May I ask how the river tide and the sea water are like the love of a king and the heart of a concubine?
Hatred is not as good as tide and faith. When you miss each other, you will realize that the sea is not deep.
——"Lang Tao Sha·Asking about Jiang Tide and Sea Water" Bai Juyi
…
Bai Fu led 500 Anxi cavalry to escort the two Tang princesses, Princess Ningguo and Princess Qingluan, back to the capital. When the news came, the people of Chang'an, supporting the elderly and the young, spontaneously left the city ten miles away and lined the streets of Baqiao pavilion to welcome them.
Back then, in order to repay Huihe for sending troops to regain the two capitals, Princess Ningguo voluntarily went to the north of the Great Wall to get married, exchanging her own destiny for the well-being of the people of the Tang Dynasty.
The people of Chang'an were sincerely grateful to this Princess of the Tang Dynasty who pledged her life to the country. I heard that Princess Qingluan, whom His Majesty the Emperor loved most, almost became a princess this time, which made the people feel grateful and thank the Emperor for his great kindness.
The people came out to welcome him this time just to express their gratitude.
On the official road of Baqiao, men, women, old and young lined the streets to greet the guests, jumping for joy and playing loud drums. Girls from Chang'an who attended the ceremony even threw colorful petals on the carriages of the two princesses of the Tang Dynasty.
The people also cheered enthusiastically for the general Bai Fu who escorted the princess back to the Tang Dynasty. However, everyone's impression of Bai Fu still remained at the polo match and the battle to regain the Xiangji Temple in Chang'an.
When Bai Fu led his army to pacify Bohai, Silla, and the Japanese army jointly invaded the Tang Dynasty, the common people knew very little about it. Except for the strategy of Bailang Mountain, the common people did not know about the annihilation of Silla and the Japanese navy.
As the saying goes, those who are good at fighting have neither wisdom nor courage.
The people of Chang'an who lined the streets to welcome him had no idea what the young and handsome general in front of them had done for the Tang Dynasty.
It is understandable that the common people do not know the military situation. Compared to the common people, the attitude of the imperial court is thought-provoking.
In the Battle of Bailang Mountain, Bai Fu led his troops and annihilated one hundred thousand cavalry in Bohai County, breaking the siege of Yanmen Pass. When the news reached Chang'an, the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty were surprised at first. After the situation eased, all the officials in the imperial court fell into collective fear and slander.
The voice is endless:
During the Anlushan Rebellion, the imperial court relied heavily on the generals who led the army, but was also suspicious of them.
With only five thousand soldiers and horses, the main force of the Bohai County could be completely annihilated. Once this force became disloyal to the Tang Dynasty and became disloyal, wouldn't it be more terrifying than An Lushan and Shi Siming?
During the Battle of Penglai, the Jianghuai Navy of the Tang Dynasty destroyed the Silla Navy. Bai Fu's name was quietly erased from the list of requests for merit submitted by the Jianghuai Navy to the court. Officials in the Ministry of War knew this, but no one spoke up for Bai Fu's righteousness.
In the Battle of Tsushima Island, the imperial court's reaction was even more ridiculous. The allied forces of Tang Dynasty and Dashi defeated the Japanese navy. The news of success reached the imperial court. All officials in the court believed that sea monsters and basalt turtles and snakes were nonsense. The Battle of Tsushima Island
It is basically a false claim, asking Your Majesty to cure Bai Fu, and Changsun Yanxing is guilty of lying about his military exploits and misleading the public with his monstrous words.
In the Ming Dynasty, when hundreds of officials questioned Bai Fu and Changsun Yanxing, Suzong was magnanimous and did not investigate Bai Fu and Changsun Yanxing, nor did he judge the existence of this battle.
Suzong publicly reconciled in the court and said with a smile: "If this naval battle really existed, the soldiers participating in the battle were also the private tribes of the eldest son Yanxing and other Jiangnan families. They were not counted as the Tang navy, so the court did not need to reward them.
If we really win this naval battle, the trophies captured by the Japanese navy should be regarded as a reward from the imperial court."
The war involving the fate of the country was just laughed off, which really chilled the soldiers who participated in the war.
Bai Fu was not very ambitious to begin with. Seeing that the imperial court was so neglectful of the naval officers, he couldn't let go and almost went to the Jinluan Palace.
Fortunately, Changsun Yanxing was very generous and was not surprised by the chaos in the court. He sent a secret letter to Bai Fu, comforting: "There are both human and physical evidence of the Tsushima naval battle. The imperial court openly denies it. I'm afraid it's not that it doesn't believe in this battle."
, but I am worried that your achievements will exceed those of the Lord and you will not be rewarded.
From this perspective, it is not a bad thing to deny the military merits of the Battle of Penglai and the Battle of Tsushima.
Do not agree with political affairs in any way. People's hearts are obscure and difficult to understand, dark and complex, and it is easy to hide from open guns and hard to defend against hidden arrows. You must be careful when you are in the capital."
Bai Fu then suppressed his anger and wrote back: "It would be good if the spoils of the Battle of Tsushima belong to us. We just happened to buy warships and train the navy. In time, there will be a battle with Japan."
Although the military merits of the two naval battles were wiped out, Anxi's Beiting camp annihilated the Bohai County's 100,000 cavalry and lifted the siege of Yanmen Pass, which was also a great achievement.
Bai Fu did not value his fame and fortune, but strongly recommended Iron Hammer, Lone Wolf, Eagle Eye, Tang Kui, Hu Yan Tieyi, Yuchi Jingde, Yue Huzhu and other generals to follow him.
Li Guangbi once said to Bai Fu: "Soldiers are used to facilitate movement. Appointing officials and sharing rewards is a great science. You must know how to reward meritorious soldiers. After a great victory, you must spare no effort to recommend and promote generals under your command."
With generous seals and generous rewards, official hats and money bags in place, the morale of the army will be stable, and the three armies can be led like an arm and a finger."
Not long after, the imperial court's reward came down. Under Bai Fu's recommendation, Hu Yan Tieyi, Yuchi Hussar, Hu Luchong, Hou Mo Qi, Tang Kui, Tang Huan, Yue Huzhu, Pei Pookong and other Anbei soldiers
The officers and soldiers of the court can be promoted to several levels by increasing their rank and title.
Especially Yuchi Hussar, who has been on the battlefield for many years and has made countless military exploits, but due to his bad temper, he was not appreciated by his superiors and was suppressed many times. This time, with Bai Fu's strong recommendation, he was finally able to make the leap and work side by side with Huyan Tieyi.
Became the left and right deputy soldiers and horse envoys of the Anbeiting camp.
The 500 Anxi cavalry brought back to Chang'an by Bai Fu were incorporated into the Zuo Yingwu Army. Tie Chui Jin was granted the title of Zhonglang General of the Zuo Yingwu Army. Lone Wolf, Eagle Eye, Xiucai, Lynx'er, Luotuo'er and others each received rewards.
Due to the battle at Bailang Mountain, Bai Fu was promoted to Zuo Qianniu Guards Zhonglang General, from the fourth rank general. Compared to Bai Fu's illustrious military exploits, this reward was not generous.
However, the Qianniu Guards were the most elite and highest-status among the Sixteen Guards of the Tang Army. They were also the personal bodyguards of the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty and were deeply trusted by the Emperor.
Qianniu Guards officers are only selected from noble families with prominent family backgrounds. They must not only be strong in martial arts, but also handsome and majestic in appearance.
Because it is easier to enhance feelings by always being by the emperor's side, gain the emperor's favor, and a rise to fame is just around the corner. Therefore, many princes and important ministers are willing to send their own children to be Qianniu Guards.
Becoming the Zhonglang General of Qianniu Guard means becoming His Majesty the Emperor's personal bodyguard and confidant, with an unlimited future.
More importantly, Bai Fu's rescue of Princess Qingluan has been quietly spread among the royal family and aristocratic families, and it is only a matter of time before he becomes the consort.
Today's Bai Fu is no longer Wuxia Amen.
If we say that Bai Fu was a rising general when he regained the two capitals. Today, Bai Fu is very popular and is the third most famous general in the empire after Guo Ziyi and Li Guangbi.
If he could become His Majesty the Emperor's son-in-law, he would have the aura of the royal family, a general in command of the army, and the identity of a foreign relative. Not to mention becoming the youngest Jiedu envoy of the Tang Dynasty, he would be able to become a general and become a prime minister in just a short time.
If he can make another military exploit in quelling the Shi Siming Rebellion, it is not impossible for him to be crowned king with a different surname.
It is precisely for this reason that since Bai Fu was named the Zhonglang General of Zuo Qianniu Guard, there has been an endless stream of invitations to family banquets every day. Especially for families with children serving as attendants in Qian Niu Guard, invitations to banquets have continued.
These entertainments gave Bai Fu a headache and made him miserable.