Tang Dynasty Bandits

Chapter 190 Side Story: Thunderclap
When the dust settled at Nanling in Xuanzhou, Gao Pian knew he had won another great victory. Even Huang Chao, the wise and brave leader of the rebel army, had lost more than 5,000 men at his hands. Including those who surrendered and were captured, the victory in this battle exceeded 10,000.

"The bandit army has completely collapsed and fled in utter defeat, leaving corpses strewn across the ground. There is not a single horseman left in the north and south of Xuanzhou." Gao Yan reported with a joyful expression: "Congratulations, Uncle, on your new achievement. Your life's merits are worthy of being compared with those of the famous generals of the past."

"A famous general of ancient times, is that so?"

Lei Shuai Gao Pian removed his gold-plated phoenix-wing helmet, revealing an extremely gaunt face with his messy hair flying wildly as he gazed at the distant horizon.

"Yanwei, someone like me, who has established his own government and military headquarters, achieved numerous military exploits, been promoted twelve times, and is famous throughout the land, can I say that I have no regrets in this life?"

"Of course! My uncle is renowned throughout the land and is the greatest general of our Tang Dynasty."

"Perhaps." Gao Pian smiled faintly, his gaze suddenly freezing as if he were lost in a very distant memory: "But if I had a choice, more than all this glory, I would only wish to wear armor and wield a spear, to be a soldier under Commander Shi, and to recover Anxi and Beiting for the country."

"After that person left, all hope for the revival of the Tang Dynasty was lost."

……

"Boy, you say you are the eldest son of the Gao family of Bohai, that Gao Chongwen, who pacified Xichuan in one battle, is your grandfather, and that Gao Changgong, the Prince of Lanling who broke through the Mangban Pass, is your ancestor?"

"I'm sorry, I only have generals and soldiers here. Even if you are a prince or a grandson of the emperor, you will be nothing more than a lowly soldier in my Shi Xiong camp."

"Humans are not livestock, and they have no blood or lineage. Even if you ask your grandfather or ancestors to possess you, it will not increase your battle record by the slightest."

"Fame and glory can only be gained on horseback. Let me see, lad. The only things that will make you a part of history are the spear in your hand and the eight-sided Han sword at your waist!"

These words from his first meeting with his teacher deeply moved Gao Pian.

But the turning point that truly changed his life was a month later when Shi Xiong approached him for a conversation.

“Gao Pian, courtesy name Qianli.” Shi Xiong exclaimed, “An old steed in its stall may still aspire to gallop a thousand miles; a hero in his twilight years may still cherish lofty ambitions.”

"Your name was personally given to you by the Prince of Nanping, wasn't it?"

Gao Pian was struck dumb as if by lightning.

The title of Prince of Nanping was bestowed upon his grandfather, Gao Chongwen. As his teacher, Shi Xiong, said, his name was personally chosen by his grandfather in his later years, and the allusion came from Cao Cao's poem "The Tortoise's Longevity".

"In the barracks, the soldiers say you're arrogant about your family background, look down on people, and disdain others." Shi Xiong gently patted his shoulder, smiling like sunshine, showing no hint of criticism, simply stating the facts.

"However, having lofty ambitions can also be an overwhelming burden. When a renowned old man entrusts his twilight years' aspirations to his most beloved grandson, isn't that love an unbearable weight?"

Seeing that Gao Pian remained as still as a statue, unable to utter a single word, Shi Xiong raised his clean and handsome eyebrows with a hint of smugness: "So, just live in your grandfather's shadow. Use arrogance to cover up your inferiority complex. When others see you, they will only remember the invincible Prince Gao Chongwen of Nanping, and will not have much expectation of you. It is only natural that a grandson is inferior to his grandfather."

“But…” Shi Xiong sighed, “This is neither what your grandfather wanted, nor what you wanted yourself. Are you really willing to spend your life just like your grandfather’s shadow? Using arrogance to cover up your ambition and aspirations, is this the destiny you’ve chosen for yourself?”

"I'm sorry, Commander Shi..."

Gao Pian's body began to tremble. He finally remembered that when his grandfather passed away, he cried bitterly but also secretly breathed a sigh of relief because no one would place so many expectations on him anymore.

"Don't apologize to me. Saying that proves you're still afraid. What I, Shi Xiong, want to teach you is to overcome your fear. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

"Come with me, and we will make the impossible possible. As long as you keep moving forward, the road will continue to extend. And I will be your guiding light in the darkness, leading you in the end. You will create miracle after miracle, and your achievements will make your grandfather pale in comparison."

"Grab my hand." Shi Xiong extended his hand, his palm clean, thick, yet powerful, as steady as Mount Tai: "My fate is in my own hands, not in the heavens. If you don't give up on possibilities, your life will have endless possibilities. The so-called great achievements can be realized by taking one step at a time."

Gao Pian realized that tears had begun to stream down his face.

He suddenly grabbed the teacher's hand, their ten fingers clasped tightly together.

This person not only understood everything about him, but also made him completely believe every word he said, feeling that there was nothing false about it.

He resolved to dedicate his life to following his teacher's guidance.

Not long after, he and his teacher experienced the earth-shattering battle in the remote region.

"Tomorrow, you bunch of greenhorns will be going into battle."

"The opponent is the battle-hardened Uyghur Khan; the objective is to take his head."

"Three thousand against one hundred thousand, I can certainly go there."

"Attack!"

When Gao Pian rode his horse out of Zhenwu City through the tunnel, he had already disregarded life and death.

But he was even more convinced that they would win, because that person could perform any miracle.

When he first arrived at the military camp, it was filled with refugees who had fled from Tibet, defeated soldiers who trembled at the mere mention of the word "Uyghur" after their crushing defeat in Yunzhong, notorious scoundrels driven out by the Shence Army, and naive fourteen or fifteen-year-old boys who had never even touched a sword or spear.

But in just a few months, they had already formed a fighting force that was harder than fine steel and stronger than brass.

They wanted to avenge the more than 10,000 Tang soldiers who died in the Battle of Yunzhong last year.

They wanted to avenge the hundreds of thousands of people in Daibei who had been killed, plundered, and harmed.

Gao Pian certainly remembered that when he first joined the army, he was a spoiled brat who would boast about his family background and act arrogantly.

He also remembered that his junior sister, Zhen Ranyu, was just a delicate little girl who was afraid of the dark, and could even scream in fright when she saw insects.

Junior brother Li Guochang, on the other hand, was like a young wolf, his lonely eyes filled with distrust of his surroundings, and he would easily strike and hurt people.

But a few months later, they were all members of this invincible force of three thousand iron cavalry.

This in itself is a miracle that only a god could create.

So why not go with the teacher to create another miracle?

What is your purpose in going there?

The king was defeated, and the battlefield was swept clean.

What if you never come back?
And then he never returned!
Several days later, when renowned generals of the empire, such as Wang Yanzai, the military governor of Binning, Wang Maoyuan, the military governor of Heyang, and Zhang Zhongwu, the military governor of Lulong, arrived at the battlefield one after another.

Shi Xiong sat high atop a mound of corpses, his battle robe stained with blood and fluttering in the wind.

Behind him was a crimson Tang Dynasty battle flag, with a severed head at the top, its beard bristling and eyes wide open in death, still bearing the fierce aura of its former self. It was none other than the invincible pride of the northern deserts—Wujie Khan!
Before the army could even assemble, three thousand iron cavalrymen had already completely destroyed the Uyghur Khanate, which had dominated for two hundred years.

Shi Xiong raised the wine pouch at his waist, slightly drunk, and looked at his colleagues who were rushing over like a swarm of bees, clearly feeling their envy, jealousy, and resentment.

The fierce winds had subsided as the blood of battle had been spilled, and the wine cups shone with a rainbow of colors under the sunlight. The legendary military strategist, like a rainbow rising from the sea, drank heartily.

"My fellow colleagues, you have traveled a long and arduous journey, you must be exhausted!" Then, his gaze fell on the three thousand knights who had fought alongside him to victory below the Jingguan, and his eyes were instantly filled with indescribable pride.

Shi Xiongji pointed at the group of fierce warriors, his spirits high and his voice like thunder.

"The young ones have already defeated the thieves!"

Just six words.

Not only will Gao Pian remember him forever, but his fame will also last for eternity.

Kill Hu Shan!

In the third year of the Huichang era of the Tang Dynasty, Shi Xiong, the deputy envoy of the Tiande Defense Command, led 3,000 cavalry to defeat the 100,000-strong Uyghur army at the Shahu Mountain in southern Gobi Desert, killing Wujie Khan in battle and announcing the demise of the Uyghur Khanate.

This bloody battlefield, like Changping, Chibi, and Feishui, will forever be etched in history and remembered by future generations.

From that battle onward, through countless battles in golden armor, generals fought valiantly, earning fame and renown. Throughout this journey, Gao Pian always remembered his teacher's words—

"When you completely surpass your ancestors, you will no longer care so much about your bloodline and family background."

Yes, he did it. He fought in the south and the north, established his own government and military headquarters, and became the head of the four great generals of the Tang Dynasty. Standing there with his spear in hand, he looked around and found no enemy in sight.

The once towering peaks are now beneath our feet.

However, the figure that guided him, though gone, has become another insurmountable mountain for him.

However, there are things that teachers cannot do.

Gao Pian then recalled the scene of blocking his teacher's horse on the road outside the east gate of Fengxiang Prefecture.

"Teacher, you must not go to the capital! The current emperor is purging the old guard of Emperor Wuzong. If you enter Chang'an, you will never be able to leave."

Shi Xiong's eyes flickered slightly: "Qianli, do you know that if you don't go to the capital, it will be considered disobeying the imperial decree?"

Gao Pian glanced around and saw that no one was around. Apart from his teacher, there were only a few of his trusted guards opposite him.

"So be it, defy the imperial decree!" Gao Pian was silent for a moment, then bit his lip hard. "Knowing that death is inevitable, why still go and throw your life away?"

Shi Xiong's lips curled slightly: "Are you trying to rebel against your master?"

The teacher easily uttered the words that Gao Pian had kept in his heart but dared not say aloud.

Before Gao Pian could answer, Shi Xiong said, "With the world at peace, if Fengxiang, a town, were to rebel, how would that be different from a moth drawn to a flame? And you, you can't even muster the private army of your Bohai Gao family. Since your fate is inescapable, I will go to the capital now, so that I can preserve my reputation for life."

Gao Pian suddenly shuddered.

But he immediately shouted hoarsely, "Even if we defy the imperial decree, it doesn't necessarily mean we have to attack the court. Teacher, we can gather the soldiers who are willing to leave and, like Qiu Ran Ke, go out and establish a country! The Uyghurs are already gone, and Tibet is now teetering on the brink of collapse. To the north and to the west, there are vast and boundless lands where fish can leap freely!"

When he said this, Gao Pian was already prepared to abandon his family and completely sever ties with the Bohai Gao clan.

Shi Xiong looked at Gao Pian with a hint of surprise in his eyes.

He probably never imagined that his eldest disciple's loyalty to him would reach such a level.

As Gao Pian was being scrutinized by his teacher, he felt that time had slowed down considerably, and those few dozen breaths seemed to stretch into eternity.

"My greatest fortune in this life is having such talented students like you, who are skilled in both literature and martial arts." Shi Xiong sighed, "Ordinary rulers cannot tolerate so many outstanding talents among their subjects."

"Of course, there are exceptions. For example, Liu Bei, the first ruler of Shu Han, and Zhuge Liang, as well as the late emperor and his teacher himself."

"The late emperor was critically ill and ordered me to assist the young ruler. However, I did not foresee that Prince Guang, who had been feigning madness for more than twenty years, would cause the thousand-mile dike to collapse due to an ant hole." Shi Xiong said with regret, taking all the responsibility for Prince Guang's successful coup on himself.

“Now that all the late emperor’s children have been killed, the situation is settled and cannot be changed. I, Shi Xiong, can only atone for my sins with my death to repay the late emperor’s deep kindness. Only in this way can the current emperor dare to appoint you with confidence.”

Upon hearing this, Gao Pian's eyes welled up with tears, and he burst into sobs.

"You are still young, and you have a bright future ahead of you. You should become a renowned general who will be famous throughout the world. Spending your life eating sand in the wilderness is not the destiny you deserve."

Shi Xiong gently wiped away Gao Pian's tears: "Come with me to the capital. As a teacher, even if you go to the underworld, you should still have basic dignity."

To maintain basic dignity, he "died of illness" in Chang'an a year later, and Emperor Xuanzong, formerly known as Prince Guang, was even reluctant to grant him a posthumous title.

To be honest, after his teacher left, Gao Pian felt he had no reason to remain loyal to the Tang Dynasty.

Reality is so paradoxical; this empire appears riddled with holes, yet its interior is remarkably solid. Many troubles have kept Gao Pian, disliked by the eunuchs, constantly putting out fires, making him the Tang Dynasty's foremost general. But Gao Pian knows that even without him, the higher-ups have other ways to handle things, albeit with more complications.

Today, the mighty Tang Dynasty is finally showing signs of falling apart. But Gao Pian is old, no longer possessing the vigor and gambling spirit of his youth.

He turned his gaze to his nephew Gao Yan, and on Gao Yan's belt, he could clearly see an exquisite ghost mask.

That's the famous Lanling King mask.

My grandfather, Gao Chongwen, loved wearing it when he was young.

Gao Pian himself was the same before he met his teacher; after being accepted into Shi Xiong's tutelage, he discarded his mask as if it were worthless.

Gao Pian was unsure whether he should offer some advice to Gao Yan, telling him that only by discarding his mask could he achieve greater success.

Gao Yan didn't have Gao Pian's experience. He might not understand these kinds of words.

Compared to Gao Pian in his youth, Gao Yan was more decisive in his actions.

Unlike Gao Pian, Gao Yan never witnessed true greatness.

Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, was ruthless in his methods, yet he admired Lord Xinling's character, which inspired his soaring ambition and led to the creation of the magnificent Han Dynasty that lasted for four hundred years.

If Gao Yan truly possesses the ambition to conquer the world, Gao Pian wouldn't mind paving the way for him. The Bohai Gao clan once established the Northern Qi dynasty; if they could establish another one, it would be beneficial to the entire family.

However, Gao Pian always felt that a person with only self-interest in mind did not have the qualities of a ruler and might even repay kindness with enmity.

"Keep trying." Gao Pian's eyes softened with approval as he patted Gao Yan on the back.

Recalling the earnest look in his younger brother's eyes as he entrusted his only son to him before his death, Gao Pian sighed silently.

I have done my best; the future development of things is up to fate.

I just hope Gao Yan won't let me down.

(End of this chapter)