Chapter 175: The Importance of the Rear Army

Two hours later, both the Yiwu Army and the Tianshan Army arrived at the camp. Han Zhi and Zhao Tingyu rushed over urgently, unsure of what had happened. Zhao Tingyu did so not because of Li Qingan’s orders, but because the military supervisor was also present, leaving him no choice but to come.

Li Qingan’s first military meeting since arriving in Beiting was held during the spring hunt.
“By the emperor’s decree, we shall attack the Göktürks.”
Li Qingan glanced around the large tent, where dozens of high-ranking civil and military officials from Beiting sat, all with solemn expressions.
“For this attack, 15,000 troops from the Hanhai, Yiwu, and Tianshan Armies will join forces. In addition, 3,000 cavalry from the Shatuo will be sent to assist. Do any of you have any objections?”
Han Zhi and Zhao Tingyu both looked grim, especially Zhao Tingyu. He hadn’t expected the spring hunt to turn into this, nor had he anticipated that the emperor’s decree had already arrived.

He quickly glanced at Cheng Qianli, who shook his head, signaling that it was too late to change anything. Yet Zhao Tingyu refused to accept this situation. With a huff, he asked, “How many troops do we need to send?”
That was the core issue he cared about. Li Qingan took out a booklet and said, “According to the emperor’s decree, I am assigning troops as follows: 2,000 from the Yiwu Army, 4,000 from the Tianshan Army, and the remaining 9,000 from the Hanhai Army. Both of you may lead the troops yourselves or assign them to deputy commanders.”

Zhao Tingyu’s face turned red with anger. He was unwilling—he only had 5,000 troops, yet 4,000 of them were to be dispatched.
“Why should I send 4,000 troops? I can at most send 2,000.”
Li Qingan’s expression darkened as he slammed the command arrow and seal of the Beiting governor onto the table and said coldly, “Governor Zhao, are you refusing to obey orders?”

The military supervisor, Wang Tingfang, also spoke unhappily, “Governor Zhao, this is the emperor’s decree. All deployments are under General Li’s command. If you refuse, you may be accused of treason.”

Zhao Tingyu knew that if he said “no” one more time, Li Qingan would have him executed. He had no choice but to say, “I will follow General Li’s orders.”

Li Qingan then turned to Han Zhi and asked, “Governor Han, what about you?”
Han Zhi replied readily, clasping his fists, “I am willing to follow General Li’s commands.”

“Good!” Li Qingan stood up. “Both governors, return immediately to mobilize your troops. In ten days, our army will gather outside Beiting City to march against the Göktürks.”

…

The Göktürks who participated in the spring hunt were not troubled within Beiting territory. They rushed back to their camp, already having devised a plan to assassinate Luo Duo along the way.

As the eldest prince of the Göktürks and the legal heir to the chieftainship, Mousi Loduo was not as foolish as he appeared. One’s stance determines one’s attitude; his stance in plotting against Loduo was to oppose the Tang Dynasty and align with the Uyghurs. Deep down, he favored the Göktürks from Wudijian Mountain, who had joined the Uyghurs and become part of them. Submitting to the Tang Dynasty had always been something he despised. Of course, he had no objection to Tang women, especially when he saw the newly appointed governor of Beiting, who was a few years younger than him—his disgust turned into hatred.

Mousi Sihan followed his elder brother from a distance, instinctively maintaining a humble attitude in front of him at all times. Unlike his siblings with pure Turkic blood, he came from a humble background, which made him more patient and cunning than anyone else. No one knew what he was thinking or what he wanted.

Three days later, they returned to the Göktürk camp.

“Father, Beiting demands that we hand over the Jinshan pasture to the Shatuo people.”

Mousi Loduo got straight to the point, highlighting the conflict. He made no mention of having wounded the Shatuo leader, instead portraying himself as a victim.

“The new governor of Beiting favors the Shatuo people. He demands that we give up the Jinshan pasture as compensation for what happened eight years ago and forces us to sign a document. I firmly refused, so I returned.”

Mousi Heishan was stunned. How could things turn out like this? Unbelieving, he asked other Göktürks present, and they all agreed with Mousi Loduo’s account.

Only the second son, Mousi Sihan, remained silent throughout. Mousi Heishan sensed something was amiss and ordered everyone to leave, then questioned his son alone.

Mousi Sihan sighed and said, “Father, you’d better prepare! I think the Tang army from Beiting will soon attack the Göktürks.”

Mousi Heishan was shocked. “W-what’s going on?”

Mousi Sihan explained in detail what had happened in Beiting, concluding with, “Beiting does favor the Shatuo people, but my elder brother’s contempt for the Tang Dynasty is the real cause of trouble. If there were any internal disagreements in Beiting about attacking the Göktürks, my brother’s actions of breaking agreements and throwing things on the table will surely silence all opposition. I’m sure the Tang army is already gathering.”

Mousi Heishan’s eyes grew wider and wider. Finally, he exploded in anger, slapping the table hard. “That bastard dared to deceive me!” He stood up abruptly and shouted, “Someone, call the eldest prince here at once!”

Mousi Sihan knelt down and wept, saying, “On the way back, my elder brother threatened me. If I dared to betray him, he would tear me to pieces. For the sake of the Göktürk cause, I would rather be killed by my elder brother. Please save me, Father.”
Mousi Heishan looked at this second son, of humble origin but quite clever. After a long while, he nodded and said, “Very well! I’ve actually been considering giving you a position. From now on, you will lead the ten tribes that return from the Jinshan Ranch. Tonight, I will convene the council to announce this.”
Mousi Sihan was overjoyed; he finally had a foundation of his own.
At that moment, Mousi Luoduo was brought into the tent by soldiers. Seeing only his father and younger brother inside, he immediately understood what had happened. He glared fiercely at Mousi Sihan, his eyes filled with rage. That damned wretch must pay for this!
“Kneel down!”
Mousi Heishan shouted angrily and stepped forward, slapping his son hard twice, knocking his hair tousled and causing his cheeks to swell instantly.
“How dare you hide the truth from me? Have you lost your mind?”
Mousi Luoduo knelt down but held his head high. “I have not deceived Father. Beiting is protecting the Shatuo people. They claim to punish anyone who causes trouble, yet the Jinshan Ranch is still in the hands of those Shatuo dogs, and they say nothing about it. If Father truly wants to give up the Jinshan Ranch, I will go to Beiting and apologize.”
At the mention of the Jinshan Ranch, Mousi Heishan’s anger subsided slightly, but he became even more anxious. With the Tang army approaching in force, he had no solution. Then, Mousi Sihan said, “Father, I will go to Beiting and apologize, asking them to forgive my elder brother’s rudeness. It’s the only way.”
Mousi Luoduo flew into a rage and cursed at him, “You Han dog! How dare you betray our Göktürks?”
He then hurriedly said to his father, “Father, we can also ask the Uyghurs for support to fight against Beiting.”
Mousi Sihan sneered in reply, “Naive. Do you think the Uyghurs will offend the Tang Dynasty for us? On the contrary, they will mediate and take the opportunity to swallow us up. Father, the only way is to apologize to Beiting.”
“Will Beiting accept our apology? I think they’re just looking for an excuse to suppress us Göktürks.”
“Enough! Shut up all of you!”
Mousi Heishan was dizzy from the argument between his two sons. He shouted loudly, and the tent fell silent immediately. He walked a few steps with his hands behind his back. His eldest son also made sense—if Beiting was using an excuse to attack the Göktürks, apologies would be useless. This matter was related to the survival of the Göktürks. Unable to decide, he finally waved his hand and ordered, “Convene a council meeting tonight to discuss this matter together.”

With this imperial edict from Li Longji as a talisman, mobilizing the troops went exceptionally smoothly. Just four days later, six thousand soldiers from the Tianshan and Yiwu armies arrived at Beiting. Beiting had enjoyed peace for many years, with ample provisions and resources. Within just a few days of the war order being issued, all necessary supplies were ready, and the troops were mobilized. Li Qingan divided his forces into an advance army and a rear army: six thousand Han Navy soldiers, along with two thousand each from the Tianshan and Yiwu armies, making a total of ten thousand for the advance army, while the remaining three thousand Han Navy soldiers and two thousand Tianshan soldiers formed the rear army, under the command of Deputy Protector Yang Fengche.

In the morning, flags fluttered outside Beiting City, and the fifteen-thousand-strong army formed a vast black carpet, neatly lined up across the endless grasslands. Behind them were supply caravans stretching for miles, with four thousand laborers conscripted to drive the carts and transport provisions and military supplies. The official road nearby was packed with military families coming to see them off. Since the first year of Changshou, when Wu Zetian sent Wang Xiaojie and General Ashina Zhongjie to defeat the Tibetans and reclaim Beiting and Anxi, Beiting had not known war for over fifty years. Although the Tang army was merely there to teach a lesson to the Gehu who had defied the authority of the imperial court, the military families were still deeply concerned and flocked to see their sons off.

Li Qingan wore bright armor, an iron helmet, and held a long spear, with a flaming bow slung across his back. His tall and robust build made him even more imposing. Surrounded by a hundred bodyguards, he approached Yang Fengche, bowed, and said with a smile, “Brother Yang, I leave the five thousand men in the rear army and the supply columns in your hands.” Yang Fengche smiled bitterly and replied, “You really know how to choose people. Why not anyone else? You have to pick me. Well! Since you trust me, I’ll take on the task reluctantly.” “Don’t worry, Brother Yang. I’ll have Bai Xiaode and his brother assist you. They know how to march and set up camps. Just consult them often.” After saying that, Li Qingan bowed and rushed toward the advance army. Along the way, the military families waved enthusiastically at him. Li Qingan bowed back and shouted, “Dear parents and sisters, rest assured—we will surely return victorious!” The cheers grew louder. Suddenly, someone called out from not far away, “Big brother!” Li Qingan saw several of his relatives, such as Shishi and Xiaolian. They couldn’t get in and stood outside. Then he saw Wuyi. She wore a wide-brimmed conical hat with a thin layer of gauze hanging at the edge, covering her face. She was dressed in a snow-white long dress whose hem fluttered in the wind. Her skin was as smooth as jade and snow, like a fairy descending to earth. She was gently waving goodbye to him, her faint smile visible through the gauze. Li Qingan smiled, nodded at them, bowed, then whipped his warhorse and rushed forward to join the advance army.

The large army set off slowly. On the 10th day of the fourth month in the eighth year of Tianbao, the army from Beiting marched toward Jinshan.
……
To the north of Beiting City lay the vast Shatuo Desert. The army crossed the desert through its narrowest part in the northeast. On April 20th, they entered the territory of the Dama State Governor’s Office, marking the onset of their entry into the territory of the Göktürks. The three thousand Shatuo cavalry who had come to assist in the battle had already joined the main force under the leadership of Prince Zhuya Jinzhong.
That evening, the army arrived at an earthen city called Bazhaye. This was one of the few cities held by the Göktürks. The city was small, with just over a hundred mud houses inside, most of which were shops, mostly run by Sogdians. It served as the commercial center for the Southern Göktürks. The Göktürks living in the grasslands would bring furs, medicinal herbs, and gold sand here to exchange for various daily necessities.
The arrival of the Tang army disrupted the peaceful life in this small city. It was deserted, with every household keeping its doors and windows tightly shut; not a single person was in sight.
Li Qing’an rode on his horse and examined the city. Its walls were thin and low, only two zhang high. They were not built to defend against enemies but rather to ward off wolves from the grasslands.
“General, shall we set up camp?”
Li Qing’an glanced at the sky; dusk was approaching. He waved his hand and ordered, “We can set up camp!”
The Tang army immediately pitched camp. Having entered Göktürk-controlled territory, they were extremely cautious. They erected barriers, dug deep ditches, and scattered thistles around. One after another, large tents appeared. Not far away was a small river. Hundreds of Tang soldiers drove ox carts to fetch water, then started cooking. The camp was unusually busy.
Li Qing’an led more than a thousand men into the city. The city had already been cleared, and nothing unusual was found. At that moment, a dozen soldiers brought in eight or nine Sogdian merchants. These merchants were clearly of lower status, lacking the grandeur of wealthy Sogdian merchants. They all appeared timid, their eyes flickering nervously. In the presence of the fully armed Tang generals, they were so frightened that they knelt down, prostrating themselves and crying, “General, spare our lives!”
Li Qing’an sat down on a rock and asked them in Turkic, “I want to ask you—how many Göktürks are there in this area?”
The merchants looked at each other, none daring to speak. Li Qing’an pointed at a young Sogdian merchant and said, “You speak!”

It was clearly a young merchant who had just started in business, about fifteen or sixteen years old. When Li Qing’an pointed at him, he was terrified and could only speak after a long while: “General, there are a dozen or so Göktürk tribes in this area, with thirty to forty thousand people. They have no fixed homes and move around following water and grass. But as long as the general follows the rivers, he can find them. Also, a few days ago…”
The young merchant had just said this when an older Sogdian poked him, scaring him into silence immediately. Li Qing’an’s gaze was so sharp that he noticed the Sogdian’s move at a glance. He flew into a rage, stepped forward, and whipped the Sogdian, ordering, “Give him eighty more lashes and burn his shop!”
Immediately, a dozen soldiers rushed over and dragged the Sogdian away like wolves and tigers. Terrified, he begged repeatedly, “General, please spare me! I won’t dare do it again.”
The young merchant also knelt down in fear, crying, “General, please spare my father!”
Li Qing’an waved his hand, and the soldiers stopped. With a cold laugh, he said, “You Sogdians don’t know what’s good for you. I maintain military discipline to protect you, yet you still dare to hide things from me. If you dare hide even one more word, I’ll immediately relax military discipline and let the soldiers loot all your possessions and kill everyone. Do you believe me?”
The Sogdians pleaded in unison, “General, we won’t dare hide anything.”
Li Qing’an snorted and pointed the whip at the young merchant, “Continue. What happened a few days ago?”
“General, a few days ago, some Göktürks who came to sell furs said they saw Uyghur cavalry.”
“Uyghur cavalry?” Li Qing’an was stunned and quickly asked, “Where were they seen? How many were there?”
“I’m not sure about that. It seems there were quite a few. The Göktürks who sold furs said they were going to Yibohai with the second prince, so they sold all their belongings they couldn’t take.”
“And you? How much do you know about the Uyghurs?”
Everyone spoke at once, saying roughly the same thing as the young merchant: indeed, Uyghur cavalry had moved south, the number unknown. The Göktürk second prince, having gained strength, led his tribe to Yibohai.
Li Qing’an fell into deep thought. The second prince was the one who had attempted to assassinate Si Han. He had met this man before; he had suffered greatly at the hands of the first prince’s attempt to assassinate Luoduo. Now that he had gained strength, it meant there were divisions within the Göktürks. As for the Uyghurs moving south, it was unlikely to be a decision made by the Uyghur khan—there wasn’t enough time or distance for that. Perhaps it was support from some Uyghur tribe.
Li Qing’an sneered. He had thought the Göktürks would come to apologize, but never expected them to confront him instead.

At that moment, a personal soldier rushed over from afar and reported from a distance, “General, Commander Zhao has something to discuss with you and is waiting in the main tent.”
“I understand. I’ll go back right away.”
He then casually asked, “Where is Commander Han? Is he here too?”
“Reporting to you, General, only Commander Zhao is here; Commander Han is not present.”
Li Qing’an was stunned. Usually, whenever Zhao Tingyu came to the main tent, he would invite Han Zhi to come as well. But why had he come alone today? In an instant, Li Qing’an made up his mind—this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity he couldn’t afford to miss.
Since setting out, the armies of Hanhai, Tianshan, and Yiwu had always marched in a triangular formation, supporting each other, and camped separately at night. The Tianshan army’s camp was in the southeast direction, about fifteen li away from the main camp.
Zhao Tingyu had been extremely cautious throughout the journey, preventing Li Qing’an from finding an opportunity. But even the most meticulous plans have gaps. Just as Li Qing’an temporarily gave up on the idea, an opportunity arose—Zhao Tingyu had come alone, and he had become careless.
Li Qing’an glanced at the sky. It was almost dark. He immediately waved for a personal soldier and whispered a few words in his ear. The soldier obeyed and rushed back right away.
Li Qing’an inspected the earthen city once more, assuming it was already prepared, before slowly returning to the main tent outside the city.
By now, it was completely dark. The main tent was brightly lit, with torches everywhere. In the distance, a dozen Tang soldiers could be seen standing in front of the tent. Zhao Tingyu, the governor of Xizhou, had been waiting for a long time. Having marched with Li Qing’an for half a month, he had been living in constant fear that Li Qing’an might seize power by force or even kill him. Now that they had entered the territory of the Geluo people, he could no longer suppress his worries.
Li Qing’an stepped forward with a smile and said, “The people inside the earthen city are complicated. I was questioning them, which caused Commander Zhao to wait so long.”
Zhao Tingyu stepped forward and bowed, saying, “I have important matters to discuss with you.”
“Come inside and talk.”
Li Qing’an entered the tent and sat down. He gestured to the seating area below and smiled gently, saying, “Commander Zhao, please sit!”
Zhao Tingyu sat down. He glanced around and saw a dozen of Li Qing’an’s personal soldiers standing inside the tent, while his own men were waiting outside. A sense of foreboding arose in his heart. If Li Qing’an wanted to kill him now, it would be effortless.
Zhao Tingyu had traveled northward all the way, and every time he met with Li Qing’an, he would always bring Han Zhi along. But everything had always been fine. Over time, his vigilance had gradually relaxed. Today, as usual, he invited Han Zhi to join the meeting, but unexpectedly, Han Zhi fell ill. Anxious, Zhao Tingyu came alone with his personal soldiers.

Only then did he feel a bit regretful—he shouldn’t have been so hasty, but it was too late to regret. All he could do was leave Li Qing’an’s camp as quickly as possible.
“I have something to discuss with the governor.”
Before he could continue, Li Qing’an interrupted him with a smile, “Coincidentally, I also have something to discuss with Commander Zhao.”
Zhao Tingyu was taken aback and quickly said, “Please go ahead, governor!”
“No! Let’s discuss it together once the military supervisor arrives.”
A moment later, footsteps were heard outside the tent. Military supervisor Wang Tingfang, military advisor Wang Yichu, judge Cen Shen, and over a dozen senior officers from the Hanhai Army entered the tent one after another.
As everyone entered the main tent, it immediately became lively, and Zhao Tingyu’s heart relaxed slightly.
After everyone sat down, Li Qing’an smiled at Zhao Tingyu and said, “Commander Zhao, please go first. What do you want to discuss?”
Zhao Tingyu quickly bowed and said, “Governor, everything north from here is under the control of the Geluo. I suggest we divide our forces and march separately.”
Li Qing’an laughed at everyone and said, “Our Commander Zhao wants to take credit for himself.”
Everyone laughed, but Li Qing’an’s smile faded as he asked again, “How do you plan to divide the forces?”
Although it was difficult for him to speak up, Zhao Tingyu still forced himself to say, “It’s simple. The Hanhai, Tianshan, and Yiwu forces will march separately, and they will reunite upon victory.”
“That won’t do!”
Before Li Qing’an could speak, military supervisor Wang Tingfang objected first. He frowned and said, “How to arrange the campaign is the commander’s responsibility. It should be decided by General Li. Commander Zhao, please don’t overstep your bounds.”
“I dare not! I dare not! I’m just offering a suggestion.”
Li Qing’an smiled faintly and said, “Suggestions are welcome, but I don’t intend to adopt Commander Zhao’s idea. I don’t think we will definitely return victorious.”
Zhao Tingyu was stunned. He retorted defiantly, “The governor has just arrived in Beiting, so naturally he thinks the Geluo are strong. But in the eyes of us veteran generals from Beiting, the Geluo are easily defeated.”
“Maybe you don’t take the Geluo seriously, but what about the Uyghurs?”
Zhao Tingyu was stunned. Were the Uyghurs also involved in the war?
Li Qing’an waved his hand, and several bodyguards brought in a table with a map of the area. Everyone gathered around. Li Qing’an pointed at Jinshan and said, “I just received news from Tucheng. Uyghur cavalry have appeared in the Jinshan area. It’s very likely that it’s the troops from the Baluegu tribe of the Uyghurs coming to reinforce them. Now that we’ve entered Geluo territory, our forces are already few. If we divide them further, it will give them the chance to defeat us one by one.”

Everyone nodded in agreement. Zhao Tingyu’s face turned red, and he was unable to say a word. Li Qingan waved his hand again, asking everyone to sit down, and continued, “At the beginning of sending troops, I didn’t consider the possibility of the Uyghurs sending troops as well. I thought the Göktürks would surrender to us. But now it seems they’re determined to go all out and fight us. From the fact that they’ve asked the Uyghurs for reinforcements, it’s clear their only way out is to join forces with them. What worries me most is that the Uyghurs or Göktürks might flank us and attack our rear troops by surprise. That’s why I’ve decided to reorganize our troop deployment.”

Li Qingan’s analysis made sense. The rear troops were now four hundred li away from the front troops. If they were attacked or intercepted, the consequences would be disastrous. Wang Tingfang sighed, “General Li has thought this through carefully. The rear troops are indeed in danger.”

Although it seemed unrelated to him, Zhao Tingyu still felt uneasy. Especially since Li Qingan wanted to reorganize the troops, which made him nervous.

Li Qingan glanced at Zhao Tingyu and smiled, “I originally wanted to invite Governor Han to the meeting, but I heard he’s unwell, so I’ll talk to him separately tomorrow. I’ve decided that starting tomorrow, the Hanhai, Yiwu, and Tianshan armies will no longer be stationed separately. All troops will camp together. Does Governor Zhao have any objections?”

Zhao Tingyu’s tense heart relaxed immediately. So that was it. He immediately bowed and said, “I have no objections.”

“Good! As expected, military orders must be obeyed.”

Li Qingan then said to everyone, “But what worries me most is still the rear troops, which will be led by Deputy Commander Yang. He’s a civil official. If the enemy attacks, I’m worried he won’t be able to handle it. That’s why I must send a highly respected general to take command.”

At this point, his gaze settled on Zhao Tingyu’s face again. “Governor Zhao, after careful consideration, I believe you’re the only person for the job.”

Silence filled the tent as everyone stared at Zhao Tingyu, whose face was as pale as death. Slowly, Zhao Tingyu stood up and said in a trembling voice, “I cannot comply.”

Li Qingan stared at him coldly. “Say that again!”

Zhao Tingyu took a deep breath and firmly refused, “I truly cannot comply. Please allow me to explain.”

“I won’t listen to your explanation. I’m asking you for the third time—will you obey my orders or not?”

The two stared into each other’s eyes, their gazes locked together like lightning—firm, cold, and charged with unspoken tension.

Suddenly, Zhao Tingyu burst into laughter. “Great! What a clever man you are, Li Qingan! You’ve schemed meticulously to seize my military power, step by step, using ruthless tactics. I admire you—deeply admire you!”

Li Qingan remained unmoved and said coldly, “I’ll ask one last time—will you accept my military order or not?”
“I won’t!”
As soon as Zhao Tingyu finished speaking, he swiftly drew his sword and charged at Wang Tingfang, the military supervisor closest to him. Wang Tingfang was stunned and froze in place. The moment Zhao Tingyu tightened his grip around Wang Tingfang’s neck, a black thread shot out from Li Qingan’s hand at incredible speed, piercing straight into Zhao Tingyu’s forehead with a thud.
Zhao Tingyu’s body suddenly stiffened. The sword he had held against Wang Tingfang’s neck slowly slipped from his hand. Deathly grayness appeared in his eyes as he collapsed straight to the ground.
Only then did Wang Tingfang scream and collapse to the ground in terror, staring in fear at the arrow in Zhao Tingyu’s forehead. Chaos ensued inside the tent.
At that moment, Nan Jiyun appeared at the entrance of the tent. He gave Li Qingan a gesture, signaling that all of Zhao Tingyu’s personal guards had been dealt with.
Li Qingan nodded in approval and declared loudly, “Zhao Tingyu defied military orders and threatened a military supervisor—he deserves execution. Someone, bring him here!”
“Yes!”
A few soldiers stepped forward. Li Qingan pointed at Zhao Tingyu and ordered, “Behead him and hang his head as a warning to others!”
The soldiers dragged Zhao Tingyu’s body away. Wang Tingfang got up nervously and asked, “What if the Tianshan Army causes trouble?”
Li Qingan snorted and said, “Military law is absolute. If the Tianshan Army rebels, then they are in open rebellion.” He then ordered loudly, “Spread my command—assemble the entire army and go to the Tianshan Army to enforce military law.”
After saying that, he strode out of the tent. “General Li!” Wang Tingfang suddenly called out to him. He stepped forward and asked in a low voice, “General, who will command the rear army now?”
Li Qingan smiled gracefully and replied, “To be honest with you, military supervisor, commanding the rear army is a crucial responsibility that only a high-ranking general can undertake. I plan to assign Commander Han Zhihan to lead it.”