The Great Tang General

In Li Xuan's mind, the most important quality of an heir is benevolence and love for the people.

He fought wars in the south and the north, established his empire, and was ready to put an end to the Tang Dynasty's century-long conflict with the Arabs and bring peace to the world for all time. He hoped that in future reforms, he would be considerate of the people's strength.

Water can carry a boat, and it can also overturn it.

When teaching Li Yi, Li Xuan never mentioned preserving the Li family for generations to come.

Instead, he concluded that the Li family and the Tang Dynasty had their own destiny.

He emphasized the "Chinese Empire" and "China" more than any other generation.

Place the Huaxia Empire before the Tang Dynasty.

Put the Chinese calendar before the year number.

Because this is the inevitable path of history.

If one accepts the country's filth, one becomes the master of the country; if one accepts the country's misfortune, one becomes the king of the world.

Li Xuan hopes that starting with him, the king will stop thinking about pleasure.

But take responsibility.

His descendants, starting with Li Yi, as long as there are two generations who can shoulder the responsibility, will be able to complete the Industrial Revolution.

At that time, the general trend will tell those in power and the people what to do.

Even if the Tang Dynasty collapsed, future generations will never forget this glorious era.

Li Xuan's second son, Li Song, was shocked when he heard his brother Li Yi's answer.

Although Li Song was not yet an adult, he was a member of the royal family and understood things sensibly.

Their father was strict but kind and lenient with them.

"Benevolence" is not just talk, but must be put into practice.

Li Song and Li Yi have completely different personalities. Li Song is brave and admires his father who made great achievements on the frontier.

With bows and swords covered in snow, they rushed thousands of miles and captured two Khans in one battle.

After years of fighting, more than 500,000 Tibetan soldiers were killed or captured, and the Tibetan leader Chidai Zhudan was captured.

The Western Expedition to the Caliphate, the recovery of Transoxiana, and the death of the famous governor of Khorasan directly led to the usurpation of the throne of the founding monarch of the Black Caliphate by Abu Jalfar Abbas.

Li Xuan's story is what Li Song admires the most.

Therefore, he was full of anticipation for following his father on the Western Expedition this time.

In Li Song's mind, his father was stricter towards his brother.

The country was so important that Li Song did not complain even though he felt regretful.

His mother Jiang Yueyao has also been persuading him not to fight.

Because my father wouldn't like it.

The stories of the past are still vivid in my mind.

Jiang Yueyao is a gentle woman who just wants her son to be safe.

After this incident, Li Song's thinking changed a little. If his father asked him the same question, he would definitely not answer like Li Yi.

He only thinks that steel is a national weapon, armor, and a weapon, and at most he associates it with farm tools.

No one knows a son better than his father. Li Xuan probably knew the personalities of his two sons, so he did not ask Li Song.

Ten days passed in a flash.

Li Xuan led his army to leave Qiuci. He planned to reach Suiye City, enter the Xiyuan and Zhezhi areas in Hezhong from the Qianquan Ancient Road, and then reach Samugan City.

The Qianquan Ancient Road, which was once like a steep mountain stream, was transformed into a thoroughfare after seven years of construction by tens of thousands of prisoners of war.

In the middle of the Qianquan Ancient Road, which was originally the summer resort of the Western Turkic Khan, a city was built, called Qianquan City.

Most of the people here are Han people who migrated from afar and developed rapidly with the help of the Silk Road.

Li Xuan arrived at Qianquan City among the mountains when the weather was hottest.

The army rested for ten days. Li Xuan expressed his condolences to the Han people who had migrated thousands of miles from the Central Plains, and explicitly requested the Qianquan Order to meet the needs of the people of Qianquan City as much as possible.

In the Western Regions, there were many powerful families, relatives of officials, slaves, and descendants who were exiled here because they were exiled from low status.

Li Xuan's opinion on how to deal with them is to go from tight to loose.

They were simply confined to a certain area and given farmland and livestock to work with.

Now they must have complaints against the court, but time will erase everything, and after three generations, they will forget their hatred.

In August, Li Xuan arrived at Samugan City.

At this time, in the Hezhong region, the ancestral home of the Nine Zhaowu Clans, the land was filled with the Xuanlong flags of the Tang Dynasty.

Temporary pastures and horse pens are scattered all over the place.

Warehouses are springing up one after another, piled up like mountains.

The Tang Dynasty had more than 45,000 imperial guards and more than 70,000 expeditionary forces from various military governorates.

The thirty-six kingdoms in the Western Regions, the Qarluk tribes, the Uighur tribes, the Turgesh tribes, etc. had a total of 50,000 cavalry.

Five thousand Tibetan cavalry.

As well as many logistics soldiers and strong men from the Western Regions.

This was the largest gathering of troops in the history of the Western Regions.

Just wait for the order from the Khan to march to the Persian Kingdom.

On the first day Li Xuan arrived at Samugan City, the troops within a radius of hundreds of miles shouted "Long live Li Xuan".

The entire Samujian City was shrouded in Li Xuan's majesty.

On that day, Li Xuan ordered the slaughter of livestock to reward the three armies.

The army was ready to enter the Persian Empire in batches at any time.

Two days after arriving in Samugan City, Li Xuan summoned Han and Hu generals and accompanying officials to hold a military meeting to discuss the march plan.

"Your Highness, I pay my respects to you..."

In the palace of King Kang in the city of Samugan, after Li Xuan entered the hall, all the generals bowed to him.

"No need to be polite! Please take a seat, gentlemen."

Li Xuan signaled all the generals to stand up and return to their seats.

The governor of Zhezhi Ma Lin, the governor of Beiting Li Sheng, the governor of Anxi Li Siye, the baggage envoy Li Guangbi and other generals were all in the palace.

"Thank you, Supreme..."

The generals present bowed again and took their seats.

"I am honored to be elected as the Heavenly Khan, presiding over the order of the world and saving people from drowning and fire. However, the Arab Empire has occupied the western border, cut off our trade routes, and harmed others and ourselves. Therefore, I am gathering troops here to punish the unkind."

"During the Western Expedition, orders must be obeyed. All subordinates, regardless of whether they are Han or non-Han, must obey military orders. Anyone who disobeys will be executed!"

"If we win with unity, I will reward all the nations and tribes..."

Before the military council began, Li Xuan first enumerated the crimes of the Arab Empire and then enforced strict military discipline.

Everyone went forward wherever the general's flag pointed.

Since the beginning of the war, Li Xuan's most important requirement was that the army obey his command unconditionally.

If you are greedy for merit and act rashly, and disobey orders, you will surely be beheaded by him.

"I will obey your orders!"

The generals straightened their backs and looked solemn.

The Supreme Emperor personally led the army to fight, which gave the generals great confidence.

The Supreme will watch them fight, and each one will want to prove himself in front of the Supreme in order to win the title of General.

In the hearts of the subordinate Hu tribe, Tian Khan is a god-like existence.

Fortunately, they obeyed the call of the Heavenly Khan, and their blood boiled. Many Hu warriors had the courage to "die with heavy soldiers and die of shame due to illness."

"Protector Lu, the time agreed with the Roman Empire is approaching. What is the current situation of the Persian Kingdom?" Li Xuan first asked Lu Jing, the Protector General of Pamirs.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, King Romeshhun of Persia and Prime Minister Khalid ibn Barmak have planned a route for us. The road from Mulu City to Ciyi (now Tehran) has been cleared, and granaries and fodder fields have been set up along the way for our army to replenish supplies and rest. Prime Minister Khalid ibn Barmak claimed that the food can at least feed 200,000 troops for half a year, and as the next season's food matures, Persia will prepare more food for us."

Lu Jiong stood up and bowed to Li Xuan.

Lu Jing was once a general and the governor of Zhezhi Military Governor's Office.

Now he has become a civil servant.

Having stayed in the river for more than ten years, he knew Persia very well.

In the eyes of the Persian Kingdom, after the Tang Dynasty destroyed the Arab Empire, it would transfer the territory and population of the Arab Empire to Persia.

By then, Persia will be infinitely close to its peak.

Therefore, Persia was extremely concerned about the Tang Dynasty's expedition.

In order to prepare food for the Tang army, they did not hesitate to impose heavy taxes and exploit the Persian people.

Once the Mesopotamian region is taken back, Persia will become prosperous.

"I heard that the Persian Kingdom is somewhat lacking in governance and people's livelihood. Is there any risk in this grain route?"

Li Xuan spoke to Lu Jiong again, his words were subtle.

Lu Jiong could understand the implication of Li Xuan's words.

The Tang Dynasty had several large granaries a little to the east of Mulu City.

These granaries were not under the jurisdiction of the Persian Kingdom, and the Tang Dynasty's grain was being transported continuously to the granaries in Mulu City.

Obviously, it was impossible for Li Xuan to rely entirely on Persia for food.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, the Persian Kingdom has only been restored for ten years, and ethnic conflicts within the country have intensified in recent years. Moreover, not long ago, a rebellion broke out in Persia. Although it was quelled, it caused considerable losses. I think we should first control the granary of Persia, and then march forward..."

Lu Jing also understood that Persia was in a state of panic at the moment. If the Tang coalition forces rashly entered Persia, they might be met with hostility from the local people of the Persian Kingdom.

Because the food consumed by the Tang Dynasty coalition forces was originally theirs.

The Tang Dynasty was not afraid of real swords and guns, but it was afraid that the food supply would be cut off, causing panic in the army and increasing casualties.

Building a granary to the east of Mulu City shows that the Tang Dynasty is prepared to take precautions.

"Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will win every battle. You all heard what Protector Lu said. The Arab Empire relied on Arab religion to control its believers. Although the Persian Kingdom has escaped from the sea of ​​suffering, there are still many Arab believers. There are also some Persians who are loyal to the Arab Empire."

"The Tang Dynasty will go on an expedition and attack the Arabs together with the Roman Empire. Under pressure, the Arabs will definitely take advantage of the chaos in the Persian Kingdom to attack our army. At the very least, it will delay the pace of our westward expedition."

"If civil unrest breaks out in the Persian Kingdom, how can we achieve victory quickly within the limited food supply without relying on the Persian Kingdom's grain and fodder?"

Li Xuan asked the generals present about Lu Jing's words.

The Persian Empire was a new country, and it seemed to be in a state of decline due to the corruption of its system and the incompetence of its monarch.

Don't underestimate the followers of the Arab religion.

The believers who worship fire are no match for the Arabs, and the values ​​they convey are also very different.

Once upon a time, the Governor of Khorasan, as a true Persian, fought for the Arab Empire until his death.

The Governor of Khorasan is a smart man.

Those ordinary Arab believers who are uneducated will be even more fanatical.

In fact, the Persian Empire had the opportunity to consolidate the strength of all ethnic groups in the country while the Arab Empire was declining.

For various reasons, worshiping fire did not bring light.

The civilians, who were at the end of their rope, had no choice but to extinguish their flames and put on black clothes.

Persian?
No one would consider themselves Persian.

As the Governor of Khorasan claimed, they were "MSL people".

"Your Majesty, I think we should send a large number of light cavalry to launch a surprise attack and end the battle quickly. We should try our best to not give the Arab Empire any room to control."

Peng Ren, deputy commander-in-chief of the Anxi Army, reported this to Li Xuan.

He had followed Li Xuan in military service for half his life and had great confidence in Li Xuan's ability to use light cavalry as surprise attacks.

If the rebels of the Persian Empire saw that the main force of the Arab Empire was defeated, they would not dare to show up again.

"The western part of the Persian Kingdom is mostly mountainous, which is not suitable for a light cavalry attack. Moreover, our army is the superior side, so there is no need to take huge risks to gain disproportionate rewards."

Li Xuan felt that Peng Ren's opinion was immature.

This does not change the risk that they will be dragged into the mire.

"Your Majesty, although we have a large amount of food in Mulu City, we still need to rely on Persian civilians to transport it. This is impossible to prevent."

Li Guangbi said to Li Xuan.

He believes that one should be decisive. If one keeps worrying and looking ahead and behind, one will lose sight of one thing while focusing on another.

With the military strength of the Tang Dynasty, even if there is civil strife in the Persian Kingdom, it can be easily suppressed.

Many generals shared Li Guangbi's opinion.

They all asked Li Xuan for advice and asked him to enter the Persian Kingdom as soon as possible.

While maintaining the strategy of destroying the Arab Empire, we should also be prepared to quell the civil unrest in Persia.

Li Xuan did not reply, but just glanced at Crown Prince Li Yi and Prince of Yan Li Song.

Li Song was still young and wanted to fight, but he was not as eager to fight as the generals.

But Li Yi seemed to sense that his father had ulterior motives.

He racked his brains but couldn't figure out what his father was thinking.

So he sat up straight, ready to listen to his father's advice.

"I am the Khan of Heaven, the common ruler of the world. Whether it is the Tang Dynasty or its vassal states, they are all my subjects."

"The Persian Empire has only been established for a dozen years, but it has lost its fighting spirit, causing the people to starve and cold, and not have enough food to eat. The people in the country have put on black clothes again, and the Persian king cannot escape the blame."

"The Persian Kingdom is in danger now, and it would be easy for the Arab Empire to ignite its anger. Especially if we enter Persia and eat their food, leaving them with no food to eat."

"We have enough food for a year. If we add the livestock, supplies and seasonal food and grass from the Western Regions, we can hold out for two years. We have already bought a lot of food from Persia, so why do we need their contribution?"

“Send my decree to the Persian King Romexun and the Persian Prime Minister Khalid ibn Barmak to distribute the food prepared for the Tang coalition forces to the civilians of Persia to save them from hunger and cold…”

After Li Xuan’s explanation, he issued the first decree of the military meeting.

Since ancient times, except for military coups, most of the people who rose up in rebellion did so because they could no longer survive.

As long as there is enough food to eat, who would risk the extermination of three clans to rebel?

"Your Majesty, Persia does not have the same regulations as the Tang Dynasty. Your kindness may not necessarily be realized. Please think twice..."

Li Guangbi advised Li Xuan.

If all this food could reach the Persian people.

The Persians would certainly be grateful to the Khan and would work hard to help the Tang coalition forces transport food and supplies.

The problem is that given the situation in Persia today, this scenario is unlikely to be implemented.

The nobles of Persia are as evil as the powerful people in the Tang Dynasty. They are both ruthless and ruthless.

"War is imminent. Anyone who disobeys the will of the Khan will be guilty of an unforgivable crime!"

Li Xuan answered in a serious tone, showing his authority without even getting angry.

Persia had to become a great protectorate, and he was always looking for an opportunity.

Once this order is issued, it will create an opportunity for Li Xuan to integrate Persia.

In fact, the generals were right. The Tang Dynasty coalition forces were going to enter the Mesopotamian region. As a new frontier base, how could Persia not firmly control it?

Li Xuan not only wanted to control the territory of Persia, but also wanted to control the hearts of the people.

He needs a chance.

Before the war with the Caliphate, the Persian Kingdom was transformed into a Great Protectorate.

(End of this chapter)