War horses are valuable war resources. One of the important reasons why the Tang Dynasty's army was able to dominate the world is that the cavalry is invincible. Therefore, war horses are a resource that every Datang military town values ​​​​very much.

With Gu Qing's temperament, he couldn't stand it if someone robbed him of 5,000 horses.

After the messenger returned to the camp, he reported the news that Ge Shuhan refused to admit his guilt. Gu Qing was furious and immediately ordered the drums to be beaten to gather the generals.

The rumble of drums spread throughout the camp, and soon all the generals of the Anxi Army gathered in the commander's tent and lined up on the left and right to salute.

Pei Zhounan and Bian Lingcheng were also on the list. From the recent rumors circulating in Kucha City, the two seemed to have noticed something was wrong with the Anxi Army recently. While secretly cursing their brother Shuhan for looking for trouble, they also increased their vigilance and kept an eye on them day and night.

He looked at Gu Qing, fearing that he would cause big trouble.

However, Gu Qing finally caused something big. Representatives from the Leigu Gathering were about to meet with the Hexi Jiedushi envoy. If the conflict between the two major military towns in the Tang Dynasty was known to the emperor of Chang'an...

The atmosphere in the handsome tent was solemn. Gu Qing sat alone in the main seat, his face as dark as water.

Li Siye, Chang Zhong and other generals stood on their swords with murderous intent.

Pei Zhounan and Bian Lingcheng were sitting on Gu Qing's left and right respectively, looking anxious and hesitant to speak.

After the three drums are finished, all the generals have arrived.

Gu Qing got straight to the point and said with a cold face: "Everyone must have heard about the matter. Ge Shuhan, the commander of Hexi Jiedu, intercepted 5,000 war horses of our Anxi army. I first bowed before the troops and sent an official letter to question, but Ge Shuhan refused to admit it.

Is it tolerable or intolerable? Can you tell me what to do?"

Li Siye had a bad temper and shouted first: "General, please fight! I am willing to lead the Modao Battalion on the expedition. If you dare to rob our Anxi Army, I will crush Ge Shuhan's eggs!"

Chang Zhong clasped his fists, his face full of anger: "The last general is asking for a fight! The Hexi Army bullied others too much, they must be taught a lesson!"

All the generals in the commander's tent stared at each other and asked for battle, their fighting intent rising into the sky with murderous intent.

Pei Zhounan's eyelids jumped and he finally couldn't help but said: "Master Marquis, generals, please don't be reckless in this matter! Although the Hexi Army is bullying others too much, we must not stir up trouble and cause the two armies to fight each other. The Emperor of Chang'an

If he knew, he would definitely be punished."

The generals' eyes immediately focused on Pei Zhounan, their eyes full of hostility.

Gu Qing looked calm, half-closed his eyes, and said calmly: "According to Yu Shi Pei's wishes, our Anxi Army will tolerate this matter?"

Pei Zhounan hurriedly said: "That's not true. The Marquis can submit a report to Chang'an and describe in detail Ge Shuhan's act of substituting the war horse. Your Majesty has his own sacred decree. I am willing to submit the memorial together with the Marquis."

Gu Qing chuckled and said: "I have complained to an adult when I was bullied. I have never done this kind of thing since I was a child. My approach has always been that when others bully me, I will retaliate with my own hands."

All the generals echoed: "The Marquis said it well! Let's repay it with our own hands!"

Seeing the fighting spirit of the generals in the tent, Pei Zhounan's face suddenly turned ugly. Bian Lingcheng looked left and right, his eyes flickering, and finally his eyes fell on Pei Zhounan. It seemed that Pei Zhounan was the only one who followed suit.

"Master Marquis, the Anxi Army is rashly provoking a provocation. If there is a conflict between the two armies, I will consider the consequences. I hope you will think twice." Pei Zhounan stared at Gu Qing and said in a deep voice.

Gu Qing sighed: "Censor Pei, you are the supervisory censor of the Anxi Army. You cannot turn your elbows outward. Let me ask you, who is provoking the provocation? Who started it first?"

Pei Zhounan hesitated, and then explained: "It is certainly wrong for Brother Shuhan to switch to war horses, but if the Marquis leads the army to start a fight, the crime will be even greater. Lord Marquis..."

Gu Qing shook his head: "Five thousand war horses is not a small number. Ge Shuhan deceived our Anxi army and dared to detain the horses, which is even more intolerable. The Hexi Jiedushi Palace is located on the only road from Chang'an to Anxi. If we

If you bear with it, all the grain, grass, horses, and weapons that the imperial court allocates to Anxi will be intercepted and detained by Ge Shuhan without any scruples. If you don't teach him a lesson this time, the Anxi army will have an even more difficult time in the future."

"Censor Pei, we did not initiate a provocation, but were forced to fight back."

Without waiting for Pei Zhounan to continue his persuasion, Gu Qing said solemnly: "Send orders to all the troops, including Modao Camp, Shenshe Camp, etc., to send 20,000 troops to the Hexi Jiedu Envoy's Mansion!"

All the generals clasped their fists together and shouted: "Take the order!"

…………

The Anxi Army camp, which has been dormant for a long time, suddenly sounded the marching horn today. In the camp, the drums roared, the horses neighed, and the soldiers holding halberds, bows, arrows and spears gathered in rows, and the generals gave military orders.

Go down and break out of the camp.

Pei Zhounan and Bian Lingcheng were on horseback, standing by the gate of the camp, watching the Anxi army leave the camp. Pei Zhounan's face was as cold as frost, and his eyes were filled with anxiety and panic.

Bian Lingcheng said softly from the side: "Censor Pei, if Mr. Gu does this, the emperor will probably punish him, right?"

Pei Zhounan said coldly: "It depends on whether the emperor still favors Gu Qing and how he weighs the importance of the two military towns of Anxi and Hexi."

Bian Lingcheng's eyes flashed, but there was gloating in his eyes: "It's strange that the emperor can spare Gu Qing this time when he sends out a large army to start a provocation."

Pei Zhounan shook his head: "In the emperor's heart, right and wrong are not important. Punishment or no punishment, the word 'pros and cons' is important."

Bian Lingcheng was stunned: "I have caused such a big disaster, won't the emperor hold me accountable?"

Pei Zhounan said coldly: "You don't believe it, Gu Qing's role is more important than Ge Shuhan's."

Bian Lingcheng wondered: "Why? Ge Shuhan has great military exploits and is a victorious general who has guarded the border for many years. Gu Qing only fought against Tubo once and won by luck. How can he compare with Ge Shujieshuai?"

Pei Zhounan snorted and said no more.

Gu Qing is of course more important than Ge Shuhan, but his importance cannot be explained clearly.

Guarding the border was second, and the imperial court had no shortage of talented people to lead Anxi. However, Gu Qing was the proposer and executor of the plan to quell Tubo. He had been in court several times, both civil and military, and was the only one in the world who could perfectly implement the plan to quell Tubo.

No one can match Gu Qing's precise grasp of the strategy to pacify Tubo.

In fact, during the critical period when the policy of pacifying Tibet was being implemented, Pei Zhounan sent memoranda to Chang'an every few days, reporting on the progress of pacifying Tibet. Judging from Gu Qing's recent inducement and layout of Tibetan merchants, the plan is in progress

It went on smoothly, more and more Tubo people were deceived, and more and more cultivated land in Tubo was replanted with medicinal materials.

At such an important time, even if Gu Qing caused great trouble, the emperor would not punish him severely.

He is about to create a feat far beyond that of Emperor Taizong and Gaozong, and is about to go down in history and rank above Taizong and Gaozong. These are the "pros and cons" that the emperor values ​​most now.

Twenty thousand soldiers and horses marched eastward in mighty force. Pei Zhounan, riding on his horse, sighed quietly and said: "I heard that Lord Gu kept causing trouble when he was in Chang'an, and even dared to kill the governor of a state. I saw him today. The rumors are different.

Xu. This Marquis is really capable of getting into trouble..."

Bian Lingcheng said softly: "Censor Pei, the army has set out, let's..."

Pei Zhounan sighed: "Let's follow suit and stop Gu Qing before he causes more trouble, otherwise you and I will both be punished by the emperor."

…………

The 20,000-strong army was walking in the desert, flags fluttering, blocking out the sky and the sun. From time to time, long, low, whimpering horn horns were heard from the front of the team.

Gu Qing was riding on his horse, squinting at the end of the desolate desert, while his mind was constantly weighing the pros and cons of sending troops.

Li Longji only saw pros and cons, while Gu Qing was speculating on Li Longji's pros and cons.

If you prepare for the worst and send troops to clash with the Hexi Army this time and cause casualties, what kind of punishment will Li Longji give you based on his character?

Whether the punishment is light or heavy depends on how much chips Gu Qing has in his hand.

The first is the degree of trust Li Longji has in Gu Qing, and the second is the importance of Gu Qing as a person.

The trust may be true. If I am more optimistic, it may be more than other ministers. After all, he is Li Longji's savior and has not participated in the factional struggles between the DPRK and China. It is safe to use such a person.

It's just that Li Longji's trust is limited. He can't completely trust a person, otherwise he wouldn't have sent Pei Zhounan to Anxi to supervise him.

Fortunately, Gu Qing still had an important bargaining chip, and that was the executor of the anti-Tubo policy.

Gu Qing had spotted Li Longji's desire for great success. Now, in Li Longji's eyes, the most important thing was to pacify Tubo and bring it into the territory of the Tang Dynasty. As the person who best understood the strategy of pacifying Tubo, this bargaining chip was equivalent to a gold medal for immunity from death.

, as long as Gu Qing doesn't rebel, he won't be punished too severely if he gets into huge trouble.

These are the "pros and cons" of Li Longji.

After marching for half a month, the army has reached Yangguan, not far from the Hexi Jiedu envoy's residence.

Gu Qing ordered the army to camp at Yangguan and sent a messenger to send another letter to Ge Shuhan.

This time the letter was much more intense. It accused Geshuhan of disregarding the law, intercepting military supplies, and detaining the war horses that belonged to the Anxi Army. The Anxi Army would not let it go. Now that the army was approaching, Geshuhan immediately returned the horses.

, otherwise it is inevitable that the two major armies will meet each other.

The messenger sent out the message and hurried back two days later.

This time the messenger did not come back alone, but also came with a general from the Hexi Army.

When he first arrived at Yangguan, he saw the densely packed barracks outside the pass for more than ten miles. The general couldn't help being shocked. He didn't expect that the commander of the Anxi Army had such a strong temper. He would send out the army at the slightest disagreement. Isn't he afraid of the emperor's punishment?

After entering the camp, the guards took the general to the commander's tent, and Gu Qing, wearing a robe, met him.

"Wang Sili, the lieutenant general under Shu Jieshuai, the governor of Hexi Province, paid a visit to Mr. Guhou, the governor of Anxi Province."

Gu Qing narrowed his eyes and said slowly: "Zhonglang General Wang Sili? Are you sent by Ge Shuhan?"

"Yes, when I heard that Lord Gu had sent all his troops from Anxi to the east for hunting, Marshal Ge Shujie was quite shocked and ordered his general to come to inquire about your army's whereabouts and intentions."

Gu Qing smiled and said: "I'm not hunting, let's be honest, I'm just here for your Hexi Army."

Wang Sili was taken aback and said, "May I ask Mr. Gu, what exactly is the intention of the Anxi Army?"
Chapter completed!