Yao Mubai changed his expression slightly and said: "Your Excellency, is it true that the imperial court...!" But he did not dare to say anything else.
Pei Shiqing smiled slightly and asked, "It seems that Yao Duhu came to Xiling some years ago, right?"
"It's been more than four years." Yao Mubai sighed: "I also tell the truth to your Excellency, I seem to be a guardian here in Xiling, but in fact it is no different from being exiled to the army."
Pei Shiqing said: "If I remember correctly, Sir Shiqing was working in the Ministry of Personnel before." Pei Shiqing said: "That night, I met two drunken dragon scale warriors. Your men didn't know their identities and got into trouble with them.
There was a conflict, and I later found out that those two people were Dragon Scale Warriors."
"Exactly." Yao Mubai said with a bitter smile: "After a few months, I was transferred to Xiling."
"Xiling is hard. I know the clues from what I saw along the way." Pei Shiqing said: "They all say that Xiling is hard, but it is the people of Xiling who are suffering. The Xiling family is very rich."
Yao Mubai pondered for a moment and finally said: "Your Excellency, I don't know what the imperial court's attitude is towards Xiling. Can you tell me directly?"
"Actually, most officials in the court will not consider Xiling." Pei Shiqing said: "In their eyes, compared to southern Xinjiang, Xiling is nothing more than worthless."
"Weak ribs?"
"Master Protector, you should know that although the Xiling family has been extremely powerful in Xiling for more than ten years, they are just exploiting the people in Xiling and cannot really threaten the empire." Pei Shiqing said: "The real threat to the empire is Nannan.
Jiang Murong’s family.”
Yao Mubai nodded slightly.
Although the Xiling family is the local emperor of Xiling, after all, they have the eyes and ears of the imperial court here. Moreover, they had an agreement with the imperial court at that time. Apart from the three Xiling cavalry, there are no other soldiers and horses available, and it is naturally impossible for a mere two thousand cavalry to attack them.
Empire poses no threat.
In southern Xinjiang, Murong controlled two states and eleven counties in southern Xinjiang, with tens of thousands of soldiers under his control. During the Wutuo Rebellion, Murong's army marched northward and once conquered cities and territories. The military front was so strong that many states and counties surrendered in defiance of the wind, which also allowed them to surrender.
Everyone in the world saw how powerful Murong Jun was.
If the Wutuo and Tusun people had not been repulsed and the Tang army had tried its best to deal with the south, coupled with the lack of support from Murong's army, the Tang Empire would have been in danger.
After negotiating with the empire, Murong's army returned to southern Xinjiang. The imperial court named him the King of Zhennan. However, the Murong family never really surrendered to the Tang Dynasty. They still had tens of thousands of soldiers. The imperial court had seen the strength of Murong's army and was afraid that one day Murong would go north.
, deployed defenses in the south, forming a moon-shaped defense.
"The King of Zhennan is a master of military affairs. He has many good ministers and generals who should not be underestimated." Pei Shiqing sighed: "Many officials in the imperial court have been writing to send troops to conquer Murong, but the imperial court has not moved yet. Do you know why?"
Yao Mubai said: "In my opinion, Southern Xinjiang should not be delayed for a long time. If it costs one tael of silver to attack Southern Xinjiang, but to defend against Murong, it will cost three taels of silver every year, which is a huge cost."
"If we send troops to invade southern Xinjiang, we will naturally celebrate the victory. But if we lose and Murong's army takes advantage of the situation to move north, the consequences will be disastrous." Pei Shiqing said: "The empire already knew the strength of Murong's army back then, and King Zhennan was good at it.
Looking at the imperial court, there are very few generals who can compete with King Zhennan." He smiled faintly and said, "But King Zhennan is already over sixty years old, and it is said that his health is getting worse. If he dies, and we continue to conquer,
That would be twice the result with half the effort.”
"The court wants
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Wait until King Zhennan dies before sending out troops?" Yao Mubai said in astonishment.
Pei Shiqing shook his head and said with a smile: "This is just a joke made by some officials in the court." After a pause, he said: "The matter in Southern Xinjiang has not been resolved, so the court naturally has no energy to worry about the affairs in Xiling. This time General Black Feather returned to Xiling
, the officials in the DPRK are not very happy about this matter. To tell you the truth, if the commander-in-chief Tantai had not supported the general and told the saint that Xiling cannot be lost, the saint might not have ordered General Black Feather to sit in Xiling and prepare for war."
Yao Mubai said: "Your Excellency, has the imperial court... never thought of building a defense in Xiling from the beginning?"
"Yao Duhu, let me ask you, how much money do you need to recruit troops in Xiling and raise 20,000 to 30,000 troops and horses according to the general's wishes?"
Yao Mubai said: "Of course it is a large sum of money. The general will use cavalry and archers as the main force of the battle. Apart from the soldiers, the war horses and other equipment will also cost a lot of money."
"So, can Xiling's taxes support such an army?"
Yao Mubai said: "Xiling has suffered from famine in the past few years. In fact, the taxes that can be collected are not too much. Even if the wealth of Yuwen and other aristocratic families were rushed into the warehouse of the household department of Xiling, they would not be able to support such a force. The court would still need to allocate silver coins.
equipment."
"Okay, then let me ask again, if the imperial court hands all the taxes from Xiling to you, it will also allocate a large amount of money and grain from the already weak treasury to maintain these tens of thousands of soldiers and horses. After the Wutuo people break through,
Can Xiling be defended?" Pei Shiqing asked, staring into Yao Mubai's eyes.
Yao Mubai thought for a while and then said: "If it were someone else, it would be almost impossible to defend against the iron hoof of Xiling, but with General Heiyu, there is still hope. Once the Wutuo people come over and General Heiyu blocks the Wutuo people, the court will
If we mobilize more troops to support them, we still have a chance to drive the Wutuo people out of Xiling."
"What's the chance?"
Yao Mubai didn't know why Pei Shiqing was so concerned about this issue. He kept asking, but he could only reply: "There is about a 50% chance."
"This is still your most optimistic estimate." Pei Shiqing said: "In fact, there may not even be a 50% chance. But even if you say that there is a 50% chance of guarding Xiling, is there also a 50% chance of being defeated by Wu Tuo?
People swallow Xiling?"
Yao Mubai could only nod.
"In other words, if the imperial court does not take a tael of silver from Xiling, it will also allocate a large sum of money from the treasury, and even weaken the defenses of other places and mobilize troops for support. There is still a 50% chance that the final result cannot be defended."
Pei Shiqing smiled lightly and said, "Don't you think this is a waste, Lord Protector?"
"Waste?" Yao Mubai frowned and said, "Your Majesty, how can you say it is a waste? Xiling is the territory of the Tang Dynasty. It is natural to defend your own land with all your strength, no matter whether you win or lose, so how can you say it is a waste?"
Pei Shiqing remained calm and said: "Jiayu Pass is a dangerous pass. As long as Jiayuguan is blocked, it does not take five thousand people to make Jiayuguan impregnable. Let alone one hundred thousand Wu Tuo, even if it is two hundred thousand or three hundred thousand, don't even think about it."
Break the pass. Since spending countless manpower and material resources in Xiling cannot guarantee its defense, the best choice is of course to hold on to Jiayuguan."
"Does your lord minister mean to give up Xiling?" Yao Mubai's expression suddenly changed.
"The Yuwen family is just the beginning." Pei Shiqing's face became grim: "The Wutuo people will not be able to move eastwards for two years at the earliest. In these two years, we must transport as much as possible from Xiling to the pass.
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Supplies. We want people to mine - refined iron ore, war horses, and the wealth of aristocratic families. All of these must be continuously transported to the pass. If these materials are owned by the Tang Dynasty, they can strengthen the defense of the south.
By conquering southern Xinjiang, we will naturally have greater confidence."
Yao Mubai's back felt cold.
"I have told you what should be said and what should not be said today. I just hope that the Protector-General can work with me in the next two years." Pei Shiqing said: "I want to mine mines aggressively and even seize silver from the Xiling family.
Naturally, they need a reason to prevent them from causing chaos. The best reason is that in the name of General Black Feather's preparation for war, the iron ore transported into the pass is to build weapons and armor, and the Xiling family donated money.
, we need to use the money to prepare the army for war, so that we can complete the mission without causing turmoil in Xiling."
"Your Excellency, you mean that before the wolf Wutuo enters Xiling, the imperial court must first suck blood from Xiling?" Yao Mubai couldn't help but clenched his fists with his hands in his sleeves.
"If Lord Protector understands it this way, there is nothing wrong with it."
"The general will never agree." Yao Mubai said sternly.
Pei Shiqing said: "That's why we have to discuss with him. If he is still a general of the Tang Dynasty and loyal to the Tang Dynasty, we should agree."
"Your Excellency, I want to know, is this the princess's intention or the saint's intention?"
"What the princess means is what the saint means." Pei Shiqing said: "I said, I am a dog at His Highness's feet. Whatever the master asks me to do, I will go all out to complete it. If I can't do it, it will just lose my head.
, there will be others who will continue to do it." Seeing Yao Mubai's body trembling slightly, his voice was slightly gentler: "Building a defense in Xiling will only weaken the power of the empire. Giving up Xiling can strengthen the power of other parts of the empire, even if Wu Tuo
Even if people enter Kunlun Pass, as long as Jiayuguan is blocked, the empire will still be as stable as Mount Tai and will not be threatened by the Wutuo people."
"What about the millions of people in Xiling?" Yao Mubai clenched his fist and said, "Have you ever thought about it? Sixteen years ago, the general captured King Wutuo Khan, and the Wutuo people were forced to withdraw. If they come back, they won't just be trying to annex them.
Going to Xiling was to avenge the humiliation of being forced to withdraw. At that time, the Wutuo people's sabers would mercilessly chop on the necks of the people of Xiling, and their lives would be ruined. Without the protection of the empire, should they be allowed to be chopped down like cattle and sheep?
"
"For the sake of the empire, Xiling's sacrifice is worth it." Pei Shiqing looked cold.
"They are not cattle and sheep." Yao Mubai stood up: "If the empire cannot protect them, there are still generals. As long as there are generals, there is hope. The people of Xiling can resist the Wutuo people with their own flesh and blood. I just hope that the imperial court will not take the initiative from Xiling."
Take away those things used to resist the Wutuo people." Suddenly he knelt on the ground and begged: "Your Excellency, please say a few words to the people of Xiling, let the court know their suffering, don't abandon them, don't abandon them
Xiling.”
Pei Shiqing helped Yao Mubai up and sighed: "I am a dog. Do you think two barks will make the owner change his mind?"
"The people of Xiling were once proud to be the people of the Tang Dynasty." Yao Mubai looked into Pei Shiqing's eyes and said calmly: "Do you still remember the words of the founding emperor Taizu? Even if you hurt a Tang Dynasty cow or sheep
Even if there is no hair, the sword of the Tang Empire will slash at the enemy's neck. This is the real Tang Dynasty, and it is the Datang that makes its people feel proud. Is an empire that abandons its people still the same Datang Empire?