The Great Tang General

"The Arabs spent all their efforts to build this great city, but they easily abandoned it... But preserving the fire is also a good choice. They originally came from the desert."

"The prophet of the Caliphate said that the most useless thing to waste a believer's wealth is building. One of the Prophet's wives, Ulusalama, was rebuked by the Prophet for burning bricks and stones to expand a wall next to her room when the Prophet was conquering the Duma tribe. But later generations did not learn from the lesson. Both the capital of the White Caliphate and Baghdad of the Black Caliphate are magnificent."

In front of the royal palace in Baghdad, Li Xuan, accompanied by the Crown Prince, the Prince of Yan, and hundreds of civil and military officials, stood on a high platform overlooking the entire city of Baghdad.

At this time, the magnificent Baghdad had become a military city of the Tang Dynasty.

The Tang Dynasty's supply lines and logistics teams received orders to transport food and supplies to Baghdad in a steady stream.

Li Xuan's words caused Li Yi's civil and military officials to think.

I also admire the Supreme's erudition, as if he knows everything.

"I request permission to enter the peninsula to pursue the Arabs and intercept them."

At this time, Zhao Huaiping, deputy governor of the Anxi Army, volunteered to Li Xuan.

"We can chase them, but if the Arabs flee into the desert, there is no need for the time being..."

"Our goal is to capture Damascus, Jerusalem, and Fustat (now Cairo) after entering Egypt..."

Li Xuan spoke to Zhao Huaiping and also gave instructions to the civil and military officials.

The Arabs would eventually go to Mecca and Medina in the western part of the peninsula, which were just a stone's throw from the Red Sea and required crossing the desert.

The Tang army soldiers had traveled thousands of miles on an expedition and could not adapt to the desert environment.

Although it is winter now, problems can easily occur once summer comes.

The climate of the peninsula is tropical desert climate, generally dry. The environment in Lingnan in the Tang Dynasty is much better than that of the peninsula.

In contrast, the Euphrates and Tigris river basins have a mild climate and fertile soil, which is like a paradise.

Since ancient times, the Arabs have lived and multiplied on the peninsula.

Due to the lack of vegetation and scarce resources, people in the deserts in the north and central parts of the peninsula have to move between oases.

The word "ALB" originally means desert, and "ALB" refers to people living in the desert.

In the long years before the emergence of the Arab religion, the Arabs lived and multiplied in the valleys of ignorance. This era is called the "Zahiriya Era".

Two hundred years ago, the Prophet received divine revelation in a cave in Mecca: to be a messenger on earth and spread the Arab religion.

Relying on the power of faith, the prophet unified the peninsula, established the theocratic Arab regime, and gradually walked out of the desert.

Therefore, Mecca is the holy city of the Arabs and a spiritual holy place that everyone in the Arab religion yearns for.

But the environment of the peninsula was too harsh. Even though the holy city of Mecca was on the peninsula and even though Medina was of great significance to them, the rulers of the Caliphate would still open new cities in the Iraqi region.

It's not just the deserts on the peninsula. In many areas of West Asia occupied by the Tang Dynasty, including the high mountains, steep valleys, and deserts, the Tang Dynasty did not enter.

Even if there were remnants of the Arabs hiding inside, the Tang Dynasty would not care.

That was a post-war thing, when productivity was gradually disintegrated.

The same goes for the peninsula region. After the Tang Dynasty stabilizes in West Asia, it can begin exploration from the coast of the Persian Gulf.

Could the Arabs in the desert be able to defeat the Tang Dynasty, which was undergoing an agricultural revolution, a weapons revolution, and even an industrial revolution?

They will only fall further and further behind.

Li Xuan believed that it would be impossible for the Arabs to leave the desert again.

Only to be driven out of the desert by the Tang Dynasty.

Zhao Huaiping took the order and did it, and Li Xuan gave him 5,000 light cavalry.

"Father, I heard that the Tang Dynasty and Rome have signed an alliance. Minister Cui was sent as an envoy to the Arab Empire to swear an alliance with the Roman Emperor Constantine V. After the fall of the Arab Empire, the Syrian region to the Egyptian region will belong to Rome. The coastal corridor connecting the Syrian region to the Egyptian region will also belong to Rome. Jerusalem, Damascus, and Fustat are within the scope of the alliance."

At this time, the young prince Li Yi said to Li Xuan.

The education he received since childhood made him understand that his father was a saint and that the Tang Dynasty was upright and honest.

The Tang Dynasty's Western Expedition was due to the feud between the Tang Dynasty and the Arabs.

Just like the trustworthiness and loyalty in history books, one’s word is as good as gold, which is what the Celestial Empire wants to do.

“He who does not plan for the overall situation is not qualified to plan for a specific area; he who does not plan for eternity is not qualified to plan for the present.”

"Remember! Between countries, there are no eternal friends or eternal enemies, only eternal interests. As a monarch, you should bear the blame of the world. As long as you can seek benefits for the country, you are wise and capable. We cannot only use the kingly way without the hegemonic way."

"Minister Cui's mission to the Roman Empire has caused a lot of buzz. Alliance with the Roman Empire is only one of its purposes. The real purpose is to learn from the Roman Empire. We also need all the excellent books and crops of the Roman Empire. We also need to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the Roman Empire."

"Besides, did the Roman Empire really try its best in this battle? We tied up most of the Roman Empire's troops, and we were thousands of miles away, spending three years preparing logistics, consuming countless manpower and material resources. Many warriors died, and many farmers who helped the army transport food died of illness and could not return home."

"The Roman Empire was only facing a Syrian region with only 50,000 soldiers. Their Constantinople was very close to Syria, and the logistical pressure was ten times smaller than ours."

"I learned about the strengths and weaknesses of the Roman Empire from Minister Cui. Constantine V was a capable monarch. His reforms were very successful and also frightened the Bulgarian Khanate. I think if Constantine V had gone all out, he should have taken Syria long ago. He must have been conserving his strength. As the saying goes, make friends with distant countries and attack those nearby, because he knew that after the fall of the Arab Empire, the Tang Dynasty and the Roman Empire would become rivals. The Tang Dynasty was far stronger than the Roman Empire, so how could he not have any intention?"

"Prince, you must remember that the Roman Empire's beliefs are different from our Confucian culture. If they become powerful, they will definitely declare war on us."

"If they don't live up to expectations, the Syrian region will be accepted by the Tang Dynasty. We will show them what a more disciplined land civilization is. As long as we gain a foothold in the Mediterranean, we can control Tripoli, Carthage and other areas around the Mediterranean, and block the Roman Empire on the European continent forever..."

Li Xuan spoke to Li Yi in a leisurely manner.

Although his tone was stern, it was more of an admonition.

Since the Western Expedition, this was the time when Li Xuan taught Li Yi the most.

He hoped that his descendants would be monarchs who could inherit his career.

"Your son will learn from your teachings..."

Young Li Yi took every word of his father's words to heart.

What God does not take, is to be blamed.

If you are not decisive at this moment and try to "conquer others with virtue", you will be bitten back in the future.

Li Xuan’s idea was not just that, he wanted to shrink the space of the Roman Empire.

At the same time, let the soldiers of the Tang Dynasty keep the heart of living in worry and dying in comfort. Always be vigilant here.

Don't consider Rome, with whom you have never had any conflicts, as your friend!

The civil and military ministers also kept Li Xuan's words in mind, and they admired the supreme ruler for his far-sightedness.

Moreover, as they were powerful in martial arts, they were unwilling to give up the territories occupied by the Tang Dynasty.

"General Zhang, the remaining Arab troops in the northern part of Syria are to be wiped out by you. I will give you 10,000 elite Tiance cavalry and another 10,000 affiliated Hu tribes. You will cooperate with the 20,000 Anxi infantry and cavalry under the command of Anxi Governor Li."

"Every inch of land is soaked in blood. Wherever you stand, that is the territory of the Tang Dynasty. If the Roman Empire dares to advance southward, we will draw our swords against them..."

Li Xuan gave the task of destroying the isolated army of the Arab Empire to Zhang Xing.

The current Privy Councilor of Tiance Palace is Nan Jiyun. Li Xuan ordered Nan Jiyun to stay in Chang'an to mobilize troops from all over the country at a critical moment to prevent the resurgence of powerful forces.

After all, his western expedition this time will take a long time.

"I obey your order.... All the lands where the sun and moon shine, and where the rivers flow, are Tang territory."

Zhang Xing took the order.

The isolated Arab troops in Syria must have known the news of Abu Jalfar Abbas's death and the fall of the Arab Empire.

The army's morale was shattered. The Tang elite troops could easily defeat them.

"Prince, you will lead 5,000 Tiance Guards, 5,000 elite cavalry from the Western Regions, and 10,000 elite cavalry from the Pamirs to cross the Euphrates River and occupy Damascus and Jerusalem. I will order Pei Ying to assist you, and Pei Zhou and two first-level staff officers from the Tiance Palace Staff Group will accompany you..."

Li Xuan looked at Li Yi again.

Although it is easy to capture Damascus and Jerusalem.

But he received news that there were still many people in Damascus and Jerusalem.

He needs to train Li Yi.

Pei Ying is Li Yi's uncle. Although his ability to command troops is average, Li Xuan's childhood playmate Pei Zhou is very capable and can guide Li Yi.

There were also staff officers and assistants accompanying him.

"My son, I have received the decree..."

After a moment of nervousness, Li Yi quickly obeyed the order.

He understood his father's intentions and knew that this was a test from his father. He must complete this task perfectly.

"Order the commander-in-chief Ma to lead his men to Kufa, then go to Jerusalem and enter Egypt. Transport the food and fodder from Hamadan, Basra, and Persepolis as quickly as possible along the marching route. Recruit Persian farmers in exchange for gold and silver coins, and encourage Persian soldiers to serve as logistics personnel and transport food for the Tang Dynasty..."

Li Xuan gave instructions to the officials of Tiance Mansion.

He kept emphasizing.

The battle with the Arab Empire was a battle of logistics.

If the Tang Dynasty can stabilize its logistics, it will surely win this battle.

If the logistics are interrupted, the team will return empty-handed.

Therefore, Li Xuan would first eliminate the unstable Persia and integrate Persia's power.

Establish a logistics force mainly composed of the weak Persian army.

The brave warriors in the Persian army have taken the initiative to join the Tang Dynasty.

As for the remaining soldiers, who had low combat skills, they were also happy to see the Dir Khan (silver coins) being given.

The Persian people were even happier. The Tang soldiers were so fierce, and the Khan was like a god descended from heaven, invincible in battle and unstoppable in attack. The probability of them being ambushed was very low.

As long as we help the Tang Dynasty transport food and grass for two years, it will be better than farming for ten years, and we don’t have to worry about not having enough food.

And some Persian people were very grateful for the grace of the Khan.

After receiving the order, the official left Sparta and conveyed the order to Ma Lin in the direction of Basra.

"Although the Iraqi and Basra regions are declining, there are still many Arabs left, as well as some non-Arabs. There are countless arable lands in the Mesopotamian region, and the soil is fertile. We must appease these indigenous people. If we, the Tang Dynasty, want to control this place, we must rely on these indigenous people. We must destroy the Arab temples, crack down on Arab religion, and win over the indigenous people of the Mesopotamian region to make them submit to the king... Minister Li, Minister Guan, you will preside over this matter, and I will send an interpreter who can speak Arab language to follow you."

Li Xuan also sent Li Guozhen, the assistant minister of the Ministry of War, and Guan Bo, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue, to stabilize the newly occupied areas.

During this western expedition, Li Xuan brought some civil servants with him, who came in handy.

After the Tang Dynasty's official system reform, the Ministry of Rites established a Translation Department to train officials who were proficient in many languages, including Roman, Arab, Persian, and Uighur.

It was also impossible for the Tang Dynasty to simply immigrate from the Central Plains to the Mediterranean.

Not to mention the cost.

Too far!
The best way is to migrate some Han people from the Western Regions and the Central Asian region.

Give them better conditions!
Then the soldiers' families were relocated to West Asia and Persia.

If the Industrial Revolution began, the Tang Dynasty would devote all its national strength to building a railway from Luoyang to the Mediterranean coast.

Only in this way can the Tang Dynasty control this place.

At present, there is still a steady stream of Han people migrating to the Western Regions and the Central Asian region in pursuit of a better future.

"I will obey your orders!"

Li Guozhen and Guan Bo received the order.

"Your Majesty, the name Baghdad where we are is called the City Given by God. This name is unlucky. Please change it."

Du Huan, a doctor from the Ministry of Rites, stepped forward and made a request to Li Xuan.

A city given by God.

The god must be the god of the Arabs.

It would be inappropriate for Li Xuan to use the God-given city when he was trying to eliminate the influence of the Arabs on West Asia.

It was also very detrimental to the rule of the Tang Dynasty.

"I have considered it. Not only Baghdad, but also Jerusalem, Damascus, Kufa, Basra, Hamadan, Persepolis, and even many place names in Persia, as well as mountains, rivers and lakes, must be translated into Chinese. When the war is over, these place names will be renamed..."

Li Xuan answered slowly.

In the future, the place names here will include both commemorating the heroes of the expedition and the West Sea defined by the Tang Dynasty.

Place names are also a part of spreading culture. They are meant to make Han immigrants feel a sense of identity, to make naturalized Hu people feel a sense of belonging, and to make their descendants forget the ethnic groups of their ancestors, so that the Chinese nation can become a united front.

"Your Majesty is wise..."

All civil and military officials bowed together.

The place names of the Arab Empire and the Persian Empire were too awkward for them.

Not only is it difficult to remember, it's also not smooth to read.

After Li Xuan led the civil and military officials to visit the entire Baghdad Palace, he let them rest for a while.

Liao Zhengrong told Li Xuan that some local tribal leaders were preparing to present jewels to the great Heavenly Khan.

Their purpose was clear: the Arabs had fallen. The Heavenly Khan ruled over the Mesopotamian region, and they needed to submit.

For the sake of stability, Li Xuan will temporarily accept these leaders. There are a hundred ways to deal with them in the future.

Moreover, these leaders were quite honest and prostrated themselves at Li Xuan's feet as if they were worshipping gods.

The Arab nobles and royal family either fled or were captured and killed.

Freeing up countless arable land in the Mesopotamian region.

With these arable lands, the Tang Dynasty could win over the indigenous people and not be controlled by tribal leaders.

Li Xuan’s requirements for the tribal leaders were simple.

First, abolish the Arab religion and learn Chinese characters instead, and learn benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness, loyalty, filial piety, integrity, shame, and courage.

Second, in the next ten years, we will provide food to the garrisons in West Asia as tax revenue, and sell all the uneaten food and surplus livestock to the Protectorate of the Tang Dynasty.

How dare these indigenous leaders refuse?

Abu Jalfar Abbas had died at the hands of the Khan.

Allah could not save Abu Jafar Abbas, nor could He save the Caliphate.

Obviously, they believe that Tian Khan is the real god!
(End of this chapter)