Tang Dynasty: The seventh rank of official residence, and you will be given the Ten Thousand People

Lingzhou is surrounded by Helanxiong in the west, the danger of the Yellow River in the east, Hetao in the north, and Qingliang in the south. It is the giant screen on the western frontier of the Tang Dynasty to defend Guanzhong.

It is also an important transportation route for the Silk Road and the tea-horse trade.

Therefore, Fan Xin and his party need to rush to Lingzhou to conduct initial negotiations with the Turkic ministers waiting there, and then go to Mobei Royal Court Heisha City for final confirmation with Mo Chui Khan.

"Zhang Huan and Li Lang, you two pack up and go to Heisha City in advance to collect information, especially about military equipment and local people's livelihood. You must record it in detail."

"Just wait until I arrive in Lingzhou and then hand it over to me, do you understand?"

"The general will understand!" Zhang Huan and Li Lang clasped their fists in unison.

Fan Xin nodded, took out two bags from the carriage and handed them to the two of them.

"It's a long way to Lingzhou. It contains some dry food and a little bit of my personal salary. Please take it with you for flowers on the way."

"Remember, you have to come back alive whether you succeed or not."

"Thank you, Shaoqing, for thinking about it. The two of us are going." Zhang Huan and Li Lang took the baggage, shook the reins, and rode off.

After watching the two people leave Fan Xin was about to return to the carriage when Princess Taiping came towards him.

"You are a little too cautious. Among the Turks, Mochui Khan is the person closest to the Tang Dynasty. He has written several times to request marriage and reconciliation with the Tang Dynasty."

"This time the imperial court sent us here just to go through a process. I believe it won't take long for us to successfully complete the negotiations."

"When the time comes, we only need to report the results to the court, and we will naturally accomplish a great feat."

"That's right, Mo Chui Khan is a very gentle man. The last time he came to Luoyang, he listened to the general preaching Buddhist scriptures for three days and three nights at Hanguang Temple."

"It's just a piece of cake to complete the negotiation based on our friendship." Xue Huaiyi agreed disapprovingly.

In his opinion, sending him as an envoy to negotiate with the Turks was purely a deliberate act of care by the Queen Mother, who wanted to give them some credit.

It's ridiculous that Fan Xin even sent people to Heisha City to find out the details seriously. The little people are the little people who have never seen such a scene.

Fan Xin glanced at the two blindly confident people and said calmly.

"If they are not of my race, their minds will be different. What if the Turks threaten us to cede land and give us money?"

"Don't you guys have to agree as usual?" After saying that, regardless of the ugly faces of the two people, he got into the carriage and followed the team forward.

As a latecomer, he knew the Turkic nomads very well. When they were not as powerful as the great powers of the Central Plains, they pretended to submit while plundering the borders.

When the great powers of the Central Plains fell into decline, they immediately took off the pretense of attacking cities and plundering territory.

Now in the Tang Dynasty, there were strong Tibetan enemies in the west and Khitan rebellion in the north. In addition, Cao Shiren's army suffered heavy losses. He believed that with the character of the Turks, it was very possible to take advantage of the situation and rob the lion.

That's why we sent people to Black Sand City in advance to inquire about the information, hoping to occupy a favorable position in the next confrontation.

"The Turks and their party must be in a lot of difficulties. I don't know if the Queen Mother is ready to speak like a lion." Fan Xin sighed as he looked at the white snow outside.

……

Luoyang, Shangyang Palace.

The atmosphere in the hall was extremely solemn at this time, and more than two hundred ministers all bowed their heads without saying a word.

Wu Zetian was sitting on the dragon chair, looking at the memorial in her hand and her face was ashen.

"That's unreasonable!"

"That's unreasonable!"

"This beast Fang Qian actually slaughtered more than 5,000 people and pretended to be a war hero!"

"If Fan Xin hadn't found out, I don't know how many people would have been brutally murdered!"

Speaking of this, Wu Zetian threw the memorial on the ground and said angrily.

"Where is Xia Jiang, Minister of War?"

"I'm here!" A white-haired old man walked out of the queue and knelt in the middle of the hall, with cold sweat pouring out of his face.

Wu Zetian looked down at the old man from a high position and said: "I want to ask you, Youzhou has reported twenty consecutive military exploits in just three years. Is it possible that your Ministry of War has become blind?"

Feeling the anger in the Queen Mother's words, Xia Jiang shuddered and quickly banged his head on the ground.

"Back to the Queen Mother, every time Youzhou reports military exploits, I will send Wai Lang, a member of the Ministry of War, to go to the local area for verification."

"I really didn't expect them to be so bold as to dare to join forces to deceive the court!"

"Queen Mother, I am guilty!"

"Of course you are guilty!" Wu Zetian shook his sleeves and said coldly: "Come here, remove Xia Jiang from his official position and drive him out of Luoyang, never to hire him again, and all other relevant personnel will be executed!"

"Ah, I have been wronged!" Xia Jiang cried loudly.

However, no matter how much he shouted, he could not escape the fate of being dragged out of the hall.

After dealing with the relevant personnel, Wu Zetian was still angry and said: "Wu Youyi will take charge of the affairs of the Ministry of War for the time being. A comprehensive inspection of the military exploits reported by various states will be carried out. If any false reports are found, they will be handed over to the Senate for disposal!"

"I obey the decree!" Wu Youyi, dressed in red official uniform, knelt on the ground.

Seeing that the ministers had no written instructions, Wu Zetian waved his hands tiredly.

"Since all my dear friends are fine, then..."

"Report!"

A shrill report cut through the sky and resounded throughout the main hall of Shangyang Palace.

"I am reporting to the Queen Mother, the Yingzhou frontline is 800 miles away and urgent news can be delivered!"

"Send it over quickly!" Wu Zetian said with a frown.

For some reason she had a bad feeling, as if something big had happened.

"Yes!"

The red-feathered messenger presented the gray Tangbao with both hands and said respectfully: "Your Majesty, the fire paint of the Tangbao is still there and has not been opened."

"Stay back." Wu Zetian took the newspaper, opened it and took a look at its contents.

After just one glance, he suddenly stood up, with a deep look of shock in his eyes.

She never dreamed that tens of thousands of elites would be completely wiped out in an ambush by the Khitans!

I didn’t even expect that this was an urgent report from the Yingzhou garrison!

Realizing that something was wrong with Wu Zetian's expression, Di Renjie stepped out of the queue and asked tentatively.

"Your Majesty, are there any factors in Yingzhou that are not conducive to our Datang?"

After coming back to his senses, Wu Zetian glanced at the ministers present and sighed softly.

"My dear friends, you don't know. The army sent by me to attack the Khitan has been completely wiped out."

"Cao Shiren and other remnants are currently besieged in Yingzhou and requesting reinforcements from the imperial court."

"What! The Tang Dynasty was defeated?"

As soon as this statement came out, the whole hall was in an uproar, and all the ministers looked shocked.

Although Datang had suffered several defeats since its founding, they were all lost to powerful countries.

They have never defeated a tribe like the Khitan.

If this spreads out, how can the Tang Empire have the dignity to claim to be a great power?

"The Queen Mother, I think the imperial court should immediately form an army of tens of thousands and go to Yingzhou under the command of an experienced general."

"Firstly, we will relieve Yingzhou's difficulties, and secondly, we will wait for Her Royal Highness the Princess to reach a troop loan contract with the Turks."

"In this way we can completely solve the Khitan's serious problem!" Di Renjie said solemnly.

Wu Zetian obviously thought so too and said.

"Huaiying, who do you think is suitable to be the commander of the army?"

Di Renjie thought for a while and bowed: "Queen Mother, I think Wang Xiaojie is suitable to lead an army to attack the Khitan rebels!"