Li Shimin faked his death? Then I will be powerful enough to conquer the world!

On March 3, the third year of Qianwu, there was a hint of tension in the silence of the Liangzhou Governor's Mansion.

Guo Xiaoke stood upright in front of the detailed military map

His eyes were fixed on the location of Yanqi on the map, his brows slightly furrowed, and his thoughts were churning in his mind.

Since the beginning of this year, he has been sending carefully written reports with detailed strategic analysis to the court at full speed.

Time passed slowly as he waited, and now a long time had passed. According to his estimation, even if the reply from the court was delivered urgently, it would probably still take a month.

This long wait was undoubtedly a torment for Guo Xiaoke. He was impatient by nature and was full of resentment towards Yanqi's betrayal. At this moment, the anger in his heart was about to burst out.

Think about Yanqi, it was originally a force under the protection of the Tang Dynasty. In the past, the Tang Dynasty spared no effort in manpower and material resources to send troops to rescue it, so that it could be preserved in the disputes in the Western Regions.

However, now, Yanqi is like a person who forgets his principles when he sees profit. He is fickle and wants to betray the Tang Dynasty and collude with the Western Turks.

Guo Xiaoke has always been loyal and righteous, and he detests this act of betrayal. He wishes he could immediately lead his troops to an expedition and wipe out Yanqi with a thunderous force, so that they would know the painful price of betraying the Tang Dynasty.

"General, general!"

Suddenly, a burst of rapid shouts came from outside the mansion, breaking the solemn silence in the Governor's Mansion.

Guo Xiaoke turned around instantly and walked towards the mansion gate with big strides.

I saw a soldier with a flushed face and rapid breathing. It was obvious that he had been running all the way here, and even his armor was a little crooked.

Guo Xiaoke's heart tightened, and he hurried forward excitedly, placing his hands tightly on the soldier's shoulders. He asked with a slightly trembling voice, "What's wrong? Is there a letter from the court?"

His eyes were full of expectation, and all his hopes were pinned on the answer of joining the army at this moment.

The soldier slowly shook his head, and Guo Xiaoke's eyes dimmed instantly.

But the next words from the military officer cheered him up: "No, General, the court has allocated us two thousand muskets and five thousand sets of new light armor!"

When Guo Xiaoke heard this, he was stunned and stood there.

Then, his eyes flickered and he fell into deep thought.

Pondering the deeper meaning behind the court's move.

The sudden dispatch of muskets and light armor was by no means accidental, but must have contained some implicit yet clear instructions from His Majesty.

A moment later, a light suddenly flashed in Guo Xiaoke's eyes.

He made a prompt decision and shouted, "Quick! Gather our 5,000 men!"

The voice was majestic and echoed in the sky above the Governor's Mansion.

"Send troops to Yanqi!"

These four short and powerful words cut through the sky.

Upon hearing this, the soldier was stunned and a look of hesitation appeared on his face.

"General, the court hasn't replied yet. Are we going to send troops without permission?"

He whispered cautiously, his voice weak but clearly audible.

"Emperor Taizong said that we cannot launch a war of annihilation at will!"

In his opinion, without the clear written order from the court, if he rashly sent troops, he would be crushed to pieces in the slightest mistake. Once he angered the emperor, not only would his own life be in danger, but his family and thousands of soldiers would also be implicated.

Guo Xiaoke looked at the soldier's cowering appearance and was furious. He slapped him hard on the head and shouted, "You idiot! Hasn't the court already replied?"

There was determination in his eyes.

"Although His Majesty's decree hasn't arrived yet, if His Majesty doesn't allow us to fight, why all these muskets and light armor? This clearly tacitly approves our actions. We must fight! Pass on my orders! All troops, prepare for battle! If anything goes wrong, this general will be held responsible. Go!"

Guo Xiaoke's words were firm and decisive.

The military officer was shocked by Guo Xiaoke's words and powerful aura. Although he still had some doubts in his heart, he did not dare to say anything more. He could only respond timidly and then rushed out in a hurry to convey the general's order.

Soon, a long horn sounded in the Governor's Mansion. The sharp and loud sound pierced the sky above Liangzhou City and spread to every corner of the city, summoning the warriors of the Tang Dynasty to rush to the battlefield.

Five thousand infantry and cavalry quickly assembled in Xizhou. Each of them was agile and stood tall on the land of the Western Regions.

His eyes revealed a desire to fight and absolute trust in Guo Xiaoke.

Guo Xiaoke was wearing black armor, holding a big knife, and had a musket on his waist.

He rode majestically on his tall horse, appearing on the parade ground. He glanced at the soldiers before him and shouted, "Warriors of the Great Tang, today we are marching to attack Yanqi. They are a group of ungrateful people who have betrayed the Great Tang's kindness and are now plotting to become our enemy."

"What are we? We are the elite of the Tang Dynasty, the elite guarding the western gateway of the Tang Dynasty!"

"There is nothing we, the Anxi Army, cannot defeat!"

"Now, the imperial court has bestowed upon us muskets and armor, a testament to their trust and support for us."

"We must use the weapons in our hands to let Yanqi know the consequences of betraying the Tang Dynasty!"

"I am willing to die for the Tang Dynasty! Destroy Yanqi!" Five thousand soldiers shouted in unison, their voices shaking the sky.

The army marched from Xizhou in a mighty force, heading westward.

The dust raised by the horses' hooves covered the sky and the sun, like a winding yellow dragon galloping across the vast land of the Western Regions.

Guo Xiaoke knew the truth that speed is of the essence in war. He kept riding his horse back and forth between the troops, loudly urging the soldiers to speed up.

"Brothers, hurry up! We must rush to Yanqi as quickly as possible and catch them off guard!"

His voice echoed in the ranks, inspiring every soldier to move forward courageously.

During the march, the soldiers' sweat flowed like streams, soaking their clothes.

Guo Xiaoke looked at the tired but determined soldiers, and felt both moved and distressed.

"Brothers, hold on, we must destroy Yanqi as quickly as possible."

He encouraged the soldiers, his voice a little hoarse but full of power.

As night fell and the stars dotted the sky, it should have been time to rest, but the army did not stop and continued on their journey under the moonlight.

The soldiers were exhausted, and some even fell asleep while walking, but as soon as they heard Guo Xiaoke's call, they immediately woke up and continued to move forward.

In this way, the army traveled day and night for several days and had covered a distance of more than 700 miles.

Finally one evening, the setting sun was as red as blood, dyeing the sky red.

Guo Xiaoke led his troops to the suburbs of Yanqi.

He reined in his horse and looked into the distance, gazing at the vaguely visible walls of Yanqi city, his mind filled with thoughts.

This city will soon become their battlefield, and the dignity of the Tang Dynasty will be defended here.

He turned to the deputy general beside him and said, "Pass the order down. The entire army will rest on the spot and keep a close eye on any movements in the city."

"Tonight is the time for us to teach Yanqi a lesson."

The deputy general clasped his fists and replied, "Yes, General!"

Guo Xiaoke looked at the scene before him and swore silently in his heart that he would let those forces who attempted to betray the Tang Dynasty know that the Tang Dynasty's cavalry was invincible.

In the afterglow of the setting sun, five thousand people began to rest.