The Great Tang General

In stark contrast to the Arab soldiers, the Tang soldiers' blood boiled as they looked at the flower of death that bloomed instantly.

They saw the moment the cannonball was fired from the barrel, the light was brighter than the sun, and the huge sound was louder than thunder.

Magnificent and cruel, the Arab camp was completely defeated.

It would have been the same had these shells landed on their heads.

Even the Tang Dynasty soldiers believed that this was the power of the gods.

They are supreme, that is, the supreme gods.

With this mentality, everyone of them is willing to die and compete to be the first.

In the eyes of the Tang army, the Arab soldiers were like fish in the sea, and they couldn't wait to cross the small Kizil Uzan River...

When the third round of artillery shells was about to be fired, Li Xuan said to Li Yi beside him: "Today's bronze cannons have many shortcomings. Through design, the range and power can be increased exponentially. We conquered the Arabs, but sooner or later other countries will learn bronze cannons. The Tang Dynasty must constantly upgrade bronze cannons and use the range of cannons to measure land. In the future world, muskets and artillery will become the mainstream on the battlefield and will replace armor and bows and arrows. No nation or country can stop our Chinese nation from standing at the top of the world. It is my responsibility now, and it will be your responsibility in the future..."

Li Xuan's words contained earnest teachings and were full of sincerity.

"Your son understands..."

Li Yi witnessed the power of the artillery with his own eyes, and the shock in his heart lasted for a long time.

The Arabs had never seen artillery, and in order to prevent the Tang army from crossing the river, even the garrison in Hamadan city had been dispatched, with a large number of personnel.

In addition, the Tang army was only shooting across the Kizil-Uzan River, which was too close.

Due to various factors, the Tang Dynasty achieved such great results.

Li Yi seemed to understand what his father once said: those who fall behind will be beaten.

Compared with the Tang Dynasty, the Arabs were not only backward in terms of system, but also had a bigger gap in weapons.

As a result, the Tang army easily defeated the Arab army.

"Prince, use your imagination. How far do you think the weapons reform will go?"

Li Xuan suddenly asked Li Yi another question.

"Father, as you said, artillery can shoot farther and with greater power. I boldly believe that bronze cannons can be placed on ships, which will make them more useful in certain battles..."

After Li Yi pondered for a while, he replied to Li Xuan.

"Father has already ordered people to build artillery warships in Penglai. This is not a difficult task."

“A good warrior moves above the nine heavens. People should have dreams, like birds, flying in the sky. We can see the moon at night, so why don’t we go to the moon?”

Li Xuan can understand Li Yi's conservatism.

In this world, except for him, everyone else tends to be conservative.

Perhaps his words would be considered as wild imagination.

But he would not only say these words to Li Yi, but also to a group of scholars and scientists in the Palace of Wisdom.

Throughout the ages, there have always been people who yearn for the sky and the moon.

"Father's words are like myths. I find it hard to understand."

Li Yi said in a daze.

My father has a poem that is well-known to everyone, "It's lonely up there. Dancing with my shadow, it doesn't seem like I'm in the human world."

People's yearning for the moon has long been aroused.

In my father’s Journey to the West, there are many descriptions of Guanghan Palace, which is where the fairy Chang’e lives.

Li Yi could only look forward to it, it was unimaginable.

"Difficult things will eventually be accomplished, but easy things will take forever. I believe that humans will eventually reach the moon. On the contrary, some things that seem very easy to accomplish may take forever. Prince, please keep this in mind!"

Li Xuan said to Li Yi solemnly.

He was admonishing Li Yi to be benevolent and love the people, to be self-disciplined, to have perseverance and persistence.

We must listen to opinions and not act on our own. We must also be decisive at critical moments.

When things get bad, you must learn to cut the Gordian knot.

"My son, please remember..."

Li Yi pondered the meaning of Li Xuan's words, and the door in his heart gradually opened.

"Rumble..."

The third round of artillery bombardment on the Arab army has begun.

It was like a meteorite hitting the ground, causing waves of earth.

The originally orderly formation was blown to pieces, the wounded were crawling and wailing, and the uninjured were terrified.

Abu Jalfar Abbas looked at the shells falling to the ground and gradually felt despair in his heart.

The artillery shells from the other side seemed endless.

The time was too short and Abu Jalfar Abbas did not think of a way to defend against the cannons.

In this case, even if you think of it, it is impossible to implement it.

A generation of caliphs had his faith shattered by a "meteorite" falling from the sky.

He galloped on his horse between the fallen, and the Arab soldiers, who once had strong faith, went the opposite way.

Only the loyal guards were willing to follow him.

Marshals and generals such as Zhewin Hahoy dared to advance only after seeing that Abu Zarfar Abbas was fearless and remained calm in the face of artillery shells.

When the smoke gradually dissipated, Abu Jalfar Abbas saw hundreds of ships and sheepskin rafts, on which were densely packed with elite Tang soldiers.

The boatmen rowed as hard as they could and rushed to the west bank of the Kizil-Uzan River at the fastest speed.

More and more ships joined from the north, center and south.

From the boatman to the soldiers, their faces were filled with determination.

"Marshal Hahoy, tell the fleeing soldiers that I am ready to pour my blood into the Kizil-Uzan River in exchange for Allah's revelation. Although the thunder was loud, it didn't hurt even one percent of the soldiers. Are they really that afraid? Do they have the nerve to return to the holy city?"

Abu Jalfar Abbas held the sword in his hand and gave orders to Zwin Hahoy.

He was ready to use up his last bit of strength in exchange for a glimmer of hope.

The loss of the Kizil-Uzan River means the loss of the important city of Hamadan, and then the loss of Nihawin, which is a cornerstone of Hamadan.

Once the two cities on the Silk Road were lost, the door to Azerbaijan region was wide open.

The Tang army could attack Baghdad in the west, or cooperate with the Tang army on the Persepolis front in the south to wipe out the Arab soldiers in other directions.

Total defeat is inevitable.

One day of defeat.

There is nothing more shameful than this.

There is nothing more demoralizing than this.

Abu Zherfar Abbas inferred that once the Tang soldiers began to approach the west bank of the Kizil-Uzan River, the artillery fire on the east bank would stop firing to prevent accidental injuries.

At that time, it will be the time when the brave will win when they meet on a narrow road.

As Abu Jalfar Abbas said, the bronze cannon did not actually cause much damage to the Arab soldiers.

It was mainly the deterrent force that made it difficult for the Arab soldiers to bear.

Abu Jalfar Abbas took action and ordered the more determined guards to defend the shore.

"Woo...Woo..."

The dull and intermittent sound of horns indicated that more Arab soldiers were turning back.

Zhewin Hahoy also sent generals to stop them and told the fleeing soldiers that the Caliph personally put on armor and fought bloody battles against evil.

Cowards never have peace!

In addition, the bronze cannons no longer fired, which restored the confidence of some Arab soldiers.

But Abu Jalfar Abbas acted too late.

The defense line originally planned on the shore was disorganized, without longbowmen and compound archers, and was unable to stop the first wave of the Tang army.

It is impossible for a group of scattered and disorganized archers to cause massive damage to hundreds of ships.

The river is roaring and the waves are crashing against the shore.

The Tang army's boats approached the river bank, and the lieutenant officer on the boat gave an order.

The crossbows and hand crossbows were quickly deployed to counterattack the Arab soldiers on the shore, aiming to force the Arab soldiers to retreat from the shore and create an opportunity for the Tang soldiers to land.

"Whoosh whoosh..."

The Tang army's vanguard was well-trained. After taking a quick aim, the powerful crossbows in their hands let out a low roar, and sharp arrows rained down on the Arab soldiers on the shore.

"Puff...Puff..."

The arrowheads cut through the air with a sharp whistle and pierced through the bodies of the Arab soldiers.

Even the guards wearing iron armor could not withstand the penetration of the crossbow.

Along the coast for more than ten miles, Arab soldiers kept falling down, causing more damage than that caused by the previous artillery shells.

The Arab soldiers who had just come under the artillery fire were hit by crossbows and screamed one after another.

The crossbow, as an important weapon in the Tang Dynasty's transition to firearms, has developed further in the past decade.

There were many kinds of crossbows in the Tang Dynasty.

Gongshu Qingzi also improved the divine arm crossbow and hand crossbow.

Some craftsmen improved the repeating crossbow and the horse crossbow.

From large heavy crossbows to small light crossbows, there are already hundreds of different types of crossbows in the Tang Dynasty.

The Tian Ce Mansion selected the most practical crossbows for mass production and equipped the army to replenish military supplies.

At each landing point, the Tang army's crossbowmen had already opened gaps one after another. As the Tang army's warships approached the shore, the Shen Ce Imperial Army rushed up like a tiger descending from a mountain.

The Imperial Guards General Geshu Huang was the pioneer of the landing. Holding a spear, he led a boat of Imperial Guards and was the first to step onto the west bank of the Kizil-Uzan River.

The Arab guards in the same team were ready to die. Led by the Arab leader, they rushed forward with spears, trying to push the Tang soldiers into the river.

"kill……"

Geshu Huang roared and rushed forward with a gun.

"Pfft..."

He stabbed his spear diagonally, sharply and fiercely, and killed the leader of the Arab Guards in one blow.

Then he charged left and right in the enemy camp, defeating all who came his way. His bravery was quite similar to that of his father.

The first to land, the Imperial Guards of the Divine Strategy Guards followed Geshu Huang. They displayed their sturdy spirit to the fullest, and blood flowed wherever their swords and spears went. The flashing cold weapons and the splattering blood intertwined, and the shouts of killing were so deafening that people's eardrums hurt.

Although the Arab Guards fought hard, more and more Shen Ce Imperial Guards landed on the shore. Under the fierce attack of the Shen Ce Guards, the weak defense line gradually collapsed, and their corpses were scattered in large numbers on the west bank of the Kizil Uzan River.

To the north, Li Sheng led the Beiting elite soldiers, under the cover of powerful crossbows, and reached the west bank in a rapid manner.

"Dong dong dong..."

On the east bank, under the Xuanlong flag of the Tang Dynasty, strong men held drumsticks and beat dozens of drums, stirring people's hearts.

Despite the appeal of Abu Jalfar Abbas, many Arab soldiers turned back.

But they lost the initiative and the quality of their work was mixed.

The arrival of the Tang Dynasty's large shield soldiers on the shore meant that the first wave of thousands of soldiers had landed.

The ships and sheepskin rafts turned back and began to transport the second wave of Shen Ce Imperial Guards and elite soldiers.

When Li Sheng reached the shore, he immediately gave orders to his soldiers, began to arrange their formations, and advanced deeper into the area.

At this time, if we are scattered and fight alone, there is a risk of being pushed back.

The Supreme hates being greedy and reckless when one has an advantage.

"My men, drive the invaders into the river. If we retreat now, our efforts will be in vain. I will not retreat either..."

Abu Jalfar Abbas was commanding the troops a hundred feet away from the battlefield and shouting desperately.

Being a caliph, Abu Jalfar Abbas was able to do this, which showed that he had the courage to face death.

Abu Jalfar Abbas was willing to take responsibility for the survival of the Arab Empire.

He had decided that if he could not defend the Kizil-Uzan River, he would die here.

This was his first head-on confrontation with the Khan of the Tang Dynasty.

He is not inferior to Li Xuan.

Unsuccessful, they become benevolent.

Abu Jalfar Abbas used his charm to persuade many of the Arab soldiers who had previously fled to return to join the battle.

But it didn't take long for Abu Jalfar Abbas to realize the disparity in strength between the two armies.

The uniform Ming Guang armor of the Tang Dynasty shone with a sharp light under the sun.

With fiery eyes, the Tang soldiers fought fiercely with the Arab soldiers, using the few to defeat the many and steadily suppressing them.

And gradually open up a wider space for the west coast.

At this opportunity, the second wave of soldiers crossed the Kizil-Uzan River.

Among them were five hundred musketeers from the Shenji Camp.

There is also the Modao Army, which once made the Western Regions terrified and sent chills down their spines when they thought about it.

A thousand Anxi Modao soldiers, armed to the teeth, led by a Modao general named Xie Ba, began to organize themselves as soon as they got off the boat.

Then he stepped onto the battlefield from the side of the phalanx.

The Modao soldiers in the front row wielded their long swords with great force and power. Their swords flashed brightly, and wherever they went, it was like cutting wheat or hemp, and they advanced like a wall, tearing a bloody path in front of the Arab soldiers.

The powerful crossbowmen on both sides, under the cover of heavy armored infantry, disrupted the formation of the Arab army, fired crossbow arrows frequently, and reaped the lives of the panicked people.

The archers in the back row continued to shoot, and the arrows rained down like a weaving net, covering the sky and the sun, leaving the Arab army with no escape.

Nowadays, there are more than ten thousand Tang soldiers on the west bank of the Kizil Uzan River. With mutual cooperation, they can take the initiative to launch an attack.

The Modao Army joined in and slaughtered the ordinary infantry of the Arabs like chopping melons and vegetables.

The courage they mustered was completely wiped out in the face of the gleaming sword.

The third and fourth waves of troops, led by the Tiance Guards, arrived one after another within the next half hour.

They fought one against ten, showing their bravery and skill in battle. The defense of the Arab army was defeated step by step and they abandoned their weapons and armor.

After a fierce battle, thousands of Arab soldiers were killed or wounded, and they were completely suppressed by the Tang army.

Every moment, a large number of Arab soldiers fell.

Even without bronze cannons, the Tang army's combat power was overwhelming that of the Arab army in close combat.

The last straw that broke the camel's back for the Arab soldiers was also broken.

The loophole is like a flood that breaks through a dam and cannot be stopped!

"Caliph, the Tang army is too powerful. Please return to Hamadan as soon as possible..."

The Governor of Azerbaijan advised Abu Jalfar Abbas.

At this point in the war, the last glimmer of hope has been taken away.

In other words, they were defeated the moment the Arab soldiers gave up guarding the river bank and allowed the Tang army to land.

Everything that happened afterwards was nothing but a struggle.

"Can not go back……"

Abu Jalfar Abbas' heart was bleeding, his face was in pain, and he couldn't make a decision.

At this moment, he began to question himself and felt deeply guilty.

"Caliph, since we cannot win, then order the vizier to take the people back to the peninsula. We need to buy them some time, even for a day."

The Governor of Azerbaijan used this to persuade Abu Jalfar Abbas to return to Hamadan.

Want to rely on Hamadan for the final defense.

"Order the soldiers to withdraw to Hamadan as much as possible..."

Abu Jalfar Abbas closed his eyes and opened them again.

Yes!

The defeat was so disastrous that his death was not a pity.

But he could buy time for Ibu Salam to withdraw to the peninsula…

(End of this chapter)