Chapter 134: Startling News

Nepal stretches from east to west along the Himalayan range, extending southward into the territory of Tianzhu (India). To the west, it borders Xiangxiong, and across from Xiangxiong lies Great Bolu, which the Tang army had recently captured.

In this era, borders were mostly defined by natural landmarks. The Himalayas served as the boundary between Nepal and Tubo, while the Gangdisê Mountains marked the divide between Nepal and Xiangxiong. As for the border between Xiangxiong and Great Bolu, they shared the Indus River, making the demarcation less distinct, existing only as a vague general zone.

For the forward-deployed troops under Yang Yu, this ambiguous border was of little concern. Bound by military orders, they were prohibited from venturing too deep into enemy territory, always maintaining a distance that allowed them to return within a single day.

In this region, the Indus River was still in its upper reaches, having just emerged from the mountains. Though the river was not wide, the current was swift. Poor weather and heavy rain could trigger flash floods, so they always sought campsites on higher, flatter ground, yet close enough to a water source.

Seeing the wooden stakes driven into the ground and the modest tents erected, Yang Yu left the remaining tasks to his subordinates and led his horse to the riverbank for a wash. No one dared to compete with him for this chore; everyone knew their commander was in a foul mood and needed to vent.

Over half a month had passed since the fighting in Great Bolu ended, and the infantry had not moved since. Although his scouts patrolled the area daily, they were met only with desolation; not a soul was to be seen. It was impossible not to feel stifled.

Initially, scattered Tubo remnants were everywhere. At first, they could capture a long line of prisoners every day—on the most successful day, his men had rounded up over 130, more than one and a half times their own number. Later, the captures dwindled. For the past ten days, they had not caught a single prisoner. They had either fled or been gathered by the Tubo forces. Yang Yu’s unit had effectively become a mere patrol cavalry, their daily task reduced to scouting the movements of the Tubo in the Xiangxiong region.

What movements could a defeated army, a pack of stray dogs, possibly make? A day’s journey only allowed them to reach the vicinity of Bazaduo City. It was the same every day: the city gates remained tightly shut, as if facing a great enemy. The Tubo were waiting for the Tang to attack, but the Tang forces remained leisurely in Great Bolu, neither retreating nor advancing, appearing entirely unhurried.

Yang Yu, however, was anxious.

During this campaign, his father, Yang He, had rarely offered a few words of praise, but Yang Yu knew his own situation. Aside from that initial scouting mission, he hadn't seen any real combat. Even when they finally broke the Tubo in Great Bolu, it had turned into a pursuit battle. While the results were not insignificant, the actual fighting process was virtually non-existent. How could he be content?

Seeing that "Fifth Brother" had gone missing without a trace, and that his entire Qiankeng Garrison had been left behind—with even the old veterans Zhang Wujie and Xu Guangjing nowhere to be found—his urgency grew. Yang Yu restrained his impatience, scooped a ladle of water from the river, splashed it onto his horse, and began scrubbing with a brush, stroke by stroke. If he didn't find something to do, he feared he might go mad.

"Commander! Commander!" A voice called out from afar. He turned to see his subordinate bringing over a man dressed as a mountain dweller. The moment he saw the visitor, he dropped his horse and abandoned his brush.

He had met this man once before in Hebulao City; he was one of Liu Ji's men.

"I recognize you. You are that..." His Bolu dialect was far more fluent than Liu Ji's. Du Guli took a large stride forward and pulled a letter from his tunic, handing it to him.

"My name is Du Guli. My superior ordered me to bring this back. You must return it to me after reading it. The noble one said it must only be opened by the highest-ranking officer in the camp."

Yang Yu checked the seal and immediately returned it; it was indeed Liu Ji’s signet. Since he had been given such instructions, he would certainly not make things difficult for the man.

"I will send someone to escort you to the main camp." Yang Yu took two steps, then turned back and grabbed his horse’s reins. "Forget it, I’ll take you there myself. Those guards won't be polite to you, and with your temper, you might not even make it through the gates."

The Tang army was stationed in the Indus Valley, with Feng Changqing’s grand tent at the center, guarded by the troops of Tian Zhen and Liang Zai. Had Yang Yu not led the way personally, Du Guli would have been stopped at the first checkpoint; by the time the report traveled up the chain of command, it was possible he would never have seen the commander himself.

Yang Yu’s status still held some weight. As the commander of the vanguard patrol, he had the authority to see the commander-in-chief directly, so they proceeded without obstruction to the main tent.

The guards here were even stricter, and even Yang Yu was not exempt. After a series of tedious identity verifications, reports, and searches, the two finally entered the tent. Simultaneously, several high-ranking officers, including his father Yang He, arrived upon hearing the news, eager to hear the first-hand report.

Even with psychological preparation, Feng Changqing was stunned by the contents of Liu Ji’s letter. He handed it to the Imperial Envoy Li Jingzhong and, looking at Yang Yu and the Bolu man beside him, said in a deep voice:

"Have you two read this letter?"

Yang Yu cupped his hands and replied: "The man was discovered by my subordinates within the Xiangxiong territory and brought directly to the camp. No one else handled him along the way. I do not know what is written in the letter."

Feng Changqing nodded and issued an order: "No one is to linger or pass within thirty paces of my tent. Whoever comes to see me must wait. All unauthorized personnel are to be driven away. For the next two hours, no water or food is to be delivered. Without my command, no one is to approach. Anyone who violates this will be executed on the spot!"

His orders were executed immediately. The guards who had been stationed outside the tent moved thirty paces forward, driving away everyone else—including grooms and kitchen staff—to ensure no one could eavesdrop.

Inside the tent, only the commanders, Yang Yu, and Du Guli remained. The latter was a participant who already knew the inside story, so there was no need for caution. Besides, they needed to elicit more detailed information from him.

"This... how is this possible?"

Li Jingzhong’s ugly face wore an expression of disbelief, appearing all the more grotesque.

"A while back, the Imperial Envoy mentioned that one person was missing from my command. I thought you were referring to Commandant Liu, but it turns out you meant the Protectorate General Li. His operation began two months ago. Crossing through Tianzhu and spanning over ten different nations, covering several thousand miles—I had no certainty that he would succeed. Now, at last, we have news."

After explaining this to Li Jingzhong, Feng Changqing turned to Yang He, Tian Zhen, Liang Zai, and the others to reveal the answer:

"Garrison Commander Liu Ji reports that, with the help of the local populace and the Protectorate General Li of Shule, they have successfully captured the Nepalese capital of Kantipur. They annihilated nearly a thousand defending troops, including several hundred Tubo soldiers, killed the King of Nepal and over four hundred officials, including the Grand Chancellor, and captured countless others."

"Ah!"

Everyone in the tent, including Yang Yu, gasped in shock. Only Li Jingzhong, who had seen the letter first, remained with a somber face, deep in thought.