El amor de un mortal a través de la dinastía Song del Norte

Capítulo 142

The two held each other tightly, as if it were their last night together...

Early the next morning, Tang Pang came to Wei Zijun's room. Wei Zijun woke up when she heard the maid's call. Just as she was about to get up, she realized that He Lu's large hand was pressed against her skin and covered her breast. She shyly slapped his hand away. He must have taken advantage of her while she was asleep in the middle of the night. Looking at her disheveled and almost completely open clothes, she knew it was the best proof.

Unexpectedly, she came in person and blocked the bed with her. Wei Zijun did not let He Lu out so as not to upset her.

The morning breeze was slightly chilly, and large swaths of delicate pink azaleas trembled gently in the wind. Tang Pang gazed quietly at Wei Zijun, then sighed, shifting her gaze to the distant sky. She murmured, "Just for a moment of pride, these peaceful days are gone, and now life and death are uncertain..." She turned her head, chuckled softly, "Does the Khan intend to use our army to hinder the Tibetan forces?"

Upon hearing this, Wei Zijun smiled faintly, "The foundation of cooperation is balance. Anything that is out of balance will be overturned. If I only let the Supi warriors fight to the death while we wait for news from the rear, would the King agree?"

Tang Pang laughed heartily, "It seems I didn't make the wrong decision. Does the Khan have some kind of plan?"

"It's not really a plan, just a preliminary idea." Wei Zijun lowered her eyes, picked up a petal, and gently fiddled with it, her eyes filled with swirling thoughts.

"Khan, stop keeping us in suspense. Your reputation is known throughout the land, and your military strategies are enough to terrify the enemy. I'm sure that even a small idea from you could bury hundreds of thousands of enemy troops..." Tang Pang stepped forward and plucked the flower petals from Wei Zijun's hand. "Tell me about it."

Wei Zijun smiled helplessly, "It's not that Wei Feng is being mysterious. I was just thinking about how to make a foolproof plan. Just now, I revised the marching strategy." She thought for a moment, then raised her clear eyes, "Your Majesty, no one outside knows I'm here. I beg Your Majesty to help keep the news under wraps and prevent it from leaking out."

Tang Pang simply hummed in agreement, then suddenly reached out and touched Wei Zijun's eyes. "Such a beautiful pair of eyes. I've never seen such pure, clear, and captivating eyes before."

Wei Zijun lowered her eyes, pretending not to see her movement, and continued, "Your Majesty should act as if nothing has happened, and then allow the Tibetan army to pass through Supi smoothly and head towards Xiangxiong. I think the Tibetan army will recruit some soldiers here to make up the numbers. Your Majesty needs to send a trusted commander to lead the troops. When the Tibetan army penetrates deep into the border between Supi and Xiangxiong, we will send troops from both sides at the same time to attack the Tibetan army from both sides. At the same time, those soldiers accompanying the army will turn against them. At that time, the Tibetan army will surely be defeated in one fell swoop."

Tang Pang burst into laughter again, "The Khan is indeed cunning, hahaha..." Her fingers, which had been stroking Wei Zijun's eyelashes, slid down and brushed against her fair and delicate cheek, "I never thought that the Khan could remain so clear-headed even while being teased."

Wei Zijun remained calm and composed, effortlessly swatting away the hand that was about to slide towards her lips: "Your Majesty is mistaken. In Your Majesty's Kingdom of Women, women have multiple husbands, and men have a low status. Your Majesty sees this as a mockery. However, in the Western Turkic Khaganate where Wei Feng is located, men are strong and women are weak. From my perspective, I do not feel mocked; on the contrary, I feel that I have gained an advantage and am quite pleased with myself."

Tang Pang leaned closer, "How about I let you take advantage of me even more?"

Wei Zijun raised an eyebrow at her and smiled helplessly, "Your Majesty, please don't joke. With a formidable enemy at hand, how dare we indulge in romance and be careless?"

Tang Pang laughed heartily again, displaying a remarkable air of heroine courage. After all, a monarch, no matter how indifferent she may be to state affairs, is still no ordinary person.

In the third year of the Jiande era of the Dayu Kingdom, the Year of the Snake in the Western Turks, in April, a battle that shook the world unfolded in the southern Qiangtang Lake region between Supi and Xiangxiong. The commander-in-chief of this battle was none other than the renowned Western Turkic Khan, Prince Feng of Dayu, Wei Feng Wei Zijun.

Under Wei Zijun's meticulous planning, the Tibetan army, unaware of the danger, passed through Supi and penetrated deep into the Ali grasslands. Wei Zijun led the valiant Supi allied forces, clad in leather armor, and together with the Western Turkic army led by Helu from Xiangxiong, they surrounded the 200,000-strong Tibetan army in the middle section of the Gangdise Mountains between Supi and Xiangxiong.

On that day, a fierce wind arose, yellow sand obscured the sun, dark clouds hung low in the sky, a low, mournful horn pierced the air, and the thunderous roar of hooves echoed through the heavens.

Like a raging torrent, the Western Turkic iron army and the Supi leather-armored army surged and rolled, their forces like towering waves. Their scimitars and long-handled swords danced in unison, slicing their boundless hatred into the bodies of their sworn enemies.

The fleeing Tibetan army almost all fell into the Cangmu Lake swamp, the burial ground that Empress Wei Zijun had prepared for them in advance...

The deafening sounds of battle gradually subsided, and the Ali grassland, stained with blood, was filled with a stench. The sacred mountains and lakes in the distance seemed to be mourning. Finally, the dark clouds could no longer withstand the pressure, and a torrential rain poured down.

The sky after the rain was crystal clear, a breathtakingly blue. White clouds gathered on the mountaintops, and a clear, blue river meandered through the half-green, half-yellow grasslands. Large flocks of eagles circled and cried out in a dark, ominous manner, as if a sudden storm of dark clouds had descended, their momentum unstoppable, as they swiftly pounced on the corpses scattered on the ground.

Wei Zijun gazed at the distant blue sky and white clouds, at the lofty and steadfast Xia Kangjian Peak, and let out a helpless and sorrowful sigh. The scattered corpses and blood diluted by rain were a gruesome sight, nauseating to behold. A foul wind blew, turning the magnificent grassland landscape into a desolate scene.

This period is known to the world as the Battle of Cangmucuo. In this battle, the enemy suffered heavy losses, with the remaining troops surrendering. Due to the urgent need for military strength, they were all incorporated into the Western Turkic army. In this battle, the Western Turkic and Supi allied forces lost only about two thousand men. Such figures amazed military strategists from the Central Plains and surrounding regions. They were even more amazed by the leader of the army, for she had performed such miraculous feats of warfare more than once.

Following the Battle of Cangmu Lake, before the arrival of the second wave of Tibetan troops, Empress Wei Zijun swiftly dispatched troops to conquer the Dangxiang, which bordered Dayu Longxi. With this, the entire northern region of Tibet fell, and Wei Zijun firmly controlled half of Tibet's territory. Panic gripped the Tibetan royal court.

Just as Wei Zijun was about to seize the royal court in one fell swoop, adhering to the principle of a swift victory, she received news that Songtsen Gampo had personally led his troops on an expedition, with his only son, Gongsong Gongtsen, and the Tuyuhun prince, Nangong Que, as the vanguard commander.

Volume 3, Dayu Chapter 129: Meeting

Smoke billows and the Min Mountains stand tall and serene.

Just as Wei Zijun conquered northern Tibet, Emperor Li Tianqi of Dayu personally led a group of martial arts heroes and, together with the army suppressing the rebellion, finally defeated the Jiannan rebels after a month of fierce fighting.

The Dayu rebels, who had been waiting for Tibetan reinforcements, never received them. Due to Wei Zijun's campaign, almost all the Tibetan troops were mobilized and marched in waves towards the Ali grasslands. Those rebels who couldn't wait for reinforcements abandoned their cities and fled, while the defeated martial arts practitioners also quickly disappeared into the shadows.

Suddenly, the rebel army that had risen so rapidly vanished in an instant, as if the fierce battle that had just taken place was nothing more than a nightmare. Only when you see the dilapidated city walls, the pervasive dust, the tattered banners, and the corpses scattered all over the ground do you realize that it all really happened.

After the rebel army was defeated, Li Tianqi ordered Chen Chang to stay behind to wipe out the remaining rebels, while he himself led 100,000 Yu troops from Tongchang County in Jiannan Circuit, which had just been recaptured, straight into Tibet.

Tongchang County borders the Tibetan Dangxiang. Upon learning that Wei Zijun had conquered Dangxiang and that Songtsen Gampo had already dispatched troops, Li Tianqi anxiously entered Tibet from Dangxiang. Originally, he planned to attack Tibet from the south to draw away some of the enemy's forces for Wei Zijun, but upon learning that she was currently in Dangxiang, he decided to enter Tibet from Dangxiang, which had already been occupied by Wei Zijun, in order to see her as quickly as possible.

The April wind is refreshing and pleasant, carrying a slight chill, making people's robes flutter. The pink and white azaleas all over the sky tremble in the wind like a pink ocean. The distant mountains are covered with snow, and the grasslands are tinged with tender green. My heart softens like a pool of water... I'm about to see her, the one I've been longing for. As long as I can see her, look at her, and love her...

The clatter of hooves approached, and a magnificent horse galloped from afar, its steed gleaming golden in the sunlight. The rider, dressed in pure white, stood tall and elegant. Upon seeing Li Tianqi's army, the horse halted, standing amidst a profusion of flowers. She gazed intently at them, her white robes billowing in the wind, her graceful figure exuding a cool and sharp arrogance, yet her clear face radiated a soft, alluring glow. She simply watched them silently.

At that moment, the love and longing in his heart surged like a tide. Li Tianqi abandoned his army and rushed forward, his horse's hooves trampling directly onto a large patch of fresh azaleas, galloping towards that figure.

The delicate pink petals were kicked up by the horse's hooves and drifted away with the wind. Watching her run towards him, Wei Zijun slowly walked towards her.

Finally, he ran up to her, took her hand, gazed at her for a long time, then pulled her off the horse and placed her on his, embracing her tightly. His large hands caressed her from head to toe, stroking her entire body.

After a long while, he lifted his head from her neck and looked behind her. When he realized that she had come alone, he couldn't help but scold her angrily, "It's always like this. You come out alone, without any guards or maids. You don't even wear armor when you go to war. Do you want Ran to worry to death?"

Wei Zijun looked at him and pouted, "Why are you cursing me as soon as we meet?"

The slight anger that had arisen from his concern for her vanished instantly. Li Tianqi gently stroked every detail of her face with his large hand, "Zijun, I miss you..." He choked on the words as soon as he uttered them.

"Second brother has lost weight." She looked at him; his face was still as thin as it had been when he left two months ago.

"You've lost weight too." He cupped her face, brought his lips close, and kissed her eyes.

A gust of wind blew by, and the fragrance of azaleas filled the entire grassland. The two people embraced tightly among the azaleas.

He felt happy. As long as he could see her and love her, he was happy. No matter how bitter life was, it was still a bittersweet happiness. But he really longed to see her all the time, to hold her in his arms, to caress her without restraint, to eat with her, to sleep with her, to go shopping with her, to compose poems and paint with her... But after he broke through that barrier, even sleeping face to face became a luxury. He missed the days in Lucheng. If he could, he would rather turn back time, not be the emperor, not know that she was a woman. Back then, he could eat and sleep with her, she would sweetly call him Second Brother, and he would affectionately pinch her nose.

Tears welled up as he gazed at her silently, tears streaming down his gaunt face, leaving mottled streaks.

At that moment, her heart ached terribly. Wei Zijun hugged his neck tightly, taking deep breaths, but she couldn't lessen the immense grief he had brought her.

She looked up, cupped his face in her hands, and watched as his tears streamed down her cheeks. "Second Brother, don't cry..." she whispered, wiping away his tears, hoping to comfort his bitter heart.

He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her passionately, a deep kiss that released long-suppressed emotions. Their passionate embrace seemed to have no tomorrow. Their tears mingled together, their mouths tasting salty.

"Zijun, didn't you say next time? This time, will you come with me?" He pressed his forehead against her smooth forehead. "This time, will you come with me?"

"I'll go with you after I've conquered Tibet." She smiled, her red lips parting slightly, her eyes sparkling. If she conquered Tibet, she would have avenged the people of the Western Turks; if she conquered Tibet, she would have avenged her parents. Then, with no ties left and all alone, where wouldn't it be better to go?

A gentle breeze swept across the grassland, carrying the fresh scent of wild rhododendrons. The weather was getting warmer, and even the people riding horses strolled hand in hand, just like when they parted last time, walking very slowly.

He held her fingertips and gently rubbed them. "Zijun, I really want to hold your hand for a lifetime. If I could hold your hand until the moment I die, how wonderful that would be."

Upon returning to the army's camp, Li Tianqi discovered something: Miaozhou was missing. He couldn't help but ask, "Where is Miaozhou? Didn't I tell him to guard you?"

Wei Zijun smiled and said, "I left him to defend Xiangxiong. We occupied too many cities this time, and we didn't have enough generals to lead the troops. We even had to temporarily fill in some of the better minor officers."

"He actually abandoned his post!" Li Tianqi was slightly angry.

“I forced him to do it. He’s very competent. When it comes to matters of national importance, he’s even more sensible.” Wei Zijun then smiled, “so that he won’t bother me when he has nothing better to do.”

"Where is he? Isn't he here?" Li Tianqi was referring to He Lu. The two of them always referred to each other as "he," as if they were unwilling to face it or talk about it, but sometimes they couldn't help but ask.

"He is in Supi. This time, we have divided our forces into several locations because we do not know where Songtsen Gampo will send his troops. Therefore, we have deployed infantry to each location and made preparations in case we are caught off guard." After Wei Zijun finished speaking, she suddenly laughed and asked, "Second Brother, after this annihilation of Tibet, will it be incorporated into the territory of the Western Turks or the territory of Dayu?"

Li Tianqi pinched her nose. "You're still scheming against me now. Even you are mine..." Before he could finish, he realized it was inappropriate and changed his words, "Even your Western Turkic Khaganate belongs to my territory. You can go wherever you want."

Wei Zijun curved her lips into a sly smile, "Then it will belong to my Western Turkic Khaganate. At that time, the powerful Western Turkic Khaganate can contend with you at any time."

Li Tianqi looked at her with amusement, "You... are already distracting me now. Shouldn't I arrest you immediately and lock you up in the harem to prevent future troubles?"

Upon hearing this, Wei Zijun laughed and said, "Even if Second Brother were to arrest me, he should be thrown into the Imperial Prison. Why should I be imprisoned in the inner palace?"

"Because there's a spot there that's perfect for imprisoning you."

After saying that, the two of them felt awkward. Wei Zijun coughed and said, "Um... Second Brother... let's discuss a strategy to deal with the enemy."

In truth, the moment he learned she was a woman, that position was already reserved for her; however, she would never sit in it. Even without those obstacles, she wouldn't want that position, her iron steed trampling across the land. But in his heart, that position would forever belong to her, and he would reserve it for her forever, even if she would never sit in it.

In May of the third year of the Jiande era of the Dayu era, Songtsen Gampo personally led a large army to Supi to meet the enemy. Gongsong Gongtsen and Nangong Que led two vanguards to arrive in Supi first and set up camp thirty miles from the city wall.

However, they remained quiet, showing no signs of an immediate attack or preparation for one, as if they were waiting for something.

Upon learning that they had headed to Supi, Wei Zijun immediately left a small contingent of troops to guard the city and rushed to Supi with Li Tianqi's army, arriving almost one after the other with the Tibetan army.

Upon arriving in Supi, they learned that the Tibetan army remained inactive, which greatly alarmed Wei Zijun. She sent men to investigate, but they found nothing. That evening, Wei Zijun summoned her generals to discuss the enemy situation.

Since Wei Zijun was the commander-in-chief, Li Tianqi did not sit in the main seat, but instead sat on either side of her main seat table with He Lu.

The room was mostly filled with the generals of Dayu who had accompanied the emperor, with only a few deputy generals of the Western Turks and a few generals of Supi. Among them was a woman, who was Tang Pang's most trusted minister, Zhan Ge'er Sunbo, who had once served as the prime minister of Supi.

Seated in the main seat, Wei Zijun remained calm. She glanced at the assembled generals and slowly said, "Generals, judging from the Tibetan army's current reaction, something seems amiss. Perhaps they are waiting for something. I think we should launch an attack first. If we wait for Songtsen Gampo's army to arrive, it may be difficult to annihilate them in one fell swoop. What do you all think?" Her tone was flat, but there was a hint of worry in her words.

"Yes, it's best to defeat them one by one. Once their main force gathers in one place, things will be hard to say."

"Our scouts have learned that Songtsen Gampo will arrive in three days. Why don't we launch a night attack tonight and defeat their small enemy force first?" He Lu suggested.

"Okay, I agree." The generals below unanimously agreed.

Wei Zijun nodded, picked up the teacup on the table, and when she brought it to her lips, she found that there were only some tea leaves left in it, so she did not drink it and put it down again.

The next moment, two hands holding teacups appeared in front of her. Li Tianqi and He Lu both noticed her subtle movements and presented her with their teacups, one on each side.

Wei Zijun coughed awkwardly, calmly accepted the two cups of tea, placed them on the table, and did not drink them.

Seeing this, the two men almost simultaneously picked up the blanket and brought it to her lips.

"Weren't you thirsty?"

"Drink if you're thirsty!"

Wei Zijun blushed, inwardly groaning. She glanced at the dumbfounded generals, then shamelessly took a sip from one of them, then another, and said nonchalantly, "So, it's settled then. All generals, go back and prepare. We'll launch the attack tonight at 1-3 AM. Our Supi, Dayu, and Western Turkic armies haven't trained together, so it's best not to launch a joint attack to avoid command errors. Let's have each army take turns. Which army do you all think should lead the charge?"

"Zijun, I'll do it." Li Tianqi looked at her and gave her a comforting look.

“Your Majesty, I think this is inappropriate,” said Zangarsunbo. “The Dayu cavalry are physically weak and their combat effectiveness is inferior to that of the Tibetan cavalry. However, the Tibetan cavalry is inferior to the Western Turkic cavalry, which is personally trained by the Khan. Therefore, among the three armies, the Turkic cavalry is the strongest. Moreover, the Western Turkic Ghost-Faced Cavalry is good at night combat. Their momentum is overwhelming and their reputation is widespread. The Tibetan army is terrified when they hear of them. It would be more appropriate for the Khan to lead the troops.”

Wei Zijun glanced at Zhangelsunbo and smiled calmly. "Very well. Tonight, let the warriors of my Western Turks lead the charge."

The night was deep and dark, and on this moonless night, everything was shrouded in darkness. Only the torches burning on the walls of Supi illuminated a distance of several dozen steps.

However, no one expected that on this moonless night, just as the Western Turks were preparing to launch their attack, the Tibetan army came to besiege the city.

The walls of Supi were neither high nor sturdy, making it difficult to defend. Therefore, King Wei ordered his army to leave the city and fight directly.

In close combat, the Western Turkic army held an absolute advantage. Their weapons were sharper than those of the Tibetans, their warhorses were superior, and most of this army, which had followed Empress Wei Zijun for over two years, had been personally trained by her. Their bravery was beyond question.

The city gates swung open, and Helu led his massive Western Turkic army, a surging tide of black iron, out with a roar and a resolute momentum that chilled the enemy to the bone. The menacing black iron faces gleamed with a chilling light in the night, and long, drawn-out swords were held high, their blades flashing with a bloodthirsty glint, making them seem like demons from hell, bringing the terror of death to their enemies. Such an army was destined for victory in every battle.

However, just as the Western Turkic army poured out of the city gates and formed ranks, the Tibetan army in the distance suddenly retreated, revealing rows of wooden carts—more than a hundred in total—that took on a strange shape under the light of the torches lit by the Tibetan army. When the Western Turkic army sounded the horn to attack, the Tibetan army suddenly stepped forward, and in an instant, the wooden carts were raised high into the air.

"It's a stone crossbow!" Wei Zijun was shocked. How could they have a stone crossbow? That's impossible.

Volume 3, Dayu Chapter 130: Severe Injury

In that instant, hundreds of enormous boulders rained down from the dark sky, crashing into the orderly ranks of the Western Turkic army. Immediately, screams, groans, and hissing filled the air, and the Western Turkic army's formation crumbled. Then came another barrage of boulders, their dark surfaces indistinguishable in the darkness. Each boulder that struck one meant being crushed by another, and for a time, screams filled the air. The Western Turkic formation was completely disrupted, and their offensive power vanished abruptly.

No one expected that Tibet would possess trebuchets. These small catapults, known as stone crossbows, were extremely accurate and could launch stones weighing up to 150 kilograms. However, Tibet shouldn't have had trebuchets.

They must destroy that stone crossbow, otherwise they will have no chance to escape. That huge stone will smash the city to pieces in a few hits, leaving them with nowhere to hide.