"Down?" Zhang Qi looked at Alxi, "This is down?" You tens of thousands of horses, this is not a good fight! ”

Alsi said: "General, under the artillery fire of your army, our army cannot be lined up at all, how can we fight?" ”

Zhang Qi thought for a while and said, "That's it, if you don't want to fight, then forget it." When I returned, I ordered all the troops to form a neat line, and the weapons were handed over by the others, and I will send someone to collect them. There is one more thing, you have dropped in the front, what about the tens of thousands of people in the rear? ”

Alsi said: "The king's meaning is naturally to descend together." It's just that whether they will descend or not, that's hard to say. ”

Zhang Qi smiled: "What's so hard to say, isn't it that you are lucky, counting on how much you can run." Let me tell you, there are nearly 10,000 cavalry in our army, and as long as they retreat, they will know that they are powerful. ”

After speaking, he sent a general of his army to give an explanation, and asked him to go back with Alsi and guide the Black Khan army to surrender. At this time, the Song army in front of him was eyeing the enemy, and if something was wrong, he could kill it immediately, and he was not afraid that the Black Khan Army would not surrender.

In the handsome tent, Du Zhongxiao looked at the handwriting paper sent by Zhang Qi, and said to Fu Bi on the side: "The Black Khan Army can't resist the artillery, and it has already surrendered." It's just that the army behind was intercepted by us, saying that it was going to surrender, but we didn't know the result. ”

Fu Bi clapped his hands and said, "It's a pity that we separate the front and back, and the two sides don't communicate with each other." If not, if Iric surrenders, how can the Black Khan army behind not surrender? Now that they are outside the encirclement, there are always those who are unwilling and will find a way to escape. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Deputy envoy, we only have 40,000 horses, and if we don't separate the Black Khan Army, artillery can't cover them, and we can't surround them." In that case, it will be a rout. These people ran back to Qiuzi, and the army attacked the city, and it was another bitter battle. As long as Iric is captured in this battle, are you still afraid of the resistance of the Black Khan army behind? In this way, it is worth it anyway. ”

Fu Bi thought for a while and said, "That's what the marshal said. More than 70,000 soldiers and horses of Black Khan were destroyed in the first battle, most of them were captured, and the rest were defeated, which was already a great victory. When it is transmitted back to the imperial court, it will inevitably be happy throughout the country. ”

Du Zhongxiao stood up, paced back and forth a few steps, and said, "What matters now is to take advantage of the new victory here, and immediately march westward with a large army to take Qiuci and Shule." As long as Shule is occupied, and Hei Khan has no place to stand in Shannan, it can be regarded as a big victory. ”

Speaking of this, Du Zhongxiao smiled bitterly and shook his head: "It's more than a thousand miles again, and for Zhang Qi, this battle is not easy." ”

Fu Bi nodded: "Yes, there may be only one real battle, but every time you occupy a place, you have to fly hundreds of miles, which is a very heavy task for the army." This time to Shule, there will be no more big battles, but Zhang Qi can be ordered to select the cavalry troops in the army, fewer people, and occupy the place first. ”

Du Zhongxiao thought for a while and said categorically: "If the Black Khan army outside the encirclement is solved smoothly, this is feasible!" Most of the Black Khan's army has disappeared here, and the remaining Qiuzi and Shule are empty cities that can be captured with only a small number of troops. As for Khotan in the south, put it there first, and when the army stabilized Shule, send people to surrender. ”

Seventy or eighty thousand people, for Black Khan, can almost be said to be a national soldier. Lost here, it will be difficult for them to raise a large army in a short time, and it does not take many people to occupy Qiuzi and Shule. Within these thousands of miles, there are only a few large cities, each with more than 10,000 people, and as few as 1,000 or 2,000 households, and there is no need to send a large army. Since the Tang Dynasty, the Western Regions were first conquered by the Tibetans, and then ruled by the Uighurs and the Black Khan, losing a large number of people.

Confirming Ilik's surrender, Zhang Qi immediately sent people to negotiate with the Black Khan army outside the rear encirclement. If they do not surrender, they will be regarded as still resisting the imperial court and will send troops to exterminate them. At the insistence of the cavalry of the Song army not far away, most of the Black Khan's army surrendered, with only about 2,000 people, and fled into the Tianshan Mountains dozens of miles to the north. Zhang Qi only ordered the cavalry to follow, and did not send a large army to chase after him.

At night, the generals gathered in Du Zhongxiao's tent and listened to orders.

After asking about today's battle situation, Du Zhongxiao said: "The two most important things now. One was to send cavalry westward and quickly occupy Qiuzi, especially Shule. As long as the city of Shule was occupied, the south of the Tianshan Mountains would be owned by the imperial court. One more thing, these nearly 70,000 prisoners of war must first send troops back to Yizhou. When we arrived in Illino, we had enough troops to take care of it, and we could bring supplies by rail. Here, eating these people is the problem. We are the royal division of the imperial court, and we cannot collect grain from the local people like the Black Khan army. ”

Zhang Qi forked his hand: "Rest assured, the last general will send 12,000 cavalry infantry tomorrow, with only light artillery, to occupy those cities." According to the estimation of the last general, Qiuzi did not need to send many people to garrison, and the rest of the cities such as Wuyin, Moman, and Wachi could have not garrisoned troops and horses. An army of 10,000 went all out to occupy Shule. As long as the Black Khan's army is holding Shule, it should not be difficult to occupy it. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Don't worry, Ilik has already said that in the city behind, except for a small number of soldiers and horses who supervise the transportation of grain and grass by the people, there is no Black Khan army at all. The most important thing is to be fast, and don't let the black sweat send people from the north of the Tianshan Mountains. As long as they occupy Shule and cut off the place where Black Khan settled south of the Tianshan Mountains, they can only stay in the north of the mountains. ”

Zhang Qi replied with his hand and said: "At the end of tomorrow, I will bring my own mounted infantry and go all the way to the west, and the commander will rest assured." ”

Du Zhongxiao nodded, thought about it again, and said, "It's okay, you and Zhang Sheng will go to Shule together." There is no big war on this road, and the key is to go fast on the road and handle things properly. The remaining Black Khan soldiers, they are willing to surrender, and they can be treated kindly. Another point is not to occupy the convenience of the indigenous people on the road, so as not to lose the hearts of the people. Wang Shi came to the west, and he couldn't let them down. The distance is too far for the army to keep up, and your supplies, especially food, will certainly not be enough. To collect grain from the localities, you have to pay an IOU with them, and when the army comes up, you will repay it according to the article. ”

Zhang Qi listened, was silent for a while, and said, "Jie Shuai, is this necessary?" All I have to do is restrain the soldiers and not disturb the people. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Yes." In the past, when a large army crossed the border, it was inevitable to collect grain and levy from the local authorities and transport grain and grass. We can levy food and we can levy labor, but we must compensate them. General, the imperial court is not short of this money now, just do it. ”

Zhang Qi forked his hands: "Everything is according to the orders of the commander, and the last general will obey the order!" ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "The rest of the soldiers and horses, led by me and Deputy Envoy Fu, will go to Qiuzi and wait for your news." Another 8,000 people were sent to escort the Black Khan prisoners of war back to Yizhou. Zhao Zi is there, but he can be guarded by his people first. By the way, Iric will be with us first, and when you need him to come forward on your way, just send someone back to deliver the letter. ”

Fu Bi said: "It's better to let General Zhang take Ilik with him, there is a city that refuses to open the city gate, you can use him." ”

Du Zhongxiao thought for a while and said, "Yes." Twelve thousand people, in the current Western Regions, there is no one to beat, there is no risk. After your army arrived in Shule, they first camped in Shule and waited for our army to arrive. As long as you occupy Shule, you can talk slowly with Black Khan. ”

Most of the territory of the Black Khan, with the exception of Shule, was in Central Asia in later generations, and the terrain was complex. When the Song army first came, they definitely couldn't cross the Tianshan Mountains to attack them, the risk was too great. Shule is the Kashgar region of later generations, the western edge of the Shannan Basin, at the foot of the Tianshan Mountains, which is the intersection of the Black Khan into the Shannan Basin. The occupation of Shule severed the connection between the Black Khan and the Khotan region, and the Black Khan forces were squeezed out of the Western Regions.

Early the next morning, Zhang Qi and Zhang Sheng ordered 10,000 cavalry infantry, plus 2,000 cavalry, and went all the way west. Du Zhongxiao went to the tent with Fu Bi and ordered Irik to come over.

Last night, Iric had all the wine and meat, slept soundly, and looked better.

After entering the tent, Illic saluted Du Zhongxiao and Fu Bi, and said, "I have seen the festival marshal and the deputy envoy." ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "The king sits." When the war is over, we gossip together. ”

Illic sat down below and said in a deep voice: "Since I am already a prisoner of war, if I want to fight or kill all the people, why bother talking nonsense!" ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "The king has said this right. The imperial court's entry into the Western Regions this time was because Gaochang did not repair the courtiers, did not send envoys, and blocked the trade routes. Destroy Gaochang, and then fight with the king here, speaking of which, I don't know why the king brought troops? ”

Ilik said: "You destroyed Gaochang, naturally plotting elsewhere, do you need to say?" And I heard that you have found the descendants of the Wei Chi family, saying that you want to rebuild the kingdom of Khotan. These are not all coming towards our black sweat. Gaochang's defeat was so ugly, that is, he ignored you, and was suddenly attacked by your troops, and lost the strength to fight back. With them as a lesson from the past, I naturally have to take precautions in advance! ”

Du Zhongxiao looked at Fu Bi and said with a smile: "It's a good precaution!" And then come to the proclamor to fight? ”

When Illic heard this, he was speechless for a moment, and he turned his head away and did not answer again.

Du Zhongxiao shook his head and said, "King, I won't tell you, the matter has come to this, and we are determined to get the land here in the Western Regions." The Black Khan's heavy army has been wiped out, and there is no resistance to go all the way. After the capture of Shule, it was difficult for Black Khan's soldiers and horses to cross the mountain. ”

When Illik heard this, he hurriedly said, "You just want to occupy Shule?" ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Of course not, there is also Khotan." In the past, when you went to the Central Plains to pay tribute, you always used the name of Khotan, which made people think that Khotan was still there, but they didn't want to be wiped out by the black sweat. In addition, the Black Khan wants to send envoys to the capital and pay tribute! ”

Illik protested: "I, the Black Khan, am the local Khan king, and I am also an emperor, how can I be a minister!" ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Today's army is coming, and those who are not called ministers are afraid that they will have a hard time in the future." Of course, it is up to the imperial court to decide what to do, but as an envoy of the meandering road, I will naturally not let you have good fruits to eat. Also, if the black Khan is not a minister, the king will not go back. ”

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