The feast lasted very late into the night. The warriors in the tent were all big eaters, and they had already eaten three whole roasted goats. At this time, there were still two whole goats that were roasted to a shiny yellow color hanging on the stove in front of the tent. The people in the tent were already eighty to ninety percent full, and began to compete with each other in drinking wine. Wine jars were scattered around them.
The people of the steppe loved wine. Although they had been forced out of their homes by the Tubo and had fled to this place to find shelter, the wine had not been left behind.
Seeing that the people in the tent were no longer able to eat, Wuzhile ordered the roasted goats to be distributed to the guards in front of the tent, eliciting another round of cheers from the guards. It had to be known that in this era, roasted goats were an extremely famous dish at the banquets of the nobility. Ordinary shepherds and tribal leaders, while their main diet was meat, did not have the right to enjoy roasted goats.
This action caused Yang Fan's opinion of Wuzhile to rise even higher. Ever since he had arrived in Luoyang, he had seen many high officials and nobles, but it was truly rare to see someone so considerate and caring for their subordinates. Wuzhile had drunk so much that his face was red and his tongue was stiff. This action of his came from the bottom of his heart and was definitely not an attempt to win his favor.
Shen Mu did not drink much. Although everyone toasted him first, to this honored guest, he only took a small sip, and the bystanders were not picky. He did not drink much, but he had eaten quite a bit of milk skin, milk tofu, blood sausage, and roasted meat, so his eyes were still very clear.
After drinking for a while, Shen Mu rose and went to relieve himself. Yang Fan took the opportunity to follow him.
Two Turkic girls supported Shen Mu away from the bustling crowd and into a quiet corner. They smiled and gestured to him, indicating that he could relieve himself here. One of the girls gracefully squatted down, intending to help him take off his pants. At this moment, Yang Fan appeared in front of him.
Shen Mu waved his hand. After the two girls had left, he smiled at Yang Fan and said, "Erlang seems to have something on your mind?"
Yang Fan said, "There's one thing I don't understand, but my wisdom is shallow and I can't figure it out no matter how I think about it. If I don't ask you face to face, I'm afraid I won't be able to sleep peacefully."
Shen Mu laughed, "Since when did Er Lang become so scholarly? We are brothers, if there's anything you want to say, just say it."
He did not try to avoid Yang Fan. After undressing and relieving himself, a Turkic girl standing in the distance quickly stepped forward, took a handkerchief from her waist, and respectfully offered it.
Shen Muqing washed his hands and gestured to Yang Fan in invitation, and the two began to stroll through the yurts, the two Turkic girls following at a distance of thirty zhang.
Yang Fan said, "The person that Brother Shen spoke of who can become Khagan is Wuzhile?"
Shen Mu said, "Not bad, what do you think of this person?"
Yang Fan said, "He is indeed a hero! However, which Khan does Brother Shen intend to support? "
Shen Mu smiled. "Er Lang is asking a question you already know the answer to. Naturally, the King of the Ten Western Turkic Tribes!"
Yang Fan stopped and turned to Shen Mu, sternly asking, "The Western Turks already have a ruler, and one who is loyal to our court. Why does Brother Shen want to make another Khagan?"
Shen Mu replied, "Huselo? Huselo is naturally loyal, but so is Wuzhile. They are both loyal, but Wuzhile is even more worthy of being a ruler than Huselo. "
Yang Fan asked, "What does Brother Shen mean by this?"
Shen Mu replied, "Huselo is skilled in martial arts, but not in commanding the tribes. In battle, he often uses the weak to fight the strong, forcing the Western Turks to repeatedly lose the upper hand in their confrontations with the Eastern Turks, losing their land and losing their people. As a result, the tribes are forced to leave their homes and wander the world. His prestige is no longer enough to convince the masses. This is the first reason. Husseruo Qian was an autocratic ruler who was not good at protecting the tribes. He was cruel and often whipped his soldiers when he was drunk. He would also severely punish the other tribes if they made any small mistakes. This caused fear in the tribe and dissension in their hearts. As a Khagan, these two qualities are enough, especially when the Western Turks have powerful enemies and are in dire straits. "
Yang Fan hesitantly said, "There's such a thing? When I was in Luoyang, I interacted with Great General Huselo. His personality … seems to be very different from what Brother Shen has described … "
Shen Mu suddenly understood. "I was wondering why you had so many misgivings about supporting Wuzhile as Khan. So this is the reason!"
Shen Mu bitterly smiled. "Er Lang, the two of you fought on the same battlefield. He views you as a friend, not a subordinate, so his attitude is naturally different. But this does not mean that his subordinates are the same. In truth, if I supported Wuzhile, I would be able to obtain the same benefits from him as Huselo. If Huselo is someone who can be supported, wouldn't it be easier for me to support him than Wuzhile?
This person truly cannot be groomed! If you don't believe my words alone, you can ask anyone in the Ten Families Tribe about his character and ability to lead his tribes. You've seen for yourself how much the tribes support Wuzhile. If Huselo was a wise ruler, would his subordinates be so disloyal? "
On his journey here, Yang Fan had not only witnessed Wuzhile's ability to train his soldiers, but also the sincere support of his subordinates and the subservience of the other tribal leaders. He had also personally witnessed Wuzhile's attitude toward his subordinates.
In the Central Plains, it was extremely rare for a superior to show such care and concern to his subordinates. In the tribes, the relationship between nobles and their subordinates was almost like that of master and slave, and there was such a great difference in status. But in this aspect, Wuzhile …
The Western Turks were being suppressed by the Eastern Turks and Tubo, and their living space was shrinking. In these difficult circumstances, a change in ruler could easily lead to unrest, plunging a tribe already on the verge of extinction into even greater danger.
Moreover, in this sort of situation, if Shen Mu could provide them with help, he could also obtain from Huselo what he could obtain from Wuzhile. This was probably the only reason why he would choose to support Wuzhile.
When he thought of this, Yang Fan couldn't help but waver. He did not believe that Huselo was an evil person, but a good person was not necessarily someone worthy of being a leader. Yang Fan hesitated, still holding on to a sliver of hope. "Huselo was originally the ruler of the Ten Families Tribe. Is it possible for Wuzhile to suddenly replace him?"
Shen Mu saw that he was about to be convinced and gave a relaxed smile. "Do nobles, generals, and ministers have guts? Why does Erlang also believe in the rotten theory that only those of the imperial clan can become king? The current Empress is not a descendant of Li Tang's imperial clan, so is she not the current Emperor? As for Huselo, unless my Tang dynasty recognizes him, his position as Khagan might not be legitimate.
Putting aside the fact that the Eastern Turks still had Ashina Gulu, even in the Western Turks, Huselo was not a successor to the throne. The ruler of the Western Turks was originally Ashina Mishe, and Huselo's father, Ashina Buzhen, was Khagan's brother. He wanted to establish himself as Khagan, so he murdered twenty-some of Mi She's brothers and nephews and usurped power.
Ashina Mishe led the Chuyue and Chumi tribes under his command to submit to my Tang dynasty, and Emperor Taizong conferred upon him the title of Xili Duolu Khagan. Ashina Buzhen declared himself independent, but many of his tribes refused to submit. Buzhen could only submit to my Tang dynasty and was conferred the title of Left Guard Great General. Later on, Ashina Buzhen falsely accused Ashina Mishe of treason and was killed. Only then did Buzhen take the ten tribes under his command. "
Shen Mu chuckled. "This matter happened twenty-some years ago, and everyone in the ten tribes of the Western Turks knows about it. Now that Huselo has inherited the throne, he cannot win the hearts of the tribes. What difficulty is there in replacing him with Wuzhile?"
Yang Fan said, "Although I've only seen a little of Wuzhile's abilities, I have to admit that he truly has the air of a hero. But … it's precisely because he's so talented that if we support him, won't we be nurturing a tiger and inviting calamity?"
Shen Mu chuckled. "Erlang, you've always planned for the sake of our court. Such thoughts are admirable, but this way of thinking is gravely mistaken!"
He placed his hands behind his back and slowly walked forward. With a wave of his hand, he pointed at the countless twinkling stars beneath the starry sky. "If a great clan, when the chief branch doesn't have any outstanding descendants, still envies the talents and suppresses the descendants of the branch clans, then this clan will never be able to exist for one thousand years.
If an important official cannot only recommend talents based on talent, constantly worrying that someone else will one day become an even more outstanding official than he is, then he will sooner or later become a treacherous official who uses his power to his advantage, unable to leave his name in the annals of history.
If an emperor is always worried that his subjects will outdo him, and if he doesn't even wait to eliminate external threats before getting rid of those talented and capable civil and military officials, then he will sooner or later become the ruler of a subjugated country!
Erlang, just the Tubo army is no weaker than our Tang dynasty, and there is also the Eastern Turks. What will the result be if we continue to be so wary of our own people?
Can Wuzhile destroy the Tubo and the Eastern Turks? Impossible! But if he can strengthen himself, where will he get his strength from? Even if people rely on themselves to survive, the territory is only so large. Dividing it among the three families will only bring us benefits.
It's true that Wuzhile is very capable, but in this dangerous environment, the help we can give him is limited. It's precisely because he has the ability that our great clans and the Imperial Court have the value to support him. Otherwise, what use is there in having him?
While supporting him, we naturally have to control him. This has nothing to do with whether Wuzhile is a Turkic or not. If the Tang dynasty weakens to the point where it can't even control the strength it raised, or if the ruler is blinded by greed, then those with ambition, whether they are of the same clan or not, or even related by blood, will all the same replace them. There's no need to look far away for examples. Isn't our dynasty a living example? "
After a long silence, Yang Fan asked, "Why did you bring me to see him, and why did you let me know of this matter?"
Shen Mu replied, "Because if he wants to become Khagan, he needs the support of the Imperial Court and a righteous title. In truth, whether you admit it or not, the authority of the Ten Tribes is already in Wuzhile's hands. It's just that Huselo is completely unaware of this, and Wuzhile has not shed all pretense of cordiality with him.
If our Imperial Court does not agree, do you think that Wuzhile will give up his authority? He won't! Huselo will still have to face the betrayal of his own people. If that happens, what do you think will happen to the Western Turks who are being watched by two fierce tigers? If that happens, our Imperial Court will lose an important force to restrain the Eastern Turks.
Erlang, in such a situation, do you think it's better for Huselo to stay in the imperial court as a great general and a rich man, or to let him come back and cause the ten tribes to all die in the internal strife? If you report these pros and cons to the Empress, I am confident that after weighing the pros and cons, the Empress will not be reluctant to part with the title of 'Khagan'!
Huselo's remaining in the court will only bring him benefits and no harm. For the Imperial Court, he will be one more bargaining chip to control the Ten Tribes of the Western Turks. If necessary, we can even bring him out, if Wuzhile really has any intentions of rebelling! "
"I, Wuzhile! I swear to the heavens that if I am Khagan, I will never betray you! "
With these words, Wuzhile strode out of the darkness. He was still drunk and his feet were a little unsteady, but his face was brimming with excitement, sincerity, and solemnity. In the distance, two Turkic girls bowed deeply to him.
Yang Fan was not surprised that he had run over, only asked, "How can I trust your promise?"
Wuzhile sneered. "You can only trust my promise! If you're worried that once I get stronger, I will have thoughts of rebelling, can you guarantee that once Huselo gets stronger, he will definitely be loyal to you? "
Yang Fan naturally could not guarantee this. After a few moments of silence, he slowly said, "Can you guarantee that all of you will always be loyal to the Tang dynasty?"
Wuzhile placed a hand on his chest and lightly bowed. "I can only guarantee myself, my friend! This is my most sincere vow. If I say that I can guarantee anything for my descendants, then that would be the biggest lie to you! Everyone has their own path. Whether it's you or me, who can guarantee what our sons, grandsons, great-great-grandsons will do? "
Yang Fan softly sighed, looked at Shen Mu, and then at Wuzhile, and asked, "What exactly do you plan to do?"
Shen Mu gave a joyful smile. Yang Fan's words meant that he was truly a kindred spirit.
Shen Mu straightforwardly said, "First, the Imperial Court must allow Huselo to remain in Luojing! Even if Huselo doesn't have this request, the Imperial Court must think of a way to keep him in Luojing. Only this way can the tribes of the Western Turks avoid internal strife and internal strife. Second, the Imperial Court must accept the old, weak, women, and children of the ten Turkic tribes, numbering in the tens of thousands. Move them to Longyou or Guanzhong. Only then can we have nothing to worry about and also lessen the burden on these tens of thousands of people. We can concentrate our elites and fight our way back to the Four Garrisons of Anxi. That place has always been the place where the Western Turkic tribes have settled. "
Yang Fan said to himself, At least six of the ten tribes are already standing on Wuzhile's side, and with Shen Mu's secret support, staying in Luojing is probably the best outcome for Huselo. As for moving the tens of thousands of old and children to Longyou or Guanzhong, it's not a big problem. They can work on farming and livestock, essentially becoming hostages of the ten tribes. This is probably what Shen Mu is planning.
Shen Mu added, "I will provide you with sufficient evidence for these two matters. You are the scout sent by the Great Empress, so all you need to do is present them to the Great Empress and do your best to persuade her to accept them. Of course, I will also use other people to help you from the side. "
Wuzhile said, "What I need to do next is what I need to do. Internally, I need to rest and recuperate. The ten tribes have suffered heavy losses. Don't be fooled by the fact that we don't have to worry about food and clothing. In truth, because we were forced to leave our homeland, and many of our livestock were captured by the enemy while we were fleeing, we don't have enough livestock to sustain the tribe. I need to get through this winter in order to slowly recover my strength. During this period of time, I need to recover my strength and train the troops diligently. I need to combine the elite troops of the Ten Families Tribe to create a force that can compete with the Tubo and Gulu tribes. As for external forces … "Wuzhile turned his gaze to Shen Mu.
Shen Mu said, "Externally, Wuzhile has already sent a secret emissary to the Tubo Royal City to seek an audience with Prime Minister Trinling and tell Trinling that Wuzhile wishes to replace Huselo."
Yang Fan's eyes flashed. "Feigning allegiance?"
Shen Mu gave him a thumbs up in praise. "Correct, feigning allegiance! Feigning allegiance to Trinling and obtaining his support so that he can become the Lord of the ten tribes. Trinling naturally wouldn't easily believe Wuzhile's sincerity, but to be able to take over the elite soldiers of the ten tribes without a fight was an enticement that he couldn't refuse. The place where Wuzhile is stationed is called Big Dipper Valley. It's a shortcut to Huangzhong, and also an important pass for the Tubo north to enter Hexi, so this place is extremely unsafe. But right now, Wuzhile doesn't have the time to find another place with lush water and grass to station his troops. He can only use this as a pretext to get through this winter. "
Yang Fan nodded. "Mm. Even if Trinling doesn't fully believe him, as long as he wants to take over this force, he won't act rashly. This way, it'll be enough for us to catch our breath." In the Tubo language, the Prime Minister was called Lun, so Trinling was often called Lun Trinling. In order to save trouble, Yang Fan also used their title.
Shen Mu said, "Not only that, I will also think of a way to let their Zanpu know of this matter!"
Yang Fan frowned. "The Tubo Zanpu and Lun Trinling are already at odds?"
Wuzhile interrupted with a smile. "Not only that, but they're also very scheming against each other."
Yang Fan thought it over, then said, "I'm afraid this plan won't work."
Shen Mu smiled. "Why won't it work?"
Yang Fan said, "Taking over the Ten Tribes Tribe will cause too much of a commotion and won't be able to keep it a secret. No matter how much Lun Trinling wants to bring such a massive force under his rule, he can only discuss it in secret with this side and do something in secret. He wouldn't be so stupid as to not tell Zanpu about this matter, would he?"
Shen Mu gave a sly smile and slowly said, "Trinling is, after all, the Prime Minister of a dynasty, and one who wields great power, one who even Zanpu looks up to. Would he impatiently rush to Zanpu's side to claim his merits at the slightest bit of news? He needs time to verify Wuzhile's sincerity. He has to first think of a way to control the power of the Ten Families Tribe in his own hands, and this will take more time. Before that, he will not rashly report to Zampu, and what I want is this period of time! "
Yang Fan came to a realization and said, "I understand! As long as the Tubo Zanpu hears this news from someone else before Lun Trinling, even if Lun Trinling rushes to Zanpu to confess this matter, Zanpu won't believe him. In fact, he'll be even more wary, because he'll think that he has Lun Trinling's eyes and ears by his side! "
Shen Mu waggled his thumb at him and roared with laughter. Wuzhile also chuckled to the side.
Yang Fan looked at the two of them and felt that one of them was a scholar and the other a warrior. One was as fierce as a wolf, the other as cunning as a fox. As for himself, he had the wildness of a wolf and the vigilance of a fox, but compared to these two, he was still too immature. If he wanted to mature, he still had a long way to go …
… …
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