Tang Dynasty Swordsman.

Fortunately, Li Ji had something to say next: "It's just a pretense. Ma Zhenxi is still a kind man. How could he not be willing to part with some travel expenses to see us off? Even if he impeaches us later, I can just return the money to him."

Wei Gao breathed a sigh of relief, then clasped his hands and said, "In that case, Commander, please proceed slowly. I dare to request to lead ten riders ahead to scout whether the enemy is coming." Li Ji agreed.

They traveled for another two days, covering no more than forty li each day, when suddenly Wei Gao turned back, bringing with him a man who claimed to be Duan Xiushi, the prefect of Yuanzhou…

Chapter 18, Crickets in Autumn

Duan Xiushi had just seen Han Quanyi off and was heading to Baiquan to persuade the Northern Army stationed there when he received a messenger from Xiaoguan that 5,000 elite cavalry from Shuofang were rushing in, claiming that they had predicted that the prefecture would be attacked by bandits and had come to its rescue...

Duan Xiushi was taken aback. His first thought was: Li Ji is going to fight Jingyuan to the death!

In recent years, it has been common for regional warlords to be arrogant and to have conflicts and even fights with each other. In particular, Li Ji has a criminal record. He killed Zhou Zhiguang. It was said that it was not a secret decree of the emperor, but Li Ji's own arbitrary decision. Although it may just be a rumor, he later took advantage of the defeat of Wu Shun's army to privately imprison the military governor Qin Rui and annex Qinghe. There are real witnesses to that!

But then he thought again, Li Ji had fought alongside General Ma of this town against rebels and barbarian bandits. Ma Lin usually spoke highly of him, and the two had no enmity, nor any friction between the two towns... Could it be that Li Ji was plotting to raise an army to invade the capital?

Shuofang is a thousand miles from Chang'an. Even if Li Ji harbored rebellious intentions—rumored to be dissatisfied with the Emperor's actions, yet a close friend of the Crown Prince—and led the entire Shuofang army south, he would first need to secure the passage through the Guanzhong region. How could he so easily reach the capital? Moreover, the report from Xiaoguan only indicated five thousand cavalry. Unless Li Ji had already gained the understanding of the towns along the way, and even if they were willing to send troops to assist him in a joint rebellion…

Han Quanyi's daily words and actions did not seem to indicate that he was secretly colluding with others, but Ma Lin... why did he insist on disregarding the court's prediction and plans, sending all the main forces out to guard the pass, leaving only two thousand weak soldiers in Pinggao City? Wasn't this tantamount to opening the way for Li Ji?

Duan Xiushi was getting a bit carried away; the more he thought about it, the more frightened he became, and cold sweat broke out on his back, soaking his clothes. The Shuofang army was always elite and strong, and Li Ji had a reputation for bravery. If he really brought five thousand cavalry to the city, the small number of defending troops wouldn't be able to stop him! Unless Han Quanyi could quickly bring over the Imperial Guards stationed in Baiquan.

He paced around the room for a long time before clenching his fist and saying bitterly, "Fine, if there is indeed disaster, only I can go and perhaps avert it!" So he arranged the city's defenses, rode off on his horse, and went to meet Li Ji.

They happened to run into Wei Gao, who was out scouting military intelligence, and led Duan Xiushi to Li Ji's horse.

Duan Xiushi dismounted and bowed, first announcing his name. Li Ji, seated on his horse, looked down at the man and said with a smile, "I have heard of you, sir. When Li Zhongyong (Li Siye, posthumously known as Zhongyong) died in service to the king, you used your own wealth to support his funeral. The army all called you a righteous man—is that so?"

Duan Xiushi replied, "I dare not claim it as righteousness, it is merely a matter of personal courtesy." He then went straight to the point and asked, "I heard that the barbarian bandits have invaded Shuofang. Since Commander Li is not in Shuofang to defend against the bandits, he has personally surrendered to our territory. I wonder what he demands? If it is anything from our prefecture, we will gladly offer it to him and beg Commander Li to return."

Li Ji raised his eyebrows: "You must have received Xiao Guan's report and come to welcome me. Didn't Xiao Guan relay what I said? There is no need for you to come here. I am only afraid that the barbarian bandits will attack Yuanzhou and that Ma Zhenxi will not be aware of it. Therefore, I have come to help defend it."

Duan Xiushi said, "There is no alarm in Yuanzhou, and there is no sign of any barbarian bandits at the Liupan Passes..."

Li Ji frowned: "Then what about the direction of Huizhou? Haven't the barbarian bandits invaded Huining Pass?"

Upon hearing this, Duan Xiushi was greatly surprised: "The news of the bandits being encountered at Huining Pass only reached our prefecture a few days ago. Commander Li is in the north, how did he know about it?!"

Li Ji and Wei Gao exchanged a glance, both feeling a great weight lifted from their hearts. They then turned to Duan Xiushi, a mysterious smile on their faces, and said, “Ma Chongying’s cunning schemes cannot escape my keen eyes—I predict that the barbarian raids on Shuofang are a feint; their main force will surely invade Huizhou, intending to take it and then advance eastward to Yuanzhou. They may even launch a surprise attack from the mountains on Pinggao! Tell me, Junshi, how many troops are currently defending Pinggao?”

Duan Xiushi stared in disbelief for a long while before bowing deeply and saying, "Commander Li is wise and insightful, I admire you greatly..." He lowered his head to hide his face, because he was somewhat ashamed—how could I have thought so badly of him before? I was really judging a gentleman by my own petty standards.

Think about it. Since Li Ji anticipated that the barbarian bandits would attack Huizhou, why would he invade Jingyuan again? Even if he successfully captured Pinggao City, he would soon encounter the barbarian army and would have no chance to go south to the Guanzhong Basin.

Unless he was in contact with the barbarian rebels and it was a conspiracy... is that even possible? With so many preconditions, any conclusion we draw is unreliable. Besides, if the Shuofang army really had a prior agreement with the barbarian rebels, Ma Lin, or even the Fengxiang army, do you think I, being inside Yuanzhou City, would be so foolish as to not hear a single word? Don't be ridiculous!

He hurriedly told the truth: "There are only two thousand weak soldiers in Pinggao City. Ma Zhenxi has already transferred the main force to the passes of Liupan. Before I came, I was informed that the general had divided his troops to guard Shimen Pass, so as to prevent the barbarian bandits from attacking this prefecture from the east after capturing Huizhou... Commander Li just said that the barbarian bandits may also launch a surprise attack on Pinggao from the mountains. If that is the case, Pinggao really cannot be defended!"

Li Ji smiled smugly and said, "My predictions were accurate eight or nine times out of ten, which is why I quickly led my cavalry south to provide reinforcements. With me here, Ma Chongying is like a cricket in the grass—and that's only in the autumn!" He paused, then asked Duan Xiushi, "So, who is left to guard Pinggao City now? Han Quanyi?"

Duan Xiushi said with a wry smile, "Vice Envoy Han is not in the city. He has gone alone to Baiquan to persuade Xing Junya's Shence Right Army in order to save Huizhou. Before I left, I ordered Sima to temporarily assume the responsibility of defending the city."

Who is the Prefect of Yuanzhou?

Duan Xiushi's expression was slightly awkward: "He's also an old friend of Commander Li...it's Qin Rui."

"Qin Rui, former military governor of Wushun Army?"

"It is indeed this person."

Li Ji curled his lip: "Brave as he may be, it's a pity he lacks strategy; he's nothing but a crude and uncouth man."

Duan Xiu said frankly, "You dare to call someone else 'Luffy'? Your own reputation as 'Luffy' is already known throughout the world..."

Li Ji was certainly not truly reckless. His numerous instances of leading troops into battle at the forefront, taking high-stakes gambles, were all due to circumstances, forced into a corner – either the entire army would collapse, or they would fight for survival. Daring to take the latter was merely courage, not recklessness. The problem was that with the level of information dissemination at that time, unless one was directly involved, in-depth analysis was impossible. Ordinary people only saw Li Ji's impulsive actions. Thus, the story spread like wildfire…

Li Ji's prediction that the barbarian bandits would invade Huizhou and his subsequent advance southward rescue of the city does not necessarily prove that he was intelligent. After all, he was a military commander, and he must have had many capable and wise men under his command. It is possible that Li Ji was simply following advice without thinking of it himself.

Therefore, Duan Xiushi disagreed with Li Ji's assessment of Qin Rui as "a crude and uncouth man." Crucially, after Qin Rui became the Sima of Yuanzhou, he partnered with Duan Xiushi, and their relationship was generally harmonious. Naturally, Qin Rui would complain to his colleagues about how arrogant Li Ji was, how he had imprisoned him without authorization, and how Li Ji had annexed his Wushun Army. This created a negative image of Qin Rui in the minds of Duan Xiushi and others, portraying him as someone who relied solely on force and acted recklessly.

However, as things stand, regardless of how recklessly Li Ji acts, relying on the Emperor's and Crown Prince's favor, he is at least loyal to the Emperor and patriotic. His purpose in coming here is to express his grievances, not to harm allies or commit any offense against the Emperor. Duan Xiushi had previously overestimated the problem; now, relieved, his opinion of Li Ji has actually improved. Furthermore, it takes two to tango. If Qin Rui truly did as he claimed, intentionally trying to befriend or even flatter Li Ji, would Li Ji have been so ruthless towards him? It's understandable that both sides would accuse each other…

So he bowed slightly and quickly moved on from the matter, asking, "What plans does Commander Li have? May I ask if I may hear about them?"

Li Ji then ordered his soldiers to rest and conserve their energy. He himself dismounted, ordered someone to fetch a map, and unfolded it in front of Duan Xiushi—each holding one end—before asking, "Since you are in charge of Yuanzhou, you must be very familiar with the terrain. If the barbarian bandits launch a surprise attack on Pinggao, in your opinion, where is the route?"

Duan Xiushi first shook his head: "There is no road." Then he looked at the map and pointed with his index finger: "If the bandits use elite troops carrying provisions to cross the mountains, they can advance eastward from the border of Hui and Yuan prefectures, sneak out from the Wa Ting Shui North Plain, and indeed bypass the Shimen Pass to the north and the Muxia Pass to the south, and approach Pinggao City..."

Li Ji asked, "On what day did the barbarian bandits begin their attack on Huining Pass?"

"Seven days ago."

"If what Duan Jun said is true, and the surprise attack comes out from the mountains, how many days will it take?"

"Within ten days."

Li Ji quickly calculated with his fingers—"I'm not too late." He then analyzed, "If I go straight south to help defend Pinggao, the enemy will see no opening and will surely retreat, and we will gain nothing. Moreover, if they are cornered and instead attack Xiaoguan to the north, or even attack Shimen Pass from the east to the west, things will become difficult. It would be better to hide a hundred miles north of Pinggao County for the time being, observe the enemy after they have captured Pinggao, and then attack them from behind. With Pinggao City in front and our army behind, the enemy will surely be defeated!"

Wei Gao nodded repeatedly in agreement. Duan Xiushi, however, frowned and hesitated, saying, "While this would certainly lead to a great victory over the enemy, I fear it would harm the common people..."

"Where does this come from?"

"Reporting to Commander Li, if the barbarian bandits do indeed send a surprise force over the mountains, their provisions will surely be limited. Therefore, after taking Pinggao, we should head straight for Pinggao. If we can capture it in one fell swoop, that's fine. But if we close the city gates and defend Pinggao, the bandits will not be able to take it quickly and will surely plunder the surrounding villages. Although Pinggao is small, there are thousands of acres of fertile land around the city and thousands of farming households. I fear that by the time the Shuofang army arrives, most of the people will have already fallen victim to the barbarian bandits!"

Wei Gao curled his lip dismissively: "When two countries are at war, victory or defeat hangs by a thread. How can we care about such things?" Li Ji waved his hand to stop Wei Gao from continuing, and then looked at Duan Xiushi: "I know you are not a clerk, but rather someone who comes from the military. So how do you plan to make arrangements?"

Duan Xiushi pondered for a moment, then replied, "I, Duan, will immediately return to Pinggao and relocate all the people outside the city into the city..."

Wei Gao interjected, "Then the barbarian bandits, seeing no opportunity to exploit, will surely turn back."

Duan Xiushi shook his head and smiled, "They have come from afar with limited provisions, and having nothing to plunder in the wilderness, they most likely dare not turn back. If they were to attack Xiaoguan to the north, they would be easy prey for your army. However, I believe that the barbarian bandits are very likely to march towards Shimen Pass in order to open a passage and launch a pincer attack on Huizhou with their main army—if Huizhou has not yet fallen. As long as we inform the commander of Shimen Pass in advance so that he is prepared, the Shuofang army can take the opportunity to cut off their retreat and annihilate them in one fell swoop—what does Commander Li think?"

Li Ji scratched his beard and said hesitantly, "It is indeed a brilliant plan, but our army is separated from Pinggao and Shimen Pass by tens or even hundreds of miles, making it difficult to communicate with each other. If the army's advance is slow, we fear that the barbarian bandits may take advantage of the situation to escape... Are there any beacon towers in between?"

Duan Xiushi hurriedly said, "Most of the old beacon towers are abandoned, but restoring them is not difficult."

"The thieves will arrive in the next two or three days; I'm afraid it won't be enough time..."

Wei Gao interjected, "Prefect Duan is also busy arranging the evacuation of the people outside Pinggao City. How can he possibly manage? Why don't you write a letter first and indicate the location of the old beacon towers? I will lead my men to restore them and inform Shimen Pass."

Li Ji slapped his thigh: "Alright, then we'll grant Duan Jun's request."

----------

Meanwhile, Mang Re led five thousand elite Tibetan soldiers, traversing mountains and valleys, and in less than eight days, they had reached the main thoroughfare between the north and south. The Qiang guide pointed out that they would be out of the mountains in less than ten miles to the east.

Pinggao County is located in a valley that stretches for about 100 miles from north to south and more than 20 miles from east to west. Agricultural production is relatively developed. A main road connects to Xiaoguan County to the north of the valley. The road is relatively flat and open. To the south of the valley, it connects to Tanzheng Gorge, also known as Sanguankou. The road there is relatively rugged and bumpy.

Therefore, Ma Chongying launched this campaign by inciting the powerful chieftains and nobles of Tibet, saying that as long as we could break through the Tanzheng Gorge, we would have a chance to invade the Guanzhong Basin and take Fengxiang directly. However, most generals who were relatively familiar with the geography and understood military strategy knew that the chances were slim—unless the loss of Yuanzhou completely crushed the morale of the Tang people, causing their armies to collapse at the mere sight of them.

In fact, Ma Chongying would have been satisfied if he had captured Huizhou and Yuanzhou and occupied the north-south thoroughfare. From there, he could have threatened the Guanzhong Basin and forced the Tang people to the negotiating table. He could have also joined forces with the Liangzhou troops to attack Shuofang from the north.

Mang Re shared the same idea. As long as they could capture Pinggao and obtain its granaries for food, the battle would be considered a victory. He would only consider leaving the city and heading west if there was concrete news that the Tang army at Shimen Pass was holding out despite being cut off from their rear, preventing the main force of the Da Lun from leaving Shimen Pass. Now that Pinggao was in sight, he breathed a sigh of relief—the arduous journey was finally coming to an end—but at the same time, he couldn't help but tense up again.

So he ordered the soldiers to set up camp and rest. Although the sun was still high, they decided not to leave yet—otherwise, if they hastily descended to Ping, and the Tang army was already prepared, it would be difficult to retreat in the darkness.

Although he was confident that the Tang army, facing attacks from three sides and unable to determine the location of his main force or its primary target, would be stretched thin and unlikely to consider Pinggao again, and would almost certainly not set up defenses, military strategy always dictates that those who overestimate their strength will win, while those who underestimate it will lose. Therefore, he had to proceed with caution. So he first sent a Qiang guide with several dozen soldiers down to Pinggao to observe the surrounding situation and see if there were any Tang troops stationed on the main roads.

The next morning, we set off again. At the same time, the advance scouts returned and reported that within a dozen miles north and south of the mountain, there was not a single soldier or soldier in sight, only some passing travelers. We followed the general's orders and did not intercept them, so as not to reveal our whereabouts.

Actually, if they stopped a few people to inquire, Li Ji might have been exposed... After all, it was impossible for his five thousand cavalrymen to swagger past Xiaoguan City without the knowledge of passing travelers.

Mang Re was overjoyed. He immediately went to the mountain pass, ordered his men to rest for another quarter of an hour, and then said, "We will march swiftly, hoping to reach Pinggao City by noon, catch the enemy off guard, and seize the city in one fell swoop!"

Chapter Nineteen, The Song of Geshu

Li Sheng led a thousand cavalrymen, but instead of leaving Dazhen Pass, he detoured to the south via Anyi Pass, passed through the Longdi Gorge, and sped westward along the north bank of the Wei River.

This is because if the barbarian bandits were to invade, they would likely take two main routes: one is the northern route, starting from Chengji, the capital of Qinzhou, passing through Lueyangchuan, Qingshui, and Qinyuan to take Dazhen Pass—this route is rugged and not conducive to cavalry charges; once caught by the enemy, it would be difficult to escape safely; the other is the southern route, passing through Fuqiang, Shanggui, and Qinling in Weinan, and then crossing the Wei River, which would allow them to attack Dazhen and Anyi Passes. In this way, the Tang cavalry could travel along the north bank of the Wei River, observing the situation in Weinan from afar, which would make it easier to spot the enemy without having to engage them immediately, making it the safest option.

They marched for two days and two nights, approaching Longxi County—located on the north bank of the Wei River—but still saw no enemy. My subordinates ask, should we turn back now, or continue westward? If we venture too far into enemy territory, we fear that if we encounter the enemy, we may not be able to return in time, and our supplies are also insufficient. Where exactly does the deputy commander intend to go in one go, and what cities and fortresses do he plan to capture along the way for military supplies? It would be best if you could inform us beforehand.

Li Sheng asked with a smile, "You are all Westerners, do you know the song 'Geshu Song'?"

The subordinate replied, "We know, and we can even recite—'The Big Dipper shines high, Geshu carries his sword at night. The Tibetans are all annihilated, and two more moats are built.'"

Li Sheng said in surprise, "What I have heard is different from what you have heard." He then cleared his throat and sang loudly, "The Big Dipper shines high, Geshu carries his sword at night. To this day, he spyes on the grazing horses, but dares not cross Lintao!"

He then sighed and said, “I am originally from Taozhou. I once followed Wang Qingyuan (Wang Zhongsi was enfeoffed as Duke of Qingyuan County) to fight against the barbarians. I never expected that once I was transferred to the Northern Army, my hometown would fall to the barbarian bandits. Now I am a general of the country, a deputy commander of a garrison, with tens of thousands of brave warriors at my side, yet I cannot return home. This is truly a heart-wrenching pain. Now I want to take Lintao directly and slaughter the Qin Fortress, so that the barbarian bandits will know that our Tang Dynasty has capable people!”

Everyone was greatly alarmed and hurriedly advised, "It's still over two hundred li to Lintao. We only have a thousand cavalrymen. How can we cross it easily? General, please don't be reckless!"

Li Sheng smiled and said, "Why do you all think I'm being reckless? Although the barbarian bandits have captured Longyou and taken many cities, they cannot defend them. They also fear that the Tang people will rebel and join forces with the royal army, so they have destroyed the cities and built fortresses in other strategic locations. That's why I can advance directly with light cavalry, and there are no obstacles in the counties and prefectures I pass through. As long as the horses run fast, what can the barbarian bandits do to me? Dingqin Fortress is four hundred li west of Longdi. The bandits will not be on guard, so we can easily slaughter them and seize their grass and grain." But he immediately reassured everyone, saying, "Of course, I will first scout out the barbarian bandits' deployment and the situation in Longyou before daring to advance quickly. I will not waste the lives of my men."

So they sent out cavalry to capture a dozen or so passersby, some Han and some Hu, and brought them before the horses for questioning. The Tang people knew almost nothing, only pleading for the royal army to recover Longyou as soon as possible and rescue them from their suffering; but from the Hu people, they obtained an important piece of information.

It is said that the Tibetan Empire amassed a large army in Longyou this year, intending to invade eastward. However, due to their exploitation of the Qiang and Hu tribes, they planned to raise more than twice the number of auxiliary troops as in previous years, which led to a rebellion. Many Qiang and Hu tribes gathered in the Niaoshutongxue Mountain area and raised the banner of rebellion. In order to secure their rear, the Tibetan army had no choice but to suppress the rebellion, and fierce fighting is likely still ongoing.

Upon hearing this news, the Tang army breathed a sigh of relief—firstly, since the rear of the barbarian rebels was unstable, their invasion of Longzuo this year would likely end in a half-hearted effort; secondly, since Niaoshutongxue Mountain was not far south of Lintao, so close to the battlefield, Vice Commander Li should no longer have any illusions about attacking Qinbao…

Li Sheng frowned and pondered for a long time—he didn't need to look at a map, as he had the entire terrain of Longyou in his mind—before finally giving the order: "Head north, we're going into the mountains!"

Based on intelligence, he estimated that the Tibetan army was not a single force. The one heading towards Huining Pass must have set off before the Qiang-Hu rebellion, while the other force intending to attack Dazhen Pass was forced to temporarily change course—no wonder his route was so sparsely populated, with no large Tibetan army in sight, not even any large groups of Qiang-Hu cavalry. Given this, west of Weiyuan and Zhangxian, there were likely few Tibetan forces; he could roam freely.

More importantly, where would the barbarian bandits, who would advance through the mountain valleys to attack Huining Pass, establish their forward base? Heading straight north from here, just a hundred li away lies Jinjiyuan…

----------

Ma Chongying never expected that his meticulously crafted plan, which he had begun after Li Ji broke through Fu Yi's defenses last autumn, would be ruined by Shang Jiexi.

Shang Jiexi had previously wanted his trusted confidant to lead a surprise attack on Pinggao in order to win the first merit, but Ma Chongying overruled the objections and directly appointed Mangre. He was deeply resentful about this. He thought, "Oh, if we win this battle, you will have the merit of capturing Huizhou, and your confidant will have the merit of capturing Yuanzhou. We can only cheer from the sidelines. Is all our hard work just to benefit you? After the battle, Mangre will most likely be able to enter the Council of State, which is currently being prepared. So even though there are many chancellors, isn't it still you, the chief chancellor, who makes the decisions?"

To consolidate his power, Shang Jiexi planned to launch a full-scale attack on Dazhen Pass—he had heard that the Tang family had not mobilized a large army this year, and the defenses of the Liupan Passes were insufficient—even if he ultimately failed, as long as the number of prisoners and kills increased, he couldn't deny his contribution. Thus, he emptied the Longyou army and issued a strict order to the allied Qiang and Hu tribes, requiring them to join the campaign.

This triggered a turmoil, forcing Shang Jiexi to first launch a westward campaign, thus failing to arrive at Dazhen Pass in time as planned to confuse and contain the Tang army.

Ma Chongying only received the news four days after successfully capturing Huining Pass and establishing his position at the city walls. He was furious but helpless. Fortunately, Hechi had also been captured, and his vanguard was already approaching Shimen Pass. Once Shimen Pass was breached, they could coordinate with Mangre to seize Yuanzhou. Even if the Tang army reacted by then, it would be too late—victory was still in their hands.

I wonder if Shimen Pass is currently prepared?

The closer Ma Chongying got to victory, the more nervous he became. He often paced back and forth in his tent, repeatedly pondering every detail of the plan, hoping to find any omissions or deficiencies. But things are beyond human control, and there was always an endless fog hanging over the battlefield. The more he tried to dispel it, the thicker the fog became.

He couldn't help but sigh, "Hundreds of miles apart, scouts can hardly reach them, let alone send messages in time. If... if I had the supernatural powers of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, with my heavenly eye and heavenly ear, and could control all kinds of changes, this battle would be much easier!"

Then he smiled wryly and said, "If one becomes a Buddha or Bodhisattva, able to understand others' minds and past lives, then why bother with war?"

One day, a report suddenly arrived: "Our vanguard has reached the Shimen Pass, but the gate is tightly closed, and flags are flying above it, indicating that the Tang people are already on guard..."

Ma Chongying nodded and said, "That makes sense." He had been besieging Huining City for several days, and if you count from the start of the attack on Huining Pass, it had been more than ten days. No matter how slow or incompetent the Tang people were, they would definitely have alerted the surrounding counties.

He then asked, "How many Tang soldiers are there at the pass?"

"Upon reaching the pass, we could not count them in detail, but judging from the flags, there were more than five or six thousand."

Ma Chongying shook his head and laughed: "Shimen Pass is too narrow; how could it possibly hold five or six thousand men? This must be a feint to mislead us." He had calculated that the most convenient way for Yuanzhou to receive the warning was to transfer troops from the nearby Muxia Pass. However, Muxia Pass was located at the northernmost end of the Liupan Pass, and because it had more than fifty li of loess plateau in front of it, it was not easily attacked by the barbarian army. Therefore, in previous years, only seven or eight hundred troops were stationed there for autumn defense. So, the first batch of Tang reinforcements arriving at Shimen Pass would be at most five hundred men.