Chapter 345: The Uighurs Invade the Borders

Spring had arrived on the grasslands. The vast expanse of grasslands resembled a huge green carpet spread across the fertile land. Various insects had awakened and were busily creating a vibrant spring scene. Snakes, rats, antelopes, deer, and other grassland animals could be seen everywhere. Flocks of snow-white sheep grazed leisurely on the grass. Under the blue sky, horses galloped, and herders shouted loudly as they chased after the herds. Loud cries came from the tents—newborns had been born in spring.

This was the grassland where the Uighur tents were located, one of the areas with the richest pasture. Twenty li further south, dense rows of tents stretched as far as the eye could see. Hundreds of thousands of Uighurs lived here, including Khan Gele’s magnificent golden tent.

Although the grasslands were bathed in spring’s beauty, the peaceful spring breeze seemed not to reach Khan Gele’s golden tent. Inside, it remained as cold and harsh as winter, filled with hostility. More than twenty Uighur high-ranking generals and tribal chiefs gathered together, filled with anger, discussing plans to wage war against the Tang Dynasty. Last year had been the most furious year for the Uighurs. In their western regions, many tribes were driven away or slaughtered, their property stolen, turning thousands of miles of grasslands into desolate areas. This violated the fundamental rights of the Uighur nobles. Although the conquests and killings were carried out by the Göktürks and other three tribes, the Uighurs did not see it that way. They believed the western tribes were merely dogs of the Tang army, and the idea that the Tang army was behind it became an unchallenged consensus.

Calling for war against the Tang forces in Anxi became the loudest slogan among the Uighur tribes. Yet Khan Gele remained silent. He seemed not very enthusiastic about sending troops to Anxi. Although the Caliph of the Abbasids had tried to contact him at the end of last year, hoping to ally with the Uighurs to fight against the Tang forces in Anxi, Khan Gele knew better than anyone that the Uighurs were not strong enough at the moment. Although the Uighur tribes were slightly stronger than the western tribes, if two hundred thousand Tang soldiers joined the battle, the Uighurs would be at a disadvantage—they were no match.

Although the Tang Dynasty invited him to attack Anxi together, he refused to take the first move. Ghulag Khan was as cunning as a wolf in the steppes; if a fight was to happen, it would be the Tang Dynasty that struck first, and he would act only when Anxi was left unguarded. Despite the chaos in the tent, Ghulag Khan remained unmoved. His gaze turned to Pugu Huai’en, the chieftain of the Pugu tribe. A few days earlier, Pugu Huai’en had had a long talk with him, clearly telling him that the Uyghur tribe was no match for the Tang forces in Anxi. Pugu Huai’en had also participated in the Battle of Talas and knew that the Tang army possessed a highly powerful secret weapon. If the Uyghurs rashly attacked Anxi, they would surely suffer catastrophic defeat.

Ghulag Khan fully believed Pugu Huai’en’s words. He had no intention of attacking Anxi at all, but he also knew that the chieftains of various tribes in the tent were extremely angry at the three tribes of Anxi. He had to take action to calm their anger; otherwise, he would lose control of the steppes.

Ghulag Khan knew how to fight, but he didn’t want to reveal it. So he gave Pugu Huai’en a subtle signal. Pugu Huai’en understood and stood up, coughing loudly before saying to everyone, “Everyone, be quiet. Please listen to me.”

The tent gradually fell silent, and everyone turned to look at Pugu Huai’en. They all knew that he had once held a high position in the Tang Dynasty and was well-versed in the situation in Anxi. His advice might offer some new ideas.

A furious expression appeared on Pugu Huai’en’s face as he said angrily, “I led 15,000 troops from Shuofang to join Anxi, only to have Li Qing’an seize my military power and even try to kill me to silence me. I bear an irreconcilable hatred toward Li Qing’an. Unless I avenge this, I, Pugu Huai’en, swear I will never live in peace.”

“Well said!”
The generals in the tent applauded enthusiastically. They loved hearing what Pugu Huai’en said. Pugu Huai’en took off his hat and bowed to them before continuing, “But there are many ways to avenge oneself. One is to capture cities and fortresses, advancing invincibly while killing one’s enemy without suffering any harm oneself. Another is to fight to the death—though one may kill the enemy in the end, one loses one’s family and children. Yet another is to die before avenging oneself, with the enemy untouched while one’s own wife and children are taken away by the enemy to enjoy life…”
Before Pugu Huai’en could finish speaking, the tent was filled with curses. “That’s the work of a fool! Is that even revenge? It’s a disgrace to the warriors of the steppes. Only the first method is worthy of a man.”

The great tent was filled with chaotic noise; the Uyghur generals were constantly shouting and cursing. Pugu Huaien and Gele Khan exchanged a glance. Gele Khan nodded in approval—Pugu Huaien had done a good job guiding them. Pugu Huaien smiled triumphantly. When the noise in the tent subsided slightly, he continued loudly, “But if we attack Anxi now, it would be a third kind of revenge. Not only would we fail to take Anxi, but the Tang army and the other three tribes would also defeat us.”

The tent fell silent instantly. Everyone looked at each other, their faces showing doubt. Geqiluo, the chief of the Bulaige tribe, asked, “What basis do you have for saying this?”

“Basis?” Pugu Huaien replied with a cold laugh. “Do you know how many troops the Tang army in Anxi has? Let me tell you—at least 200,000, and that’s not all. 200,000 is the maximum number of troops the Tang court allows Anxi to have. In fact, last year, 100,000 immigrants were moved from various places in the Central Plains to Anxi. If each family contributes one soldier, that’s another 100,000 new troops. Not to mention the troops from the various Western Regions countries. If we add them all up, I estimate it’s at least 350,000 to 360,000. And how many troops do we Uyghurs have?”

No one in the tent spoke. It was still Geqiluo who spoke, “Our Uyghur warriors can fight ten men to one. Even if they outnumber us, what’s there to fear? Can those Han people compete with us in cavalry? Can they fight us on horseback?”

“Yes! Our Uyghur cavalry is invincible. Every one of our warriors has grown up on horseback. How can those Han farmers who use hoes compare?”

The Uyghur generals in the tent agreed with Geqiluo’s views. Pugu Huaien’s words, which aimed to boost others’ pride while undermining their courage, displeased everyone.

“What fools! They fear nothing because they know nothing!”

Pugu Huaien shook his head. “You should all be familiar with the Arab armies! That powerful force that once swept through Hexi—didn’t it end up defeated by Li Qing’an? They even lost Hexi. And then there’s the Anxi Moadao army—surely you’re familiar with that too! It already has 6,000 troops. If you don’t even know about the Moadao army, then you must be familiar with the Gelaoguo, Tongluo, and Shatuo tribes! They too grew up on horseback, ate the same food as you, and drank the same milk. Together, they have over 40,000 troops. Moreover, the Xiaghas are secretly colluding with them. Even without the Tang army stepping in, these four tribes could compete with us. Tell me, if we go to war with Anxi, what other outcome could there be but the third one?”

All the generals fell silent. Though they were still filled with anger, they had to admit that Pugu Huaien was right—they indeed were no match for the Anxi army. The tent was dead quiet; everyone was resentful, their anger hard to quench. They had been slaughtered too harshly during winter, and they simply could not swallow this insult.

At that moment, Khagan Gele saw the opportunity and stood up, saying, “Very well! Let me say a few words.”

Pugu Huaien sat down. His task was complete—he and Khagan Gele had reached an agreement. The Anxi army was too formidable to confront, but to calm the anger of the troops, they had to do something. Pugu Huaien had acted this way because Geshu Han had secretly written to him, asking him to persuade Khagan Gele to exert proper pressure on the Tang Dynasty. Geshu Han promised heavy rewards. Pugu Huaien and Geshu Han were on good personal terms, and out of friendship, Pugu Huaien was willing to help Geshu Han. Moreover, since Geshu Han was the governor of both Longyou and Hexi, Pugu Huaien also needed to consider securing his own future. Thus, he strongly persuaded Khagan Gele. Coincidentally, envoys from the Arabs arrived at that time, and Pugu Huaien suggested waiting and letting the Anxi army and the Arabs fight each other, preferably to mutual destruction, so that the Uyghurs could reap the benefits.

It was this strategy that convinced Khagan Gele, who ultimately adopted Pugu Huaien’s advice and sent troops to Shuofang. Khagan Gele knew that Shuofang did not have many troops. The battles at Shibao City and the rebellion led by Abus had severely weakened Shuofang. Although the Tang Dynasty would replenish its forces, it wouldn’t happen quickly. Right now, Shuofang had at most 30,000 soldiers, while the troops in Longyou were mainly stationed in Hehuang, leaving Guanlong almost defenseless. If pressure were applied to Guanlong, it might yield surprising results. Khagan Gele also remembered the humiliation he had suffered when he sent envoys to Chang’an the previous year; he could not swallow that insult either.

Seeing that the khagan had spoken, the generals in the tent fell silent, waiting quietly for his final decision. Khagan Gele slowly said, “I know everyone has suffered losses this winter. We must recover these losses. It’s not from the Anxi army, but from the Tang emperor. If a dog bites us, of course we should ask its owner for compensation for our injuries. Don’t you agree?”

Hearing the khagan compare the Anxi army to dogs, everyone laughed and said, “That’s right! If the dog runs fast and we can’t catch it, we go to its owner.”

Their Ah Q-like mental victories lifted their depressed spirits once again. Gele Khan snorted coldly and said, “Last winter, the Anxi army bullied us in every possible way. I sent envoys to Chang’an to demand an explanation, but our envoys were humiliated by the Tang court. This made me realize one thing: begging won’t get us any answers. To get what we want, we must use force! We’ll use our cavalry to demand justice. Follow my orders—all tribes must immediately mobilize their troops and set out for the Helan Mountains in ten days!”

The war machines of the Uyghur tribes were put into motion. With everyone serving as a soldier, the men donned leather armor and picked up swords and spears. Cavalry from various tribes and units converged on the Uyghur camp from all directions. Ten days later, Gele Khan had assembled an army of 80,000 and marched triumphantly toward the Tang Dynasty. Soon, the borders of the Tang Dynasty were filled with alarms, and warnings were sent to the governor’s office in Shuofang.

…

The Tang Dynasty did not rely on the Great Wall to defend against northern ethnic groups like other dynasties in history. It did not rebuild the Great Wall but instead relied on three fortified cities in the Yinshan Mountains—Western, Central, and Eastern—to defend against invasions by the northern tribes. In fact, during the early Tang period, Li Shimin personally led a large army to attack the Turks. For over a hundred years since its founding, the Tang Dynasty had not passively defended itself against the northern tribes but instead used its powerful cavalry to launch offensive campaigns. However, by the mid-Tang period, the dynasty’s strength declined, it was attacked from all sides, and land consolidation became increasingly severe, leading to a breakdown in its military system. The Tang Dynasty no longer had the strength it once had at its founding.

According to the division of military governors, defending against invasions by northern nomadic tribes mainly relied on the Fanyang Military Governorate in the east, the Shuofang Military Governorate in the center, and the Beiting Military Governorate in the west. This time, as the Uyghurs invaded from the center, it was the Shuofang Military Governorate that faced them head-on.

The current governor of Shuofang was An Sishun. He originally had an army of 70,000, but 30,000 troops were borrowed for the Battle of Shibao City and never returned. Additionally, last year, Abus led his troops westward, severely weakening Shuofang. Although recruitment continued, the army remained severely understrength, with only 36,000 troops left. Even these troops were divided by Li Longji’s political tactics since last year. He appointed his son, Li Qi, the Prince of Bian, as the commander-in-chief of the Chanyu Protectorate and deputy governor of Shuofang, stationing him in Jiuyuan. Li Qi took command of 15,000 troops from Jiuyuan, as well as those from the Hengsai Army, Yanran Army, and Western Fortified City, preparing to seize all of An Sishun’s troops when the time was right. Li Qi himself also stayed in Jiuyuan, waiting for the opportune moment.

When the Uyghur army crossed the Yin Mountains, the fortresses along the border immediately lit their beacon fires. Due to the sheer scale of the Uyghur forces, Hengsai Army, Xishouxiang City, and Yanran City were all captured by them. The defending troops fled in panic. In mid-March, the Uyghur army crossed the Yellow River south of Xishouxiang City, occupied the Hetao region, plundered extensively, and continued to advance toward Jiuyuan City. At this point, however, the Uyghurs slowed their offensive pace. With their homeland empty, Khagan Gele did not dare to push too far forward—he wanted to prevent Li Qing’an from taking advantage to advance eastward and was also afraid of An Lushan sending troops from Fanyang.

In fact, Khagan Gele’s real goal was to extort a large sum of money from the Tang Dynasty to compensate for his losses from the previous winter. He still lacked the courage and strength to launch a full-scale attack on the Tang Dynasty.

Jiuyuan, which is today’s Baotou, was the largest city in the northern frontier. It had over a hundred thousand soldiers and civilians living within its high walls and strong defenses. The king of Jiuyuan, Li Qi, was the son of Wu Xianyi and the youngest son of Li Longji. He was only eighteen years old. Having grown up in the palace surrounded by women, he favored literature over martial arts. Though not a dissolute youth, he was still a weak and scholarly man. Upon hearing that the Uyghur army had crossed the Yellow River, Li Qi was terrified and prepared to abandon the city and flee.

Chaos reigned in Jiuyuan City. Streets and alleys were filled with panicked people carrying their families and belongings. The wealthy rode in carriages, while cries and shouts filled the air, creating utter disorder. Rumors abounded—some said Khagan Gele led 300,000 troops southward to massacre the people of Guanzhong and Longyou, while others claimed the king of Jiuyuan had abandoned them and fled. This further plunged the people into chaos, and even the soldiers became fearful and unwilling to defend the city.

The palace of the king of Jiuyuan, located north of the city, had its main gates tightly closed, but a slit had been left in the back door. Li Qi disguised himself as a commoner and, escorted by dozens of guards, slipped out through the back door, planning to flee through the south gate. Just then, a group of dozen cavalrymen rushed over from afar, blocking Li Qi’s escape route. Leading them was an old general in his sixties—Guo Ziyi, the governor of Jiuyuan. He was also the commander of the right military forces in Shuofang. The troops of Jiuyuan had originally been under his command, but that authority had been taken away after Li Qi arrived. Faced with the urgent situation, Guo Ziyi ignored the risk of offending his superior and rushed to stop Li Qi from escaping.

He stepped forward, bowed deeply to Li Qi, and urgently said, “Your Highness, you must not leave! If you go, Shuofang will surely be lost.”

By now, Li Qi was completely panicked. With a cryful voice, he pleaded, “Old general, with 300,000 Uyghur troops approaching and us only having 15,000 men, how can we resist? If I stay, I’m certain to die. Please let me go!”

Guo Ziyi shook his head and said solemnly, “Your Highness, do not believe those rumors. I have already confirmed with General Yue in Xishoujiang City that the Uyghur army numbers at most seventy or eighty thousand. Moreover, I dare assert that they would not dare to invade the Tang Dynasty in earnest. Please rest assured, Your Highness.”

Li Qi’s panicked heart calmed down slightly. He quickly asked, “How does the old general know that the Uyghurs are not really planning to invade the Tang Dynasty?”

Guo Ziyi smiled gently and said, “It’s simple. If the Uyghurs were to launch a full-scale attack on the Tang, their rear would surely be vulnerable. Wouldn’t they fear Li Qingan attacking their stronghold from the west? Just by seeing that the Uyghur army has slowed down its advance, I know they have no intention of attacking the Tang. Please, Your Highness, there’s no need to panic.”

Li Qi found his reasoning sensible and sighed in relief. Seizing the opportunity, Guo Ziyi continued, “Our Jiuyuan City has one hundred and fifty thousand soldiers and civilians, ample food supplies, and a strong fortress. As long as the people and soldiers unite, we can hold it firmly. The Uyghurs are good at field battles but not at siege warfare, so defending Jiuyuan will be a piece of cake.”

Finally convinced, Li Qi took off his outer robe and said sheepishly, “I lost my composure. Thank you, old general, for advising me. Otherwise, I really wouldn’t know how to face my father. I’m not good at defending the city—leave everything to you.”

Guo Ziyi smiled and said, “Your Highness, you’re too modest. Defending the city is still your responsibility. I merely assist you, offering suggestions and running errands for you—nothing more.”

Deeply grateful, Li Qi said cheerfully, “Then please advise me. What should I do now?”

“We need to stabilize the troops’ morale and the people’s confidence. Please go to the city tower.”

……

The Tang army refused to open the city gates, and chaos reigned in the streets. Tens of thousands of people gathered at the south gate, crying and shouting. At that moment, the drums on the city tower began to beat loudly, their thunderous sound calming the turmoil below. A large group of people surrounded Li Qi, the Prince of Bian, dressed in silver armor, as he appeared on top of the city wall. Seeing that the Prince of Bian had not fled, many people felt hopeful and gradually calmed down, looking up at the young prince and the old general Guo Ziyi behind him.

Li Qi shouted loudly, “The Uyghur army has less than fifty thousand men, and they lack siege weapons. How can they attack Jiuyuan? Our city has over one hundred thousand soldiers and civilians, ample food, and brave soldiers who can defend the city for a year. If I, a prince of the Tang Dynasty, am not afraid, what is there for you to fear!”

His voice was high-pitched and carried far. Many strong young men crowded at the gate lowered their heads in shame. Seeing that everyone was willing to listen to him, Li Qi grew even more confident and shouted again, “If the Uyghurs fail to capture the city, they will bypass it. If you flee barefoot, can you outrun their cavalry? Leaving the city means certain death; those who stay to fight will live, while those who flee will die. Follow me and defend the city!”
“Defend the city!”
The soldiers waved their swords and spears together, shouting loudly with great momentum. The people below the city walls were gradually inspired and also raised their arms, shouting in unison, “Defend the city!”
“Defend the city!”
The city gates outside Jiuyuan City slammed shut, and over a hundred thousand soldiers and civilians, under Guo Ziyi’s command, began the battle to defend the city.
……
(Note: In history, Li Qi, the King of Bian, died at a very young age. He was originally titled King of Bian, but because of his early death, the title was supplemented with the character “ai” to denote sorrow. This is an error by the author; please forgive me.)