Snow swirled outside the tent, but the inside was bustling with activity. Several slaves sat in the corner of the tent, playing a cheerful tune. Several girls dressed in brightly colored Turkic clothing danced in the tent, the bells on their feet chiming pleasantly as they danced.
The wind was not strong, and when the curtain was raised, pure white snowflakes drifted in, followed by a rich aroma. Two burly men walked in with a golden roast lamb on their shoulders.
Everyone in the tent was talking and laughing loudly while drinking wine from wooden bowls. Their oily big hands were grabbing Zang Pa, or they were using knives to cut large chunks of beef and mutton, putting them into their mouths and chewing.
Sitting on the host's seat, Moche drank fine wine and casually responded to the crowd. He smiled at the tribal leaders, a faint light flickering in his eyes.
When he had invaded Helong, he had forced Wu Zetian to agree to the marriage, gifting her a large sum of gold, farm tools, ironware, seeds, and medicine. When he had gone to Hebei, he had captured countless grains, cloth, and money. Finally, he had forced Wu Zetian to make concessions, returning the surrendered tribes of the Six Hequ Provinces to the Turks.
This string of victories had allowed the tribes that had followed him to taste the true sweetness of victory, causing his supporters to grow, his prestige to grow, and the Turkic tribes to become even more united. The current Moche was gradually surpassing his older brother's prestige.
Moche had originally believed that the Imperial Court of the Central Plains was not something he could swallow with his appetite. The foundation of this empire was too deep, and if he did not spend more than a hundred years, it would never run out. Thus, he had always taken advantage of the situation and then left. However, Wu Zetian's repeated concessions made Moche more and more courageous.
He was like a crafty wolf, constantly probing his prey. The more his prey yielded, the more convinced he was that his prey was not strong, and his greed grew. At this moment, the Khitans sent an envoy. The Khitans wanted to work with him to divide up Hebei, which was exactly what Moche wanted.
He had seriously considered the Khitans' proposal for a very long time. He felt that the Central Plains Empire was still not something he could swallow with his current strength, but what if he only wanted to swallow Hebei? Of course, in this way, the Khitans would also grow stronger. He did not wish for another powerful nomadic tribe to appear beside his bed.
Although the Central Plains Empire was powerful, for countless years, the steppe had always been nomadic. No matter how powerful the Central Plains Empire was, how it could seal off Wolf Juxu and force them to flee like rabbits on the steppe, the Central Plains Empire could not take root in the steppe desert. After a period of glory, the masters of this place would still be them.
The real threat came from within, from other nomadic tribes. They, the Turks, were once a small tribe on this grassland and eventually replaced the once invincible Xiongnu. Who knew if a new tribe would replace them in the future? It was necessary to curb the growth of the Khitans.
However … temporary cooperation should not be a problem. He was confident that with his strength and intelligence, in this alliance, he could use the soldiers of Wuzhou to weaken the Khitans, and vice versa. He could reap the benefits while paying the smallest price. Today, he had gathered all the tribe leaders to announce his decision.
The centralization of power of the Turks was far less than that of the Central Plains Empire. Although he was currently the Khagan, possessed the largest tribe and territory, and all the tribes followed his lead, if his plan did not fit the interests of the majority of the tribes, most of the tribal leaders would object, and he could not act willfully.
Therefore, he patiently chatted and drank with the crowd first. Seeing that the crowd was getting more and more excited, he thought about what to say. Then, he grabbed a towel and wiped his greasy hands. He stood up and said with a smile, "Everyone, please be quiet. I have something to say!"
The moment Moche spoke, the laughing tribe leaders quieted down and looked in his direction. The slave musicians in the corner of the tent also hurriedly stopped the music. A few young girls, their faces flushed and sweaty from dancing, waved their long sleeves, bowed, and retreated.
Moche said with a smile, "Previously, when we attacked Liangzhou, Lingzhou, and Shengzhou, all the tribes made a lot of money. Ha! Seljuq, when we attacked Lingzhou, you didn't want anything else but those who were good at farming. You captured more than two thousand serfs, and others laughed at you for being stupid. In my opinion, you are the smartest. "
Moche pointed at his beloved general, Seljuq, and said with a smile, "This time, we asked for a large number of grain seeds from Wuzhou. Next spring, you can let those serfs sow the land. By next winter, your tribe will be even more powerful, and you will no longer have to worry about the livelihood of your people. You have good foresight, good foresight!"
Seljuq raised his bowl of wine and said with a smile, "A stone's throw away from the grasslands can only support one horse. But the crops in a stone's throw away can support dozens of families. At that time, I felt that instead of robbing some gold and silver, it was better to rob some slaves who could grow crops. Coincidentally, there was a piece of land in my territory that was suitable for farming. However, although I captured a lot of serfs, unfortunately, I didn't have enough grain seeds and farming tools. Just when I didn't know what to do, it was Khan who took care of us and brought back so many farming tools, grain seeds, and farming books. It's all thanks to Khan's blessing. Our entire tribe will always remember Khan's kindness! "
Moche smiled and waved his hand, saying, "I am Khan. All the tribes trust me, support me, and let my people live a good life. This is my responsibility, Moche. There is no need to thank me."
After saying that, Moche turned to Chebichri and said with a smile, "I heard that you captured a pair of twin beauties in Zhaozhou. They are fourteen years old and more beautiful than flowers. You have good luck with women! Do a good job and let them give birth to a few cubs for you. When they grow up in the future, our Great Prairie will have a few more heroes like you! "
Chebichri was a burly man in his early thirties. This person was brave in battle, but clumsy with words. After hearing Mooch's words, he only chuckled and scratched the back of his head with a naive look on his face. His expression naturally caused the other tribe leaders to roar with laughter, and many people started to make fun of him.
Moche returned to his table and sat down, saying in a clear voice, "Today, I invited everyone here not only to drink and have fun, but also to discuss something with you!"
Everybody turned their gaze toward him, they quietly said, "The Khitan people have sent an envoy, inviting us to send troops to divide Hebei with them. After the matter is settled, Tan, Yuan, You, Mo, Ji, and other prefectures will belong to us, they only want Ying and Ping prefectures. What do you think?"
The generals were stunned when they heard this. They whispered to each other and discussed it. Arrowhead Xiao Mumu cupped his hands and said, "Khan, let's take advantage of their unpreparedness and bite them. Although they are angry, it will be difficult for them to make up their minds to send troops to the desert. After all … if they send troops to the desert, even if it's just once, their consumption will be a thousand times greater than what we captured. They can't afford it, but if we want to occupy their land, I'm afraid they won't let it go easily."
Zhu Tu and Yabgu echoed, "Yes, Khan, our strength lies in galloping through the desert grasslands. Whether it is attacking or defending cities, it is not our forte. If we occupy Hebei, it will be difficult for us to resist the counterattack of the imperial army. Moreover, Hebei has just been plundered by us. There is no profit for the time being. In the heavy snow and cold winter, there is no need to go far. "
When the two leaders spoke, it was as if a hornet's nest had been poked. With a buzz, all the tribal leaders began to speak at once. Seljuq, Chebichri, and the other leaders who had tasted the sweetest benefits supported Moche's idea, while Xiao Mumu, Zhu Tu, and the other moderates expressed their opposition.
As Mu En and Moche were in-laws, he was not willing to easily refute his opinion. However, Mu En himself did not believe that with the current strength of the Turks, they had the ability to seize the territory of the Central Plains Empire. Thus, he adopted a compromise. He agreed to send troops again, but he did not agree to occupy it. He felt that there was no harm in attacking the fortified cities that they had not conquered yet and plundering more resources and people.
He hoped that the Turks would immediately retreat to the desert after plundering, leaving the Khitans to deal with the infuriated Wuzhou imperial court alone. They could then sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight, watching the Yuan Empire and the Khitans fight to the death. On this point, Lu Bugu agreed with him.
Moose kept smiling and didn't say a word. No matter if they agreed, opposed, or tried to smooth things over, he just listened attentively. He wanted to find out what the leaders were really thinking and what their concerns were through their debates. Only when he understood everyone's thoughts did he clap his hands.
The tent quieted down again. Moche smiled and said, "I understand your concerns. You are worried that even if we occupy those cities, we will not be able to defend them. It is impossible for us to rule over the people there and become the rulers there. Sooner or later, we will have to return to the desert. Rather than wasting our efforts, it is better to capture the people and food and leave. Is that right? "
Seeing Xiao Mumu, Zhu Tu, and the others nod, Moche chuckled and said, "Actually, my original thoughts were the same as yours. Then … why did I change my mind?"
Moche's gaze slowly swept across the crowd. Seeing that everyone was holding their breath and listening, he said, "Because I feel that the Wuzhou of today is no longer the Tang dynasty of the past. Is it really as strong as we imagine it to be?"
Moche raised his voice and said, "We conquered Liang, Lingzhou, and Shengzhou. We conquered their cities and captured their people. What was the result? We proposed a marriage alliance and they agreed. They even sent silk, farming tools, seeds, steel, medicinal herbs, agricultural books, medical books, and many treasures …
We marched into Hebei and conquered Gui, Tan, Ding, and Zhao states. We plundered countless treasures and killed tens of thousands of Tangs. What was the result? They promised to expel all the families of the six states that surrendered to them and return them to us. Why are they willing to do that? Have you ever thought about it?
Let's talk about the Khitans. The small Khitans actually defeated their troops one after another. This caused the soldiers that went to Hebei to defend their cities and did not come out. The Khitans moved unhindered in Hebei. Is this empire really that strong? The Khitan Li Jinzhong has already sent a messenger to me. He told me that they have won many battles and the Tangs are scared out of their wits. However, they are limited by their military strength … "
Just as Mosuo said this, an imperial bodyguard quickly walked into the tent and reported, "Reporting! A Khitan envoy has arrived and wishes to see the Khan! "
Moche was startled. The Khitans sent another envoy?
The various chiefs in the tent also whispered to each other and discussed.
Moche pressed his hands down and stopped the commotion. He said in a deep voice, "Let him in!"
The imperial guard immediately retreated and stood at the entrance of the tent. He shouted, "The Khan has ordered for the Khitan envoy to come in!"
Around the Khagan's tent, a fence had been erected in the snow to prevent the tribesmen from entering. In front of the tent, there was an entrance. Seven or eight Turkic warriors were standing there, sabers in hand. Across from them were two Khitans dressed in leather robes.
With a shout from the entrance of the tent, the Khitans immediately moved to the left and right. The two Khitans then strode towards the tent.
The two of them walked to the entrance of the tent with majestic gait. Suddenly, they pulled off their leather belts and untied their leather robes. With a stretch of their arms, the leather robes fell to the snow behind them. The Turkic warriors were stunned. Before they could react, the two of them had already entered the tent.
Inside the tent, all the chiefs under Moche are looking towards the entrance. With a flash of light, the two of them walked in side by side. One was dressed in scarlet robes and the other in green. They wore boots and a leather belt around their waists. Around their waists was a brocade bodice. One was embroidered with a flying bear and the other with a rhinoceros.
The two of them stood steadily at the entrance of the tent. Their gazes swept to the left and right before grabbing their furry dog skin ear masks and throwing them to the corner of the tent, revealing their soft hair wrapped in black muslin.
More than half of the chiefs in the tent stood up and exclaimed in surprise. These are not Khitan messengers. They are obviously two Tang generals!
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