The Western Regions, Kucha. The former location of the Western Regions Protectorate of the Tang Dynasty. The lonely city that once shocked the Tang Dynasty but was helpless was full of pain for white-haired soldiers. Now, it has once again appeared in the sight of the Tang army.

But this time, the offense and defense reversed.

Back then, there were chaos within the Tang Dynasty and rebellions broke out. Tubo took the opportunity to attack Kucha. The last ten thousand Tang soldiers defended the city and actually defended for more than ten years. When everyone in the Tang court thought that Kucha had long been lost, these Tang troops were still fighting continuously.

At that time, Tang Ji was sent back for help.

Unfortunately, the Tang Dynasty at that time had no ability to rescue this lonely army thousands of miles away.

The last Tang army fell on Kucha City, and the Western Regions were completely destroyed.

Decades later, the Tang army came again.

This time, it turned out that the Tubo people were trapped in an isolated city.

History is amazingly similar!

Everything the Tang people experienced back then was now being rewarded by the Tubo people.

Today, Tubo is performing everything the Tang people experienced back then. Tochar and Delhi Chinan were in a stalemate, and the slave uprising that was unbearable to oppression in the country was turning from the original spark to the huge fire that swept everything. Even though the Tubo people knew the importance of the Western Regions to them, they were unable to take into account both. They could only watch the Tang people gradually erode their territory in the Western Regions, expelling the influence of the Tubo people bit by bit.

At the end of March, the Central Plains was already in spring, but in the Western Regions, the temperature changes were still extremely large. Heavy rain and snow would still attack this land from time to time. This is also the reason why Xue Ping was unwilling to launch a large-scale attack at this time. As the highest commander of the Western Regions Protectorate, he insisted on rejecting the proposals of Tang Ji, Li Hai and others.

But when news of Li Ze's final attack on the pseudo-liang came, Xue Ping could no longer sit still.

Like Han Qi and Xianglan and others' judgments, Xue Ping also believed that in the current situation, I am afraid that when Li Ze took Chang'an, the Tang Dynasty officially died.

Han Qi's letter to Xue Ping was full of helplessness and loss. Although he was now the Minister of War of the Tang Dynasty, he was a short secretary. Outside, Li Cunzhong had obviously had an outsider and was close to him. Qin Zhao was idle and left his post, and Zuo Xiaowei had long been fully mastered by You Yong. Cheng Xu, who had high hopes for Xue Ping, still had letters with Xue Ping, but the news revealed from those letters had long been no longer expected of the emperor. In addition, he, the Minister of War, had been restrained by the left and right ministers and subordinate departments, and had long been reduced to a rubber stamp.

Han Qi said bluntly that if Li Ze did not need him to appease the emotions of the Hedong people, he would have been dismissed as the Minister of War. And with the latest news coming, Xue Ping was fully willing to be a disobedient person with Li Ze.

Wang Wenshu was transferred to Pingzhou, while Li Anmin returned to Zhenzhou.

This is Li Ze's final preparation for rebellion.

So Xue Ping decided that he would go back no matter what.

If you write a letter to Li Ze for transfer, you will definitely not be approved.

Xue Ping was demoted to the Western Regions for his crimes. In any aspect, Xue Ping was unable to clean up the Zuo Xiaowei incident of Qin Zhao, and he did participate in it personally. Li Ze's handling of him can be said to be a blessing from outside the law, and he was very worried about his old love.

However, Xue Ping did not miss this love. In his opinion, this was just Li Ze who wanted to keep him away so that he could unscrupulously implement the plan to usurp the throne.

Now he wants to go back, no matter whether he can succeed or not, he will do his best to stop Li Ze's rebellion, even if he is in the bloody stage.

Before leaving, he would take down Kucha and fulfill his responsibilities as the Protector of the Western Regions.

In order to capture Kucha as soon as possible, Xue Ping did his best to mobilize the army, not only Tang Jilihai and Peng Shuangmu's Tang army headquarters, but also mobilized the vassal army of various prisoners conquered by the Tang army in the Western Regions.

The 20,000 army of troops, nearly 100,000 vassals gathered, launched an attack since early March, and was unstoppable. By the end of March, it had surrounded Kucha City, just like an iron barrel.

Speaking of which, the Tang army headquarters had almost not fought a serious battle. The servants of the country, Zhujisuo, had already bravely moved forward and wiped out the obstacles in front of the Tang army.

After Xue Ping arrived in the Western Regions, he implemented different strategies for the 36 countries in the Western Regions. Some of them were pulled and some were beaten. Whenever they were friendly to the Tang people, they gave strong support, technology and trade to continuously import them, which allowed these countries to gain great benefits from it. However, those who had two ambitions against the Yin and Yang were mercilessly given devastating blows. Now, there are as many as fourteen small countries that were directly destroyed by Xue Ping. The rest are basically covered.

By obeying, you can get benefits, with continuous wealth, while resistance means death and destruction. Although the Tang Dynasty has been leaving the Western Regions for decades, its remnant power remains. When the Tang army descends again and Tubo is like setting sunset in the west, this choice is not difficult to make.

"Protector, Tang Ji, please be the pioneer in this battle!"

In the big tent, Xue Ping was discussing the final action plan with Yuan Chang, Tang Ji, Li Hai, Peng Shuangmu, Sima Fan and others. These people are also the core group of the Tang Dynasty in the Western Regions. Yuan Chang and Tang Ji Li Hai are a group, and they are also the most powerful group. They are also Li Ze's direct subordinates. Whether it is equipment, supplies, or personnel replenishment, they can be taken care of first. Peng Shuangmu and Sima Fan are another group, and Peng Shuangmu is a different group.

It was a completely unscrupulous move for the entry of the Western Regions by a military member that once belonged to Tiande. Sima Fan, as a boss from Hedong, had no choice but to come to the Western Regions for the survival of his family. He was born with Yuan Chang, Tang Ji Lihai and others, and naturally got together with Peng Shuangmu. The Sima family went to the Western Regions, after all, it was a Hedong clan, and its strength should not be underestimated. With his help, Peng Shuangmu's strength was also urgently rising.

These two people naturally have to fight each other, but in the face of major issues, they can still abandon their dislikes and fight side by side.

In fact, as Li Ze's power became stronger and stronger day by day, the local form of the Tang Dynasty became more and more Minglang, Peng Shuangmu and Sima Fan had long recognized the reality. Apart from serving Li Ze wholeheartedly, they did not have many choices.

So when Li Zeshou sent the Sima family to study at Wuwei Academy without hesitation, Sima Fan let his two sons go. This was equivalent to allowing the Sima family to re-enter the official career. How dare he not seize it?

Xue Ping is the adhesive for these two strands of horses.

When he left Kucha, Tang Ji was still a teenager. Now that he has returned, he is already full of beards and is over middle-aged. At this moment, standing in front of Xue Ping, a big man named Angzang had tears in his eyes.

Xue Ping nodded and said, "General Tang, please sit down. In this battle, the vanguard is of course yours."

"Thank you, Protector!" Tang Ji was overjoyed, clasped his fists with his hands, bowed to the ground, bowed respectfully, and then turned around and sat down.

"Everyone, our headquarters has basically not used any weapons throughout the journey. But we must fight this last battle ourselves!" Xue Ping said solemnly: "This is not only respect for the Tang Dynasty veterans who have been here for more than ten years, but also a forceful demonstration against the Western Regions' surviving countries."

Everyone nodded repeatedly.

"These countries have always been afraid of power but not virtue. If they have milk, they are mothers. If you are strong today, they will belong to you. If you are weak, they will pounce on you and bite you. If they are afraid, they must let them see us tremendous force." Xue Ping said: "So, we must not only win in the battle of Kucha, but also win cleanly and completely. Tang Ji is the pioneer, but each unit must concentrate all the heavy weapons under his command to use. Is there any problem?"

Xue Ping looked at Peng Shuangmu with his eyes.

Peng Shuangmu grinned: "Xue Dupu, look at what I do. General Tang has to support me if I need it."

"Thank you General Peng!" Tang Ji bowed his hand aside.

"There is no suspense in this battle in Kucha." Xue Ping sighed, "After this battle, we have basically taken over the Western Regions. I have completed the mission given to me by Li Xiang."

Everyone had already expected it, and they were not surprised to hear this. Whether it was Yuan Chang, Tang Ji Lihai or Peng Shuangmu, they disagreed with Xue Ping's behavior of knowing that he was not good at doing anything. No matter what the position of both sides, everyone always stirred up the spoon in a big pot, and Xue Ping cooperated with them really well. Now that this guy is going back, the end is not good. But everyone knows the guy's temperament, but they are too lazy to persuade him because they know and it will be useless to say it.

Sima Fan sighed and said, "Puke Xue, after taking Kucha, we will go west, take Dayuan, attack Kangji, and cross the Pamirs and move forward. Li Xiang said that there is a wider area in the west, why do you have to go back!"

"Thank you for your concern!" Xue Ping smiled and said, "In the past few years, he has been pursuing the Western Regions with you, which is enough to make Xue Ping grateful for his life. However, a real man should do something and not do anything. If he doesn't go, I will be uneasy and I will be uneasy. No matter what the result of this trip, Mr. Xue is afraid that he will never be able to return to the Western Regions again. In the future, I will leave the matter here to you."

In the big tent, everyone stood up and silently clasped their fists to return the salute.
Chapter completed!