Chapter 78: The Blood Robe (III)

“Brother Kuo, will this really work?”
Zhang Yanji stared at the makeshift stone dam inside the giant tent, his eyes almost popping out.
Li Kuo smiled and said, “Didn’t the master say that everything has its advantages and disadvantages? Still water is like nectar, nourishing all things, while rushing water is like a fierce beast, destroying everything in its path. Don’t underestimate this river water—used properly, it can be as powerful as an army of thousands.”
Zhang Yanji scoffed dismissively. “Is that so? I think this Chuan River is only about ten or so zhang wide at its widest point, and the terrain of Jiuqu City isn’t that low. It’s doubtful whether even that much water will reach the top of the city walls.”
Li Kuo smiled slyly. “Under normal circumstances, yes. But didn’t Chief Suta say that last winter, there was heavy snowfall in the Jiuqu area for months on end?”
After a brief pause, the young man continued, “As the saying goes, snow that reaches one’s knees can turn into rivers. It’s already summer now, so most of the snow in the valleys has melted. If all that winter snow flows into the Chuan River at once, won’t the water level rise significantly? If we then divert some of the water from the Cang River to the north side of the mountains, when a torrential flood rushes down, even if Jiuqu City’s terrain is high, it can’t be higher than heaven itself, right?”
“Hiss.”
Zhang Xiaolangjun gasped in shock before smiling brightly. “Brother Kuo, you’re really ruthless. Digging that dam will surely wipe out everything in its path.”
Li Kuo waved his hand. “As the saying goes, a kind person shouldn’t handle military affairs. Besides, our goal here isn’t to capture some pass or stronghold!”
“That’s true!”
Zhang Yanji spread his hands, agreeing with Li Kuo’s idea.
Frowning, Li Kuo sighed, “But even if we dig the dam to divert the flood, if the Tibetans discover it in time, they still have a chance to resist.”
“How so?”
Zhou Wucui walked over, asking in confusion.
“Can’t even a genius like Zhou figure out such a simple thing?”
Zhang Yanji glared at Zhou Wucui and said proudly, “The Tibetans aren’t fools. Wouldn’t they run away when they see the flood rushing down from the mountains? Jiuqu City is built on a slope, with a small hill to the north. Once they abandon the city and flee to the hill, will the flood even reach them?”
Zhou Wucui snorted. “Ordinary people are just ordinary people. If they run, won’t we set an ambush to stop them? Our only concern is if the Tibetans are too cowardly to fight. As long as they leave the city, our 30,000 Tang warriors surely won’t fear a bunch of scoundrels!”
“You!”

Zhang Yanji’s face turned red from being belittled by Zhou Wucui, leaving him speechless for a moment. That fat Zhou was truly annoying—always finding ways to mock him, and he had no way to defend himself!
“So, Gao Shuai assigned this task to us.”
Li Kuo smiled and chimed in at just the right time.
“Use six hundred soldiers and over a thousand reservists to hold off tens of thousands of Tibetans?”
Zhang Yanji stared at Li Kuo in disbelief, hoping he was just joking.
Zhou Wucui also frowned and said, “What does that old fool Gao want? We’re not even enough to fill the gaps for the Tibetans.”
“You’re not entirely wrong.”
Li Kuo stepped forward and lowered his voice, “Well, we…”
After hearing this, Zhang Xiaolangjun slapped his thigh and said, “Hey, that old fool really has the heart to do this!”
“As long as we can hold on until then, I think we’ll have succeeded.”
Li Kuo gazed at Jiuxu City at the foot of the mountain and sighed softly. It was uncertain whether Shibao City could hold out until then.
May heaven bless the Tang Dynasty!…
That night, thunder rumbled in the western sky, sounding terrifying in the quiet darkness.
With another thunderclap, a bright streak appeared in the dark night sky.
Thunder followed, and heavy rain ensued!
The Tang army had been waiting for this moment. At the order of Lieutenant Li Kuo, the veteran soldiers from the Bronze Warriors Camp worked together to dig up the soil beneath the stone dam.
“One, two,” “One, two, three!”
“Push harder!”
“One, two, three!”
With a loud rumble, a huge rock broke free from the soil and rolled down the mountain. Without the dam to hold it back, the Cang River turned into a fierce beast, roaring as it rushed toward the foot of the mountain.
Thunder rolled, and waves surged!
“It’s been twenty-six days. Twenty-six days! I hope our comrades at Chilin can hold out through the night.”
Li Kuo clenched his fists and stared resolutely into the distance.
By now, Jiuxu City was in chaos. Just over an hour later, the flood from the mountain rushed down and reached the foot of the city. The waves crashed against the city walls, producing muffled sounds.
Jiuxu City, usually known for its strength, seemed weak in the face of the flood. The waves rolled over the city walls, slipped through the battlements, and rushed into the city through every crack.
The houses and markets near the city walls were immediately devastated. These usually bustling areas were instantly flooded, and some Tibetans were swept away by the current before they could understand what was happening. The muffled sounds of collapsing buildings, the thunder, and the Tibetans’ cries of pain merged into one terrifying chorus.

Jiucu City was built in imitation of Tang Dynasty’s Chang’an, with neighborhoods connected to each other and houses adjacent to one another. While this certainly helped save space and facilitated control by the government and military, it also created a serious safety hazard. Once floods hit, not a single household in the city would survive! The houses instantly turned into fortresses; some Tibetans climbed onto their rooftops, crying out, unaware how long the old houses, battered by the raging currents, could hold out. They stared blankly at the swirling waters below, silently repeating, “The Dragon King of Qinghai is angry… the Dragon King of Qinghai is angry…” More people were swept out of their homes by the currents while asleep, struggling desperately in the heavy rain and waves. They drifted with the currents, crying, shouting, and pleading, yet never giving up hope of survival. Some clung to old door panels or tugged at frayed ropes to stay afloat, only for a giant wave to submerge their heads again just as they managed to emerge. Cries of agony and shouts filled the air—all of which sounded terrifying in the silent night. In the storm-ravaged Jiucu City, countless houses had been destroyed by the floods, leaving only water everywhere. In the palace within the city, a man in his forties with a sharp face paced anxiously. His clothes were extremely luxurious—his shirt buttons were made of seven dazzling gems, his collar had gold trim, and even his sword scabbard was crafted from pure gold. He was the Tibetan king, Trisong Detsen. He had intended to go to the front lines to boost the troops’ morale but was firmly refused by the commander, Dharma Lu Gong, on the grounds of the battlefield’s danger. Being cautious for safety, staying in Jiucu City meant no need to worry about arrows or stones, but instead, they encountered floods! Hmph, he would definitely punish Dharma Lu Gong severely when the time came! He had long been dissatisfied with this powerful minister and wanted to get rid of him, but lacked a good reason. Now, with the flooding of Jiucu, he could use drastic measures to throw him into prison. As he thought this, he heard hurried footsteps. “King, King!” A short-statured Tibetan man with thick beard rushed in, grabbed Trisong Detsen’s arm, and pulled him outside. He was the Tibetan prime minister, Nangxi Detsen. It was his accusation that had led to Dharma Lu Gong losing his position as prime minister, making them bitter enemies. Now that the king was in danger, he would surely settle accounts with Dharma Lu Gong, but first, they had to get out! “King, hurry! I’ve prepared a horse. The north part of the city hasn’t been flooded yet. Let’s escape through the north gate!”

The terrain north of the city was significantly higher than that to the south. The turbulent waters had not yet posed a threat to the palace, but if things continued like this, who knew what might happen!

Chide Zuanzang felt extreme humiliation as Nangxie Dazang dragged him along. Heshook offed off his sleeve angrily and shouted, “I am the king of Tubo. How can I abandon all the people of the city?”

Seeing that he still cared about such trivial titles at this moment, Nangxie Dazang smiled bitterly and said, “The king is bestowed by the gods and is responsible for the safety of all the people. If the king is safe, the people will prosper; if the king is in danger, the people will suffer. If we lose this Jiuqu City, brave Tubo warriors will surely reclaim it. But if anything happens to you, it would be a disaster for Tubo.”

Seeing that Nangxie Dazang was helping him down, Chide Zuanzang went along with it.

“Hmm, what you say makes some sense. I was rash just now. Quickly gather my personal guards to help me break through!”

As soon as he left the palace, Chide Zuanzang was stunned by the scene before him. The floodwaters north of the city had now reached his knees, devouring everything alive. Yet this was nothing compared to the vast expanse of water in the south. From the higher ground, he could see the low-lying southern part of the city filled with floating rotten wood, weeds, roof beams, and corpses…

On the muddy training ground outside the palace, nearly ten thousand soldiers stood in knee-deep water, staring blankly at their devastated homeland. His entourage also remained silent, turning their heads away. The scene was too tragic for them to bear to look any longer.

Chide Zuanzang clenched his fists and declared loudly, “The Tang invaders have destroyed our homeland and humiliated the men of Tubo. We must remember this grudge and make them pay with their blood!”

“Revenge! Revenge!”

“Pay with blood! Pay with blood!”

The Tubo soldiers were driven mad by hatred, their eyes bloodshot.

It rained heavily and thundered loudly—some were happy, while others were sad.

Note 1: Youchao Shi: A figure and clan from ancient Chinese legends, also known as “Da Chao Shi.” According to the legend, the early people of China lived in caves and were attacked by wild animals. Youchao Shi taught them to build nests out of wood to protect themselves from the animals, marking the transition from cave dwelling to nest dwelling. Here, it implies that all houses have become “built” nests, with none existing on the ground surface.