Chapter 35: The Tibetan Conspiracy

  More than sixty miles east of the city, there is a heavenly moat, which is a deep abyss of thousands of feet. This abyss is like a heavenly sword, separating Western Regions and Tibet. If Tibet wants to enter Western Regions, it must pass through this abyss, which is the only road.

  Gao Xianzhi's goal in this southern expedition was the suspension bridge over the deep chasm. This rattan bridge connected the Western Regions and Tibet, if it were to be destroyed by the Tang army, even if the Tibetan king grew wings, he would not be able to fly to the Western Regions.

  If the Tang army cannot destroy this rattan bridge, then Gao Xianzhi's years of planning for the southern expedition will become meaningless, and Tubo can still harass the Western Regions, making it impossible for Gao Xianzhi to concentrate his forces to contend with Dashi.

  Below the deep pool, the river water surges and churns, with waves rolling in and the current rushing rapidly, this is the Baoyi Water.

  The two banks of the Ba Yi River are high mountains and dense forests, with very little flat land.

  To the east of Bahe River, there is a huge mountain slope where Tubo built its stronghold and stationed nearly 20,000 troops to intimidate Lesser Jiegu. Once Lesser Jiegu had an affair, the Tubo army could enter Lesser Jiegu at the fastest speed through the rattan bridge.

  Tents are connected on the mountain slope, war horses neigh, yaks bellow, a lively scene.

  Tibetan soldiers gather in groups of three or five, drinking highland barley wine and eating yak meat, saying some irrelevant words, but also feeling relaxed and comfortable.

  The largest tent was the commander-in-chief of Tubo, Zanpu Zhasi's command tent. Zanpu Zhasi was tall and robust, with a sun-kissed complexion, full of masculine beauty. A pair of eyes like bronze bells, when turned, shone brightly, exuding an aura of majesty.

  Zhangjin Zashi was the highest commander of the Tibetan army stationed in small Balur, and on ordinary days, he had nothing to do with his subordinates eating meat and drinking wine to pass the time, or hunting for fun. If there was really nothing to do, he would go to the city of Yueduo to extort some benefits from Su Shi.

  The city of Yueduo is not far from here, it's still the capital of Xiaobo, in theory, it should be the best place for Zhang Jinxi to spend his leisure time. However, due to Xiaobo being too small, Yueduo City has little charm and nothing good to offer, Zhang Jinxi only goes there when he is extremely bored.

  Today, Zha Xi led his troops to hunt in the mountains and valleys, and they had a bountiful harvest. Elated, he ordered people to prepare wine and dishes, and he drank and ate with his troops, passing the time.

  Eating meat in big mouthfuls, drinking wine in big gulps, feeling extremely comfortable and joyful.

  "Something's gone terribly wrong! Something's gone terribly wrong!"

  Just as they were eating, a close guard rushed in hastily, shouting from afar with a sharp and high-pitched voice that was very piercing to the ear.

  "Shut up!" Zhong Jinzaxi shouted, his voice like thunder. "I am stationed here, and nothing big has ever happened. What's wrong? Don't spout nonsense!"

  Pausing for a moment, he sighed and said, "In this poor place where birds don't even shit, I'm so bored that I wish something would happen!"

  This imperial guard obviously came to report the urgent military situation of 100,000 fires, but unexpectedly was scolded by Zha Xi, very depressed, and had to report again, so he gritted his teeth and said: "Report to the general, the Tang army has taken down the city of Mengduo..."

  "Haha!"

  His words had just begun when they were interrupted by a burst of laughter, and from the top to the bottom, everyone from Wang Jinzhai Xi to the various generals couldn't help but throw their heads back and laugh heartily, laughing extremely happily.

  "Haha!"

  Zhao Jinzaxi laughed with great joy, his tears of laughter streaming down his face. He wiped his eyes with his left hand and picked up a piece of beef with his right hand, tossing it to Qīnwèi. With a warm smile, he said: "Not bad! Not bad! Since I've been stationed here, this is the most interesting thing that's happened! This meat is for you!"

  With a loud slap on the table, he laughed and said: "This is Congling! The mountain is high and the forest is dense, with thousands of mountains and rivers, and countless steep cliffs. How can the Tang army get here? Since the Great Tubo got the small Bulu, the Tang army has attacked several times in the south, which one has succeeded? Even if the Tang army had wings, they couldn't fly here!

  Since the small Boer betrayed the Tang Dynasty and defected to Tubo, the road for Tubo to enter the Western Regions has been unimpeded. The military strength of the Tang Dynasty in the Western Regions was divided into two parts: one part had to resist the eastward advance of Dashi, and the other part was used to prevent Tubo, which was extremely tense.

  In order to solve this problem, the Tang Dynasty launched several southern expeditions, wanting to conquer Balur, but due to the many dangers of the Congling Mountains and rivers, they encountered numerous difficulties and finally had to retreat.

  The Tang army has been at war but not successful, this has already caused a habitual thinking for Zanpu Zangxi, making him believe that it is very difficult for the Tang army to take down the city of Muli.

  Staring at the yak meat rolling on the ground, Qīn Wèi's mouth was wide open and he couldn't say another word.

  What he reported was a real and urgent military situation, but Zeng Jinzai took it as a joke, even if he said it with a broken mouth, Zeng Jinzai would not believe it.

  "Report to the General, the Tang army has taken down many cities! The Little Baluch King and the Princess have also been captured by the Tang army!"

  Just as the imperial guard was so anxious that he almost fainted, another imperial guard rushed in like a dog who had lost its master, shouting loudly from afar, like thunder, for fear that others would not know.

  Tsangjin Zaxi's eyebrows stood on end, his face fell, and he was about to rebuke them. The first bodyguard thought it was funny, but the ones behind him didn't think so - they found it dull, very dull. Tsangjin Zaxi was not pleased at all.

  However, one after another, the imperial guards rushed in to report that the city of Mochou had fallen.

  Up to this point, Zanba Zhaxi couldn't help but believe it was true. He felt inconceivable and his eyes were wide with wonder. For a long time, he muttered to himself: "How did the Tang army get here? Do they really have wings?"

  He is stationed here and will not know how difficult it is to cross the treacherous mountains and waters of Congling. The Tang army wants to attack Muli City, and there are countless difficulties to overcome, which can be said to be unimaginable.

  "Princess?"

  Zhang Jin suddenly remembered that the Tibetan princess had fallen into the hands of the Tang army, and his crime was very serious.

  Su Shi was just a small king, nothing more or less, and it didn't matter whether he was captured by the Tang army. But now that the Tibetan princess had fallen into the hands of the Tang army, who knew how the Zanpu would deal with her?

  Although this Tibetan princess was not favored, otherwise she would not have married the small Baluch king Suleili as queen. But that's also a princess!

  "Hurry! Pass on the order, go and rescue the princess!" Zangjin Zaxi kicked away the wine and dishes with one foot, stepped out quickly, and didn't care about the splashed wine and water all over his body.

  Rescuing the Tubo princess is an urgent matter, extremely critical. With a single order from Xiangjin Zaxi, the Tubo soldiers quickly assembled and set off westward under his leadership.

  When Zhang Jinzai arrived at the Pu Yi River, he saw that the rattan bridge was intact and his heart finally put down. He pulled the reins of his horse, stopped by the side of the road, looked at the rattan bridge with a sneer on his face, and couldn't help but burst out laughing.

  On the west bank of the Ba River, the mountains are high and the forests are dense, with many steep and narrow places. Li Changguo, Gao Xianzhi, Li Siye, and Duan Xiushi stood on the mountain top, gazing at the Tibetan soldiers crossing the rattan bridge.

  Gao Xianzhi's face was full of smiles, and he looked at Li Changguo with admiration, saying: "Xu Tong school lieutenant, as you expected, Zhong Jinzhaxi received the news and rushed over without stopping. We just arrived not long ago, and he has already arrived. What do you think Zhong Jinzhaxi will think?"

  "Deputy Commander, aren't you already confident?" Li Changguo smiled and said.

  "I reckon, Yang Jinqi must be sneering at us for not cutting off the rattan bridge in time!" Gao Xianzhi's eyes flashed with a fierce glint as he said, "But he doesn't know that he has already stepped into the Ghost Gate Pass!"

  "Haha!"

  Zhong Jin looked at the rattan bridge with disdain, his mouth curled up in a cold smile. "I've long heard that Gao Xianzhi is skilled in using troops, but it's nothing special! He can't even cut off the rattan bridge! If he had cut off the rattan bridge in time, I would have been able to do nothing but sigh and admire him!"

  With a pat on the horse's back, he swaggered onto the rattan bridge.