Chapter Twenty-Four: Treading the Moon, Leaving Fragrance

  Tibet was an ancient kingdom located on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, where a large number of small tribes were formed, and the tribes fought each other for water and grass pastures, and the behavior of mutual annexation occurred every day. It has always been in a state of division, with constant civil wars.

  Everything changed since he showed up!

  He was known as Songtsen Gampo, the Tibetan hero.

  Songtsen Gampo was a remarkable figure, who at the age of thirteen ascended to the throne and began his campaign for unification. He appointed Lu Dongzan as his prime minister. Within seven years, Songtsen Gampo annexed Suibi, defeated the Partyan and Bailan tribes, vanquished the Tuyuhun, conquered the Greater and Lesser Bolu, unified Tibet, and ended the civil war.

  Songtsen Gampo not only achieved great military feats, but also made corresponding achievements in governance. He formulated laws and official systems, standardized weights and measures, created writing, and had extensive exchanges with the Tang Dynasty, Tianzhu, and Nepal, introducing feudal culture.

  Thus, the military and cultural achievements made Tibet a powerful nation with over 300,000 troops, shaking the south and subtly taking on the posture of a southern hegemon.

  But in Songtsen Gampo's eyes, a fierce anger was burning, and the gaze that was like a wolf devouring humans made all the Tubo ministers in the great hall tremble with fear.

  "Zorma, tell these ministers and let them know how the Tang Emperor replied!" Songtsen Gampo roared like a lion.

  The Tubo minister, named Zanma, stepped forward and looked around at the other ministers, saying: "The Tang ruler says that I, the great minister of Tibet, stole secrets from the Tang state. According to the laws of the Tang state, I will be imprisoned for life and never again meet with outsiders."

  Songtsen Gampo slammed his fist on the table and shouted: "The Tang Emperor is so arrogant, detaining my great minister. If we don't send troops to punish him, how can Tibet save face? You don't think about avenging our shame, but instead say that the Tang country is powerful, and you're helping others gain prestige, what kind of reasoning is this?"

  No one understood the importance of Trisong Detsen better than Songts?n Gampo, Trisong Detsen was his teacher, his Zhuge Liang under his command. If Songts?n Gampo has today, Trisong Detsen's merit is first.

  Trong Dongzan not only helped him unify Tubo, but also gave him a long-term strategic direction, allying with powerful allies in the distance and attacking weak countries nearby, developing and growing stronger, and then nibbling at strong countries.

  Under the efforts of Lu Dongzan, Xiangxiong and Nipo countries have become allies of Tubo. As long as they can form an alliance with Datang, Tubo will be able to attack and occupy cities without any worries.

  As Du He said, without Tridé Tsugtsen, Tibet would be like losing 100,000 brave warriors. The role of Tridé Tsugtsen in Tibet was far greater than that of 100,000 brave warriors.

  The princess can remain unmarried, and this ally of the Great Tang can be given up, but Luk Dongzan absolutely cannot be trapped in the Tang Dynasty.

  If Tang does not want to return, then force him to return!

  Songtsen Gampo was a man of great ambition, who had long been eyeing the prosperous world of the Tang Dynasty, but had always been wary of the Tang's powerful military and dared not to take any rash action.

  This time, imprisoning Lu Dongzan, just touched the bottom line of Song Zan Ganbu. Seeing that most of the civil and military officials in the temple advised him to think thrice before acting, his heart involuntarily ignited with anger, shouting: "My mind is made up, no need to advise again! Come on, write a letter to the Tang Emperor telling him: If he doesn't return the Grand Minister, he won't be allowed to marry the Princess. He should personally lead an army of 100,000 soldiers, attack and conquer the Tang country, kill the Tang Emperor, seize the Princess by force, and welcome back the Grand Minister."

  Songtsen Gampo sent a very arrogant war book to the Emperor of the Great Tang Dynasty.

  *

  Du He did not agree with Fan Yuanchen's proposal, he came to the Du family's territory not just to train a strong army, but also to train a special forces team.

  Fan Yuanchen has the ability to train a good army, Du He should make use of his talents and let him show off his skills.

  He then told Fan Yuanchen his ideas for training troops, and Fan Yuanchen shared his own plans with Du He. The two men combined their views, taking the strengths of each other's approaches and supplementing their weaknesses, to form a brand new model for training troops.

  Du He found a piece of uncultivated land in the Du family's fief, built various training equipment on it, and used it as a drill ground after tidying up the place.

  At noon on the same day, Du He's more than 500 personal guards had been prepared and came to report one after another.

  There were five hundred and thirty-six people in total after counting.

  Du He stood in front of everyone and said loudly, "You are all veterans, so I won't say much polite words. You have experienced the battlefield, you should know that the more sweat you shed during training, the less blood you will shed on the battlefield! So, for your own lives, I hope you can take every exercise seriously."

  "I understand!" More than 500 people shouted in unison, and there was no hesitation towards his command. Moreover, what Du He said was the truth.

  Veterans are veterans, with sufficient self-awareness and sufficient discipline.

  Facing Du He's new training method, they did not show any rejection, but instead completed each exercise arranged by Du He with a serious and solemn attitude.

  After Fan Yuanchen was able to take on everything, Du He recruited 300 orphans around the age of twenty with good innate qualities through Zhuang Jia and Guan Shi, teaching them the most basic internal skill... Qigong!

  These three hundred orphans were mostly left behind when the Yellow River burst its banks ten years ago. Du Ruhui, with a Confucian heart of benevolence, took them in and gave them a stable home, raising them to adulthood. Therefore, they had all received kindness from the Du family since childhood.

  This kindness is as great as giving me new life.

  Du He gathered them together this time, planning to personally teach them martial arts and let them serve the Du family. They were already deeply grateful to the Du family and each of them showed great enthusiasm.

  Besides, they were all around twenty years old, each with their own ambitions, and naturally no one would refuse such a good opportunity.

  The method of exhalation and inhalation is the most basic way to practice qigong. Through exhaling turbid air and inhaling fresh air, it adjusts the functions of various parts of the body, and everyone can practice it.

  These three hundred people have a good innate talent, Du He regards them as elite soldiers, so he carefully instructs and teaches them. In just one day, they all mastered the various techniques of Qigong.

  Among them, two people made the fastest progress, namely Huangfu Haohua and Ba Yuxing. They only used one hour to comprehend the key to the Tuna Method, showing extremely high talent.

  Du He secretly rejoiced and divided the 300 men into two teams, with Huangfu Haohua and Ba Yuxing as the team leaders of each team.

  They also gave them two poetic and picturesque names.

  Tread on the moon and leave fragrance!

  Treading Moon Leaving Fragrance is the most profound and unpredictable ultimate skill in "Leaving Fragrance Treasure Mirror", it is also the unique lightness skill of the thief leader Chu Liuxiang, and it is also Du He's life-saving unparalleled ultimate skill!

  They were named Tà Yuè and Liú Xiāng, which shows Du He's high expectations for them.

  I hope they can be like the fragrance left by the moon, becoming his trusted aides in his conquest of the Tang Dynasty.

  Even Du He didn't know that the Tuo Yue and Liu Xiang he personally trained would later become a team of ruthless killers, notorious throughout the land, striking fear into the hearts of all who heard their name.

  A terrifying existence even more infamous than the Xuan Jia Army!

  The first guard under Duhe's command, today saw its fledgling form! A team with internal skills in their arsenal, what kind of power will they unleash on the battlefield?