperor's temperament best. Knowing that Li Zhi disliked being restrained, he sent his wife and children away.

He took Li Zhi to the backyard and toured the Xue family's back garden.

It was mid-spring, and the Xue family's backyard was filled with the fragrance of flowers. Peach and apricot blossoms vied for attention, creating a vibrant and colorful scene.

From the scenery of the backyard, one can see that Madam Liu is quite attentive to managing household affairs and is an excellent hostess.

Li Zhi walked along the flower-lined path and asked Xue Rengui if he had been exercising. Xue Rengui replied, "Your Majesty, I was practicing martial arts. Please follow me."

He led Li Zhi to a spacious stone platform with two weapon racks on either side, clearly where Xue Rengui practiced martial arts.

Xue Rengui picked up a long-handled double-edged sword from the shelf and asked, "Your Majesty, do you know what kind of weapon this is?"

Li Zhi stared at it for a while, then his eyes flashed, and he said, "Could it be a Mo Dao?"

Xue Rengui was overjoyed and said, "Your Majesty is indeed knowledgeable. You even recognize this rare weapon in the army. This sword is indeed the Mo Dao!"

Li Zhi was very interested. The Mo Dao was a weapon that became popular during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. At that time, it was still a relatively uncommon weapon.

He reached out and took it from Xue Rengui's hand. It was heavy in his hand, and it was extremely difficult to pick up. To swing it was even more difficult.

No wonder the Mo Dao is an unpopular weapon; its weight alone makes it unsuitable for ordinary soldiers.

"Xue Qing, didn't you use a silver halberd before? Why did you suddenly switch to practicing with a long-handled broadsword?"

Xue Rengui said, "I heard from a friend in the army that Protector Pei trained a Mo Dao (a type of long-handled sword) team in Anxi. Out of curiosity, I asked my friend to forge a Mo Dao and tried it out."

Li Zhi asked with delight, "Pei Xingjian has already begun assembling the Mo Dao (陌刀) team. How many people are there?"

"I heard it's less than a thousand."

Li Zhi nodded. It seemed that Pei Xingjian was still in the exploratory stage and was not sure whether the Mo Dao could shine on the battlefield, hence the small number of his men.

Seeing that Li Zhi's expression was unusual, Xue Rengui asked, "What does Your Majesty think of the Mo Dao?"

Li Zhi stroked the broad blade and said slowly, "This sword is fierce and sharp; it can be widely adopted in my Tang army."

The first expeditionary force of the Tang Dynasty, under Gao Xianzhi, included a Mo Dao (陌刀) unit with several thousand members, and the "Divine General" Li Siye was a Mo Dao general.

The Mo Dao (陌刀) troops led by Li Siye were considered the pinnacle of infantry, known for their ability to shatter both men and horses with a single slash.

Xue Rengui was also quite fond of the Mo Dao (陌刀), and seeing how much the emperor appreciated it, he decided to train a Mo Dao squad within the Imperial Guards.

"By the way, I came to see you today because I have something I'd like to ask for your opinion on." Li Zhi returned the Mo Dao to Xue Rengui; his hand was sore from holding it for so long.

Xue Rengui took it with one hand and placed it back on the shelf without any effort, saying, "Your Majesty, please give your instructions."

Li Zhi said, "A few days ago, news came from Anxi that Pei Xingjian had gone to the Turkic tribe. It is estimated that it will not be long before Pei Xingjian can resolve the Turkic problem."

"At that time, our army will take action against Tokharistan. I originally intended to use the Anxi army as the main force in this battle, but Gao Youdao sent back news that the Arab army is not weak, with four major legions, all of which are strong soldiers and fierce generals."

"I've been thinking that relying solely on the Anxi Army isn't quite secure. I'd like to transfer a contingent from the Imperial Guard to Anxi, and have you command it. What do you think?"

Although Gao Youdao and Du Yijian had not yet returned, they had already sent people to tell Li Zhi everything they had seen and heard in the Abbasid Caliphate.

Upon hearing of the strength of the Abbasid Caliphate's army, Emperor Gaozong (Li Zhi) dared not be complacent and decided to send Xue Rengui to Anxi as well, just in case.

Xue Rengui cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I am always waiting for your summons."

Emperor Gaozong sighed, “Over the years, you have been involved in almost every major battle, both in the north and south. I am truly worried that you will get tired.”

Xue Rengui smiled and said, "I am deeply grateful for Your Majesty's kindness, but for me, the battlefield is the most comfortable place. It is fighting that brings me joy!"

"You really think so?" Li Zhi was taken aback. This guy was practically a war maniac.

Xue Rengui sighed, “I have spent half my life in vain. It was not until I was over thirty that I finally found my direction in life. I am unwilling to waste any more time and only hope to win more battles for Your Majesty.”

Li Zhi patted him on the shoulder and said, "With a general like you, I am extremely fortunate, and the Tang Dynasty is extremely fortunate! I will give you 50,000 troops to go to Anxi. You can choose the soldiers and generals yourself!"

Xue Rengui solemnly replied, "Your Majesty, I will certainly not fail your expectations!"

Just then, a person walked quickly over from a distance; it was Wang Jishan.

It seems something urgent has happened, otherwise he wouldn't have gone directly to Xue Rengui's residence.

Wang Jishan stepped forward, bowed to Li Zhi, and nodded to Xue Rengui.

"Minister Wang, is this news from Anxi?" Li Zhi asked.

Wang Jishan said, "Your Majesty, the Turks have been dealt with."

Li Zhi was overjoyed and asked, "What are the details?"

Wang Jishan said, "After Helu returned to the Turkic tribe, Li Zhefu prepared to gather the chiefs of the other four tribes to plot against Helu. However, the Basai chieftain and the Geshu chieftain both chose to support Helu."

"Li Zhefu then led the other three tribes to attack Basai Gan. Although the Geshu Chu tribe came to their aid, He Lu's two tribes were no match for Li Zhefu's three tribes. He Lu sent people to the Anxi Protectorate for help."

"Protector Pei and Deputy Protector Cui led their troops to the scene in time, and together with two tribes under He Lu, they wiped out the three tribes of Asijieque under Li Zhefu."

Li Zhi gazed westward and exclaimed, "Pei Xingjian has indeed not disappointed me!"

Wang Jishan continued, "In this battle, both the Basai cadres and the Geshu tribe suffered heavy losses. The Basai chieftain Pobi was killed, and Helu was also seriously injured."

“Protector Pei proposed that all the remaining Turkic herders be moved to the east of Suyab and placed under the direct jurisdiction of the Tang Dynasty. He Lu could continue to serve as deputy protector and manage these two tribes.”

"Granted." Li Zhi waved his hand.

In the current situation, the Turks can no longer pose a threat. Helu has done a good job this time, and besides, he is old and will not be a threat in the future.

Allowing him to continue serving as deputy protector-general would both appease the remaining Turks and demonstrate to outsiders that as long as they submit to the Tang Dynasty and do not rebel, they can enjoy their later years in peace.

Li Zhi turned his gaze to Xue Rengui.

"Minister Xue, the matter with the Turks has been resolved. After the Cold Food Festival, you should also mobilize troops to go to Anxi as soon as possible."

Xue Rengui cupped his hands and said, "Your subject obeys the decree."

(End of this chapter)