My father, Li Shimin, please call me Crown Prince

Chapter 462 Demands the Arab Empire to Submit and Pay Tribute
In the winter of the twenty-fifth year of the Zhenguan era, the gilded dome of the Baghdad Royal Palace on the banks of the Tigris River, reflecting the cold moon in the north wind, resembled a crown of God's grace adorned with stars.

Caliph Umar III clutched the urgent report from the Pamir front, the parchment crumpled under his knuckles, repeatedly muttering, "God above, how could this be..."

The words in the letter were like a red-hot branding iron, burning his palms.

"The third expeditionary force retreated westward to the Amu Darya River in accordance with God's guidance. The Tang army swiftly broke through the Tibetan Wolf Howling Fortress and flattened Lhasa within half a month. Songtsen Gampo knelt down and surrendered to the Tang. The snowy lands all returned to the East!"

Inside the council chamber, a map of Central Asia lay disheveled on a wool carpet, trampled by the nobles' leather boots.

Grand Vizier Abdul, dressed in a long robe embroidered with gold, bowed with his hands pressed to his chest and spoke in a voice filled with awe for God and an undisguised tremor: "Your Majesty the Caliph, the people of God have never dared to question your wisdom, yet the Tang army's fighting strength has exceeded the prophet's prediction!"

"The expeditionary force we sent was the bravest eagle in the desert, but it chose to retreat when it saw the defeat of the Tibetans."

"They witnessed firsthand the Tang army's muskets like the thunder of God, lead bullets piercing the soldiers' chainmail as easily as piercing thin gauze. The cannons blasted down the copper sand walls of Wolf Howling Fortress as if God were splitting solid rock!"

"How could an eagle retreat?" Khalid, the chief of the Hashim tribe, suddenly drew his scimitar from his waist. The blade reflected the candlelight, like the midday sun in the desert.

"Our warriors conquered the Persian plateau and trampled the Egyptian oases, relying on the courage bestowed by God! The Tibetans had 30,000 iron cavalry and fortresses built by the craftsmen we sent. How could they have been destroyed in half a month? The scouts must have exaggerated!"

"I am willing to lead three thousand warriors of the tribe, mount the fine horses bestowed by God, and go to meet those Tang people of the East, so that they may know that the talons of the desert eagle have never rusted!"

"Khalid, put away your scimitar." Sayyid, the general who once guarded Talas, was pale. He lifted his robe to reveal a scar on his shoulder, a mark left from last year's battle with the Tang army.

"God is my witness, and everything I have said is true! The Tang army's musketeers were arranged in three ranks, and when they fired in volleys, it was like a torrential downpour. The defensive methods we taught the Tibetans were completely useless against those firearms. The Tibetan warriors fell like lambs, without even having a chance to get close to the Tang army."

"This is not war, but God's punishment for the disrespectful. If we provoke again, Baghdad will be the next to be punished!"

The council chamber fell into a deathly silence, broken only by the crackling of the candlelight, like a warning from God in the darkness.

Umar III walked to the jewel-encrusted council table, tapped his fingertips lightly on the surface, and spoke in a tone as heavy as the Tigris River: "The people of God never fear powerful enemies, but we must face reality."

"In the past three years, we have launched three expeditions to Central Asia, and the number of warriors we have lost could fill the valleys of Persia."

"Now, only 30,000 exhausted soldiers remain stationed along the Amu Darya River."

"The Tang people have just pacified Tibet. Their banners are flying in the snowy region, and the fame of their firearms has spread throughout the Pamir Mountains. If we dare to expand eastward again, we will be pushing the empire bestowed by God into the abyss!"

Khalid slammed his scimitar back into its sheath, his voice filled with resentment: "Then what should we do? Should we bow down to the Tang people of the East?"

“Our caravans control the spice route in Central Asia, and our temples are scattered throughout the conquered lands. How can we allow the Tang people to steal the glory bestowed by Allah?”

Abdul bowed and said, "Glory is not earned through stubbornness, my brother."

"God teaches us to adjust our sails before the storm. The Tang army doesn't want to conquer us, but to control the trade routes in the Western Regions and make us afraid to be their enemy again. We can send envoys with generous gifts."

"Five hundred fine Arabian horses, bestowed by God, and three hundred brocades woven by Persian weavers, were sent to Chang'an to pay homage to the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty. We told them that the Arabs wished to be friendly neighbors of the Tang Dynasty and to share the trade routes of Central Asia with them, just as the Prophet taught us to share bread and water with our neighbors."

Said quickly added, "The Grand Vizier is right! We must also strictly order all tribes not to collude with any anti-Tang forces again. The old Persian nobles are like venomous snakes in the desert, always ready to bite us; if we become enemies with the Tang people again, those venomous snakes will definitely take the opportunity to cause trouble. At that time, we will have to face the lion in the east and guard against the venomous snakes behind us. This is a foolishness that even God would not allow!"

Umar III closed his eyes, as if listening to God's guidance.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, his gaze as firm as the stars in the desert: "Issue my decree, in the name of God! First, recall all patrols on the east bank of the Amu Darya, and build a defensive line only on the west bank to protect the land God has given us."

"Secondly, send the envoy with the most precious tribute to Chang'an tomorrow, so that the Tang people may know that the Arabian eagle is willing to coexist peacefully with the Eastern dragon."

"Third, if any tribe dares to disobey orders and collude with anti-Tang forces, their faith will be stripped, their pastures will be confiscated, and they will become homeless wanderers in the desert!"

"Yes, Your Majesty the Caliph!" The nobles and generals bowed, their previous arrogance and resentment replaced by awe for the Tang Dynasty.

Khalid gazed at the night sky outside the council chamber, where the stars of God twinkled. He suddenly understood that in the face of absolute power, temporary retreat was not cowardice, but rather a means to protect the empire bestowed by God and the homeland of the desert eagle.

As night deepened, the lights of the Baghdad Royal Palace remained burning all night. Envoys, carrying Arab tribute and wishes for peace, mounted their divinely ordained steeds and galloped eastward; while inside the council chamber, Umar III continued to peruse the Tang army's intelligence reports, his fingertips repeatedly tracing the phrase "conquered Tibet in half a month," as he softly prayed, "O God, please protect your people, keep them away from the flames of war in the east..."

The Tigris River flows silently, as if telling the story of the desert empire's bewilderment and choices. From this moment on, the Arab Empire's ambition to expand eastward was firmly locked on the west bank of the Amu Darya by the prestige of the Tang Dynasty.

That distant and powerful Eastern dynasty has become an insurmountable barrier in the heart of the desert eagle, witnessed by God.
-
In the summer of the twenty-sixth year of the Zhenguan era, Baghdad on the banks of the Tigris River was shrouded in heat, and a procession dressed in scarlet court robes was slowly walking from the edge of the Omani desert.

The hundred-person delegation led by Wang Cheng, the envoy of the Tang Dynasty, finally arrived in this unfamiliar land, with camels carrying official documents and gifts. In the eight months since they set out from Chang'an, although they encountered sandstorms and high plateaus, they made their way forward smoothly thanks to ample supplies and the assistance of the cities along the way. At this moment, Wang Cheng reined in his horse, his gaze sweeping over the cities ahead, his heart filled with curiosity about the exotic landscape.

The first stop upon entering the Arab Empire was the city-state of Bukhara in Central Asia.

Wang Cheng stood in front of the city gate and saw that the city wall was made of earth-yellow bricks and stones, which was completely different from the blue brick city wall of Chang'an in the Tang Dynasty. The city gate was carved with intricate geometric patterns, but there were no dragon patterns but star and moon symbols.

"Although this city wall is sturdy, it does not conform to the design of the Chang'an city wall."

He whispered to Li Mo, the military advisor beside him, "The outer city of Chang'an is over forty li in circumference and the city towers are three zhang high. The city wall here is less than half the size of Chang'an's, which makes it seem more compact."

The city's market, however, caught the delegation's eye. Merchants sat on carpets, displaying Persian brocades, Indian spices, and Arabian daggers. Transactions were conducted not with copper coins, but with silver dinars and gold dirhams.

Wang Cheng took the silver coin handed to him by the merchant and saw that it was engraved with Arabic script: "The currency here has no uniform appearance. It is more like that of the Western Regions countries. It is not as standardized as the currency system of our Great Tang Dynasty."

The temple spires stood tall beside the market, and the sound of chanting sutras could be heard regularly. Li Mo asked softly, "My lord, they chant sutras five times a day, which is more frequent than the worship of our ancestors by the people of the Great Tang."

Wang Cheng nodded: "They just have different beliefs. The Tang Dynasty respects Confucianism and Taoism, and also incorporates Buddhism, but it does not have such a regular collective ceremony."

Upon arriving in Samarkand, Wang Cheng was invited to visit the local tax office. Officials, holding account books, explained that the people were required to hand over one-tenth of their harvest, as well as perform military service and corvée labor. "The Tang Dynasty implemented a rent-labor system, requiring each adult male to pay two shi (a unit of dry measure) of rent and perform twenty days of corvée labor annually."

Wang Cheng compared the two systems, saying, "Although the tax system here is simple, it lacks the flexibility of the Tang Dynasty's 'labor service system.' If the people do not perform labor service, there is no alternative, which may cause them to miss the farming season."

He noticed that most of the tax officials were sons of nobles and sighed softly.

The post stations along the way also left a deep impression on the delegation. Arab post stations were mostly built near water sources, constructed of adobe bricks, and contained stables and guest rooms. However, they lacked the postmasters and postmen of the Tang Dynasty post stations; instead, they were managed by local tribes.

“The post stations of the Tang Dynasty were spread throughout the country, with one station every thirty li. The postmasters were appointed by the imperial court, and there were strict time limits for delivering documents.”

Wang Cheng flipped through the post station's register: "Although this post station provides a place to rest, it lacks unified scheduling and is probably not as efficient as the post roads of the Great Tang Dynasty."

When they were still thirty miles from Baghdad, the sound of horses' hooves could be heard in the distance.

Abdul's 500 cavalrymen have come to greet us.

Wang Cheng reined in his horse and looked around. He saw that the Arab cavalrymen were wearing chainmail and had excellent horsemanship, but they did not have the bright armor and horse spears of the Tang cavalrymen.

"Their armor is lightweight and suitable for desert warfare."

Li Mo observed, "The Great Tang's Mingguang Armor can protect the whole body, and the horse lance can break through heavy armor. If it is a head-on confrontation, our Great Tang cavalry will have the advantage."

Abdul dismounted, bowed in broken Chinese, and the cavalrymen behind him led over fine Arabian horses.

Wang Cheng stroked the horse's mane, noting that the horse was tall and strong, but lacked the divine steeds of the Six Steeds of Zhaoling in the Tang Dynasty: "This horse is suitable for long journeys, but it is not as powerful as the warhorses of the Tang Dynasty. The horses raised in the stables outside Chang'an can travel two hundred li a day and can carry heavy loads without any problem."

Upon entering Baghdad, the streets were lined with people scattering rose petals. The houses were mostly two-story earthen buildings with flat roofs, quite different from the sloping roofs and flying eaves of the Tang Dynasty. In the square in front of the palace, there were no stone lions like those of the Tang Dynasty, but there were fountains and pools.

"Although Baghdad is prosperous, it lacks the orderly layout of Chang'an."

Wang Cheng looked at the crisscrossing streets: "Chang'an has Zhuque Avenue running north to south, with separate wards and markets, and a curfew during the day. Here, the wards and markets are mixed, with vendors day and night. It is more lively than Chang'an, but less orderly."

Abdul led the delegation toward the palace, explaining along the way: "The Caliph is the supreme ruler of the empire, holding supreme military, political, and religious power."

When Wang Cheng entered the royal council hall, he saw Umar III sitting on a jewel-encrusted throne, surrounded by nobles, unlike the civil and military officials of the Tang Dynasty.

Inside the council chamber of the Baghdad Royal Palace, gilded candlesticks burned with sandalwood incense. On the Persian carpet-covered floor, Arab nobles and ministers stood on both sides, their eyes fixed on the letter of state in Wang Cheng's hands.

Umar III sat on his jeweled throne, having just heard Abdul's account of the Tang Dynasty's willingness to share trade routes. A gentle smile graced his face when Wang Cheng stepped forward and slammed the letter of state onto the silver-rimmed council table, his tone as cold as the Pamir Plateau's chilling wind.

"Your Majesty the Caliph!"

Wang Cheng's voice was not loud, but it pierced through the silence of the hall: "The Crown Prince of the Great Tang has decreed: The Arabs have violated our Anxi borders three times, killing our border people and destroying our post stations. Today, they must give the Great Tang an explanation."

"First, compensation must be paid for the 30,000 warhorses, 5,000 suits of armor, and the more than 100 Tang craftsmen who were captured during the Anxi War. The items must be counted and handed over within three days."

"Secondly, the Arabs must pay tribute to the Tang Dynasty every year, presenting a thousand bolts of Persian brocade and a hundred fine Arabian horses, and send envoys to Chang'an to pay homage and submit to the Tang Dynasty."

"Third, permanently withdraw from the east bank of the Amu Darya River and never again collude with any tribe to oppose the Tang Dynasty."

At this point, Wang Cheng paused slightly.

“If you don’t agree!” He raised his hand to the short sword at his waist, his gaze sweeping over the nobles in the hall: “General Su Dingfang of my Great Tang Dynasty has deployed 100,000 heavenly soldiers in the Pamir Mountains. Their cannons can blast down Lhasa, so naturally they can blast open the gates of Baghdad!”

As soon as he finished speaking, the council chamber erupted in chaos.

Khalid, the chief of the Hashim tribe, suddenly drew his silver-hilted dagger, pointing the blade at Wang Cheng, and roared, "Insolence! The people of Allah will never submit to anyone! You are nothing but an envoy from the East, yet you dare to threaten the Caliph in the palace of Baghdad. Are you not afraid of being thrown into the Tigris River to feed the fish?"

"Khalid!" Abdul rushed forward and grabbed him, but couldn't help frowning. "Tang envoy, we have received you with the highest honors and are willing to share trade routes with the Tang Dynasty. Why do you still propose such harsh conditions? Submitting as a vassal and paying tribute is an insult to the Arab Empire, and the Caliph will never agree to it!"

Several young nobles echoed this sentiment, some even slamming their fists on the table and angrily denouncing the Tang people as "too arrogant."

Some shouted, "We must show the envoy the might of the desert eagle!"

The candlelight in the hall flickered slightly, shaken by the angry shouts.

Wang Cheng stood still, his back ramrod straight, the gold-inlaid staff in his hand gleaming coldly in the candlelight. Facing the angry stares of the entire hall, there was no fear on his face.

What is he afraid of? Does the Arabs dare to kill him?

So what if we are killed? We should follow the example of the Han envoys and expand the territory of the Tang Dynasty.

Along the way, Wang Cheng learned that the Arab Empire was also quite prosperous, and if it were incorporated into the territory of the Tang Dynasty, it would not be a burden on the court.

The only problem is that the distance is too far, making management a bit troublesome.

But that's not something he needs to consider.

After all, he will be remembered in history after his death!

(End of this chapter)