Tang Dynasty: The Holy Prince, the Dragon that Reigns Over the World

Songtsen Gampo was defeated by the Tang army one after another, his food and grass were burned, and his way back to Beijing was blocked. Zhuge Fu led the Tang army to besiege him under the city of Damu. At this time, Songtsen Gampo could only curse Li Chengqian every day and worry about it.

When the Tang envoy tried to persuade them to surrender, Songtsen Gampo was furious and wanted to kill the envoy, but was dissuaded by the Tubo national teacher Dugu Wuwang. In a rage, Songtsen Gampo sent the envoy to tell Zhuge Fu that the two armies would fight in three days.

After Songtsen Gampo calmed down, he found out that it was a deadly battle for his side to fight against the powerful Tang army of more than 5 with only newly defeated soldiers, and there was no chance of winning. However, if he retreated at this time, he would completely lose his prestige in Tubo.

But if he fought against the Tang Dynasty for the sake of face, the remaining 5 elite and loyal warriors under his command would be completely wiped out. The situation of the three-division of Tubo could not be reversed. Without these 5 elite soldiers, not to mention that the Subi and Yangtong tribes would be able to destroy him. Even the princes and ministers within Tubo would take the opportunity to overthrow his rule. Without these 5 elite soldiers, his position as the King Songtsen Gampo would be over.

When Songtsen Gampo was in a dilemma, Tubo's national teacher Dugu Wuwang came with a man to ask for an audience. Songtsen Gampo saw that the man was covered in a black robe and his face was not visible. He asked in confusion.

"Who are you? Why don't you show your true face?"

The man pulled down his robe and hat and answered with a smile.

"How is your highness, the Zamp? I, the Chief Clerk of the Crown Prince's Office of the Great Tang Dynasty, the Grand Commander of the Anxi Army, the Grand Administrator of Longyou Road, and the Governor of Xizhou of the Great Tang Dynasty, Zhuge Fu, greet your highness."

"Zhuge Fu? You are so brave. You cut off my food supplies, burned my camp, occupied my city, and killed 200,000 of my Tibetan warriors. You still dare to come to my camp alone. Do you think that I have no one in Tibet? Do you want to test the edge of my sword?

"I am defeated and surrounded today because of you. I wish I could eat your flesh and sleep on your skin. Come, quickly take this thief out, fry him in oil, and let the whole army enjoy him." Songtsen Gampo said angrily.

Upon hearing this, the guards outside the tent entered the tent and angrily wanted to tie up Zhuge Fu. Tubo's national teacher Dugu Wuwang was shocked when he heard this and hurriedly tried to stop him. Zhuge Fu was not panicked either, and laughed loudly.

"I came here with the intention of dying. I can save my life in exchange for the destruction of Tubo. This deal is worth it. It's a pity that the people of Tubo will be destroyed because of your momentary anger.

Everyone says that you and my master are both heroes of the world and wise rulers, but today I see that you are no different. Fighting on the battlefield, each uses his own tactics. Victory and defeat are common in the military, and a real man can afford to win and lose. Boy, if you want to kill me, just kill me, why are you angry? Although Bendu is weak, he is also a general of the Tang Dynasty and an official of the master. If Bendu frowns, he is not a man of the Tang Dynasty. "After saying this, Zhuge Fu turned around and strode out with his head held high.

"Stop, aren't you afraid of death?" Songtsen Gampo frowned.

"Yes, everyone is afraid of death. I am also an ordinary person, how can I be ordinary?" Zhuge Fu shrugged.

"You sound so righteous, but it turns out you were just pretending. I thought people in the Tang Dynasty were not afraid of death." Songtsen Gampo said contemptuously.

"Hehe, we Han people have a saying that everyone has to die, some are heavier than Mount Tai, some are lighter than a feather. My master has also told us many times: people only have one life, their bodies and hair are given by their parents, how can we give them up lightly? Losing one's life for a moment of anger, a grudge, or a dispute over righteousness is not a brave and unfilial act, and is the kind of stupid and reckless man. In the face of major issues, those who are loyal, filial, chaste, and righteous, and who sacrifice their lives for justice, are the real heroes.

Although I, Zhuge Fu, dare not call myself a brave man, and I am afraid of death, I am deeply loved by my lord. If it were not for my lord, I would be just a country bumpkin, how could I lead the army and realize my ambitions? Now that I am a general of the Tang Dynasty, if I kneel down and beg for mercy, how can I be worthy of the official robe on my body, how can I be worthy of the trust of my lord.

Humph, but what the Zanpu said is right, the men of our Great Tang are all brave enough to die for their country. If you don't believe me, Zanpu can try it and see if there are any of the hundreds of thousands of Tang troops outside the tent who are afraid of death. "Zhuge Fu said seriously.

"There are so many righteous men in the Tang Dynasty. What brings you here, General?" Songtsen Gampo sighed and then waved away his guards.

"I came here specifically to save the Zamp." Zhuge Fu said with a smile.

"My army suffered a crushing defeat, and 200,000 men were killed at your hands. Now your army has surrounded me. My current situation is all due to you, but you said you came to save me. How can I believe it? I think that if I borrow your head, I will be out of danger. As for the Subi and Yangtong tribes, if it were not for the support of the Tang Dynasty, could they be my opponents?" Songtsen Gampo said coldly.

"Is the Zanpu a bit arrogant? Even if Bendu is killed, does the Zanpu think he can defeat the Anxi Protectorate Army led by General Guo Xiaoke? Or can he defeat the Prince's Army?

Before Bendu came, he had already issued an order that if Bendu died, the Prince's Army, led by Qin Huaiyu, would attack your army with all their might. Seeing this, General Guo would definitely go out in full force to besiege your army.

And even if your army can break out of the encirclement, return to the capital, and regroup, I can tell you responsibly that if this happens, my lord will be furious and will come to Tubo in person. By then, the Zamp will not even have the chance to surrender. "Zhuge Fu said calmly.

"At least I can relieve Li Chengqian's anger temporarily and make him lose his beloved general and an arm." Songtsen Gampo said in a timid tone.

"Zanpu is wrong again. There are so many talented people under my lord's command. Li Dejian, Xue Li and other generals of the Prince's Palace are famous for their strategic planning skills. Zhang Sun Chong, Wu Qianyuan and other Jinyiwei are so famous that the whole world is terrified. Not to mention that my lord is the crown prince of the Tang Dynasty, the heir to the throne, and has the real power of supervising the country. Many powerful generals and counselors of the Tang Dynasty are willing to serve my lord.

Fu is no more than a small official in the Prince's Mansion, a fifth-rank official. How can I make my master sad about my death? If I die, my master can use this as an excuse to completely destroy Tubo. My death will only make my master happy, so why should he be sad? The Zamp thinks highly of me.

Besides, does the Zamp really want to destroy Tubo just to relieve his anger? If so, please kill me quickly, and I can keep my reputation as a loyal righteous man. "Zhuge Fu said calmly.

"Oh, how can you save me, sir?" Facing Zhuge Fu, who was eloquent and not afraid of threats, Songtsen Gampo could only sigh.

"Before I came here, the leaders of the two tribes had accepted the canonization of the saint and officially became vassal states of the Tang Dynasty. The leaders of the two tribes who stayed behind urged me to join forces to fight the Zamp, intending to completely destroy the Zamp.

But rest assured, Zamp, this is not in line with the strategy formulated by my lord. But my Tang Dynasty has just accepted the two tribes as vassal states, and is still an alliance with the two tribes. It is inappropriate to openly let Zamp go, or oppose the opinions of the two tribes.

Therefore, I came here to tell the Zanpu that tomorrow our Tang army will fight with the Zanpu. Our army will be in the east, and the two tribes will be in the west. The Zanpu can defeat the two tribes' coalition forces and break out from the west, bypass Damu City, and return to the capital. Our Tang army will not make it difficult for you.

To show my sincerity, I have ordered people to secretly prepare 5 Tang army equipments, which are the same as those purchased by the Zamp before. "Zhuge Fu said with a smile.

Songtsen Gampo thought about it and thought that if it was true as Zhuge Fu said, he could return to the capital safely. But is the Tang Dynasty really so kind?

"Whatever the Tang Dynasty's demands are, don't tell me that the Tang Dynasty has a change of heart. I don't believe it." Songtsen Gampo said suspiciously.

"Of course, all this has a price. First of all, the Zamp must agree to divide Tubo into three parts. This is already a fact. There is nothing the Zamp can do if he disagrees. The two tribes have ceded the Greater and Lesser Bolor, as well as the area north of the line from Pangong Lake, Qiangtang to Minzhou of our Tang Dynasty, to the Tang Dynasty as a gift from the two countries. How to divide the remaining land depends on the will of my lord. Of course, the two tribes are vassal states of our Tang Dynasty, but my lord said that Tubo is still a brother country of our Tang Dynasty.

Secondly, the previous aid agreement between Tang and Tubo was already valid, and the equipment provided this time had to be purchased at the price. Tubo had to pay as soon as possible after signing the three-way agreement.

In addition, Tubo had previously agreed to marry the Tibetan princess Gesang Wangmo to the Tang Dynasty, and Tubo must complete the marriage as agreed next year, which is the 17th year of Zhenguan.

If the Zanpu agrees, the Tubo army will put up one more king chess piece tomorrow, and our army will fulfill the agreement. But I remind the Zanpu that if the Zanpu deceives our Tang Dynasty, our Tang Dynasty will also make Tubo pay a heavy price. "Zhuge Fu said.

"By doing this, Tang Dynasty isn't afraid that the two tribes will be dissatisfied and become enemies of Tang Dynasty," Songtsen Gampo asked.

"Huh, do they have the courage and strength to do so?" Zhuge Fu said proudly.

Songtsen Gampo deeply felt what it meant that strength was the guarantee of everything. If Tubo had this strength, it would be as proud as the Tang Dynasty. The current situation does not allow him to think too much. As long as the country is not destroyed, there is still hope. Songtsen Gampo is confident that as long as he is given more time, Tubo will be as powerful as the Tang Dynasty one day.

Thinking of this, Songtsen Gampo regained his confidence and spoke loudly.

"Okay, I agree to the Tang Dynasty's conditions. However, I want to have deeper cooperation and exchanges with the Tang Dynasty."

"This needs to be discussed between the Zamp and my lord, but I believe that my lord will agree." Zhuge Fu smiled slyly.

After the two men discussed how to hand over the equipment and Songtsen Gampo signed the sales agreement, Zhuge Fu was about to quietly return to the Tang army camp when Songtsen Gampo suddenly spoke in a sincere tone.

"Your Excellency's strategy and wisdom are both outstanding, how can you be resigned to a fifth-rank official position? If you can come to my Tubo to take up the position, I am willing to treat you with the same status as the three ministers of the Great Tang Dynasty, and you can also accept the title of brother king, and your status will be second only to me."

"I appreciate the kindness of the Zamp, but I am sorry that I cannot accept his invitation. Although I hold a low position, my master has great trust in me and has always entrusted me with important tasks. Moreover, my master has been very kind to me, so how can I betray him for the sake of wealth and glory? If I betray my master, I would be a disloyal person, and what use would the Zamp have to me? If my ancestor Zhuge Wuhou knew about this in his afterlife, he would definitely curse me to death in his dreams.

Besides, I don't have the ability to defeat my lord. Compared with my lord, my ability is like a firefly compared to the bright moon, or a slow horse compared to a unicorn. If the Zanpu wants to defeat my lord, he should choose someone more capable. I'm leaving now." After saying this, Zhuge Fu left the camp.

On the second day, the four parties left the camp. As Zhuge Fu said, the Tang army was in the east and the two allied armies were in the west. Songtsen Gampo also raised an extra flag as agreed. The two allied armies were eager to fight, while the Tang army seemed much more relaxed.

The leaders of the two allied armies came out to challenge, and the fierce general Tashi Doji of the Tubo army went out to fight. Tashi Doji killed four generals of the two allied armies in succession, which shocked the two allied armies for a while and boosted the morale of the Tubo army.

Tashi Dorje was unaware of the plans of Tubo and the Tang Dynasty. He was so carried away after killing four generals in a row that he even forgot Songtsen Gampo's warning not to provoke the Tang army and said with contempt.

"Why didn't the Tang army send out their generals to fight? Could it be that the Tang Dynasty only knows how to plot and scheme, and has no real warriors?"

Zhuge Fu frowned upon hearing this, and looked at Songtsen Gampo with dissatisfaction, and saw Songtsen Gampo's face full of surprise. Knowing that this was Tashi Dorje's personal behavior, he was relieved. However, since he openly despised the Tang army, there was no need for this person to live. Zhuge Fu nodded to Liao Siyuan, who understood, brandished his sword and shouted.

"Hey, General, please stop being rude. I will teach you a lesson in the future."

"You are the ugly black-faced man again. Tell me your name. I will not kill an unknown general." Tashi Doji said coldly. Liao Siyuan had a face like the bottom of a pot, a body as strong as an ox, and a scar on his face. He looked ferocious.

"You are not that beautiful either. Remember, the one who killed you is Liao Siyuan, the commander of the Second Division of the Flying Dragon Army of the Tang Dynasty." After saying that, Liao Siyuan brandished his broadsword and chopped towards Zhaxi Duoji with a move of splitting Huashan Mountain. Zhaxi Duoji knew that he was very strong the last time he fought with him, so he was fully prepared and raised his sword to fight.

Songtsen Gampo wanted to call back Tashi Dorje, but it was too late. He just hoped that Tashi Dorje would not be killed by the Tang generals. In fact, Songtsen Gampo did not realize that at this time, he had already begun to have a deep fear of the Tang Dynasty from the bottom of his heart.

The two warriors rode their horses in a continuous stream, fighting back and forth, with sand and rocks flying everywhere and swords flashing one after another, and both armies cheered. After fighting for more than a hundred rounds, Tashi Doji gradually felt that the opponent's swordsmanship was far more sophisticated than his own, and each sword was more powerful than the last, and his strength was not inferior to his own, so he was a little flustered.

The sword technique used by Liao Siyuan was purchased by Li Chengqian from the system specifically for his generals. Liao Siyuan was strong and good at using a broadsword, so Li Chengqian bought him a book on the Dielang sword technique. This sword technique was like the waves, overlapping one another, each more powerful than the last. However, the user of the sword technique needed to have endurance and strength far beyond that of an ordinary person in order to unleash the full power of the sword technique.

As the fight continued, Tashi Doji gradually lost the upper hand, his sword skills became sparse and scattered, and he was tired of defending. Seeing that he could not win, Tashi Doji was looking for an opportunity to withdraw. Liao Siyuan was sharp-minded and exposed a flaw. Tashi Doji slashed in the air and could not retract his sword in time, so Liao Siyuan chopped him down.

Songtsen Gampo was horrified when he saw this and ordered the entire army to avoid the Tang army and break out to the west. In fact, Songtsen Gampo did not need to give a special order, as the Tubo army had already been frightened by the Tang army. No one rushed to the Tang army, but rushed to the two coalition forces.

The Tubo army was equipped with Tang army equipment and rushed towards the two coalition forces. The two coalition forces were caught off guard and could not react for a while. They were beaten back by the Tubo army and suffered heavy casualties. The Tubo army took advantage of the situation and broke out from the west. The two coalition forces asked the Tang army to pursue them, but Zhuge Fu refused on the grounds that it was not advisable to pursue a desperate enemy. The two coalition forces had no choice but to watch Songtsen Gampo lead his troops to break out.