Chapter 172: The Struggle Between the Two Hu Peoples

At the mention of the Göktürks, hatred flashed in Guduzhi’s eyes. He tried hard to calm his anger and slowly said, “My father died at the hands of those Göktürk scoundrels.”
Li Qing’an was taken aback and apologized, “I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”
“It has nothing to do with the general. It’s because our strength is inferior.”
Guduzhi sighed and said, “In the 29th year of the Kaiyuan era, a severe snowstorm hit Beiting. My father led our people to migrate west of Jinshan, where the snowstorm had less impact. West of Jinshan was originally unclaimed territory, occupied by the Göktürks. My father went to their camp to negotiate, asking them to allow us Shatuo people to stay there for a winter. But we were rejected. Not only that, on our way back, we were attacked by the Göktürks and my father was seriously injured. Then they sent 10,000 men to drive us away, killing hundreds of us and seizing countless women, children, and most of our cattle and sheep. We were forced to leave west of Jinshan. My father died three months later. That winter, countless of our cattle and sheep died from the cold and hunger, and the Shatuo people were severely weakened.”
“Have you ever thought about taking revenge?”
“How could we not? But the Shatuo people are few in number and weak in strength!”
Guduzhi sighed, looking very depressed. Li Qing’an glanced at him and slowly said, “If I were to send the Shatuo people to fight the Göktürks west of Jinshan, of course, on a not-too-large scale, but not too small either—say, in a conflict over pastures—would you cooperate with me?”
Guduzhi stared at Li Qing’an in confusion before finally saying, “What do you mean by this?”
“You don’t need to understand my intentions. In short, I need a conflict between the Shatuo people and the Göktürks.”
Li Qing’an patted his shoulder and smiled, “If you cooperate well, I will give the pastures west of Jinshan to you, the Shatuo people.”
Guduzhi’s eyes gradually lit up. He nodded slowly. “I understand. I am willing to serve you.”
…
Guduzhi returned that day and rested for a night. The next day, Li Qing’an’s army continued eastward. Two days later, they arrived at the Yiwu military camp. Ten miles away, Han Zhi, the governor of Yizhou and commander of the Yiwu army, along with his deputy Yang Zaicheng, came to greet Li Qing’an.
Yizhou was one of the three states in Beiting. With vast grasslands and large lakes like Puli Sea, agriculture was also well-developed here. Yizhou included three counties: Yiwu, Rouyuan, and Nazhi. The Shatuo people made up the largest population, along with Qiang, Tuqishi, and Uyghur people. Han people were far fewer than in Tingzhou, mostly military households, with agriculture mainly relying on military farming.
“Your humble servant Han Zhi pays his respects to General Li!”

From afar, Han Zhi, the governor of Yizhou and commander of the Yiwu troops, bowed to Li Qingan in greeting. Around 35 years old, Han Zhi was tall and rugged-looking, with sharp eyes like an eagle’s. His father was a Tang soldier, and his mother was from the Shatuo tribe. He grew up in Beiting since childhood. He joined the army in the 28th year of the Kaiyuan era. Like Li Qingan, he started as a low-ranking soldier in a garrison and gradually rose through the ranks to become the governor of Yizhou.

Although Han Zhi appeared rough, he was extremely adept at adapting to circumstances and excelled at flattery. For example, when Li Qingan sent someone to him at Yumen Pass asking for support, Han Zhi immediately dispatched his troops. All 3,000 soldiers under his command were sent to assist Li Qingan at full speed. If not for urgent matters that kept him from going personally, he would have led the troops himself. It was the arrival of the Yiwu reinforcements that forced the Qiang and Hu tribes to attack the city. His decisive actions left a deep impression on Li Qingan.

Li Qingan bowed back and smiled, saying, “Thank you, General Han, for your assistance at Yumen Pass last time.”

“Whereas! Acting on orders is my duty.”

Some things couldn’t be said too plainly. It was true that Han Zhi acted on Li Qingan’s orders, but the issue was that at that time, Li Qingan had not yet transferred military authority and didn’t possess any military tokens or orders. Whose orders should Han Zhi follow? The ambiguity here was clear. By saying this, he was implying his submission to Li Qingan as the governor of Beiting—a statement of his stance. Of course, the premise was that Li Qingan wouldn’t infringe on his interests. As the governor of Yizhou and commander of the Yiwu troops, he could obey Li Qingan’s orders, but Li Qingan couldn’t interfere too much in the military affairs of the Yiwu troops. In other words, the status quo should be maintained.

Li Qingan understood his meaning. Coming to Beiting for the first time, making enemies on all sides would undoubtedly be foolish. What he wanted from Yizhou was Han Zhi’s obedience. As for other things, they could be discussed later. He smiled slightly and said, “General Han’s decisive actions are truly admirable. I hope we can work well together in the future.”

Hearing Li Qingan use the word “work together,” Han Zhi was overjoyed and laughed loudly, saying, “Great! Envoy Li is indeed a heroic figure who speaks frankly. Please follow me to the military camp to see the troops.”

“Please, General Han!”

Everyone turned their horses and rushed toward the Yiwu military camp. As the horses moved side by side, Li Qingan gave a slight nod to his deputy, Yang Zaicheng, to express his gratitude for his support at Yumen Pass.

Yang Zaicheng bowed in return, and everyone sped up, gradually moving farther away.

Jinshan, today’s Altai Mountains. To the north and east of Jinshan lay the territory of the Uyghurs, to the west was the area controlled by the Göktürks, and to the southeast were the grazing lands of the Shatuo. Whether it was the Uyghurs, Göktürks, or Shatuo, they were all branches of the Turkic people. After the fall of the Turks, the Uyghurs gradually grew stronger and took their place in the northern deserts. They submitted to the powerful Tang Dynasty. In the fifth year of Tianbao, the Uyghur leader Guli Peiluo was appointed Khan Huairen by the Tang Dynasty, marking the peak of Uyghur power. In the same year, the Uyghurs conquered the Göktürk tribes in the Wudijian Mountains, while the Göktürks in the area around Jinshan and Beiting proclaimed their own leader, Ye Hu, remaining under Tang rule.

The Göktürks’ camps were located by Xuanchi Lake, downstream of the Dolos River. Their territory stretched for thousands of miles across the lands south of Jinshan. To the east was the Great Desert Governorate, adjacent to the Shatuo Governorate. This area also featured vast grasslands and mountains. In November of the 29th year of Kaiyuan, severe conflicts broke out between the Göktürks and the Shatuo. Shatuo leader Zhu Xia Fuguo died in these clashes, the Shatuo suffered heavy losses, and nearly a thousand women and children were captured and turned into slaves.

Nine years had passed, and the Göktürks had forgotten that bloody conflict. They procreated and lived peaceful lives on these grasslands.

That night, dark clouds covered the moon. A Göktürk tribe of nearly a thousand people was very lively. Sheep were penned in, and cattle and horses grazed leisurely in the pens. Inside the tents, fires burned brightly as men, women, and children gathered around them to boil milk tea and roast mutton. From time to time, groups of children ran back and forth between the tents, their laughter echoing across the grasslands.

Suddenly, a thunderous sound arose from the ground. The teapots over the fires trembled slightly. The Göktürks looked at each other, unsure of what was happening. Many rushed out of their tents to look eastward. The thunderous noise came from the east, but it was pitch black there, making it impossible to see what was far away. As the thunder grew louder, the Göktürks realized it was the sound of thousands of horses’ hooves.

Three miles away, a massive cavalry force was charging forward—three thousand fierce Shatuo cavalrymen. The Göktürks called out to their families and fled westward desperately. Before they could escape even a mile, the Shatuo cavalry rushed into the tent area. Swords flashed, screams echoed, and torches were thrown into the tents, instantly setting them ablaze. More than a hundred tents were destroyed in an instant. The Shatuo cavalry slaughtered everyone—men, women, and children—without mercy. Heads rolled everywhere, and blood stained the grasslands. Aside from a dozen who managed to escape on horseback, nearly a thousand people lost their lives at the hands of the Shatuo.

Seven days later, news of the Shatuo people’s night attack on the Göktürk tribe in Dama Zhou spread throughout Beiting, as well as to the Göktürk camp by Xuanchi Lake. The Göktürk chief, Mulahei Shan, was furious.

Mulahei Shan was in his fifties, of average build, but with disproportionately wide shoulders. His face was covered in hair, and he had a large deviated nose. Since becoming the Göktürk chief twenty years ago, he had always regarded the Uyghurs as their greatest threat. Especially after the Göktürk tribe in Wudijian Mountain was conquered by the Uyghurs three years earlier, Mulahei Shan had been constantly worried. He knew the Uyghurs would attack sooner or later, so he had been searching for a new settlement. His gaze fell on Suiye River. When the Turkic Khaganate was at its peak, he had never dared to think such a thing, but now that the Turkic Khaganate was declining, Suiye River should have a new master. He firmly believed that if the Göktürks could take control of Suiye River, its fertile land would lead them to prosperity.

For years, Mulahei Shan had been preoccupied with this idea, his thoughts either focused on the Uyghurs or on the Turkic Khaganate. He had never paid attention to the Shatuo people, whose leader he had killed, and who still dared not cross the border. Yet it was these Shatuo people, whom he had ignored, who had launched a night attack on his territory and slaughtered an entire tribe.

A rage akin to that of being bitten by a wild dog filled his heart. At that moment, a rough voice came from outside the tent, “Father, give me three thousand cavalry so I can crush the Shatuo people.”

A dark figure strode into the tent. It was a young man in his thirties who, at first glance, resembled Mulahei Shan exactly—big face, messy hair and beard, a large deviated nose, and broad shoulders. However, he was larger than Mulahei Shan. He was Mulahei Shan’s eldest son, Mulailuoduo.

Mulailuoduo was lustful and full of energy. He had twenty women and needed to sleep with five of them every night before he could rest. He was also greedy for money, especially gold. Most of the gold the Göktürks had seized from the Western Turks over the past decade had ended up in his hands. To get more gold, he married the daughter of a Sogdian merchant. His father-in-law helped him take various gems and jewels to the Abbasid Caliphate in exchange for gold bars.

Mulailuoduo also had a great desire: to marry a princess from the Tang Dynasty. Unfortunately, his father disapproved, delaying the realization of this wish.

Furious, Mulahei Shan saw his son offering to lead the attack and snapped, “Good! I’ll give you five thousand Göktürk warriors to wipe out the Shatuo people.”

“Father, please don’t act impulsively!” Another urgent voice came from outside the tent. Upon hearing this, Moulala Luduo’s expression darkened immediately as he let out a disdainful snort. A young man entered—only in his twenties or thirties—unlike Moulala Heishan and Moulala Luduo, who resembled wild boars, this young man had a straight posture, long narrow eyes, a high nose, and a broad forehead, clearly indicating Han ancestry. He was Moulala Heishan’s second son, Moulala Sihan. His mother was Han, originally the daughter of a military family in Yizhou. In the ninth year of the Kaiyuan era, she was captured by the Göktürks and turned into a slave. Moulala Heishan, impressed by her beauty, took her as a concubine. She later gave birth to Moulala Sihan. Longing for her hometown, she gave her son a Han name—Yan Sihan. When he was eleven, she gave birth to a daughter before dying from postpartum complications. Yan Sihan and his sister suffered from low social status and were treated with disdain from a young age. At eighteen, he single-handedly hunted down a massive black bear weighing 300 jin, causing a sensation among the Göktürks and earning Moulala Heishan’s respect. He often came up with strategies that helped the Göktürks overcome various hardships. Notably, the year before last, when the Uyghurs conquered the Göktürk tribes in Wudijian Mountain, the Jinshan Göktürks were on the verge of destruction. He firmly advised his father to seek refuge with the Tang Dynasty, which made the Uyghurs wary and allowed the Jinshan Göktürks to escape disaster. Yet no matter how well Yan Sihan performed, his low status remained unchanged, especially in the eyes of his elder brother, Moulala Luduo, who despised him the most. Yan Sihan’s objections calmed Moulala Heishan slightly. He quickly asked, “Why can’t we kill those Shatuo dogs? Do we have to swallow this insult?” “Father, revenge is certainly possible, but before taking action, we should inform Beiting first. I heard that Beiting has a new governor. Attacking the Shatuo right after he takes office would show disrespect toward him. Father should first use diplomacy, file a complaint with Beiting, and then take military action against the Shatuo. That way, Beiting won’t have any grounds to object.” “Hmph! You seem quite well-informed about the Han affairs,” Moulala Luduo interjected coldly. Yan Sihan hurried forward, bowing and smiling, “Elder brother, I only heard about it from a few merchants. How could I compare to your extensive knowledge?” Yan Sihan’s humble attitude made Moulala Luduo slightly less hostile. With a smirk, he said, “You only have those silly ideas. If we followed your plan to report to Beiting first, we’d already have been cursed to death by our clan.” He then turned to his father and said, “Father, how about we report while taking action at the same time? That way, we won’t miss either.”

Moulahei Shan nodded. Just as he was about to agree, someone outside the tent announced loudly, “Chieftain, an envoy from Beiting has arrived!”
Moulahei Shan was startled. He hurriedly said, “Quickly invite him in!”
A moment later, a young civil official from Beiting strode in, bowed slightly, and declared in Turkic, “I am Pei Yu, the secretary under Envoy Li of Beiting. I have come to deliver Envoy Li’s orders!”
Moulahei Shan quickly smiled and said, “Is Envoy Li the new military governor, Deputy Envoy Li?”
“That’s right!”
Moulahei Shan gave his two sons a glance, and the three of them bowed together, saying, “We are ready to hear Envoy Li’s orders!”
Pei Yu took out a document and read aloud, “Spring has returned to Beiting, making it the perfect time for hunting. The general has gathered brave warriors from all the armies, as well as warriors from Gaochang, Göktürk, Shatuo, Turkic, Qianghu, and Türgish tribes under Beiting’s rule, to gather in Tingzhou for hunting. The deadline is April 1st. All troops must gather in Jinman County. Those who are late will be punished according to military regulations.”
After reading the document, Pei Yu smiled and said, “Our general says that it would be best if representatives from each tribe lead their groups, with a limit of fifty people per group. For the Göktürk and Shatuo tribes, the limit can be up to a hundred.”
Moulahei Shan pondered for a moment before suddenly asking, “May I ask, Mr. Pei, where did Envoy Li previously serve?”
Pei Yu smiled slightly and said, “Our envoy used to be in Anxi, where he was known as the best archer there. Has the great chieftain heard of him?”
“Oh, so it’s the Blood Arrow of Tianshan!”
Moulahei Shan was stunned. The new military governor of Beiting was none other than Li Qing’an, the man who terrified the Türgish people in Anxi.
Pei Yu bowed and said, “I have delivered the orders. Please prepare quickly, Great Chieftain, so as not to miss the deadline.”
With that, he left. As soon as Pei Yu departed, Yan Sihan said, “Father, this hunting trip by Li Qing’an is just an excuse. He wants to resolve the conflict between the Göktürk and Shatuo tribes.”
“I noticed that too.”
Moulahei Shan nodded slowly and said, “Since he intends to mediate, it would be unwise for us to attack the Shatuo right away. How about this?”
He turned to his two sons and said, “You two lead a group of a hundred Göktürk warriors to Jinman County to participate in the spring hunt. Watch how he resolves the conflict between the Göktürk and Shatuo tribes.”
……
The conflict between the Göktürk and Shatuo tribes forced Li Qing’an to end his inspection of Yizhou early and rush back to Tingzhou to mediate the impending conflict between the two tribes. Since Beiting had a tradition of spring hunting, where skilled riders and archers from various tribes gathered in Tingzhou every March and April, it was also a chance for unity. For Li Qing’an, who had just taken office, this year’s spring hunt was particularly important—it was an opportunity to establish his leadership in Beiting.

He had been in Beiting for almost a month now. Although he had exchanged a few polite greetings with Cheng Qianli, there had been no news at all from Zhao Tingyu, the governor of Xizhou—neither a visit nor a meeting, clearly waiting for him to go and inspect the area. It was not surprising; after all, Li Qingan was neither a military governor nor the commander of Beiting. He was merely an assistant, and on another level, his position as governor of Tingzhou was on par with that of Xizhou’s governor. With the support of Prince Qing, Zhao Tingyu dared to assert dominance over him. As the saying goes, “Even a mighty dragon can’t defeat the local snake.” The imperial court had granted him the highest powers, but to truly exercise them, he needed his own tactics. Li Qingan wasn’t in a hurry. He entrusted the organization of the spring hunt to Yang Fengche, as he had handled previous spring hunts himself and was skilled at such tasks. Meanwhile, Li Qingan spent his days in the military headquarters sorting out matters related to the Hanhai Army. The Hanhai Army consisted of 12,000 soldiers. Its commander was Lu Fengyuan, the former governor of Tingzhou, who had been transferred, so Wang Yichu, the deputy commander, temporarily took charge. After taking office, Li Qingan naturally assumed the role of commander. His first action was to reform the Hanhai Army’s structure. Using the excuse that the army was too large, he divided it into three forces—Hanhai Army I, II, and III—and appointed Duan Xiushi, Li Fei Shouyu, and Li Fei Yuanli as their commanders respectively. Wang Yichu, the former deputy commander, was promoted to military advisor in Beiting, and Li Qingan also recommended that he be granted the rank of a fifth-rank court official, thus transforming him into a civilian military officer. Wang Changling served as the military secretary and land reclamation officer in Beiting, Cen Shen as an assistant judge, and Pei Yu as the chief clerk. In this way, before the spring hunt even began, Li Qingan had already seized control of the military and political affairs in Tingzhou. That evening, after finishing his duties and returning to his residence in Jinman County from Beiting City, as soon as he left the city gates, a soldier approached and reported, “General, there’s a merchant from Chang’an who claims to be an old acquaintance of yours. He says he has urgent matters to discuss with you.”