Tiantang Splendid

Chapter 5120 Hostage Taking
Ashina Helu was shocked and angry, and shouted: "Asshole! Although I have done wrong things in the past, I have long since reformed and sworn to be loyal to the Tang Dynasty. I have no intention of rebellion in my heart. If I break this oath, I am willing to be devoured by lightning and die! As descendants of the Turks, they have no intention of serving the Wolf God, and as subjects of the Tang Dynasty, they have no intention of being loyal to our emperor. They are so shameless that they are biased and follow whoever feeds them!"

Mishe and Buzhen were furious. They stood up suddenly and were about to retort.

"Dang Dang!"

Fang Jun turned over his palm and tapped the coffee table with his knuckles.

Mishe and Buzhen were startled and quickly lowered their heads and chests, not daring to make a sound.

Fang Jun said kindly: "You are all brothers. After all, there is a hierarchy of seniority. How can we ignore the hierarchy? You two stand aside."

"Here!"

Mishe and Buzhen didn't dare to say much. They moved to the side, stood still with their hands behind their backs, and behaved well.

Fang Jun raised his hand: "General, please take a seat."

Ashina Helu said hurriedly: "My family is in misfortune. I have neglected to discipline them. I have made the general laugh at me."

Only then did he take his seat.

He glanced at Mi She and Bu Zhen, feeling extremely flustered.

As brothers of the same clan, no one knew better than him how wild and unruly these two were. Yet, when facing Fang Jun, they were as obedient, docile and well-behaved as loyal dogs. It was really abnormal.

Could it be that during the time I arrived late, they had already reached some kind of contract with Fang Jun?

Fang Jun called his father and son over again, perhaps intending to eliminate him, the Turkic leader in name only, and divide the power of the Turkic tribe among Mishe and Buzhen?
Thinking of this, Ashina Helu was terrified and felt like he was sitting on pins and needles.

……

However, contrary to his expectations, Fang Jun treated him warmly afterwards, only asking whether Mohe City had enough food and fodder, whether military equipment needed support, whether the situation north of Tingzhou was stable, whether the various Hu tribes were loyal to the Tang Dynasty, and whether they had any rebellious intentions...

Ashina Helu did not dare to slack off and answered them carefully one by one.

Fang Jun had a smile on his face, and seemed very satisfied. He said with a smile: "The Tang Dynasty has always treated the Hu people who surrendered to the Tang Dynasty equally and without any suspicion. The general and the two brothers should work together to stabilize the situation in Tingzhou, Xizhou and other places. Your Majesty is clear about rewards and punishments, and will certainly not bury your contributions."

Speaking of the Tang emperor, Ashina Helu dared not sit still. He stood up and bowed to the ground in the direction of Chang'an, saying with emotion: "We, the descendants of the Turks, have long given up the idea of ​​restoration. We only wish to become citizens of the Tang Dynasty and enjoy long-term peace and prosperity under your Majesty's rule. If any foreign race covets the territory of the Tang Dynasty and dares to raise an army to invade, we are willing to serve your Majesty and fight on the battlefield. Even if we die on the battlefield, it will be an honor!"

Fang Junzhuang was very satisfied, clapped his hands and laughed: "Great! We are loyal to Your Majesty and serve the Tang Dynasty. We should work together to build meritorious service! The three of you have come from afar and have worked hard. I have prepared a banquet. Let's get drunk together!"

At the banquet, Ashina Helu became more and more frightened when facing Fang Jun's frequent toasts.

Who in the world doesn't know that Fang Jun can drink as much as the sea and never get drunk even if he drinks a thousand cups?
Did he want to get me drunk and then leave me in the wild to freeze to death without anyone noticing?
……

Fortunately, all the worries did not come true.

After the banquet, Ashina Helu and his son were placed in a room inside the government office to rest. When the waiter left, Di Yun went out and looked around, then came back and closed the door. He came to Ashina Helu and said nervously, "Mishe and Buzhen, those two bastards, could it be that they are conspiring with Fang Jun to harm my father?"

Ashina Helu took a sip of strong tea, frowned, and shook his head, saying, "How can I tell now? But even if it's not the case, those two beasts must have the intention to harm me, so I must be on guard."

Di Yun said anxiously: "How can we prevent this? The enemy is in the dark and I am in the light, it is impossible to prevent it!"

Although they, father and son, now control the largest force of the Turks and are direct descendants of the Khan, Mishe and Buzhen are also powerful. Once they get the assistance and support of the Tang Dynasty, it is not impossible for them to unite and capture Mohe City.

Ashina Helu said in a deep voice: "The Tang people may not support them. After all, what benefit will it bring to the Tang people if they are allowed to replace me?"

Di Yun reminded: "But we secretly connected with Lu Dongzan before, intending to plot against Xi and Ting states, and use this to restore the Khanate!"

Ashina Helu suddenly came to his senses, slammed the table in anger, and cursed: "You old thief has misled me!"

But who could have thought that Lu Dongzan, a great Tibetan minister, leader of the Gar tribe, and stationed in Fuqi City, would be captured by Fang Jun and completely betray him?

He thought he could take advantage of the opportunity of the Arabs invading the Western Regions and Lu Dongzan cutting off Hexi, but he stepped into a deep pit and was in danger of his entire family and army being wiped out.

"What do we do now?"

"Don't be impatient, wait a moment."

"Wait? Isn't that just waiting to die?"

"Calm down!" Ashina Helu scolded in a low voice: "When encountering major events, you need to be calm and remain calm. Don't you understand these principles? You are my son, and the heir of the Turkic bloodline in the future. If you panic and lose your mind when encountering something, how can you take on major responsibilities?"

Di Yun shrank his neck and dared not say more.

There was a knock on the door.

The father and son looked at each other and swallowed their saliva. Could it be that he was here to deal with them?

Di Yun came to the door nervously and asked, "Who is knocking?"

Someone outside the door said in a deep voice: "I am General Gao Deyi, on the orders of the Marshal, to invite you and your son to come and meet me. There is something important to discuss."

Ashina Helu and Di Yun looked at each other and nodded.

Di Yun said: "Please wait a moment, General. I will be right there."

……

The father and son went out together. Ashina Helu looked up at the gloomy sky and the flying snowflakes. He felt heavy and nervous, not knowing what he would face.

This meeting was held in the back hall of the government office, and Mishe and Buzhen were not present, which made Ashina Helu and his son suddenly feel relieved...

When they entered, they saw Fang Jun, Lu Dongzan, Pei Xingjian and Xue Rengui all sitting there, but their eyes were on the father and son. The atmosphere was solemn. Fang Jun did not offer his seat as he had done before, and the father and son's hearts, which had just been relieved, were lifted again.

After a while, when the father and son were both worried, Fang Jun slowly said, "The general is rebellious and intends to rebel against the Tang Dynasty. Do you admit it?"

Ashina Helu's head buzzed. What he feared was coming true. He glanced at Lu Dongzan cautiously, and saw that he had drooping eyelids and no expression. He secretly cursed his ancestors in his heart, then swallowed his saliva and knelt on one knee.

"I hope you will understand, Grand Commandant. I was deceived by the thieves and had evil intentions. I deserve death! But after that, I have realized my mistakes and will never help the thieves to do evil, considering the trust of Emperor Taizong and the important position of the current emperor!"

It is impossible to deny it. Lu Dongzan has already turned against him and must have handed over the letters between them to Fang Jun. It is better to admit his mistake honestly.

He has rebelled against the Tang Dynasty more than once, but to this day, isn't he still recognized as the leader of the Turks by the Tang Dynasty?

As long as his strength remains, the Tang Dynasty will be cautious and may not necessarily kill him.

After all, although I have a rebellious heart, it has not yet become a fait accompli, and there may still be room for easing the situation...

Fang Jun nodded: "I can understand the difficulties of the general. Although the Turkic nation has been destroyed, the bloodline is not extinguished. There will always be one or two people who do not know how to advance or retreat and try to restore the country and become enemies with the Tang Dynasty. The general is caught in the middle and is in a dilemma... I see that your son is handsome and smart. I have recommended him to the Honglu Temple. He can take up an official position in Chang'an. I wonder what you think, father and son?"

Ashina Helu and his son were stunned on the spot, and Di Yun's eyes were wide open, looking at the father and son with pleading eyes.

Chang'an is indeed a place that people all over the world yearn for. They dream of setting foot on the land of Chang'an in their lifetime, appreciating the charm of the prosperous Tang Dynasty, experiencing the wealth and luxury of the world's number one city, and feeling the long history of Chinese civilization.

But if I go to Chang'an as a hostage, what good outcome will that have?
The head was held by the Tang people. Even if Ashina Helu did not rebel, the Tang people would kill him as a sacrifice just because of a misunderstanding...

Ashina Helu seemed to be unable to sense his son's plea. Upon hearing this, he was immediately delighted and readily agreed: "Are you serious, Taiwei? Oh, to be an official in the Tang Dynasty is what we Turks dream of. It is to be blessed by the Wolf God! Why don't you thank Taiwei quickly? Foreigners who serve as officials in the Tang Dynasty are all outstanding figures, and not everyone can go there if they want to! When you arrive in Chang'an, you must pay a visit to the Prince of Huaihua and ask for his advice from time to time. Don't slack off!"

"Prince of Huaihua" is Ashina Simo. Although they both have the surname "Ashina", the two families have no direct blood relationship. Ashina Simo was an Eastern Turkic noble. After the demise of his country, he surrendered to the Tang Dynasty and was granted the title of Prince of Huaihua by Emperor Taizong, in charge of the Eastern Turkic tribes that migrated inland.

Ashina Helu is of Western Turkic descent, and his current status is equivalent to that of the leaders of the Turkic tribes that have not yet migrated inland. He and Ashina Simo can be described as the "scum" of the two great khanates of Eastern and Western Turks, one inside and one outside...

The reason why I mentioned Ashina Simo was to hint to Fang Jun that I could also be as loyal to the Tang Dynasty as Ashina Simo and never have second thoughts...

Di Yun swallowed his saliva and nodded with a sad face: "Thank you for your kindness, General. I will be loyal to the Tang Dynasty and will never have second thoughts!"

Before Fang Jun could speak, Ashina Helu said generously: "I heard that the Arab Empire is ready to make a move and intends to send troops to invade the Western Regions again. I am not talented, but I am willing to lead the young men of my clan to fight for the Tang Dynasty. Even if I die on the horse's hide, I will not turn back!"

The matter of raising an army was no longer mentioned. As long as Fang Jun still had doubts about him, Mishe and Buzhen would attack Mohe City with his support...

Since there is no possibility of success, we must accept the punishment decisively and express our willingness to be the vanguard of the Tang Dynasty, even at the cost of fire and water.

To be hesitant and harbor illusions at this time is the way to death.