My father, Li Shimin, please call me Crown Prince

Chapter 463 If ​​not to be subservient, then only war remains.

"Three years ago, the Arab army raided the Four Garrisons of Anxi, plundered the silk and tea of ​​our Tang Dynasty caravan, and killed twenty-three post station workers."

"Two years ago, you joined forces with Tibet to try to cut off my trade routes in the Western Regions, leaving the people of the Tang Dynasty without spices."

"Now that our Great Tang has pacified Tibet and our military might is pointing directly at the Amu Darya, do you finally think of sharing trade routes?"

"late!"

Wang Cheng sneered, his gaze falling on Khalid's dagger before turning to Umar III, his tone still firm: "Your Majesty, our Great Tang sage once said, 'The way of the Heavenly Khan is to appease those who submit and punish those who defy.' If you are willing to submit and pay tribute, the Great Tang can guarantee the smooth flow of trade routes with the Arabs. If you dare to refuse, General Su's cannons will not give you much time. Last year, Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, fell in half a month. Are the walls of Baghdad more fortified than Wolf Howl Fortress?"

Umar III's face turned pale and then flushed, his fingers gripping the armrests of the throne tightly.

Said stood aside, though he was wary, he still forced himself to say, "Envoy, there is absolutely no way we can become vassals and pay tribute! We can compensate for the losses, and we can withdraw from the east bank of the Amu Darya, but if the Tang Dynasty insists on forcing us, we would rather fight the Tang army to the last man than lose the glory of God!"

"A war?" Wang Cheng raised an eyebrow, pulled a roll of parchment from his robes, and tossed it onto the council table. "This is a military intelligence report that General Su entrusted to me. It states that the Anxi army has deployed fifty cannons, tens of thousands of musketeers, and twenty thousand warhorses captured from Tibet in the Pamir Mountains. If you wish to fight, our Great Tang will fight to the bitter end. But I wonder if the people of Baghdad are willing to endure the bombardment of cannons for your 'glory'?"

The angry shouts in the hall gradually subsided. Khalid still held his dagger aloft, but it lacked its previous force; Abdul stared at the military briefing on the table, his expression growing increasingly grave.
After a long silence, King Umar III finally spoke, his voice weary: "Great Tang envoy, allow us three days to discuss this. I will give you my answer after three days."

Wang Cheng nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the dejected nobles in the hall, his tone leaving no room for doubt: "Very well. I need to see the list of compensation and the treaty of tribute within three days. If it is not resolved by then, I will immediately send someone to inform General Su."

"The Heavenly Soldiers of the Great Tang Dynasty never wait for anyone!"

After speaking, he turned and walked out of the hall, the sound of his gilded scepter striking the ground being particularly clear in the silent council chamber.

Khalid watched his retreating figure, gritting his teeth but daring not to approach; Abdul sighed, picked up the military briefing on the table, handed it to Umar III, and whispered, "Caliph, the Tang people are serious, we... I'm afraid we have no choice but to give in."

The setting sun cast a long shadow of Wang Cheng through the windows of the council chamber. He stepped out of the palace, gazing at the flowing Tigris River, and silently vowed, "Your Highness, I will not fail in my mission. I will let the Arabs know that the majesty of the Tang Dynasty is inviolable!"

Inside the palace, the Arab ministers' debate continued, but their anger was now tinged with fear of the Tang Dynasty and lessened by their former arrogance.

No sooner had Wang Cheng's figure disappeared outside the palace gates than the debate in the Baghdad council chamber erupted like a flood in the Tigris River.

Umar III held the military briefing in his hand, the candlelight beside his gilded throne reflecting the varied expressions of the ministers in the hall.

Anger, resentment, fear, and compromise intertwine in the aroma of spices and agarwood.

"God above all! These Chinese people have gone too far!"

Khalid abruptly sheathed the silver-handled dagger, the clanging of armor causing the candlelight to flicker.

"Submitting as vassals and paying tribute? That's something only conquered tribes do! We are eagles soaring in the desert, who have brought the glory of God to Persia and Egypt. How can we bow down to the Tang people of the East?"

"Even if they have artillery, we have 30,000 brave warriors. We'll fight to the last man and let God witness our loyalty!"

Abdul quickly stepped forward, placed his hands on his chest, and bowed to advise, "Khalid, your courage is as fiery as the midday sun in the desert, but God teaches us to recognize reality!"

"The Tang army had fifty cannons capable of breaching city walls, and tens of thousands of musketeers."

"Last year, even the copper sand walls of Tibet's Wolf Howl Fortress couldn't stop those metal pipes. How long can our adobe walls in Baghdad hold out?"

"Our people, whom God has given us, should not become ashes under cannon fire for the sake of glory!"

A young nobleman gripped the brocade belt around his waist, embroidered with the totem of the Hashim tribe: "Great Vizier, this is cowardice!"

“We can compensate for the warhorses and craftsmen, and we can withdraw from the east bank of the Amu Darya, but submission is absolutely unacceptable! That would make all the conquered tribes laugh at us and bring shame upon the glory of God!”

"Why not send envoys to contact the old Persian nobles and recruit the private soldiers of Sogdian merchants? If we join forces, we might be able to hold our own against the Tang army!"

Said shook his head, his face pale: "Contact the old Persian nobles? Have you forgotten that they are like venomous snakes in the desert, always looking to bite us!"

"God is my witness. I once fought against the Tang people. Their muskets could shoot from a hundred paces away, while our scimitars didn't even have a chance to get close."

"If the Persians knew the Tang army was powerful, they would only turn to the Tang and pledge allegiance, never help us. They have long been dissatisfied with our rule!"

King Umar III remained silent, his gaze sweeping over the arguing ministers in the hall before finally settling on the military briefing in his hands. "Enough!"

He suddenly spoke, his voice carrying the majesty bestowed by God: "Tell me, what will we lose if we agree to become vassals and pay tribute? What will we lose if we don't agree?"

Khalid immediately replied, "Your Excellency Caliph, if we agree, we will lose the dignity of the Desert Eagle!"

“The tribes will question your authority, and the Berbers in North Africa will seize the opportunity to rebel. The empire bestowed by God will fall apart in the process of compromise!”

Abdul hurriedly added, "But if we don't agree, we will lose Baghdad!"

"The Tang army's cannons will blast open the city gates, the people will be displaced, and trade routes will be cut off!"

"The wealth and land that God has given us will all be reduced to nothing in the flames of war!"

"Although paying tribute and submitting to the Tang Dynasty is humiliating, it can protect the people of God and our trade route with the Tang Dynasty. The thousands of bolts of brocade and hundreds of fine horses we receive each year are nothing compared to the losses from war!"

Said quickly chimed in, "Moreover, the Tang people said they would ensure the smooth flow of trade routes!"

“Our caravans earn ten times more wealth from the Western Regions each year than we pay tribute! As long as the trade routes remain, we will be able to restore our strength in a few years, and we might even be able to learn how to manufacture firearms from the Tang people.”

"It won't be too late to wash away today's humiliation then!"

An elderly nobleman stroked his white beard, his eyes gleaming with wisdom: "Sayed is right!"

"God teaches us that patience is a virtue. When the Prophet was persecuted in Mecca, he also sought refuge in Medina, and only then did he spread the glory of God throughout Arabia. Our concession today is not cowardice, but so that in the future God's eagle can soar in a wider sky!"

Khalid remained unconvinced, yet found no grounds for rebuttal. He watched as most of the ministers nodded in agreement, and saw the weariness and resolve in Umar III's eyes. Finally, he lowered his head, his voice tinged with resentment: "But... if word gets out of this vassalage pact, what will become of the dignity of our Arab Empire..."

Abdul stepped forward and said sincerely, "Face? The safety that God has given to our people is more important than face!"

“We can add a clause to the alliance: ‘The Arabs are friendly nations of the Tang Dynasty and will send envoys to pay tribute every year.’ Instead of saying ‘submitting as vassals,’ we will only say ‘paying tribute.’”

"This is a compromise bestowed by God that satisfies the demands of the Tang people while preserving our dignity!"

Umar III nodded slowly, tapping his fingertips lightly on the armrest of his throne: "Do as the Grand Vizier says. Draft the treaty within three days."

"Compensation of 30,000 warhorses and 5,000 suits of armor, and return of more than 100 Tang Dynasty craftsmen."

“Every year, they would present a thousand bolts of Persian brocade and a hundred fine Arabian horses, and send envoys to Chang'an to pay tribute.”

"Permanently withdraw from the east bank of the Amu Darya River and cease all collusion with anti-Tang forces."

"As for the words 'submit to the Tang Dynasty,' let's change them to 'be a friendly nation to the Tang Dynasty forever,' which will save face for the Tang people and prevent our people from being humiliated."

"Yes, Your Majesty the Caliph!" The ministers bowed and accepted the order. Khalid, though still unwilling, could only lower his head.

Faced with the cannon threat of the Tang Dynasty and the practical choices, the dignity of the desert eagle must ultimately give way to the people and land bestowed by God.

The candlelight in the council chamber gradually dimmed as the ministers departed, leaving only Umar III and Abdul. "Grand Vizier," the Caliph said wearily, gazing out at the night, "do you think God will forgive our retreat?"

“Your Majesty the Caliph, God will forgive a monarch who cares for his people.” Abdul bowed and replied, “Our concession is not the end, but the beginning. As long as we preserve the trade routes and our people, one day we will let the Tang people know that the talons of the desert eagle have never truly been retracted.”

The Tigris River flowed quietly, reflecting the lights of the palace.

A debate concerning the fate of the Arab Empire has come to an end amidst compromise and reality. This alliance, bearing the name of a "friendly nation" but concealing the reality of submission, will be delivered to Wang Cheng, the envoy of the Tang Dynasty, in three days.

The contest between the desert eagle and the Eastern dragon has temporarily come to an end, in a manner that appears to be equal but is in fact one of reverence.

Of course, this also depends on whether Wang Cheng, the envoy of the Tang Dynasty, agrees.
-
Summer of the 26th year of Zhenguan.

The afternoon of the third day.

The atmosphere in the council chamber of the Baghdad Royal Palace was even more somber than it had been three days prior.

Abdul held the drafted covenant in his hands and stood in the hall, while Umar III sat on his throne, his eyes fixed on the door of the council chamber.

Today, Wang Cheng, the envoy of the Tang Dynasty, will come to finalize the alliance. However, no one is sure whether the document, which deliberately avoids the word "subject," will be accepted.

During these three days, the Arab Empire treated Wang Cheng with the utmost hospitality.

They give away delicious food, fine wine, and everything else.

Wang Cheng should also enjoy himself.

This made everyone think that the Tang Dynasty envoy might not be so concerned about this matter.

The heavy wooden door was pushed open, and Wang Cheng, dressed in a brand-new scarlet court robe and holding a gold-inlaid staff, slowly walked into the hall.

His gaze swept over the ministers who were holding their breath in the hall, finally settling on the treaty in Abdul's hand. His voice was calm but carried an undeniable authority: "Grand Vizier, the three-day period has come to an end. May I have a look at the contents of the treaty?"

Abdul quickly handed over the treaty, secretly praying that the Tang people would accept this compromise.

Wang Cheng took the document and carefully read it word by word. The hall was so quiet that only the sound of him turning the parchment could be heard.

When he saw the sentence “Arabia is a friendly nation of the Great Tang Dynasty and sends envoys to pay tribute every year,” he suddenly stopped, his brows furrowed, and he threw the covenant heavily onto the council table. The parchment slid across the table in an arc before finally landing in front of Umar III.

“Friendly nations? Paying homage?” Wang Cheng’s voice suddenly rose, his gaze sweeping across the assembled ministers like a sharp sword.

"I made it very clear three days ago that the Arabs must submit to the Tang Dynasty and honor the Tang Dynasty as the Celestial Empire! Now, this treaty doesn't even dare to write the word 'subject'. Do you think the cannons of my Tang Dynasty are not sharp enough, or do you think the heavenly army of my Celestial Empire will not cross the Amu Darya River?"

The council chamber erupted in chaos. Khalid abruptly drew a silver-hilted dagger from his waist, the blade pointing directly at Wang Cheng, and roared, "God above! We have already agreed to compensate for the warhorses, return the craftsmen, and withdraw from the east bank of the Amu Darya. How dare you push your luck! The Desert Eagle will never submit to anyone. If you continue to pressure us, don't blame us for being impolite!"

"You're welcome?" Wang Cheng sneered, took a step forward, and stared directly at Khalid's blade. "When I left Chang'an, His Highness the Crown Prince said, 'Anyone who disrespects the Tang Dynasty, no matter how far away, will be punished.'"

"If you dare to lay a finger on me, the cannons of my Great Ming will soon blast open the gates of Baghdad. At that time, your dagger will not even be able to protect itself!"

Abdul quickly stepped forward and pulled Khalid aside, then turned to Wang Cheng and bowed, saying, "Respected envoy, the matter of submitting to the vassal state concerns the dignity of our Arab Empire. The people of God cannot accept such humiliation. We are willing to offer more tribute every year—two thousand bolts of Persian brocade and two hundred fine Arabian horses—only asking to retain the title of 'friendly nation.' We beg the envoy's understanding!"

"Make an exception?" Wang Cheng shook his head, took out a scroll of the Tang Dynasty's territory from his bosom, and unfolded it on the council table. The map clearly marked the boundaries of the Tang Dynasty in vermilion ink, stretching from Chang'an all the way to the Western Regions.

"You have invaded my Anxi three times and killed my border people. Now, all we ask for is for you to submit to us, and you call it 'humiliation'? Back then, when the Turkic Khaganate Jieli invaded our Great Tang, Emperor Taizong personally led the expedition, and in the end, the Turks submitted to us. Was Jieli Khagan's dignity less than yours?"

He pointed to the city of Lhasa on the map, his tone becoming increasingly forceful: "If you do not submit, this alliance is nothing but a piece of paper. I will immediately set off back to Chang'an and have General Su lead his army to reason with you!"

Umar III's face turned pale and then red, his fingers gripping the armrests of the throne tightly.

An elderly nobleman couldn't help but speak up: "Envoy, submitting to the Tang Dynasty will make us lose face in front of the conquered tribes. The Berbers in North Africa will surely take the opportunity to rebel, and then war will break out, which will not benefit the Tang Dynasty at all! We are willing to establish a lasting friendship with the Tang Dynasty and share trade routes. Isn't that enough?"

“Not enough!” Wang Cheng replied decisively. “Friendship is built on respect, and to respect the Great Tang is to become its vassal! If you are truly friendly with the Great Tang, you should let the whole world know that the Great Tang is the Celestial Empire and you are its vassals! Otherwise, today’s alliance will be torn up tomorrow, just like you broke your agreement with the Anxi Protectorate three times!”

Khalid broke free from Abdul's obstruction and glared at Wang Cheng: "Don't go too far! We have already yielded to the extreme. If you insist on forcing us, we would rather fight! Even if we fight to the last man, we will not let the people of Allah bow down to the Tang people!"

(End of this chapter)