Tang Dynasty Swordsman.

Li Ji had been riding on horseback for days and was quite tired. He figured his men must be even more exhausted, so he said, "Let's ask where their tribe is and ask to rest for the night before continuing." He had some food on his horse and some coins to exchange for cattle and sheep. He had been eating dry rations for days and his mouth was practically numb from eating so much.

Ma Meng went over and asked a few more questions, but when he returned, he looked puzzled and said, "They said there are important matters at the ministry and it is inconvenient to receive guests, so they asked us to take a detour..."

Li Ji said unhappily, "I have heard that the herdsmen on the grasslands are the most hospitable, especially since we are not enemies, but friendly nations... What important matter do the envoys of the Celestial Empire have that they would deliberately avoid us?"

Ma Meng was somewhat hesitant: "I have traveled here several times and know that the Uyghur herdsmen are most pleased to welcome travelers from the south. They always treat them with great hospitality and earnestly request them to barter. I have never seen anything like this before... Even the funerals of nobles in the tribe, or important events such as sacrifices to heaven and ancestors, are never kept secret from others..."

Upon hearing this, Li Ji's mind was filled with doubt.

Based on his historical knowledge from his previous life, before firearms technology reached a certain level, nomadic peoples often harbored ill intentions towards agricultural societies, seizing any opportunity to invade southwards. Only during times when the Central Plains dynasties were sufficiently powerful would nomadic peoples behave somewhat more respectfully. Therefore, the Tang Dynasty was currently embroiled in internal strife, with its troops in Guanzhong almost entirely depleted. Under such circumstances, the Uyghurs not only did not turn against him but also agreed to send reinforcements to help recapture the two capitals—this was an exceptional case beyond his comprehension.

So, is it because the lingering influence of the Tang Dynasty still exists that the Uyghurs dare not turn friendship into enmity for the time being, given the unclear situation?

However, the Uyghurs had already sent reinforcements once before. Although it was only four thousand cavalry, they became the core force for recapturing the two capitals—in a sense, they were almost the strongest force. Although the Tang army was numerous, it seemed that at least twice the number of troops would be needed to have any chance of winning a decisive battle against the Uyghur cavalry on the plains, without considering the commanders' abilities. Would the Crown Prince of Yabghu, after witnessing this situation, begin to underestimate the Tang?

Although the Tang army is numerous, it is currently concentrated in Hebei, attacking An Qingxu's last stronghold, Xiangzhou. The area west of Shanxian is relatively undefended—otherwise, the Tibetans wouldn't have repeatedly invaded and destroyed so many military towns. The battles in Longyou this autumn may not have yet reached the Uyghurs, but last year, more than a dozen border towns fell into the hands of the Tibetans. Even if news travels slowly, the Uyghurs must know. Since the Tang is helpless against the Tibetans, can it withstand a full-scale attack from the Uyghurs?

Was it precisely because of this that the Uyghurs harbored rebellious intentions, and the Khan summoned various tribes, intending to break the agreement and invade the south? The Uyghur tribe in front of them was afraid that the Tang people would see through their intention to prepare for war, which is why they refused to let Li Ji and his group go.

Thinking of this, Li Ji felt a chill run down his spine, and broke out in a cold sweat...

The Tibetan army numbered nearly 200,000, and the Uyghur army numbered 100,000. However, the three garrisons of Longyou, Hexi, and Shuofang were currently weak and poorly equipped. Even with the addition of the garrison troops in the capital region and the imperial guards in Chang'an, their numbers probably wouldn't reach 150,000. If the Tibetans and Uyghurs were to join forces and invade, neither side could possibly stop them!

Even if they don't join forces, and each fights their own battles, one from west to east and the other from north to south, let alone the three major military towns, the capital region will likely be engulfed in flames, and Fengxiang and Chang'an will also be in grave danger...

What should I do?

The only solution is to rob Peter to pay Paul, temporarily release An Qingxu, and urgently summon the troops of the eleven military governors back to protect the two capitals. Li Ji thought to himself, "I must ascertain the news before I can rush back to Chang'an to deliver the message."

Fortunately, Li Tan sent me north. Otherwise, the Tang people might not have woken up from their dream until the Uyghur army reached Ganzhou and Liangzhou. Then, Li Tan would certainly not have dared to defend Shancheng and would have been forced to retreat to Shanzhou or even Jincheng. If he hadn't been careful during the retreat, Guo Xin and Li Yuanzhong might have faced the complete annihilation of their army...

After making up his mind, Li Ji spurred his horse forward and slowly rode towards the Uyghur herdsmen. Most of the herdsmen had lowered their bows and arrows—firstly, because Ma Meng had negotiated beforehand and indicated that he meant no harm, and secondly, these Tang people had not drawn their weapons, so if they were still waiting with bows drawn, it would make them look cowardly—but they still watched Li Ji's every move with wary eyes.

Having served as a military officer for a few days, Li Ji could easily tell who the leader was among the dozen or so herdsmen. It was a young man with a broad face, high cheekbones, a flat nose, and narrow eyes—the features of a Mongol, not a Uyghur. He was quite sturdy, indicating he had a good diet, and his slicked-back fur robe suggested he often ate meat…

In fact, most nomadic peoples rarely eat meat—because they can't afford it—their main source of nutrition is various dairy products. Only the wealthy can often slaughter cattle and sheep, cook or roast them, and eat them with their hands. Afterward, they would wipe their oily hands on the front of their robes. So the more oil on the robe, the richer the person is.

Li Ji had heard similar stories in his previous life and confirmed them when he interacted with Di De and others last year. Therefore, just by looking at the sheen on the fur robe, he knew that this young man was of extraordinary status.

So he spread his arms to show that he was unarmed, smiled to show that he meant no harm, and slowly rode his horse closer to the young man, saying loudly, "Ma Meng, you translate and say that we are envoys from the Tang Dynasty, sent by the Khatun's brother to deliver a message. We hope to rest for the night in your camp and then ask them to send someone to escort us to the Khatun's tent."

Ma Meng followed behind and did as instructed. The young man blinked and sized Li Ji up and down. Li Ji smiled and extended his right hand—a handshake is a universal greeting, and at least no one would misunderstand it as malicious intent. Seeing this, the young man hesitated for a moment, then finally extended his hand as well.

With their hands clasped together, Li Ji still had a smile on his face, but suddenly tightened his grip and pulled the other person into his arms...

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Deposing the Eldest Son and Establishing a Younger Son

Their hands clasped, and Li Ji initially tightened his grip. The young man opposite him didn't take it seriously, assuming the other was testing his strength—on the grasslands, strength was paramount, and warriors were highly regarded, so it was common for two young men to shake hands and test their strength upon meeting. He wasn't as tall as Li Ji, but they were shoulder to shoulder on horseback—his lower body was shorter than his upper body, while Li Ji had remarkably long legs—but his shoulders were broader, so he was confident he wouldn't be at a disadvantage.

If you want to compete, then compete. Do you think I'll lose?

Unexpectedly, Li Ji clenched his right hand, twisted his waist, and with a force that penetrated through his shoulder blade, pulled the young man sharply into his arms. Caught off guard and unable to withstand Li Ji's astonishing strength, the young man involuntarily slipped from his stirrups and was dragged towards him as if being lifted into the air. The herdsmen nearby were all shocked and quickly picked up their bows and arrows, but before they could even draw the strings, they saw that their chieftain had been firmly pressed into his saddle by Li Ji, whose left arm had wrapped around his neck.

Now that they were afraid to act rashly, no one dared to make a move and could only howl loudly. As for the young man, his neck was being strangled, so he naturally couldn't scream. He struggled repeatedly, but he couldn't break free from Li Ji's control at all.

Li Ji roared, startling everyone—including his own men—and even nearly startling several horses, which snorted and stumbled. Li Ji then shouted, "How can a host refuse to entertain guests? I suspect you are not herdsmen, but bandits from the grasslands, which is why you refuse to lead us to your tribe—bandits have no tribes!"

As he spoke, he glanced sideways at Ma Meng. Caught off guard, Ma Meng was somewhat bewildered, but he still mustered his courage and translated as before, then proceeded to translate the shepherds' words: "They say they are not bandits, but kind shepherds, and that there are indeed matters concerning their tribe that prevent them from receiving guests. They also say that Inspector Li must immediately release the person he has arrested, otherwise a hail of arrows will be fired, and they will shoot you and us..."

Li Ji interrupted him, coldly snorting, "Go ahead and shoot if you dare, but I'm afraid before your arrow even arrives, I'll have already strangled the man in my hand—isn't this man the bandit leader?"

One of the shepherds cried out in surprise, but was scolded by his companion and lowered his head.

Li Ji glanced at Ma Meng again, and Ma Meng said, "The man said earlier that this was not a bandit leader, but the son of their clan chief... but the others stopped him."

Li Ji then said, "If he is indeed not a bandit leader, but the son of your clan chief, then summon the clan chief and speak with him. Ask him, 'Is this how a good shepherd treats guests from afar? What is the reason for this?!'"

Ma Meng translated as instructed, and two riders stepped back slightly before spurring their horses and riding away. Li Ji knew that they must have gone to discuss the matter with the clan chief, as these herdsmen, with their limited intelligence and experience, certainly couldn't handle the situation on their own.

The young man in his arms was still struggling, but Li Ji's arms were like iron hoops, making it difficult for him to break free. Li Ji thought to himself, "Let him struggle. Let's see who has more strength."

By this time, Jia Huai and the others had also realized what was going on. Although they didn't understand what Li Ji was trying to do, how could they stand idly by when their superior had made his move? They all drew their bows and arrows and confronted the herdsmen from a distance. At this distance, as long as they released the bowstring, it was virtually impossible to miss their target. It was just a matter of who had the thickest skin and could withstand multiple arrows without falling.

However, Li Ji, still holding the young man firmly, had some strength left. Both sides kept their bows drawn, and before half a quarter of an hour had passed, one of them couldn't take it anymore. Li Ji saw that the arm of a shepherd opposite him was beginning to tremble, and thought to himself, "Please don't let go of the bowstring, otherwise hitting me is a minor matter, but if it triggers a vicious fight that disregards the hostage, things will get much more complicated."

So he ordered Jia Huai and the others, "Put down your bows." He then ordered Ma Meng to translate, "You all put down your bows too, otherwise it would be bad if you hurt the people I have captured. If what you say is true, wait for the clan chief to come and we will deal with the consequences."

The herdsmen looked at each other in bewilderment before finally slowly drawing their bows, but they still gestured to Li Ji, refusing to lower their bows and put away the arrows that were already nocked.

About half an hour later, a cloud of dust suddenly rose in the distance, and more than a hundred riders galloped towards them. Most of the Tang people were terrified, but Li Ji remained calm—he was certainly taking a risk, of course, but since learning that the man he had captured was the chieftain's son, he had become much more at ease. "Even a tiger doesn't eat its cubs," and besides, this chieftain wasn't Li Heng; surely he could get a chance to talk to him.

At the head of the hundred riders was a burly man with a thick beard and a wrinkled face, making it impossible to tell his age. He galloped forward and shouted, "Since you are guests from afar, you should naturally abide by the customs of my people. Why are you not allowed to enter the tribe and instead arrest my son? Everyone says that the Tang people value etiquette the most. Are you all imposters from the Tang people?!" He spoke in Chinese.

Li Ji sized up the man—presumably the clan leader—and then glanced behind him before suddenly sneering, "It's midday, and the weather is hot. Why are you so bundled up? Could you be someone we know?"

It turned out that the chieftain was riding behind a rider who wore a hooded cloak over his fur robe. When he was about an arrow's length away, he saw Li Ji in the distance and suddenly pulled up his cloak, covering half of his face. Li Ji thought to himself, "Are you taking advantage of my poor eyesight? You should be able to tell who I am by now, but I haven't even seen your face yet—covering your face as soon as you see me, acting all mysterious, could it be someone I know? Who could it be?"

The first thought that popped into my mind was that it was either a traitor or an envoy from Tibet who had come to communicate with the Uyghurs... But upon further reflection, it seemed that I didn't know many of the important figures from these two countries, or I had only seen them from afar—for example, Zhou Zhi—and there was no reason for them to avoid me.

Besides, with so many of you, you could easily disregard the safety of the hostages and swarm us to kill us to silence us. Why bother covering your faces?

He tried to ask. Upon hearing this, the clan chief turned and whispered a few words to the mysterious man, who replied in return. Then the clan chief faced Li Ji, placed his hand on his chest in a gesture of respect, and said, "Please release my son for now and let him follow this gentleman behind me..."

Li Ji frowned: "Do you think I'm stupid?!"

The clan chief said, “No one else would dare to do this, but if it were Li Ji, a brave warrior of the Tang Dynasty, what would he not dare to do? I promise that as long as the child is spared, I will not harm you or any other Tang people.”

Li Ji thought to himself, "Indeed, it's someone I know." He suspiciously sized up the mysterious man, vaguely recognizing his tall stature, but couldn't quite place him... Should he walk a few steps away with him to see who it was? A mere promise not to harm him, yet he wanted Li Ji to release the hostage and follow the mysterious man—this was illogical and unreasonable. But perhaps this very illogicality indicated that the other party didn't harbor much ill will.

Ultimately, he couldn't hold the hostages indefinitely; he needed a way out. Originally, he planned to summon the clan chief, question him, and investigate the Uyghurs' movements. Once he had confirmation, he would lead his men back to Tang territory. However, his interest in the clan chief was now less than half that of the mysterious man, and he vaguely felt that the key to breaking the deadlock lay with that mysterious man.

Judging from the way the clan chief spoke with this person, it seems that this person is of high status. So even though I released the hostages, if I could capture this person, I might be able to get more reliable information.

He hesitated for a moment, then ordered everyone, "Wait here and do not move rashly." He then slowly spurred his horse toward the mysterious man. The mysterious man seemed not to dare to look directly at Li Ji. Seeing this, he pulled on the reins and galloped to the side.

The clan chief hurriedly said, "Please put the child down first." Li Ji casually threw the young man in his hand at the clan chief. The clan chief caught it with both hands, but he was no match for Li Ji's strength. He cried out "Ah!" and fell off the saddle while hugging his son.

Li Ji loosened his grip, then spurred his horse's flanks, instantly accelerating towards the mysterious man. The mysterious man, as if he had eyes in the back of his head, also sped up. The two, one fleeing and the other chasing, were already two arrows' lengths away in the blink of an eye.

Li Ji shouted, "Who are you, and where do you intend to lead me?!" He then slapped the scabbard at his waist with a "snap," saying, "If you don't answer, don't blame me for being rude!"

Upon hearing this, the mysterious man reined in his horse and turned around. Li Ji rode closer, only to see the man lift his hood, finally revealing his true face, and then give a sad smile: "Li Ji, you are indeed bold."

During the chase, Li Ji had been suspicious of the man's posture and demeanor on horseback, and now that he saw him, his suspicions were confirmed. The man had a dark face, deep-set eyes, a high nose, and a yellowish-brown beard; he was none other than Di De, a high-ranking general of the Uyghurs, known as the strongest warrior in his tribe!

Li Ji sneered and immediately shouted, "As expected! You Uyghurs are planning to take advantage of our misfortune, break the alliance, and invade our Tang!"

Upon hearing this, Di De looked astonished—"Li Ji, what are you saying?"

Li Ji carefully observed the other party's expression, which did not seem to be feigned—wait, could I have guessed wrong? Then why would the Uyghur tribe refuse to receive us, and why would this Di De come here and hide his face, not daring to acknowledge me in public?

Then Di De said, "I, the Uyghur, am the son-in-law and father-in-law of your Tang family. The true princess of the Tang emperor is my family's Khatun. I, the Uyghur, am also reasonable. The Tang family is only experiencing internal strife. Even if it is weak, I, the Uyghur, will not break the alliance. Li Ji, what you say is too unreasonable."

Li Ji frowned and demanded, "As a key general in this unit, why have you marched south? And why do you dare not face me directly?"

He was observing Dide's expression, but the other was also scrutinizing him. After a long while, he asked in return, "Could it be that you are not...you didn't see, Apocho?"

Li Ji asked blankly, "Who is Apochuo?" Is he the Uyghur general who came to aid the country with the Crown Prince Yabghu last year? I don't have much of an impression of this name... To be honest, only the name Dide is straightforward and easy to remember; he can hardly remember any of the others.

Di De frowned, staring at Li Ji for a long while before asking, "Then... why did you come to the grasslands?"

Li Ji didn't hide anything and said, "I was ordered by His Highness Prince Qi to deliver a message to Princess Ningguo—who is also your Khatun—..."

"You're a warrior, how can you use that to send private messages? It just so happens that you've arrived here at this exact moment, it's too much of a coincidence."

Li Ji retorted, "It's too much of a coincidence that you just happened to arrive here at this time!"

Di De sighed softly, "To meet you, Li Ji, at this very moment, is this the will of Heaven?" He then looked at Li Ji and said, word by word, "I am no longer a Uyghur general, but a fugitive..."

Li Ji asked curiously, "Why is that? Have you offended the Khan or the Crown Prince of Yabghu? As one of the most outstanding warriors in the tribe, what heinous crime could be so unforgivable?"

Dide replied, "I have offended the Khan... As for the Crown Prince, my offense is precisely because of the Crown Prince. To be honest, the Khan deposed the Crown Prince and installed his younger brother, Yidijian, in his place. We, the Crown Prince, are now subordinates and can only flee..."

Upon hearing this, Li Ji was greatly surprised—good heavens, the Tang family hadn't even deposed the eldest son in favor of the younger one yet, and the Uyghurs had already started fighting! He hurriedly asked, "How is the Crown Prince Yegu?"

Di De's face was ashen. He looked up at the sky and sighed, replying, "After the Crown Prince was murdered, we fled south, intending to seek refuge with the Tang family. We temporarily hid here and sent Abo Chuo—son of Chebi Shitu Tunfa Pei Luo Teqin—to make contact first. We thought you had met him, which is why we came here. Alas, Tu Tunfa... he has also been murdered..."

Upon hearing this, Li Ji couldn't help but become suspicious again.

Since they said "we," it's probably not just Di De alone, but rather three to five former subordinates of the Crown Prince of Yabghu. Theoretically speaking, if you want to join the Tang Dynasty, then go ahead. Why hide in this small tribe and send someone to make contact first? Are you worried that the Tang Dynasty won't accept you? Unless you killed someone important in the fighting, you are both fierce generals who have assisted in suppressing rebellions. There's no reason for the Tang Dynasty not to keep you. It's also unlikely that the Uyghurs would forcibly take you back to be executed.

And you're hiding, fine, but you dared to sneak over and spy on us? Aren't you afraid of being exposed? If you're not worried about the Tang people recognizing you, then why not let us go to your tribe to be entertained? You can just hide in your tents. Do you think we, as guests, would search every single tent?

Unless, of course, you're not worried about being exposed, but you're worried about others being exposed... You're not afraid of me, Tang Buna, but you're worried about others being tied up and taken back to the Uyghurs...

Put your head down right now, stop looking up at the sky and sighing, let me see your expression clearly, okay?

Then he smiled slightly and said, "Prince Yehu, are you from this clan?"

Upon hearing this, Emperor De was greatly startled. He abruptly lowered his head, stared at Li Ji, and then his eyes flickered: "What are you saying... The Crown Prince has been murdered..."

Li Ji waved his hand and said, "Very well, I will go north to see the Khan and the Khatun and plead for you, asking the Khan to take you back to his camp." As he spoke, he pulled on the reins, intending to turn his horse around.

Di De panicked and hurriedly spurred his horse closer, grabbing the reins of Li Ji's mount: "We are friends, so we hope..."

Li Ji sneered, "If we're friends, why won't you tell me the truth?"

Emperor De smiled bitterly, "I'm afraid you'll hold onto old grudges and harm the Crown Prince..."

"What old grudge do I have against Prince Yabghu?"

"This...you struck the Crown Prince..."

"It is the Crown Prince who harbors old grudges against me. What do I have to hate about the Crown Prince?" Li Ji thought to himself, "I do hate the Crown Prince Yehu, I hate that he did not refuse Li Heng's unwarranted reward and wanted to abduct the Tang women of the two capitals. But strictly speaking, this is my public anger towards the Uyghurs, not my personal grudge against any one person. In fact, if you had not promised to redeem the women of Luoyang with silk that day, I would hate you too!"

/♂

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Rare Goods Can Be Held Highly Sold

The Uyghur Khan, known as Moyanchuo of the Yaoluoge clan, had long harbored the intention to depose the eldest son and establish the younger one in favor of the younger. Therefore, someone suggested to the Crown Prince of Yabghu that since the Tang Dynasty had just sent someone to request assistance, he should volunteer to lead troops there to strengthen the relationship between the Tang and Uyghur Khans. With the Tang family backing him, the Khan would not dare to touch him.

Therefore, Crown Prince Yabghu mustered four thousand elite troops, led by his trusted confidant Di De, his clansman Chebi Shitu Tunfa Pei Luo Teqin, and others, to march south to assist the Tang in suppressing the rebels. He also became sworn brothers with Li Yu. Sure enough, upon his return, his prestige soared, and the valiant Khan's attitude towards him seemed to soften somewhat.

Since the valiant Khan followed the diplomatic policy of his father, the benevolent Khan Guli Peiluo, and was consistently friendly to the Tang Dynasty, could the successor, who was appreciated by the Tang emperor and his son, be easily changed? You have to consider the feelings of the Tang people.

However, the Crown Prince of Yabghu and his faction overlooked one thing: Li Heng would soon formally marry Princess Ningguo and become the principal wife of the valiant Khan—the Khatun. In that case, what weight would the relationship between the Tang and He families—which was already a father-in-law and son-in-law relationship and a sworn brotherhood—be?

Therefore, shortly after marrying Princess Ningguo, the valiant Khan formally stripped the Crown Prince of his title of "Yaghu" and removed him from his military command. Knowing his position as heir was precarious, the Crown Prince plotted a rebellion, but the Khan discovered his plot and acted first…

In the fierce battle, the Crown Prince's henchmen, including Chebi Shitu Tunfa Peiluo Teqin, were all beheaded, and the Crown Prince was also seriously wounded. It was only by relying on his strength that Emperor De broke through the encirclement, changed the Crown Prince's clothes on the corpse of a soldier who looked similar to him, and protected the Crown Prince as he escaped to the border tribes.