Crown Tang emperor

Although the current chaos in the Hequ states is mainly manifested in the invasion of Turkic troops led by Mochuo, this is only a result. The root cause is that the prison order established by the Tang Dynasty since the Zhenguan period can no longer play its original role.

This principle, in fact, no matter Tang people or Hu people, all stakeholders have their own feelings and opinions.Although Turkic today is also a powerful force in the desert, it is no longer the same as it was in its heyday.

Even if Mochuu went straight into the Great Tang Realm this time and went thousands of miles deep, the harm it would cause would be very limited.The Tang court didn't even face up to this problem, and just relying on the division of troops along the Guannei Road, the Turkic tribes were defeated and defeated.If only in terms of strength, today's Turks are not qualified to be regarded as opponents by Datang.

But at the same time, the Tang court had to face up to the issue of Turkic resurgence.The restoration of the Turks was the most direct challenge to the order of the Tang dynasty.Like this time, the Huqu people in Hequ basically took a wait-and-see attitude towards the silent invaders, and did not cause any hindrance to the Turkic march.

Today's so-called Turkic Khanate is not so much the lingering ghosts of the Eastern Turks, but more significant because it is a challenger to the order of the Tang Dynasty, which directly hurt the obedience of the Hequ Zhuhu to the Tang Dynasty.

Therefore, for Qi Biming, the annihilation of the Turkic thieves is just the beginning. To restore the order in Hequ, more efforts are still needed, otherwise things like Turkic invading will happen frequently.

But the truth is this, but when Qi Biming directly said that there are too many Hu tribes in Hequ, in other words, some of them must be eliminated, and directly attack the Huihe, which can be said to be the largest tribe in Hequ, and order the Huihe to relocate. His attitude Still surprisingly strong.

Not only the Huhu chieftains who are in Malingbao at the moment are scared, even Lou Shide who followed from Yuanzhou couldn't help saying in private: "The troubles of the Hequ are the accumulation of old diseases. It must be treated with caution. Just setting up this decree, is it the imperial court's decree, or is it just a matter of expediency for you to save your power?"

To be honest, this question was a bit impolite, and he almost pointed at Qi Biming's nose and asked him if he wanted to sell the lives of the Hequ Hus to preserve his family's power in the Tang Dynasty?

Lou Shide was really skeptical. Now that the two capitals are in turmoil, and the highest level of power is in chaos, it is difficult for a while to make up his mind to use such a strong method to solve Hequ's troubles.

Lou Shide didn't care much about the life and death of the Hus, but it must be admitted that from the Zhenguan period to the present, for more than sixty years, the Husses on the border have attached themselves one after another, and now they have become the masters of the meandering land. An important part of.

So Lou Shide was faintly worried that Qi Biming might just be worried about being affected by the coup, deliberately provoking Hequ, so that the court had to reuse him, so as to obtain political protection.

Qi Biming was not annoyed when he heard the words, but just smiled and said: "Since the end of the general's journey to the north, all his words and deeds have been inspired. You don't have to worry about it. His Royal Highness King Yong said that the country in the old age is strong and the people are strong. , The government is full of soldiers, so there is no fear of foreign aggression, and it is broad and broad. But now that the imperial court is getting rid of the old calamity, the current situation is about to advance, and the situation is difficult, so it is necessary to avoid complicated things and keep things simple, and no more unnecessary internal friction.

In the old days, the Hequ prefectures were vast in land and sparsely populated. There was no abundant land and no permanent property. Emperor Taizong Wen promoted benevolence and people, so they accumulated a lot of energy to benefit them.But now that the country is still waiting to be rejuvenated, how can we spare Hu Yong?Those who obey orders live, and those who disobey orders die, is the righteousness of course.

The embers of the Turks were revived, and right and wrong were confused and there was no justice.Among the Huqu tribes in the Hequ, the strong can look forward to Shu, and their desires are hard to fill. The weak are confused and don’t know what to look up to.Since people don't cherish the vitality of this territory, why should they be kind and self-deprecating?Every inch of land in the Tang Dynasty has something to return to, and we will never give up to those who are rebellious and disrespectful! "

"This, is this really what His Highness King Yong said?"

When Lou Shide heard this, his eyes flashed, and he couldn't help asking.

After seeing this, Qi Biming said again: "I know Mr. Lou's concern, my father and son are indeed from the Hu family, but since Zhenguan, they have donated their will to the country. In other words, how can you not be grateful if you enjoy a generous salary? Wearing a crown for a long time, forbearance to drink blood to the frontier? His Royal Highness King Yong thoughtfully handed it on, entrusted each other with great things, only loyal and hardworking, no second thoughts!"

"I, how could I doubt Chief Qibi? Liang Guogong's family, with outstanding achievements, deserves to sleep and sleep in Zhaoling, although the Chinese are no more than brothers!"

Being directly pointed out by Qi Biming, Lou Shide was more or less embarrassed, and after explaining a little, he said: "What I am concerned about is that the chronic illness in Hequ is definitely not something that can be alleviated by a little effort in a short period of time, or that it can be suppressed for a while, but To get rid of the lesions, it is necessary to make long-term efforts and never slack off in success. His Royal Highness King Yong’s family and nobles must use great responsibilities to transfer affairs from inside to outside. Right now, they are sitting in the pass, and they are sincerely prestige. However, if they move back to the court, their successors may not Keep this prestige!"

Lou Shide has accumulated border affairs for a long time, and he has a deeper understanding of the situation in the border prefectures. Therefore, when Yuanzhou was plundered by bandits, he would rather defend the Qingshui River Valley with few enemies and dare not recruit too many barbarians.

Although he still doesn't have a deep understanding of His Highness King Yong, even based on the few words Qi Biming relayed, it can be said that His Highness King Yong's views on Zhuhu are quite similar to his, and even better than his. Much more determined and radical.

However, the DPRK and China have always had different voices regarding Zhuhu, or the entire foreign strategy.There are many people who believe that we should focus on conservatism, first fix internal affairs, and then make external plans.After all, using troops abroad is a waste of people and wealth, and the barbarians are barren, with neither enough income to support them nor enough land to defend them. Under the current situation in the country, it is really not advisable to favor martial arts and be greedy for merit.

When Lou Shide was the former prime minister, he heard many such voices.Not to mention whether this argument is justified, since there are such voices, it means that the current situation may develop in this direction.

King Yong was able to handle border affairs with a positive and courageous attitude, especially the problems of the various prefectures. Lou Shide naturally agreed with this.

But he was worried that King Yong's identity was sensitive after all, and now he was able to leave the town of Guanzhong due to the coup d'état in Shendu and the turmoil in the two capitals, but once this period of turmoil was over, the court might not be at ease in allowing such a young prince to sit in the Tang family old house.

The issue of Zhu Hu in Hequ has reached the moment when it has to be cleared up. Once it starts, it cannot be stopped easily.If on this issue, the imperial court shows signs of wavering and unresolute stance, then Zhu Hu will be even more confident.

Hearing what Lou Shide said, Qi Biming was also silent for a while, and after a while, he raised his head and said to Lou Shide: "The last general and Lou Xianggong really don't know each other very well, and the friendship is not good. Shallow, I dare not discuss in depth.

But what is being said right now, since it is the national interest, it is bold to say anything wrong.The humble post used to be in the capital of God, and he once looked at the nobles of the heavenly family. He had a clumsy plan, and the only one who could succeed the great achievements of the two sages was King Yong.The emperor's blood is not known by prestige. The emperor struggles to carry on his ambition, but he regrets being careless.

All the evils in the surrounding area are now rampant, and the fortunes ebb and flow, and time waits for no one!King Yong is not only a hero, but also has great ambitions. The legacy of Taizong can be seen.At a time when the general situation is hesitating, if the loyal and brave people do not compete for attachment, it means that the country's supporters are not prosperous, and we should not be happy! "

Hearing this, Lou Shide's face changed suddenly, and he subconsciously opened the seat distance between him and Qi Biming.It's not that he has any objection to Qi Biming's words, the problem is that the message revealed by these words is too shocking.

The Shendu coup had just happened not long ago, and the emperor's heir hadn't even officially inherited the throne, but military generals like Qi Biming no longer even concealed their support for King Yong.Lou Shide has been away from the center for a long time, and he really didn't expect that the development of the court situation would be more dangerous than he expected.

Seeing the vigilance on Lou Shide's face, Qi Biming sighed and said: "Mr. Lou is worried that the power of Hequ will not last long, so he told you this. But if His Highness King Yong does not give up, I will devote the rest of my life to Therefore, there is no need to think about anything else.”

Lou Shide understood the hidden meaning of Qi Bi's words, he had already said so far, and he was planning to follow King Yong to the dark side.If King Yong loses to the court in the future and is forced to return to the court, he may be imprisoned for the rest of his life, but followers like Qi Biming will surely die.

After being silent for a long time, Lou Shide suddenly sighed: "When I was in court, I regretted not being able to get close to His Royal Highness King Yong and observe his aspirations. Now that I hear such admiring words from Director Qibi, I don't know how to respond."

He really didn't know how to respond to Qi Biming, after all, he didn't have a deep understanding of His Royal Highness King Yong, and Qi Biming's words alone were not enough to make any major decisions.

"So there is no need for Mr. Lou to express his regrets. His Royal Highness King Yong also loves you very much. Before leaving, His Highness has repeatedly asked you to ensure the safety of Mr. Lou."

"Oh, I'm ashamed! It's a serious crime to lose one's land in a lowly position, and you don't contribute an inch, yet you are so lucky to be favored by His Highness!"

"It's inconvenient to talk lightly about Mr. Lou's merits and demerits. But this time he was able to wipe out the Turkic bandits, and he relied on Mr. Lou's plan to trap the enemy. I have included this in the table and submitted it to the shogunate. As for your Highness's decision , it is not the last general who can ask."

Qi Biming continued: "In the future, I will lead the army to continue northward to Lingzhou, and I don't have time to send Mr. Lou far away. Now that His Royal Highness's ceremony has arrived in Long, Mr. Lou can go straight to meet each other."

"His Royal Highness King Yong has turned west?"

"Besides the Turkic state's subjugation, it's just a disease of scabies, so it's not right for His Highness to come in person. Tubo is the real vicious thief, and His Highness needs to sit in person in person!"

Chapter 0584 black teeth out to welcome, willing to be eagle dogs

When Qi Biming and his party had already dealt with the invading Turkic enemies at Maling Fort, the army led by Li Tong had just arrived at Qianyuan City in Longzhou, and had not completely left the scope of the Guannei Road.

Qianyuan City had to go west for several tens of miles before it officially entered the Longyou Road.When Chang'an's army arrived outside Liyuan City, there were already nearly a hundred civil and military people waiting here, including a large number of Hu people.

"Duan Da, the humble governor of Longzhou and the military envoy of Dasan Pass, pay homage to His Royal Highness King Yong!"

"Meng Lingqing, deputy envoy of the Heyuan Army and governor of Hezhou, pays homage to His Royal Highness King Yong!"

The chief officers of the civil and military affairs led the two to meet together and make their own statements.Among them, Duan Da, governor of Longzhou, was in his early fifties, and Meng Lingqing, governor of Hezhou, was of Qiang origin and in his early forties.

Knowing the respective identities of these two people, Li Tong felt a little tasteful.

Duan Da, governor of Longzhou, was not well-known in person, but his grandson Duan Xiushi was a famous general in the mid-Tang Dynasty. He not only participated in the Battle of Talas, but also quelled the Anshi Rebellion, and was named the County King.

The Fumeng clan of the Qiang people lived in Tongzhou, Puzhou and other places for a long time. In addition to the Fumeng Lingqing in front of me, there was also a famous general Fumeng Lingcha who was active in the Western Regions during the Kaitian period.There were even several members of the Fumeng clan that Li Tong had convened in the pass. One of them was named Fumeng Zhongchen, who was in charge of the Dali County Branch of the Old Clothes Club, and now came west with the army.

When Li Tong was examining these civil and military people in Longyou, everyone present was also secretly observing the young king of the clan who was already well-known all over the world. Most of the eyes were curious, but there were also some people secretly suspicious.

His Royal Highness King Yong in front of him looked elegant and handsome. Even though he was wearing armor, he looked heroic, but he didn't have a vicious and brave spirit, and he didn't have the sense of ferocity that makes people afraid when he looks at him.

But everyone still dare not belittle him. Apart from His Royal Highness King Yong's honorable status, it is more about his deeds.If the shocking coup d'état in Shendu didn't affect the people in Longyou, then what happened in Chang'an, Xijing, they were deeply touched.

Longyou and Guannei already communicated frequently, and these Longyou officials had a lot of contact with those nobles in Chang'an City in their jobs and affairs, and they had a deep feeling for their arrogance and conceit.But not long after King Yong went west to Chang'an, he killed more than 20 people in a very short period of time, and many members of the Jieyu clan fled to Longshang, and spread the ferocity and domineering of King Yong widely.

Therefore, all the Longyou officials also had some preconceived ideas, thinking that King Yong must have a cruel and withdrawn character that cannot be tolerated, but seeing this His Highness with his own eyes at this time, his demeanor and demeanor were heart-wrenching, so naturally it was unavoidable to be surprised.

Not to mention the thoughts of the various Longyou officials, everyone went up one by one, and soon it was Liu Youqiu's turn.

As an old man under King Yong's sect, Liu Youqiu seemed a little excited at the moment. He walked straight ahead and saluted again, knocking on the ground respectfully, and said: "The lowly job is under the king's teaching, and I am ashamed for not being able to help others. Now I finally have to pay homage to Your Highness again." Although there is no story to report before, but I can't bear the excitement!"

For the others, Li Tong simply nodded in response, but after seeing Liu Youqiu, he took the initiative to take a step forward, helped Liu Youqiu up with his own hands, and said with a smile: "The karma is so ingenious that no one can save it. I and Liu Sima knew each other in the Wei, let’s talk about what’s on my mind, in the old years I often had regrets that my ambitions were hard to repay, but now I’m calm, and the schemes discussed in the old years should be realized one by one!”

With the relationship between Li Tong and Liu Youqiu, they don't need to be so explicit to understand each other.But Li Tong was very unfamiliar with the situation in Longbian, since he came here in person, he must make some personnel adjustments and put his confidant in an important position.

So these words are also for everyone present, in order to show that he has an unusual relationship with Liu Youqiu, even if he is promoted suddenly, it is not a presumptuous grab.

When Liu Youqiu heard this, he couldn't help being even more excited, but he didn't get carried away because of it. His body turned slightly to one side, revealing a young general.

"Guoyi of the Huangxi Prefecture of Shanzhou, the humble general of Modao Biejun of the Heyuan Army, and the black-toothed gentleman of the Shangzhu Kingdom, I greet His Royal Highness King Yong!"

A young man at the age of weak crown, bowed down first before walking quickly, but did not retreat to one side after getting up, but folded his crown and palms, and then made a deep bow, like this three.

When people around saw this scene, they couldn't help showing their expressions of astonishment. This is not a normal etiquette for seeing each other. Even if you enter the court to see the emperor, you don't need to make this important ceremony.It is often only used to worship relatives and ancestors on occasions such as visiting relatives and clan sacrifices.

Hei Chijun finished his obeisance, he didn't get up, but continued to prostrate himself respectfully and said: "My father is in charge of military affairs, he dare not leave Heyuan lightly, but he sent a boy to greet His Highness, with this solemn gift, he is not only afraid of power, but also grateful Your Highness has given us the great grace of living in my sect in the past. Although the Han clan is not a weapon, but the righteousness of gratitude, as a servant, as a king's eagle dog, he will never give up his life!"

As soon as this remark came out, everyone present couldn't help being even more astonished.The Heyuan Army was the largest garrison in Longyou to guard against the Turks. Hei Chi Changzhi, as the ambassador of the Heyuan Army, was naturally the No. 1 army in Longyou.

The two of them, the king of the court and the general of the border guards, have such a deep connection with each other that Hei Chi Chang Zhi sent his son to greet him and even performed the ritual of a servant, which was really beyond everyone's expectations.

In fact, not only the people present were surprised, but even Li Tong was quite surprised when he saw the young man Hei Chi Jun being so respectful. He did not expect Hei Chi Chang Zhi to be able to do this.

So he didn't respond right away, but subconsciously glanced at Liu Youqiu, and when Liu Youqiu nodded slightly, a slight smile appeared on his face, he raised his hand to signal Hei Chijun to get up, and asked with a smile: "Young General Nian How old are you? You are already working for the Modao team."

"I was born in the first year of Yifeng, the servant of the emperor of heaven. I rarely come to follow the expedition, learn martial arts a little bit, and have a small amount of skills. I just became a special general at the beginning of the year."

After Hei Chijun heard the words, he hurriedly said again.

Li Tong couldn't help being even more surprised when he heard the words. Seeing the black-toothed handsome man's big arms and round waist, he didn't expect to be younger than himself, no wonder he looked a little tender-faced.Being able to serve as the other general of the Modao team at this age probably has something to do with his father Hei Chi Changzhi being the ambassador of the Heyuan Army.

But this is not selfishness. The Modao team is the first-class elite in the Tang army, and they often undertake the most difficult and dangerous combat missions, especially when fighting against Tubo.

The Tubo armor is hard, even faintly surpassing the level of the Tang Dynasty. Li Tong has a collection of several Tubo armor presented by the warriors of the Old Clothes Society, which have good protection.Therefore, in the process of fighting against Tubo, Tang Jun's long-range weapons such as crossbows and crossbows can cause very limited lethality, and the elite hand-to-hand combat of the Modao team is a magic weapon that can defeat the enemy.

Hei Chi Changzhi arranged his son in the Modao team. Although it was easier to make meritorious deeds, this was undoubtedly the most dangerous position.This also shows that Hei Chi Changzhi has great confidence in his son's force value, otherwise he will force his son to die.

Thinking of this, Li Tong pointed at Hei Chijun and turned to Li Yi, who was accompanying the army, with a smile: "Don't say that there is no one in the world, this general is young and strong, his age is about the same as yours, he is already on the front line, and he is strong enough to kill the thief. "

Li Yi has a bit of a young man's vigor, and this time he went to Long with His Royal Highness King Yong, and he also had some ambitions to make great achievements, and he felt a little bit unhappy after hearing the words.But when his eyes fell on Hei Chijun's hand and saw the thick callus marks on the tiger's mouth, a trace of respect flashed in his eyes, and he clasped his fists to salute Hei Chijun.

"Your father and I are ministers in the same palace. Although we are divided into internal and external offices, we have no distinction between serving the country. Lord Yan can boast about everything. Since he is trapped in evil feelings, he should rescue him. Now that I have sent my son to thank you, I also Just accept it safely, without compromising your father-son righteousness."

For Li Tong, Longyou is a brand new map, and the personnel and affairs he needs to face are also very different from those in the two capitals. He just needs new help to implement his plan. Since the father and son of Hei Chi Chang made this statement, they did not refuse it. reason.

While speaking, he pointed to Hei Chijun and said: "This time we climb Long, we need someone who is familiar with the landscape to guide us. Since Lord Yan sent you here, then just obey orders in front of the tent."

Hei Chijun nodded quickly after hearing the words, and did not retreat after seeing the salute, but directly took an inconspicuous position in King Yong's entourage.

After seeing this scene with their own eyes, the other people present felt differently in their hearts. Some were happy to see that Hei Chi Chang Zhi had a good relationship with King Yong, and that the support for Long You in the pass would undoubtedly be stronger, so as to resist Tubo's attack Then you will be more sure.

But some people secretly worry in their hearts. Although King Yong seems to be just a handsome and personable nobleman of the clan, the killings he did in the two capitals, especially in Chang'an City, all show his strong style.

Now that the situation in the pass has not yet been completely settled down, King Yong led his troops to Longyou. It is conceivable that there will be some profound adjustments to the order in Longyou.As for whether this adjustment is good or bad, it is still unknown, and it will inevitably make people feel uncertain and worried.

In addition to Liu Youqiu, among the meeting crowd, Li Tong also saw several other familiar faces, such as Murong Kang from the Tuyuhun tribe, Li Guang, the leader of the brave warrior who ascended Long in the early years, and others who came from Sichuan. Guo Yuanzhen, Zhong Shaojing, etc.

Different from only dispatching Qibi Ming all the way to the Turkic invaders, this time Denglong organized the prevention and control against Tubo, Li Tong can be said to have mobilized all the manpower and material resources in his hands.

Although the troubles Turks caused to the Tang Dynasty were more direct, and even Khan Mochuu personally led troops into the bandits, but the current Turks are just like that.However, Tubo is different at this stage. There are famous generals like Lun Qinling who preside over a group of foreign conquests. Once the prevention and control fails, the damage to the Tang Dynasty will be catastrophic!

So this time Li Tong climbed Long, he really didn't consider the issue of winning or losing, but must succeed.Only by preventing and controlling this round of Tubo offensive, there will be endless possibilities in the future, otherwise the Tang Dynasty will never have peace, and it will become difficult to judge whether Li Tong's previous coup in Shendu was a success or a failure.

Chapter 0585 big non-grudge, the four towns must guard

That night, Li Tong temporarily stayed in Liyuan City, and declined the grand welcome banquet arranged by Duan Da, governor of Longzhou. The Hu chieftains from the government were sent out together, and began to inquire about Longyou's military affairs and preparations for war.

As soon as he opened his mouth, Duan Da, governor of Longzhou, stood up and said, "I need to plead guilty to His Highness for dereliction of duty in a lowly position. There was a riot in Xijing before, and the news spread to Longzhou, but he was unable to help and wait and see the success or failure. I implore His Highness to come down!" "

Hearing this, Li Tong was a little taken aback, he traveled all the way, and saw the county magistrates in the Guannei Road, there are many excuses, but few people can directly admit their mistakes like Duan Da.

However, the purpose of his trip to the west was not to hold Xijing accountable, so he did not intend to discuss it in depth, but before he could open his mouth to change the subject, Duan Da continued to speak, and after listening to the second half of Duan Da's After speaking, Li Tong realized that Duan Da was not simply pleading guilty.

"However, before your Highness convicts you, please allow me to explain the reasons for my dereliction of duty. Longzhou is only a small prefecture in Kansai, with only a few thousand households. Since the work, he has been diligent and conscientious, and strives for nothing.

But at the beginning of Changshou, the imperial court mobilized funds to march in Anxi, and the Longzhou land was on the side of the march, and the treasury was empty.The imperial court suppresses the big plan, and the lowly position dare not make irresponsible remarks, but I implore His Royal Highness to allow Erlang to return to Longzhou, Rongzhi for a while, then the lowly position is willing to commit a serious crime! "

Duan Dayan made an apology, but when the words came to this point, there was already a lot of grief in his expression, and he kowtowed to the ground in a low tone.It is a plea for guilt, but it is actually a complaint.

Following Duan Da's statement, several civil affairs officials from different prefectures also stood up and stated that what Duan Da said was similar to that of Duan Da, and that it was the destruction caused by the garrison of the four Anxi towns to the people's livelihood in their respective prefectures.

After Li Tong finished listening, he was silent for a while.He didn't think it was the officials of the various states who bullied the students and united to put pressure on him. He could indeed feel the similar hardships along the way.

The four towns of Anxi are far away from the Western Regions, and they are really far away from the mainland of the Tang Dynasty.Under the traffic and transportation conditions of ancient times, one can imagine the cost of maintaining a large number of garrisons in the four towns for a long time.

Even in the early days of Zhenguan and Gaozong, when the political situation of the Tang Dynasty was stable and the national power was booming, the four towns established by the imperial court did not send a large number of troops, but basically maintained a small number of elite troops to restrain the barbarians and maintain order. Mainly.

The Wu Zhou Dynasty was hard to describe, and the financial situation of the court was extremely bad, and even the maintenance of the Beijing Central Committee was quite simple.Under such circumstances, it is necessary to station heavy troops in Anxi, and the pressure can only be shared among the localities.

Today's Anxi four towns have a garrison size of about 3 troops, but the cost that needs to be borne is not only the consumption of money, food and materials for the [-] troops, but also the astonishing loss caused by the thousands of miles of travel.The consumption of the latter is several times greater than that of the former, so the pressure on the Longbian states can be imagined.

At this time, not only the governors of the various states complained about their grievances, but even Meng Lingqing, the deputy envoy of the Heyuan Army, couldn't help but say after listening to everyone's speech: "Your Highness wants to ask about the preparations of the armies in Longbian. There should be no complaints about this matter. When Yan Guogong used to be in Heyuan, he had the advantage of opening canals to irrigate and garrisoning the fields to support the army. Lou Xianggong succeeded him and became stronger. Therefore, the Heyuan army also had a lot of reserves, but that is Before.

After the recovery of the four towns, most of the food used was paid by Heyuan. Up to now, the Heyuan military warehouse is empty and the expenses are meager.If there is no further subsidy in the customs, it may be difficult to maintain.The soldiers are poor and hungry, fearing that it will be difficult to fight fiercely. "

Hearing that even Fumeng Lingqing expressed his dissatisfaction with the Anxi garrison, and that the Heyuan Army's reserves were so grim, Li Tong couldn't help being slightly moved.The soldiers and civilians in Longyou were deeply troubled by the Anxi garrison, and he knew that he had to treat and respond to this point carefully, otherwise he feared it would be useless.

"Since Xianheng, the four towns have been frequently disturbed. Tubo is a ferocious country, and sent troops to the hometown of the ten surnames of Western Turks several times, trying to destroy Zhangye in the Tang Dynasty. In the old days, the Holy Emperor ruled the country and took the lead in nourishing the rest. He temporarily pulled out the four towns. But it made the thieves even more rampant. The Hus are cowardly and cannot control the Tibetans. Therefore, the imperial court restored four towns and repaired the armored soldiers diligently to stop the evil of the Tibetans. This matter is critical and cannot be doubted!"

Faced with complaints from the masses, Li Tong first affirmed the strategic importance of the Anxi garrison, at least with him, he absolutely supported this arrangement.

Since the Qin and Han Dynasties, the main border troubles of the Central Plains Dynasty have come from the north, whether it was the Huns before it or the Turks during the Sui and Tang Dynasties.The Hu people on the desert advance and retreat calmly, holding almost all the initiative.

But if you want to restrict their mobility and compress their activity space, you must find a way out in other ways.Therefore, from the time of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, he actively communicated with the Western Regions, the so-called Zhang Guo's arms to connect the Western Regions.

If it can't maintain enough influence in the Western Regions, then when facing the invading enemy from the desert, the Central Plains Dynasty will not have many choices whether to attack or defend.

Compared with the Qin and Han Dynasties, the Tang Dynasty also had an enemy on the plateau, Tubo, so the need for control over the Western Regions was even higher.Once Tubo and Turks were allowed to get in touch through the Western Regions, all the strategic initiative of Datang would be lost, and they could only be beaten passively.

Although Wu Zetian has been in the foreign military since he became the country, it is really difficult to say a word.But on the issue of the four Anxi towns, Li Tong felt that he needed to speak a fair word to his grandma.

During the reign of Zhenguan, the Great Tang conquered Gaochang State, set up Anxi Protectorate, and built castles and military towns in Qiuci, Yanqi, Khotan, and Shule to maintain control and influence over the countries in the Western Regions. This is the origin of the Four Towns of Anxi.At that time, the main enemy facing the four towns was still the Western Turks.

During the reign of Emperor Gaozong Xianqing, the Tang army attacked the Western Turks Ashina Helu, and the Western Turks officially perished, and the Tang Dynasty also established the sole hegemony in the Western Regions through the four towns of Anxi.

The situation in the Western Regions was under control, and both the Eastern and Western Turks had perished, so Gaozong was able to concentrate all his efforts and launch a war against Goguryeo.At this time, Tubo Prime Minister Lu Dongzan led his army down the plateau after more than ten years of preparation, and began to attack Tuyuhun, a vassal state of the Tang Dynasty.

At that time, all the troops of the Tang Dynasty were devoted to the battle against Goguryeo, and there was no time to look around. After all, the Goguryeo regime was the resentment of the kings of the Sui and Tang dynasties.If Koguryo is not destroyed, it cannot be said that Jin'ou is complete.

After three years of fighting, Tuyuhun was defeated by Ludongzan following the civil strife in Tuyuhun and the betrayal of powerful officials to seek refuge in Tubo.Later, Lu Dongzan personally sat in the hometown of Tuyuhun to digest this victory.