Tiantang Splendid

Chapter 5132: Rebellion in the Enemy Camp
Plans cannot change quickly. No matter how meticulous the previous plans are and how detailed the various designs are, when the time comes, all kinds of mistakes will suddenly appear. Ashina Helu cannot act as an internal supporter to cause chaos in the Western Regions, and Lu Dongzan will probably find it difficult to send troops in time to cut off Hexi. The final result is that Yezid is worried and no longer confident.

The last defeat in the Western Regions was so devastating that it is still vivid in people’s minds. It cannot be dispelled by a few words of consolation from Amir and his men.

However, when the time comes, there is no turning back, and we can only bite the bullet and keep going...

……

When Ashina Helu bid farewell to Yazid and led his army to leave Kesan City, he looked at the densely packed granaries built inside and outside the city and swallowed hard. For a moment, he even had the urge to rush up and set them on fire.

Without these food, fodder and supplies, the Arab army would have to turn around and return to Damascus, and would no longer be able to attack the Western Regions.

This feat was enough to earn him the support of the Tang Dynasty and allow him to truly become a Turkic Khan...

Of course, it's just a thought.

There are at least tens of thousands of soldiers guarding these granaries. It is impossible to just attack them by force. The fire was put out before it even started. There is no way I can escape alive...

We went upstream along the Yaosha River for dozens of miles, crossed the river, and then went upstream along the Chirchik River. Two days later, we arrived at Tuoze City.

The city is backed by the mountains in the east, and the Chirchik River flows from south to north in the west of the city. The terrain is dangerous and easy to defend but difficult to attack. Even if the Tang army could start from Suiye City, cross the Qianquan Mountain and launch a surprise attack along the Chirchik River Valley, they would not be able to really threaten Tuoze City because the mountain passes and river valleys could not accommodate a large army.

One man can guard the pass against ten thousand men, and you must firmly guard the rear wing of Kesan City so that the enemy has no worries.

Accompanied by officials sent by Maslama, after entering Tuoze City, they led Ashina Helu to pay a visit to General Aluhan who was now guarding the city.

A Luohan was in his early thirties, with typical Persian features, tall and hairy. Although he was born into a Persian royal family, perhaps because he was a defeated general, he was not arrogant at all when facing Ashina Helu, and even had a kind of sympathy for each other...

"I have heard about the Khan's feat. He traveled thousands of miles from the heart of the Western Regions, crossing mountains and rivers. Not everyone can do this!"

A Luohan walked up to him, gave him a hug, laughed, and expressed his admiration in his words.

Ashina Helu smiled bitterly: "The foundation of our ancestors was thrown away in my hands, and even the royal court fell into the hands of traitors. I am in a panic to save my life like a stray dog, and a defeated general has lost all his face. I am really ashamed!"

"You are a defeated general, and I am a minister of a fallen country. We are in the same boat. Now we are both guarding Tuozhe City. It is time for us to get close and work together!"

"I'm new here, I'm unfamiliar with the place, so I'll respect the prince in everything."

"What's the difference between superior and inferior? We are all temporary appointments, and no one is better than the other. If there is anything, we should discuss it as much as possible. We must help the Marshal to guard the rear, assist the Marshal to expand the territory and conquer the Tang Dynasty!"

"I am willing to die for the Caliph!"

……

Thanks to Aluhan's active cooperation, the resettlement of the Turkic army was extremely smooth. Aluhan even allocated part of his own army's food and fodder to supply Ashina Helu, and then returned the food and fodder after Ashina Helu's food and fodder arrived.

At night, Ashina Helu took off his boots and soaked his feet in the tent, twisting his body and writing a letter at the desk. He put it in an envelope, sealed it with wax, and handed it to Nendulü: "Send someone up the Qierqik River and over the Qianquan Mountain to Suiye City to deliver the letter. Send more people to confuse A Luohan."

"Here."

Nen Dulu put away the letter and turned to leave.

Ashina Helu picked up a pot of wine on the table, took a sip, and spat it out with a "Pooh". What was this thing with a strong taste of dates?
It tastes terrible.

But there was no good wine at the moment, so he could only tilt his head back and take another sip, swallowing it with difficulty.

I miss the grape wine from the Western Regions, the Sanle wine from the northern frontier, and the Fangfu wine from Chang'an...

He had just arrived, and Yezid did not trust him enough, so he was not placed near Kesan City. He had expected this, but being sent to Tuozhe City was a bit unexpected. Although Tuozhe City was also an important town in the Hezhong region, blocking the road from the north and leading directly to Kesan City, there was still A Luohan who arrived in the city earlier, and his troops were at least twice as many as his own. Even if the Tang army could cross Qianquan Mountain and shuttle through the Qierqik River Valley to come here, the rugged path could not accommodate a large army. A thousand and eight hundred people were already a lot, and it would be difficult to defeat A Luohan even if they united.

If I can't stir up trouble in the rear of Kesan City, what's the point of this trip?
The Tang Dynasty has always rewarded people based on their merits. Without real achievements, how can one talk about restoring the Khanate and ascending the Khanate?
Isn't it just asking for trouble and being completely useless to spend several months traveling through the ice and snow and going through all the dangers?
Feeling irritated, he drank up the jujube wine in the pot, wiped his feet roughly, and fell asleep.

As dawn approached, there was a gentle knock on the door. Ashina Helu jumped up, drew out the sword beside him, and asked in a deep voice, "Who is it?"

"Khan, it's me."

Nen Dulu pushed open the door and walked in quietly, fearing to disturb the other residents.

Ashina Helu put down his knife, wiped his face, his eyes bloodshot, and asked, "Is everyone out?"

"Yes."

"No one stopped me?"

"There are many scouts outside the city, but they ignored the people we sent out."

"Ok?"

Ashina Helu suddenly became alert.

He was also a man who knew how to judge people. At first glance, A Luohan seemed rough, bold and unconventional, but he was convinced that this man was thoughtful and resourceful. Since he was appointed to guard Tuozhe City, he must have managed it like an iron barrel inside and out.

As a Turkic man who has just arrived, how can I not take precautions?

But since the scouts outside the city ignored the people he sent out, it could only be that A Luohan had given the order in advance...

Although this man surrendered to the Arabs after his country was destroyed, could it be that he was still thinking about revenge?

If they could turn this man against the Tang army, Tuozhe City would be defenseless. At that time, they could join forces to attack the rear of the city at a critical moment...

Great achievements are within your reach!

However, he still cautiously asked: "In your opinion, what does A Luohan mean?"

Neng Dulu understood what his Khan meant. After thinking for a while, he said, "I don't think he will be willing to join forces with us, but we can just turn a blind eye."

Ashina Helu shook his head. "How can we turn a blind eye? If we secretly communicate with the Tang people, we will definitely lead them to attack Tuozhe City. How can he stay out of it? He can either surrender to the Tang Dynasty or defend the city to the death... But since he ignored me and sent someone to deliver the letter, how can he be willing to fight to the death? This guy wants to connect with the Tang Dynasty through us."

Neng Dulu's eyes widened: "But if he is so untrustworthy, why did the Arabs place him in such an important strategic town as Tuozhe City?"

"You are asking, who can be trusted and who cannot be trusted? Is it written on their faces? Didn't the Arabs leave us in Tuozhe City?"

After the fall of the Turkic Khanate, the tribes dispersed and many branches migrated westwards. They came into more and more contact with the Arabs. A lot of information could be fed back to Ashina Helu, so he was very familiar with the situation in the Arabs.

Different from the Tang Dynasty which had a strict state institution, the current Arab Empire was more like a "tribal alliance". The Caliph controlled the state power and continued to expand in all directions, carrying out plunder under the banner of spreading faith. Population, land, and resources were the core demands of the Arab Empire.

The foreign tribes were either afraid of their military force or greedy for their wealth, and thus submitted themselves to them and were willing to be their slaves. The Arab Empire also used force or inducements to suppress them and thus became a country with such a vast territory.

Such a national structure cannot be measured by "loyalty" at all, and it is impossible to confirm who is trustworthy and who is not.

They gather together because of interests, and they also disperse because of interests;
Submit by force, and leave by force.

Nen Dulu asked: "What should we do then?"

Ashina Helu said: "No problem, I will go meet this Persian prince tomorrow and find out what he is planning."

Is it simply a desire to take revenge on the Arabs?
Or do you just want to become a Tang citizen by becoming a naturalized citizen?
……

At noon the next day, Ashina Helu and A Luohan were drinking in the government residence.

Ashina Helu raised his glass to toast him, and sighed, "The foundation of our ancestors was destroyed by me. These thousands of soldiers followed me through thousands of miles and suffered a lot. Now they are temporarily living elsewhere, and they can't help but miss their families. The people are scattered, and it's hard to lead the team. Last night, dozens of people left the team to make a living. I didn't want to stop them, and I couldn't bear to kill them, so I let them go. I learned that the prince showed mercy, so I toast you with this glass of wine!"

A Luohan raised his glass, clinked glasses with it and drank it all in one gulp.

Grabbing the wine pot and pouring wine, A Luohan said with emotion: "You and I have similar fates. It is fate that we meet thousands of miles away from home. We should understand and respect each other and maintain this friendship."

Ashina Helu raised his glass again, drank the wine in the glass, and said: "Prince is now deeply trusted by the commander-in-chief and is able to guard a strategic location like Tuozhe City. I hope you will take care of me and support me in the future."

Ah Luohan said in distress, "How can we trust people from a fallen country? They are just trying to survive. The Arabs are arrogant and unreasonable. We are like pigs and dogs in their eyes. We must be careful and attentive at all times, otherwise we will be in trouble if we get into trouble."

"In that case, why don't you take your people to a remote place to rest and recuperate, instead of following the Arabs on this expedition?"

"Now the Arabs are so powerful. Although the world is vast, where can we find a place to stay? On the contrary, Khan, you can use the Arabs to defeat the Tang people, take back the royal court, and restore the Khanate."

Ashina Helu held the wine glass, feeling that the atmosphere was right, and asked with a smile: "Does the prince really think that the Arabs will win?"

A Luohan raised his head and looked at him. Their eyes met, full of deep meaning.