Chapter 303: He Arrives Before You

"Military envoy Ge Shu, a Tang army detachment is heading toward the camp; please go and have a look!"

Because his arrow wound became infected, Ge Shu Han, who has been running a low fever these past days, struggled to sit up from the bed, looked at the approaching personal guard with a weary face, and gave a slight nod.

The man is named Zuo Che, an adopted household slave of Ge Shu Han and also his confidant.

"Confirm they are Tang troops?"

Ge Shu Han asked in a deep voice.

"Confirmed; the banner bears the five characters Yinqiang Xiaojie Army, and the commanding general's surname is Fang."

Zuo Che reported every detail.

"Oh, I see. Let them enter the camp, let Fang Jiedushi take over the camp's military authority, and report any matters to him. Don't come to me again."

Ge Shu Han yawned, lay back down, and did not wish to speak further.

"Military envoy Ge Shu, how is this to be handled?"

Zuo Che was completely flustered; his own commander was about to abandon his post!

"He is the Hexi Jiedushi; what right do I have to speak? You are really noisy.

Wang, the Jiedushi, is his father‑in‑law; would he not be able to explain matters to Wang?"

"You are overthinking it!"

Ge Shu Han laughed and cursed, turned to face the wooden wall, clearly not wanting to continue the conversation. How could he not know whose unit the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army was, or which 'Fang' was being referred to?

Fang Chongyong is now the Hexi Jiedushi; his father‑in‑law is Longyou Jiedushi Wang Zhongsi, his direct superior.

What's there to discuss? It's a family matter!

Taking advantage of his arrow wound and feigning illness to hand over command of the He Yuan army, isn't that perfectly timed?

Ge Shu Han had already thought it through. Since Fang Chongyong had arrived, there was nothing left for him to do. Now he should focus on nursing his arrow wound; that is the most urgent matter.

The Battle of Longyou left no doubt. Or rather, everything was over.

Soon after, Fang Chongyong arrived at the He Yuan army garrison with Yinqiang Xiaojie Army soldiers and the wounded, looked around, and found the place truly miserable.

On the wooden walls surrounding the stockade, broken wooden fences that had been haphazardly patched could be seen everywhere; a few people pulling together could easily topple them.

The soldiers guarding the wooden wall seemed relatively normal. Yet once inside the stockade, the soldiers on standby were almost all wounded, and a pungent smell of blood hung in the air. Red stains of dried blood dotted the ground.

"Jiedushi, it looks like a bloody battle took place here."

【5】 He Changqi leaned close to Fang Chongyong's ear and whispered.

He Changqi leaned in close to Fang Chongyong's ear and whispered.

"Be confident; drop the two characters 'looks like'."

Fang Chongyong waved his hand and said.

At that moment, a He Yuan army soldier approached—personal guard Zuo Che of Ge Shu Han. He handed the He Yuan army's fish token and seal to Fang Chongyong, saying: "The He Yuan army previously fought a fierce battle against the Tufan army and suffered heavy losses. Military envoy Ge Shu Han is wounded and cannot command. Fang Jiedushi has arrived; please, Jiedushi, command the He Yuan army to continue the fight. After the battle, restore the Longyou garrison's organization."

Fang Chongyong took the seal, gave a slight nod, and said little. Similar situations have occurred many times between the Hexi and Longyou armies, where troops are temporarily reassigned to another Jiedushi's command during campaigns against the Tufan.

Ge Shu Han was still sensible; with Fang Chongyong arriving—a Jiedushi‑level figure—if he could not command, how could he speak so boldly?

At the He Yuan army garrison, the He Yuan army would not obey him but would heed orders from Wang Zhongsi, who is far away in Huangyuan; does that make sense?

These unwritten rules are not codified in military law, but if a military envoy cannot grasp such a basic principle, he will not go far in the Tang military world.

"By the way, this Jiedushi sees you as brave and strong; what is your name?"

Fang Chongyong, with a red‑stained hemp cloth tied on his head but covered by his official hat, smiled and asked.

"I am called Zuo Che, a household slave of Military envoy Ge Shu, now his personal guard."

The man bowed respectfully, his face unable to hide a fearful expression. For a Jiedushi like Fang Chongyong, killing a former household slave like him was as easy as crushing an ant.

As for why Fang Chongyong would crush him… when humans crush ants, is there ever a specific reason?

It seems a simple "bad mood" suffices. Zuo Che had seen many cases where a servant was killed over a trivial slight.

"He Laohu."

Fang Chongyong called out.

"Jiedushi, what orders do you have?"

He Changqi crossed his arms, saluted, and asked.

"Give the Tufan commanding general's head and the tiger‑head banner to the brave Zuo Che, and send him to the northern gorge mouth to persuade the last Tufan force of Datong to surrender."

Fang Chongyong said leisurely.

"Tiger‑head banner? The general's head?"

Zuo Che was startled and couldn't help asking.

It was that Tufan commanding general's unit that wounded Ge Shu Han; the army fought with extreme bravery and desperation, its strength overwhelming, causing the He Yuan army great suffering.

"Yes, that Tufan elite detachment has already been dealt with by the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army under this Jiedushi's command.

If you take the token to the gorge mouth and successfully persuade the Tufan troops to surrender, after this battle you will become a deputy commander.

Opportunity does not come twice; are you willing to make the trip?"

Fang Chongyong asked with a smile.

"I, your humble servant, am willing! Thank you, Jiedushi Fang, for your support!"

Zuo Che hurriedly knelt and bowed his head to Fang Chongyong!

Taking the enemy general's head and banner to persuade a surrounded detachment to surrender is risky, but the chance of success is great!

Essentially, it's like picking up credit on the battlefield.

"He Laohu, hand the items over to him; why are you just standing there dazed?"

Seeing He Changqi standing idle for a long while, Fang Chongyong couldn't help scolding.

"Understood, Jiedushi Fang, please wait a moment!"

He Changqi left reluctantly; after a while he returned, handed the items to Zuo Che, then wore a sullen expression and said nothing.

Zuo Che, holding the two "tokens," did not greet Ge Shu Han, but rode his swift horse out of the He Yuan army camp, galloping northward.

After he left, He Changqi finally asked Fang Chongyong in puzzlement: "Jiedushi, these merits are already ready, why not let our Yinqiang Xiaojie Army brothers claim them?"

"Always hogging the spoils, that will rot your butt."

We've fought all the way from Liangzhou to Shanzhou, breaking through the Tufan army's northern defensive line. The merits have already been scooped enough; continuing to covet them now will likely arouse jealousy from other armies.

Aren't you afraid that in the future others will collude, using the Tufan as a pretext to wipe you out?

If there's a chance, build up some goodwill; coveting those small merits of persuading surrender is meaningless.

Who wouldn't accept surrender?

Fang Chongyong said to He Changqi; at this moment the other commanders of the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army also gathered around, and after hearing Fang Chongyong's arrangement, they all thought their own Jiedushi's move was very appropriate!

The opponent of the He Yuan army is that elite Tufan force, which was beaten so badly. As a result, that army turned out not to be a match for the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army.

When this spreads, how will others view the armies on the Longyou side, especially the He Yuan army?

Isn't this just offending others to death? Especially the commander of the He Yuan army!

I heard Zuo Che is Ge Shuhan's household slave; letting him take a cheap gain is a face‑saving move for both the He Yuan army and Ge Shuhan. Such a recruitment by force isn't necessary to rush in loudly; it looks undignified.

"Jiedushi Fang, you still handle affairs with superior skill; I feel ashamed in comparison."

He Changqi, embarrassed, patted his head and laughed awkwardly.

"Fine, go take over the fortress defense; I'll go see Ge Shuhan first."

Fang Chongyong waved his hand, too lazy to listen to He Changqi's flattery any longer. He then instructed Guan Chongsi to take a few men to Huangyuan County, meet with Wang Zhongsi, explain the current military situation, and then ask how they should proceed in battle.

At that moment, outside the fortress, the sound of countless horses galloping could be heard, as if cavalry were coming this way.

Fang Chongyong's expression changed slightly; he led the commanders hurriedly up to the rampart. From the west came thousands of Tang cavalry, their banner bearing the character "Li", the unit named "Heavenly Might Army".

This army was originally organized by Fang Chongyong, and now has become Longyou Town's trump card. In the current battle for Shibao City, it played the role of a "firefighter".

The principle of selecting elite troops from elite troops proved apt for the current military struggle against Tufan. In fact, the Tufan Zhangpu's Imperial Guard also employs this elite‑within‑elite policy.

"Soldiers of the He Yuan army, please open the gates! I am General Li Guangbi, envoy of the Heavenly Might Army, acting under the orders of Jiedushi Wang, here to rescue the He Yuan army!"

Outside the city, a general shouted toward the rampart.

"Open the gates."

Fang Chongyong waved at He Changqi and said there's no need to show off in front of Li Guangbi.

Soon, the gates opened. Li Guangbi, who had intended to lead troops into the city, was stunned to find many fresh troops inside the fortress.

As expected, the He Yuan army, after many battles, had its main forces dispatched to Huangyuan County, so now there should be hardly any fit soldiers left!

He thought he had fallen into a Tufan scheme, was about to turn and flee, but Fang Chongyong called him back.

"General Li, I hope you are well; I am the Military Governor of Hexi, Fang Chongyong, bringing the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army to reinforce Longyou Town."

"General Li, do not worry."

Hearing Fang Chongyong's words, Li Guangbi finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He stepped forward, grasped the other's hands tightly, and said excitedly: "Great, Jiedushi Fang has arrived; now we have no worries left in this battle! By the way, let's combine our forces and attack that Tufan army to the north. They probably haven't fled yet, but if it's delayed, who knows."

Li Guangbi had been worrying along the way that his troops were insufficient; now hearing that Hexi troops have arrived, led personally by Fang Chongyong, he immediately felt the situation was secured!

His words made the commanders behind Fang Chongyong stare at each other; many wanted to laugh but couldn't, holding it in, their faces twisted.

Li Guangbi's words weren't without reason; it's just he hadn't fully grasped the situation.

That Tufan force was indeed fierce, but it had just been dealt with by the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army. The battle is over; why are you now coming to suggest we fight together again?

"Um, this matter is a bit complicated; General Li, please discuss privately with this Jiedushi, many things aren't convenient to say here."

"Standing around like this solves nothing; perhaps General Li should let the Heavenly Might Army enter the city first."

Fang Chongyong explained with an embarrassed expression.

"That works as well."

Li Guangbi nodded slightly, without further hesitation.

……

"Jiedushi Fang, are you saying the battle is already over?"

Inside Ge Shuhan's convalescent quarters, the fierce man, wounded by an arrow and forced to the sidelines, asked in confusion.

If it weren't for Fang Chongyong's high rank and extensive connections, he would have already sent someone to verify the truth of this matter.

From the current situation, what Fang Chongyong said can basically be confirmed as fact; lying about such matters would later get you beheaded!

"Indeed so; see, that fierce general even shot an arrow at my forehead."

Fang Chongyong removed his official hat, revealing a hemp bandage tied on his head, with streaks of blood.

This… it really is true!

Li Guangbi remained half‑doubtful, but Ge Shuhan was already fully convinced. The arrow wound on his body was left by that Tufan commander; the man was confident in his archery, yet even in battle he faced Fang Chongyong head‑on.

However, he was unlucky and failed to break the defense, being killed in return.

"How did Jiedushi Wang arrange it?"

Fang Chongyong asked in a deep voice.

"Replying to Jiedushi Fang, Jiedushi Wang hopes to annihilate the Tufan flank forces completely, then repel the main Tufan army on the southern front."

"This time Longyou Town suffered heavy casualties and is now powerless to counterattack the Jiǔqū Yellow River region."

Li Guangbi said with some regret.

It's not that there is no chance, but this time there is none. Longyou Town is already battered, needing rotation, recruitment of new soldiers, and care for the wounded and aftermath.

In short, this battle is essentially over, at most delivering a blunt blow to the Tufan southern army. Of course, the Tibetans, hearing that another of their flank forces here has been completely wiped out, are likely to retreat on their own.

The Tufan armies do have communication, so this is merely a matter of timing.

"I'll write a letter and send it to the Tufan army. They will send envoys to Chang'an to cede territory and seek peace."

Fang Chongyong nodded slightly and said.

Wei Yuan, Qilian Grassland, and Datong, these three valleys on the periphery of the Qinghai‑Tibet Plateau, have all been lost to the Tufan this time; their power was uprooted by Fang Chongyong's old‑style punch. The Tibetans, having suffered heavy losses, clearly cannot retake them, and must wait for a new offensive in a few years.

So they sent envoys to Chang'an to seek peace; just give up these few places and bargain with the Tang, that's all it takes, just for the sake of face.

The Tubo Imperial Guard's Second Army was annihilated; they were under the command of the "Lun" faction, and another elite unit belonging to the "Shang" faction was also slaughtered. The new Zanpu is young and has no power base of his own. Thus, the two factions within Tubo are now equally weakened.

Now demobilizing the troops and sending them home to rest and recuperate serves the interests of all Tubo factions; it amounts to "being weakened in the dynamic process to reach a new equilibrium."

The next stage will be internal strife within Tubo, centered on fighting for the Zanpu. Before one faction overwhelms the other, Tubo will not rashly launch external warfare, which can at least buy the Tang three to five years of peace.

Meanwhile, the Tang's Longyou Garrison has also been crippled and needs to regroup; sending troops to fight the Tubo would only cause pointless casualties and achieve no strategic goal.

What's the point of killing a few more Tubo soldiers?

After hearing Fang Chongyong's explanation, Li Guangbi and Geshu Han were greatly impressed.

Military envoys of their rank only need to win battles; they don't need to think about anything else.

Meanwhile, Fang Chongyong's thinking has already transcended that of a "theater commander"; he views the Tang-Tubo dispute from the standpoint of national frontier defense and diplomacy.

Questions of when to fight, how to fight, how to cease hostilities, when to cease—these often feel more nerve‑racking than actual combat with swords and spears.

Seeing Li Guangbi hesitate, Fang Chongyong nodded at him and said:

"I, the Jiedushi, will write a letter first; you take it back to show Wang Jiedushi. If it works, we'll send someone to the Tubo camp; if not, we'll discuss further."

"What do you think of this?"

"That's excellent; there's no need to delay. Jiedushi Fang, write it now, and when it's done I'll personally make the trip."

Li Guangbi clasped his fists in salute to Fang Chongyong and said:

(End of chapter)