Datang: Just been appointed as the crown prince, the counterattack system is here

Chapter 339 I will not forgive someone who refuses to help! [Seeking monthly votes]

"Prepare for battle—!"

Li Chengqian, armed with a gun, solemnly issued the order.

Upon hearing this, Pei Xingjian and Lai Fu's expressions also turned serious.

They all knew that this second group of cavalrymen was definitely not Dahe Kuge's men.

Because Dahe Kuge's men have already revealed their identities.

So this group of people is very likely an enemy, not a friend.

But then Pei Xingjian said in a deep voice, "Your Highness, the second group of cavalry that appeared should be Xueyantuo people judging from their clothing, but there are at least tens of thousands of them. Should we inform Commander Su and the others?"

Li Chengqian did not answer, but calmly asked in return, "How far away are Dahe Kuge's men from us?"

"About 800 meters!" Pei Xingjian estimated.

"Eight hundred meters?"

After pondering for a moment, Li Chengqian decisively ordered, "Laifu, you immediately lead a few Imperial Guards to inform Dahe Kuge's men to stop advancing immediately. Otherwise, our Great Tang will consider them enemies and kill them without mercy!"

"promise!"

Lai Fu agreed and immediately rode off with three Imperial Guards.

Li Chengqian led the remaining troops to retreat slowly, distancing himself from Dahe Kuge's men.

They only stopped when they had retreated more than a kilometer away, preparing to face the Xueyantuo troops.

at the same time.

Upon hearing Lai Fu's warning, Dahe Kuge's men also reined in their horses.

A Khitan warrior approached Dahekuge, cupped his hands, and said, "Great Chieftain, the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty has ordered us to halt our advance, or we will be considered enemies. What should we do?"

Upon hearing this, Dahe Kuge frowned deeply.

He never expected that his attempt to curry favor with the Crown Prince of Tang would lead to this situation.

Although he and Zhishi Sili had formed a new alliance, the attitudes of the Tang generals towards Zhishi Sili were completely different from their attitudes towards him.

The main reason for this is that Zhishi Sili was a man of the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty.

Seeing that the Zhishisi tribe was getting better and better with the help of the Tang army, Dahekuge naturally wanted the Khitan tribe to get better as well.

Therefore, he secretly met with Li Chengqian alone, hoping to gain Li Chengqian's appreciation.

Before he could even meet Li Chengqian, Xueyantuo's forces suddenly appeared on the way.

That's incredibly unlucky.

Just as Dahe Kuge was feeling utterly dejected, Xueyantuo's men had already arrived within 500 meters of them.

Suddenly, a Xueyantuo general shouted, "Brother Daheku, thank you for leading us to ambush and kill the Tang Crown Prince. Let's have a victory celebration together after we succeed!"

"What!?"

Upon hearing this, Dahe Kuge was greatly surprised.

He never expected that the Xueyantuo people would utter such shocking words!
It should be noted that he learned that Li Chengqian would come to the northern desert from Zhishi Sili.

The prediction that Li Chengqian would go to Liangzhou City was made by the scouting points he had set up along the way.

Xueyantuo had absolutely nothing to do with this.

Now that he's heard the Xueyantuo general say this, won't it directly cause a misunderstanding between him and the Tang Dynasty?
No wonder the Crown Prince of Tang sent someone to warn him to stop advancing; it turns out the Crown Prince also suspected him of colluding with the Xueyantuo!

How can this be good?

Dahe Kuge felt utterly wronged and even regretted not informing Zhishi Sili, otherwise things wouldn't have turned out this way!
"Damn it, Otoshiinan! How dare he scheme against me like this!"

Dahe Kuge angrily cracked his whip.

It was obvious that he quickly realized that Yi Shi Yinan had planted a spy among his men, otherwise Yi Shi Yinan could not have acted so quickly.

Moreover, Yishiyinan's blatant provocation was not only intended to create misunderstandings between the Khitan and the Tang Dynasty, but also to serve as a warning to the other allies of the Xueyantuo Khanate.

It's easy to pledge allegiance to the Tang Dynasty, but whether I can gain their trust depends on my mood.

After all, they had a very pleasant relationship with each other when they were in the Gurkha Khanate, and each tribe even had a son-in-law from the other.

This also makes it easier for them to plant their own spies.

Even though the other party has already broken off relations, it's impossible to eliminate these sons-in-law one by one.

Therefore, unless the Tang Dynasty fully trusts the tribes that have submitted to it, such divisive tactics would be extremely damaging to the other side.

But then another Khitan warrior beside him asked with some concern, "Great Chieftain, what should we do now?"

Dahekuge gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice, "Prepare for battle. We must not let the Xueyantuo people underestimate our Khitan tribe!"

"promise!"

The Khitan warriors readily agreed and then began preparing for battle.

And the other side.

Liangzhou City.

Because of the war, the entire city seemed to have been whipped, and a tense atmosphere permeated the whole city.

Many wealthy people have already started packing up their valuables, preparing to flee at any time.

After all, they have always believed in the principle that a tree dies when it is moved, but a person thrives when they move.

Although there are dangers in this border region of Liangzhou, fortune is found in danger. As long as there is no real war, they can come here to seek wealth.

But if war breaks out, then you'll have to run away.

"Greetings, Commander Li and Commander Cheng!"

A general who was guarding the city saw Li Daliang and Cheng Gao coming to patrol the city and immediately stepped forward to salute.

Li Daliang asked him expressionlessly, "Is there anything unusual from the Tuyuhun side?"

"Reporting to Governor Li, I recently heard that the Crown Prince of Tuyuhun had a fierce argument with Prince Murong Shun. Yesterday, the Crown Prince of Tuyuhun suddenly left Fu'e City, and his whereabouts are unknown, but he should not be heading towards our Great Tang!"

"Why are you so sure?"

"Commander on the return journey, according to our spies, King Fuyun of Tuyuhun's condition has worsened and he is currently receiving treatment in Shanshan. The Crown Prince of Tuyuhun is now focused on the throne and is unlikely to launch a war at this time; otherwise, Prince Murong Shun would have an opportunity."

"Ok!"

Upon hearing this, Cheng Gao and Li Daliang exchanged a glance and then nodded slightly.

But then the city's garrison commander said, "However, a scout just reported that the Khitan tribe is conducting military exercises outside Ganzhou City, with ten thousand Khitan troops personally led by Dahe Kuge!"

"This isn't the first time Brother Dahe has personally trained his troops, is it?" Li Daliang asked, frowning.

“Yes, this is the third time recently. But it’s understandable. Xueyantuo colluded with Goguryeo and launched a sneak attack on the heartland of Khitan. He must want revenge!” Cheng Gao nodded in agreement.

"But even if he wanted revenge, he shouldn't have trained troops on the border of my Great Tang."

"this."

Cheng Gao hesitated for a moment, then said helplessly, "This is General Li Ji's order, instructing us..."

"Report——"

Before Cheng Gao could finish speaking, a fast horse galloped up from below the city and reported to the city: "Reporting to Commander Li, a Khitan army of over ten thousand men has been spotted ten miles ahead!"

"What!?"

Li Daliang and Cheng Gao were both startled. Without saying a word, Li Daliang glared at the city's garrison general beside him and shouted, "Wasn't Brother Dahe Ku training troops outside Ganzhou City? How come he's training them in my Liangzhou defense zone?!"

"I...I don't know what happened either. Two hours ago, they were still outside Ganzhou City. I don't know how they suddenly appeared outside Liangzhou City!" The city's garrison general explained, looking completely bewildered.

"Oh!"

Li Daliang kicked one of his men to the ground and roared angrily, "You don't know what's going on, so what kind of general are you? Are you trying to make Liangzhou City fall without a fight?!"

"Governor Li, please calm down! The Khitan tribes have no conflict with our Great Tang Dynasty, and have no reason to launch a surprise attack on our Great Tang."

"They all launched a surprise attack! Do they need a reason?"

Cheng Gao also angrily interrupted another subordinate, preparing to mobilize the city's troops for defense.

Just then, another scout returned and reported: "Commander Li, we have spotted a new Tang army outside the city, which seems to be His Highness the Crown Prince's troops!"

"what?!"

Both Li Daliang and Cheng Gao were startled upon hearing this.

Cheng Gao rushed forward in a few strides and grabbed the scout by the collar: "Are you sure you're His Highness the Crown Prince's men?"

"That should be it! I saw that the man was surrounded by many Imperial Guards, and they seemed to be from Dahe Kuge's men, heading straight for His Highness the Crown Prince!"

"Damn it! That Daheku brother deserves to die!"

Cheng Gao cursed through gritted teeth, then immediately ordered loudly, "Men! Follow me out of the city to rescue the Crown Prince!" "Wait, Commander Cheng!"

No sooner had Cheng Gao finished speaking than Li Daliang interrupted him, saying, "In my opinion, it is not advisable to send troops now!"

"Why, Commander? That's His Highness the Crown Prince!"

Cheng Gao looked at Li Daliang with a surprised expression.

But then Li Daliang calmly asked, "According to His Majesty's decree, what is the purpose of the Crown Prince's journey north this time?"

"Naturally, it's to quell the Xueyantuo!" Cheng Gao blurted out.

Li Daliang glanced at him, then calmly asked, "Since the Crown Prince's journey north this time is to quell the Xueyantuo, why did he come to Liangzhou?"

"This..." Cheng Gao hesitated for a moment, seemingly finding it somewhat strange, then frowned and asked, "What do you mean?"

"Just wait and see what happens!"

"No!"

Cheng Gao immediately waved his hand and said, "How could we possibly stand by and watch His Highness the Crown Prince die? If His Majesty were to blame us, we would surely die!"

"It's not that I refused to help, it's..."

"Report——"

Just as the two were arguing, another scout came to report: "Commander Li! The Xueyantuo troops are fighting against Dahekuge's troops outside the city!"

"Ok?"

Li Daliang and Cheng Gao were both taken aback, wondering what was going on.
How did Xueyantuo's men end up here?

Clearly, these unexpected situations left them somewhat at a loss.

However, as a seasoned veteran, Li Daliang would not lose his composure so easily.

After calming himself down slightly, he said thoughtfully, "Do you think this is a ploy to lure the tiger away from the mountain?"

"If we had rushed out of the city in our eagerness to save the Crown Prince, wouldn't the city have been left undefended, giving the enemy an opportunity to take advantage?"

"Yes! If Liangzhou falls, we will be held accountable even if we die a hundred times!"

Cheng Gao nodded as if he had just realized something, then solemnly asked, "So, according to Governor Li, what should we do now?"

"Just like I said, let's wait and see!"

"it is good!"

Just as the two made up their minds not to leave the city to rescue Li Chengqian, Li Chengqian looked at the battlefield ahead and suddenly asked Pei Xingjian, "You just said that Dahekuge and Zhishi Sili have formed an alliance, right?"

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Pei Xingjian immediately replied, "It is said that when Dahe Kuge rebelled against the Xueyantuo Khanate, he was pursued and killed by the Xueyantuo army. It was Zhishi Sili who requested the Tang army to rescue him!"

"Oh I got it."

Upon hearing this, Li Chengqian nodded as if he had just realized something, and then instructed Pei Xingjian: "Immediately notify Yu Gushe to lead the Wolf Fang Guard to support Dahe Kuge. Remember, just defeat them, don't linger in the battle!"

"Yes!"

Pei Xingjian responded and immediately rode away.

Li Chengqian, along with his Imperial Guards, slowly retreated, ready to provide support to Yu Gu at any time.

Thus, a chaotic battle broke out between the three forces outside Liangzhou City.

It wasn't until half an hour later that Xueyantuo's troops retreated in disarray.

Dahe Kuge was brought before Li Chengqian by Yugu She, and bowed, saying, "Thank you for your help, Crown Prince of the Great Tang. Otherwise, my Khitan tribe would probably be in grave danger today!"

That was a very polite way of putting it.

In fact, even without Yu Gushe's intervention, the Khitan tribes would have defeated the Xueyantuo forces, only suffering heavier losses.

But it was because of these words that Li Chengqian saw the sincerity he had shown him, so he smiled slightly and said, "Chief Dahe, you are too kind. Our Great Tang has always been on good terms with your Khitan tribes, so it is only right that we lend a helping hand!"

"Yes, yes, it is truly an honor to meet the Crown Prince of the Great Tang today!"

Dahe Kuge nodded repeatedly.

However, his knowledge of Central Plains culture was not very advanced, and he couldn't say anything to get close to people. He could only awkwardly say some nonsensical things.

Hearing this, Li Chengqian chuckled and said, "I understand Chief Dahe's intentions, but this is not the place to talk. I will invite Chief Dahe to be my guest another day when I have time!"

"Very well, Your Highness, if you invite me, I will certainly go!"

Dahe Kuge happily made his promise, but didn't mention the Xueyantuo general's earlier words, because he believed that Li Chengqian could understand his sincerity.

However, before he took his leave, he asked Li Chengqian with some doubt, "I wonder what brings Your Highness to Liangzhou?"

"I'm just here to inspect the defenses of Liangzhou. As you know, my purpose in coming north this time is to attack the Xueyantuo. Liangzhou is backed by the Tuyuhun, so I'm naturally worried that they might take the opportunity to cause trouble!"

"Well, that makes sense."

Dahe Kuge nodded in deep agreement, saying, "Your Highness the Crown Prince is farsighted. We should indeed be wary of those Tuyuhun people!"

"hehe."

Li Chengqian smiled noncommittally, then shut his mouth.

Seeing that Li Chengqian remained silent, Dahe Kuge wisely took his leave and departed.

After all, his plan to meet with Li Chengqian alone this time was successfully completed.

"Your Highness, does this Dahe Kuge have something to ask of you?" Yu Gu She, who had been silent all along, suddenly asked as he watched Dahe Kuge lead his troops away.

Upon hearing this, Li Chengqian smiled and looked at him, saying, "Even you noticed?"

“Yes, his behavior is too strange, he doesn’t act like a tribal chief at all!” Yu Gushe shrugged. “And he fights very fiercely on the battlefield, as if he’s putting on a show for His Highness the Crown Prince!”

"Well, that's enough for you. See through it but don't say anything. Let's observe the situation first!" Li Chengqian nodded with a smile, then looked in the direction the Xueyantuo had retreated and said, "This place is not safe to stay long. Let's go to Liangzhou City first!"

“This Li Daliang is really something else. The Crown Prince is in danger outside the city, and he doesn’t even leave the city to rescue him,” Pei Xingjian couldn’t help but mutter.

Li Chengqian glanced at him but did not say anything.

Before long, they arrived at Liangzhou City.

"Your subject, Li Daliang, Governor of Liangzhou, pays respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince. Long live the Crown Prince!"

As soon as Li Chengqian arrived in Liangzhou City, Li Daliang led all the officials and clerks in the city to come out and greet him.

Your humble servants pay their respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince!

The moment Li Daliang finished speaking, all the officials immediately echoed his sentiments.

Upon seeing this, Li Chengqian immediately dismounted, helped Li Daliang up, and said with a smile, "Governor Li, you are too kind. I have come to Liangzhou incognito this time, so there is no need for such formalities!"

"Wei Chen obeys!"

Li Daliang responded and then personally led Li Chengqian and the others into the city.

Li Chengqian did not stand on ceremony and immediately led Yu Gushe and others into Liangzhou City with Li Daliang.

At this moment, cheers erupted throughout Liangzhou City, as if everyone had long wanted to meet the legendary Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty.

Soon, Li Daliang brought Li Chengqian and the others to the Liangzhou Governor's Office.

Finally, Li Daliang couldn't contain his curiosity and asked, "I wonder what brings Your Highness to Liangzhou this time?"

"What is it, Governor Li? Is there something you're worried about?" Li Chengqian asked with a half-smile.

Li Daliang was stunned for a moment, then exchanged a glance with Cheng Gao, and quickly bowed and said, "Your Highness, please forgive me. I did not mean to refuse to save Your Highness, but I was worried about their plan to lure you away from your mountain!"

"Yes, Your Highness, the Xueyantuo have been repeatedly invading our territory recently, and they are also frequently interacting with the Tuyuhun. We are worried."

"Yes, I understand everything you've said, and I fully understand your actions!"

Li Chengqian smiled and nodded, then changed the subject: "However, I do not forgive you!"

"Ah? This"

"Of course, I can also give you a chance to redeem yourselves!"

"What opportunity?" Cheng Gao couldn't help but ask first.

Li Chengqian glanced at him, then said calmly and indifferently, "Help me destroy Tuyuhun!"

"What!?"

Upon hearing this, Li Daliang and Cheng Gao were greatly surprised.

They never expected that Li Chengqian had come to conquer Tuyuhun.

But didn't His Majesty's decree say that the Crown Prince was here to quell the Xueyantuo? What exactly is going on?
Even if they racked their brains, they still couldn't understand Li Chengqian's actions!

But then Li Chengqian suddenly asked, "Now that I'm going to take over the troops in Liangzhou, who agrees and who disagrees?"

(End of this chapter)