Tang Dynasty: Father, if you don't rebel, I will!

"Rumble..."

The six cavalry of the Eastern Palace were all equipped with horseshoes and fine saddles, and all of them were the best warhorses purchased from herdsmen.

They had just rushed out of the gate of Yanmen Pass with Li Chengqian.

It was as if a ferocious dragon or tiger had burst forth from the abyss.

With a tremendous roar, it instantly rushed along the central avenue of the wide Yanmen Pass breeding area, heading towards the distant grassland.

The armor was so thick that it was almost impossible to imagine how it could be breached.

The sight of the six soldiers of the Eastern Palace, each with a physique and muscular build, clearly displaying their bravery and agility, further impressed the surrounding herdsmen and the Turkic cavalry men who had laid down their weapons and returned to their families under Li Chengqian's orders.

They all looked horrified.

The Turkic cavalry were mainly light cavalry; they had never seen such a terrifying force before.

"Hiss! So many iron armors, Eternal Heaven, how are we supposed to fight them? Forget arrows, even swords wouldn't be able to hurt these Tang soldiers, would they?"

"Is this the Tang Dynasty? No wonder they dared to sell armor to the Turks; it turns out the armor they sold to Tuli and his people was all junk..."

"Quick, look! Is that the Crown Prince of Tang? I heard it was him who chased Jieli all the way, scaring Jieli so much that he even cut off his beard."

"Is the Tang Dynasty going to war with the Turks?"

The herders were talking amongst themselves, their faces filled with worry and resentment.

North of Yanmen Pass, there is a huge breeding farm with a sign that reads "Pengchi Cattle and Sheep Breeding Farm".

Peng Chi frowned, carrying a wooden bucket of well-fermented, high-quality silage, which he had originally intended to feed the cattle and sheep. But now, looking at the terrifying Tang army rushing past him, he was deeply troubled.

But his steps froze.

Behind him, his wife, who hadn't heard her husband's voice for a long time, came out.

Seeing this scene, I couldn't help but feel a pang of panic.

"Is this...is another war about to break out? Is the Tang Dynasty going to war with the Turks?"

Her voice was filled with fear and panic, and her gaze involuntarily drifted toward the yard behind her house and the newly built pen that had even given birth to a few lambs just a few days ago.

"Honey, if a fight really breaks out, what will happen to our cattle, sheep, and this house?"

Having lived in animal skin tents for so long, they suddenly found themselves living in large houses, and unlike the Turks who were migrated into the Central Plains in the past, they didn't have to struggle to learn how to farm like the people of the Central Plains.

Mani loves her life now.

There's no need to drive cattle and sheep to graze in distant places every day.

There's no need to worry about attacks from wolf packs or similar groups.

The children learned Chinese characters in official Han schools, and were also taught horsemanship and archery by strong Turkic men arranged by the Tang people.

The Tang government also bought their cattle and sheep at a very fair price, and the wool that was previously useless could now be sold for money to buy cloth and medicine.

As for fresh milk, beef, and mutton, they don't need to worry about sales at all; the officials and merchant guilds under His Highness the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty can handle it all perfectly well.

"Master, if Jieli and Tuli attack this place, won't everything we have be taken away?"

Mani's eyes were filled with tears of resentment.

Don't be fooled by the man in their family; he was originally the leader of a small tribe.

However, among the small tribes of the Turks, the leaders often not only had no special privileges, but also bore the important mission of protecting the tribe from harm and ensuring its continuation.

Now they have joined the Tang Dynasty and become Turkic commoners registered in the Tang Dynasty.

Their lives improved dramatically in just one or two months.

Throughout the entire breeding area, not a single Turkic herder is ungrateful for the stability and prosperity of their current life.

Peng Chi took a deep breath and handed the wooden bucket he was carrying to the other party.

"Mani, you feed the sheep, I'll go check on things..."

Peng Chi had just stepped out of his own breeding farm.

When we came to a side road that was also paved with cement, we ran into the herdsmen from next door, who were also walking out of their house with a nervous look on their faces.

However, to Peng Chi's surprise, not only the men of this family came out.

He was hurriedly putting on leather armor, while behind him, a woman led a horse and held a curved knife in her hand.

This person also saw Peng Chi at this moment. Seeing that Peng Chi's hands were empty and he was not wearing any armor, he immediately snorted disdainfully.

"Alpenchi, you don't even deserve to be called a man!"

Arnai is the name of the Pengchi tribe, while Pengchi is his original name.

As he spoke, the man had already donned his armor, taken the scimitar from his wife, and mounted his horse. His movements clearly indicated that he was an elite Turkic cavalryman.

"Sangamajo, what are you going to do?! Don't do anything reckless!"

Peng Chi was startled, but the man named Sangkamazhuo snorted disdainfully, grabbed the reins, and his warhorse began to breathe heavily.

"Hmph, my Sangka tribe are now all people of the Great Tang. It is His Highness the Crown Prince of the Great Tang, whose heart is broader than the sky and whose wisdom is greater than Hulan Mountain, that has given us all the life we ​​have today. If those bastards Jieli and Tuli want to attack, I will use this scimitar in my hand today to show them who the master of this land is!"

"drive!"

With a shout, a furious expression on his face, and carrying a scimitar and a bow and arrows, Sancamajo charged off on horseback.

Peng Chi keenly noticed the disdain and contempt in the other man's wife's eyes as she looked at him.

Noticing his gaze, the other person spat out a curse.

He spat on the ground beside him.

He muttered something like "fake man" in Turkic.

Peng Chi was so angry that the veins on his forehead throbbed.

however.

Just then, a series of horse neighs suddenly came from the direction of each farm in the breeding area.

One by one, the Turkic men mounted their warhorses, just as they had done in the past when they fought for Jieli on the grasslands.

They moved northward with an aggressive air.

However, they are now gathering on their own initiative for the sake of the Tang Dynasty.

Above Yanmen Pass.

Upon witnessing this scene, Hou Junji secretly thought to himself, "Your Highness is truly brilliant."

Using both appeasement and forceful suppression, employing both internal and external methods simultaneously.

They didn't even try to win people over in the breeding area, nor did they proactively say that they needed these elite Turkic cavalry to serve in the war.

These people are now actively gathering for His Highness the Crown Prince.

"Good heavens... Is His Highness the Crown Prince planning to recruit tens of thousands of elite soldiers, and all of them cavalry?"

As time passed, Hou Junji watched as nearly five thousand Turkic cavalrymen gathered, and he couldn't help but gasp in astonishment.

The Six Guards of the Eastern Palace were formed after rigorous selection, training, and reorganization, with the Crown Prince personally encouraging their training and providing them with a full set of elite equipment.

In fact, in Hou Junji's mind, the fighting strength of the Six Guards of the Eastern Palace might even surpass that of His Majesty's Xuanjia Army.

however.

This is the Crown Prince, who now likely commands an additional elite Turkic cavalry force that is already skilled in cavalry warfare.

"Go! Quickly send those Turkic cavalry back. His Highness the Crown Prince has ordered that the Turkic herders in the breeding areas need not participate in today's battle. Our Great Tang Iron Army is capable of protecting our people!"

As Hou Junji's young general arrived, he announced the order.

The Turkic cavalry, who were almost ready to set off immediately to catch up with the six guards of the Eastern Palace, were instantly thrown into an uproar.

"What do you mean? His Highness the Crown Prince only brought six thousand men, while that scoundrel Jieli has at least twenty or thirty thousand under his command."

"Does His Highness not consider us as one of his own?"

"We men of the grasslands have the life we ​​have today because of His Highness the Crown Prince. We absolutely cannot hide behind His Highness the Crown Prince at a time like this!"

The crowd was filled with excitement.

They felt that Li Chengqian's order was an insult to them.

however.

Faced with repeated warnings from the garrison commander of Yanmen Pass, no matter how unwilling they were, they could only grit their teeth and give up.

"I'll wait here. If His Highness the Crown Prince needs help, I'll be there immediately!"

"I'll stay too."

"Damn Jieli, he's not the master of the grasslands! How could the Eternal Heaven allow a bandit to be the master of the grasslands?!"

at the same time.

Leading the six guards of the Eastern Palace, with scouts as guides, Li Chengqian and his entourage traveled in a grand procession.

It was like a torrent sweeping across the Turkic steppe.

Soon, they met with Ashina She'er's troops and the Zheng family members.

"Waaaaah! Your Highness, please, you must do justice for the elders of my Zheng family!"

Upon seeing Li Chengqian's entourage, Zheng Wuling let out a sob.

He cried out as he dismounted and knelt on the ground.

He had several knife wounds all over his body, and was covered in blood, clearly indicating that he had been in a fierce battle.

"Ashina She'er greets His Highness the Crown Prince of the Great Tang Dynasty..."

Li Chengqian waved his hand, directly interrupting Ashina She'er who was about to introduce himself. He stared at Zheng Wuling, who was kneeling on the ground, and spoke in a cold voice.

"How are your injuries? Are you still able to follow me in pursuing Jieli?"

Upon hearing this, Zheng Wuling's eyes flashed with a fierce light. He immediately got up, mounted his horse, and scrambled to his feet.

"Please follow me, Your Highness!"

Li Chengqian nodded, then looked at Ashina She'er, who was standing to the side, looking dazed and nervous, and spoke calmly.

"Go to Yanmen Pass and behave yourself. Someone will take care of things for you. I'm not in the mood to deal with your affairs right now."

talking.

With a neigh, the white hooves beneath him led their troops out once more.

Ashina She'er was trembling with fear, not daring to feel even a hint of anger, until the six cavalrymen of the Eastern Palace, like an iron-clad torrent, disappeared from sight.

He then wiped the cold sweat from his face, which was mixed with blood.

Mouthing in his mouth.

"Are these really cavalry? When did the Tang Dynasty possess such terrifying cavalry...?"

He looked at the people behind him, who were already few in number and had suffered heavy losses in a battle with Jieli. Suddenly, he felt a surge of gratitude towards the elders of the Zheng clan.

If they hadn't come to persuade them to surrender, they would have either died in the winter or certainly wouldn't have survived the onslaught of the Tang cavalry.

the other side.

Zheng Wuling gritted his teeth and persevered, riding his horse at breakneck speed until he finally saw a devastated battlefield in the distance.

however.

"Grandfather! Ahhhhh!"

A series of desperate cries of despair echoed across the desolate landscape after Zheng Wuling saw the heads of Zheng Zhiye and the others atop the eight spears.

Li Chengqian's face was cold and stern.

"You members of the Zheng clan are here to collect the remains of your people. From this day forward, I will not treat you poorly..."

As he spoke, Li Chengqian suddenly spotted a direction.

"Chase them! Kill every single one of these Turkic barbarians!"

The warhorses under the six princes of the Eastern Palace galloped even more fiercely.

at last.

After pursuing them for more than ten miles, a cavalry force retreating northwards suddenly came into view.

Upon seeing this, Li Chengqian immediately roared in anger.

"Kill! Charge with me!"

"kill!!!"

The deafening shouts of battle erupted from the mouths of the fierce soldiers of the Eastern Palace's Six Guards, who were already ravenous with hunger.

The eagle in the sky trembled in fright, and the generals, including Jieli, in front of them were all horrified and their faces turned pale.

"Why so fast?!"

The spirit of Jieli was greatly disturbed.

Especially when he could see clearly from afar, the person in the lead was none other than Li Chengqian, the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty, who had once chased him relentlessly.

His whole body jolted involuntarily.

However, upon seeing that Li Chengqian's side only had five or six thousand men, he immediately roared and turned his horse around.

"Kill! Kill these despicable Tang people!"

One force consisted of 20,000 Turkic cavalry, while the other was led by Li Chengqian and commanded 6,000 troops from the Eastern Palace.

Rumble

Amidst the earth-shaking tremors, the two sides, bathed in the twilight of the grassland, instantly charged towards each other.

Just as the two sides were about to approach each other within two hundred meters.

Behind Li Chengqian, Li Tai, the Prince of Yue, who held a round shield in one hand and a knife in the other, suddenly raised his hand.

"Thunderbolt Crossbow! Fire!"

All of a sudden.

The cavalrymen at the front of the column, led by the Crown Prince, suddenly pulled a crossbow from their saddles.

"Stab!"

As the bowstring was pulled back, the crossbow rubbed against the phosphorus gun mounted on the edge of the mechanism.

"laugh!"

A hissing light emanated from a palm-sized cylindrical post attached to the crossbow bolt.

Everyone raised their crossbows and aimed them at the Turkic cavalry.

"Swish, swish, swish..."

Five hundred Thunder God Crossbow bolts rained down.

next moment.

"Rumble, rumble..."

"Ah ah ah ah ah!"

A violent explosion, accompanied by a pungent heatwave, erupted instantly.

Jieli's face turned ashen instantly. The memory of the 100,000-strong Turkic army's crushing defeat on the banks of the Wei River was replayed in this deadly way.

Before they could even regroup, their cavalry, scattered and disorganized, could recover from the chaos of falling men and horses.

Li Chengqian, grinning maliciously, led six thousand imperial guards and charged towards them.

"kill!"

The silver spear, like a beam of white light piercing the twilight, instantly magnified in the pupils of the Turkic general at the forefront.

"Pfft..."

Behind him, Xue Wanche, Cheng Chumo, and Cheng Chuliang formed three arrows following Li Chengqian, charging forward with the energy of warhorses.

They instantly charged into the enemy cavalry formation.

Meanwhile, Li Tai, with his waist and legs clamped on the saddle and equipped with more convenient horse tack, was closely following behind his elder brother.

Having never experienced such a momentous event before, all that remained in my mind was my elder brother's admonition.

"Fourth brother, just charge forward and fight. Your brother will block the swords and spears around you."

He looked at a Turkic cavalryman who, in a panic, raised his sword and charged at him.

Having lost weight and already bearing the resemblance of a general, Li Tai's eyes flashed with a fierce light, and his long sword, carrying the imposing force of a charging warhorse, swept across the opponent's neck in an instant.

"die!!!"

The hot blood splattered on his face, causing Li Tai to freeze in surprise.

However, before he could be distracted, a sharp shout suddenly came from in front of him.

"Bluebird, follow me!"

Li Tai was startled. When he looked up, he was shocked to see his elder brother, the emperor, piercing two Turkic cavalrymen with his spear.

He was knocked off his horse.

The unease that had just arisen from personally killing someone vanished instantly with a loud shout from his elder brother, Li Chengqian.

He hurriedly urged his warhorse forward, brandishing his long sword once more.

"kill!!!"