Chapter 374: Three Months of Victory in the Western Regions (Part 2)

September 21, the first year of the Tang Dynasty’s Zhaowu reign.

This was the 20th day of the Tang Dynasty’s siege of the 200,000-strong Arab Empire’s Eastern Expedition Army in the Black Tiger City of the Huihe. Turhong, the Abbasid Dynasty’s Eastern Expedition General in the city, still hadn’t waited for the long-awaited autumn rain, the heavy rain that was enough to render the Tang Dynasty’s copper artillery outside the city useless.

What made Turhong and the Arab Empire’s Eastern Expedition Army in the city even more desperate was that they not only failed to wait for the opportunity to break through, but instead received the news of the surrender of more than 400,000 Empire’s Eastern Expedition Army trapped in Meijian and Khatun.

On September 17, the 150,000 Arab Empire's Eastern Expedition Army in Meijian City of Huihe, running out of ammunition and food, conducted several breakout operations, but the heavy casualties caused the front-line soldiers to mutiny;

Finally, dozens of soldiers united and killed the chief general Aini in Meijian City, then raised the white flag with the chief general Aini's head and surrendered to the Tang Dynasty army outside the city;

On September 19, the more than 200,000 Arab Empire's Eastern Expedition Army in Khatun City of Huihe, led by the chief general Aizezi, took the initiative to leave the city and surrender to Zhao Zilong, the chief general of the Tang Dynasty's Imperial Guards who besieged Khatun City;

On September 21, Turhong, the Eastern Expedition General in Heihu City, received a special gift from the Tang Dynasty Zhaowu Emperor Chen Huaian outside the city - the seals and flags of the generals of the Arab Empire's Eastern Expedition Army in Meijian and Khatun, as well as dozens of carriages of food and grass.

This special gift also became the last straw that overwhelmed General Turhong and the Arab Empire army trapped in Black Tiger City.

In the central army tent.

General Turhong sat on the main seat, and on the table in front of him were placed the head of Aini, the left vanguard commander of the Meijian City Empire's Eastern Expedition Army, and the flags and seals of Aini and Aizezi.

On both sides of Turhong sat the Arab Empire generals who looked solemn and silent.

The big tent was so quiet that it made people feel a little scared. Only outside the raised curtain of the big tent, the whistling northwest wind blew the woolen banner of the Empire's Eastern Expedition General Turhong, making bursts of rustling sounds.

At this time, Turhong no longer had the ambition and ambition he had three months ago when he led his 800,000 Arab army to the East. His face was full of fatigue and helplessness, making him look like a greasy middle-aged man.

The army had been trapped in Black Tiger City for more than 20 days, and almost all the horses that should be killed had been slaughtered. Only the personal guards under Turhong still maintained a complete cavalry system.

If he had known this would happen, Turhong should not have ordered the massacre when he led his troops to capture Black Tiger City.

Otherwise, he would not have appeared so passive.

However, it was useless to regret at this time. The 200,000 imperial troops in Black Tiger City had completely become an isolated army.

At this time, Chen Huaian, the Emperor Zhaowu of the Tang Dynasty, sent people to deliver enough food for the 200,000 troops in the city, as well as the news that Meijian and Khatun had fallen.

This move was tantamount to breaking the last psychological defense line of the grassroots soldiers trapped in Black Tiger City.

It's time to end it!

Ahem!

Turhong coughed twice on the main seat.

Then, the Arab generals who had been hanging their heads in the big tent raised their heads woodenly, looked at General Turhong blankly, and waited for the final order.

Turhong said calmly: "Caesar, you go and pass on my order now, and let the soldiers share the food sent by the Tang army outside the city;"

"After this meal, let them prepare to surrender!"

"General——"

When Caesar, the right vanguard general, heard the general asking the soldiers to prepare to surrender, he subconsciously wanted to persuade them, but when the words came to his lips, he swallowed them back.

At this point, everyone knows that surrender is the only way out.

Otherwise, they will starve to death in this Black Tiger City.

Turhong waved his hand and said, "Go and follow my order!"

"I, your humble servant, obey my order!"

In the end, the right vanguard general Caesar had no choice but to leave with a lot of hatred.

Then, Turhong took out a letter from the table in front of him and told another general in the big tent, "General Haiti, this is a handwritten letter from my general to the Great Tang Emperor Chen Huaian. You should go out of the city and hand it over to the Great Tang Emperor;"

"Just say that I am waiting for his reply in Huihe City. If he agrees to my request, I will order the imperial army in Black Tiger City to surrender to the Great Tang Dynasty!"

"General, this——"

The Arab Empire general named Haiti looked at General Turhong with a puzzled look, and said hesitantly.

Not only him, but the other generals in the tent also cast puzzled and doubtful eyes on the general Turhong on the main seat.

Haha!

Turhong smiled helplessly and said: "Yes, this is a challenge letter written by this general to the Great Tang Emperor Chen Huaian. This general has long heard that the Great Tang Emperor is very skilled and brave;"

"But, this general is also the first warrior of the Abbasid Dynasty!"

As he said, Turhong's deep blue eyes flashed, and he continued: "So, this is an explanation to this general, and also an explanation to the Caliph!"

Although Turhong did not say it clearly, the generals present understood his implication.

The general wanted to use his life to exchange for a way out for the 200,000 imperial troops trapped in Black Tiger City!

As the first warrior of the Abbasid Dynasty and the general of the Arab Empire's Eastern Expedition, Turhong naturally could not accept the outcome of surrendering to the enemy.

However, if he did not surrender, the 200,000 troops in Black Tiger City would surely die.

Therefore, he chose to end his life decently by issuing a declaration of war to the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty.

If he died, he would not care whether the imperial soldiers in Black Tiger City fought or surrendered;

If he died, he would preserve the dignity and respect of the Abbasid Dynasty and Caliph Safah;

If he died, all the responsibilities for the failure of the Arab Empire's Eastern Expedition could be pushed onto him.

As for what these hundreds of thousands of Arab Empire soldiers will face after surrendering, General Turhong can't care and doesn't want to care;

At least, when he was alive, he used all his means to find a way out for the soldiers!

"General--"

"General, just fight with the Tang army outside the city!"

"Yes, General, fight!"

"General--"

For a moment, after understanding General Turhong's thoughts, the Arab Empire generals in the big tent, who had already been desperate, burst out with the integrity and bloodiness as soldiers at this moment;

No one wants to live in humiliation.

"Quiet--"

General Turhong, who was on the main seat, waved his hand, signaling everyone to be quiet.

He has decided to exchange his life for a glimmer of hope for the soldiers in the city, so how could he agree to the soldiers' request?

Turhong said in an unquestionable tone: "Everyone, this matter has been decided!"

"General Haiti, please deliver the letter for me!"

"I, your humble servant, have received your order!"