Xiangsheng prosperous

Chapter 16 Defeat
Winter goes to spring, everything recovers.In a blink of an eye, it was already the summer of the eighth year of Wude (625).In this year, the prosperous age of the Tang Dynasty, praised by later generations, suffered the most tragic defeat since her birth.

"In the eighth month of Wude, on August, Renshen Day, the Turkic Jieli Khan led a hundred thousand cavalry and Zhang Jin, the general manager of the Bingzhou Road, fought in Taigu. After seven days of fierce fighting, almost the entire Tang army was wiped out. Afterwards, Zhang Jin fled to The second Li Jun (Li Jing and Li Ji), the marching commander Shi Zhongshu and the servant Wen Yanbo were captured."

silent night...

In Li Jingjun's wounded soldiers camp, a 16-year-old boy was lying on a wounded soldier's bed made of simple wooden planks, resting with his eyes closed.He didn't sleep soundly, his originally handsome face became extremely pale, his muscles kept trembling, and dense cold sweat even oozes from his forehead.

Suddenly, the boy's whole body trembled violently, and he opened his eyes suddenly.His eyes revealed fear, anger and pain.These emotions gradually faded after a short period of excitement, and the dull and stiff expression was restored.

"Aye..." the boy murmured to himself.Blood trickled down the bandage from the injured left arm, which had been torn from the wound by the violent movements of his awakening.But the young man at this moment didn't notice it, instead he continued to mutter like a dream: "Aye..."

This young man's name is Wen Weixing, and his style name is Bingde.His Aye was Wen Yanbo, who was the secretary of the court and was now captured by the Turks, and his life and death are unknown.

It was a long-lost and unusually quiet night, except for the footsteps of patrolling soldiers and the rustling of leaves in the wind.

But in Wen Weixing's ears, the hell-like roar of the seven days and nights during the Taigu Battle always echoed.The sound of horns, the neighing of war horses, the sound of weapons clashing, the sound of swords piercing into flesh... But what kept him awake all night was that he, Aye, supported him on the back of his horse on the last day of the war and treated him With a loud roar: "Bingde, run!"

Wen Weixing just opened his eyes like this, with a dull expression, staring blankly at the top of the pitch-black tent.He didn't even notice that the military doctor next to him came to re-bandage his wound.

Suddenly, a fresh and natural fragrance came into the nose, which brought Wen Weixing back to his senses in a trance.He tilted his head, and saw that the military doctor was leaning sideways to avoid the wind, lit something with a torch, and then extinguished the fire with his hand.This fragrance spread out from the bright and dark light, and gradually enveloped the entire tent of wounded soldiers.

At this time, a wounded soldier nearby asked: "Master, this fragrance smells so good, what kind of fragrance is it?" Before the military doctor could respond, another wounded soldier with a burly appearance and a good family background said: " You farmer, you don’t even know this, but this is Chang’an Shanchuntang’s mosquito repellent incense, light a plate at night, it will guarantee you a good night’s sleep, free from mosquitoes and flies.”

"Really?" The wounded soldier heard this and immediately asked excitedly.

"What are you doing to lie to you?" The burly man squinted at him, and said, "Although this thing is a bit more expensive, the effect is really good. In the barracks, I'm afraid I sent some to our wounded barracks. There may not be any inside."

The wounded barracks are full of bloody atmosphere, which is very easy to attract mosquitoes and flies, and now it is August, and it is near the battlefield that has just experienced blood and flesh, and the mosquitoes, flies and maggots that love carrion are more likely to breed and multiply up.If it cannot be killed and eliminated in time, the human plague may destroy the army earlier than the war.

"Okay, stop talking! If you don't sleep, others will sleep!" The military doctor reprimanded impatiently.

For a while, the wounded barracks returned to tranquility.

Wen Weixing didn't say a word from the beginning to the end, but with this fragrance, the complicated thoughts in his head gradually calmed down, and the voices that had been echoing in his ears for the past few days also gradually faded away...

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"Report! The latest military situation!"

Li Jing took over the secret letter from the spies about the Turkic army.After opening it and browsing it, the eyebrows frowned.

"How is it, General Li?" Zhang Jin, who was sitting next to him, immediately stood up and asked.

"The Turkic army is going to attack Lingwu next, hurry! Hurry up and send a message to King Rencheng to prepare them for the battle!"

"Order!"

After the messenger left, Li Jing sighed and said, "Old Wen Ge was loyal and righteous, he refused the enemy and was exiled to Yinshan."

There was a silence among the crowd.

After a long time, Shi Cai, the commander of the army, said: "General Li, the youngest son of Duke Wen is still in the wounded soldiers of our army. Look..."

Li Jing said: "This child must be taken care of properly, and he must be allowed to return to Chang'an safely."

"Then, did you tell him about Duke Wen?"

Li Jing heard the words, thought for a while, and then nodded: "Since he can go out with his father, he must be a strong man, I will tell the truth. Besides, Wen Ge is always exiled, at least there is still a glimmer of life. "

Zhang Jin nodded and said, "Let me tell him. Mr. Wen Xiaolang and I know each other. I can hardly absolve myself of the responsibility for Mr. Wen's capture."

Li Jing raised his hand and stroked his beard, pondered for a moment, and said, "It's so good. You remember to explain to the sick child inspector, the consul, and treat him properly. Once the injury recovers, send it back to Chang'an as soon as possible!"

"Order!"

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The next day, after Wen Weixing learned that Aye was alive at Zhang Jin's place, his heart that had been hanging for a long time slowly eased.The injury to his left arm is not serious, he only needs to recuperate quietly and take some medicine for a period of time, and he will recover.

Seeing this, Zhang Jin followed Li Jing's wishes and suggested that he rest in peace and recuperate first, and then return to Chang'an with the first batch of returned soldiers when his injuries were almost healed.Wen Weixing was unwilling, he still remembered Wen Yanbo, and hoped that he might be able to rescue his own Aye in the future war.

Zhang Jin scolded: "Bingde! Don't forget, you are only sixteen, and it is against the rules for you, Aye, to take you with the army! Do you still want to cause trouble for General Li by staying here?"

Wen Weixing remained silent. According to the military system of the Tang Dynasty at that time, one must be at least twenty years old to join the army.The reason why Wen Yanbo brought his son with the army was mainly because he couldn't resist his son's willingness to gain knowledge. In addition, he felt that the [-] elite infantry who followed Zhang Jin, and he was the commander of the army, would definitely protect his son.Who knew that they would encounter such a powerful combat force of the Turkic Army.

Seeing that he no longer persisted, Zhang Jin also breathed a sigh of relief.However, he still comforted Wen Weixing: "Bingde, if you really want you, Aye, to feel at ease, the best way at present is to go home, take care of yourself, and take care of your mother. You have to believe that the Holy Majesty and General Li will Do everything you can to rescue Duke Wen."

Wen Weixing sat on the hospital bed in the wounded barracks, with his eyes downcast, his fists pressed against the bed boards on both sides of his body.Seeing this, Zhang Jin's tone became more gentle, and she said instead: "I have sent someone to contact your family in Chang'an, and you can start your journey in five days."

Five days later, Wen Weixing set off to return to Chang'an. In the same month, the Turks attacked Lingwu and was defeated by Li Daozong, the governor of Lingzhou.Then Qin Wang Li Shimin was ordered to go north to join the battle. When the Turks heard that the Qin King had arrived, they immediately asked for peace and retreated a hundred miles north.

　Xiangsheng small knowledge
　　In the eighth year of Wude in 625, what happened to the Tang Dynasty and the Turks?
　　In June of the eighth year of Wude ([-]), Jieli Khan led the Turkic army to attack Lingzhou (now south of Lingwu, Ningxia).

　　Tang Gaozu used Zhang Jin, the general of the right guard, as the chief of the army, and Wen Yanbo, the minister of Zhongshu, as the long history to defend against the Turks.Emperor Gaozu of the Tang Dynasty changed its name to imperial edict because the Turks repeatedly violated the Tang Dynasty, and the Turks stopped using the enemy country ritual (that is, the etiquette between equal countries).

　　In the summer of the same year, the Turks attacked Xiangzhou and other places in the Tang Dynasty.Lin Mu, the governor of Daijun, fought against the Turks and was defeated by the Turks in Xincheng.The Tang government sent Zhang Jin to garrison Shiling, and Li Daliang led his army to Dagu to resist the Turkic invasion.

　　In order to deal with the Turks, Emperor Gaozu once again sent Qin Wangshimin out of Chang'an to Puzhou to garrison troops to defend against the Turks' southern invasion.

　　In August, Tang Gaozu ordered Li Jing, the governor of Anzhou, to send troops from Luzhou Road, and Ren Huan, the chief of the army, stationed in Taihang Mountain to defend against the Turks.

　　Jieli Khan led an army of more than [-] to plunder Shuozhou (now Shuo County, Shanxi).Zhang Jin fought fiercely with the Turkic army in Taigu, Tang's entire army was wiped out, Zhang Jin fled to Li Jing, and Shi Wenyanbo, the commander of the army, was captured by the Turks.The Turks asked him about the military and ration situation of the Tang Dynasty, but Wen Yanbo refused to answer, and the Turks took him to Yinshan and imprisoned him.

　　The Turks again sent troops to invade Lingwu (now south of Lingwu in Ningxia), but were repelled by Li Daozong, the governor of Lingzhou and the king of Rencheng.After the Turks attacked Suizhou, Jieli Khan sent envoys to Tang to ask for peace and retreat. (Baidu Encyclopedia)

　　
　
(End of this chapter)