I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

...

The Central Asian countries, led by the Serzhu Turks, were convinced that they could defeat the Song Dynasty and re-establish the West's dominance over the East.

Unexpectedly, the allied forces of Central Asia, five times the size of the Song Dynasty, were defeated by the Song Dynasty.

In this battle, Sanjar's wife Terken Hatun and his niece-in-law Abkhazia Hatun, as well as the commanders on both flanks, Kumaji, and the King of Sigestan, were all captured by the Song army on the battlefield.

Terken Khatun was the daughter of Muhammad Arslan Khan, the former ruler of the Western Karakhanid Dynasty, and the sister of Muhammad II.

Abkhazia Khatun is the daughter of King Dmitry I of Georgia and the nephew of Sanjar, the newlywed wife of Sultan Giasdin Maswood. The two had just gotten married.

After the defeat of the Central Asian coalition led by Sanjar, they fled in panic to Themi, crossed the Amu Darya River, and entered Khorasan.

With this, the Seljuk Turks withdrew from the Transoxiana region, and the Song Dynasty officially entered Central Asia.

Meanwhile, the central and right wing armies of the Song Dynasty had successively moved to the outskirts of Samarkand, the capital of the Western Karakhanid Khanate.

Knowing that Sanjar was leading a million-strong Central Asian coalition to their aid, the Western Karakhanids, led by Mehmed II, chose a scorched-earth policy, intending to resist stubbornly until Sanjar came to their rescue. Then they would storm out of the city, driving the Song army away like sheep, ensuring that none of them could leave Central Asia.

However, not all West Karakhanids think or act in this way.

After suffering two major defeats, the Karluks felt that Mehmed II and his people were too naive. Since the Song Dynasty, this powerful dragon, dared to cross the river and was plotting to conquer the whole of Central Asia, things were definitely not that simple.

The Karluks were a Turkic-speaking nomadic tribe in Central Asia, essentially a branch of the Tiele tribes, with a long history of nomadic civilization.

Their earliest area of ​​activity was concentrated in the southern Altai Mountains. As the tribe's power migrated and expanded, it gradually spread to the Syr Darya River basin, the Seven Rivers region, the Ili River valley, and the Fergana Basin. Sukant, White Water Hu City, and Talas became their core activity centers.

In addition, some tribal branches are distributed in regions such as Ghazni, Balkh, and Tokharistan.

For nearly a thousand years, the allegiance of the Karluks has changed with the rise and fall of surrounding powers.

When the Turkic Khaganate rose to power, the Karluk tribe became affiliated with it and became part of the Turkic Khaganate.

Later, the Xueyantuo Khanate rose to power, replacing the Turks, and they came under its control.

During the Tang Dynasty, Tang general Gao Kan led an army to quell the rebellion of the Chebi tribe. The Karluk tribe took the opportunity to submit to the Tang Dynasty and became an important ally in the Tang Dynasty's Western Regions system. They received investiture and support from the Tang Dynasty, and the two sides had extensive cooperation in military and trade matters.

During the Battle of Talas, Gao Xianzhi, the military governor of Anxi under the Tang Dynasty, led 20,000 Han troops, allied with the forces of the Ferghana tribe and 10,000 cavalry from the Karluk tribe, to engage in a fierce battle with 30,000 Arab cavalry mobilized by the governor of Khorasan under the Abbasid Caliphate.

At the most critical moment, the Karluk tribe suddenly defected, colluding with the Arab army to launch a surprise attack from behind the Tang army lines.

The Tang army was attacked from both sides, its formation was thrown into chaos, and it ultimately suffered a crushing defeat.

This was also a major setback for the Tang Dynasty and even China in the process of expanding into the Western Regions.

Shortly after the Battle of Talas, the An Lushan Rebellion broke out within the Tang Dynasty. In order to quell the rebellion, the court transferred most of the Tang troops stationed in the Western Regions back to the interior.

The remaining Western Regions garrison was isolated and without support, yet it held its stronghold for decades, resisting the invasion of surrounding forces with its limited strength. However, due to the long-term lack of food and military support from the Central Plains, the Tang Dynasty gradually lost control of the Western Regions.

Taking advantage of this historical opportunity, the Karluk tribe, through its flexible diplomatic strategies and accurate assessment of the situation, continuously expanded its power and gradually became stronger.

Taking advantage of the situation, they replaced the Turks and occupied the former Western Turkic territory in the Chu River basin, including the important Western Turkic cities of Suyab (the birthplace of the famous Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai) and Talas, becoming an undeniable force in Central Asia.

In the previous Battle of Talas 2.0, one of the main opponents of the Song army was a branch of the Karluk tribe.

Emperor Huizong of Song (Zhao Ji) also instigated war between the Song Dynasty and the Western Karakhanid Khanate, and even the whole of Central Asia, by killing male members of a branch of the Karluk tribe and abducting "daughters of the Wang family" and "daughters of nobles" from another branch.

More than a hundred years ago, the Karluk tribe gradually merged with some of the Uyghur tribes that migrated westward, and together they established the Karakhanid Dynasty.

During the establishment and expansion of the Karakhanid Dynasty, the Karluks made great contributions with their strong military power and familiarity with the local conditions in Central Asia.

Therefore, after the establishment of the Karakhanid Dynasty, the area in which the Karluks operated became a semi-autonomous region within the dynasty. They enjoyed a certain degree of autonomy and could retain their own tribal customs and military system.

The Karluks were cunning, untrustworthy, and fickle by nature, typical of the steppe people.

Seeing that the Song army was invincible and that the Song's weapons were more advanced than those in Central Asia, the Karluks decided to rebel, not only acting as guides but also serving as vanguards and transport personnel for the Song army.

In this way, the central and right wing armies could quickly reach the outskirts of Samarkand and surround the city.

This capital of the Western Karakhanid Khanate was once a hub where the Central Asian steppe and agricultural civilizations met. The outer walls, built of brick and stone, were more than three zhang high and more than two zhang thick. The walls were lined with battlements, towering arrow towers, and surrounded by a moat, making it as impregnable as a fortress.

Standing on the inner city tower, Mehmed II looked at the Song army outside the city with its forest of banners, still harboring a glimmer of hope.

He felt that such a fortified city was enough to withstand any attack, and that if they held out for a few more days, Sanjar might be able to lead a million-strong army to reinforce them.

He felt that they had already fortified their defenses and scorched the fields, and that they only needed to repel a few attacks from the Song army to drive away the Song army, which was on a long expedition and lacked sufficient supplies.

He felt that if the situation truly became untenable, he could still send envoys to the Song army to negotiate peace. The Song Dynasty was a land of propriety and had always been very courteous, so it would not be too aggressive.

Not only did Muhammad II think this way, but the military and civilians of the Western Karakhanid Khanate also firmly believed it, thanks to the propaganda of Muhammad II and other members of the ruling class.

As for the high-ranking officials, nobles, and wealthy families of the Western Karakhanid Khanate, they had long heard that when the Song Dynasty conquered a region, it usually did not harm the common people or slaves, but it was extremely ruthless towards nobles like them, often confiscating their property and interrogating their families. The men were either killed or exiled to harsh and cold places to build roads, railways, or mines; the women were sent to the brothels or prostitute camps to become prostitutes.

In other words, once Samarkand falls, the lowly commoners and slaves will still have a chance to live, but the high-ranking officials, gentry, and wealthy families will definitely not have a good ending.

As a result, the high-ranking officials, nobles, and wealthy families in Samarkand recruited troops, provided them with military pay, food, and armor, and led them to defend the city together with the garrison.

The weather was clear and cloudless that day.

At 3:45 AM, a deafening bugle call resounded from the Song army ranks. Hundreds of Li Lin cannons were pushed by the soldiers to their designated positions outside the moat, their muzzles all aimed at the middle section of the western wall of Samarkand. These massive iron cannons were entirely black, with precise markings engraved on their barrels. Their muzzles were as thick as buckets, and even when they lay dormant, they exuded a chilling sense of oppression.

At the command of the front-line commander, the gunners quickly loaded gunpowder and solid shells.

The moment the fuse was lit, sparks flew everywhere, and the crackling sound was particularly jarring in the silence of the early morning.

"boom--!"

The first cannon shot boomed like thunder, causing the earth to tremble slightly.

Solid cannonballs, accompanied by a fierce wind, whistled as they crashed into the bricks and stones of the western city wall, instantly unleashing a deafening roar. The outer layer of bricks and stones of the city wall immediately flew like fragments, and smoke and dust rose into the sky, obscuring half of the city.

The Western Karakhanids stared in horror, their weapons nearly slipping from their hands!

Most of them had never seen such a powerful weapon.

Only the soldiers who returned from the front lines with Mehmed II had seen the Li Lin Cannon of the Great Song Dynasty, and they had told the "new recruits" about how terrifying the Li Lin Cannon was.

However, hearing about something and seeing it with your own eyes are ultimately different.

The thick city walls, which were once strong enough to withstand battering rams and ladders, were as fragile as paper in the face of these cannonballs.

Before they could react, the second and third cannon shots followed in quick succession, as dozens of Li Lin cannons fired in turn, creating a dense barrage of fire.

One cannonball after another struck the same section of the city wall, each impact accompanied by the roar of bricks and stones shattering and the tremors of the wall.

At first, the city wall only showed some grotesque cracks, but then the cracks continued to spread and expand, and the wall gradually caved inward.

Soldiers and laborers of the Western Karakhanid Khanate attempted to repair or reinforce this section of the wall with timber and bricks.

But as soon as they climbed the city wall, they were injured by flying debris or overturned by the shockwaves of artillery fire, making it impossible for them to get close to the damaged areas.

The arrow tower on the city wall collapsed with a roar amidst the cannon fire, and bricks and stones rolled down, killing and injuring many soldiers defending the city. The screams and the sound of cannons mingled together, causing the defenders on the city wall to become increasingly disorganized.

Mehmed II turned pale! He realized that he was about to become the ruler of a fallen kingdom.

To be honest, he really didn't expect that such a fortified city as Samarkand would be so vulnerable to Li Lin's cannons from the Song Dynasty.

The tremors of the city wall grew more and more violent, as if the entire city was about to collapse. Amidst the billowing smoke and dust, he could clearly see a huge gap had appeared in the middle of the western wall. Bricks and stones were piled up on the moat and the inner side of the city wall, and a crack more than ten feet wide had been blasted open in the originally thick wall.

"Hold the breach! Hold the breach now!"

Some generals of the Western Karakhanid Khanate roared and tried to mobilize soldiers and laborers to block the breach, but the Song army's artillery fire did not decrease at all, continuing to bombard both sides of the breach, preventing any attempt at repair or defense.

Half an hour later, another round of intense artillery fire came down, and the breach in the west wall of the city widened again, reaching more than three zhang (approximately 10 meters) in width, enough for several soldiers to rush in side by side. The rammed earth and bricks on the inner side of the city wall had been bombarded and softened, and could no longer form an effective defense.

Just after noon, the Song army's artillery fire came to an abrupt halt.

As the smoke and dust gradually dissipated, the menacing breach was particularly conspicuous in the sunlight. The Western Karakhanid defenders on the city wall had long since been routed, some cowering behind the battlements trembling in fear, others abandoning their weapons and fleeing in all directions.

The drums of the Song army sounded loudly, and looking around, it was Wu Jie, the marshal of the right wing army, personally beating the drums.

Accompanied by the rousing drumbeats, tens of thousands of troops surged toward the breach in the city wall like a tidal wave. The vanguard, armed with shields and longswords, provided cover for the Song soldiers behind them, who were carrying Li Lin guns or Shenbi bows. They quickly crossed the temporary pontoon bridge over the moat and stepped into the breach in the city wall.

Some of the defending soldiers tried to resist, but they were all shot dead by the Song army and fell into pools of blood in the blink of an eye.

Meanwhile, the Song army's Li Lin cannons continued firing, and crucially, the Tiger Crouching Cannon, capable of scattering, also joined the battle.

Moreover, in close combat, Song soldiers also carried thunderbolts.

Seeing that the city walls had been breached and the Song army was unstoppable, the Western Karakhanids in the outer city abandoned their valuables and weapons and surged into the inner city like a tide, attempting to rely on the inner city's defenses to continue their resistance.

In an instant, the streets of the outer city were packed with people, filled with cries, running, and the clashing of weapons.

The Song army advanced methodically, taking control of all the city gates and walls of the outer city, as well as key strongholds, confiscating weapons, and pacifying the frightened civilians and slaves. At the same time, they quickly surrounded the inner city, set up Li Lin cannons, aimed them at the inner city gates, and waited for the order to launch another attack.

When Mehmed II learned of all this, his last shred of will to resist completely collapsed.

He knew all too well that the inner city's defenses were far inferior to the outer city's, and against the power of Li Lin's cannons, they were merely clinging to life. Continuing to resist would only lead to greater casualties, and might even destroy this ancient city in the flames of war.

After a moment of contemplation, he slowly put down his scimitar, ordered the inner city gates to be opened, and personally led the civil and military officials of the Western Karakhanid Khanate out of the city to surrender.

Immediately after the city fell, Wu Yong and Li Yanxian both sent messengers to deliver the news of victory to Zhao Yu.

The following day at noon, Yue Fei and Wu Jie each rode a tall horse and entered Samarkand side by side, followed by a large cavalry force, marching into the city in a grand procession.

Earlier, Wu Yong and Li Yanxian had already sent people into the city to strictly order all departments not to enter civilian residences or public offices. They also ordered notices to be posted along the streets and alleys, and to shout to the citizens in Chinese, Karakhanid Turkic, Arabic, and Persian: "No one in the city, whether soldier or civilian, barbarian or Han, will be killed if they surrender immediately. If they resist, they will be killed without mercy."

Yue Fei and Wu Jie arrived at the inner palace, standing on either side of the head of the palace.

Muhammad II led the civil and military officials, monks, and elders of the Western Karakhanid Khanate in prostrating themselves in worship in the square outside the temple.

Yue Fei said through the translator: "Your capital has fallen, and you are destined to perish. As for how to deal with you, we must await the decree of His Majesty the Emperor of our dynasty!"

Then, Wu Jie, through a translator, said: "Rest assured, our Great Song Dynasty will not indiscriminately kill the innocent. We will only find the culprits. The common people and slaves are the most innocent. We will pardon their crimes first. As for the rest, we will deal with it after His Majesty the Emperor issues an imperial edict!"

...(End of this chapter)