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

Chapter 424 No Future Left [Requesting Monthly Tickets]

Three days later, at the foot of the glacier of the Nyainqêntanglha Mountains.

Xue Rengui stared at the ice-covered cave entrance before him, his breath condensing into frost on his helmet: "Tibetan official, where is the entrance you speak of?"

The Tibetan official pointed tremblingly to a protruding piece of ice: "General, break this ice. There's a mechanism inside. Once you activate it, you can open the cave entrance."

Upon hearing this, Xue Rengui frowned and then looked at a member of the Ironclad Cavalry beside him.

Without saying a word, the Ironclad soldier swung his ice pick and broke through the ice.

really!

Sure enough, there was a bronze mechanism inside.

Upon seeing this, Yu Gushe was overjoyed and immediately stepped forward to manipulate the mechanism. With a 'crack', the ice surface split open, revealing a dark hole from which the faint neighing of horses could be heard.

"Be careful, it might be a trap!"

Xue Rengui signaled to his soldiers to light torches and then entered the cave first.

The cave truly is a hidden paradise.

The stalactites in the cave were like knives and swords, and an underground river flowed beneath our feet. The firelight reflected on the water, and we could actually see warhorses tethered in the distance.

"What about people?"

Yu Gu looked around cautiously, drew his sword, and pondered, "Something feels off. It's too quiet here."

Swish swish!
As soon as he finished speaking, countless icicles suddenly fell from the cave ceiling!
Xue Rengui's expression changed drastically, and he shouted loudly, "Not good! An ambush!"

As he spoke, he immediately swung his spear to parry, the icicles crackling against the shaft. Suddenly, the minor official leaped into the underground river, shouting, "Your Majesty, spare my life! I have done as you commanded!"

"damn thing!"

Yu Gu shot an arrow through the leg of the minor official, who screamed and fell into the dark river, where he was swept away by the swift current.

At this moment, arrows rained down from the crevices in the rocks on both sides of the cave, and the Snowfield Wolf Riders charged out from the shadows, their scimitars gleaming coldly in the firelight.

Xue Rengui remained calm and pointed his gun at the underground river: "Fire rockets! Burn their horses!"

The rocket struck the haystack beside the underground river, and flames shot up instantly, the thick smoke choking the wolf riders and causing them to fall over.

Yu Gushe took the opportunity to lead a group of soldiers around to the depths of the cave, where they discovered dozens of oil drums hidden there.

Originally intended for fire attacks by the wolf cavalry, it has now become a weapon for the Tang army.

"Quick! Push these oil drums down!"

Yu Gu shouted, and the soldiers worked together to push the oil barrels into the underground river. The oil slicks floated downstream towards the wolf riders.

Upon seeing this, Xue Rengui immediately took his bow and arrow and fired a fire arrow.

Soon, fueled by the wind, the fire instantly turned the cave into a sea of ​​flames.

"what--!"

The screams of the Snowfield Wolf Riders rose and fell as Xue Rengui led the Iron Pagoda Cavalry in a charge, their spears shattering men and horses wherever they passed.

After a fierce battle lasting half an hour, the wolf riders in the cave were all slaughtered. Only the ice spikes on the cave ceiling continued to fall, hitting the burning corpses and sending sparks flying.

Xue Rengui kicked aside the last wolf rider leader who was putting up a stubborn resistance, and used the tip of his knife to knock off the wolf-skin helmet on his head: "Speak! What other tricks does Songtsen Gampo have up his sleeve?"

The leader spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva, about to hurl insults, when Yu Gushe stomped on his chest: "Don't push your luck! Your Zanpu is barely able to protect himself, what are you still being so tough about?"

After saying this, he suddenly leaned closer and lowered his voice, saying, "I know the rules of your Wolf Riders. Only those who return alive are qualified to be buried on the Holy Mountain. If you die here, even your soul will not be able to enter the Holy Mountain."

"you!"

The leader's pupils contracted sharply, clearly indicating that Yu Gu had hit a nerve.

Upon seeing this, Xue Rengui immediately sheathed his sword: "If you tell the truth, I will let you go."

"Really?"

"Hmph! My Tang generals never lie!"

Upon hearing this, the leader struggled to raise his head, stared into Xue Rengui's eyes, and said hesitantly, "Our Zanpu (king) told us to hold the cave and buy time. He has already sent people to contact the Abbasid Caliphate and ask them to send troops to our aid!"

"Big food country?"

Xue Rengui frowned, somewhat surprised, and asked, "They agreed?"

"do not know."

The leader coughed up blood and shook his head: "But the Zanpu said that as long as the grasslands west of Khotan are ceded, the Abbasid Caliphate will not stand idly by while the Tang Dynasty annexes Tibet."

"Fuck your mother's fart!"

Yu Gushe suddenly drew his sword and held it to Songtsen Gampo's neck, saying fiercely, "Khotan has long been part of our Great Tang territory. What makes you think Songtsen Gampo can cede it?"

The leader's face turned ashen, and he finally gave up: "It was a lie to the Abbasids! He just wanted the Abbasids to send troops to contain the Tang army so he could take the opportunity to reorganize his forces."

Upon hearing this, Xue Rengui understood and asked no further questions. He waved his hand and said, "Tie him to a horse and let him run towards Pibo City. Tell him that the Snow Wolf Riders have been wiped out and that Songtsen Gampo should wait to collect their corpses."

"High!"

Yu Gu She grinned: "This move will scare him out of his wits!"

Soon, the two men led the remaining troops out of the cave.

Meanwhile, the flames had already licked the glacier at the cave entrance, and meltwater flowed along the rock crevices, freezing into icefalls outside the cave.

Xue Rengui gazed at the distant snow-capped mountains and suddenly said, "Yu Gushe, take ten men and spread the news of the Wolf Cavalry's annihilation to the Tibetan tribes in the northern Tibetan grasslands. Those tribes are already dissatisfied with Songtsen Gampo, and if they know that he has no last trump card left, some of them will definitely turn against him."

"Order!"

Yu Gushe mounted his horse, his back still throbbing with pain, but he urged the horse to gallop at breakneck speed: "General, just you wait and see, within three days, I guarantee that the Tibetan backyard will be in chaos!"

the other side.

Songtsen Gampo paced back and forth in his palace in Pibo, his fingers clenched so tightly they turned white.

When news of the Snowfield Wolf Riders going missing arrived, he was taking inventory of the treasury.

Currently, the granaries are empty, and even most of the nobles' private stashes have been requisitioned, yet the soldiers' rations still won't last more than ten days.

Just then, a eunuch rushed in, knelt on the ground, and said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, news has come from the Western Regions that the Abbasid envoy has refused to send troops. He also said that Tibet is already in your grasp and advised you to submit to the Tang Dynasty as soon as possible."

"Trash! They are all a bunch of trash!"

Songtsen Gampo suddenly overturned the table, and the jade cup shattered on the ground.

The surrounding eunuchs instantly fell silent.

This king, who could have led Tibet to glory, had lost his former heroic spirit and was now filled with a mad and furious rage.

After an unknown amount of time, once Songtsen Gampo's anger had subsided somewhat, he turned to look at the Grand Master Gar Tongtsen beside him:

"Didn't you say that as long as we raised the banner of 'Resisting Tang and Protecting Our Territory,' all the tribes would respond? Now, not only are the tribes in northern Tibet not coming to our aid, but some are even secretly sending supplies to the Tang army. Is this what you mean by 'responding'?"

"President, please calm down!"

Lu Dongzan hung his head, his robe soaked with cold sweat: "It was the Tang army that spread rumors that the Wolf Cavalry had been wiped out, and that you were going to cede grasslands to the Abbasids. The tribal chiefs believed it and that's why..."

"rumor?"

Songtsen Gampo sneered, then said in a deep voice, "If the wolf riders hadn't really disappeared, why would they have believed the rumors?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he strode up to Lu Dongzan, suddenly grabbed Lu Dongzan's wrist, and said with a piercing gaze, "Tell me the truth, do we still have a chance of winning?"

"This and this"

Lu Dongzan's lips trembled, and he finally shook his head with difficulty: "The Tang army has fierce generals like Xue Rengui and Su Dingfang, commanders like Li Jing and Li Ji, and powerful weapons like thunderclap bombs and muskets. Our army... our army has no power to fight back."

"Humph!"

Songtsen Gampo snorted coldly, his eyes flashing with a fierce light.

Just then, a commotion suddenly arose outside the hall, and a personal guard rushed in, tumbling and crawling: "Your Majesty! The Supi tribe in northern Tibet has rebelled! They have joined forces with the Tang army and are marching towards Pibo City!"

"What!?"

Songtsen Gampo's vision went black, and he almost collapsed to the ground.

"Tsangpu!" Fortunately, Gar Tongtsen caught him with his backhand.

He suddenly remembered that when he first ascended the throne, he had sworn by the Yarlung Tsangpo River to make Tibet the overlord of the plateau.

But now, his dream of becoming a hegemon has been shattered, and he can't even protect the foundation laid by his ancestors.

At this moment, the wind and snow outside the palace seemed to intensify, swirling snowflakes and pounding against the glazed tiles, making a mournful sound, much like the lament of ancient times.

Songtsen Gampo gazed toward the temple gate, the place where he had once received the submission of various tribes, but now only his lonely figure was reflected there.

"They've rebelled. They've all rebelled!"

He muttered to himself, his voice devoid of its former authority, replaced only by a chilling coldness.

A cold wind blew in from outside the door, stinging his cheeks, but this pain was nothing compared to the dam breaking in his heart.

Seeing this, Gar Tongtsen sighed and said in a hoarse voice, "Your Majesty, now that things have come to this, the only option is to temporarily avoid the enemy's advance. Pibo City cannot be defended. Perhaps we should lead the remaining troops back to the Yarlung Valley, the birthplace of our Tibetan Empire, where we might still be able to hold out."

"Return to Yaron?"

Songtsen Gampo suddenly looked up, his eyes bloodshot, and said in a voice full of resentment, "Retreat back to that valley with only barley and yaks? I, Songtsen Gampo, have fought from Yarlung to Lhasa, from the Nu River to the Jinsha River, and now I can't even protect my ancestral city. Am I supposed to retreat to my doghouse like a stray dog?"

After saying this, he forcefully pushed away Lu Dongzan's helping hand, staggered back to the cold throne, and slumped down.

"Li Chengqian, Li Chengqian."

He gritted his teeth and uttered the name, as if he wanted to chew those three words up and swallow them whole:
"Back then, I requested a marriage alliance with the Tang Dynasty, hoping that Emperor Taizong would marry one of my princesses, so that Tibet and the Tang Dynasty could be uncle and nephew forever. It was him! It was this Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty! He prevented all of this from happening, and he also prevented Tibet from recuperating and becoming strong in the future!"

"It's him! That despicable thief!"

Upon hearing this, Gar Tongtsen didn't dare to reply at all, as he naturally knew Songtsen Gampo's resentment.

Back then, he went to the Tang Dynasty on behalf of Songtsen Gampo to ask for a princess, hoping to obtain the most advanced technology, culture, and various resources of the Tang Dynasty.

The Tang Dynasty crown prince, whom he could never have imagined, seemed to have foreseen the future of Tibet and cruelly extinguished all of Tibet's hopes.

Now, he is leading the iron cavalry of the Tang Dynasty, sweeping across the northern and southern deserts, as well as the Tuyuhun.

Now it's the turn of the Tibetan Empire, which has a strong tendency to unify the northwest.

Such great achievements and lofty ambitions are probably unmatched even by the Tang emperor who was known as the "General of Heavenly Strategy".

Moreover, Songtsen Gampo.
"Report——!"

Just as Gar Tongtsen and Songtsen Gampo were each lost in their own thoughts, another eunuch entered, knelt down, and reported: "Your Majesty, according to reports from the front lines, the vanguard of the Tang army has crossed Yamdrok Lake and is less than three days' journey from Pibo City! Xue Rengui's banner can be clearly seen in the snow!"

Songtsen Gampo swayed, barely managing to stay upright by holding onto the edge of the throne.

The hall was deathly silent, with only the candlelight flickering in the wind, casting the shadows of everyone on the wall, sometimes bright and sometimes dim, much like the crumbling fate of the Tibetan Empire.

Songtsen Gampo sat slumped on his throne, his fingertips icy cold, the candlelight in the palace reflecting the shadows in his eyes.

Suddenly, he chuckled softly, his gaze falling once more on Lu Dongzan, and said in a low voice, "Do you really think that the northern Tibetan tribes' defection was just because of rumors spread by the Tang army?"

Lu Dongzan's heart tightened, and he was about to speak in defense when Songtsen Gampo slammed his hand on the table: "Qigan Chengji, you tell me, who has the Great Lord been secretly communicating with lately?"

A figure emerged from the shadows behind the palace; it was none other than Qi Gan Chengji, a traitorous general of the Tang Dynasty.

"Your Majesty, I personally witnessed a trusted confidant of the Great Lun faction carrying a secret letter, attempting to contact Crown Prince Li Chengqian of the Tang Dynasty, stating that he was willing to relinquish military power in Tibet in exchange for Li Chengqian sparing his life."

"You are so slanderous!"

Lu Dongzan's expression changed drastically, and he pointed at Qigan Chengji angrily, saying, "I treated you quite well back then, why are you framing me?"

Qigan Chengji sneered: "Slander? The Grand Master said to the messenger in the secret room the other day, 'Songtsen Gampo has no power to reverse the situation. Only by surrendering to Li Chengqian can the foundation of the Tibetan nobles be preserved.' Did I make up those words?"

Songtsen Gampo watched the two argue, his eyes growing colder.

He was well aware of Lu Dongzan's thoughts.
This old fox has been operating in Tibet for decades, and he has protégés and former subordinates in nobles and tribes. Killing him would only cause the already demoralized people's hearts to collapse completely.

"enough."

Songtsen Gampo spoke slowly, his voice revealing neither joy nor anger, "Lu Dongzan, do you know your crime?"

Lu Dongzan trembled and knelt down with a thud: "Your Majesty, please understand! I was only confused for a moment because Tibet was on the verge of collapse. I had no intention of betraying you!"

"sincere?"

Songtsen Gampo fiddled with the jade disc at his waist and said calmly, "If you truly care about Tibet, you should know that only by uniting as one can we prolong our lives. Colluding with Li Chengqian is tantamount to inviting a wolf into the house."

Then, he changed the subject, his gaze sweeping over the assembled officials in the hall: "But considering that you have served Tibet for many years and that your people trust you, I will spare your life for now."

After saying this, he turned to Qigan Chengji and said, "Since you have made a meritorious discovery, you shall temporarily assume the position of Grand Councilor and monitor Lu Dongzan. If he makes any further moves, there is no need to report; just execute him directly."

A hint of smugness flashed in Qigan Chengji's eyes as he bowed and accepted the order: "Your subordinate obeys!"

Lu Dongzan collapsed to the ground, trembling with anger as he looked at Qigan Chengji's smug expression, but ultimately dared not utter another word.

He knew that Songtsen Gampo was keeping him around only because he valued his influence in Tibet; once he lost his usefulness, he would be a victim of the sword.

At this moment, the wind and snow outside the palace intensified, as if to completely engulf the crumbling palace.

Songtsen Gampo gazed out the window, his mind blank. He didn't know how much longer the sunset over the Tibetan plateau would hang in the sky.

Qi Gan Chengji received the imperial decree to temporarily assume the position of Grand Master, and his posture straightened considerably.

He glanced sideways at Lu Dongzan lying on the ground, a mocking smile playing on his lips, then bowed to Songtsen Gampo and said:
"The Zanpu is wise. Now that the Tang army is at the city gates, the most urgent task is to stabilize the people's hearts. Gar Tongtsen has many former followers. It would be better to have him write a letter to inform the various tribes that he has no disloyal intentions. Otherwise, those people may still be restless."

These words struck a chord with Songtsen Gampo. He glanced at Gar Tongtsen and said, "Do as he says."

Lu Dongzan gritted his teeth, his nails digging deep into his palms.

He knew that Qigan Chengji wanted to take advantage of the situation to control him, but since he had the leverage over others, he had no choice but to obey.

The eunuch handed him paper and pen, and he wrote the letter with trembling hands. Every word seemed to be dipped in blood. After he finished writing, Qigan Chengji snatched it away, carefully checked it, and only after confirming that there were no errors did he present it to Songtsen Gampo.

Songtsen Gampo glanced at it briefly and tossed it aside: "Send it to the tribes in northern Tibet and tell them to behave themselves."

At this moment, another eunuch rushed in from outside the hall, his voice trembling with tears, saying, "Your Majesty, the defenses of Yamdrok Lake have been breached! The Supi tribe, in alliance with the Tang army, has stormed in!"

With a clang, the jade disc at Songtsen Gampo's waist slipped off and fell onto the gold brick floor, breaking in two.

He stared at the shattered jade on the ground, then suddenly laughed, a laugh filled with sorrow: "The sun and moon shine together, but now, the sun of my Tubo is about to set."

Seeing this, Qi Gan Chengji rolled his eyes and stepped forward, saying:
“Your Majesty, do not panic! When I was in Chang’an, I had contact with the envoys of the Abbasid Caliphate. Why not send another envoy to see the Abbasid king and offer him even more favorable terms, even if it means ceding a hundred miles of land west of Lhasa? As long as we can get them to send troops, we can buy them some time.”

Lu Dongzan suddenly looked up and roared, "No! Lhasa is the future of Tibet. To cede territory is to destroy the country! You Tang traitor, what are you thinking!"

"What am I thinking? It's better than you colluding with Li Chengqian and betraying your master for personal gain!"

Qigan Chengji retorted sarcastically, "Now, besides begging the Arabs, what other options do we have? Are we just going to sit and wait for Xue Rengui to storm Pibo City and make the Zanpu a prisoner?"

The two started arguing again, but Songtsen Gampo seemed not to hear them, only gazing at the swirling snow outside the palace.

He remembered his late father, who once pointed to the snow-capped mountains and said to him, "No matter how heavy the snow is on the plateau, it can't stop spring from coming. But if people's hearts are scattered, even the warmest spring can't warm the frozen ground."

Back then, he was just a child and didn't understand these profound truths at all. Now that he has finally come to his senses, he understands that once people's hearts are chilled, they are colder than a ten-thousand-year-old glacier.

"There's no need to go begging for food."

Songtsen Gampo suddenly spoke, his voice weary: "Pass on my order to open the gates of Pibo City. I want to speak with Xue Rengui."

Lu Dongzan and Qigan Chengji were both stunned.

Qigan Chengji spoke first: "Your Majesty! Absolutely not! Xue Rengui is a fierce general of the Tang army, how could he negotiate with us? This is clearly walking into a trap!"

"It doesn't matter."

Songtsen Gampo waved his hand, his eyes vacant: "What difference does it make whether we fall into the net or not? At least it will save the people in the city from having to live."

As he spoke, he slowly stood up, walked to the palace gate, and pushed open the heavy wooden door.

The wind and snow rushed in instantly, making his robes flutter loudly.

The distant snow-capped mountains loomed in the twilight, like a silent behemoth overlooking this land about to change hands.

“Go and tell Xue Rengui that Songtsen Gampo is willing to surrender, but he asks that the Tang Dynasty treat the Tibetan people kindly and not slaughter them.”

His voice, carried away by the wind and snow, drifted into the distance: "As for me, I am at the mercy of the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty."

(End of this chapter)