Tiantang Splendid

Chapter 5160: Thousands of Miles of Attack
Xue Rengui found a jar of wine from somewhere, poured it into the bowls of several people, and said proudly: "After parting today, I don't know when we will meet again. Please drink this cup to cheer me up!"

He raised the wine bowl and drank it in one gulp.

The other three were a little dazed. Drinking in the army was a violation of military discipline and the punishment was extremely severe. Moreover, Xue Rengui's expression and words gave people a kind of melancholy and sadness of "parting from life and death"... They had just won a great victory and promotion was inevitable. Why was he so sad?

However, the three of them still drank, and then Helu asked: "General Xue looks quite ambitious, but I don't know why? The outcome of this battle has been decided. Even if we can't completely wipe out the enemy, it is enough to ensure the safety of the Western Region. The enemy will not be able to make a comeback in the short term, which is a great blessing."

Gao Deyi and A Luohan also looked at Xue Rengui.

Xue Rengui put down his wine bowl, stroked his beard, and said with a smile: "I have been ordered by the army to lead 10,000 light cavalry to pursue the enemy. I will not return until the enemy is destroyed! The enemy will definitely return to Damascus, so I will pursue them all the way to the enemy's nest! There are many mountains and rivers, and it is difficult to supply along the way. The road conditions are dangerous. Although I am determined to win, things are unpredictable and we may not meet again. So I felt something for a moment, which made the three of you laugh."

Helu and A Luo were shocked, but Gao Deyi's face turned red with envy.

"Seal the Wolf's Lair and Carve the Stone at Yanran" is the highest realm of Chinese martial arts. There are only a handful of people who have achieved this pinnacle in history. Although there are many famous generals in this dynasty, only Fang Jun has achieved this achievement.

What soldier doesn't want to achieve this?
But the reason why this pinnacle achievement is hailed as supreme is that it not only requires the commander to have both military and literary skills and unparalleled tactics, as well as the soldiers under his command to be powerful and fearless of death, but also depends on the right time, place and people. It can be said that it must be guaranteed by both strength and luck.

The chances of success are extremely low.

However, if anyone could get such an opportunity, no one would hesitate or turn back!
A Luohan stood up suddenly and bowed: "As a man of a fallen country, I am willing to lead my 'Undead Army' to follow behind the general!"

Xue Rengui stood up, returned the greeting, and said with a smile: "The prince is brave and unparalleled, and is truly a hero of the time. If I could have such a comrade-in-arms to fight side by side with me, what regret would I have?! However, the prince is of noble status and shoulders the heavy responsibility of restoring the country. How can he charge into battle and tread on dangerous ground like us soldiers? Moreover, when His Majesty heard that the prince was willing to be loyal to the Tang Dynasty, he had already ordered the prince to rush to Chang'an for a meeting immediately, and he was not allowed to join the army to fight."

A Luohan shook his head, very disappointed, and said helplessly: "Although I am a prince, I am also a sinner who destroyed my country. This body should die on the battlefield. In order to preserve the remaining bloodline of the royal family, I had to linger and succumb to the swords of the Arabs. Now I have to endure and retreat in order to restore my country. I am really ashamed. I only hope that the general will advance straight ahead and win every battle!"

"May I ask for your blessing! If I am lucky enough to survive this time, I will rush to Firuzabad to congratulate the prince when he restores his country!"

Xue Rengui laughed heartily and was ready to die.

Although he had unparalleled confidence in the combat effectiveness of his troops, there were still too many unexpected situations during long journeys and battles. An arrow flying from nowhere, an unexpected fall from a horse, an infection by a cold or an epidemic could all lead to death and the failure to achieve one's ambitions.

"General, the enemy has begun to retreat!"

The scout ran over to report the battle situation.

Xue Rengui clasped his fists and said, "Everyone, see you later!"

After saying this, he turned around and strode to the side of the warhorse, grabbed the reins and jumped onto the horse, hung the phoenix-wing gilded boring under the saddle, raised his sword high, and shouted: "Brothers, follow me to chase the enemy and make achievements!"

"Here!"

Nearly ten thousand light cavalry raised their arms and cheered wildly.

Then they followed Xue Rengui's banner and rushed towards the enemy's rear. The sound of their iron hooves shook the whole area!
A Luohan looked at the magnificent military appearance and the overwhelming offensive of the Tang army from afar, and could not hide his envy: "The strength of the Tang army lies not only in its excellent equipment, but also in the quality of its soldiers and their morale. Such an army becomes stronger when it encounters a stronger opponent and is invincible. The Arabs are far behind."

In his heart, he both sneered at and felt fortunate for Muawiyah's policy of challenging the Tang Dynasty. If Persia had not foolishly kicked the huge rock of the Tang Dynasty and suffered heavy casualties and returned in defeat, how could it have had any hope of restoring its country?

Now the defeat of the Arab army was inevitable. No matter whether the Tang army could launch a long-distance attack on Damascus, internal strife within the Arab Empire was bound to occur, and the country's decline was irreversible.

By the time he went to Chang'an and received the Tang Emperor's promise to send troops, the restoration of the country was just a matter of time.

*****
Lu Dongzan followed Fang Jun from Suiye City. When they passed Hengluo City, they were shocked by the ruins and razed to the ground. When they arrived at the north bank of Yaosha River, they saw a surging river and a scorched earth under their feet. The blood had soaked into the soil and turned dark brown after drying, emitting a pungent smell. Teams of Tang soldiers and conscripted civilians were dealing with the broken limbs everywhere. One can imagine how tragic the battle was. After crossing Yaosha River and entering Kesan City, Lu Dongzan's heart was already numb.

When he was young, he had traveled to Tibet and the plateau many times to gain knowledge and travel around. He had been to Kesan City. In the past, this city on the Silk Road was prosperous and wealthy. Hundreds of wealthy families lived in the city, and the warehouses were filled with silk and porcelain. Outside the city, there were teams of pack horses and endless traveling merchants. Its prosperity was even greater than that of Lhasa City.

But what about now?

The city gates were wide open, the city walls collapsed in several places, and the city was a scorched earth. Many Tang soldiers used a "mask" to cover their ears and noses, and continuously transported corpses out on carts and buried them in large pits dug outside the city.

When passing by each other, Lu Dongzan could even smell the corpses of the Arab soldiers on the cart.

It’s cooked…

Although I haven't seen it with my own eyes, I can imagine what kind of hell Kesan City went through not long ago...

My eyes swept across a corner of the city gate and my eyelids twitched a few times. Cannons were neatly arranged and covered with felt. Although I couldn't see the whole picture, the feeling of majesty and grandeur was overwhelming.

The Tang people were really smart. How did they imagine and create such a destructive weapon?
Before, he considered being held hostage and threatened by Fang Jun as a great shame, and even wanted to hint to his sons that they should not care about his life or death, and strive to fight for the autonomy of the Gar tribe. But now, he felt extremely fortunate.

If Fang Jun had not held him hostage, and if Lun Qinling had not volunteered to go to Chang'an as a hostage, which made Fang Jun and even the Tang court believe that the Hexi Corridor was safe, then before the decisive battle with the Arabs, the Tang army's primary goal would have been to eliminate the hidden danger of the Gar tribe.

Just imagine the roar of thousands of cannons, the overwhelming bombardment of shells falling on Fuqi City and the heads of the Gar tribesmen...

Lu Dongzan was a little out of breath.

As Fang Jun passed through the city, he came to the general tent temporarily set up in the south of the city, and met Helu, Aluohan, and the Tang army's deputy general Gao Deyi, who crossed the Qianquan Mountain and sneaked into Tuoze City and burned the food and supplies of the Arab army in one fell swoop.

Looking at this young general with messy beard and haggard appearance, Lu Dongzan already knew when he was in Suiye City that Fang Jun would recommend this man to be the Sima of Anxi Protectorate.

Such a young and unknown Tang army general was able to achieve outstanding achievements in an unprecedented war and become a senior general of the Anxi Protectorate... Perhaps, this is the "national destiny"?
Fang Jun, wearing a helmet and armor, was the first to step forward and bend over to help Gao Deyi, who was kneeling on one knee to perform a military salute, stand up. He patted Gao Deyi's shoulder with his right hand and praised him: "You have made great contributions in this battle. You have lived up to my trust. You did a great job!"

Gao Deyi's face flushed with excitement, and even his voice trembled a little: "The Marshal did not give me such an important task because I am humble. I will repay the Marshal's kindness by dying!"

Today, Fang Jun's status has long gone beyond the category of "second generation" and he has become the de facto "second to none and above ten thousand people" in the empire. Looking back on his past achievements, his reputation is no less than that of any of the meritorious officials of the Zhenguan period, and even those founding officials can hardly be compared with him.

Especially in the military, Fang Jun has long been the object of admiration of countless soldiers and officers. To be able to receive Fang Jun's praise and recognition is, to some extent, an incomparable honor.

Fang Jun nodded and encouraged: "Keep working hard and never forget your original intention. You will have a place in the imperial army!"

"Here!"

Fang Jun then let go of the excited Gao Deyi and turned to look at Helu.

"After traveling thousands of miles and enduring the frost and snow, Khan has successfully completed his mission. Congratulations!"

Helu straightened his chest. In front of the number one man in the Tang military, he showed no arrogance or reserve. His posture was as upright as a Tang army general who was being inspected by the commander-in-chief.

"I am loyal to Your Majesty and the Tang Dynasty. I was able to fight alongside the Tang army when foreign enemies invaded, and I have made some small contributions. This is the supreme honor for all the Turkic people who have submitted to the Tang Dynasty!"

Fang Jun could not help laughing. This cunning man was two-faced and fickle, not worthy of trust at all. But what he said at this moment had lofty intentions and demonstrated his value. There was a reason why he was able to repeatedly gain the trust of the Tang Dynasty in history.

Finally, he stood in front of Alohan, stretched out his hand, and shook it tightly.

With a serious and solemn expression, he said in a deep voice: "China and Persia have known each other for thousands of years. Although they are separated by the east and the west, they are close neighbors and have never cut off exchanges with each other. They are brotherly countries. Now that Persia has been destroyed by brutal violence, China feels the same pain and is in great sorrow. Please rest assured, Prince, His Majesty has already prepared a bed for you in Chang'an. As long as the prince makes a request, the Tang Dynasty is willing to pay any price to help Persia restore its country!"

This is a godsend opportunity to intervene in the Persian Plateau, how can we let it go?

(End of this chapter)