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The court's decision came down quickly, but the mood of Xu Zhen was at its lowest point.
He was no longer the young master of years past, who had never been outmaneuvered by anyone, especially not by Luo Hongyi. Now, it was even less likely.
However, upon receiving this imperial edict, he felt that he had truly been played by Luo Hongyi!
Li Zhi's decree appointed Left Martial General Jian Liang Jian Fang and Right Guard General Khe Li as the Bowmoon Dao Military Commanders, with Right Valiant General Gao Deyi and Right Martial General Xue Gu Wu Ren as deputies. They were to lead thirty thousand Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Uyghur cavalry to suppress Ashina Helu's Western Turkic forces.
Yet the Interpreter then issued a separate order to Xu Zhen, appointing him as the Deputy Commander of the Bow Moon Road Expedition. Until the main army arrived, all defenses in Tingzhou were to be managed and coordinated by General of the Guard, Grand Minister Xu Zhen!
At this moment, Golden Ridge City and Pulley County had already fallen; should Xu Zhen bear this responsibility?
Luo Hongyi explicitly stated in his memorial that defense had already been entrusted to General of the Guard Xu Zhen. However, he merely had Xu Zhen inspect the troops, which was nothing more than a perfunctory gesture, without informing him that he could command the army to fight against the enemy!
If one were to calculate seriously, the more than three thousand lives lost in Golden Ridge City and Pulley County should be attributed to Territorial Governor Luo Hongyi!
Luo Hongyi had not anticipated that the Western Turkic forces would move so swiftly. Their original plan was to have Xu Zhen go to Western Turkic for negotiations, using a strategy of borrowing a knife to kill. Who would have thought that Western Turkic would attack so quickly?
What he did not expect even more was that the Sovereign did not send Xu Zhen as an envoy for negotiations but instead mobilized a large army for suppression, placing all defenses of Tingzhou under Xu Zhen's command!
They could argue in their memorials that it was due to Xu Zhen's inaccurate intelligence that led to the fall of the two counties, but after the war, these excuses would completely fall apart upon serious investigation!
Xu Zhen did not hate Luo Hongyi for scheming against him; rather, he loathed this damned fool for causing the deaths of over three thousand innocent people in Tingzhou due to his personal grievances!
While Luo Hongyi continued to feign ignorance, Xu Zhen had already turned away in anger. Though unspoken, their relationship had been thoroughly severed.
Xu Zhen was not without anger; time was pressing. He needed to reinforce Jinman’s city defenses. If this major city of Tingzhou fell again, it would be his responsibility. He had no time to play cat and mouse with Luo Hongyi.
Luo Hongyi had managed Tingzhou for many years and was indeed skilled in local governance. With the Cui Clan's covert support over the past two years, trade with the Western Regions had flourished, leading to greater prosperity among Tingzhou's populace. However, it was precisely because he focused on civil governance that he neglected the military development of Tingzhou.
In the remote and barren lands, being able to join the Imperial Guards is undoubtedly a good choice. With three seasons of farming and one season of military training, families can be exempted from taxes and labor duties. Under such conditions, those who enlist are naturally willing.
However, after the development of trade in Tingzhou, many people began to see the benefits of being merchants and flocked to join the ranks of traders. Some even dared to cleverly evade military service by using false identities or committing minor offenses to escape conscription, later joining the border trade.
This resulted in a severe decline in the military quality of the Tingzhou Garrison. Although there were still over ten thousand soldiers, their elite forces were not as strong as those from other provinces. Hearing that the Western Turkic wolf soldiers were advancing aggressively, capturing two counties in quick succession, the morale among the Garrison began to waver.
"If this continues, once Ashi Na Helu's army arrives at our borders, Tingzhou will likely fall without a fight, and our defeat will be catastrophic..." The Xu Zhen was also deeply worried. Having received true teachings from Li and Li and participated in several major battles, she certainly understood the importance of maintaining troop morale.
There are many strategies in military texts for turning around troop morale and building up spirit. After obtaining Li Jue's "Yin Fu Machine," the Xu Zhen did not dare to hoard her treasure without putting it to use; she diligently studied it whenever she had free time. The current situation was just right for testing Military Strategy!
Luo Hongyi felt that he had already torn his relationship with the Xu Zhen and could only turn to the Cui Clan for support, resolutely opposing her. He immediately instructed his trusted aides to secretly undermine her efforts.
With a great enemy approaching, engaging in petty schemes behind the scenes was not something an official could do lightly, especially someone like Luo Hongyi who had governed for many years and had deep feelings for this land.
However, Cui Yuqing incited him by suggesting that if the Xu Zhen successfully defended Tingzhou, she would rise again. At that point, Luo Hongyi would not only be unable to retain his position but might also fall from grace and end his political career!
For Luo Hongyi, this was absolutely unacceptable. He would rather see Tingzhou fall; once the Tang army arrived, they would surely drive back the Helu Army.
Although this would result in tremendous losses for Tingzhou and severely regress the prosperous life he had worked hard to build, at least he would still be in control of Tingzhou and could rebuild its wealth in the future. If the Xu Zhen rose again, however, he would lose control over Tingzhou and face a dismal end. The loss of three thousand lives from two fallen counties would be enough to ruin him completely!
With his resolve set, Luo Hongyi finally aligned himself with Cui Yuqing. Although they could not interfere with the Xu Zhen's command over military affairs, they could influence logistical support. As long as they made things difficult for her in this regard, how could the newly appointed Xu Zhen manage to control an entire province's military smoothly?
Unexpectedly, after receiving the imperial decree, the Xu Zhen made no progress at all. She seemed elusive, rarely appearing even at military camps. The soldiers below became increasingly anxious and lost their fighting spirit entirely; this left Cui Yuqing and Luo Hongyi both suspicious yet pleased.
Wang Wukui, Deputy Commander of the Zhechong Bureau in Tingzhou, hailed from a prominent Wang family. The Taiyuan Wang Clan is an ancient noble family that stands alongside other prestigious clans such as Longxi Li Clan, Zhao Jun Li Family, Qinghe Cui Clan, Boling Cui Clan, Fan Yang Lu Clan, and Xingyang Zheng Clan as one of the five surnames and seven clans.
From famous generals like Wang Jian during the Qin Dynasty to Wang Zhaojun of the Han Dynasty and Wang Mang, as well as Wang Yun from the Three Kingdoms period—all came from the Taiyuan Wang Clan—making it deeply rooted in history.
While many aristocratic families produced heroes, most relied on their profound heritage and background to pursue civil service rather than military fame. However, Longxi was known for its martial prowess; many Tiger Generals emerged from the Longxi Li Clan who achieved success on horseback. Currently, under Li Tang's rule, it was indeed a prosperous time for the Longxi Li Clan.
Wang Wukui, having learned nothing in his youth, was often rejected by the elders of the Green Forest Rangers. Nevertheless, he firmly believed that as a man of stature, he could achieve fame and success on the battlefield. How could he feign delicacy and indulge in frivolous matters, engaging in political intrigue at court?
He was bold and combative, eager to lead troops to reclaim the lost territories of Golden Ridge and Pulei. Even if he could not recover these lands, at least he could inflict damage on Xu Tujue's forces, teaching these barbarians the might of the Tang Heavenly Army!
He had long heard of Xu Zhenzhi's great reputation, and who among the military did not envy the recent fortunes of Xu Zhen?
However, Xu Zhen's actions in Tingzhou during this time had left him somewhat disappointed. He felt that her reputation did not match her abilities, leading to a sense of disillusionment that was shared by most soldiers in the army.
Two days passed without any news from Xu Zhen, and Wang Wukui grew furious. After drinking, he shouted, "Is she planning to hand over Tingzhou to the enemy? If she is indifferent to our plight, we will train our troops ourselves. A proud Imperial Guards horse cannot lose its dignity just because we lack her as Chief Steward!"
Wang Wukui was open-minded and valued his soldiers, earning their loyalty. Although the Taiyuan Wang Clan and Boling Cui Clan were both prominent families, the two major powers in Shandong were secretly competing against each other. Thus, he held little regard for Cui Yuqing and Luo Hongyi. He also understood that Xu Zhen's silence might be due to their interference.
As the saying goes, a strong dragon cannot suppress a local snake. It would indeed be difficult for Xu Zhen to exert her influence. However, Wang Wukui had been managing military affairs in Tingzhou for many years and paid no heed to Luo Hongyi as he energetically began large-scale training.
Seeing that Xu Zhen had achieved no results, Luo Hongyi and Cui Yuqing felt relieved and were enjoying drinks when they received news from the city gate about a delegation returning from Tuguhun seeking entry into the city with documents for negotiation.
Knowing that Xu Zhen would have informed them beforehand about the delegation's arrival being delayed, they allowed it to enter.
Upon witnessing the scale of this delegation, Luo Hongyi and Cui Yuqing were secretly astonished. No wonder Xu Zhen had such a great reputation; this delegation's presence alone could earn her significant merit!
With Xu Zhen absent, all matters concerning the delegation were entrusted to Caesar. However, it was puzzling that the delegation had no guards!
Tuguhun was far away with many tribes and bandits along the way. How could this delegation return safely to Tang Territory without any guards? Was it truly enough for Xu Zhenzhi's name alone to intimidate all those who might threaten them?
Luo Hongyi and Cui Yuqing felt a chill.
Moreover, they noticed that neither the rumored War Elephants nor Xu Zhen's Golden Armored White Elephant King were present in the group. Although the servants sent by Tuguhun were experienced and hardworking, they would be easily dispatched if they encountered bandits.
Currently, with Xu Zhen unable to manage military affairs in Tingzhou and remaining out of sight while Western Turkic eyed them covetously, Luo Hongyi and Cui Yuqing began to contemplate their own plans regarding the delegation.
Due to the large scale of the Delegation and the numerous personnel, the Post House simply could not accommodate everyone. Luo Hongyi took advantage of the situation and had someone lead the Delegation to settle near the military camp of the Department of Diplomatic Negotiation.
He believed that given the soldiers' resentment towards Xu Zhen, if some restrictions were relaxed, there would definitely be those who would notice the charming Tibetan Female Slaves among the Delegation, as well as the dozens of carts filled with valuables.
Luo Hongyi's calculations were not wrong. Wang Wukui, possessing a spirit akin to that of the Green Forest bandits, was not a rigid military commander. Many of his Soldiers had a rough edge, often gathering for boisterous drinking sessions and causing ruckus when drunk.
Although alcohol was strictly prohibited in the Tang Army, it was not enforced as harshly as in later times. Drinking had become so common that even Li Jing, known for his strict military discipline, did not dare to impose an outright ban. A Deputy Commander of the Zhechong Bureau like Wang Wukui, stationed in a remote area, would certainly not restrain his Soldiers.
In recent days, he had been training his troops vigorously. Initially, the Soldiers were full of enthusiasm, but as the training grew arduous, they gradually could not endure it. By nightfall, they had to resort to alcohol to relieve their fatigue and unwind.
To take care of Li Wushuang and Little Si Tang, as well as the pregnant Zhang Suling, a significant number of capable Tibetan Female Slaves were arranged for the Delegation.
These Female Slaves were hardworking and resilient. Although not young anymore, their years of travel had kept them fit and attractive. For the young men in the army, these mature and tough women were far more appealing than those frail Young Ladies who were sickly and weak. They provided ample opportunity for indulgence and release of pent-up desires.
That afternoon, a light rain began to fall. With no training taking place, Wang Wukui allowed his Brothers to rest. With nothing else to do, they started drinking in groups.
Wang Wukui felt frustrated at not being able to see Xu Zhen and was drinking alone when he suddenly heard from his personal guard that many Soldiers under him had left their camp to seek entertainment at the nearby Delegation encampment. He immediately frowned and grabbed a knife before rushing out!
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