Tiantang Splendid

Chapter 5057 Cherish each other
Others may not know that Cheng Yaojin was anxious to return to Chang'an, but how could Pei Xingjian not know that?
Once Cheng Yaojin led the Left Guard back to the capital, only the Right Guard would be left in Liangzhou. Niu Jinda was indeed a famous general in the Zhenguan period, but he had just taken over the Right Guard and might not be able to clean up the remnants of the An family in time. The entire army could not be controlled as it should, and it was still unknown how much combat power he could exert if a war really broke out.

Xue Rengui was shocked: "Isn't Duke Lu reclaiming wasteland and planting cotton in Liangzhou?"

Pei Xingjian had a headache: "That guy has always been a scoundrel. How could he stay in Liangzhou and stay away from the central government? And now the situation in Chang'an is not stable. Some time ago, the Censorate colluded with students to sue the Grand Marshal. Although it ended in nothing, I think Your Majesty feels more and more insecure. The emperor is always like this, always checking and balancing. No matter how much he trusts the Grand Marshal, he will arrange another person to restrain him."

With the Zuo Wuwei gone, only the You Xiaowei was left, whose troops were incomplete and morale was low. No matter how capable Niu Jinda was, it would be difficult for him to exert the full strength of the You Xiaowei. If they were attacked by Lu Dongzan, it would be an unbearable situation even if they just blocked Wushaoling.

Xue Rengui had some understanding of the situation in Chang'an, but he only knew the surface and not the details. After listening to Pei Xingjian's words, he realized the danger. If Fang Jun had not reacted in time and responded appropriately, he would have fallen into the trap and was extremely passive.

He nodded and looked at Pei Xingjian: "The Grand Protector should probably go to Fuqi City."

Pei Xingjian sighed, "Yes, we must talk to Lu Dongzan. This old villain played this trick right under our noses and forced us to compromise. He is really cunning and treacherous. No wonder Emperor Taizong called him the 'first wise man in Tubo'. He is really amazing."

Both of them understood that Lu Dongzan might not really dare to form an alliance with the Arabs to jointly attack Hexi and the Western Regions. Even if they succeeded, the greatest fruits of victory would definitely belong to the Arabs, and what would await the Gar family would be the endless wrath of the Tang Dynasty.

Even without talking about that far away, without the support of the Tang Dynasty, how could Lun Qinling stationed in Zishankou confront the Lhasa City?
By then, the Gar family would have no choice but to be destroyed.

But Lu Dongzan showed such a desperate attitude that Pei Xingjian didn't dare to take the risk...

In the final analysis, Lu Dongzan would rather die than surrender, and would even risk the life and death of the entire Gar family to deal a heavy blow to the Tang Dynasty, but the Tang Dynasty could not give him such an opportunity.

Perhaps, at this moment, Lu Dongzan was lying on the meadow beside Qinghai Lake, waiting for the Tang Dynasty's envoy to come and negotiate...

Even though Xue Rengui was full of confidence and ambition, he couldn't help but admire Lu Dongzan at this moment: "In a dead end, he was able to find a way to survive. It's really admirable."

When the Gar family was forced and threatened by the Tang Dynasty to send troops to Lhasa, their fate was doomed. They turned against the entire Tubo and could only become puppets of the Tang Dynasty. In the end, they might even be used as a gift to appease Songtsen Gampo's anger, and be tied up by the Tang Dynasty and sent to Lhasa for Songtsen Gampo to deal with...

Either die or live rather than die.

But now, we are qualified to negotiate with the Tang Dynasty.

He asked the clerk to bring a new pot of tea. The two of them drank tea and exchanged their views on the current situation. They also discussed specific countermeasures. Before they knew it, it was already evening.

Pei Xingjian stretched his stiff body and said, "Return to the Western Regions overnight. Don't go back to Jiaohe City. Go directly to Suiye City to take charge. Move the headquarters of the Grand Protectorate there and command the entire army in the name of the Sima of the Anxi Protectorate. At the same time, send letters to the tribes in the Western Regions, ordering them to prepare their own weapons and armor, rush to Suiye, and jointly resist foreign insults. I grant you the right to act at your discretion. You can take any action when necessary. Just report to me in writing when necessary."

Xue Rengui was moved: "I dare not overstep my authority!"

Delegating all the powers of the Anxi Protector General was an unparalleled trust, because if Xue Rengui made the slightest mistake, the responsibility would be borne by Pei Xingjian, and because the power was delegated to others without the permission of the central government, the responsibility might be doubled.

People's hearts are hard to predict. If Xue Rengui had hidden thoughts, it would be hard for Pei Xingjian to avoid being blamed...

Pei Xingjian waved his hand nonchalantly, "You and I are comrades, so what is the difference between you and me? Your talent is not inferior to mine, and being the Sima of the Protectorate is a waste of talent. Although you may be lacking in handling official duties, your ability to kill and make decisions in times of crisis is comparable to mine. I will definitely approve of the decision you make."

He poured tea for Xue Rengui and said sincerely, "I was one step ahead of you in my career, but I have never been complacent about it. Instead, I feel very nervous and as if I have a thorn in my side. I know your ability, so there is no need to underestimate yourself. If I go to the capital in the future, you will take over the position of the Grand Protector of Anxi. There is not only no barrier between you and me, but we have similar temperaments and appreciate each other. We should work together and support each other."

Generally speaking, it is difficult for superiors and subordinates to coexist peacefully, because the superior's position is often coveted by the subordinates. When the superior is in power, how can the subordinates get ahead? Their interests conflict with each other, so it is inevitable that they will be at odds with each other.

But Pei and Xue are different.

Both of them were selected, cultivated, and recommended to their current positions by Fang Jun. They are fundamentally in the same camp and have no core contradictions. Therefore, they can restrain themselves and be tolerant of others when they get along with each other in daily life and there are no conflicts.

But as the saying goes, there can't be two tigers in one mountain. Both of them are the best of their time, so it is inevitable that they will be arrogant. How can they just endure and give in in the long run?
Therefore, Pei Xingjian showed his magnanimity and trust at this moment, hoping to gain the other party's honesty.

Xue Rengui was not just a brave and reckless man, he was also very smart and he immediately understood the concerns and goodwill behind Pei Xingjian's move.

He immediately said sincerely: "Don't worry, Grand Protector. Although I am proud of my ability, I also know my own limitations. I have some experience in commanding the army, and I am not inferior to those famous generals, but I am not good at governing. I am honored to have the Grand Protector's protection and help. I have no intention of usurping the throne! I will obey your orders!"

He had a very favorable impression of Pei Xingjian.

He has none of the arrogance of a child from a wealthy family. He is down-to-earth and never boastful. He is sincere and has upright intentions. He is not only a good friend to whom you can entrust your wife and children, but also an ally whom you can fully trust. It is fortunate to have such a person to support each other in your official career.

Moreover, he knew that he could only stay in the army in this life and had no talent to become a prime minister. On the other hand, it was just the opposite. Pei Xingjian needed the support of the military to enter the central government, while he needed the care of the central government. It was a good thing that they could complement each other's advantages and be loyal to each other.

Pei Xingjian laughed happily. Some things can only be understood and not expressed in words. They require mutual understanding, but some things must be said clearly, not only to avoid suspicion and misunderstanding from the other party, but also to put a moral shackle on oneself.

Some people, once they say something, it’s like nails that have been driven into the ground, and they will never repent.

Xue Rengui thought Pei Xingjian was such a person, and Pei Xingjian also believed that Xue Rengui was such a person. The two of them talked it out and from then on they supported each other in their careers and never betrayed each other.

"In that case, Rengui should return to the Western Regions immediately and lead the army to guard Suiye City, intimidate the various Hu tribes, and control the various tribes. If the Arabs dare to invade, we must strike them head-on and let everyone in the world know that the territory of our Tang Dynasty is inviolable!"

"Here!"

Xue Rengui agreed, hesitating slightly: "But if Duke Lu returns to the capital, the defense force in Hexi will be insufficient..."

"Don't worry, Rengui!"

Pei Xingjian uttered a "huh" and a fierce look appeared on his handsome face: "Let's talk to Lu Dongzan first. If he knows what's best for him, it's fine to let him live. But if he insists on his wrongdoing, I would rather ruin the war situation in Tubo than allow even a single soldier from the Gar tribe to invade Hexi!"

Hearing this, Xue Rengui was completely relieved and said with a smile: "I naturally believe in the ability of the Grand Protector. The only worry is that he will be lucky in order to preserve his achievements, thus missing the opportunity and making a big mistake. The Grand Protector can put the safety of Hexi above his own achievements. I admire him very much."

Although the "Tibetan Strategy" was proposed by Fang Jun, drafted by the Ministry of War, and implemented by Pei Xingjian, once it succeeded, the greatest credit would naturally belong to Pei Xingjian. With this achievement, Pei Xingjian could rise to the top in one step and enter the core, and even reap the benefits for the rest of his life.

Who can remain indifferent to such a great achievement?
But once Lu Dongzan rebelled, the Tang Dynasty sent troops to Qinghai Lake to suppress him, which meant that the "Tibetan Strategy" had completely failed. Not only was it ineffective, but it was also a mistake. With so much food, fodder and military equipment continuously supporting Lun Qinling, someone had to take the blame, and the person who took the blame was none other than Pei Xingjian...

Pei Xingjian snorted and said dissatisfiedly: "In your eyes, am I the kind of person who doesn't care about the overall situation? I am really honored that you have traveled thousands of miles from the Western Regions to Hexi to advise me!"

Jiaohe City is thousands of miles away from Shandan City. Xue Rengui traveled all the way in a hurry and slept in the open air. It is impossible that he came here just to report the movements of the Arab army to him. His real purpose must be to persuade him in person not to ignore the overall situation of Hexi for his own benefit.

He felt both dissatisfied with Xue Rengui's lack of trust in him and touched by the fact that the other party had come thousands of miles to advise him, fearing that he might make a mistake.

Xue Rengui laughed and said, "I am a lowly person in vain. I did not trust the character of the Grand Protector. However, there are many days ahead. We can learn from each other, promote each other, work together, and make great achievements. I will be appointed as a general and a prime minister, and this life will not be in vain!"

"To be appointed as a general and prime minister is not in vain!"

Pei Xingjian stretched out his hand, and Xue Rengui also stretched out his hand. They clasped their hands tightly and laughed at each other.

When it was completely dark, Xue Rengui stood up and said goodbye: "The Arabs are about to send troops. The situation in the Western Regions is precarious. I will get up and return to the Western Regions to prepare for war. If the Arabs come, I will definitely imitate the actions of the general and kill them all!"

After saying that, he turned around and strode away.