We have fought to the Arctic Circle, and you want me to inherit the throne?

Three days later, the Tibetan army retreated completely.

Li Che did not pursue rashly, but instead joined forces with Wang Sanchun's troops first.

The city gates of Chuimacheng slowly opened, and Li Che led his army into the city.

Bloodstains can still be seen in the countryside outside the city, which gives an idea of ​​how fierce the battles of the past few days have been.

Fortunately, order was maintained within the city, and despite the Tibetan army's best efforts, they were unable to touch the city walls of Chuimacheng.

Wang Sanchun led his generals to greet the emperor outside the city gate.

"This humble general, Wang Sanchun, greets Your Majesty!"

"We failed to achieve complete victory, resulting in the escape of the main force of the Tibetan army. We beg Your Majesty to punish us!"

Wang Sanchun knelt on one knee, and all the generals behind him bowed down in unison.

Li Che dismounted and stepped forward to personally help Wang Sanchun up.

He first examined his trusted general and, seeing that he had no injuries, breathed a sigh of relief.

Seeing that Wang Sanchun's eyes were bloodshot but his gaze was calm and resolute, no longer showing the impetuousness of his younger days, Li Che couldn't help but feel a sense of emotion.

The once impetuous general has finally shed his impetuous exterior and become a truly capable general.

"What crime have you committed?" Li Che said calmly. "With a weaker force relying on an isolated city, you fought head-on against the 300,000-strong Tibetan army for over a month, putting them in a dilemma. This is a great achievement!"

His gaze swept over the generals behind Wang Sanchun: "The soldiers of Chuimacheng fought bravely and defended the city, killing and wounding countless enemy soldiers, ensuring the city's survival, and holding back the main force of the Tubo, thus winning a precious opportunity for me to advance westward and break the deadlock."

"You have all made contributions in this battle!"

The generals were overjoyed upon hearing this.

They knew that His Majesty's words were law, and that his praise of their merits was not just empty words; he would surely fulfill them in the future.

Wang Sanchun clasped his hands and said, "This humble general merely followed His Majesty's instructions to hold the line and await reinforcements, and dared not be greedy for merit or advance rashly."

"That's exactly what I wanted to praise about you—your composure," Li Che patted his shoulder armor. "It's easy for a general to be brave, but it's hard to find someone who is calm and composed."

"After this battle, you are no longer the general who charged into battle, but a prudent and mature commander. I am very pleased."

These words represented the emperor's approval, which thrilled Wang Sanchun more than any reward.

He took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement, and asked, "Your Majesty, the Tibetans have retreated. Should our army pursue them immediately?"

The surrounding generals also had their eyes burning with anticipation, clearly hoping to press their advantage and expand their gains.

Ideally, we could storm the plateau in one fell swoop and achieve another feat of destroying a nation for Daqing.

Li Che shook his head and turned to look in the direction where the Tibetan army was retreating to the west.

"We should pursue them, but we don't need to do it in a big way."

He analyzed in a calm tone: "Although Lu Dongzan was defeated, his retreat was orderly."

"The plateau is the foundation of Tibet. The terrain there is treacherous and the climate is different. If our army ventures deep into the plateau rashly, not only will the supply lines be long, but the soldiers will also be prone to 'mountain sickness,' reducing their combat effectiveness by 50-60%."

"Even if we catch up, it will be a Pyrrhic victory, killing a thousand enemies while losing eight hundred of our own. It's not worth it."

He walked back to the generals and said: "The threat of Tibet cannot be eliminated in one battle. Its people are fierce and wild, their settlements are scattered, and their culture is very different. If we forcibly occupy their heartland, we will need to send heavy troops and spend endless money and food to suppress them. If we are not careful, we will get bogged down and become a burden to our dynasty."

This land is very special, with huge cultural differences and religious issues, making it a complex place since ancient times.

The cost of ruling Tibet was too high, disproportionate to the benefits, and Li Che didn't want to do a losing proposition.

Xu Jiezi added at the opportune moment: "Your Majesty is wise. The natural barrier of the plateau is a shield for Tibet, but it is a cage for our army."

"It would be better to lock it up on the mountain, cut it off from the outside world, and trap it in its misery. That would be the best policy."

Li Che nodded: "Not bad."

"Lu Dongzan's expedition to the east has exhausted the country's strength, lost all its support in the Western Regions, and even lost the fertile land south of Qilian."

"If they are defeated and forced to retreat to the plateau, their internal conflicts will inevitably intensify. What we need to do is not to exterminate them."

Li Che paused, then said, word by word, "Follow behind them, escort them back to the plateau, and then draw a line at the foot of the mountain."

He pointed outside the city: "The army is gathering and slowly advancing westward. Lu Dongzan takes a step back, we take a step forward; he abandons a place, we occupy it, station troops, build fortifications, settle people, and build roads."

“We do not need to annihilate them, but if they counterattack, we will resolutely defeat them. We can push the actual control line to the natural passes on the edge of the plateau by proceeding step by step.”

Wang Sanchun suddenly realized: "His Majesty intends to use his power to intimidate others, seize territory and gain actual control, and compress the Tibetans' activity area back to the plateau."

“Exactly.” Li Che gave him an approving look. “Tibet has lost its frontline buffer and rich areas, like a tiger with its claws clipped.”

"Given time, their internal livelihoods will become difficult and chaos will inevitably arise. I can then migrate people to the newly acquired border areas to settle and defend them, and educate the indigenous people to learn the culture of the Central Plains, thus forming a stable territory."

"When their strength is weakened and they are in internal strife, we may be able to quell the rebellion by issuing a proclamation, or we may be able to proceed with a gradual plan."

"A full-scale attack at this time would only increase casualties and waste the nation's resources."

Li Che no longer pursues the empty fame of conquering a country in one battle, but focuses on long-term strategic interests.

As for which emperor in historical records subdued Tibet...

Is this really important?

He already has enough empty titles; he won't advance any further just because he conquered Tibet.

On the contrary, if one is too eager for quick success and causes Daqing to be dragged down by Tibet, it will leave a stain on one's reputation.

Upon hearing this, Wang Sanchun had no further objections and said with heartfelt admiration, "This subordinate understands. I will immediately go and prepare the troops to act in accordance with Your Majesty's strategy!"

"No rush," Li Che waved his hand and said, "The army has been fighting for a long time. We should rest for a few days and replenish our supplies first."

"We only need to send light cavalry scouts to follow the Tibetan army from a distance and find out their retreat route. It will not be too late for the main army to set off after that."

Wang Sanchun cupped his hands in acknowledgment and replied, "Yes, sir."

The city of Chuimacheng resumed its orderly routine: inventorying spoils, comforting the wounded and injured, repairing equipment, and replenishing provisions.

. . . . . .

Three days later, the main force of the Qing army broke camp and marched westward.

The team did not pursue rapid progress, but rather advanced slowly.

Following the trail left by the hasty retreat of the Tibetan army, scouts combed the path ahead like a comb, while engineers repaired the roads and built simple bridges.

The main force split into several groups and swept across the lands abandoned by the Tibetans.

Upon arriving at any relatively large former Tibetan village, troops would be stationed there, and a dragon flag bearing the character "庆" (qing, meaning celebration) would be raised.

The army sent out political commissars to appease the remaining Tibetan tribes and declare that the area had been brought under royal control.

If a small group of Tibetan remnants resists, the superior forces will quickly annihilate them.

As Li Che's army moved with the main force, he watched as Daqing's actual control area expanded little by little, extending irresistibly westward.

At first, there was a sense of joy in expanding territory, but later it became a habit.

The land in Tibet that did not approach the plateau was good, but it was still far inferior to the fertile land of the Central Plains and the black soil beyond the Great Wall, and its development potential was not high.

The Little Ice Age hasn't arrived yet, so it's still possible to grow some cold-resistant crops.

When the weather starts to get cold in a few years, this area will fall into silence again.

Therefore, the political significance of this territorial expansion outweighs its practical benefits.

Finally, the Qing army approached the foot of that vast, undulating mountain range.

Lu Dongzan's defeated army had retreated into the dangerous mountain passes. Looking back, they saw that the vast river valleys and plains behind them had all changed hands.

The Qing army established a strong fortified camp at the foot of the high mountains and set up beacon towers and sentry posts.

They firmly guarded all the passages down the mountain, like a hunter putting a tiger back in its cage and adding a heavy shackle to the cage.

The plateau still belongs to the Tubo Kingdom, but the vast land beneath it, which they once roamed and plundered at will, has changed hands.

The northwestern frontier of the empire expanded outward by more than a hundred miles, and Daqing's territory was expanded once again.

. . . . . .

Lhasa, the Red Palace.

The young king sat on his high, gilded throne, listening to his trusted advisors' hushed reports.

At first, his face showed appropriate shock and heaviness, as if he was heartbroken by the failure of the great discourse.

He then waved for everyone else to leave.

When only his most trusted guards and confidants remained in the main hall, the king's tense expression relaxed.

Immediately, a hint of extreme pleasure flashed across the deepest part of his eyes.

They lost, they really lost.

Lu Dongzan, you always thought the eagle's wings were strong enough to ignore the chicks' cries...

Now that the east wind has clipped your wings, let's see how you will soar!

This defeat was a disgrace to Gar Tongtsen and a loss of Tibetan national strength, but for him, the king... it might not necessarily be a bad thing.

The power of Lu Dongzan's faction was entirely based on military achievements and expansion.

Now, with the disastrous defeat in the eastern expedition and the collapse of the western regions, the strongest roots of this great tree have been shaken.

And then his opportunity came.

"Summon General Chisang Yangdun to the palace immediately," the king whispered to his confidant. "Remember, it must be done in secret."

The trusted confidant dared not be careless and hurriedly left the palace.

As the young king watched his retreating figure, he felt a fire burning in his chest.

That evening, the atmosphere in the city of Lhasa suddenly changed.

Squads of soldiers, unlike ordinary garrison troops, quietly appeared on the main streets and began to take over the defense.

All the palace guards were replaced with unfamiliar faces, and the city gates were closed in advance, allowing entry but not exit.

The roads leading to Gar Tongtsen's residence and the homes of his main supporters were blocked by the army loyal to the Tsangpo.

The king issued a martial law decree, citing the high-sounding reason: "The military situation at the front is urgent. In order to prevent Qing army spies from entering the city, we have strengthened the defense of Lhasa to reassure the people."

The news spread rapidly within aristocratic circles like an undercurrent.

Some were terrified, some watched with skepticism, and others had a spark of excitement in their eyes.

Princess Droma heard the unusual commotion outside the palace and felt uneasy, so she hurried to the side hall where the king usually lived.

But outside the hall, the guards were heavily armed, and inside the hall, the lights were bright. His elder brother was standing with his back to the door in front of a huge map of the Tibetan territory.

Large areas in the eastern and western regions above have been roughly marked off with cinnabar.

"Brother Wang?" Zhuoma called softly.

The king turned around upon hearing the sound.

Zhuoma noticed that her brother's face did not show any panic or anxiety. Instead, it had a suppressed red glow, and his eyes were bright and intimidating.

She silently breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed things weren't too troublesome.

"Zhuoma! You've come at just the right time!" The Zanpu strode forward and grabbed his sister's arm, his grip a little too strong. "Did you hear that? Gar Tongtsen has been defeated! He suffered a crushing defeat at the gates of Chuima City, losing the Western Regions, losing his land, and his army is fleeing back in disarray!"

"He lost! He finally lost!"

With no outsiders present, and only in front of his sister, the young king fully revealed his true emotions.

He was excited, thrilled, and acting like a madman!