In fact, even General Turhong was unsure whether Emperor Chen Huai'an of the Tang Dynasty would accept his challenge.
After all, the Tang army outside the city is strong and powerful, and after all the soldiers of the imperial expeditionary army in Meijian and Khatun surrendered, the Tang Dynasty can mobilize enough troops to besiege Black Tiger City.
On the other hand, the more than 200,000-strong imperial expeditionary army besieging Black Tiger City was already exhausted and their morale had plummeted to rock bottom.
Emperor Chen Huai'an of the Tang Dynasty had no need to risk injury to accept his challenge. After besieging Black Tiger City for three, five, seven, or eight days, the city would have fallen without a fight.
After dismissing his generals from the main tent, only Turhun, the Arab Empire's Grand General of the Eastern Expedition, and his personal guard captain, Bisuma, remained in the vast central command tent.
Turhun calmly ordered, "Bisuma, put on your armor for me!"
"Yes, General!"
The captain of the personal guard, Bisuma, was an orphan adopted by General Turhong when he was young during his campaign in Damascus. The two were as close as father and son.
Therefore, even at the most difficult moment for the imperial army's eastern expedition, Bisuma remained steadfastly by General Turhong's side, and was prepared to go out of the city with the general to fight to the death.
Soon, Bisuma brought up General Turhong's golden armor and helped the general put it on.
After donning his armor, Turhong carefully placed his falcon-shaped helmet on his head, then turned to look at himself in the bronze mirror.
In the bronze mirror, the tall, golden figure remained robust and imposing, the typical Middle Eastern face still handsome and valiant, and the deep blue eyes still radiated a firm and domineering gaze.
Looking at himself in the mirror, Turhong seemed to see himself thirty years ago when he had just joined the army.
This inevitably brought back memories of the time when he rode his warhorse, spear in hand, and shouted loudly outside Damascus, urging the enemy commander to come out and fight him to the death on horseback.
As the first warrior of the Abbasid Caliphate, Turhong rose from an unknown soldier to a general commanding 800,000 troops and leading the empire on an eastern expedition against the Tang Dynasty.
Throughout his journey of growth, he has always been influenced by General Khalid, another outstanding military commander of the Arab Empire a century ago, who was known as the "Sword of Allah."
Both of them admired martial prowess in their youth and enjoyed using their spears and scimitars on horseback to duel with enemy generals, destroying the morale and fighting spirit of the enemy through this primitive and fair duel of killing generals on the battlefield.
However, as Turhong accumulated military achievements and gradually became the second-highest-ranking general in the Abbasid Caliphate, he had not personally led his troops into battle for many years, nor had he engaged in a one-on-one duel with the enemy's commander.
Now, knowing that there is no hope of breaking through, Turhong wants to use the same method that made him famous to make his final journey in life more dignified and without regrets.
"Bisuma, bring me both my spear and straight sword!"
"Yes, General!"
Bisuma remained steadfast in carrying out General Turhong's orders, fetching him a spear and a straight sword.
Turgun, a general of the Abbasid Caliphate, used the same weapon commonly used by the cavalry of the Arab Empire: a Rukhm spear with a wooden handle and a metal head, about 12 or 13 feet long.
A straight sword is a straight sword forged from Damascus steel, known for its superior toughness and hardness.
With a spear and a straight sword in hand, Turhong's entire demeanor suddenly became sharp, vaguely revealing the heroic spirit he displayed when he wielded a spear and a straight sword on horseback to kill the enemy's commander.
Clang, clang, clang!
Turhong brandished his straight sword a few times in mid-air, the clanging sound of it cutting through the air still sharp and piercing.
"The General is incredibly brave!"
Almost instinctively, the captain of the personal guards in the main tent, Bisuma, immediately applauded and cheered for the general.
Ha ha!
Turhong laughed heartily twice, clearly satisfied.
After a moment, Bisuma, somewhat dejected, asked again, "General, do you think that Emperor Chen Huai'an of the Great Tang Dynasty will agree to your challenge?"
Forehead--
Upon hearing this, Turhong's expression visibly froze.
Clearly, he wasn't entirely confident about the answer to Captain Bisuma's question, nor did he know how to respond.
"Report—"
"Reporting to the General, General Haiti has come to report!"
Suddenly, the sound of a messenger reporting from outside the tent broke the slightly awkward atmosphere inside.
General Turhong immediately sheathed his sword and ordered towards the outside of the tent, "Come in and talk!"
Immediately afterwards, General Haiti, who had been appointed by Turhong as a messenger to deliver a challenge letter to Emperor Chen Huai'an at the Tang army camp outside the city, hurriedly entered the central command tent.
Turhong asked anxiously, "General Haiti, how did the trip go?"
"Then, has Emperor Chen Huai'an of the Great Tang Dynasty agreed to this general's challenge?"
call--
General Haiti, returning with the message, breathed a sigh of relief and reported to General Turhong, "Reporting to the General, Emperor Chen Huai'an of the Great Tang Dynasty has accepted the General's challenge and agreed to the General's demands."
"At the hour of Shen (3-5 PM), Emperor Chen Huai'an of the Great Tang Dynasty will await his duel with the Grand General outside Black Tiger City!"
call!
Upon hearing that Chen Huai'an had accepted the challenge and agreed to his request, Turhong finally felt relieved and let out a long sigh of relief.
He muttered to himself, "So it seems that the Great Emperor Chen Huai'an of the Tang Dynasty was indeed a hero, and the rumors about him in the streets are true!"
Then, Turhong added, "Since the Great Emperor of the Tang Dynasty can be so straightforward and decisive in his battle, then this general must also be fully prepared, as this is how one shows respect for one's opponent!"
"Guards! Pass down the order: This general wishes to dine!"
"Your subordinate obeys!"
......
At the same time, inside the central command tent of the Tang army outside Black Tiger City.
Emperor Zhaowu, Chen Huai'an, was also having a meal. Beside him stood several fierce generals of the Tang Dynasty, including Marquis Anxi Lan Yu, Marquis Zhenxi Guo Dingfang, Marquis Changxin Zuo Liangcai, Marquis Guanjun Huo Qubing, and Zhao Zilong, the commander of the Imperial Guard, all of whom looked anxious.
By this time, they already knew that the Emperor had accepted the challenge from Turhong, the enemy general in the city, and would have a duel with Turhong outside Black Tiger City at Shenshi (3-5 PM).
All the generals looked at Chen Huai'an, who was in the main seat, with concern on their faces.
Although they were all fierce generals who had once fought alongside Emperor Zhaowu and conquered the world, they had all witnessed Emperor Zhaowu's military prowess firsthand.
However, the current emperor is still the emperor, the supreme ruler, the Son of Heaven.
Putting aside the question of whether it would be disgraceful for the nation for the emperor to personally lead the battle and fight one-on-one with a general of the enemy, if anything were to happen to the emperor, every single one of the fierce generals of the Tang Dynasty present would face the wrath of their entire families.
Therefore, these people immediately went to Emperor Zhaowu, Chen Huai'an, to persuade him to rescind his order.
Zhao Zilong, the commander of the Imperial Guard, stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, why not let this humble general lead the battle in your place? That Turhun is merely a general in the Abbasid Caliphate's eastern expedition."
"This humble general is the commander of the Imperial Guard of the Great Tang Dynasty. Fighting him is already giving him enough face, and there is no issue of losing face for the country!"
"Your Majesty, General Zhao is absolutely right!"
"Your Majesty, as the supreme ruler, has no need to contend with a mere warrior like Turhong. Although I am not as valiant as Your Majesty in martial arts, I am willing to fight in Your Majesty's place."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
"Your Majesty, please reconsider..."
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