Chapter 493: Hidden Dragon Party

The Uighurs were just a robber-like attack. To a large extent, they were also avenging revenge and did not expect to defeat Saiye. As the first snow fell in Anxi, the Uighur cavalry who killed all the Gelulu people began to think about returning home.

But it is easy to come, but difficult to go. The Tang army has surrounded them from three directions. To the south are 20,000 elite Tang army soldiers of the Shaliye, guarding several cities such as Yili City. With the cooperation of the Sanhu Alliance, they began to recommend to the north; in Gongyue City, there are 20,000 Tonglu Army and 10,000 Shatu Army, they blocked the road for the Uighurs to enter Beiting; to the north are Jinshan, there are 30,000 Gelulu Army, who are fighting with a huge hatred. The Uighurs killed all their parents and sisters, and they came back to fight to the death.

The Uighurs finally chose to fight against the Gelulu people. This was a mentality of killing the roots and also to prevent the future revenge of the Gelulu people. It should be said that this was a battle in which the Uighurs killed and then survived. According to the rules of the grassland people, they did not participate in the war with Luo Army and Shatuo Army, so that the Gelulu people would resolve their hatred by themselves. The Tang army also stopped a hundred miles away. Li Qing'an issued a secret order: No interference in the civil war between the Hu people.

This is a battle of revenge and revenge. Both sides have equal forces and are evenly matched. After a fierce battle of two days and two days, dead bodies are spread all over the grassland. This is another endless battle. The Gelulu people vowed to kill all the Uighurs at all costs. The Uighurs were entangled and unable to escape. After both sides lost nearly 70% of their troops, the Uighurs were finally defeated and defeated. The last five thousand remaining troops fled on the grassland. The Gelulu people, who had only eight thousand people left, were still chasing them. They kept chasing them, fighting, and chased them thousands of miles away, exhausted countless war horses. In the end, less than two thousand Uighurs escaped, and the Gelulu people were only five thousand tired troops left.

The result of the Uighur invasion in the south was the destruction of a nation. After the last five thousand Geluo people came back, Li Qing'an dispersed the five thousand remaining troops and organized them into the Tang army, and then included Geluo's grasslands in Suye Prefecture, where Xuanchi County was built. Since then, the Geluo people in Jinshan have disappeared in the long history of the Middle Tang Dynasty.

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As time gradually came to early November, the second heavy snow swept across the land of Anxi again. The real severe winter came, and the war in Anxi also ceased and entered a rest period. At this time, the militia recruitment in Anxi began to become busy. All prefectures and counties were full of conscription notices. Anxi did not implement the recruitment system in the mainland, but the military household system, that is, every household has the obligation to send troops. According to regulations, each household only sent one army, and his parents and wives enjoyed tax-free treatment. During the busy farming period, local officials also organized manpower and plowing ox to support it.

However, this military household system was only implemented among the Han people. This time, the Anxi Jiedushi Office issued a resignation order, which means expanding the scope of recruitment to the entire Anxi, including all ethnic groups. Of course, their parents, wives and children can also enjoy the treatment of Han military households.

Anxi officials also estimated that according to this conscription method, at least one hundred thousand troops could be added in one winter.

At the same time, more than 20 ordnance workshops located in the Shuye and Shi Kingdom also became busy. They built weapons and prepared firearms. In addition, every household in Anxi also received a winter task, and the government provided the raw materials. Each household must sew a sleeping bag and make three pairs of thick-soled military shoes.

The court also gave strong support to Anxi's preparations. In early November, 100,000 sets of Mingguang armor, 200,000 horizontal swords and 100,000 pairs of crossbows were transported from Chang'an, and the convoy arrived in Beiting, which undoubtedly greatly enhanced the strength of Anxi's Tang army.

Just as Sailye's preparations were in full swing, Li Qing'an's focus quietly turned. He only needed to make one direction to prepare for the war, and his subordinates naturally arranged other specific implementation plans, and he considered more about Chang'an's affairs.

The carriage was galloping quickly on the streets of Saiye City. Li Qing'an sat in the carriage and looked at the bustling street market calmly. It was early November, and it was the New Year in two months. There were no difference between the streets of Saiye and the hinterland of Guanzhong. There were carriages everywhere from Saiye to purchase New Year's goods. Many of them were purchased by several Han families. Most of them came from various Han settlements. Although there was no shortage of food in each settlement, daily necessities and jewelry were far less abundant than Saiye.

On the street covered with snow, a long line was lined up in front of the two recruitment sites. Several Hu merchants leading a long camel cavalry were asking for something from the pedestrians on the street. The camels were carrying thick cotton bags and blankets, which were easy to sell at the moment. The military and the civilians needed them in large quantities.

Li Qing'an also felt a little touched. After the battle between the Tang and Tibet, he probably wouldn't have too many opportunities to return to Anxi. How to strengthen the connection between the mainland and Anxi is the top priority he has considered in the past few days. Of course, he has now established a complete pigeon communication route, and has set up more than 20 pigeon transit stations along the way from Chang'an to Saiye, and has set up more than 50 inns, which can ensure that the pigeon signal arrives at Saiye within fifteen days and Ma Xin within fifty days.

But it is another headache to have too little content in pigeon letters. Just two months ago, a smart pigeon post manager invented a "pigeon language" that uses Turkic letters as a representative. One letter can represent a common saying. As long as both parties are equipped with the same decrypted book, a large amount of information can be written on a very small piece of silk paper.

This is the predecessor of the later codes. This method has been paid attention to by the military and has been studied. Perhaps in the future, scouts will not be afraid of being intercepted by the enemy, which greatly strengthens the confidentiality of the information. For this reason, Li Qing'an specially ordered the person who invented the "pigeon language" and transferred him to the Sima Office of the Anxi Military March.

But this is still not enough. The delivery of materials is still difficult. It takes fifty days to two months from Chang'an to Anxi. During this period, transportation alone requires a lot of manpower and material resources. To strengthen communication between the two places, the construction of the Tang straight road became the top priority. In order to speed up the road construction progress, Li Qing'an ordered the military to devote 25,000 Tubo prisoners of war captured in the Battle of Qiemocheng to the road construction army. He hopes to complete this arduous project within next year.

Anxi Political Affairs Hall has repeatedly calculated that if you use the Tang straight road and ride a horse from Longyou to Anxi Yizhou, it will only take fifteen days at the fastest. Then, a large number of transit warehouses and inns will be built in Huizhou, Ganzhou and Yizhou, which will undoubtedly greatly strengthen the material and communication connection between Anxi and the Central Plains. This is an encouraging prospect.

Only by solving the transportation problems between Anxi and the hinterland can he truly move eastward in a strategic direction.

Just as Li Qing'an was pondering, a yelling came from a conscription site on the street, "Where am I not qualified? Although I am thin, I am already eighteen years old. I won't lie to you."

"Young man, you are obviously a child! We have rules, and you won't accept it under the age of sixteen."

"I can read and write, and I can do civil service. Please, I came from Chang'an thousands of miles away to make achievements in Anxi. You can accept me!"

When Li Qingan heard the boy's voice sound a little familiar, he immediately ordered: "Stop!"

The carriage stopped. Seeing that there were many people surrounded by the recruitment point, Li Qing'an said to a personal guard: "Go and see, what's wrong?"

Several personal guards rode over on horseback, and the onlookers went away one after another. The personal guards shouted loudly, "General, what's wrong here?"

The lieutenant in charge of recruitment pointed to a beggar-like boy next to him and bowed: "This young man is going to join the army. I saw that he seemed to be less than sixteen years old, so I refused to agree."

At this time, the young man timidly peeked at Li Qing'an's carriage, turned around and ran away, and several recruited soldiers next to him grabbed him.

"You let me go, I won't join the army!" The young man struggled desperately.

The guard looked at him, and saw panic in his eyes, and felt suspicious, so he waved his hand and said, "Take it over here! The general is going to ask questions."

The lieutenant in charge of the recruitment brought the young man to Li Qing'an's carriage. The young man turned his head and refused to look at Li Qing'an.

At this time, Li Qingan had already recognized this young man like a beggar. His extremely ugly face was his signature. This young man was Lu Qi, the son of the Chief Censor Lu Yi. He had met him once in the Lu Mansion a few months ago. He encouraged him to go to Anxi for a walk. Unexpectedly, he really came to Anxi, and it was also Saiye. He looked like he had sneaked out of his house.

Li Qing'an couldn't help but admire the boy's determination, but his face did not show up. His face sank and shouted, "Lu Qi, do you know your guilt?"

This young man was Lu Qi. He was inspired by Li Qing'an that day and made up his mind. After discussing with his father several times and was rejected, he left a letter, put dozens of silver dollars in his arms, and rode a skinny donkey to head towards Anxi alone.

After several months of wasting time, his money had already been spent and the skinny donkey had been sold out. He came to Shuye as a partner for a Hu Shang. Hu Shang didn't dare to take him west again, so he gave him some money to break up. Lu Qi wanted to find Li Qing'an, but he dared. He just stayed with Shuye for more than 20 days and happened to meet Shuye recruiting, so he decided to join the army.

Lu Qi was really scared, so he had to go forward and salute honestly and said, "See Uncle Shi!"

"I ask you, come to Anxi, do your father and uncle know?"

"I don't know!" Lu Qi lowered his head timidly.

"It is your luck that you are not dying now, otherwise your unfilial sin will be confirmed."

Even though he admired him, Li Qing'an was also annoyed by the recklessness of this boy. If Lu Qi died in Anxi, then his grudge against the Lu family would have formed. Fortunately, God let him meet this boy.

Lu Qi's lips moved, and he suddenly plucked up the courage and said, "General, I want to join the army. I know I can't fight, but I can do civil service, copy documents, etc."

Li Qing'an shook his head and said, "The Anxi Army does not allow young people under the age of sixteen to join the army. This is an iron rule. Whether it is a civil or military position, I, as the lord of Anxi, cannot take the lead in violating it. You are only twelve years old this year, and you are still four years away. Even if you have great ambitions, you can go back to Chang'an first and read military books for a few years. When you are sixteen, I will allow you to join the army in Longyou. Now you write a letter first and come home to apologize to your father. Do you understand?"

Lu Qi lowered his head in frustration. He knew that he had no hope. Li Qingan waved his hand and said to the two personal soldiers: "Take him to my mansion and hand it over to the third wife, and then say this is my nephew, and ask the third wife to arrange his food and accommodation well."

The personal soldiers agreed and gave up a horse, carried Lu Qi onto the horse, and took him away. Li Qingan was still worried and told another personal soldiers, "Look at him sooner or later, don't let him escape."

The personal soldiers nodded and followed from afar. Lu Qi's willfulness made Li Qingan feel a headache. It seemed that he had to write a letter himself to explain to the Lu brothers.

He shook his head and said, "Stay going!"

The carriage continued to move forward, walked a few more streets, stopped in front of a large mansion, waiting for Luo Pinfang and more than a dozen people at the door. Seeing Li Qing'an coming, they came together to greet him.

This mansion was the headquarter of the Yinlong Society back then. The tablet of Prince Yin Li Jiancheng was in the house. Since the Han and Tang Dynasties was officially changed to the Anxi Internal Affairs Department by Li Qing'an the previous year, the Han and Tang Dynasties disappeared, but the core Hidden Dragons Association of the Han and Tang Dynasties still exists.

Li Qing'an is still the leader of the association. Twenty members represent the 18 generals in the establishment of the 20 members, but many of these twenty members serve in the Internal Affairs Department, perhaps they themselves or their families.

The other older people turned their minds to their family's business. For example, Luo Pinfang, who and Chang Jin were both vice-presidents of the Yinlong Society, but Chang Jin became the chief manager of the Anxi Internal Affairs Department. Luo Pinfang was older and did not go into politics. Instead, his eldest son Luo Qiming served as the chief of the Hezhong Grand Governor's Office. Luo Pinfang himself and his second son were doing trade between Anxi and Byzantium and established Luo Ji Trading Company, which is one of the three largest private trading companies in Anxi.

Although Luo Pinfang and others turned to trade, they did not dare to forget the purpose and centenary goals of the Yinlong Society. In recent years, Li Qing'an's strength has certainly comforted them, but Li Qing'an was named King of Zhao, which made them ecstatic. This means that the Li Tang royal family officially recognized the existence of the founding descendants, which was also the first goal that the Yinlong Society had to achieve in the past century. At least the court recognized the descendants of Prince Yin.

Luo Pinfang stepped forward and bowed and smiled, "Now that Anxi is busy preparing for the war, why is Your Highness free to come to us?"

Luo Pinfang was at least nominally Li Qing'an's grandfather, so his tone of speaking to Li Qing'an was slightly different from others, and he was a little more casual.

Li Qingan smiled and said, "What day is today? Do you think I forgot?"

Today is November 11th. Just 128 years ago, Jiancheng Eighteen families will protect Jiancheng Crown Princess Chang and Jiancheng’s posthumous son traveled thousands of miles to reach Sailed Leaf. This day also became the two most important anniversary of the Hidden Dragon Association, one is the Xuanwu Gate Incident on the fourth day of the June 11th, and the other is the Hidden Dragon’s rebirth day on November 11th.

The twelve people who were still in the Hidden Dragon Association gathered in the ancestral hall today. They were originally going to notify Li Qing'an, but the Thunder Ye was nervous these days and there was nothing special about everyone. So at Luo Pinfang's suggestion, they would not notify Li Qing'an, and they would just have a small gathering.

When everyone looked at each other and a hint of emotion flashed in their eyes when they heard that Li Qing'an still remembered this day, Luo Pinfang bowed and said, "In fact, it is not special to commemorate every year. Your Highness is busy with official duties, so he doesn't need it."

"Since I'm shattering leaves, how can I not participate?"

Seeing everyone standing at the door, Li Qingan smiled and said, "Everyone, go in! Today is the important day of the Hidden Dragon Society, and we still hold the ceremony according to tradition."

Everyone walked into the gate, and dozens of Li Qing'an's confidant soldiers followed in, and the dark gate slowly closed.

The back house was the ancestral hall. Everyone changed into a silver-edged black robe and wore a crown. Each of them held a jade plaque with the names of their ancestors engraved on it. They lined up in two lines with a solemn expression, following Li Qing'an.

Li Qingan was wearing a black robe with a golden edge and a tall crown. The long black robe was dragged on the ground. He led the twelve members of the Hidden Dragon Society step by step towards the gate of the ancestral hall with a square step that was only found in drama.

The gate of the ancestral hall was already open, and cigarettes were scattered in the copper furnace. On the table behind the cigarette was Li Jiancheng's spirit card, which read: "The Emperor of the Tang Dynasty, the original sect, Jiancheng's spirit of the princess," and there was a long row of spirit cards behind it, including the spirit of the Crown Princess Chang, the tablet of Li Chengsi, the first generation of the Hidden Dragon Association leader, and the spirit positions of the Eighteen Generals.

Standing next to the copper furnace was an elderly man named Chang Ji, his grandfather, and the only surviving second-generation veteran of the Hidden Dragon Society. He is nearly ninety years old this year, with gray hair and wrinkles on his face full of vicissitudes of time.

His back was already hunched, standing there tremblingly, as if a gust of wind had blown him down. Despite this, he was also wearing a silver-edged robe and holding a jade plaque in his hand, with an extremely solemn expression. There were tears flashing in his vicissitudes of eyes. He looked at the energetic Li Qingan and slowly walked forward. He seemed to see more than a hundred years ago, the eighteen families surrounded Li Chengsi, the young first-generation leader, holding the same ceremony here.

More than a hundred years have passed, and the ancestors have long turned into dust, but their spirit and beliefs still exist, and the ancestors’ dreams are moving towards the moment of realizing their dreams step by step.

Chang Ji quietly wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes, picked up the small copper hammer, gently knocked on the copper bell, and said in a hoarse voice: "Let the incense! Bow......"

Li Qingan took three long incense sticks from Chang Jin, bowed a few times, and inserted them into the copper furnace. Then he brought twelve hidden dragon members to kneel down on the white jade steps. They bowed to the spiritual position three times devoutly. At this moment, Li Qingan had truly regarded himself as Li Jiancheng's descendant. He murmured: "The ancestors are above, and the fourth-generation grandson Qingan here swears to the spirit of the ancestors, that one day, I will take the ancestor's spirit card to retrace the Xuanwu Gate!"

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After the ceremony, the gate of the backyard of the ancestral hall slowly closed. Everyone changed their usual clothes and came to the living room. They sat down in two rows. Li Qing'an sat in the main seat, took out the dragon and phoenix pendants and placed them on the table. Several of his personal soldiers served tea for everyone.

This feels like a tea party. In fact, this is one of the rituals, called "accountability". As the name suggests, it is a reflection on the past year, including the questioning of the members of the association and the questioning of the members of the association to everyone.

‘What have you done this year? What are you going to do next year? Everyone wasted another year, if you explain it to your ancestors.’
To be continued...