Gua Province.
Outside the city, in the Tang dynasty's army camp …
Hou Junji's camp had originally been inside the city. Alas, Hou Junji felt that the camp was too small, so he rearranged it outside the city. The camp was much larger, and there were many places for the soldiers to train.
Hou Junji had done this precisely so that he could wash away his humiliation. Back then, he had been defeated by Du Qi, captured alive by Du Qi, and imprisoned for several months. Those were the darkest days of Hou Junji's life, and Hou Junji would never be able to forget them.
On the drilling ground, the soldiers were training.
Hou Junji was standing at the very front, supervising the training of the soldiers. Even though it was already the fifth month and the weather was gradually getting hotter, Hou Junji was completely unaffected.
The soldiers were sweating profusely as they trained with all their might.
Their shouts echoed through the air.
The weapons in the hands of the soldiers were constantly being swung. Although the soldiers' movements were methodical and somewhat stiff, their movements were firm and forceful. After all, the soldiers of the army were all muscular men.
A hint of satisfaction flitted through Hou Junji's eyes as he watched the soldiers train. This was because the soldiers under his command were all capable and skilled in battle. Especially when many of them had fought with the Great Xia Kingdom and were all captured. Hence, many of them were suppressing their anger and wanted to avenge their past humiliation.
"Reporting!"
As Hou Junji was busy drilling, a soldier came up to Hou Junji's side and bowed.
Hou Junji asked, "What is it?"
The soldier replied, "Reporting to General, the Provincial Governor's Residence has sent word that they've found Du Qi's whereabouts. Du Qi is currently on an incognito tour of the Great Xia. He's already in Yizhou and is heading toward Rouyuan County. According to the report, Du Qi only has around one hundred guards at his side. "
Hou Junji raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Du Qi was on an incognito tour.
This was an opportunity!
In truth, Hou Junji's information had been provided by Su Dingfang. Su Dingfang was in charge, but whenever Su Dingfang received any news, he would have someone send it to Hou Junji so that Hou Junji would know.
After a few moments of thought, Hou Junji made up his mind. He arranged for his men to continue the drill while he left the camp and headed for the Provincial Governor's Residence.
Hou Junji had been riding on horseback, so it didn't take long for him to arrive. He dismounted and entered the Provincial Governor's Manor. When he saw Su Dingfang in the study room, he lifted his robe and sat down. "Provincial Governor Su, I'm here because of Du Qi's incognito visit."
Su Dingfang asked, "What are your plans, General Hou?"
At this moment, Su Dingfang suddenly had a bad premonition. The reason was very simple. Hou Junji had a deep grudge against Du Qi, and now that he had news of Du Qi, Hou Junji was highly likely to take action.
This would not be appropriate.
According to the rules, Su Dingfang had to give Hou Junji a copy of the information he had on Xia Xia. Thus, Su Dingfang had no choice but to give it to Hou Junji.
Hou Junji excitedly leaned forward and said, "Provincial Governor Su, this general believes that Du Qi's incognito tour, and the fact that he only has around one hundred guards, is a perfect opportunity for us to deal with Du Qi.
"Because Du Qi's Xia Xia is not weak, and he has grenades and landmines, making him extremely difficult to deal with. Thus, it is not appropriate for us to send out a large force to attack Xia Xia, and it will be very difficult for us to win. But secretly sending people to deal with Du Qi is the best opportunity.
"If we can take down Du Qi, whether we capture him alive or kill him, as long as we succeed, the Great Xia Empire will stabilize. Then, the Great Xia Kingdom that had just stabilized will also fall apart. "
Hou Junji said, "This is a heaven-sent opportunity!"
In his excitement, he couldn't help but rub his hands together, an expectant look in his eyes.
Hearing this, Su Dingfang sighed.
As expected!
As expected, Hou Junji was itching to strike.
Su Dingfang was extremely unwilling to strike against Du Qi, and he was also unwilling to work with Hou Junji. When Li Shimin left, Gao Shilian and the others had also left, leaving Su Dingfang to manage Guazhou and manage the military affairs of Shazhou.
This meant that Su Dingfang was in charge of the military affairs of the Western Regions.
After returning from Gaochang, Hou Junji had gone straight back to Chang'an. For some reason, Hou Junji had come to the Western Regions, and had even brought an army of fifty thousand soldiers with him. To a certain extent, Su Dingfang was constrained.
Su Dingfang said, "General Hou, I do not believe that this is a good time to go to war."
Hou Junji waved his hand and said, "Governor Su misunderstands me. This general has no intention of mobilizing a large number of soldiers. Mobilizing a large number of soldiers will give Du Qi something to use against Du Qi, and it will give him a chance to attack. What we need to do is secretly send people into Rouyuan County, set up an ambush, and kill Du Qi in one fell swoop. This is my plan. "
At this point, Hou Junji couldn't help but stand up and say, "This is an assassination, not a battle. The enemy is in the light, and we are in the dark. This is an extremely rare opportunity. "
"No, that's not appropriate!"
Su Dingfang shook his head. "I don't believe that this is an opportunity. Du Qi is a meticulous person, extremely steady, and extremely cunning. Moreover, Du Qi has guards protecting him. Assassinating him won't be easy. "
Attacking Du Qi? Forget it.
That would be seeking death.
Su Dingfang would never agree.
After stating his decision, Su Dingfang added, "General Hou, Du Qi cannot be provoked. Once you provoke Du Qi, if you can succeed, then it's fine. But if you fail, the consequences will be unthinkable. Last time, when Gao Shilian came to take up his post, you should be aware of the consequences of your battle with Du Qi. If another battle breaks out, the consequences will be hard to predict. "
Hou Junji heard Su Dingfang's words and sneered, "Governor Su, ever since you took up your post in Guazhou, you've been extremely low-key, not daring to provoke Du Qi. Could it be that you're afraid of Du Qi and don't dare to make an enemy out of Du Qi? "
After a pause, Hou Junji continued, "If that's really the case, why stay in Guazhou and not seek an opportunity to be transferred? After all, in the Western Regions, people needed to be firm and vigorous, and not cower in fear. If you're such a coward, you might as well go back. "
Su Dingfang frowned.
He wasn't afraid of Du Qi.
If the Tang dynasty wanted to go to war with Du Qi, he wasn't afraid of fighting with Du Qi, and he would be more than willing to lead his soldiers into battle. But the Imperial Court had yet to take action, and Hou Junji wanted to strike first to gain the initiative and deal with Du Qi.
This was tantamount to provoking him.
Su Dingfang sternly said, "General Hou, in terms of position and rank, you're higher than me. I, Su Dingfang, can't control you, nor do I have the right to interfere with your matters. What I want to say is that I, Su Dingfang, am not a coward. If His Majesty wants to go to war with Du Qi, I dare to fight, I dare to charge into battle. If you insist on going your own way, I will send someone to Chang'an to inform His Majesty of this matter and have His Majesty make a decision. "
Hou Junji waved his sleeve and harrumphed. "If you want to submit a memorial to His Majesty, go ahead. I don't care about your matters, but don't you dare interfere in my matters. "
"Those who walk different paths cannot work together."
"Farewell!"
Hou Junji's eyes sharpened. In the Western Regions, he had been frightened out of his wits by Du Qi. But now, Hou Junji felt humiliated. He was Duke Lu of the Tang dynasty, a Great General of the Tang dynasty, but he had been frightened by Du Qi.
This was an utter humiliation.
His fear of the past had long ago vanished. At this point, the only thing left in Hou Junji's mind was rage and revenge. He had long ago forgotten the past.
Moreover, he didn't need to personally make an appearance for this plan.
All he needed to do was send someone.
Hou Junji's plan was very simple. Even if Su Dingfang sent a letter back to the Tang dynasty, even if he sent a message to Chang'an, he had already made the necessary arrangements. Even if Li Shimin wanted to stop him, he wouldn't be able to. After all, a general on a foreign land was not subject to military orders.
He had the right to act.
Hou Junji was rather excited, and he was even looking forward to killing Du Qi.
Su Dingfang sighed as he watched Hou Junji leave. He hadn't expected Hou Junji to be so stubborn. Since he couldn't persuade him otherwise, he could only submit a memorial. Su Dingfang immediately wrote a letter detailing Hou Junji's plan to ambush Du Qi, and then he called over the soldier in charge of delivering the message.
As the soldier left with the letter, Su Dingfang suddenly thought of a possibility. What if the soldier delivering the letter had been ambushed?
Perhaps not.
But it was better to be prepared for any eventuality.
Su Dingfang wrote another letter and called over the soldier in charge of delivering the letter. He had the soldier take a different route back to Chang'an so that he could deliver the message to Li Shimin.
Both routes would ensure the success of the message.
By the time Su Dingfang was done with his arrangements, Hou Junji had returned to his tent. He did not immediately begin the ambush, but his eyes flashed with cold light as he ordered his trusted aide to lead thirty elite cavalry to kill the soldier delivering the letter.
This was so that he could cut off the message. After leaving the Provincial Governor's Residence, Hou Junji had carefully considered the matter. Although he was not subject to military orders on a foreign land, and even if Su Dingfang had sent someone to deliver the letter, he would have had enough time to assassinate Du Qi.
But the problem was that it would be inappropriate to send the message back. What if Li Shimin blamed him?
Instead of sending the message back, he would wait until he captured Du Qi or killed Du Qi before reporting it to the Imperial Court. That would be a great achievement. Even if he considered the worst-case scenario, if the assassination failed, Du Qi would not dare to send his troops, no matter how angry he was.
When the time came, things would calm down and there wouldn't be any side issues. Moreover, even if Du Qi demanded an explanation, Hou Junji could say that he didn't know whether someone who hated Du Qi had ambushed Du Qi or the Turks had ambushed Du Qi.
Regardless of the outcome, it would be worth it.
Hou Junji arranged for his men to kill the messenger, and then he summoned his trusted Great Generals.
The man who had come was called Zhou Ziqing, a valiant general of the army. Originally, Zhou Ziqing was just an ordinary soldier in the army, but Zhou Ziqing was very strong. When Hou Junji discovered Zhou Ziqing's situation, he had quickly promoted him.
In a short time, he had made Zhou Ziqing a lieutenant. Moreover, Zhou Ziqing had worked hard to tame the soldiers under his command and had won their support. He was extremely capable.
Zhou Ziqing stood still and clasped his fist. "General Hou."
Hou Junji sternly said, "Zhou Ziqing, you are this general's trusted aide. You are even more courageous. But can this general really trust your ability? "
Zhou Ziqing said, "General Hou, this general was promoted by you. Without you, this general would be an ordinary person. Without you, I would still be an ordinary soldier. Without you, I would still be struggling in the army. It is because of you that I have today, that I have today's glory. To me, General Hou has given me a new lease on life. If General Hou has any orders, this general will not hesitate even if I have to go through fire or water. Even if I have to go through a mountain of blades or a sea of flames, this subordinate will still give it his all. "
"Good, good, good!"
A look of praise appeared on Hou Junji's face as he said, "As expected of someone this general values. Courageous."
Zhou Ziqing said, "General Hou praises me too much."
Hou Junji leaned forward slightly and said, "But Zhou Ziqing, this general has arranged for you to do something extremely dangerous. If you are not careful, your life will be in danger. Have you really thought about it? "
Zhou Ziqing said, "There is no need to think about it."
Hou Junji nodded and praised, "Since you have this resolve, this general believes in you. According to this general's information, Xia King Du Qi has brought more than a hundred guards to Xia Xia incognito. Usually, his guards do not follow him, but rather protect him from a distance. "
"Although these guards will follow Du Qi to the border and protect him, it will not affect him much."
"After all, there are not many of them."
"Du Qi is now heading toward Rouyuan County, and it is very likely that he will go to the border between Rouyuan County and Guazhou. Thus, this is our chance to take down Du Qi. As long as we kill or capture Du Qi, we can destroy Xia Xia. "
Hou Junji said, "If the army attacks Xia Xia, it will be very difficult to take down Du Qi. The method this general has thought of is to give you one thousand men. You will take these men, change their appearances, and infiltrate Rouyuan County. Along the way, you will ambush Du Qi. "
"I have already thought about the location of the ambush. It will be at Wind Ravine Valley, some thirty li east of Rouyuan County."
Speaking of Wind Ravine Valley, Hou Junji had a proud expression on his face as he said, "Ever since this general came to Guazhou, I have been studying the geography of Rouyuan County. I have discovered that Wind Ravine Valley is the best place for an ambush. It is easy to ambush and attack. When the time comes, a thousand of you will surround and kill Du Qi. It will be a piece of cake to take him down. "
"Zhou Ziqing, do you dare to go?"
Hou Junji's eyes were filled with anticipation.
Zhou Ziqing immediately replied, "General, this general naturally dares to go. Although there was a certain amount of risk involved, if they could capture Du Qi alive, or even kill him, they would be able to make a huge contribution to the empire. This general should thank General. It is because General trusts me that you have given me this opportunity, allowing me to render a monstrous service. "
Hou Junji stroked his beard and chuckled in satisfaction. "This general is very gratified by your fighting spirit. Zhou Ziqing, this general will wait in Guazhou for the good news of your triumphant return. "
Zhou Ziqing replied, "I guarantee that I will complete the mission."
Hou Junji nodded, and Zhou Ziqing left. Zhou Ziqing, on the other hand, only took an hour to finish selecting the soldiers. He led the troops and left, heading west towards Rou Yuan County.
This news was also discovered by Su Dingfang's scouts, and the news quickly reached the Provincial Governor's Residence.
When Su Dingfang learned of this, he was furious.
Hou Junji had been too reckless.
He had completely disregarded the situation.
The Tang Dynasty and Du Qi's Xia of Xia had finally calmed down, and both sides had begun to develop on their own. Now, Hou Junji's single action was tantamount to starting a war, igniting the flames of war in Guazhou. But there was nothing Su Dingfang could do, because he could not stop Hou Junji. After all, Hou Junji's army had its own system. And Hou Junji's official position was even higher than his.
Su Dingfang could only order the soldiers in Rouyuan County to keep a close watch on Du Qi's movements, and at the same time pay close attention to the movements of Hou Junji's men.
In the evening, a scout hastily returned to the study and stood in front of Su Dingfang. "Governor Su, one of the messengers we sent to Chang 'an has been robbed and killed. The information on him has also been taken away. "
"Damn!"
Hearing this, Su Dingfang was furious.
If Hou Junji wanted to intercept the news, he could have just captured the messenger, but he had been ruthlessly killed.
This was too ruthless.
Su Dingfang narrowed his eyes and said, "Hou Junji, you can't blame me for your actions. You brought all of this on yourself. I will report what you have done to His Majesty. "
Immediately, Su Dingfang drafted another memorial, instructing the spies to send it out at an urgent speed of eight hundred li, traveling day and night, striving to catch up with the scouts who were sending the message.
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