On the watchtower of the Tang army camp.
Guo Dingfang, the Marquis of Zhenxi, who was in charge of conveying the imperial edict, and Zuo Liangcai, the Marquis of Changxin, who was in charge of succeeding Lan Yu as the deputy commander of the Anxi Protectorate (Northern Prefecture), were anxiously and closely watching the developments on the battlefield from the lookout tower of the camp, using their monocular telescopes.
Before the Great Tang Anxi Iron Cavalry Army set out today, the commander-in-chief Lan Yu gave Guo Dingfang and Zuo Liangcai the task of staying behind to guard the camp in case the army's surprise attack on the central army of the Arab Empire failed.
Guo Dingfang and Zuo Liangcai, who had personally experienced fierce battles against powerful enemies from beyond the borders, were ordered to lead two thousand elite Anxi cavalrymen who were left to guard the main camp to cover the breakout of thousands of wounded soldiers in the camp ahead of schedule. They were also ordered to truthfully report to the emperor the detailed course of the Battle of Talas and the weapons, equipment, and tactical arrangements of both sides, so as to provide experience for the Tang army to recover the Western Regions in the future.
By this time, the two sides had been fighting fiercely for several hours. The clouds in the sky were getting thicker and thicker, and the sky was getting darker. It was as if the heavy clouds, which could not bear the weight, might pour down rain as big as beans at any moment, like a river bursting its banks.
The generals who remained at the Tang army camp were in a state of depression, much like the oppressive weather, their moods reaching a breaking point, on the verge of exploding at any moment.
Even with the valiant general Lan Yu personally leading the Tang cavalry, they were still unable to break through the central defense line of the Arab Empire in a short time. Meanwhile, the outermost Arab troops took turns harassing and charging the Tang cavalry.
If it weren't for the formidable combat power and tenacious fighting spirit of these super elite soldiers produced by the "Born to Be Emperors" system, these 30,000 Tang cavalry would probably have been defeated long ago when faced with an enemy force several times their size.
However, as the two sides became embroiled in a fierce battle, time continued to pass, and the Tang cavalry had little time left.
Otherwise, under the Arab army's relentless attrition warfare, even the most elite soldiers, capable of fighting ten against one, would eventually run out of energy.
Seeing that he had failed to break through the Arab central defense line and that the Arab army was harassing him from the flanks and rear, Zuo Liangcai, the Marquis of Changxin who was left to guard the main camp, finally could not sit still any longer!
"Master Guo——"
Zuo Liangcai put down his binoculars, his face grave, and said to Guo Dingfang beside him, "I have decided to lead the two thousand elite cavalry left behind at the main camp to break out and reinforce the Marquis of Anxi."
"These thousands of wounded soldiers in this camp are now entrusted to Lord Guo!"
"General Zuo—"
Upon hearing this, Guo Dingfang frowned, and though he had a thousand words on the tip of his tongue, he ultimately couldn't utter them.
Seeing this, Zuo Liangcai smiled and said, "Lord Guo, after I lead my troops out of the camp and into the battlefield, you should immediately lead the wounded soldiers in the camp to break through first!"
"Don't worry, even if I have to risk my life, I, Zuo Liangcai, will definitely hold off the enemy forces that are pursuing you!"
"Lord Guo, don't worry about breaking through!"
Seeing that Zuo Liangcai had said all this, Guo Dingfang had nothing more to say. He simply said to Zuo Liangcai with tears in his eyes, "General Zuo, take care!"
"Take care of yourself!"
Immediately, Zuo Liangcai drew his sword with a clang and shouted, "Two thousand Anxi cavalry soldiers stationed at the main camp, heed my command—"
"Follow me on horseback out of the camp to support the Grand General in defeating the enemy's central army and cutting down their banner!"
"Kill them!"
Soon, the two thousand elite Anxi cavalry, who were already waiting on horseback in the camp, rushed towards the battlefield like a black lightning bolt, led by Marquis Changxin Zuo Liangcai.
No sooner had the last two thousand cavalrymen left the Tang army camp than Marquis Guo Dingfang of Zhenxi led thousands of wounded soldiers in the camp to help each other mount their horses and break out in the opposite direction.
Guo Dingfang, riding on horseback, kept looking back as he watched Zuo Liangcai charge into the battlefield, fiercely fighting against an enemy force dozens of times his size, preventing them from pursuing him.
Giddy up, giddy up, giddy up!
Finally, with tears in his eyes, Guo Dingfang urged his warhorse to speed up and led his wounded soldiers to break through the encirclement.
On the battlefield, with no worries about their rear, Zuo Liangcai and his two thousand Tang cavalry charged straight at the enemy's Persian iron cavalry.
With a mere two thousand cavalrymen, they managed to tear a gap in the enemy's ranks of tens of thousands of Persian cavalry, immediately relieving the pressure on the Tang cavalry, who were attacked from both sides.
General Lan Yu, who was personally commanding the cavalry to break through the enemy lines, was initially taken aback upon seeing the arrival of reinforcements, but his spirits immediately lifted, and he shouted sternly, "Brothers, reinforcements have arrived—"
"Follow the guidance of this general's blade, break through the enemy's defenses, slay the enemy commander, cut down the enemy's banner, and kill!"
"Kill them!"
On the battlefield, confidence is stronger than gold.
The arrival of Zuo Liangcai's 2,000 reinforcements boosted the morale of the Tang cavalrymen who were fighting hard. Furthermore, the personal charge by General Lan Yu further inspired the army.
This wave of attack directly overwhelmed the already exhausted Arab central army soldiers, and the defensive line that was barely holding on instantly spread out like a breached dam.
"Report—"
"Reporting to the General, our left flank defenses have been breached by the Tang army;"
"Report—"
"Reporting to the General, our left flank defenses have been breached by the Tang army;"
"General, please move quickly and temporarily avoid the Tang army's advance!"
On the central watchtower of the Arab army, the sounds of messengers reporting orders and generals requesting that the Eastern Expeditionary General Turhun move to a safer location echoed one after another.
However, Turhong, still sitting upright on the central command watchtower, looked at the Tang cavalry who had broken through the outer chariot shield defense line, and his eyes became unusually firm.
snort!
Turhong snorted coldly and said disdainfully, "You want this general to temporarily avoid the brunt of the Tang army? What a joke!"
"Men, bring me my broadsword! I'm going to personally confront that Tang army commander!"
"Your subordinate obeys!"
Turhong's personal guard captain immediately accepted the order and left.
Wearing a golden armor, Turhong suddenly stood up, revealing his tall and strong physique, clearly a seasoned soldier.
With the two armies locked in fierce combat, morale and fighting spirit on both sides had reached the brink of collapse. This was the moment to test the fighting will of the commanders on both sides.
If anyone is the first to show signs of cowardice, the morale of their own troops will collapse.
As the Abbasid Caliphate's general in the eastern expedition, how could Turgun not know this principle?
All that could be heard was him coldly laughing as he addressed the Arab general who had urged him to move aside to avoid danger: "General Aini, you seem to have forgotten one thing: I am the foremost warrior of the Abbasid Caliphate, handpicked by the Caliph himself."
"Today, I, the general, will open your eyes to something new!"
"All soldiers, heed my command! Follow me to meet the enemy!"
"Your subordinate obeys!"
At the same time.
Lan Yu led his troops, and after tearing through the chariot shield defenses of the Arab central army, they galloped forward with overwhelming force and quickly reached the central army's watchtower.
Lan Yu's gaze was immediately drawn to the figure riding a tall white steed and wearing a golden armor as they approached.
It's obvious without even thinking that this person should be Turhun, the great general of the Arab Empire's eastern expedition.
snort--
Lan Yu sneered: "A mere barbarian tribe from outside the region dares to overstep its bounds. This golden armor is not something a barbarian general like you can wear."
"Turhong, prepare to die!"
Before he finished speaking, Lan Yu had already brandished his ring-pommel sword and spurred his horse toward the enemy general, Turhong.
Hahaha!
On the other side, riding a tall and magnificent horse, Turhong laughed loudly and roared, "General Lan Yu of the Tang army, today I will show you the might of the number one warrior of the Abbasid Dynasty!"
drive--
Immediately, Turhong spurred his warhorse and charged towards Lan Yu.
The personal guards of the two generals also brandished their swords, spears, and halberds, roaring and shouting as they charged toward each other.
Clang!
A deafening collision shook the heavens and earth.
That was the sound of the ring-pommel sword in the hands of the two generals, Lan Yu, clashing fiercely with the long-handled broadsword in the hands of Turhong.
The fierce attack between the two on horseback immediately made the valiant general Lan Yu realize that the enemy commander Turhong was also a formidable opponent, whose bravery was no less than his own.
Clang, clang, clang!
Immediately afterwards, the two exchanged several more blows on horseback. The clash between the ring-pommel sword and the long-handled broadsword sent sparks flying in all directions. Each strike was a full-force attack.
Lan Yu's hand, gripping the knife, was throbbing painfully from the impact.
Turhong, on the other hand, seemed unaffected, continuing to swing his long-handled broadsword fiercely at Lan Yu, who could only parry and defend, struggling to keep up.
Gradually, Lan Yu found himself losing ground.
Fortunately, the overall strength of the Yuhou Army under Lan Yu was far superior to that of the Arab soldiers under Turhong. Seeing that their commander was no match, they sent troops to fight against Turhong in order to relieve the pressure on their commander Lan Yu.
For a time, the two sides fought fiercely and evenly across the vast Talas wilderness.
Gaa—
Gaa, gaa—
Suddenly, the cries of falcons echoed across the sky above Talas. One after another, large falcons, flapping their powerful wings, circled low and swooped down toward the battleground.
Waaah, waaah—
Immediately afterwards, a series of bugle calls rang out from all directions, clearly carrying the unique timbre of the Western Regions.
A foreigner riding a white horse and wielding a crescent-shaped scimitar appeared first on the Gobi Desert ridgeline outside the battle zone, with a large falcon perched on his shoulder. The newcomer was none other than Tibis, the last king of the Wusun Kingdom in the Western Regions!
Behind him, fully armed Arab cavalrymen continued to climb the Gobi Desert ridgeline, their curved bows and scimitars gleaming with a blinding cold light.
That's not all.
After Tibis appeared, fully armed Arab cavalry began to cross the hills along the Gobi Desert ridges all around Talas, eyeing the Tang cavalry in the battle zone with predatory intent.
The 500,000-strong Arab Empire's eastern expeditionary force, which had been lying in ambush in the Western Regions of Shi, Ronglu, Gumo, and Beilu, had all arrived at the battlefield in Talas.
Hahaha!
Seeing this, Turhun, the Abbasid Caliphate's general in the eastern expedition, could no longer conceal his unrestrained and excited feelings. He grinned and roared, "Lan Yu, surrender and you will be spared!"
"Lan Yu, surrender and you'll be spared!"
"Lan Yu, surrender and you'll be spared!"
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