Chapter 336 Anxi Cavalry VS Persian Cavalry

It was the third day of June in the first year of Zhaowu of the Tang Dynasty.

This is destined to be a day that will go down in history. The Anxi Iron Cavalry of the Tang Dynasty, a super empire from the East, and the Eastern Expeditionary Army of the Arab Empire, a super power that spans three continents of Asia, Africa and Europe, finally fought in the vast Western Region. On the ground, a place called Talas came across unexpectedly.

This was a direct collision between the Tang Dynasty and the Abbasid Dynasty (also known as the Great Eclipse in Black), and also a direct confrontation between the two super empires in the world at that time.

On the side of the Tang Dynasty, Anxi Hou Lanyu led 50,000 Anxi cavalry to fight;

On the Abbasid side, Turhun, the general of the Arab Empire's Eastern Expedition, led an 800,000-strong army into the battle (including 300,000 former troops and 500,000 ambush troops in other small countries in the Western Region).

It is worth mentioning that during the confrontation between the two armies and the Talas, Guo Dingfang, the minister of the Ministry of War who came from Jinling City, the imperial capital of the Tang Dynasty;

Zuo Liangcai, the Tang Changxinhou who succeeded Anxi Hou Lanyu as the deputy envoy of the Anxi Protectorate (Beifu), also arrived at Talas with a team of more than a hundred people to deliver the message and joined forces with Anxi Hou Lanyu.

After intense discussions among the civil and military officials in the court, Emperor Zhaowu Chen Huaian finally made the decision to deal with Lan Yu, the Marquis of Anxi. The official position and military power of the envoy will be returned to the capital immediately to wait for the decision;

Zuo Liangcai, the Marquis of Changxin, who was a general of the Longcheng Polu Army, was responsible for taking over the position of deputy governor of the Anxi Protectorate (Beifu);

Guo Dingfang, who was the Marquis of Zhenxi in the Tang Dynasty, a high-ranking official in the imperial court, and the Minister of War, assisted Zuo Liangcai and Huo Qubing in re-establishing the political power of the destroyed Xiaowan and Wusun countries.

When the two teams joined forces, it was supposed to be the time when Guo Dingfang, the minister of the Ministry of War, as the minister delivering the edict, read out the imperial edict to Lan Yu, the Marquis of Anxi, and the generals of the Anxi Protectorate in public;

Unexpectedly, they encountered the Arab Empire's army from the Eastern Expedition.

In fact, even Guo Dingfang and Zuo Liangcai, who were responsible for delivering the decree and taking over, broke out from the heavy encirclement of the Arab Empire's Eastern Expedition Army and went to the Tang Army's camp under the cover of the former army scouts under Lan Yu's command. converging.

Such a change caught Guo Dingfang and Zuo Liangcai off guard.

At this time, Anxi Hou Lan Yu was convening his generals to discuss matters in the Chinese army's tent to discuss strategies to defeat the enemy. He had not yet made time to meet with Guo Dingfang and Zuo Liangcai.

The two people who were temporarily placed in a military tent looked at the edict in their hands with big eyes and small eyes, and for a moment they didn't know what to do.

On the one hand, these two people are responsible for the emperor's orders. If they do not truthfully read the imperial edict to Anxi Hou Lanyu and the Tang army generals, they will have committed the crime of deceiving the emperor. If they are investigated in the future, they will be punished by the nine tribes;

On the other hand, if the content of the imperial edict is read truthfully, it will be a change of commander before the battle, which is a taboo for military strategists;

What's more, facing the 300,000 Arab Empire's Eastern Expedition Army that had already assembled in Talas, and facing the disadvantage of only 50,000 troops on our side, whether it was Guo Dingfang, Zuo Liangcai, or other Tang army generals, No one is sure that they can defeat the other!

If things go wrong, the 50,000 Anxi cavalry of the Tang Dynasty will be wiped out in Talos!

In this way, Guo Dingfang and Zuo Liangcai were really roasted on the fire.

Should I think about the black gauze hat on my head and the nine tribes behind me, or should I think about the 50,000 Tang army soldiers in front of me, and the Western Silk Road that the Tang Dynasty finally established? This is really a difficult question to decide. .

In the side tent, Guo Dingfang and Zuo Liangcai looked solemn and relatively speechless.

a long time.

The two of them said in unison:

"Master Guo!"

"General Zuo!"

Then, both of them were stunned for a moment, and then made the same invitation gesture: "Please first--"

Hahaha!

Finally, with the tacit understanding between the two, the original serious and solemn atmosphere in the military tent was broken, and a smile appeared on their faces.

Finally, it was Guo Dingfang, the senior minister of the Ministry of War, who took the lead and said: "General Zuo, after all my thinking, I still feel that now is not the best time to read out the imperial edict;"

"Right now, the most important thing is to stabilize the morale of the military to defeat the invading enemy;"

"Judging from today's situation, the Abbasid Dynasty's eastern expedition to the Tang Dynasty was something that had been planned for a long time. The Battle of Talos was the first battle that our Tang Dynasty faced in the Western Region against a powerful enemy from outside the region since the founding of the country; "

"In this battle, we can only win but not lose. If we lose, those countries in the Western Regions that are sitting on the sidelines will definitely fall to the Abbasid Dynasty as soon as possible;"

"Once we lose the support of the people, if we, the Tang Dynasty, want to regain control of the countries in the Western Regions and restore the prosperity of the Silk Road, we don't know how much it will cost and how much sacrifice it will cause;"

After a pause, Guo Dingfang said in a sonorous voice: "So, I decided not to announce the edict secretly until the Battle of Talos is over;"

"As for, if the emperor pursues the case in the future, whether he wants to chop off my head, Guo Dingfang, or kill my nine tribes, I, Guo Dingfang, will have no complaints;"

"Compared to the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty in the Western Regions, and compared to the control and influence of our Han nation on the Silk Road, my Guo Dingfang's head and nine tribes are really insignificant!"

"Master Guo——"

Listening to Guo Dingfang's heartfelt words, Zuo Liangcai was moved and made his own decision, saying: "That's exactly what I meant;"

"only--"

Zuo Liangcai changed the topic and said: "You, Master Guo, cannot bear this serious crime of deceiving the emperor alone. If you want to behead the nine tribes, I, Zuo Liangcai, will accompany you!"

Eh--

Hearing this, Guo Dingfang let out a long sigh, shook his head helplessly, and said, "General Zuo, why are you doing this?"

"Report——"

"Qi Zhenxi Marquis and Chang Xin Marquis, the general has invited you!"

At this time, the messenger's announcement came from outside the side tent. It was Anxi Hou Lanyu who had finished arranging troops before the war and finally found time to meet with two colleagues who came from the imperial city of the capital.

Inside the tent, Guo Dingfang and Zuo Liangcai looked at each other and smiled, then walked out of the tent calmly and told the messenger outside: "Lead the way!"

"You two princes, please come this way!"

Soon, Guo Dingfang and Zuo Liangcai, guided by the messengers, came to the Chinese army's tent and met Lan Yu, the Hou of Anxi.

At this moment, Lan Yu was putting on armor with the help of his own soldiers. After seeing Guo Dingfang and Zuo Liangcai, he also greeted warmly: "Master Guo, General Zuo——"

"You two came from the imperial city of the capital, and you must have worked hard all the way. Logically speaking, I, the general, should fulfill my duty as a landlord and host a banquet for you two to cleanse yourself from the dust;"

"But, you must have also seen that the son of a bitch, the Abbasid Dynasty, dared to extend its dog paws into the sphere of influence of the Tang Dynasty. It is really a tiger that does not show its power, and treats this general as a sick cat!"

While speaking, Lan Yu had already put on the Mingguang Armor, and then came to the two of them in a few steps and shook hands with them warmly;

He continued: "Master Guo, General Zuo, please take a short rest in the military camp first, and wait for me to lead his troops out to defeat the enemy's spirit."

"In the evening, I, the general, will host a banquet in the Chinese army's tent to welcome you two and wash away the dust. Get drunk before resting!"

With that said, Lan Yu waved her hand and ordered: "Who then, please give me a good rest for Mr. Guo and General Zuo?"

"Left and right Yu Houjun, follow my general to meet the enemy!"

"The general will get the order!"