“Great General, my respects!”
Wang Chong stopped in front of Bahram and nodded in greeting. Yuan Shusong quickly translated Wang Chong’s words.
______________1. Surprisingly, this quotation is not from some ancient Chinese text, but a poem by Mao Zedong, ‘The People’s Liberation Army Captures Nanking’. The Hegemon King referred to here is Xiang Yu, the Hegemon King of Chu in the end-stages of the Qin Dynasty, who did not kill Liu Bang when he had the chance. This led to the Chu-Han Contention, which resulted in Xiang Yu’s death and Liu Bang founding the Han Dynasty.↩
Chapter 1156 - Samarkand!
Chapter 1156: Samarkand!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Clang!
Before Wang Chong could do anything else, the Khorasani leader unsheathed his sword, flourishing it in the air before holding it out levelly before him. He slowly lowered his head, a solemn expression on his face.
At this sight, Wang Chong and everyone behind him were stunned.
“Milord, he hopes to exchange swords,” Yuan Shusong explained. “This is a sort of ceremony in the Sassanid Dynasty, exchanging one’s most precious swords to express the utmost courtesy and respect for a guest. The Khorasani regard their personal swords very highly, even more than their own lives, and they rarely perform this kind of ceremony.”
When Yuan Shusong, who was now around fifty or sixty, was around seventeen, he had traveled the world. At that time, even the Sassanid Dynasty had yet to be destroyed by Arabia. In his travels through the world, Yuan Shusong had developed a deep understanding of many of the Sassanid Dynasty’s customs, and knew the unusual significance with which they regarded this ceremony.
“So that’s how it is!”
Wang Chong understood, and with a grunt, he unsheathed his Wootz Steel sword and offered it with both hands. In front of all the Tang and Khorasani soldiers, the two of them exchanged swords.
Boom!
At the moment of exchange, all the Aswaran Cataphracts behind Bahram, as well as the other Sassanid cavalry, exploded with cheers.
“Deluya, Shankuqiyasila…”
Bahram spoke once more, an expression of deep respect on his face.
“Great General Bahram says that the Arabs are the eternal enemies of the Sassanids. For killing Aybak, the foe of the Sassanids, and killing Qutaybah and more than four hundred thousand Arab soldiers, the Sassanids are eternally grateful to Milord. As long as Milord is willing to strike against the Arabs, the Sassanids are willing to follow Milord’s command and be Milord’s staunchest ally to the west of the Cong Mountains.”
Yuan Shusong constantly interpreted.
“Great General is too polite!” Wang Chong quickly replied. “We have also heard of the Sassanids’ situation. The Arabs are cruel and brutal, delighting in conquest and destruction. On this matter, we share a common enemy, and the Great Tang is also willing to be the Sassanids’ staunchest ally in fighting against the Arabs.”
“It is enough to hear these words from General Wang!”
Bahram’s eyes brightened.
As he spoke, he extended his large and vigorous right palm.
“Heh!”
Wang Chong chuckled and strongly gripped it with his own right hand.
At that moment, no one could have expected that this simple yet forceful handshake had created the strongest alliance to the west of the Cong Mountains, and it had also created the most powerful, loyal, and reliable ally the Great Tang could have between Khorasan and Samarkand.
“Hahaha…”
As Wang Chong and Bahram loosened their grips, the entire Black Forest resounded with the joyful laughter of both armies.
With Bahram and his nine-thousand-some Aswaran Cataphracts, Wang Chong’s strength was bolstered. Now, Bahram had some important news to convey.
The Khorasani had learned from the personal guards that Abu Muslim had left in Samarkand that Samarkand was already beginning to gather militia. The moment Abu Muslim arrived, it was prepared to close its gates and rely on its high and thick walls to deal with the Tang.
“General has never been to Samarkand, so perhaps you do not know that the height and thickness of Samarkand’s walls are on nearly the same level as Talas. If they are allowed to enter the city and gather many militia, it will be extremely unfavorable for us. The urgent task at hand is to not give them any time to rest,” Bahram sternly said. “In addition, we have men in Samarkand who have successfully infiltrated the army, even taking control over a city gate. But Abu Muslim has always been cautious. It is almost guaranteed that when he arrives at Samarkand, he will rearrange the defenses of the city. Thus, we have to move quickly. Speed is paramount in war!
“In addition, in this war with the Arabs, how long goes General plan to stay in the area?”
A hint of deep concern appeared in Bahram’s eyes.
To work with the Great Tang, the Sassanids had dispatched all their elites, even deploying the ever-hidden Aswaran Cataphracts. These soldiers were more than enough to deal with the remnants of Abu Muslim’s defeated army, but once Abu Muslim had time to catch his breath and gather more Arab soldiers, the Sassanids would sustain vicious losses.
The Aswaran Cataphracts had been able to survive the determined efforts of the Arabian Empire to exterminate them because they had always remained hidden, leaving behind not a single trace. But now that they had revealed themselves, hiding themselves again would not be so easy.
“Haha, Great General, there is no need for concern. This matter between the Great Tang and Arabia will not end with just a single battlefield, and my goal is not merely a single Samarkand. On the front against the Arabs, the Sassanid Dynasty can regard the Great Tang as its greatest ally and backer. General has no need to worry about this.”
Wang Chong knew what Bahram and the Khorasani were worried about, and he loudly laughed as he dispelled their worries.
The aggressiveness of the Arabs foreordained that they would be forever enemies of the Great Tang. If they were not given a painful lesson and their vitality greatly wounded, in the future, they would undoubtedly come back with another army. Just as the Stone of Destiny had said, a mountain could not hold two tigers and a pool could not be home to two dragons. It was very difficult for two similarly enormous empires to exist on the same continent at the same time. Just this fact alone meant that Wang Chong would not lightly withdraw his troops.
“Wonderful!”
Bahram was elated. He had taken his Aswaran Cataphracts on such a risky venture precisely so he could hear this promise from Wang Chong.
“General, be at ease. From Samarkand to Khorasan, we still know many rebels, all of them the descendants of the dynasties that ruled the countries vanquished by the Arabs. I can get in touch with them and have them organize to work with General and sweep away the Arabs. The Arabs are perverse and cruel, and they are everyone’s foe. General killed the Arab War God Qutaybah at Talas, so I am confident that everyone will be willing to regard General as their leader in the fight against the Arabs!”
“!!!”
Wang Chong and Gao Xianzhi glanced at each other in shock. Although the Great Tang had emerged victorious in the battle against Arabia, it had suffered devastating losses of its own, an army of more than one hundred thousand whittled down to twenty to thirty thousand. Even with the assistance of the Aswaran Cataphracts, their forces were still rather weak for a conquest of Arabia. For the Great Tang to obtain even more help was truly a pleasant surprise.
“Great General, this is fine as well. Let us go with Great General’s plan!”
Wang Chong turned to Bahram and faintly smiled.
The Tang soldiers by now were extremely exhausted, and this war with the Arabs was bound to be a long one. Wang Chong ordered his army to rest and recover for a while before joining with the Aswaran Cataphracts and setting off. Speed was paramount in war, and so the joint army set off without further delay, passing through the Black Forest and onward to Samarkand.
Around two hours later, towering city walls as imposing as mountains appeared before everyone’s eyes.
“What high walls!”
Li Siye shaded his eyes with a hand as he stared in shock at the grandiose fortress before him.
Talas was already an exceptionally large city, but this city was even larger and more grandiose. The steep and sturdy walls soared to the heavens, and at just a glance, one could tell that this city would be even harder to break than Talas.
Around Li Siye, Cheng Qianli, Xi Yuanqing, Lou Shiyi, Xue Qianjun, and the others had the same expressions of shock. The sight of this major strategic city of Arabia had left a deep impression on them.
“Begin!”
Bahram, seated upon his monstrous horse, gazed at the city walls and swung down a signal flag. A moment later, boom! A massive city gate thirty to forty meters tall began to slowly open, revealing a path into Samarkand.
Everyone felt a great weight being lifted off their hearts when they saw the gate open.
“Kill!”
With a clang, Wang Chong pulled out Bahram’s sword and aimed it to the heavens, reflecting their cold light. Rumble! The earth quaked and groaned as the nearly thirty thousand soldiers of the combined army charged into Samarkand.
……
“Ziyad, hear my order. Strengthen the city defenses and switch around all the garrisons at each post. I want the number of soldiers posted at each gate to be increased by four to five times. Samarkand’s walls are tall and thick, and this will be our most important tool in resisting the Tang. As long as we occupy this city, not even a year will be enough for the Tang to break their way through.”
Within Samarkand, Abu Muslim paced back and forth inside a domed hall, his expression tense and his eyes brimming with worry. If one looked carefully, one would notice that his eyes were slightly bloodshot.
In the Battle of Talas, the Arabs had encountered an unprecedented defeat. Aybak had been killed, the Mamelukes had been greatly wounded, and Osman had been slain by Bahram’s ambush. Most importantly, even the Governor of War, Qutaybah, had died to the Tang, together with more than four hundred thousand Arab elites. Such a gruesome defeat was enough to make the skull of any Arab governor go numb.
Even now, Abu Muslim had no idea how to explain this all to the infuriated Caliph.
“Yes, this general will go.”
Ziyad was also brimming with concern and unease.
Chapter 1157 - The Shocked Kingdoms!
Chapter 1157: The Shocked Kingdoms!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
After the defeat at Talas, the remaining Arabs soldiers had truly been fleeing like stray dogs. From Talas to Samarkand, the number of soldiers that had remained at Abu Muslim and Ziyad’s side didn’t even reach thirty thousand. Fortunately, they had Samarkand. The thought of Samarkand’s thick and sturdy walls immediately caused Ziyad to calm down.
At the very least, with the help of these walls, the two of them would have a rare opportunity to catch their breath.
“Reporting!”
Ziyad had barely walked two steps, not even leaving the military hall, when a frantic voice rang out in his ears.
Both of them nervously turned their heads and saw a panting Arab messenger, his face pale and stricken with unease.
“Reporting! The second gate of Samarkand was broken through. The Sassanids, leading more than twenty thousand Tang, are in the middle of attacking the city.”
The moment the messenger entered the hall, he kneeled down, a deluge of sweat coming from his body.
“What?!”
Abu Muslim and Ziyad both trembled in shock, as if they had seen a ghost.
“How could that be? What about the lookouts? Why didn’t we receive any word of such a large ruckus! Did not a single person see such a large army approach?”
Ziyad’s eyes went round in disbelief. An army of more than ten thousand was so large that all except the blind could spot it, and they hadn’t even gotten word of an enemy army approaching.
“Milord, the scouts sent word, but before they could approach the military hall, they were slain by the experts the Sassanids hid in the city. The Sassanid spies are currently starting fires, killing people, and stirring rebellion, and Samarkand is in chaos. Milord, we should quickly retreat!” the messenger frantically said.
The last few words from the messenger were like thunder in Abu Muslim’s and Ziyad’s ears, and their faces paled. The words ‘Milord, we should quickly retreat’ dealt an even greater shock to them than the news that Wang Chong had joined hands with the Sassanids in this assault.
The army had been defeated. Although Abu Muslim and Ziyad had recovered their strength and could now fight a battle to the death, their soldiers had no morale. Not even the recovered Abu Muslim and Ziyad could do anything about that.
The death of Qutaybah in that battle of hundreds of thousands had dealt a blow like none other to the army. None of the soldiers even dared to fight with the Tang army.
“!”
These thoughts quickly flitted through his mind, and then Abu Muslim raised his head to the dome of the hall and gave a deep sigh. This time, it seemed like there was truly no chance for them to turn the tables.
“Pass on my order! Have the entire army withdraw! Leave Samarkand for the Tang!”
Abu Muslim’s voice was tinged with great reluctance, but this battle was already settled.
Ziyad stood next to him, his face a complex mixture of emotions and the look in his eyes constantly shifting.
“This general will go!”
Finally, Ziyad strode out of the hall.
A few moments later, amidst the waving of signal flags, all the Arab soldiers in the city withdrew from Samarkand as if they were clouds being blown away by the wind, and they set off for the even farther Khorasan.
……
“What? Abu Muslim and Ziyad fled so quickly?”
Within Samarkand, Wang Chong couldn’t help but sneer at the news.
“I originally thought that there would be a major battle, but it seems like that’s not necessary. Xu Keyi, in my name, write two letters. One is for Feng Changqing back in Anxi. Have him send some soldiers to garrison Samarkand. The other letter is for the Imperial Court. The battle is over, and the Imperial Court will need to send someone to handle the aftermath.”
With Talas destroyed, the strongest bridgehead the Great Tang had in the war against Arabia was now Samarkand. Now that they occupied this fortress, even a small number of soldiers would be enough to oppose the Arabs.
“Lord Wang Chong, west of Samarkand is flat land with few defenses. Abu Muslim won’t be able to find any strong defensive positions there, so he will definitely flee all the way to Khorasan. This is the best chance for us to continue the assault, suppress Arabia, and widen our conquest!” Bahram sternly said.
“Mm! Let’s do as Milord says. The entire army will set out in pursuit!”
Wang Chong nodded. With the guidance of the Sassanids, Wang Chong’s forces would progress as smoothly as a fish swam through water, encountering very little opposition.
A few moments later, the war drums began to thunder. Leaving several thousand men behind to hold Samarkand together with the Khorasani, the two armies set off, tightly pursuing Abu Muslim.
As they journeyed, the news of the victory at Talas and the death of Qutaybah began to spread. Between Khorasan and Samarkand, the entire eastern zone of Arabia quaked as the people of the many kingdoms that Arabia had conquered began to cheer.
With Bahram’s prestige and coordination, the army was like a rolling snowball, more and more rebel soldiers joining its ranks.
When they had first set out from Samarkand, Wang Chong’s army together with the Sassanids totaled thirty to forty thousand, but by now, they had gathered a force of one hundred thousand, and the number was continuing to rise at an astonishing rate. Ultimately, Wang Chong managed to gather the forces of thirty to fo
rty different factions at his side and commanded an army of more than two hundred thousand, an intimidating and grandiose force.
Abu Muslim was originally still capable of doing battle with Wang Chong, but now that he had more than two hundred thousand soldiers, Abu Muslim had completely lost this opportunity.
In the past, the Arabs had ruled with an iron fist, slaughtering the people of its eastern region and levying heavy taxes upon them, causing resentment to build amongst the people. When the Arabs were strong, all was fine, as they were able to suppress any dissent, but now that a new challenger had appeared, particularly one that had inflicted upon Arabia a devastating defeat at Talas, this resentment and hatred flooded out and became Wang Chong’s greatest assistance in his western campaign.
As Wang Chong continued to pursue Abu Muslim’s defeated army, elsewhere, the other empires and civilizations of the conflict quaked at the news of the Great Tang’s victory, and the structure of the world silently began to change.
……
Flap flap!
A carrier pigeon from the distant Samarkand flew into the headquarters of the Anxi Protectorate. Its news of the victory at Talas left all the factions of the Western Regions slack-jawed and wide-eyed.
“One hundred thousand versus five hundred thousand! Such a large difference in numbers, and yet the Great Tang won! Unbelievable!”
In the palace of Further Beilu, a muscular man with a long beard suddenly jumped to his feet, his large, bronze eyes brimming with extreme shock.
The war between Arabia and the Great Tang had swept up the kingdoms of the Western Regions in a storm, and the numerous kingdoms swayed back and forth like grass growing on the top of a wall, struggling over whether they should submit to the Great Tang or Arabia. All these countries were trying to guess at who the final victor would be, and Further Beilu had clearly favored Arabia.
After all, this was an army of five hundred thousand elites overseen by powerful individuals like Qutaybah, Abu Muslim, and Osman. Defeat was practically impossible. But reality had given the King of Further Beilu and all his ministers a vicious slap to the face.
The Human Emperor c1-2382 Page 731