Chapter 113: Proxy

Xidongzan had never expected to suffer such a crushing defeat, coming perilously close to the Han Chinese expression of "escaping with nothing but one's life."

He was not far from that fate now. Of the five thousand ambushers in the mountains and forests, few had escaped, and his own three thousand cavalry had lost more than half their number. Due to the need for speed, his twelve hundred heavy cavalry had been reduced to fewer than five hundred. A quick tally left him shivering with heartache.

He had been running for a long time, yet he still could not comprehend how it had all happened. It was as if, in the blink of an eye, the Tang forces had descended like divine warriors, every strike aimed precisely at a lethal point.

The main battlefield on the outskirts of Bolu had been carefully chosen by both sides. If the Tang army had no intention of advancing, they would simply view it as a defensive position; after all, it was impossible for them to station a force of ten thousand in the burnt-out shell of Hebolao City for long. If the Tang army had other ambitions, they would fall into the trap, and a victory would allow the Tibetans to reclaim Bolu all the same.

Alas, that ideal shattered in an instant. When the Tang forces entered the designated ambush zone and he led his cavalry to strike, intending to coordinate with the flank attacks, he realized it was merely a ploy to lure him out. Countless Tang soldiers poured through the woods, attacking every valley where his ambushing forces were hidden, sealing off all avenues of escape for the caught-off-guard Tibetans with terrifying precision.

Soon, realizing the battle was lost and his own unit was in danger, he decisively ordered a retreat. He barely managed to break through the Tang cavalry's encirclement, and the entire front collapsed.

Once his pulse settled and he reflected on the events, a chilling conclusion emerged: Shangjiezan must have fallen into the hands of the Tang. Otherwise, the enemy could not have been so targeted; it was as if they had been acting according to his own plans. If Shangjiezan hadn't revealed them, how could it be?

What was done was done, and dwelling on it was useless. After calming his nerves and shaking off the Tang pursuers, he began to gather his scattered troops while scouting for information—not just about the Tang, but about his own people behind him.

This was not his jurisdiction, so he had no authority over the local garrison. In the previous battle, beyond various tactical factors, there had been a lack of command cohesion. All the ambushers were Shangjiezan's men, and he had no way to mobilize them, forced to watch as they crumbled.

Now, with only these few hundred riders left, if he could not turn back, what path remained? Xidongzan looked at the rolling mountains in the distance. Lhasa might be far, but the gates of Tibet were about to be thrown wide open. He could be defeated, but he could not become a sinner.

"Don-ben, the Tang are closing in," a subordinate reminded him anxiously. Xidongzan glanced at him, his tone having regained its composure.

"Where are we?"

"Two days' journey from Bazaduo. It is the nearest city."

Bazaduo was the regional hub, roughly equivalent to Hebolao in its strategic importance to Bolu. Situated in the Ladakh Valley at the headwaters of the Indus River, the terrain was much more open than elsewhere. The garrison there would certainly be substantial; the only problem was that their commander would not be returning.

Xidongzan pointed behind him and ordered, "I will take the lead with these men. You follow behind. Stop any stragglers; do not let them get ahead of us."

With that, he rode off with several hundred men. His subordinate stared blankly at the long trail of dust, stamped his feet in frustration, and led the remaining men to intercept the retreat. With so few hands, the area they needed to cover was despairingly large, and that was without even considering the Tang.

Ma Lin, the garrison commander of Diezhou, led a hundred cavalrymen as the main force of the pursuit. They were the first of the entire army to cross into Great Bolu. Since this land had never been conquered by the Han, his excitement was self-evident; no matter how bitter or exhausting the journey, he did not care.

In the earlier battle, the cavalry had only played a role in the final rout. With the Tibetan soldiers fleeing across the mountains and plains, the cavalry had lost their primary use and were forced to trail behind the Tibetan horsemen, preventing them from stopping to rest or regroup, thereby consolidating the final victory.

Naturally, this task fell to Ma Lin, and he was in no position to pick and choose. Charging into this land of Xiangxiong, he paid no mind to the scattered stragglers, focusing only on the most prominent flag ahead.

Even in a strange land where he was unfamiliar with the terrain, he felt no fear, for behind him, waves of friendly forces were following in succession.

The location of Bazaduo City was similar to that of Leh, the capital of modern-day Ladakh. After the Tibetans conquered Xiangxiong, they appointed many officials to various towns. Shangjiezan held the title of "An-ben," somewhat akin to a colonial "Governor," and possessed immense power.

When he left, he took over five thousand garrison troops with him. In the entire Xiangxiong region, the Tibetans had only about ten thousand men in total, spread across various towns. As a frontier stronghold, Bazaduo City housed a garrison of over two thousand. The leader was a close confidant of Shangjiezan, holding the same rank as Xidongzan: another "Don-ben."

Due to its geography, the city sat on the trade route leading from the west into Tibet. Although trade had slowed due to the war, there were always one or two caravans coming from the conflict zone, bringing with them the latest news.

A battle involving over ten thousand men could hardly go unnoticed. When the Tibetan defeat was certain and soldiers were fleeing in all directions, the outcome was self-evident.

These merchants were the quickest to sense danger, running faster than rabbits, not resting for days or nights. A moment's hesitation would cost them not just their goods, but their lives. As people who had traveled through dangerous lands for years, they understood this well.

Thus, news quickly reached Bazaduo City. At first, there was skepticism, but after many people arrived from the front, all telling the same story, belief no longer mattered—within two days, those who could escape would surely arrive.

Zodan Dunzhu did not bear the noble surname of Nanshan, but he was a distant relation; otherwise, he could not have held the post of Don-ben. Upon seeing Xidongzan’s banner, he hurriedly ordered the city gates opened. For the past two days, rumors of all kinds had been circulating, and he was deeply worried.

"Where is the nobleman Shangjiezan?" Looking at these troops, it was clear they were a defeated force. Every man’s armor was disheveled, and even their horses were panting, seemingly on the verge of collapse. When had the Tibetans ever been so reckless with their mounts?

"We were scattered. Perhaps he is behind us."

Xidongzan dismounted, wrapped an arm around his shoulder, and walked toward a row of houses by the gate used for the garrison to rest. Other officers who had received the news also gathered, eager to hear the truth.

Soon, the small room was packed. Xidongzan swept his gaze over the crowd and said, "We have been defeated."

"How could this happen?"

"How many Tang soldiers are there? Have they broken through?"

"What are we to do?"

The room erupted in chaos. It was no wonder; after days of anxiety, hearing such bad news left them unable to sit still.

"Silence!" Zodan Dunzhu barked impatiently, forcing them to quiet down.

"Xidongzan, is our commander truly in danger? Why did you return while he did not?"

Facing the interrogation, Xidongzan wore a pained expression and shook his head. "I fear Shangjiezan could not escape. The Tang were in hot pursuit. It was pure chaos; I could not find him and had to fall back first."

"Then..."

Before Zodan Dunzhu could continue, Xidongzan cut him off. "Now is not the time to worry about that. If he has fallen into the hands of the Tang, they may negotiate a ransom. The most important thing now is to hold this city. What have you done?"

"The gates must not be opened again, and no one should be allowed to come and go at will. We must send men back immediately to request reinforcements. The Tsanpo must know everything that has happened here..."

Zodan Dunzhu interrupted him in turn: "Xidongzan, you are not from here. Only the nobleman Shangjiezan can decide anything."

"So, if he is coerced by the Tang into ordering you to surrender, will you lay down your arms and open the gates?" Xidongzan stared into his eyes, speaking every word clearly.

"That is not your concern," Zodan Dunzhu replied, meeting his gaze without flinching.

"However, before the battle, Shangjiezan instructed me that should any contingency arise, I would be his deputy. My words are his commands, Zodan Dunzhu."

"Hmph!" Zodan Dunzhu sneered and pushed past him to walk out. "You? Who can prove—"

Before he could finish, he felt a sudden stiffness, a sharp tug, and then pain began to rise. His strength drained away in an instant, and even speaking became impossibly difficult.

"You..."

"Those who betray their commanders, betray Tibet, and betray the gods are no longer subjects of the Tsanpo. They deserve this fate."

Xidongzan withdrew his blade from Zodan Dunzhu's back, letting the body slump slowly to the floor. His gaze swept over the terrified officers in the room, his tone turning icy.

"Do any of you wish to be like him?"