Desert Eagle Suletan Khan

Night fell, and as the guards returned to their camp, Allahabad Fortress returned to calm. General Alatan Cang, the Grand General of the Southern Expedition, returned to camp with a grim expression. More than a month had passed, and he still hadn't captured this fortified city—how could he not be frustrated? With the help of his guards, he removed his armor and prepared to rest when Fang Yuxuan, the Governor of Yunnan, rushed into his tent. The governor, no longer displaying his previous composure, exclaimed upon seeing him, "Speed ​​is of the essence in war! Yet you've bogged down your troops beneath this fortified city—is this not perilous?"

“I am aware of what Governor Fang said, but Allahabad Fort is located on the Ganges River, and Ram Singh is a veteran general who has been through many battles. If we ignore it and go to Delhi, he may harass our rear. But this city is very strong, and we cannot take it in a short time. Alas! It is difficult.” Alatan Cang sighed.

"The commander has already ordered his men to dig trenches and build palisades around the city, effectively besieging Allahabad from the land. All we need to do is have our men sink ships in the Ganges to block the waterways, and then intercept them with warships to seal off their waterways. Even if Ram Singh is a veteran of countless battles, he will be powerless!" Fang Yuxuan offered a suggestion.

“Hmm, Ram Singh is quite cunning and not easy to deal with. After the army leaves, who do you think would be the best person to take charge of military affairs in Allahabad?” Alatan Cang asked Fang Yuxuan for his opinion.

“Yunnan Governor Ma Zhilin is steady and reliable, and can shoulder this important task; the Assamese army suffered heavy casualties in the previous battles and needs to rest. We can have King Chakdewa of Assam lead his army to assist in the siege of the city, and at the same time, let the army rest,” Fang Yuxuan suggested.

"Excellent!" Alatan Cang praised repeatedly, and immediately ordered Ma Zhilin to lead 14,000 Yunnan soldiers and Chakdewa to lead 16,000 Assamese troops to continue besieging Allahabad Fortress, while he himself led an army of 85,000 to advance towards Delhi, the capital of the Mughal Empire.

At this time, most of the Mughal Empire's elite troops had been deployed to the Deccan to fight the Marathas, while others were scattered across the borders and various important military towns. This resulted in insufficient defenses in a vast area from Delhi to Allahabad. The Mughal army was a battle-hardened force, and facing an enemy with insufficient troops, it naturally advanced with unstoppable momentum.

The first battle took place in Lucknow. This city was the economic center of Mughal-Uud (Awad) Subha (province), located on the Ganges Plain on the banks of the Gumti River. The defending general, Abdul, unaware of the strength of the Mughal army, ventured out of the city to engage them in open battle. The flat Ganges Plain made his men easy targets for the Mughal cavalry; he and over three thousand men were riddled with arrows, and the city was easily breached.

The battle resumed at Kanauji. The name "Kanaugji" is a literal translation of "City of the Hunchbacked Maiden," a name believed to be the result of a curse cast by a hunchbacked maiden. It was once the capital of Harsha's empire, where Harsha held a grand assembly for Xuanzang. Xuanzang described the city as "over twenty li long and four or five li wide," with "over a hundred monasteries and more than ten thousand monks." However, with the establishment of the Mughal Empire and the westward shift of the political center to Delhi, the importance of the middle reaches of the Ganges declined, and the city naturally lost its historical prosperity.

Upon learning of the plight of the garrison at Lucknow, General Ali dared not engage in battle and instead organized the soldiers and civilians to defend the city. However, the not-so-sturdy city walls could not withstand the heavy artillery fire of the Imperial Guard, and within just five days, several breaches were blasted into them. The Imperial Guard's fierce general, the commander of a thousand households, Qimukuer, led three hundred cavalrymen through the breaches, killing indiscriminately, leaving countless dead. This man was the second son of Wei Zheng Heshuoqi, a founding hero of the David dynasty, a veteran of countless battles, and possessed unparalleled martial skill; none could stop his horse. Seeing this, Ali led over a hundred of his personal guards to block him, but was instead struck in the throat by Qimukuer's ghostly spear thrust and fell from his horse.

They captured two important Mughal cities without lifting a finger, prompting Alatanchan to exclaim, "If I had known it would be like this, I shouldn't have lingered in Allahabad for so long!" After his exclamation, he didn't bother to rest and continued his march towards Faizabad, the capital of Udsuba (province).

Subadar (Governor) Sadat of Ud, knowing he was outnumbered but bound by duty, dared not flee. He could only write a sorrowful farewell letter to Emperor Aurangzeb: "The banners of the Imperial Guard blot out the sky; their numbers are no less than one hundred thousand, while the city's garrison is less than ten thousand. I have the will to fight, but lack the power to turn the tide. I can only fulfill my duty as a subject and bid farewell to Your Majesty."

The so-called 100,000-strong enemy force was actually a ruse by Alatan Cangshi. He deliberately ordered his men to display numerous flags to create a false impression of strength and instill fear in the defenders. This tactic proved highly effective, causing unrest among the city's troops. Seeing the overwhelming strength of the defenders, Hindu and Sikh soldiers unwilling to die for the Mughal Empire fled in droves. Even many Islamic soldiers disguised themselves as civilians and escaped into the city during the siege. The city fell, and Sadat did not fulfill his vow to die for his country in his suicide note. Instead, he became a prisoner of the defenders, utterly dejected.

Leaving several thousand troops to garrison the newly acquired land, Alatanchan led an army of 80,000 to continue the advance, establishing a camp on the east bank of the Yamuna River. The Yamuna River (also known as the Yamuna or Yamuna River), originating from the Yamunotri Glacier in the western Himalayas, is one of the most sacred rivers in Hinduism. Legend has it that it is the daughter of Surya, the sun god, and the sister of Yama, the god of death. It is also considered the playground of Krishna (the god of death) during his childhood and youth, thus enjoying extremely high veneration. It is also the longest and most abundant tributary of the Ganges. The west bank of the river lies Delhi, the capital of the Mughal Empire.

The Jadi people, residing on the northern bank of the Yamuna River, became the last force restraining the Mughal Emperor. However, these people, who refused to convert to Islam and faced discrimination in politics, economics, education, military affairs, and taxation, were among the lowest-ranking ethnic groups in the empire and unwilling to serve the Mughal Emperor. Although some families were loyal to the Mughal court due to generations of service and privileges bestowed upon them, they dared not lead a rebellion given the empire's current dire situation and for the safety of their families. Therefore, when the Mughal Emperor's commander, Obotui Ulanghai, arrived in their territory with 5,000 cavalry, Jadi villages and towns surrendered one after another. Obotui Ulanghai acquired a large amount of provisions and supplies without losing a single soldier, providing ample support for the upcoming battles.

Seeing that the Jadi people were so sensible, Alatan Cang was very pleased. He took out the blank edict sent by the Great Khan of Lotus and appointed more than a hundred Jadi officials to consolidate his rule. Then, he watered his horses on the east bank of the Zhumuna River and sent his men to scout the water conditions and build rafts and boats, making preparations to cross the river and attack Delhi.

To deceive the Mughals, this cunning commander even sent an envoy to the Red Fort in Delhi (the Mughal palace) to meet with Emperor Aurangzeb. He feigned concern, saying that if Aurangzeb would relinquish his imperial title, submit to David, and cede Alabahhad, Kuchibihar, Kuchihajor, and Bengal to David's kingdom, along with a reparation of 200,000 taels of silver and 3 million taels of silver, he would immediately withdraw his troops. (End of Chapter)