Chapter Fourteen: The Situation

The Turkic tribes were nomadic peoples of the north, rising on the steppes after the Xiongnu, and at their zenith, they spanned the entire northern lands. From the eastern Greater Khingan Mountains, stretching westward to the shores of the Aral Sea, and north to beyond Lake Baikal, their ranks boasted over a million skilled archers, making them the most formidable adversaries of the Central Plains.

Later, due to the strategy of the Sui general Changsun Sheng—father to Changsun Wuji and the Empress Changsun—the mighty empire was split in two. Though fragmented, their martial prowess remained formidable, even as the Sui launched repeated campaigns against them.

Now, the Khagan Xieli of the Turkic Khaganate was a man of boundless ambition, ever striving to reunite all the Turkic peoples and sweep southward to conquer the fertile lands of the Central Plains.

This time, he and Tuli planned to seize the Hetao region, exploiting the instability of the Tang Empire’s rule.

To the Turks, their steppes were vast and boundless, yet the Hetao was the most suitable place for settlement and pasturing. Should they capture the Hetao, they could amass troops there and expand their military might.

Most importantly, the Hetao plain was the dividing line between Eastern and Western Turks; from there, they could launch raids directly into the heart of Western Turkic territory.

Yet Tuli and Xieli knew the Hetao lay perilously close to the Tang capital of Chang’an—less than a hundred miles away. Thus, they brought two hundred thousand troops southward, heading straight for the strategic town of Jingyang on the southern edge of Hetao; once Jingyang was taken, the Hetao plain would be theirs for the taking.

…

North of Jingyang, fifty miles away.

Cavalry thundered across the land, their numbers stretching for dozens of miles, banners emblazoned with wolf totems fluttering in the wind, only to be consumed by the rising dust.

At the head of the column, Xieli and Tuli rode side by side, followed by Turkic generals like Yinai and Ashide Wumeichuo.

“Up ahead is Jingyang. According to our information, there are fewer than twenty thousand Tang garrison troops within the city. With our numbers, we can seize it before nightfall. Push forward, reach Jingyang by dusk, set up camp, feast and drink, then unleash carnage!” Xieli’s laughter soared skyward as he swept his hand.

Yet Tuli spoke, “We must not. We have gathered from Yanmen, riding hard for over a thousand miles. Our soldiers are exhausted. If we attack tonight, even if we take the city, our losses will be heavy and not worth the gain.

Besides, the Tang’s foundations are still unstable. Chang’an has only fifty thousand troops; even if they all march out, we outnumber them two to one. We are all cavalry, enough to bury them utterly. So tonight, we camp outside Jingyang, let our warriors rest well, and at dawn, take the city.”

Xieli looked at Tuli. Both were Khagans of the Eastern Turks, jointly ruling the entire tribe. Yet in Xieli’s heart, Tuli had to die—only then could Xieli hope to unite the Eastern Turks and launch an assault against the Western Turks.

But for now, they were allies, each commanding around a hundred thousand men; this was not the time to turn against each other. Despite his displeasure, Xieli forced a smile. “Do you really think so highly of those Tang soldiers?”

“The Tang are skilled in defense. Don’t forget five years ago!” Tuli replied lightly, not arguing but uttering a single sentence.

That one sentence shattered all of Xieli’s pride.

Back then, in the fifth year of Wude, the Tang had just occupied Chang’an and were preparing their final assault on Wang Shichong, entrenched in Luoyang.

Fearing the Tang would grow stronger after securing their rule, Xieli, swayed by his advisors, joined forces with Tuli and launched a raid on Yanmen. The result: they deployed a hundred thousand troops, fought ten days and nights, all to seize a pass defended by only ten thousand men. Xieli considered this the greatest humiliation of his life.

Now, Jingyang’s walls were no weaker than Yanmen’s, and the defenders numbered twenty thousand. Breaking through would not be easy, even with two hundred thousand troops.

Xieli took a deep breath, discarding all distractions. “Very well. Let Jingyang enjoy one more night of peace. Tomorrow, I’ll bathe it in blood!”

Meanwhile.

As Li Kong approached Jingyang, he rapidly recalled all he knew of the Eastern Turks in this era. Although history is written by the victors and no one truly knows how things unfolded, it was enough for reference.

Upon reaching the outskirts of Jingyang, his memories had been thoroughly sifted. He glanced up at the towering city and its defenders, then turned his horse and galloped away in another direction.

His arrival had been abrupt; the garrison inside Jingyang had no idea who he was. In these sensitive times, they might mistake him for an enemy agent and seize him. Even if the misunderstanding were resolved, the timing would be lost, and he might even be beaten half to death.

He had never intended to rely on Jingyang’s defenders anyway; special operations were meant to be lone endeavors. Having too many people would only hinder him. Now, he could only hope the Turks weren’t impatient. With dusk approaching, Li Kong felt a slight relief.

An hour later, on the Turks’ route to Jingyang, Li Kong leaned against a thicket, watching the distant clouds of dust grow ever closer, a frown creasing his brow.

“Damn, I forgot to bring any portraits!” Li Kong cursed, pounding a nearby tree and managing a bitter smile.

Fortunately, the foes were Turks. In his past life, he had to abide by the law during missions, but in this era, better to kill a thousand by mistake than let one escape—it was not considered excessive, especially toward these foreigners. Li Kong quickly set aside his worries; if need be, he would simply kill a few more.

As the Turkic army drew nearer, Li Kong’s heart grew ever calmer. This composure was honed through countless past missions; in all of Tang, few could match his resolve.

Meanwhile, outside Jingyang, another army arrived: Li Shimin himself led the Chang’an garrison. The arrival of fifty thousand troops instantly dispelled much of the tension in Jingyang, and the morale of soldiers and civilians soared to unprecedented heights with Li Shimin’s appearance.

In the era of Zhenguan, the Tang’s war with the Eastern Turks was poised to erupt under the shroud of night…