Da Tang: Father, can I resign?

Chapter 294 Qibi Heli's Road of No Return
Prime Minister Ashina's words were like a huge rock thrown into the water. The sound quickly faded, but the waves did not subside for a long time.

The Liangyi Hall was completely silent as the emperor and his ministers were calculating the pros and cons.

Everyone is well aware of the disadvantages of being the initiator of a civil war.

Not only would he become the target of public criticism, but he would also have to face the well-rested Ming defenders.

Li Ming was quite smart in his strategy. He first took the Yishui-Taishan defense line, which was a large river that was easy to defend but difficult to attack, and then he sat back and waited for the Tang army to suffer heavy losses.

What's worse is that not only does the Tang Dynasty not have the advantage of taking the initiative, but it is also under the debuff aura of "hyperinflation".

From both tactical and strategic perspectives, firing the first shot is not a wise choice.

But, we have to fight.

Just wasting time with the Ming Dynasty, with both sides competing with each other in civil and political affairs, which just fell into Li Ming's comfort zone.

War is full of uncertainties, and perhaps great efforts can produce miracles; but if compared with governing a country, it is tantamount to chronic suicide.

"There's no solution to this conspiracy..." Li Chengqian felt his scalp tingling.

"Your Majesty, I have a plan." Li Zhi on the side spoke suddenly.

All eyes turned to him.

It can be said that Li Zhi's appearance at the small court meeting was both unexpected and reasonable.

The traitor suddenly transformed himself into the legitimate crown prince of the Tang Dynasty and assisted the emperor in his duties. There was nothing wrong with the procedure.

Emotionally, although Li Zhi's turn was a bit drastic, all his ministers gladly accepted it.

Benevolence is perhaps one of the few advantages that the new emperor has over the retired emperor.

"Oh? If your royal brother has any good ideas, feel free to tell me." Li Chengqian said gently.

Li Zhi said loudly:

"We may have to go to war, but it's unlikely that we will go to war."

Everyone: "?"

Li Chengqian asked in confusion:
"Royal brother, what do you mean by this?"

"What I mean is..." Li Zhi said slowly:
"Our Tang army will not move, but the Turks can move first."

"Turks?" Li Chengqian raised his eyebrows, suddenly realizing:

"Yes, Turk..."

After gaining a firm foothold in Chang'an and competing with Li Ming in a battle of wits and courage, he almost forgot about those poor brothers.

The current northern grasslands can be roughly described as "divided into three parts".

The New Turks controlled by the Tang Dynasty were in the west, and the eastern homeland of the former Xueyantuo Khanate controlled by Li Ming was in the east.

As for the middle, there are neutral wild monsters that are temporarily out of control on both sides and sometimes rebel and sometimes surrender.

Ashina She'er's eyes lit up:
"This is a brilliant plan! The Turkic cavalry only needs to attack from west to east, and they can take Yinshan Mountain by surprise and threaten Yanshan Mountain."

After crossing Yanshan Mountain, you can reach Pingzhou with just one step on the accelerator.

Now there is only one small problem: how to send the Turks to the foot of Yanshan Mountain.

The ministers also discovered this problem:

"The distance between Xin Turkestan and Yanshan is more than a thousand miles, and there are dozens or even hundreds of nomadic tribes in between. How can we cross such a long distance?"

This brings us to Ashina She'er's professional scope.

"The Turkic cavalry used horses as walking equipment and could travel several hundred miles in a day and night, so it would not take long for them to reach Yanshan.

"As for the tribes that stand in the way, there is no need to worry. They are not enemies, but allies that can be won over."

Li Chengqian leaned forward slightly, obviously more interested in the topic of nomadism:
"How do you see it, Lord Ling?"

Ashina She'er talks freely:

"Because the Pseudo-Ming's expansion of power did not penetrate deep into the grasslands, the farthest it reached was only the eastern foot of Yin Mountain."

"According to the nature of nomadism, the winner takes all. If Li Ming really defeats all the tribes, then all the people on the grassland will gather and join him.

"In this way, the entire Khanate will worship him as Khan, and how can the power of the Pseudo-Ming Dynasty be limited to Yinshan?

Li Chengqian nodded slightly.

He participated in the whole process of the rise of the New Turks and witnessed how the unruly Turks, after being beaten up by the Heavenly Khan, knelt down and licked the Khan's boots and were willing to serve as his vanguard.

This just confirms what Prime Minister Ashina said.

"The fact that the Pseudo-Ming Dynasty has not made much progress in the grasslands is enough to prove that it has not been recognized by the various tribes in the grasslands."

Ashina She'er continued:
"We can fight for the tribes they can't win. If we use the Heavenly Khan as our banner, lead these nomads to defeat the pseudo-Ming, and promise them plunder, they will naturally come to us."

Li Shiji agrees:
"The enemy's strategic focus is on the Dahe and Qilu lines, and the threat to the northwest grasslands is mainly defensive.

"If we use the New Turks, we can bypass their river defenses and attack from the front and back of Yanshan, catching them off guard.

"When the north and south sides advance together, the grand plan can be accomplished."

Although Brother Li Shiji made some mistakes, fortunately they were not issues of principle.

After being kicked into the Dali Temple prison by the retired emperor and symbolically staying there for a few days to calm down, he was quickly rescued and reinstated when the new emperor ascended the throne.

This is also a standard operation for a father to create opportunities for his son to do favors.

The Tang Dynasty is in need of people at this moment. Li Shiji's military talent is on the same level as Li Jing, so he cannot cut off his own arm.

With the endorsement and certification of two grand marshals, it is tactically feasible and strategically will not bring additional moral burden and logistical pressure to the Tang Dynasty.

The new Turkic move is really a brilliant one.

Li Chengqian finally cleared his worries and smiled:
"Very good, let's do it accordingly.

"With the assistance of all these good ministers, I am like a tiger with wings. Why should I worry about the injustice in the world?"

…………

The first round of confrontation between the Ming Dynasty and the Tang Dynasty ended with the Tang Dynasty's prices soaring and the country being at a disadvantage in all aspects.

However, the Tang Dynasty was very calm, and Luoyang-Xuzhou, which directly bordered the Ming Dynasty, was calm.

Meanwhile, in the northern grasslands.

Liangzhou of the Tang Dynasty.

"It's time to go."

The great general Qibi Heli hesitated for a moment, holding the saddle, then jumped on the horse and looked down at the Turkic people under his command.

"Go east!" the Turks responded loudly, their eyes full of expectation and desire.

The loud sound of drums and trumpets made Qibi Heli's heart suddenly beat faster.

"I am still more suitable for the battlefield..." he said silently in his heart.

Unlike his brother She'er, Qibi Heli had no intention of becoming a general or a prime minister.

He declined Li Chengqian's invitation to serve as the Right Prime Minister and chose to stay in the army.

"Are you all ready?" Qibi Heli raised his whip.

"Kill!" the Turks answered in unison.

Li Chengqian did not abandon the Turks after they had served their purpose. After escorting the Heavenly Khan back to Beijing, he let the Turks settle down in Liangzhou.

Those who want to settle down can do so, those who want to graze can graze, and those who want to move inland will be given household registration and land.

Life has been peaceful during these months, and no one has died of hunger or cold. This is considered good for a nomadic tribe that only eats one meal and goes hungry the next.

But over time, the sons of the grassland couldn't help but feel that something seemed to be missing in their lives.

It's less blood, less excitement, and less big windfalls.

The Turkic people became restless again.

Seeing the high morale of the crowd, Qibi Heli was inspired and raised his arms and shouted:

"Follow me to cross the Helan Mountains and unify the entire Tang Dynasty!"

"Oh~" Few people responded, and they all looked listless.

Qibi Heli's mouth twitched, and he could only switch to a language they could understand:

"Follow me to fight across Yanshan, to rob money, food and women!"

"it is good!"

Everyone responded in droves, and morale skyrocketed. …………

The new Turks were like a tiger out of a cage, effortlessly crossing the Helan Mountains and entering the Hetao area.

They were invincible, and the neutral tribes along the way were beaten to pieces and routed.

Everything is going smooth.

It was a bit too smooth, which made Qibi Heli feel uneasy in his heart.

It’s strange, why are these barbarian tribes so vulnerable?
Has it really become a neutral wild monster?

Is it that the Eastern Turks are too strong?

"Have mercy, Khan! We are also Turks, and Turks do not kill Turks."

Another neutral tribe was conquered by the new Turks, and its leader knelt down at Qibi Heli's feet, crying bitterly.

"You are also a Turk? Are you worthy of being a Turk?"

Qibi Heli spat with a look of disgust on his face.

According to Ashina She'er's established strategy and nomadic practices, the surrendered tribes should be directly incorporated into his own army and jointly attack eastward.

However, Qibi Heli did not really want to do so.

Because he conquered many tribes along the way, but they were all scum with no fighting power and fighting will, and they collapsed at the first touch.

Recruiting these spineless people into one's own troops would only slow down the march and create weak links in the battle line, thus dragging down the entire army.

"No, how could the Turks be so cowardly?"

Qibi Heli gradually realized that the situation was a little strange.

“It’s not that we are too strong, but that these nomadic tribes have become weaker.

"But why..."

It has only been a few months since Li Shimin and Li Chengqian were defeated and lost contact in the northern border.

No major disaster occurred.

How did these brave and barbaric nomads suddenly become a weak force and surrender at the slightest touch?
"What on earth has happened on the grassland in the past few months?"

Qibi Heli couldn't help but ask.

The leader wiped his nose:
"Nothing has happened. We are just carrying out Tengri's will in the world."

Carrying out Tengri's will... Qibi Heli felt that the Khan's statement seemed a bit strange, but he couldn't point out specifically what was strange.

Because Tengri is the traditional belief of the Turks, this group of tribes did not convert to anything suspicious.

but……

Qibi Heli always had a feeling that was hard to describe, and he glanced at the tribe that had just surrendered.

The ordinary tribesmen were all pale and thin, as dry as an old horse that had just survived the winter. Their nutritional situation was quite poor, which was in sharp contrast to the tall and strong new Turks.

People like this, let alone fighting, seem to have their skinny frames falling apart if they were jolted by the horse's back.

No wonder they collapsed at the first blow.

Did they suffer from famine caused by some natural disaster?
Not like.

During the most difficult autumn and winter seasons, these nomadic tribes could still chase after Li Shimin, or go south to burn, kill and loot all the way to the river.

How come after a mild and livable spring and summer, the same group of people suddenly can’t get enough to eat?

What's more, the horses of this tribe had bright fur and the livestock were quite fat, so they were obviously well fed and there was no sign of famine at all.

Among these beasts, the fattest one is the tearful leader.

Qibi Heli raised his foot and kicked the guy hard in the butt.

"You're eating so much, why don't you share some with your people?!" he cursed.

"Oh my, oh my, Khan, spare me!"

The leader, whose edge had been worn down by his superior life, held his head weakly and groaned like a woman:

"Don't blame me...it's them, they volunteered!"

"Volunteer?"

Qibi Heli did not find the chief's humorous remarks funny.

There is no need to say more about the nature of the barbarians.

He was the kind of person who would rebel even if the spoils were not divided equally.

But this tribe...

Qibi Heli looked around.

The tribesmen were lying lazily on the ground, not caring about their filthiness. They looked like a group of beggars.

But they did not feel that they were miserable at all, nor did they think there was anything wrong with being exploited by their leader. They sat peacefully and happily around the statue, rolling around in the mud quite contentedly.

This is not an isolated case.

As the new Turks crossed the Helan Mountains and advanced eastward, all the tribes they encountered looked like this:

There is no fighting capacity at all, the gap between the rich and the poor is quite huge, and the lower classes have no intention of rebelling at all.

What happened? How did these naturally rebellious barbarians suddenly change their nature and become gentle, kind, respectful, frugal and modest?
If it were in the Central Plains, which emperor would dare to exploit the lower classes so blatantly? The people would definitely tear up the entire ceiling.

Are you right, Emperor Yang of Sui?
"What are they worshipping?" Qibi Heli asked, pointing at the statue that the people were surrounding.

Those statues are made of pure copper and the carving craftsmanship is also very exquisite.

In the grassland area, a small tribe might not even be able to afford an iron pot, and copper was an even rarer luxury.

Using bronze statues, and not just one or two, but several, the cost is difficult to estimate.

If they could spend half of their energy on ordinary herdsmen and soldiers, they wouldn't be so vulnerable.

"That is the supreme god of our Turkic people, Tengri."

The leader said piously.

"You said that was Tengri?" Qibi Heli was confused.

It’s not like he hasn’t been exposed to shamanism before. When did Tengri have such an expensive and specific image?
"Khan, it seems that you still don't know the secrets of my great Tengri religion."

Seeing that there was no one around, the leader lowered his voice and whispered in Qibi Heli's ear, telling him everything about this modified "Tengri religion", the caste system tied to it, and most importantly, the usefulness of this system of hierarchy in consolidating the rule of their aristocratic class.

Qibi Heli was greatly shocked and immediately became furious:

"This is heresy! If you dare to spread this poisonous superstition again, I will burn you to death!"

The leader immediately shut up and trembled.

"Get out of here!"

Qibi Heli kicked the guy hard in the fat face, knocking him unconscious.

If it weren't for His Majesty's order to pacify the surrendered tribes, he would have stabbed this fat pig to death with a single blow.

As a savvy Turk, although Qibi Heli had only half-learned Chinese culture, it was enough for him to resist this system that corrupted people's hearts.

He agrees with "cultivating oneself, managing the family, governing the country and pacifying the world", and he believes that "Heaven moves with vigor and the gentleman strives for self-improvement".

He was extremely disgusted by the perverse theories of the ruling class that deceived the people for their own selfish interests and tricked the lower classes into submitting to fate.

Although the grassland tribes in the past were barbaric and greedy, they were also full of energy and enterprising spirit and were a vibrant group.

And now, these people who have been brainwashed by religion, lifeless and dull... only make Qibi Heli feel a chill that penetrates his bones.

"Is it because of this evil Tengri religion that the tribes of the grassland have become so useless?"

Qibi Heli was pondering secretly.

But his current mission is not to diagnose the various tribes on the grassland, but to launch a surprise attack on Yanshan.

He doesn't have much time to waste.

"Destroy all these evil statues and set off immediately!"

Qibi Heli did not want to stay here for a moment. Ignoring the wailing of local tribesmen, he gave firm orders to his subordinates and galloped towards the east on his horse.

Behind him, without him noticing, the chieftains of the New Turkic tribes had a brief conversation with the local nobles, their eyes sparkling with a different light.

"These statues are made of pure copper. It would be a pity to destroy them. Let's take them secretly. He won't search our tent anyway."

(End of this chapter)