"General Heba truly did manage to gather a considerable number of Hu soldiers, but there are also quite a few who are privately resentful and refuse to obey him."
Xu Keyi whispered.
"Haha!"
Wang Chong chuckled as he casually planted the small red banner in the wilderness next to Talas. He then turned his head to Xu Keyi.
"It's for Fomonlința, right?"
"Yes!"
Xu Keyi lowered his head, his voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz. He had investigated the Hu rebellion in great detail, and the crux of the problem lay with Wang Chong, or more accurately, with Fomonlința. After operating in Qixi for so many years, Fomonlința's prestige had soared like the noon sun, deeply rooted in the hearts of all the Hu soldiers.
Guduli's rebellion had been for this reason, and so had the unrest of the Hu soldiers. This was not something that a single Heba Ye could resolve. In truth, Xu Keyi had wanted to tell Wang Chong, but in the end, it was Wang Chong who had brought it up himself.
"Xu Keyi, you're taking this matter too seriously. It's just a few minor disturbances. They're not as capable as you think. In addition, I've already thought of a way to deal with those resentful Hu soldiers. "
Wang Chong indifferently said, his expression relaxed.
"Ah?"
Xu Keyi finally raised his head, a hint of surprise in his eyes. This problem had plagued him for a long time, but he had never been able to think of a way to resolve it. He couldn't kill those Hu, but he also couldn't not kill them. It was like a fishbone stuck in his throat. He had never imagined that Wang Chong would have a solution.
"Take this letter and send it to Beiting Protector-General An Sishun. I'm confident that he'll be happy to help us resolve this problem."
As Wang Chong spoke, he took out a prepared letter from his bosom and handed it over to Xu Keyi's dumbstruck expression.
"Milord …"
Xu Keyi's eyes were dull, and his face was blank. He had no idea what Wang Chong's words meant. To have Beiting Protector-General An Sishun resolve this problem on their behalf and take over those resentful Hu generals was simply too far-fetched.
"Will Lord An Sishun really be willing?"
Xu Keyi had an uneasy look on his face. If he remembered correctly, there was a significant rift between the Beiting Protector-General and Wang Chong. In the capital, Wang Chong had even clashed with him. Moreover, when Wang Chong marched into Qixi, that person from Beiting had also been a fierce opponent.
It was beyond Xu Keyi's imagination that Wang Chong wanted him to help him at this time.
"You don't need to worry about this matter. No matter what grudges I had with the Beiting Protector-General in the past, he will definitely agree to this."
Wang Chong indifferently said, his voice brimming with confidence.
"Yes, Marquis!"
Although he was utterly confused, Xu Keyi still acknowledged the order and left.
… …
"Flap flap flap!"
Several days later, a black falcon carrying Wang Chong's personal letter flew over the steppe, following the border between the Western Turks and the Tang Dynasty, all the way to the most illustrious center of power in the north of the Tang Dynasty, the Beiting Protectorate!
On the vast land, a huge black object stood. It was a war machine that was made up of countless sentry posts, barracks, towers, and a circle of walls that was sixty to seventy feet tall, as well as a huge metal palace. Thousands of black-armored soldiers of the Beiting Protectorate stood between these sentry posts, barracks, and towers.
These people all had their backs ramrod straight as if they had taken root in the earth. They exuded powerful auras and warily observed their surroundings as if they were ready to enter the fray at any moment.
In the entire Tang Dynasty, the soldiers of the Beiting Protectorate were definitely the most vigilant, as they were constantly facing attacks from the Turkic armies that came from unknown directions.
Whoosh!
With a gust of wind, the black falcon flew through the gate and into a gloomy hall. In the hall, a middle-aged Hu of about thirty was seated on a throne. His features were strong and chiseled, and he wore a suit of heavy armor. He was currently holding a black-covered scroll and reading it with rapt attention.
When the black falcon flew into the hall, the resolute Hu did not seem to notice it. His attention was completely absorbed by the scroll in his hand.
Beiting was a land of war and frequent wars, and the Beiting Protectorate, as the center of these wars, should have been brimming with a somber and frigid aura. But the presence of this middle-aged Hu gave the Beiting Protectorate a thick and gentle scholarly aura, causing one to mistake this place for some residence in Jiangnan and forget that this was actually the bitter northern steppe.
Clang!
A cold light flashed through the gloomy hall as a stalwart figure strode forward, the sword at his waist unsheathed and the gleaming tip of the sword accurately catching the black falcon.
"Mm?"
The Beiting general with the scar on the left side of his face glanced at the falcon's feet, and his eyes widened, an indescribably strange expression on his face. After a moment's thought, the Beiting general lifted the black falcon with his sword and strode up to the middle-aged Hu diligently studying. He then respectfully bowed at the waist.
"Milord, there is a letter. But your subordinate does not dare to open this letter. "
The scar-faced Beiting general lowered his head and stared at the tip of his feet. In all of the northern steppe, only Protector-General An Sishun could inspire such respect from the bottom of his heart.
"What, you don't dare to open it? As the Deputy Protector-General of Beiting, is there any letter that you can't open? "
An Sishun grinned, not even raising his head. The only thing left in his eyes was the scroll in his hand.
"Milord, I truly do not dare to open it, because the seal of Qixi is on it."
The scar-faced Beiting Deputy Protector-General lowered his head as he spoke once more.
"Oh."
An Sishun just smiled and didn't care. He even flipped a page. But soon, An Sishun immediately felt something. His thick eyebrows gradually furrowed, and his gaze also left the scroll. He slowly raised his head.
"Qixi?"
"Yes, it is Qixi."
The scar-faced Beiting Deputy Protector-General respectfully said, knowing that his subordinate had understood. In the last few months, the entire Tang dynasty had experienced a major earthquake, and the structure of power that had remained unchanged for decades had undergone a massive change. A prince had fallen, many ministers had fallen, and a Protector-General had been imprisoned. And the Holy Emperor's fury had caused all the Protector-Generals and Great Generals to tremble in fear.
If Qixi was still the Fomonlința of the past, he wouldn't have needed to ask the Protector-General's permission and could have directly dealt with it. This had been An Sishun's order. But now, all the Protector-Generals and Great Generals of the empire knew that Qixi had a new master. His rise had been as intense as a storm, and it had been accompanied by the fall of a veteran Great General.
The new Qixi Protector-General was definitely on the special list of all the Protector-Generals and Great Generals. As a new official, his every move would attract the attention of everyone. No one had expected that his first letter would be to the Beiting Protectorate.
If he remembered correctly, he and the Protector-General had not been good allies.
"Let me see!"
An Sishun finally put down the black-covered scroll and extended his right hand, a hint of confusion in his eyes. He was also confused. There was no reason for this letter to have come at all. An Sishun took the falcon from the Deputy Protector-General's hands and unwrapped the letter. With just a glance, his brow relaxed and he began to heartily laugh.
"Interesting, far too interesting! I didn't think that the first day this new noble of the Tang Dynasty would be to beg me … "
"Ah?"
The scar-faced Beiting Deputy Protector-General trembled, clearly rather surprised.
"Beg? Milord isn't joking, right? "
Whether it was in the past or his usual style, this new Protector-General was an extremely unyielding person. If he wasn't unyielding, Fomonlința wouldn't have been pulled down from his high horse. Given this person's personality, he would never ask for help, and besides, his lord had a grudge against him.
It was unheard of to ask for help from an old enemy.
"Hahaha, I won't keep you in suspense. Take it."
An Sishun flicked his finger, sending Wang Chong's letter flying into the hands of the scar-faced Beiting Deputy Protector-General. Glancing at the contents of the letter, the Deputy Protector-General was dumbfounded.
"I didn't think that he would so quickly pacify the Qixi Protectorate. He didn't even think about killing a person like Guduli, and he even wants us to help him take in nearly ten thousand Hu soldiers of the Qixi Protectorate!"
"Begging is too much of an exaggeration. This person has no intention of begging at all."
An Sishun indifferently said, flicking off his fingernails as he slowly stood up from his seat.
"He's just trying to negotiate with us, and it seems like he's certain that I'll agree."
An Sishun smirked. This letter truly was very interesting. It could be said that he had never received a more interesting letter this year. A letter asking for help, but not the slightest attitude. Was there anything more interesting than this?
"This brat is a little too arrogant. What makes him think that we'll agree to his request? Moreover, he's been too arrogant recently. Milord, why don't I just refuse him and let him learn his lesson? "
The Deputy Protector-General said rudely as he narrowed his eyes.
The Young Marquis of the Qixi Protectorate was not a very popular lord in Beiting, and he had been so blunt in his request that he had been refused!
"Refuse?"
A pensive look appeared in An Sishun's eyes, and then he smiled and shook his head.
"Why should I refuse?"
"Milord, you want to agree to his request?!"
The scar-faced Deputy Protector-General stood in the hall, his entire body frozen in shock, a look of disbelief on his face. This answer was definitely not within his expectations. At this moment, even if Ishbara Khagan of the Western Turks appeared in front of him, he would not be as surprised.
"This brat is our enemy!"
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