I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 293 Alliance
Inside the Turkic camp, Geshu Yong, who had personally experienced the power of explosives, sat expressionlessly as he bound his injured left arm and pondered how to attack the city.

Although the deputy general Nieku was reluctant, he still said, "Marshal, the only way now is to let the soldiers risk their lives to rush up the city wall."

“No,” Ge Shuyong refused decisively. “Da Yu’s weapons are too powerful. If we try to block them with our own flesh and blood, we will suffer heavy casualties.”

“Every member of my Turkic cavalry is a brave and invincible warrior. How can we sacrifice ourselves in vain?”

What should we do then? Should we just stay here and guard it?

Whether Dayu can afford to delay is unknown, but Turks definitely cannot!
"What did the Emperor of Dayu say?"

Nieku suppressed his anxiety. "The Emperor of Dayu has promised to stop supplying the Northwest with grain and military provisions and to cut off the Northwest's connection with the outside world."

In other words, the Northwest is now a huge isolated city.

"The Emperor of Dayu also said in his secret letter that more than half of the fields and crops in Ningzhou had been burned, and the soldiers and civilians in Ningzhou had very little food left. If the northwest was not pacified, it would definitely trigger a popular uprising."

Ge Shuyong sneered, "This Emperor of Dayu is quite a ruthless character, capable of treating his own people with such cruelty."

Indeed, even at their most absurd, their Khan only ever increased taxes to extract money from the people to build palaces for Consort Zhi.

This was the first time he had ever seen someone directly force ordinary people to their deaths.

Geshu Yong was unwilling to mention Emperor Pingyuan any further and changed the subject, asking, "Is it possible to find a way to infiltrate our people into Wuwei City?"

“I’m afraid it won’t work,” Nieku shook his head. Before the war with Dayu, he had tried to infiltrate Dayu’s cities with spies, trying all sorts of methods, including sneaking in and having people lure them in, but all of them failed.

The Northwest is now like an iron barrel; not even a fly can get in, let alone a person.

Ge Shuyong had never fought such a difficult battle. He even hoped that Prince Xuan or Gu Ci would rush back to the Northwest and fight him in a real battle, which would be better than the current frustration.

"Reporting to the Marshal!" a Turkic soldier outside the door reported, "A guest from Tibet has come to visit."

Geshuyong and Nieku exchanged a glance. "Please!"

Two men dressed in Tibetan general's attire entered the command tent. "Niya/Kunu greets the Turkic Grand Marshal."

"Generals, please excuse the formalities," Geshu Yong said. "May I ask what brings you two generals to our Turkic camp so suddenly?"

Niya said, "It is to lend a helping hand to the Turks," and incidentally to avenge the defeat and sue for peace by the Tibetans years ago.

Ge Shuyong became interested. "How can we help?"

“I think the Marshal must be worried that no one can infiltrate Wuwei,” Niya said smugly. “But we have a spy who has already infiltrated Wuwei and can help us open the gates of Wuwei.”

A gleam of joy flashed in Geshuyong's eyes, but his face remained impassive. "Your Excellency Niya has done so much for the Turks, what reward do you desire?"

"Our Zanpu (Khan) is very fond of the Northwest region, believing it to be a land of outstanding people and abundant resources. If the Turks conquer the Northwest or even the entire Dayu region in the future, we request that Your Khan grant the Northwest to Tibet to strengthen the friendship between our two countries."

A flash of displeasure crossed Geshu Yong's eyes. The Tibetans wanted to take over the entire Northwest without sending a single soldier; they really had a clever plan.

But Tibet was their only hope of opening the gates of Wuwei.

After pondering for a long time, Ge Shuyong said, "This matter is too great for me to decide."

Niya wasn't angry. "Then please inform His Majesty the Khan of your country, and we will await good news."

"Does General Niya have to wait for the Khan to agree before he will help the Turks conquer Wuwei?"

“Of course.” Geshu Yong was displeased. The camp was so far from the capital that even at top speed, it would take twenty days to travel back and forth.

For the past twenty days, have the 20,000 Turkic cavalry and 20,000 infantry just been waiting around?

Niya, however, did not back down an inch. "Please forgive me, Marshal."

Geshu Yong ordered his men to escort the two men out of the command tent.

"Marshal, why don't we agree to Tibet's offer? After all, the Northwest is not much different from our Turkic territory. What the Khan values ​​is the fertile land of Dayu and the rice-and-fish-land of Jiangnan. Tibet would prefer this barren Northwest," so that they don't have to bother governing it.

“Even if the Khan really doesn’t want this land in the Northwest, it’s not something we, as his subjects, can just give it away,” Geshu Yong said, looking at his loyal but clueless subordinate. “Remember this: for such important national affairs, no one but the Empress Dowager and the Khan can make the decision.”

Neku bowed his head, "This subordinate understands."

That same day, the messenger rode back to the Turkic capital with a memorial written in Geshu Yong's own handwriting.

Ashina Mu was furious after reading the memorial. What was Tibet anyway? How dare they bargain with the Turks?
Don't say that the Northwest is just a barren land. Even if it is a savage land, it is not something that the Tibetan savages who eat raw meat and drink blood can touch.

"Tell Geshu Yong to reject the Tibetan proposal," Ashina Mu said. "I, the Khan, give him two months to take over the Northwest, or I will remove him from his position as Grand Marshal and send another general!"

"No!" Great Protector Ashide Muyang stopped him, "Khan, you mustn't!"

"Geshu Yong was a first-rate and valiant general of the Turks, and he was also extremely loyal to the Khan..."

"Completely loyal?" Ashina Mu interrupted. "Is Geshu Yong loyal to me, or to the Empress Dowager?"

Ashide Muyang couldn't finish his sentence.

Ashina Mu stared at Ashide Muyang coldly and said, "Great Yabghu, don't forget, you are the Great Yabghu of the Turkic Kingdom, the Great Yabghu of this Khan, not the Great Yabghu of the Empress Dowager or the Ashide clan!"

Ashide Muyang sighed inwardly and stopped trying to stop him.

The messenger quickly returned Ashinamu's approved memorial to the Turkic camp.

After reading the memorial, Geshu Yong sneered and threw it into the brazier. "The Khan has agreed."

Nieku glanced furtively at Geshuyong's expression, not daring to question him.

But the other generals were furious. They looked at the memorials that had been mostly burned in the brazier and shouted, "Geshu Yong, how dare you burn the Khan's memorials! Do you even respect the Khan?"

“Of course,” Geshu Yong said honestly, “but in my eyes, the Empress Dowager’s will is more important.”

As he spoke, Geshuyong took out an envelope from his pocket, which was stamped with the golden seal of the Turkic Empress Dowager. "The Empress Dowager agrees to the conditions of Tibet, and this commander shall naturally comply."

"Nonsense!" the general exclaimed angrily. "The Empress Dowager is a woman of the inner palace; how can she interfere in matters of state? Does she intend to usurp power?"

Ge Shuyong didn't want to waste his breath arguing with such blindly loyal people. "Drag them away!"

"Who dares? Geshu Yong, this is utterly rebellious!"

The general lowered his head, and a long sword pierced through his heart.

"You are the one who has committed treason!" Nieku drew his long sword. "Don't forget how the Khan came to power!"

The general breathed his last, unwilling to accept his fate.

Geshu Yong said, "Tell General Niya that the Turks have agreed to their conditions."