September 21st, the first year of the Zhaowu reign of the Tang Dynasty.
This was the twentieth day of the Tang army's siege of the Uyghur Black Tiger City, with 200,000 Arab troops on their eastern expedition. Turhun, the Abbasid general in charge of the eastern expedition, still hadn't received the autumn rain he had been longing for—the torrential rain that would render the Tang army's bronze cannons outside the city useless.
What made Turhong and the Arab Empire's eastern expeditionary army, which was fighting like cornered beasts in the city, even more desperate was that instead of getting a chance to break out, they received news that more than 400,000 Arab troops trapped in Meijian and Qadun had surrendered.
On September 17, the 150,000-strong Arab Empire expeditionary force in Meijian City of the Uyghurs, after several breakout attempts due to exhaustion of ammunition and food, suffered heavy casualties, which led to a mutiny among the frontline soldiers.
In the end, dozens of centurions joined forces, killed the commander-in-chief Aini in Meijian City, and then, carrying Aini's head, raised a white flag and surrendered to the Tang army outside the city.
On September 19th, more than 200,000 troops of the Arab Empire in the city of Khatun, led by their commander Aziz, voluntarily left the city and surrendered to Zhao Zilong, the commander of the Tang Dynasty's Imperial Guard who was besieging Khatun.
On September 21, Turhong, the general in charge of the eastern expedition in Black Tiger City, received a special gift from Emperor Zhaowu of the Tang Dynasty, Chen Huai'an, outside the city: the seals and banners of the generals of the Arab Empire's eastern expeditionary army in Meijian and Qatun, as well as dozens of wagons of provisions.
This special gift became the final straw that broke the back of General Turhong and the Arab army trapped in Black Tiger City.
Inside the central command tent.
General Turhong sat in the main seat, with the head of Aini, the left vanguard commander of the Meijian City Empire's eastern expeditionary army, and the banners and seals of Aini and Aizezi on the table in front of him.
On either side of Turhun sat solemn-faced, silent Arab empire generals.
The silence inside the tent was almost eerie. Only outside the lifted tent curtain, the howling northwest wind rustled the woolen banner of Turhong, the Great General of the Empire's Eastern Expedition.
At this moment, Turgun was no longer the spirited man he was three months ago, leading his 800,000-strong Arab army on an eastward expedition. His face was full of fatigue and helplessness, making him look like a greasy middle-aged man.
The army had been besieged in Black Tiger City for more than 20 days. Most of the warhorses that needed to be killed had already been slaughtered. Only Turhong's personal guards still maintained a complete cavalry structure.
If only Turhong had known this would happen, he shouldn't have ordered the massacre of the city when he led his troops to conquer Black Tiger City.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have appeared so passive.
However, it was too late for regrets at this point; the 200,000-strong imperial army in Black Tiger City had become a completely isolated force.
At this very moment, Emperor Zhaowu of the Tang Dynasty, Chen Huai'an, sent someone with enough rations to feed the 200,000 troops in the city, as well as news of the fall of the cities of Meijian and Khatun.
This move was tantamount to shattering the last psychological defenses of the rank-and-file soldiers trapped in Black Tiger City.
It's time to bring this to a close!
Cough cough!
Turhong coughed twice from his seat of honor.
Immediately, the Arab Empire generals who had been hanging their heads in the tent all raised their heads blankly, looking at General Turhun with blank expressions, awaiting the final command.
Turhong said calmly, "Caesar, go and relay my orders now: have the soldiers distribute the grain sent by the Tang army outside the city."
"After this meal, make them prepare to surrender!"
"General—"
When General Caesar, the Right Vanguard General, heard the Grand General order his soldiers to prepare to surrender, he instinctively wanted to offer some words of advice, but the words stuck in his throat.
Now everyone understands that surrender is the only way out.
Otherwise, they would simply starve to death in this Black Tiger City.
Turhong waved his hand and said, "Go and carry out my orders!"
"Your humble servant obeys!"
In the end, General Caesar, the Right Vanguard, had no choice but to leave in a huff, filled with resentment.
Immediately afterwards, Turhong took out a letter from the table in front of him and instructed another general in the tent: "General Haiti, this is a personal letter I wrote to Emperor Chen Huai'an of the Great Tang Dynasty. Go out of the city and deliver it to the Emperor."
"Just say that I am waiting for his reply in the Uyghur city. If he agrees to my request, I will order the imperial army in Black Tiger City to surrender to the Tang Dynasty!"
"General, this—"
The Arab general named Haiti looked at General Turhun with a puzzled expression, and hesitated before speaking.
Not only him, but the other generals in the main tent also cast puzzled and confused glances at General Turhong, who sat in the main seat.
hehe!
Turhong smiled helplessly and said, "That's right, this is a challenge I wrote to Emperor Chen Huai'an of the Great Tang Dynasty. I have long heard that this Emperor of the Great Tang is highly skilled in martial arts and unparalleled in bravery."
"But I am also the greatest warrior of the Abbasid Caliphate!"
As he spoke, a glint flashed in Turhun's deep blue eyes, and he continued, "So, this is an explanation to this general, and also an explanation to the Caliph!"
Although Turhong did not say it explicitly, the generals present understood his implied meaning.
The general is willing to sacrifice his own life to save the 200,000 imperial troops trapped in Black Tiger City!
As the greatest warrior of the Abbasid Caliphate and the Grand General of the Arab Empire's Eastern Expedition, Turgun naturally could not accept surrendering to the enemy.
However, if they did not surrender to the 200,000-strong army in Black Tiger City, they would surely die.
Therefore, he chose to end his life with dignity by issuing a challenge to the Emperor of Tang.
He was dead, so he could no longer control whether the imperial soldiers in Black Tiger City fought or surrendered.
His death preserved the dignity and respectability of the Abbasid Caliphate and Caliph Safah.
With his death, all the responsibility for the Arab Empire's failed eastern expedition could be placed on his shoulders.
As for what would happen to the hundreds of thousands of Arab soldiers after their surrender, General Turhun neither cared nor wanted to care.
At least, while he was alive, he used every means at his disposal to find a way to survive for his soldiers!
"General—"
"General, let's just fight the Tang army outside the city!"
"Yes, General, let's fight!"
"General—"
In an instant, after understanding General Turhun's thoughts, the Arab Empire generals, who had been despondent, suddenly displayed the integrity and courage of soldiers.
No one wants to live a life of ignominy.
"Quiet--"
General Turhong, seated at the head of the table, waved his hand, signaling everyone to quiet down.
He had already decided to sacrifice his own life to give the soldiers in the city a chance to survive, so how could he possibly agree to their demands?
Turhong said in an unquestionable tone, "Gentlemen, this matter is decided!"
"General Haiti, deliver this message for me!"
"Your humble servant obeys!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com