r18novel Page 343
Page 343
On the city wall, Li Cunxiao unleashed his true energy and shouted down towards the city below.
"Please allow the Han army to garrison outside the city. General Zhang may then bring his guards to pay homage!"
From below the city wall came Zhang Huaiding's voice, "This is how we should act when we come to pay homage to the Tang Emperor!"
Subsequently, Zhang Huaiding led two of his generals into the pass.
Zhang Huaiding's actions were extremely risky; if Li Chang'an harbored hostility, he could simply detain him.
"Zhang Huaiding of the Guihan Army pays his respects to the Tang Emperor!"
Zhang Huaiding was not yet thirty years old, but he was burly and had a full beard.
Li Chang'an said, "General Zhang, there's no need for such formalities. Please sit down and let's talk!"
Zhang Huaiding sat in a chair, looking extremely tired.
Li Chang'an cut to the chase, "You, the leader of the Guihan Army, have delivered yourself to our doorstep and still have to perform this grand ceremony."
"If I am not mistaken, the Guihan Army must be facing some difficulties."
Zhang Huaiding sighed and said, "There's nothing to hide from the Prince. We've found out everything about him."
"The prince dares to fight Xu Xiao and the barbarians. He killed all the barbarians who entered the pass this time."
"Not long after receiving the news that the prince had been granted the fief of Shazhou, my father decided to lead 20,000 Guihan soldiers to join the prince."
Lu Xu said, "The Northern Han is long gone, and the Northern Liang wants to exclude you for its own selfish interests."
“You are mortal enemies with the Northern Barbarians and the Western Barbarians. Your submission to the Tang King is the only correct choice.”
Zhang Huaiding said, "That's what my father said at the time."
"However, things changed later because of an internal traitor."
“The traitor kidnapped my father, and a civil war broke out within the Guihan Army.”
As he spoke, Zhang Huaiding's eyes gradually reddened.
"After all, we've been persisting for over a decade."
"Some of the brothers couldn't hold on, but Father didn't blame them!"
"But they shouldn't have taken Father hostage to curry favor with the barbarians!"
Li Chang'an slowly said, "During the internal strife within the Guihan Army, the number of soldiers dwindled from 20,000 to 10,000."
"The remaining 10,000 men are all true sons of the Han people."
"Where did those traitors take General Zhang to?"
Zhang Huaiding said, "The Yumen County was occupied by the Waleng tribe."
Zhuge Liang said, "If it is Yumen County, it should be returned to the Prince immediately."
Zhang Huaiding nodded. "They should leave once the prince arrives."
"But Yumen County is still occupied by barbarians. If they want to leave, they may take my father with them."
"They kept my father alive to coerce the Han army into surrendering!"
At this point, Zhang Huaiding couldn't help but feel furious.
The calm Lu Xu continued his analysis, "So your 10,000 men are now facing a severe shortage of food and supplies."
"You dared to secretly follow the Shanshan army, actually hoping to take advantage of their misfortune."
"If you can seize some military rations, you can hold out for a while longer!"
Zhang Huaiding said, "What this gentleman said is correct. It's all the fault of those sons of bitches and traitors!"
"They actually destroyed all the food supplies we had painstakingly accumulated!"
At this point, Zhang Huaiding knelt down on one knee again, "Your Highness!"
"If Your Highness can rescue my father, the Guihan Army is willing to regroup and surrender!"
At this moment, Li Chang'an remained silent.
Lu Xu continued, "General Zhang, that's not right."
“You have nowhere else to turn but to submit to the prince.”
"Afterwards, the prince will give you a way out, and together we will try to rescue General Zhang!"
Lu Xu's idea was to first recover these troops who had returned to Han, and then talk about other things.
Zhang Huaiding's idea was to first have Li Chang'an help rescue Zhang Yichao, and then submit to him.
It was still because neither side trusted the other; Zhang Huaiding remained silent, clearly still wanting to persist.
Li Chang'an said, "Zhang Huaiding, you can't hesitate any longer."
“The barbarians of Anxi County may withdraw at any time, and General Zhang may be taken into the heart of the Western Regions at any time.”
"Given General Zhang's fierce nature, he would certainly not want to set foot on the land of the Western Regions."
"Moreover, you are currently out of supplies and in dire straits. I have always admired the Guihan Army, especially General Zhang."
"In the Northwest, there is a loyal and devoted man, both admirable and lamentable!"
"As long as you agree to submit, your provisions, equipment, and other treatment will be exactly the same as that of my own army!"
Upon hearing this promise, Lu Xu and Zhuge Liang immediately became anxious.
"Your Highness, please reconsider!"
"The army is the hardest to win over, let alone the Zhang family's private army!"
"The loyalty of the Guihan Army has always been to the Zhang family!"
Li Chang'an smiled faintly. If we follow common sense, that is indeed the case.
However, Li Chang'an has a system; he only needs to exchange for a template of 5,000 elite Tang soldiers.
As long as these soldiers agree to a formal surrender, Li Chang'an will allow half of the 10,000 soldiers in the Han army to be integrated into the template.
With half of the ten thousand men loyal to Li Chang'an, this army is sure to be safe.
Perhaps one day, the Guihan Army will be able to truly enter the pass and contend for the Central Plains!
Li Chang'an said, "You don't need to persuade me anymore. I have my own plan for this matter."
Then, Li Chang'an spoke sternly to Zhang Huaiding.
"Zhang Huaiding, this is a golden opportunity, don't miss it!"
"Zhang Yichao, the backbone of the Northwest and a pillar of the nation, is trapped in the enemy camp!"
"Now that you have surrendered to the Han army, I will immediately send assassins to rescue General Zhang!"
"If you submit to me, I will surely lead you to recover the seven counties of Shazhou!"
"We will definitely be able to take back Dunhuang City, the capital of Shazhou Prefecture. I'm giving you one last chance!"
Li Chang'an's words brought tears to Zhang Huaiding's eyes!
His father was in enemy hands, and he was more anxious than anyone else.
Moreover, Li Chang'an mentioned Dunhuang City, which is where the Zhang family started their rebellion and has now been in enemy hands for decades!
There are very few people in the world who can help the Zhang family recover Shazhou.
Xu Xiao, Gu Jiantang, Prince Yan... and Li Chang'an!
But will the people in front of them help them?
Zhang Huaiding gritted his teeth and said, "This humble general, Zhang Huaiding, leads 12,000 Guihan soldiers to submit to His Highness Prince Tang!"
The man from Northwest China, his eyes brimming with tears, spoke each word with unwavering resolve!
Li Chang'an nodded and said, "Very good!"
"The Northern Han Dynasty is gone, so don't call yourselves the Returning Han Army!"
"You are not going to submit to Northern Han, nor to Li Yang!"
"It is the great righteousness of the Central Plains for thousands of years. From today onwards, you shall change your name to the Guiyi Army!"
[Consumed 5000 Mortal World Points, exchanged for 5000 members of the Tang Dynasty Guiyi Army template!]
The Guiyi Army of the Great Tang Dynasty was an elite cavalry force during the prosperous Tang Dynasty. They were all eighth-rank military officers, but they were already much stronger than the Northern Liang cavalry.
Upon hearing this, Lu Xu tensed up again. This was a conditioned reflex for strategists; they always thought of the worst-case scenario first.
The army that has just joined is not necessarily reliable, even if it is a staunch and loyal army that has returned to the Han Dynasty in the Northwest.
Zhang Huaiding pondered the name of the Guiyi Army and found it to be more fitting than the Guihan Army.
Then Li Chang'an said, "Let's go, General Zhang, come with me to inspect the Guiyi Army!"
Chapter 209: Taking in Jiang Si, Entering Shazhou, the Prestige of the King of Beiliang!
The gates of Jian Ge were wide open, and Li Chang'an, clad in black armor and robes, rode out on horseback.
Gu Dazu, Zhuge Liang, and Zhang Huaiding followed behind, and the group rushed to the Gui Han army camp, where the soldiers were already in formation and waiting.