Chapter 304: A Pig Can't Be Slaughtered in One Go

As Fang Chongyong expected, the letter he had Li Guangbi deliver to Wang Zhongsi was intercepted by the other side and never passed on to the Tibetans.

The refusal to write a letter urging the Tibetans to withdraw is not because Wang Zhongsi is warmongering, but because the recent Tufan attack on Longyou made the defense of Shibao City extremely perilous, almost falling to the Tibetans, and the scene was rather unsightly.

If Fang Chongyong had not marched his troops from Hexi to Shanzhou, Wang Zhongsi wouldn't dare imagine what would happen next!

Precisely because of that, Wang Zhongsi dares not act covertly; being exposed later would become a political scandal.

He earned little merit in this battle, and his superiors (namely Ji Ge) could hardly see where Wang Zhongsi had struggled. Hastily writing a letter to the Tibetans could easily make Ji Ge think he is incompetent, or that he is colluding with the Tibetans.

The "astonishing" fact that Shanzhou and other places were taken by the Tibetans is something no one believed until it happened, then they realized how hard the frontier troops had defended before.

Before suffering a serious illness, a person always believes they will live to a hundred.

That said, Wang Zhongsi has always valued his soldiers, and he agrees with Fang Chongyong that continuing the fight between the Tang army and the Tibetans no longer has strategic meaning; the so‑called "victories" would merely be killing more Tibetans.

To Wang Zhongsi, that is meaningless.

The current situation is like Cao Cao's troops stuck in Hanzhong during the Three Kingdoms—like a chicken rib.

Chicken ribs, chicken ribs—eating them yields no meat, discarding them leaves a taste; truly hard to choose.

If we were aggressive, using Shibao City as a base to advance westward toward the Nine Bends of the Yellow River, even to water horses at Qinghai Lake, the idea is fine. But the Tang forces in Longyou, already battered, lack the strength to accomplish it.

Persuading the Tibetans to withdraw still leaves Wang Zhongsi feeling unwilling.

So he ordered Li Guangbi to guard Anrong City in Huangyuan County, while he himself traveled by light carriage to the He Yuan garrison to meet Fang Chongyong.

As soon as they met, Fang Chongyong led Wang Zhongsi to the drill ground of the He Yuan garrison. A wooden stake held a scarecrow dressed in armor of a style very different from Tang's, seemingly finely crafted from many small rectangular iron plates with curved edges.

"Tibetan armor?"

Wang Zhongsi was startled, examined it closely, and confirmed it was indeed Tibetan in style, but a new design he had never seen before.

"And a mask."

Fang Chongyong handed Wang Zhongsi a fierce iron mask that exposed the eyes, nostrils, and mouth, painted black.

Fang Chongyong took the standard Tang crossbow with a rapid‑fire arm that He Changqi had given him and fired three bolts at the armor. At a distance of ten steps, the bolts merely pierced the plates, their heads lodging in the metal. If a person wore such armor, that three‑shot barrage could not harm them, at most grazing the skin.

Wang Zhongsi's smile vanished instantly; his expression grew solemn as he stepped forward to inspect the three arrows lodged in the Tibetan armor. With a light flick of his hand he knocked them to the ground, showing the arrows had not penetrated deeply.

"If Tufan heavy infantry charge in this armor, even Tang crossbowmen who engage at close range and hit them dozens of times cannot kill them.

Father‑in‑law, forgive my bluntness, Tufan technology has been advancing; we have seized many western craftsmen, and in some respects their workmanship does not lag behind the Tang.

For example, the Tufan Imperial Guard armor we captured is even stronger than that of the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army, whose armor is already among the finest in the Tang army.

"Tufan elite troops must not be underestimated!"

From Fang Chongyong's observations, the Tufan forces vary greatly in quality; the Imperial Guard and ordinary slave soldiers differ enormously in combat power.

Fang Chongyong then handed Wang Zhongsi the helmet he had once had pierced by an arrow and said, "Not every Tang soldier can wear a helmet with this level of protection. Without it, father‑in‑law, you'd be eating my seat now."

The helmet Fang Chongyong wore was indeed finely made with superior material, but ordinary Tang soldiers could not wear it.

In some aspects, such as armor, the Tufan Imperial Guard's equipment is actually a bit better than ours in the Tang, though they have fewer elite troops.

The Tibetans continuously improve their technology by raiding the Western Regions and even small states in West Asia.

"It seems we can only persuade the Tibetans to withdraw this time."

Wang Zhongsi let out a long sigh; Fang Chongyong's tour spoke louder than a thousand words. He now understood that a cornered Tibetan force is not easy to defeat; it could end in a mutual disaster.

"Father‑in‑law, let's discuss this in the detention room; this isn't a place for conversation."

Fang Chongyong lowered his voice and said.

Wang Zhongsi examined Fang Chongyong from head to toe, feeling that the young man he had watched grow up was maturing so quickly it was almost unbelievable.

Although Wang Zhongsi still lacks the full details of Fang Chongyong's southern campaign with the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army, this incident alone shows that Fang Chongyong is now a renowned general of both wit and bravery.

He is no longer just a younger son‑in‑law who needs his care, but an equal partner who can seriously discuss military affairs and decide border town matters.

"That's fine then."

Wang Zhongsi nodded slightly.

……

In an unremarkable detention room inside the He Yuan garrison, Fang Chongyong and Wang Zhongsi sat opposite each other, sipping tea brewed from loose leaves. Outside, He Changqi and his personal troops guarded the perimeter, barring any idle visitors.

"Say whatever you want; don't beat around the bush."

Wang Zhongsi frowned slightly.

"Father‑in‑law, according to your view, can the Tang eradicate the Tibetans?"

Fang Chongyong asked in a deep voice.

"If the Tibetans are not internally turbulent, wiping them out would be like a fool's dream."

Wang Zhongsi sighed.

His father Wang Haibin died at the hands of the Tibetans; the best understanders of the Tibetans are their mortal enemies. Wang Zhongsi is among the Tang generals who know the Tibetans best.

"Since Songtsen Gampo, Tibet has continuously reformed, with constant regional rebellions, later the Qinling revolt, families defecting to the Tang—how can one say there's no turmoil? Even now, the young Tibetan king Zhanpu resembles the Han puppet emperor, with two factions fighting internally; surely there is turmoil."

Fang Chongyong bluntly pointed out the flaw in Wang Zhongsi's words: Tibet does have turmoil; its interior has hardly ever been fully stable!

If you ask when the turmoil is, it is now! Yet this does not stop the Tibetans from sending troops into Longyou.

"Then what do you think?"

Wang Zhongsi asked curiously.

"The plateau climate is harsh in winter and humid in summer, supporting millions. Only Tibet's lands have become harsh, soil fertility exhausted, the slaves that sustain the Tibetan aristocracy can no longer survive, so Tibet will fall into internal chaos without war.

That moment will inevitably arrive; we may simply not live to see it.

Fang Chongyong said, implying something.

"Indeed… what you said is reasonable."

Wang Zhongsi nodded, not denying.

In fact, there are many such examples. For instance, during the Qin and Han, Guanzhong was fertile, a rich land. By the High Tang, Guanzhong often suffered poor harvests, its soil fertility depleted.

Since there's the Guanzhong example earlier, Tibet later isn't surprising. Wang Zhongsi's hometown is Hua County in Guanzhong, so he's familiar with such situations. However, this process, counted by centuries, both he and Fang Chongyong may never see that day.

"Father‑in‑law, I'm afraid that in our lifetime Tubo may never be eradicated; we can't pretend otherwise."

Fang Chongyong patiently urged.

"Very well, after saying so much, what exactly are you trying to convey?"

Wang Zhongsi frowned and asked.

"Father‑in‑law, in your view, where is the border between Great Tang and Tubo?"

Fang Chongyong lowered his voice and asked, as this question is somewhat taboo.

However, he needed this question to gauge Wang Zhongsi's understanding of the Great Tang–Tubo geopolitical layout.

"Recapture the former Tuyuhun lands."

Wang Zhongsi uttered exactly seven characters!

Good! It seems this person has a clear grasp of the Tubo–Great Tang geopolitical situation!

Fang Chongyong felt great joy inside, yet his face remained calm as he said:

"Since that's the case, father‑in‑law, what would the Sage do if we fully seized the former Tuyuhun lands? How would the border troops react? Who could persuade the Sage to tell him that Great Tang's border ends here?"

"If expansion can no longer continue, should the border troops' organization be trimmed? Should the border commander's merits be reduced? Should military expenses be cut?"

Wang Zhongsi was instantly stunned in place.

"That's right, you're a formidable fighter, constantly expanding territory. In one breath you reclaimed the former Tuyuhun lands, making the Tubo people dare not march north!"

"Then what? What next? Tell Ji Ge that Great Tang's farthest border is here? Or keep pressing on stubbornly toward the southwest, climb onto the Qinghai‑Tibet Plateau, and clash bloodily with the Tubo?"

"If Ji Ge asks whether Tubo can be annihilated, how would you answer? If the Tubo strike back and seize some key strategic points, what then?"

"Know that even on the current front, Tubo hold an absolute logistical advantage. If we keep advancing, the Tang supply line will stretch beyond sight; how many troops will be needed to secure it then?"

"Since we've realized Tubo cannot be 'killed' now, there's no need to seize every obtainable territory in one go. Otherwise, the day of triumph will be the day the Chang'an emperor discards the mill and kills the donkey!"

Wang Zhongsi lifted the tea bowl on the table, drained its tea in one gulp, inhaled deeply, and tried to calm himself.

"Father‑in‑law, we border commanders are like herders tending the Sage's livestock in a border town."

"No herder would kill all his own cattle and sheep at once to serve guests, right?"

Fang Chongyong placed the letter Wang Zhongsi had returned onto the opponent's side again, hinting that Wang should sign it and send it to Tubo. If not for needing Wang's signature, Fang could have bypassed him, delivered the letter himself, and acted after the fact.

Seeing the other side still hesitating, Fang Chongyong stoked the fire further, saying:

"This time we reclaimed Datong and newly seized Weiyuan and Qilian Pasture, two Tubo protrusions into the Tang defense line, giving the border troops some answer to the Sage."

"As for the military order, you could say that Hexi Town only rushed to aid after receiving your request, and the fact remains that Longyou was already short of troops."

Fang Chongyong subtly manipulated, expression unchanged.

In this battle, did Fang Chongyong receive Wang Zhongsi's request to move south, or did he himself see the stalemate and lead troops south? To Ji Ge, these are entirely different concepts, even though the outcome is the same.

If it was the former, it means Fang Chongyong was sharing his own merit, covering for Wang Zhongsi.

Your own keen eye to pierce the Tubo's rear is the mark of a great general. But if you acted on someone else's suggestion, it can only be called bold and decisive.

"In that case, didn't you suffer a huge loss?"

Wang Zhongsi sighed and asked, picking up the letter on the desk and tucking it close to his chest,

"Father‑in‑law, after this battle, the two towns of Hexi in Longyou have been jointly held by a single person, which is the prevailing trend.

Given that, should the son‑in‑law become the Military Governor of the two towns, or should you, father‑in‑law, take the role?

I will expedition to the Western Regions, so it must be you, father‑in‑law, who assumes this position. If so, what meaning does this victory have for me?"

Fang Chongyong spread his hands and asked.

His words were flawless, and Wang Zhongsi had to admit that there truly are geniuses in this world.

"By the way, father‑in‑law, empty words lack proof and are hard to make people trust."

Fang Chongyong walked to a cabinet in the pledge room, took the locked wooden box the size of two heads, and placed it at Wang Zhongsi's feet.

"These are the heads of the two Tubo elite commanders I annihilated, one of which belonged to the Tubo Zampu's Guard Second Army."

"The destruction of both main forces should shatter Tubo's illusion. In the spirit of reciprocity, returning these two heads to Tubo also shows Great Tang's magnanimity as a civilized nation."

Fang Chongyong chuckled, took off his official hat, placed it on the desk, revealing his forehead bound with coarse cloth.

"Your wound is all right, isn't it?"

Wang Zhongsi could only laugh and cry; Fang Chongyong deliberately used those two heads to disgust Tubo's high command, avenging his own forehead arrow wound.

"Tubo's bows are weak; they cannot kill me!

The Tubo commander shot that arrow but didn't kill me; frightened, he turned and fled, I cut him down in formation, and the army swiftly collapsed."

Fang Chongyong roared with laughter.

"You truly are fierce!"

Wang Zhongsi reflected inwardly that a Hexi Military Governor who still dares to charge into battle is indeed uncommon. After all, even civil officials hold the title of Military Governor; one cannot expect a civil official to charge.

"All right then, just don't be so reckless in the future."

Wang Zhongsi sighed.

On the battlefield, soldiers face fierce and perilous combat; the risk is immense. Surviving truly requires luck.

In a war, who wins and who loses is often controllable and can be foreseen.

But who lives and who dies truly depends on divine blessing; even a victor cannot guarantee his own survival.

"Father‑in‑law, I have nothing more to do here. The son‑in‑law will lead the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army back to Liangzhou to rest; the expedition to the Western Regions is imminent, and time waits for no one."

Fang Chongyong crossed his arms, bowed to Wang Zhongsi, and said.

"Take good care of yourself; the Tang forces in the Western Regions are few and unsupported, so caution is paramount."

Wang Zhongsi patted Fang Chongyong's shoulder and said.

At dawn the next day, the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army set out eastward toward Lanzhou for supplies, each person leading three horses, transporting a large haul of armor and soft valuables seized from the Tubo.

And the "Letter of Persuasion" that later caused severe political turmoil within Tubo, along with the two Tubo commanders' heads, was delivered by a Tang envoy to Fusi City.

(End of chapter)