My father, Li Shimin, please call me Crown Prince

Chapter 453 The Arab Empire and Tibet Conspire to Harass the Tang Dynasty

In the Caliph's palace in Baghdad, the light from the glass lamps spills like a crescent moon onto the Persian carpet, and the Quranic texts on the walls shimmer in the light and shadow.

Caliph Umar sat enthroned on a throne covered with lion skin, his fingers lightly twirling the rosary, as the Minister of Intelligence, Fadl, bowed and reported: "May Allah bless you, Your Majesty! A message has come from the winds of Central Asia."

"The eagle of the Great Tang has built its nest in Yanqi, with three thousand elite soldiers and fifty cannons, like a sharp sword drawn from its sheath."

"The Tibetan lion also raised its head in the northern frontier. Five thousand warriors built three fortresses in Bolu, confronting the Tang army in Anxi across the valley."

"May God protect them, for their manes are standing on end, clearly indicating their wariness of the Tang Dynasty's expansion!"

Umar's voice was as steady as a rock in the desert: "May the glory of Allah shine upon your report, Fadl."

His gaze then swept over the assembled officials: "Although General Khalid has suffered in Talas and Amr's banner has temporarily fallen silent in Egypt, God will never leave believers in dire straits. The Tang Dynasty's firearms are spreading like wildfire, and Tibet's vigilance is like the first gentle rain. This is a turning point bestowed by God!"

Prime Minister Walid stepped forward, the gold thread on his white robe gleaming in the lamplight. He placed his hands on his chest and bowed: "Honorable Caliph, your wisdom is like a beacon of the holy city! The 'civilization' of the Great Tang is nothing but a scimitar wrapped in silk. Their artillery workshops are scattered like stars in the Western Regions. If they are allowed to tame the Tibetans, the next step will be to cross the Amu Darya River and water their horses in the oases of the former Persian lands."

“That is the lifeline of trade routes given to us by God; we must never allow heretics to lay a hand on it!”

General Musa, who had fought alongside Khalid, stepped forward with his hand on his sword, the silver studs on his armor clanging: "Your Majesty, may Allah grant you courage! Although Tibet and the Tang Dynasty have a marriage alliance, it is as fragile as dew in the desert."

"They feared the Tang Dynasty's firearms as much as they feared sandstorms, and they were even more afraid that all the tribes of the Western Regions would fall into the arms of the Tang Dynasty, thus severing their own arms."

"If we extend a helping hand, offering fine iron as a gift and warhorses as an alliance, the Tibetan king will surely understand that joining forces with believers is the right way to resist the expansion of heretics!"

Fadel shook his head slightly, stroking his long beard, and said, "May God guide our judgment, brave Musa."

"When the Tibetan king summoned the nobles in Lhasa, he strictly ordered them not to start a war. Their hearts are still wavering. Moreover, General Amur's battle report still smells of gunpowder, and our military might is not enough to intimidate the snowy region for the time being."

“If Tibet views us as a weakened ally, the alliance will only become a laughing stock.”

"What we need to be even more vigilant about is that the Tang Dynasty's navy is already stationed in Linyi. If they were to raid the Red Sea trade route by sea, that would be a treasure trove of spices that God has bestowed upon us!"

Walid took over the conversation, bowing deeply to Omar: "Fadl's prudence is as reliable as a rock, and Musa's courage is as sharp as a sword."

"May Allah guide your decision, and we will send a secret messenger with generous gifts to Lhasa in the name of Allah's mercy."

"Ten thoroughbred Arabian horses, may they carry the Tibetan warriors like a swift wind. Fifty loads of fine iron, may they be forged into a strong shield against the Tang army's firearms."

“Tell the Tibetan king: ‘The Arab believers have no irreconcilable grudges with the Tang Dynasty, but they will never tolerate infidels monopolizing the trade routes in Central Asia. If you are willing to restrain the Tang army in Anxi, we are willing to open the trade routes in the former Persian lands, allowing Tibetan wool and medicinal herbs to flow into Baghdad like streams. May God's blessings descend upon both sides!’”

He paused, a glint of wisdom in Walid's eyes: "Furthermore, the secret envoy must tell them: 'The Tang Dynasty's cannons can now illuminate the pastures of northern Tibet. If preparations are not made soon, and their agricultural technicians fill the granaries of the Western Regions to overflowing, the tranquility of the snowy land will ultimately be shattered by the hooves of infidels. May God protect them and help them see the danger!'"

Umar nodded, the rosary beads stopping at his fingertips: "May Allah witness your plan, Walid. As you have said, choose the most devout merchant as your envoy, and let him set out with the name of Allah and our sincerity."

"Fader, you must keep your eyes peeled and keep a close eye on the movements of the Tang Dynasty: if they reinforce their troops in the Pamir Mountains, then have your secret envoys conceal their true intentions; if they are indulging in the illusion of 'civilizing all nations,' then let the alliance rise like a new moon!"

The assembled officials bowed in unison.

May God bless the Caliph's majesty, which shines like the sun forever!

Umar silently prayed, "May God allow the Tibetan lion and the Arabian eagle to stand shoulder to shoulder and block the raging fire of the Tang Dynasty. This is the land of believers, and the banners of heretics will never be allowed to fly freely!"
-
In the winter of the twenty-fourth year of the Zhenguan era, snow covered the rooftops of Lhasa. The butter lamps in the Zanpu Palace reflected the wolf totem on the wall, and the crackling yak dung fire in the stove dispelled the chill of the snowy region.

Songtsen Gampo sat on a tiger-skin throne, his gilded crown gleaming under the lamplight. Beside him, ministers such as Gar Tongtsen Gampo, dressed in dark blue woolen robes, all turned their gazes toward the Arab envoys bowing in the hall.

"May the peace of God descend upon Lhasa, Your Majesty!"

The Arab envoy, dressed in a white robe adorned with silver, held a gift box inlaid with jewels in both hands, his tone filled with the fervor unique to desert peoples: "I have come by the command of Caliph Umar, bringing with me the blessings of God."

"May ten thoroughbred Arabian horses be as strong as eagles in the snowy land, and may fifty loads of refined ironware be forged into a strong shield to protect Tibet."

"Your fame is as towering as the Himalayas, even the believers in Baghdad sing your praises; the lion of the snowy lands is never afraid of storms!"

Songtsen Gampo raised his hand to gesture for the envoy to rise, his voice as steady as glacial meltwater: "Envoy from afar, the butter tea from Tibet has been warmed for you."

"The city of Lhasa has accepted the Caliph's gift."

"But what message does the Arabian eagle bring besides friendship as it crosses the snow-capped mountains?"

The envoy bowed and smiled, saying, "May God bless your wisdom! Your Majesty, you understand the ambitions of the Tang Dynasty better than the sun itself."

"Their cannons are mounted on the walls of Yanqi, and the footprints of their agricultural technicians are all over the oases of the Western Regions. If they are allowed to tame the tribes west of the Pamir Mountains, the next step will probably be to wrap the pastures of the snowy plateau with the silk of their teachings. The Caliph said that Tibet and Arabia are like the wings of an eagle. Only by standing side by side can they withstand the storm of expansion of the heretics."

Lu Dongzan stepped forward, twirling his prayer beads, his tone carrying the directness of a Tibetan nobleman: "The envoy's words are as strong as barley wine, but Tibet and the Tang Dynasty are bound by Princess Wencheng, and the bond of marriage is as enduring as the Yarlung Tsangpo River. Does your 'standing shoulder to shoulder' mean that Tibet and the Tang Dynasty should turn against each other with weapons?"

The envoy quickly waved his hand, his eyes filled with pleading: "No, Your Excellency Prime Minister!"

"God teaches us to stay away from pointless wars. We only ask that the Tibetan warriors patrol the Anxi border more frequently, so that the Tang garrison will not dare to look westward easily."

"In this way, your pastures will not be disturbed by artillery fire, and our caravans will be able to travel freely across the Amu Darya River."

"The Caliph promised that as long as Tibet agreed, fine iron and warhorses would be delivered to the Balut fortress every month, and trade routes in the former Persian lands would be opened so that Tibetan wool and medicinal herbs could be exchanged for spices and glass from Baghdad."

Songtsen Gampo lightly tapped the armrest of his throne with his fingertips, his gaze sweeping over the falling snowflakes outside the palace: "Does the envoy know that the Tang Dynasty's firearms can breach stone walls? Last year, in the Battle of Talas, they showed the Arab cavalry the power of firearms. If Tibet goes to war with the Tang Dynasty, can your iron weapons and warhorses withstand the artillery of the Anxi garrison?" The envoy straightened his back, his tone firm: "May God grant us strength! Your Majesty, the Tang Dynasty's forces are scattered across the Western Regions, the South China Sea, and the far north, like a spread-out felt carpet, seemingly vast but actually thin. If Tibet is engaged in a siege in the south, we will concentrate our forces in the Transoxiana region, making it difficult for the Tang Dynasty to attend to both ends. Moreover, the Caliph has already ordered the expansion of the workshops in Talas, using the finest iron sand to forge weapons."

"These can all be shared with Tibet, so that the warriors of the snowy land can wield swords sharper than the Tang dynasty's muskets!"

An old Tibetan general couldn't help but speak up: "We believe in the king's decision, and we also believe that the eagle will not spread its wings for no reason!"

"But the sincerity of the Arabs must be as clear as the spring water of the snow mountain, the ironware must be inspected by Tibetan craftsmen, the warhorses must be able to gallop in pastures at an altitude of 3,000 meters, and the documents for opening trade routes must be stamped with the golden seal of the Caliph!"

The messenger smiled and nodded: "The warrior's request is as reasonable as a rock."

He then took out a scroll of parchment from his bosom: "This is a draft of the alliance personally signed by the Caliph. It reads: 'The Arabs and the Tibetans, with Allah and the snow-capped mountains as witnesses, will exchange weapons and jointly protect trade routes. Neither side shall make peace with the Tang Dynasty alone unless provoked by the other.' As long as His Highness the Zanpu affixes his seal, these conditions can be fulfilled."

Songtsen Gampo took the document, and Gar Tongtsen stepped forward to examine it together.

The light from the butter lamps shone on the text, and the hall fell silent for a moment, with only the sound of wind and snow tapping on the windows.

The text above is written in Arabic and Chinese characters.

At this time, Tibet had not yet developed a mature common writing system, and nobles and officials all spoke Chinese and wrote Chinese characters.

Although Songtsen Gampo, after unifying the various tribes of Tibet, sent his minister Thonmi Sambhota to India to study philology in order to strengthen the administration of the government and promote cultural development.

Thonmi Sambhota created the Tibetan script by drawing on the Sanskrit alphabet system and combining it with the characteristics of the Tubo language.

However, at this time, Tibetan script had just been created or was in the initial stage of promotion and had not yet been widely used throughout Tibet.

Therefore, Chinese characters have continued to be used.

After a long silence, Songtsen Gampo looked up, a resolute glint in his eyes: "The eagle of Tibet never rejects sincere partners. But the alliance will not be signed for now."

He looked at the messenger: "Leave the warhorses and ironware behind for my craftsmen to inspect."

“Your envoys may remain in Lhasa and observe how the Tibetans strengthen their patrols in Bolu. If, within three months, the Tang Dynasty’s Anxi garrison does not dare to expand westward, and if the Arab ironware is indeed as excellent as promised, then I will carry the Tibetan wolf seal alongside the Caliph’s golden seal.”

The envoy bowed deeply, his tone filled with admiration: "The wisdom of the Zanpu is as profound as the starry sky! I will convey your message back to Baghdad. May God allow the winter snow in the snowy land to melt soon, and may the friendship between our two peoples be as bountiful as barley year after year!"

Songtsen Gampo waved for his attendants to escort the envoy away, while the butter lamps inside the hall remained brightly lit. Gar Tongtsen gazed at the snow outside the window and murmured, "Your Majesty, an alliance with the Arabs might anger the Tang Dynasty..."

Songtsen Gampo frowned slightly.

He knew, of course, that the Tang Dynasty's firearms were not to be trifled with, but was he just going to give in?
Although I have always wanted to learn how to use firearms from the Tang Dynasty, I have spent a lot of gold but have not yet succeeded.

After a moment of contemplation, Songtsen Gampo said, "What Tibet wants is not war, but balance. Let the Tang Dynasty know that Tibet is not to be trifled with, and let the Arabs know that Tibet has value."

Whether it was the Arab Empire or the Tang Dynasty, Tibet would have had a hard time dealing with them alone. However, being sandwiched between the two great powers, Songtsen Gampo wanted more benefits.

The terrain of Tibet was a natural barrier and also a source of confidence.
-
On a winter night in the twenty-fourth year of the Zhenguan era, the butter lamps in Princess Wencheng's residence were lit later than usual. Icicles under the eaves reflected the moonlight, and the armor of the patrolling guards clattered softly along the Tang-style corridors inside the residence.

These were a thousand guards specially sent from Chang'an by Crown Prince Li Chengqian. Each of them wore a horizontal sword in the style of the Eastern Palace, and the red tassels on their helmet plumes trembled slightly in the wind and snow.

Princess Wencheng sat by the window, her fingertips tracing the Tang embroidery screen on the table. The embroidered scenes of Zhuque Street in Chang'an had been worn smooth and warm by the passage of time.

"Princess, it's late, you should rest." A personal maid came in carrying a hand warmer and saw her staring at the screen in a daze, so she gently advised her.

Princess Wencheng shook her head, her gaze falling on the figures of the patrolling guards outside the window. Her voice was as soft as falling snowflakes: "Azhu, do you think... the snow in Chang'an is this heavy?"

She has been in Tibet for more than ten years, from the reign of Emperor Taizong of Tang to the present day when Crown Prince Li Chengqian is in charge of the court. Time has turned her temples gray, but her memories of Chang'an have never faded.

Especially after the Crown Prince ascended the throne, he not only did not forget her, who was far away in the snowy region, but also increased the number of guards, sent silk and medicine, and even transferred the cooks in the mansion from the West Market of Chang'an. This regard made her life in Tibet much more stable.

Just as the maid was about to reply, a light knock came from outside the door. It was the voice of Li Cheng, the commander of the princess's guards, his voice tinged with urgency: "Princess, I have an important matter to report, concerning the safety of the Tang Dynasty."

Princess Wencheng's heart tightened. She gestured for the maid to leave and got up to open the door.

Li Cheng, dressed in a black close-fitting outfit with unmelted snow on his shoulders, bowed and said, "Princess, my informant just reported that this afternoon, the Arab envoys held a secret meeting in the Zanpu Palace for three hours. When they left, they took away the private seal and documents of the Tibetan Zanpu. Prime Minister Gar Tongtsen personally escorted them to the North Gate. It seems that the alliance is about to be finalized."

Princess Wencheng's fingers tightened around the window frame. Although she had lived within the palace walls for a long time, she knew that the Arab Empire had destroyed Persia and had many conflicts with the Tang Dynasty in Central Asia. If they were to form an alliance with Tibet, the flanks of the Four Garrisons of Anxi would be completely exposed, and the path of education in the Western Regions that His Highness the Crown Prince had painstakingly cultivated would likely be fraught with difficulties.

"What did they talk about?" Princess Wencheng asked hurriedly.

Li Cheng shook his head slightly: "I don't know yet, but it must be aimed at my Great Tang."

Princess Wencheng walked to the table, spread out a roll of Tang paper, and picked up a wolf-hair brush. The candlelight reflected the silver strands at her temples and the determination in her eyes: "Commander Li, His Highness the Crown Prince has treated me well. These thousand guards not only protect my safety but also prevent the Tibetan nobles from treating me lightly. Now that the snowy region is in danger, I cannot sit idly by."

She picked up her brush, dipped it in ink, and wrote with elegant yet powerful strokes: "I am going to write a secret letter. You must choose the most reliable rider and make sure it is delivered to the Eastern Palace in Chang'an and personally handed to His Highness the Crown Prince."

Li Cheng bowed and accepted the order: "Princess, rest assured, among the guards I brought, three are veterans from the Western Regions who are familiar with the secret passage from Tibet to Chang'an. Traveling on a snowy night is the safest option for them."

He paused slightly, then continued, "But... the king has been scrutinizing all comings and goings within the palace lately, so how can we send the letter out?"

(End of this chapter)