Chapter 82: The Blood Robe (7)

The first line of defense built by the Tang army was located at the junction of the two vertical passages in Twin Dragon Valley—a natural chasm. Though the trench, over ten zhang wide, could not completely stop the revived Tibetans, it could significantly slow down their advance. From a distance, Twin Dragon Valley resembled an inverted gourd, and this trench served as its neck. The broad valley narrowed sharply at this point, allowing only about a hundred people to pass through at once.

Although the Tibetans had a clear numerical advantage, they were forced to divide into several groups of a hundred to pass through the narrow trench one after another. As a result, their numerical edge vanished, leaving them to risk getting their feet injured by gravel while engaging in hand-to-hand combat with the Tang army.

Leveraging the terrain, the Tang army first used arrow showers to kill enemy soldiers and dampen their morale. Once most of the Tibetans entered the trench, they poured tung oil and set it on fire to create a wall of flames to block them. As a result of these strategic maneuvers, most of the 3,000 Tibetan soldiers leading the charge were killed or wounded. Once they jumped into the trench, it was difficult for them to climb out, and many were burned to ashes before even reaching the Tang soldiers.

The Tibetan commander knelt before Governor Esang of Jiuqu, crying and pleading for more reinforcements. While furious at the commander’s incompetence, Esang also resented the Tang army deeply. After some thought, he still assigned 2,000 troops to the commander, ordering him to capture the trench within half an hour or face execution.

Frightened, the commander rushed to the trench, deciding to go all in and send in all his troops. Perhaps the enemy had run out of fire oil, or maybe the Tang arrows were exhausted. Just as they were about to climb the gravelly slope, the Tang army suddenly sounded the retreat signal and withdrew.

The Tibetan commander was relieved to have completed his mission but also hated the Tang army for retreating without a fight. They had burned and killed hundreds of his men—how could they just flee silently?

But he had no time to ponder these matters. At Governor Esang’s command, the Tibetan army immediately sent groups of a thousand soldiers to climb over the trench. The ambush that all the officers expected never happened. From the first soldier jumping into the trench to the last climbing up the slope, the Tang army did not shoot a single arrow!

Had the Tang army really withdrawn? Impossible! They had traveled thousands of miles to Jiuqu City—how could they give up so easily?

“Pass my order: everyone must stay alert and protect the safety of the Zanpu!”

Frowning, Governor Esang finally issued the order to set off.

By the latter half of the night, the veteran soldiers in the Tongwu Camp were all hungry and exhausted. The fierce battles had drained their strength, and the thin porridge and flatbreads they had eaten at noon were far from enough to fill their stomachs!
Fatigue and weariness were evident on their faces, yet none of them complained. For they knew they could not retreat—the fate of their nation hinged on this battle; failure meant death.
Retreat? To where? Behind them lay Shibao City, the thirteen provinces of Longyou, and their fellow Tang people and relatives! Were they to take off their armor and welcome the barbarians into China? Were they to shamefully tell their wives and children that they were worthless, unable to protect them, and forced to hand them over to the Tibetans?
Moreover, was it really just about occupying Longyou? The Tibetans clearly had ambitions to divide the Tang Empire!
This battle was no longer just for one family or clan—it was for the Tang Empire, for its countless common people!
Defending this pass meant preserving the Tang Empire’s chance to reclaim Hehuang and keeping hope for revenge and redemption!
The Battle of Dafeichuan had become an eternal pain in the hearts of every Tang soldier, and they would not let such tragedy happen again!
A man’s duty is to protect—his wife, children, homeland, and everything precious and worthy of preservation!
Why? With the sword in their hands, a bow, and a quiver of arrows!
A man should be able to kill—kill someone from ten paces away, leaving no trace even after traveling a thousand miles! (Note 1) Even a literary figure like Li Bai said so—how could they, as soldiers defending their homeland, be looked down upon?
The enemies they fought were none other than their foes, enemies who deserved death! With tens of thousands of comrades and fellow Tang people watching from heaven, how could they not show courage?
Compared to the deep and difficult-to-cross trenches, the temporary barrier made of dead trees seemed rather weak. On the stone platforms on either side of the barrier, thousands of White Wolf tribe warriors were in ambush, ready to launch a barrage of arrows at the Tibetans at a single command. Yet even so, the veteran soldiers of Tongwu still faced considerable pressure head-on. After all, they were facing tens of thousands of troops—Tibetans renowned for their ferocity and bravery!
“Captain Li, does the commander really only order us to hold out for three hours?”
Pu Dachui stared at Li Sheng in disbelief, his eyes wide as ripe dates.
“Three hours. Even if the Tibetans fail to break through the barrier after three hours, we will ‘retreat’ to Suishigou.”
Li Sheng nodded and spoke softly.

“What’s there to fear? With me, Old Pu here, I won’t let a barbarian slip through. If they try to cross, they’ll have to step over my dead body!”
Pu Da Chui complained angrily, his words brimming with hostility. First they abandoned the trench, now they were abandoning the deer fence—where exactly should they retreat? Where hide?
Li Sheng shrugged helplessly and said with a wry smile, “Of course I know General Pu is extremely brave, but since the commander has given the order, we must carry it out. You surely understand this better than I do. Besides, with the commander’s wisdom, there must be a clever plan—we just need to do what’s required.”
“Sigh!”
Filled with frustration, Pu Da Chui spat out a thick mouthful of phlegm. “I, Old Pu, hate all these complicated tactics. In my opinion, fighting should be a straight fight—see whose weapon is sharper and whose fists are stronger!”
“Then this task is assigned to Brother Da Chui!”
Not wanting to argue further, Li Sheng simply offered a small reward.
“Then watch well how I, Old Pu, kill people!”
Pu Da Chui raised an eyebrow, his voice full of confidence.
“There’s light! There’s light!”
A scout spotted faint flames in the distance and shouted urgently. Normally, the trench wasn’t far from the second deer fence defense line, so it shouldn’t take the Tubo troops long to reach here. But considering their massive numbers and their concern for the safety of King Trisong Detsen, it wasn’t hard to understand.
The Tubo were advancing methodically, convinced they could break through the Tang army’s blockade easily—they simply didn’t take the Tang soldiers seriously at all!
Being treated so lightly angered all the Tang soldiers. If not for Li Sheng’s strict orders, some hot-headed soldiers might have already drawn their swords and crossed the deer fence!
Sigh, these soldiers were still too young. Li Sheng shook his head, inwardly smiling bitterly. Although most of the soldiers in the Copper Army Camp were veterans who had followed Li Kuo, they hadn’t experienced battles involving tens of thousands of troops, so their mindset in facing the enemy wasn’t yet mature enough.
Military campaigns required steady progress—impulsiveness was the worst enemy. If a commander was nothing but a hot-headed fool without wisdom, it would harm not only himself.
Though he didn’t have as much experience as these “veterans,” he had studied military books and understood some of the underlying principles. Military books—neither entirely trustworthy nor completely unreliable.
“Tell everyone to prepare their crossbows and wait for my command!”
Li Sheng looked at the increasingly dense lights in the distance and issued the order.

Beneath the mountains of the Chilin Range, under a cold moon and sparse stars, the 60,000 troops led by the Turkic general Abu Si had already gathered. In addition to his own 30,000 Tongluo cavalry, Ge Shuhan had also assigned him 30,000 elite troops from the Hexi region. As a crucial piece on the battlefield of Hehuang, Abu Si was indispensable to Ge Shuhan. First, among the hundreds of thousands of Tang troops, only his Tongluo cavalry possessed exceptional mobility, allowing them to reach the southern line of Chilin Range at the fastest speed to hold off the defending forces in the Bai Gu and Wan Xiu areas. Second, Abu Si held great political significance. Though he originated from the northern Turks, he had extensive connections in the imperial court, interacting with several high-ranking officials. If he were not allowed to achieve this great feat, Ge Shuhan would not be able to account to these powerful figures, disrupting the intricate web of interests. Thus, both for public and personal reasons, Ge Shuhan had no choice but to make Abu Si the commander of this Tang army, so as to achieve the greatest military success at the lowest cost. Abu Si was well aware of this, which was why he dared not show any deference to Ge Shuhan. If they were both military governors, why should he, Abu Si, be subordinate to Ge Shuhan? There was no such logic in the world! However, as a military officer, he did not dare openly defy Ge Shuhan’s orders. He understood fully the importance of the Hehuang campaign to the Tang Dynasty and to the wise emperor in the Daming Palace. Therefore, he adopted the safest and most intriguing strategy—encircling without attacking. If Ge Shuhan wanted him to hold off the Tibetan forces in Bai Gu and Wan Xiu, he would keep those Tibetans firmly tied to the southern line of Chilin Range. But there was absolutely no way he would take the initiative to attack! “General, beacons of fire have been lit among the mountains to the north!” one of his aides pointed at the grayish mountain ridges and said solemnly. “It’s best when beacons light up the mountains and rivers—why rush?” Abu Si narrowed his eyes and said, “A gray wolf won’t show its fangs to its prey unless it’s absolutely certain of victory. Let them fight first; wouldn’t it be wonderful for us to reap the benefits here?” Note 1: Li Bai’s poem “The Heroic Knight” was written in the 14th year of the Kaiyuan era, expressing boundless passion! The spirit of the heroic knights in the prosperous Tang Dynasty reflected a high degree of openness and confidence.