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

Chapter 422 Let Li Er Take My Head [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

Twenty miles from the border of Tibet, the night was as dark as ink.

Firelight flickered in the vast Tang army camp.

At this moment, Li Chengqian's central military tent was completely silent.

"Your Highness, we have just received news that His Majesty has returned to the capital in triumph!"

Pei Xingjian hurriedly entered the military tent, bowed to Li Chengqian who was examining a military map, and reported.

"Ah."

Li Chengqian simply responded with a faint "yes," then picked up a document and carefully checked it against the markings on the map, seemingly unconcerned about Li Shimin's triumphant return.

Seeing that Li Chengqian was not very interested, Pei Xingjian said nothing more and just watched him quietly.

Only after he had finally finished checking did he turn around and ask, "The news about Wu Yuan should have reached my father's ears by now, right? What's the reaction?"

"Your Highness, it is said that His Majesty was so angry that he vomited blood. The Duke of Lu, the Duke of E, and the Prince of Rencheng were crying and demanding an explanation from His Majesty, but His Majesty strictly ordered them to stop, saying that he would give them an explanation after returning to Chang'an!"

"Ah!"

Li Chengqian laughed, then threw the documents in his hand onto the table, and said disdainfully, "What explanation? Do you want to take my head to pay for their son's life?"

"this."

Pei Xingjian hesitated for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "Their son deserves to die. If we really want to pursue this matter, according to the law, they should be executed along with him!"

"Forget it, I can't be bothered with all that. Let my father do what he wants and see what he can do. Will he have to settle things for his old buddies?"

Li Chengqian waved his hand dismissively, then changed the subject, saying, "Besides the news from my father's side, is there any other news from Chang'an?"

"Have!"

Pei Xingjian nodded and said, "The Empress and the others have already received the smallpox vaccine and have had no adverse reactions. The only exception was that Prince Jin had a high fever once, but he has recovered. As for the people of Chang'an, one-third of them have already been vaccinated, and it is estimated that the vaccination will be completed by the end of the year."

"At that time, the medical school staff will travel to various states to establish medical school stations, prepare smallpox vaccines for the people of each state, and administer the vaccines. According to Dean Sun's estimate, in about three years, the people of the Tang Dynasty will no longer fear the smallpox plague!"

"Heh, Dean Sun's estimate is quite accurate. Based on the current registered population of the Tang Dynasty, the smallpox epidemic can indeed be resolved in three years. However..."

After a few words of banter, Li Chengqian changed the subject and said in a deep voice:

"Not only smallpox, but also plague, dysentery, and various other epidemics—we must find ways to solve them all. I have already given the medical book I compiled to Physician Zhen, so that he and Dean Sun can study it together. If necessary, we should have the Imperial Medical Academy and the Medical College cooperate to ensure the advancement of medicine!"

"In addition, medical examinations should be steadily implemented to cultivate more medical talents for our Great Tang Dynasty."

"Yes!"

Pei Xingjian responded.

But Li Chengqian continued to change the subject, saying, "Besides these matters, how is the war going at the front? Have you received any news from Xue Rengui and Yu Gushe?"

Pei Xingjian thought for a moment, then cupped his hands and said, "Your Highness, three days ago, Commander Xue sent word that they were already engaged in battle with the Gaochang army at the Altun Mountains. They are currently waiting for reinforcements from Gaochang and the Western Turks, preparing to give them a big blow!"

"Ok!"

Li Chengqian nodded in satisfaction, then smiled and said, "Rengui has the talent of a great general. As long as he is not in command of a large army, he can handle this kind of small battlefield."

After saying that, he continued to ask, "What about Yu Gu She's side? How is it going?"

"Three days ago, Commander Yugu sent word that they were almost at Quhe Valley. Once they crossed the snow-capped mountain ahead, they would reach the Tibetan horse pasture, and further west would be the Tibetan outer granary!"

"Why did it go so well?"

Li Chengqian frowned, somewhat incredulously saying, "According to my estimation, it should have taken them at least five days to reach this location. How come they arrived so much earlier?"

Pei Xingjian asked with some doubt, "Can't we just march quickly? We need to get there as soon as possible and complete the plan as quickly as possible!"

"Confused!"

Li Chengqian immediately rebuked, "Sometimes, speed is of the essence in war, but sometimes we have to slow down and take it one step at a time!"

As he spoke, he strode over to the map, pointed at it, and said, "Come here and show me exactly where they are."

"Oh, alright."

Pei Xingjian seemed to have realized the seriousness of the matter, and quickly stepped forward to point out the location he knew to Li Chengqian.

In an instant, Li Chengqian's expression changed drastically: "Damn it! They've been tricked! Yu Gushe and the others have fallen for Songtsen Gampo's trap!"

"What!?"

Pei Xingjian was stunned.

Without any hesitation, Li Chengqian immediately ordered him: "Quickly! Quickly pass on my order to send the troops closest to Yugu to their rescue! They must be saved!"

"Yes, yes, yes! This subordinate will go and relay the order immediately!"

"Use signal flares! Don't use Pegasus to send messages!"

"Alright! I'll go and fire the signal flare right away!"

After saying this, Pei Xingjian hurriedly prepared to run out.

However, at that moment, Li Chengqian's voice rang out again: "Wait a minute! If we fire a signal flare, it will definitely attract Songtsen Gampo's attention. Go and inform Su Dingfang that our army will set off at dawn to fight Songtsen Gampo first, so as not to distract Songtsen Gampo from his rear!"

"promise!"

Pei Xingjian immediately accepted the order and then turned and left the military tent.

……

On the other side, the Altun Pass.

Xue Rengui's iron spear drew a cold arc in the moonlight. When the spear tip pierced the throat of the last Gaochang soldier, the stench of blood in the canyon was so thick it was almost unbearable.

He stepped over the mountain of corpses and climbed to the top of the western cliff. His cloak fluttered in the wind, and behind him, eight thousand infantrymen were carrying gunpowder barrels up the cliff face by moonlight.

That was a "Thunderclap" that Li Chengqian had specially transferred from the Jiangling Arsenal. It was made of iron sheet wrapped with saltpeter and iron sand, and when it was exposed to fire, it would shatter the rocks into pieces as sharp as knives.

"General, the Western Turkic cavalry are loitering three miles outside the valley!"

Deputy General Wang Haibin climbed up, his armor still smeared with the brains of Gaochang soldiers: "That old fox Ashina Helu is trying to wait until we and the Gaochang people are both exhausted before he takes advantage of the situation!"

Xue Rengui spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva and looked towards the valley entrance.

In the darkness there, the faint sound of horses' hooves could be heard, like a pack of wolves lurking about their prey.

"Have the Ironclad Cavalry block their escape route on the other side, and have the crossbowmen set up the 'Eight-Ox Crossbows'!"

As he spoke, he tapped the rocks on the cliff edge with his finger and said, “Tell the brothers that no one will be able to sleep tonight. If Qu Wentai of Gaochang dares to enter the valley, we’ll string him up like a candied hawthorn with crossbow bolts; if Ashina Helu dares to come near, we’ll let him taste the thunder of the heavens!”

No sooner had the words been spoken than a string of torches suddenly appeared at the entrance of the valley, winding its way in like a long snake.

Wang Haibin suddenly drew his sword and said in a deep voice, "Here they come!"

Xue Rengui pressed his hand down and squinted to examine him closely: "No, the torches are too dense. They don't look like cavalry. They are infantry from Gaochang, at least five thousand men."

He suddenly laughed, a laugh full of disdain: "That good-for-nothing Qu Wentai, with the strength of his Gaochang Kingdom, actually thinks he can fill the canyon with sheer numbers?"

The torches drew closer, revealing the siege ladders and battering rams carried by the Gaochang soldiers. The leading officer on horseback shouted, "Barbarians of the Great Tang! Surrender if you know what's good for you! My king has said that those who surrender will be granted official positions, and those who resist will be..."

“Shoot!”

Without wasting any words, Xue Rengui gave the order directly to those behind him.

Thirty crossbows on the cliff top fired simultaneously. The crossbow bolts, as thick as a child's arm, pierced the night sky with a sharp whistle and directly pierced through more than ten Gaochang soldiers in the front row, pinning them to the ground along with their ladders.

As soon as the screams began, Xue Rengui waved his hand and ordered, "Throw in the oil!"

The earthenware pot, wrapped in a burning cloth, rolled down the cliff and exploded upon hitting the ranks of the Gaochang soldiers. Flames instantly licked the dry ground, causing people to scream and howl in agony.

Qu Wentai's personal guards shouted from behind, "Charge! Charge over there and we'll be able to scale the cliff!"

However, the wall of fire blocked their way, and the soldiers who tried to detour were shot through the throat by crossbowmen who were lying in ambush in the crevices of the rocks as soon as they got close to the sides of the canyon.

"General, the fire is about to reach the place where we buried the gunpowder!" Wang Haibin said urgently.

Xue Rengui glanced at the chaotic figures in the valley, then suddenly stood up: "Have the brothers throw thunderbolts down the cliff, and leave ten brothers to light the gunpowder fuse!"

He took off the command flag from his waist and threw it to Wang Haibin: "Take five hundred men and go around from the back of the mountain to outflank the Gaochang army. Remember, just bang gongs and shout, don't actually fight them!"

Wang Haibin was taken aback: "Why is that?"

"I'm going to make Qu Wentai think we have reinforcements!"

Xue Rengui weighed the iron spear in his hand, drops of blood from the shaft dripping onto the rock: "If he panics, he'll run out of the valley. That's when the real killing blow will come!"

Rumble!
Thunderclaps crashed into the valley one after another, each boom sending rocks flying and leaving the corpses of Gaochang soldiers scattered everywhere.

Qu Wentai, watching from the valley entrance, was terrified and was about to order a retreat when he suddenly heard a deafening shout behind him: "Tang reinforcements have arrived! Capture Qu Wentai alive!"

"what?!"

He turned around abruptly and, sure enough, saw a group of dark figures charging towards him with knives in the torchlight. In reality, they were Wang Haibin's men holding wooden sticks to make up the numbers.

He was terrified and immediately ordered, "Retreat! Retreat now!"

The Gaochang soldiers were already terrified, and upon hearing of the retreat, they immediately collapsed and surged out of the valley like a tide.

Xue Rengui stood on the cliff top and sneered. Seeing that the time was right, he suddenly swung his knife and cut the hemp rope beside him.

That was the mechanism connected to the gunpowder fuse. "Boom—!!"

The gunpowder, which had been buried in the middle of the canyon, was ignited, and the entire cliff collapsed with a roar. Boulders rained down like a storm, instantly blocking the entrance to the canyon.

The Gaochang soldiers in the valley were attacked from both sides. Cries, screams, and the clash of weapons mingled together, turning into a desperate massacre.

"General! The valley entrance is blocked!"

Wang Haibin returned with his men, his face splattered with mud: "Ashina Helu's scouts, seeing the situation was bad, have already fled!"

As Xue Rengui watched the fire in the valley gradually die down, he suddenly bent down and picked up half of a Gaochang soldier's helmet from the ground, which still had hair stuck to it.

"Ran?"

He threw his helmet off the cliff: "Tell Ashina Helu that this is just an appetizer. If I see him again, I'll knock his teeth out one by one!"

Just then, a personal guard scrambled up and shouted, "General! Urgent report from the Tibetan direction! General Yu Gushe's Wolf Fang Guard has been attacked in Quhe Valley!"

"What!?"

Xue Rengui's expression changed, and he abruptly turned to look at the personal guard: "Is this news true?!"

"Absolutely no lies!"

The guard quickly replied, "Our scouts have been keeping watch in that area the whole time, there's no mistake!"

"Damn it! How could Yu Gushe have been attacked? Did he not march according to His Highness the Crown Prince's plan? How was he exposed?!"

Countless questions and frustrations filled Xue Rengui's mind.

Suddenly, a dazzling light rose in the sky.

Bang!
A bright light exploded at the highest point!

"Use a rescue signal flare!"

Wang Haibin immediately recognized the meaning behind the light and exclaimed in surprise.

Xue Rengui narrowed his eyes and pondered, "This must be because His Highness the Crown Prince foresaw the attack on the Yugu gathering and called for nearby troops to come to the rescue in advance!"

"And what about us?"

"Send a team over there! Not too many! Others who saw the signal flare will also go!"

"Alright! I'll send a team over right away!"

Wang Haibin responded and turned to leave without saying another word.

As he watched him leave, Xue Rengui clenched his fists tightly and murmured, "Old man, please don't die!"

……

Meanwhile, in a mountain hollow on the west side of the Quhe Valley.

It's only August or September, but the wind and snow have already started howling.

At this moment, Yu Gushe leaned against a rock, panting heavily, clearly having just experienced a brutal battle.

His left arm was frozen bluish-purple, and blood seeped from the arrow wound in the snow, quickly freezing over.

He looked at the scattered corpses of the Wolf Fang Guards in the snow, and a metallic taste rose in his throat.

Three days ago, guided by their guide, they had just crossed the snow-capped mountains when they encountered Tibetan scouts. The Tibetans were clearly prepared and had mobilized two thousand cavalry to pursue them.

He initially thought it was the guide's betrayal, but the guide was the first to be shot and killed by the enemy cavalry.

That's when he realized something was wrong.

These Tibetans were probably already waiting for them here.

Songtsen Gampo must have anticipated that the Tang army would launch a surprise attack on his rear, and therefore did not mobilize all his troops to fight against Li Chengqian.

This cavalry force of two thousand men was specifically prepared for them.

That's why they were caught off guard.

"General, there are only thirty horses left!"

Agula, the bodyguard, handed over the last bag of barley flour, his voice trembling as he said, "Many of the brothers are frozen stiff and can't run at all."

Upon hearing this, Yu Gushe did not speak, but instead grabbed a handful of barley flour and stuffed it into his mouth. He swallowed the flour residue mixed with snow water, which stung his throat painfully.

Then he looked toward the snow-covered mountain pass in the distance, where he could faintly hear the sound of horses' hooves.

It looks like the Tibetans have caught up again.

"Go and tell the brothers to tie the frozen comrades to their horses!"

As he spoke, Yu Gushe drew his sword, cut off his cloak, tore it into strips, and wrapped them around the wound on his left arm. He said in a deep voice, "We'll take whoever can go."

"General, you should go with them!"

Agula suddenly knelt down and said, "This humble general will take fifty men to cover the rear! You must take this message back to His Highness the Crown Prince. The Tibetans have set up an ambush in the Nagqu River Valley. Songtsen Gampo did not bring all his troops to meet the enemy! He had already anticipated our arrival! I'm afraid there are even more conspiracies involved!"

"Bullshit!"

Yu Gu kicked him in the chest and roared, "The Wolf Fang Guards don't cover the rear! We go together, we die together!"

As he spoke, he suddenly pulled out a piece of sheepskin from his bosom, on which military intelligence was written in blood: "Hide this well. If I die, you have to crawl to His Highness the Crown Prince's tent and hand it to him personally!"

Rumble!
The sound of horses' hooves grew closer, and the shouts of the Tibetan cavalry pierced through the wind and snow.

Without hesitation, Yu Gushe shoved the sheepskin into Agula's hand, stood up with his knife in hand, and said, "Tell the brothers to smear horse blood on their faces. Let's show the Tibetans what the wolf fangs of the Tang Dynasty are like!"

"The Wolf Fang Guards are invincible!"

"Long live His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"

The remaining eighty-odd knights of the Wolf Fang Guard shouted and drew their swords, smearing their faces with horse blood. The blood quickly congealed in the cold wind, resembling hideous ghost faces.

As the Tibetan cavalry charged into the mountain pass, they suddenly leaped out of the snowdrifts, the sound of their scimitars slashing and their horses neighing exploding in the wind and snow.

"Pfft!"

Yu Gushe charged ahead, slicing off the head of the leading Tibetan general with a single stroke. The blood sprayed onto his face, bringing a strange warmth to his face.

"Hahaha! Come on! Let's die together!"

He was so engrossed in killing that he didn't even notice the wound on his left arm reopening until a warhorse crashed into him.

"Oh!"

He was knocked to the ground, staggering, just as a Tibetan soldier's spear was about to pierce him.

In an instant.

"General——!"

Agula, who was supposed to leave, suddenly lunged forward and blocked his way. The spear pierced through his back, and blood splattered on Yugu She's face.

"Agula!"

Yu Gu's eyes were bloodshot, and with a single swing of his sword, he severed the neck of the Tibetan soldier.

Then, he embraced the guard's gradually cooling body, and said with exasperation, "Damn it, didn't I tell you to leave?!"

"cough"

Agula coughed up blood, pulled the sheepskin from his robes, and stuffed it into his hand: "General, let's go quickly."

"Damn it!"

Yu Gu cursed angrily, but dared not hesitate for a moment. He gritted his teeth, stuffed the sheepskin into his boot, and then mounted his horse.

The remaining Wolf Fang Guard knights spontaneously formed a circle, using their bodies to block the rain of arrows from the Tibetans.

"General, run!"

"We're here waiting for you to come back and take revenge!"

Someone screamed as several spears pierced his body.

Yu Gushe dared not look at his brothers again. He suddenly spurred his horse and, amidst the roars of his brothers and the mournful cries of his warhorse, charged headlong into the snowstorm.

Behind him, the sounds of fighting continued to rise and fall, eventually being swallowed up by the wind and snow.

He didn't know how long he had been running until his horse suddenly collapsed to the ground, and he rolled onto the snow. The wound on his left arm was numb, and his vision was blurring.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince."

He muttered to himself, took out a sheepskin from his boot, and wanted to take another look, but found that the blood-written words had been blurred by the snow.

He suddenly laughed, then coughed up blood: "I failed my mission!"

The wind and snow grew stronger and stronger, and soon covered his body.

Just as he was losing consciousness, he suddenly heard the sound of horses' hooves in the distance, and someone shouted in Chinese: "Are you from the Wolf Fang Guard? His Highness the Crown Prince has sent us to meet you!"

Yu Gu thought he should look up, but everything went black before his eyes, and he completely lost consciousness.

(End of this chapter)