Tang Dynasty, my wife Wu Zetian

Chapter 129 Tian Khan

The capital of Shi State, Tuozhi City.

Helu stood on the city wall, glanced sideways at the King of Shi State, and said, "Shihan, this Khan is in dire straits. I never thought that you would save me."

The King of the Stone Kingdom touched his chest and said, "You are the eagle of the grassland and the only Khan in my heart. Naturally, I must help you."

Helu nodded and said, "I killed your princess. I am sorry for you. In the future, I will definitely find a better woman and give her to you as your princess."

The King of the Stone Kingdom smiled and said, "She was willing to sacrifice herself for the greatest Khan of the grasslands. Even if she died, it was a worthy death."

Helu laughed heartily, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Very good. When I defeat the Tang army, I will appoint you as Yehu, and you will protect the Shi Kingdom forever!"

At this time, a man climbed up the city wall and said to Helu, "Father, the troops from all tribes have gathered together, totaling more than 100,000 cavalry." It was his son Diyun.

After Helu's tent was breached, he fled all the way and had almost no place to stay. Fortunately, he was taken in by the king of the Shi Kingdom.

He stayed in Shiguo and ordered all tribes to gather at Yaoshashui near Shiguo.

Helu hummed, "Where are the Tang troops?"

Di Yun said, "The Tang army has just crossed the Yidi River and is setting up camp west of the river."

Helu asked, "How many people are there?"

Di Yun said, "Including the Huihe soldiers, there are only about 10,000 men in total."

Helu laughed and said, "Very good. They have few soldiers. Ten of us can defeat one. How can we not defeat the Tang people?"

Di Yun said, "Then we must fight quickly and decisively to prevent the Tang army's follow-up troops from arriving."

Helu knew he was referring to Xue Rengui.

Helu had already heard about the results of the battle at Yancheng. Even someone like him felt a chill down his spine when he heard that 30,000 people had been beheaded by the Tang army at Yancheng.

In his mind, Xue Rengui was already a Tang army general as formidable as Su Dingfang, and he must not allow these two to meet.

"Orders, the army must immediately prepare for battle and fight the Tang army to the death!"

Two hours later, Helu led his personal soldiers to leave Tuozhi City.

The King of Shi Kingdom looked at his departing back, a cold light flashing in his eyes. With a "click", he pushed the scimitar in his hand an inch with his thumb.

"Prepare five hundred ambush soldiers and lie in ambush behind the city gate," he ordered.

One of the guards said, "Your Majesty, do you think Helu can't defeat the Tang army? Although the Tang army is strong, they are too few in number."

The King of the Stone Kingdom snorted coldly, "Can't you see that Helu has lost his nerve? His fingers were shaking just now, and he was just pretending to be calm. If he's like this, let alone the other Turks, they will definitely be defeated!"

The King of the Stone Kingdom sent out a hundred scouts to keep going back and forth to gather information on the military situation ahead.

Almost every moment of tea, a scout would report the latest news.

"Report, the Tang army has formed up west of the Yedi River. The infantry, armed with spears and wearing armor, are surrounding the southern plains, while the cavalry are arrayed on the northern plains."

"Report, Helu has arrived at the Yide River and is confronting the Tang army."

"Report: Helu sent the Duolu tribe to attack the Tang army's Nanyuan infantry formation, but failed to succeed."

"Report, Helu sent the Nushibi troops to attack the Tang army's Nanyuan infantry formation, but failed!"

"Report, Helu personally led his troops to attack the Tang army's Nanyuan infantry formation, but failed!"

"Report, the Tang army's Beiyuan cavalry counterattacked Helu, and Helu's army was defeated!"

"Report, the Tang army is pursuing Helu's army for thirty miles. Helu is leading dozens of cavalrymen towards Tuozhi City."

It was already dark. The King of the Stone Kingdom drew his scimitar and sneered, "Let him come. I will personally avenge Nalu!"

Not long after, Helu came fleeing with his personal soldiers and shouted from a distance: "Open the door quickly, I am Helu."

The city gate was quickly opened, and Helu rode his horse into the city. Suddenly, his whole body shook and he flew out.

It turned out that there was a tripwire on the ground.

As Helu stood up, a scimitar was placed on his neck. It was the King of the Stone Kingdom.

He heard screams one after another, and when Helu looked back, he saw that all his personal soldiers had been killed.

"Shihan, are you crazy? I am Helu Khan!" Helu said angrily.

The King of the Stone Kingdom said nothing, but said coldly: "Do it!"

In an instant, several soldiers pressed the red-hot iron clamps into Helu's body.

Helu let out screams.

One of the iron clamps pressed against his face, making a sizzling sound and burning the flesh on his face.

"Shi Han, if you want to hand me over to the Tang people, just tie me up. Why are you torturing me?" Helu asked in a trembling voice.

The King of the Stone Kingdom's eyes flashed with tears as he said, "You burned my beloved Nalu alive. I will let you taste her pain!"

Helu was shocked and asked, "Are you here to avenge her? Then why did you take me in in the first place?"

The King of the Stone Nation said in a deep voice, "Your tribe was not damaged. If I had killed you then, your men would have destroyed the Stone Nation. I cannot harm those innocent people for my own selfish desires."

Helu cursed: "If you harm me now, they will not forgive you."

The King of Shi Kingdom shook his head and said, "No, Helu, the Ten Surnames Turkic tribes that you are so proud of have been defeated by the Tang army and no longer pose a threat to Shi Kingdom."

At this moment, a scout rushed in and said, "Your Majesty, a Tang general named Xiao Siye has caught up with us and ordered us to hand over Helu!"

The King of Shi State burned Helu's face with an iron clamp again, and then ordered everyone: "Open the city gates, follow me out of the city, and present Helu to the Tang people!"

Nine women, standing naked on a blanket.

Ashina Buzhen held three rope loops in his hands, his eyes wandering over the nine women.

When Bu Zhen first surrendered to the Tang Dynasty, he brought with him thousands of people. These people were settled in Liangzhou, and nine Turkic women were sent to Bu Zhen every year.

These nine women were just sent here.

Bu Zhen understands the thoughts of the people in the tribe.

They all heard that Su Dingfang had defeated Helu's tribe near the Yide River.

Therefore, they all hoped that Bu Zhen would ask the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty for permission to lead them back to Turkestan and become the new Khan of Western Turkestan.

By then, Bu Zhen will become the Khan, and those who have followed him for many years will also have made contributions to the Khan, and naturally they will be promoted.

Bu Zhen was also eager to try.

Unlike Mishe, he was not nostalgic for the prosperity of Chang'an.

He prefers the free life on the grassland.

He wanted to be the king of the grassland.

Bu Zhen placed the rope loops around the necks of the three strongest women and turned to head towards the tent.

He set up a tent in the backyard of his mansion and lived a life similar to that on the grassland.

Three Turkic women followed into the tent, and soon lewd moans were heard from inside the tent.

At this moment, a Turkic general came into the tent and shouted, "Alang, someone wants to see you."

"Let him wait."

The Turkic general said, "It is the leader of the Turgesh tribe, Uchiler."

Soon, the curtain was opened and Bu Zhen walked out shirtless. He asked, "Where is the person?"

The family general said, "It's in the back hall."

On the north side of the back hall, there is a large tiger skin chair and many animal skulls are hung on the wall.

A Turkic youth was staring at a bull's head skeleton. Suddenly, he heard footsteps. Turning around, he saw Bu Zhen striding towards him.

"Wuzhile, hello to Yehu!" He knelt on one knee and saluted with his hand on his chest.

Bu Zhen walked past him, sat down on the tiger-skin chair, looked up at him, and said, "How did the Turgesh leader become you? Where is your father?"

Wu Zhile said in a deep voice, "My father was killed by Xue Rengui. Most of the men in the tribe were killed or injured. The remaining people elected me as their leader."

Bu Zhen snorted coldly: "This is what happens when you follow Helu in betraying the Tang Dynasty!"

Wu Zhile lowered his head and said, "Helu was too powerful at that time. If we hadn't submitted to him, we would have been wiped out by him!"

Bu Zhen shouted, "When the Tang army marched west, I wrote to you asking you to surrender. Why didn't you listen?"

Wuzhile was silent for a moment, then said, "Buzhen Yehu, I dare not hide it from you. At that time, everyone thought that the Heavenly Khan was dead, and Helu would become the next Heavenly Khan!"

Bu Zhen sneered, "What a nobody Helu is! He's just a side branch of the Turkic royal family. The current Emperor of the Tang Dynasty will be the next Heavenly Khan!"

Wu Zhile said, "I understand now, so I have come to submit to you. I just don't know if the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty will still accommodate us."

Bu Zhen snorted, "Your Majesty is merciful and won't kill you all. But why is it just you? Where are the other four chiefs of the Dulu tribe?"

Wu Zhile said, "They are leading their people to flee everywhere. The Western Regions are in chaos now. The Tang army, the Nine Tiele Clans, and the Twelve Kingdoms of the Western Regions are all surrounding them."

Bu Zhen shook his head and said, "I can't believe that such a powerful Turkic eagle has fallen into such a state of being bullied by the small countries in the Western Regions and the Tiele people."

Wuzhile shouted: "Buzhen Yehu, please ask Zoutian Khan to become the new Khan of Western Turkestan, so that we can once again become the eagles of the grasslands!"

Bu Zhen said, "I have already asked the emperor for permission. Unfortunately, your actions of following Helu have made him very angry, and he finds it difficult to trust you."

Wuzhile asked anxiously, "How can the Heavenly Khan trust us again?"

Bu Zhen said, "Tell all the leaders of the Dulu tribe to come to Chang'an in person to pay homage and surrender, and then I will speak for you."

Wu Zhile said: "That's no problem, but when the time comes, will the Heavenly Khan allow you to be our Khan?"

Bu Zhen said in a deep voice, "I can't confirm this either. Mishe submitted to the Tang Dynasty before me, and he knows how to please the Emperor. Perhaps the Emperor will make him Khan."

Wuzhile said, "I have a plan that can help you become Khan."

Bu Zhen said: "Speak!"

Wu Zhile said, "You can ask the Heavenly Khan for permission to have you command the Wunushibi tribe and Mishe command the Wudulu tribe. The Heavenly Khan will surely agree."

Bu Zhen nodded.

The Dulu tribe supported him, and the Nushibi tribe supported Mishe.

Now if we let him lead the Nushibi tribe and Mishe lead the Dulu tribe, it will be difficult for them to betray. The emperor can rest assured and will definitely agree.

"But even so, I am only half a Khan."

Wuzhile laughed and said, "When Mishe leads us, I will unite with the other four chiefs and frame him for rebellion. The Heavenly Khan will surely kill him and let you lead us!"

Bu Zhen was overjoyed and said, "What a great idea! I'll report this to the Emperor right away!"

(End of this chapter)