My father, Li Shimin, please call me Crown Prince

Chapter 394 The Arab Empire Attacking the Tang Dynasty
The power of the Tang Dynasty is unquestionable, but the Arab Empire wants to confront it.

For Khalid now, the news he received was that although the Tang Dynasty seemed powerful, it was actually in the midst of internal strife.

So he hoped to take this opportunity to seize part of the territory of the Tang Dynasty.

The glass lamp in the audience hall of the Damascus Palace suddenly burst into sparks, and the twelve-petal jade-colored halo swept across the dome murals, but it could not illuminate the hidden murderous intent on the map of the Western Regions that Khalid bin Walid unfolded.

Next to the first chapter of the Koran in gold thread on the edge of the parchment, the four towns of Anxi outlined in cinnabar are like four quenched iron nails driven into the east of the Pamir Mountains.

The secret text next to the sign of Suiye City reads that there are 3,000 troops stationed there, guarded by the Modao Camp.

When Arsalan, the envoy from the Stone Kingdom, crushed the raisins on the carpet with his riding boots, the dark purple juice seeped into the star and moon patterns on the Samarkand carpet, just like the dilemma he was facing at the moment.

The power of the Anxi Protectorate of the Tang Dynasty was like the Chantian Khan Road embroidered with silver thread on the map, which stretched from Chang'an to Suiye. There was a beacon tower every 80 miles, which could send an alarm to Western Province in three days. The swordsmen stationed in the fortresses along the way were so powerful that they could chop camel bones into powder.

"Messenger, please look."

Khalid's silver fingertips slid across the winding dotted line on the map, and the lapis lazuli inlaid on the fingertips glowed blue under the candlelight.

"From the Stone Kingdom of Talas to Suiye, it is 300 miles in a straight line, but the three water sources - the Kulan Lake, the Rehai tributary, and the upper reaches of the Suiye River - are all controlled by the Tang army's rammed earth fortresses like iron chains."

"Their Hangu Pass uses sheepskin rafts to transport grain along the hot sea three times faster than our camel caravans; the garrison dispatches two thousand new soldiers from Chang'an every year, and food and fodder are continuously supplied through the Hexi Corridor. Even the blades of the Modao Camp have to be regularly maintained with tung oil shipped from Chang'an."

He paused, tapping his fingertips on the red gold badge with the name of Julan City. Under the badge was a fragment of a Tang army armor. It was a trophy picked up by the caravan from the battlefield.

"The body of a Tang scout found by the Yadans last year had a sword stuck in the sand, still as sharp as a dragon out of its sheath. The frozen Hu pancakes in the sheath were mixed with wheat flour shipped from Chang'an. These were the strong soldiers of the Anxi Protectorate. Their men were elite warriors who had fought many battles, their horses were good horses from the north, and even their food and fodder carried the majesty of the Heavenly Khan's capital."

Sweat oozed from Arsalan's palms, wetting the jade belt around his waist. The shape of the jade belt was exactly what was given to him by the Khan of the Tang Dynasty ten years ago.

He remembered that he had seen the Tang army training in Shule: when the three thousand Modao soldiers were lined up, the sword lights formed a silver wall, and the sound of wind blowing through the armor plates was like thunder rolling across the desert. Their flying cavalry scouts could travel back and forth between Suiye and Xizhou within three days, and the marks of the Anxi Protectorate were engraved on their horseshoes.

At this moment, the marching route drawn with blood and cinnabar on the map became a trap set by the Tang army in his eyes: those areas marked as waterless salt marshes might have had secret channels for water diversion by the Tang army.

The so-called logistical limit of Talas City was only 500 miles away from the Shule granary of Anxi Protectorate, and the cavalry of the Tang army once created a record of running 300 miles in one day and one night.

"But the Tang Dynasty is not peaceful now."

The young general Abdul stood up with his sword drawn, and the star and crescent emblem on his chain mail knocked off the fragments of the column.

"The war between the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty and the Crown Prince is about to begin. This is a struggle for imperial power. The powerful Anxi Protectorate is just a remote place for the vast Tang Dynasty."

"They can't take care of it, at least not now. It's too late for the news from the Western Regions to reach Chang'an in the Tang Dynasty."

"So we have plenty of time, we just need to do everything according to plan."

Arsalan did not dare to express his opinion and just wanted to go back and ask the king before making a decision.

After the Stone Kingdom envoy Arsalan left.

Inside the palace, Khalid looked at the marching route on the map that was winding like a venomous snake and sneered.

"Abdul, do you know why the Stone Kingdom is still wavering between the Tang Dynasty and us?"

His eyes were as sharp as an eagle's as he swept over the crowd.

"Because the Shiguo caravans made a lot of money on the Cantian Khan Road in the Tang Dynasty. The silk, porcelain, and fine tea shipped from Chang'an made them rich."

Abdul frowned, and the chain mail made a crackling sound as he moved.

"But now that the Tang Dynasty is in internal strife, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! If the Shi Kingdom does not seize it, it will definitely regret it in the future."

Khalid knocked his silver finger ring heavily on the mark of Suiye City on the map: "Opportunity? Do you think Arsalan of the Stone Kingdom is a fool?"

"He knows better than anyone that the strength of the Anxi Protectorate of the Tang Dynasty should not be underestimated. Even if the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty and the Crown Prince are fighting, which of the soldiers of the Anxi Protectorate is not an elite force that can defeat ten enemies with one?"

His voice was low and cold: "Do you remember three years ago, our caravan clashed with the Tang army near Rehai? The Tang army, which consisted of only a hundred people, managed to repel our team of three hundred people and seized all our goods."

Abdul gritted his teeth and said, "It was just an accident! This time we have made a careful plan and joined forces with the Stone Kingdom. We will definitely be able to..."

Khalid stood up suddenly and said, "Shut up. If we want to convince the Stone Kingdom, the threat of force alone is not enough. Although the Stone Kingdom is small, it controls important trade routes. They have their own calculations."

He sat down slowly and turned his gaze to Abdullah, the silent counselor, "Tell me, how can we make Shiguo willingly cooperate with us?"

Abdullah twisted his beard, a cunning look flashed in his eyes: "Sir, what does the Shi Kingdom value most? It is profit. We can promise that as long as the four towns of Anxi are captured, the Shi Kingdom will enjoy the greatest privileges on the new trade route. Moreover, we can also give them military support to help them expand their influence in the Western Regions."

Khalid nodded slightly. "That's right. But that's not enough. Arsalan is a cautious man. He won't easily believe our promises. We need to let him see our determination and strength."

His eyes fell on the map again: "Abdul, you arrange two thousand elite cavalry to pretend to attack the Tang army fortress near Julan City. Remember, don't fight to the death. The main purpose is to show our strength and let the Shi Kingdom know that we are capable of competing with the Tang Dynasty."

Abdul knelt on one knee and said, "As you command! Your Majesty, I will not fail in my mission!"

At the same time, in the military tent of the Anxi Protectorate of the Tang Dynasty, Protector Guo Xiaoke was discussing military intelligence with his generals.

The oil lamps emitted a dim light, illuminating the map of the Western Regions hanging on the wall.

"The Arab Empire has been frequently mobilizing troops on the border recently. I'm afraid they have some plans."

Guo Xiaoke's eyes were like torches as he scanned the people in the tent. "An envoy from the Stone Kingdom came to visit the other day, and his words seemed a little shaken. Everyone, tell me what you think."

Deputy General Sunong Dagan stood up and said in a deep voice: "Protector General, the Arab Empire is ambitious and has always coveted the Western Regions of our Great Tang. Now that they see that there is a little turmoil in our Great Tang, they want to take the opportunity to make trouble. However, our Anxi Protectorate is strong and well-equipped, so why would we be afraid of them? I am willing to lead 3,000 cavalrymen to take the initiative to attack and give them a warning!"

Guo Xiaoke waved his hand and said, "Don't underestimate the enemy. The Arab Empire was able to rise in the west, so it must have its strengths. Although we have the advantage, we must also act with caution." He ran his finger across the map and said, "If the Arab Empire wants to attack, it will definitely control the water source first. The Julan Waterfall, the Rehai tributary, and the upper reaches of the Suiye River are the top priorities for our defense. Pass the order down to strengthen the defense of these three fortresses, send more troops, and store food and grass."

"Yes!" all the generals responded in unison.

Guo Xiaoke looked at the deputy general beside him and said, "You should pay close attention to the movements of the Shi Kingdom. If the Shi Kingdom is really colluding with the Arab Empire, we must prepare countermeasures in advance."

After a pause, he said, "Arrange an envoy to go to the Stone Country."

The deputy general clasped his fists and said, "As you command."
-
In the palace of the Shi Kingdom, the King of Shi Kingdom, Shi Fuyanchuo, was pacing back and forth in annoyance.

The conditions offered by the Arab Empire were difficult for him to resist.

"Your Majesty, the envoy from the Anxi Protectorate of the Tang Dynasty requests to see you." A guard hurried in to report.

Arsalan's heart tightened: "Please come in quickly."

A moment later, the envoy from the Tang Dynasty strode in. He was wearing a gorgeous brocade robe, and the jade pendant on his waist swayed gently with his steps, fully displaying the majesty of the Tang Dynasty.

"King Shiguo, I, the Protector General Guo of the Anxi Protectorate of the Great Tang, heard that your country has close contacts with the Arab Empire, so I was specially ordered to come and greet you."

The envoy's voice was neither humble nor arrogant: "My Tang Dynasty has had good relations with the Shi Kingdom for many years, and it is mutually beneficial. The Arab Empire has wolfish ambitions. If the Shi Kingdom cooperates with them, it will probably bring disaster upon itself."

Arsalan tried to remain calm: "The envoy is worrying too much. Our Shi Kingdom and the Arab Empire are just normal exchanges, and there is no other intention."

The messenger sneered, "Why do you have to hide it, Your Majesty? It is no secret that the Arab Empire intends to attack the four Anxi towns of the Tang Dynasty. Does Your Majesty really think that you can benefit from cooperating with the Arab Empire?"

The corner of Shi Fuyanchuo's robe swept across the gilded bronze lamp, and the sparks from the wick splashed on the Persian carpet, just like his anxious mood at the moment.

The brocade robe of Li Xuance, the envoy of the Tang Dynasty, shone with dark gold patterns under the candlelight, and the double fish symbol hanging on the belt around his waist reflected a cold light. It was a token bestowed by the Khan himself, symbolizing the alliance between the Tang Dynasty and the countries in the Western Regions.

"Why do you deceive yourself, my king?"

Li Xuance's eyes swept across the nobles of the Shi Kingdom sitting in the hall, and his voice was like the collision of jade and stone: "Three days ago, the caravan sent back news that the Arab cavalry had camped on the north bank of the Juran Lake, and their catapults were dismantling the parts on the camels' backs. When the noble envoy Arsalan returned from Damascus, there was a secret letter signed by Khalid hidden inside the saddle. Did you try to hide it from the Anxi scouts before the ink was dry?"

Shi Fuyan clenched his fingers tightly around the jade belt around his waist. It was a trophy awarded to him when he followed Tian Khan on his eastern expedition ten years ago. The lion pattern carved on the jade belt buckle now hurt his palm.

Arsalan, who came out from behind the palace pillar, turned pale immediately. He remembered the Tang cavalry he met in Rehai on his way back. The heads hanging on the saddles of those cavalrymen were still dripping with blood. They were the Arab scouts who attacked the trade route the day before.

"The Tang envoy's words are too serious."

Shi Fuyanchu sat on the throne with forced calmness, and the lapis lazuli inlaid on the gilded armrests made his palms sweat.

"The Shi Kingdom is just trying to survive among the big countries. The Arabs promised that after we conquer Suiye, we will be able to monopolize the commercial taxes from Rehe to Talas..."

"Oh? Monopoly of commercial taxes?" Li Xuance suddenly laughed out loud, waved his robe sleeves, and the military school student following behind him brought up a sheepskin scroll.

When the scroll is unfolded, the star and moon patterns on the Samarkand carpet are covered by the trade routes drawn with silver lines. The Chantian Khan Road starting from Chang'an runs through the Western Regions like a silver chain.

"Your Majesty, do you know how much silk your caravan transported via the Cantian Khan Road last year?"

Li Xuance pointed his finger at the mark of the Khotan Jade Mine in the map: "30,000 pieces of brocade, 2,000 kilograms of Hetian jade, 500 carts of Jingyang Fu tea, the tariff alone is enough for the king to maintain a three-fold standing army. And the so-called 'new trade route' of the Arabs requires crossing the Dabolü Pass, which is covered with snow all year round. Last year, one-third of their caravans froze to death on the way."

The nobles of the Stone Kingdom were whispering to each other in the hall, and the minister in charge of commercial taxes could not help but stroke his beard and nod.

Arsalan recalled the grand scene of grain transportation he saw in the Hexi Corridor when he returned from Chang'an last month: thousands of grain ships sailed down the Yellow River, the sesame cakes drying on the sides of the ships carried the unique wheat aroma of Chang'an, and the fragments of Ming Guang armor on the armor of the escorting sword-wielding soldiers shone brightly in the sun.

"But the Tang Dynasty is now..."

Shi Fuyan's sobbing voice suddenly dropped.

"I heard that the dispute over the succession of the Heavenly Khan has caused chaos in the Central Plains. Even if the Anxi Protectorate is strong, how long can it hold out?"

"How long will it last?"

Li Xuance suddenly took a step forward, and the hem of his brocade robe swept across the bronze tripod in front of the hall. The benzoin burning in the tripod emitted green smoke.

"Your Majesty, do you know what Protector Guo did last night? He ordered his men to dig twelve underground channels on the west bank of the Julan Lake to divert lake water into the reservoir of the Tang Army's fortress. The water source that the Arabs thought was blocked is now being diverted by us using bamboo canals to the stables of the Modao Camp."

He took out a wax-sealed military report from his sleeve and threw it on the ivory table in front of Shi Fuyanchuo: "This is an urgent report from Shule three days ago. The four towns of Anxi have increased their troops to 20,000, of which 5,000 Modao soldiers are practicing ice-breaking and building fortifications in the upper reaches of Suiye River. Protector Guo asked me to tell the king that when Tian Khan defeated an army of 100,000 with 3,000 black armor at Hulao Pass, there were also princes in Chang'an competing for the throne, but the wind and sand in the Western Regions never disturbed the military flag of the Tang Dynasty."

The screen behind the throne suddenly made a slight sound. The Prince of Shi State, who was hiding behind the screen, poked his head out, but was forced to retract his head due to Li Xuance's sharp gaze.

Arsalan suddenly remembered the Tang army parade he had seen in Qiuci more than ten years ago.

When ten thousand cavalrymen lined up, the sound of their horses' hooves hitting the ground made the city walls shake, and their lances were topped with the heads of the Turkic Khan.

"The Arabs also promised us five hundred trebuchets."

Shi Fuyan's voice contained a last trace of struggle, and his fingertips unconsciously scratched the gem on the armrest of the throne.

"They said that as long as the Stone Kingdom opens the city gates, the wealth of Talas..."

Li Xuance sneered and waved his hand to let the military school bring up the second brocade box. When the lid of the box was opened, several shrunken heads rolled out, with salt grains in their hair and beards.

That was the Arab spy who was captured by the Tang army in the Rehai Salt Marsh half a month ago.

"These are scouts sent by the Arab Empire to draw maps. The sand on the soles of their boots is mixed with Persian glass shards. Our scouts can judge the distance between the enemy camp and the water source based on the composition of the sand."

(End of this chapter)