“The Arabian Empire?! How could it be them? Aren’t they just a tiny country? What sort of threat could they pose?”
“That’s right! They might not even be able to contend against Mengshe Zhao. How could they be even stronger than Ü-Tsang? And aren’t Gao Xianzhi and the Anxi Protectorate army in the west? With them there, what country could threaten us?”
“Lord Marquis, might you have picked the wrong spot? I’ve met Arabs in the capital. All of them are round and fat, and they give such big smiles that their eyes scrunch up. Even if they come in hundreds of thousands, we could easily defeat people like that. How could they possibly threaten us?”
The people in the room were flabbergasted at the place Wang Chong had stuck the red flag. No one had imagined that the threat Wang Chong spoke of would be this extremely faraway land. Many of them suspected that Wang Chong had put the flag in the wrong place.
Wang Chong said nothing to these gasps of surprise, only faintly smiled. When he first began to build this city in Wushang, everyone believed that his goal was to build a commercial city through which he could make a fortune, or else they believed that he wanted to use this city as a base to push back the Tibetans and Turks. However, Wang Chong’s goal had never been the Ü-Tsang Empire, and certainly not the Western Turkic Khaganate. At this stage, there was no longer any need to hide his aim.
From start to finish, he had had only one enemy and adversary: that massive empire west of the Cong Mountains.
Arabia!
On this continent, this was the only power that could stand on the same level as the Great Tang, and it was a formidable existence that was still in the middle of aggressive expansion.
Everyone believed that the Arabian Empire was currently a small country around the size of Goguryeo or Mengshe Zhao, but Wang Chong knew that the true Arabia controlled a territory even larger than the Great Tang, with a larger population as well. In addition, it commanded the allegiance of many small kingdoms and countless generals. In addition, while the Great Tang had indulged in peace and prosperity, the Arabian Empire was one that worshiped strength and battle. Their history was one of constant expansion and war.
The Great Tang just had too little understanding of countries beyond the Central Plains. A fox would die facing its den, and the people of the Central Plains had a penchant for thinking fondly of their homeland, unwilling to even glance at the outside world. Xu Keyi, Cheng Sanyuan, and the others had been with Wang Chong for a very long time, but even they regarded the Arabs with scorn and contempt, so one could easily imagine what others thought.
While everyone else was focused on Ü-Tsang and the Eastern and Western Turks, they were blissfully unaware that this ‘tiny country’ was already beginning to train troops and gather supplies for a campaign against the Great Tang! And if they succeeded, the fate of the Central Plains would be completely altered, and this massive empire would fall into endless civil strife and discord.
Wang Chong could not accept this.
What Wang Chong wanted to do was give this massive empire of the west a savage blow the moment it stretched out its claws, let it understand the strength of the empire of the east.
Wang Chong continued to survey the crowd as he lightly ordered, “Zhang Que, bring out the information Yang Hongchang gathered for everyone to see.”
“Yes, Lord Marquis.”
A young voice came from behind Wang Chong, and Zhang Que quickly strode forward with a thick stack of documents which he began to pass around. Still puzzled, the officers all subconsciously took the documents.
“Open it up and take a look,” Wang Chong indifferently said, making no effort to explain.
Confused, they opened the documents, and at first glance, their pupils immediately constricted, their chattering instantly fading away. And as time passed, the atmosphere in the room grew heavy.
“Arabia? How could this be? Their territory is large enough to be on par with the Great Tang!”
“A population of tens of millions? How could that be? Weren’t they just a small kingdom? And they have so many soldiers!”
“How can this be? How could there be such a large country west of the Cong Mountains?”
“Too powerful! They’ve even attacked Ü-Tsang multiple times, and while their armies were smaller, they forced the most powerful Yarlung Royal Lineage of the Ü-Tsang Empire back like a turtle retracting into its shell.”
All the officers were left dazed and dumbfounded by this information. The Arabia presented in these documents was completely different from the Arabia they knew, and they could hardly believe their eyes. At this moment, they understood why Wang Chong had said that the Arabian Empire was the largest threat to the Great Tang.
“What you’re seeing now is the roughest of information. The true strength of Arabia is even greater than what’s on the record.”
Wang Chong’s indifferent words silenced the room once more, and everyone turned to look at him.
“Zhang Que, it’s your turn to speak.”
Wang Chong glanced at Zhang Que.
“Yes, Lord Marquis.”
Zhang Que bowed and quickly turned to face the crowd.
“This information was initially gathered from a great clan that Lord Marquis is working with in the Western Regions. This clan has done business with Arabia for many years and has some understanding of that place. However, Arabs are very cautious of outsiders, and it’s very difficult for us to comprehensively gather information. The information before you was already very difficult to obtain, and several scouts died for it. The true Arabian Empire can only be stronger, not weaker.
“In addition, not too long ago, I received an order to join a Hu caravan to Arabia, but before I could get very far, when I released Little Sha, I was discovered by the Arabs. The birds their military breeds are extremely formidable, and even Little Sha was injured. They also dispatched cavalry to pursue me, so I was forced to withdraw.”
As Zhang Que spoke, he raised his arm to show the rock eagle perched on it to the crowd. This rock eagle had wounds on its head, legs, and body. Claws as sharp as swords had struck deep, and in some places, it was even possible to see the bone.
Hiss!
Everyone couldn’t help but gasp. They all knew just how formidable this rock eagle was. There were almost no birds in Qixi, perhaps in all of the Western Regions, that could contend against this rock eagle, and even those birds trained by the Tibetans and Turks had to retreat in panic before its claws. It fully deserved its title as king of eagles.
But even Zhang Que’s rock eagle had been heavily wounded. Their concepts of the world were being completely overturned.
Chapter 840 - Sword Pointed at Arabia!
Chapter 840: Sword Pointed at Arabia!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
“Are the Arabs really this formidable?” Cheng Sanyuan muttered in shock.
“Arabia is even stronger than all of you can imagine!”
Wang Chong finally spoke.
“In a part of Arabia near Anxi, there is a place called Samarkand. Two hundred thousand Arabian soldiers have assembled there, all of them the most formidable cavalry. All of you have seen the Tibetan and Turkic warhorses. The Arabian warhorses are even taller, more muscular, and have an even greater charge. Not only that, although you’ve seen the Arab merchants, the majority of them plump and useless in battle, the true Arabs are natural warriors, honed by their environment to be tall and sturdy. Thus, once a war begins, the Arabs can summon its people to form an army without even needing to train them, immediately expanding their army to more than four hundred thousand, each of the soldiers on par with a regular soldier. And this is only the army the Arabs have stationed on their eastern border. If they need to undergo a full mobilization, the Arabs could probably command an army of nigh unimaginable size.”
The entire room was quiet, everyone listening in shock to Wang Chong’s words. This was their first time getting to truly know the Arabian Empire, and
all of them felt an intense danger.
“…But that statement at the start was right. At the very beginning, the Arabian Empire was just a tiny country, even smaller than Goguryeo. They were only able to develop to such a massive scale, growing even larger than the Great Tang, because they spent many years training their soldiers for war and battling surrounding countries. All of you fought with Dayan Mangban’s White Braves and know how powerful they were. The Arabs have their Mamelukes1, a force even stronger than the White Braves of Ü-Tsang. In Arabia, all the Mamelukes start training at the age of seven or eight. From the very beginning, they are made to fight amongst themselves, with only the fiercest and most savage of the children being able to survive. As these children grow, they receive the harshest military training, maturing through actual battle and blood until they become true Mamelukes. At that time, each of them will have become the most lethal weapon, imbued with rich experience in killing and battle.”
Wang Chong’s voiced echoed through the room, acting as a sort of baptism to everyone within. This was Wang Chong’s goal. If even his closest subordinates did not recognize the strength of the Arabs, there would be no need to talk about defeating them. Change happened drop by drop. The Great Tang could no longer remain entranced by the Central Plains and its periphery. It needed to raise its head and see the true face of the world.
This change would happen from the people nearest to his side.
In the future, if every Tang could relinquish their obsession with their homeland and open their eyes to see the world as it really was, a whole new Great Tang would be formed.
“Lord Marquis, if every Arab is as formidable as you say, how can we fight against them? Can we still defeat them?” Cheng Sanyuan suddenly spoke, his shocked gaze on Wang Chong. The words spoken today had completely altered his impressions of that distant country.
“Cheng Sanyuan, I’ve never met a true Arab warrior, nor do I know what you mean by defeating them, but I can tell you that the Great Tang did not reach its current status through luck!” Li Siye suddenly said, his expression grim and each of his words seeming to thump against the floor. “Goguryeo, Mengshe Zhao, Ü-Tsang, the Eastern and Western Turkic Khaganates, and the kingdoms of the Western Regions—all of these countries added together do not dare to recklessly make war against the Great Tang. Only the Great Tang is capable of relying on its solitary strength to suppress these surrounding countries and make them lower their heads. Arabia might be very strong, but the Great Tang is definitely not weak! If Arabia dares to covet the Central Plains, it will come to learn of the true strength of the Great Tang, a lesson it will never forget!”
“That’s right!”
Wang Chong gave a knowing smile upon hearing Li Siye’s words.
“Arabia truly is very strong, but our Great Tang definitely isn’t weak. The Arabian cavalry is very formidable, but their crossbow bolts and other equipment can’t compare to ours. Our Great Tang’s ballistae are unrivalled throughout the world. No matter what sort of cavalry or how thick their armor, none of them can stop the piercing power of a ballista bolt. Moreover, in terms of infantry formations as well as strategy and tactics, Arabia is far inferior to the Great Tang. They have no such thing as formations, only simple arrangements of soldiers, and they certainly have no idea of strategy and tactics.”
Wang Chong was not at all boasting. The strategy texts of the Central Plains were developed over a long history of frequent and large-scale conflicts. This was something the Arabs lacked.
Everyone nodded their heads, motivated by Wang Chong’s words. Yes, Arabia might be a massive alligator, yet the Great Tang was no sheep, but a mighty lion. Who was stronger and who was weaker could only be found out through battle.
“Lord Marquis, what do you need us to do?!”
“No matter what it is, as long as we can be of aid to the Great Tang in opposing the Arabs, we would even walk through seas of fire and mountains of blades!”
“That’s right! Those who offend my Great Tang will all be punished, no matter how far away they are! Lord Marquis, give us your orders!”
The officers began to excitedly sound off. Against foreign foes, all of them were of one mind. Whether or not they wanted to admit it, their honor and duty as people of the Great Tang had bored into their bones. Wang Chong mentally nodded at this sight, greatly relieved. Regardless of what it was like elsewhere, as long as the people at his side shared his vision, their wills could form an impregnable stronghold that allowed Wang Chong to complete any task he set out to do with confidence.
“A mountain cannot hold two tigers! The Arabs are pugnacious people who are bound to clash with the Great Tang one day. Although I can’t be sure of the actual time of this war, we can start preparing for it now. Xu Keyi!”
Wang Chong turned his head to his right.
“Your subordinate is here!”
Xu Keyi hurriedly lowered his head and bowed.
“Starting from now, I need you to put your focus elsewhere. Your mission will be to select as many elite scouts from the army as possible, teach them Arabic, and then dispatch them to the Arabian Empire. In addition, the Arabs are very xenophobic, so you can’t choose Han, only Hu, or else hire merchants from the Western Regions. I need you to use these people to gather as much information on the Arabian Empire as you can,” Wang Chong said.
“Your subordinate understands!” Xu Keyi immediately answered.
“Chen Bin!”
“Your subordinate is here!”
Chen Bin stepped forward.
“The recipe for the cement road has already reached a mature state. I need you to get in touch with Zhao Jingdian in the capital and mobilize the power of the great clans to build a cement road from Wushang to the Anxi Protectorate as quickly as possible. In addition, inform Zhao Jingdian that I also need the cement road from the capital to Wushang finished soon as well,” Wang Chong sternly said.
“Yes!”
Chen Bin bowed.
“Su Shixuan!”
“Your subordinate is here!”
Su Shixuan hurriedly stepped forward.
“Use my status as Qixi Protector-General and Lord of Wushang to write a memorial to the court requesting reinforcements for Qixi. Say that in the last major battle, Qixi suffered many casualties. Request the court to use Wushang’s City of Steel as the transit point for the soldiers. Say that we can help relieve the Imperial Court’s logistical burden,” Wang Chong ordered, a fearsome look on his face.
He had put a great deal of thought into this problem and had determined that if he wanted to reinforce the Anxi Protectorate army, just Qixi alone would not enough. He would need soldiers from the Imperial Court, transferred from other regions. If the City of Steel could be used as a reservoir of manpower, he could greatly increase the soldiers available to him. Besides that, the Imperial Court would be happy to offload the logistical burden to another party.
“Yes! Your subordinate understands!”
Su Shixuan bowed.
“In addition, write a letter to the capital requesting Yuan Shusong to come over.”
“Yes!”
Wang Chong issued order after order, and each person soon had their own task. The full strength and resources of the City of Steel were slowly beginning to mobilize, all of them aimed at Talas and the even farther Arabian Empire. While Yang Hongchang had been the sole gatherer of information in Talas at first, he was now joined in this effort by many scouts and soldiers, and Wang Chong’s intelligence-gathering abilities in these regions soared.
“That’s right, where’s Hulayeg?”
When everything had been delegated, Wang Chong suddenly remembered Hulayeg.
In the past, Hulayeg would follow him everywhere like a fawning sycophant, but his presence had been missed as of late.
“Haha, didn’t you leave the Turkic Fourth Prince to him? He’s currently fully devoted himself to that endeavor. Right now, to carry out this task, he’s already moved himself from the residence you prepared f
or him to the City of Steel’s underground prison.”
Xu Qiqin slowly and lightly walked over, a smile on her lips and her face glowing with vitality. Such was the charm and allure she exuded that even Wang Chong was momentarily dazed, but he quickly regained control over his senses.
“The prison? Why did he go there?” Wang Chong said in shock. He understood Hulayeg as someone who emphasized pleasure and comfort above all. Even for his residence, he had been extremely picky, and he had even bought many tiger skins to decorate the walls and the floor. How could he be willing to live in a prison? This was completely out of line with his style.
“Just what is he up to?”
“What do you think? It’s for that Fourth Prince.”
Xu Qiqin’s smile grew even wider, and she was finding it hard to hold back her laughter.
“In order to get that Fourth Prince’s trust and change the impression the prince has of him, he surprisingly opted for the plan of injuring himself to gain the trust of the enemy. He had Xu Keyi find someone to give him a savage beating, covering him all over with bruises, and then he had himself thrown into the Fourth Prince’s cell so that they would be together. If things are going as expected, that stubborn fatty is probably grumbling and complaining together with that Fourth Prince of his.”
With these last words, Xu Qiqin’s smile finally dissolved into a fit of giggling.
______________1. The Mamelukes appear much earlier in this universe than in actual history. While the events are set in the eighth century, with the current year being 751/752, the practice of Abbasid Caliphs buying slaves to serve as soldiers arose in the ninth century, though these were apparently called Ghilman, not Mamelukes.↩
Chapter 841 - The Blackwater Shaman!
Chapter 841: The Blackwater Shaman!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
“What?”
Wang Chong was stunned, barely able to believe his ears. Hulayeg’s actions were simply mind-blowing, and not even Wang Chong had ever imagined that he would employ this sort of strategy.
The Human Emperor c1-2382 Page 552
