Chapter 491: Strategic Planning

The Battle of Qiemo City ended in a glorious victory thanks to Li Qing’an’s main forces arriving in time. The 50,000 Tibetan troops attacking Anxi and their 6,000 logistics troops were completely annihilated. In these two battles, over 20,000 Tibetan soldiers were killed, 30,000 captured, and more than 200,000 cattle, sheep, and horses seized. However, the Tibetan commander, Shang Jiasu, managed to escape with the help of over 2,000 soldiers who fought to the death. They fled into the highlands, and their fate remains unknown.

Yet the Battle of Qiemo City was just one part of the Tang-Tibet war. Although the Tang forces achieved a great victory here, in another front, the Tocharians in the west faced a severe crisis.

In mid-September, 70,000 Tibetan troops led by Shangxi Dongzan entered the kingdom of Qishi from Dabuli, seized the grain-rich region of Jishi Mi, and replenished their supplies there. Half a month later, they crossed the Xindu River and entered Tocharia. At Shihan Na, the 70,000 Tibetan troops defeated the poorly equipped Tocharian allied forces, killing 20,000 captured soldiers.

The brutality of the Tibetan troops shocked the Tocharian kingdoms, which turned to Anxi for help. But at that time, due to the Uyghur forces invading from the south and threatening Suiye’s safety, the 20,000 Tang troops originally sent to support the Tocharians were forced to head north to defend against the Uyghurs. Meanwhile, the 8,000 Tang troops in Tocharia were concentrated around the silver mines in the Bosi Mountains and unable to send reinforcements south.

With the Tang troops in Tocharia weakened, the Tibetan forces took advantage of the situation. They defeated the Tocharian allied forces once again at Ahuan City and occupied it. Under the heavy pressure from the Tibetans, the royal families and nobles of the Yuechi, Wangting, Gaofu, Dahan, and Gumo kingdoms fled Tocharia and headed north to Suiye under the protection of the Tang troops in the Bosi Mountains.

At this point, 30,000 reinforcements sent by the Tibetan king also arrived in Tocharia, bringing the total number of Tibetan troops there to 100,000. Shangxi Dongzan then dispatched eight armies to occupy various key fortresses in Tocharia. Thus, Tocharia was completely occupied by the Tibetan forces.

With the Tibetan army seizing the strategically important region of Tocharia, the situation in Anxi became increasingly complex.

Shangxi Dongzan’s goal was not just Tocharia. His aim was to conquer Suiye and the entire Fergana Basin, then move south to take control of Sindh and India, thereby allowing Tibet to emerge from the highlands and establish a true base for development. After that, they would turn to compete with the Tang Dynasty. This was the strategic goal set by Tibet’s elite, with Tocharia merely being their first step.

…

In late September, Li Qing’an returned to Suiye and began to deploy troops against Tocharia. On the western front, he ordered the 20,000 Tang troops stationed in Kang Country to move south and occupy the Shi Country and Tiemeng Pass.

On the central front, Li Qing’an dispatched another 20,000 troops from the Shi State along with 10,000 troops from Juzhan Ti, totaling 30,000 soldiers, to Bosi Mountain. Together with 8,000 Tang troops stationed there, they were tasked with guarding the four major silver mines in the area to prevent Tibetan forces from attacking them. On the eastern front, he appointed Helou Yurun as the governor of Tohara, leading 20,000 Tang troops to defend Shinu. He also appointed Ming Anbaozhen as the commander of the Guiren Army, sending 5,000 troops to reinforce Xiaobolü, raising the number of Tang troops there to 8,000. Finally, on the southern front, Li Qing’an appointed Feng Changqing as the governor of Sindh, giving him full authority over military and administrative affairs there. He was allowed to recruit troops locally to defend Sindh against Tibetan invasions. Through these urgent arrangements, the crisis in Anxi caused by Tibetan invasions of Tohara was temporarily alleviated. At the beginning of October, Shangxi Dongzan sent General Lunzhi Zang with 5,000 troops to attack Jiesu State, the northernmost small state in Tohara that Tibet had not yet occupied. This area housed the Luoshi Silver Mine, the second-largest silver mine in Anxi, where 30,000 Tohara miners worked, along with 5,000 Tang troops stationed there. Eighty li south of Jiesu State, in the Penchi Valley, the advancing Tibetan forces were ambushed by Tang troops. More than 3,000 Tibetan soldiers were killed, and their commander, Lunzhi Zang, died after falling into a valley during his escape. This was the first defeat for Shangxi Dongzan since his invasion of Tohara. At that time, the first heavy snowfall hit Tohara, temperatures dropped sharply, and rivers began to freeze. The failure to capture Jiesu State, combined with the onset of winter, and news of the Tibetan forces’ crushing defeat at Qiemo City on the northern front also reached Tohara. These unfavorable conditions forced Shangxi Dongzan to temporarily abandon his ambitions to advance into the Fergana Basin. He sent people back to Luoshe to report the military situation to the king. … In the Zhao royal palace in Suiye, the interior was filled with the scent of herbs. Li Qing’an’s concubine Rushi was sitting in front of a red-clay stove, carefully monitoring the heat of the herbs in the pot. Due to long journeys and the strain of dealing with the Tohara crisis, Li Qing’an had fallen ill, and his condition had worsened over the past few days, forcing him to rest at home. However, he seemed much better today. Among Li Qing’an’s four wives and concubines, Mingyue and Ruhua had gone to Chang’an. In Suiye, only Wuyi and Rushi remained. Originally, they were also supposed to go to Chang’an with Mingyue, but since their daughter Li Siduo suddenly fell ill and could not travel long distances, Rushi had to stay behind. Wuyi also didn’t want to return to Chang’an, so she stayed with Rushi. At that moment, Rushi was extremely happy—her husband’s return fulfilled her longing. Li Qing’an also said that he would take them with him when he returned to Chang’an next time.

The medicine began to simmer, and Ru Shi quickly stirred it with silver chopsticks. Feeling that the heat was just right, she turned off the fire. A maid nearby hurried over to help, but Ru Shi waved her hand, indicating she could handle it herself. She carefully poured the medicine into a jade bowl, and soon the room was filled with its fragrance. Slowly, she picked up the bowl, pulled back the curtain, and stepped out of the room. Light snow was falling in the courtyard, with white flakes drifting down. The maid quickly held up an umbrella. At that moment, another maid rushed in and reported, “Third Madam, there are guests from the master outside—four in total: Wang Changshi, Pei Sima, Duan Duyu, and Du Pingguan. They want to see the master.” “I know,” Ru Shi replied. She nodded and instructed, “Ask them to wait in the guest rooms first. Serve them fine tea and treats.” The maid nodded and left. Seeing that the medicine was almost cool, Ru Shi hurried over to the sickroom across the way. Despite the snow falling outside, the room was very warm. Li Qing’an’s second wife, Wu Yi, was sitting by the window reading a letter. It was from Mingyue, delivered just that day. The letter said that it had also snowed in Chang’an, and the snowscape was exceptionally beautiful. The Zhao family’s mansion had been prepared and was located in Guanglu Fang. They hoped they would return to the capital soon. “Wu Yi, what does the letter say?” Li Qing’an, dressed in a loose cotton robe, was lying on the bed with his hand under his face, playing with his daughter Si Duo. Si Duo would turn one year old in a month. She was very smart and mischievous, already starting to babble. She sat beside Li Qing’an, intently playing with her father’s purple gold fish bag. While looking at his daughter, Li Qing’an’s gaze occasionally fell on the letter in Wu Yi’s hands. He hadn’t read Mingyue’s letter yet! Wu Yi smiled lightly and said, “Actually, it’s nothing much—just some household matters. My elder sister says the mansion has been repaired, but it’s too quiet, so she hasn’t moved in yet. She’s temporarily staying at the Dugu mansion with Ru Hua. She hopes we’ll return to Chang’an soon. By the way, it’s snowing there too.” “It’s only October—has it already snowed in Chang’an? It’s quite early this year.” Li Qing’an laughed again and asked, “What else? Is there anything significant happening in Chang’an?” “Nothing major. Just that my elder sister plans to send Mingzhu to the Changsun family for a matchmaking meeting.” Wu Yi said it casually, but glanced at Li Qing’an out of the corner of her eye. Li Qing’an seemed not to hear her. He pointed at the purple gold fish bag and asked his daughter, “Duoduo, what’s this?” “Fish!” Si Duo pouted and uttered a vague sound. “Good! Very good!”

Li Qing’an was overjoyed. He pulled his daughter into his arms and kissed her little face. Unexpectedly, the little one suddenly touched the qilin jade pendant around his neck and was immediately captivated, shouting, “I want it! I want it!”
Seeing that Li Qing’an seemed not very concerned about Mingzhu, Wu Yi gently shook her head. What was this man thinking?
Li Qing’an took the pendant off his neck and held it in his hand, saying with a smile, “Call me ‘Dad,’ and I’ll give it to you.”
Si Duo tried to snatch it twice but failed. Her lips curled as if she was about to cry, which scared Li Qing’an. He quickly handed it to her, saying, “Duo Duo, don’t cry. Dad was just teasing you. If you like it, I’ll give it to you.”
As soon as the little one got the jade, her tears turned into a smile. Pointing at the jade qilin, she said in a childish voice to Li Qing’an, “Sheep!”
Li Qing’an was stunned before bursting into laughter.
“Your mood is good today!”
The curtain was lifted, and Ru Shi walked in, smiling. “Although the illness seems to be cured, the medicine still needs to be taken. The doctor said it’s necessary to continue strengthening the recovery for another two days.”
“No problem!”
Li Qing’an sat up and took the medicine bowl. The medicine was already warm, so he drank it all at once. Seeing that her husband was willing to take the medicine, Ru Shi was delighted. She said with a smile, “After taking the medicine, let’s go see the guests. The key figures from the government hall have all come and are waiting in your guest room.”
Knowing they must have come with some purpose, Li Qing’an patted his daughter’s head, smiled at Wu Yi, and left.
Noticing Li Qing’an’s strange smile at Wu Yi, Ru Shi asked with a laugh, “What did you say to him? Why does he have that expression?”
Wu Yi shook her head and said with a wry smile, “I told him that the eldest sister wants to arrange a match between Mingzhu and the Changsun family. He ignored me. Now that he’s smiling again, it means he still cares! Ru Shi, let’s make a bet. I say Mingzhu’s match will definitely fail. Will you bet?”
Ru Shi laughed and said, “What’s there to bet about? Of course it will fail. Who would dare marry Mingzhu? It’s just that the eldest sister is a bit confused.”
“She’s not confused; she’s just overthinking things.”
……
While Ru Shi and Wu Yi discussed Mingzhu’s matter in the room, Li Qing’an had already arrived at the guest room. Inside, Wang Changling, Pei Mian, Duan Xiushi, and Du Hongjian were talking. When they saw Li Qing’an enter, the four of them quickly stood up.
“General, are you feeling any better?” Wang Changling asked with a bow and a smile.
“I’m much better now. I was planning to go to the government hall this afternoon when you all showed up.”
Li Qing’an shook off the snowflakes on his clothes and waved his hand, saying with a smile, “Everyone, sit down!”

The three of them sat down, and the maid brought Li Qing’an another cup of hot tea. Li Qing’an picked up the cup, took a sip, and then smiled, saying, “You wouldn’t have come unless there was a reason. Go ahead! What’s the matter?”
The four of them exchanged glances, and Pei Mian smiled and said, “Today, the Council of State is planning to hold a meeting regarding the matter of Tohara. Since the General is not here, we’ve decided to hold the meeting at his residence instead.”
Among the four, both Pei Mian and Du Hongjian were high-ranking officials in Hexi. Last year, dissatisfied with Cheng Qianli’s control over Hexi, they came to Anxi to join Li Qing’an. Li Qing’an, having long heard of their abilities, appointed them to important positions. Cen Shen was recalled to the court by Li Qing’an, and Pei Mian took his place as the supervisor of military equipment and supplies. Although He Lou Yurun criticized Pei Mian and the others for failing to provide the Thunderous Thunder in time, Li Qing’an wasn’t inclined to blame the Council of State—after all, that was part of their responsibility. Apart from troop deployment, the transportation of other important supplies required approval through multiple levels of the Council of State.
Historically, Pei Mian had been Li Heng’s right chancellor. Although he made several strategic mistakes, he was highly capable and not incompetent. After taking over from Cen Shen, he carefully inventoried and organized the military equipment and supplies across various regions.
The Thunderous Thunder was the most crucial military asset. Even though Li Qing’an had given special approval, it still had to be registered by Pei Mian’s subordinates and then inspected and delivered in Shiguo—procedures that were very strict, which is why it took time. This was standard procedure, and Pei Mian wasn’t deliberately delaying things.
Another key figure, Du Hongjian, was also a prominent minister who played a role in supporting Li Heng’s ascension to the throne. He served as vice minister of the Ministry of War and later became the military governor of Hexi. As an official in Anxi, he held significant power. If he deemed a decree issued by Wang Changling inappropriate, he could directly reject it and refer it to the Council of State for discussion.
Li Qing’an had originally planned to go to the Council of State to discuss the matter of Tohara with everyone. Since they were all there, it would be convenient to hold a meeting.
At that moment, Duan Xiushi spoke up first, “General, we discussed this this morning as well. Tohara’s strategic location is extremely important; it threatens our interests from all directions and poses a great constraint on us. With the Tubo army having a steady supply of food, we’re worried they might send more troops to Tohara. If war breaks out again next spring or summer, it will be much harder. We should act as soon as possible.”
Wang Changling added, “We have sufficient military equipment and provisions, and we can gather up to 150,000 troops from various regions. Moreover, the Tubo army is far inferior to the Thunderous Thunder. While the people of Tohara are not yet loyal to them, we recommend launching a winter offensive as soon as possible to drive the Tubo army out of Tohara and relieve pressure on the Bosi Mountain silver mines.”

Li Qing’an pondered for a moment before slowly saying, “What you all said is valid. I’m also considering taking action as soon as possible, but there’s one thing that worries me greatly.”
“What worries the general?” Pei Mian asked.
“I’m very concerned that the Abbasid army might get involved in Bactria.”
Li Qing’an paused again and added, “To be honest with you all, I’ve already sent envoys to Byzantium and the Abbasids to gauge their reactions.”