Chapter 195: The Two Tribes’ Cavalry Forces

The main force of the Tang army arrived at Jiedan Mountain at night. Located 70 li north of Suire City, Jiedan Mountain served as a passage from the northern steppes into the Suire Valley. Scouts sent ahead reported that the area ahead was quiet, with no suspicious activity. At the first watch, the Tang army took temporary rest on a vast Gobi plain. As they were still on the march, they did not set up camps but rested on the spot. The soldiers dismounted and busied themselves feeding their horses water and fodder, then took down their bundled luggage from their horses, unfolded their sleeping bags, and soon fell into deep sleep. The moonlight, like water, spread silver across the ground.

There was only one small tent in the entire campsite, which served as the Tang army’s command tent. Inside, Li Qing’an was discussing specific plans to attack Suire with a dozen generals. Trusted officers such as Duan Xiushi, Li Fei Shouyu, Li Fei Yuanli, Nan Jiyun, Lei Wanchun, Bai Xiaode, Bai Xiaojie, Zhu Xia Jinzhong, as well as generals promoted from the imperial guard like Chen Liangqing, Wu Yuanhao, and Lu Yun gathered together. These generals formed the core leadership of the Beiting Army.

Since the supervisor Wang Tingfang fell ill en route and stayed in Yuegong City, Li Qing’an had more freedom to command the troops. More than a month earlier, he had drafted three plans, but changing circumstances—especially the emergence of a coalition force from Abbasid and Shi states at Ashibulai City—added new variables to the battle for Suire.

As the military art says, “Know yourself and your enemy, and you can win a hundred battles.” As a person from a later era, Li Qing’an was acutely aware of the importance of intelligence. To win the battle of Suire, he had been gathering information about the military strength, food supplies, public opinion, and the latest developments in relations between the various Turkic tribes for half a year through various channels. Based on this information, he formulated plans to attack Suire and to control the region after the battle.

However, he knew nothing about the coalition force of the Shi states and Abbasids—nothing about their troop numbers, weapons, tactics, commanders, or combat capabilities. As a commander, fighting a battle without knowing one’s opponent was like a blind man trying to touch an elephant.

Debates inside the tent were intense, gradually focusing on whether to attack Suire City first or the Abbasid forces first. The group clearly split into two opposing factions.

Duan Xiushi stood up and said, “Gentlemen, the Abbasid army has 10,000 troops. Although we don’t know their exact strength, we can assume they are on par with the Tang army. Right now, we have 12,000 troops, roughly equal to the enemy’s force, with a slight advantage. Our chances of winning are high. But if we attack Suiye first, not only will we waste some of our troops, but if anything goes wrong during the attack, we might face being attacked from both fronts, which would be extremely disadvantageous for our campaign in Suiye.”

Duan Xiushi favored defeating the Abbasid army first before attacking Suiye to avoid being attacked from both sides, but Li Fei Shouyu insisted on taking Suiye first before fighting the Abbasids. His reason was simple: capturing Suiye city would be highly advantageous for the Tang army, which was skilled at defense. By holding a strong fortress, the Tang army could gain the upper hand and then strike when the Abbasids were exhausted.

Interestingly, his brother Li Fei Yuanli firmly supported Duan Xiushi. His loud voice filled the tent: “Those so-called Abbasids and Shi people are nothing but a bunch of ragtag troops. Can they resist the Tang army’s powerful crossbows? Can they withstand the Tang army’s gunpowder explosions? There’s no need to discuss this. Offer generous rewards to our men and wipe them out completely—let them taste the might of our Beiting Army!”

As soon as he finished speaking, an urgent report came from outside the tent: “Commander, the Yiwu army has returned!”

The news of the Yiwu army’s return shocked the generals inside the tent. They rushed out one after another, and Li Qing’an also stepped out quickly. In the darkness, the sound of horse hooves could be heard in the distance, and dark figures could be seen approaching. The Tang soldiers, who were sleeping, were awakened by the noise. They climbed out of their sleeping bags, ready for battle.

As the dark figures got closer, everyone could see clearly—it was indeed the Yiwu army, or rather, the remnants of it, with less than a thousand men, many of them injured. The utterly defeated Yiwu army had finally found the main force of the Tang army, and their resolve wavered. Many wounded soldiers fell off their horses, and 200 female guards rushed over to treat their wounds skillfully.

A moment later, Deputy Commander Yang Zaicheng was carried by two soldiers before Li Qing’an. He knelt on the ground and cried loudly, “Commander, Governor Han has died in battle. The Shatuo army has been completely destroyed. The Yiwu army has suffered a crushing defeat.”

Although Li Qing’an had expected the Yiwu army to suffer a defeat, he hadn’t anticipated it to be so severe. He shook his head and ordered his attendants, “Help him down and take good care of his wounds.”

At that moment, Li Fei Yuanli beside him roared in anger, “Those Abbasid scoundrels! I’ll make them taste my wrath!”

Li Qing’an gave him a cold glance, turned, and walked toward the main tent. Li Feiyuan immediately fell silent in fear. Duan Xiushi patted his shoulder and said, “The governor is in a bad mood; don’t provoke him.” With that, he chased after Li Qing’an.

“Governor, although the Yiwu army has suffered heavy losses, I believe the Abbasid army has also been dealt a severe blow. This is an opportunity.”

“An opportunity?”

Li Qing’an sneered and turned back, asking, “Then let me ask you—why did Han Zhi make such a mistake in judgment? How many troops does the Abbasid army have? Where are they now? Are they fighting independently, or have they allied with the Turkic tribes? How do you know the Abbasid army has been severely weakened?”

Duan Xiushi was left speechless by Li Qing’an’s barrage of questions. Perhaps realizing he had been too harsh, Li Qing’an sighed and added, “Han Zhi lost because of his eagerness to take credit and his superficial understanding of the enemy. He thought he understood them thoroughly, but once on the battlefield, he realized otherwise, leading to his defeat. The difference between me and Han Zhi is that if I lose, it will completely ruin Tang Dynasty’s strategic plan to rebuild Suoye. General Duan, we don’t need to rush this battle. What I’m considering isn’t just capturing Suoye, but ensuring Tang Dynasty’s long-term control over it.”

With that, Li Qing’an turned and walked away from the tent. From afar, his orders could be heard: “Pass on my orders—the army shall camp here, and Pei Yu is to come see me.”

……

In Suoye City, an atmosphere of unease hung over this ancient city. Some herders who fled into the city brought news of battles near Ashibulai City. All the residents of Suoye were filled with fear of possible massacre. It was not yet dark, yet the streets were empty, with no pedestrians in sight. The city gates were closed early, with only occasional groups of Turkic cavalry passing by.

At the entrance of an alley, a young man watched the cavalry ride away before quickly emerging from the alley and running toward a small street diagonally across.

He was Han Chinese, dressed in a Turkic-style short robe and boots—the most common attire among Han people in Suoye. He followed the small street inward and soon arrived at the entrance of a large mansion. He stepped up the stairs and knocked on the doorbell. After a while, the door creaked open slightly.

“Who are you looking for?”

“I’m from Beiting. I’m here to see Master Chang. Just say it’s Governor Li who sent me.”

“Please wait a moment!”

The door closed again. After a short while, hurried footsteps came from inside, and the door opened once more, revealing Chang Jin’s broad face. He asked urgently, “Were you sent by General Li, the military governor of Beiting?”

The young man glanced behind him, took out a silver plaque for identification, and said quickly, “I am a clerk under the military governor. My surname is Pei. I have been sent here by Lord Li.” This young man was Pei Yu, Li Qing’an’s clerk, who had been dispatched from Beiting to carry out a special mission. “Ah! Please come in, Mr. Pei.” Chang Jin hurriedly invited him in and led him to a secret room before asking, “I wonder what General Li needs me to do?” Pei Yu smiled and said, “Lord Li said that Master Chang is quite familiar with Khan Erwiter of the Tuyuhesh. I’ve been ordered to meet Khan Erwiter, and I hope Master Chang can take me to see him.” “No problem. I’ll take you there right away.” Chang Jin was very cautious. After hesitating for a moment, he asked, “We don’t need to tell Li Huichun about this, right?” Pei Yu nodded. “Lord Li believes that the fewer people who know about this, the better, to avoid unnecessary complications.” … Since their rise during the Kaiyuan era, the Tuyuhesh had grown strong under the leadership of Khan Sulu and with the support of the Tang Dynasty to counter the expanding power of the Abbasids. However, the Tuyuhesh soon became arrogant. Incited by the Tibetans, they turned to attack Anxi under the Tang Dynasty. Their ingratitude angered the Tang court. In the 18th year of Kaiyuan, Emperor Li Longji assembled an army of 60,000 troops from Shuofang, Hexi, and Anxi, led by the military governor Niu Xianke, to fight against the Tuyuhesh alongside the Abbasids. The Tuyuhesh suffered heavy defeats on both sides. Not long after the Battle of Zhurgu, Khan Sulu was killed by his generals Dumoji and Hemogadan. From then on, the Tuyuhesh split into two clans, the Black and Yellow clans, who waged a long war over Shuye City, their hatred only to be washed away by blood. Currently, the Tuyuhesh leader controlling Shuye City is Khan Erwiter, while the leader of the Tuyuhesh near Helie City in the south is Dumoji. Based on their backgrounds, Khan Erwiter leans slightly toward the Tang Dynasty, whereas Dumoji secretly colludes with the people of the Shi State and the Abbasids. Khan Erwiter is 40 years old this year. He is one of the few gentle-minded rulers among the Tuyuhesh. He spent ten years in the Tang Dynasty as a youth and was deeply influenced by Han culture. He once sent envoys to Chang’an to request allegiance, but the Tang court refused, unwilling to let Dumoji’s faction grow stronger. He learned about the war breaking out near Ashibulai City in the afternoon. He received more comprehensive information than ordinary people. Learning that the Tang army had been defeated by the Abbasids, he was deeply worried. If the Abbasids ended up controlling Shuye, they would surely support Dumoji, marking the end of his clan.

At this moment, the palace gates were tightly locked, and the palace was in turmoil. Erwiterike Khan and his wives, concubines, and guards were frantically packing their things, ready to flee eastward at the first sign of trouble. With less than three thousand soldiers under his command, how could he possibly withstand a joint attack from the Arabs and the Turkic tribes?

Just then, a guard rushed over and whispered something in Erwiterike Khan’s ear. Shocked, Erwiterike put down what he was holding and hurried toward the inner palace.

In a reception room, Chang Jin was patiently waiting with Pei Yu. Chang Jin’s father was a Suiye Han, while his mother was a noble from the Turkic tribes. Thanks to his mother, he had a good relationship with Erwiterike. The top-quality Suiye wine stored in his home in Changan Rehai came from the Turkic royal palace.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps were heard outside. Erwiterike Khan rushed in almost running. Chang Jin stood up and said with a smile, “It seems the Khan is very busy. I’m sorry to disturb you.”

“Not at all! Please, sit down.”

Erwiterike Khan turned around and closed the door, then sat down as well. He smiled and asked Pei Yu, “Has this young man come from Beiting?”

His fluent Chinese surprised Pei Yu greatly. He quickly stood up, bowed, and said, “I am a clerk in the Beiting military governor’s office. My name is Pei Yu. I have been sent to Suiye on orders from my lord.”

With that, he took out a letter written by Li Qing’an and handed it over. “This is a letter from my lord. Please take a look, Khan.”

Erwiterike Khan read a few lines of the letter, his eyes lighting up suddenly. He asked eagerly, “Could it be that the Tang army fighting against the Arab army is not the main force?”

Pei Yu sighed slightly. “It was a Tang general who was eager for glory and took action on his own, leading to defeat. It certainly isn’t the main Tang force.”

Erwiterike Khan felt relieved. He took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead. “Rumors in the city say the Tang army has been defeated. I thought everything was lost and was preparing to flee. Now that the Tang army is safe, I’m relieved.”

In truth, he was only relieved that the Tang army could stop the Arab forces from posing a threat to him. Yet he was also wary of the Tang army entering Suiye. He feared most that the Turkic tribes might be destroyed just like Gaochang.

Anxiously, he continued reading Li Qing’an’s letter. It clearly stated that the imperial court had decided to restore the Suiye military garrison. Regarding the Turkic tribes, Li Qing’an planned to adopt the Kucha model—keeping the Turkic Khan in place while allowing the Tang army to control military and political affairs. In principle, the Tang army would not interfere in the internal affairs of the Turkic tribes.

This is an effective management model for border minority regions, as it can minimize the escalation of conflicts. It facilitates the Tang army’s rapid control of Suiye. At the same time, due to common interests, the Tang army and the Turkic people of Suiye can unite to resist the expansion of the Abbasid Empire. This not only avoids the risk of the Turkic people growing powerful and turning against the Tangs but also allows the Tang Dynasty to effectively control Suiye.

At this moment, Pei Yu interjected, “Envoy Li asks me to convey to the khan that whether it is the Tang Dynasty that takes control of Suiye or the Abbasid Empire, only one leader among the Turkic people of Suiye can remain. Please do not harbor any illusions on this matter.”

Khan Erwiteru understood Li Qing’an’s intention—it was a warning from Li to prevent him from surrendering to the Abbasid Empire. After pondering for a while, he asked, “I wonder where the main force of the Tang army is now?”

“They are currently camped at Jidan Mountain, while the Abbasid army is also camped about a hundred miles away. Both sides are waiting for the right moment for a decisive battle.”

“Ah!” Khan Erwiteru stood up abruptly before sitting back down heavily. With the situation having reached this point, he had little choice left.

After a long pause, he sighed deeply and said to Pei Yu, “Please tell General Li that I accept his proposal and will surrender to the Tang Dynasty.”

“Very well. To show good faith, please send your son to the Tang army’s camp, and I will stay in Suiye as a hostage.”

Khan Erwiteru nodded and opened the door to order his guards, “Go and call my eldest son, Qule.”

……

The combined army of the Abbasid Empire and the Kingdom of Shi was stationed on the west bank of the Suiye River, about eighty miles away from the Tang army’s camp. Judir was also a renowned Abbasid general known for his caution. After defeating Han Zhi’s army in Yiwu, he realized the strength of the Tang army and immediately recalled all three thousand soldiers from the Kingdom of Shi who were stationed in Ashibulai City. After accounting for the losses in his battle against the Tang army, his total force reached eleven thousand, almost matching that of the Tang army.

Although they had won the initial battle against the Tang army, the fighting process still filled Judir with fear. The Tang army’s superior equipment shocked him greatly, especially their armor, which left the deepest impression on him. That sturdy iron armor was far beyond comparison to the Abbasid army’s leather armor. Their arrows could not penetrate the Tang army’s armor from fifty paces away. As a result, he spent an entire morning conducting experiments and finally discovered that only the Abbasid army’s sharp javelins could pierce the Tang army’s armor from a distance.

This experimental result both excited and depressed him. They did not have many javelins—on average, each Abbasid soldier had only five, while the soldiers of the Kingdom of Shi had none at all.

With no other choice, he had to adjust his formation and send his Persian army to face the Tang forces head-on. In the evening, when Judil returned from the training ground, a soldier rushed to tell him that Duomoji’s envoy had arrived. Judil immediately returned to the main tent. Inside, a Turkic man had been waiting for him for a long time. Upon seeing him enter, the man stepped forward, bowed, and said, “I am Miller, the adopted son of General Duomoji. I greet General Judil.” After Duomoji’s only son, Duluoxian, was killed by Li Qing’an in Anxi, Duomoji, devastated by the loss of his son, became furious. He launched several invasions of Anxi but was dealt a severe blow by Gao Xianzhi. Left with no other option, he pinned his hopes on unifying Suiye and waiting to launch a counterattack on Anxi once he grew stronger, in order to avenge his son’s death. A year after his son’s death, he took in three adopted sons, and Miller was his first one. Judil waved his hand and smiled, saying, “Duomoji gets news quickly—sending an envoy so soon.” “Reporting to General Judil, my adoptive father is in Baodagun City, which is why the news arrives so fast,” the man replied. Judil was surprised; Baodagun City was only about forty miles away from his location. He quickly asked, “So how many troops does Duomoji have now?” Miller thought for a moment before saying, “My adoptive father leads two thousand Turkic cavalrymen.” “Two thousand!” The unexpected good news delighted Judil greatly. He patted Miller’s shoulder firmly and said with a smile, “Go back and tell your father to lead his troops to help me immediately. After defeating the Tang forces, I will make him the khan of Suiye, and the entire region will be under his rule.” Pushed back by Judil’s shoulder pat, Miller bent slightly and said excitedly, “My adoptive father says he is willing to go through fire and water for the Persian army. As long as General Judil needs him, he will come right away.” “Good! I’ll send you back now. Please ask Khan Duomoji to arrive at my camp before dawn tomorrow.”