The atmosphere slowly grew solemn.
Among the Han, who did not revere the brave?
Who did not honor the valiant?
Jian Yong spoke first, his voice low and drifting, reciting words that carried both grief and admiration:
"Truly brave and mighty, unyielding and unconquerable.
Though the body perishes, the spirit endures;
the soul stands firm, becoming a hero even among ghosts."
His words were not for poetry's sake alone.
They were for the messengers—those nameless men who had ridden three thousand li through death itself.
"To witness Tang valor," Pang Tong said softly, "is to see that it does not fall short of our Han."
He found himself increasingly curious about this dynasty that later generations so often paired with Han in the same breath.
How had Tang expanded its borders so far?
How had it forged such a militant spirit?
And yet—
"If the Tang are so fierce," Pang Tong frowned, "how did they allow Tubo to enslave their people for fifty years?"
Zhang Fei slammed his palm down.
"The common folk waited half a century for their homeland to be reclaimed—and these generals could still drink and watch dancers without shame?"
"To have the merit of reclaiming lost land laid before you and refuse it, choosing instead to watch Western dancers—bah!"
The more Zhang Fei spoke, the angrier he became, as if merely sharing the same world as those men was an insult.
Huang Zhong patted his thigh, signaling him to calm down.
"But this Zhang Yichao," Huang Zhong said sincerely, "he truly is a hero."
"Only… nine teams of messengers died on the road. That alone is heartbreaking."
Guan Yu shook his head.
"Why not simply strike back directly?
Enter Longyou, smash Tubo, drive through the Hexi Corridor—forge an achievement unseen in ages!"
Zhuge Liang laughed.
"General Yunchang," he said lightly,
"if Zhang Yichao is remembered so vividly by later generations—"
"Then he most likely did fight his way back."
"Hahahaha! Good! Excellent!"
In the Ganlu Hall, Li Shimin burst into laughter.
"A true warrior! Worthy of the warriors of High Tang!"
"His heart is commendable. His actions illustrious. His life—tragic yet glorious!"
For a moment, even his chronic headaches seemed to ease.
"Draft an edict—"
The words nearly left his mouth before he remembered:
Zhang Yichao was not one of his generals.
Still… since his descendant was called the "Little Taizong," surely he would not mistreat a loyal servant?
Du Ruhui wrote furiously, even adding a small annotation beside the messengers' story:
"His heart was ever set on Chang'an;
though he died nine times, he would not regret."
Zhangsun Wuji read it aloud, nodded, and said:
"Ten teams of messengers. Nine perished.
Nine deaths—without regret.
Such were the loyal men of High Tang."
But as the account continued—describing how the news reached Chang'an—
Li Shimin felt his headache threatening to return.
"The people of Hexi still held Tang in their hearts," he muttered.
"And Chang'an's military readiness… had slackened to this extent?"
[Light-screen]
[The news brought by Gao Jinda stirred celebration in Tang—but only briefly.
After all, though Guazhou and Shazhou had been recovered, they lay thousands of li away, at the westernmost edge of the Tubo-occupied Hexi Corridor.
For Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, there was no way to send troops, supplies, or even silver.
All he could do was offer praise for their loyalty.
Gao Jinda did not complain.
After reporting to the emperor, he took one last look at Chang'an—splendid as a heavenly city—then mounted his horse and rode northwest.
He was returning to his general.
Zhang Yichao, meanwhile, never waited idly for aid.
He understood clearly: if he wished to return to Tang, the only things he could rely on were the armor on his body and the blade in his hand.
After sending the messengers in 848, he trained his troops and gathered strength.
In 849, he launched an eastern campaign.
Through sieges and open battle alike, within a year he reclaimed Jiuquan and captured Zhangye.
Ganzhou and Suzhou were restored.
In 850, Zhang Yichao marched north from Shazhou and reclaimed Yizhou—just as Gao Jinda finally arrived in Chang'an.
Thus, the western end of the Hexi Corridor was firmly in his grasp.
At the same time, Tubo's civil war reached its conclusion.
Shang Bibi was defeated by Lun Kongre and fled with three thousand troops to Ganzhou and Liangzhou.
After negotiations with Zhang Yichao, he declared:
"Without a ruler in Tubo, we return to Tang."
He handed over the registers of six prefectures—Min, Kuo, He, Lan, Shan, and Xi.
In exchange, Zhang Yichao allied with him and defeated Lun Kongre at Ganzhou.
Thus Zhang Yichao recovered five prefectures, proclaimed authority over six more, secured his footing in Hexi, and finally—
turned his gaze eastward toward Chang'an.
Returning to Tang was no longer an unreachable dream.]
"To rise from nothing, campaign thousands of li, and reclaim Hexi through one man's will—his merit rivals Wei Qing!"
Admiration nearly overflowed from Liu Bei's eyes.
"From a minor tribal leader to commanding armies," Pang Tong added, equally impressed.
"He reclaimed lost land, crushed old enemies, turned his loyalty toward the realm—his merit rivals the Crouching Dragon himself."
Pang Tong felt that even if Zhang Yichao were to fall in the next battle, no one would dare criticize him.
Zhuge Liang nodded in agreement.
"Leading a mixed force of Tang men, barbarians, and monks, he pacified Hexi in a single stroke."
"Such authority and achievement will shake a thousand years.
If not called a great general, he can only be called a hero."
Nearby, Zhang Fei, Huang Zhong, and Wei Yan exchanged glances.
Shouldn't one of you comment too?
Guan Yu stroked his beard and said calmly:
"Outnumbered yet victorious, fighting like a god.
One man reclaims five prefectures, waters his horse by Chang'an.
Recorded in history—worthy of the name hero."
Wei Yan and Huang Zhong turned again to Zhang Fei.
Your brothers spoke.
Your turn.
Zhang Fei flushed slightly, then burst out laughing.
"That's… exactly what I think!"
Liu Bei covered his face.
Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong laughed aloud.
Guan Yu added solemnly:
"Third Brother should study diligently."
Li Shimin's first instinct was sharp and practical:
"If Chang'an had dispatched its armies to Hexi, striking in concert—could Tubo not have been wiped out with ease?"
But the thought died instantly.
If Tang had that strength, they would not have merely praised Gao Jinda.
At the very least, Zhang Yichao should have been granted supreme command of Hexi.
Yet—
Li Shimin remembered the title: Guiyi Army.
Zhangsun Wuji, studying the map on the light-screen, had already roughly traced Tubo's territory.
Even if dismissed from office, he resolved to investigate further.
If Zhang Yichao could give everything for Tang a century later,
how could I, Zhangsun Wuji, content myself as a wealthy retiree?
Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui were filled with emotion.
They were still in Early Tang.
What kind of Tang had they built—
that its people, a century later, would still die gladly for its legacy?
Fang Xuanling said softly,
"Keming must take care of his health.
Only then can you eliminate family misfortune and witness a flourishing age."
Du Ruhui nodded.
Once, he had thought that helping Qin Prince achieve immortal glory was enough.
Now—
He wanted his name carved into this age with chisel and axe,
so that in the sleepless Chang'an of later generations,
there would stand a statue bearing his likeness as well.
[Light-screen]
[Zhang Yichao did not send only Gao Jinda.
A monk named Wuzhen followed, using his status to avoid danger, reaching Chang'an half a year later.
After temporarily repelling Lun Kongre, Zhang Yichao finally gained breathing room.
In August 851, he sent his elder brother Zhang Yitan, along with twenty-nine others, to court.
They reported:
the recovery of five prefectures,
the submission of Shang Bibi,
and the defeat of Lun Kongre.
They presented maps of eleven prefectures in total.
Chang'an was shaken.
The people rejoiced wildly.
Emperor Xuanzong—who styled himself after Taizong and read Essentials of Government daily—sighed upon hearing the news:
"Truly, generals arise from the west."
Zhang Yichao was promoted to Defense Commissioner of Shazhou.
Three months later, another edict followed:
The Guiyi Army was established in Shazhou, governing eleven prefectures.
Zhang Yichao was appointed Military Commissioner of Guiyi,
Observer of Eleven Prefectures,
and Acting Minister of Personnel.
With imperial authority confirmed, Zhang Yichao began governing:
He freed enslaved civilians,
measured land seized by Tubo nobles,
restored Tang law,
united monks and barbarians,
trained troops, forged weapons,
and stabilized the region.]
Zhang Fei scoffed.
"What kind of 'Little Taizong' is this?
Reclaiming Tang land, yet calling it 'returning'?"
"Where is the bearing of a true Son of Heaven?"
Even Liu Bei frowned.
"Does this not wound the hearts of loyal men?"
Pang Tong sighed.
"This is Late Tang.
The dynasty wanes—internal decay and external threats leave little room for grandeur."
Zhuge Liang shared the sentiment.
"These were Tang lands to begin with.
Naming them thus makes it seem as though Hexi belonged to barbarians by right."
Jian Yong suddenly asked:
"How many years does this Tang dynasty have left?"
Li Shimin's face darkened.
This outcome matched his worst fears.
Calling it Guiyi—
to him, the tactic reeked.
If power was the concern, Zhang Yichao's brother could have remained in Chang'an as a nominal commander, with real authority delegated.
Why invent a Guiyi Army?
He remembered clearly—the light-screen had said the Western Regions were reclaimed by an "emperor of divine might."
Who else could that be but me?
Yet this "Little Taizong," reading Essentials of Government every day, learned this much?
Zhangsun Wuji cautiously offered:
"Perhaps… the scars of the An Lushan Rebellion run deep."
Li Shimin sneered.
"Even so, for the military to rot to this degree…"
He left the rest unsaid.
Then, changing tone deliberately:
"Zhang Yichao governed the five prefectures well—
he erased Tubo's poison and restored Tang institutions."
Du Ruhui remained worried.
"Tubo long considered Tang its great enemy.
After years of raids, how many Tang people remain in Hexi?"
"With Tang, monks, and barbarians mixed, roads cut, population thin—
the Guiyi Army may truly become… Guiyi in name and fact."
Li Shimin understood this danger well—and knew the solution.
"We must reclaim Liangzhou.
Reopen the old roads.
Resettle people from Shandong and Henan—"
He stopped.
He remembered what the light-screen had said of Longxi's later fate.
Desert. Ruins. Nothing left.
Tang lands. Tubo. Guiyi Army.
All swallowed by sand.
Li Shimin exhaled heavily.
"The Hexi strategy… must be weighed with utmost care."