Tibet

Chapter 258 Stone National Treasure Book
Li Ye hurried to a temporary camp tent outside the city, he unexpectedly saw Master Padmasambhava in the tent, what was he talking about with Gao Xianzhi?
Li Ye was overjoyed and hurried forward to pay respects. Gao Xianzhi smiled and said, "Master brought me a piece of news that a coup broke out in Shi Kingdom, and Shi Kun has been imprisoned by his brother Shi Che."

Li Ye sneered and said, "He deserves what he deserves!"

"Master just now wanted you to lead an army to take over Shi Guo, and I agreed."

Gao Xianzhi patted Li Ye's arm again, "Let's go outside and talk!"

When the two came outside the tent, Gao Xianzhi sighed and said, "In the six years of Tianbao, I attacked Xiao Bolu for the first time. It was with the help of Master Rinpoche that I was able to reach Xiao Bolu successfully. I owe him a favor. He I came to propose conditions today, and I had no choice but to agree.”

"Did Gao Shuai know him before?"

Gao Xianzhi hesitated for a moment, but still nodded, "Ten years ago, Wang Zhongsi and I accompanied Feilong to Da Ci'en Temple to meet him. Feilong respected him very much."

"Has the commander asked him for advice?" Li Ye asked again.

Gao Xianzhi sighed: "Wang Zhongsi and I both asked him for advice, and he gave each of us eight characters, which have troubled me for more than ten years."

Of course Gao Xianzhi wouldn't tell Li Ye what the eight characters were, and Li Ye didn't intend to ask, but it seemed that Master Padmasambhava was right, which made Gao Xianzhi respect him so much and give him face. The so-called indebted favor was just an excuse.

"What does the commander-in-chief need me to do?"

"You take two thousand troops to the country of Shi, and do two things for me. First, escort Shi Kun and his son back to Suiye; second, send the silver treasury of the country of Shi to Suiye. A compromise reached by the master."

Li Ye bowed and said, "Humble post obeys orders!"

Gao Xianzhi patted him on the arm and said, "You take a rest and start, see you in Suiye!"

After finishing speaking, Gao Xianzhi rode into the city.

Li Ye walked back to the big tent, Master Padmasambhava clasped his hands together and saluted, "General Li, we meet again!"

Li Ye smiled slightly: "Master, has the coalition army been formed yet?"

Master Padmasambhava nodded, "The Tocharian kingdoms have formed a coalition army of 1 people, they have seized the Infantry City, and completely wiped out the remaining Tocharian army. The commander-in-chief promised me not to go to Tocharian and As a condition, the [-] coalition troops will be dispatched by the commander-in-chief."

"The conditions are similar to those of Shi Guo?"

"General Li is wise, money is something outside of the body, Shi Guo give up money and buy peace!"

In history, Gao Xianzhi plundered and massacred the Shi Kingdom, and the Sogdian kingdoms panicked and asked the Dashi for help, which made the Dashi army find an excuse to send troops, and finally the Battle of Talas broke out.

Now the history has changed a little bit, there is only looting but no massacres for the Shi Kingdom, but for the Dashi, the battle of Khanna took place, no matter whether there is an excuse or not, they will definitely send troops.

"Is there any news from Dashi?"

Master Padmasambhava nodded, "After the Battle of Khanna, the Muslims went to Baghdad and asked to send troops to destroy the countries of Khanna and Sogdia. I heard that Abbas did not agree."

"why?"

"Because the Dashi is attacking Egypt with all its strength, and the Khorasan army has also been transferred. I estimate that the Dashi Army will start the eastward expansion war in the second half of the year."

After pondering for a while, Li Ye asked again: "Why did the master suggest that King Murdo give me the Caliph gem?"

Master Padmasambhava smiled slightly and said, "You have helped me and Bahana so much, and I will always repay you. The Khalifa Stone is destined for you."

"But I returned the gold box to the Holy Maiden in Suiye?"

Master Padmasambhava said indifferently: "You put the gem in your heart, which shows that it is destined for you. The poor monk bid farewell!"

Li Ye screamed fiercely, isn't he just putting gems on top of his heart now?
Seeing that Master Padmasambhava was about to leave, he quickly asked, "What words did Master give Gao Shuai back then?"

Master Padmasambhava walked out of the big tent, and heard him say a word from a distance, "Prosper in safety and perish in safety, you should know."

He drifted away, Li Ye chased out of the big tent, and saw that Master Lianhuasheng had already boarded the boat, and the boat sailed into the Pearl River

At dawn, Li Ye led two thousand cavalry across the pontoon bridge and rushed to Tuozhi City, the capital of King Shi.
Tuozhi City is located in the Fergan Basin, which is Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan today. It is not too far from Juzhanti. Li Ye led two thousand troops and walked for three days before entering the territory of Shi Kingdom.

This morning, Li Ye led his army to Tuozhi City, and the new king Che Bishi led officials to plead guilty.

Li Ye said indifferently: "Shi Guo once went the wrong way. This is Shi Guo's misfortune. I hope His Majesty the King can reverse the previous wrong route and stop making mistakes again and again!"

"Kundushi did not hesitate to lure wolves into his house for his own ambition, and almost brought Shiguo into doom. We sincerely beg Datang's forgiveness!"

Li Ye nodded, "Let's talk about it when we enter the city!"

He led two thousand troops into Tuozhi City and came to the palace. There was a military camp next to the palace, and the two thousand troops were stationed in the military camp.

Che Bishi immediately ordered the officials to kill sheep and buy wine to reward the Tang army who came from afar.

Li Ye came to the palace with a hundred of his men, and the two sides sat down in the main hall. Li Ye said openly and honestly: "The first thing I do when I come to Shi Kingdom is to take back the treasure book. This is the order of the emperor of Tang Dynasty. Please take it give it to me!"

Chebishi knew the importance of the treasure book, so he immediately asked a court lady to bring the box containing the treasure book. Li Ye opened the box and saw two silk scrolls inside, just like what Ming Song had told him.

"Have you recorded a copy?"

Che Bishi hurriedly said: "It is true that copies were recorded in the civilian volume, and only then did Shi Guo have the technology of papermaking and textiles, and copies were also recorded in the military volume, but I have ordered all copies to be destroyed."

"What technology has the civil volume learned?"

"There are only three things, papermaking, weaving and silver smelting, and nothing else. The silk and porcelain we want are not recorded on it. In the name of the king, I guarantee that there are only these three things."

Li Ye said lightly: "I want to warn you, this is a top-secret item in the Tang Palace. I will not pursue the three things I learned from the civil paper, but if you still keep it in private, once it is discovered, it will be destroyed." The disaster of the country, don't blame me for not predicting."

"Guaranteed not to keep!"

Chebishi hesitated for a moment, then said anxiously: "But before Kundushi gave Dashi a copy of the military volume."

"what?"

Li Ye's eyes widened, he slapped the table heavily, and said furiously: "He can't atone for his heinous crime even if he dies a hundred times!"

Chebi Shi and the officials knelt down in fright, "Shi Guo is guilty!"

Li Ye was furious. What he was most worried about finally happened. The secret of gunpowder was leaked. What should we do now?
At this moment, the maid in charge of keeping the treasure book tremblingly said: "In fact, it has not been completely leaked. The most important secret, Kundu Stone, was not given to Dashi. Abu Muslim left in disappointment."

These words sparked a ray of hope in Li Ye's heart. He pulled the maid over and asked anxiously, "What is the most important thing?"

The palace maid turned pale with fright, "Report to General, I remember it was gunpowder!"

Li Ye let out a long sigh of relief, wiped the sweat from his forehead, waved his hands and said, "What I'm worried about is the gunpowder secret, you all get up!"

Everyone looked at each other in blank dismay. They had never heard of any gunpowder, and there was no record in the treasure book!
Seeing their puzzled faces, Li Ye opened the treasure book and took a closer look. Sure enough, he did not find any records of gunpowder, but there were traces of cutting. The contents of the treasure book should have been hidden.

He asked the maid again, "Where did he hide the gunpowder?"

"I don't know, I don't know how to read, let alone the characters written in the Tang Dynasty."

Li Ye believed the maid's words, and because she was illiterate, Kundushi asked her to take care of the treasure book.

"Then what else do you know?"

"Reporting to the general, when Kundushi copied the copy, I held a lamp and studied ink for him. He told me that the big cannibals are not trustworthy. He was worried that the big cannibals would cross the river and tear down the bridge, so he planned to give them back after the big cannibals fully fulfilled their promises. Gunpowder secrets."

Li Ye walked a few steps with his hands behind his back, and asked again: "How many people still know the secret of gunpowder?"

The maid knelt down and begged, "I can tell the general, but please don't kill me!"

"You can't read, I won't kill you!"

The maid said in a low voice: "Kundushi kept gunpowder very secret, for fear that someone would leak it out, he didn't even tell the queen and prince, only his three confidant guards knew part of it, specially prepared the medicine for him, and they didn't even have a copy. "

Li Ye said coldly to the court lady: "You swear to God Ahura Mazda that every word is true, and you have not concealed or deceived me!"

(End of this chapter)