the turkic tribes 385know Hsieh-li’s ultimate plans. A Chinese army was approaching, and
when this arrived, soon after T’ai-tsung’s negotiations with Hsieh-li,
the Chinese had become less vulnerable. It must be assumed, nev-
ertheless, that the Turks got what they wanted and that the Chinese
were the losers.
Having achieved his purpose, Hsieh-li was now eager to improve
relations. In the 9th month (Sep./Oct.), he presented 3000 horses
and 10,000 sheep. These were rejected by T’ai-tsung, who requested
the return of the Chinese who had been kidnapped or detained by
the Turks (Chiu T’ang shu 194A:4a; T’ung-tien 197:40a; Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei
p.5023;Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.6021; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 343:7b).
In the 11th month (Nov./Dec.) of 626, envoys from Hsieh-li again
offered gifts (Chiu T’ang shu 2:8a; Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5023).
The winter of 627 to 628 was hard for the Turks. There was much
snow, horses, cattle, and sheep died, the people suffered from famine,
and there was disaffection among the tribes. T’ai-tsung was advised
by some officials that he should take advantage of this opportunity
and attack the Turks, but he refused (Chiu T’ang shu 194A:4b; Tzu-chih
t’ung-chien p.6046; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 343:7b).
In the spring of 628, T’u-li, who had been arrested briefly by
Hsieh-li for not making a stand against the rebellious tribes, opened
negotiations with the Chinese. Hsieh-li responded by attacking him.
On May 19, envoys from T’u-li requested help from the T’ang court,
but T’ai-tsung did not to act. T’u-li fled to China^12 (Tzu-chih t’ung-chien
pp.6049-6050).
At this time, the Khitan chief Mo-hui offered the T’ang an alliance
against the Eastern Turks. Hsieh-li requested through envoys that
T’ai-tsung reject this, in exchange for which he would withdraw his
backing of Liang Shih-tu.^13 T’ai-tsung refused the bargain (Tzu-chih
t’ung-chien p.6050).
(^12) On Apr.28, 630, T’ai-tsung appointed him General-in-chief of the Guards of
the Right, enfeoffed him as king of Pei-p’ing commandery, and subsequently made
him a Military Governor. He died in 631, aged 29. T’ai-tsung ordered state mourn-
ing for him and had a stele set up in his memory (Chiu T’ang shu 194A:6a; T’ung-tien
197:40b;Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.6073; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 343:8a). A younger brother
of T’u-li was appointed General of the Gentlemen-of-the-Household. In 639, he
attempted to escape back to the Turkish territory but was pursued and killed in the
4th month (May/June) (T’ang hui-yao 94:4b-5a).
(^13) Liang Shih-tu was a Chinese holdout against the T’ang dynasty in the Ning-
hsia Oasis. He was there besieged by Chinese forces and soon killed by a relative
(Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.6050).