In my dream of returning to the Tang Dynasty, I snatched Wu Zetian from my lap.

This was the final preparation before the war.

There was neither the time nor the need to train the more than 10,000 people of Tuyuhun. Li Yuanchang simply allocated some of the baggage and medicine to Murong Khan for self-defense.

Instead of using them as casualties, he gave them supplies and medicine, which moved the remnants of the Tuyuhun army to tears. Almost all of them became Li Yuanchang's personal loyal followers.

It was only later that he learned that the remnants of the Tuyuhun army were not well-received in Liangzhou. They were considered jinxes and a burden, and it would cost a lot of food just to keep them alive.

If it weren't for the connection with Princess Honghua, Murong Khan wouldn't actually be of much value anymore.

Because he failed to realize his value and stabilize the internal situation of Tuyuhun, many people surrendered to the Tibetans when they attacked.

Everyone is realistic, and being realistic isn't wrong; only Li Yuanchang still has some humanity.

On the fifth day of their stay, the scout camp had already explored the heart of the Hehuang Valley and confirmed that there were no ambushes. The final preparations were also almost complete.

Just as Li Yuanchang was preparing to order an advance on Tuyuhun, suddenly, Tibetans arrived!

A small team of five set off from the Hehuang Valley, traveled all the way into Longxi, and then arrived at Li Yuanchang's headquarters.

Of course, they did not come on their own, but claimed to be on the orders of the Tibetan Grand Marshal Dayan Mangbuzhi, and with Li Yuanchang's consent, they entered under the watchful eyes of scouts.

The guards on both sides coldly stared at the strangely dressed, dark-skinned, and tall Tibetan envoy, making no attempt to conceal their murderous intent.

The five Tibetans were completely unconcerned. They stood tall and proud, as if they were in an empty house, their eyes filled with arrogance.

The leader was a man in his forties with bright eyes and a face covered with pockmarks. He held a golden banner, wore a long, trailing robe, and had a ritual implement made of human bones hanging from his waist.

The strong, mysterious scent of the high plateau wafts through the air, like the presence of a half-soldier, half-shaman.

As for the four behind them, they were more like typical Tibetan barbarians—savage, untamed, and with eyes that looked like they could kill a chicken as easily as they killed a dog.

Li Yuanchang sat majestically in the main seat, his presence visible even from afar.

Upon seeing this leader, one immediately senses an evil, theocratic nature of the state.

Tibet retained a large amount of slavery until the 20th century, and those horrific traditions were only abolished after liberation.

Drums were made from human skin, instruments were made from human bones, people were divided into different classes, and the debts owed to descendants were difficult to repay for generations. Cruelty and slavery... were too numerous to recount.

"Ama Awang, by order of the Grand Marshal, has come to pay homage to the King of the Far East!"

The leader simply placed his hand on his chest, without even bending over, which is considered an equal position in any culture.

His rank was clearly far below that, which was disrespectful.

"You scoundrel, you don't bow to the king! Kneel down!" Guo Chao roared, and the guards in the tent stepped forward and grabbed the hilts of their swords to smash him down.

boom! !

Clearly, Ama Awang hadn't expected Tang Jun to be so tough and unyielding, completely disregarding his status.

"what!"

All five people were knocked to the ground and forced to kneel.

Amma Awang's eyes blazed with anger as he looked at Li Yuanchang: "Is this how the Tang Dynasty treats its guests?"

The four Tibetan soldiers accompanying him also looked around with bloodthirsty, savage eyes, as if they were about to kill someone at any moment.

This is the Tibetan people, consistent with their culture and character.

"Hehe." Li Yuanchang smiled faintly: "We welcome friends with wine, and we confront wolves with swords and spears."

"First you ignored the warnings of the Great Tang and invaded Tuyuhun, then you plundered the borders of my Great Tang, and now you even dare to come to me and act arrogantly, showing no respect for anyone."

"Do you really think I'm a saint?"

"Don't even mention you, even your Grand Marshal Dayan Mangbuzhi is not qualified to challenge me."

"If you want to be treated as equals, your Grand Chancellor will have to come in person!"

"Pooh!"

A Tibetan soldier spat at Li Yuanchang and cursed him in Tibetan as a lowly Han Chinese.

An accompanying translator overheard this and relayed it to Li Yuanchang.

Li Yuanchang's eyes immediately turned cold. These Tibetans were truly barbarians. They dared to be so arrogant even on their own territory, which was due to their fierce and primitive nature.

Another major reason is that, being a theocratic state, they consider themselves the most noble and look down on the Han people from the bottom of their hearts.

"Has he always been this brave?"

Amma Awang sensed something was wrong and was about to try to salvage the situation.

"Cut out his tongue!" Li Yuanchang flicked his sleeve and pointed at the Tibetan soldier who was spitting.

"Yes!" Guo Chao replied ruthlessly, taking action himself.

Amma Awang's expression changed: "King of the Far East, what are you trying to do?"

"What are you going to do?"

His men have already been dragged away.

"King of the Far East, in war between two armies, envoys are not to be killed; this is the rule!"

"Don't you know that I never follow the rules?" Li Yuanchang shouted, his voice drowning out the other person.

Amma Awang paused for a moment, seemingly surprised by Li Yuanchang's behavior, which seemed to contradict their stereotypical view of Han people as being bound by rules and regulations.

In that moment of distraction, a heart-wrenching scream came from outside the tent, then the scream disappeared, replaced by sobs.

The Tibetans struggled desperately to help, but it was impossible.

Guo Chao quickly walked in, threw out a bloody, mangled object, and looked at the Tibetans in a defiant manner.

Amma Awang's face instantly turned ugly, contorted, and burning with rage!

"you!!"

"What's wrong with me? If you're not convinced, let Dayan Mangbuzhi bite me!" Li Yuanchang's disdain was tinged with a strong sense of power, a power that was not blind arrogance, but a genuine power that came from within.

"Shut up!" Ama Awang was extremely frustrated and scolded his subordinates to stop anyone from offending him again.

He realized that the Far East King couldn't be intimidated, and he also realized that he couldn't ruin things.

"Your Majesty of the Far East, it was my subordinates who offended us first. I hope you will forgive them." He finally lowered his proud head, but his lowered face showed a hint of gritted teeth.

Li Yuanchang also knew that the other party was dissatisfied and even wanted to kill him.

Some places can be conquered through civilization, but for an entity like the Tibetan Empire, civilization alone is not enough; force must come first, followed by civilization.

They are warmongers at heart.

But he didn't care; instead, he wanted to figure out the other party's true purpose.

"Speak, what did Dayan Mangbuzhi send you here for? Is it to issue a challenge, or what?"

Amma Awang raised his head, his eyes gloomy, but he tried to hide them: "King of the Far East, how about we talk alone?"

"Want to talk privately?" Li Yuanchang raised an eyebrow.

"Then let Dayan Mangbuzhi come in person; your rank is far from sufficient."

Amma Awang's expression darkened further: "I am the Grand Marshal's confidant, and I represent the Grand Marshal with full authority."

"That won't do either!"

"Even peace talks are impossible?" Ama Awang clenched his fist, his face grim.