My father, Li Shimin, please call me Crown Prince

Chapter 389: Chaos in India, plotting against the Tang Dynasty

A great war seemed to have ended just like that.

However, no one let down their guard.

Because the contradiction becomes irreconcilable.

These are 30,000 elite troops from Liaodong who are ready to rebel at any time.

In fact, Li Chengqian had more soldiers and generals under his command.

The Jinwu Guards still have more than 10,000 soldiers.

Lu Tong now has no other choice but to follow the prince till the end.

Of course, these things are too far away for ordinary people.

As the New Year approaches, the city of Chang'an becomes more lively.

Envoys from all nations also came to congratulate.

The strength of the Tang Dynasty is now unquestionable. After defeating the powerful Western Turks, it has become the true Celestial Empire, and no surrounding country dares to compete with it.

The Silk Road was also completely controlled by the Tang Dynasty.

But there is news that the situation at the end of the Western Region is not very stable.

The Arab Empire.

They were very wary of the Tang Dynasty and had always wanted to cause internal strife in it, but due to the distance, they found it difficult to take action.

When the news of the demise of the Western Turks reached the Arab Empire, it shocked the nobles of the Arab Empire.

Because the Western Turks had occupied the Silk Road for a long time, no Arab merchant would be unaware of their power. However, even such a powerful country was still destroyed by the Tang Dynasty.

Under the dome of the Damascus Palace, smoke mixed with frankincense and myrrh rolled among the angel murals.

Caliph Omar ibn al-Khattab held tightly to the mark of Constantinople on the parchment map, and smashed the sapphire-inlaid scepter heavily on the cinnabar area marked on the Western Region, causing the floor tiles engraved with verses from the Koran to buzz and the date palm wood carvings on the pillars to fall off.

"I swear by the ninety-nine names of Allah!"

Omar's roar echoed in the empty hall: "Three years ago, a Roman princess stepped into Chang'an, and now there are two emperors in Byzantium! Constans II is still a child but has a large army, and Heraklonas ascended to the throne with the help of his stepmother Martina. This chaotic situation is like a camel caravan torn apart by wild dogs!"

Prime Minister Khalid bin Walid bowed and touched his chest, his headscarf embroidered with golden scriptures swaying as he moved: "Respected Chief of the Faithful, the rift between the two emperors is deeper than the Red Sea. Constans II is the legitimate son of Heraclius Constantine. He is proud of his legitimacy and hates his half-brother Heraclonus. Behind Heraclonus, Queen Mother Martina controls the government and is plotting to weaken Constans' military power."

He unfolded a secret letter with the scent of cedar, and the Kufic script shone with a mysterious luster under the candlelight.

"Our spies reported back that there were three fights between Constans's guards and Heraklonas' palace guards at the hippodrome last month."

The young general Abdul bin Khalid stood up with his sword drawn. The silver chain mail made a crisp sound, and his eyes were burning with a fanatical fighting spirit: "Your Majesty! While the two Byzantine emperors are fighting, give me 5,000 holy warriors. First, flatten the walls of Constantinople, and then come back to teach the Tang Dynasty a lesson! That Roman princess must pay with her blood!"

Omar took off his turban, and the scar on his forehead left by the Yarmouk River glowed dark red. He glared at Abdul and said, "Be quiet, you reckless little camel! We won with fewer troops back then, relying on the wisdom of Allah! Now the Tang Dynasty has many fortresses in the Western Regions. If we fight on two fronts, we will be like chasing two hares in the desert, and we will die of thirst among the sand dunes in the end!"

Khalid presented a copper plate inlaid with agate, on which were candied dates soaked in rose water and sprinkled with saffron. "Your Majesty is wise. The conflict between the two emperors of Byzantium is the sword given to us by God."

He turned the rosary with the "Al-Fatiha" inscribed on it and unfolded a new map. The countries in the Western Regions were marked with different colors of cinnabar. "We sent people to show our goodwill to Constans II and promised to help him eradicate Heraclonus, the 'bastard', on the condition that he must give up the alliance with the Tang Dynasty. Constans is ambitious and has long wanted to monopolize power."

Omar stroked the emerald on the hilt and said thoughtfully, "But Heraclonus has the support of the queen mother behind him. Constans may not have a chance of winning."

Khalid lowered his voice, his eyes flashing with calculation. "So we have to contact Heraclonus at the same time, reveal the secret agreement between Constans and us, and then promise him huge benefits. As long as he can hold back the Byzantine fleet, the Arab Empire will recognize him as the only legitimate emperor. This mother and son will definitely go all out. When they are both defeated, our scimitars can easily harvest Constantinople."

He paused and continued, "At the same time, we sent an ultimatum to the Tang Dynasty, accusing them of blaspheming Allah by taking in a Roman princess. Among the merchants in Chang'an, there is a man named Sayyid who has a close personal relationship with the steward of the Crown Prince's Mansion. We asked him to spread rumors that the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty supports the Romans and wants to destroy the Iranian faith. Then we forged a secret letter between Constans II and the Tang Dynasty and deliberately let Heraclonus's people intercept it."

Abdul frowned and said, "But what if the Tang Dynasty ignores the disputes in the court and insists on sending troops to Byzantium?"

Khalid grabbed a handful of fine sand and scattered it at the location of Qiuci and Shule, and the sand spread out like blood.

"Then let the war ignite in the Western Region!"

"The daughter of Abdullah, the leader of Shule, was humiliated by the Tang tax collectors. We sent her a golden war horse and a missionary to preach holy war."

"The King of Kucha was dissatisfied with the heavy taxes, so we promised to exempt his caravans from taxes for ten years. The Lord of Kangguo coveted beauty, so we sent him ten Persian dancers. When the Tang cavalry was dragged to the Western Regions to quell the rebellion, our caravans infiltrated the city-states wearing Sogdian garbs, carrying gold coins and the Koran."

Omar suddenly stood up, unsheathed his scimitar, and the cold light illuminated the star-moon totem on the dome: "I swear by the year of migration! Pass the order down, gather an army of 100,000, and complete the preparation of food and grass within three months! Khalid, the ultimatum must be written as scorching as the desert sun, and list the "crimes" of the Tang Dynasty in the Western Regions as scriptures!"

"Abdul, select the best troops to practice the 'sandstorm tactics' and tell the tribal warriors that this battle is not only for land and wealth, but also for Allah's teachings to illuminate the East!"

Abdul knelt on one knee and said, "As you command, Your Majesty! I will go and select warriors who can survive in the desert for three days without drinking!"

He strode away, the sound of chain mail gradually fading at the end of the corridor.

The Arab Empire wanted to send troops to attack the Tang Dynasty, and at this time, changes also occurred in India.

Suiye City.

The water vapor from the Ganges River wafts in the air, carrying the scent of sandalwood and cow dung. The spires of the temples on both sides of the street glow golden under the scorching sun, forming a stark contrast with the skinny stray dogs on the street.

As the chief envoy of the Tang Dynasty, Wang Xuance led a delegation to stay in India for two years. During this period, they not only promoted trade between the Tang Dynasty and India, but also sheltered the last Persian emperor Yazdegerd III who was exiled here, and their influence among the Indian countries grew day by day. However, this influence was like a sharp edge piercing into the dark, attracting greedy eyes.

On this day, Wang Xuance's delegation returned to Magadha's Kusumu City in search of a cure for the prince's leg disease. Wang Xuance stroked the silver-handled scimitar at his waist that had drunk the blood of Arabs in Suiye City, frowned as he looked towards the palace. The guard of honor of King Harsha that was supposed to welcome him was nowhere to be seen.

"My Lord, look!"

Deputy Envoy Li Yibiao suddenly grabbed his sleeve and pointed at the high walls of the palace.

There were already a large number of Indian soldiers on the city walls, imposing martial law; it was obvious that something major had happened.

Go get some information." Wang Xuance lowered his voice. Before Li Yibiao could set off, the sound of hurried horse hooves came from far away, and the Prime Minister of the Harsha Dynasty, Alona, ​​led a team of cavalrymen to block their way with swords drawn. This burly Indian noble wore a peacock feather crown on his head, but there was an unsettling smile on the corners of his mouth. On the armor of the cavalry behind him, there were faintly flashing star and moon patterns similar to those of the Arab Empire.

"The envoy from the Tang Dynasty traveled thousands of miles, but my king unfortunately met with an accident. While bathing last night, he accidentally fell into the Ganges..."

Wang Xuance took a step forward: "Absurd!"

"King Harsha was an expert in riding and shooting, and our Tang Dynasty envoys had assigned him guards who were very good at swimming. How could he have drowned so easily?"

The warriors behind Alona pressed the hilts of their swords at the same time, and the atmosphere instantly became tense.

Alonashun raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet.

"If you don't believe me, you can follow me into the palace to examine the body. But I have to say this: if you disturb my king's journey to the afterlife..."

The palace bedroom was filled with a strong smell of saffron, which was used to cover up the stench of the corpse. Wang Xuance lifted the white cloth, and King Harsha's face was blue and purple, and three dark red finger marks on his neck were clearly visible. "Did he drown?"

He sneered and turned to look at Alonashun: "The Prime Minister's nails are about the same size as these finger marks."

Arona Shun's smile suddenly froze: "How dare you, Tang envoy! How dare you slander the Prime Minister of Magadha! Come, take these Tang spies away..."

Before he finished speaking, hurried footsteps were heard outside the palace, and King Harsha's sister Princess Rajeshri rushed in with a sword in hand, followed by more than 20 personal guards.

The princess, known as the "Lioness of the Ganges," looked coldly, "Alonashun, do you think that sealing the palace gates can cover up the crime of regicide?"

Alonashun's face turned pale in an instant: "Why do you say that, Your Highness? It was clearly an accident..."

Rajeshri threw a roll of parchment at him: "Accident?"

"I have intercepted the secret letter in which you colluded with Kamarupa and promised to cede the Ganges Delta in exchange for support. Last night you said you were taking His Majesty to 'patrol the river', but in fact you were pushing him into the undercurrent! Also, you were secretly communicating with the Arab Empire, and they provided you with weapons and armor, and even sent elite troops to help you rebel. Did you think you could hide it from everyone?"

Wang Xuance glanced at the cinnabar seal on the secret letter, and then caught a glimpse of the unusual equipment of the cavalry under Alonna Shun, and he understood what was going on.

In the past two years, the Tang Dynasty had made many enemies in India because of its sheltering of the Persian emperor. Now that King Harsha is dead, it turns out that there is the dark hand of the Arab Empire behind it.

If Magadha fell into civil strife, the Tang Dynasty's trade, diplomatic relations with India, and even its protection of the Persian emperor would be affected.

He suddenly said, "Your Highness, since the Prime Minister has confessed his guilt, why not let the Tang envoys escort him back to Chang'an and let the Khan decide. The Persian Emperor can also testify on this matter and expose the Arab Empire's conspiracy to disrupt India."

Alonashun suddenly laughed wildly, and the scimitar with Arabic patterns on his waist was half an inch unsheathed: "The Tang Dynasty wants to interfere in the internal affairs of India?"

"Don't forget, you are only a few hundred people! With the help of the Arab Empire, the whole of India will be mine! Those forces that are dissatisfied with the Persian emperor here will also drive you out of India with the support of the Arabs!"

He clapped his hands fiercely, and a deafening shout of killing came from outside the palace. Rajeshri's face changed drastically: "You have an ambush!"

Before she could finish her words, dozens of warriors in black armor and Arab turbans broke in through the window, pointing their scimitars at the princess' throat.

Li Yibiao led the envoys to form a battle formation, and the Mo Dao collided with the Indian and Arab scimitars, sparks flew everywhere. Wang Xuance blocked the attack of two warriors and shouted to Rajeshri, "Princess, retreat quickly!"

In the chaos, Alona Shun took the opportunity to escape. Wang Xuance was about to chase him, but Rajeshri grabbed his sleeve and said, "Tang envoy, the 50,000 troops of Kamarupa have gathered at the border, including many mercenaries from the Arab Empire. If Alona Shun joins them, the entire northern India will be devastated. Those forces that oppose the Persian emperor here are also likely to take advantage of the chaos and start a rebellion under the instigation of the Arabs. The great Tang Dynasty is well-known, and I beg the envoy to help me put down the rebellion!"

Wang Xuance looked at the burning palace outside the hall and thought of his experiences in India over the past two years and the instructions given by Crown Prince Li Chengqian before his departure.

He clenched the bloodstained sword tightly: "Princess, you know, there is a saying in the Tang Dynasty that goes 'Whoever offends the mighty Han will be punished no matter how far away they are.' Today, I will seek justice in the name of the Tang Dynasty! Not only must I defend the peace of India, but I must also shatter the Arab Empire's conspiracy and protect the Persian emperor!"

More than half a month later, with the support of the Tubo King Songtsen Gampo, Wang Xuance sent a letter to the Indian countries as an envoy of the Tang Dynasty.

The King of Nepal personally led 7,000 cavalry to come to the rescue. Together with the vassal troops gathered by Rajshri and the Tibetan reinforcements, a total of more than 12,000 people confronted Alonashun's rebels on the banks of the Gandhis River.

On the battlefield, Alonashun's war elephant troops raised a cloud of dust, the bronze barbed hooks on the ivory tusks shone with a cold light, and many of the riders on the elephants' backs wore Arabic-style turbans.

Wang Xuance was not in a hurry. He ordered his men to launch the "Fire Bull Formation" borrowed from Tubo - hundreds of bulls' tails were tied with oil-soaked linen, which were set on fire and then rushed towards the elephant herd frantically.

The war elephants were frightened and turned around to trample their own camp, causing chaos among the rebels. The Arab mercenaries began to fight back with their guerrilla tactics.

"Fire arrows!"

At Wang Xuance's command, the Tang army's crossbows shot arrows at the Arab mercenaries like raindrops.

After all, they are just mercenaries, so they won't fight desperately. They can play when the wind is in their favor, but if they are at a slight disadvantage, they will run for their lives.

In history, Wang Xuance destroyed an entire country by himself, and the situation is similar today.

However, without the deterrence of King Harsha, the disintegration of India was inevitable.

The reason why Nepal and Tubo were willing to lend troops was that they wanted to get a piece of the pie.

(End of this chapter)