Chapter 135: Follow-up

It is no wonder these veteran generals were unable to maintain their composure; the news was truly staggering.

One must realize that to deal with Greater Bolu, the main force of the Tang army—nearly ten thousand strong—had spent months preparing, employing both surprise maneuvers and ambushes. Only through such arduous effort did they finally achieve victory, driving the Tibetans out with enemy casualties totaling roughly two thousand.

Li Siye’s force, numbering no more than three thousand, had operated entirely without reinforcements. They had detoured through the small kingdoms of India, traveling thousands of miles, and had managed to seize the enemy capital and eliminate the vast majority of its leadership in one stroke. What kind of feat was this?

Everyone present thought of two names sharing the same surname, Li. They were the pride of the Tang people.

The letter passed quickly through the hands of the officers. Liu Ji had written in great detail. While inciting the mountain tribes to revolt had been the key to the success of the raid, it could not mask the fact that this was a miraculous achievement.

"What is your name?" Feng Changqing asked, but Du Guli only looked on blankly.

Realizing that the messenger neither understood the Tang language nor recognized Chinese characters, Feng Changqing could not help but admire Liu Ji’s meticulousness; he had even anticipated such small details.

Consequently, Yang Yu, who was fluent in the Bolu language, became the interpreter. With his help, Du Guli recounted the events from his own perspective. Many details complemented Liu Ji’s letter perfectly—for instance, the chance encounter with a Tibetan tax collector, which led to a spontaneous killing. It was this singular, accidental event that had made the conflict between the two sides irreconcilable.

Then, by leveraging the temperament of the mountain tribes and luring their chieftains into the city, they had successfully escalated the conflict. It was a chain of cause and effect so tightly linked that Feng Changqing and the others stared at each other in shock. The boy’s strategic planning was terrifyingly brilliant.

"...The noble one asked me to relay a message to the officers: Nepal is wedged between Xiangxiong, Tibet, and India. Its location is excellent. If managed well, it will be a thorn in the side of the Tibetans, ensuring they dare not close their eyes even when they sleep. Now that they have no king, the Great Tang can follow the precedent of the Gui'ren Army and govern the land. The time for the glory of imperial rule is not far off."

The latter part was Yang Yu’s own embellishment. Feng Changqing exchanged a glance with Yang He. Liang Zai and Tian Zhen might not have fully grasped the implication, but this was clearly a request to be stationed there as a commander.

The Anxi Protectorate practiced a semi-tributary system, and the establishment of a "Jun" (military prefecture) was rare. Lesser Bolu was an exception, and if things went as expected, Greater Bolu would be the same. Adding Nepal to the mix made things quite interesting.

Because between the two territories lay the land of Xiangxiong. Liu Ji’s letter seemed to state only facts, yet without exception, every word served to urge them to advance immediately!

Otherwise, they would be sitting idly by as the fruits of victory slipped away. Who could bear such consequences, especially in the current climate?

Feng Changqing looked at Li Jingzhong and asked quite politely, "I wonder what counsel the Imperial Envoy has?"

Li Jingzhong replied in a flat, emotionless tone, "Matters of state and military are for the Vice Minister to decide. What counsel could I have? Today's affairs will be reported truthfully to the Emperor. With such a merit as the destruction of a kingdom, the Vice Minister will likely take the top honors once again."

The congratulations sounded as dry as sawdust in his mouth, but Feng Changqing did not care. The situation dictated the outcome; even if the other party were dissatisfied, he would have to wait until the fighting was over to say so.

Liu Ji, in his own way, had provided a reason that made an advance unavoidable: for the sake of the newly acquired Nepal, they had to conquer Xiangxiong, or at least a portion of it, to connect the two regions and achieve a total victory.

For the Tibetans, neither Xiangxiong nor Nepal were lands they could easily abandon. Even if the final result of this siege were the same as recorded in history, the Tibetans would never again have a day of ease; they would be forced to focus their energy in this direction. This was the strategy Liu Ji had devised.

He believed that if Feng Changqing could not seize such a golden opportunity, then the era he lived in must surely be a counterfeit one bearing the name of the Tang Dynasty.

Whether Li Jingzhong’s words were a warning or a congratulation, Feng Changqing had no time to ponder it; the situation allowed for no further delays. He made a prompt decision and looked at Yang Yu.

"Tell him that the Qiankeng Garrison will depart with him today. Your men will serve as the vanguard. You must arrive within five days. As for the affairs in Nepal, the Garrison Commander and Liu Ji will handle them as circumstances dictate. Do you understand?"

Yang Yu was stunned. "Does the Vice Minister intend for me to go to Nepal?"

"What, you are unwilling? They have too few men; if I send too many, it will be difficult to manage. I thought that since you are a friend of Wulang, you would coordinate well. If you are unwilling, then forget it. I will let Ma Lin go instead."

After all, they were in enemy territory, and Feng Changqing did not wish to force him. Yang He, standing to the side, could not bear it and secretly kicked his son. As an experienced man, how could he not see the advantages? Following Wulang meant having plenty to eat; here, there were too many people, and one would be lucky to get a sip of broth. How could he not understand that?

A brute like Li Siye could never have conceived such a scheme; it was obvious that he was benefiting from someone else’s brilliance. It would be truly foolish not to agree.

"I am willing to go. Does the Vice Minister have any further instructions?" Yang Yu immediately realized his mistake and quickly accepted.

"Nothing more to say. If there are any more unconventional developments, you and the Garrison Commander should try to temper them. We are already old and weary; if the pace is too fast, we cannot keep up." Feng Changqing said this jokingly, but Yang Yu did not dare take it as a joke.

"I will remember, and I shall prepare to depart at once."

His men, combined with those from the Qiankeng Garrison, amounted to no more than 150 after reinforcements, plus the twenty or thirty from Du Guli’s village—fewer than two hundred in total. Yet these were the core forces of Liu Ji, and Feng Changqing had given them his utmost trust, simply because the boy was too capable of stirring up the world.

After dismissing Yang Yu and Du Guli, Feng Changqing paced the tent with his hands behind his back. The decision had been made, but the specifics required deliberation; the movement of a large army could not be done on a whim.

Duan Xiushi had not attended this council because he was not in the camp. During these days while the army held the border, his men had been continuously infiltrating, aside from the scouting patrols. Everything was in preparation for the advance. After all, the road ahead was too unfamiliar; to march without a basic concept of the terrain was a grave taboo for any commander.

Beyond intelligence, logistics were paramount. The supply lines delivered grain and equipment daily, while simultaneously transporting the sick and wounded back. In over half a month, they had accumulated enough supplies to last for months. The weaponry and transport, especially the siege engines, were already prepared.

Only when all these conditions were met could Feng Changqing make his final decision. Two days later, the Tang vanguard crossed the border, and following the marked route, the main force followed in succession. Though the pace could not be fast, every step forward signified that the line of the frontier was pushing further into the distance.

They moved firmly toward Xiangxiong, a land upon which they had never before set foot.