Chapter 305: The Seven Stars of the Big Dipper Rise High

Inside the former capital Tuyuhun, Fusi City, the atmosphere was tense and oppressive, and the soldiers gathered from time to time to whisper. News of defeat had arrived from the front: the Tubo army in the north of Shanzhou had been completely annihilated, and Weiyuan and the Qilian Pasture had been seized by the Tang army.

This was a catastrophic defeat that shook the whole situation!

Simply put, the balance of attack and defense has shifted; now the Tubo must worry about the Tang army advancing westward to strike the Nine Bends of the Yellow River.

In the incense‑filled room of Fusi City, Qi Li Xu sat on a cushion, eyes closed, listening to Enlan Dazalu Gong report the military situation.

"A few days ago you said the Second Guard Corps would flank Shanzhou City; why has there been no further news?"

Qi Li Xu opened his cloudy eyes, looked at the other with a puzzled gaze, and his displeasure was obvious.

"They… were probably defeated by the south‑bound Tang forces from Hexi; I don't know the exact commanders."

Enlan Dazalu Gong sighed, saying that not even a messenger had returned, so it was highly likely the whole army was wiped out.

In fact, after that army reached the north bank of the Huang River, it had two options: advance west to attack Shanzhou, the seat of the Lǒngyòu Military Governor, or head northeast to strike the Tang rear at Lanzhou! Attack wherever the enemy was weak.

If we truly attack Lanzhou, our own ambitions could be realized early.

Yet now this army has vanished without a trace!

At that moment, a personal guard of Enlan Dazalu Gong slipped into the room and whispered to Qi Li Xu, "Grand Scholar, a Tang envoy delivered two boxes and a letter, then left."

After speaking, he placed the two wooden boxes on the table, handed the sealed letter to Qi Li Xu, and quietly withdrew.

Both this Grand Scholar and his companion Enlan Dazalu Gong were fluent in Chinese. In fact, many Tubo nobles were proficient in Chinese—a highly practical skill on the battlefield.

"You read it."

Qi Li Xu said slowly.

He was already old, and his eyesight was not very good.

"Very well, Grand Scholar."

Enlan Dazalu Gong took the letter and began to read it word for word.

The letter mentioned three matters.

First, the Tubo Northern Army had been completely annihilated, its logistical base and strategic depth fully seized by the Tang, and the Tubo Southern Army at Shanzhou was now isolated.

Both Qi Li Xu and Dazalu Gong knew this in detail, so it was not surprising to them.

Second, the Tubo Second Guard Corps under the Zanpu had been completely wiped out.

Third, the Tang army had received strong reinforcements, easily holding Stone Fort City, and even possessed the capability to probe the Nine Bends of the Yellow River, hoping the Tubo Grand Scholar would act accordingly.

Of the three, the first was idle chatter, the second confirmed Enlan Dazalu Gong's speculation.

The truly intriguing one, however, was the third.

The Chinese have a habit of placing the most important matter at the end.

If the Tang truly intended to attack the Nine Bends of the Yellow River, they could simply roll up their armor and strike under a dark, windy night—no need to write a "reminder" letter to the Tubo commander.

Therefore the letter must not be taken at face value but interpreted for the "what they wish to say but cannot" meaning.

"Wang Zhongsi is telling us that we should now send envoys to Chang'an to seek peace, and then the two nations should cease hostilities."

Qi Li Xu sighed and said that he understood perfectly what the other side meant.

Just as the Great Tang cannot eradicate the Tubo, the Tubo likewise lacks the power to destroy the Tang. The two have been fighting and pausing for nearly a century.

To be honest, the two have weathered countless storms; this is nothing new.

"Grand Scholar, withdrawing troops is not the issue; the problem is that our palace guard in Lhasa has suffered heavy losses, and a rebellion may erupt."

Enlan Dazalu Gong reminded calmly.

"Indeed, the Second Guard Corps is gone; of the four Guard Corps, we now control only one."

Qi Li Xu let out a faint sigh, his face grim.

"Grand Scholar, the Shang faction has also suffered heavy losses; we still have a chance.

The commander suggests that he lead elite troops day and night back to Lhasa to stir trouble, striking first for strength!"

"Seize the Zanpu, then eradicate the rebellion in the Zanpu's name!"

Enlan Dazalu Gong proposed with an excited expression.

Qi Li Xu said nothing, merely opened the two boxes that were likely filled with heads; unsurprisingly, they contained the heads of the Shang personal army commander and the Second Guard Corps commander.

Both sides had been blunted by the Tang, and the power balance returned to a "dynamic equilibrium."

It must be said that Enlan Dazalu Gong's suggestion was indeed simple and efficient. Since both sides' core units had suffered losses, whoever could seize Lhasa and the young Zanpu fastest would gain the upper hand in the ensuing political struggle.

Moreover, only the two of them know about the Tang's "cease‑fire" proposal; this time gap allows many actions to be taken.

"Do we really have to take this step? Do you know what taking it would mean?"

Qi Li Xu looked at Enlan Dazalu Gong and asked in a hoarse voice.

"Grand Scholar, these are the only options available. If we don't act, they will."

"Only after great chaos can there be great order!"

Enlan Dazalu Gong said solemnly.

"Very well, then as you say; I will send an envoy to the Tang to negotiate peace."

Qi Li Xu nodded slightly, already agreeing to the suggestion. The Grand Scholar position in Tubo is equivalent to the Tang's prime minister but wields far greater power, controlling both diplomacy and military affairs. The authority to dispatch envoys rests with the Grand Scholar, not the Zanpu.

"That matter must not be delayed; Grand Scholar, take care. I will lead my trusted troops day and night back to Lhasa to seize control of the situation."

Enlan Dazalu Gong bowed and said.

Neither of them was indecisive; Qi Li Xu immediately arranged in secret for an envoy to rush to Chang'an to negotiate with the Tang. That night, Enlan Dazalu Gong led elite troops from the southern Tubo line, withdrew the light‑caravan forces from the front, and slipped away from Fusi City.

At that moment, neither Qi Li Xu nor Enlan Dazalu Gong anticipated what was to come.

Blood would stain Lhasa, and turmoil would spread across all of Tubo, comparable to the "Yang Fire Rat Rebellion" that Fang Chongyong faced in his past life during the Tang Anshi Rebellion, thus beginning the saga!

Those who incite the chaos may not possess the ability to end it; events quickly outgrew the instigators' expectations.

It is worth noting that Tubo's calendar typically combines Yin or Yang (denoting odd or even), the Five Elements (metal, wood, water, fire, earth), and the twelve zodiac animals (rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, pig) to denote a year.

The year Tubo and the Tang contested Stone Fort City happened to be a Yang Fire Rat year in the Tubo calendar.

……

The Tang army achieved a great victory over the Tubo in Longyou, recapturing Weiyuan and the Qilian grasslands, repelling the Tubo forces occupying the Datong area; the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army displayed overwhelming might, and the Tubo sent envoys to sue for peace. Longyou military governor Wang Zhongsi sent someone to Chang'an to present captives.

When this news reached Chang'an, it caused a huge stir! Ji Ge has not stopped smiling for a while now.

The Great Tang hasn't made a big profit off the Tubo for many years, but now it seems our Tang is still unrivaled under heaven! The petty Tubo are not worth mentioning!

Excited, Ji Ge ordered a grand banquet in the capital's fortified city, celebrating across the realm. The central ministers of Chang'an, with the Ministry of Rites at the core, began a continuous chain of festivities—setting up stalls, popping champagne—determined to showcase Tang's heroic spirit! They could not tarnish Ji Ge's face.

Then, on a bright sunny morning, Ji Ge watched the ceremony of presenting captives from the tower of the imperial palace in Chang'an.

The joyous atmosphere of victory reached its peak!

Ji Ge sat steadily, loyal to him, in Chang'an!

And a series of news about the Hexi young commander Fang Chongyong spread like wildfire.

Stories like the young commander's snow‑night raid on Ebo Ridge or his frost‑shrouded crossing of the Weiyuan Gorge are no longer worth bragging about. After all, the well‑informed citizens of Chang'an have heard so many tales of such "surprise attacks" and "ambushes" that they have become numb.

People are more interested in the details of Fang Jiedushi's lightly wounded yet unretreated stance, and how he tore apart the Tubo elite army's commander.

Vivid scenes like "A single arrow pierced Fang Jiedushi's forehead; blood gushed out, yet he swung his blade with the other hand to behead the enemy chieftain" are the reserved programs that the many gossip‑loving crowds of Chang'an eagerly relish.

Anyway, they aren't the ones fighting on the front lines; if they truly saw the scene, they'd probably be terrified before the battle even began.

As for the myth that the elite Tang forces, the emperor's personal Yinqiang Xiaojie Army, are invincible, it is known on every street and alley, turning them into idols for the youth of Chang'an.

Some opportunists even noted that if this battle had not seen the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army march southward and cut off a Tubo arm, the one greeting Wang Zhongsi now would not be a flower‑carriage but a prison‑carriage.

The Tang's victory is merely the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army's victory; the Tang troops in Longyou were just tagging along for a share.

Of course, such noise is not the mainstream. The official propaganda still emphasizes the Longyou and Hexi garrisons' Tang troops' sincere cooperation and perfect coordination in a great victory over the Tubo, without mentioning Wang Zhongsi's awkward flanking on the front lines.

That night, in a private room of a tavern in Pingkang Lane, Cen Can and Yan Zhuang were drinking together, taking a brief respite to fish for gossip about the jiaozi and the northwestern border troops.

All major money shops in Chang'an were temporarily requisitioned by the authorities, forcibly converting their stored wealth into jiaozi, which the Ministry of Treasury kept centrally; a new office was established for "large‑amount withdrawals" targeting only members of the "Money Shop Alliance."

This maneuver can only be understood by those in the know; Fang Chongyong's earlier method of issuing jiaozi in Hexi was far more brutal.

Nevertheless, it was truly effective; the rollout of jiaozi faced no resistance because the owners behind those money shops were already powerful nobles, whose wealth was seized by the court and entirely converted into jiaozi.

If anyone resists jiaozi, wouldn't that just turn the jiaozi in their hands into waste paper?

Thus, in Yan Zhuang's view, you may call Ji Ge a bad emperor—he truly is bad—but calling him stupid would be inaccurate; he is not stupid.

"Come, come, fellow classmates, the wine has gone through three rounds; let's compose poetry, and now we'll pass the flower wreath.

As for the theme, since our Great Tang recently achieved a great victory over the Tubo in Longyou, let's make a marching poem on that subject!"

From the next room came the boisterous shouts of a bold imperial‑examination candidate, followed by a crowd cheering loudly.

Cen Can set down his cup and pricked up his ears to listen.

Yan Zhuang teased him: "Hahaha, Judge Cen, later we'll go teach them a lesson, so these clueless brats learn what a marching poem is!"

"Mr. Yan, you overpraise me; although I'm not accustomed to showing off in public, this is a poem about Fang Jiedushi. If these people write something unfit, I can't be said to go support Fang Jiedushi's reputation."

Cen Can stroked his beard and laughed.

Fang Chongyong had already written to inform them of the Longyou battle situation and demanded that the two closely monitor developments within Chang'an, reporting any news. Moreover, if they have spare capacity after completing the duties of the Imperial Memorial Office, they should now establish an information‑gathering agency and recruit reliable, capable people, rewarding them generously.

Now this crowd of scholars is bragging about the Longyou battle; besides Cen Can's itch to write poetry, defending Fang Chongyong's reputation is also essential.

These days, composing poetry in Chang'an is an important way to gain fame. Fang Chongyong and the Yinqiang Xiaojie Army's great achievement this time could not go unpublicized!

The two sat quietly where they were and listened, finding that these people's works were merely ornate, vulgar pieces, unfit for refined halls.

For some reason, these people are unbelievably thick‑skinned, constantly bragging to each other, as if a little praise at the table could make their poems immortal.

Listening, Yan Zhuang and Cen Can felt an awkwardness creeping in.

Just as Cen Can could no longer hold back from going to "teach a lesson" to the clueless imperial‑examination candidates next door, he heard the attendant clearing the table and refilling the wine mutter: "The Big Dipper shines high, Guozhong carries a knife at night. To this day he watches the horses, daring not to cross Lin Tao."

Eh?

Both Cen Can and Yan Zhuang are discerning; upon hearing that quatrain, they felt far superior to the group next door.

Indeed, should masters experience life like this among the people?

"Attendant, don't go, sit down and have a drink first."

Yan Zhuang invited the attendant who had just served the wine to sit down.

The man had a rugged face, but otherwise his features were ordinary, the kind of fellow you couldn't pick out in a crowd.

"How should I address this brother?"

Cen Can smiled faintly and poured the man a drink. Chang'an hides dragons and crouches tigers; today's down‑and‑out on the street may tomorrow rise to the halls of power—such a habit of looking down on others is unacceptable.

"I, a wanderer from Liangzhou, have become a drifter in Chang'an seeking a livelihood; after failing the imperial exams, I live a carefree life. I dare not reveal my name for fear of disgracing my ancestors; you may simply call me a Western Outcast."

"Western Outcast"—a "person from the west", akin to "that one from the west"; he must be someone with a story.

"Brother, that poem you just recited was fine; may I copy it down?"

Cen Can asked politely.

"Feel free; it was just an expression of feeling. Once a poem is written, it belongs to the world—how you spread it is up to you. It's a disgrace that the clever and brave Fang Jiedushi lets these incompetent ones critique it. I just said it offhand because I can't stand it."

The Western Outcast said calmly, though his expression carried a faint, indifferent disdain.

"I see you, brother, have considerable literary talent; why did you fail the imperial exams?"

Now the Great Tang shines at its zenith; talent everywhere is fully utilized!

Yan Zhuang, feigning ignorance, asked knowingly.

"That question is a long story, so only the court officials can answer. I am just a commoner; how could I know why the imperial exams failed?"

"I am not a minister of the court either."

The Western Outcast said with a hint of sarcasm.

He was a very interesting person.

The western barbarian said, not without mockery.

This person is very interesting.

You say he's criticizing the court, but he didn't say a single word out of line. You say he's just talking nonsense, yet it seems to be that very obvious meaning.

The affected airs of the literati—this guy has learned them well!

Yan Zhuang and Cen Shen both marveled that Chang'an truly is a land of outstanding people and spirit, and being at the emperor's feet, it gathers all the talents of the Great Tang!

Check, please!

Someone from the group of exam candidates next door shouted.

I'll go next door to collect the tables.

Realizing he had said something improper, the western barbarian, rather reservedly, bowed to Cen Shen and Yan Zhuang, then rose and went to the private room next door.

Esteemed guests, our shop does not accept exchange notes; please understand.

Seeing the brocade-robed youth opposite produce a 100-guan exchange note, the western barbarian's face fell and he said.

You wretch! The court's new rule says refusing exchange notes is a crime—say it again!

What are you barking about?

That man slapped the western barbarian, sending him to the ground.

The boss said not to accept it.

The western barbarian stubbornly retorted.

His words angered the group of scholars, especially the young man leading the gathering; instantly they fell upon him with punches and kicks.

Esteemed guests, take it easy—don't let anger harm your health.

The chubby shopkeeper stepped forward, kicked the western barbarian hard, and shouted: "Out of fellow-townsman sympathy I took you in, you blind wretch! Our shop doesn't take exchange notes—that's for ordinary folk; these are honored guests—can we not take them?"

Esteemed guests, sorry, the newcomer doesn't know better. Our shop does accept exchange notes—absolutely!

The chubby shopkeeper nodded and bowed to the group.

Really boring, I'm leaving!

The young scholar handling the bill flung a 100-guan exchange note at the western barbarian's face, then left with his fellow students.

After everyone had left, the chubby shopkeeper helped the western barbarian up and said: "I'll settle your wages today—leave Chang'an. Chang'an is a place of right and wrong; don't think about the imperial exams—better return to Liangzhou and join the army."

Ah, okay.

The western barbarian knelt and performed a full prostration before the chubby shopkeeper.

(End of chapter)