Chapter 29: The wolf smoke rolls

Deep in the desert, Mochu's tent was filled with charcoal fire, and the tent was warm as spring. Mochu and a group of ministers were having a banquet. Mochu stuffed a piece of mutton into his mouth, chewed it for a while, and then drank the hot horse's breasts in big mouths, and put down the silver bowl very comfortably.

"Since the heavy snow, the desert has been trapped by snow disasters, but fortunately it has stopped ten days ago." Mochu said slowly: "Although the snow has stopped, trouble has come. Since the snow disaster, cattle, sheep, and livestock have frozen to death and starved to death. What do you think we should do?"

"Shan, what else can I say? Naturally, I sent troops to Monan to ask for losses from the Tang people." A general shouted with a very open weapon, stuffed with mutton in his mouth, and his voice was a little vague.

Because nomadic peoples are located in the depths of the desert and are extremely short of daily necessities, once there is a snow disaster, countless cattle, sheep and livestock will freeze to death. Whenever they encounter such a year, they will raise troops to plunder, plunder the population and food.

This is the case with the Huns, the Xianbei, the Turks, the Khitans, and the Jurchens. This is a common problem with nomadic peoples.

In a word, they regard the farming Han people as their inexhaustible warehouses, and they will take them and let them do whatever they want.

"Khan, send troops!" This sentence fell into everyone's heart, and all the generals responded loudly.

"Zuo Xiangzha, what do you think?" Mochuo did not express his opinion, but looked at Du Situ.

Du Xifu is Mo Chuo's younger brother, with a cautious personality. After thinking about it, he said, "Khan, I think this winter's snow disaster, countless cattle and sheep were killed or injured. If we don't plunder, we will not be able to live, so plunder is imperative."

"What else can we say? Let's fight now!" A general stood up and waved his fists and shouted: "In the fifth chapter, there are 100,000 Tang people's corpses. We will go south again this time and add 100,000 more of his corpses."

In 698, Mochu went south and plundered the border. Wu Zetian ordered a large army to launch a large counterattack. Mochu knew that he could not defeat him and had to retreat. At that time, he plundered several states and nearly 100,000 border residents. When he retreated from the Five Road, he killed all these border residents.

This is what the general is talking about.

This was a great success for the Later Turks. The generals laughed and cheered in unison.

Du Situ looked at them coldly and said, "I haven't finished speaking yet. If you want to speak, it's not too late to wait until I finish speaking."

The generals were still afraid of this Zuoxiang Prevention, and they did not dare to yell again after hearing this, so they could only listen obediently. Du Xicui continued, "If we had gone south in the past, we would have got what we wanted. Now if we went south, it would be difficult to get the plunder. First, there were three cities that were surrendered and the three cities that were surrendered were in front of us. If we could not take down the three cities that were surrendered, our plunder would be difficult to achieve results. Second, Tubo was broken, and the Tang people could completely transfer the army that defended Tubo to the north and fight us to the death in the desert."

These are indeed the two major problems facing the post-Turkish people, and the generals couldn't help but feel suffocated.

"Left Xiangcha, why don't you say that the Tang people are not the same as before and cannot be broken." Right Xiangcha Moju stared at Dusicu and said coldly.

Moju is Gu Dulu's son. After Gu Dulu's death, Moju stole power and became a Khan. After some management, his power stabilized and he also sealed Gu Dulu's son Moju as the right wing.

Mo Ju was brave, warlike and bloodthirsty, and was impatient. He couldn't help but hear Du Xifu's words. He was sarcastic. Du Xifu seemed not to hear the sarcastic meaning of his words, and then said, "Youxiangcha said that it was important. The Tang people today are far from the Tang people ten years ago. If we go south to plunder, we will definitely be attacked by the Tang people."

"That's better than waiting for death here!" Moju's right hand slammed on the desk: "Since winter, it has been snowing heavily, so it's hard for us to go out for a walk. We can only sleep in a tent and have a banquet. After a winter, who hasn't gained weight? If this continues, can you still ride a horse to fight?"

This is the truth, everyone speechlessly, lowering their heads in shame.

"In addition to this, there is another news that is very unfavorable to us. The Great Shi defeated Talas!" Mochu took over the conversation: "This is the news I just received."

"Dashi soldiers were defeated?" Everyone jumped up in surprise, looking disbelief.

At that time, although the Later Turks and Tubo were enemies of the Tang Dynasty, it was recognized that the only one who could compete with the Tang Dynasty was the Dashi Empire. In the eyes of everyone, Dashi was too far away from the Tang Dynasty. If the Tang Dynasty wanted to attack Dashi, it was too difficult for the Tang Dynasty to fight, and the possibility of war between the two countries was not high. Even if the battle started, the Tang Dynasty would be exhausted and the soldiers would be defeated.

However, Dashi was defeated. The news was too shocking, and it would be impossible for everyone to be surprised.

"Not only was he defeated, but he also lost 150,000 people! If Gu Taibai hadn't escaped quickly, he would have been Geshuhan's prisoner long ago." Mochu's words were enough to scare them.

Later Turks had a good relationship with Dashi and had some understanding of Dashi and knew that Gu Taibai was good at fighting. The army he built was quite terrible. If the Turkic army faced each other, they would not even have a chance of victory. This time, the Tang army went deep into the territory of the Tang Dynasty to fight, and Gu Taibai had the advantage of the right time and place, so it was not difficult to defeat the Tang army.

No one expected that Gu Taibai was not only defeated, but also defeated so miserably that he almost became a prisoner of the Tang army. This matter was too hard to believe. Everyone stared at Mochu, his throat was dry, and asked awkwardly: "Khan, Gu Taibai was really defeated?"

"It's not that I'm defeated, it's that I'm defeated very badly!" Mo Chuo's eyes were full of divine light and he glanced at the ministers: "There was no such defeat in the Western Regions!"

"Sisi!" The ministers couldn't help but suck the cold air.

"Right-wing check, what should we do?" Mochu called out.

Moju was still thinking about going south to plunder, but now he didn't have this idea: "Khan, I will only follow your leader."

At this time, it is not a time to talk nonsense. The ministers said in unison: "Only the leader of the Khan horse is following!"

Mochu put down the silver knife in his hand, wiped his hands, stood up and said, "Zuo Xiangcha is right. Today's Tang people are no longer the Tang people of the past. Ten years ago, we were able to plunder and capture countless slaves and property because we have powerful friends Tubo and Dashi who are restraining the Tang people. Now, Tubo has been broken and Dashi has been defeated. What I worry most is not the snow disaster we face, nor is it the blow to the Tang people on us.

"It's the attitude of Dashi towards us. If Dashi suffers a few more defeats in the Western Regions, Dashi is likely to make peace with the Tang people. At that time, Dashi will abandon us and ignore the craftsmen we need, Damascus swords and iron we need, will never get any more. Without Dashi's support, we cannot compete with the Tang people."

Du Situ took over the conversation: "Khan, it's not that bad. Although the snow disaster caused us to suffer heavy losses, we can survive it. If we don't go to the south of the desert, the Tang people will have no way to deal with us. The desert is vast, and no matter how many Tang troops are, they will not be able to fill it."

Just now, the ministers who were shouting to go south to plunder have completely changed their tone and echoed: "Khan, Zuo Xiangcha is right, we don't have to go south."

Mochuo was not in a hurry to speak, and glanced at the ministers coldly and said, "Do you think it's safe to hide in the depths of the desert? The Tang people wouldn't cause trouble for you? Eight hundred years ago, the grassland under our feet was occupied by the Huns. At that time, the Huns were even stronger than us now. Their territory was several times that of ours, and their army was more than us. However, they were defeated by the Han people.

"The Han emperor at that time was named Liu Che, which is what the Han people call Emperor Wu of Han. This man was ambitious and was not satisfied with occupying the land in the south of the desert. Instead, he dispatched an army of 500,000 to cross the desert and chase to the north of the desert. This is where we are now. Wei Qing defeated the Xiongnu Shanyu Yizhixie and brought his royal court. Another general of the Han people, Huo Qubing, even attacked Langjuxu Mountain, and destroyed the holy land where the Xiongnu worshipped ancestors, and also erected a Han stele.

"I don't have to tell you where Langjuxu Mountain is?"

The "Decisive Battle of Mobei" launched by Emperor Wu of Han was a sting in the hearts of the nomadic peoples, and the ministers remained silent.

Mo Chuosen said in a cold voice: "The current Emperor of the Tang Dynasty, Li Longji, is smarter than Emperor Wu of Han, and is ambitious. Can you guarantee that he will not send out hundreds of thousands of troops to chase the Mobei? Eight hundred years ago, the Han people had such strength. Now the Tang Dynasty is stronger than the Han Dynasty. Do they have such strength?"

The heroic style of the Qin and Han dynasties and the prosperous Tang dynasty were the pinnacle of Chinese history. Not only were later praised, but people at that time also recognized it.

The ministers here know the strong national strength of the Tang Dynasty and how good the Tang army is, and who dares to speak? Even the impatient Moju remained silent.

After a while of old age, Du Situ took the lead in breaking the silence: "Khan, what should we do now?"

"Please tell me!" The ministers asked in unison.

Mochuo did not answer the question: "Left wing check is good at observing the current situation clearly. This is very good. Our adverse situation must be fully estimated. This is the strength of the left wing check. Right wing check is courageous and knowledgeable, and dare to fight, which is also very good. If the left wing check has the courage to observe the right wing check, and right wing check has the mind of the left wing check, that would be better."

After talking for a long time, it was irrelevant. Du Sifu and Moju had to respond: "Xie Khan's instructions, we have recorded it."

Mochu nodded in approval and then returned to the topic: "We have no way out, only attack, only attack, only attack before the Tang people attacked us. First, we must seize the three surrendered cities and drive the Tang army to the south of the Yellow River. Then, we must repel the Tang people's counterattack and hold on to the south of the desert, so that we have a chance to win!"

He clenched his fist with his right hand and said hatefully: "If Zhang Renyuan had not been the cunning villain who successfully attacked us in the west and the emptiness of the desert south, he would not have been surrendered to the three cities, nor would there be the current adverse situation."

Back then, the Tang Dynasty had no choice but to take it seriously. He was proud of his strength and did not take the Tang Dynasty seriously. Then he launched a war against Tuqi. Zhang Ren was willing to seize this rare opportunity and sent troops north of the Yellow River to capture the south of the desert, build three cities to surrender, blocking the Later Turkic journey to the south. After all, this was Mochu's miscalculation, which was a pain in his heart. When he thought about it, he hated him so much that he felt so angry.

"Khan, what if we fail?" Du Situ asked hesitantly.

"Failed?" Mochu sneered, "I, Mochu, have never failed yet! If there really is such a day, we can only deal with the Tang army by relying on the desert. If we still fail, we will be the second Huns, waiting for the country to be destroyed! You are good men of the Great Turks, the eagle on the desert, are you willing to fail?"

"I don't want to!" the ministers answered in unison.

"Very good!" Mochu said with a spirit of pride: "Tell me my order, and each department will be ready, and raise an army in three days to go south!"

"Abide by the order!" After hearing Mochu's analysis, the ministers agreed with his statement. They really had no way out.

"Report to Khan, the envoy of the Great Food, Husaiyin, asked for a visit!" The warrior outside the tent came in to report.

"Please!" Mochu sneered at the corner of his mouth, returned to his seat and sat down, grabbed the silver knife and cut the mutton.

Hussein took a cold air and walked in, politely rushing to Mochu and said, "I've seen Khan!"

"Brother Hussein, please sit down." Mochu said enthusiastically: "Come here, show the seat for the brother Hussein, take a whole sheep and a bag of hot horse breasts."

"Thank you!" Hussein waited until the servant was ready, and sat down without hesitation, grabbed the hot horse's breasts and started drinking.

Mochu put down the silver knife in his hand and asked, "Brother Hussein, what's the matter with me?"

Hussein replied while eating and drinking: "Khan, I'm here to ask Khan, when will you go south?"

"Going south?" Mochu looked stunned, as if he had heard this for the first time: "Brother Hussein, when did we say we were going south?"

"You..." Hussei asked because of a suffocation: "Khan, you said it when it was winter, why has it changed?"

"Oh!" Mochuo looked dazed: "Brother Hussein, the situation was a little different. At that time, I didn't expect the snow to fall so much. The snow disaster caused countless casualties and injuries to cattle and sheep, and we no longer had the strength to go south."

"Khan, we have done all the trenchers you want, and we have also made the Damascus scimitar. Your strength has improved a lot, and it is the time to go south!" Hussein was a little anxious. Once Talas was defeated, he could only urge the Turks to move south and strategically restrain the Tang Dynasty. How could he not be anxious?

Mochu shook his head and said, "Brother Hussein, you know. We want to go south, but we don't have that power either. Our cattle and sheep are frozen to death, and we don't have food, so how can we pass through the Thousand Miles of Grassland? Our knives are not iron tools, there are so many bronze knives that they can't beat the Tang people. Also, our warriors have no gold and silver, and they all use pottery, so I can't use them."

One difficulty after another, he actually spoke more than thirty difficulties in one breath, and Hussein shook his head when he heard it. He was not stupid either, knowing that Mochuo took advantage of this opportunity, but he wanted the Turks to go south as soon as possible to strategically restrain the Tang Dynasty. Although this restraint is not very tactical, it is still necessary from a strategic perspective to prevent the Tang Dynasty from increasing its troops to the Western Regions.

The war in Talas had a great impact, which not only caused Gu Taibai to lose 150,000 troops, but more importantly, an uprising against the Great Food broke out in those newly harvested places in Central Asia. They sent people to contact the Tang army. Geshuhan did not receive ten friendly contacts a day, but also had to collect seven or eight. If the Tang Dynasty increased its troops to the Western Regions, this momentum would become more and more out of control.

Now there is something to ask for Yu Mochu, Hussein gritted his teeth and said, "Khan, if you raise your troops and go south now, we can give you another three thousand Damascus swords, 30,000 jin of iron, and 200,000 dinars."

"Brother Hussein, we have appreciated your kindness, but this is a drop in the bucket and is of little use." Mochu had a big appetite.

"How much does Khan want?" Hussein knew that it would not work without meeting his request.

Mochuo thought for a while and said, "For the sake of my friends with Dashi and the Great Turks for many years, I don't care much about myself. Ten thousand Damascus swords, fifty thousand kilograms of iron, one million dinars, and one thousand craftsmen. Brother Hussein, this is the minimum limit. If we can't take it out, we really can't go south."

Hussein knew that he was asking for a lot of money and he could land and pay it back. However, the battle of this water war never ended, and he could not afford to lose time, so he had to say ruthlessly: "Yes. Khan, when will you go south?"

"We will go south whenever things come." Mochu is not a fuel-saving lamp.

Hussein wanted to slap him twice, and he held back his anger and said, "Khan, you know that the Great Food and the Great Turks are far apart. Even if they are lucky, it will take a long time. I will write a letter to the Caliphate now. Both the craftsmen and I stay. If the Caliph does not send anything, let the Khan deal with it."

This is what I meant to be a hostage. Mochu said with satisfaction: "Since that's the case, we will send troops in three days!"

Originally, he had agreed to send troops three days later, but now he was blackmailed. The ministers of the Turks admired Mochu's performance and raised their glasses together and said, "Respect Khan!"

Mochu waved his hand and said, "What do you respect me? Respect the Hussein brothers! Come on, do it!"

Hussein had to raise his glass to return the gift, and the hot horse's breasts were drunk in his mouth, like bitter wine.

But the king and his ministers were very happy. The wine was dry until the cup was dry until the fun was over.

Three days later, Mochu's 400,000 troops were assembled in the snow and ice. Teams of troops gathered together, crowded with people, and it was a sea of ​​people, and there was no end to see them at all.

If you look from the sky, there will be troops hundreds of miles around the tent, which is very spectacular.

Mochu led his ministers out of the king's tent, waved his hands at his army, causing a tsunami to scream: "Khan! Khan!"

If Gu Dulu was the founder of the Post-Turkish, then Mochu was actually a figure who promoted the Post-Turkishness. After Gu Dulu's death, although the foundation of the Post-Turkishness was laid, it was unstable and could be destroyed by the Tang Dynasty at any time. It was precisely because of his extraordinary talents that he finally got the support of Wu Zetian to become a big shot.

Therefore, Mochu enjoyed a high prestige in the rear Turkic army. When the soldiers saw him, cheers were heard, and no matter how normal it was.

Mochu was very satisfied with his love for him and his face shone. He led his ministers to a temple and came to the temple. Mochu swayed the stirrups and took the ministers to respectfully enter the temple gate.

The temple enshrined in the temple is not a Buddha statue, nor a Buddhist figure like the Arhat Guanyin, but a tall general, not someone else, but the mortal enemy of the Later Turks, the famous general Cheng Wuting!

Cheng Wuting followed Pei Xingjian to the north and fought the Turks, and they had no choice but to have a high prestige among the Turks. Later, Cheng Wuting was ordered to guard the border, and the Turks restrained their subordinates and dared not plunder them. Until Cheng Wuting killed Wu Zetian, the news came, and the Turks were overjoyed and slaughtered sheep and cattle to celebrate for several days.

The most unexpected thing is that the Turks not only did not hate Cheng Wuting, but instead molded him a golden body and built temples, and came to pay tribute to him whenever they went to war.
Chapter completed!