Chapter 483: Bad News Spreads!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Not many people had ever seen the banner of the three-headed white lion on the Longxi border, but there was practically no one who didn't know what it was. It represented a legendary existence of the Ü-Tsang Empire: the Tsenpo's King of Generals, the Ü-Tsang War God, We Tadra Khonglo!
In Ü-Tsang, this person's status far surpassed other Great Generals like Huoshu Huicang or Dusong Mangpoje. His status was similar to that of the Great Tang's War God, now the Crown Prince's Junior Guardian, Wang Zhongsi.
At the time, Wang Zhongsi had lorded over the west, almost fighting his way onto the Tibetan Plateau, where he could menace the royal city of Ü-Tsang. In the end, he failed because he had encountered We Tadra Khonglo!
And across all the Ü-Tsang Empire, the only person that could be a match for War God Wang Zhongsi was We Tadra Khonglo!
The legends said that this man's ability to command was almost divine, but ever since that war, We Tadra Khonglo had never appeared again. No one had expected this legend of Ü-Tsang to appear now.
In an instant, all the soldiers of the Big Dipper Army turned to look in one direction.
'A man's name, a tree's shadow.' This legendary King of Generals was far too famous, exerted far too much pressure.
If there was one person in Big Dipper City that could stand against him, it could only be their Great General!
Everyone looked toward the highest tower of Big Dipper City, waiting for that mighty figure to appear.
When the seven stars of the Big Dipper shone up high, Geshu came at night with his saber!
No matter the time, the Big Dipper Great General Geshu Han's name would be an existence as firm as the mountains and rivers in the west!
"We Tadra Khonglo…"
Geshu Han stood in that majestic tower. Though he was not striking any particular posture, he exuded the aura of a mountain, of steel that had gone through countless temperings.
Though an Imperial Great General, Geshu Han had a handsome appearance and dignified bearing. When those long and narrow eyes opened, they were as bright as the sun or moon. Although they showed no anger, they gave off a majesty that inspired awe and respect.
As a former subordinate of the Great Tang War God Wang Zhongsi, Geshu Han had experienced many things, including the great battle between Wang Zhongsi and the White Lion Great General We Tadra Khonglo.
Ü-Tsang came away from that war with heavy injuries, and Wang Zhongsi, affected by the geography of the plateau, the limits of his soldiers, and We Tadra Khonglo's resistance, also chose to withdraw from the Tibetan Plateau.
Geshu Han had personally taken part in the war, so he clearly understood what had happened back then.
Only Geshu Han knew that it was not out of kindness that We Tadra Khonglo did not continue to invade the Central Plains after that war. In fact, he had suffered severe injuries back then that forced him to retreat.
But after so many years, his injuries should have mostly recovered.
"'In abnormal circumstances, there must be an evildoer at work.' It has been a long time since Ü-Tsang and the Great Tang engaged in any wars. What does We Tadra Khonglo intend to do by showing up here…"
The black-armored Geshu Han stood unmoving on the tower, allowing the wind to throw his long hair about. He had experienced many campaigns of all shapes and sizes, so there were very few things that could affect his mood.
But at this moment, Geshu Han felt a little uneasy. It was not because of We Tadra Khonglo, but because Ü-Tsang's movements were too out of the ordinary.
It was true that We Tadra Khonglo was the White Lion Great General, the greatest of all of Ü-Tsang's Great Generals and the most powerful. Even War God Wang Zhongsi at his peak couldn't do much against him.
But Geshu Han was not going to subdue Ü-Tsang. A campaign in the open and defending a city were two different things! The cavalry of Ü-Tsang might be fierce and courageous, but as long as the Big Dipper Army didn't engage them on open ground, the White Lion Great General We Tadra Khonglo could only twiddle his thumbs!
After so many years, it was impossible to keep track of the number of Tibetans the Big Dipper Army had killed. If there was one group of soldiers who had the greatest understanding of Tibetans and were most effective against them, it could only be Geshu Han's Big Dipper Army.
Forged in fire and blood, this army could stand on its own two feet and face any storm. This was not an army that could just be run over.
Geshu Han was confident that the Tibetans understood this simple principle.
We Tadra Khonglo would never do anything without a purpose. If the White Lion Great General did not possess an unusual intelligence, he would have never been able to block Wang Zhongsi's attacks.
Geshu Han stood on the tower as his mind worked, countless thoughts flashing through his mind in the space of a few seconds. The entirety of the empire, including the landscape of Longxi, flitted through his mind.
Lintao stood on the border of Longxi, and with Big Dipper City towering here, the Tibetans had essentially no chance of getting past. As for the northwest, Gao Xianzhi was standing sentinel at Suiye.
He also had Feng Changqing's help, and with those two individuals, one the master of martial matters and the other the master of civil, not even the White Lion Great General would be able to do much.
As for Qixi, Fumeng Lingcha was standing guard.
This person was an out-and-out veteran. When he was standing guard over the Western Regions, he had fought with Tibetans quite a few times. He had even pushed back the Arabs before.
In truth, if one looked at a map of the empire, one would discover that from the ends of the Western Regions to Suiye, from Qixi to Longxi… three protectorates of the Great Tang had formed a curved wall of steel along the Tibetan Plateau, sealing the Tibetans within.
Meanwhile, An Sishun's Beiting Protectorate was intimidating the Eastern and Western Turkic Khaganates. Given his massive army, he could come to the aid of any of the other three protectorates at any time.
The Tibetans would find no chance for progress here, not unless…
Jiange in the southwest!
With this lightning bolt of a thought, Geshu Han's entire body shook. He suddenly understood something and his face morphed into a nasty grimace.
The only path the Central Plains had left for the Tibetans was Jiange in the southwest. It was already no secret that Xianyu Zhongtong and the 180,000 Great Tang elites had lost to Geluofeng.
But Geshu Han had always believed that even if Xianyu Zhongtong lost, he would only suffer a few losses. Given the strength of the Tang soldiers, as long as they stood firm, their own strength and the reinforcements coming from behind them were still completely capable of defeating Geluofeng.
But at this moment, Geshu Han felt an extremely ill omen!
Bwoooom!
While Geshu Han's brows were rising in unease, the low, desolate, and grandiose sound of a horn came from the towering plateau. Beneath that bloody banner of the three-headed white lion, a smaller black banner was propped up.
And on this black war banner was the striking image of a glaring black yak.
Two banners, one red and one black, one big and one small, stood together. Even Geshu Han paled at the sight of these two banners.
Anyone who had lived in Longxi for some time could recognize that black banner as the banner of Ü-Tsang Great General Dusong Mangpoje.
Two Ü-Tsang Great Generals had appeared on the border of the Tibetan Plateau to threaten Longxi.
Even Geshu Han began to feel a mighty pressure on his shoulders!
For any empire, a Great General played a critical role and would rarely appear.
For two Ü-Tsang Great Generals to appear at the same time and face down Big Dipper City was completely unprecedented.
Not only Geshu Han, all the officers and soldiers of the Big Dipper Army felt a massive pressure.
The combined might of two Ü-Tsang Great Generals completely changed the nature of this battle.
Rumble!
Hooves began to rise, and after a few moments of silence, thousands of Tibetan horsemen began to pour down the edge of the plateau like a pot of dumplings being spilled. They swept toward Big Dipper City with a momentum that could stun the heavens and topple mountains.
The atmosphere instantly grew incomparably tense.
Boom!
On the highest tower, Geshu Han suddenly took a step forward, his handsome and imposing face exuding a frigid and somber aura.
"Everyone, heed my orders. Stand ready!"
Geshu Han's right hand rested on his saber while an energy as vast as the mountains and the seas, as frenzied as a storm, surged into the sky. At almost the same moment, the army roared, the 60,000 elites of the Big Dipper Army exploding with a murderous intent that broke through the firmament…
The battle had finally begun!
……
The long-disappeared Ü-Tsang King of Generals We Tadra Khonglo had appeared with Dusong Mangpoje to attack Longxi's Big Dipper City!
The arrival of this news stunned the capital.
And even more stunning was the news from the southwest: Xianyu Zhongtong had been defeated, his 180,000 soldiers dealt a crushing defeat by a pincer attack from Mengshe Zhao and Ü-Tsang. More than half had been killed, and even the 60,000 reinforcements under Li Zhengyi had been intercepted by Ü-Tsang!
The spread of this news sent the capital into consternation and the court into panic!