Dark Sand: My Players Are All Actors

Afterwards, when Emperor Taizong of Liang made a treaty with the Turkic people at the Wei River, it was inevitably a treaty that made the Turkic feel it was not a wasted journey but also daring not to overstep.

Such a treaty was inevitably not one that could be considered humiliating.

Those who believe the treaty at the Wei River was a profoundly humiliating one are primarily applying the mindset of the Qi Dynasty to the Liang Dynasty.

And the reason later generations say the treaty at the Wei River was a disgrace for Emperor Taizong of Liang is purely a matter of perspective.

When a top student says they did poorly on a test, they definitely don't mean they scored sixty points, but rather that they scored over eighty.

In the eyes of Emperor Taizong of Liang, being attacked by the Turkic people all the way to Chang'an and being forced to make a treaty under the city walls, without managing to fight a major battle to annihilate a hundred thousand men at Chang'an, was considered a disgrace.

This concept of disgrace, connected with being forced to make a treaty under siege, was completely different from that of the Qi Dynasty.

Therefore, having understood this point, Li Hongyun was fairly certain of what he needed to do.

That was to fight as much as possible, demonstrating his formidable combat strength in front of the Turkic people, making them fear!

Only by doing so, by the time of the invasion in the ninth year of Wude, could he use his deterrence to make a treaty with the Turkic people at the Wei River and get through the difficult situation.

...

The fifth year of Wude.

Li Hongyun, leading his troops, set out from Chang'an towards River East.

His subordinates continuously delivered military reports to him.

And with these reports, Li Hongyun quickly grasped the situation in the fifth year of Wude.

In July of that year, Lord Qin had just returned from the battlefield in the Central Plains at Xu Yuanlang's camp.

And by August, Jie Li Khan, leading one hundred fifty thousand cavalry, launched a major attack on Yanmen, invading Bingzhou State, which was Taiyuan City during the Qi Dynasty.

Nomadic tribes usually choose the autumn season for their southward invasions; during this time, the weather is cool, and the south just completed their autumn harvest. Moving south to invade during this period would not only disrupt the southern autumn harvest plan but would also allow them to obtain food directly from the south.

Meanwhile, dynastic northern campaigns from the Central Plains generally take place in spring.

Since the lifeline of nomadic tribes depends on livestock such as horses, cattle, and sheep, both people and livestock usually get pregnant in winter and give birth in the following summer or autumn, to avoid the hardships of winter birthing.

In spring, the cattle and sheep have just endured the harsh winter, their fat reserves depleted, and the spring grass is not ample. Care must be taken to move the livestock to a few areas where grass is relatively plentiful; they cannot be allowed to roam too widely.

Thus, when the Central Plains' dynasties choose to campaign north in spring, it's not only easier to capture large groups of nomadic troops and livestock but also forces these nomads into migration and escape, causing many miscarriages and severely damaging the steppe's war potential.

Now, as autumn approaches, the Turkic people naturally began moving south again to raid.

During the Liang Dynasty, Taiyuan was even more important than it was during the Qi Dynasty.

Because Taiyuan was the gateway to the entire River East region.

During the Qi Dynasty, the capital was in Da Liang. When Taiyuan fell during the Jingping Incident, it led to the isolation of the northwestern army from the capital, but the Jin people still needed to make a long march from the east, crossing the Yellow River to reach the gates of the capital.

But Liang's capital was in Chang'an. Once Taiyuan was captured, the entire River East would fall, and Chang'an would be directly threatened.

Thus, River East was also one of the main battlegrounds between the Turkic and the Liang Dynasty.

At this time, Jie Li Khan, leading a large army, entered Yanmen and attacked Taiyuan, and within hundreds of li around, a large number of Turkic cavalry were rampaging, burning, killing, and looting, filling the valleys.

While Jie Li Khan was focused on looting in the northern part of River East, he also dispatched thousands of cavalry deep into the heartland of River East.

And at this moment, Li Hongyun, playing the role of Lord Qin, was precisely sent to campaign against them.

"Fifteen hundred thousand troops, that sounds challenging.

"But... historically, there shouldn't have been a battle, right? I don't recall any records of a large-scale conflict with the Turkic people before the treaty at the Wei River.

"Where are we now?"

Li Hongyun asked those around him, quickly getting an answer.

This place was on the road to Puzhou State, northeast of Chang'an.

The Pu Jin Crossing, from where attacks on Chang'an from River East were launched, was nearby, and by heading north from the road to Puzhou State, one could follow the flat valley between the Taihang and Lvliang Mountains all the way to central Jin and Taiyuan.

However, just at that moment, a fast horse came with news: "Report! Lord Qin, a detachment of hundreds of Turkic cavalry has been spotted thirty li ahead. It seems they just arrived not long ago and are about to start raiding!"

Li Hongyun's eyes brightened: "Oh? They really dare to penetrate deep into River East? Good, bring five hundred cavalry, follow this king in a charge!"

Li Hongyun swiftly rode ahead, charging in the direction of Turkic cavalry.

Amid the jolting of his horse, he felt the large bow and the quiver of large arrows strapped to his back.

Historical records mention that Lord Qin's long bow was two meters, the arrows "doubly usual in size,"b"arrow penetrates seven layers, bow pierces six stones," able to "shoot through a closed door."

When he fought Liu Heita, these arrows had been obtained by the Turkic people, who remarked, "Seeing it, they thought it divine."

During the time Li Hongyun was playing the roles facing Dou Jiande and Lord Qin, this large bow also gave him an extremely intimidating presence.

Of course, the record of the bow being two meters long is somewhat exaggerated, but it was indeed significantly larger than ordinary bows and arrows.

But now, this great bow was in his own hands.

Before long, several cautious Turkic cavalry appeared at the edge of his field of vision.

These Turkic people, clearly raiding cavalry who had dispersed around Taiyuan after the invasion, might not be many in number, but their large spread caused the Liang Dynasty much headache.

A typical general encountering this situation would often hesitate to pursue deeply, because the Turkic cavalry were highly mobile. Sending a large army in pursuit could very likely lead them into an ambush.